Posted in Adult, Staff Picks

Adventures in Reading (March 2026)

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Books are amazing. Just think-in reality a book is a rectangle of bound paper covered in printed words. Yet this simple object and the words within allow the reader to be transported to different times, fantastical places, and situations you would never interact with in the real world. Dear reader, did you know that the brain actually thinks you are experiencing what you are reading? If you are experiencing something in real life or just reading about it, the same areas of the brain are active. Article link: (https://www.oedb.org/ilibrarian/your-brain-on-books-10-things-that-happen-to-our-minds-when-we-read/) How cool is that! Books really are portals that allow us to escape our everyday lives and engage in a world that is completely different.

In the past month my reading journey has taken me to the cold extremes of the polar north, a planet inhabited by dragons and dragon riders, a decaying cemetery ship in the void of space, and the darkness of our own human mind. Join me, dear reader, as I share these journeys with you in my reading recommendations list for this month.

The Terror by Dan Simmons

I have a small spot reserved on my bedroom bookshelf for my ultimate favorite books. (The other books are ordered by genre and series). It is very unusual for me to add a book to this shelf of ultimate favorites. The book had to have some meaningful impact on me. It had to make me think or capture my imagination in a way that completely obsessed my thoughts. Dear readers, this book: The Terror, has joined the ranks of The Princess Bride, The Phantom of the Opera, The Lord or the Rings, and The Symphony of Ages series on my special shelf of beloved books.

“The men think it is no animal,” says Fitzjames. “They believe its cunning is something else, is preternatural, supernatural, that there is a demon out there on the ice in the dark.”

The Terror is a fictional retelling of The Franklin Expedition. Dan Simmons uses historical fact and Inuit mythology to weave a tale of survival, courage, betrayal, and (of course) terror. As if starvation, bitter cold, and disease were not enough for the stranded crews of the ships Erebus and Terror to contend with; they are also stalked by a mysterious creature that lurks out on the ice. Despite the dire circumstances, the crews of both ships show remarkable strength in their battle for survival. They face trials within and without dealing with mutinous and murderous crew members, scurvy, negative degree cold, starvation, and disease. Through all of this turmoil they are constantly hunted by “the thing on the ice”, a cunning creature that they suspect to be supernatural in origin. The characters were very real and well written. I felt attached to all of them-even the villainous ones. The setting was breathtaking and the author does well making you feel that you are in the far north in all of it’s icy beauty. The horror scenes were rewarding. Honestly, I loved the creature as much as the crew. The mayhem it caused was so much gory fun.

Why this book ended up on my favorites shelf is because it has unlocked an obsession in me about The Franklin Expedition. As soon as I finished The Terror I went and compiled a list of all kinds of non fiction books about the real people and the real expedition. I have a lot to read through and am looking forward to it. The Terror delves deep into matters of the spiritual, especially towards the end. It was truly a book that captures the mind. It will live within me forever.

If you find you enjoy the book, it was also made into a TV miniseries that we also have on DVD. It was really well done!

Click HERE to request The Terror

Click HERE to request The Terror DVD miniseries

Continue reading “Adventures in Reading (March 2026)” →
Posted in Uncategorized

Best Picture Nominees and Similar Films 2026

Posted on by Molly

I love awards season. I love all the gorgeous clothing and people on the red carpets. I love learning everyone’s opinions on popular culture, and I love my increasing estrangement from the mainstream as I age. I used to be with it, but then they changed what “it” was. Now what I’m with isn’t “it” and what’s “it” seems weird and scary. One day, it’ll happen to you.* It’s fascinating. 

When the Oscars sneak up on me it’s like a little gift. A little boost that accelerates my pop culture competency. Since I haven’t seen any of the nominated pictures, I now have a list to explore as things are released for home viewing. If I like a film, I might look through the director or actor’s back catalog. 

Below, I listed films that are similar in theme or execution to the ten Best Picture nominees. Many of these films are award winners and nominees themselves. All watch-alike films are available in the Monarch system in DVD or BluRay form. All ten Best Picture nominees may not have been released at the time of this article’s publication. Synopses sourced from IMDB.

