Mari
My Shelf
Five magic rooms
by 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.
Women artists A to Z
by Melanie LaBarge
jE LaBarge
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Biographies
An empowering alphabet book celebrates famous and less-represented women artists in a variety of genres who have transformed the art world, from Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe to Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey. --

I was reshelving this book on the bookmobile and my eyes were instantly drawn to the bright colors of the cover and the stylistic illustrations of the female artists. I read through the whole alphabet and learned about several artists I didn't know about and enjoyed learning about art history in the context of women's role in society during each artist's time. It's also very cool how the illustrator recreated each artist's work on their page but kept the same unique style throughout. So beautiful! -Mari
Organizing for the rest of us : 100 realistic strategies to keep any house under control
by Dana (Dana K.) White
648.5 /White
Home
"So you want to keep your kitchen counter clean but you aren't ready to toss the toaster? You want to be able to find your kids' socks but aren't looking to spend your 401(k) on clear bins? You long for a little more peace but minimalism isn't sparking joy? Decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob Dana K. White offers sustainable ideas to simplify and manage your home in Organizing for the Rest of Us." --

As someone who enjoys cleaning and organizing my home (just don't look at my work desk), I was surprised how much I got out of this book! I also got some gratification from reading some things that I already use as a rule. Mainly I would recommend this book for people who struggle to keep their home clutter-free, clean and organized because she really does offer very practical and useful tips that everyone can follow. -Mari
A flicker in the dark
by Stacy Willingham
FICTION Willingham, Stacy
Fiction, Thriller
"From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last page. When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath. Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she's worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?"--

Fans of the first season of True Detective will enjoy this gritty serial killer copycat murder mystery set in the South. An unreliable narrator and lots of potential for multiple psychopaths in the story will keep you questioning the truth and changing the protagonist. A very solid debut thriller! -Mari
Kalamata's kitchen
by Sarah (Sommelier) Thomas
jE Thomas
Diverse Characters, Picture Books
"Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary. Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting!"--

"Being brave is delicious!" This is a very unique story featuring an Indian-American girl who is afraid about starting a new school and finds comfort in her mother's kitchen. Kalamata is a great little heroine for foodies, and she has such a vivid imagination. I appreciated a short read, beautiful pretty pictures, and recommend this story for kids when trying new things! -Mari
Only in America! : the weird and wonderful 50 states
by Heather Alexander
j973 Alexander
Nonfiction, Kids
"A state-by-state compendium of weird laws, quirks, one-offs, and unusual records only to be found in the wonderfully wacky US of A. Only in America! explores the strangest claims to fame and the most unusual place names every state has to offer. Visit the city of Dinosaur, drop by the Pizza Museum, find out where it is illegal to feed a pig without a permit, and check out the world's only "carhenge" (that's right, Stonehenge reconstructed using cars)."--

This books is chock full of interesting facts for each state as well as hundreds of beautiful illustrations with bold colors. The highlight for each state for me are the lists fantastic foods, its super interesting to read about dishes unique to each state and makes me want to try them all! I also enjoy the state slang and list of books that take place in each state. -Mari
Marshmallow & Jordan
by Alina Chau
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Chau
Graphic Novels
"Jordan's days as the star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed...Now, she's still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her...until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport. Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams--or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team?"--

I was instantly drawn to this graphic novel when I saw it on the bookmobile shelf. The illustrations are bright, bold and beautiful and the characters are loveable immediately. I love how strong the protagonist is and that the reader learns about Hindu and Indonesian culture, as well as some exciting sports moments. Plus the elephant Marshmallow is SO CUTE. -Mari
Witches of Brooklyn
by Sophie Escabasse
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Escabasse Witches
Graphic Novels
"Effie moves to Brooklyn to live with her strange aunt and soon discovers that she might be a witch"--

