Category: Adult

Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, New & Upcoming, Romance, Thrillers

Library Reads – July 2026

Posted on by Zachary

With the way the weather has been this week, it’s a perfect time to get out of the heat and do some summer reading. Along with the heat, July has brought a new LibraryReads list full of book recommendations from library staff across the country! Below you’ll find some of the books from this month’s list along with a review from one of America’s numerous library workers.

Top Pick: The Story Keeper by Kelly Rimmer

In this compelling gothic novel set in Australia, recently divorced 50-something Fiona buys her uncle’s decaying country estate with plans to refurbish it. But the locals fear the place is haunted. When Fiona discovers a novel that appears to be set in the house, it becomes a dual-timeline story, with chapters from the book woven into the narrative. – Robin Beerbower, LibraryReads Ambassador, AZ

NoveList read-alike: The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

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Posted in Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Staff Picks, Thrillers

Dark Romance, Black Widows, and 42 is the Answer to Everything?

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Dear reader, this last month was quite an interesting reading month for me. I dabbled in the Dark Romance genre that is highly popular right now. I finally, after all these years, read all The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books for the first time. I also read a thriller novel with a very unique premise that I was not sure I would like (spoiler alert: I was smitten by it!). I enjoy giving books a try that I may not normally pick up. Dear reader, please enjoy my offerings of books that may be a bit out of the ordinary. Perhaps you will also like to give one a try that is not on your usual reading menu.

Hooked by Emily McIntire

Have you looked at the book selections at Walmart and Target lately? If you have you will see that dark romance is all the rage right now. As a librarian, I am seeing these books coming through on a daily basis. Of course I am curious! I myself am attracted to the dark and spicy side of the bookshelves. The thing is, I just do not read romance often. The genre attracts me, but usually other books (thrillers, nonfiction, or The Dragonriders of Pern) get my attention first. Well, I told my usual To Read list to take a break and made a point to read Hooked.

I chose Hooked as I am a Disney nerd. I have also always rooted for Hook over Peter in the Peter Pan story so I was sold with Hook being the hero/love interest. Honestly, I did not expect much. I thought this would be a poorly written bit of fluff. To my surprise and delight it was really well written and good! I fell in love with the characters! James Hook was a complex character that ended up exploring issues of what childhood trauma does to a person. Wendy was loveable and quite relatable. I was emotionally invested! Hooked is very very loosely based off the Peter Pan story. It is not a fantasy. It takes place in the real world. Peter is an adult rich businessman who owns an airline company and is trying to get into the drug (Pixie Dust) trade. Wendy is his adult daughter who he ignores and treats like crap. Wendy was instantly likeable. She was unaware of her father’s illegal activities. She is trying to make a life for herself outside of the shadow of her rich and famous father. In trying to make that life, she ends up going with some friends to a nightclub called The Jolly Roger. . . .

The Jolly Roger is owned by the notorious James Hook. The town bad boy and heartthrob. Every girl wants him, but he will give none of them the time of day. (Yes, he just smolders. The accent does not hurt either.) Seeing Wendy on the security feed gives him a plan, a dark plan steeped in revenge. See, Peter killed James Hook’s parents and destroyed his life. Peter drove Hook into a life of darkness and crime. If he can get close to Wendy, Peter’s daughter, he can use her against Peter. What James Hook does not expect is to find that he may have a heart after all and he is falling for Wendy.

I highly recommend Hooked for all those Dark Fantasy fans out there! Click HERE to request Hooked from catalog!

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Posted in Adult, Audience, Fantasy, Fiction, Genre

Fantasy-Mystery Fusions

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

Not too long ago, I dove into the world of genre fusions by sharing some of my favorite works of historical fantasy. If you’re curious, you can read that post here. Today, I’m going to take a look at another fantasy genre fusion, this time between fantasy and mystery. As far as I’m aware, this genre fusion doesn’t have an official name, but I’m fascinated by it, particularly because the genres it pulls from are so different. While a fantasy novel usually has to follow a certain set of rules in order to be believable, those rules can be just about anything the author wants, and many fantasy authors revel in breaking established conventions of the genre. Mysteries, on the other hand, are bound by a strict set of genre expectations. The very best fusions between fantasy and mystery, in my opinion, are capable of reinvigorating both of the genres they pull inspiration from. Let’s get started!

