Emmett
November 29, 2023by A.C. Rosen is a clever queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. Emmett Woodhouse is not just handsome, clever, and rich, but “blessed”. So, he tries to mitigate his privilege by giving back, whether it’s free tutoring or volunteering at the food bank after school. But what he discovers he loves most, what he has a real knack for, is matchmaking. So, when Harrison, Emmett’s friend-with-benefits, starts saying he wants to find a real boyfriend (which Emmett definitely does not want to be), Emmett is convinced that he can find the perfect match for Harrison at their school, Highbury Academy. But, despite his high confidence, Emmett can’t control everything, and things soon go awry. A delightful modern twist on a classic. (Young Adult Books)
The Borrow a Boyfriend Club
November 29, 2023The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars is a sweet, enemies-to-lovers romance. Noah Byrd is 16 and trans, and when he moves to a brand-new school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is hoping to just fit in with the rest of the boys. After all, he’s given up dancing because “boys don’t dance”. Instead, he joins the Football and Lamborghini Club, the most masculine-sounding club he can find, only to discover that it’s a cover for an underground “rent-a-boyfriend” dating service for teens at the school. Noah flunks the first round of interviews for the extremely competitive club but wins a second chance by promising the crabby (but cute) club president Asher Price to choreograph a dance for the annual talent show. Now Noah is playing a high-stakes game: showing that he can be the perfect boyfriend might win him Asher’s affections, but it goes against the rules of the club. This is a sensitive, heartfelt debut novel. (Young Adult Books)
All You Have to Do
November 29, 2023by Autumn Allen focuses on the experiences of two Black students’ decades apart as they balance school, family, and activism. In 1968, the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated, Columbia University student Kevin is leading the Society of Afro-American Students in protests critical of the university’s expansion into Harlem and involvement with the Vietnam War. Kevin’s budding career as an activist clash with both his studies and his family, who are concerned about him jeopardizing his future. In 1995, Gibran is attending a mostly white prep school in Massachusetts and feels out of place, particularly when he gets punished for stopping a talent show performance in which white students mimicked Black rappers for laughs. As Gibran and a few other students make plans to honor the Million Man March, they face the opposition of the school’s administration--and like, Kevin, Gibran feels pushback from his family about balancing his beliefs and his future prospects. The book highlights importance lessons about the role of activism, the importance of speaking up, and aspects of history that are often forgotten. (Young Adult Books)
Dogtown
November 29, 2023Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko is an adorable underdog story narrated from the point of view of Chance, a three-legged border collie/Aussie mix. Chance lives in Dogtown, a shelter for both animal and robotic dogs, all hoping equally for “forever” homes. Chance provides sweet, entertaining insight into her fellow dogs at the shelter and the rivalry between the flesh-and-blood dogs and their “metal” counterparts, who are often considered easier pets by humans. But when a particularly special robot dog named Metal Head arrives at the shelter, he convinces Chance and her friend, Mouse, to try for a bold plan of escape from Dogtown. Can they succeed and what will they find outside the shelter? (Middle-Grade Books)
Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans
November 29, 2023Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix is the first in a planned series of West African-inspired middle grade fantasy novels. Adia is 12 years old and living in the Swamplands of Zaria with her aunt and uncle when she discovers that she has magical powers, accidentally causing an earthquake in her village. Adia hopes that her apprenticeship in the kitchens at the Academy of Shamans will help her get rid of what her fellow villagers are calling demonic influences. Instead, she meets a new friend, a boy named Nami who is training to become a soldier, and makes a nemesis out of wealthy, popular Mallie. But Adia’s truly finds her purpose at the school when the guardian goddess Ginikanwa discovers that she may be the best person to help exorcise the Emperor Darian, who has been possessed by demons. A thrilling start to a new adventure! (Middle-Grade Books)
Good Books For Bad Children: The Genius of Ursula Nordstrom
November 28, 2023Good Books for Bad Children: The Genius of Ursula Nordstrom written by Beth Kephart and illustrated by Chloe Bristol introduces readers of all ages to the incredible career of Ursula Nordstrom, the children’s editor at Harper who changed the way children’s literature appeared in the late 20th century. Nordstrom sought out authors whose books centered on the child’s perspective and experience and worked with iconic authors like Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, Crockett Johnson, Ruth Krauss, and John Steptoe. The book’s title comes from a phrase Nordstrom loved to use about her favorite kinds of books. After an inspiring but difficult childhood and a long, fruitful career, the book notes that Nordstrom retired to Connecticut where she “lived with Mary Griffith, the woman she loved.” (Non-Fiction Books)
Big Words For Little Palentologists
November 28, 2023Big Words for Little Paleontologists by Lisa M. Gerry is a great addition to any dinosaur-obsessed reader’s list of books. Whether it’s words like Micropachycephalosaurus, the longest-ever dinosaur name, or facts about prehistoric versions of creatures still around today, like the giant prehistoric shark the Megalodon, readers can explore more than 50 dinosaur-related terms. With realistic-looking illustrations, this is a perfect primer for anything dino-related! (Non-Fiction Books)
Beasts of the Ancient World
November 28, 2023by Marchella Ward is a dazzling introduction to mythology, with gorgeous illustrations to match tales of ancient beasts from across the globe. Ward, an archivist and researcher at Oxford University, explores the topic in a thorough but kid-friendly way. Readers learn about creatures like unicorns in India, the Deer Woman in North American Indigenous mythology, and the myriad of magical horses, from the Tikbalang in the Philippines to Pegasus in ancient Greece. (Non-Fiction Books)
Dona Quixote: Rise of the Night
November 28, 2023Doña Quixote: Rise of the Knight written by Rey Terciero, illustrated by Monica M. Magaña is a modern graphic novel retelling of Don Quixote featuring a young girl in Texas who dreams of being a knight. Lucia Castillo’s grandfather was a hero in her eyes, but most people only saw him as a crazy old man who dressed up as a knight to fight off imaginary threats. So, when Lucia and her best friend, Sandro, find out that the mayor of their town is actually a shape-shifting beast from ancient Mexican lore, no one believes them, just like no one believed Lucia’s grandfather. But only Lucia, wearing her grandfather’s magical helmet, can see the beast and only Lucia and Sandro can hope to defeat him. Zany adventures ensue! (Graphic Novels)
Cat on the Run in Cat of Death
November 28, 2023Cat on the Run in Cat of Death by Aaron Blabey is a hilarious story about the adventures of Princess Beautiful, a beloved online cat “influencer” who goes from having 2.2 billion adoring followers to being the most hated cat in the world, thanks to the intervention of some hackers and a few stray nuclear missiles. Blamed for crimes she didn’t commit, Princess Beautiful is now a fugitive, tailed by the mouse deputy Marshall Cheeseman while trying to chase the real criminal mastermind, Red Scorpion. Can she catch him and restore her reputation before Marshall Cheeseman pounces on her? (Graphic Novels)
The Puppets of Spelhorst
November 28, 2023The Puppets of Spelhorst written by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad is a whimsical, fable-like tale about a troupe of puppets “waiting for their story to begin”. A set of puppets--a girl, a king, a wolf, an owl, and a boy--are all trapped together in a trunk until a man purchases them in a toy store and, through various misadventures, they become separated. Each puppet has its own individual feelings, hopes, and dreams, but all are part of a larger story in which every puppet is involved. Will they be reunited? And if they are, what stories will they tell? (Early Chapter Books)
What You Need to Be Warm
November 28, 2023What You Need to Be Warm by Neil Gaiman is a picture book-length poem that began as a special project. After asking his followers online to respond to the question “What reminds you of warmth?” Gaiman wove the answers into a comforting text. “A baked potato of a winter’s night to wrap your hands around or burn your mouth. A blanket knitted by your mother’s cunning fingers.” Providing a message of safety, acceptance, and love, Gaiman’s book sends a lovely message as winter approaches. Gaiman is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and all sales from the book will go to UNHCR.
