Check out what our staff have been reading since May.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 114761 Warrior girl unearthed by Angeline Boulley

"With the rising number of missing Indigenous women, her family's involvement in a murder investigation, and grave robbers profiting off her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people's inheritance." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

Don’t miss the NLS summer reading author talk with Angeline Boulley on July 25 at 6:00 p.m. Learn more on summer reading webpage.

DB 119086 All the hidden paths by Foz Meadows

"With the plot against them foiled and the city of Qi-Katai in safe hands, Velasin and Caethari have begun to test the waters of their relationship. But the wider political ramifications of their marriage are still playing out across two nations, and all too soon, they're summoned north to Tithena's capital city, Qi-Xihan, to present themselves to its monarch. With Caethari newly invested as his grandmother's heir and Velasin's old ghosts gnawing at his heels, what little peace they've managed to find is swiftly put to the test. Cae's recent losses have left him racked with grief and guilt, while Vel struggles with the disconnect between instincts that have kept him safe in secrecy and what an open life requires of him now. Pursued by unknown assailants and with Qi-Xihan's court factions jockeying for power, Vel and Cae must use all the skills at their disposal to not only survive, but thrive - because there's more than one way to end an alliance, and more than one person who wants to see them fail." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116667 Call me maybe by Cara Bastone

"Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It's amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days. Except my shiny new website is glitching, and my inner rage-monster is ready to scorch some earth...when he finally picks up. Not the robot voice I expected but a real live human named Kal. He's surprisingly helpful and really knows his stuff, even if he's a little awkward...in an adorable way.  And suddenly I'm flirting with him? And I think he's flirting back. And suddenly it's been hours, and we're still on the phone talking and ordering each other takeout while he troubleshoots my website. And suddenly we're exchanging numbers and sending texts and DMs every day, leaving voice mails (who even does that anymore?!). And suddenly I'm wondering if it's possible for two people to fall in love at first talk. Because I'm falling...hard." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116668 Sweet talk by Cara Bastone

"It's officially booty o'clock, I'm alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake...and I'm pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on. I've been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman's dimples for two months, and even though I'm sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn't mean it's not an opportunity on mine. It's the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back. And then somehow we keep talking...ALL NIGHT. We're both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night. And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something. And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family, to his amazing artwork. There's no topic we don't cover.... Except for who I really am. It's the only question of his I won't answer. As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we've built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream...." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116669 Seatmate by Cara Bastone

"I have exactly 5 hours and 10 minutes to get from Boston to New York City or the professional opportunity of a lifetime disappears. My only travel option? The second to last seat on a discount bus. Across from the bathroom. Wearing last night's clothes (don't ask). All worth it if I can make it in time. My nerves almost get the best of me, but then there he is, sitting down in the seat next to me. Tall. Friendly smile. Bright indigo streak in his brown hair. The perfect distraction. Turns out he's on his way to reconnect with an old flame. The one who got away. We can both make it on time - just barely - if the traffic keeps flowing. Playing road-trip games, avoiding calls from his mother, and effortless conversation keeps us from clockwatching...until the bus breaks down. And my seatmate turns into my copilot as we wrangle a ride in a car three decades old. And hit all the traffic. And oh, Lord, the detours. And somehow I end up careening cross-town on the handlebars of a Citi Bike carrying a box of kittens. (Yeah, don't ask.) He's my hero every step of the way...and I might be falling for him. But what happens when we reach our final destination? Could my seatmate really be my soul mate?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 117271 Assistant to the villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

"ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits. With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer-naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don't find evil so attractive, Evie. But just when she's getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat . . . and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain-and his entire nefarious empire-out. Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work . . . and ensure he makes them pay. After all, a good job is hard to find." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 22934 Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card

In a future Earth engaged in an interstellar war against insectoid aliens, Ender Wiggin is chosen at the age of six to be trained as the military genius who will carry his people to victory. Along with his brother Peter and his sister Valentine, he not only brings the conflict to an end, but also affects the evolution of human society. Strong language.

Amanda Diggs, Production Manager

DB 106099 Fatal fried rice by Vivien Chien

Lana Lee has all the business instincts to make her family's Chinese restaurant a success. But not so much with the cooking instincts. She heads to culinary school on the sly. But when her instructor is murdered, Lana must find the killer and clear her name. Some violence and some strong language. 2021.

DB 109692 Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

"A Cape Cod shop owner and her book club must find a crafty killer in this charming new series from the Agatha-nominated author of the Country Store Mystery series. Summer is busy season for Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida's bicycle shop, nestled in the quaint, seaside hamlet of Westham, Massachusetts. She's expecting an influx of tourists at Mac's Bikes; instead she discovers the body of Jake Lacey. Mac can't imagine anyone stabbing the down-on-his-luck handyman. However, the authorities seem to think Mac is a strong suspect after she was spotted arguing with Jake just hours before his death. Mac knows she didn't do it, but she does recognize the weapon--her brother Derrick's fishing knife. Mac's only experience with murder investigations is limited to the cozy mysteries she reads with her local book group, the Cozy Capers. So to clear her name--and maybe her brother's too--Mac will have to summon help from her Cozy Capers coinvestigators and a library's worth of detectives' tips and tricks. For a small town, Westham is teeming with possible killers, and this is one mystery where Mac is hoping for anything but a surprise ending. . . ." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 105459 Slewfoot: a tale of bewitchery by Brom

Connecticut, 1666. Slewfoot, an ancient spirit, is known as a protector to the wildfolk and a demon to the colonists. To Abitha, a recently widowed outcast in her pious village, Slewfoot is the only one she can turn to for help. Together, they ignite a battle between pagan and Puritan. Some strong language, violence. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Jason Brinkman, Library Assistant

DB 80178 The escape by David Baldacci

U.S. Army special agent John Puller is the man they call to investigate the toughest crimes facing the nation. But he is unprepared to hunt the most formidable and brilliant prey he has ever tracked--his own brother. Imprisoned for treason and national security crimes, Robert has now inexplicably escaped. Strong language and some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 90711 Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe grows up in the court of her father, the sun god Helios. Despised by her parents and others, she falls in love with a mortal who shuns her. When she takes revenge, she is banished. Those who wish her and others harm are transformed into pigs. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DB 118263 Starter villain by John Scalzi

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyperintelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.