Staff Selections

Brookfield Public Library
1900 N. Calhoun Road
Brookfield, Wisconsin 53005
(262) 782-4140
www.brookfieldlibrary.com
(EXCEPT LIBRARY STAFF)
Hours
Monday - Thursday
9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday (School Year) 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
2016 edition
Staff
Selections
NONFICTION
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing
Saga of a Donner Party Bride
Brown, Daniel James
978.02092 B877
In April 1846, as young newlywed Sarah Graves departed her
Illinois home on a journey to California, she could not foresee the
misery and horror that awaited her. After numerous delays on
their difficult westward path, she and her family decided to join
an ill-fated wagon train under the leadership of George Donner.
Ending up snowbound and starving in the Sierra Nevada range,
the Donner party descended into cannibalism, a well-known and
grisly episode of pioneer history. Brown's work gracefully
balances graphic depictions of extreme privation with humanizing
glimpses of the emigrants' everyday hopes and fears. Brown also
skillfully weaves relevant historical, cultural, and scientific
information into his chronicle, creating a rich and contextualized
background. (Library Journal)
“Gripping insight into the Donner party.” - Edell
NONFICTION
FICTION
And the Good News Is: Lessons and Advice
from the Bright Side
Saint Mazie: A Novel
Perino, Dana
Attenberg's novel is based on the WWI and Depression-era life of
Mazie Phillips, Queen of the Bowery. The story unfolds mostly
through diary entries, snippets from an unpublished
autobiography and recollections of those who knew of the woman
who "passed out advice, money, and sympathy" to men who lost
their livelihoods during the 1930s. She is a good-time girl but also
a woman who cares deeply about the less fortunate, and this
plays out most endearingly in her friendship with a pious nun. In
the book's final quarter, Mazie wanders the streets handing out
change and calling ambulances for people, a pattern that seems
emblematic of a difficult time, painting a vivid picture of life
during the Depression. (Publishers Weekly)
92 P445
With this delightful blend of the political, personal, and
professional, Dana Perino gives us a useful glimpse into one of the
most remarkable workplaces in the world, the White House.
Political junkies will revel in her insider tales but every reader will
come away knowing more about the human dimension of working
in the most powerful place on the planet. (Mike McCurry, former
White House Press Secretary)
“Perino has great career advice for young women.” - Carole
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Larson, Erik
Recommended by Steph
940.5414 L334
The sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania in 1915 is one of the
most dramatic and most remembered maritime disasters of the
twentieth century. Larson reconstructs the last and fatal voyage of
what was widely considered the most beautiful ship of the day.
Reader engrossment is tightly sustained as we move back and
forth between the Lusitania on its return from New York City to its
home port of Liverpool under a black cloud of warnings that the
imperial German government considered the waters around
Britain to be a war zone, and the rapacious German submarine U20, stalking the seas for prey like a lion on the Serengeti. Factual
and personal to a high degree, the narrative reads like a gradeA thriller. (Booklist)
Recommended by Edell
Attenberg, Jami
Peace Like a River
Enger, Leif
What readers will appreciate first in Enger's marvelous novel is
the language. As the complex narrative unwinds, readers will find
themselves immersed in an exceptionally heartfelt and moving tale
about the resilience of family relationships, told in retrospect. "We
all hold history differently inside us," says narrator Reuben, who
was an adolescent in Minnesota in the 1960s, when his brother,
Davy, shot and killed two young men who were harassing the
family. Rueben's father packs Reuben and his sister up and follows
the trail Davy has left in his flight from the law. It is a story of
relationships in which the exploration of character takes
precedence over incident. Enger's profound understanding of
human nature stands behind his compelling prose. (Booklist)
“A heartwarming story with a refreshingly sweet narrator.” - Vicki
FICTION
NONFICTION
The Life We Bury: A Novel
The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue
Eskens, Allen
Forsyth, Frederick
Joe Talbert, the hero of Eskens's masterful debut, has worked hard
to earn the money to pursue an education, but his alcoholic mother,
who's unable to provide care for his autistic brother, keeps
demanding his money and time. Joe's life takes a harrowing turn
when he visits a nursing home in search of a subject for a class
assignment—to write a person's biography. Joe chooses Carl
Iverson, who he discovers was convicted decades earlier of the
murder and rape of a 14-year-old girl. Recently paroled because
he's dying of pancreatic cancer, Carl agrees to tell Joe his story.
