Category: Reading

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Blonde Identity

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

First line: Here’s the thing about waking up with no memory in the middle of the night, in the middle of the street, in the middle of Paris: at least you’re waking up in Paris.

Summary: Waking up in the middle of Paris with a splitting headache and no memory of how she got there or who she even is, a young woman is being told to run because people are trying to kill her. As she and the handsome stranger race across Europe to escape the assassins they realize that she is the identical sister of the spy who is the actual target. In hopes of discovering why she is being chased and finding her sister the two pose as newlyweds. But as they learn more about the reason she is being hunted, the woman cannot decide who to trust, the man who rescued her or the sister she cannot remember.

My Thoughts: Having recently read Ally Carter’s newest book, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, and really enjoying it I decided to try another of her adult rom-com mysteries. This one I listened to rather than read which I feel like sometimes affects my reception to a story. I did enjoy this and plan to read book two this fall but it didn’t hit with me as much as the other one.

This is a fast paced romantic spy comedy. When I started I got The Spy Who Dumped Me vibes. I liked the banter between the characters but I struggled a little with the instalove. It all happened really quickly. But this could be because the plot had to move fast. It was a quick spy novel where they are running for their lives. There are several twists which may be a little predictable but all in all it was a fun read and kept my attention throughout. I hope to see the characters developed more in upcoming stories.

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

Last :: “Fourth Wing” – Rebecca Yarros 

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Fantasy, Romance, New Adult 

I’ve said it before on this blog, I don’t typically read fantasy let alone seek one out. I finally did it though! I read the ever talked about and loved “Fourth Wing” and I have to say, the hype is 100% real! I read this 500+ book within a few days because I literally could not stop thinking about it. Dragons, magic, found family and a romance, all in one book! I have to say, my favorite part is how the dragons are written as characters themselves, each of them is quite distinct. I felt a lot of “Divergent” vibes throughout this book, which happens to be one of my favorite books! I think “Fourth Wing” goes on the “Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time” list. 

Current:: “All the Water in the World” – Eiren Caffal 

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fiction, Thriller 

When the glaciers melt, the water rises, the world isn’t the same as it was – Nonie and her family escape from the museum they were living in when the floods first began. Currently, I’m about halfway through with this read. I like the way the author has written shorter chapters but bounces between telling the past and the current points of view without it being a sharp back and forth. Caffal writes in such a way that the action of the story pulls me in, and it feels like I’m right there beside the characters on the water.  Already, at the halfway point, I have thought a lot about survival skills versus the need and responsibility to preserve history – it has been a great conversation point with my husband.

Next :: “Out of the Woods” – Hannah Bonam-Young 

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction 

My first experience with Hannah Bonam-Young was reading “Out on a Limb” last year. I enjoyed the author’s writing great realistic characters with honest flaws that I’ve been waiting for “Out of the Woods” to be released. Sarah and Caleb are high school sweethearts, Sarah begins to wonder what life would be like without Caleb as her other half. I’m interested in reading this because I haven’t read a high school sweetheart romance like this, it’s usually the “once upon a time, broke up and now finding each other again” high school sweetheart story line.

What have you been reading? What are you looking forward to reading next?

The Lineup: Jessie

The lineup of what the DPL staff have been up to lately.

Jessie’s Lineup

TV Show: Young Sheldon 

Last year I watched all twelve seasons of ‘The Big Bang Theory’. I normally don’t like shows or movies that pre-date the original, but I gave ‘Young Sheldon’ a chance and it became my favorite. I recently rewatched it with my husband so we could watch the final season together. My favorite character to see grow throughout the series is Missy – she constantly had me laughing. 

