Top Recommendations
The Disappearing Spoon
"A fun romp through the periodic table of elements." -Rob
Survival Lessons
"Here acclaimed novelist Alice Hoffman presents a moving, deeply personal, and inspiring account of her own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that shares lessons for living through any kind of challenge." -Emily
Gulp
"Are you curious about the human digestive system? I wasn’t! However, Mary Roach always does a great job of mixing science and human interest. It’s strangely compelling." -Samantha
The Night Circus
“I love the characters in this book and the setting can only be described as ethereal." -Tera
Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set (Six Dice, Five Ready-To-Play d&d Characters with Character Sheets, a Rulebook, and One Adventure)
"Once you start playing, you never look back." -Amanda
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
“If you love science fiction, but wish the author explored relationships, intercultural communication, and other social justice domains more then I highly recommend anything Becky Chambers has written.” -Crystal
Invisible Women
Recommended by Shelbie
Faculty and Staff Picks
Library Resources
Yotsuba&! by Call Number: PN6790.J34 Y687ISBN: 9781413903171"A very happy manga. Yotsuba is very much a mood. " -Samantha
Freaks by Call Number: PN1997 .F743 1932ISBN: 9780790746548"A cult classic! Freaks is often referenced in TV shows and cartoons. " -Samantha
Aya by Call Number: PN6790.C854 A92 2007ISBN: 9780224087476"This comic collects the translated comics of married couple Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie. The comic follows Aya and her two friends as they grow and live on the Ivory Coast in 1978." -Rob
Persuasion by Call Number: PR4034 .P4 1995bISBN: 9780679601913"Persuasion is arguably my favorite Jane Austen work. What Pride and Prejudice does for “enemies to lovers”, Persuasion captures the “second chance romance” trope perfectly." -Samantha
Genre fiction includes many themes such as science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, and other niche genres like western novels. Here are our library employees favorite genre novels.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Call Number: PS3603.H347 L66 2014ISBN: 9780062444134“If you love science fiction, but wish the author explored relationships, intercultural communication, and other social justice domains more then I highly recommend anything Becky Chambers has written.” -Crystal
The Night Circus by Call Number: PS3613.O74875 N54 2011ISBN: 9780385534635“I love the characters in this book and the setting can only be described as ethereal." -Tera
Lirael by Call Number: PZ7.N647 Li 2002ISBN: 9780060005429"The second book in the Abhorsen series. I love the librarian representation and worldbuilding that Garth Nix brings to the table. There's secrets and self-discovery and, most importantly, magic. " -Samantha
The Fifth Season by Call Number: PS3610.E46 F54 2015ISBN: 9780316229296"If you’re a fan of fantasy, do yourself a favor and read this book. It is both a gritty and refreshing take on the genre." -Amanda
The Great and Secret Show by Call Number: PR6052.A6475 G7 1989ISBN: 9780060162764Recommended by Lisa
Spoonbenders by Call Number: PS3607.R48836 S68 2017ISBN: 9781524731823"Daryl Gregory is one of my favorite authors. His books always have an interesting twist or perspective. I appreciate the super-powered dysfunction of the Telemachus family. " -Samantha
Memoires are narratives written about the life of the author. Many readers enjoy reading about how famous writers interpreted their lives.
