A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell is a mystery with a lot of twists and turns that leaves you guessing until the very end. Stephanie is a “mommy blogger” who writes semi-truthful posts about her and her son’s lives. When she befriends Emily, a mysterious mom from her son’s school, her life (and blog) become much more interesting. Stephanie believes she has found her new best friend, until one day, Emily asks her for “a simple favor” and mysteriously disappears.

 

Without giving too much of the plot away, I’ll just say if you liked Gone Girl, you’ll probably like this book as well. While it’s not the strongest of the “girl-gone-missing” genre, Bell’s wit shines brightest when poking fun at the blogging community. Stephanie’s insistence that she’s not just a “mommy blogger” is hilariously underwritten by her constant attempts to bring up her blog in conversation. Her cheerful “Hi, moms!” greetings begin to ring superficial juxtaposed with the grisly possibilities of her friend’s disappearance. As she confesses after a personal blog post that “That’s not what really happened,” the reader learns that Emily isn’t the only one with something to hide. 

 

There are some weightier topics in A Simple Favor, such as incest, death, and suicide, but it doesn’t delve into them too deeply. If you like the “Girl-who-disappeared/saw-something interesting-but-no-one-believes-her” genre, or are looking for a quick, entertaining read, this book is a good pick.

 

Katie

Celia Bowen and Marco Alisdair are magicians. Not just the stage performers with their trick cards, rabbits out of hats, and disappearance cabinets, but real magicians capable of twisting and changing the reality around them. However, they are only the apprentices bound to their masters, sorcerers who have been in an ever escalating competition for millennia, each intent on proving that their own method of magical education is superior. To challenge their respective apprentices, the master sorcerers create the Night Circus, traveling from city to city astonishing the attendees and creating a community of fanatic devotees who follow the circus to witness its ever changing wonder. With Celia on the inside performing as a stage magician while adding new attractions and wonders and Marco on the outside adding his own mysterious additions from the shadows, the two apprentices realize that the circus has become something more than was ever intended and the furtherance of the competition might have devastating consequences on the performers and attendees alike. 

 

Erin Morgenstern’s 2011 novel is a transportive book, full to the brim with ethereal imagery that will lull you into a state of wonder, investing you in the world these characters have created almost as much as the Night Circus attendees themselves. The mysteries entwined within the circus, the characters whose lives are changed and devastated by the magical competition, and Morgenstern’s true belief in the power of storytelling will have you reading till the beautiful, cathartic end. 

 

Josiah

Margaret Renkl’s debut memoir Late Migrations is a family chronicle and a seasonal daybook of natural observations drawn from the writer’s backyard. The book is structured in a manner that alternates chapters and sequences from Renkl’s life through her family’s experiences and her observations of birds, insects, weather, family pets, and other phenomena. This structure creates a series of echoes and a sense of inevitability, as we see death among birds and other creatures as part of natural cycles of decay and renewal that stands alongside the personal losses of family members from disease and other causes.

 

Renkl’s memoir is composed as a patchwork, offset by collage illustrations by her brother Billy, allowing the reader multiple points of entry and connection rather than the sustained meditation on a single story. This novel format is a refreshing variation within the memoir genre, offering a compelling model for telling an achingly personal story as a series of processes and a part of the natural environment.

 

I loved this book and I found it both devastating and beautifully written. While she returns throughout to a theme of family structures and histories, Renkl is never cloying or false, choosing unflinching clarity about unavoidable losses over treacly platitudes concerning eventual reunions. Yet, there’s a defiance in her continual turns to nature amid unbearable grief; the natural world goes on in ceaseless change, as do you and those you love. 

 

Joseph

Girl meets boy. Then comes love. Then comes happily ever after… not so for Catherine Bailey. Lee Brightman’s good looks and charming personality hides a dark, violent disposition. Disturbed by his controlling behavior, Catherine tries to end the relationship. She is stunned when she turns to her friends for help and they try to persuade her to get back with Lee. Rather than supporting her, they have fallen for Lee’s emotional manipulation. Driven into the darkest corner of social isolation and feeling as if she has no alternative, Catherine begins to plan her escape. Fast forward four years and Catherine - now Cathy - is living in a new city with a new job, but she is still haunted by her past. She has isolated herself to the point where she has zero friends and no social life to speak of and spends hours a day compulsively checking her home. With the help of her new neighbor, Stuart, Cathy takes the necessary steps to getting help and overcoming her fears. Cathy finally starts to have hope that she can begin to have a “normal” life again… until Monday, December 24, when she receives a phone call.

