I have found that while I read a bit from just about every genre under the sun, I tend to go through what I like to call “genre phases”. Last year I was in quite the science fiction phase and the bulk of my reading was focused in that genre. This summer has seen me in quite the horror and thriller phase. Like a ravenous undead beast I have found myself devouring whatever dark tome I can get my hands on. The following recommendations are books that I have digested over the month of July. Please, enjoy the menu!
S.A. Barnes is a wonderful author that skillfully blends the genres of science fiction and horror. In this particular novel we find ourselves with a scrappy crew of astronauts who work at the outer edges of explored space repairing communication relays. They are due to return to the company soon and be shipped off to different assignments. Before that can happen, they follow a strange distress beacon to a discovery that embroils our crew in a decades long unsolved mystery.
The Aurora was one of a kind. No ship was built like it before or since. It was supposed to be the Titanic – but in space: a state of the art cruise vessel for the rich and famous. It disappeared years ago and no one alive knows what happened to it. Hoping that the find will bring them fame and fortune, our crew boards the Aurora. The scene aboard is one of blood and violence. What happened on the Aurora that drove the passengers to their doom? Are there survivors lurking on this ghost ship? Read Dead Silence and prepare for a wild ride full of jump scares and horror worthy of a big screen movie. This is exactly what I want when I pick up a horror novel!
I was recently talking to someone about a book I’d just read and loved, and it struck me that many of my favorite books are actually translated works. That wasn’t intentional, but it got me thinking. How does literary translation work? How do translators manage to carry over the tone, the style, the vibe of the original? What happens to cultural nuances embedded in language? I imagine there are countless decisions involved at every turn, which is interesting to consider. I also just enjoy reading books from around the world. There’s something about them, rich with history and perspective, that feels full of possibility and expansion. So, if you’re in the mood for an adventure, and want to experience a new place through the magic of a novel, here are a few gems you can find in our catalog to get you started.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
I have a special place in my heart for unreliable narrators and the eerie unpredictability they bring to a book. Janina, the protagonist of this novel, lives in a remote Polish village where she spends the long winters studying astrology. She much prefers the company of animals to that of humans, so when her beloved dogs are found shot dead, she’s devastated. Her grief warps and deepens when she later discovers the body of her hunting-obsessed neighbor, Big Foot. But that’s not all…an ominous photograph is found next to the corpse. We’re not told exactly what’s in it, but it’s clearly disturbing, and it propels Janina into a fervent quest to uncover the truth. And what’s a murder mystery without the tension steadily climbing as the bodies start to pile up? As the story spirals into the bizarre, Janina becomes convinced she understands what’s really going on. The question is: will anyone else believe her? I love the stark, desolate setting, the sense of isolation, the hazy line between sanity and madness, and the cry for justice from the natural world. If you’re open to a thriller with a near-mythical twist, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright
This is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which is always going to be something I’m excited about. The novel follows three distinct but loosely connected characters in U.S.-occupied Baghdad. Hadi, an eccentric junk dealer, collects scattered human body parts and stitches them together into a corpse he names Whatsitsname. His hope is oddly noble: that the government will finally acknowledge these body parts as belonging to real people worthy of proper burial. What he doesn’t expect is for Whatsitsname to disappear — or for a string of murders to begin terrorizing the city soon after. Meanwhile, Mahmud, an exiled journalist, documents the unfolding chaos, unintentionally fueling widespread panic. Whatsitsname eventually finds shelter with Elishva, Hadi’s elderly neighbor, who has never fully recovered from the loss of her son during the Iran-Iraq War. Though the story is gothic at its core and cracks open some weighty social commentary, it’s also laced with fun and dark humor. I had a good time with this one, and it marked the first time I’d read something by an Iraqi author. Hopefully it’s not the last time.
Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harvey
At just 224 pages, Still Born isn’t a long read by any means, but I took my time with it, savoring each conversation and detail. The book tells the story of Laura and Alina, two friends living in Mexico City who are passionate about their work and largely ambivalent about motherhood. When Alina has a change of heart and decides she wants to have a child, Laura fears this shift will put their friendship at risk. Alina navigates pregnancy and devastating news, and Laura begins spending more time with the young son of her next-door neighbor. While Alina confronts medical professionals who don’t always listen, Laura becomes increasingly entangled in the complex mother-son relationship unfolding next door — a dynamic that both unsettles and captivates her. I love the sparseness of the writing, how it can be so restrained yet still land emotional blows without warning. At its heart, this is a book about motherhood in all its forms and the many ways caregiving can take shape across different lives. If you’re looking for something deeply heartfelt, and don’t mind shedding a tear or two, I do think this one is well worth your time.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein
I’m not sure I have an all-time favorite book, but I definitely keep a mental list of novels that have really stuck with me. These are the stories I still think about years later. My Brilliant Friend, the first volume in the Neapolitan Quartet, is one of them. Set in 1950s Naples, it follows Lila and Lenu — two girls from a working-class neighborhood shaped by poverty, politics, and violence. From childhood, they’re bound together by mutual admiration and rivalry. Lenu is quiet, reflective, and diligent, while Lila is wild, magnetic, and intimidating. Both girls show promise early on, but when Lenu stays in school and Lila is forced out to work in her father’s shoe shop, their paths begin to diverge sharply. That crossroads marks the beginning of two very different journeys, each with their own outcomes and consequences. Their friendship, affectionate and fraught at once, remains the emotional compass for both, even as their lives pull them apart. This is a series I will gladly yell about to anyone who will listen. It’s a story about female friendship in a post-war country undergoing a tumultuous time. It’s full of sleazy and dangerous antagonists who mirror real life a little too closely. It has stunning prose and relentless intensity. Okay, I will now stop waxing poetic about this book. I hope you all read it, that’s all.
I like things that are free. I like libraries. Libraries have free things. Things like our amazing streaming service, Kanopy. Mead cardholders get 30 credits each month to spend on this video-streaming service. There is a staggering array of films from around the world, from throughout film history, and in a lovely array of genres to choose from. Films tend to be 2, 3, or 4 credits for each checkout. TV series are usually 3, 4, or 5 credits each. Most checkouts have a 2-to-7 day window in which to watch. Below, I listed how I spent my 30 credits over the month of July. My watchlist is getting longer by the day, and new movies are added each month, so it will be tough to run out of options.
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) starring Natasha Leone and Clea Duvall 1h25m 2 tickets; 72 hour access 28 tickets left This delightfully frothy confection of queer cinema pairs nicely with other camp classics like Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), Die Mommie Die (2003), Polyester (1981), Valley of the Dolls (1967), and Psycho Beach Party (2000). But I’m a Cheerleader is filled with bright colors, thoughtful characters, and an unbelievable cast. What’s Bud Cort and Mink Stole doing here? Oh, they’re just playing Natasha Leone’s gay-panicking parents, that’s all. Say, is that RuPaul? It certainly is. A pre-stardom Melanie Lynskey and Michelle Willaims in supporting roles? Yes, please! Something that really struck me about this film is that while the candy-colored stage and costume design indicate a 1960s setting, the world in a broader context is meant to be contemporaneous to the 1990s. On top of being a fun visual motif, it indicated the archaic nature of homophobia and concealing one’s authenticity to appease a slow-to-progress society at large. 9 out of 10 stars.
