Heidi K

Ocean State

by Stewart O'Nan

FICTION/O'Nan, Stewart

In the first line of Ocean State, we learn that a high school student was murdered, and we find out who did it. The story that unfolds from there with incredible momentum is thus one of the build-up to and fall-out from the murder, told through the alternating perspectives of the four women at its heart. Angel, the murderer, Carol, her mother, and Birdy, the victim, all come alive on the page as they converge in a climax both tragic and inevitable. Watching over it all is the retrospective testimony of Angel's younger sister Marie, who reflects on that doomed autumn of 2009 with all the wisdom of hindsight. Angel and Birdy love the same teenage boy, frantically and single mindedly, and are moved by the intensity of their feelings to extremes neither could have anticipated. O'Nan's expert hand paints a fully realized portrait of these women, but also weaves a compelling and heartbreaking story of working-class life in Ashaway, Rhode Island. Propulsive, haunting, and deeply rendered, Ocean State is a masterful novel by one of our greatest storytellers

This is one of those - you know what happened, but you you don't know WHY or HOW it happened - kind of thrillers. Stewart O'Nan keeps you needing to know more from page one onward. This is a great book to start off your summer reading, or just get you back on track with your general reading goals. Read it outside in the shade. -Heidi K

Matrix

by Lauren Groff

FICTION Groff Lauren
Historical Fiction

"Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, deemed too coarse and rough-hewn for marriage or courtly life, seventeen-year-old Marie de France is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease. At first taken aback by the severity of her new life, Marie finds focus and love in collective life with her singular and mercurial sisters. In this crucible, Marie steadily supplants her desire for family, for her homeland, for the passions of her youth with something new to her: devotion to her sisters, and a conviction in her own divine visions. Marie, born the last in a long line of women warriors and crusaders, is determined to chart a bold new course for the women she now leads and protects. But in a world that is shifting and corroding in frightening ways, one that can never reconcile itself with her existence, will the sheer force of Marie's vision be bulwark enough? Equally alive to the sacred and the profane, Matrix gathers currents of violence, sensuality, and religious ecstasy in a mesmerizing portrait of consuming passion, aberrant faith, and a woman tat history moves both through and around. Lauren Groff's new novel, her first since Fates and Furies, is a defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world"--

This is a really special, one-of-a-kind book. I don't usually seek out books set in a 12th century abbey, and because of this the book acted as a great reading refresher. It is also based on the life of a real woman, which I love. I always enjoy reading about secret societies or little-known places, and an abbey is fascinating from that perspective - it operates on its own plane which is hidden from most of the world. The story about Marie de France is powerful, and you get to see the character transform over a long period of time. -Heidi K

Seven Days in June

by Tia Williams

FICTION/Williams, Tia
Romance

Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry-or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since. Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered. . . With its keen observations of Black life and the condition of modern motherhood, as well as the consequences of motherless-ness, Seven Days in June is by turns humorous, warm and deeply sensual

I love this book because it provides plenty of FUN and SUBSTANCE. These two things should come together more often in fiction, but usually don't. -Heidi K

Pachinko

by Min Jin Lee

FICTION Lee Min
Historical Fiction

"A new tour de force from the bestselling author of Free Food for Millionaires, for readers of The Kite Runner and Cutting for Stone. PACHINKO follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan. So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, its members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, family, and identity"--

OK, OK...so this isn't the newest book and many have already heard about it or even actually read it by now. But, I need to add this as a recommendation at this time to encourage everyone who still has this in their to-read pile. Perhaps you, like me, have been a bit intimidated by the size of the novel. I had no idea how fast reading this would go once I started it! It's one of those books I look for moments to read bits and pieces of, and can't wait to go back to. So if you're still waiting to read Pachinko, like I was: What are you waiting for? This is the perfect saga to whisk you away from your reality this winter. -Heidi K

The science fiction hall of fame : volume one, 1929-1964

by

SCIENCE FICTION Science
Science Fiction

The book you now hold contains twenty-six of the greatest science fiction stories ever written. Robert Heinlein in "The Roads Must Roll" describes an industrial civilization of the future caught up in the deadly flaws of its own complexity. "Country of the Kind," by Damon Knight, is a frightening portrayal of biological mutation. "Nightfall," by Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest stories in the science fiction field, imagines a planet where the sun sets only once every millennium and is a chilling study in mass psychology.

