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FICTION
& Sons: A Novel / David Gilbert
EB, FIC
Great writing, absorbing, and funny as a book can get about the death of a father. Makes you want to read more by this author.
(Bill Holleran from RSV/Librarian)
Before Green Gables / Budge Wilson
BCD, FIC, LT
This is a very creative and well written prequel to Anne of Green Gables.
(Theresa from RSV)
The Book of Killowen / Erin Hart
FIC, LT
For fans of Ireland and Medieval mysteries
with a modern murder investigation; this tale involves an ancient body found in the trunk of a car with a murdered corpse, a weird group of artists, and plenty of forensic archaeology. This is a fun read for mystery and archaeology fans.
(Cindy from SCS)
Cinnamon and Gunpowder / Eli Brown
EA, FIC
Captain Hannah kidnaps Owen Wedgewood to cook for her on her pirate ship. Owen makes many failed attempts to escape until over the months he becomes part of the pirate crew. It was really interesting the way Owen was able to create edible food from moldy, inedible items that were available on the ship, not to mention his transformation into a credible pirate from a pantywaist. Captain Hannah is a strong character in this tale. She is fair, tough and ran the ship with ease. If you’re looking for a fluffy pirate-themed romance, look elsewhere. Good ending!
(Pat from RSV)
The cutting season / Attica Locke
BCD, EB, FIC
This quiet Louisiana mystery just drips of antebellum plantation and slavery history. Caren Gray becomes enmeshed in a murder when a migrant worker is found on Belle Vie's property. Preserving the past and finding the killer are important components of this beautifully written novel
(Jean from Fraser)
The Dog Stars / Peter Heller
BCD, FIC
In post apocalyptic America a male survivor of a global flu pandemic flies around in his Cessna with his dog and while looking for supplies he receives a mysterious radio transmission. A heartrending and thoughtful examination of the human condition.
(Ken from SLC)
Escape / Barbara Delinsky
EB, FIC, LT
This book is for anyone who has felt like they want to escape their everyday life. It makes you take a look at your life and realize that you can make changes. Heartwarming, fun and easy reading!
(Carolynn from Fraser)
The Fate of Mercy Alban / Wendy Webb
EA, FIC
Grace returns to Alban house after more than 20 years to bury her mother, but she uncovers many family secrets as a result in this suspenseful, and at times, spooky read.
(Kara from CMPL)
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society / Mary Ann Shaffer
BCD, EA, EB, FIC, LT
A lovely story told in letters. Set in England after WWII this book tells the story of the German occupation of the Island of Guernsey during the war.
(Tracy from RSV)
Heading Out to Wonderful / Robert Goolrick
BCD, EB, FIC, LT
Butcher, Charlie Beale, has an illicit affair with young, married Sylvan Glass in 1940s small-town Virginia. When love goes terribly wrong and is witnessed by a young boy, this tormented, suspenseful tale becomes full of moral dilemmas.
(Debbie from SHL)
Hen of the Baskervilles: A Meg Langslow Mystery / Donna Andrews
BCD, FIC, LT
This is the latest installment of Meg Langslow’s adventures in Caerphilly. This time Meg is the main go-to-gal of Virginia Un-Fair, featuring heirloom breeds - many of which are coveted (and stolen) by thieves. During the search for the missing animals, vandalism and murder raise the stakes for the survival of the fair and Meg herself. A light read with a bit of mystery.
(Pat from RSV)
Her Sky Cowboy / Beth Ciotta
FIC
Don't let the title or the cover art fool you; this is steampunk adventure-romance is strong, witty, and starts from an incredibly unique basis: time traveling hippies! A personal invitation to join a contest involving historic inventions catapults
Miss Amelia Darcy into the two things she's always wanted: adventure and flight.
(Miss Jennie from WAM)
The Highway / C. J. Box
BCD, EA, FIC, LT
A very exciting mystery: Hard to put down.
(Mary from CHE)
How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel / Louise Penny
BCD, EA, FIC, LT
This is an excellent 8th book in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series. You will want to visit this village in Quebec, and meet all these characters!
(Cathy Russ, Troy Library)
Inferno: A Novel / Dan Brown
BCD, EA, FIC
Robert Langdon is back on another historical European adventure, this time tracking down the apocalyptic creation of a Dante's Inferno obsessed scientist. Dan Brown keeps you on the edge of the action, while giving a quick lesson on European culture. If you're a Europhile or a fan of mysteries, expect a fun, quick read.
(Ken from SLC)
The Killing Moon / N. K. Jemisin
FIC
A rich, detailed fantasy novel set in a peaceful world, maintained by Gatherer-Priests. A famous Gatherer accepts a commission and stumbles into destructive political intrigue.
(Kristen from ROG)
Let it Burn: An Alex Mcknight Novel / Steve Hamilton
BCD, FIC
Hamilton is a Michigan writer who normally writes mysteries set in Northern Michigan. In this installment of the Alex McKnight series, Alex returns to Detroit, and sees the city in shambles even worse than when he was on the Detroit police force. This is a great read with a local appeal. (Alex even hangs out with someone from Warren!)
(Heather from CLL)
A Light in the Ruins: A Novel / Chris Bohjalian
BCD, EA, EB, FIC, LT
Set in World War II Italy, this murder mystery within a historical novel centers around one family in a villa. The Partisans and the German Army take turns controlling the land and intertwining the family members in love and war. With flashbacks to the war from the 1950s, this is a wonderfully complex work of literature. If you ever visited the hill towns of Italy, this is a trip home.
