Mikala's Picks
Check out our staff Goodreads account for what we are currently reading now!
Wow! The Martian was one of the best books I've read in a long time. An amiable engineer, Mark Watney gets left behind on Mars after a mission landing gone wrong. This is a sci-fi book with a friendly touch of humanity- a must read!!
The fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series is finally out in paperback! This is a seriously epic fantasy saga that will take you on a dragon-filled roller coaster ride through the world of Martin's Westeros and then some. If back-stabs, betrayal, and cunning logic are to your liking then this is a story for you. I cannot wait for Martin to complete this series so we can finally find out who will win the throne!
The Vegetarian is a haunting, original tale about a woman who starts by swearing off meat... then everything else. Much to the dismay of her husband and family, this begins to affect her mental and physical health. Soon we're taken along with Yeong-hye through her nightmares and struggles to break free from violence. This novel won the Man Booker International Prize and after you read it it's very apparent why. I can't wait to see what else author Han Kang creates.
A master of contemporary surrealism, Murakami's latest short story is about a young boy who gets locked away in a library and must read until his brain becomes full and... delicious? This book is so uniquely designed that we have a display copy because you have to look inside.
Like much of Ishiguro's previous novels, this one often gave me chills and left me thinking about it for days after I had finished. Set in sub-Roman Britain, we follow Axl and Beatrice on a mysterious journey to find their son. The path is a long and dangerous one for a dragon has settled the land and the endearing couple can't quite remember where their son lives, or much of anything else for that matter. Prepare to have your emotions rocked by this story.
As the title suggests, Beautiful Ruins is a beautifully crafted novel about the intertwined lives of people and how we can get so completely caught up within ourselves that we forget to notice the beauty in others until it's almost too late. From the enticing cover to the enchanting words within, this book was a quick and pleseant read that ended on a happy note.
Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have done it once again! From the clever duo that brought us Freakonomics comes their latest book that will have you “thinking like a freak.” What exactly does that entail? Read this delightful book to find out!
Roxane Gay brings a refreshing voice to many relevant social issues. In her first book of nonfiction essays Gay takes on feminism, race, gender, and equality. I love love love this book.
“I believe feminism is grounded in supporting the choices of women even if we wouldn’t make certain choices for ourselves." -Roxane Gay, Bad Feminist.
OMG Bee and Puppycat! It doesn't get much more cute than Bee and Puppycat. Bee is a young girl that likes snacking and napping. Puppycat is her pet cat with special powers. Together they complete various missions across the universe! I can't get enough of Bee and Puppycat! ♥
This is a critical text on the issue of race in America today. Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote this book as a letter to his young son, informing him of our nation's history and current crisis. What a refreshing and much needed voice on the subject.
David Lagercrantz continues Steig Larsson's Millennium Series in The Girl in the Spider's Web. If you've missed Lisabeth and Mikael then look no further- they are back and out for blood.
Gods walk amongst men in this enormous undertaking of a novel set in Ken Liu's newest fantasy world. The islands of Dara have been under rule by a harsh king for far too long and now the people are rebelling. Written in a prose-like style, The Grace of Kings feels like a dramatic re-telling of historical events with good guys and villains aplenty. Best of all, Liu is planning to make this in to a trilogy!
Even better than the first one!!
During the span of about 4 weeks, Jacob and Julia's marriage falls apart as they try to hold their family together. You really get a sense of the authors raw emotion in this book. I felt a powerful pulse, a heart beart, while reading this book and when you get to the end it's like- WOAH, quiet. What made this novel by Jonathan Safran Foer so important to me is how I cant see parts of myself and people I know in these characters. In my opinion this is his strongest writing yet.
This collection of poety is a heartrending look at feminity from the eyes of a young woman. I cannot recommend this enough!