What’s Ashley Reading?: Too Old For This

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing

First line: The remains of my dinner start to congeal.

Summary: Lottie Jones has spent the last few decades in a small town trying to move on from her past. She spends her time with friends playing bingo at her church. But then one day a journalist looking into the unsolved murders from Lottie’s past shows up on her doorstep and shakes up her quiet life. Lottie soon realizes that getting away with murder was much easier when she was younger but she will do what she needs to in order to keep her secrets.

My Thoughts: Starting this book I was very excited. It immediately gave me An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good vibes. We have an elderly woman who just happens to be a serial killer and has gotten away with it for decades. Sounds intriguing, right? And it really started out that way but after a bit I felt like the story was dragging on and on. At one point it felt like we had come to the end of the story but it was only 40% or so into the book. I wondered what could continue to happen after this. But more and more problems kept piling on to Lottie. She had to use her limited knowledge of technology and play up her feebleness to get herself out of some tough spots. It became almost comical in its complexity at times. I had fun and did really enjoy the story but it felt a little long. For Downing’s fans it will be a good addition to their TBR list this fall.

FYI: Murder, dismemberment, blackmail

Resource of the Month: AtoZ Databases

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a job seeker, a student, or just curious, the library’s AtoZdatabases resource is a powerful, multi-faceted tool available right at your fingertips. With your library card, you can access a wealth of information from the library’s computer lab or from the comfort of your own home.

Need to find sales leads for your new business? AtoZdatabases has profiles on millions of businesses and executives. Searching for a job? The platform offers a real-time search engine with thousands of listings, plus resources for creating your resume and cover letter.

Planning a move? You can use AtoZdatabases to find information on homeowners and movers in your new neighborhood. Are you in charge of the annual family reunion or the next high school class reunion? Use the Find a Person tool to search for long lost relatives and classmates and create your contact list.

From business tools to finding friends and relatives, AtoZdatabases is an incredible resource that goes far beyond what a typical search engine can provide. Explore its potential today and unlock a world of information!

What’s Ashley Reading?: You Belong Here

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda

First line: I knew how easily a story could shift.

Summary: Beckett grew up practically on the campus of Wyatt College. Her parents were professors at the college and it made sense to attend for her own education. Everything went smoothly until her senior year when two locals were killed on campus and her roommate went on the run for the murder. After these events Beckett left and rarely returned because the town never forgot and didn’t forgive the fact that she may have been involved.

Twenty years later, Beckett’s daughter secretly applies and receives a full scholarship to Wyatt College. Fighting against her fears for her daughter and the secrets of her past she allows her to attend. But then one weekend she receives a mysterious call and then the disappearance of her daughter draw her back to the town and the people who still blame her for what happened so long ago.

My Thoughts: Megan Miranda has been a very solid author. I usually rate her books a 3 or 4 star. They have good storylines and twists that can be shocking but at other times they fall a little flat. This one was a 3 star read for me. It took a while to get into the plot. I loved the short chapters and peeks into the past timeline. It helped explain things that were happening in the present and why Beckett felt the way she did about the town and college.

Having attended a small town college in rural Kansas there were things I could easily relate to. I pictured Tabor College in Hillsboro as I read, which was a fun addition to my reading journey. I also grew up going there for summer camps and visiting the town where family lived or for sporting events gave it this hometown feel. Having this book come out near the start of the school year is a perfect time as kids head to college. I think many will enjoy the plot and the atmosphere of the story.

What’s Ashley Reading?: She Didn’t See It Coming

She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari Lapena

First line: Bryden Frost is running late.

Summary: Bryden Frost has the perfect life. A loving husband, a luxury condo, a beautiful daughter and supportive friends but then one day she doesn’t show up to get her daughter from daycare. When her husband Sam comes home he finds her car, her wallet and no sign of foul play. It appears that she just vanished. As the police get involved pieces of their perfect life begin to fall apart. The police are now in a race against time to find her before it is too late.

