Quick Picks
By Nichole Watson
Brought to you by the Round Lake Area Public Library, in Round Lake, Illinois, but to be enjoyed by adults and mature teens everywhere.
For questions and comments, please email podcast@rlalibrary.org.
Quick PicksOct 01, 2021
Episode 56: Moms
This episode I'm joined by my friend, Michelle Habrych, to talk about a wide variety of moms, as depicted in books.
Discussed:
Darling Girls, by Sally Hepworth
The Mother-In-Law, by Sally Hepworth
Becoming Madam Secretary, by Stephanie Dray
The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
Wishing Game, by Meg Shaffer
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?, by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
Class Mom, by Laurie Gelman
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, by Elle Cosimano
House of Eve, by Sadequa Johnson
Emily Gone, by Bette Lee Crosby
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
You Are Not Alone, by Michelle Habrych
My Darling Girl, by Jennifer McMahon
A Light in the Forest, by Melissa Payne
The Heiress, by Rachel Hawkins
Crossroads, by Rachel Hightower
The Changeling, by Victor LaValle
A House with Good Bones, by T. Kingfisher
Episode 55: Fantasy and Science Fiction
Though there are so many sub-genres of fantasy and science fiction, and so many formats to enjoy, Nick joins me to talk about some of our favorite books, movies, and video games.
Discussed:
Song of Ice and Fire, by George RR Martin
Roadside Picnic, by Arkady Strugatsky
Pacific Drive (video game)
Dead Silence, by SA Barnes
Circe, by Madeline Miller
Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
God of War (video game)
Legends and Lattes, by Travis Baldree
Stardew Valley (video game)
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik
Temeraire series, by Naomi Novik
The Scholomance trilogy, by Naomi Novik
Alice Isn't Dead, by Joseph Fink
Welcome to Night Vale (fiction podcast)
Sworn Soldier series, by T. Kingfisher
The Lighthouse Witches, by CJ Cooke
The O.A. (Netflix)
The Odyssey, by Homer
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
Annihilation (Southern Reach trilogy), by Jeff VanderMeer
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
Poor Things (movie)
Heartstopper (manga series), by Alice Oseman
Cinder, by Marissa Meyer
Other recommendations from our library:
The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater
Six Crimson Canes by Elizabeth Lim
Caraval series by Stephanie Garber
Monsters of Verity by Victoria Schwab
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo
Ark of a Scythe by Neil Schusterman
Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski
Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed series) by Octavia Butler
Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight trilogy) by Katherine Arden
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
Anything by Neil Gaiman
Anything by Douglas Adams
Anything by Terry Pratchet
Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Martian by Andy Weir
Artemis by Andy Weir
Rat Queens by Kurtis Weibe
I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young
Poppy War by RF Juang
Bone by Jeff Smith
Arrival by Shaun Tan
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones
Hell's Library series by AJ Hackwith
After the Forest by Kell Woods
Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
Episode 54: 2024 Oscar Best Picture Nominations
Tana saves the day with her vast knowledge of all the Oscar nominations for Best Motion Picture and shares her predictions and favorites.
Discussed:
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Zone of Interest
Episode 53: Nick's Banned Book Club at the RL High School
The surest way to give books free publicity and promotion is to point fingers at them and attempt to ban them. Often those books are so valuable, enlightening, and great for forging connections, that depriving certain people of the ability to experience them is a hot topic. Nick Rodriguez, our Teen Librarian, is starting a Banned Book Club at our local high school and he joins me to talk about potential titles for this program and the importance of fighting censorship.
Discussed:
Maus, by Art Spiegelman
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
1984, by George Orwell
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien
Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo
Flamer, by Mike Curato
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe
Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Alice Isn't Dead, by Joseph Fink
Video game: Outer Wilds
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
Episode 52: The Best of 2023
Every episode of Quick Picks is essentially a list of stuff we recommend, but the list of our favorite books at the end of the year is the episode Tana and I look forward to the most. Below are the books we discussed and a list of the books others at the library thought were the best.
Discussed:
Calling for a Blanket Dance, by Oscar Hokeah
Horse, by Geraldine Brooks
All the Sinners Bleed, by S.A. Cosby
The Queen of Dirt Island, by Donal Ryan
Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano
Small Mercies, by Dennis Lehane
The Running Grave, by Robert Galbraith
Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
The Fox Wife, by Yangsze Choo
The River We Remember, by William Kent Krueger
House with Good Bones, by T. Kingfisher
I Have Some Questions for You, by Rebecca Makkai
Lone Women, by Victor Lavalle
Delicious Monsters, by Liselle Sambury
The Starling House, by Alix E. Harrow
We Meant Well, by Erum Shazia Hasan
The Celebrants, by Stephen Rowley
The Last Devil to Die, by Richard Osman
Vampires of El Norte, by Isabel Cañas
September House, by Carissa Orlando
Twyford Code, by Janice Hallett
Highway of Tears, by Jessica McDiarmid
Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, by Michiko Aoyama (Alison Watts (Translator)
Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride
Bea Wolf, by Zach Weinersmith
Other recommendations:
The Change, by Kristen Miller
Blood and Ash series, by Jennifer Armentrout
Red, White, and Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston
Rhapsodic, by Laura Thalassa
Children of Chicago, by Cynthia Pelayo
Once Upon a Broken Heart series, by Stephanie Garber
If He Had Been with Me, by Laura Nowlin
Before We Were Strangers, by Renee Carlino
Sword Catcher, by Cassandra Clare
Small-Town Crafter series, by Tom Watts
Battle Mage Farmer series, by Seth Ring
Episode 50: Holiday Media, Light and Dark
Not all holiday movies need to be squeaky clean kids' stuff. There's a lot out there for adults as well and Nick Rodriguez joins me to discuss some of our favorite off-beat holiday favorites.
Discussed:
Elf
Nightmare Before Christmas
Christmas Story
Bad Santa
Krampus
Black Christmas
The Ref
Home Alone
Bad Moms Christmas
A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
Christmas With the Kranks
Love Actually
Stepmom
The Holiday
Muppets Christmas Carol
Spirited
Klaus
Jingle Jangle
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1965)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Charlie Brown Christmas
It's a SpongeBob Christmas
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy's Jingle Jingle Jangle
Wish For Wings That Work
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Star Wars Holiday Special
Episode 49: What We're Streaming
Despite the strikes in the entertainment industry, there are still a lot of great shows to watch on TV this fall, and Tana has joined me to talk about some of our favorites that might become yours as well.
Discussed:
After Party
Shrinking
Lincoln Lawyer
The Diplomat
Loki
Successor
Righteous Gemstones
Discovery of Witches
Only Murders in the Building
Three Pines
Jack Ryan
Reacher
Good Omens
All the Light We Cannot See
Black Cake
Lessons in Chemistry
Joe Pickett
1923
My Pack Life
Underground Railroad
24 Hours in A&E
Ozark
Daisy Jones & the Six
Strike
And these are the earrings I was wearing that Tana talked about: Chevron Lane
Episode 48: Scary Stories
Tana and I have some spooky, creepy, gory, and frightening books for this spooky season for you, almost all of them new releases.
