Starter Villian- Best Cover version

 

Check out the review lower down- but this cover had to be posted! 

Everything we Never Had

 By: Randy Ribay

Location: FIC RIB

Genre: Realistic Fiction

This is not the sort of book I typically pick up, but it was so good! A beautiful multi-generational story about immigration, ideas of masculinity, how we try to do better for our children, and how painful history is often buried.- Bethany

A novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.

Watsonville, 1930. Francisco Maghabol barely ekes out a living in the fields of California. As he spends what little money he earns at dance halls and faces increasing violence from white men in town, Francisco wonders if he should’ve never left the Philippines.

Stockton, 1965. Between school days full of prejudice from white students and teachers and night shifts working at his aunt’s restaurant, Emil refuses to follow in the footsteps of his labor organizer father, Francisco. He’s going to make it in this country no matter what or who he has to leave behind.

Denver, 1983. Chris is determined to prove that his overbearing father, Emil, can’t control him. However, when a missed assignment on “ancestral history” sends Chris off the football team and into the library, he discovers a desire to know more about Filipino history―even if his father dismisses his interest as unamerican and unimportant.

Philadelphia, 2020. Enzo struggles to keep his anxiety in check as a global pandemic breaks out and his abrasive grandfather moves in. While tensions are high between his dad and his lolo, Enzo’s daily walks with Lolo Emil have him wondering if maybe he can help bridge their decades-long rift.

Starter Villian- Anti Hero in Training

 By: John Scalzi

Location: FIC SCA

Genre: SCI FI

computer-savvy cats 

This feels very present day!

Warning: supervillain in training. Risk of world domination.

Locus and Hugo Award-winning author John Scalzi brings us Starter Villain, a turbo-charged tale of a family business with a difference. This one comes with a hidden headquarters, minions, talking cats and villainous rivals worthy of James Bond.

Divorced, broke and emotionally dependent on his cat, Charlie hasn’t been loving life. Then he finds out his recently deceased Uncle Jake has left him a top-secret, international supervillain business. And, as if this wasn’t problematic enough, Jake’s vengeful rivals ambush the funeral. Charlie must decide if he should stay stuck in his rut, or step up to take on the business, the enemies, the minions, the hidden volcano lair . . .

Even harder to get used to are the talking, computer-savvy cats – and the fact that they’re management. If Charlie says yes to his inheritance, could this lifeline become a death wish? Or could it finally be his chance to shine?

The alternative cover says it all!

Big business, income inequality, worker’s rights, animal liberation, unions, nepotism, and the banality of villainy in late stage capitalism. I think Peter Singer, the infamous utilitarian animal rights ethicist, and probably the most well known modern philosopher, would be pleased with how Starter Villain deals with animals in particular.

In true Scalzi fashion, it’s also incredibly silly and ultimately a light hearted, fish out of water romp.

The main character is plucked out of their mundane existence and thrust into a world they know nothing about: comical James Bond style villainous organizations, weaponized animal intelligence, laser death rays, evil volcano lairs, etc. Not only does he have to quickly come to terms with this insanity, but he’s suddenly been put in charge of it all. It’s ridiculously good fun.

My favorite aspect of the novel is just how satirically corporate all of this modern day villainy is presented as being. The most evil characters in the book will be recognizable to anyone familiar with the current generation of lame ass billionaires, captains of industry, and crypto bros. If you enjoyed Glass Onion, you’ll be right at home with Scalzi’s take on the brilliant/idiot dynamic present in a lot of these characters.

I’m not sure if I’ve just never noticed before now, or this is something new for Scalzi, but this book is like 90% dialogue. This would really be my only gripe with Starter Villain. There’s a lot of talking, and not very much doing going on. Basically all of the action takes place between the lines. It still works well, and feels very Scalzi, but I would’ve loved some more descriptive, omniscient writing, maybe just in short chapters interspersed here and there.

If Providence was Max Barry writing a John Scalzi sci-fi adventure, Starter Villain is very much John Scalzi’s take on a Max Barry corporate satire a la Jennifer Government or Company. This is something I’m all about. I’ll take more of both please.

We Are Wolves

 By: Katrina Nannestad

Location: FIC NAN

Genre: Historical Fiction

Based on a true story this is harrowing and moving. A beautiful story of sibling love, survival against the odds and heartbreaking.

This “hauntingly atmospheric” ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review), heart-stopping middle grade novel follows three of the Wolfskinder, German children left to fend for themselves in the final days of World War II, as they struggle to hold onto themselves and each other while surviving in the wild.

Sometimes it’s good to be wild. Sometimes, you have to be.

When the Russian Army marches into East Prussia at the end of World War II, the Wolf family must flee. Being caught by the Russians or the Americans would be the end for them. Liesl, Otto, and baby Mia’s father has already been captured, and they get separated from their mother in a blizzard after only a few days on the run.

Liesl had promised Mama that she’d keep her brother and sister safe, no matter what. They’ll forage in the forests if they have to. Little do they know that there are hundreds of other parentless children doing the very same thing. And they far too quickly learn that, sometimes, to survive, you have to do bad things.

Dangerous things. Wild things. Sometimes you must become a wolf.

The Blanket Cats

 By: Kiyoshi Shigematsu  

Location: FIC SHI

Genre: Around the World

Seven struggling customers are given the unique opportunity to take home a "blanket cat" . . . but only for three days, the time it’ll take to change their lives.

A peculiar pet shop in Tokyo has been known to offer customers the unique opportunity to take home one of seven special cats, whose "magic" is never promised, but always received. But there are rules: these cats must be returned after three days. They must eat only the food supplied by the owner, and they must travel to their new homes with a distinctive blanket.

In The Blanket Cats, we meet seven customers, each of whom is hoping a temporary feline companion will help them escape a certain reality, including a couple struggling with infertility, a middle-aged woman on the run from the police, and two families in very different circumstances simply seeking joy.

But like all their kind, the "blanket cats" are mysterious creatures with unknowable agendas, who delight in confounding expectations. And perhaps what their hosts are looking for isn't really what they need. Three days may not be enough to change a life. But it might just change how you see it.

Wind and Truth

 By: Brandon Sanderson

Location: On the Sanderson Shelf

Genre: Sanderson

“An oath could be broken, but a promise? A promise stood as long as you were still trying. A promise understood that sometimes your best wasn’t enough. A promise cried with you when all went to Damnation. A promise came to help when you could barely stand. Because a promise knew that sometimes, being there was all you could offer.”

The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive―the iconic epic fantasy masterpiece that has sold more than 10 million copies, from acclaimed bestselling author Brandon Sanderson.

Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare―and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.

Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide―Adolin in Azimir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah at Thaylen City. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.

At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiants killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.

This book was food for my soul. It is all I ever hoped for and more. It’s magnificent and epic and just fantastic. It made me happy and miserable and excited in equal measure. I’m already looking forward to my first re-read and experiencing everything again.

The Amber Owl

 By: Juleitte Marillier  

Location: FIC MAR

Genre: Fantasy

Stasya lives in an isolated farming village on the edge of the mysterious Heartwood Forest with her unusual dog for company. Thought odd by the locals, she is tolerated for her rare gift with animals. Engaging with her fellow humans is difficult, with one goatherd Lukas, who shares her love of storytelling.

The peace of Heartwood is shattered when a group of soldiers descends, under orders from the Ruler of the Northlands. Their to hack a path through the forest and find the fabled treasure said to lie deep within. Under the grueling decree, Stasya’s village falls into chaos. The task is clearly impossible. The forest is alive with bears and wolves, and the old tales speak of evil spirits, monsters and uncanny beings. Nobody has ever gone deep into Heartwood Forest and returned safe and well.

