Book Buzz: Literary Historical Fiction, Magical Realism Family Sagas, Montana Romance, Cozy Mysteries, French Cuisine, and Naval Adventure

Every month, we’re profiling new-ish releases that are getting critical and commercial buzz. For February, we’re looking at historical fiction set in World War I, two very different magical realism stories about cross-generational family sagas, a new romance series set in Montana, a new cozy series starring an amateur detective maid at a hotel, a classic cookbook, and an audiobook that blends contemporary naval action and romance.

If you enjoy historical literary fiction:

Pip Williams’s The Bookbinder (2023)

During WWI, two English sisters living in the famous university town of Oxford–Peggy and Maude–begin working as bookbinders at the university press. Maude is content just putting books together, but Peggy has a burning desire to read the books. Even more so, she wishes she could be a university student herself. Peggy also finds herself falling in love with a Belgian soldier. Complications ensue.

Recommended for those who enjoyed Jennifer Chiaverini’s Canary Girls.

If you want magical realism and family sagas:

Mona Susan Power’s A Council of Dolls (2023)*

This story of three generations of Yanktonai Dakota tells the women’s stories through the stories of their dolls. Cora was born in the middle of the Indian Wars and finds herself sent to a harsh boarding school. Decades later, Lilian and her sister Blanche are also sent to a boarding school, while Lilian’s daughter Sissy also eventually struggles to understand her complicated mother years later. The author pushes back on the label “magical realism” for the book, but it does present the dolls as having supernatural powers of protection and more.

*Ebook and audiobook also available on Libby

Recommended for those who enjoy the work of Oscar Hokeah, Louise Erdrich, and Tommy Orange.

Tara Karr Roberts’s Wild and Distant Seas (2024)**

The classic Moby Dick starts with a young sailor named Ishmael arriving in 19th century Nantucket, and this book does too. The difference is this book focuses on the story of the woman left behind and their descendants rather than following Ishmael to sea with the deranged Captain Ahab. The women all possess powers of the mind, such as the ability to reshape others’ memories. Across the years and the globe, these women look for Ishmael as well.

**Ebook and audiobook also available on Libby

Recommended for those who enjoy the work of Louisa Morgan.

If you love romance and/or chick lit:

Brenda Novak’s Coyote Canyon series (2023-present)***

Set in Montana, this series–which has a third book slated for release this month–chronicles the lives of the residents of Coyote Canyon, Montana. In the first book, Talulah returns home to Coyote Canyon after her unceremonious departure years earlier. She’s back to settle her great-aunt’s estate and quickly realizes her reputation as a “runaway bride” is still alive and well, though that doesn’t put off everyone, including her ex’s best friend. The second book focuses on Ellen, who arrives in town an outcast. She doesn’t care because her plan is to put her long-absent father out of business. What she didn’t plan for was falling in love with her dad’s business partner.

****Ebooks and audiobooks also available on Libby

Recommended for those who enjoy the work of Jill Shalvis.

If you prefer cozy mysteries:

Nita Prose’s Molly the Maid series (2022-present)****

Molly Gray has always been socially awkward, but she excels at the rigid routine required of her as a hotel maid. In fact, she loves her work. It makes sense to her in a way that people never did. In these two books, Molly also finds herself drawn into two murder investigations after guests are found dead at the hotel.

****The Maid ebook and audiobook also available on Libby.

Recommended for those who enjoy the work of S.K. Golden.

If you like nonfiction and/or cooking:

Julia Child’s The French Chef Cookbook (1968)

We usually only focus on newer releases for the Book Buzz posts, but sometimes we also highlight older books that are new to our collection, like this one. Originally released in the late 1960s to pair with Julia Child’s first show, the book remains a standard for making classic French cuisine at home and features less complicated recipes than Mastering the Art of French Cooking I and II.

Recommended for cookbook fans and aspiring gourmets.

If you need an audiobook:

Mark Helprin’s The Oceans and the Stars (2023)

In this contemporary naval thriller, Stephen is a captain who should be well on his way to admiral, but he’s made enemies in high places and instead finds himself commanding a dead-end, a prototype warship that will never see any further development. He makes the best of his new assignment and even finds love with Katy, a lawyer, but he might get more than he’s bargained for when his vessel is finally deployed on a top-secret mission.

Recommended for those who enjoy the work of Alan P. Lightman.

What’s your favorite new-ish books? What books are you buzzing about these days? Have you read any of these books? Tell us in the comments! As always, please follow this link to our online library catalog for more information on any of these items or to place them on hold.