Looking for your next favorite book? Staff from Bucks County Free Library’s branches rounded up some of their favorite recent reads!
Check the Staff Picks list in the catalog for even more recommendations.
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
“Bad Blood is one of the most compelling nonfiction books I’ve ever read. The story of Elizabeth Holmes’ scam company Theranos has been told in podcasts, documentaries, and a popular TV show, but nothing can beat the reporting of the journalist who originally broke the story. Facts really are stranger than fiction!” -Katherine, Yardley-Makefield branch
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
“This book takes place across three timelines (1453, 2020 and the distant future), three settings (Constantinople, Idaho, and the vessel Argos) and follows five characters united by a connection to one story (Cloud Cuckoo Land). This novel is a tribute to the power of stories as a source of discovery, comfort and hope. A beautifully written and moving novel for fans of Hanya Yanagihara, David Mitchell and Amor Towles.” -Pat, Yardley-Makefield branch
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
“Following Darius Kellner on his first trip to Iran to meet his ailing grandfather, this coming-of-age story explores what it feels like to not quite fit in anywhere. In America, Darius struggles to make friends, but in Iran everything about him – from not speaking Farsi to his depression medication – makes him feel like he’s not a “true Persian.” If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, I recommend Michael Levi Harris’s narration.” -Charlie, Doylestown branch
Holes by Louis Sachar
“Stanley Yelnats is court ordered to Camp Green Lake: a hellish detention center for juvenile offenders. There, he must dig a hole every day, five feet across and five feet deep, while avoiding poisonous lizards in a dried-up lake bed. The warden says this labor builds character, but Stanley knows there’s more to the story! Holes won multiple awards, including the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. In my opinion, it’s as good as the movie adaptation.” -Anitta, Yardley-Makefield branch
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
The Idiot is a character-driven coming-of-age tale that’s lighter on the plot side so you can really become immersed in the narrator’s experiences and perspective. Which is wonderful, because she has one of the most unique voices you’ll read in literary fiction these days: she’s witty, thoughtful, and delightfully deadpan. I couldn’t put it down! -Emily, Bucks County Library District
In Place of Fear by Catriona McPherson
“It’s 1948 Scotland and the very first day of Great Britain’s National Health System. There’s a mystery to be solved and our heroine, Helen, a newly qualified medical almoner from the wrong side of Edinburgh, is up to the task. This is for fans of both Tartan Noir and historical mysteries.” -Alison, Langhorne branch
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
“In this psychological thriller, therapist Mariana investigates a murder at her niece’s college and goes to dangerous lengths to prove that Professor Fosca and The Maidens, a mysterious group of female students, are the culprits. I recommend this page-turner to fans of mysteries, Greek mythology, and The Silent Patient!” -Emma, Bensalem branch
The Murderbot Diaries (series) by Martha Wells
“The opening book, All Systems Red, introduces an android who thinks for itself. It prefers watching entertainment to working, interacting with humans, or “talking about feelings.” But murder, sabotage and interplanetary conspiracy interfere with Murderbot’s binge-watching. The first four books are less than 200 pages and can be read quickly on cold nights. You will wish they were longer!” -Ceil, Collection Management
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
“An electrifying page-turner with a dark academia setting. Follow diagnosed psychopath Chloe as she embarks on a revenge quest to kill William Bachman, a friend turned enemy. The twist? Chloe is one of seven psychopaths on campus taking part in a clinical study. After a murder in the psychology building, Chloe must learn to trust her fellow psychopaths…if she can. Great for fans of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.” -Lily, Bensalem branch
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
“Fresh off reading The Flat Share, also by O’Leary, I binged all her work. What I liked most about her latest work was how distinctly different each of the strong female characters were in their interactions with our main male character. With a twist that’ll either break your heart or make you angry (or both, in my case), The No-Show draws you in from the start and keeps you there until its last heartfelt pages!” -Melissa, Doylestown branch
The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers
“This short novel is a leisurely-paced look at two friends who have dedicated themselves to creating crop circles in 1989 England. It reminded me of the show Detectorists in its depiction of a couple of misfits finding meaning in a quirky pursuit.” -Brian, Quakertown branch
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
“Drawing inspiration from A Thousand and One Nights, this novel is lush with mythology and vibrant world building. An epic start to a fantastic trilogy and a stunning debut novel from Kuwaiti American author Chelsea Abdullah. This Arab inspired fantasy follows the story of a renowned thief, her Jinn bodyguard, the Sultan’s son, and their quest for a magic artifact.” -Houda, Langhorne branch
