Lewis & Clark Library Blog - LibGuides at Lewis & Clark Library

If you’re reading this blog, I feel confident in my assumption that you are a fan of reading and libraries. I also feel confident in assuming you’re looking for a new book to read. And lastly, I am confident you like variety—because, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life! In today’s blog post, rest assured, you’ll find plenty of variety in the book recommendations we offer: a humorous travelogue set in Britain, a poignant memoir in graphic novel form, a debut novel exploring identity—racial and sexual, a futuristic science fiction novel about clones and interplanetary travel, and, finally, a modern Young Adult romance. Talk about variety—at the Lewis & Clark Library, you will find a variety of reading choices every day of the week.

Happy Reading!

John recommends . . .

Notes from a Small Island book cover Notes from a Small Island: An Affectionate Portrait of Britain
by Bill Bryson

I really love Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. I read/listened to it on my flight to England, and finished it when I returned home. It was very funny. I loved the way that Bryson described the peculiarities of life in the UK, especially since I would experience the same "slightly off" way of life myself. Although we did not experience the same sort of pub life that he did, those descriptions were very fun. I highly recommend the book for Anglophiles. Bryson always reads his own audiobooks. He is a masterful reader.

Find Notes from a Small Island in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla eBook

Katy recommends . . .

The Best we could do book cover The Best We Could Do
written and illustrated by Thi Bui

A heartfelt illustrated memoir about war, immigration, and family trauma that is moving and also shares a historical perspective that was new to me.

Find The Best We Could Do in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook
Hoopla eBook
Watch a LA Public Library sponsored interview with Thi Bui Here

James recommends . . .

Rainbow Milk book cover Rainbow Milk (2021)
by Paul Mendez

Superb writing, gritty and authentic. Mendez explores the mid-20th century immigrant experience in the UK through the lives of a Jamaican family in the industrial West Midlands. The story is a nonlinear narrative, moving back and forth through the life of the main character, Jesse.

Find Rainbow Milk in the catalog Here
Also available in digital format:
Montana Library2Go eBook and Audiobook
Rainbow Milk is Paul Mendez’s debut novel. Read more about the author Here

Guil recommends . . .

Mickey7 book cover Mickey 7
by Edward Ashton

Check out this great science fiction title with interesting and exciting world-building combined with a genuinely funny point of view character. Ashton also investigates the morality of his central premise in a satisfying way.

Plans are underway to adapt Mickey7 into a major motion picture directed by Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) starring Robert Pattinson. Also, Antimatter Blues, a sequel to Mickey7, is projected to be published in March 2023.

Find Mickey7 in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook and Audiobook
Read more about the author Edward Ashton Here

Rachel recommends . . .

Here's to Us
by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

This sequel to What If It's Us is even better than the first novel in the series. A heartwarming tale of two boys trying to decide if the universe is bringing them together or pulling them apart. With timely cultural references, such as to the musical Six!, tied in, this is a feel-good story that I immensely enjoyed from start to finish!

Find Here’s to Us in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook and Audiobook
Read more about the authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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Staff Picks - New Book Recommendations!

Are you looking for new book recommendations? Look no further than today's blog. Lewis & Clark staff members share 7 recently published novels that are hot! Read on and then tell us about a book you recommend! Kadie recommends . . .Clear by Carys DaviesLet this beautifully written novel transport you to a fascinating time and place!1843. On a remote Scottish island, Ivar, the sole occupant, leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of the stranger's intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them. Meanwhile, on the mainland, John's wife, Mary, anxiously awaits news of his mission.Against the rugged backdrop of this faraway spot beyond Shetland, Carys Davies's intimate drama unfolds with tension and tenderness: a touching and crystalline study of ordinary people buffeted by history and a powerful exploration of the distances and connections between us. Perfectly structured and surprising at every turn, Clear is a marvel of storytelling, an exquisite short novel by a master of the form.Find Clear in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook Read more about the author HereClare recommends . . .The Ministry of Time by Kaliane BradleyPick up this book and see if it is for you-- I'm still thinking about it days after I finished it.A civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test whether time-travel is feasible.Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, supporting and monitoring expat '1847' - Commander Graham Gore, a former Victorian polar explorer. Gore, an adventurer by trade, soon adjusts to this bizarre new world of washing machines, feminism and Spotify; and during a long, sultry summer the pair move from awkwardness to friendship to something more.But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy that history when it is living in your house?Find The Ministry of Time in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook and audiobookHoopla eBook and audiobookRead more about the author HereRachel recommends . . .The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes I enjoyed following the three main storylines, each distinct in its own way, within the overall story. Also, I could relate to the familiar Montana locations! Inspired by the fascinating, true history of Missoula’s Boxcar Library, this novel blends the story of the strong, courageous women who survived and thrived in the rough and rowdy West with that of the power of standing together to fight for workers’ lives. And through it all shines the capacity of books to provide connection and light to those who need it most.Find The Boxcar Librarian in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook Read more about the author Here Emmon recommends . . .The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff A darkly funny and insightful look at village life and female solidarity set in present-day India! The rumors that Geeta killed her husband to escape his abuse have served her well, allowing her to live in relative peace and plenty - until other women start seeking her help for removing their problematic husbands. This book has the magical ability to handle some serious themes - women's rights, alcoholism, religion, caste - while remaining empowering, upbeat, and hilarious. Best book I've read so far this year!Find The Bandit Queens in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook and audiobookRead more about the author HereMcKinzie recommends . . . Wool by Hugh HoweyApple TV+'s popular new hit sci-fi series 'Silo' is based on this page-turner, post-apocalyptic novel! The world outside has grown toxic, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. The remnants of humanity live underground in a single silo. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they want: They are allowed to go outside. Find Wool in the library catalogAlso available for digital checkout:Libby eBook and audiobookHoopla audiobookRead more about the author HereMillie recommends . . .Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins This prequel will have you enthralled! The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series! When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for? As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.Find Sunrise on the Reaping in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook and audiobookHoopla audiobookRead more about the author Here Lisa recommends . . . Here One Moment by Liane MoriartyWhat if someone told you how and when you would die? Would you believe them? Would it change how you live?Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did?Flight attendant Allegra Patel loves her job, but today is her twenty-eighth birthday and she'd rather not be placating a plane full of passengers unhappy about a long delay. There's the well-dressed man in seat 4C desperate not to miss his daughter's musical. A harried mother frantically tries to keep her toddler and baby quiet. Honeymooners still in their wedding finery dream of their new lives, while a chatty emergency room nurse dreams of retirement. Suddenly a woman traveling alone stands. She walks down the aisle making predictions about how and when passengers will die. Some dismiss her, they don't believe in psychics. Some are delighted with her prophecies! Their lives will supposedly be long. Others are appalled. Then: a few months later, the first prediction comes true. Intricately plotted, with the wonderful wit Liane Moriarty has become famous for, Here One Moment brilliantly looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives.Find Here One Moment in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout:Libby eBook and audiobookRead more about the author Here...

