Blog Post
Staff Picks: Look Up For The Perseid Meteor Shower!
by lucroe
The Perseid meteor shower will peak from August 11-13. Learn about the science behind this phenomenon to enhance your viewing experience. Explore the universe, our place in it, and the wonders of the night sky with titles from the Library's collection including streaming video content which can be found here.
Impact : How Rocks From Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong by Greg Brennecka | Request Now
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Beach Reads For Your August
by eapearce
Ah, August… we cling on to the last month of summer before school starts back up, before football season begins, before cooler temperatures start to breeze through on occasion. There’s still plenty of summer left, and what better time to grab a good old fashioned beach read, plop down in a sun chair and just relax? Here are a few suggestions for you!
Meant to Be, by Emily Giffin | Request Now
Bestselling author Emily Giffin’s latest was published last year, which makes it perfect for a beach read this summer since the hold list has gone down! Meant to Be is loosely based on the story of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Giffin is a longtime Kennedy family fan and history buff, and wanted to reimagine the complicated love story between the two as well as their tragic deaths in a plane crash. In the book, Joseph S. Kingsley, Jr. inherits both the family helm and the family wealth when his father dies in a tragic accident. A free spirit, he struggles to take on his new role and meet his mother’s expectations for a life in politics. Meanwhile, Cate Cooper grew up in a challenging household, fending for herself. Discovered at age 16 by a modeling agency, she skyrockets to fame, with her face on billboards and in magazines. Yet she feels like a fraud in her glamorous new world, struggling to move beyond the trauma in her past. When Joseph and Cate meet, they have an instant connection, but there’s lots of work to be done if their relationship can survive the glare of media attention and the so-called “Kingsley curse.” This charming love story is a surprising page-turner that will really have readers rooting for John and Caroyln, er, Joseph and Cate.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Great Books from 2022 You Might Have Missed
by emjane
Countless amazing and meaningful books come out EVERY YEAR and it is IMPOSSIBLE to read them all. Maybe you missed hearing about a title. Maybe you peeped at the hold-list and thought “another time.” That time is now: here are four great books that came out in 2022 that are worth circling back for!
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson | Request Now
The 1920s roared in London as well, as highlighted in Kate Atkinson’s latest Shrines of Gaiety! Centered around the family and nightclubs of proprietor Nellie Coker, Shrines of Gaiety jumps between multiple perspectives, giving the reader insight into both sides of the nightclub life: the rich family that runs them and the police force that attempts to keep them in check. Throw in a mystery of a once-librarian trying to find a missing girl, and you’ve got a real page-turner! Compared to some of Atkinson’s other (beautiful) books, Shrines has a somewhat lighter tone, and I didn’t mind not having to cope with literary heartbreak!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Shark Week Celebration
by lucroe
Did you know sharks have been around for 455 million years and have survived 5 mass extinction events? There are currently more than 465 known species of shark. Unfortunately, humans kill some 100 million sharks per year and one in four shark species are threatened with extinction due to human activities. It seems they have more to fear from us than the other way around. To continue understanding these predators of the sea, the library has some streaming videos here, as well as some DVDs you can check out here. To continue shark week beyond once a year, check out these books:
Shark : : why we Need to Save the World's Most Misunderstood Predator by Paul de Gelder | Request Now
Noted Australian diver and shark attack survivor (he lost part of an arm & leg), de Gelder writes about the need for better understanding of sharks and the need to protect them. He often shares his love of all things shark during Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. This book covers in short bites (no pun intended!) information about a variety of sharks including their evolution, feeding habits, & anatomy as well as what needs to be done to save those on the edge of extinction. From the smallest shark to largest (lantern shark about 8 inches to whale shark about 60 ft), this is a great guide to a this misunderstood fish.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: See the World This Summer with Tantalizing Travel Memoirs!
by eapearce
It’s the season of travel for many, but even if you’re just “staycationing” this summer, you can travel in spirit with some of the excellent travel memoirs in AADL’s collection. Here are a few suggestions to get you going, even if “going” just means relaxing in the shade reading!
Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities and the Pleasures of Solitude, by Stephanie Rosenbloom | Request Now
Traveling solo can seem daunting - no one to share sights and experiences with, no one to consult with if you get lost, no one to help figure out train and bus schedules. Stephanie Rosenbloom would argue that in fact, solitary travel can be both pleasurable and rejuvenating, especially in an increasingly frantic and connected world. In Alone Time, Rosenbloom focuses on four cities in each of the four seasons: Paris, Istanbul, Florence, and New York. In each city, a different aspect of solitude is considered and explored, along with the city itself. She incorporates scientific information about the benefits of solitude and talks about learning to savor time alone. Her writing is warm and gentle, and readers will surely be at least intrigued by the idea of solo travel, and potentially even ready to jump up and plan their own adventure alone.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Here's to the Dog Days of Summer
by denbyt
It's mid-July in Michigan. The days are long and steamy. The nights are short and...steamy. Yes, we've hit the dog days of summer. What better time to scoop up a great book, find a patch of sweet, cool shade, and sip something cold and refreshing? And why not pick a book about a dog? Sure, the expression dog days has nothing to do with canines or books. They say it's about Sirius, aka the Dog Star, and its trip across the sky. But here at the library, we love clever wordplay. And so, in honor of our canine companions--and the star named after them--we offer the following delightful reads:
The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse by Alexander McCall Smith
This prolific author's books have been compared to ice cream: sweet, with no unpleasant surprises. I can see it. We certainly have a sweet treat here. But, this story is more than an easy, breezy read. If you're looking for it, there is a deeper message. Set in WWII Europe and written in charming, easy-to-read prose, it's the story of life and love in times of war--in short, the good, kind people that a dog named Peter Woodhouse meets in the course of his life. As heavy as you might think a story set during a war might be, the author intentionally maneuvers around darker themes, topics, and descriptions. The result is a gently-told story with a touch of philosophy, a cast of memorable characters, and a well-developed sense of place and time. And if you enjoy this title the library has plenty of others to check out next.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #828, “Piecing together a murder was much more difficult than piecing together a cake.” ~ Ellie Alexander
by muffy
The Golden Spoon * * * by Jessa Maxwell (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), an “outstanding debut, where (b)yzantine chicanery seasoned with a dash of revenge greets six contestants gathered for Bake Week on the property of a crumbling Vermont manse.” (Library Journal)
“Sabotage starts slow but early. A refrigerator door is left open; salt is replaced with sugar; a burner is turned up to high; gasoline replaces orange essence in a pie. By day three, it's clear someone isn't playing by the rules… Everything escalates to an extremely dark and stormy night (including a blackout), leading to startling revelations and a jaw-dropping confession. Sweet and savory turns deadly sour in this fast-paced, entertaining romp scheduled for a Hulu miniseries. Maxwell is off to a great start.” (Publishers Weekly)
“There's a delightful balance of baking details and intrigue as the bakers compete through different challenges and we become privy to their secret motives and how far each is willing to go to win. The contestants hit all the character types: the beautiful ingénue, the neurotic scientist, the fluffy old woman, the bored millionaire, the anxious newbie, and the rustic craftsman. We are treated to their backstories and to some of their internal dialogue, but this is a novel that also rests comfortably, nostalgically, in its sense of formula. Despite the American setting, it’s not hard to imagine these characters creeping around the halls and grounds of a moldering British manor in the tradition of the best locked-room mysteries. A delicious concoction: two shakes Agatha Christie and a cup of Great British Bake Off.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Mastering the art of French Murder * by Colleen Cambridge (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook), is the first in An American in Paris Mystery Series that features Tabitha Knight and her best friend Julia Child, a student at the Le Cordon Bleu.
With the return of able-bodied men to the homefront at the end of World War II, airplane machinist Tabitha lost her job at WIllow Run and decided to make her home with her French grandfather, Grandpère and her Oncle Rafe in Paris. Fixing a broken radio led to fast friendship with neighbor Julia, another expat, whose husband Paul worked at the Embassy. Tutoring Americans in French during the day, Tabitha socialized with Dort, Julia’s younger sister, who ran a local theater. It was after one of these boozy parties at the Childs that the body of the theater’s hatcheck girl Thérèse Lognon, was found in Julia’s basement and the murder weapon - Julia’s prized chef’s knife.
“Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha's handwriting, was found in the dead woman's pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse. Certain to appeal to a broad readership, especially fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Rhys Bowen, and Cambridge's own Phyllida Bright series." (Publishers Weekly)
The Michigan Connection (from the author’s note): Colleen Cambridge grew up less than 2 miles from Willow Run where our protagonist Tabitha worked as a Rosie the Riveter, a job Cambridge’s aunt took on during the war. Additional mention of Faygo pop, Vernos, Boblo Island and all things Detroit, will delight Michiganians.
