Lewis & Clark Library Blog

Shakespeare is in the air!  If you've been fortunate to partake of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks traveling show this summer, perhaps you know what I mean. Read on to hear about two recently recommended books by readers in the community. Each book is inspired by the works of the bard.

Kyla recommends . . .

By Any Other Name  by Jodi Picoult

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn't level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage--by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

Find By Any Other Name in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Mary E. recommends . . .

A Daughter of Fair Verona  by Christina Dodd

Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint- badly). Only here's the thing- That's not how it ended at all.

Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I'm the oldest, with the emphasis on 'old'-a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It's not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it-constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it's exhausting.

Each time they've presented me with a betrothal, I've set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn't so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives-all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don't have to . . .

At our betrothal ball-where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight-I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives' families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants-half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost

Find A Daughter of Fair Verona in the library catalog Here
Read more about the author Here

Stop by the library and check out the downstairs Readers Picks/Staff Picks display and while you're there, tell us about a book YOU would like to recommend!

Do you ever finish a book and want to give it all the merit it deserves? While every reader is entitled to their own opinion, and we certainly don't agree with each other in many cases, it's a really great feeling to give a book 5 stars!  Here are some five star reads recommended by library staff:

Holly recommends . . .

Isola by Allegra Goodmand

Our book group at the Augusta branch just read Isola by Allegra Goodman and everyone loved it. It’s a historical novel with female main characters that turns into a great adventure with some romance thrown in. Plus, it’s based on a real historical figure. We all gave it 5 stars!
Find Isola in the library catalog
This book is also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook  and audiobook
Read more about the author Here 

John recommends . . .

Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford 

Alternate history novel set in the once thriving mound-building Indian Nation of Cahokia, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River at St. Louis. A murder mystery. What happens to Cahokia if the midwestern Indian population had not been decimated by disease and forced retreat? Cahokia is a thriving metropolis run by an indigenous population beset with the same modern issues of the predominantly white world, but living with the issues on their own terms. Fascinating imagining of an alternate history.
Find Cahokia Jazz in the library catalog
This book is also available for digital checkout:
                                             Libby  audiobook
                                             Read more about the author Here

Nancy recommends . . .
 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

I gave The Wedding People by Alison Espach five stars. The characters were believable, and I enjoyed how they changed throughout the story. The writing is witty, engaging and thought-provoking. It also didn’t hurt that the setting was in a beautiful location.
Find The Wedding People in the library catalog
This book is also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook  and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Beth P. recommends . . .

The Entire Sky by Joe Wilkins

This book is a satisfying read on so many levels and the first 5 star book I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a while. Set in eastern Montana with a strong sense of place, the writing is poetic and the characters are full of grit. I highly recommend you check out this book.
Find The Entire Sky in the library catalog
This book is also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook  and audiobook
Read more about the author Here 

Dani recommends . . .

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)

I discovered The Murderbot Diaries when I was in search of a fun, light book to balance my recent heavy-topic reading. It was the perfect palate-cleanser sci-fi book for me. I loved it so much that I downloaded the audiobooks so that I could get through the first five books of the series as quickly as possible without having to forgo all my adult responsibilities. I could not get enough of Murderbot whose personality traits give any even mildly neurodivergent reader a character they can, at the very least, partially relate to and can't help but root for. 
Find All Systems Red in the library catalog
This book is also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook  and audiobook
                                                Read more about the author Here

Beth D. recommends . . .

Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman

My 5-Star Recommendation is Frankie & Bug, by Gayle Forman. I loved the setting of this book (the 1980s, Venice Beach, CA) as well as the two main characters and their unlikely friendship. Through Frankie and Bug's eyes, we get a glimpse of how the AIDS epidemic was creating so much fear and hatred in the late 80s. While the historical background is heavy, this book manages to be simultaneously very funny and very poignant. If you're a fan of Judy Blume's YA and Middle Grade books, I think you'd love Frankie and Bug! 
Find Frankie and Bug in the library catalog
Read more about the author Here

The Montana Book Awards started in 2001 with the Friends of Missoula Public Library and has since awarded and recognized many great books that fit a number of criteria, but mainly celebrate Montana authors and books published that have to do with some aspect our great state.  All genres and books for all ages are eligible to be nominated. The books nominated are then read by a select group of librarians who represent every geographical region of the state.  These librarians get together and discuss the books and pick the winner! Read on to learn about some of the more recent winners.  If you'd like more information about the Montana Book Award, its process, its history, and more be sure to check out their website.

The Entire Sky by Joe Wilkins

The 2024 Montana Book Award winner!

Click on the book cover to be taken to the library catalog listing for this great Montana book.

This book is also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

The Lost Journals of Sacajawea
by Debra Magpie Earling

The 2023 Montana Book Award winner!

Click on the book cover to be taken to library catalog listing for this great Montana book.

This book is also available for digital checkout:

Libby eBook
Hoopla eBook and audiobook

Read more about the author Here

More Montana Book Award winners:

Brothers on Three by Abe Streep (2021)

Shakespeare in Montana by Gretchen Minton (2020)

Grinnell by John Taliaferro (2019)

One Sentence Journal by Chris La Tray (2018)

The Wonder of Birds by Jim Robbins (2017)

Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan (2016)

Lentil Underground by Liz Carlisle (2015)

Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson (2014)

Let Him Go by Larry Watson (2013)

Raptors of the West by Kate Davis (2011)

Bound like Grass by Ruth McLaughlin (2010)

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (2009)

Be sure to check out some of these great Montana titles and don't forget the montanabookaward.org website. It is a great place for reading resources. In addition to the yearly award-winning book, there are also honor books listed as well as photographs of the commissioned artwork (also by a Montanan) which is presented to the author as a gift by the committee.

Happy reading and exploring Montana's excellence in books!

Are you looking for new book recommendations? Look no further than today's blog. Lewis & Clark staff members share 7 recently published novels that are hot! Read on and then tell us about a book you recommend! 

Kadie recommends . . .

Rachel recommends . . .

Emmon recommends . . .

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff 

A darkly funny and insightful look at village life and female solidarity set in present-day India!        

The rumors that Geeta killed her husband to escape his abuse have served her well, allowing her to live in relative peace and plenty - until other women start seeking her help for removing their problematic husbands. This book has the magical ability to handle some serious themes - women's rights, alcoholism, religion, caste - while remaining empowering, upbeat, and hilarious. Best book I've read so far this year!
Find The Bandit Queens in the library catalog 
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

McKinzie recommends . . . 

Wool by Hugh Howey

Apple TV+'s popular new hit sci-fi series 'Silo' is based on this page-turner, post-apocalyptic novel!   

The world outside has grown toxic, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. The remnants of humanity live underground in a single silo. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they want: They are allowed to go outside.     
Find Wool in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Millie recommends . . .

Sunrise on the Reaping  by Suzanne Collins  

This prequel will have you enthralled!

 

The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series! When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for? As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
Find Sunrise on the Reaping in the library catalog 
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Lisa recommends . . . 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

What if someone told you how and when you would die?  Would you believe them?  Would it change how you live?

Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did?

Flight attendant Allegra Patel loves her job, but today is her twenty-eighth birthday and she'd rather not be placating a plane full of passengers unhappy about a long delay. There's the well-dressed man in seat 4C desperate not to miss his daughter's musical. A harried mother frantically tries to keep her toddler and baby quiet. Honeymooners still in their wedding finery dream of their new lives, while a chatty emergency room nurse dreams of retirement. Suddenly a woman traveling alone stands. She walks down the aisle making predictions about how and when passengers will die. Some dismiss her, they don't believe in psychics. Some are delighted with her prophecies! Their lives will supposedly be long. Others are appalled. Then: a few months later, the first prediction comes true. Intricately plotted, with the wonderful wit Liane Moriarty has become famous for, Here One Moment brilliantly looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives.
Find Here One Moment in the library catalog 
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

What do you choose when you're looking for a good book to read? Newly published or an old classic? Horror or literary fiction?  Science fiction or romance?  Lewis & Clark Library staff choose it all.  Read on for some novels and one nonfiction audiobook we highly recommend.  Happy Reading!