Staff Picks - Popular Reads

What do you choose when you're looking for a good book to read? Newly published or an old classic? Horror or literary fiction? Science fiction or romance? Lewis & Clark Library staff choose it all. Read on for some novels and one nonfiction audiobook we highly recommend. Happy Reading! Malin recommends . . . The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera This book creatively and distinctly demonstrates the critical importance of stories and diversity on culture and humanity. Higuera does this in a way that speaks to all audiences, although it is specifically written for middle grade readers. It is the perfect blend of science fiction and dystopia while also being deeply personal and emotional. It follows a young teen named Petra Peña as she and her family board a ship to leave Earth before its imminent demise. She discovers what is important to keep from Earth as those around her eliminate what they want to erase from their past. This book is honestly incredible, and I was amazed at the message that could be portrayed through a book that is essentially meant for children. I encourage everyone to give it a try! Find The Last Cuentista in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla eBook and audiobook (available in Spanish) Read more about the author Here Tyler recommends . . . Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill Check out Heart-Shaped Box, the story of a jaded rock star haunted by a ghost he purchased on the internet. Creepy, trippy, and intriguing. It was one of those books that I had to keep reading because I couldn't stand to leave the story on pause - to leave the characters trapped for even a moment! A fun one. Find Heart-Shaped Box in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Hoopla eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here John recommends . . . The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walters Laughed out loud during the entire first chapter! One of the best books I read last year. The Financial Lives of the Poets is a comic and heartfelt novel from National Book Award nominee Jess Walter, author of Citizen Vince and The Zero, about how we get to the edge of ruin--and how we begin to make our way back. Walter tells the story of Matt Prior, who's losing his job, his wife, his house, and his mind--until, all of a sudden, he discovers a way that he might just possibly be able to save it all . . . and have a pretty damn great time doing it. Find The Financial Lives of the Poets in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Lisa recommends . . . Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Station Eleven, published in 2014, is the eerily prescient story of our world following a global pandemic. Infrastructure has collapsed, civilization has crumbled. The story follows a troupe of traveling actors, moving back and forth in time, vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic. I couldn't put this book down, nor did I want it to end. Find Station Eleven in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Beth recommends . . . The Phoenix Ballroom by Ruth Hogan From the wildly popular bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things: a heartfelt and inspiring story about a wealthy widow who revives a beloved famous local landmark--and restores joy and sparkle to her own life in the process. It's never too late to start dancing again... For fifty years, Venetia Hargreaves's world revolved around her husband. She built their life around his big career, with dinner on the table at six, a lovely home, and a dutiful son just as business-minded as his father. Now Venetia's a wealthy widow left with a beautiful but empty home, an enviable bank balance, and a distinct feeling that she missed the boat. Once upon a time, she was a dance instructor who dreamed of opening her own ballroom school with a fellow teacher who won her heart. Instead, Venetia chose the safer path. So, at seventy-four years of age, Venetia declares her independence, first with a makeover, and then by adopting a new dog. But something is still missing...until on one of her dog walks by the river she passes by a building she remembers all too well. In her youth it was the spectacular Phoenix Ballroom, where she used to teach waltzes and tangos. These days it's a community center and spiritualist church, funded by a mysterious benefactor who only pays for the upkeep. Eager to revive at least one meaningful thing from her past, Venetia buys the Phoenix Ballroom, and finds a supportive and loving community of lost souls who become a delightful multigenerational family-by-choice. As the ballroom regains its former glory, the community and Venetia's humdrum life are revived as well...proving wonderful things can come from the darkest of places. Find The Phoenix Ballroom in the library catalog: Coming Soon! (on order) Available for digital checkout: Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Millie recommends . . . Twilight by Stephenie Meyer “And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.” Anything is a better love story than Twilight! While I may be inclined to agree with you, this novel is more than just another sappy YA romance novel. Through her use of supernatural beings, Meyers explores what it is like to be in a relationship with someone who has every ability to harm you, yet actively chooses not to. This is a reality many young women struggle with, the notion that their partner is inherently stronger and deadlier than them. Not only that, but Twilight began discussions about sexual assault and brutality. Emily, Rosalie, and Bella are all victims of gender based violence, something young women identify with, either from their own experiences or the experiences of their loved ones. In no way is this novel perfect, but Twilight allows for a safe place to engage in this nuanced reality in an entertaining and socially acceptable manner. Find Twilight in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla eBook Read more about the author Here Emmon recommends . . . Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi What would you change if you could travel back in time? Told in incredibly sweet, sad, funny interlocking stories, this book is just a really beautiful portrait of what happens when people get one chance to go back in time. No do-overs, nothing will change the events of the past, and you must return to the present day café before your coffee runs cold. Find Before the Coffee Gets Cold in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Kristy recommends . . . The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern "Great fantasy novel featuring an ancient library hidden beneath the earth!" Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues--a bee, a key, and a sword--that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians--it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose--in both the mysterious book and in his own life. Find The Starless Sea in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Rachel recommends . . . The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich A very cute and quick read! Act like a prince, but don't fall for one. Jamie Johnson has never been the centre of attention, and he's perfectly okay with that. His entire world unravels as a hidden truth emerges: he's the heir to the throne of Mitanor, a sun-drenched southern European country, and the press is ready to expose this secret to the world. An invitation to spend the summer in his father's palace arrives, giving Jamie a chance to get to know the man he never thought he'd meet. Meanwhile, in a northern European kingdom known for its cold climate and stoic royals, Erik Lindstrom, the spare prince, grapples with the upcoming marriage of his golden-boy elder brother. With the country's spotlight trained on his family more than ever, Erik feels sidelined and tightly controlled. So when he receives an offer to tutor the newly found American prince in the ways of royalty, he accepts without hesitation. At a magnificent summer palace, Erik guides Jamie through the intricacies of royal etiquette, politics, and history. What neither prince anticipates is the connection that sparks between them--one that challenges both of their futures. Now each must make a choice: follow their hearts, or the time-honored royal path where crown and country reigns supreme, no matter the personal cost. Find The Rules of Royalty in the library catalog Here Read more about the author Here Camden recommends . . . As You Wish by Cary Elwes The Princess Bride is one of my all-time favorite movies and I doubt I'm alone in that. As You Wish is the story of that unforgettable movie shoot from the perspectives of the actors and crew who brought it to life. In the audiobook, you get to hear these stories in their own voices, with much of the original cast and crew reading aloud their portions of the book. And the Princess Bride is one of those wonderful movies where, when the curtain is peeled back, only becomes even more magical and enchanting! Find As You Wish in the library catalog Here Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Hoopla audiobook (Spanish) ...

