It’s always fun to look back on the year that has passed and remember everything we loved about it! This year we may have read more books, watched more movies and shows, and just had more fun than ever before, so we have a lot of great recommendations for you all! Here’s a look at our staff member picks for their favorite things that they read, watched, heard, or experienced throughout 2024!
Kara Buono
Assistant director: Programs & engagement
In 2024, I read some quite a bit the older titles on my TBR pile (finally!) while enjoying some new and popular books. Notations include whether the series is fully written, or when the next book comes out. Starred books are my top pick in the genre for 2024.
FICTION:
★ The Wedding People by Allison Espach
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
SCI-FI / FANTASY:
★ The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (First in new series)
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes
The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer (Last in series out 3/25)
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Trilogy is complete, has expanded world stories)
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez (Series is complete)
YA ROMANTASY (Low to No Spice):
★ One Dark Window duology by Rachel Gillig
Book 1:
Book 2:
Divine Rivals duology by Rebecca Ross
Book 1:
Book 2:
These Hollow Vows duology by Lexi Ryan
Book 1:
Book 2:
Powerless by Lauren Roberts (Final book in trilogy out in 2025)
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Series is complete)
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Series is complete)
ROMANTASY:
★ Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco (high spice)
Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy by Kerri Maniscalco (medium spice)
Book 1:
Book 2:
Book 3:
Neon Gods by Katee Roberts (high spice, next in series out 4/25)
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent (medium spice, series is complete)
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (medium spice)
ROMANCE:
★ Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino (low spice)
Can I Tell You Something? by Holly June Smith (medium spice)
Axes & O’s by Kayla Grosse (high spice)
MYSTERY / SUSPENSE:
★ An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Heather Burns
Patron services
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
A great inspirational tale based on the book of the same name by Barbara Robinson. Siblings considered bad news re-awaken the members of their community to the true meaning of the amazing story of Christmas.
Daddy Daughter Trip
Rob Schneider and daughter. He is an unsuccessful inventor struggling for money while his wife keeps them afloat. He promises his daughter the spring break trip of a lifetime. Hilarious events follow. A really good family movie.
Deadpool Trilogy
Definitely not for young kids or those who do not like crude humor. Hilarious one-liners for those who do, like myself. Hahaha.
Deadpool:
Deadpool 2:
Deadpool & Wolverine:
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke
Lembke discusses the quest to avoid pain that many of us face today resulting in a variety of addictions.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Egon’s family takes over ghostbusting in NYC. An ancient evil is awakened and original Ghostbusters hop on board the “busting” to save the city.
Migration
A cute movie about a family of birds learning to take a chance and see the world. A good family watch.
Mornings Full of Sunlight: A Memoir by Elizabeth Shanley Driscoll
Driscoll writes of her experience attending a Sacred Heart boarding school called Eden Hall in Philadelphia. She shares stories of her Irish upbringing and experiences while at school that have formed her in her Catholic faith and identity. A really interesting read.
Tobit’s Dog by Michael Nicholas Richard
Okra, Tobit’s dog, is very unique. Along with Tobit’s son, Tobias, and cousin, Ace, Okra sets out on journey to collect on a debt owed to Tobit. Set in the Depression-era south, many wrongs are corrected as the travelers make their way along their journey. The novel is a retelling of the biblical story of Tobit and I highly recommend it.
Mary Ecklund
collection development librarian
FICTION
The Mermaid, the Witch & the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
One of our library teens recommended this book to me and I am so glad to have read it! A reluctant bride, a pirate and a mermaid endeavor to survive. It is a beautifully written story that feels like the true side of a classic fairy tale. If you like fantasy with strong characters and action, I highly recommend it!
If you enjoy this book, I also highly recommend reading Malinda Lo’s Ash & Huntress.
A Fine & Private Place by Peter S. Beagle
A man might live in the graveyard to assist those who are buried there, but also might be there to hide from the world. Published when Beagle was 19, this book has ghosts of The Last Unicorn (which I’ve loved almost my entire life) and Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book (which I’ve loved since it was published).
