Beyond The Shelves: Best Books of 2025
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
Release Date: 12/15/2025
Beyond The Shelves: 2026 Reading Challenge Recommendations
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
In this episode of Beyond the Shelves, Sarah and Jes discuss the 2026 reading challenge, recomend books to complete your bingo board, and in the book bulletin, talk about the hit series Heated Rivalry on HBO. Learn more about the reading challenge SHOW NOTES What We’re Reading by Alix E. Harrow by Beatriz Serrano by Virginia Evans by Rachel Reid by Ned Blackhawk Big Reads of 2026 by Emma Straub by Evelyn Clarke by Maria Semple by Natalie Haynes Reading Challenge by Emily Krempholtz by Mason Coile by Lily Brooks-Dalton by Annika Norlin by Jordi Lafebre by Daniel...
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Beyond The Shelves: Best Books of 2025
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
In this episode, Sarah and Jes discuss the best books of the year, great books to give as gifts, the most checked out items at DMPL, and the librarians personal favorite books they read in 2025. Learn more below: Show Notes What we are reading Jes: by Solvej Balle by Caro Claire Burke Sarah: by Denise Williams, by Alix E. Harrow Best Bets (good gifts) by Annalee Newitz, by Suleika Jaouad, by Brad Meltzer and Joel Mensch, by Kate Sidley Best of the Year Lists Books 1. by Lily King 2. by Katie Kitamura 3. by Ocean Vuong 4. by R.F Kuang 5. to me by Arundhati Roy 6. by Stephen...
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6 Nature Books That Will Change How You See the World
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
Join us for our first video episode as we explore books celebrating nature and the environment! From Mary Oliver's contemplative essays to fungi's hidden intelligence, we discuss how the natural world intersects with our lives. Plus: library neighborhoods explained, garlic-scented books (!), and Reading Rainbow's triumphant return with a new host. Nature & Environment Theme Books Currently Reading On Their TBR
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Beyond the Shelves: Horror For Scaredy Cats
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
Sarah and Jes discuss books that will put you in the mood for spooky season but aren't that scary. Show Notes: What They're Reading by Rebecca Ross by Layla Sage by Emily Brontë by Etaf Rum Best Bets: other highly recommended books by Charlotte McConaghy by Patricia Briggs and Fiona Staples by Elena Ferrante by Brian K. Vaughan Books to get you into spooky season: by Daryl Gregory by Tiffany Jackson by Tananarive Due by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly by Ling Ling Huang by Nick Medina by Kat Dunn by Carissa Orlando Book Bulletin A new update to the...
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Beyond the Shelves: Pocket-Sized Powerhouses
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
Sarah and Jess highlight eight short books under 200 pages to power through the DMPL reading challenge bingo, promote the fall author series, discuss a new bookstore in town, and a new app to track your reading. Show Notes: What They're Reading Kingdom of Claw by Demi Winters American Spirits by Anna Dorn It's Not the End of the World by Jonathan Parks-Ramage 2025 Reading Challenge: Short books to get BINGO by Ore Agbaje-Williams by Premee Mohamed by Yu Miri by Annalee Newitz by Martha Wells by Juneau Black by Nnedi Okorafor by Kang Han To learn more about the reading...
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Beyond the Shelves: Book Club - 'The Phoenix Pencil Company'
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
On the latest episode of Beyond the Shelves, Jes and Sarah are discussing what they liked and didn't like about . (Please note - this episode was recorded in early July) What They're Reading Best Bets (Recommended backlist books): Book Bulletin
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Beyond the Shelves: Summer Lovin'
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
The latest episode of Beyond the Shelves is all about love! Jes and Sarah discuss the new queer romances they're most excited for this summer. Show Notes What They're Reading , by Sabaa Tahir , by Emily Henry , by Courtney Milan , by Nicola Dinan , by Ashley Herring Blake To Be Read , by Danielle L. Jensen by Michael Lewis , by Rufi Thorpe , by Cara Bastone , by Cara Bastone , by Tourmaline , by Milo Todd Books About Love , by Gabriella Gamez , by Venessa Vida Kelly , by T.J. Alexandar (Kanopy) (3 seasons on DVD) , by Adriana Hererra by Chip Pons , by Marie Rutkoski ...
