Young Adult

 I Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak (2019) (YA) 

“I was born a puppy. Thirteen years ago in a garage …”

As the title and book cover suggest, this book is narrated by a golden retriever named Cosmo. He is the big brother to ten-year-old human Max and four-year-old Emmaline. Cosmo’s human parents are Mom and Dad. Cosmo has a good life with his human family; his biggest concerns being the evil sheepdog down the block and his arthritic joints. The bond between Max and Cosmo will pull at your heartstrings.

When the family is away, Max leaves the TV on for Cosmo whose favorite channels are Discovery and Turner Classic Movies. His favorite movies are Grease and Singing in the Rain. Deep down Cosmo knows he has the soul of a dancer.

When Max’s parents begin to fight a lot and Dad starts sleeping on the couch, Max confides in Cosmo his concern that his parents will divorce, and the boy and his dog will end up in separate households. When Max learns of a canine freestyle dance contest, he is convinced that winning the competition will be just what is needed to remind his parents of the good times and make them stay together. Cosmo can’t deny Max anything so he is all in, regardless of the stiff joints. With the help of Uncle Reggie, the pair practice and practice until their routine is perfect.

The author, Carlie Sorosiak, must have been a dog in an earlier life. Cosmo’s behavior and thoughts are exactly what I would imagine any dog is thinking. If you have ever shared your home with a dog you will know just what I mean.

Although the book was written for the young adult audience, readers of all ages will enjoy this heart lifting story of the power of love.

4.28 stars on Goodreads, 4.8 on Amazon

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library.

One of Us is Lying (One of Us Is Lying #1) by Karen M. McManus  (2019)

One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention at Bayview High and only four come out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has a secret.

Bronwyn Rojas is the Yale-bound brain, Adelaide Prentiss is the beauty, Nate Macauley is on probation for drug dealing, and Cooper Clay is the school’s all-star baseball pitcher. Together they are known as the Bayview Four. Simon Kelleher, the creator of the Bayview’s gossip app, is the outcast.

Simon is dead before detention ends and the police rule it a homicide. All four fellow detainees become suspects when the police discover Simon planned to post juicy reveals about all four of them on his gossip app the very next day

How far would you go to protect your secret?

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library. The second book in the series, One of Us Is Next, is available at EPL.

4.05 stars in Goodreads, 4.6 on Amazon