Adventure

The Sicilian inheritance : a novel book cover

The Sicilian inheritance : a novel

Jo Piazza

FICTION Piazza Jo
Adventure, Fiction

"Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie's death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara's great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn't die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered. Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and prove her birthright. Flashing back to the past, we meet Serafina, a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly it isn't long before a woman challenging the status quo finds herself in danger. As Sara discovers more about Serafina she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother. At once an immersive multigenerational mystery and an ode to the undaunted heroism of everyday women, The Sicilian Inheritance is an atmospheric, page-turning delight"--

Anne M's picture

After inheriting some land in Sicily from her great aunt, Sara Marsala travels to the island to get the land sold—money she really needs after the closure of her business and a devastating divorce. This is just a real estate transaction, but of course, it isn’t. For one, it’s Sicily, not Pennsylvania—the laws are different. And there are dangerous people in the village that don’t recognize her ownership. And there is the rich history of the land, how her Aunt Ruthie—and her great-grandmother came into the parcel in the first place. Sara Marsala is now on an adventure. The Sicilian Inheritance is one of those books that keeps you hooked to find out what happens next. -Anne M

Into the goblin market book cover

Into the goblin market

Vikki VanSickle

jE Vansickl
Picture Books, Classics, Fantasy, Adventure

"An ode to Christina Rossetti's classic poem and a clever homage to familiar fairy-tale villains, this story of two sisters will enthrall readers with its beautifully detailed art and enchanting writing."--

Casey's picture

Brave the goblin market if you dare! Vansickle's perfectly paced rhyming text pairs wonderfully with exquisite ink and digital illustrations by Jensine Eckwall. Fans of Wanda Gag and fairy tale lovers will delight in this retelling of Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market", complete with extra villainy and a beautiful twist. -Casey

Viewfinder book cover

Viewfinder

Christine D. U. Chung

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Chung
Graphic Novels, Picture Books, Science Fiction, Adventure

"Arriving on an Earth devoid of people, a young space traveler discovers a viewfinder that reveals how the planet used to be, in this wordless, adventure-filled graphic novel about resilience and the extraordinary place we call home"--

Casey's picture

This debut wordless graphic novel from Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka is a stunner! It has just the right amount of suspense and world-building to keep younger readers turning pages quickly. Keen-eyed and repeat readers will notice ample opportunities for a sequel as well. Fans of The Wild Robot and adult viewers of Scavengers Reign will feel right at home. -Casey

A botanist's guide to parties and poisons book cover

A botanist's guide to parties and poisons

Kate Khavari

MYSTERY Khavari Kate
Mystery, Suspense, Adventure, Science

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn't expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors' wives to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin. Dr. Maxwell, Saffron's mentor, is the main suspect, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition's departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor's name cleared, she'll have to do it herself.

Casey's picture

I devoured the first two Botanist's Guide books last summer and was pleasantly surprised to find that the latest installment is here! It did not disappoint. If you have yet to try any of the Saffron Everleigh series and enjoy dark academia or murder mysteries, now might be the time to start at the beginning! -Casey

The wild robot escapes book cover

The wild robot escapes

Peter Brown

jFICTION Brown Peter
Fiction, Adventure, Nature, Classics

After being captured by the Recons and returned to civilization for reprogramming, Roz is sent to Hilltop Farm where she befriends her owner's family and animals, but pines for her son, Brightbill.

Casey's picture

This is a family summer book club read and I am having a hard time following the pacing rules. Seriously, I do not want to put it down! I'm excited to get all caught up with this series now that the Wild Robot Protects is out and the movie is forthcoming in September! -Casey

The eye of darkness book cover

The eye of darkness

George Mann

SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars
Science Fiction, Adventure

"One year after the tragic events of The Fallen Star, the Jedi fight to break the Nihil's control over the galaxy"--

Mykle's picture

Another fun read set in the High Republic. I love the way these books can really get you to care for characters over time yet don't shy away from tragic endings. -Mykle

Hall of smoke. book cover

Hall of smoke.

H. M. (Hannah M.) Long

SCIENCE FICTION Long, H. M.
Fantasy, Adventure

Epic fantasy featuring warrior priestesses and fickle gods at war, for readers of Brian Staveley's Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne. Hessa is an Eangi: a warrior priestess of the Goddess of War, with the power to turn an enemy's bones to dust with a scream. Banished for disobeying her goddess's command to murder a traveller, she prays for forgiveness alone on a mountainside. While she is gone, raiders raze her village and obliterate the Eangi priesthood. Grieving and alone, Hessa - the last Eangi - must find the traveller and atone for her weakness and secure her place with her loved ones in the High Halls. As clans from the north and legionaries from the south tear through her homeland, slaughtering everyone in their path Hessa strives to win back her goddess' favour. Beset by zealot soldiers, deceitful gods, and newly-awakened demons at every turn, Hessa burns her path towards redemption and revenge. But her journey reveals a harrowing truth: the gods are dying and the High Halls of the afterlife are fading. Soon Hessa's trust in her goddess weakens with every unheeded prayer. Thrust into a battle between the gods of the Old World and the New, Hessa realizes there is far more on the line than securing a life beyond her own death. Bigger, older powers slumber beneath the surface of her world. And they're about to wake up.

Mykle's picture

This is my favorite book of the last several years. Very descriptive and compelling writing style. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. -Mykle

Moomin : the complete Tove Jansson comic strip book cover

Moomin : the complete Tove Jansson comic strip

Tove Jansson

COMIC Moomin
Graphic Novels, Adventure, Kids

Annie's picture

A cute and quaint comic series that's not just for kids! I loved accompanying the Moomin family on their hilarious adventures through Moominvalley. Also a good Pride Month read from the artist and writer Tove Jansson, a queer icon! -Annie

The bullet swallower : a novel book cover

The bullet swallower : a novel

Elizabeth Gonzalez James

FICTION Gonzalez Elizabet
Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. He’s good with his gun and is drawn to trouble but he’s also out of money and out of options. A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado, Mexico, where he lives with his wife and children, and so when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it—with his younger brother Hugo in tow. But when the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers, Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge that endangers not only his life and his family, but his eternal soul. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer. But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. In its ancient pages, Jaime learns about the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors. And when the same mysterious figure from Antonio’s timeline shows up in Mexico City, Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors’ crimes, unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower.

Anne M's picture

Looking for an action-packed read that will keep you turning the pages? Look no further. -Anne M

Exadelic book cover

Exadelic

Jon Evans

SCIENCE FICTION Evans Jon
Science Fiction, Adventure

"When an unconventional offshoot of the US military trains an artificial intelligence in the dark arts that humanity calls "black magic," it learns how to hack the fabric of reality itself. It can teleport matter. It can confer immunity to bullets. And it decides that obscure Silicon Valley middle manager Adrian Ross is the primary threat to its existence. Soon Adrian is on the run, wanted by every authority, with no idea how or why he could be a threat. His predicament seems hopeless; his future, nonexistent. But when he investigates the AI and its creators, he discovers his problems are even stranger than they seem...and unearths revelations that will propel him on a journey -- and a love story -- across worlds, eras, and everything, everywhere, all at once." --

Paul's picture

A fast paced ride with many unexpected twists and turns. Definitely an engaging and entertaining amalgam of: time travel, AI, evil villains, multiverses, alternate histories, real magick, intimate relationships, and encounters with famous people, I found the book very hard to put down, except when I needed to catch my breath. -Paul