Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Alice is generally pretty happy. She has two best friends who are about to get married, a summer job at her local library, an undeclared college major, and a supportive if overbearing and judgmental family. But things get shaken up when she gets a new coworker, Takumi, who she is instantly attracted to. He's off-the-charts cute, smart, sweet, and funny, and he seems to like her back. There's just one problem-- Alice is asexual, and her previous attempts at relationships have all gone... badly.

Will Alice and Takumi get together? Will she stand up for herself with her family? Will she hold onto her friends as their lives all change? Read it to find out!

This is a charming book. Alice is a quirky and energetic main character who talks a mile a minute and is a joy to follow. She comes off as immature at times, and some of her references are a bit esoteric for those who aren't denizens of Tumblr, but even if those go over your head, there's a lot to like. Asexual characters are a rarity, and asexual characters with romantic arcs even more so, and non-white ones are rarest of all. This book is a gem, and if you're looking for a fresh experience and an unconventional romance, it's worth picking up.

Thanks a Thousand by A.J. Jacobs

A.J. Jacobs found himself feeling petty and angry more often than grateful and content. So being the "human guinea pig" that he is, he decided to embark on a gratitude experiment to try to be more appreciative of the little things in his life. He started with his morning cup of coffee.

He decided to try to thank everyone who made his cup of coffee possible, from the baristas to the water sanitation workers to the coffee cup lid designers to the South American farmers. Altogether, he makes it his mission to thank one thousand people who contributed in some way to his daily cup of coffee.

This is an uplifting book that narrowly skirts coming off as cloying. By honestly contemplating whether the thank-ees appreciate his words or see them as a waste of their time, and by consulting experts about the difference between gratitude and complacency, he manages to keep the book on level ground. It's a quick read with a heartfelt premise, perfect for if you're looking for a sense of connection in this tumultuous time.

Schedule a curbside pickup by calling us, or check out the e-book from Library on the Go (Libby/Overdrive)!

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

In the aftermath of a devastating battle, a cybernetic time-soldier finds a letter left by her opponent, addressing her as "Red" and signed with the moniker "Blue." It's a gloating message of victory, but one that sets off a correspondence through time and space. Red and Blue hide words for each other in bones, in seeds, in water, in trees. Chasing each other through alternate histories, they encode these messages in secret, lest their overlord commanders find out and call it treason. Although the messages start out as taunts and boasts, they soon become curious, and then friendly. The stakes rise as their feelings deepen. And over time (pun intended), friendship blossoms into love.

This is How You Lose the Time War is a short sci-fi novel (or novella), mostly consisting of letters between the nemeses and star-crossed lovers Red and Blue as they battle and trick each other through time and space. The letters are entertaining and poetic, although the plot and worldbuilding are twisty and sometimes cryptic. The audiobook is performed by two narrators who both put a lot of emotion into their delivery. It's a quick read if you are looking for a creative and highly unconventional romance.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Deja and Josiah are about as different as two people can be. She's flirty and extroverted, and he's shy and hard-working. But both of them love fall, and both of them love their local pumpkin patch, and so for two months each year, they are best friends, coworkers, and succotash experts together. But this is their last year working at the pumpkin patch before they both go off to college, and there's so much left undone and unsaid. So on this, their last night working together, they go on an epic quest all across the pumpkin patch, to make the most of their last chance.

This is an incredibly charming seasonal read about friendship and young love and nostalgia. Josiah and Deja are very fun, very relatable characters, and watching them romp around the pumpkin patch makes you want to go find a caramel apple and ride on a hay wagon. If you're looking for a lighthearted book to get you in the mood for Halloween, you couldn't make a better choice.

After the Eclipse by Fran Doricott

Even though sixteen years have passed, Cassie has never gotten over the disappearance of her younger sister. Olive ran off while they were watching a solar eclipse in their grandmother's hometown and was never seen or heard from again. Now an investigative journalist, Cassie returns to the small town to care for her Alzheimer's-stricken grandmother. But another eclipse is coming up, and another girl has disappeared. Cassie knows in her heart that the two must be connected, but will anyone believe her when the evidence doesn't seem to agree? And will this finally be her chance to get answers-- and justice-- for what happened?

