LSS - Staff Picks | Villa Park Public Library

Author

Series

Notes

Jes' Pick - This book is a super funny urban-fantasy-adjacent companion to American Gods. It's a breezy read and honestly totally worth experiencing as a stand-alone.

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle, Large Print, Pre-loaded Audio

Description

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Charles Fat Charlie Nancy leads a normal, boring existence in London. However, when he calls the U.S. to invite his estranged father to his wedding, he learns that the man just died. After jetting off to Florida for the funeral, Charlie not only discovers a brother he didn't know he had, but also learns that his father was the West African trickster god, Anansi. Charlie's brother, who possesses his own magical powers, later visits him at home and...

2) Birds of California: a novel

Author

Cotugno, Katie

Notes

Kristen's Pick - It's a quick romantic read!

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, Audiobook MP3-CD, eAudiobook, eBook

Description

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"Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she'd lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She's finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won't let anything--or anyone--mess it up. Unlike Fiona, Sam Fox, who played her older brother on the popular television show...

3) Cat Kid Comic Club: 4,Collaborations

Author

Pilkey, Dav

Series

Cat Kid Comic Club volume 1

Notes

Kristen's Pick - It's an entertaining continuation of the Cat Kid Comic Club series.

Description

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"Excitement and imagination run wild as Naomi, Melvin, Poppy, Gilbert, Curly, and their siblings get back to making comics with originality and laughter. But wait--have they cleaned their rooms yet?! After their chores, the rambunctious group presents even more amazing mini-comics. By working together, the baby frogs discover that small things can have a huge impact."--

4) Cats can

Author

Thong, Roseanne

Notes

Kristen's Pick - Super cute book about all the things our furry friends get into!

Description

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This picture book shows that cats and kids are more alike than we think.

5) The corgi and the Queen

Author

Perry, Caroline L

Notes

Kristen's Pick - A great look at Queen Elizabeth II and her famous corgis.

Formats:

Book, eAudiobook

Description

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Introduces young readers to Queen Elizabeth II and her four-legged canine companion Susan, a Pembroke Welsh corgi full of love and tail wags, showing how this pair forged an unbreakable bond from princess-hood to queendom.

6) The Dark Days Club: a Lady Helen novel

Author

Goodman, Alison

Series

Lady Helen novels volume 1

Notes

Becca-Set in the 1800's the Lady Helen series of the Dark Days Club fuels the imagination with vibrant characters and intriguing plot twists--forbidden romance, surprises and betrayal--highly recommend this series

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eBook, Kindle

Description

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"In April 1812, as she is preparing for her debut presentation to Queen Charlotte, Lady Helen Wrexhall finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy reaching to the very top of society, and learns the truth about her mother, who died ten years ago"-- Preparing for her debut presentation to Queen Charlotte, Lady Helen Wrexhall finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy reaching to the very top of society, and learns the truth about her mother, who...

7) First women: the grace and power of America's modern First Ladies

Author

Brower, Kate Andersen

Notes

Shari's Pick - Very interesting read on the modern first ladies as well as their relationships with each other.

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook

Description

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Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources to tell the stories of the ten remarkable women who have defined the role of First Lady of the United States since 1960. From Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama, she offers new insights into this privileged group, and shares stories exploring everything from the first ladies' political crusades to their rivalries with Washington figures; from their friendships with other first ladies to their...

8) Frankenstein, or, The modern Prometheus

Author

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1851

Series

Silver classics

Notes

Becca's pick--In time for Halloween, Gothic classic literature--I enjoy how Shelley lets us view both the perspective of Victor and of his creation--how different points of view can tell a very different story

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eBook, Graphic Novel

Description

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"A stunning new clothbound edition of Mary Shelley's infamous work of horror fiction, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. These delectable and collectible Penguin editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design Obsessed by creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life by electricity. But his botched creature,...

9) Freestyle

Author

Galligan, Gale

Notes

Kristen's Pick - Fast-paced juvenile graphic novel about making new friends and hobbies (but keeping the old).

Description

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"While preparing for the last major dance competition before they graduate from eighth grade and go to separate high schools in NYC, Cory must balance the expectations of his parents, school, crew and his new friend as pressure mounts from all sides"--

10) Frizzy

Author

Ortega, Claribel A

Notes

Kristen's Pick - Sweet and honest juvenile graphic novel about being true to yourself and breaking traditions.

Formats:

eBook, Graphic Novel, Kindle

Description

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Marlene loves three things: books, Her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable good hair." But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment,...

11) The Grand Budapest Hotel

Notes

Steven B.'s Pick

Description

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The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune.