My Thoughts: Several years ago I found Shari Lapena and really enjoyed her stories. She wrote good mysteries with lots of twists and turns. They felt fresh and intriguing. With this one I started out really liking the suspense of finding Bryden. I was invested in what happened because so much seemed off about the scenario but as the story kept on I slowly lost interest as I put the story together before the big reveal. I felt it was rather anti-climactic at the end.

In relation to the characters many of the people involved were horrible. As things are revealed there are lots of secrets in their pasts. It could easily have been multiple people for many reasons. Several parts of the plot seemed to be added just to have some filler because they did not seem to be resolved by the end. It was an okay story but definitely not my favorite of Lapena’s work.

FYI: Release date is July 29, 2025.

The Blog Wants to Know – July 2025

We are knee-deep in the thick of summertime so this month’s question will hopefully cool you down! 

What are some of your favorite drinks to have during the hot, summer months? What do you reach for on these 90-degree days? 

Dawn S., Youth Services Coordinator: Lots of iced coffee!! I spend too much money at 7Brew on the Smooth 7 which is Irish Cream and White Chocolate Breve. I add almond milk instead of the half and half. It’s my go to drink for sure! Peach Iced Tea is great, too!

Shelia, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: I just recently discovered lavender lemonade!! So delicious and refreshing!

Tami, Office Manager: Ice tea and for an adult beverage…a gin and  tonic

Maycie, Public Support Services: Raspberry lemonade!! There is nothing more refreshing or thirst quenching on a hot mid-western day. 

Kathy, Public Support Services: In the evening I like to have a nice cool glass of S. Sohne Riesling-Blue wine.

Shane, Public Support Services: I reach for a crisp, refreshing (alcoholic) seltzer.

Hannah, Assistant Director: Topo Chico! Or as my family calls it “Mom’s spicy water.”

Alyssa, Adult and Teen Services Coordinator: One of my favorite drinks in town is the Blueberry Moscow Mule from Dempsey’s. It’s so crisp and sweet! I’ll also make a non-alcoholic version at home with ginger beer and blueberry syrup.

Miranda, Youth Services: My favorite summer drinks are Seagram’s Jamaican Me Happy and strawberry lemonade with sliced strawberries. I usually order the strawberry lemonade at Red Robin.. its the best!

Jessie, Public Support Services: My favorite summer time drink is so simple! Lemon lime cucumber water! When I worked at a Marriott hotel years ago, one of our daily afternoon duties was to make infused waters for guests at check in. It doesn’t take much of the ingredients sliced up in a big pitcher of water to get a nice refreshing flavor in a few hours of it sitting and infusing the water.

Baya, Youth Services: If I’m in need of caffeine, I’ll get a Sonic Dr. Pepper with coconut and cream! When it’s above 90 degrees, I’ll take iced cold water. It’s basic but tastes life-changing in the heat. Then for cases when I don’t want caffeine or water, I’ll get a a crisp Sprite.

Ashley, Interlibrary Loan and Cataloguing: I absolutely love a good iced coffee.  It usually has small dash of caramel in it because I don’t like it too sweet.  Then for an adult drink I usually go for a local beer like Warbeard Irish Red by Walnut River Brewing.  Refreshing and cold which is perfect for these hot days.

Tabbitha, Youth Services: During summertime, my family’s go-to drink is to make freshly squeezed lemonade! It is a fun thing to do together and it tastes so much better than store bought.

Now it’s your turn! What are some of your favorite drinks during the summer months?



Bookworm Buffet: A Feast for your Reading Senses

Bookworm Buffet: July 2025

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

July’s Spread –

Physical: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Genre: Historical, Humor, Fiction

Version 1.0.0

Summary:
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.
Publication: March 29, 2022

My Rating:

eBook: Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

Summary:
– Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.
– Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.
It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life. But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists.