Mexikid by Pedro Martín
A road trip story of Pedro’s family going to Mexico to bring his infamous abuelito home with them in 1977. Nine kids, two parents, a Winnebago, a custom pickup truck camper, and a large family waiting for them at their destination, all make for an unforgettable journey.
Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher
I don’t generally like to read horror but this series pulled me in with a main character that I love, who employs logic and bravery in the face of the complete weirdness happening all around them. The first book, What Moves the Dead, is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher.
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
At a school that uses strict ruling to “prepare their students for success,” the principal is found murdered and three boys are about to be arrested. This book gives you a strong mystery to solve, while exploring the racism and the dehumanization found within the savior movement of the school.
Rez Ball by Byron Graves
An All-American Sports Story told from the view of Tre, an Ojibwe high school student who wants to bring his basketball team to their first state championships and fulfill the dreams of his brother Jaxon. You’ll get wrapped up in the sports action and feel Tre’s turmoil as he tries to fill his brother’s shoes.
Lotus Bloom & the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston
Lotus’s natural hair comes under fire when it is deemed to be against dress code at her new school. Now she has to decide if she’ll give in and lose an important and beloved part of her identity, or fight back and risk being removed from the arts school that she loves. This book provides coverage of an unfortunately common issue, spoken about in a plain and approachable way for all ages.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Hannah’s sweeping story of a nurse in Vietnam pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down. You live through her deployment, then life when she returns home. This book is worthy of last summer’s immense hype, and of the tears I cried reading it.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
I am ALWAYS excited for Emily Henry’s next book! Centered on the balm of being out of an emotionally abusive relationship, this journey (even if it didn’t have the romance storyline) is one I appreciated and loved.
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown
In case you haven’t seen the movie of The Wild Robot, I highly recommend it! It was beautiful, the soundtrack was amazing, and it did the book full justice. The Wild Robot Protects is the third book in the series, and I fully enjoyed joining Roz as she goes on an adventure to save the island.
The One & Only Family by Katherine Applegate
The fourth book in this series brings the family back together, with some small additions! While welcoming his twins to the world and experiencing parenthood, Ivan remembers his past, and his own twin.
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
Two boys who were lost in the woods for six months suddenly return with no explanation of what happened. Fifteen years later they help a girl find her long lost sister, who they met while they were missing. Based on C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, this story feels like a fairy tale and is written with magic infused in every word.
Loveless by Alice Oseman
A college freshman explores why she doesn’t feel an interest in being in a romantic relationship, even with someone she knows she loves.
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
In a retelling of The Goose Girl, Cordelia has to thwart her mother’s scheme to trick a nobleman into marrying her, while avoiding her deadly magic. She’s never had a true friend before but finds herself working with a found family to end her mother’s reign of terror.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
This is the perfect cozy, magical cottage-core read! Durst’s writing style always makes you feel like you’re in a fairy tale, and you’ll be invested in Kiela’s discovery of a new home and community on a remote island.
The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
Erin accidentally donates her beloved, annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird to the local Little Free Library. She is thrilled to eventually discover it on the shelf again but now it has new annotations, with a note to meet her in another book! While this is an enjoyable romance, the best part of this book is the literary discourse in the margins of the books the two pass back and forth. It makes me want to start my own margins book club!
Whistle Stop, AL series by Fannie Flagg
I’ve long loved the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes and am so glad I finally read the books! Told as a variety of stories jumping between the small town of Whistle Stop in the 1930’s and nearby Birmingham in the 1980’s, you’ll meet the extended Threadgoode family, get to know Idgie and Ruth even better, and see deeper into Evelyn Couch’s life in the 1980’s. In the second book you see Little Buddy’s life as he is older, and what happens with Evelyn in the years after spending so much time with Mrs. Threadgoode. The books themselves are like a comfort food, much like fried green tomatoes.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk; translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
The neighbor of a reclusive woman living in a remote Polish village turns up dead, and soon after others in the area are found dead under mysterious circumstances. She’s sure she knows what is causing the deaths, but cannot get anyone to take her seriously. A mystery and a love letter to the natural world, you are pulled into the quiet, cold winter with her, and celebrate with her as understanding dawns.