The Vampires of El Norte, by Isabel Cañas
The Hacienda, by Isabel Cañas
Murder Road, by Simone St. James
Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, by Grady Hendrix
How to Sell a Haunted House, by Grady Hendrix
Spite House, by Johnny Compton
My Heart is a Chainsaw, by Stephen Graham Jones
Don't Fear the Reaper, by Stephen Graham Jones
Crossroads, by Laurel Hightower
Arnold's Letter, by Michael Van Der Voort
All Hallows, by Christopher Golden
Downpour, by Christopher Hawkins
Delicious Monsters, by Nichelle Samburg
Nightmare Man, by J. H. Markert
Nestlings, by Nat Cassidy
Let Him In, by William Friend
Winter People, by Jennifer McMahon
Ghost 19, Simone St. James
Episode 47: Loss and Grief with Michelle
Loss and dealing with it is a life lesson we learn early on, and it can come up in so many different ways, with us all dealing with it in different ways. Michelle joins me today to talk about some books that were meaningful to us and imparted empathy for characters going through losing someone they love. These are not just books that address grief. There are so many stories and so many characters, they just each have a burden of loss they carry with them.
Discussed (Tissue rating, out of 5):
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt (3 tissues)
Dead Romantics, by Ashley Poston (3 tissues)
The Guncle, by Stephen Rowley (5 tissues)
The Celebrants, by Stephen Rowley
Before I Let Go, by Kennedy Ryan (4 tissues)
Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (5 tissues)
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, by Fredrik Backman
Beartown, by Fredrik Backman
Killers of a Certain Age, by Deanne Raybourn (2 tissues)
The Half Moon, by Mary Beth Keane (2 tissues)
Amazing Grace Adams, by Fran Littlewood
Go As a River, by Shelley Read
Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer
Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Other recommendations from Michelle:
The Supremes at Early's All-You-Can-Eat, by Edward Kelsey Moore
The Secret to Hummingbird Cake, by Celeste Fletcher McHale
The Accidental Text, by Becky Monson
The Ways We Hide, by Kristina McMorris
Surviving Savannah, by Patti Callahan
The Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, by Marianne Cronin
P.S. I Love You, by Cecilia Ahern
Truly Madly Guilty, by Liane Moriarty
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, by Balli Kaur Jaswal
The Unsinkable Greta James, by Jennifer E. Smith
A Year on Ladybug Farm, by Donna Ball
Under the Southern Sky, by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Smells Like Tween Spirit, by Laurie Gelman
One True Loves, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, by Phaedra Patrick
Thank You For Listening, by Julia Whalen
Truths I Never Told You, by Kelly Rimmer
House of Eve, by Sadeua Johnson
Under the Magnolias, by T.I. Lowe
A Wish for Winter, by Viola Shipman
The Secret of Snow, by Viola Shipman
Episode 46: Summer Favorites
Tana is back and we share our favorites from this summer
Books:
Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano
The Bookbinder, by Pip Williams
The Celebrants, by Steven Rowley
Queen Hereafter, by Isobel Schuler
Monstrilio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
The Anomaly, by Hervé Le Tellier
TV:
The Lincoln Lawyer
Movies:
Oppenheimer
Mission Impossible
Episode 45: Summer Reads
Summer reads are a favorite theme of mine and I am always looking for fun books that fall into this category, so I'm sharing my recommendations with you with the hopes that you might also find some good ones.
Literary Fiction:
Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan
Return to Valleto, by Dominic Smith
The Librarianist, by Patrick deWitt
The Guncle, by Steven Rowley
Cozies:
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, Catherine Ingelman-Sundberg
Carlene O'Connor books: Irish Village Mysteries, County Kerry Mysteries, and Home to Ireland Mysteries
Richard Osman books: Thursday Murder Club series
Alan Bradley books: Flavia de Luce series
Rom-Coms:
Beth O'Leary books: The Flatshare, The No-Show, The Road Trip, and The Switch
Sophie Kinsella books: Shopaholic series, Remember Me, and I've Got Your Number
Lily Bennett's Bucket List, by Katherine Dyson
Steamy Romance:
Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang
Darynda Jones books: Charley Davidson series, Betwixt & Between series, and Sunshine Vicram series.
Chick Lit:
Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, by J. Ryan Stradal
Mary Alice Monroe books: Beach House series
Sandra Dallas books
Liane Moriarty books: What Alice Forgot, Truly Madly Guilty, Apples Never Fall and Big Little Lies
Dude Lit:
Reed Farrel Coleman books: Gus Murphy series
Last Flight of Poxl West, by Daniel Torday
IQ series, by Joe Ide
Harry Dresden series, by Jim Butcher
Alex McKnight series, by Steve Hamilton
SF/Fantasy:
Ink Blood Sister Scribe, by Emma Törzs
The Binding, by Bridget Collins
Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
The Measure, by Nikki Erlick
House In the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune
Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries, by Heather Fawcett
Books about Greek myths: Circe, by Madeline Miller; Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller; Clytemnestra, by Costanza Casati; Psyche & Eros, by Luna McNamara; Atalanta, by Jennifer Saint; House of Names, by Colm Toibin
Mystery/Thrillers:
The Hawthorne and Horowitz Investigate series, by Anthony Horowitz
All the Sinners Bleed, by SA Cosby
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, by Benjamin Stevenson
On a Quiet Street, by Seraphina Nova Glass
Harlan Coben books
Sally Hepworth books
Peter Swanson books
Jane Harper books
Nonfiction:
Soul of an Octopus, by Sy Montgomery
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, by Fredrik Backman
Memoirs: As You Wish, by Cary Elwis; Bossypants, by Tina Fey, Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh; Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh; anything by David Sedaris
A Walk In the Woods, by Bill Bryson
Mary Roach books: Stiff, Gulp, and Grunt
Episode 44: Nick's Adult Popular Fiction Book Club
Nick joins us again this time to talk about the three most recent books he's discussed with his book club from March to May, and a sneak preview of upcoming books to be read and discussed over the summer.
Discussed:
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, by Akwaeke Emez
The Lost Apothecary, by Sarah Penner
Once There Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConaghy
Upcoming:
Pineapple Street, by Jenny Jackson
The Half Moon, by Mary Beth Keane
Pieces of Blue, by Holly Goldbert Sloan
Episode 43: Non-Celebrity Memoirs
Tana is back to discuss some of our favorite memoirs by folks who are not celebrities, who have, arguably better stories to tell.
Discussed:
The Girl Who Smiled Beads, by Clemantine Wamariya
I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, by Shauna Niequist
Almost American Girl, by Robin Ha
We Ate Wonder Bread, by Nicole Hollander
I'm Still Alive, by Roberto Saviano
Poppies of Iraq, by Bridgitte Findakly
Ducks, by Kate Beaton
Educated, by Tara Westover
Hillbilly Elegy, by JD Vance
Brain on Fire, by Suzannah Cahalan
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed
All That You Leave Behind, by Erin Lee Carr
The Liar's Club, by Mary Carr
In a Dream House, by Carmen Maria Machado
The Dirty Life, by Kristen Kimball
Stitches, by David Small
Maus, by Art Spiegelman
Episode 42: Neurodivergent Characters
Discussed:
Movies
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Rainman
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
Forrest Gump
Girl, Interrupted
The Other Sister
Snow Cake
Silver Linings Playbook
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Still Alice
Please Stand By
The Accountant
Perks of Being a Wallflower
TV Shows
Big Bang Theory
The Good Doctor
As We See It
Nanette
Books
10 Steps to Nanette, by Hannah Gadsby
The Reason I Jump, Naoki Higashida
The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion
The Maid, by Nita Prose
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon
Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer
The Good Sister, by Sally Hepworth
The Hilarious World of Depression, by John Moe
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman
Fan Girl, by Rainbow Rowell
Episode 41: 2023 Oscar Nominees
Unlike me, Tana is a big movie-watcher and she's joining me this episode to discuss all the movies nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, and we'll also discuss a few others in other categories or nominees for other major awards.
