Nicole recommends "The Last Murder at the End of the World"

The whole world is gone. A fog spread across the entire planet, destroying all human life, stopping only at the edge of the very last island. This island is occupied by refugees, villagers, and scientists. It was the scientists who figured out how to hold back the fog, on one condition – the machine keeping humanity safe would switch off should one of the scientists be murdered. When the head scientist is killed, it’s up to one villager, Emory, to figure out what happened and bring the murderer to justice before the fog reaches the island. The only problem is, nobody could have wanted Niema dead. That is, unless they had discovered one of the many, many secrets Niema was keeping.

This book is fantastic! It starts off in an idyllic post-apocalyptic village, but piece by piece we begin to see that every part of the island is a piece of a machine, and what we are reading is actually advanced science fiction. Emory and the rest of the villagers are so likeable and kind that we desperately want them to be saved from the fog, even as we start to think that maybe humanity hasn’t done much to deserve to be saved. I had such a good time reading The Last Murder at the End of the World, and I recommend it to all of our adult readers.

Phil recommends "Lunar New Year Love Story"

 

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham is a gentle rom-com about “fate, family, and falling in love.” Val is convinced that her family is cursed when it comes to love.  Generations before her have had bad luck with relationships so why should she even bother? When Val meets two cute lion dancers she decides to give love (and lion dancing) a try, not knowing whether she can succeed where her ancestors have failed. Will she overcome the curse? 

My wife and I both enjoyed this graphic novel. We also learned a few things about Chinese and Vietnamese lion dancing as it features heavily in the story. This book is aimed at a young adult audience and doesn’t, to my recollection, have any strong language or mature situations. There is some mildly spooky stuff.

 

 

Meghan recommends "Who To Believe"

 

In the first chapter of Who to Believe, readers learn that the recent murder of a local restaurateur has rocked the small east-coast town of Monreith. By the second chapter, there’s a second murder – maybe more.  The secrets continue to pile up as multiple narrators tell their own portion of the story, shedding light on previous events, moving the investigation and the novel forward. As the Kirkus review states, “the tale unfolds in seven parts, each with its own nuanced first-person-present narrator and unique voice. Every new section delivers a kaleidoscopic turn, reframing all that came before and keeping readers perennially off-kilter.”

Mystery fans will tear through this book, eager to discover what each new character will disclose as we race towards the ending.

Recommended for adults.

Natalie recommends "Arab Americans in Metro Detroit: A Pictorial History"

Standing at 2%, Michigan has the biggest Arab American population nationwide.  As someone who has family that originates from Lebanon, I would like to learn a bit more about this topic for personal and general interest reasons. This book, while a quick read, was a nice one and the pictures provided feel like a mini time capsule.  

It can be found in our Local History section in adult nonfiction.

Kara recommends "Pie-Rats!"

This is a fun picture book just begging to be read aloud. A crew of swashbuckling rats sail the seas looking for a different kind of treasure- dessert!  I loved the detailed illustrations too!

This book is geared towards children, but can be equally enjoyed by the grown-ups in their life.

 

 

Martin recommends "The Day Tripper"

In 1995, Alex Dean has a perfect life ahead of him, but he ends up bruised, bloody, and almost drowned in a river. He awakes to find it is now 2010. The next time he awakes it is now 2015. And the awakening after that finds him back in 1999. Can Alex piece his life back together and figure out why he keeps bouncing around his life?

The Day Tripper by James Goodhand is a solid story.  Like Alex, I was caught up in this time-travel mystery and was eager to see how the puzzle was solved. I also gleaned some very good life lessons along the way.

Adult Fiction

Gretchen recommends "After Annie"

Anna Quindlen’s latest novel is a heartfelt and realistic depiction of the shock and devastation that comes with the sudden loss of a family member. Beloved Annie Fonzheimer Brown leaves behind a husband, four children, a sister, and her best friend. Quindlen reveals the backstory of their hometown and how people got to where they are, revealing surprises, choices, and reconnections along the way. The children in the story are especially poignant as the oldest daughter takes on the role of a grown-up, learning that some people have dark and confusing secrets of their own. Despite their feelings of profound loss, Annie’s voice is always in their heads, almost like she’s by their side, as they cope in the intervening seasons of the year following her untimely and unexpected death. You feel the struggles of each character, and meet a compassionate woman who helps them navigate through it. Wise and ultimately hopeful, this book for adults shows the power of resilience in the presence of love and friendship.