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Transcription by Kate Atkinson: "In WWII era London, Juliet Armstrong is working as an espionage monitor for MI5. Ten years later she suddenly finds herself targeted by dangerous individuals from her past. For fans of smart, witty, suspenseful, historical or spy fiction and authors like Tana French, Laurie R. King, and John Le Carre." Reading Lists, Book Lists, Book Worth Reading, New Books, Good Books, Books To Read, Kate Atkinson, Modern Novel, Fallen Book

Book Worth Reading

Transcription by Kate Atkinson: "In WWII era London, Juliet Armstrong is working as an espionage monitor for MI5. Ten years later she suddenly finds herself targeted by dangerous individuals from her past. For fans of smart, witty, suspenseful, historical or spy fiction and authors like Tana French, Laurie R. King, and John Le Carre."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan: "I recently read the entire Riyria Revelations series which begins with this collected volume of the first two books. When a pair of talented and entertaining thieves are accused of murdering a king, they end up collecting a lively band of heroes to save the world of humans. Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun." Royce, Ya Books, Michael Sullivan, Box Set Books, Michael J, Fantasy Books, Fantasy Series

Michael Sullivan

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan: "I recently read the entire Riyria Revelations series which begins with this collected volume of the first two books. When a pair of talented and entertaining thieves are accused of murdering a king, they end up collecting a lively band of heroes to save the world of humans. Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton: "I just finished listening to this on audiobook and it was amazing. It’s a powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. Destined to be a classic memoir of wrongful imprisonment and freedom won, Hinton tells his dramatic thirty-year journey and shows how you can take away a man's freedom, but you can't take away his imagination, humor, or joy." The Book Club, Book Club Books, Oprah Winfrey Books, Bryan Stevenson, Oprahs Book Club, Holiday Gift List, Spring Books, Solitary Confinement, Nobel Peace

Book Club Books

Oprah Winfrey Books

Bryan Stevenson

Oprahs Book Club

Holiday Gift List

Solitary Confinement

The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton: "I just finished listening to this on audiobook and it was amazing. It’s a powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. Destined to be a classic memoir of wrongful imprisonment and freedom won, Hinton tells his dramatic thirty-year journey and shows how you can take away a man's freedom, but you can't take away his imagination, humor, or joy."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham: "An unlikely friendship between two pregnant women from different sides of the social spectrum asks the question “how far would you go to create the perfect family?”. The secrets they hold are shocking and life changing. This was a dark, twisted, heart wrenching thriller that I couldn’t put down. It lifted me out of my book slump and I’ll be reading more of Mr. Robotham! - Bekki" Date, Entertainment, Thriller Books, Suspense Novel, Mystery Thriller, Bookbub, Stephen King, So Little Time, Great Books

Mystery Thriller

The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham: "An unlikely friendship between two pregnant women from different sides of the social spectrum asks the question “how far would you go to create the perfect family?”. The secrets they hold are shocking and life changing. This was a dark, twisted, heart wrenching thriller that I couldn’t put down. It lifted me out of my book slump and I’ll be reading more of Mr. Robotham! - Bekki"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Ravenmaster by Christopher Skaife: "Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the city will fall. So, the title of Ravenmaster is an important one. This is the first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens from the man who cares for them. Skeife shares the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding the birds while shining a light on their behavior and the tricks they play. The result is a compelling and irreverent narrative..." Past My Bedtime, Yeoman, Books 2018, Tower Of London, Great Britain, Favorite Books

Past My Bedtime

Tower Of London

The Ravenmaster by Christopher Skaife: "Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the city will fall. So, the title of Ravenmaster is an important one. This is the first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens from the man who cares for them. Skeife shares the folklore, history, and superstitions surrounding the birds while shining a light on their behavior and the tricks they play. The result is a compelling and irreverent narrative..."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

$Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg: "An eminent sociologist explains how the resilience of communities can be found not only in shared values but in such shared spaces as libraries, child-care centers, and gardens that enable life-transforming human connections. Offers an inspiring blueprint for rebuilding our fractured society – and safeguarding democracy." Jon Stewart, Palaces, March Reading, Reading Nooks, Sociologist, Key To Happiness$

Key To Happiness

Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg: "An eminent sociologist explains how the resilience of communities can be found not only in shared values but in such shared spaces as libraries, child-care centers, and gardens that enable life-transforming human connections. Offers an inspiring blueprint for rebuilding our fractured society – and safeguarding democracy."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron: "Jane Austen becomes an amateur sleuth in the hopes of defending her friend in this delightful historical murder mystery. First in a series of Jane Austen mysteries. - Carrie" Murder Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, House Of Lords, Columbo, Barron, Accusations, Usa Today, Sinister, Jane Austen

Murder Mysteries

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron: "Jane Austen becomes an amateur sleuth in the hopes of defending her friend in this delightful historical murder mystery. First in a series of Jane Austen mysteries. - Carrie"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd: "This book, told over a period of thirty-five years, alternates between the viewpoints of Sarah, daughter of a Charleston plantation owner, and Hettie, the slave gifted to her as a personal servant. Sarah struggles with being the black sheep of the family. Hettie struggles with wanting to be free. This is a very moving book about the horrors of slavery and the unlikely friendship of two girls. - Katy" Book Club List, The Book, Book Nerd, Reading Groups

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd: "This book, told over a period of thirty-five years, alternates between the viewpoints of Sarah, daughter of a Charleston plantation owner, and Hettie, the slave gifted to her as a personal servant. Sarah struggles with being the black sheep of the family. Hettie struggles with wanting to be free. This is a very moving book about the horrors of slavery and the unlikely friendship of two girls. - Katy"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado: "Earthy and otherworldly, antic and sexy, queer and caustic, comic and deadly serious, Her Body and Other Parties swings from horrific violence to the most exquisite sentiment. In their explosive originality, these stories enlarge the possibilities of contemporary fiction. Finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction." Free Reading, Reading Ideas, Reading Room

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado: "Earthy and otherworldly, antic and sexy, queer and caustic, comic and deadly serious, Her Body and Other Parties swings from horrific violence to the most exquisite sentiment. In their explosive originality, these stories enlarge the possibilities of contemporary fiction. Finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young: "I don't normally read contemporary romance, but when I do it is usually a Samantha Young novel. Her latest romance did not disappoint. Tempers fly as the protagonists meet in an airport after their flight has been cancelled. Antagonism turns to chemistry as a series of chance encounters after the plane lands leads to a new romance. – Sarah L." New Romance Novels, Romance Paranormal, Romance Covers, Historical Romance, Book Boyfriends, Reading Books

New Romance Novels

Romance Paranormal

Historical Romance

Book Boyfriends

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young: "I don't normally read contemporary romance, but when I do it is usually a Samantha Young novel. Her latest romance did not disappoint. Tempers fly as the protagonists meet in an airport after their flight has been cancelled. Antagonism turns to chemistry as a series of chance encounters after the plane lands leads to a new romance. – Sarah L."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson: "This is the first book in the series which is the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix drama. After twenty-four years as sheriff, Walt, along with Deputy Victoria Moretti and lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear, is embroiled in the most volatile and challenging case of his career. He might be the only thing standing between three boys and a Sharps .45-70 buffalo rifle." Mystery Series, Mystery Books, Walt Longmire, Longmire Series, Craig Johnson, Cold Dishes, The Lone Ranger, Thing 1

Longmire Series

The Lone Ranger

The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson: "This is the first book in the series which is the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix drama. After twenty-four years as sheriff, Walt, along with Deputy Victoria Moretti and lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear, is embroiled in the most volatile and challenging case of his career. He might be the only thing standing between three boys and a Sharps .45-70 buffalo rifle."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

City of Ink by Elsa Hart: "Forced to return home to unravel the mystery surrounding his mentor's execution, Li Du confronts painful memories while investigating a double murder, the secrets of several Beijing residents and threats against his safety. An enthralling mystery set in 18th century China, the third in the Li Du series." Louise Penny, Mystery, Best Audiobooks, Mountain City, Jade Dragon, Best Mysteries

Best Audiobooks

City of Ink by Elsa Hart: "Forced to return home to unravel the mystery surrounding his mentor's execution, Li Du confronts painful memories while investigating a double murder, the secrets of several Beijing residents and threats against his safety. An enthralling mystery set in 18th century China, the third in the Li Du series."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Circe by Madeline Miller: "A retelling of the Greek tale of the banished witch daughter of the Titans. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense,Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world." Suspense Books, Apple Books, Margaret Atwood, Page Turner, Mans World, Livres

Margaret Atwood

Circe by Madeline Miller: "A retelling of the Greek tale of the banished witch daughter of the Titans. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense,Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Cherry by Nico Walker: "A young middle-class man falls in love, goes to war, comes home, becomes a heroin addict, and starts robbing banks to pay for his fix. This is a work of fiction, but Walker wrote it while in prison after his life followed a similar path. This timely novel explores, in raw, often unsettling detail, the horrors of war and the horrors of drug addiction, and how the deep traumas of both can overlap in a modern America seemingly unprepared to deal with either." Best Book Cover Design, Book Cover Art, Book Design, Design Ideas, Design Inspiration, Layout Design, Book Art

Best Book Cover Design

Design Inspiration

Cherry by Nico Walker: "A young middle-class man falls in love, goes to war, comes home, becomes a heroin addict, and starts robbing banks to pay for his fix. This is a work of fiction, but Walker wrote it while in prison after his life followed a similar path. This timely novel explores, in raw, often unsettling detail, the horrors of war and the horrors of drug addiction, and how the deep traumas of both can overlap in a modern America seemingly unprepared to deal with either."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Bonanza King by Gregory Crouch: "A readable book telling the life of a penniless Irish immigrant who became one of the richest men in America, but kept a common touch. Great insights into the Gold Rush, telegraph and railroad development, as well as the boom-and-bust Comstock Lode. - Richard" Dna, Free Books, Going To California, King John, San Francisco Chronicle, Mackay

Going To California

San Francisco Chronicle

The Bonanza King by Gregory Crouch: "A readable book telling the life of a penniless Irish immigrant who became one of the richest men in America, but kept a common touch. Great insights into the Gold Rush, telegraph and railroad development, as well as the boom-and-bust Comstock Lode. - Richard"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari: "A probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves. Presenting complex contemporary challenges clearly and accessibly, this is essential reading." Yuval Noah Harari, Yuval Harari, George Orwell, Bill Gates, New York Times

Yuval Noah Harari

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari: "A probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves. Presenting complex contemporary challenges clearly and accessibly, this is essential reading."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Talking Across the Divide by Justin Lee: "This is an excellent guide to having healthy conversations with people who have different views than you, and maybe even changing their minds. Lee provides keys to understanding barriers to meaningful and civil communication, tips on how to empathize with opposing views, and how to change their minds. - Carrie" The Real World, Change The World, Bridge Building, Pop Culture References, Anecdote, Dont Understand, How To Better Yourself, Social Justice, Nonfiction Books

Change The World

Bridge Building

Pop Culture References

Dont Understand

How To Better Yourself

Nonfiction Books

Talking Across the Divide by Justin Lee: "This is an excellent guide to having healthy conversations with people who have different views than you, and maybe even changing their minds. Lee provides keys to understanding barriers to meaningful and civil communication, tips on how to empathize with opposing views, and how to change their minds. - Carrie"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs: "The fourth book in a teen fantasy series about children with "peculiar" gifts, like being invisible, super strong, or, in the title hero's case, being able to sense & see monsters called "Hollowgasts" that nobody else can see. The novel is interspersed with old pictures of peculiars that (supposedly) come from real life. Check it out!" Miss Peregrine Libro, Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar, Thriller, Double Life, Young Adult Fiction, Reading Journal

Miss Peregrine Libro

Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar

Young Adult Fiction

Reading Journal

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs: "The fourth book in a teen fantasy series about children with "peculiar" gifts, like being invisible, super strong, or, in the title hero's case, being able to sense & see monsters called "Hollowgasts" that nobody else can see. The novel is interspersed with old pictures of peculiars that (supposedly) come from real life. Check it out!"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Library Book by Susan Orlean: "As usual, Orlean’s narrative nonfiction is captivating. It focuses first on a fire that happened in 1986, destroying the main Los Angeles Public Library, but it spreads out to include the story of the suspected arsonist, the previous history of the Los Angeles Public Library system (and its many quirky leaders), and libraries across the country. - Sandy" Library Books, Amazing Books, Los Angeles Library, Reese Witherspoon Book Club, Ellie Kemper

Los Angeles Library

Reese Witherspoon Book Club

The Library Book by Susan Orlean: "As usual, Orlean’s narrative nonfiction is captivating. It focuses first on a fire that happened in 1986, destroying the main Los Angeles Public Library, but it spreads out to include the story of the suspected arsonist, the previous history of the Los Angeles Public Library system (and its many quirky leaders), and libraries across the country. - Sandy"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Less by Andrew Sean Greer: "Receiving an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding, Arthur, a failed novelist on the eve of his 50th birthday, embarks on an international journey that finds him falling in love, risking his life, reinventing himself and making connections with the past. A satire of the American abroad; a rumination on time, the human heart, and of chances lost; and, above all, a love story." Top Ten Books, Penguin Books, This Is A Book

