20 Books To Read in 2017, According to Somerset County Library Staff

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Looking for a good read to get your new year going? The Somerset County Library System of New Jersey's collection development team recommends these 20 books you should get your hands on.

“My reading tastes are not very mainstream,” said Collection Development Manager Yvonne Selander, “So when I was putting together the list of books I think will be hot in early 2017, I couldn't resist adding a couple I'm personally looking forward to reading. Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is one of my go to authors. I love everything Icelandic and her standalone thriller, I Remember You, was amazingly creepy; and her upcoming book, The Undesired, is being compared to that one. Another book I adored because it brought me back to my rather geeky youth in the 80s was Ready Player One. New read, The Impossible Fortress, is already being compared to Ready Player One, and hey, it takes place in New Jersey!”

Yvonne Selander's Fiction Picks

Books to read if you are looking for a thrill:

• The Girl Before by JP Delaney
• The Watcher by Ross Armstrong

Books to read to transport yourself back in time:

• The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Did you know … your favorite authors are back:

• The Child by Fiona Barton
• The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion
• Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
• Beartown by Fredrik Backman

What Yvonne is most excited to read:

• The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak
• The Undesired by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

“I can't wait to delve into Samin Nosrat's illustrated cookbook to pick up techniques and tidbits and discover new dishes,” said Collection Development Librarian Laura Frantz. “Awkward with its mix of science-based theories and personal anecdotes intrigues me, particularly in this ever-growing social media landscape. And David Sedaris always makes me laugh.”

Laura Frantz’s Non-Fiction Picks

Books to read if you like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:

• The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking
• Happiest Kids in the World: A Stress-Free Approach to Parenting-the Dutch Way by Rina Mae Acosta

Books to read for keeping current:

• The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World by Brad Stone
• The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data by Kevin D. Mitnick
• Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg

Books to read if you like celebrity dish:

• The Most Beautiful: My Life With Prince by Mayte Garcia
• The Secrets of My Life: A History by Caitlyn Jenner

What Laura is most excited to read:

• Awkward: The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome by Ty Tashiro
• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: the Four Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
• Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2016 by David Sedaris

The library staff is also available at all 10 Library locations to offer free one-on-one, personalized reading recommendations.

For more information visit SCLSNJ.org.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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