Author: Melinda

Book Recommendations for The Year of the Dragon

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Lunar New Year takes place on February 10! Tomorrow begins a fifteen day tradition marked with food, family, and celebration. According to Chinese culture, the dragon is one of the luckiest animals in the zodiac. As the year of the dragon commences, may you luck out with a good book or two. Dragons are a popular element in the fantasy genre, so enjoy these recommendations and check out our science fiction and fantasy collection for more fire-breathing friends.

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton

The tale of a family dealing with the death of their father, of a son who goes to law for his inheritance, a son who agonizes over his father’s deathbed confession, a daughter who falls in love, a daughter who becomes involved in the abolition movement, and a daughter sacrificing herself for her husband.

Except that everyone in the story is a dragon, red in tooth and claw.

Request it here.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

On a beautiful world called Pern, an ancient way of life is about to come under attack from a myth that is all too real. Lessa is an outcast survivor–her parents murdered, her birthright stolen–a strong young woman who has never stopped dreaming of revenge. But when an ancient threat to Pern reemerges, Lessa will rise–upon the back of a great dragon 

Request it here.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. 

Request it here.

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang


The war is over.

The war has just begun.

Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run.

Request it here.

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam

Long ago, humans betrayed dragons, stealing their magic and banishing them to a dying world. Centuries later, their descendants worship dragons as gods. But the “gods” remember, and they do not forgive. 

Request it here.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general–also known as her tough-as-talons mother–has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

Request it here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Award Season

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Photo by Engin Akyurt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/standing-man-figurine-2098604/

And the Oscar goes too…the books behind the movies. Award season kicked off with the Golden Globes on January 7, with book to film adaptations well represented among the nominees and winners! The Oscars take place on March 10, so there’s plenty of time to pick up a book before the awards ceremony. Here’s what books are buzzing this awards season.

Oppenheimer, nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and based on

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

J. Robert Oppenheimer is one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress.

Request the book here.

Killers of the Flower Moon, nominated for ten Academy Awards and based on

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Presents a true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history. 

Request the book here.

Poor Things, nominated for eleven Academy Awards and based on

Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

Supposedly the product of the fiendish scientist Godwin Baxter, Bella was resurrected for the sole purpose of fulfilling the whims of her benefactor.

Request the book here.

American Fiction, nominated for five Academy Awards and based on 

Erasure by Percival Everett

Thelonius “Monk” Ellison is an erudite, accomplished but seldom-read author who insists on writing obscure literary papers rather than the so-called “ghetto prose” that would make him a commercial success.

Request the book here.

Nyad, nominated for two Academy Awards and based on

Find a Way: The Inspiring Story of One Woman’s Pursuit of a Lifelong Dream by Diana Nyad

On September 2, 2013, at the age of 64, Diana Nyad emerged onto the shores of Key West after completing a 110 mile, 53 hour, record-breaking swim through shark-infested waters from Cuba to Florida

Request the book here.

The Color Purple, nominated for an Academy Award and based on

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance, and silence.

Request the book here.

The Zone of Interest, nominated for five Academy Awards and based on

The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis

A fictionalized look at the Holocaust told from the human perspective of four different characters: Paul Doll, commandant of a concentration camp; his wife, Hannah Doll, who is far more aware of what is going on around her than her husband realizes; Angelus ‘Golo’ Thomsen, the privileged nephew of Hitler’s personal secretary who falls for Hannah; and Szmul, a Jewish prisoner who works at the camp and witnesses all of the atrocities that happen around him.  

Request the book here.

Enjoy these blockbuster reads!

-Melinda

Book Review: Mister Lullaby

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Harrod’s Reach is home to a train tunnel filled with spooky stories. After a fatal train accident in the tunnel, all the kids and adults know- stay away from the tunnel. Bad things happen to those who enter the tunnel, as Gideon Dupree knows all too well. His brother, Sully, ran into the tunnel…and never woke up. Years later, Sully is still in a coma and Gideon is coming home from a tour abroad. His childhood friend, Beth Gardner is now the deputy sheriff of their small town, with a son of her own and a wariness surrounding the tunnel and its lore.

When the tunnel once again begins to beckon to the townspeople, strange figures and phenomena begin to occur. One of the town’s oddballs, “Simple” Simon, is discovered by Beth outside the tunnel. His limited language skills are far outweighed by the vivid drawings in his sketchbook, clutched tightly in his hands and carefully labeled LaLaLand.

