Goodreads Staff Reviews
Always On: How the iPhone Unlocked the Anything-Anytime-Anywhere Future--and Locked Us In
by Brian Chen
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.25
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author manages to keep a delicate balance between the technological/business and social aspects of Apple's iPhone and how those aspects come into play in every one's life--whether you own an iPhone or not. He gives enough thought-provoking information with only subtle pushes for the pros and cons of the iPhone's impact and implications. But just as he has you leaning toward thinking one way, he will gently show you reasons why you may go the other direction. Brilliant topic, writing and author combination. -- Kassandra V-L
Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1)
by Lauren DeStefano
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.91
Categories: teen, sci-fi-fantasy, fiction
Staff Review: This debut novel delivers an interesting twist to the post-apocalyptic dystopian genre. Well-developed characters give a unique voice to this strange world of polygamy, genetic tampering, love, and the human condition. Readers who liked the Hunger Games will like this book.
-- Alexis S.
Think of a Number (Dave Gurney, #1)
by John Verdon
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.69
Categories: adult, mystery
Staff Review: A serial killer who appears to read minds is the startling beginning of this thrilling debut novel. Retired NYPD top homicide detective Dave Gurney finds himself drawn back into service after the brutal murder of a friend and he and the police are stymied by the supposed clairvoyant talent of their new foe. This book was well paced with interesting characters; particularly Dave and his wife Madeleine, who share a burden that haunts them both. I look forward to reading the next novel in this intriguing new series. So how would I rate this book overall? I'm thinking of a number....... -- Candy V.
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.72
Categories: classic, historical-fiction
Staff Review: This lesser-known Austen title is my favorite of the lot. It's funny and relatable, and a fairly quick read to boot! It's definitely worth your time.
--Beth M.
Castles, diaries, mysteries, oh my! In Jane Austen's first novel (published last), easily influenced, Catherine Morland, strikes out to find her own Gothic romance. Along the way, she meets the usual cast of ridiculous Austen characters critiqued by her acerbic wit, as well as the sarcastic but handsome Mr. Tilney. Will Catherine be able to reign in her Gothic fantasies? Is there a dastardly secret lurking in Northanger Abbey? In this book about the power of writing and novels, no literary stone is left unturned, for the enjoyment of all. - Karen
Our Twitchy
by Kes Gray
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.05
Categories: childrens, parent-child, picture-books
Staff Review: Readers will fall in love with this heartwarming tale of love and family. Twitchy is a young bunny, living happily with his parents . . . who turn out to be a cow and a horse. When his own parents did not have the means to take care of him, they gave him to new parents who would be able to love him. This story fearlessly and poignantly deals with the issues of adoption, but more importantly, it points out its boundless rewards of love and acceptance. - Karen
Squish Rabbit
by Katherine Battersby
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.74
Categories: childrens, picture-books
Staff Review: Squish Rabbit is very small -- and squishy. Sometimes big things don't see him in time and he gets smushed. It can be hard being little, and Squish Rabbit is very sad about it. At least, until he meets someone just as small. Having a friend makes everything better. Then, it's not so bad to be small. - Karen
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.07
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: I guess it’s not surprising that a librarian would love this book, as people often assume we are all introverts. It’s not true, of course. Customer service requires a good deal of extroversion. This book was refreshing, instructive, and fun. Refreshing because it challenges the idea that extroversion is the ideal, and that being quiet or shy is a disadvantage. Instructive because it talks about how these diverse personality types can complement each other. Wouldn’t it be terribly boring if we were all alike? – Paula
The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.66
Categories: childrens
Staff Review: Get ready for a rollicking good time with this comic classic from Bill Watterson. Ride along (perhaps down a bumpy hill into a conveniently placed ravine) as Calvin and Hobbes build killer zombie snowmen, try to get rid of slimy girls, and philosophize about the meaning of life. Calvin and Hobbes have never been so fresh as the present day, where the point of our existence is called into question daily from so many sectors. This collection proves that there's nothing a good laugh can't cure. - Karen
Bun Bun Button
by Patricia Polacco
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.38
Categories: childrens, picture-books
Staff Review: Based on a real-life story told to Patricia Polacco by one of her young fans, this is the tale of an adorable stuffed rabbit who takes the ride of his life -- accidentally! Bun Bun Button is a Grandma-made bunny rabbit beloved by his owner. Everything is going well until one day he gets carried off by a balloon! Readers of all ages will find this story irresistible. - Karen
Song of Middle C
by Alison McGhee
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.52
Categories: childrens, picture-books
Staff Review: This delightful picture book tells the story of a piano recital -- but not just ANY piano recital. A piano recital prepared for with hours and hours of practice, with a little bit of a twist. When the little girl forgets how to play her piece, will she rescue the recital with some neat improvisation? - Karen
The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.01
Categories: adult, fiction, historical-fiction, sci-fi-fantasy
Staff Review: Come one, come all and set your preconceived notions of the Big Top aside. Competition, longing, and love fill the enchanted and beautifully descriptive pages to create “a fairy tale under a curtain of stars.” The Night Circus is filled with magical realism and non-linear narration, like the performers’ tents, that come together to create one grand illusion. I did not want to put this book down and I will soon pick it up again. –Sara
It's hard to describe this elegant book, but essentially it hinges on two magicians, a competition between a man and a woman and a fantastic circus that serves as the backdrop of this enchanting story. If you like fantasy mixed with a dollop of romance, read this book. -Louisa
Stay Close
by Harlan Coben
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.78
Categories: adult, mystery, thriller
Staff Review: Harlan Coben is in fine form in this tense, well-written thriller of three seemingly different people that are more alike than they seem. All of this hinges on the disappearance of a man many years before the story begins and how others have tried to solve that mystery. Give it a try!
-- Louisa --
Fallen In Love
by Lauren Kate
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.50
Categories: teen
Staff Review: While I breathlessly await "Rapture", this "betweener" features characters from the Fallen series during a medieval Valentine’s Day celebration. Narcissists Luce and Daniel are the main focus as their friends go all out to provide them an end all be all romantic day (and maybe night). However, Arriane and Tess's forbidden love affair stole the book YA Steamy!!! The other two stories were good, a new love forming and the longing for a lost love. -- Michael O.
The World of the Hunger Games
by Kate Egan
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.44
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: This fascinating little book filled with colorful photographs from the Hunger Games movie is aimed primarily at kids and teens. Fans of the trilogy and the movie will definitely appreciate the new quotes from author, Suzanne Collins. There is also a mini glossary of Hunger Games characters and places included in the book.
The World of the Hunger Games should satiate the avid Hunger Games fans until the DVD is released later this year. -Leslie G.
Passion (Fallen, #3)
by Lauren Kate
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.87
Categories: teen
Staff Review: Let's see... the good... cute girl on cover. Pages 1-10 and 382-394. In between Daniel obsessed Luce time travels to view her previous lives. Not to be out done, Daniel and her school co-horts are following. He who is all evil makes a disguised cameo appearance as Luce's guide. SPOILER ALERT!! He does not take the form of a tiny Chihuahua in a Gucci bag. Story line is slooowwwly developing as readers learn the Daniel & Luce saga. -- Michael O.
Salad as a Meal: Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season
by Patricia Wells
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.50
Categories: nonfiction
Staff Review: An entertaining, attractive and healthy book, this was an enjoyable read. The recipes are varied, although a number of them do call for ingredients that are somewhat obscure and/or pricey in the United States. A fun take on healthy food.
-- Meagan
Me...Jane
by Patrick McDonnell
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Categories: childrens, fiction, picture-books
Staff Review: Me…Jane is the story of world-famous primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall as a young girl. This beautiful picture book manages to capture the curiosity and passion Jane felt about the world around her even as a young girl with its warm yet simple illustrations and short, rich sentences. A lovely introduction to Jane Goodall for young children, this book can also be enjoyed simply on its merits as a story about a girl who dreams of helping animals and making the world a better place. –Erin J.
