Off the Shelf: Favorite 2025 reads from library staff
Published 3:30 am Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Start building your to-read list this year with the North Olympic Library System. You can find new recommendations by checking out displays in the library and various Staff Picks lists online at catalog.nols.org. Or, talk to your local library staff! The team at the Sequim Branch Library is here to get your New Year’s list started with some favorites they read in 2025.
My favorite read of the year was “Mad Sisters of Esi,” by Tashan Mehta. It’s a fable-like fantasy that crosses space and time, exploring the relationship between sisters, place and community in a dreamy manner.
Public Services Specialist Christine Whitmarsh recommends “The Hidden Life of Trees: A Graphic Adaptation,” based on the book by Peter Wohlleben and adapted by Fred Bernard.
“This was the first graphic novel I have ever read,” Whitmarsh said. “I spent a lovely summer afternoon in a hammock overlooking Lake Crescent enjoying the detailed illustrations and natural history embedded on each page. I am now a huge fan of graphic novels and how they bring information to life.”
Public Services Lead Annie Brooker recommends the author Alice Feeney.
“She has seven books published and another coming in 2026. You can’t go wrong with her,” Brooker said. “She writes psychological thrillers. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Liz Nugent and Sally Hepworth will love this author.”
Public services specialist Amika Parr enjoyed “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman.
“The characters of the novel were just so fully formed, and I really enjoyed the story jumping between the past and present,” Parr said. “I laughed, then I cried, then I needed to call my grandpa.”
Public Services Specialist Kim van der Elst recommends “Be Gay, Do Comics!: Queer History, Memoir, and Satire from The Nib,” edited by Matt Bors.
“I love anthologies, I love graphic novels, and I love memoirs,” van der Elst said. “This collection is a vibrant assortment of unique personal stories that moved me beyond measure.”
Public Services Specialist Ellen Schvetz suggests “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon” by Kevin Fedarko.
“He starts out woefully unprepared but eventually learns from more experienced hikers how to approach the canyon with the right equipment, plan and commitment,” Schvetz said. “Along with the author’s personal growth, it has a ton of stories about the Grand Canyon that were fascinating and made it an enjoyable read.”
Public Services Specialist Jarrod Jackson picked “Under the Volcano” by Malcolm Lowry. Adapted from the publisher: “It is the fiesta Day of the Dead in Mexico and Geoffrey Firmin — ex-consul, ex-husband, an alcoholic, and a ruined man — is living out the last day of his life. Drowning himself in mescal while his former wife and half-brother look on, powerless to help him, the consul has become an enduring tragic figure. His story, the image of one man’s agonized journey towards Calvary, became a prophetic book for a whole generation.”
Librarian Corrina Desmarais suggests “Death at the Sanatorium” by Ragnar Jónasson.
“It’s a slow-burning whodunit, inspired by the works of Agatha Christie,” Desmarais said. “Translated from Icelandic, the atmosphere of this Nordic Noir is a great fit with the dark days of a PNW winter.”
Visit the Sequim Library Temporary Location at 609 W. Washington St., open Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The library is always open at NOLS.org.
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Charlotte McGrew is a librarian with the North Olympic Library System.