This is an intense mystery with a ton of emotional depth. The main character Cassie struggles with her grandmother's mental deterioration, a hiatus from her job, reminders of her sister's disappearance, and even reconnecting with her childhood crush, who happens to be a police officer in the small town. The eclipse looms over everything like a ticking clock, and the ending has lots of twists and turns that keep you on your toes. Highly recommended for fans of dark, thrilling mysteries like Tana French or Ruth Ware.

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

Every day, in cities across the country, thousands of people are evicted from their homes. Eviction is traumatic for everyone, but for the extremely poor, it's a waking nightmare that runs on repeat. Evictions can make you lose your job (as you're forced to spend your day moving your belongings or trying to find a place to stay), they can make you ineligible for public housing, they can get you rejected by private landlords, they can force you to move into unsafe locations, they can make you impose on friends and family, they can force you to stay in homeless shelters, and on and on and on. The home is supposed to be the stable foundation of a person's life, and when they're forced out of it, it can uproot everything else along with it. This book delves into the lives of several Milwaukee residents, across a surprisingly wide spectrum of life experiences, who had their lives changed by eviction.

This book won its author a slew of prizes, including a Pulitzer, and with good reason. It's an intense collection of stories, many of them intertwined, giving you a heartfelt and crushing view of its subjects. If you're a fan of narrative nonfiction, this deep dive into the world of deep poverty and housing insecurity is one that will stick with you for a long time.

Belonging by Nora Krug

In this graphic memoir, framed like a scrapbook, German ex-pat Nora Krug tries to answer a question that lives in the heart of many Germans: "What role did my family play in the Holocaust?"

To find answers, she delves into local archives and government records, as well as her relatives' memories and photo albums. Her ultimate hope is to alleviate her sense of inherited guilt, but of course nothing is ever so straightforward. On her journey, she meets new relatives, fact-checks family lore, and is eventually able to see her long-gone family members as real people with real lives and real emotions, and finally accept her heritage, mixed bag that it is.

Germany has always been a particular interest of mine, so I was completely fascinated by this first-hand, highly personal account of a modern German grappling with the guilt and shame of her country's past. While not graphically explicit, the story packs an emotional gut punch. Peppered with tidbits of German culture from toadstools to laundry detergent, this is an incredible read for anyone interested in a modern German perspective on World War Two.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

There have always been stories of children disappearing into other worlds-- fairylands, wonderlands, netherworlds, and more. But what happens when those children come back? What happens when their families no longer know what to do with them, when all they want is to jump back down those rabbit holes?

If they're lucky, they end up at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, where they can be among others who understand. Nancy, who visited the land of the dead and learned the ways of stillness, is one such lucky girl, but it doesn't feel so lucky when right after she arrives, other students start turning up murdered and dismembered. As the new girl, from an underworld no less, it's not the best first impression.

This is an insanely creative, surprisingly short novel (or novella, technically) with an impressively diverse cast of characters. The worldbuilding is unlike anything I've ever read before. While the "fantasy boarding school" setup might appeal to teens, the gruesome deaths of the children officially makes this an adult read. There are currently four books in the "Wayward Children" series, with more on the way, and a TV show is in the works.

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton

Lori's life is a disappointment. Her college degree is useless, her job experience is laughable, her social life is in shambles, and her finances are nonexistent. She is burned out and jaded, nothing at all like "Aunt Dimity," the unflappable, ever-optimistic, fictional heroine of her late mother's bedtime stories.

And then a letter comes, on fancy embossed paper, summoning her to the law office of Willis & Willis. Out of a sense of both curiosity and obligation, she shows up. Shivering on their doorstep like a Dickensian orphan, she is taken in by the handsome but way-too-friendly Bill Willis, whose father gives her the baffling news that Aunt Dimity, the character from her favorite childhood stories, has died, and named Lori in the will.

Fast enough to cause whiplash, Lori goes from a world of temp jobs and unheated apartments to one of mansion-like law offices and impossibly charming English cottages straight out of her childhood imagination. But Aunt Dimity had secrets that Lori must uncover, even if it completely changes the way she remembers her mother and her past.

