Fiction

  • For the love of llamas

    Have you noticed all the recent books* starring llamas? In case you’ve missed out, here’s a list for the whole family: Llama of Death – the third installment in the Gunn Zoo Mysteries series by Betty Webb – features Alejandro, a grumpy llama who loves children. When a dead man is found in Alejandro’s pen,… Continue reading

  • Fiction with a side of wry: Five books our librarians love

    Smart, witty and fun to read: That’s the criteria my fellow librarian Misha and I used when selecting books for our newest “Humor” list. Here are some of our favorites from that list. Middle Men by James Gavin With deadpan humor, these stories of Los Angeles men of the slacker variety provide insight and wit… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: Jurassic panic

    If you’re of a certain age, the Jurassic Park movie holds a very special place in your heart. It had everything: science, action, Jeff Goldblum and most of all dinosaurs! The book was even better and turned a whole new audience on to the particular joys of Michael Crichton’s science thrillers. In preparation for the… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: Swashbuckling fantasies for all kinds of voyages

    Quintessence by David Walton A disgraced doctor and a cold-blooded con man in alternate history 16th-centruy England seek out Horizon, a fabled land across the ocean that holds great riches and even greater dangers. A delightfully unconventional little book that takes its time laying out its players and adding layers to a nuanced fantasy world.… Continue reading

  • Historical romances

    When you think of historical romance, chances are you envision women in off-the-shoulder poufy dresses posing with bare chested swains, and in many cases this is the norm. The romance genre is, however, much deeper than you may think. Though Regencies (poufy, swains) are the most prevalent type of historical romance, this in no way… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: How to build a good fantasy

    Part of the fun of reading fantasy is just sitting back and marveling at the world-building. Reading how an author unfurls the details of a strange and unknown world is a hallmark of fantasy that other genres approach, but few embrace with such gusto. Lately in my reading I’ve noticed some authors taking the idea… Continue reading

  • Novels tough as nails

    These are some of my favorite novels because they feature brave, foolish and lucky characters that know how to persevere in the face of adversity. Rain, wind and cold are facts of life for them. They lead a gritty life with adversity around every corner. Not surprisingly, the writing in these novels is often as… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: A sleight of hand

    The perfect weekend read for anyone who enjoys short stories with wonder, magic, heart and hidden depths that appear seemingly out of nowhere.  Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link Other quirky, oddball and otherwise strange magic realism books you may enjoy Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: Fantasy to tickle your brain

    Fantasy isn’t just about epic quests or magical kingdoms or ancient races of mythic creatures. It’s also about using fantastical elements to illustrate larger themes of the human experience or as a metaphor for real world issues or philosophies. So while there are plenty of epic fantasies that do tickle the brain, they often overshadow… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: Three picks for the dystopia hungry reader

    Flash Point by Nancy Kress With the United States in a permanent recession, Amy is forced to participate in a reality television show where she is never sure if the dangerous threats are real or manufactured. Fast-paced and smart science fiction that manages to be gritty and frighteningly believable in its portrayal of the future. Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: Science fiction mystery blends

    Science Fiction and Mystery may be starkly separated genres for some, but recently I love the way they blend together in three great series. The examples below range from the lighter, funny end of things to the traditional and even the darker genre mixtures. Check them out if you’d like to see for yourself. KOP,… Continue reading

  • Your Next 5 Books: Traveling to Thailand

    In this column we regularly highlight a Your Next 5 Books submission that we find interesting, funny, unique, or useful to other readers. Submit Your Next 5 Books entry now, or stop by and see us in person, and maybe you could see your (anonymous) reading habits on Shelf Talk! Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: More love and triangles

    Jared recently wrote about some science fiction novels with love triangles at their core. I just read two books in a recent teen series that features a great, complex love triangle while telling a compelling story of survival: Amy Kathleen Ryan’s Sky Chasers novels, Glow and Spark. Glow sets up the series beautifully, with complex characters, suspense… Continue reading

  • Lust to love

    If you’re looking for love (or lust!) this February, look no further than the library! And who knows? You may cross paths with the person of your dreams as you reach for one of these sizzling reads. The Super Bowl may be over, but you can still score in the game of love! Especially if… Continue reading

  • Crime: Inappropriate morality tales – Mysteries for teens

    “Do you have something inappropriate?” asked a teen patron at the Beacon Hill library. “Lots,” I countered and pulled out Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan. What can be more horrific than plotting to kill your teacher? “No,” he whispered violently, “I mean like sex.” Oh, that kind of inappropriate, I chortled inside. Continue reading

  • Science Fiction Fridays: The fantastic folly of youth

    It’s really not a secret that some of the best science fiction written in the past ten years has been classified as young adult. While most people acknowledge the distinction between adult and young adult science fiction does not denote quality, I find that few science fiction fans read juvenile genre fiction, besides some of the… Continue reading

  • Don’t miss these five novels for Black History Month

    The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis Personal stories of the Great Migration come alive through the children and grandchildren (the 12 tribes) of Hattie Shepherd, a woman who left the South in 1923 in hopes of finding a better life in Philadelphia. Continue reading

  • Extreme outdoors

    Although I’m fairly wimpy in “real life,” I enjoy the vicarious experience of reading about other peoples’ travails in harsh climates. Here are some favorite tales of true adventure and survival (with a bit of history thrown in): The Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury When isolated Nome, Alaska, was struck by a diphtheria epidemic in… Continue reading