Availabe to check out here or it is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hobby: Fishing 

Some of my earliest and greatest childhood memories are fishing trips I took with my dad and uncle. Summer 2023 I started fishing again after a decade hiatus. I have been looking forward to filling my spring and summer with fishing trips with my husband and our friends to Kansas State Parks and maybe a few in bordering states. While I grew up primarily fishing for catfish, I have found that I enjoy bass fishing more. While it’s more about having fun and getting outdoors, my husband and I have made fishing into a small (read: maybe not small, because it’s all we’ll talk about when we’re in the height of our fishing season) competition on who will catch the most by the end of the summer. 

Books: Wilderness Ridge Series 

I found on Libby, by accident, the Wilderness Ridge series. There are six standalone books in the series written by two different authors. I first read “Pheasant Hunting Firsts” because my first hunting experiences with my uncles were during pheasant season. What I really enjoy most about these middle grade books are the representations of female outdoorsmen. Other than seeing a few women in my family fishing while growing up, I hadn’t seen other women outside of social media who hunted and fished. I think that having this representation in middle grade books is invaluable, because the outdoors is for everyone! 

You can check out Pheasant Hunting Firsts here on Libby!

Restaurant: Old Chicago 

For some reason Old Chicago has become my comfort food spot if we’re treating ourselves and going out to lunch or dinner. I love the atmosphere and the games you can watch from your table, especially if it’s a Texas A&M University game! If we’re at Old Chicago, we have to have appetizers – our go to is the Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls. Pepperoni and melty mozzarella, YUM. I’ve tried several items on the menu at Old Chicago, but my all-time favorite item is thin crust pizza called The Farmer’s Daughter. Fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, pesto sauce and topped with fresh arugula & a balsamic drizzle. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! 

Music: Cody Johnson – Leather Deluxe Edition 

There’s nothing more that I love than live music. I’ve seen Cody Johnson in concert three times and each time it’s better than the last. When “Leather” was released in November 2023 it quickly became my favorite album to put on repeat. Typically, I don’t like extended or deluxe editions of music albums because there’s only a few additional songs added. The deluxe edition of “Leather” came with an additional thirteen tracks added – doubled the original track list! 

You can check out Leather here or on Hoopla!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Resurrectionist

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap

First line: To hear my mother tell the story, my decision to abandon my studies at Oxford was enough to disgrace my father into an early grave.

Summary: James Willoughby has left his studies and life at Oxford for the chance at the new learning happening at Edinburgh University. In his hopes of becoming a surgeon he has enrolled in one of the private anatomy schools but it comes with a high price tag. Being short on funds he seeks employment with the school but the work is not exactly what he was expecting. In order to gain the specimens for the school, a group calling themselves Resurrectionists, are in charge of stealing fresh bodies from the cemeteries of Edinburgh. While not legal, the actions are necessary to the students seeking the knowledge of the human body and learn their trade.

However, there seems to be a new crew that has started to take over the body snatching market. This new crew seems to be able to procure the freshest of specimens and will not tolerate any competition. As James and his fellow Resurrectionists try to discover how they are pulling off these snatches they learn that this crew will even murder to keep their advantage. But they must do it before they are the next targets of the nefarious Burke and Hare!

My Thoughts: Until a few years ago I had never heard of Burke and Hare. These notorious “body snatchers” from the dark streets of Edinburgh were a big deal during their time. When I saw this book come across my desk I knew I had to read it.

I did really enjoy the story and the characters but I struggled with how loosely based on the facts the author was. So if you are someone familiar with the history then I recommend going in to this without too much expectation of historical accuracy. But the plot was interesting and exciting!

I thought the author did a great job bringing this dark underside of medical history to life. She explains the ways that families tried to stop body snatching from happening including metal collars, mort safes, tokens in the soil and watchmen but it did little good for many. It seems rather shocking that this happened but the laws around cadavers was very strict and the medical world was desperate. It definitely gives the reader something to think about in morality as well as innovation.

