Saturday, December 30, 2017

Happy New Year!



The library will be closed Sunday December 31st and Monday January 1st for the New Year's Holiday.

We'll see you on January 2nd at 12 PM! Happy New Year!

Friday, December 22, 2017

Reminder Library Closed




The library will be closed from December 23-25. We'll be open on December 26th at noon!

Happy holidays!

Friday, December 15, 2017

On a break...





As the new year approaches, the reviewers here at the library will be taking a break from blogging. We hope to be back sometime in 2018 to share what we've read and enjoyed with you.

Thank you for your support and checking out our reviews!

West Allis Public Library Reference Staff

Monday, December 11, 2017

Birthday Week Trivia Answers

Thank you to everyone who came out last week to help us celebrate 110 years of the West Allis Public Library! Here are the answers to the daily trivia questions:


Monday, December 4, 2017

Birthday Week Celebration Begins!



This week the West Allis Public Library is celebrating our 110th Birthday! In celebration of this BIG birthday, we are having a week's worth of celebrating!

Stop in everyday to answer a trivia question to be entered into a daily and weekly drawing! We have prizes for all ages of readers, and you don't need to know the answer to win.

So come to the library to wish us a Happy Birthday!

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Library Closed! Happy Thanksgiving!



The library will be closed Thursday November 23 and Friday November 24th for the Thanksgiving Holiday this year. We will be open on Saturday November 25th at 9 AM!

We are going to take a break from reviewing books this week, and we'll see you in December with some more great reads!

Friday, November 17, 2017

We're Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union


Sit down, grab a glass of wine, and get ready to dish with Gabrielle Union, best known for rolls in movies like Bring it On or TVs Being Mary Jane (or if you are a parent of young kids, the voice of Nala on the Disney Junior series The Lion Guard, but I digress).

We're Going to Need More Wine is part memoir, as Gabrielle tells the story of growing up in a very white neighborhood, with summers spent with her Grandmother in a very black neighborhood, and how she found her way into Hollywood, almost by surprise. Her book is part essays, as she reflects on growing up black, her passion for things like reproductive rights, social justice, cancer research, and being black and famous. Like conversation over wine with a good friend, she never gets preachy, just tells it like it is, and give you facts.

We're Going to Need More Wine is for anyone looking for a book that fills the heart and soul..

Check out We're Going to Need More Wine @ the library.




Friday, November 10, 2017

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine for Gail Honeyman



This book could be about Eleanor Oliphant, a socially awkward creature of habit. She has a set schedule and very rarely deviates from it until one day she meets Raymond, the slovenly IT worker at her office. When they happen upon an elderly man in medical distress, they are thrown together as they get him to the hospital, see to the groceries that he dropped at the scene, and check in on his progress.  Raymond, in his patient and mellow way, eventually breaks down some of Eleanor’s ruts and helps her become a more socially confident person.

Or, this book could be about Eleanor Oliphant who has a survived a tragic past and is suppressing painful memories.  She calls her toxic monster mother weekly - taking her verbal vitriol and always coming back for more.

Or, this book could be about a one-sided crush, the adoration of a celebrity and the eternal internal hope that of course [insert famous person here] would love me if only he knew me. A little stalkering never hurt anyone, right?


Or the book could have all this and more. You’ll have to read it to see. 

Friday, November 3, 2017

Anatomy of a Song by Marc Myers


Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a great song? What does it take to write, record and produce a song that defines a year or genera of music? Then check out Marc Myers Anatomy of A Song, where he has collected 45 songs and interviewed the writers, performers and producers responsible for them. From 1952's Lawdy Miss Clawdy to 1991's Losing My Religion, Anatomy of a Song is not so much a direct pop music history, but a back track to how a song gets made, the people who could have made the music, and the songs that are surprise successes.

Personal drama, musicians trying new things, and surprising facts about musician's will keep you reading. Skip a head to your favorite songs, or read straight through to follow a line of music history. These essays first appeared in the Wall Street Journal, but make a great collection for fans of popular music and how it gets made.

Check out Anatomy of a Song by Marc Myers @ the library!

Friday, October 27, 2017

New Halloween Reads!



With Halloween falling on a Tuesday this year, this weekend is sure to be filled with pre-Halloween fun. Whether you are heading out to a fall-fest, getting ready for the trick-or-treaters, or just planning on staying at home with the porch lights out, here are some new Halloween books:

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty:  Author and mortician Caitlin Doughty travels around the world to research different culture's death customs. For the reader wondering what happens after death, here on Earth.

All I Want for Halloween by Marie Hart: Here's a romance novel about a spin the bottle game at a masquerade ball, and the hunt for the man she kissed. For the reader who likes holiday driven romance.

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King: In a world where women are encased as they sleep, and become violent if the casing is disturbed, one woman is immune to this. Fans of Stephen King, and horror area probably already of the wait list, so why not join them!

The Apparitionists by Peter Manseau: I think the sub-title tells you what you need to know about this book, "a tale of phantoms, fraud, photography, and the man who captured Lincoln's ghost". For the historian or paranormal fan.

Basic Witches by Jaya Saxena: Looking for a self-empowering read, that might make mention of magic and spells? More of a self help book than actual witchcraft, this is for the reader looking to be a better more confident person.

If there isn't something on this list for you, check out this list of New Creepy Books for Halloween from the Book Bub blog!

Friday, October 20, 2017

Shrill by Lindy West


Quick, name a few role models you had growing up that you could both relate to, and see your self growing into their role. Now think about those role models, are they people you want to emulate? Are they people you can emulate? Are they reasonable? If not, can you (again quickly) think of more people closer to your self that look and have lives similar to yours? If not, welcome to Lindy West's world.