Malin recommends . . .

Millie recommends . . .

Emmon recommends . . .

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

What would you change if you could travel back in time?

Told in incredibly sweet, sad, funny interlocking stories, this book is just a really beautiful portrait of what happens when people get one chance to go back in time. No do-overs, nothing will change the events of the past, and you must return to the present day café before your coffee runs cold.
Find Before the Coffee Gets Cold in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Kristy recommends . . .

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

"Great fantasy novel featuring an ancient library hidden beneath the earth!"

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues--a bee, a key, and a sword--that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians--it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose--in both the mysterious book and in his own life.
Find The Starless Sea in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Rachel recommends . . . 

The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich

A very cute and quick read!

Act like a prince, but don't fall for one.
Jamie Johnson has never been the centre of attention, and he's perfectly okay with that. His entire world unravels as a hidden truth emerges: he's the heir to the throne of Mitanor, a sun-drenched southern European country, and the press is ready to expose this secret to the world. An invitation to spend the summer in his father's palace arrives, giving Jamie a chance to get to know the man he never thought he'd meet.
Meanwhile, in a northern European kingdom known for its cold climate and stoic royals, Erik Lindstrom, the spare prince, grapples with the upcoming marriage of his golden-boy elder brother. With the country's spotlight trained on his family more than ever, Erik feels sidelined and tightly controlled. So when he receives an offer to tutor the newly found American prince in the ways of royalty, he accepts without hesitation.
At a magnificent summer palace, Erik guides Jamie through the intricacies of royal etiquette, politics, and history. What neither prince anticipates is the connection that sparks between them--one that challenges both of their futures. Now each must make a choice: follow their hearts, or the time-honored royal path where crown and country reigns supreme, no matter the personal cost.
Find The Rules of Royalty in the library catalog Here
Read more about the author Here

 

Camden recommends . . .

As You Wish by Cary Elwes 

The Princess Bride is one of my all-time favorite movies and I doubt I'm alone in that. As You Wish is the story of that unforgettable movie shoot from the perspectives of the actors and crew who brought it to life. In the audiobook, you get to hear these stories in their own voices, with much of the original cast and crew reading aloud their portions of the book.  And the Princess Bride is one of those wonderful movies where, when the curtain is peeled back, only becomes even more magical and enchanting!
Find As You Wish in the library catalog Here
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby audiobook
Hoopla audiobook (Spanish)

As 2024 comes to a close, Lewis & Clark Library staff were asked to reflect on their favorite read of the past year.  It is often hard, if not impossible to pick just one favorite book from the last twelve months, so know that the books that follow may have many close runner up choices. Also, it is our hope that you've had the opportunity to find many new favorite books this year and that the library has served you well in your reading selections. We appreciate you, dear Reader!
Now for some of our favorite reads of 2024:

John . . .

James by Percival Everett

James is a beautifully written retelling of the Huckleberry Finn adventures. The story is told from the point of view of Huck’s companion Jim. James tells a similar story, but with much more humanity and understanding than Twain could manage in 1885. Heartbreaking; at times funny; brutal; but always beautiful and revealing.
Find James in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Amanda . . .

The Women by Kristin Hannah

This novel paints a stirring portrait of a woman’s experience not only of the Vietnam War, but the world following its end.  It is a tale of strength and determination, but also the fragility of human existence, both physically and emotionally. As always, Hannah’s attention to historical detail lends to a feeling of authenticity. I’d give this book five stars!
Find The Women in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Clare . . .

