The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Title: The Underground Railroad

Author: Colson Whitehead

Genre: Historical Fiction

This Oprah Book Club selection offers a glimpse of the trials and tribulations of slave life during the time of the underground railroad. The story's protagonist is Cora, a young slave girl who is abandoned by her mother who flees the plantation in the hopes of being free.

Cora's own journey via the underground railroad is fraught with peril, not knowing if at any moment she will be found by the persistant slave catcher, Ridgeway, if she will be betrayed by others, or if she will be discovered because of her own missteps.

Full of detailed prose that paints pictures of the time, the scene, and the horrors experienced, this book helps to shed light on the incredible journey shared by many African Americans searching for finding freedom.

- Sarah R.

Check out The Underground Railroad @ the library.

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon

Title: I Was Anastasia

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Historical Fiction

Anastasia Romanov was the youngest daughter to Nicholas II, the tsar of Russia in the early 1900s. At 17 years old, she, along with her family, was infamously murdered in 1918 after the Bolshevik Revolution. ...Or was she? In the years following the execution, many women came forward claiming to be Anastasia, stating that she had somehow survived the execution. The most prevailing of these women was known as Anna Anderson. In "I Was Anastasia," Ariel Lawhon presents two timelines: one moving forwards, which follows Anastasia and her life the few years before 1918; the other moving backwards, following Anna Anderson and her fight to be legally recognized as Anastasia Romanov. These two timelines converge on the execution of the Romanov family in 1918. The book reads as a suspense or mystery novel as you try to unravel what is happening and determine what is the truth.

While this book is a fictional retelling, many of the people, places, and major events are rooted in the facts and history. Lawhon did extensive research, using letters, journals, and other primary sources to craft conversations and other interactions. The book was a little slow to start, but I highly recommend sticking with it! It was an engrossing read! When I finished, I found myself researching more of the story to figure out what was true and what was fabricated. It is amazing to me that it actually took over 70 years for Anastasia's true fate to be conclusively determined! You will be fascinated.

- Sarah P.

Check out I Was Anastasia @ 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 Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Title: The Kiss Quotient

Author: Helen Hoang

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance

After being pressured by her parents to fall in love and start giving them grandchildren, Stella is determined to find a boyfriend before her mother finds one for her. The only problem is that she's never dated anyone and has no idea where to start. Stella identifies as autistic and has a hard time feeling comfortable in social situations. She finally decides that she can become good at dating the same way she became so good at the economics job she loves - with lots of practice - so she hires Michael to teach her how to be in a relationship. Michael would normally never spend so much time with one client, but after putting his dreams on hold to help his mom, he can't turn down the amount of money Stella offers him. They soon find themselves in a fake relationship that starts feeling more and more real to each of them. 

This is an fun, authentic book that was inspired by author Helen Hoang's own autism diagnosis and is all about characters who see their differences as strengths instead of something to overcome. Fans of romance or of entertaining and relatable characters will enjoy this!

- Melissa

Check out The Kiss Quotient @ the library.

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry

Title: Blood Sisters

Author: Jane Corry

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Kitty and Allison are half sisters who have a relationship frought with jealousies. One morning on the way to school with a friend, there is a horrible car accident. Is it the fault of the driver? Was someone pushed? If so, by whom? The driver goes to jail on Allison's testimony. Kitty has memory loss and is stuck in an institution unable to speak. Allison can barely hold herself together her survivor's guilt is so strong. Everyone is hiding something. As secret after secret is slowly divulged, the reader is lead through a twisty tale of love, revenge, and redemption.

- Sarah R.

Check out Blood Sisters @ the library.

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

Title: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

Author: Jordan B. Peterson

Genre: Non-Fiction, Psychology, Philosophy

Back in 2012, psychologist Jordan B. Peterson was browsing through Quora, answering questions that interested him. When he came upon the question "What are the most valuable things everyone should know?", he answered with a list of short adages that he thought to be true and worth sharing. His answer quickly gained popularity on the website, and many others shared that his answers resonated with them. "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos" includes a dozen of the adages originally shared on Quora, along with an extensive and thought-provoking discussion as to how he finds each truth to be evident. A major theme in all the rules is the idea that our world is full of chaos and part of living and thriving in this world is learning how to bring order to this chaos. He also discusses the importance of taking responsibility and charge of your life, raising children to be people that other people like to be around, and taking time to stop and appreciate the good things of your life (even if they're small).

Each page had something that made me stop and think, and it does takes a while to digest all the information packed into each sentence. Don't let this deter you from reading the book, though! While it was definitely a heavy read, it was a worthwhile one nevertheless! You'll no doubt leave having learned something about yourself, or at least having thought more deeply about your life and the reality of the world we live in.

- Sarah P.

Check out 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos @ the library.

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King

Title: Sleeping Beauties

Author: Stephen King and Owen King

Genre: Horror, Fantasy

A mysterious woman shows up in small Appalachian town at the same time as women around the world are being cocooned as soon as they fall asleep. Is this "Evie Black" the source of the webbing? What is happening to the women as they sleep? More importantly, what happens to the men when they attempt to wake them? While the women try everything imaginable to stay awake, the men must determine if Evie is someone, or something, to be protected or destroyed. 

The book is long, but it allows for character development and the crisis to progress, so don't let it daunt you.  The book also makes you think: is either sex better off in a world by themselves? Supernatural elements not withstanding, it paints a town and a populace that the reader can relate to which makes the goings-on that much more terrible.

- Sarah R.

Check out Sleeping Beauties @ the library.