Whalefall

Whalefall is by Daniel Kraus. A very strange realistic fiction novel. After his father commits suicide by diving off of a boat, his son - Jay Gardiner - decides to look for his father's bones to bring closure to his family. He and his father never got along and he left home before his father's death and never settled things with him, As he makes the dive, he is swallowed by a sperm whale who is chasing a giant squid for food. Jay is swallowed when his gear gets tangled with the squid's tentacles. This is a bizarre story that boys might really like as it has a very high ick factor. 

Ratings: 11th grade - 7 out of 10 - P (profanity) - V (violence).

A Fatal Grace

A Fatal Grace is by Louise Penny. The second in the Chief Inspector Gamache realistic fiction mystery series. When a nasty newcomer to Three Pines is killed, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team return to Three Pines to find her killer. But how do you narrow down the suspects when everyone hated the victim? Fans of the series will love this installment as well. 

Ratings: 10th grade - 8 out of 10. 

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store is by James McBride. A powerful historical fiction novel set in rural Pennsylvania. When workers digging a well find a skeleton, secrets from the past emerge. Chicken Hill is near Pottstown; it has always been a lower income part of town inhabited mainly by African Americans and immigrant Jews. Moshe and Shona live there and run a grocery store that serves all of the community equally. When the state comes looking to institutionalize a young deaf black boy, Moshe and Shona help to hide him. This sets off a terrible chain of events. A powerful heart-wrenching story of the power of friendship, love, and resilience.

Ratings: Adult - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).  

There There

There There is by Tommy Orange. A strange and shattering realistic fiction novel. The novel follows 12 Native American characters, each from their own point of view and perspective, as they travel to the Big Oakland Powwow. You get insights into all of the characters and what has brought them to the event and the horrifying shooting that occurs there and its aftermath. This book slips back and forth in time and between characters' voices - it is not always easy to follow and with 12 characters it is sometimes a challenge to remember who each of them are and how they are related to each other. 

Ratings: Adult - 7 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence).  

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure is by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. A nonfiction look at what has gone wrong on college campuses. The book discusses what has happened, why it has happened, and what can be done to reverse the damage. While I don't agree with all of the points the authors make, the book does make you think - and there is a lot to think about. 

Ratings: Adult - 8 out of 10. 

The Future of Work: Compulsory

The Future of Work: Compulsory is by Martha Wells. A brief prequel to the science fiction Murderbot series. No one knows Murderbot has fried its governor module, but when a miner is in danger after a pointless argument, Murderbot must decide whether to continue watching The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon or risk giving itself away by saving the miner instead of obeying orders. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 7 out of 10. 

Starter Villain

Starter Villain is by John Scalzi. A bizarre science fiction tale with super villains and intelligent cats.  Charlie is a divorced substitute teacher barely making it. He is living in the house his father left him in trust when he died and his two step-siblings, who are also part of the trust, are desperate to get Charlie to agree to let them sell the house. If he can't get his life together, they just might get their wish. Then his uncle dies, a rich uncle he hasn't seen since he was a child, and leaves Charlie control of his super villain empire - complete with a volcano lair, talking cats with enhanced intelligence, a giant laser death ray, talking dolphins who want to unionize, and a super-secret multinational collection of villains who want him dead. So what can possibly go wrong? Scalzi is a delight! The twist at the end is typical of his wonderfully weird mind. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).