Bottle Rocket (1996) starring Luke and Owen Wilson 1h41m 4 tickets; 48 hour access 24 tickets left I think I watched this after Rushmore put Wes Anderson on the map like 30 years ago, but I have no clear memories of this viewing. My second watch-through in July did not stay with me, either. Bottle Rocket was the competent work of a young film maker flexing his growing whimsical cinematic muscles. The Wilson boys acting debut is charming enough, but the plot deeply annoyed me and I hated every character because I have a dead heart. I am afraid to report that Bottle Rocket left Kanopy at the end of July 2025. Check it out at Mead on DVD. 3 out of 10 stars
Endless Night (1972) starring Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett 1h39m 2 tickets; 72 hour access 22 tickets left The first glimpse we get of Hayley Mills depicts her literally frolicking through a verdant meadow. One would expect an attempt to distance oneself from one’s Heidi roots, but one digresses. Endless Night is based on the late-in-her-career Agatha Christie novel of the same name, and I am a total sucker for her work. I am also extremely suspicious of all Christie protagonists, so I had my eye on ol’ Hywel from the start. A big, fancy house is at the center of this plot. It features a room whose floor opens up to reveal a swimming pool and I got pretty hung up thinking of how damp and musty everything must be. Lots of fun, but slow moving in spots. Anyone who watches Mystery on PBS will enjoy this movie. 6 out of 10 stars
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988) starring Leslie Nielson and Priscilla Presley 1h25m 2 tickets; 72 hour access 20 tickets left Who doesn’t love a guaranteed experience? As a child of the 80s I watched the everlovin shit out of The Naked Gun, Airplane, and Top Secret. I have not seen Naked Gun in decades, so thought it would be a fun nostalgia watch. And it was! Mostly. I had to tap out for the last 15 minutes because I ran out of credulity. I wish Priscilla Presley had starred in more films because I really enjoyed her acting. She is the right amount of genuine and game for physical dum-dum comedy. Also, the opening scene of OJ getting himself all sorts of injured remains one of the funniest sequences in American film history. PERIOD. The Naked Gun left Kanopy in July, but Kentucky Fried Movie is available at the time of this blog’s publication. 7 out of 10 stars
Now, Voyager (1942) starring Bette Davis and Claude Rains 1h57m 4 tickets; 48 hour access 16 tickets left After the abject and unrepentant silliness of The Naked Gun, I needed a palette-cleanser, so I chose this wonderful 1942 Bette Davis melodrama, Now, Voyager. Davis plays the repressed, frumpy adult daughter of a controlling and imperious elderly heiress. She has a nervous breakdown and spends time at a rich lady asylum run by Claude Rains. She loses weight and stops wearing glasses, and is now pretty. She goes on a cruise instead of returning to the home of her controlling mother and falls in love with an unavailable man. More melodramatic stuff happens and there is a lot of ritual cigarette smoking. Now, Voyager also appears to have left Kanopy at the end of July, but as of August 2025 we still have access to several other incredible Bette Davis movies including Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Dark Victory. 10 out of 10 stars
Dragnet (1951) written, directed, and starring Jack Webb 4h32m (10 episodes) 4 tickets; 5 day access 12 tickets left I love police procedurals and Dragnet appears to be an ur text. Dragnet originated as a radio show, which shines through the dialogue of the televised version. I loved the black and white early fifties film stock. The print they used for digitization included a lot of cool artifacts (flaws in the film like faded stock, scratches, and distortion) which lends some good 1950s verisimilitude. I thought the plotting would be more stilted and conservative, but I found these ten episodes thrilling and thoughtful. 8 out of 10 stars
The Bookshop (2017) starring Emily Moritmer and Bill Nighy 1h52m 2 tickets; 3 day access 10 tickets left I borrowed this on a hot day. I wanted something that felt far away from the heat, but that would not make me think too hard. The cast is filled with great actors I enjoy watching, so I gave it a try. Emily Mortimer wears this really amazing plaid wool coat that I cannot stop thinking about, so kudos to the costume department. Otherwise, I am not sure why this film exists. Pretty thin on the plot and I did not find the ending revelatory or satisfying in any way. 4 out of 10 stars
