- Emily Stoll
- Monday, August 10, 2020
Have you already flipped through your summer reading list? Don't fret! There are plenty of new and exciting titles to choose from.
Take your time and browse through some of the recommendations that our staff has selected. They were recently featured in COLAtoday's newsletter.
If you find one or more that spark your interest, you just need your library card, and you're good to go.
Here's to a great end-of-summer reading list!
The Coyotes of Carthage by Steven Wright
Recommended by Lisa Gieskes
Steven Wright's “The Coyotes of Carthage” is a satiric political thriller set in small-town South Carolina. It's the story of Dre Ross, a political operative, who launches a fierce campaign in an attempt to pass a local ballot initiative, a campaign which will leave him and this small town reeling.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Recommended by Morgan Ryan
"Every city has a soul.” New York City is awakening to the multiverse, each borough employing a human avatar as distinct and unique as the borough itself, who must all come together to resist against the gentrifying Woman in White - the malevolent alien enemy attempting to overtake the city. Timely themes of social justice, as well as political commentary, are expertly interwoven in an accessible way. Spanning multiple genres, three-time Hugo award-winner N.K. Jemison's incisive writing, anti-Lovecraftian narrative and memorable characters make for a bright start to the Great Cities trilogy.
Must I Go by Yiyun Li
Recommended by Allison Thiessen
This is a novel about a life lived in all its messy glory by the extraordinary Lilia, who has shrewdly outlived three husbands, raised five children and seen the arrival of 17 grandchildren. With great insight, Yiyun Li navigates the twin poles of grief and resilience, loss and rebirth, that compass a human heart.
Wow, No Thank You.: Essays by Samantha Irby
Recommended by Bland Lawson
Samantha Irby’s third essay collection shows her at her manic best, cataloging the indignities of life at 40, confessing to her adoration of lifestyle bloggers and rehearsing the struggles it now costs her to rise to the occasion of a night on the town with old friends. For fans of her two previous collections (“Meaty” and “We Are Never Meeting in Real Life”), this is a must-read.
Afropessimism by Frank B. Wilderson III
Recommended by Bland Lawson
Dramatist and cultural critic Frank B. Wilderson III won a National Book Award for his 2008 memoir, “Incognegro,” about his participation in the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa. Now he’s back with a hybrid memoir/philosophical essay alternating between an explication of Afropessimism - a worldview based on his sense of the enduring nature of racism - and chapters of haunting autobiography detailing his early life.
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Recommended by Megan Mathis
In this groovy novel, an eclectic group of musicians tries to hit it big on the 1968 music scene. There are cameos by a dizzying array of rock stars (Bowie on the stairs; Lennon at a party), as well as a fantastical twist and throwback to Mitchell's earlier works.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Recommended by Mahogany Skillings
“The Only Good Indians” is a revenge tale with a wholly original antagonist. 10 years after an unintentional transgression, four friends are targeted by a vengeful spirit. This book is full of a foreboding sense of dread that drips from each page.
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones
Recommended by Chantal Wilson
Sunshine Vicram, formerly of the Santa Fe Police Department, has just been elected sheriff in her hometown of Del Sol, New Mexico (although she never actually entered the race), and her day is off to a bad start, especially after the muffins of doom make an appearance. A fun police procedural, featuring a sheriff with a teenage daughter she adores, a lot of mysteries to solve, a potential steamy romance in her future and just enough snark to round things out nicely!
Martha Stewart's Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines by Martha Stewart
Recommended by Ariel Hackett
If you have been looking for various ways to stay entertained at home or if you have been looking to get re-organized… well, this may be something to add to your collection.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Recommended by Mona Verma
“The Guest List” is a riveting murder mystery, which occurs at a posh island wedding on a stormy and tenebrous night. The story is told from the point of view of five characters, each of whom has a motive for murder, and each chapter reveals small bombshells leading up to an ending that is sheer dynamite.
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