NONFICTION:
The T in LGBT: Everything You Need to Know About Being Trans by Jamie Raines
This fast and informative book is an inclusive guide to what it is to be transgender, the experience of being trans, and the myriad of ways you can choose to transition. Topics include exploring your authentic self, coming out, gender dysphoria, social transitioning, hormone therapy possibilities, the variety of surgical options, dating and relationships, being nonbinary, and common myths. This is an excellent read for everyone to get introductory information about the transgender experience!
How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived by Leslie Jordan
A collection of funny, interesting and emotional essays from Leslie Jordan’s life! First known for his acting career, then for his hilarious videos on Instagram, he shares stories from the entirety of his life (not just his acting career). He’s open, hilarious, emotional, informative, and comforting, making this an excellent joyful read. I highly recommend the audiobook, as he reads it himself with his specific Southern charm.
Other celebrity biographies I’ve enjoyed this year are Leslie F*cking Jones: A Memoir by Leslie Jones, Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills, Friends, Lovers, & the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg, Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny and Day Jobs by Dulcé Sloan, & The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop.
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater
This book covers the experience and repercussions of a social media account that utilized racist memes specifically targeting classmates. In 2017 a high school student in Albany, California, created this Instagram account, and its outcomes are still rippling through society today. Not only does this book cover what happened with the creator of the account but also those who supported it, whether intentionally or passively. If you’re on social media, and even if you’re not, this is an excellent read.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up series by Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo created the KonMari Method, a category-based system of organizing and decluttering. Whether you’re looking to do an extensive reorganization of your home or want to have some new tricks to consider in your current routine, this will be a helpful and time worthy read. I love listening to books about organization, I find them very soothing!
If you’re interested in a more comedic and profanity laden option, I highly recommend the spoof series by Messie Condo!
It’s Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told) by Karen Tang, MD, MPH
An inclusive guide to the basics of reproductive health for those who currently have or previously have had a uterus and those who take estrogen, as well as those who know them. So yes, for everyone. This book gives you the basics you hopefully got in sex ed class in school, as well as more in depth knowledge of various symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and causes for health conditions. It also covers sexual health, reproductive health, contraceptive options, encouragement to ensure proper health care, and the debunking of myths. This is a book I wish everyone could read once a year to ensure we are all well informed and as healthy as possible.
Related books I’ve read this year and loved are Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation by Jen Gunter, The Doctor Will See You Now: Recognizing and Treating Endometriosis by Tamer Seckin, MD, Your Postpartum Body: The Complete Guide to Healing After Pregnancy by Ruth E. Macy, PT, DPT & Courtney Naliboff, I Didn’t Know I Needed This: The New Rules for Flirting, Feeding, and Finding Yourself by Eli Rallo, & Essential Clinical Care for Sex Workers:A Sex-Positive Handbook for Mental Health Practitioners by Theodore R. Burnes, PhD & Jamila M. Dawson, LMFT.
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan
This book provides the information about the Ku Klux Klan I wish I’d gotten while I was in school. It’s a thorough dive into an important part of American history, with a storytelling vibe. I did have to take a break from the book a couple times to buoy my spirits, but I am very glad to have read it.
Nothing To Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully by Julie McFadden, RN
Julie McFadden is a hospice nurse writing about her experiences and sharing information she wishes everyone had about end of life care. Though the topic is inherently difficult, she writes with joy, love and encouragement. She writes from a compassionate medical perspective but does include one spiritual experience toward the end. I have reread sections of this book since finishing it and wish I had been able to read it years ago before family members entered end of life care.
I have appreciated two other books this year that are related but offer more of a philosophical approach to end of life: Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie & In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife by Sebastian Junger.
