It’s been a great year for reading! Please enjoy some of MHL’s favorite books – and more! – from our staff. You’re sure to find something you will enjoy with titles for adults, teens, and kids.
Yonder : a novel
by
Historical Fiction: Meeting at Placid Hall, a plantation in an unspecified part of the American South, Cato and Willian, subjected to the whims of their tyrannical and eccentric captor, find their friendship fraying when a visiting pastor fills their heads with ideas about independence and love.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Historical Fiction: Meeting at Placid Hall, a plantation in an unspecified part of the American South, Cato and Willian, subjected to the whims of their tyrannical and eccentric captor, find their friendship fraying when a visiting pastor fills their heads with ideas about independence and love.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Ducks : two years in the oil sands
by
Graphic Novel Memoir: Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beatons, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, 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... 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.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Graphic Novel Memoir: Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beatons, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, 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... 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.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Renaissance
by Beyonce
Album: Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "The Queen returned with another gift for her fans. An album which included dance house, disco pop, and R&B hits to nourish our Covid-weary souls."
Album: Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "The Queen returned with another gift for her fans. An album which included dance house, disco pop, and R&B hits to nourish our Covid-weary souls."
The Bear
TV Series: A young chef from the world of fine dining comes home to Chicago to run his family's Italian beef sandwich shop after the suicide of his older brother, who left behind debts, a rundown kitchen, and an unruly staff.
Borrow our Roku with Hulu and Disney + to watch this series.
Loved by Director Barbara!
I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are
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Memoir: A laugh-out-loud anthology by the star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend collects essays, poems and other personal creations to explore such subjects as her perceptions of normal, struggles with depression, and life-shaping female friendships.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "Laugh out loud funny to the point that I had to text multiple people to read or listen to it now!"
Memoir: A laugh-out-loud anthology by the star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend collects essays, poems and other personal creations to explore such subjects as her perceptions of normal, struggles with depression, and life-shaping female friendships.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "Laugh out loud funny to the point that I had to text multiple people to read or listen to it now!"
Horse
by
Fiction: A scientist from Australia and a Nigerian-American art historian become connected by their shared interest in a 19th century race horse, one studying its remains, the other uncovering the history of the Black horsemen who were critical to its success.
Library Assistant Carol says, "To read this historical fiction work about the true Lexington, the record-breaking horse, is to be caught up in the research while also becoming emersed in the period of enslavement and racism of the Civil War era. So many layers to digest makes for a fascinating read."
Fiction: A scientist from Australia and a Nigerian-American art historian become connected by their shared interest in a 19th century race horse, one studying its remains, the other uncovering the history of the Black horsemen who were critical to its success.
Library Assistant Carol says, "To read this historical fiction work about the true Lexington, the record-breaking horse, is to be caught up in the research while also becoming emersed in the period of enslavement and racism of the Civil War era. So many layers to digest makes for a fascinating read."
The hacienda
by
Horror: In the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence and the execution of her father, Beatriz accepts Don Rodolfo Solorzano's proposal of marriage and is whisked away to his remote country estate where she is faced with a malevolent presence linked to his first wife's death.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "Decadently written and legitimately terrifying. I can’t wait to see what Cañas writes next."
Horror: In the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence and the execution of her father, Beatriz accepts Don Rodolfo Solorzano's proposal of marriage and is whisked away to his remote country estate where she is faced with a malevolent presence linked to his first wife's death.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "Decadently written and legitimately terrifying. I can’t wait to see what Cañas writes next."
The last Mrs. Parrish : a novel
by
Mystery: A coolly manipulative woman worms her way into the lives of a wealthy golden couple from Connecticut as part of her plot to achieve a privileged life, unveiling dark secrets along the way.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "With endless twists and turns, this psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end!"
Mystery: A coolly manipulative woman worms her way into the lives of a wealthy golden couple from Connecticut as part of her plot to achieve a privileged life, unveiling dark secrets along the way.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "With endless twists and turns, this psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end!"
Collapsible Cornhole game
Library of Things Item: Now all ages can play the family-favorite game of cornhole with our indoor/outdoor portable cornhole set!
