Ep. 166 "Starter Villain" by John Scalzi; "The Truth According to Ember" by Danica Nava

Transcript: JESSICA: Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I'm the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.  Today's two reading recommendations will introduce you to handpicked favorites that have captured the hearts and minds of our staff. We'll give you the inside scoop on titles you may not have heard about.  First, we're going to hear from Jayanne, librarian at the Freeland Library, for a humorous tale of an unexpected supervillain. Go ahead, Jayanne.    JAYANNE:  "Starter Villain" by John Scalzi is a fast and funny dive into a bond-like world complete with cat-stroking supervillains and a remote island lair. Charlie is adrift. He has lost his marriage, his job, his dad, and is about to lose his house. So, he is willing to hold a funeral service for his estranged wealthy uncle in return for some promised assistance.  Beginning with the hit men (yes there were several) who show up at the service, Charlie is thrown into a completely new world as he discovers that he has inherited the entirety of his Uncle Jake's massive criminal enterprise, especially his enemies. Before he has even processed this revelation, he is whisked off to a convocation where all the other syndicate leaders try to influence and intimidate him in turn.  Charlie is struggling with the concept of being evil, but he doesn't really have the time. He is now responsible for super-weapons, high-tech labs, minions, and a lot of corporate headaches (including labor disputes). At turns absurd and snarky, this action-packed story has you cheering on Charlie as he navigates his perilous orientation as a super villain. I laughed a lot reading this story but honestly Scalzi won me over with the cats … the genetically modified hyper-intelligent talking spy cats.    JESSICA:  Thanks, Jayanne! I'm definitely on board for talking spy cats!  Next, let's hear about a humorous Native American love story from Lois, librarian at the Snohomish Library. Go ahead, Lois    LOIS:  "The Truth According to Ember" by Danica Nava is a witty and heartfelt romantic comedy about Ember Lee Cardinal, a Chickasaw woman living in Oklahoma City.   Ember has had her resumé rejected 37 times! So, on her next application, she decides to fudge a few details, landing her the job. Ember thrives in her new accounting position. Better yet, she catches the eye of her attractive Native colleague, Danuwoa. Their chemistry is undeniable, and sparks fly as they begin a workplace romance. Sure, there's a no-dating policy at their company. But what's one more lie?   Everything is going great for Ember until she and Danuwoa get caught together on a work trip. The colleague who discovers their relationship manipulates Ember with blackmail, leading her deeper into a series of lies. Ember must decide whether to double down or come clean, possibly losing everything, including Danuwoa.   This debut novel is the first traditionally published romance novel by a Native author with Native protagonists. This book is funny but successfully integrates tough topics like racism and complex family dynamics. I also loved the clever banter between the romantic leads and found myself rooting for Ember throughout the story.    For a humorous and swoony read you won't want to put down, check out "The Truth According to Ember."    JESSICA:  Thanks, Lois! It's great to hear how humor and romance can be woven into relevant complex topics.  Our recommendations this week are: "Starter Villain" by John Scalzi and "The Truth According to Ember" by Danica Nava.  Join us next time, when we'll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.    Until then, I'm Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.   Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz.