If you’re looking for some satisfying and challenging reads, a number of great books by Chippewa Valley authors were released this past year. Our readers’ top pick was Godspeed by Nickolas Butler, a novel that focuses on three friends and business partners who are tasked with leading a dangerous construction project. Next is Go West, Young Man by B.J. Hollars, in which Hollars recounts the experiences he and his young son had retracing the Oregon Trail. Fans of Hollars may also enjoy the book he recently edited, titled Hope is The Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic, which features submissions from a range of Wisconsin residents detailing their feelings on the COVID-19 pandemic and how they coped with isolation and quarantine. — Matthew Morgan