I picked this anthology up for Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon," but have enjoyed the other stories. I'm not usually big into SCIFI, but this sample platter from the past is fascinating! -Heidi K

Nolo's essential guide to buying your first home.

by

643.12 /Nolo
Nonfiction

This timely title will help buyers find the right place to live and invest in--and even enjoy doing it. Filled with interesting facts, real-life stories and insights, and common pitfalls to avoid, this book provides everything to select the right type of home, the right mortgage, and much more.

I'm not going to buy a home any time soon. But, before I find a house that I like, I need to just figure out if home ownership is right for me. What's all involved? What should I know before I start looking and get attached to a place that ultimately is no good for me or my family? Luckily, ICPL has many books about buying a home to help people like me. So far, I've found this guide easy to digest. -Heidi K

Big magic : creative living beyond fear

by Elizabeth Gilbert

eAUDIO
Nonfiction, Self Help

"Coming September 22nd From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you've dreamed of. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert's books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the "strange jewels" that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy"--

If you're feeling in a rut, this book might offer the push you need. It's not preachy and it's full of good stories about the creative process. It was good on eAudio - read by the author. -Heidi K

Theft by finding : diaries 1977-2002

by David Sedaris

eAUDIO
Humor, Memoir, Literary Nonfiction, LGBTQ+

Shares the author's favorite diary entries, providing a look into the mind of a comic genius.

Nobody really needs me to suggest David Sedaris. But having read all his other books which blend essay, humor, autobiography, and scathing social critique, I thought this compilation of writing pulled from his diaries would seem a little old hat - sort of a "for fans only" affair. Well, I am a fan, but Theft by Finding has passages so biting and original and weird that I gasped several times while listening to the eAudio on walks during quarantine. Trademark humor is still there, but there are also parts of Theft by Finding that grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and shook me. -Heidi K

The book of joy : lasting happiness in a changing world

by Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho

294.3444 /Dalai Lama
Nonfiction, Self Help, Biographies, Religion

Two leading spiritual masters share their wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity, sharing personal stories and teachings about the science of profound happiness and the daily practices that anchor their emotional and spiritual lives.

When Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama get together to talk about their lives, philosophies, and teachings, the result is a guidebook on how to transform joy from a fleeting emotion to a way of life. My favorite thing about this book are the funny bits of dialogue between the two men who prove that above all, they are merely human. The stories from their lives are great, and the themes discussed seem so relevant to the precarious times we have found ourselves in. -Heidi K

Shuggie Bain : a novel

by Douglas Stuart

FICTION Stuart Douglas
Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Literary Fiction

"Shuggie Bain is the unforgettable story of young Hugh "Shuggie" Bain, a sweet and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in public housing in Glasgow, Scotland. Thatcher's war on heavy industry has put husbands and sons out of work, and the city's notorious drugs epidemic is waiting in the wings. Shuggie's mother Agnes walks a wayward path: she is Shuggie's guiding light but a burden for his artistic brother and practical sister. She dreams of a house with its own front door while she flicks through the pages of the Freemans catalogue, ordering a little happiness on credit, anything to brighten up her grey life. Married to a "whoremaster" of a husband, Agnes keeps her pride by looking good - her beehive, make-up, and pearly-white false teeth offer a glamourous image of a Glaswegian Elizabeth Taylor. But under the surface, Agnes finds increasing solace in drink, and she drains away the lion's share of each week's benefits - all the family has to live on - on cans of extra-strong lager hidden in handbags and poured into tea mugs. Agnes's older children find their own ways to get a safe distance from their mother, abandoning Shuggie to look after her as she swings between alcoholic binges and sobriety. He is meanwhile doing all he can to somehow become the normal boy he desperately longs to be, but everyone has realized that Shuggie is "no right," and now Agnes's addiction has the power to eclipse everyone close to her-even and especially her beloved Shuggie." --

This book received a Kirkus starred review, and it's definitely worth the hype. The book takes place in the working class Scotland of the 1980s. Agnes is a young alcoholic woman who loves her children but is mostly incapacitated by poverty and drink. Shuggie is a young boy who is a bit of a social pariah for being a gay momma's boy - even though for most of the book he has little to no understanding of why he doesn't fit in with the others. He just doesn't. I thought this book was heartbreaking but also just plain beautiful. I won't forget Shuggie or Agnes. -Heidi K

Case histories

by Kate Atkinson

FICTION Atkinson, Kate
Mystery

This year Kate Atkinson came out with her 5th book in her Jackson Brodie series, "Big Sky." I was once again reminded that I had never read a single book by Ms. Atkinson, despite constantly adding her books to my Goodreads "to read" list and hearing good things about her writing. I decided to read the first Jackson Brodie book, "Case Histories." I loved it! What I was most struck by was the sense of humor in her storytelling, even while dealing with tough subjects. The Jackson Brodie books (so far) are a blend of literary fiction and mystery - we shelve them in the regular fiction section. If you, like me, have been "meaning to" read Atkinson for years and keep putting it off, do yourself a favor and start one of her books. She also has many stand-alone novels which I look forward to reading. -Heidi K

Heroines

by Kate Zambreno

809.89287 /Zambreno
Literary Nonfiction, Nonfiction

I am beginning to realize that taking the self out of our essays is a form of repression. Taking the self out feels like obeying a gag order—pretending an objectivity where there is nothing objective about the experience of confronting and engaging with and swooning over literature.”—from Heroines On the last day of December, 2009 Kate Zambreno began a blog called Frances Farmer Is My Sister, arising from her obsession with the female modernists and her recent transplantation to Akron, Ohio, where her husband held a university job. Widely reposted, Zambreno's blog became an outlet for her highly informed and passionate rants about the fates of the modernist “wives and mistresses.” In her blog entries, Zambreno reclaimed the traditionally pathologized biographies of Vivienne Eliot, Jane Bowles, Jean Rhys, and Zelda Fitzgerald: writers and artists themselves who served as male writers' muses only to end their lives silenced, erased, and institutionalized. Over the course of two years, Frances Farmer Is My Sister helped create a community where today's “toxic girls” could devise a new feminist discourse, writing in the margins and developing an alternative canon. In Heroines, Zambreno extends the polemic begun on her blog into a dazzling, original work of literary scholarship. Combing theories that have dictated what literature should be and who is allowed to write it—from T. S. Eliot's New Criticism to the writings of such mid-century intellectuals as Elizabeth Hardwick and Mary McCarthy to the occasional “girl-on-girl crime” of the Second Wave of feminism—she traces the genesis of a cultural template that consistently exiles female experience to the realm of the “minor,” and diagnoses women for transgressing social bounds. “ANXIETY: When she experiences it, it's pathological,” writes Zambreno. “When he does, it's existential.” By advancing the Girl-As-Philosopher, Zambreno reinvents feminism for her generation while providing a model for a newly subjectivized criticism.

If you have any interest in the lives and work of Modernist female authors (Virginia Woolf, Zelda Fitzgerald, Jean Rhys, Anais Nin...) do yourself a favor and pick up this book! Kate Zambreno, author of the novel Green Girl, creates a fascinating work of nonfiction by braiding personal narrative and historical research. She offers fascinating analysis on how feminine creativity has been conflated with mental illness both historically and today. -Heidi K

My sister, the serial killer : a novel

by Oyinkan Braithwaite

FICTION Braithwaite, Oyinkan
Horror, Humor

"Slasher meets satire, in this darkly comic novel set in Nigeria about a woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends"--

I was tickled by this darkly comic quick read! Even if you are put off by horror/murder as a plot element, as I usually am, check this book out - it's very funny and the narrator's voice is wonderful. -Heidi K

