We asked our librarians to tell us their favorite books published in the last year and why they like them. What do you think? What were your favorites?
Trish's Picks
Why We Sleep by Matthew
Walker
There is so much
focus on the importance of diet (nutrition) and exercise for healthy living and
longevity, yet sleep plays a larger role than one might suspect. This is
an eye opening revelation into the vital significance of sufficient and
consistent "shut eye" necessary for optimal physical and mental
health.
Stolen Beauty by Laurie
Lico Albanese
Atrocities and
crimes against humanity are all too prevalent and seemingly more than ever
common place in our world today. Though there are some who would minimize or
even deny the horrific annihilation in the holocaust, it must be retold and
never be forgotten. This is a heart wrenching intimate and tragic
retelling of an inter-generational family saga interwoven with Nazis' theft the
famous Klimt portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.
The Hearts of Men by Nicholas
Butler
You wouldn't
necessarily know the strong character that often develops in the bullied class
victim, but this story is a poignant telling of courage, integrity and bravery
spawned from an unbelievably tormenting childhood. A must read.
Karen's Picks
Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen
Very suspenseful novel about a hit-and-run accident and a
physician's attempts to cover it up. He "pays" in interesting and
unexpected ways. The description of his emotional struggle made this hard to
put down!
The Dry by Jane Harper
Conveyed the sense of a hot and dry climate--you felt as if
you were in the small rural Australian town where the book takes place. So well
written that it was hard to believe it is Jane Harper's first novel.
Unpredictable plot with lots of twists and turns.
Judy's Pick
Prague Sonata by Bradford
Morrow.
It is a mystery involving a newly discovered music
manuscript set mostly in Prague at different historical periods. I had a
patron come up and tell me it was one of his favorites too.
Catherine's Picks
Before We Were Yours
by Lisa Wingate
Although drawn from a real life scandal - a
Memphis-based adoption organization kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy
families throughout the US – it is a heart-wrenching story of a search for
belonging and family. A wonderful story to read and discuss.
You Don’t Have to SayYou Love Me by Sherman Alexie, Jr.
Fans of Sherman Alexie expect no less than great literature,
and once again he delivers with this memoir packed full of emotion, stories,
and his poetry. His work is thought provoking and a constant reminder that
despite the wealth of Native American culture, its populations continue to be
denied access to good healthcare, education, and housing.
Wendy's Picks
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
16-year old Starr Carter lives in a poor urban neighborhood
but goes to a suburban prep school. She also is the only witness to the fatal
shooting of her friend by a police officer. How she copes in these contrasting
environments, the people we meet in her two different worlds, and her fears and
responsibilities as a witness brought me closer to some situations I’ve never
experienced. The story had neither the setting nor language I would normally
choose but was very compelling and shook up some assumptions I realized I had
made.
Liz's Picks
Stay With Me by Ayobami
Adebayo
This book just really affected me. It was beautiful, heartbreaking
and moving. When a young Nigerian couple, Yjede and Akin, get married, they
agree that polygamy is not for them. However, after several years without a
child, Akin’s family coerces him into taking a second wife. Told from both
Yjede and Akin’s points of view, you see how this decision affects them both.
Anything is Possible
by Elizabeth Strout
Even though these short stories were only loosely connected,
I couldn’t stop reading them, almost as if it were a thriller. Strout writes
beautifully about ordinary people in mostly ordinary lives all centered on a
small fictional town in Illinois.
Kate's Picks
Celine by Peter
Heller
Celine is a quick-witted ace detective whose elegance and
ingenuity delight us. She specializes in reuniting families as atonement for
the father she hardly knew.
Grief Cottage by
Gail Goodwin
Sent to live with a distant and aloof artist aunt, Marcus
becomes infatuated with a deserted home on the beach and the story of the
family that once inhabited it. Set in
South Carolina, this novel depicts the fine lines of family, grief and healing
and the relationships between the living and the dead.
Michelle's Pick
One of Us is Lying by Karen M.
McManus
Meet the breakfast club, if it were a murder mystery.
Bronwyn is the brain, Addy is the beauty, Cooper is the athlete, Nate, the
criminal, and Simon, the outcast. Five students walk into detention. Only
four walk out. All four have a secret to keep. Were they willing to commit a
murder to conceal it? This YA “whodunit” is full of relatable characters and an
engaging storyline.
