Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
FDL Reads: Junior High
Junior High by Tegan and Sara Quin
Reviewed By: Chelsea Bunton, library volunteer
Genre: Coming of age (graphic novel)
Suggested Age: Middle School (11-14)
What is This Book About? If junior high wasn’t hard enough- twins Tegan and Sara are entering with the caveat of a whole new school. Having just moved to a new neighborhood, they only have each other as they navigate the super confusing dynamics and politics that is being a junior high girl. As they make friends (and frenemies), they begin to discover more about themselves. Fitting in is a battle in itself- but they must also confront crushes, body changes, grades, and…chicken pox?! Tegan and Sara have written this graphic novel about their own encounters growing up, though set in a different era as they were actually tweens in the 90s. Times have changed…but the experiences of junior high can always relate- no matter the generation. Indie-pop artists turned graphic novel authors, the Quin sisters have bared themselves to show readers they are not alone in their circumstances and there ARE better days ahead!
My Review: When I learned that one of my favorite Indie groups had written a graphic novel- I had several thoughts. First…what??!? Second… I MUST read this! I assumed this would be a bit of a biopic about the Quin sisters’ experiences as tweens. I did not realize it would be more of a reimagining of their ordeals set in modern times. I think it would be so fun to reflect on my own past in a more current setting! Even though it’s been quite a few years since Tegan and Sara have been in Junior High (and, admittedly, me as well-), these types of experiences are timeless and so relatable to us all. Though much of the story is fiction, the authors sprinkle in easter eggs for readers who are aware of who they would grow up to become. I’m always drawn in to “coming of age” stories as they hit so close to home- there’s a reason this is such a big genre in media, it’s a pivotal time in our lives and makes such an impact that it deserves its own special story-telling. This was such a fun graphic novel and I can’t wait for the follow-up (Crush)!
Three Words that Describe this Book: Musical, Relatable, LGBTQ+
Give This A Try if You Like… Berrybrook Middle School series by Svetlana Chmakova, Drama by Raina Telgemeier, The Babysitters Club (Books, show, graphic novel)
Rating: 5/5
FDL Reads: Titanium Noir
Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Adult Services
Genre: Science Fiction/ Detective
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Cal Sounder is a PI who does specialty investigations for the police department. His forte is Titan crimes. Titans are the new social elites of society. They’re obscenely wealthy, medically enhanced, and larger than the average person. Most importantly, Titans are immortal. That’s thanks to a new genetic treatment known as Titanium 7. It cures all ailments, makes the user young again, and you have to be really rich to afford it. So, when one of these Titans is murdered, Cal Sounder is given the biggest case of his life. And everyone is trying to stop him.
My Review: It’s been a while since I’ve read a gritty detective book, but Titanium Noir was a great novel for the genre. It’s definitely hardboiled and not too “techie” when it comes to the science fiction. It is set in the future as immortality is possible through Titanium 7, however, it reads more like a Raymond Chandler book with a lot of witty banter and ferocious brawling. What I also liked about this book is that I felt the obsession that the protagonist felt as he dug deeper and deeper into the investigation, the criminal underground, and the duplicity of the Titan lifestyle. More and more I wanted to figure out whodunit as Cal Sounder used any and all means necessary to discover the killer. In the end, this new book defines the genre of detective noir and sci-fi cyberpunk.
Three Words that Describe this Book: sci-fi, cyberpunk, noir
Give This A Try if You Like… Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner), Neuromancer, Altered Carbon, The Children of Men, A Philosophical Investigation
Rating: 5/5
FDL Reads: From Cradle to Stage
From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars by Virginia Hanlon Grohl
Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Communications Specialist
Genre: Biography; Memoir
Suggested age: Adult, Young Adult
What is this book about? Virginia Hanlon Grohl has a had a front seat on the long, strange trip of alternative rock music, thanks to her amazingly-talented and famous son (Dave Grohl, drummer for Nirvana and front man of the Foo Fighters). Virginia describes the early days of following Dave through his musical journey, and wondering where all of the other parents were, backstage at the live shows. It was then that she decided to find some of the other mothers of musical icons to hear their stories of raising musically-gifted kids, then watching with love and support as their babies turned into full-fledged rock stars. Between vignettes about Virginia’s adventure with Dave, the book includes stories from the mothers of Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Dr. Dre, Mike D (the Beastie Boys), Kelly Clarkson, and many more.
My review: I was crying tears of emotion before I even got through the foreword! Virginia went above and beyond emails and phone interviews, instead traveling the country to meet rock star moms one-on-one. Just two mothers sipping coffee and chatting about their kids, making the conversations more intimate and telling. While hearing about the early live of the mothers themselves, they reveal the ups and downs of their children’s experiences in the music industry; the emotional and physical toll of fame and touring; and the struggles of family life and childhood as their little ones were on the road to becoming huge stars. These struggles aren’t so far removed from the experiences of any parent who must watch a child take a bumpy, uncertain flight from the nest that may not have been what the parent expected. (Who knew that Adam Levine was self-conscious because of acne? Who knew that Dr. Dre didn’t want any part of the “thug-life”?)
