10 Books Read in 2024
Melinda’s Top 10 of 2024
It’s that time again! All week, your favorite library staff will be sharing their Top Ten Books of 2024. From horror to memoir to fantasy to romance, we have a wide range of book to recommend. Be sure to keep checking back – there will be new Top Ten lists every day this week!
Click on the book cover to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook and eAudiobook offerings.
In no particular order, here are my Top Ten!
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at a reformatory for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory. Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory.
The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there’s a department store that sells dreams. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom.
Full review here.
Youthjuice by E.K. Sathue
Joining HEBE, a luxury skincare/wellness company, 29-year-old Sophia Bannion is soon addicted to her HEBE lifestyle, especially youthjuice, the fatty, soothing moisturizer she’s been asked to test, but when she learns the gruesome secret ingredient, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to stay beautiful forever.
Full review here.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
The book begins with one woman’s personal, particular heartbreak, but its circles widen into a reckoning with contemporary womanhood, traditional gender roles, and the power dynamics that persist even in many progressive homes. With the spirit of self-inquiry and empathy she’s known for, Smith interweaves snapshots of a life with meditations on secrets, anger, forgiveness, and narrative itself.
The Farm by Joanne Ramos
Nestled in New York’s Hudson Valley is a luxury retreat boasting every amenity: organic meals, private fitness trainers, daily massages–and all of it for free. In fact, you’re paid big money to stay here–more than you’ve ever dreamed of. The catch? For nine months, you cannot leave the grounds; your movements are monitored, and you are cut off from your former life while you dedicate yourself to the task of producing the perfect baby.
A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter
The story of the unrivaled desire for healing and the power of familial bonds across five generations of Métis women and the land and bison that surround them.
The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels
At eighteen, Brian, like so many other promising young gay men, arrived in New York City without much more than a love for the freedom and release from his past that it promised. But within six short years, AIDS would claim his lover, his friends, and his future. With nothing left in New York but memories of death, Brian decides to write his mother a letter asking to come back to the place, and family, he was once so desperate to escape.
Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold
When Gracie Gold stepped onto center stage (or ice, rather) as America’s sweetheart at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, she instantly became the face of America’s most beloved winter sport. Now Gold reveals the exclusive and harrowing story of her struggles in and out of the pressure-packed world of elite figure skating: the battles with her family, her coaches, the powers-that-be at her federation, and her deteriorating mental health.
Mister Lullaby by J.H. Markert
As coma patients are trapped in a world full of evil mythical creatures of sleep, which is linked to an old train tunnel around town, one troubled man finally acts upon the voice in his head called Mr. Lullaby who wants him to kill all the coma patients he can find.
Full review here.
Dolls of Our Lives by Mary Mahoney & Allison Horrocks
Combining history, travelogue, and memoir, Dolls of Our Lives follows Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney on an unforgettable journey to the past as they delve into the origins of this iconic brand.
Happy reading!
-Melinda
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Check out this selection of new releases for your enjoyment coming this week!
On the day after Christmas, head of Department Q, Detective Carl Mørck, finds himself handcuffed in a police car headed for Copenhagen’s Vestre prison. After fifteen years, a violent case from his past has caught up with him. Charges of drug trafficking and murder threaten to destroy his life and career. But he is being framed. Someone has a million-dollar bounty on his head to make sure he doesn’t talk, putting him in grave danger among the prison’s incarcerated criminals and corrupt officers. The question that remains is, Why?
Twenty-three-year-old Michael “Mitt” Fuller starts his surgical residency with great anticipation at the nearly three-hundred-year-old, iconic Bellevue Hospital, following in the footsteps of four previous, celebrated Fuller generations. The pressure is on for this newly minted doctor, and to his advantage he’s always had a secret sixth sense, a sensitivity to the nonphysical.
Teddy Fay is ready to embark on the European press tour of Peter Barrington’s latest film Storm’s Eye, when he receives an unexpected visit from Lance Cabot, director of the CIA. Several CIA agents have been turning up dead. The commonality? They were all part of a mission Teddy was involved in: Golden Hour. Lance wants Teddy to use his trip as a cover to investigate who is behind these killings.
Delves into the sensationalized true story of Barbara Graham, a neglected woman wrongfully portrayed as a femme fatale during a media frenzy surrounding a 1953 robbery-murder case, exposing the sexism, misinformation, and critical evidence overlooked by the prosecution that shaped her tragic narrative.
Fledgling actress Amelia Grant is at rock bottom when offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to star in a biopic about the world-renowned romance author Gloria Diamond, who used her own tragic love story as inspiration for her bestselling books. To prepare for the role, she’ll spend a week with Gloria at her secluded Washington estate. It’s a chance to get out of LA, away from her cheating ex-boyfriend, and to make her recently deceased mother proud.