History of wolves : a novel

by Emily Fridlund

FICTION Fridlund Emily
Literary Fiction

""So delicately calibrated and precisely beautiful that one might not immediately sense the sledgehammer of pain building inside this book. And I mean that in the best way. What powerful tension and depth this provides!"-Aimee Bender. Fourteen-year-old Linda lives with her parents in the beautiful, austere woods of northern Minnesota, where their nearly abandoned commune stands as a last vestige of a lost counter-culture world. Isolated at home and an outlander at school, Linda is drawn to the enigmatic, attractive Lily and new history teacher Mr. Grierson. When Mr. Grierson is charged with possessing child pornography, the implications of his arrest deeply affect Linda as she wrestles with her own fledgling desires and craving to belong. And then the young Gardner family moves in across the lake and Linda finds herself welcomed into their home as a babysitter for their little boy, Paul. It seems that her life finally has purpose but with this new sense of belonging she is also drawn into secrets she doesn't understand. Over the course of a few days, Linda makes a set of choices that reverberate throughout her life. As she struggles to find a way out of the sequestered world into which she was born, Linda confronts the life-and-death consequences of the things people do-and fail to do-for the people they love. Winner of the McGinnis-Ritchie award for its first chapter, Emily Fridlund's propulsive and gorgeously written History of Wolves introduces a new writer of enormous range and talent"--

This novel reverberates beyond the page. This had been on my to-read list since it came out, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I loved the portrayal of the rural Minnesota landscape. I was haunted by the ending. I can't wait to read future books by Emily Fridlund! -Heidi K

Hounded

by Kevin Hearne

SCIENCE FICTION Hearne, Kevin
Fantasy

Atticus O'Sullivan, the last of the Druids, finds his peaceful life in Arizona shattered by the arrival of an angry Celtic god who wants Atticus's magical sword, forcing Atticus to call upon some unlikely allies for help.

I'm ready for some light, fun reading now that it's almost summer - this series is just the ticket! The protagonist is a 2,000 year old + ancient Druid hiding in a 21 year old's body in modern day Arizona. There are goddesses, witches, werewolves, and all manner of magical fun. I look forward to continuing the series! -Heidi K

The dress : 100 ideas that changed fashion forever

by Marnie Fogg

391.47209 /Fogg
Art / Art History

Another pictorial work on women's fashion well worth checking out! -Heidi K

Dress like a woman : working women and what they wore

by

391.209 /Dress

What does it mean to dress like a woman? The photographs in this book depict women-- both familiar and unknown-- who inhabit a fascinating intersection of fashion, gender, class, nationality, and race, proving there is no single answer to this question. It provides a comprehensive look at the role of gender and clothing in the workplace.

This is a book I would love to own - these pictures of working women are mostly intense and full of attitude. -Heidi K

Vintage fashion and couture : from Poiret to McQueen

by Kerry Taylor

391.009 /Taylor
Art / Art History

There is SO much in this book that makes my heart sing. -Heidi K

Dior Images : Paolo Roversi.

by Paolo Roversi

779.092 /Roversi
Art / Art History

"Presenting photographs from British Vogue, Vogue Paris, and W, this tome spotlights creations by Dior's artistic directors Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri. It also contains exclusive pictures from a photoshoot supervised by Grace Coddington featuring designs by Christian Dior himself. Equal parts fashion monograph and photographic portfolio..."--From publisher's website.

I've always loved the House of Dior - ever since watching "Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris" as a kid. Dior is dreamy, and so are these photographs of Dior couture. -Heidi K

Fashion tribes : global street style

by Daniele Tamagni

779.2 /Tamagni
Art / Art History

In 'Fashion tribes', award-winning photographer Daniele Tamagni has tracked down and recorded some of the most surprising and colorful international fashion subcultures. Through documentary shots and staged portraiture, he's captured heavy metal rockers in Botswana, hipsters in Johannesburg, dandies in the Congo, female wrestlers in Bolivia, "bling bling" youth in Cuba, and Punks in Burma. Often marginalised on the fringes of their own societies or just down on their heels, these people fight back and express their creativity and joy through personal style. With essays by leading experts in fashion, photography, anthropology, and sociology, 'Fashion tribes' offers a broad view of world dress and shows the power that clothing can hold.

