Staff Picks

One Last Shot

by John David Anderson

Malcolm is trying to like baseball for his dad’s sake, but it just really isn’t his thing. When he tries miniature golf, though, he finds he excels. The problem is still his dad. Malcolm isn’t driven in sports like his father and it’s causing problems between them. When Malcolm detects similar issues between his dad and his mom, he feels like he needs to fix it. Things start looking up when Malcolm meets a new friend while playing miniature golf. With a friend and a coach, Malcolm is able to start seeing his life in a different way. 

Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Imogen, Obviously

by Becky Albertalli

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli is her latest book release and like all her others, it does not disappoint. Imogen is going for an overdue visit to her best friend Lili’s college, where Imogen will also attend soon. Imogen feels a little replaced by Lili’s new life, but when she arrives, she learns it’s actually the opposite. Lili definitely never left Imogen behind, in fact, she made her a bigger deal than Imogen could have ever imagined. Lili told her new friends that she and Imogen used to date! And while Imogen is the world’s most devoted ally, she is undoubtedly straight herself, or so she thought…until she spends more time with Lili’s new friend Tessa, and then things become blurry for her. Throughout the story you’ll want to hug Imogen, defend her, laugh with her, be her friend, and hug her again. Obviously you need to read this one right now!

Recommended by: Erin Cady, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

Transmetropolitan

by Ellis Warren

Transmetropolitan is a comic that mixes dark futurology with gallows humor and biting satire. Set in a cyberpunk transhumanist dystopia known simply as The City. The comic follows gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem, a chain-smoking infomaniac compelled to reveal the corruption of The City at all costs. Spider along with his body guard Channon Yarrow and assistant Yelena Rossini, delve into some of the future world’s eeriest conspiracies. Through their independent and controversial news column “I hate it here” Spider lambasts the City with the Truth. This comic is not for the faint of heart. It can be crude and insensitive and is ripe with explicit language. But beyond the grime lay a fantastic story about truth, courage, and doing the right thing but maybe not the way society would prefer the right thing be done. 11/10 would read over and over again. A favorite of actor Patrick Stewart, who at one point requested playing the part of Spider Jerusalem.

This book is available on Hoopla as an ebook

Recommended by: Patrick Deitche, Senior Patron Services Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

The Bear and the Nightingale

by Kathleen Arden

Set in medieval Russia, this semi-historical fiction centers on Vasilisa, a young girl with the uncanny ability to see spirits. Vasilisa encounters many spirits from Russian folklore, but none more prominent than Morozko the winter demon, better known as Father Frost. To Vasilisa, these spirits are part of their heritage and livelihood; however, these spirits and their stories soon become anathema when Orthodox Christianity deems these spirits to be demons. An adventurous tale full of magic, witches, and Russian folklore. Strongly recommended to those who enjoyed Circe by Madeline Miller or to those looking for a frosty fantasy for the hot summer days.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Patrick Deitche, Senior Patron Services Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

The First Man in Rome

by Colleen McCullough

Politics, treachery, and intrigue abound in this epic historical fiction centered on two rising political stars, Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix. Colleen McCullough’s research and detail of the era make the drama of this book enthralling. Strongly recommended to those who enjoyed the politics and intrigue of Game of Thrones, but could do without the fantasy. This is book one of the Masters of Rome series.

Recommended by: Patrick Deitche, Senior Patron Services Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

A Rover’s Story

by Jasmine Warga

A remarkable read told from the viewpoint of the Mars rover, Resilience, better known as Res. His journey starts with being created in a lab at the Jet Propulsion Center and continues as he explores Mars…until he falls. Seventeen years later he returns to Earth after sending back so much information about Mars. He has feelings and thoughts, sadly unexpressed, for the people who did his coding and for Fly, the drone who accompanied him to Mars. At times while reading you forget that he is a rover, not a person.

The book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Always Human

by Ari North

A sapphic romance set in a sci-fi world where you can bio hack your body with different types of mods. Sunati is a big fan of fashion mods and is constantly changing her appearance but one day at the train station she notices a girl with no mods in sight. It’s a very odd thing to find when the sky is the limit when it comes to mods. Austen is a girl with Egan’s Syndrome that doesn’t allow her to use mods because her immune system rejects them. She’s learned to overcome her shortcomings in a world that’s constantly changing. She’s caught Sunati’s interest but is it because of her disability or actual romantic interest?

Recommended by: Ayla Franco, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Young Adult Fiction

The Mysterious Benedict Society

by Trenton Lee Stewart

Reynie Muldoon is quite surprised when he finds a peculiar ad in the newspaper that seems to be directed exactly at him: “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” A genius orphan, who never seems to fit in anywhere, Reynie feels this might be his only opportunity to both achieve great things and finally make friends. When he arrives, he is quite shocked to find the tests and questions posed to the hundreds of children who answered the ad are just as strange as the ad itself. Nonethless, Reynie, along with only three other children are chosen for the job. The task at hand: go undercover as students at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where something very dark and evil is at work. Will Reynie and his new friends be able to stop the Institute before the world is irreversibly changed for the worse? This puzzling and humorous book is a great pick if you want a book that’ll make you wonder, think, and laugh.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook

Recommended by: Stephanie Visser-Rodriguez, Youth Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Youth Fiction

The Road to After

by Rebekah Lowell

This novel in verse is beautifully written and illustrated by the author. This quick read is so empowering and shows that even through the darkest, hardest childhood experiences can lead to survival, hope and ultimately healing. There are also lots of metaphor’s used to help the young reader see the meaning readily.

Recommended by: Lenore Garoufalis, Youth Services Assistant

Posted in: Youth Fiction

Nothing But Blackened Teeth

by Cassandra Khaw

Feeling the summer heat? This short novel will send chills down your spine! Four thrill-seeking friends celebrate a wedding by renting out a supposedly-haunted Heian-era manor. As the night goes on, long-buried tensions between them simmer to the surface, and beneath the manor an ever longer buried bride begins to stir.

This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Peter Tew, Adult Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Adult Fiction