Eight More Great Kanopy Films

You've probably heard about Kanopy, Carnegie-Stout's streaming movie collection and all of the independent films, documentaries, international films, and children's movies available. If you're not sure how to get started, visit the library's YouTube page to watch a video on how to use Kanopy.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all of the great films available on Kanopy and aren't sure what to watch first, I've gathered together another eight great suggestions you can watch this month! If you missed it, be sure to check out the earlier blog post Eight of the Best Films on Kanopy.

• Loving Vincent: In the first fully painted feature film, 2018 Oscar-nominated LOVING VINCENT tells the story of the mysterious and tragic death of the world's most famous artist, Vincent van Gogh.
• Melancholia: Acclaimed filmmaker Lars von Trier grapples with his own experiences with depression in this 2011 dark sci-fi drama and Palme d'Or nominee.
• Mister Rogers: It's You I Like: This 2018 documentary pays tribute to the beloved Fred Rogers and the nearly 900 episodes of his landmark children's television program first seen in 1968 on PBS that continues to resonate with children and adults alike.
• Moonlight: The 2016 Oscar-winner for Best Picture, this is a moving and transcendent look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young man growing up in Miami.

• Nebraska: This 2013 comedic drama about a father and his adult son on a journey to claim a million-dollar prize, from the Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne.
• Oldboy: Director Park Chan-wook's 2003 film of revenge features stunning plot twists and arresting action sequences. 
• Rashomon: Director Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film that investigates the nature of truth and the meaning of justice is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made.
• Robot & Frank: This 2012 film starring Frank Langella and Peter Sarsgaard is the story of an ex-jewel thief who receives a gift from his son: a robot butler programmed to look after him. But soon the two companions try their luck as a heist team.

-Sarah, Adult Services

Eight of the Best Films on Kanopy

Your Dubuque resident library card gives you access to all sorts of incredible online resources and digital collections, so many that it can be overwhelming sometimes. Carnegie-Stout Public Library staff are here to help, whether you have questions about how to get the technology to work or you need a suggestion for a book, movie, or music you might enjoy!

If you're a movie buff or a fan of educational documentaries, you should definitely check out Kanopy, Carnegie-Stout's streaming movie collection. Need help getting started? Visit the library's YouTube page to watch a video on how to use Kanopy. Not sure what Kanopy has to offer? Keep reading for a list with eight great films available now on Kanopy!

• Bill Cunningham New York is a 2010 documentary of the decades long career of New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham.
• A Cat in Paris is a 2010 nominee for the Academy Award for Best Animated feature about a Parisian cat, and a Parisian cat burglar.
• Florence Foster Jenkins is a 2016 film based on a true story of a woman who dreams of stardom, starring Meryl Streep in an award-nominated performance.
• The Hours is a 2002 film inspired by the works and life of Virginia Woolf, actress Nicole Kidman won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance.

• Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a 2016 comedy from director Taika Waititi about a child and his uncle on a journey through the New Zealand wilderness.
• I Am Big Bird is a 2015 film about Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer responsible for creating Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.
• Lady Bird is a 2017 film by director Greta Gerwig starring Saoirse Ronan in a Golden Globe winning performance as a teen struggling with her mother in her last year of high school.
• Midsommar is a 2019 horror film about an American couple who attend a Swedish festival that hides a sinister secret.

-Sarah, Adult Services

Spotlight on Audiobooks

As the end of the school year quickly approaches, and warm weather shuffles its way here, we're quickly reaching prime audiobook season. Whether you're listening to a book you downloaded from our OverDrive or One Click Digital collections as you do yard work, or a CD or MP3 audiobook is keeping you company on a cross country drive, Carnegie-Stout is hear to help you find something good to read!

Our Adult audiobook collections are located on the second floor (YA titles are in the Teen Zone, and kids' titles are in the Children's Room), and library staff would be happy to help you find a great read any time you stop in. If you aren't able to stop by for a chat, you can always use the Personal Recommendations form to tell us what sort of books you're looking for, and we'll create a list of suggestions just for you!

To get you started, I've put together a list of suggestions for you to check out:

Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy; narrated by Sile Bermingham

Irish author Maeve Binchy is a Dubuque favorite. The pace in her stories is often relaxed and the tone is typically heartwarming and homespun. Start with Heart and Soul, set in an underfunded Dublin heart clinic, this story features a colorful cast of characters that range beyond the shores of Ireland. Audiobook narrator Sile Bermingham’s accent warmly evokes the setting and characters.

