Staff Picks

Cultish : the language of fanaticism

Amanda Montell

306.44 /Montell
Nonfiction

"From SoulCycle to Scientology, we're all obsessed with cults. Linguist Amanda Montell examines the language cults use to draw us in"--

As someone who watched and loved the LuLaRoe documentary series TWICE, this was a comprehensive and interesting overview of the various types of cults throughout history and "Cultish" which is the language used in cults. I am eagerly enjoying the TV, book and podcast trend that dives into this area of pop culture! -Mari

Chef's kiss

Jarrett Melendez

GRAPHIC NOVEL Melendez
LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels

Watch things start to really heat up in the kitchen in this sweet, queer, new adult graphic novel! Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something...anything...related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won't be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn't even have enough experience to be a garbage collector! But when Ben stumbles upon a Now Hiring--No Experience Necessary sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He's actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he's got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it's only temporary...right? When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.

What an absolute delight to read! I have a lot of feels for looking for a job straight out of college, figuring out young adulthood, all while trying to navigate roommates, identity, and family. Come for the food writing, stay for the light romance. -Frannie

Nothing personal

James Baldwin

305.8 /Baldwin

"Baldwin's critique of American society at the height of the civil rights movement brings his prescient thoughts on social isolation, race, and police brutality to a new generation of readers"--

Previously published in 1964 with photographs by Richard Avedon, this essay is published here as a stand-alone. Baldwin's ability to analyze, quantify and prophesize American societal constructs are always insightful, honest and ahead of his time. Though written during the Civil Rights Movement, this essay is just as relevant and well-worth reading today. -Victoria

Book of questions : selections = Libro de las preguntas : selecciones

Pablo Neruda

j468.66 Neruda

"This Spanish-English bilingual edition is the first fully illustrated selection of Book of Questions: comprising 70 questions of the original 320, these poems, carefully woven together by theme and accompanying full-page illustrations, invite us to wonder at the natural world and the myriad mysteries it contains. "Book of Questions," written by beloved Chilean poet and Nobel Prize winner Neruda, was completed just months before his death in 1973, and is his last great work of poetry. By turns lyrical and cosmic, dreamlike and nonsensical, paradoxical and playful, each of these unanswerable questions asks us to set aside certainty and constraint and to enter into the vastness of the unknown. With riddles like "Where is the center of the sea? / Why don't waves break there?" and "What do you call a flower / that flits from bird to bird?", Neruda inspires us to unravel our assumptions and re-envision our relationship to nature. The only answer that is sure to arise from these questions is a closer observation of and reflection on the world in which we live, and a renewed sense of curiosity and wonder at our shared universe"--

Neruda's expansive poetic questions paired with Valdivia's bold and folkloric illustrations are an exquisite combination. The curiosity of childhood expressed by this beloved poet will appeal to all ages. -Victoria

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo : a novel

Taylor Jenkins Reid

FICTION Reid Taylor

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

A great summer read! Evelyn Hugo shares a candid account of her life story, full of many secrets to unpack along the way. -Becky

The lighthouse

DVD MOVIE SF/HORROR Lighthouse
Horror, Science Fiction, Drama

A hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Do you like your movies weird? How about in black-and-white and in an archaic aspect ratio? Then do I have a movie for you! "The Lighthouse" is incredibly compelling and defies classification. My mind just keeps going back to the movie after watching it. -Brian

Mergers and acquisitions : or, everything I know about love I learned on the wedding pages : a memoir

Cate Doty

395.22 /Doty
Memoir

A compulsively readable behind-the-scenes memoir that takes readers inside the weddings section of the New York Times-- the good, bad, and just plain weird-- through the eyes of a young reporter just as she's falling in love herself.

I loved the writer’s style and she has so many great stories to share from her days working the wedding desk at the Times. I drank this up! And even better? Her slow burn of a love story that unfolds throughout the book that made me squee. And when you Google her you find their NYT wedding announcement and that makes me beam. Truly a delight to read! -Amanda

Origin : a genetic history of the Americas

Jennifer Raff

576.5 /Raff
Nonfiction, History, Science

20,000 years ago, people crossed a great land bridge from Siberia into Western Alaska and then dispersed southward into what is now called the Americas. Until we venture out to other worlds, this remains the last time our species has populated an entirely new place, and this event has been a subject of deep fascination and controversy. No written records--and scant archaeological evidence--exist to tell us what happened or how it took place. Many different models have been proposed to explain how the Americas were peopled and what happened in the thousands of years that followed. A study of both past and present, ORIGIN explores how genetics is currently being used to construct narratives that profoundly impact Indigenous peoples of the Americas. It serves as a primer for anyone interested in how genetics has become entangled with identity in the way that society addresses the question "Who is indigenous?"

This is a great read for anyone interested in the history and archaeology of the Americas, and the theories and existing evidence of the first people to live there. It's a much-needed update and refresher on the topic! This book has a lot of detail, but is presented in a way that makes it eminently readable and highly entertaining. -Candice

The katha chest

Radhiah Chowdhury

jE Chowdhury
Picture Books, Read Woke, Crafts

Asiya loves to visit Nanu's house and rummage through her katha chest filled with quilts that tell stories about the bold and brave women in Asiya's family.

I love this new picture book about the intersection of family history and handicrafts, best shared in lap-sit sessions poring over the lush illustrations. -Casey

The practice of adaptive leadership : tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world

Ronald A. (Ronald Abadian) Heifetz

658.4092 /Heifetz
Nonfiction, Business

"The Practice of Adaptive Leadership will help you think more clearly and execute better in a constantly shifting environment. It offers a comprehensive and systematic approach to candidly assessing the situation and yourself, and then taking action. Its wisdom and advice are drawn from the experiences of people like you, committed to advancing what you care about most." "The book is anchored in the framework of adaptive leadership, but goes beyond the theory to provide a practical set of stories, diagrams, techniques, and activities that will help you both assess and address the toughest challenges that lie ahead. Dozens of tools and tactics are presented in an exciting, clear, and reader-friendly design."--BOOK JACKET.

I'm reading this book to reinforce my knowledge of problem solving and organizational change. It's like an easily readable textbook for MBA students, but the advice is applicable to any knowledge worker needing to unpack thorny problems. Adaptive Leadership theory taught me the term "work avoidance," something I consider each time I find myself delaying tasks I need to be doing. This book also teaches one how to consider defining problems. Is it a technical problem that has a clear solution? Or is it an adaptive problem that requires learning and working with stakeholders? Sometimes, a change in approach is all you need. -Melody

Ocean State

Stewart O'Nan

FICTION/O'Nan, Stewart

In the first line of Ocean State, we learn that a high school student was murdered, and we find out who did it. The story that unfolds from there with incredible momentum is thus one of the build-up to and fall-out from the murder, told through the alternating perspectives of the four women at its heart. Angel, the murderer, Carol, her mother, and Birdy, the victim, all come alive on the page as they converge in a climax both tragic and inevitable. Watching over it all is the retrospective testimony of Angel's younger sister Marie, who reflects on that doomed autumn of 2009 with all the wisdom of hindsight. Angel and Birdy love the same teenage boy, frantically and single mindedly, and are moved by the intensity of their feelings to extremes neither could have anticipated. O'Nan's expert hand paints a fully realized portrait of these women, but also weaves a compelling and heartbreaking story of working-class life in Ashaway, Rhode Island. Propulsive, haunting, and deeply rendered, Ocean State is a masterful novel by one of our greatest storytellers

This is one of those - you know what happened, but you you don't know WHY or HOW it happened - kind of thrillers. Stewart O'Nan keeps you needing to know more from page one onward. This is a great book to start off your summer reading, or just get you back on track with your general reading goals. Read it outside in the shade. -Heidi K

Big feelings : how to be okay when things are not okay

Liz Fosslien

152.4 /Fosslien
Nonfiction, Health, Self Help

We all experience unwieldy feelings. But between our emotion-phobic society and the debilitating uncertainty of modern times, we usually don't know how to talk about what we're going through, much less handle it. Over the past year, Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy’s online community has laughed and cried about productivity guilt, pandemic anxiety, and Zoom fatigue. Now, Big Feelings addresses anyone intimidated by oversized feelings they can't predict or control, offering the tools to understand what's really going on, find comfort, and face the future with a sense of newfound agency. Weaving surprising science with personal stories and original illustrations, each chapter examines one uncomfortable feeling—like envy, burnout, and anxiety—and lays out strategies for turning big emotions into manageable ones. You’ll learn: • How to end the cycle of intrusive thoughts brought on by regret, and instead use this feeling as a compass for making decisions • How to identify what’s behind your anger and communicate it productively, without putting people on the defensive • Why we might be suffering from perfectionism even if we feel far from perfect, and how to detach your self-worth from what you do Big Feelings helps us understand that difficult emotions are not abnormal, and that we can emerge from them with a deeper sense of meaning. We can’t stop emotions from bubbling up, but we can learn how to make peace with them.

Alright, so I'm only through the introduction, but what drew me to this book is the title itself: Big Feelings. I've heard this term used within the mental health field as well as with children trying to learn what their emotions are telling them. I am already finding it useful. Seeing a mood chart anyone can draw on their own, and reading that one cannot deal with big feelings until they unpack them, makes me look forward to delving in to the triggers they discuss. The simple and relatable illustrations also describe what words cant. Looking forward to digging in. -Melody

Nobody

DVD MOVIE ACTION Nobody
Action

Hutch Mansell is an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life's indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody. When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake, is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca, seems to pull only further away. The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch's long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary, and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again.

Bob Odenkirk is just the best. It was strange to see him in an action film but he nails it. Christopher Lloyd as the trigger happy dad is hilarious. -Mykle

C'mon c'mon

DVD MOVIE DRAMA C'mon

A radio journalist embarks on a cross-country trip with his young nephew.

A film you will think about weeks after watching it. One of my new favorites. -Raquel

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies

Laura Thompson

OverDrive Audiobook
History

Heiresses: surely they are among the luckiest women on earth. Are they not to be envied, with their private jets and Chanel wardrobes and endless funds? Yet all too often those gilded lives have been beset with trauma and despair. Before the 20th century a wife's inheritance was the property of her husband, making her vulnerable to kidnap, forced marriages, even confinement in an asylum. And in modern times, heiresses fell victim to fortune-hunters who squandered their millions. Heiresses tells the stories of these women: Mary Davies, who inherited London's most valuable real estate, and was bartered from the age of twelve; Consuelo Vanderbilt, the original American "Dollar Heiress", forced into a loveless marriage; Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress who married seven times and died almost penniless; Patty Hearst, heiress to a newspaper fortune who was arrested for terrorism. However, there are also stories of achievement: Angela Burdett-Coutts, who became one of the greatest philanthropists of Victorian England; Nancy Cunard, who lived off her mother's fortune and became a pioneer of the civil rights movement; Daisy Fellowes, elegant linchpin of interwar high society and noted fashion editor. Heiresses is about the lives of the rich, who—as F. Scott Fitzgerald said—are 'different'. But it is also a bigger story about how all women fought their way to equality, and sometimes even found autonomy and fulfillment.

Unlike many books about this topic that are more gossipy, Thompson really looks at the social issues and the power (or complete lack of power) woman had over their own money in England and Europe. From the time of Henry VIII to the 20th Century, Thompson examines individual women from Mary Davies to Jennie Churchill to Barbara Hutton and how different laws, social pressure, and culture impacted their experiences as heirs to large fortunes. It is a pretty engaging, interesting read. And this is one of those audiobooks where the author's voice is truly magnetic. You can tell she loved researching and writing this book. -Anne M

Violeta : a novel

Isabel Allende

FICTION Allende Isabel
Historical Fiction

Violeta comes into the world in 1920, the first girl in a family of five boisterous sons. The ripples of the Great War are still being felt, even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth. As the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known, Violeta's family loses all and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country. She tells her story in the form of a letter, recounting devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, times of both poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life will be shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women's rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and, ultimately, not one but two pandemics.

In a novel spanning one hundred years and bookended by pandemics, Isabel Allende writes of class, political and gender tensions in the life story of Violeta. For fans of historical fiction and interesting protagonists, this is worth checking out! -Becky

Wildcat

Amelia Morris

FICTION Morris Amelia
Fiction

"Amelia Morris's Wildcat is an uproariously funny, surprisingly touching story of one woman's journey through motherhood and female friendship, in a society that plays fast and loose with information. New mother, aspiring writer, and former shopgirl Leanne has lost her way. As she struggles with both her grief and the haze of motherhood, it also becomes clear that her best friend, the default queen of East Side Los Angeles, Regina Mark, might not actually be a friend at all. As Leanne begins to investigate and undermine Regina, she also strikes up an unexpected friendship with the lauded writer Maxine Hunter. Feeling frustrated and invisible next to Regina's wealth and social standing, Leanne seeks security wherever she can find it, whether that's by researching whether she should vaccinate her son, in listening to the messages she thinks her father is sending from beyond the grave, or in holding her own against a petulant student in her creative writing class. Most of all, however, she looks for it within Maxine, who offers Leanne something new. With a keen eye for the trappings of privilege, class, and the performative nature of contemporary domestic life, Morris's tender and wicked debut shows us a woman who bucks against the narrative she's been fed, only to find power in herself and the truth that emerges"--

A quiet but funny and oh so relatable and timely book about parenting a young child, navigating the culture wars, distancing yourself from a toxic friendship, feeling out of place among the affluent, struggling to make career decisions, and reeling after the death of an imperfect parent. I found this to be wholly original with a swift pace and incisive writing. -Anne W

Somewhere in the bayou

Jarrett Pumphrey

jE Pumphrey
Picture Books, Animals, Humor

Rat, Squirrel, Rabbit, and Mouse want to cross the bayou, but next to the log they are considering as a bridge is a sneaky tail, which may be attached to someone dangerous--each of the four approach the problem with a different strategy, with varying results.

