Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Amie Kaufman is at the top of her game right now.  I loved These Broken Stars, but what makes Illuminae so different is this book is dark. It's gritty, bloody and terrible.

It's not often you get a book that makes you seriously question whether or not there will be a good ending.  The format of the book is a dossier of interviews, surveillance footage, etc. Reading in this format didn't take me to long to adjust to and after a while, it all flowed seamlessly.

There is a lot of moral dilemma in this novel.  Whether is AIDAN trying to figure out how best to protect humans on the ship and deciding just who and what he is, to the Captain of the ship trying to do what's best for everyone.  And for being a dossier, it made me feel things.  I almost cried about 2/3 of the way in.

Why does this matter?  Because honestly, a book hasn't made me cry in quite a long time.  I don't know what that says about me... I do know this book also terrified me.  I don't like zombies, but this plague was so much more terrifying.  (DON'T read with your back to the door in a relatively dark room, when you're home alone.  Just a WARNING!)

The visuals were amazing.  There where coffee stains, fingerprints, blood even.  I felt like I was in that place, running alongside Kady or in the mind of AIDAN.

Check it out in our catalog here.

~ Kilie

Staff Pick- Nimona

Here is the run-down of what I liked about Nimona:

1. The artwork.

2. The mixed element of magic and science.

3. The characters. (Especially Nimona and Lord Blackheart.)

4. Goldenloin and Blackheart’s hinted-at relationship.

There were about 2-3 different stories happening at the same time throughout the book. We get a little of Nimona’s story, more towards the end at least. We get to see the struggles that the “hero” Goldenloin faces while trying to do his duty. And lastly, we get to see more of the backstory behind what happened between Goldenloin and Blackheart.

The humor throughout was so dry and witty, I was completely on board. Nimona and Blackheart are just adorable together, so I was glad he let her stick around! (Although I don’t think Nimona would have accepted any other answer.)

If you'd like to check it out, you can find it in the catalog here. 

-Kilie

Staff Pick - Nest

In 1972 home is a cozy nest on Cape Cod for eleven-year-old Naomi “Chirp” Orenstein, her older sister, Rachel; her psychiatrist father; and her dancer mother. But then Chirp’s mom develops symptoms of a serious disease, and everything changes. 

Chirp finds comfort in watching her beloved wild birds. She also finds a true friend in Joey, the mysterious boy who lives across the street. Together they create their own private world and come up with the perfect plan: Escape. Adventure. Discovery.  

-Publisher Description

This story was nothing short of beautiful. Chirp's mom develops MS and then spirals into a clinical depression. Chirp, her sister Rachel, and her father are doing their best to cope in a world that seems to be fighting against them.

Their story was touching, inspiring, and thoughtful. I loved Chirp and Joey's friendship. The subject matter is a smidge heavy at times, but it ends up being so profound. I'd recommend this to both children and adults alike.

If you'd like to check Nest out, you can find it in our catalog by clicking here.

-Kilie

Staff Pick - Throne of Glass

I cannot say enough about Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I was pretty excited about a YA book being about an assassin rather than vampires, werewolves, or some other overdone creature.

"In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien." 

What I loved about this book, among many other things, was the action. Most teen books dull down the action and blood, but this book doesn't disappoint. It's dark, grisly and wonderful. The characters are fabulous as well.

Celaena is cocky, sarcastic, and tough. Normally you wouldn't care for a person like that but it works so well here. The Crown Prince is charming and a bit spoiled and the Captain of the Guard is swoon-worthy.

It has everything. Princes, action, magic, romance and awesome swords. What more could you want in a book? If you ever need a heroine that kicks serious butt, pick up this book. Seriously. You can find it in our online catalog by clicking here.

-Kilie

Staff Pick - Adventure Time: Pixel Princesses

In this edition of Adventure Time, Lumpy Space Princess is just trying to fit in with the other princesses of Ooo. She's always the outcast; the other princesses stick up their noses at LSP's lifestyle.

But when things go from bad to worse, Lumpy Space Princess, Breakfast Princess, Turtle Princess, Muscle Princess, and Embryo Princess find themselves having to work together in order to make it through an adventure none of them want to be on. Lumpy Space Princess finds herself questioning what it really means to be a princess.

Lumpy Space Princess is my absolute favorite animated character right now. From her mannerisms to her voice, everything she does I find hilarious. Adventure Time really is a show unlike any other. It airs for kids, but has many hidden gems that only an adult would understand. It's a show about creativity, using your imagination, accepting others as they are, and just being yourself. Honestly, what more could you ask for in a cartoon?

Lumpy Space Princess sort of embodies these ideals. At first she's super shallow and goes out of her way for acceptance. She continues to be this way, but in lesser degrees as the shows and books go on. Eventually, she just does her thing and doesn't care who likes it. We could all learn a lesson or two from her.

You can see what other Adventure Time DVD's and books we have in our collection by clicking here.

-Kilie

Staff Pick: Kids Are Weird

From the author that brought us Darth Vader and Son comes a new book that is full of hilarity. Brown illustrates the daily life of his five-year-old son Oscar. Whether it's the deeper musings of his mind or the first thing that comes to his head when he's angry, Oscar is truly a child to be reckoned with.

Everything in this book is funny. I laughed with almost every turn of the page. Kids really do say the funniest things and what makes it even better is how serious they are about it sometimes. Oscar can say things that make no sense at all like, "It's like I have a secret weapon inside me that makes me control my body." He also says things that are actually pretty deep like, "Instead of getting closer to my destiny, I keep getting farther away."

Even if you don't have children, I highly recommend that you pick this book up. It's a super quick read and full of great humor. And if you like it, I suggest you try out his other books, *Darth Vader and Son and *Vader's Little Princess.

If you'd like to check out Kids Are Weird, you can find it in our online catalog by clicking here.

-Kilie

*These titles aren't currently available in our catalog.

Staff Pick: Of Beast and Beauty

Stacey Jay's Of Beast and Beauty is an action-packed adventure filled with magic, romance, and a lesson everyone can learn.

Hundreds of years ago the humans abandoned Earth and settled on a new planet. The people have become separated by the desert and the few domed cities that remain.

The Smooth Skins, people without mutation, reside inside the domed cities. The Monstrous are the desert dwellers. They are considered non-human and are hated by the Smooth Skins for deformities. They suffer in the harsh terrain of the desert. The domed city of Yuan however, prospers due to the blood sacrifice of the queens who rule the city.

Isra is the blind princess of Yuan until a Monstrous attack takes the life of her father and gains her a prisoner and a new title. The Monstrous want the magic roses that grant vitality to Yuan for their dying people. The secrets of the dark magic behind the roses are revealed as Isra realizes her own people are more monstrous than the boy she has held captive.

Sometimes re-imagining a classic can be a dangerous effort, but Jay pulls it off perfectly. Adults and teens alike will love this re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. I couldn't put it down. If you'd like to check out Of Beast and Beauty, you can place a hold on it with your library card number by clicking here.

-Kilie