Mary’s Top 10 of 2020

While I fell short of my personal reading challenge this year, I can say my top ten books of this year I thoroughly enjoyed. The Ferrante quartet I simply fell in love with, the historical fiction choices captured the details of the time period with eloquence, the thrillers kept me engaged and the nonfiction moved me beyond words. I took my time with each book and found moments of pause and new meaning in a world that can be overwhelming, and admiration and gratitude for sharing their story, albeit fiction or truth. Happy holidays and my best for a peaceful and bright 2021.

Review: 'The Story of the Lost Child' by Elena Ferrante - Chicago Tribune

New Books Tuesday @RRPL

This week we have a collection of autobiography, horror, historical fiction, and much more for you to choose from. You can also find topics such as health & fitness, sports, and social science… Enjoy!

NYPD Red 6 by James Patterson & Marshall Karp – Available for the first time in print, a sixth entry in the series co-written by the award-winning author of Jackie Ha-Ha continues the story of top NYPD Red Detective Zach Jordan and his partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald.

The Garden of Promises and Lies by Paula Brackston – This third installment in the Found Things series finds Xanthe taking responsibility for inadvertently transporting the dangerous Benedict Fairfax to her own time, while learning to use her skills as a spinner to keep her and Flora safe.

Future of Nutrition, The: An Insider’s Look at the Science, Why We Keep Getting It Wrong, and How to Start Getting It Right by T. Colin Campbell with Nelson Disla – A follow-up to the best-selling Whole presents a critique of the nutrition institution that identifies the systematic ways that even well-intentioned companies perpetuate misinformation, overlook key nutritional deficiencies and promote unhealthy levels of animal protein dependence.

I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography by John Thompson – Provides the long-awaited autobiography from Georgetown University’s legendary coach, whose life on and off the basketball court throws America’s unresolved struggle with racial justice into sharp relief. 125,000 first printing. Illustrations.

Proquest Statistical Abstract of the United States 2021: The National Data Book by Proquest/ Bernan Press – The Statistical Abstract of the United States is the best known statistical reference. As a comprehensive collection of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the country, it is a snapshot of America and its people. It includes over 1,400 tables from hundreds of sources.

Kings of Crypto:  One Startup’s Quest to Take Cryptocurrency Out of Silicon Valley and Onto Wall Street by Jeff John Roberts – The author covers subjects such as cryptocurrency, patent reform, blockchain technology, hacking, and privacy in the age of social media for Fortune. His work has also appeared in a variety of other outlets, including Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Reuters, Fortune, and the New York Times.

Benedict XVI a Life: Youth in Nazi Germany to the Second Vatican Council 1927-1965 by Peter Seewald – The long-awaited and authoritative biography of Pope Benedict XVI. This necessary companion to Benedict’s own memoir, Last Testament, is the fullest account to date of the life of a radical Catholic leader who has continued to make news while cloistered in retirement in the Vatican gardens.

Sylvia Pankhurst: Natural Born Rebel by Rachel Holmes – On the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the definitive biography of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst-human rights champion, and radical feminist ahead of her time. In this enthralling biography, acclaimed author Rachel Holmes interweaves Pankhurst’s rebellious political and private lives to show how her astonishing achievements continue to resonate today.

The Berlin Shadow by Jonathan Lichtenstein – A deeply moving memoir that confronts the defining trauma of the twentieth century… Written with tenderness and grace, The Berlin Shadow is a highly compelling story about time, trauma, family, and a father and son’s attempt to emerge from the shadows of history.

Remina by Junji Ito – Another of Junji Ito’s classics, the sci-fi masterwork Remina tells the chilling tale of a hell star, unfolding on a universal scale.

~Semanur~

Nicole’s Top Ten of 2020

This year I stayed quite nicely tucked into my reading comfort blanket of weird, atmospheric, and dark reads for the most part. I read more than one collection of short stories, and one novella, which reflects my unpredictable ebb and flow of reading ambition the past ten months: some days I couldn’t focus on reading for more than fifteen minutes, while others days I was inspired to plant myself on the couch and read all weekend. Below you’ll find my ten favorite books I read this past year: including some supernatural thrillers, weird and beautiful science fiction, horror short stories, literary fiction, and more!

Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Stories of Horror Edited by Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto

If It Bleeds by Stephen King

The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt

The Strange Bird by Jeff Vandermeer

Bunny by Mona Awad

Circe by Madeline Miller

White Tears by Hari Kunzru

Beth’s 2020 Top 10

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam is a quietly suspenseful novel, which is eerily related to current times.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi outlines the myriad of cultural constructs that we all need to assess within ourselves to build a more just society.
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline tells the fictional historic account of women forced to colonize Australia.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson is the historic fictional account of the WPA program in Appalachia.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett tells the story of one family and the house that raised them.
Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age is a coming of age story with a thought-provoking message of race and the roles people take on.
The Silent Patient is the psychological thriller of an artist turned murder, whos trauma sentences her to a life of silence.
Delia Owen’s Where the CrawDads Sing tells the triumphant story of woman forced to make her own way in the marshlands.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is an intimate letter to his son sharing his personal lived experience as an African American raised in the United States.
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld is a fictitious twist on the life of Hillary Clinton.

Sara’s Top 10 of 2020

Time for another Top 10 already! Looking back, it seems like I mostly read mystery and thrillers this year. Hope you enjoy some of the ones on my list!

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

I haven’t quite finished this one yet, but I can tell it will be a favorite. A young girl attends Harvard, hoping to get closure about the death of her brother who committed suicide there last year.

Redemption Point by Candace Fox

The second book in the Crimson Lake series which follows the paths of two outcasts and alleged criminals who pursue redemption by helping others solve crimes.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

Another second book in a series which rivals the first one. Magic returns to the land of Orisha after being brutally banned for decades, but is it really a victory when you take your country to the edge of civil war?

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

Deep down, how well can any father really know how his teenage son feels, what he’s up to, and how far he will go if pushed?

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Ghosts, mystery, romance, missing persons- what more could you want in a book?

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

I really enjoyed this story about a young lawyer in a lonely marriage who agrees to help a friend get out of prison, only to find his case affects her more than she could ever imagine.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

A deadly wedding ceremony on an isolated island in the middle of a terrible storm. What could possibly happen?

All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

One of my favorite Gamache books so far with lovely twist- the whole thing is set in Paris.

The Searcher by Tana French

Another great mystery that makes you want to go to Ireland immediately and see the lush countryside and the meet all the quirky people who live in the village.

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

I just finished this one- it was a page turner full of twists and turns, marriages, families, good-and of course, evil.

My Top 10 of 2020

Gold Glitter 2020 Png, Gold, Golden, Card PNG and Vector with Transparent  Background for Free Download
I enjoyed the following books in 2020 and hope you find something here for your reading pleasure.

The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz

Engineer’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood

Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce

Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini

Mrs. Morhard and the Boys by Ruth Hanford Morhard

Of Mutts and Men by Spencer Quinn

The Operator by Gretchen Berg

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. Moore

The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper

Where the Light Enters by Jill Biden

~ Emma

Time to Prepare?

There’s still time! You can still bake, and craft, and read, all the holiday treats your 2020 heart desires! (I qualify this to your “2020 heart” as this year is not like the others. Maybe you’re skipping, or maybe you’re all in, it doesn’t feel like there’s one, right answer. Aannyyyywho…)

If you want to make something Buddy the Elf would approve of: Cookies and other Sweet Treats might have a digital book that can help you out!

Rather than hitting all the stores, maybe you want to check out a digital book from Why Buy it When You Can Make it? collection!

Or perhaps you’d like to unwind, read or listen to Holiday Stories for the Young and the Young at Heart -which also tend to be shorter, and great for my minimal attention span?

Maybe you want to sample something from all three options -and then- take a nap! This is a judgement free zone -enjoy what works (plus a piece of candy)!

Stacey

Readalikes for Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline catalog link

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was a bestselling phenomenon in 2011 – it was even turned into a feature film directed by Steven Spielberg himself! – and fans have waited nine years for a sequel. The aptly-titled Ready Player Two is the long-awaited follow up to Wade Watts’ adventures in the virtual reality world of OASIS. Wade has won the contest for control of the biggest tech company in the world (think Google or Amazon), but he has to go on a series of 80’s trivia-focused quests to save the world – again! You can find Ready Player Two on Overdrive here.

If you’re still waiting for your copy of Ready Player Two, check out the books below that also scratch that ‘regular person enters a video game’ itch! Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available. 

Reamde catalog link

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

When his own high-tech start up turns into a Fortune 500 computer gaming group, Richard Forthrast, the black sheep of an Iowa family who has amassed an illegal fortune, finds the line between fantasy and reality becoming blurred when a virtual war for dominance is triggered.

Reamde Overdrive link

Reamde Hoopla link

Sword Art Online Volume 1 catalog link

Sword Art Online (manga series) by Reki Kawahara

In the year 2022, some six thousand gamers excitedly explore the new Sword Art Online, which manipulates users’ brain waves to create a wholly realistic gaming experience, but soon learn it lacks a log-out button and to escape they must conquer all one hundred floors–or die trying.




The Glare catalog link

The Glare by Margot Harrison

Moving to her father’s home in California after a decade at her mother’s isolated ranch, a teen who has been taught to fear technology reunites with friends and family members before experiencing nightmares about a dark-web video game that poses life-threatening dangers.




88 Names catalog link

88 Names by Matt Ruff

A romantic cyberthriller set in a world of fluid identities follows the experiences of a paid guide to online role-playing games who comes to believe that an anonymous wealthy new client is actually a violent dictator.

88 Names Overdrive link



Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts catalog link

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

A dying billionaire sends one woman and a cast of dreamers and rivals on a citywide treasure hunt.

Tuesday Mooney Overdrive link

Tuesday Mooney Hoopla link


All plot summaries courtesy of Novelist.

Are you super excited for Ready Player Two? Have you read any of these readalikes? Let us know in the comments!

Reconnect@RRPL

Murder in an English Village

by Jessica Ellicott

It’s 1920 when well-known American adventurer Beryl Helliwell is looking for some peace and quiet. She answers an ad posted by Edwina Davenport in the small English village of Walmsley Parva. Edwina is desperately low on funds and needs to find a roommate. Beryl is the perfect choice. The women knew each other in school decades earlier.

Someone tries to strangle Edwina in her garden. Agnes Rollins, a member of the Women’s Land Army during WWI, disappeared a couple of years ago. The body of Polly Watkins, also a former member of the Women’s Land Army, is found in a field. Are all of these events related? The local authorities are not interested in pursuing any investigations and take the easy way out. However, the likeable self-proclaimed amateur sleuths Beryl and Edwina are up for the challenge.

The first of four entries in the “Beryl and Edwina Mystery” series is a fun read. It reminds me of the “Phryne Mystery” series by Kerry Greenwood.

~Emma