DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

What perhaps may be my favorite book of the year is a reimagining of Dickens’ David Copperfield in modern day Appalachia. Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, returns to shelves with Demon Copperhead. This is my ultimate type of book, a literal Dickensian epic, that follows the main character throughout their life. Meet Demon, with hair as bright as a copper penny and a voice as spunky and memorable as any character Dickens ever created. I will never forget Demon Copperhead and his saga of institutional poverty, foster care, child labor, and addiction.

MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

I have always been the biggest fan of Jodi Picoult’s courtroom novels, and yes, there is a trial in this book to keep you on the edge of your jury seat. However, it is the characters in this one that kept my eyes stuck like honey to these pages. This moving novel, co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan, is seamless storytelling about authenticity, identity, and belonging. Similar to many Jodi Picoult novels, this one has the power to change opinions, create empathy, and connect us all.

ALL THE BROKEN PLACES by John Boyne

I recommend John Boyne’s novel The Heart’s Invisible Furies every chance I get, but his newest All The Broken Places is a new one to discover this month. The book returns to characters we first meet in Boyne’s bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Gretel Frensby, daughter of a Nazi commander of a notorious extermination camp, must face questions of guilt, complicity, culpability, and grief through-out her life. Moving back and forth in time from Gretel’s girlhood in Germany to present-day London, you won’t be able to put this one down.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC by Kevin Wilson

Now is the time to run to Mitchell’s or Bookworks and get the new novel by the author of Nothing to See Here, Kevin Wilson. It was called the Coalfield Panic of 1996; two teenage misfits who create an unsigned poster with an enigmatic phrase attached to it and the small Tennessee town goes berserk wondering its origin and meaning. Fast forward to twenty years later and a journalist is trying to put the puzzle pieces together and solve the mystery of what happened. This book is fun and quick, but also explores deeper themes of young love, the power of art, memory, and identity.

DEATH ON A WINTER STROLL by Francine Mathews

This new addition to the Merry Folger mystery series features three of my favorite things: Nantucket Island, Christmas Stroll, and a murder mystery. Picture it. It’s Stroll weekend and the island is overtaken with a large-scale production company and Hollywood stars, plus the Secretary of State is visiting with her family and security detail. Add in two murders, and beloved police chief Merry Folger has her hands full in this twisty, well-written whodunnit, complete with island nostalgia and holiday flair.

FOREVER HOME: How We Turned Our House into a Haven for Abandoned, Abused, and Misunderstood Dogs―and Each Other by Larry Lindner, Danny Robertshaw, Ron Danta

I love dogs! I didn’t know this sentiment about myself until I got my own pup, Simba. This book is for dog lovers everywhere or for anyone who wants and needs a smile on their face this holiday season. It’s a true story about rescue, but not just the saving of over 13,000 abandoned furry friends, but a rescue of oneself: acceptance, kindness, connection, and love. I have always thought dogs have the power to teach us something about ourselves and this book is perfect paw-stamped proof.