The Escape Artist (2013) starring 2h53m (three episodes) 3 tickets; 72 hour access 7 tickets left An English limited series starring David Tennant as a talented junior barrister? Total no-brainer! Although, had I used more brain power initially I would have realized I had already watched this ten years ago when it first aired on PBS. It took me the better part of the first episode to come to this realization. Note to self, I can reliably re-watch tv series after 10 years and it will be a semi-novel experience. At least I only burned 3 tickets. This is a spooky one with themes of violence that can be sexual in nature, so beware. 8 out of 10 (from what I remember)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) directed by Thom Anderson 2h53m 2 tickets; 72 hour access 5 tickets left Documentaries about film and film history are one of my favorite things in the world. This near 3-hour long meditation on films set in Los Angeles takes us through neighborhoods and architecture that no longer exist. We learn about the Zoot Suit Riots and Angel’s Flight and Bunker Hill and how the myth of Hollywood will always overshadow the city of Los Angeles. Anderson clearly loves the city he grew up in. There’s this famous Roman Polanski quote: “Los Angeles is the most beautiful city in the world, as long as it’s seen at night and from a distance.” Los Angeles Plays Itself is a full-throated, and effective rebuttal to this sentiment. For being 20+ years old, this is a progressive doc in which racial and economic factors in the Hollywood machine are considered and discussed. 9 out of 10 stars
Crime Is Her Game (2014) 11h45m (8 episodes) 5 tickets; 7 day access 0 tickets left Since I had 5 credits left at this point I thought it would be nice to choose a longer series that I could watch over the course of a week. This French import checked a lot of boxes for me. We’ve got an unlikely crime-solving duo, some fish-out-of-water hilarity, shiny costumes, eccentric guest characters, and lots of nonsense. Also, sanitary, off-screen murders that no one ever mentions again after the episode concludes. 8 out of 10 stars
July Kanopy stats Movies: 5 Runtime: 9h59m
TV series: 3 Number of episodes: 21 Runtime: 19h10m
Documentaries: 1 Runtime: 2h53m
Total number of checkouts: 9 Total watch time: 32h2m If this is a typical cumulative runtime for a month of Kanopy-watching, it looks like one credit equals roughly one hour of watch time. I actually had to scramble at the end of the month to use up my credits, so I never felt like I had to “budget” them.
Stray observations and criticisms:
When watching a tv series there is no autoplay option that I could find. I had to back up to the episode list and scroll down to find where I’d left off. THEN one must click to select the episode, and then click the little “play now” symbol. Not intuitive and sort of confusing. This is a minor complaint but I’m in my 40s now so I can if I want.
The “Browse” feature forces the user to scroll horizontally, so only six or so film titles are visible at a time in any particular category. I like to scroll vertically, and the horizontal scrolling has this annoying way of cutting off the film listed on the far right-hand side of the screen. I will say I prefer Kanopy’s interface over whatever the hell is going on at Disney+.
Keep in mind I am using Kanopy as a child-free adult. Children’s programming on Kanopy is free, Free, FREE for families, but I do not have any base of knowledge about what’s available and worthwhile. If streaming is not your bag, Mead is home to a delightful and diverse collection of DVDs and BluRay. Consider using our Your Next Five Movies service for film suggestions, and see you at the movies. (By which I mean free matinees start on Mondays in September. See the lineup HERE).
Now that it’s August, I’m thinking about what to do with my garden’s harvest. I couldn’t use all the zucchini, and I can tell the tomatoes are about to produce way too much this year. Every year, I keep meaning to learn how to preserve my harvest. So I tracked down some books that cover everything from canning to dehydrating. There’s even a book if you want to learn how to save seeds for next year! Each book will have its description from our catalog to give you an idea of what it covers.