I am beyond obsessed with these aunts! I love the illustration style and the story moves really quickly, just picked up the sequel "What the Hex?!" and can't wait to dive in! -Mari
The dinosaur awards
by Barbara Taylor
j567.9 Taylor
Kids, Nonfiction, Humor
Welcome to the Dinosaur Awards. Fifty fabulous dinosaurs are practicing their acceptance speeches. They're in the running for prizes that celebrate their most award-worth qualities and skills (some will surprise you). Who will win the fuzzy and furious award? Who will win the terrifying toes award? And who will take home the loudest trumpeter award? Who will be crowned the Lizard King? Readers can learn all about the dinosaurs' features, diet and habits as well as discover what makes each one so prize-worthy - and there are 10 comic strips to enjoy, too. With easy-to-understand, humorous text by Barbara Taylor and joyful illustrations from cartoonist Stephen Collins, this is the perfect book for dinosaur-loving kids everywhere. There are pronunciation guides, time periods, and vital statistics for each dinosaur, as well as an index to peruse.

A mixture of clever/hilarious text, adorable and colorful illustrations and as always amazing dinosaur trivia, this book is great one to enjoy during Dinovember! I enjoyed many of the award categories such as "Mom-of-the-Era," "Absolutely Crushing It," the "Scissorhands" award and "King of Rock and Roll." The book is delightfully sprinkled with comic strips, infographics, and tons of little quotes and details to keep you engaged all the way through. -Mari
The unofficial Simpsons cookbook : from Krusty burgers to Marge's pretzels, famous recipes from your favorite cartoon family
by Laurel Randolph
641.5973 /Randolph
Cookbooks
"Everyone knows and loves The Simpsons. Now you can make the food you've seen in the show for thirty-one seasons right in the comfort of your own home faster than you can say, "Mmm...Donuts." Over the years, Simpsons episodes have featured, and sometimes revolved, around countless food items. Thanks to Homer Simpson's unending appetite and a writers' room full of food lovers, the show has a long list of truly iconic dishes. From Chief Wiggum's Chili to the Flaming Moe (a.k.a. Flaming Homer) to Super Squishees to Krusty Burgers, you'll find all those recipes and more in The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook. Featuring 70 recipes that include many of the most classic Simpsons dishes, this cookbook includes easy-to-follow instructions for chefs of all ages and levels. Finally, you can make all your favorite meals straight from Marge's kitchen in no time!"--

I enjoyed looking through this book for the amazing pictures alone, plus the recipes are hilarious. My favorite recipe to try someday is the Nacho Man Nacho hat! I frequent this author's Instagram account, The Joy of Cooking Milhouse, on the regular. -Mari
The legend of auntie Po
by Shing Yin Khor
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Khor
Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction
"Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman's daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan--reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch"--

I loved the story, the characters, the illustration style and the historical context. -Mari
Northern spy
by Flynn Berry
FICTION Berry Flynn
Fiction
"A producer at the Belfast bureau of the BBC, Tessa is at work one day when the news of another raid comes on the air. The IRA may have gone underground after the Good Friday agreement, but they never really went away, and lately, bomb threats, arms drops, and helicopters floating ominously over the city have become features of everyday life. As the anchor requests the public's help in locating those responsible for this latest raid - a robbery at a gas station - Tessa's sister appears on the screen. Tessa watches in shock as Marian pulls a black mask over her face. The police believe Marian has joined the IRA, but Tessa knows this is impossible. They were raised to oppose Republicanism, and the violence enacted in its name. They've attended peace vigils together. And besides, Marian is vacationing by the sea. Tessa just spoke to her yesterday. When the truth of what has happened to Marian reveals itself, Tessa will be forced to choose: between her ideals and her family, between bystanderism and action. Walking an increasingly perilous road, she fears nothing more than endangering the one person she loves more fiercely than her sister: her infant son."--Provided by publisher.

