Once again the staff from our seven branches have assembled a great line up of books published in late 2022 and in 2023 for you to read or listen to. Pick a title up at your local branch or check on cloudLibrary.
Jump to : Adult non-fiction
Adult fiction
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Chosen by Daisy, Perkasie Branch
How much would you give to win the world? Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King, is riding high after her victory that tore southern China from its Mongol masters. Now she burns with a new desire: to seize the throne and crown herself emperor.
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Chosen by Donte, Yardley-Makefield Branch
Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this mid-century romdram about a scrappy reporter and a newspaper mogul’s son – perfect for Newsies shippers.
In the Lives of Puppets by T. J. Klune
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch and Olivia, Yardley-Makefield Branch
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, there live three robots – fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention.
The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee
Chosen by Jac, Quakertown Branch
This is a moving story about three friends who enlist in the army during World War II and soon find themselves prisoners of war in the Philippines, forced to endure the Bataan Death March. Flashbacks to their life together in Alabama before the war add depth and personality to the cast that make this much more than a war story.
Essex Dogs by Dan Jones
Chosen by Chris, Levittown Branch
The New York Times bestselling historian makes his historical fiction debut with an explosive novel set during the Hundred Years’ War.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
Chosen by Renee, Collection Management Department
When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed.
The Unfortunates by J. K. Chukwu
Chosen by Katie, Bensalem Branch
An edgy, bitingly funny debut about a queer, half-Nigerian college sophomore who, enraged and exhausted by the racism at her elite college, sets out to find truth about The Unfortunates – the unlucky subset of Black undergrads who have been mysteriously dying.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Chosen by Lucas, Langhorne Branch
Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think.
Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
Chosen by Victoria, Perkasie Branch
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins comes a funny and surprising new novel about second chances – and why the lies we tell ourselves are the most dangerous.
The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda
Chosen by Holly, Collection Management Department
A decade ago two vans filled with high school seniors crashed into a ravine, killing multiple teachers and classmates. The survivors meet each year on the date to commemorate that terrible night, but this tenth anniversary is different. Slow build tension and the mystery of really happened that night makes this an excellent thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat!
Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
Chosen by Adam, Administration
Alison Rumfitt’s Tell Me I’m Worthless is a dark, unflinching haunted house story that confronts both supernatural and real-world horrors through the lens of the modern-day trans experience.
Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena
Chosen by Cheryl, Yardley-Makefield Branch
William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper. Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing. Who took Avery Wooler?
The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks
Chosen by Mark, Collection Management Department
From the Academy Award-winning actor and best-selling author: a novel about the making of a star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film . . . and the humble comic books that inspired it. Funny, touching, and wonderfully thought-provoking, while also capturing the changes in America and American culture since World War II.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Chosen by Brian, Bensalem Branch
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film – and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Chosen by Pat, Yardley-Makefield Branch
The teenage son of an Appalachian single mother who dies when he is eleven uses his good looks, wit, and instincts to survive foster care, child labor, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses.
One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny
Chosen by Maggie, Interlibrary Loan
In 1360 Oxford, William de Foucart, fleeing the night before his arranged marriage, must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff Barden, who, unbeknownst to him, has been tasked to return him home to restore his family’s honor.
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Chosen by Mamata, Yardley-Makefield Branch
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Chosen by Anitta, Levittown Branch
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Chosen by Katherine, Langhorne Branch and Megan, Levittown Branch
Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a thrilling new novel that explores the way your past – and your family – can haunt you like nothing else.
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
Chosen by Houda, Bensalem Branch
A haunting meditation on war, violence, and memory, Minor Detail cuts to the heart of the Palestinian experience of dispossession, life under occupation, and the persistent difficulty of piecing together a narrative in the face of ongoing erasure and disempowerment.
In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Chosen by Olivia, Quakertown Branch
A haunting, virtuosic debut novel about two young men who fall in love during a time of war.
Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
Chosen by Annie, Perkasie Branch
Nat Cassidy’s highly commercial, debut horror novel Mary: An Awakening of Terror, blends Midsommar with elements of American Psycho and a pinch of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.
