News and Reviews

Press enter after choosing selection

Blog Post

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #847, Author! Author!

Sat, 01/11/2025 - 4:55pm by muffy

The Three Lives of Cate Kay * * * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), debut novel by Emmy Award-winning sports journalist (and a former WNBL player) Kate Fagan, is one of the most anticipated releases in the new year, and the January pick of Reese’s Book Club.

Bestselling novelist Cate Kay, elusive author of the blockbuster trilogy The Very Best is about to discover how hard the media is trying to expose her, with the filming of the series adaptation about to begin, starring the current ‘it” girl Ryan Channing. The narrative, framed as Kay's unpublished memoir, gradually unravels her story.

Anne Marie (called Annie) raised by a single mother in upstate New York, shared the dream of escaping to Hollywood with best friend and fellow thespian Amanda, after high school. A tragic accident the night before their departure forced Annie to travel alone, taking on the identity of Cass Ford, falling in with an ambitious law student named Sydney Collins. The pair moved to New York City and Cass began writing while working as a barista.

“The story is presented as Cate Kay's memoir and sprinkled with her own footnotes, but it also offers brief chapters from the first-person viewpoints of many other characters, implying that Cass has reached out to them for their perspectives. Through this documentary-like setup, author Fagan is able to round out the picture of Annie/Cass/Cate and the way she's coped with various traumas. “(Kirkus Reviews)

“Though the pace is leisurely, the tension of the story is taut and explores how ambitions clash with genuine connection and test the humanity of compassionate relationships. It is intimate and personal and digs into the often-opaque motivations of its characters. At its heart, it is about how we deal--or don't deal--when tragedy strikes. Fagan's (All the Colors Came Out, 2021) journalism-honed observational skills make her fiction debut shine.” (Booklist)

* * * = 3 starred reviews

Blog Post

Request for Proposals for Audit Services

Thu, 01/09/2025 - 2:17pm by eli

The Board of Trustees of Ann Arbor District Library, hereinafter called “AADL,” invites qualified independent Auditors, hereinafter called “Auditor,” having sufficient government and auditing experience in performing an audit in accordance with the specifications outlined in this Request for Proposal (RFP) to submit a proposal.

There is no expressed or implied obligation for AADL to reimburse firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

The specific details shown herein shall be considered minimum unless otherwise shown. The specifications, terms, and conditions included with this RFP shall govern in any resulting contract(s) unless approved otherwise in writing by AADL.

Description of Ann Arbor District Library

AADL is a governmental nonprofit organization with 501(c) 3 tax status serving most of the Ann Arbor Public Schools district. AADL was established by agreement between the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the City of Ann Arbor in 1995. AADL is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees elected at large.

For more information and a description of our major programs and services, visit our web site at aadl.org.

The administrative office of AADL is located at 343 S. Fifth Ave. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Services to be performed

Your proposal is expected to cover the following services:

Annual financial and internal control audit
Completion and filing of the agency 990 tax return
File or assist in filing extensions associated with the 990 tax return and/or 5500 filing, if needed

Type of Audits

Annual Financial and Compliance

The audit will encompass a financial and compliance examination of AADL’s basic financial statements, supplementary information, and internal controls in accordance with the laws and/or regulations of the State of Michigan and the requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. The financial audit will cover state and local funding sources in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.

Period

AADL intends to continue the relationship with the Auditor for no less than three years based on performance. AADL reserves the right to request proposals at any time following the first year of this contract, should the Auditor not meet the terms of the contract.

July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025
July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027

Requirements

The Auditor will be responsible for the preparation, proofing, printing, and copying of the Financial Statements and supplementary information. The Auditor will submit a draft of the Financial Statements to be reviewed in detail to AADL. This draft should be submitted in time to allow ample review and corrections.

AADL will expect a listing of requested information needed for the audit from the selected firm during prior to the audit providing finance staff with ample time to accommodate those requests. Updates to that list may be made periodically while the audit is being conducted.

The working papers prepared and/or used by the Auditor shall be retained and made available upon request for no less than three years from the date of the audit report.

In the event that circumstances arise during the audit that requires work to be performed in excess of the original estimates, any additional costs will be negotiated prior to commencement of the work and an amended contract will be provided to AADL.

Annual Financial and Compliance Audit Specific Requirements

A preliminary draft of the audit must be submitted to AADL with ample time for review prior to the September Board meeting traditionally held on the fourth Monday of the month.

The final audit report is due to AADL no later than the third Monday of the month of September.

An electronic version and ten hard copies of the audit report and management letter must be supplied to the Library Director within the period cited above.

Other Services

A presentation to the AADL Board of Trustees and Finance Committee is required and will be scheduled.

Description of Selection Process

The firm best meeting AADL’s expectations for experience, audit approach, and cost requirements will be selected.

AADL requests that no member of the governing board be contacted during this process. The Library Director or Finance Manager may be contacted via email at neiburgere@aadl.org or richmondc@aadl.org, respectively, to clarify questions concerning the RFP.

AADL reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive technicalities, and to be the sole judge of suitability of the services for its intended use and further specifically reserve the right to make the award in the best interest of AADL.

Failure to respond to any requirements outlined in the RFP, or failure to enclose copies of the required documents, may disqualify the bid.

Proposal Requirements

Provide a list of the firm’s current and prior government and/or library audit clients, indicating the type(s) of services performed and the number of years served for each.
Provide a copy of the firm’s current peer review.
Describe the relevant educational background of each person assigned to the audit. This should include seminars and courses attended within the past three years, especially those courses in governmental accounting and auditing.
Describe the professional experience of assigned individuals in auditing relevant government organizations, programs, activities, or functions.
Provide company name, address, a contact person, and telephone number of at least three, current or prior, nonprofit audit clients who may be contacted for a reference.
Describe any regulatory action taken by any oversight body against the proposing audit organization.
Proposals should include completed cost estimate sheets and any other necessary cost information.
Organization of the audit team and the approximate percentage of time spent on the audit by each member.
Assistance expected from AADL’s staff, if other than outlined in the RFP.
Tentative schedule for completing the audit within the specified deadlines of the RFP.
Specify cost for each audit year beginning with the audit year ending June 30, 2025. The costs provided will be binding,
Please make AADL aware of any of the following ownership status of the firm.
1. Minority-owned
2. Women-owned
3. Locally-owned

Please list any other information the firm may wish to provide.

Time Schedule for Awarding the Contract

Proposals signed by authorized officials will be accepted via email at richmondc@aadl.org until January 31, 2025 at 5:00pm. Subject line should read “Response to RFP – Auditing Services”.

AADL’s Finance Committee will review the proposals and make a recommendation to AADL’s Board of Trustees on or before February 28, 2025 at which time the contract will be awarded. Notification of the award will be emailed within five business days.

Thank you,

Eli Neiburger
Director
Ann Arbor District Library

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Picture Books to Pore Over

Mon, 01/06/2025 - 2:19pm by evelyn

Do you have a kid bored at home? Try these detailed picture books you can get lost in!

Journey by Aaron Becker | Request Now
Aaron Becker’s wordless picture book is a magical tale to share with kids. In the style of Harold and the Purple Crayon, this Caldecott honor book tells the tale of a girl who draws herself into a adventurous world. Wordless books are great for stretching the imaginations of both pre-readers and readers alike. Kids will love telling the story of what they see unfold in the pages of Journey.

Where’s Waldo by Martin Handford | Request Now
Where’s Waldo is a classic for a reason! This series has been charming kids since its introduction in the 1980s. In this new title, everything has gone topsy turvy! The wizard has lost his magic staff and as a result, no one is where they should be. There are robots in the Stone Age, surfers in the Colosseum, and a lost polar bear to keep track of. Yikes!

1, 2, 3, Off to School! by Marianne Dubuc | Request Now
French Canadian illustrator Marianne Dubuc has so many beautifully detailed books that it’s hard to pick just one! This adorable school outing is a great place to start. Pom, a tiny human child with an enviable collection of animal friends, can’t wait to go to school! But since they still have to wait an entire year before Kindergarten, they decide to tag along with their animal friends for a day. What is squirrel school like? How do turtles and bears study? Find it all in the adorable book!

The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage | Request Now
Dr. Morley has a boat, a crew, and a wish- to find the legendary giant Arctic jellyfish. While she searches high and low for it, is it also searching for her? This book combines wonderfully detailed and realistic drawings of an arctic exploration vessel with the adorable hint of a jellyfish peering up. Search for the jellyfish yourself or just follow along with Dr. Morley’s hunt- either way you’re in for a fun ride.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Graphic Novels that Celebrate Food

Sat, 01/04/2025 - 3:22pm by erin

Since we tend to eat with our eyes before we taste our food the intersection of graphic novels with food makes for some amazing reading!

What Did You Eat Yesterday Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga | Request Now
A hard-working middle-aged gay couple in Tokyo come to enjoy the finer moments of life through food. After long days at work, either in the law firm or the hair salon, Shiro and Kenji will always have down time together by the dinner table, where they can discuss their troubles, hash out their feelings and enjoy delicately prepared home cooked meals! There are multiple volumes of the manga series to keep you salivating! It was also turned into a live-action TV show in Japan, but does not appear to available to stream.

Relish My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisely | Request Now
Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe-- many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.

Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez | Request Now
Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something...anything...related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won't be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn't even have enough experience to be a garbage collector! But when Ben stumbles upon a Now Hiring--No Experience Necessary sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He's actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he's got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it's only temporary...right? When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.

