Untamed

by Glennon Doyle

Release Date: March 10, 2020
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Megan's Review:
I thought that this book was empowering and the author’s stories keep coming back to me months after reading it. This is part memoir and part self-help. I’m thankful for the insight into her “untamed” life and what has worked for her in regards to finding her true self, embracing it, and encouraging women to do the same in their own lives.

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Hamnet

by Maggie O’Farrell

Release Date: March 31, 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jill's Review:
There are few facts known about Shakespeare’s son other than the fact that he died as a child. You don’t need to know anything about Hamlet or even Shakespeare’s work to enjoy this book. It is a rich and complex fictional account of his family, but William Shakespeare’s name is not even mentioned. We think of his wife’s name as Anne, but Maggie O”Farrell used the name that her father referred to her as in his will – Agnes. Agnes is a complex rich character, and this is a beautiful and moving story. It is one of the best books I have read in quite a while, and I recommend it with enthusiasm!

The Happy Ever After Playlist

by Abby Jimenez

Release Date: April 14, 2020
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Amanda's Review:
Totally breezy modern romance with an interesting premise. Sloan finds Jason’s dog on the side of the road and the two form a connection as they communicate about the dog until Jason (a famous musician!) can return from his Australian tour and claim him. I loved the meet-cute kind of got slogged down in the relationship after they got together and it was all about dealing-with-fame. Still a pleasurable read with a feel good ending.

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If It Bleeds

by Stephen King

Release Date: April 21, 2020
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Cary's Review:

Stephen King is one of the few authors who writes short story anthologies that I like. He creates characters that you care about and/or immediately want to know more about, as well as uncanny, unusual plots. Many of his best film adaptations: The Green Mile; The Shawshank Redemption; Stand By Me; The Mist, etc. were based on his short stories. My only complaint about If It Bleeds is that the title and cover art are misleading. These are not typical horror stories, but rather stories that touch on much larger subjects and fuel philosophical musings well after you’ve finished. The title story is very relevant to our current times and he manages to link one man’s dying to a global catastrophe, but you are never sure which came first and how they are linked. I would highly recommend this book as a starter for those of you who have never tried King. It’s worth your time.

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End of October

by Lawrence Wright

Release Date: April 28, 2020
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Katherine's Review:
I picked up this ARC in January (prior to the Covid19 pandemic reaching the US), put it on my bookshelf, and then forgot exactly what it was about until I started reading it about 3 weeks into our state's stay-at-home order. It is very well written, but not a book I would have picked out to read during a pandemic as it felt a little too close to reality. I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of it anyway because it is very well researched and the writing is great. Unfortunately, the last third fell apart for me. The storyline became less cohesive and the book seems to turn into a Hollywood movie. I really appreciated how much research and planning went into this book and that it described an even worse scenario than what I was living in.

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Murder on Pleasant Avenue

by Victoria Thompson

Release Date: April 28, 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Joyce's Review:
This book is #23 in her Gaslight Mystery Series set in turn of the century New York City but her characters and stories remain as fresh as in the earlier books. They are fun to read and always leave me wondering when the next one will be published.

Also available digitally:
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Network Effect

by Martha Wells

Release date: May 5, 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Katherine's Review:
I enjoyed reading the previous novellas written about Murderbot and the fact that this is first full-length story makes it even better. I loved that the plot could be fuller and more complex that the previous books in the series. The backstory is a bit complex and I would recommend that you start with the first book in the series "All Systems Red" to really understand who Murderbot is and what is going on. Given Murderbot's personality (pessimistic and always expects (and plans for) the worst outcomes) you wouldn't think this would make you like it much, but there is something refreshing and likeable about Murderbot. I really enjoyed reading this one!

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (A Hunger Games Novel)

by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: May 19, 2020
Rating: 3 out 5 stars

Devin's Review:
This is a prequel to The Hunger Games series, which follows Coriolanus Snow as he mentors a girl from District 12 in the 10th Hunger Games. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first ¾ of this book, the last section was not my cup of tea. While the pacing is nice and the story itself well written, the ending plot lines weren’t as inventive or sound as I think they could have been.

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Chaos Reigning

Jessie Mihalik

Release Date: May 19, 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kaylee's Review:
As much as I enjoy space, adventure, espionage, and a bit of romance, you'd think I'd be drawn to more Space Opera's but this series was my first. Chaos Reigning is the third and final book of a series following a group of siblings who keep getting drawn into adventures across the galaxy. Each book in the series built on the one before it and this one was a glorious finale, full of high stakes adventures. I loved the characterizations and tone throughout the book and enjoyed getting to know the characters and watch them grow. The pacing was a bit interesting - slower at the start and then full speed for the second half - but overall I thought it worked with the story it was telling.

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The Guest List

by Lucy Foley

Release Date: June 2, 2020
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Jill's Review:
This book was a page-turner and would be a good beach read. The characters were all full of secrets and not quite what they appeared to be at first, so it kept me in suspense all the way to the end. It felt like a current-day Agatha Christie novel and was an atmospheric whodunit.

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