PLDL Most Popular Titles Jan 2026

Portage Lake District Library Most Popular Titles Jan 2026

Updated January 30, 2026
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1

Before I forget : a novel
Henwood Hoen, Tory
Paper Book
"A tender, funny portrait of love in its myriad forms." --Mikki Brammer, bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover A funny, heartfelt, late coming-of-age story that examines the role of memory in holding us back--and in moving us forward--for fans of...

2

Best offer wins : a novel
Kashino, Marisa
Paper Book
A USA Today bestseller * A Good Morning America Book Club Pick * A Good Housekeeping Book Club Pick * An ELLE Best Mystery/Thriller of 2025 * A BookRiot Best Mystery/Thriller of 2025 "It starts out feeling pretty light and fun, but...

3

Coyote Hills : a novel
Kellerman, Jonathan
Paper Book
The electric new Clay Edison thriller from the New York Times bestselling, acclaimed father-son duo who write "brilliant, page-turning fiction" (Stephen King) Clay Edison has left behind the Alameda County coroner's office to strike out on his own as a private investigator...

4

Elements of timeless style : creating a forever home
Gates, Erin T.
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Elements of Style, Erin Gates, this is a stunningly inspirational, practical, and delightfully personal book filled with crisp takeaway advice for anyone who is designing their "forever" home. Erin Gates is...

5

Get a hobby : 365 things to do for fun (not work!)
Cho, Jasmine
Paper Book
Get your mind off work, make friends, and de-stress with this fascinating collection of potential hobbies! Picking up a hobby is one of the best ways to eliminate stress, improve any mood, and make a network of new friends. Whether it's a physical activity like pickleball or martial arts; a creative...

6

House of day, house of night
Tokarczuk, Olga
Paper Book
"Bewitching ... Tokarczuk is an excellent storyteller." --The New York Times A novel about the rich stories of small places, from the Nobel Prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The Books of Jacob and Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead<...

7

I, Medusa : a novel
Gray, Ayana
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A "captivating villain origin story" (People Book of the Week) reimagining one of the most iconic monsters in Greek mythology as a provocative and powerful young heroine The first edition hardcover features stunning sprayed edges, a premium...

8

Now departing : a small-town mortician on death, life, and the moments in between
Sweeney, Victor M.
Paper Book
In this unique and thoughtful collection, a young funeral director--also known as "the internet's favorite mortician" (CNBC)--explores various aspects of death, offering heartfelt and practical insights into how we determine what matters most while we are alive. This evocative book is for fans of...

9

Pick a color : a novel
Thammavongsa, Souvankham
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE GILLER PRIZE A USA Today Bestseller From O. Henry Award winner and two-time Giller Prize winner Souvankham Thammavongsa comes a revelatory novel about loneliness, love, labor, and class, an intimate and sharply...

10

Prowl
Coble, Colleen
Paper Book
Prowl, the second book in USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble's Sanctuary series (following Ambush), delivers exactly what her fans want: the ideal blend of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat with just the right amount of romance. Perfect for fans of Laura Dave,...

11

Running Deep: Bravery, Survival, and the True Story of the Deadliest Submarine in World War II [Large Print]
Clavin, Tom
Paper Book

12

The botanist's assistant
Townsend, Peggy
Paper Book
Plenty of people consider Margaret Finch odd. Six-feet-tall and big-boned, she lives alone in a small cabin in the woods, drives a 20-year-old truck, and schedules her life so precisely you can tell the time and day of the week by the chore she is doing and what she is wearing. But the same...

13

The burning library : a novel
Macmillan, Gilly
Paper Book
From the internationally bestselling author of The Nanny and What She Knew comes a thrilling dark academic tale of murder, obsession and ruthless ambition, set in remote St Andrews, Scotland. A deadly rivalry. A chilling secret. One woman who...

14

The Encyclopedia of Ugly Fashion: A Hilarious Introspective of History's Best Worst Fashion Trends
Zebrowska, Karolina
Paper Book
A-Z Style Blunders You'll Love to Hate Revel in the bad decisions of others with this collection of history's most bizarre fashion trends that will leave you asking, "Who would even wear this?" Featuring historical context and illustrations pulled directly out of the past,...

15

The Ferryman and His Wife
Grytten, Frode
Paper Book
A LIBRARY READS PICK AND ONE OF NPR'S BEST BOOKS OF 2025 In the spirit of Amor Towles and George Saunders, the renowned, bestselling Norwegian author Frode Grytten takes readers on a quietly epic journey: ferry driver Nils Vik's last route along the fjord, on...

