My 2025 Bookshelf
Items in this hypelist
To Read
Small Island: A Novel
Andrea Levy • 2010
An international bestseller. Andrea Levy's Small Island won the Orange Prize for Fiction, The Orange Prize for Fiction: Best of the Best, The Whitbread Novel Award, The Whitbread Book of the Year Award, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.<br/><br/>Hortense Joseph arrives in London from Jamaica in 1948 with her life in her suitcase, her heart broken, her resolve intact. Her husband, Gilbert Joseph, returns from the war expecting to be received as a hero, but finds his status as a black man in Britain to be second class. His white landlady, Queenie, raised as a farmer's daughter, befriends Gilbert, and later Hortense, with innocence and courage, until the unexpected arrival of her husband, Bernard, who returns from combat with issues of his own to resolve.<br/><br/>Told in these four voices, Small Island is a courageous novel of tender emotion and sparkling wit, of crossings taken and passages lost, of shattering compassion and of reckless optimism in the face of insurmountable barriers---in short, an encapsulation of that most American of experiences: the immigrant's life.
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
Mark Dunn • 2002
A hilarious and moving story of one girl’s fight for freedom of expression, as well as a linguistic tour de force sure to delight word lovers everywhere<br/><br/>Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal phrase containing all the letters of the alphabet, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”<br/><br/>Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island’s Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop. As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. The result is "a love letter to alphabetarians and logomaniacs everywhere" (Myla Goldberg, bestselling author of Bee Season).
Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls
Lynn Weingarten • 2015
The New York Times bestselling “taut, sophisticated thriller” (BCCB, starred review) packed with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather’s shed. They say it was suicide. But June doesn’t believe it. June and Delia used to be closer than anything. Best friends in that way that comes before everyone else—before guys, before family. It was like being in love, but more. They had a billion secrets, binding them together like thin silk cords. But one night a year ago, everything changed. June, Delia, and June’s boyfriend Ryan were just having a little fun. Their good time got out of hand. And in the cold blue light of morning, June knew only this—things would never be the same again. And now, a year later, Delia is dead. June is certain she was murdered. And she owes it to her to find out the truth…which is far more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Sexy, dark, and atmospheric, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Power Play: A Grumpy Sunshine Marriage of Convenience Romance (D.C. Stars)
Chelsea Curto • 2024
The Strawberry Thief
Joanne Harris • 2019
DISAPPEAR INTO THE WORLD OF THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING CHOCOLAT . . . 'So wise, so atmospheric, so beautifully written' Marian Keyes 'The most magical, stunningly beautiful novel' Joanna Cannon 'It will intrigue and charm readers every bit as much as Chocolat' Monica Ali --------------------------- Faith. Secret. Magic. Murder...? Vianne Rocher has settled down. Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, the place that once rejected her, has finally become her home. With Rosette, her youngest child, she runs her chocolate shop in the square, talks to her friends on the river, is part of the community. Even Reynaud, the priest, has become a friend. But when old Narcisse, the florist, dies, leaving a parcel of land to Rosette and a written confession to Reynaud, the life of the sleepy village is once more thrown into disarray. Then the opening of a mysterious new shop in the place of the florist's across the square - one that mirrors the chocolaterie, and has a strange appeal of its own - seems to herald a change: a confrontation, a turbulence - even, perhaps, a murder . . . What will the wind blow in today? --------------------------- Return to the world of the multi-million-copy bestselling Chocolat.... 'A writer whose wit and sharp observation enhances her engaging story-telling' Salley Vickers 'The most magical, stunningly beautiful novel . . . I sobbed at the end because I couldn't bear to leave. Joanne is truly one of the world's finest storytellers' Joanna Cannon 'A place of magic and mysteries, and Harris excels in this delicate balance of realism and enchantment . . . It will intrigue and charm readers every bit as much as Chocolat' Monica Ali 'Sheer pleasure from start to finish. The Strawberry Thief is a delight' James Runcie 'I devoured it in one go' Christopher Fowler 'Compelling, captivating, incredibly moving, The Strawberry Thief whirls you into a thrilling world you will never forget . . . A perfect novel that shimmers with brilliance and truth' Kate Williams
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera • 2005
The Tattoo Murder
Akimitsu Takagi • 2022
Finished
A Painted House
John Grisham • 2001
Verners Pride
Henry Wood
Stick Your Landing: A pro hockey player x gymnast romance (All In)
Kathryn Kincaid • 2024
From the Start (Quiblings)
Katie Duggan • 2023
East Lynne
Ellen Wood • 1861
The Channings
Henry Wood • 1862
Drive Me Home (Drive Me Series)
Carly Robyn • 2025
Lucas's story.<br/><br/>Tropes:<br/>- best friend's sister<br/>- secret relationship<br/>- T1D representation<br/>- forced proximity<br/>- age gap
Just for the Summer
Abby Jimenez • 2024
Pitcher Us: A Pitcher x Team Photographer Baseball Romance (Boston Blues)
Mollie Goins • 2025
Fool Me Once (New England Bay Sharks)
Hannah Gray • 2025
What It Was: A Best Friend’s Brother, Volleyball and Hockey Romance (Off Ice)
Grayce Rian • 2024
What happens when the hot-as-sin boy next door returns home for the summer, and he finally sees me as more than just his little sister’s best friend?<br/>McKenna:<br/>It was my last chance for a hot girl summer before I left to play college volleyball. But when my best friend’s older brother decided to come home from college, my plans quickly shifted.<br/>Griffin Turner was a divinely sculpted hockey player who had held my heart for as long as I could remember. It only took one summer for us to fall fast and hard.<br/>When tragedy struck, Griffin shattered what was left of my already broken heart, leaving me to face a future that was far from what I had envisioned. Two years later, I’ve picked up the pieces and built a life I’m proud of. That is until my brother’s first NHL game, where I am forced to watch as my past, present, and future collide.<br/>Griffin:<br/>It’s been two years since I walked away from the love of my life, and since then, I’ve worked my ass off to become the best forward in the NHL.<br/>When McKenna Wilder's aquamarine eyes connect with mine once again, the overwhelming emotions hit me like a slapshot to the chest.<br/>I wasn’t the man she deserved when I walked away from her—I’d become only a shell of the man she once knew. But I’ve poured everything I have into overcoming my demons. And now that I’ve discovered the truth, I’m determined to prove I’ll never let them go. What It Was is the first interconnected standalone novel in the Off Ice series. Readers will love this spicy romance featuring a hot-shot hockey player and a tempting volleyball player and their journey through love, loss, heartbreak, and second chances.
Teasing (Red Lips & White Lies)
Bella Matthews • 2025
Unsteady
Peyton Corinne • 2023
The Riley Effect (Westvale University)
Nicole Marie • 2024
Detour
A. Marie • 2020
Little Do You Know (Bad At Love Duology)
Laurea Matthews • 2024
The first installment of the Bad at Love duology will capture your heart with the explosive chemistry between the main characters and leave you begging for more.<br/><br/>Thalia Lewis has just returned from a year abroad only to find that the apartment she is moving into with her brother also houses his best friend, Sebastian Walker. Thalia tried everything to forget him after a few stolen kisses the night before she left with little success.<br/><br/>Sebastian Walker is everything anyone could want. He is gorgeous, rich, and the starting quarterback for Duke University's football team. But this is his worst nightmare, having the one person who always gets under his skin living just across the hall.<br/><br/>After knowing each other their whole lives and ending up closer than anyone could have imagined, their friendship might be irreparable after the past year of no contact. Now Thalia is back, and living together makes avoidance impossible. Their interactions are cycles of constant fighting and the occasional kissing. Little do they know, there is a thin line between love and hate.
The Brightest Light of Sunshine
Lisina Coney • 2023
A woman ready to move on. A man who can't afford distractions. An inspiring journey of healing love.<br/>Determined to walk away from a traumatic past, 22-year-old Grace Allen feels ready to take the next step in her healing journey—dipping a toe into the dating pool. Although she should probably start by making a friend or two, right?<br/><br/>Samuel ‘Cal’ Callaghan isn’t who she had envisioned as her first male friend in… well, forever. With an intimidating build, tattoos everywhere, eight years her senior, and a little sister under his care, the last thing she expected was to warm up to him so easily. As their friendship evolves, Grace can’t help but wonder if Cal is exactly who she’s been looking for all this time.<br/>Cal can’t afford to lose sight of his priorities—making sure his tattoo parlor thrives and taking care of his little sister. Especially the latter. He wants to make sure 4-year-old Maddie has a healthy and happy childhood, despite their mother going off the rails and her father’s blatant neglect. There’s certainly no room for love in his life right now. But when a sweet blonde with a veiled past breaks down his walls, he finds it difficult to stick to his guns.<br/><br/>CONTENT NOTES: This book contains themes of sexual assault (there are no explicit scenes depicting sexual assault), profanity, alcoholism, and explicit sexual content. Recommended for 18+.
The Girls Are All So Nice Here
Elizabeth Flynn Lau • 2022