This book had an intricately built world which made for a page-turning read. There are multiple first person narrators, but each main character has their own well-developed voice. The uneasiness and horror elements are not too gruesome but are definitely enough to keep you up at night. Likened to Stephen King, J.H. Markert tells a haunting tale that will stick with you long after you finish reading. A return to Harrod’s Reach would be welcome!

Put the print copy on hold here or put the audiobook on hold here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Winter 2024

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2024 is sure to bring another round of book to film adaptations, and we’re kicking off the year with a few flicks guaranteed to be blockbusters. Some of the films were set to open in Fall 2023 but were delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Whether you’re a member of “The Book Was Better” club or enjoy the film version, there is something for everyone. If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching!

January

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben

Former special ops pilot Maya, home from the war, sees an unthinkable image captured by her nanny cam while she is at work: her two-year-old daughter playing with Maya’s husband, Joe, To find the answer, Maya must finally come to terms with deep secrets and deceit in her own past before she can face the unbelievable truth about her husband, and herself.  

Coming to Netflix on January 1.

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee

Three very different American women livie in the same small expat community in Hong Kong. Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, is adrift, undone by a terrible incident in her recent past. Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, something she believes could save her foundering marriage. Meanwhile, Margaret, once a happily married mother of three, questions her maternal identity in the wake of a shattering loss. Their lives collide in ways that have irreversible consequences for them all.  

Coming to Amazon Prime on January 26.

February

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head.

Coming to theaters on February 9.

March

Dune by Frank Herbert

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of Paul Atreides–who would become known as Muad’Dib–and of a great family’s ambition to bring to fruition mankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.

Dune Part Two is coming to theaters on March 1.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living. Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous-even suicidal-the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact.

Coming to theaters on March 29.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: The Sunshine Girls

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Clara and Abbie are mourning the loss of their mother, Betty Kay, when a mysterious and famous figure shows up at the funeral claiming to be one of their mother’s best friends. But they’ve never heard of her.

In 1960s rural Iowa, Betty Kay decides to leave the family farm and enrolls in nursing school. When she meets the other students, she sees girls like her- Iowa-born and used to farm life. Until she meets her roommate, Kitty. Kitty is a tough Southern belle who’s got secrets, sass, and sewing skills to last for days. The two steer clear of each other until tragedy comes for Betty Kay, leaving her in a predicament that could derail her future.

Clara and Abbie thought they knew most their mother’s story, but it’s clear that there are chapters missing. The two sisters grieve in their own ways, with Clara wishing she could make amends and Abbie missing her daily check-ins with her mom.

With the Vietnam war as the backdrop, Betty Kay’s sections lend a historical fiction feel to the book, complete with a smidgeon of romance. Told in dual timelines, Betty Kay’s story is told throughout the book as the sisters and the reader discover secrets from Betty Kay’s past. Ultimately the book demonstrates the power of deep female friendship and sisterhood. If you’re a historical fiction fan, consider picking this one up and sharing it with a friend.

Request a print copy here or an eAudiobook copy here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: The September House

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Margaret and Hal think they’ve struck the gold mine when they purchase a stately old Victorian home. But come September, things start going awry. Blood drips down the walls, items get misplaced, and ghostly former inhabitants known as “the pranksters” roam the halls. And they all ominously point to the basement door with a warning- “He’s down there.”

Margaret spends all her time managing the house and its quirks, but Hal has had enough. So when another September rolls around, Hal decides to take matters into his own hands…and disappears without a trace. When their daughter Katherine calls, Margaret begrudgingly shares the news that Hal is missing. Panicked, Katherine immediately plans a visit. In September. Just as the house is waking up for its annual haunting. What could go wrong?

I listened to this horror novel and was mesmerized by the characters, plot, and setting. The pranksters are explained in vivid detail, which gives them an especially spooky feel, and Margaret and Katherine’s antics are those of a classic mother-daughter pair. The house itself is a central character to the story as it creaks and groans with its dark secrets. If you want to be swept away by a scary story, this book is for you.

Request it here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Melinda’s Top 10 of 2023

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Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

I was introduced to Sarah Gailey this year and have loved everything I’ve read so far. Spooky house stories are a win anytime of year.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

After a young Japanese woman’s life falls apart, she moves into a flat above her eccentric uncle’s bookshop, staying rent-free in exchange for working at the store and developing a passion for Japanese literature.

This is a quietly paced gem of a book. A short read perfect for all book lovers.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

The beloved Friends star shares candid behind the scenes stories from the legendary sitcom, as well as detailing his own struggles with addiction.

As a Friends fan, this book was a heavy read, but an important read for anyone wanting to understand addiction and its impact.

