Lewis & Clark Library Blog

As 2024 comes to a close, Lewis & Clark Library staff were asked to reflect on their favorite read of the past year.  It is often hard, if not impossible to pick just one favorite book from the last twelve months, so know that the books that follow may have many close runner up choices. Also, it is our hope that you've had the opportunity to find many new favorite books this year and that the library has served you well in your reading selections. We appreciate you, dear Reader!
Now for some of our favorite reads of 2024:

John . . .

James by Percival Everett

James is a beautifully written retelling of the Huckleberry Finn adventures. The story is told from the point of view of Huck’s companion Jim. James tells a similar story, but with much more humanity and understanding than Twain could manage in 1885. Heartbreaking; at times funny; brutal; but always beautiful and revealing.
Find James in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Amanda . . .

The Women by Kristin Hannah

This novel paints a stirring portrait of a woman’s experience not only of the Vietnam War, but the world following its end.  It is a tale of strength and determination, but also the fragility of human existence, both physically and emotionally. As always, Hannah’s attention to historical detail lends to a feeling of authenticity. I’d give this book five stars!
Find The Women in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Clare . . .

A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko

In his signature style, Kevin Fedarko takes us along with him, as he and photographer Pete McBride, attempt to complete an end-to-end transvers of the Grand Canyon. Along the way we explore not only the scenery, but also the history and politics around the Canyon.  This book had me marveling at the immensity of the canyon itself as well as the odd human ability to think "oh how hard could that be?"  I'm ready for a vacation to the canyon, but perhaps just to peer admiringly over the edge.
Find A Walk in the Park in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Terri . . .

North Woods by Daniel Mason
When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave--only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive. This magisterial and highly inventive novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason brims with love and madness, humor and hope. Following the cycles of history, nature, and even language, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we're connected to our environment, to history, and to one another. It is not just an unforgettable novel about secrets and destinies, but a way of looking at the world that asks the timeless question: How do we live on, even after we're gone?

Find North Woods in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

April . . .

My Beloved Monster (the half-wild cat who rescued me) by Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat pairings: Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior.   For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb's life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha's inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests--a love story like no other.
Find My Beloved Monster in the library catalog
Read more about the author Here

 

Molly . . . 

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This book shook me out of a reading rut and pushed me to read more books outside of my comfort zone. 

In a small back alley of Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee--the chance to travel back in time. Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn't so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.  Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi's internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time? 
Find Before the Coffee Gets Cold in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Lisa . . .

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem--she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years. As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
Find The Husbands in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

 Holly . . .

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

I really enjoyed the Maisie Dobbs series by Jaqueline Winspear this year. It was such a pleasant surprise to read. The plot, characters, and setting were all very interesting. The writing was excellent. Plus the main character is not your usual heroine. I could see it as a really great PBS/BBC drama series. I could just see it all in my head.  I  read the first four books in the series.  
Find the Maisie Dobbs series in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBooks and audiobooks
Hoopla eBooks and audiobooks
Read more about the author Here
 

Emmon . . .

Iron Widow  by Xiran Jay Zhao

In a land both futuristic and based on Ancient China, Zetian has given up on living long --so she sets her sights on revenge, planning to kill her sister's murderer (a mecha pilot widely hailed as a celebrity war hero). The trouble is, Zetian is more powerful than she imagined, and the war is not what it seems.  I loved the dramatic, no-holds-barred fierceness of Zetian's character --and I loved that she pulled no punches in a world that is determined to diminish and destroy her.
Find Iron Widow in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Deby . . .

A Brew to a Kill by Cleo Coyle

A shocking hit-and-run in front of her Village Blend coffeehouse spurs Clare Cosi into action. A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare is also a dedicated sleuth, and she's determined to track down this ruthless driver who ran down an innocent friend and customer. In the meantime, her ex-husband Matt, the shop's globetrotting coffee buyer, sources some amazing new beans from Brazil. But he soon discovers that he's importing more than coffee, and Clare may have been the real target of that deadly driver. Can ex-husband and wife work together to solve this mystery? Or will their newest brew lead to murder?
A Brew to Kill is the eleventh book in the Coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle. This cozy mystery series is really great and there are recipes!
Find the Coffee House mystery series in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobooks
Read more about the author Here

Eric L. . . .

Uzumaki  by Junji Ito

One of my favorite books I've read this year is Uzumaki by Junji Ito.  It's a horror manga with beautiful, often grotesque artwork.  The horror aspect centers around the concept of a spiral, in both literal and figurative ways.  Often unsettling, it kept me hooked, wondering what twisted things the author was going to throw at me next.
Find Uzumaki in the library catalog
Read more about the author Here

 

 

Malin . . .

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Warning: do not listen to this on audiobook while driving: it's so interesting, you won't be able to pay attention to the road! (I may possibly know from experience.) The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School follows a Latina teenager named Yamilet Flores as she transfers to a Catholic high school as a closeted lesbian. Yamilet is an incredibly lovable character, and I was so anxious for her at some points that I had to pause the audiobook and take some deep breaths. This book basically consumed my life until I finished it, and it was totally worth it. 10/10 recommend.
TW: This book deals with homophobia, racism, and mental illness. 
Find The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Eric W. . . .

Something Is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV; Werther Dell'Edera (Illustrator)

Imagine being so terrified of the creature under the bed that you manifest that monster into life, and then it goes on a rampage and kills all of your friends and family. That's when Erica Slaughter rolls into town. Erica is part of a secret organization that dispatches such horrific creations before they escape into the wider world, where tales of things can be kept quiet. Both thrilling and terrifying, this title is not for the faint of heart.
Find Something is Killing the Children in the library catalog
Also available by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera for digital checkout:
Hoopla comics

 

 

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp

Enjoy this modern-day fairytale, akin to Grimm tales of old, as one sister attempts to do something kind for her sister and the pitfalls of capitalism and greed. A pro-union and pro-worker tale, rendered in lush detail should become a new household favorite at story time. And there are super-cute spiders!
Find Bog Myrtle in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla eBook 

 

Beth . . .

Knitting the National Parks by Nancy Bates

This is such a cool knitting book!  Featuring a unique beanie pattern inspired by each of the 63 US National Parks, this collection is so creative and fun.  I don't know how many of the hats I will actually make from this book, but it's fun looking at the variety of patterns as well as the gorgeous landscapes from the various parks.  I especially love the patterns for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, the Joshua Tree in California, and Glacier Bay (Alaska).  I read a lot of good books this year, but this long awaited knitting book brought me the most joy! 
Find Knitting the National Parks in the library catalog 

Bretagne . . .

Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell; Lauren Elizabeth Stauble

The Future is Emotionally Intelligent --Find this helpful book in the parenting section!
We're in the midst of a parenting revolution that is radically changing the way we raise our kids. Gone are the days of minimizing emotions: Don't Cry. You're Fine. Don't Make a Scene. As our understanding of developing brains has increased, today's parents are looking for a new way to help their children understand their feelings and learn to process them. Emotional development experts Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed. and Lauren Stauble M.S. are at the forefront of a movement to foster little ones' emotional intelligence. Their revolutionary Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method has been a game changer for parents and educators, and now they are sharing it with readers in this indispensable guide.  Tiny Humans, Big Emotions provides the tools to tackle every sort of stressful child-rearing situation, including:
* What to do when your child throws a tantrum (it's not what you think!)
* Helpful scripts to handle any challenging moment like school refusal and bedtime resistance
* How to react when your child hits, punches, or bites
* Easy tips that help regulate your child's nervous system
* How to anticipate and end meltdowns before they even begin
Designed for all humans--tiny and big--this book shows caregivers of children how to handle their children's outbursts while empowering them to recognize and manage difficult feelings like anger, sadness, and shame, along with anxiety. All caregivers will find valuable insights and guidance in this book, especially those caring for children from infancy to age eight. Tiny Humans, Big Emotions equips adults with tools for emotional intelligence so they can respond with intention. This innovative, research-based approach teaches children self-regulation and empathy, even as it strengthens the parent-child relationship, setting the groundwork for a lifetime of emotional resilience and wellbeing.  This book is an essential, empathetic guide that will teach parents to notice their own habits and hold space for their tiny human's big emotions.
Find Tiny Humans, Big Emotions in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby audiobook

 

Thanks for reading the blog in 2024!  Now to get ready for next year.  Are you the kind of person who likes to set reading goals for the New Year? Stay tuned for some great tips on setting New Year's reading intentions.  

Emmon recommends . . .

Lewis & Clark Library's Teen Services Librarian Sherry has left the building, but not before we gave her a proper send off with celebratory balloons, food, well-wishes, and more. Sherry gave so much to the library community. She ran numerous successful library programs for the teens and was always a wonderful work colleague. We will miss Sherry tremendously but know she will find continued success and happiness in her future endeavors.

Here are a few parting book recommendations from Sherry.  Thanks for everything, Sherry! Keep in touch!

Sherry recommends . . .

The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn't exactly what Anya thought it would be? Night after night, it is lonely in the desert, with only one lantern for light. Still, Anya is eager to prove her worth, to show her thanks to her friends and her village. But is it worth the cost? And yet something isn't right. When Anya glimpses the one thing that could destroy what she's meant to protect, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences. K. O'Neill brings to life a beautifully illustrated fantasy with lush, gorgeous art and intricate world-building. A story about coming of age and community, The Moth Keeper is filled with magic, hope, and friendship.

Find The Moth Keeper in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook 

 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place--and realizing that family is yours. 
Find The House in the Cerulean Sea in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo

In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North. Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Americans could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who traveled another 1,000 miles criss-crossing New England, drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionist luminaries of the day--among them Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown. But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as slave hunters came up from Georgia, forcing the Crafts to flee once again--this time from the United States, their lives and thousands more on the line and the stakes never higher. With three epic journeys compressed into one monumental bid for freedom, Master Slave Husband Wife is an American love story--one that would challenge the nation's core precepts of life, liberty, and justice for all--one that challenges us even now.
Find Master Slave Husband Wife in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook

 

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

Don and Mimi Galvin seemed to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don's work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their twelve children perfectly spanned the baby boom: the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. In those years, there was an established script for a family like the Galvins--aspiration, hard work, upward mobility, domestic harmony--and they worked hard to play their parts. But behind the scenes was a different story: psychological breakdown, sudden shocking violence, hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the ten Galvin boys, one after another, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family? What took place inside the house on Hidden Valley Road was so extraordinary that the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institute of Mental Health. Their story offers a shadow history of the science of schizophrenia, from the era of institutionalization, lobotomy, and the schizophrenogenic mother to the search for genetic markers for the disease, always amid profound disagreements about the nature of the illness itself. And unbeknownst to the Galvins, samples of their DNA informed decades of genetic research that continues today, offering paths to treatment, prediction, and even eradication of the disease for future generations. With clarity and compassion, bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker uncovers one family's unforgettable legacy of suffering, love, and hope.
Find Hidden Valley Road in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook

Emily recommends . . .

Once upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho

The premise sounds unbelievable - a K-Pop idol visits his childhood friend in the United States and asks her to prom?! - but the author keeps it realistic, portraying the frustrations of high school, family life, and first loves, as well as the less glamorous side of international pop superstardom.

Find Once upon a K-Prom in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

If you’re reading this blog, I feel confident in my assumption that you are a fan of reading and libraries. I also feel confident in assuming you’re looking for a new book to read. And lastly, I am confident you like variety—because, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life!  In today’s blog post, rest assured, you’ll find plenty of variety in the book recommendations we offer: a humorous travelogue set in Britain, a poignant memoir in graphic novel form, a debut novel exploring identity—racial and sexual, a futuristic science fiction novel about clones and interplanetary travel, and, finally, a modern Young Adult romance. Talk about variety—at the Lewis & Clark Library, you will find a variety of reading choices every day of the week. 

Happy Reading! 

 John recommends . . . 

Notes from a Small Island: An Affectionate Portrait of Britain 
by Bill Bryson 

I really love Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. I read/listened to it on my flight to England, and finished it when I returned home. It was very funny. I loved the way that Bryson described the peculiarities of life in the UK, especially since I would experience the same "slightly off" way of life myself. Although we did not experience the same sort of pub life that he did, those descriptions were very fun. I highly recommend the book for Anglophiles. Bryson always reads his own audiobooks. He is a masterful reader. 

Find Notes from a Small Island in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla eBook 

Katy recommends . . . 

The Best We Could Do
written and illustrated by Thi Bui 

A heartfelt illustrated memoir about war, immigration, and family trauma that is moving and also shares a historical perspective that was new to me. 

Find The Best We Could Do in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook
Hoopla eBook
Watch a LA Public Library sponsored interview with Thi Bui Here 

James recommends . . . 

Rainbow Milk (2021)
by Paul Mendez 

Superb writing, gritty and authentic. Mendez explores the mid-20th century immigrant experience in the UK through the lives of a Jamaican family in the industrial West Midlands. The story is a nonlinear narrative, moving back and forth through the life of the main character, Jesse. 

Find Rainbow Milk in the catalog Here
Also available in digital format:
Montana Library2Go eBook and Audiobook  
Rainbow Milk is Paul Mendez’s debut novel. Read more about the author Here 

Guil recommends . . . 

Mickey 7 
by Edward Ashton 
 
Check out this great science fiction title with interesting and exciting world-building combined with a genuinely funny point of view character. Ashton also investigates the morality of his central premise in a satisfying way. 

Plans are underway to adapt Mickey7 into a major motion picture directed by Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) starring Robert Pattinson. Also, Antimatter Blues, a sequel to Mickey7, is projected to be published in March 2023.

Find Mickey7 in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook and Audiobook
Read more about the author Edward Ashton Here 

Rachel recommends . . . 

Here's to Us 
by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera  

This sequel to What If It's Us is even better than the first novel in the series. A heartwarming tale of two boys trying to decide if the universe is bringing them together or pulling them apart. With timely cultural references, such as to the musical Six!, tied in, this is a feel-good story that I immensely enjoyed from start to finish! 

Find Here’s to Us in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Montana Library2Go/Libby eBook and Audiobook
Read more about the authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera 

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