Author: Ashley Pohlenz

I am the Interlibrary Loan & Cataloging Coordinator at Derby Public Library. I am in charge of library items, creating the library newsletter and writing book reviews for our blog and newsletter. Being able to work around books is a dream! I read anything but my favorite genres are historical fiction and YA. Give me anything set in Tudor England or teenage fantasy novel and I am set.

The Lineup: Justin

The Lineup

DPL staff tells us about five things they’ve been reading, watching, listening to, and doing

Justin’s Lineup

1. Movies: The Sixth Sense, directed by M. Night Shyamalan

The first time I watched this movie was in 1999. I was 19. Cool movie I thought, that twist was crazy! That’s about as far as my young mind allowed me to dive into the movie but 22 years later I decided to re-watch it. It is easy to make this film about the twist but taking that out of the equation, the Sixth Sense is such a beautiful and well-made ghost story. The acting, especially from a young Haley Joel Osment is great and this is some of Shyamalan’s best writing. One might even say this movie is masterpiece of film-making. Now how about a follow-up with an older Cole Sear please.

· Available through check-out with the Derby Public Library.

2. Videogames: Chrono Trigger by Square Enix

Chrono Trigger is coming up on 26 years of age this August. I first played it when I was 15 and was sucked into the amazing story-telling and beautiful art work of this game. I’ve been replaying it the last 3 weeks and I can say it is just as amazing of a game as it was back then. CT is a JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) first released for the Super Nintendo in 1995 and has always played second fiddle to the Final Fantasy Series. I would argue it is a much superior game but opinions are just opinions.

· Available to you via Steam for your computer at the link below if you don’t want to pay an obscene amount of money on Ebay. https://store.steampowered.com/app/613830/CHRONO_TRIGGER/

3. Music: Benee

I’m getting older and I’m starting to slip into that phase where I ignore all the new music coming out and stick with what I grew up with. But I try to keep myself open and I recently discovered an artist by the name of Benee. She is a songwriter from New Zealand and I first saw her on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon singing her hit song “Supalonely”. It is a catchy pop song that drilled its way into my head and I’m not even sorry. Also check out another one of her songs, “Find an Island”.

· See the music video for Supalonely here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb6Scz-5YOs

4. Article: Fossilized Footprints Found in New Mexico Track Traveler with Toddler in Tow by Livia Gershon

I really love reading about ancient history and the lives of people back then. Especially ancient humans before recorded history. This article is about fossilized footprints of a small woman or adolescent boy traveling quickly across a landscape with a child. Trying to imagine what it was like and the hardships being faced is fascinating to me. The article is a great read and really gets you thinking about how humans lived so long ago.

· Available here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/11000-year-old-new-mexico-footprints-track-adult-and-toddlers-trip-180976057/

5. Hobbies: Scanning found slides

I enjoy finding old slides in estate sales, auctions, flea markets, etc. and scanning them into a digital format. It is like taking a peek into the world of someone else’s life history and recording it before it’s tossed out and lost. I recently won an auction with quite a few slides of one family’s trip south of the border in the 1960s. Here are a few of those pictures.

Grace’s Book Review: Yorick and Bones

Yorick and Bones by Jeremy Tankard and Hermione Tankard

First Line: “Grumble, grumble. So tired.” Spoken by a man, pushing a hotdog cart. 

Summary: This graphic novel tells the classic story of a skeleton and his dog. Accidentally awakened by a witch’s potion, our hero, Yorick, finds a world that is a little different than the one he knew four hundred years ago. The main difference being that people run from him in fear. One individual will stick by his side, though—a dog he affectionately calls Bones.  

My Thoughts: This book has it all—Shakespeare references, dogs, jokes about death, a skeleton going through an existential crisis—truly, what more can you want from a book? 

Despite the fact that this book is written to an 8–12-year-old audience, the humor is extremely enjoyable no matter how old you are. I read it and am in my twenties and loved it, and I recommended it to multiple friends who also enjoyed it (forsooth, I cannot begin to shut up about it, a mere inquiry of my coworkers would show you that). Of course, it is a very quick read if you are above the intended audience, but it’s hilarious.  

If you think a book written in slight Elizabethan English sounds fun, if you know (or are) a kid who likes dog books, if you are looking for something different, or if you just want an easy feel-good read, Yorick and Bones is the one for you! 

What’s Ashley Reading?: For the Wolf

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten

First line: Two nights before she was sent to the Wolf, Red wore a dress the color of blood.

Summary: The Second Daughter of the kingdom of Valleyda is destined for the Wolf. It has been a century since a sacrifice has been made but now it is Red’s destiny to enter the Wilderwood. She has known her whole life what would happen on her twentieth birthday but nothing prepared her for what happened once she entered the forest.

Her sister, Neve, is determined to find her sister and rescue her from the Wilderwood and the Wolf. She befriends a priestess who says she knows a way to make it happen. Will they be able to save Red from the dark woods?

