Featured Books
About the Authors
Grace D. Li grew up in Pearland, Texas, and is a graduate of Duke University and Stanford School of Medicine. Her debut novel, Portrait of a Thief, was an instant New York Times bestseller and #1 international bestseller. Her next novel, Anatomy of a Betrayal, is forthcoming. She is currently an emergency medicine resident physician at Harvard.
Sandhya Menon is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels with lots of kissing, girl power, and swoony boys. Her books have been featured in many cool places, including on The Today Show, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, NPR, Seventeen, Entertainment Weekly, and Buzzfeed. Three of her books have won the Colorado Book Award, and her Dimpleverse series was turned into a hit TV show with Netflix India. A full-time dog servant, Sandhya makes her home in the foggy mountains of Colorado. Her next novel will be out in 2026.
About this Guide
Community Read 2025
March 2025
The Johnson and Wales University Library is once again joining the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in its 2025 Community Read Initiative, with a focus on creating community dialogue around the theme of "Art is..." All students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate!
Community Read is CML’s annual initiative to bring the community together to read (or listen to) books around a central theme, participate in programs and celebrate a love of reading. Community members are encouraged to participate in discussions, book clubs and events hosted by CML and community partners, including JWU.
This year's signature titles are Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li and From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon.
Copies of both titles will be available through the JWU Library and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!
Everyone in the community can participate: read a book, share perspectives, attend a program, engage on social media and build a stronger community together. #communityread2025
