Riley's Picks

In elementary school, her teachers would tell Riley they'd never seen a kid with such an innate passion for reading. Her love of books quickly graduated to a love of writing, and she is currently working toward a Professional Writing degree at Champlain College. Her greatest dream is to be a bestselling novelist.

A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion

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Riley
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A Crooked Tree: A Novel By Una Mannion Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063049833
Availability: Backordered. On Order at the Warehouse.
Published: Harper Perennial - January 4th, 2022

I read this while studying abroad in Ireland and found it to be a lovely bridge between American and Irish culture. Mannion writes about what holds families and friendships together and what keeps them at a distance with honesty and patience.


A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

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Riley
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A Deadly Education: A Novel (The Scholomance #1) By Naomi Novik Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780593128503
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Del Rey - May 4th, 2021

It's like Hogwarts but only half the class graduates because the other half ends up dead. If you're not in an enclave with the rich kids, you probably won't make it, especially if you're as unlikable and unruly as El. But she's got immense power, and as soon as she shows it, everything will change.


Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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Riley
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Anxious People: A Novel By Fredrik Backman Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781501160844
Availability: Not in stock. At Our Partner Warehouse: Usually Ships in 4-7 Days
Published: Washington Square Press - July 6th, 2021

It's not your average hostage situation in this modern adult breakfast club about what makes us behave the way we do. Backman spins a clever, snappy, laugh-out-loud funny story that teaches how to care and forgive.


Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

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Riley
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Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel By Anthony Doerr Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9781982168438
Availability: Not in stock. At Our Partner Warehouse: Usually Ships in 4-7 Days
Published: Scribner - September 28th, 2021

Doerr is playing with time again, linking the past, present, and future with the power of an ancient story. From Constantinople under siege to a futuristic space ship bound for a new planetary home, Doerr redefines escapism and encourages us to do the same.


Long Division by Kiese Laymon

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Riley
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Long Division: A Novel By Kiese Laymon Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781982174828
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Scribner - June 1st, 2021

One of the most original - and bizarre - books I've ever read. The upside down text inside is not a mistake! It's got "award-winning" sentences, heart-wrenching exploration of being Black in America, and... parallel universes(?). New mix of genres executed with extraordinary talent!


The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

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Riley
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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue By V. E. Schwab Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9780765387561
Availability: Not in stock. At Our Partner Warehouse: Usually Ships in 4-7 Days
Published: Tor Books - October 6th, 2020

I was blown away by this ravishing, dreamy story from V. E. Schwab. The heart of Addie LaRue beats a rhythm of strength, loneliness, and fierce hope on every page. It's a game of souls that tests the significance of living and convinces of the existence of magic. If you're looking for a fervent story told with eloquence and condor, you've found it.


How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan

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Riley
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How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence By Michael Pollan Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780735224155
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Penguin Books - May 14th, 2019

Western society tabooed psychedelics and the United States halted all scientific research in the early 70s. But slowly, quietly, psychedelics are returning to acceptable conversation. Pollan's writing feels personal as he walks up through the history of psychedelics, what we know about them, and what we're still trying to figure out. A mind-blowing collection of research and speculation that made me question the capabilities of my mind...


Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

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Riley
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Station Eleven By Emily St. John Mandel Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780804172448
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Vintage - June 2nd, 2015

Mandel has a writing style that pulls you right along, teasing you to guess how her anecdotes and characters are connected. Station Eleven combines an unlikely handful of settings and lifestyles, taking you through the post-apocalypse, life as a Hollywood movie star, and a planet-imitating space station that somehow everyone seems to know about...


Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Riley
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Mexican Gothic By Silvia Moreno-Garcia Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780525620808
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Del Rey - June 15th, 2021

You've never met a protagonist as bold, self-assured, and limitless as Noemi Taboata, and its about time everyone has. Morena-Garcia crafts a stunning contrast between Noemi's audacious, clever glamor and the suffocating, sinister silence of High Place. A chilling page turner that will keep you up reading by night light.


Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

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Riley
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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster By Jon Krakauer Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780385494786
Availability: Click Title to See Location Inventory
Published: Anchor - October 19th, 1999

Few people realize the culture and expectations that belong to the feat of Mt. Everest. Brilliant journalist Jon Krakauer was sent on a guided expedition to the summit of the tallest mountain on Earth with the assignment of writing about the commercialization of Everest. As an experienced climber accompanied by the world's most renowned and trusted guide, Rob Hall, Krakauer wasn't expecting to land smack in the midst of perhaps Everest's biggest tragedy. Gripping and heartbreaking, Krakuaer pieces together exactly what went down on May 10th that led to the deaths of 8 climbers, including Hall, and attempts to make peace with the harrowing memories from 26,000 plus feet above sea level.
 


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