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MCL Books

The Best Books of 2017

Multnomah County Library's guide to this year's great reads

“Five worlds are at risk of extinction - it's been too long since the ancient beacons have been lit, and ...”
Read Phoebe W.'s full recommendation »
5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior
“Trout and his siblings are left to pick up the pieces of their lives due to their parents' shattered selves in ...”
Read Stephen P.'s full recommendation »
A Boy Named Trout
“Mr. Brown the bear keeps stepping outside his house to find that he's not wearing the right hat! Luckily, he ...”
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
A Good Day for a Hat
“A powerful debut about the legacy of racism, love, addiction and redemption spanning three generations of a ...”
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
A Kind of Freedom
“Boom, you're smack in the middle of this story from page one in a world of fallen empire and galactic travel ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
A Red Peace (Starfire #1)
“A poignant account of the delicate balance of nature in the Boundary Waters, as experienced by a couple who ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
A Year in the Wilderness: Bearing Witness in the Boundary Waters
“This longed-for sequel to Akata Witch wraps the reader in its magical power. Thrilling and absorbing fantasy ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Akata Warrior
“Nia loves Alfie, her pet turtle. But the night before her seventh birthday, Alfie disappears. Where did he go ...”
Read Brianne W's full recommendation »
Alfie
“Tom lives in the utopia the 1950s predicted - flying cars, moving sidewalks, disease all but eradicated. But ...”
Read Rebecca R.'s full recommendation »
All Our Wrong Todays
“What's a self-described security "Murderbot" to do when its clients are attacked and it receives covert ...”
Read Lisa C.'s full recommendation »
All Systems Red: The murderbot diaries
“From peeking under the dust jacket to see the full glory of Cara Cara, the family's ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
All the Way to Havana
“Eleven-year-old homeschooed Mogene is attending public school for the first time. Used to the community and ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
All's Faire in Middle School
“Original and strange. A dystopia in which all things have to regularly be reminded what they are, or they will ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Amatka
“Fabiola left her home in Port au Prince for Detroit, in search of a better life. What will it take to really ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
American Street
“A powerful portrait of a young terrorist in the oil-obsessed Free Southern State during the second American ...”
Read Hunter P.'s full recommendation »
American War
Complex espionage, interracial romance set during Civil War. Steaminess rating: steamy!
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
An Extraordinary Union
“Captivating from the start, these essays about famous animals take you across the world and back in time ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Animals Strike Curious Poses
“When a neighboring kingdom's despotic ruler demands Princess Artemisia's hand in marriage, she doesn't swoon but ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Another Castle: Grimoire
“Explores the affects of poverty, war and fear on people in a small midwestern town. Companion book to My Name is ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Anything is Possible
Fun steampunk adventure with a suitably spirited heroine, by a Portland author.
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Arabella and the battle of Venus
“En garde, mes amies! Bandette - Nancy Drew as a French master thief - WILL steal your heart, along with other ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
Bandette. [Volume three], In the house of the green mask
“Friday Night Lights meets its hockey Swedish counterpart. A small rural town where the high school hockey is the ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Beartown
“A perfect encapsulation of the life of an indoor cat, Big Cat teaches Little Cat the ropes of when to eat ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Big Cat, Little Cat
“An engaging tale of an epic non-stop blitz---for 365 straight days---of traveling through 41 countries and ...”
Read Tom M.'s full recommendation »
Birding Without Borders
“The amazing art of Kadir Nelson takes this reflective look at what makes America truly great and turns it from ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Blue Sky, White Stars
“A black Texas Ranger risks his job, marriage, and life to investigate a racially-charged double murder in a ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Bluebird, Bluebird
“"Boo is new. Being new is scary, even when everyone is friendly" begins the tale of a shy, young ghost in a new ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
Boo Who?
“Chronicles the comic's early life under apartheid and during the early post-apartheid era. Fascinating and ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Born a Crime
“In a city ravaged by out of control biotechnology, scavenger Rachel finds a baffling creature. Vivid ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Borne
“The winner of 2017 Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award once again achieves her goal "To light ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
Breathless
Imagine that you get stuck in the library and then you have to spend a long weekend there!
