Tag: tv shows

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?

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?: Only Say Good Things

Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner

First line: Last night I dreamed about the mansion again.

Summary: Crystal Hefner, the widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, finally opens up about her time at the mansion and life within the Playboy world. She spent her youth only seeing value in her looks and the attention she received from those around her. Through her memoir she describes how she survived her time in the fantasy world of Playboy and came out the other side with a new view on her own self-worth.

My Thoughts: I had no idea this book was coming out until I was putting it in the library’s catalog. I remember watching The Girls Next Door on E! but I was never really interested in the season with Crystal and the twins. However, I have spent the last year listening to the Girls Next Level podcast where Holly and Bridget, previous girlfriends, speculate on Hef’s last years. So when I saw Crystal was writing about life with Hef after the show, I immediately placed myself on hold to learn more about Crystal’s time as Mrs. Hefner.

I listened to the audiobook which Crystal reads herself and found it heartbreaking and fascinating. She rushed into this lifestyle after some personal hardships and became stuck in this new life for years. I remember hearing about her runaway bride and eventual marriage to Hef but she never really interested me too much. However, after reading this I find myself liking her more than I did before. It was very interesting to listen to and I applaud her for being willing to tell her story no matter how hard it probably was for her.

FYI: Contains abuse (verbal and sexual).

The Lineup: Hannah

Hannah’s Lineup

Podcast: Edith! by Crooked Media

Edith! is a scripted podcast about the somewhat-true story of Edith Wilson being the first unofficial female president of the United States. 28th President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919, one year before the end of his presidential term. Rumors have long said that his wife Edith assumed many of his presidential duties. Edith!, starring Rosamund Pike, fictionalizes that story with humor and intrigue.

I love listening to scripted podcasts. It reminds me of old-time radio shows and is a nice change from traditional talk radio or audio books. Scripted podcasts are also perfect for short or long summer road trips!

Available here or wherever you get your podcasts.

TV Show: Ted Lasso

Starring Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso is a feel good show for the entire family. Ted Lasso is a football coach from Wichita State (funny for us Kansans!) who travels across the pond to England to become a manager of a soccer team. It’s hilarious. It’s heartwarming. It’s good TV!

I don’t rewatch many shows. But when I’m sick or in a bad mood, a handful of shows can perk me up…Gilmore Girls, Parks and Rec, and Ted Lasso. I do prefer season 1 to season 2, but I can’t wait for season 3!

Available on AppleTV+

Hobby: Sourdough

I grew my first sourdough starter from scratch in May 2019. The then-preteen boys named him Thanos. We just celebrated his 3rd birthday! I’ve baked yeasted breads for many years, but sourdough was a whole new adventure. In the last three years, I’ve explored different methods, experimented with recipes, and collected a myriad of equipment.

Working with sourdough and baking bread is a source of stress relief for me. The pandemic hasn’t been good for anyone’s mental health, and it’s important to find a hobby that brings you peace and happiness. Working with sourdough brings me a sense of calm. It might sound weird to some people, but prepping, baking, and enjoying the fruit of my labor is my happy place. After all…carbs = happiness!

For more information about growing your own sourdough starter and several starter recipes, check out The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion : The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook.

Game: Monument Valley

Monument Valley is an award winning puzzle game from ustwo games. It’s available on a variety of platforms, from iOS to Android to PC. It’s different than any other puzzle game you’ve ever played before. The artwork and music are smooth, mellow, and beautiful. The puzzles make you think, but they won’t stress you out. If you like puzzles and adventure games, definitely give Monument Valley a try. It’s even a game you can revisit later. The puzzles are so intricate that you won’t remember every step of the journey.

There are two seasons available, Monument Valley I and Monument Valley II. If you are lucky enough to have Apple Arcade, you can play both for free!

Book: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

The House is the Cerulean Sea pulled me out of a reading slump. It’s one part humor, one part fantasy, one part romance, and one part science fiction. It ticked all the boxes of my favorite genres in one book! The book does start a bit slow, but you will be rewarded if you plow through the first three chapters.

The book tells the story of Linus Baker, who is a social worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. These magical youth reminded me of mutants from the X-Men. Linus has to visit an orphanage run by the mysterious, intelligent Arthur Parnassus, who has several secrets of his own. Arhur’s charges are likely the most dangerous youth Linus has ever come across, including the Anti-Christ himself. As Linus spends time with Athur and his wards and gets to know them, the line between his duty and his heart begin to blur.

Available for checkout from KanShare Libraries