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

When poison expert Anja is summoned by the King to uncover the cause of his daughter Snow’s mysterious illness, she knows the stakes couldn’t be higher.  When she arrives at the royal palace, Anja finds both her young patient and the court surrounding her haunted by secrets and scarred by tragedy.  Soon, Anja discovers that the cause of Snow’s illness is not medical, but magical, devised by a ruthless adversary who lurks within the castle’s mirrors.  To save Snow and stop the magic of the mirrors from falling into the wrong hands, Anja’s courage and smarts will be put to the test.  My favorite element of this loose retelling of Snow White was the surreal,  creepy mirror-realm.  T. Kingfisher’s horror chops were certainly evident in some of the scenes featuring it, and while the mirror magic was a little confusing at first, this actually turned out to be to the story’s benefit.  The reader discovers how the mirrors work side-by-side with Anja, thereby getting a good sense of how this mystery’s detective thinks well before the main climax.  If you’re looking for a new twist on an old story, told with T. Kingfisher’s signature humor and heart, Hemlock & Silver will chill, intrigue, and enchant you.

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Posted in Adult, Fiction, New & Upcoming

Library Reads – June 2026

Posted on by Zachary

It has been a few months since we’ve had a blog post that covered the monthly LibraryReads list. Library staff around the country vote on what their favorite new books are. You’ll see this month’s picks below, along with a book similar to its corresponding pick for the month. Remember, Mead’s librarians are always willing to recommend your next read if none of this month’s picks match your tastes.

Top Pick: Land by Maggie O’Farrell

A breathtakingly beautiful story of one Irish family and the fates of its members as they navigate the world in the years just after the Great Famine. O’Farrell’s rich writing vividly captures both the characters and the wild beauty of the Irish landscape, creating an unforgettable and emotionally riveting narrative that will have readers rapt. – Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: Clear by Carys Davies

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Posted in Adult, Staff Picks

One of These Titles is Not Like the Other…

Posted on by abbiebourelle

This year I have been keeping a reading journal. It is just a blank journal, but I keep track of what I read each month and write my thoughts down on the books that I finish. This allows me to be blunt, honest, and able to scream and gush about my interests in a controlled fashion. I rank the book that I read between 1 and 5 stars depending on what I thought of it. It will be thrilling to go back through it at the end of the year and relive my adventures.

Anyway, while reviewing my reads for April I noticed that I had a trend going. Usually I read a variety of genres. In April I seem to have stuck to only one in particular, with one exception. I wish to share my reads with you, Dear Reader, and perhaps you can guess which one is not like the others!

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

I am a sucker for a good Gothic thriller and Lock Every Door provided what I sought. I will admit outright that the main character in this one is not the brightest bulb in the shack. She is the epitome of a stereotypical horror movie character that never spots the red flags and makes all of the wrong choices. But if she made the correct choices would we actually have a good thrilling tale? Probably not. Sometimes the characters need to make the wrong choices so that we, the readers, can be entertained.

Jules is down on her luck. She lost her job, her boyfriend cheated on her, she lost her apartment, and now she is sleeping on her best friend’s couch with barely a penny to her name. When Jules reads an ad in the paper for an apartment sitting job at the prestigious Bartholomew she believes it to be too good to be true. The Bartholomew is one of the oldest apartment buildings in New York, home to the rich and famous and impossible to access. Jules applies and gets the job. She finds herself living in luxury on the top floor of the building, getting a very nice paycheck, a gorgeous view of Central Park, and she even has her very own gargoyle statue outside of her bedroom window. An added perk is the very attractive doctor living in the apartment next door. The Bartholomew, however, may not be all it seems. Jules soon finds out about its dark past and that previous apartment sitters have been disappearing. Can Jules uncover the truth of The Bartholomew before she becomes the next victim?

I want to say I obsessed over this one for a while and I very highly recommend it. Just the setting had me. I could imagine myself living there. (I have a thing for Gothic settings, no matter how creepy). The mystery was very consuming and the threat had me almost biting my nails and wanting to scream at the main character to not do certain things that were sure to result in something bad happening. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope you will as well, Dear Reader.

Click HERE to request Lock Every Door!

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Posted in Adult, Fiction

Bookstores Full of Stories

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Dear readers, one of the many things I love about library work is seeing the variety of books that this world has to offer. Truly there is something for everyone. One of my favorite tasks is sorting and putting away the cart of new books. (This has resulted in the extreme growth of my ‘want to read’ list). As of late, I cannot help but notice the variety and abundance of books where the setting or theme revolves around a bookstore. These stories come in pretty much every genre! Dear reader, I wish to share with you a few titles that have caught my eye regarding this theme. Perhaps, like me, some of these will end up on your ‘want to read’ list.

