Staff Picks October 2023

Amee

Trial by Richard North Patterson

A young voting rights activist in Georgia is stopped on a country road by a sheriff’s deputy. A gun is used and the deputy dies. Patterson ties the trial and the aftermath into the current political climate.

Other reads from September

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead (juvenile fiction)

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (third on ALA’s 2022 Most Challenged book list)

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (debut novel)

Dawn

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles .

A historical fiction book based on the true story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris during World War II.

Megan

Harriet’s Halloween Candy by Nancy Carlson

Harriet doesn’t want to share her candy with her little brother Walt. She hides it and eats on it. Will she end up sharing or making a decision she’ll regret? Read and find out. This is one of my favorite books from childhood.

Karen- Once We Were Home by Jennifer Rosnew

Jewish children who left their families to escape the Nazis deal with the aftermath of returning.

Jennifer

The Nightmare Affair (The Arkwell Academy #1) by Mindee Arnett –

Young adult mystery and fantasy book starts off the Arkwell Academy series. Dusty the main character is a Nightmare meaning she increases her magical abilities by jumping into people's dream. Unfortunately, one of the dreams she jumps into predicts a murder at Arkwell Academy and she and her other magical friends need to help solve the crime. Fun concept and easy read.

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser

Mystery set in Yellow Springs, Ohio. A group of women meet for a social evening of conversations and wine around their firepit. The next morning one of the women is gone along with her two children. The story does a great job developing all the characters and reminding us that we never really know what goes on behind closed doors and in people's marriages.

Maddie Unchurch (volunteer)

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I enjoyed how each part of the book had twists and turns throughout the book. When reading, it made you feel how Kaya felt throughout the book. I could not believe the ending when I read it. I had to reread the last page 5 times to make sure it was right.