As Joe learns more about the events of the murder, he is faced
with several threats to his own safety, yet refuses to give up his
pursuit of the truth. (Publishers Weekly)
In this collection of autobiographical vignettes, novelist Forsyth
details his many once-in-a-lifetime experiences that helped
shaped his work. A twist of fate allowed Forsyth to enter the
Royal Air Force at the unlikely age of 17. He received his big
break when the Reuters news agency sent him to Paris as a
foreign correspondent. Eventually, Forsyth made the switch to
broadcast journalism and joined the British Broadcasting
Corporation in 1965, deflecting death in the African jungle during
the Nigerian Civil War of the late 1960s before turning to fiction.
Forsyth packs his stories with history both personal and global and
writes with charm, making this a riveting and refreshing memoir.
(Publishers Weekly)
Recommended by Cathy
Recommended by Sue G.
The Day of the Jackal
Why Not Me?
Forsyth, Frederick
Kaling, Mindy
The Jackal. A tall, blond Englishman with opaque, gray eyes. A
killer at the top of his profession. A man unknown to any secret
service in the world. An assassin with a contract to kill the world's
most heavily guarded man. One man with a rifle who can change
the course of history. One man whose mission is so secretive
not even his employers know his name. And as the minutes count
down to the final act of execution, it seems that there is no power
on earth that can stop
the Jackal. Inventive, organized,
believable, and absolutely spellbinding. Suspense fiction at its
very best and a cliffhanger par excellence. (book cover; The
Philadelphia Inquirer)
Candid about her career and the struggles, Kaling opens up about
how she may have been hard to manage as a writer on The
Office, and how The Mindy Project has not always been so
popular with the networks. And there's more personal dish, too:
What's really the deal with her famous friendship with fellow
writer and Office star B. J. Novak? Who's the White House insider
she dated? Well, actually, she doesn't tell us who, but it's a great
chapter anyway. Photos and subheadings divide chapters for
zippy reading. There are thoughtful lessons, too: entitlement can
be good, if it comes from confidence and hard work. And having
confidence, for that matter, if you're not a certain color, size, or
gender is a wonderful kind of subversion. (Booklist)
Recommended by Nina
Recommended by Carole and Maura
92 F735
92 K145W
NONFICTION
FICTION
The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an
American in Britain
Jumper
Bryson, Bill
Teeming with historical, geographical, and biographical trivia
about people with improbable names and esoteric endeavors,
Bryson showcases both the quotidian and the quirky. This being
Bryson, one chuckles every couple of pages over his curmudgeonly
commentary on everything from excess traffic and litter to rude
salesclerks. One also feels the thrum of wanderlust as Bryson
encounters another gem of a town or pip of a pub. There are no
better views, finer hikes, more glorious castles, or statelier grounds
than the ones he finds, and Bryson takes readers on a lark of a
walk across this small island with megamagnetism. (Booklist)
Griffin O'Conner can self-teleport anywhere he has visited. At
first, his gift seems like a blessing, but it soon proves to be a curse.
A secret agency whose mission is to kill "jumpers" is tracking him.
