Book Picks from Your Local Library for Jan. 7

Looking for a new book for the new year?

You’re in luck. The staff at the has some suggestions for you.

This week’s teen book recommendation was written by Teen Librarian Diane Wilson. And the adult recommendations were written by public services assistant Rachel Vaughn.

For adults:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
In Tokyo, 1984, something strange is happening to Aomame. She’s started to discover cracks in what she believes to be reality. She soon realizes that she has somehow crossed over into an alternate world—1Q84. At the same time, Tengo, a writer, has become completely entangled and obsessed while he is working a mysterious ghostwriting job. How are Aomame and Tengo connected? What exactly is 1Q84? Author Murakami’s nod to George Orwell’s dystopian 1984 has landed on several “Best of 2011” lists—check it out if you’re up for a unique and wild ride.

Trail of Blood by Lisa Black
Native Clevelander Lisa Black was a forensic scientist before picking up a pen and still leads a double career life—as a latent print examiner and writer. In this third installment of the forensic scientist Theresa MacLean series, a badly decomposed body has been discovered in a sealed off abandoned building. The body bares eerie similarities to the infamous killings of the Cleveland “Torso Killer” that took place 75 years ago. Theresa thinks she has a piece of criminal history on her hands until a new body with the same markings shows up. A copycat is on the loose and Theresa must work to catch the killer, before the killer catches her!

For teens:
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
Cameron Quick was Jennifer Harris's only friend. They stood by each other when other kids called them weird (Cameron) or fat (Jennifer), and they really believed that they didn't need anyone else in order to be perfectly content. One day in third grade, Cameron and his dad disappear and when the kids at school tell Jennifer that Cameron is dead, Jennifer has no options left except to become a survivor. But what's the real story? Recommended for grades 6 to 8.

Summaries may be based in part from information in the library's catalogue.