Publication: May 27, 2025

My Rating:

Audio: Rabbits by Terry Miles

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Narrated by: Christine Lakin

Summary:
Rabbits is a mysterious alternate reality game so vast it uses our global reality as its canvas. Since the game first started in 1959, ten iterations have appeared and nine winners have been declared. Their identities are unknown. So is their reward, which is whispered to be NSA or CIA recruitment, vast wealth, immortality, or perhaps even the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe itself. But the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes. Players have died in the past—and the body count is rising.
And now the eleventh round is about to begin. Enter K—a Rabbits obsessive who has been trying to find a way into the game for years. That path opens when K is approached by billionaire Alan Scarpio, the alleged winner of the sixth iteration. Scarpio says that something has gone wrong with the game and that K needs to fix it before Eleven starts or the whole world will pay the price.
Five days later, Scarpio is declared missing. Two weeks after that, K blows the deadline and Eleven begins. And suddenly, the fate of the entire universe is at stake.
Publication: June 08, 2021

My Rating:

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Island Villa

The Island Villa by Sarah Morgan

First line: For the first time in her life she was planning to kill someone.

Summary: Catherine Swift has spent her career on the top of the romance charts. Her books have sold millions of copies and earned high praise from her fans. If only her love life was as perfect as the ones in her books. But she is hopeful that this fourth marriage will be the perfect one and bring her family back together again.

Adeline has had a troubled relationship with her mother since she was young. After the affair, divorce and the birth of her younger sister, it has been hard for Adeline to forgive her mother for abandoning her for a new family. Now she has been guilted into attending her mother’s fourth wedding. How is she going to get through this week and the memories it stirs in her?

Cassie has dreamed of getting to know her older sister and she is hoping that this family wedding will help bring them closer. She is excited for her mother and her future husband but she has been hiding something from everyone about her own career. Maybe this trip will be the perfect time to reveal her secret.

As all three women prepare for several weeks together they each have their own expectations. However, as the days progress and secrets are revealed it seems that no one expected how this vacation was going to actually go.

My Thoughts: This was my first book by Sarah Morgan. I picked it up at a used bookstore several months ago with the plan to read it during the summer. As June rolled around it felt like the perfect time.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from her. Was it going to be a romance? Was there going to be drama? And the answer to both was yes. There are several romances throughout the book but nothing is explicit. It had a sweet romcom feel to it. However, there was definitely drama and secrets that gave some shocks to the story. Each woman learns something about their past and themselves through their journey in the book. This is a story where people are given second chances and the past is made clearer for all involved.

I liked the story even though much of it was rather predictable. If you want something set in a beautiful location, a little family drama and a sweet ending with it all coming together perfectly then this is it. So in summary this is a perfect example of a beach read!

FYI: Abuse, death, abandonment.

The Lineup: Emily B.

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

Emily’s Lineup

TV Show: The Clone Wars

I used to love watching the original Star Wars movies with my dad growing up, and over time that love for Star Wars never dissipated. A few years back, a good friend of mine introduced me to The Clone Wars series and after a LOT of convincing, I finally watched it. It is now my favorite series, and I find myself re-watching it every so often. It gives an amazing insight into the storyline before Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. If you’re looking for a good series to binge- that should be your starting place. 

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

Music 

Music is a very big part of my life; for every song, I have a story attached to it. Right now, my current favorites are
Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen– more specifically, the song 28 by Zach Bryan and I Got Better by Morgan Wallen. Their two songs that touch on growing up and moving on, and being in my early 20’s, really resonate with me. With that being said, my music tastes vary dramatically. I’m very big on the 80’s, country, alternative, and musicals! Radiohead and Artemas are also two of my current favorites. 

Personal Interests 

I love to travel, I always have. Whether it’s out of the state, out of the country, or simply just out of town- I love to travel. There is always something new to see and something new to experience. The craziest place I’ve been was Dubai with my mom and my most recent trip was to Branson. To say I fell in love with the scenery is an understatement; the nature there is beautiful. However, my favorite part of traveling is the drive and the stops at random gas stations in the middle of nowhere. 

