Sarah's Picks
With Empire of the Vampire, Jay Kristoff has once again shown why he is a master storyteller. Gabriel de Leon is a complex and complicated new hero for Jay’s legion of fans, and soon-to-be fans, to follow over what promises to be an amazing new series. Jay’s vampires are not the sparkly YA vamps, nor the Dracula inspired vampires of the late 1990s/early 2000s. They are delectably French-flavored and with the introduction of Gabriel as a half-vampire, Jay has allowed himself a great deal of creative freedom to bend the old rules of vampire lore to his world. I absolutely cannot wait to share this book with my friends and fellow book lovers who loved Mia of the Nevernight Chronicles as I’m sure they will fall head over heels for Empire of the Vampire while simultaneously continuing to curse Jay for wreaking havoc on beloved fictional characters.
Falling into the pages of Yours Cheerfully is what I imagine it will be like when I can go over to my best friend's house once we're vaccinated - reassuring, cozy, and full of catching up with those you love spending time with, but full of stories of the struggles of the past year. I love Emmy and Bunty and their friendship - it makes me feel like I'm hanging out with my own friends. And while a war and a pandemic aren't the same thing, this was the perfect book for alleviating the feeling of ennui that has settled in after 13 months of pandemic life. I absolutely cannot wait to share it will my fellow readers who love Emmy and Bunty and new readers alike!
A great follow.up to last year's Ink and Sigil - Hearne is a natural successor to the late great Terry Pritchett in both humor and character development. I loved catching back up with Al and Buck and I can't wait to share this satisfying sequel with those who enjoyed the first!
An absolutely delightful and witty book of a young woman who finds herself working in the White House, calls #45 an idiot, finds herself fired, and then hit by a car. All in the first few chapters. It's a very funny, darkly humorous read and I cannot wait to share it this summer at the store!
A compelling and thought provoking book! Perfect for fans of near future/contemporary science fiction/alternative reality books that will also find fans amongst conspiracy and true crime readers. It will make for a great summer read and can definitely be enjoyed by those who are not familiar with the author's podcast of the same name.
Morningside Heights is a novel beautifully rooted in the realities of everyday life. Henkin weaves together a breathtaking portrait of family and friendship in what is also a love letter to the residents of New York. Each character feels like a friend or family member, all with foibles and faults, strong wills and deep feelings. Their world reminds me so much of the city I know and love, and my own family and friends who call it home.
Immediately enthralling, I couldn’t put down this compelling story! I have always had a soft spot for secret society stories but The Maidens is much more than that. I found myself caring so deeply for Mariana and hoping that her quest would help her find some closure for herself.
Words simply cannot express how excited I was to find a WWII novel set on the Orkney islands. I have long loved the archipelago and the history of Scapa Flow (a bay used during both World Wars by the British Royal Navy) and I found myself completely immersed in the story woven by Caroline Lea about the young women coming to terms with both loss and the meaning of life itself.
I read Tokyo Ever After in one sitting in a couple hours on a weekday night, something I haven’t done in who knows how long. Read a book in one sitting on a Sunday? Absolutely. On a Wednesday night? Maybe not since I was in middle school. It pulled me in and kept me hooked – I adore all of the characters and it’s clear how near and dear Izumi is to Emiko’s heart.
This book has just about everything I love to read about - female aviators, polar adventure, shipwrecks, spunky and strong-willed female heroines, I loved it all. Written in alternating timelines, I found myself fully immersed in them both, longing for each story while I was reading the other. It is the best sort of historical and contemporary fiction mashup to read as the weather gets warmer.