Staff Choices

Ride along with author Will Grant as he traverses the country from St. Louis, Missouri to Sacramento, California - from the comfort of home. Grant takes almost five months to make his way across the country whereas it typically took the original relay of riders ten days.

The historic Pony Express mail delivery service only operated for 18 months from April 1860 to October 1861 ending with the opening of the transcontinental telegraph. Yet its legacy lives on, its lore captivating the author into recreating the journey. The original riders rode through a wide range of terrain and weather, stopping at stations along the route that needed to constantly be stocked with fresh horses and provisions. Modern day obstacles provided challenges in a different way than what the Pony Express riders experienced. Grant needed to trailer his horses from his home in New Mexico to St. Louis then home once again. He had to have a support network in case of emergency, needed to pack his own shelter and provisions, needed to contend with highways and had to get permission to camp on private land. 

In his narrative, Grant does an excellent job of melding past and present. His unique first-hand perspective provides additional detail as not much logistical documentation has survived the test of time. If you are a "wannabe" cowboy or enjoy reading about history and adventure in the great outdoors of the American West, pick up a copy of this book.

Tiger, Tiger is the first print volume of the 2019 Eisner-nominated webcomic (ongoing) of the same name, by Petra Erika Nordlund. Nordlund, a Finnish comic creator, is also the author/artist of the webcomic Prague Race. Gorgeously illustrated, Tiger, Tiger is a swashbuckling fantasy adventure story about a young noble named Ludovica, who dreams of the marine world far from her mansion home. One day, she sneaks out of an opulent party celebrating the return of her twin brother, Remy, and absconds with his ship and his identity in order to study her beloved sea sponges. Accompanying her as a reluctant but concerned accomplice is Jamis, Remy's best friend (and Ludo's fiance). However, as Ludo learns more about life at sea, she begins to realize that the world as she knows it may be more complex than it seems.

Depicted in beautifully rendered grayscale (with a vibrantly colored cover), Tiger, Tiger contains both whimsical, bubbly humor, and dramatic hints foreshadowing the monsters to come. The worldbuilding is intricate and the characters lovable, while the lore (and Ludo's fascination with sea sponges) are an ode to the beauty and mystery of the sea. Nordlund also includes bonus gag comics between each chapter as lighthearted interludes.

Fans of Tiger, Tiger may also enjoy: Monstress by Marjorie Liu, The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz, Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama, The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag, and The Girl from the Other Side by Nagabe.

I was lucky enough to walk past Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros at Target and grab a first edition with the gorgeous, sprayed edges before it hit the NY Times Bestsellers list. Even luckier for me, Fourth Wing has turned out to be one of my favorite reads so far this year.  

A romantasy (fantasy romance), Fourth Wing is certainly more fantasy than romance. To be quite honest, the romance could be removed entirely, and this story would hold its own. While long, it’s a page turner with good pacing. The characters are loveable, especially the dragons, and the tension is thick, just the way I like it. 

Set at a military school for dragon riders, the story follows twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail. Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and a father who is a scribe, Violet has spent her life preparing for the Scribe Quadrant where it’s safer for her brittle body and she can use her higher-than-average intellect. But with her father now gone, a Commander General for a mother and siblings among the elite Dragon Riders, Violet is forced to join the hundreds of other candidates fighting to the death for a chance to train and bond with a dragon.  

While smaller and frailer than the rest of her cohort, Violet is stronger than they give her credit for. Even if her Wing Leader and several of her peers are seemingly out to get her, she finds ways to outsmart her opponents. 

The second installation of the Empyrean series, Iron Flame, will be released on November 7 which means you only have to wait a few months to dive back into this cutthroat world of dragons and political unrest. With the shocking ending (I audibly gasped), you’ll be grateful.  

Fourth Wing is also available on eBook and eAudiobook through cloudLibrary. 

I have read all of the Gabriel Allon books, and this one was most enjoyable. It’s an excellent thriller and I liked the plot and its pace. While covering a very serious topic, e.g. the threat of Russian nuclear weapons use in Ukraine, Silva also uses lots of levity and humor, poking fun at various people and situations. And I really liked the new character Ingrid! She’s a keeper. Kind of like Gabriel Allon meets the girl with the dragon tattoo. Overall, an excellent mystery thriller and great addition to the series.

For me, summer has always been a great time to read short stories. They fulfill the desire for a good read, but they leave you time to enjoy summer things: gardening, swimming, napping...In Doña Cleanwell leaves home: stories, Ana Castillo takes us from Chicago to Mexico in the 1960's to the 2010's. Many of the characters travel, seeking a look into the past, only to find more secrets buried.

One of the stories follows Katia, a young woman looking to put put her mark on the world and help others. She is redirected by an unexpected letter asking her to go to Mexico and retrieve her Mother. Another story, has Martir, who moves into an apartment in Chicago,  with a much younger pot dealer but whom also loves to dance. These seven stories share life from the working people. Beauticians, food servers, factory workers add the layers of depth that make this collection so engaging. 