For decades, Taiwan has been a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. An independent nation to the rest of the world, it is considered a rogue province by the PRC. Previous governments have tried to conquer the island using economic force and diplomatic pressure, but new Chinese President Li Jian Jun is done fooling around. He’s devised a secret military operation to take the island.
Far from the neon glare of the Vegas Strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.
American heiress Ruby Vaughn still hasn’t entirely forgiven her octogenarian employer and housemate Mr. Owen for bringing the occult into their lives during her recent trip to Cornwall. He claims their journey to Manhurst Castle in the Scottish Borders is simply to appraise and acquire illuminated manuscripts for their rare books shop, however when Ruby discovers there are no manuscripts and receives news of a séance to be held that very night, she begins to grow suspicious about the true reason why they have come.
In a close-knit English village, Chrissy and Alice were once best friends. So were their sons, Leo and Robbie. Until the night Leo killed Robbie with a single, devastating punch. Now Leo has gone to prison, Chrissy has lost her pub, and Alice has been pouring her anger into a twisted project . . .
~Semanur
Romance Novels for Every Hobby
We’ve noticed a trend this year in our romance books- 2024 has been the year of romance for every reader! If you want a romance featuring a specific hobby, interest, or activity, the publishing world has you covered, and so do we! Take a look at some of the niche romances we have in our collection.
Click on the book title to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook and eAudiobook offerings.
For the pickleball enthusiast:
Meg Bloomberg is in a pickle. When Meg’s ex turns out to be a total dink, her bestie suggests a mood-lifting pickleball excursion to Bainbridge Island. It’s supposed to be an easy lob, a way to heal–not the opening serve to a new courtside romance that’s doomed to spin out. But no matter how Meg tries, she can’t shake her feelings for Ethan Fine. A charismatic environmental consultant and Bainbridge local, Ethan is eager to play with her on–and off–the court.
For the word game puzzler:
A Five Letter Word for Love by Amy James
Twenty-seven-year-old Emily doesn’t have a lot going well in her life right now. She dreams of a creative career, longs for big city life and craves a close group of friends but is stuck with irritating, car-obsessed coworkers.
What Emily does have is a 300+ day streak on the New York Times Wordle. But one day, with only one guess left and no clue what the answer is, she’s forced to turn to one of her irritating, car-obsessed coworkers, John, for help–and in doing so, realizes that he might not be so irritating after all.
For the beginner birder:
Birding With Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb
Newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds–he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business.
For the aspiring astrologer:
Looking For a Sign by Susie Dumond
Gray feels her biological clock ticking and is determined to meet someone, settle down, and build the loving, accepting family she’s always wanted. When her best friend Cherry suggests Gray look for answers from Madame Nouvelle Lune, an astrologer, Gray’s skeptical. So when Madame encourages her to look to the stars, she finds herself mapping out a plan: go on a date with someone of each sign before her birthday, when Saturn will make its first return to the same celestial alignment as her birth (a major turning point in every person’s life, she’s learned).
For the Olympic fan:
Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Olivia Nkomo has always been ambitious, smart, and an overall go-getter. Now that she’s graduated from university, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to land her dream job at the Summer Games. The first step? Securing her new internship, which will put her in the center of all the action, where she hopes to run into some of her favorite athletes. Ezekiel “Zeke” Moyo, the heartthrob star runner of Team Great Britain, is more than ready to claim his title as the fastest man in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest athletes of all time.
For the DIYer:
Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee
Hannah hardly believe her eyes when she finds an engagement ring. Killian, her super responsible, incredibly attractive boyfriend–and the father of her new baby, Bowie–is finally going to propose. But a romantic night out goes horribly wrong when Killian reveals he’s dumping Hannah. Furious and heartbroken, Hannah takes Bowie and moves in with her mama and stepdaddy in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. Hannah realizes that her parents’ cabin has vacation property gold written all over it. Only problem? The cabin’s décor is . . . mildly terrifying and it’s in desperate need of renovation.
Happy reading!
-Melinda
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!
In Washington, DC, as the president-elect prepares for her inauguration, Detective Alex Cross is thrust into a high-stakes investigation when multiple Supreme Court candidates are murdered; tasked with delving into the mind of a cunning killer, Cross must confront the most dangerous aspects of his work for the sake of his family, city, and nation.
The New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Box returns with another quiet tale of parental love, the sacrifices they are willing to make for their children and the true meaning of Christmas.
After a career-halting accident, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg to confront her past and to decide whether to rejoin the stage amidst the cutthroat world of Russian ballet.
An explosive portrait of Dirty South revenge, triple-dealing, and crimes of passion as a suburban mom’s high-end criminal past comes back to haunt her, endangering her children and propelling her into a high-stakes game she remembers all too well.
Examines the intense rivalry between Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett in the early 20th century, revealing how their conflicting visions for reproductive rights and birth control access significantly influenced American women’s lives and shaped the broader movement for reproductive freedom.
