HPL: Staff Picks Adults & Teens (Summer 2024)

"On January 28, 1996, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart of the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Like disaster is a defining moment in twentieth-century history--yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told. It's a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating...

Looks at the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, exploring questions of intimacy, power, autonomy and control. "Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she's not the greatest at keeping Doug's place spotless,...

"Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello, one of four Italian American brothers, all of whom live in neighboring houses on a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their wives and children and Tony's parents, a huge extended family that lives and works, eats and plays together. It is the spring of 1976 and Eilis, now in her forties with two teenage children, has no one to rely on in this still-new country. Though her ties to the town...

It seems like any other day: You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean?...

"From the author of Pack Up the Moon comes a funny, romantic, and deeply moving novel about the unexpected rewards that come from life's swerves. Lark Smith was planning a fairy-tale wedding to her high school sweetheart when, in the blink of an eye, everything she dreamed of was suddenly gone. That day, Lark decided the best way to deal with loss was to prevent others from ever having to. Five years later, her goal of becoming a doctor-the best doctor-is...

"An accessible plant-based cookbook from a non-judgmental vegan featuring delicious and easy recipes that will make you feel your best! Whether you're a practicing vegan or just interested in trying out more plant-based meals, HealthyGirl Kitchen is the go-to cookbook for insanely easy, out-of-this-world delicious recipes that will help you become the best version of yourself. Danielle Brown is the wildly popular vegan influencer behind HealthyGirl...

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine...

" 'Reading Georgia Hunter's We Were the Lucky Ones is like being swung heart first into history. A brave and mesmerizing debut, and a truly tremendous accomplishment.'--Paula McLain, New York Timesbestselling author of The Paris Wife. An extraordinary, propulsive novel based on the true story of a family of Polish Jews who scatter at the start of the Second World War, determined to survive, and to reunite. It is the spring of 1939, and three generations...

"Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn't know he's her best friend's younger brother. Lucy and Felix's chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again. It's easier said than done. Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of...

"A gripping historical mystery based on the real-life diary entries of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history. Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of...