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Beyond the Shelves: Summer Reading Preview
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
On the newest episode of Beyond the Shelves, Jes and Sarah chat about this summer's biggest releases and the books they're most excited about. As you might have guessed, they are not necessarily the same thing! Plus, find out which host is a vampire girlie and which is a werewolf girlie. What They're Reading , by Cara Bastone , by Holly Brickly , by Katie Kitamura , by Mona Awad , by Rachel Reid , by Jonathan Blitzer To Be Read , by Emily Henry , by Meredith Hambrock , by Helene Marie Bertino , by Tracy Deonn , by Amal El-Mohtar , by John Ganz What We're Excited For , by Maggie...
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Beyond the Shelves: A History of Chick Lit
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
On this month's podcast, Jes and Sarah talk about the history of Chick Lit - how it started (Bridget Jones's Diary), how the genre was covered in the press, and what new types of books have spawned from it today. Show Notes What They're Reading To Be Read Reading Material
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Beyond the Shelves: Book Club #1, 'Harlem Rhapsody', and Other Fun News
Beyond the Shelves: A Podcast from the Des Moines Public Library
The Beyond the Shelves first ever Book Club episode is live! This month, Jes and Sarah both read Harlem Rhapsody, by Victoria Christopher Murray. They discuss the historical fiction novel about Jessie Redman Fauset, a real life figure dubbed "midwife of the Harlem Renaissance," and her relationship with W.E.B. Du Bois. This podcast does contain spoilers - but you don't have to have read the book to listen and learn more about the Harlem Renaissance era! Show Notes The Book Club Book Further Reading Authors in the Book Timestamps 0:00 - AViD Lineup/What We're...
info_outlineIn this episode, Sarah and Jes discuss the best books of the year, great books to give as gifts, the most checked out items at DMPL, and the librarians personal favorite books they read in 2025. Learn more below:
Show Notes
What we are reading
Jes:
On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Sarah:
Just Our Luck by Denise Williams,
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Best Bets (good gifts)
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz,
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad,
The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy―and Why it Failed by Brad Meltzer and Joel Mensch,
How to Be a Saint: An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of the Catholic Church's Biggest Names by Kate Sidley
Best of the Year Lists Books
1. Heart the Lover by Lily King
2. Audition by Katie Kitamura
3. Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
4. Katabasis by R.F Kuang
5. Mother Mary Comes to me by Arundhati Roy
6. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
7. A Flower Traveled in My Blood by Haley Cohen Gilliland
8. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
9. Baldwin by Nicolas Boggs
10. Flesh by David Szalay
Top Checked Out
1. The Wedding People by Alison Espach
2. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
3. Strangers in Time by Baldacci by David Baldacci
4. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
5. Great, Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
6. James by Percival Everett
7. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
8. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins and Dog Man: The Scarlet Shredder by Dav Pilkey
9. My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Top DVDs
Jes’ Top Ten
1. Woodworking by Emily St. James
2. Poet’s Square by Courtney Gustafson
3. Heart the Lover by Lily King
4. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
5. Sky Daddy by Kate Folk
6. Audition by Katie Kitamura
7. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
8. Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan
9. Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
10. Stag Dance by Torrey Peters
Sarah’s Top Ten
1. A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
2. Who is Government edited by Michael Lewis and Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
3. The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
4. The Shots you Take by Rachel Reid
5. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
6. Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
7. Muted by Miranda Mundt
8. The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
9. Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer
10. Heir by Sabaa Tahir
Random Books
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Links
No Lovers on These Covers https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/books/review/831-stories-romance.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1E8.jA9U.hHjLV3tspEo8&smid=url-share&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
It’s Time To Put The “Where Are All The Male Novelists?” Debate To Bed https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vanishing-young-male-novelists-debate
The Guardian view on the Booker prize winner: putting masculinity back at the centre of literary fiction https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/14/the-guardian-view-on-the-booker-prize-winner-putting-masculinity-back-at-the-centre-of-literary-fiction