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Staff Picks April 2024 Reviews and Recommendations from our Adult and Teen Services staff:
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Roseanne recommends: Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline About the author: Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times bestselling author of over thirty novels including Look Again, Think Twice and Save Me. She also writes a weekly column, “Chick Wit,” with her daughter Francesca Serritella, for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Reviewers say: "A Connecticut teacher’s long sought and hard-fought pregnancy turns into a nightmare when Scottoline unleashes one of her irresistible hooks on her" (Kirkus Reviews).
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What it’s about: The book follows the lives of Adam, his wife Corinne, and their two sons. One day, the stranger approaches Adam in a bar and tells him a devastating secret about his wife. He takes time to process and research to find out if the secret is true. He feels it could derail their marriage and their lives. When he confronts her, she doesn’t deny it but begins to act very strangely and then takes off, telling Adam via text that she will return in a few days when she’s ready. Why you might like it: While you become devoted to these characters, you also find out that the stranger works for a group unveiling secrets to families to help change the world.
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Kristin recommends: What You Are Looking for Is in the Library: A Novel by Michiko Aoyama What it’s about: This inspirational novel of interlocking short stories stars Sayuri Komachi, the Reference Librarian at a community center in Tokyo. In each story, a person is unsatisfied with their life, but they don’t know what to do to change it. A young clerk in a store feels adrift. An accountant wants to own an antique shop. A woman tries to juggle childcare and work. They all take different paths to the library but all receive help from librarian Ms. Komachi. She asks them what they are looking for, and then gives them a list of books and a “bonus gift” of a felted object she made. Each person finds deep meaning in the seemingly random gift and finds a way forward to a life with greater meaning. Reviewers say: “A comforting read filled with serendipity and simple wisdom, this is a celebration of community, connection, and the transformative power of libraries” (Booklist); “A delightful, gentle unfolding of stories that offer hope and joy to those who find themselves in a pivotal moment in life” (Kirkus Reviews).
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Carly recommends: The Serpent & the Wings of Night: A Crowns of Nyaxia Novel by Carissa BroadbentWhat it’s about: The Hunger Games meets Vampires in this epic-fantasy full of romance and dark magic. The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya must live every day in a world that is designed to kill her. In an attempt to change her destiny, she competes in a deadly tournament called the Kejari. Being the only human in the Kejari, she is soon forced to forge an alliance with a ruthless vampire, Raihn, who is not only her competition but enemy to her father’s crown. What starts as a tension filled pact soon on blossoms into something else entirely. However, with war and conspiracy also raging outside, love may become Oraya and Raihn's downfall. Reviewers say: “Broadbent keeps the emotional stakes high as the personal butts up against the political and practicality dances with desire” (Publishers Weekly).
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Mallory recommends: Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Novel by Linda HolmesN What happens: Recently widowed, Evvie Drake has decided to rent out the apartment in the back of her house to help get over her grief of losing her husband. She wasn’t expecting Major League Baseball Player Dean Tenney (a pitcher who has a bad case of the yips) to want her apartment. For this to work out, Evvie can’t talk to Dean about baseball and Dean can’t ask Evvie about her deceased husband. Of course, rules always have a way of getting broken. Reviewers say: “Believable, flawed characters are at the heart of this novel. At times deeply emotional yet sometimes extremely humorous. This is a satisfying crowd-pleaser” (Publishers Weekly).
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Astrid recommends: Every Vow You Break: A Novel by Peter Swanson What it's about: Abigail marries rich guy Bruce, after having a drunken one-night stand at her bachelorette party but neglecting to inform Bruce. For their honeymoon they go to a remote island resort that bills itself as a “screen-free getaway” where phones and the internet don’t work. The only other guests are a young couple, and strangely enough, the men on the island by far outnumber the women. Then Abigail’s one-night stand shows up on the island and things get progressively worse… Reviewers say: “Lots of thriller writers know how to set a hook, but Swanson isn't satisfied with just one; the further we go into his devilishly twisty tales, the more hooks he sets, and the harder we bite down on the line” (Booklist).
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Crip Up the Kitchen: Tools, Tips and Recipes for the Disabled Cook
by Jules Sherred
What it is: Food photographer and journalist Sherred’s first book will bring the joy back into cooking for folks whose disabilities make getting great meals on the table a challenge. More than a cookbook, this volume is filled with tips and tricks to make preparing delicious meals easier, safer, and more accessible. Recipes are organized by the amount of energy they take to prepare and represent varied cuisines from around the world with a focus on taste, nutrition, and efficiency. Sherred includes lists of must-have and optional items to “crip up” your kitchen; suggestions for organizing the kitchen, pantry, and grocery lists; and solid advice for meal planning, for meal prep (preparing ingredients and meals in advance), and for cooking safely when disabled.
Why you should check it out: As disability advocate Maria Town reminds us, "Everyone will become disabled if they're lucky enough.” Even if you don’t have a disability, the time and energy saving strategies Sherred discloses are welcome. A guide to planning/meal prepping for surgery recovery would be useful to anyone, whether recovering from knee surgery or welcoming a new baby. The tips for using three key tools—the multicooker, the air fryer, and the bread machine—will aid anybody who wants to learn more convenient ways to prepare meals.
Recipes featured: Butter chicken, Thai winter squash soup, roast chicken, several different curries, hamburger stew, sweet potato and butternut squash hash, paczki, cornbread, lemon pound cake, and more.
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