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Black Sun book cover
Black Sun book cover

Black Sun

Rebecca Roanhorse

SCIENCE FICTION/Roanhorse, Rebecca
Fantasy

A god will return When the earth and sky converge Under the black sun In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

Zach's picture

This book was very fun--it's an epic fantasy based around indigenous cultures and it focuses on a grand cast of characters. This and the second book in the series are great reads and I can't wait for the final book in the trilogy to arrive! In this book there are some characters that use neo-pronouns like Xe/xem/xyr which I also identify with! -Zach

The book of everlasting things : a novel book cover
The book of everlasting things : a novel book cover

The book of everlasting things : a novel

Aanchal Malhotra

FICTION Malhotra Aanchal
Historical Fiction

"A lush, sweeping debut novel in the vein of All the Light We Cannot See, about a Hindu perfumer and a Muslim calligrapher, who fall in love against the backdrop of Partition. On a January morning in 1938, Samir Vij first locks eyes with Firdaus Khan through the rows of perfume bottles in his family's ittar shop in Lahore. Over the years that follow, the perfumer's apprentice and calligrapher's apprentice fall in love with their ancient crafts and with each other, dreaming of the life they will one day share. But as the struggle for Indian independence gathers force, their beloved city is ravaged by Partition. Suddenly, they find themselves on opposite sides: Samir, a Hindu, becomes Indian and Firdaus, a Muslim, becomes Pakistani, their love now forbidden. Severed from one another, Samir and Firdaus make a series of fateful decisions that will change the course of their lives forever. As their paths spiral away from each other, they must each decide how much of the past they are willing to let go, and what it will cost them. Lush, sensuous, and deeply romantic, The Book of Everlasting Things is the story of two lovers and two nations, split apart by forces beyond their control, yet bound by love and memory. Filled with exquisite descriptions of perfume and calligraphy, spanning continents and generations, Aanchal Malhotra's debut novel is a feast for the senses and the heart"--

Anne M's picture

The main story that threads this novel is of the love of Samir Vij and Firdaus Khan. They are both skilled in their crafts: Samir an apprentice in his family’s perfumery and Firdaus, a student of calligraphy, the only female in her father’s studio. While their love grows, the British Raj dissolves and Partition begins. And Samir is a Hindu and Firdaus is a Muslim. The new borders that create Pakistan and India doesn’t just sever land. But this book is much more than a love story. It is about finding meaning in oneself when everything is taken away. It is about how trauma and history are inherited. It is about what memories we hold on to and what we don’t. And it is about perfume. Malhotra brings scents alive along with the memories they capture. I enjoyed this novel. -Anne M

Black Bottom saints : a novel book cover
Black Bottom saints : a novel book cover

Black Bottom saints : a novel

Alice Randall

FICTION Randall Alice
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Black History

In the black-owned-and-operated Kirkwood Hospital, Joseph "Ziggy" Johnson reflects on his life. From the Great Depression through the post-World War II years, Ziggy had been the pulse of Detroit's famous Black Bottom. A celebrated gossip columnist for the city's African-American newspaper, the Michigan Chronicle, he was also the emcee of one of the hottest night clubs, where he rubbed elbows with the legendary black artists of the era. In his hospital bed, Ziggy curates his own list of Black Bottom's venerable "52 Saints," local heroes whose unstoppable ambition, love of style, and faith in community made this black Midwestern neighborhood the rival of New York City's Harlem. -- adapted from jacket

Candice's picture

This was an enlightening and uplifting read. The story of jazz-era Detroit, told through the lives of some of its most mesmerizing and affecting Black residents. The book begins with the narrator, Ziggy, recounting what he calls the "Caramel Camelot," the area and world of Detroit where Black families had migrated to, and having found solid employment in the burgeoning auto industry, made their homes in the neighborhoods where they could buy houses and support enterprises (ie, jazz clubs, schools, hospitals, stores, restaurants, etc.) run by their people and for their people. It's a book that shows the reader what once was, what's been lost, and just possibly, what could be again. -Candice

Distilled genius : a collection of life-changing quotations book cover
Distilled genius : a collection of life-changing quotations book cover

Distilled genius : a collection of life-changing quotations

Susan Branch

808.882 /Branch
Nonfiction, Philosophy

This collection contains some of Branch's favorite quotes, with words of wisdom from Mark Twain to Anne Frank, from Marcus Aurelius to Rosa Parks, from the Bhagavad Gita to the Bible, and many more.

Melody's picture

It's been a while since I picked up a book of quotations. I did not check it out because I needed some words of wisdom. I checked it out because it's a lovely book, a visual walk through the park feeling the sunshine on your face. With a beautiful color palette and handwriting fonts, this book is easy to skip around in for an easy smile. "So come with me where dreams are born and life is never planned." --page 163, J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan. -Melody

Agatha Arch is afraid of everything book cover
Agatha Arch is afraid of everything book cover

Agatha Arch is afraid of everything

Kristin Bair O'Keeffe


"Agatha Arch's life shatters when she discovers her husband in their backyard shed in flagrante delicto, giving the local dog walker some heavy petting. Suddenly, Agatha finds herself face-to-face with everything that frightens her... and that's a loooooong list. Agatha keeps those she loves close. Everyone else, she keeps as far away as possible. So she's a mystery to nearly everyone in her New England town. To her husband, she's a saucy, no-BS writer. To her Facebook moms group, she's a provacateur. To her neighbor, she's a standoffish pain in the butt. To her sons, she's chocolate pudding with marshmallows. And to her shrink, she's a bundle of nerves on the brink of a cataclysmic implosion. Defying her aboundant assortment of anxieties, Agatha dons her "spy pants" -- a pair of khakis who's many pockets she jams with binoculars, a fishing line, scissors, a flashlight, a Leatherman Super Tool 300 EOD, candy, and other espionage essentials -- and sets out to spy on her husband and the dog walker. Along the way, she finds another intriguing target to follow: a mysterious young woman who's panhandling on the busiest street in town. It's all a bit much for timorous Agatha. But with the help of her Bear Grylls bobblehead, a trio of goats, and a dog named Balderdash, Agatha may just find the courage to build a better life"--Provided by publisher.

Alexander's picture

Added by Alexander

Detransition, Baby book cover
Detransition, Baby book cover

Detransition, Baby

Torrey Peters

FICTION/Peters, Torrey
Fiction

Reese almost had it all: a loving relationship with Amy, an apartment in New York City, a job she didn't hate. She had scraped together what previous generations of trans women could only dream of: a life of mundane, bourgeois comforts. The only thing missing was a child. But then her girlfriend, Amy, detransitioned and became Ames, and everything fell apart. Now Reese is caught in a self-destructive pattern: avoiding her loneliness by sleeping with married men. Ames isn't happy either. He thought detransitioning to live as a man would make life easier, but that decision cost him his relationship with Reese—and losing her meant losing his only family. Even though their romance is over, he longs to find a way back to her. When Ames's boss and lover, Katrina, reveals that she's pregnant with his baby—and that she's not sure whether she wants to keep it—Ames wonders if this is the chance he's been waiting for. Could the three of them form some kind of unconventional family—and raise the baby together?

Zach's picture

I listened to this book because I kept hearing great things about it from multiple people. I started it and wow! I loved it--it had such an interesting cast of characters and I found the story both engaging and believable. -Zach

Firefighter Flo! book cover
Firefighter Flo! book cover

Firefighter Flo!

Andrea Griffing Zimmerman

jE Zimmerman
Picture Books

The phone rang! The bell went clang! Firefighter Flo was ready to go!

Casey's picture

Firefighter Flo is the best! I can't wait for the next in this new series, Crane Jane. -Casey

The last mapmaker book cover
The last mapmaker book cover

The last mapmaker

Christina Soontornvat

jFICTION Soontornvat, Christina
Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy, Kids

A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman's struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon's most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman - and in a kingdom where the status of one's ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn't the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands - a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining - she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as intricate as the maps of old.

