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Tag: staff pick

--Staff Picks

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Chinese folklore meets mecha in this fantasy reimagining of the rise of the historical Chinese Empress Wu Zetian. Humanity is under attack by alien creatures, and the greatest weapon in that fight is, obviously, giant robots powered by human life force. These robots are designed to be piloted by two people—specifically, […]

--Staff Picks Teens

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Becca is new to Piedmont High and quickly attracts the attention of the most popular girls in school. To her confusion and amazement, they want her to join their squad – sit with them at lunch, go shopping after school, and attend parties. At one said party, Becca finds herself being led into the woods […]

--Staff Picks General

Slaxx (DVD)

Slaxx is a movie about a possessed pair of jeans that animate and horrifically murder employees of the fast-fashion company that made them. If that pitch does not grab your attention, then I do not think you will find interest with this movie, which is fine. However, should the notion of bloodthirsty clothes terrorizing mall […]

--Staff Picks Teens

Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms

Annie is a top student, but her anti-social behavior makes the guidance counselor think she’ll have trouble getting into college and recommends that she tries some extracurriculars. Annie’s mom did cheerleading when she was in high school and convinces her to try out for the cheerleading team. Through cheer, Annie reconnects with an old friend, […]

--Staff Picks

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid has quickly become one of my favorite authors and she’s hit another homerun with Malibu Rising. Told in alternating timelines between the 1950s and 60s, and 1983, Malibu Rising tells the story of the fictional rock legend, Mick Riva’s four children. The 50s and 60s chapters tell the story of Mick and […]

--Staff Picks

1917

Comparing the two World Wars, WWI is often overshadowed by its bigger, flashier sequel. World War 2 had modern technology, a clear enemy, and exists more recently in the cultural consciousness. It can be easy to forget that World War 1 was just as brutal, tragic and expansive as the conflict that would follow it. […]

--Staff Picks General

“The hummingbirds’ gift” by Sy Montgomery

Sy Montgomery, author of “The Soul of the Octopus”, wrote another little gem with the story of the miraculous recovery of two abandoned baby hummingbirds. When Brenda Sherburn, a volunteer hummingbird rehabilitator in California, received two orphaned birds, they were not much larger than bumblebees. Montgomery flew to California to help and document the process. […]

--Staff Picks

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir’s (The Martian) third book, starts with Ryland Grace waking up from a coma. He doesn’t know who he is or that he’s even in a space shuttle. He does know that he is utterly alone – his crewmates are dead in their beds. As his memories start to come back […]

--Staff Picks General

Spy X Family; vol. 1

I was not sure what to expect when this new manga series cropped up in June of last year. From the outset, “Spy X Family” dresses itself up as an espionage thriller in a setting reminiscent of East and West Germany during the Cold War. For the sake of peace between the nations of Ostania […]

--Staff Picks General

Emma.

Based on one of Jane Austen’s more light-hearted novels, “Emma” focuses on a well-to-do socialite who considers herself an expert in match making. If only she could stop meddling in other people’s affairs long enough to sort out her own personal life.  This movie is absolutely stunning. All of the scenery is lush and captivating […]