Category: Reading Recommendations

1. Read an award winner.

If you like fantasy here are several awards that are good sources for finding outstanding novels, short stories, or anthologies.

The Nebula Awards are presented each year for the best science fiction or fantasy published in the United States during the previous year. Browse Nebula Award winners in our collection.
The Hugo Awards are presented each year by the World Science Fiction Society. Browse Hugo Award winners in our collection.
The World Fantasy Awards are presented annually by the World Fantasy Convention to writers of fiction. Browse World Fantasy Award winners in our collection.
The Ignyte Awards are presented by FIYAH Literary Magazine and are intended to celebrate excellent Speculative Fiction written by people of color.

2. Borrow e-books, downloadable audiobooks & movies.

Here are some short cut links to easily borrow materials online with your IndyPL library card. If you have never borrowed from OverDrive before or used OverDrive’s Libby app, both Overdrive/Libby app directions and OverDrive browser directions are available as well as an OverDrive video tutorial and Overdrive Support. If you have never borrowed from Kanopy before, you can get Kanopy directions.

3. Get reading recommendations from IndyPL staff.

Click on a featured booklist to get reading recommendations or see all our staff fantasy book lists.

Staff Picks 2024- Best of Sci-Fi/Fantasy

2024 is the year of subverted tropes and plot lines. Fantasy villains wake up with amnesia to grapple with their crimes (Dreadful), magical girls must grapple with purchasing decisions (A Magical Girl Retires), a scholarship student destroys the academy (The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain), and adults must return to their fantasy worlds (The Lost Story).

Of course, if you’re looking for something entirely original, there’s plenty of that too! A cannibalistic demon makes an Indian food documentary (Rare Flavours), a woman is trapped in the body of a wooly mammoth (Tusks of Extinction), and futuristic reality show sees couples raising virtual babies for the chance to have a real child (The Family Experiment).

Looking for speculative horror? Check out our suspense list!

Title - The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain

4. Make a Selection from these authors.

5. Use your IndyPL Library card to login to Novelist Plus.

Find reading recommendations, read-alikes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning books on Novelist Plus. Once you login with your IndyPL library card, choose the “Fantasy” category from the list on the left.

Here is a sample recommendation. When you click on a book you can read a brief description, see a star rating, and click “Check Availability” to see if it is available to borrow from IndyPL.

6. Subscribe to the Fantasy newsletter from NextReads.

Receive fantasy reading recommendation in your inbox monthly. Book suggestions are linked to our catalog for easy requesting. It’s FREE! See a ample issue or Subscribe to NextReads!

7. Find a book discussion near you!

You are invited to join in one of our many in-person or online book discussions that take place several times each month. In our book discussion groups we read and talk about both fiction and non-fiction books. We express our opinions (both likes and dislikes!) with other avid readers in the city.

Event: WitLITS Book Discussion Group
Date & Time: Friday, March 28, 10:30am
Location: Spades Park Branch
Description: A read aloud group exploring classic literature in a group reading. Do you like classic American Literature? Do you enjoy listening to literature read out loud? Then consider WitLITS where our bookclub requires one thing – show up. No reading at home, no worries about not being caught up.
No Registration Required.

Event: Adult Book Discussion at Glendale – Tuesday Night Readers
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 01, 6:30pm
Location: Glendale Branch
Description: The book to be discussed is “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune.
No Registration Required.

Event: Virtual Author Talk: Wordsmith and Wonder
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 02, 7:00pm
Location: Online
Description: Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, “By Any Other Name.”
Register Here

Need help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Tags Fantasy, If You Like

If you like mysteries, browse these tips and tricks for finding your next mysterious read. There is a huge amount of variation within the genre from true crime to the supernatural, thriller, or romance. A mystery fits any reading taste!

1. Read an award winner.

The Agatha Awards celebrate traditional mysteries, a genre defined as mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore, or gratuitous violence. To place convenient requests in our catalog, browse all of the Agatha Award winners in our collection browse all of the Agatha Award winners in our collection.

The Anthony Awards for mystery writers are announced at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. To place convenient requests in our catalog, browse all of the Anthony Award winners in our collection browse all of the Anthony Award winners in our collection.