 

Into the Darkest Corner is an intense account of domestic violence and its aftermath. Elizabeth Haynes portrays OCD, anxiety, and PTSD with insight and compassion. Told in alternating timelines, Into the Darkest Corner is gritty, violent, dramatic, and brilliantly written. This novel is a must read for fans of psychological thrillers but proceed with caution because Elizabeth Haynes, a former police intelligence analyst, does not shy away from the violence. 

 

Brandi

The City of Brass
by S. A. Chakraborty

Nahri is a scam artist, and a good one too. She is also an unusually adept healer so at least she occasionally heals her “marks” before robbing them blind. Yet in 18th century Cairo, Nahri’s unique talents are only just enough to keep a roof over her head and a little bit of food on her table. However, when she inadvertently summons a djinn warrior during one of her scams Nahri’s life goes from a monotonous cycle of scrapping by to a dangerous adventure full of magical beings she once thought didn’t exist.

The City of Brass is a wonderful combination of fantasy, romance, and political intrigue and it had me completely enraptured from start to finish. However, although the fantastical fast pace plot of the book kept me on the edge of my seat, my favorite facet of The City of Brass was the way Chakraborty encapsulated the Middle Eastern culture and mythology throughout her story. Chakraborty’s ability to give her readers insight to parts of this culture elevates her novel to another level. So, if you’re looking for a good fantasy that will truly transport you to another land, check out The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty.
 

Seth

Ceony Twill has just finished her education at Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined and the time has come for her to be bonded.  Once she is bonded to a particular material, that is the only kind of material she can enchant. With only twelve paper magicians left in England, Ceony is begrudgingly assigned to become a Folder, forever crushing her dreams of bespelling metal. The fledgling paper apprentice is thrown into chaos and adventure one night when her mentor’s heart is stolen and it’s up to her to track it down in time.

 

I really appreciated the blending of fantasy and historical fiction in this book. Little details from the Edwardian period really accentuate the whimsical, magical world Ceony lives in. The Paper Magician is also a short little story, coming in at just 222 pages. If you feel intimidated by large books, like me, then I highly recommend this fantastical tale.

 

Alaina

Have you noticed an abundance of Agatha Christie and Christie-like movies coming out recently (I’m looking at you, Knives Out), and wondered what all the fuss is about? Allow me to offer this handy reference: The ABC (a.k.a. Agatha BEEN Christie) Guide for Beginners.

 

Agatha Christie was the most prolific mystery writer ever and many of her stories featured the clever crime-solving skills of the Belgian private detective, Hercule Poirot. For this guide, I chose Poirot Investigates: Eleven Hercule Poirot Mysteries in audiobook format because the narrator is David Suchet, the actor who portrayed Poirot on the iTV series, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, also available for check-out. 

 

Almost all the stories feature Poirot, a short, mustachioed gentleman detective, Captain Hastings, his affable and long-suffering friend, and Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard, who often asks for Poirot’s advice. Together they (but mostly Poirot) solve crimes in post-WWII England. 

 

Even in audiobook format, the mysteries are easy to follow, though not easily solved. Veteran readers will enjoy revisiting Poirot’s many idiosyncrasies in favorites such as “The Western Star” and “The Adventure of the Cheap Flat.” New readers will marvel at how Poirot can solve a crime with just “zee little gray cells.” If you do get lost in Poirot’s enigmatic practices, you’re not alone. Captain Hastings, whom Poirot uses to debunk incorrect theories, will be there right with you. Thankfully, Poirot never lets his friend suffer in confusion for too long and always offers a simple yet brilliant solution to every crime.

 

Whether you’re a long-time Agatha Christie fan or have never heard of her, this short story collection is a great pick.

 

Katie

Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone’s science fiction novella This is How You Lose the Time War tells the story of Red and Blue, two female agents on opposing sides in an ongoing war between the Agency and Garden to change the past from the future who fall in love through letters they write to one another. Each chapter plays out through alternating scenes from Red or Blue’s perspective, beginning in their current strand of time and disorienting the reader until we find our bearings. The narrative structure of the book is chaotic, treating Red and Blue like contracted proxies dropped into time strands with little control or continuity within those respective strands.

 

Every chapter closes with the discovery and presentation of a letter, addressed from Red to Blue or vice versa. As the novella proceeds, their correspondence documents a wildly different emotional landscape to the conflict in which they are written, eclipsing the significance of the war entirely. What begins in the letters as wordplay, flirtation, and reading recommendations moves towards real affection, devotion, and subversive refusals of combat escalating over time. El-Mohtar and Gladstone wrote Red and Blue with distinctive narrative voices, which intensifies the reader’s sense of a developing relationship across vast differences.

