Growing up in 1920s Brooklyn Augusta Stern is fascinated by two worlds - the scientific healing her father pursues in his pharmacy by day, and the Jewish mysticism her great aunt Esther uses to heal neighborhood women in their kitchen at night. Newly retired in 1980s Florida, Augusta has long since left Esther's magic behind - until a chance encounter with an old love forces her to reconsider her past. This lovely novel, told in intertwined timelines, is a gentle and heartwarming read. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person
This extremely satisfying middle grade historical mystery follows siblings Lizzie and Jakob as they wrestle with their mother's disappearance, government secrets, and hidden codes at the start of World War II. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person
Cat Sebastian's books are like a cozy sweater and a tasty bowl of soup in novel form - warming, satisfying, and oh so cozy. Her latest is no exception, the gentlest of queer love stories set in 1960s New York - with a delightful touch of vintage baseball thrown in to add to the delight. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person
If you want a fun comedy of manners in which the ultra rich behave very badly indeed, this is the book for you! Lavish descriptions of the trappings of insane wealth blend with gentle (and not so gentle) satire for a very satisfying read. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person
This brilliant satire is non-stop laugh-out-loud fun, layered over some ambitious big ideas. Charlie, a down-on-his-luck former journalist, has accidentally inherited his long-lost uncle's evil empire, complete with a volcano lair, a sidekick, typing cats, dolphin guards, and rival villains right out of central casting. I laughed out loud so often I almost forgot I was thinking, too. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person