The atmosphere of the book is written well. It felt cold, dark and gothic. Just like the city itself. Having visited Edinburgh in April 2022, I was familiar with several of the locations mentioned in the story. As I read I could remember the cold, rainy days we walked up the cobbled streets and through the Closes all over Edinburgh’s Old Town. However, my favorite recollection while reading was our time spent wandering around Greyfriar’s Kirkyard. It is probably the best known cemetery in Edinburgh filled with old gravestones, mort safes and inspiration for several of J.K. Rowling’s characters. This place possesses a distinctly gothic atmosphere.

FYI: If you are looking for more information on Burke and Hare, I’d highly recommend the podcast episode, Burke & Hare: Scotland’s Most Notorious Serial Killers, done by After Dark on the History Hit channel.

Greyfriars Kirk
Thomas Riddell grave
Greyfriars Kirkyard

What’s Ashley Reading?: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

First line: Sit.

Summary: In St. Augustine, Florida, there is a home for wayward girls just like “Fern”, a young girl who is sent away by her family to deal with her shame in secret. When Fern arrives at the home she meets a dozen other girls in the same position. They have all been sent away to have their babies and forget that this ever happened. Miss Wellwood and her staff control every aspect of the girls’ lives because they believe they know best. That is until the day a librarian appears giving Fern a book on witchcraft and now the girls with no power have discovered that they can wield power against those who control them. But like with all things this power comes with a price.

My Thoughts: I have come to love Grady Hendrix’s books. He writes some truly creepy stories that don’t have to be bloody. And while he does that again here he also veers into something unlike he’s written before. Dealing with the stigma of unwed teenagers in the 1970s is a heartbreaking subject but I think he did it in such a great way. He shows how demonized the girls were and the lack of consequences for the male partner in the situation. In a post Roe era this really seems to be a book for the time.

Besides the horrible treatment of these girls he brings in a paranormal aspect too. The girls get their hands on a book for witches where they see a chance to gain some power in a powerless place. It seems rather innocent until they encounter other witches. From the beginning we know that the promises they make will not end well. Hendrix writes some absolutely spine-tingling scenes of suspense as the girls deal with backing out of their promises. I loved every word of those moments.

I found the characters very easy to sympathize with. The girls all had dreams but found that the world around them is tipped against them. The women around them seem to be there to help but many do not. It is a world that unfortunately was too real at the time. I would highly recommend this but be prepared to deal with some truly heartbreaking moments. It is not your normal Grady Hendrix but it is executed beautifully and worth the read.

The Blog Wants to Know: Jan. 2025

New Year, new books or perhaps the same books if you’ve got a to-be read list as long as ours. We’ve checked in with the library staff to see what some of those books and other materials might be.

What are some books/movies/TV shows you are hoping to get to in 2025? These can be new releases or items you’ve had on your read/watch list for a while. 

Ashley, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: “For years I have owned copies of the first 2 books in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy by Hilary Mantel but never read them.  This year I am determined to read the trilogy and re-watch the first season of the show before the final season airs in March on PBS. The books include Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Mirror and the Light.

The TV series is Wolf Hall, season one was in 2015 & season two is 2025.  Season one covers books 1 & 2 while the second season is book 3. This follows the life and career of Thomas Cromwell in Henry VIII’s court.”

Maycie, Public Support Services: “Two of my favorite authors, Sarah Adler and Rachel Lynn Solomon, both have new releases coming out this year, Finders Keepers and What Happens in Amsterdam, that I can’t wait to read! I’m also really looking forward to The Love Haters by Katherine Center and Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

I’m already fully sat at the movie theaters waiting to watch the new Paddington movie!! I’m also excited for the live-action How to Train Your Dragon and the second part of Wicked. 

When it comes to TV, I’m just hoping we can finally see the end of Stranger Things and hopefully a season two of Percy Jackson.”

Kathy, Public Support Services: “I always wait for Nora Roberts to finish her trilogy to read them all so looking forward to reading her latest one this fall when the final book comes out.”