There Was a Party For Langston
November 28, 2023There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey is a wonderfully imaginative celebration of Langston Hughes’s legacy and a great introduction to his poetry. Reynolds’s words mimic the jazz-inspired syncopation of Hughes’s poetic style while showing the impact Hughes had on readers of all ages. Inspired by the party that opened the Langston Hughes Auditorium at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in 1991, the book uses clever techniques like showing Hughes’s place in the history of Black literature by depicting books by James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, and Zora Neale Hurston as faces beaming out of library shelves. It also depicts Hughes’s impact on authors like Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka. Accompanied by bright, joyous illustrations, this is a wonderful read for all ages!
I Want 100 Dogs!
November 28, 2023written by Stacy McAnulty, and illustrated by Claire Keane is a sweet, funny book about the responsibility of taking care of a dog. A child tells her parents, “I want 100 dogs” and her parents patiently explain why having 100 dogs wouldn’t work: “Where would 100 dogs sleep?” When the child responds that her 100 dogs would sleep on her bed, her parents point out that it’s more likely that 100 dogs would sleep on top of her! The child thinks about this, then asks for 90 dogs, and on and on the conversation goes until her parents have talked her down to just one dog
Flat Cat
November 28, 2023written by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Pete Oswald is a silly story about a cat who is born flat instead of fluffy and likes it that way! Flat Cat can fit under doors, nap in unusual places like bookshelves, and soar into the sky like a kite! But one day, while taking a nap unnoticed in the laundry pile, Flat Cat goes through the dryer and comes out fluffy! Suddenly everyone wants to cuddle and pet him, and Flat Cat isn’t sure he likes it--but does he want to go back to the versatile but lonely existence of being flat? A cute riff on quirky cat personalities, this is a fun read-aloud experience.
The Bedtime Book of Incredible Questions
November 28, 2023The Bedtime Book of Incredible Questions by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Aaron Cushley is the perfect book for kids who are always buzzing with questions. Ever wondered whether plants have feelings? Or why animals don’t wear clothes? Each question prompts not just an answer--because some questions don’t have answers!--but also a discussion of some fascinating topics in our world. Wondering why we only get one birthday a year leads to a history of calendars and marking time from ancient Rome onward, and a question like, “Are cats liquid or solid?” gives a surprising answer: both! It all depends on how you apply the definition of states of matter. A book that makes science out of silly questions and scientific questions silly (but informative), this is a great choice for any age!
More is More
November 10, 2023More is More by Molly Baz is the second cookbook from the New York Times bestselling cookbook author and YouTube chef. As with her first book, Cook This Book, Baz wants to not just share inventive and flavorful recipes but also encourage her readers to have more confidence in the kitchen. For her, cooking is less about exact measurements and more about experimentation with flavor. More is More features riffs on classic recipes like Drunken Cacio e Pepe, which dunks the Italian classic in wine to give it a new depth of flavor, or Faux French Onion Soup, a vegetarian take on the ultimate French comfort food. Throughout the book, Baz’s enthusiasm for food and the process of cooking is infectious.
The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
November 10, 2023by Douglas Brunt is a quirky, fascinating look into the life of the man who invented the diesel engine and his puzzling disappearance. On September 29, 1913, Diesel disappeared while crossing the English Channel. Eleven days later, his body was found by a Dutch sailor who saved his personal effects but, strangely, returned Diesel’s body to the sea. Brunt goes into several theories that might explain the peculiar circumstances of his death, including the involvement of either Kaiser Wilhelm II, John D. Rockefeller, or the British intelligence services. While the truth will never be known, this book delves into the largely unknown life and death of an inventor.
A Man of Two Faces
November 10, 2023A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen is a raw memoir from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizers. In it, Nguyen charts the double consciousness of being a Vietnamese immigrant in America, navigating portrayals of the Vietnam War in which his people are shown as the enemy and the complicated nature of inherited trauma. Nguyen moved to the U.S. with his parents when he was four years old, settling in San Jose, California, where his parents ran a grocery store. With his characteristic acerbic observations and vivid prose, Nguyen connects his own experiences and his development as a writer to larger narratives about immigration, colonialism, and belonging.
The Farmer's Wife
November 10, 2023The Farmer’s Wife by Helen Rebanks is a beautifully written memoir (with recipes) about life on a farm in Britain’s Lake District. Rebanks’s husband, James, has also written two stunning memoirs about their family’s life and role as stewards of a vanishing way of life. Here, Helen presents a single day in her life, woven through with musings about the past, representing both the grind and the comfort of domestic life. It’s also a portrait of a marriage and a love letter to the life that, as Helen reminds herself in difficult times, she has chosen for both its challenges and its unexpected joys.
The Deadline
November 10, 2023The Deadline by Jill Lepore is a collection of essays from the Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer, reflecting the sharp lens she brings to a wide variety of subjects, from the debate over gun rights to the merits of the bicycle. Lepore’s writing is thoughtful, expansive, and incredibly readable. Her role as a historian means her work is both vigorously researched and endlessly curious.
