Mandel Public Library Of West Palm Beach: Library Staff Favorites Of 2021

West Palm Beach FL

23 December, 2021

9:48 AM

Description

Press release from Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach: 12/22/2021 1:30 PM Happy New Year, readers! As another year comes to a close, it's always fun to look back on what we've read and enjoyed. We've given you a year's worth of Staff Picks on our library blog, but ICYMI, here's our ULTIMATE list! These are the best-of-the-best books, audiobooks, and music we loved most this past year. Many of the books on this list were not released in 2021, however, discovering new favorites among the shelves is always one of the greatest library joys. We hope you find something to enjoy below, or you can always ask a librarian for advice on your next read or listen. Wishing you lots of great reading in 2022! Books Lisa's Pick: Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen This is the story of the collapsing marriage of Russ and Marion Hildebrandt and their four children, Clem, Becky, Perry, and Judson. Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives as we look into their complicated, unwavering, and deceptive lives in their small town near Chicago. It's written in a manner that you feel like you are an observer in their space. You feel their emotions and become attached to them as characters. This is the first novel in a projected trilogy. Natalia's Pick: A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney: A Play by Lucas Hnath A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney: A Play has been called "…a blackly comic inversion of the public Disney persona" by The New York Times. Set in a bleak conference room, the screenplay written by Walt is read aloud by the people it portrays: himself, his brother, his daughter, and his son-in-law. The play illustrates the corrosive effect of self-mythologizing on relationships, and even on the physical body. The rhythm of the dialogue is really a treat, and I would love to see it performed. Faith's Pick: The Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams I feel like I recommend this series at least once a month, but it's so good! The Bromance Book Club series centers on a group of alpha males in Nashville... who secretly start a romance book club to help them in their relationships. It has everything you want in a romantic comedy, and the happily-ever-after at the end is a delight each time. My favorite is the latest in the series, Isn't It Bromantic. But I'm really hoping the Cheese Man gets his own story soon... Leah's Pick: The Dark Tower series by Stephen King I am completely obsessed with Stephen King's Dark Tower series! I've always loved the writing in his scary books and thought I wouldn't like his take on fantasy – was I wrong! This series reminds me of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, where the reader is immersed in a completely believable dimension; only in King's Dark Tower books, it's an infinity of worlds. I'm on the fifth book of the series and can't wait to read books 6 and 7! We have all seven books in our collection. Kimi's Pick: Mrs. March by Virginia Feito You know that feeling when you have read everything published by your favorite (deceased) author, and you are bereft because that's it? They won't publish anything else. You are left to reread and grieve. But then... you find a reincarnation. An echo of that author's voice. If you need more Shirley Jackson in your life, like me, then you need to read this book. Mrs. March is reminiscent of Jackson's Hangsaman, The Bird's Nest, and the Daemon Lover. This is not to imply that Virginia Feito is a copycat or substitution, but she is picking up where Jackson left off. P.S. Ottessa Moshfegh is another Jackson contemporary, and you need to read her, too, especially Death in Her Hands. Antoinette's Pick: Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs Smoke Bitten is the latest book in Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series. It started off as my 2021 best-read and ended in the top spot. Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic and shapeshifter who gets caught up in all sorts of adventures with other supernatural creatures. The blend of cultures, folklore, and diversity really makes this urban fantasy series a must-read. Theresa's Pick: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr This marvelous book is a fantasy/fable with characters set in various time frames. However, their stories are interconnected with hardships, linked to libraries, and ultimately hope for the future. Sarah's Pick: An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten Maude is a nearly ninety-year-old resident of an apartment complex in Gothenberg. She's also the most ruthless killer you'll ever encounter. This funny and dark collection of short stories follows Maude in her adventures as she lives her life in Gothenberg, travels the globe, and, yes, sometimes kills. Sandra's Pick: The Redemption of Bobby Love by Bobby and Cheryl Love This book is an inspiring and heartwarming true story of an escaped convict, Bobby, a.k.a Walter, and his wife Cheryl who had been married for over 30 years... and she never knew he had a secret. But one day, there's a knock on the door, and there stands the FBI and NYPD... and Bobby's secret is out. Kiel's Pick: Bubble in the Sun: The Florida Boom of the 1920s and How it Brought on the Great Depression by Christopher Knowlton This book describes how the prominent developers of the 1920s built up South Florida and how their ambitious projects helped contribute to the Great Depression. Music & Audiobooks Tara's Pick: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, vols. 2 and 3; and Circlin' Back: Celebrating 50 Years by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band I learned about this band and these albums from Ken Burns's documentary series Country Music. They are pivotal in music history and just amazing to listen to! Recommended especially if you like older country, bluegrass, or folk music. We have them available in hoopla, and Circlin' Back we also have on CD. Antoinette's Pick: The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare is my top audiobook of this year from the library. It's a collection of short stories set in Casandra Clare's Shadowhunter universe that focuses on warlock Magnus Bane. The narration was perfect for the characters, and learning more about my favorite character in the Shadowhunter world was a plus. Ionnie's Pick: Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole To be honest, this was THE BEST audiobook I listened to all year. And subsequently listened to it 3 more times. The story itself was great, but the narrator's voice made it come to life. The way that she interchanged between the voices of the two main characters made the story feel like I was watching a movie. Warmhearted writing. Authentic narrating. Romantic storyline. What else could you want this holiday season? Emily's Pick: The Montague Siblings trilogy by Mackenzi Lee I like to describe this series as a (slightly raunchy) Downton Abbey meets Pirates of the Caribbean. Each book follows a different sibling from the Montague family – high-ranking nobles in 18th century England – and their adventures across the globe. The audiobooks are expertly narrated by Christian Coulson and Moira Quirk and will leave you laughing, cringing, and falling utterly in love with the colorful cast of characters. Each book has a touch of the fantastical, and though they are shelved in the Young Adult section, they certainly have cross-over appeal for adult readers who enjoy a swashbuckler. This press release was produced by Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. The views expressed here are the author's own.