Meal by Blue Delliquanti | Request Now
Yarrow is a young chef determined to make her mark on the cutting edge of cookery with her insect-based creations. Though her enthusiasm is infectious, it rubs some of her fellow cooks the wrong way, especially Chanda Flores, Yarrow's personal hero and executive chef of an exciting new restaurant. Her people have been eating bugs for centuries, and she's deeply suspicious of this newbie's attempt to turn her traditions into the next foodie trend. While Chanda and her scrappy team of talented devotees struggle to open on time, Yarrow must win over Chanda -- and Milani, the neighbor she's been crushing on for weeks -- or lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve her dreams

Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley | Request Now
Katie's got it pretty good. She's a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie's life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all--but they don't come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over: 1. Write your mistake 2. Ingest one mushroom 3. Go to sleep 4. Wake anew. And just like that, all the bad stuff never happened, and Katie is given another chance to get things right. She's also got a dresser drawer full of magical mushrooms--and an irresistible urge to make her life not just good, but perfect. Too bad it's against the rules. But Katie doesn't care about the rules--and she's about to discover the unintended consequences of the best intentions

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Retellings of Classics

Sat, 01/04/2025 - 10:04am by walkerk

It's fun to see different spins on classic stories—here are a handful of retellings of classic teen books, specifically of Pride and Prejudice, Twelfth Night, Robin Hood, and The Legend of King Arthur. Although the books in this list are YA, many adult readers have found joy in some of them as well. There are too many good retellings to mention, so if you've read any lately, please share! The more, the merrier.

Pride by Ibi Zoboi | Request Now
Zuri Benitez has pride, but that might not be enough to save her gentrifying neighborhood. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, falls for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. With four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, some boy vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape.

While a couple of books on this list may transcend audience categories, this retelling of Pride and Prejudice is moreso for teens. Written with care and exploring issues such as race, cultural differences, and family, Pride is an imaginative, lighthearted, and refreshing take on a beloved story. Readers enjoyed the poetic elements throughout, as well as seeing how Zoboi nods to Pride and Prejudice while managing to write a unique story all the same.

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake | Request Now
After surviving the Lyric's shipwreck, Violet and Sam's great-great-great-grandmother founded Lyric, Maine. Shipped back to Lyric while her brother is in treatment for attempting to take his own life, Violet is haunted by the shipwreck she and Sam had always dreamed of discovering. She embarks on a mission to locate the Lyric, lying hidden in a watery grave. She finds a fellow wreck hunter in Liv Stone, an amateur local historian with sparkling intelligence and guarded gray eyes. The journey Violet takes—and the bridges she builds along the way—may be the start of something like survival.

As a reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night many readers found The Last True Poets of the Sea to be comforting, like a warm hug, with witty, thoughtful, lyrical narration, and a character-focused story. This title explores heavier topics, so please take care and check for content that you would like to avoid. Though, alongside its heavy themes, it carries an adventurous and hopeful air.

Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi | Request Now
Jerusalem, 1192. The Third Crusade rages on. Rahma al-Hud loyally followed her elder sister Zeena into the war over the Holy Land, but all Rahma wants to do is get them home alive. Zeena refuses to give up the fight, so Rahma takes on one final mission with her sister. On their journey to Jerusalem, Rahma and Zeena come across a motley collection of fellow travelers. The teens find solace, purpose, camaraderie, and a healthy bit of mischief in each other's company. It falls to this merry band of misfits to use every scrap of cunning, wit, and thievery to foil the usurper queen, and perhaps finally restore peace to the land.

Readers describe this inclusive, fast-paced retelling of Robin Hood as clever, fun, and entertaining, with Travelers Along the Way exploring beautiful new perspectives and themes, particularly expanding upon the found-family trope. The story features good character development and playfulness that even extends to its chapter titles. If you're a fan of found families heisting and thieving with good intentions, this one's for you.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn | Request Now
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews thinks a residential program for bright high schoolers is the perfect escape from her life—until she witnesses: a flying demon, a secret society of “Legendborn” students hunting creatures, and a mysterious teenage mage, a “Merlin,” who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory. Now, knowing there’s more to her mother’s death, Bree will do whatever it takes to discover the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as an initiate.

As a retelling of The Legend of King Arthur, many readers describe Legendborn as an adventurous, mysterious, smart, and enthralling read with fun and inventive world-building, a creative magic system, fantastic character development, and complex and layered themes. This is a popular title, but get yourself in the queue; let this book draw you into its intricate world.

Blog Post

AADL's Most Requested Items of 2024

Mon, 12/23/2024 - 12:09pm by richretyi

What were the most requested items in the AADL collection in 2024? We've got the full list. From the most requested fiction and non-fiction titles to portable CD players, The Starry Night, and our 500-piece Lake Michigan vintage poster puzzle—AADL presents our top-20 most requested everything of 2024!

Blog Post

Best of the Best 2024

Sun, 12/15/2024 - 12:15pm by muffy

star_books Goodreads Readers’ Favorite Books 2024

Library Journal’s (114) Best Books of 2024

NPR's staff consumed culture in every imaginable form, and now that the end of the year is upon us, it had gathered all of its favorites right here: The Best of 2024: Our favorite movies, TV, books, music and games, all in one place.

100 Notable Books of 2024, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review. Here are their picks of The 10 Best Books of 2024

The 2024 New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books

The 10 winners are chosen each year by a rotating panel of three expert judges who made their selections from the nearly 800 books by authors and illustrators around the world, purely on the basis of artistic merit.

New York Times named The Best Audio Book of 2024, whether its “(v)oices, cadence, pacing: these 8 sublime audiobooks do everything right.”

The Best Book Covers of 2024 when a New York Times book review art director selects the book jackets that made a compelling impression. Feast for your eyes!

The New Yorker picked its The Best Books of 2024

Kirkus Reviews’ 100 Best Fiction Books of the Year. For the genre readers, here are: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historicals, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy. For readers with special interests: Best Book Club Picks, Short Fiction, Debut Fiction and Fiction in Translation.

Kirkus Reviews’ Best 100 Picture Books of 2024 and the funniest.

Kirkus Reviews’ Best 100 Teen & YA Books of 2024

Vogue’s The Best Books of 2024 So Far

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Stream It on AADL.org!

Tue, 11/26/2024 - 1:44pm by emjane

Great news! There’s a ton of excellent video to stream via your aadl.org catalog! You can browse the whole collection of more than 10,000 videos, or check out some recommended picks below:

Kids Content
Brand new to AADL streaming, we’ve got a whole bunch of content made especially for kids! Watch animated classics like Arthur, Franklin, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Learn something from the History Kids or Kratts Creatures. Or curl up with a good book with Reading Rainbow or Storybook Classics

Nature Documentaries
There are nature documentary series aplenty available to stream. Why not check out the classic Planet Earth? Or Blue Planet? Frozen Planet? (We’ve got a lot of Planet content!) Learn about Big Cats or see what happens with Animals With Cameras

PBS Docuseries
Imagine rather than having to wait for your favorite series to air on PBS, you could just pull them up via your local library catalog? No need to imagine, it’s your reality! Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. is always intriguing, and I’m a huge fan of the science and history explored in NOVA. Or catch up with episodes of American Experience!

And there’s so much more! HBO’s Chernobyl, A&E’s Biography, History Channel’s Modern Marvels all the Ken Burns your heart desires, and more just waiting for you to find it!

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Kids Comics about Standing Out

Sat, 11/23/2024 - 2:30pm by nicole

These middle-grade comics are all about standing out! Being in the spotlight can be exciting and scary. Check out these stories about tough tryouts, unlikely dance partners, theater camp crushes, and ambitious art clubs!

The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat | Request Now
As one of the only Asian Americans in her school, Christina confronts both well-meaning ignorance and cruel racism, but in middle school fitting in is important, which is why she and her best friend Megan are both excited and nervous to try out for the popular cheerleading squad. When cheerleading tryouts are announced, Christina and her best friend, Megan, literally jump at the chance to join the squad. As two of the only kids of color in the school, they have always yearned to fit in -- and the middle school cheerleaders are popular and accepted by everyone. But will the girls survive the terrifying tryouts, with their whole grade watching? And will their friendship withstand the pressures of competition? Readers who enjoy the first book can find its sequel, The Squad, in the catalog!

Upstaged by Robin Easter | Request Now
In a summer of goodbyes and new beginnings, shy Ashton Price hopes to confess to their theater camp crush in this heartfelt middle-grade graphic novel. Ever since sixth grade, Ashton Price and their best friend and enduring crush, Ivy Santos, have spent their summers together at theater camp. Now it’s their last year before they part ways for high school, and Ash is determined to end it on a high note! With Ash as stage manager and Ivy the lead in this year’s musical, this summer’s shaping up to be everything the two could have hoped for. Maybe Ash will even work up the courage to ask Ivy out! But between Ivy rehearsing long hours with her co-lead and Ash throwing themself into an ambitious stage production, will they end up drifting apart instead? As summer wanes and September looms, Ash and Ivy’s friendship will change forever, one way or another.

Swing by Audrey Meeker | Request Now
This middle-grade story explores complicated friendships, gender norms, and the struggle of navigating other people's expectations. Marcus McCalister wants to fit in. So much so that he’s still playing on a soccer team with his childhood friend Ted, despite not liking soccer — or Ted — all that much. Izzy Briggs wants to stand out. Being labeled the “weird kid” for her bold fashion choices is the price an aspiring designer must pay for a life of greatness—but being confident isn't always easy. So when Izzy and Marcus are paired together to perform a swing dance routine for a gym project, it’s no surprise that everything goes up in flames, including their grade in the class. Until their gym teacher proposes a deal: if the pair performs the swing routine in the upcoming talent show, they’ll receive extra credit and a passing grade. They accept. . . but Izzy has her own proposal for Marcus: this time, she gets to be the lead.