A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko

In his signature style, Kevin Fedarko takes us along with him, as he and photographer Pete McBride, attempt to complete an end-to-end transvers of the Grand Canyon. Along the way we explore not only the scenery, but also the history and politics around the Canyon.  This book had me marveling at the immensity of the canyon itself as well as the odd human ability to think "oh how hard could that be?"  I'm ready for a vacation to the canyon, but perhaps just to peer admiringly over the edge.
Find A Walk in the Park in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Terri . . .

North Woods by Daniel Mason
When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave--only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive. This magisterial and highly inventive novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason brims with love and madness, humor and hope. Following the cycles of history, nature, and even language, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we're connected to our environment, to history, and to one another. It is not just an unforgettable novel about secrets and destinies, but a way of looking at the world that asks the timeless question: How do we live on, even after we're gone?

Find North Woods in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

April . . .

My Beloved Monster (the half-wild cat who rescued me) by Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat pairings: Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior.   For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb's life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha's inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests--a love story like no other.
Find My Beloved Monster in the library catalog
Read more about the author Here

 

Molly . . . 

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This book shook me out of a reading rut and pushed me to read more books outside of my comfort zone. 

In a small back alley of Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee--the chance to travel back in time. Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn't so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.  Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi's internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time? 
Find Before the Coffee Gets Cold in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Lisa . . .

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem--she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years. As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
Find The Husbands in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

 Holly . . .

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

I really enjoyed the Maisie Dobbs series by Jaqueline Winspear this year. It was such a pleasant surprise to read. The plot, characters, and setting were all very interesting. The writing was excellent. Plus the main character is not your usual heroine. I could see it as a really great PBS/BBC drama series. I could just see it all in my head.  I  read the first four books in the series.  
Find the Maisie Dobbs series in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBooks and audiobooks
Hoopla eBooks and audiobooks
Read more about the author Here
 

Emmon . . .

Iron Widow  by Xiran Jay Zhao

In a land both futuristic and based on Ancient China, Zetian has given up on living long --so she sets her sights on revenge, planning to kill her sister's murderer (a mecha pilot widely hailed as a celebrity war hero). The trouble is, Zetian is more powerful than she imagined, and the war is not what it seems.  I loved the dramatic, no-holds-barred fierceness of Zetian's character --and I loved that she pulled no punches in a world that is determined to diminish and destroy her.
Find Iron Widow in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Deby . . .

A Brew to a Kill by Cleo Coyle

A shocking hit-and-run in front of her Village Blend coffeehouse spurs Clare Cosi into action. A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare is also a dedicated sleuth, and she's determined to track down this ruthless driver who ran down an innocent friend and customer. In the meantime, her ex-husband Matt, the shop's globetrotting coffee buyer, sources some amazing new beans from Brazil. But he soon discovers that he's importing more than coffee, and Clare may have been the real target of that deadly driver. Can ex-husband and wife work together to solve this mystery? Or will their newest brew lead to murder?
A Brew to Kill is the eleventh book in the Coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle. This cozy mystery series is really great and there are recipes!
Find the Coffee House mystery series in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla audiobooks
Read more about the author Here

Eric L. . . .

Uzumaki  by Junji Ito

One of my favorite books I've read this year is Uzumaki by Junji Ito.  It's a horror manga with beautiful, often grotesque artwork.  The horror aspect centers around the concept of a spiral, in both literal and figurative ways.  Often unsettling, it kept me hooked, wondering what twisted things the author was going to throw at me next.
Find Uzumaki in the library catalog
Read more about the author Here

 

 

Malin . . .

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Warning: do not listen to this on audiobook while driving: it's so interesting, you won't be able to pay attention to the road! (I may possibly know from experience.) The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School follows a Latina teenager named Yamilet Flores as she transfers to a Catholic high school as a closeted lesbian. Yamilet is an incredibly lovable character, and I was so anxious for her at some points that I had to pause the audiobook and take some deep breaths. This book basically consumed my life until I finished it, and it was totally worth it. 10/10 recommend.
TW: This book deals with homophobia, racism, and mental illness. 
Find The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby audiobook
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Eric W. . . .