The Bookstore Diaries by Susan Mallery

Many of the bookstore related books I have seen lately have been romances. The Bookstore Diaries is no exception, though the plot really caught my eye! The bookstore featured is called The Painted Lady Bookstore and is located in a gorgeous Victorian mansion. The Painted Lady Bookstore is run by Jax, a bit of a control freak. Though, as of late, everything around Jax seems to be going out of control. Her ex recently became engaged to another person. Her sister, Ryleigh, is looking to move away in search of a husband. To try to dissuade Ryleigh from moving away Jax hired on a handsome contractor. However, the contractor seems to instead be interested in Jax!

An odd quirk of the town is that everyone with a diary keeps it in a special lockbox inside The Painted Lady bookstore. Jax’s life suddenly becomes very interesting when the numbers on the lockboxes are somehow erased. The only way to find the owner of each is to read the diary! Secrets and scandals come to light resulting in a delightful drama.

If you are in the mood for some juicy drama and romance, give The Bookstore Diaries a read!

Click HERE to request The Bookstore Diaries!

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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

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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.

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Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror

Great Speculative Fiction from 2025

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

It’s that time of year again!  Last year, I surveyed a sampling of the years’ greatest sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.  You can read that post here – all of those books still come highly recommended.  Now the time has come to do the same for the new releases of 2025.  The same caveat from last year applies: I’m only one person, I can only read so many books in a year.  Therefore I couldn’t possibly include every amazing new speculative fiction release from the past year, no matter how much I might like to.  I’d also be remiss if I didn’t point out that 2025 has been an absolute banner year for horror, and this list leans a lot more towards that genre than last years’.  With the preamble out of the way, let’s get started!

The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes

In the city of Tilliard, opera is bloodsport, perfume is politics, and one person can have many names over the course of a life.  We view this city through the eyes of Guy Moulène, one of the rank and file of Tilliard’s pest control companies.  On a routine job, Guy discovers an insect the size of a dragon – one that may be even more dangerous after it’s slain.  Guy’s story entwines with that of Asteritha Vost, perfumer to Tilliard’s elite.  When Aster becomes entangled with Mallory vont Passant, a newcomer to Tilliard with a past shrouded in mystery, she unearths secrets that may shake the city to its core – that touch upon the past of her ruthless employer, Grand Marshal Maximian Sorav.  As a work of horror fantasy, The Works of Vermin is no less than the total package.  Tilliard’s atmosphere of rotten beauty is pitch-perfect, calling to mind Jeff Vandermeer’s Ambergris and China Miéville’s New Crobuzon.  Innes also delivers on pacing and plot – there’s a sequence of plot twists about three quarters of the way through that literally made my jaw drop.  Prospective readers should definitely exercise discretion about content, as this story goes to some extremely dark places.  That said, it’s also suffused with some welcome macabre humor: when things get that bad, sometimes there’s nothing to do but laugh.  The Works of Vermin was a privilege to read, a book over four-hundred pages that I wish was longer.  If Ennes ever wants to return to the Tilliard setting, I’ll happily come along, bugs and all.

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Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Horror

Let’s Get Gothic

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

October may be over, but I don’t think there’s ever a bad time to recommend something gloriously grim.  When you’re craving the decaying splendor and unspeakable secrets of a gothic novel, nothing else will do.  Each of these selections puts a unique contemporary spin on the gothic genre, and all will be an excellent accompaniment to the cold days and long nights coming right around the corner.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Jane Shoringfield is aware that her hasty marriage to Dr. Augustine Lawrence is highly irregular. Dr. Lawrence insists upon certain unusual rules – particularly that Jane never set foot in Lindridge Hall, the Lawrence family’s ancestral home.  But when Jane finds herself with no choice but to break her husband’s prohibitions, she realizes her marriage comes with more than she bargained for: magical secrets and the very literal ghosts of Augustine’s past.  In The Death of Jane Lawrence, Caitlin Starling has deftly crafted a gothic novel that feels like the classics while speaking directly to what modern readers want.  At first, this book appears to be a fantasy-influenced homage to gothic mainstays, such as Rebecca and Jane Eyre.  But gradually, alongside the heroine, the reader comes to realize that this is in no way the story that they were expecting.  The ending was one of the best twists I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year.  Naturally, I wouldn’t dream of spoiling it.

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