BONUS FEATURE
Murder at an Irish Bakery,* the latest in the cozy series featuring Garda Siobhan O'Sullivan, by Carlene O’Connor (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook)
Kilbane, County Cork. Anticipation is high for a reality baking show is about to be filmed at Pie Pie Love, the best bakery in town, housed in a historic flour mill. Asides from the expectations of free samples, the locals, including Siobhan, are eager to get on camera, and to watch Aoife McBride (aka "the Queen baker of Ireland") at work as one of the 6 contestants.
Tension mounts as one of the anti-sugar protestors collapses and dies on site, and shenanigans among the contestants on the first day of filming put everyone on edge, but that's nothing compared to day two, when the first round ends and the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie.
“Two accidental deaths seem a bit much, and the solicitor, who might have provided answers, has vanished. Siobhán’s husband, DS Macdara Flannery, who’s even more addicted to sweets than she is, takes over the case. The show goes on, if only to keep all the suspects in town while the married sleuths look to the past and present for motives. Plenty of likely prospects and an endless supply of sweet treats brighten the path to the solution. “ (Kirkus Reviews)
* * * = 3 starred reviews
* = Starred reveiw
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Binge-worthy TV Series Based on Bestsellers
by denbyt
Fall TV season is in full swing at last! For television-philes, it’s the season for binge-watching new seasons of old favorites…and discovering some new ones. So of course, we library folk--with our proclivity for making lists of awesome stuff we want to share--were inspired to give you a short list of award-winning television shows that you might want to watch this fall (if you haven’t already). And no worries if you don’t pay for streaming; all the shows can be checked out on DVD/Blu-ray from your favorite library. Here's a bonus: If you’ve loved what you’ve watched, maybe you’d like to read the books that inspired them. If so, we have them for checkout too!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
First published in 1986, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and the TV show it inspired is a riveting, grim look at a near-future world run by a totalitarian fundamentalist regime. In Gilead, every female citizen is forced into one of three equally horrific roles: wife, handmaid, or servant. The themes both the book and show explore and the methods and voices used to describe them combine to create the compelling can’t-stop-watching/reading experience folks crave. Can’t get enough? Check out these equally un-put-downable books by Margaret Atwood.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Summer 2023 Reads for Teens
by eapearce
There are a whole slew of great new young adult titles available at AADL and what better time to crack open a brand new read than the upcoming hot July days? You can browse all of our most recent additions to the teen collection at AADL by clicking this link, but here are a few suggestions of buzzy new YA titles to get you started!
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute, by Talia Hibbert | Request Now
Former best friends Brad and Celine have grown apart over the years. He’s a star athlete and part of the in crowd, and she’s a social-media obsessed conspiracy theorist who isn’t deemed cool enough for the popular kids’ table at lunch. What they do still have in common is a shared drive to succeed academically, which often pits them against each other in the classroom. When Celine signs up for a wilderness survival challenge that provides the opportunity to win a big scholarship, she’s shocked to see Brad has done the same when she arrives in the woods. Forced to work together to succeed in the challenging circumstances, the two start to remember why they used to be such good friends. And from there they start to wonder if there might be something more than friendship blossoming between them…. Talia Hibbert is the New York Times best-selling author of the Brown sisters trilogy, and this latest YA standalone from her is a great summer romance read!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Summer Movies
by lucroe
Summer may be a time to be outdoors, but when the weather is too hot or rainy, the library is here to offer alternatives to those outdoor activities. In this blog are some movies to carry you through those days or nights. They all have some sort of summer theme, whether the last days before school lets out, a summer vacation, or just set during summertime in general, here are some gems to consider checking out.
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) directed by Questlove | Request Now
In the summer of 1969, the Harlem Cultural Festival took place over six weeks and was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem. Questlove used that footage and incorporated it along with more recent interviews with performers, attendees, and others to create this incredible documentary. Taking place at the same time in one of the weekends was the much better known, Woodstock, just 100 miles away. Questlove has brought the importance of this festival into the spotlight as it should be with such notable talent as Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, & Gladys Knight & the Pips, to name just a few. Largely forgotten until now, this extraordinary piece of Black history should be required viewing as much for the cultural significance as for the outstanding musical performances. Enjoy the music even more by checking out the live recordings on the CD or LP