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Adult Services Staff Picks December 2022 Favorite Books of the Year |
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The Whalebone Theatre
by Joanna Quinn
Recommended by: Joanna
In 1928, 12-year-old orphan Cristabel Seagrave and the rest of the household build a theatre from a whale's skeletal rib cage, where imagination comes to life. Her acting comes into play years later as she becomes a British secret agent on a dangerous mission in Nazi-occupied France.
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These Violent Delights
by Chloe Gong
Recommended by: Brandee
Set in 1920s Shanghai, a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet follows the star-crossed romance of a flapper-turned-gang leader who must set aside her prejudices to work beside a rival to protect their city from territorial gangsters.
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Shrines of Gaiety
by Kate Atkinson
Recommended by: Laura
In London after the Great War, Nellie Carter, the notorious and ruthless queen of a dazzling, seductive and corrupt new world in the clubs of Soho, finds her success breeding enemies as she faces threats from without and within, revealing the dark underbelly beneath Soho's gaiety.
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Himawari House
by Harmony Becker
Recommended by: Lori
When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There she meets Hyejung and Tina...The trio live together, share meals, and even attend the same Japanese-language school, which results in them becoming fast friends. But will they be able to hold one another up as life tests them with new loves, old heartbreaks, and the everyday challenges of being fish out of water?
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Hamnet
by Maggie O'Farrell
Recommended by: Sarah V.
The award-winning author of I Am, I Am, I Am presents the evocative story of a young Shakespeare’s marriage to a talented herbalist before the ravaging death of their 11-year-old son shapes the production of his greatest play.
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The Candy House
by Jennifer Egan
Recommended by: Kelly
Told through lives of multiple characters, this electrifying, deeply moving novel follows Own Your Unconscious, a new technology that allows access to every memory you've ever had, and to share every memory in exchange for access to the memories of others.
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The White Mosque
by Sofia Samatar
Recommended by: Sarah R.
This blend of memoir, history, and travelogue was one of the most unique books I read this year. Samatar discusses her experience of growing up biracial in the Mennonite Church, shares the fascinating history of a group of Mennonites who traveled to Central Asia a century ago, and writes of her travels following their path. Her candid reflections and excellent travel writing make for an absorbing read.
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I'm Glad My Mom Died
by Jennette McCurdy
Audiobook recommended by: Claire
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her mother—and how she retook control of her life.
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Ducks : Two Years in the Oil Sands
by Kate Beaton
Recommended by: Sarah L.
Beaton’s natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, Northern Lights, and Rocky Mountains. Her first full-length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.
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