As the snow begins to fall, people are beginning to reflect on the past year. Maybe you have hit your reading goal for the year, maybe you still have a few titles to go. For those of you in the second group, the staff at Sage Library wanted to share some of our favorite books we read this past year.
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale (recommended by Emily)- If you had the power to change the past…where would you start? This story combines a quirky character and the powers of time travel. Probably the book that made me laugh out loud the most this year.
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (recommended by Katie)- Perry Firekeeper-Birch was ready for her Summer of Slack but instead, after a fender bender that was entirely not her fault, she’s stuck working to pay back her Auntie Daunis for repairs to the Jeep. Amazing author and nice to go back to UP for another round.
Spy x Family (recommended by Lisa) Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!
A Novel Disguise by Samantha Larsen (recommended by Dani) When Miss Tiffany Woodall assumes the identity of her half-brother after his death, she realizes she isn’t the only one with a secret to hide in this historical series debut, Loved the strong female character and enjoyed reading a period piece with diversity
Legendborn by Tracey Deonn (recommended by Emily) Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton) A book discovered at book club that made me want to dive right into book 2 as soon as this one was finished.
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter (recommended by Wendy)-She wasn’t the one who broke the vase. April didn’t ask to go live in a big, creepy mansion with a bunch of orphans who just don’t understand that April isn’t like them. After all, April’s mother is coming back for her someday very soon. All April has to do is find the clues her mother left inside the massive mansion. But Winterborne House is hiding more than one secret, so April and her friends are going to have to work together to unravel the riddle of a missing heir, a creepy legend, and a mysterious key before the only home they’ve ever known is lost to them forever. Wendy loves found family stories and said this one had strong Batman vibes.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (recommended by Katie) With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable. Couldn’t put it down. It’s like watching someone make bad decisions--You just wanted to see what craziness was going to happen next.
Blood Before Breed by Lorissa Wascher (recommended by Lisa) Two sisters struggle to navigate a world of magic and monsters that tears them apart and sends them each down separate paths of self-discovery. Can they overcome the challenges of their new lives while unraveling twisted truths about the world they live in? What will it take to fight their way back to one another to prove that blood comes before breed?
A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Mass (recommended by Wendy) From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read. Jumped in to read this super popular book and enjoying the story.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (recommended by Lisa) Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (recommended by Emily) In this exhilarating novel, two friends--often in love, but never lovers--come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. Beautiful novel of friendship. Read this book in January and still think about.