I always enjoy a good dose of candid street style. -Heidi K

Guru

by 1960- author RuPaul

BIOGRAPHY RuPaul
Biographies, Art / Art History

"A timeless collection of philosophies from renaissance performer and the world's most famous shape-shifter RuPaul, whose sage outlook has created an unprecedented career for more than thirty-five years. GuRu is packed with more than 80 beautiful photographs that illustrate the concept of building the life you want from the outside in and the inside out. As someone who has deconstructed life's hilarious facade, RuPaul has broken "the fourth wall" to expand on the concept of mind, body, and spirit. This unique perspective has allowed RuPaul to break the shackles of self-imposed limitations, but reader beware, this is a daily practice that requires diligence and touchstones to keep you walking in the sunshine of the spirit. Once you're willing to look beyond the identity that was given to you, a hidden world of possibilities will open its doors. Throughout the history of humans on this planet, there've always been shaman, seers, and mediums who are able to interpret both high and low frequencies and remind humans to look beyond the surface for the truth of who we really are. And who we really are is an extension of the power that created the universe (aka: God in drag). FYI: most people are not willing to hear or accept that. That is RuPaul's secret for success, not only in show business, but in all aspects of life, especially in navigating the emotional landmines that inhibit most sweet, sensitive souls." --

Ru always makes me smile on TV, and this book is a good antidote if you find yourself in a dismal mood. It features many nuggets of Ru wisdom, and great stories from Ru's career. -Heidi K

The September issue : Anna Wintour and the making of Vogue

by

DVD 391.2 September

A behind-the-scenes look at Vogue magazine (U.S.) as editor-and-chief Anna Wintour and her staff prepare the September 2007 issue.

Older, but still a fun fashion documentary to check out for some vanity viewing! Fans of America's Next Top Model will enjoy it. -Heidi K

Fresh dressed

by

DVD 764.92 Fresh

Examines the evolution of hip-hop fashion, from its roots in African American traditions of dress and inner-city gang-wear to the present day.

This hip-hop fashion documentary offers great music and commentary on the history of being "fresh dressed." This is also available on Kanopy! -Heidi K

Little black dress

by André Leon Talley

391.00904 /Talley
Art / Art History

"A celebratory tribute to the iconic little black dress and its deeply resonant cultural and social significance in the modern era ... Features an impeccable group of more than 80 dresses from many of the most eminent fashion houses"--Book jacket.

Black is not boring! I love how this book allows design and silhouettes to take center stage since the color of every garment shown is the same. This book is a beautiful love letter to the LBD by my favorite style icon: André Leon Talley -Heidi K

Give me your hand

by Megan E. Abbott

FICTION Abbott Megan
Suspense

"Kit Owens harbored only modest ambitions for herself when the mysterious Diane Fleming appeared in her high school chemistry class. But Diane's academic brilliance lit a fire in Kit, and the two developed an unlikely friendship. Until Diane shared a secret that changed everything between them. More than a decade later, Kit thinks she's put Diane behind her forever, and she's begun to fulfill the scientific dreams Diane awakened in her. But the past comes roaring back when she discovers that Diane is her competition for a position both women covet: taking part in groundbreaking new research led by their idol. Soon enough, the two former friends find themselves locked in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that threatens to destroy them."--Dust jacket.

Something about the way Megan Abbott writes dialogue and details is so satisfying to me. This is the second book I've read by her, and I am SO GLAD there are many others by her to go back and read. This book centers on the ambitions of two young women scientists who are given a dream assignment together as post-docs. But something dark is brewing between them because of a secret from back when they went to high school together. What is the secret? And where is all this tension leading? This book is so original and worth it. -Heidi K

Motherhood

by Sheila Heti

FICTION Heti Sheila
Literary Fiction

This is a brilliant meditation on one of those great questions of life: To have children, or not? This is very much a book about that idea - it reads more like literary nonfiction or memoir than a novel. There isn't much by way of traditional plot or sense of place - the woman narrator takes us on a journey in her mind as she wrestles with ambivalence about whether or not to procreate. For me, this was a timely read and very reassuring that not everyone feels strongly about whether or not they want children. -Heidi K

Botany in a day : the patterns method of plant identification : Thomas J. Elpel's herbal field guide to plant families

by Thomas J Elpel

580 /Elpel
Gardening

Explains the patterns method of plant identification, describing seven key patterns for recognizing more than 45,000 species of plants, and includes an illustrated reference guide to plant families.