The Pumphrey brothers' latest title is fabulous. Pick this one up if you're looking for something funny and fun to read aloud! -Casey

The Office bffs : tales of the Office from two best friends who were there

Jenna Fischer

Memoir, Art / Art History

"An intimate, behind-the-scenes, richly illustrated celebration of beloved The Office co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey's friendship, and an insiders' view of Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, and the iconic TV show. Featuring many of their never-before-seen photos"--

An absolute must-read for fans of The Office! You cannot contain the joy these two have for their show and their co-workers and crew. So much fun trivia and behind-the-scenes stories to make you want to binge watch it again! -Amanda

Star Wars. The High Republic

Cavan Scott

COMIC Star Wars High
Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

"A new era of Star Wars storytelling begins! Journey back to the High Republic -- the golden age of the Jedi! Centuries before the Empire and the Skywalker saga, the Jedi are at their height, protecting the galaxy as Republic pioneers push out into new territories. But as the frontier prepares for the dedication of the majestic Starlight Beacon, Padawan Keeve Trennis faces the ultimate choice -- will she complete her Jedi trials, or rescue the innocent from disaster? And can she trust her closest ally? Enter a rich and vast world of new Jedi! New worlds! New ships! And new evils to fight -- including the terrifying Nihil!"--Amazon.

I've been evangelical about The High Republic, though, I have to admit that the comic has been the weakest link so far. There seems to be a weird disconnect between what happens in the books vs. the comics. It seems like I wouldn't recommend it, but it features some of the best characters of the High Republic era and great art throughout. -Brian

The dressmakers of Auschwitz : the true story of the women who sewed to survive

Lucy Adlington

940.5318 /Adlington
History

Drawing on a vast array of sources, including interviews with the last surviving seamstress, this powerful book tells the story of the brave women who used their sewing skills to survive the Holocaust, exposing the greed, cruelty and hypocrisy of the Third Reich.

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking read about an aspect of the Holocaust I was not aware of. It was inspiring to read about what these women did to survive and help each other and all they encountered. -Amanda

Atlas of the invisible : maps & graphics that will change how you see the world

James Cheshire

912 /Cheshire

"An unprecedented portrait of the hidden patterns in human society-visualized through the world of data. Award-winning geographer-designer team James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti transform enormous datasets into rich maps and cutting-edge visualizations. In this triumph of visual storytelling, they uncover truths about our past, reveal who we are today, and highlight what we face in the years ahead. With their joyfully inquisitive approach, Cheshire and Uberti explore happiness levels around the globe, trace the undersea cables and cell towers that connect us, examine hidden scars of geopolitics, and illustrate how a warming planet affects everything from hurricanes to the hajj. Years in the making, Atlas of the Invisible invites readers to marvel at the promise and peril of data, and to revel in the secrets and contours of a newly visible world"--

Love maps and data visualization? Check out this book. It is chock full of information learned from mapping trends in societies all over the globe. Which countries emit the most light? Where is the workload shared most equally in households? Which areas of the U.S. have the most airplanes flying overhead? This is a fun book that will make you smarter with each page you read. -Melody

Knight owl

Christopher Denise

jE Denise
Picture Books

After achieving his dream of becoming a knight, a small owl protects the castle from a hungry dragon.

