Staff Choices

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the moon suddenly, and with no conceivable explanation, turned to cheese? No? That’s okay, because John Scalzi has and you can read about it!  

Following some related, but many unrelated characters, When the Moon Hits Your Eye brings us on a journey of scientific, spiritual and technological discovery. While the story is often laugh-out-loud funny, it's also surprisingly poignant in its observation of the human experience. From astronauts navigating what it means to have trained their entire lives to land on the moon only to have their dreams dashed mere months from the finish line to three old friends discussing the end of the world at their usual booth at a diner in Oklahoma, this book may inspire some self-reflection. 

Unfortunately, the eAudiobook is an Audible original and unavailable to the library. But if you have some available credits, Wil Wheaton narrates, which I thought was a nice touch. 

Set in Brussels, the story revolves around the inhabitants of a Beaux Arts apartment building in the early years of the Nazi occupation. In this debut novel, Alice Austen builds her unique cast of characters with care and reverence. Having lived in the building at one point in her life, neighbors shared stories of what had gone on during the years of the occupation. She listened as they told stories of this small community, trying to survive one of the darkest times in history.

Art student Charlotte who lives in 4L with her father who is a prominent architect, is a quiet observer of people. Julien Raphael in 4R, lives with his family of art collectors, and with Charlotte, creates films of the world around them. They, as well as the others, are confronted with cruel choices of loyalty and survival.

Ann Patchett calls 33 Place Brugmann "Beautiful and deeply " engaging, and I completely agree. 
  

The newest entry in the Cotton Malone series. It is well written and the history is well researched. I get to read a great Cotton Malone story and have a history lesson included with my fiction! This book is also filled with great locales and is a nice escape novel.

Kate & Frida is a story about two young women who meet by chance because of a book and an old-fashioned hand-written letter. In 1991, Frida is living in Paris and wants to become a journalist. She writes a charming letter to a bookstore in Seattle seeking to buy a particular title. Kate, who works at the bookstore responds in kind. From there, a friendship develops as the two continue to write each other. Their letters evolve into sharing what is happening in their lives, seeking each other's advice and acting as each other's sounding board - almost as if they'd always known each other. The story takes on a serious tone when Frida is compelled to travel to Sarajevo during the outbreak of the Bosnian war. Her brief and traumatic experience there deeply affects her and drives her subsequent actions. Over the course of years, Kate & Frida's friendship strengthens as they mature and grow from their life experiences. 

In the vein of the first book in the series, Love & Saffron, friendship and food are also key to this heartwarming second book in the series. An internet search indicates this series will be a trilogy.

For fans of author Kim Fay, of epistolary fiction and of historical fiction. The book is a salute to kindness and self-discovery. 
 

If you’re looking for a feel-good book with loveable characters, look no further than Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin. Brimming with optimism and heart, Cronin gives us a 90-year-old (male no less) protagonist that bucks the stereotypical grumpy recluse. Which was exactly the breath of fresh air I needed to bring me out of the gloom of winter. 

Eddie Winston is 90, works in a charity shop sorting donations and has never been kissed. This fact is quite shocking, because he is absolutely lovely. As evidenced by his penchant for keeping certain items in an ‘Eddie pile’ he has a feeling people may come back looking for. Which is how he meets twentysomething Bella, who donates her recently deceased boyfriend’s items, including a pair of shoes inscribed with love notes. Eddie and Bella become fast friends, eating lunch together, setting Eddie up on dating sites, and working through Bella’s grief. 

All the while we learn that perhaps Eddie has been saving his first kiss for the one that got away. His Birdie, who was a married woman when they knew one another and could never truly be his.  

The novel is told in alternating points of view between four characters. I listened to the eAudiobook, and the full cast recording was phenomenal.  

Show, Don’t Tell is a sharp, insightful collection of short stories that explore ambition, privilege, and identity told from a middle-aged Midwestern woman’s day in the life perspective. Each story offers a compelling glimpse into the complexities of relationships, creativity, and power dynamics. While some themes feel a bit contrived, the collection as a whole is engaging and thought-provoking. 