Mari's picture

I recently read a graphic novel by Soontornvat that I enjoyed about cheerleading, and though its a very different genre, I enjoyed both. This is a great adventure story with an element of fantasy and a strong female protagonist! -Mari

American midnight : the Great War, a violent peace, and democracy's forgotten crisis book cover
American midnight : the Great War, a violent peace, and democracy's forgotten crisis book cover

American midnight : the Great War, a violent peace, and democracy's forgotten crisis

Adam Hochschild

973.91 /Hochschild
History

"A character-driven look at a pivotal period in American history, 1917-1920: the tumultuous home front during WWI and its aftermath, when violence broke out across the country thanks to the first Red Scare, labor strife, and immigration battles"--

Anne M's picture

President Woodrow Wilson, in his speech asking Congress to enter World War I, stated that we would make the world "safe for democracy." In "American Midnight," Adam Hochschild compellingly argues that at this time, democracy was in peril on the home front. From tramping down labor unions to jailing political opponents to silencing dissenting arguments (including removing public library books) to inflicting catastrophic violence against immigrants and Black Americans, America in the years of 1917-1920 was in a crisis. Hochschild explores the issues and themes that led America to the brink. He also dives in to the people who engaged and argued in the public sphere about their vision for America as well as those that were greatly impacted by this societal shift. It is a great read! -Anne M

Call Me Nathan book cover
Call Me Nathan book cover

Call Me Nathan

Catherine Castro

GRAPHIC NOVEL/Castro
Graphic Novels

“All I want is a proper body . . . ” Born as biologically female, Nathan spends his formative years facing questions without answers, social ostracism from his peers, and incomprehension from his family—because from as early as he can remember, he knows he has been born in the wrong body. But, as his family comes to recognize, a physical identity is harder to change than a piece of clothing or a haircut. So from the moment he is at last supplied with a professional term for his self-diagnosis—“gender dysphoria”—he is able to leave behind his complicated psychological history, the challenges of his self-harming, and his struggles with sexual identity, and begin the difficult process of claiming his true self. Based on a true story, at first hand, Call Me Nathan issues a moving call for understanding, a powerful denunciation of prejudice, and a celebration of everything it means to love.

Zach's picture

A beautiful story about coming out and coming into oneself. It was good to see a happy ending. -Zach

Stone blind : a novel book cover
Stone blind : a novel book cover

Stone blind : a novel

Natalie Haynes

FICTION Haynes Natalie
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics

"The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know. When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene's temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge--on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon's actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair andher gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude. Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon"--

Candice's picture

To be fully transparent, I'll read anything by Natalie Haynes, so I'm probably not a fair judge. I've loved all her works, and this is no exception. Not only is Haynes to be commended for giving voice (sometimes, for the first time) to characters we know from the Greek myths, but her own voice--influenced by her skill, her amazing intellect, her sense of humor, her empathy--shines through and makes her writing so immediate and fulfilling to the reader (well, at least this reader!). Her (re)telling of these stories is fresh and necessary and delightful. -Candice

You made a fool of death with your beauty : a novel book cover
You made a fool of death with your beauty : a novel book cover

You made a fool of death with your beauty : a novel

Akwaeke Emezi

FICTION Emezi Akwaeke
Romance, Fiction

"A New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and "one of our greatest living writers" (Shondaland) reimagines the love story in this fresh and seductive novel about a young woman seeking joy while healing from loss. Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again. It's been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she's almost a new person now-an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it's time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn't ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career. She's even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there's the biggest question of all-how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love? Akwaeke Emezi's vivid and passionate writing takes us deep into a world of possibility and healing, and the constant bravery of choosing love against all odds"--

Heidi K's picture

I read this in a couple days, and normally I don't finish a novel that quickly. This book hit a lot of notes for me, particularly the depictions of grief that interfere with the main character's quest for connection. The island setting was beautiful, the dialogue was fast-paced, and the story was both relatable and fresh. 10/10 would recommend to a friend. -Heidi K

Lessons in chemistry : a novel book cover
Lessons in chemistry : a novel book cover

Lessons in chemistry : a novel

Bonnie Garmus

FICTION Garmus, Bonnie

"Set in 1960s California, this blockbuster debut is the hilarious, idiosyncratic and uplifting story of a female scientist whose career is constantly derailed by the idea that a woman's place is in the home, only to find herself starring as the host of America's most beloved TV cooking show. Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it's the 1960s and despite the fact that she is a scientist, her peers are very unscientific when it comes to equality. The only good thing to happen to her on the road to professional fulfillment is a run-in with her super-star colleague Calvin Evans (well, she stole his beakers.) The only man who ever treated her-and her ideas-as equal, Calvin is already a legend and Nobel nominee. He's also awkward, kind and tenacious. Theirs is true chemistry. But as events are never as predictable as chemical reactions, three years later Elizabeth Zott is an unwed, single mother (did we mention it's the early 60s??) and the star of America's most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth's singular approach to cooking ('take one pint of H2O and add a pinch of sodium chloride') and independent example are proving revolutionary. Because Elizabeth isn't just teaching women how to cook, she's teaching them how to change the status quo. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist"--

Angie's picture

I found myself really enjoying this story. It was fast paced and I found myself really wanting to know more about the characters lives. Elizabeth Zott is an absolute legend of a character, I was rooting for her throughout the whole story. It had me pondering many points on more than one occasion what it must have been like to be a woman in the 50's and 60's and navigating the world; I’m so glad that women like Elizabeth Zott make it possible for me to have the life and freedom that I have today. Overall, it did not bore! -Angie

Light from Uncommon Stars book cover
Light from Uncommon Stars book cover

Light from Uncommon Stars

Ryka Aoki

SCIENCE FICTION/Aoki Ryka
Science Fiction, Fantasy

Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.

Zach's picture

This is perhaps one of my favorite books of all time. I think the story was so amazingly silly and wonderful and I was hooked the whole way through. Read this if you need a smile. -Zach

The evil secret society of cats book cover
The evil secret society of cats book cover

The evil secret society of cats

author Pandania

jMANGA Pandania Evil
Graphic Novels, Humor, Animals

"Under the direction of the purple-caped Feline Commander, the Evil Secret Society of Cats schemes against humanity in a series of humorous stories as adorable as they are diabolical. After all, the complex nature of cats is part of their charm"--

Casey's picture

"Fall into depravity, vile human!" And get ready to laugh out loud with this hilariously adorable manga. The easy-to-read, simple panel layout makes this a great first manga experience for young readers as well. The Evil Secret Society of Cats is for anyone and everyone who enjoys animal humor and especially fans of other cat comics like the Chi series, Housecat Troubles, and Yokai Cats. -Casey

The untold story of Larry Itliong : labor rights hero book cover
The untold story of Larry Itliong : labor rights hero book cover

The untold story of Larry Itliong : labor rights hero

Cristina Oxtra

j331.88 Itliong
Biographies, History

"You may have read about Cesar Chavez's leadership in organizing the well-known Delano Grape Strike and Boycott of the 1960s. But did you know it began as a strike led by Larry Itliong? He was a Filipino labor organizer who had also been working with grape pickers in California at the time. With key biographical information and related historical events, this Capstone Captivate book will uncover Itliong's story and show how it connects to Chavez's story"--

Anne W's picture

Take this opportunity to learn about an unsung hero of history and glean more information about where your food comes from! -Anne W

The folding lady : tools and tricks for making the most of your space room by room book cover
The folding lady : tools and tricks for making the most of your space room by room book cover

The folding lady : tools and tricks for making the most of your space room by room

Sophie Liard

648.8 /Liard
Nonfiction, Home

"In this illustrated guide, Sophie Liard brings her expertise together and teaches you how to fold all of your household items, from boxers, leggings, and socks to sheets, towels and even napkins and wrapping paper. The Folding Lady shows you that anything is foldable and shares the inner joy that folding brings and offers extra tips on organizing drawers, desks, snack drawers, cosmetics, and more to make life a little easier and more manageable." -- Amazon.com.

Melody's picture

I have 4 loads of laundry waiting to be folded when I get home. That fact plus this attractive cover drew me to pick up this book. It's not just about folding laundry, however. I'm digging the illustrated how-to for folding fitted sheets, the extra ideas and clean lines for how to wrap presents, and the new-to-me storage ideas. This books is great for minimalist living and Marie Kondo fans. Sophie Liard makes folding look fun! -Melody

To Be Taught, If Fortunate book cover
To Be Taught, If Fortunate book cover

To Be Taught, If Fortunate

Becky Chambers

SCIENCE FICTION/Chambers Becky
Science Fiction

Ariadne is one such explorer. As an astronaut on an extrasolar research vessel, she and her fellow crewmates sleep between worlds and wake up each time with different features. Her experience is one of fluid body and stable mind and of a unique perspective on the passage of time. Back on Earth, society changes dramatically from decade to decade, as it always does. Ariadne may awaken to find that support for space exploration back home has waned, or that her country of birth no longer exists, or that a cult has arisen around their cosmic findings, only to dissolve once more by the next waking. But the moods of Earth have little bearing on their mission: to explore, to study, and to send their learnings home. Carrying all the trademarks of her other beloved works, including brilliant writing, fantastic world-building and exceptional, diverse characters, Becky's first audiobook outside of the Wayfarers series is sure to capture the imagination of listeners all over the world.

Zach's picture

If you want a quick and enjoyable read this is for you. All of Becky Chambers' books have queer characters of all varieties, and I love each of the books in their own way. This book brought me into her writing style, and while it's on the heavier side emotionally, it still showcases some excellent themes and characters whom I have not forgotten since. This got me through the beginning of the pandemic and I'm grateful to Chambers for that. -Zach

Afterparties : stories book cover
Afterparties : stories book cover

Afterparties : stories

So, Anthony Veasna, 1992-2020, author.

FICTION So Anthony

"A debut story collection about Cambodian-American life-immersive and comic, yet unsparing-that marks the arrival of an indisputable new talent in American fiction"--

Annie's picture

Added by Annie

The Empress of Salt and Fortune book cover
The Empress of Salt and Fortune book cover

The Empress of Salt and Fortune

Nghi Vo

SCIENCE FICTION/Vo, Nghi
Fantasy

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for. At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

Zach's picture

I've already written about how I loved this book, but I don't know if I added that the main character is non-binary. Not all non-binary people identify as transgender, but some do, and I think it is always an important perspective to look into. -Zach

Trespasses book cover
Trespasses book cover

Trespasses

Louise Kennedy

FICTION Kennedy Louise
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

"Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a shattering debut novel about a young woman caught between allegiance to community and unsanctioned love"--

Anne M's picture

Cushla Lavery wants to fix things. She wants to help her brother manage the family's pub. She wants to help her mother stop drinking. As a primary school teacher, she wants to help a socially struggling student find acceptance. She wants a lot of things and works for them. But this is Northern Ireland in the 1970's and everything is an uphill battle. And then Michael Agnew walks into the pub. He is all the wrong things: married, Protestant, older and from a different social class. He offers Cushla an escape from the daily toils and community violence. Will this last? This is a beautifully written novel. Heartbreaking, of course, and full of feeling. The audiobooks is a gem. -Anne M

Fake meat : real food for vegan appetites book cover
Fake meat : real food for vegan appetites book cover

Fake meat : real food for vegan appetites

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

641.56362 /Moskowitz
Nonfiction, Cookbooks

Demonstrates how to make vegan meats at home in a collection of 125 recipes sure to satisfy every kind of meat craving, from fried chicken to pepperjack cheese steaks.

Melody's picture

DIY Fake Meat? Yes, please! I'm a big fan of Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Her vegan restaurant, Modern Love Omaha, is on my list of must-visits each time I'm in the city. I even like to stay at the hotel within walking distance to the place, and have been known to get takeout from there two nights in a row. (Her chickpea chick'n cutlet is my husband's favorite.) This book holds the secret to some of those delicious dishes. I can't wait to make my own seitan again! -Melody

Magic, the Gathering : the visual guide book cover
Magic, the Gathering : the visual guide book cover

Magic, the Gathering : the visual guide

Jay Annelli

793.93 /Magic
Nonfiction, Fantasy

"Magic: The Gathering is a fantastical Multiverse of mystical beings, fabled realms, and mythical creatures. Dominating all are the mighty sorcerers known as planeswalkers. To be a planeswalker is to be powerful beyond measure--a wizard who can bend magic to their will and step through the veil of reality itself. These fearsome mages cross between the planes of existence, battling to save others or to destroy them, to fight darkness or to create it. Magic: The Gathering Visual Dictionary illuminates the wondrous worlds they traverse, reveals their arcane lore, weapons, artifacts, and spells, and recounts their legendary exploits. Produced in close collaboration with Wizards of the Coast and featuring never before published profiles of new planes, such as Strixhaven and Kaldheim, this book is the first time MTG's key characters and locations are showcased in one sumptuous, indispensable, and up-to-date guide to its vast and expanding Multiverse" --

Brian's picture

If you've read any of my other reviews, you know that I'm a huge nerd. One of my many geeky interests is Magic: The Gathering. Even though I've played the game for 30 years, I don't know a lot of the lore. This book filled me in and also displayed card art in big, beautiful fashion. -Brian

How to read a rock : our planet's hidden stories book cover
How to read a rock : our planet's hidden stories book cover

How to read a rock : our planet's hidden stories

J. A. Zalasiewicz

552 /Zalasiewicz
Nonfiction, Science

"Rocks are time machines and the keepers of our history. This guide is a geological field trip through Earth's incredible rock formations and the stories they hold"--

Melody's picture

What a beautiful book! The cover lures you in and keeps its promise of providing detailed photos and illustrations. This is an example of excellent book design, IMHO. We had a rock-based advent calendar this last December and I enjoyed learning about the stones with my family. This book takes a deeper look into the science of rock formation. A top pick for geology lovers! -Melody

Heartstopper book cover
Heartstopper book cover

Heartstopper

Alice Oseman

GRAPHIC NOVEL/Oseman/Heartstopper
Graphic Novels

Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more...? Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him. They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner...

Zach's picture

While the main characters of this story are not trans, there is a trans character who is very important to the story. I loved this series, and still do, and plan on rereading it sometime soon. An appreciation for queer life can be seen on every page. -Zach

Beneath book cover
Beneath book cover

Beneath

Cori Doerrfeld

jE Doerrfel
Picture Books, Kids, Nature

Finn is in a bad mood, so his grandfather takes him on a walk in the forest, and tells him about all the things that are beneath the surface of plants and animals--and even people.

Casey's picture

Beneath this cover is a touching story about recognizing what we cannot see in our world and in one another. Cori Doerrfeld's illustrations and prose make for an emotional yet healing read. Readers will be rewarded by spending some time with the endsheets and exploring what lies beneath the dust jacket as well. -Casey

Book lovers book cover
Book lovers book cover

Book lovers

Emily Henry

FICTION Henry Emily
Romance, Humor

"A by-the-book literary agent must decide if happily ever after is worth changing her whole life for in this insightful, delightful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Nora Stephens' life is books--she's read them all--and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters' trip away--with visions of a small town transformation for Nora who she's convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they've met many times and it's never been cute. If Nora knows she's not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he's nobody's hero, but as they are thrown together again and again--in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow--what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they've written about themselves"--

Melody's picture

Not sure how I snagged a copy of this when it was on the shelf. It's in demand right now! But the timing was perfect. I see Emily Henry's books pop up in bestseller lists, but I've tended to pass them by. I think I read something that compared her rom-coms to Mhairi McFarlane's--whom I can't read enough of now--and that sealed the deal. I also loved the idea of reading an enemies-to-lovers title about a literary agent and an publishing house editor. Reviews call this a hilarious book and I agree! I'm about halfway through and hope to finish it up this weekend. (I took a binge-reading break to work on a jigsaw puzzle and build lego sets with my son.) Looking forward to this weekend! -Melody

Sacred Britannia : the gods and rituals of Roman Britain book cover
Sacred Britannia : the gods and rituals of Roman Britain book cover

Sacred Britannia : the gods and rituals of Roman Britain

Miranda J. (Miranda Jane) Aldhouse-Green

200.9361 /Aldhouse-Green
Nonfiction, History, Religion, Political

Two thousand years ago, the Romans sought to absorb into their empire what they regarded as a remote, almost mythical island on the very edge of the known world - Britain. The expeditions of Julius Caesar and the invasion of AD 43 brought fundamental and lasting changes to the island. Not least among these was a pantheon of new Classical deities and religious systems, along with a clutch of exotic eastern cults including Christianity. But what of Britannia and her own home-grown deities? What cults and cosmologies did the Romans encounter and how did they in turn react to them? Under Roman rule, the old gods were challenged, adopted, adapted, absorbed and re-configured. In this fresh and innovative new account, Miranda Aldhouse-Green balances literary, archaeological and iconographic evidence (and scrutinizes their shortcomings and how we interpret them) to illuminate the complexity of religion and belief in Roman Britain, and the two-way traffic of cultural exchange and interplay between imported and indigenous cults. Despite the remoteness of this period, on the threshold between prehistory and history, many of the forces, tensions, ideologies and issues of identity at work are still relevant today.