It was very difficult to stop reading this until I finished. The Troubles in Ireland is such a complicated topic, I found the narrative set within to be very interesting. Plus, there are a lot of surprises. -Mari
Seek you : a journey through American loneliness
by Kristen Radtke
155.92 Radtke
Science, Graphic Novels, Memoir
"When Kristen Radtke was in her twenties, she learned that, as her father was growing up, he would crawl onto his roof in rural Wisconsin and send signals out on his ham radio. Those CQ calls were his attempt to reach somebody--anybody--who would respond. In Seek You, Radtke uses this image as her jumping off point into a piercing exploration of loneliness and the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another. She looks at the very real current crisis of loneliness through the lenses of gender, violence, technology, and art. Ranging from the invention of the laugh-track to Instagram to Harry Harlow's experiments in which infant monkeys were given inanimate surrogate mothers, Radtke uncovers all she can about how we engage with friends, family, and strangers alike, and what happens--to us and to them--when we disengage."--

A great mixture of autobiographical and social science examination. I loved this unique graphic format and felt very relevant in the pandemic world with more isolation. -Mari
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

I couldn't put this book down! A very thorough and accessible to all ages account of the incredible cave rescue that the whole world was captivated by. I learned a lot more about how incredibly precarious the situation was, and how truly amazing the efforts of the global rescue team of military personnel, engineers, medics, cave divers, and other volunteers were...Not to mention thirteen children with incredible resiliency and perseverance to survive through so many days of complete darkness, with no food or clean water. -Mari
The four winds
by Kristin Hannah
FICTION Hannah Kristin
Fiction, Historical Fiction
"Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman's only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa's tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa - like so many of her neighbors - must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family."--Provided by publisher.

An intriguing historical fiction that demonstrates the total devastation of farmland in the dust bowl, the hardships suffered by the people of the Great Plains, the poverty and disadvantages endured by migrant workers escaping the dust bowl and heading to California in the depression era of the 1930s. A lot of the political unrest and action may resonate for readers of this time as we see some parallels between the depression and our current challenges during a pandemic. -Mari
Successful aging : a neuroscientist explores the power and potential of our lives
by Daniel J. Levitin
612.82 /Levitin
Health, Science
Recent studies show that our decision-making skills improve as we age, and that our happiness levels peak at age eighty-two. Levitin examines the neuroscientific evidence to challenge many of the beliefs that surround aging. He provides realistic plans for how you can make the most of your seventies, eighties, and nineties today-- no matter how old you are now. -- adapted from jacket

Even though I am physically a couple decades away from the 60+ years developmental stage this book is most applicable to, I found the research done and compiled in this book to be both fascinating and enlightening. For me some key takeaways were; 1. Always try new things for neuroplasticity, for example, new hobbies, travel to new places, try new technologies. 2. Be social, particularly intergenerational, every generation has different qualities to offer. 3 Move your bodies, preferably outside. Survival skills are engaged even on a walk around the neighborhood because of the potential for unknown variables, and it keeps your body and mind sharp. This book is full of resilience strategies and practical, cognitive enhancing tricks everyone should do as they age as well as an appreciation for what we can learn from the wisdom of older generations. -Mari
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv
As children’s connections to nature diminish and the social, psychological, and spiritual implications become apparent, new research shows that nature can offer powerful therapy for such maladies as depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Environment-based education dramatically improves standardized test scores and grade-point averages and develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that childhood experiences in nature stimulate creativity. In Last Child in the Woods, Louv talks with parents, children, teachers, scientists, religious leaders, child-development researchers, and environmentalists who recognize the threat and offer solutions. Louv shows us an alternative future, one in which parents help their kids experience the natural world more deeply—and find the joy of family connectedness in the process.

This book presents an interesting examination of why children no longer play outside, the health benefits of interacting with nature and ways to encourage kids and communities to reconnect with and the outdoor world. All of this resonated deeply with me, and I felt grateful for the parts of my childhood spent running around in the woods, in the creek, through the farmlands, on bikes, all unsupervised with the neighborhood kids. Now when I go back to visit my dad at my childhood home, the forest is gone and the rural countryside is developed with new houses, streets, businesses, schools, and even hotels and a sports plex. think it's hard to dispute the author's message of how formative these experiences are to the development of children in becoming productive members of society and personally made me want to be engaged more in nature as adult. It also left me feeling a little sad knowing that most children today and in the future, as quoted by a child in the book, "like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are." -Mari
The great influenza : the epic story of the deadliest plague in history
by John M. Barry
614.518 /Barry
Science
At the height of WWI, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease. Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research and now revised to reflect the growing danger of the avian flu, The Great Influenza is ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, which provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon. John M. Barry has written a new afterword for this edition that brings us up to speed on the terrible threat of the avian flu and suggest ways in which we might head off another flu pandemic.

