Wicked Charms is by Janet Evanovich. The third book in the fantasy Lizzy and Diesel series. Diesel has reappeared in Lizzy's life, this time he needs her help to find the Stone of Avarice, which is buried with a pirate treasure. Only they're not the only ones looking for the stone or the treasure. A tale of minions, monkeys, and the usual mayhem; fans of the series will enjoy this installment.
Ratings: 11th grade - 7 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI is by David Grann. A fantastic multi cultural nonfiction read about a crime very few people have ever heard about. In the 1920s, the Osage tribe were some of the wealthiest Americans in the country. Oil had been found on their Oklahoma reservation and the money was pouring in; then they started to be found dead, some by poison, others just murdered. Grann relates the facts of the cases, the stories of those involved, the founding of the FBI who was sent to solve the cases, and the conspiracy that should have shocked the nation; then he reveals discoveries he made while researching the book. This book is a must read for history lovers and lovers of true crime.
Ratings: 10th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence).
The Autobiography of Malcolm X as Told to Alex Haley is by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. An interesting, poignant, and classic autobiography of a man few know much about. His death was overshadowed in some ways by the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., his more well known contemporary. Haley paints an objective picture of Malcolm X, his faults and his good qualities. It is clear Haley liked Malcolm. An excellent read for a look at racial relations in the 20th century.
Ratings: 11th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story is by Leonie Swann. A absolutely charming fantasy novel that is also a mystery. In the Irish village of Glennkill there is a shepherd named George and his beloved flock of sheep. When George is found murdered, pinned to the ground with a spade, his flock decides it is their duty to discover who killed him, so justice can be done. This novel is delightfully funny and also gives some great insight into human nature as seen and understood by sheep. Lovers of magical realism, mystery, and humor will love this book.
Ratings: 10th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity).
Space Opera is by Catherynne M. Valente. A amusing science fiction tale. Imagine if Douglas Adams and David Bowie had a love child. After the Sentience Wars, the species of the galaxy decide to hold a contest, a gladiatorial music contest. All new species must send a representative musical group to prove their sentience. They must place somewhere other than last place or their entire world will be destroyed; and guess who was just contacted and must prove their deservedness to exist? Now the aliens have chosen glam-rock-has-beens Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeros to represent Earth - we're doomed - or are we? Incredibly funny and philosophical at the same time. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Ratings: 10th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
The Half Has Not Been Told: Slavery & the Making of American Capitalism is by Edward P. Baptist. An interesting nonfiction look at slavery, King Cotton, and how slavery was the driving force behind the American economy even in non-slave states. The book is well researched and thought provoking.
Ratings: Adult - 6 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
The Switch is by Beth O'Leary. A poignant and funny realistic fiction novel. Leena has a high-powered job in London. Her grandmother Eileen lives in a small town in Yorkshire. Leena's beloved sister has died of cancer and her grandfather left Eileen and ran off with a dance instructor. Leena is having panic attacks and just blew a huge presentation at her job. When he boss forces her to take a two month sabbatical, she decides to switch places with her grandmother, who is looking for a new man in her life. They switch cell phones and homes and of course, hijinks ensue. Both Leena and Eileen find what they were looking for, just not where they expected to find it. This is a charming novel.
Ratings: 11th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother is by James McBride. The classic multi-cultural autobiography of one man's tribute to his amazing mother. James McBride is one of 12 children born to a white mother, who married two different black men in the 1930s. When he finally persuades his elderly mother to tell her story he discovers she was the white daughter of a Jewish rabbi who was born in Poland, came to America, and then fled her family to live in New York where she married a black minister. Upon his death, she married another black man and lived in the Red Hook, New Jersey projects where she raised her 12 mixed race children. This is a Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. A fantastic book about a remarkable woman.
Ratings: 10th grade - 10 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Midnight at the Blackbird Café is by Heather Webber. A wonderful realistic fiction book with more than a hint of magical realism. Anna Kate returns to the small town of Wicklow, Alabama after the death of her grandmother who owned the local café. She intends to bury her grandmother, sell the café, and head back to Boson to start medical school. However her grandmother's will states she must remain and run the café for two months before she can sell it. The café is known for its mysterious blackbird pie which allows those who eat it to receive messages from the dead; sung to them in their dreams by the blackbirds who nest in the mulberry trees out back. Only the women of the Callow family can bake these pies. A charming book of family secrets, forgiveness, and learning to follow your heart.
Ratings: 10th grade - 8 out of 10 - AC (some mature thematic content).
The Half-God of Rainfall is by Inua Ellams. A charming multi-cultural epic poem. Demi has a problem, when he is upset or cries rivers burst their banks and floods happen. Then he discovers basketball and even the gods take note. Modupe, his mother, realizes that eventual the gods will tire of him, and she must decide what she will be willing to do to protect her son. A wonderful mix of Greek and Nigerian mythology, all in one beautiful poem.
Ratings: 11th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Chasing Chopin: A Musical Journey Across Three Centuries, Four Countries, & a Half-Dozen Revolutions is by Annik LaFarge. A wonderful biography of the famous composer and his beloved Funeral March. The book follows the three years it took him to write the piece and follows his life, illness, love affair with novelist George Sand, and his death. This is a marvelous book for lovers of classical music, and even has a website with performances of the music discussed in the book. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read.
Ratings: 9th grade - 9 out of 10.
A Passage to India is by E.M. Forster. A classic multi-cultural historical fiction tale of colonial India. When an Indian doctor takes a young English woman and her soon-to-be mother-in-law to tour some caves, he loses her for a short time. He believes she has found her way back and when he returns home, he is shocked to find himself under arrest. She has accused him of an ambiguous assault on her person. The British and Indians find themselves embroiled in a contentious trial that demonstrates the hatred and distrust the two sides have for each other.
Ratings: 11th grade - 7 out of 10 - AC (some mature thematic content).
Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life is by Achy Obejas. A wonderful biography told in graphic novel format. Frida Kahlo was an amazing artist with a sad, yet productive life. This book tells her story in graphic novel format, reworking some of her most famous paintings.
Ratings: 12th grade - 7 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content).
Peace Talks is by Jim Butcher. The sixteenth book in the fantasy Dresden Files series. Harry is caught between a rock and a hard place, what else is new? He is the Winter Knight and also a Warden of the High Council and is trusted by exactly, no one. When the Supernatural powers decide to meet to end ongoing hostilities, Harry must attend and make sure things go as planned - but they don't and as usual Harry must make choices that will not make him popular with anyone. Fans of the series will love this installment and hate waiting for the next one.
Ratings: 11th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - V (violence) - AC (mature thematic content).
