The Mall by Megan McCafferty

Title: The Mall

Author: Megan McCafferty

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

The year is 1991, and the place to work in Pineville, New Jersey is the Parkway Center Mall. Cassie is looking forward to her last summer in New Jersey before the rest of her life starts in New York this fall. Her carefully planned out life includes her boyfriend Troy, and their futures at Barnard and Colombia. All that stands between her and her future is this summer and her job at America’s Best Cookie. Of course her day is better because it's her first day post 6-week mono quarantine.

Instead of a nice first day back into the real world, Cassie is assaulted by Cucumber Melon Bath and Body spray, delivered by Troy’s new girlfriend. To add insult to injury, she no longer is employed at America’s Best Cookie. With money for school on the line, and a summer that needs to be saved from her parents' expectations, Cassie ends up finding a job with former best friend Drea at Bellarosa, a boutique a little bit outside of Cassie’s tastes. Secret mall parties, a legend of lost money, and maybe a new crush at the Sam Goody, Cassie’s summer is turning out to be better than expected. Of course, as with anything that happens in Jersey, there is drama.

While this is a YA book, it is best suited for those readers who were teens in the 1990’s. If you ever went to a mall food court for a date, argued whether compact discs were the best way to listen to music, or participated in a mall fashion show, this is the book for you. For an extra double feature, watch Mall Rats and read The Mall by Megan McCafferty.

- Katie

Check out The Mall by Megan McCafferty @ the library!

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

Title: Swimming in the Dark
Author: Tomasz Jedrowski
Genre: Fiction, Coming-of-age story, LGBT literature

Jedrowski's debut novel follows Ludwik in communist-era Poland, as he falls in love with Janusz at a summer camp. While the novel's LGBT themes are subtly interwoven into the fabric of the story, they remain the driving force of the narrative. One reviewer commented that it was reminiscent of Aciman's "Call Me By Your Name" insofar as its historical context, European setting, and evocative, poetic prose. This description seems apt, as the author's writing is highly sensual and descriptive, like Aciman's, though the setting will immerse readers in Jedrowski's native Poland, giving them a broader political context of the time period, as well as the land and cityscapes throughout. This book will be sure to please fans of Aciman's writing, as well as some historical fiction readers looking for a work from a contemporary and unique European voice. The story is tender and poignant, and also draws several parallels with James Baldwin's seminal "Giovanni's Room". At just shy of 200 pages, the novel is the perfect summer read for anyone looking for a story of substance which depicts and questions the ethics of Poland's restrictive communist regime, while also capturing the nostalgic beauty and resilience of its ancient culture and more secretive love affairs.

-Adam

Check out Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski @ the library!

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Title: My Dark Vanessa
Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
Genre: Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Social Movements, Trauma

While away at a prestigious boarding school, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye is drawn into a sexual relationship with her forty-two-year-old English teacher, Jacob Strane. As a teenager, Vanessa sees the relationship as powerful, special, a true love story that no one else could possibly understand. Seventeen years later and now thirty-two years old, Vanessa is forced to look at Strane through a different lens as allegations from other students come out against him, and as she faces the truth of the manipulation that has defined over half of her life. 

This novel is heavy. While the author takes great care with the sensitive subject material, some parts are not easy to read. But for those affected by abuse, those holding a piece of the weight of the #metoo movement, and especially for anyone who's ever questioned #metoo's importance, this story feels so, so vital.

- Ashley

Check out My Dark Vanessa @ the library!

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Title: The Book Charmer
Author: Karen Hawkins
Genre: Fiction, Magical Realism

The Dove family has  lived in Dove Pond for ages. The daughters are even said to have magical traits. Sarah is the librarian who can commune with books. The books tell her who they need to go to. Though she can't explain it, she takes it in stride. When a book tells her that newcomer Grace is going to save the town, Sarah listens.

