JPL’s Book Reviewers are a group of passionate, committed staff who hope their reviews will allow patrons to discover great new reads!  As Library staff, they are familiar with some of our most popular items, but also have a talent for highlighting something you may have missed!  Check out all of their reviews here, or take a look at each reviewers preferred genre and go from there.  Either way, we hope you find something new to you!

Library Director

Administrative Assistant

Reference Librarian

Loves fantasy and contemporary fiction, but will read almost anything – especially books that have well-developed characters.

Loves cookbooks and food-related memoirs, humorous essayists such as David Sedaris, all things dog, children’s storybooks (Rob Sanders is a favorite), autobiographies, true crime, and adult or teen graphic novels.

Likes series fiction, cozy mysteries, murder mysteries, police procedurals, anything by A.J. Jacobs, romantic suspense, and books with good characters – even if flawed, she wants to like the person she’s reading about!

Technical Services Librarian

Teen Librarian

Post Art Library Director

Loves a punchy opening sentence, literary sci-fi, supernatural horror, fantasy authors inspired by Tamora Pierce.  Wants a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and has a well-crafted magic system.

Likes nonfiction, graphic novels, manga, comics, humor, teen fiction, fashion history and historical fiction.  Can often be seen reading cozy mysteries and jewel heist novels, encyclopedias, picture books, poetry, plays, short stories, and loves a good full-cast production audiobook.

Loves nonfiction, especially art, crafting, essays, DIY, and history. Also, zines, short stories, magazines, and journals. Haphazardly listens to a variety of podcasts.

Children’s Librarian

Electronic Resources Librarian

Adult Programming Coordinator

Loves reading books that spark questions and books that act as windows and mirrors for young readers.  Loves affirming picture books, picture books that highlight relationships such as those between parents and children, between friends or even between a frog and a toad! Is partial to beginning chapter books that make her laugh, and loves middle grade books that highlight character development and introduce her to places and perspectives different from her own.

Partial to historical nonfiction, running the gamut from economists to polar explorers. Tends to choose novels based on prose rather than on any particular genre. He’ll give it the “first page test”:  if the writing is there, he’ll give it a go.

Enjoys high fantasy, strong heroines, dystopian or unexpected plot twists.  Books with family dynamics, speculative fiction, immersive stories, and magical realism are also favorites.