Celebrate National Library Card Sign-Up Month!
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month—a time when we highlight the importance of access to libraries and the incredible books and resources they provide for all people and their communities.
To celebrate our beloved library cards, Borrow. Read. Repeat. staff are sharing each of the books we’ve checked out this month.
For information about Library Card Sign-Up Month and to learn about ways you can get involved, visit the American Library Association’s official website.
Maureen:
Currently Borrowing: Natural Beauty: A Novel by Ling Ling Huang
*A LibraryReads Pick*
Sly, surprising, and razor-sharp, Natural Beauty follows a young musician into an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost.
“Her talents . . . harmonize most seamlessly when she writes about music, managing the near-impossible feat of crafting descriptions of the compositions that are as airy and adroit as the melodies themselves . . . The novel is a meditation on vanity, the ways in which the pursuit of physical beauty can betray the other sources of beauty in one’s life, and how horror can lurk beneath the surface of even the most poreless skin.”—The New York Times Book Review
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook
Jen C.:
Currently Borrowing: Bright I Burn: A Novel by Molly Aitken
A fierce, electrifying novel inspired by the true story of the first woman to be condemned as a witch in Ireland.
In thirteenth-century Ireland, a woman with power is a woman to be feared.
“An incredible medieval life rendered in incandescent flashes . . . Aitken herself eschews convention: The historical novel, usually stuffed with worldbuilding and contextual detail, here unfolds via a lyric impressionism, moving like skipping stones through Alice’s life from girlhood to old age . . . Like many of history’s greatest figures, [Alice is] villain and victim in one.”—Kirkus Reviews
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook
Kate:
Currently Borrowing: Nickel Boys: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
*Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a LibraryReads Pick*
Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Academy Award® nominee RaMell Ross. Coming to Theaters this Fall.
This follow-up to The Underground Railroad brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
“Colson Whitehead continues to make a classic American genre his own . . . The narration is disciplined and the sentences plain and sturdy, oars cutting into water. Every chapter hits its marks . . . The ordinary language, the clear pane of his prose, lets the stories speak for themselves . . . Whitehead has written novels of horror and apocalypse; nothing touches the grimness of the real stories he conveys here.”—The New York Times
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Also Available in Spanish: Los chicos de la Nickel
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook
Watch the Nickel Boys Movie Trailer
Miriam:
Currently Borrowing: Terminal Boredom: Stories by Izumi Suzuki
The first English language publication of the work of Izumi Suzuki, a legend of Japanese science fiction and a countercultural icon.
“Suzuki’s stories are reminiscent of the unhinged science fiction dystopias of the master of the craft, Philip K. Dick . . . [and] extend the canon of twentieth century science fiction.”—Ian MacAllen, Chicago Review of Books
“There’s nothing boring about the short stories in Terminal Boredom.”—The A.V. Club
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
Rachel:
Currently Borrowing: Sleep Tight: A Novel by J. H. Market
The sole survivor of a serial killer might hold the key to stopping a new spree of murders in this propulsive horror thriller in the vein of The Black Phone and The Whisper Man.
Beware the one who got away . . .
Dark and twisting at every turn, fans of Catriona Ward will love this chilling new tale from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the “clear heir to Stephen King.”
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Sharnell:
Currently Borrowing: Funny Story: A Novel by Emily Henry
*A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick*
A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.
“Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun . . . As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read. Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Available in Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook
Elizabeth:
Currently Borrowing: What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust: A Novel by Alan Bradley
*A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick*
Amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers a secret that brings the greatest shock of her life.
“To say I am overjoyed by the return of the magnificent Flavia is a massive understatement. It is a great day when we have her back in our lives with a new, and riveting, crime to solve. Brava, Flavia. Bravo, Alan!”—Louise Penny
“Cozy mystery fans will love this latest delightful installment featuring Flavia de Luce, Alan Bradley’s plucky and spirited protagonist.”—Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook
Check Out More Books in the Flavia de Luce Series
Kelly:
Currently Borrowing: A Kid from Marlboro Road: A Novel by Edward Burns
*A LibraryReads Pick*
An Irish-American family comes to life through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy in this debut novel by actor-filmmaker Ed Burns. Immigrants and storytellers, lilting voices and Long Island moxie are all part of this colorful Irish-Catholic community in 1970s New York.
“Ed Burns knocks it out of the park with this poignant coming-of-age story about a mama’s boy attempting to break free from his mother while her own hopes and dreams fall apart. Beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest, A Kid from Marlboro Road will resonate with both young people seeking independence and older generations who have experienced the pain of letting go. As a soon-to-be empty nester, I laughed, cried, and savored every page.”—Emily Giffin, author of Something Borrowed
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
For the Whole Family:
Jen R.:
Currently Borrowing: Back to the Future: The Classic Illustrated Storybook Illustrated by Kim Smith
Great Scott! The hilarious hit movie from the 1980s is now a wild and wacky picture book perfect for kids of any age!
More than 35 years after its theatrical debut, Back to the Future remains a perennial favorite in classrooms and at family movie nights across the country. This story illustrated by Kim Smith captures all the classic moments of the film through fun and kid-friendly illustrations. Follow teenage Marty McFly as he travels from 1985 to 1955, meets his parents (as teenagers), and teaches his father how to stand up to bullies. Complete with a time-traveling DeLorean, a mad scientist companion, and a lightning-fueled finale, this is the perfect book for kids, parents, and anyone looking to go back in time.
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Check Out More Books in the Pop Classics Series