Thirteen Million Dollar Pop
by David Levien
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.57
Categories: adult, fiction, mystery
Staff Review: In this 3rd installment, PI Frank Behr takes a corporate security firm job and immediately and literally comes under fire guarding an Indianapolis mover and shaker with political aspirations. Understandably miffed at nearly being killed, Frank begins to look deeper into who shot at him and why. Fighting both his employer’s wishes and the Indy Police Dept., Frank chases down loose ends until he finds himself over his head with a contract killer. Different, dark, and good reading!
-Steve K.-
Torment (Fallen, #2)
by Lauren Kate
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.94
Categories: fiction, horror, teen
Staff Review: After a teacher turns evil and attempts to kill Luce (for being a nuisance and neglecting her homework), she is enrolled in a new school (Shoreline). She meets new roomie, Shelby, a Daniel ex with possible cat fight intentions and dream boy temptation Miles. On the few occasions she is not dreaming of Daniel, Luce learns the purpose and use of the shadows that plague her. Unrequited love, drama and danger follow, ending with a Holiday celestial after dinner family brawl. Embarrassed, Luce disappears....
-Michael O.-
A Fish Caught in Time: The Search for the Coelacanth
by Samantha Weinberg
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.99
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: The fascinating story about the discovery of a dead coelacanth in South Africa and the ensuing battle among scientists, adventurers and countries to find a living specimen and research this possible “missing link” is brought to vivid life by Weinberg. Her portrayal of the personalities involved is masterful. - Lynn H. -
Pineapple Grenade: A Novel
by Tim Dorsey
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.80
Categories: adult, fiction, humorous
Staff Review: Serge A. Storms, vigilante and avid Florida historian, is back and killing people in his unique style, which usually involves a trip to the Home Depot. Bored and listless, Serge creates a position for himself as an international spy. With his trusty stoner sidekick Coleman, the bodies quickly pile up. Gun running, espionage, CIA double dealing, and mucho mayhem that only the coffee-guzzling Serge could survive, if not thrive in. Not recommended for people opposed to laughing out loud while reading.--Steve K.
Trail of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #5)
by Lisa Lutz
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.99
Categories: adult, fiction, humorous
Staff Review: Izzy Spellman is back and up to her usual shenanigans. This Spellman book brings us a ‘New David,’ as opposed to ‘Old David,’ Henry Stone’s mother (who is the opposite of what we expect her to be), and a two year-old whose only word is “banana.” The Spellmans are utterly charming, as always. I love this series!--Lindsay A.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture
by Peggy Orenstein
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.61
Categories: adult, nonfiction, parent-child
Staff Review: Hilarious and informative, Peggy Orenstein investigates the world of the "girlie-girl" culture, from its blatant princess worship to its spa parties for preschoolers. As the mother of a three-year-old suddenly and inexplicably fixated on Cinderella, when she previous wore nothing but Thomas the Tank Engine, Orenstein decides to delve further. She consults psychologists, behaviorists, neuroscientists, and even attends a Miley Cyrus concert in pursuit of a deeper truth about girlhood today. What she finds is surprising and slightly terrifying -- girls today are being pushed more than ever to be "pretty and pink". Definitely a great read! – Karen H.
Beauty Queens
by Libba Bray
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.59
Categories: fiction, teen
Staff Review: Beauty Queens is satire at it's finest, lampooning everything about our entertainment media. I laughed out loud more than once! --Beth M.
A plane has crashed on a desert island, leaving few survivors behind. The unique thing about these survivors? They're all beauty queens in the running to be the next Teen Dream. Now instead of competing with each other, they'll have to learn how to work together. Now instead of worrying about evening gowns, they'll discover new ways of cooking grubs. Full of surprise and delight, journey with the contestants of the Teen Dream pageant as they mud-slide their way into a new belief system: how they view the world, and their place in it. – Tiffany J.