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
By Your Side
“Charming and humorous short chapters about two siblings in realistic situations. Illustrations grace every page ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Charlie & Mouse
“Any picture book that describes the scientific method is worth at least a look, right? When you add humor and a ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Charlotte the Scientist is Squished
“The series wraps up the comic's run with its trademark humor and multi-dimensional characters. Take a bite and ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
Chew: Sour Grapes
“Bring the noise! A play by play, day by day history of hip hop music. Includes illustrations from your favorite ...”
Read John C.'s full recommendation »
Chuck D presents This day in rap and hip-hop history
“I've always thought that sommeliers were just waiters with special training in wines. This former journalist's ...”
Read Bob R.'s full recommendation »
Cork Dork
“The barbershop is the place where men and boys go to feel like their best selves and connect with other folks in ...”
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
Crown: An ode to the Fresh Cut
“Will Todd be okay with Kendall's gender fluidity? Will Kendall accept Todd's past? Romance blooms on the dance ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
Danced Close
“An oral history constructed from quotes from over 180 folks who loved, worked and lived with David Bowie; plenty ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
David Bowie: A Life
“An Irish immigrant soldier describes 1860's America -- the horrific battles, the destruction of entire Native ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Days Without End: A Novel
“A fascinating look at a little known part of history with the why and how of disguising ships during war. The ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
“If I were friends with Adichie, I'd ask her "how can I raise my daughter as a feminist?" Luckily for me, I can ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
Dear Ijeawele, Or, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
“A close quarters mystery onboard an underwater research station - it has everything ...”
Read Jen W.'s full recommendation »
Dept. H Volume 1: Murder Six Miles Deep
“The kettle corn of comics. Sweet crunch: a boy robot searches for his human family. Salty crunch: robot ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
Descender. Book four, Orbital mechanics
“This is a big old pot of Fantasy Gumbo! Steampunk, time travel and post-apocalyptic culture. Throw in teenagers ...”
Read Edna K's full recommendation »
Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic
“Unfussy, flavor-forward recipes that come with a dash of the unexpected. Perfect weeknight meals that feel like ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Dinner: Changing the Game
“Down-to-earth, seasonal recipes with a twist or a kick. I fight the urge to drop everything and start my own ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Dishing Up the Dirt: Simple Recipes for Cooking Through the Seasons
“When Dragons can't find tacos -- and hello, everybody loves tacos -- they need to travel back in time to find ...”
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
Dragons Love Tacos 2: the Sequel
“The Beatles are more popular now than they've ever been. How does each generation discover them? Informal and ...”
Read Jen W.'s full recommendation »
Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World
“These imaginative short stories use magical realism to illustrate the powerful and inspiring ways that girls and ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Eat the Sky, Drink the Ocean
“She doesn't seem fine, in spite of the title, but the slow reveal will have you falling in love with this ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
“A gripping account of a mother's grief after the loss of her son, a Benson High School graduate, in Iraq, 2004 ...”
Read Rod R's full recommendation »
Empty Branch, Finding Hope Through Lament
“Portland's own Johnson serves up a delicious collection of stories that are gruesome, introspective, and at ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
Entropy In Bloom
“The story examines issues of race, and privilege, providing insight into what it might be like to go from a slum ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Everybody's Son
“When governments crumble into chaos and war, people flee. What if there was a door that could deliver them to a ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Exit West
“Action-packed with detailed worldbuilding and complex characters who must navigate the moral grey zone of an ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
EXO
“An irreverent self-help guide to help you sort out your love life. Perhaps you're marketing to the wrong people ...”
Read Heather E..'s full recommendation »
F*ck Love
“Step by step photos for hammering, knotting, stringing, wire wrapping, stamping and more.This beautifully ...”
Read Laural W's full recommendation »
Fashion Jewelry: A beginner's guide to jewelry making
“When 12 year old Malú and her mom relocate to Chicago, she honors the first rule of punk - be yourself - by ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
First Rule of Punk
“Combining both a story and the true-to-life details of the science behind human flight, along with details about ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared
“Meet a man who spoke out against the internment of Japanese Americans in WWII. Fred's story is interspersed with ...”
Read Lisa T.'s full recommendation »
Fred Korematsu Speaks Up
“Near-ish future dystopia from a literary great. Cedar Songmaker is so preoccupied by her need to connect with ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Future Home of the Living God
“The societal consequences of our global wish for wealth are complicated and fascinating. This book is ...”
