The Rosie Project VS The River of No Return: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Sue

Nicholas J. Schrup Library, Clarke University

The Rosie Project is a humorous romance written from a male character's point of view by Graeme Simsion. It seems rare to encounter a romance story from a male perspective. Professor Don Tillman (Australian) is  extremely intelligent genetics professor, but has a hard time with personal interactions. It is not really spelled out for you in the book, but Don has Asperger's Syndrome which makes it harder for him  to pick up on verbal and facial social clues. Most of the story revolves around Don's inept behavior with women as he searches for a wife. He decides to make a questionnaire to filter out unsuitable women in his search, and calls it the Wife Project. When he meets Rosie, a bartender who contacts him for genetics advice in tracking down her biological father, he agrees to take on a new task--the Father Project. Rosie does not meet the requirements of his questionnaire, but he has the best days of his life when he's with her.

I found myself thinking about Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and Spencer from Criminal Minds throughout the book. They are both lovable characters and so is Don.

I think one of the reasons the story is so appealing is that it's written by a man, from a man's perspective.
This wasn't a traditional romance novel, but I enjoyed the romantic aspect of this story quite a bit. There was also a fun and interesting journey with Don and Rosie gathering dozens of samples of DNA to determine who might be Rosie's biological father. It made me laugh quite a few times!

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway was an interesting time-travel book with a romance at the heart of the story. Lord Nicholas Falcott is about to be run through with a sword on a Spanish battlefield when he is hurtled two hundred years into the future. He wakes at the mercy of The Guild, a seemingly benevolent organization that supports people who find themselves displaced in time.

In this story, time travel wasn't just an excuse to get a modern person into a previous century or vice versa, but rather a concept that was used throughout the whole book. The purpose of the time travel is what kept me drawn in through-out the story, a hope to save the world. Not only was there time-travel, but also stopping time, and manipulating time. That was all very interesting, but at times hard to follow.

So, I chose The Rosie Project over The River of No Return because The Rosie Project was ultimately more readable for me and kept my attention.  There were "slow spots" in each book but fewer of them in Rosie.

Eleanor & Park VS Me Before You: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Becky

Charles C. Myers Library, University of Dubuque

Dear Me Before You,

It’s not you, it’s me. I promise I went into this with an open mind. I knew before I even started you weren’t my typical book.

You had everything going for you: an adorably British, refreshingly quirky female character, attitudinally challenged quadriplegic male lead, a love story, a castle, ethical questions, interesting family dynamics, a fabulous cover design AND you brought me to tears. How could I not love Lou? She shows character growth and just the right amounts of compassion and sassiness when dealing with the understandably melancholy Will. And Will. A differently-abled character that isn’t set up to evoke pity, or sorrow. He’s angry, frustrated, and just done dealing with people. The set up is fabulous. The narrative plays that delicate balance between saccharin and tart. And did I mention the tears? You broke my heart in the best way possible.

By all calculations, you should have won this battle. And I’d like to think that against most other books you would have. You just happened to be up against an even better book. I’m sorry. I really am. Don’t think of this as a break up. I truly enjoyed our time together, I just have to go with Eleanor & Park. But call me when you’re in town again and we’ll grab a drink.

Hugs,
Becky

                                                                                                            

My dearest Eleanor & Park,

You knew all along you were going to win this round, didn’t you? You’re sneaky like that. You tell us right off that Eleanor is gone. And that Park is heartbroken enough that he sees her everywhere she is not. You’re upfront about the fact that this won’t end well. And yet, somehow you draw me in. And make me cry. And come back for more. I thought maybe the second time that magnetic quality might be diminished. It wasn’t. It was actually stronger.

Eleanor’s reality, though bleak, is compelling and complex. Too often main characters are one-dimensional. Or given a singular hurdle or defining characteristic. Eleanor is large, poor, red-headed, and has a difficult home life; all without being stereotypical. Park, while seemingly better off, is still a bit of a misfit: a Korean-American boy who is a little too feminine for his father’s taste. On the outside they have very little in common, but somehow over music and comic books begrudging understanding happens. Soon, friendship is forged and finally romance blooms at the back of the bus.

