Best of 2015: Staff Members’ Favourite Reads 1
Alyson:
The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)
Alyson really liked The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld for its unusual, lyrical, fairytale-like way of describing a terrible place.
An unnamed death-row inmate narrates a story about life on death row in a rundown prison he calls "the enchanted place", focusing on a woman researching the life of another prisoner in an attempt to commute his sentence even though the man wants to die. The author herself has worked as a death-row investigator.
Erin:
At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Large Print
• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)
While her husband, Ellis, and his friend try to find the Loch Ness monster in an attempt to win back his father's good graces, Maddie is left on her own in World War II-era Scotland.
The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Large Print
• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)
Simon is a librarian, who receives a mysterious old book from a bookseller. The book tells the story of a traveling circus and appears to be connected to his family. Does this book hold family secrets? Why do so many women in his family drown and could his sister be next?
MCE:
March. Book Two written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin; art by Nate Powell
The second volume in the civil rights leader/congressman's graphic book memoir covers the Freedom Rides and March on Washington. It's an incredibly moving series.
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
• eAudiobook
• eBook
A lovely YA novel about a group of teens who are not among the "chosen ones". While other high school students in town are fighting with or falling in love with vampires or trying to save the world from the undead, Mike and his friends are just trying to finish high school with their friendships and dignity intact.
Paula
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• eAudiobook
• eBook
A haunting story about two sisters living in a town where everyone hates them since four members of their family died of arsenic poisoning. Merricat, Constance and Uncle Julian coast along trying to avoid the town folks until a visit from cousin Charles changes everything.
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7 thoughts on “Best of 2015: Staff Members’ Favourite Reads 1”
I really enjoy the posts that feature the favourite books of Toronto Public Library employees.
I hope you’ll consider doing more of these posts in 2016! 🙂
Love the Shirley Jackson. Read her instead of Joyce Carol Oates, who seems to have been heavily influenced by Jackson’s critiques of rural lore, cruelty and conflicts. Great choice, Paula.
These specific types of content seem very authentic, and so, appealing. Thank you for the recommendations.
I, too, always love these “TPL staff favourite reads” posts. I look forward to them every year.
Lydia, Sophia, and bookwormJH:
Thank you for your kind words.
Our staff members love sharing their recommendations with you.
Of course we’d also love to know what your best books of the year were. Share your choices in the comments section.
It’s a fantastic book. I love everything she wrote.
March is such a GREAT series! The art just blew me away – so many haunting scenes that brought tears to my eyes.