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Book Clubs and Recommendations

Book clubs and recommendations offered at Hartford Public Library

Book Recommendations 2024

HPL's Weekly Book Recommendations

New Mystery Books

A Song to Drown Rivers

Ann Liang

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

"Exquisite and devastating. It won't fail to move you."

—Shelley Parker-Chan, #1 bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun

"...narration brings personalized stakes to imperial court drama and shows the double-edged sword of beauty. Fans of plot-driven historical fantasy should take note."

—Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

All the Hearts You Eat

Hailey Piper

"Piper cements her place in the queer horror canon.”

—Publishers Weekly

"...Hailey Piper grips us in this gorgeous, yet tragic death poem and life poem, in which we’re struck with the utter heartbreak of how when we are starved of friendship, love, and care we are turned into a monster. As beautiful as the sea and as unsettling as its destructive waves.”

—Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Crime Scene

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Weekly Book Recommendations

Hauntingly Good Reads

 

Incidents Around the House      

Josh Malerman

"A disturbing bedtime story told by a broken child, this book IS the monster that lives inside your closet.”

—Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author

“Deeply discomfiting, imaginatively ripe, yet ruthlessly efficient . . . Simply put—and I do not say this lightly—Incidents Around the House is the most purely effective horror novel I have ever read.”

—Esquire, “Best Horror Books of 2024”

Find it HERE in our catalog

 

Mothtown

Caroline Hardaker

"As thought-provoking as it is chilling."

– Publishers Weekly

" . . . Caroline Hardaker writes with a poet's sensibility, conjuring a world both vividly familiar and alienating, mapping the landscapes around us and the struggles of the human soul with empathy and beautiful prose. Strange and moving in the best way, this story will stay with me for a long time."

Sophie Keetch, author of Morgan Is My Name

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Celebrating Halloween with these scary good reads

This Cursed House

Del Sandeen

". . . A haunting beautiful story about how far we would go for family — both living and dead"

—Darcy Coates, USA Today bestselling author of The Whispering Dead

"A fresh perspective to the gothic horror genre. The author’s exploration of bloodlines, family, and race is complex and nuanced, and her heroine is easy to root for as she confronts ghosts both literal and metaphorical. Sandeen offers much to chew on.”

Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

The Blue Hour

Paula Hawkins

"An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller. . . truly exceptional." 

Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The God of the Woods

"It is a very complex story and very sad. Unfolding slowly, it is fraught with angst and full of foreboding and comes to a frightening end."

—Booklist

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Vanishing Maps

Cristina García

". . . Readers will commiserate with Ivanito through his trials and tribulations with problematic family members and emotional trauma as García serves up a sabroso (tasty) smorgasbord of muy human family foibles, from obsession to passion, forbearance, and all kinds of love."

—Booklist

". . . The narrative becomes much more intriguing once the family members reunite. Though a slow burn, this will appeal to readers of Cuban diasporic stories."

—The Horn Book Magazine

Find it HERE in our catalog

Solito

Javier Zamora

New York Times Bestseller, Read With Jenna Book Club Pick as seen on Today, Winner of the Los Angeles Times Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiography , and Winner of the American Library Association Alex Award

". . . This sheds an urgent and compassionate light on the human lives caught in an ongoing humanitarian crisis."

—Publishers Weekly

". . . Beautifully wrought work that renders the migrant experience into a vivid, immediately accessible portrayal." 

—Kirkus Reviews

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Celebrating Indigenous People's Day

Shutter

Ramona Emerson

Longlisted National Book Award

". . . A whodunit upstaged at every point by the unforgettably febrile intensity of the heroine's first-person narrative."

—Kirkus Reviews

"A haunting thriller, written with exquisite suspense . . . This is a story that won't let you go long after you finish, and you won't want it to end even as you can't stop reading to find out how it does."

Tommy Orange, author of There There

Find it HERE in our catalog

Night of the Living Rez

Morgan Talty

National Bestseller & Literary Award Winner

"Talty's smart and gritty debut, a linked collection, poignantly overlays a boy's coming-of-age on the Penobscot reservation with a young man's present-day struggles to overcome opioid addiction and economic precarity, implying that they might be the same person in different phases of life."

—Publishers Weekly

"A beautifully crafted, raw and intimate book."

—Brandon Hobson, author of The Removed

Find it HERE in our catalog

More Book Recommendations 2024

HPL's Book Recommendations

 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Esperanza Rising

Pam Muñoz Ryan

 

Pura Belpré Award

 

". . . Readers will be swept up by vivid descriptions of California dust storms or by the police crackdown on a labor strike. Ryan delivers subtle metaphors via Abuelita's pearl's of wisdom, and not until story's end will readers recognize how carefully they have been strung."