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "So nice to be able to borrow for outdoor events! Is always a hit at parties and so convenient to not have to buy and store in winter months."
Finlay Donovan knocks 'em dead
Fiction: Struggling novelist and single mom Finlay Donovan uncovers a world of Russian mobsters and assassins disguised as soccer moms in an effort to keep her ex-husband safe, in the follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.
Programming and Partnerships Manager Nicole says, "Quirky series about an author who is mistaken for a hit-woman and gets tangled up in a messy, dangerous, murder plot. Full of wit and dark humor."
Upgrade : a novel
by
Science Fiction: When his DNA is rewritten with a genetic-engineering breakthrough beyond anything the world has seen, Logan Ramsey finds his transformation threatening everything around him as he is forced to take sides in a fight to save humankind.
Library Aide Charlene says, "A terrific speculative sci-fi, sort of a higher stakes “Limitless” or “Lucy.""
Science Fiction: When his DNA is rewritten with a genetic-engineering breakthrough beyond anything the world has seen, Logan Ramsey finds his transformation threatening everything around him as he is forced to take sides in a fight to save humankind.
Library Aide Charlene says, "A terrific speculative sci-fi, sort of a higher stakes “Limitless” or “Lucy.""
Her majesty's royal coven
Adult Fantasy: At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. Andnow Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.
Teen Services Librarian Renata says, "This book feels like a grown-up Harry Potter in all the best ways, and I am dying for the sequel to come out."
Dexter
TV Series: Living under a false name in a small Upstate New York town, Dexter tries to put his past behind and abstain from killing, but the arrival of his son turns his life upside down.
TV Series: Living under a false name in a small Upstate New York town, Dexter tries to put his past behind and abstain from killing, but the arrival of his son turns his life upside down.
Systems Librarian Theo says, "This sequel mini-series is essentially a do-over for Dexter’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad final season from 2013. The series has a new setting and characters and gives Dexter the finale it deserves."
The apocalypse seven
by
Science Fiction: This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whatever.
The whateverpocalypse. That’s what Touré, a twenty-something Cambridge coder, calls it after waking up one morning to find himself seemingly the only person left in the city. Once he finds Robbie and Carol, two equally disoriented Harvard freshmen, he realizes he isn’t alone, but the name sticks: Whateverpocalypse. But it doesn’t explain where everyone went. It doesn’t explain how the city became overgrown with vegetation in the space of a night. Or how wild animals with no fear of humans came to roam the streets.
Add freakish weather to the mix, swings of temperature that spawn tornadoes one minute and snowstorms the next, and it seems things can’t get much weirder. Yet even as a handful of new survivors appear—Paul, a preacher as quick with a gun as a Bible verse; Win, a young professional with a horse; Bethany, a thirteen-year-old juvenile delinquent; and Ananda, an MIT astrophysics adjunct—life in Cambridge, Massachusetts gets stranger and stranger.
The self-styled Apocalypse Seven are tired of questions with no answers. Tired of being hunted by things seen and unseen. Now, armed with curiosity, desperation, a shotgun, and a bow, they become the hunters. And that’s when things truly get weird.
Library Aide Charlene says, "A mysterious apocalypse – or is it the afterlife? Or something else? But this one feels very real and close to home. And often quite funny!"
Science Fiction: This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whatever.
The whateverpocalypse. That’s what Touré, a twenty-something Cambridge coder, calls it after waking up one morning to find himself seemingly the only person left in the city. Once he finds Robbie and Carol, two equally disoriented Harvard freshmen, he realizes he isn’t alone, but the name sticks: Whateverpocalypse. But it doesn’t explain where everyone went. It doesn’t explain how the city became overgrown with vegetation in the space of a night. Or how wild animals with no fear of humans came to roam the streets.
Add freakish weather to the mix, swings of temperature that spawn tornadoes one minute and snowstorms the next, and it seems things can’t get much weirder. Yet even as a handful of new survivors appear—Paul, a preacher as quick with a gun as a Bible verse; Win, a young professional with a horse; Bethany, a thirteen-year-old juvenile delinquent; and Ananda, an MIT astrophysics adjunct—life in Cambridge, Massachusetts gets stranger and stranger.
