Used Book Superstore Staff Picks
See what books & films our booksellers recommend!
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Island of the Blue Dolphins A timeless classic for young adults, this story takes readers on a voyage to a time long forgotten where this island is inhabited by simple natives. When catastrophe strikes the inhabitants resulting in the need for escape to a new land, 12 year old Karana is forced to stay behind to keep her brother company. What follows is 18 years of fulfilling the basic needs to survive and during that time finds strength and peace in her seclusion. A great read. |
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The Night Circus About a life long contest between magicians, Morgenstern’s novel is absolutely spellbinding, from her wonderful, imaginative prose to the heartbreaking story. |
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The Italian Job Starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, and Jason Statham this remake film is loosely based on the original Italian Job from 1969. A theft/action/comedy bonanza with well-rounded characters and plot. Location scenery is fabulous and the mini cooper cars racing thru and under L.A. really steal the show! |
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The Book Thief A WW2 novel about an often ignored perspective- a German girl living under Nazi regime. A terrifically written book that open up a world of new questions and emotions in the reader’s mind. A book about war, innocence, human rights, triumph, hatred, and love narrated by death himself. You will never take your literacy for granted again. |
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The Virgin Suicides From the opening line the Lisbon girls will have you entranced by their disturbed and secretive lives; just like the neighborhood boys who watch them, trying to piece together what led to each of their suicides. Jeffrey Eugenides’s debut novel is darkly breathtaking and will have you captured until the very last word. |
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Legally Blonde Sometimes, you just want to lay on the couch and kill a few brain cells. Legally Blonde is a silly movie for girls who just want a little bit of laughter. Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is a supposedly dim-witted girl who decides to carve her way in the world of Law by jumping right into Harvard Law School with her pink scented resume and sense of worth. Despite the fact that everyone around her thinks she’s incapable of becoming a lawyer, she soon shows her value (and brains!) in a high-profile murder case. |
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Serenity Based on the cult hit show “Firefly”, this movie follows six rebels and one dangerous fugitive who contains information and abilities that could threaten the totalitarian regime. Their cat-and-mouse chase aboard the starship “Serenity” will lead them to a secret horror that the government would do anything to keep covered up. |
Bastard Out of Carolina Greenville County, South Carolina, is a wild, lush place that is home to the Boatwright family-a tight-knit clan of rough-hewn, hard- drinking men who shoot up each other’s trucks, and indomitable women who get married young and age too quickly. At the heart of this story is Ruth Anne Boatwright, known simply as Bone, a bastard child who observes the world around her with a mercilessly keen perspective. |
50 First Dates A cute feel-good romance starring that well-known New Hampshire native! |
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We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Very compelling read. A really good look into a not well-known genocide. |
Joe Dirt David Spade plays the title character, a white-trash orphan in search of the parents who abandoned him at the Grand Canyon. The humor is supposed to come from Joe’s misadventures, his redneck gullibility, and his encounters with such figures as a serial killer, a wacked-out janitor (Christopher Walken), and a lovable gal (Jamie Pressly) who may, unfortunately, turn out to be his sister. |
Princess Mononoke Prince Ashitaka is poisoned by a Forest god, and now he must fight to keep a balance between man and nature. An exciting Fantasy film that keeps you guessing on who is really in the wrong. |
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The Wedding Singer A great Adam Sandler film set in the fashion flamboyant 80s (fishnet and big hair aplenty!) with Robbie Hart, a wedding singer, getting left at the altar at his own wedding, turning him into an entertainer who can do nothing but destroy other people’s weddings. With an appearance from Billie Idol this movie could not get any better. |
The Serpent’s Shadow In this thrilling conclusion to The Kane Chronicles by popular author and creator of the Percy Jackson Series, Rick Riordan, the Kane siblings Sadie and Carter are off on a quest to find the shadow of the great Chaos Snake Apophis! They battle their way through exploding museums, lakes of molten fiery rock and the territory of the Egyptian Huntress Neith (who wants to hunt THEM). Jump right on in to this witty and satisfying conclusion – you won’t be able to put it down! Perfect for any fans of Percy Jackson or ancient Egyptian mythology. |
Napoleon Dynamite There are llamas and tots and sweet dance moves. Words can’t really describe…if you never got around to watching this film, you’re missing out! GOSH! |
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Moby Dick A half-crazed sea captain’s revengeful quest to find and kill the extraordinary whale that deprived him of his leg becomes a bitter and fatal failure. In almost every chapter we also discover something or other about the nature of man. The self-asserted narrator called “Ishmael” signs with captain Ahab’s ship, giving us a first-hand view of all that takes place, as well as superb information concerning the anatomy of whales, ships, and anything else you can expect to come with the wanderlust of the worlds greatest frontier, the ocean. |