 

I listened to the novella in audiobook format, so my sense of character difference was heightened by the performances of Cynthia Farrell and Emily Woo Zeller as Red and Blue. Hearing the letters read aloud added an intimate and inclusive quality to the soldiers’ relationship, making me feel like I shared their dangerous secret.  

 

Joseph

It’s Christmas time in Gotham City and the Penguin has emerged from his sewer dwelling to reek havoc on the unsuspecting shoppers. Thankfully, Batman is there to save the day and send the Penguin back to the shadows. Other forces are at work however: evil businessman Max Shreck has diabolical schemes of his own, Selina Kyle has gone crazy and begun a string of robberies, and Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin, is running for mayor! Batman’s got a lot on his plate this holiday season and who knows if he has enough gadgets to save the day or fall in love with someone who truly understands him (spoiler: she also dresses like an animal). 

 

Batman Returns, and I say this in all truthfulness, is one of my favorite holiday movies. Taking place in a snow covered Gotham, Tim Burton’s excellent superhero flick not only has great action set pieces, beautiful art design, and a memorably atmospheric score by Danny Elfman, but also has some wonderfully batty dialogue, such as the exchange between our romantic leads: Selina Kyle: "A kiss under the mistletoe. You know, mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it." Bruce Wayne: "But a kiss can be even deadlier... if you mean it."

 

An absolute must watch Christmas film this holiday season!

 

Josiah

The McCallister family is preparing to spend Christmas in Paris, France. Kevin, the youngest McCallister, played by Macauley Culkin, is an eight-year-old kid who wants nothing more than some peace and quiet for Christmas. It's hard for him to get this when living in a house with seven other people. The day of their departure, the McCallister family oversleeps and in their mad dash to get to the airport, Kevin is accidentally left behind. Kevin is delighted to be man of the house and makes the best of his situation by jumping on beds, eating pizza and ice cream, watching gangster movies, basically living his best life!  

But there's one – well technically two - major problems and they call themselves the Wet Bandits. Harry, played by Joe Pesci, and Marv, played by Daniel Stern, are on the prowl and have knocked off every other house on Kevin's street. His is next. And seeing that he is man of the house now, it's up to Kevin to save the day! Using whatever tools are at his disposal (blow torches, paint cans, Christmas ornaments, even a tarantula) he sets up a labyrinth of booby traps to thwart the Wet Bandits. Will Kevin defeat the Wet Bandits? But the most important question, will Kevin get his family back?

 

Home Alone is a holiday classic movie that I have loved and adored since I was a little girl. Watching Home Alone during the holiday season has become a Christmas tradition; one that hopefully you, dear reader, will begin after reading this review. With that, there’s only one thing left to say… “Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animal!”

 

Brandi

After his home is ravaged by an earthquake, a young Peruvian bear stows away on a boat to London to find a new home. He is greeted by the unwelcoming bustle of the city and begins to lose hope that someone will give him a home. The Brown family is walking through an empty Paddington station when Mrs. Brown spots the bear and convinces her wary husband to take the bear home with them – just for one night. Comedic misadventure ensues as the Browns try to find the young bear a new home.

 

Paddington is a delightful gem of a family film. It has a great cast and blends animation and live action very well. It is also witty and heartwarming. I don’t remember how I first came to view it, but it has become one of the few films I will watch over and over again.  

 

Alaina

Alex + Ada
by Sarah Vaughn

Alex can’t get over his ex-girlfriend. Every day since they broke up is a struggle and being around other people takes all the energy Alex has and then some. So, when his wealthy eccentric Grandmother (who is in a relationship with an android) buys Alex the newest android on the market to help restore his love life, Alex is NOT happy. In fact, the robot’s lack of individuality unnerves Alex so much he wants to get rid of it. However, as Alex waits for the Android to be picked up to return, he can’t help but sense that rather than not have a personality, her personality is being repressed. Therefore, instead of returning the android he has begun to call Ada, Alex decides he is going to try to unlock her personality. The only problem is creating a sentient android is highly illegal and any sentient robot that is discovered will be immediately destroyed.

 

I’ll admit I was initially hesitant to read this graphic novel because I typically find any sort of romance involving an android to be incredibly cringe-worthy. However, Alex + Ada is not your typical boy meets android love story. Instead of the cheesy tropes that characterizes most science fiction love stories involving robots the progression of Alex and Ada’s relationship feels natural, even if it isn’t an ordinary relationship. In fact, Jonathan Luna spends just as much time fleshing out his whole cast of characters and building the futuristic world that Alex and Ada live in than on Alex and Ada’s relationship. The result is an intriguing science fiction graphic novel that has compelling romantic elements rather than a tasteless romantic story that has science fiction attributes. If you’re looking for a romance with a fun sci-fi twist, check out Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn.

 

Seth