Month: December 2024

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

First line: It wasn’t until the elevator doors were sliding open that Maggie realized she was about to come face-to-face with her three least favorite things in the world: Christmas. A party. And Ethan Freaking Wyatt.

Summary: Maggie accepts a mysterious invitation from her editor to visit her biggest fan in England at Christmastime. Unbeknownst to her, Ethan Wyatt, her arch-nemesis is joining her and her biggest fan is none other than her favorite author, Eleanor Ashley. Upon arrival a snow storm arrives stranding the writers and Eleanor Ashley’s other guests in her isolated mansion. As they settle in for the holiday Maggie believes that Eleanor plans to name a successor, or that is until she disappears from a locked room. Now Maggie and Ethan have to try to find out what happened to Eleanor and avoid whoever seems to be trying to kill them before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: This was the perfect mix of cozy mystery with a holiday romance! I had such a good time reading and trying to figure out the mystery. I loved the chemistry between Maggie and Ethan which was enhanced with the tension and miscommunications.

I’ve seen many people comparing this to Knives Out and I feel that it is a good comparison but I would almost recommend it more on the feel of an Agatha Christie novel. It has all the things I love from her stories with the added enemies to lovers romance trope. Plus, it plays on the real life Agatha Christie disappearance.

One complaint I had was the cover. It is cute (kind of) but it could be much better! There are so many fun covers anymore with the cartoonish characters but this one just wasn’t as good. But don’t judge this book by its cover. It is perfect for Christmas time and it reads very fast! I would highly recommend picking it up for your holiday break.

Last, Current, Next: Jessie’s December Reading Shelf

Last :: “What’s Eating Jackie Oh?” – Patricia Park 

Format :: Audio via Libby 

Genre :: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction 

I needed an audiobook, and this was one of the first ones I came across that was available on Libby. I have not read a food focused book in quite a while, and I liked the premise of a high school student figuring things out in their young life and competing on their favorite food show’s high school edition. A couple of the themes Patricia Park hits on is food insecurity, incarceration of minorities, and the familial struggles faced with immigrant families. My favorite scene of the whole book was the moment Jackie and her mom got on the same page and had a heart-to-heart talk; the audio of this scene made it feel like I was sitting in on a conversation and made the entire plot feel realistic. 

Current:: “Tooth and Claw” – Craig Johnson  

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Mystery, Western, Fiction 

“Tooth and Claw” is the newest novella in the Walt Longmire series. I was interested in reading this because I have read the first three books in this series, and I’ve always enjoyed the flashbacks of Walt and his good friend Henry Standing Bear. This novella takes place long before the first book begins and follows the duo as they come back from serving in Vietnam and look for jobs. I’m not quite a quarter of the way through this novella, and I love to see the characters of Walt and Henry are true to themselves, but still much younger than they are in the main series. I anticipate this will be a quick and adventurous read. 

Next :: “The Anti-Social Season” – Adele Buck 

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Romance, Holiday Fiction 

“The Anti-Social Season” is the second book in the First Responders series (which is not a holiday book series, if you were wondering). I’ve been searching for a romantic comedy with a holiday theme and I’m hopeful that this will be a great pick! Thea, firefighter turning social media manager and Simon, a librarian are the main characters of this rom-com. I decided this would be my next read because Thea doesn’t remember Simon at all from high school, but Simon had a crush on her the entire time – this is one of my favorite romance tropes to read. 

The Blog Wants to Know: Dec. 2024

We’ve got a new monthly blog series coming your way featuring recommendations, insights, and fun facts about Derby Public Library’s remarkable staff!

For our first installment, the blog has two questions for our staff:

“What are some of your favorite holiday movies?”

Sheila, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloging: “I have two favorite holiday movies, White Christmas and The Family Stone.“

Maycie, Public Support Services: “Christmas doesn’t start in my house until we watch Christmas with the Kranks!”

Hannah, Youth Services Coordinator: “Love Actually, Home Alone, Scrooged, Spirited, Die Hard (I will die on this hill…)”

Tabbitha, Youth Services: “My all-time favorite Christmas movie has to be Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town”

Eric, Library Director: White Christmas

Tami, Office Manager: A Christmas Story

Alyssa, Adult and Teen Services: “I’ve been watching The Preacher’s Wife with Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington every year since I was little, and Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is epic!”

