Reading Recs

I’ve never been a nonfiction reader. In fact, this book sat on my shelf for years after my aunt gave it to me. But one day I picked it up on a whim and decided to try something new. And what I discovered it that I absolutely love true life exploration and adventure stories. The more remote the locations the better. And the Endurance and her crew travel and attempt to survive one of the most remote locations in the world. This book isn’t long, but it is packed with detailed accounts of their struggles and their will to face the elements and fight together to survive their Antarctic expedition. I hope you allow Shakleton and his men the chance to share their journey with you. –Brittany

Robot monarchies, the winged people of Landfall, and the horns of Wreath fighting in a galactic war is the setting of my favorite ongoing graphic novel series, Saga, written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. It is a unique tale narrated by a child, following her birth and parent's journey through this political upheaval between their planets, and the magical and evil creatures they encounter. As a fair warning, this series is not for the faint of heart, having explicit adult themes, language, and violence. It is balanced by the strong devotion and love shared by the main couple, and the struggles they face brought on by war. –Heather D.

This was the first book I remember reading that really detailed the troubles that arise from imposing one’s own customs and religion on a society which they do not understand. From the Kent Library Catalogue summary: “The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it - from garden seeds to Scripture - is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa. The novel is set against one of the most dramatic political chronicles of the twentieth century: the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of its first elected prime minister, the CIA coup to install his replacement, and the insidious progress of a world economic order that robs the fledgling African nation of its autonomy.” –Randyn

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, or The Wheel of time series, you’ll likely enjoy this first book in the Stormlight Archives series. Brandon Sanderson managed to pull me in to this story by building a world that is unlike any I’ve encountered in other fantasy series. The characters are interesting and deep, making you truly care about them. The story is full of action, mystery, drama, and even humor, drawing the reader in for more. Luckily, this is the first book in a series, so the adventure continues! –Kelly

Under the Dome by Stephen King is a huge book that is absolutely amazing. This book is perfect for the people who think that books are over too quickly, like I do. I am also a huge science fiction nerd, so this book was right up my alley. It is about a town that gets cut off from the rest of the world randomly one day when a huge dome appears over the town. It is a great book that keeps the pages turning (which is a good thing considering how big it is). Stephen King is an amazing writer and this is one of my favorite books by him. –Cole

Moning delivers with her concept of the Fae, and with this story of the inception of a young woman's crusade to find out who murdered her sister and why. There were the dark elements, the humor, the appeal of an ancient, foreign city that was so exquisitely described in the narrative, a likable heroine who had depth, and I was able to see the story evolve in a good way over the course of the book, a fantastic antihero, and very scary, intense adversaries. Easily claims a place on my top ten list. –Sarah

Great sci-fi book about the end of the world and the survival of the human race. The science in the book is futuristic but is believable. The reactions are well written and without giving too much away, no not everyone sings kumbaya. –Joe

The start of her Finishing School series of books, this is YA at its finest. Carriger is fantastic at mixing comedy, romance, steampunk adventure, and Victorian drama all together in her books for older audiences, and she adapts this style perfectly to Young Adult fiction. If you’re looking for a light, fun read set in a school that will teach you to finish anything, even other people, I highly suggest you give it a try. It’s also the perfect introduction to her wider Parasolverse, if you decide you want to read her other books (which I’d suggest you do)! –Alexis

When I first picked up this book I thought it was going to be just another young adult romance novel. But in lots of ways, this book surprised me. I was surprised by how earnest it was, the fleshed-out characters and the exciting, whirlwind story. Most of all I was surprised by when it took on the issue of child neglect and abuse with appropriate weight without the book becoming a complete downer. I laughed, I cried, I rooted for these two unlikely heroes on every page as they navigated a school years’ worth of struggles, homework being the least of them. –Bridget