Top New Checkouts of 2021

It's always interesting to see which books, DVDs, and music CDs captured the interests of the Alachua County Library District's patrons. Did a blockbuster movie beat out an indie newcomer? Was it word of mouth that introduced a new book, or loyalty to a favorite author? The lists below reflect checkouts of newly published items across all Library District locations, from Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2021.

Drumroll, please.....

Adult Fiction
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Book Cover: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

 

Runners-up: 

  1. A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
  2. Sooley by John Grisham
  3. Win by Harlan Coben
  4. Neighbors: A Novel by Danielle Steel

 

Young Adult Fiction
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Book Cover: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

A poignant exploration of Black coming-of-age set 17 years before the events of the award-winning The Hate U Give.

Maverick feels strongly about family ties, making choices he feels necessary to help support his mom while his King father serves time, and leaves him literally holding his son in a doctor's waiting room after he gets paternity test results back and his babymomma ghosts. Now the child he's raising is impacting the lives of his family and his girlfriend, and the gang life he led to support them all financially could leave them all bearing his responsibilities since it endangers his life. It looks like he may have been offered a chance to go straight, but leaving the King Lords won't be easy, and a "real" job has high demand for low return.

 

Runners-Up:

  1. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
  2. Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
  3. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
  4. Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Children's Fiction
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Book Cover: Dog Man Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man is down on his luck. Grampa is up to no good. And Chief is suddenly smitten. With new villains spilling into town, everything is out of control, including Petey who's confronting his not so purr-fect past. Can he figure out the road ahead by looking behind? And will he let love lead the way?

 

Runners-Up: 

  1. Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney
  2. Wings of Fire: The Dangerous Gift by Tui T. Sutherland
  3. Big Nate: In Your Face! by Lincoln Peirce
  4. Magic Tree House: Camp Time in California by Mary Pope Osborne
Movies
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Movie Cover Art - News of the World

"News of the World"

Five years after the Civil War, Captain Kidd moves from town to town as a storyteller. In Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna, a ten-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier. She is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.

 

Love the movie? Try the book: News of the World by Paulette Jiles

 

Runners-Up: 

  1. "Wonder Woman 1984"
  2. "A Quiet Place. Part II"
  3. "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard"
  4. "Black Widow"
Music
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Album Cover: Now That's What I Call Music, vol. 77

"Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 77"

This album features top hits from today's hottest artists, including Billie Eilish, 24KGoldn, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Dua Lipa, Sam Smith, and more.

 

Runners-Up:

  1. "Way Down in the Rust Bucket" by Neil Young
  2. "The Complete Atlantic Singles: 1968-1971" by Dusty Springfield
  3. "Fearless: Taylor's Version" by Taylor Swift
  4. "1970" by Bob Dylan

Descriptions adapted from the publishers.

 

Want to get a jump start on your 2022 to-be-read pile? Sign up for ACLD Reads. You'll receive monthly personalized recommendations of new and classic titles that match your interests. 

By Sean on January 3, 2022