Art Club by Rashad Doucet | Request Now
Inspired by the author’s own childhood, this middle-grade graphic novel paints a picture of an aspiring young artist on a mission to prove that the arts are worth fighting for. Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever—maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him. That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers—his stubborn vice principal in particular—wrong? This might just work, but if the club isn’t financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down. This may be Dale’s only chance to show the adults in his life that a career as an artist is not just a dream but a possibility!

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Charming Holiday Romances

Thu, 11/21/2024 - 3:58pm by eapearce

Cozy up this season with some of these fun new holiday romance novels!

Love You A Latke, by Amanda Elliot | Request Now
Abby is the only Jewish woman on her small Vermont town’s council, and because of this she’s been pigeonholed into planning their first ever Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, most of her fellow council-members are uneducated about the meaning of the holiday and Abby’s having trouble getting the support and funding she needs to make the festival a meaningful one. Desperate, she reaches out online to see if there are any other Jewish people in the area who might be willing to help out. It turns out there is one—Seth, who annoys Abby immediately with his sunny personality and insistence on visiting her at her cafe every morning. He has connections to a huge Jewish community in New York City and can introduce Abby to all the vendors she needs to make the festival a success… if Abby can tolerate him. This sweet story shows that sometimes, breaking down our emotional walls is worth it: both for the success of our dreams and, maybe, for true love?

The Merry Matchmaker, by Sheila Roberts | Request Now
In this cheery Christmas themed story, a woman can’t resist trying to help everyone around her, even when her help is unasked for, unwanted and sometimes even leads to disaster. Author Sheila Roberts was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma when she wrote her character of Frankie Lane. Frankie seems to know what’s best for everyone in her life, but doesn’t spend much time thinking about what might be best for her. She’s determined to help her divorced sister find new love, her shy employee to come out of her shell and her chocolate-making daughter to start her own shop. She’s also determined to help Mitch, the local hardware store owner, find a new woman after his recent divorce. He and Frankie have been friends for years and he was her support system when her husband passed away in a freak accident. Any lady would be lucky to have him, Frankie just needs to find the right one…. Readers will smile at Frankie’s blunders, and root for her all the way to the last page of this festive romance.

Three Holidays and a Wedding, by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Staphy | Request Now
Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson are seatmates on a December flight to Toronto. They’re traveling there for vastly different reasons: Maryam is headed to her sister’s impromptu wedding and Anna is excited to meet her boyfriend’s family for the first time. All is going well, until unexpected turbulence forces the plane to redirect and make an emergency landing, and Maryam and Anna find themselves confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another as they cross their fingers that they’ll land safely. The plane does indeed land safely, in a snowbound town where the passengers, including Anna, Maryam, Maryam’s sister’s entire bridal party, and Saif, the love of Maryam’s life (who happened to be sitting behind the two women on the plane and overheard their entire conversation) are forced to stay at the quirky Snow Falls Inn. It’s not where anyone expected to be, but as Maryam works to repair things with Saif and Anna realizes that an actor she’s had a crush on forever just happens to be filming a movie at the Inn, the women find themselves getting into the holiday spirit after all.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas, by Mary Kay Andrews | Request Now
Kerry Oliver is not in a great place. She’s newly single and she’s just lost her job and she desperately needs a second chance at, well, life. She’d never planned on moving back to her family’s Christmas tree farm in North Carolina but she’s out of options so that’s where she heads. She no sooner arrives, though, when she’s guilt tripped into heading to New York City for two months with her brother Murphy to sell trees out of a trailer in the East Village. It’s definitely not how Kerry expected to spend the holidays but, again, she doesn’t have much of a choice. When she meets Patrick, an annoying Mercedes owner who keeps taking her parking spot, she’s unimpressed. But as she finds out more about him: he’s recently divorced, the father to a charming six-year-old son, and lives just down the street from the Christmas tree trailer, she begins to wonder if first impressions can be wrong. Filled with the magic of Christmas in the city, readers will root for Kerry to find love and happiness again—and for her to sell lots of Christmas trees!

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Slice-of-Life Graphic Novels

Wed, 11/20/2024 - 11:01am by walkerk

Slice of life is a genre that explores the mundane events of a character's everyday life. Do you ever just wanna see your favorite character have fun at a party without an overarching doomsday plot? If so, this is the genre for you! Naturally, most of these stories are more personal and have lower stakes, but their tone can vary. If you're interested in ending the year with a handful of sweet, tender, and/or more lighthearted slice-of-life stories, here are five titles to explore:

Young Adult:

Himawari House by Harmony Becker | Request Now
Living in a new country is no walk in the park. When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There, she meets Hyejung and Tina, two other girls who came to Japan to freely forge their own paths. The trio live together, share meals, and even attend the same Japanese-language school, which results in them becoming fast friends. But will they be able to hold one another up as life tests them with new loves, old heartbreaks, and the everyday challenges of being fish out of water?

This tender and heartfelt slice of life features coming-of-age themes, dynamic black and white art, and big questions around identity and belonging. Readers felt as though they were given time to really connect with and live alongside the characters, with Becker's writing easily bringing their world to life.

Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen by Hiromi Sato | Request Now
Night falls on the Witch Hat Atelier, and Coco and her fellow apprentices take to their beds. In the quiet of midnight, Qifrey and Olruggio are finally free to pursue their culinary experiments. The magic of the kitchen comes alive as they cook puddings, stews, parfaits, and jellies, and when the sun rises, Coco and the gang are there to savor every bite!

In this Witch Hat Atelier spinoff, magic is in the kitchen as Qifrey and the gang whip up everything their hearts desire. If you haven't read Witch Hat, don't worry! Newcomers looking for an introduction to the world are more than welcome to start here, and all readers are invited to recreate recipes using the step-by-step instructions included within the book. Relax and have fun with this food-focused slice of life.

Giant Days by John Alison | Request Now
Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, "personal experimentation," influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of "academia," they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but things are about to get a little weird.

With its lighthearted and fun tone, Giant Days follows its three main characters and their first taste of freedom after starting college. This title has a similar vibe to Scott Pilgrim—especially with fourth-wall breaks—and it's filled with sharp dialogue and vibrant art to match. If you enjoy this title, volume two awaits.

Adult:

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser | Request Now
Through five connected short story comics, Wash Day Diaries follows four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—and the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these characters' lives and how they care for each other.

From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, Wash Day Diaries is a touching, triumphant, and funny title that pays loving tribute to Black joy. Touched by these unique and heartwarming stories, with beautifully drawn characters and color palettes that reflect each story's mood, readers were often left craving more.

A Sign of Affection by Suu Morishita | Request Now
Yuki, who's always been deaf, is used to communicating with sign language and her phone, but she's not used to English. So when a tourist from overseas asks for directions, she nearly panics until a handsome stranger steps in to help. This stranger's name is Itsuomi, and it turns out that he's a friend-of-a-friend, a fellow student, and a charismatic globetrotter who speaks three languages—but sign language isn't one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?

Featuring lovable characters that hooked readers in from the first few pages, this cute, romantic slice-of-life follows Yuki's experience as a college student and beautifully captures the beginnings of a romance. If you enjoy this title, volume two eagerly awaits.

Blog Post

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #846, Healing Fiction

Sat, 11/09/2024 - 2:36pm by muffy

The Full Moon Coffee Shop * * by Mai Mochizuki is “(a) beautifully crafted contemporary fantasy debut”, (Publishers Weekly), a Japanese national bestseller translated by Jesse Kirkwood. (Also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook).

Each of the 5 chapters focuses on an individual whose life is changed by his/her encounter at the mysterious Kyoto coffee shop that appears only on nights of a full moon.

Mizuki Serikawa, once a much sought-after television script writer, now is barely able to support herself writing scripts for supporting characters in a video game dating sim. Her last-ditch pitch to director Akari Nakayama, a former colleague, is rejected. Though sympathetic, Akari was unable to interest the company executives to take a chance. Wandering aimlessly among the Kyoto neighborhoods along the Kamo River, Mizuki chanced upon the Full Moon Coffee Shop, recommended to her by two odd-looking strangers at a bar. This turns out to be a very unusual cat café staffed by feline astrologers, serving up coffee and decadent desserts, and a reading of the customers' horoscopes.

“The coffee shop appears to several other Kyoto residents facing unexpected troubles in their personal and professional lives: director Akari, who's struggling against an unexpected attraction; actor Satsuki Ayukawa, whose career tanked after her affair with a married costar; hairdresser Megumi Hayakawa, who isn't satisfied in what she thought was her dream career; and IT startup founder Takashi Mizumoto, who is plagued with inexplicable tech trouble. The stories of all five characters subtly but cleverly intersect, pointing to an act of kindness in their pasts that gets mystically mirrored back to them in the present." (Publishers Weekly)

In this Sunday’s New York Times Book Reviews, readers will find the delightful article In Tumultuous Times, Readers Turn to ‘Healing Fiction’ - cozy, whimsical novels - often featuring magical cats - that have long been popular in Japan and Korea are taking off globally. Boy, do we need them now!

Readers who enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold (series) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (featured in the NYTimes article), might also be interested in The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, and The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa.

* * = 2 starred reviews

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Superhero Fiction for Teens

Sat, 11/09/2024 - 12:07pm by nicole

Superhero stories have become so popular that they're expanding outside of the world of comics into full-length novels. These books are perfect for readers who want to explore the multiverse or learn the origin stories of their favorite superheroes.

Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson| Request Now
Before she was the super hero Storm of Marvel's X-Men, she was Ororo of Cairo--a teenaged thief on the streets of Egypt, until her growing powers catch the eye of a villain who steals people's souls. Few can weather the storm. As a thief on the streets of Cairo, Ororo Munroe is an expert at blending in--keeping her blue eyes low and her white hair beneath a scarf. Stealth is her specialty . . . especially since strange things happen when she loses control. Lately, Ororo has been losing control more often, setting off sudden rainstorms and mysterious winds . . . and attracting dangerous attention. When she is forced to run from the Shadow King, a villain who steals people's souls, she has nowhere to turn to but herself. There is something inside her, calling her across Africa, and the hidden truth of her heritage is close enough to taste. But as Ororo nears the secrets of her past, her powers grow stronger and the Shadow King veers closer and closer. Can she outrun the shadows that chase her? Or can she step into the spotlight and embrace the coming storm?

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy | Request Now
Meet Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from Valiant comics, and learn her origin story in this two-part book series. When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, Faith Herbert is volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove. So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. And there's the small matter of recently discovering she can fly. Then the fictional world of The Grove relocates to her town, and TV heroine Dakota Ash takes a romantic interest in Faith. But when animals, then people, begin to vanish, only Faith seems able to connect the dots to a new designer drug infiltrating her high school. If you enjoy Faith's story, you can find the second book in the duology here.

Miles Morales: Suspended by Jason Reynolds | Request Now
Miles Morales is just your average teenager. He has unexpectedly become totally obsessed with poetry and can never seem to do much more than babble around his crush. Nothing too weird. Oh! Except, just yesterday, he used his superpowers to save the world (no big deal) from an evil mastermind called The Warden. And the grand prize Miles gets for that is...a suspension. But what begins as a long boring day of in-school suspension is interrupted by a little bzzz in his mind. His Spidey sense is telling him there’s something not quite right here, and soon he finds himself in a fierce battle with an insidious...termite?! His unexpected foe is hiding a secret, one that could lead to the destruction of the world’s history — especially Black and Brown history — and only Miles can stop him. It's just a typical day in the life of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña | Request Now
For as long as he can remember, Clark Kent has always been faster, stronger, and, well...better than everyone else around him. But lately it's been difficult to hold back and keep his heroics in the shadows. In Clark's opinion, he hasn't even earned his powers...at least, not yet. When Clark follows the sound of a girl crying, he comes across Gloria Alvarez and learns that people are disappearing from the Mexican-American and undocumented worker community in Smallville. Teaming up with his best friend, Lana Lang, Clark discovers that before he can save the world, he has to save his own hometown.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Firsts in Fantasy Series

Fri, 11/08/2024 - 10:33am by ohheyitselle

It's time for starting fresh and new beginnings... why not embark on a journey with one of these fantasy series firsts?

Jade City by Fonda Lee | Request Now
This award-winning family saga is a great entry not only for this series, but into the fantasy genre too! The story follows the three Kaul siblings: Lan, Hilo, and Shae as they struggle to find their place at the head of the clan during the health decline of their warhero grandfather. As if a disruption in the clan's hierarchy isn't enough... a war with the other clan is brewing over the management of the country's magical resource: jade. If you struggle with magic systems, have no fear! This universe operates on a low magic system that is easy to follow with the only magical element being jade. In all sincerity, Jade City reads more like a 1950's mob family drama than a fantasy novel mainly because of how character driven it is. The book is FLUSHED with well-written characters and makes you feel like you're a part of the Kaul family. It is easily one of my favorite fantasy novels I've read this year and am eagerly awaiting my hold on the rest of the series!

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemision | Request Now
Every few centuries, the inhabitants of The Stillness endure catastrophic climate change called a Fifth Season (roll credits!) The powerful earthquake-controlling magic users of this world, orogenes, are feared among the people of the Stillness and taken as children so they can be trained and kept contained by trained assassins called guardians. The guardians are meant to keep the orogenes in check, but there wouldn't be much of a story if everything went as it was meant to.

The Fifth Season follows three female orogenes (Essun, Damaya, and Syenite) at different stages of life from across the Stillness and as the worst Fifth Season in recorded history unfolds. The Fifth Season is a home run of a series starter and certainly a must read for someone trying to break into the Fantasy genre!!

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao | Request Now
Is that a sneaky lil Sci-Fi amid a bunch of Fantasy?? IT IS! Iron Widow is a reimagining of the historical Wu Zetian's rise to power mixed with female rage, giant mecha, action, polyamory, and some wild twists and turns along the way! Our story takes place in a man-centric world where women are used as disposable energy for men to utilize in the fight against alien creatures, Hunduns. Our protagonist, Wu Zetian, enlists as a concubine to enact revenge on the mecha pilot who killed her sister despite that fact that it will likely mean her own death.

This first of its series is phenomenal but be forewarned that it certainly starts with a bang and is not for the faint of heart! It tackles a lot of serious issues while also being very violent. Wu Zetian is lead by her rage and it shows time and time again throughout the book. While the rest of the series is unfinished, I can't wait to see how the story unfolds!

The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson | Request Now
Okay... buckle up! Brandon Sanderson is a big name in the Fantasy world and quite frankly stepping into his universe, the Cosmere, can be DAUNTING! But if you want to dip your toes into the Cosmere, a perfect place to start is book one of the Mistborn Trilogy! Our protagonist, Vin, is a young woman who realizes she is a Mistborn, a magic user who can "burn" ingested metals and turns them into supernatural abilities. Vin joins forces with a fellow Mistborn and mentor, Kelsier, in hatching a plan to overthrow the tyrannous Lord Ruler and steal his stores of metals by infiltrating the nobility. Only not everything goes exactly according to plan... shocking, I know. The Mistborn series, as well as Sanderson's other books, operates under a hard magic system, but there are helpful resources in the book to help the reader keep track of everything! If you end up enjoying The Final Empire then you can make your way to the rest of the trilogy* and perhaps even further into the Cosmere!

*Pro Tip: There are TWO Mistborn series that take place on the same planet! The first series is books 1-3 and is considered Era One, meanwhile Era Two contains books 4-7.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Great Baking Books

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 1:52pm by eapearce

Any time of year is a great time to bake, but baking just as the weather starts to turn cold might be the best time of all. Bake for yourself, bake for your family and friends, bake for the holidays! Bake breads, bake cookies, bake cakes or pies, bake whatever floats your boat. Need some inspiration for what to pop in the oven? Read on!

Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking, by Claudia Fleming | Request Now
You might recognize the name of Chef Claudia Fleming for several reasons: she’s the author of the best-selling 2001 cookbook The Last Course and her dessert menus have reigned supreme for many years at the beloved Gramercy Tavern in New York City. Fans long wondered if Fleming would ever publish a second cookbook, but the 20+ year wait was worth it when she released Delectable in 2022. Despite being a wildly talented James Beard Award-winning chef with (presumably) any ingredient she needs at her fingertips, you don’t need to be a world class baker yourself to make use of Delectable. There are very few hard-to-find ingredients, and her recipes are straightforward and detailed, making even the more complicated ones to follow easy if you go step-by-step. What’s particularly nice about this book is that it contains recipes for both sweet bakes and savory ones, so it can be used for more than just dessert. Along with recipes for Devil’s food cake cookies and rhubarb scones, you’ll find ones for chickpea crackers, gruyere and onion biscuits, and eggplant tart. Yum!

A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood, by Benjamina Ebuehi | Request Now
2016 Great British Bakeoff contestant Benjamina Ebuehi loves the ritual of baking. In her book, she encourages readers take time to enjoy the baking process and perhaps even find it therapeutic. “Going through the ritual of bringing out the measuring scales, pouring out flour, whipping up the eggs, stirring the batter and impatiently slicing up warm cake is a beautiful thing that deserves to be enjoyed all year round, no matter the day, season, or occasion,” she says. Her recipes reflect this belief: they’re very seasonal and down-to-earth and are often quite simple, perhaps with a small unexpected twist that elevate them above other routine bakes. She arranges her cookbook (her sophomore effort; her first was A New Way to Cake) by ingredient and introduces each recipe with tips, flavor notes and an explanation of how she developed it. The clean, peaceful images that accompany the recipes will aid readers who are using baking as a mindfulness practice or way to relax.

More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community, by Natasha Pickowicz | Request Now
Pickowicz has won awards for her baking at Altro Paradiso and Flora Bar, but is especially renowned for how she uses her baking skills for good. She’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for causes that she cares about through her community bake sales and taught hundreds of people how to bake along the way. Though she’s certainly capable of making the most complicated baked creation, she typically prefers to keep her recipes unfussy (chocolate mousse in a blender) and to experiment with flavors that honor her Chinese heritage (red bean and brown butter pie, scallion pancake biscuits and black sesame fortune cookies, to name a few). She adheres to the “no occasion is too small an occasion to bake for” mentality and includes recipes perfect for baking just for your partner or recipes that scale up well to create for your entire office. Included in the book is an essay for tips on how to hold a successful bake sale and suggestions for baked goods that perform particularly well in a bake sale setting.