Soft Target
by Stephen Hunter
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.45
Categories: adult, fiction, thriller
Staff Review: “Lite”, non Al-Queda, terrorists bring havoc to a mall on Black Friday. Bob Lee Swagger franchise heir- apparent ,Ray Cruz, is on hand to dispatch the bad guys and save the Christmas shopping season. Meanwhile, outside the mall, media pandering, politically correct law enforcement agencies worry how their decisions will affect their next promotion. Nikki Swagger is on the scene too, as a gung-ho, TV-ratings-at-any-cost presstitute. Lots of action and violence. Good read if you don’t over think it. – Michael O.
A Northern Light
by Jennifer Donnelly
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.80
Categories: adult, fiction, historical-fiction
Staff Review: Set in 1906 and partially based on a true story, A Northern Light gives us Mattie, a 16 year-old girl who has dreams beyond what her father wants for her. With two intertwining stories, a fantastic mystery and lots of great ‘words of the day,’ this is a coming-of-age story that shouldn’t be missed. - Lindsay A.
The Might Have Been: A Novel
by Joe Schuster
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.07
Categories: adult, fiction
Staff Review: Do you love baseball? It doesn’t matter because “The Might Have Been” debut by Joseph Schuster is about things we all experience at one time or another in any walk of life: dreams, disappointment, hope, regrets. In this case, baseball is the vehicle for asking the question: what are you willing to sacrifice to satisfy your passions and achieve your dreams? A terrific and poignant story about would of, could of, should of-, might have been moments! – Amy O.
Fallen
by Lauren Kate
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.57
Categories: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy, teen
Staff Review: A shortage of hot girls in Heaven causes boy angels to become "fallen" so they can pursue human girls here on Earth. It’s a little creepy that a centuries old angel, with teen looks, would chase after a young girl. Grow up, stay in Heaven and date angel girls your own age! Lucinda (Luce) is followed by mysterious shadows. Luce's boyfriend internally combusts. Blamed for his death, she is sent to Sword & Cross, a high security reform school. (Read, “Lockdown High” by Annette Fuentes.) Worst of all she has to give up her cell phone! Gasp! Sword & Cross is also a demon/angel halfway house where she meets her forever soulmate, Daniel. Temptation and danger await Luce, setting up the next drama-sode, "Torment." - Michael O.
Fateful
by Claudia Gray
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.92
Categories: fiction, teen, historical-fiction
Staff Review: Werewolves on the Titanic? Or young Tess's overactive imagination as a vicious criminal stalks her and her employer for a valuable heirloom. Amidst all this drama she finds love with handsome and wealthy, of course, Alec. Teen thriller surrounded by historical facts. As the ship begins to sink, I was sadly reminded of the movie scene when Kate W. pushed Leo D. off the piece of debris sending him to his watery grave. Do Alec and Tess survive and live happily ever after? I am not telling. Read the book. - Michael O.
Uglies (Uglies, #1)
by Scott Westerfeld
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Categories: fiction, teen, sci-fi-fantasy
Staff Review: In Tally's world, every 16 year old is required to have surgery that makes them pretty. Tally's waited forever for her surgery, but her friend, Shay, chose to run away rather than be made pretty. When the government forces Tally to bring Shay back, Tally ends up on an adventure she could never have expected. Can she ever go back to her old life, knowing what she knows now? An excellent book for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. --Beth M.
Betrayal: Whitey Bulger and the FBI Agent Who Fought to Bring Him Down
by Robert Fitzpatrick
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.44
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: Corrupt federal law officers and politicians? Say it isn't so, Toto! A former agent gives a brief summary of his life leading into his role in the Whitey Bulger investigation. I was hoping Mr. Fitzpatrick would delve into who protected a fugitive Mr. Bulger for thirteen years until his arrest in 2008. That question remains unanswered. I also recommend Howie Carr's "Hitman" for additional reading on this subject. - Michael O.