The Professional by Robert B. Parker; narrated by Joe Mantegna

Parker was known for his fast-paced mysteries, especially his Spenser series which gave a fresh take on the hardboiled detective. Witty humor and a complex plot are paired with compelling characters. Try The Professional, a thrilling mix wealth, power, affairs, blackmail, and murder. Joe Mantegna (of Criminal Minds) narrates, which provides a crisp and distinctive voice throughout the series.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert; narrated by Juliet Stevenson

Though you probably recognize Elizabeth Gilbert from her famous memoir (Eat, Pray, Love), she’s also an accomplished novelist. The Signature of All Things is the story of Alma Whittaker, born to a life of privilege in 19th century Pennsylvania, science is her true passion. Juliet Stevenson provides a masterful narration of Alma’s journey through life and love that captures the setting.

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi; narrated by Wil Wheaton

Scalzi, known for his engaging and offbeat science fiction, updates a science fiction classic, Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper, for modern readers. Snarky, unreliable Jack Halloway works as a prospector on a distant planet owned by the wealthy ZaraCorp, but the find of Jack's career quickly turns out to be worth more than his life. Wil Wheaton's (yes, that Wil Wheaton) wry narration is a great match for Jack.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter; narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

In 1962, an Italian innkeeper falls for an American starlet, an affair that is rekindled 50 years later. An upbeat and engaging novel for fans of character-driven literary romances. Narrator Edoardo Ballerini’s Italian accent and crisp delivery clearly captures the magic of this story.

Society’s Child by Janis Ian; narrated by Janis Ian

(Biog Ian) Grammy winner Janis Ian narrates her autobiography, which borrows its title from her famous song, “Society’s Child.” A fascinating behind the scenes look at the music world from the 1960s to today that incorporates Ian’s music, bringing an additional depth to the recording. Some of Ian's music is available for download through our Freegal collection as well (though not "Society's Child").

The Son by Philipp Meyer; narrated by: Will Patton, Scott Shepherd, and Kate Mulgrew

An epic family saga tracing the sometimes violent fortunes of a Texas family from the 19th century through to the modern age. The multiple perspectives of this 150+ year history each receive own narrator: Will Patton, Scott Shepherd, and Dubuque native Kate Mulgrew. The narrators add to the novel’s strong sense of place.

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty; narrated by Elizabeth McGovern

An engaging historical novel, The Chaperone tells the story of Cora, small town wife and mother, who accompanies ingénue Louise Brooks to New York City in her quest for stardom. Elizabeth McGovern’s (Downton Abbey) skilled narration creates distinct voices for the characters, bringing the Roaring Twenties to life for listeners.

Six Years by Harlan Coben; narrated by Scott Brick

A compelling and intricately plotted stand-alone from a master of suspense thrillers, Six Years is a story of lost love and shattered expectations. Jake is devastated when the woman he loves marries another man, but when her husband dies six years later, Jake is forced to realize he never really knew Natalie. Narrator Scott Brick’s gravelly voice is a perfect match for the sarcastic Jake.

ComicsPlus Library Edition

Carnegie-Stout has digital books, audio books, music, and magazines. These services have proven to be a popular option that lets folks get library materials without worrying about hours or parking. Now, thanks to funding from the Friends of the Library, we're pleased to start offering digital comics.

ComicsPlus Library Edition offers thousands of comics, readable on any device with an internet connection and a full-featured web browser. The comics look great and work smoothly on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. To get started, click the link above or go to our homepage, mouse over E-Branch Library to select Digital Collections, and then click the link for ComicsPlus Library Edition.

To start reading comics you'll need both a library card and a ComicsPlus account. If you're new to ComicsPlus, you'll want to start by clicking Register Now to make an account. Just type in your email address and make up a password (the password must contain numbers, lowercase and uppercase characters -- minimum 5 characters).

Once you've created your account and return to the login page, click on the Library box to switch it to
Carnegie-Stout. Then enter your email address, the password you just made, your library card number, and your PIN (the boxes for your card number and PIN are labeled Patron Username and Patron Password). If you get an error saying that your patron username or password are considered invalid, it's probably a simple issue with your card. Give the library a call at (563) 589-4225 and we'll probably be able to clear it up over the phone.

