“The Eye of the World” is the first book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The series is described as a redefinition of the genre of fantasy adventure. The book follows five young people from a small farming community as they are caught up in an adventure that involves trollocs (like orcs for those who have read Lord of the Rings), friendly ogres and powerful witches. The action is non-stop, the character development is excellent, and the plot is enchanting on its own, and mind-boggling when one considers that it is setting up another 13 books. My word of advice: read the prequel “New Spring” first.
Three words that describe this book: Mythical, engrossing, enchanting
You might want to pick this book up if: you were in the mood for a long, fun, and always entertaining adventure.
-Lynn
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“The Bees: A Novel” is a truly imaginative thriller that tracks the life of Flora, a sanitation worker bee of the lowest caste, in the hive system. Disney it is not. Dystopian it certainly is. If you are looking for a breezy read about flowers and insects and nature, look elsewhere. What makes the book so engrossing, though, is the author’s deft use of scientifically accurate details to create a sometimes disturbing though always fascinating tale. (Note: I frequently found myself fact checking on the Internet while reading the book. “Are queen bee larvae fed royal jelly?” Check. “Are wasps predators of bees?” Check. In every instance, the detail was accurate). Instead of making up “facts” to fit the story, the author created a story to fit the facts, which makes it that much more compelling.
Three words that describe this book: Imaginative, dystopian, compelling
You might want to pick this book up if: You are fascinated by bees or enjoy a dystopian thriller.
-Jeff
“Hamnet” is the fictionalized account of Shakespeare’s passionate relationship with his wife Agnes and an investigation of their grief over the loss of a son. The writing is simply gorgeous, and O’Farrell excels and creating intimate portraits and settings you can almost feel. An unforgettable interlude follows the path of a single plague-carrying flea from Alexandria to Stratford and shows the author’s incredible imagination and skill. An outstanding work of historical fiction.
Three words that describe this book: Lush, immersive, moving
You might want to pick this book up if: You love historical fiction, descriptive writing, and enjoy stories of noteworthy literary figures told through the eyes of “secondary” characters.
-Lauren
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“Royal Sisters” describes the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret. As a life long Anglophile, I found this book to be informative and entertaining. Much of the Queen’s early life was discussed, revealing how she evolved from minor royal to Her Majesty. Much had been written about her, so no real surprises. The fascinating aspect of this book was the life of Princess Margaret. She is a tragic figure, often misunderstood and exploited by the press. They shared a bond and history that only the two of them could understand. The peek into the palace was fascinating. I highly recommend this book.
Three words that describe this book: Touching, personal, and captivating
You might want to pick this book up if: You are an Anglophile or interested in British Royalty.
-Donna
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
In the book “Life’s Too Short,” we’re introduced to Vanessa and Adrian. Vanessa is a travel vlogger with an unorthodox and frustrating family. Adrian is a lawyer with a black and white life. Both have unhappy pasts and Vanessa’s future seems tragic. In her third book by Abby Jimenez readers once again truly get to know her characters through wonderful characterization and dialogue making it a delightful read for someone who loves character-driven romantic comedy. BUT … as a die-hard happily-ever-after romance reader, Jimenez’s books skirt the edges of Jodi Picoult-ish/Oprah book club-ish books (emotionally manipulative and often WAY too dramatic) by including some deeper emotions and conflicts than are often written into classic happily-ever-after romance novels. But they only skirt those edges and the characters are SO GOOD you have to read them, anyway! This one was almost as good as her first two books.
Three words that describe this book: Characters. Dialogue. Humor.
You might want to pick this book up if: You like romance novels and you like good dialogue and smart characters.