Baking Yesteryear: the Best Recipes from the 1900s to the 1980s, by B. Dylan Hollis | Request Now
The back cover of this fun cookbook touts it as “a decade-by-decade collection of wild, wacky and wonderful recipes from the 20th century,” and that’s truly what it is! You can travel back in (culinary) time aided by B. Dylan Hollis, who has selected a unique assortment of popular recipes from days of old. He mainly used antique cookbooks to compile the recipes in this collection and—purposefully—they’re not all winners. While some are just as delicious today as they probably were in 1934, others are delightfully strange and still others might make you question what people were eating back then! Some of Hollis’ favorites include cornflake macaroons from 1909, mayonnaise cake from 1956 and potato chip cookies from the 1970s. Others, like chocolate sauerkraut cake from the 1940s, are a bit of a stretch. Hollis accompanies all the recipes with witticisms and humorous commentary. This book is great fun.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Hot off the Press–New Releases from Fifth Avenue Press

Wed, 11/06/2024 - 10:47am by emjane

One of the neatest things about this collection of books is that ALL of them are available for you to read digitally RIGHT NOW, and the only ticket for entry is your AADL Library Card! You can read them directly in your browser from AADL’s catalog or download the PDFs to read from other devices.

The Twin Panthers by Héctor Fox | Request Now
Fox’s short pitch of his debut novel is “Game of Thrones done Mesoamerican style,” and I couldn’t say it any better! If that draws you in, this book is for you! The Twin Panthers centers on Itza’ and Chanil, the two daughters of the king in a region facing unrest from a neighboring kingdom and foreign invaders. Both sisters struggle with the expectations put upon them, as they attempt to figure out who they are within (and outside of) their role in their community. Fox excels at character development, and though I’m often skeptical of men writing women characters, his voice reads authentically. As someone who is NOT a typical fantasy reader and one who frequently gets bored during battle scenes, I was stunned to find that The Twin Panthers was absolutely my jam—including the battles! I can’t wait to read what Fox comes up with next!

The Northeast Corner by Colby Halloran | Request Now
Set in Ann Arbor in the late 1950s-late 1960s, this auto-fiction (Halloran states that 95% of the book actually happened), tracks the coming of age of a precocious protagonist. Finding comfort in rules and patterns, the young narrator’s worldview begins to crumble when she starts to uncover a secret that her idolized father may not be the man she thought he was. Health challenges further mar the family dynamic, necessitating a move and forcing both the narrator and her mother to change their roles in the family. Despite these serious circumstances, The Northeast Corner is filled with humor and moments of lightness, giving the book a balanced feel. And, oh, the ending! Don’t flip ahead, but, gee…that last line of the book.

Peri Peri Paprika by Leanne Su | Request Now
This page-turner is an utter delight from beginning to end! A cozy sci-fi filled with humor, heart, and a dash of legitimate science (Su is a aerospace engineer focusing on propulsion), Peri Peri Paprika is a book I could recommend to just about anybody! Moss, a disenchanted pilot on an interstellar trash collection ship, is simply existing until she is technically legally kidnapped by Turnip, the ship’s janitor, and taken on a galactic adventure that completely reframes her life. The reader is taken along on Moss and Turnip’s journey, meeting various lifeforms, evading law enforcement, and, of course, becoming friends along the way. The small twist made me cackle with glee, and in the short nine chapters, I found myself truly loving Turnip and Moss. I got to read this book pre-publication, and am so pleased it’s finally out in the world so that I can give it to all my friends who I told “I read this book you’re going to EAT UP! Just you wait until November!”

A2Z: An Ann Arbor Alphabet by Bettina Senga | Request Now
A2Z is truly an alphabet book for all ages, and one particularly enhanced by passing (or intimate) familiarity with key places in Ann Arbor. Charming linocuts of iconic Ann Arbor artifacts and landmarks set alongside brightly colored letters, reminiscent of classic letter blocks, make each page turn a delight. Senga’s detailed art makes the familiar reader’s mind jump straight to location: my personal favorite is H for Huron River, but maybe, for you, it’ll be F for the Fleetwood, M for Mastodon, or Z for Zingerman’s. Only one way to find out: treat yourself to the read!

And THAT'S NOT ALL! Here are some other amazing releases from 2024:

Zmagria: Poems by Moana Ammar | Request Now

Field Guide to Ambiguity by Hannah Burr | Request Now

Family Foundations: Four Stories of Black Washtenaw County Community Building: 1850-1950 | Request Now

Ripple Effects: A Northern Woods Romance by Amy Hepp | Request Now

Zaftig by Molly Pershon Raynor | Request Now

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Poetry Anthologies

Mon, 11/04/2024 - 12:41pm by walkerk

Poetry is a personal experience, and it can be overwhelming to find what you like when you're exploring or just starting out. Luckily, anthologies expose us to a variety of writers and poems we might not have otherwise heard of, giving us the chance to experience something new and figure out what we enjoy. Here are four poetry anthologies to check out if you're looking to expand your palate:

Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry, collected by Joy Harjo | Request Now
Living Nations, Living Words is a powerful and moving anthology that celebrates the breadth of Native poets writing today. Joy Harjo, the first Native poet to serve as U.S. Poet Laureate, gathers the work of contemporary Native poets into a national, fully digital map of story, sound, and space, celebrating their vital and unequivocal contributions to American poetry. Featuring work from Natalie Diaz, Ray Young Bear, Craig Santos Perez, Sherwin Bitsui, Layli Long Soldier, among others, this companion anthology offers readers a chance to hold the wealth of poems in their hands.

This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets, edited by Kwame Alexander | Request Now
This is the Honey is a breathtaking poetry collection on hope, heart, and heritage. It features work from promising and well-loved Black poets and writers, such as Rita Dove, Jericho Brown, Warsan Shire, Ross Gay, Tracy K. Smith, Terrance Hayes, Morgan Parker, and Nikki Giovanni. Edited by Kwame Alexander, author of Why Fathers Cry at Night and a New York Times bestselling author, this collection of contemporary anthems, with tender threads and poignant imagery, contains poems exploring joy, love, origin, race, resistance, praise, and music.

The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal, edited by James Crews | Request Now
The Wonder of Small Things is a collection of accessible and uplifting poetry celebrating moments of wonder and peace in everyday life. James Crews, editor of How to Love the World and The Path to Kindness, curates a selection of poems from a diverse range of authors, as well as emerging poets. Readers are guided in exploring the meaning of poems through a series of reflective pauses and reading questions in the back of the book. This anthology is perfect for anyone interested in mindful living and bringing poetry into their everyday lives.

Queer Nature: a Poetry Anthology, edited by Michael Walsh | Request Now
Queer Nature centers LGBTQIA+ voices and perspectives in a collection of contemporary nature poetry. Showcasing over two hundred queer writers from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century, it expands upon the canon of nature poetry while also offering new lenses to view queerness and the natural world. Edited by Michael Walsh, this anthology features poets such as Elizabeth Bishop, Richard Blanco, Kay Ryan, Jericho Brown, Allen Ginsberg, Natalie Diaz, and June Jordan.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Horror Movie Highlights

Mon, 10/28/2024 - 12:42pm by lucroe

Halloween may have come and gone, but there is always time for a good scary movie as the nights grow longer and the cozy season is upon us. Here are some recommendations for some recent horror movies in our expansive collection.

Late Night with the Devil directed by the Cairnes Brothers | Request Now
This innovative horror movie takes place in 1977 on the set of a late- night variety show, Night Owls, in direct competition with Johnny Carson. The host, Jack Delroy (David Dasmtalchian) needs to move up in the ratings to keep his job and become king of late-night television. A special Halloween episode might just do the trick (no pun intended). His guests include a medium Christou (Fayssal Bazzi) who does some semi-successful cold readings with the audience; a professional skeptic Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss), who makes a living debunking charlatans who squeeze money out of well-meaning people while pretending to reach across to the “other side;” and a parapsychologist June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and her mysterious client, a young girl named Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), who claims to be possessed by a demon. The night starts smoothly as many good horror movies do, but gradually something eerie and menacing creeps into the show. Both the studio audience and we as the viewers begin to question the nature of what we are seeing and wonder where it will all take us.

Exhuma directed by Jang Jae-Hyun | Request Now
Exhuma starts off by introducing Shaman Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) and her close protégé Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun) as they arrive in Los Angeles. They've been summoned by the ultra-rich Park Ji-yong (Kim Jae-cheol) for a well-paying gig to help rid his infant son of a supernatural curse. Hwa-rim traces the curse back to South Korea and enlists colleague and geomancer Sang-deok (Choi Min-sik) and mortician Young-geun (Yoo Hae-jin) for assistance. The group's investigation leads them to an unmarked grave on an isolated mountainside, despite some reservations from Sang-deok. Despite the ill omens, Hwa-rim convinces the group to proceed with the job, which ultimately leads to the unleashing of an unforeseen, unstoppable evil. Exhuma’s story of ghosts, colonialism, curses, and the legacy of war slowly unveils itself.

Oddity directed by Damian McCarthy | Request Now
Dani (Carolyn Bracken) moves into a very remote house in the Irish countryside with her husband Ted (Gwilym Lee), a doctor at the nearby mental asylum. One night while Ted is at work, a creepy stranger (Tadhg Murphy) knocks on the door and tells Dani that he saw someone, or something, enter the house and that she is in grave danger. Dani must decide whether to trust him. The story cuts to a year later where we learn that Dani was killed that night. Ted has a new girlfriend, Yana (Caroline Menton) and they are living together in that same house. Dani's vision-impaired twin sister, Darcy soon arrives with a wooden homunculus to investigate her sister's death. Darcy, who owns a shop of occult items, aims to uncover the truth. Oddity is a unique horror film that doesn't follow typical movie stories, keeping you guessing and building tension. It mixes natural and supernatural elements, making it unpredictable yet satisfying. The movie surprises you, not in a bad way, but in a way that fits its title.

Longlegs directed by Oz Perkins | Request Now
Maika Monroe plays FBI Agent Lee Harker, who is tasked with a seemingly impossible job, track down a serial killer who doesn’t appear to be physically present at the scene of their crimes. The movie’s unnerving mood may be off putting to some viewers, but Nicolas Cage’s role as the eponymous Longlegs is reason enough to stick around and see this one through to the end.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Graphic Novels on Mental Health

Sat, 10/26/2024 - 12:38pm by nicole

These thought-provoking graphic novels depict the ups and downs of dealing with mental illness and the effects our mental health can have on our minds, bodies, and day-to-day lives.

Seek You: A Journey through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke | Request Now
When Kristen Radtke was in her twenties she learned that back when he was growing up, her father would crawl onto his roof in rural Wisconsin and send signals out on his ham radio. Those CQ calls were his attempt to reach somebody--anybody--who would respond. In Seek You, Radtke uses this image as her jumping off point into a piercing exploration of loneliness and the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another. She looks at the very real current crisis of loneliness through the lenses of gender, violence, technology, and art. Ranging from the invention of the laugh-track to Instagram to Harry Harlow's experiments in which infant monkeys were given inanimate surrogate mothers, Radtke uncovers all she can about how we engage with friends, family, and strangers alike, and what happens--to us and to them--when we disengage.

Just Peachy: Comics About Depression, Anxiety, Love, and Finding the Humor in Being Sad by Holly Chisholm | Request Now
Just Peachy is a comic series that explores what the day-to-day is like with depression and/or anxiety. The all-too-real cartoon protagonist gives readers a character to empathize with, and helps explain some of the not often talked about consequences and symptoms of having depression. The comics also explore the themes of heartbreak, finding love, dealing with stress, and capturing the magical moments in life that keep us going. Through dark humor and cute illustrations, the subject matter becomes a bit more bearable, allowing for honest discussion about things like treatment and getting through anxiety attacks and providing some comfort in times of struggle. For anyone affected by mental illness, Just Peachy shows that you are not alone. Simply put, this is an encouraging collection of comics about being just okay sometimes.

Anxiety is Really Strange by Steve Haines | Request Now
What is the difference between fear and excitement and how can you tell them apart? How do the mind and body make emotions? When can anxiety be good? This science-based graphic book addresses these questions and more, revealing just how strange anxiety is, but also how to unravel its mysteries and relieve its effects. Understanding how anxiety is created by our nervous system trying to protect us, and how our fight-or-flight mechanisms can get stuck, can significantly lessen the fear experienced during anxiety attacks. In this guide, anxiety is explained in an easy-to-understand, engaging graphic format with tips and strategies to relieve its symptoms, and change the mind's habits for a more positive outlook. Readers who enjoy this title can find additional comics in this series, including Trauma is Really Strange, in the AADL collection.

Bird Brain: Comics About Mental Health, Starring Pigeons by Chuck Mullin | Request Now
Some mental health books can be a heavy read, so here's a collection of comics that take a more light-hearted approach. Bird Brain is a collection of brutally honest, brilliantly weird comics exploring what it's like to live with mental illness...using pigeons. When Chuck Mullin began experiencing anxiety and depression as a teenager, she started drawing comics to help her make sense of the rollercoaster. Eventually, she found that pigeons--lovably quirky, yet universally reviled creatures--were the ideal subjects of a comic about mental illness. Organized in three sections--"Bad Times," "Relationships," and "Positivity"--and featuring several short essays about the author's experiences, Bird Brain is a highly relatable, chuckle-inducing, and ultimately uplifting collection of comics for anyone who has struggled to maintain their mental health.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: New Fiction by Indigenous Authors

Thu, 10/24/2024 - 3:51pm by eapearce

Check out these new fiction titles by Indigenous authors that span a range of fictional genres!

Wandering Stars, by Tommy Orange | Request Now
This buzzed-about title is the sequel to Orange’s 2018 book, There, There. In this follow-up, Orange brings back some of the familiar characters from the first in the series, and also takes readers back in time to the legacy of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Industrial School for Indians. The stories of three generations of a family are traced, and Orange deftly demonstrates the pain of generational trauma along with the stunning measures that his characters have taken to heal themselves and their loved ones. If you missed There, There back in 2018, pick that one up first—you won’t be able to put it down once you’ve cracked it open!—and then move on to Wandering Stars. They are a pair of novels not to be missed.

Indian Burial Ground, by Nick Medina | Request Now
If horror is a genre you like to dip your toes into, you may want to put this new novel from Nick Medina on your “to read” list Things are finally looking up for Noemi Broussard. After a tough childhood and rough teenage years, she’s finally found herself Roddy, a boyfriend who treats her right, and she’s made a plan to move with him away from the reservation that she grew up on. Inspired by her Uncle Louie, who did the same thing and forged a new life for himself, she has hope for the first time in a long time. But when Roddy commits suicide, Noemi cannot believe it. As she learns more about the circumstances surrounding his death, the facts just don’t add up and Noemi begins to wonder if their tribal lands contain a menacing secret. When Uncle Louie returns to the reservation after over a decade away, he teams up with Noemi to try and determine what really happened to Roddy. But as they learn more about a past of secrets, horror and death on the reservation, Noemi begins to think that it might be best for some secrets to remain buried….

The Truth According to Ember, by Danica Nava | Request Now
If you’re looking for a lighter read, you might enjoy this contemporary romance about a Native American woman who tells a little white lie… that snowballs into something much bigger. When Ember Cardinal’s resume is rejected for the thirty-seventh time, she finds herself becoming desperate. Though she’s never thought of herself as a liar, she can’t help but wonder if her heritage has something to do with it. So, instead of listing herself as Indigenous on job applications, she starts listing herself as white… and immediately lands her dream job in a corporate accounting firm. She thrives in the fast-paced environment, and even starts secretly dating the IT guy and fellow Native American, Danuwoa. But when they’re caught by a mid-level executive on a work trip, he threatens to expose them both unless Ember manipulates the books for him. Desperate to save both her and Danuwoa’s jobs, she follows his orders, and the lies continue to grow. Ultimately, Ember must make the difficult choice to tell the truth—and potentially lose everything, or lead a life as someone she isn’t.

A Constellation of Minor Bears, by Jen Ferguson | Request Now
Teens—or fans of YA literature in general—may want to checkout the latest from Jen Ferguson, author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet. In this new novel, three friends: brother and sister Hank and Molly, and their friend Tray are planning a post-graduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. But when Hank suffers a traumatic brain injury after an indoor climbing incident, Molly and Hank are devastated and Molly is filled with anger. Even though she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she’s furious at him for being there and not being able to stop Hank from falling. Determined to go on the hike, even without Hank, Molly packs her bags, prepared to hike solo and grieve the loss of her brother as she knew him. But her parents force Tray to go along, too, so that Molly has a buddy. Tray is the last person she wants to be around, but if she wants to complete the hike, she has no choice. Readers will root for the two teens, both struggling with their own grief and anger, but both with very big hearts.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Mythological Fiction

Wed, 10/23/2024 - 10:01am by walkerk

Mythological fiction (or mythic fiction) is a genre that draws heavily from the themes, symbolism, and tropes of mythology, folklore, legend, and fable. These stories sometimes adapt old myths into modern retellings, using and exploring the culture they originate from, and some stories include mythological figures as characters and/or focus on their descendants, like in Percy Jackson. Here are four adult titles to explore if you love a good mythic tale:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Request Now
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather's house to listen. She dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. This new life seems distant until, one day, she opens a curious wooden box in her grandfather's room and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea's demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

Described by readers as a modern fairytale, this title is filled with layered characters, nuanced narrative, quiet moments of vulnerability, a tragically poetic relationship, and lyrical writing. It is both a heartbreaking and heartmending tale.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse | Request Now
Inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas, Black Sun takes place in the holy city of Tova, where this year's winter solstice coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship is bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. Its captain, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one supposedly harmless passenger: Serapio, a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

This title is a queer epic fantasy that skillfully balances the perspectives of its four main characters and richly examines topics such as generational trauma and feelings of not belonging. Readers have described this as an engrossing book with lush magic and vivid world-building.

River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta | Request Now
Alicia has been out of grad school for months. She has no career prospects and lives with her mom. But, one evening, the Jamaican water deity, River Mumma, appears to her, telling her that she has twenty-four hours to scour the city for her missing comb. Alicia doesn’t understand why River Mumma would choose her—she can’t remember all the legends her relatives told her, unlike her retail co-worker, Heaven, who can reel off Jamaican folklore by heart. But when Alicia and her friends are chased down by malevolent spirits, they realize their tenuous bonds to each other may be their only lifelines.

River Mumma is an exhilarating and vibrant exploration of diasporic community and ancestral ties, and it includes the cool use Jamaican patois. Readers describe this title as a fast-paced and magical page-turner that explores kinship, friendship, identity, and creativity.

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel | Request Now
Written as a "what-if" style alternative of the Hindu epic Ramayana, Patel's reimagining follows Kaikeyi, the only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, and one of the most villainized figures in Hindu Mythology, as she seeks independence. Kaikeyi turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With it, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen. But the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak.

Captivating from start to finish with rich settings, bright and vivid storytelling, and elegant writing, readers often describe Kaikeyi as an empowering, feminist retelling with complex familial relationships as the story's highlight.