Readers Picks

Grizzly Confidential by Kevin Grange New Nonfiction Author Kevin Grange--former paramedic and park ranger at Yellowstone and Grand Teton--comes face-to-face with North America's most fearsome predator, Ursus Arctos. His quest takes him from his home in the Tetons to an eerie, mist-shrouded island of gigantic bruins; from the Bear Center at Washington State University--where scientists believe the secrets of hibernation might help treat diabetes, heart disease, and obesity in humans--to the dark underbelly of for-profit wildlife parks, illegal animal trade and black markets hawking bear bile. Along the way, he meets fascinating biologists and activists and discovers that everything he knew about grizzlies was wrong. Ultimately, his odyssey leads him to find answers on a remote corner of the Alaskan Peninsula where, for the last fifty years, humans have coexisted peacefully alongside the largest gathering of brown bears on the planet. Grizzly Confidential is about bears but also the inspiring people who look after them. This is a fast-paced, gripping story that educates, entertains, and gives a sneak peek into the secret life of a well-known species. Part science, part travelogue, and a passionate plea for bear conservation, Grizzly Confidential is a lively account for anyone who loves the outdoors and learning about the natural world. Find Grizzly Confidential in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi Young adult fiction Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature! It's 2002, a year after 9/11. It's an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who's tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She's tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments--even the physical violence--she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she's built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He's the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her--they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds--and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she's not sure she'll ever be able to let it down. Find A Very Large Expanse of Sea in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen Creative nonfiction Every generation, a journalist has looked deep into the heart of the nuclear military establishment: the technologies, the safeguards, the plans, and the risks. These projects are vital to how we understand the world we really live in: where one nuclear missile begets one in return; where the choreography of the world's end requires massive decisions made on seconds-notice, with information that is only as good as the intelligence we have. Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear War: A Scenario explores this ticking clock scenario, based on dozens of new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons; created the response plans; and been responsible for those decisions should they need to have been made. Nuclear War: A Scenario is unlike any other book in its depth and urgency. Find Nuclear War in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Science fiction An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days following civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. It is fifteen years after a flu pandemic wiped out most of the world's population. Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony, a small troupe moving over the gutted landscape, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. But when they arrive in the outpost of St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave. Spanning decades, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the disaster brought everyone here, this suspenseful, elegiac novel is rife with beauty, telling a story about the relationships that sustain us. Find Station Eleven in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith Fantasy In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories. Find The Library of the Unwritten in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Read more about the author Here The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan Historical fiction A heartrending, gripping novel about two sisters in Belle Époque Paris. 1878 Paris. Following their father's sudden death, the van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Opéra, where for a scant seventeen francs a week, she will be trained to enter the famous ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work as an extra in a stage adaptation of Émile Zola's naturalist masterpiece L'Assommoir. Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modeling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. There she meets a wealthy male patron of the ballet, but might the assistance he offers come with strings attached? Meanwhile Antoinette, derailed by her love for the dangerous Émile Abadie, must choose between honest labor and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde. Set at a moment of profound artistic, cultural, and societal change, The Painted Girls is a tale of two remarkable sisters rendered uniquely vulnerable to the darker impulses of "civilized society." In the end, each will come to realize that her salvation, if not survival, lies with the other. Find The Painted Girls in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Read more about the author Here Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky Science fiction Red Schuhart is a stalker, one of those young rebels who are compelled, in spite of extreme danger, to venture illegally into the Zone to collect the mysterious artifacts that the alien visitors left scattered around. His life is dominated by the place and the thriving black market in the alien products. But when he and his friend Kirill go into the Zone together to pick up a “full empty,” something goes wrong. And the news he gets from his girlfriend upon his return makes it inevitable that he’ll keep going back to the Zone, again and again, until he finds the answer to all his problems. First published in 1972, Roadside Picnic is still widely regarded as one of the greatest science fiction novels, despite the fact that it has been out of print in the United States for almost thirty years. This authoritative new translation corrects many errors and omissions and has been supplemented with a foreword by Ursula K. Le Guin and a new afterword by Boris Strugatsky explaining the strange history of the novel’s publication in Russia. Find Roadside Picnic in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook Hoopla eBook Read more about the author Here ...

