by Public Service Associate Juliana
I learned something while compiling this year’s list of favorites — I found that most of us here on staff at the library don’t read the most popular new titles. For example, we didn’t read James (except for Jen), The Martyr, The Women, or All Fours. I, for example, didn’t even read Intermezzo yet, and I am a (big) Sally Rooney fan. These titles will likely be on our TBR 2025 lists for when some of the hype falls away and we can get these items in our hands. What you will find below are some of 2024’s titles that we enjoyed and were able to snag off the new shelf in good time.
Hannah:
- Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – If you’re looking for whimsy and adventure, pick up Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett—and don’t forget its prequel! Emily Wilde, a genius scholar of faerie folklore (I love her passion for footnotes), is forever embarking on journeys filled with danger, intrigue, and enchanting creatures. This series is the perfect mix of rich folklore, quirky characters, and academic wit— aka a series you’ll hope never ends.
- Funny Story by Emily Henry – Emily Henry has a unique way of approaching romance that feels fresh and engaging, even as she works within familiar genre tropes. She seamlessly blends heartfelt emotion with humor, wit, and a touch of self-discovery, creating stories that are as deep as they are fun. In Funny Story, we meet Daphne, a librarian who was dumped by her fiancé in favor of his best friend. Then there’s Miles, her polar opposite in nearly every way—except that he was also recently dumped by his girlfriend, who left him for none other than Daphne’s fiancé. Yep!
- Close Knit by Jenny Colgan – I stumbled into the Mure series out of order, but Colgan’s trademark charm shines through, making it impossible not to fall for the quirky characters and their town in the northernmost reaches of Scotland. So of course, I popped in to see what everyone was up to when Close Knit came out. Full of the magic and unique pains of small-town life, the love, friendship, and second chances weave together like the cozy sweaters the characters knit. Don’t roll your eyes! Colgan’s touch keeps things contemporary, witty, and genuine.
- Upworthy Good People: Stories from the Best of Humanity ed. by Lucia Knell and Gabriel Reilich – The title speaks for itself.
Mary:
- Habits for a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito – I’m a sucker for any book about creating good habits, but this year I have been drawn specifically to those practical habits which will improve my spiritual life. This book is a winner!
Juliana:
- Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor – This historical fiction novel is deep and literary but written in short chapters with lots of white space and clocks in at only 200ish pages. It’s fascinating to me that a quick read can also feel so unhurried. I loved it.
- Love Lies Bleeding dir. by Rose Glass – I watch anything/everything with Kristin Stewart. Also, I love and trust in A24, and this romantic thriller scores a 94% with Rotten Tomatoes. It’s definitely an A in my book.
- Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan – If you think you don’t enjoy poetry, this book might change your mind.
Josh:
- Cowboy Carter by Beyonce – The Queen B! Forget about all the noise around this album being country or not. Just put it on and enjoy her amazing covers of The Beatles’ Blackbird and Dolly Parton’s Jolene. Obviously, the original songs are great, too.
- Miracle-Level by Deerhoof – Deerhoof is a true indie band. Their songs are brash, out of tune, and filled with tons of surprises. Not for the faint of heart, this music has tons of attitude!
- Cunningham Bird by Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird – Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird each have amazing back catalogs worth digging into, but this collaboration is folky, light, with a tinge of 70s sensibility. It is a track-by-track cover of the album Buckingham Nicks (1973) by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Kelly:
- Cat + Gamer: Volume 6 by Wataru Nadatami – Every day Riko works hard at her job, so she can rush home to … play video games?! But when she comes across a stray cat on her way home, Riko adds a new joy to her life and finds that raising a cat is a lot like fighting a battle in a video game. This slice of life manga is a breath of fresh air full of laughs and a concoction of cuteness overload.
- No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons – When a street cat discovers a wonderful building called the library, she is determined to get inside. Even though the librarian has told her multiple times “No Cats in the Library!” she is determined to explore this brand-new place and ends up finding a new friend and accidentally becoming the library’s read-aloud cat. What a lovely, sweet story about the joys of reading, especially when you have a cuddly friend to read to.
Autumn:
- The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
- The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
Debbie:
- Your Utopia by Bora Chung
- A Real Pain dir. by Jesse Eisenberg
- I Curse You with Joy by Tiffany Haddish
- Lore Olympus: Volume 6 by Rachel Smythe
Beth:
- Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music by Rob Sheffield – Full of thoughtful and interesting analysis, but less a standard biography and more of a love letter to Taylor, by a Swiftie, for Swifties. And “New Romantics” (the song that the book title references) was included in the acoustic set on the last stop of Swift’s Eras Tour – Sheffield is a mastermind!
- The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali – A compelling, thought-provoking and powerful story, with fully realized characters. The social-political themes (feminism, political freedom/oppression, personal loyalties) make the book timely and relatable.
Jen:
- James by Percival Evertt
- The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne
- There’s Always this Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib
- What Now by Brittany Howard
- Wild God by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