The self-styled Apocalypse Seven are tired of questions with no answers. Tired of being hunted by things seen and unseen. Now, armed with curiosity, desperation, a shotgun, and a bow, they become the hunters. And that’s when things truly get weird.
Library Aide Charlene says, "A mysterious apocalypse – or is it the afterlife? Or something else? But this one feels very real and close to home. And often quite funny!"
Unmask Alice : LSD, satanic panic, and the imposter behind the world's most notorious diaries
by
Nonfiction: Reveals that Go Ask Alice, a candid portrayal of sex, psychosis and teenage self-destruction, and Jays Journal, which merged Satanism with adolescent suicide, were written by a serial con artist who betrayed a grieving family, stole a dead boys memory and lied her way to the National Book Awards.
Teen Services Librarian Renata says, "I grew up being creeped out by the "Anonymous" book Go Ask Alice and couldn't believe that the actual story of that book's author, Beatrice Sparks, is so shocking."
Nonfiction: Reveals that Go Ask Alice, a candid portrayal of sex, psychosis and teenage self-destruction, and Jays Journal, which merged Satanism with adolescent suicide, were written by a serial con artist who betrayed a grieving family, stole a dead boys memory and lied her way to the National Book Awards.
Teen Services Librarian Renata says, "I grew up being creeped out by the "Anonymous" book Go Ask Alice and couldn't believe that the actual story of that book's author, Beatrice Sparks, is so shocking."
Everything everywhere all at once /
Movie: A woman who runs a struggling laundromat discovers that she must try to save the multiverse which is threatened with destruction.
Teen Services Librarian Anna says, "A perfect film! I laughed and cried so much - a must see for everyone!
Finding freedom : a cook's story : remaking a life from scratch
by
From Erin French, owner and chef of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen, a TIME world dining destination, a life-affirming memoir about survival, renewal, and finding a community to lift her up.
Programming and Partnerships Manager Nicole says, "A raw and honest story of someone working their way through struggles to achieve something great. Plus, great descriptions of food and the beginning of her now famous restaurant in Maine, The Lost Kitchen."
Programming and Partnerships Manager Nicole says, "A raw and honest story of someone working their way through struggles to achieve something great. Plus, great descriptions of food and the beginning of her now famous restaurant in Maine, The Lost Kitchen."
Just like home
by
Horror: Called back home by her mother, Vera must not only face the love she had for her serial-killer father, but also confront the secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder house, finding out just how deep the rot goes.
Teen Services Librarian Anna says, "A perfect haunted house novel that grapples with victimhood and responsibility. There's some body horror so if that's not your thing, be aware!"
Horror: Called back home by her mother, Vera must not only face the love she had for her serial-killer father, but also confront the secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder house, finding out just how deep the rot goes.
Teen Services Librarian Anna says, "A perfect haunted house novel that grapples with victimhood and responsibility. There's some body horror so if that's not your thing, be aware!"
Lessons in chemistry
by
Historical Fiction: In the early 1960s, chemist and single mother Elizabeth Zott, the reluctant star of Americas most beloved cooking show due to her revolutionary skills in the kitchen, uses this opportunity to dare women to change the status quo.
Assistant Director Clare says, "Funny, charming and great main characters including a dog named 6:30. I could not put this book down, it was my favorite of 2022."
Along with Clare, many other library staff mentioned this in their top picks!
Historical Fiction: In the early 1960s, chemist and single mother Elizabeth Zott, the reluctant star of Americas most beloved cooking show due to her revolutionary skills in the kitchen, uses this opportunity to dare women to change the status quo.
Assistant Director Clare says, "Funny, charming and great main characters including a dog named 6:30. I could not put this book down, it was my favorite of 2022."
Along with Clare, many other library staff mentioned this in their top picks!
Slenderman : online obsession, mental illness, and the violent crime of two midwestern girls
by
True Crime: Using court transcripts, police reports, individual reporting and exclusive interviews, this page-turning true crime story recounts the attempted murder of 12-year-old Bella Leutner at the hands of two girls who believed they needed a sacrifice to keep Slenderman, a figure born on the internet at bay.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "This book provides a detailed description of a crime that shocked everyone and left many afraid of the effects of the internet on their children. Hale also provides extensive background information on both the victims and the perpetrators."
True Crime: Using court transcripts, police reports, individual reporting and exclusive interviews, this page-turning true crime story recounts the attempted murder of 12-year-old Bella Leutner at the hands of two girls who believed they needed a sacrifice to keep Slenderman, a figure born on the internet at bay.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "This book provides a detailed description of a crime that shocked everyone and left many afraid of the effects of the internet on their children. Hale also provides extensive background information on both the victims and the perpetrators."
The golden couple
by
Mystery: A maverick therapist who lost her license due to controversial methods, Avery agrees to help golden couple Marissa and Mathew Bishop overcome Marisa's cheating, setting all three of them on a collision course because the biggest and most dangerous secrets have not yet been revealed.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "A twisty, intense thriller that will have you guessing the whole time!"
Mystery: A maverick therapist who lost her license due to controversial methods, Avery agrees to help golden couple Marissa and Mathew Bishop overcome Marisa's cheating, setting all three of them on a collision course because the biggest and most dangerous secrets have not yet been revealed.
Library Assistant Brianna says, "A twisty, intense thriller that will have you guessing the whole time!"
Book lovers
by
Romance: Agreeing to a holiday escape to the country, literary agent Nora keeps running into a bookish, hardheaded, arrogant editor she knows from Manhattan, and wishes she didn't, even as she discovers they have more in common than previously thought.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Romance: Agreeing to a holiday escape to the country, literary agent Nora keeps running into a bookish, hardheaded, arrogant editor she knows from Manhattan, and wishes she didn't, even as she discovers they have more in common than previously thought.
Loved by Reference and Cataloging Librarian Lisa!
Before we were trans : a new history of gender
by
Nonfiction: Explores the history of transgender and gender nonconforming people, with a focus on those who identified in other than a straightforward binary fashion; on communities in West Africa, Asia, and among Native Americans; and on cross-dressing in World War I prison camps and in entertainment.
Reference Librarian Justin says, “This is a fascinating re-envisioning of the way that history presents trans and nonbinary narratives. It’s full of interesting characters and at no point feels dry or academic.”
Nonfiction: Explores the history of transgender and gender nonconforming people, with a focus on those who identified in other than a straightforward binary fashion; on communities in West Africa, Asia, and among Native Americans; and on cross-dressing in World War I prison camps and in entertainment.
Reference Librarian Justin says, “This is a fascinating re-envisioning of the way that history presents trans and nonbinary narratives. It’s full of interesting characters and at no point feels dry or academic.”
Alive at the end of the world : poems
by
Poetry: Like his mentors, Patricia Smith and Rigoberto Gonzalez, Saeed writes poems that are lyrical, playful, musical, and political. It troubles expectations and asks the reader to challenge their assumptions about Blackness, sexuality, and socioeconomics. Saeed is responding here to white supremacy, heteronormativity, respectability politics, and the murders of Black people. In the service of equity and peace, Saeed elevates the matters that keep him up at night. If Prelude was a jettisoning of the oppressive structures Saeed experienced during his upbringing, ALIVE is a reminder that the work goes on, that freedom and equity are inextricably linked. In fact, a character from Prelude, known as Boy, carries through into ALIVE, which continues his work in Prelude with a maturity of perspective and more weariness. This is a work that examines the nuances of grief--the grief over lost family members and lost loves; the grief of white supremacy and the myth of safety from homophobia, anti-blackness, gun violence; the grief of COVID.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "Even if you think you don’t like poetry, read this stunning collection. Jones somehow makes his personal experiences feel universal. This is some of his very best work. His memoir, “How we fight for our lives” is another must-read."
Poetry: Like his mentors, Patricia Smith and Rigoberto Gonzalez, Saeed writes poems that are lyrical, playful, musical, and political. It troubles expectations and asks the reader to challenge their assumptions about Blackness, sexuality, and socioeconomics. Saeed is responding here to white supremacy, heteronormativity, respectability politics, and the murders of Black people. In the service of equity and peace, Saeed elevates the matters that keep him up at night. If Prelude was a jettisoning of the oppressive structures Saeed experienced during his upbringing, ALIVE is a reminder that the work goes on, that freedom and equity are inextricably linked. In fact, a character from Prelude, known as Boy, carries through into ALIVE, which continues his work in Prelude with a maturity of perspective and more weariness. This is a work that examines the nuances of grief--the grief over lost family members and lost loves; the grief of white supremacy and the myth of safety from homophobia, anti-blackness, gun violence; the grief of COVID.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, "Even if you think you don’t like poetry, read this stunning collection. Jones somehow makes his personal experiences feel universal. This is some of his very best work. His memoir, “How we fight for our lives” is another must-read."
Fairy tale : a novel
by
Fantasy: A troubled teenager befriends an elderly recluse, who dies and leaves him a taped message explaining that his shed is the portal to another world, in the new novel by the extremely prolific and popular best-selling author of It.
Systems Librarian Theo says, "This dark fantasy novel is a departure from many of Stephen King's other novels. Excellent narration brought the characters to life and made this my favorite audiobook of the year."
Fantasy: A troubled teenager befriends an elderly recluse, who dies and leaves him a taped message explaining that his shed is the portal to another world, in the new novel by the extremely prolific and popular best-selling author of It.
Systems Librarian Theo says, "This dark fantasy novel is a departure from many of Stephen King's other novels. Excellent narration brought the characters to life and made this my favorite audiobook of the year."
Woman, eating : a novel
by
Fiction: Reassessing her relationship with both food and people, perpetually hungry Lydia, a mixed race vampire, must reconcile the conflicts within her between her demon and human sides to exist in the world.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, " Not your typical vampire story. This character-driven debut turns stereotypes on their heads and leaves you with much to contemplate about the power of human connection."
Fiction: Reassessing her relationship with both food and people, perpetually hungry Lydia, a mixed race vampire, must reconcile the conflicts within her between her demon and human sides to exist in the world.
Reference and Cataloging Librarian Tricia says, " Not your typical vampire story. This character-driven debut turns stereotypes on their heads and leaves you with much to contemplate about the power of human connection."
Life is Strange: True Colors
Video Game: Play as Alex Chen and use your psychic power of empathy to investigate the accident that caused your brother's death, uncovering the many secrets buried in your hometown of Haven Springs.
Systems Librarian Theo says, "Broken up into episodes, this game is like a playable mini-series. The story features a diverse cast of characters, thrilling mystery, and "Choose Your Own Adventure" style decisions."
We were dreamers : an immigrant superhero origin story
Memoir: The star of Marvel's first Asian superhero film, in this candid, inspiring and relatable memoir, tells his own origin story and how he embarked on a journey that took him far outside of his comfort zone into the world of show business.
Library Assistant Meaghan says, "You don't need to know anything about Marvel to read this book, although the first chapter is about him getting the Marvel role. He talks about his family's journey from China to Canada, his tumultuous relationship with his parents, and failing as an accountant. I listened to the audiobook [available on Libby], which is read by him, and was a fascinating read!"
I'm glad my mom died
by
Memoir: The iCarly and Sam & Cat star, after her controlling mother dies, gets the help she needs to overcome eating disorders, addiction and unhealthy relationships and finally decides what she really wants for the first time in her life.
Teen Services Librarian Renata says, "I hadn't seen McCurdy's work before (I didn't grow up with Nickelodeon, home to her biggest hit iCarly) but I picked up her memoir anyway and was blown away by her story. She writes about her childhood, forced into a TV career by overbearing, abusive stage mother, with incredible humor and vulnerability."
Memoir: The iCarly and Sam & Cat star, after her controlling mother dies, gets the help she needs to overcome eating disorders, addiction and unhealthy relationships and finally decides what she really wants for the first time in her life.
Teen Services Librarian Renata says, "I hadn't seen McCurdy's work before (I didn't grow up with Nickelodeon, home to her biggest hit iCarly) but I picked up her memoir anyway and was blown away by her story. She writes about her childhood, forced into a TV career by overbearing, abusive stage mother, with incredible humor and vulnerability."