Antimatter Blues: A Mickey7 novel by Edward Ashton
Chosen by Michael, Doylestown Branch
Edward Ashton’s Antimatter Blues is the thrilling follow up to Mickey7 in which an expendable heads out to explore new terrain for human habitation.
The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir
Chosen by Kimberly, Levittown Branch
A novel of family, fame, and religion that tells the emotionally stirring, wildly captivating story of the seventeen-year-old daughter of an evangelical preacher, star of the family’s hit reality show, and the secret pregnancy that threatens to blow their entire world apart.
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Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (audiobook)
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Pat, Yardley-Makefield Branch
Recalling the past at her daughters’ request, Lara tells the story of a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance, which causes her daughters to examine their own lives and reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.
Go As a River by Shelley Read
eBook Chosen by Pat, Yardley-Makefield Branch
A riveting and deeply moving debut – a love story in the spirit of Where the Crawdads Sing – that is both a stunning exploration of the natural world and an unforgettable coming-of-age novel.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
Author Brandon Sanderson expands his Cosmere universe shared by The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn with a new standalone novel for everyone who loved The Princess Bride.
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson meshes Jason Bourne and epic fantasy in this captivating adventure that throws an amnesiac wizard into time travel shenanigans – where his only hope of survival lies in recovering his missing memories.
The Book Spy by Alan Hlad
eBook
Chosen by Jac, Quakertown Branch
This is a well-researched World War II novel that reads like a spy thriller. While gathering intelligence in neutral Portugal, American librarian Maria connects with Tiago, a bookseller who is helping Jews escape Nazi-occupied France. This leads Maria to a high-stakes spy assignment among high-ranking government officials. Alan Hlad delivers with unique and relatable characters and historical details that don’t slow the action down.
The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
eBook
Chosen by Victoria, Perkasie Branch
From the bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes, a masterful novel about a couple in a small town who must navigate the complexities of marriage, family, and longing.
Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk
eBook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago’s divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above.
Zero Days by Ruth Ware (audiobook)
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
Ruth Ware returns with this adrenaline-fueled thriller about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s murderer.
The Plus One by Mazey Eddings
eBook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
What starts out as a fake wedding date turns into something these childhood enemies never expected in The Plus One, a sparkling romantic comedy by Mazey Eddings.
The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye
eBook
Chosen by Cheryl, Yardley-Makefield Branch
A woman fleeing her disastrous marriage discovers that she is part of a legendary love story that spans lives, years, and continents in this modern-day reimagining of Romeo and Juliet.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
eAudiobook
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.
A Winter Grave by Peter May
Chosen by Michael, Doylestown Branch
When the body of missing investigative reporter George Younger is discovered on a mountain-top near the Highland village of Kinlochleven, veteran Glasgow detective Cameron Brodie volunteers to investigate the murder, but has more than the case on his agenda.
The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson
Chosen by Charlie, Doylestown Branch
#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson shows us a future in the Cosmere universe where a perpetual planetary wanderer must decide whether to keep running, or stay and make a difference on a struggling planet.
Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Katherine, Langhorne Branch
From dystopian visionary and bestselling phenomenon Veronica Roth comes a razor-sharp reimagining of Antigone. In Arch-Conspirator, Roth reaches back to the root of legend and delivers a world of tomorrow both timeless and unexpected.
A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll (graphic novel)
eBook
Chosen by Mark, Collection Management Department
In Emily Carroll’s haunting adult graphic novel horror story A Guest in the House, a young woman marries a kind dentist only to realize that there’s a dark mystery surrounding his former wife’s death.
The Mysteries by Bill Watterson (graphic novel)
Chosen by Mark, Collection Management Department
In a fable for grown-ups by cartoonist Bill Watterson, a long-ago kingdom is afflicted with unexplainable calamities. Hoping to end the torment, the king dispatches his knights to discover the source of the mysterious events. Years later, a single battered knight returns.
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
ebook
Chosen by Megan, Levittown Branch
Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho.
