Staff Picks

What could be better than being a grunt on a project to care for and study actual Kaiju? At first Jamie doesn't know that due to its classified nature, but after he is fired by his jerk boss and forced to do food delivery as COVID 19 strikes, what is there to lose? Hilarious, action-packed, movie-worthy

 

Publisher's description:

• The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls "an animal rights organization." Tom's team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble. It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society whose found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

Find The Kaiju Preservation Society on our online catalog

 

Nonfiction that reads like fiction. Read what these little-known women flyers experienced. Focusing on a group that was not recognized until 1977 due to government discrimination, it moves from one woman pilot's account of the attack on Pearl Harbor to the formation of the WASP to 1944, when they were unceremoniously disbanded.

 

Publisher's description

The thrilling true story of the daring female aviators who helped the United States win World War II-only to be forgotten by the country they served When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Cornelia Fort was already in the air. At twenty-two, Fort had escaped Nashville's debutante scene for a fresh start as a flight instructor in Hawaii. She and her student were in the middle of their lesson when the bombs began to fall, and they barely made it back to ground that morning. Still, when the U.S. Army Air Forces put out a call for women pilots to aid the war effort, Fort was one of the first to respond. She became one of just over 1,100 women from across the nation to make it through the Army's rigorous selection process and earn her silver wings. The brainchild of trailblazing pilots Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) gave women like Fort a chance to serve their country-and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled as men. While not authorized to serve in combat, the WASP helped train male pilots for service abroad, and ferried bombers and pursuits across the country. Thirty-eight WASP would not survive the war. But even taking into account these tragic losses, Love and Cochran's social experiment seemed to be a resounding success-until, with the tides of war turning, Congress clipped the women's wings. The program was disbanded, the women sent home. But the bonds they'd forged never failed, and over the next few decades they came together to fight for recognition as the military veterans they were-and for their place in history.

 

A beautifully written and captivating tale of Damon (mispronounced by his kinfolk as "Demon") Copperhead (the surname of his cryptic, legendary, and deceased father), a "melungeon" boy in millennial Appalachia. A blend of Hillbilly Elegy, The Lincoln Highway, and Dickensian themes with a modern twist.

 

Publisher description:

Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father's good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens' anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can't imagine leaving behind.

 

Here is the lost story of Lexington, the most famous horse of the 1850s and the Black trainers who nurtured him and protected him from their white owners. Amazing stride-by-stride accounts of the races of the era. Two cleverly interwoven stories from 1954 and 2019. Historical fiction and modern mystery.

 

Publisher's description:

Kentucky, 1850. Jarrett, an enslaved groom, and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. As the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name painting the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack. New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a 19th equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance. Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly drawn to one another through their shared interest in the horse - one studying the stallion's bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success.

 

An absolutely engaging and impactful historical novel dealing with issues of the fabulous but sometimes cruel music industry and issues of race that were so prevalent coming out of the 60's into the 70's. Told in the style of Daisy Jones and Six, I actually had to look it up to see if this was a novel or a reconstructed historical account. It has brilliant character development and clever plot building. I highly recommend the audiobook version as it features a full cast to portray all of the characters.

 

It tells the tale of the rise and fall of a very unconventional 70's rock duo, who attempt to navigate the precocious business side of the rock 'n roll scene while trying to draw in fans with their new Afro-punk style. The story starts in the 2000's, with SarahLena "Sunny" Curtis, a female journalist who has become the first African American editor-in-chief for a famous rock music magazine. She has chosen to write a book about the story of Opal and Nev and eventually, secretly, helps spearhead the duo's revival. Soon, her research and interviews with all of those involved reveal that there was some sort of horrible incident that lead to the downfall of Opal and Nev. Gradually, you discover that Sunny has close ties to their long history--she clearly has an ulterior motive for taking on this project even to the possible detriment of her career.

 

In the late 60's, Neville Charles, a little-recognized British singer, guitarist, and song writer gets a contract with a fledgling label, Rivington Records, and needs something special to bring his music to the mainstream. From almost nowhere comes Opal Jewel (the name she chose to represent the essence of her), a rebellious and independent, striking, tall, bald, black woman from Brooklyn. With almost no experience or funds, she has developed her own persona for the stage and breaks through any obstacle in order to fulfill her dream of being a star. Her fierce style, shaped by her gay up-and-coming, fashion designer best friend, along with her singular, indomitable attitude, is just what they need. Everything about them is stunning and at the same time polarizing, which in itself is not always a good thing, and they must deal with the consequences.

 

Publisher's description:
Opal is a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude, Afro-punk before that term existed. Coming of age in Detroit, she can't imagine settling for a 9-to-5 job--despite her unusual looks, Opal believes she can be a star. So when the aspiring British singer/songwriter Neville Charles discovers her at a bar's amateur night, she takes him up on his offer to make rock music together for the fledgling Rivington Records. In early seventies New York City, just as she's finding her niche as part of a flamboyant and funky creative scene, a rival band signed to her label brandishes a Confederate flag at a promotional concert. Opal's bold protest and the violence that ensues set off a chain of events that will not only change the lives of those she loves, but also be a deadly reminder that repercussions are always harsher for women, especially black women, who dare to speak their truth. Decades later, as Opal considers a 2016 reunion with Nev, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton seizes the chance to curate an oral history about her idols. Sunny thought she knew most of the stories leading up to the cult duo's most politicized chapter. But as her interviews dig deeper, a nasty new allegation from an unexpected source threatens to blow up everything

 

Such a thoughtfully crafted suspense/horror story. Tom Kennedy has just lost his wife, and he and his seven-year-old son, Jake, move to Featherbank for a fresh start. Tom is just a father trying to do his best for his son, who is described as "sensitive." What he is sensitive to is revealed as you get more familiar with him through the sight of his father. To make this transition as smooth as possible for Jake, he lets his son choose the house they will buy and move into. Personally, Tom cannot quite grasp why he would choose this quirky, slightly creepy home but cannot deny his son's insistent claim on it. Unfortunately, Tom has no idea at the time that there is a serial killer preying on this small town and an ongoing investigation. The Whisper Man, named for his sinister method of whispering at the doors and windows of his victims in order to lure them outside, was caught and imprisoned long ago. Yet now there are hauntingly similar crimes being committed twenty years later. The detective responsible for his capture all those years ago is drawn very reluctantly into the case and must confront his old nemesis again. You are drawn to these characters and their personal struggles. The relationship between father and son is particularly touching. The suspense and the infusion of the supernatural with a horrifying specter lurking makes you hang on every word to the very end.

 

Publisher's description: 

Still devastated after the loss of his wife, Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake move to the sleepy village of Featherbank, looking for a fresh start. But Featherbank has a dark past. Fifteen years ago a twisted serial killer abducted and murdered five young boys. Until he was finally caught, the killer was known as 'The Whisper Man'. Of course, an old crime need not trouble Tom and Jake as they try to settle in to their new home. Except that now another young boy has gone missing. And then Jake begins acting strangely. He says he hears a whispering at his window.

Find The Whisper Man in our online catalog.

The fascinating true story of a young, promising flautist, Edwin Rist, who made the ill-conceived decision to commit one of the most intriguing and destructive burglaries in modern history. The author, journalist Kirk Wallace Johnson, heard about this "Feather Thief" while fly-fishing in New Mexico and was consumed by the need to find out the truth of what happened. Even though the case was closed, he felt compelled to reopen the investigation.

 

In 2009, after performing a concert, Edwin, a 20-yr old American, driven by the need for money to complete his schooling at London's Royal Academy of Music and get a high quality flute (which can run up to $80,000), took a night train to the Tring Museum and caused the destruction of something that was priceless to the study of earth science and nature...and to fly-fishing enthusiasts everywhere.

 

A champion fly-tier in his own right, Edwin was obsessed with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. The most valuable and artistic flies are made from feathers of the most exotic and rare bird species to inhabit the planet--many of which are now completely illegal to hunt and gather. This in turn makes them extremely hard find and exorbitantly expensive. Traditionally, the only way to find them was to diligently canvass estate sales for Victorian women's clothing and hats. Through planning and deception, Edwin discovered this treasure trove that had been collected by such naturalists as Alfred Russel Wallace and other contemporaries of Charles Darwin. Additionally, he found that security at this museum was, shall we say, not state-of-the-art. It was the perfect target.

Lisa See has written another very appealing women's interpersonal story and has thoroughly educated me about the world of the haenyeo. I have been intrigued with this unique, matriarchal society of sea-diving women living on the Island of Jeju off the coast of South Korea ever since I caught a short documentary about them a few years ago called, Haenyeo: Women of the Sea. It is clear that Lisa See did an enormous amount of research and has revealed their centuries-long culture in very minute detail. She gives you insight through her two main characters, Young-sook and her best friend Mi-ja, following them from the 1930s to 2008, from the Japanese occupation, through the Korean War when the Americans took over, to modern-day society and technology. As they struggle through oppression, famine, betrayal, and the horrors of war, they do their very best to keep their long held beliefs and fiercely held traditions.

