Reading books at Arlington Heights Memorial Library

Our staff love talking about books and authors and helping you discover your next great read. Browse our book lists or request a personalized list of recommended books to get started. Check out our resources for your own book group and view the library book discussion calendar.

Browse Our Book Lists

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Thrillers From the North

Scandinavian Mysteries

Fall 2020 Historical Fiction

Can't escape the house? Escape into the pages of these new and forthcoming books.

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Let Us Recommend Your Next Book

Do you want to receive a curated list of recommended books? Complete our Book Me form with your reading preferences and we will send you a list of books you might like.

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Staff Picks

Learn about the titles our staff have read and liked!

Transcendent kingdom

Posted by Alisa S on Thursday, September 10, 2020

No doubt there were high expectations for Yaa Gyasi's followup novel after her critically acclaimed debut, Homegoing. Transcendent Kingdom should prove that her literary stardom is in no danger of fading. But fans of her first novel, a sweeping

Library Book Discussions

Join our book discussions online as we remain socially distant. The following groups will meet virtually. Please register and you will receive a link to attend the discussion online.

Mystery Group - Classic and contemporary mysteries.

Novel Experience - Popular fiction.

Science Fiction - Classic and contemporary science fiction.

Books and Brews - Popular nonfiction.

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Sign Up for Book Alerts

We get hundreds of new books every month. And every month, we send out new lists with interesting, thought-provoking, hot or just-plain-fun books in many different genres. Click the link below and under “What to Read,” select the lists you'd like to have delivered to your email.

Upcoming Book Discussions and Events

Book Discussion Emails

	Sunday in the Park with The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott Sunday , September 20 , 3:30 PM –5:00 PM /See Description for Location Register
	VIRTUAL Sci-Fi Book Discussion: Everfair by Nisi Shawl Wednesday , September 23 , 7:30 PM –9:00 PM /Zoom Event Register
	Favorite Things: Celebrating the Freedom to Read Tuesday , September 29 , 10:00 AM –10:45 AM /Zoom Event

For Your Book Group

We have sets of books that you can check out for your book group.

Search for a set of books (Fiction)
Search for a set of books (Nonfiction )
Printable list of Book Sets for Checkout

Check out these online resources for book reviews and helpful tools for your own book group.

Meet our Book Experts
With so many library items to choose from, let our expert staff help you select the perfect book, movie or music. Learn more about what our Info Services Advisors recommend.

Alisa

Being a Reader's Advisor is a dream job for this former English Lit major. I love reading books, discussing books, listening to audiobooks, matching readers with books...well, you probably get the picture. My favorite genres are literary fiction, psychological suspense, mysteries and memoirs. Lately I've been branching out into other types of nonfiction as well. And I love a great beach read, even in the dead of winter.

Alisa's Reviews  •  Alisa's Lists

Barb

My favorite genre is science fiction. I do indulge in nonfiction, horror and general fiction occasionally. Graphic novels intrigue me no matter what the subject. Other than that, my only criteria is to find a single volume, any genre, on the shelf that has gone unnoticed. Maybe the author is unfamiliar, or maybe the title or cover is provocative or challenging in some way. That book is mine.

Barb's Reviews  •  Barb's Lists

Joan

One of my earliest literary memories is receiving a hardcover Little House on the Prairie for Christmas. I was about 10. I haven’t been without a book by my side since then. Whether it’s discovering an exciting novel by a new author or peeking into lives through a memoir, I still love the anticipation of opening that first page of a good book. My favorite genres are literary fiction, historical fiction, new fiction, memoirs, and social and political nonfiction.

Joan's Reviews  •  Joan's Lists

Jon

I am a middle-aged male who likes short walks on the beach and reading. My favorite genres are mystery, suspense and thriller, and nonfiction.

Jon's Reviews  •  Jon's Lists

Lucy

With such a wide variety of styles within the fiction genre, I find myself gravitating to it first. A strong storyline within a novel is important. My next favorite genre is memoirs, especially listening to them on audiobook when read by the author. Cozy mysteries are my guilty pleasure. I also enjoy watching documentaries and binge-watching television series.

Lucy's Reviews  •  Lucy's Lists

Neal

I love a great story. I read everything from classics to contemporary. I like books with diverse settings and characters. My favorite genres are mystery and suspense, horror and nonfiction.

Neal's Reviews  •  Neal's Lists

Sherri

I love romances of all kinds because I can count on a happy ending, which is not always true in real life. I enjoy stories that make me laugh, take me to faraway places and tell the stories of ordinary people’s lives while showing us important events in our past. My favorite genres are historical fiction, contemporary romance, women’s fiction and psychological suspense.

Sherri's Reviews  •  Sherri's Lists