BEST OF 2017: Our Favorite Nonfiction for Adults

The books considered for our 2017 nonfiction list ran the gamut—from intensely personal memoirs to true crime investigations, travelogues, ethnographic studies, historical biographies, science texts, and even cookbooks. But even in examining all of those topics, nonfiction is an extensive and wide-ranging category to cover. For example, it's difficult to directly compare the merits of Electric Arches, Eve L. Ewing's mixed-media, poetic collection, with Samin Nostrat's beautiful and lively cooking guide Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking, in which the recipes are almost secondary.

Neither of those books made the final cut, but trust me—both are worth looking into. In the end, we went with our gut, choosing the books that each of us most enjoyed and appreciated. I think you'll find a bit of bias in the results—apparently, we really love memoirs!—but there is still a bit of variety in the final list for you to explore, to learn, and to enjoy.

(Also... in the interest of full disclosure, no one ever got around to reading that massive biography of Ulysses S. Grant. I'm still #32 on KLU's e-audiobook waitlist!)


The 2017 committee includes:

• Anna, Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington Branch Library
• Brandy F., Reference Services, Lebanon Junction Branch Library
• Heather, BCPL Public Relations Administrative Assistant
• Marianne, Reference Services, Ridgway Memorial Library
• Tanya, Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington Branch Library
• Tracy (that's me), BCPL Public Relations Coordinator & Committee Organizer

Alligator Candy by David Kushner

Marianne says:

An unforgettable memoir about a family's ultimate tragedy and their struggle to recover and carry on.

American Eclipse by David Baron

Marianne says:
I listened to this book in the week before the August 2017 eclipse and so really felt like I understood the excitement that the 1878 eclipse must have generated. It's an interesting and informative book about science, discovery, and invention.

American Fire by Monica Hesse

Tanya says:
I enjoy reading true crime, if it's well written, and this one definitely is. It covers all details, from beginning to end, and doesn't miss a beat. I think true crime readers will enjoy this one.
Tracy says:
This is a solid true-crime read with a little extra. The author did a masterful job putting this bizarre occurrence into thought-provoking economic and historical contexts.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Heather says:
This short, quickly moving book packs a wild punch. Mind-blowing nuggets of information given in such a way non-scientists can understand. Not to mention, Neil deGrasse Tyson himself narrates the audiobook, and his voice is like warm molasses!

Tracy says:
This gem of a book provides a clear and fascinating overview of the subject. I might have to listen to the audio again or pick up the book to fully grasp a few of the concepts—but the book is so short and accessible, I wouldn't mind that a bit. I loved the author's occasional shamelessly dorky asides.

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

Heather says:
This captivating memoir could not have been told in a more beautiful way than the graphic novel format. A raw and emotional monologue on identity and heritage.

Tracy says:
 Emotionally and visually evocative. 

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

Anna says:
I really enjoyed reading this.  It provided a broad understanding of basic civil rights issues that were going on during the 1950s and 60s in the black community. 

Tracy says:
Tyson does a clear-eyed, thorough, and thought-provoking job covering a seminal case in civil rights history, painting a vivid picture of the era's social landscape and explaining why the event is still so very relevant today. 

The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs

Brandy says:
I LOVED The Bright Hour. It's honest and thought-provoking, lyrical and touching. Heart wrenching even. It will make you laugh and make you cry. Loved every moment.

The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesenvich

Tanya says:
Very compelling read. It's almost like reading a work of fiction, but knowing it's not just amazed me. 

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty

Anna says:
 This book is in my top three for 2017.

Heather says:
A macabre but beautiful exploration of what it means to live and die in cultures around the world. Extremely well-written and entertaining. I fought sleep to stay up and read it!

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Tracy says:
Stunning, honest, and brave. Roxane Gay is a superb talent, and I was by turns heartbroken, inspired, and awed by every word she wrote. Her story is both universal and achingly personal.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Anna says:
A well-written combination of history and memoir, told from multiple voices.

Marianne says:
Another heart-wrenching and mind-boggling history lesson about the incredible injustice dealt to the Osage American Indians by our government.

Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder

Tracy says:
I can't stop thinking about and talking about this book. It's an eye-opening look at a hidden subculture of America that is far more prevalent that we might think, based on the encounters of a journalist who embedded herself within the secret tribe of van dwellers and nomads on and off over a period of more than three years. The book does much to challenge our perceptions of "homelessness" and "houselessness," and the various "characters" and situations Bruder introduces are completely engrossing. I finished the audiobook—about 10 hours in length—in two days, listening to it on my commute, at work, while cooking dinner, and any other time I was able to squeeze it in to my day.

Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Marianne says:
This is a fascinating and astounding history lesson about life in the early 1900s for some young women who were "lucky" enough to land a lucrative job painting clock faces. You can't make this stuff up!

Tracy says:
This is a well researched, fascinating story that deserves telling. 

Rebel Mother: My Childhood Chasing the Revolution by Peter Andreas

Anna says:
Really well-written and fascinating story. I highly recommend.

Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar

Anna says:
Extremely well-written and an excellent perspective on female military service.

Heather says:
 This absolutely incredible memoir is one of my favorite books of 2017. MJ's strong, she's smart, she's funny, she's flawed, and she's brilliant. She's every repressed woman reaching for a man's dream and doing it with amazing finesse. I read this book covered in goose bumps.

Traveling with Ghosts by Shannon Leone Fowler

Heather says:
A lovely, rambling monologue on love, life, tragedy, and the healing power of immersing yourself in the world after grief has changed you.

Tanya says:
What an emotional journey this takes you on. It's not just a book, but a life story, so much love and heartbreak and healing in what seemed like not enough time. A very powerful read. 

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

Tracy says:

A hypnotic blend of poetry and prose that provides a raw, searing portrait of grief, a complicated childhood, and—as can be expected from Alexie—the realities of life as a modern American Indian.

Staff Members Pick Their Top 5 Reads of the Year

Last year, I kicked off the New Year with my first Tracy's Year in Reading post. This year, I am putting a different spin on things and sharing the top 5 picks from a number of BCPL staffers. These are the books that we loved best in 2017, from the hottest new thrillers to enduring classics we read for the first (or 100th) time.

Amanda's Top 5:
Circulation Clerk, Ridgway Memorial

Come Sundown by Nora Roberts   
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb 

View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

The Obsession by Nora Roberts   
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman   
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU

Life of Lies by Sharon Sala

View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Anna's Top 5:
Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington

We Were One by Patrick K. O'Donnell
Get e-audiobook via Hoopla

Rebel Mother by Peter Andreas
View in catalog | Get e-audiobook via Hoopla

Colonial Project, National Game by Andrew D. Morris
BCPL currently has no holdings for this title, but you can request an Interlibrary Loan!

Manchurian Legacy by Kazuko Kuramoto
BCPL currently has no holdings for this title, but you can request an Interlibrary Loan!

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Get e-book via KLU

Beth's Top 5:
Assistant Branch Manager, Lebanon Junction

Strange Weather by Joe Hill
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU
I love a scary story, and these 4 novellas give you that creepy feeling like you're being watched, and there IS a monster underneath your bed!! Joe Hill is proof that great horror writing is genetic—his father is Stephen King!

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
View in catalog | Get e-book via Hoopla | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU
"Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother 40 whacks! When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41!" Lizzie Borden was acquitted of murdering her parents in 1892, but there has always been a question of whether she really did the deed, and the author presents a fictional tale of how the murders could have happened.

The Rift by Walter J. Williams
BCPL currently has no holdings for this title, but you can request an Interlibrary Loan!
Residents of the Midwest have been watching and waiting for the New Madrid Fault to produce "The Big One Earthquake"—many tremors have been felt in recent years. The Rift is this native Illinoisan's worst nightmare-an 8.9 earthquake rips through New Madrid, Missouri, changing lives there and throughout the country forever. I couldn't put it down—great beach read!!

The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen
View in catalog
Do you ever really know your neighbors? This book explores the lives of 3 families of a quiet cul-de-sac in a neighborhood that's rated one of "The Top Twenty Safest Neighborhoods in America," and the secrets that everyone hides, including the new neighbors. Another great beach read!

