BPL Staff Picks: May 2025Like this list

21 items

• Spinning Silver

  Novik, Naomi,

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  Fantasy. In this brilliant fantasy novel deeply rooted in Jewish heritage and traditions, a moneylender's daughter, an abused peasant girl, and a tsarina married to a demon must find a way to fight the fairy king who wants to bury their…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wool

  Howey, Hugh,

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  Science Fiction. I recently rewatched all of Apple TV+'s "Silo" and couldn't live with the cliffhanger, so I ran out and bought the books to find out what happens! If you've watched the available seasons, this book will feel a bit like a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Zap! Clap! Boom!

  the Story of a Thunderstorm

  Salas, Laura Purdie,

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  Children's Picture Book. I LOVED the author's use of onomatopoeia and rhyme! I kept thinking of what a blast it would be to read this book aloud to kids! The illustrations are a perfect fit for the story. Do yourself a favor and check it…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Gliff

  a Novel

  Smith, Ali,

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  Literary Fiction. I have come to adore Ali Smith - very big fan of the Seasonal Quartet - and I looked forward to her spinning an introspective and thoughtful tale about the future. However, similar to her Quartet, this story reflects the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Kills Well With Others

  Raybourn, Deanna,

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  Thriller. Just like the first entry in this series about retired female assassins being pulled back into the business, this was a fun thriller full of action and drama! I think Raybourn is really great at writing compelling characters, and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Raven Tower

  Leckie, Ann

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  Fantasy. A story about political upheaval in a coastal city-state told from the point of view of a decidedly inhuman god. Wonderful worldbuilding about the relationships between gods and worshippers, gods and the world, and gods with each…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Ministry of Time

  a Novel

  Bradley, Kaliane

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  Fiction. This time travel romance follows a civil servant in her role as a "bridge" for Commander Graham Gore, an expat from 1847, as he acclimates to the present day. Beautifully written, and full of charm, wit, and also sadness, I'm…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Messy Roots

  a Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

  Gao, Laura,

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  Teen Graphic Nonfiction. May is both Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month -- honor both with this graphic novel! The author moved to Texas from Wuhan, China in elementary school, and explores…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Leave It Up to You

  a Novel

  Chong, Jinwoo,

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  Fiction. A cute family drama that takes place in a sushi restaurant. I fell in love with the cast of characters and cozy setting of this story immediately. - Shane J., Charlestown Branch Library

• Crush

  a Novel

  Calhoun, Ada,

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  Fiction. Calhoun, author of the memoir "Also a Poet," delivers a funny and generous novel about a woman questioning her marriage and expectations. From William James to Taylor Swift, from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" to Nick Cave…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Sunrise on the Reaping

  Collins, Suzanne

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  Teen Fiction. "Sunrise on the Reaping" gave me what I wanted from a Hunger Games prequel! - Carly S., Grove Hall Branch Library

• Tilt

  a Novel

  Pattee, Emma,

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  Fiction. Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at a Portland, Oregon IKEA when the "Big One" strikes the Pacific Northwest. While so much disaster fiction features a lone wolf everyman, it was riveting to read how Annie…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Angela Davis

  An Autobiography

  Davis, Angela

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  Memoir/Autobiography. Angela Davis is a wealth of inspiration and power. Want to know how to fight oppression? Listen to Angela Davis. - Karie S., Central Library

• Bear Sees Colors

  Wilson, Karma,

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  Children's Picture Book. In this picture book about colors, the titular bear goes on adventures with his wildlife friends, starting with Mouse, leading to a picnic. As he goes along, he learns about different colors and the items that…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Old Woman With the Knife

  a Novel

  Ku, Pyŏng-mo, 1976-

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  Fiction. An older woman assassin starts feeling her age. Is someone out to get her or is it simply aging getting in her way? This was a quick read that kept me on the edge of my seat. It's not about morals, but I did find myself hoping…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Model Home

  A Novel

  Solomon, Rivers

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  Horror. When Ezri goes back to their childhood home after their parents' death, they know that it wasn't a double suicide: the house killed them. The house haunts Ezri and their sisters, and Solomon's writing haunts the page. I adore the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Very Bad at Math

  Larson, Hope,

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  Children's Graphic Novel. "Very Bad at Math" manages to fit in all the middle school drama you'd expect from a contemporary graphic novel starring an eighth grade class president, along with politics, pizza, learning disabilities, robots,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Six Wakes

  Lafferty, Mur

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  Science Fiction. A locked-room mystery in space, and all the suspects are clones. The cloned crew of a space ship have all been murdered and wake up in new bodies with no memory of what happened. - Beverly G, Central Library

• The Glass Kingdom

  a Novel

  Osborne, Lawrence, 1958-

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  Fiction. After pulling off a lucrative con, Sarah flees to Bangkok to lay low. But in the luxury apartment complex where she holes up, secrets are hard to keep, and her ill-gotten gains soon attract the notice of neighbors and staff alike.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Lizzie Borden Story

  Kraatz, Jeramey,

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  Children's Graphic Nonfiction. What a read! This book retells the Lizzie Borden case from the eyes of Lizzie's real-life young neighbor, Charlie. A whodunit that encourages readers to think about the facts and make their own assumptions,…Read moreRead more of this annotation