“A handy illustrated collection of tried and true techniques to fill your cupboards with wholesome, homemade food—and save money, too. Internet sensation Kris Bordessa shows how to replace storebought, processed products with your own delicious, nutritious entrees, side dishes, condiments, snacks, and more. With more than 120 recipes—from cake mixes and marmalades to relishes, pickles, and coffee creamer—this comprehensive guide will help you ditch store-bought processed foods and fill your pantry with homemade, healthier options that will save you time and money—and taste better, too! Inside these pages, you’ll find recipes for: Breakfast favorites, including homemade instant oatmeal, classic pancake and waffle mix, and make-ahead egg cups Baking must-haves, from chocolate cake mix to no-knead rosemary-garlic bread, sourdough bread loaves, and easy flour tortillas Everyday go-to condiments, such as ranch dressing, grainy mustard, teriyaki sauce, and mayonnaise Quick pickles, like bread-and-butter zucchini pickles, pickled beets and okra, and dill pickle relish Healthier snacks, including barbecue potato chips, sour “fruit” snacks, guacamole, and hummus And a huge collection of canning classics, from orange-vanilla marmalade and bourbon-apple jelly to chowchow, pizza sauce, salsa, and more—all reviewed for safety by the National Center for Home Food Preservation With author and homesteader Kris Bordessa as your guide, you’ll learn how to meal prep more efficiently, reduce waste, cut out processed ingredients, and enjoy more homemade foods year-round, all from the bounty in your own cupboards.”
Ordinarily, when I’m putting together a post for this blog, I tailor my recommendations to follow a certain theme. This can be a good way to get creative energies flowing, but unfortunately, it also means that if I haven’t been able to talk about some of my absolute favorites, just because I haven’t been able to fit them into a theme. Today, I aim to fix that. July just so happens to be my birthday month, so as a birthday gift to myself and all of you wonderful readers, I’ve compiled a selection of books for no reason other than because I love them. Just because of my personal tastes, most of these will fall into the fantasy genre, but there are a couple wildcards! Let’s get started!
Genly Ai is a human emissary to the planet Winter, home of the Gethenians, an alien species who have no concept of gender and change their sex in order to reproduce. Mounting political strife throws Genly into the path of the Gethenian Estraven. Soon, the two realize they will have to overcome their differences and depend on one another in order to survive, and possibly bring Winter into a new era in the process. All of this is told with the compassionate characterization and beautiful prose that made Ursula K. LeGuin a master of the science fiction genre. As much as I adore this book, it is worth noting that it was originally published in 1969, and therefore readers should be mindful of encountering some language and content that is considered outdated today. LeGuin herself later expressed regret that the book’s narration uses “he” to refer to the Gethenian characters rather than singular “they”. The novel’s themes, however, are timeless. I think everyone has one or two novels they encountered in college that expanded their ideas of what fiction could do, and this is one of mine. The story and characters of The Left Hand of Darkness will remain with you long after the final page is turned. If you haven’t read it yet, I can’t recommend it highly enough, and if you have, it’s a book worth revisiting again and again.
Dear readers, welcome back and thank you for letting me share with you the books that I have been enjoying. As usual, I delight in a diverse range of genres. This month’s reads come from the genres of non fiction, fantasy, and horror. I greatly enjoyed reading these titles and I hope one of these catches your eye!
A shout out to my fellow librarian, Aubrey, for recommending this title is in order. Thank you Aubrey! If you are looking for a book that stays with you long after the closing page, this one is it! It has been a week or so since I finished this book, but I still find myself thinking about it. Dear reader, this book is a work of fiction, but it could very easily be set in the real world present day. FantasticLand is a theme park in Florida built by an eccentric billionaire. What sets FantasticLand apart is that it is designed to be many mini theme parks in one. There are different sections of the park. All are designed to be their own unique world. There are places like The Pirate Cove, The Fairy Prairie, and so on. Everything is great until a super hurricane hits. In theory, the staff that stay behind to care for the park should be fine. There is enough food and water for everyone. Dear reader, if that were the case we would not have a story. What results is something that resembles a slasher movie as the young people trapped in the park turn on each other. Each faction fights for dominance as supplies dwindle. The sordid tale is told from the point of view of interviews with those who made it out alive. Only the survivors can tell the tale of what REALLY happened inside FantasticLand. What keeps me thinking about this book is that this is no ordinary slasher. It poses psychological questions about the effects of phone addiction on our young population. Yes, it is a fiction, but it makes one wonder.