Once you've logged in, you can browse the available comics by publisher or search by title and author. When you find something you want, just click Borrow to start reading. Titles check out for one week. You don't need to do anything once the week is up. Your expired comic will just disappear. Every comic can be read by any number of patrons at a time, so you'll never see something that isn't available. Because you read the comic online rather than downloading it, you do need to have an Internet connection while reading.

February Magazines of the Month: Mental Floss & Macworld

Mental Floss is a magazine of entertaining trivia, puzzles, intellectual humor, and general edutainment. The magazine was started by two students at Duke University, and has been publishing eight issues a year since 2001. Regular contributors include A.J. Jacobs, Ken Jennings, and John Green. Their website and blog is packed with even more wacky entertainment:  mentalfloss.com

Mental Floss is one of the titles available through our collection of Zinio downloadable magazines.

Macworld is the oldest continuously published magazine specific to the world of Mac products, with their first issue appearing in 1984. Between their print issues, their website (www.macworld.com), and their weekly podcast, Macworld will keep you up to date on all things Apple.

Macworld is also available through our collection of Zinio downloadable magazines.

I Geek Night Vale

"Remember, if approached by a librarian,

keep still.

Do not run away.

Try to make yourself bigger than the librarian."

Poster created by: perhapswewillsetfiretothesky.tumblr.com

There is a small desert community known as Night Vale, and I want to move there. Unfortunately, I don't have the qualifications to work in the Night Vale Public Library (I'd be too squeamish to remove a hand for an overdue book). Fortunately, I can catch up on the latest Night Vale news twice a month through Cecil's community radio program, and I think you should too.

Poster by Maddie (castiellocked on Tumblr)

If you're already one of the thousands of listeners who have made Welcome to Night Vale the most popular podcast on iTunes, I'll see you behind Ralph's sometime. If you haven't listened yet, and you enjoy dark humor (including library jokes), local gossip, and just a touch of romance, you should be listening.

Cartoonist Kate Leth put it perfectly when she said that Night Vale is "like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman started building a town in The Sims and then just… Left it running. For years." Night Vale has this abundance of imaginative detail that mixes the unexpected in with the mundane.

You can't check Night Vale out from the library, but if you're not sure how to download a podcast that's something we can help you with. You can find out more aboutt he program on the official website: commonplacebooks.com/welcome-to-night-vale/

~Sarah, Adult Services

Database Spotlight: Freegal

You may've heard that Carnegie-Stout now offers downloadable music to our full service patrons (residents of the city of Dubuque who have a current library card, and those non-resident patrons who have purchased access at the platinum level) through Freegal, a new database. Freegal allows you to log in with your library card number and PIN (most likely the last four digits of your phone number), and download up to three free mp3s each week.

It's really that simple! But if you have any questions, run into any problems, or just want to chat about some cool music you discovered in Freegal, you can stop in to the library, give us a call (563) 589-4225, send us an email (yourlibrarian@dubuque.lib.ia.us), or leave us a comment!

The trickiest part about Freegal is finding something to download. There are thousands of songs, and you can search by title or artist, but the browsing options are limited to a handful of descriptive categories. In my first test of Freegal, I got lucky. I found an mp3 download for a South African rap song I've been looking for a legal copy of for years. I also found a download for my favorite song of the summer. I know it's been said that Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" is the anthem of Summer 2013, but personally I've been loving a song off of Two Door Cinema Club's 2010 album.


~ Sarah, Adult Services

Read Alike Dan Brown

Love him or hate him, there's no question that Dan Brown has a gift for writing a real page turner. His most recent book, Inferno, is the fourth to feature the popular symbologist and conspiracy magnet, Robert Langdon. Brown's writing is fast-paced and plot-driven, with interesting puzzles and elements drawn from a variety of disciplines, from art to science.

Two of the Robert Langdon novels, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, have been adapted as movies with Tom Hanks in the starring role. While neither film received rave reviews from the critics, both did quite well at the box office, so it's likely that Hollywood is at the very least considering movies for The Lost Symbol and Inferno.