Read Jen F.'s full recommendation »
Generation Wealth
“Memento meets The Talented Mr. Ripley in this fast-paced thriller told in reverse. Centered on an intense ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Genuine Fraud
“The funniest book about plagues around (and I've read a possibly worrisome number of disease books!) Smart ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Get well soon: History's worst plagues and the heroes who fought them
“One man's hellish experience with wrongful conviction and incarceration -- a must read for anyone interested in ...”
Read Jason H.'s full recommendation »
Ghost of the Innocent Man
“Stories, comics, maps, photos and more, this anthology documents the past of a rapidly changing city. The places ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Ghosts of Seattle Past: An Anthology of Lost Seattle Places
“Set among the timber wars of the Oregon Coastal range in the mid-90s, this touching and magical coming-of-age ...”
Read Stephen P.'s full recommendation »
Gifted
“When a black cloaked stranger haunts Inspector Gamache's village, the implications turn deadly, forcing him to ...”
Read Matthew S.'s full recommendation »
Glass Houses
“You'll love this hilarious and surprisingly informative graphic novel, even if you haven't read any of the ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York
“It's not easy to find a friend, especially when you've tried all the usual places. But Ghostfish doesn't give up ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Goldfish Ghost
“Grace built an elevator for her dollhouse at an early age, and grew up to play a prominent role in the early ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
“Grandma's house is bursting at the seams when friends and family gather for a joyous potluck! Beyond the ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Grandma's Tiny House: A Counting Story
“Earl returns to the mountains of Georgia for the first time since an almost lethal snake handling at age 17 ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Heaven's Crooked Finger
“A thoughtful, gripping historical adventure set in 18th century England. You'll be rooting for Caleb the whole ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
Hell and High Water
Yum! Recipes that stretch your creativity without intimidating the home cook.
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Hello! My Name is Tasty: Global Diner Favorites from Portland's Tasty Restaurants
“Snowed in: a handsome hermit artist Benjamin Tanner and the pretty & smart Darcy Shaughnessy! Will the romance ...”
Read Laural W.'s full recommendation »
Holiday Spice
“Who would have thought that the drawn out story of a man handcuffed to a radiator in a small room and left to ...”
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
Hostage
“Here's a fun way to get kids thinking about their actions, and rewards or consequences of those actions ...”
Read Alonso M.'s full recommendation »
How To Be A Hero
Follow an African elephant herd in a book that's as lushly illustrated as it is fact-filled.
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
How To Be an Elephant
“Ever wonder what a stomacher is? See for yourself how fashion changes and echoes itself across decades and ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
How to Read a Dress
“Grad student Will has buried memories of a summer spent at a camp intended to "cure" homosexuality. But when he ...”
Read Matt S's full recommendation »
How to Survive A Summer
“What happens to a body over a lifetime? What happens to the person when things happen to the body? Gay ...”
Read Rebecca S.'s full recommendation »
Hunger
“This cherry-loving bat does not like to share! This humorous look at sharing will get a laugh from the ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
I Am Bat
“Julia Reyes is a writer, a dreamer and a good friend. She's also grieving, struggling and not perfect. How can ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
I Am Not your Perfect Mexican Daughter
“Irreverent and hilarious poems and illustrations, perfect fun for kids who like poetry and those that claim to ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
I'm Just No Good at Rhyming
“A young boy kidnaps his grandfather from his senior care center. This story, translated from the German ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
If My Moon Was your Sun
This poem from a Black mother to her firstborn son will resonate as a prayer for all Black boys.
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
In your Hands
“A wonderfully strange debut novel wrapped in a detective story. A seasoned detective in a surreal Latin American ...”
Read Sean D.'s full recommendation »
Infinite Ground
“Aven, who was born without arms, finds more than she expected at Stagecoach Pass, the run down theme park her ...”
Read Amy C's full recommendation »
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
“So much deliciousness! This is my favorite of the many Instant Pot(R) cookbooks that came out this year --and I ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Instant Pot Obsession
“Jabari is feeling pretty brave about his jump off the high dive, until he realizes just how high it is. Dad's ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Jabari Jumps
“Jane, orphan and college-dropout, is on her way to the mysterious and ostentatious Thrash family home, Tu ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Jane, Unlimited
“Giant monsters - in prison! Ultraman wardens! Gangster monsters run gambling dens - on the moon! Not for kids ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
Kaijumax Season Two, The Seamy Underbelly
Two engaging historians of India describe a glittering object of imperial plunder.
Read Edith M.'s full recommendation »
Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
Georgette Heyer fans will be thrilled to find this read-alike -- witty and charming regency romance!
