Mount Prospect, you’ve been reading, and we’ve been talking! Every week we have been extending an open invitation for readers to gather and share the books keeping them company in these odd times. We’ve chatted romance, dark fantasy, nonfiction, mysteries, feel-good, horror, and elegant prose. Check out the titles brought by our attendees, and please consider joining us for this week’s conversation: Let’s Talk Books!
The Mockingbirds
The Year of the Witching
There are times when the most satisfying tension release is to lose ourselves in someone else’s (fictional) drama. To help escape our own strain, it can feel cathartic to be swept away in dark thrills, mystery, action, or espionage. If a flair for the dramatic sounds good to you right now, check out these staff suggestions available to watch from home on Hoopla and Kanopy with your library card.
If you like dark suspense, unstable characters who are navigating their purposes in life, and those who become attracted to the opposite of what they might preach. ~Chelsea
This psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat all season long! The story follows a serial killer and the detective intent on bringing him down. As the story progresses, the two become obsessed with each other. Will he or won’t he be caught? You’ll have to watch and find out. ~Al
Starring James Gandolfini. The lives of three childhood friends begin to unravel when a deadly secret from their past is revealed. ~Denise
Who knew that Wales could hold its own against Scandinavia with moody, can’t-look-away noir? This limited series has all the hallmarks, including baggage-laden investigators and immersive sense of place. ~Cathleen
Leave No Trace follows a veteran and his teenage daughter who live in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. It follows their lifestyle, their bond, and how unsustainable their lifestyle becomes and how both of them try to adapt. ~Chelsea
Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery
Based on Louise Penny’s novel. Gorgeous scenery and a fascinating mystery. ~Denise
This classic may be remembered for moments of stylish banter, but it also boasts multiple twists on whom can be trusted. Director Stanley Donen’s playful mix of light and dark is a cross-generational favorite. ~Cathleen
Who doesn’t miss Kit Harington from Game of Thrones? Get your next fix of him in Gunpowder, a historical drama set in the 1600s based on the Gunpowder plot to assassinate King James I of England. With striking visuals, a stellar score, and top-notch acting, this will surely please fans of historical fiction ~Al
Expertly portraying the gritty depths and darkness of human nature, this adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel wisely plants the compelling bleak-yet-determined qualities of the characters at the forefront. ~Cathleen
Still looking? Check out earlier installments of Staff Movies and TV Picks available from home or contact us for suggestions personalized to your mood and taste.
One of the booming arenas of publishing, YA Lit is relatable, well-paced, and offers all the feels. Many stories tackle issues squarely, but in a hopeful way, which makes them an appealing reading choice no matter if your teen years are far behind you. Choose from these hand-picked favorites available on OverDrive or Hoopla, and don’t miss previous staff recommendations for what to read, watch, or listen from home. Looking for something to match a specific mood or interest? Send a request for customized suggestions, and our expert advisory staff will be happy to make your match.
Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan
A motley group of uncool kids are set up by a secret society known as the Chaos Club, so they band together and instigate a prank war. With short chapters, high energy, and the mix of shadowy conspiracy with underdog tale, this is a winner for a variety of teen and adult readers. ~Cathleen
Available as ebook
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
For Sherlock fans: This series is a great riff off of the original tales with Sherlock as a teenage girl and Holmes a boy at boarding school. ~Emily
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Reading the pages of Gabi’s journal is a gut-punch. On the cusp of adulthood, navigating body shaming, racism, and finding her own voice along with the joys that come from learning how to celebrate yourself and what you love in life, Gabi is a character you’ll want to keep rooting for. ~Jenny
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
The story of three siblings who were taken away from their mother as young children and find each other in their teens is riveting! ~Denise
Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
I love books that oscillate between different characters so I get multiple points of view. Let Me Hear a Rhyme highlights three high school students as they work to honor their murdered friend by making him a rap celebrity. Fast paced, full of secrets, and heavy with friendship.. ~Al
The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
I usually give wide berth to stories about boxing, but this tale of a bullied cartoonist in Nazi-era Berlin taking lessons from German national hero Max Schmeling completely won me over. A crowd-pleasing underdog story against backdrop of art, history, and family. ~Cathleen
Available as ebook
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
A few kids on the edge of adulthood facing the big themes in life: death, love, and life-altering decisions. Bonus: It is set in a bookstore! ~Emily
Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald
Sadie attempts to get over her epic heartbreak over her best friend in this satisfying, humorous, uplifting read that is great for fans of Sarah Dessen! The overall hopeful tone of the book paired with Sadie’s dogged attempt to move on makes this book one of my personal favorites. ~Jenny
Available as ebook
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
A little bit of fantasy and a lot of heart and some laughs along the way. ~Denise
After the Fire by Will Hill
Looking for a book that’ll keep you turning the pages until the very end? After the Fire is it! Not for the feint of heart, this twisty, turny, thriller escape plot will keep you engaged the entire time. ~Al
Available as ebook
Rebel with a Cupcake by Anna Mainwaring
Endearing Jesobel presents as a young woman who knows who she is and what she has to offer, and it’s only when faced with a new crush that her self-assurance begins to erode. British teens, sassy dialogue, and friends who love enough to call each other on their stuff — this is a recipe for an entertaining read. ~Cathleen
Available as ebook
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Two teens on the verge of making huge life decisions give into a fate-filled, love-at-first-sight day in New York City. ~Emily
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Acevedo has a way with bringing her characters to life! So good!. ~Denise
Want great listens to immerse you in new stories? Try SYNC, a free summer audiobook program that gives away two themed titles each week for downloading. These are top-quality productions featuring standout performances, and though the design is to encourage literacy and listening in teens across the country, adults and families find ready entertainment, too!