The Snow Child
by Eowyn Ivey
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.05
Categories: adult, fiction
Staff Review: This is a wondrous story. Eowyn Ivey's storytelling is by turns the perfect balance of realism, magic and heart. The backdrop is the wild Alaskan wilderness with its ice touched rivers and frost laden trees. A lonely couple live quietly in a cabin trying to make a go of life on the edge. A mysterious visitor comes and goes on a whim like a quiet snowfall or a blinding blizzard and brings love and hope. This book has received a very positive response from readers. I loved it! --Amy O.
Moon Over Manifest
by Clare Vanderpool
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.04
Categories: childrens, fiction
Staff Review: I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The characters are colorful and unique, and I immediately liked Abilene as the main character. I loved how the author was able to create a sense of a time when the world was just entering World War I, as well as a world that’s been dried up by the Great Depression. Jennifer W-O.
Turtle In Paradise
by Jennifer L. Holm
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.88
Categories: childrens, fiction
Staff Review: A quick and enjoyable read. Turtle, the main character, was smart and spunky, and sees things for what they are, rather than what she’d want them to be. All of the other characters were just as lovable too. I only wish the book was a bit longer - I wasn't ready to part with Turtle, Nana Philly, Slow Poke, and the Diaper Gang just yet! -Jennifer W.O.
12 Things to Do Before You Crash and Burn
by James Proimos
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.31
Categories: teen, parent-child, humorous, fiction
Staff Review: "Hercules" Martino is on his way to spend an undesirable summer with his uncle in Baltimore. On the train, he spots a "beautiful, unattainable woman" and makes her his mission. His uncle has other plans for him, however, a list that will spur not only an exploration of the world around him, but the world inside him as well. Comparable to "Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes", this book explores the relationship of a coming-of-age teen and the uncle who helps him see the value of small things. –Tiffany J.-
The Wandering Gene and the Indian Princess: Race, Religion, and DNA
by Jeff Wheelwright
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.25
Categories: adult, nonfiction
Staff Review: Author Jeff Wheelwright delves eloquently and with sensitivity into the mystery of why a young Hispanic woman from the four corners region of the country and other members of her extended family are struck down by an aggressive form of cancer known to predominantly afflict women of Jewish descent. Wheelwright gathers the genetic scientists and genealogists at the forefront of the race to save these women’s lives and find answers to how race, religion and DNA impact our lives. Recommended for readers with an interest in scientific mysteries and fans of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. -Amy O.-
Austenland
by Shannon Hale
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.45
Categories: adult, romance
Staff Review: Thirty something Jane Hayes clings to the idea of Mr. Darcy as played by actor Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Jane’s aunt knows her secret and bequeaths a trip to Pembrook Park in England where she can act out her “Austenland” fantasy. Jane hopes to use this to move on with her life and say goodbye to Mr. Darcy once-and-for-all. Dressed in Regency costumes and following the rules of early 19th-century England, she is not sure what feelings are real and which are a fantasy. What of Martin, the gardener, who she meets one evening in his servant’s quarters? What does she think of the most Darcy-like actor, Mr. Nobley, and are any of his attentions reality or just acting? Austenland is a delightful romance with a wonderful surprise ending. - Sara H.
Seed
by Rob Ziegler
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.38
Categories: adult, fiction, sci-fi-fantasy
Staff Review: This fast paced post-apocalypse dystopia novel is packed with violence and need. What's left of humanity is nomadic after years of war, resource depletion, and extensive climate change. What's left of our government is a puppet for Satori, the company that genetically engineers the seed that keeps everyone from starving. Woven together are the stories of three different groups trying to survive. Readers who enjoyed The Hunger Games and Blood Red Road will enjoy this.