—Publishers Weekly

 

". . . Dramatic riches-to-rags stories about girls forced to trade fancy dolls and dresses for hard work and ill-fitting hand-me-downs after their beloved fathers die."

—The Horn Book Magazine

 

 Find it HERE in our catalog

My Broken Language

Quiara Alegría Hudes

 

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

 

". . . The text often reads like poetry, but it is also playful, the author toying with the barriers of language, and the narrative is propelled by the urgent notion that community matters in a world designed to push the have-nots further into the margins."

—Kirkus Reviews

 

". . . a can't-miss love letter, in the form of a memoir, about the people and city that shaped her. A beautifully written story of finding one's own sense of self."

—Library Journal

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Banned Books to add to your reading list

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Sherman Alexie

National Book Award Winner

". . . this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure. Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here."

—Booklist Online

". . . may be his best work yet. Working in the voice of a 14-year-old forces Alexie to strip everything down to action and emotion so that reading becomes more like listening to your smart, funny best friend recount his day while waiting after school for a ride home."

—The New York Times

Find it HERE in our catalog

Looking For Alaska

John Green

New York Times Bestseller

Michael L. Printz Award

"...an unusually heavy-handed note in an otherwise mature novel, peopled with intelligent characters who talk smart, yet don't always behave that way, and are thus notably complex and realistically portrayed teenagers."

—Horn Book Magazine

"...capturing the energy, hopes and pain of these young people without resorting to vocal gimmicks, Green's insights into the impact they have on each other come across with full artistic strength.

—Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Books with yellow covers make us glow!

A Gamble at Sunset

Vanessa Riley

"...A strong historical romance that combines diverse experiences with classic storytelling."

—Kirkus Reviews

"...Impressive historical detail and an admirably diverse cast. Historical romance readers will be entranced."

—Publishers Weekly

 Find it HERE in our catalog

The Things We Didn't Know

Elba Iris Pérez

"Elba Iris Pérez gifts us with rich and powerful storytelling, the triumphant intelligence of the heart.”

Elidio La Torre Lagares, author of Wonderful Wasteland and other natural disasters

"A coming-of-age tale that beautifully evokes the contrasting environments of Puerto Rico and Massachusetts."

—Kirkus Reviews

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

Add these new adult books to your list

Preston & Child Angel of Vengeance

Douglas J. Preston

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"...The story itself is less about catching a serial killer as it is about the unique relationship between the two protagonists..."

—Booklist

Find it HERE in our catalog

Burn

Peter Heller

National Bestseller

"Heller’s Burn is unforgettable in its tenderness, its power, and its warning. Prepare for a shattered heart and a shaken confidence in where this nation might go next."

—NY Journal of Books

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

2024 New Release Adult Books

The Gardins of Edin

Rosey Lee

"Though debut novelist Lee loosely based her characters on the women of the Bible, every fan of relationship fiction will enjoy this family drama about four strong Black women who butt heads, follow their dreams, and, eventually, come together."

—Booklist Online

"...Readers will wish they owned a cottage on the Gardin estate or lived close enough to witness firsthand all the goings-on in Lee’s fascinating saga.”

—Robin W. Pearson, Christy Award-winning author

Find it HERE in our catalog

Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We'll Win The Climate War

Tom Steyer

Instant New York Times Bestseller

“... persuasive storytelling and contagious optimism underscore one of the most important realities of the climate crisis: If we work together, we can solve it. As a relentless climate activist and accomplished investor, Tom’s insights will help galvanize the movement that is needed to address the greatest challenge of our lifetimes.”

—Al Gore, former US Vice Preident

“Optimistic . . . A readable, encouraging argument that climate activists will want to put to work.”

—Kirkus Reviews 

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

2024 New Release Adult Books

Animals I Want To See

Tom Seeman

"...Tender, wise, gracefully written, this memoir tells one boy’s life, but it does so much more: it revitalizes a sense of American optimism.… I couldn’t put it down.”

Thomas Christopher Greene, bestselling author of The Headmaster’s Wife

"A terrific and moving memoir about dreaming big and making great things happen." 

—President Bill Clinton

Find it HERE in our catalog

Familiaris

Davis Wroblewski

Oprah's Book Club

"...beautiful passages on the bonds between humans and animals and plenty of folksy charm. Fans of the first book will be satisfied."

