Recommended reads from southern Idaho librarians

Boise Public Library

“A Gathering of Shadows” by V.E. Schwab.

Fantasy. This beautifully written second novel follows Kell, master of magic, as he tries to regain some normality. His city prepares for three days of magical combat games while a sinister plot is brewing in the background. Will Kell and his comrades make it out of harm’s way? Or will the sludge of dark magic seep into everything he loves.

Eagle Public Library

“I Woke Up Dead at the Mall” by Judy Sheehan.

Young adult fiction. When Sarah wakes up dead at the Mall of America (where the universe sends teens who are murdered), she learns that not only was she murdered, but her killer is still on the loose. With the help of her death coach, she must learn to move on. While she has no idea who killed her, or why, someone she loves is in grave danger. She knows she must make her death matter — or she could meet a fate totally worse than death: becoming a mall walker.

Meridian Public Library

“Let the People Rule: Theodore Roosevelt and the Birth of the Presidential Primary” by Geoffrey Cowan.

Nonfiction. In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt came out of retirement to challenge William Howard Taft for the Republican Party nomination. To overcome the power of the incumbent, TR seized on the idea of presidential primaries. After sweeping nine out of 13 primaries, he felt entitled to the nomination. But the party bosses proved too powerful, leading Roosevelt to walk out of the convention and create a new political party of his own.

Kuna Library

“Raymie Nightingale” by Kate DiCamillo.

Young adult fiction. Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie’s picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

Garden City Library

“Recipes for Love and Murder” by Sally Andrew.

Adult fiction. Tannie Maria writes a recipe and advice column for her rural South African newspaper. But when a lady who writes for a recipe and advice for dealing with her abusive husband is found dead, Maria finds herself much more involved in the investigation than she would like. This is a brilliant debut and will be an instant hit with readers who love Alexander McCall Smith’s books.

Ada Community Library

“Beastly Bones” by William Ritter.

Young adult fiction. This is the second in a series of books centering on a young woman, Abigail Rook, who in 1892 liberates herself from her family to not only work on a paleontological dig, but eventually become an assistant to R.F. Jackaby, a man who experiences the otherworld and senses things many people cannot see. She is independent and strong, and he is a tall thin man in a dark coat and strange-looking knit hat. They live with a ghostly spirit in a multicolored old house in New Fiddleham and help the constabulary investigate strange happenings that result in homicides. Policeman Charlie Cane calls upon them to help in a dinosaur/dragon mystery.

Nampa Public Library

“The Immortals” by Jordanna Max Brodsky.

Adult fiction. Selene DiSilva’s calling is avenging the wrongs perpetrated on women by men. She’s been doing it for thousands of years — ever since she lived in ancient Greece and was known by the name of Artemis. When a Columbia professor is found murdered in what appears to be a revival of ancient cult practices, Selene realizes she has a new challenge on her hands. And though she usually works alone, the murdered woman’s colleague (and ex-lover) Professor Theodore Schultz becomes her unlikely sidekick: Selene must draw on his knowledge of the ancient world to help solve the mystery of the ritual murder before the ceremony’s 10-day window of time closes. Selene also has cause to fear that the person behind the cult is someone she knows: a fellow god looking to regain immortality. This isn’t the only race against time Selene faces. As the Greek gods fade from cultural memory, and the realms they stand for (hunting, the earth) become obsolete, she must try to catch the killer before her powers — and her life — fade away.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Recommended reads from southern Idaho librarians."