Something Is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV; Werther Dell'Edera (Illustrator)

Imagine being so terrified of the creature under the bed that you manifest that monster into life, and then it goes on a rampage and kills all of your friends and family. That's when Erica Slaughter rolls into town. Erica is part of a secret organization that dispatches such horrific creations before they escape into the wider world, where tales of things can be kept quiet. Both thrilling and terrifying, this title is not for the faint of heart.
Find Something is Killing the Children in the library catalog
Also available by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera for digital checkout:
Hoopla comics

 

 

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp

Enjoy this modern-day fairytale, akin to Grimm tales of old, as one sister attempts to do something kind for her sister and the pitfalls of capitalism and greed. A pro-union and pro-worker tale, rendered in lush detail should become a new household favorite at story time. And there are super-cute spiders!
Find Bog Myrtle in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla eBook 

 

Beth . . .

Knitting the National Parks by Nancy Bates

This is such a cool knitting book!  Featuring a unique beanie pattern inspired by each of the 63 US National Parks, this collection is so creative and fun.  I don't know how many of the hats I will actually make from this book, but it's fun looking at the variety of patterns as well as the gorgeous landscapes from the various parks.  I especially love the patterns for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, the Joshua Tree in California, and Glacier Bay (Alaska).  I read a lot of good books this year, but this long awaited knitting book brought me the most joy! 
Find Knitting the National Parks in the library catalog 

Bretagne . . .

Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell; Lauren Elizabeth Stauble

The Future is Emotionally Intelligent --Find this helpful book in the parenting section!
We're in the midst of a parenting revolution that is radically changing the way we raise our kids. Gone are the days of minimizing emotions: Don't Cry. You're Fine. Don't Make a Scene. As our understanding of developing brains has increased, today's parents are looking for a new way to help their children understand their feelings and learn to process them. Emotional development experts Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed. and Lauren Stauble M.S. are at the forefront of a movement to foster little ones' emotional intelligence. Their revolutionary Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method has been a game changer for parents and educators, and now they are sharing it with readers in this indispensable guide.  Tiny Humans, Big Emotions provides the tools to tackle every sort of stressful child-rearing situation, including:
* What to do when your child throws a tantrum (it's not what you think!)
* Helpful scripts to handle any challenging moment like school refusal and bedtime resistance
* How to react when your child hits, punches, or bites
* Easy tips that help regulate your child's nervous system
* How to anticipate and end meltdowns before they even begin
Designed for all humans--tiny and big--this book shows caregivers of children how to handle their children's outbursts while empowering them to recognize and manage difficult feelings like anger, sadness, and shame, along with anxiety. All caregivers will find valuable insights and guidance in this book, especially those caring for children from infancy to age eight. Tiny Humans, Big Emotions equips adults with tools for emotional intelligence so they can respond with intention. This innovative, research-based approach teaches children self-regulation and empathy, even as it strengthens the parent-child relationship, setting the groundwork for a lifetime of emotional resilience and wellbeing.  This book is an essential, empathetic guide that will teach parents to notice their own habits and hold space for their tiny human's big emotions.
Find Tiny Humans, Big Emotions in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby audiobook

 

Thanks for reading the blog in 2024!  Now to get ready for next year.  Are you the kind of person who likes to set reading goals for the New Year? Stay tuned for some great tips on setting New Year's reading intentions.  

