Reviews

Teen Review
Book cover

Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard

By Echo Brown
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Chris K.
Jan 19, 2022

A powerful tale of a young woman succeeding despite everything working against her.

The book opens when Echo--the protagonist shares a name with the author--is six. Smoke rolls into her apartment's windows from a nearby fire that is spreading her way. Her younger brothers are stuck in cribs and her mom is passed out on the bathroom floor from crack cocaine. It's a good introduction to Echo's world. The book closes with her beginning a new life at Dartmouth University. The story is how she manages to go from one place to the other, with plenty of pain and heartache along the way.

Staff Review
Cover of FIONA AND JANE by Jean Chen Ho

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

By Jean Chen Ho
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Jan 4, 2022

Welcome to 2022's first edition of #NewTitleTuesday, where we take a look at a new title released today that hits the publishing world - and patrons' holds lists. One of January's standouts, heralded by prominent literary voices including Publisher's Weekly and the New York Times, is FIONA AND JANE, a striking literary debut from Jean Chen Ho. 

Staff Review
Cover of My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

By Kimberly Belle
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Dec 28, 2021

A good thriller isn't written so much as it's carefully constructed. Out of all the other literary genres - with the exception of romance - a thriller is a constant high-wire act, with the author having to carefully balance the drama on the page against what the reader expects. Not only does a good thriller keeps the reader guessing, but it also keeps the reader WANTING, hanging on every page, until the promise of the book is fulfilled, with the thing in these sorts of books that's always under threat is either saved or brought back to the light.

Staff Review
Dark haired man with a beard and mustache in a grey Truman Bulldogs longsleeved shirt in the woods

The Fools Journey Writing Contest Winner

By Dan Wikiera
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Dec 17, 2021

Johnson County Library is pleased to announce that Dan Wikiera has won our Essay writing contest on the theme of The Fools Journey with his piece "I Am the Fool." 

Lifelong Kansas City resident. Lifelong reader. Lifelong writer. This is my first foray into public writing.

Staff Review
Cover for The Once and Future Witches with floral background

The Once and Future Witches

By Alix E. Harrow

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Dec 15, 2021

“Witchcraft isn’t one thing but many things, all the ways and words women have found to wreak their wills on the world.”

“A witch is just a woman who wants too much”.

Staff Review
Cover of SILENT PARADE by Keigo Higashino

SILENT PARADE by Keigo Higashimo

By Keigo Higashimo
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Dec 14, 2021

It's Tuesday, and you know what that means - it's another edition of #NewTitleTuesday, where we take a quick look at a title that's hitting the shelves this week and deserves a shot at getting on your hold lists!

Staff Review
Cover of Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel

Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel

By Neel Patel
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Dec 7, 2021

Welcome back to our (mostly) weekly series, #NewTitleTuesday, where we take a brief look at a book that's released out into the world. We usually don't spotlight books destined to hit the New York Times bestseller list or books already claimed by celebrities with online book clubs, as they already have enough attention. (But seriously, Reese, if you're reading - call us! We'll talk books!) Instead, we like to spotlight books just slightly under the radar. Books with reasonable holds lists that are less than, say, five hundred people long.

Staff Review
Recording setup of microphone with pop filter

Sound Production Kit

By JCL Maker Kits
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Charles H
Dec 1, 2021

There is a concept in the world of libraries called the “Library of Things.” This growing movement recognizes that library can provide more than the traditional book and media resources, and some libraries now have collections of seeds, tools, board games, or cake pans. Within the Johnson County/Olathe Public Library system, one form this movement has taken is in the kits curated by the Makerspace team. These kits contain technology that you and I can check out, take home, and try something new.