Recommended Reads

October 2025

 

The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, available as an audiobook on Libby

 

This political thriller, authored by our 42nd president and a New York Times best-selling writer who holds the record for 114 titles on the New York Times bestseller list, is a must-listen novel from our Libby Collection. The writing is so engaging that you will feel as if you are watching a movie. The novel follows Jonathon Dunkin, the current president, as he battles against the enemies of time and technology. A virus has been unleashed into every U.S. file, lying dormant for years until the right moment to strike. If this virus succeeds, it will delete critical files, including Pentagon records and bank accounts, plunging the U.S. and the world into chaos and darkness. Who assisted the terrorists in infiltrating the servers? Is it someone from the president’s inner circle? This book prompts readers to reflect on issues like phishing emails and the importance of cyber safety. You’ll be on the edge of your seat, wondering if Jonathon Dunkin, as read by Dennis Quaid, can piece everything together in time. With its compelling storyline, intricate plot, and well-developed characters, this book is sure to entertain and captivate.

 

The Inmate by Freida McFadden, available as an audiobook on Libby

 

Freida McFadden has done it again! Her novel, The Inmate, is a must-read mystery. In this book, she skillfully weaves together two parallel stories: the present day and a past event that ultimately explains everything in the present. In the current timeline, we meet Brooke, a nurse practitioner and single mother, who returns to her hometown after a ten-year absence. A decade ago, she was involved in a “stormy night” that ended tragically in the deaths of three teenagers—another person was injured, another blamed, and Brooke herself almost died. After that fateful night and the subsequent trial, she left her hometown with a secret: she was pregnant with the alleged murderer’s child. Now, following the accidental deaths of her parents, Brooke is back home to confront her past. Did everything happen as it seemed that night, or was she mistaken? Who really killed those three teenagers, and who almost took her life? Was it her boyfriend at the time, the father of her child, her best friend or her neighbor? Regardless of the answers, Brooke knows she will never be the same once the truth is revealed. And after all these years, is she still in danger? Who can she trust? This book has some major plot twists that will leave you speechless by the end! We have The Inmate available in hard copy at the library, as well as on Libby, our free audiobook/ebook service accessible on your Apps page.

 

107 Days by Kamala Harris, available in print and as an audiobook on Libby

 

Kamala Harris’s memoir, 107 Days, offers a candid and fast-paced account of her whirlwind presidential campaign following President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the 2024 race. Structured around the countdown to election day, the book is both a political chronicle and a personal reflection on loyalty, ambition, and the challenges of leadership under pressure. The book is organized into brief chapters, each marking a single day in the 107-day sprint to the election. This format lends urgency and immediacy to Harris’s storytelling, mirroring the chaotic pace of her campaign. Her writing blends political analysis with personal anecdotes, making the memoir accessible to both political enthusiasts and general readers. One of the themes she explores is loyalty, particularly Harris’s loyalty to the Bidens and the tension that arose from it. She recounts moments of mistrust and miscommunication, especially with President Biden and his inner circle, which she believes undermined her efforts. Harris also reflects on her own missteps, admitting to moments of recklessness and missed opportunities to assert herself more forcefully. She emphasizes the importance of identity and representation, describing some of the complexities of being a Black woman in politics, the public’s perceptions of her, and the strategic decisions she made. Whether you’re interested in politics, business, or you’re a general reader, Kamala Harris offers insights that resonate across a wide range of leadership roles.

 

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George Johnson, available in print and as an ebook and audiobook on Libby

 

All Boys Aren’t Blue is a powerful and deeply personal memoir-manifesto that blends storytelling with activism. Written by journalist and LGBTQIA+ advocate George M. Johnson, the book is a series of essays chronicling his experiences growing up Black and queer in America. Johnson’s writing is emotionally frank and engaging, especially for young adults. The memoir spans his childhood in New Jersey, adolescence, and college years in Virginia, weaving together moments of joy, pain, and self-discovery. From being bullied at age five to flea marketing with his grandmother and navigating his first sexual relationships, Johnson’s voice is candid and compassionate. He doesn’t shy away from heavy topics like sexual abuse and gender policing, but he frames them within a broader narrative of healing and liberation. He emphasizes that queer Black existence is not new, but has long been underrepresented in literature—especially in literature aimed at Black boyhood. This book has become a touchstone in LGBTQIA+ literature and has been both celebrated and challenged. It was named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2020 and a New York Times Bestseller. At the same time, it has faced censorship and book bans, highlighting the ongoing struggle for inclusive representation in schools and libraries.