No Sad Songs / Frank Morelli

Gabe desires a senior year full of his best friend, girls, and baseball, but finds himself caring for his grandfather and uncle after his parents both die in a car accident. His uncle is pretty useless (booze and a lot of couch surfing) and his grandfather's dementia often leaves him reliving his World War II days  - launching (sock) grenades and fighting imaginary foes making him combative and violent. Gabe promised his father to protect his grandfather's dignity by allowing him to live his final days at home, a task that is becoming increasingly difficult. BUT life has a habit of changing one's plans.

I really enjoyed this story. I love, love, love Morelli's language choices - he paints wonderful visual images. In a story that is filled with a heart-breaking topic - there is a TON of humor. You will find this book in the Nashua South Library collection.

Book Review: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This was just the fun, escapist story I needed during this pandemic and after reading some pretty heavy books lately! Sawyer Taft is living and working as an auto mechanic in a small Southern town with her restless single mother when her estranged socialite grandmother shows up and offers Sawyer money to participate in the upcoming debutante season. Sensing an opportunity to find out who her father is, Sawyer accepts and moves in with her grandmother. The story opens the evening of the grand final ball of the season with 4 of these debutantes, including Sawyer, all decked out in their formal gowns in a jail cell. The book alternates between their evening in jail and flashbacks to how they ended up there (with photos from a mysterious photo blog thrown in). It's a juicy story full of feisty characters, sarcasm and dark humor, more than one mystery, kidnapping, blackmail, scandal and revenge. Perfect for fans of shows like Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale. This book makes for a great beach - or pandemic - read!

You can find this book in our library and the audiobook (narrated in an entertaining unhurried Southern drawl) is currently on Hoopla.

To preview either format, look it up on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Little-White-Debutantes-Jennifer-Barnes/dp/1368014135/

Book Review: The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Imagine living in a land that is infected by a plague, one that it easy to catch and always fatal. Although there is only a slight chance that Ani Mels has been exposed, she is still worried when two wardens capture her and force her into being tested for the virus. When she test positive she is sent to an island to live her final days. Her best friend Weevil goes with her, but not is all as it seems and the plot thickens...

You can find this book on our shelves or as a Hoopla Audiobook through Nashua Public Library.

Book Review: Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kiko lives with her white mother after her Japanese father divorced and moved on with his life. Kiko, an artist, craves her mother's validation - both for Kiko's art and to find her own beauty. She also wants recognition for her art, the love that we all deserve, and a pathway that is all her own. Mostly she wants to enter Prism, an art college. When her rejection letter comes in the air, Kiko's dreams are shattered and she needs figure out what is next.

This is a book about mental illness and beauty. It is about finding one's way in the world. The story starts a little slowly, but this is one you will want to stick with.

Book Review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Talk about dark books - horror is not my favorite genre, but this kept me turning the pages. Jazz's father is a serial killer who has been imprisoned for his crimes. However, "Dear Old Dad" raised Jazz to follow in his footsteps, and now Jazz in unsure of where the line falls between himself and his father's dreams for him. Suddenly bodies start stacking up in town and Jazz wants to help solve the crimes. If you don't mind really brutal books, and if horror is your genre - try this one out. Look for it on Overdrive through the Nashua Public Library as well as on our shelves. 

Book Review: I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope By Chessy Prout and Jenn Abelson

In 2014, Chessy Prout, a 15 year old freshman, was raped by an older classmate as part of a senior sexual conquest tradition at St. Paul's School - a private boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire. This is not an easy read because it details every aspect of Chessy's assault and the aftermath. However, this book is so important to bring awareness to the plight of many survivors of sexual assault and to begin to dismantle the rape culture found in all areas of society. Chessy's bravery in her fight for justice against not only her attacker but the culture of her prep school is amazing. Early in her account of her freshman year, we learn that the school encouraged students to use "hypotheticals" to report problems. Why? Schools are mandated to report any sexual assault and this was a way around mandated reporting. This is only one of the ways that the St. Paul's School did nothing to stop the sexual assault culture on their campus. When Chessy reported her assault to police, much of the St. Paul's School and its community turned it's back on Chessy and put their support behind her attacker. Chessy and her family suffered immensely yet never gave up their fight for justice and ultimately become advocates for the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her story, their story, is powerful.

I listened to this memoir as an audiobook narrated by Chessy which for me heightened the emotional intensity of her story. This is a Flume 2020 nominee and is also available through the Nashua Public Library and as an audiobook/ebook (Overdrive/Libby). Excerpts from the book are available from the publisher's website:

Audiobook: https://soundcloud.com/simonschuster/i-have-the-right-to-audiobook
EBook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/I-Have-the-Right-To/Chessy-Prout/9781534414440

Book Review: Not If I See You First / Ally Carter

Maddie’s best friend, Logan, is the president of the USA’s son. Maddie’s father was his secret service agent until the night when he was shot defending the first family. Suddenly, Maddie finds herself in Alaska disconnected from the world, her only companions are books and bears. She writes Logan everyday for two years before she stops sending her letters. And now he arrives at her cabin, a kind of punishment for him. And with him comes trouble! Check out this video about the book by Ally Carter, or this book trailer.

Book Review: The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders

In a future United States, The Rule of One is designed to reduce the population in order to help a country riddled with problems due to climate change including food and water scarcity. Twins Ava and Mira's father is the head of the Texas Family Planning division, tasked with enforcing The Rule of One, and he has managed to keep the twins a secret through their first 18 years of life . The twins have grown up playing a tightly controlled "game" where only one is visible at a time. But then things go wrong and... - This is a fast-paced books with lots at stake.
Check out the Trailer or the Saunder Sisters' story behind the story.

Book Review: Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Stevie enrolls in a new school in far-from-anything Vermont where only a few students are accepted, each having a unique gift or talent. Stevie’s passion is solving crime and she wants to go to Ellingham because it is known for cold case that she believes she can solve. The wife and daughter of the school's founder were kidnapped in the mid 1930s and daughter was never found. But of course, life is more complicated than this and the mysteries mount up. Beware, this is a cliff hanger. There are three books in this series, all may be found on Hoopla which is a service you can access through the public library. Want to know more? Check out the book trailer from HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062338051/truly-devious/ or sample the first chapter here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4jXnO-wFGE

Book Review: I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

The latest audiobook I listened to was I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman, a contemporary fictional novel about three teens who meet after a freak accident in a NYC park. Each teen is struggling emotionally and has "lost their way" in the world. Freya is an up and coming singer with a secret that could end her young career. Harun is in love but keeps it a secret because his family will never understand his relationship. Nathaniel is a loner who is on a desperate mission. As the story unfolds over the course of a day, can they save one another from the secrets that are swallowing them up? I found myself rooting for each character in their quest to find their way in the world. If you are interested in an emotional tale of love and loss, friendships and families, check out this Flume 2020 nominee. An unexpected bonus of listening to the audiobook was hearing a recording of Freya's song "Little White Dress". You can listen to the recording here: https://gayleforman.com/books/i-have-lost-my-way-little-white-dress. This book is also at the Nashua Public Library and in ebook/audiobook versions through Overdrive/Libby.