16

The First Time I Saw Him
Dave, Laura
Paper Book
A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB SELECTION! AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Laura Dave continues Hannah Hall's pulse-pounding journey in the riveting and deeply moving sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster and Apple TV+...

17

The Irish goodbye : a novel
O'Neill, Heather Aimee
Paper Book
National Bestseller A #ReadWithJenna book club pick following an Irish American family with three adult sisters returning home to Long Island to face tension-filled dinners, ghosts from their pasts, and family secrets in a gripping novel full of biting wit and profound...

18

The land in winter
Miller, Andrew
Paper Book
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 BOOKER PRIZE・NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE・NPR BEST BOOK OF 2025・NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF 2025・SHELF AWARENESS BEST BOOK OF 2025・WINNER 2025 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction・ WINNER 2025 Winston Graham...

19

The librarians
Thomas, Sherry
Paper Book
"This delicious murder mystery is a must-read for any library lover!"--New York Times bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt Murder disrupts four quirky librarians' lives when they try to hide among books to keep their secrets. A LIBRARY READS PICK! l An NPR...

20

The library of fates
Harrison, Margot
Paper Book
When its librarian keeper mysteriously dies, two former classmates must race to locate a rare book from their college years that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your past--but someone is intent on protecting what's hidden inside. It can write the...

21

The midnight book club
Andersen, Emily W.
Paper Book

22

The Picasso heist
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Instant New York Times bestseller! "Weeks before thieves broke into the Louvre, James Patterson started promoting an upcoming jewelry heist novel. The Picasso Heist is now ripped-from-the-headlines relevant." --USA Today...

23

The snow child : a novel
Ivey, Eowyn.
Paper Book
In this magical debut, a couple's lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their snowy doorstep. Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart -- he...

24

The Storm
Hawkins, Rachel
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A January 2026 Indie Next Pick * "This gripping page-turner feels like it was ripped from the juiciest headlines." --People * "Sexy and full of surprises...an ideal curl-up-by-the-fire read." --Real Simple Hurricane season can be murder.....

25

The Tortoise's Tale
Coulter, Kendra
Paper Book
A century of American history unfolds through the eyes of a giant tortoise with a heightened awareness for live music, the location of edible flowers, and the nuances of human behavior in this spellbinding debut novel. Snatched from her ancestral lands, a giant tortoise finds...

26

The traitor's circle : the true story of a secret resistance network in Nazi Germany-- and the spy who betrayed them
Freedland, Jonathan
Paper Book
"An astonishing true story of courage, love, and betrayal, told with the verve of a thriller. Freedland is a master at weaving spellbinding entertainments drawn from forgotten corners of history."--Mick Herron, bestselling author of Slow Horses From the New York Times bestselling...

27

The whole30 : the 30-day guide to total health and food freedom
Hartwig, Melissa.
Paper Book
Over 1.5 million copies sold! Millions of people visit Whole30.com every month and share their dramatic life-changing testimonials. Get started on your Whole30 transformation with the #1 New York Times best-selling The Whole30. Since 2009, Melissa Hartwig Urban's...

28

The women
Hannah, Kristin
Paper Book
A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times! From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women--at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a...

29

6:40 to Montreal : a novel
Jurczyk, Eva
Paper Book
**USA Today Bestseller** No WiFi, no distractions. No way out...  Agatha's husband has bought her a first-class ticket on the scenic six-hour train from Toronto to Montreal as a gift--a one-day writing retreat so she can get some serious work done on her new book, a highly...

30

A box full of darkness
St. James, Simone
Paper Book
"From the book's chillingly creepy setting, which previously appeared in The Sun Down Motel (2020), to a nerve-jangling plot that effectively borrows from a mix of genres to the writing itself, which shimmers with a dazzlingly sharp sense of wit, everything about St. James' latest is done...

31

A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans, and the Fight to Modernize Literature
Morgan, Adam
Paper Book
"Wholly transportive and spellbinding." --Ling Ma, bestselling author of Severance and Bliss Montage "Exquisitely researched, deeply felt, and poignant. This one belongs on your shelf." --Sarah Rose Etter, author of Ripe "A fascinating account...

32

A ferry merry Christmas : a novel
Macomber, Debbie
Paper Book
A delayed ferryboat brings people together in the best of ways during the holiday season in this enchanting Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Avery and Reed Bond grew up sharing a close-knit relationship, weathering life's storms...

33

A grim reaper's guide to cheating death
Dara, Maxie
Paper Book
Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., which might seem odd for someone as terrified of death as she is. But ever since her parents died in an accident when she was six, she's been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to cheat death than the company that employs the nation's...