When Stasya raises her voice in protest she is removed from her beloved home and transported to court – a different world. Word of her special skills has reached the Ruler’s ears, and Lady Elisabeta has a job for her. But Stasya will not break her vow to protect the forest, even under the most appalling threat. Help comes from an unlikely quarter.
Secrets abound; dangers lie everywhere; and it is hard to tell friend from foe. As Stasya and her band of unlikely allies embark on a perilous mission, it becomes apparent that uncanny forces may indeed be involved. Maybe the old tales of the Hermit are true.

review by Riri

This was beautiful. While the pace is on the slower side, it’s full of intrigue and adventure. The description of the setting paints a stunning fantasy world, with a dense forest housing all sorts of animals, folks, and magic. Reading this filled me with nostalgia. It reminds me of the stories I read in my childhood, though it can get pretty dark at times. Especially during Stasya’s stay in Dragon’s Keep. There are plenty of moments that are downright heartbreaking, even more so because the characters are so well-written.

Storytelling and tales play a crucial part in the plot, and it’s delivered in such a gentle way throughout the book. The story feels so delicately woven and full of heart, and the characters have so much depth and connection to each other. My favorite part is that while a number of people want Stasya to fulfill certain roles, it is always up to her to make the decision. The last scene with Lukas was done so well, especially because their differences really came to light in the second half of the book.

Lovely, and now time to pick up more of Juliet Marillier’s works.

Rise

 By: Freya Finch

Location: FIC FIN

Genre: Mythology

A stunning, incredible Norse mythology YA with Valkyries in the human world trying to stop Ragnarök.

The action and adventure of Percy Jackson meets the complex heroines of The Cruel Prince as a family of valkyries fight to stop Ragnarök.

For seventeen-year-old Bryn, being the youngest, messiest, most rebellious sister in a family of valkyries isn’t easy. Especially considering home is a Renaissance faire in Chicago full of costumed workers who see her as nothing more than a nuisance. When her mother disappears on a mission for Odin, Bryn begins having strange visions about the impending Ragnarök. Bryn senses their mother is in great danger, but her annoyingly perfect older sisters refuse to take her seriously. Their mother is, after all, captain of the valkyries.

Things only take a turn for the worse when a half human, half giant named Juniper crashes the party with a violent zombie in tow, confirming Bryn’s worst fears—her visions of Ragnarök are real. If that wasn’t enough, the faire’s mysterious new addition, Wyatt the Black Knight, just so happens to have a ferocious secret that threatens everyone around him. Determined to survive Ragnarök, Bryn, Juniper, and Wyatt team up to combat the horde of monsters that keeps appearing throughout the faire. But after Bryn ignores the call to deliver Wyatt to Odin’s eternal warriors in Valhalla, choosing to save his life instead, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever get this valkyrie thing right.

Whispers of divine interference—including sightings of the mischievous Loki—reach Bryn’s ears. Soon everyone at the faire becomes a suspect, leaving Bryn, her sisters, and their newfound friends the only ones who can stop the war to end all realms. Whether she’s ready or not, Bryn is about to learn how the ties between fate and choice are as interwoven and unbreakable as the bonds between sisters.

The Someday Daughter

 By: Ellen O'Clover

Location: FIC OCL

Genre: Romance

From the critically acclaimed author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux comes another nuanced, heartrending, and ultimately healing novel, about a rising college freshman forced to spend a summer with the self-help superstar mother she’s never felt truly connected to.

Years before Audrey St. Vrain was born, her mother, Camilla, shot to fame with Letters to My Someday Daughter, a self-help book encouraging women to treat themselves with the same love and care they’d treat their own daughters. While the world considers Audrey lucky to have Camilla for a mother, the truth is that Audrey knows a different side of being the someday daughter. Shipped off to boarding school when she was eleven, she feels more like a promotional tool than a member of Camilla’s family.