The hawk's way : encounters with fierce beauty
by
Nonfiction: Invites readers into the wonderous world of hawks where they will learn about the extraordinary abilities of these magnificent creatures and what they can teach us about nature, life and love.
Head of Reference Dean says, "The book is short, beautifully written, and has some information about raptors and falconry that I thought was fascinating."
Nonfiction: Invites readers into the wonderous world of hawks where they will learn about the extraordinary abilities of these magnificent creatures and what they can teach us about nature, life and love.
Head of Reference Dean says, "The book is short, beautifully written, and has some information about raptors and falconry that I thought was fascinating."
Nona the ninth
by
Science Fiction: Six months ago, after waking up in a strangers body, Nona longs to lead an ordinary life with those she loves, but instead is being used as a weapon of destruction to save her people from the Nine Houses.
Teen Services Librarian Anna says, "The third book in Muir's ever-changing Locked Tomb series delights again. A great novel to puzzle through and fall in love with Nona!
Science Fiction: Six months ago, after waking up in a strangers body, Nona longs to lead an ordinary life with those she loves, but instead is being used as a weapon of destruction to save her people from the Nine Houses.
Teen Services Librarian Anna says, "The third book in Muir's ever-changing Locked Tomb series delights again. A great novel to puzzle through and fall in love with Nona!
Thistlefoot
by
Fantasy: Reunited when they receive a strange inheritance - a sentient house on chicken legs called Thistlefoot - the Yaga siblings find themselves being hunted by the Longshadow Man, who bears with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in their blood for generations.
Sunday Librarian Jianna says, "This slow building, highly descriptive modern folktale puts a twist on the Baba Yaga myth by turning the story over to the modern day where her descendants Bellatine and Isaac inherit her magical hut that is carried around by giant chicken legs (exciting right?!). As stories that are passed down through generations, folktales are a powerful tool of both communal and self-discovery that help us remember our past. Nethercott drives this point home through exploring themes such as the effects of generational trauma, trusting your inner gifts, and the importance and power of remembering as the siblings work together to fight dark forces of the past that seek to finish what they started."
Fantasy: Reunited when they receive a strange inheritance - a sentient house on chicken legs called Thistlefoot - the Yaga siblings find themselves being hunted by the Longshadow Man, who bears with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in their blood for generations.
Sunday Librarian Jianna says, "This slow building, highly descriptive modern folktale puts a twist on the Baba Yaga myth by turning the story over to the modern day where her descendants Bellatine and Isaac inherit her magical hut that is carried around by giant chicken legs (exciting right?!). As stories that are passed down through generations, folktales are a powerful tool of both communal and self-discovery that help us remember our past. Nethercott drives this point home through exploring themes such as the effects of generational trauma, trusting your inner gifts, and the importance and power of remembering as the siblings work together to fight dark forces of the past that seek to finish what they started."
Our missing hearts : a novel
by
Fiction: In a society consumed by fear, twelve-year-old Bird Gardner, after receiving a mysterious letter, sets out on a quest to find his mother, a Chinese-American poet who left when he was nine years old, leading him to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.
Loved by Director Barbara!
Loved by Director Barbara!
Sellout : the major label feeding frenzy that swept punk, emo, and hardcore (1994-2007)
by
Nonfiction: From celebrated music writer Dan Ozzi comes a comprehensive chronicle of the punk music scene's evolution from the early nineties to the mid-aughts, following eleven bands as they dissolved, "sold out," and rose to surprise stardom.
Reference Librarian Justin says, “This book covers an often-overlooked period in the history of American underground music, in the process grappling with the ways that capitalism and art intersect in often uncomfortable ways.”
Nonfiction: From celebrated music writer Dan Ozzi comes a comprehensive chronicle of the punk music scene's evolution from the early nineties to the mid-aughts, following eleven bands as they dissolved, "sold out," and rose to surprise stardom.
Reference Librarian Justin says, “This book covers an often-overlooked period in the history of American underground music, in the process grappling with the ways that capitalism and art intersect in often uncomfortable ways.”