From Betty Crocker, the brand beloved by generations of Americans, a carefully curated treasure trove of more than 100 favorite vintage recipes found in the Betty Crocker archives, dusted off and so delicious you’ll love them on today’s table.
APRIL 1891: Prudence MacKenzie is delighted to attend a riveting rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands with her dear friend, Lydia Truitt, whose cousin, Septimus Ward, stars in the play. But the drama continues after the curtain falls, as the women overhear a ferocious argument between Septimus and the play’s famous playwright-director, Barrett Hughes.
~Semanur
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!
A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Chief Inspector Gamache reading “this might interest you,” a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list, and then a murder all propel Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization: something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.
On an isolated Scottish island, a present-day discovery intimately connects three people and unveils a web of secrets and lies. By the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train.
A new novel from the #1 bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose looks features humankind’s best, most loyal friends, and a wonderful adventure of love and finding home.
From the acclaimed author of Wahala, comes a retelling of Mansfield Park, exploring identity, culture, race and love.
After achieving her dream of becoming the first female highmage, Sciona faces hostility from her colleagues and an unexpected alliance with her janitor, a former nomadic hunter, as they uncover a secret that could revolutionize magic.
Cordelia is a serial killer who kills unscrupulous men, and she never had a problem with it, until she starts to become not so sure about the new man her best friend, Diane, is dating.
An award-winning actor, director, producer and cookbook author, Eva’s genuine love for cooking and culinary-related history, along with her pride for her Mexican heritage, shine on every page of this meaningful and delectable cookbook.
Populated by unforgettable, complex characters, a novel about three generations of strong-willed women shaped by the secrets buried in their family’s past is a portrait of family, marriage, ambition, power, the stories we inherit and the lies we tell to become the people we believe we’re meant to be.
~Semanur
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!
Waking up handcuffed in a dark hospital room with no memory, Reacher finds himself framed for a murder, setting the stage for an explosive reckoning, in the latest addition to the long-running series following The Secret.
George Smiley, John le Carré’s most famous spy, is drawn out of retirement in 1963 to investigate a missing man tied to a Russian defector, leading him back into the perilous world of espionage and his most cunning adversary’s secrets.
A political freedom fighter who paid the ultimate price for his convictions recounts his political career, the many attempts on his life and the lives of the people closest to him and the relentless campaign he and his team waged against an increasingly dictatorial regime.
Seattle attorney Keera Duggan helps former childhood friend Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced biotech CEO accused of murdering her former partner, amidst rising doubts and circumstantial evidence in the second novel of the series following Her Deadly Game.
From an internationally bestselling and prize-winning author comes a short story set in the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET
A fan of mystery novels investigates a real-life murder when the benefactor of a world-famous magician turns up dead in the days leading up to Christmas and all the suspects are masters of illusion and misdirection.
Caroline, living with her domineering grandfather, embarks on a determined campaign to reclaim her power and independence, vowing to overcome her past suffering in the third novel of the series following Chasing Endless Summer.
~Semanur
Stories That Go Bump in the Night
Spooky season is upon us, and the Library has spooky stories of all types to keep you up at night! From vampires to haunted houses and zombies, there’s a scary amount of good books coming out that will haunt you. Grab a blanket to cozy up and get ready to meet the monsters that lurk in the shadows. These chilling reads are waiting for you on our shelves!
Click on the book title to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook or eAudiobook offerings.
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Sloane is dreading her birthday. She doesn’t need a reminder she’s getting older, or that she’s feeling indifferent about her own life. Her husband surprises her with a weekend getaway–not with him, but with Sloane’s longtime best friend, troublemaker extraordinaire Naomi. But when they arrive at their rental cottage, it becomes clear Naomi has something else in mind. She wants Sloane to really live. So Naomi orchestrates a wild night out with a group of mysterious strangers, only for it to take a horrifying turn that changes Sloane’s and Naomi’s lives literally forever.
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister
Since time immemorial, the Haddesley family has tended the cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them. The staunch seasons of their lives are governed by a strict covenant that is renewed each generation with the ritual sacrifice of their patriarch, and in return, the bog produces a “bog-wife.” Brought to life from vegetation, this woman is meant to carry on the family line. But when the bog fails–or refuses–to honor the bargain, the Haddesleys, a group of discordant siblings still grieving the mother who mysteriously disappeared years earlier, face an unknown future.
William by Mason Coile
Henry is a brilliant engineer who has achieved the breakthrough of his career–he’s created an artificially intelligent consciousness, the half-formed robot William.
No one knows about William. Henry’s agoraphobia and his fixation on his project keeps him up in the attic, away from everyone, including his pregnant wife, Lily.
When Lily’s coworkers show up, wanting to finally meet Henry, he decides to introduce them to William, and things go from strange to much worse.