34

A murder in paris : a novel
Blake, Matthew (Author of Anna O)
Paper Book
An expert in memory must uncover the truth about her family's wartime past in this dazzling psychological thriller from the #1 international bestselling author of Anna O. Olivia Finn is a memory expert at Charing Cross Hospital in London. One night, she receives an urgent call from the...

35

After midnight : thirteen tales for the dark hours
Du Maurier, Daphne
Paper Book
From Daphne du Maurier, "a writer of fearless originality" (The Guardian), comes a collection of her thirteen most mesmerizing tales--including iconic stories such as "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now"--with an introduction by Stephen King. Daphne du Maurier is best known...

36

Ain't nobody's fool : the life and times of Dolly Parton
Ackmann, Martha
Paper Book
A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton. In Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains...

37

Alone in the wild : a Rockton novel
Armstrong, Kelley
Paper Book
In #1 New York Times bestseller Kelley Armstrong's latest thriller, the hidden town of Rockton is about to face a challenge none of them saw coming: a baby. Every season in Rockton seems to bring a new challenge. At least that's what Detective Casey Duncan has felt...

38

Anatomy of an alibi
Elston, Ashley
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FIRST LIE WINS Two women. One dead husband. And only one alibi. "Elston expertly unravels a web of secrets and lies. You won't be able to put this...

39

Apostle's Cove
Krueger, William Kent
Paper Book
TRN

40

Beautiful ugly
Feeney, Alice
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Her best book yet." --Harlan Coben The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . . . . . and revenge.

41

Between the world and me
Coates, Ta-Nehisi
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER * NAMED ONE OF TIME'S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE * PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST * NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST * ONE OF OPRAH'S "BOOKS THAT HELP ME THROUGH" * NOW AN HBO ORIGINAL SPECIAL EVENT ...

42

Black love matters : real talk on romance, being seen, and happily ever afters
Pryde, Jessica P.
Paper Book
For Black people in the United States and across the diaspora, it hasn't often been easy to find Black romance joyfully showcased in entertainment media. In this collection, revered authors and sparkling newcomers, librarians and academicians, and avid readers and reviewers consider the mirrors and...

43

Blue heaven
Box, C. J.
Paper Book
A twelve-year-old girl and her younger brother go on the run in the woods of North Idaho, pursued by four men they have just watched commit murder---four men who know exactly who William and Annie are, and who know exactly where their desperate mother is waiting for news of her...

44

Book of lives : a memoir of sorts
Atwood, Margaret
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD * NAMED A NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE WASHINGTON POST * How does the greatest writer of our time tell her own story? "The most spectacular,...

45

Brittle joints
Sweeney, Maria
Paper Book
2025 Eisner Award Nominee! New York Public Library Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2024 American Library Associate Top 10 Best Graphic Novels for Adults of 2024 Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. "It's a revealing visualization of a rare,...

46

Calm your mind with food : a revolutionary guide to controlling your anxiety
Naidoo, Uma
Paper Book
Relieve your anxiety through food with this "groundbreaking," full-body approach to mental health (Mark Hyman, MD), from bestselling author and nutritional psychiatrist Uma Naidoo, MD In this groundbreaking guide, Dr. Uma Naidoo presents cutting-edge research about...

47

Cells: The Illustrated Story of Life
Sardet, Christian
Paper Book
In the fifteenth century, as astronomers charted the skies and explorers mapped the globe, the nature of life itself remained a mystery. It wasn't until the seventeenth century that Robert Hooke, looking through one of the earliest microscopes, coined the term cell. Nearly two centuries...

48

Cookies : the best recipes for the perfect anytime treat
Vreeland, Vaughn
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . Delight your friends and family (and yourself) with 100 delicious cookies from NYT Cooking. Dessert is sometimes seen as a bonus, but what could be more essential than delightful treats? From NYT Cooking and curated by recipe creator, video journalist, and...

49

Cozy Vegan: 100 Delicious, Plant-Based Comfort Food Recipes (a Cookbook)
Douglas, Liz
Paper Book
Named a Top Pick by VegNews Enjoy nostalgic comfort food with these 100 easy, wholesome, and delicious plant-based recipes from Glow Diaries founder Liz Douglas. Cozy Vegan is the ultimate cookbook for anyone wanting to explore a plant-based...