Just like Eleanor and Park, I can’t explain why I like you. Scenes I can’t divulge are like a punch to the gut. And those few beautiful moments like the first time they hold hands shouldn’t be enough to make the rest of the story bearable. This isn’t your boy meets girl and they live happily ever after tale. It’s so much more than that. Reminding us that love isn’t always enough, or everything, or even easy. But it’s worth it; and so are you Eleanor & Park. So are you.

Yours forever and for always, (or at least until the next round),
Becky

Reading NaNoWriMo: "Shades of Milk and Honey"

The bulk of my attention for November has turned to NaNoWriMo, which means less time for reading (even if I'm woefully behind target for my word count). Luckily there are many books that I've enjoyed, but haven't had a chance to review here on the blog, so today I'm here to sell you on the novels of  Mary Robinette Kowal, who happened to write the first of her Glamourist Histories series, Shades of Milk and Honey, during NaNoWriMo.

[Side note: If you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year, we're having a Come Write In session tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. and then at 7 p.m. the book club is discussing another NaNoWriMo book, The Night Circus, which Andrew reviewed here.]

I first read Shades of Milk and Honey in 2011, and I picked up the most recent in the series, Without a Summer, this past August. I really enjoy the way Kowal mixes Jane Austen-like Regency romance with a system of magic that fit naturally with the setting. Even better, this has proven to be a series that holds up well to rereads. A fourth book, Valour and Vanity is scheduled for publication next year, and I'll probably be pre-ordering a copy.


In fact, I liked Shades of Milk and Honey so much, that I named it my favorite book of 2011 (I generally try to read at least a few of the Hugo and Nebula nominees each year). Months later I remembered to add a (very) short review to my Goodreads account, and then was floored when Ms. Kowal (or some person in charge of her Goodreads profile) "liked" my review.

It was a helpful reminder that these days it's not uncommon for social media savvy authors to interact with their fans, and not just the fans who sought out their mailing address, email, or blog comment section. It's fairly easy to use keyword tracking to find mentions of your name (especially if a library @ tags the author), or the title of your most recent novel.

In fact, we now have a half-serious joke about trying not to look like we're stalking Rainbow Rowell on Twitter. We aren't. We swear. Though, speaking of, did you know her most recent novel, Fangirl, is also a NaNoWriMo novel?

Of course, it seems unlikely that a group of librarians encouraging readers to love a favorite book as much as we do would be mistaken for creepers. But the other side of an author's ability to connect with fans online, is that it's astonishingly easy for readers to learn about the lives of their favorite authors. Long gone are the days when a young reader might pour over the about the author paragraph in the back of a favorite paperback trying to guess if the author is a cat or a dog person.

For example, we all recently learned how (not so) easy it is to (apply a rigorous research method and) impersonate Patrick Rothfuss on Twitter. In fact, Ms. Kowal applied some of the same methods she used to achieve a writing voice similar to Jane Austen's in order to out Rothfuss Rothfuss (who, it should be noted, failed to hit the 50,000 word mark during NaNoWriMo, and that's okay).

I also learned, in the course of writing this blog post, that Ms. Kowal is an accomplished voice actress, who has narrated several audiobooks. If you'd like to learn more about the author, she keeps a blog on her website: www.maryrobinettekowal.com
She also tweets as herself: @MaryRobinette

~Sarah, Adult Services


One final note: I couldn't think of a way to work in a link to my review of Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer, which was also written during NaNoWriMo.

I Read Banned Books: Rainbow Rowell

I had a book review for a different title half composed before I started seeing stories about a Minnesota school district that had canceled a visit by author Rainbow Rowell, after parents complained that her YA novel, Eleanor & Park, was inappropriate for teens.

Attentive readers of the blog, and those of you whom I'm liable to offer unsolicited reading suggestions, are likely aware that I'm a bit of a fan. In fact, this isn't even the first time I've recommended Rainbow Rowell's books on the library's blog. You can read my review of her first novel, Attachments, by clicking here, and you'll see Eleanor & Park in this list of books I'd particularly enjoyed reading in the first few months of 2013.

You're probably not surprised if I say I find this school district's decision disappointing. Libraries, booksellers, and passionate readers of all stripes have been calling attention to censorship for more than 30 years with the annual celebration of Banned Books Week. That 2013's Banned Books Week is *this* week, Sept 22nd-28th, makes this story an excellent example of the ongoing challenges that books of all sorts continue to face.

