Spring has sprung, and so have our books! Celebrate the season with one of our Amazing Book Challenge categories: Books in Bloom.
Pick up an iris-istible book featuring a flower on the cover. These floral finds span every genre, from murder mysteries and blossoming romances to poetic reflections and more. Whatever you choose, these reads are sure to leaf you rooted in inspiration and blooming with new ideas!
And check out the full list of recommendations and see the other categories at www.naperville-lib.org/ABC.
“Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett
Recalling the past at her daughters’ request, Lara tells the story of a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance, which causes her daughters to examine their own lives and reconsider the world and everything they thought.
“The Haunting of Alejandra” by V. Castro
Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her family, she plays familiar roles — wife, mother, daughter — but none of them see the darkness consuming her. In her despair, she is haunted by the ghost of a weeping woman in white. Therapy leads Alejandra to explore her past and the life of the birth mother she never knew. As she uncovers the tragic legacy of the women in her family, she realizes the ghost is La Llorona, a vengeful spirit from Mexican legend who has haunted generations. But Alejandra has inherited more than pain. She carries the strength of her ancestors, and she must use it to break the cycle and banish La Llorona once and for all.
“By Any Other Name” by Jodi Picoult
As a student, Melina Green was crushed by a harsh review that shattered her confidence. Ten years later, she finishes her most powerful play yet — about her ancestor Emilia Bassano, England’s first published female poet and rumored Shakespeare muse. Fearing rejection, Melina’s friend submits the play under a male name. In 1581, Emilia, raised in privilege but with no freedom, secretly writes while serving as a courtesan. In this dual-timeline tale, both women defy the odds to make their voices heard, even if someone else takes the credit.
“Blood Like Mine” by Stuart Neville
On a snowy Colorado night, desperate single mother Rebecca Carter swerves to avoid an elk and gets stranded with her daughter, Moonflower, who’s hiding a dark secret. When a stranger offers help, Rebecca refuses, but the brief encounter shatters the fragile life she’s tried to protect. Now, hunted by a ruthless predator, Rebecca must fight to save her daughter from a fate worse than death. Meanwhile, across the country, FBI agent Marc Donner finally gets a break in a chilling serial killer case he’s pursued for years.
“The Museum of Failures” by Thirty Umrigar
When Remy Wadia left India for the U.S., he carried with him a deep resentment toward his distant mother. Years later, he returns to Bombay to adopt a child — and to see his ailing mother one last time. As he helps her recover, a mysterious photograph unearths long-buried family secrets, forcing Remy to confront his past and reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his parents. “The Museum of Failures” is a moving story of regret, reconciliation and the healing power of empathy and forgiveness.
“Gardening Can Be Murder” by Marta McDowell
Gardens — with their deadly plants, sharp tools and hidden corners — make the perfect setting for murder. Yet their role in the mystery genre has often been overlooked. In “Gardening Can Be Murder,” author and gardening expert Marta McDowell uncovers the deep roots gardens have in crime fiction. Blending cozy and hard-boiled, classic and contemporary, McDowell explores plant-loving detectives, poisonous plots and sinister settings, showing how gardening continues to inspire mystery writers and their most chilling tales.
“I Was Told There’d Be Cake” by Sloane Crosley
From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions — or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character who aims for the stars but hits the ceiling. “I Was Told There’d Be Cake” introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.
Ashlee Conour is the marketing specialist at Naperville Public Library.
