What I've Been Reading

I've been reading a lot recently, but I haven't had time to write full book reviews for the blog. So, here are three suggestions for you in one post! Click on the book covers to see which libraries own them.

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
When her alcoholic former-beauty-queen mother plans yet another inappropriate marriage, sixteen-year-old Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut runs away to California to find her biological father and some happiness. The ineptitude of the mother (and her charm school) made me laugh, and the taco truck where Maybe finds work made me seriously hungry. This book has some heavy topics, but is actually a light read and great for summer or vacation.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This atmospheric read won Gaiman the Newbery Award this year. It is the episodic tale of Nobody Owens, a.k.a. Bod, a child who escapes the gruesome murder of his family and is taken in to be raised by the residents of a graveyard. The episodic style of the story makes it easy to read in short sittings, yet the mysterious premise makes it very engaging. Gaiman had better be working on a sequel because there is a lot more I want to know about Bod!

Finding Nouf by Zoë Ferraris
I usually don't read mysteries, but this book captured me from the start with its inside look at Saudi Arabian families and culture. The mystery focuses on a 16-year-old daughter in a wealthy family, Nouf ash-Shrawi, who is found dead in the desert just days before her marriage. A private investigator takes the case, and his research explores the diversity of Saudi society as much as it explores the circumstances of her death. I have already gotten several other library staff members to read this book, and I also think high school students would enjoy it.