Did you know that insects and flowering plants co-evolved? It seems obvious, perhaps, but until I read this book I had no idea! I have been trying to become more knowledgeable about plant identification. This was a great book to start with, and I loved the line drawings of plants. I may at one point invest in my own copy! -Heidi K

How to love a Jamaican : stories

by Alexia Arthurs

FICTION Arthurs Alexia
Short Story, Fiction

Sweeping from close-knit island communities to the streets of New York City and midwestern university towns, these eleven stories form a portrait of a nation, a people, and a way of life. In "Light-Skinned Girls and Kelly Rowlands," an NYU student befriends a fellow Jamaican whose privileged West Coast upbringing has blinded her to the hard realities of race. In "Mash Up Love," a twin's chance sighting of his estranged brother--the prodigal son of the family--stirs up unresolved feelings of resentment. In "Bad Behavior," a couple leave their wild teenage daughter with her grandmother in Jamaica, hoping the old ways will straighten her out. In "Mermaid River," a Jamaican teenage boy is reunited with his mother in New York after eight years apart. In "The Ghost of Jia Yi," a recently murdered student haunts a despairing Jamaican athlete recruited to an Iowa college. And in "Shirley from a Small Place," a world-famous pop star retreats to her mother's big new house in Jamaica, which still holds the power to restore something vital.

The stories in this book are beautiful, witty, and sparkle with a variety of personalities that all felt real to me. Do pick up this short story collection by Iowa Writer's Workshop grad Alexia Arthurs! -Heidi K

Mouse Guard

by David Petersen

GRAPHIC NOVEL Petersen Mouse
Graphic Novels

Mouse Guard is so fun, and has wonderful illustrations to boot! I would say it's good for adults, kids, or for adults and kids to enjoy together. It's great for fans of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. -Heidi K

An American marriage

by Tayari Jones

FICTION Jones Tayari
Literary Fiction

"Newlyweds Celestial and Roy, the living embodiment of the New South, are settling into the routine of their life together when Roy is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. An insightful look into the lives of people who are bound and separated by forces beyond their control"--

When newlyweds Celestial and Roy are separated by Roy's incarceration for a crime he didn't commit, the life they've been trying to build together falls apart. This is a book written as letters between Roy and Celestial, which I really enjoyed. The writing is excellent, and the ending surprised me somewhat while still not being disappointing. -Heidi K

Queenpin : a novel

by Megan E. Abbott

FICTION Abbott, Megan E.
Thriller

This is an older (2007) novel, and is the first I've read by Megan Abbott. What a great crime novel from a female perspective! A little trashy, a little dark, but still well written. Shows us the mob underworld circa 1950's. This was lots of fun for a summer read. -Heidi K

So you want to talk about race

by Ijeoma Oluo

305.8 /Oluo
Nonfiction

"A current, constructive, and actionable exploration of today's racial landscape, offering straightforward clarity that readers of all races need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Editor at Large of The Establishment, Ijeoma Oluo offers a contemporary, accessible take on the racial landscape in America, addressing head-on such issues as privilege, police brutality, intersectionality, micro-aggressions, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the "N" word. Perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between people of color and white Americans struggling with race complexities, Oluo answers the questions readers don't dare ask, and explains the concepts that continue to elude everyday Americans. Oluo is an exceptional writer with a rare ability to be straightforward, funny, and effective in her coverage of sensitive, hyper-charged issues in America. Her messages are passionate but finely tuned, and crystalize ideas that would otherwise be vague by empowering them with aha-moment clarity. Her writing brings to mind voices like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roxane Gay, and Jessica Valenti in Full Frontal Feminism, and a young Gloria Naylor, particularly in Naylor's seminal essay "The Meaning of a Word.""--