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Easter Rising Easter Rising is written by Michael Patrick MacDonald who told of his early family life in South Boston in his first book All Souls. This story takes up with him becoming involved in the music scene with emerging bands in Boston and New York. Later he returns to the themes of his family and challenges in South Boston. Written with integrity and humor, every bit as strong as All Souls. |
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L.A. Confidential Dames, murder, and back-room deals- Starring Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey, this remarkably crafted movie of police corruption in 1950s Los Angeles sets the standard that all crime movies should be measured against! |
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The Jerk Another slapstick comedy starring Steve Martin as a man who strikes it rich but later learns what matters most in life. You’ll be laughing the whole time! |
Blackbird House Set in Cape Cod, this novel explores the lives of those who pass through the halls of the Blackbird House for two centuries. A great first pick if you’re new to Hoffman’s work. |
Milo and Otis A favorite in my household – it never gets old! |
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Wicked Appetite Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston’s North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down—and his criminal mastermind cousin Gerewulf Grimorie. The black-haired, black-hearted Wulf is on the hunt for the relic representing gluttony. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn’t always better, as they battle Wulf and the first of the deadly sins. |
The Butterfly Effect Aston Kutcher stars as a young man who discovers he has the ability to change moments in his childhood through time travel at a cost to his own health. Trying to fix his broken life, his alterations have far reaching consequences for himself and his girlfriend, played by Amy Smart. Can he reverse the slippery-slope he finds himself on before succumbing to the stress the time-travel is dealing to his mind? |
The Alienist This book will appeal to anyone who loves a richly crafted historical novel, as well as a mystery. Set in New York in 1897, we follow Dr Kiezler, a leader in the field of criminal psychology, as he and his colleagues hunt for a thoroughly modern concept: the Serial Killer. It will keep you engaged from beginning to end, and is one I’ve re-read multiple times! |
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Underworld Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy. A lethal werewolf-hunting vampire finds her job becoming more complicated when she falls for a human who’s caught in the crossfire-and then is bitten by a werewolf. |
The Sparrow Destined for a planet emitting mysterious music, a scientific team of eight leaves Earth, but only one returns. I could NOT put this book down. And there’s a sequel! |
The Shawshank Redemption Spanning the years from 1947 through 1966, The Shawshank Redemption takes the “innocent man in prison” theme and twists it at a different angle. Instead of focusing on crusades for freedom, the movie ventures down a less-traveled road, concentrating on the personal cost of adapting to prison life and how some convicts, once they conform, lose the ability to survive beyond the barbed wire and iron bars. As one of the characters puts it: “These [prison] walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them, then you start to depend on them.” |
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Slaughterhouse-Five A wildly imaginative classic centered around the life of Billy Pilgrim, a character so easy to believe in and root for that you won’t be able to put this quick read down! It’s as much about time-travel as is it about being a POW in World War II, and only Vonnegut could connect the dots so easily. |
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The Lost City of Z In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle, in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Over the years countless perished trying to find evidence of his party and the place he called “The Lost City of Z.” In this masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, journalist David Grann interweaves the spellbinding stories of Fawcett’s quest for “Z” and his own journey into the deadly jungle, as he unravels the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century. |
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A Child Called “It” A horrifying true story of one of the most severe cases of child abuse, as told through the eyes of the victim, A Child Called It takes readers inside the mind of a boy whose own mother only refers to him as “it”. This first book in the trilogy shows us one child’s courage to survive with will, determination, and strength of character- a truly inspirational story. |
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Harry Potter & the Harry Potter is back for his 3rd year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. A new adventure arises when a prisoner from Azkaban escapes and is supposedly headed to kill Harry, but turns out not to be the killer everyone thought. |
Harvest for Hope Goodall lends valuable advice on how to live green and contribute to sustaining our society. |
Tommy Boy You won’t stop laughing – not even a little. Chris Farley’s genuine comedic talent is not to be surpassed. Farley and Spade bring out the best in each other in an effortless manner. For college-burnouts, man-children or simply for those who love a good-hearted comedy. |
