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Book Reviews

Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Uptopia at the Dawn of World War II by Abbott Kahler. Featuring an all red cover of a woman facing a forest.
Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II
Abbott Kahler
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4 Stars

A dramatic true story about a bunch of misfits that end up on a secluded island is a rollercoaster read. German doctor Friedrich and his lover Dore attempt to create their own utopia on an island in the Galapagos. Much to their chagrin, the publicity surrounding them inspires others to join their island, with a family making a homestead. Once an eccentric Baroness and her two lovers come, in an attempt to develop the land for a luxury hotel, tensions boil over and some of the inhabitants wind up dead.

– Margaret
Posted 7/11/2025

Dream City Dreaming: A Novel by Cindy Angell Keeling. Featuring a woman on a bike looking at the a rounded top building. The woman is in a pink blouse and brown maxi skirt.
Dream City Dreaming: A Novel
Cindy Angell Keeling
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4 Stars

Dream City Dreaming has something for everyone: history, mystery, coming of age, and a touch of romance, it was authentic and believable. Atmospheric and moving, it is obvious how much the author researched and loved writing this novel.  It’s a compelling story built around a strong female character and her likeable, reflective son, taking place in the richly detailed setting of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, it’s a lovely novel that is well worth reading.

– Michelle
Posted 7/8/25

The Last Manager by John W. Miller
The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball
John W. Miller
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4 Stars

Earl Weaver was a man of his time. He was a character and showman, all things that modern baseball managers are not. Earl’s teams also won a lot of games. As Miller points out in this evocative biography, Earl was ahead of his time. Weaver was known for his station to station, wait for the three run homer style of baseball. He came to shun the sacrifice bunt and preached getting on base, all things that would become commonplace with the analytical explosion in baseball in future decades. The Last Manager is a must read for both old and new school fans of baseball.

– Sean
Posted 6/16/25

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
Mother-Daughter Murder Night
Nina Simon
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4 Stars

This amusing book begins when teenage Jack Rubicon finds a body floating in the water on her kayak tour, thus embroiling Lana, her go-getter grandmother, to get involved in investigating the case. Lana’s daughter, Beth, is trying to not let her mother get on her nerves, while dealing with the loss of one of her favorite patients at the nursing home where she works. With property, land trusts, and family problems becoming entwined in their investigation, they must work together to try and solve the murder. 

– Margaret
Posted 6/12/25

Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler
Backhanded Compliments
Katie Chandler
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4 Stars

With Katie Chandler’s debut comes Backhanded Compliments, a new spin (pun intended) on sports romance. After Luca Kacic and Juliette Ricci, two top rival tennis players, end their match at the Australian Open, they meet at the net and shake hands. Their worlds turn upside down when they realize they’re each other’s soulmates. Seeing the impact of social media and the public on the two girls is so powerful, especially when stan twitter runs rampant with theories and shipping. Having the tweets shown in the novel was a fun aspect. The twist of the soulmate!au is done so well and a unique take with romance novels. It reads more as a fanfic with that, and I love it. Tennis enthusiasts will truly appreciate this fantastical debut by Chandler.

– Aurora
Posted 6/11/25

Book cover of Alexandra Kleeman
Something New Under the Sun
Alexandra Kleeman
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5 Stars

This dystopian, postmodern story tackles current topics like climate change, capitalism, and celebrity culture in a witty and prose driven way. Novelist Patrick goes to Hollywood to assist with the movie adaptation of his book starring fading former teen star Cassidy Carter. Due to drought, California has switched to a manufactured H20 called WAT-R, which seems to have mysterious links to medical facilities and the film industry. While investigating with Cassidy he tries to keep in contact with his fragile wife and precocious daughter, who have joined an isolated eco-retreat in New York. 

– Margaret
Posted 5/20/25

Book cover of Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie (V.M.) Burns
Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder
Valerie (V.M) Burns
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4 Stars

This delightfully cozy mystery begins when wannabe influencer Maddy inherits her great Aunt Octavia’s bakery and giant mastiff Baby, on the heels of her very public abandonment at the altar. She tries to make the best of her opportunity at a second chance and stand on her own two feet. Unfortunately, there is danger lurking when the mayor is found dead in her bakery which has been set ablaze. Suspicion is thrown in her direction as she works with the Baker Street Irregulars, a group of amateur sleuths, to solve the case, but Baby is the only one she can trust. 

– Margaret
Posted 4/18/25

Cover of The House on Vesper Sands by Parais O
The House on Vesper Sands
Paraic O'Donnell
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4 Stars

This slow build, haunting, gothic mystery begins when a seamstress jumps out of Lord Strythe’s window. Inspector Cutter is called to the scene to investigate the accident and on the way meets Gideon Bliss. After receiving an alarming letter from his uncle, Rev. Herbert Neuilly, Gideon has come to London to search for him. Reporter Octavia Hillingdon is working on a story about the Spiriters, a clandestine group abducting young working-class women. As these three set out on their investigations, the tangle of threads they follow leads them to uncover sinister dealings that affect them all, in this intricately plotted story.

– Margaret
Posted 3/18/25

Nobody's Sweetheart Now
Maggie Robinson
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4 Stars

In this cozy mystery, serial philanderer Rupert Compton died in a car crash, to the relief of his wife, Lady Adelaie. Much to her chagrin, he reappears, needing to help Lady Adelaide to make up for his misdeeds. When her dinner guest’s ex-wife is found dead in a nearby barn, Inspector Devenand Hunter is called in to investigate the case. He and Lady Adelaide are drawn to each other, despite the quirky way she talks to herself and his heritage and class. They work together to solve the case, with some assistance from Rupert, in this story filled with lively characters.

– Margaret
Posted 1/13/2025

Skull Water by Heinz Insu Fenkl.
Skull Water
Heinz Insu Fenkl
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4 Stars

Insu is growing up in an ever-changing world, his father an American soldier and his mother a Korean woman, move back to a post-Vietnam era South Korea. This semi-autobiographical coming of age novel, grapples with connections with family, chosen and biological, deals with the dark realities of life, sickness, death, and violence. As Insu enlists his friends on his journey to obtain Skull Water for its healing properties, his connection to his sick Big Uncle is shown through flashbacks to the latter’s Korean War experience.  

-Margaret
Posted 1/10/2025
The Lido Libby Page
The Lido
Libby Page
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4 Stars

A heartwarming and uplifting novel that explores themes of community, friendship, and resilience. When a public swimming pool in London faces closure, the unlikely bond between two women from different generations sparks a fight to save it. The author beautifully captures the power of human connection and the importance of preserving spaces that bring people together, making this a feel-good read with emotional depth.
-Michelle
Posted 12/10/2024
illustrated book cover featuring vines, skulls, red eyes
Freaky Folklore: Terrifying Tales of the World's Most Elusive Monsters and Enigmatic Cryptids
Darkness Prevails, Carman Carrion
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4 Stars

Freaky Folklore, by Darkness Press, is filled with artwork and fantastical stories and shares the stories and facts of the cryptids around the world. While readers won’t get a deep dive into the cryptid world, they get a first look at history and stories. There was a lot of variety in the cryptids they shared, ranging from America’s Wendigo to Europe’s El Cucuy to werewolves. This cryptid compendium, though not exhaustive, is a must-read for any cryptozoology and fantasy lover.

-Aurora
Posted 9/5/2024

gilded golden frame against a green leafy background
Beautiful Villain
Rebecca Kenney
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4 Stars

What happens when an old flame with a penchant for alluring green lights turns into a major red flag? For Daisy, this situation sucks big time – because her childhood crush now happens to be a vampire. However, these fated lovers hesitate to be footloose and fang-free at Gatsby’s opulent parties in the name of protecting his immortal and gilded secret. This steamy, sordid, stellar modern reimagining of The Great Gatsby is sure to be one you sink your teeth into.
-Hannah
Posted 8/28/2024
book cover featuring a photograph of an old library checkout card on fire
How Can I Help You
Laura Sims
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4 Stars

Do you really know your coworkers? When Patricia starts her new job as a librarian, she is immediately drawn to her unassuming coworker Margo. When an incident at the library opens a door into Margo’s past, Patricia, trying to escape from her own life, becomes consumed with discovering more about her. As she grapples with how to handle what she learns, both women begin to unravel. This dark and thrilling novel makes you question what lies beneath the surface.

-Margaret
Posted 8/26/2024

silver and gold circles and moons on a pink and red background
The Vibrant Years: A Novel
Sonali Dev
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4 Stars

The Desai women, Bindu, Aly and Cullie, are determined to make new names for themselves. Bindu seeks thrills at a septuagenarian level. Aly searches for career fulfillment after tumultuous family changes. And Cullie is thrust into the modern dating app scene… all because of her data analytics background. Masterful wit and unreserved discussions of female sexuality, generational trauma and womanhood as a vibrant, guiding light through darkness makes this a do-not-miss novel from Dev.

