Readers responded enthusiastically all year long to the wonderful reviews our writers have shared. Since we know you enjoy reading about their book, movie, television, music, and video game recommendations, here are the top three favorites from our exceptionally knowledgeable and talented blog writers from the HCLS staff. Or, in some cases, perhaps a top four… it’s so hard to choose for these year-end retrospectives!

Cherise T., Central Branch

• Barbie – Pitch-perfect, entertaining take on life as a woman, how it is, and how we wish it would be.
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese – Multigenerational novel set in Karala, India, spanning over 70 years of a family cursed with deaths by water.
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – Sharing endless hours together due to pandemic restrictions, two daughters learn more of their mother’s origin story in which Our Town plays a major role.
• Wellness by Nathan Hill – What is the arc of a marriage when viewed through the lens of a photographer and a specialist in placebo psychology?

Piyali C., Miller Branch

• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
• Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder
• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

Ash B., Central Branch

• So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy – The boys are back with a triumphant return to guitar-based music, masterfully incorporating a range of influences while sounding utterly, uniquely Fall Out Boy. 
  Standout tracks include the hard-hitting opener “Love From The Other Side,” the sweepingly cinematic title track, and the disco-inspired “What a Time To Be Alive.”
• Unreal Unearth by Hozier – The newest album from the beloved Irish singer-songwriter delivers much of what fans expect – poetic lyrics delivered in soulful baritone – wrapped up in crisp, new production. 
  Standout tracks include the irresistibly funky “De Selby (Part 2)” and the lead single “Eat Your Young” with its scathing social commentary and catchy hook.
• Rush! by Måneskin – In their first record featuring mainly English-language songs, these Italian rockers showcase a keen pop sensibility along with plenty of guitar shredding and raw vocals. 
  Standout tracks include the mournful power ballad “THE LONELIEST” and the cheeky, energetic “MAMMAMIA.”

Sahana C., Savage Branch

• Joan by Katherine J. Chen – Chen paints a really compelling picture of what Joan of Arc may have been: a strong girl, working within the confines of her environment to become the face of something so much greater than herself.
• Haven by Emma Donoghue – A great contemplative read of ancient Irish history; a perspective that was new to me, and yet so familiar, with ties to the present.  
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins – This was a re-read for me, and I liked it better this time around, as I accompanied it with a re-read and rewatch of the whole Hunger Games books/movies, thanks to the recent release of the Ballad movie!

Christie L., Administrative Branch

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
• Walking with Sam: A Father, A Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy

Kimberly J., Glenwood Branch

• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
• Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalia Sylvester

Peter N., Miller Branch

• Wolfsong by TJ Klune – There was so much emotion, lycanthropy lore, and action at times that you’d almost think TJ Klune was a werewolf himself and had written this as an autobiography. I went on to the next book right after I finished Wolfsong!
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – The Spider-Verse movies have been so much fun! They’re funny, campy, and also dramatic in their own way. I cannot wait for part 2!
• Star Trek Picard Season 3 – This was the send-off that the crew of the USS Enterprise deserved all along, an utter chef’s kiss and a true love letter to the fans. Action packed, emotional, and fun, this season is a fan favorite and worth every single re-watch.

Ian L., East Columbia Branch

• One Piece (Anime, manga, and live action adaptation) – Pirates, Adventure, Freedom; if the endless dream guides your restless spirit, do yourself a favor and fall in love with One Piece.
• Asteroid City – A star-studded cast, eccentrically written characters, and beautiful sets; a Wes Anderson medley on isolation in times of uncertainty.
• Book of Hours (video game) – Restore a crumbling occult library as a Librarian whose work can literally define history.

Sarah C., Savage Branch

• Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
• To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
• Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Brittany M., Miller Branch

• Anne of Green Gables – I can’t keep count of how many times I’ve read about the escapades of literature’s favorite redhead. But every time I do, I’m delighted to reconnect with a “kindred spirit”.
• The Empress (Netflix) – Based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, this binge-worthy historical drama is full of juicy plots and costume eye candy that will leave you anxiously awaiting the arrival of season two.
• Barbie – Seeing my favorite childhood toy on the big screen tugged at my heartstrings and made me proud to discover that there is something deeper underneath her pretty perfection.

Julia M., Glenwood Branch

• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang – Yellowface is the book I couldn’t stop thinking about this year, no matter how many months pass by after I finished reading it.
• Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson – Tress is a fantasy that hearkens after The Princess Bride and left me wanting to become a better, kinder person.
• To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose – Out of all the great dragon books that came out this year, this is the one whose sequel I’m most looking forward to!

Eric L., Elkridge Branch

• Blue Rev by Alvvays – It came out in late 2022 and HCLS will have copies soon. This is the band’s third record, and they seem to have “broke” this year. You can borrow their previous two albums from HCLS. This record is more mature, lyrically and musically better.
• Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit – The book deftly captures how his experiences and writings worked up to his magnum opus which he finished right before his death at 46 years of age. Solnit addresses his optimism and his love of nature, as well as his foibles.
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (see my entire post here) is a great book, about America, greed, the impact of technology on humans, and the need for a social safety net. It is long, sad, and beautifully written; not a political book that aims to point fingers, but really a moral one.
• Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How it Changes Us by Brian Klaas is probably related to both aforementioned books. Written in an entertaining journalistic style, it’s packed with interesting anecdotes and interviews, with examples of power wielded for the good of all as well as power that is abused. Klaas also suggests what we can do to improve the use of power in society.

Angie E., Central Branch

• Holly by Stephen King – His best book in ages, but I will never see liver the same way again.
• The Lunar Housewife by Caroline Woods – This pleased both my sci-fi and feminist sides.
• The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley – This brilliant and funny novel stayed with me for a long time after I finished it.

Julie F., Miller Branch

• Strange Flowers by Donal Ryan – Beautiful, haunting, brilliant. A look at two generations of a mixed-race Irish family and the loves and losses that bind them together and keep them moving forward.
• A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes – Haynes gives voice to the voiceless women of the classic Greek plays and epics. She demonstrates how war never changes across the centuries, but it profoundly changes those it impacts, and never for the better.
• Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear – Great start to a crime fiction trilogy; for fans of Tana French and Susie Steiner. You’ll love Detective Constable Cat Kinsella, with her messy, complicated family life, sense of verve, and sarcastic, wisecracking humor.

Kristen B., Administrative Branch

• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (e-book and e-audiobook) – Feel-good found family and a ton of fun!
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (as an audiobook on CD or an e-audiobook) – Changes your perspective on the world and our place in it. The author reads it, which makes it even better.
• Witch King by Martha Wells – High fantasy, told upside down and backwards so you’re never quite sure what’s going on but wonderfully entertaining. She is the author of the highly popular Murderbot books, but this one is completely its own thing.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading these writers as much as we’ve loved editing and sharing their terrific blog posts throughout 2023. Check out their favorites and let us know which you enjoy; visit any branch to get more suggestions and recommendations from our stellar team. Happy holidays and here’s to a 2024 full of great books and multimedia from the HCLS collection!

– Kristen B. and Julie F., Chapter Chats editors