This book was written way before COVID, but the way it described those early pandemic vibes was spot on! The dry humor, the office drama, the worries about foreign labor, gender issues—it was all so relatable. And I loved the story of her immigrant parents adjusting to life in the U.S., then bringing her over as a kid. Such a beautiful story, I was genuinely bummed when it ended. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Aimee, IT Librarian

​Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in the catalog!

There are also digital versions for download with your library card. Click here to reserve the eBook and click here to reserve the audiobook.

In Mean Spirited by Nick Roberts, the spooky twist isn’t a haunted house or a possessed person—it’s a possessed dog.

The main character, Matt, is a high school English teacher who’s also a heavy drinker and not over his ex-wife, now a successful vet. They co-parent their young son, who’s been begging for a dog.

One day, Matt spots an obituary for one of his former students, a kid he really liked. Tragically, she took her own life, and her mother passed away on the scene from a heart attack. Remembering he still has one of her poems buried in his attic junk, Matt thinks her family might appreciate it, so he frames it and heads over to her memorial. Just as he’s about to leave, a starving, thirsty dog wanders up with her address on its tag. It’s her dog. Knowing his son wants a dog, Matt decides to take it home. That’s when things start going south for him, his family, and even some other folks.

Fair warning: there’s violence, some animal harm, and Matt’s struggles with alcoholism are front and center as he starts to see the damage it’s doing to his life—beyond just dealing with a haunted dog.

Nick Roberts’ books always have enough creep factor to make me think twice about turning off the lights, even though I’m pretty hard to scare. They also usually hit you with some real emotional depth. I know whenever I pick up one of his books, I’m in for a good read.

​Aimee, IT Librarian

Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in the catalog!

 YouOn August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie walked onto a packed amphitheater stage to give a talk about keeping writers safe in these dark times. Out of nowhere, a man jumped from the audience and started stabbing him for 27 seconds. People sat there, stunned, almost thinking it was some kind of performance art. Then Rushdie’s 70-something colleague tackled the guy, snapping the audience out of their trance, and they joined in. Rushdie barely survived. He lost an eye. His attacker—nicknamed “A,” short for a three-letter word for donkey—had never even read Rushdie's work. He’d just seen a few YouTube videos and learned to hate.

This book celebrates those who saved him. It’s a tribute to free speech, pushing back against the rising tide of censorship, hate, and authoritarianism. But, more than anything, it’s a love story. Rushdie is surrounded by love, and it’s a love letter to his wife, Eliza, who stood by him through it all.

​Aimee, IT Librarian
​
Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in our catalog! You can also click here to reserve the audiobook narrated by Salman Rushdie himself with your SPL card.