Staff Choices

A princess/almost nun, a witch, a fairy godmother, a dog made of bones, and an ex-knight walk into a boarding house... 

Typical of T. Kingfisher novels, Nettle & Bone is a darker Grimm fantasy. Nevertheless, Kingfisher weaves a magical story that will have you falling in love with and rooting for the underdogs. The banter between characters, and worldbuilding make this story one to remember. 

Coming in at just 245 pages, Nettle & Bone is a considerably smaller time commitment than your average fantasy tome. But don’t be fooled, this novel packs a punch and delivers plenty of visual fuel.  

Nettle & Bone follows Marra, the youngest of three princesses from the Harbor Kingdom who has spent half of her life embroidering and delivering babies at an Abbey far from home. Caught between two feuding and powerful kingdoms, the Queen marries her oldest daughter Damia off to the Northern Kingdom’s prince. When Damia suddenly dies, Marra’s middle sister Kania takes her place. It becomes clear to Marra that not all ever-afters are happy in the Northern Kingdom. Married to an abusive and paranoid man, Kania is trapped in a game of politics that Marra will inherit should Kania befall the same fate as Damia. 

Embarking on a quest to save her sister, Marra enlists the help of a dust-wife who agrees to help only if Marra can complete three impossible tasks: 

• Build a dog from bones 

• Weave a cloak of nettles 

• Capture moonlight in a jar of clay 

Surprising herself and annoying the witch, (“No. Child, you give someone an impossible task so that they won’t be able to do it.”) Marra completes all three. Now they just need to get there in time, figure out how to kill a prince protected by a powerful godmother, and make it out alive. Easy enough. 

Along the way, Marra is joined by a troop of outcasts and learns that everyone has their demons, even chickens, and especially puppets. That, perhaps, she is capable of a great deal more than she gives herself credit for. 

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and woman merely players.” 

M.L. Rio’s debut novel If We Were Villains really takes those words to heart. As a Shakespearean scholar herself, it’s not shocking that the world she weaves is entirely Shakespeare centric. Hopping between the present and past, Rio weaves an elegant mystery that will leave you wondering what is true and what is just good acting.  

If We Were Villains is a story of friendship, love, loss and betrayal. Fans of Shakespeare will not be disappointed in how thoroughly the bard’s work is woven into the plot. Anyone scarred by their high school English paper on Romeo & Juliet, you’ve been warned. 

Ten years ago there was a murder at a small but elite arts college in Illinois.  

Oliver, one of only seven students to have made it to their senior year, makes his way back to campus and what he considers his true home. Having successfully navigated the brutal culling of students, the remaining seven theatre majors are unsurprisingly a tightknit group. Having spent the past 3 years perfecting their Shakespearean delivery, all seven know their prescribed roles (whether they are happy about them is another story): 

As the year goes on and the instructors switch up the roles, things begin to fall apart. 

Ten years later, Oliver, who has just been released from prison, is finally ready to tell the lead investigator, who never really believed he got the full story, what really happened.  

The ending will break your heart while simultaneously giving you hope for Oliver’s future. 

Sometimes described as a fantasy 1984, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune reads like a cross between Lemony Snicket and Harry Potter. While the main character is a bit dull (at least to start), this story, and the cast of characters are anything but.  

If you’re looking for a light, whimsical, and wholesome story that will leave you crying tears of happiness (I wouldn’t know anything about that personally of course...) this is the novel for you. 

Set in a world where magical beings must be monitored and registered, Linus Baker is a Case Worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Overseen by Extremely Upper Management, a secretive and menacing group of individuals, Linus has memorized the rules; never stepping out of line. Having lived a solitary black and white life, very much under the radar, Linus is shocked when he is summoned by Extremely Upper Management. 

Linus is given a highly classified assignment; travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, a house next to the sea and far from his usual comforts. This particular orphanage is home to six dangerous children of varying magical abilities. Linus must closely observe them and determine if they should remain on the island with their caretaker, Arthur Parnassus. His final report should be thorough, complete and turned in exactly on time. 

Given only the barest of details, Linus embarks on a quest of self-discovery, learning things about himself only a protective caretaker, an ornery grounds keeper, a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist can teach him. Also, that perhaps Extremely Upper Management has ulterior motives, and the world isn’t as black and white as Linus has made it. 

I genuinely enjoy that Quirk gives a new story line and character pretty much every time. This one is no exception. A bit terrifying when you realize that he may not be too far off with the scenario presented. We find Sam Hudson in a race against the clock with basically no one to trust. I wasn't sure who to trust either, and at times I thought it may even be Sam himself...does one ever really know. A page turner indeed.

The latest in the excellent Gabriel Allon spy series. Gabriel has finally retired from the Israeli spy agency, Mossad. Allon along with his wife, Chiara and his twins have moved to Venice. Gabriel is devoting his time to work as a master art restorer. Allon is asked by old friend and art gallery owner, Julian Isherwood to look into the sale of an old painting which he suspects is a forgery.