Candice's picture

This book is literally as the blurb says--it describes the religious atmosphere of Britain when the Romans blasted onto the scene, and uses various historical accounts and archaeological finds to give evidence. If that's your thing, then you'll love it! It can lean a little to the technical side, and assumes the reader might have a slight comfort level reading socio-archaeological articles, but the information is presented in nice, small bites so you don't get lost in the details. If deep British history is your cup of tea, and you don't need a lot of color photos to spice up the info, then you won't be disappointed. -Candice

She Who Became the Sun book cover
She Who Became the Sun book cover

She Who Became the Sun

Shelley Parker-Chan

FICTION/Parker-Chan, Shelley
Historical Fiction, Fantasy

In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness… In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected. When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate. After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother's abandoned greatness.

Zach's picture

It's not clear whether the main character of this story would identify as trans or not, and that's mostly because this type of language wasn't used in the time this novel is set. The author is queer and non-binary so who is to say! I simply enjoyed the book. -Zach

A hard day for a hangover : a novel book cover
A hard day for a hangover : a novel book cover

A hard day for a hangover : a novel

Darynda Jones

MYSTERY Jones Darynda
Mystery, Romance

"Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there's just too much going on right now. There's a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There's her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who's out to singlehandedly become Del Sol's youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there's drama with Levi Ravinder-the guy she's loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him-and Sunshine-for good. Like we said, the new day can take a hike. The blockbuster conclusion to the bestselling Sunshine Vicram trilogy, A Hard Day for a Hangover will have readers laughing and cheering to the very last page"--

Melody's picture

This is the final book in the Sunshine Vicram series by Darynda Jones. I added the first book, A Bad Day for Sunshine, some time ago. After speeding through the second in the series, it felt like I had to wait forEVER for the third. It finally came out on December and I was able to read it over my holiday staycation. Once again, Jones had me turning pages one after another. I was invested in the series, the mystery, and the characters--once I put it down I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. Some of the tying up of loose ends felt a bit cliche and melodramatic for me, but hey, I can tolerate that if it keeps me laughing and has that happy ending. -Melody

We all want impossible things : a novel book cover
We all want impossible things : a novel book cover

We all want impossible things : a novel

Catherine Newman

FICTION Newman, Catherine

As Edith, her best friend of forty-two years who is dying of ovarian cancer, spends her last days at a hospice near her, Ashley, stumbling around into heartbreak, helps Edith celebrate her life as they reminisce, hold on, and try to let go.

Becky's picture

Who knew that heartbreak and comedy could coexist so well in one book?! -Becky

Dirt Creek book cover
Dirt Creek book cover

Dirt Creek

Hayley Scrivenor

MYSTERY Scriveno Hayley
Fiction, Mystery

"In Hayley Scrivenor's Dirt Creek, a small-town debut mystery described as The Dry meets Everything I Never Told You, a girl goes missing and a community falls apart and comes together. When twelve-year-old Esther disappears on the way home from school in a small town in rural Australia, the community is thrown into a maelstrom of suspicion and grief. As Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels arrives in town during the hottest spring in decades and begins her investigation, Esther's tenacious best friend, Ronnie, is determined to find Esther and bring her home. When schoolfriend Lewis tells Ronnie that he saw Esther with a strange man at the creek the afternoon she went missing, Ronnie feels she is one step closer to finding her. But why is Lewis refusing to speak to the police? And who else is lying about how much they know about what has happened to Esther? Punctuated by a Greek chorus, which gives voice to the remaining children of the small, dying town, this novel explores the ties that bind, what we try and leave behind us, and what we can never outrun, while never losing sight of the question of what happened to Esther, and what her loss does to a whole town"--

Candice's picture

This was a detailed and engrossing read. I especially liked the child characters, and felt that their thoughts and actions rang very true. This book was more about the procedure and the lives of the people than the crime itself, really, and has a full resolution that both smacks of the cruel unfairness of life, and the profound consequences of peoples' actions. -Candice

The ruin of all witches : life and death in the New World book cover
The ruin of all witches : life and death in the New World book cover

The ruin of all witches : life and death in the New World

Malcolm Gaskill

974.402 /Gaskill
History

"A gripping story of a family tragedy brought about by witch-hunting in Puritan New England that combines history, anthropology, sociology, politics, theology and psychology. In Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails, property vanishes, and people suffer convulsions as if possessed by demons. A woman is seen wading through the swamp like a lost soul. Disturbing dreams and visions proliferate. Children sicken and die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics and the community becomes tangled in a web of distrust, resentment and denunciation. The finger of suspicion soon falls on a young couple with two small children: the prickly brickmaker, Hugh Parsons, and his troubled wife, Mary. Drawing on rich, previously unexplored source material, Malcolm Gaskill vividly evokes a strange past, one where lives were steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in omens, curses and enchantments. The Ruin of All Witches captures an entire society caught in agonized transition between superstition and enlightenment, tradition and innovation"--

Anne M's picture

What makes a community turn on a neighbor, especially a tight-knit community? Hugh Parsons wasn't pleasant to be around. He was irascible, mean-spirited, and always seemed to show up when you didn't want him. Malcolm Gaskill takes us to Puritan Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651 where Hugh Parson's angry and bearish behavior leads to accusations of witchcraft. Unlike Salem with its long list of victims, Springfield, which happened 40 years before, ruined just one family. Was it just Hugh Parson's behavior? Did they just want to be rid of him? Or was the accusations about deeper fear? A brand new colonial settlement, Springfield was going through some drastic socio-economic-political-cultural changes. Gaskill paints an interesting portrait of a town on the brink. -Anne M

Pet book cover
Pet book cover

Pet

Akwaeke Emezi

YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Emezi, Akwaeke
Science Fiction

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster--and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also uncover the truth, and the answer to the question How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

Zach's picture

This story follows a fantastic cast of characters, including a trans girl named Jam. I listened to the book and I want to listen to it again, or perhaps take notes in the margin of reading it next time. Akwaeke Emezi is a wonderful author and I think anything you read by them will be incredible, especially this book. -Zach

True biz : a novel book cover
True biz : a novel book cover

True biz : a novel

Sara Nović

FICTION Novic Sara
Fiction

"True biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history final, and have doctors, politicians, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This revelatory novel plunges readers into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where they'll meet Charlie, a rebellious transfer student who's never met another deaf person before; Austin, the school's golden boy, whose world is rocked when his baby sister is born hearing; and February, the headmistress, who is fighting to keep her school open and her marriage intact, but might not be able to do both at the same time. As a series of crises both personal and political threaten to unravel each of them, Charlie, Austin, and February find their lives inextricable from one another-and changed forever. This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, cochlear implants and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection"--

