What Moves the Dead
by T. Kingfisher
The Fungus of the House of Usher. This classic horror retelling intensifies the viscerality of the manor's disintegration and the moldering land it inhabits. Fans of both Edgar Allen Poe and "The Last of Us" may find their niche as they delve into Kingfisher's emphasis on the peculiar dichotomy of lifegiving decay.
- Kristen
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Daggermouth
by H.M. Wolfe
I picked this up after seeing it all over TikTok, and the dark, gritty vibe pulled me in right away. It’s a dystopian story that reminds me of The Hunger Games, mainly in the way the society is set up and how evil and corrupt the elite are. I keep reading because it always feels like the characters are one wrong move away from everything falling apart; and just a heads-up, it definitely leans more adult in places. I’d recommend this to readers who like darker dystopian stories and aren’t put off by mature themes (fans of Red Rising by Pierce Brown or The Power by Naomi Alderman will probably enjoy it too).
- Kirstyn
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Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir
I like to switch up genres and thought it was time for a science fiction read. I loved the book, The Martian by Andy Weir, so I decided to pick up his book, Project Hail Mary. I'm liking it so far. The first few pages keep you wanting to read more. I like the premise that an amnesiac scientist who wakes up from suspended animation needs to figure out where he is and what he is supposed to do. Somehow, the protagonist is able to maintain his sanity and a sense of humor. I will definitely see the story to its conclusion.
- Sally
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Secret of Secrets
by Dan Brown
I chose this book because I've read all of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series and enjoyed them.
This is the next fast-paced installment in the Robert Langdon series. Langdon is a professor of symbology who travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon, a prominent noetic scientist he is in a relationship with. Katherine is getting ready to publish an explosive book containing groundbreaking discoveries about the nature of human consciousness that threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. Then a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague's most ancient mythology. The plot takes place in Prague, London, and New York, where Langdon searches for Katherine. In a race through the worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind is uncovered.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers.
- Mary
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The Librarians
by Sherry Thomas
This book was recommended to me by a patron, and involves librarians and murder - which intrigues me! I'm not usually a fan of cozy mysteries, but the cover art and the storyline caught my eye. I've just started reading it and am already hooked. This author usually writes romance novels, so this is her first foray into another genre. In short, the book is a murder mystery about four quirky librarians in Austin, Texas, whose lives are upended when two patrons are murdered after a mystery-themed game night at the library. The librarians must work together to solve these murders. The book follows them as they confront their own secrets while trying to protect their library, which has become a place of safety and acceptance for all of them. I would suggest anyone who likes cozy mysteries to give it a try!
- Mary
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Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
I picked it up because after watching the movie from the 90's this winter, I was feeling very sentimental about the book. I've not made it too far because I took a break to read Wuthering Heights (talk about extremely different books!), but I'm back to it and love it! It's comforting and sweet and I love the sisters and their relationships. I would recommend it to someone who feels sentimental, like me, about books they read when they were younger.
- Megan
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Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë
Like many others, I'm reading this book before the new movie comes out. I read it for the first time when I was younger, and I had been meaning to reread it for a while, so this felt like the perfect time to do so.
- Jacqueline
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Elantris
by Brandon Sanderson
This is the first book Sanderson ever published. It follows a world where the magic they had previously relied on has failed, and the politics that go into running the kingdom from its new non-magical capital. This book would be a good starting point for someone who wants to get into fantasy (or Sanderson's Cosmere) books, since it's a stand-alone.
- Jacqueline
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I'm Starting to Worry about This Black Box of Doom
by Jason Pargin
This book was recommended by a bookstore friend, and it's a dark comedy about a socially awkward rideshare driver transporting a stranger and her possibly radioactive "black box of doom" across the country, pursued by a retired FBI agent, a hulking former motorcycle gang member, and Twitch chat participants. It's quirky with a diverse cast of characters and enough suspense to keep me reading.
- Ronna
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Yellowface
by Rebecca F. (R.F.) Kuang
In this book, a struggling writer finds herself suddenly tempted to take credit for a deceased friend's unpublished manuscript.
- Ronna
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When the Wolf Comes Home
by Nat Cassidy
I picked this one up because I kept hearing high praises for it from other horror readers. It's about a woman who finds a young boy hiding in the bushes near her apartment one night. After what the boy is running from discovers them, an already stressful night becomes a race to find shelter before the wolf comes home. So far, it's a good and suspenseful read.
- Emily
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The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow
by Fuyumi Ono
This book is about a high-schooler's life getting turned upside down after they encounter a mysterious man who tells them they must run for their life and return to a kingdom in another realm. Not usually something I would pick up but it's by my favorite mangaka (manga author), and it's good to branch out from the usual every now and then. If someone is in the mood for a little fantasy, I would give this one a try.
- Emily
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Mother Mary Comes to Me (audiobook)
by Arundhati Roy
I decided to listen to this audiobook based on a friend's recommendation. This is a memoir by Arundhati Roy, the Booker Prize winner of The God of Small Things. In it she discusses her complicated relationship with her mother and the life experiences that shaped her. I am really enjoying it so far and I think that anyone who enjoys learning about people's lives would like it.
-Katherine
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Insectopolis: A Natural History Book
by Peter Kuper
I picked this up because I love insects and other chitinous creatures. I liked the artwork and most of all the level of empathy the stories invoke about how we share this world with such an amazing plethora of life. I quite literally suggested this book to one of our regular patrons and she checked it out shortly after I returned it.
- Evan
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