2. Borrow e-books or downloadable audiobooks.

Use mystery lists from OverDrive to find e-books and downloadable audiobooks. If you have never borrowed from OverDrive before, both OverDrive/Libby app directions and OverDrive browser directions are available as well as an OverDrive video tutorial and Overdrive Support.

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

3. Get reading recommendations from IndyPL staff.

Click on a featured book list to get mystery reading recommendations. Browse all our staff mystery lists or see our If You Like Cozy Mysteries recommendations.

Mysteries for Teens:

Mysteries for Kids:

Staff Picks 2024- Best of Suspense

In the mood to freak yourself out? Check out our staff’s favorite horror, mystery, and thriller novels from 2024.

We’ve got stories of missing children that span decades (The God of the Woods and The Middle of the Night, All the Colors of the Dark), lots of haunted houses (Incidents Around the House, We Use to Live Here, and Model Home), and indigenous suspense (The Angel of Indian Lake and Where They Last Saw Her).

4. Make a selection from this list of mystery authors.

5. Use your IndyPL Library card to login to Novelist Plus.

Find mystery reading recommendations, read-alikes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning mystery books on Novelist Plus. First, login, then choose the “Mystery” category from the list on the left. Choose from categories like like “Standalone Mysteries,” “Police Procedurals,” “Historical Mysteries,” and more! Read a brief description, see a star rating, and select “Check Availability” to see if the book is available to borrow from IndyPL.

6. Look online for more reading suggestions.

Our staff suggests these sites for mystery readers.

Novelsuspects.com is great for fans of mysteries, thrillers, and true crime. There you’ll find book lists, essays, reviews, and more.
On Mysteryfile.com read daily reviews of both books and media.
On Stopyourekillingme.com browse reviews or thousands of authors sorted by series or explore by setting or the sleuth’s occupation.
Crimereads.com really lets you drill down to your mystery flavor of choice: noir, suspense, legal thriller, etc.

7. Subscribe to the mystery newsletter from NextReads.

Receive mystery reading recommendation in your inbox monthly. Book suggestions are linked to our catalog for easy requesting. It’s FREE! See a sample issue and Subscribe to NextReads!

8. Find a book discussion near you!

Event: WitLITS Book Discussion Group
Date & Time: Friday, March 28, 10:30am
Location: Spades Park Branch
Description: A read aloud group exploring classic literature in a group reading. Do you like classic American Literature? Do you enjoy listening to literature read out loud? Then consider WitLITS where our bookclub requires one thing – show up. No reading at home, no worries about not being caught up.
No Registration Required.

Event: Adult Book Discussion at Glendale – Tuesday Night Readers
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 01, 6:30pm
Location: Glendale Branch
Description: The book to be discussed is “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune.
No Registration Required.

Event: Virtual Author Talk: Wordsmith and Wonder
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 02, 7:00pm
Location: Online
Description: Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, “By Any Other Name.”
Register Here

Tags If You Like, Mysteries

That’s it… the geeks have finally won! No longer relegated to drug-store paperback spinner racks, the science fiction genre is undergoing a huge cultural surge right now, and we have the books, movies, television shows, and graphic novels to prove it! If you like science fiction, we have the content at the Library to keep you satisfied and Indianapolis has several unique resources and conventions to keep you entertained all year round. You might also like If You Like Fantasy.

Science Fiction Book Group at Central Library

Embark on interstellar journeys of imagination with Ad Astra, Central Library’s science fiction book group. Explore distant galaxies, encounter alien civilizations, and unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. Join us for an out-of-this-world reading experience! See the schedule.

Science Fiction Book Awards

Explore the best of science fiction and fantasy by checking out the Hugo and Nebula Awards. The Hugos are voted on by fans, while the Nebulas are chosen by authors, offering a unique blend of popular and professional recognition. Discover groundbreaking novels, short stories, and novellas that have shaped the landscape of speculative fiction and are celebrated by both readers and creators alike.

Reading Recommendations from IndyPL Staff

Click on a featured booklist to get science reading recommendations or see all our staff science fiction lists.

In addition to books of science fiction and fantasy, the library also has many great works about science fiction and fantasy. This list of general reference science fiction resources will help you find your next series, keep you up to date on the latest short fiction, or help you while away the hours learning about the books and movies you love.