I found this book to be a generally fascinating account of medical research history. It provides a history of American medicine, especially the development of modern day medical schools, an explanation of viruses, histories of other epidemics. Of course my interest was sparked to read this in order to draw a comparison between this pandemic a century ago and the current one, but this book has a lot more, and provides a great deal of perspective. Lasting from February 1918 to April 1920, the Spanish-flu infected 500 million people–about a third of the world's population at the time. The death toll is estimated between 17 million and 50 million, some even claim 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. I think this would be a great read for any individuals in leadership roles who have the power to control the outcome of this pandemic, and of course those are simply curious. -Mari
We are all the same in the dark : a novel
A seasoned cop's interest in a mysterious one-eyed girl takes her back to the worst night of her life in this fast-paced thriller from the internationally bestselling author of Black-Eyed Susans. They call her Angel. Found on the side of a remote highway, half-dead and blowing wishes in a field of dandelions, the young girl refuses to speak. No one knows who she is or where she came from--only that she fell from the sky. It's Wyatt who finds her and takes her home to nurse her back to health, setting into motion the town's rumor mill. A pariah, Wyatt still believes he can still communicate with his long-gone sister, and he might be the only one left who knows the truth about the night of her disappearance. The night that Wyatt's cousin, Odette Tucker, also lost something important: her leg. Now a cop, uninhibited by her prosthetic, Odette must reenter Wyatt's ghost-ridden world. In Angel's case and her beautiful green eye, she sees her once-broken self and all the things she was told she'd never do. As she begins to coax Angel into speaking and slowly pieces together her identity, Odette is ignited to reopen the cold case that has haunted her. Soon she is ensnared in a lethal game of cat and mouse with someone who doesn't want that night revisited. The night that inspired her to become a cop, the night her friend disappeared and they both exploded into a small Texas town's dark, violent mythology.

A gritty, violent thriller set in Texas with a new mystery sparked by an old one. Odette Tucker follows in her cop father's footsteps after a decade old disappearance of a small town's homecoming queen and sweetheart, Trumanell on a night that changes Odette's life forever. Trumanell's brother Wyatt, the town's outcast, picks up a young girl with a missing eye, and Odette rushes to action and brings the young girl, whom Wyatt dubs Angel, to keep her safe. I quickly devoured this gut-wrenching and suspenseful story. -Mari
American predator : the hunt for the most meticulous serial killer of the 21st century

I enjoyed this super fast read about a serial killer most people have never heard of. This true crime narrative has all of the details you want chronologically about how serial killer Israel Keyes got caught and confessed and none of the information you don't want, or at least I don't. This book delves into interrogation tactics from the police and FBI and psychoanalyzes the childhood of a calculated murderer who managed to abscond law enforcement across several states and over a dozen murders in a post 9/11 high security world. -Mari
Beach read
by Emily Henry
FICTION Henry Emily
Romance, Humor
"A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters. Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. They're polar opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. But as the summer stretches on, January discovers a gaping plot hole in the story she's been telling herself about her own life, and begins to wonder what other things she might have gotten wrong, including her ideas about the man next door."--Provided by publisher.

I rarely read romance books, but unabashedly love a good rom com movie. This book was light and fun to read, and the romantic connection between the protagonists, a romance author who's life is falling apart and an emotionally wounded dark lit writer felt real and complex. -Mari
The body : a guide for occupants
by Bill Bryson
"Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body. As compulsively readable as it is comprehensive, this is Bryson at his very best, a must-read owner's manual for everybody. Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body--how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Bryson-esque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you in particular. As Bill Bryson writes, "We pass our existence within this wobble of flesh and yet take it almost entirely for granted." The Body will cure that indifference with generous doses of wondrous, compulsively readable facts and information"--

Maybe my favorite read of the summer! A comprehensive, head to toe guide through the body filled with fascinating science, anecdotes and reflections on our health. It felt like a whirlwind Anatomy and Physiology course, and in time where the world is examining our immune response to a virus, it was oddly compelling and made me reexamine my own health choices. -Mari
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
by Annie Dillard
508.755 /Dillard
Nature
A collection of essays on the natural world during a year spent in the Blue Ridge Mountains reflects the author's interactions with her wilderness surroundings.

