CambridgeToday asked Laura Knudsen, manager of the Queen's Square Idea Exchange to provide an overview of the hottest fiction and non-fiction books Cambridge residents are borrowing from the library this winter.
"Spare by Prince Harry is the hottest must-read this winter season," Knudsen writes. "While our holds list has been through the roof since it came out in January, we have lots of copies in print, eBook, audiobook, and eAudiobook. As with most bestsellers, we also have Rapid Read copies that often available in our branches that can go out for a shorter loan time of one week."
Coming in second to Harry’s book is Michelle Obama’s The Light we Carry. "She’s always a positive voice and this one is described as a 'A heartening pep talk' by Kirkus Reviews."
In terms of adult fiction, it's no surprise that Louise Penny’s A World of Curiosities sits at number one this month, Knudsen says.
"This is the 18th book in the beloved Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series set in Quebec. This one has received great reviews and comes on the wings of the television adaptation, Three Pines, on Amazon Prime."
Close behind Penny is Colleen Hoover’s It Starts With Us, the follow-up to her 2016 book It Ends With Us. All of Hoover’s novels are massively popular and are a fixture on TikTok’s #booktok. Primarily she writes contemporary romances with relatable characters dealing with heart-wrenching conflicts.
For hugely popular books like Spare and It Starts With Us, Idea Exchange staff have created read-alike book lists, which are available online through the Idea Exchange website.
Knudsen says staff often find members are seeking similar titles or while-you-wait options and these book lists offer great suggestions.
"Of course, anyone can drop into one of our locations and our friendly staff can help them find their next great read too."
Top 10 Adult Fiction
- A World of Curiosities, Louise Penny
- It Starts With Us, Colleen Hoover
- Long Shadows, David Baldacci
- Desert Star, Michael Connelly
- No Plan B, Lee Child
- The Boys From Biloxi, John Grisham
- Without A Trace, Danielle Steel
- The It Girl, Ruth Ware
- Sparring Partners, John Grisham
- Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng
Top 10 Adult Non-fiction
- Spare, Prince Harry
- The Light We Carry: Overcoming in uncertain times, Michelle Obama
- Becoming, Michelle Obama
- Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson
- Confidence Man: The making of Donald Trump and the breaking of America, Maggie Haberman
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- The Nazi Conspiracy: The secret plot to kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill, Brad Meltzer
- Born A Crime: Stories from a South African childhood, Trevor Noah
- Don't Worry, just cook delicious, timeless recipes for comfort & connection, Bonnie Stern
- Atlas Of The Heart, Brené Brown
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