This Week’s Literary Picks from Your Local Library

Are you looking for some new reading material?

You’re in luck. Rachel Vaughn, a public services assistant for the , wrote the recommendations below for adults and teenagers. 

For adults:

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

Dr. Hawley Crippen is a man on the run back to America under suspicion of murdering his wife in their England home. Guglielmo Marconi is the inventor of wireless communication, the very technology that helps apprehend Dr. Crippen. Larson weaves together the stories of this unlikely pairing while breathing life into Edwardian London and into a time when science, magic and invention all thrived. Try this historical true-crime hybrid if you tend to shy away from non-fiction titles. It will captivate you like fiction; you’ll keep reading because it’s not!

Home Fires by Gene Wolfe

Skip eagerly awaits his new bride’s return. She was only to serve for a few months in the war but when Chelle comes back, years have passed. Can their love survive? This sounds like a typical love story, but Chelle and Skip exist in a future North America where Chelle has been fighting aliens in solar systems light years away. The great distance has caused time to translate differently. Chelle is only a few months older than when she left; on Earth, Skip has aged into his 40s. Dedicated to rekindling their marriage, Skip and Chelle set out on a Caribbean cruise that turns into anything but a vacation. This pick is a great crossover for readers new to the sci-fi genre.

For Teens:

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Audrey Cuttler is just a normal 16-year-old student working at the Scooper Dooper, trying to impress her cute co-worker. Everything changes when Audrey’s ex, front man to the band The Do-Gooders, writes a break-up song about her that becomes an unexpected hit. Audrey’s personal life isn’t so personal anymore! Try this book if you enjoyed Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Recommended for grades 9 to 12.

Summaries are based in part from information in the library's catalogue.