Staff Picks 2024- Best of Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Science Fiction Authors

Indianapolis Science Fiction Resources

The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library is in the process of renovating their new building, and is currently operating a pop-up shop in the Circle Center Mall downtown.
The Center for Ray Bradbury Studies is another extraordinary resource we are lucky to have in our city. The Center contains tons of Bradbury resources, including manuscripts, drafts, notes, correspondence, recordings, personal artifacts such as his personal typewriters, photographs, and more.
If you don’t mind a short road trip, head southwest to hit up the Who North America store in Camby, Indiana. Not only do they sell Dr. Who related merchandise, they have a museum of Dr. Who memorabilia, some items dating from when the show began in the UK over 50 years ago. There is a rumor that they even have a Dr. Who pinball machine. A must for any Whovian!

Science Fiction and Fantasy Conventions

Looking to have some fun and meet other fans of science fiction and fantasy? Indianapolis is home to many gatherings of fans from all over the globe.

If you are purely interested in fiction you might want to try InConJunction, a local science fiction and fantasy convention put on and run by fans. Past guests include George RR Martin, Timothy Zahn, Tobias Buckell, and Mercedes Lackey.
GenCon hosts some amazing authors thanks to their Writer’s Symposium series. Robin Hobb, Cherie Priest, Scott Lynch, Elizabeth Hand, Patrick Rothfuss, John Scalzi, Jo Walton, and Brandon Sanderson have all made appearances there.
If you are more interested in science fiction and fantasy television and movies, then save up for Indy Popcon and the Indiana Comic Convention! Both conventions feature panels about varied topics and includes visits from some of your favorite actors and creators.

Online Science Fiction and Fantasy Resources

If you would rather stay at home there are luckily several places on the internet (beyond Goodreads and Twitter) that encourage reasoned discussion on all things fantastical or futuristic.

Reactor Magazine (formerly Tor.com) is a go-to hub for science fiction and fantasy fans. It offers insightful commentary on beloved series, essays by prominent authors, and a vast collection of free original short fiction. You can also connect with a community of like-minded readers.
Locus magazine is considered the trade magazine for the science fiction, fantasy, and horror field. It has everything from exhaustive lists of new releases, to author interviews, reports on conferences, writing workshops, industry events, and award ceremonies. Pages and pages of book reviews every month ensure you will never miss out on the best new thing.
Fantastic Fiction is the perfect site if you are looking for the full bibliography of an author you are reading. With lists organized neatly and easily into series and links from author to their pseudonyms, it is an easy and quick way to find that next book.
Lastly, Novelist is the place librarians go to help someone find their next favorite book to read – and you can use it to! You will just need a valid Indianapolis Public Library card number. Type in an author or book you enjoy and the database will generate lists of similar books or authors you may enjoy, based either on expert recommendations or similar appeal factors.

Use your IndyPL Library card to login to Novelist Plus

On Novelist Plus you’ll find science fiction reading recommendations, read-alikes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning science fiction books. Once you login, choose the “Science Fiction” category from the list on the left which includes choices like “Alternate Histories,” “Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction,” and more! Click on a book to read a brief description, see a star rating, or click “Check Availability” to see if the book is available to borrow from IndyPL.

Science Fiction Newsletter from NextReads

Receive science fiction reading recommendation in your inbox monthly. Book suggestions are linked to our catalog for easy requesting. It’s FREE! See a sample issue. Subscribe to NextReads!

Find a book discussion near you!

Event: WitLITS Book Discussion Group
Date & Time: Friday, March 28, 10:30am
Location: Spades Park Branch
Description: A read aloud group exploring classic literature in a group reading. Do you like classic American Literature? Do you enjoy listening to literature read out loud? Then consider WitLITS where our bookclub requires one thing – show up. No reading at home, no worries about not being caught up.
No Registration Required.

Event: Adult Book Discussion at Glendale – Tuesday Night Readers
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 01, 6:30pm
Location: Glendale Branch
Description: The book to be discussed is “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune.
No Registration Required.

Event: Virtual Author Talk: Wordsmith and Wonder
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 02, 7:00pm
Location: Online
Description: Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, “By Any Other Name.”
Register Here

Need more help?

These are just some of the many resources available to Nap-town residents. Be sure to check the library’s website periodically for events, author signings, and new titles. And may the nerds continue to reign supreme for a long time to come!

Tags If You Like, Science Fiction

Here are five tips to help you explore voices of the LGBTQ+ experience as well as a convenient clickable list of LGBTQ+ authors linked directly to our catalog for placing requests or checking out e-books and audiobooks. If you need help finding books by LGBTQ+ authors, we can help!

1. Read an award winner.

Make a selection from some of the most distinguished honors in literature.

Awarded since 1971, The Stonewall Book Award goes to books of exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience. See the Stonewall Award winners in our catalog.

The Lambda Literary Awards (or “Lammys”) have been awarded for more than 30 years. The Lammys are given in 24 categories celebrating LGBTQ storytelling. See the Lambda Literary Award winners in our catalog.

2. Borrow e-books or downloadable audiobooks.

Browse OverDrive’s LGBTQIA+ collections of e-books and downloadable audiobooks.

If you have never borrowed from OverDrive or the OverDrive Libby app before, both OverDrive browser directions and Libby app directions are available as well as an OverDrive video tutorial and Overdrive/Libby Support.

3. Get reading recommendations from IndyPL staff.

LGBTQ+ Graphic Novels

Graphic novels where LGBTQ+ characters and themes are relevant to the plot.

Title - My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness

4. Use your IndyPL Library card to login to Novelist Plus.

Novelist Plus makes finding books by LGBTQ+ authors easier. Browse recommendations, read-alikes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning books all by LGBTQ+ authors on Novelist. Browse the LGBTQIA category to see sample and see listings that show a star rating and the option to “Check Availability” to see if a book is available to borrow from IndyPL. When you click on a book you can read a brief description and get ideas for read alikes.

5. Subscribe to the Rainbow Reads newsletter from NextReads.

Subscribe to NextReads to receive reading recommendation in your inbox monthly for help finding books by LGBTQ+ authors. Book suggestions are linked to our catalog for easy requesting. It’s FREE! See a sample issue and Subscribe to NextReads!

LGBTQ+ Adult Authors

LGBTQ+ Teen Authors

LGBTQ+ Childrens Authors

Carlos Aponte
Christine Baldacchino
Kacen Callender
Kirstin Cronn-Mills
Deborah Ellis
Brian Farrey

Alex Gino
James Howe
Liz Kessler
Arnold Lobel
Ann M. Martin
Hannah Moskowitz

Leslea Newman
Gayle Pitman
Maurice Sendak
Ken Setterington
Cory Silverberg

Tags Authors, LGBTQ+

Here are five tips to help you find books written by Asian and Pacific Islander authors, including a convenient list of authors linked directly to our catalog for placing requests or checking out e-books or audiobooks.

1. Read an award winner.

Make a selection from some of the most distinguished honors in literature.

The Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature has been awarded by the Asian/Pacific American Library Association since 2005. They currently give awards for Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Young Adult Literature, Children’s Literature, and Picture Books.
Awarded from 1998 to 2012, the Asian American Literary Award was hosted by the Asian American Writer’s Workshop.

2. Get reading recommendations from IndyPL staff.

Click on a book list to get started!

Featured List: Asian American Romance Novels

This list features Asian American and Asian Canadian writers and main characters – find a new favorite in this selection of swoony storylines!

Featured List: Mysteries and Thrillers from AAPI Authors

Do you like murder-mysteries? What about psychological thrillers? Find your next page-turner in this list of mysteries and thrillers from Asian American and Pacific Islander authors. I’ve made note of any titles that are a part of a series if you want to keep the thrills coming!

Browse more of our staff created lists:

3. Discover a new author by browsing through a literary magazine.

Literary magazines are an excellent way to acquaint yourself with new literary communities. Check out the literary magazines below and if you find an author you like, see if they have additional work in our catalog.

Lantern Review is a literary journal dedicated to Asian American poetry. While the journal stopped publishing in 2022, their past issues are still available for folks to read online.
Bamboo Ridge Press is a literary journal that publishes fiction and poetry related to the people of Hawai’i. While current issues are available for purchase, the archives can be browsed on the University of Hawai’i’s website for free.
Jaggery, named after an unrefined dark brown sugar used throughout the South Asian diaspora, publishes poetry, fiction, and essays by South Asian authors.
The Margins is a literary magazine published by the Asian American Writer’s Workshop. They feature “poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, critical essays, reportage, translations, interviews, and experimental and hybrid-genre work.”

