by Emily and the Mandel Public Library Staff
Just because Summer Reading is over doesn't mean we stop reading! We are library folk, after all. We hope you enjoy this list of some of our library staff's recent favorite reads that we want to recommend to you! We hope you find something to curl up with under a blanket in your Florida-in-August AC.
Out on the Moors lives a very old and very secretive family that happens to consume books. However, when one particular book eater woman doesn't want to follow centuries of book eater tradition and pass along her children to be raised by others, a series of catastrophes occurs that leaves her on the run with her young son who can't nourish himself only on books but instead must feed on human minds. This book was a wild ride from start to finish. Packed with action, inter-family politics, and the fascinating history of the book eaters, this will be one read you won't be able to put down.
The mother of Impressionist painter Camille Pizzarro (aka Pissarro) could not have been anything less than what Hoffman presents - a bold and independent woman who challenged the social order of her small 19th-century Jewish community in St. Thomas, V.I. to embrace a life of passion and self-truth. Fall in love with the magical beauty and simplicity of life on the island, the longing for a life of opulence and elegance in Paris, and the complicated, loving, sometimes painful relationships between the characters.
Machado’s memoir is an account of a relationship gone wrong told with a twist – each chapter is situated in a literary trope. The chapters begin with “Dream House as Overture” and “Dream House as Prologue.” They range from “Dream House as Lesbian Cult Classic,” and “Dream House as Haunted Mansion” to “Dream House as Chekhov’s Gun." Machado’s personal experiences blend with literary theory and criticism, even blatant fiction, in order to arrive at her personal truth. In the Dream House re-defines the memoir form as we know it, all while unpacking the trope of sapphic relationships being uniquely safe and utopian.
Once again, I am in the midst of an epic series - this time, the Sigma Force novels by James Rollins. What's great about these books is the combination of science, history, and action that Rollins uses in each story; at the end of each book, he delves even deeper with a "Truth or Fiction?" section which explains where he came up with his ideas. In Crucible, his portrayal of an AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) character is super compelling. This is the 14th title in the series and my favorite one so far - if you love long book series with historical mysteries, cutting-edge technology, and science all wrapped up in non-stop action, I highly recommend Sigma Force!
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, this book chronicles a young enslaved woman's adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. Cora lives in an attic for some time, while being chased by a relentless slave catcher. I started this book a few times because of the subject matter. It is hard to read about such violence, but I have always been interested in the Underground Railroad, so I chose to finish it. I also watched it on Prime Video. An older book, but a good read!
Esther Perel is a world-renowned couples therapist who counsels couples and individuals in several countries and languages. Her first book, Mating In Captivity, presented her unique observations on sex and intimacy in marriage and long-term relationships. She received so much feedback on the chapter on cheating that she came out with this second book ten years later. It's a deep look at infidelity from all sides and from different cultural perspectives. No one ever condones infidelity, yet it's more widespread than ever, and most of us have been affected by it in some way. Her insights are enlightening and challenging. She reads the audiobook herself. She also has a couple of TED talks and an award-winning podcast.
This personal finance book is all about creating a system of success, financially. I love the fact that Ramit reads the audiobook because I enjoy his voice, personality, charisma, and wit. Money is supposed to be boring, but this book walks you through everything you need to know so that you can go back to living your best life. Can you imagine doing all the things you want to do, without worrying about money? This book will show you how.
A teen is taken into the land of the fey for punishment after killing a wolf in the woods, and she must adapt to her fantastical new home. This series has a slow build-up, but once you get to the meat of it, the author transports you to fall in love with this fey fantasy world. I appreciate the author's view of traumas and not brushing them under the rug, but rather having the characters work through them.
In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment. This book is a little bit murder mystery, a little bit fantasy, and all about women realizing their power! It's a fun read.
Who is the killer? Four strangers heard a scream in the library. That connection made them close friends. But once everyone's backstories came out, they suspect each other of the killer of the woman in the library. This book has a story inside of another story. Brilliant, fun, and fast thriller. Strongly recommended.
Two college sweethearts are thrown together a decade later when Leo's buddies accidentally hire Lily's company to guide them through the canyons of Utah for their bro-trip. The two have to work together to avoid a series of terrible situations and consequences while talking through what happened all those years ago. I really enjoyed the setting, the mystery at the center of this book, and the romance!
The Norse myths retold by master storyteller Neil Gaiman. Need I say more? I greatly enjoyed the audiobook version because Neil Gaiman is, well, a master storyteller not only in his words but also in his performances. His introduction is an illuminating interpretation and explanation as to why he selected the particular myths for his collection - don't skip it. This collection will leave you wanting even more - maybe the Greeks next?
