Hello! I am Dejeunee, a new Librarian here at the Hoboken Public Library. I’m so happy to be a part of this community and contribute to the blog. I believe it is only fitting for me to share some of my favorite books in my first entry as a way to introduce myself. These are all recent favorites from various genres that can be found in our library catalog (physically in the library or through one of our digital resources such as Overdrive/Libby).
Literary Fiction:
Sula
by Toni Morrison
Sula is a short novel (174 pages) that packs a punch. It explores themes of friendship, fear, and trust through the relationship between Sula and her best friend, Nel. The two grew up together in a small mid-western town but Sula eventually leaves to follow her dreams and Nel stays and gets married. Sula’s return to their small town tests the limits of their friendship and the trust once held between the two.
Romance:
Promise Me Sunshine
by Cara Bastone
Just keep your tissues ready for this heart wrenching new romance from Cara Bastone. Promise Me Sunshine is a romance novel that is also about grief, and friendship, and navigating mental health challenges and it is a beautiful story. Lenny has recently lost her best friend, and one of the great loves of her life, to cancer. While grieving the loss of her friend, she is short-term nannying for a 7 year old named Ainsley who has a very handsome, but grumpy uncle named Miles who always seems to be around. Miles is looking for ways to connect with his niece and enlists the help of Lenny, while he attempts to help her navigate her grief. This mutually beneficial arrangement blossoms into so much more.
Horror:
Natural Beauty
by Ling Ling Huang
Natural Beauty is a literary horror that takes you on a wild ride into the depths of the beauty and wellness industry. Set in New York City, we meet a young pianist who is down on her luck after her parents were involved in a tragic accident. Now being the sole provider for her family, she seeks a way to make steady money by working for a wellness company called Holistik. During her tenure at the company she starts to notice many things about herself changing with her appearance.
I hope you pick one of these to check out and maybe we can chat about them.
Written by:
Dejeunee Depts
Information and Digital Services Librarian
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 