Staff Favorites of 2019: Adult Fiction

As the year comes to a close, library staff members and volunteers reflect on the best books they've read in 2019. A complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019 is available in the library's online catalog.

Here are our favorites from the library’s Adult Fiction collection:

• A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• After the End by Clare Mackintosh
  Recommended by Amy Weiler
• After the Fall by Noah Hawley
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Jeanne McMahan
• As Long As We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Amy Weiler
• A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
  Recommended by Amy Weiler
• Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson
  Recommended by Amy Weiler
• Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
• Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• Cats of the Louvre by Taiyo Matsumoto
  Recommended by Kim Tomblin
• Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Conviction by Denise Mina
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
  Trina says, "I listened to the full cast audiobook version of Daisy Jones and the Six. It's not the type of book I would normally read, but the audiobook was wonderful and I ended up really enjoying it."
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
  Recommended by anonymous
• Force of Nature by Jane Harper
  Recommended by Jeanne McMahan
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Glimpse by Jonathan Mabarry
  Recommended by Alica Cavitt
• Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• Gun Love by Jennifer Clement
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• How Hard Can It Be by Allison Pearson
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
• Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• In the Distance by Hernan Diaz
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• Lie with Me by Philippe Besson
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Amy Weiler
• My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Meredith Causey
• Night Market by Jonathan Moore
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• Normal People by Sally Rooney
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Our Stop by Laura Williams
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• Passing by Nella Larsen
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh
  Recommended by Alica Cavitt
• Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
• Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• Horseman, Pass By from Thalia: A Texas Trilogy by Larry McMurtry
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Echo Killing by Christina Daugherty
  Recommended by Lola Nichols
• The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
  Recommended by Kim Tomblin
• The First Bad Man by Miranda July
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Girl in the Castle by Santa Montefiore
  Recommended by LeAnne Craig
• The Gown by Jennifer Robson
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
  Recommended by LeAnne Craig and Stephani Lindsey
• The Huntress by Kate Quinn
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht and Amy Weiler
• The Institute by Stephen King
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Beth Moore
• The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
  Recommended by Meredith Causey and Trina Schlecht
• The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
• The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
• The Lost Man by Jane Harper
  Recommended by Beth Moore and Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• The Need by Helen Philips
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• The Night Market by Jonathan Moore
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Rent Collector by Camron Steve Wright
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
  Recommended by LeAnne Craig
• The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• The Second Worst Restaurant in France by Alexander McCall Smith
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
  Recommended by Lola Nichols
• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
  Recommended by Joanie Goforth
• The Stranger Inside by Lisa Unger
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
  Recommended by Amy Billings
• The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Trina Schlecht
• The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
  Recommended by Amy Weiler
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• The Woman in the Water by Charles Finch
• This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
  Recommended by Meredith Causey, Teresa Santangelo, and Amy Weiler
• This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• Tin Man by Sarah Winman
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal
  Recommended by Stephen Kight, Anna Lyle, and Jeanne McMahan
• Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
  Recommended by Meredith Causey
• Waiting for Bojangles by Olivier Bourdeaut
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  Recommended by Beth Moore, Trina Schlecht, and Amy Weiler
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
  Recommended by Lola Nichols
• You Know You Want This: "Cat Person" and Other Stories by Kristen Roupenian

To view a complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019, visit the library's online catalog.

Staff Favorites of 2019: Adult Nonfiction

As the year comes to a close, library staff members and volunteers reflect on the best books they've read in 2019. A complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019 is available in the library's online catalog.

Here are our favorites from the library’s Adult Nonfiction collection:

• African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan by Thomas Lockley
  Recommended by Katherine Eitel
  Katherine says, "Thomas Lockley's African Samurai not only tells of the adventures of the warrior Yasuke, but also does an excellent job of illustrating the time period, 1500s Japan, leaving the reader wanting to know more about the hectic period of the country at war."
• All Blood Runs Red: The Legendary Life of Eugene Bullard -- Boxer, Pilot, Soldier, Spy by Phil Keith
  Recommended by Kim Tomblin
• American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us by Sam Kean
  Recommended by Lola Nichols
• Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir by Roz Chast
  Recommended by anonymous
• Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Cep Casey
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• How Not to Kill Your Houseplant: Survival Tips for the Horticulturally Challenged by Veronica Peerless
  Recommended by Jeff Fisher
• How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman
  Recommended by Teresa Santangelo
• How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily Nussbaum
  Recommended by anonymous
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Justice on Trial: The Kavenaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemmingway
  Recommended by Bobby Williams
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
  Recommended by Amy Weiler
• Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
  Recommended by Kim Tomblin
• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
  Recommended by Zoey Fleck
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• Philip K. Dick: A Comics Biography by Laurent Queyssi
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt
• The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk W. Johnson
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II by Alex Kershaw
  Recommended by Julie Boyd
• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Freedom by Miguel Ruiz
  Recommended by Latha Bonaili
• The Gallaudet Children's Dictionary of American Sign Language
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• The Lady From the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• The Library Book by Susan Orlean
  Recommended by Latha Bonaili, Holly Raus, and Trina Schlecht
• The Moth Presents Occasional Magic: True Stories of Defying the Impossible edited by Catherine Burns
  Recommended by Amy Billings
• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
• Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World by Scott Harrison
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino
  Recommended by anonymous
• Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane
  Recommended by Kim Tomblin

To view a complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019, visit the library's online catalog.