The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer by Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn & Dr. Elissa Epel
This book discusses telomeres (tee-low-meers), the extra coding at the end of our chromosomes, and how protecting them extends our health span (the years we are active, healthy and disease-free). While I am not well versed in the sciences around studying telomeres, I was able to easily absorb enough information to help make positive choices for my health. And now I can declare “Stop shortening my telomeres!” when something or someone stresses me out!
The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet by Nadina Galle & Eileen Stevens
Galle & Stevens walk you through ways scientists are harnessing local ecology and implementing new technology to protect cities from the effects of climate change. Discussing floods, wildfires, mental health, and more, you’ll learn about smart drains in local ponds, talking trees, firefighting robots, and other ways scientists and geographers are changing our futures. While the book mostly focuses on large cities, the principles and technologies could also be applied to smaller areas like Avalon!
If you love reading about infrastructure like I do, you’ll also enjoy City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America’s Highways by Megan Kimble & Shrink the City: The 15-Minute Urban Experiment and the Cities of the Future by Natalie Whittle.
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Health by Jonathan Haidt
If you work with youth in any capacity, you’ve likely already heard of this book! After exploring the ways a lifetime of technology is affecting youth, this book also gives ideas on how to help younger and future generations experience a tech driven world with health and knowledge. At least one NJ school district assigned this as required reading for its staff, and it’s become popular amongst educators.
Lifeform by Jenny Slate
I’ve known Jenny Slate from her hilarious TV characters and expected this to be a memoir of humorous essays. While it is a memoir, it is prose that feels like poetry, and the audiobook is an absolutely amazing performance piece. The book is in five parts (Single, True Love, Pregnancy, Baby, and Ongoing), and slides between the true and the ethereal, hilarity and heart choking, convivial and incurvatus.
Cult Following: The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations – and Take Over Our Lives by J.W. Ocker
A well detailed collection of information about many well-known cults. An excellent introduction to or reacquaintance with modern cults, with information about what makes a cult truly be a cult, and a compassionate look at why people join cults. Relatedly, this year I also enjoyed reading Cults: Inside the World’s Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Joined Them by Max Cutler.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
I know this book was popular a few years ago, but I just now got to listen to it. And I am wishing I’d read it much sooner! It walked me through old feelings from the loss of my own mother, and helped me offer myself grace for my regrets. It was an emotional and therapeutic read.
The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging by Julia Hotz
Learn what social prescribing is and how it assists in common ailments – depression, ADHD, addiction, trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, dementia, diabetes, and loneliness. The book doesn’t declare social prescribing can fix everything on its own, rather that it can help quality of life. Hotz gives examples of various social groups she attended as research, and in the end how a group benefited her personal life.
As winter descends upon us, I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself through reading. I’ve also appreciated The Art & Science of Connection: Why Social Health is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier by Kasley Killam, MPH, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down by Corey Keyes, Friendship First: From New Sparks to Chosen Family, How Our Friends Pave the Way for Lifelong Happiness by Gyan Yankovich, & The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People by Rachel Wilkerson Miller.
RUNNERS UP:
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center. Howl’s Moving Castle series by Diana Wynne Jones. Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune. The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. A Great Gay Book: Stories of Growth, Belonging & Other Queer Possibilities edited by Ryan Fitzgibbon. The Way Home: Two Novellas from the World of the The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose. A Brilliant Life: My Mother’s Inspiring True Story of Surviving the Holocaust by Rachelle Unreich. The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward. The Color Purple by Alice Walker. A History of Ghosts, Spirits and Other Supernatural Phenomena by DK Publishers. Heroes by Alan Gratz. What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez. A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray. Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova. The Getaway List by Emma Lord. A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy by Tia Levings. The Emotionally Intelligent Teen: Skills to Help You Deal with What You Feel, Build Stronger Relationships, and Boost Self-Confidence by Melanie McNally, PsyD. House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning, Organizing, and Loving the Home You’re In by Patric Richardson & Karin Miller.
Sean Farrell
digital outreach associate
01. Dune: Part 2
Riveting, well-acted, thought-provoking, and visually stunning. This is epic sci-fi / fantasy of the highest order.
