

Tom Lake
By Ann Patchett
I was lucky enough to find Tom Lake by Ann Patchett on our Lucky Day shelf! It’s a quiet story about a mother telling her daughters about her past. I love Ann Patchett’s voice and character development. If Tom Lake isn’t on the shelf try Commonwealth or the Dutch House for the Ann Patchett experience.
- Diana
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Annihilation (Book 1 of the Southern Reach Trilogy)
by Jeff Vandermeer
The series has been on my reading list since the movie's release in 2018, which was a fascinating film and I wanted to wait until I had forgotten the movie to get a fresh perspective of the book's storyline. I've kept reading it because this book uses excellent descriptive imagery of otherworldly things that are typically difficult for man to perceive. I was immediately able to identify with the protagonist's experience, her desire to learn more about the universe's mysteries, her navigating through her life experiences, and her fears associated with discovery. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in biology, naturalia, self-exploration, skepticism of government programs, extraterrestrial life, and discovery.
- Brooke
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Fourth Wing
by Rebecca Yarros
This book was recommended to me for its dark fantasy world and action packed chapters. I am continuing to read it because the world is interesting and I do care for the characters and want to see them survive. The concept of human and dragon interaction is very interesting. The story is one nonstop roller coaster of events and dangerous situations, you will not be bored. So far it is perfect for anyone that wants a high adventure with dragons, love, and vengeance.
- Greg G.
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Moon Knight Vol. 1: The Midnight Mission
by Jed MacKay
I picked this up because I felt like Moon Knight was a character I would really like especially after the TV series. But other stuff I read did not mesh with me like this did, and I instantly was pulled in and fell in love with the character. Between Jed MacKay's writing and understanding of Moon Knight as a character and Alessandro Cappuccio's art, blending the grounded nature of the setting and the etherealness of the character, I cannot put this book down. The side characters are some of my favorites in comics. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a good street level comic story with a diverse and compelling cast of characters.
- Robbie
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The Unmaking of June Farrow
by Adrienne Young
A mysterious, generational curse sends June on an unexpected path as she searches for answers regarding her mother’s disappearance. Add this book to your stack if you enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
- Kristen
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The Priory of the Orange Tree
by Samantha Shannon
This fantasy sets readers in the land of Inys, a queendom in danger of upheaval without a daughter to become heir to the throne. It is told from multiple perspectives and abounds in interesting takes on the genre with magic, dragons, queer romance, and deep, immersive world-building.
- Kristen
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The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth
by Michio Kaku
I picked up this book because I’ve become hooked on the Science Fiction genre for the first time, and I’m very curious to learn more about our solar system and galaxy as a backdrop to all that wonderful storytelling. Even though this is written by a well-known scientist, it’s still fairly easy to understand and relate to. I’m enjoying it a lot.
- Cary
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We Are Legion: We Are Bob (audiobook)
by Dennis E. Taylor
This is my most recent foray into the SF genre, and I love the conversational tone and humor. The main character is funny and his situation is fascinating. I’m listening to this book and the narrator really does a good job with the character. I would recommend.
- Cary
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The Split
by Sharon Bolton
I usually don't choose books by just pulling one off the shelf...but I got lucky with this one! I've never read anything by this author but will be doing so in the future.
The Split is a thriller with an ending you won't expect. The main character, Felicity Lloyd, lives in fear of her ex-husband Freddie. She took a job as a glaciologist on the remote Antarctic Island of South Georgia hoping he wouldn't find her there. Now that he's been released from prison she knows he won't stop searching until he finds her. The story switches back and forth between the time that she lived in Cambridge to her arrival on the Antarctic island. It's told from three different character's perspectives which only intensifies the story. It's definitely not as confusing as my description sounds, it's very easy to understand, and worth the read for the ending alone! Readers who like Tana French, Lisa Gardner, and Ellie Griffiths would enjoy this book.
- Mary
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The Lion Women of Tehran
by Marjan Kamali
The story of friendship between young people of different social backgrounds reminds me a bit of The Kite Runner right now, but I'm not quite halfway through it yet. I'm intrigued by the setting in Tehran in the early 1960s.
- Ronna
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Erasure (audiobook)
by Percival Everett
I really enjoyed his book James, and I've seen the film version of Erasure, American Fiction, so I thought I'd give the book a try.
- Ronna
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12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America
by Noel Monk
I am reading 12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America by Noel Monk, who has also written about his time on the road with Van Halen. I chose this to help prepare for a public roundtable discussion that I am leading in April with the St. Louis punks who traveled to Memphis, Tennessee in 1978 to see one of seven shows the Sex Pistols played on their first (and until their reunion in 1996) only US tour. The book was written by Noel Monk who accompanied the band on that tour. The tour has been so mythologized that I wanted to get a first-hand account so that I can ask relevant questions and bring out the best stories from St. Louis the folks who were there. It is a great book so far, with lots of crazy stories and insights into the band and the tour. If you are interested in one of the most chaotic but legendary tours of the last half century this book will certainly interest you.
- Greg K.