Take my hand
by
Historical Fiction: In 1973 Montgomery, Alabama, Civil Townsend, a young black nurse working for the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, grapples with her role when she takes two young girls into her heart and the unthinkable happens, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Assistant Director Clare says, "Inspired by true events of forced sterilization in Alabama, this is the story of one nurse's fight for justice for her young patients. Heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, this is a book you won't put down."
Historical Fiction: In 1973 Montgomery, Alabama, Civil Townsend, a young black nurse working for the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, grapples with her role when she takes two young girls into her heart and the unthinkable happens, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Assistant Director Clare says, "Inspired by true events of forced sterilization in Alabama, this is the story of one nurse's fight for justice for her young patients. Heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, this is a book you won't put down."
What happened to you? : conversations on trauma, resilience, and healing
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Nonfiction: Oprah Winfrey, sharing stories from her own past, and a renowned brain development and trauma expert discuss the impact of trauma and adversity and how healing must begin with a shift to asking, what happened to you?, rather than whats wrong with you?
Library Assistant Paula says, "An Informational book about how trauma impacts our brains and our physical and emotional health."
Nonfiction: Oprah Winfrey, sharing stories from her own past, and a renowned brain development and trauma expert discuss the impact of trauma and adversity and how healing must begin with a shift to asking, what happened to you?, rather than whats wrong with you?
Library Assistant Paula says, "An Informational book about how trauma impacts our brains and our physical and emotional health."
The diamond eye : a novel
by
Historical Fiction: Known as Lady Death--a lethal hunter of Nazis--Mila Pavlichenko, sent to America on a goodwill tour, forms an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and a connection with a silent fellow sniper, offering her a chance at happiness until her past returns with a vengeance.
Loved by Director Barbara!
Historical Fiction: Known as Lady Death--a lethal hunter of Nazis--Mila Pavlichenko, sent to America on a goodwill tour, forms an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and a connection with a silent fellow sniper, offering her a chance at happiness until her past returns with a vengeance.
Loved by Director Barbara!
In sickness : a memoir
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Memoir: A medical emergency forces a brilliant Harvard oncologist to reveal that she has been hiding her advanced breast cancer for a decade. Her husband--also an oncologist--must set aside his anger and feelings of betrayal so that he can care for her during her final year of life. 'In Sickness' shows how even the most rational people can be nearly destroyed by their irrational fears. Tragic, moving, and wryly funny at times, this is an unflinching portrayal of a complicated marriage and its secrets.
Director Barbara says, "An interesting example of attempting to uncover why people make the choices that they make."
Memoir: A medical emergency forces a brilliant Harvard oncologist to reveal that she has been hiding her advanced breast cancer for a decade. Her husband--also an oncologist--must set aside his anger and feelings of betrayal so that he can care for her during her final year of life. 'In Sickness' shows how even the most rational people can be nearly destroyed by their irrational fears. Tragic, moving, and wryly funny at times, this is an unflinching portrayal of a complicated marriage and its secrets.
Director Barbara says, "An interesting example of attempting to uncover why people make the choices that they make."
Sitting pretty : the view from my ordinary resilient disabled body
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Memoir: Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling. Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn't fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "A collection of essays examining disability, its representation, and the author's experience."
Memoir: Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling. Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn't fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "A collection of essays examining disability, its representation, and the author's experience."
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
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Fiction: Embarking on a legendary collaboration launching them to stardom, two friends, intimates since childhood, have the world at their feet until they discover that their success, brilliance and money wont protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of the heart.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "A beautiful story of unlikely friendship, its ups and downs, and the creative process."
Teen Services Librarian Renata also loved this and says, "I loved all the characters in this funny, moving book, and I also learned a lot about video games. I'll never think of Mario the same way again."
Fiction: Embarking on a legendary collaboration launching them to stardom, two friends, intimates since childhood, have the world at their feet until they discover that their success, brilliance and money wont protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of the heart.
Sunday Librarian Laura says, "A beautiful story of unlikely friendship, its ups and downs, and the creative process."
Teen Services Librarian Renata also loved this and says, "I loved all the characters in this funny, moving book, and I also learned a lot about video games. I'll never think of Mario the same way again."