—Publishers Weekly 

"By taking us back to the origins of the Sawtelle family, Wroblewski has set a storytelling bonfire as enthralling in its pages as it is illuminating of our fragile and complicated humanity. Familiaris is as expansive and enlightening a saga as has ever been written.” 

—Tom Hanks

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

 

2024 New Release Adult Books

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

Kirsten Miller

 

“Kirsten Miller has that rare ability to take a serious subject and make it very, very funny. I enjoyed this novel and you will too.”

—James Patterson

 

“Is it possible for a book to be important, funny, relevant, and wildly entertaining all at once? Kirsten Miller proves the answer is a resounding YES. Please read this one and pass it along!”

—Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

 

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

Early Sobrieties

Michael Deagler

 

"A young man surfaces from the depths of alcoholism in Deagler’s pitch-perfect debut novel . . . This is a standout.”

—Publishers Weekly 

 

“Dennis is nimble-tongued and keenly observant, and the book offers all sorts of humorous delights. [ . . . ] Wry, sharp, charming, resistant to neat closures and easy turns—a debut of enormous promise.”

—Kirkus Reviews 

 

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

New Adult Books

Between Friends & Lovers

Shirlene Obuobi

"...a vulnerable, page-turning tale about trust, mental health, and second chances."

—Kirkus Reviews

“A once-in-a-lifetime reading experience.”

Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Not in Love

Find it HERE in our catalog

Companion Planting for Beginners

Brian Lowell

"This book is not only beautiful, it’s insightful and helpful. It covers different styles of gardening (raised beds, no till, etc), composting, common pests, cover crops, trap crops, and so much more."

—Anonymous

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL's Book Recommendations

New Adult Books

The Black Bird Oracle

Deborah Harkness

"...The portentous ending, rife with new story threads and threats, will leave readers hoping that she doesn't wait another six years to continue the series."

—Library Journal

“Haunting in every way. This is a story thick with family secrets, human heartache, and the kind of deep magic only Harkness can conjure. You will be enchanted.”

Leigh Bardugo, bestselling author of The Familiar

Find it HERE in our catalog

Farewell, Amethystine

Walter Mosley

"As in previous entries, the twists and turns of the investigation take a back seat to Easy’s emotional journey, and Mosley sheds keen light on the difficulties of navigating life in America as a Black man….Mosley’s fans will enjoy themselves."

―Publishers Weekly

"A pleasure to sink into, a well-written traditional PI novel scented with the music of the time and the hope that things will continue to get better."

Beth Kanell, New York Journal of Books



Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Top Circulating Books for Adults

The Women

Kristin Hannah

#1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times

"...Hannah continues her winning streak of compelling historical novels, capturing the tumultuous atmosphere of the 1960s and '70s in a moving, gripping tale that pays tribute to the under-appreciated skill and courage of combat nurses..."

Booklist

".... You’ll wish you could have gone to Vegas and placed a bet on the ending—while it’s against all the odds, you’ll see it coming from a mile away. A dramatic, vividly detailed reconstruction of a little-known aspect of the Vietnam War."

—Kirkus Reviews

Find it HERE in our catalog

Mind Games

Nora Roberts

"...Fans of Roberts’ (Inheritance, 2023) enticing brand of storytelling will find everything they crave in her latest polished thriller, including compelling characters, an evocative, richly realized setting, and a captivating plot enlivened by a generous dash of romance and just the right measure of nerve-jangling, nail-biting suspense..."

Kirkus Reviews

"...a busy supernatural thriller that stuffs in romance, murder, telekinesis, and a few handy tips on candle-making..."

—Publishers Weekly



Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

New Young Adult and Children's books of the month

A Big Day for Bike

Emily Jenkins

"Endearing and comical. Jenkins’s lively, engaging text presents a heartfelt story." 

The Horn Book

"Jenkins and Karas’ collaboration is a strikingly original narrative concept book about bike-sharing programs . . . A pedal-powered primer that will surely inspire riders old and new." 

—Kirkus Reviews

Find it HERE in our catalog

Sparrow Loves Birds

Murry Burgess

"Amid recent efforts to diversify bird-watching, this inviting work is especially welcome. Certain to cultivate a love of nature in all who pick it up."

Kirkus Reviews

"An avian-loving child named Sparrow goes bird-watching in this observational picture book that emphasizes sensory methods of perception."

—Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Top circulating Young Adult and Children's books of the month

The New Girl

Cassandra Calin

"An empathetic tale of belonging in this graphic novel debut... Vibrant and accessible visually appealing art infuses a comedic and feel-good vibe that deftly juxtaposes emotional and thought-provoking plot beats surrounding immigration and period education..." 

Publishers Weekly

"... A must-purchase for any and all tweens and teens who are ravenous for lighthearted, absorbing, and authentic coming-of-age realistic graphic fiction."

—School Library Journal

Find it HERE in our catalog

Art Club

Rashad Doucet

"...An engaging and satisfying depiction of a real-life issue that affects many artistic students."

Kirkus Reviews

"...This story is filled with different kinds of tension that will keep readers hooked: rocky friendships, family problems, artists trying to prove themselves, and the struggle between creativity and financial security"

—School Library Journal

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Newly added Young Adult and Children's books to our catalog

Those Who Saw the Sun

Jaha Nailah Avery

NYPL Best of the Year

Best of the Best, Black Caucus of the American Library Association

“Powerful… Avery highlights essential perspectives on significant cultural moments and movements by centering the voices of those who lived them. With the intention of preserving varied Black experiences and the wisdom and knowledge they offer, the creator crafts a vital, nuanced depiction of a fraught period in American history via myriad perspectives.” 

Publishers Weekly

“Chilling… bring[s] alive the realities of life under Jim Crow.”

—Booklist

Find it HERE in our catalog

What's Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon?

Rachel Ignotofsky

National Bestseller

New York Times Editiors' Choice

”Complex information sensibly organized and beautifully presented.” 

Kirkus Reviews

“What is inside a caterpillar cocoon? Young readers will find the answer, along with a whole host of other facts, inside this supremely stylish introduction to the Lepidoptera family….A great primer on familiar flying and creeping friends.” 

—Booklist

Find it HERE in our catalog


HPL Book Recommendations:

Newly added Young Adult and Children's books to our catalog

Nigeria Jones

Ibi Zoboi

 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner

National Book Finalist Award

"To read Nigeria Jones is to have the honor of being invited to one of the most unapologetically Black, womanist, and liberating worlds ever penned..."

Frederick Joseph, New York Times Best Selling Author

“An emotional journey…. It is through this story that we see the multilayered truth of Black identity.” 

—ALA Booklist

Find it HERE in our catalog

How to Ride Dragonfly

Kitty Donohoe

National Bestseller

New York Times Editiors' Choice

“A child takes readers along on an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland–esque adventure….A beautiful and interesting flight of fancy.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Thin-lined watercolor and ink illustrations by Wilsdorf…. combine a Victorian floral sensibility with an action-packed arc, resulting in small-scale-focused visuals that are equal parts magical and impish.“ 

—Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Celebrating Pride Month

Blessings

Chukwuebuka Ibeh

“A moving story about truths that can’t be hidden and finding a way to live freely when it’s against the law.”

USA Today

“Lovely… Ibeh sets his story in the years leading up to the country’s 2014 anti-gay law and, intriguingly, connects the dots of queer persecution and the everyday tragedies that are woven into the fabric of Nigerian life… Moving… Revelatory yet unresolved, simple yet polyphonic, hopeful yet full of heartbreak.”

—New York Times

Find it HERE in our catalog

Lost & Found: A Memoir

Schulz, Kathryn

National Bestseller

New York Times Editiors' Choice

"By the end of these exquisite existential wanderings, Schulz comes to a quiet truce with her finding that ‘life, too, goes by contraries . . . by turns crushing and restorative . . . comic and uplifting.’ Schulz’s canny observations are a treasure."

Publishers Weekly

“Sublime, compassionate . . . brilliant.”

—Minneapolis Star-Tribune



Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Honoring Juneteenth

Book Recommendations 2024 Continued

HPL Book Recommendations:

Recognizing Men's Mental Health Month

Unwinding Anxiety

Judson Brewer

A New York Times Bestseller

"A helpful guide...These evidence-based, structured recommendations will be useful to anyone who feels caught in a negative loop."

—Publishers Weekly

"Unwinding Anxiety provides actionable steps that you can implement into your own life to stop this cycle. Compellingly written, this compassionate book is full of insights that couldn’t have come at a better time."

Jewel, New York Times bestselling author of Never Broken

Find it HERE in our catalog

Hidden Valley Road

Robert Kolker

A New York Times Bestseller

Oprah's Book Club 2020

“A powerful look at schizophrenia and the quest to understand it… A taut and often heartbreaking narrative… Haunting and memorable.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Hidden Valley Road is an extraordinary scientific detective story and family saga, and it sheds light on a topic too many of us face: mental illness. Robert Kolker ushers us into the world of the Galvin family in a very intimate way.”