Oscar: Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking
Tár
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Nominated for Supporting Actress, Costume Design, Original Song, Visual Effects, Makeup and Hairstyling)
Menu (Nominated for Golden Globe Actor in Musical or Comedy)
Woman King (Nominated for Golden Globe Best Actress, BAFTA and others, snubbed by Academy)
RRR (Nominated for Original Song)
Tell It Like a Woman (Nominated for Original Song)
Argentina, 1985 (Nominated for International Film)
Episode 40: Love of Dogs
For Valentine's Day, Tana and I are happily talking about some of our favorite books with our favorite dogs, because the love of a dog is the purest love there is. We focus on modern books but pull from fiction, nonfiction, romance, memoirs, and children's books, and we will let you know if the dog dies. If ever in question and you need to know before committing to something, you can check www.doesthedogdie.com to find out if you'll need privacy, tissue and pet hugs or if it's safe to read while in public.
Discussed:
The Friend, by Sigrid Nunez (Dog: Apollo, may or may not die, ending ambiguous)
London's Number One Dog Walking Agency, by Kate MacDougall (Many dogs, one dies)
Love Story of Missy Carmichael, by Beth Morrey (Dog: Bob, dies)
Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow (Dog: 'Bad, does not die)
Lessons In Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus (Dog: 6:30, does not die)
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, Fredrik Backman (Dog: The Wurse, dies)
Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy (Dog: wolf pack, some die)
Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune (Dog: Apollo, is a ghost)
Daily Coyote, by Sherve Stockton (Dog: Charlie the coyote, does not die)
Mongrel, by Steven Graham Jones (Dog: family of werewolves, do not die)
Stay, by Allie Larkin (Dog: Joe, does not die)
Fairy Tale, by Stephen King (Dog: Radar, doesn't die in the story, but does in the epilog)
Mountaintop School For Dogs, by Ellen Cooney (Dog: many, none die)
Ryder Creed series, by Alex Kava (Dog: many, none die in book 1)
Bernie and Chet series, by Spencer Quinn (Dog: Chet, does not die)
Andy Carpenter series, by David Rosenfelt (Dog: Tara, does not die)
Mrs. Murphy series, by Rita Mae Brown (Dog: many)
No Ordinary Dog, by Will Chesney (Dog: Cairo, dies)
War Dogs, by Rebecca Frankel (Dog: many, some die)
Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech (Dog: Sky, dies)
Before You Were Mine, Maribeth Boelts (Dog: two of them, one dies, one does not die)
Episode 39: Best of 2022
With the end of the year, in every area of entertainment, you can find lists of the best, and between reading everyone else's lists, Tana and I compiled our own book lists and we're happy to share with the hopes you might also find something to love.
Tana's List:
The Winners, Fredrik Backman
Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
Cover Story, Susan Rigetti
Book of Goose, Yiyun Li
Signal Fires, Dani Shapiro
Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult
The Lioness, Chris Bohjalian
Swimmers, Julie Otsuka
Fresh Water for Flowers, Valérie Perrin
Honorable mention:
Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson
Last House on the Street, Diane Chamberlain
Nikki's List
The Winners, Fredrik Backman
Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
The Golden Enclaves: #3 in Scholomance Series, Naomi Novik
Take My Hand, Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Nine Lives, Peter Swanson
Ink Black Heart, Robert Galbraith
Fever, Mary Beth Keane
Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmer
Honorable mention:
Killers of a Certain Age, Deanna Raybourn
Woman in the Library, Sulari Gentill
The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas
The Book of Cold Cases, Simone St. James
Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghey
On a Quiet Street, Serafina Nova Glass
Thistlefoot, JennaRose Nethercott
38: Nick's Popular Adult Fiction Book Club
At my library, Nick has an Adult Popular Fiction book discussion group and he joins me today to discuss the more recent books they've read. I'd like to apologize for some of the audio glitches that occurred while Nick spoke -- we had hours of technical difficulties and at the end, I accepted whatever I could get.
Discussed:
Joan is Okay, by Weike Wang
Last Night at the Lobster, by Stewart O'Nan
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Jacqueline in Paris, by Ann Mah
One Italian Summer, by Rebecca Serle
Briefly mentioned:
This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub
Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Episode 37: Next!
A lot of popular series have a new book that either just came out or is coming soon and Tana joins me to discuss our recent favorites.
Discussed:
The Mason Series: The Confession Club, by Elizabeth Berg
The Jaipur Trilogy: The Perfumist of Paris, by Alka Joshi
Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series: Before Your Memory Fades, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Finlay Donovan Series: Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, by Elle Cosimano
Beartown Series: The Winners, by Fredrik Backman
Scholomance Series: The Golden Enclaves, by Naomi Novik
Thursday Murder Club Series: The Bullet That Missed, by Richard Osman
Episode 36: Murder!
When I was thinking of an episode that I could do about scary material, I didn't want to repeat last year so I thought, what scares me most? And to that, it's always been human monsters, the ones who kill other humans. So for October, I have a list of shows, podcasts, and books for all of you interested in... MURDER!
Discussed:
Streaming
Mindhunter (Netflix)
Unbelievable (Netflix)
Under the Benner of Heaven (on Hulu, not Prime as mentioned in the podcast)
Only Murders in the Building (on Hulu, not Prime as mentioned in the podcast)
Reacher (Prime)
True Detective (HBO)
The Killing (Hulu)
Top of the Lake (Hulu)
Luther (Hulu)
Broadchurch (PBS)
Very Scary People (Discovery+)
Podcasts
Books
I'll Be Gone In the Dark, by Michelle McNamara
Furious Hours, by Casey Cep
Midnight Assassin, by Skip Hollandsworth
Episode 35: Marvelous Midlife Mavens -- Women in Modern Fiction 40 and Over
The phrase "of a certain age" is so emblematic of the vague way we describe women in midlife and beyond because they seem to become more and more invisible as they age, and as I'm venturing through this precarious stage in life, I'm looking for more female characters I can relate to, who are not tied to hearth and home as their identity. I've had a few in my head for this episode for a while, but I found a few more with some research, and I'd like to share those with everyone so you also can enjoy spunky, sharp women who are not just someone's mom or someone's grandmom. Enjoy!
Discussed:
Britt-Marie Was Here, by Fredrik Backman
State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett
Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver
Celine, by Peter Heller
Emily Maxwell series, by Stewart O'Nan
The Beach House series, by Mary Alice Monroe
Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osmon
The Woman with the Knife, by Gu Byeong-mo
The Marlow Murder Club, by Robert Thorogood
Brigid Quinn series, by Becky Masterman
The Mother-in-Law, by Sally Hepworth
The Elderly Lady series, by Helene Turston
Apples Never Fall, by Liane Moriarty
Also recommended:
Jody Picoult, Fannie Flagg, Anne Tyler, Terry McMillan, and Kristen Hannah.