Shrill, Notes From a Loud Woman is a collection of essays that tell the story of journalist Lindy West's upbringing as a "big boned" kid who chose the worlds of fantasy over the real. Who did a presentation about her love for TV, specifically comedy, to the disappointment of a favorite teacher, who stood up for herself by claiming who she was, and who starting speaking up for those who might not be ready to stand up for themselves.

Funny and powerful, reading Shrill will both make you laugh and think. West is a writer and without knowing it you may have read her work for other sites. Recommended for readers who miss The Toast, check out Jezebel on occasion, and just want to read about someone who has stopped apologizing for who she is. 

Check out Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman @ the library!

Friday, October 13, 2017

Mister Hockey by Lia Riley


Jed West never knows what to expect with sports reporter Neve Angel, however this one interview ends up with him reading at a library as a favor to her sister, Breezy. What he doesn't expect is the vibrant "Super Reader" to have a bit of a wardrobe malfunction, that leads him straight to her home, and further into her arms. While he makes is a rule to never date fans, how can this quiet book worm even know who he is, other than what her sister tells her?

Of course, Breezy is Jed's biggest fan. Not only is he the star of her favorite hockey team, he's the star of her wildest fantasies. So when she has to face him more than once in one day, each interaction more embarrassing than the last, she hopes her half lie about being a fan won't cause her too much trouble. Of course, neither expected to find more than a fling in each other.

Mister Hockey is a fun fast read, that throws you into the whirl-wind romance between a star hockey player and a librarian. There's no lack of heat between the two characters, and even they know it's more than just a fling. In the tradition of Susan Elizabeth Phillips Stars series, readers can only hope to see more of the Angel family and the sports starts they love!

Check out Mister Hockey by Lia Riley @ the library!

Friday, October 6, 2017

The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder



Family weddings tend to be perfect memories, preserved in photographs where we all put on our best smiles, for family and friends. Anyone involved in a wedding will tell you there is much more going on beneath the surface of those perfect family photos.

It starts with an invitation, and a guess at how much the invitations cost. Siblings Alice and Paul have always been a pretty united front against their half sister Eloise, a woman who lived a life of privilege and ease that made their middle-class American life seem so ordinary. Now Eloise is getting married, insisting that they come to England for the event, and showing them the life they could never achieve.

Paul is happily partnered with Mark, living in Philadelphia doing kind of controversial work, that most psychologists would kill to do. Alice is on the West Coast, sleeping with her boss, and a still bit lost after Mexico. Being forced to face their mother, and their half sister is enough to push them to breaking points they didn't know they had.

Written in the same dysfunctional vein as Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections and Cynthia D'Aprix-Sweeney's The Nest, you won't be able to look away from the train wreck of a family in The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder.

Friday, September 29, 2017

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor


Much like Jillian Cantor's other works of historical fiction, The Lost Letter, beautifully weaves together two stories of love and loss. One part of the storyline, set in 1938 Austria, follows the Fabers, a Jewish family trying to survive as the Nazis march into Austria. Patriarch Frederick Faber is a master stamp engraver making postage stamps for the Austrian government. When the Nazis institute antisemtic legislation in Austria, the Fabers are forced to leave Austria leaving young Kristoff, Frederick's non-Jewish apprentice, in charge. When one of Frederick's daughters refuses to leave Austria, and becomes involved with the resistance movement, Kristoff finds himself falling in love.

Fast forward to 1989 shortly before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Katie, the daughter of an avid stamp collector is sorting through her father's stamp collection as her father suffers from the late stages of Alzheimer. When Katie finds a letter with a unique stamp on it she begins to journey into the past to uncover the story behind the unopened letter.

Cantor, much like she does in her other historical fiction novels, tells a completely captivating story. With seamless incorporation of historical events, Cantor alternates between characters with ease, perfectly blending the two time periods together.

Friday, September 22, 2017

The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures by the Library of Congress


As librarians, we are quite often asked about the card catalogs our older patrons remember from their youth. While technology has completely changed the way one finds the books they're looking, the card catalog still lives on, just in a different format. The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures pays homage to those 3x5 manila-colored cards that we all love. Authored by the Library of Congress, with a foreword from new Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, this book explains the origins of the card catalog, the information contained on those little cards, and just how important those cards were in the early days of libraries. The chapter entitled "The Rise and Fall of the Card Catalog" discusses the beginning of the demise of the card catalog following the use of punched cards following the 1890 census and how IBM revolutionized the way librarians cataloged books.

While the background information about the card catalog is interesting, perhaps the best part of this book is the rare photos the reader gets to see. Images of book cover art from Gone With the Wind, The Sound and the Fury, Snowy Day, and many others from the Library of Congress' collection are included. The original card is also included alongside the title. So just what happened to all of those cards? As this book notes, many of the cards have been used as art, jewelry, or collectibles. And those gorgeous wood card catalog drawers? Ask a librarian, chances are they can only dream of ever affording one.

This book, particularly of interest to librarians, would also be of interest to historians, bibliophiles, and avid library users. It's an interesting look at the roots of librarianship and provides a fascinating glimpse at what technology has provided us with.

Friday, September 15, 2017

The Finishing School by Joanna Goodman


It's been twenty years since Kersti Kuusk has been to the Lycée, the prestigious boarding school she attended as a teen. Kersti abruptly left the school during her senior year after her best friend Cressida mysteriously fell from the balcony of her dorm. Cressida's fall was declared an accident, but Kersti refuses to believe it. When a mutual friend of theirs passes away and sends Kersti a strange letter, it leaves even more questions about Cressida unanswered.

Now a successful author, Kersti is invited back to the Lycée's 100th anniversary celebration honoring women who have made a significant contribution to the world. Kersti sees this as the perfect time to delve a little bit deeper into exactly what happened the night of Cressida's accident. When a secret letter and incriminating Polaroids show up at Kersti's hotel, she finally puts together the missing pieces of the puzzle. Just how far will someone go to keep the secrets surrounding Cressida's accident?

