Dear Readers,
I’ve always been a fan of checking out the staff book suggestions at bookstores. There’s something really fun about looking at titles that other people have enjoyed and the reasons why. It doesn’t matter if it’s a title that’s new to me or one that I’ve already read. I get a kick out of seeing what other people enjoyed reading. So last year when Ms. Susan, our Children’s Librarian, suggested that we do something similar at the end of the year, I very happily stepped up and agreed to help gather favorite titles from our own staff at Warren Public Library.
Our 2020 favorites were a hit, so for the second year in a row, our staff have provided a lengthy and thorough list of books that they read and loved this past year. Yet again, we didn’t worry about whether these books were published in 2021. If our staff read them this year and loved them, they were fair game. The only rule was that they needed to be available for YOU, our dear reader, to read. Therefore, all of these books are available either at Warren Public Library or on Libby (both, in some instances!).
We can’t wait to hear what you enjoyed reading in 2021!
Happy Reading!
-Julie, Communication & Outreach Librarian and the WPL Staff
Looking to enjoy some of these titles as an ebook? Click here to view our curated Overdrive 2021 Favorite Reads list!
ADULT FICTION
56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
Suggested by Julie, Communication & Outreach Librarian
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Horror
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby (eAudio)
Why did we love it?
Last year, I blazed through the audio versions of all of Howard’s novels, ending with the amazing The Nothing Man. This year, Howard released 56 Days, a mystery/thriller set during the beginning days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. At first, I wasn’t all that thrilled with reading a mystery set during a crisis that we’re still in the midst of. Once I gave it a chance though, I was hooked. 56 Days kept me entertained enough to read it in one sitting. All you need to know is that 21 days into a new relationship, a couple decides to move in together when Dublin goes into pandemic lockdown. 56 days later, one of them is found dead. The motive is a little more complicated than that, but it’s oh so fun to figure it out.
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
Suggested by Dawn in Circulation
Genre: Historical Mystery
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
Veronica Speedwell is not your typical Victorian maiden. She’s a scientist, author, and adventuress, and just as she is ready to head off on the journey of a lifetime, she is thwarted by the mysteries of her past. An enigmatic German Baron, a sexy but cantankerous taxidermist, a traveling circus, and a plot to topple the royal family on the eve of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee are all part of the crazy adventures.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Suggested by Ruth in the Business Office
Available at Warren Public Library (book and audiobook)
Genre: Fiction
Why did we love it?
Why do people risk their lives to get to America? American Dirt is one mother’s story of risking everything to escape a violent and corruption-filled life in Mexico. An interesting take on legal vs. illegal immigration.
Apocalypse Baby by Virginia Despentes
Suggested by Courtney in Adult Services and Reference
Genre: Mystery
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
In Apocalypse Baby Virginia Despentes gives readers a feminist, LGBTQ+ take on the Noir Mystery genre. Edgy and gritty, this novel reads like detective pulp fiction from the 1940’s while working with modern themes and settings. Despentes promises an underground, dirty story, and she delivers with flawed characters and a post-punk urban voice. Not for the faint of heart!
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
Suggested by Ruth in the Business Office
Genre: Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love. A lovable mix of dysfunctional characters.
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Suggested by Jennifer in Reference
Genre: Thriller/Horror/Dystopian
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby
Why did we love it?
I chose to read this book, because I watched the movie on Netflix and I was curious how the book and the movie would compare. Bird Box is set in an apocalyptic world where people must wear blindfolds to keep from seeing something that is driving people to kill themselves. Journey with a mother and her two children as they travel down a river blindfolded while someone or something is following them. As they travel, learn about what has led up to this journey as the mother reminisces about past events. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of horror and/or dystopian fiction like me.
Blood Cruise by Mats Strandberg
Suggested by Julie, Communication & Outreach Librarian
Genre: Horror
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
Vampires aren’t my favorite horror trope, but everything about the vampires in this novel was wholly entertaining. Trapped on a 24-hour party ferry, the passengers aboard the Baltic Charisma have no idea what lies in store for them overnight. From the characters, to the setting, to the action…this was one fun and bloody read.
The Burning Soul by John Connolly
Suggested by Day in Circulation Department
Genre: Thriller
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
I loved this book so much I nearly bought my own copy when I was finished! Any horror lover will like it, it’s a fast-paced mystery that keeps you on your toes. It’s got a perfect twist ending and is the sort of book that makes you question the credibility of even the narrator. Who wouldn’t love the story of a murderer trying to solve a murder?
By Blood We Live edited by John Joseph Adams
Suggested by Courtney in Adult Services and Reference
Genre: Horror Anthology
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
This anthology is great for a quick vampire story session. It features some of the best writers in the Fantasy and Horror genres, and is great for a spooky time without the commitment of a novel. Readers can jump around and explore different takes on the classic monster: Vampires. From dark retellings to twisted antidotes, you’ll never know what story will slake your thirst.
China Room by Sunjeev Sahota
Suggested by Kelli, Director
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available on Libby as eAudio
Why did we love it?
Punjab, India, 1929 – three young women were married to three brothers, but the women don’t know which husband is theirs. They are sequestered in the China Room and allowed contact with the men only in the dark of night and only by their mother-in-law’s command. This story follows Mehar’s quest to discover the identity of her husband, and her great-grandson’s return to Punjab in 1999, where he learns her story. The story was, in part, the author’s family history, which makes it even more intriguing. I was never sure what might come next and was caught up in the possibility of its reality.
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Suggested by Dawn in Circulation
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby (eAudio)
Why did we love it?
This is a debut novel by the author, and although the publisher categorizes it as mystery/romance, it’s really not exactly either although there is a touch of both. What it is, is a hilarious improbable comedy of errors. I found myself laughing out loud at the antics of Meddelin’s mom and aunties and always curious as to how they would get themselves out of each ridiculous jam they got into.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Suggested by Kelli, Director
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library (book and audiobook) and on Libby (eBook and eAudio)
Why did we love it?
This book, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, is the story of the bond between two siblings, their childhood home, and their past. When Danny and Maeve’s mother dies, their father remarries. When he dies, their stepmother eventually exiles them from the house. Poor and alone, they only have each other. This is not a Cinderella story. This is a story of Danny and Maeve’s relationship through five decades, the grudge they both hold, and how they eventually decide to carry on. It is funny, dark, and makes you think about how a long-held grudge can affect your life. I was unsure about Tom Hanks as the narrator, but he was perfect.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Suggested by Day in Circulation Department
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
Ethan Frome is a classic novel for people who don’t like the classics, and a love story for people who don’t like love stories. I know younger readers may avoid older books, but this book is a quick, engaging read about much deeper themes than you usually see in this genre. I was thinking about it’s poetic ending for weeks after I read it, and I consider this to be my all time favorite book. If you like when threads from the start of the book weave themselves into a fitting ending later, then this is the book for you!
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
Suggested by Ruth in the Business Office
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby
Genre: Historical Fiction
Why did we love it?
The story takes place in the 1840s and covers the journey of three women from London to Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. The characters face constant hardships and weather together to fight for redemption and freedom. An educational and enlightening novel.
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper
Suggested by Dawn in Circulation
Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
This is a light, fun read full of southern charm and lots of snark and a nice little mystery. The cast of characters is fun and funny, and the romance is sweet with a bit of heat. Got job problems? Family issues? A bit low on self-esteem? You’ll find Jane very relatable, even if her new lifestyle is a bit unique.
Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
Suggested by Jenna in Technical Services
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby (eAudio and eBook)
Why did we love it?
I’ve read a lot of locked-room and closed-circle mysteries this year. It’s one of my favorite subgenres, and I’ve been spoiled lately with how many have been published. I don’t care how generic or predictable a lot of them are, because it’s my favorite thing to read right now, but there is one this year that I feel stands apart as having a fresh take on the genre. Not a Happy Family is a domestic thriller with a deeply unlikable cast of characters who all have strong motives for murder. It’s fast-paced and fun, and Lapena is one of those writers who I look forward to reading every year.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Suggested by Jenna in Technical Services
Genre: Fantasy
Available on Libby
Why did we love it?
I haven’t finished the trilogy yet, so I can’t speak for the later books, but The Poppy War was absolutely immersive, fascinating, and brutal. It’s a historical military fantasy, with an unrelenting pace and characters that are flawed and realistic. Definitely not a lighthearted book, but worth reading for the terrific worldbuilding and fascinating magic system. The book is also influenced by the real-world events that occurred during the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s. Through this lens, the book becomes that much deeper and more harrowing, and I believe more important for readers.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Suggested by Jenna in Technical Services
Genre: Science Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library and on Libby
Why did we love it?
I loved everything about this book. If you liked The Martian, you’ll love this. If you hated Weir’s second book (Artemis), you’ll still love this. You don’t have to enjoy science fiction to get hooked on this fast-paced space thriller, and I highly recommend it to everyone who likes action and sarcasm in equal measures. Plus, no spoilers, but this book contains potentially my favorite side character in any book I’ve read in a long, long time. It’s fun and surprisingly hopeful, even though it’s about trying to stop the end of the world.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
Suggested by Julie, Communication & Outreach Librarian
Genre: Psychological Horror/Thriller
Available on Libby
Why did we love it?
Quite a few years ago, I read Harris’ Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. I kept meaning to get around to reading Red Dragon and finally got around to it this past summer. It was a nasty, twisted thriller. There’s no question as to who the murderer is because the reader knows all along. What the reader doesn’t know, however, is how far down a dark path Harris will draw you before retired profiler Will Graham catches him. Also, although he’s not the killer in this novel, Red Dragon was the book that introduced the world to Hannibal Lecter.
Sooley by John Grisham
Suggested by Ruth in the Business Office
Genre: Sports Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library (book and audiobook) and on Libby
Why did we love it?
New York Times Best Seller John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams – and even bigger challenges off the court. Another take on legal vs. illegal immigration.
Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
Suggested by Susan in Children’s Dept.
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
An ancient English mansion with dark secrets, a bucolic country setting, and a missing person who happens to be the attractive lead singer of a 60’s band. This mystery is told after its occurrence years later from the perspectives of the surviving musicians and their acquaintances, all of whom spent time at the charming yet spooky country house the summer Julian went missing. What really happened to lead singer Julian Blake? This book appealed to me because I love tales set in old English manors.
adult non-fiction
Broken (in the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson
Suggested by Julie, Communication & Outreach Librarian
Genre: Memoir
Available at Warren Public Library (book and audiobook) and on Libby (eAudio)
Why did we love it?
My anticipation level for Jenny Lawson’s new book was pretty high and thankfully, she delivered. Lawson always writes about mental health and depression in a way that is both honest and hysterical. Comparable to last year’s release by Allie Brosh (Solutions and Other Problems), Lawson discusses difficult topics in a way that doesn’t feel preachy, but absolutely human.
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity and Love by Dani Shapiro
Suggested by Ruth in the Business Office
Genre: Memoir
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
A memoir about the staggering family secret uncovered by a genealogy test: an exploration of the urgent ethical questions surrounding fertility treatments and DNA testing, and a profound inquiry of paternity, identity, and love.
The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman
Suggested by Courtney in Adult Services and Reference
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
Neil Gaiman is a prolific writer in both Fiction and Non-Fiction, and he proves it with this book. Join Neil as he explores the value of art, dreams and inspiration. In his own words this “motley bunch of speeches and articles, introductions, and essays” explore the thoughts, advice and process of one Neil Gaiman as he has weaved novel after novel over the years.
YOUNG ADULT
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Suggested by Amanda in Teen Services
Genre: Coming of Age/LGBTQAI+
Available at Warren Public Library (audiobook) and on Libby (eAudio)
Why did we love it?
If your relationships with your parents, families, friends, lovers, and the big one yourselves is a mystifying blur then this book is for you! It is beautifully written and narrated by the perfect narrator for this story. This will have you rethinking how you interact with the people in your life. You will celebrate the uniqueness of the characters as you discover a little more about yourself too. Some will relate with how sure Dante is with himself and others will relate to how Aristotle still doesn’t see himself at all. The love story is one of my favorite kinds. One that blooms from a very good friendship. If you aren’t big into audiobooks like I was this one opened me up to that reading format.
CHILDREN’S
City of Ghosts Series by Victoria Schwab
Suggested by Ms. Susan in the Children’s Department
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
Ever since Cassie’s near fatal drowning she finds herself with the ability to pull back the veil that separates the living from the dead…and she can see ghosts. Oh, and she now has a ghost companion named Jacob. Despite her desire to ignore calls from the veil she and Jacob are pulled into one ghostly adventure after another throughout this paranormal series.
Corpse Talk: Queens & Kings and Other Royal Rotters by Adam & Lisa Murphy
Suggested by Miss Susan in the Children’s Department
Genre: Non-Fiction/History
Format Available at WPL: Graphic Novel
Why did we love it?
Discover some fascinating facts about rulers throughout history in this hilarious graphic novel that brings the famous dead to life. Well, it brings their corpses to life to tell some of the high points and low points of their life. Each story is told in an interview format with comic book host Adam Murphy asking the questions. This is a delightfully ghoulish way to learn about history. We also own other Corpse Talk books about Groundbreaking Women and Groundbreaking Scientists.
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Suggested by Ms. Susan in the Children’s Department
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library (audiobook) and on Libby
Why did we love it?
Ten year old Della’s life has not been easy, and there not many adults she can count on, but her older sister Suki has always looked out for her. Thrust into a foster care home and a new school, Della is trying to deal with the new challenges in her life while Suki is starting to break down due to abuse suffered at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend. This candid, but sometimes humorous, story deals with the bond between two sisters and the hard topic of sex abuse. Yes, this is written specifically for a middle grade audience. If taboo topics are kept away from young readers, how will they develop the tools to deal with life’s difficulties when they occur in their own lives or in the lives of their friends?
Madam C. J. Walker Builds a Business by Denene Millner
Suggested by Ms. Susan in the Children’s Department
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
While this is a work of fiction, it is based on the life of Sarah Breedlove. Everyone else in Sarah’s family were born slaves, but Sarah is the first child in her family born free. Even though she is free, Sarah must work very hard cooking, cleaning, and picking cotton. Sarah’s hair is itchy, crunchy, and patchy and starts falling out. Sarah searches for the right products and eventually creates her own line of hair products for black women, which she markets as Madam C. J. Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower. As a woman during a time when only men ran businesses, and a black woman to boot, Sarah faced a lot of adversity, but through hard work and determination she rose to be the world’s first female self-made millionaire.
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
Suggested by Ms. Susan in the Children’s Department
Genre: Picture Book
Available at Warren Public Library
Why did we love it?
I just had to share this new picture book. It is a wonderful story of rejection and inclusion. A little boy takes his pet elephant to a Pet Club Day in the neighborhood only to find a note on the door indicating “Strictly No Elephants”. The rejected pair sadly walk through the streets until they come upon a little girl with a pet skunk who was also rejected. Together they form a club where all are welcome. Sweet story. Good lesson without being preachy.