Bugonia
dir. Yorgos Lanthimos; starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.
R; 1h 58m
Oscar nominations: 4
Wins: ZERO
Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.

Similar films in which people experience intense shifts in perspective and reality, often in other-worldly circumstances:
Mickey 17 (2025)
NOPE (2022)
Ten Cloverfield Lane (2016)
The Truman Show (1998)

F1
dir. Joseph Kosinski; starring Brad Pitt and Kerry Condon
PG13; 2h 35m
Oscar nominations: 4
Wins: 1; Best Sound Design
A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver.

Similar films in which race car drivers must surmount obstacles and defy expectations:
Days of Thunder (1990)
Ford V Ferrari (2019)
Gran Turismo (2023)
Le Mans (1971)

Frankenstein 
dir. Guillermo del Toro; starring Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth
R; 2h 30m
Oscar Nominations: 9
Wins: 3; Best Costume Design; Best Makeup and Hairstyling; Best Production Design
A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a monstrous creature to life in a daring experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Similar films in which the world is not yet ready for such wonders:
The Fly (1986)
Frankenstein (1931)
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
The Mist (2007)

Hamnet
dir. Chloe Zhao; starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal
PG13; 2h 5m
Oscar nominations: 8
Wins: 1; Best Actress
The powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. 

Similar films in which we are made to cry our eyes out because family is complex and everyone we know is going to die someday:
Fences (2016)
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Ordinary People (1980)
Roma (2018)

Marty Supreme
dir. Josh Safdie; starring Timothee Shamalamadingdong and Eli Bush
R; 2h 29m
Marty Mauser, a wily hustler with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness. 
Oscar nominations: 9
Wins: ZERO

Similar films in which some little weasel man makes his delusions of grandeur everyone else’s problem:
Closer (2004)
Fight Club (1999)
Foxcatcher (2014)
There Will Be Blood (2007)

One Battle After Another 
dir. Paul Thomas Anderson; starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Regina Hall
R; 2h 42m
When their evil nemesis resurfaces after 16 years, a band of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own.
Oscar nominations: 13
Wins: 6; Best Picture; Best Director; Best Supporting Actor; Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Casting; Best Film Editing

Similar films in which one or more main characters are agents of chaos:
Birds of Prey (2020)
BlacKkKlansman (2017)
Bullet Train (2022)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

The Secret Agent
dir. Kleber Medonca Filho; starring Wagner Moura and Udo Kier
R; 2h 40m
In 1977, Marcelo, a technology teacher, moves from Sao Paulo to Recife during Carnival to escape his violent past and start over. He finds the city full of chaos, and his neighbors begin to spy on him.
Oscar nominations: 4
Wins: ZERO

Similar films in which political dissidents work toward a sometimes clandestine goal:
The Constant Gardener (2005)
The Insider (1999)
Syriana (2005)
Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Sentimental Value
dir. Joachim Trier; starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgard
R; 2h 13m
Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star.
Oscar nominations: 9
Wins:1; Best International Feature Film

Similar films in which complex and often painful family dynamics are at play:
Term of Endearment (1983)
Tokyo Story (1953)
Volver (2006)
Yiyi (2000)

Sinners 
dir. Ryan Coogler; starring THE Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld
R; 2h 17m
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Oscar nominations: a record breaking 16
Wins: 4; Best Actor; Best Original Screenplay; Best Cinematography; Best Original Score

Similar films in which super cool vampires are featured:
Blade (1998)
Let the Right One In (2008)
The Lost Boys (1987)
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Train Dreams 
dir. Clint Bentley; starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones
PG13; 1h 42m
Robert Grainier lives all of his years in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, working on the land, helping to create a new world at the turn of the 20th century. 
Oscar nominations: 4
Wins: ZERO

Similar films in which quiet people quietly devastate the audience, and each other:
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Nomadland (2020)
Past Lives (2023)
Pig (2021)

If you still aren’t feeling it about any of the films listed above, consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Movies tool. Not in the mood for film? Try Mead’s reader’s advisory tool Your Next Five Books.

