Tag Archives: new releases

Resolve to Read in 2019!

 

via dreamstime.com

We’re not terribly big fans of New Year’s Resolutions in general, beloved patrons, as I think we’ve mentioned here previously.  If you want to make a change in your life, there is no better time to start than right now(ish), regardless of the date or time.  And there is no reason to feel pressured to make changes if you don’t feel the need or desire to do so, no matter what anyone tells you.  We think you’re terrific.

That being said, there’s no time like the present to indulge in some good habits, right?  And in that spirit, we wanted to let you know about some of the phenomenal reading challenges and book lists for 2019 that will help you expand your reading horizons, walk a mile in some new shoes, and find some new kinds of storytelling the the new year.

A good place to start is right inside the Main Library, where we have some book displays to get you started.  Check out our “Resolve to Read” Card Catalog Display, which features some of the titles listed below, as well as the “Broaden Your Horizons in 2019” Display, which has books to help you become a better human; we have books to help you learn how to cook, how to fix things, about understanding your rights in the workplace, and about our brains and bodies, how they work, and what they can do, all of which have been organized to help you find some new skills or new facts to store in your brain for the perfect upcoming occasion.

via BookRiot.com

In addition to our curated lists, we also encourage you to check out Book Riot’s 2019 Read Harder Challenge, an enormously popular reading resolution list that provides (according to BookRiot) “24 tasks designed to help you break out of your reading bubble and expand your worldview through books. With new genres, new authors, and new points of view, the challenge will (hopefully) help you discover amazing books you wouldn’t have otherwise picked up.”  We had great fun following this list in 2018, and are looking forward to doing the same this year, as well!  For those of you interested, here is a discussion of the challenge, and the list as assembled by our friends over at BookRiot:

“We encourage you to push yourself, to take advantage of this challenge as a way to explore topics or formats or genres that you otherwise wouldn’t try. But this isn’t a test. No one is keeping score and there are no points to post. We like books because they allow us to see the world from a new perspective, and sometimes we all need help to even know which perspectives to try out. That’s what this is—a perspective shift—but one for which you’ll only be accountable to yourself.”

The BookRiot 2019 Read Harder Challenge:

  1. An epistolary novel or collection of letters
  2. An alternate history novel
  3. A book by a woman and/or AOC (Author of Color) that won a literary award in 2018
  4. A humor book
  5. A book by a journalist or about journalism
  6. A book by an AOC set in or about space
  7. An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America
  8. An #ownvoices book set in Oceania
  9. A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads
  10. A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman
  11. A book of manga
  12. A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character
  13. A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse
  14. A cozy mystery
  15. A book of mythology or folklore
  16. An historical romance by an AOC
  17. A business book
  18. A novel by a trans or nonbinary author
  19. A book of nonviolent true crime
  20. A book written in prison
  21. A comic by an LGBTQIA creator
  22. A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009
  23. A self-published book
  24. A collection of poetry published since 2014

Let’s see what we can accomplish together with this list, beloved patrons!


 

We hope these lists and challenges have provided you a good place to begin on your reading resolutions for 2019, beloved patrons!  We’ll be offering some reviews and suggestions as the year goes on from these lists, and, of course, sharing with you some of the titles that have made our 2019 “Best Of” lists.  So stayed tuned, stay well, and keep on reading in the New Year!

Teen Takeover! New Autumn Releases We Can’t Stop Talking About!

While the start of Autumn may mean back to school it also means new book releases! Here are some of our favorites from the Teen Room! Enjoy!

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

A Pride & Prejudice retelling set in modern day Brooklyn! The tale follows Zuri Benitez and her four wild sisters through the struggle of teenage crushes, understanding family pride, and finding her place in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Bushwick. While staying true to the original’s themes and tone this story holds its own with a well written plot and colorful characters that are easy to relate to!

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

This is Hank Green’s debut novel which we couldn’t be more excited for! April-May becomes an overnight internet sensation after her and her friend Andy take a video of the “Carls”, robots that resemble a samurai Transformer, and ends up being swept up in a whirlwind of international fame, never-ending questions, and her own emotions. The story is quirky, well-written, and focuses on the unification of humanity.

The Lady’s Guide to Piracy and Petticoats by Mackenzie Lee

The second installment in the Montague Siblings Series picks up a year after the adventure from Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, starring our favorite moody sister Felicity! Felicity wants nothing but to be a doctor, but when the subject of her gender is brought into question she embarks on a journey through the German countryside to find Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician, to take her on as a research assistant.  Lee has outdone herself again with Lady’s Guide by continuing to use her voice to tackle subjects like misogyny, intersectional privilege, and racism while keeping the tone exciting and relatable. Another five star story from Mackenzie Lee!

People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins

One tense week brings all six people into close contact in a town wrought with political and personal tensions. This story revolves around the theme of gun violence which has been a point of concern in the last year. While this novel is not one of her usual free-verse style stories People Kill People still contains elements of her signature style. Though slower than her normal narratives this novel is masterfully written with a powerful message that reflects issues in our everyday life.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

From the best selling author of Dear, Martin comes a new story of self exploration, reuniting with old friends, making new friends, and self-discovery. Stone’s new novel revolves around three teens, each dealing with hardships that only the others can help figure out. The story deals with sexuality, friendship, and inward reflection making it an important novel for any high school aged teen. This book will break your heart but then carefully and lovingly put it back together again.

Happy Reading! Let us know which ones you’ll be checking out next!