The Daytimers Book Group is an enthusiastic bunch of readers who meet monthly to discuss popular thought-provoking literary fiction.  Lewis & Clark Library Public Services Manager Lisa Skelton coordinates this lively book group. Lisa says the book discussions are engaging and interesting.  Each month a different member of the group takes a turn leading the discussion depending on the book chosen.  The group meets every third Thursday of the month, usually taking the summer months off.  The next Daytimers meeting will be Thursday, December 19th at 3 pm in the Large Community room. They will be discussing the book Elena Knows by Argentinian author Claudia Pineiro.  This slender novel takes place over the course of one day in the life of Elena, a retired woman suffering from Parkinson's Disease who has recently lost her daughter.  The novel interweaves crime fiction and moral conundrums--and I hear it's really good! This novel was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize Award in 2022. Copies of book are available at the public service desk.  Elena Knows is also available as a Hoopla Instant Borrow both in eBook and audiobook form. Refreshments are served!

Read on for some great book recommendations compliments of the Daytimers group members:

Barbara recommends . . . 

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure 

In 1942 Paris, gifted architect Lucien Bernard accepts a commission that will bring him a great deal of money--and maybe get him killed. But if he's clever enough, he'll avoid any trouble. All he has to do is design a secret hiding place for a wealthy Jewish man, a space so invisible that even the most determined German officer won't find it. He sorely needs the money, and outwitting the Nazis who have occupied his beloved city is a challenge he can't resist. But when one of his hiding spaces fails horribly, and the problem of where to hide a Jew becomes terribly personal, Lucien can no longer ignore what's at stake. The Paris Architect asks us to consider what we owe each other, and just how far we'll go to make things right. Written by an architect whose knowledge imbues every page, this story becomes more gripping with every soul hidden and every life saved.
Find The Paris Architect in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook
Read more about the author Here

 

Connie recommends . . . 

Tell Me Everything  by Elizabeth Strout
It's autumn in Maine, and the town lawyer Bob Burgess has become enmeshed in an unfolding murder investigation, defending a lonely, isolated man accused of killing his mother. He has also fallen into a deep and abiding friendship with the acclaimed writer Lucy Barton, who lives down the road in a house by the sea with her ex-husband, William. Together, Lucy and Bob go on walks and talk about their lives, their fears and regrets, and what might have been. Lucy, meanwhile, is finally introduced to the iconic Olive Kitteridge, now living in a retirement community on the edge of town. They spend afternoons together in Olive's apartment, telling each other stories. Stories about people they have known--"unrecorded lives," Olive calls them--reanimating them, and, in the process, imbuing their lives with meaning. Brimming with empathy and pathos, Tell Me Everything is Elizabeth Strout operating at the height of her powers, illuminating the ways in which our relationships keep us afloat. As Lucy says, "Love comes in so many different forms, but it is always love."
Find Tell Me Everything in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Debbie recommends . . .

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Everyone in Fairview knows the story. Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town. But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer? Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger. 
Find A Good Girl's Guide to Murder in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

 

Jessica recommends . . . 

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There--after encountering a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town in beat-up biplanes--Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. At fourteen she drops out of school and finds an unexpected and dangerous patron in a wealthy bootlegger who provides a plane and subsidizes her lessons, an arrangement that will haunt her for the rest of her life, even as it allows her to fulfill her destiny: circumnavigating the globe by flying over the North and South Poles. A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian's disappearance in Antarctica. Vibrant, canny, disgusted with the claustrophobia of Hollywood, Hadley is eager to redefine herself after a romantic film franchise has imprisoned her in the grip of cult celebrity. Her immersion into the character of Marian unfolds, thrillingly, alongside Marian's own story, as the two women's fates--and their hunger for self-determination in vastly different geographies and times--collide. Epic and emotional, meticulously researched and gloriously told, Great Circle is a monumental work of art, and a tremendous leap forward for the prodigiously gifted Maggie Shipstead.
Find Great Circle in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Julie recommends . . .

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be Black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. At once powerful and tender, Americanah is a remarkable novel.
Find Americanah in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook 
Read more about the author Here

Kay recommends . . . 

