Looking for your next unputdownable binge read? Find it at the Fulton Library! Our librarians and staff selected 46 of their favorite books, which we’ve compiled in our 2024 Staff Picks booklist. Check it out for books that’ll hook you from the start, whisk you into new literary worlds, and keep you thinking long after the final page.
This staff picks list is chock-full of riveting reads, but here are eight standout works we can’t recommend enough. For more suggestions from us, check out the full booklist.
Sweeping Sci-fi & Fantasy
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
As a geologic cataclysm wracks the planet, pushing it closer to destruction and an ash-covered “fifth season,” the world has already ended for Essun: her husband has killed their son and kidnapped their daughter, setting Essun in pursuit of her family as the world collapses. Told in second-person POV, The Fifth Season will grip you to the very end.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
First published in 1993, Parable of the Sower presents a dystopian vision of life in 2024—one of a world decimated by violence and anarchy, following a woman with an extraordinary “hyperempathy” for others’ pain. At once vivid, daring, and inciteful, Parable of the Sower will pull you into an all-too-close alternate reality.
Lush Literary Fiction
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize, Demon Copperhead reimagines Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield in a contemporary setting. Set in the southern Appalachian Mountains, this literary powerhouse follows a boy born into poverty, detailing his struggles and successes in a part of rural American that is often overlooked.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Follow two friends as they launch careers in video game design and navigate fame, friendship, rivalry, and tragedy. Spanning thirty years, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow unveils a rich depiction of the human condition, with multi-dimensional characters who are just as flawed as they are compelling.
Niche Nonfiction
Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie
Eight species of bears remain in the world today, and they’re dangerously close to extinction. From the renowned polar bear to the lesser-known sloth bear, journalist Gloria Dickie explores each bear’s unique story. With care and acuity, Dickie rings a warning bell for the dangers facing the eight remaining bear species.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Previously known as “Jane Doe” to the public, Chanel Miller recounts her harrowing story of sexual assault, as well as the repercussions and legal case that followed. In this masterfully written memoir, Chanel Miller reclaims her name and spotlights the injustices regarding sexual assault cases.
Unparalleled Poetry
Please by Jericho Brown
Dive into Jericho Brown’s poetry in Please, his first collection. With imaginative language and sonic rhythms, Jericho Brown artfully depicts the intersection of being Black, gay, and a man in the United States. Laced with joy, pain, humor, and intimacy, Please will weave its melody into your mind and play on repeat.
Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong
In Ocean Vuong’s sophomore poetry collection, he layers imagery and memory into poems that explore the aftermath of his mother’s death, crafting intimate vignettes of grief and survival. Looking for innovative writing? Time is a Mother has the type of potent word play and imagery that cuts to your core.
Questions?
If any of these books caught your eye, check them out at the Fulton Library. For help finding books in the library’s physical collections, visit the first-floor Circulation Desk or give us a call at (801) 863-8265.