Episode 34: Hot Summer Picks
I don't know what it is about summer that makes me want to read only fun books but I know I'm not alone. Whether it's a good thriller, a visit to a French graveyard, a safari, or a humorous letter to a man's son about life, we have a bunch of books that you can devour in a warm afternoon by the pool or on a road trip while there's still time. Buckle up, we've got some doozies.
Discussed:
The Lioness, by Chris Bohjalian
Fresh Water for Flowers, by Valérie Perrin
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
Music of Bees, by Eileen Garvin
The Winners, by Fredrik Backman
The Stranger, by Harlan Coben
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, Fredrik Backman
The Old Woman With the Knife, by Gu Byeong-mo
The Woman in the Library, by Sulari Gentill
Episode 33: Being American
What better time to talk about patriotism and what it's like to be an American than Independence Day? And no matter how you feel about events going on in the country right now, you know deep down you have love and a pride in the idea of America, what it is, and what it could be with some work. Here are books that epitomize American life throughout history, the good and the bad.
Discussed:
Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann
There, There - Tommy Orange
Round House and The Sentence - Louise Erdrich
Flight - Sherman Alexie
Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer
The Witches - Stacy Schiff
Five Days at Memorial - Sheri Fink
1776 - David McCullough
Band of Brothers - Stephen E. Ambrose
The Good Soldiers and Thank You For Your Service - David Finkel
War Dogs - Rebecca Frankel
Midnight Assassin - Skip Hollandsworth
The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
Black Dahlia - James Ellroy
Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
I'll Be Gone In the Dark - Michelle McNamara
Missoula - Jon Krakauer
Beloved - Toni Morrison
Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys and Harlem Shuffle - Coleson Whitehead
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Hate You Give - Angie Thomas
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Twelve Years a Slave - Solomon Northup
I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter - Erika L. Sanchez
Ask a Mexican - Gustavo Arellano
The Devil's Highway - Luis Alberto Urrea
Operation Pedro Pan - Yvonne Conde
Hillbilly Elegy - JD Vance
Educated - Tara Westover
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
Malcom X, autobiography
Lost Continent and I'm a Stranger Here Myself and A Walk In the Woods - Bill Bryson
Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - Kim Michele Richardson
The Great Alone - Kristin Hannah
Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult
This Is Where It Ends - Marieke Nijkamp
Alex & Eliza - Melissa de la Cruz
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chobsky
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
The Crucible - Arthur Miller
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Episode 32: Pride Month LGBTQ+ Authors and Books
Happy Pride Month! We have a number of Pride-related programs going on at our library this month and in addition, Tana and I have lots of books to recommend from authors who identify as LGBTQ+ or have main characters who do. We hope there is something for everyone on our list.
Discussed:
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, by Mariko Tamaki
Check, Please! (series), by Ngozi Ukazu
The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang
Vence (series), by C.S Pacat
The Times I Knew I Was Gay, by Eleanor Crewes
One Last Stop, by Casey McQuiston
Upright Women Wanted, by Sarah Gailey
The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai
Outlawed, by Anna North
And the Band Played On, by Randy Shilts
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Guncle, by Steven Rowley
Aristotle & Dante (series), by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Burn It All Down, by Nicholas DiDomizio
In the Dream House, by Carmen Maria Machado
Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernadine Evaristo
Author T.J. Klune
Peaces, by Helen Oyeyemi
This Is How It Always Is, by Laurie Frankel
Author Sarah Waters
The Cabin at the End of the World, by Paul Tremblay
Mrs. Everything, by Jennifer Weiner
The Portrait of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
The Danish Girl, by David Ebershoff
Beartown (series), by Fredrik Backman
Naked Nutrition, by Daniel O'Shaughnessy
Episode 31: Nick's Adult Popular Fiction Book Club Picks
Nick, our commercial announcer, has a new book club at our library called Adult Popular Fiction, which meets the third Saturday of every month, and he has just finished the third book, so we thought we'd share the books he's had for the book discussion and what he thought of them.
Discussed:
Peaces, by Helen Oyeyemi
The Tiger Mom's Tale, by Lyn Liao Butler
Women of Salt, by Gabriela Garcia
Episode 30: Asian Authors
May is Asian Heritage Month and to celebrate we are highlighting Asian authors who have written books we've loved that we wanted to share. There are a lot of countries in Asia and we don't have representation for all of them today, but stay tuned and we will surely have more to come.
Discussed:
Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Housekeeper and the Professor, by Yōko Ogawa
Pachinko, by Lee Min-jin
Last Story of Mina Lee, by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
Author Julie Otsuka: When the Emperor Was Divine; Buddha in the Attic; Swimmers
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong
Time Is a Mother, by Ocean Vuong
Night Tiger, by Yangsze Choo
Dial "A" for Aunties, by Jesse A. Sutanto
Clark & Division, by Naomi Hirahara
Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng
Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng
Traveling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa
Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore, by Kim Fu
Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
Searching for Sylvie Lee, by Jean Kwok
They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei
The Mountains Sing, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Library of Legends, by Janie Chang
White Chrysanthemum, by Mary Lunn Bracht
Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan
Other staff recommendations:
A Taste for Love, by Jennifer Yen
Cursed Bunny, by Bora Chung
Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura
Author: Gen Luen Yang
Persepolis, by Maryjane Satrapi
She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan
The Chosen and the Beautiful, by Nghi Vo
The Cat Who Saved Books, by Sōsuke Natsukawa
Farewell My Concubine, by Lilian Lee
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden
Episode 29: Books Turned Into Movies or TV Shows
Most of us have strong feelings about movies and TV shows made from books we've read, and opinions are as wide-ranging as ever. Today we're sharing our choices of the bad, the meh, the good, and the even better adaptations than books.
Streaming info will need verification because it changes so often. We recommend the website JustWatch to see where you can find a movie to stream; check with your local library.
Bad:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty -- Big Little Lies
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness -- Discovery of Witches
Monster by Walter Dean Myers -- Monster
Lost Girls by Robert Kolker -- Lost Girls
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance -- Hillybilly Elegy
Meh:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman -- Coraline
Harry Potter by JK Rowling -- Harry Potter
Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin -- Game of Thrones
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay -- Sarah's Key
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris -- Manhunter/Red Dragon
Good:
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson -- Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Swedish)
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer -- Into the Wild
Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- Book Thief
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay -- Dexter
Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman -- Man Called Ove
Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris -- Silence of the Lambs
Color Purple by Alice Walker -- Color Purple
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier -- Rebecca
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell -- Wallander
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan -- Brain on Fire
Call the Midwife Jennifer Worth -- Call the Midwife
Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- Sherlock
Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves -- Vera
Harlan Coben books/screenplays on Netflix
News of the World by Pauline Jiles -- News of the World
Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan -- Crazy Rich Asians
Hate U Give by Angie Thomas -- Hate U Give
Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín -- Brooklyn
Better-than-the-book:
Princess Bride by William Goldman -- Princess Bride
Different Seasons by Stephen King -- Stand By Me; Shawshank Redemption; Apt Pupil
Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton -- Thirteenth Warrior
Upcoming:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - Netflix
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson - Hulu
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Prime
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - Hulu
Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix - HBOMax
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley - Netflix
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - Lifetime
Grendel (graphic novel) by Matt Wagner - Netflix
Guncle by Steven Rowley - Lionsgate
Henna Artist by Alki Joshi - Netflix
Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell - TBA
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann - Paramount
Kinsey Millhouse series by Sue Grafton - A&E
Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman - AppleTV
Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave - AppleTV
Lily & the Octopus by Steven Rowley - Prime
Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connolley - Netflix
Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - Fox
Maidens by Alex Michaelides - Miramax
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - Prime
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore - Prime
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead - HBOMax
Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - Netflix
Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - TBA
Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - Prime
Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali - HBO
Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle - AppleTV
Three Pines by Louise Penny - Prime
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - Sony
Episode 28: Our Favorite Series
We have become a binging society, and what better to binge than a scrumptious book series? Tana and I have read and continue to read a ton of series of multiple genres and we're sharing a few of our favorites.
