Staff Favorites
Patrons often ask our staff to suggest books to read.The titles on this list were compiled by asking our staff to recommend their favorite books and describe great books they have read and enjoyed.
Staff Favorites
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All Favorites Children
Best of 2006 Music and Movies
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Salt Lake County Library Staff Picks for 2006
Act of Treason by Vince Flynn |
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The Adventures of Johnny Vermillion by Loren D. Estleman |
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Almost Sisters by Nancy Anderson, Lael J. Littke and Carroll H. Morris |
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Alone Together by Jack Weyland |
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The Attack by Yasmina Khadra |
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Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe |
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Beyond the Pale Jim Gaffigan Submitted by Sharon Peters 12/06 |
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Billy Boyle by James R. Benn General Dwight Eisenhower sends Billy Boyle to the seat of the Norwegian government in exile. Operation Jupiter, the invasion of Norway is being planned but it is suspected there is a German spy among the Norwegians. |
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Blind Side by Clair Poulson Left for dead after she and her dog stumble upon a murder scene, law student Noletta Fahr survives, but without her sight. However, when her faithful German Shepherd is kidnapped, detective Martin Atkinson is certain there is more to this routine case than meets the eye. What follows is a fast-paced, page-turning tale of intrigue, deception, betrayal, and romance--and a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. |
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Bloodline by Fiona Mountain Charles Seagrove reluctantly hires genealogist Natasha Blake to research the family tree of his granddaughter’s boyfriend, John Heller. Why does he want her to research back to 1750? When Natasha finds Charles murdered she begins a journey into the family’s past and learns some terrifying secrets. Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
Blue Alert |
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Bones of the Barbary Coast by Daniel Hecht Paranormal investigator, Lucretia “Cree” Black is called in when an unusual skeleton is found during a home renovation in San Francisco. Are they the remains of a victim of the 1906 earthquake or the remains of a "wolf man”? Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
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Book Club: An Unshelved Collection by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum This is the fourth Unshelved collection and I love them all for the necessary laughter they provide--required reading for anyone working in public libraries, recommended for anyone in public service but I believe everyone should be able to appreciate the humor of the situation--a surprisingly accurate depiction of life in a public library. Submitted by Marissa Hagen 12/06 |
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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors. Submitted by Telesa Rountree 12/06 |
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Bookwoman's Last Fling by John Dunning Former homicide detective, Cliff Janeway, would love to enjoy the quiet life of a rare book dealer but murder keeps getting in the way. Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
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Broken Trail by Alan Geoffrion Submitted by Jane Cooper 12/06 |
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Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass Dr. Brockton, head of the “Body Farm” stumbles across a mummified female body in a cave in a remote corner of Appalachia. The discovery reopens old wounds and old feuds. Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
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Cinderella (As if You Didn't Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor Submitted by Carrie Kelley 12/06 |
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Clementine by Sarah Pennypacker Clementine is an imaginative, gutsy and free-spirited 8-year-old with lots of "ideas springing up" in her brain. When she's not whirling her brother around in a wok on the kitchen floor, or cutting her best friend's hair and filling in the mistakes with a red magic marker, then she's helping her father with the Great Pigeon War. Look out, Junie B. Jones, Ramona and Judy Moody, the irresistible Clementine is here!
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The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour: The Adventure Stories, Vol. 4 by Louis L'Amour Submitted by Jane Cooper 12/06 |
Coming Up To Breathe |
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Death By Salt II |
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The Dramatist by Ken Bruen Ex-Galway detective, Jack Taylor, has been clean and sober for 6 months. When his former cocaine dealer asks him to investigate the death of his sister, Jack reluctantly agrees. He soon finds himself on the trail of a serial killer who has an obsession with the 19th century Irish dramatist John Millington Synge.
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Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems Edwina plays with kids, bakes delicious chocolate chip cookies and helps old ladies cross the street. She is well-loved by everyone except for Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. He knows for a fact that dinosaurs are extinct and tries to convince everyone that they are. But, what happens when Edwina finds out?
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An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston You'll pore over this book's poetic text and beautiful illustrations again and again, learning more than you knew there was to know about many kinds of eggs. The book might even inspire you to search for more information...or eggs."
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Fairest by Gail Carson Levine What is beauty? Aza, who lives in a land where beauty and singing are highly valued, has a wonderful voice but is not considered to be physically beautiful. In this retelling of Snow White, Aza learns that beauty is more than just what a person looks like.