This week you can grab Tiffany D. Jackson’s Monday’s Not Coming, an absorbing thriller read by Broadway star Imani Parks, and the bestselling The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater, an award-winning true story read by the incomparable Robin Miles. Upcoming pairs include The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg with Katherine Reay’s The Brontë Plot and Kindred by Octavia E. Butler offered with Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina.
SYNC is sponsored by AudioFile Magazine and titles are delivered through Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive. Download the app to the device you anticipate listening on, access your first week’s titles, and enjoy more ready opportunities to read with your ears!
Though your commute might be nonexistent these days, audiobooks can still keep you company during cooking and chores, on brief solitary walks, or for taking a break from others in the house. Earlier staff digital picks posts also include audio options, but today’s titles are uniquely recommended for the escape of their listening experiences. We can also help with customized suggestions for which titles in OverDrive or Hoopla might be a perfect match for your current mood.
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
Looking to fill the Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine-shaped hole? This story features a quirky main character navigating life in a different way than his peers, met with challenges as his solitary and usual routine is disrupted by his need for friendship and maybe even love. ~Chelsea
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and ebook and in Hoopla as libro en español
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
“Fever” begins to ravage Philadelphia in 1793. Maddie must survive the various consequences of the outbreak. ~Al
Available on Hoopla as e-audio and on OverDrive as e-audio (also in a second production)
The Boys in the Boat: Five Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown
For an impeccably written underdog story, not just for sports fans, listen to the comforting voice of celebrated narrator Edward Herrmann. ~Nancy
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and as ebook
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
With a fantastic cast of narrators, this story focuses on inter-generational relationships as three generations of women deal with familial expectations and their own hopes and dreams. ~Abby
Listen via OverDrive
Skin Game by Jim Butcher
The Dresden Files, a series centered on a Chicago-based wizard, is one of my go-tos for fun, fantastic, witty adventure in audio, and this inventive heist story set in the underworld is its own reward. ~Cathleen
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and as ebook
The Trespasser by Tana French
Dark but gripping mystery. Full of clever and unexpected twists and turns and a cast of fascinating and complex characters. The narrator is fabulous, but I’m a sucker for Irish accents. ~Liz
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and ebook
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
This book, written as a dual narrative, was twisty, compelling, at times suspenseful, and I really just ate it up. ~Denise
Available on Hoopla as e-audio and on OverDrive as ebook
On Turpentine Lane by Elinor Lipman
Warm and witty tale of a young woman who buys a house with a past. ~Laura
Available on OverDrive as ebook and on Hoopla as both e-audio and ebook
The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
Sweet and sexy. Charming main characters who fall in love through a case of memory loss and misunderstanding after Cecilia lied about being a wife to her brother’s friend to nurse him back to health and find her missing brother. Delightful audio. ~Liz
Available as e-audio via both OverDrive and Hoopla
Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro
In prose that evokes haunting melodies, master narrators take turns giving voice to musicians around the globe who must balance passion and idealism with the realities of making one’s way in the world. ~Cathleen
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and ebook
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
This entertaining and informative historical fiction follows rivals Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. ~Laura
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and ebook
My (Not So) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
A fun, light listen. I often found myself suppressing laughter while listening to this in public. Humorous, yet also an insightful look at social media obsession and the toll it can take on us all at times. ~Liz
Available on OverDrive as both e-audio and ebook