What more could you ask for than an owl that's a knight? With fun illustrations, great rhythm, and surprises this would be a great addition to any storytime repertoire. Opportunities for using your best theatrical voices too! -Frannie

Sea of Tranquility : a novel

Emily St. John Mandel

FICTION Mandel Emily
Science Fiction, Literary Fiction

"The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from an island off Vancouver in 1912 to a dark colony of the moon three hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and planets. Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a dinner party. He enters the forest, spellbound by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, and suddenly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal -- an experience that shocks him to his core. Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She's traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony, a place of white stone, spired towers, and artificial beauty. Within the text of Olive's best-selling pandemic novel lies a strange passage: a man plays his violin for change in the echoing corridor of an airship terminal as the trees of a forest rise around him. When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe. "--

Emily St. John Mandel seems to brilliantly encapsulate all of modern fears in the sum of 255 pages. Or are they just human fears? This book, spanning centuries, from the 1910's to the 2300's, takes on post-traumatic stress disorder, pandemics, technological shifts, and the fragility of Earth and its nations. And like always, St. John Mandel leaves me with more questions than answers. -Anne M

Women in white coats : how the first women doctors changed the world of medicine

Olivia M. Campbell

610.922 /Campbell
Nonfiction, History, Science

Documents the true stories of three pioneering women who defied Victorian-era boundaries to become the first women doctors, discussing how they banded together to support each other and advocate for women's health in a male-dominated field.

For fans of Hidden Figures and Radium Girls comes the remarkable story of three Victorian women who broke down barriers in the medical field to become the first women doctors, revolutionizing the way women receive health care. With gripping storytelling based on extensive research and access to archival documents, Women in White Coats tells the courageous history these women made by becoming doctors, detailing the boundaries they broke of gender and science to reshape how we receive medical care today. -Angie

The book thief

Markus Zusak

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Zusak, Markus
Historical Fiction, Young Adult

Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

I've heard good things about this book for years, but I've never read it. Recently, it came up in an article, and I thought maybe it was time to give The Book Thief a try. (I do enjoy Mark Zusak's other books. I really can't believe it's taken me so long to get to this one.) Good news, ICPL has several copies, plus audio CDs, eBooks and eAudio, so if you're interested, you also check it out! -Hanna

Into the forest : the secret language of trees

Susan Tyler Hitchcock

582.16 /Hitchcock
Nonfiction, Nature, Science

"For millennia, trees have offered renewal and inspiration. They have provided for humanity on every level, from spiritual sanctuary to the raw material for our homes, books, and food. In this beautiful and revealing book, National Geographic combines legendary photography with cutting-edge science to illuminate exactly how trees influence the life of planet Earth--from our personal lives to the weather cycle. Beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of the world's most remarkable trees, from Tane Mahura in New Zealand, the ancient Maori "lord of the forest," to Pando, a single aspen spreading over 100 acres: Earth's largest living thing. You'll also discover how an astronaut carried tree seeds to the moon and back; the reason "microdosing" on tree gas is a sure way to boost your immune system; and why playing in the dirt boosts serotonin, happiness hormone"--Amazon.

This is another book I discovered because I got to catalog it. Perks of the job! It's beautiful. Simply lovely pictures of different species of trees with a short history or factoid of each one. My. Jam. -Melody

Almost nothing, yet everything : a book about water

Hiroshi Osada

jE Osada

Artist Ryōji Arai and poet Hiroshi Osada, the Japanese team behind critically acclaimed Every Color of Light, offer up another meditation on the natural world in this ode to water. A lyrical moment between parent and child in a boat on a river unfolds into an examination of the water that surrounds them, and the nature and life sustained by it: "It's only oxygen and hydrogen. Simple as could be, and yet nothing means more to life as we know it." Arai's lush art and Osada's evocative poetry, beautifully translated from Japanese by David Boyd, work together to enchant readers and refresh their spirit, opening their eyes to the wonders of water, the universe, and life.

What an absolutely stunning book! The text is sparse and the illustrations are riveting; showcasing the importance of one of our most valuable commodities; water! I love how the pictures incorporate us humans as part of nature as opposed to being the overlords of our planet. There is so much wonder and reverence in this book. A perfect read during Earth Month, Earth Day or any day! if you like this title, try A River, by Marc Martin. -Victoria

No nibbling!

Beth Ferry

jE Ferry
Picture Books, Gardening, Humor

Derwood the goat has planted a garden and is prepared to defend it from all nibblers, including Tabitha the bunny, whom Derwood is convinced has designs on his growing vegetables; she teases him as the months go by, but after she helps him with the weeding the two become friends and share the feast.