02. Challengers
Led by a trio of superb actors, this tennis-focused love triangle is constantly thrilling to watch. Director Luca Guadagnino pulls off some truly jaw-dropping sports shots as well.
03. The Substance
Darkly funny and consistently provocative, Coralie Fargeat uses over-the-top body horror to examine our society’s messed up beauty standards, anchored by a pair of fantastic performances.
04. Baby Reindeer
Based on comedian Richard Gadd’s real-life experiences with a stalker, it’s a compulsively watchable but deeply messed-up story that makes for unforgettable television.
05. American Rapture by CJ Leede
Horror author Leede uses the end of the world to examine the ways that religious extremism can mess with people’s heads. Frightening and thrilling while also smart and moving. The pages fly by.
06. Shōgun
An absolute masterclass in epic TV storytelling. Lushly filmed, engagingly told, and flawlessly acted. Viewers will want to return to this world again and again.
07. Civil War
An ode to journalism, an anti-war screed, and an alarming glimpse of one possible future for America. One of the most intense and haunting movies of the year.
08. Wicked
Musical lovers will be swept away by this grandly scaled spectacle. The music is infectious, the casting impeccable, and the story is incredibly fun but with a deep vein of sadness coursing just below the surface.
09. Table for Two by Amor Towles
Each of the short stories here is a shining example of just how good the format can be, but even with how good they are, they are outshone by the novella that closes out the collection. Towles’ writing is a joy to read as always.
10. The Brutalist
Personal and epic, a beautifully shot, sprawling saga about the construction of a grand-scale building that will leave the viewer pondering it for days. A new American classic.
11. Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
Very few books can elicit genuine fear out of me, but this one had me turning on the lights and peeking around corners after reading it.
12. Fallout
By not worrying about recreating any individual plot thread from the popular video game series and instead focusing on nailing the tone, this TV adaptation excelled. Weird, violent, and darkly funny, it’s a world I can’t wait to come back to.
13. English Teacher
Brian Jordan Alvarez’s foul-mouthed sitcom is an honest and hysterical look at the state of teaching as a profession in modern America. Hands down the funniest show I watched this year.
14. If Books Could Kill
Hosts Michael Hobbs and Peter Shamshiri continue to offer up witty, insightful, and scathing nonfiction book reviews on their hit podcast. This year saw them examine The Anxious Generation, Going Infinite, The Art of the Deal, Who Moved My Cheese?, and more.
15. Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
This collection of true stories about the ways our justice system can sometimes fail us is engagingly written and downright infuriating. It should be required reading for all Americans.
16. Balatro
Combining poker with rouge-like deck-building mechanics, this addictive little game is easy to pick-up but challenging to master. No other mobile game has hooked me as deeply as this in years.
17. Queer
Director Luca Guadagnino’s second appearance on my list couldn’t be more different than his first. Trippy, weird, and tragic in ways that will linger long after the first viewing.
18. Problemista
Frantic, funny, and wildly imaginative, this is one of the most unique and entertaining looks at the American immigrant experience ever captured in any medium.
19. Thelma
Charming, funny, sweet, and surprisingly suspenseful, with a wonderful June Squibb performance at its core. This is the feel-good movie of 2024.
20. Anora
Mikey Madison has a star-making turn as the title character in this outrageously entertaining movie. Indictments of capitalist excess are rarely this much fun.
21. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Arguably more necessary than ever, this comedy show manages to inform its audience better than many more serious sources, while never forgetting to keep them laughing.
22. The Bear
I don’t know if this series will ever be able to reach the highs of Season 2, but in this 3rd set of episodes it remains consistently excellent and daring. It’s debatable how much it qualifies as a “comedy”, but it’s so good it doesn’t matter.
23. Nicked by M.T. Anderson
Inspired by an actual heist that occurred nearly a millennia ago, this historical adventure with just a dash of fantasy is a joy to read. A nearly perfect little book.
24. The Devil’s Bath
A historical horror movie with no monsters, instead focusing on the cruel injustices society inflicts on women. Wonderfully constructed, perfectly acted, deeply upsetting, and unforgettable.