12) Hades

Notes

Jes' Pick - Literally the best video game from the last ten years, Hades is a fast-paced action game based around Greek mythology. You play as the rebellious and ridiculously kind Zagreus, son of the god of death himself. The music, voice-acting, and gameplay are all fabulous. Hades is good that it's the first video game to win the Hugo Award, the most prestigious sci-fi/fantasy honor. This game is also so good that almost half the Youth Department has played it (literally four out of nine of us). Come chat with us after you've checked it back in!

Formats:

PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One

Description

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Hades is a rogue-like dungeon crawler in which you defy the god of the dead as you hack and slash your way out of the Underworld of Greek myth.

13) The hating game

Author

Thorne, Sally

Notes

Jes' Pick - The Hating Game literally set the standard for contemporary romance. Even though you can click through a checklist of the romcoms tropes it contains (enemy to lovers, sickbed scene, third-act road trip) it makes every plot beat feel new. Recommend for early 20's who grew up on internet fanfic and want to branch out into romance! (Or, like, anyone with a beating heart and a love of strawberries and roses.)

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle

Description

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For Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman, executive assistants to the CEOs of newly merged Bexley-Gamin Publishing, it's hate-at-first-sight. So begins a series of daily passive-aggressive maneuvers, including the staring game, the mirror game, and the HR game, each played with the intensity of the Hunger Games. Their mutual antipathy grows when a new executive position opens at Bexley-Gamin, and both their bosses put their names up for the promotion....

14) The house in the Cerulean Sea

Author

Klune, TJ

Series

Cerulean Chronicles

Notes

Jennifer's Pick - An amazing story of found family and unexpected love. The cast of characters, including a gnome and...the antichrist...had me laughing out loud and pacing my house while grinning. This is for anyone who knows how it feels to be alone but are looking for a happy ending!

Formats:

Book, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle, Pre-loaded Audio

Description

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"A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel...

15) I'm glad my mom died

Author

McCurdy, Jennette

Notes

Kristen's Pick: An absolute page-turner! Felt really bad that this was her life, but she is working on becoming her own person!

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle

Description

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"A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor--including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother--and how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother...

16) I'm thinking of ending things

Author

Reid, Iain

Series

Thorndike Press large print thriller

Notes

Dan's Pick - Dark and mysterious, what you think is the simple story of a girl gradually falling out of love with her boyfriend takes a remarkable and devastating turn in this short, but shocking psychological thriller.

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle, Large Print

Description

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You will be scared. But you won t know why In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. What follows is a twisted unraveling and an unforgettable ending that will haunt you long after the last page is turned. Jake and a woman known only as The Girlfriend are taking a long drive to meet his parents at their secluded farm. But when Jake takes a sudden detour, leaving...

17) I want to be mad for a while!

Author

Saltzberg, Barney

Notes

Kristen's Pick - Short, sweet and to the point on why sometimes you just need to be mad for a while.

Description

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Sometimes it helps when we talk. Sometimes there's nothing to say. I just need a little alone time to make the mad go away. Discover a universally relatable story about one little cat who just wants to be MAD . . . at least for a little while.

18) It ends with us

Author

Hoover, Colleen

Series

It Ends with Us

Notes

Marija's Pick - Not a typical romance novel, raises issue of emotional and physical abuse, about the warning signs of abuse and strength it takes to survive it, can be educational for people in abusive relationships

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, eBook, Kindle, Large Print, Pre-loaded Audio

Description

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"The newest, highly anticipated novel from beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author, Colleen Hoover. Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up--she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous...

19) Jackie, Janet & Lee: the secret lives of Janet Auchincloss and her daughters Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill

Author

Taraborrelli, J. Randy

Series

Thorndike Press large print biographies and memoirs

Notes

Shari's Pick - Very fascinating read about Jackie Kennedy's life before becoming first lady.

Formats:

Book, Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, Large Print

Description

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A portrait of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis; her mother, Janet Lee Auchincloss; and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill, discusses their ambitions, status-seeking marriages, illicit liaisons, and psychological profiles. "Do you know what the secret to happily-ever-after is?" Janet Bouvier Auchincloss would ask her daughters Jackie and Lee during their tea time. "Money and power, " she would say. It was a lesson neither would ever forget. They...

20) Katie the catsitter: ,Best friends for never

Author

Venable, Colleen AF

Series

Katie the catsitter volume 2

Notes

Kristen's Pick - Sweet graphic novel about friendship, cats and crimefighting.

Formats:

eBook, Graphic Novel

Description

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Twelve-year-old Katie now knows her neighbor Madeline is also the Mousetress, the city's most feared villain (or most misunderstood superhero), and she is ready to become the super sidekick she always wanted to be.