First line: I arrive at my ex-girlfriend’s house at ten o’clock at night with the prelude to a tension headache and mere dregs remaining of my self-respect.
Summary: Callahan Leitner has spent years working for and then owning an antique store. He takes pride in his career and his shop. However, this all is in jeopardy by an illegal taxidermy goose in his apartment. With the help of his temporary assistant and burgeoning small business owner, Annie, he tries to find a way to return the goose without being arrested. Unfortunately, for them, the goose disappears, sending them on a wild goose chase to find the bird that could ruin both of their careers.
My Thoughts: Like Adler’s other books, this was just a lot of fun! The witty banter between the two main characters, the chemistry and the weirdness were just a perfect mix. I loved the characters. Annie sitting on the counter singing to her sub sandwich. Cal’s nerdiness and vulnerability. It was just so wonderful from the very start.
I had no idea about the laws surrounding taxidermy geese. I really appreciated how the author started the book with information on this law to give context for the story.
I loved the dual timelines as well. This structure is one of my favorites in novels. I like to see the history and the present day mixed in to give deeper meaning to the story. It added such a fun layer to the plot and made even the goose a more fleshed out character.
Sarah Adler does such a great job of writing a funny romantic story. She is definitely a writer I will continue to automatically request on Netgalley or from the library.
First line: Early on in the process of writing my first book about axe murder, I took a job working in an after-school program.
Summary: Over the millennia the axe has changed. It is an important tool used in hunting, building and creating other tools. Along with it being a tool of survival, it became a tool of murder too. As time progressed the types and style of axe has evolved with human’s needs. Told by moving through history from prehistoric to the modern era, we are shown different types of axes and how these axes played a part in history and true crime. Ranging from the executions of Henry VIII to the trial of Lizzie Borden, the author brings the role of axes to the reader in a completely new way.
My Thoughts: I remember seeing this book a year ago when we first purchased it and find it very intriguing. I knew I wanted to read it someday but until I picked it up again recently, I had completely forgotten about it. In May 2026, Whack Job was recognized as a Kansas Notable Book. This award brought the book back to my attention and I decided it was a great time to give it a go.
I found the layout and structure of the book to be a creative way to explore this microhistory. Each chapter begins with a different historical type of axe and explaining its uses at the time in question. These sections are then followed by a historical event in which this type of axe may have been used.
In the first chapter, we find a stone axe and what appears to be a murder of a prehistoric human. Using cranial reconstruction the scientists were able to see that a sharp blow to the head was the cause of death and could have come from one of these stone axes. Science is so remarkable in what it can tell us. As we progress through time, events become more documented and well known but no less interesting.
I found this book to be completely fascinating and I wanted to read “just one more chapter” each night. For fans of true crime and microhistories, this is the perfect addition to your TBR list.
Our summer reading theme, Unearth a Story, is in full swing and we’re surrounded by dinosaurs and prehistoric tales. We thought this would be the perfect time to ask our library staff about their favorite dinos!
What are some of your favorite dinosaurs or ancient creatures from the Mesozoic Era (Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods)? This could be an actual dino like the brontosaurus or the t-rex, or it could be a pterosaur, marine reptile, synapsid, or even early mammal. What do you like about these specific creatures?
Megan, Outreach Coordinator: My favorite dinosaur is the Compsognathus. Why? Simply because they’re cute! They remind me of a chicken. I would be the little girl from Jurassic Park II who was trying to feed one; that became several!
Kristy H., Public Support Services: Tyrannosaurus Rex because he is the biggest and best dinosaur that I’ve loved forever. It’s just so impressive and massive and huge and has a big ‘ol head and mouth!
Maycie, Public Support Services: I’m a biiiiigg fan of long-neck dinosaurs. Brachiosaurus is my favorite but I’m also partial to a brontosaurus or a diplodocus. I think they just look really neat!
