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To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers – Adam I love odd stories, and this novella is basically an existential puzzle without an answer. It poses questions about the value of life and knowledge in an ever-changing universe. It asks what humans owe to each other, and lets you wonder what you would do if humanity wasn’t looking anymore. And yet, it never becomes too dark or depressing. |
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Middlegame by Seanan McGuire – Adam Dark fantasy? Fatalistic science fiction? This novel walks the line. Not quite as dense as the Feed series, and not quite as whimsical as the Wayward Children books, Middlegame definitely falls into the dark side of dark fairy tale. While it doesn’t tie itself to the modern retelling of a specific fable, it still feels like it could be an iteration of a long-forgotten classic. Haunting and human, this book is long but will have you hanging on each page. |
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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite – Allison |
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Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata – Allison & Regan |
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Elevation by Stephen King – Allison |
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By Any Name by Cynthia Voight – Amber |
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Wanderers by Chuck Wendig – Amelia |
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A Memory of Empire by Arkady Martine – Darren |
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Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – Darren |
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Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone – Darren |
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The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan – Darren |
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Exhalation by Ted Chiang – James |
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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong – James |
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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – Maryann B |
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Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena – Maryann B |
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At the Wolf’s Table by Rosella Postorino – Nicoleta |
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A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum – Nicoleta |
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Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – Regan |
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Gardener’s Year by Karel Capek – Regan |
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The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – Shelly This tome was layered, complex, and covered so much in the life of main character Theo Decker. There are so many themes and parts and settings and characters, but it never feels crowded or unclear. You really get to know and care for the characters, especially Theo, and follow them throughout their lives while learning so much about emotions, art, crime, and family. Tartt is an incredible writer and you read through the book constantly surprised by just how “right” she gets everything and how much she has to say about everyone and everything in the story. The style of the book was reminiscent of Brady Udall, Gregory David Roberts, and Margaret Mitchell, who all wrote books I adore, too. |
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Teen Sex Tragedy by Brett Yates – Shelly This debut novel, written by a local author, is incredible in its detail, tone, and creativity. The story of Jeff, an anxious seventeen year old, is meticulously crafted as he navigates senior year while strange things begin happening in his town. He is particularly intrigued by a beautiful, mysterious classmate, whom everyone begins to suspect is a witch causing the strange happenings, even as he navigates his first relationship with another girl. The nuances in the writing, especially when going into such depth in Jeff’s thoughts, are complex, well-written, and, at times, heartbreaking. This novel will teach you some new words, keep you reading to find out what’s really going on, change your opinion about paranormal tales, and make you feel some kindness towards teenagers. It’s a really powerful read, with some great twists and a memorable ending. |
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Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe – Allison |
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Calypso by David Sedaris – Amber & Regan |
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Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living by Ali Wong – Amber |
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Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain – Amber |
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Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman – Amber |
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How To by Randal Munroe – Amelia |
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The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton – James |
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Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover – Nicoleta |
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Range by David Epstein – Regan |
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Bad Blood by John Carreyrou – Regan & Nicoleta |
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Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg – Regan |
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Once More We Saw Stars by Jayson Greene – Shelly This memoir, by frequent New York Times contributor Jayson Greene, is incredibly moving, well-written, and exquisitely personal. Greene recalls the life of his daughter Greta, who died in a freak accident when she was two. While it’s a heartbreaking story, the book is beautiful and touching. While I definitely cried at some points and spent a lot of time thinking about life and death, I finished the book feeling uplifted and wanting to read more about Greene and his family. It’s truly an unforgettable story seeped in sadness and hope. |
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The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan – Shelly This set of brief works, including non-fiction essays and short stories, was published after the author died a few days after her college graduation. Keegan was an incredible person all around, including a fabulous poet and performer, playwright, and Yale graduation speaker. She left behind a huge amount of works for such a young author, and nearly every essay in the collection is thoughtful and well-written. In the forward, the editor (a mentor of Keegan) talks about how her stories speak so much of her youth and optimism, and it really reads like the work of an author just getting started in the best way. |