Audrey is determined to create her own identity aside from being Camilla’s daughter, and she’s looking forward to a prestigious summer premed program with her boyfriend before heading to college and finally breaking free from her mother’s world. But when Camilla asks Audrey to go on tour with her to promote the book’s anniversary, Audrey can’t help but think that this is the last, best chance to figure out how they fit into each other’s lives—not as the someday daughter and someday mother, but as themselves, just as they are.

What Audrey doesn’t know is that spending the summer with Camilla and her tour staff—including the disarmingly honest, distressingly cute video intern, Silas—will upset everything she’s so carefully planned for her life.

Review by Jennifer

This book is a YA contemporary romance. It’s a coming of age story that focuses on a mother-daughter relationship.

The narrator is 18 year old Audrey. She is forced to spend the Summer on a book tour with her controlling mother. In the Fall she will be starting pre-med.

The beginning of the book was fine. But it wasn’t until the second half that I really started to love this book.

There is mental health rep. And the book focuses a lot on the mother-daughter relationship between Audrey and her mother.

I was really surprised by the last few chapters. The last part of this book was my favorite. I really enjoyed the end. What a fun YA read.

I was Told There Would Be Romance

 By: Marie Arnold 

Location: FIC ARN

Genre: Romance

For fans of Never Have I Ever and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before comes a hilarious and heartfelt YA contemporary about a young Haitian girl navigating high school, friendship, and crushes. Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with simple desires. She’d like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She’d love a boyfriend. And she’s desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school Imani Park’s birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.

So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite—but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what’s so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she’s destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it’ll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it’s not like Fancy’s parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti...right?

 Review by Lauren: This YA novel was so heartwarming and abundantly charming AND it’s a true YA! These characters were so endearing and incredibly relatable - they’re authentic teenagers balancing academics and friendships with navigating family dynamics and i really believe this story will resonate with many YA readers.

There is romance subplot, but I really loved how the focus was on friendship and family.

The Crash

 By: Freida McFadden

Location: FIC MCF

Genre: Thriller 

GRATEFUL FOR THIS BOOK because it yanked me out of my reading slump!!! It kept my attention, and I actually liked all the pieces of the story! Not my favorite Freida, but I good junky thriller if you need to kickstart your reading - Abbie

The nightmare she’s running from is nothing compared to where she’s headed.

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

She never arrives at her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn’t what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.

And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself—and her unborn child.

A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.

The Dagger and the Flame

 By: Catherine Doyle

Location: FICX DOY

Genre: Romantasy

“When the world is at its darkest, we must reach bravely through the shadows to find where the light blooms.”

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love…

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city? Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before… As the Cloaks and the Daggers grapple for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are consumed by the push and pull of their magic, and the deadly spark and terrible vengeance that keeps drawing them back together…

The Fox Wife

 By: Yangsze Choo 

Location: FIX CHO

Genre: Fantasy

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.
In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to sniff out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach—until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments but can’t escape the curse that afflicts them—their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. When a disruptively winsome servant named Snow enters their household, the family’s luck seems to change—or does it?

Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all she’s a mother seeking vengeance for her lost child. Hunting a murderer, she will follow the trail from northern China to Japan, while Bao follows doggedly behind. Navigating the myths and misconceptions of fox spirits, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.

New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. Epic in scope and full of singular, unforgettable characters, The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depths of maternal love, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.

im Starting to Worry About This Black Box Of Doom

 By: Jason Pargin  

Location: FIV PAR

Genre: Thriller

A standalone darkly humorous thriller set in modern America's age of anxiety, by New York Times bestselling author Jason Pargin.

Outside Los Angeles, a driver pulls up to find a young woman sitting on a large black box. She offers him $200,000 cash to transport her and that box across the country, to Washington, DC.

But there are rules:

He cannot look inside the box.
He cannot ask questions.
He cannot tell anyone.
They must leave immediately.
He must leave all trackable devices behind.

As these eccentric misfits hit the road, rumors spread on social media that the box is part of a carefully orchestrated terror attack intended to plunge the USA into civil war.

The truth promises to be even stranger, and may change how you see the world.