Shane, Public Support Services:I love the Brontosaurus because I will always have a soft spot for Little Foot from Land Before Time. However, as an Anthropology graduate, I am super interested in any ancient species of apes. Homo Erectus is the most interesting one to me as the first species to have a “humanlike” stature and fully walk on two legs.
Hannah, Assistant Director: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Not very practical for a kid from Kansas, but I was fascinated with whales, dolphins, and sharks. It’s probably no surprise that my answer is prehistoric sharks. Not necessarily the megalodon specifically, but it is a very cool creature just based on its predicted size alone. It just blows my mind how old some sharks can live and how long their species has been on the planet. Like the Greenland Shark, which was genetically studied and is believed to have been around over 2 million years ago. They have the longest lifespan of any vertebrate with some Greenland sharks living for over 500 years!
Kameron, Public Support Services: My favorite is the parasaurolophus because of its distinct look with the horn extending out the back of its head!
Justin, Technology Coordinator: So everyone wants to talk about the T-Rex being their favorite and I’m sure its been mentioned multiple times by staff. That’s fine. But the real deal is the Ankylosaurus. He is just out there, low to the ground, munching on leaves, completely armored up and dragging a literal wrecking ball on its tail. Do you want to mess with that? Be my guest. The T-Rex gets all the glory, but the Ankylosaurus just doesn’t care. That’s my kind of dinosaur.
Annalise, Public Support Services: It’s no secret that I’ve always been fascinated with dinosaurs and other creatures from the Mesozoic Era. I was obsessed with The Land Before Time movies as a kid, and I still have my old VHS copies somewhere in my closet. The fascination grew I got older, especially after discovering the Jurassic Park films when I was a teenager. Despite my love and curiosity for dinosaurs, my favorite creature from that period is not a dinosaur. It’s a heteromorph ammonite called The Paperclip “Squid,” or Diplomoceras maximum. Interestingly, it wasn’t quite a true squid, just an ancient relative of the squids and octopuses we know today.It lived at the very end of the Cretaceous Period, and it quite literally looks like a paperclip. It’s not presumptuous to say that it was a strange creature, and that’s exactly why I like it.
Now it’s your turn! What are some of your favorite dinosaurs or ancient creatures?
First line: Without thinking about it too much, conjure up an image of Benjamin Franklin–whatever comes to mind.
Summary: In Brooke Barbier’s new book she takes a look at how alcohol shaped the early years of our country. Using primary sources, she delves into the importance of alcohol in policy making, networking and financing the new nation. Spanning the years after the French and Indian War to the presidential election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800, we learn how “drink helped transform British subjects into Americans.” At the end of each chapter, Barbier provides a recipe for an eighteenth century cocktail that is adapted for modern audiences.
My Thoughts: When most people think of the American Revolution and drinks, you would assume their first thought would be tea. I know I do. After reading Cocked and Boozy I have a completely new view of what helped drive the founding fathers.
One of the most controversial taxes on the American colonies was on sugar and molasses. Since it affected the production of rum and small beer, it caused riots and increased smuggling. These drinks had become part of the everyday lives of the population. Adding the extra expense became too much for the colonists.
However, the production costs were not the only way alcohol played an important part in our nation’s founding. Many gatherings of the founding fathers happened in taverns. Celebrations for the ratification of the Constitution featured copious amounts of beer, cider and brandy. The amount of wine Thomas Jefferson purchased from France each year is astounding. George Washington started to produce thousands of gallons of whiskey at his plantation after leaving office. There is no denying that alcohol played an important part in our nation’s birth.
If you were looking for an unconventional book about the American Revolution then I would steer you to this one! It was a fascinating read about the little discussed part of our history. It also will might give you some inspiration for your Fourth of July party plans!
First line: In Western culture there are few people more sought after than Marilyn Monroe.
