We're back with more staff picks for February! Staff were really all over the place with their choices this month, so we're sure to have something for everyone! Click on the title of each book to place a hold.
Darci:
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007) - Asher’s book is geared towards teen readers, but there is a message for adults as well. It features a young high school girl who has committed suicide. Thirteen of her schoolmates are mentioned in her narrative on cassette tapes that have been sent to the first of the thirteen. They have been instructed to pass the tapes along to the next person mentioned. The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading. This is now a Netflix series.
Hannah:
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019) - In December 1972, Jean McConville, a thirty-eight-year-old mother of ten, was dragged from her Belfast home by masked intruders, her children clinging to her legs. They never saw her again. Jean's story is our gateway into a true story of war, terrorism, espionage, and a generally fascinating look at the harsh practices of the Irish Republican Army, and the ongoing struggle for Irish independence.
Emily:
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (2019) is an engaging 1940s coming-of-age story. It is a good choice if you enjoyed Mary Beth Keane's Ask Again, Yes or authors Anne Tyler, Sara Gruen, or Celeste Ng.
Sara:
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown (Audiobook, 2017) - Brene Brown is a research professor who studies courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is known for her TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability. In this book, Brown talks about what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. Read by the author, this very engaging audiobook suggests we are experiencing a crisis of disconnection in society. She offers to readers the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other.
Susan:
Westering Women by Sandra Dallas (2020) - a historical fiction account of forty-four women, 1 four year-old girl, and two ministers that undertake the journey from Chicago to California in 1852 in covered wagons. Notices posted all over Chicago read: "If you are an adventuresome young woman of high moral character and fine health, are you willing to travel to California in search of a good husband?" Who will survive? What are their secrets? Do they find strength…or do they falter? The author’s novels deal with themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity.
Mara:
Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home by Liz M. Galvin (2019) – This popular blogger shares a hundred tips and tricks, budget-friendly hints, and how-to projects to make every room in your house feel like a home you love. She offers inspiration for every style, from country farmhouse to urban apartment.
Ryan:
The Institute: A Novel by Stephen King (2019) - Another winner by King: Kids are being taken and experimented on in...The Institute. Two thumbs up.
