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August 2022 Staff Picks

Aug 1, 2022 | Book Lists, News, Staff Picks

Looking to try out a new book? Try one of our staff picks!

Michelle:

The Ride of her Life: the True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts

In 1954, Annie Wilkins, a 64 year old farmer from Minot, Maine, had next to nothing. She had just lost her farm to back taxes. She had no relatives. And she’d been given a dire diagnosis – one that led her doctor to give her only a few years left and a warning to live them as stress-free as possible.

Annie was a tough-as-nails sort though, and didn’t pay that doctor any mind when she decided to go to California – someplace she had always wanted to see before she died.

There was only one small snag in her plan: given her state of affairs (no car, no money), she had no way to get there. What Annie *did* have: vast stores of moxie and gumption. Her plan: use every last cent she had to buy cucumber seeds. Against all odds, selling those cucumbers gave her enough money to buy herself a sturdy horse and some supplies. So with Tarzan (the sturdy horse) and her little dog Depeche-toi (“Hurry up)–she began her big adventure.  

You cannot make this stuff up.

I don’t want to spoil any more of the story because it’s truly lovely. It’s not only a portrait of this absolute character of a woman, but it’s a serenade to an era long gone.  

Get thee to the library and get your copy. Giddy-up already!

Tasha:

Hatchet Island by Paul Doiron

Maine author Paul Doiron hits it out of the park with his latest Mike Bowditch book  Hatchet Island. Mike and his girlfriend Stacey find themselves mixed up in a double murder on a research island where the highlight of the day is usually a puffin sighting. The clues lead them to a nearby island where it’s clear people know a lot more than they are willing, or are allowed to say. Mike may be off duty but when duty calls, he can’t allow the wrong man to take the blame. As expected from Doiron, this book races to a thrilling end and justice is served.

Barb:

Hotel Magnifique by Emily Taylor

Great pic for others who like YA fantasy like me. Full of magic, villains, unpredictable ending, friendships & sibling love, romantic interest.  

Kelly:

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

I loved this middle grade graphic novel about Bree’s move to a new state with her dad. She never expected that she would end up on the swim team for her new school. This book is full of great characters, with lots of ups and downs with friends and family as Bree settles into her new home. 

Jeanine:

Once there Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

This is a murder mystery/ thriller about a wildlife biologist working to reintroduce wolves to a remote part of teh Scottish Highlands. When a farmer is mauled to death, she knows the town will lay blame on the wolves and so she makes a reckless decision to protect them no matter what the cost.

Emily:

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

This is an excellent thriller, steeped in drama and intrigue with a heartwarming mother-daughter relationship at its core. When young college mother Tallulah goes missing after a night out with her boyfriend, her mother refuses to believe they just ran away together and continues searching for her daughter. Jewell spins a suspenseful and heart-racing tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next!