As the end of the year was drawing near, I asked our staff to recommend their favorite book of 2024! As we are all big readers, none of us could land on a single favorite book! So here is a list of our top picks of 2024. While we all love to read, we have a vast assortment of preferences so this list covers many different genres! If the book is available at the library, the call number is listed; if not you can check these books out on Libby or through Inter-Library Loan!
Recommended by Jim K., Cataloguer:
Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson, whether you like him for hosting Top Gear, or hate him for his pompous elite attitudes, this book is a great way to see the trials and tribulations of being a farmer and how little profit is realized after a year’s worth of hard work.
Sugar on the Bones by Joe R. Lansdale, what I think may be the last in the Hap and Leonard series, is a riotous romp of two aging antiheroes who just want justice for those who deserve it.
Classic Feynman by Richard Feynman, a collection of life instances that fills in the gaps left by his two prior biographical books, What Do You Care What Other People Think and Surely, You’re Joking Mr. Feynamn, as well as his works on physics.
Elmer and Me by Kenneth L. Miller, tales of having to deal with a neighbor whose “this will only take a minute” projects turn into daylong ordeals as well as what it was like living in a rural area near Hershey PA.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman, the new series by Osman is a great partner to his cozy Thursday Murder Club.
Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson, a prequel to his Longmire series is a standalone story that will keep you reading late into the night to see how it ends.
Recommended by Jayne S., Circulation:
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, a quiet mystery/drama about the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl at a summer camp in 1975. It grabbed me from the first page!
The Black Loch by Peter May, a swimmer and canoeist, inconceivably drowns on a remote Loch in this fourth installment of the Lewis Man series. I love anything by Peter May!
Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate, I would consider her more of a historical fiction writer but I enjoyed this one too! It tells the untold history of women pioneers who fought to protect children caught in the storm of land barons hungry for power and oil wealth.
A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny, I am a big fan of mysteries. I am almost finished reading Louise Penny’s Three Pines series. In this 18th installment of the Three Pines series, the book follows the investigation into a series of murders in Quebec, and briefly references the real life 1989 École Polytechnique massacre.
Recommended by Julie P., Technology Assistant:
This was my year of Ann Patchett and Elizabeth Strout! I love how they both write such character-driven stories. Throughout the year, I have read almost everything both authors have written.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, this is my favorite book by Ann Patchett. I loved teaching Our Town, and the connections to that play really made this a sentimental read for me. The book explores youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout really got me hooked on her writing. I love how she weaves two of her main characters, Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge, through many of her books. Tell me Everything is about new friendships, old loves, and the very human desire to leave a mark on the world.
Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt, it’s the sequel to Orbiting Jupiter, the book that holds the number one spot on my list of all-time favorites. I often say that everyone I love MUST read Orbiting Jupiter, and the sequel did not disappoint one bit! They both follow Jack and his experience with his foster sister, Jupiter.
Recommended by Mel K., Circulation:
Eynhallow by Tim McGregor, a gloomy, atmospheric retelling of Frankenstein that features a strong female main character.
Straw Dogs of the Universe by Ye Chu is a fictional account of the horrors faced by Chinese immigrants to the U.S. in the late 1800s. A beautifully written, mesmerizing read.
Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers, an art teacher becomes intrigued by a man who was kept hidden from public view for decades by his reclusive aunts. The sort-of-happy ending made me smile.
Recommended by Julie R., Adult Services Coordinator:
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, a true homage to book lovers set in magical realism. If you love books and want to get swept away by a saga of magic, love, and self-discovery, then definitely choose this book.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, I picked this book up from our Banned Books reading display here at the library. It is inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and centers Starr, a 16-year-old, who witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend at the hands of a police officer. A truly gripping and profound novel.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do, but it quickly went to the top of my all-time favorite books list! It’s about Addie, who makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. It ranges between France in 1714 to modern day NYC.
The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos, I discovered this book because I followed Hadley Vlahos on TikTok and enjoyed the content she made as a hospice nurse. This book explores some of Hadley’s memorable patients and shows how caring for others can transform a life while also offering wisdom and comfort for those dealing with loss. It is a very emotional book, and I definitely had to sit it down and take breaks though!
By the Orchid and the Owl by Mariah Montoya, I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy, but it is released now! It is just as deserving of hype and renown as Fourth Wing and other popular romantasy titles. It was hard to put it down! It has elements that are reminiscent of Harry Potter and Fourth Wing but is still incredibly original in its writing. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the next in the series to come out!
