The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Title: The Thursday Murder Club

Author: Richard Osman

Genre: Mystery

This charming mystery focuses on four friends who live in a retirement community. They befriend a couple of police officers working to solve a murder. As it happens, the seniors have impressive backgrounds and skills of their own, and they launch a parallel investigation. At a protest near their homes, the amateur sleuths witness a second murder and uncover a decades-old crime. If you enjoy Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie mysteries, try this novel filled with a similar British sensibility and humor. It's the first in a series.

- Sarah

Check out The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman @ the library!

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Inheritance Games

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult Mystery

In this first book of a trilogy, Avery, a teenage girl, has lived with her half sister since her mom died. However, this sister has just asked her abusive ex to move back in, so Avery has decided to live in her car until she can finish her time in high school. Then she's going to apply for every scholarship possible and get out. But suddenly, she finds out that her presence is required for the reading of some ridiculously rich stranger's will. Her confusion only grows when she discovers that nearly everything has been left to her, as long as she lives in the Hawthorne mansion with his four grandsons (who all expected to inherit), a few other relatives, and the staff (who have no idea who this girl is!) for a year. Full of puzzles, twists, mysteries and intricacies, I really enjoyed both this and the second book, and eagerly await the final book, to be published next year!

- Katrina

Check out The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes @ the library!

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

Title: The Witch's Heart

Author: Genevieve Gornichec

Genre: Fantasy, Norse Mythology

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! I have an interest in mythology and the way Gornichec weaved together stories was seamless. The book is from the viewpoint of a not so well known witch who can see the future. With knowing what is to come she struggles with submitting to the inevitable or fighting for her family. The love and loss brought forth in the story was a constant rollercoaster.

- Gina

Check out The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec @ the library!

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Title: Every Heart a Doorway

Author: Seanan McGuire

Genre: YA Fantasy

There are many stories about children who come upon strange doorways and step through, only to find themselves in new, unfamiliar worlds that seem primed for an adventure. This is not one of those stories. Instead, this is a story about those that return from those alternate worlds, changed in so many ways by their adventures, but assumed by all of those that they left behind to be the same person that disappeared however long ago. Every Heart a Doorway takes place in a boarding school that has been specially set up to help those children as they adjust to having lost something that they valued in these worlds that they have somehow been sent home from.

- Katrina

Check out Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire @ the library!

Committed by Adam Stern

Title: Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training 

Author: Adam Stern 

Genre: Non-fiction

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir of the author's residency in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He writes compassionately and honestly about his patients, his experiences feeling lost and unworthy of being at Harvard, and how he learns so much about our need for human connection. If you enjoy getting an insider's view of the medical world, and are even vaguely interested in psychiatry, this is one for you!

- Elizabeth

Check out Committed by Adam Stern @ the library!

By Your Side by Kasie West

Title: By Your Side

Author: Kasie West

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Have you ever imagined spending the night in an empty building that is supposed to be closed for the day? This story begins with two teenagers - classmates, who barely knew of each other - who are locked in the library during a long holiday weekend. What they learn about themselves, each other, and the circumstances that surrounded both students' disappearance for those three days, just might change the decisions they make once they return to school, surrounded once again with their friends and the consequences of their weekend.

- Katrina

Check out By Your Side by Kasie West @ the library!

Mistborn Saga - Original Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Mistborn Saga - Original Trilogy

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

A strong female lead in a fantasy series that was well actualized? Sign me up! The world building and magic that Sanderson created was really intriguing. It had all the elements of the hero's journey but didn't seem cliché in any way. If you like reading high fantasy and haven't read this one yet put it on hold right away! The full series is made up of 3 different sets of stories. I really enjoyed the original trilogy and can't wait to read more!

- Gina

Check out the first book in the series, Mistborn: The Final Empire @ the library!

The Happiest Girl in the World by Alena Dillon

Title: The Happiest Girl in the World

Author: Alena Dillon

Genre: Sports Fiction

An inside (fictional) look at the world of elite gymnastics. Sera has been practically cast aside, due to injuries and the cost of success, but scrounges and digs deep in order to push just a little harder. Sera watches as her best friend, who she has always dreamt of sharing an Olympic team with, speaks up against a highly recommended doctor that makes her feel uncomfortable, and who chooses to quit gymnastics and give up on that dream. A fascinating peek behind the scenes through the experience of a single family who lives through multiple Olympic cycles, always just balancing on that edge of possibly having all of their dreams come true.

- Katrina

Check out The Happiest Girl in the World by Alena Dillon @ the library!

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

Title: The Beatryce Prophecy

Author: Kate DiCamillo 

Genre: Children's Fiction

Brother Edik finds a girl curled up with a devil-goat in a stable stall at Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. She is filthy, sick, and has no memory of how she got there or who she is, just her first name: Beatryce. The monks take her in a learn a dangerous secret about the girl: Beatryce can read and write, an ability that very few people, and only men, are permitted. The monks believe she may be the subject of a prophecy about “a girl child who will unseat a king."