-Kristen
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
In the book “Nothing To See Here,” Madison gets caught with drugs at a prestigious boarding school, and Lillian takes the fall and ends up expelled. Madison goes on to marry a wealthy senator, but Lillian finds herself living in her mom’s attic and working at a local grocery store. The women stay in touch with occasional letters until Madison calls Lillian with a strange request. Following the death of her husband’s ex-wife, Madison must take in her two stepchildren. The kids have a weird quirk: they spontaneously combust when they are upset. Madison needs someone to care for the children over the summer as they look for a more permanent solution, and Lillian agrees to be their governess. I loved Lillian as the book’s protagonist and narrator because she was so honest and funny. If you don’t listen to the audiobook, you’re missing out; the narrator does such a great job capturing the humor and emotion in this book.
Three words that describe this book: Quirky, Funny, Sincere
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re looking for a quick read that will make you laugh.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
“What’s Done in Darkness” follows Sarah (Sarabeth) who grew up in a ultra religious family in the Arkansas Ozarks. Right before turning 18 she’s kidnapped. About a week later she’s released without ever knowing who abducted her or why. Rather than embrace her return her family shuns her. Five years later Sarah is living a completely different life in a city near St. Louis. A detective contacts her asking for help finding a couple of recently missing girls who might be related to her case. This forces Sarah to go back to her past and deal with the difficult feelings around her abduction and her family. Very fast paced mystery/thriller. Bonus, Laura McHugh is a Missouri author who also has three other great mystery books that take place in the Midwest.
Three words that describe this book: intriguing, dark, compelling
You might want to pick this book up if: you enjoyed the author’s previous books, or if you’re a fan of dark mystery/thrillers.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
“Into the Planet” is a memoir about the dangerous field of cave diving and is written by a woman — often the only woman on her expeditions. The book discusses the beauty and danger in diving deep into caves, along with the challenges of sexism and maintaining healthy relationships while pursuing your dreams. There’s also a theme of the importance of learning about the environment we live in and our impact on it, particularly related to our drinking water, but also the myriad ways our actions impact others personally, professionally, and in ways we cannot imagine, such as the way the cave divers influence space exploration. I read the audiobook, which was narrated by the author, and I often found myself holding my breath while listening to her brushes with the limits of what the human body can endure. My favorite part was when Heinerth traveled to Antarctica to dive into a iceberg(!), although the book was interesting throughout as she conveyed the language and science of cave diving in a way someone with no real prior knowledge of the subject could understand and enjoy.
Three words that describe this book: Breathtaking, Claustrophobic, Educational
You might want to pick this book up if: You would never actually don a wet-suit, but want a firsthand telling of diving deep into the planet.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
“In America I live in New York, or dip into Chicago or San Francisco. But New York is no more America than Paris is France or London is England. Thus I discovered that I did not know my own country.”
~John Steinbeck
“Travels with Charley: In Search of America” was published in 1962, coincidentally the same year that John Steinbeck earned a Nobel Peace Prize, and rightfully so. Steinbeck travels America in a truck with a camper and his grey Standard Poodle named Charley. This well known writer expresses his travels in a satiric, witty and down right blunt way.
He encounters people of all walks of life and details their uniqueness. Whether it be camping with a farmer on his property in New Hampshire and discussing politics while sharing a few drinks, stopping by a dairy in Massachusetts to buy milk and discovering the dairyman has a Ph.D in mathematics but just loves his job as a dairyman, or a stay in Maine where his lodging is accompanied by a grey cat named George who Steinbeck hilariously describes as disgruntled: “I am told that when guests sleep in the house, George goes into the pine woods and watches from afar, grumbling his dissatisfaction and pouring out his dislike.” Continue reading “Reader Review: Travels With Charley”
“The (Almost) Zero Waste Guide” is about making small, easy steps to use less waste in daily living. I liked the author’s introduction to become more zero waste. As a parent of a toddler and a baby, going zero waste is nearly impossible at this stage in my life, but this book encouraged me to take little steps to leave a smaller footprint on earth.
Three words that describe this book: Zero-waste, sustainability, frugality
You might want to pick this book up if: You might like this book if you are interested in becoming more zero-wasted oriented in your life.
-Elaine
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