Mari's picture

My last read of 2022, and possibly my favorite! An interesting character-driven story that illuminates the importance of sign language education. I loved the added history of deaf people and their civil right battles between chapters, and the current issues within the community, such as cochlear implants, the difference between ASL and BASL, and how some parents and schools don’t allow kids to learn ASL in an effort to mainstream them. I love a story about education, and this was great one for the underrepresented deaf community. -Mari

Celebrate with me! : recipes, crafts, and holiday fun from around the world book cover
Celebrate with me! : recipes, crafts, and holiday fun from around the world book cover

Celebrate with me! : recipes, crafts, and holiday fun from around the world

j394.2 Gladwin
Nonfiction

"This joyful collection of recipes, crafts, and activities celebrates holidays around the world."--Back cover

Mari's picture

This book has a beautifully illustrate two-page spread for each popular from around the world, including a craft or activity and an easy recipe for a family to create together. I love the contributor for each holiday is a chef, artist or designer who share their favorite traditions, and that the book provides so many opportunities for kids to do hands-on activities to learn about that holiday! -Mari

Ammu : Indian home-cooking to nourish your soul book cover
Ammu : Indian home-cooking to nourish your soul book cover

Ammu : Indian home-cooking to nourish your soul

Asma Khan

641.5954 /Khan

"A new cookbook from the star of Netflix's Chef's Table and one of the world's most prominent female chefs. Ammu is a heart-warming cookbook of comforting aromatic Indian flavors: Indian food from home, cooked with heart. Ammu is a collection of recipes from Asma Khan's childhood, from her Indian family kitchen. It is a celebration of where she comes from, of home cooking, and the inextricable link between food and love. It is also a chance for Asma to honor her ammu - mother - and to share with us the recipes that made her and rooted her to home. This book is a joyful celebration of memories of food, and its power to heal, restore, and comfort."--

Victoria's picture

I love pretty cookbooks, but I especially love cookbook authors who connect us to their rich family heritage, provide gorgeous recipes that are easy to make and share their passion for gathering around the table on every page. -Victoria

The marriage portrait book cover
The marriage portrait book cover

The marriage portrait

Maggie O'Farrell

FICTION O'Farrell, Maggie
Historical Fiction

"A novel set in Renaissance Italy, and centering on the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici"--

Becky's picture

Maggie O’Farrell expertly builds a narrative surrounding the life and suspicious death of Lucrezia de’Medici. Tension is created by splitting the time frame, shifting between Lucrezia’s upbringing and her marriage to the Duke of Ferrara, the man suspected of her death. -Becky

Blurp's book of manners book cover
Blurp's book of manners book cover

Blurp's book of manners

Cindy Derby

jE Derby

"When etiquette coach Ms. Picklepop teeters off her stool and spills a bucket of paint, a creature emerges. Not a scary one, or an evil one, or anything of the sort. Instead, what comes alive is... BLURP! She'll have to carry on with her lesson, despite Blurp's many, messy distractions. But paint splotches and burps aren't all that disrupt Ms. Picklepop's decorous class. Perhaps through an unlikely friendship, Ms. Picklepop will learn a thing or two about manners herself" --

Victoria's picture

This is a gorgeous and thoroughly entertaining read! Derby creates sumptuously beautiful and unbridled illustations that children are sure to delight in. An absolute feast for the eyes, with a few life lessons on manners tossed in! -Victoria

Red Mars book cover
Red Mars book cover

Red Mars

Kim Stanley Robinson


Science Fiction

For eons, sandstorms have swept the desolate landscape. For centuries, Mars has beckoned humans to conquer its hostile climate. Now, in 2026, a group of 100 colonists is about to fulfill that destiny. John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers & Arkady Bogdanov lead a terraforming mission. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage & madness. For others it offers an opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. For the genetic alchemists, it presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life & death. The colonists orbit giant satellite mirrors to reflect light to the surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth. Massive tunnels, kilometers deep, will be drilled into the mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves & friendships will form & fall to pieces--for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed.

Zach's picture

Red Mars was perhaps the best book I read in 2022. I was enthralled by the complex scientific ideas presented through it, as well as the interesting characters and their beliefs. This story focuses heavily on the politics of terraforming Mars for human use, and the intricacies of that change. If you like hard science fiction and political maneuvering, you will love this book just as I did. -Zach

The Raven Boys book cover
The Raven Boys book cover

The Raven Boys

Maggie Stiefvater


Fantasy

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Zach's picture

I think this series is the epitome of autumnal vibes. If you're interested in magic and folklore you'd love this series. -Zach

The book of goose book cover
The book of goose book cover

The book of goose

Yiyun Li

FICTION Li Yiyun
Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction

A magnificent, beguiling tale winding from the postwar rural provinces to Paris, from an English boarding school to the quiet Pennsylvania home where a woman can live without her past, The Book of Goose is a story of disturbing intimacy and obsession, of exploitation and strength of will, by the celebrated author Yiyun Li. Fabienne is dead. Her childhood best friend, Agnès, receives the news in America, far from the French countryside where the two girls were raised―the place that Fabienne helped Agnès escape ten years ago. Now Agnès is free to tell her story. As children in a war-ravaged backwater town, they’d built a private world, invisible to everyone but themselves―until Fabienne hatched the plan that would change everything, launching Agnès on an epic trajectory through fame, fortune, and terrible loss.

Anne M's picture

If there was ever a book that reveals the fundamentals of human nature, this is it. Yiyun Li's The Book of Goose reminds me of a modern folk tale (without the magic or talking animals) but with the elements of a cautionary lesson. -Anne M

The banshees of Inisherin book cover
The banshees of Inisherin book cover

The banshees of Inisherin

DVD MOVIE COMEDY Banshees
Comedy

Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

Brian's picture

Beautifully shot with amazing performances throughout, "The Banshees of Inisherin" is a pitch black comedy that is going to depress the hell out of you. I loved it, but know that it's going to create a raincloud for the rest of your day. -Brian

Under the whispering door book cover
Under the whispering door book cover

Under the whispering door

TJ Klune

SCIENCE FICTION Klune Tj
Fantasy

"A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in Under the Whispering Door, a delightful queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he's definitely dead. But even in death he's not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home"--

Brian's picture

Wallace Price, a Scrooge like character, dies and gets a chance to reevaluate his life. This touching fantasy really won me over. It has been a while since a book made me cry, and this one made me cry A LOT. -Brian

Ducks : two years in the oil sands book cover
Ducks : two years in the oil sands book cover

Ducks : two years in the oil sands

Kate Beaton

BIOGRAPHY Beaton, Kate

Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta's oil rush-part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can't find it in the homeland they love so much. Katie encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands, where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet is never discussed. Beaton's natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, northern lights, and boreal forest. Her first full length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.

Victoria's picture

Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant and the hilarious The Princess and the Pony,) brings a completely different topic to light in this graphic narrative. I really enjoyed this part of her life being told graphically. She captures the interpersonal relationships of the workers in a very authentic way and what people must sacrifice in their lives to gain employment. She also is adept at sharing the duality of the Canadian wilderness and its preservation and how the oil sands are inextricably tied to the degradation of the environment and the implications of short-term profit at the expense of the landscape. -Victoria

Whipping Girl book cover
Whipping Girl book cover

Whipping Girl

Julia Serano

306.768/Serano
Nonfiction

In Whipping Girl, biologist and trans activist Julia Serano shares her experiences and insights—both pre- and post-transition—to reveal the ways in which fear, suspicion, and dismissiveness toward femininity shape our attitudes toward trans women, as well as gender and sexuality as a whole. Serano's well-honed arguments and pioneering advocacy stem from her ability to bridge the gap between the often-disparate biological and social perspectives on gender. In this provocative manifesto, she exposes how deep-rooted the cultural belief is that femininity is frivolous, weak, and passive. In addition to debunking popular misconceptions about being transgender, Serano makes the case that today's feminists and transgender activists must work to embrace and empower femininity—in all of its wondrous forms.

