The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
None of this Rocks
The Weight of Blood
The Portsmouth Public Library would like to recommend these book titles. Each title is available to borrow with your library card! For more book recommendations or information on applying for a library card go to www.yourppl.org or call 740-354-5688.
None of this Rocks by Joe Trohman – This memoir from Fall Out Boy’s lead guitarist chronicles his chaotic life that shaped his music and worldview. His mother suffered from mental illness and brain tumors that eventually killed her. His father struggled with that tragedy, but ultimately became a supportive force in Trohman’s life, fostering his thirst for knowledge along the way. Then came Fall Out Boy. From his first glimpses of their rise to fame, to working with his heroes like Scott Ian of Anthrax, Trohman takes his readers backstage, into the studio, and onto his couch. He shares his struggles with depression and substance abuse in a brutally honest and personal tone that will resonate with readers. Whether you know of Fall Out Boy or not, this fascinating music memoir is one unlike you’ve ever read before. Readers might also enjoy Chronicles: Volume One by Bob Dylan or Acid for the Children by Flea.
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunzvold – Clara Kip has lived an “exceedingly unimpressive” life, or so she claims. Aiden Kelley is a young, talented reporter who just wants to be given a chance to write more serious assignments. They meet under rather odd circumstances but together these two will learn, grow, and become friends in the comfort of the Sacred Promise Senior Care Center. The story follows Aiden as she is tasked with writing the obituary of Mrs. Kip, who is still living and full of lots of interesting stories. Mrs. Kip who has just moved into the Sacred Promise Senior Care Center and on day one announces that she may just be “a troublemaker.” The novel contains an interesting cast of characters and is a sensational read. Make sure you have tissues nearby and enjoy! Readers might also enjoy Feathers of Hope by Sharon Garlough Brown or This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub.
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson – An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she’s dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington. After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High’s racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school’s first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it’s possible to have a normal life. But some of her classmates aren’t done with her just yet. And what they don’t know is that Maddy still has another secret… one that will cost them all their lives. Readers might also enjoy The Getaway by Lamar Giles or Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.