Miranda, Youth Services: “A series on Netflix I’ve been watching is The Empress. It’s a German historical drama loosely based on the life and marriage of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz of Austria in the 1850s.  A book I’ve started reading that I’ve been wanting to read for a while is The Girl in His Shadow. It’s a historical fiction about a woman who secretly assists with surgeries in 1845 London, a time when women were not allowed to practice medicine. A great read so far!”

Hannah, Assistant Director: “Season 2 of Severance! We’ve been waiting for 3 years!”

Shelia, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: I am very excited to watch the movie, “Wicked“!

Alyssa, Adult and Teen Services Coordinator: “I’m so excited for the book, Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft. It tells the story of two characters from the Disney Fairies film, Secret of the Wings. I adore these films with Tinkerbell and her friends, and Secret of the Wings is my favorite of them. Wings of Starlight features Queen Clarion of Pixie Hollow and the Lord of Winter, Milori.

I also hope to re-read The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien again this year. I read it a few years ago, and I’d like to go through it again and take some notes. And, of course, I’m continuing my absolute obsession with Elin Hilderbrand. I’m looking forward to reading The Blue Bistro and Summer of ’69 this year.

Megan, Outreach Coordinator: I’m hoping to finish Gilmore Girls in 2025 (The first time watching it!). I’m wanting to start It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I’m hoping to get caught up on the In Death series by JD Robb in 2025! I’m only 6 or 7 behind. 

Grace, Youth Services:

Books I’m excited for in 2025:

  • Onyx Storm, Empyrean #3 by Rebecca Yarros (the third book in the Fourth Wing series)
  • Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti, which I’ve already read but am excited to get a hold of my physical copy and reread. 
  • Finders Keepers (I absolutely ADORE Sarah Adler)

TV Shows:

  • Severance Season 2 comes out! I might have to actually get Apple TV+ for a bit, so I can see it. I haven’t had more fun not knowing what’s going on in a show since LOST. 
  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ on Disney+ – My husband, Eli and I have nearly finished all of the old Daredevil episodes (they aren’t very bingeable, I need a light and fluffy show or book after watching an episode). He watched Punisher without me and loved it, so we’ve both been looking forward to this!
  • ‘Percy Jackson And The Olympians’ Season 2 – This is another Eli & Me show! We had a blast watching the first season. It’s refreshing to see a book series adapted by the author. The cast is fantastic, and he’s a bigger Percy Jackson fan than me, so we can both hardly wait for season 2!

Movies:

  • Captain America: Brave New World
  • Ballerina, from the John Wick Universe
  • Death of a Unicorn, which looks terrible and hilarious and absolutely not appropriate for children
  • Fantastic Four: First Steps (Joseph Quinn AND Pedro Pascal!)
  • Love Hurts (all I needed to know was Ke Huy Quan, and I will be seated. But also, the director is the stunt coordinator for Black Panther, Fall Guy, Violent Night, Deadpool 2, Dr. Strange, and John Wick. David Leitch is on the producing team, too, and he had a hand in all of those movies. I’m a HUGE fan).
  • Superman (Mrs. Maisel is Lois Lane, take my money)
  • Wicked: For Good. I can’t tell you how badly I am YEARNING for this (while also avoiding spoilers as someone who’s never seen Wicked all the way through because she was going to see it onstage first).

Justin, Technology Coordinator:

I am looking forward to:

TV—Andor: Season Two (StarWars)

Movie—Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson)

Book—The Staircase in the Woods (Chuck Wendig)

Now it’s your turn, patrons! What books, TV shows, and movies are you looking forward to in 2025?

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

Last :: “The Society for Soulless Girls” – Laura Steven 

Format :: Audio via Libby 

Genre :: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, LGBTQ 

Fantasy is not typically a genre that I search out when I choose to read it. This dark academia meets supernatural read reminds me of “The Devil makes Three” by Tori Bovalino.  Carvell College of the Arts was once an elite school but is now known for the murders that once occurred there.  “The Society for Soulless Girls” is told in a dual point of view following Lottie and Alice as the unknown hauntings of the school library’s North Tower begins to claim students again. This read is heavy on gothic and supernatural themes, while not something I look for in my young adult reads, I did like this read. 