Aunt Dimity's Death is a cozy mystery for people who don't necessarily like cozy mysteries. There are no cookie-related murders, and Lori's trek into Dimity's past can only barely be called an investigation, but it certainly is cozy. Historical fiction fans will enjoy the tales of England's traumatic but thrilling days of World War Two, and fans of character development will enjoy Lori's emotional recovery from her dark days. It's a charming and heartwarming read.

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

“Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”

Rainer Maria Rilke, a German poet now revered for his beautiful and moving works, was relatively unknown in his own time. Despite that, a young military cadet and budding poet named Kappus stumbled upon one of his books and was so taken with it that he sent Rilke a fan letter praising him and asking for advice. Happily, Rilke wrote back, kicking off years of correspondence on a huge breadth of topics, from the futility of literary criticism to the nature of solitude. They include passionate calls to write, somber ruminations on depression, and comforting advice about love and marriage. After Rilke's death, Kappus published a collection of his letters under the title Letters to a Young Poet.

I'm not often a fan of old classics or poetry, but this was an absolutely breathtaking work. It is endlessly quotable, and some of Rilke's observations are truly heart-rending. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens, and was unable to multitask while listening, because I kept pausing to contemplate Rilke's words. It's a very short work, but definitely worth reading if you have any interest in poetry, philosophy, writing, or Rilke.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Marin has lost a lot in her life. She lost her dad before she was even born. She lost her mom when she was only a toddler. She lost her best friend (and sort-of-girlfriend) Mabel when she left for college a few months ago. And only days after that, she lost her grandpa, who spent her entire life raising her. That last blow (losing the last of her family) and the revelations that followed (her grandfather’s darkest secrets coming to light) nearly destroyed her. She fled across the country to her new college and stopped returning her friends’ calls and texts. She hid in self-imposed isolation, haunted by her own grief and loneliness, until just now. Now, it’s Christmas break, and Mabel, her best friend and first love, is coming for a visit. It will be the first time they’ve seen each other since before her grandpa’s death. Neither of them knows where they stand or what’s to come, but it will definitely be a weekend that changes everything.

Although marketed as an LGBT book, it’s much more a book about grief and isolation and loneliness and coping (or failing to cope). If you’ve ever experienced an existential shock in your life, you may recognize a lot from Marin’s journey. It’s a very emotionally evocative book, and you really want Marin to be okay by the end of it. I would compare it to If I Stay, as a book with a relatively simple plot over a short period of time, but full of flashbacks and emotional depth and a strong sense of the characters involved.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Creel's family, tired of being poor, decides that the best solution is to get her kidnapped by a dragon so that a rich prince can rescue and marry her. This seems like an empty threat, since no one alive has ever seen a dragon, so when they leave her outside a cave, Creel isn't worried... until a dragon actually does come out and kidnap her, albeit reluctantly.

When Creel talks her way out of captivity, the dragon lets her take a gift from his hoard, and she chooses a pair of blue slippers. She travels around the kingdom, meets other dragons, and eventually settles in the capital city, where she works in a dress shop and becomes known for her exquisite embroidery. Even the crown prince takes an interest. But other dragons are stirring, too, and someone is threatening war, and there seems to be some kind of fuss about her shoes...

Dragon Slippers is a very cute book with a very cool take on dragon lore-- with dragons hoarding everything from shoes to stained glass windows to actual live dogs. Creel is a wonderful main character, and her adventures with dragons and dresses are fun and engaging. This would be a great choice for fans of Dealing with Dragons or other middle-grade fantasy.

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson (yes, like the motorcycle) is part-time private investigator, part-time police consultant, and full-time Grim Reaper. When spirits don't immediately pass on to the other side, they find their way to her. Whether she likes it or not, she has to help them work through whatever is holding them here and help them cross over. Usually, this is fine, but lately, there's been something else bothering her. Every night, she's been having wildly erotic, incredibly vivid dreams, and every day, she's been seeing mysterious dark blurs just in the fringes of her vision, like something is stalking her. She thinks the two must be connected, and might also be connected to the most terrifying night of her life-- the night she met the inhumanly strong, inhumanly agile, inhumanly gorgeous boy called Reyes. But apparently the whole world thinks it's "Kill Charley Davidson Week," so first she'll have to survive long enough to find her answers.

