Bookshelf

Books Recommended By You

 

Alosha
by Christopher Pike
Book Series (trilogy)
Fantasy
recommended by: The Rabbi
It’s about a fairy queen

 

The Disaster Artist
by Greg Sestero & Tom Bissel
Memoir
This book is essential reading if you’re a fan of “The Room.” Co-authored by actor Greg Sestero, “The Disaster Artist” sheds light on how “The Room” was filmed with incredible wit. Every fan has a favorite detail, quote, or aspect from “The Room.” This book does an excellent job of explaining the little details, like why there are framed pictures of spoons in Johnny’s house. Plus, it’s being turned into a movie this year! Buy it! It’s nearly impossible to put down!

The False House
by James Stoddard
Fantasy
Part of The High House series
Recommended by: The Rabbi
It’s an interesting idea with words being literally power Here mixes with médiéval Stuff and anarchist dramaRoom” was filmed with incredible wit. Ever

Good Omens
by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Fantasy/Sci-fi
Novel
Recommended by Antelope

 

I Am The Messenger
by Marcus Zusak
Fiction
Novel
This is the most incredible book I’ve ever read. It’s by the same guy who wrote The Book Theif, so if you enjoyed that, you’ll absolutely love this book. It tells the kind of story that can change your life (I know it changed mine at least.) At its very core, the book is about an unlikely hero facing a very unlikely conflict, but as you’ll soon discover if you decide to read it, it’s so much deeper than the typical “quest of the protagonist to solve a problem”. It’s completely unique from anything you’ll ever read and I can guarantee that it delivers on every great quality a novel should have, outstanding characters, a suspensful and original plot, and what I think Zusak really excells in–mind blowing descriptions and sensory details. Every word makes you feel as though you’re in the story itself and experiencing everything that the author describes. I couldn’t reccomend any other novel as strongly as I reccomend this one. It’ll be the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read.

 

Jackaby
by William Ritter
Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, YA
Novel
recommended by: Sarah
Jackaby and it’s sequel Beastly Bone” take place in a fictional Boston called New Fiddleham during the late 1800s, where R.F. Jackaby is a detective of the supernatural. Very Sherlock-based, but fun and quirky.

 

The Lunar Chronicles
by Marissa Meyer
YA; Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Fairy Tales
4 Novels (plus a few short stories)
If you don’t know much about fairy tales, it’s still a great story. If you do know some things about fairy tales, it’s completely awesome. This series is loosely based on classical fairy tales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Snow White), and the author really knows her stuff. Although it seems like only the general story is related to the fairy tales, if you pay attention, you’ll see little (or really big) references to these tales popping up all over the place.
Another really strong point is the characters. By the last book, there are eight main characters, and the author still manages to maintain each one’s individual voice and personality. And though each character is of a specific “type” (the reluctant hero, the dark brooding warrior, etc.), they all have enough of a twist to keep them real.

Oryx and Crake
by Margaret Atwood
Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Dystopian Fiction
Novel
recommended by: Sonya
This is one of my favorite scientific novels because of the way Atwood created the subspecies of humans detailed in this book known as “Crakers”. Atwood really went to town researching different animal species to piece together the Crakers in a way that makes sense to the story, the main characters, and the setting. Especially given that we’re talking about Phlebotinum as of this unit starting 2/24/16, this is a cool book to take a look at if you’re trying to create mystical creatures for whatever universe you’re building. I also really like the way she put the story together as a set up for the two novels that follow. To summarize: Margaret Atwood is the one true queen.

A String in the Harp
by Nancy Bond
Fantasy, Historical
Novel
recommended by: Kate
I really, really love this book. It’s well-written and in general just really cool. It’s about an American family that moves to a tiny little town in Wales after a family tragedy. They soon get caught up in the country’s ancient history and legends as a strange artifact begins to merge the two timelines.
It’s got history, it’s got magic, it’s got lots of character interaction and it’s got completely unpronounceable Welsh names. Go look up on the Internet how to read Welsh letters before you check it out.

 

Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
Fantasy
Stand-alone
Everything about this book is gorgeous, from Novik’s prose to the dust jacket. The book is atmospheric and enchanting but at the same time tinged with dark suspense that literally had me tensing up at times. Features one of my all time favorite villains, and get this: it’s not even a person. The Wood, as it’s called, is a forest infused with evil magic, and its presence lurks in the background of every scene, ensuring that the stakes are always high.