This book has been on my to-read list for a long time. Dillard's essays on her observations of the natural world in the Blue Ridge mountains are so beautiful and almost otherworldly. There was way too much information about plants and creatures to possibly retain it all but I enjoyed every page. -Mari
Rebecca
by Daphne Du Maurier
FICTION DuMaurier, Daphne
Classics, Suspense
A young girl becomes the second Mrs. Max de Winter, only to find that she is not the mistress of Manderley. Instead the house and its occupants are dominated by the memory of Rebecca, her predecessor.

I saw that this book was getting adapted for the screen via Netflix and felt regret that I hadn't read it. Luckily it was available on Libby and I was done with it roughly 24 hours later. What a read! So much mystery and shroud with a couple good twists and wonderful descriptions. It's hard to believe this was written almost a century ago, it feels ahead of its time and contends with all of the suspense books written more recently. I am a firm believer in reading the book first and this was a great read, and while I am excited to watch it on screen, I doubt it will live up to it's expectations of the book. -Mari
The end of October
by Lawrence Wright
FICTION Wright Lawrence
Fiction
"At an internment camp in Indonesia, within one week, forty-seven people are pronounced dead with acute hemorrhagic fever. When the microbiologist and epidemiologist Henry Parsons travels there on behalf of the World Health Organization to investigate, what he finds will soon have staggering repercussions across the globe: an infected man is on his way to join the millions of worshippers in the annual Hajj to Mecca. Now, Henry joins forces with a Saudi doctor and prince in an attempt to quarantine the entire host of pilgrims in the holy city. Matilda Nachinsky, deputy director of U. S. Homeland Security, scrambles to mount a response to what may be an act of biowarfare already-fraying global relations begin to snap, one by one, in the face of a pandemic. Henry's wife Jill and their children face diminishing odds of survival in Atlanta and the disease slashes across the United States, dismantling institutions - scientific, religious, governmental - and decimating the population."--Provided by publisher.

It might seem strange to read a book about a pandemic during a pandemic, but I found it oddly comforting to read about a virus even worse than the one we are currently facing. I think during a different time, this work of fiction would feel more similar to science fiction, but so many parallels and realities rang true in this book that it was almost disturbing, but also there were moments that made you appreciate the majority of history in which we lived without a devastating virus. From my earlier reading this summer of Bill Bryson's The Body, it is only by luck that we went a whole century without such a sweeping viral illness as the Spanish Flu, not the proper precautions. I really enjoyed this action packed and at times--devastating read. -Mari
Calypso
by David Sedaris
817.54 /Sedaris
Memoir
Personal essays share the author's adventures after buying a vacation house on the Carolina coast and his reflections on middle age and mortality.

I have never been disappointed reading a collection of David Sedaris' essays, and this book was no exception. I laughed out loud, felt like crying and once again feel like David Sedaris is one of the most relatable writers ever. -Mari
White fragility : why it's so hard for White people to talk about racism
by Robin J. DiAngelo
305.8 /DiAngelo
Nonfiction
In this groundbreaking and timely book, antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility. Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo explores how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively. --

Every white person needs to read this book. It feels like the most helpful diversity training you will ever experience, and while sometimes the truth hurts, the sooner white people realize we live in a indoctrinated racist society and take steps to reverse it, the better. I love the directness of this book. It's very no nonsense--whether you like it or not, we exist in a racist society. Here's why and what you can do about it. It's very important and I strongly believe it's what everyone needs to get on board with understanding in order to move forward. -Mari
The Sun Down Motel
by Simone St. James
FICTION St. James, Simone
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
"The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls. Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden there. Upstate NY, 2017. Carly Kirk has always been fascinated by her aunt Viv who disappeared from the Sun Down before Carly was born. Using a small inheritance from when her mom dies, Carly leaves college to go to Fell to figure out what happened to her aunt thirty-five years ago. Soon, Carly is mirroring her aunt's life, working as the night clerk at the motel, which hasn't changed since 1982. The guest book is still handwritten, the rooms still have actual keys, and a haunting presence still lingers. Carly discovers that Viv had been trying to unravel mysteries of her own--including a possible serial killer working in Fell. If Carly can find the answers Viv was searching for, she might be able to solve the mystery that has haunted her family for years"--

I'll admit I placed this book on hold without reading the description solely because I was intrigued by the cover. It ended up being a little different than what I expected, which I think was probably a little like the movie Bad Times at the El Royale, but while it did leave some to be desired in the category of character development, it was an intriguing story with ghosts, detective work, and female empowerment. -Mari
Echo Mountain
by Lauren Wolk
jFICTION Wolk Lauren
Kids, Nature, Historical Fiction
When twelve-year-old Ellie and her family lose livelihood and move to a mountain cabin in 1934, she quickly learns to be an outdoors woman and, when needed, a healer.

I loved this story, and it provides some pretty incredible perspective for kids in the modern age. Financially affected by the Great Depression, a family has no choice but to live off the land on a mountain. Ellie learns about her gift to heal when tragedy leaves her father gravely ill. Ellie uses the survivalist skills he taught her along with her own intuition to save her family and foster a community on the mountain. -Mari
How to be an Antiracist
by Ibram X. Kendi
305.8 /Kendi
Nonfiction
""The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it -- and then dismantle it." Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America -- but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it. In this book, Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science, bringing it all together with an engaging personal narrative of his own awakening to antiracism. How to Be an Antiracist is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society." --

A must-read for everyone who want to learn how to be antiracist in a country that is definitely not post-racial. Kendi recounts the history of racism in the United States, and identifies both the individual responsibility and systemic responsibility for racist ideals in society. -Mari
How to be a good creature : a memoir in thirteen animals
by Sy Montgomery
590 /Montgomery
Animals
A naturalist and adventurer discusses the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals who have profoundly affected her, exploring themes of learning to become empathetic, creating families, coping with loss, and the otherness and sameness of people and animals.

I am constantly on the lookout for survivalist stories and books about the natural world, and this one showed up on my search on Libby. This is a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed about one woman's deep connection to animals, with an essay love letter for each one that has profoundly affected her in her lifetime. I would have loved for it to be longer! -Mari
Once upon a river : a novel
by Diane Setterfield
FICTION Setterfi Diane
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, a wounded stranger carries in the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later the girl stirs, and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Magic? As the days pass the child remains mute and unable to answer questions. Three families are keen to claim her: the wealthy mother of a kidnapped daughter missing for two years; a farming family sure it is their son's secret daughter; a parson's housekeeper, reminded of her younger sister. Each family has secrets, must be revealed before the girl's identity can be known. -- adapted from jacket

A character-driven, magical realism story about a town trying to discover the truth after a seemingly dead young girl comes back to life hours after arriving at an ancient inn on the Thames. Beautifully written and full of mystery and folklore. -Mari
Hidden Valley Road : inside the mind of an American family
by Robert Kolker
616.890092 /Kolker
Health, Biographies
"Don and Mimi Galvin seemed to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don's work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their twelve children perfectly spanned the baby boom: the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. In those years, there was an established script for a family like the Galvins--aspiration, hard work, upward mobility, domestic harmony--and they worked hard to play their parts. But behind the scenes was a different story: psychological breakdown, sudden shocking violence, hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the ten Galvin boys, one after the other, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family? What took place inside the house on Hidden Valley Road was so extraordinary that the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institutes of Mental Health. Their story offers a shadow history of the science of schizophrenia, from the era of institutionalization, lobotomy, and the schizophrenogenic mother, to the search for genetic markers for the disease, always amidst profound disagreements about the nature of the illness itself. And unbeknownst to the Galvins, samples of their DNA informed decades of genetic research that continues today, offering paths to treatment, prediction, and even eradication of the disease for future generations. With clarity and compassion, bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker uncovers one family's unforgettable legacy of suffering, love and hope"--