These Precious Days
by Ann Patchett
Due to a bit of
serendipity, I'm listening to These Precious Days, by Ann
Patchett. One of my co-workers, Megan, picked up this book of
essays on a whim and it became her favorite book of 2024. I happened
to read her comments about the book and decided to give it a try. Like
her, I would not have intentionally picked out this book for a read. But,
thanks to Megan, I am now listening to what may become one of my favorite books
of all time. Ann's essays constitute a very personal memoir, but her
experiences with family, love, grief, young adulthood, pets, etc, can resonate
with all of us.
-Sally
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All Fours
by Miranda July
I just started reading All Fours by Miranda July. I was looking for something new to read and went to the New York Times Top 10 list for ideas. This book has won multiple awards. I will have to report back as to whether I enjoyed the book.
- Sally
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Death at the Sign of the Rook
by Kate Atkinson
I usually don’t start reading a book in the middle of a series (Jackson Brodie Series #6) but the cover caught my eye and the jacket blurb enticed me. The story is set in an older estate which has fallen on hard times and is partly converted to a hotel. Mystery weekends are what keeps the hotel in business. The owners, the workers and the guests are vividly featured as is the mystery which Jackson Brodie is attempting to solve. There are many references to the works of Agatha Christie which enliven the story. I plan to start at the beginning of the series.
- Joyce

Water Moon
by Samantha Sotto Yambao
I picked this one up because the reviews used the term 'Ghibli'-like and as a fan of Studio Ghibli movies my interest was piqued. It's about a woman who inherits a pawnshop where people, who came looking for ramen, end up selling their regrets. A magical exploration of coming to terms with the choices we make in life while celebrating the freedom we have to make those choices. Highly recommend listening to the "Howl's Moving Castle" soundtrack while reading this one for an even greater Ghibli experience.
- Emily
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The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices
Xinran
This book is a hard but important read. The author, who used to run a radio program in 1980s China called "Words on the Night Breeze", puts the stories she has collected from letters and interviews into a heart-wrenching collection. While each chapter relates the experience of a different woman, they are weaved together so seamlessly it creates a collective perspective of the challenges all women face. Well written, well structured, and well recommended.
- Emily

Beyond the Shadows
by Brent Weeks
This is a re-read for me of a longtime favorite series. Brent Weeks recently published a continuation of the Night Angel Series and I'm excited to read that next! This dark epic fantasy is full of assassins, betrayal, and political intrigue.
- Jacqueline
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Down with the System: A Memoir (of Sorts)
by Serj Tankian
This is written by the lead vocalist of the band System of a Down and covers the band's creation as well as Serj's activism. I picked this up in audiobook format since Serj is the narrator. I always love finding a memoir/autobiography that the author narrates. I feel like listening to someone tell their own story adds to the experience.
- Jacqueline
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The Wedding Witch
by Erin Sterling
I checked this out in December, wanting a cute Christmas romance book. I only just now started reading it, and so far it is a lighthearted and easy read. Even though it is no longer the Christmas season, I am very much enjoying this book!
-Aubrey