Books About Libraries and Librarians

The Library Book

Author: Susan Orleans

Year: 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: January 2019 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Age Range: 15+

Plot

This book is primarily about the LA Public Library and the disastrous impact of the 1986 fire that destroyed the building and its collection. The mystery of why the fire happened and if it was set on purpose has never been solved. It’s also about the importance of libraries as hubs of society and education, giving lots of statistics and information about their history.

Why Kirsten likes it

I enjoyed this non-fiction book about the LA library fire, but I could have used less of the general library stats. It focused too little on the library fire and too much on the library itself.

I think it could have been cut down by about 50 pages because towards the end I had an “alright, I get it, enough already” moment. Still, it was interesting to learn about the struggles the library faced after the fire with clean-up, the investigation, and the lasting security measures that came about because of what happened.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries

The Woman in the Library

Author: Sulari Gentil

Year: 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

More info: USA Today Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

Plot

There is a scream and the Boston Public Library pulls four strangers into a crazy adventure full of twists and turns. All of them have different reasons for being in that room and one of them is a murderer.

There is a book being written by an Australian author and mailed chapter by chapter to Leo, in the United States. He is giving feedback on each chapter. As you watch both stories unfold, you will never anticipate the next step.

Why Jackie loves it

There are so many things that I loved about this book, I do not even know where to start. It’s a book within a book- a mystery inside a mystery.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries

The Good Sister

Author: Sally Hepworth

Year: 2020

Genre: Thriller

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Fern and Rose are twins who have always had each other. Rose is the responsible one, always looking out for Fern. Fern has trouble reading social situations. She doesn’t like loud noises and makes dangerous mistakes all the time.

Rose’s most important job was protecting Fern from their crazy mother. When Fern, a library worker, decides to have a baby for Rose, secrets come out about their collective past.

Trigger Warnings

Child Abuse

Why Jackie loves it

The Good Sister is a psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes until the very end.

Find this book in: Books About Sisters / Books About Librarians / Ultimate Beach Reads 2021

The Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

Year: 2020

Genre: Time Travel Fiction

More info: October 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

The story is about a library with books filled with the infinite possibilities of the lives not lived.  Have you ever wondered about a choice, or a path not taken?

When Nora finds herself in the library she is forced to face the choices that she made in her life- relationships, education, profession… The books in the library are endless, each an alternate reality of the endless life choices. Nora has to decide what kind of life she wants to live.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

I loved Matt Haig’s last book and was so excited to read this one. This is a magical time travel book and I loved every minute of getting to know Nora’s paths untravelled. Matt Haig is a master of magical realism.

Find this book in: Time Travel Books / Books About Books / Time Loop Books / Magical Realism / Best Books of 2020 / Adult Fantasy Novels / Books About Libraries / Ultimate Beach Reads 2021

The Starless Sea

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Year: 2019

Genre: Fantasy

More info: National Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

How to describe this book that is an ode to storytelling…..it’s a love story to books, a fantasy within a love story within a fairy tale. Zachary finds a hidden book in the library stacks filled with romantic love stories – including one from his own life! Soon he’s transported to a magical world in search of answers.

Why Jackie loves it

To say that I was excited about Erin Morgenstern‘s new book might be the understatement of the year.  The writing is beautiful- Erin’s signature style of vivid imagery left me completely captivated. I truly loved every minute of this book. It was pointless to predict the story. So, I let it take me away with the lyrical prose.

Find this book in: Books Like The Night Circus / Full Cast Audiobooks / Magical Realism Books / Books About Librarians

A Discovery of Witches

Author: Deborah Harkness

Year: 2011

Genre: Fantasy

More info: All Souls Trilogy #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Diana Bishop is in Oxford’s Bodleian Library when she accidentally recovers an ancient book, Ashmole 782, that has been missing for hundreds of years. In doing so, she triggers her long-forgotten magic and opens the door for vampires, witches, and demons to search out Diana and the book.

Matthew de Clermont is one of the vampires drawn to Ashmole 782. He has been looking for it for hundreds of years. Soon it is clear that even though relationships between species is forbidden, Matthew is drawn to Diana for more than just the book. The two begin to work together to unravel the mysteries behind the book, the magic and the people looking for the book.

This urban fantasy book about secret societies, witches, vampires, and more is a blend of heart-pounding action, historical fiction, and romance with the perfect mix of fantasy as well.

Trigger Warnings

Blood, torture

Why Jackie loves it

If you love the witch aspect of Harry Potter, Vampires, fantasy books, or time travel books then you will love The All Souls trilogy. This adult fantasy novel explores the history of witches, demons, and vampires. This series reads like a historical fiction and I love it. I thought the series was done at book four and was so excited to learn that there is a new book in the series!

