Looking for your next great read? See what the Newfields librarians are reading and loving this month…
Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.
Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.
But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought… -Goodreads
With summer fast approaching, my need for fun and light-hearted romance novels grows. Thankfully I’ve found one that appeals to both my nerdiness and my inner theater kid!
This was such a fun read for me! I absolutely adore the relationship between Riley and Nathan, they are both so earnest and naive but in a believeable way. This is admittidly my first novel that really embraces the “fake relationship” trope, but I really enjoyed it! There was just enough to give the right amount of tension and worry, and when it was resolved, I couldn’t help but grin. It’s a cute romance, just the right amount to brighten the day.
It’s not just the romance that stuck with me either; the character interactions were incredibly interesting as well. Seeing Riley with her estranged father finally have quality bonding time, albeit in a game shop, was great. Having their bond strengthened over the course of the novel was a treat. Hoshiko and Lucas were also amazing side characters that I cherished and rooted for. Sophia and Paul, the crushes that Riley and Nathan were scheming for, are incredibly annoying, but honestly they’re supposed to illicit that reaction from me, so they played their parts well.
All in all, this is a very enjoyable and fun read! This is the first in the Dungeons and Drama series by Kristy Boyce, and I am definitely picking up the next book to check that out! If you’re looking for a fun and quick read that has a cute romance that also is a little on the nerdy side, this is definitely the read for you!
This book is available in our physical library collection.
-Lauren B.
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.
Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.
As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public fascination with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story…-Goodreads
I love a good sports drama. Add to that the high stakes of Olympic competition and a passionate, bordering-on-obsessive romance with two main characters you both love and hate, and you have a recipe for a compelling story.
I was immediately intrigued with the premise of this story, but what really kept me reading was the propulsive pace and plotting, supported by a fresh documentary-style narration throughout that gives us multiple perspectives from Katarina, her closest rivals, and other skating personalities. All together, we get an intimate view of Katarina Shaw and the saga that unfolds with her skating partner, childhood best friend, and love of her life as they fight for Olympic victory.
Katarina has always known she wanted to be a champion skater; Heath has always known he wanted to be with Katarina—and if skating like a champion is what it took to be with her, he was all in. But Katarina’s competitive spirit and relentless pursuit of glory on the ice puts pressure on their relationship in more ways than one. And Katarina isn’t the only skater with eyes on Heath.
I wasn’t always rooting for the two of them to be together (your mileage may vary), but I was transfixed by their dynamic on and off the ice. I think this ultimately worked well because, despite having some reservations about the romantic relationship between Kat and Heath—and despite her own clear flaws—I was still always rooting for Kat. In that sense, Fargo did an expert job developing complex and flawed characters with humanity. While there are certainly some villains in the story, our main characters remain people you can mostly root for in some capacity and I was pleased to see redemption arcs for key characters from Kat’s perspective as she herself matured and grew throughout the story.
While her romantic relationship with Heath is certainly a key throughline of the narrative, this story isn’t a romance. It is a dramatic story of competition and obsession, and what that kind of obsession can do to a person, a partnership, and a relationship—and what it takes to try to pick up the pieces when everything falls apart.
🎧 I listened to the audiobook edition through the library Libby app and recommend the narration. It worked especially well with the documentary-format scenes and interview style of the book to bring to life the different personalities commenting on the story.
This book is available in our collection and is also available to check out via audibook and ebook on the Libby app.
-Brittney T.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
“Hello, I am Rozzum unit 7134, but you may call me Roz.” In The Wild Robot, we follow Roz, a robot, as she explores her new home: a remote island. Not knowing why or how she got there, she adventures out into the wild to discover her purpose. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies as she learns about her new world. Through Roz’s eyes we see a level of compassion, curiosity, and determination that you might not expect from a robot. As you read, you may find that Roz isn’t all that different from you and me.
I loved Roz’s unafraid personality, particularly when it came to complex events like
death, birth, responsibility, and love. She was able to discuss important parts of life without
making it seem scary. Roz is the type of companion that everyone would benefit from having.
Unfortunately, she’s not fully understood by all of the animals, so she has to fight through
misunderstandings and confusion around who and what she is. The artwork is perfectly timed throughout the novel. Each picture gives layers to the characters it depicts in the very distinct Peter Brown style.
It’s perfect to read aloud to ages 6+ but will also be entertaining for older readers as well (I enjoyed it as an adult!). Travel the full gambit of emotions with Roz as she discovers what it truly means to be wild.
The Wild Robot is the first book in the Wild Robot trilogy.
This book is available in our collection and is also available to check out via audibook and ebook on the Libby app.
-Andy S.