25. Hundreds of Beavers
This ultra-low budget, mostly silent, wildly inventive, slapstick comedy is a burst of manic genius. The funniest movie in years, and the sort of experience that will immediately have you recommending it to friends.
26. Robot Dreams
Also free of dialog, this bittersweet animated feature tells a story of platonic love that is guaranteed to hit viewers directly in the feels.
27. Nonetheless by Pet Shop Boys
The British synthpop duo’s latest is their best album in years, full of the lush orchestral production and pulsing electronic rhythms they’re known for.
28. The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 by Chris Nashawaty
Film critic Nashawaty looks at the movies that released in the Summer of 1982 and the lasting effects they’ve had on cinema since then. Engagingly written and full of interesting details.
29. A Real Pain
Moving, enjoyable, and filled with clever dialog, actor Jesse Eisenberg proves himself to be just as good behind the camera as he is in front.
30. Alien: Romulus
Maybe a little heavy on the fan service but featuring some of the most genuinely tense and frightening sequences of any Alien movie.
31. Conclave
Packed with all the catty drama of a reality TV show, this look at the selection of a new Pope melds high-brow sensibilities with campy entertainment to dazzling effect.
32. Tuesday
The always wonderful Julia Louis-Dreyfus anchors this beautiful and heartbreaking look at loss.
33. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The campaign mode of the latest installment in this mega-selling video game franchise is full of stunning set pieces that are thrilling to play. With a twisty espionage plot tying the scenes together, it’s like living through a Summer blockbuster.
34. Society of the Snow
Other filmmakers have tackled the true story of this South American plane crash, but none have done it this well. From the shockingly visceral recreation of the crash itself, through the tragedies the survivors endure, to the borderline miraculous finale, viewers will be glued to their screens.
35. The Wild Robot
Based on the popular children’s books of the same name, this is one of the most strikingly beautiful animated films in years, with an engaging and moving story at its heart.
36. True Detective: Night Country
An addictive, supernatural-tinged, noir mystery with a pitch perfect Jodie Foster performance at its core.
37. Only Murders in the Building
Having only dipped mildly in quality, this cozy, comic mystery series remains one of the most purely enjoyable programs on TV.
38. A Man on the Inside
Ted Danson delights as a widower who goes undercover at a posh retirement community to solve a series of thefts in this series that mixes wisdom, empathy, and humor to great effect.
39. The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes
The last third of Hayes’ suspenseful latest might be too out there for some readers, but I found it helped push his writing to unexpected and thrilling heights.
40. Stopmotion
Mixing surreal stop motion animation with live action footage, this little horror film is easily one of the year’s scariest.
41. Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley
The author details her feelings after the suicide of her best friend. Moving, funny, and cathartic.
42. Mary & George
Julianne Moore is as fantastic as always as the Countess of Buckingham Mary Villiers, who coerces her son George Villiers (an equally good Nicholas Galitzine) into seducing the King of England. The most scandalously fun historical TV show of the year.
43. Inside Out 2
Not quite as good as the first one, but still a thoughtful and enjoyable adventure through the inner turmoil involved in growing up.
44. Longlegs
Weird, creepy, and haunting. Longlegs is a vibe that leaves the viewer feeling dirty when it’s done. And it’s always fun to see Nicolas Cage going all-out in a truly over-the-top role.
45. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Operatic in scope and filled with stunningly choreographed action sequences, Furiosa is one of the best entries in the series and was woefully underseen.
46. Top Chef
While Padma Lakshmi will certainly be missed, one-time competitor Kristen Kish has proven an excellent replacement. Her knowledge of what it’s like to take part in the challenges lends a little more emotion to the judges’ tables and freshens up the experience.
47. 3 Body Problem
Creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo may have taken Cixin Liu’s source novel into far soapier territory, but in doing so they have made the relatively dry and jargon-heavy material into something compelling and human. I can’t wait to see how they adapt the even denser sequels.