Blog Post

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #845, Odd Jobs

Wed, 10/23/2024 - 9:19am by muffy

Odd adj. strange or unexpected (OED)

cover image Five-Star Stranger * * by Kat Tang (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is a “moving and offbeat debut.” (Publishers Weekly)

For a decade our unnamed narrator offers his services on the Rent-a-Stranger app., ever so conscious of maintaining his hard-earned 5-star rating. He has been hired as a pretend fiance, a mourner at a funeral, as a drugged out brother to an aspiring writer looking for authenticity. But the most important and emotionally engaging gig for the past 8 years had been to pose as 10 year-old Lily’s father, as a long-distance truck driver in town once a week to spend time with her.

As Lily grows more inquisitive of her “father” and the family he never mentions, our stranger breaks the strict rules of maintaining a professional distance from his clients and puts his career in jeopardy. His backstory also slowly emerges - of a childhood interrupted by a cross-country move, a single mother who committed suicide in his teens, shedding light on his needs to be love and be loved.

“Provocative, self-assured…Tang plays deftly with the conventions of romantic comedy, tempting the reader to long for the promise of happy endings and then throwing cold water on those hopes and embedding sharp ethical dilemmas in a cocoon of diverting dialogue. A smart look at people-pleasing taken to its illogical extreme.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Wordhunter * the debut novel by true-crime author Stella Sands (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) is a gritty buddy-cop mystery that pairs two unlikely individuals.

21 year-old, tattooed, pierced, hard-drinking, motorcycle-riding Maggie Moore, raised in ”the poverty-stricken armpit of rural central Florida", is a graduate student in forensic linguistics, a savant who has the uncanny ability to analyze words and speech patterns. Recommended by her professor, she successfully deciphers notes left by a stalker-turned-rapist to help the local police in identifying the pert.

When Heidi, the young daughter of the mayor in the near-by town has been kidnapped, the Police Chief is eager to get Maggie involved. Paired with Silas Jackson, the gruff, seasoned detective who harbors his own secrets, the duo begin to analyze the texts, emails, and verbal tics of various suspects. The case triggers traumatic memories for Maggie whose best friend Lucy Tidwell went missing 7 years ago.

“The more Maggie and Jackson dig, the more they worry that the culprit might be too powerful to touch--and that they've unwittingly affixed targets to their own backs. Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page. “ (Publishers Weekly)

** = 2 Starred Reviews

*= Starred Review

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Wordless Comics for Kids

Sat, 10/12/2024 - 7:30pm by nicole

A picture is worth a thousand words. Through artwork only, these wordless graphic novels tell stories about sailing the high seas, exploring new planets, making friends in unlikely places, and finding home.

Viewfinder by Christine D. U. Chung | Request Now
The cover of Viewfinder by Christine D. U. Chung A young space traveler happens upon Earth in the future in this gorgeous wordless adventure. After visiting Earth on a whim, a space traveler finds the planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that shows her images of what the planet used to be like, and through this viewfinder, we see Earth as it was juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned by people, but still full of amazing things. Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past, a library that's become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she decides to make a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone? The captivating art and subtle message about stewardship will draw readers into this wordless graphic novel and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the extraordinary planet we call home.

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos | Request Now
Marisol loves her colorful island home in 1960s Cuba. It's vibrant with flowers and food and people...but things are changing. The home Marisol loves is no longer safe...and then it’s no longer her home at all. To keep her safe during Fidel Castro's regime, her parents are sending her to the United States. Alone. Nothing about Marisol’s new life in cold, gray Brooklyn feels like home -- not the language, school, or even her foster parents. But Marisol starts to realize that home isn’t always a place. And finding her way can be as simple as staying true to herself. This stunning wordless graphic novel follows Marisol on her journey to redefine what home means to her.

The Flamingo by Guojing | Request Now
A stunning graphic novel filled with whimsical illustrations about an imaginative girl and a bright pink feather that leads to a journey with a baby flamingo. A little girl arrives at the beach, excited for a vacation with her Lao Lao. The girl and her grandmother search for shells, chase crabs, and play in the sea, but when the girl finds an exquisite flamingo feather in her grandmother's living room, her vacation turns into something fantastical. This nearly wordless graphic novel begins in sepia toned illustrations and explodes into riotous color as Lao Lao tells her granddaughter the story of a little girl who finds herself as the caretaker of a flamingo.

Little Robot by Ben Hatke | Request Now
A lost Little Robot makes a new friend in this almost-wordless comic adventure. When a little girl finds an adorable robot in the woods, she presses a button and accidentally activates him for the first time. Now, she finally has a friend. But the big, bad robots are coming to collect the little guy for nefarious purposes, and it's all up to a five-year-old armed only with a wrench and a fierce loyalty to her mechanical friend to save the day! Readers who like Ben Hatke's artwork can find more of his comic books here.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Slow-Burn Gothic Horror Reads

Tue, 10/08/2024 - 12:56pm by walkerk

Gothic horror is a genre where decaying environments and supernatural elements explore the psychological and emotional states of characters, discussing themes like death, isolation, and overwhelm. This genre intends to cause discomfort and unease rather than outright scare you. If you enjoyed Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, or Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, you might find your next read in this list.

As always, take care, and please look up any trigger warnings if there are specific themes you'd like to avoid or prepare for.

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell | Request Now
When Elsie married an heir, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her newly-discovered pregnancy, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home, behind a locked door, there is a painted wooden figure—a silent companion—-that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie. The residents are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries shrugging this off as simple superstition—until she notices the figure's eyes following her.

This immersive Victorian ghost story is layered and psychologically complex, with an unsettling, claustrophobic atmosphere. Readers found themselves tense, unnerved, and anxious to keep the lights on, describing this as a unique read with imagery that lingers long after closing the book.

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi | Request Now
In a vast, mysterious house, the Silver family is reeling from the hole punched into its heart. Lily is gone. Her twins, Miranda and Eliot, and her husband, the gentle Luc, mourn her absence. All is not well with the house, either, which creaks and grumbles and confuses visitors in its mazy rooms. Generations of women inhabit its walls. And Miranda, with her new appetite for chalk and her keen sense for spirits, is more attuned to these women. One dark night, Miranda vanishes entirely, and the survivors are left to tell her story.

White is for Witching is a haunted house story where its rotating set of narrators encourage you to untangle its mystery. Its lyrical and lush descriptions set up an intoxicating and deeply disquieting atmosphere that promises elegantly written, thoughtful, albeit creepy—and, at times, chilling—storytelling, with brilliant social commentary. Readers describe this as a strange but captivating read that edges into the realm of fable.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas | Request Now
Catherine House is a college like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this reformist liberal arts study, with its experimental curriculum, selective admissions, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world's best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. But acceptance comes with a price. Students must give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, where its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.

Catherine House doesn't aim to solve mysteries so much as it aims to explore its hypnotic, eerie setting and its characters. Readers who've enjoyed this story have described it as immersive, engrossing, detailed, and hazy—its writing beautiful and compelling in setting up this dreamlike world.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield | Request Now
When Leah finally returns after a deep-sea mission that ended in catastrophe, Miri thinks she's got her wife back. But it soon becomes clear that Leah is not the same. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has brought part of it back with her, into their home. Moving through something only resembling normal life, Miri realizes that the life they had before might be gone. Though Leah is still there, Miri can feel the woman she loves slipping from her grasp.

Our Wives Under The Sea offers a slightly different take on gothic horror, using the depths of the sea to mirror and explore the depths of human relationship—love, loss, grief. Readers describe this as a slow-building read with flowing writing, organic imagery, melancholy, well-researched descriptions of the deep sea, and a sense of unease that swells as the book evolves.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas | Request Now
In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, instead choosing to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. But San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. Visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follow her every move. Why won't Rodolfo's sister enter the house at night? And why does the cook mark the kitchen's doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano? Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.

The Hacienda is an unsettling tale full of page-turning suspense. Cañas creates an immersive, wonderfully somber atmosphere with her words, and readers enjoyed the fascinating thread of forbidden love between Beatriz and André, a priest that dabbles in witchcraft. This is a popular title right now, so join the list to get on the queue!

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Leave a Light On

Mon, 10/07/2024 - 3:58pm by lucroe

As Halloween nears, here are some books that will get you in the spirit. So turn off all the lights, except one to read by, and enjoy reading a spooky tale.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward | Request Now

Wilder Harlow was never good at making friends until one summer in 1989 when he makes two. The three become obsessed with a local legend named Daggerman who would break into cottages and take Polaroids of sleeping children with knives to their throats. No killings ever occurred though. But then the three find a body which will change their lives and understanding of Daggerman. 30 years go by and Wilder is now writing his memoirs of that time, in order to try to make some sense of it. Haunted by hallucinations, he questions his own memory of events which leads to him to question is sanity. As a result, Wilder’s grasp on reality slowly slips through the book as memoir becomes fiction. This is a layered horror/murder mystery novel. Haunting and atmospheric, it's the perfect chilling companion as the summer winds down and the leaves begin to change. Beyond its spooky thrills, the book offers a thought-provoking exploration of authorship and our ethical obligations to the subjects of our narratives. Even after the final page, its unsettling impact lingers, refusing to let go.

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele | Request Now
Film director and actor Peele brings together 19 Black authors to give their take on horror using the short story format. Well-known authors like N. K. Jemison whose story, Reckless Eyeballing involves a corrupt officer getting his due write fantastic stories alongside lesser known authors like Terence Taylor’s Your Happy Place. Taylor’s story takes place in a world similar to the Matrix movies in order to examine the ethical dilemmas of the profit-driven prison industry and the Thirteenth Amendment loophole that enables the exploitation of prison labor as a contemporary form of slavery. Other stories range from tales of a demonic blues player from Georgia to accounts of alien abductions. The narratives also span the spectrum from weird sci-fi to outright horror, varying in the intensity of terror. Inspiration from history, conspiracy theories, and folktales ensure that no two tales are alike. Many of the pieces also open up larger discussions about race relations, the Civil Rights Movement, and ancestry.

