Chloe's Picks
Holly Black is back with another dark tale! Jude and her twin sister were taken to the faerie court after their parents were murdered when they were seven years old. Jude wants nothing more than to belong in the Faerie Court, but as a mortal, she is forever an outsider. Especially to the High King's youngest son, the cruel Prince Cardan. Full of fantasy political intrigue and fae espionage, Jude's story is perfect for readers looking for twists and turns, secrets, and a bit of magic.
What began as a collection of Zines in the 90s has become a full-fledged book. Making Stuff and Doing Things is perfect for the adventurer, DIY-er, punk, activist, or road-tripper in your life. Need a recipe for toothpaste? Got it. Foraging edible plants? Covered. Binding your own books? Yep. In the format of concise handwritten pages, these people pass down their knowledge to you to help you live on less, make your own stuff, hit the road, and get more done.
In this novel,Lorna Landvik takes you through the eyes of Violet Mathers, an eighteen year-old girl in 1938 who lost an arm in a factory accident. Feeling hopeless, she takes her life savings, and a bus to San Francisco, planning on jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge when she arrives. When her bus breaks down, she feels like life is having another laugh, until she befriends the two young musicians who come to the rescue of the stranded passengers, and she finds another purpose in life. While a little slow-moving, this novel deals with the Great Depression, the beginnings of rock and roll, race relations, coping and living with disability, and taking the chances you're given. I'd recommend to anyone who's a fan of historical fiction.
Life as We Knew It is a story of natural disaster. When a meteor hits the moon, knocking it out of orbit, the weather changes. Tsunamis and earthquakes become the norm, along with the view of an enlarged moon. The book follows sixteen year-old Miranda and her family through their first year after the disaster and their attempt to lead a normal life in the wake of global tragedy. Highly recommended.
Finally, a celebrity memoir that isn't full of itself. Hannah Hart shares stories and life lessons of growing up, struggles with family life, sexuality, and finding self-worth and happiness, even when it seems impossible. Whether this is the first time you've heard of her or you're a longtime fan, I recommend this book. I read the whole thing in a little under two days, and I loved it.
Ellen Marie Wiseman handles the dark subject of WWII very well. The book was a deeply moving view on those personally affected by the war in 1930s and 40s Germany, the lives of ordinary German people. Men drafted to war even if they were in disagreement with Hitler's views, families left hungry and villages bombed. The protagonist Christine Bolz is just a German citizen, not Jewish nor a Nazi. She is an innocent bystander to the horrors of the war. The horrors experienced by the Jews are not left out, as Wiseman also tells the story of Christine's Jewish love interest, Isaac Bauerman. The slower first half of the book is made up for by the tense second half, which is impossible to put down. Overall, a highly recommended work of fiction.
Covering every subject from dog ownership to mental illness, Allie Brosh unapologetically documents the struggles of day-to-day life in short stories and doodles. Her style of writing makes every subject relatable and funny, this is a book that everyone who's ever wanted to give up on being an adult should read.