You might think that book challenges and bans only happen in other place, countries with repressive dictators, or in some dim past, but they don't. Which is why we take the time every year to remind you that it's okay to say "I don't want to read this" or "I don't think my child should read this," but that is not at all the same as saying "No one should read this."

As I mentioned, I very much enjoyed Eleanor & Park, and I've strong-armed several people into reading it. It's a great story of first love and discovering your own strength in the face of (mild spoilers) bullying, abuse, poverty, racism, and all those other everyday challenges of being a teen. The idea that someone would prevent a teen from reading about these sorts of issues, the sorts of horrible things that teens face every day in the real world, in the name of protecting them, astounds me. You can't protect people from reality, but the right book can offer an individual a chance to escape their reality.

Which brings me to Rowell's most recent novel, Fangirl, which covers quite neatly the way that a reader can turn to a fictional world to help cope with the real world. Fangirl is also a YA title, though I suspect it has some appeal for readers of New Adult fiction too. It's an uplifting story of self-discovery, with quite a bit of drama, a sweet romance, and enough humor to keep the drama from overwhelming.

Cath, our protagonist, is unwillingly starting her freshman year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her twin sister, Wren, is much more eager for a fresh start, away from their needy dad, the mother who left them as children, and their shared identity as Simon Snow super fans. Simon Snow is the star of an incredibly popular fantasy series, in the style of Harry Potter, and Cath is in the process of writing one of the most popular Simon Snow fanfics* on the net.

So if you're looking for a good book to read for Banned Books week, I can recommend Rainbow Rowell. We do have a wait list for all of her books though, so you might also want to come in and check out our display of banned and challenged books by the Recommendations Desk. We're taking mugshots again this year, if you want proof of your controversial reading taste!

~Sarah, Adult Services

*fanfic, along with fan fiction and fic, are terms used to describe fan created stories that use the characters or worlds created in their favorite works of fiction, like Star Trek, Harry Potter, or Twilight, to create something new. Fun facts! Fifty Shades of Grey began as a Twilight fic, and City of Bones grew out of Harry Potter fic.

And while I'm down here, I'm going to point out Fangirl's awesome cover art by Noelle Stevenson, creator of the excellent webcomic Nimona.

The Malloren World Series by Jo Beverly

New York Times bestselling author Jo Beverley wrote her first Malloren book in 1993.  Her most recent title in the series, Seduction in Silk, published in August 2013, introduced me to the Malloren world, and I was compelled to go back to the beginning.

In very short order I read the original five books that tell the stories of Beowulf Malloren, Marquess of Rothgar, and his half-siblings, Arcenbryght, Brand and the twins Cynric and Elfled.
 
Although Beowulf, Bey to his family, is oldest, his story comes last.  His father and step-mother die when Bey is 19, and he refuses to let his family be separated.  When Bey was a toddler, he was unable to prevent his mother from killing his infant sister Edith.  He does not want his heir to have this taint of madness.  Throughout the first four books, readers learn more and more about the Malloren family and, as his brothers and sisters find adventure and love, speculate if Bey will break his vow never to marry.  Bey is the most complicated character I’ve met so far in the series, and I like Devilish best.  He is haughty and dictatorial, politically astute and still a devoted brother.

Beverley, a five-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America's RITA Award, and a member of the RWA Hall of Fame, has a degree in history from Keele University.  She imbues her Georgian historical romances with well-researched and accurate details.  She has a lively website and is one of eight authors blogging since 2006 as The Word Wenches.  While I like the interlinking characters in the Malloren world, it is Beverley’s ability to create distinct character and plot elements for each title that kept me reading.  She joins Mary Balogh, Eloisa James, and Julia Quinn as authors that are part of my Author Alerts service, so I am notified when a new book is released.

~ Michelle, Adult Services

Staff Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

As a Reader's Advisory librarian I try to keep abreast of what's hot in the world of books. I may not have time to read all of the latest best sellers, but as long as I have an idea what "everybody" is reading, I'll be ready to help a fan of Downton Abbey or Game of Thrones find an alternate book to enjoy while they wait out the hold list.

