Summer is almost here!

Time to pour a tall glass of lemonade, find a shady spot, and start a great book! We are back with another edition of “WOYS” – What’s On Your Shelf to help you out.

I have listed three books that are worth reading while soaking up some good Vitamin D:

 

 

Children of Blood and Bone

By Tomi Adeymi
This New York Times Best Seller, has everything I love in a novel – magic, love, friendship, adventure, and memorable characters in a familiar yet totally unique world. The West African roots of the story weave texture through the narrative, and the heroines’ struggles with power (her own and others), personal responsibility, the pull of family, and the meaning of loyalty are infinitely relatable. This “young adult” book is worth reading in one delicious, big gulp. You can thank me later.

 

Dreamland – The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic

By Sam Quinones
When a book is recommended to me multiple times, by people in totally different corners of my life, I tend to see it as a sign that I have a new reading assignment. That’s how Dreamland ended up on my list and I’m so glad that it did. This is a well-researched, infinitely readable, story of addition in America. From Mexican villages, to Appalachian pill mills, from pharmaceutical company board rooms to suburban home, Sam explains how we got here – to an addiction epidemic. While it isn’t a fun story, you owe it to yourself to dive in and come out enraged and enlightened.

 

Frankenstein

By Mary Shelley
Feel like you need a reading buddy? Frankenstein turns 200 this year, and it is the focus of the One State/One Story program (a statewide read sponsored by the Indiana Humanities and the Indiana State Library). Shelley’s themes, specifically the role of science and our own humanity, still ring true today and are a great jumping off point for a full slate of discussions, podcasts, and the first-ever Indiana Sci-Fi & Horror Writers Festival – coming this October. Your high school teacher will be proud of you.

 

Get to your nearest library, and get reading this summer!

Want more recommendations?

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