If you're looking for a new mystery series to start, especially if you're a fan of Stephanie Plum, Mercy Thompson, or Sookie Stackhouse, this would be a good one to pick up. The writing is snarky and energetic, and while the first book is maybe trying a little too hard to keep a constant stream of jokes flowing, it's still a very funny, very engaging book that is easy to read in a few short sittings.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

Sirantha Jax is part of a vanishingly small subset of people-- those who are genetically able to navigate "grimspace," the interdimensional subspace where ships can jump between distant parts of the galaxy. Unfortunately, the last ship she piloted was in a horrific, fatal crash. Many important people died, including her boyfriend/co-pilot, and she was ruled responsible. After months spent languishing, guilt-ridden in a cell, she is rescued by a tall, handsome stranger who wants her to navigate his ship and its motley crew on their secretive, rebellious mission. Jax decides that things can hardly get any worse, so off they go. They adventure across various planets, interact with alien races, get brainwashed, end a blood feud, accidentally adopt a baby frog-creature, uncover a government conspiracy, and generally have a wild ride across the galaxy.

While fans of old-school sci-fi (Asimov, Heinlein) may roll their eyes at this one, Grimspace is a funny, action-packed romp that would have a lot of appeal to fans of the Wayfarers series, shows like Firefly or Torchwood, or even the urban fantasy genre. Jax is snarky and hilarious, and the crew makes for a great ensemble cast. It's weird and unpredictable in all the best ways, and is well worth the read if you like your sci-fi a little wild.

Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters

Imagine a world where Lincoln was assassinated too early, and a frantic Congress signed a grand compromise to end the Civil War: slavery could never be constitutionally outlawed, but individual states could outlaw it, and an emancipated state could never revert back to a slave state. Then fast forward to the modern day. Only four slave states remain: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the united Carolina. The rest of the country frowns on the so-called "Hard Four," but not enough to actually break the status quo.

Victor was once a slave, before he fled north. But he was caught. Rather than being returned to the farm that haunts his nightmares, he was blackmailed into working for the government, tracking and capturing other runaway slaves so that they could be punished or returned. But his latest case isn't like the others. Things just don't add up. And on top of it all, he keeps getting sidetracked by unexpected personal matters. Will Victor catch the mysterious runaway Jackdaw? Or will this be the case that finally breaks him?

This is equal parts a twisty thriller and a startling alternate history. Victor is a flawed but believable protagonist, and his offhand references to familiar-yet-different historical events will keep you reading even through the harrowing moments in his narrative. This is a must-read for fans of alternate histories or realistic sci-fi, like 11/22/63 or Station Eleven.

Monkeewrench by P. J. Tracy

Monkeewrench, led by the abrasive and paranoid Grace McBride, is a software company operated by an eclectic group of best friends with a suspiciously secretive past. Their newest program is a still-in-development training program for detectives and forensic specialists. It shows you a fictional crime scene, and you click around to investigate it. It's that simple... Until someone starts committing actual crimes based on their fake crime scenes. The game hasn't been released yet, so the police are looking at Monkeewrench as the only suspects. To clear their names, they'll have to work with the detectives to catch this criminal, before it's too late. Even if it means revealing the dark secrets of their past.

This is a fantastic mystery/thriller. The plot is good, but its writing style is what really shines. The descriptions are vivid, the dialogue is hilarious, and its tense moments are legitimately thrilling. Every character is put together with great care and personality, and their friendships are heartwarming. Because of this, it holds up well to re-reading, even if you know the ending. It takes place in Minnesota, which is a nice change of pace if you're tired of stories set in New York and California. The authors are a mother-daughter writing duo, and the Monkeewrench series currently has eight books in it.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is fine. At least, she knows that's what she's supposed to say if anyone asks. Socially acceptable behavior doesn't come naturally to her. She's been alone for almost as long as she can remember, but it's fine. People are all mean, irrational dullards who mock her behind her back anyway, so she doesn't need them. She works all day in accounts receivable, and then she goes home and chugs vodka until the voices in her head quiet down enough for her to pass out. That's been her life for years. And, if anyone asks, she's fine.