Oprah Winfrey

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

Join us as we take pride in reading this Pride Month

Greta & Valdin

Rebecca K. Reilly

A New York Times Editiors' Choice

"Generous [and] tender. . . Reilly’s warm, overflowing novel defies categorization because its characters are too complex and multifaceted to be easily summed up. They’re too alive in their messiness. If this novel shows us anything, it’s that love—of family, of romantic partners, of community—is most joyful when it’s without limits."

—New York Times

"Quintessentail rom-com meets the delicious family sprawl of a Russian classic."

—Vanity Fair

Find it HERE in our catalog

Young Mungo

Douglas Stuart

A New York Times Editiors' Choice

". . .Stuart writes beautifully, with marvelous attunement to the poetry in the unlovely and the mundane . . . The novel conveys an enveloping sense of place, in part through the wit and musicality of its dialogue."

New York Times

"Romantic, terrifying, brutal, tender, and, in the end, sneakily hopeful. What a writer."

Kirkus Reviews

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Book Recommendations:

 

Honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Hurricane Wars

Thea Guanzon

 

Instant New York Times Bestseller Nominee

for Best Romantasy 2023

 

"An incredible debut full of rich atmosphere, clever world building, opposing magic, and sizzling romance"

—Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of "Throne of the Fallen"

 

"This book made me giddy! Such a gleeful collection of my favorite tropes, all written in a fresh and engaging world, with a deep emotional center..."

—Kate Robert, New York Times bestselling author of "Dark Olympus" series



Find it HERE in our catalog

When Breath Becomes Air

Paul Kalanithi

 

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Pulitzer Prize Finalist

 

"Unmissable... Finishing this book and then forgetting about is is simply not an option."

New York Times

 

"Kalanithi describes his life-changing decision to set aside the pursuit of a doctorate in literature in favor of attending medical school and the recounts the discover and progress of his illness along with the inevitable upheaval in his personal life."

Booklist



Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

 

Honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Miracle Creek

Angie Kim

Edgar Award for Best First Novel

A Time Best Mystery and Thriller Book of All Time

 

"A stunning debut about parents, children and the unwavering hope of a better life, even when all hope seems lost." —Washington Post

 

"A quick-paced murder mystery that plumps the power and perils of community." —O Magazine

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

We Are Not Free

Traci Chee

National Book Award Finalist

Printz Honor Book

 

"Written from 14 young people’s intertwining points of view, each character fills in a segment of time between 1942 and 1945. Each voice is powerful, evoking raw emotions of fear, anger, resentment, uncertainty, grief, pride, and love."

—Kirkus Reviews

 

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

 

Honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The House of Doors

Tan Twan Eng

Booker Prize

 

 

"It’s a book about memory, loss and cultural dissonance; a high-flown tragedy that sideslips through the decades..." —The Guardian

 

"The House of Doors encompasses at-the-time risky interracial and homosexual love stories, a scandalous murder trial, and a paean to the art of transforming life experiences into literature." —NPR

 

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

Jade City

Fonda Lee

World Fantasy Award

The Green Bone Saga #1

 

"The novel has its own story to tell; an intriguing confluence of history, culture, and biology shapes both the characters and their fates."

—Kirkus Reviews

 

"Her action scenes are flashy, brutal, and cinematic, while the family dynamics hold their own weight and significance. This is an engaging blend of crime drama and Asian martial arts film tropes." —Publishers Weekly

 

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're listening to



Spring into these great books!

Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros

A #1 New York Times Bestseller

"Romance author Yarros blends the epic tale of a reluctant dragon rider’s coming-of-age with a sexy dark academia aesthetic in her astounding debut fantasy..."

—Publishers Weekly

"Fourth Wing will have your heart pounding from beginning to end... A fantasy you've never read before."

—Jennifer L. Armentrout, A #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Find it HERE in our catalog

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

James McBride

The Runaway New York Times Bestseller

"A murder myster locked inside a Great American Novel... Charming, smart, heart-blistering, an heart-healing."

—Danez Smith, The New Your Times Book Review

"We all need — we all deserve — this vibrant, love-affirming novel that bounds over any differnce that claims to separate us." —Ron Charles, The Washington Post

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're listening to

We're wrapping up National Poetry Month!