-Hannah
Posted 8/21/2024

illustrated book cover with a man and woman sitting on stools having a drink with a blue background
Funny Story
Emily Henry
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5 Stars

One bachelor weekend. One poorly timed confession of love. One called-off wedding. And now two newly heartbroken people with nowhere to live. What brought Miles and Daphne together? Well, it’s kind of a funny story. Delivered with the heart, humor and scenic love of Michigan that has become synonymous with Henry’s prose, this book is sure to make you ponder the subtle art of being given reasons to stay, when everyone and everything else in life leaves.

-Hannah
Posted 8/13/2024

House of Cotton
Monica Brashears
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5 Stars

Set in the depths of a small-town southern summer, this book is not for the faint-hearted. The creepy atmosphere surrounding Magnolia is something out of a twisted fairytale, despite the present-day setting. After meeting a strange yet alluring man who runs a funeral parlor, she becomes sucked into a dark scheme and a life very different from her own. With an unsettling cast of characters, real and remembered, Magnolia navigates not only her pain surrounding her grief but others’ grief as well. Using lyrical prose and grim imagery, this novel conjures up the haunting darkness of dealing with loneliness and searching for identity.

-Margaret
Posted 8/2/2024

book cover with illustrated women wearing sunglasses
Dial A for Aunties
Jesse Q. Sutanto

4 Stars

When Meddy’s meddling mother sets her up on a blind date, she doesn’t expect it to end with a dead body! In this lighthearted romp, Meddy enlists her overly involved aunts to help dispose of the body. The catch? Their wedding business happens to have their biggest event ever, at a luxury hotel on an island! Amidst the bickering of her aunts, running into the guy that got away, and smoothing out all the wedding day hiccups, Meddy has to figure out how to finally take charge of her own life.

-Margaret
Posted 7/12/2024

book cover depicting a vintage library book checkout card
The Librarianist: A Novel
Patrick DeWitt
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3 Stars

A charming and introspective story about Bob Comet, a retired librarian who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption through unexpected friendships. The author’s sharp wit and poignant storytelling make this novel a heartfelt exploration of life’s quiet and transformative moments.

-Michelle
Posted 6/27/2024

The Mayor of Maxwell Street
Avery Cunningham
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5 Stars

Nelly Sawyer is interested in truth, justice and penning her own bylines with journalistic integrity. She wants to make a name for herself, rather than jockeying for societal acknowledgment as she rides the coattails of her affluent family’s horse-breeding and racing dynasty. On the heels of her brother’s death, Nelly is determined to break a story that will demand people’s attention: to unearth The Mayor of Maxwell Street and his seedy crime syndicate. With the help of speakeasy honor Jay Shorey, the two find themselves in dangerous adventures in between Nelly’s debutante season to find a suitable husband and put the dream of empowered career woman behind her. This gorgeous debut novel from Cunningham explores complex racial and class dynamics, love, and the hidden glimmers of life in 1920s Prohibition-era Chicago.

-Hannah
Posted 6/25/2024

book cover featuring a person wearing a black cloak standing on a balcony
Vicious
V. E. Schwab
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5 Stars

Once friends Victor and Eli choose conflicting topics for their university thesis. Victor wants to explore the existence of EOs – also known as ExtraOrdinaries – while Eli wants to eradicate them… even though he might be one himself. In a narrative that spans several different timelines, the men are embroiled in a brutal cat-and-mouse chase. This fast-paced novel will grip anyone who is inclined to believe that sometimes the most heroic thing someone can be is a bit evil.
-Hannah
Posted 6/25/2024

Readers Advisory Staff

Looking for that great new read? The Villa Park Public Library has a fantastic Readers Advisory staff that is happy to recommend novels. Whether you’re looking for new authors like your old favorites, or you’re ready for something completely new, our RA staff is here to help. They run reading groups and book discussions to help make reading a more social experience. These folks know their stuff!

Looking for a Recommendation?

If you’re looking for a recommendation you can contact one of the readers advisory staff.

Aurora
Favorite genres:
Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Literature
Aurora’s bookshelf on Goodreads
John
Favorite Genres:
Alternate History Fiction, Suspense
John’s bookshelf on Goodreads
photo of staff member Margaret on a green backgroundMargaret
Favorite Genres:

Literary fiction, Psychological fiction, Social Science, History, Arts
Margaret’s bookshelf on Goodreads

Michelle H.
Favorite Genres:

Historical Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Michelle’s bookshelf on Goodreads
Nancy
Favorite genres:
Literary Fiction and Regional American History.
Nancy’s bookshelf on Goodreads
Sandy
Favorite Genres:
Fantasy, Film
sean_final
Sean
Favorite Genres:

True-life biographies, Non-fiction
Sean’s bookshelf on Goodreads

 

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