50

Dead Ringer
Hauty, Chris
Paper Book
Nationally bestselling author Chris Hauty, one of the high-octane writers "to take the thriller world by storm" (The Real Book Spy), returns with a riveting stand-alone novel that explores what might have really happened at the JFK assassination. Set in present-day, a...

51

Demon Copperhead : a novel
Kingsolver, Barbara
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE * WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION New York Times Readers' Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century * An Oprah's Book Club Selection * An Instant New York Times Bestseller * An Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller * A #1 Washington Post...

52

Denied access
Bentley, Don
Paper Book
"[A] callback to what makes Rapp such a special character, and a white-knuckle reminder of why this series remains the gold standard of the political thriller genre." --The Real Book Spy Don Bentley completes the trilogy begun with American Assassin by taking...

53

Eat dirt : why leaky gut may be the root cause of your health problems and 5 surprising steps to cure it
Axe, Josh
CD

54

Everyday watercolor : learn to paint watercolor in 30 days
Rainey, Jenna
Paper Book
A contemporary paint-every-day watercolor guide that explores foundational strokes and patterns and then builds new skills upon the foundations over the course of 30 days to create finished pieces. This beautifully illustrated and inspiring guided watercolor-a-day book is perfect...

55

Evil bones
Reichs, Kathy
Paper Book
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with a twisty, magnetic thriller featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, who finds herself enmeshed in a series of grisly animal killings that escalate into something far...

56

Tom Clancy Executive Power [Large Print]
Andrews, Brian
Paper Book

57

Exit strategy
Child, Lee
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for. The "blockbuster" (Esquire) new Jack Reacher thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child, featuring "the best villain yet" (USA...

58

Fallen Gods
Van Dyken, Rachel
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Don't miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the U.S. and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover. ...

59

Family of spies : a World War II story of Nazi espionage, betrayal, and the secret history behind Pearl Harbor
Kuehn, Christine
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER * INDIE BESTSELLER "An amazing and gripping tale, full of suspenseful twists and cinematic details" ―New York Times Book Review A propulsive, never-before...

60

Frostlines: A Journey Through Entangled Lives and Landscapes in a Warming Arctic
Shea, Neil
Paper Book
"[Frostlines weaves] together natural history, indigenous perspective, and environmental transformation in the Arctic. The book helps bring a human story to the science of climate change."--Parade A sweeping exploration of the Arctic--and how it's being...

61

Gone before goodbye
Witherspoon, Reese
Paper Book
AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  An unforgettable suspense novel that combines the storytelling talents of Academy Award-winning actor Reese Witherspoon and internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben. Gone Before Goodbye...

62

Good spirits : a novel
Borison, B. K.
Paper Book
The Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! "Good Spirits is an absolute knockout. A new Borison book feels like coming home in the best way. She's truly in a league of her own." -- Hannah Grace, New York Times bestselling author of Icebreaker ...

63

Great big beautiful life
Henry, Emily
Paper Book
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry. As...

64

Haven't killed in years
Green, Amy K.
Paper Book
No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren't going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.

65

Heartwood : a novel
Gaige, Amity
Paper Book
"The best thriller of 2025." --The Boston Globe * "Genius." --The Washington Post "A literary thriller of the highest order" (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Couple), Heartwood takes you on a gripping...

66

Hostage
Sharabi, Eli
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A TIME Must-Read Book of 2025 In a raw and unflinching memoir, Eli Sharabi, a survivor of 491 days in Hamas captivity, recounts the harrowing ordeal of his abduction from Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7th, 2023, the loss of his...

67

House of Two Pharaohs
Smith, Wilbur
Paper Book
The next action-packed novel in Wilbur Smith's new Egyptian series Global bestselling author of River God and The New Kingdom, Wilbur Smith, returns with the next epic book in his brand-new Ancient Egyptian series. FROM THE SHADOWY UNDERWORLD...

68

I'm starting to worry about this black box of doom
Pargin, Jason
Paper Book
THE INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER A standalone darkly humorous thriller set in modern America's age of anxiety, by New York Times bestselling author Jason Pargin. Outside Los Angeles, a driver pulls up to find a young woman sitting on a large black box. She...

69

In the time of five pumpkins
McCall Smith, Alexander
Paper Book
In this newest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe takes on a number of perplexing situations, and while she tries to maintain her usual impartiality, it's difficult when one of the cases involves someone so close to her heart. ...

70

Kooky spooky love
Silver, Josie
Paper Book
An up-and-coming ghostbuster and her motley crew tackle a devilish high-wire act, aided (or more often, interrupted) by her rakish ex and the sarcastic reporter she can't seem to shake--from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Spooky Love.

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