This should be required reading, particularly for white people...but ultimately, it's just a great book. Each chapter highlights a different question related to race and racism in the USA. Ijeoma Oluo does a great job of keeping it concise, and offering plenty of passion and humor about the subject. Chapter titles include, "What is the school-to-prison pipeline?" "Why can't I say the N-word?" and "What are microaggressions?" Definitely check it out! -Heidi K

The lying game

by Ruth Ware

FICTION Ware Ruth
Suspense

The text message arrives in the small hours of the night. It's just three words: I need you. Isa drops everything, takes her baby daughter and heads straight to Salten. She spent the most significant days of her life at boarding school on the marshes there, days which still cast their shadow over her. At school Isa and her three best friends used to play the Lying Game. They competed to convince people of the most outrageous stories. Now, after seventeen years of secrets, something terrible has been found on the beach. Something which will force Isa to confront her past, together with the three women she hasn't seen for years, but has never forgotten.

So far I am loving this book - Ruth Ware is a new author to me, but I am looking forward to checking out the rest of her books now! -Heidi K

Behind closed doors

by Paris, B.A.

FICTION/Paris, B. A.
Suspense

I could not wait to find out what happened in the end! -Heidi K

Not quite a genius

by Nate Dern

817.6 /Dern
Humor, Literary Nonfiction

"From Funny Or Die senior writer and former artistic director at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre comes a collection of absurdist, hilarious stories and essays on relationships, technology, and contemporary society. A brave archaeologist journeys into a suburban man cave. Leif Eriksson writes Christopher Columbus a long overdue letter. A corporate flack admonishes a room of marijuana sales people to get their revenues up. A young man's penis turns into a lobster. Walt Whitman even teaches a spin class. With humor, originality, and narrative guile, Nate Dern examines man buns, dating apps, Wi-Fi terms and conditions, juicing crazes, vegetarianism, and so much more, all while plumbing his own life and a series of fantastical scenarios for a truth that's both revelatory and beautiful."--Jacket.

If you just want something funny and interesting to read that doesn't take too much time or energy, I recommend this fun book. -Heidi K

Apprenticed to Venus : my secret life with Anaïs Nin

by Tristine Rainer

818.52 NinYr
Memoir

“I first met Anaïs in 1962 at her Village apartment, when I was an eighteen-year-old virgin.” And so begins Tristine Rainer’s years as Anaïs Nin’s accomplice, keeping Nin’s confidences—including that of her bigamy—even after Nin’s death and the passing of her husbands, until now. Apprenticed to Venus charts Rainer’s coming of age under the guidance of Anaïs Nin: lover to Henry Miller, Parisian diarist, author of the erotic bestseller Delta of Venus, and feminist icon of the sexual revolution. As an inexperienced young woman, Tristine was dazzled by the sophisticated bohemian author and sought her instruction in becoming a woman. From their first meeting in Greenwich Village through Nin’s death in 1977, Tristine remained a fixture of Anaïs Nin’s inner circle, implicated in the mysterious author’s secrets—while simultaneously finding her own way through love, lust, and loss. From personal memories to dramatized scenarios based on Nin’s revelations to the author, Apprenticed to Venus blurs the lines between novel and memoir, bringing Anaïs Nin to life in new way—a pioneer whose mantra was, “A woman has as much right to pleasure as a man!” A compelling look at the intricacies—and risks—of female friendship and the mentor-protégé relationship, Tristine Rainer’s Apprenticed to Venus is the intimate story of an entanglement only she could tell.

I have always been interested in the literary figure Anais Nin, ever since I was 12 and discovered a dusty old bound copy of her diaries in a library. This is an interesting perspective on Nin from a person who got closer to her than most. Nin was purposefully very secretive and enigmatic - there is much, much more on that topic in this book. Recommended if you like literary memoirs and/or Anais Nin. -Heidi K