All the books listed here are available at the library. Stop in, give us a call, or use the online catalog to place a hold and check one out. All book descriptions are summarized from the publisher’s description on the back of the book, Goodreads, or the library catalog. Genres are listed next to each recommendation so you can complete the Fall Reading Challenge!
Celebrate Banned Books Week with us! By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week (October 4-10) draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. Celebrate Banned Books Week by reading three of the books listed as part of our Banned Books Bingo. Pick up a bingo sheet at the library!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (classic, dystopian): Set in the near future, in the United States now known as the Republic of Gilead, the government has reacted to social unrest and declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. We follow Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order, as she describes the dark corners behind the establishment’s calm facade. Available on Libby (e-book) and Hoopla (audio, e-book).
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (classic, dystopian): Firemen don’t put fires out in this world where books are forbidden—they set them. Guy Montag works tirelessly to incinerate any books hidden in people’s homes, until he meets a solitary late-night pedestrian who is quietly nonconformist. Montag’s suppressed doubts begin to surface, and he decides to fight to preserve the hidden world of printed knowledge that still survives. Available on Libby (audio, e-book), Hoopla (audio), and Palace Project (audio, e-book).
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (dystopian): In the ruins of what was once North America, Panem stands with the shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The cruel capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them to send one boy and one girl to fight to the death on TV each year in the Hunger Games. Sixteen year old Katniss is used to fighting for her life, and without meaning to she becomes a contender to win. Available on Libby (audio, e-book), Hoopla (audio, e-book), and Palace Project ( e-book).
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (fantasy, science fiction): On a dark and stormy night, Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and her mother met in the kitchen for a midnight snack. They were then upset by the arrival of a disturbing stranger. Go on an adventure through space and time as they search for Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged for secret work for the government. Available on Libby (audio, e-book) and Palace Project (audio, e-book).
Monster by Walter Dean Myers (drama): Sixteen-year-old Steve is on trial for murder. Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of “the system.” As a way of coping with the horrific events around him, Steve decides to transcribe his trial into a movie script. He writes everything down, scene by scene, until he can no longer tell who he is and what is the truth. Available on Libby (e-book) and Hoopla (audio, e-book, e-comic).
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapti (memoir): In this black-and-white comic, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages 6-14 during the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of Islamic Revolution, and the effects of the war with Iraq. She paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and the contradictions between home and public life.
Maus by Art Spiegelman (memoir): Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. In the cartoon, the Nazis are portrayed as cats, and the Jewish people are mice. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (memoir): In this graphic novel memoir, actor George Takei gives a firsthand account of the years he spent living in one of ten “relocation centers” in the USA during World War II. At just four years old, Takei was rounded up with every other person of Japanese descent on the West coast and shipped hundreds of miles away from home to live under armed guard. He writes about how this shaped the rest of his life and also shaped America. Available on Libby (e-book) and Hoopla (e-book).
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (classic, historical fiction): Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to each other across time, distance, and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of its characters. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Available on Libby (audio, e-book), Hoopla (e-book), and Palace Project (e-book).
Get in the mood for fall with these atmospheric autumn reads!
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas (horror, historical fiction, romance): In 1840s Mexico, Nena is no stranger to monsters–her home has been threatened by American settlers from the north. Something more sinister lurks at the edges of her father’s ranch at night, draining men of their blood and leaving them for dead. When Nena is attacked, Nestor believes her dead and is on the run from his grief. Years later, the two are brought back together. The shock of their reunion is overshadowed by the appearance of real life nightmares. Available on Palace Project (audio, e-book).
Slasher Summer by EL Chen (horror): Seven friends reunite at a cabin in Cedar Lake Falls, the famous filming location of the campy 80s film Slasher. They’ve all changed since high school, but when night falls and a masked killer is spotted, this reunion begins to look very familiar. Before the night is over, they might have to take on the roles they thought they left behind.
Starling House by Alix E Harrow (fantasy, gothic): Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses and brooding men. But when an unexpected job offer from the lonely heir to Starling House comes along, it might be her only chance to get her brother out of Eden, a dying, bad-luck town. The more time she spends at Starling House, the more it begins to feel like a home. Opal and Arthur Starling must take on sinister forces to save Eden from being taken over by literal nightmares. Available on Libby (audio, e-book), Hoopla (audio), and Palace Project (audio, e-book).
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham (drama): Its move in day at TIffin Academy, newly ranked, second best boarding school in the country. Amidst the celebrations, scandalous blind items begin to appear thanks to the new app ZipZap, and it seems like everyone has something to hide. As the year unfolds, the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. Available on Libby (audio, e-book) and Palace Project (audio, e-book).
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia (romance): When Michelle moves to Copper Run to take over her late mother’s bed and breakfast, she doesn’t expect there to be a charming next-door neighbor, Cliff. Healing from a recent divorce, Michelle finds it hard to open up and really be herself with people, while Cliff is able to be friends with everyone he meets. The pair begin to heat up as Cliff helps Michelle in more ways than one. Available on Libby (e-book).
Soul Searching by Lyla Sage (romance): Collins is back in her hometown of Sweetwater Peak, and secretly jobless and troubled by the sudden silence of the ghosts that have always surrounded her. She rents a room from newcomer Brady, and quickly finds herself entangled with a new set of ghosts. As they grow closer, both must confront the truths they’re hiding and the possibility that their temporary living arrangement might lead to something lasting. Available on Libby (audio, e-book) and Palace Project (audio, e-book).