This may be the best children's book of the year. Author Kate DiCamillo already has an impressive resume, but she knocks it out of the park with this timeless fairytale. The Beatryce Prophecy is a short read that might only take you an afternoon but will be worth every second. Give this book all the awards.

- Beth

Check out The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo @ the library!

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Title: The Royal We

Author: Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan 

Genre: YA Romance

Similar to the movie "The Prince & Me", the main character meets the Prince of England in college. Although the girl is American, she is studying abroad in England, and the Prince has a collection of close friends that provide both social outlets and protection for him while there, and the American is quickly a part of this crowd. Follow the drama as a romance that doesn't tick any of the upper class boxes that the Royal family looks for goes public, and see if it is able to survive!

- Katrina 

Check out The Royal We by Heather Cocks!

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Fiction

Story of four famous siblings which bounces between the sibling's current lives in the early 80s and the lives of their famous parents in decades prior. A dishy novel that centers around the annual party thrown by oldest sibling Nina. The party is the highlight of their social circles and proves to be over the top in this novel, leading to a culmination of events, some you expect, others which surprise. Great read to cozy up with this fall.

- Jamie

Check out Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid @ the library!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Author: Alan Bradley

Genre: Mystery

From the first chapter, you will fall in love with the young, witty, 11 year-old Flavia de Luce. Her love for poisons and chemistry may get her into some trouble, but she always manages to outwit everyone, especially her two snobby older sisters. Along with her trusty bicycle, Gladys, Flavia is known to poke her nose into business that is definitely not suitable for the typical 11 year-old girl. This rings true when Flavia finds a dead bird on her family's doorstep: she decides that she must use her deductive skills to solve this mystery. However, this troublesome case is more twisted and complex than anyone could imagine. With 1950s England as a backdrop, this novel will both keep you on the edge of your seat and tickle your funny bone. And, readers rejoice, this is the first in a series of 11 current books!

- Carson

Check out The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley @ the library!

The Labrador Pact by Matt Haig

Title: The Labrador Pact

Author: Matt Haig

Genre: Fiction

If you're a dog person, this book is for you! This story is entirely in the point of view of a family's black lab dog, Prince. As the title suggests, Prince's number one job is to follow an ancient pact of dogs: he must keep his family together. Prince provides a unique, outside view of a family unit and all the troubles they face. Although heart wrenching, The Labrador Pact is such a fascinating and beautiful read.

- Carson

Check out The Labrador Pact by Matt Haig!

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Title: Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Author: Carol Rifka Brunt

Genre: Fiction

The only person that fourteen-year-old June feels really understands her is her Uncle Finn. He is a renowned painter who lives in New York City, and June’s best friend. When Finn dies of AIDS, June is shattered. But Finn’s death brings a new friend into June’s life, Finn’s partner Toby. June’s family blames Toby for Finn’s illness, and so June is forced to keep their friendship a secret.

This is a coming-of-age story that takes place in 1987. June’s age and the time period are important to remember while reading and reflecting on some of her choices. But overall, this was a wonderful book with engaging characters that kept me captivated throughout.

- Beth

Check out Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt @ the library!

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Title: A Bad Day for Sunshine

Author: Darynda Jones

Genre: Mystery

Sunshine Vicram and her daughter Aurora (Auri) Vicram have just moved back to Del Sol, New Mexico, where Sunshine has been elected Sheriff (thanks to her parents entering her in the running – without her knowledge!) When a classmate of Auri’s goes missing, both Sunshine and (unofficially) Auri are on the case. Sybil St. Aubin is a shy, sweet girl who had a premonition that she would be abducted before her 15^th birthday, and after reading her diary, Sunshine is convinced that Sybil’s disappearance is not a hoax. While Sunshine and her team rush to locate Sybil and reveal the identity of her kidnapper, Auri helps to investigate by questioning classmates and unearthing clues at the high school. When a secret about Sunshine’s past comes to light, Sunshine and Auri must deal with the fallout on top of everything else going on; old flames, new crushes, school bullies, secret liaisons, and the quirky residents of Del Sol.

- Desirae

Check out A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones!

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Title: The Personal Librarian

Author: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Personal Librarian is a fictionalized telling of the life of J.P. Morgan's real-life librarian, Belle da Costa Greene. Greene curates Morgan's collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork, and in the process becomes one of the New York art world's most well-respected and powerful selectors and negotiators. She does this all while keeping a secret, a secret that if it ever got out would end not only her career, but that of her family's as well. Belle da Costa Greene was born Belle Marion Greener, and she, her mother, and siblings are a fair skinned Black family passing as white.

Librarians are usually eager to read any story about our profession but knowing that Belle da Costa Greene was a real librarian who rose to the top of the profession made this one particularly interesting. The book includes both Historical Notes and Authors' Notes that further explain fact from fiction in this extraordinary story.

- Beth

Check out The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray @ the library!