Westwood Public Library
Westwood, Massachusetts

Pre-Pub Pick: Biloxi by Mary Miller (Expected publication: May 21, 2019 by Liveright).

Sixty-three-year-old Louis McDonald, Jr. has seen better days. His wife, Ellen, has left him after 30  years of a cheerless marriage. He has recently retired, and his remaining family, including his ex-brother-in-law and Louis's daughter, Maxine, and her young family, all but exasperate him. But when Louis comes across a free dog named Layla, life begins to speed up. Suddenly Louis is meeting women, dodging enemies and actually feeling all the highs and lows that life thrusts upon us all. With Layla by his side, Louis begins to open both his mind and his heart to all the possibilities he long thought past. 

Miller's honest novel perfectly details the loneliness and isolation felt by millions, particularly seniors, with humor, compassion, and hope. Biloxi is the American A Man Called Ove. Dog lovers, southern fiction fans, and those needing a jolt of optimism- so basically everyone- should pick this up.

Place a hold on Biloxi by clicking here!

Many thanks to Edelweiss and Liveright for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pre-Pub Pick: The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green by Erica Boyce (Expected publication: April 2, 2019 by Sourcebooks)

A lighthearted debut from Westwood resident, Erica Boyce, that combines a small-town Vermont, a road trip and of course, crop circles.  A story of dreams realized and the power of family and reconciliation. The perfect, feel good story that you didn't know you needed. 

Don't miss Erica Boyce discussing and signing TFWODG at the Main Library on Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 PM! Books will be available for purchase from Haley Booksellers. 

Place a hold on The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green by clicking here!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pre-Pub Pick: Lights All Night Long by Lydia Fitzpatrick  (Expected publication: April 2, 2019 by Penguin Press).

Lights All Night Long follows Ilya, a 15-year-old boy growing up in a former gulag community in northwestern Russia, and his journey in becoming an exchange student to America as his brother, Vladimir, is arrested for murder. As Ilya attempts to integrate into his new community, he also begins to investigate and piece together the crimes that Vladimir has, and has not, committed.  

A story of love, addiction, corruption, and guilt, Lights All Night Long expertly illustrates how siblings inevitably shape our lives. Highly recommended, especially those interested in Russian settings, though Fitzpatrick's depiction of siblings is universal.  

Place a hold on Lights All Night Long by clicking here!

Many thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Press for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pre-Pub Pick: The Suspect by Fiona Barton (Expected publication: January 22, 2019 by Berkley Books).

Barton's third novel in the Kate Waters series is every mother's worst nightmare. Such a great, suspenseful that will not disappoint fans of her previous novels. A definite LibraryReads star! 

Place a hold on The Suspect by clicking here!

Many thanks to Edelweiss and Berkley Books for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pre-Pub Pick: Looker by Laura Sims (Expected publication: January 8th 2019 by Scribner).

A quick and disturbing trip in the mind of a woman on the verge of losing everything. A woman living and teaching in NYC is reeling from her both the breakup of her marriage and her unsuccessful IVF treaments and infertility. The unnamed woman begins making irrational choices in her personal and professional life- most notably her growing obsession with her actress neighbor. 

This is a great psychological thriller, told from the POV of the "villain"- who is clearly in the middle of a mental breakdown. The tone and language used by Sims creates a feeling of unease- as if you are in the midst of derailing your own life. A great, creepy read- for fans of Leïla Slimani's The Perfect Nanny. *Thanks to Edelweiss and Scribner for providing an e-galley for an unbiased review.* *

Place a hold on Looker by clicking here!