Summary: Marilyn Monroe has fascinated the world since her film debut and over sixty years since her death. This year marks what would have been her hundredth birthday. In this new book by Gail Crowther, we get a look at one of the most important parts of Marilyn’s life, her books. Having been mocked as the dumb blonde who could not possibly read books like Ulysses, we actually get to see what books she owned and discussed with those around her. Marilyn had a love of reading and thirst for knowledge that reached into all genres, from literature to popular fiction to gardening and sociology. Told through an analysis of her interactions with famous writers, interviews with those who knew her and her personal library we see the reader behind the movie star.
My Thoughts: My interest in Marilyn Monroe started in high school when I read a book by her half-sister, Berniece, called My Sister Marilyn. It is a fascinating look into the personal life and real person behind the movie star persona. I found this book to be similar in that sense. Throughout we are shown a Marilyn who reads, discusses and loved acquiring books. At her death, she had a personal library of over 400 books. Like many readers, we have books we have not read or have started and not finished. Likely Marilyn did the same but the number of tomes is astounding. In the end notes, we are given a list of the books that were packed away and later sold at auction after Marilyn’s death.
While some chapters feel like speculation, the author also supports many of her claims with quotes from interviews. Many of the people that actually met Marilyn thought her to be an intelligent and kind individual. Unfortunately, today people still assume that the characters she played on screen reflect the real life woman. From everything I have read about her she seemed far from dumb. She was a trailblazer in many aspects of Hollywood. She spent years looking for security and acceptance.
It has been over twenty years since I read my first biography of Marilyn and I still admire her. With all the challenges in her life, she still persevered. After closing this book, I think it is time to start a Marilyn Monroe movie marathon!
First line: The year my sister Amy was invited to play Mrs. Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was the same year Hugh had his hip replaced.
Summary: In David Sedaris’ newest collection of essays he explores things from caretaking of his partner Hugh, traveling to new countries and the struggles of keeping up your Duolingo streak.
My Thoughts: I was so excited for a new David Sedaris book! I could have received an early digital copy from Netgalley but decided to wait because I would much rather listen to the audiobook. It was worth the wait. I was laughing aloud constantly. Coworkers probably thought I was crazy laughing to myself. Cars passing me on the roads might have wondered why I was smiling so big. It was all because of David.
A few of the stories I know I had heard before when he was work shopping them at his book signing. Hearing them again did not make them any less enjoyable. He has a way with bringing ordinary life to his readers in a humorous way. It is just outstanding. Who knew that a story about a dog bite could be so funny? David did.
If you want something to make you laugh during a road trip or on your daily walk, I would recommend all of his books but this one was lots of fun and real quick. Perfect for your summer TBR!
First line: Mrs. Richmond’s wedding gown was itchy, for one thing.
Summary: After leaving her groom at the altar, JoJo Burton has decided she is going to finally break her cursed love life. With the help of her sister and her former childhood best friend, Cooper, she is determined to catch the eye of her teenage crush. Luckily, he happens to be attending her sister’s wedding cruise. However, with her sister busy with wedding details most of the scheming falls to her best friend. As they spend time together, she remembers all the things leading up to their falling out years before. JoJo hopes that this time together will help her and Cooper’s friendship but with each passing day, there seems to be something more between them. Will she need to abandon her plan or is she willing to lose Cooper forever?
My Thoughts: Again, such a wonderful summer read from Katherine Center. I had so much fun with this one. It took me back to the days when I spent summers outside with the neighbor kids until the sun went down. It was funny, charming and heartwarming.
The book begins on JoJo’s wedding day. She is stuck in a horribly itchy wedding gown belonging to her future mother in law. It seems like a sign and then her childhood best friend, Cooper, shows up to save the day! What a wonderful start to a rom-com, then add to it a cruise ship, former crush, a plan to seduce said former crush and a lot of miscommunication.
As readers, we watch her make mistakes when it seems so obvious to us what she should choose. However, while feeling exasperated with her choices I laughed along at the ridiculousness of it. In the end, everything always works out but the middle full of messiness kept me reading until the end. While sitting by the pool or enjoying a summer getaway this should be in your reading pile. It will make you laugh and remember your childhood summers spent with all your neighborhood friends.
