On the Shelf

Header Right Social

FacebookInstagramYoutubeMeetupOn the Shelf Blog

Header Right Search

Friendship

Shady Baby

by Leave a Comment

Shady Baby by Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Shady Baby always keeps it real! Shady Baby loves fashion, fun and a good side-eye. Shady Baby also loves to stand up for what is right. After a morning of being fancy and fabulous morning, Shady Baby heads to the park to play with her friends. When one of her friends isn’t playing nicely with others, Shady Baby steps in to save the day! This book is based on Gabrielle Union’s & Dwyane Wade’s daughter Kaavia and her fun, but sassy ways. This book is a great way to teach children about getting along together and making sure they do the right thing. This was a fun, quick read with a lot of great illustrations! Be sure to check it out today!

Find Shady Baby in the catalog

Beautiful World, Where Are You

by Leave a Comment

Title of the novel, Beautiful World Where Are You.Title: Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Format: Novel
Audience: Late Teens and Adults

Sally Rooney’s third novel is as much a Sally Rooney novel as she intends it to be – one where the author does not shy away from being who she is, nor does she pretend to be someone she is not. Beautiful World, Where Are You is a dialectical relationship to her prior works, and in following two critically acclaimed publications, Rooney has solved the burden of success insofar as by writing about the burden of success.

Readers who enjoyed Conversations with Friends and Normal People will certainly find fulfillment in Rooney’s newest work. Part epistolary, part an exploration of ideas, and part a telling of young love, this novel is a jostle of fascinating concepts that attempt to tackle both issues on a grander scale, and ones that hit too close to home. Set around four individuals who, while still young, feel life catching up to them, and whose relationships with one another are tangled together, all approach life in different ways, and it is their understanding of what they know they want compared to what they are unsure or, more possibly, unaware of, that spurs on the decisions they make, and the ramifications that follow.

From the dialogue that does not falter, to the prose that flows seamlessly from page to page, to the discussions of the environment we live in and the future we are to construct, Rooney has created a wonderful work that truly does ask the reader the question, where is this beautiful world?

 

Find Beautiful World, Where Are You in print via the catalog.

Find Beautiful World, Where Are You online via an eAudiobook and an eBook.

 

Blackout

by Leave a Comment

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for: Teens

*Sighs* New York City in the summer. The birds are chirping, music is playing, kids running around and all is well in the world, then a blackout happens. “Blackout” is a book that proves the city of New York is smaller than we think. Each character in the series of short stories within the book interconnect throughout and it exudes the story of young Black teens in love. I saw this book last year in an article and was SO excited about its release. It gives the book world something it desperately needs – Black teens in love and living life. The inclusiveness of the characters is something that makes this book a great read. All six authors are powerhouses and I hope to see more collaborative stories from them in the future.

Find Blackout in the catalog.

The Housewives: The Real Story behind the Real Housewives

by Leave a Comment

The Housewives: The Real Story behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

It is time to admit my biggest guilty pleasure: reality television. This book is narrated by the author and involves a deep dive into the world of The Real Housewives franchise on Bravo. I listened to this audiobook and as Brian, the author, chats about the history of The Real Housewives, it is just like having coffee with a friend the day after watching an episode. Although Bravo wouldn’t allow the author a lot of access to the housewives, Moylan did a great job giving readers and listeners the behind-the-scenes scoop on our favorite housewives moments. The book had a great mix of everything, the history of the show, who really pays for those housewives’ trips, and even an inside look at Moylan’s vacation with one of the housewives. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves reality shows and wants to get a small glimpse of the inside of the Bravo phenomenon.

Find The  Housewives in the catalog

Margaret’s Unicorn

by 1 Comment

Margaret’s Unicorn by Briony May Smith
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids

Margaret’s life completely changes after her family moves to a cottage by the sea, but not in all the ways she might have expected. A little lonely and missing the familiarity of her old home, she goes out to explore. She soon discovers a baby unicorn tangled up in weeds, accidentally left behind by its herd. They become inseparable fast friends, crunching through the leaves of fall together, stargazing, chasing waves at the beach, and making a snow unicorn with an icicle as its horn. As the seasons change Margaret misses her old home less and less, but every day spent together brings them closer to the day she knows her unicorn will return to his family in the spring. Despite having to say goodbye, they will never forget each other.

Margaret’s Unicorn is gorgeously illustrated, with warm and inviting tones depicting a wild countryside reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. As you read Margaret’s story, you can almost feel the wind flying over the rolling green hills littered with thistles and purple heather, a gloomy sea in the distance. Every page is magically and thoughtfully crafted. Kids ages 4-8 will be spellbound.

Find Margaret’s Unicorn in the catalog here!

Malibu Rising

by Leave a Comment

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

It’s official: I am obsessed with Taylor Jenkins Reid and her writing. This book is about the Rivas family and their life in lavish Malibu. As most families, the Rivas have a few dysfunctions and each individual character has a secret of their own. Nina, the oldest is currently on a journey to find herself. She never wanted to be the center of attention but in order to provide for her family, she is thrown into a life of fame that brings people into her life that she’s not sure are there for her, or for something else. The book tells a story of what happens on the night of the infamous Nina Rivas end of summer bash. The twists and turns of this book, and the secrets that these characters hold will have you wanting to know more and more about this family.

I am a big fan of audiobooks and the narrator was able to bring this story to life. I cannot wait to see what Taylor Jenkins Reid gives us next.

Find it in the catalog