Then, one day, her life changes. She watches a musician perform at a work event, and it's love at first sight. She just has to make herself into wifely material first, and surely the second he meets her, he'll propose. Meanwhile, her office has a new IT guy, Raymond, and he's one of the least pleasant men Eleanor has ever met. He's overweight, with sloppy clothes and eating habits, and he walks weirdly. But for some reason he keeps talking to her. And for some reason... that's completely fine.

Will Eleanor marry the musician? Will she let Raymond be her friend? Will she finally let herself remember the horrors of her past? Find out in this veritable roller coaster of emotions. It's a surprisingly dark, sometimes funny, completely heartwarming read. I highly recommend the audiobook, because the reader is absolutely fantastic.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker is a dangerous man. He's called “Dirtyhands” because no crime is too vicious or immoral for him, for the right price. One day he is approached with an offer he can’t refuse: gather an elite group of thieves and con artists, travel to the faraway Ice Court, and free one prisoner. It sounds straightforward enough, but no one has ever infiltrated the Ice Court, an impenetrable frozen fortress, and escaped with their lives. The prisoner they must free is the inventor of a substance that turns the Grisha-- people naturally capable of small, simple magics-- into crazed, all-powerful gods of destruction. If they succeed, they will be rich beyond their wildest fantasies. If they fail, they will die. But criminals like Kaz just love to gamble…

Six of Crows is a young adult fantasy heist book with a sizable cast of extremely fun characters, all with elaborate backstories and motivations. There’s Inej, the girl who can move like a shadow, and Matthias, a former Ice Court soldier who longs to return to his old life, as well as Nina, the Grisha who fought, fell in love with, and betrayed Matthias years ago. Their complex interactions make the book very engaging, and the plot really rolls along once it gets going. If a fantasy heist book sounds appealing to you, and you don’t mind keeping track of six characters at a time, it’s a great adventure. If you enjoy it, make sure to get the sequel, Crooked Kingdom. You might also want to check out Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, which takes place in the same world. If you're looking for a more adult fantasy heist book, try the Gentleman Bastard series as well.

The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu

On the Dalai Lama's eightieth birthday, he was able to spend one week with one of his closest friends, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. Author Douglas Carlton Abrams tagged along to interview both men and record their interactions. This book is the product of that week together.

Both of these men, great moral and religious leaders, grew up in vastly different cultures, but both share a worldview, what the Archbishop calls "Ubuntu," that everyone in the world is connected and interdependent on one another, and that the more we are divided, the less joyful we will be. Although they have lived through horrible times and seen unspeakable things happen to their people, both men are loving and playful, not cynical or angry. They make jokes at each others' expense and have long discussions about life and morality and how to be joyful and grateful and generous even when there is so much suffering.

If you are looking for something heartwarming and spirit-lifting, The Book of Joy lives up to its name and then some. In a world that can seem angry and chaotic and divided, this book offers to renew your hopes. It's a great way to start a new year.

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

On the week before Christmas, in the sleepy little tourist town of Pine Cove, Santa is murdered. At least that’s what seven-year-old Josh sees happen. In reality, a guy in a Santa suit was having it out with his ex-wife and he fell onto a shovel and died. Not knowing that, Josh makes a desperate Christmas wish, for Santa to be alive again. And then a Christmas miracle happens. At least, that was the plan. Except that heaven's stupidest angel decides to grant his wish by raising Santa and everyone else buried in town from the grave... as brain-hungry zombies. Merry Christmas, Pine Cove! 

The premise of this book alone is fun enough to make it a worthwhile read. It’s Christopher Moore all the way through, by which I mean that it’s absolutely outrageous. From a schizophrenic broadsword-wielding babe to a pot-smoking ex-hippie sheriff to a helicopter pilot with a pet giant fruit bat, this book has a wild cast of characters and an irreverent sense of humor that may be a bit raunchy and over-the-top for some, but will leave others rolling on the floor. If you like your humor a little on the crass side, this is a Christmas classic that’s worth the read. For audiobook fans: This narrator does a terrific job with voices, and it’s a quick listen, perfect for a long holiday car ride to visit family.