4. Use your IndyPL library card to log into Novelist Plus.

On Novelist Plus you’ll find recommendations, read-a-likes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning books. You can search books by the author’s cultural identity, including Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Hmong or dig a little deeper and search by nationality, like Indian or Vietnamese. Be sure to use the “Check Availability” feature to see if a specific book is available to borrow from IndyPL!

5. Asian & Pacific Islander Authors

Ali, Monica
British Bangladeshi

Cho, Zen
Malaysian

Chu, Wesley
Taiwanese

Davenport, Kiana
Hawai’ian

De la Cruz, Melissa
Filipina American

Han, Kang
South Korean

Hoang, Helen
Vietnamese American

Hosseini, Khaled
Afghan American

Kaur, Rupi
Indian Canadian

Khaw, Cassandra
Malaysian

Kuang, R.F.
Chinese American

Lee, Chang-Rae
Korean American

Lee, Min Jin
Korean American

Manansala, Mia
Filipina American

Mikhail, Dunya
Iraqi American

Milan, Courtney
Chinese American

Murakami, Haruki Japanese

Murata, Sakaya
Japanese

Nafisi, Azar
Irani

Nhat Han, Thich
Vietnamese

Ondaatje, Michael
Sri Lankan Canadian

Rushdie, Salman
American British Indian

Satrapi, Marjane
French Iranian

Sattouf, Riad
French Syrian

Shamsie, Kamila
Pakistani British

Sutanto, Jesse Q
Chinese Indonesian

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas
Lebanese American

Tan, Amy
Chinese American

Thomas, Sherry
Chinese American

Upadhyay, Samrat
Nepalese American

Vaite, Celestine
French Polynesian

Vuong, Ocean
Vietnamese American

Tags Asian & Pacific Islander, Authors

Urban Fiction, or Street Lit, share the socio-economic realities and culture of its characters in a city landscape. Profanity, sex, and violence are usually explicit and it is common that authors of this genre draw upon their own past experiences to inform their stories. Here are several ways to easily find and check out urban fiction reading recommendations with your IndyPL library card.

1. Borrow e-books or downloadable audiobooks.

Browse urban fiction lists from OverDrive to find e-books and downloadable audiobooks. If you have never borrowed from OverDrive before, both OverDrive app directions and OverDrive browser directions are available as well as an OverDrive video tutorial and access to Overdrive Support.

Browse Urban Fiction from OverDrive

2. Make a selection from this list of urban fiction authors.

3. Get reading recommendations from our staff.

This Town is Strange…Urban Fantasy Fiction

It’s hard out there for a working stiff. Especially considering all the zombies, wizards, witches, vamps, weres, Fae, and gods taking up room in the shadows.

Urban Cinema We Love

“Urban Cinema describes a wave of city-based, feature-length films by African-American directors that began in the mid-1980s and that were dominated by action movies and youth dramas. In urban cinema, social and economic injustices, along with the conditions and relationships they produce, function as essential elements that directly motivate a film’s characters, plot, dialogue, action, and aesthetics.” – Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History.

Native American Urban Fiction

There’s a lot of great work that falls into the broad category of “urban Native American literature.” Depictions of Native Americans and the urban experience are crucial for understanding Indigenous peoples in the U.S. today. Some of these books deal with the transitions and dissonance that Native people experience between their lives at home and urban settings. There are also books that reflect the great number of Native peoples in the U.S. who do not live on reservations.

4. Find a book discussion near you!

Event: WitLITS Book Discussion Group
Date & Time: Friday, March 28, 10:30am
Location: Spades Park Branch
Description: A read aloud group exploring classic literature in a group reading. Do you like classic American Literature? Do you enjoy listening to literature read out loud? Then consider WitLITS where our bookclub requires one thing – show up. No reading at home, no worries about not being caught up.
No Registration Required.

Event: Adult Book Discussion at Glendale – Tuesday Night Readers
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 01, 6:30pm
Location: Glendale Branch
Description: The book to be discussed is “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune.
No Registration Required.

Event: Virtual Author Talk: Wordsmith and Wonder
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 02, 7:00pm
Location: Online
Description: Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, “By Any Other Name.”
Register Here

Need help?