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Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson Submitted by Dena Allen-Olsen 12/06 |
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Fall of the Amazing Zalindas by Tracy Mack Submitted by Shelly Ward 12/06 |
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Fashionably Late by Beth Kendrick Submitted by Joan Christensen 12/06 |
Fire Wire |
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A Fool's Gold: A Story of Ancient Spanish Treasure, Two Pounds of Pot and the Young Lawyer Almost Left Holding the Bag by Bill Merritt Submitted by Jenny Milligan 12/06 |
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Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex Submitted by De Peterson |
Freaked!: A Gotee Tribute to cdTalk's Jesus Freak |
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G is for One Gzonk!: An Alpha-Number-Bet Book by Tiney DiTerlooney (a.k.a Tony DeTerlizzi) Submitted by Judy Yaka 12/06 |
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Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman The Bosco estate in upstate New York is a renowned artist retreat but the mansion has a tragic past. In 1893, Milo Latham brought in a psychic medium to help his wife contact their 3 dead children. The séance turns deadly and their only remaining child disappears. When novelist Ellis Brooks goes to the retreat to write about the estate’s past, he discovers the family’s dark secrets. Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
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Giada's Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis Submitted by Anna Zanarini 12/06 |
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Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckely-Archer Submitted by Laura Berube 12/06 |
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Girl in a Box by Sujata Massey Rei Shimura works for an elite U.S. spy agency, when she is asked to go undercover in a Tokyo department store to investigate organized crime. While Rei looks forward to the employee discount, she soon finds herself in big trouble. Submitted by Linda Worstell 12/06 |
Good Monsters |
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Gossamer by Lois Lowry Submitted by Judy Yaka 12/06 |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire |
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Headstone City by Tom Picirilli Submitted by Darlene Dineen 12/06 |
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The Hell Riders by Mark Henry Submitted by Jane Cooper 12/06 |
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His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik Captain Will Laurence of the HMS Reliant finds a dragon egg on a French ship. When the dragon hatches, Will and the dragon, Temeraire bond. Will transfers into the Aerial Corps so he and Temeraire can stay together and train to combat Napoleon's invading forces. |
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Hit the Road by Caroline Cooney Submitted by Sara Wever 12/06 |
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House of Many Gods by Kiana Davenport Native Hawaiian and Anglo American descendent Kiana Davenport delivers a powerful story of love and forgiveness. |
If We Were Really Here |
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I'm Dirty by Kate and Jim McMullan For the child in us, the hardworking story of Backhoe Loader fits the bill. It's a dirty, noisy, muddy job, but the backhoe loves cleaning up a mess. So have loads of fun with a clank, rattle and bang! |
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Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld In 1909, Sigmund Freud travels to America with his protégé, Carl Jung. As they arrive in New York, a young woman is found murdered and mutilated. Another woman escapes the killer, but can not recall the attack. That is when Sigmund Freud is called in. |
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Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows Ivy and Bean knew they wouldn't be friends the minute they saw each other. But when Bean must hide from her sister--quick--Ivy comes to the rescue proving that sometimes honey and vinegar make the best of friends. |
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John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith |
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Just Listen by Sarah Dessen |
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Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey |
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Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood Submitted by Jenny Milligan 12/06 |
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Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris |
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Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes |
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A Little Sisterly Advice by Jennifer Stewart Griffith Submitted by Ruby Cheesman 12/06 |
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Lost Gardens by Anthony Eglin California winemaker, Jamie Gibson, inherits an old English estate. When she hires Lawrence Kingston to restore the neglected gardens they discover a ruined chapel with a healing well. Human remains are found in the well and an investigation leads to ancient secrets. |
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Loveliest Dead by Ray Garton To most people it's just a large house, old and a bit run-down. To the Kellar family it's a new start, a chance to wipe out the painful past and begin again. But soon it will become a living nightmare as the secrets of the past reach from beyond the grave to destroy the living. |
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Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean General Fiction Call#: F Dean In the fall of 1941 Marina, a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum in war-ravaged Leningrad, helped to remove the priceless masterpieces for safekeeping. As the planes dropped bombs and people lived in underground shelters Marina burned to memory each work of art and stored them in her "memory palace". In her mind she could tour each room in the collection and picture each work in exquisite detail. Now eighty years old, living in the northwestern U.S. and suffering from senile dementia she slips back and forth between the present and her "memory palace". This book is a treat for the senses of anyone interested in art. Submitted by Lee Alexander 12/06 |