I'm willing to bet though that most Dubuquers haven't heard of Austenland, much less read Shannon Hale's engaging work of chick lit. Although, now that a movie adaption starring Keri Russell is due for a theatrical release on August 15th, I could be wrong!

Jane Austen and her novels remain a perennial favorite, and over the years we've been treated to any number of adaptions, remixes, continuations, and homages. You can trace Austen's influence across a wide variety of literature and pop cultural sources. All around the world readers swoon for the taciturn charms of Mr. Darcy.

Jane Hayes falls squarely into the category of Darcy-obsessives, particularly the Colin-Firth-as-Darcy-obsessives (much like Bridget Jones before her). When Jane's beloved great-aunt dies, she's given an unusual inheritance, an all expenses paid luxury vacation to Austen-themed resort in England. This isn't a serious work of literature, but it's a fun bit of escapism for us Austenholics with a charming little romance and some genuinely funny bits.

Essentially, if you liked Lost in Austen, you'll probably enjoy Austenland! If you haven't heard of Lost in Austen either, it's a charming romantic comedy about a young woman named Amanda who suddenly finds that she's switched places with Elizabeth Bennet. And if you find yourself wishing you could visit Austenland, keep hope! A recent celebration of Pride and Prejudice's 200th anniversary saw people attending a fancy dress Regency dinner in England.

Still not enough for you? Great! I've got more!

Images from the 2005 Keira Knightley Pride & Prejudice paired with quotes from Parks & Recreation.'

Pamela Aidan first self-published her retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but her charming story quickly gained a large audience and a traditional publisher. A richly detailed view of the familiar story from the perspective of Darcy told in three novels. The series starts with An Assembly Such As This.


Thug Notes is the creation of Sparky Sweets, PhD. A series of videos mash-up hip-hop with analysis of literary classics (think Alistair Cookie and Monsterpiece Theater). I'm endlessly tickled by the Thug Notes video for Pride & Prejudice (there are a few swears):

-Sarah, Adult Services

Patron Picks: What Dubuque is Reading

Summer is in full swing, and there's nothing nicer than to curl up with a good book in the shade with some iced tea or lemonade or whatever your favorite summertime drink might be! As much as we enjoy sharing our favorite books with you, we love to hear about the books you're enjoying even more!

Today we're sharing some of the book reviews you've written on our Pinterest board or on a Patron Picks review bookmark. You can stop in to the library and flip through the Patron Picks binder or visit Pinterest for even more reviews. And if you have a book you enjoyed, feel free to share in the comments here, on Pinterest, or on a bookmark!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
5 stars. "Romance, magic & mystery. This book keeps you guessing right to the end! You won't be disapointed!"
4 stars. "Definitely a slow start. I forced myself to trudge through the first 200 pages which seemed to be mostly narration. Right at the 50% mark it picked up and I couldn't put it down. This book will push the limits of your imagination. The romance element was the most enticing, and could have been developed even more. Overall, nothing like I've read before. A good read."
Still not convinced? Check out Andrew's staff review too!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
5 stars. "What a lovely surprise this book was... that is if you like things that are slightly odd. I wouldn't say this is a horror, but discovery of the, for lack of better word, peculiar. I'd absolutely recommend this book and believe it would be a fascinating film!" 

Murder at Ford's Theatre by Margaret Truman
5 stars. "An interesting storyline that had a lot of twists & turns. Surprising ending."
You may also enjoy reading the athors in our political mysteries post. 


A Higher Call by Adam Makos
5 stars. "Great read, do NOT want to put it down! Insight into German life during WWII."

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
4 stars. "Great followup to Killing Lincoln, although not as compelling since living the 1963 experience."
Want to read more about President Kennedy? Check out these best seller read alike posts for Killing Kennedy.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
4 stars. "I have to admit that the similarities between this and Hunger Games is more than off-putting. The ceremony where they choose, the ranking/elimination, the training, even the bird tattoo.It's not easy to put down. A plus for this book vs. HG, they seem to be developing the romantic angle more, which I wanted from HG. Definitely captivating, I couldn't put it down. It wasn't the most unique or unpredictable, but still a good read."
Be sure to check out our read alike suggestions for The Hunger Games.

Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge
4 stars. "This is the true story of a young boy whose father leaves when he was a baby and his mother has mental illness... When he is seven his mother's mental illness finally overtakes her, and Andrew is placed in foster care for the next 11 years. This is a story of courage, survival, and a boy's unending love for his mother who he never really knew. My only wish is that he had written more about his adult life as a survivor. Very poignant and touching."

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris
3 stars. "Wraps up the series nicely. Wasn't very exciting like the previous books. Wish there was more from the vamps."

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
4 stars. "Starts a little slow, but at the end I couldn't stop reading this book."
Sarah also reviewed this book for our blog, and several of us in the adult services department agree that Rowell's second novel, Eleanor & Park, is even better.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
5 stars. "So AMAZING. Quick read, good for all ages. Love, loss, growth & change."

Lexicon by Max Barry
1 star. "Violent/confusing."
I admit that I was so intrigued by this one star review that I had to check this out. I'd read Barry's Jennifer Government years ago and enjoyed it, and wasn't disappointed by Lexicon. It is violent, the plot is complicated, and there's quite a bit of swearing to boot, so I can see why it isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy a fast-paced story about a secret society with supernatural powers who run the world with just a dash of romance, you'll like this book too! -Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Review: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

I do not understand why The River of No Return doesn't have a dozen people on the hold list. Sure, this is Bee Ridgway's first novel, and you probably don't spend a portion of your work and free time tracking new books, seeing what's getting good advance reviews, judging the cover art for books that won't be available for sale for months, etc. etc.

Maybe this is the first you're hearing about The River of No Return. That's fair, but now you need to place a hold on the library's copy or go out and buy your own because this is a book worth reading.

Let me walk that back a little. I usually wait a few weeks before posting a book review on the library's blog, and I only just finished this book on Saturday, so I'm maybe still bubbling over with those good book emotions. So! Walking it back, you need to check out The River of No Return, at your earliest convenience, if you are the sort of reader who enjoys:

• Time Travel
• Globe Spanning Conspiracies and Secret Societies
• Love Stories
• Characters Who Aren't Dimwits
• Complicated Morality

In 1812, Lord Nicholas Falcott is presumed dead at the Battle of Salamanca, but instead he finds himself transported into the distant future and the welcoming arms of The Guild. Left in the past is Julia Percy, granddaughter of the Earl whose estate borders Nick's own, and with her grandfather's death in 1815, Julia is truly an orphan. How their paths come to cross again, and all of the manipulation and complications that requires is where the story lies.

If, like me, you enjoy historical romances, you won't be disappointed there. I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Ridgway hasn't read her share of Julia Quinn's, Mary Balogh's, and all the other authors whose books have "duke" in the title. Never fear, a prior love of steamy romance novels is by no means a must to pick up this book, but if you find you enjoy the love story, you might want to browse around our Romance collection!

My only complaint is that the book ends with a couple of dangling plot threads. On the one hand, I'm happy for the idea that I might get to explore this world of time travelers again in some future sequel. On the other hand, I'm going to be wondering... Well, that would be a spoiler, so go! Read the book, and come back and we can discuss what we think is going to happen next!

Other books to read, in case I succeed in creating a wait list for The River of No Return:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (read alikes for Outlander)
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (staff review for The Rook)
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (staff review for Discovery of Witches) (read alikes for Deborah Harkness)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Spotlight on Shojo & Josei manga

When you're looking for a good book, it's often helpful to know the vocabulary that help readers, publishers, and librarians to sort the thousands of books printed each year into recognizable categories. The differences between middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult fiction. Why this series is urban fantasy and that one paranormal romance, and just what is the difference between a suspenseful thriller and a thrilling suspense novel? The distinctions aren't always clear, and some authors delight in defying conventions, but these are the tools that give us a shared vocabulary.

When it comes to manga (Japanese comics and graphic novels) there's a whole new set of vocabulary to learn. Today we're going to take a closer look at josei and shojo manga. These works are created with a feminine reading audience in mind. Individual titles can vary greatly in tone, topic, and setting, but the main character is almost always a woman or teenage girl, and there is usually a romantic element to the storyline. If you're a fan of women's fiction, chick lit, or romance novels, these are the manga for you!