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
ebook
Chosen by Megan, Levittown Branch
Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho.
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
ebook
Chosen by Megan, Levittown Branch
A bold, clever, and sublimely sinister collection that dares to ask the question: “Are you ready to be un-settled?”
The Circus Train by Amita Parikh
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Kimberly, Levittown Branch
At the World of Wonders, Europe’s most magnificent travelling circus, every moment is full of magic, and nothing is as it seems – especially for the people who put on the show.
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
eBook
Chosen by Michael, Doylestown Branch
When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth.
Adult non-fiction
Above Ground by Clint Smith
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
Smith’s latest poetry collection is about fatherhood, with often sweet and joyful poems celebrating everything from baby swings to Halloween costumes to kitchen dance parties. But the true power of this as a collection is that these tender poems are juxtaposed next to ones about all the things in the world a parent can’t protect their child from: poems about Hurricane Katrina, drone strikes, gun violence, race relations. Clint Smith has such a gift for using words to take BIG topics and bring it down to you, so it really hits home. This book had me on the verge of tears (both happy and sad!) multiple times.
Cake: A Slice of British Life by Andrew Baker (audiobook)
Chosen by Holly, Collection Management Department
Baker sets out to research the history of cake in Britain by doing exactly what I would do: traveling the country to find the facts and eat the cake! Baker himself narrates the audiobook, describing the ups and downs of his quest. Great for fans of The Great British Bake Off! Available in cloudLibrary now and soon be available in print in the US.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Chosen by Rachel, Langhorne Branch
In The Woman in Me, Britney Spears takes control of her narrative, reclaiming a life story that had been dictated for her for far too long. The result is a poignant and easily digestible read that offers both insight behind the headlines, heartbreak, and redemption.
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
Chosen by Susan, Perkasie Branch
The true story of the world’s most prolific art thief – a spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius.
A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan
Chosen by Daisy, Perkasie Branch
A historical thriller by the Pulitzer and National Book Award-winning author that tells the riveting story of the Klan’s rise to power in the 1920s, the cunning con man who drove that rise, and the woman who stopped them.
Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes
Chosen by Donte, Yardley-Makefield Branch
A richly reported and provocative look at the history of women’s sports and the controversy surrounding trans athletes by a leading LGBTQ+ sports journalist.
Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan
Chosen by Houda, Bensalem Branch
Yasmin Khan unlocks the flavors and fragrances of modern Palestine, from the sun-kissed pomegranate stalls of Akka, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, through evergreen oases of date plantations in the Jordan Valley, to the fading fish markets of Gaza City.
Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken
Chosen by Olivia, Quakertown Branch
A manifesto to change how you eat and how you think about the human body. It’s not you, it’s the food.
They Called Me a Lioness by Ahed Tamimi
Chosen by Megan, Levittown Branch
A Palestinian activist jailed at sixteen after a confrontation with Israeli soldiers illuminates the daily struggles of life under occupation in this moving, deeply personal memoir.
Dirty Laundry: Why Adults With ADHD Are So Ashamed and What We Can Do to Help by Richard Pink
Chosen by Annie, Perkasie Branch
If you have ADHD – or love somebody who does – Dirty Laundry will change your life, and your relationships. Do you feel crippling shame because you struggle with cleaning, personal hygiene, or time-keeping? Do you always feel misunderstood by the people close to you and find that they get frustrated by your behavior? Dirty Laundry is an unfiltered look into the chaos of real life with ADHD.
United States of True Crime: Arkansas by Ashley Hudson
Chosen by Victoria, Perkasie Branch
United States of True Crime is an anthology series with books devoted to the most disturbing cases in each of the 50 states. This book focuses on ten of the most chilling crimes in Arkansas history.
In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America’s Child by Kim Cross
Chosen by Marilyn, Quakertown Branch
Paced like a thriller and full of insider information on the history and science of Crime Scene Investigation, In Light of All Darkness embeds readers in one of the most famous true-crime stories of our generation — the kidnapping of Polly Klaas — a case as pivotal in the history of the FBI as the Unabomber or Oklahoma City bombing.
Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H.
Chosen by Zara, Langhorne Branch and Nikki, Doylestown Branch
A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this daring, provocative, and radically hopeful memoir.
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong (audiobook)
Chosen by Kelley, Yardley-Makefield Branch
A grand tour through the hidden realms of animal senses that will transform the way you perceive the world — from the Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of I Contain Multitudes.
My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel DeLoache Williams
Chosen by Kimberly, Levittown Branch
Sex and the City meets Bad Blood and Catch Me If You Can in the astonishing true story of Anna Delvey, a young con artist posing as an heiress in New York City – as told by the former Vanity Fair photo editor and friend of Delvey’s – who was scammed out of more than $62,000 and is featured as a character in the Netflix series Inventing Anna.
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What Looks Like Bravery by Laurel Braitman
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
One of my favorite kinds of books, this memoir was packed full of luminous stories and heartbreaking tragedy with an honest and raw look at all the love and loss we encounter in life. This book was difficult to put down and left me with a lot to think about after reading it.
He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters by Schuyler Bailar
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Donte, Yardley-Makefield Branch
He/She/They clearly and compassionately addresses fundamental topics, from why being transgender is not a choice and why pronouns are important, to more complex issues, including how gender-affirming healthcare can be lifesaving and why allowing trans youth to play sports is good for all kids.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis
Chosen by Houda, Bensalem Branch
In these newly collected essays, interviews, and speeches, world-renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis illuminates the connections between struggles against state violence and oppression throughout history and around the world.
Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts by Nada Elia
eBook
Chosen by Megan, Levittown Branch
An inspiring, powerful, hopeful, and intersectional re-imagining of the path to liberation in Palestine.
United States of True Crime: California by Ashley Hudson
eAudiobook
Chosen by Victoria, Perkasie Branch
United States of True Crime is an anthology series with books devoted to the most disturbing cases in each of the 50 states. This book focuses on twenty of the most chilling crimes in California history.
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique W. Morris
eAudiobook
Chosen by Kimberly, Levittown Branch
For four years Monique W. Morris, author of Black Stats, chronicled the experiences of black girls across America whose intricate lives are misunderstood, highly judged — by teachers, administrators, and the justice system — and degraded by the very institutions charged with helping them flourish. Morris shows how, despite obstacles, stigmas, stereotypes, and despair, black girls still find ways to breathe remarkable dignity into their lives in classrooms, juvenile facilities, and beyond.
Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius by Nick Hornby
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Marilyn, Quakertown Branch
From the bestselling author of Just Like You, High Fidelity, and Fever Pitch, a short, warm, and entertaining book about art, creativity, and the unlikely similarities between Victorian novelist Charles Dickens and modern American rock star Prince.
Choosing Family: A Memoir of Queer Motherhood and Black Resistance by Francesca T. Royster
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
A professor of English literature presents a memoir of family, identity, and acceptance that examines the messiness and complexity of adoption and parenthood from a black, queer, and feminist perspective.
We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America by Roxanna Asgarian
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
The shocking, deeply reported story of a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of six children — and a searing indictment of the American foster care system.
I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti
eBook
Chosen by Houda, Bensalem Branch
“At last! Here I am, walking, with my small bag, across the bridge. A bridge no longer than a few meters of wood and thirty years of exile!” Part memoir, part reminiscence, part jeremiad, part history but mostly a paean to a lost nation, I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti is the story of a man who comes back to his homeland after thirty years of exile. He encapsulates the experience of so many people who are unwelcome and forcibly removed from the places they belong to. Poetically written, this is a book that is best experienced rather than described!
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
eBook and eAudiobook
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
“Life, like a poem, is a series of choices.” In her memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, poet Maggie Smith explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself in lyrical vignettes that shine, hard and clear as jewels.
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadeh
eBook
Chosen by Nikki, Doylestown Branch
A subtle psychological portrait of the author’s relationship with his father during the twentieth-century battle for Palestinian human rights.
