Staff Picks Adult Fiction

Iron Flame

by Rebecca Yarros

In this sequel to Fourth Wing (2023), twenty-one-year-old Navarrian woman Violet Sorrengail grapples with daunting challenges, her joints threatening to give way with every exertion. Alongside her companions Xaden Riorson and their dragons, internal struggles clash with external conflicts against military and governmental forces.

Despite her physical limitations, Violet embodies resilience and strength as a formidable warrior. Bonded to two dragons, Tairn and Andarna, she stands poised to wield not one, but two powers—an extraordinary feat typically reserved for those bonded to a dragon previously linked to a family member, akin to her lover Xaden’s connection with Sgaeyl.

Expertly crafted chapters conclude with devastation yet offer renewal, mirroring the cycle of destruction and rejuvenation. Through the pages of Violet’s library, glimpses of forthcoming challenges emerge, enhancing the narrative’s suspense. A warrior at heart and a scholar in mind, Violet epitomizes the ideal heroine, disability notwithstanding.

As their yearning for honesty and transparency strains their relationship, an unexpected cliffhanger finale threatens to unravel Violet and Xaden’s bond, culminating in a brutal yet poignant conclusion.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Jackie Boyd, Communications Manager

Posted in: Adult Fiction

All Good People Here

by Ashley Flowers

Nestled in the heart of Indiana lies Wakarusa, a quaint enclave where familiarity breeds chatter. Within its close-knit community, two entwined narratives unfold with a rapid and intricate cadence, initially shrouded in ambiguity. The first centers on Margot Davies, a young journalist who returns to her hometown to care for her ailing uncle Luke, grappling with dementia. Concurrently, the tale of January Jacobs emerges, a haunting echo of the JonBenet Ramsey case, a six-year-old beauty queen who vanished in the 90s.

Tragically, January’s fate is swiftly discovered, her lifeless form found in a desolate ditch. Margot, deeply intertwined in the fabric of January’s story as her former neighbor and peer, grapples with relentless ghosts of the past. Yet, as another young girl, Natalie, disappears from a neighboring town, Margot’s relentless pursuit of truth jeopardizes her professional standing as a reporter.

For aficionados of crime narratives, this novel promises intrigue as characters navigate the murky waters of deception to evade the prying eyes of gossip. In Wakarusa, appearances deceive, and discerning readers are urged to unravel the intricate web of clues to uncover the truth concealed within its folds.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrvie/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Jackie Boyd, Communications Manager

Posted in: Adult Fiction

The Unchartered Flight of Olivia West

by Sara Ackerman

This riveting novel is inspired by real life events and tells the story of a female aviator who defied the odds and entered a daring race across the Pacific in 1927.   Being a woman, she is unable to enter the race as a pilot and is forced to enter as a navigator for a male pilot where she quickly proves her worth.  The novel then crosses over to 1987 where clues to this piece of aviation history are found in a dilapidated barn by a young woman determined to find out what really happened all those years ago.  Fast paced and exciting to the very end!

This book is available in the library and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Denise Mitchel, Patron Services Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Legends and Lattes

by Travis Baldree

Viv is ready to put her adventuring days behind her. After her last quest to retrieve a mythical stone, she’s ready to take on a new adventure….the food and beverage industry. But what does an orc barbarian know about running a coffee shop? Viv makes friends and discovers her softer side while slinging lattes and pastries to the citizens of her new home. Baldree has created a story for a super niche genre reader which combines the fantasy elements of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with a cozy relationship story.

This book is available in the library, on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook, and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Lincoln Highway

by Amor Towles

A story of camaraderie and adventure spanning ten days and told from multiple points of view, a multilayered tale of misadventure and self-discovery, populated by an eclectic cast of characters, from drifters who make their home riding the rails and larger-than-life vaudevillians to the aristocrats of the Upper East Side.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

The Women

by Kristin Hannah

An amazing book about the powerful and horrific sacrifices of American Military nurses who served in Vietnam and the many challenges they faced when they returned stateside.  It is a wonderful novel of friendship and the commitment that so many of these women showed to their country. This book brought tears to my eyes and brought back memories of the POW bracelet I wore as a child during the war.  It is truly an overdue tribute to these remarkable women and I would highly recommend it!

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Denise Mitchel, Patron Services Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

The Hearts Invisible Furies

by John Boyne

We follow Cyril’s life told in 7 year spans from 1945 through 2015. Cyril is a wonderful character who makes some shocking mistakes along the way but does good things too. I loved his sense of humor, especially in the face of the ignorance and stupidity he had to put up with. We journey with him as he deals with his peculiar adoptive parents, sexuality, unrequited love, indecision, shame, tragedy, identity, and redemption.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an e audiobook

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphic Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Bandit Queens

by Parini Shroff

One may not think it, but there are perks to being a societal outcast. If you’re not so sure, come along for the ride that is Bandit Queens. Taking place in a remote village, engulfed in traditional values, the story focuses on Geeta, a woman who unintentionally moves through life against the grain. While the story is written with delicious bursts of humor, Shroff delivers a reflective look at female expectations and duty in a world where choice is not much of an option. Suspenseful, entertaining, thought-provoking, and contemporary, there is little to find at fault with this ride of story.

This book is available in the library and OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.

Recommended by: Helen Kametas, Adult Services Reference Librarian

Posted in: Adult Fiction

Before We Were Yours

by Lisa Wingate

There are two storylines going on in this novel, one in 1939 and one is present day. They slowly unravel and come together. This novel follows the lives of the five Foss siblings who grow up living on a Mississippi River shanty boat with their parents in 1939. They have a unique and wild childhood with parents who shower them with love and affection in unconventional ways.

This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as a ebook and e audiobook.

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction

A Gentleman in Moscow

by Amor Towles

This was an enchanting narrative with a charming character. A gentleman, Rostov, has been put under hotel arrest. For the next several years, as he serves his time, relationships are cultivated from employees to guests to the visitors he receives and to a young girl whom he becomes a guardian for.
Very descriptive – I tasted almost every meal he ate – from the crisp and tartness of an apple; to the bitterness of his coffee. This is a man who truly separated himself from others in appreciating the simple things in life. A man who was present, authentic and honorable.

This book is available in the library, on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook, and on Hoopla as an e audiobook.

Recommended by: Chris Schultz, Graphics Information Clerk

Posted in: Adult Fiction