Zach's picture

This book is non-fiction and focuses more on the theory behind transsexual and transgender activism. It's written by trans woman Julia Serano, and focuses on trans-feminism, cissexism, transphobia, and trans-misogyny. It's a fascinating read and will definitely help open your mind to new ideas and think further on some aspects of common culture. -Zach

The tray of togetherness book cover
The tray of togetherness book cover

The tray of togetherness

Flo Leung

j394.26951 Leung

"THE TRAY OF TOGETHERNESS is a celebration of a culturally specific experience that also speaks to the universality of having family traditions and the specialness of that connection. In Flo Leung's heartwarming, food-focused story, a young girl helps her multi-racial family prepare their Tray of Togetherness as part of that evening's Lunar New Year celebration. And her exuberance for the task at hand will have readers - whether familiar with the tradition or not - happily joining her. The story opens with the girl helping prepare her family's apartment - a space warmly decorated with a wall of portraits that signal to the reader the diversity of this girl's family and what "togetherness" might mean to her. Then it's time to get their coats and go on a shopping adventure - their tray needs to be filled with all sorts of good wish treats: candied coconut for strong family ties, peanuts for a long life, candied winter melon for good health and much more... After collecting their special treats from the bustling market, the family returns home, passing out delicious good wishes to the friends and neighbors they meet along the way. Once home, the tray is filled and finishing touches hung - just in time for their party. Friends and family arrive, all ready "to celebrate this HAPPY NEW YEAR together!" A short note from Flo at the end of the book explains the word play behind the edible New Year's wishes and fondly describes her own experiences as a child whose family celebrated Lunar New Year."--

Angie's picture

Celebrate the Lunar New Year on January 22 with this sweet story appropriate for the whole family! -Angie

The last thing he told me : a novel book cover
The last thing he told me : a novel book cover

The last thing he told me : a novel

Laura Dave

FICTION Dave Laura

"Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to who the note refers-Owen's sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother. As Hannah's increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen's boss, as a U.S. marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn't who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen's true identity-and why he really disappeared. Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realize they are also building a new future-one neither of them could have anticipated" -- Front jacket flap.

Angie's picture

Fast paced and engaging, with a satisfying ending! -Angie

Nobody likes a goblin book cover
Nobody likes a goblin book cover

Nobody likes a goblin

Ben Hatke

jE Hatke
Picture Books

When adventurers take everything in his dungeon, including his only friend, Goblin sets out to get his friend Skeleton back.

Heidi K's picture

This book was a lot of fun to read to my 3 year old. -Heidi K

The real Dada Mother Goose : a treasury of complete nonsense book cover
The real Dada Mother Goose : a treasury of complete nonsense book cover

The real Dada Mother Goose : a treasury of complete nonsense

Jon Scieszka

jE Scieszka
Classics, Humor, Picture Books, Kids

"The classic nursery rhymes we know and love--upside-down, backward, in gibberish, and fresh out of bounds--as only Jon Scieszka could stage them. Mother knows best, but sometimes a little nonsense wins the day. Inspired by Dadaism's rejection of reason and rational thinking, and in cahoots with Blanche Fisher Wright's The Real Mother Goose, this anthology of absurdity unravels the fabric of classic nursery rhymes and stitches them back together (or not quite together) in every clever way possible."

Casey's picture

The Real Dada Mother Goose is a delight! Anyone well versed in Mother Goose owes this one a perusal. -Casey

Crying in H Mart book cover
Crying in H Mart book cover

Crying in H Mart

Zauner, Michelle, author.

BIOGRAPHY Zauner, Michelle

"From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean-American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity. In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence (; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her. Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Michelle Zauner's voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread"--

Annie's picture

Added by Annie

The revolutionary : Samuel Adams book cover
The revolutionary : Samuel Adams book cover

The revolutionary : Samuel Adams

Stacy Schiff

BIOGRAPHY Adams, Samuel
History, Biographies

"Thomas Jefferson asserted that if there was any leader of the Revolution, "Samuel Adams was the man." With high-minded ideals and bare-knuckle tactics, Adams led what could be called the greatest campaign of civil resistance in American history. Stacy Schiff returns Adams to his seat of glory, introducing us to the shrewd and eloquent man who supplied the moral backbone of the American Revolution. He employed every tool available to rally a town, a colony, and eventually a band of colonies behind him, creating the cause that created a country. For his efforts he became the most wanted man in America: When Paul Revere rode to Lexington in 1775, it was to warn Samuel Adams that he was about to be arrested for treason. In The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, Schiff brings her masterful skills to Adams's improbable life, illuminating his transformation from aimless son of a well-off family to tireless, beguiling radical who mobilized the colonies"--

Anne M's picture

I really enjoy Schiff’s biographies and histories. She wrote one on Cleopatra and another called "The Witches," which chronicles the New England witchcraft hysteria of the 17th century. Both I recommend highly. Schiff is a great storyteller. She knows how to set the scene, provides interesting context, and then introduces her subject. This time it is founding father and known trouble-maker Samuel Adams. Now sort of a footnote in Revolutionary history, Adams played a huge role in providing unrelenting criticism of the king and parliament, leading to our country’s independence from Britain. Why was his legacy buried? Schiff's take is pretty interesting, especially through our 21st century lens. -Anne M

The golden enclaves : a novel book cover
The golden enclaves : a novel book cover

The golden enclaves : a novel

Naomi Novik

SCIENCE FICTION Novik Naomi
Fantasy

"The one thing you never talk about while you're in the Scholomance is what you'll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it's all we dream about: the hideously slim chance we'll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls. And now the impossible dream has come true. I'm out, we're all out--and I didn't even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother's prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn't kill enclavers, I saved them. Me and Orion and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: We saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves everywhere. Ha, only joking! Actually, it's gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously gotten out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in"--

Brian's picture

"The Golden Enclaves" ties everything together in a way that makes sense without feeling cheap. It's rare that a trilogy of books really satisfies, but Novik pulled it off. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Fantasy. -Brian

The mountain in the sea book cover
The mountain in the sea book cover

The mountain in the sea

Ray Nayler

SCIENCE FICTION Nayler Ray
Science Fiction

"Following a mysterious murder on an island off the coast of Vietnam, a research team convenes to study an octopus community that seems to be developing its own language and culture. Humans, AIs, and animals are swept up in the machinations of governments and corporations in this near-future thriller about the nature of intelligence"--

Paul's picture

An engaging, well crafted tale set in a future where the geopolitical landscape is completely different in wholly unexpected ways, AI driven machines are ubiquitous and sometimes beautifully crafted and at others coldly indifferent, human life is cheap and expendable when no longer useful, and talented hackers are in high demand for very specific clandestine activities. Throw into this mix an unusual set of conditions and circumstances on a protected chain of islands off the Vietnamese coast, and the nature of perception, observation, intelligence and communication and you get a book I personally found hard to put down. -Paul

More Mediterranean : 225+ new plant-forward recipes endless inspiration for eating well book cover
More Mediterranean : 225+ new plant-forward recipes endless inspiration for eating well book cover

More Mediterranean : 225+ new plant-forward recipes endless inspiration for eating well

America's Test Kitchen

641.59 /America's
Cookbooks

In this follow-up to the bestselling The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook, America's Test Kitchen opens the Mediterranean pantry wide open. ... The book is organized to emphasize the joy of the Mediterranean diet as a nourishing, sustainable lifestyle. Build your plate around both small- and entrée-size recipes in chapters covering Mostly Plants; Mainly Grains and Beans; and Meat, Fish, Eggs, and More. An impressive Whole Romanesco with Berbere and Tahini Sauce is a brilliant vegetable dinner. A Spiced Chickpea Gyro (with heat from Asian chili-garlic sauce and pepperoncini) wows fans of the Greek meat-filled sandwich. Carrot Salad with Rose Harissa is a beautiful accompaniment to a number of meals, from Lentils with Roasted Broccoli and Lemony Bread Crumbs to Tofu Kebabs. Fish and meat mingle with lively accompaniments in restaurant-quality dishes like Pan Seared Swordfish with Persimmon-Ginger Chutney and Grilled Short Ribs with Preserved Lemon-Almond Sauce.

Melody's picture

America's Test Kitchen publishes some of the best cookbooks, in my humble opinion. The recipes are literally tested by chefs before earning a space on these pages. This is a great cookbook for those who want plant-heavy meals with meat on the side. -Melody

One winter up north book cover
One winter up north book cover

One winter up north

John Owens

jE Owens
Picture Books, Kids

"In winter the Boundary Waters, way up north in Minnesota, is not the same place you canoed last summer--but still it beckons and welcomes you. Grab a pack, strap on snowshoes, make a path (Oh! they take some getting used to!), and venture out across the frozen lakes and through the snowy woods. The vast wintery world here is so still and quiet, you might think you're all alone--but no! Who made these tracks? A deer? A hare? A fox? And far off there's a musher, making tracks with his sled dogs. It's a magical place. The bright sun brilliant on the snow, the sparkling silence--wait, is that a wolf calling? Try to answer! And when the dark descends, the stars and pine trees holding up the night, your nose gets cold and it's back to camp, to your warm winter tent, where Father feeds the stove with wood you gathered, Mother snuggles into her big sleeping bag, and you curl up in the fire's glow and know that in your dreams and memories you will return again and again to this one winter up north."--Provided by publisher.

Anne W's picture

Create some cozy winter feelings with this wordless picture book depicting a family's adventures snowshoeing and camping in the Superior National Forest in winter. Beautiful winter landscapes are depicted in sweeping, gentle watercolors. -Anne W

My hygge home : how to make home your happy place book cover
My hygge home : how to make home your happy place book cover

My hygge home : how to make home your happy place

Meik Wiking

640 /Wiking

Inspired by Danish design and traditions, this inspiring book, featuring tips based on research from The Happiness Institute in Copenhagen, shows how to turn a home into a cozy sanctuary regardless of available space or budget.

Becky's picture

The perfect cozy read as we head into winter. Meik Wiking uses a good mix of design, values and traditions to inspire a hygge lifestyle. -Becky

The retreat book cover
The retreat book cover

The retreat

Sarah Pearse

FICTION Pearse Sarah
Fiction, Mystery

"An eco-wellness retreat has opened on an island off the English coast, promising rest and relaxation--but the island itself, once the playground of a serial killer, is rumored to be cursed. Detective Elin Warner is called to the retreat when a young woman's body is found on the rocks below the yoga pavilion in what seems to be a tragic fall. But the victim wasn't a guest--she wasn't meant to be on the island at all. When a guest drowns in a diving incident the following day, Elin starts to suspect that there's nothing accidental about these deaths. Elin must find the killer--before the island's history starts to repeat itself"--

Candice's picture

This is the second book focusing on detective Elin Warner, and doesn't disappoint. A fine addition to the "people getting murdered in a unique, sequestered location" genre, and a creepy backstory to boot. Elin continues to get fleshed out more, and her motivations and actions add depth to the story. Check out the author's previous title, The Sanatorium, to fill in some gaps if you like! -Candice

Vegan Africa : plant-based recipes from Ethiopia to Senegal book cover
Vegan Africa : plant-based recipes from Ethiopia to Senegal book cover

Vegan Africa : plant-based recipes from Ethiopia to Senegal

Marie Kacouchia

641.56362 /Kacouchia
Cookbooks

Drawing from the cultures and traditions of more than 15 countries, years of cooking expertise, and cherished memories from her own childhood on the Ivory Coast, Marie Kacouchia takes us on a tour of flavorful, healthy, naturally plant-based African dishes. Explore over 70 irresistible recipes for main courses, rice dishes, sauces, snacks, desserts, and drinks. Vegan Africa guides you through diverse vegan cuisine from Ghana to Ethiopia, from Nigeria to South Africa. Kacouchia also shines a spotlight on the superfoods—like cacao, garlic, ginger, and sweet potato—that make these recipes both mouthwatering and packed with vital nutrients. Whether you’re a newcomer to African cuisine or looking to make familiar favorites, Vegan Africa will help you bring healthful, delicious dishes to your kitchen.

Melody's picture

Desperately seeking Ethiopian food! Iowa City is an Ethiopian restaurant desert, and I've been craving Kik Alicha Wot (stewed split peas), Gomen (tangy collards), and Tikil Gomen (carrots and cabbage) something fierce now for months. I haven't been cooking a lot due to time constraints and a cluttered kitchen and have been daydreaming about going to an Ethiopian restaurant. When googling it, the closest place I can find is in Davenport. Guess I have to make time to cook it myself! This is the cookbook I'll be starting with. -Melody

My Pokémon cookbook : delicious recipes inspired by Pikachu and friends book cover
My Pokémon cookbook : delicious recipes inspired by Pikachu and friends book cover

My Pokémon cookbook : delicious recipes inspired by Pikachu and friends

Victoria Rosenthal

j641.5 Pokemon
Cookbooks, Kids

Explore culinary delights from across the Pokémon universe in this official cookbook. Featuring favorite flavors from every region, dive into dishes that celebrate the world of Pokémon and fuel up for your next battle! Perfect for fans of all ages, My Pokémon Cookbook is the perfect addition to any Pokémon Trainer's kitchen. --

Mari's picture

Do I play the Pokémon trading card game? Nope! Have I played the videogames? Nope! Do I watch the show? Not in 25 years or so! Do I love this cookbook? YUP! The first recipe is a Pokémon Poke Bowl, which is both clever and delicious. I found the recipes in this book both irresistibly adorable and delicious, and I think some of the Pokémon are so cute! Look out for an entire week of Pokémon programming the first week of 2023!! -Mari

Downshiftology healthy meal prep : 100+ make-ahead recipes and quick-assembly meals book cover
Downshiftology healthy meal prep : 100+ make-ahead recipes and quick-assembly meals book cover

Downshiftology healthy meal prep : 100+ make-ahead recipes and quick-assembly meals

Lisa Bryan

641.555 /Bryan
Cookbooks

"When Lisa Bryan began meal prepping several years ago, she quickly became bored eating leftovers and was wasting food. At the same time, she realized she needed to 'downshift' the accelerated pace of her life. Seeking balance, she made dietary changes, eating more vegetables and simple proteins, while eliminating gluten (she has celiac disease), processed foods, and reducing refined sugar. Then she flipped the script on meal prep by focusing on individual ingredients. On a whim, she posted a video to YouTube which went viral and she realized how many people were out there, just like her, who wanted a fresh approach to meal planning. By prepping a handful of ingredients at the start of the week--such as flaked salmon, zucchini noodles, peas, prosciutto, soft-boiled eggs, and roasted veggies--and then mixing and matching them throughout the week, she found that she could enjoy a variety of meals and snacks (Creamy Salmon Zoodles, Peas and Prosciutto with Jammy Eggs, and Strawberries, Avocado, and Arugula Salad) without getting fatigued. Lisa's debut cookbook is packed with 100 simple and ingenious, big-batch recipes that can either be frozen or repurposed into delicious meals without resembling leftovers. A dinner of light coconut chickpea curry with rice can be enjoyed the next day atop a tortilla for a crispy tostada at lunch, or as a chickpea shakshuka for breakfast. All of the recipes are gluten-free, low in refined sugar; many are naturally anti-inflammatory, and dairy is minimal and optional. Lisa's approachable method for eating well and preparing meals with ease will inspire home cooks to downshift, too--at least when it comes to making healthy meals without a fuss"--

Melody's picture

ICPL has lots of meal prep books, but the visuals in this book helps it stand apart from the rest. Whether you want to meal prep to stick to a budget, eat healthy, or satisfy your personal dietary requirements, this book is a great place to start. And if this one is checked out, find other meal prep books on the 2nd floor at 641.555. -Melody

Tumble book cover
Tumble book cover

Tumble

Celia C. Pérez

jFICTION Perez Celia
Kids, Diverse Characters

Before she decides whether to accept her stepfather's proposal of adoption, twelve-year-old Adela Ramírez reaches out to her estranged biological father--who is in the midst of a career comeback as a luchador--and the eccentric extended family of wrestlers she has never met, bringing Adela closer to understanding the expansive definition of family.

