Library staff have chosen our favourite books of 2024!
All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
This book was unforgettable. Spanning 25+ years from 1976 to 2001, it follows Saint and Patch as they grow from teenagers to adults, each taking a different path. Whitaker captures the grit and heart of small-town life, showing how society treats its most vulnerable. The story is raw and honest, with heavy themes like abuse and loss, but moments of hope and kindness shine through. With vivid characters and deep emotion, this powerful tale will stay with you long after the final page. It’s a rollercoaster of feelings — from anger to sadness and, finally, hope. - Jen D.
Bless your Heart by Lindy Ryan
"Bless Your Heart", the thrilling debut by Lindy Ryan, serves up an awesome bunch of mystery, horror, and Southern sass! Set in the quirky, small-town world of 1999 Southeast Texas, the Evans women who are the strong, proud, generational owners of the town’s only funeral parlour, are used to handling the dearly departed. But when the dead start breaking all the rules and refuse to stay in their graves, things get downright creepy. With an ancient vampire lurking, family secrets bubbling to the surface, and a rising army of the undead, the Evans clan must rally together to save their town as well as each other. Packed with charm, chills, and unbelievable twists, "Bless Your Heart" is an unforgettable tale of resilience, family, and laying the past (and the dead) to rest. Grab your sweet tea and hold onto your hat because Yee-haw, this one is a wild ride. - Ashley
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
My favourite read of 2024 was "Blue Sisters" by Coco Mellors. This beautifully written novel explores the complexities of family, identity, and how childhood shapes us. The story follows four very different sisters, their pasts filled with unspoken truths about their parents, and their journey toward understanding and reconciliation. Mellors’ writing is so good, and I loved the descriptions of the characters and their sibling dynamics. It was a captivating and deeply emotional read and I cried at the end. For anyone who enjoys domestic fiction and especially for anyone who has sisters, this was a great read. - Emma
The Bright Sword: a novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman
"The Bright Sword" begins with young Collum leaving his home on a northern island to join King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. When he gets to Camelot, he learns King Arthur is not two weeks dead. If you find this premise funny, you may enjoy "The Bright Sword". Collum goes on quests with the remaining B-List knights to figure out who should be the next King of Camelot. An homage to Arthurian legend but also a nod (I thought) to "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", it's a engaging and interesting read, the 2024 book I enjoyed the most. - Elisa
Doppelganger by Naomi Klein
Klein is best known for books like "No Logo" and "The Shock Doctrine", books where she is not afraid to express her strong political opinions. So, when reporters and interviewers frequently confuse her with another writer of a similar name, one who lives at the other end of the political spectrum, it annoys her. She feels this other Naomi is not only wrong but a bit crazy. In "Doppelganger", she does a deep dive into the politics of the fringe (what she calls “the mirror world”) and in doing so comes to understand how people can hold such extreme and illogical views. She also comes to sympathize with them. In our current political climate, she concludes, it does no good to dismiss the other side. If we are to rescue democracy from populist autocrats, we must truly listen to the people we don’t agree with. We must learn to understand them and realize that their views on, say, the Great Replacement Theory or vaccinations as a conduit for mind-controlling nanoparticles come not from sound reasoning but from places of injury and fear. - Ken
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
"The Tainted Cup" begins with a mysterious death of a high Imperial officer who appears to have been killed when a tree spontaneously erupts from his body. Enter the wildly eccentric genius detective Ana Dolabra and her engraver assistant Dinios Kol who is magically altered to possess a perfect memory. The two get caught up in a conspiracy that goes deeper than one murder. This is a really fun story that combines murder mystery with fantasy. The unique Sherlock Holmes and Watson pairing of Ana and Din is incredibly entertaining and Ana’s character brings so much humour to the story. - Natashia
Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson (eBook available through OverDrive/Libby)
I picked this book because I found it to be an incredibly interesting read. It explores witchcraft accusation cases that are not as well known as some like the Salem Witch Trials. It's also a refreshing take in the history genre because it gives a voice to those who have been silenced, rather than glorifying the same political leaders or historical figures that have been covered in hundreds of other books. - Josh