The weather is crisp, the leaves are abandoning ship, and I’m thinking of all the ways I can stay as cozy as possible. Reading and pouring myself cups of tea are essential activities. This is also the stretch of time where I carry my knitting projects in my bag everywhere I go. If you’re even mildly curious about knitting, or already deep in the craft, our catalog has a great assortment of books to inspire you to make something out of seemingly nothing.
Vogue has published many knitting books over the years—some excellent, some… less so. But if there’s one to add to your shelf, Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book is the one. It’s more of a tome than a travel companion, but it covers almost everything you might want to know: a stitch dictionary, patterns, fiber guides, yarn weights, and more.
My favorite part is the clear breakdown of garment shaping and construction. Understanding why something comes together the way it does is invaluable. If you can “read” your knitting, it becomes much easier to identify mistakes, fix them, and even adjust or design your own patterns.
Standout: The fiber guide is wonderfully thorough. In my early days, I picked yarn at random and then wondered why my finished hat didn’t match the slouchy photo in the pattern. Turns out fiber matters.
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.
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.
Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! I love lists. Library Reads is a list to look forward to. The book picks on this list represent what library workers in the U.S. are collectively excited about in the publishing world. It’s fine and dandy to have old favorites (Jason Pargrin; Becky Chambers; Shari Lapena; Daniel Pinkwater; etc for me) but it’s an awfully specific and good feeling that comes with reading a brand new author and getting that sense of discovery.
We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books) This atmospheric, wickedly funny prequel to Bunny is a treat. Readers get to know the bunnies and their first creation intimately. Arieus experiences many firsts: love, heartache, frat parties, being made a muse. Awad fans will rejoice and new fans will be made with this riotous little novel. —Brooke G., DeKalb County Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutano
People Watching: A Novel by Hannah Bonam-Young (Dell) Milo, an eternal wanderer, and Prue, happily settled in her hometown, seem to have nothing in common. Through some tangled family challenges, they find that they have a lot to learn from each other. This wonderful romance features messy, moving, and complex characters who fight hard for their happily ever after. —Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY NoveList read-alike: Single Dads Club by Therese Beharrie
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (Pantheon) Greer, a mapmaker in the town of Mistaken who fantasizes about leaving, notices strange things happening. Then her lover mysteriously leaves town. In her attempts to save him, she learns about herself, her cursed town, and the lore surrounding both. This suspenseful and emotional romantasy is well plotted with great world building. —Margaret Balwierz, Villa Park Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (Mariner) Over the course of 20 years in New York and Los Angeles, Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique, and Nakia face both the universal hardships of growing up and the specific challenges of doing so in 21st century America. These intertwining stories of five Black women finding their way into adulthood create a deeply moving portrait of friendship. —Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Library, MO NoveList read-alike: Wahala by Nikki May
The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton (Zibby Publishing) Told in flashback, Phoebe, about to graduate high school, is forced by her adoptive mother to meet her birth family, jumpstarting a search for identity and belonging that reveals layers of uncertainty and mistrust surrounding her best friend and the family of 14 who take her in. Illuminating and lush, this literary jewel will spark numerous discussions. —Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH NoveList read-alike: Sam by Allegra Goodman
Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature by Becky Siegel Spratford (Saga Press) With introductions and readalikes by renowned horror expert Spratford and essays from contemporary writers, this collection will be a great resource for library staff. The essays get to the heart of why horror is such an important genre and why it speaks to such a diverse audience, with personal and entertaining passages. Horror fans and anyone who recommends books will find this invaluable. —Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library, MI NoveList read-alike: 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas (Berkley) This intriguing mystery is also an in-depth character study of a group of people working for a small public library in Austin, TX. No one is quite who they seem, but when two suspicious deaths happen in the area, with both victims having recently been in the library, the staff must band together to try to decipher what happened. Books about librarians are always a win/win, and this one is particularly well done. —Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD NoveList read-alike: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
You Weren’t Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White (Saga Press) Heed the trigger warnings. This book is about a selfharming, autistic trans man who finds himself unwillingly pregnant and forced to carry to term. The story is compelling and explicit enough as is, but then there’s the Hive…which brings in a gross, sci-fi element. Very political, important, and memorable. —Sarah Hamil, Twin Lakes Library System, GA NoveList read-alike: Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt
BONUS PICK:
It’s Me They Follow by Jeannine A. Cook (Amistad)
NOTABLE NONFICTION:
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution BY Jill Lepore (Liveright)
TOP PICK SEPTEMBER 2025:
Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press) A young woman meets two friends, Sam and Yash, in her senior year college literature class. Impressed with their intellect, she gets pulled into their circle and starts dating Sam. This coming-of-age story begins as they are all completing college, then finishes as they reconnect as adults. With beautiful writing and a character-driven story, this novel is perfect for fans of Sally Rooney. —Sophia Geron, Chesterfield Public Libraries, VA NoveList read-alike: We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
The Library Reads archive is well worth a gander. It’s a fascinating cultural record that tracks trends and changes in readership over time. Take a look at the archive by clicking HERE. If you are the sort who does not like to make decisions but does love to Always Be Reading, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service and/or Your Next Five Movies if you’d rather have a movie night. Happy reading, viewing, and listening to you.
