“Boundaries With Teens” is about how to help teenagers become responsible and respectful adults. It discusses about 25 common issues that teens face in today’s culture and how to help them steer their lives toward safer shores. Any parent of a teen would be able to profit from the wisdom of Dr. Townsend, co-writer of “Boundaries,” a bestseller. This is the second time I’ve read this book. I am learning how to become a more consistent, authentic, parent every day. This book helps!
Three words that describe this book: Engaging. Thoughtful. Challenging.
You might want to pick this book up if: you are a parent of a teen.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
“How to Solve Your Own Murder” is told through two main characters, Frances and her great niece Annie. Frances received a fortune when she was just 17 from a fortune teller at a county fair. Ever since then, she has been obsessed with the idea that someone was going to murder her. After a will change, and a visit from Annie to the quaint village of Castle Knoll, Frances dies. The following days are full of twists and turns as Annie works to figure out what has happened to her Aunt Frances, while uncovering the hidden secrets of Castle Knoll.
I loved this book because it was an interesting mystery, set in a great English village. The characters and the plot were so interesting, I became totally absorbed into the dual narrative.
Three words that describe this book: mystery, sleuth, cozy
You might want to pick this book up if: You love a good cozy mystery with a nice twist. If you are a fan of “Knives Out” (or other similar mysteries) I would say this one is for you!
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
I’m excited to share some of the new books hitting our shelves in June. We have a humorous sci-fi, some historical fiction and even a tale about someone who tries to ban books. Check out these LibraryReads favorites from library staff across the country:
“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman
This story focuses on Rocky, a woman filled with menopausal rage and immense love for her family. The witty banter and poignant musings will have readers laughing hysterically while mopping up tears a few pages later. This is a no-brainer for fans of Ann Patchett and those who enjoy a good family drama. Perfect for women’s book discussion groups.
~Robin Beerbower, LibraryReads Ambassador, AZ Continue reading “June 2024 LibraryReads”
I can’t help but judge a book by its title, and when it straight up tells me that it’s lying I am almost guaranteed to find my interest piqued. Will I be able to sort out the lies from the truths? Or will the author be able to pull the wool over my eyes? Here are a few titles that aren’t afraid to admit they contain some untruths and that ended up being a whole lot of fun to read!
Author Amy Tintera jumped on the “use a podcast to tell your story” bandwagon with her novel, “Listen for the Lie,” and I’m glad she did. The story follows Lucy, who left her small Texas town after her best friend Savvy’s murder, which she may have committed. She just can’t remember. After years of living with the unknown, a new podcast threatens to unearth the truth and she decides she has to find it first. The story offers a solid mystery, but the addition of the podcast is a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed the “voices” of Lucy and her granny — they both exude wit and are quite snarky, which made for some surprising laughs in this thriller. Continue reading “Stories that Lie”
Welcome back to my Read Harder Challenge! In case you missed the beginning of this series, check out my first blog post where I explain what the Read Harder Challenge is. We’re halfway through the year and halfway through the challenge!
Task 16 – Read a book based solely on the title
Book Read: “She Who Became the Sun” by Shelley Parker-Chan
I have to be honest, I didn’t choose this book solely based on the title. I had been considering reading it for years, and when I saw it was on one of our Read Harder lists, well it was fate! And hoo boy, there is so much discussion about fate in this book. As George Michael could have sung, “Zhu got have fate, fate, fate.” It follows the story of a young girl who denies the nothing fate given to her, and instead takes up her brother’s fate of greatness after he dies, taking on his identity and entering the monastery as a novice monk. “She Who Became the Sun” is an alternate history/historical fiction that had “Fantasy?” on the outline when it was being written, and it was never followed up on. Continue reading “Reading Harder in 2024! – Part 3”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Anatomy of a Fall” – Website / Reviews
In this award-winning French legal drama, a woman becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s death, leading to a detailed examination of their marriage during the investigation and trial.
“Dune: Part Two” – Website / Reviews
The sci-fi saga continues with the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
“Uncropped” – Website / Reviews
Executive produced by Wes Anderson, this documentary about legendary photojournalist James Hamilton recounts the stories behind his iconic images taken over the course of a five-decade career.
“MaryLand” – Miniseries – Website / Reviews
This PBS Masterpiece dramatic series follows two estranged sisters who reunite to unearth the truth about their mother’s sudden death and her double life on the Isle of Man.