Shojo (or shoujo) manga are intended for a teen or young adult audience, while josei are aimed at young professionals or new adults. Because of the differences between our cultures, American readers might find that the line between shojo and josei titles can be blurred. Readers should also be aware that publishers often retain the right to left format of the original manga. It might seem strange at first, but you'll quickly grow used to reading a book from back to front.

I've gathered together a list of popular titles and personal favorites that fall under the umbrella of shojo and josei manga. You should also check out our anime collection, as it is very common for a popular manga to be adapted for television.

Ttiles found in the adult Manga collection: 

A Drunken Dream and Other Stories by Moto Hagio 

Moto Hagio is one of the earliest and most popular shojo manga artists. Check out Andrew's review to learn more about this collection of short stories by Hagio. 

A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori

A story of life in 19th century Central Asia told through the eyes of a young bride. Rich with carefully researched detail and beautifully intricate art, you should check out Chel's review to learn more! 

Ooku by Fumi Yoshinaga 
An award-winning alternate history manga set in a feudal-era Japan where most of the men have been killed by a plague. Japan is led by a female shogun, and the Ooku is inhabited by her male harem. 

Nana  by Ai Yazawa 

Two young women, both named Nana, meet on the train to Tokyo. Both are moving to Tokyo, one to rejoin her friends and the other to achieve her dreams of musical stardom. Despite their different personalities and goals, they decide to share an apartment together. 

With the Light by Keiko Tobe 

Sachiko's son, Hikaru, is not like other children, and she finds that there is little understanding or support for those diagnosed with autism, but little by little their family finds a way. 

Bunny Drop by Yumi Unita 

Single career-minded Daikichi is the last person anyone expects to take over the guardianship of 6-year-old Rin, but then no one expected to discover that his late grandfather had an illegitimate child either.

Titles found in the Teen Zone:

Antique Bakery by Fumi Yoshinaga
An earlier series by the creator of Ooku, Antique Bakery is much lighter fare. Set in a small, quirky bakery, each issue is packed with images of delicious pastries. Character-driven with touches of romance, mystery, and a fair dash of absurd humor. 


Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura 

Kyoka is distraught to learn that her boyfriend was only dating her so she'd take care of him on his quest to musical stardom. Not only does she kick him to the curb, she decides to beat him at his game, and become Japan's number one pop idol!

Fruits Basket by Takaya Natsuki 
A story of family and the supernatural, Fruits Basket is popular as both manga and anime. After she is orphaned, Tohru is taken in by the Sohma family who suffer a strange curse. When stressed or embraced by a member of the opposite sex, they turn into one of the 12 animals of the zodiac.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

C-SPL's 25 essential summer reads

Fernando Valença via Flickr

It's finally starting to feel like summer (just in time, too!) For those looking for a great summer read - whether you're on vacation or not -  we've picked out 25 of the season's most talked about, best-reviewed books. From family drama to mysterious deaths, and even the immigration experience of supernatural beings, these books can help you relax, keep you awake, make you think or to just escape reality - at least until the season’s over!

Dare Me by Megan Abbott
After a suspicious suicide, the members of a high school cheerleading squad - along with their new, perfectly cool coach - Colette French, are drawn into the investigation.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Separated by their ambitions after falling in love in occupied Nigeria, beautiful Ifemelu experiences triumph and defeat in America while Obinze endures an life as an undocumented immigrant in London.

Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews
Forced to attend court-mandated group therapy after an act of post-divorce rage, rising media star Grace Stanton bonds with three fellow patients who she helps plot pursuits of justice and closure.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Ursula Todd is born on a cold snowy night in 1910 -- twice. As she grows up during the first half of the twentieth century in Britain Ursula dies and is brought back to life again and again.

The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman
Stage designer Egon Loeser leaves early 1930’s Berlin to pursue a disinterested woman and arrives in Los Angeles, where a Caltech physicist is trying to develop a teleportation device.

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
The sole survivor of a time-traveling serial killer—who began his murder spree in Depression-era Chicago—tries to hunt him down in 1989 with help from an ex-homicide reporter.