Runaway Dreams

Richard Wagamesse

“[These poems] possess a deep attraction because of the heartfelt honesty instilled in the writing. Wagamese embraces life in a huge bear hug, and his enthusiasm becomes unstoppable.”

—Prairie Fire Review of Books

Find it HERE in our catalog

Plantains and Our Becoming

Melania Luisa Marte

"These lush, fiery, powerful poems celebrate Afro-Latina identity, womanhood, Dominican culture, and so much more. It's a far-reaching collection that feels like both a celebration and a call to action."

—Susie Dumond

Find it HERE in our catalog

 

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're listening to

We're Celebrating National Poetry Month!

We Are All So Good at Smiling

Amber McBride

National Book Award Novelist

A beautiful young adult novel about clinical depression and healing from trauma.

"Stunning... Readers will revel in the depth of Whimsy and Faerry’s relationship, all the while finding solace and relief in the calculated messiness of their search for wholeness." —Booklist, starred review

"McBride shares visceral insights into the experience of deep clinical depression. I found reading this beautiful book to be one of the most validating experiences of my life." —Nic Stone, The New York Times

Find it HERE in our catalog

We Speak Your Names

Pearl Cleage

A beautiful keepsake book that recognizes African American women with heartfelt rhetoric celebrating their strength, magic, sensuality, kindness and faith.

"The author of the Oprah's Book Club novel What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day offers a collection of poetry, her first in two decades. The Atlanta-based writer composed the title poem specifically for Winfrey's celebration of black women."

—bn.com

"Cleage took my feelings I keep written across my heart and mind about my iconic black heroes and placed them into this poem." —Goodreads

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're listening to

We're Celebrating National Poetry Month!

Time Is a Mother

Ocean Vuong

The collection of poems explores the search for meaning after a devastating loss, navigating the complex emotions of grief while striving to move forward.

“These poems glisten and rattle, and they deftly mine a host of diverse topics—sex, privilege, beauty, art, poverty, death—to offer us a fresh way of evaluating and understanding our world.” Vulture, “49 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2022”

Find it HERE in our catalog

The Strength In Our Scars

Bianca Sparacino

The book explores relatable experiences of moving on, self-love, and healing. It offers peace, a rock, understanding and hope. 

"This is the book I didn’t know I needed. Reading it is like getting a hug from a friend. Have you ever felt like you didn’t deserve the good things in your life? This entire book will remind you that you’re worthy of all the love and care that you give to other people. We cannot love others if we don’t love ourselves first." Goodreads

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're listening to

We're Celebrating National Poetry Month!

Solo

Kwame Alexander

New York Times Bestseller

Through the story of a young Black man searching for answers about his life, Solo empowers, engages and encourages teenagers to move on from life's challenges.

“A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.” - Kirkus Reviews 

Find it HERE in our catalog

Call Us What We Carry

 Amanda Gorman

#1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller 

It captures a shipwrecked moment in time and transforms into a beacon of hope and healing while exploring history, language and identity.

“What an honor it is to witness history and to survive it, even if it doesn’t always feel that way...”- OprahDaily.com

Find it HERE in our catalog

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

We're Celebrating National Poetry Month!

Above Ground

 Clint Smith

A vibrant and compelling new collection traverses the vast emotional terrain of fatherhood and explores how becoming a parent has recalibrated his sense of the world. A remarkable new poetry collection from Clint Smith, the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

"A gorgeous book...Smith’s pivots and pacing mirror the routes of our lives, and his gentle, attentive poems are downright sacramental" Nick Ripatrazone, The Millions

Water I Won't Drink

 Kayleb Rae Candrilli

Both radically tender and desperate for change, it's a life raft and a self-portrait, concerned with the vitality of trans people living in a dangerous and inhospitable landscape.

"Evokes the ever-changing topography of American landscapes—from Wildwood, New Jersey to the Grand Canyon—to tap into the beautiful fluidity of their own physical and metaphysical self.” O, The Oprah Magazine



HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

Celebrating women writers all month long.

On Thriving

 Brandi Sellerz-Jackson

With insightful and vulnerable storytelling, this book invites a deep, soul-stirring investigation of our past and present to gather all that we need to thrive right where we are, right now.

". . .a conversational, direct tone and tremendous empathy to guide all readers to live as the best versions of themselves.” —BookPage

“This book is a beacon of resilience. . . A must-read for anyone committed to growth.” —Erica Chidi Cohen, author of Nurture

Up to Speed

Christine Yu

Whether you are an elite athlete or someone who exercises for fun you will benefit from this book. It uses the latest research to propose better solutions to improve the active and athletic lives of women and girls, helping them achieve their athletic potential.