Best Reads of 2024!

As 2024 comes to a close, Lewis & Clark Library staff were asked to reflect on their favorite read of the past year. It is often hard, if not impossible to pick just one favorite book from the last twelve months, so know that the books that follow may have many close runner up choices. Also, it is our hope that you've had the opportunity to find many new favorite books this year and that the library has served you well in your reading selections. We appreciate you, dear Reader! Now for some of our favorite reads of 2024: John . . . James by Percival Everett James is a beautifully written retelling of the Huckleberry Finn adventures. The story is told from the point of view of Huck’s companion Jim. James tells a similar story, but with much more humanity and understanding than Twain could manage in 1885. Heartbreaking; at times funny; brutal; but always beautiful and revealing. Find James in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Amanda . . . The Women by Kristin Hannah This novel paints a stirring portrait of a woman’s experience not only of the Vietnam War, but the world following its end. It is a tale of strength and determination, but also the fragility of human existence, both physically and emotionally. As always, Hannah’s attention to historical detail lends to a feeling of authenticity. I’d give this book five stars! Find The Women in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Clare . . . A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko In his signature style, Kevin Fedarko takes us along with him, as he and photographer Pete McBride, attempt to complete an end-to-end transvers of the Grand Canyon. Along the way we explore not only the scenery, but also the history and politics around the Canyon. This book had me marveling at the immensity of the canyon itself as well as the odd human ability to think "oh how hard could that be?" I'm ready for a vacation to the canyon, but perhaps just to peer admiringly over the edge. Find A Walk in the Park in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Terri . . . North Woods by Daniel Mason When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave--only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive. This magisterial and highly inventive novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason brims with love and madness, humor and hope. Following the cycles of history, nature, and even language, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we're connected to our environment, to history, and to one another. It is not just an unforgettable novel about secrets and destinies, but a way of looking at the world that asks the timeless question: How do we live on, even after we're gone? Find North Woods in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here April . . . My Beloved Monster (the half-wild cat who rescued me) by Caleb Carr Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat pairings: Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior. For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb's life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha's inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests--a love story like no other. Find My Beloved Monster in the library catalog Read more about the author Here Molly . . . Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi This book shook me out of a reading rut and pushed me to read more books outside of my comfort zone. In a small back alley of Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee--the chance to travel back in time. Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn't so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold. Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi's internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time? Find Before the Coffee Gets Cold in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Lisa . . . The Husbands by Holly Gramazio When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem--she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years. As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living? Find The Husbands in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Holly . . . Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear I really enjoyed the Maisie Dobbs series by Jaqueline Winspear this year. It was such a pleasant surprise to read. The plot, characters, and setting were all very interesting. The writing was excellent. Plus the main character is not your usual heroine. I could see it as a really great PBS/BBC drama series. I could just see it all in my head. I read the first four books in the series. Find the Maisie Dobbs series in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBooks and audiobooks Hoopla eBooks and audiobooks Read more about the author Here Emmon . . . Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao In a land both futuristic and based on Ancient China, Zetian has given up on living long --so she sets her sights on revenge, planning to kill her sister's murderer (a mecha pilot widely hailed as a celebrity war hero). The trouble is, Zetian is more powerful than she imagined, and the war is not what it seems. I loved the dramatic, no-holds-barred fierceness of Zetian's character --and I loved that she pulled no punches in a world that is determined to diminish and destroy her. Find Iron Widow in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Read more about the author Here Deby . . . A Brew to a Kill by Cleo Coyle A shocking hit-and-run in front of her Village Blend coffeehouse spurs Clare Cosi into action. A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare is also a dedicated sleuth, and she's determined to track down this ruthless driver who ran down an innocent friend and customer. In the meantime, her ex-husband Matt, the shop's globetrotting coffee buyer, sources some amazing new beans from Brazil. But he soon discovers that he's importing more than coffee, and Clare may have been the real target of that deadly driver. Can ex-husband and wife work together to solve this mystery? Or will their newest brew lead to murder? A Brew to Kill is the eleventh book