Megan, Outreach Coordinator: “My top 2 favorite Christmas movies are Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story.”

Ashley, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: “Scrooge starring Albert Finney and Sir Alec Guinness”

Miranda, Youth Services “My favorite Christmas movies are A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Shane, Public Support Services: “My favorite is the Grinch (Jim Carrey version) and I also love Krampus (2015)”

Grace, Youth Services: “Small One (a 1978 Don Bluth classic that still makes me cry every year, even though it’s only 26 minutes long. It’s on Disney+ now, and I get to watch it whenever I want! We owned the Small One book adaptation that came with the story on tape, so you could read along) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (I play the album on vinyl every year when decorating my tree)

“Does your family have a special holiday recipe or food that they make in a unique way?” 

Shane: “My mom makes lasagna every year for Christmas. It is a tradition that started with her as something easy to make for dinner, now it doesn’t feel like Christmas without it.”

Miranda: “Our passed down family recipe is the stuffing. Why is stuffing only a holiday food? Its too good!”

Ashley: “Our family has a traditional Mennonite meal of Verenika (or Vereniki), German sausage and zweiback. I have taken over the preparation of this meal from my Oma (German for grandma). Verenika is a cottage cheese dumpling that is either boiled or fried then topped with gravy. Zweiback is a traditional Russian Mennonite dinner roll.”

Megan: “We have a long standing Christmas tradition with my side of the family to have breakfast for dinner then open presents.”

Tami: “As far as food, I have a favorite special food every year, but it’s not one I make.  I have wonderful neighbors who also volunteer at the library, John and Sheila Maksimowicz.  Every year they make baklava and I have been blessed to receive it for more than 5 years.  I think they are making it this week!”

Alyssa: “For the New Year, my mom makes her homemade Cajun black eyed peas, rice, and cornbread as a symbol of good luck. The recipe comes from my grandparents who grew up in Louisiana.”

Eric: “As far as food goes, my family has been having a Swedish (immigrant influenced) dinner for years.  This includes fruit soup, potato sausage, pickled herring, lutefisk, and ostkaka.”

Tabbitha: “While my family doesn’t have unique family recipes, we do have a tradition of baking holiday treats and cookies around Christmas. We package them in cute containers and give them to loved ones.”

Hannah: “My aunt makes these candies with peanut butter and fritos. It sounds a bit weird, but they are SO good.”

Maycie: “No festive gathering in my moms house is complete without the family’s secret potato casserole…. Legally I can’t tell you what’s in it.”

Now it’s your turn, readers! What are some of your favorite holiday movies and does your family have any special holiday recipes or traditional foods?

Happy Holidays!!

Bookworm Buffet: A Feast for your Reading Senses

Bookworm Buffet: A Feast for your Reading Senses

Welcome to Bookworm Buffet! Get ready to feast on three literary delights, each served up in a different format: physical, digital ebook, and audiobook.

December’s Spread –

Physical: The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal by Ambika Vohra

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

“How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?” That’s the Stanford admissions prompt that valedictorian shoo-in Aisha Agarwal can’t answer. Comfort zone? Her life’s been homework and junk food for as long as she can remember. Not exactly the thing college essays are written about. So, when her crush, Brian, asks her to winter formal, Aisha thinks her fate is changing . . . until Brian stands her up. As if on cue, a banged-up Volkswagen arrives outside the dance; the driver—a guy her age—profusely apologizing for being late to pick her up. Does Aisha know him or what he’s talking about? No. Does the Stanford essay convince her to take him up on the ride? Absolutely. To Aisha’s relief, seventeen-year-old Quentin Santos isn’t a kidnapper, but he is failing math. So, they strike a If Aisha helps Quentin pass math, he’ll help push her out of her comfort zone, using a series of sticky note to-do’s—dares—that will not only give Aisha content for her essay but will turn her into the confident person she’s always wanted to be. From New Year’s Eve kisses to high school parties, Aisha’s sticky note manifesto is taking off. But when she falls for the wrong guy, hurts her best friend, and still can’t finish her essay, victory feels far from reach. Is winning worth it if you end up losing yourself in the process?  