"Illuminating. . . a valuable contribution to the growing science on women in sports." —Publishers Weekly

"A brisk, well-researched study of athletic performance.” —Kirkus

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Celebrating women writers all month long.

  

Twice as Hard

 Jasmine Brown

Beginning in 1860, this is a fascinating account of the long-erased stories of nine pioneering black women physicians.

"This immersive tribute to a group of pioneering women will inspire readers of all backgrounds.” —Publishers Weekly



"Well-researched reclamation of neglected yet invaluable history...”

Booklist, Starred Review

The Many Lives of Mama Love

Jessica George

New York Times Best Seller

Oprah Book Club Pick

Lara Love Hardin tells her gripping (and funny) life story of how she overcame addiction, a criminal record, and social ostracism to lovingly embrace her “beautiful mess of a life.”

"A courageous and inspiring memoir."

Kirkus Reviews

“Grips you as suddenly as any psychological thriller...” —BookPage

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Celebrating women writers all month long.

Viral Justice

 Ruha Benjamin

A passionate and inspiring book on how we can build a more just and joyful world one small change at a time.

 "[A] brilliant and impassioned book."

Paradigm Explorer



"There’s no one better to light the way out and guide us in building a just future than Ruha Benjamin." —-Ms. Magazine

Maame

Jessica George

New York Times Best Seller

Smart, funny, and poignant novel that shares one young woman's journey to independence and self-discovery.

 "...tender and comic, this portrait of a young woman's journey to self-understanding is triumphant." —People

"A pitch-perfect debut. Readers will revel in this." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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It's Women's History Month.

The Soul of a Woman

 Isabel Allende

In a memoir with enormous spirit and heart, Isabel Allende presents a rich and intimate account of her lifelong commitment to feminism. 

“[Isabel] Allende is a genius.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Allende teases, tempts and titillates with mesmerizing stories.” —The Washington Post

Let Us Descend

Jesmyn Ward

Oprah’s Book Club Pick

A beautifully written and lyrical novel that tells the story of an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War.

"A devastating, deeply moving masterpiece." —Good Housekeeping

“Superb . . . Angry, beautiful, raw, visceral, and heartfelt.” —NPR

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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We're celebrating Black History Month.

This week is for our YA Friends

How to Live Without You

 Sarah Everett

A heart-wrenching coming-of-age story about sisters, family, grief, and second chances.

“A riveting, thought-provoking read.” 

Kirkus Reviews

“Comprising equal parts mystery and tender coming-of-age story.” —School Library Journal

I Rise

Marie Arnold

A powerful and engaging story about systematic racism and a strong and determined young woman.

"Smart and funny and full of heart. "

Kwame Alexander, New York Times best-selling author

"A powerful read for justice-minded teens." —ALA Booklist

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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We're celebrating Black History Month.

Rediscover important and beloved literature

Their Eyes Were Watching God

 Zora Neale Hurston

 PBS Great American Read Top100 Pick

Originally published in 1937 and a classic of the Harlem Renaissance, this novel has become one of the most important and enduring works of modern American literature.

"A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don't know how to live properly."

Zadie Smith

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou

"All-TIME 100

Non-Fiction Books" Time Magazine

Originally published in 1969, this modern-day classic is filled with joy, pain, poetry and mystery. It will touch the hearts of all who read it for the first time or over and over again.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.” —James Baldwin

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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We're celebrating Black History Month.

(We are loving the author Kiley Reid this week)

Come & Get It

 Kiley Reid

 An Indie Next Pick

 

Paper thin walls between dorm rooms sets the stage for intrigue and bad behavior in this spellbinding novel about race, class, and privilege.

"An emotionally intense exploration of power dynamics within relationships that doesn’t settle for easy villains and victims." —Library Journal

"Reid is a genius of mimicry and social observation." Kirkus Reviews

Such a Fun Age

Kiley Reid

Longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize

A riveting story about race and privilege with a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.

“A plot so beautifully intricate and real and fascinating...” ­Washington Post

“[A] hilarious, uncomfortable and compulsively readable story about race and class.” —Time

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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We're celebrating Black History Month.

In Every Mirror She's Black

 Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström

 A Good Morning America Buzz Pick

 

A compelling and rich story told through the perspective of three women whose lives intersect in an interesting way.