My Thoughts: I was really excited about this book. I remember hearing about it months ago and thinking it was the perfect book for me. I really enjoyed the first few chapters and thought that I would love the rest of the book. But as the story progressed I became bored with the whole plot line and the characters. And then I saw it was going to be a series which made me less invested in reading it. The one thing I really liked about Uprooted, which this was compared to, is the fact that it is a stand-alone novel.

FYI: First in a new series. Debut novel.

Justin Recommends: The Fisherman

The Fisherman by John Langan

First Line:   Don’t call me Abraham:  call me Abe.


Summary:   The Fisherman is a mythical horror novel about a man named Abe, who after the loss of his wife, takes up fishing to fill that empty hole.  He soon discovers the horror and legend of a creek that leads him into a world of long buried secrets and a mysterious figure known as Der Fisher: The Fisherman.


My Thoughts:   I’ve been on a quest lately to fulfill a need for a quiet horror book if you will.  Quiet meaning, not in your face gore for gores sake, more of a mental throttling.  A book that is unsettling and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.  The kind of book that you read alone in a house and every little noise startles you.  The Fisherman is the 3rd book I’ve read hoping it would fit into the category.  

I’m not entirely sure it fulfills that need but it comes close.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book telling the story of Abe losing his wife and his journey to recollect himself through fishing.  It is very quiet and melancholy as it guides you along on his journey into discovering his passion for fishing and later attempting to help a coworker struggle through a similar situation.  Abe’s character is fully drawn and very relatable.  I was onboard with his journey from the very beginning and to be honest.  It was really making me want to take up fishing!

In the middle of the book we begin to learn about the myth of Der Fisher and how it draws Abe into a world you might even call “Lovecraftian”.  Eventually we get drawn completely into the nightmare and while I certainly enjoyed it, I found it a bit weaker than the first half of the book. The world John Langan was creating went just a little off the rails for me.  I won’t go into details but the old adage “less is more” could have been a little more front and center.  Don’t let that deter you though, it was still a really great read and I was very satisfied.  But I’m still looking for that book that just grabs your brain with both hands and wrecks you.  I want it.  I’ll let you know when I find it.


FYI:  Very graphic depictions of fishing.  Oh, and scary things that hide in the shadows.

*This item is available as an audio book on Hoopla or through Interlibrary Loan.*

What’s Ashley Reading?: Survive the Night

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

First line: Fade in.

Summary: Two months earlier, Charlie’s best friend, Maddy was murdered by the Campus Killer. But what makes things even worse is that Charlie could have done something to stop it from happening. She blames herself. And the only way she feels that she can move on from this tragedy is to leave school and go home to try and heal.

At the university ride board she meets a young man who offers to drive her home since it is on his way. Charlie is so desperate to leave Olyphant that she accepts. But as soon as she gets into his car she starts to wonder if she has made a terrible choice. Little things start to happen which makes Charlie wonder if Josh is not what he seems. Will she survive the long night time drive?

My Thoughts: I had so much fun reading this book! I kept having to tell myself to relax. I was caught up in the tension and fear. It immediately sucked me in. And Charlie is a very unreliable narrator since she has a disorder that takes her out of reality if things become too much for her. As I read I never knew what to believe and what is one of the movies in her head.

Riley Sager’s books always have the feel of an eighties horror movie. That may be one of the reasons I love them so much. They can be cheesy at times but that is how I want an eighties movie to be. There was lots of twists and turns. I did not expect the ending at all. Some things seemed a little obvious but I was very shocked by big reveal. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a fast and fun thriller for the summer. It hits the spot perfectly.

FYI: Violence, murder, and some language.

The Lineup: Terese

DPL staff tells us about five things they’ve been reading, watching, listening to, and doing.

Terese’s Lineup

1. Books: What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro

I’m one of those people who want to hear every detail of what you’ve eaten today. Please don’t breeze right past telling me you went to a restaurant without sharing what you ordered. I rescued my aunt’s old recipe box from the trash. Why did she have six different notecards for the relatively simple dish of guacamole? I want to know! The recipes she’d saved reflect the fads of the time and also her personal tastes, much as reading about what the women in this book ate and cooked tells us something about the times they lived in and who they were as people. The voyeur in me loves reading memoirs and journals to begin with (I want all the mundane details) but throw in a focus on food and I’m sold. · Available in our catalog: https://kanshare.bywatersolutions.com

2. TV: Borgen

If you liked West Wing, give this Danish political drama a try. It’s less talky but has a nice balance of politics and personal. It revolves around Denmark’s first female prime minister, but it’s her mysterious and complicated “spin doctor” Kasper and his ex-girlfriend journalist Katrine whose stories are the most compelling. I also just enjoy listening to the rhythms of another language for a change.