Here they are, the top ten books of the month selected by library workers across the country. I really look forward to this blog publishing for many reasons. I like to read lists. I like to hear what other people are excited to read. And I like learning about up-and-coming authors before they hit the mainstream. This is the blog that introduced me to Sarah Gailey, Grady Hendrix, Lucy Foley, Martha Wells, Alix E. Harrow, Nnedi Okorafor, T. Kingfisher and dozens of other incredible authors. I love discovering a new favorite author and the understanding that the world will never run out of fresh voices and ideas. And now, I present to you, the Library Reads picks for July, 2025:
How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold (Poisoned Pen Press) Seven strangers, all horror writers, are brought together for a reading of the will of Mortimer Queen. They have to survive the night in a classic old house. There are riddles, secrets, tales within tales, and a bit of gore wrapped up into an intricate and pulse-pounding evening. This debut is sure to appeal to fans of mystery and horror. —Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD NoveList read-alike: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton (Harper) A Hollywood starlet is sent to a cottage until her “condition” goes away. She creates a masterpiece with the outcast screenwriter next door. Years later, the screenwriter’s granddaughter returns, finding closure with the legendary actress. Under the shimmer of 1950s movie magic and the shadows of the McCarthy era, this romantic, moody mystery spotlights life in front of the camera. —Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX NoveList read-alike: Death Upon a Star by Amy Meade
Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (Minotaur Books) A sweet 16 party at a Texas mansion takes a deadly turn. A host of unsavory narrators add to the story, revealing a myriad of shocking secrets. Multiple intertwined characters help create a sense of urgency and intrigue, contributing to a buildup of suspense to a shocking conclusion. —Cyndi Larsen, Avon Free Public Library, CT NoveList read-alike: The Block Party by Jamie Day
Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Minotaur Books) Savvy Summers is trying to keep her soul food cafe on the South Side of Chicago open, despite a customer being murdered via one of her own pies. She and her coworker, Penny Lopés, attempt to solve the case while fending off developers. This series has fun characters and good food, as well as interesting history and culture. —Becky Abbott, Santa Fe Public Library, NM NoveList read-alike: Body & Soul Food by Abby Collette
Not Quite Dead Yet: A Novel by Holly Jackson (Bantam) Jet Mason has seven days to solve her own murder after being attacked on Halloween. Throughout the week, she uncovers shocking hidden truths about her family and community. This incredibly propulsive adult debut from a YA powerhouse author lives up to the incredible hook. Feisty, snarky Jet is such a fun lead, and the ticking clock towards her death will keep readers flying through the pages. —Jenna Friebel, Oak Park Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine
The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw (Tor Nightfire) Things at school can be tough. Your roommate thinks you like her boyfriend, your friend won’t shut up about her sorority, and sometimes the faculty’s desire for flesh coincides inconveniently with graduation. What’s a kidnapped, devil-touched girl to do? Flee to the library, of course! Come for the body horror, stay for the revolutionary spirit —Krista Feick, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH NoveList read-alike: The Library At Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy: Book 1 of the Dearly Beloathed Duo by Brigitte Knightley (Ace) In a world of amazing and strange magic, a healer and a killer make an unlikely alliance that may inadvertently save the lives of thousands. This debut is an absolutely delightful spin on enemies-tolovers with fantastic prose, intelligent characters, sarcastic and quippy conversation, and desperately denied pining. —Brenna Timm, High Plains Library District, CO NoveList read-alike: Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley) Sera had great powers until she performed a spell that cost nearly all of her magic. Now, there’s a chance she could get her magic back, and become more than just an innkeeper with a house full of quirky boarders under her (falling apart) roof. She will need the help of an attractive historian, a nefarious talking fox, and the rest of her hodgepodge found family. Utterly delightful, and a bit bittersweet. —Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY NoveList read-alike: The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski
The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang (Scribner) Taiwanese immigrant Joan realizes her childhood dream—a café where hosts ask diners questions and provide pleasant conversation. Wang brings up the issues of sadness, isolation, and loneliness in a quiet, restrained way, and offers a graceful pragmatic character in Joan. If cafés can offer cats to make people happier, why can’t true human companionship be offered? —Donna Ballard, LibraryReads Ambassador, NY NoveList read-alike: Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto
BONUS PICK
Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar: A Novel by Katie Yee (Scribner)
NOTABLE NONFICTION
The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature by Charlie English (Random House)
JULY TOP PICK
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst (Bramble) On a remote island during a snowstorm, outside a magical greenhouse, Turlu the librarian wakes from her punishment as a statue—fully human again, and really cold. How did she get here? How was she freed? Who is the mysterious and attractive gardener, and can he help? Readers of cozy fantasy will be enchanted with this parallel story set in the world of The Spellshop. —Crystal Faris, Kansas City Public Library, MO NoveList read-alike: The Honey Witch by Sidney J. Shields
If none of the one dozen new books listed above are ringing any bells of excitement, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books reader’s advisory tool. Provide us with your favorite books, authors, and genres and Mead staff will send you list of five books we suspect you will enjoy. Try also Your Next Five Movies for a list of film suggestions because Mead has a super bonkers DVD collection and I think you can benefit from it.
Dear reader, I did a revolutionary act these past weeks. You want to know what it is? Hold onto your seats! Wait for it! I…read a book on my own bookshelf! I simply selected one and started reading it. I know, I know, I can’t believe it either. So many library books sitting at home, and yet I go and do something like that. Unbelievable!
However, it was for a good cause, so I could have something to write about for my blog post. The first book I’ll be talking about I just finished last night. Evening shifts at work are good for something after all, who knew? This first book wasn’t exactly a light read, despite what the cover may portray, but it was still highly satisfying. What I love about reading books by foreign authors is the glimpse into the everyday lives of people that at once seem familiar, but in other ways teach you something new and surprising. As a person who has never travelled outside of the United States, I approach these books as my “travel guides”, so to speak.
Dok-go lives in Seoul Station. He can’t remember his past, and the only thing he knows for certain is that he could really use a drink. When he finds a lost wallet filled with documents, his life is drastically changed.
Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and current owner of her neighborhood’s corner store, is distraught over the loss of her purse, until she receives a mysterious call from the person who found it. To thank this down-on-his-luck stranger, she offers him a free meal from the convenience store. Seeing the joy the food brings him, Mrs. Yeom impulsively invites him to stop by for lunch every day.
In a twist of fate, Dok-go saves the store from a robber—a brave act that propels Mrs. Yeom to offers the bear-like man a job working the night shift, despite the objections of her wary employees. The store’s new employee quickly wins over the quirky denizens of the neighborhood, becoming a welcoming ear and source of advice for his coworkers and neighbors’ problems, and helping his new boss save the store from financial ruin. But just when things are looking up for Dok-go, Mrs. Yeom’s good-for-nothing son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man’s past and what he seems to be trying so hard to forget.
The Second Chance Convenience Store is a moving and joyful story of a woman fighting for her community and a man who has lost everything except the will to try again.
If you’ve read my other my other blogs highlighting various novels by foreign authors you will recognize what is coming next, that many of them have the characters drawn to or interacting with the same thing, person, experience, etc., and then showing how each character is changed because of that interaction. This may seem repetitive to some, and even boring, but believe me when I say it is anything but! I never tire of reading about each character’s transformation.
In the case of The Second Chance Convenience Store, all the characters interact with – you guessed it! – the convenience store, but more importantly, it’s recent nightshift hire, Dok-go. Mrs. Yeom doesn’t need the convenience store from a fiscal point of view, but she keeps it running to provide jobs for those who do. When Dok-go returns Mrs. Yeom’s wallet to her and she – out of gratitude – gives him a job, this creates a butterfly effect for several other characters Dok-go comes in contact with. These are all characters who in some form or another have hit rock bottom and feel they have nowhere to go. Through food, kindness, his halting speech, and corn silk tea, Dok-go gives them hope and a new perspective.
