About the Community of Readers

My photo
Established in 2007 by the Leatherby Libraries, the Community of Readers is the summer reading program for Chapman University. This program is open to everyone who has borrowing privileges at the Leatherby Libraries and a current library account, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Members select books from the Leatherby Libraries and become eligible to receive prizes upon submission of their first review.

Search the Library Catalog

Search the Library Catalog
Click to Navigate to the Leatherby Libraries homepage

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

 

TitleThe Trouble Up North
AuthorTravis Mulhauser
Call NumberNA [read Orange Public Library copy]
LocationOther
RatingSomewhat Recommended
Book ReviewAn easy-read, focusing on family, alcoholism, economy, regional differences (Michigan's upper peninsula], aging, and authority..  Organized around a scheme to burn a boat to collect on the insurance, and mixed motives of perpetrators, family members, and authorities
Submitted ByArt Blaser
Department or MajorPeace Studies/Political Science
StatusFaculty
Chapman Emailblaser@chapman.edu

Friday, July 25, 2025

 

TitleThe Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men who Tried to Make Her Disappear
AuthorKate Moore
LocationOther
RatingRecommended
Book ReviewThis very well written book is a thorough history of Elizabeth Packard, a housewife who was unjustly sent to an insane asylum in 1860. She advocated for herself and for her fellow patients, many of whom were also sane. The book follows her life very closely, and is clearly well researched. It was a bit long, and pretty heavy at times.
Submitted ByLaura Neis
Department or MajorBusiness College
StatusStaff
Chapman Emaillneis@chapman.edu

Thursday, July 24, 2025

 

TitleCrucial Conversations
AuthorGrenny, Patterson, McMillan, Switzler, and Gregory
Call NumberN/A
LocationOther
RatingHighly Recommended
Book ReviewI received this book after taking a class on Crucial Conversations through Chapman. This book focuses on tools and principles to successfully have difficult conversations. Seeing that I already took the course, I read the book 6 months later as a refresher, and it's very digestible and easy to apply in both professional and personal settings. Everyone should read a book like this, because no one really teaches you how to communicate and work through challenging conversations, and this book is a great start.
Submitted ByCaylin Schmenk
Department or MajorLeatherby Libraries
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailschmenk@chapman.edu

 

TitleThe Fury of the Gods
AuthorJohn Gwynne
LocationOther
RatingSomewhat Recommended
Book ReviewThis final book to The Bloodsworn trilogy was enjoyable, but not a book - or a trilogy - that I would re-read anytime soon. For a fantasy novel (and trilogy), it has a unique premise and wrapped up multiple storylines. However, the book concludes a trilogy that contained characters that I did not particularly feel engaged with compared to the author's other series. If I read this author's trilogy first, before his other book series, then maybe my opinion would be different.
Submitted ByCarl Privette
Department or MajorLeatherby Libraries
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailprivette@chapman.edu

 

TitleSilver Elite
AuthorDani Francis
LocationOther
RatingRecommended
Book ReviewNot really sure how I feel about this book. I wasn't really rooting for their relationship because I feel like there was nothing for her to gravitate toward the MMC.

I also feel like in general there wasn't much going on except for her classes.
Submitted ByIsabelle Rivera
Department or MajorDodge College
Chapman Emailisrivera@chapman.edu

 

TitleTower of Dawn
AuthorSarah J Maas
RatingSomewhat Recommended
Book ReviewOkay I have been reading this book on and off for about 6-8 months. The first half was torture and we spent it with a side character from the overall series that I don't care for. However as soon as we hit the second part of the book, this book flew by. It had a lot of plot that connects to the main story, making it in my opinion a needed read for the overal series. That being said, this 650 page book could have been 400 and I think it would have been much more bearable. But so happy to be moving on to the final book in the series :)
Submitted ByAlyssa Castanon
Department or MajorLeatherby Libraries
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailalycastanon@chapman.edu

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

 

TitleSilver Elite
AuthorDani Francis
LocationOther
RatingRecommended
Book ReviewNot really sure how I feel about this book. I wasn't really rooting for their relationship because I feel like there was nothing for her to gravitate toward the MMC.

I also feel like in general there wasn't much going on except for her classes.
Submitted ByIsabelle Rivera
Department or MajorDodge College
Chapman Emailisrivera@chapman.edu

 

TitleThe Briar Club
AuthorKate Quinn
LocationOther
RatingRecommended
Book ReviewI admire this author's creativity in weaving serious topics, including racism, misogyny, homophobia, murder, and political persecution, into another gripping story of human relationships. I really enjoyed reading about the true historical aspects from the point of view of the women renting rooms in a boardinghouse. It was fascinating to think that my mother was a college graduate in the same era as McCarthyism, and like one of the characters in the novel, she too quit when she got married because it was expected. And sadly, going on 71 years later, history is still repeating.
Submitted ByAnnalisa Goode
Department or MajorLaw School
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailagoode@chapman.edu

 

TitleRogue Protocol
AuthorMartha Wells
LocationOther
RatingHighly Recommended
Book ReviewBook 3 of the Murderbot diaries sees murderbot on another adventure to find facts - and also to find itself. An exciting and interesting story, I was particularly happy with the relationships with Miki and how it changed the way murderbot thought of itself.
Submitted ByLaura Neis
Department or MajorBusiness College
StatusStaff
Chapman Emaillneis@chapman.edu

 

TitleUprooted
AuthorNaomi Novik
Call Numberaudiobook
RatingHighly Recommended
Book ReviewIf you like fantasy but don't like the commitment of a series, then try out Uprooted. This standalone fantasy offers a wizard with a new apprentice (a witch), and together they unravel the mystery of why they are being attacked by The Wood. It has some light romance, but I'm not sure I would call this a romantasy. Great characters, world building, and MAGIC.
Submitted ByJulie Johnson
Department or MajorIS&T
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailjuliejohnson@chapman.edu

 

TitleHombrecito
AuthorSantiago Jose Sanchez
Call Numberebook
RatingSomewhat Recommended
Book ReviewComing of age story about a young boy from Columbia who moves to Florida when his mother and father divorce. Exploration of family dynamics, culture, friendships, and sexuality.
Submitted ByJulie Johnson
Department or MajorIS&T
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailjuliejohnson@chapman.edu

 

TitleThe Psychology of Money
AuthorMorgan Housel
Call Numberaudiobook
RatingHighly Recommended
Book ReviewWhy do we feel the way we do about money? Concepts are reviewed with stories. A great format that worked well on audiobook.
Submitted ByJulie Johnson
Department or MajorIS&T
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailjuliejohnson@chapman.edu

 

TitleCome Closer
AuthorSara Gran
Call Numberaudiobook
RatingRecommended
Book ReviewScary book about possession from the perspective of someone becoming possessed.
Submitted ByJulie Johnson
Department or MajorIS&T
StatusStaff
Chapman Emailjuliejohnson@chapman.edu