His parents are murdered when he is nine years old, and he is
forced to leave his San Diego home and live on the run. As he
jumps around the world, the killers show up, often striking those
closest to him. He finds some comfort in a family who takes him in,
and in his relationship with a girlfriend with whom he shares his
secret. He plans to avenge his parents and those who died
befriending him. A fast-paced adventure sure to capture readers'
interest. (School Library Journal)
“Reading Bryson is the next best thing to traveling yourself.” - Edell
“Classic science fiction at its best. Compulsively readable.” - Nina
914.1 B916
Rogue Lawyer
Walking the Nile
Wood, Levison
916.2 W876
From the dense jungles of Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda, to war
-torn South Sudan and the deserts of Sudan and Egypt, writer and
explorer Wood treks alongside the Nile dodging crocodiles,
hippos, and the secret police in an attempt to be the first person
to traverse the length of the river. Wood gets blessed by a witch
doctor, saves a vervet monkey, nearly runs out of water, and
faces a tragic setback that causes him to consider abandoning the
journey. Through interactions with locals, Wood creates a
portrayal of Africa and its peoples that isn't often presented in the
West. An overview of each region, which includes a brief history,
along with visits to historical and cultural sites, allow this travelog
to also provide a glimpse into the soul of the continent. (Library
Journal)
“Adventure is Wood’s middle name.” - Edell
Gould, Steven
Grisham, John
In his latest, Grisham introduces Sebastian Rudd, a renegade
street lawyer with an unconventional yet right-minded approach
toward advocating for the powerless. Rudd's cases involve social
misfits—all wrongfully accused. Loathing the legal system and his
town's redneck citizens, Rudd intimidates both the local police and
judges when seeking a reprieve or dismissal of a case. He also
passes choice tidbits to reporters to generate support. However,
his most difficult legal battle is with his estranged wife who's
waging an ongoing battle to end visitation rights with their young
son. Grisham devotees will enjoy a compelling and convincing plot
propelled by a memorable protagonist. (Library Journal)
Recommended by Carole
FICTION
NOS4A2: A Novel
Hill, Joe
Every year, Charlie Manx takes one or two "special" children in his
vintage Rolls Royce to Christmasland, a place that can't be found
on any conventional map, where they get to experience the joy of
Christmas morning every day and never grow up. But underneath
the pretty wrapping paper, Christmasland is not all that it seems.
Vic McQueen can also travel to places that most people don't
know exist, and at age 17, she attempts to put a stop to Manx's
trips to Christmasland. Years later when Manx resurfaces and
kidnaps her son, Vic will risk everything to rescue her son and put
an end to Christmasland once and for all. Fascinating and utterly
engaging, this novel is sure to leave readers wanting
more. (Library Journal)
“This book had me hooked from page one.” - Marnie
The Calligrapher’s Daughter: A Novel
NONFICTION
Another Time,
Reflections
Rossmann, Stu
Another
Place:
Baseball
796.35764 R837
Stu Rossmann's heritage includes numerous family members who
were baseball fans. They belonged to a generation who
witnessed the game through a different lens. There was no free
agency, thus they found comfort in knowing that their favorite
players would probably be on their team year after year.
Ballplayers were with one another 'round the clock as a result of
traveling by train or bus, cultivating a camaraderie not seen
today. Every player was expected to play the field and take his
turn at bat. How often he enjoyed his family's remembrances of a
particular ballgame or player, for this would inevitably lead to
expanded conversations pertaining to the varied experiences in
their lives.
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible
Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette
Kim, Eugenia
Sides, Hampton
Najin is a young Korean woman growing up during Japan's
occupation of Korea. Her father, a proud man whose calligraphy
work has earned the royal family's admiration, strives to force
Najin into more traditional roles for women. Surprisingly, it is
Najin's mother, herself an obedient wife, who assists her daughter
in completing her education, sending Najin to serve in the king's
court against her husband's wishes. Najin's struggle
to maintain traditions while a future with diverse
possibilities beckons is the same story that unfolds
for her country. Kim has excelled at portraying
Najin as a spirited yet loyal daughter and wife
while exposing a tragic time during Korea's
sustained history as a nation. (Library Journal)
Sides chronicles American naval officer George Washington De
Long's harrowing 1879 expedition to the North Pole, an account
as frightening as it is fascinating. Each page envelops readers in
the bravery of De Long and the crew of the Jeannette, their
indefatigable quest for the "Polar Grail," and their dogged will to
survive. De Long's journal entries are mixed in with Sides's
description of a voyage fraught with peril. Seeking rescue, the
crew hauled supplies hundreds of miles across Arctic ice fields.
Impeccable writing, a vivid re-creation of the expedition and the
Victorian era, and a taut conclusion make this an exciting gem.
(Publishers Weekly)
Recommended by Sue G.
