The West Bend Library staff have pretty diverse reading habits. Click the links to request a copy of any of these staff picks for yourself!
Marnie works in Tech Services, processing all the new materials on their way in to the library, and de-processing old materials on their way out. Her August pick: Parasite by Mira Grant. It is the first book of a trilogy. Marnie says, "I read it last year and I am still thinking about it…tapeworms that turn people into zombies. Sci-fi - but might be good for young adults."
Emily, our head of circulation, has one for a very different crowd: A Library Reads award winner in 2015, Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf is a contemporary love story that illuminates the human need for connection through the blossoming relationship of elderly and widowed Louis and Addie. Leisurely paced and character driven, this book will stay with you long after you read it.
Our children's librarian, Terika had this great suggestion: Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink (2017) is a motivational children's chapter book. It is filled with practical self-discipline concepts such as work hard, be humble, and face your fears.
Hannah's pick is a young adult book, but it kept her up all night reading, so it's clearly good for adults, too: Wilder Girls by Rory Power (2019) - It has been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. It started slow. First, the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls do not dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. When her best friend goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors - and truths - that lie beyond the fence.
You might recognize Ryan from either the Information Desk on the first floor or the Reference Desk upstairs. In August, he enjoyed: The Story of Silver: How the White Metal Shaped America and the Modern World by William L. Silber. This book looks at silver and its power throughout the history of the nation. Quite interesting!
When it's a recommendation from Susan, you know it's good! Check out her pick: Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony DeMello – “Letters have been written, and telephone calls have been made from literally all over the world attesting to the power this book has had on the life of the one reading it.” – From https://www.demellospirituality.com/ (We don't have a copy of this one in our system, but if you want to read it, call 262-335-5152 and we'll request one through interlibrary loan.)
Honorable Mention: The Cactus by Sarah Haywood (2019) – Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will love this book. It is a charming story of one woman’s transition from a solitary, orderly existence to a messy life full of love.
Honorable Mention: The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick (2019) – An introverted librarian opens a book into a fantasy world that also reveals secrets from her grandmother’s past. If you enjoy quirky characters and happy endings, this is a good choice for your next read.