Grace is only in Dove Pond long enough to see if it helps her mom battle her Alzheimer's Disease. The job she took to support her family as the city's clerk doesn't pay well, but if it makes Momma G regain some memory, it will be worth the year away from her corporate job. Grace has also just been made guardian of her niece and never being a mom before, has plenty to learn about raising a child. The last thing she needs is to get sucked into the town's drama. One year and done is her mantra. 

Will Grace save the town? Read The Book Charmer to find out.

- Sarah R.

Check out The Book Charmer @ the library!

What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr

Title: What Rose Forgot
Author: Nevada Barr
Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Imagine waking up and not knowing where you're at or why you're in a hospital gown. 

That's what happens to Rose after she's had a bout of the flu. She's been committed to a ward for dementia patients in an upscale nursing home. As her lucidity reinstates itself, she figures she'll have to make a break for it to figure out how she landed there. 

What follows is part mystery, part action/adventure, and part comedy of errors involving Rose, her granddaughter, Rose's sister, and a string of hired drivers. Will Rose get to the bottom of her own mystery? What else will she discover along the way?

I have always enjoyed Nevada Barr's writing - in particular her Anna Pigeon mysteries - so it is no surprise that I enjoyed this book as well. Nevada does "spunky" women leads well. 

- Sarah R.

Check out What Rose Forgot @ the library!

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis

Title: We Met in December
Author: Rosie Curtis
Genre: Fiction, Romance

If you're looking for a light, winter read, this book is the one for you. Jess moves into a house in London with four practical strangers. On the first night, she has a connection with Alex, one of her new roommates. Alex recently left his fiancee because she did not support him leaving his nice job as a lawyer in order to study to become a nurse. Jess and Alex connect over walks around the city and coffee at their favorite coffee place...but just as friends. 
Told in alternating perspectives, this book will make you root for Jess and Alex to fall in love and get on with their lives together.

- Megan

Check out We Met in December @ the library!

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! 

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

Title: I Owe You One
Author: Sophie Kinsella

Genre: Women's Fiction

Fixie Farr can't help herself. As her nickname suggests, she can't let a task go undone or a project go untackled. However, there are some things that can't be corrected by her alone, like her posturing brother and her helpless sister who are supposed to help her run the family home goods store while their mom is taking a much-needed vacation. 

As if that weren't enough, Fixie's high school crush comes back to town. Plus, she's got to contend with a braggart uncle who is trading in a past favor for current freebies. When Fixie does an unexpected favor for a stranger in a coffee shop, her already chaotic life gets even more tangled. 

Can Fixie live up to her name and her dad's motto of "family first" or is it high time she changes that motto to "Fixie first"?

- Sarah R.

Check out I Owe You One @ the library.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing
Author: Delia Owens

Genre: Fiction

Kya Clark, the "Marsh Girl" of Barkley Cove, has communed with the nature around her family's small shack all her life. She is more in harmony with the wildlife than with people. When the town's favorite son/quarterback turns up dead, the police are looking at Kya as a possible suspect. 

Will the town's prejudices manifest in a conviction, or will Kya be freed to feed her gulls again? Read the Where the Crawdads Sing to find out.

I would especially recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Kristin Hannah's, The Great Alone.

- Sarah R.

Check out Where the Crawdads Sing @ the library.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

Title: The Dinner List
Author: Rebecca Serle

Genre: Romance, Coming-of-Age Fiction, Audrey Hepburn

When you begin reading and Audrey Hepburn is one of the characters, you know you are in for a treat. When Sabrina and her best friend are in college, they craft the classic list of the five people, dead or alive, who they would like to have at their thirtieth dinner parties. The lists get forgotten as lives get lived and love is won and tragically lost. Enter Sabrina's thirtieth birthday and Audrey Hepburn, among others, is seated at a table in a fancy restaurant and having dinner with her. How would you live out a few hours of borrowed time as you savor a meal with your ideal dinner companions?

- Elizabeth

Check out The Dinner List @ the library.

Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan

Title: Summer Hours
Author: Amy Mason Doan

Genre: Fiction

Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan is an excellent summer read. It's set against the backdrop of Southern California/Pacific Coast and skips between the 1990s and 2008. The story revolves around main character Becc as she comes of age in college, the aftermath of her decisions during that time, and how they play out in the 2008 time period. Becc's two storylines contain the same characters, so it's really interesting to see how they all grow. 
What really hooked me in to this story was the setting. It has several settings which draw you into the warmth of the west coast, keeping things varied with sailing to Catalina Island,  the cool of dark movie theaters, and to the world of early internet reporting offices. I'd recommend this read for anyone looking for a read with not only a great setting, but romance, friendship, and forgiveness.

- Jamie

Check out Summer Hours @ the library.

The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

Title: The Mars Room
Author: Rachel Kushner

Genre: Fiction

This book was shortlisted for the 2018 Booker Prize for Fiction. It is a gritty, unflinching look at a young stripper, Romy Hall, who is staring down two life sentences at California's Stanville Women's Correctional Facility. 

It not only follows her story, but those of key players in her journey so it doesn't just flow from one point of view. These others are like tributaries who influence and impact Romy's life at different times.

As different as the characters' lives are from my own, I found them compelling. The author provides the audiobook narration and she imbues Romy with a resigned sort of deadpan voice that perfectly exemplifies how world-weary the protagonist is and yet there's a hint of a wistful philosopher to her that gives her more dimension. 

I would recommend this book to those who like Orange Is the New Black or dramas like Netflix's Jailbirds. 

- Sarah R.

Check out The Mars Room @ the library.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Title: Next Year in Havana

Author: Chanel Cleeton

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Marisol grew up hearing stories about Cuba from her grandmother Elisa, who left there as a teenager and never returned. Now, Elisa has just passed away, and her final wish was for Marisol to visit Cuba for the first time and spread her ashes there. Marisol stays with her grandmother’s childhood best friend, who gives her a box of letters that Elisa gave her to protect when she left the country in 1959. The letters show her a side to her grandmother’s life that she never knew about, and Marisol sets out to discover the full story. The book switches between Marisol’s viewpoint in 2017 and Elisa’s in 1958, so readers learn along with Marisol about the man who wrote the letters and the circumstances that caused Elisa’s family to leave Cuba. However, the more Marisol digs into her family’s past, the more attention she draws from the government, until she begins to put herself and the family she is staying with in danger. This is an intriguing book that keeps readers surprised until the end. 

- Melissa

Check out Next Year in Havana @ the library.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Author: Jenny Han

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Lara Jean has lived a pretty quiet life, until she crosses her younger sister, Kitty. Kitty found the love letters that Lara Jean had written and stowed away - just a way for her to vent her feelings. Everything gets mixed up when Kitty mails the letters and Lara Jean is confronted by the guys she's crushed on. 

There is currently a movie on Netflix of the story, but it doesn't exactly follow the book so even if you've seen it, it is worth a read. This is also book one of a trilogy, so if you like it, you can read more and see how the story continues.

- Sarah R.

Check out To All the Boys I've Loved Before @ the library.

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

Title: Shotgun Lovesongs

Author: Nickolas Butler

Genre: Fiction

Shotgun Lovesongs follows the lives of a group of friends as they grow older. The story is set in rural Wisconsin and really brings that small town feel. Main character Lee has found success as a rock star and still maintains relationships with the guys he grew up with. Along for the ride is Beth, a woman who grew up with them. The differences and similarities in the group of friends shine as more is revealed about their past and present lives. This is an excellent novel to curl up with as the temperatures start to drop.

- Jamie

Check out Shotgun Lovesongs @ the library.

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

Title: Seven Days of Us

Author: Francesca Hornak

Genre: Fiction

A novel that explores being in isolation with those closest to you. Olivia, doctor and grown daughter of Emma and Andrew, finally arrives home for Christmas after being away for a while helping victims of an epidemic overseas. She arrives home and the family is quarantined for the holidays in an effort to ensure Olivia has not contracted the virus she has been helping people fight. The good and the bad of family all comes out in this story as the characters struggle to make sense of one another's lives while dealing with their own issues. Throw in another wrench as a suprise guest shows up on their doorstep, someone nobody expects, who changes each of their lives forever. 

