What are staff reading this summer? Take a look at some top-rated reads from our Staff Summer Reading challenge! Click the titles to place a hold in LINKcat.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.
"This took me far too long to read, and not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I had to stop and think or reread an enticing sentence over and over again. There is so much heartache here, but the title completely and succinctly sums up what this book is truly about." - Brittany
Five stars - Jayne
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
Love conquers all in this heartwarming contemporary romance from bestseller Jimenez (Just for the Summer).
"This book was funny but also addressed life topics in a compassionate and relatable way."
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Patrick O’Hara is back. It’s been five years since his summer as his niece Maisie and nephew Grant’s caretaker after their mother’s passing. The kids are back in Connecticut with their dad, and Patrick has relocated to New York to remain close by and relaunch his dormant acting career. After the run of his second successful sit-com comes to a close, Patrick feels on top of the world . . . professionally. But some things have had to take a back seat. Looking down both barrels at fifty, Patrick is single again after breaking things off with Emory. But at least he has a family to lean on. Until that family needs to again lean on him.
"So witty and clever. These books are laugh out loud for me." - Stef
Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i by Sara Kehaulani Goo
Set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, Kuleana is the story of an award-winning journalist’s effort to hold on to her family’s ancestral Hawaiian lands—and find herself along the way.
Five stars - Maddy
The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin
This is the way the world ends for the last time. . .
A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester.
"I am truly baffled as to how N.K. Jemisin was able to come up with such an intricate and detailed story line. This second installment was an incredible follow up to The Fifth Season and I can't wait to read the conclusion. From learning about different aspects of the plot like magic and obelisks to finding out more about characters like Hoa and Nassun, I was utterly immersed in the confusion and revelations." - Jordan
The Night Eaters Book 3 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
The thrilling conclusion to the critically acclaimed, award-winning Night Eaters trilogy!
What happens when you and your twin accidentally trigger the apocalypse while trying to defend your family from an evil warlock? Well, Milly and Billy are about to find out.
"This ended the trilogy nicely, if surprisingly. The artwork is amazing, and I loved the combination of humor and horror." - Emily
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
This sweet and funny teen rom-com follows a hopelessly romantic teen girl and her cute yet obnoxious neighbor as they scheme to get her noticed by her untouchable crush.
"Cute YA romance! I loved all the mentions of 80's /90's rom-com movies. It was an enemies to sweethearts premise but not done in a cheesy way. This was a really cute book!" - Jody
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
A memoir-in-essays from disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty Rebekah Taussig, processing a lifetime of memories to paint a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most.
"This book was a fantastic collection of essays straight from Rebecca's life about navigating the sometimes impossible to extremely difficult challenges of living as a disabled woman and a teacher. It was so beautifully written and compelling." - Kelli
Broken Country by Clare Leslie
A love triangle unearths dangerous, deadly secrets from the past in this thrilling tale perfect for fans of The Paper Palace and Where the Crawdads Sing.
"A sort of "Bridges of Madison County" story involving secrets and surprises. The story goes between past and present and reveals the complexity of relationships and choices made." - Molly