Find this book in: Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Best Fantasy Books for Adults / Books About Witches / Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter / Books About Libraries / Adult Fantasy Romance Books / Adult Fantasy Novels

The Librarian

Author: Christy Sloat

Year: 2017

Genre: Fantasy Romance

More info: The Librarian Chronicles #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

When Emme’s grandmother dies, she agrees to take over Gram’s library despite plans to head to college abroad. When she opens a book from Gra’s special collection, she finds herself face to face with Jack Ridgewell in  1892 England.  Emme is part of an elite group of women who can travel to the past through books. 

Why Jackie loves it

This is reminded me of Outlander! This brings a whole new meaning to Book Boyfriend. You’ll love this fantasy book about books.

Find this book in: Books About Librarians / Books like Outlander / Books About Books

Cloud Cuckoo Land

Author: Anthony Doerr

Year: 2021

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: National Book Award Finalist
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author

Age Range: 14+

Plot

I don’t know how to begin to describe this book. This is NOTHING like All The Light We Cannot See and yet, I absolutely loved it. It is part historical fiction, part sci-fi, and absolutely amazing.

The book is set in Constantinople in the fifteenth century, Five hundred years later in a library in Idaho and in a spaceship traveling to a new planet sometime in the near future. Even while trying to describe this book, it does not seem to go together and yet, the story of Cloud Cuckoo Land (a story within the Novel) acts as the glue that brings the characters together. The result is an amazing sci-fi book with a very powerful message.

This is not an easy read but is well worth it.

Trigger Warnings

War, school shooting

Why Jackie loves it

I loved this unique sci-fi historical fiction novel. The story within the story was woven perfectly throughout. I think people will either LOVE this book or hate it. But the mark of a good book is one that will be remembered and talked about.

Find this book in: Nonlinear Narrative Novels / 20 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / The Best Audiobooks of All Time / Books about Libraries / Best Books of 2021 

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Year: 2003

Genre: Time Travel Fiction

More info: 2009 Movie starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:16+

Plot

Clare and Henry have an unusual love story. They’ve known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six but were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry was thirty-one. Henry is an adventurous librarian who inadvertently travels through time.

He never knows where he will turn up and when he will disappear. He knows that he will travel suddenly and without warning. Will Clare and Henry be able to determine what causes the time jumps or is Henry destined to spend the rest of his life wondering and worrying?

Trigger Warnings

Sudden Death

Why Kirsten loves it

I adore how this story explores very real challenges that any couple faces. With the added time travel element, it becomes an unforgettable pick from our list of romance books.

Why Jackie loves it

The way Clare and Henry fight for their love shows a deep connection between the two that is unmatched.

Find this book in: Best Time Travel Books / Time Travel Romance Books / Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Best Romance Novels of All Time / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books About Librarians

With Love from London

Author: Sarah Jio

Year: 2022

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

When Valentina was a teenager, her beloved mother left her to return home to her native London and never returned. Val was left heartbroken with her father.

Now, Val has returned to London to her mother’s apartment and bookshop to try to understand her mother, her life, and why she would leave. The change could not have come at a better time for Valentina who is going through a divorce of her own.

Why Jackie loves it

I loved this book about a librarian who inherited a bookshop from her estranged mother. This book was such an easy and wonderful read.

Find this book in: Books About Librarians / British Books

The Library of Lost and Found

Author: Phaedra Patrick

Year: 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

When librarian Martha Storm finds a book of fairytales on her doorstep, she is intrigued so she opens it up.  When she reads the dedication written to her by her grandmother who had died three years before the inscription, she is inspired to find answers. Martha uncovers secrets in her past that will change her life as she knows it.

Why Jackie loves it

This was such a fun read. It is part fiction and part mystery as Martha follows clues to her past. It was such an easy and quick book to read; I loved it.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries / Books About Books

The Littlest Library

Author: Poppy Alexander

Year: 2021

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Jess loses her library job and her grandmother who raised her around the same time. She decides she needs a change. She buys a little cottage in a new town that also comes with an old telephone booth. Soon, she is making friends with her neighbors and turning her phone booth into a cute community library!

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved watching Jess learn to manage her grief and create a network of people around her. It was such a lovely one-sitting read.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries

The Personal Librarian

Author: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murphy

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: July 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This fictionalized version of Belle de Costa Greene was wonderful! Greene was tycoon J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian and later the librarian for his heir. She was also a black woman passing as white. This biographical fiction story tells the story of her incredible rise to prominence and the sacrifices she had to make along the way.

Trigger Warnings

Racism

Why Kirsten loves it

It’s so upsetting to know that Belle couldn’t ever let anyone know about her real identity. It’s a blight on our country that such a remarkable woman had to keep her roots hidden to hold her job, but I’m glad her real truth is being told now.

Find this book in: Books set in Libraries / Biographical Fiction Novels / Gilded Age Books

The Giver of Stars

Author: Jojo Moyes

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: November 2019 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

British-born Alice is finding life in rural Kentucky challenging, so she signs up to be a traveling librarian. Soon, Alice is working with the program runner, Margery, and 3 other women to deliver books on horseback to some of the most isolated and impoverished families in their community.