*my gratitude to Homerpalooza and Brent Forrester for articulating this feeling

Posted in Film, Uncategorized

Great Film Scores

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

Did you know that April 3rd is National Film Score Day?  That’s still a while away, but there’s never a bad time for a dive into the fascinating world of film music.  Can you imagine Star Wars without ‘Binary Sunset’, or Jaws without that musical panic attack of a main theme?  I’ve been a bit of a nerd about movie music for as long as I can remember.  Maybe that comes from growing up around the time that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (scored by Howard Shore) was coming out, and having my mind blown by Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (scored by Javier Navarrete) a little later. In my opinion, the right score is often what takes a good movie and makes it truly great.  Today, I’ll be writing about a selection of movies, all available through the Monarch Library System, that I feel exemplify the art of the film score.  Let’s get started!

Anna Karenina

To adapt Tolstoy’s classic about a woman pursuing forbidden love in a society where reputation is paramount, director Joe Wright took a high-concept approach.  To convey the artificiality of the story’s world of 19th-century Russian aristocrats, this adaptation sets the bulk of the action on a literal stage.  Dario Marianelli’s score is the perfect companion for this ambitious adaptation, sweepingly theatrical where it needs to be, and then all at once achingly real.  One thing I love about this score is the variety of musical arrangements involved, including brass ensembles, romantic strings, a haunting vocal solo, and more.  If you’re a fan of period pieces, and especially of any of Joe Wright’s previous work – which includes the beloved 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – you should definitely check out this gorgeous and underrated film.

Continue reading “Great Film Scores” →
Posted in Uncategorized

My Quick Reads From a Busy Time!

Posted on by Shannon Ribich

I started a new semester of school in January, and so any room for personal reading has shrunk exponentially, sadly. When this happens, I tend to reach for shorter, sometimes breezier, books. I want to be mostly entertained, and I don’t want to have to work for a story. If you’re also in need of a quick-ish read amidst a hectic schedule, I’m sharing a few of my recent reads that require minimal commitment. I hope you find something you enjoy!

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

I started the year strong with The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, by the same author who wrote Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, a book I loved. Like that novel, this one is charming and moving without ever feeling too dense or heavy.

Once upon a time, A.J. Fikry moved to Alice Island with his wife to open a bookstore. This pleasant life temporarily softened his cynical outlook. Everything changes when his wife unexpectedly dies. Now a widowed bookseller, there’s not much keeping him tethered to Alice Island… or to life, for that matter. He devises a simple plan: sell his rare Edgar Allan Poe book and leave town for good.

But when the precious book goes missing, his early retirement evaporates into thin air. And that’s only the beginning. Another surprise soon implodes his carefully laid plans in a much more meaningful way. The unexpected twists and turns offer A.J. something he never anticipated: a second chance. He might have become an isolated, grumpy older man, but instead life offers him love, community, and a renewed sense of purpose through books.

This novel was such a joyful reading experience. A.J.’s life has its ups and downs, as all lives do, but the story never feels like an unwieldy roller coaster. It’s more like a Ferris wheel: you reach a high point almost without realizing it, and then steadily come back down. The triumphant moments feel like delightful gifts; the harder ones are easier to swallow. Each chapter opens with a short literary review written by A.J., which feels like a little bonus for fellow bookworms.

Continue reading “My Quick Reads From a Busy Time!” →
Posted in Cooking/Baking, Staff Picks, Uncategorized

What’s Cooking!? What’s Baking!?

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Dear readers, it has been awhile since I have shared with you my love of cooking and baking. I feel so lucky to be able to use the magical power of my library card to access the hundreds of volumes of cookbooks that the library lets me check out FOR FREE!!!! It saves me money, AND it saves my house from becoming a cookbook hoard! Today I will be sharing with you four titles that I have sampled in the last couple of months. I hope you enjoy!

Bowl by Lukas Volger

I love Asian food. I especially love ramen. I had been looking for a good cookbook to help me make my own ramen dish at home for awhile and was captivated by this cover when I saw it. Look at that beautiful and delicious bowl of food! There are recipes in this book to tickle the palate of anyone looking to make their own Asian food at home. As this book is for making these dishes vegetarian, you will not find meat in any of these recipes. I like chicken, so I added chicken instead of tofu to my chosen recipe anyway. It tasted just fine.