The Day the World Went Nuclear: Dropping the Atom Bomb and the End of WWII in the Pacific by Bill O'Reilly
View in catalog
Everyone knows the United States dropped atomic bombs on two cities in Japan in August 1945—Nagasaki and Hiroshima. O'Reilly tells the story of how the bomb was developed, who the key players were, and the dropping of the bombs and Japan's surrender just days after. It's a story everyone should know, and a story that should never be forgotten-and raises the age old question: Just because we can, should we??

Cheryl's Top 5:
Assistant Branch Manager, Ridgway Memorial

A Child Called It by Dave Peltzer
View in catalog
This book is number one in a series of four. This story will impact your life. You will either like or dislike the book, but you will never forget it!

Plain Fame by Sarah Price
View in catalog
Book one in a series of six. This is a story of an Amish girl getting involved with an Englisher. They have a whirlwind of a relationship with a lot of differences and sameness. Excellent series!

Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
View in catalog
Book one in a series of four called “New Beginnings.” It is a different side to Debbie Macomber, one that I truly enjoyed reading. It has all the good, the bad, and the ugly— just like real life.

Mind Game by Iris Johansen
View in catalog
I love a good mystery, one that you can’t easily figure out. That’s what Iris Johansen has done with this story. It follows the Jane MacGuire, daughter of Eve Duncan, to Scotland. She comes face to face with intrigue, mystery, and death.

The Trials of Mrs. Lincoln by Samuel A. Schreiner, Jr
View in catalog
Abraham Lincoln is my favorite person in history. Finding out Mrs. Lincoln was railroaded by her son, Robert, she was institutionalized in a mental hospital. Her finances cut short, reputation shattered, Mrs. Lincoln lives out the remainder of her days in Europe.

Crystal's Top 5:
Circulation Clerk, Mt. Washington

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Firstborn by Tosca Lee
View in catalog

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU

Heather's Top 5:

Administrative Assistant, Public Relations

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via Hoopla
A wild romp from page one! Written in a conversational, bantering tone from the point-of-view of an itinerant man of privilege, this book is absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. It's like nothing I've ever read before, and I didn't want it to end! I'm so excited there's a sequel coming in 2018!

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai 
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU
This sci-fi novel is overflowing with personality. Insanely smart and intelligently written, Mastei has created art with words in a distant utopia, and given us a character that is endearing, funny, and a complete idiot. Loved every page of this one.

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris
View in catalog
My favorite thing is this book! Surreal and mesmerizing, both in the words and the gorgeous illustrations. Storytelling and mythology interweave the narrative, creating a phenomenal exploration of the human monster, society, and the inner demons we all carry. Of all the books I've read this year, this one touched me at the deepest part of my psyche.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU
Beautifully written and darkly enchanting, this is a must-read for all lovers of fantasy and fairy tales. I was hooked from page one. It breathes a breath of fresh air on a genre that (usually) relies heavily on Germanic folklore by bringing to life little-known Russian fairy tales in an epic that keeps you on the edge of your seat and leaves you breathless.

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU
Jae-Jones is an author with a true talent for painting with words. I couldn't put this book down! Rich and majestic, with an aching depth to the protagonist and a cruel vulnerability to the Erlking. Reckless and dark and oh-so-beautiful.

Tracy's Top 5:

Public Relations Coordinator

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai 
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU
Unless you count YA dystopia, sci-fi is SO not to my usual taste. But I adored this breezy, smartly written time travel caper with its bungling, strangely charming anti-hero. Mastai takes a concept that could've easily become trite or stale and breathes magnificent life into it. Once I got started, I couldn't put it down.

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
View in catalog | Get e-audiobook via Hoopla
The City of Brass is an absorbing fantasy that steps outside the usual tropes and settings to create something truly memorable. Weaving in fascinating details of Islamic history and folklore, it's a fast-paced, opulent roller-coaster ride drenched in intrigue, hidden dangers, and spellbinding world building. I hung on every word and can't wait to see what comes next for this fascinatingly complex cast of characters. Book 2 of this trilogy can't come fast enough for me.

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via Hoopla
Clearly, Heather and I need to stop reading all the same books! As she so perfectly describes, this book is a wild, delightful romp from page 1. I didn't even know or care where the plot was going for the first quarter of the book—I simply hung on for the ride. I loved almost everything about it from beginning to end: the sometimes stunning writing that caught me unaware, moving me quickly from laughter to admiration for the writer's skill; the deliciously layered characters and relationships; the breakneck pacing; and most of all Monty's witty, brazen, incorrigible, and occasionally vulnerable voice. Although I am gutted that the next book will have a different narrator, I can't wait for the sequel from Felicity's POV!

