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Staff Picks September 2025 Reviews and Recommendations from Our Adult and Teen Services Staff |
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Mallory recommends: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne WeaverWhen a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive -- the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers. From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. |
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Abby recommends: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley PostonIn Red Mountain, where everyone's lives are intertwined like the vines in the town's beautiful and renowned vineyards, the secrets of four complicated people are revealed, and they each wonder if this town filled with eccentrics will rally around them—or turn their backs. A "carefully crafted blend of second chances and risk-taking that takes readers on a magical ride through time" (Library Journal). |
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Laura recommends: The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club: A Novel by Helen SimonsonIn the summer of 1919, Constance, sent as a lady's companion to Hazelbourne-on-Sea, is welcomed by Poppy Wirrall, a baronet's daughter who runs a ladies' motorcycle club, but as the country prepares to celebrate its hard-won peace, the club realizes the freedoms they gained during the war are being revoked. "Readers are in for a treat" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Astrid recommends:
When Christmas Comes: A Yuletide Mysteryby Andrew KlavanAfter a confession of murder, a sleuthing English teacher will need a Christmas miracle to prove a condemned man innocent. "Readers craving something less sweet than the traditional Christmas story will devour Klavan's (The Nightmare Feast) fast-paced, secret-driven story in no time at all" (Library Journal). |
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Carly recommends: All the Water in the World: A Novel by Eiren CaffallFollows a young girl, Nonie, and her family as they navigate a post-apocalyptic New York ravaged by melting glaciers, as they safeguard cultural history while surviving storms, scarcity and meeting diverse communities in their quest for a hopeful future. "Gripping, beautifully descriptive, and likely to stay with you" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Kristin recommends: The Marlow Murder Club: A Novel by Robert ThorogoodAfter witnessing a murder while out for a swim in the Thames river, 77-year-old Judith Potts, when the police don't believe her story, investigates for herself with the help of a salt-of-the-earth dog walker and the prim and proper wife of the local vicar, forming the Marlow Murder Club. "How these women of a certain age unite to solve the crime is as entertaining and intriguing as the fair play mystery itself. The way the characters evolve as their relationships grow sets this light mystery above the pack" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Roseanne recommends: Say You'll Remember Me by Abby JimenezThere might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes-all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there's nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong... . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date-possibly the best in living history-Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. "Readers won't be able to put down this laugh-out-loud funny romance and will be cheering for Samantha and Xavier even when the chips are stacked against them" (Library Journal). |
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Meghan recommends: Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill SchuttA research associate at the American Museum of Natural History presents a tour of cannibalism in the human and animal worlds to explore its evolutionary roles and how it has manifested culturally as a survival mechanism, burial ritual and warfare tactic. "Schutt's writing is delightfully accessible, rarely boring, and utterly captivating" (Library Journal). |
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Misty recommends: War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love by Rebecca FrankelDrawn from extensive, on-the-ground reporting, a journalist, delving into the extraordinary world of war dogs, provides a full understanding of what these specially trained canines and their human compatriots go through day after day under fire and the unbreakable bond that forms between them. "Military aficionados as well as dog lovers will learn from and enjoy from this study of canine commandos and the service people who count on them" (Publishers Weekly). |
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