I find that people often go through weird “phases” where they’ll be obsessed with certain topics, shows, or even celebrities. Something grips your curiosity and sends you to the Google searches and late-night video scrolls, desperate for more information about that topic. Or perhaps it’s a movie, song, or TV show that you can’t help but repeat over and over again, feeling that surge of dopamine with every viewing. For this month’s question, we’re diving into hyperfixations, obsessions, and topics that have gripped our staff’s curiosity.
What’s your current phase/hyperfixation/obsession? What’s something that you’re constantly curious about and that you find yourself researching, watching, or reading about? This could be a show, series, period in history, celebrity, musician, author, artist, or even just an overall vibe.
Trinity, Library Page: For a while, I was fixated on the art and life of J.C. Leyendecker, a commercial artist whose works were extremely popular from the 1920s-1930s. He’s most well-known for his Saturday Evening Post covers (of which I’ve collected ~15) and clothing advertisements for Arrow Collars and Kuppenheimer Clothes. J.C. and his brother, Frank (or FX) painted together for much of their early careers. Norman Rockwell is known to have been inspired by him, and some people suspect that F. Scott Fitzgerald based many of the motifs from The Great Gatsby on the grand parties that were held at his estate. I was drawn to him because I’ve always loved history and art, but more importantly, I relate to his experiences as a queer artist. Leyendecker’s relationship with his model, Charles Beach, was an open secret, but he still had to hide parts of his identity from the public eye. Beyond this, J.C. Leyendecker’s work is beautiful, characterized by bright color, movement, and his signature hatching technique that added visual interest to every part of his work.
J.C. Leyendecker (1874-1951), Couple in a Boat — Arrow Collar Advertisement, 1912, oil on canvas,
More recently, I’ve been diving into astronomy. I think it was a mix of the Introduction to Astronomy course I’m finishing up and watching Project Hail Mary. I’m fascinated by the cosmic waltz of our planet and beyond. I always struggled in math, and science could be hit or miss no matter how much I loved it, but astronomy is such a beautiful blend of physics, science, chemistry, and art. In a few weeks, my summer reading might be out of this world!
Annalise, Public Support Service: I’ve always been the type of person who switches fixations at the drop of a hat. Every week, it’s something new! Lately, it’s been vintage and antique jewelry. I’ve always liked wearing jewelry, but suddenly after seeing reels and shorts by Maejean Vintage on social media, I’ve fallen into the rabbit hole of researching different eras of jewelry, their meanings, what materials were common in these different eras, etc. Victorian forget-me-not pieces enthrall me currently. With their overall theme of remembrance and deep connection, these pieces had a wide variety of meanings, giving a unique and sentimental backstory to each one. I own a few antique jewelry pieces that I’ve been lucky enough to pick up at estate sales, antique malls, and yard sales, and I’m looking forward to expanding my collection as I learn more!
Shane, Public Support Services: My current hyper-fixation is tiny living and tiny houses. And while I go back and forth on if I could actually live tiny, it has pivoted me into self-sustainability and homesteading which both feel more obtainable realistically.
Ashley, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: My latest obsession has been with watching baseball. I used to play as a kid on rec teams during the summer. I loved going to games on school trips to see the Wichita Wranglers.
Photo from my Seattle trip in 2016. My family went to see the Mariners play.
My team was and still is the Seattle Mariners. I really got interested in them when Ichiro Suzuki played back in the early 2000s. I have been to several Mariners games in Kansas City and one in Seattle. Recently, with a free subscription to MLB.TV I have been able to catch several games and rediscovered my love of the sport. I wear my Mariners gear, grab some snacks and watch my team play whenever I can. Maybe one day soon I will get to go to another game in Seattle and see the new Ichiro statue by the stadium. I would love to enjoy some sushi and beer while I cheer them on! #TridentsUp
Dawn S., Youth Services Coordinator: I’ve been obsessed with game shows lately like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. My kids and I will watch for about an hour after dinner and before homework. The show I’ve been constantly watching is The Rookie. Love me some Nathan Fillion.
