Category: Genre

Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Staff Picks, Teen & Young Adult, Thrillers

Separated Sisters

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Dear reader, lately I have discovered a trend in my reading. Books that I have read recently seem to have the similar theme of sisters being separated but finding closure or reigniting their relationship. This is not a theme that I set out planning to explore, the books I have chosen to partake in were pure serendipity. A bit about me: I do not have a biological sister. I have two stepsisters that I love and enjoy spending time with, but we did not become close until adulthood as we did not grow up together. Do I wish that I had a sister? I do not know. I have close female friends I consider akin to sisters. I think that is enough for me. I did enjoy reading these books (mostly thriller) that explore sister relationships. I hope you also enjoy traveling down the dark twisty roads of the bonds of sisterhood in the following novels!

The Clinic by Cate Quinn

If you read my last month’s blog post you will remember that I was awaiting The Clinic to come in. After much anticipation and excitement my hold finally arrived! Was it worth the wait! Oh yes, very much so. The Clinic was so good I read it in a week.

“To solve your sister’s murder, you might need to solve yourself.”

Meg and Hailey did not have an easy childhood growing up with an abusive famous mother. As an adult Hailey became a famous country singer. Meg took a security job at a casino. Both became addicted to drugs and alcohol. Hailey wanted to change and get clean so she enrolled herself in a new treatment center: The Clinic. The Clinic is a specialized place that the rich and famous can come to get clean. It is incredibly fancy and costs a fortune to attend in-patient treatment. That picture perfect image is shattered when Hailey is reported dead from an apparent overdose.

Meg knows her sister. Hailey would not overdose or risk her life like that. Facts about the case just do not add up. Suspicious, Meg decides to go in undercover to get to the truth about the goings on inside of The Clinic. Meg quickly realizes that in order to solve her sister’s murder she must get clean and solve her own childhood trauma first. The Clinic kept me guessing at every turn. I had no idea who could possibly be the killer. Usually I have an inkling. This one is full of unexpected plot twists. The setting is also chef’s kiss. The Clinic is no ordinary addiction treatment center.

I feel it is worth noting the author’s note in the beginning of this book. Cate Quinn confesses that this is her first novel written completely sober. Many of the ideas she got for this novel come from her own treatment for the conditions of alcohol abuse. She says that this is the novel she is most proud of. After reading it, I must say she has a right to be proud.

Click HERE to request The Clinic!

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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 Fiction, Horror

What’s Scared Me Lately?

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

Being a horror fan is weird sometimes.  Every so often, I’ll finish a book or a movie that was well-crafted and thematically compelling, but for all that, just wasn’t scary – and there’s just no replacement for those shivers up your spine, that urge to look over your shoulder, that sinking feeling in your stomach. The books I’m going to talk about today don’t have that problem.  Though they represent many different subgenres and settings, every single one of these books gave me the genuine creeps, and I mean that as the highest compliment.  Let’s get started!

Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum

I’m fascinated by the thematic depths that can be found in the very best works of body horror.  These stories delve into how unfair it is that our bodies and those of the people we love are fragile and finite, and into what might lead a person to embrace a metamorphosis that others perceive as “horrifying”.  Naben Ruthnum’s Helpmeet unites all of these threads of body horror into a novella made of emotional dynamite.  Set amidst the restrictive backdrop of the 19th century, Helpmeet is told from the perspective of Louise Wilk, a former hospital worker who caused a scandal by marrying a man of a higher social station.  Since then, Louise has endured the infidelity of her husband Edward and the scorn of society at large.  When her husband contracts mysterious disease that eats away at his body bit by bit, Louise becomes his primary caretaker.  Louise believes she is about to watch her husband die, until she discovers that what is taking place may not be a disease at all, but rather a metamorphosis for both of them.  The characterization in Helpmeet is just as masterful as the body horror, inviting the reader at every turn to sympathize with these deeply flawed characters.  This is a book that stayed with me long after the final page was turned.