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Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart – Shelly This book is a blunt take on a girl experiencing terrible tragedy: Ava’s parents and best friend die in the fire that completely disfigures her. Ava is angry and sarcastic and sad, not the typical feel-good kind of character who wants everyone to feel OK with her trauma. She is pushed into attending school and dealing with stares, rudeness, disappointment, and misunderstandings. She eventually makes some connections and processes some of her pain into growth, but it’s not without some major issues along the way.The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I’m so glad I finally read this book. It’s a great, “”ripped from the headlines”” story about Starr, a teenage girl who witnesses the death of her unarmed friend at the hands of a police officer. The nuances in the story — how Starr knows her friend, who her family members are, whom she’s dating, the school she attends, and her connection to multiple communities — make it complex and thought-provoking. At its climax, I literally couldn’t put it down and read through to the end to find out what happened. It’s not an easy read, but an important one. |
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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki – Adam This is a romance, but not romantic. It’s about the idea of being in love with a relationship more-so than another person. The emotions are complex, complimented by the clear, sharp art. |
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On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden – Adam A science fiction epic? A small school romance? A sweeping story of magical realism? The range of this book is enormous and pushes what a comic can do. The representation is great, as well (LGBTQ+ as well as neuro-atypical such as someone who’s nonverbal), but the characters are so grounded and human that the reader can find a piece of themselves in anyone in the crew. |
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Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn – Adam This series has a story that covers billions of years, is written out in multiple languages and dialects, and always manages to keep the characters front and center. The story is, to be honest, bonkers, but it’s never nonsense and always entertaining. |
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Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka – Allison |
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El Deafo by Cece Bell – Amber |
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Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell – Amber |
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The American Dream? by Shing Yin Khor – Amelia |
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House of X – Darren |
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Powers of X – Darren |
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Cat Nap by Toni Yuly – Amber |
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Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor and Rafael Lopez – Amber |
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Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers – Amber |
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Snakes On A Train by Kathryn Dennis – Amber |
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Pigeon Has To Go To School by Mo Willems – Amber |
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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers, Luke Flowers, Josie Carey – Sharon C |
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You Loves Ewe! by Cece Bell – Sharon C |
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Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea – Shelly This book was a quick and unpredictable read, told from the perspectives of different students in a fifth grade class. As a teacher, I really liked how realistic and well-done the book was, without falling into easy tropes or static characters. Everyone is dynamic and the story keeps you interested all the way through. The ending is emotional and makes you want to read more by the author. I will soon go back and reread it, so I can then read the other two books in the trilogy. |
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Baby-Sitters Club: Boy-Crazy Stacey by Ann M. Martin and Gale Galligan – Shelly The Baby-Sitters Club, in all its formats, will always be my favorite series and Ann M. Martin will always be one of my favorite authors. I generally don’t like graphic novels, but I have loved seeing my favorite characters and situations depicted in a new, professional, fresh medium over the last few years. Boy-Crazy Stacey, the latest graphic novel, is no exception. I love combing through these familiar stories to pick up on the small, illustrated details that both surprise and reinforce my already comprehensive takes on the work. |
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Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg – Yeng |
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Ish by Peter H. Reynolds – Yeng |
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Not a Box by Antoinette Portis – Yeng |
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They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel – Yeng |
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How Many, How Many, How Many by Rick Walton – Yeng |
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Noisy Night by Mac Barnett – Yeng |
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The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires – Yeng |
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Murderous Maths series by Kjantan Poskit – Yeng |
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How to Be a Scientist by Steve Mould – Yeng |
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The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger – Yeng |
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Betty by Betty Who – Adam |
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Saves the World by MUNA – Adam |
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Shearwater Plays Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy by Shearwater – Adam |
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By the Way, I Forgive You Brandi Carlile – Allison |
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Thrilled to Be Here Bailen – Allison |
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Imperfect Circle Hootie & the Blowfish – Amelia |
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Remain in Light by Angelique Kidjo – Regan |
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I Am Easy To Find by The National – Regan |
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Good Omens – Adam |
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His Dark Materials – Adam |
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Infinity Train – Adam |
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Legion – Adam |
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Bohemian Rhapsody – Allison |
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Frozen II – Amelia |
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The Americans – Regan |
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I Called Him Morgan – Regan |
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Outlander – Regan |
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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Regan |
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Fleabag – Regan & Adam |
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Killing Eve – Sharon C & Adam |
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Parasite – Sharon c |