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
Ten-year-old Zimbabwe native Darling escapes the closed schools and paramilitary police control of her homeland in search of opportunity and freedom with an aunt in America.

No One Could Have Guessed the Weather by Ann-Marie Casey
Forced to give up her posh life and move to a tiny Manhattan apartment when her husband loses his job, Lucy unexpectedly falls in love with her new home and forges close friendships with three women who are also struggling with the disparities between the ambitions of their youth and middle age.

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani 
Exiled to an equestrienne boarding school in the South at the height of the Great Depression for her mysterious role in a family tragedy, strong-willed teen Thea Atwell grapples with painful memories while acclimating to the school's strict environment.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
A modern fantasy about fear, love, magic, and sacrifice is told in this story of a family at the mercy of dark forces, whose only defense is the three women who live on a farm at the end of the lane.

Flora by Gail Godwin
Isolated in a decaying family home while her father performs secret work at the end of World War II, 10-year-old Helen, grieving the losses of her mother and grandmother, bonds with her sensitive young aunt while desperately clinging to the ghosts and stories of her childhood.

May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Holmes
Feeling overshadowed by his more-successful younger brother, Harold is shocked by his brother's violent act that irrevocably changes their lives, placing Harold in the role of father figure to his brother's adolescent children and caregiver to his aging parents. Winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Afghanistan, 1952. Abdullah and his sister Pari live with their father and step-mother in the small village of Shadbagh. Their father, Saboor, is constantly in search of work and they struggle together through poverty and brutal winters.

Equilateral by Ken Kalfus
Obsessed by a belief that highly evolved beings exist on Mars, a turn-of-the-century British astronomer gets support for a massive project to build a signal that is undermined by malaria-stricken Egyptian laborers and two women who understand the astronomer more than he realizes

The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
A 12-year-old girl keeps silent after witnessing a crime near her home on Cape Cod during the summer of 1972 as her parents struggle with running a political campaign.

TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
A tale spanning 150 years and two continents reimagines the peace efforts of democracy champion Frederick Douglass, Senator George Mitchell and World War I airmen John Alcock and Teddy Brown through the experiences of four generations of women from a matriarchal clan.

The Son by Philipp Meyer
Kidnapped by the Comanche, thirteen-year-old Eli McCullough quickly adapts to Comanche life until the tribe is decimated by Americans, leaving Eli alone in a world where he is neither white nor Indian.

Night Film by Marisha Pessl
When the daughter of a notorious film director is found dead in New York, an apparent suicide, investigative reporter Scott McGrath throws himself back into a story that almost ended his career.

The Other Typist by Susan Rindell
Working as a typist for the NYC Police Department in 1923, Rose Baker documents confessions of harrowing crimes and struggles with changing gender roles and searching for companionship before becoming obsessed with a glamorous newcomer.

The Peripatetic Coffin by Ethan Rutherford
Eight short stories focus on reality as it is known and as it could be and star characters who are confronted with, and battle against, the limitations of their lives.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
When her overweight brother - a once slim, hip New York jazz pianist -comes for a visit, Pandora, for whom love equals food, is forced to choose between her exercise fanatic husband and her brother, who desperately needs her support to lose weight.

The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls
Abandoned by their mother, Bean and her older sister, Liz, are sent to live in the decaying antebellum mansion of their widowed uncle, where they learn the truth about their parents and an increasingly withdrawn Liz has a life-shattering experience.

The Love Song of Johnny Valentine by Teddy Wayne
A satirical tale that follows preadolescent pop idol Jonny Valentine, who hides the bitterness and innocence of a child who feels manufactured by his Los Angeles label and hard-partying manager mother.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Tells the story of two supernatural creatures, Chava, a golem brought to life by a disgraced rabbi, and Ahmad, a jinni made of fire, who form an unlikely friendship on the streets of New York until a fateful choice changes everything.

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
Returning to the idyllic Rhode Island oceanfront for the summer of 1938, socialite Lily Dane is devastated by the appearances of her newly married ex-fiancé and former best friend, who reintroduce her to an alluring acquaintance from her college years at the same time she realizes that her ties to her ex remain impossible to ignore.


Stop by the Recommendations Desk on First Floor for even more reading recommendations! And don’t forget to sign up for our Adult Summer Reading Program!