910.452 S568
NONFICTION
Ingredients: A Visual Exploration of
Additives and 25 Food Products
Eschliman, Dwight
FICTION
75
664.06 E74
Ashley Bell
Koontz, Dean
Focusing on 75 of the most common food additives and 25
ordinary food products that contain them, acclaimed
photographer Dwight Eschliman and science writer Steve Ettlinger
demystify the contents of processed food. Together they reveal
what each additive looks like, where it comes from, and how and
why it is used. Essential for everyone who is concerned about the
wholesomeness of their diet or merely curious about 'polysorbate
60' or 'tertiary butylhydroquinone,' Ingredients is a visually and
scientifically stunning journey from ketchup to Cool Whip.
(Amazon)
Bibi Blair is a celebrated 22-year-old novelist with bodacious
beach-bum parents and a deployed Navy SEAL boyfriend—a
sweet life until she is diagnosed with brain cancer and given only
months to live. Miraculously, the cancer recedes, after which she's
visited by a practitioner of "Scrabblemancy," who gives her the
bad news: "You were spared from cancer so that you could save
the life of someone else." Suddenly Bibi is trying to rescue one
Ashley Bell while being chased by neo-Nazi cult leader Birkenau
Terezin, who, in a paranoid-inducing gambit, employs random
characters from Bibi's past as assassins known as the Wrong
People. It's gripping stuff with a twist that upends everything.
Koontz fans will adore it. (Booklist)
“Foodies, label readers, and those with an interest in where their foods
come from will find it interesting.” - Sue G.
Recommended by Edell
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the
Making of The Princess Bride
Elwes, Cary
791.4372 P957E
The movie The Princess Bride achieved a certain cinematic magic,
which Elwes captures in his warm and revealing behind-the-scenes
account. At 23, he was one of the youngest actors in the movie
and was largely unknown. He proved himself early on during
filming when he suggested to director Rob Reiner that instead of
going in feet first to rescue Buttercup in the Fire Swamp quicksand
scene, it would be more heroic to dive in headfirst. Elwes also
describes breaking his toe while riding costar André the Giant's
ATV, and relates other juicy anecdotes. The book also includes
reminiscences about the production from Reiner, Goldman, and
other members of the cast. (Publishers Weekly)
Iron Lake: A Novel
Krueger, William Kent
As Aurora, Minnesota readies for a white Christmas, Cork
O'Connor, the former sheriff, searches for a missing boy. The
disappearance seems family related; a death the same afternoon
appears to be a suicide. Cork's friend Henry Meloux, an elderly
Ojibwa medicine man, blames the legendary Windigo, "an ogre
with a heart of ice" that "comes out of the woods to eat the flesh
of men and women," for the events. Cork finds a criminal
mastermind behind the death and disappearance, in the process
straining relations with his children and divorced wife and with the
factions in a region suddenly rich from gambling run by Native
Americans. Krueger's debut offers wonderful characters and
makes the woods and waters vivid, wild, and menacing. (Booklist)
Recommended by Steph
FICTION
Unaccustomed Earth
Lahiri, Jhumpa
NONFICTION
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The
Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
This collection's five powerful stories and haunting triptych of tales
about the fates of two Bengali families in America map the
perplexing hidden forces that pull families asunder and undermine
marriages. An inspired miniaturist, Lahiri creates a lexicon of
loaded images. A hole burned in a dressy skirt suggests
vulnerability and the need to accept imperfection. Van Eyck's
famous painting, The Arnolfini Marriage, is a template for a tale
contrasting marital expectations with the reality of familial
relationships. A collapsed balloon is emblematic of failure. A lost
bangle is shorthand for disaster. Lahiri's emotionally and culturally
astute short stories are surprising, aesthetically marvelous, and
shaped by a sure and provocative sense of inevitability. (Booklist)
Kondo, Marie
Recommended by Maura
One and Only: The Freedom of Having an
Only Child, and the Joy of Being One
Honky Tonk Samurai
Sandler, Lauren
Lansdale, Joe R.
The focus of journalist Sandler’s book is on dissecting the research
surrounding the myth of the lonely, selfish, maladjusted only child.
Sandler reports that only children are not lonelier, that they have
higher levels of aspiration, motivation, and success. While she finds
that negative stereotypes and social stigmas prevail, Sandler
reveals that "onlies" benefit from their parents' single-minded
support, both financially and emotionally. But the point is to "live
the life you want," making choices based on individual desires and
what is best for one's particular family. Onlies, parents of onlies,
and readers still on the fence will find the book illuminating and
affirming. (Publishers Weekly)
Hap is a former ‘60s activist. Leonard is a Vietnam vet. The pair
of detectives finds trouble like flies find poop, to paraphrase Hap.
