KDL Recommends

This charming and captivating novella explains what happens when the Queen of England becomes an avid reader, with hilarious results.

-Mark at Rockford

Longtime New Yorker cartoonist Chast share a few of her least favorite things. For example C is for carnivals—
A huge crowd of moronic-looking people hell-bent on “amusement”; brutish carnies running rigged games in which people try to win hideous stuffed animals; dangerous rides where you get flung around to the point of nauseousness, manned by drunken half-wits; electrical cables underfoot; carcinogenic food; and much, much more.
-Sara at Kentwood

Angus Donald’s follow up to Outlaw, after reading this book it has me questioning if Robin Hood should even be a hero because of some of the deeds he does in this series.
-Craig at Cascade

Egan has crafted a group of unforgettable characters. One moment they are making mistakes, selfish, confused, and sometimes unlikeable. Yet, the next thing you know they reach out to you, and you can’t help but feel empathy for them. No doubt this is the result of Egan’s suburb ability to capture how time and shifts in pop culture and technology change all of us—whether we like it or not. It’s no surprise that Egan was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this novel.
-Jessica at Kent City

It’s an oldie but a goodie! I heard the book was being turned into a movie and I decided to finally start in on this wildly popular series. A few weeks later I am reading #8 in the series and I can’t believe I’ve waited this long. They are all so hilarious and I laugh out loud while reading them.
-Morgan at Walker

I just finished reading the awesome book Same Kind of Different as Me. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.
-Judy P. at the Service Center

The Detroit of the early 1900’s comes alive in this fabulous murder mystery!
-Theresa at Byron Center

This is a teen book that follows Rory to a boarding school in England where it seems that someone is trying to copy the killings of Jack the Ripper. Rory has a strong voice in this book, and the author uses great writing to pull you right into the setting. A really good read.
-Shannon at Comstock Park

In the garden of beasts is the story of William Dodd, appointed by President Roosevelt in 1933 to be American Ambassador to Germany, just as Hitler is coming to power. In the four years he spent in Germany Dodd and his family watched the transformation of Germany into the increasingly repressive Third Reich. This book is particularly interesting to history buffs.
-Laura at Alpine

Dystopian fans will love the first installment of June and Day’s life in the Republic.
-Sarah at the Service Center

Just finished Legend by Marie Lu, a teen distopian sci-fi/fantasy that features a handsome and brave criminal up against a beautiful and elite member of the military in what was once the state of California, but is now called the Republic. Currently, the Republic is a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors, the Colonies. Romance, suspense and intrigue combine for an enjoyable read that will lead to at least one sequel, probably more. A great read-alike for the “Hunger Games”.
-Lynda at Lowell

Buckle up and get ready for a great reading ride! Being creative in the society of Quill can have deadly consequences, but someone has a different plan for those with imaginative minds. Join Alex and his other friends as they go from being outcasts in their home to being heroes of a magical realm called Artimé. If you are a fan the Harry Potter series, you won’t want to miss out on this book!
-Heather at Rockford

If you’ve ever found yourself trapped inside an article of clothing while trying it on and had to wrestle your way out of said article, this book is for you.
-Liz at Gaines

Twenty-seven-year-old Sarah Graham travels to a tiny hamlet in New York following the death of her estranged father to claim her inheritance, only to learn that his will stipulates a six-month stay before she can collect the money.

Recommended by Michelle at Walker

The characters did not fall in love at first sight and there are killer sea horses. Oh, and the writing is excellent.
-Sam at the Service Center

Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters—the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known, in a unique fantasy by an award-winning author about forbidden love, an epic battle and hope for a world remade.

Recommended by Beth at Gaines

This is a gorgeous graphic novel that highlights the intertwining of the Islamic and Christian faiths. The plot is love/adventure, spanning many years, in a non-specific Middle Eastern country. If you like graphic novels, this one will blow you away.
-Hazel at the Service Center

A chance encounter with a handsome banker in a Greenwich Village jazz bar on New Year’s Eve 1938 catapults witty Wall Street secretary Katey Kontent into the upper echelons of New York society, where she befriends a shy multi-millionaire, an Upper East Side ne’er-do-well and a single-minded widow.

Recommended by Meredith at Byron