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When Sharks Attack with Kindness by Andres J. Colmenares Such a cute book and a quick read for anyone who needs their spirits lifted and a smile.

I picked this book up, Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi after seeing on social media and really loved the heartwarming tales in this book. This book features a time traveling seat in a café in Tokyo, Japan and contains four different stories of people who want to go back in time. All stories have the same café staff who explain the different rules for time traveling. The explanations of why the people want to go back in time are really special and emotional. I definitely recommend checking it out as well as the sequel Tales From the Cafe.

In a dystopian future, society is divided into five factions based on each individual's dominant attributes. Beatrice Prior has reached the age of sixteen, the age at which she must choose the faction where she will spend the rest of her life. But she has traits from many factions. Which should she choose? This is the first book in a young adult adventure trilogy which takes an extreme look at the rites of passage of adolescents as well as focusing a lens on class distinctions in society. Also a movie. 

I picked up this book after hearing all the kerfuffle about the new Netflix adaptation. Persuasion by Jane Austen is beautiful and I am so happy to have picked it up. This novel is more melancholy compared to Austen's other novels, but with the same thoughtfulness and relatability.

Anne Elliot is a 27-year-old who differs drastically from her father and sisters. They are superficial and egotistical while Anne is a thoughtful, caring, and quiet young woman. Years ago, Anne called off her engagement to Captain Wentworth, the love of her life, at the insistence of her family due to his lower social standing. Years later, Captain Wentworth returns and Anne deals with changed feelings and circumstances of the relationship.

Although the setting and time of this book are a lot different than today, the book is a great read. Jane Austen has created a classic that involves themes and situations relatable to today. A great read!

Available as an ebook and eaudiobook on eMediaLibrary (Libby).

I was intrigued by this book from the start. The concept of having two people who just met during the early stages of the pandemic is something that can be applied to everyone. The twists and turns of this book are rather eye opening into how other people's lives were affected by covid. There were highs and lows of this book, but was an overall a good read. 

If you have never read any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, this is as good a place to start as any. Vimes is an inspector on the Anhk-Morpork city watch, content to while away his time in a drunken stupor. But when a dragon appears on the scene along with a rookie cop determined to do everything by the book, it turns his world on end. With a cast of absurd characters placed in ludicrous situations, Guards! Guards! is sure to lighten your spirits. 

Alice is a filmmaker who has been obsessed with the story of the sudden disappearance of the residents of her grandma's home village, Silvertjärn, a remote mining village in Sweden. Gathering a group to help her accomplish her dream of creating a documentary on the lost village they venture out into the remote area, deep into the forest. There they find the abandoned village lost to time. As they explore the village to unravel the mystery of what happened all those years ago and plan out their film; the group begins to notice that they are not alone. The story is told through a few perspectives that helps bring the past into the present. The audiobook narrator, Angela Dawe, gave a wonderful performance of bringing the characters to life and helped set the unsettling atmosphere. I could not stop listening until I found out the secrets that the village held. The Lost Village by Camilla Sten is a suspenseful and eerie read that is told from the perspective of Alice and a resident of the lost village.

Available as both an ebook and eaudiobook on eMediaLibrary (Libby).

The Longest Day of the Future by Lucas Varela is different . It has no words, side text or even thought bubbles. I really liked the different take on how you have to focus on the images more to get the story. At first, I thought the book moved around a little bit and it took a second for me to understand where the novel was going, but the story as a whole was good. 

Can't afford to travel this summer? Then pick up The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah and feel like you're traveling into the mystical deserts of "1001 Nights"! The setting of this retelling is definitely the highlight, the descriptions so lush you'll swear you can feel the burning sand on your feet! Packed with magic and tricky jinn, The Stardust Thief is the first book to a new trilogy that will leave you saying, "I wish I had book two!".

Nick Heller is a Special Forces veteran and private detective. He doesn't get along with his brother Roger. When Roger's wife gets attacked and Roger disappears, Roger's 14-year-old stepson asks Nick to help. Nick learns some shocking secrets about Roger and there is, of course, a secret Blackwater-style conspiracy.  There are twists and turns in this mystery thriller that will keep you reading. Some of the action is a little incredible, but this is fiction after all. Vanished by Joseph Finder is the first book in the Nick Heller series and the audio version won the Earphone Award. 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is amazing. This book is labeled under teen, but I think that the story is for everyone. A fantasy adventure that has you gripping the book to find out how the characters will survive. 

In 1864 London, destitute Lizzie Martin has accepted a paid position as companion to her godfather's widow, Mrs. Perry. Lizzie gets curious about Mrs. Perry's previous companion, Madeline, who had abruptly disappeared. Her inquiries lead her to Benjamin Ross, a childhood friend and now a Scotland Yard Inspector. Ben and Lizzie find adventure, danger, and more, exploring the fate of the unfortunate Madeline.

A Rare Interest in Corpses (2007, alternate title The Companion) is the first of the seven book Lizzie Martin mystery series. The books can be read in any order, but it's best to start with this one since it sets the background for Lizzie and Ben. Ann Granger takes the time to make the reader feel and see Victorian England in detail. I think this is one of the great strengths of this series and this author.

Start the series by checking out the ebook on Hoopla today. 

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan was a powerful and thought-provoking book that is definitely considered a classic for a reason. The four women of the Joy Luck club meet regularly to play mahjong, eat traditional Chinese food, and share the dreams and struggles they've had leading up to raising their four respective daughters in America. The founder of the club, Suyuan Woo, has recently passed and her daughter, Jing Mei, is taking her place at the mahjong table. In doing so, she learns of the hardships her mother faced to give Jing Mei her life in the US. The impactful stories of the other three women and their daughters are also told - beginning in rural China and ending in San Francisco.

The book reads almost like a collection of short stories that seamlessly shift from light-hearted to deeply impactful and back. A rich and meaningful read no matter where your family comes from. It's a beautiful illustration that the stories that shape us are not just our own. Reading this book was an emotional and moving experience that I wish I could experience again for the first time. I put down the book with more thought towards the stories and struggles of my own family (which sounds kind of dramatic but is totally true lol). 

Available on eBook and eAudiobook on eMediaLibrary.

The Eyre Affair introduces us to the alternate reality where Thursday Next, a female detective assigned to the literary department, exists. This first book of eight finds Thursday trying to find out who is plucking characters right out of the pages of famous novels. Fforde's writing is both imaginative and outlandish making this series fun yet suspenseful. With time travel and the ability to leap into books both possible, Fforde's series can take a turn in any direction. You will fall in love with Thursday Next.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde is available on eMediaLibrary as an eBook and eAudiobook.

I don't normally binge read a book in one sitting, but In Five Years by Rebecca Serle had me continuously flipping to the next page to find out what would happen next! Such a great storyline that makes you think about your future.

In Five Years is available as an ebook and eaudiobook on eMediaLibrary (Libby).