Anne W's picture

This is a super-fun read about an eccentric family of luchadors (Mexican-style pro wrestlers) set in New Mexico. The book is heartwarming without the ending being pat or too neat and tidy, which I appreciated. Also clear-eyed from a kid's perspective about the failures and shortcomings of adults in your life, though overall showing the centrality of family and how important it is for them to have your back (in and out of the wrestling ring!). -Anne W

The flamingo book cover
The flamingo book cover

The flamingo

1983- author Guojing

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Guojing
Graphic Novels, Animals, Nature

From a highly acclaimed illustrator comes a stunning graphic novel filled with adventure and wonder about an imaginative girl and her obsession with flamingoes. A little girl arrives, excited for a beachy vacation with her Lao Lao. The girl and her grandmother search for shells, chase crabs, and play in the sea, but when the girl finds an exquisite flamingo feather in her grandmother's living room, her vacation turns into something fantastical.

Casey's picture

This mostly wordless graphic novel is a stunner! Guojing's use of texture, color, pacing, and framing are all lovely in this touching intergenerational story. Guojing's art and storytelling just keep getting better! -Casey

Assassin's Apprentice book cover
Assassin's Apprentice book cover

Assassin's Apprentice

Robin Hobb


Fantasy

In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma. Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility. So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Zach's picture

This series may not be for the faint of heart--it can pull at the heart strings, but also be very intense with its characters. There is violence everywhere in this series, but even more so in the second trilogy, the Liveship Traders. There are technically 5 different series within the Realm of the Elderling world, and I would recommend them all up to Fool's Fate because that's the one I'm currently on. I still have 7 books to go, having done 9 of them. My favorites were the Liveship trader series as well as Fool's Errand, Golden Fool, and Fool's Fate. -Zach

All Systems Red book cover
All Systems Red book cover

All Systems Red

Martha Wells


Science Fiction

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.

Zach's picture

I read this book as an audiobook and I cannot recommend that experience more. It felt a little slow to start, but it's not the plot that grabbed me with this series, but the characters. I felt so connected to everyone and it made me want to read more and more. I think it's a wonderful read and something I will 100% revisit one day! -Zach

The Empress of Salt and Fortune book cover
The Empress of Salt and Fortune book cover

The Empress of Salt and Fortune

Nghi Vo


Fantasy

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for. At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

Zach's picture

I'm a story-teller. I love writing as much as I love reading, so when I read this series it really spoke to me in a bunch of different ways. I would say the second book is my favorite of the three, it read so easily and far too quickly because I wish I could read a thousand more pages of this world. They were very quick and lovely reads and I will want to go back to revisit the lovely stories that are told here. -Zach

Seen and unseen : what Toyo Miyatake, Dorothea Lange, and Ansel Adams' photographs reveal about the Japanese American incarceration book cover
Seen and unseen : what Toyo Miyatake, Dorothea Lange, and Ansel Adams' photographs reveal about the Japanese American incarceration book cover

Seen and unseen : what Toyo Miyatake, Dorothea Lange, and Ansel Adams' photographs reveal about the Japanese American incarceration

Elizabeth Partridge

j940.547273 Partridge
Nonfiction, Literary Nonfiction, Picture Books, History, Art / Art History

"Legendary photographers Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams all photographed the Japanese American incarceration, but with different approaches and different results. This nonfiction picture book for middle-grade readers examines the Japanese-American incarceration and the complexity of documenting it through the work of these three photographers"--

Casey's picture

Seen and Unseen is a must-read. An incredible marriage of photography, literary nonfiction, scrapbooking, illustration, survivor stories, and US History, Partridge and Tamaki use various media to bring Japanese American incarceration to light. This is suggested reading for all families, middle-graders, young adults, and adults, especially those interested in or affected by WWII. Seen and Unseen would be a great gift as well! -Casey

Finding me book cover
Finding me book cover

Finding me

Viola Davis

BIOGRAPHY Davis, Viola

"In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose and my strength, but also to finding my voice in a world that didn't always see me. As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. They are bogarted, reinvented to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone who is searching for a way to understand and overcome a complicated past, let go of shame, and find acceptance. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be...you. Finding Me is a deep reflection on my past and a promise for my future. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you."--

Victoria's picture

This is Viola's story in her own words. What resonated most about this book for me was that despite all of the success she has had, along with all of the talent she possesses, Viola reminds us that sometimes the greatest struggle is the one we have with ourselves. As you might imagine, this book is raw, unfiltered and brutally honest. I love her self-reflection and the way she navigates and comes to terms with the complicated relationships we have with our families; how we love but how we also truthfully reconcile pain. This book is steeped in stories, which Davis admits to herself, she loves. I do, too. I felt as though I was sitting right with her as she is making her peace with her past and promises for her future. -Victoria

Polar bear book cover
Polar bear book cover

Polar bear

Candace Fleming

j599.786 Fleming
Kids, Nonfiction, Animals

As spring approaches in the Arctic, a mother polar bear and her two cubs tentatively emerge from hibernation to explore the changing landscape. When it is time, she takes her cubs on a forty-mile journey, back to their home on the ice. Along the way, she fends off wolves, hunts for food, and swims miles and miles.

Anne W's picture

What an informative yet emotional, beautifully-illustrated nonfiction picture book about a mother polar bear and her cubs! Mother bears are incredibly capable creatures - you won't doubt it after devouring this edge-of-your-seat book describing the long journey of a bear family's first year. A great read-aloud with gorgeous Arctic-landscape illustrations! -Anne W

Two dogs on a trike book cover
Two dogs on a trike book cover

Two dogs on a trike

Gabrielle Snyder

jE Snyder
Picture Books

"When the gate is left open, one dog escapes the yard for an adventure on tricycles, trolleys, and trains. This hilarious story counts up to ten and back down again as more pups join the fun--and one very determined cat goes on the chase!"--Publisher

Victoria's picture

This book is a hoot! From the hilariously drawn dogs entertaining each other, to the stealth cat adorned in headband and suspicion, kids will love all of the questions and conversations you can solicit with them on each page. I loved that it was a counting book but also that children have the opportunity to count back from ten to one. The humor is subtle so adults will also enjoy this one and the pages are action-packed to keep even the youngest reader engaged. 10 out of 10! -Victoria

Midnight horizon book cover
Midnight horizon book cover

Midnight horizon

Daniel José Older

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Star Wars
Science Fiction, Fantasy

After a series of losses, the Republic seems to have the villainous Nihil marauders on the run. Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy are sent to the world of Corellia, in the Galactic Core, to investigate a suspected Nihil attack. There, Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram encounter security specialist Crash, whose friend was one of the victims of the attack. What they uncover on Corellia turns out to be part of a great plan-- one that could lead the Jedi to their most stunning defeat yet. -- adapted from jacket

Mykle's picture

The High Republic is so captivating. Another good installment here. -Mykle

Dawn book cover
Dawn book cover

Dawn

Octavia E. Butler


Science Fiction

Lilith Iyapo has just lost her husband and son when atomic fire consumes Earth—the last stage of the planet’s final war. Hundreds of years later Lilith awakes, deep in the hold of a massive alien spacecraft piloted by the Oankali—who arrived just in time to save humanity from extinction. They have kept Lilith and other survivors asleep for centuries, as they learned whatever they could about Earth. Now it is time for Lilith to lead them back to her home world, but life among the Oankali on the newly resettled planet will be nothing like it was before. The Oankali survive by genetically merging with primitive civilizations—whether their new hosts like it or not. For the first time since the nuclear holocaust, Earth will be inhabited. Grass will grow, animals will run, and people will learn to survive the planet’s untamed wilderness. But their children will not be human. Not exactly.

Zach's picture

This book and series can be hard to read. There are a lot of scenes which focus themselves on consent, and with that there comes the feeling of sexual assault. It's not graphic, but it can be hard to read at times. I read this book in a class on science-fiction and it was fascinating to se the depths of the story with that lens. I recommend this book and all other books by Octavia E. Butler, she is truly a master at her craft. -Zach