(Cindy from SCS)
A Memory of Light / Robert Jordan
BCD, EA, FIC
This is the final book in the Wheel of Time series. Recommended reading for those who enjoy rich, detailed fantasy worlds like J.R.R. Tolkien's.
(Isidoro from CHE)
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FICTION
Mountain between Us / Charles Martin
FIC
Very inspirational, a real page turner.
(Lori from CHE)
Orphan Train: A Novel / Christina Baker Kline
BCD, EB, FIC, LT
Two stories intertwined: Molly, a young girl in today's foster care system; and Vivian, an older woman who was brought to the Midwest on an orphan train. A forgotten part of our American history brought to life. Although years apart, these two find out how much they really have in common: A wonderful read.
(Laurie from MPL)
The Other Boleyn Girl: A Novel / Philippa Gregory
BCD, FIC, LT
Ms. Gregory is known for her historical accuracy in this series. Entertaining and informative; it draws you into the story so you feel you know these historical characters.
(Beverley from RSV)
Paging the Dead: A Family History Mystery / Brynn Bonner
FIC
Genealogy and paranormal readers will enjoy this new series starring genealogist Sophreena McClure and medium Esme Sabatier. The business duo creates historic family scrapbooks for patrons, including their client, the Pritchett Family. The family matriarch turns up dead, an heirloom ring goes missing and the family secrets are about to be uncovered. This book is a fun read with promises of more to come.
(Cindy from SCS)
Ready Player One: A Novel / Ernest Cline
BCD, EB, FIC
This is my favorite book of the year. Part nostalgia, part dystopian future, it tells the story of a young man who, like everyone else, plays on a networked game in hopes of finding a treasure the designer left on it.
(Kristen from ROG)
Reconstructing Amelia / Kimberly McCreight
EB, FIC
This is a really great novel about the effects of bullying and secrets in a family, with a twist at the end.
(Cathy Russ, Troy Library)
Rekindled / Tamera Alexander
FIC, LT
What is love during the most unpleasant seasons of life? This story follows a broken man and his journey in fixing his wife's broken heart.
(Christa from RSV)
Rise of the Governor / Robert Kirkman
EA, FIC
An absolute must read for any fan of The Walking Dead or those who read horror fiction. Kirkman's rich and gruesome vocabulary does for words what the show does for television. The story begins right at the outbreak of the zombie plague and follows the story of "The Governor" and tells how he arrives at Woodbury. This is the first book in the trilogy. Don't miss it!
(Heather from CLL)
The Rook: A Novel / Daniel O'Malley
FIC
This is a fantasy thriller. With no recollection of who she is, the hero must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.
(Kristen from ROG)
The Shack: A Novel / William P. Young
BCD, EA, EB, FIC, LT, PL
This is a creative insight into the search for God and the search for peace.
(Patricia S. from WAM)
Silver Star: A Novel / Jeanette Walls
BCD, FIC, LT
Being obsessed with becoming a star, Mrs. Halliday abandons her two daughters with little money and a pile of overdue bills. The children fend for themselves until the social worker and police arrive. They run away to their elderly uncle in Virginia. Will they be happy? Will Mrs. Halliday become a star? This is a heartbreaking novel.
(Children's Librarian FRA)
Skipping Christmas / John Grisham
BCD, EA, EB, FIC, LT
Funny and lighthearted; this is a different tale for John Grisham, but an excellent read.
(Theresa from WAM)
Trust Your Eyes: A Thriller / Linwood Barclay
BCD, FIC, LT
Thomas, a map-obsessed schizophrenic, discovers an image of a "murder in progress" on an online "Street View" program. His brother, Ray, begins helping him find the truth, not sure what to believe. A fast paced thriller.
(Debbie from SHL)
A schizophrenic man spends his days and nights on a website called Whirl360, believing he's employed by the CIA to store the details of every town and city in the world in his head. Then one day, he sees something that shouldn't be there: a woman being murdered behind a window on a New York street. Suddenly Thomas has more to deal with than just his delusions, as he gets drawn into a deadly conspiracy.
(Chris from SLC)
The Uninvited Guests / Sadie Jones
EB, FIC
Take a country house party in Edwardian England; add a dysfunctional family, an eccentric cook, a precocious child and a group of supposed survivors from a train wreck and you have an unusual weekend.
(Librarian from RSV)
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank: Stories / Nathan Englander
EB, FIC, LT
These profound, yet subtle short stories are about the Jewish legacy, but mostly about what all stories are about--relationships
(Amanda Itria from RSV)
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel / Maria Semple
BCD, EA, FIC, LT
Bernadette has anxiety issues, big ones. These issues come to a head when Bee, her daughter, claims her reward for a great report card, a trip to Antarctica. Bernadette disappears and Bee compiles information about her mother via her emails, official documents, and secret correspondence; a very readable mother daughter story.
(Tracy from RSV)
The Wolf Gift: A Novel / Anne Rice
BCD, EA, EB, FIC, LT
What Anne Rice did for vampires, she now does for werewolves. Filled with wonderful imagery, the reader feels the joy, love, & anguish of the main character. You won't put it down until the end.
(Andrea from WDB)
BCD = Book on CD, BD = Blu-ray Disc, CD = Compact Disc,
DVD = Digital Video Disc, EB = eBook, FIC = Fiction,
LT = Large Type, MeLCat = MeLCat material, NONFIC - Fiction,
PL = Playaway, PS3 = Playstation 3 Game
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