The Finishing School is told in alternating chapters between the present day and Kersti's school years leading up to Cressida's fall from the balcony. This technique is effective in that it creates tension and suspense, particularly those chapters that focus on Kersti's present day findings.

Friday, September 8, 2017

The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth


Like her mother before her, Anna Forster was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in her late thirties. When her memory begins to rapidly deteriorate, Anna is moved to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility set up to help people who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's. Though she's reluctant to embrace her life at Rosalind House, Anna begins to befriend Luke, the only other person her age at Rosalind House. When the disease takes more of Anna's memory, she fights to hold onto everything she can, including her relationship with Luke.

Eve Bennett has suddenly become a single mother after her husband's death. Forced to provide for her daughter Clementine, Eve takes a job as the cook at Rosalind House. When she realizes Anna and Luke's relationship is what it is, Eve makes a daring move to make sure nobody has to be without the one they love.

Written in the style of Liane Moriarity, Sally Hepworth's The Things We Keep weaves together the stories of Anna Forster and Eve Bennett. These women are faced with their own difficulties, but ultimately help one another.

Friday, September 1, 2017

I Hate Everyone, Except You by Clinton Kelly


Clinton Kelly perhaps best known for all things fashion on What Not to Wear and co-host of the The Chew, is back with an all new book filled with candid, hilarious, and often snarky essays on nearly everything under the sun. From his somewhat awkward childhood to his feud with Paula Deen over whether or not it's acceptable to eat a chicken wing with a fork on TV to what was supposed to a relaxing spa day with his best friend that turned into a muddy fiasco, Kelly isn't afraid to tell it like it is. While known for his TV persona, I Hate Everyone, Except You is an unapologetic, honest, humorous look at Kelly's life; one that we don't always see on TV.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride by Jamie Lee


As a bride-to-be, the exciting yet daunting task of planning a wedding is before me. Jamie Lee's book Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride has made that task a little bit more entertaining. Her book, part wedding memoir, part checklist/timeline, part comedy paints wedding planning in a completely different light. While the timelines and checklists are helpful when it comes to planning, perhaps it's Lee's comedic insights that make this book an entertaining read. Lee's not afraid to say it like it is when it comes to nosy parents, how expensive everything is, and the wedding traditions that new generations of brides could live without. Though sometimes Lee's humor is a bit much, the best advice to take away from reading Weddiculous is that the most important things about your wedding day is that "it's just the first day in a long and happy marriage."

Friday, August 18, 2017

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi


The Complete Persepolis is the graphic novel memoir of author Marjane Satrapi's childhood growing up in a large family in Tehran, the capital of Iran, during the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The first chapters of the memoir focus on the very different views of life in public versus life in the comfort of one's home, showing opinion of the Shah, social classes, and traditional gender rolls. Once the Shah is overthrown for a new Islamic regime, all schools become single-gender, Satrapi is forced to wear a veil, and those who originally supported the revolution become an enemy of the newly formed government. Persepolis follows Satrapi's life from adolescence to boarding school in Vienna to her bittersweet return to her beloved homeland.

This edgy and observant graphic novel is filled with simple black and white illustrations in the graphic panels, which adds to the depth that this story conveys. The text is written in an almost childish manner, to reflect Marjane's innocence in the horrifying world that was Tehran in 1979. Filled with dynamic characters, this book is fascinating and alarming at the same time.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle



The author of Wolf in White Van is back with another creeping, psychological novel.  Jeremy Heldt is a post-high school graduate working in the Video Hut in Nevada, Iowa in the late 1990s. He knows his life is far from glamourous.  It’s just him and his dad since his mom passed away in a car accident six years ago.  He knows he should probably enroll in some classes at the local community college or at least look for a full-time job now that he’s out of school.   Things take an unusual turn when Stephanie Parsons returns a copy of a video and says “there’s something on this one.”  Jeremy forgets about it until the next day when another customer complains about a second tape being “taped over.”  After taking the second tape home to watch it, he decides it’s time to tell his boss, Sarah Jane about the strange tapes. She too takes one of the videos home and then forgets about it for weeks.  But once she watches it, she sees a familiar farm house that leads her to seek out the creator of the films. Stephanie and Jeremy begin their own investigations and the strange videos worm their way into each of their lives.

 John Darnielle claims that he is a man who loves loose ends.  This is true in that there are no nice neat answers in this book.  But the writing creates general feelings of unease and a drowning sense of memory to take the reader down paths of the past.  To a girl whose mother walked away when she five.  To a cultish church with vagrant followers.  To an old farmhouse where unsettling things were recorded and then expertly spliced into rental videos and then forgotten. Darnielle proves yet again that some of the creepiest stories aren’t really horrible at all.  They may only be vaguely menacing.  And that may be enough to make a book stick with you for a very long time. Check out Universal Harvester from the library today.

Friday, August 4, 2017

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee


Min Jin Lee's Pachinko is a multi generational story set in Japan that focuses on the twists and turns of history as it affects an immigrant Korean family beginning in 1900. This book is sure to be of interest to those fascinated by history or reading about how events affect life in weird and wonderful ways.

Friday, July 28, 2017

The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith Hahn Beer


Edith Hahn was a young woman studying law in Vienna when she was forced to give up her education, her home, and her life when she was banished to the Jewish ghetto and forced to wear a yellow star. Knowing she was being hunted, in a serious act of defiance, Edith ripped the yellow star from her clothing and spent every night looking for a safe place to sleep. Fearful Edith turned to a Christian friend, Edith used her friend's identity and fled to Munich. In  Munich, she met Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party member who wound up falling in love with her. Despite protestation and the confession of her Jewish identity, Werner married Edith and kept her identity a secret.