Tags If You Like, Urban Fiction

Explore our 2023 staff picks and top checkouts for adults, teens, and kids! Furthermore, discover your next great read from our curated selections. In addition, find the perfect audiobook to accompany your morning walk, or choose a movie to enjoy on a cozy winter afternoon. Additionally, browse through our recommendations for holiday gift ideas that will delight your favorite readers. Whether you’re searching for engaging books, entertaining media, or thoughtful gifts, our picks offer something for everyone to enjoy.

You can keep up with our staff’s reading recommendations throughout the year by visiting What We’re Reading, What We’re Reading for Teens, and What We’re Reading Kids. Additionally, you can find our suggestions prominently displayed on the library catalog home page. These resources provide a continually updated list of book recommendations for all ages, ensuring you always have fresh ideas for your next read. Whether you’re seeking captivating books for yourself, your teens, or your kids, our curated selections will inspire and guide your literary journey.

2023 Top Checkouts

Click on any book cover to access our catalog, where you can easily place a request for the title. Our catalog provides detailed information about each book and allows you to check availability, place holds, and manage your requests seamlessly. This streamlined process allows you to quickly and efficiently secure the books you’re interested in.

Top Checkouts for Adults

title - The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck

Top Checkouts for Teens

title - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Top Checkouts for Kids

title - Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea

title - I Survived the Galveston Hurricane, 1900

2023 Staff Best of Recommendations

Best of Fiction for Adults

Here are a few of our staff members favorite literary and contemporary fiction selections of 2023– featuring complicated family dynamics, love affairs, theft, and more. If you’re looking for genre fiction (like romance, horror, and fantasy) please be sure to check out our other lists!

Title - What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

Title - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

Best of Nonfiction for Adults

IndyPL Staff members have compiled their favorite nonfiction books of 2023 for those who are eager to learn more about our strange world. These books feature real life sea voyages, the rise of the KKK in Indianapolis, tales of the first women astronauts, a biscuit-specific cookbook and more. Find a new book you’ll love.

Best of Biographies and Memoirs for Adults

Immerse yourself in someone else’s world with one of these Biographies or Memoirs, selected by IndyPL Staff Members. Dive deep into the lives of an astrophysicist, Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, a queer hijabi woman, an intersex Texan, elite runners, and more.

Best of Romance

Looking to add a touch more romance to your 2023? Check out these swoony recommendations from IndyPL Staff Members, featuring a queer farm commune, drunken emails, and sweet kindergarten teachers.

Title - That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Human

Best of DVDs for Adults

IndyPL Staff Members have shared their favorite films and TV shows of 2023. While 2023 has jokingly been referred to as “The Year of the Barbie Movie,” our staff members have found dozens of other fabulous watches.

Title - Spider-Man, Across the Spider-Verse

Best of Sci-Fi and Fantasy for Adults

Enjoy our staff members favorite scifi and fantasy reads of 2023. In between dragons and pirates and faeries, you’ll also find tales of grilled cheese and talking cats. We hope you find a new favorite magical read.

Title - The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

Best of Suspense, Mystery, and Horror for Adults

IndyPL Staff members have compiled their favorite suspense, mystery, and horror novels of 2023 for those who prefer a book that will unsettle them. These books feature cults, funeral home models, creepy puppets, true crime podcasts, mermaids, phone scam revenge, and more. Find new books from your favorite authors or add a new favorite author to your shelf.

Best of Picture Books for Kids

Some of our favorite picture books that we read in 2023!

Best of Fiction and Graphic Novels for Kids & Tweens

We hope you will find something to share with the young readers in your life on this list. You will find early chapter books, fiction novels, and graphic novels that we liked that were published in 2023.

Title - Eerie Tales From the School of Screams

Best Non-Fiction for Kids

Staff across The Library sent in some of their favorite non-fiction titles for kids. The list contains a few folk tales as well.

Best of for Teens

Our IndyPL Staff has selected their favorite teen reads of 2023. From queer love triangles to homecoming murders to a real life social media tale, these novels are sure to entertain!

We hope you discover some excellent reading recommendations in our 2023 staff picks and top checkouts. Our carefully curated selections offer a diverse range of books and media, designed to cater to all tastes and interests. As we move into 2024, we eagerly anticipate sharing even more reading recommendations and literary discoveries with you. Stay tuned for fresh picks, exciting new releases, and our continued commitment to helping you find your next great read. Here’s to another year of fantastic reading and exploration!