The Vaster Wilds
November 10, 2023by Lauren Groff is the mesmerizing story of a young servant girl living in colonial America who escapes the confines of her life in the settlement and disappears into the woods. The settlement she’s running from is gripped by a “starving time” and, though her reasons for running are a mystery, it’s clear that her survival depends on running away from everything she’s ever known. Groff details every harrowing instance of her journey in luminous prose and uses one individual experience of survival in the wild to ask questions about the nature of the community and the darkness of the soul.
Rouge
November 10, 2023by Mona Awad is a deliciously dark fairytale about what we will sacrifice in pursuit of youth and beauty. Mirabelle, or Belle, is a young woman obsessed with skincare, a trait she inherits from her estranged mother Noelle, whose own house is packed full of jars of creams and cosmetics. When her mother dies, Belle returns to Southern California to sort out her affairs and finds questions swirling around the circumstances of Noelle’s death. A mysterious woman in red at Noelle’s funeral offers a cryptic clue about her death and an invitation to La Maison de Méduse, a spa to which Noelle was devoted. From cracked mirrors holding secrets to cursed red shoes, Rouge uses familiar tropes of fairy tales and horror to tell an utterly unique, Gothic tale about the dark side of beauty.
Land of Milk and Honey
November 10, 2023by C. Pam Zhang is a dystopian novel that imagines a talented chef living in a near-future world blighted by a mysterious smog that causes the mass extinction of agriculture and sparks a global famine. In desperation, feeling like her job is extinct, the unnamed chef applies “recklessly” for a job as a private cook to a billionaire building an “elite research community” in the Italian Alps. Once she arrives, the fresh produce and ingredients she has been craving reappear thanks to the ethically suspicious ability her new employer has to source limited food supplies. The more time the chef spends in this rarefied bubble--and with the billionaire’s enigmatic daughter, Aida--the murkier the morality of what role she plays in this community becomes.
Family Meal
November 10, 2023by Bryan Washington is an intimate, moving novel about forging connections and finding a way through grief. After escaping his troubled childhood in Los Angeles, Cam returns home to Houston after the tragic death of his boyfriend, Kai, but he’s still struggling with grief and addiction and is haunted by Kai’s ghost. He reconnects uneasily with TJ, the former best friend and lover who felt rejected when Cam moved to LA. Cam gets a job at TJ’s family bakery, forging new friendships and tentative new lovers. The novel explores the complicated ties to family and friendship through multiple perspectives and focuses on the way food creates a sense of community and love during times of hardship.
Chenneville
November 10, 2023Chenneville by Paulette Jiles, author of News of the World, returns with a raw historical novel of murder and redemption in Reconstruction-era America. Union soldier John Chenneville suffered traumatic head injuries during the Civil War and his long recovery took a deep physical and emotional toll. When he finally returns home to St. Louis after the war, he finds that his family has been brutally murdered by Deputy Sheriff Albert Dodd. Chenneville begins an odyssey through Texas tracking Dodd but finds himself followed by a U.S. marshal threatening to arrest him.
Betrayal
November 10, 2023Betrayal by Philip Margolin features former MMA fighter-turned-defense attorney Robin Lockwood dealing with a case that brings her past life back to reckon with her present. Mandy Kerrigan, Robin’s old MMA nemesis who dealt her a career-ending injury in the ring, has just been arrested for multiple murders. While hiring Robin as her attorney is her only hope, the case is deeply complicated for Robin. The Finch family that Mandy is accused of killing all had ties to the mafia and illegal drugs, while the prosecutor in the case is a man that Robin has just started dating. Will old enemies team up to win one fight together? Or will this case destroy Robin’s life once again?
The Bell in the Fog
November 10, 2023The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen returns readers to the adventures of Detective Evander “Andy” Mills, the former San Francisco cop first introduced in Lavender House. It’s 1952 and Andy has set up shop as a private detective, but he’s having trouble getting his business off the ground, mostly because it’s hard for people in the queer community to trust a former policeman. But then, James, one of Andy’s former lovers shows up with what seems like a straightforward case of blackmail. Andy takes the case, even though it means journeying down a road of past regrets. But it also brings him into the world of closeted Naval officers, where scandal gets passed around, lives get ruined--and people go missing. Rosen’s novel is an atmospheric, noir-ish mystery that will pull readers in.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (PG-13)
November 7, 2023Transformers: Rise of the Beasts- Movie- (PG-13) Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a '90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformer--the Maximals--to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.
Prey (R)
November 7, 2023Prey – Movie –(R)-Action, Adventure, Sci-fi Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, "Prey" is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter (R)
November 7, 2023The Last Voyage of the Demeter – Movie- (R) Horror Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker's classic novel Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo--fifty unmarked wooden crates--from Carpathia to London. Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.
Jules (PG-13)
November 7, 2023Jules- Movie- (PG-13) Sci-fi, Comedy, Drama Jules follows Milton who lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard. Before long, Milton develops a close relationship with the extra-terrestrial he calls "Jules." Things become complicated when two neighbors discover Jules and the government quickly closes in. What follows is a funny, wildly inventive ride as the three neighbors find meaning and connection later in life--thanks to this unlikely stranger.
Corner Office (PG-13)
November 7, 2023Corner Office – Movie-(PG-13) Comedy, Drama Authority Inc.'s newest employee, Orson, instantly develops a distaste for his office colleagues, offended by such things as their lackadaisical work habits and their sloppy attire. Determined to be "a person to be reckoned with," he prides himself on his work ethic, following a strict hourly schedule of 55 minutes of intense work followed by a five-minute break. It isn't until Orson discovers an empty, elegantly appointed, wood-paneled office that he finds momentary contentment. Retreating there whenever he can, he discovers that it provides an inner peace that enables him to do his best work, resulting in kudos from his boss and the never-seen "EVP" upstairs who truly controls things. His newfound status only increases his co-workers' resentment. More problematically, none of them can see the apparently magical office that serves as Orson's refuge.
Blackberry (R)
November 7, 2023Blackberry- Movie-(R)-Comedy, Drama, History 'BlackBerry' tells the story of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the two men who charted the course of the spectacular rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone.
Barbie (PG-13)
November 7, 2023Barbie – Movie- (PG-13) Comedy To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.
The Little Mermaid (PG)
October 6, 2023The Little Mermaid – Movie- (PG) Kids & Family, Musical, Fantasy, Romance The youngest of King Triton's daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but places her life--and her father's crown--in jeopardy.