A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

To earn the last credit she needs to graduate, Lydia Chass teams up with foul-mouthed Bristal Jamison to transform her listener-friendly local history podcast into a hard-hitting, truth-telling expose as they investigate an unsolved murder from their small town’s past.

Full review here.

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Warned by her brother that their mother seems “off,” Sam visits and discovers a once-cozy home with sterile white walls, a her mom a jumpy, nervous wreck and a jar of teeth hidden in the rosebushes.

Full review here.

Alchemy of a Blackbird by Claire McMillan

Felling the Nazis, painter Remedios Varo and her poet lover await exit papers from a safe house on the Riviera and take refuge in a mysterious bookshop that opens up a world of occult learning that sparks creative genius.

Full review here.

A Guide to Midwestern Conversation by Taylor Kay Phillips

Learn how to speak like a Midwesterner in this humorous and self-deprecating look at their common phrases and sentiments and featuring an ode to the Garage Fridge.

Ope, lemme just tell you- this light-hearted look at the Midwestern states and our odd speech patterns was a fun read.

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

During her annual televised baking competition on her Vermont estate, celebrated baker Betsy Martin, hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” finds murder in the mix when a body is discovered, and everyone is a suspect.

Full review here.

My Murder by Katie Williams

Having been murdered by a serial killer and subsequently resurrected, Lou must solve her own slaying.

An original and intriguing tale of cloning, crime, and community- one of my few five star reads this year!

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

Investigating an estranged sibling’s suspicious drowning at their grandmother’s estate, Jax connects the tragedy to the unsolved case of a housewife who in 1929 allegedly succumbed to a wish-granting spring.

Jennifer McMahon is always a must-read for me, and the alternating timeline of this book made this one hard to put down.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Readalikes for Top 2023 Reads

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2023 is officially winding down, which means the “Best of” and “Top Picks” lists are in full swing. Stay tuned for our own Top 10 Reads of 2023, which will be coming to the blog next week.

In the meantime, here are some readalikes for the most-requested books of 2023. What is a readalike? A readalike is a suggested book that has a similar style, plot, or genre to a book that you enjoyed reading. We love to suggest books for you, so stop by the Reference Desk anytime to get a recommendation. If you were one of the folks checking out these top titles this year and want a similar book, keep reading for suggestions!

Did you read Lessons in Chemistry?

In the early 1960s, chemist and single mother Elizabeth Zott, the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show due to her revolutionary skills in the kitchen, uses this opportunity to dare women to change the status quo.

Try The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao!

The tale of two sisters who, surrounded by a cast of unforgettable characters, assert their independence and courageously carve a path of their own in 1940s Rio de Janeiro.

Did you read Tom Lake?

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family’s orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake.

Try Flight!

A group of siblings and their spouses gather for Christmas in upstate New York to try decide through rising tensions and old hurts what to do with the house their recently deceased mother has left them.

Did you read Simply Lies?

A twisting new psychological thriller in which two women–one a former detective, the other a dangerous con artist–go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse.

Try Never Tell!

While D. D. Warren investigates a pregnant woman’s suspicious role in the murders of her father and husband, Flora draws on her own haunted past to identify an unsettling link to one of the victims.

Did you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo?

When an aging and reclusive Hollywood icon selects an unknown magazine reporter to write her life story, the baffled journalist forges deep ties with the actress during a complicated interview process that exposes their tragic common history.

Try Did You Hear about Kitty Karr?

A multigenerational saga that traverses the glamour of old Hollywood and the seductive draw of modern-day showbiz.

Did you read Fourth Wing?

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. 

Try A Deadly Education!

An unwilling dark sorceress destined to rewrite the rules of magic clashes with a popular combat sorcerer while resolving to spare the lives of innocents.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Holiday Reads Without the Romance

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

It’s December 1, we had our first (real) snowstorm of the season, and many folks are looking to cozy up and hibernate with a book. If you’re looking for a holiday romcom this season, there’s no shortage of holiday romances calling out to you from the library shelves. But if you want a holiday read without the romance, those can be a bit harder to find.

If you want a book to get you in the seasonal spirit of the holidays that doesn’t feature a romantic meet cute on a rural tree farm, read on for some wintry reading recommendations.

Just click on the title of the book to place a hold on it in our catalog.

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

It’s Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew’s elder daughter–who is usually off saving the world–will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she’s been told she must stay in quarantine for a week…and so too should her family.

A Christmas Legacy by Anne Perry

After leaving her position with Charlotte and Thomas Pitt to get married, Gracie thought her days as a maid were behind her. But when her good friend’s daughter, Millie, turns up on her doorstep just before the holidays, frantic because things are going missing from the kitchen in the household she serves, Gracie knows she has to find out what is happening. Millie, whose mother died years before, can’t risk being accused of theft and getting thrown out on the street, with no character references for a new position.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether.