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

A small independent bookstore in Minneapolis is haunted from November 2019 to November 2020 by the store's most annoying customer. Flora dies on All Souls' Day, but she simply won't leave the store. Tookie, who has landed a job selling books after years of incarceration that she survived by reading "with murderous attention," must solve the mystery of this haunting while at the same time trying to understand all that occurs in Minneapolis during a year of grief, astonishment, isolation, and furious reckoning. The Sentence begins on All Souls' Day 2019 and ends on All Souls' Day 2020. Its mystery and proliferating ghost stories during this one year propel a narrative as rich, emotional, and profound as anything Louise Erdrich has written. 
Find The Sentence in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Hoopla eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Lisa recommends . . .

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don't speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling. Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey's district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit--and her sister--before it's too late. Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters' childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.
Find Long Bright River in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Libby eBook and audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Mary recommends . . . 

Wendy recommends . . .

Tenacious Beasts by Christopher J. Preston
The news about wildlife is dire--more than 900 species have been wiped off the planet since industrialization. Against this bleak backdrop, however, there are also glimmers of hope and crucial lessons to be learned from animals that have defied global trends toward extinction. Bear in Italy, bison in North America, whales in the Atlantic. These populations are back from the brink, some of them in numbers unimaginable in a century. How has this happened? What shifts in thinking did it demand? In crisp, transporting prose, Christopher Preston reveals the mysteries and challenges at the heart of these resurgences. Drawing on compelling personal stories from the researchers, Indigenous people, and activists who know the creatures best, Preston weaves together a gripping narrative of how some species are taking back vital, ecological roles. Each section of the book--farms, prairies, rivers, forests, oceans--offers a philosophical shift in how humans ought to think about animals, passionately advocating for the changes in attitude necessary for wildlife recovery. Tenacious Beasts is quintessential nature writing for the Anthropocene, touching on different facets of ecological restoration from Indigenous knowledge to rewilding practices. More important, perhaps, the book offers a road map--and a measure of hope--for a future in which humans and animals can once again coexist.

Find Tenacious Beasts in the library catalog
Also available for digital checkout:
Hoopla audiobook
Read more about the author Here

Have you checked out the LCL Spice Club yet? This month's spice giveaway is thyme and the recipe card features Wild Gitigan Salad.  I made this recipe last week and the salad received rave reviews from my family: "I think it's wonderful!"  "I love the flavor combinations."  "Wild rice is my favorite!" and one slightly less than enthusiastic response, "I'm not used to eating raw kale, but it's good." Overall, my family found it a unique and healthy meal.
In honor of Native American History month, November’s Spice Club recipe is from First Nations, an organization dedicated to "uplifting and sustaining the lifeways and economies of Native communities." This salad was created by a group of entrepreneurial youth in Minnesota who wanted to create a nutritious food option that would promote healthy food choices.  They actually sold this salad at a major league baseball game! (Go Twins!) “Gitigan” is an indigenous word meaning “garden” or a place to harvest locally grown foods.
Wild Gitigan Salad features black beans, wild rice, and fresh kale as its main ingredients. It is flavored with thyme, lemon zest, parmesan cheese and olive oil. This is a hearty dish could be served as a side or even the main dish for salad lovers. If you have vegetarians at your table omit the parmesan cheese topping and you’re good to go.
I found making this recipe to be a delightful sensory experience, the combined aromas of wild rice cooking with thyme is warm and comforting. The lemon juice/zest makes it fresh and zingy.  Yum!
We hope you’ll stop by the library soon and check out the spice club offerings. If you're inspired to make your own creation using your sample of thyme, we'd love to hear about it!