These characters have dark, depressive thoughts. They contemplate suicide, – as does Dok-go himself – they’ve been alienated from their families, from society, from themselves. The book goes into how each character got caught up in the rat race, sacrificing everything to make it big in life, to prove that they’re not a failure to their parents, spouses, or families, but in the end this didn’t satisfy them, they were lost. The glimpse into how Dok-go slowly lost his humanity as a homeless individual living at Seoul Station was eye-opening as well. There is one line in the book where, when Dok-go finds Mrs. Yeom’s wallet and sees the note that, if found, please call this number, he says that please is what made him feel human. Even after he gets the job at the convenience store, Dok-go continues to visit the homeless community at Seoul Station and show them kindness, offering corn silk tea in place of alcohol, and conversation in place of silence.
One thing I found lacking with this book was the lack of closure with Mrs. Yeom’s son. I won’t give it away, but basically he is spiraling ever downward from one money-sucking scam to another, and while the book mentions in the end what became of his latest scam, unlike other children who were reconciled to their parents and turn their lives around, we are left hanging as far as Mrs. Yeom’s son is concerned. Again, it’s highly possible I missed something! I’m not the most attentive reader, after all.
Part I: Are Ghosts Real? Exploring the Supernatural
Dear reader have you ever heard the phrase “I went down a rabbit hole.”? Usually this is spoken when one looks up a fact that they do not know and are inevitably sucked deeper and deeper into a topic pulled along by their curiosity. They usually emerge from this “rabbit hole” filled with a wealth of random knowledge about this particular topic. Lately I have found myself pulled “down the rabbit hole” by the books I have been reading. One book recommends another and that book recommends yet another book on the topic I have been reading. Join me as I take you down the rabbit hole and share with you my strange journey through these books on topics of my interest.
I may have blogged about this title before as I first read this book last year. At that time I had no idea it would tie into the other books in my journey. Ghostland tells the story of famous American hauntings while exploring the real and true history behind the stories. This book features such famed paranormal places as the Winchester House, Alcatraz Prison, and the cemeteries of New Orleans to name just a few. Besides exploring the true histories of these haunted locations Colin Dickey asks some hard psychological questions. Why do we tell ghost stories? What makes a location haunted? Why is this haunting more famous than that haunting? What does the tale tell us about our values or guilt as a society? In exploring America’s tales of the paranormal, Dickey forces us to look within ourselves to discover truths about human nature, our society, and historical truths we may be too scared to face.
This was a very different read than other books on the paranormal that I have read. I would recommend this book to both believers and skeptics alike as it sheds light on the true origins of our ghost stories whether you believe in them or not.
Every so often, I like to spend some time with a book that reminds me of how I fell in love with reading. For me, that means memories of being curled up under the covers with a fairy tale. These four little books prove that magical things often come in small packages. They may offer new interpretations of old stories that many of us might have come to love when we were young, but each also speaks to the wisdom and perspective of adulthood. I have such a deep love for this little subgenre, and I hope you’ll join me as I share a few of my favorites.
Sisters Esther and Isobel live at the river’s edge, guardians of a pair of enchanted willow trees. The two are inseparable, but tragedy strikes when the actions of a jealous suitor threaten to separate them forever. With the help of her faerie sweetheart Rin, Esther will have to struggle her way back across the boundary between real and unreal to save her sister before it’s too late. This novella was El-Mohtar’s highly anticipated solo debut after the smash success of her collaboration with Max Gladstone, This Is How You Lose The Time War. It’s everything her fans were looking for. El-Mohtar’s lyrical prose is excellently matched to a story interwoven with the themes of traditional folk ballads, particularly Twa Sisters, although this book flips the script on hero and villain from the original tale. The book also features evocative illustrations by Kathleen Neeley, as well as a sneak preview of El-Mohtar’s upcoming short story collection.
Mead Public Library Blog 