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
View in catalog
This sweeping, luminous debut was a late addition to our Best of 2016 Adult Fiction list. I discovered it in January, barely a week before our final Best of the Year list was released, and I insisted on adding it to the final selection. The beautiful, powerful writing; thought-provoking story; and strong characterizations that make up this historical saga still linger in my mind nearly a full year later.

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie
View in catalog | Get e-book via KLU | Get e-audiobook via KLU
A hypnotic blend of poetry and prose provides a raw, searing portrait of grief, a complicated childhood, and—as can be expected from Alexie—the realities of life as a modern American Indian. It's also the book I've probably connected with the most this year on a personal level. I've been a fan of Alexie's work ever since a classmate introduced me to a story from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven my sophomore year of college (read: a very, very long time ago). He's an author who's not afraid to be a bit controversial to make his point and tell his truth.

BEST OF 2016: Adult Nonfiction

As some of you may know, I tend to gravitate to fiction books over nonfiction. Case in point: of the 80+ reviews I've written for Book News & Reviews over the years, only two of them—Sex on the Moon and Tiger, Tiger—have been for nonfiction works. That's not to say I haven't read, enjoyed, and recommended plenty of nonfiction books. But perhaps I've been a bit less enthusiastic in my desire to share and talk about the nonfiction titles I've read.

But this year, there have been nonfiction books I couldn't wait to talk about. I was delighted when I learned a new essay collection would be released by Annie Dillard, a personal favorite ever since I discovered Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in an undergrad writing class. Then there was Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Klosterman's But What If We're Wrong?, both of which helped me finally get a word in edgewise with a certain friend who's convinced he understands all the mysteries of the universe and tends to lecture his less informed friends (like me) despite pleas for mercy. And who wouldn't want to tell everyone about a book featuring "the bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu"?

There were so many discussion-worthy nonfiction books in 2016, and not all of them could make our list of the Best Books of 2016. But if you have a favorite that didn't make our 2016 list, let us know. We're ready to talk books—fiction, nonfiction, whatever. 

The 2016 Adult Nonfiction committee includes:

• Stephanie S., Reference Services, Hillview Branch Library 
• Tanya, Circulation Clerk (various locations) 
• Tracy (that's me), BCPL Public Relations Coordinator & Committee Organizer

The Abundance by Annie Dillard

I say:
Annie Dillard can always be counted on for an offbeat perspective on seemingly everyday occurrences, and her way of observing the natural world is nothing short of inspiring. She's not for everyone, but her writing always leaves me in awe.

*E-book available via Kentucky Libraries Unbound*

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans De Waal

Stephanie says:
I am not usually one to read about science, blah! However, De Waal's book may just change that. De Waal's cross-species study of cognition is amazing, even to a layman like me. This book is to make you think twice when talking to your pets or walking through the zoo. 

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu and Their Race to Save the World’s
Most Precious Manuscripts by Joshua Hammer

Tanya says:
It had me hooked in the first chapter. There's just the right mix of history and mystery, not overwhelming with unimportant details. This is a great read!

The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama XIV and Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams

Stephanie says:
LOVED it. It is a simple read, but thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Stephanie says:
Loved it! Often when a musician writes a memoir, they use the same poetry they utilize in lyric writing and the outcome is disjointed, sporadic bursts of words that end up being too stream of consciousness. That is not the case with Born to Run. Springsteen does indeed employ the poetry he is famous for, but the end result is inspiring.

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

I say:
In past years, books like Ghettoside (2015) and Behind the Beautiful Forevers (2012) have given me an eye-opening glimpse at an unfamiliar world through in-depth fieldwork and compassionate reportage. Desmond's stories of eight real families living in poverty in Milwaulkee is yet another gripping ethnographic study that I will remember for years to come. Literary journalism at its finest.

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach

Stephanie says:
This book is definitely a niche book, but it's really good!