Discussed:
John Sandford: Lucas Davenport, Virgil Flowers, and Letty Davenport
William Kent Krueger: Cork O'Connor
Robert B. Parker: Spenser, Jesse Stone, and Sunny Randall
Sara Paretsky: V.I. Warshawski
Elizabeth Berg: Mason
Stephen King & Richard Chizmar: The Button Box
JoJo Moyes: Me Before You
Clive Cussler: Fargo Adventures
Daniel Silva: Gabriel Allon
Fredrik Backman: Beartown
Katherine Arden: Winternight Trilogy
Charlaine Harris: Sookie Stackhouse
Mark de Castrique: Sam Blackman
Pat Barker: Women of Troy
Henning Mankell: Wallander
Elizabeth Peters: Amilia Peabody
Linda Castillo: Kate Burkholder
Ausma Zehanat Khan: Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak
Carlene O'Connor: Irish Village Mysteries
Camilla Trinchieri: Tuscan Mysteries
Erin Sterling: Ex Hex
Naomi Novik: Temeraire
B. Michael Radburn: Taylor Bridges
Tana French: Dublin Murder Squad
Joanna Fluke: Hannah Swensen Mysteries
Sue Grafton: Kinsey Millhone
Louise Penny: Chief Inspector Gamache
James Patterson: Women's Murder Club
Robert Crais: Elvis Cole and Joe Pike
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 27: Historical Fiction Not WWII
There seems to be two types of historical fiction, these days: WWII, and everything else. Today we're going to talk about everything else, from ancient history to the 20th Century. Some are lighter than others, many have female protagonists, and some will surprise you with a glimpse at the women behind the famous men in history.
Discussed:
Author, Marie Benedict
- The Personal Librarian
- The Other Einstein
- Her Hidden Genius
Author, Susan Messiner
- The Nature of Fragile Things
- As Bright as Heaven
- A Fall of Marigolds
Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell
Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah
Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Lost Apothecary, by Sarah Penner
The Exiles, by Christina Baker Kline
The Stationery Shop, by Marjan Kamali
House of Names, by Colm Tóibín
Circe, by Madeline Miller
The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau
The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Ancestry
Episode 26: Manga Madness!
Are you or people you love going hog-wild for manga lately? Well, we have two experts on staff who are here to tell you all about the manga they have been reading forever to help you find new things to read or to understand why your kids are obsessed. Aleece and Stephanie are our manga experts and have a lot to share with everyone.
Discussed:
Skip and Loafer, by Takamatsu, Misaki
Voice Over! Seiyu Academy, by Minami, Maki
Honey So Sweet, by Meguro, Amu
Spy x Family, by Endō, Tatsuya
Ajin: demi-human, by Sakurai, Gamon
Prince Freya, by Keiko Ishihara
Yona of the Dawn, by Mizuho Kusanagi
Ima Koi, by Ayuko Hatta
Tokyo Ghoul, by Sui Ishida
My Hero Academia, by Kohei Horikoshi
Boruto, by Ukyo Kodachi
Seraph of the End, by Takaya Kagami
Blue Exorcist, by Kazue Kato
Demon Slayer, by Koyoharu Gotouge
Skip Beat, by Yoshiki Nakamura
Haikyu, by Haruichi Furudate
Chainsaw Man, by Tatsuki Fujimoto
One-Punch Man, by ONE
Bleach, by Tite Kubo
Sailor Moon, by Naoko Takeuchi
Naruto, by Masashi Kishimoto
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Mango
Episode 25: Short Stories by Women
March is many things to many people: the change of seasons, spring break, Lent, and the start of Daylight Savings. However, we are going to focus on Women's History Month to highlight female authors writing short stories. It's a shorter podcast but we still have quite a few suggestions for everyone and hope you find something you like among them.
Southern Lady Code: Essays -- Helen Ellis
Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light -- Helen Ellis
Simple Murder -- Linda Castillo
Seven Stones to Stand or Fall -- Diana Gabaldon
Everything Inside -- Edwidge Danticat
The Souvenir Museum -- Elizabeth McCracken
Stone Mattress: Nine Tales -- Margaret Atwood
Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket -- Hilma Wolitzer
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good -- Helene Tursten
Classics:
Daphne du Maurier
Agatha Christie
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 24: Black Authors for Black History Month
To celebrate Black voices, we would like to highlight some of our favorite authors/writers and those our coworkers also recommend for various ages, genres, and interests.
Discussed:
Deacon King Kong - James McBride
Girl With the Louding Voice - Abi Abi Daré
His Only Wife - Peace Adzo Medie
Boy, Snow, Bird - Helen Oyeyemi
Homegoing, and Transcendent Kingdom - Yaa Gyasi
Between the World and Me, and The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates
Red at the Bone, and Before the Ever After - Jacqueline Woodson
Books by S.A. Cosby
Books by Coleson Whitehead
Behold the Dreamers, and How Beautiful We Were - Imbolo Mbue
Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid
The Hate You Give - Angie Thomas
Books by Attica Locke
Books by Jerry Craft
Hair Love - Matthew A. Cherry
The Me I Choose To Be - Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Other recommendations
Classics
Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
Souls of Black Folks - W.E.B. Du Bois
Things Fall Apart (series) - Chinua Achebe
Up From Slavery - Booker T. Washington
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry - Mildred D. Taylor
Fic
The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
Black Buck - Mateo Askaripour
Wild Seed (series) - Octavia E. Butler
The Fifth Season (series) - N.K. Jemisin
The Man Who Lived Underground - Richard Wright
Friday Black - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Nonfic
How the Word is Passed - Clint Smith
How to Be an Antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi
Memoir
Self Inflicted Wounds - Aisha Tyler
Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson
On Juneteenth - Annette Gordon-Reed
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player - Willie O'Ree
The Girl Who Smiled Beads - Clemantine Wamariya
March (series) - John Lewis
The Radical King - Martin Luther King, Jr. (edited by Cornel West)
Haiku
Haiku: This Other World - Richard Wright
Morning Haiku -Sonia Sanchez
Urban Haiku and Other Selected Poems - Regina Harris Baiocchi
Wild Flowers - Crystal Simone Smith
Chocolate Chips: Contemporary Haiku - Michael Moore
YA
Ace of Spades - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The Taking of Jake Livingston - Ryan Douglass
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine - Maika & Maritza Moulite
Black Birds in the Sky - Brandy Colbert
Books by Jason Reynolds
Books by Tiffany D. Jackson
Children of Blood and Bone (series) - Tomi Adeyemi
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms - Jamar J. Perry
Check, Please! (series) - Ngozi Ukazu
Kids' chapter books
Root Magic - Eden Royce
Kids' picture books
That Is My Dream - Langston Hughes
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Round Lake Library's Facebook Page
Episode 23: Rom Com Books
Valentine's Day can be divisive for those who embrace all the romance and love, and those who can't stand it. Tana and I are here to talk about books that made us laugh, gave us warm and fuzzy feelings, and had a little bit of romance, to try to bridge the gap between those who love all things romantic on Valentine's Day and those who do not.
