"Tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. Her incredible story of perseverance was spellbinding, as she triumphed in a segregated, male-dominated society."
"This book is just SOOO good. It's a classic. (They're even making a Broadway musical). This book is addictive and I never wanted to put it down. It's just captivating and emotionally connects. It was written so beautifully."
"This book is about loss and overcoming obstacles. It is about love and WW2. It is about the struggle to survive. It is about true friendship. You will laugh out loud and cry until you can no longer see the pages. It is written from the perspective of death himself during a time he was severely overworked. This is a true 'have to read' book. I hope that you love it as much as I do."
"The author paints a vivid portrait of a woman who takes the violent rejection by her family, her friends, and the societies in which she lives, and turns it into her source of strength, love, and compassion. Circe is a novel spanning thousands of years but feels timeless, and timely given the state of women’s rights in Texas and the country."
"For me, this book has a bit of everything. There is mystery, suspense, action, great character development, first contact with an alien species, unlikely, friendship, and hard science fiction that’s easily accessible. Did I mention that it’s also funny? I think this is a great book to break you out of any reading slump."
"Hurston had an incredible ability to make regional dialect come to life, almost in a cinematic way. Her stories tend to take the unexceptional and make them fascinating. Her characters have an 'every-man' type of feel to them that keeps the reader engaged despite the somewhat dense language... To use her own words, Hurston's work is not 'tragically Black,' which is a nice break from the abundance of historical fiction and socially influenced African American fiction. And while these too are extremely important stories, Hurston's work offers the balance that's often devoid in discussions of Black literature. Her work provides a story where Black people are protagonists in their own experiences rather than second-class citizens merely reacting to or avoiding the wrath of an oppressor."
"Gosh, it's a translated work from its original French writing, but there are so many beautiful themes around love, in a cemetery setting. All that we've lost and wanted all lead us somewhere in the end. It's so full of hope and beautiful memories I can't forget! I found it randomly at the Central library and can't be more grateful for running into it!! Thank you HPL I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE HPL <3"
"The story is unique and deeply moving. The writing is exquisite. The friendship between two people at the end of their lives, sharing an extraordinary bond is just wonderful. Love love love this one!"
"It drew me in and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Just when I thought I knew what was going on I didn’t, and things had changed. And the end?!?! Like never could I have ever guessed that!"
"I love the imagery Cather creates with her writing and the characters in this story. I fell in love with Willa Cather through this book and the way she tells people's stories and talks about landscape and story setting."
"It's a funny account of what one man was thinking while running an errand at lunch. I have never read anything like it. The sidebars are hilarious. You will never ride an escalator the same after reading this."
"This book was absolutely transformational in the way I think about families, relationships, and really challenged my views on them. It's one of the books that's impossible to forget."
"It's a brilliant and hysterical send up of characters in 1950/60s New Orleans. Also, how it came to print at all after the authors death is a story of its own worth reading in the preface."
"Despite its notorious length, this book is so good you'll be looking forward to the footnotes (and oh how there are footnotes). The book is packed to the brim with so many seemingly disconnected ideas, from AA to youth tennis, Canadian wheelchair assassins to M*A*S*H, and its fractured structure allows the reader to have epiphany after epiphany connecting the thematic dots ... As dark as it can be, the book's zaniness and heart will have you Keep Coming Back. Truly too much fun."
"Readers don't know what to believe from the narrator who is obsessed with playing mind games with her husband. We wonder why she reads into everything he does with such intensity. Why would she play games this far into the relationship? They're married! She's a mother! And is her husband aware of her obsessive passive-aggressive bids for his attention? The book concludes in an unexpected revelation that I just cannot stop thinking about."
"This was the first book I ever read about the life of animals from their point of view. I thought it was sweet and smart and so sad. I loved it. I still love it and read it and its sequel at least once a year or so. I've always had a kinship with animals."
"The adventure, the romance, the found family, the magic, take your pick! The Princess Bride has been a long time favorite of mine and I love describing this book to my friends as “The Princess Bride, but Buttercup is the one to go on the quest to save Wes."
"The whimsy, mystery, and magic captivates readers in this delicious tale. The writing is so vivid, readers can see, smell, and taste every detail. Written in 2011, this book already feels like a classic."
"This book is a warm hug. Full of instantly loveable characters and touching moments, the narrative has you rooting for growth and change. With so many parallels between fiction and our current reality, this book has you believing in a world where people can begin to see past their misconceived notions and biases and love others for exactly who they are."
"This book is so absolutely delightful. Baldree does an amazing job bringing every character to life, and he wastes no time in getting you fully immersed in the incredible world of Dungeons & Dragons. Somehow, nothing feels out of place or improbable. The best part - it's so cozy!! Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down until I was done! The perfect read for a lazy, rainy day."
"It's an infinitely funny and irreverent book about the end of the world, ultimately showcasing in a warm and clever way why the world and its inhabitants are worth saving."