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Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick From the perilous ocean crossing to the shared bounty of the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrim settlement of New England has become enshrined as our most sacred national myth. Yet, the true story of the Pilgrims is much more than the well-known tale of piety and sacrifice; it is a fifty-five-year epic that is at once tragic, heroic, exhilarating and profound. |
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Mercy Wilson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo Mercy, the wonder pig, who is crazy for toast and butter, awakens one night to hear a cowboy robber"Yippee-I-Oh" as he dares to steal her beloved toaster. Mercy sets out to stop him, but really it's all about the butter candy in the burglar's pocket. Great fun! |
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo In this touching tale, Edward Tulane is a porcelain rabbit doll who loves only himself. But when he is separated from the girl who loves him, he embarks on a journey that takes him to different owners who teach him of the pain and joy of loving someone else. |
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Mommy? by Maurice Sendak A funny book for all ages. Readers help a young boy who is looking for his mother by lifting the flaps to reveal what lies beneath. |
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Moon Called by Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself. |
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Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts With superbly crafted characters, three passionate romances, and a bewitching blend of magic and myth, Nora Roberts tells a story about a medieval sorcerer who must travel through time to stop the powerful vampire, Lilith, as the vampire prepares to quench her thirst by unleashing her fury in battle. |
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Mortician's Daughter by Elizabeth Bloom Ginny Lavoie has been suspended from her job with the NYPD when she gets a call from a childhood friend whose teenage son, Danny, was beaten to death. Ginny returns home to investigate the murder and find herself entangled in the town’s secrets. Ginny has to confront the ghosts of her own past. |
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My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin Irene, an avid reader, gets roped into babysitting for the summer. As she entertains kids, renews an old acquaintance and meets someone new, she learns that being beautiful doesn't make a person happy. Written in first person, Irene's voice is fresh and full of genuine feeling as she tells of her own personal follies and foibles. |
New Day |
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Panamericana |
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Post-War |
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Probuditi by Chris Van Allsburg After seeing a magician perform hypnotist tricks, Calvin and his friend Rodney decide to hypnotize Calvin's little sister. But the joke is on them when they are unable to snap her out of thinking she is a dog. |
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Rainaldi Quartet by Paul Adam Why would anyone want to kill Tomaso Rainaldi, an unassuming violin maker in Cremona, Italy? Tomaso had no enemies and no money but did possess an encyclopedic knowledge and love of violins. Did his knowledge of a famous missing violin lead to his death? |
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Rash by Pete Hautman A young adult book that takes a hilariously sarcastic look at what happens when a futuristic world chooses safety over freedom. |
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The Road by Cormac McCarthy A father and his young son travel through a post-catastrophic United States in hopes of finding food, warmth and some surviving "good guys". A beautiful tale of hope and love in the midst of desolation. |
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Ruins by Scott Smith A group of college grads vacationing in Mexico find themselves in a desperate situation, forced by gunpoint to stay on a hill covered in a strange vine. The suspense builds as the fears, weaknesses and strengths of each member of the group are revealed, taking the reader on a horror filled, psychological journey. |
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Saboteur: A Novel of Love and War by Dean Hughes The year is 1943, and Andy Gledhill has been recruited by the OSS to become a spy behind the enemy lines in France--his mother's native country. Back home in Delta, Utah, the Topaz relocation camp has caused friction among the townspeople; and his girlfriend, Whisper, wonders if she should continue to wait for Andy to return--or should she marry someone else. A tautly drawn novel of love and war that will appeal to all. |
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Saddlemaker's Wife by Earlene Fowler When her husband, Cole, dies, Ruby gets a lot of surprises. She learns she has inherited part of a cattle ranch. Then she learns that the family he claimed was dead is very much alive. Ruby tries to piece together the truth. |
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Second Sight by Amanda Quick Venetia Milton earns big bucks photographing the artifacts owned by the brooding Gabrien Jones, whom she also manages to seduce, but after hearing that he is dead, she is stunned when he winds up on her doorstep very much alive and afraid for his life. Clever dialogue, well-handled paranormal elements, and an intriguing plot merge with Quick's lively wit in this thoroughly entertaining romance. |
See the Morning |
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Sequence by Lori Andrews Geneticist Alexandra Blake is working for the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. when her bio terrorism unit is asked to investigate a serial killer who is targeting military bases. |
