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Staff Picks April 2026 Reviews and Recommendations from Our Adult and Teen Services Staff |
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When Poppy finds unanswered messages on her late sister’s dating app, she impulsively agrees to meet the sender on Dandelion’s fortieth birthday. Jake, eager for something real after his ex-wife’s new relationship, is captivated by the woman calling herself Dandelion. As their connection deepens, Poppy becomes trapped in a double life she never intended. "Fast-paced but never hurried, Dandelion Is Dead will capture readers who enjoy darker, more offbeat literary romances and leave them wanting more from Storey" (Booklist). |
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Carly recommends: Tartufo by Kira Jane BuxtonAfter narrowly defeating a popular donkey in the mayoral election, Delizia Miccuci faces the decline of the rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino, but when local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza discovers a colossal truffle with mysterious potential, the villagers are thrust into an uncertain future. "Buxton ... has a style that is unique and captivating, and she tells stories that are cheerfully weird and plausible yet surreal. To readers who enjoyed her earlier novels, or indeed to anyone who enjoys a really fine piece of humorous writing, this one is highly recommendable" (Booklist). |
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Mallory recommends: The Paradise Problem by Christina LaurenWhen his 100-million-dollar inheritance comes with a catch--he must be happily married for five years, Liam Weston, the uptight heir of a grocery chain, turns to his secret not-so-ex-wife Anna Green, a feisty, foul-mouthed artist, to fake their relationship and convince his one-percenter parents they're in love. "Artistic Anna and uptight Liam make for a perfect case of opposites attract, and the island setting creates a wonderfully escapist mood. Steamy, fun, full of family drama" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Roseanne recommends: My Friends by Fredrik Backman Most people overlook the three tiny figures at the end of a pier in a world-famous painting. But eighteen-year-old Louisa, an aspiring artist, is determined to uncover their story. Twenty-five years earlier, a group of teenagers escaped their difficult home lives on a distant, abandoned pier, sharing secrets and small rebellions. Now, Louisa embarks on a cross-country journey to discover the painting's origins and decide its ultimate fate. "A tender and moving portrait about the transcendent power of art and friendship" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Abby recommends: This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany CrumBenny Abbott and Joy Moore host a hit podcast sharing wild survival stories with humor and heart. Since Joy’s narcolepsy tale launched their fame, they’ve become everyone’s favorite best friends—thanks in part to Joy’s husband, Xander, who runs their empire. But when Benny arrives to record and finds shattered glass and an empty house, the only clue is Joy’s unfinished memoir. As police target Benny, secrets unravel and the next survival story might be theirs. "By turns hilarious, harrowing, heartbreaking, and profound" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Astrid recommends: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady HendrixFour teenage girls trapped in a secretive maternity home for unwed mothers in 1970 St. Augustine, Florida, find an unexpected source of power through witchcraft. "Another stellar novel from Hendrix, a perfectly constructed story that has a strong emotional core, compelling plot, unforgettable characters, and 360 degrees of terror. For fans of horror that empowers the powerless..." (Booklist). |
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Karen recommends: Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth PfefferMiranda's disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. In her journal, Miranda records the events of each desperate day, while she and her family struggle to hold on to their most priceless resource--hope. |
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Meghan recommends: The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor--The Truth and the Turmoil by Tina Brown Following The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown’s The Palace Papers explores how the royal family reinvented itself after Diana’s turbulent impact on the House of Windsor. This tour de force details the scandals, power plays, and betrayals of the last twenty-five years. Informed by remarkable insider access, Brown’s account delivers powerful revelations and searing insight into the monarchy's modern evolution. "Fascinating and fast-paced, Brown's blockbuster is a must for royal watchers" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Kristin recommends: Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World by Elizabeth KolbertA landmark collection of Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Kolbert's most important pieces about climate change and the natural world. "Kolbert brings every creature, place, person, fact, and issue to scintillating life in these deft, engaging, lucid, and thought-provoking dispatches covering 20 years of her world travels during epic planetary changes...Kolbert resolutely and brilliantly alerts us to how little we know about our precious planet, how much harm we do, and how we must and can do better" (Booklist). |
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Batavia Public Library
10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, Illinois 60510
630-879-1393bataviapl.org |
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