The Flatshare, by Beth O'Leary
Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman
Talk Bookish To Me, by Kate Bromley
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
I've Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella
The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 22: Best of 2021 Library Ballots
Steve joins me in this episode to discuss the results of our library's Best of 2021 ballots in many categories, including books and media.
Fic:
Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell
Razorblade Tears - SA Cosby
The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah
The Other Emily - Dean Koontz
The Man Who Lived Underground - Richard Wright
She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan
The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles
Mys/Thrill:
Razorblade Tears - SA Cosby
The Man Who Died Twice - Richard Osman
Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley
You Love Me - Caroline Kepnes
The Other Emily - Dean Koontz
Rom:
Talk Bookish To Me - Kate Bromlet
Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - Balli Kaur Jaswal
The Ex Hex - Erin sterling
The Becoming - Nora Roberts
Jay's Gay Agenda - Jason June
Sci-Fi/Fan:
The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune
Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr
Kingdom of Souls - Rena Barron
The Becoming - Nora Roberts
Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Jhao
She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan
Nonfic:
Notes on Grief - Chimamanda Ngozi Adeichie
Unforgotten: The Wild Life of Dian Fossey and Her Relentless Quest to Save Mountain Gorillas - Anita Silvey
The Comfort Book - Matt Haig
From Whisper to Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement - Paula Yoo
On Juneteenth - Annette Gordon-Reed
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America - Clint Smith
Cookbooks:
SkinnyTaste Air Fryer DInners - Gina Homolka
Tik Tok Recipes
Everyday Dinners: Real-Life Recipes to Set Your Family Up for a Week of Success - Jessica Merchant
I Hate to Cook Cookbook - Peg Bracken
Fast Easy Cheap Vegan - Sam Turnbull
Bio/Mem:
Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir - Michelle Zauner
The Soul of a Woman - Isabel Allende
Be a Work in Progress: And Other Things I'd Like To Tell My Younger Self - John Cena
YA:
Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley
Take Me Home Tonight - Morgan Matson
Girlhood: Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices - Masuma Ahuja
The Corpse Queen - Heather Herrman
GN/Manga/Comic
Prince Freya - Keiko Ishihara
In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers: The Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, and Years after the 9/11 Attacks - Don Brown
In Love & Pajamas: A Collection of Comics About Being Yourself Together - Catana Chetwynd
Cat Massage Therapy - Haru Hisakawa
Youth Fic:
Finding Junie Kim - Ellen Oh
Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Pena
Pic. Book:
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story - Kevin Noble Maillard
Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Pena
Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued - Peter Sis
Album:
Red (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power -- Halsey
Haughty Melodic -- Mike Doughty
Song:
"Lil Bit" by Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
"Yonaguni" by Bad Bunny
"I Am Not a Woman, I'm a God" by Halsey
"You're Not Alone" by Semisonic
Podcasts:
Quick Picks
Casefile
Spittin Chiclets
Daily Shine
Pretty Messed Up
Stolen: The Search for Jermain
Over My Dead Body: Fox Lake
Episode 21: Top Ten 2021 Books
January means lists, lists, lists. Resolution lists, to-do lists, award nomination lists, award winners lists, and of course, favorite lists. Today Tana and I share our favorite books of 2021.
If you're interested in our Best of Kids Books Facebook series on January 22, 2022, hosted by Aleece and Kelly, please visit the Round Lake Area Public Library's Facebook Page.
Tana's Top Ten List:
Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby
Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell
Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau
100 Years of Lenny and Margo, by
Sparks Like Stars, by
Phone Booth at the End of the World, by
Cold Millions, by
The Golem and the Djinni; Hidden Palace, by
Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr
Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune
Nikki's Top Ten List:
Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune
Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr
The Scarlet Dress, by Louise Douglas
Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby
My Heart Is a Chainsaw, by Stephen Graham Jones
The Man Who Died Twice, by Richard Osman
Apples Never Fall, by Liane Moriarty
Final Girl Support Group, by Grady Hendrix
The Last Thing He Told Me, by Lauran Dave
The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny
Sources and lists we like:
Celebrity Book Clubs like Read With Jenna, Reese's Book Club, GMA: Book Club
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 20: Family -- For Better Or For Worse
For most people, the holiday season means family time, which can be wonderful or it can be incredibly frustrating. Tana is back to discuss some of our favorite books that are about family, the good and the bad.
Discussed:
The Lost Man, by Jane Harper
Tallgrass, by Sandra Dallas
Razorblade Tears, S. A. Cosby
The Survivors, by Jane Harper
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, by Heather Webber
The Mountains Sing, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Dutch House, by Ann Patchett
Mentioned:
Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas
Patchwork Bride, by Sandra Dallas
Prayers for Sale, by Sandra Dallas
Blacktop Wasteland, S. A. Cosby
Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett
Episode 19: Christmas Movies
For those who celebrate Christmas, there are a lot of traditions many of us have in common. Whether it’s baking for loved ones, colors or a theme for all tree decorations, holiday meals, what day presents are opened, and many more, one I think most of us embrace whole-heartedly is a personally curated list of Christmas movies to put on in the background or to sit down with focus and watch. And today Marina, my Christmas movie expert, shares her favorites, some new and some old, for a variety of tastes, and we trade recommendations for each other and for you.
We also welcome your recommendations. Feel free to leave a voice message on Spotify or Anchor, or email us at podcast@rlalibrary.org.
Discussed:
Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Rated G, Disney+
A Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) Rated G, TBS and TNT
Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) Rated G, Apple TV
A Christmas Story (1984) Rated PG, HBO and DirectTV
Elf (2003) Rated PG, HBO and DirectTV
Home Alone (1990), Rated PG, Disney+
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989), Rated PG-13, HBO and DirectTV
The Princess Switch (2018), Rated PG, Netflix
A Christmas Prince (2017), Rated PG, Netflix
Knight Before Christmas (2019), Rated PG, Netflix
Santa Girl (2019), Netflix and Hoopla
Love Actually (2003), Rated R
The Holiday (2006), Rated PG-13, Netflix and Hulu
Almost Christmas (2016) Rated PG-13, DirectTV and FX Now
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Rated R, DirectTV and AMC
Die Hard (1988), Rated R, Roku and IMDB TV
Bad Santa (2003), Rated R, PlutoTV
Bad Moms Christmas (2017), Rated R, DirectTV and Sling
The Night Before (2015), Rated R, FX Now and DirectTV
A Castle For Christmas (2021), Netflix
The Ref (1994), Rated R, Hoopla
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), Rated G, Peacock
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Rated G
Frosty the Snowman (1969), Rated G
A Wish For Wings That Work (1991), YouTube
Last Holiday (2006), Rated PG-13, Shotime and DirectTV
Jingle Jangle (2020), Netflix
Edward Scissorhands (1990), Rated PG-13, Hulu
The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021), VH1
Klaus (2019), Rated PG, Netflix
Recommendations for finding where movies are streaming: letterboxd.com and justwatch.com
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Hoopla
Episode 18: Native American Books
Happy Native American Heritage Day!