This Cursed House by Del Sandeen
Jemma Barker is desperate to escape her life in Chicago–and the spirits she has always been able to see. When she receives an unexpected job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans, she accepts, thinking it is her chance to start over.
Light enough to pass as white, the Black family members look down on brown-skinned Jemma. Their tenuous hold on reality extends to all the members of their eccentric clan. And soon the shocking truth comes out: The Duchons are under a curse.
The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson
Marshall is still trying to put the pieces together after the death of her husband. After she is involved in a terrible accident, her editor sends her to the small, backwards town of Raeford to investigate a clearly ridiculous rumor: that a horse has given birth to a healthy, human baby boy.
When Marshall arrives, she finds an insular town that is kinder to the horses they are famous for breeding than to their own people. But when two horribly mangled bodies are discovered in a field–one a horse, one a human–she realizes that there might be a real story here.
Hampton Heights by Dan Kois
On a cold winter’s evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin’s promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters–and triumph over them.
Happy reading!
-Melinda
From Page to Screen: Fall 2024
Adaptations of your favorite books and spooky stories are hitting the streaming services this fall! Fall releases include new takes on beloved spooky stories such as Rosemary’s Baby and Salem’s Lot. Looking for more of a non-fiction feel? This fall’s adaptations will take you from life on Navajo land to the battlefield of World War II.
If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching! Click on the book title to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook or eAudiobook offerings.
Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor husband Guy move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and mostly elderly residents. Neighbors Roman and Minnie Castavet soon come nosing around to welcome the Woodhouses to the building, and despite Rosemary’s reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, her husband takes a special shine to them. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Rosemary becomes pregnant, and the Castavets start taking a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castavets’ circle is not what it seems . . .
Streaming on Paramount +.
The Lives of Lee Miller by Antony Penrose
Starting in 1927 in New York, this volume chronicles Lee Miller as she is discovered as a model by Condé Nast, hits the cover of Vogue, and is immortalized by Edward Steichen, George Hoyningen-Huene, Horst P. Horst, and other acclaimed photographers. From there, readers follow Miller to Paris where she, along with Man Ray, invented the solarization technique of photography, and where she developed into a brilliant Surrealist photographer. Finally, this account covers the later chapters of her life, when she became a war correspondent during World WarII, traveling with the Allied armies to cover the siege of Saint-Malo and the liberation of Paris, which lead to her photographs of the Dachau concentration camp that shocked the world.
Coming to theaters.
Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by Michael Powell
Deep in the heart of northern Arizona, in a small and isolated patch of the vast 17.5-million-acre Navajo reservation, sits Chinle High School. Here, basketball is passion, passed from grandparent to parent to child. Rez Ball is a sport for winters where dark and cold descend fast and there is little else to do but roam mesa tops, work, and wonder what the future holds. The town has 4,500 residents and the high school arena seats 7,000. Fans drive thirty, fifty, even eighty miles to see the fast-paced and highly competitive matchups that are more than just games to players and fans.
Streaming on Netflix.
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
When two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work. In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town.
Streaming on Max.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Years before Dorothy and her dog crash-land, another little girl makes her presence known in Oz. This girl, Elphaba, is born with emerald-green skin–no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens.
Coming to theaters.
The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
The Jackal. A tall, blond Englishman with opaque, gray eyes. A killer at the top of his profession. A man unknown to any secret service in the world. An assassin with a contract to kill the world’s most heavily guarded man. One man with a rifle who can change the course of history. One man whose mission is so secretive not even his employers know his name. And as the minutes count down to the final act of execution, it seems that there is no power on earth that can stop the Jackal.
Coming to Peacock.
-Happy reading!
Melinda
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!
Investigator Steve Wheeler comes out of retirement when his daughter-in-law, Amy, needs help finding out who left a dead body on a remote island with a huge bag of money.
As Nora and her estranged brother Sam form an uneasy alliance to unravel the mystery of their father’s death, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past and uncover a family secret that changes everything.
Music legend Dolly Parton and her sister Rachel share their prized dishes and family stories in recipes sorted by months of the year including Barbecue Spare Ribs, Slaw of Many Colors, Watermelon Fruit Salad, Mac and Cheese and Strawberry Shortcake.
In this witty and definitive memoir, the trailblazing journalist recounts her groundbreaking career as the first Asian woman in U.S. television news, detailing her experiences with sexism, her major stories and her behind-the-scenes challenges and triumphs.
After the curse destroying their families finally breaks, Farrin and Ryder must put aside their hate and work together as the old gods of Middlemist awaken, in the second book of the trilogy following A Crown of Ivy and Glass.
A folklorist embarks on an expedition with six eccentric nobles to find a fabled spring and must figure out who murdered her beloved mentor at the start of their trip before they have a chance to strike again.
~Semanur
Read it or Weep 