Staff Favorites of 2019: Teen

As the year comes to a close, library staff members and volunteers reflect on the best books they've read in 2019. A complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019 is available in the library's online catalog.

Here are our favorites from the library’s Teen collection:

• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
• Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• Bloom by Kevin Panetta
  Recommended by Stephen Kight
• Dry by Neal Shusterman
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• Finale: A Caraval Novel by Stephanie Garber
  Recommended by Holly Barfield
• Ghost by Jason Reynolds
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
  Recommended by Alicia Cavitt and Trina Schlecht
• Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
  Recommended by Amy Billings
• On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
  Recommended by Meredith Causey and Trina Schlecht
  Trina says, “On the Come Up, like the author's first book, The Hate U Give, is narrated by Bahni Turpin who does a phenomenal job with story. She's one of my favorite narrators.”
• Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
  Our staff says, "I read a lot of graphic novels in 2019 (15 and counting). This was hands-down my favorite! Beautiful art, great characters, sweeping historical backdrop, secret identities are all interspersed with details of daily life in a convent."
• Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys
  Recommended by Jane Elizabeth Sewell
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  Recommended by Beth Moore
• The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
• The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
  Our staff says, "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora has laugh-out-loud audio narration, a big and lovable Cuban family, a touch of romance, and of course, tragedy and heartbreak. It's a perfect book for middle schoolers. It's also a great audio choice for a family road trip with your teens!"  
• The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
  Our staff says, "Calling all Six of Crows fans! This is your next great read. Mystery, intrigue, dark magic, forbidden romance, and the heist of a lifetime make this an unforgettable fantasy adventure."
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  Recommended by Holly Raus
• The Lovely War by Julie Berry
  Recommended by Amy Billings
• The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
• The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelly Pearsall
  Recommended by LeAnne Craig
• The Toll by Neal Shusterman
  Recommended by Holly Barfield
• The Vanishing Stair, Book 2 Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
• Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby
  Recommended by Amy Billings
• Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• Wilder Girls by Rory Power

To view a complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019, visit the library's online catalog.

Staff Favorites of 2019: Juvenile

As the year comes to a close, library staff members and volunteers reflect on the best books they've read in 2019. A complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019 is available in the library's online catalog.

Here are our favorites from the library’s Juvenile collection:

• Bob by Wendy Mass
  Recommended by Julie Boyd
• Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
  Recommended by Katherine Eitel
• Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
  Recommended by Trina Schlecht
  Trina says, "The audio version of Dragon Rider is narrated by Brendan Fraser who does a great job bringing the characters and the story to life. It's a fun listen and would be terrific for a family roadtrip."
• Hex Vet: Witches in Training by Samantha Davies
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Restart by Gordon Korman
  Recommended by Jeanne McMahan
• Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Spark by Sarah Beth Durst
  Recommended by Lola Nichols
• Stargazing by Jen Wang
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell
  Recommended by Katherine Eitel
  Katherine says, "Merrie Haskell's The Castle Behind Thorns is great for young readers who love both the fantastic and stories of survival. In addition, the book teaches the value of forgiveness and working with others to achieve a mutual goal."
• The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer
  Recommended by Julie Boyd
  Julie says, "I read so many wonderful books in 2019! I especially love the Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer.This was recommended to me by a patron, and I have really enjoyed it!  The audio version is really good too!"
• The Law of Finders Keepers by Sheila Turnage
  Our staff says, "The conclusion to the Mo and Dale mystery series doesn't hold anything back. Get the tissues ready for when Mo finally solves the mystery of her upstream mother and you say one last good bye to the residents of Tupelo Landing."
• The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jen Green
  Recommended by Joanie Goforth
  Joanie says, "I read this book to my second grade daughter and she absolutely loved it! I also got to share it with a library book club that I facilitated and it had lots of fascinating supplemental information, as well as visually rich and appealing illustrations."
• The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
  Recommended by LeAnne Craig
• Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
  Recommended by Joanie Goforth

To view a complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019, visit the library's online catalog.

Staff Favorites of 2019: Easy

As the year comes to a close, library staff members and volunteers reflect on the best books they've read in 2019. A complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019 is available in the library's online catalog.

Here are our favorites from the library’s Easy collection:

• Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• At the Mountain’s Base by Traci Sorrell
  Recommended by Jeff Fisher
• Bathtime for Little Rabbit by Jörg Mühle
  Recommended by Joanie Goforth
• Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! by Cece Bell
• Fall Mixed-Up by Bob Raczka
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk
  Recommended by Brooke Heflin
• Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor
  Recommended by Anna Lyle
• Love You Head to Toe by Ashley Barron
  Recommended by Julie Boyd
• Maddi's Fridge by Lois Brandt
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Never Let a Dinosaur Scribble! by Diane Alber
  Recommended by Stephani Lindsey
• Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book About Food and Farming by Lisl H. Detlefsen
  Recommended by Anna Lyle
• She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Jonathan Emmett
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy by Drew Daywalt
  Recommended by Kayla Bolton
• Spider-Man Swings Through Europe by Calliope Glass
  Recommended by Jeff Fisher
• Stormy: A Story about Finding a Forever Home by Guojing
• The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros
  Recommended by Diana Wolski
• The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry
  Recommended by Jeff Fisher
• The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera
  Recommended by Diana Wolski
• This is Christmas by Tom Booth
  Recommended by Joanie Goforth
• We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines
  Recommended by Julie Boyd

To view a complete list of titles in all genres from Staff Favorites of 2019, visit the library's online catalog.