You can read more about Dan Brown on his website: www.danbrown.com

If you're waiting to borrow a copy of Inferno from the library, or if you've already finished it, we've gathered together a few reading suggestions for you to check out:

The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell
Mr. Caldwell has written one novel so far, inspired, in part, by the success of The Da Vinci Code and his experiences at Princeton. His Rule of Four, is fast-paced and suspenseful, but somewhat more scholarly with rich historical and academic detail. Set in Princeton, the action follows a group of seniors who get caught up in the puzzle of a mysterious 15th century text, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, and then one student is murdered.

The Confessor by Daniel Silva 
Bestselling author Daniel Silva is known for his fast-paced thrillers. His protagonist usually has a background in espionage, and his books tend to be violent. His series featuring Mossad agent and art restorer Gabriel Allon is packed with suspense and corruption. The series starts with The Kill Artist, which is available as an eBook in our OverDrive collection. If you're not a fan of eReading, try The Confessor, Allon partners with Pietro, a priest, to uncover secrets of a Catholic society and an assassination.

The Charlemagne Pursuit  by Steve Berry
Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series has a suspenseful mix of historical research and action, as the former Federal agent tackles globe-spanning conspiracies. The series starts with The Templar Legacy, which is available through OverDrive as an eBook. The Charlemagne Pursuit is another good starting point for this series. Cotton Malone is on the trail for answers to his father's mysterious death in a submarine, and the key might be in a manuscript found in Charlegmagne's tomb.

Ark of Fire by C.M. Palov
C.M. Palov's first novel, Ark of Fire, is a fast-paced puzzler that will keep the reader guessing along with the characters. Photographer Edie Miller finds herself drawn into a larger mystery after witnessing the theft of an ancient Hebrew relic. She's joined in her suspenseful, globe-spanning pursuit by historian Caedmon Aisquith, but can they find the truth before the villains catch them?

Other authors to check out include: Matthew Reilly, Raymond Khoury, and Scott Mariani.

You might also enjoy checking out Cheap Thrills, a book blog devoted to the thriller genre by a local blogger: cheapthrillsbookblog.wordpress.com


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Check these books out from the comfort of your own home

This week we're spotlighting a few titles available as eBooks through Carnegie-Stout's OverDrive collection. Some of these titles are only available as eBooks, and if you'd like some help downloading one give us a call (563-589-4225) or stop in! We offer drop in tech help on Wednesday nights starting at 6:30 p.m. In order to checkout an eBook from Carnegie-Stout, you need to live within Dubuque city limits, but most other Dubuque County libraries provide access to eBooks for residents of their communities.

We've pulled together a selection of titles from various genres, so hopefully there's something here for every reader! Print aficionados, never fear, some of these titles will be added to our print collection, or we may be able to borrow a copy from another library (another service only available to city residents).

Destiny's Embrace by Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins is one of the foremost authors of African-American romance writing today. Over the course of her career she’s written historicals, romantic suspense, and even Westerns. Her heroines are sassy, her writing is engaging, and the romance is steamy. Her most recent title, Destiny's Embrace, follows Mariah Cooper as she starts a new life as a housekeeper on a ranch in California, and the sparks fly between Mariah and rancher Logan Yates. This is an engaging start to a new series with sharp characters and interesting historical detail.

Prophet by R.J. Larson

R.J. Laron’s first novel is a fast-paced and engaging fantasy novel that draws on the stories of the Old Testament for inspiration. Prophet tells the story of Ela, a teenage girl who never expected to be called on by the Infinite as a prophet, but she rises to the challenge and sets off to serve His will in distant lands. Currently, Carnegie-Stout only owns this title as an eBook as part of our OverDrive collection. If you don’t own an eReader, this book would be a great excuse to try out one of the Sony eReaders we have available for checkout!

Split Second by David Baldacci 
Baldacci is known for his fast-paced political suspense novels and pulse pounding plot twists, though there's never any question that his heroes are the good guys. The first book in his Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series, Split Second introduce two Secret Service agents who turn to a second career as Private Investigators. The series is ongoing, with the latest book, The Sixth Man, coming out this April.


Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Our collection includes dozens of titles by prolific fantasy author Terry Pratchett, but we are missing one or two print copies out of the 39 from his Discworld series. Pratchett is known for his humor, world-building skills, and memorable characters. Wyrd Sisters puts a new spin on Shakespeare's Macbeth, with allusions to several of his other plays, and has, in turn, been adapted as a play itself. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick become embroiled in politics when they suddenly become the guardians of a murdered king's only child.