Join Kelly and me for a great discussion about some of the fantastic books by or about Native Nations. We have books for young kids, tweens, teens, and adults, celebrating and teaching us about indigenous culture. We both are excited and hopeful for the doors that have opened to Native American authors, and we would like to shout from the rooftops that we also need audiobooks read by indigenous people. We hope you find something of interest to pick up and try out.
Discussed:
We are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, by Traci Sorell
I Can Make This Promise, by Christine Day
Firekeepers Daughter, by Angela Boulley
Putuguq and Kublu, by Danny Christopher
Heartdrum: collection of books from HarperCollins by Native American Authors
There, There, by Tommy Orange
Flight, by Sherman Alexie
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann
The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones
Mapping the Interior, by Stephen Graham Jones
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 17: Vegetarian/Vegan Cookbooks
Whether it's for health reasons, environmental reasons, or to accommodate someone else's dietary needs, we all need good vegetarian and vegan recipes we can count on for regular meals or family gatherings, and Steve joins me to discuss our favorite cookbooks and some of the delicious meals we've made from them.
Discussed:
Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes, by Bryant Terry
Books by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:
I Can Cook Vegan
Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious, Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week
The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook: Entertaining for Absolutely Every Occasion
Veganomicon; The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule
Vegan Pie In the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers & More
Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy Vegan, by Chloe Coscarelli
Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen: 150 Pizzas, Pastas, Pestos, Risottos, & Lots of Creamy Italian Classics, by Chloe Coscarelli
Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized, by Sam Turnbull
Fast Easy Cheap Vegan: 101 Recipes: 30 Minutes or Less, 10 Ingredients or Less, $10 or Less, by Sam Turnbull
The Seitanic Spellbook, by the Vegan Black Metal Chef
Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining & Everyday, Lauren Ulm
One-Hour Diary-Free Cheese: Make Mozzarella, Cheddar, Feta, and Brie-Style Cheeses -- Using Nuts, Seeds, and Vegetables, by Claudia Lucerno
Others worth checking out:
East Meets Vegan: The Best of Asian Home Cooking, Plant-Based and Delicious, by Sasha Gill
Vegan Bowl Attack!: More than 100 One-Dish Meals Packed With Plant-Based Power, by Jackie Sobon
Vegan Yack Attack On the Go!: Plant-Based Recipes for Your Fast-Paced Vegan Lifestyle, by Jackie Sobon
Vegan Yack Attack's Plant-Based Meal Prep: Weekly Meal Plans and Recipes to Streamline Your Vegan Lifestyle, by Jackie Sobon
Bake and Destroy: Good Food for Bad Vegans, by Natalie Slater
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Mango
Episode 16: Scary Movies
This extended episode is a conversation between my long-time friend, Dr. Briana Jackson, who I consider a connoisseur of scary movies, wherein we talk all about them, from our favorites to tropes to how to cope when watching truly terrifying films. We chose to leave this as a longer episode and not break it down into two so hopefully there's something here to keep you entertained on this last October weekend.
**Trigger warning: there is a lot of content discussed that may be disturbing to some listeners. If this isn't your cup of tea, please skip this episode.
Discussed:
The Pit and the Pendulum - 1961
The Ring - 2002
The Exorcist - 1973
Babadook - 2014
Hereditary - 2018
The Exorcism of Emily Rose - 2005
Buried - 2016
The Vanishing - 1988
Lars von Trier movies: Melancholia - 2011; The Antichrist - 2009
Pan's Labyrinth - 2006
Lights Out - 2016
Conjuring 2 - 2016
Alien/Aliens - 1979/1986
It Follows - 2014
Student Bodies - 1981
Oculus - 2013
Don't Breathe - 2016
Sinister - 2012
Hellraiser - 1987
Hellraiser 2 - 1988
Frailty - 2001
10 Cloverfield Lane - 2016
Event Horizon - 1997
People Under the Stairs - 1991
The Descent - 2005
Silence of the Lambs - 1991
Red Dragon/Manhunter - 2002/1986
Hannibal (TV series) - 2013-2015
The Platform - 2019
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Kanopy
Episode 15: Horror Novels
There are so many types of horror novels to devour and we have compiled a list of a wide variety of books for adults and some for teens, with more well-known authors and some more obscure, so that there's something for everyone if you like a scary story.
Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
Author, Grady Hendrix: Horrorstor; Final Girl Support Group; The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires; Podcast: Super Scary Haunted Homeschool
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
House Next Door by Ann Rivers Siddons
Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender
Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann
Author, Stephen King
Nos4A2 by Joe Hill
Infidel by Pornsak Picchetshote
Rachel Rising by Terry Moore
Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
Author, Dan Simmons: Song of Kali; Seasons of Horror; The Terror
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer by Ridley Pearson
Author, Paul Tremblay: Head Full of Ghosts; The Cabin at the End of the World
Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
Author, Stephen Graham Jones: My Heart is a Chainsaw; Mongrel; The Last Final Girl; Zombie Bake-Off; Mapping the Interior
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Ancestry
Episode 14: Ghost Stories
I love ghosts. I grew up loving ghosts like Casper and Gus and even when I found stories where they weren't so friendly, I still loved them. Ghost stories are my absolute favorite and I'm going to share with you some of the creepy, ghoulish ghost stories you may not know about, or maybe you do and just need a nudge to try them. There is no better time to hang out with an apparition or visit a haunted house than October, so grab a warm blanket and some hot cocoa and settle in with a spooky tale like these.
Mentioned:
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving
Hell House, by Richard Matheson
Amityville Horror, by Jay Anson
The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill
Anthologies edited by Martin H. Greenburg
Alfred Hitchcock's Haunted Housefull, short stories by multiple authors and edited by Alfred Hitchcock
Discussed:
The Invited, by Jennifer McMahon
Author Simone St. James' books: The Broken Girls, The Sun Down Motel, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, and Inquiry Into Love and Death
The Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo
The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb
Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Author Joe Hill's books: 20th Century Ghosts, Heart-Shaped Box
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Nick's suggestion from libraries:
Episode 13: JRPGs
Attention videogamers, RPG players, and Japanese gaming fans! Today we're going to talk about Japanese role-playing videogames with an expert and connoisseur, Aleece. Whether you're playing on your Switch or feel nostalgic for the old Nintendo days, or use a Playstation somewhere in between, we have some series to talk about.
Discussed:
Atelier
Tales (of)...