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

On Christmas Eve at Gorston Hall, the Lee family’s festivities are shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs–in a locked bedroom–the tyrannical patriarch Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. 

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.

It is in this house, on the shortest day of the year, that the lives of five people will come together and be forever changed. 

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

When Todd McCray, a developmentally challenged young man still living on his parents’ Kansas farm, hears that a local animal shelter is seeking temporary homes for its dogs during the days leading to Christmas, he knows exactly what he wants for the holidays. His father objects, but Todd’s persistence quickly wins out. Soon the McCrays are the short-term foster family for a lovable pooch the young man names Christmas.

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer’s block sets in.

‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt

Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter is at the Tara Foundation’s annual Christmas party. The dog rescue organization has always been his true calling, and this is one holiday tradition he can get behind because every dog that’s come through the rescue–and their families–are invited to celebrate.

In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd

aka A Christmas Story

Bending the ear of Flick, his childhood-buddy-turned-bartender, Shepherd recalls passionately his genuine Red Ryder BB gun, confesses adolescent failure in the arms of Junie Jo Prewitt, and relives a story of man against fish that not even Hemingway could rival. From pop art to the World’s Fair, Shepherd’s subjects speak with a universal irony and are deeply and unabashedly grounded in American Midwestern life, together rendering a wonderfully nostalgic impression of a more innocent era.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Hygge and Beyond: Cozy Vibes All Around

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Photo by Pavan Trikutam on Unsplash

In 2016, one Danish word began to crop up in popularity: hygge (pronounced hooga). Hygge doesn’t have a direct English translation, but according to the official website of Denmark, “hygge is about taking time away from the daily rush to be together with people you care about – or even by yourself – to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures.” The general spirit of most translations relate to the feelings of being cozy, relaxed, and grateful, and “reflects the values of Danish society: equality and the well-being of everybody.”

Hygge took the world by storm and quickly begged the question- what other Nordic traditions and concepts are we missing out on? Read on to learn about other practices to build into your daily life to up the cozy factor and bring international practices into your home. As the winter days are around the corner and daylight hours are shrinking, take time to enjoy the season.

The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

Why are Danes the happiest people in the world? The answer, says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, is Hygge. Loosely translated, Hygge–pronounced Hoo-ga–is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. “Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience,” Wiking explains. “It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe.”

Cosy: The British Art of Comfort by Laura Weir

Cosy is “the slacker’s guide to staying at home, an antidote to peak frazzle.” With trademark Anglo cheekiness, Laura Weir perfectly captures the British essence of cosy. She celebrates socks, warms to the joys of toasty open fires, and extols the virtues of a quiet walk, ultimately enticing us all to create the British magic of cosy in our everyday lives.

Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing by Olga Mecking

Niksen is not a form of meditation, nor is it a state of laziness or boredom. It’s not scrolling through social media, or wondering what you’re going to cook for dinner. Rather, to niks is to make a conscious choice to sit back, let go, and do nothing at all.

Njuta: Enjoy, Delight In by Niki Brantmark

Do you aspire to live a more peaceful, intentional life of mindfulness, positivity, and gratitude? Njuta (pronounced “nyutah”), which means “enjoy” or “delight in,” is the Swedish art of savoring the moment. Focused on finding happiness in even the smallest things, njuta can be applied to every area of life: 

The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking

In The Little Book of Lykke, Meik identifies the six factors that explain the majority of differences in happiness across the world–togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness–and explores what actions we can take to become happier. As he reveals, we can deepen our blissfulness and contentment with little adjustments in our behavior.

The Little Book of Fika by Lynda Balslev

While the Danish concept of hygge as caught on around the globe, so has lagom– its Swedish counterpart. An essential part of the lagom lifestyle, fika  is the simple art of taking a break–sometimes twice a day–to enjoy a warm beverage and sweet treat with friends.

Cozy: The Art of Arranging Yourself in the World by Isabel Gillies

When we talk about being cozy, most of us think of a favorite sweater or a steaming cup of tea on a rainy day. But to Isabel Gillies, coziness goes beyond mere objects. To be truly cozy, she argues, means learning to identify the innermost truth of yourself and carrying it into the world, no matter your environment.

Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living by Linnea Dunne

The Swedish concept of Lagom (pronounced “lah-gom”) roughly translates to “not too little, not too much, just right.” This charming book introduces readers to a new way of balanced living that promises happiness and sustainability in work and in life.

Happy reading!

-Melinda