At the end of each year, LibraryReads asks librarians to pick their favorite book out of a pool of those that have been featured throughout the year. This year, we have a great mix, including a memoir, some romance, a little mythology and some suspense. Check out these librarian favorites of 2018.
2018’s Favorite of Favorites:
“Educated: A Memoir”
by Tara Westover
“In her memoir, Westover recounts her childhood growing up in a strict Mormon family, ruled by an erratic father and living off the grid in Idaho. Westover compellingly sketches her years growing up, her relationships with siblings, encounters in the town nearby, and the events that eventually drove her to leave and pursue formal education. For fans of Jeannette Walls’ ‘The Glass Castle.’”
~Andrea Gough, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
The Rest of the Favorites:
“An American Marriage”
by Tayari Jones
“Celestial and Roy are newly married professionals leaning in to a bright future when Roy is convicted of a crime he did not commit. This is not a heroes vs. villains tale with a tidy resolution. It is a complicated, messy, moving and thought-provoking story about love, family and the wide-reaching effects of incarceration. Book clubs get ready!”
~Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Library, St. Louis, MO
“Circe”
by Madeline Miller
“’Circe’ follows the banished witch daughter of the Titans as she practices her powers for an inevitable conflict with one of Olympus’s most vindictive gods. I found myself pondering motherhood, mortality and feminism. For readers of historical and mythological drama or anyone who loves a strong female lead.”
~McKelle George, Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake, UT
“The Death of Mrs. Westaway”
by Ruth Ware
“Ware’s best book by far. I finally stopped trying to puzzle it out and just sat back to enjoy the ride.”
~Susanne Guide, Union County Public Library, Liberty, IN
“The Great Alone”
by Kristin Hannah
“Leni and her troubled family embark on a new way of life in Alaska’s wilderness in 1974 — hoping this is finally the solution for her troubled, POW father. In Alaska, Leni and her family are tested and when change comes to their small community her father’s anger threatens to explode and divide the town. This is a beautifully written novel, descriptive and engaging with well-developed characters and a strong sense of place.”
~Alissa Williams, Morton Public Library, Morton, IL
“The Immortalists”
by Chloe Benjamin
“A thought-provoking, sweeping family saga set in New York City’s Lower East Side, 1969. Four siblings sneak out to visit a psychic who reveals to each, separately, the exact date of his or her death. The book goes on to recount five decades of experience shaped by the siblings’ attempts to control fate.”
~Kelly Currie, Delphi Public Library, Delphi, IN
“The Kiss Quotient”
by Helen Hoang
“A wonderfully sweet and erotic romance featuring an autistic heroine who hires a hot male escort to teach her how to enjoy sex, but learns so much more.”
~Elizabeth Gabriel, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, WI
“There There”
by Tommy Orange
“A large cast of interwoven characters depicts the experience of Native Americans living in urban settings. Perfect for readers of character-driven fiction with a strong sense of place.”
~Abby Johnson, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library, New Albany, IN
“The Wedding Date”
by Jasmine Guillory
“Drew is in San Francisco for his ex-girlfriend’s wedding. When he finds himself stuck in an elevator with Alexa, they hatch a plan to go to the wedding together, pretending to be a couple. Told in alternating points of view, this is a delightful multicultural romance.”
~Elizabeth Gabriel, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, WI
“The Woman in the Window”
by A.J. Finn
“A menacing psychological thriller that starts out like ‘Rear Window‘ and then veers off into unexpected places. An agoraphobic recluse languishes in her New York City home, drinking wine and spying on her neighbors. One day she witnesses a crime that threatens to expose her secrets.”
~Joseph Jones, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cuyahoga, OH