Current:: “Magnolia Parks” – Jessa Hastings  

Format :: E-read via Libby 

Genre :: Romance, New Adult, Fiction, Contemporary 

The first in the Magnolia Parks series, “Magnolia Parks” follows the main character Magnolia and on again, off again boyfriend BJ through the struggles of love while being the center of British socialite circles. I’m about thirty percent into this and while I can see Magnolia and BJ are incredibly toxic in their relationship and so very predictable, I can’t put the book down. From the first chapter I got “Gossip Girl” by Cecily von Ziegesar vibes, but slightly more mature main characters– heavy on the “slightly” more mature part. I can foresee myself reading the rest of this series just to see what these characters get up to. 

Next :: “Tiny Threads” – Lilliam Rivera 

Format :: Physical 

Genre :: Horror, Thriller, Fiction 

First, the cover was what drew me in. Then, the synopsis got me pulled all the way in. Just shy of 250 pages, “Tiny Threads” must pack a punch with supernatural happenings. I get the vibe that this might be a darker, full of twists and turns version of “The Devil Wears Prada” by Lauren Weisberger. It has been a while since I have read something that made me twist with anticipation to figure it out and I sense that this might be the trick and be more than a dark dive into the fashion industry. 

The Lineup: Maycie

The lineup of what the DPL staff have been up to lately.

Maycie’s Lineup

TV Show: Lost

I know…. I know. We’re only about 20 years late to the party but surprisingly, even 20 years behind everyone else we don’t know much about the enigma that is Lost. And what we have learned is that the farther you get into the show the less you actually know about it.  Will we ever know where the polar bears came from or how Locke became paralyzed?  Despite the ever-growing confusion at literally every single episode ending with a cliffhanger, we’re hooked and we’ll see it through all six insane seasons just to see if we ever get any answers!

Availabe to check out here or it is currently streaming on Netflix.

Video Game: The Spirit and the Mouse

I’m big into cozy gaming and this is one that has been on my wish list for a while.  The concept is that you play as a tiny mouse who works to bring happiness and light to the people in this small French village called Sainte-et-Claire. I’ve spent many nights now working with a spirit guardian named Lumion to gather up displaced “Kibblins” and return power to the villagers. It’s very cozy and I was super sad when I finished it. 

You can learn more about The Spirit and the Mouse here for the Nintendo Switch.

Books: Percy Jackson& the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Thanks in part to the new Percy Jackson trilogy, starting with Chalice of the Gods, and in part to the new series on Disney+ I have spent most of my 2024 revisiting the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and their crazy quests.  I worried that books that I started reading when I was 12 wouldn’t hold up to a reread as an adult but thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. Percy was/is as sassy as ever, Annabeth continues to be the coolest girl to ever exist and Grover never fails to make me laugh. There is never a dull moment in Percy’s life and I really enjoy each book in these two series. 

You check out Percy Jackson books here.

Hobby: Quilting (and other assorted elderly lady activities)

I’m actually just an 80-year-old woman at heart and lately I’ve taken up quilting.  I already have a basic knowledge of sewing and crafting things like cross stitching but I have upped my game by trying to undertake the beast that is quilt making. My go-to right now is putting on back episodes of Jeopardy and then diving into measuring and cutting and then trying to rematch seams of quilt blocks.  I’m not great at it but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it one of these days. When I’m not quilting you can find me cross stitching or knitting.

Music: Wicked: The Soundtrack

Anyone who knows me will not be shocked by this, but lately I have been dancing through life with this soundtrack on repeat. The cast of the new movie are all phenomenal singers and the new soundtrack is so wonderful! Someone somewhere at Universal has access to part two of this soundtrack (and the movie) and I need it now. 

You can check out the Wicked soundtrack here or on Hoopla.

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.