-Alexis S.-
History of a Pleasure Seeker
by Richard Mason
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.32
Categories: adult, fiction, historical-fiction
Staff Review: Piet Barol is a man who seeks fortune and acceptance. With the gifts of youth, charm, and natural appeal, Piet instinctively uncovers the hidden desires of both masters and peers and fulfills them to everyone’s satisfaction. In “History of a Pleasure Seeker”, Richard Mason tastefully allows us a peek beneath the staid façade of Belle Epoque high society in this opulent and sensuous read.
-Amy O.-
Starcrossed (Starcrossed, #1)
by Josephine Angelini
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.16
Categories: teen, fiction, sci-fi-fantasy
Staff Review: Descendants of Greek Mythology converge on current day Nantucket Island to continue their ageless bickering. Despite their initial hatred of each other, Helen and Lucas join forces to do battle against immortal evil doers. Confusing at times when characters are referenced back and forth with their ancestors.
Anti-climatic ending setting up next saga which i will read. Maybe Poseidon can make a guest appearence and wash them all out to sea. Finis.
-- Michael O. --
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
by Suzanne Collins
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.36
Categories: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy, teen
Staff Review: This rapid-fire sequel to The Hunger Games satisfies the best of second-book cravings. Replete with world-building, plot complications, and the feeling of grit and survival which made the first book so memorable, Catching Fire delivers. In this book, we see the fallout from the Hunger Games, from the spark of rebellion igniting in the twelve districts to the increasing distance between Katniss and Peeta. There's something for everyone -- adventure, tension, romance, mystery, and thrills -- and a cliffhanger ending will leave you hungry for the third installment.
-Karen H.-
A great second novel to the Hunger Games series. Katniss is faced with new challenges as she gets more involved with the Capital's little game. This book takes you on a journey and makes you want to know what happens to our heroine next. If you love the first book you will love this one.
–Christina S.-
Five Quarters of the Orange
by Joanne Harris
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.58
Categories: adult, fiction, historical-fiction, parent-child
Staff Review: Daughters may think they know their mothers, but there is always a hidden part, like an extra section of fruit unevenly divided.
Approaching 60, Boise finally moves back, incognito, to her childhood home town in rural France. The exact circumstance of her family’s flight in the midst of World War II remains hidden, like that small section of the orange, until the climax of the book. Flashbacks triggered by Boise deciphering her mother's old recipe book gradually reveal both the character of the Nazi-occupied town and that of Boise's inscrutable and fierce mother. Ultimately, the recipe book reveals Boise to herself and allows healing to begin.
Harris' sure touch with her characters, setting, and plot make Five Quarters of the Orange a pleasure, but her intimate knowledge of the complexities between mothers and daughters make it resonate. –C. Howley-
Luna
by Julie Anne Peters
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.98
Categories: fiction, teen
Staff Review: In this bold and insightful book, Julie Anne Peters tells a dual story of transition, identity, and love. Regan is a high-school girl dealing with all of the pressures of being a teenager, but she is also privy to the most secret piece of information: at night, her brother Liam transforms into Luna. Liam has an equally difficult problem -- he is a woman stuck in a man's body. As the siblings struggle with their identities, secrets, relationships, and troubles, they grow to understand themselves and each other better. A powerful and touching book -- I read it in one sitting! –K. Howley-
Annie on My Mind
by Nancy Garden
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.85
Categories: fiction, teen
Staff Review: This seminal work of fiction by Nancy Garden tells the coming-of-age story of Liza, a high school senior whose whole world is rocked when she meets Annie. Annie is seemingly everything Liza is not -- artistic, poetic, imaginative -- but the two share an undeniable bond which neither can ignore. Ultimately, this is a sweet, honest portrait of a girl just beginning to understand herself and her place in the world. --Karen H.
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance
by Emily Franklin
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Average Goodreads Rating: 0.0
Categories: fiction, romance, teen
Staff Review: The teen actors who play super-couple Jenna and Jonah on a popular TV show have been pretending to be a real-life super-couple for years. But what happens when the cat's let out of the bag? You'll never look at celebrity couples in the same way once you've read this! -- Beth M.
