Month: November 2025

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Winter People

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

First line: The first time I saw a sleeper, I was nine years old.

Summary: The town of West Hall, Vermont, has had a history of strange disappearances and deaths. One the first and most confounding is Sara Harrison Shea in 1908. She was found in her backyard shortly after the death of her daughter.

Now in the present day, Ruthie along with her mother and sister live in Sara’s house. Nothing strange has ever happened until one day Ruthie’s mother, Alice disappears without a trace. While Ruthie is searching for clues about where her mother has gone she discovers a copy of Sara’s diary. As she looks into the mystery surrounding Sara she starts to see some parallels with others who have searched for lost love ones. Could they all be connected somehow? What is happening on this farm in small town Vermont?

My Thoughts: I picked this up at a used bookstore with the plan to use it as a vacation read. I know it doesn’t look like something you’d take on a trip to sunny Florida but it was also October. I have read several of McMahon’s books and always really enjoyed them. She does a perfect mix of mystery with a paranormal twist.

I enjoyed the jumping between the historical events of Sara and the present day with Ruthie. Multiple timelines and flashbacks are one of my favorite writing formats. The Sara storyline was really creepy and gave me chills. It was a perfect pick for spooky season but under all the scary bits it brings forth a really difficult question. What would we be willing to do for a little more time with a loved one who has died? It seems so tempting but as we see in this novel it may not be all we expected it to be. This book will make you think deeper thoughts and scare you at the same time. If you want a book for those cold dark nights then this is it!

FYI: Trigger warning : Death of a child, murder, scary scenes.

The Blog Wants to Know: Nov. 2025

We’re heading into the season that celebrates family, gratitude, and most importantly, food! 

What’s something that you’d like to cook or bake but have never tried? Perhaps this is a family recipe, something you’ve seen in a cookbook, or even something you’ve seen on a baking or cooking show.  What are some dream recipes that you’d like to try if you had the time/tools/ingredients, etc.? 

Hannah, Assistant Director: I’ve always wanted to try making croissants from scratch. I’ve seen videos of bakers making them and always marvel at how jiggly they are when they are fully proofed. But the skill and time it would take to laminate the dough intimidates me!

Ashley, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: I would love to make a really good Cornish pasty.  I have done steak and stout pies, Yorkshire puddings and shepherd’s pie but I have yet to try my hand at the pasty.  My dad made some several years ago that were excellent.  I had several pasties on my last trip to London and they are just the perfect on-the-go meal plus being very filling.

Alyssa, Adult and Teen Services Coordinator: My boyfriend loves New York-style cheesecake so I really want to try making that for him some time, but I’m super intimidated by all of the steps and the delicacy of it. I’m also a big fan of Indian food so I’d love to try making my own vegetable curry!

Baya, Youth Services: I’ve always thought that one day I’ll try making macarons. They’re delicious gluten-free cookies made with almond flour. The fillings can come in so many different flavors between two airy cookies. My favorite so far has been peach. Macarons have to be made just right, but it’s really satisfying to watch the process.

Now it’s your turn! What’s something that you’ve always wanted to try making? Let us know in the blog comments below!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Good Spirits

Good Spirits by B. K. Borison

First line: On the first day of December, the universe gave to me –

Summary: Harriet York is being haunted. She has no idea why because she tries to be a good person. However, when the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives she begins to wonder what may have happened in her past to warrant this visit.

Nolan Callahan has spent nearly a century as the Ghost of Christmas Past. He has hoped that one day he will be able to move on but that day has not arrived. Each passing year becomes lonelier and then this year he is met with his most challenging assignment ever.

As Harriet and Nolan try to discover what is in Harriet’s past that brought them together, they find that their connection may go beyond what either of them ever imagined.

My Thoughts: I was very excited to get an early copy of this book! It has a pretty cover and such a cute summary. I had only started reading B.K. Borison this year with her book, First-Time Caller, and now I am hooked. The writing is fun and the romance a bit spicy.

From the beginning I loved the banter between the characters. Each one of them is sure that they know what is going on but soon discover that there is more at play here. Harriet is a people pleaser so she allows Nolan to try and fix the issue even though she is sure this is all a mistake. Nolan just wants to finish the job and move her along to the next ghost.

As the story progressed we learn more about each character. I loved to see the romance blossom but with it came parts where I felt so bad for each of them. They had parts of their lives that they had trouble acknowledging. It shows a lot when an author can make the reader feel for the fictional characters and I felt Borison did a fantastic job with this. By the end it all comes together with the warm holiday goodness you want.

If you are wanting a spicy holiday romance then I would highly recommend this! It hits all the Christmas-y vibes with candy canes, holiday pajamas and A Christmas Carol retelling.

The Lineup: Hannah

Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl

2025 is the year of the reading rut for me. I just can’t seem to read book after book like I have in previous years. Maybe I’ve become set in my ways and will only read favorite authors? Despite the reading rut, what I have read this year has been very enjoyable, including this recommendation from fellow staff member, Justin. Dungeon Crawler Carl is a hilarious science fiction, dystopian romp with an unlikely hero and his talking cat, Princess Donut. Upside…it’s a series. Downside…it’s popular, so I’m still stuck on the hold list for book two.

Music: Taylor Swift

It took me a while to admit it out loud, but I am a Swiftie. I’ve listened to her music since her country days and early pop transition, but she lost my interest with Reputation. I got back into her music during the pandemic when she released sister albums Folklore and Evermore in 2020. Her latest album Life of a Showgirl is a return to her pop roots, and I honestly cannot stop listening to it…especially Opalite.

Activity: Training Kyle Boofs

I am 100% a crazy dog lady. We have two aging chihuahua mixes, Willie and Merry, and recently added a new boy to our pack. King Kyle Boofs is my new best friend. He’s a 2.5 year old mini bernedoodle and is 46 pounds of love. He has a sweet, cool-cucumber personality. Last month, I embarked on the first steps toward training and certifying Kyle as a therapy dog.

Series: The Morning Show

If you log into my Apple TV, you will probably see Ted Lasso pop up first. I am known to watch random episodes of Ted Lasso when I need a pick-me-up. However, right behind that will be The Morning Show. Situational dramas about news stations will always be one of my favorite genres. My husband and I binged the entire The Newsroom series last winter. The Morning Show has the same energy as The Newsroom, but with two powerhouse actresses in Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Season four is out right now. I binged the first six episodes during the rainy weekend in October, and then I was sad to discover I had to wait for the next four episodes since they are released one a week like traditional TV. We are so spoiled by streaming with the ability to binge full seasons at once.

Hobby: Genealogy

Researching local and family history is easily my favorite hobby of all time. I’ve spent hours upon hours constructing my family tree and crediting sources. I feel like a detective connecting all the dots between my relatives and finding interesting stories and family dynamics on all branches of my family tree. Doing my own genealogy research has a fun benefit in that it usually tends to help with local Derby and Rose Hill history, since several members of my paternal side were founding members of both communities. Of course, I would be lying if uncovering a family secret or a skeleton in an ancestor’s closet isn’t one of my favorite activities.