Succesion (NR)
October 6, 2023Succession – Final Season -Series (NR) Drama The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson looms ever closer, provoking existential angst and division among the Roys in the fourth and final season of Succession. As the siblings anticipate the prospect of this seismic merger, the ensuing power struggle finds them grappling with their lives after the deal--and weighing a future where their cultural and political capital is severely curtailed.
Cobra Kai (NR)
October 6, 2023(NR) Drama Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. Following the shocking results of the All-Valley Tournament, Season 5 finds Terry Silver expanding the Cobra Kai empire and trying to make his "No Mercy" style of karate the only game in town. With Kreese behind bars and Johnny Lawrence setting karate aside to focus on repairing the damage he’s caused; Daniel LaRusso must call on an old friend for help.
Joy Ride (PG-13)
October 6, 2023Joy Ride – Movie -(PG-13) Comedy The hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey's business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo, her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat, her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye, Lolo's eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.
Asteroid City (PG-13)
October 6, 2023Asteroid City- Movie (PG-13) Comedy, Drama, Romance The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.
Air (R)
October 6, 2023Air – Movie (R) Drama, Sports AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike's fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking For Others
September 27, 2023by Amy Thielen offers a warm, comprehensive guide to cooking for friends, whether it’s a full dinner party or just a casual evening with a couple of people. There are 125 recipes, but also a focus on allaying common fears about entertaining through practical, helpful advice. Thielen offers guides for grocery shopping, writing menus, and the best strategies for timing a meal so that all the component parts come together seamlessly. This is a wonderful guide, especially going into the time
Chetna's Indian Feasts: Everyday Meals and Entertaining
September 27, 2023Chetna’s Indian Feasts: Everyday Meals & Easy Entertaining by Chetna Makan is another guide to creating a “feast” to share, whether with a whole crowd or just immediate family. Makan offers a guide to Indian home cooking that can be adapted to any occasion. She breaks the book down into recipes for a variety of events, from Sunday brunch to feasts for two to even a picnic!
Time's Mouth
September 27, 2023by Edan Lepucki is about a woman who possesses the extraordinary ability--or curse--to be able to travel through memory back to her own past. Born Sharon in Connecticut in 1938, she escapes an unhappy childhood with an abusive father for the glamor of California in the 1950s. Here, she reinvents herself as Ursa and joins a commune of women, in which the slightly hallucinogenic quality of her time-traveling abilities gives her the status of a kind of cult leader. She becomes a single mom, passing down the burden of her gift--and the trauma of her own childhood--to both her son, Ray, and granddaughter, Opal. The novel, which seems to be narrated by Time itself, is a fascinating blend of realism and mysticism that blends perfectly with the time and place it depicts.
None of This is True
September 27, 2023by Lisa Jewell is a domestic thriller about two women whose lives intertwine, with dark consequences. Alix Summer and Josie Fair seem to have a lot in common: they're both Londoners celebrating their forty-fifth birthday at the same local pub when they run into each other. They discover that they were not only born on the same day in the same city but also in the same hospital, a coincidence that leads the two women deeper into each other’s lives. Alix is a successful podcaster whose show examines women who have endured hardships. Josie, who met her husband when she was 15 and he was 42, seems like a perfect subject for Alix’s show. But the more Josie gets involved in Alix’s life, the more Alix begins to feel threatened, as Josie’s presence becomes increasingly invasive and Alix’s control over her own life begins to unravel.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
September 27, 2023The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride is a nuanced, captivating novel that revolves around a neighborhood, and the titular grocery store at its heart, as it goes through the upheavals and changes from the 1920s to the 1970s. In 1972, redevelopment of the historically Black and Jewish neighborhood of Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania unearths a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Before the police can investigate, the evidence is washed away by a hurricane, but the skeleton’s identity and the story of how it got there are secrets buried deep in the past. The novel skips back decades to portray a neighborhood in which people with clashing sensibilities and ideas of how to live band together to survive on the margins of a community.
The Fraud
September 27, 2023by Zadie Smith is a historical novel that introduces readers to the sensational court case involving an Australian butcher who claimed to be Roger Tichborne, the heir to an enormous fortune, a trial that electrified London in the 1870s. Smith’s novel focuses on figures who were central to the case, like Andrew Bogle, a formerly enslaved man from Jamaica who is a key witness in the case. But Smith also brings to life other characters who become fascinated with or involved in the trial, like Eliza Touchet, a Scottish widow with keen intelligence and strong opinions, who has been housekeeper for her cousin, the middlingly famous writer William Ainsworth, for thirty years. Smith portrays the Tichborne case as a captivating cultural moment that divided public opinion in ways that might be familiar to modern readers and paint a picture of a London that is more multicultural and vibrant than many historical accounts often show.
Dead Mountain
September 27, 2023by Preston & Child brings archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI agent Corrie Swanson to reinvestigate a bizarre cold case. In 2008, a group of engineers on a winter trip disappeared in the mountains of New Mexico, leaving behind disturbing evidence--a tent slashed from the inside, a few mangled corpses--but no real answers. Now, two new bodies have emerged from the case with signs of a gruesome death and it's up to the team of Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson to investigate. Will the secrets remain buried in the snow?
A Chateau Under Siege
September 27, 2023by Martin Walker is a follow-up to 2022’s To Kill a Troubadour and features another adventure with Walker’s character Benoit “Bruno” Courrèges, a policeman in a small town in France. This time, a historical reenactment of a battle during the Hundred Years War leads to a very real stabbing. Since the victim, Brice Kerquelin, is an intelligence agent, the attack is treated as an assassination attempt and Bruno is charged with keeping Kerquelin’s daughters, Nadia and Claire, out of harm’s way. But, nothing about the reenactment performance or the stabbing is quite as it seems on the surface.
Cassandra in Reverse
September 27, 2023by Holly Smale is a charming answer to the question: what if you could go back in time and make your life a little better? Cassandra is having an absolutely terrible day - dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job - when she discovers that she can travel back through time, or at least to the start of this awful day. Will it turn out any better if she tries it again? Like the movie Groundhog Day and Emma Straub’s bittersweet novel This Time Tomorrow, Cassandra in Reverse depicts both the zany temptation of time travel and its complicated consequences.
