Recommendations by Josh Duke, Information Services Specialist at the Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library
Bound and Unbound: A Paranormal Novella Duology
by Ali Hazelwood
Veronica "Vero" Mercer turns art forgery into a side hustle to pay her overdue graduate school bills, catching the attention of Dr. Viktor Ashworth, a reserved British professor who politely kidnaps her to forge a mysterious ancient manuscript. Filled with supernatural twists, this paranormal romance brings sharp humor and irresistible chemistry in a flip-book format.
Country People
by Daniel Mason
Narrated by Miles – an enthusiastic storyteller, doting father and grad student who just can’t seem to finish his dissertation on Russian folklore – this novel follows Miles and family as they travel from their home in California to Vermont on a visiting professorship, only to find themselves out-of-their-depth in this fish-out-of-water comedy. We’re introduced to a colorful cast of eccentric neighbors, and a local legend that might not be a legend after all. Country People is a playful, life-affirming romp of a novel – a surprising shift from Mason’s North Woods.
The Antiquarian's Object of Desire
by India Holton
Journey to Oxford for a spellbinding Victorian rom-com where two rival professors must fake mutual hostility while hunting for magical antiques in a stormbound manor. Amidst rampaging ghosts, malfunctioning enchanted teacups and a trove of hidden secrets, these scholarly adversaries tumble headfirst into an enchanting romance.
Work in Progress
by James Martin
In this charming memoir, Father James Martin shares his bumbling journey toward a purposeful vocation, from summer jobs in his youth in the ’70s, through his dissatisfaction with corporate life as an adult. Martin, a once “lukewarm Catholic,” shares the circuitous route towards finding his calling as a Jesuit priest and the lessons learned along the way.
Secrets of the Purple Pearl
by Kate McKinnon
Eccentric young students navigate the delightfully unhinged halls of the Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, where standard school rules are replaced by explosive, dangerous experiments. If you like madcap middle-grade fun, oddball inventions and uproarious academic mischief, this quirky series sequel is an absolute blast, brimming with adventure.
Hypergifted
by Gordon Korman
From veteran middle-grade master Gordon Korman comes this hilarious campus romp. When 12-year-old super-genius Noah is rushed straight from eighth grade into college, he brings along his chaotic best friend, Donovan. Amidst secret societies, a haywire AI program and a massive pig (“Porkette”) smuggled into their dorm, veteran fans and newcomers alike will love this funny and heartwarming story of friendship and hijinks.
The Thoroughbreds
by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
Senior year at Tiffin Academy, an elite boarding school, is a pressure cooker of college applications and wild parties. Behind the wealth and luxury hide explosive secrets: a fracturing "It Couple," a crumbling friendship between football stars, a posh (and disruptive) new student and an institution facing financial ruin. Tying it all together is a suicide note saved until the morning of graduation. A real page-turner, this sequel to The Academy is filled with plenty of juicy subplots.