 

The haenyeo are renowned for their physical abilities to withstand the extreme pressures of sea diving, freezing water temperatures, and holding their breath for extended lengths of time. And all without the benefit of that "modern" technology like oxygen tanks or even snorkels, or wetsuits, or full face goggles, which came much later. They are the proud providers of food and wealth for their families as harvesters of the sea while the men did not work and took care of the children. But at the same time, they are more worldly than you would think. They were never isolated--they traveled to locations all over the Pacific coast, from Jeju up to Vladivostok. Some of them would go off to the big cities and were even fortunate enough to be educated in bigger universities in China. But that meant that the haenyeo have become a dying breed. Very few of them remain today, but they still strive to maintain their culture.

 

Publisher's description

While working as divers with the all-female diving collective on a small Korean island, Mi-ja and Young-sook find their friendship challenged by their differences and forces outside their control.

Being from Kansas originally myself, I was intrigued to find this fictionalized account of an era in Kansas history that is not often explored and published. Jack Marshall Maness, a CU professor, has a great talent in capturing the zeitgeist of the years leading up to the American Civil War, of which Kansas played a pivotal role. He reveals the disparity of feelings and beliefs in the formative years of Kansas territory becoming a state through the eyes of Patrick Dugan, a young Irish immigrant, his Irish immigrant wife, Maria Dugan, and her brother all coming from the Boston area, as well as the Hawkins family from Missouri. Both families are just trying to settle peacefully in a place they can call their own but have radically different ideologies and yet find, very reluctantly, that they must depend on each other in this untamed wilderness.

 

When opportunities arise to purchase Kansas territory land very cheap, Patrick convinces his reluctant wife to strike out to establish their new home as what they called at the time "squatters." Along with the rattlesnakes, tempestuous weather, and challenges of homesteading, they find the conflict they thought they left behind inescapable--constantly coming across the brutality of the slave-staters and their horrible abuse towards Black people, Native Americans, and anyone who supports them and the free-staters who want to see an end to it and create equality between all men.

 

Throughout, there is a touch of magical realism... Patrick and Maria each have a sixth sense compelling, guiding, and warning them of evil events unraveling before them. Patrick 'sees' a creature of ill omen--a giant bird who we discover is the legendary Jayhawk. He fatefully encounters an old French Trapper living in the wilds, who helps him interpret his visions and tells him of the old American Indian tales and mythology and the ghosts who still roam. Corruption lays all around on both sides, governors and mayors playing to highest bidder or the strongest voice, journalists who twist the truth to suit them, and rogue marauders terrorizing every citizen for their own agenda. The battle between the greedy and the righteous will decide the fate of Kansas and ultimately the rest of the country. Despite doing his best to avoid it all, Patrick inevitably is forced to take sides and eventually decides when to and when to NOT use violence to protect what is his and what is right.

 

The sequel, Where the Waters Converge, is just as well written, taking us into the next phase of our character's experiences as war arrives. I anxiously await the publication of the 3rd book in the trilogy, which has not yet been published.

 

Here are the fascinating, true accounts of 15 extraordinary women who fought and survived, who lived and served, in their own unique way during World War II. The author, Mari K. Eder, a retired 2-star U.S. Army Major General, has clearly done her research and has a real talent for conveying the innate characters of these women: their fortitude, their diversity, the intensity of their struggles, and their unwavering devotion to their cause. The vital roles they played touched almost every facet of the war except actual military combat, and yet they shied away from any recognition or awards. For many, the records of any contribution they made were sealed away for decades so that none of their countries' citizens even knew of their existence. Most were never formally recognized by their governments until well into the 90s and 2000's. My personal favorite is the story of Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat, a WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilots), since my own grandmother was a WASP during WWII and for whom we all attended, finally, their Congressional Gold Medal award ceremony in Washington D.C. in 2010. Mari K. Eder not only acknowledges these women with compelling, page-turning style, but also delves deeply into the effect they had on the women who followed in their footsteps and the struggles women still face today. Most of all, she helps define what it all means for future opportunities for all women in military, government, and vital leadership rolls in the United States and throughout the world.