Read Laural W.'s full recommendation »
Last Gentleman Standing
“Charming octogenarian Lillian takes a long walk through Manhattan on the last day of 1984 and reflects on her ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
“I've never read anything quite like it before. Combining historical passages with magical realism, Saunders has ...”
Read Betsy S.'s full recommendation »
Lincoln in the Bardo
“Another elegant wordless book from Lee. Deceptively simple pencil illustrations of a line tell a story of an ice ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
Lines
“Lint Boy and Lint Bear live a quiet life in a dryer until Lint Bear is captured by the an evil woman who ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Lint Boy
“A mysterious mother and daughter move to Shaker Heights puncturing the perfect bubble of the life of the ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Little Fires Everywhere
“A young cat curious about the great outdoors encounters an alligator, a bear and ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABCS (the hard way)
“It's a mystery: six college friends explore an abandoned prison, but only five come out. Years later a body is ...”
Read Susanne L's full recommendation »
Long Black Veil
“Will's brother has been shot dead. Neighborhood rules require Will to get revenge. He has never held a gun ...”
Read Lisa T.'s full recommendation »
Long Way Down
“Inspired by all the humans in this world, this book is a beautiful celebration of diversity with the added ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
Lovely
Girls are superheroes! A story beautifully told about staying true to yourself..and Girl Power!
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Lucia the Luchadora
“This book is B-A-N-A-N-A-S in the best way. Hazel leaves her tech mogul husband because he wants to put a chip ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Made for Love
“Two tech geniuses face off -- one tries to save people and one's a serial killer, who uses technology to do it ...”
Read Connie C's full recommendation »
Man Overboard
“Detailed but highly readable biography that uses recently available primary sources to trace Luther's religious ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet
“Thief Sal will do anything to claw their way out of the gutters, even audition to be one of the Queen's personal ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Mask of Shadows
“What starts as a book of opposites transforms into an endearing story of a child's relationship with ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
Me Tall, You Small
“I couldn't put it down! A Rashomon-style oral history of the 2000s music scene in NYC, offering sometimes ...”
Read Jen W.'s full recommendation »
Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City, 2001 - 2011
“A humorous and sometimes sadly relatable recounting of a mid-life divorce followed by adventures in online ...”
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
Mid-Life Ex-Wife
“Love, grief, romance, and despair in the lives of three generations of women -- past, recent past, future ...”
Read Seana L.'s full recommendation »
Midnight at the Electric
“If you thought Moby Dick was too long and boring to read, Chaboute's drawing of Ahab and the great white whale ...”
Read Nina K's full recommendation »
Moby Dick
“Everyone hates starlings, right? This book about Mozart's pet starling who could sing the theme from one of his ...”
Read Bob R.'s full recommendation »
Mozart's Starling
“Thank goodness Muddy Waters was never good at doing what he was told. This rhythmic, vibrant story takes ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
“Harrowing, with an absolutely despicable villain who preys on a teenage girl, but it's also highly readable and ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
My Absolute Darling
“For fans of innovative contemporary fiction check out this collection of reviews and essays by Steven Moore, a ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
My Back Pages
“My favorite thing is that a girl's seemingly simple journal turns into a complex time-spanning mystery ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters
“The last known speaker of the Tualitin Nothern Kalapuya language describes his life on the late ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
My Life
“Okay. My name is Bob ... but that's not why I loved this book. Bob is the name of the author's notebook in which ...”
Read Bob R.'s full recommendation »
My Life With Bob
“Prepare to laugh when you read what happens to twenty-something Katie after she loses her job, but tries to keep ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
My Not So Perfect Life
“All is sensible in the before 'photos' while hilarity ensues in the after images. A great opportunity to be ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
My Pictures After the Storm
“When war correspondent Kate returns to the states, she is startled to catch a glimpse of a young boy who died in ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
My Sister's Bones
“A beautifully-written memoir that explores some of the deep divides in our nation through the lens of one life ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Narrow River, Wide Sky
“What if you could draw a feeling? When Niko sees an ice cream truck, he draws the noise it makes. When he draws ...”
Read Andrea D.'s full recommendation »
Niko Draws a Feeling
“Ingenious story about an apartment building full of noisy tenants. A great read-aloud for those who enjoy sound ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Noisy Night
Are large numbers of people living in RVs and traveling to find work the mark of a new dystopia?