Born a Crime by Call Number: PN2287.N557 A3 2016ISBN: 9780399588174"Hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly fascinating. I read it in a day." -Amanda
Survival Lessons by Call Number: RC280.B8 H628 2013ISBN: 9781616203146"Here acclaimed novelist Alice Hoffman presents a moving, deeply personal, and inspiring account of her own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that shares lessons for living through any kind of challenge." -Emily
Hyperbole and a Half by Call Number: PN6727.B7568 H96 2013ISBN: 9781451666175"You have probably seen the relatable memes, but have you read the comic memoir that they came from? I recommend this one for those who need a good laugh at life." -Crystal
How to Be an Antiracist by Call Number: POPULAR E184.A1 K344 2019ISBN: 9780525509288"This book should be required reading for everyone" -Amanda
Gulp by Call Number: QP145 .R53 2013ISBN: 9780393081572"Are you curious about the human digestive system? I wasn’t! However, Mary Roach always does a great job of mixing science and human interest. It’s strangely compelling." -Samantha
We Should All Be Feminists by Call Number: HQ1206 .A35 W47 2015ISBN: 9781101911761"I’ve been enamored ever since I saw her TED talk. Empowering." -Amanda
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Call Number: BJ1589.M25 S83 2016ISBN: 9780062457714"This book really helped me to reframe my thinking around how I deal with trauma and left me feeling more empowered." -Amanda
The Disappearing Spoon by Call Number: QD466 .K37 2010ISBN: 9780316051644"A fun romp through the periodic table of elements." -Rob
A New Turn in the South by Call Number: TX715.2.S68 A25 2011ISBN: 9780307719553"Canadian Chef Hugh Acheson provides a fresh perspective on southern ingredients. The boiled peanut hummus is surprisingly tasty!" -Samantha
Depression and Other Magic Tricks by ISBN: 1943735263"'Explaining My Depression to My Mother' is phenomenal and will make anyone who deals with depression/anxiety feel seen." -Amanda
An Unkindness of Ghosts by ISBN: 1617755990Publication Date: 2017-09-18Obsessive and withdrawn, Aster lives in the low-deck slums of the space vessel HSS Matilda. When the autopsy of the ship’s sovereign reveals a link between his death and the suicide of Aster’s mother, she begins sewing the seeds for civil war, and learns there may be a way off the ship if she’s willing to fight for it.
The Princess Bride by ISBN: 9780156035156“If you like the movie, you'll LOVE the book (I recommend skipping/skimming the intro).” -Tera
Elantris by ISBN: 9780765381026“This was Brandon Sanderson’s first published novel. It imagines a fantasy world in which people who gain magic become zombie-like, and the social implications of an arranged marriage in which one party becomes a magical zombie just before they tie the knot.” -Crystal
Dreamsnake by ISBN: 9780553296594“This novel comes across as fantasy at first, but is really a postapocalyptic far future story set in a world where most of the population is early industrial age in technology while healers maintain a desperate grasp on the remaining bioengineering technology that they once had.” -Crystal
Games
Odum Library has a selection of board and tabletop games for your next game night! These are our library employee's favorites.
Unlock! escape adventures. The formula by Call Number: GAMES GV1507.E83 F67 2018"Essentially an escape-room-in-a-box, The Unlock series of games are fantastic for fun solo or group play!" -Rob
Throw throw burrito : a dodgeball card game by Call Number: GAMES GV1295 .T47 2019"Dueling with foam burritos is the most fun I have had in years." -Amanda
One night : ultimate werewolf by Call Number: GAMES GV1469.62 .O54 2018"I never get tired of this game." -Amanda
Azul by Call Number: GAMES GV1312.A98 2018"This gorgeous abstract game is a delight to the senses as well as a fun competitive game." -Rob
Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set (Six Dice, Five Ready-To-Play d&d Characters with Character Sheets, a Rulebook, and One Adventure) by Call Number: GAMES GV1469.62.D84 D33 2014ISBN: 9780786965595"Once you start playing, you never look back." -Amanda
"My parents loved to tell stories about their old D&D characters when I was little. The game gives you a chance to live in an open-ended world like your favorite fantasy video games, so I recommend D&D to anyone wanting to be social with their games." -Crystal
The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book by Call Number: GAMES GV1469.6 .U58 2020ISBN: 9781507212868"Dungeons & Dragons is only one role-playing game among many. Discover many different flavors of RPGs to play in this book!" -Rob
Outside Resources
- Book RiotBook Riot is a website that covers book reviews and publishing news. They publish both articles and podcasts regularly.