The recipe I chose to make was the kimchi ramen. It turned out splendidly! The kimchi added an extra interesting spice to the broth (which is the most important part of a soup or noodle dish). The addition of the mushrooms, onion, and arugula gave the dish a hearty and fresh flavor profile. One of the most satisfying aspects of this dish was the crispy fried onions on top. When I saw I had to make them, my first thought was “Do I really want to do the extra work and make MORE dishes?” Dear readers, I am glad I did. They added just that extra flavor pop on top that ignited the senses. The toasted sesame seeds also added to the delight of the kimchi ramen recipe.

If you are looking to make ramen, bibimbap, pho, or any other delectable Asian dish, I highly recommend Bowl.

Click HERE to request a copy of Bowl!

Continue reading “What’s Cooking!? What’s Baking!?” →
Posted in Uncategorized

A Cat to Guide You and a Letter to Bring You Home

Posted on by Corrina

Dear reader, I have returned with more comforting Japanese reads for you. Every time I write this type of blog post I feel as if I am collecting my favorite throw pillows to sit amongst on my favorite couch. The pillows may be mismatched but all have the same theme, whether it be a print, color, design, etc. And each pillow has a story behind it. I hope to tell those stories well in today’s post.

Days at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi Yagisawa

Tucked away on a narrow side street in Tokyo is the Torunka Café, a neighborhood nook where the passersby are as likely to be local cats as tourists. Its regulars include Chinatsu Yukimura, a mysterious young woman who always leaves behind a napkin folded into the shape of a ballerina; Hiroyuki Numata, a middle-aged man who’s returned to the neighborhood searching for the happy life he once gave up; and Shizuku, the café owner’s teenage daughter, who is still coming to terms with her sister’s death as she falls in love for the first time.

While Café Torunka serves up a perfect cup of coffee, it provides these sundry souls with nourishment far more lasting. Satoshi Yagisawa brilliantly illuminates the periods in our lives where we feel lost—and how we find our way again.

As with many other Japanese novels I have read, the business in question has its solidified customer base that knows how to find it, and it is always hard to find except by those who need its mysterious healing powers and the camaraderie of its inhabitants. The Torunka Cafe happens to be down a narrow alleyway and there is always a cat to guide you to its door.

This book is as much about the nourishing properties of a well made cup of coffee as it is about the customers finding healing and the ability to forgive both themselves and others. Each chapter is written in the first person from the perspective of a different character. I found this perspective switch hard to follow at first, but quickly got used to it as the book went on.

In a particular conversation one of the characters tells another, “When things don’t go well, you might think ‘damn it’, but sooner or later what happened to you is going to become something that sustains you in the future. And when you start something new, there’ll be hassles too, but it’ll be exciting, won’t it?” This is a theme carried throughout the book with all three of the main characters.

There is also an interesting backstory on the cafe’s name that sent me down a rabbit hole, but I’ll leave you to discover that on your own, dear reader!

Continue reading “A Cat to Guide You and a Letter to Bring You Home” →
Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Love Across Time

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

Romance, particularly where it overlaps with fantasy and science fiction, needs a challenge for the main characters to overcome in order to be together.  Could anything be more challenging to overcome than time itself?  Today, I’m spotlighting a trendy subgenre that doesn’t seem to have an official name, but that I like to call “timestream romance”.  These books feature characters who fall in love amidst the tangles of time travel, time loops, and multiple reincarnations across the centuries.  Let’s get started!

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

The story of This Is How You Lose The Time War unfolds as a series of letters between Red and Blue, agents of two enemy organizations whose battlefield is time itself.  As Red and Blue leave messages for one another across time, their enmity first thaws into respect, and then blossoms into love.  But what will it cost for the two of them to be together?  This book is both exquisitely written and emotionally honest in spite of the out-of-this-world situation it portrays, with character voices that expertly thread the delicate needle of being witty and charming while still feeling real.  I found it pretty refreshing to read an enemies-to-lovers romance that focused on a meeting of the minds rather than flashy duels.  This book is an intense emotional journey in a small package, certain to stay with you even after the final page is turned.