"Midnight Riot is a police procedural featuring magic in the real world that is accessible to anyone willing to put their nose to the grindstone—and that is the first chapter of the first book in the series. The audiobooks are masterfully produced and the writing is rich enough to stand up to multiple reads and listen-throughs. Aaronovitch combines faithful reproductions of contemporary landmarks and mundane settings with fanciful stories of the magical citizens who share this world. This series will appeal to grown-up readers of Harry Potter or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well viewers of Law and Order or Bewitched."
"It’s part historical fiction, part folk tale. I love the characters, especially Jonathan Strange. He’s one of my favorite characters in a novel ever. It’s very clever, well-written, and witty."
"It is a fantastic book that has family drama, political intrigue, and what is means to be morally good, all told via the solving of a murder mystery while still being a romance book. The characters are complex and there are so many diverse family relationships that don't feel flat. Be warned this book is a tear-jerker, which you can tell by the opening line of the story ..."
"This book depicts the struggle between one’s ego when faced with the truth of its evil, selfish and human behavior. The struggle of wishing you chose to act. The realness of the human ego in the face the potential good that we have the capacity to be."
"Set in WW2, the book spans across three different women and their efforts to take down the Axis powers using their intellectual skills and fortitude, while building lasting friendships in the face of adversity and challenges of war."
"I love historical fiction and Winter Garden has been my favorite in this genre. It is excellently written, building to the climax of a mother revealing her true past to her daughters. Having read nonfiction accounts of the historical events the book is based upon, I feel the author realistically portrayed the hardships and difficult choices that had to be made by the people during that time in history. This is a very moving book that I will always remember."
"Intelligent, adventurous, and provocative! The author dives into the lives of three anthropologists at the beginning of a newly formed field of study in New Guinea in the 1930s. The anthropologist characters are inspired by real scholars and showcases their intellectual and romantic lives, as well as their Western prejudices and biases against the native peoples they are studying."
"This was a wonderful modern day + historical fiction flashback. The main character growing as a young adult and finding her way along with the effort put in to telling someone else’s story flowed so well in this book. I loved visualizing the city walks and excitement, relationships made, lively food markets and the publishing company personalities. Very well written and enjoyable."
"I love horror with a historical touch. This book is a creepy mind trip where worrying about the coming Nazi party is the least of the characters worries."
"There's so much personality in the narration you immediately can tell the universe you live in even if you don't understand it. I was strapped in and ready for the ride from the first page."
"The narration from audiobook is amazing, as well as the hints and twists and turns of the book, revealing an amazing ending that keeps me listening to this same book over and over again."
"Such a feel-good story—or series of stories. Lighthearted—and heavy handled well when it needs to be heavy. Extremely witty. The characters are so fleshed-out and well-done— and they're people you'd want to know. I wish they existed. The plot is a constant reminder that old age shouldn't/doesn't change the value of a person to society at large."
"This is the first book in a mystery series set in a small town in Quebec. The writing is excellent, the characters are appealing, and the mysteries interesting."
"This book has everything you could want: mystery, thrill, romance, history... and it's all bundled in King's brilliant writing style. He writes realistic characters so beautifully. You feel like you genuinely could know the people featured in this book. As a Texan, his descriptions of Dallas on that November day are chilling. This book stayed with me long after I finished it, and it's the one book I wish I could go back and read again for the first time ever."
"The details are so intricate and intense! It's a complex novel from beginning to end with a unique dystopian world that draws its readers in. The story elements are written in great detail and readers are absorbed into the story."
"The main character is just so human and decent, and his choice of a new life after 75, is inspirational (not sure that’s really the right word). He’s someone you would like to know; the kind of person you would like to be. It’s SF at its best."
"I'm a sucker for cosmic horror, and Annihilation doesn't disappoint. I think this book knows what makes cosmic horror, 'cosmic horror.' It does this by not giving us or the characters any insight into the Area X, therefor not unveiling the mystery while also not leaving me disappointed that it wasn't answered. Cosmic Horror is about the fear of the unkown, and Jeff Vandermeer knows this."
"I love the old cowboy sheriff that reminds me of my Texas grandpa and I love reading about his mysteries—occasionally supernatural—but always interesting in a different but often similar part of the country."
"This book helps dispel the myth that being introverted is a bad thing. The author explains that being introverted is as natural as being extroverted and that one is not better than the other."
"This book opened my eyes to what actually happened during the Holocaust and what it was like during that time. I think if you haven't read it you should."
"This book of poetic prose celebrates kindness, friendship, language, gardening, and so many of the little things that bring me joy. I love Ross Gay's humor, his detail, his reverence, and all the wandering tangents he goes on. It's an instant gratitude pick-me-up!"
"This is a loving presentation of a veterinarian's life in Yorkshire. It has just the right amount of description of the land. Mr.Herriot obviously loves both animals and people, and has a wonderful sense of humor."
