The Best Books of 2016

OverDrive's Professional Book Nerds release the best novels, fiction, memoirs and more found in the public library


CLEVELAND, OH--(Marketwired - December 19, 2016) - The holiday season is upon us and many will be receiving new devices. As people unwrap their new tablets and eReaders and begin to explore, the number of digital books borrowed from public libraries across the country will increase. Just in time for the reading rush, the Professional Book Nerds, OverDrive's staff librarians and hosts of one of the leading podcasts on books, have released their list of the top reads of the year. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and curl up on the couch with one of the Professional Book Nerds' best books of 2016 (available as an eBook and/or audiobook):

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (Sourcebooks)
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (Random House Publishing Group)
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (Crown/Archetype)
Shrill by Lindy West (Hachette Books)
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris (St. Martin's Press)
Evicted by Matthew Desmond (Crown/Archetype)
The Girls by Emma Cline (Random House Publishing Group)
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury Publishing)
The Nix by Nathan Hill (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
Morning Star by Pierce Brown (Random House Publishing Group)

To hear the full list of the 30 best books of 2016, download the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Readers can borrow these books as digital books, for free, anytime and anywhere from their local library. All that is needed is a library card and the OverDrive app installed on the new or favorite reading device. To find a local library and get started reading visit overdrive.com.

It's been a delectable year for readers, but for most it's hard to choose the next great book. OverDrive's Professional Book Nerds podcast provides weekly expert recommendations and talks about the hottest books coming out so people always have something to read. Every eBook or audiobook discussed on the show can be borrowed through public libraries. Launched one year ago, the Professional Book Nerds podcast has been downloaded more than 170,000 times. In addition to recommendations, readers tune in weekly for interviews with bestselling authors like James Patterson, Lee Child, Jodi Picoult, James Dashner and more.

"As a reader, I love listening to the Professional Book Nerds podcast, and as an author, I love being on," said Marieke Nijkamp, author of This Is Where It Ends. "I visited the podcast twice this year, and it was an absolute joy both times. The questions are wonderful, the book nerdery is great, and it also happens to be a fantastic way to get the word out!"

"Sourcebooks has been privileged to be an inaugural partner of OverDrive's Professional Book Nerds author podcast program," said Margaret Coffee, National Accounts Manager, Sourcebooks. "The PBN's enthusiasm for literature comes through in insightful, well researched questions and their lively repartee with the authors"

The Professional Book Nerds podcast can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, the Google Play Music Store, iHeartRadio and most podcast apps. Contact the Professional Book Nerds on Twitter, Facebook, or email at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com.

About OverDrive
OverDrive is the leading digital distribution platform, supplying the industry's largest catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, streaming video and periodicals to 34,000 libraries and schools worldwide. We support all major computers and devices, including iOS®, Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle® (U.S. only). Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and is owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten. For more information, visit www.overdrive.com.

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Contact Information:

Contact:
David Burleigh
Director of Marketing & Communications
dburleigh@overdrive.com
216-573-6886 ext. 218

The Best Books of 2016