Valentine's Day Staff Picks

It's time for Martina the beautiful cockroach to give her leg in marriage. Her Abuela (grandmother) gives her valuable advice on finding her true love. Many suitors try to win Martina's leg, but none pass the test. The rooster is too cocky, the pig quite a ham and the lizard cold-blooded. But who passes the test? I'm not giving away the ending - you'll have to read it to see who won her heart.

Recommended by Pam. 

Toot and Puddle are two of the best friends I've ever read. They are joyous, active, adventurous little pigs whose adventures in domestic and international living bring a smile to my face. This is a story of what it means to be supportive and compassionate in friendship and life.

Recommended by Jonesey. 

Seconded by David. 

Love stories are NOT my thing, generally, and I picked this book up because time travel is nothing but WIN in my eyes, but I was really blown away by just HOW MUCH I loved this book- I was reluctant when I heard about how terrible the movie was and that it was a love story (Yuck!), but this book was AMAZING and FUN and MIND-BLOWING and oh yeah, there's a love story and it's pretty good too, but mainly because it isn't the center of the book as much as the time travel itself. This is a book that would be good reading aloud to each other chapter by chapter. While not overwhelmingly romancey, the story is so great that when unforseen circumstances rip them apart, you actually feel a little sniffel-ey, a little teary-eyed and even if you don't dig the lovers in love (much like myself), the concepts of Time Travel in this particular book are the best since Vonnegut went to Tralfamadore!!!!!!!

Recommended by Laci. 

Seconded by Mark. 

A glorious romp of romance, high adventure, low characters and lots and lots of parenthetical everythings. This book has all the makings of good reading material and then some: it is wonderful read aloud (like with your sweetheart)(or really good friends)(or, if you are really clever, both).

Given the right motivation (someone asking) I will more than happily spout off the first few lines from memory. It's that good.

Oh, and yes, it is the basis for the movie (also extra awesome) of the same name. 

Recommended by Jonesey. 

 This book redefines both the conventional high school romance and the storytelling experience.  Rather than reading the story of Glory and Frank, we experience it through the ephemera collected in both of their lives.  This creates the voyeuristic feeling of entering another's life through snapshots of their most personal moments.  As their story unfolds, we learn more about Glory and Frank than we might ever expect...

Recommended by Sarah.

A beautiful, heartbreaking tale of love and loss. Francisco Goldman will reaffirm your faith in love--the all-encompassing beauty and exquisite torture of it--as he describes his too-brief time with the love of his life, Aura Estrada. But his grief at losing her in a tragic surfing accident is equally palpable. Read this book to give you hope and to make you cry.

Recommended by Danielle. 

Recommended by Kris. 

Come on, now. There are diagrams.

Recommended by Daniel.

This is a dark homoerotic tale set in 17th century England. Don't let the subject fool you, though. This reads like epic historical fiction.

Recommended by Jarek.