- Epic ReadsEpic Reads is a website devoted to helping you find the right next book with list articles on books that touch on a wide variety of topics from feminism to the enemies to lovers trope.
- WhichbookWhichbook provides a way to search for books based on common plot elements or author categories. Searchers can pick from up to four sliders to search by emotional categories, or look books up by their publication origins.
- Literature MapLiterature Map allows the reader to input an author that they enjoyed to see a map of other authors who are commonly reported as similar, with the closer names being most often cited as similar.
- Shelf AwarenessShelf Awareness is the website for a daily newsletter on books and the associated industry. They have both articles dedicated to book industry professionals and readers.
- Literary HubThis website publishes literary critique, news, and reviews of books both old and new.
- CatapultThis website publishes short fiction and nonfiction while also supporting aspiring authors.
- Bookshop BlogThe Bookshop Blog publishes blogs about the book shop industry, publishing, and writing.
- Library Journal ReviewsLibrary Journal is a professional publication that publishes news and other sources important to the support of libraries and librarians. They also have a dedicated section for reviews of any information sources librarians, and readers, might want to pick up.
What are genres?
Genre Specific Websites
- GoodreadsGoodreads allows readers to create a profile from which they can share their reading experience with others on their friends list. The user created reviews, online book clubs, and the yearly reading challenge make this website a good resource for the regular reader.
- Story GraphStory Graph is similar to Goodreads, but with features such as the ability to give half stars, private reading notes in addition to public ones, and built in content warning features.
- Library ThingLibrary Thing is a website that allows readers to keep a library catalog of what books they own and how they feel about them. While this makes them similar to Goodreads, they have the added ability to transition their catalog into a usable small library catalog to keep track of borrowing and other necessary things.
- LitsyLitsy is a picture app for taking those cozy photos of reading your books. Sometimes you just want to be able to share that aesthetic view over the edge of your current read.
- Book CrossingBook Crossing is a website for setting your books free and seeing where they end up. Users will place a book with a way to track it on the website and finders are asked to report where they find it before setting it free again when they are done reading it.
- Book MoochBook Mooch is a website that allows people to trade books on a virtual leave one take one shelf. Users first list a book they would like to send to a new home. Once the listed book is claimed that user is given a credit to request another user's listed book. Receivers are responsible only for paying shipping to their location.
- Circulating IdeasThis podcast hosts discussions between people in libraries and writing as well.
- The Librarian is inThis podcast is hosted by New York City public librarians to discuss culture and what to read next.
- Book Riot PodcastsBook Riot produces a wide variety of podcasts to recommend books of all different genres and themes.
- AudioFile MagazineThis online magazine talks about audiobooks and how to find your next listen.
- LibrivoxLibrivox is a website dedicated to recording and distributing free audiobook copies of books that have fallen out of copyright. They have several titles considered dystopian from the early days of this genre available.
- Pulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a yearly prize given to outstanding book and journalism titles.
- RUSA Notable BooksThe Reference User Services Association is a professional organization for reference librarianship. This award is given to titles that achieved notoriety in professional reviews in the year of their nomination and were selected by the Notable Books Council for that notoriety.
- The Hugo AwardsThe Hugo Award is an award given to a title that successfully secures the majority vote of the World Science Fiction Society membership every year.
- The NebulasThis yearly award is voted on by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America organization. There are several awards for different formats such as novel or novelette.
- The AudiesThis award given by the Audio Publishers Association is given to audiobooks of a great number of categories each year.
- Library Reads AwardLibrary Reads awards are given to books that were selected by library staff across the country from the new releases they are currently reading. Each month a new list is released, making this the most informal and most often updated award on this list.
Book reviewers can be found in all the nooks of the internet, not just on websites and podcasts. Here are a selection of three videos from YouTube creators who review books. Maybe they can help you find your next favorite read.
Contact us
If any material listed is problematic or you would like to suggest future recommendations and themes please contact Crystal Miller at crrichardson@valdosta.edu! They would love feedback, or just to talk about books!