Alyssa, Adult and Teen Services Coordinator: My latest hyperfixation is all things Wizard of Oz/Wicked. I dove headfirst into the Wizard of Oz book series by L. Frank Baum in preparation for my Oz-themed Murder Mystery Night at the library, and the infatuation has yet to lift. I’ve read all fourteen of the main Oz books, and now I’m diving deeper into the “Famous Forty” titles as well as the vintage Reilly and Lee and Del Rey editions. I’m also a huge fan of the Wicked films and have been a bit obsessed with finding Wicked merch. I created a Wicked/Ozian corner in my home with all of my books and cute finds. The obsession is so bad that I even joined the International Wizard of Oz club!
Now it’s your turn? What is your current obsession and what do you love about it? Let us know in the comments below!
First line: All her life, Mebel Tanadi has always had a fear of – not so much death as much as situations that eventually lead to death.
Summary: Mebel expected her life one way, the trophy wife of a rich man. This was all going to plan until one day her husband of forty years decides he is leaving her for their much younger live in chef. Mebel cannot believe what is happening but she is determined to win him back. From what she gathers, he wants someone who will cook for him, meaning she should take cooking lessons. As luck would have it, a class is starting in just a few days at an excellent cooking school. Unfortunately, it happens to be in a small village in England rather than Paris.
Upon arrival, Mebel finds the school and her classmates to be more of a challenge than she first thought. As she struggles through the first weeks, she befriends a group of students who encourage her in her lessons and the changes in her personal life. With each passing day, Mebel starts to wonder if she has found what she has been looking for in an unlikely place.
My Thoughts: Like Sutanto’s other series, Vera Wong, this book is all about found families. This is one of my favorite things about the author’s work. She has characters that need each other but do not realize it. With these strong themes of friendship, there is lots of humor too. While I was listening, I was laughing aloud at Mebel and her antics. She starts the book as a trophy wife who only cares about facials, clothes and her lavish lifestyle but she transitions to someone who wants to be her own person and take care of those she loves. I found this to be such a fun story with a great message. I would highly recommend this for your summer reading list. It will make you smile all the way through!
First line: The trail of muddy footprints led off the front stoop, tracked across the gravel driveway, and disappeared into the darkened woods.
Summary: Macy Mullins has bills to pay, groceries to buy and a younger sister to take care of. Unfortunately, the job market is not promising. Then one day she stumbles upon a job listing on Craigslist. Three days of house-sitting for several thousand dollars pay. What could be easier? All she has to do is follow the instructions and she will get a few weeks of relief. It all seems too easy until her first night. While trying to follow the rites she discovers that whatever inhabits the house is trickier than she believed. With each passing hour, the nightmare becomes more and more sinister. Will Macy make it through this weekend? Will the world survive if she cannot follow the rites?
My Thoughts: This book. Dang. I had to remind myself to relax while reading it. I was so tense. Clenching my jaw and muscles tight. I loved every minute of it.
I have been waiting two years for this book to come out. Ever since reading Kliewer’s debut, We Used To Live Here, I could not wait to see what he produced next. This one was just as good as the first. While I struggled with the main character Macy, I completely believed that this is how someone would react in these situations. As a reader, I wanted her to do certain things differently but who can say if we all would follow the rites precisely either. With each new threat, the tension ramped up. Nevertheless, I felt I could never fully trust what we were told. Is this all real? By the end, I was exhausted. It was so much fun and a thrilling ride!
I wish I could say more but I really do not want to give too much away. I could not recommend this one enough to horror fans. I wish I could re-read it again for the first time. Now I have to wait again for Kliewer’s next books.
