MADreads

Book reviews by library staff and guest contributors

Thrilling is her game

Cover of The Split
A review of The Split by Sharon Bolton

Sharon Bolton is one of those writers who is always coming up with new ways to thrill. Her characters are always sharp and complicated and she doesn't ever seem to tell the same story twice. Thus we come to her newest, The Split, a thriller set at the remote Antarctic island of South Georgia where glaciologist Felicity Lloyd is too late to catch the last boat off the island before winter locks them in. And even worse, she's convinced her ex-husband (and stalker) has made it onto the island from that last ship and now she's trapped with him for possibly months to come.

Posted by Jane J on May 19, 2020

Who's a Good Boy?

Cover of Hello Goodbye Dog
A review of Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari

Like Mary's Little Lamb, Moose the dog follows her favorite human, Zara, to school in search of love and stories. When attempts to help Moose say "Goodbye" become more madcap than her parents or teachers can handle, Zara thinks of a brilliant solution: "Hello," therapy dog Moose!

 

Posted by Abby R on May 15, 2020

Minding Grandmama Queen

Cover of Queen Victoria’s Matchma
A review of Queen Victoria’s Matchmaking: The Royal Marriages That Shaped Europe by Deborah Cadbury

Many a bride or groom in history have been plagued by meddlesome relatives with opinions, solicited or otherwise, on the proper course a couple should—or shouldn’t—take in the path to wedded bliss. There is, after all, one’s happiness at stake. But let’s for a moment take a moment to feel for the offspring of that great matriarch, Queen Victoria. The queen and her beloved husband, Prince Albert, were graced with nine children, who in turn begat 42 grandchildren.

Posted by Katie H on May 13, 2020

A force to be reckoned with

Cover of Chaos Reigning
A review of Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik

Catarina von Hasenberg is used to being underestimated. In fact, given the powerful world within which she operates, she encourages it. Her family is one of the most powerful ones in the universe and thus have some pretty powerful enemies. A fact that became all two clear in the first two books of this Consortium Rebellion trilogy. Cat's problem right now is that she may have done too good a job convincing people that she's just a flighty socialite. So much so that not even her family thinks she can help in waging the battles they face. 

Posted by Jane J on May 6, 2020

Rescue me

Cover of Take a Hint, Dani Brown
A review of Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Dani Brown needs some loving and soon. The grad student star of Take a Hint, Dani Brown is in hot pursuit of her PhD, but her latest partner ‘caught feelings’ and if there’s one thing Dani is clear on, it’s that she doesn’t want anything more from her relationships than a good time in bed. So, she’s dumped her girlfriend and is on the lookout for a new buddy to help her deal with the tension of academia—but definitely not a relationship. There’s the very cute security guard at her university office, but big, brooding former rugby pro Zafir Ansari doesn’t seem interested in her.

Posted by Katie H on May 4, 2020

Flashpoints

Cover of Almost American Girl
A review of Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Sometimes it can take a lifetime to understand a flashpoint decision which changes your life completely.

Sometimes the biggest pivot you take in life is one you do not choose yourself.

For cartoonist and memoirist Robin Ha, there is life before age 14, in South Korea---a life of solid academic achievement, good friends, favorite comics, and a proud role as her mother’s “warrior apprentice” in the fight to gain respect as a single mother running her own business.

Then, FLASH.

There is life after age 14, in America.

Posted by on May 1, 2020

Every day is lucky

lucky day book covers
Lucky Day Collection

I've mentioned it before but when you're looking for something to read right now (in our digital world) you can always find something in the Lucky Day Collection on Overdrive (Libby). The books in this collection are checked out for a shorter amount of time and don't allow for anyone to place them on hold. As you can see from the graphic here (today's front page of available LD books) you'll see a little of everything.

Posted by Jane J on Apr 29, 2020

Make pear juice

Cover of When Life Gives You Pears:
A review of When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People by Jeannie Gaffigan

Jeannie Gaffigan is a writer and executive producer of The Jim Gaffigan Show.  Both seasons are currently airing on TV Land.  She's also a business partner and wife to comedian Jim Gaffigan. She's a year older than I am and grew up in Milwaukee.  I've long admired how she manages five kids and their appointments, activities, school schedule and gets them all to church.  I know this because I've read Jim Gaffigan's comedy memoirs and watch The Jim Gaffigan Show, which is described as loosely (or exactly?) based on the lives of the Gaffigans.  If it's at all true, Jeannie an

Posted by Molly W on Apr 27, 2020

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