Part of the reason we love genre fiction is familiarity, but even the biggest fantasy die-hards will admit that sometimes familiarity starts to get same-y. Never fear: I’ve compiled a list of fantasy novels that do something truly unique with the genre’s toolbox. These recommendations, all available at Mead, may get you out of a reading slump if you need it, and remind you why you fell in love with fantasy. And if you happen to be new to the genre, any of these books would be a great place to start.
Fetter lost his shadow in childhood, as part of his mother’s ambition for him to fulfill a prophecy that he would one day assassinate his father. As a young man in the city of Luriat, Fetter tries to process his past by attending a therapy group for former Chosen Ones. He discovers his affinity for the mysterious Bright Doors that mark the cityscape, as well as the role he might have to play in a rebellion against his father. The Saint of Bright Doors is a much needed re-imagining of some of fantasy’s most enduring tropes, and Fetter’s emotional journey over the course of the book is something truly unforgettable. As you read it, you’ll find yourself asking questions not only about the stories we tell one another, but also about the aspects of our real world that they reflect.
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.
I’m going to be talking about a somewhat niche subgenre today, so bear with me – I think these books are really interesting! Retellings are a huge deal in genre fiction right now, unfailingly popular with fans. Retellings of myths and fairy tales tend to get the most hype, but there’s another kind of retelling that tends to go overlooked: retellings of literary works in the public domain. I think these are particularly interesting when they add genre fiction elements, such as science fiction, fantasy, or horror. Sometimes, they even elaborate on a genre fiction element that was present in the original work. Who doesn’t love an old story made new again? I’m here today to talk about four new-ish books that offer fresh takes on older works of fiction. I hope you’ll love them just as much as I do. Let’s get started!
What if Julius Caesar and Antony & Cleopatra were set in space?
In a faraway galaxy, the fate of the Ceiao Empire and its neighbor Szayet rests on the shoulders of three extraordinary people. Ceian military superstar Matheus Ceirran and his loose-cannon right-hand woman Anita become entangled with Altagracia, the charming and ambitious princess of Szayet. What begins as a political alliance blossoms into genuine affection, but the machinations of Ceirran’s enemies will soon interrupt their plans. You probably already recognize this story, and this first volume of a planned trilogy takes its characters all the way to the fallout of the Ides of March. Reading this book was the pure pleasure of a good story well told. I really enjoyed some of the twists Robin put on their historical and literary inspirations. The second book in the duology, The Sea Eternal, released just this past month, and while I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, I personally can’t wait to spend more time with these characters.
Lately I have been in a nostalgia mood and have been rereading through a series from my childhood: Animorphs. Revisiting science fiction books from my own childhood has engaged my curiosity to explore what kids are reading these days. Dear reader, though I speak of “kids books” I must point out that anyone at any age or stage in their life is welcome to enjoy and find pleasure in these pages. Not only do kids’ science fiction books contain heart pounding action (when done right) they also contain a humor that even as adults we can still enjoy. For this post I have chosen a couple books that I find nostalgic and will introduce you some of the new science fiction available on the shelves in the kids’ section. Enjoy!
I ran into a book recently, The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yōkai of Japanese Myth. I became more and more intrigued as I flipped through the pages, and I knew I needed to explore folklore and folktales and learn some more. What better place than a library!
What is folklore? Folklore covers a wide span of traditional beliefs and stories of a community, such as myths, legends, practices, superstitions, etc. Folklore is commonly passed from generation to the next by word of mouth.
What is a folktale? Folktales focus on the stories that have been passed down from the ancestors of a particular group of people on to their younger generations. Folktales vary widely in genre, ranging from fairy tales, historical, adventure, to ghost tales. Like folklore, folktales pass along generations through word of mouth.
Culture plays an important part in both folklore and folktales, but this does not make them interchangeable. Folklore captures a large range, from beliefs to superstitions, and is told in more of an informative, and even instructive way to the listener. Whereas folktales are only the stories passed down to younger generations. Here are a few books on different folklore and folktales that are on our shelf at Mead Public Library.
I have always been intrigued by Asian Folklore, but not to the point where I’ve pushed to learn more. Seeing this book gave me the push I needed. I’ve heard of yōkai (the Japanese word for supernatural beings, like ghosts, demons, etc.), but was far from understanding. This book is a wonderful teacher! The writing is very light and entertaining, and the illustrations are vibrant and colorful, fitting each yōkai perfectly. Each section starts with an overview of the yōkai, then it gives a nice background and popular stories the yōkai is found in, and then finishes with modern stories.
You may have noticed it, but lately there’s been a chill in the air. The days are getting shorter. The nights longer. And every morning it seems like there’s more and more pumpkins and skeletons cropping up in people’s yards.
That can mean only one thing: It’s spooky season.
And with spooky season comes one of my favorite pastimes: cozying up inside with a hot cup of decaf Earl Grey tea, ready to read a new thriller. Inevitably, this almost always keeps me up at night, my head on my pillow with wide eyes, worrying about all the imaginary monsters that lurk in the dark.
It’s a bad habit, especially for someone who is a scaredy cat. But I can’t help it, especially when the book keeps me at the edge of my seat (and bed, apparently.) And if you have the same issue as me — or are just plain fearless — and are looking for your next thriller, here are a couple you can try:
Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone at work thinks so. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.
So when Dawn doesn’t show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell-beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running-is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…
Now, Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who’s the real victim? But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.
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