When the novel opens, they learn that the man for whom they
work, Marvin, has his old job back as chief of police and wants to
sell the detective agency to Hap and Leonard. Their first client is
Lilly Buckner, an octogenarian who wants them to find her
granddaughter, Sandy, who disappeared five years earlier
without a trace. Before she vanished, Sandy went to work for a
used-car sales company specializing in classic cars with some
unusual options and a warranty that sometimes included blackmail.
Blood, violence, bodies, and pulse-pounding terror soon follow, not
necessarily in that order. (Booklist)
Recommended by Steph
648.8 K82
Ms. Kondo’s decluttering theories are unique, and can be reduced
to two basic tenets: Discard everything that does not “spark joy,”
after thanking the objects that are getting the heave-ho for their
service; and do not buy organizing equipment — your home
already has all the storage you need. Obsessive, gently selfmocking and tender toward the life cycle of, say, a pair of socks,
Ms. Kondo delivers her tidy manifesto like a kind of Zen nanny,
both hortatory and animistic. (The New York Times)
Recommended by Carole and Tammy
Recommended by Maura
649.142 S217
NONFICTION
FICTION
Little House Living: The Make-Your-Own Guide
to a Frugal, Simple, and Self-Sufficient Life
Shatter Me
Alink, Merissa
Juliette, 17, feels as if she is a monster. Her touch causes pain—
even death. She begins her story from an isolation room in a
facility for undesirables, but everything changes when the leader
of the Reestablishment offers to keep her by his side if she will
agree to help quell the resurgence movement. Juliette wants
nothing to do with Warner and his evil ways, but she reconnects
with one of his soldiers, Adam, who is immune to her curse, and this
lifelong friend becomes much more as he shatters her with the
incredible sensation of a loving touch. The novel offers a riproaring adventure, along with a relationship that teens will root
for. (Booklist)
640 A411
Inspired by this gesture of kindness as well as the beloved Little
House on the Prairie books, Alink set out to live an entirely madefrom-scratch life, and, as a result, she slashed her household
budget by nearly half. She started to write about homesteading,
homemaking, and cooking from scratch, and over the next few
years developed the recipes and projects that would become part
of her now beloved website. With over 130 practical, simple
recipes, gorgeous full-color photographs, and Merissa’s trademark
charm in personal stories and tips, Little House Living is the epitome
of heartland warmth and prairie inspiration. (Amazon)
Young Adult
Mafi, Tahereh
“An enjoyable, practical book with helpful tips on nearly every
page.” - Jean
“Better than The Hunger Games!” - Nina
Modern Romance
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
Ansari, Aziz
646.77 A617
Inspired by his own romantic woes, comedian Ansari teamed up
with a sociologist to conduct a research project to better
understand the dating game as it's played today. He addresses
the effects of technology on modern relationships with an amusing
historical overview, beginning with the classified ads of the 1980s
and '90s and video dating services before chronicling the rise of
industry giants such as Match.com. He also dives into the
sociological theory at play, discussing "the paradox of choice," the
differences between "companionate" and "soul mate" marriages,
and a generational conversation spurred by a visit to a retirement
community. Ansari's oddball sense of humor brings something new
and refreshing to the conversation. (Publishers Weekly)
Recommended by Maura
McCall Smith, Alexander
Precious Ramotswe goes on vacation in Smith's enchanting 16th
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel. Her second in command, the
prickly Grace Makutsi, is glad to take charge in her absence.
Mma Ramotswe, who's basically staying home on Zebra Drive in
Gaborone, can't help worrying about how things are going at the
office. Her concern grows when Mr. Polopetsi, a part-time
chemistry teacher who also helps out at the agency, confides that
Mma Makutsi has failed to make progress on a new case involving
a late government official. With Mr. Polopetsi's blessing, Mma
Ramotswe discreetly investigates. As usual, Smith's blend of gentle
humor and insights into human nature is irresistible. (Publishers
Weekly)
Recommended by Carole
FICTION
Slade House: A Novel
Mitchell, David
Written as five distinct chapters, each set on the last Saturday in
October and spaced nine years apart, this novel follows the
nefarious exploits of the Grayer twins, who inhabit a haunted
home, hidden in a narrow alley behind a pub. Each chapter is told
through the point of view of the poor soul who has been
unknowingly summoned to the home as a sacrifice to the twins.
