January 2022 Staff Picks
We have had a changeover of staff, so Staff Picks slid to the bottom of the list while we trained our new staff members, and I learned my new job of being the Administrator. Now that we are settled in to our new positions, we can get back to some of our regular features, like book unboxings, new release blog posts, and staff picks. Without further ado, here’s what our staff read and loved in January.
TORI’S PICK: Circe by Madeline Miller
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction
WHY SHE PICKED IT: This is a book about finding yourself and who you are meant to be, but it is so much more than that. This book is a warm golden hug that lets you slip into the world of living on a remote island with nature, wolves, lions, and swine. This is my go-to comfort book, and I love the audiobook just as much as the physical book.
THE SYNOPSIS: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child - not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power - the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
CLICK BELOW TO BORROW “Circe” by Madeline Miller:
FROM THE LIBRARY
FROM THE LIBBY APP (eBook)
FROM THE LIBBY APP (audiobook)
BRANDY’S PICK: If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie
GENRE: Nonfiction, Graphic Novel
WHY SHE CHOSE IT: When Brianna Jonnie was only 14 years old she penned a heart wrenching letter to the Winnipeg Chief of Police imploring that "if I go missing, do not treat me like the Indigenous person I am proud to be." Even at the tender age of 14 she realized that Indigenous people like herself were not afforded the same swift response in action and media attention that others not of Indigenous descent were given when someone was reported missing. This graphic novel is wonderfully illustrated with haunting pictures that compliment the powerful words written in Brianna's letter. Her letter ended up going viral and was also forwarded to many others in positions of authority including the Premier of Manitoba, Minister of Family Services, Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, the Mayor of Winnipeg. This book reminds us once again how we fail to stand up and speak up against racism and violence towards women, but especially the racism and violence that Indigenous women experience.
THE SYNOPSIS: If I Go Missing is derived from excerpts of a letter that went viral and was also the basis of a documentary film. In her letter, Jonnie calls out the authorities for neglecting to immediately investigate missing Indigenous people and urges them to not treat me as the Indigenous person I am proud to be if she were to be reported missing. Indigenous artist Neal Shannacappo provides the artwork. Through his illustrations, he imagines a situation in which a young Indigenous woman does disappear, portraying the reaction of her community, her friends, the police, and media.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE “If I Go Missing” by Brianna Jonnie FROM THE LIBRARY
LISA G’s PICK: The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
GENRE: Nonfiction, Autobiography
WHY SHE CHOSE IT: For any fans of Scream, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, 90's to current rock music, or Dave himself, this is a MUST READ. This will (probably) be the first account you hear about the 90's music life from someone who actually stayed (mostly) sober for his entire career. Grohl has met and worked with EVERYONE, and Dave himself says in the book that this was the tip of the iceberg for stories he has to tell, so I hope this is The Storyteller Part One. I'd read at least ten more volumes.
THE SYNOPSIS: So, I've written a book.
Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities ("It's a piece of cake! Just do 4 hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!") I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I've recorded and can't wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child.
This certainly doesn't mean that I'm quitting my day job, but it does give me a place to shed a little light on what it's like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, walking through life while living out the crazy dreams I had as young musician. From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, jamming with Iggy Pop or playing at the Academy Awards or dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, bedtime stories with Joan Jett or a chance meeting with Little Richard, to flying halfway around the world for one epic night with my daughters…the list goes on. I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE “The Storyteller” by Dave Grohl FROM THE LIBRARY
LISA S’s PICK: Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
GENRE: Literary Fiction
WHY SHE PICKED IT: This book is one story, that turns into a completely separate one. I know that sounds cryptic, but I can’t say any more without ruining it for you. The story is a moving exploration about what it means to find yourself outside of a life you thought you loved, one that was exactly what you wanted. It’s courageous, heartbreaking, and hopeful, all at once. NOTE: Wish You Were Here is set during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, so if you prefer not to read about that, save this one for later.
THE SYNOPSIS: Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.
But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.
Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.
CLICK TO RESERVE “Wish You Were Here” by Jodi Picoult FROM THE LIBRARY
What was your favourite read in January? What are you looking forward to in February? Let us know in the comments below.