After the Funeral
September 27, 2023by Tessa Hadley is another masterful short story collection from the British author of Clever Girl and Free Love. With her realistic depictions of characters in ordinary situations, Hadley shows the deep emotional impact of small moments and choices in each of our lives. In “Dido’s Lament”, a middle-aged Lynette bumps into her ex, Toby, after many years, setting off new reflections on their past relationship and who hurt whom the most. In “Cecelia Awakened”, a 15-year-old girl travels to Italy with her parents and, teetering on the cusp of adult consciousness is suddenly embarrassed by them as obvious tourists. In each story, Hadley gives emotional weight to the moments in which her various characters realize an important truth about their lives.
Superstore Season One to Three (NR)
September 6, 2023Superstore – Seasons One to Three – NR- Comedy Superstore centers around Amy, the store's most stalwart employee as well as the glue holding the place together, and newly hired Jonah, a naive dreamer determined to prove work doesn't have to be boring. Their fellow associates include the sardonic Garrett ambitious Mateo, fun-loving Cheyenne, perpetually dismissed Sandra, clueless store manager Glenn, and lives-by-the-handbook assistant manager Dina. From the bright-eyed newbies and seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales, and nap-worthy training sessions
Succession: Season Three (NR)
September 6, 2023Succession: Season Three – Series (NR) Drama Ambushed by his rebellious son Kendall at the end of Season Two, Logan Roy begins Season Three in a perilous position, scrambling to secure familial, political, and financial alliances. Tensions rise as a bitter corporate battle threatens to turn into a family civil war.
Succession Season Two (NR)
September 6, 2023Succession: Season Two – Series (NR) Drama Every family has its traditions, but for the Roy’s, they include lying, backstabbing and all sorts of other chicanery. Beginning where the first season dramatically left off, Season Two follows the Roy’s—media tycoon Logan and his four grown children--as they struggle to retain control of their empire amidst internal and external threats. As Kendall deals with fallout from his hostile takeover attempt and guilt from his involvement in a fatal accident, Shiv stands poised to make her way into the upper echelons of the company, while Roman reacquaints himself with the business by starting at the bottom, and Connor launches an unlikely bid for president.
Father Brown Season 10 (NR)
September 6, 2023Father Brown Season 10 – Series (NR) Drama The year is now 1954 and the sleepy Cotswold village of Kembleford sees fresh faces join Father Brown’s team of sleuths. The dashing Chief Inspector Sullivan is back and proves a pleasant distraction for Mrs. Devine, Father Brown’s lively new Parish Secretary, while plucky new housekeeper Brenda helps the priest’s crime solving. With royal visits, kidnappings, and notorious gangsters to contend with, Father Brown also faces his old adversary Flambeau who returns to Kembleford after being accused of murder. Father Brown risks his own life to prove his innocence – but is his faith in Flambeau misplaced?
Father Brown Season 9 (NR)
September 6, 2023Father Brown Season 9 – Series (NR) Drama G.K. Chesterton's Catholic crime-solver returns to television in this captivating new British program based on the English author's popular detective stories. Shifting the action to the fictional Cotswold village of Kembleford in the 1950s, the series follows humble St. Mary's priest Father Brown as he labors to save souls and unmask sinners-using his considerable instincts and intellect to succeed where the local police fail.
Detectorists Movie Special (NR)
September 6, 2023Detectorists – Movie Special -Series (NR) Comedy The Danebury Metal Detecting Club is in trouble; developers are sniffing around, and after losing out on a big finder’s fee, the club is going to need a miracle to help save their beloved scout hall. So, when Lance manages to secure permission to search 10 acres of prime, undetected land, it looks like things could be on the up. But when a mysterious relic is unearthed, Lance breaks protocol, threatening his friendship with Andy and the future of the DMDC.
The Brokenwood Mysteries Series 9 (NR)
September 6, 2023The Brokenwood Mysteries Series 9 (NR) Crime In the quaint but killer town of Brokenwood, Detectives Shepherd, Sims, and Chalmers set out to solve an onstage electrocution, the murder of a nun whose sisters have taken a vow of silence, and more.
Knights of the Zodiac (PG-13)
September 6, 2023Knights of the Zodiac – Movie- (PG-13) Fantasy, Adventure, Action Based on the international anime sensation, Knights of the Zodiac brings the Saint Seiya saga to the big screen in live action for the first time. Seiya, a headstrong street teen, spends his time fighting for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. When one of his fights unwittingly taps into mystical powers, he never knew he had, Seiya finds himself thrust into a world of warring saints, ancient magical training and a reincarnated goddess who needs his protection. If he is to survive, he will need to embrace his destiny and sacrifice everything to take his rightful place among the Knights of the Zodiac.
Haiku Tunnel (R)
September 6, 2023Haiku Tunnel – Movie-(R) Comedy When young, funny temporary worker Josh Kornbluth accepts an offer to go perm at a popular San Francisco law office, his carefully unstructured, ambivalent, commitment-phobic lifestyle begins to unravel. Unable to complete the simple task of mailing seventeen high-priority letters for his boss, Josh suddenly finds himself face-to-face with his unusually chipper co-workers and his inability to deal! Soon, when Josh's morning alarm rings, it is time for him to get up and 'fess up. Haiku Tunnel is a hilarious, super-entertaining comedy about one man's struggle to survive the 9 to 5.
Guardians of the Galaxy (PG-13)
September 6, 2023Guardians Of the Galaxy – Movie (PG-13) Sci-fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Comedy After acquiring Knowhere from the Collector, we find the Guardians working to repair the extreme damage done by Thanos-determined to make Knowhere a haven, not only for themselves, but for all refugees displaced by the harsh universe. But it is not long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket's turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket's life-a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
The Flash (PG-13)
September 6, 2023The Flash- Movie (PG-13) Action, Adventure, Fantasy Worlds collide in "The Flash" when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Superheroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a quite different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian... albeit not the one he is looking for. To save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
About My Father (PG-13)
September 6, 2023About My Father – Movie (PG-13) Comedy The film centers around Sebastian who is encouraged by his fiancée to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father, Salvo to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family. The weekend develops into what can only be described as a culture clash, leaving Sebastian and Salvo to discover that the great thing about family is everything about family.
Who Ate What? A Historical Guessing Game For Food Lovers
August 29, 2023Who Ate What? A Historical Guessing Game for Food Lovers written by Rachel Levin, illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro. This is a journey across time through a shared human pastime: making and eating food. If you’ve ever wondered what pirates ate (eggs, hardtack), or how the Aztecs feasted (on cacti and chocolate), or what an ancient Egyptian meal might have included (hippos!), this book has a fascinating array of answers. Readers of all ages will enjoy pouring over the facts and pictures! (Non-Fiction)
How Birds Sleep
August 29, 2023written by David Obuchowski and illustrated by Sarah Pedry is the answer to the question: Where do birds go at night? The stunning illustrations accompany fascinating facts about birds all over the world and how they spend the night, whether it's a barn owl who stays awake and vigilant or vernal hanging parrots in Thailand, who sleep upside down from a tree branch. This is a wonderful bedtime read that will hopefully inspire more curiosity about the natural world. (Non-Fiction)
The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale
August 29, 2023by Jon Klassen is a masterful tale that strikes a balance between spookiness and coziness, a darker story based on a folktale that still emphasizes the warmth of friendship. The story is about Otilla, a young girl who is running away from home when she gets lost in a deep dark forest and finds an abandoned house with only one occupant: a talking skull. Surprisingly, Otilla and the skull strike up a wonderful friendship, as she helps the skull do things that he normally can’t do without a body, like dancing a waltz or drinking tea by the fire. But when the skull tells Otilla that he is being chased by a terrifying headless skeleton, she decides to use her wits and bravery to help rescue her friend. (Early Chapter Books)
The Sea of Terror
August 29, 2023The Sea of Terror by Stuart Gibbs is another hilarious adventure from the Once Upon a Tim series that weaves in elements of mythology and classic literature with a rollicking sense of humor and fun. This time, junior knights Tim, Belinda, and Ferkle are off in search of the Golden Fleece, which was stolen from the Queen of Merryland by the Kingdom of Dinkum. In order to recover the fleece, and the magical amulet it contains, the three knights have to brave a journey through the Sea of Terror. Will they survive the dangerous journey and succeed in their mission? (Early Chapter Books)
The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow
August 29, 2023by Elaine Dimopoulous, illustrated by Doug Salati is an epic tale of friendship and bravery that reads like an instant classic. Butternut the rabbit lives in a burrow with her nine siblings and their mother, who passes down time-honored wisdom and wonderful stories from their grandmother rabbit, Sage. Butternut is a born storyteller herself and learns from her family’s stories that rabbits use their brains to survive, which often means sticking together in times of crisis. But when Butternut befriends other animals, like a cheerful, poetry-spouting robin, Piper, she begins to yearn for adventures beyond the rabbit burrow. When Butternut and Piper join forces to rescue an injured fawn, Butternut realizes she must find the courage deep within her to help her friends. The animal community depicted in the novel is utterly charming, as are the cozy illustrations. (Early Chapter Books)
Adventures in Fosterland: Super Spinach
August 29, 2023Adventures in Fosterland: Super Spinach by Hannah Shaw tells the tale of a superhero kitty’s journey to her forever home. Spinach is a plucky young kitten whose malformed chest means that she needs special surgery to fasten a metal plate in her body. Spinach thinks this gives her special powers, especially when she moves to Fosterland on her way to adoption and meets her trusty sidekick, another kitten named Chickpea. Together, Spinach and Chickpea work to rescue other kittens, but will they find a forever home of their own? (Early Chapter Books)
Yenebi's Drive to School/El Viaje de Yenebi a la escuela
August 29, 2023Yenebi’s Drive to School/El viaje de Yenebi a la escuela by Sendy Santamaria is a bilingual narration of a Latine child’s unusual drive to school. Yenebi and younger sister, Melanie, and Mami leave at 5 a.m. to begin a journey to school that takes several hours and brings them across the border from Mexico into the United States. Mami’s encouragement as the family’s car ventures through long lines of traffic at the international checkpoint shows her devotion to giving her children a better education, and Yenebi’s observant eyes take in small details along the journey. The book’s illustrations beautifully capture the border towns in both Mexico and the U.S.
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli
August 29, 2023100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by David LaRochelle and Lian Cho is a clever, fun book that encourages simple math practice. High atop a windy mountain, there are 100 dragons of all different shapes, sizes, and colors, but they’re all named Broccoli! As the book progresses, the dragons all meet with different adventures: taking a rocket to the moon, starting a heavy metal band in New York, playing for the Green Bay Packers, and moving to West Virginia. Each time, the reader is prompted to add or subtract how many dragons are left until, finally, there’s just one dragon remaining…although not for long!
The Brilliant Ms. Bangle
August 29, 2023The Brilliant Ms. Bangle written by Cara Devins, illustrated by K-Fai Steele. It’s a new school year and the school’s beloved librarian, Mrs. Stack, has moved away. The children are so upset about it that they “refuse, refuse, REFUSE” to read with Ms. Bangle, the brand-new librarian, during storytime. Even when she picks out a great book and tells some amazing jokes, the kids are still not convinced. Can Ms. Bangle change their minds and win them over? This is a wonderful back-to-school book about dealing with change!
Pageboy
August 24, 2023Pageboy by Elliot Page is an emotional memoir about the Oscar-nominated trans actor’s coming of age, his struggles with gender dysphoria, eating disorders, and sexual assault, and finally, his transition and self-acceptance. Recounted in nonlinear, lyrical vignettes and memories, Page’s story captures the turmoil that accompanied his acclaimed career rise, first as a child actor, feeling a sense of liberation through acting, and then as a breakout star with the film “Juno” in 2007. His immediate fame trapped him, and he describes his gender dysphoria, exacerbated by Hollywood’s demands, felt like “the most uncomfortable, mortifying thing you could wear.” Page’s story also contains moments of true joy, like his first queer kiss and his mother’s love and support throughout. Page’s perspective is both intimately personal and universal, a portrait of one person’s specific pain and joy. “Let me just exist with you, happier than ever,” he writes.
The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America
August 24, 2023The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America by Monica Potts is a tender, personal examination of girls' and women’s lives in rural Arkansas. Potts, a journalist, wants to answer the question of why poor white women in rural areas of the country are dying at an increasing rate. She uses her hometown of Clinton, Arkansas, to investigate, and the book also has a deeply personal connection. Potts and her childhood best friend, Darci, led very similar lives until middle school when Darci began to get involved with boys and drugs and began missing school. While Potts’s more disciplined upbringing led her to Bryn Mawr and Washington, DC, Darci’s life spiraled out of control as she slid into violent relationships, drug addiction, and homelessness. Potts shows how systemic problems--lack of healthcare access, widespread unemployment, and a failing local economy--lead someone like Darci to struggle.
Zero Days
August 24, 2023Zero Days by Ruth Ware focuses on a wife trying desperately to clear herself of suspicion of murdering her husband. Jacintha Cross and Gabriel Medway were business partners as well as a married couple, running a London-based security systems company together. But, when Jacintha returns from a business assignment to find Gabriel dead in their home, she makes the crucial mistake of not calling the police immediately, therefore placing herself in the target of suspicion. To make things worse, she learns that Gabriel recently took a million-pound life insurance policy on himself and named her the beneficiary--a solid motive. While on the run, Jacintha has to try to solve the case and find the real killer before the police catch up to her.
Stone Cold Fox
August 24, 2023by Rachel Koller Croft is a domestic thriller about the perfect match between a successful advertising executive and the heir to an old money fortune. Bea’s ambition and drive have driven her to the top of her corporate field, but she wants the more permanent wealth that only marriage to someone in the top one percent can bring. Collin Case, blue-blooded and wealthy, is the ideal target and she sets out to not just marry him but to gain full acceptance into his family and social circle. But Bea’s past has some secrets--and some people in Collin’s orbit may be determined to find them out.
Somebody's Fool
August 24, 2023Somebody’s Fool by Richard Russo returns to the fictional town of North Bath, New York. After the death of Russo’s beloved character, Donald “Sully” Sullivan, the protagonist of Nobody’s Fool and Everybody’s Fool, Somebody’s Fool examines the lives of the characters Sully leaves behind in the depressed community of North Bath: his son, Peter, his old flame, Ruth, and his old adversary, Police Chief Douglas Raymer. Even the dour town of North Bath itself is changing, as it’s being dissolved and absorbed into its more prosperous neighbor, Schuyler Springs. In the midst of these changes, and the shutting down of the town’s police department, Raymer finds himself involved with both his ex-girlfriend, Charice Bond, the police chief in Schuyler Springs, and a potential murderer. Fans of the trilogy will be curious to see how the series wraps up.
The Rachel Incident
August 24, 2023by Caroline O’Donoghue is a charming novel about college friendships and first love. It’s 2009 in Cork, Ireland, in the midst of the recession, and Rachel is an English literature student worried about the bleak job market as she nears the end of her university days. Meanwhile, she’s working at a bookstore, forming a close bond with her coworker and eventual roommate, James. Rachel’s life becomes more complicated when she falls in love with her married professor, Dr. Fred Byrne. Her attempts to seduce him wind up entangling both her and James in the complex web of deceptions holding together Dr. Byrne’s marriage. The book is honest, funny, and heartbreaking: fans of Sally Rooney should pick it up!
The Last Ranger
August 24, 2023by Peter Heller chronicles the life of a Yellowstone National Park ranger, Ren Hopper. Living a solitary life in a remote cabin, Ren spends most of his time-saving tourists from dangerous wild animals and going after drunk or reckless drivers. But, his job snaps into clearer focus when he begins to track a new predator: the human responsible for tracking down and killing Yellowstone’s wolf population. Things get more personal when Ren’s friend Hilly, a wolf biologist, gets caught in a trap that seems to have been set deliberately. Ren and Hilly’s investigation leads them to encounter poachers, shadowy ranchers, and a potential land grab scheme that’s turning dark.
The Last Dance
August 24, 2023by Mark Billingham is the first in a new series featuring the charming, acerbic British Det. Sgt. Declan Miller, whose hobbies include ballroom dancing, caring for pet rats, and talking about his cases with the ghost of his murdered wife, Alex. Just six weeks after his wife’s death, a grieving, emotionally unready Miller is back at work with his new partner, Sara Xiu, and a puzzling case involving the murder of two seemingly unrelated hotel guests, an IT consultant and the heir to an organized crime family. Could the two crimes be related? Once Miller starts delving into his network of connections, he realizes that danger might be a lot closer to home than he realized.
Family Lore
August 24, 2023by Elizabeth Acevedo is a magical realist exploration of family and female bonds in particular. All her life, Flor has been blessed with the gift--or curse--of knowing exactly when and how someone will die. When she announces that she’s holding a living wake for herself, with her whole family invited, her sisters and daughter are puzzled: Has she predicted her own death? Or someone else’s? As Flor’s sisters, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila, prepare for the wake, each must confront her own secrets.
All the Sinners Bleed
August 24, 2023by S.A. Cosby is a riveting tale of a small town on the verge of being blown apart by secrets and violence. After years of experience working for the FBI, Titus Crown became the first Black sheriff of Charon County, Virginia. In Crown’s small hometown, his first year as sheriff is marred by a school shooting that’s made even more horrific by the implication that the crimes may be part of a chain of abuses leveled against Black children in the community. And then, as the investigation dredges up more crimes and terrible secrets, evidence of a serial killer emerges, whose killings are creepily steeped in religious iconography. In a small town haunted by its history, Crown can trust no one.
The Last of Us (NR)
August 8, 2023The Last of Us – Series (NR) Action Joel and Ellie must survive ruthless killers and monsters on a trek across America after an outbreak.
The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 (NR)
August 8, 2023The Handmaid’s Tale – Season 5 – Series (NR) Drama In the fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale, June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence works with Nick and Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise to power. June, Luke, and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah.
Good Omens (NR)
August 8, 2023Good Omens – Series (NR) Comedy This fantasy series sees fussy angel Aziraphale and loose-living demon Crowley team up to form an unlikely duo. The two have become overly fond of life on Earth, and they are forced into forming an alliance to stop the approaching Armageddon. To do that, they must find the missing Antichrist, an 11-year-old boy who is unaware that he is meant to bring the end of days upon humanity.
Cobra Kai Season 1 and 2 (NR)
August 8, 2023Cobra Kai – Seasons 1 Through 2 -Series (NR) Comedy Thirty-four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.
Renfield (R)
August 8, 2023Renfield– Movie (R) Horror, Action, Comedy, Fantasy In this modern monster tale of Dracula's loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history's most narcissistic boss, Dracula. Renfield is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there is a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.
The Pope's Exorcist (R)
August 8, 2023The Pope’s Exorcist – Movie (R) Horror, Mystery & Thriller Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, The Pope's Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy's terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden.
The Meg (PG-13)
August 8, 2023The Meg – Movie (PG-13) Sci-fi, Mystery, Thriller, Action & Adventure Previously thought to be extinct, a massive creature attacks a deep-sea submersible, leaving it disabled and trapping the crew at the bottom of the Pacific. With time running out, a visionary oceanographer recruits rescue diver Jonas Taylor to save the crew and the sea itself from an unimaginable threat--a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark known as the Megalodon.