For more amazing recipes from Indigenous chefs, be sure to check out the following cookbooks available at your Lewis & Clark Library:

Have you joined in the fun of Lewis & Clark Library's new Spice of the Month club? Last month, I picked up a free sample of cardamom along with a beautiful recipe card featuring a Cardamom Sponge Cake, or Doolsho. After making my own Doolsho cake, let me tell you, I LOVE MAKING THIS CAKE!  The Doolsho cake is a Somalian sponge cake traditionally served in the afternoon with tea.  The cake's main flavor comes from the cardamom and a splash of vanilla. It is delicious in its simplicity and the aroma of the cardamom is a dream.  I chose to dust my first Doolsho cake with powdered sugar to add sweetness and decoration, but in subsequent cakes I've gone without any topping and enjoyed it as is.  The cake's lovely golden color and its flavor is just right to accompany a nice Chai tea. (Hint: check your chai tea to see if it also uses cardamom.)

Although this cake is fairly simple to make, it's not a completely beginner friendly recipe. You'll need to carefully separate the egg yolks from the whites and an electric mixer will come in handy to whip those egg whites into stiff peaks.  Another essential item for this recipe is the Bundt cake pan. Bundt cake pans come in many attractive designs and are essentially a ring shape. Bundt cakes are meant to be moist. The ring shape of the pan helps to ensure that the cake won't be undercooked in the middle. In all my years of baking, I confess, I have never made a Bundt cake so I invested in a new pan, and I'm so glad I did. I really enjoy making and sharing this cake. It's inspired me to try out new Bundt cake recipes, too. *See below.

On a side note, the Doolsho Cardamom Sponge Cake calls for standard all purpose flour, but if you need to make a gluten-free cake, it's a snap to convert this recipe. Just buy a pre-packaged 1 to 1 flour and substitute the gluten-free flour. Your cake will turn out perfect!  This recipe calls for 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and given the expensiveness of most gluten-free baked goods, this cake is definitely more economical simply because it uses less flour. For this fact alone, I may use the Doolsho recipe as a base for creating more cakes in the future.

The Spice of the Month club has inspired and delighted my baking pursuits.  I'm excited to see what future spices and recipes will be featured each month. And if you'd like to partake, stop by the library and head over to the cookbook/baking section.  You'll find the spice samples and recipe cards on the end cap.

*In my pursuit of more Bundt cake recipes, here are a few of my new favorite baking books available at the library:

Everyday Cake by Polina Chesnakova

A humble slice, square, or wedge of homemade cake never fails to delight and here you'll find forty-five simple recipes to make any day feel a bit special. Using ingredients that are readily available, these cakes are unfussy yet sweetly indulgent. Recipes are arranged using pans most of us already have in our kitchens- round, square, loaf, rectangle, sheet, and Bundt. Flavors include warm spices, herbs and flowers, and sweet essences, plus chocolate, fruit, nuts, and seeds. An appealingly wide range of cakes will tickle every fancy: The Vanilla Malted Milk with Milk Chocolate Frosting would be perfect for a birthday celebration . The Lemon and Lavender Yogurt cake would be quick to make and satisfying with cup of tea . The Roasted Strawberry with Whipped Creme Fraiche Shortcake would be the perfect way to end a summer supper. There's something for every mood and craving in Everyday Cakes.
Find Everyday Cake in the library catalog 

 

Bake from Scratch (Vol 7) by Brian Hart Hoffman (Editor)

Meet the cookbook for bakers, by bakers. This new recipe collection from the brilliant minds behind Bake from Scratch magazine is a triumph of dough and batter, butter and flour. This latest collection of over 400 recipes from the editors of Bake from Scratch magazine features step-by-step tutorials, tried-and-tested recipes, and stunning photography.  This cookbook will have you mastering yeasted breads, layer cakes and so much more in no time. Showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients and celebrating tradition and history, this edition will offers something for every baking skill level from novice to expert. So, dust your surfaces with flour and preheat your oven, bakers. Let the baking begin! With gorgeous full color photography accompanying each baked good, you'll find a wealth of visual inspiration and detailed tutorials to guide you from beginning to bake. All recipes have been tested and retested with the home baker in mind, formulated to be both accessible and exciting. Celebrate the joy of artisanal baking with this essential tome.
Find Bake from Scratch in the library catalog