“Fallen Leaves” – Website / Reviews
A romantic comedy-drama set in contemporary Helsinki. The film explores a timeless story about two lonely souls’ path to happiness — and the numerous hurdles they encounter along the way.
Continue reading “New DVD List: June 2024”
by Kat Stone Underwood and Lauren Williams, One Read co-chairs
Charlotte McConaghy’s “Migrations,” our community’s 2024 One Read selection, follows environmentalist Franny Stone as she tracks the world’s last flock of Arctic terns on what might be its final flight. This work of climate change fiction narrowly beat out the delightful coming-of-age novel “The Chinese Groove” by Kathryn Ma in a public vote. This year our reading panel considered an extremely varied list of finalist books, all nominated by community members. Some titles address timely topics like racism and immigration and others provide escape with unlikely road trips and oddball whodunits. Get ready to add to your to-be-read list!
First up is “What Strange Paradise” by Omar El Akkad. We meet Syrian 9-year-old Amir when the migrant vessel he is on wrecks against the shore of a small island. The only survivor, Amir is luckily rescued by a local teenage girl named Vanna. Despite neither of them speaking the other’s language, Vanna is determined to help Amir. The tale alternates between the pair’s attempt to escape the authorities and the story of how Amir came to be on the ship. Continue reading “Literary Links: One Read Finalists 2024”
In Missouri, May is a big month for birding as enthusiasts try to see migrants passing through in their spring plumage. But what’s a birder to do once May and spring migration are over?
While June may not be the time to add more species to your birding list, it is an excellent time to watch the birds around you. Bird watching mostly requires curiosity. Binoculars are helpful. The rewards are limitless.
“How to Know the Birds,” by Ted Floyd is great place to start (or continue) your foray into bird watching. Floyd’s focus is on helping readers grow their birding habit. Through short vignettes he shares details about bird life and new ways to focus your birding inquiries. The essays are delightful, concise and crammed full rich details about the lives of birds. Continue reading “June Is for Bird Watching”
INTERIOR, OFFICE – NIGHT
THE DETECTIVE lounges behind his desk. A ceiling fan turns slowly, throwing dramatic and genre-appropriate shadows across the room. THE CLIENT sits across, pleading their (literal) case.
THE CLIENT:
-and that’s why you have to help me, mister! I’ve got no one else to turn to!
THE DETECTIVE (INTERNAL MONOLOGUE, interrupting):
I knew this case was going to be trouble from the start. That’s why I had to make sure I was prepared.
THE DETECTIVE pulls open a drawer on their desk, expecting to pull out their revolver, but hesitates. Instead, they are presented with a magic wand and a ray gun within. A confused beat passes.
THE DETECTIVE, looking straight into the camera:
Is this some sort of joke?
*
But enough about my meta-narrative spec-script that definitely exists outside of a bit setting up the premise of this blog. Continue reading “Castle Noir & Cyber-Pulp: Detectives of Sci-Fi and Fantasy”
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in June. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion” by Julie Satow (Jun 4)
The 20th century American department store: a palace of consumption where every wish could be met under one roof — afternoon tea, a stroll through the latest fashions, a wedding (or funeral) planned. It was a place where women, shopper and shopgirl alike, could stake out a newfound independence. Whether in New York or Chicago or on Main Street, USA, men owned the buildings, but inside, women ruled. In this hothouse atmosphere, three women rose to the top. In the 1930s, Hortense Odlum of Bonwit Teller came to her husband’s department store as a housewife tasked with attracting more shoppers like herself, and wound up running the company. Dorothy Shaver of Lord & Taylor championed American designers during World War II — before which US fashions were almost exclusively Parisian copies — becoming the first businesswoman to earn a $1 million salary. And in the 1960s Geraldine Stutz of Henri Bendel re-invented the look of the modern department store. With a preternatural sense for trends, she inspired a devoted following of ultra-chic shoppers as well as decades of copycats. In “When Women Ran Fifth Avenue,” journalist Julie Satow draws back the curtain on three visionaries who took great risks, forging new paths for the women who followed in their footsteps. This stylish account, rich with personal drama and trade secrets, captures the department store in all its glitz, decadence, and fun, and showcases the women who made that beautifully curated world go round. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: June 2024”
