Book Review

The library has compiled a large variety of Book Reviews from staff and through programs such as Read It & Rate It. These reviews are available to you to help you make an educated decision on titles you’d like to read.

You may search reviews by title using the search function, browse via genre using the category list provided or look for random reviews in the list below that are sorted by newest to oldest.

Would you like to submit a review? Use the Read It & Rate It form on the right side of the page.

Other Family Doctor – book review

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The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us About Love, Life, and Mortality by Karen Fine, DVM Biography Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Karen Fine’s grandfather was her inspiration for becoming a veterinarian. His patients were human, but Karen admired the commitment and care he offered them (he practiced in South Africa and made house calls). She writes about her experiences in vet school, which is arguably at least … Read more

Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Read It and Rate It

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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book #1 by Holly Jackson Mystery Suspense Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Pip is a student who is working on her capstone project. For her topic she chooses to investigate a murder case that happened in her home town. Her goal is to cast doubt on the original investigation, but as she continues, new evidence comes to light and soon Pip realizes that someone … Read more

Earth Unaware – book review

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Earth Unaware The First Formic War bk#1 by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston Science Fiction * * * (Pretty good) Free miners are the first to encounter the Formics as the aliens head toward Earth with unknown intent. This follows the stories of a couple of the miner families and a corporate entity who must put aside their differences to warn the Earth of the aliens’ impending arrival. The encounters they have indicate that … Read more

Fairy Tale – book review

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Fairy Tale by Stephen King Adventure Fantasy * * * * Stars (Great!) Charlie Reade made a bargain with the universe to pay it back if his father stopped drinking and he finds an opportunity to make good on his word when he rescues his cantankerous neighbor after a fall. Mr. Bowditch is old and grumpy and cherishes his independence, but he reluctantly accepts Charlie’s assistance when that seems to be the only way he … Read more

City of Nightmares – book review

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City of Nightmares By Rebecca Schaeffer Horror * * * * Stars (Great!) When 19-year-old Ness’ sister transformed into a giant spider and laid waste to their home – killing their father and then rampaging on through their neighborhood – Ness was traumatized and developed a very reasonable fear of spiders. Orphaned and in need of help, she sought out the Friends of the Restful Soul – an agency (cult) that took her in and … Read more

Squished – book review

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Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Avery Lee is one of seven kids in her family and she’s kind of tired of having to share space with her younger siblings. She comes up with a plan to have her own room, but when she shares it with her folks, she learns they have already decided to give that honor to her older … Read more

Anne of Greenville – book review

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Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki Realistic Fiction (modern retelling of Anne of Green Gables) * * * Stars (Pretty good) Anne and her two moms (Lucy & Millie) move to small town Greenville when Lucy gets what she hopes will be her dream job at the local high school (assistant principal). Unfortunately, a lot of the people in Greenville are small-minded and they object to newcomers of any stripe. Some are particularly vehement and … Read more

My Summer of Love and Misfortune – book review

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My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong Realistic Fiction * * Stars (Just Ok) Iris Wang is a spoiled, frivolous party girl who creates all kinds of problems for herself with the poor choices she makes. Her emergency credit card is maxed out, her best friend and her boyfriend have been not-so-secretly dating/hooking up behind her back, she’s failing her classes, and she’s been rejected by all of the colleges she’s applied to. … Read more

Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten 1 – book review

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Ex-Yakuza & Stray Kitten vol. 1 by Riddle Kamimura Funny Realistic Manga * * * Stars (Pretty good) Sabu the kitten is taken in by a young man named Jin with a grim appearance and many scars and tattoos. Is he Yakuza?? Everything about him terrifies Sabu! But Jin is only ever gentle and kind. Sabu learns that he is going to “work” at a cafe “staffed” by other adoptable animals that Jin has taken … Read more

Swifts – book review

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The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln Illustrated by Claire Powell Mystery Juvenile Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) All of the Swifts are named by their family dictionary, which chooses a name that, while open to interpretation, fits each Swift to a T. Shenanigan and her sisters (Phenomena and Felicity) live with their Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude (matriarch of the Swift family), Uncle Maelstrom, and Cook (not a Swift by blood, but still … Read more