Forced to buck norms, these women are warriors for those in need despite male interference. In spite of all odds, these heroic women stopped at nothing to help those in need get the information they deserved.

Trigger Warnings

Domestic Abuse, Racism

Why Kirsten loves it

I’m not usually a Jojo Moyes reader, but this story about a mobile library caught my eye. I’m so glad I ended up reading it because it was wonderful! I had no idea that women used to travel by horseback to deliver books in the Appalachian mountains.

These librarians were utterly badass as they thumbed their noses at societal norms for the betterment of their community. Each woman’s story was woven together in a tapestry of love, friendship, and sisterhood.

Find this book in: Books About Poverty / Books About Librarians / Books About Books

The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Author: Fiona Davis

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: August 2020 Good Morning America Book Club Pick, New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Laura is the wife of the NYPL’s superintendent and lives in an apartment within the historic institution. While already a mother, she is looking for more out of life and enrolls in journalism school. But when she’s out learning more about the world, she becomes more involved in the burgeoning women’s suffragette movement. Soon, she needs to determine where her loyalties lie.

In 1993, her granddaughter, Sadie is curious about her famous grandmother – particularly after she becomes a curator at the NYPL, solidifying her family legacy at the storied institution. When items from her exhibits go missing, she teams up with a private security expert to figure out who is behind the theft. But she’s not expecting the secrets to involve her family.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide

Why Kirsten loves it

This historical fiction novel about the New York Public Library is a dual-timeline mystery about rare books going missing from the library’s collection. Fiona Davis’s signature style had me basking in the vivid descriptions, making me feel as if I were standing inside the famed library. I adored the Gilded Age sections but was less enthralled by the present-day timeline.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries / Gilded Age Books / Books About Books

The Paris Library

Author: Janet Skesklien Charles

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller, Washington Post Bestseller, USA TODAY bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

In 1939, Odile is working at The American Library in Paris. There, she and her fellow librarians do everything in their power to try to save their patrons. But when the war is over, she faces a betrayal she didn’t anticipate.

In 1983 Montana, Lily is looking for an adventure which she finds whileinvetigating her neighbor’s past. But she was not expecting a dark secret to connect the two of them!

Trigger Warnings

Antisemitism, War

Why Kirsten loves it

WWII books felt a little been-there, done-that to me recently but this book has me back to loving the sub-genre. What makes this story different is the setting – The American Library in Paris.⁣ I loved hearing about the librarians and how they tried to help their Jewish subscribers. ⁣The story sucked me and had me thinking about the war in a new light.

Find this book in: Books Set in Paris / Books Set in France / Books About WWII / Books About Books / Books About Libraries

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade

Author: Janet Skeslien Charles

Year: 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Here’s an unlikely beach read recommendation – a story that takes place during the Great War. We don’t normally recommend historical fiction set during a war for the beach, but Charles crafted a story that was as hopeful as it was interesting. It touched on the darkness while highlighting the helpers of one of the darkest periods of world history.

Unlike The Women (which we do NOT recommend for a summer beach read) this story never got so bogged down in wartime sadness. Instead, we are treated to a front-row seat of the grit and determination of the women working near the front lines of France to bring normalcy and hope to innocent civilians.

Specifically in the form of books – children’s books.

Based on the true story of pioneering children’s librarian, Jessie Carson, it’s a testament to women being innovators and hope-makers. Jessie works tirelessly to train the first French female librarians, turns ambulances into bookmobiles, and uses all the resources she can muster to bring joy to the victims of war.

It’s a dual timeline narrative that also focuses on Wendy, a librarian in 1980’s New York working for the same library where Jessie got her start. She uses her research on Jessie and the American Committee for Devasted France as inspiration in her writing class and is surprised at how similar she is to her muse.

Why Kirsten loves it

While there were sad moments within the story, this book ultimately left me with warmth in my heart. The narrators do an excellent job bringing this story to life. #Gifted by Simon & Schuster Books

Find this book in: WWI Novels / Librarian Books / Beach Reads 2024

The War Librarian

Author: Addison Armstrong

Year: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This dual-timeline story is about both a librarian during WWI and a female cadet in the first class of women at the U.S. Naval Academy. There are so many strong women in our list of books like the Alice Network.

Both women in this story are connected in multiple ways, including being females in a trailblazing role customarily reserved for men.

Trigger Warnings

War, Sexual Harassment

Why Kirsten loves it

While I found Librarian, Emmaline’s story to be more engrossing, I found Kathleen Carre’s struggles in the male-dominated school fascinating too. I wouldn’t mind reading a book just about the first few classes of women in various military academies.

Find this book in: Books Set in France / WWI Books / Books About Librarians