Mandel Public Library Of West Palm Beach: October Library Staff Picks

West Palm Beach FL

22 October, 2021

10:48 AM

Description

Press release from Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach: 10/21/2021 4:40 PM Happy fall, y'all! It's time to "fall" into a good book. This month's staff picks contain a few spooooky booooks for those looking to add some chills to their to-be-read lists. Scary stories not your thing? For those who prefer falling in love to falling over in terror, we have picks for you, too! Enjoy! Antoinette's Pick: The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson I may be reading the Mortal Instruments series out of order, but I've been journeying through the world that Cassandra Clare has created, and Magnus Bane is one of my most favorite characters in her stories. Having a whole book to learn more about him is just magical, and that isn't because he's a warlock. The book shows all sides of him, and you get to know why he does some of the things he does in the other books. You also get to see some of his other lovers as well (even though no one will ever top Alec... Malec forever!). Kimi's Pick: Science of the Magical by Matt Kaplan For the skeptics, those who want to believe, and the ones who find themselves somewhere in between. This quirky non-fiction book was written by a science journalist who uses both history and legend to explain the permanence of magical narratives across time and cultures. Also available by the same author is Medusa's Gaze and Vampire's Bite: The Science of Monsters. Sarah's Pick: The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling Jane Shoringfield finds herself in need of a husband, and Dr. Augustine Lawrence happens to be the perfect candidate for a marriage of convenience. However, there is one condition to their marriage: each night, Augustine must return to his decrepit family home and Jane must never follow him there. When an unfortunately-timed rainstorm leaves Jane stranded at the crumbling manor house overnight, she soon learns the terrible secrets that the manor and her new husband are hiding. A romantic gothic horror novel with a fantastic sense of atmosphere, The Death of Jane Lawrence is perfect for spooky season! Jennifer (and Simon!)'s Pick: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez My son Simon is reading this aloud to the family. It takes place in Miami and has Spanish words intermixed. Hernandez sprinkles magic along with Cuban food and culture with kids working together to manipulate time and space. We love it! This is the first book of the series. Jin's Pick: Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland A perfect family spooky story (with historical facts). Discovering her ability to see ghosts when a cruel act ends her father's life and forces her to move in with relatives in 1920s Pittsburgh, young Ophelia forges a helpful bond with a spirit whose own life ended suddenly and unjustly. Sophie's Pick: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova When the titular matriarch leaves a magical inheritance – and curse – behind for her children and grandchildren, they find themselves being hunted by a figure from her past. This novel weaves magic and mystery to create a lovely that book that is hard to put down. Especially perfect for those who like magical elements, but not high fantasy. Bethany's Pick: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward One of the best books I've read this year! A talking cat, a child who can't leave the house, and a potential serial killer. This is not your typical horror novel and is perfect for fans of psychological suspense. File this under "the human mind is the most terrifying thing of all." Bethany's (other) Pick: No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield Lizzie Oulette, town outcast, has been brutally murdered, and the town of Copper Falls is secretly relieved. This masterful thriller is one of the few Gone Girl comparisons that lives up to the name! Faith's Pick: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn The second book in the ever-popular Regency romance series, Bridgerton, and the basis for the second season of the Netflix adaptation (for which we just got a sneak peek that looks amazing!). An excellent Quinn book and a super fun read. Sandra's Pick: A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins Paula Hawkins' third book is about a young man found murdered on his houseboat. Three women seem to have a motive for killing him; one who was a one-night stand, the grief-stricken aunt, and the nosy neighbor. Who could it be? All of them have a reason to want him dead. There are twists and turns in this book, and until the very end, you wonder whodunit. Emily's Pick: Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav Simple, sometimes whimsical, sometimes heartbreaking, Love & Misadventure is the first book of poetry by best-selling poet Lang Leav. Don't be discouraged that this is poetry, though! Leav's poems are both readable and relatable to anyone who has ever been in love and/or had their heart broken. If you fall in love with this book like I did, there are even more to discover and reread again and again. Sheila's Pick: Sisters in Arms: A Novel of the Daring Black Women Who Served During World War II by Kaia Alderson Grace and Eliza are two of the Black women starring in the untold, true story of the 6888th Postal Battalion (the Six Triple Eight), the only all-Black battalion of the Women's Army Corps to be deployed overseas during World War II. I enjoyed learning about these courageous women in Black History! This press release was produced by Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. The views expressed here are the author's own.