Each musician’s story had a common theme: a difficult, different, gifted kid who may not have always fit in; strong-willed, stand-out, march-to-the-beat of their own drummers (i.e. Dave Grohl, pun intended). They were not bad kids – just bored with what traditional school had to offer. Virginia ends the book with three pieces of advice that parents everywhere will appreciate.
I think what Dave’s quote in the foreword says it all: “But beyond any biological information, there is love, something that defies all science and reason. And that, I am most fortunate to have been given. It’s maybe the most defining factor in anyone’s life. Surely an artist’s greatest muse. And there is no love like a mother’s love. It is life’s greatest song. We are all indebted to the women who have given us life. For without them, there would be no music.”
Three words that describe this book: heartfelt, honest, touching
Give this a try if you like: Dave Grohl’s memoir, The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music; Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain by Charles R. Cross; alternative and pop music
Rating: 5/5
FDL Reads: The Art Thief
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Adult Services Specialist
Genre: Nonfiction
Suggested Age: Teen, Adult
What is the book about? Stéphane Breitwieser was perhaps the most prolific art thief in history, though he did not steal for money. Born in 1971, Stéphane’s story of collecting started as a boy hunting for buried trinkets in the woods with his grandfather. When his parents divorced, his father took all of the family’s art pieces when he left. With this dramatic loss, Stéphane’s urge to collect shifted, landing on museum pieces of art. From 1995 to 2001 he amassed a collection of nearly 250 pieces; a collection estimated to be worth nearly two billion dollars! Instead of selling anything, he surrounded himself with art in a small, attic apartment above his mother’s house in Eastern France. This account details how he was able to steal so many pieces, how he eventually was caught, and what made him different than any art thief before or since.
My Review: I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of this title very much. The eaudiobook is available for free on the Libby app. It was an interesting and engaging story. The story almost seemed to flow like a work of fiction, possibly because it is written in the present tense. This definitely kept it from becoming a dry recounting of facts and dates. Make sure you read the author’s note too. I liked those extra details at the end.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Fascinating, Riveting, and Memorable
Give This a Try if You Like…Master Thieves by Stephen Kurkjian, Stealing Rembrandts by Anthony Amore, and Museum of the Missing by Simon Houpt
Rating: 5/5
FDL Reads: Bossypants
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey
Genre: Autobiography
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: All about comedian, actor, writer, and producer Tina Fey, in her own words.
My Review: I was looking for something funny to read, and Bossypants did not disappoint! I read some but mostly listened to the book, which was read aloud by Tina Fey herself. Her story was sometimes poignant but always humorous. Fey’s sharp wit shines through in her retelling of her adventures growing up and in her struggles in the workplace. I really like the fact that Fey opens up to us, the reader/listener, sharing wisdom she learned as a parent, a female in television and film, and as a boss in a very competitive field. I highly recommend this book, especially the audio version. You will laugh, you might groan – but you will enjoy the humor!
Three Words That Describe This Book: Funny, authentic, sympathetic
Give This a Try if You Like… any of Tina Fey’s work such as 30 Rock or Sisters or Mean Girls or if you just like reading about television or film personalities
Rating: 5/5
FDL Reads: The Bawk-Ness Monster
The Bawk-Ness Monster by Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess
Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager
Genre: Fantasy (graphic novel)
Suggested Age: Kids (7-12)
What is This Book About? A year ago, the Bawk-ness Monster saved Penny from drowning. She desperately wants to thank “Bessie” now that she’s moving away and enlists the help of her friends K and Luc. They put Operation: Find Bessie into action by convincing Penny’s mom to have a last hurrah camping trip at Lake Bockamixon. Their plans are thwarted by an evil cryptid collector who wants to kidnap Bessie and sell her to the highest bidder. Suddenly the friends are roped into a rescue mission of epic proportions!
My Review: I laughed out loud multiple times during this cryptid caper. It’s always nice to see an inclusive cast of characters, especially since they all have their own personalities. Penny is immensely sweet, and K’s passion for cryptids is only matched by Luc’s needs to prepare for every possible situation. Put them together with a menagerie of cryptids, a protective mom, and a ridiculous villain, and you have a recipe for some of the best one-liners I’ve ever read. Who would have expected that Bigtaur would know how to drive a submarine and scuba?? I certainly didn’t. This graphic novel with cartoon-like illustrations is definitely worth a read.
Three Words that Describe this Book: hilarious, inclusive, adventure
Give This A Try if You Like… My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee, Phoebe and her Unicorn by Dana Simpson, Investigators by John Patrick Green
Rating: 5/5