Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 288 pages

My favorite nerdy-librarian genre is books about books and this book delivers.  It's a fast-paced, upbeat, witty, slightly wacky mystery and adventure.  I loved it!

We don't have this book at the library. . . yet.  I borrowed the audiobook via interlibrary loan but we will be adding a print copy soon.

In the meantime, check out Robin Sloan's second book "Sourdough."  We have that book in print and audio already and that's what lead me to Penumbra. 

Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly 310 pages

Set in a world where some children were gifted by a specific cosmic event, this story follows Emmeline.  Emmeline was born a shadow weaver, she can literally draw shadows to her, craft them into tangible items, cloak herself in them and use them to try to fill her lonely days.  The child of wealthy parents, she is not allowed to make friends, everyone seems frightened of her and she feels terribly misunderstood.  Only Dar, her own shadow, is always with her.  She can hear Dar speak, but no one else can.  A serious and terrifying event leads Emmeline to run away from home.  When she meets a boy who can weave with light, her shadow begins to act very strangely.  This is a great introduction to fantasy and psychological thrillers for young people.  It also gives clues to what toxic relationships can look like.  I really enjoyed this story for its sensitive treatment of its characters and realistic response to situations, even though the situations themselves were fantastic.  I highly recommend this to children 4th grade and up. 

One Day in December, 409 Pages

Recommended to me by my best friend, who always has a knack for knowing just what I need to read in that instant, One Day in December was everything she promised it would be and more.  And I'm not just saying that because it was the first thing I've read for fun since spending a semester studying European History. 

On a bus ride home, one day in December, Laurie locks eyes with a man waiting on the street.  There's an instant connection, but before either of them can take action, the bus pulls away.  Laurie and her best friend, Sarah spend the next year searching for Laurie's bus boy with no luck. Until the day she meets him, as Sarah's new boyfriend...  I'll stop there, so you can enjoy the how the rest of the story unfolds for yourself.

This book had just the right amount of romance for me without being overly sweet or raunchy.  It was also the December pick for the Reese Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine Book Club.  It's a classic romcom, best enjoyed on a winter weekend with a mug of something warm. 

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake 310 pages

I am so happy that there are several books coming out for middle graders that offer realistic looks at what it is like to be LGBTQ.  This is one of the best books yet that I've read.  It was sensitive, and didn't ever have a heavy hand.  It literally just followed a young girl as she tried to sort out why and how she was different.  More than anything it allows young people to understand two things: 1) it's okay to be different and 2) it's okay to not have all the answers.  This story was filled with warmth and characters that you really won't be able to help but love and want the best for them.  I highly recommend it to everyone 8 years+  without reservation. 

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie 295 pages

This is a great story to hand to a kid who likes mysteries, especially with some spookiness, and 'new kid' books.  Tessa has had to move from sunny Florida to very grey Chicago.  She wants to be happy for her parents, whose talents garnered them awesome new opportunities, but she's having trouble adjusting to a new environment, trying to make friends, and - oh, yeah - she's pretty sure her new house is haunted.  This is a fun little mystery with just enough spooky for a young audience. 

Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar 307 pages

To carry on with my India fiction for children, I read Ahimsa.  This takes place during one of the most brutal, but fascinating periods of time in India's history.  I've read several other stories set around the time that Pakistan was established as a separate country from India, but they were always for an adult audience.  This book was set before the split, when India was still under British rule and tensions were running high.  It follows a young girl, Anjali, as her family joins the peaceful resistance started by Gandhi.  If you're interested in historical fiction, I highly recommend this one.  Ahimsa means peace, and this book gently reminds us that one voice can have a huge impact. 

Ruby and Olivia by Rachel Hawkins 240 pages

When Olivia takes the fall for a crime her twin sister committed, she knows she has to live with the punishment she shouldn't have been given.  Spending her summer cleaning a creepy old house that has a tree growing right up through its center is bad enough, but she has to serve time with an old enemy, too.  This book had just the right amount of creepiness, while not making that the main story.  I loved Ruby and Olivia, they were both believable and the fact that each chapter was told from the other girl's perspective was a great way to be able to connect with them both.  This is a fun, quick read to hand to someone who likes realistic stories with just a touch of supernatural intrigue. 