Morgue: A Life in Death by Dr. Vincent Dimaio and Ton Franscell

Tanya says:
I absolutely loved this book! It was a fast read, with very informative insights into current cases as well as infamous cases in history.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

I say:
I got more out of this book than I retained from an entire semester of advanced high school physics and two semesters of college astronomy. Rather than introducing boring formulas I'll never use and endless technical terms and dates, Rovelli focuses on the wider theories, their inconsistencies with one another, and the questions that still exist in our understanding. In under 80 pages, he explains a century's worth of physics in conversational language, creating an accessible, beautiful meditation on physics and philosophy.

*E-book and e-audiobook formats available via Kentucky Libraries Unbound*

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

I say:
Okay, I'll be honest. I haven't quite finished this book yet (it's over 600 pages, and the audiobook I'm listening to is over 19 hours), but so far it's fascinating! So I had to put it on this list anyway, even if it's all downhill from here. Jackson's life is interesting enough on its own, but Ruth Franklin does a wonderful job of grounding Jackson's work and influence in her time and makes a convincing case for why she deserves more recognition in the greater literary canon. I'm a total book nerd with an interest in the history of publishing, so I am loving the references to Sylvia Plath, Ralph Ellison, and other writing and publishing personalities of the era as well as the insights into Jackson's life and work.

*E-audiobook available via Hoopla*

The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman

Stephanie says:
This is a book about writing, but more than that. It is about the love of words, sentences. Anyone who loves books for the artform that they are, for more than mere entertainment, would enjoy this book. It was written to inspire, and it did. I wanted to write in the margins and highlight my favorite passages.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I say:
What a profound and moving book this is about death and about life. It's beautifully written—I  have oodles of  passages saved in my Kindle highlights—and the author's love of literature and his command of it permeates the entire book. One of my highlights (location 355) reads as follows: "Books became my closest confidants, finely ground lenses providing new views of the world." With his own book, Kalanithi indeed provides a lens into the world, not only into his own life that ended far too soon but also a lens through which its readers can better understand their own hearts and minds.

Stephanie says:
Paul Kalanithi always wanted to be a writer; instead, he followed in his father's footsteps and became a doctor. I am sure many lives were saved by Kalaithi’s hands, but I mourn the loss of the writer. When simultaneously faced with death and new life, Kalanithi struggles with the one question we all struggle to answer; why are we here? And in my opinion, he answers it. Full of hope, full of wonder, Kalanitih will help you look at your world through a different perspective. A highly enjoyable read!

BCPL's Ultimate Teen Booklist: 2015 Updates, Part 2

To wrap up our Teen Read Week celebration at Book News & Reviews, here are our final additions to our Ultimate Teen Booklist for 2015:

New to the List:

Infernal Devices (series) by Cassandra Clare (2010–2013)
In this companion series to Clare's Mortal Instruments sagas, readers discover more Shadowhunter history. Set in a steampunk London, the series centers on Tessa Gray, an orphaned young woman who travels from New York in search of her missing brother and the secrets of her past. Along the way, she learns more of the mysterious world of demons, discovers her own unusual unique magical abilities, and becomes entangled in a complicated romantic triangle. High School.

Lumatere Chronicles (series) by Melina Marchetta (2008–2012)
Like Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, this series features a historical-style setting with hints of magic. Exiled from his homeland after the royal family was slaughtered and a dying woman cursed the land, Finnikin is determined to find a new home for his people. He was only a child at the time of the murders of his friend Prince Balthazar and the rest of the royal family, but Finnikin struggles with feelings of guilt related to a cryptic prophecy. Then he meets a young novice who goes by the name of Evanjalin who says the prince lives and there is hope of reclaiming Lumatere from the impostor king who butchered the royal family. Finnikin is skeptical, but Evanjalin remains stubbornly committed to her course and the two set off on a mission that takes them across kingdoms, collecting allies and exiles along the way back to Lumatere. While the story begins with the journey of  Finnikin and Evanjalin, each successive book adds depth and intrigue to the story, bringing in new characters and gradually revealing unsuspected secrets to hold readers rapt until the final conclusion. High School (mature).