Love Again (PG-13)
August 8, 2023Love Again – Movie (PG-13) Romance, Comedy What if a random text message led to the love of your life? In this romantic comedy, dealing with the loss of her fiancé, Mira Ray sends a series of romantic texts to his old cell phone number…not realizing the number was reassigned to Rob Burns’ new work phone. A journalist, Rob is captivated by the honesty in the beautifully confessional texts. When he is assigned to write a profile of megastar Celine Dion (playing herself in her first film role), he enlists her help in figuring out how to meet Mira in person…and win her heart.
The Weight of Our Sky
July 28, 2023The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf is a historical novel set during the race riots of May 13, 1969, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that led to violence between Chinese and Malay factions. Sixteen-year-old Melati is dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she conceptualizes as a djinn who has taken over her consciousness and will make horrible things happen if she doesn’t assuage it with her compulsive behavior. When the riots start, Melati, who is of Malay descent, is separated from both her mother and her best friend and rescued by Auntie Bee, a stranger who is Chinese, and whose son, Vince, becomes Melati’s biggest ally in looking for her mother. The book is riveting and shows how Melati must face her own internal djinn as well as the violence of the outside world. (Young Adult Books)
Time Out
July 28, 2023by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner with Carlyn Greenwald is a queer teen romance described as “Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights”. Barclay is a high school basketball star who chooses a momentous time to come out to his school: on his 16th birthday, during his captain’s speech at the school pep rally. He expects to be met with supportive cheers, but his declaration is met with an awful silence that leads to Barclay being ostracized and excluded by his teammates. So he quits basketball and joins the school newspaper instead, where he’s fired up to report on the hypocrisy and corruption he sees in his local community--and where he meets Christopher, who is smart, handsome, and full of opinions. (Young Adult Books)
Forever is Now
July 28, 2023Forever is Now by Mariama J. Lockington focuses on the way that one teen deals with her anxiety. Sadie is managing her generalized anxiety disorder enough to take on an exciting internship at a local creative writing center for the summer. But then her girlfriend, the one person who really made her feel safe, dumps her, and moments later both teens witness an act of violent, racist brutality on the street. Sadie’s anxiety is triggered into overdrive and she has to figure out how she can exist in her own body again. Sadie’s narration conveys her thoughts while snippets of her social media posts show the support building around her so that, even as she’s mostly confined to the house through the book, Lockington conveys a real sense of community. (Young Adult Books)
The Witch of Woodland
July 28, 2023The Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder is a quirky, authentic exploration of the awkwardness and magic of being thirteen. Zipporah Chava McConnell, or Zippy, is preparing for her bat mitzvah and exploring Judaism for the first time since her parents aren’t particularly religious. But what Zippy really feels passionate about is witchcraft: she collects all kinds of witchy artifacts like black candles and tries out spells. As she studies the Torah, the Hebrew letters she’s learning start to feel as exciting and magical as witchcraft, a kind of spell in themselves. And then, to her surprise, Zippy accidentally summons a magical winged being. Could it be an angel or a witch? Why can Zippy suddenly read Hebrew overnight? Zippy’s journey to find and define herself will resonate honestly. (Middle-Grade Books)
Minerva Keen's Detective Club
July 28, 2023by James Patterson and Keir Graff is the first in a planned series about twelve-year-old Minerva, a budding sleuth in Chicago whose powers of deduction and knack for being in the right place at the right time often put her a few steps ahead of the cops in solving crimes. When Minerva’s mathematician father travels to Melbourne on business, leaving her and her accident-prone younger brother, Heck, with an absent-minded relative, mischief is inevitable. But when Minerva’s neighbor is poisoned and falls dead while playing chess with her, Minerva herself becomes a suspect and has to launch into an investigation, with the help of Heck and her classmate Santos, to prove her innocence. This mystery’s charm comes from eccentric characters, slapstick antics, and goofy humor. (Middle-Grade Books)
The Golden Swift
July 28, 2023The Golden Swift by Lev Grossman follows The Silver Arrow in a series of books about the magical train that rescues animals in danger. Kate and her brother, Tom, were given the locomotive by their rich uncle, Herbert, with the mission to help struggling animals whose natural habitats were crumbling or disappearing around them. But now, Uncle Herbert is missing, Tom seems more interested in learning martial arts than in helping her with the train, and even the Silver Arrows' heroic efforts to help the environment fall out from climate change don’t seem to be enough. But then, she meets Jag, conductor of another mythical train, the Golden Swift, who feels that just rescuing the animals isn’t enough and wants to take even more drastic action. Kate feels inspired but soon learns that the consequences of actions aren’t always straightforward. (Middle-Grade Books)
The First Magnificient Summer
July 28, 2023by R.L. Toalson is about a precocious tween who adopts a summer plan to impress her dad. Twelve-year-old Victoria hadn’t seen her father in two years when he left her mom and it was revealed that he had a second family, “The Replacements”. In order to win him back, she thinks, she’s got to impress him with her wit and maturity, by reading grown-up books, and by always being cheerful. But she’s quickly reminded how domineering and difficult to please her dad really is and is hurt by the way he clearly seems to prefer her brother just because he’s a boy. Matters only get worse when she gets her first period and has to deal with it on her own. Can Victoria salvage her summer and stay true to herself? (Middle-Grade Books)
You Go First
July 23, 2023by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, is all about taking on new challenges! Two friends, Cat and Duck, are excited to discover a new slide at their favorite playground. Duck wants to go down it right away, but Cat isn’t so sure and tries to stall. What both of them discover is that sometimes friendship and encouragement are just what you need to find the courage to try something new.
When You Can Swim
July 23, 2023by Jack Wong captures the magic and excitement of swimming. An adult accompanies a child on each page, narrating the freedom, sense of adventure, and reassurance that come with learning how to be safe in the water. “When you can swim,/ first I’ll take you to the ocean//... to receive the water’s welcome.” Wong combines beautiful illustrations of light and water with lyrical text to give the reader the feeling of floating. A great book for summer!
10 Cats
July 23, 2023by Emily Gravett is a whimsical counting book that shows cats getting into some very silly situations! Gravett’s adorable illustrations show the ten cats of the title dipping their paws into different colored paints, hiding, playing, and rolling around on the pages, just as real cats like to do! This is a fun read-aloud book with small details in each picture that little readers will enjoy pouring over.