Read Sara R.'s full recommendation »
Nomadland
Simple and beautifully illustrated, Now is a great launching point for conversations about "favorites."
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Now
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution and it's brought to life with this fast-paced ...”
Read Katie J.'s full recommendation »
October: The Story of the Russian Revolution
“In 1909 two sisters, Odette and Trudchen, embark on a journey. They hope to find their mother; instead they are ...”
Read Bobbye H.'s full recommendation »
Odd and True
“Accidentally dropping a beloved electronic device in a pond, a child awakens to the wild world all around in ...”
Read Elena G's full recommendation »
On a Magical Do Nothing Day
“A moving story of two sisters who shared an unusual closeness during their privileged South African childhood ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Once We Were Sisters
“Two kids, best friends, sneak off to spend a night in the magical world of IKEA. This is lovely, a great ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
One Mixed-up Night
“A deep dive into the world of a pond to see what lies beneath. With language that begs to be read aloud and ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Over and Under the Pond
“Tweedy Oxford University freshman reporter Ursula Flowerbutton and her new American friend Nancy Feingold find ...”
Read Jen W.'s full recommendation »
Party Girls Die in Pearls: An Oxford Girl Mystery
“Pri has always dreamed of visiting India, but her mother refuses to discuss it. One day, Pri wraps herself in an ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Pashmina
“Strong characters and vivid narration will draw you into this exploration of relationships, race and coming of ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
Piecing Me Together
“A poet with a gift for the sublime, the raunchy, and the ridiculous, Lockwood has written a funny and generous ...”
Read Jen W.'s full recommendation »
Priestdaddy
“Food, family, and community are the heart of retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson classic. Ma Sally hosts a ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Princess and the Peas
“All work and no play make Cora bored and sad. A pet might help, but it's not the one Cora wished for. Light fun ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Princess Cora and the Crocodile
“I was so absorbed in the witty, offbeat and rich illustrations of ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Professional Crocodile
“In a world where collecting 'vestiges' of the past is key, exposing a falsified provenance is a threat. Great ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Provenance
“Ms. Pat speaks for the millions of "invisible" black girls who grew up in poverty during the crack epidemic in ...”
Read Lanel J.'s full recommendation »
Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat
“"Let's massacre some monsters for money!" is the motto of the Rat Queens, a bawdy band of female foul-mouthed ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
Rat queens. Volume four, High fantasies
Growing up is hard enough with friends you can't trust and a sister who hates you.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Real Friends
“Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway meets Judy Blume's Forever in a day in the life of Adam Thorn, a gay teenager and ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Release
“A quick and dirty (but still fully researched) account of Portland crime in the 1970s, complete with photos of ...”
Read Ross B.'s full recommendation »
Rose City Vice: Portland in the '70s--dirty cops and dirty robbers
“What better way to tell the story of the Notorious RBG than in a story set up as a court case? Families of all ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. Vs. Inequality
“Come for the sci-fi pencils and dramedy writing, stay for the family dynamics and heartbreak.The series follows ...”
Read Kim S.'s full recommendation »
Saga, vol. 7
“Janna, a hijab-wearing teen, knows the world is full of saints, monsters, and misfits. Saints like perfect ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Saints and Misfits
“Think your favorite author is a millionaire who never has to worry about money? Well, maybe...but probably not ...”
Read Gesse S's full recommendation »
Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making A Living
“Alex and his dog, Carl Sagan, journey to a rocket convention in New Mexico. From here they stumble into a series ...”
Read Lisa T.'s full recommendation »
See You in the Cosmos
“An epic tale of three generations of a Mississippi Gulf coast family and an intimate portrait of hope and ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Sing, Unburied, Sing
“Exciting farm-to-table flavor combinations from one of Portland's most celebrated chefs. These recipes are sure ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables
“With a Northwest setting and plenty of hilarity-in-action, this is your much-needed urban(ish) fantasy escape ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Smells Like Finn Spirit
“Stories of scientists, jellyfishermen, and the author's family are woven into her investigation of the science ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
Spineless
“If you made a list of 10 amazing things about Earth, in order to save it from being destroyed, what would be on ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth
“New-to-town Avani is not excited about joining Flower Scouts, but when she gets scooped up as a specimen for a ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Star Scouts
“This sharply observed comic tale set in New York tech culture tackles everything from app overload and "tech ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Startup
“Neither of us were raised in the Midwest, but this book took both me and my husband back to our childhoods. The ...”
