Staff Favorites

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  • Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
    Staff: Joanna
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    This book is EPIC. Sanderson creates a world which is detailed and original, and shifts between political, religious, and personal intrigue without become obscure. It's a fantasy novel but without the typical dragons and elves. Elantris also features main characters so distinct and amazing that even when they're pitted against each other, I ended up cheering for each one of them. Also, the plot is incredibly twisty, and the climax will keep you up well into the night reading to find out what happens next.
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  • Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
    Staff: Joanna
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    I actually listened to this on CD and was completely sucked in to the story. When Esperanza's father dies and her house is burned down, she and her mother choose to escape to California. Esperanza is then forced to transition from life as the daughter of a wealthy vineyard-owner to living in a camp for migrant workers during the Depression. While plenty of tragedies befall the poor main character, she refuses to lose hope and ultimately finds ways to cope with the challenges of her new life. It's a fascinating look into a rarely treated time and place.
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  • Death by Cashmere: a seaside knitters mystery by Sally Goldenbaum
    Staff: Joanna
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    I have a confession to make: I have a secret love for cozy mysteries. They're like potato chips, and I've been known to read them start to finish in one sitting. As a knitter, I'm also susceptible to novels which capitalize upon my hobby as their gimmick. However, unlike some other knitting-themed novels that I've read (or tried to read), this one is filled with vibrant and sympathetic characters. And cozy mysteries are really all about the characters. They don't suffer from the cliches which often plague the cozy mystery genre and their angst and trials never slip into melodrama. Also, the climax is pretty intense. I can't wait until Goldenbaum writes another!
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  • Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot
    Staff: Joanna
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    I want to go back in time to 4th grade and be best friends with Allie Finkle. This is a wonderfully fun read, and is an excellent choice for young girls. Meg Cabot captures the voice of a nine year old perfectly, and gives depth and legitimacy to her problems (such as moving to a new house and a new school). Not only is Allie Finkle a dynamic model for young girls but she's incredibly funny to boot.
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  • Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
    Staff: Joanna
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    Interpreter of Maladies is an excellent collection of stories. Lahiri crafts a variety of tales, making each world rich with detail and emotional depth. At the same time, she has also bound together a group of stories which weave into one another through theme and tone to create a larger work that is sometimes overwhelming in its poignancy. Even though this book made me tear up, Lahiri also includes so much humor and truth that one cannot help but be delighted with life upon finishing it. A truly satisfying read.
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  • Crispin and the Cross of Lead by Avi
    Staff: Annie
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    This is a wonderful story, for boys especially, about identity, friendship, trust and the meaning of freedom. Great historical backdrop, full of mystery and adventure.
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  • Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman
    Staff: Duncan
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    This is an excellent graphic novel that puts an interesting twist on the classic Marvel comic book characters (1602 is the year in which the story is set).
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  • South of Broad by Pat Conroy
    Staff: Shelley
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    This is the first time I've read Pat Conroy and I loved it! He is a fabulous writer..I couldn't put it down.
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  • City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff Vandermeer
    Staff: Duncan
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    What isn't the king squid? Who are the mushroom dwellers? What is the secret behind the apparent lack of sanitation workers in Ambergris? This book of short stories is a quirky blend of comedy and horror with a little fantasy thrown in the mix.
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  • Growing Up by Russell Baker
    Staff: Rhoda Hall
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    Excellent memoir by an average guy who writes so well that his life seems extraordinary. Most of the book is about the relationship between himself and his mother, who was trying to get him to make something of himself despite his lack of gumption.
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  • The House of Windjammer by V. A. Richardson
    Staff: Annie
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    In the fall of 1636, Adam, fourteen-year-old heir to the House of Windjammer, must find a way to keep his family afloat after his father dies and tulip fever sweeps Amsterdam. A gripping read about a little-known time and place.
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  • The Best of Gene Wolfe: by Gene Wolfe
    Staff: Duncan
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    I haven't read this collection specifically, but I have read several of Gene Wolfe's books and other collections of his short fiction and they were all superlative. I highly recommend this collection to anybody who likes short, science, or speculative fiction.
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  • Green by Jay Lake
    Staff: Yanni
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    An excellent book. The worlds he creates are both fantastic and yet believable at the same time. I don't know if I want more to see a sequel to this, or a book in an entirely new world of his devising. Either way, I'll be sure to pick up his next book.
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  • The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
    Staff: Shelley
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    What a wonderful book! Sad and at times disturbing, yet peaceful and uplifting as well. Great read!
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  • Magyk by Angie Sage
    Staff: Shelley
    Branch: Blacksburg Library
    This is another Juvenile series that is worth a look. Along the lines of Harry Potter, it delves into the magical, mystical lives of a family of wizards. It is a very enjoyable, fast read.

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