48. We Loved it All: A Memory of Life by Lydia Millet
Merging memoir with elegiac ponderings over the beauty of nature and the tragedy of its destruction, Millet has written a personal book that also poignantly captures the exact mood many of us find ourselves stuck in.
49. Garbage Day
This tri-weekly newsletter keeps readers’ abreast of all the latest trends online with in-depth analysis and sardonic wit. Whether you want to know how many people are leaving X for Bluesky or the latest news about Baby Gronk vs. The Rizzler, author Ryan Broderick will keep you in the loop.
50. The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula
It’s a little rough around the edges, but this drag competition show takes the art form to horror-inspired places that RuPaul would never dare to tread and is often more interesting as a result.
Harriet Norcross
Circulation Coordinator
Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond by Henry Winkler
I learned a lot about Henry Winkler’s childhood and how he really struggled to get into showbiz. It blew my mind that he is dyslexic and was able to get into so many TV shows and movies without ever being able to read the script. The bonus of listening to the book is that it was actually read by Henry and was a pleasure to listen to.
Lisa Papineau
Program Assistant
FAVORITE NONFICTION BOOK: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
This true story is about a British ship in the 1700s called The Wager. The title tells it all. It’s full of mystery and suspense coupled with detailed facts and intriguing characters. It’s very well done and hard to put down.
FAVORITE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER AUDIOBOOKS: Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris & None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
Both are suspenseful and well narrated.
Behind Closed Doors:
None of This Is True:
FAVORITE HORROR BOOKS: If It Bleeds, You Like It Darker, & Holly by Stephen King
During October I like to read horror stories. I am a Stephen King fan so I decided to read (and listen to) some of the books I missed. If It Bleeds and You Like It Darker are made up of short stories. I love the variety and different types of horror this offers. Holly is based on one of the stories in If It Bleeds. Stephen King never disappoints!
If It Bleeds:
You Like It Darker:
Holly:
FAVORITE MOVIES: Deadpool & Wolverine & Arthur the King
I enjoyed a lot of good movies this year but these two stood out because they were better than I expected. Arthur the King was based on a true story and was very heartfelt and inspiring. Deadpool & Wolverine was very entertaining and fun to watch. Of course, in both movies, the dogs had me at hello!
Deadpool & Wolverine:
Arthur the King:
Some of my other favorite things this year are Sean’s Spot the Difference. I look forward to the monthly challenge. Also, thanks to everyone for the generous donations collected at the library for the CMC Animal Shelter. All donations are very much appreciated and put to good use.
Bonita Risley
history center curator
BOOK: Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
First published in 1900, this autobiographical tale of adventures on the high seas is an absolute must read, whether you are a sailor or not. Full of adventure, humor, sadness, loneliness, unbelievable mishaps, & life-threatening incidents – all told very matter-of-factly. This year’s reading was my 3rd, and I know I will read it again!
FILM: The Menu
Riveting, weird & wonderful, starring the riveting, weird & wonderful Ralph Fiennes. Lots of food, lots of kitchen & otherwise drama, totally unexpected – loved it!
TV: Grand Sumo
With a new tournament televised every other month, I cannot get enough. It’s the best 25 minutes I spend every evening!!
MUSIC & MUSIC VIDEOS: Anything by Playing for Change
The message is one to live by, the music is amazing, the instruments & the talents incredible! Especially “Higher Ground” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
LIVE MUSIC: Jaffna World Music Ensemble
I love these guys and often seek them out in and around Philly, always a good time, plus
they restore my faith in the joy of differences.
DANCE: Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana Dance Company
I saw them at Stockton 2 years ago, saw them again this summer. Have never seen or heard anything like this before – magical
JOY: Pet Chickens
You have no idea unless you have them! My chickens bring me so very much joy (plus eggs). 10 feathered friends, each with their own personality and ability to make me smile no matter what. I can’t imagine my life without them.
LIFESTYLE CHOICE: Boxing with Heavy Bag, Kickboxing, TRX, Zumba, & Bootcamp at Punch King Fitness
Try it! You’ll be much less stressed!!
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