Read Suzanne K.'s full recommendation »
Sting-Ray Afternoons: A memoir
“In the aftermath of a war between gods and men, a guilt-ridden hero, a dreamer librarian and a girl with ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Strange the Dreamer
“Such a chorus of voices. Stories, essays, poems by Roxane Gay, Rebecca Solnit, Ann Patchett, Sandra Cisneros and ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Tales of Two Americas: Stories of Inequality in a Divided Nation
“Two teens, one bus, one cigarette lighter. This is the compelling true story of a crime that forever changed the ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
The 57 Bus
Easy to follow recipes and advice to help find relief from acid reflux.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Acid Watchers' Diet: A 28-day Reflux Prevention Program
“Set in 1947, post World War II France and 1915 France during the Great War, this is the story of two women who ...”
Read Bobbye H.'s full recommendation »
The Alice Network
“Set in the North Carolina mountains where home is a sinister house made of iron and glass, this story of a ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Barrowfields
“Evocative of medieval Russia, this novel features a brutal, beautiful landscape, a clever, courageous heroine ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Bear and the Nightingale
“This lovingly told memoir follows a Vietnamese girl, her parents and siblings, as they escape from Vietnam ...”
Read Stephen P.'s full recommendation »
The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir
“Filled with deliciously building layers, readers see alternating perspectives between Tea's journey as a child ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
The Bone Witch
“In a small canoe, Marshall and Alice struggle to keep baby Lyra safe from harm as a flood of epic proportions ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Book of Dust
“Written with warmth and vitality, this coming-of-age novel tells how a young girl in a small Texas town tries to ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Book of Polly
“A beautiful, funny, poetic, honest memoir that's mostly about living (but heartbreaking because it's also about ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying
“This beautiful wordless picture book from Brazil begins with images of ...”
Read Lisa T.'s full recommendation »
The Carpenter
“For thousands of years the ecology of the Great Lakes evolved behind the isolating barrier of Niagara Falls ...”
Read Larry R.'s full recommendation »
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
“A poignant and often humorous account of one woman's travel down the Pan American Highway to retrace the same ...”
Read Catherine L.'s full recommendation »
The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan-American Highway
“Australia. Relentless drought. Simmering small-town secrets, lies, emotions. Little wonder Fed Agent Falk is ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
The Dry
“A duke who is emotionally and physically scarred by war and an impoverished seamstress strike a deal to marry ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
The Duchess Deal
“After a debilitating stroke, a detective is inspired to solve a cold case involving a raped and murdered ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Dying Detective
“When Quentin, an enigmatic new student shows up at Genie's school, her world is turned upside down when she ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo
“Great fun -- juicy historical fiction set in 19th century England, full of rich, interesting characters and ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Essex Serpent
“With the recent nostalgia for WWII fiction, a neglected subject has been the U.S. Army nurses as brave as the ...”
Read Beth R.'s full recommendation »
The Fire by Night
“When Farah's aunt gives her a game for her birthday, she discovers it isn't just a board game; it's an ancient ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
The Gauntlet
“in this fun, well constructed mystery full of wry literary and celebrity humor, ghostwriter Stewart Hoag and his ...”
Read Martha J.'s full recommendation »
The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes
“A young mother escapes with her daughter to a shambling house on a Maine island, where she tries to come to ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Golden Hour
“If there is one book that I have recommended the most to readers of all ages in 2017, this book is it ...”
Read Alicia T.'s full recommendation »
The Hate U Give
“At 14, Billy Marvin has a lot going on: balancing failing grades with planning a heist (of a Playboy with Vanna ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Impossible Fortress
“Perfect escape fiction to get you out of the present year. Agents from the future time-travel to Jane Austen's ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Jane Austen Project
“North Carolina in 1929 -- the union attempts to organize workers in the South's fabric mills. Ella Mae is a ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Last Ballad
The story of a golden couple who have it all and a young woman who wants it for herself.
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
The Last Mrs. Parrish
“Renee is a single, seasoned detective who has been demoted to the Late Show shift (11 p.m.-7 a.m.). She's ...”
Read Beth R.'s full recommendation »
The Late Show
When three great warriors who have never experienced defeat come together in epic battle, can there be a winner?
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
“An under-rated gem. Is it ignored because it's noir crime? Whatever the case, Jacob Ahn is the bad boy we wanted ...”
