Whether it was fiction or nonfiction, old or new, these are the books the Community Journals staff loved reading this year.
‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ by Suzanne Collins
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is easily my favorite book from “The Hunger Games” series. While prequels can sometimes leave me unsatisfied, this novel truly helped build the world of Panem and District 12. It also gave me a greater understanding of Hamish Abernathy as author Suzanne Collins explored his backstory and introduced other characters who play important roles in the original trilogy.
— Jeannie Putnam, editorial assistant, Greenville Journal and Upstate Business Journal
‘Atmosphere’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Earlier this year, I read “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This is a story about love and friendship set in the 1970s and ’80s during the NASA space shuttle program. Going to school in the 1980s, we enthusiastically watched space shuttle launches with awe. Jenkins Reid always delivers great characters, dialogue and intrigue.
— Sherry Jackson, COO and VP, content, Community Journals
‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ by Grady Hendrix
My top book of this year is “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls” by Grady Hendrix. This book is set in 1970s Florida in a home for unwed mothers. Neva, who is renamed ‘Fern,’ is sent there where she makes friends through bonded trauma, confinement and fear. Once a month a traveling librarian comes to their home and gives the girls a “spell book” disguised as approved literature. The girls discover and learn witchcraft but not without finding out that the use of magic demands a high price to pay. I liked this book because of the thrilling storyline and vintage setting…