In her memoir, The Nazi Officer's Wife, Edith Hahn Beer recalls her life of fear in the face of Nazism. A tale of courage and bravery, this is a complex, troubling, and triumphant story.

Friday, July 21, 2017

The Pact by Jodi Picoult


Chris Harte has known Emily Gold since the day she was born, and from that time on, they were inseparable, forever linking the Harte and the Gold families as more than just neighbors. Sharing dinners, family parties, and holidays together the Hartes and Golds were a significant portion of one another's lives. When Chris and Emily began to date, it had always been assumed that they were meant to wind up together as soulmates. Aside from having a love like no other, Emily and Chris had everything going for them. Chris was an excellent student and Emily a gifted painter, both applying for colleges.

So imagine the surprise of the Harte and Gold families when they receive late-night calls from the hospital stating that Emily is dead at age 17 from a single gunshot wound to the head, most likely coming from a gun Chris took from his father's gun safe. When there's still another bullet in the chamber of the gun and Chris tells police that it was intended for a suicide pact, Chris Harte suddenly becomes the primary suspect.

Jodi Picoult's The Pact is full of intrigue, suspense, and legal drama that will keep you turning the page.

Friday, July 14, 2017

Badger Boneyards: The Eternal Rest of the Story by Dennis McCann


From Bayfield to Madison, Door County to Milwaukee, and everywhere in between, former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel author Dennis McCann's Badger Boneyards: The Eternal Rest of the Story tells the tales behind some of the most fascinating cemeteries and gravestones in the dairy state. While McCann gives attention to many of famous Wisconsinites like the Milwaukee beer barons and former governor "Fighting Bob" La Follette, perhaps the most interesting tidbits of information are of the lesser known individuals who have made Wisconsin their final resting place. From Wisconsin's first public school teacher to "the boy who would not tell a lie" and paid the ultimate price to the woman whose headstone names her murderer, Badger Boneyards is filled with often humorous, sometimes sober, historical anecdotes about this those who are at eternal rest in this great state.

Friday, July 7, 2017

The Mother's Promise by Sally Hepworth


Alice Stanhope and her daughter Zoe have only ever had one another to rely on. Poor Zoe struggles with crippling social anxiety and is reliant upon her mother, who fiercely protects her. With no family left and Zoe's father out of the picture, they're all the other needs. That's until Alice is diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.

Like any mother desperate to make sure her child is well cared for, Alice turns to the only two women she knows. Though they're practically strangers, Alice turns to Kate, her oncology nurse and Sonja, the social worker on her case, to help make sure that Zoe is cared for after Alice is gone. As these four strong female characters come together, they are forced to face their deepest fears--those of abandonment, physical and emotional abuse, estrangement, and infertility. 

Filled with the perfect combination of love, humor, and sadness, Sally Hepworth's The Mother's Promise is an unforgettable novel illustrating the immeasurable amount of love a mother has for her child. 

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Lane Roanoke is only fifteen years old when her mother commits suicide. With nowhere else to go, Lane moves in with her maternal grandparents and cousin Allegra on their farm in rural Kansas. Knowing little about her extended family, Lane is excited at the prospects of having a family to care for her. Lane quickly embraces life as a Roanoke, but it isn't long before Lane realizes that the Roanoke family has a dark secret to keep; one that sends her running far away from the small farming town in Kansas.

Years later, Lane still figuring out her life, receives a phone call from her grandfather telling Lane that her cousin Allegra has gone missing. Has Allegra run away like the Roanoke girls before her or is it something more sinister? Unable to get Allegra out of her mind, Lane returns to help ease the guilt she feels after having left Allegra behind. While Lane's homecoming means a chance for second chances, it also means that she must face the Roanoke secret that made her run.

Weaving between now and then, The Roanoke Girls is filled with twists and turns, exploring the lengths at which families will go to keep their deep, dark secrets and the love that they share.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Open Heart by Elie Wiesel


Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel is best known for his reflections on life in Auschwitz in his best-seller Night. Open Heart, though also a reflection, doesn't focus solely on the Holocaust; rather it's Wiesel's thoughts when at eighty-two years old, the writer and scholar was faced with emergency heart surgery and quite possibly his own mortality.

Though this is a brief book at only seventy-some pages, it is one filled with sincerity and honesty. Open Heart (so aptly named), focuses on Wiesel's family, many of whom perished during the Holocaust. The Nobel Peace Prize winning author questions whether or not he did his family justice by keeping their memory alive. He argues that the measure of a man can be determined by the love he has for his wife, children, and grandchildren. And most importantly he writes of the hopes he has for mankind, in a world that is often cruel and unjust.

Though Elie Wiesel has since passed away, the words of the most eloquent Holocaust spokesperson live on in this book and his other works.

Friday, June 16, 2017

LaRose by Louise Erdrich



National Book Award Winner Louise Erdrich begins her new novel, LaRose, with a punch to the gut: a hunting accident involving Landreaux Iron results in the death of his neighbor’s five-year-old son Dusty Ravich.  The two families had been close; the mothers were half-sisters, the five-year-old sons best friends.  Grief works in different ways on the two families and soon the Irons decide to honor an ancient tradition in order to make up for the Ravichs’ loss.  The Iron’s give their five-year-old son LaRose to the Ravich family.  Between a sweeping history of the four previous generations of LaRoses, and the story of Landreaux Iron’s past, Erdrich weaves a tale of loss and love.  LaRose grows to be a bond between the two families, helping them process their grief.  This deeply emotional read is another powerful novel from a talented award-winning author.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley


Lucy Knisley was born the daughter of a chef and a gourmet food connoisseur, so it should come as no surprise that this talented cartoonist and author of several graphic novelist would write and illustrate a memoir of her obsession with food. As hilarious as her other work, Lucy uses this book to frame many important life events around what delicious food she was eating, learning to cook alongside her mother, and what it means to thoroughly enjoy a meal with those one loves.