This short story collection looks at how people evolve over time, especially women. Each story dives into a turning point in someone's life, how they got there, and how it impacts them. Overall, I liked most of the stories. I loved the realistic look at middle aged women and connected with the flawed characters.   

My main complaint, usually with short stories in general, is that there is not enough character development. Sittenfeld does not have that issue, as her characters are fully developed and allow you to connect with them even in such a short amount of time. 

I highly recommend listening to the eAudiobook as seven narrators, including the author, do a fabulous job creating a harmonious listening experience. One of my favorite reads of 2025!   

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is the first book in the Fate's Thread series. Set in 1990s South Korea, the novel is an urban romantasy inspired by Korean mythology. Part vague police investigation, part slow-burn romance, this book is Sophie Kim's ode to K-dramas. Seokga, a former trickster god, is banished to the mortal world after a failed coup, where he is now a grumpy, coffee-loving detective. Kim Hani is a powerful, sassy gumiho (nine-tailed fox spirit) who is laying low as a barista after garnering too much attention in 1888. When drastic and unexpected circumstances pull them together, sparks fly in this secret-antagonists-to-lovers plotline.

I've been curious about this book for a while; one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this cover is gorgeous! Thus, I was hopeful, and thankfully not disappointed. This is a great read for those who enjoy a high stakes dramatic storyline with moderately spicy romance and quick back and forth banter, along with plot twists that will take readers by surprise. Sophie Kim also has a very engaging writing style, and a flow that will keep readers turning page after page. (Psst--fans of this book can rejoice: the sequel, The God and the Gwisin, comes out in June 2025....)

Those interested in similar titles may enjoy The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan, How to Become a Dragon by eon, Super Secret by eon, Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee, The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, and A Taxi Driver, among many others. 

The Favorites is a departure from author Layne Fargo’s usual psychological thriller. Instead diving into the cutthroat world of elite figure skating. Which perhaps is a psychological thriller after all. The Favorites is inspired by Wuthering Heights, and the two leading characters’ names reflect that (Heath and Shaw). Billed as a sports romance, I’m here to tell you that it’s not. Sure, there are romantic elements, however, it’s more a coming-of-age story about breaking free from expectations and reaching your full potential. There are bumps and a lot of bruises along the way, which made for a fast and exciting read.  

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha don’t have much, but they have each other. Two poor kids without parents from Illinois, they do what they have to, to make their way to L.A. to train with renowned Olympic ice dance champion Sheila Lin and her children. While Katarina’s passion is to make it to the Olympics, Heath just wants to be with Katarina. As they enter the glitz and glamour of this new world, they learn that ambition might just outweigh their bond, and no one is truly your friend. I simply could not put this one down. 

Told in both first person narrative and documentary style snippets, the chapters are short and quick to get through. 

If you enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reid, this will appeal to you. The eAudiobook is a full cast recording. 

The Big Empty” is vintage Crais, with a plot that starts simple then turns dark, taking myriad twists leading to an unpredictable finale. Elvis still revels in his snarky humor — yes, he still uses the Mickey Mouse landline in his office — but also is completely serious and professional at his job. As for Joe Pike — let’s just say he’s the person you want on your side. The friendship and respect Elvis and Pike have for each other continues to be a driving force. The action is believable, yet restrained.

As in her bestseller "Braiding Sweetgrass"  Robin Wall Kimmerer gently explains the ethic of reciprocity, interconnectedness and generosity. As a member of the Citizen of Potawatomi Nation she draws on the Indigenous belief that we are partners with nature. “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”  The serviceberry shows us the idea of "gift economies" in which wealth is not something to be hoarded, but used to strengthen relationships in order to survive. We pick the abundant fruit, and give back by planting a tree, or baking a pie to gift to a neighbor. The birds eat the berries, and leave the seeds for more trees to prosper. Gratitude, reciprocity and community are at the core of her essays, and are reminders that wealth comes from the quality of your relationships.