Upcoming Events – Page 12 – Derby Public Library's Blog

SelectReads: A Reader’s Advisory

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what to read next. As librarians we are asked all the time which books we would recommend or if we have a reader’s advisory tool. We have recently added a new reference resource called SelectReads. You can find it by visiting our website, www.derbylibrary.com, and selecting Databases and clicking on SelectReads.

SelectReads is an affiliated website that offers book recommendations, email newsletters and links to our catalog. There are tabs on the top of the page that are helpful tools to easily navigate and find items.

By signing up for monthly newsletters you will receive a variety of titles from different genres or formats. These are randomly generated using items from our collection.

If you want to see what your local librarians like to read or books that they recommend check out their Book Lists. We are always adding our new favorite titles. What is Dawn reading? Does Cecile have any new recommendations? Take a look!

Did you enjoy the latest Bram Stoker Award winner? If so you can find a list of the other winners that our library owns. Many of the prestigious book awards are listed along with the titles that are in our collection. Even book awards such as Library Reads which is a monthly award that is voted on and selected by librarians around the country.

Under the “My SelectReads” tab, you can choose your favorite genres (the search function is a little quirky, so try general searches to get more specific options, weird, but it works) and get a weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox featuring titles you might be interested in.

Or if you are just interested in seeing what is new to our catalog check out the New Titles tab. You can see a random list of new books or you can view them all! We are constantly adding new items to our library so make sure you check back often to see what is here. Or, if you prefer, you can sign up right on that page to receive new book alerts once a month.

But if you are like me you have favorite authors who you always read and are dying to read the next book as soon as it is released. One of my favorite tools is getting notifications about new releases for certain authors. By tracking an author you can see their latest books and get suggestions of other authors that are similar.

There is so much that this site can do that it is hard to cover everything. We are in the stages of updating and tweaking the ebook section of the site to get it to link to the Sunflower eLibrary. Please take a look and sign up for a few newsletters. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Book Review: A Crown of Wishes

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

First Line: Vikram had spent enough time with bitterness that he knew how to twist and numb the feeling.

Summary: Gauri is a princess of Bharata. Vikram is the prince of Ujijain. Gauri is a prisoner of Ujijain and therefore a prisoner of Vikram. She has been banished from her kingdom and her throne by her evil brother. When Vikram enters her cell and proposes to free her in if she will travel with him to the Otherworld to enter the Tournament of Wishes she agrees in hopes of escaping and returning to her homeland. As they travel they encounter magical creatures and trials that will test them as they compete for a wish from the gods.

Highlights: The writing and imagery is beautiful. The detail is so colorful and enchanting. I love the cover.

Lowlights: With all the detail and characters it was easy to get lost. At times the story seemed to be shifting and didn’t seem to have a main climax. I expected more from the tournament. It was still fun but not nearly as good as the first book.

FYI: This is the second book in a series but I feel that it can be read as a standalone as well. People are mentioned and seen from the first but they do not alter it without knowing the previous book.

Book Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

I don’t know about you but I am beyond excited for the new season of Game of Thrones (and the last 2 books)! I have re-watched the show multiple times and read all the books plus some of the novellas but one I hadn’t picked up till recently was A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. I was looking for a good audio book to listen to and I saw this as a way to fill the void. 😉

As I was listening I started to recognize the voice as one of the characters from season 1, Viserys Targaryen. The actor Harry Lloyd who portrayed him is the narrator and did a great job of bringing the story to life.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin

First Line: The spring rains had softened the ground, so Dunk had no trouble digging the grave.

Summary: The story takes place 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones. We meet Dunk, a new hedge knight and recent squire to Ser Arlan of Pennytree. His master has died and left him with his horse, armor and sword. Dunk decides that as a new knight and one in need of money needs to enter a local tournament in order to earn some coin and prestige. He was always told that he was good with a sword and at 7 feet tall he was an impressive figure. When he stumbles upon a stable boy named Egg, this unlikely pair travel across Westeros getting into trouble and creating tales of their own.

Highlights: It’s George R. R. Martin so therefore it is very detailed with lots of characters. There are 3 short stories but they all connect bringing it full circle in the end. There are little surprises and lots of history of the Seven Kingdoms during the time of the Targaryens. The illustrations throughout the book are fun to look at and give more life to the story. This is a fun little side story that is perfect for the readers that are waiting for season 7.

Lowlights: The names. There are so many characters with names that are so similar that it is hard to keep track of who is who (especially when listening to the audio). But the imagination that goes into these names is spectacular.