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle | Request Now
Misha, a Hollywood star, receives an Oscar nomination and faces the challenge of killing gay characters, “for the algorithm,” as the execs at his long-running series tell him to do for the season finale. He refuses and becomes targeted by monsters from his horror movie days, and must risk his future to prevent the horrors from the silver screen from burying him. Keeping the reader at the edge of their seat along with bringing attention to issues such as queer erasure, corporate greed, and the use of AI in Hollywood is no small order but Tingle does a masterful job. It is an outstanding read with a great blend of horror and social commentary.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez | Request Now
Mariana Enriquez's Our Share of Night marks her debut novel translated into English, encompassing over 700 pages of horror narrative. The plot unfolds across several decades during Argentina’s military dictatorship, effectively utilizing the themes of political corruption and human rights violations as both a setting and an allegory for a different form of malevolence. Central to the narrative are Juan Peterson, a widower, and his son Gaspar, who are both mourning the loss of their wife and mother, Rosario. Juan strives to protect Gaspar, who possesses the ability to perceive and summon the afterlife, from the clutches of the Order, a murderous religious cult led by Rosario’s family. The Order is depicted as horrifyingly grotesque in their relentless pursuit of immortality. The story is set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War, a period during which a US-supported military dictatorship was responsible for the deaths and disappearances of tens of thousands of individuals in brutal and horrific circumstances. While the exact number of victims remains uncertain, estimates suggest at least 30,000 lives were lost. This historical context subtly enriches the novel’s fantasy elements while also serving as a veil, allowing the Order’s sacrificial acts against innocents to go largely unnoticed amid the widespread atrocities committed by the military junta.

Blog Post

Fabulous Fiction Firsts #844

Wed, 10/02/2024 - 5:30pm by muffy

Shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize, (and the ONLY debut novel to be named) The Safekeep* * by Yael van der Wouden (author website), which the judges called “a compelling and atmospheric story of obsession and secrets… (is) a novel that explores the things that are kept from us as children and the things we tell ourselves about our own hidden desires." (Also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook.)

Summer, 1961. In the rural Dutch province of Overijssel, Isabel lives alone in her late mother's country home. Fastidious and compulsive, she spends her days counting and caring for all the objects that came with the house when the family moved there in 1944. But her routine and discipline are upended when Louis, her older brother who inherited the property announces that his new girlfriend Eva will move in for the summer while he travels for work. Eva is messy, sleeps late and is too friendly with the maid. When things start disappearing around the house, Isabel's suspicions begin to spiral. At that point, the story takes an unexpected and dramatic turn that leads to stunning realizations about the women's entwined history.

“This is a beautifully realized book, nearly perfect, as van der Wouden quietly explores the intricate nuances of resentment-hued sibling dynamics, the discovery of desire (and the simultaneous discovery of self), queer relationships at a time when they went unspoken, and the legacy of war and what it might mean to have been complicit in its horrors. A brilliant debut, as multifaceted as a gem.” (Kirkus Reviews)

"For readers who appreciate introspective historical fiction and LGBTQ+ coming out stories."(Booklist)

* * = 2 starred reviews

Blog Post

Staff Picks: New Arts & Crafts Books

Tue, 10/01/2024 - 3:23pm by eapearce

As we settle into fall, many are turning from outdoor projects and activities to more indoor ones. Keeping oneself amused during the long cold months isn’t always an easy feat! If you’re looking to try something new this season—or perhaps expand upon skills you already have—AADL’s extensive collection of books on crafting, art projects, textile work, knitting and crocheting, drawing, hand-lettering, and more might be worth browsing! Here are a few of the newest additions to our craft-related books collection. There’s something for everyone!

Start Here: Paint: 50 Ways to Be an Artist Without Trying, by Moira Clinch | Request Now
If you’ve always been interested in painting but have been unsure of where to start, this book might be the place! The author walks readers through simple color techniques and easy brushstrokes and splashes that can be combined to create more elaborate patterns and designs. There isn’t any complicated jargon or hard-to-remember art history here—just encouraging ideas for learning more about the visual elements of painting that make it a joy for so many.

The Modern Embroidery Handbook, by Clare Albans | Request Now
This fun, colorful book offers readers step-by-step instructions for 72 different embroidery stitches. You can then combine these into 20 different designs in the book, or work through them in the larger-scale sampler that’s also included. Though it’s inspired by vintage sewing companions, it has a distinctly modern feel and you may find yourself tempted to embroider your sneakers, your jeans, your jackets, your tote bags and more! The layout is logical, with the simplest stitches explained first and then more complex stitches introduced as you move through the book. It’s an inspiring read!

Complete Guide to Woodworking: All the Essential Techniques and Skills You Need, by Chris Tribe | Request Now
Woodworking is an ancient skill that has been practiced for tens of thousands of years, but it has been having a bit of a particular resurgence lately. People are drawn to working with their hands to create unique designs that are one of a kind. Whether you’re new to the practice or a seasoned woodworker, the Complete Guide to Woodworking likely has a tip or two—or more!—for you. The author discusses essential tools, key techniques, and then walks readers through five different projects that make use of these tools and skills. One of the best parts of the book is the “troubleshooting” techniques, which help readers get their project back on track if something goes awry. By the way, did you know that AADL hosts regular Introduction to Woodcarving events? The next one is on October 24 if you want to come give it a try before you forge ahead on your own!

Everyday Knitting: The Complete Beginner’s Guide, by Megan Goodacre | Request Now
There are loads of knitting books out there, but every so often it’s fun to have a nice, new, modern guide to get new knitters started. And that’s exactly what we have with Everyday Knitting! Knitting can seem daunting, especially if you have very skilled knitters in your life who are whipping up complicated designs, aren’t afraid of knitting socks, and can confidently finish a multi-piece sweater. Luckily, Megan Goodacre is here to start those interested in learning to knit truly from the beginning. She covers details about yarn and tools you’ll need, walks readers through how to get started with a very simple project, and helps with some of the common issues that often trip up new knitters: increasing and decreasing, knitting in the round, and changing yarn colors. The 20 projects she details in the book are great for beginners and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised with what you’re able to create in no time at all.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Teen Sports Comics

Sat, 09/28/2024 - 6:30pm by nicole

Kick off your comics reading list with these graphic novels about sports. These pages are packed with professional pillow fights, hockey checks, bare-knuckle boxers, and even sci-fi sports from outer space!

Pillow Talk by Stephanie Cooke| Request Now
The cover of Pillow Talk by Stephanie Cooke When college freshman Grace Mendes reluctantly attends her first pillow fight match, she falls in love with the sport. Despite her usually shy nature, Grace decides to try out for the Pillow Fight Federation (PFF), a locally famous league of fighters with larger-than-life personas like Pain Eyre, Miss Fortune, and Kat Atonic. They may battle with pillows, but there is nothing soft about these fighters. In pillow fighting, everything goes! Grace has always struggled with body image issues, so she's shocked when she makes the league and is welcomed into the fold of confident fighters. But as her first official fight looms on the horizon, the real battle taking place is between Grace and her insecurities. What if people laugh or make fun of her? Why did she think she could pillow fight in the first place when she doesn't look like a "typical" athlete? When Grace, a.k.a Cinderhella, dominates her first match in the ring, no one is laughing. And as her alter-ego rises through the ranks of the PFF, gaining online fame (and online trolls), can Grace use the spotlight to become an icon not just for others, but most importantly, for herself?

Check, Please! Vol. 1, #Hockey! by Ngozi Ukazu| Request Now

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Spooky YA Graphic Novels

Wed, 09/25/2024 - 9:51am by walkerk

It's the season for some light and spooky fun! We're talking young adult graphic novels with friends solving mysteries, ghost hunters, witches searching for missing classmates, and endearing retellings of Halloween favorites: Sleepy Hollow, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Hollow by Shannon Watters | Request Now
City slicker-skeptic Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman. Navigating her new life, Izzy has no time for superstition, but she gets pulled into the orbit of the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel, and lovable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. The trio is haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it—meaning it's a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky.

Weaving together threads of mystery, coming-of-age stories, friendship, and light romance, this is a cute, inclusive, modern retelling of Sleepy Hollow. With its lovable characters, its fast-paced story, and surprising twists on the Horseman tale, Hollow makes for a fun Autumn read.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Nonfiction Comics About Games

Sat, 09/14/2024 - 6:01pm by nicole

These graphic novels explore the entertaining history of games. Learn about the creation of some the world's most famous video games, the dawn of the gaming revolution, and tabletop games that changed pop culture!

The Comic Book Story of Video Games: The Incredible History of the Electronic Gaming Revolution by Jonathan Hennessey | Request Now
The cover of The Comic Book Story of Video Games: The Incredible History of the Electronic Gaming Revolution by Jonathan Hennessey A complete, illustrated history of video games--highlighting the machines, games, and people who have made gaming a worldwide, billion dollar industry/artform! This book provides readers with everything they need to know about video games--from their early beginnings during World War II, to the emergence of arcade games in the 1970s, to the rise of Nintendo and app-based games like Pokemon Go. Each chapter features spotlights on major players in the development of games and gaming that contains everything that gamers and non-gamers alike need to understand and appreciate this incredible phenomenon.

News and Reviews

Fiction

Non-Fiction

Cookbooks

Movies

TV and Miniseries

Music

LPs

Art Prints

Tools

Games

Puzzles