Staff Choices

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. 

I love this series, this is book 10 and it is best to start this series from the beginning.

Evan Smoak, the legendary Nowhere Man, faces one of his toughest challenges yet—going up against his closest friend, Tommy Stojack.
When Evan learns that Tommy may have violated his strict moral code, their conflict escalates into an intense, high-stakes battle.
The story moves at a breakneck pace, filled with incredible fight sequences, sharp dialogue, and deep emotional moments. Looking forward to his next book.

Variation a compelling tale of second chances set against the backdrop of professional ballet and maritime rescue operations. Elite ballerina Alessandra Rousseau returns to Haven Cove to recover from a career-threatening injury. Her unexpected reunion with Hudson Ellis, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and her former best friend, resurfaces buried memories and unresolved feelings. When Hudson’s niece, Juniper, appears seeking her birth mother, the plot intertwines personal history with family secrets, creating a narrative as intricate as a ballet variation. 

This is a romance that spans time and delves deep into the worlds of ballet and the Coast Guard rescue swimmers. The intricate facets of family and competition make this story compelling and rememberable. Rebecca Yarros is an expert at building up tension throughout the story and hinting about what happened in the past that leaves you fraught for answers as to what really happened to get the characters to their present point. 

If you enjoy a story that blends romance, family drama, and professional intrigue then this one is for you.  

Leap by Simina Popescu follows two young adolescent girls as they navigate life, love, and friendship at their dance school in Bucharest, Romania. Ana is a contemporary dancer, but remains tied to the classical track by her very career-driven girlfriend of three years, Carina, who wants their relationship to remain a secret. Sara began in classical but has switched to contemporary in order to seek her passion for dancing, as well as to remain near the teacher she has a not-so-discreet crush on. As the meme goes, "And then they were roommates." Thrown together by chance, Sara and Ana quickly find solace in each other in this coming-of-age tale. Readers will laugh, cry, and cheer for these girls as they seek direction, support, and love while they dance their hearts out.

Popescu (they/she), a dancer themself in Bucharest, renders this story in fluid, energetic lines that capture both dance movements and the characters' tumultuous emotions with equal ease. They are also adept with color, using a mix of warm and cool tones to set the mood of a scene or to denote a flashback, but know when to use a pop of full color to emphasize a poignant moment. Script-wise, the story flows easily, and will keep the reader engaged from start to finish. A personal favorite element is (spoiler) that this story does not fall into the roommates-to-lovers trope--Sara and Ana have enough on their plates! The positive impact of LGBTQIA+ friendships should also not be overlooked, especially in works for YA and adult audiences. 

Readers who like Leap may also enjoy Even Though We're Adults by Takako Shimura, I Felt Myself Slipping by Ray Nadine, Sunhead by Alex Assan, and Our Colors by Gengoroh Tagame.

If you ever wondered why there is a roadway named Bessie Coleman Drive at Chicago O'Hare Airport - read this book. In A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson, the author takes an in-depth look at this remarkable woman's life. Bessie Coleman became the first African American female pilot, earning her license in the summer of 1921. Aviation was still very new, not that long after the Wright brothers' first controlled flight in 1903.

Bessie was born in a small town in Texas. Her love of flying began early as a young girl the first time she ever saw a small plane fly overhead. When she turned 23, Bessie boldly relocated to Chicago, following two of her brothers who already lived there. Not averse to working hard, she found a job. Never letting go of her dream of learning to fly, good timing and good fortune brought her into the path of meeting two prominent Chicago businessman who became her champion: the publisher of the Chicago Defender newspaper and the founder of the first privately-owned African-American bank in Chicago. Both helped in guiding her to attain her dream.

Because of the discrimination she faced in her home country, she learned to fly in France. There wasn't a single flight school in America that would take her on as a student. She quickly earned the respect of her fellow students and her flight instructors. She returned to the U.S. and performed in airshows demonstrating her aerobatic skills yet still faced issues with discrimination and segregation. 

Carole Hopson did a wonderful job researching the history of this influential woman who broke down barriers. The author, as a commercial airline captain/pilot, brings her own credentials to the writing of this book. Her experience brings great insight into the intricacies of what it takes to learn to fly.

For fans of aeronautical history and strong women who worked against the odds. 

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is sportswriter Kate Fagan’s debut fiction novel. Told from multiple points of view in a pseudo memoir style, this novel was a nice surprise. Due to the multiple perspectives, this story felt more like a puzzle, but it was never confusing. 

Annie Callahan doesn’t have anyone but her best friend Amanda and their dream to ditch their small town and make it big in Los Angeles. On the day they are set to leave, Amanda has a terrible accident and Annie skips town. Changing her name to Cass Ford, she starts a new life a few states over, struggling with her decisions and attempting to figure out who she is without her best friend. After meeting Sidney, a young law student, they both move to New York, where Cass writes a novel under the pen name Cate Kay as a way to come to terms with her choices. The Very Last ends up being a breakaway hit. For fear of being discovered, Sidney helps Cate hide her true identity from everyone.  

When The Very Last is picked up for a movie, Cate finally travels to L.A. where love may just be the key to finding the way back to herself. 

From his award winning book This is Happiness, Niall Williams returns to the fictional village of Faha, in West Ireland. The story follows Dr. Jack Troy, who like his father in taking care of the townspeople, sets himself apart and  lives a more solitary life alongside his daughter Ronnie who has moved home. As Advent and Christmas approach a child appears in their lives and upends their quiet existence. 
Williams sets an atmospheric stage as rain, mournful and soft is ever present in the lives of these resilient people. Set over the time of one December in 1962, Time of the Child is a compassionate return to Faha for readers who fell in love with this town. I love this authors writing, his sense of place and his beloved townspeople.

Castle Swimmer is Wendy Lian Martin's first published graphic novel. It is a lighthearted fantasy series inspired by aquatic--especially marine--wildlife; all the character designs stem from real animals. The series follows Siren and Kappa, two young men with very different backgrounds who are actually quite similar. Kappa is the Beacon, who swims around destined to solve/enact other peoples' prophecies, while Siren is prince of the Sharks, destined to kill Kappa to save his people. Enamored with each other and opposed to their fates, these merfolk decide to try and find a new solution, together. Volume One of this series contains Chapters 1-19 of the story, plus adorable bonus material.

I've been a fan of this comic for years and was ecstatic to learn it would be getting a print edition. I love everything about this series, from the expressive, full-color illustrations to the overall lighthearted tone of the story, which also doesn't shy away from darker elements later on. Martin's balance of humor, plot, and character is well-executed, as well as color palette and even font choice. This is a great series for fans of light fantasy, aquatic lifeforms, and merfolk stories. I can't wait for Volume 2!

Readers who enjoy this series may also like: Boyfriends. by refrainbow, Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley, Tristan and Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights by James Persichetti and L.S. Biehler, and The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer.