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Melissa's Picks
 No identity. No memory. No idea how he ended up on a cold bench. Steadman's 2nd novel is a well-crafted thriller that kept me guessing right to the end. Enjoy! |  Another thought-provoking speculative fiction thriller that I just COULDN'T put down. What if our IQ controlled our destiny? What if the "more intelligent" members of society wanted to get rid of "those people". A CHILLING read! |  2019 Newberry Winner! - Yes, it deserves this award. Navigating middle school is tough for Merci - it's a prestigious school and her family insists she works hard there and at home too. Plus grandpa is acting weird and she's not sure what that means. One of my favorites. |
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 Backman's observations of what people really think, how we are all flawed in some way, is what makes his novels unique and poignant. With Anxious People, he takes a robbery gone wrong and creates a group of characters who are equally annoying and endearing! He slowly reveals their lives and fears and creatively pulls the reader into a better understanding of what it means to be human. Another gem! |  I love to cook - at home and when I'm camping & this cookbook is great for both! I have made over two dozen of these recipes and they rock! Easy to convert to at-home as well. Great flavors - a winner! |  When the Enigma machine ends up in a Scotland village, Louisa secretly works to crack the code and turn the tilt the air strikes in the Allies favor. Fast-paced, well-written historical fiction at its best! |
 Utterly, positively delightful! The perfect tonic for our pandemic times. A gem! |  Dreading summer camp, Corryn meets fellow camper Tez & they start seeing some really weird things going on at Camp Sweetwater. As they dig for the truth, they end up communicating with campers who were killed there 100 years ago. Creepy, funny , enjoyable read! |  Quirky "80's" fantasy set in London where strange magical beings lurk in the Old World. Susan sets out to find answers about her long-lost father and encounters Merlin and his family of magical booksellers. Mayhem ensues as they fight off a variety of dastardly creatures to defeat a master villain. Such a fun read! |
 Competitive mini-golf? Yes! One chapter for each hole filled with the story of Malcolm and his parents fighting and his self doubt. One Last Shot is about stepping out of your comfort zone, finding your groove and taking chances with friends and for yourself. Uplifting story for these challenging times! |  First book I finished in 2021 and it might be the best read all year. It's that good! A layered, nuanced story filled with flawed characters trying to make sense of the tragedies past & present that define their lives. An excellent read! |  Super-dysfunctional couple on a book launch road trip - what could possibly go wrong?? A laugh-out-loud, shake your head at the craziness, sexy read. |
 Excellent adventure read. It's realistic, intense & exciting. Set in Alaska, you'll root for Willa & her brothers to carve out the life they want and deserve. It's great! |  I love it when a sequel is as entertaining as the original! Sexual harassment - Bromance Bookclub to the rescue. Times are stressful - read a fun rom-com! |  Oooh how I loved this book - and can't stop thinking about it! Daunis is torn between her native Ojibwe traditions and her white family's "plans" for her future. After witnessing a terrible tragedy, Daunis becomes a confidential informant to find out who is behind the drug related deaths on the reservation. Part thriller, part romance and part modern Native experiences, Firekeeper's Daughter is simply the best in YA literature. "To know truth is to accept what cannot be known." Daunis |
 Equally heart-wrenching and heartwarming. Edward's voice is raw and honest - learning to live after such unimaginable loss. A wonderful read that will linger in your thoughts for quite some time. |  Bonds of family. Aftermath of tragedy. Questioning one's faith. Eden Mine is a story of family, tragedy and faith amongst the rugged Montana landscape. A novel that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. |  Rarely do I indulge in a one-sitting read, but The Last Thing He Told Me was so good right from the start. How would you react if you suddenly discovered your spouse was not who you thought they were? As more and more of the story is revealed, it's clear that life for Hannah and her step daughter will never be the same. An excellent read that stayed with me long after the last page. |
 A glorious novel - one to savor and share with others. Ana's marriage to Jesus is one facet of her complex life which brought her both joy and sorrow. Ana is curious, stubborn, loyal and loving. A woman living in a time when women had no voice, no say in what would happen in their lives. Ana is a scribe who toils in secret to record women's stories and history from their perspectives. Her prayer to God: "Bless the words I write. May they be visible to eyes not yet born." An unforgettable gem! |  Such a great read-part heartbreaking and ever hopeful its Muir’s story to tell. Her life in foster care. The good, the bad, the indifferent. Muir put up quite the wall around her feelings and when she starts to make friends and trust people, life begins to change. A gem! |  Funny, poignant and wise, You Have a Match is a great read! Two young women find out they are related & go to clever extremes to figure out the truth about their lives. Mix in some "hopeful" romance and family craziness and you'll laugh, smile & feel good too. Loved it! |
 I was looking so forward to reading _This Tender Land_ and it was the gem I hoped it would be. Drawing you in to the people, the landscape, the era - it was a journey I did not want to end. A depression era "school" that mistreated the children, leads Odie and his three friends to escape and run from the law and the scary school owners. They meet well-meaning people, unscrupulous people, and hard-scrabble folks just trying to survive on so very little. |  |  |
 I thoroughly enjoyed this legal thriller. The central character, Maya, is the lone holdout on a highly publicized murder trial. After convincing her fellow jurors to acquit, their lives are never the same. Ten years later, Maya is a successful attorney suddenly accused of murdering a fellow juror. A multilayered whodunit with a few really well done twists. Loved it! |
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