Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Title: Flowers for Algernon

Author: Daniel Keyes

Genre: Science Fiction

This book is a classic for a reason! Told in diary entries, we meet Charlie, a mentally disabled man who undergoes an experiment to increase his intelligence. As the experimental procedure takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered it. As time progresses, Algernon, the mouse who originated the experiment, starts to deteriorate. Will the same happen to Charlie?

A short read that is always impactful. Be aware that they do use some outdated offensive terminology for mental disabilities. Aside from this, Flowers for Algernon is a wonderful look into what is intelligence and how it can impact your life.

- Megan

Check out Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes @ the library!

A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Title: A Danger to Herself and Others

Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Genre: Young Adult

It was an accident. Hannah will be released very soon. That is what she's telling herself as she waits for Dr. Lightfoot to evaluate her. She doesn't belong in a facility for mentally ill girls. It's all a big mistake.

Agnes, her best friend and roommate at the summer program, is hurt. Bad. Sure Hannah wanted Agnes's boyfriend - after all she saw him first, but she was smart enough to work that out on her own.

Now she's locked in a small room, which is so boring until her new roommate, Lucy, shows up. Lucy makes things bearable. Lucy gets her and shares some secrets of her own.

Will Hannah come to grips with what really happened to Agnes? Will Lucy be the one to send Hannah over the edge? Read A Danger to Herself and Others to find out.

- Sarah R.

Check out A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa B. Sheinmel @ the library!

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!

Books! Live With Katie Books to Give

Looking for suggestions of books to give the readers in your life? Join Katie in this recording of December 2nd, 2020's Books! Live with Katie where she shares the following titles: Eat a Peach by David Chang The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson Dolly Parton Songteller by Dolly Parton She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of David Linklater's Dazed and Confused by Melissa Maerz Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Cary Grant by Scott Eyman Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally Koval The Neil Gaiman Reader by Neil Gaiman The Best of Me by David Sedaris I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider #wapl #westallispubliclibrary #bookslivewithkatie #bookstogive #givebooks

Recommended For You by Laura Silverman

Title: Recommended For You

Author: Laura Silverman

Genre: Young Adult

Shoshanna Greenberg loves her job at Once Upon, a mall bookstore. This is good because otherwise things are a bit stressful: her moms are fighting, money is tight, and her car is kaput. The fighting she can't do much about, but her boss just announced a competition for the booksellers. If she outshines her peers, she can get the money she needs to fix her elderly auto. Enter Jake. He's new, he's curt, he's cute, and he's determined to win that bonus for himself. I don't want to spoil the fun but there's baking, a goth-couple, a store intercom shaming, a YouTube star wannabe, and even Santa puts in an appearance. You don't think one book can have all that? Read Recommended For You and see.

- Sarah R

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Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre: Gothic Horror, Mystery

Mexican Gothic is a very moody and dark novel, suspenseful and a little spooky. It does contain some horror-genre elements, so be aware of that too. Main character Noemi receives a strange and erratic letter from her cousin Catalina, so she heads out to Catalina's husband's estate to check things out. Set in the 1950s in a small town in Mexico, the book's setting is fantastic, full of atmosphere and just the right amount of fog.

Strange things begin to happen to Noemi, and Catalina's new family is utterly bizarre, with very specific rules to follow while she is visiting. The book moves along as a standard psychological thriller might, but then about two thirds of the way in it gets really, really odd (don't say I didn't warn you!) but odd in a way that compels you to keep reading! Needless to say, this ends up being one really weird book, but in a very unique way. The perfect novel to dig into this fall or winter when you could use a change of scenery, even if that scenery is nightmarish!

- Jamie

Check out Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia @ the library!

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Title: The Sun Down Motel

Author: Simone St. James

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

The Sun Down Motel is a suspenseful read that alternates between two time periods, 1982 and present day. Viv works as a night clerk at the hotel in 1982 until she mysteriously disappears. Her niece, Carly, in present day tries to unravel what happened to her aunt, leading her down a twisty road to solving the mystery. Creepy things happen some nights at the motel, and both Viv and Carly meet interesting characters throughout the book. You never are quite sure if these characters are quite who they seem. If you're looking for a spooky book to read this fall, give The Sun Down Motel a shot!

- Jamie

Check out The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James @ the library!