As 2023 comes to a close, we’ve gathered a list of 16 of our faculty’s most memorable reads this year! From fiction novels to memoirs, comics to essay collections, this list includes a diverse set of recommendations from our library staff. Each featured staff member was also kind enough to provide some background on the stories they picked and why they loved them. Many of their choices are available at Blough Weis, so make sure to stop by in 2024 to check them out!
Ryan Ake
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
“Warwickshire in the 1580s. Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts. She settles with her husband in Henley street, Stratford, and has three children: a daughter, Susanna, and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. The boy, Hamnet, dies in 1596, aged eleven. Four years or so later, the husband writes a play called Hamnet.
“Maggie O’Farrell has an incredibly vivid writing style and it really shows in this work. I love historical fiction, particularly stories that revolve around well-known individuals. William Shakespeare exists in this story, but I enjoy how O’Farrell makes him a supporting character, never mentioning him by name. His work is barely ever mentioned, except for when Agnes goes to see the play named after her son at the end of the book – it’s an incredibly moving scene”.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
“Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
This is a feel-good story that helps you believe in the kindness of humans. The children in the story are so unique, but all have an unconditional love for each of the members that belong in their make-shift family. Read this if you need a little pick-me-up”.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
“After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
A fantastic mystery unravels throughout this story. The characters feel like people you’d meet in real life, and I love that so much of this story is told from the point-of-view of an octopus. The unlikely friendships that are created along the way don’t feel forced, and it’s wonderful to see how Marcellus works to bring some happiness and closure to the humans he’s befriended. Another feel-good book you can’t put down”.
Amanda Boyer
The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro
“I think anyone who reads The Haunting of Alejandra will walk away with a much better understanding of postpartum depression and how it truly is not the mother’s fault and also how it can run in families. This is a topic that is not talked about enough, and this book is great at shedding light on it.
I chose [this book] because the cover stood out to me. I loved the elements of magical realism and how it used a demon to symbolize postpartum depression and talk about generational trauma. I listened to the audiobook in one day, and the performance of the book was phenomenal”.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
“Happy Place is Emily Henry’s latest book. I’ve been a fan of her books from the start, so of course, I had to read this one, too!
Happy Place might be my favorite so far by Emily Henry. I love her use of time and place in this book, and it’s a great reflection on the concept of happiness. This book will feel accessible to fans who may not normally pick up a romance book”.
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
“I chose this one because the premise sounded interesting, and I heard a lot of feedback on the book.
This book is a hard read because of the content, but I think it is an important read because it truly captures the power imbalance between a grown man and young girl. The author does a great job of showing the psychological effects of grooming. It’s definitely a book that messes with your head, and it will stay with you long after the last page”.
Amir El-Chidiac
Power Born of Dreams by Mohammad Sabaaneh
“This book is an account of life as a Palestinian living under Israeli occupation. The author uses linocuts to depict his experiences and his community’s experiences. It’s beautiful and heart-wrenching. There is something powerful about the author etching these stories, the physicality of it, that strips away anything superfluous. As someone with close ties to Lebanon and Syria and whose family and friends have been impacted by Israeli occupation, this book is especially poignant. However, this book is also illuminating for people who just want to understand and witness a Palestinian perspective”.
Sink by Joseph Earl Thomas
“This book wrecked me. It’s a challenging book to get through because it deals with addiction, poverty, and abuse of every kind. Written in vignettes, Joseph navigates growing up as a Black geek in a world that doesn’t love or support him. He guides the reader through his upbringing with tenderness and honesty, which is met with retaliation from his family and peers. Thomas finds refuge in Pokemon, video games, and anime. This book received mixed reviews due to its writing style, but I found the writing style lends itself to writing about trauma more realistically. This is a book that sticks with you long after you are done reading it”.
Rob Sieczkiewicz
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
“Transporting readers to the vibrant streets of 1970s Harlem, “Crook Manifesto” by Colson Whitehead is the eagerly awaited sequel to his acclaimed “Harlem Shuffle.” I really enjoyed both books in the series because they echoed Chester Himes’ iconic “Harlem Detective” novels of the 1950s. Yet as Walter Mosley observes in his New York Times review, “There’s an element of crime here, certainly, but as in Whitehead’s previous books, genre isn’t the point. Here he uses the crime novel as a lens to investigate the mechanics of a singular neighborhood at a particular tipping point in time.” Ray Carney, the protagonist, is no detective; he’s a furniture store owner navigating the challenges of being a Black business owner in Harlem. Carney strives to operate within the bounds of the law, but his father’s criminal legacy, crooked cops and mobsters, and Ray’s own past make that a struggle”.
Stay True by Hua Hsu
“I found Stay True by Hua Hsu to be a compelling memoir about going to college in Berkeley in the 1990s, of finding friends, and losing one to violence. I was in college about this time, which made it especially resonant to me, but I suspect college students today would still connect with Hsu’s story of growing, connecting, and grieving”.
Inciting Joy by Ross Gay
“I’m saving for last the book that had the deepest impact on me this year, Ross Gay’s Inciting Joy. I only knew Ross Gay’s name and the enthusiasm and reverence with which poetry enthusiasts I knew spoke. I picked up this book because it was recommended by a library student worker, and I’m grateful that I did. Books of essays are weird constructs – you’re reading nonfiction not to learn information in the topic, but because, perhaps you want to spend time with a certain voice. That could be a figurative voice, the author’s words on the page, or a literal voice if you’re listening to the audio version. I recommend both. Gay writes beautifully about a range of topics – basketball, gardening, working, losing one’s parents, who is included and who is excluded, and so much more – all organized around the theme of joy. As a reader, Gay has a voice that is calm and gentle, funny and forceful, and completely spellbinding. Whether you are curious about the ways we find and create joy in our angry, unequal world, or you just want to spend time with a wise and kind soul, get yourself a copy of Inciting Joy“.
Nichole Baer
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
“Black Cake is a great family drama that spans different time periods and continents and begs the question of how well we really know our parents. I think children often just imagine their parents as old and forget that they have had full lives that don’t involve them (the kids)”.
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
“A Head Full of Ghosts is a thriller, and I LOVE a good thriller. This novel tells the tale of an exorcism, but you never know if the haunting is true or made up. I couldn’t put this one down”!
Morgan MacVaugh
The Unfamiliar by Kristy Logan
“Kirsty Logan is a master of short fiction, so when she said she was coming out with her first memoir, I had it preordered in a minute. This book explores themes of queerness, infertility, grief, and motherhood. It’s a hard read in some places, and beautifully haunting in others. I can’t recommend it enough”.
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
“This was my first read of Braithwaite’s work, and it did not disappoint. This was, by far, my favorite audiobook that I’ve listened to this year. It’s thriller fiction that reads like memoir; Korede’s voice is so genius, I’d almost believe her to be a real person”.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefwater
“I reread this book at least once a year, sometimes twice. Either in print or audiobook format, it’s absolutely flawless. It’s YA with the perfect blend of myth and reality. The characters and story stay with you long after you’ve read it. It’s one of those books where the summary will never do it justice—just go read it”!
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