Staff Picks
August 2020
They Wish They Were Us
by Jessica Goodman
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
Into the Clouds: the Race to Climb the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain
by Tod Olson
A white knuckle account of the dangers faced and challenges overcome to be the first to reach the top of K2. The book tells the stories of three different groups over 15 years who tried to reach the top. Suffering from frostbite and illnesses and storms and many other dangers, this book reads as if you are there. For thrills and chills from safely on the ground, this is a must read.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Nonfiction
Unbeatable Betty : The First Female Olympic Track & Field Gold Medalist
by Allison Crotzer Kimmel
An inspiring biography of the first woman to win a gold medal in track and field at the 1928 Olympics. While preparing to compete in the 1932 Olympics, she was in a plane crash. Her left leg was crushed. Would her hopes of repeating as a gold medal winner at the Olympics also be crushed?
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Biographies
The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D. J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier
by D. J. Albert
A lyrical telling of the life and challenges of Jennie Hodgers/Albert D. J. Cashier who served in the infantry during the Civil War and lived life as a man. When it was discovered that Albert was born a woman, the government wanted to stop the military pension.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Biographies
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Nikki’s life is not working out the way her family would have liked. Instead of marrying a good Punjabi man and starting a family, Nikki is a college dropout living in a flat above a pub where she is employed. So when an ad for a teacher for an English Creative Writing class at the Punjabi temple in the town of Southall, Nikki jumped at the opportunity to have a respectable job to tell her family about, even though it was only 2 nights a week. Nikki was in for a big surprise when her first class was comprised of several Punjabi widows who didn’t want to write stories, they wanted to learn to write in English. The class grew interested in the storytelling aspect and soon each widow was sharing an erotic story with the class. If that’s not enough to grab your attention, mix in a mysterious death and possible murder, a rocky romance, a conservative group called The Brotherhood, and a lot of laughs. I highly recommend this title, particularly the audiobook version. Available as a physical copy, on Overdrive, and on Hoopla.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
A Wicked Magic
by Sasha Laurens
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
The Boy in the Red Dress
by Kristin Lambert
Posted in: Young Adult Fiction
July 2020
Dance with Devils: the complete series
Posted in: Movies/TV
The Little Book of Hygge, Danish Secrets to Happy Living
by Meik Wiking
The word Hygge is pronounced ‘hoo-ga’ or ‘hoo-guh’ and is a Danish philosophy that places an emphasis on a person’s well-being or general happiness. This book offered a pleasant guide to assist us in the ways in we can experience Hygge. Experiences such as Hygge cooking (recipes are included), how to create Hygge lighting in your home (lanterns that are not overly bright), to a Hygge outing (such as going to a fruit orchard with the family) plus other topics are discussed. And although we all may have done some of these things, it was very interesting to read about another culture. If you enjoy being an armchair traveler, give this book a try. Also available on Hoopla and OverDrive.
Recommended by: Michelle Przekwas, Adult Services Shelver
Posted in: Adult Nonfiction
Eight Perfect Murders
by Peter Swanson
Malcolm Kershaw is a quiet bookstore owner, widowed, and with few friends. But his quiet life is interrupted when a young woman with the FBI wants to ask him questions about an article he wrote years ago titled ‘Eight Perfect Murders.’ Someone is using this list of perfect crime books to commit murder and it just so happens that Malcolm knows the victims. Our narrator, Malcolm, does give up new information about his own personal, quiet life as the story progresses. And as he gives us those clues about his life, some good twists and turns follow which had me wondering ….who in his small group of acquaintances could be a murderer? Although the pace of the book was slow at first, it does pick up. I was glad I stuck with it to the finish because the ending was very thrilling and I have added ‘eight’ authors to my ‘to be read’ list. If you like Ruth Ware, I would recommend trying Peter Swanson.
Recommended by: Michelle Przekwas, Adult Services Shelver
Posted in: Adult Fiction