Nikki's Pick:
The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Nick's Library suggestion:
Round Lake Library's Facebook Page
Episode 12: International Settings: Sweden, Australia, Nigeria & Iran
Tana and I both read a lot of books that have settings outside the US and we give you our first installment of books from other countries.
Discussed:
Sweden: Fredrik Backman
- Beartown series
- My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
Australia: Liane Moriarty
- What Alice Forgot
- Truly Madly Guilty
Nigeria: Oyinkan Brainthwaite
- My Sister, the Serial Killer
Iran: Marjan Kamali
- Stationery Shop
Nikki's Pick
Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 11: Hard Reads
Not all books are read for joy or laughter -- sometimes we read things with very difficult subject matter that give us a taste of someone else's hardships, which are important and present us with an opportunity to discuss them, like the books Tana and I discuss today.
Discussed hard reads:
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Nikki's Pick:
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 10: Audiobooks and Narrators
Who among us did not grow up having books read to us and stories told to us by our family? It's a tradition that predates written word. We love telling and hearing stories, that stir the mind as well as the emotions. Tana and I are huge connoisseurs of audiobooks and we are here to share our love and our favorites with all of you.
Discussed narrators and audiobooks:
Titus Welliver (Harry Bosch series by Michael Connolly; Cole & Hitch series by Robert B. Parker)
Richard Ferrone (Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford; Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford)
Scott Brick (narrates for Clive Cussler, Steve Berry, Janet Evanovich, and more)
Julia Whelan (Educated by Tara Westover; Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab)
Sissy Spacek (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Carrie by Stephen King)
Tom Hanks (The Dutch House by Ann Patchett)
Trevor Noah (Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah)
Kevin Hart (I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart)
Amy Poehler (Yes Please by Amy Poehler)
Matthew McConaughey (Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey)
Prentice Onayemi (Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue)
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Chris Chalk & Rutina Wesley (Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward)
Dominic Hoffman (Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi)
Stephen Shananhan (Jane Harper novels)
Sneha Mathan (Henna Artist & Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi)
Indira Varma, Himesh Patel, Antonio Aakeel (Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara)
Jim Dale or Stephen Fry (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)
Daniel Henning (House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune)
Nikki's Pick:
Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 9: Whodunnits
Tana is back again for more fun talking about the whodunnits we love, that won’t leave you reeling from the language and violence, but introduce you to some of our favorite quirky characters you might also love. Join us for some lighter fare with occasional dead bodies and lots of laughs and heart.
The Maggie Hope Series by Susan Elia MacNeal
Book 1: Mr. Churchill's Secretary
Flavia de Luce Series by Alan Bradley
Book 1: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmond
Nikki's Pick:
Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries by Allison Montclair
Book 1: The Right Sort of Man
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Overdrive
Episode 8: Diversity in Children's Lit and a Little in Adult
In this episode, Kelly returns to talk about growing opportunities in children's literature for marginalized voices to showcase their stories. Teaching your children empathy and correcting bullying behavior can be accomplished through celebrating diversity in books and extrapolating it to life, and we have a list of many books to suggest for enrichment for you and your children.
On the podcast
We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard
Sugar in Milk by Thrity Umrigar
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
When Stars are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson
Others
Picture books:
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua
Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan and anna Bron
Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz and Micah Player
Between Us and Abuela by Mitalik Perkins and Sara Palacios
Octopus Stew by Eric Velasquez
Easy Readers:
Yasmin series by Saadia Furuqui
King and Kayla series by Dori Hillestad Butler
Nonfiction:
All Thirteen: The Incredible Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
Graphic Novels:
The Witches: The Graphic Novel by Roald Dahl
The Unwanted: Stories of Syrian Refugees by Don Brown
Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
Juvenile Fiction:
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas
Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Jason Reynold's Track series
Nikki's Pick:
The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Episode 7: Audiobooks for Family Road Trips
Over a year into this pandemic and now we can do things again, which instantly makes me think of taking a road trip! If your family (with children) is planning on a road trip or you'll have time to listen to chapter books on audio, we have a list of suggestions for you. Kelly from our Youth Services Department is my expert for this episode and we'll discuss a handful of titles for your family, and a list of titles we never even got to discuss listed here. There should be something for everyone! We are including, title, author, narrator, and length of the audiobook.
Titles discussed:
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (narrated by Jim Dale or Stephen Fry)
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (narrated by Priya Ayyar) 5:55
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (narrated by Priya Ayyar) 4:37
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman (narrated by the author) 3:50
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (narrated by Bahni Turpin) 6:31
Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Ana Meriano (narrated by Kyla Garcia) 6:22
Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea by Lynne Rae Perkins (narrated by Brittany Pressley) 3:12
Titles we did not get to discuss but still suggest:
American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar (narrated by Priya Ayyar) 5:57
Aru Shah and the End of Time series by Roshani Chokski (narrated by Soneela Nankani) 10:24
August Isle by Ali Standish (narrated by Kyla Garcia) 8:16
Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead (narrated by Nora Hunter and Rob Dircks) 3:02
Copycat by Wendy McLeod MacKnight (narrated by Reba Buhr) 6:40
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (narrated by Kirby Heyborne) 3:18
Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (narrated by Words Take Wing Repertory Company of Syracues)
Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish (narrated by Kirby Heyborne) 7:25
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (narrated by the author) 0:58
Front Desk by Kelly Wang (narrated by Sunny Lu) 6:30
Ghost by Jason Reynolds (narrated by Guy Lockard) 3:39
Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega (narrated by Almarie Guerra) 5:31
Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee (narrated by Imani Parks) 6:46
How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell (narrated by David Tennant)
Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley (narrated by January LaVoy) 4:23
One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (narrated by Patricia Castelao) 3:46
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson) 5:07
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (narrated by Vaneh Assadourian) 3:50
Patina by Jason Reynolds (narrated by Heather Alicia Simms) 5:46
Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqui, et al (narrated by Nikhaar Kishani) 7:37
Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqui (narrated Reena Dutt) 7:38
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (narrated by Janet Song) 4:58
Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (narrated by Kirby Heyborne) 3:54
You can also consult winners and nominations for the Odyssey Award to find others.
Nikki's Pick:
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (narrated by Judith Ivey) 1:55
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Gale Courses
Episode 6: Book Books
Tana is back and together we discuss things for which we have a bit of a soft spot: book books. Whether it's a book about a bookstore or a library, the people who work in them are like cousins to us, and we love reading about our people. We're only scratching the surface with this list, but it's a good tasting if you're a booklover and looking to connect with characters who are also booklovers.
Paris Library – Janet Skeslien Charles
Library of Legends – Janie Chang
Lost and Found Bookshop – Susan Wiggs
Bookish Life of Nina Hill – Abbi Waxman
How to Find Love in a Bookshop – Veronica Henry
Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – Kim Michele Richardson
Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes
Bookshop of Yesterdays – Amy Meyerson
Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore – Matt J. Sullivan
Camino Island – John Grisham
Camino Winds – John Grisham
The Last Bookaneer – Matthew Pearl
The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library – Sue Halpern
Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend – Katarina Bivald
Storied Life of AJ Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin
Library of the Unwritten – A.J. Hackwith
The Starless Sea – Erin Morgenstern
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore – Robin Sloan
Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Nikki's Pick
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
Nick's Library Suggestion:
Mango -- https://mangolanguages.com/