The case leads to a look into the dark side of the forgery business of the lucrative art world market. There is plenty of action and seedy criminals along the the way. The case leads Gabriel to the glamorous locales of Venice, London, Paris, New Yorl and Corsica. A fast paced and entertaining thriller.

When I heard the premise of this book; "A novel tracing a widows unlikely connection with a giant pacific octopus", I admit I was skeptical. Thankfully due to the magic of a well written book, I was pleasantly surprised.

After Tova Sullivan's husband dies she starts to work the nightshift at the Puget Sound Aquarium. Keeping busy is what she does to help her through grief, which is what she has done since her beloved son disappeared 30 years ago. While there, she becomes acquainted with Marcellus, a masterful all knowing octopus. Sensing the loneliness and needs in each other, they come to depend on Tova's nightly cleaning shifts as they navigate life's next steps.

Many friends, local townspeople and characters weave their way into Tova's life, at the same time she starts to see the effects of growing old and being alone. Remarkably, Marcellus sees things that others cannot see, and decides to do everything in his power to help Tova find solace. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a terrific debut story by author Shelby Van Pelt. Let's hope she has a few more meaningful stories to share.

Don't pick up this book looking for a thriller. While there is an element of mystery, and even some suspense in More Than You'll Ever Know, this novel is really more of a riveting character study of two women and their families.
The story unfolds in dual timelines, as struggling writer and true crime aficionado Cassie Bowman stumbles upon the decades-old case of Lore Rivera, a Laredo, Texas banker  and wife/mother whose shocking double life results in murder. Lore is a rare species in the true crime world; she is simultaneously married to both her high school sweetheart Fabian, with whom she has twin sons, and Andres Russo, a college professor she meets while attending a wedding in Mexico City. Such betrayals are usually associated with men, giving Lore and the surrounding murder another level of notoriety.
Debut novelist Katie Gutierrez does an excellent job in creating the relationship, and tension, between the two main characters. Can Cassie trust anything that Lore relays to her, or does she have far more to do with the murder than she is letting on? Lore depends on Cassie to reveal the truth of her life, but can any person really trust a reporter...knowing that the public will crave the most salacious details?
Not all of the novel is as well developed, notably Cassie's back story and her questionable treatment of her fiance. But the weaker points are overshadowed by the strengths, especially the strong psychological insights as both Lore and Cassie come to justify their behavior.

Arthur Moses is a widow. He finds comfort in visiting his late wife Nola's grave everyday. It is there that he meets a young teenager who also uses the cemetery for solace. As their friendship evolves, she names him Truluv for his undying devotion to his beloved Nola. Maddy is an outcast both at school and in her lonely home where her father is unable to show love after her mother passes away. Lucille, the busy, but lonely next door neighbor takes a liking to Maddie and Arthur, and bakes her way into their lives. 

This heartwarming story is rich with likable characters. It touches on themes of loss, love, family, resilience and and the idea that it's never to late to have a fresh start. Elizabeth Berg, a local Chicago area author is a prolific writer. For the last three decades she has written over 30 books that will inspire you and stay with you for a long time. The story of Arthur Truluv is definitely one of those.

Christina Lauren’s newest book Something Wilder is a suspenseful adventure seeking story with a cute second chance romance. Lilly Wilder is struggling to make ends meet and trying to find a way back to Wilder Ranch where she grew up. She runs Wilder Adventures that offers guided fake treasure hunts in the vast mazed canyons of Utah. When an annual boy's trip brings her lost love, Leo, on one of her tours, he has the opportunity to make things right with her again. Lily and Leo try to reconnect after unforeseen circumstances separated them years ago, all while going on a treasure hunt filled with secret codes and riddles.

The story shifts part way through into something dangerous, suspenseful and exciting, a transition I never saw coming but certainly enjoyed. It forces Lily and Leo to confront their past, come to terms with it and decide on their futures all while trying to navigate the treachery in their midst.

The writing duo that is Christina Lauren is so skilled at crafting unique stories. They have written a lot of books over the years, and none of them are similar, which can be a hard task in the romance genre. Something Wilder combines romance with action and adventure and it works so well! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

You don’t need to be a fan of swimming to enjoy reading about a community of swimmers sharing the use of their local subterranean public pool. Some swim to relax, some to escape, some because they are creatures of habit. We learn the names and peculiarities of the narrator’s cohorts without learning hers. She describes individuals and their idiosyncrasies. Before long a crack develops in the pool wall which causes great concern and angst among the swimmers.  

The last part of the book shifts its focus to one of the swimmers, Alice, who is slowly losing her memory. Beautifully written, tinged with emotion, bittersweetness and a dose of reality.  

At only 175 pages, author Julie Otsuka has written a story that resonates with me. Pick up a copy of The Swimmers if you are a fan of author Julie Otsuka or of a story well told.