Staff Pick- The Martian

Originally released chapter by chapter on the author's blog and coming soon to the big screen, The Martian is a great read for letting your inner nerd free. Andy Weir, the author, was hired as a programmer at fifteen years of age and has been a software engineer ever since. The Martian is his first novel and reflects his devotion to relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight.

Mark Watney is lost and presumed dead in a dust storm on Mars while the rest of the crew evacuates and heads home. Watney has plenty to overcome including injury, lack of food and water, damaged equipment, and governmental bureaucracy. Relying on his ingenuity and engineering skills, Mark tackles seemingly endless obstacles helping to facilitate his own rescue.

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

-Julie

Staff Pick - Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On!

Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell their Daughters That the Rest of Y’all Should know Too
By Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

“My daddy raised me to be a lady.”  I have fell back on this phrase – more importantly – the teachings that went into the bringing up of a tomboy from Missouri, many times in my life.  It has gotten me through a lot.

Shelly Tomlinson has most definitely hit the nail on the head here, sharing sometimes hilarious stories, and quotes from folks all over the country -- about family -- being taught to love and support each other, enjoying good, home-cooked food, and above all, always using good manners!

Go ahead and wear your overalls to town.  If you’ve been raised right, your beauty will shine through!

This book made me smile.  It's a great summertime read!

Staff Pick - God Help the Child

Gold Help the Child tells the story of Bride who was born with dark, blue-black skin. Bride was raised by Sweetness, a mother who couldn’t bear to event touch her and whose affection stopped short of neglect. However, she grows to become a successful career woman in the cosmetics industry, and, with the help of a fashion consultant, learns to love herself through accentuating what her mother found so detestable.

Unexpectedly, Booker, the man Bride’s been seeing, skips town; his last words, “You not the woman I want.” This leads Bride to a trip through the country to Whiskey, Booker’s hometown. On the way, she wrecks her car and ends up spending six weeks recovering with a rural couple and Rain, the pale skinned girl they’ve also taken in.

When Bride's strength returns, she continues on her path to Whiskey where she plans to confront Booker. Along the way, we learn an important incident in Bride’s childhood that led to a series of events that came between the lovers.

Anger, pity, jealousy – Morrison develops her characters through their personal experiences and makes you feel something for them. God Help the Child is another wonderful book by the Pulitzer and Nobel prize winning author who doesn’t disappoint.

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

-William

Staff Pick - Downcast

Downcast is about Stephanie Starr, a girl going through her senior year of high school with no expectation that this year would be any different than previous years. Because of her over controlling mother, she has no personal life, and is situated on the bottom rung of the high school social ladder because of the dowdy clothing her mother makes her wear.

However, life is about to change for Stephanie when two brothers start going to her high school for their final year. Haley and Zachary Smith are both handsome, and have the popular kids all vying for their attention, but Haley is interested in just one girl - Stephanie.

Life as Stephanie knows it begins to unravel the more she gets to know Haley, and she's not sure if she should be thrilled by all the changes, or terrified. Just who is Haley Smith, why is he so determined to win her, and why is her mother suddenly beginning to act so strangely?

Downcast is a fast paced book that I found difficult to put down. Stephanie Starr is a very relatable character as she goes through the ups and downs in her life, trying to find answers to all the questions that just keep piling up. In the end, she just might get more than any girl could bargain for.

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

-Amber

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