Hobbies 

I’m a very girly girl, so my hobbies usually center around shopping, tanning, lashes and doing my nails. A few years back I graduated from cosmetology school with my esthetician license, so all things beauty are right up my alley. I’ve also been getting more into coloring, making jewelry, and hopefully scrapbooking soon! I do love karaoke as well- nothing beats getting to sing your heart out! 

Video Games

“We fight not so that the world will remember us, but so that there will be a world to remember.”
– Capt. Price (Call of Duty)

I don’t do a lot of gaming, but if I do, it’s usually Call of Duty. I love the storyline and the depth of it; it also helps that the main characters are easy on the eyes. I love all of the COD games, but Modern Warfare III is my favorite. It’s gripping, intense, and fast-paced, all the things needed to keep me entertained. I also really enjoy Halo, Animal Crossing, and Mouthwashing! 

Take a Listen: June 2025

Welcome to our monthly series, where we explore the music tastes of our staff.

Prince has been my go-to lately. You can’t go wrong with Prince, no matter your mood.

~Shelia

I’ve been listening to the ‘90s Rock Essentials playlist on Apple Music. It’s also a great hype song to get ready for a busy summer reading day at the library.

Did you know that thunder is said 34 times in the 4:52 song runtime?

~Hannah

This song is so healing. No matter what you believe spiritually, you can find some kind of peace and connection in this song. The lyrics are poetic and the soft melody is like a gentle lullaby from the universe. The gospel choir in the end just gives me chills. 

~Alyssa

This song has always been very moving and this version really amps up the emotion of the song. I also saw this version performed live before the recording came out, so the song has a special place in my memory.

~Shane

I’ve been really attached to this song recently. It touches on growing up and the passage of time, something bittersweet to listen to as I get older and discover myself. 

~Emily B.

I’m working through some stuff so that is why I like it.

~Dawn S.

I’ve been vibing with 90s/early 2000s country recently, and this song really hit.

~Megan

I’ve been on a Les Mis kick lately. It’s a musical that never gets old for me, it’s so beautiful and powerful and… it’s just a masterpiece if we’re being honest.

~Maycie

Happy listening!

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

“Last, Current, Next” is where Jessie shares what she’s been reading and what’s next on her reading list. If you’re looking for something different to read or if you’re just curious, check out this month’s three selections.

Last: The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir 

Format: Audiobook via Libby 

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Novella 

In three hours, you follow the main character as she seeks medical treatment for her symptoms only to be told there’s nothing wrong with her because her blood work has come back fine. But now there’s strange things being noticed when she wakes up, like injuries she didn’t have the day before. Each day brings something a little bit stranger than the last. I normally don’t like thrillers as audiobooks, I prefer them in a physical or digital format, but the narration kept me on my toes the entire time. The ending left me wanting more, and I would have loved having this as a full novel. 

Current: Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Márquez 

 Format: Physical via Interlibrary Loan 

Genre: Classics, Spanish Literature, Fiction, Magical Realism 

I first read Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s “Of Love and Other Demons” in a college history class and it’s been one of my favorite books since. I decided I wanted to try working through all Márquez’s backlist of books and landed on this one first. In this work, a man returns to town to find the truth about a murder that happened nearly three decades ago. Everyone knew it was going to happen, but no one stopped it. The whole town is being questioned. I’m about halfway through and I’m enjoying piecing together the truth from various rumors from past and present time. 

Did you know? A book like “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” that is not in our library consortium can still be checked out from Derby Public Library by utilizing our Interlibrary Loan service. Check out our website page for more information! 

Next: M is for Monster by Talia Dutton 

Format: Physical 

Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, LGBTQ 

A quick glance through looking at the artwork of this graphic novel is what initially caught my attention. But also, I really love a Frankenstein-esque moment! A scientist sister brings her sister back to life, or at least she thought she did. When M starts pushing back on expectations of not only the scientist but themself, a challenge arises – whose expectations are we trying to meet? I’m looking forward to reading this as I think it hits on some great conversation and reflection points such as self-discovery, individuality and grief.