Staff Picks
July 2024
Home is Where the Bodies Are
by Jeneva Rose
Jeneva Rose’s Home is Where the Bodies Are is a quick popcorn thriller that you could easily read in a couple of sittings. The story is centered around three estranged siblings, their missing dad, and their mother who recently passed away in Midwest suburbia. The siblings, in the process of grieving the loss of their mom, decide to start cleaning out her home when they stumble upon a box of old home movies on VHS tapes. They decide to watch one of them to reminisce and see their mother again only to find something horrifying! It looks like their parents were involved in a murder cover up! Like the siblings, I wanted answers and kept turning the pages to find out if what they saw on the VHS tape was true. I really enjoyed this book and all the little details about 90s pop culture that were sprinkled throughout. The skillful and complex character development of the three siblings made them relatable with their unique flaws, motivations, and fears. Fans of psychological suspense will find this book hard to put down, as it keeps you hooked until the very last page.
This book is available at the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Kristen Holding, Graphic Artist
Posted in: Adult Fiction
The Dallergut Dream Department Store
by Miye Lee
Miye Lee’s The Dallergut Dream Department Store is the ultimate comfort read. If you are looking for a stress free, delightful escape from the ordinary, this book will be the perfect quick read for you. Mi-ye Lee’s enchanting storytelling blends fantasy and reality, creating memorable characters and dreamscapes that are fantastical yet familiar. We follow the protagonist Penny on her journey of self-discovery and hope as she tries to get a job at the Dallergut Dream Department store; a five story building that is located in a dream world that exists in our subconscious. Mi-ye Lee paints a vivid picture of the dream world and the quirky, endearing staff who populate the store. There are creatures who have to wrangle the visitors, there are dream creators who are like movie producers, there are banks with dream currency made of feelings, and much more. I enjoyed so much of this book; like the idea that we can choose our dreams and send dreams to others, the idea of precognitive dreams, and what would happen if we lived in a world where we could govern dreams. The story was thought provoking while being whimsical and heartwarming. I found myself thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it. The ending made me tear up, but I think that is a sign the characters and story were well written and relatable.
This book is available at the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.
Recommended by: Kristen Holding, Graphic Artist
Posted in: Adult Fiction
Frizzy
by Claribel Ortega
Straight hair, curly hair, good hair, bad hair. Frizzy by Claribel Ortega is all about the hair! In a family that values physical appearance, Marlene struggles to tell her mom how much she hates her weekly salon visit to straighten her hair. After a bad experience in school, she gets an opportunity to learn how she can be herself and embrace her natural curls.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Darnetta Bolton, Youth Services Reference Librarian
Posted in: Youth Fiction
First Lie Wins
by Ashley Elston
The entire book is filled with jumps of timelines and flashbacks as well as the main character having different aliases. Once you get the hang of the flow of the writing and plot, it actually turned out be an exciting. I found listening to this book as an audiobook to be engaging, the twists were good. Also it didn’t feel thriller scary for the most part, more like drama suspenseful.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk
Posted in: Adult Fiction
The Secrets of Midwives
by Sally Hepworth
The Secret of Midwives is an easy read centered around three generations of midwives Neva, Grace and Floss, as they hide from their secrets, from each other and determine the right time to come clean with their mysteries to one another.
This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.
Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk
Posted in: Adult Fiction
The Labors of Hercules Beal
by Gary D. Schmidt
Hercules Beal knows he has an unusual name. When his teacher assigns him a project to perform the twelve labors of Hercules he wonders if it’s even possible. He has no idea where to find Nemean lions or a Hydra! But he gets creative and gets quite a bit of help from people in his community. This story is filled with adventure, friendships and unusual relationships.
This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as e audiobook.
Submitted by: Becky McCormack, Youth Service Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Summer She Went Missing
Paige Redmond and her family always spend summers with their parents’ rich Friends the Covingtons. The daughter, Audrey, has always been best friends with Paige, but Paige is also beginning to want to be more than friends with the brother, Dylan. Parties, swimming, and drinking are overshadowed by the disappearance of a couple of girls. Then Audrey begins to change and be secretive about her whereabouts until she also disappears. Close friends, fringe friends, and townies all seem to be suspect in what is actually happening to the girls. Paige and Dylan are determined to solve the cold cases even as the suspense heats up and secrets begin to surface.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and on Hoopla as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Reference Services Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
The White Guy Dies First
by Terry J. Benton-Walker
An online community of horror fans discover 13 unread short stories full of blood, frights, and a deeper meaning into life as a minority. This collection by young adult authors of color will encourage readers to think about society’s expectations and stereotypes. The protagonists are underrepresented community members with diverse races, ethnicities, or sexuality.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Reference Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Not About a Boy
by Myah Hollis
Mel has been in the foster-care system since the age of four. Her last chance of a placement before she turns 18 has her living with a rich couple and attending an elite school. After her co-dependent boyfriend dies of an overdose, her feelings about herself are further rocked by learning that she has a twin sister, who had been immediately adopted. Why not her? As the two sisters reconnect, Mel’s memories of her sister and mother begin to return, which only adds to her grief and self-destructive behavior. Tough topics such as death, suicide, and drug abuse are woven together in a powerful novel that offers help if someone is able to let go of the past.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Funny Story
by Emily Henry
Posted in: Adult Fiction