This book was fun, thrilling, and had great characters. I could not wait until the end to find out what was in the box, and it was definitely a shock. More than the story of Abbott and Ether, this is the story of social media, and how it really does shape the way most of us think. This was super unique and original, and I liked it a lot. This was my first book by this author, but I doubt it will be my last! 4.5 stars, rounded up. Review by Constaine

Eruption

 By: Michael Crichton and James Patterson  

Location: FIC PAT

Genre: Thriller

Are you a fan of heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat natural disaster stories? If so, you need to check out this book! It has everything you could want in a volcanic thriller.

Imagine a volcano about to blow, with the power to unleash the worst disaster ever seen. From the moment you start reading, you'll be hooked. The tension builds with every page as the characters face impossible choices and race against time. You'll find yourself rooting for them, hoping they make the right decisions to survive the impending doom.

"Eruption" is a gripping read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. If you love natural disaster stories, this book is a must-read!

A once-in-a-century volcanic eruption is about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii.

But a decades-old military secret could turn the volcano into something even more terrifying...

Now it’s up to a handful of brave individuals to save the island – and the entire world.

Glorious Exploits

 By: Ferdia Lennon  

Location: FIC LEN

Genre: Mythology

The book you never knew you needed in your life. Glorious Exploits is madness. Nothing about it should work. It's like Kevin Barry-meets-Homer.

And yet. And yet. It is absolutely brilliant. So enjoyable. So funny and satisfying. So sad and brutal and glorious.

It is about war and art and literature and friendship and love and family and community. I loved it fully and hope it finds many readers.

“The hearts of men are alike wherever you go. The rest is scenery.”
― Ferdia Lennon, Glorious Exploits

Ancient Sicily. Enter GELON: visionary, dreamer, theatre lover. Enter LAMPO: lovesick, jobless, in need of a distraction.

Imprisoned in the quarries of Syracuse, thousands of defeated Athenians hang on by the thinnest of threads.

They’re fading in the baking heat, but not everything is lost: they can still recite lines from Greek tragedy when tempted by Lampo and Gelon with goatskins of wine and scraps of food.

And so an idea is born. Because, after all, you can hate the invaders but still love their poetry.

It’s audacious. It might even be dangerous. But like all the best things in life – love, friendship, art itself – it will reveal the very worst, and the very best, of what humans are capable of.

What could possibly go wrong?

After The Shot Drops

 By: Randy  Ribay

Location: FIC RIB

Genre: Sports 

A gripping, heart-pounding story with incredible characters who were complex and funny and heartbreaking and real. I wanted to underline so many lines, and I wanted to stay in Bunny and Nasir's world forever. Suspenseful, powerful, complicated and deeply moving. Review by Kelly

A powerful novel about friendship, basketball, and one teen's mission to create a better life for his family in the tradition of Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers.    

* “Belongs on the shelf alongside contemporary heavy-hitters like Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds’s All-American Boys, and Nic Stone’s Dear Martin." —School Library Journal, starred review
   
Bunny and Nasir have been best friends forever, but when Bunny accepts an athletic scholarship across town, Nasir feels betrayed. While Bunny tries to fit in with his new, privileged peers, Nasir spends more time with his cousin, Wallace, who is being evicted. Nasir can't help but wonder why the neighborhood is falling over itself to help Bunny when Wallace is in trouble.

When Wallace makes a bet against Bunny, Nasir is faced with an impossible decision—maybe a dangerous one.  
 
Told from alternating perspectives, After the Shot Drops is a heart-pounding story about the responsibilities of great talent and the importance of compassion.

The Darkness Within Us

 By: Tricia Levenseller

Location: FUC LEV

Genre: Romantasy

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she's ever wanted.

Or so she thought.
A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha's lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face.

Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he's extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers... No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

Review by Amy: I really, really enjoyed this. Hit me in all the right feels, great use of fast pacing/bare bones storytelling, and a fun time.