The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Title: The Lager Queen of Minnesota
Author: J. Ryan Stradal
Genre: Domestic Fiction

This book is written by a Minnesota native and follows the lives of two sisters from the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" don't cha know. Older sister Edith followed the more traditional path of marrying young, raising a family, and baking pies - a skill through which she ekes out a meager living. Younger sister Helen knows at an early age that beer is her destiny. She majors in chemistry so she can become a brewer. Though her mom disapproves, her dad secretly supports her goal and ends up leaving the entire farm to Helen. This one-sided allocation of the inheritance creates a rift between the sisters.

Will either sister make their mark in beer history? Will they ever speak to each other again? Can you read this book without wanting to have some pie or beer?

I would recommend this as a book club book - especially one that would pair it with a beer tasting or a pie social.

- Sarah R.

Check out The Lager Queen of Minnesota @ the library! 

Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky

Title: Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
Author: Jacob Tomsky
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor

Jacob Tomsky lets you look through the peephole of the hotel industry from the point of view of an employee. He has worked in various positions: parking valet, head of housekeeping, and behind the front desk. He offers up salacious stories, travel tips, and life lessons. He also sprinkles in a little of his personal story and drops a few names to keep things interesting.

I never suspected how carefully orchestrated the hustles are, and I know the next time I find myself in a home away from home, I will have a whole new understanding and appreciation for all that goes into the hospitality business.

- Sarah R.

Check out Heads in Beds @ the library! 

The Book of Help by Megan Griswold

Title: The Book of Help: A Memoir in Remedies
Author: Megan Griswold
Genre: Memoir, Self-Help

The Book of Help is an interesting memoir, written by a woman who has tried nearly every alternative treatment available. Author Megan Griswold reflects on the self-help seminars she's been attending since she was a child, traveling to South America and finding love in the process, and experimenting with pretty much everything under the sun to find herself.

The book reminded me a bit of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, but it has a unique format. I wasn't sure what to expect wen I picked up this book, but Griswold's story is interesting and her tales are varied. She writes in short chapters that make it easy to start and stop the book as you wish. You'll learn a lot about different methods of treating pain (both physical and emotional), and watch Griswold's growth to adulthood.

- Jamie

Check out The Book of Help @ the library!

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Title: Three Women
Author: Lisa Taddeo

Genre: Non-Fiction

This book isn't going to be for everyone, and it's definitely not the feel-good book of the year. Lisa Taddeo follows the sex lives of three women (hence the title): one in a loveless marriage who turns to a high-school boyfriend; one who was groomed, courted, and dropped by her high school teacher; and one who participates in menage a trois to please her husband. These three tales of desperation, desire, and dissatisfaction are shared, but not glorified. It is an unvarnished and introspective look at fidelity, morals, and family/couple dynamics.

- Sarah R.

Check out Three Women @ the library.

A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazy and Charles Fishman

Title: A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life
Author: Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Motivational

Movie producer Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, Splash, Backdraft, Apollo 13) talks about the many times that curiosity has propelled him along in both finding his career and furthering it. The names dropped, and there are many, are some of the tippy top of lists everywhere: Oprah, Jonas Salk, Isaac Asimov, and more. 

Grazer also talks about different types of curiosity, when to engage them, and when to turn it off. In this Golden Age of Curiosity, he feels that those who ask have a better-than-ever opportunity to find their answers. 

While I didn't end up in love with this book, I did find it a good reminder that simple curiosity can take you places that maybe you never anticipated going. 

- Sarah R.

Check out A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life @ the library.