Puns galore and adorable illustrations make perfect storytime fare! -Casey

A bad day for Sunshine

Darynda Jones

MYSTERY Jones Darynda
Mystery, Romance

"Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o' joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose. Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee--and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter's new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full. Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it's up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free."--

I was kinda hoodwinked into reading this book. I read about it thinking it fit the new and trendy "Sunshine Noir" genre. Think: Nordic Noir but in the sunshine, where the tension rises as the temp does. Turns out, there're snow storms all over this book! Nonetheless, I did find it to be a zippy read that pulled me into the characters and the storyline. I loved the budding love between the new girl and a broody teen poet. Nose-deep into the pages, I followed along eagerly as the detectives followed the tracks of a missing person. I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I'm glad I picked this one up because I couldn't put it down! -Melody

What we do in the shadows. The complete first season

DVD TV What 1st season
Comedy

Four vampires have lived together for hundreds of years. After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, they're reminded that they were initially tasked with completing domination of the New World upon their arrival in Staten Island; over a hundred years ago. But what exactly is the best way to go about achieving said domination?

I have a bad habit of watching TV shows long after they're recommended to me. I usually joke that I'll talk to the person about it in around three years. We're at the three year mark on What We Do in the Shadows Season 1, and, guess what, it's great! It's perfect for people who have or haven't watched the movie of the same name. Familiars, energy vampires, and werewolves abound! -Brian

Five magic rooms

Laura Knetzger

jREADER I Like
Early Readers

When Mia visits the home of her friend Pie, she is amazed by everything she sees, feels, smells, and tastes, but Pie is sure that her home is just as special.

A young kid visits a friend's house that has several "magical" rooms, including a crystal room filled with houseplants and a quilt room filled with crafts! The girl sees how magical her friend's home is and appreciates new food she's never tried, and she gets excited to share the magical rooms in her own home. I just want to live in the pictures! So cute and truly magical. -Mari

Nature's treasures

Hoare, Ben, author.

508 /Hoare

Nature is bursting with objects that are beautiful, useful, and intriguing. But where do they come from-- and what are they for? Hoare helps readers discover natural objects that have amazing tales to tell. From a delicate bird's feather to a glittering rock from space, readers will marvel at minerals forged through time, ingenious structures made by nature, and remarkable features that help animals and plants to survive and thrive. -- adapted from back cover

Nature’s Treasures takes you on a tour of our planet through incredible objects made by nature itself. Objects are shown with truly stunning photography and colorful illustrations to help explain the science behind them. The lively descriptions explore the remarkable tales of each item, and all are packed with fascinating information. It’s the perfect first book about nature for inquisitive children ages 7 and up who love to spot things when exploring outside and want to know more about nature. -Angie

The Lincoln highway

Amor Towles

FICTION Towles Amor

In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction-to the City of New York. Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes.

Like Towles' other novels, "The Lincoln Highway" moves at a brilliant pace. Spanning just ten days, the narrative's journey across the U.S. and with varying perspectives had me fully absorbed in the characters and plot. A great blend of wit and intrigue, with some unexpected moments-- highly recommended! -Becky

The Korean vegan cookbook : reflections and recipes from Omma's kitchen

Joanne Lee Molinaro

641.59519 /Lee Molinaro

Korean cooking is synonymous with fish sauce and barbecue, and veganism remains extremely rare in Korean culture. Many of the ingredients are fully plant-based and unbelievably flavorable, and Korean plant-based eating is not a new idea: vegan cuisine prepared by Korean Buddhist monks has been around for more than a thousand years. Lee Molinaro shares recipes (and narrative snapshots) of the food that shaped her family history-- only with a plant-based take. -- adapted from inside front cover and the chapter, The Korean vegan.

This is a gorgeous book of delicious Korean vegan recipes that are easy to replicate. Equally wonderful are the detailed family histories that exemplify how food and family are interwoven and how special signature family recipes can almost feel like we're reviving a sacred time and place at the dinner table with our loved ones who originally created them. -Victoria

The Delish kids (super-awesome, crazy-fun, best-ever) cookbook

Joanna Saltz

j641.5 Saltz
Cookbooks

"This best-ever kids' cookbook from Delish is filled with recipes that make cooking so much fun. Throughout young chefs will learn basic skills, like how to make the gooey grilled cheese (the secret: use a waffle iron!) and upgrade your favorite store-bought foods (Chicken Nuggets! Woohoo!). Chapters include recipes for breakfast (Banana Split Oatmeal!), snacks (Cool Ranch Chickpeas!), lunches and dinners (Chorizo Tacos, Hot Dog Cubanos, and Best-Ever Fettucine Alfredo... do we need to say more?!), and party eats. Plus, two whole chapters include restaurant copycat recipes and desserts and snacks inspired by beloved pop culture characters."--Amazon.ca.

I have personally made the sugar cookie bars and the Big Mac quesadillas and they were indeed delish! Even if you do nothing but leaf through the beautiful food photographs, you're in for a treat! -Anne W