Kristin R.'s Picks

The Art of Drag (Hardcover)

By Jake Hall, Sofie Birkin (Illustrator), Helen Li (Illustrator), Jasjyot Singh Hans (Illustrator)

$22.95

ISBN: 9781910620717

Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory

Published: Nobrow - September 1st, 2020

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A lush and lovingly designed book, The Art of Drag isn't just another pretty face, it's a fabulous rendering of historical figures and a way of life. Read it for an understanding of the deep history of Drag, in so many of it's permutations. Immerse yourself in this gorgeous work of art! -Kristin R, Essex

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Trilogy #1) (Hardcover)

By Tamsyn Muir

$27.99

ISBN: 9781250313195

Availability: Not in stock. At Our Partner Warehouse: Usually Ships in 4-7 Days.

Published: Tordotcom - September 10th, 2019

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What a great, cold, horrible world Muir has conjured up! I loved every bit. She paints with such a delightful vocabulary, beautifully balanced with the earthy snark of Gideon. You'll likely not come across this many bone references outside of an anatomy textbook, but that just adds to the delightful grittiness.

Gideon the Ninth is a monster-laden locked-room-murder-mystery, with excellent swordplay and unrequited love. One flesh, one end!

Golden State (Hardcover)

By Ben H. Winters

$28.00
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ISBN: 9780316505413

Published: Mulholland Books - January 22nd, 2019

After what we've experienced today with doxxing, Facebook, Snopes and media bias, just how important is it to know the flat facts? Would you make it a crime to tell a lie?

Equal parts dystopian AND entertaining!

Heavy: An American Memoir (Hardcover)

By Kiese Laymon

$26.00

ISBN: 9781501125652

Availability: Not in stock. At Our Partner Warehouse: Usually Ships in 4-7 Days.

Published: Scribner - October 16th, 2018

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I'm a big fan of Kiese Laymon's, ever since coming across an op-ed he wrote on his experience as a black professor at Vassar. He has a way with language and an honesty at once both self-deprecating AND hopeful. This book hit me hard and it hit me good. 

I also highly recommend his collection of essays How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America.

All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries (Paperback)

By Martha Wells

$15.99

ISBN: 9780765397539

Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory

Published: Tordotcom - May 2nd, 2017

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I am SUCH a fan of Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries. From the very first one, they have been perfectly paced, and I find it so easy to identify with the sardonic humor of Murderbot. This is the book I want to put in the hands of anyone who says "oh I don't read sci-fi." It's got mystery, adventure, and an AI that just wants to be left alone with it's favorite serial media. Each volume is just the right length to pick up for a day or two, and Wells does a great job of world-building without drowning out the personalities of her characters. 

Swallows and Amazons (Paperback)

By Arthur Ransome, Arthur Ransome (Illustrator)

$15.95
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ISBN: 9781567924206

Published: David R. Godine Publisher - July 28th, 2010

A summer adventure like no other. Pirates, shark-infested waters, and buried treasure all come to life in this great tale set in the Northern Lake district of England. I wish this could have been my childhood! To make up for that, I make sure to read it every year. Wonderful tale (another favorite in the series is Swallowdale).

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1) (Paperback)

By Jonathan Stroud

$8.99

ISBN: 9781423186922

Availability: Not in Stock. Backordered at the Warehouse.

Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - August 26th, 2014

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Lucy Carlisle's London is similar to ours, except for "The Problem." Visitors from the other side aren't just making people uncomfortable, they're causing harm and sometimes death.

Lucy's special talent is hearing Visitors, and her power grows stronger the more chances she takes.
She's recently joined up with Lockwood & Co., a small agency that bends the rules in more ways than one.

In our household (two adults, no kids), we wait with great anticipation for the next book in the series.

You're Welcome, Universe (Hardcover)

By Whitney Gardner

$17.99
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ISBN: 9780399551413

Published: Knopf Books for Young Readers - March 7th, 2017

Julia is aiming to be recognized in the NYC graffiti scene, so her artwork needs careful planning, stealth and speed. Being deaf makes it even riskier when your art is seen as illegal.

A grand artistic gesture in support of her best friend puts her on the wrong foot with her moms, her friends, and her school(s). I loved this book for its spot-on illustrations (check out the clever chapter headers!) and its smart portrayal of a teen in the d/Deaf community.