Each frame of Relish: My Life in the Kitchen is adorned with adorable illustrations, including the recipes Knisley shares at the end of each chapter, many of them for well-loved family dishes. For Knisley food is more than just survival, it's a large part of who she is and where she's come from.

Friday, June 2, 2017

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda


It's been ten years since Nicolette Farell left her rural hometown of Cooley Ridge, PA after her best friend Corinne disappeared. Leaving her sleepy hometown after Corinne's disappearance, Nic reinvented herself--she has a successful career, a high powered attorney finace, and a place of her own in Philadelphia. But now that Nic is forced to come back to tie up loose ends as her father moves into an assisted living facility, it's as if nothing has changed. With Nic back in town, old feelings and drama are stirred up...and it doesn't help that another young woman, Annaleise, Nic's childhood neighbor and alibi the night Corinne disappear, has now gone missing, too.

Told in reverse order from day 15 to 1, Nic starts to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Annaleise and with that the mystery of Corinne. Just like ten years ago, the investigation is once again focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, and Tyler, Nic's former boyfriend.

With twists, turns, and shocks you won't believe, All the Missing Girls has been compared to The Girl on the Train and The Luckiest Girl Alive. 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick


You may know Anna Kendrick from her starring role in the Pitch Perfect series, or perhaps her Oscar nominated role in Up in the Air. Maybe you recognize her as Jessica, the snarky friend from the Twilight movies. Or maybe you are one of the people who remember her roles in independent films like Camp, where she plays a "scary little girl". No matter what the role, there is no denying that Anna Kendrick is a actress on the rise, and Scrappy Little Nobody gives an inner look at how this all happened.

Anna describes her ascent from tiny Maine theater to Broadway to Hollywood with ease. Her first big break on Broadway was due to trusting parents sending her with her 14 year old brother to the big city on their own. Her breaks in movies come a little harder, as she explains to high school friends that the Sundance she is at, is the SUNDANCE where celebrities go. And while everyone else was staring college, she was giving acting a full on go, which forced her to grow up quickly. Even as her fame started to rise, her budget did not quite reflect that, and there are some regrettable fashion choices along the way.

Scrappy Little Nobody is one of those books you'll race through to laugh with Anna about her life, and ridiculousness of it all. Not quite a celebrity tell all, not quite a rise to the top story, but a life in progress view that will endure you to this performer. Fans of celebrity memoirs, such as Judy Greer's I Don't Know Where You Know Me From and Aisha Tyler's Self Inflected Wounds won't be disappointed.


Friday, May 19, 2017

Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill


Therese Oneill, known for her humor and history columns in The Atlantic and Jezebel, has put together a series of short essays on sex, marriage, childbirth, body image, clothing, and anything you could possibly want to know about women's lives during the Victorian era but were always too afraid to ask. From corsets and bathing to toilets and menstruation, no topic is off limits in Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners. 

In an era known for its romanticism, life for women was anything but. Unmentionable is peppered with illustrations and graphics from Victorian era publications and filled with quotes from male physicians and philosophers who have their fair share of thoughts on the menses and its correlation with hysteria. Oneill has put together a well-researched, thoughtful, hilariously snarky book filled with often horrifying and revelatory facts. The feminist in you will be happy you picked up this book.

Friday, May 12, 2017

UnSweetined by Jodie Sweetin


Jodie Sweetin, best known for her role as Stephanie Tanner on the long-running, wholesome TV show Full House, is up-front and honest in her 2009 memoir entitled UnSweetined. From a young age Sweetin was in show business, getting her big break when Full House premiered in 1987. Sharing bits and pieces of life on the set of Full House and stories of her lifelong friendship with TV sister Candace Cameron Bure, Sweetin writes how much she enjoyed acting. It wasn't long before life as a child star began to take its toll after Sweetin's longtime role came to an end.

Now as a teenager, unable to escape her role as America's sweetheart, Sweetin's acting career came to a screeching halt as she tried to juggle regular life with life as a former child star. With nothing but time on her hands and an endless supply of money, Sweetin's life took a dramatic turn to drug and alcohol abuse. Not afraid to write about her struggles, Sweetin sheds light on her vicious cycle of recovery and relapse (even while writing her book); ultimately only coming clean following the birth of her daughter.

Sweetin's deeply personal memoir is a quick read, filled with humor, charm, and struggle. For Full House fans or those who enjoy memoirs of child stars, UnSweetined is sure to give you a completely different perspective of Jodie Sweetin aside from her "How rude!" saying character Stephanie Tanner.


Friday, May 5, 2017

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick


Ever since his wife Miriam died a year ago, Arthur Pepper sticks to his routine as a means of coping with his loss. He wakes up at precisely 7:30 every morning, wears the same khaki pants and mustard colored sweater vest, eats breakfast, and waters his fern named Frederica. When he finally gets up the courage to start going through his deceased wife's things, he stumbles upon an exquisite gold charm bracelet in an old pair of boots. Having never seen his wife wear the bracelet, Arthur is especially intrigued by the stories behind the charms on the bracelet. Working with clues from the charms, old addresses, and conversations with Miriam's friends, Arthur sets out on a quest to London, Paris, and India in the hopes of finding out more about Miriam.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a heartwarming story of love, loss, and grief. Filled with a cast of quirky, witty characters the reader can't help but root for Arthur to change from a bumbling mess to the much better person he's meant to be, all while celebrating the joy that life has to offer.

Friday, April 28, 2017

A Bintel Brief: Love and Longing in Old New York by Liana Finck


With an influx of Eastern Europeans, particularly Jews, immigrating to the United States in the early 1900s, New York City became a melting pot of language, culture, and tradition. For the ever-growing population of Eastern European Jews, whose language was predominantly Yiddish (a mix of German and Hebrew), The Jewish Daily Forward became their lifeline to the world. Published in Yiddish, this paper focused on politics, social issues, and even had an advice column.

Long before Dear Abby's column, The Jewish Daily Forward anonymously published readers' letters asking for advice on topics ranging from marriage to family to religion as these new immigrants assimilated in the United States. These letters were featured in a portion of the paper referred to as the bintel brief, or a bundle of letters.

A Bintel Brief by Liana Finck is a graphic novel retelling of actual letters submitted to the Jewish Daily Forward. From a concerned woman who believes her neighbor stole her watch to a more acculturated woman who is ashamed of her recently immigrated husband, Finck does a wonderful job creating the dialogue and illustrations. Following the brief explanation of the letter is an abbreviated version of the advice offered in the paper upon publication.

With a throw back to nostalgia, Finck's graphic novel is enough to transport you back to a simpler time.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley


Sisters Cassie and Sid have been close all of their life, but now Cassie lives in New York City and Sid lives in Singapore. The sisters have gone down different paths--Cassie is a social medial loving, busy mom to twin boys, who is struggling to keep the spark lit in her marriage. Sid is the mother to two kids, is a bit of a free spirit, and is also having difficulties in her marriage. When the sisters are together over the holidays, Sid suggests they stay in touch the old fashioned way, by exchanging handwritten letters.

For both sisters, exchanging letters has become a sort of cathartic, eye-opening experience. Filled with confessions, advice, and sisterly bonding, the letter writing project has had more of an impact on Cassie and Sid than they ever imagined...including, thanks to Cassie's lapse in judgement, their letters posted on a blog for all of the world to see.

Lisa Beazley's first book, Keep Me Posted, is a hilarious read for anyone who has ever had a sister and has experienced first hand the trust shared between sisters.


Friday, April 14, 2017

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty


One day during her usual intense spin cycle class, Alice falls off her bike and hits her head. When she wakes up, life as she knows it has completely changed. Alice thinks she's still twenty-nine, married to her long term boyfriend, and pregnant with her first child. Completely confused, Alice finds it difficult to believe that ten years have passed, in which time she's almost forty, is currently separated from her husband, and has three very unique children. Her life is in an utter state of chaos. Imagine her surprise when the doctors tell her that she must reconstruct the memories from the last decade. Not only does she have to try to remember her children, but she has to figure out why her sister will barely talk to her, what could have possibly happened to have her marriage crumble, and exactly why she's turned out to be the mom and wife she never wanted to be. Completely bewildered, Alice has her work cut out for her.

Covering a wide array of topics from divorce to infertility to death, Lianne Moriarty's What Alice Forgot does not shy away from these difficult topics, all while providing an often humorous look at life.

Friday, April 7, 2017

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz


Sylvia Gold epitomizes the stereotypical overbearing Jewish mother. She clearly wants what's best for her three children, even if it often means meddling in their lives. So when she finds out that her youngest daughter is dating a Rothschild, only one of the wealthiest banking families in all of New York City, Sylvia can't help but throw a Seder, or the traditional meal served at the start of Passover, in the hopes of making a good impression.

After inviting the whole family, including her less than favorite soon to be son-in-law and his overly dramatic mother Italian mother and Sylvia's son casually drops by from Sri Lanka, with his black girlfriend, the peaceful traditions of the Seder have gone out the window. Chaos, jealousy, and family secrets become the topic of discussion for both the Golds and the Rothschilds. Can both of the families look past their differences and repair the things that divide them?

Brenda Janowitz's The Dinner Party resonates with any reader who has had to endure family functions where things often go awry, yet it's nearly impossible to laugh at the family you're a part of.

Friday, March 31, 2017

The Guineveres by Sarah Domet


Four girls, each named Guinevere, are all one another have after their parents have tragically abandoned them at The Sisters of Supreme Adoration convent and have left in the care of Sister Fran. The Guineveres, better known as Vere, Gwen, Ginny, and Win are bound together by their name and stand together through all of the circumstances of their plain lives at the convent. Together they learn about God, history, and contrary to the nuns' wishes, sex. With nobody to rely on but themselves and the dream of life outside the convent, the Guineveres form a tight bond and assuage their longing for the family members that have abandoned them. In this coming of age story, the Guineveres struggle to maintain their essence while exploring both their faith and their dreams.

The Guineveres is the first novel from new author Sarah Domet. With beautiful prose the insular world of Catholicism is alluringly detailed. With alternating chapters on less likely known saints, Domet does a wonderful job of illustrating the role of saints in the Catholic church, explaining the importance of Communion, and the flaws of those within the church. 

Friday, March 24, 2017

The Tin Horse by Janice Steinberg


After years of resistance to the thought of selling her home, where she raised her family, octogenarian Elaine Greenstein has finally decided to move into a retirement community. While packing years worth of possessions, Elaine unearths a clue to finding her twin sister, who disappeared from their predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Boyle Heights, California when she was only eighteen. After stumbling on the clue about her sister's disappearance, Elaine begins to retell her family's stories--everything from her mother's immigration to the United States to growing up as the "smart" twin instead of the "popular" one to her Zayde (Yiddish for grandfather) to reasons why her sister disappeared and the fallout from her sister's long ago disappearance.

Janice Steinberg's The Tin Horse is an excellent example of telling stories to remember. The author has done a wonderful job of intertwining Elaine's flashbacks as well as modern day Elaine's quest for her sister. With extreme detail to historical research and Jewish tradition, Steinberg has done a wonderful job of illustrating just how important family stories are to remembering those we love--a concept we should all aspire to.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Carry On by Lisa Fenn


In 2009 ESPN showed a short human interest film featuring a blind wrestler who would carry his legless teammate to and from the mats at meets. The powerful portrayal of hope and friendship caused many people to take an interest into the two boys from Ohio who had every disadvantage one could imagine. One of those people was the producer of the story, Lisa Fenn.