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Shadow Touch by Marjorie Liu Elena Baxter can work miracles with her hands. She can heal. But will she be able to do her good work? Or be forced to join with her evil captors? This book has been chosen as a Reader's Choice book in January-April 2007. |
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Shady Ladies: Nineteen Surprising and Rebellious American Women by Suzann Ledbetter A fun and eclectic collection of well-crafted and enormously entertaining biographies of little-known 'til now "shady ladies." Some were crackpots, some criminals, some genuine talents, but almost all have been sadly forgotten. Shady Ladies is the story of early American rebels and a fascinating view of the lives of nineteen notorious and notable women. |
Straight Outta Lynwood |
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Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentz A thinking person's true crime book. This book really made me think--about the nature of justice--and why we hunger for tales of blood and gore (but it isn't a tale of blood and gore--not really!) |
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Ten Second Staircase by Christopher Fowler A controversial artist is murdered. There are no suspects, no motives and no evidence. The only eyewitness is 12 year old boy, who insists the killer was a cape-clad highwayman riding a black stallion. The case is tailor made for partners Arthur Bryant and John May and their Peculiar Crimes Unit. |
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There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children by Melissa Fay Greene Originally a middle-class woman with a happy family life, Haregewoin Tefarra fell into a deep depression after the death of her recently married daughter. But then a priest brought her two children, AIDS orphans, with nowhere to go. Unexpectedly, the children thrived, and Haregewoin found herself drawn back into daily life. As word got out, an endless stream of children began to arrive at her door. "Green tells the stories in unforgettable vignettes of loss, secrecy, panic, stigma and, sometimes, hope..." Booklist |
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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield Rare bookseller Margaret Lea is commissioned by the mysterious and reclusive author Vida Winter to write her long awaited biography. In this gothic, yet poignantly written story within a story, both characters face and learn to live, or die, with the past. |
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Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin Greg Mortenson grew up in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, of missionary parents who established a hospital and school. Later as a young man and climbing enthusiast who had then become accustomed to life in the United States, he attempted to climb K-2, the world's second largest mountain, in honor of his sister who had died. He became lost and nearly perished if it hadn't been for a remote village that took him in and nurtured him back to health. He vowed to do something for them in return. That something was to build a school, especially for their girls, way up in this remote rocky area of Pakistan. His book also chronicles his brushes with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. |
Time Again: Amy Grant Live |
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Under Orders by Dick Francis One of the most popular mystery writers on both sides of the Atlantic, Francis has not put out a new book for a couple of years. This book features protagonist Sid Halley, one of only two recurring characters in his novels. Like all of his books, it's set in the world of horse racing. If you like an exciting mystery with witty and engaging dialogue check out Under Orders. |
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Vicious Circle: a novel of complicity by Robert Littell Decorated Mossad officer Elihu works to hunt down a legendary terrorist who has taken a high-profile fundamentalist rabbi hostage. |
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit |
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Warrior Heir by Cindy Williams Chima A young man discovers that he has special skills that place him in the middle of a battle that has been going on for centuries. A great action-packed book for young adults, especially boys. |
What's Going On |
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When Darkness Falls by Mercedes Lackey Lackey is a master fantasy writer. Her rich, believable worlds are peopled with fully realized, complex characters who struggle with good and evil, wisdom and power, the real world and magic. I can't get enough of her writing. If you enjoy fantasy fiction she is one of the best. |
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The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig The narrator recalls his childhood growing up on a homestead in Montana in a one-room schoolhouse. Doig eloquently makes his characters believable and realistic. It's full of nostalgia and the ache of growing up. |
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Why Darwin Matters: the case against intelligent design by Michael Shermer A well written discussion about evolution and the bottom-up process of natural selection. |
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Wisdom of Our Fathers: lessons and letters from daughters and sons by Tim Russert After the publication Big Russ and Me moderator of Meet the Press Tim Russert received thousands of letters and e-mails (over 60,000) from sons and daughters who wanted to share their memories and express their gratitude towards their fathers. |
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Wolves by Emily Gravett A humorous picture book that both children and adults will enjoy. A young rabbit checks out a book on wolves from the library. Not only does he learn about wolves but has his own close encounter. |
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Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy Sylvia was only four years old when she was locked inside the Lodz Jewish ghetto run by the Nazis. Five years later she walked out alive--one of only twelve children to survive this Polish ghetto. An amazing, inspiring story. |
