Krysten's Picks

Insurgent is 23-year-old Veronica Roth’s sequel to the quick-selling Divergent. It seems like it would be tough to compete with her debut bestseller, but luckily Roth doesn’t disappoint. Insurgent picks up immediately where its predecessor left off, and whether you are a lover of dystopian novels or feel completely over the genre after the heat of The Hunger Games, there is no mistake, Roth has created a masterpiece. Roth brings real emotion and strong determination into the world of the Factions - the five clans the populate Roth’s combative society. The second book brings stronger character development, more plot twists, and a deeper picture of the factions that were only sketched out in the first installment. The action raises your pulse, the secrets become deeper, and the suspense will leave you breathless.

Being a broke college student, having a love for food, and a girlfriend who’s a chef, I often find myself staring at the fridge or walking around grocery stores in a state of indecision, like I'm buying a car or something of great importance. This book makes cooking fun, especially if you have the occasional vegetarian joining you for dinner (completely ruining your previous plans that took you 47 minutes of walking up and down the aisles of Trader Joe's salivating at all the delicious concoctions that sprung to mind). This book is for you, creating great meals from amazing practical ingredients that don't suck! Ingredients that are easy, delicious, and recipes written in Golden’s hilarious voice.—krysten

I don't care who you are, this book is awesome! It's funny, quirky, intriguing, and lastly looks great on your shelf. This book will have you laughing by the first page. The cover and back really put it perfect, "What the hell are you doing here? This is a really good and interesting book. Please buy it. Thank-you." So what are you doing, buy it!

I’m the lesbian that came out when I was thirteen, and everyone else ran away thinking I was infected with some disease, otherwise known as “lesbo-ism.” In high school, my friends stopped having lunch with me, rumors popped up about me, and eventually I had boyfriends to cover it up. Talking about these incidents seems so silly to me now, but lesbians and gays are going through this right now! Dan Savage has created something beautiful with this collection of essays. It Gets Better is not just a book, it's a book that saves lives. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to that have thought about suicide just because of the chastising, especially during high school. I can stand by this book and truly say, it does get better. —Krysten

Caution: May cause grown men to cry. I don’t really need to say much for you to get the picture. Boo!!! For being Facebook’s most popular dog, this little fluff ball definitely got what this little delight deserved. I’m still trying to clean my heart off the floor, because it melted so much! This is a great gift book to anyone who is a lover of animals, or if you find yourself heartbroken after just breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend. —Krysten

This book is hilarious! I came across it during a trade I was doing, stopped everything, and couldn’t put it down even when I needed too. This is a great book for you, your friend, or even your teacher! I know for a fact, I can specifically relate to totally blowing a test answer which I had no clue how to even attempt, and pulled something clever out of nowhere. Have fun with this one, you’ll either love it or like it, either way... this will get you smiling. —Krysten

I'm going to be completely honest, cats aren’t really my thing. On top of that, I would never choose a cat over a dog, which should have seriously driven me away from this little masterpiece. Jeffrey Brown, who is one of my favorite graphic novelists, made it so easy to give this book to your crazy cat lady, your mother, brother, cousin, even your neighbor! If you are a non-comic reader, you will still enjoy the quirky, yet charming observations that Brown has given us in this small book of epic proportions! —Krysten

All in all, this is an incredible work of the young (at the time) 21 year old Yoshihior Tatsumi, and a rare piece of Japanese cartooning history from the 50’s. This novel was created in twenty days, and now 50 years later is republished for all eyes of the modern century to see. This is coming from the man who coined the term “Gekiga”, meaning dramatic pictures, in 1957. Drawn and Quarterly, the Canadian publishers, have given us quite the treat by reprinting his work for all eyes to see. —Krysten

Tao Lin has done it again. In his new book, Shoplifting From American Apparel, he gives readers an extraordinary taste of contemporary young adult life. His talent for integrating the modern vernacular into literature is one of his many charms. It's a short, fast-paced book that will leave you smirking and laughing along the way. Lin is becoming a well recognized author, and this is just the beginning of what I hope will be a long career. —Krysten

This book is a collection of bold, raw material most of society is blind to. It gives a voice to an unrepresented world many of us shy away from. The essays/stories will make you giggle and infuriate you, while providing a detailed view of the many damaged souls that have been corrupted by this business. This book is not for the meek. Each essay has the common thread: exchanging sexual services for money. This is an eye-opening anthology, it will move you and devastate you all at the same time. —Krysten

Lisa Mongolli is not only an exquisite writer, she is never afraid to ask questions, which is what truly makes this book a great read. In her work, she shows the different side of the gas-pump that most of us never even stop to think about. I had the pleasure of meeting her this past February, and the research she has done all over the world for this particular book is shocking. I can guarantee that you won’t regret purchasing this book. If you use any form of transportation using oil, this is a must read. —Krysten

This book contains material that everyone thinks about but no one really talks about. It explores abstract thinking, the language of flies and the rituals of using your own bathroom, which is said to be one of the most promising rooms for productive thought. A quick, weird read that provides plenty of laughs along the way. —Krysten

With a very intriguing cover, Brass follows the story of a young girl named Millie who is bent on descending to the depths of a drug and sex twisted European lifestyle. Millie’s behavior can leave the reader aghast and left wondering what pushes her to such extremes as she induldges in self-destructive habits, such as a sinking coke addiction. This story is a fast read that warps the mind with dark scenes and intriguing points. It’s hardly possible to put this book down. —Krysten