Readers will appreciate how, over the 36-year span, characters
and story threads overlap to craft a unified psychological tale.
Mitchell gives readers a genre-blending, intricate plotting, and
thought-provoking story. (Booklist)
“A perfect scary story.” - Marnie
A Cry from the Dust
NONFICTION
The Year of Fear: Machine Gun Kelly and the
Manhunt That Changed the Nation
Urschel, Joe
364.1523 U82
This story about Depression-era gangster George "Machine Gun"
Kelly is compelling and illuminating. Urschel, a former journalist
and now the executive director of the National Law Enforcement
Museum, has done a superb job of assembling a portrait of 1933
from Library of Congress materials, FBI files, site tours, and
interviews with the descendants of the principals. Gangsters of the
time were forced to move from robbing tapped-out banks to the
"Snatch Racket," in which wealthy citizens were kidnapped and
held for ransom. The narrative propels the reader through
kidnapping, manhunt, trial, and imprisonment in Alcatraz against a
backdrop of historical details. This is a true-crime book that shines
a light on its era. (Booklist)
Recommended by Sue G.
Parks, Carrie Stuart
Gwen Marcey is a forensic artist, single mother, and cancer
survivor. When she accepts an assignment to reconstruct the
remains of recently unearthed victims of the Mountain Meadows
Massacre—an incident in 1857 in which more than 100 men and
women were killed by Mormon settlers in Utah—she gets
entangled in a present-day murder mystery. One of the visitors to
the historic site is killed, and a security guard also turns up dead.
A good friend, her ex-husband, and her unruly teenage daughter
all play their parts in Gwen's quest for answers. A fast-paced,
exciting novel. (Publishers Weekly)
Recommended by Cathy
Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the
Making of a Medical Examiner
Melinek, Judy
614.1 M522
In this engrossing tale of how Melinek became a forensic
pathologist, she pulls back the sheet to show readers just what
goes on after someone dies. Her caseload varies widely, and to
help readers appreciate the job's mix of art and science, she
outlines basic procedures and gives examples of the cunning
detective work so often required, regularly
sprinkling in bits of trivia. Armchair detectives
and would-be forensic pathologists will find
Melinek's well-written account to be inspiring
and engaging. (Publishers Weekly)
Recommended by Sue G.
NONFICTION
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men
Really Think About Love, Relationships,
Intimacy, and Commitment
Harvey, Steve
306.7 H342
As a popular comedian, radio host and red-blooded male,
Harvey doesn't have the bona fides typical to most women's
relationship self-help, but he still manages a thorough, witty guide
to the modern man. Harvey undertakes the task because "women
are clueless about men" and because he has "some valuable
information to change all of that." Harvey makes a game effort,
taking a bold but familiar men-are-dogs approach. He also
tackles mama's boys, "independent-and lonely women," and the
matter of children in the dating world. Harvey's fans and those in
need of tough (but ticklish) love advice should check this book
out. (Publishers Weekly)
“An insightful read.” - Jean
FICTION
The Directive: A Novel
Quirk, Matthew
Having barely escaped alive from a corrupt consulting firm in The
500, lawyer Mike Ford has established himself as a go-to political
fixer in Washington, D.C. But his plan to live a quiet, respectable
life is threatened when his brother Jack drags him into a job to
steal the Federal Reserve's directive on monetary policy prior to a
major announcement, opening up a two-hour window for some
serious insider training. Mike, well-schooled in cons by his ex-con
father, plans to blow up the job from the inside until the lives of his
fiancée, Annie Clark, and his father are threatened. Then it
becomes a deadly race to learn who's behind it all. This is a
nonstop, heart-pounding hit. (Booklist)
Recommended by Cathy
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake
Reichert, Amy E.