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Monster Steve is on trial for allegedly being part of a fatal robbery. We only know the events from Steve’s changing memory and feelings range from suggesting innocence to guilt. Readers may disagree by the last page. |
Heathers Welcome to Westerburg High, where Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is beginning to tire of her membership in the powerful yet cruel clique of ‘Heathers’ When Veronica falls for the mysterious new kid Jason Dean (Christian Slater), their dislike for the Heathers quickly escalates into a savage cycle of murder, suicide and Slushies. Now that her teenage angst has a body count, are Veronica and JD headed for the prom…or hell? Shannen Doherty co-stars in one of the greatest black comedies of all time. |
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything – Julie Newmar Inspired by Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, a trio of drag Queens unexpectedly turn up in podunk-ville and give the locals an eye opener on city life. A feel-good movie that explores the complexities of gender and sexuality and has Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze in dresses. |
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The Great Gatsby A captivating American classic. The closest book to perfection that I’ve come across. If an author doesn’t break your heart, they’re doing it wrong – and Fitzgerald does it oh-so-right. |
Punch-Drunk Love This understated Adam Sandler film shows that the comedian can also thrive in a more dramatic role. Thanks to a lack of interpersonal skill, his character struggles with his emotions after falling for a woman he has met in this offbeat and odd take on romantic-comedy. |
10 Minutes Till Bedtime Dad counts backwards to lights out as he reads his newspaper. But a hamster family rings the doorbell and slips past Dad to help! How much fun can bedtime be? How on Earth can lights be out on time? See the detailed illustrations and find out for yourself! |
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The Book of General Ignorance This book is a “must-have” for anyone who still believes everything they were taught in school. Taking you through over 250 commonly accepted “facts”, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson debunk them all with class and a touch of humor. |
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The Road A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food – and each other. |
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Fried Green Tomatoes Based on a book by Fannie Flagg, this touching but funny film focuses on the life-long friendship of two very different women in the 1930s rural South. Add a murder mystery to stir up the community, and you have a film like no other! |
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The Miracle of Mindfulness Hanh explores the act of living in the moment through conscious breathing and other techniques throughout daily life. In these fast-paced times, this book was a miracle to read! |
The Transporter An action-packed thriller, the first Transporter film introduced Englishman Jason Stratham to a world-wide audience. With a story by Luc Besson and incredible fight scenes staged by director Cory Yuen, the pacing never lets up. Jason Statham is thrown into unbelievable situations at every turn, but beats all comers, gets the girl and saves the precious cargo just in time. |
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! Dena Nordstrom is a TV Newscaster in the 1970’s. She is very private and very driven, but when she becomes sick she returns to her hometown where she begins to find peace and also some answers to life. A great read! |
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Paul Blart: Mall Cop After failing the obstacle course at the local Police Academy, Paul Blart is forced into another year of training and preparing with his job as a security guard at West Orange Pavilion Mall. While on duty, the rent-a-cop finds himself in quite the hostage situation when ‘Santa’s Little Helpers’ storm the mall. With the chances of blowing his undercover position, Paul has the chance to save his daughter, his dream girl and his reputation. A local favorite filmed inside the Burlington Mall! |
Out A fast-paced, murder-filled thriller set in Japan, this novel is sure to entertain with its wide range of characters and vivid scene descriptions. Couldn’t put it down! |
The Cable Guy Jim Carrey’s first dark comedy full of creepiness and laughs. |
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Under the Dome When the small town of Chester’s Mill, Maine is surrounded by an invisible force field, the people inside must exert themselves to survive. The situation deteriorates rapidly due to the dome’s ecological effects and the machinations of Big Jim Rennie, an obscenely sanctimonious local politician and drug lord who likes the idea of having an isolated populace to dominate. |
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The Notebook Noah and Allie are teenagers from totally different worlds, but they fall madly in love while spending one romantic summer together in North Carolina. Allie’s parents pressure her to leave Noah behind and pursue the life she’s meant to live, but fourteen years later, she’ll have to search her heart and truly make that decision for herself once and for all. A tearjerker if there ever was one! Bonus: Pick up the movie adaptation for a rainy night. Double bonus: Sparks’ novel The Wedding is the sequel to The Notebook so pick that up too, if you think you have enough Kleenex for both. |
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Fantastic Mr. Fox A hilarious movie captured in a brilliant and now so often under utilized medium- stop motion. |