- Jamie

Check out Seven Days of Us @ the library.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Title: Crazy Rich Asians

Author: Kevin Kwan

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance

Have you ever felt like you don't fit in with your significant other's family and friends? If so, you'll be able to empathize with the unease and uncertainty with which Rachel Chu navigates the introductions that her boyfriend, Nick, makes to his lifelong friends, his old-fashioned grandma, his scheming mother, and the rest of his pedigreed relatives during their summer trip to Singapore. Can their relationship stand up to the outside pressures from these crazy rich asians? Check it out to see!

Don't be suprised if you feel like enjoying some exotic fare, escaping on vacation, or going on a shopping spree after reading this book - there are so many exotic locations, foods, and designer goods name-dropped that it's enough to make your head spin. 

- Sarah R.

Check out Crazy Rich Asians @ the library.

The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir

Title: The Book of Essie

Author: Meghan MacLean Weir

Genre: Domestic Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Esther Anne Hicks is 17, the star of the reality show “Six for Hicks,” the youngest daughter of a pastor and his wife who lead a large congregation, and pregnant. Essie, as she is known, is listening to the conversation where her mother and producers will decide her fate: have her disappear for a few months, give the baby away. Other suggestions are too risky to the family, of course. The one idea that sticks is to have her quickly get married, and hope the baby comes in a time line that makes it seem like a “honeymoon baby.” Knowing she has no real power in this situation, Essie chooses to lead her mother on the last path, having the ideal groom in mind.

Roarke is aware of Essie, as it’s impossible to miss the girl and the cameras, but unlike his friends he has no interest in the famous family. He is surprised when his family quickly rises in favor with the Hicks, realizing this relationship will save his family’s business. Forced time with Essie may not be the worst price to ensure his future.

Liberty Bell is more than just her past, but being famous for opinions online and a tragic past means she has to work twice as hard to prove herself in journalism. When Esther Hicks reaches out to her for an exclusive story, she can’t say no. However, she knows there is more to this calculated story than Essie is giving her.

Three stories strangely intertwine, as the past meets up with the present. Buried family secrets threaten the livelihood of the Hicks family, but is Essie the one who can break through?  

Readers who realize everything we see on TV isn’t real, or who watched the Duggar’s TV shows and followed the family scandal will want to pick up this fascinating look at family, and breaking free from expectations. 

- Katie

Check out The Book of Essie @ the library.

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer

Title: The Female Persuasion

Author: Meg Wolitzer

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

College Freshman Greer Kadetsky lets her friend, Zee, drag her to a feminist talk by Faith Frank, a famous women's rights proponent. Little does Greer know that it will open up a new, previously unimagined path for her. Greer's boyfriend, Cory, suffers a horrible loss that hijacks his future plans. Zee, stuck with a job she doesn't like, overcomes regular betrayals to find her own way. Faith, forever on a quest to improve the world for women, must decide what she will give up and hand over to achieve her ends.

This book touches on so many topics: women's rights, love, loss, disappointment, goals, loyalty, and really seeing the people surrounding you. Though it is not particularly surprising, it reminds the reader that everyone can make a difference in the lives of others.

- Sarah R.

Check out The Female Persuasion @ the library.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Title: Ordinary Grace

Author: William Kent Krueger

Genre: Fiction, Coming of Age, Mystery

"It was a summer in which death, in visitation, assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder." The words of narrator 13-year-old Frank Drum, growing up in small town MN in 1961, captured me from its outset. This is a quiet yet powerful book full of mystery, secrets and adversity.  Frank's father is the town Minister, whose unshakable faith and hope holds his family and town together even in the midst of unspeakable tragedy and sorrow. For all its "heaviness," the story is ultimately uplifting and hopeful and leaves you touched by "not-so-ordinary" grace.

- Karen

Check out Ordinary Grace @ the library.