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Categories: adult, fiction, sci-fi-fantasy
Staff Review: What if the future was obsessed with the past?
Welcome to the Oasis, a virtual world where everyone works and plays to avoid the bleak ruin of the real world. Lacking an heir, the designer of this new world leaves a key to his fortune and ultimate power hidden somewhere in the Oasis right before he dies.
Suddenly, playing old arcade games and knowing obscure 80's movie references takes on an almost religious fervor.
This is an amusing and surprisingly suspenseful story. It was also recently optioned to be made into a movie.
Let the games begin. Ready Player One!
- Wendy M.
Morning Glories Volume 1 Hc
by Nick Spencer
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Categories: graphic-novel, mystery, teen
Staff Review: High School's a killer, and this graphic novel series makes anyone feel lucky to get out alive. This is a fast paced, super violent, world building series is filled with smart and snarky characters that all have something to hide. Fans of the Hunger Games and Battle Royale will like this series.
-- Alexis S.
Morning Glories is a title that you have to re-read because you might have missed something on the first pass. In my opinion, Morning Glories is one part the Breakfast Club mixed with one part the Facts of Life brewed and steeped in the creative mind of writer, Nick Spencer then filtered through the keen eye of artist, Joe Eisma. What you get is one deliciously strange brew that keeps you wanting more!
This graphic novel will definitely appeal to both genders because it has a fantastic script and some of the best art that I have ever seen. Due to language and mature themes the recommended reading age for Morning Glories is teens to adults.
-- Leslie G.
Following Ezra: What One Father Learned About Gumby, Otters, Autism, and Love From His Extraordinary Son
by Tom Fields-Meyer
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.10
Categories: adult, biography, nonfiction
Staff Review: I found this book refreshing. Too often, it seems, there are books about parents, their children, and unrealized expectations. Those expectations end up crippling relationships and the books subsequently written about them express the journey of repairing those wounds and healing those grievances. This book veers completely from that course, similarly to the development of the titular child. When the author and his wife discover that their son, Ezra, has autism, the father describes how he has no need to grieve. All he ever wanted to do was to love his son -- why should autism change love? It doesn't, and through every difficult day, every potentially upsetting situation, this father shrugs off the difficulties and instead chooses to see his son for what he is: unique, challenging, and beautiful. This book is heartwarming, funny, and optimistic. In a world where so much of what we hear on the news or experience secondhand is terrifying and uncertain, this book reassures, even if unintentionally. It has a decided "we can do it" attitude, and that is still an attitude worth pursuing. –Karen H.
The House I Loved
by Tatiana de Rosnay
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Average Goodreads Rating: 3.09
Categories: adult, fiction
Staff Review: Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key, explores a forgotten world of Paris, love, and memory. Set in the 1860s and told through a series of letters, this story chronicles the life of Rose Bazelet, a widow whose beloved house is doomed to destruction by the rampaging Prefect and the modernization of Paris. For Rose, the house embodies her life -- her marriage, her love and passion, her sorrows and tragedies, her children -- and she will not part with it. A wonderful historical read, this novel presents a fresh perspective on progress and Paris, delving into long-forgotten hurts in the human experience.
-Karen H.
Delirium (Delirium, #1)
by Lauren Oliver
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Average Goodreads Rating: 4.07
Categories: fiction, teen
Staff Review: Lena has grown up waiting for the day she would turn eighteen and get her “procedure” – a cure to the devastating disease amor deliria nervosa (more commonly known as love). She has grown up fearing the disease and its consequences – it drove her mother to suicide after all, didn’t it? But as her birthday draws closer, Lena begins to see the world as she knows it in a different way. This character and setting driven novel will appeal to fans of other dystopian fiction like Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series and the cliff hanger ending will leave readers breathlessly awaiting the sequel, Pandemonium. –Erin J.
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