"A striking debut...As entertaining as it is revealing" —Booklist

"An engaging novel that presents the nuanced experiences of Black women from all walks of life." —Essence

Deacon King Kong

James McBride

Oprah's Book Club Pick

A mystery, a love story, and an urban farce all wrapped up into one incredible novel. A must read for all.

"An exuberant comic opera set to the music of life."—Kirkus Reviews

"Shouldn’t we just get it over with and declare McBride this decade’s Great American Novelist?" —Los Angeles Times

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Non-fiction that reads like a great novel.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Lori Gottlieb

 New York Times Bestseller

 

Poignant, smart, and funny. This insightful book explores what it means to be human and our path to happiness.

"Authentic . . . raw . . . an irresistibly candid and addicting memoir” —New York Times

"Written with grace, humor, wisdom, and compassion, this [is a] heartwarming journey of self-discovery." —Library Journal

Bad Blood

John Carreyrou

National Bestseller

Proving truth is stranger than fiction, this is a compelling and wild story of how Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was able to hoodwink so many with her lies.

“Chilling . . . Reads like a thriller . . . Carreyrou tells [the Theranos story] virtually to perfection.” —The New York Times Book Review

". . . riveting, read-in-one-sitting tour de force . . ." —Booklist (Starred Review)

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Original and thoughtful novels for the times we live in.

Klara and the Sun

Kazuo Ishiguro

 The New York Times Bestseller

 

A haunting, hopeful novel about life and love in the time of AI.

“A delicate, haunting story, steeped in sorrow and hope.” —The Washington Post

"A masterpiece that will make you think about life, mortality, the saving grace of love: in short, the all of it.” —NPR

The Glitch

Elisabeth Cohen

A funny and smart novel about an overscheduled, overworked woman who has lost control when a "glitch" enters her life.

"Razor-sharp…a hilarious send-up of tech culture and the notion of women 'having it all'." —The New York Post

"Clever, original, and unabashedly silly fun." —Kirkus (Starred Review)

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Celebrating The Best of 2023

The Bee Sting

Paul Murray

 The New York Times Top 10 Books of 2023

 

An epic saga that follows an Irish family through many struggles and fortunes, and the discovery of what it means to be a good person.

"Every paragraph is marked by Murray’s stylistic brilliance and daring.” —The Washington Post

“Murray’s writing is pure joy . . . "

The New York Times Book Review

If I Survive You

Jonathan Escoffery

The 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

A beautiful collection of linked short stories about a Jamaican family struggling to survive and to remain hopeful at the same time.

"Escoffery's debut is nothing short of breathtaking." —The Today Show

"Remarkable . . . [there is an] immense talent on display in this debut." —Cory Oldweiler, Minneapolis StarTribune

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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It's cold outside.

The perfect time to sink into a good mystery.

Like a Sister

Kellye Garrett

 Shortlisted for the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Awards

 

This suspense novel will remind you of Alfred Hitchcock at his best. A mystery filled with murder and intrigue for today's modern times.

"A twisty murder mystery with nuance and heart.” —BookPage

"Sharp, smart, and heartbreaking."

Reader's Digest

None of This is True

Lisa Jewell

New York Times Bestseller

A psychological thriller filled with dark secrets, a crime podcast, and birthday twins. (Yes, that is a thing.)

"The book’s unreliable narrator, dark twists and unending suspense will keep you on edge until the very last page.” —NPR

"... a gloriously dark, glittering creepfest..." —Amazon Book Review

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

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Starting the year of with the laugh

You Can't Touch My Hair

Phoebe Robinson

New York Times Bestseller

 

A hilarious (seriously, you will LOL) and timely essay collection about race, gender, and pop culture from comedy superstar and 2 Dope Queens podcaster Phoebe Robinson.

"…a promising debut by a talented, genuinely funny writer.” —Publishers Weekly

"Honest, touching, laugh-out-loud funny.” —Kevin Bacon, actor and musician

My Sister, the Serial Killer

Oyinkan Braithwaite

Booker Prize Nominee

You will fly through the pages of this rapidly paced dark comedy that tells the story of two sisters, one who is a killer and the other who is protecting her.

"It’s the wittiest and most fun murder party you’ve ever been invited to.”

Marie Clare

"...a bombshell of a book—sharp, explosive, hilarious." —The New York Times Book Review


Hartford Public Library 

Central Branch:  500 Main Street. Hartford, CT 06103 
Phone: 860-695-6300 | Text: 860-530-4376 | Email: contactus@hplct.org | Chat: www.hplct.org
For Branch locations and hours, click here