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, 462 pages

This is one of my all-time favorite books.  It is the story of a Russian aristocrat who, instead of being shot in 1922 is sentenced at the age of 33, to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow.  Count Alexander Rostov has already been in residence there four years but is moved from his swank suite of rooms to a small attic room.

This is a story of love in many forms, kindness, friendship and even adventure.  Almost all of it happening within the walls of the Metropol Hotel.  I listened to the book and enjoyed every moment of Nicholas Guy Smith's fabulous voice.    Two sentences on the book jacket of the print book sum up this book perfectly for me. "He can't leave. You won't want to." 

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris 253 pages

Okay, I admit that I read this simply because I love Neil Patrick Harris.  That being said, it was well worth it!  It was never too heavy, had lots of heart, celebrated diversity and threw in some magic trick how-to's just for fun!  The story follows a boy, Carter, who is excellent at sleight of hand, but has been raised by a less-than-honorable uncle who wants him to use his skills to relieve others of their belongings.  The whole experience has made Carter quite certain that there is no such thing as real magic.  When he runs away, he runs into a group of people who love magic tricks as much as he does.  He will have to decide whether he can trust anyone when it comes to magic, facing off with more bad guys in the process. Do not pass this one up, it's a great story with lots of heart and humor!

Journey's End by Rachel Hawkins 286 pages

Welcome to Journey's End, a charming village on a coast in Scotland where there is a massive fog bank that just might eat you if you get too close to it!  Not exactly the best travel brochure tagline, but it makes for a really fun story.  I love the accents, the atmosphere and the mystery that this book had in spades.  Listening to it was nice, because the reader had a nice Scottish accent.  The three main characters were relatable, joining forces to solve a centuries-old mystery that starts out just as a fun bit of lore, but ends up being far more dire.  It never got terribly dark or scary, so it's fine for young readers, too.  I recommend this one for 3rd to 5th graders primarily, but anyone who likes the idea of a new Nessie-like legend should enjoy this.  I get the feeling it is the first of a series, and see lots of possibilities.  I listened to this one read by Saskia Maarleveld. 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick, 331 pages

This sweet little tale tells the story of 69 year-old Arthur Pepper and the physical and emotional journey he embarks on a year after he is widowed.

He begins the story feeling helpless, abandoned and alone.  By the end, Arthur has come into his own.  He finds he is not helpless, not abandoned and not alone.

This would be a great book to read during the frenzy of the holidays.  Need to relax?  Sit down, pour a cup of tea, and embark on a journey with our friend Arthur.

Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, 462 pages

Loved. This. Book.  Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest for life in 1922 due to a seditious poem.  He is sentenced to live in the same luxury hotel he has been living in for four years, but is moved from his suite to small servants quarters.

Alexander is in his early 30s when he is sentenced and quite a man of the world.  We follow his life for the next 30 years or so, all lived out in the hotel.  The book is full of friendship, love, coping, humor and a cast of wonderful characters. 

I listened to the book, which was read by Brit Nicholas Guy Smith.  Pure heaven.  I stopped listening for a few days because I didn't want it to end.  Alas, I had to finish it because ultimately, I had to know how it ended. 

Faithful by Alice Hoffman, 258 pages

Hope. I tend to love books that are hopeful.  In this story, 17 year-old Shelby practically walks away from an accident that leaves her best friend incapacitated.

Shelby was always popular and the tragedy plunges her into depression and guilt and a belief that her life is over, or should be.

This is a story about Shelby eventually learning how to enjoy life again.  5 stars and thumbs up from me.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty, 415 pages

Liane Moriarty's latest chick lit epic involves three couples and an infamous weekend barbecue. Something happens at the get-together and everyone there feels they are to blame, even the kids.

The actual event is shrouded in mystery and more than half of the book builds up to the big reveal.

Complicated relationships, difficult parents, strained marriages . . . pretty much life.  This wasn't my favorite Liane Moriarty book but it was definitely fun and worth the listen.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo 236 pages

Raymie's father has run off with a dental hygienist named Lee Ann Dickerson.  But Raymie has a plan, she's going to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire pageant, get her picture in the paper and that will get his attention.  To this end, she begins baton twirling lessons.  She doesn't get a lot out of the classes, but the classmates are what she really needed anyway.  This is every bit a Kate DiCamillo story, full of quirky characters and loads of heart.  It's quiet, but moving.  Raymie and her friends keep you interested and involved the whole way.  There is a very good reason DiCamillo wins awards.  I highly recommend this one to students 3rd grade and up who just want a gentle slice-of-life story.

The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty by Amanda Filipacchi, 332 pages

My sister, who often tells me what to read, highly recommended this book.  She found it funny and quirky.

I did find it quirky, but not very funny.  The main characters are a group of creative friends, one of whom is extremely beautiful and another extremely ugly.  Barb, the beautiful one, works hard to hide her beauty.  Lily, the ugly one, tries to transform herself into beautiful.

I typically like books with a little magic, and this book has that, but it just wasn't for me.  I read it, I finished it, but I didn't think it was funny, instead it made me sad.  Funny how two people can read the same book and have a different experience.  Sounds a little like life!

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler, 325 pages

This is a poignant story that weaves two story lines together.  Isabelle McAllister is an 89 year old white woman who asks her 30-something black hairdresser, Dorrie Curtis, to drive her from Texas to Ohio for a funeral. Obviously, they are also close friends.

On the road, Dorrie learns the story of Isabelle's life in the 1930s when she fell in love with a young black man.  It didn't end well.

Dorrie has her own problems and Isabelle helps her come to terms with those too on their week-long road trip.  This was a beautiful story that made me wonder why we still keep worrying about the color of other people's skin.

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer, 309 pages

I listen to most of the books I blog about, but my sister suggested this book to me and we had a print copy, but not an audio version, so I read this one.

This is a quirky book about Sunny, her husband Maxon, and their son Bubber.  Sunny was born with a condition that makes her completely bald.  Maxon and Bubber are both on the autism spectrum.  Sunny and Maxon have been in love since they were children.

Sunny is about 9 months pregnant, Maxon is on his way to the moon on a NASA mission and Sunny's mother, Emma is in a hospital dying.

Sunny and Maxon live in a perfect suburban house in a perfect suburban neighborhood and no one there knows Sunny is bald.  She took to wearing wigs before Bubber was born.  Sunny is holding it together until there is a car accident and her wig flies out the car.  The whole neighborhood now knows perfect Sunny isn't so perfect after all.  Will they still love her? 

Sunny and those of us lucky enough to read this story learn that we all have secrets we're glad the whole world doesn't know and no one is perfect and yes, we're still lovable anyway.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 343 pages

This book was so amazing.  I try to read a few chapters of all our new books, just so I can speak knowledgeably about them to our young patrons.  I couldn't put this one down.  The story is about a girl, Suzy, who is just in the first part of seventh grade who decided to stop speaking.  She states that small talk amounts to nothing, so she may as well say nothing to begin with.  Suzy notices that she becomes nearly invisible, a fact she thinks very interesting...do we see more with our ears than our eyes, she wonders?  The main part of the story, though is her moving through a heavy guilt and grief.  You don't find out until near the middle of the book why she feels guilty, but the grief is due to her best friend drowning while on vacation.  Suzy hates that because of something she did the last image she has of her friend was Franny walking away in tears.  Suzy doesn't want to be the bad guy in this story and becomes fixated with finding out if perhaps a jellyfish sting is really responsible for the drowning.  There were several points in this story where I felt for this kid so much, I was crying.  The author did an excellent job of giving this character a believable voice and a realistic story.  No one was over the top mean, or precocious, or exuberant.  It was a very believable story, which was why it was so moving.  I highly recommend this to all ages, but probably 5th grade and up will appreciate it the most.

Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin 348 pages

What happened to Tessa when she was sixteen was truly the stuff of nightmares. Now 20 years later the wrong man may be executed for the crime. So Tessa has to go back in time, has to find a way to remember details she has spent a lifetime trying to forget.  

If you like Psychological thrillers you will love this book. Beautifully written, fast paced, with lots of twists and turns, Black-Eyed Susans is a read in one sitting book that you don’t want to end even though it’s also sad and disturbing, and makes you want to scream at Tessa to just do what needs to be done even though you’re pretty sure that if it happened to you, you would probably do the same.

It’s not all dark though. It’s also a story of hope and life and courage and the good that comes from facing what you fear most.