All the books listed here are available at the library. Stop in, give us a call, or use the online catalog to place a hold and check one out. All book descriptions are provided by the publisher on the back of the book, on Goodreads, or through the library catalog.
Get ready for Summer Reading with books that fit into the Level Up at Your Library theme! Check out displays at the library with more books featuring board games, video games, sports, and puzzles! And, get signed up for summer reading!
Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why — or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons, who she must also navigate in order to survive. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book).
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr: Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Clayton Stumper was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists and now finds himself among the last survivors of a fading institution. When Clayton’s maternal figure passes away, she bestows her final puzzle on him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his past and prepare him for life beyond the walls of the commune. As Clayton unravels each clue, he discovers something that the Fellowship has never been able to solve. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book).
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: While the planet is declining and falling apart, Wade Watts escapes into the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by eccentric James Halliday. After Wade finds the first clue to Halliday’s scavenger hunt, he learns that he might need to confront the real world in order to succeed. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book).
The Greatest Stories Ever Played by Dustin Hansen: Dustin Hansen, a self-confessed video game addict, examines the storytelling skills shown in some of the most beloved and moving games of all time. The Greatest Stories Ever Played, examines the relationship between gaming and storytelling in a new way.
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis: Sent to an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon finds that in order to escape her reality, she plays chess and takes the little green pills that are given to her and the other children to keep them subdued. Progressing her chess talent to the top of the US rankings, she finds that she is able to create a new life for herself. But to Beth, there is more at stake than merely winning and losing. Available on Hoopla (e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book).
We celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride month in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement. Memorials are held during this month for members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of Pride Month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQ+ people have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally and to celebrate individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. These titles feature LGBTQ+ characters, authors, and stories.
House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara: Seventeen-year-old Angel is new to the 1980s Harlem ball scene. With a traumatic past, Angel is yearning to create a family for those without. She soon falls in love with Hector, and together they form the House of Xtravaganza, the first all-Latino house in the circuit. What follows is a dynamic story of ambition, resilience, and determination to control their own fates. Available on Hoopla (audio/e-book).
The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune: In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything, his parents are dead, his brother wants nothing to do with him, and he was fired from his job as a journalist in DC. With nothing to lose he returns to his parents’ summer cabin in rural Oregon, but when he arrives the house isn’t empty. Inside is a man named Alex and an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Nate has to make a decision to either drown in his past or or fight for a future he didn’t see coming. Available on Boundless (e-book), Hoopla (audio), and Libby (audio).
The 2000s Made Me Gay by Grace Perry: Take a nostalgic trip through 2000s media and pop culture moments. Unlike today where there are dozens of queer people to look up to, fictional and real, Grace Perry didn’t grow up with the same experience. Regardless, the media and her personal experiences shaped who she is as a queer woman. Available on Hoopla (audio).
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart: Mungo and James were born into different worlds. Against the odds, they become friends and dream of finding somewhere they could both belong. This gripping story explores friendship, love, masculinity, and the violence faced by many queer people. Available on Boundless (e-book), Hoopla (audio/e-book), and Libby (e-book).
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong: On a late summer evening in East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai is standing on the edge of a bridge ready to jump, when Grazina, an elderly widow with dementia convinces him to come down. Out of options, Hai becomes her caretaker. They form a life-altering bond built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak as they come to find out that their differences might be the very things that make them similar. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (e-book).
Start a trilogy now, read one book a month, and finish the series in August!
Beartown by Fredrik Backman: In the tiny community of Beartown, hockey is the center of everyone’s lives. With the junior hockey team about to compete in the national semi-finals, the burden of winning is heavy on the whole town. When accusations are made and travel through town, all residents will be affected. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book).
A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Cana: After two scheming grandfathers come up with a plan to marry their grandchildren, Kamilah and Liam try to outfox them with a plan of their own. A fake engagement to secure their futures might end up being more than just business. Available on Hoopla (audio/e-book) and Libby (e-book).
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: Emily Wilde, a brilliant but socially awkward Cambridge professor, travels to a remote village to research faerie folklore for her groundbreaking encyclopedia. Preferring solitude and the company of her dog, books, and the Fair Folk, Emily has little interest in befriending the gruff townsfolk–or her charming yet insufferable academic rival, Wendall Bambley. As Emily delves into the secrets of the elusive Hidden Ones, she uncovers not just the mysteries of the faerie lore but also unexpected truths. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book).
Dark Witch by Nora Roberts: Iona grew up craving devotion and acceptance and after travelling to Ireland, she finds it in the lush forests, dazzling lakes, and legends. When she finds a job at a local stable, she meets the owner, Boyle, who helps her realize that she can make a home in Ireland. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and needs to be defeated. Available on Boundless (e-book) and Libby (e-book).
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten: Lore works for a cartel smuggling poisons and hiding her magic. When something goes wrong and Lore is captured, she gets caught up in King August’s plans where she will need to use her magic to stay alive. The next book in the series will be released in July.