The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t
Have to Be Complicated
Olen, Helaine
332.024 O45
In opposition to the "myriad options and uncertainties of money,
the economy, and the financial services industry”, this book’s nine
basic steps on savings, retirement, investing, and credit cards,
among others, can be contained on one side of a three-by-five
index card. It cuts successfully through much of the complex
material in the marketplace by expanding upon and explaining
each step in concise chapters. Young people looking for a place to
plant their financial feet will find this a fine starting point. (Library
Journal)
Recommended by Tammy
Opening her own French restaurant is Lou's dream come true. The
worst day of her life, on which she tries to surprise her fiancé with
a coconut cake only to find that the surprise is on her, ends with a
terrible night in the kitchen and a scathing review from an
anonymous critic. Lou sets out to drown her sorrows at a local pub,
where she runs into British transplant Al Waters. Lou drunkenly
offers to show him the best of Milwaukee. Their friendship slowly
becomes more, but what chance do they have when Al realizes
that he is responsible for the review that brought about the
downfall of Lou's restaurant? Well-developed secondary
characters and detailed descriptions of the Milwaukee food scene
will leave readers hungry for more. (Booklist)
“A sweet tale of our city and its colorful characters.” - Maura
FICTION
FICTION
The Rosie Project
Code Name Verity
Young Adult
Simsion, Graeme
Wein, Elizabeth
Read-out-loud laughter begins by page two in Simsion's novel
about a 39-year-old professor with Asperger's looking for love.
His devised solution is the Wife Project: dating only those who
"match" his idiosyncratic standards as determined by an exacting
questionnaire. His plans take a backseat when he meets Rosie, a
bartender who wants him to help her determine her birth father's
identity. His rigidity and myopic worldview prevents him from
seeing her as a possible love interest, but he nonetheless agrees to
help, even though it involves subterfuge and might jeopardize his
position at the university. What follows are his utterly clueless, but
more often thoroughly charming exploits in exploring his capacity
for romance. This novel is perfectly timed. (Publishers Weekly)
Wein serves up a riveting and often brutal tale of WWII action
and espionage with a powerful friendship at its core. Captured
Scottish spy Queenie has agreed to tell her tale in exchange for
relief from being tortured by Nazis. Her story, which alternates
between her early friendship with a pilot named Maddie and her
recent sufferings in prison, works both as a story of cross-class
friendship and as a harrowing spy story. Queenie's deliberately
rambling and unreliable narration keeps the story engaging, and
there are enough action sequences and well-delivered twists to
please readers of all stripes. Wein balances the horrors of war
against genuine heroics, delivering a well-researched and
expertly crafted adventure. (Publishers Weekly)
“Light, interesting, and enjoyable.” - Nina
“Deserves to be read by everyone.” - Nina
The Cellar
The Forgotten Room
Walters, Minette
White, Karen
In this haunting short novel from Walters, Ebuka and Yetunde
Songoli, a well-to-do African immigrant couple, live an
unremarkable life in London, except that they keep a 14-year-old
girl, Muna, locked in the cellar. It's only after their 10-year-old
son, Abiola, disappears on his way to school and the police are
called that the Songolis are forced to pretend that Muna is their
actual, though mentally disabled, daughter and move her to a
real room. As the police investigation grinds on, it becomes clear
that Muna has plans of her own that don't involve cooking,
cleaning, or being abused by Ebuka any longer. Walters nails a
perfect blend of psychological suspense and social commentary
that resonates long after the book is over. (Publishers Weekly)
Three authors (White, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig) each
take a character in this tale of three generations of women who
find their destinies wrapped up in a room found at the top of the
Pratt mansion. In 1892, Olive, the daughter of the architect who
built the house, disguises herself as a servant in order to infiltrate
the family and avenge her father's suicide; her daughter, Lucy,
comes to the house in 1920, determined to unlock the secret of her
birth. Finally, in 1944, Lucy's daughter, Kate, is a doctor working
in the house, which has been converted to a war hospital, when a
wounded soldier arrives, carrying a miniature portrait of a woman
who looks exactly like Kate. A marvelous genre blend of romance,
historical fiction, and family saga. (Booklist)
“Suspenseful with a twist.” - Steph
Recommended by Sue B.