In addition to these short-but-awesome reads, we also discovered some truly memorable, more average-length works across a variety of genres, including historical fiction, contemporary drama, and even romance. We were especially drawn to thrillers in this year's deliberations, and the committee had a tough time limiting the number to make the final list. But ultimately, we've created a list of titles we feel lives up to the designation "Best of the Year."
The 2016 committee includes:
- Beth, Assistant Branch Manager, Lebanon Junction Branch Library
- Donna, Circulation Clerk (various locations)
- Stephanie S., Reference Services, Hillview Branch Library
- Tanya, Circulation Clerk (various locations)
- Tobee, Lebanon Junction Branch Manager
- Tracy (that's me), BCPL Public Relations Coordinator & Committee Organizer
- Trish, Reference Services, Mt. Washington Branch Library
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| All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage Donna says: A suspenseful page turner! Trish says: I loved this book. There are so many twists and turns! |
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| Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson I say: Woodson, whether she is writing in verse or prose, can always be relied upon for her stunning imagery and use of language. |
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| Before the Fall by Noah Hawley Beth says: I LOVED this book! It has a great story, and I could not put it down! |
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| Commonwealth by Ann Patchett I say: Patchett does a fantastic job of detailing the messiness of modern families. Donna says: I enjoyed this story as seen through the eyes of two families of children that are fused together through the dissolution of their own families and then joined by marriage. These children go through much chaos growing up, actually raising themselves. The bonds they form are lasting, and the stories they have to share are very eye opening and entertaining. |
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| Eleven Hours by Pamela Erens Tanya says: Heartbreaking and mesmerizing at the same time. It's a beautiful, yet sad, portrayal of the emotions that different women can face during delivery. I read this in one night. |
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| The Fireman by Joe Hill I say: There were passages in The Fireman that were so visceral and beautifully put that they held me in thrall. I was listening to the audiobook, so I often scanned back on the CD just to hear them again. Easily one of my favorites of the year. Beth says: Fans of Stephen King may already know that Joe Hill is his son, and you will see many nods to King's works in this riveting book. Hill’s work is getting progressively better—from Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, and NOS4A2, Hill seems to have found his niche and takes you on a ride you never want to end. The Fireman is a terrific read, with characters I cared about within the first 50 pages. Every time I put it down, I was burning to pick it up again to keep reading. The best book I've read all year! |
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| First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Tobee says: This is an excellent contemporary romance with well-developed characters. The plot is fast moving with several surprises, and the interactions between characters and their unique points of views pull you in immediately. |
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| Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi I say: Luminous. This sweeping saga begins in 18th-century Ghana and first follows two half sisters who are strangers to one another and then their descendants. While one sister's line remains on the Gold Coast, the other sister is transported to America. The story of each generation feels like an intimate, powerful tale all on its own, but together they all fit into one beautifully perfect book. It's a stunning debut and probably my favorite book of the year. |
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| I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh Donna says: The book was a little slow for the first chapter or two, then it grabbed me with an iron fist! The plot is great, full of unexpected turns. I loved it. 5 stars! Trish says: When one of the reviewers said that they audibly gasped at one point while reading it I actually snorted. However, while reading this book one afternoon I gasped so hard that I dropped the book onto the ground. I highly recommend this book and I can honestly say that I loved it! Not one but TWO great twists! |
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| Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye Stephanie says: To call Jane Steele a retelling of Jane Eyre is unfair. Although the heroines share more than just a first name, the books are very dissimilar. Where Jane Eyre sees no justice, Jane Steele revels in it. Where Jane Eyre seems a timid girl, Jane Steele is beyond bold. Even those who have never read Jane Eyre will enjoy Jane Steele, a thoroughly avant-garde anti-heroine. |
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| Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton Stephanie says: Dutton’s fictional work paints a beautiful picture of a not-so-pleasant past. This historical work reads more like a contemporary novel, or maybe it’s just that “Mad Madge” was sooo ahead of her time. |
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| The Mothers by Brit Bennet Donna says: This is a story about a high school love where choices become lifelong consequences. It's a story of two sides of a family, with two sides of emotions. It gives readers a lot to think about, and with the different viewpoints, I think the book offers something for everyone. |
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| News of the World by Paulette Jiles Tobee says: Very well written and interesting! In a western setting, just after the Civil War, an elderly ex-military man is taxed with the mission of delivering a ten-year-old Indian captive to her relatives. Captain Kidd and Johanna surmount numerous challenges and defy swollen rivers, outlaws, and the less-than-understanding attitudes of other people. The somewhat reluctant Captain and the half wild child become grandfather and granddaughter in a family bond that lasts the rest of their lives. |
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| The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson Donna says: I highly recommend this one! It's a story of a powerful love between a mother and daughter and how that love withstands the test of time, under extremely dysfunctional circumstances. It's a very entertaining story illustrating how many children with single parents that are seeking "true love" eventually find themselves. Tobee says: The characters are wonderfully portrayed in all their good and bad traits, and the plot is riveting. Sometimes I laughed and sometimes I wanted to cry, but I always wanted to know what was going to happen next! |
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| Redemption Road by John Hart Beth says: I LOVED this book! John Hart is such a wonderful storyteller. This is a really good crime story with a twisty plot and great characters. |
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| Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult Donna says: There are parts of this book that are extremely hard to read or listen to, but it is so worth it. I loved it. This book really makes a person look at the world in a different way. |
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| The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead I say: This creative reimagining of the Underground Railroad as a literal railroad did more to aid my understanding of the risks undertaken by fugitive slaves and the Railroad's facilitators than anything I've read before. It's a wonderfully written book, with some passages I will probably never forget. |
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| The Vegetarian by Han King Tanya says: Not at all what I expected, but totally worth the read. I couldn't put it down; it was that good, that surprising. |
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| The Widow by Fiona Barton Tanya says: What an excellent read! The book is experienced through the perspective of all the characters involved, plus there's a plot twist I didn't see coming at all. |
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