My Favorite New Fiction Books
Over the past couple of months, I have been fortunate to read several new books that were quite special. It is certainly one of the biggest perks of working at a bookstore. We often receive advanced reader copies or ARCs from the publishers. They know if we read it and love it, we will buy it and share it with our customers.
It was hard to pare down the list to three and keep this post from being way too long! So, here are three recent fiction favorites…
Beartown by Fredrick Backman
The fourth book from a very talented author. He wrote A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She Was Sorry and Britt-Marie Was Here. All bestsellers, known for quirky characters and stories that make you laugh out loud and grab a tissue – sometimes while reading the same chapter!
Beartown is different. It is a darker story of a small town trying to survive. Pinning its hopes on a junior hockey team. If they win, they could get a new arena. New life for the town – they would be “back on the map”. There is so much more to say about the story and the characters, but I want you to discover the layers of this book on your own.
I think this is Backman’s best work. Yes, it is darker, but there are so many fascinating glimpses of humanity – good and bad – that create such a compelling read. After I finished the book I went online and read that this is the first of three stories. I was excited to read that!
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
Hawkins is the author of The Girl on the Train, the blockbuster hit that many of you may have read. Plus there was a movie. That doesn’t happen too often with a first book.
Because of the success with the first book, which I loved, I wasn’t sure if her second book would be even half as good. Often the “sophomore effort” just doesn’t hold a candle to the first book.
I thought Into the Water was better!! Yes there are a lot of characters introduced early on that are a bit hard to keep track of. They all have a purpose in the story, and how Hawkins weaves all of their “stories” into the overall narrative is so well done.
Other MooseTeam members and customers who have read it 100% agreed it was better than The Girl on the Train. Read Into the Water and let me know if you feel the same way!
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
This is a debut novel, which can be challenging for us to sell in hardcover when folks don’t know the author. I was fortunate to meet the author and hear the story of why he wrote the book and how he came up with the storyline.
Ginny is an autistic girl who struggles to find her place in the world. Ludwig has a special needs child and he came up with many of the story components while sitting in the bleachers at Special Olympics chatting with other parents of special needs children.
I was hooked on the first page! Ginny’s voice was so clear, so unique. I just had to find out how she ended up at her Forever Family, who was Baby Doll and would she ever feel content in the world. Take a chance on Ginny Moon. It is a special book.
Melissa
