Looking for a great book to curl up with this weekend? Or how about a great children's book to sit down and read with the kids? Check out a few or our team's recent favorites! We're always reading so check back often for the latest reviews...

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Culinary:

The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper
by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift
"The format of this book very closely follows the show - tips from guests, from Lynne and her co-host - but it's even better because it's all written down for you already. There are name brand comparisons of canned tomatoes and broths for when you don't have time to start from complete scratch, as well as tips on how to best store produce so you can buy it on the weekend and use it up for dinners throughout the week. I've had as much fun reading this book as I do listening to the show. Very entertaining!" -Jamie

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Walters
"...this is a timely, beautiful cookbook that is as good a read as it is a cookbook. Waters, founder of Chez Panisse, gives thoughtful advice on why it makes sense to buy and eat local, in-season foods as well as gives great tips on creating foundation recipes which can be used for meals throughout the week, resulting in less waste. You'll learn about four essential sauces for almost any meal, and -perhaps most valuable to me- she lists a dozen or so ingredients that should always be on hand to make a large number of dishes with no shopping. I've decided, just for those two lists, this is my new wedding gift for young couples. Enjoy!" -Jamie

Mystery:

Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon
"I am not a fan of mysteries, but I read this book with rapt attention. When I reached the end, I was amazed I had been tricked into reading a mystery and I absolutely loved it! An excellent story that weaves past and present trauma, childhood fears and adult insecurities into one big ball of uncertainty. If you want an excellent read look no further." -Beth
 

The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos
"Mr. Pelecanos has done it again. He's gone and crafted another full-speed-ahead, take no prisoners thriller that kept me up all night and left me useless here the next day. Try telling that to the boss, "but it was GEORGE PELECANOS!" doesn't cut much ice. She'll understand though if she ever reads one because nobody develops characters better than he does. Add those together with a splash of social issues, along with one of the best soundtracks this side of Pulp Fiction, and you have the new king of hardcore crime fiction. Give him a shot (no pun intended) and I think you'll agree." -Pete

Dead Cat Bounce by Norman Green
"The things kids will do for kicks--like becoming an exotic dancer for a little afterschool spending money. And the things parents will do to protect their babies from the reprobates attracted to their kids' shimmies. Just ask Stoney and his good friend Tommy Bagadonughts, two Jersey guys living on the frince, when Stoney's little girl Marisa attracts the wrong guy's eyes. Read this and you'll be talking with a Joisey accent before you're through."  -Pete
 

Fiction:

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
"This is elegantly written, accessible and fascinating. Weisman's systematic approach to the subject allows his thought-experiment to wander far but stay within grasp. You'll end up oddly comforted to read about the world if humans ceased to exist." -Land
 

So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger
"First Peace Like a River and now this? Wow. Another word-perfect, charming and compassionate adventure. I'm not ashamed to admit I'd relish a mere grocery list written by Mr. Enger - his talent is that effusive."  -Land


 

City of Thieves by David Benioff -
Another consensus All-McIntyre's-Staff pick! Pete told Jamie to read this in February and she's still kicking herself for not doing it until July. "The siege of Leningrad is the backdrop as two young men are given an ultimatum; get a dozen eggs for the general's daughter's wedding cake or face execution. Fantastic dialogue and the writing is spot on' you find yourself hungry and trudging along the moonlit snow with these incredibly engaging characters." 
-Jamie


Savage Peace by Ann Hagedorn
"Told in a narrative style that brings to life the tumultuous year of 1919 with the Red Scare, women's suffragette movement, soldiers returning home from war only to face despair through lost jobs an Woodrow Wilson in France trying to set up the League of Nations."  -Pete

 

Mr. Sebastian and The Negro Magician by Daniel Wallace
"As I neared the final forty pages of Mr. Sebastian and The Negro Magician I found myself in a dilemma: race through the last of the book to find out the ending, or prolong the feeling of being part of a truly magical tale. I made the right decision when I started the book over from the beginning, allowing me to read the first part one more time without knowing the end. It's renewed my faith in the existence of magic in seemingly normal everyday life."
- Jamie

On Agate Hill by Lee Smith
“All I can say is Wow! Took Lee Smith’s latest novel, On Agate Hill, to the beach and my companions did not see me emerge from my room until I turned the last page several hours later. Of course, it is well written and populated with terrific characters, but the plot which runs from the post-Civil War/Reconstruction period through the 20s with a detour into Latin America will hold you to the sweet, sweet end. “  -Keebe Fitch

 

Gone by Lisa Gardner
"This lady is tough. She can slice and dice with the best of them but unlike most she provides us with a compelling plot and character that you don’t want to see die. Gone is the story of a nasty scheme for fame that pits an ex-FBI profiler against an enemy who holds his wife and a young boy for ransom. In a race against time in the soggy Northwest nothing is what it seems. Everything mixes together in a muddy mess that kept me entertained from beginning to end." -Pete

Non-Fiction:

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins
"A few months ago a customer came bursting through the door, slammed Confessions of An Economic Hit Man on the counter, and said very emphatically, “Pete, you have to read this.” I did. And she was right. In fact I’m going to say everyone should read it whether you agree with the author or not (it is a bit self-serving in a certain respect) because it is an eye-opener at the very least. The man did his job well and now he’s trying to atone for that fact. I read it in one night and now read and watch the news from a totally different perspective." -Pete

Young Adult & Children's Books:

The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer
"Who is Artemis Fowl? He is twelve years old, he is a billionaire, he is a mastermind, and he has a plan to get fairy gold. With the help of Butler he abducts Holly Short, a fairy, and puts his plan into action. But the fairies want her back and they want to keep the gold also. It is an action-packed web of magic and future technology that you cannot step away from." - Recommended by guest reader Sage Winter Corzine, Age 9
 

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
"Ahoy and Avast! Need a good summer read? Look no further. Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have concocted a marvelous prequel to Peter Pan. Ever wonder how Peter Pan and the Lost Boys got to Neverland? How is Peter Pan able to fly? Where exactly did Tinkerbell come from? Well ask no more questions, just sit down with this wonderful book. It's fast-paced and action oriented, delightfully clever and just plain silly in some places. I couldn't put it down - also look for Peter and the Shadow Thieves coming in July." For readers 10 and up.) -Beth

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
"I squealed with excitement when Sarah Dessen's new book came into the store. I love her writing. She always tackles real problems the way real teens would. Annabelle hates confrontation, does anything to avoid it. Owen thrives on confrontation and the truth. After a horrible summer Owen becomes Annabelle's only friend. She learns to confront the truth and not run away, he learns to be patient and wait for a fight worth fighting."
 

John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith
"Lane Smith is one of my favorite illustrators of all time. I jumped up and down when this new book came out. John (Adams), Paul (Revere), George (Washington) and Ben (Franklin) will teach you some fiction and some fact about the USA’s founding fathers. Historical and hysterical – I love it." -Beth
 

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