FYI: Violence but that is par for the course with life in the Seven Kingdoms.

Ingrid Bergman

Have you ever read a book about a historical figure and then had to jump on Wikipedia to learn more about the person? I have. All the time. My most recent historical obsession is Ingrid Bergman.

I have been reading the newest book by Kate Alcott, The Hollywood Daughter, which is about a young girl who lives in L.A. and idolizes Ingrid. She meets the famous actress and follows her career through its ups and downs.

The movie, Anastasia, with Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brynner was my first introduction to this iconic actress. She was beautiful and talented. As I am reading the main character talks about the movies that Ingrid has starred in and I immediately started adding them to my library hold list.

This week I have delved into The Bells of St. Mary’s and Notorious. Both were great but I was particularly taken with the chemistry between Bing Crosby and Ingrid in the Bells of St. Mary’s. I searched IMDb.com for trivia on the movie Notorious and found that Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock became lifelong friends with Ingrid after filming ended.

I still have For Whom the Bell Tolls and Murder on the Orient Express to watch and I am greatly looking forward to them. This enchanting Swedish actress that took America by storm in the 1940s has put me under her spell.

Check back soon for my review of The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott.

April Fool’s Day

Around here April Fool’s Day is a day to look forward to. Two of our staff members wait for this day like it was Christmas. There are always shenanigans to be had and laughs all around. This year did not disappoint.

Mr. T always makes an appearance. Fun “facts” are scattered around the staff areas. “Notices” are posted for staff information.

Visit our Facebook page to see more pictures from April Fool’s Day 2017!

Thanks Justin and Megan for another wonderful April 1st.

Book Clubs at the library

Did you know that we have three book clubs at the library? Each of the book clubs has its own focus, and each one works just a little differently from the others. However, all adults are welcome at every book club. Here’s a little information about each book club, including when they meet.

Joyful Page Turners

This was the first book club at the library, and started almost 17 years ago.

It was originally planned to be a 4-month summer program, meeting in May, June, July and August of 2000. The members of the club enjoyed it so much that they decided to continue and are still meeting today. The club doesn’t limit itself to any specific genre of literature, having read non-fiction, children’s literature and more along with its more usual fare of general adult fiction. Linda Voth manages this book club.

Joyful Page Turners meets at 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month, except in November, when it meets on the third Thursday. The club does take June, July and December off. The members of the book club take turns leading the discussions, and the member who is leading that month also chooses the book that will be read and discussed. They try to have the year’s titles chosen by February or March.

Bemused Bibliophiles

Bemused Bibliophiles is the one book club that meets during the day at the library. Dawn Best, adult programming coordinator, leads this book group. Reading choices for this group tend to literary fiction, especially the hot and popular titles that generate a lot of buzz in the literary community.

Bemused Bibliophiles meets at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month. Titles for this book club are chosen 4 months at a time, and discussions are lead by Dawn.

Hauntingly Good Reads
Hauntingly Good Reads is for anyone who likes a touch of the paranormal, supernatural or just a little twist of the unusual in their reading. You may run across zombies, or witches, or vampires in the books for this book club, or there may just be hints that something is not quite what you might expect it to be.

“Stoker’s Manuscript” by Royce Prouty was enjoyed by the members of Hauntingly Good Reads.

Hauntingly Good Reads meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. This book club is the most loosely structured of the book clubs with the selections coming from suggestions of the members of the club, and discussions are lively and organic.

If you are interested in attending any of the book clubs at the library, you can learn what books they’re reading in several ways: check the online events calendar at our website, pick up the monthly brochure for adult programming, or follow our events on Facebook. You can also ask at the front desk. We hope to see you soon!

Shifting Party!

What happens after hours at the library? Shifting parties of course!

Several of our staff worked after hours on two Saturdays to move the entire adult fiction section. There were 124 new shelves added to this area of the library and the books needed to be spread out. The project took 8 hours with 6 staff members, food and LOTS of 80s music! We felt like we were living in the Breakfast Club.

We all had a great time but were exhausted afterwards. Take a look at more photos and a video on our Facebook page from our shifting party!

For the love of Victoria!

I don’t know about you, but I’m obsessed with the PBS series “Victoria”!
I’m experiencing some SERIOUS withdrawal after the season finale! So, I’m really looking forward to the presentation, “Dressing for Success, Victorian Style” on March, 18 at 11:00 a.m. with Kansas Humanities Speaker, Sara Jane Richter. Hopefully this will help get me through what is sure to be a rough time until another one of my other favorite PBS shows comes along.