I read this author's other book, Lost Girls, a A literary account of the lives and presumed serial killings of five Craigslist prostitutes. I was impressed by his level of detail, and this story follows suit. A fascinating dive into the genetics and behavioral proclivities of sufferers of schizophrenia, as well as a detailed history and exploration of the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Fascinatingly enough, six of the ten boys in one large family, the Galvins, one after the other, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. This story is tragic and heartbreaking but provides some clarity into one of the most misunderstood diseases in existence. -Mari
Rodham : a novel
by Curtis Sittenfeld
FICTION Sittenfeld, Curtis
Fiction
"In 1971, Hillary Rodham is a young woman full of promise. Life magazine covered her Wellesley commencement speech, she's attending Yale Law School, and she's on the forefront of student activism and the women's rights movement. Then she meets a fellow law student named Bill Clinton. A charismatic Southerner, Bill is already laying the groundwork for his political career. In each other, Hillary and Bill find a profound intellectual, emotional, and physical connection that neither has previously experienced. In the real world, Hillary followed Bill back to Arkansas, and he proposed several times. Although she turned him down more than once, she eventually accepted and became Hillary Clinton. But in Curtis Sittenfeld's powerfully imagined tour de force of fiction, Hillary follows a different path. Listening to her doubts about the prospective marriage, she endures a devastating break-up and leaves Arkansas. Over the next four decades, she blazes her own trail--one that unfolds in public as well as in private, that crosses paths again (and again) with Bill Clinton, that raises questions about the trade-offs all of us must make to build a life. Brilliantly weaving actual historical events into a riveting fictional tale, Sittenfeld delivers an uncannily astute story for our times. In exploring the loneliness, moral ambivalence, and iron determination that characterize the quest for political power, as well as both the exhilaration and painful compromises demanded of female ambition in a world still mostly run by men, Rodham is a singular and unforgettable novel."--

I love Curtis Sittenfield, and this type of book is what she does best. This follows Hilary Rodham Clinton in an alternative history where she chooses a different path. This story takes us through her lifetime with an ending we don't know yet, and I couldn't put it down! -Mari
The Vanishing Half
by Brit Bennett
FICTION Bennett Brit
Historical Fiction, Diverse Characters
"The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Ten years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins. As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise"--

My favorite fiction read of the summer. I read Nella Larsen's Passing in college, and it illuminated my white privilege in a historical context that I have never forgotten. This intriguing story follows a set of twin girls who were raised in a light-skinned black community, who ran away as teenagers to forge their own way in the world. One twin returns with a dark black child and the other is never heard from again, and it is revealed that she is passing, hiding her family history for the remainder of her life. By the next generation, the cousins paths are so very different, but by a twist of fate their paths cross and the mystery comes out. Such a great read that will stay in my mind for a long time. -Mari
Me & Patsy, kickin' up dust : my friendship with Patsy Cline
by Loretta Lynn
781.642092 /Lynn
Biographies, Music
"Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust shares the 'important and inspiring' (Miranda Lambert) never-before-told complete story of the remarkable relationship between country music icons Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. Loretta Lynn and the late Patsy Cline are legends--country icons and sisters of the heart. For the first time ever Loretta tells their story: a celebration of their music and their relationship up until Patsy's tragic and untimely death. Full of laughter and tears, this eye-opening, heartwarming memoir paints a picture of two stubborn, spirited country gals who'd be damned if they'd let men or convention tell them how to be. Set in the heady streets of the 1960s South, this nostalgia ride shows how Nashville blossomed into the city of music it is today. Tender and fierce, Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust is an up-close-and-personal portrait of a friendship that defined a generation and changed country music indelibly--and a meditation on love, loss and legacy"--Amazon.com.

As a fan of Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and both the movies made about these women's lives, I was thrilled to finally get the full story of the friendship between these two incredible women. This book does not disappoint! I was enthralled with Loretta's honesty through her storytelling. and I could completely visualize their powerful friendship. A quick read that I completely enjoyed. -Mari
My Lists

About Me
Mari has the best job in the library because she gets to plan children's programming, create displays, do preschool storytimes and take the bookmobile out to the Iowa City schools. She enjoys reading kid and adult fiction, true crime and memoirs. Her hobbies include hiking, embroidery and music. Her children are her house plants, and technically she's a millenial so she can get away with saying that.
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