Penguin

Highly readable, hilarious, and at times even philosophical, Tweedy's memoir of discovering his passion for writing music and his rise to super-stardom is an excellent read. Like any good rock 'n roll memoir, sex and drugs make their appearance, but his wholesome stories about growing up in a small town, making a family and band-drama are what really make this book a memorable read. - Ashley

Butler’s protagonist resolves to follow through with exercise regimes she finds in women's lifestyle magazines, clean her room regularly, and purchase the "right" clothing online. But she can’t seem to shower before work. In addition to a great character study, this is a critique of late-stage capitalism and the culture of self-improvement (think inspirational Instagrams). - Katrina

When the narrator’s friend, another writer, dies suddenly, she inherits his Great Dane. Among many problems, she lives in a tiny New York apartment—that doesn’t allow pets. What follows is a brilliant and moving meditation on friendship, love (both Platonic and romantic), art and grief. I found this a profound and beautiful reading experience. - Rico

The book is daring, brash and nearly out of control. But the result is a classic American masterpiece. If you persevere through the sometimes challenging first 100 pages, your reward is an epic character-driven story set in the rain-soaked forests of the Pacific Northwest. An evocation of a time, a place, and a people, this is one of my favorite books of all time. - Trey

An acid-trip of environmental fiction. As I tried to follow the narrator's stream-of-consciousness I found myself in a tug-of-war between frightening questions about the shapeshifting protagonist and the seductively luscious prose. The book contains violence, misogyny, climate apocalypse, and the dark-side of mankind’s clannish instincts, so content warnings apply. - Clara

Jacqueline Woodson is a national treasure. Her books make an impact, not only through her characters but because the act of reading her work is transformative. Her latest adult novel, Red at the Bone, is no exception. Woodson charts the history of one Brooklyn family as they grapple with an unplanned teen pregnancy and the decisions made that impact generations to come. Their family story—how much they are there for each other and for themselves—is a universal story about how we give and receive love. It is beautiful and honest, heartbreaking and poetic, and one of my favorite books of the year. - Casey

Violet is considered a surplus woman, stuck in limbo as a spinster who lost her fiancé in the Great War. In order to find some meaning, she starts a new life in Winchester, living as a single woman. Through a chance encounter, she falls in with a group of broderers, women who embroider kneeling pads for worshippers at Winchester Cathedral, and finds herself joined together with an amazing group of women. This beautiful book resonated with me on a deep level. - Ivy

A collection of short stories written throughout Smith’s career, file Grand Union under Reasons We Revere Zadie Smith, Volume I. She is a master storyteller, and all of her skills are on display in these tales that take on love, immigration, motherhood, and racial identity. Each story contains a whole world of characters and places, and your heart will squeeze with the last line of each one. - Jess

The Giver of Stars is one of the most satisfying stories I’ve yet read. What more could you ask for: remarkable women during the Great Depression, overcoming personal and social obstacles to deliver library books on pack horses for miles throughout the Kentucky mountains! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough in my effort to save these beloved characters from their many perils and challenges. To know that this is based on a true story and to think how the impact of their efforts are still felt today is inspirational. - Jenny