Here is a little bit about the presentation:

“Dressing for Success, Victorian Style”

Victorian women in the United States and Britain took upward of
4 hours to dress themselves per day, and they usually had a maid to help them dress. Layer upon layer of prim and proper clothing was worn, from bare necessities to gloves, hair pins, umbrellas, shoes, and brooches. There were outfits to be worn in the morning after rising, at mid-morning, at early afternoon, and in the evening. This presentation explores why these women endured such restrictive and sometimes deadly clothing, as well as the elements, purpose, and the proper way to put it all on.

Presented by Sara Jane Richter.
Sara teaches English and is Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell.

Interview with Local Teen Author

Kristen Bradshaw wears a lot of superhero shirts. Though in the two years I’ve known her, I’ve seen her don the occasional skirt with leggings or laced blouse, Ms. Bradshaw’s uniform of choice is usually a Deadpool or Captain America shirt to pair with her streaks of electric blue hair. The attire is fitting for a superhero such as herself who wields a power so strong that it has built monuments and changed history. Kristen Bradshaw is a writer.

Kristen has been writing consistently for four years, but was born a reader. The nineteen year old devours stories, soaking up their richness and seeking out new works to consume. Upon a suggestion from her older brother, Kristen tried telling a story of her own. It was a decision that led to a life-changing addiction. She now presents the self-publication of her first novel, The Guardians of the Cross, bound by The Book Patch. I took some time to talk with this young author about her writing process, the themes of the book, and her upcoming meet and greet at the library.

Where did you get the idea for The Guardians of the Cross?

My high school graduation was superhero themed, and I was interested in telling a story about a group of kids who discovered these special powers. I wanted to tell a story with a lot of characters and a lot of action.

What was it like writing this novel? You are a self-taught writer, correct?

Yeah, I’ve never had any training or anything. I just started. It was rocky at first, but after working at it for a while, it got a lot easier. It still took about two and half years to finish the book.

What is your writing process like? Do you write every day or only when inspiration strikes? Do you have a certain ritual when writing?

I try to write every day, usually in afternoon. I like to work on a computer and have music playing. It’s usually Disney songs or some other random music that I’m into at the time. My sister, Carolynn, sometimes hovers over my shoulder trying to read what I’m working on.

Is that okay with you or do you prefer to keep your work private until it’s finished?

It’s a bit of both. If I’m stuck on something, I’ll have her [sister, Carolynn] read it and help me out, but most of the time I like to get it all done first. I usually have my Dad read through it after I’m done to give me feedback, and my sisters have helped me with how the characters sound and talk.

Were there any books or stories that inspired The Guardians of the Cross?

I love the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and borrowed a few names from his books. I love the action sequences and the relationships between the characters. One of my author role models is Christopher Paolini. He wrote the Inheritance Trilogy when he was young, and I relate a lot to his reasons for writing and his style.

Which characters do you relate to the most? Are any of your characters inspired by people in your life?

I relate a lot to Jinx because he’s so crazy and fun. I also relate to Brad and Phoebe. It was really fun to write Brad and Echo’s characters because they kind of took on a life of their own. They blossomed into the characters that they are and I was just kind of pulled along. Ella Grace is based off of my sister, Carolynn, and Jason is a bit of my brother, Jamey.

The Guardians of the Cross tends to blend between the Young Adult, Christian Fiction, and Science Fiction genres. Was that intentional?

I relate to young adult fiction since I’m still in that age group, and I love stories with a supernatural or magical twist. I want to write stories that show that being a Christian isn’t boring and reading the Bible isn’t boring. I wanted to write a story with Christian ideas that was interesting and exciting.

What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up the sequel to The Guardians of the Cross. It will be a trilogy so I’ll start the third book next. I also have eight other ideas that I’ve been playing around with so who knows what I’ll write after that!

Your meet and greet at the library is coming up. Is there anything you would like your readers to know?

Thank you so much for reading my book, and I hope you like it!

To find out more about The Guardians of the Cross, take a look at its Goodreads profile and add it to your to-read list!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34372562-guardians-of-the-cross

Community members can meet Kristen Bradshaw at her Author Meet-Up on Saturday, March 18 at 10AM in the library. Her novel, The Guardians of the Cross, is available for check out in our library collection.

Patient Zero

As with the rest of the Wichita area our staff has been hit with the sickness bug. Several staff are home with colds so we decided to quarantine Patient Zero.

Our local staff penguin has been a valued member for many years. He is a way for our staff to have a few laughs as well as let our creative sides come alive. Check out our past Penguin War album on Facebook.

Let the Penguin Wars commence!