Librarian

Check out Beth's 5-star reads of in 2021!

Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar

Thriller, 322 pages

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

Contemporary fiction, 288 pages. Beth wrote a review of it here!

What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism (the Graphic Novel) by Dan Rather

Nonfiction, history, 288 pages

The Titanic Sisters by Patricia Falvey

Historical fiction, 308 pages

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

Historical fiction, 278 pages

This book will be released 8/3/21, so place your holds now!

Genre: Fiction

Notes: Relatable, believable

Wow! I LOVED this book! The characters were totally relatable and realistic. There was plenty of drama to fill the pages but none of it was unbelievable--I felt like I was part of the Brennan family.

Lange draws the reader in from the very first page by creating intrigue behind a terrible incident. She wonderfully weaves a tale building up to the reveal of multiple family secrets.

The ending of one chapter leads into the next, sometimes bouncing between decades but always seamlessly. By alternating chapters Lange ties characters together via a simple ending/beginning line--so effective.

Highly recommend this one!

Miss Melissa’s top Own Voices picks for middle graders to read in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! (See her recs for grades K - 3, and YA, too.)

Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor (autobiography)

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

Lola Levine by Monica Brown

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes

Love Sugar Magic by Anna Meriano

Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel

My Name is Maria Isabell by Alma Flor Ada

Gumazing Gum Girl Chews Your Destiny by Rhode Montijo (graphic novel)

The Dragon Slayer: folktales from Latin America by Jaime Hernandez (graphic novel)

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

It was amazing. Must read!

George Takei’s family story is a vital part of US History–a part that is often overlooked or blatantly ignored. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thousands of Japanese citizens/immigrants living in the US were forced into internment camps. They lost everything they had worked for, not the least of which was faith in their country. Takei’s story is heartbreaking but also inspiring. The story of strength against the odds, the story of humanity. This should be part of the public school curriculum, not only for its historical perspective but also for its style, content and sociological topics. Recommended read!

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

Two Can Keep a Secret was immediately added to my must-read list, as it is the follow up to One of Us is Lying. That being said, I also kept my expectations reserved as some follow-ups just can’t live up to the originals (or the hype). Thankfully, this was not the case here.

McManus has triumphed in creating another suspenseful mystery. Chock full of twists and turns, you will be kept guessing until the very end. Everyone was a suspect during my reading–I analyzed the clues just as Ellery gathered them but the twists were more than I could keep up with and so I did not have it figured out until McManus decided it was time for the reveal! Great read–I definitely recommend it!

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

The Christmas Sisters follows the lives of the McBride family–specifically Hannah, Beth and Posy–but there are plenty of other lively characters. Each sister is on their own journey, as are their adopted parents. After a tragedy in their childhood, they are now adults seeking their true life paths–hitting plenty of blocks along the way.

I found each character to be unique and endearing. I could certainly relate to many aspects of each character and found their struggles to be truly human and real. The Highland setting adds to Suzanne’s goal of a perfect Christmas–full of blustery wind, snow and cozy warm drinks. As we all know, nothing is perfect–except maybe imperfection. This was a warm winter read–perfect for fans of family drama and Scottish settings.

The Institute by Stephen King

Another rave review for Mr. Stephen King! The premise is not one that I would normally delve into but it’s King so why not. I was not disappointed. Readers will find themselves re-reading the summary as they work through the first 50 or so pages–it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the book’s subject but have patience. It will all come together. King’s use of imagery makes this a visual and imaginative read. More sci-fi than horror, this book will still hook the reader. Lovable and despicable characters abound.

Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

Abbi (Baby Hope) and Noah’s paths combine when Abbi is trying to get away from all “Baby Hope” recognition. It’s a heavy weight she’s had to carry since her 1st birthday—to be a symbol of hope after 9/11.

Set in a Jersey enclave that was one of the hardest hit by the attack, Buxbaum tackles how to tell the story of 9/11 to teen readers that have a disconnect to the event. They learn about it in school but many don’t feel the hollow that those who experienced it still experience. Having characters that are teens and ARE affected by that date makes it come alive for the teen reader (or at least I assume it would). She does a wonderful job building her characters, showing nuances to each and building suspense to their stories.

I have to say that it was a difficult read for me–difficult in that Buxbaum doesn’t deter away from addressing some of the most graphic occurrences of that day. She brings light to “the jumpers,” she addresses the heroes, she remembers all those who were widowed, left without a father/mother or orphaned. I’m sure there are some issues with the fictionalization of the event but I think that Buxbaum does a good job of conjoining those who have a “before & after 9/11” viewpoint and those who only recognize it in textual way (those born just before or following the event).

Read the books that inspired your favorite Christmas movies!

The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern inspired It’s a Wonderful Life.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham inspired Christmas with the Kranks.

In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd inspired A Christmas Story.

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans inspired The Christmas Box.

RIGHT SO, turns out one of our branches is haunted? And no one told me until this year??

I went around to staff members, including a long-retired former branch head, and collected their experiences to try to piece together the story. We’re still not sure where this ghost came from - there don’t appear to be any foul murders in Hobart branch’s past as a blacksmith’s shop, stagecoach stop, hotel, and then beach house - but nevertheless, she persists.

It’s been an increasing source of frustration for many library users: waiting weeks, sometimes months to get to the top of the waiting list for a popular eBook or e-Audiobook.

Why does it take so long? After all, it’s not a physical object, it’s a digital file that lives in the “cloud”, why can’t multiple people access it simultaneously instead of only one at a time? Barring that, why doesn’t the library just buy more copies so that the waiting list is shorter? Getting people access to books and information is what libraries are all about, but the struggle for acquiring lendable e-content is very real, and it’s getting harder all the time. Why? What’s the big hairy deal? For that answer, you have to look to the “Big 5” Publishers, who are responsible for close to 80% of trade book sales. 

Publishers have been extremely wary about allowing library users virtual access to their books. After all, digital copies of books never wear out or have to be replaced, and are more vulnerable to unauthorized copying (“pirating”). Publshers were afraid if they allowed libraries access to their books digitally, they would be losing money. Individual publishers came up with their own sets of rules for libraries to access their e-content, and they have been tweaked many times since 2006.

In addition, the prices libraries must pay for ebooks and e-audiobooks is very high. Libraries must pay up to 4X the retail price for digital versions of books (which only one user can have access to at a time).  Meeting the library patron’s needs for downloadable content is a very expensive enterprise, indeed! Take a look at this comparison of the prices for various versions of the same book:

It becomes easy to see that acquiring ebooks for public use is a very expensive endeavor…

Here’s a “mainstream” article on CNN. 

This article from LibraryJournal goes into more detail on the problem.

The librarians at Dayton Metro Library have put together a page that’s very quick to read and easy to understand, as well. 

And finally, there is research that shows that libraries loaning ebooks actually increases sales of the book. 

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

A must-read for anyone who has an interest in “The Troubles” and Irish history. Keefe’s nonfiction book was the most well-written and easy to understand narrative on this subject that I have read. It may seem slightly biased but he does present multiple angles and perspectives. 

Keefe does a fantastic job of exposing humanity—detailing our best and worst, our uniqueness and our similarities. I can’t say that you’ll leave with a clearer view of the gray shades of “right and wrong” but you will get an in-depth look at major players of the IRA, Sinn Fein, the British military and the RUC.

A great read and one that even someone that doesn’t normally plunge into nonfiction will easily finish.

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Suspect: Birdie Lindberg Age: 18 Medical conditions: (1) Narcolepsy with cataplexy; currently managing and under doctor’s care. (2) Bookworm disease (incurable). (3) Recent struggle with grief, but getting better every day. (4) Madly in love and not seeking treatment.

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett follows eighteen year old Birdie Lindbergh, a sheltered bookworm who views the world as if she is the star detective of her own series. When Birdie takes a summer job at a hotel, she and her coworker, Daniel, end up getting tangled up in a real life mystery involving the secret past of a secluded writer. This book is all sorts of delightful. The complex characters, mystery, and romance make it a charming read.