Dartanyon Crockett's larger than life statute was able to hide the fact that he could barely see, and his physical presence on the athletic field gave him a place in a world where he would have few things. He held on to hope, because he wanted to make his diseased mother proud. Leroy Sutton lost his legs in a tragic train accident, and spent his life with his mother squandering what resources should have helped him. He used humor to hide pain, and arm strength to show he could do what anyone else could. These boys became brothers, and we rarely seen without each other. 

When Lisa Fenn was sent the short article from the paper about the boys from her father, a Cleveland local, she knew there was a story there. As a producer for ESPN she knew this was something special, and convinced her boss to see what she saw. What she didn't know is that her life was going to be changed as much as the boys were. With out knowing what she was doing, she started looking out for these boys, hoping to elevate them out of their life of poverty and give them a better life. 

If you are looking for a powerful true story, in the same vein as The Blindside, check out Carry On by Lisa Fenn.

Friday, March 10, 2017

The Blessings by Elise Juska


When John Blessing passes away from cancer at a young age, leaving behind two young children, the loss is reverberated through the entire Blessing family. The Blessings are a close knit, Irish-American, Catholic family from Philadelphia, who take family and tradition very seriously, and with John's death the family comes together like never before. From big family dinners, Sunday Mass, and yearly vacations to the ocean, traditions are the glue that hold this family together amid cancer, death, marriage, eating disorders, babies, and divorce. Elise Juska's The Blessings is told in alternating viewpoints from various members of the Blessing family, with each chapter revealing deeper levels of the Blessing family while uniquely defining the characters of this story.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Testimony by Robbie Robertson


Robbie Robertson is best known as the guitarist and songwriter for The Band  who penned such memorable classic songs as “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” among many others.  The Band was an eclectic group of musicians who backed up Bob Dylan during his transformative years and released the seminal album “Music from Big Pink” in 1968. Robertson covers the Band’s inception and evolving musical journey that culminated in the 1976 Martin Scorsese film documenting The Band’s final live appearance in “The Last Waltz.”

In between, the autobiographical Testimony brings to life a musical journey for Robertson that began at age 16 when he left his home in Canada to join Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks. Robertson’s heritage is half-Mohawk and his storytelling nature makes for an interesting read. He became close friends with Dylan and mingled with a veritable who’s who of the 60’s and 70’s including every member of the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, David Geffen, Cher, Edie Sedgewick, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Carly Simon, James Taylor and many more.

As a result, the reader is treated with a rich understanding of the evolving music scene and an inside view of a band of musical brothers who are hardened by life on the road; including drugs and other excesses, and eventually burned out by that same highway. Five hundred pages in length, “Testimony” is a large book. However, it engages the reader and Robertson’s ability to weave story after story makes for an easy read.

In a recent interview Robertson explained that the original manuscript was edited down from an original, imposing 800 pages. Those familiar with Robertson’s life know that his talents took him on further artistic journeys beyond the end of the book which covers only up to 1976. As a result, fans can look forward to the second book that will surely include his solo albums, film scores, and acting projects up to the present. Robbie Robertson has lived an interesting life and “Testimony” is a fine addition to rock musical autobiographies.

Friday, February 24, 2017

The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo


Mattie Wallace has always been kind of a screw up, but this time she's really screwed up. Though she constantly thrives to not turn into her mother, Mattie can't help but see a strong resemblance to the mess of a mother she grew up with.

Broke, pregnant, and constantly fighting with her no good boyfriend, Mattie packs all of her possessions into six pillowcases, throws all of it into her ready-to-break-down car, and heads to visit her step-father whom she lovingly calls Queeg. Even now, long after Mattie's mom and Queeg have divorced and Mattie's mom has died, Queeg is the one Mattie goes to whenever she needs advice. Queeg, known for speaking in aphorisms, always tries to make Mattie see the silver lining. This time the silver lining is that Mattie is the sole heir to the estate of a grandmother that she's never met.

The catch? Mattie has to drive from the Florida panhandle to the small town of Gandy, Oklahoma to take care of the estate. Like any small town, Gandy is filled with peculiar characters. There's the local priest, who drinks too much, a staunchly old librarian, and so many busybodies Mattie can barely keep them straight. After spending some time in Gandy, Mattie realizes that her mother suddenly just vanished from the small town and nobody seems to know why. Realizing that she has no choice but to figure out the pieces to the puzzle of her mother's disappearance, Mattie realizes that this might be the way to save herself from the same downward spiral her mother faced.

Melissa DeCarlo's first book, The Art of Crash Landingwill grip you right from the start. Funny and poignant, this is a fast read that will make you laugh and make you think of all of those times as a teenager that you said you didn't want to turn out as your mother.

Friday, February 17, 2017

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix




Meet Abby and Gretchen. It’s 1988; they’re 16 and have been best friends since the fourth grade. They both attend Charleston, South Carolina’s prestigious Albemarle Academy.  Gretchen comes from a wealthy if distant family and Abby…does not.  Abby and Gretchen have a great friendship.  Closer than sisters, they’re always together no matter what their parents think.  One evening during an attempt to take acid, Gretchen, Abby and a two other friends run around a country estate waiting for the drug to kick in.  Gretchen gets the great idea to go skinny-dipping and before the others can stop her, she’s ripped off her clothes and dashed through the woods towards the river.  The others realize what Gretchen hasn’t: the tide is out, affecting the depth of this part of the river.  Abby races through the woods trying to find her friend.  She finally finds Gretchen cold and muddy a few hours later.   While it seems like crisis has been averted, their problems are just beginning.