Continue reading “Love Across Time” →
Posted in Award Winners, Fiction, Kids 0-5, Kids 5-12, Nonfiction, Teen & Young Adult, Uncategorized

Youth Award Books 2026

Posted on by Bree

The American Library Association recently announced the winners of the 2026 Youth Media Awards. Materials for children and teens were selected by committees of literature and media specialists under different categories for their excellence. Take a look at some of this year’s winners below, which include publishers’ summaries. Be sure to click the link for any you’re interested in reading for yourself to reserve your copy through the Monarch catalog. The full list of this year’s winners is also linked at the bottom of this post.

John Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This year’s winner is All the Blues in the Sky, written by Renée Watson.

All the Blues in the Sky, by Renée Watson
Continue reading “Youth Award Books 2026” →
Posted in Uncategorized

Abbie’s Recent Reads (January 2026)

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Happy New Year! Dear readers, welcome to another year with many great reads ahead of us! Before I launch into my new adventures in reading for the coming year I would like to share my December favorites with you. I was surprised that I managed to read so many in December despite being busy with the holidays. Below you will find tantalizing choices from the genres of thriller, non fiction, and historical fiction. I hope that one of my recommendations sparks someone’s fancy.

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

I am currently a bit obsessed with Riley Sager’s books. His thrillers just hit all the right “I can’t put this book down!” vibes. This is Riley Sager’s second thriller novel. Each is a stand alone, but since I found I liked this author I have decided to read them in publication order. If you like creepy summer camp stories that involve suspicious rich people, a possibly haunted lake, a deep dark woods, and vanished young campers then this is one for you! This one in particular was very atmospheric with perfectly eerie visuals.

Emma Davis spent a few days at Camp Nightingale when she was thirteen. That stay was enough to traumatize her for life. During her stay the other three girls in her cabin disappeared without a trace. No one knows what happened to them. The mystery remains unsolved. Emma has been haunted by not knowing what happened to her friends into her adult years. She copes by painting them over and over and covering their images with paintings of the forest. No one knows the girls are hidden in the paintings but her. It is an odd coping mechanism, but it helps her. As an artist, Emma is so successful that the rich owner of Camp Nightingale, Franny, takes an interest in her paintings. After purchasing a painting, Franny informs Emma that she intends to reopen Camp Nightingale for the first time after the disappearances. She invites Emma to come work for her as the art teacher. Seeing this as an opportunity to tie up loose ends and solve the mystery once and for all, Emma accepts. Once there odd things start happening and Emma can’t help but feel that she is being watched. Is someone trying to keep the truth from coming to light? Will more girls disappear? Read The Last Time I Lied to find out!

Click HERE to request a copy of The Last Time I Lied

Continue reading “Abbie’s Recent Reads (January 2026)” →
Posted in Fantasy, Games, Science Fiction

Zachary’s Recent Games

Posted on by Zachary

When the weather gets cold, I like to get cozy and settle in to a game. I have a bad habit of playing a few games at the same time and bouncing between them as my interest in a particular game fluctuates. This week’s blog post is a list of the games I’m currently playing. If a game is on multiple platforms, I’ll include links to the different versions.

The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5/Xbox)

Obsidian developed my favorite Fallout game, so I’ve been partial to their games for the last few years. They’ve continued a design choice since Avowed that I appreciate. Avowed was open enough that it felt like an open-world game, but it was contained enough that I didn’t feel punished by going in a particular direction. Sometimes open-world games prioritize the size of the world without filling it with enough content to reward exploration, and to be honest, as I’ve gotten older, I don’t want to spend hundreds of hours sifting through a game to find what’s worth looting. Avowed also allowed you to upgrade the equipment that you liked throughout the entire game, so I didn’t have to waste time on loot grind. It was nice to see The Outer Worlds 2 kept that streamlined design, and I find the Outer Worlds setting interesting. Outer Worlds’ setting tends to be a little more comedic than Fallout: New Vegas was, but it still itches that Obsidian itch.

Continue reading “Zachary’s Recent Games” →