in the Coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle. This cozy mystery series is really great and there are recipes! Find the Coffee House mystery series in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby eBook and audiobook Hoopla audiobooks Read more about the author Here Eric L. . . . Uzumaki by Junji Ito One of my favorite books I've read this year is Uzumaki by Junji Ito. It's a horror manga with beautiful, often grotesque artwork. The horror aspect centers around the concept of a spiral, in both literal and figurative ways. Often unsettling, it kept me hooked, wondering what twisted things the author was going to throw at me next. Find Uzumaki in the library catalog Read more about the author Here Malin . . . The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes Warning: do not listen to this on audiobook while driving: it's so interesting, you won't be able to pay attention to the road! (I may possibly know from experience.) The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School follows a Latina teenager named Yamilet Flores as she transfers to a Catholic high school as a closeted lesbian. Yamilet is an incredibly lovable character, and I was so anxious for her at some points that I had to pause the audiobook and take some deep breaths. This book basically consumed my life until I finished it, and it was totally worth it. 10/10 recommend. TW: This book deals with homophobia, racism, and mental illness. Find The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Hoopla audiobook Read more about the author Here Eric W. . . . Something Is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV; Werther Dell'Edera (Illustrator) Imagine being so terrified of the creature under the bed that you manifest that monster into life, and then it goes on a rampage and kills all of your friends and family. That's when Erica Slaughter rolls into town. Erica is part of a secret organization that dispatches such horrific creations before they escape into the wider world, where tales of things can be kept quiet. Both thrilling and terrifying, this title is not for the faint of heart. Find Something is Killing the Children in the library catalog Also available by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera for digital checkout: Hoopla comics Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp Enjoy this modern-day fairytale, akin to Grimm tales of old, as one sister attempts to do something kind for her sister and the pitfalls of capitalism and greed. A pro-union and pro-worker tale, rendered in lush detail should become a new household favorite at story time. And there are super-cute spiders! Find Bog Myrtle in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Hoopla eBook Beth . . . Knitting the National Parks by Nancy Bates This is such a cool knitting book! Featuring a unique beanie pattern inspired by each of the 63 US National Parks, this collection is so creative and fun. I don't know how many of the hats I will actually make from this book, but it's fun looking at the variety of patterns as well as the gorgeous landscapes from the various parks. I especially love the patterns for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, the Joshua Tree in California, and Glacier Bay (Alaska). I read a lot of good books this year, but this long awaited knitting book brought me the most joy! Find Knitting the National Parks in the library catalog Bretagne . . . Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell; Lauren Elizabeth Stauble The Future is Emotionally Intelligent --Find this helpful book in the parenting section! We're in the midst of a parenting revolution that is radically changing the way we raise our kids. Gone are the days of minimizing emotions: Don't Cry. You're Fine. Don't Make a Scene. As our understanding of developing brains has increased, today's parents are looking for a new way to help their children understand their feelings and learn to process them. Emotional development experts Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed. and Lauren Stauble M.S. are at the forefront of a movement to foster little ones' emotional intelligence. Their revolutionary Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method has been a game changer for parents and educators, and now they are sharing it with readers in this indispensable guide. Tiny Humans, Big Emotions provides the tools to tackle every sort of stressful child-rearing situation, including: * What to do when your child throws a tantrum (it's not what you think!) * Helpful scripts to handle any challenging moment like school refusal and bedtime resistance * How to react when your child hits, punches, or bites * Easy tips that help regulate your child's nervous system * How to anticipate and end meltdowns before they even begin Designed for all humans--tiny and big--this book shows caregivers of children how to handle their children's outbursts while empowering them to recognize and manage difficult feelings like anger, sadness, and shame, along with anxiety. All caregivers will find valuable insights and guidance in this book, especially those caring for children from infancy to age eight. Tiny Humans, Big Emotions equips adults with tools for emotional intelligence so they can respond with intention. This innovative, research-based approach teaches children self-regulation and empathy, even as it strengthens the parent-child relationship, setting the groundwork for a lifetime of emotional resilience and wellbeing. This book is an essential, empathetic guide that will teach parents to notice their own habits and hold space for their tiny human's big emotions. Find Tiny Humans, Big Emotions in the library catalog Also available for digital checkout: Libby audiobook Thanks for reading the blog in 2024! Now to get ready for next year. Are you the kind of person who likes to set reading goals for the New Year? Stay tuned for some great tips on setting New Year's reading intentions. ...

Staff Picks, May 2022, Fiction and Nonfiction

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Staff Picks, May 2022, Fiction and Nonfiction

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