Less by Andrew Sean Greer: "Receiving an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding, Arthur, a failed novelist on the eve of his 50th birthday, embarks on an international journey that finds him falling in love, risking his life, reinventing himself and making connections with the past. A satire of the American abroad; a rumination on time, the human heart, and of chances lost; and, above all, a love story."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka: "I heard this author interviewed on NPR just as I was starting to read it. It’s such a good book, and not just for teens or graphic novel fans. Anyone who’s lived in or witnessed a dysfunctional family will appreciate what a great job the author does at capturing the tragic, comic, and emotional life he lived as a young person." Finding My Father, Missouri, Game Of Thrones, John Kerry, Summer Reading Lists, Literatura

Finding My Father

Game Of Thrones

Summer Reading Lists

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka: "I heard this author interviewed on NPR just as I was starting to read it. It’s such a good book, and not just for teens or graphic novel fans. Anyone who’s lived in or witnessed a dysfunctional family will appreciate what a great job the author does at capturing the tragic, comic, and emotional life he lived as a young person."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Guilty Dead by P. J. Tracy: "When a philanthropist is found dead under suspicious circumstances on the anniversary of his son's fatal overdose, Monkeewrench computer genius Grace MacBride assists the Minneapolis police to connect the case to a plot threatening hundreds of lives. Combines the best qualities of a fast-paced thriller with an intricately plotted police procedural." Reading Writing, Guilin, The Guilty, Crime Fiction, Fiction Books

Reading Writing

The Guilty Dead by P. J. Tracy: "When a philanthropist is found dead under suspicious circumstances on the anniversary of his son's fatal overdose, Monkeewrench computer genius Grace MacBride assists the Minneapolis police to connect the case to a plot threatening hundreds of lives. Combines the best qualities of a fast-paced thriller with an intricately plotted police procedural."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: "This story of a troubled family in the wilds of Alaska was so well written that when I accidentally listened to the last CD in the audio book instead of the first, it made me want to listen to the entire book. Knowing the ending was not a spoiler for me. – Laura" I Love Books, Reading Record

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: "This story of a troubled family in the wilds of Alaska was so well written that when I accidentally listened to the last CD in the audio book instead of the first, it made me want to listen to the entire book. Knowing the ending was not a spoiler for me. – Laura"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse: "This historical teen novel is beautifully written. It is engaging with fast-paced action and emotions that transport the reader right into the streets of Amsterdam as a ‘finder’ of needed goods becomes involved with the resistance as she looks for a missing girl. The story is very moving and does a great job of helping the reader to better understand what it might have felt like to live in a Nazi controlled Amsterdam in 1943. - Katy" Books And Tea, Kindle, Historical Fiction Books, Fiction Novels, Ya Novels

Historical Fiction Books

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse: "This historical teen novel is beautifully written. It is engaging with fast-paced action and emotions that transport the reader right into the streets of Amsterdam as a ‘finder’ of needed goods becomes involved with the resistance as she looks for a missing girl. The story is very moving and does a great job of helping the reader to better understand what it might have felt like to live in a Nazi controlled Amsterdam in 1943. - Katy"

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018

Florida by Lauren Groff: "Florida is an American state and a state of mind in Groff's stunning story collection, where her human characters face elemental dangers from all sides – hurricanes, panthers, gators, swamps and starvation – as they navigate their own fears and anxieties of the world and their place in it. The writing is wrapped in metaphor, and at times approaches magical realism – but each story is so lyrical and suffocating you can almost feel the humidity and smell the rot." Summer Books, Family Reading, Reading Time, Good New Books, Best Books To Read

Best Books To Read

Florida by Lauren Groff: "Florida is an American state and a state of mind in Groff's stunning story collection, where her human characters face elemental dangers from all sides – hurricanes, panthers, gators, swamps and starvation – as they navigate their own fears and anxieties of the world and their place in it. The writing is wrapped in metaphor, and at times approaches magical realism – but each story is so lyrical and suffocating you can almost feel the humidity and smell the rot."

Des Moines Public Library

Des Moines Public Library

DMPL Staff Picks - 2018