The Dog of the North is a gentle, quirky story about families, how much we can handle, what we're willing to do for them and because of them, broken relationships and newly found ones.

Penny quits her job to move to Santa Barbara to help her irascible, unconventional grandmother. Her grandmother's accountant, Burt, has acted as a stand-in friend and confidante but now needs reinforcements. Once Penny arrives, chaotic, calamitous events happen in quick succession. Some are comedic, mad-cap and some have much more gravity. All are treated with tenderness. As we get to know Penny,  Burt, his brother Dale, Penny's sister, her father, her grandmother, her grandfather and why Penny needs to go to Australia . . . it becomes an adventure of the heart. 

This book is for fans of author Elizabeth McKenzie and her other novel The Portable Veblen. This title is also available as an eAudiobook on cloudLibrary.

Even for those who may not normally pick up "Beach Read" titles, Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto is an excellent introductory novel to the quick, entertaining, binge-read vibe. Part rom com, part amateur/cozy mystery/suspense, this novel follows Meddy Chan and her quirky mother and aunts as they do their best to pretend that everything is fine when everything is not, in fact, fine. After a blind date gone wrong, Meddy ends up with a body in her car. Her very caring family of course will help her with the body--but first, work. The Chans, who run a very successful wedding business, are about to run the most high profile celebrity wedding of their lives--a wedding that could make or break their careers. To further complicate matters, the guy in Meddy's trunk is the wedding venue hotelier...or is he?

In a novel that blends genres in a fast-paced and entertaining manner, Sutanto explores themes of family, love, and devotion, all while giving the reader a rollicking good time. (Fun fact: The chaotic aunties may or may not be based on Sutanto's own family...) The novel won Sutanto the UK "Comedy Prize for Women in Print" prize, and the film rights have been acquired by Netflix. Fans of Sutanto's books may also enjoy the sequel to Dial A for Aunties, Four Aunties and a Wedding, and her other cozy mystery novel, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. (This title is also slated for a TV adaptation, to be produced by Oprah and Mindy Kaling.)

Readers who enjoy Dial A for Aunties  may also like Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala, Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen, and Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano. For more cute romances and chill vibes, try The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.

The second book of the compelling story of Danny Ryan and his band of brothers, City of Dreams keeps you engaged and enthralled. It’s action, suspense, family, love and betrayal. Complex characters and a great story make this an excellent read. Can’t wait for the next and final installment! Kudos to Mr. Winslow!

The one word I would use to describe In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune is charming. This is the most charming book I’ve ever read. The banter between characters is top notch, really drawing you in and connecting you with the characters. Honestly, if Klune had written this entirely as a conversation between Nurse Ratched and Rambo, and absolutely nothing happened, I would have read the whole thing and loved it.  

A cozy sci-fi loosely based on the Adventures of Pinocchio, this story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, adventurous, and hopeful. You’ll adore the characters, rooting for them endlessly in their mission to save Victor’s father in the City of Electric Dreams. 

Victor, a human, and his father Gio, an android, have lived a secluded life deep in the woods. Over the years, Victor has found several decommissioned robots at the nearby dump and refurbished them. Both Nurse Ratched and Rambo no longer remember their lives before decommissioning but have found a new purpose as part of their little family unit.  

One day Vic, Rambo and Nurse Ratched stumble upon a humanoid discarded in the dump. Although they fear this newcomer, they take him home and fix him up. They aptly name the grumpy fellow Habitually Angry Puppy or HAP for short based on the remnants of his model number. HAP’s appearance sparks a series of events that upend their lives and change everything they thought they knew.  

The House in the Cerulean Sea by Klune is one of my favorite books, and I can confidently say In the Lives of Puppets has placed itself right beside it. 

What are the rules? 

Stick together! 

Run if we have to. 

Na dallying! 

No drilling. 

And above all else, be brave! 

Ramsey Lewis truly was a gentleman of jazz. A native Chicagoan, he made the decision to remain in Chicago instead of moving on to New York or the West Coast. The breadth of the book covers so much ground - how Lewis grew up, his musical influences, his parents who provided a strong foundation for him, his relationships with musicians, his family and children. His philanthropic side shines through as being a driving force for the creation of the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program in partnership with Chicago Public High Schools. An interesting aspect of the book is that he includes commentary by others who may have had differing viewpoints on the same subject. 

At the 2023 AHML Lit Stroll, co-author Aaron Cohen eloquently spoke about his books including Gentleman of Jazz and his friendship with Lewis. Cohen made certain that he honored this great musical talent. His meticulous research references show that he cared about showcasing Lewis' vast body of work.

Gentleman of Jazz is for fans of music and for those who would like to learn more about a Chicago legend.