Alicia recommends "The Blonde Identity" by Ally Carter

What would you do if you woke up with no memory of who you are and there are people shooting at you? Of course, you would run, but it would help if you had a very good looking secret agent to help you!  Zoe is a twin and her identical sister is the agent the bad guys are after. Jake Sawyer is the agent helping Zoe escape. From one hair-raising adventure to the next, the couple jump off bridges, trains and boats.  Who can Zoe trust? Jake, her sister Alex, the CIA, the mob and more. Join Zoe and Jake on a trip across Europe dodging spies, bullets, and fake kissing to thwart the bad guys.

Adult Romance

Catherine recommends "The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity"

If you go to the Louvre today, you would find an ever-present crowd in front of the Mona Lisa – one of the most famous paintings in the world. But at the beginning of the 20^th century, it was not particularly famous or important, and no one paid it much attention. That all changed in 1911, when someone stole the Mona Lisa. Around the world, people were suddenly fascinated by this painting and the numerous theories about who was behind the heist. This middle grade nonfiction book tells both the story of that heist, and the surprising story of how Leonardo da Vinci came to paint the Mona Lisa four hundred years earlier. At first glance, this may seem an unlikely topic for a middle grade audience, but this book has it all: it has mystery, conspiracies, so much humor, and fast pacing that will keep any reader – even adults – turning the pages. It is one of the best things I’ve read all year!

Children, ages 10 and up.

 

 

Justine recommends "Tombs" by Junji Ito

Tombs by Junji Ito is a collection of some of Ito's works, most notably the short story Tombs.  Ito himself is well-known for his horror manga, or Japanese comics. He mostly sticks to short stories, but he occasionally branches out with longer works such as Uzumaki and Tomie. Ito's work has been slowly getting translated into English, and this is just one of the latest of many manga collections the library has to offer by the award-winning author.

If you're looking for something spooky during the month of October, I'd recommend anything by Junji Ito. Even if you're not frightened of his stories, his creepy illustrations will put you in the Halloween mood!

Meghan recommends Chapter One Picks

Twice a year, your CMPL librarians present a book talk, sharing their favorite reads of the last six months. This fall’s program took place last week, but if you missed it, you can pick up a handout with our favorites from any branch, or view the list of titles here.

The list contains all the titles from last week’s recommendation list, as well as the Chapter One event that took place in May. If you are working on wrapping up your Renew Your Reading Challenge, you can pick any title from that list to satisfy the requirement of “Read a book from the May or Septemer 2023 Chapter one handout.”

There’s a good variety of genres, fiction and nonfiction for adults – we found something we loved, and we hope you do too! Happy Reading!

 

Gretchen recommends "The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves"

Are you thinking of bringing a new pup into your home?  Renowned dog researcher Alexandra Horowitz explores the first year of a dog’s life in comparison to that of an infant child.  Puppies grow by leaps and bounds quite literally compared to a human baby in their first 12 months.  Horowitz visits a litter from birth, and adopts one of the puppies with her family to continue her observations of all the wonderful and sometimes inscrutable antics of their new dog.  The new pup named Quiddity or Quid reminds her, “It is less who I want our puppy to be than who I want to be with our puppy .”  Educational, inspiring, and humbling for all pet parents.

 

Kara recommends "Warrior Girl Unearthed"

 

After listening to the audio version of Angeline Boulley’s first novel, “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” I knew I also had to listen to “Warrior Girl Unearthed.”  It did not disappoint!

“Warrior Girl Unearthed” revisits Sugar Island, and many of the characters I met in “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” but here we get to know the next generation of Firekeeper girls- Perry and her twin sister, Pauline.

From Amazon:

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is - the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won't ever take her far from home, and she wouldn't have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.

In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot - will not - stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.

Sometimes, the truth shouldn't stay buried.

 

This book is best for teens and adults. 

 

Justine Recommends "Flamer" by Mike Curato

In 2022, the American Library Association recorded a record number of book challenges in America.  Flamer by Mike Curato was listed at number four on this list, with 62 challenges as of writing this review.  According to the ALA, it was challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and sexually explicit material.  

The graphic novel itself is about a boy named Aiden, who is spending his summer before high school at a sleepaway boy scout camp.  He's been bullied throughout middle school, and he's not looking forward to potential threats in high school.  At this point, he's just trying to enjoy his summer.  Boy scout camp is the only place he feels comfortable with others, and the narrative is about Aiden working up the confidence to be himself and learn who he is.  This is hard, though, as he's having gay thoughts and doesn't understand why.

This is a book off the 2022 Banned Books list I really enjoyed.  Curato's narrative manages to incorporate funny elements into a serious story.  Although the book is meant for a middle and high school audience, I enjoyed it greatly and found many of the situations Aiden finds himself in relatable.  I may be heterosexual, but I was a girl scout and an altar server growing up.  It's clear Curato was most likely a scout and altar boy as well since some of the scenes are the type of situations you could only write if you experienced them yourself.  I'm always a fan of authors incorporating personal experiences into their stories, as it makes the book feel more genuine.

As a reminder, Banned Books Week is coming up from October 1st-7th this year.   Now is a great time to get a head start on the list so you have some books to talk about!