- Morgan R.
- Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Curious to know what our staff read, watch, and listen to? Well you’re in luck, because we can’t wait to share some of our favorites with you! Bonus: You can use one of these titles to fulfil the #BroaderBookshelf 2021 prompt to "Read a book suggested by a Library staff member".
Book: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Joining the crew of the aging Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that has seen better days, loner Rosemary Harper must unexpectedly risk her life when they are offered the job of a lifetime, which teaches her valuable lessons about love and trust, and that having a family isn't the worst thing in the universe.
Emily says, “This is a delightful sci-fi romp full of lovable characters and chosen family. More to enjoy in the sequels!”
Book: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
After her husband disappears, Hannah Hall quickly realizes he isn't who he said he was and that his 16-year-old daughter, who wants nothing to do with her, may hold the key to figuring out his true identity.
*This title may be found at various locations as a Fresh Pick. Keep your eyes peeled!*
Recommended by: Melisa D.
Book: While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
Featuring Ben Stephens, Theo's brother from The Wedding Party, this charming and hilarious new Romance finds Ben and a famous actress struggling to keep their working relationship strictly professional.
Recommended by: Morgan R.
Book: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
After he dies, a curious and powerful being gives Wallace one week to cross over to the land of the dead, and Wallace, who finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life, sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
Morgan says: What happens after we die? Where do we go? Let TJ Klune take you on a heartfelt adventure of a man discovering his true self in the presence of his reaper. Bonus! The main character is bisexual and the adorable love story is much appreciated.
Recommended by: Sunny P.
Book: We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.
Recommended by: Morgan R.
Book: Velvet was the night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
In 1970s Mexico City, Maite, a secretary with a penchant for romance novels, searches for her missing neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, which leads her to an eccentric gangster who longs to escape his own life, and together, they set out to discover the dangerous truth.
Morgan says: “Step into a smoky, sepia-toned 1970s Mexico City as bored secretary Maite gets wrapped up in a brutal game of cat and mouse in this slow-burn noir with an explosive ending. I could totally see Quinten Tarantino opting this one for film!”
Recommended by: Alexis N.
Book: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A story about race and privilege is centered around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.
Alexis says: "Kiley Reid wastes no time delving in to the most uncomfortable of topics, in the most delicious and relatable of ways. Such A Fun Age explores and exposes the barriers of race, privilege, money, and transactional relationships through the witty and authentic voices of millennials and moms, entertaining from beginning to end!"
Book: Normal People by Sally Rooney
The unconventional secret childhood bond between a popular boy and a lonely, intensely private girl is tested by character reversals in their first year at a Dublin college that render one introspective and the other social, but self-destructive.
Amy says: "If you love a novel that focuses on character building, Normal People is the book for you. Rooney paints a beautiful tale of two deeply disturbed characters navigating their way through life. This book will have you infuriated and falling in love at the same time."
Recommended by: Jessica D.
Book: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab
Making a Faustian bargain to live forever but never be remembered, a woman from early 18th-century France endures unacknowledged centuries before meeting a man who remembers her name.
Recommended by: Jessica D.
Audiobook: Sadie by Courtney Summers available for immediate download on Hoopla
Told from the alternating perspectives of nineteen-year-old Sadie who runs away from her isolated small Colorado town to find her younger sister's killer, and a true crime podcast exploring Sadie's disappearance.
Jessica says, “Sadie came highly recommended as an audio book. Although it's fictional, It reads like a podcast and a true crime story, so if you like that genre, you'll love Sadie.”
Recommended by: Amy W.
Book: The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker.
The Dreamers presents the story of a student in an isolated Southern California college town who witnesses a strange sleeping illness that subjects patients to life-altering, heightened dreams.
Amy says: "The Dreamers is a soft science fiction novel that grapples with the idea of human existence and the 'why are we here' question."
Recommended by: Melisa D.
Music: Malibu by Anderson Paak
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A complete list of the prompts of Broader Bookshelf 2021 is available here, Need more suggestions? Try our personalized reading recommendations service.