Publication Date: August 27, 2024

My Rating:

eBook: While We’re Young by K.L. Walther

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.
With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.
In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly’s finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

Publication Date: March 4, 2025

My Rating:

Audio: Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Heist Novel

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

Narrated by: Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin, Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark, Elizabeth Evans, and Tristan Morris
Publication Date: September 29, 2015

My Rating:

What’s Ashley Reading?: You Better Watch Out

You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

First line: Darkness had invaded Old Forge.

Summary: Eddie wakes up in what appears to be an abandoned town resembling Old Forge. The last thing he remembers is an elderly couple injecting him with a syringe while he was attempting to rob them. As he stumbles into one of the store fronts to escape the snowstorm outside he finds several others who appear to have been brought here under similar circumstances. The group cannot understand why or how they arrived here but they are determined to find a way out.

However, over the next few hours they realize that someone is watching them and the whole town is booby trapped. If they have any hope of surviving the night they need to find a way out of the town or discover who is hunting them in this Christmas village of horror.

My Thoughts: Well, this is not you normal Christmas book! It is dark, creepy and very bloody but I can say that it kept my attention the whole time. There was very little downtime in the story. The pacing was quick and keeps the reader from getting bored. From the very beginning I had Saw vibes, where the characters wake up in a strange place and they must play some twisted game to escape. And there is quite a big twist at the end which brings it all full circle.

The characters are rather undeveloped but the environment almost becomes a character on its own. It is a town that appears to be a work in progress or a movie set all decorated for Christmas, complete with a merry-go-round and Christmas decorations. It is a warren of traps in a quaint postcard setting.

My one complaint was that I basically figured out or guessed the twists. It took on some horror tropes but I still found it a thrilling read.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It has some rather horrifying deaths in it. I have seen my share of horror movies and true crime shows but this still made me a little queasy. But if you want something truly creepy for your holiday reading then I would recommend picking this one up!

Debbie Thomas, A Legacy of Service

The Derby Public Library has changed a lot over the past 35 years. In 1989, the library was located in a small building at 621 N. Derby. Patrons searched for items the old-fashioned way with a physical card catalog. Library staff sent interlibrary loan requests via mail and were limited to the items indexed on six compact discs. E-mail and Wi-Fi were things of the future. In 1989, something wonderful happened that changed the future of Derby Public Library for the better.

What was that momentous event? June 5, 1989, Debbie Thomas started working at the Library. She was hired as a summer page, filling out her application with a blue magic marker when a pen couldn’t be found. This job was intended as a temporary position as her full time job was director of Rose Hill’s latchkey program. However, at the end of the summer, she was asked to stay on as a parttime circulation and technical services clerk and she never looked back from there!

By the early 1990s, she was working fulltime at the library. She has held so many positions at the library that it is hard to keep them all straight. She’s been supervisor of the circulation and tech services departments. She’s been interim director twice. She was never formally assigned to the youth services department, but she filled in for story times when needed. For the past 14 years, she has served as the assistant director.

The list of library innovations and advancements Debbie is responsible for is long. Debbie was instrumental in the first outreach program that delivered books to homebound patrons. She assisted with starting the first summer reading program. Debbie brought the library into the 21st century by running cable for internet and automating the library’s catalog. Debbie also made the push to add programs for adults to compliment the library’s multitude of youth programming. “My goal was to make Derby Public Library the best public library in the state,” Debbie said.

Debbie has been a source of knowledge for current director Eric Gustafson. “Since the day I started, Debbie has been the first person who I consult when I have an idea for a new program or service.  Her wealth of knowledge and experience with the community and the library continue to benefit us every day. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her these past 13 years; she will definitely be missed!”

Debbie is a caring, devoted member of the staff whose door is always open and whose candy dish is always full. Debbie retires at the end of December and a reception in her honor will take place on Sunday, December 8 from 2-4 p.m. in the library’s Community Room.