When asked to share what they are reading (or have recently finished reading) staff at both the Cedar Mill & Bethany Libraries had a lot to say! Here are some of the books that have our attention right now:
some of our Bethany staff
Animal, Vegetable, Junk by Mark Bittman. My favorite cookbook author and food activist presenting an exhaustive history of why humans eat what and how they do. I highly recommend his reading of the audiobook (available on Libby or CD)! – Lori
The Guest List by Lucy Foley. This thriller is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware. – Julie
A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg. A wonderful, peripatetic look at Caracara birds. The author takes the reader through time & place to provide the natural history of these intriguing birds. An enjoyable book! – Lisa
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson. Humorous and yet serious topics are discussed in her short essays. Her own health, family, and daily life are major discussion points, and her wacky personality shines through it all. – Nicole
The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley. Set in an alternate Britain that lost the Napoleonic Wars, amnesic Joe Tournier receives a mysterious postcard of the Eilean Mor lighthouse dated from nearly a century ago, and following it leads him to Scotland, 1807, where he is abducted by British naval captain Missouri Kite. Pulley’s time-bending, heart-wrenching, brilliantly clever historical fantasy novel is a delight from start to finish. – Christine
Shakespeare in a divided America: what his plays tell us about our past and future by James Shapiro. Shakespeare has shaped what it means to be an American in so many ways I had never considered before. Some of the influence is for the better, yet seeing how his plays have been used to justify all sorts of troublesome impulses made me deeply uncomfortable too. It’s a fascinating look at how Shakespeare, acting and theatre going has impacted America throughout our history. – Mark
Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski. A prequel to the Witcher series, and a great way to get my Witcher fix while I wait for the next season of the Netflix show. – Carrie
Caste: the origins of our discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. It’s a look at our American racial hierarchies and ways of keeping them in place as a caste system. It is eye-opening and interesting, and the style of writing is engaging. – Katie
some of our Cedar Mill staff
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V .E. Schwab. The story was touching and a little dark and sad – A young woman makes a desperate bargain to be free but ends up being forgotten, and 300 years later, meets someone who finally remembers her. The main characters were imperfect in their own ways, but good for each other. I recommend listening to the book; the narrator, Julia Whelan, did a wonderful job with it. – Sonia
The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers. This is the latest and last book in the Wayfarers series. Chambers is a master at exploring societies and relationships through all the unique species that populate these cozy sci-fi tales. I end up so invested in each character’s life that I’m always sad when the book ends, but each one is a wonderful ride. – Marti
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Plant ecologist and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation shows how we can combine scientific and indigenous knowledge to learn to live in harmony with the earth. – Jenny
Blood & Ivy by Paul Collins. When murder upsets the prodigious Harvard Medical School, nobody is beyond suspicion. I love how this book explores new-at-the-time scientific discoveries, the reach of old family names and money, and what it takes to find the truth behind what really happened to one of the school’s own alumni. – Shannon
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. A novel about family and individual relationships all subtly connected to the abduction of 2 young girls in far Eastern Russia. – Harold
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue. An interesting perspective as it takes place in a maternity ward during the 1918 pandemic. – Jessica
Beach Read by Emily Henry. I like that the two characters – both novelists – were stuck with not only their writing but in their personal lives. They found a way to help each other move past their problems. – Kim
The Life She Wished to Live: a biography of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings by Ann McCutchan. I am impressed and inspired by her determination to carve her own path in the world. And, because for me reading is an endless chain, each book leading to the next, I will then read Cross Creek, Rawlings’ own memoir of her time in rural Florida where she wrote The Yearling, which I will not re-read because I cannot handle the heartbreak. – Cori
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson. The plot and world continue to evolve in this newest installment of the Stormlight Archive. Each book has tightly written prose that culminates into a grand finale, leaving you to wonder how you read such a large book so quickly! – Kerry
Shit, Actually: the Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West. A funny and feminist take on films we all love, hate, and love to hate. – Erica
In a Desert Garden: love and death among the insects. I like John Alcock’s desert-related books. A witty man, his writing makes even insects a good read! – Pam
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt (Anonymous). Quirky, funny, sweet, pretty quick, but I took photos if at least 3 paragraphs because I love the writing. – Jen
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart paints a complicated portrait of a unique and struggling young boy in the backdrop of Scotland in the 1980’s. – Angela
