Library Staff Picks: Our Favorite Reads of 2025
December 11, 2025
Before we turn the page on 2025, library staff are ready to reveal their favorite reads of the year! Here are some of the books that they loved - maybe you'll find a few to add to your 2026 reading list.
| Macee's favorites | |
 | The Boy From the Sea by Garrett Carr "In 1970s Donegal, Ireland, a baby is found on the beach. Ambrose, a local farmer, takes him into his own family, to the dismay of his son Declan. As the boy Brendan grows, he begins to exhibit charismatic qualities, and villagers are soon seeking him out for guidance and blessings. Declan's jealousy grows. Ambrose's business acumen is poor and his business suffers. Then tragedy enters their lives. This book is told from the perspective of the collective villagers in a Greek-chorus style." |
 | Confessions by Catherine Airey "A generational novel set in New York City and Ireland. Cora Brady has lost her father to the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. She receives a letter from an aunt she has not seen since she was a child, inviting her to make a fresh start in Ireland. The narrative moves between New York and Ireland, and incorporates three generations of women: Cora, her mother, and her daughter." |
 | The Sirens by Emilia Hart "A magical realist novel spanning two centuries. In 1880, Mary and Eliza are forced aboard a convict ship headed for Australia from Ireland, after the death of their father. Despite a terrible fear of the sea, they find that they cannot resist its allure. In modern times, Lucy travels to her missing sister Jess's seaside home. While waiting for Jess to return, Lucy finds her diary and learns things about Jess that she hadn't known before. Is there a reason that Jess has chosen to live in this house, in this town?" |
| Kim's favorite | |
 | It's Only Drowning by David Litt (audiobook) "I know, I can't believe my favorite book this year was a nonfiction either." |
| Danielle's favorites | |
 | Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown "If you wish to be more reflective and more emotionally intelligent this book is a wonderful resource. It's a beautifully organized guide to our emotions, how they are connected to one another and how they impact us. The audiobook is great because Brené repeats certain insights allowing the reader to soak them in." |
 | Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert "A beautiful inpiring reflection on how to live a creative life no matter who you are or where you're starting out from." |
| Donna's favorites | |
 | Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson "Multigenerational African American family story involving a tragedy and a clay jar, I loved it so much!" |
 | Heartwood by Amity Gaige "A hiker gets lost on the Appalachian Trail in Maine and the race is on to find her. Told in alternating voices from the hiker herself, the warden in charge of the search, a wheelchair-bound senior citizen birdwatcher/detective, witnesses, and transcripts from the tipline, I tore through it! It also explores nature and the relationships between mothers and daughters." |
 | My Friends by Fredrik Backman "Another great novel by Fredrik Backman. A painting loved by a teenaged orphan leads to a wonderful and often sad story of a group of close-knit friends trying to survive life in their small town." |
| Kristen's favorites | |
 | Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill Hardcover |
 | The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict Hardcover | Ebook in OverDrive/Libby |
 | The Ghostwriter: A Novel by Julie Clark Hardcover | Ebook in OverDrive/Libby |
| Lisa's favorites | |
 | All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker Hardcover | Ebook in OverDrive/Libby | Audiobook in OverDrive/Libby |
 | Remarkably Bright Creatures; A Novel by Shelby Van Pelt Hardcover | Ebook in OverDrive/Libby | Audiobook in OverDrive/Libby |