Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette

 

 5/5 ⭐

This first in a new cozy mystery will leave you desperate for more. 

It hits all the marks of a great cozy, small town life, a bookstore cat, and murder. 

A once journalist turned bookshop employee, Callie Padget is surrounded by supportive family and friends as she looks into the sudden death of a popular local. Who just so happened to die in the same place and manner as Callie's own mother decades before. 

As she travels across the beautiful scenery that is Cattail Island, experience every twist and turn and wait for an ending you won't expect. 

I cannot wait to see what happens next with this series. 

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer 

June 2022

Part mystery, part historical fiction with fascinating characters and insights into life in the 1500's, situated in a historic English manor in the present. Hannah and her precocious and troubled son Nicky, are staying with their Uncle Christopher in the manor, when Nicky discovers a body in a bricked-up forgotten section of Ashton Hall in Cambridge, England. This book has so many layers of engagement! What begins as a mystery morphs into a woman's journey to freedom. If you are a fan of historical fiction with a twist, this is for you. I learned so much about Tudor England. The author uses the discovery of a body, the time of difficult religious turmoil (Catholics vs Protestants), and pestilence as the backdrop for an intense family drama unfolding in the present. Belfer explores many relevant topics including sexual identity, fidelity, and neurodiversity which she does with great power and finesse through well-drawn characters. The Audible narration was especially captivating! I highly recommend this book!

Jaema Berman

LGBTQIA+ Titles

* Librarian Recommended 

Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg

Book Boyfriend by Kris Ripper

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune  *

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers * 

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis J Hall 

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake *

Payback is a Witch by Lana Harper *

These are just a few LGBTQIA+ titles in our collection. If you have any recommendations you can let us know here! 

Staff Picks - Chelsea's Top 5 for the First Half of 2022

We are halfway through 2022 and I thought I would share my top 5 titles I have read so far. I read a lot for my work and for myself. So, trying to narrow the list down seemed impossible. Which is why I decided to pick 5 for the first half of 2022 and another 5 at the end of the year. 

Without further ado, here is my list!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney - This title will be released on 8/30/22. 

This mystery/thriller takes inspiration from one of Agatha Christies more challenging stories And Then There Were None and it does a fantastic job at it. I could not put this title down and read it in just one sitting.

I can't wait for you to get your hands on it. 

If you like Agatha Christie, challenging puzzles, and incredible twists, you'll like this one. 

From Below by Darcy Coates - 

Another incredible horror from my favorite author in the genre, From Below, takes us out to sea and the mysteries that lie below in the deepest parts of the ocean water. 

Join this crew of adventurers as they uncover horrible secrets of what happened to the SS Arcadia all those moons ago. 

If you like atmospheric horror and ghost stories, this one is for you.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree - 

If you like coffee, pastries, and fantasy, I have news for you. This cozy fantasy follows Viv, the retired barbarian orc looking to settle down and open a coffee shop. 

And if you think that it might be too laid back and gentle, you've got another thing coming. There is just enough action and challenges they have to face to make it engaging up until the end. 

Suffice to say I am hoping to see more from these characters!

Perfect for those new to fantasy and looking for an introduction to the genre.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers - 

I love Becky Chambers's work a lot. And this sci-fi novella series is no exception. I have recommended it to almost everyone I know that reads actively. 

This cozy sci-fi takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery and learning what is important to you and how to manage that with what is expected of you. I learned a lot about myself by reading this and I hope you do as well. 

If you like thought-provoking reads or are looking for something easy to get into the sci-fi genre, pick this one up. 

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake - 

Now, for me, this one was a surprise, because I am not the biggest fan of romances. But there was more than just romance here. There was a lot of self-reflection and familial events that made it feel much more fleshed out and solid. 

This was the first in a new series and I am excited to read the next one when it is out!

A positive LGBT+ romance for all. 

*All titles are available to check out through the library or are in the process of being ordered for the collection. 

Hell of a Book by Jason Mott

Hell of a Book by Jason Mott 

Superb, chillingly darkly hilarious and heartbreakingly horrific. A black author is on a book signing tour for his best selling novel, Hell of a Book. He is experiencing loads of anxiety-out of body experiences- as he travels from city to city presenting in books stores, TV studios, and Town Hall venues essentially to discuss the success of his book, the plot and the reasons he wrote it. His brain literally becomes more and more unhinged as he pushes himself into discomfort and his behavior/persona gradually unravels. He is haunted by his brutally violent past resulting in flashbacks to personal tragedies that cloud his ability to function and remember details about his life. The writing is superb, chillingly, darkly hilarious and the story heartbreakingly real and horrifying. 

I could not put it down. The writing is mature and powerful. I appreciate reading about social topics that give me insight and understanding and I feel like in this case, Mott highly succeeded. It did win the 2022 National Book Award. My rating:

JB

Suggested Reading for Horror Fans

 Horror as a genre is growing and here are some new and some not-so-new authors dominating the field. 

• Stephen King - Most known for titles such as The Shining (1977), The Green Mile (1996), It (1986) and so many more is it any wonder that he is starting off this list?
• Darcy Coates - An Austrian-based horror and thriller author with more than a dozen titles to her name (and a personal favorite). 
• Brian Keene - A popular American author known for his work in horror and dark fantasy. Winner of two Bram Stoker Awards. 
• Sarah Langan - American author and three-time Bram-Stoker award winner. Commonly found on best-of-year lists. 

These are just a few authors in the genre. Check out our recommended reads page for more!

~CP

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Firekeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley

2021, 496p. Henry Holt and Co. 

https://catalog.tln.lib.mi.us/?section=frbr&iid=1028415&currentIndex=0&view=frbrFormatDisplayDetailsTab&facetFilters=%5B%5D

This extraordinary debut novel by Michigan Ojibwe author, Angeline Boulley in 2021, Firekeeper's Daughter was named one of the top YA novels of all time by Time Magazine. Taking place in Sault Ste, Marie, MI, the novel introduces you to Daunis, recent a high school graduate, hockey player, brilliant, half  Ojibwe-half white, dealing with identity and the pressure of living up to social and family expectations.  

In a community that values hockey "gods" and social status- where youth born into the indigenous community are looked down upon and judged because of their blood purity, tribal membership and ability to collect tribal annual funds, teens like Daunis and her brother Levi have opportunities like college but struggle with the easy availability of money and drugs. 

The plot, characters and good story writing makes this reading experience one of my all time best reads. I appreciate the author's use of Native American language, ritual ceremony, traditions, prayers and perspective that added much poetry and power to my understanding of this Michigan community-it's history and subsequent struggles that still exist. 

You are on a journey of self exploration and coming of age with a character who feels like she just steps off the page. I think that this book will become required reading in the near future. Read it now for the power and poetry.  

My Rating 5 stars! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

Read this now! Daunis Fontaine will capture your heart and stay with you always! 

JB

AWARDS: 

2022 Michigan Notable Book

A PRINTZ MEDAL WINNER!
A MORRIS AWARD WINNER!
AN AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH LITERATURE AWARD YA HONOR BOOK!

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB YA PICK

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller

Soon to be adapted at Netflix for TV with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground.

“One of this year's most buzzed about young adult novels.” —Good Morning America

A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time Selection
Amazon's Best YA Book of 2021 So Far (June 2021)
A 2021 Kids' Indie Next List Selection
An Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection
A PopSugar Best March 2021 YA Book Selection