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Staff Picks October 2026 Reviews and Recommendations from Our Adult and Teen Services Staff |
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Astrid recommends: Vianne by Joanne HarrisAfter scattering her mother’s ashes in New York on July 4, Vianne follows the wind to Marseille. Pregnant and determined to shape her own future, she finds work as a waitress and discovers a gift for cooking, adding chocolate and spices to local recipes. As her talents reveal hidden secrets, she learns that her magic comes with a cost. This is the prequel to Chocolat, the bestselling novel and Oscar-nominated film adaptation. ."Harris' writing is vivid and filled with insights as we see Vianne struggling to create her own recipe of self. Stunning" (Booklist). |
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Karen recommends: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie DaraA pregnant, divorced, middle-aged grim reaper must unravel the mystery of a missing soul and a potential murder within 45 days, or a recently deceased teen will be doomed to roam the earth as a ghost forever. "This debut paranormal mystery offers humor, love, and a strong cast of characters who form a found family. S.C.Y.T.H.E. is a fascinating premise that offers great possibilities for future mysteries" (Library Journal). |
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Mary recommends: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank GreenThe first to document the appearance of the Carls, giant robot-like statues popping up around the world, April May finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight that puts her relationships, identity and safety at risk. "A fun, contemporary adventure that cares about who we are as humans, especially when faced with remarkable events" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Carly recommends: Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirThe sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission to save both humanity and Earth, Ryland Grace is hurtled into the depths of space when he must conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. "Readers may find themselves consuming this emotionally intense and thematically profound novel in one stay-up-all-night-until-your-eyes-bleed sitting. An unforgettable story of survival and the power of friendship—nothing short of a science-fiction masterwork" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Kristin recommends: Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda ChapmanBook conservator Tory Van Dyne is a down-to-earth member of an eccentric old-money New York family. When a woman in the library's Christie Room introduces herself as Agatha Christie and announces she's there to help solve a murder (that hasn't yet happened), Tory determines she's just a nutty Christie fangirl. But when her socialite/actress cousin is caught up in a suspicious death, Tory and the woman claiming to be her deceased literary idol -- aided by unlikely sleuths including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits -- begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer's devious mind. "Fans of classic detective fiction are in for a treat" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Roseanne recommends: Tin Camp Road by Ellen AirgoodThe author of South of Superior returns to that same territory and landscape with this story of a woman who, on the verge of losing the land and home that defines her, finds her way to a brighter future when she learns the power of giving to and accepting help from the community around her-- "An affecting portrait of the region and its residents, filled with love and pride" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Mallory recommends: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah HarknessDiscovering a magical manuscript in Oxford's library, scholar Diana Bishop, a descendant of witches who has rejected her heritage, inadvertently unleashes a fantastical underworld of daemons, witches and vampires whose activities center around an enchanted treasure. Suggested for " readers of literary mysteries like Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series, as well as to those who enjoy epic and fantastic romances including Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series and Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel novels. Essential reading across all these genres" (Booklist). |
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Abby recommends: The Favorites by Layne FargoSet in the cut-throat world of competitive ice dancing and inspired by Wuthering Heights, this high-drama novel finds Katarina Shaw telling her own story in response to a new documentary focused on the ups and downs of her years-long pairing with Heath Rocha. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid will want to read this novel that's "engrossing, thrilling, and just downright fun" (Booklist). |
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Meghan recommends: The Land and Its People: Essays by David SedarisIn The Land and Its People, his collection following Happy-Go-Lucky, David Sedaris reflects on what it means to be a foreigner, a brother, a lifelong friend. Throughout these essays--at once acerbic and tender, playful and profound--Sedaris shows how much there is to marvel at when you keep your head up and your eyes open, observing with warmth and curiosity this fascinating human species and the lands we inhabit. "Throughout, Sedaris’s wit and keen awareness of life’s absurdities are on full display. These essays are among the best of his career" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Batavia Public Library
10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, Illinois 60510
630-879-1393bataviapl.org |
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