Book Review Title: Woman 99 Author: Greer Macallister Genre: Historical Fiction Notes: Strong, flawed characters

Woman 99 takes place mostly in an asylum for women. Historically, women could be placed in asylum for any number of reasons or no reason at all. Scary enough for you?

Greer Macallister weaves the tale of Charlotte Smith and her sister Phoebe. Phoebe has always had a history of highs and lows but when she goes a bit too manic her parents commit her. Charlotte hatches a plan to “rescue” Phoebe and finds out more about the asylum than she ever imagined. 

Although dry in some sections, the stories are intriguing and there are enough questions and turns to keep the reader interested. The characters are strong and flawed, which makes them more relatable. 

Overall a well done read—one that will showcase just how far women and women’s rights have come (and how much farther they need go). I devoured it in 2 days.

Want to read like a librarian? Here’s what Chris (head of Dyer-Schererville Branch) has been reading lately!

Just Finished King of Scars by @lbardugo I love duologies! No boring middle book of a trilogy (though Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone doesn’t have that problem!), no need to commit to a too-long series. Set the stage, tell the story, and end it!  Pure reading pleasure. King of Scars returns to the Grishaverse and picks up the separate, but equally interesting and exciting, stories of Nikolai and Nina. It gets pretty weird at the end so I’m already clamoring for the second (and last!) book.

Listening Now Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi After this book received rave reviews, I tried to read it and couldn’t get into it. The audiobook did the trick, immersing me in the culture of a West Africa where magic was exterminated years ago. Or was it?

Just Started  Sunday Silence by Nicci French Occasionally, I get sucked in by a longer series. In Blue Monday, the writing team of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French introduced readers to psychotherapist Frieda Klein, one of the most strangely interesting characters in contemporary fiction. Each book is suspenseful and twisty, the murders are graphic, and evildoers are caught (or not) with a combination of police investigation and Frieda’s unique abilities to understand the human psyche.

Up Next The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers This has been called a “modern science fiction masterpiece” but I’d never heard of it until I read reviews of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White. Readers who weren’t crazy about White’s book raved about this one as a better choice for space opera fans.

“Magic is forgetting the world was ever other than as you willed it.”

– The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, many considered her cousin, Mary Stuart, the true queen of England. Mary was the daughter of James V and Mary of Guise and a Catholic. There were major conflicts between Protestants and Catholics during this time. Mary and Elizabeth, on opposite sides, maintained a distant but intriguing relationship as both blood and enemy.

Mary Queen of Scots

Quick stats: - Illusion of being an accurate retelling - Rushed (especially towards the end) - Exceptional acting by female leads - Excellent costumes - Mary is a redhead - Focused timeline on Scotland

The film Mary Queen of Scots features the relationship of Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots. Mary, considered by Catholic Scots and English to be the true queen of England, returns to Scotland, a homeland she left as a child. Her cousin, Elizabeth, has taken the throne but it is a delicate balance of power. 

Starring Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth, this film tries to cram a lot of history into a short film. The acting is solid and the leads are well matched but the film feels rushed and leaves the viewer with many questions about these historic events as well as about the accuracy of the story.

Reign

Quick stats: - Apparent from beginning that liberties are taken - Stretches over 4 seasons - Exceptional acting by entire cast - Unique and creative costuming - Mary is a brunette - Timeline starts in France as a teen (with childhood flashbacks) and advances

The tv drama Reign had been on my radar for a bit so I decided to give it a try. Originally aired on The CW, this is a dramatized telling of the life of Mary Queen of Scots. Many, many liberties are taken in this version but it is endlessly entertaining. Adelaide Kane gives an exceptional rendition of Mary. 

Performances may very well enchant the viewer and while some subplots are unbelievable, viewers will choose to watch. I was much more willing to accept the historical inaccuracies in this tv telling as from the start of the show, it is obvious they are not choosing accuracy over drama. The costuming is amazing and it is definitely worth watching.

Both viewings allow the non-historian an opportunity to be intrigued and hopefully dig more into actual history research!

Which will you choose? Like both? One more than the other? Hate both?