"I love non-fiction and especially learning about the lives of other people. The Warmth of Other Suns follows three people through their journey during the great migration of Black southerners to the north. It was so beautifully written and eye-opening for me as a white woman. I learned about history that was never taught in school through the lens of actual people who lived it."
"I learned so much about Ben Taub Hospital in my city. I loved the model he gives of our future with a mix beween socialized healthcare and private healthcare and how it can work for our country."
"John Green is my favorite author. He writes so beautifully and poignantly. And somehow he writes female characters in a very real and relatable way. This story reminds us that people are just people; beautiful and broken."
"Adib explores Darius not fitting in in America even though he's second generation, too fat to blend in at school and not Iranian enough to fit into his family's life. And oh yeah, he and his father are clinically depressed and they go on a terminal family member visit to Tehran Iran and everything changes."
"The story has such a fun twist on a Cinderella story. It covers so many different topics, from a science fiction show to a working in a vegan food truck. I enjoy rereading it and it has become a comfort read for me because it is so enjoyable."
"This book is so good for so many reasons. The writing style is entertaining and relatable while still providing a masterful craft of narration, world building and character development. While hilarious, this book also deals in character flaws and life experiences that I found utterly relatable and heart wrenchingly real. I truly cannot praise this book enough for all that it is to me and I wish more people knew about it!"
"The book has real character development, but isn't too long. Also, she has real life events. So many books forget that real people have to use the restroom, or get sunburns or get tired when run down to the point of exhaustion. The main character feels real, but the supporting characters are also intriguing and are just as real."
"It is a great book on so many levels. As a story, a treatise on power, this book can be read on so many levels … for me, the story also has great re-read potential. Every time I have read it myself, I see it in a different light! I highly recommend!"
"After the thrill of reading the first book of this duology, Six of Crows, I was worried that the 2nd book would fall short, but it definitely didn't. Character development, angst, schemes, all that and more, I loved every minute of reading this book."
"I love the writing, characters, and the world. I would definitely recommend for adventurous dystopian superhero/villain science fiction fans. No spoilers but the ending was shocking!!"
"This author creates a dystopian society which is original and intricate. The lead character is a readily likeable character with noble ideals. There is a new adventure around every turn and the reader is left craving more of the story!"
"It was amazingly written and captivating. Highly addictive. The whole series just pulled me in. I'm obsessed with Legend / The Legend Series. It's so good, I'm emotionally attached and I want people to find this book and love it too."
"Brian Selznick is a great storyteller! I love the concept of this book, because it feels out of the box. I love how he uses the elements of personification on the characters in the story. It's a memorable read!"
"I got this book when I was 10 years old as the only "fun" thing for my birthday among the necessities; I love this book for the story but I also love the memories. My mom was a reader and I've been an avid reader since childhood, the Anne books were among the first books I actually owned and I still have that copy."
"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie holds a very special place in my heart because it was my mom’s most favorite book, even as an adult. I was introduced to this book at a very young age. I dedicate this book in memory of her because I am a lover of literacy, just as much as my mom. It is a classic favorite and highly recommended for everyone of all ages!"
"This was one of my favorites in roughly kindergarten. The plot and vocabulary is very simple, but the sheer variety of whimsical hats and the prose of describing them is amusing. For a book aimed at 5-year-olds, it has a surprisingly complex message that newer, more flamboyant or fashionable things aren't necessarily better than what one already has."
"So many books about other cultures and mythologies Americanize their basis, such as by having the protagonist being an American or setting it in the United States. But Ikenga is different: there's barely any mention of the U.S. and its culture. Reading about Nigeria was like reading about a distant planet or fantastical world."
"Even though the protagonist is a gay boy, the book is thoroughly an action-adventure fantasy, not a romance. I like how this story can stand among other action-adventure fantasies that do or don't have straight romances, instead of being relegated to a 'queer romance' category."
"I like the unusual aspect of how the hero raised in a commune of Chinese warriors in a Chinese mythology-centered plot is multiracial. Interestingly, she's part Turkish, which I've never seen before."
"It’s an extraordinarily clever re-telling of a classic fairytale. Beautiful world-building, beautiful prose, beautiful story. I’ve read it probably two dozen times and it only gets better as I’ve grown older."
"This book reminds me of everything I love about books: Strong characters, funny characters, heartfelt, protective yet fearful mother, brave characters, friendly characters of different species, suspense, drama, thrills, heartbreak, joy, hope … and rats, of course!"
"It’s such a mix of fun and dramatics. It’s the true turning point of the series when everything gets so much more real and serious. There’s mystery and love and adventure. There is so much world building for this world that I love it."
"The book has great characters and interacts with other books in the world. I like her exploration of what it's like to be adopted and look differently than your parents and wonder what it would have been like if you had stayed with your birth family."
"This is the story of a girl determined to be a knight. The characters are well-written and it showcases the qualities of honesty, determination, perseverance, and kindness in the main character. In fact I would recommend anything this author has written."