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Posted in Cooking/Baking, Graphic Novels & Memoirs, Horror, Science Fiction

Zachary’s Recent Reads – Mead Con Edition

Posted on by Zachary

It’s once again that time of year when I’m busy with last-minute preparations for Mead Con; many thanks to Carol, Abbie, and Aubrey (and many more besides those that I can’t list all here) for their help making it less crazy to plan this year. Thankfully, I have still had time to read while juggling things like planning a book swap and scheduling mini-painting workshops for the 7th annual con. You’ll find a few of the books I’ve been reading that I thought would be relevant to the celebration of geekdom that is Mead Con. After you check out Mead Con tomorrow, May 2nd, make sure to stop by Sheboy-Con!

There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm

There Is No Antimemetics Division came to my attention because, back in autumn, I had been looking for books based on the SCP Foundation. The book was started by being written on the SCP wiki, before eventually being picked up by a traditional publisher. It was a bit odd seeing what was obviously the SCP Foundation, called the Unknown Organization, but certain changes had to occur to be published. But those little hiccups didn’t distract me from enjoying the book. I went in being unsure how the author would tackle writing about antimemetics, an idea or entity that the human mind can’t perceive or remember, since it’s a concept I wasn’t sure could lend itself to writing. The author showed everything from a critter that eats memories to buildings you never noticed being outside your office. Those Unknowns were things that the author succeeded at describing, but it was the way the author formatted the story that stole the show. I’ll do my best to talk about what I enjoyed while not spoiling the book. The author used some clever writing tricks that play into the idea of antimemetics, which I don’t want to spoil. I’d find myself needing to double-check previous chapters, which isn’t always an unusual thing for me to do since I constantly forget the names of characters, but instead, I was doing it to confirm what the author had been doing. You’ll need to pick up this book to see what I mean, just remember your mnestics before you start reading.

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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 Fantasy, Fiction, Genre, Historical, Uncategorized

Great Historical Fantasy

Posted on by Sydney Anderson

Genre fusions are having a bit of a moment right now, so today I want to talk about one of my favorites: historical fantasy.  Plenty of fantasy novels have, for lack of a better word, historical vibes: most people are familiar with the basics of the ‘generic medieval fantasy setting’, even if they don’t read much fantasy themselves. But today I want to go beyond that, and explore books that introduce fantastical elements into real-world history.  In a historical fantasy novel, an author has an opportunity to inject the unexpected into the familiar, and a historically inspired setting provides a window to explore what fantasy can be outside of the ‘medieval Europe but not quite’ formula.  Here’s a selection of works of historical fantasy, all available through the Monarch Library System, that will appeal readers who love both genres and what happens when the two combine.

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

In the middle of the 14th century, China is wracked by famine and scarred by war.  This is the time of the Yuan Dynasty, the period of the Mongol Empire’s rule.  After the death of her brother, a young girl assumes his identity to become Zhu Chongba, rising from obscurity to become a great military commander – but when faced with the brutal calculus of war, she must make an unspeakable choice.  She Who Became The Sun bears some similarities to the legend of Hua Mulan, but readers shouldn’t expect anything like Disney’s cheery musical rendition of the story.  Rather, Zhu Chongba resembles the thorny antiheroines of Seth Dickinson’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant and R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War.  The setting of this book is brilliantly realized: the bleak portrait of the famine-stricken village of Zhu Chongba’s childhood forms one of the most effective prologues I’ve read in a genre novel in some time.  Parker-Chan also presents a brilliant antivillain in Ouyang, a captive who has risen high in the army and royal court of Henan. I couldn’t put this book down, and the ending left me with a fierce book hangover.  Luckily, She Who Became The Sun is the first of a completed duology, and the conclusion, He Who Drowned The World, is also on the shelf at Mead, ready for avid readers to pick up right away.

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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!?” →