Night by Elie Wiesel (1955)
In this candid account of the horrors of World War II, Elie Wiesel recounts the atrocities he both experienced and witnessed as a young teen who survived two Nazi concentration camps. But this powerful memoir is far more than a recitation of events; it is a poignant exploration of the evils that that lurk in the human heart and the impact of that evil on the human spirit. High School.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult (1998)
Growing up as neighbors and the children of best friends, Chris and Emily have been inseparable all of their lives. Their happy future together seems inevitable, so when an apparent suicide pact leaves Emily dead and Chris alive, both families are left shaken to the core and doubtful of Chris's story, Suspense and heartwrenching family drama combine for a riveting read until the full story of Emily's death and her relationship with Chris is finally revealed. High School.

Paper Towns by John Green (2008)
Just a few weeks before graduating from his Central Florida high school, Quentin, the quintessential nerd, gets a midnight visit from Margo, the wonderfully exciting classmate he's been desperately in love with since childhood. The mission is to play a series of score-setting pranks on the kids in the popular crowd. After their spree Margo suddenly disappears and Quentin's next mission is to find out if she's run away—or worse, done something more permanent. High School.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (2011)
Every November, someone dies in the Scorpio Races, a dangerous horse race unlike any other because the horses are unlike any others. The water horses, both terrible and beautiful, rise from the ocean every autumn to terrorize the people of Thisby. And every year, the people—both awed and afraid—prepare for the traditional race along the beach. This year, Puck—the first female to ever enter the Scorpio Races—is determined to win even though it means taking on the four-time champion, Sean Kendrick. This is an eerie, romantic adventure that is completely original and unforgettable. Middle School (mature)/High School.

The Stand by Stephen King (1978)
Following massive death tolls from the accidental release of a weaponized flu virus, the survivors find themselves drawn into an epic battle between good and evil. This post-apocalyptic horror classic is considered by many to be King's greatest work. High School (mature).

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (2014)
A story of love, lies, secrets, and deep family dysfunction, We Were Liars is a gorgeously written psychological thriller full of drama and mystery. The tale centers on Cady, a young woman with no memory of the summer that changed her life forever but determined to uncover the secrets her wealthy, Kennedy-like family try to keep hidden. Middle School (mature)/High School.

REVIEW: Death's Acre by Dr. Bill Blass and Jon Jefferson

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Nonfiction
Audience: Adult/Older Teen

Summary: Straight from an episode of CSI, this book details the life and times of Dr. Bill Blass, who established "The Body  Farm".   The Anthropological Research Center, colloquially known as "The Body Farm" is a one-of-a-kind research facility that studies how the human body decomposes after death by studying actual human subjects (most are donated by well-meaning donors after their deaths) through the various stages of decomposition.  This research has and is  aiding forensic scientists all over the world in the quest to identify remains and identify murders, charlatans, and criminals.

Lucinda's Views:   As a person with an interest in forensic anthropology, this book was right up my alley.  Dr. Bass brings a very technical and intense branch of science down to an approachable, layman's level.  Through easily understood, but fascinating scientific tidbits, Dr. Bass relates some of his more memorable cases and even the mistake that lead to the establishment of "The Body Farm".  Over his more than forty year career, Dr. Bass has been called upon to aid with many interesting, unique cases, from 3,000 year old Native American burials to a man who was shot, blown apart, and then had his house burned down around him in order try and conceal his murder.  If you are interested in forensic science and love CSI, then this book would definitely be of interest.

REVIEW: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Genre:  Biography
Audience: Older Teen/Adult

Summary: Four years after the sudden death of her mother from a highly aggressive cancer, Cheryl Strayed made a decision that would change her crumbling life. She decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, the Western equivalent of the Appalachian Trail. Her rigorous 1,000 plus mile hike would change her life in ways that she little expected.  This book is the story of her hike and its ultimate alteration of her very being.

Lucinda's Views: I admit that I picked this up after having read about it in a fashion magazine. (Gasp)
But I was intrigued nevertheless.  This account of hiking the PCT and all its many dangers, hazards, and beauties almost had me convinced to go out and buy a backpack to start training for the Appalachian Trail.  (Anyone who knows me knows that that is so not my idea of fun.)  With well written, descriptive prose that draws you in and allows you a vision of a woman whose life is just beyond her control, Cheryl's hike is truly a test of courage, strength, and true grit that makes an enjoyable and motivating read.....(I was looking at hiking boots today....)