Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese
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Title: Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide Author: John Cleese Review: John Cleese of Monty Python fame, writes some effective ideas for anyone trying to be creative. This handy pocket size is perfect to carry along to inspire you wherever you go. Review by: Ben |
Shady Hollow by Juneau Black
Title: Shady Hollow
Author: Juneau Black
Review:
Shady hallow is a wonderful village where the forest animals live together joyfully and in peace . Or is it??? One morning the village grumpy toad is found dead in the pond. Arriving on the case, the newspaper reporter Vera Vixin . Vera knows she can solve the case, but will she out-fox the killer before she is there next victim?
This is a quick and fun mystery that is a treat to read.
Review by: Julie
99% Invisible City by Roman Mars
Title: 99% Invisible City
Author: Roman Mars
Review:
Following up on the 99% Invisible podcast, this book takes a look at some of the things we walk past every day and may not notice. You might not think that city infrastructure is an interesting topic, but dig just a little under the surface and there are fascinating stories to discover.
Review by: Ben
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
Title: Empire of the Vampire
Author: Jay Kristoff
Review: Recently, I was looking for a seasonally-appropriate epic fantasy read, and Empire of the Vampire popped up on my radar as an upcoming release, so I picked it up! Suffice it to say, I finished it in under three days. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s the perfect blend of excellent world-building, compelling characters, and a strong story, and the gorgeous illustrations by Bon Orthwick included between every few chapters add a lot of great content that captivates your attention and explores the characters and settings in such a fun way. If you’re looking for an engaging dark fantasy story, this is a must-read!
Review by: Jo
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
Title: Under the Whispering Door
Author: TJ Klune
Review:
Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace, a recently-deceased man, on his journey of processing the details of his life and the circumstances of his death itself, with the assistance of the Reaper Mei and Hugo, the ferryman meant to guide him into the afterlife. The setting of this book is absolutely lovely; I can think of no better place than a tea shop for this story to take place in. All in all, Under the Whispering Door is an absolutely beautiful book that radiates warmth and will make you laugh, cry, and probably feel all the better about life once you’ve finished it.
Review by: Jo
Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Title: Tales from the Cafe
Author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Review:
What if you could go back in time?? In a small little cafe off a side street you can get a cup of coffee and a trip back in time.. There are rules though, don’t break the rules, this book weaves 4 peoples stories together it will leave you tearful, joyful and wanting a cup of coffee..
Review by: Julie
Gastro Obscura by Cecily Wong & Dylan Thuras
Title: Gastro Obscura
Author: Cecily Wong & Dylan Thuras
Review:
Food lovers and travel adventurers rejoice! This book is for you all! What a gem of a book. Treasure after treasure on every page. Unimaginable taste delights...and taste adventures! Fluffy Beer, Spit Roasted Cake, Bouncy Meatballs...What?!?! Not to mention the incredible photos. Look no further for the perfect gift. Gastro Obscura has arrived.
Review by: Jan
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Title: Iron Widow
Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
Review:
A reimagined telling of China's only female emperor, in a fantasy setting. Zetian is a young woman set on revenge for her sister's murder. She joins the army as a concubine pilot of a Chrysalis, huge machines powered by the qi of the male and female pilots. Will she get her revenge? What secrets will she uncover along the way?
Review by: Kiana
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moiarty
Title: Apples Never Fall
Author: Liane Moiarty
Review:
Fans of Liane Moiarty books will not be disappointed. Her latest release is my favorite! A well written, suspenseful page turner. I loved it until the very last word.
Review by: Jan
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree
Author: Samantha Shannon
Review:
The Priory of the Orange Tree is an epic, loose re-telling of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. It has a great cast of strong female characters in a complex and well-designed world, as well as a beautiful, slow-burn romance. If you are intimidated by the size of this book, don't be! The story is enthralling and absolutely worthy of your time.
Review by: Jo
Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
Title: Pathfinder
Author: Orson Scott Card
Review:
Deep in space Ram Odin is piloting a starship full of frozen colonizers to a planet far away from earth. He is hoping to jump through a fold in space-time and cut 900 years off the journey, but this has never been done before. There's no guarantee it will work. What if something goes wrong?
Review by: Kiana
New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton
Title: The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes
Author: Sam Sifton
Review:
What a fun cookbook to have by my side as I decide what to cook next! It's just what I have been wanting for years. Page after page of fabulous dishes made just by grabbing ingredients from my pantry, tossing them together and ending up with a terrific dish. SO many great ideas! I LOVE this book.
Review by: Jan
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Title: Piranesi
Author: Susanna Clarke
Review:
Piranesi is one of those rare stories that is best enjoyed with as little prior knowledge of the plot as possible-- it is impossibly unique and enchanting. I adored the protagonist and setting of this story with all of my heart! This strange, charming, and magical tale of a man and the House that loves him is one that you won't want to miss.
Review by: Jo
An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten
Title: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed
Author: Helene Tursten
Review:
This book is a series of short stories about Maud, who seems like a proper little Swedish lady, a retired schoolteacher who took care of her sister. But there’s more than meets the eye, these short stories are wickedly fun! Never underestimate a little old lady who thinks you’ve done bad things. She will give you what’s coming to you. This book was such a joy to read and so much fun!!
Review by: Julie
Fangs by Sara Andersen
Title: Fangs
Author: Sara Andersen
Review:
This came into my hands kind of by accident. Not the sort of thing I usually read, but I thought, why not?
So what happens when a vampire dates a werewolf?
I found it a fun, quick read about the interesting struggles of a unique couple.
Review by: Ben
Milk Street Cookish by Christopher Kimball
Title: Milk Street Cookish
Author: Christopher Kimball
Review:
I rarely find a cookbook that is chock full of recipes that I LOVE! Here it is. I find myself wanting to make nearly all of the recipes in this beautiful book. Enjoy!
Review by: Jan
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Title: Kafka on the Shore
Author: Haruki Murakami
Review:
Kafka on The Shore tells two stories: one of Kafka, a teenage runaway attempting to escape from an ominous, oedipal prophecy, and one of Nakata, a charming elderly man who can speak to cats. The way that their fates are interwoven throughout the story is lovely, strange, and dreamlike; if you enjoy magical realism or any of Murakami's other works, this novel is a must-read.
Review by: Jo
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Review:
As a Mesoamerican mythology enthusiast, Gods of Jade and Shadow brought me great joy to read! Casiopea's journey through Jazz Age Mexico with her companion, who just happens to be the Mayan god of death, is such a unique and captivating story with all of the perfect twists and turns. I simply couldn't put it down.
Review by: Jo
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Title: Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Review:
From the moment I picked up this book, I didn't want to put it down. The story is thousands of years old, but Madeline Miller brings new life to the characters, and their world. The story takes place from Patroclus' point of view, a boy who was exiled from his own kingdom, and brought to Achilles'. The boys become friends, and do everything together. Miller's writing is so descriptive, you can almost feel the sun on your face, hear the ocean, see the mountains, etc.
Review by: Kiana
Cook This Book by Molly Baz
Title: Cook This Book
Author: Molly Baz
Review:
A cookbook with QR codes! Seriously! This book is amazing! I have been collecting cookbooks for over 50 years and as a result, I have become pretty particular about the books that come into my collection. This book absolutely made the cut. The recipes are fabulous, simply written and perfect for every occasion. Plus, the book has the added bonus of QR codes so you get videos throughout the entire book.
(Warning - the author does not hesitate to use "salty" language, so beware.)
Review by: Jan