Read Edna K.'s full recommendation »
The Lockpicker
“During a single day a farmer walks in rural Wales seeking his missing cow. Along the way he and his family ...”
Read Jim C.'s full recommendation »
The Long Dry
“I love Charlotte the snowboarder and her world of pristine back country, mountains full of snow, avalanche peril ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
The Luckiest Scar on Earth
“Helena, a young woman who lives an ordinary life with her beloved family, has to confront her past when the ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Marsh King's Daughter
“"I am such a train wreck!" If you've ever secretly thought this to yourself, here's the manifesto you've been ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
The Misfit's Manifesto
“Vibrant art and engaging writing share the story of the piano's invention with panache. There's lots of ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano
“This complex narrative within a narrative imagines the relationship between H.P Lovecraft and a circle of ...”
Read Greg S's full recommendation »
The Night Ocean
“Empowering stories of regular people with chronic and daunting illness who refused to accept their fate, even ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
The Other Side of Impossible: Ordinary People Who Faced Daunting Medical Challenges and Refused to Give Up
“This prequel to Code Name Verity is much more than a mystery. Fascinating characters and rich setting that ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
The Pearl Thief
Because sometimes you want to be loved so badly by a person you are willing to channel his dead wife.
Read Heather E..'s full recommendation »
The Possessions
Urban fantasy in a near future science fiction setting. Debut novels rarely impress me. This one did!
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
The Prey of Gods
“"The Push" is a better working title than "Unbefreakinglievable Fearless Drive" but that's what the renowned ...”
Read Tom M.'s full recommendation »
The Push: A climber's journey of endurance, risk, and going beyond limits
“Exploring sometimes means solving a mystery. Was a fabled city in the Amazon real? Can a British explorer cope ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
The Quest for Z: The True Story of Explorer Percy Fawcett and a Lost City in the Amazon
“Dr. Siri Paiboun is one of the chaperones taking Laos's olympic team to the 1980 Moscow Summer games. Great ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Rat Catcher's Olympics
Wait until you read his whole story before you decide to love or hate bigoted Vietnam Vet David Granger.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Reason You're Alive
“This collection of finely crafted short stories deftly illuminates the refugee experience, exploring identity ...”
Read Lori M.'s full recommendation »
The Refugees
“Beautiful story of what it means to have a home and family, the struggle and fear when home is jeopardized, and ...”
Read Alonso M's full recommendation »
The Road Home
“What terrors lurk in the dark woods? Snakes made out of bees? Broccoli? The word "moist"? Funny and spooky, with ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Scariest Book Ever
An examination of fat at the cellular level that is quite enlightening - no pun intended.
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Secret Life of Fat
“Read with caution. You might become so absorbed in this novel about how a woman's life is changed by a 1947 fire ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Stars Are Fire
“Twelve-year-old Wallace "Lolly" Rachpaul isn't sure how to feel after his brother's recent murder. The only ...”
Read Bobbye H.'s full recommendation »
The Stars Beneath Our Feet
“As the planet is wracked by seismic tremors, the long-lost moon approaches. Essun and Nassun, mother and ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Stone Sky
“A fascinating account of a man who lived in the Maine woods just outside of civilization for 27 years with no ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
The Stranger in the Woods
“Life for teenagers is already a mix of emotions and life-changing decisions, so now add social injustice, and ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
The Sun Is Also A Star
“Mystery, magic realism, capers and crimes gone wrong, family secrets, digging for treasure and a road trip ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Talented Ribkins
“Professional conflict between FBI agents leads to romance. Fierce competitors at FBI training camp, Jessica and ...”
Read Lisa W.'s full recommendation »
The Thing About Love
“"Hulk vs Thor: who wins?" Answer: Squirrel Girl, obvs. SG uses empathy, computer science skillz, teamwork, and ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl beats up the Marvel Universe!
With courage, grace and honesty, these women are at last able to tell their stories.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II
“Bryan Collier's artwork is worth the price of admission.This is a beautifully written 'shovel poem' about ...”
Read Edna K.'s full recommendation »
The Watcher
“A sweet, sleepy book about a mother rabbit and her child walking home at night. Everything contributes to the ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
The Way Home in the Night
“A princess book for tomboys and rowdy adults. Who says princesses can't save the hero, especially if it's your ...”
Read Edna K.'s full recommendation »
The Wish Granter
“The story of women in World War II who were connected to the men trying to assassinate Hitler. It's interesting ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Women in the Castle
“Daisy, a warden in the Laurel Society in Portland, is assigned to protect and monitor Zora Sparks and her ...”
Read Rod R.'s full recommendation »
The Wonderous Science, Book 1 of the mysteries of the Laurel Society
“In the mood for something that sends goosebumps up your spine, something that makes you jump at small noises in ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
The Wrong Train
“Identities and politics in rural midwest America are explored through the surreal and magically real in this ...”
Read Katie J's full recommendation »
Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country
“Through candid stories of her own humble, working class background and those of many other struggling American ...”
Read Melissa R.'s full recommendation »
This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class
“Lonely Ella lives next to an abandoned orphanage. Mysterious circumstances prompt her to investigate the ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Thornhill
“Welcome to Colliersville, Indiana where everyone knows everyone - and all their dirty laundry. A 5-year-old girl ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
Tornado Weather
A haunting and poetic look at life in a 1950s coastal coal town.
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Town is by the Sea
“"You shall die by your own evil creation!" Clearly, the artist has issues. Fortunately, nothing that can't be ...”
Read Eric B.'s full recommendation »
Turn Loose our Death Rays and Kill them All!: The complete works of Fletcher Hanks
“The very first English translation of an Italian weird fiction classic, this mind-scrambler is original ...”
Read Nick K.'s full recommendation »
Twenty Days of Turin
“"Life in a small town takes a dark turn when mysterious footage begins appearing on VHS cassettes at the local ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Universal Harvester
“Hodgman often says "specificity is the soul of narrative" and boy, does he get into delightful and heartbreaking ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches
“Irby shares her personal and embarrassing moments in these piercingly funny essays. She reflects on being "fat ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life
Thoughtful eye-opening essays about the past and the present in the United States of America.
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
We Were Eight Years in Power
“Gracie's social world gets complicated when she develops a crush on AJ, who has a crush on Gracie's best friend ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Well, That Was Awkward
“What do customers love? What do customers hate? Two simple questions will demonstrate how to run a a successful ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
What Customers Crave
“This kid-friendly look at the biology that makes some animals seem scary includes ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
What Makes a Monster?
“An examination of the food choices, menus, and diets of six different women--from Eleanor Roosevelt to Helen ...”
Read Greg S.'s full recommendation »
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food that Tells Their Stories
“When it comes to comedic horror, you can't go wrong with David Wong. In the latest installment of the John Dies ...”
Read Alicia T's full recommendation »
What the Hell Did I Just Read: A Novel of Cosmic Horror
When an adult feels a lack of hope, sometimes a children's book can provide answers.
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
When A Bully Is President
“Independent Dimple is dying to get away from her parents' constant obsession of finding her the "Ideal Indian ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
When Dimple Met Rishi
“This short novel is tightly focused on an Amish community in the not-too-distant future, and on what happens ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
When the English Fall
“When two children can't find Halmoni, they follow animal tracks into a magical land populated by fast-talking ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Where's Halmoni?
“Not your typical memoir, penned by Obama's deputy chief of staff. Mastromonaco's humorous reflection on her ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Who Thought this was a Good Idea?: And other questions you should have answers to when you work in the White House
“Let's face it -- you're not getting enough sleep. This easy-to-read book will get you up-to-date on the current ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
“Lord Alaric Wilde is an adventure author returning home to Georgian England and masses of ladies are ecstatic ...”
Read Laural W.'s full recommendation »
Wilde in Love: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
“After finally being accepted as a dragon naturalist, Lady Trent's findings in the Sanctuary turn the entire ...”
Read Karen W.'s full recommendation »
Within the Sanctuary of Wings
“A young girl gets lost in a snowstorm while walking home from school. At the same time, a ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Wolf in the Snow
“Lovely and mysterious mirrored installations that obliterate the self in a sea of glittering lights… or ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors
“Repeat after me: "I love money and money loves me." I don't like self help books and picked this up because the ...”
Read Rebecca Z.'s full recommendation »
You Are A Badass At Making Money
“Family, traditions, and love are all explored as five women from three different generations navigate what their ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
You Bring the Distant Near
“Alternating between poetry and straightforward memoir writing, Alexie eloquently describes how he comes to terms ...”
Read Jayson C.'s full recommendation »
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir
You know that little voice that tells you something's not quite right? Next time, listen to it.
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
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