It begins with Gretchen not being able to sleep.  Her parents say they hear weird sounds coming from her room at all hours.  She loses weight.  She won’t shower.  She rarely talks to any of her friends and when she does, manages to say or do something outrageously nasty.  Abby tried to appeal to Gretchen’s parents but gets a typical “We know our daughter.  She’s fine.”  This is genteel, southern code for “We don’t talk about our problems out loud and we certainly wouldn’t talk about them with YOU.”  In a desperate plea, Abby tells Gretchen’s mother the whole story of what happened the night Gretchen started to act strange.  Before she knows it, she’s been accused of dealing drugs and is forbidden to see her best friend.  Everyone else has ditched Gretchen.  Her parents and teachers are in denial.  How can she help her friend if she’s not even allowed to talk to her at school? 

One morning nearly a month after the incident, Gretchen arrives at school completely changed.  Not only has she showered, but she’s gotten a drastic new haircut, new clothes and seems to be… almost glowing.  Everyone wants to be seen with Gretchen, wants to date her, or wants to be her friend.  Sinister things keep happening to Abby and Gretchen’s circle of friends.  When a voice that isn’t Gretchen’s speaks from her best friend’s mouth Abby finally knows the truth: Gretchen’s been possessed.  Is Abby and Gretchen’s friendship stronger than the devil himself? 


Readers who enjoyed Hendrix’s first book, Horrorstör, will appreciate the author’s second novel. Adult and teen horror enthusiasts alike will find plenty to entertain while grossing themselves out.  Bonus: the book is set up like a high school year book which makes for some entertaining finds before and after you finish the novel. Check out MyBest Friend’s Exorcism from the library today!

Friday, February 10, 2017

Modern Girls by Jennifer S. Brown


Rose and Dottie Krasinsky a Jewish mother and daughter living in 1930s New York happen to find themselves pregnant at the same time. Needless to say, neither one is necessarily thrilled about their unwanted pregnancy. Rose, an Eastern European immigrant who clings to her traditions, is in her 40s, already has five children, and is longing to return to a more socially active role as the world is on the brink of war. Dottie is nineteen, working as a bookkeeper for an insurance company in Manhattan, has a steady boyfriend, and embraces all that the early 1930s has to offer women. When she learns that she's pregnant and her longtime boyfriend isn't the father, Dottie's life is bound change right along with her mother's.

Told in alternating viewpoints, from the perspectives of Rose and Dottie, Modern Girls weaves together social issues, feminism, and history peppered with Yiddish phrases and Jewish traditions.

Friday, February 3, 2017

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi


Priya has almost everything she could ever want. The perfect job, a loving husband, and a home in California's Silicon Valley. The one thing she can't do? Have a child of her own after several failed miscarriages and IVF attempts. Asha is the exact opposite. She lives in a small hut, in a rundown neighborhood in India, with a two children that she and her husband can barely keep a roof over. These two women may have completely different lives, but they'll be forever linked.

Desperate to do almost anything to secure a better future for her extremely gifted son, Asha decides to become a surrogate, essentially renting out her womb for a little bit of money, to wealthy couples who are unable to have children. Priya desperate in her own way, takes a chance when she relies on Asha, her surrogate, to make her dreams of becoming a mother happen.

A House for Happy Mothers is an interesting look at surrogacy and surrogate mothers, particularly in India, where surrogacy has more or less become an industry, with a fascinating, vibrant look at Indian culture, feminism, and family.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson


Fortune Smiles is a collection of short stories, each with an unusual point of view: the pedophile with a heart of gold; the North Korean defector who is disgusted with South Korean culture; the former East German prison guard who denies he did anything wrong; the well-meaning single-parent father clumsily trying to care for his toddler after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have destroyed southern Louisiana; the computer engineer endeavoring to help his paralyzed wife; and the cancer-stricken wife who feels jealous of women who offer help to her husband and children. The people in these stories are heartbreakingly unable to communicate with those dearest to them. Adam Johnson won a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Orphan Master's Son and his writing talent is quite evident in this collection of perceptive stories.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Something New: Tales From a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley


This adorable graphic novel by artist Lucy Knisley touches and illustrates just about everything it seems a newly engaged, bride-to-be feels at some point throughout the course of planning one of the most important days of her life. From the common issues such as finding "the one" to  dress shopping to choosing a cake, Knisley offers her often hilariously witty opinion and carefully crafts an illustration to go along with it. Aside from the traditional something borrowed, something blue traditions, Knisley shares not-so-common traditions including the slapping of the groom's feet with a fish and the German tradition known as Polterabend, in which wedding guests bring old dishes or glasses and smash them at the bride and groom's feet.

Though Knisley's Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride is filled will funny anecdotes, the book also touches on really important issues such as feminism, assumed expectations, gender stereotypes, family drama, and typical wedding chaos, including the importance (and cost!) placed on "just stuff." So whether you're a bride-to-be, a proud relationship partner, or still waiting for "the one" to sweep you off your feet, this book is reassuring that all of the feelings one has surrounding their wedding have surely been felt before.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen


It's the dress of the season, the perfect little black dress that every woman wants. This charming, witty story weaves together many short stories about the lucky women who get to wear this dress. Nine Women, One Dress tells the stories of Natalie who works as a salesgirl at Bloomingdale's who just can't seem to get over her jerk ex-boyfriend who broke her heart to Felicia who has been in love with her boss for the last eighteen years to Max, a Polish immigrant to America, who has spent the last 70 years of his life as a pattern maker for one of the top designers in New York City and how this dress has forever changed their lives.

The best way to describe this funny book, is like a grown-up version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, where the greatest pair of jeans are exchanged for the perfect little black dress. With the perfect amount of heartwarming parts, this story resonates with every woman who has always wanted to find her perfect dress.