Staff Picks

Some people kickbox, some people eat their feelings. Sadie Wen writes scathing emails but never sends them, and everything is perfect. Until it's not. Fans of Jenny Han and Mindy Kaling will eat up this story of academic rivals and clamor for more.

 

Publisher's description:

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It's not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd never send them of course--she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings--but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work. All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. "You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain ... I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft ..." Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them ... that is, until they're accidentally sent out. Overnight, Sadie's carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare--now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie -- Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate ...

 

I absolutely LOVED These Violent Delights and it's sequel, Our Violent Ends. Based off of Romeo and Juliet (but with gangs), it's a great historical enemies-to-lovers romance set in 1920's Shanghai. I loved the strong female main character and engaging plot, as well as the political elements that are sprinkled throughout. It was incredibly well written, and still managed to have surprising plot twists, despite it being a retelling. I'll definitely be reading it again sometime soon.

 

Publisher's description:

In 1926 Shanghai, eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, heir of the Scarlet Gang, and her first love-turned-rival Roma Montagov, leader of the White Flowers, must work together when mysterious deaths threaten their city.

 

This blew me away. Incredible world building and character development. And the romance! So good! If you've read A Court of Thorns and Roses and don't know what to read next, pick this up!

 

Publisher's description:

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate. Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

 

This is a very sweet, sexy, and moving read. A great look at starting over in the dating world after divorce. Funny too!

Publisher’s description
Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she'd rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children. From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?

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The critics say it's an enemies-to-lovers story--I'd more likely call it a grumpy/sunshine. Whichever way you look at it, Into the Woods is smart (I had to use a dictionary sometimes), funny (yes, I LOLed), and sweet (sigh) all in a lovely settings of the Northwoods of Minnesota. There's adventure, dancing, singing around the campfire, and did I mention dancing? This spicy romance will make you want to go into the woods yourself.

 

Publisher’s description
Teddy Knight's band has just broken up in spectacular fashion after his longtime bandmate and--he'd thought--closest friend decides to go solo. So when he's offered a last-minute gig to fill in as an artist-in-residence at a summer arts camp--which comes with a lake cabin and lots of free time to work on a revenge album--he takes it. No matter that he knows nothing about nature, dislikes kids, and is generally a grump. Gretchen Miller is having a mid-life crisis. Luckily, her summer job as the dance teacher at Wild Arts summer camp will allow her to drop out of society for a while. Having sworn off dating, she decides she'll go into the woods and become a crone. She might skip the "luring innocent children to their death" part of cronedom, but she's all for the "curse men" aspect. Teddy and Gretchen clash from the get-go when he mistakes her for a fan, and she relegates him to the "entitled jerk" ash heap. Despite their determination to dislike each other, a wary friendship blooms as the magic of the woods starts to unwind them, and they spend long hours by the campfire talking about art, being stuck, and the idea of starting over. But woods are often filled with monsters, and Teddy and Gretchen will have to face their fears if they want to start over together

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A strangers-to-friends-to-lovers dream romance that you won't want to put down. The two main characters are authentic, amusing, and their relationship is one built on mutual trust, care, and respect. Perfect for romance readers who like witty banter, men-written-by-women, and mutual pining! I laughed and cried my way through it then immediately recommended it to everyone I know.

 

Publisher’s description:
Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met. After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art. Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flatshare. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. In fact, they’ll never even have to meet. Tiffy and Leon start writing each other notes – first about what day is garbage day, and politely establishing what leftovers are up for grabs, and the evergreen question of whether the toilet seat should stay up or down. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more. But falling in love with your roommate is probably a terrible idea…especially if you've never met.

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B. K. Borison crafts a Nora Ephronian tale (coining that term!) that is a delight to read and difficult to put down. This adorable and steamy romance is perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Kate Goldbeck, and Ashley Poston.

 

Publisher's description:
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls into the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

 

Nominated for a Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy award, N.K. Jemisin brings her unique perspective as a Black female author in the Fantasy/Sci-fi space to write one of the most brilliant and immersive books I've ever read.

 

Publisher description:

After Yeine Darr is summoned to the majestic city of Sky and named an heiress to the king of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, she is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had, drawing ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.

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A fun romance about transformation and starting over. Body positivity messages are sprinkled within, which is refreshing. It also includes a home remodel, which is satisfying, too!
 

Publisher's description: 
Rose Barnes feels best when she's invisible--so when she wins the lottery and is suddenly thrust into the spotlight where everyone wants something, hiding out in a small town in North Carolina makes perfect sense. Rose has got curves for days--and to Angus, the big, burly, bearded contractor working on her new house, she's just plum perfect. Rose is surprised to learn that Angus has a sense of humor and a soft heart beneath that gruff exterior. Angus can't help noticing that wacky Rose is smart, funny, and has a sexy underwear stash that leads him to some very unprofessional fantasies. As their unlikely friendship becomes love, Angus becomes determined to help Rose overcome what he believes are financial troubles. But with Angus's need to always give more than he receives, Rose's multi-million secrets could mean the end of a beautiful relationship.

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The Naturals is an amazing book series that is four books long. It follows teenager Cassie Hobbes, who has a gift for figuring people out with just a glance. The FBI asks her to join a group of teenagers with other impressive gifts who are tasked with solving cold cases. This series was really fun to read and has amazing characters (it even starts in Colorado!). It was fun trying to solve the mysteries and cases with Cassie and her friends. I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a new book and likes mystery.

 

                                                                                                                                                - Kyra, ninth-grade volunteer

 

Publisher's Description:

"Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides--especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive."