As we come to the end of another year, our staff has compiled a list of their favorite books published in 2024. Here are just a few of the titles selected (all these titles are available in print and in e-format). For more titles, please check out our cloudLibrary shelf of 2024 Staff Picks. We hope that you’ll find some new favorites, too!
Adult Nonfiction:
Jac at Quakertown
The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning by A.J. Jacobs. “This book offers a fun and entertaining take on what is usually a dry topic. The author gets fully ‘in character’ to give the reader a close look at the text and history of the US Constitution, leaving no obscure phrase or historical oddity unturned.”
Anitta at Levittown/Bensalem
The Indian Card: Who Gets to be Native in America by Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz. “In ‘The Indian Card,’ Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz, a member of the Lumbee Tribe, explores what it means to be a Native American today. From blood quantum laws and rolls that may date back to the 1900’s, every tribe has different rules and regulations that are used to determine who may enroll in their tribe, which sometimes leads to a complex and unfair ruling. I definitely enjoyed reading about the history and culture of American Indians. I especially enjoyed reading about the failed Treaty of the Delaware (also called the Treaty of Fort Pitt), where the Federal Government agreed to allow the Delaware people and other pro US. Tribes to become the 14th state!”
Adult Fiction:
Katrina at Perkasie
The Examiner by Janice Hallett. “Be a fly on the wall as the drama unfolds. What seems like a master’s course on practical applications of visual art unfolds into something deeper, more complicated, and more sinister. The twists in this novel are the best ones: they happen right in front of your eyes, and you still don’t guess that they’re coming. The most innovative book I’ve read in a long time- certainly this year!”
Matt in IT
The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey. “From the authors of the Expanse comes the first book in a new Space Opera series called ‘The Captive’s War’. With fantastic world building and a fresh spin on the alien invasion genre, I highly recommend this book!”
Audiobook:
Mark in Collection Management
The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville. “This centuries spanning sci-fi/fantasy story is brought to life in the audiobook with different narrators for each vignette which slowly reveals the strange mythology created by the unlikely duo of Reeves and Miéville.”
Kerri in Bensalem
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller. “This book took me through all of my emotions. It’s a fun listen with lots of poignant moments mixed in. Kirsten Miller has a beautiful way of lightening a heavy subject so that you get the point without overwhelming your senses. I really enjoyed this book!”
Teen and Juvenile:
Ken in Langhorne/Yardley
My Saree by Gita Varadarajan. “My Saree is the second in a series by Gita Varadarajan. My Saree tells the story of Divya and her family as Divya prepares for Heritage Night at her school. She wants to wear a Saree. Divya’s parents have immigrated to America from India and Divya’s mother’s views about when girls should start wearing a Saree are challenged. The book is beautifully written. The illustrations are bright and engaging. The book is a beautiful celebration of Indian representation and culture.”
Renee in Collection Management
The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Boke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming. “This book tells the real-life stories of several young women who wanted to serve their country during WWII, and how they did so by working at Bletchley Park.”