· Available on Netflix

3. Podcasts: Exit Scam by Treats Media

I sometimes have a hard time listening to podcasts and audiobooks in the car, as my mind tends to drift. But this real-life mystery surrounding the death of Gerald Cotten, founder of a large Canadian bitcoin exchange, easily holds my attention. This, despite having little to no interest in cryptocurrency so you know it’s a good story. · Available here: https://www.exitscam.show/

4. Movies: Talk to Me

I just happened upon this one the other day. I’m a big Don Cheadle fan and he’s fantastic in this moving biopic about the ex-con turned radio DJ, television entertainer, and political activist Petey Greene. Laughs and Tears in this one! · Available for rent on Amazon or requested through interlibrary loan

5. Articles: A Suspense Novelist’s Trail of Deceptions by Ian Parker

This New Yorker article came out in 2019, but I recently gave it another read after seeing that the film adaptation of Dan Mallory’s book (published under the pseudonym A.J. Finn) The Woman in the Window was released on Netflix. It’s fascinating to me how some people manage to hang on to their success despite such blatant lies. I’ve even read that Jake Gyllenhaal will play a version of Mallory (and literary scammers more generally) in an upcoming TV show I’ll be sure not to miss. · Available here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/02/11/a-suspense-novelists-trail-of-deceptions

Terese’s Thoughts: Between Two Kingdoms

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad

First Line: It began with an itch.

Summary: When we first meet Suleika, she is finishing her final year of college. An aspiring international correspondent, Suleika is exceptionally talented, speaking several languages and having previously earned a scholarship to Juilliard for the double bass. Her future is bright and she’s looking forward to the adventure of figuring out who she will be and what she will contribute to the world. Although suffering from a maddening itch and debilitating exhaustion, Suleika chalks it up to hard work and hard partying. Before graduating, Suleika lines up a job in Paris, and falls in love. It isn’t long before her boyfriend follows her to Paris and they begin a life together.

But Suleika’s exhaustion only intensifies and she finds herself in the hospital again and again, with doctors assuming her frequent illness is the result of a young person’s lifestyle. Finally, a nurse urges Suleika to go home to her family and get the medical care she needs. The following morning Suleika flies to New York, at this point so run down she’s escorted by wheelchair.

Suleika is diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia, discovers she will need a bone marrow transplant, and is given a 35% chance of survival. The next chapters are devoted to her journey through cancer—the setbacks, the pain, and the changing relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend. She suffers many losses, but also finds a creative outlet and is uplifted by the words of strangers who relate to her story.

The book concludes with Suleika struggling to return to normalcy post-sickness. She realizes she no longer knows who she is or what she wants her life to look like. Suleika decides to embark on a 100-day journey of self-discovery and adventure across the U.S., visiting some of the people who wrote to her while she was sick.

My thoughts: This is an emotional read. Suleika’s story is as much about love as it is about sickness. Her words served as a wakeup call, reminding me that we only have one shot at this–better to make it a life of my choosing rather than to settle. In my view, living is a continuous cycle of taking this whole beautiful mess of a world and the people in it for granted and then remembering how precious it all is. This book made me feel the latter in spades.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Dream Girl

Dream Girl by Laura Lippman

First line: Gerry dreams.

Summary: After an accident that leaves author Gerry Anderson immobilized strange things begin to happen. He keeps getting calls from his fictional character, Audrey, from his bestselling book Dream Girl. Even though he knows he is talking to someone neither his nurse nor his personal assistant have heard the phone ring or heard the mysterious woman on the other end. Then one night he wakes up from his drug addled sleep to find a body on the floor by his bed. What is happening? Is he starting to lose touch with reality like his mother?

My Thoughts: I felt like this book had a lot of promise. Lippman has written some really great thrillers but this one was boring. It took nearly half the book to reach the point where the body appears. There is lots of time hops and characters. Everything seemed to drag on and on. I kept waiting for some crazy reveal or big shock but when something finally happened at the end I was underwhelmed. It was a big letdown for me. And none of the characters were likeable. I got really annoyed with the main character, Gerry. He was constantly trying to worry about how he is perceived in the new “woke” society and #MeToo movement. It got old.

FYI: Check out Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman. Much more fun.

Linda’s Favorite Books: Sold on a Monday

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, SOLD ON A MONDAY is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home. (www.amazon.com)

This book was an emotional read with its ups and downs of what happened in the Great Depression especially to children. The historical events are sad but true and I have recommended this novel to several others to read.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Magazines on Libby

Magazines on Libby!

Recently I have been working my way through the collection of history magazines on the library’s Libby app. The three I mostly read are History Revealed, All About History and BBC History. Each one has a wide variety of topics, beautiful colored pictures and interesting articles from historians plus book recommendations! There is a backlog of several years of each of these magazines plus special editions.

But there is so much more on Libby if you are not interested in history. We have magazines that cover all ranges of topics. Recently, as I am trying to plan a trip, I found travel magazines (Britain and Discover Britain) with interesting insights into sights, hotels and tips for travelers.

And for all the Star Wars fans we have a wide collection of magazines covering the original trilogy to the newer additions. Or maybe some crafting inspiration? We have those magazines too. Check out Libby on your phone, tablet or computer to see everything available to you free from your Derby Public Library.