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Grace Anne's Picks
By Fiction Addiction
By Fiction Addiction
Portrait of a Thief
Grace D. Li
$26.00 $23.92Who does art belong to - the creators, or the conquerors? And when loss is all you've ever known, how do you know who you really are - or what home truly means? Stunningly executed with a lyrical style that feels straight out of a dream, Portrait of a Thief is the story of five Chinese American college students tasked with reclaiming five priceless Chinese sculptures, looted from Beijing centuries ago. It's fresh and exciting and introspective, the perfect blend of thrilling and thought provoking. The pieces of college life were so much fun, and each character had such a unique arc and fantastic development. If I didn't know any better, I would never believe that this is a debut novel, but I can't wait to read more from Grace D. Li.
I Must Betray You
Ruta Sepetys
$18.98 $17.46In I Must Betray You, readers follow the story of 17-year-old Cristian Florescu, a teenager growing up in Communist Romania in the late 1980's. Everyone knows that informers are on every corner - your neighbors, your classmates, your friends. Your family. But it's only when Cristian is forced to become an informer himself that he realizes just how deep the betrayals go - and how far he'll have to fight not only for his own freedom, but for the freedom of his country. Sepetys is the master of bringing to light the parts of history that have been shoved under the rug, and I Must Betray You is no exception to the nature of her intense, heartbreaking, beautiful collection of works. A must read.
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
$17.98 $16.54When Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam War veteran with raging PTSD, decides to move his family to Alaska, thirteen-year-old Leni and her mother, Cora, don't resist - if it will make him happy again, it will be worth it. Very quickly, however, they learn that the greatest danger won't be the harsh Alaskan winters outside their door, but the abuse within. The Great Alone is fascinating and beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. It's a story of strength of spirit and survival against all odds. A powerful look into the horrors of codependency and toxic love told against the backdrop of a wild 1960's Alaska, The Great Alone is unforgettable. It's a book of love, in all of its forms - beautiful, toxic, romantic, platonic, familial. It's about the strength of a community and the love between a mother and a daughter, and it explores falling in love when you aren't sure that you know what real love is. It made me smile, made me angry, and made me think - sometimes all at once.
Code Name Hélène
Ariel Lawhon
$16.00 $14.72Code Name Hélène is hands down one of my favorite books of 2020. Based on the incredible true story of Nancy Wake, and told through interweaving timelines told through Nancy's many code names, this book is thought provoking, impeccably written, and heartbreaking. It's the inspirational story of a woman who should be a household name, and I couldn't recommend it more.
Radha & Jai's Recipe for Romance
Nisha Sharma
$18.98 $17.46I can be picky when it comes to YA, but I absolutely loved this book. It's a book about family, and tradition, and finding connection in new ways. It's about a boy who's hiding from what he really wants, and a girl trying to learn who she is all over again. It describes dance in such a beautifully genuine way - I could just see the choreography coming to life in my mind as I read, and I found myself googling kathak videos and falling in love with a style that I hadn't known existed. The cooking metaphors were great, the anxiety rep was spot on, and Radha and Jai had the sweetest romance. At the end of the day, it's a book about finding the pieces of yourself that you've lost, and picking up some new ones along the way - and that's what I love about it most of all.
In The Event This Doesn't Fall Apart
Shannon Lee Barry
$9.99I've been following Shannon on Instagram for ages now, and quickly fell in love with her words. She writes about people so beautifully - she sees their nuances and quirks and paints them in your mind's eye with so much love. Her writing is whimsical and magical and filled with hope, and to read the story of how she fell in love through her poems was a truly precious thing.
All the Greys on Greene Street
Laura Tucker
$17.98 $16.54It had been a while since I'd read a middle grade book, but I could not have loved All the Greys on Greene Street more. Sweet, funny, heartbreaking, and healing, it tells the story of Olympia, the daughter of artists who doesn't know what to do when her dad disappears overnight and her mom stops getting out of bed. It's hard to believe that this is a debut. With the honest charm that comes with a twelve-year-old narrator, this book delivered in every area—great characters, a bit of mystery, beautiful writing, and a realistic look at mental illness. A great read for anyone of any age.
The Last Train to London
Meg Waite Clayton
$27.99 $25.75I read a lot of historical fiction, but this quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list. The majority of WWII fiction revolves around the camps, but this gave a new perspective—the kindertransports system, run by Truus, a woman unable to bear children herself who is determined to get all of the Jewish children safely out of Austria. It's one of those rare books with multiple storylines that keeps you engrossed in every single page, and leaves you in awe of the people who fought not only for their own lives, but for the lives of every single person that they possibly could. This book will keep you hooked until the final page, and will make you hold the kids in your life a bit more tightly.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Heather Morris
$16.99 $15.63"An incredible true story of heartbreak, resilience, and hope, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is unlike any WWII novel I have ever read. This is the kind of book that leaves you in awe not only of the depths of evil that humanity can reach, but the immense strength as well. The fact that it's all true makes it all the more mesmerizing. The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an absolute must read."
Me and the Sky: Captain Beverley Bass, Pioneering Pilot
Cynthia Williams, Beverley Bass, et al.
$17.99 $16.55A huge lover of theatre, I first heard of Beverley Bass's story through the breathtaking musical Come From Away. The story of her dedication, resilience, and passion is a perfect fit for a picture book, one that I would give to any little girl with big dreams.
Fahrenheit 451
Ray D. Bradbury
$17.00 $15.64I don't know how I went so long without reading this, but wow, what an incredible book. I'm generally not a huge dystopian fan, but Fahrenheit 451 is absolutely brilliant. Set in a world where books are illegal and firefighters set fires instead of putting them out, this book is one that sticks with you long after you read the final page. It's filled with parallels of our world today, and is such a thought-provoking exploration of technology, privacy, desensitization and censorship. A fascinating book that I think everyone should read.
Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years
Julie Andrews
$30.00 $27.60In Home Work, Julie Andrews shares about her life and career from Mary Poppins up until her return to Broadway. From Poppins to The Sound of Music toVictor/Victoria, fans will enjoy a behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of their favorite films, as well as receive insight into Julie’s personal life as well. She shares the trials and joys of her second marriage, raising her children, and adopting from Vietnam. One cannot help but be amazed by her strength and courage, and inspired by her story.
Turtles All the Way Down
John Green
$19.99 $18.39I absolutely fell in love with Turtles All the Way Down. It's realistic and heartfelt and hopeful in a way that few books I've read are. The characters are genuine and well-developed, intensely flawed but intensely lovable. With incredibly realistic depiction of mental illness and the quirky, thought-provoking style that John Green is famous for, Turtles All the Way Down is a book that I plan to return to again and again.
I Was Anastasia
Ariel Lawhon
$26.95 $24.79Anna Anderson: ragamuffin or royalty? I've always been fascinated by the story of Anastasia, and this book takes you into the mystery of the woman who claimed to be the lost princess herself. I Was Anastasia is written from two perspectives - Anna's and Anastasia's - spanning nearly eighty years. With all of the intrigue of a thriller, you won't be able to put this book down. Find out for yourself - who was Anna Anderson?
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
$14.00 $12.88With all of the hype recently around the new movie adaptation of Little Women , I couldn't help but revisit Alcott's classic novel. Growing up in a house of girls myself, I think that I will always love this story, and always see so much of my own life in that of the March's. It's a charming story of resilience and strength in a time when women were supposed to fade in the background. This book is the perfect way to spend a cozy day, and as we all continue to excitedly swoon over Greta Girwig's new version, I would encourage you to take a look back at where it all began.
Blackmoore
Julianne Donaldson
$15.99 $14.71Intriguing, thoughtful, and romantic, I loved the story of Blackmoore. Desperate to get away from a life that feels completely caged and the boy who can never be hers, Kate is forced to secure - and reject - three marriage proposals to win her freedom. But is the price worth the reward? With characters reminiscent of Austen, a Jane Eyre-esque atmosphere, and a romance that's in a class of its own, this book is one that I will definitely be picking up again.