The Feast Nearby: how I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week) by Robin Mather
If you're interested in the local food movement or tales of frugal living, you should check this book out. The story of her exploration of the local food options of her Michigan community are interspersed with delicious and straightforward recipes. This is an upbeat book and Mather's writing has a warm humor, rather than dwelling on her personal upheaval.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Read Alikes: Fifty Shades of Grey

We're wrapping up the second week of voting in the Dubuque Tournament of Books, and there's still time to cast your votes (or to vote again!). Last Friday we put together a list of read alikes for Code Name Verity and The Fault in Our Stars. This Friday we've put together a read alike list for Fifty Shades of Grey which is up against Behind the Beautiful Forevers.


James' debut brought wide spread attention to the growing popularity and success of self-published eBook authors, fan fiction, and erotica. If you're one of the readers who has discovered a love for the steamier end of the romance spectrum, and you've already finished the Fifty Shades trilogy, you might want to check some of these books out!

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

You might recognize this title as the book that Fifty Shades of Grey beat in the first round of the Tournament of Books. Sylvia Day is an established romance author of everything from historicals to paranormals, with well-developed characters and sensual love scenes. Bared to You is the first title in her Crossfire trilogy, which came to attention after the success of Fifty Shades. Eva, just starting her career, is determined to make her own way without relying on her wealthy parents' connections. Gideon is the arrogent and successful businessman with whom she finds an instant and irresistible attraction.

Anything He Wants by Sara Fawkes
Anything He Wants is another story of passion between a woman working at the entry level and a powerful CEO that started life as an eBook, including a rather steamy scene in the office elevator. Originally published as five eBooks, the print copy available at Carnegie-Stout gathers all five stories into one volume. The later stories in this volume move beyond the attraction between Lucy and Jeremiah to introduce more characters and a suspense plot.

Saddled and Spurred by Lorelei James

Lorelei James has been publishing steamy erotica that explore the physical and emotional aspects of less vanilla relationships for several years, from BDSM to threesomes.Try Saddled and Spurred, the second book in her Blacktop Cowboys series. Despite her desire to move on from her life in a small Wyoming town, Harper can't quite resist the appeals of her boss, ranch owner Bran Turner.

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Ms. Kleypas writes both historical and contemporary romances that combine steamy attraction with witty banter. Her heroes are always powerful, and often self-made men, but her heroines are every bit their match. Try Smooth Talking Stranger, Ella’s orderly life is upended when her sister Tara leaves without her infant son. Ella decides to confront the man who must be Luke’s father, millionaire playboy Jack Travis, and sparks fly.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Jamie McGuire is one of the authors to come to prominence as part of the New Adult publishing trend. While her debut novel, Beautiful Disaster, is less steamy than Fifty Shades, readers are likely to enjoy McGuire's funny, conversational writing and character-driven romance. Travis Maddox, Eastern University's playboy, makes a bet with good girl Abby that if he loses, he will remain abstinent for a month, but if he wins, Abby must live in his apartment for the same amount of time.

Forbidden Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Ms. Leigh is an author of erotic romance, often with a suspenseful, fast-paced plot. Although some of her series include paranormal or fantasy elements, others focus on more realistic fantasies. Try Forbidden Pleasure, Mac attempted to suppress his less mainstream desires for the sake of his innocent bride, Keiley, but he longs to introduce her to pleasures possible in trying something, or someone, new.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Updates to OverDrive

Good news, everyone! OverDrive, the company that manages our downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, has informed us that our website will transition to their new interface sometime within the first half of March. Their Next Generation website is designed to make it simpler to find and check out books and from what we've seen they've done a great job of it!

We don't anticipate any heartbreak or confusion resulting from the changeover, but if you want to have a peek at what to expect you can watch this video from OverDrive or have a look at this website from a library in Ohio that has already been updated.

If anything in the new site doesn't work as you expect it to, please give us a call or stop by the Reference Desk!

An Audiobook Resolution

My 2012 New Year's resolution was simple, read one audiobook every month. I've dabbled in audiobooks since starting my career in librarianship, but I needed a push to step outside my routine. Audiobooks weren't part of my regular schedule, so I needed to learn how to make time to listen. I'd read Read on... Audiobooks by Joyce Saricks, an excellent guide to the variety of narrators, genres and styles available at the Recommendations Desk, but I needed to learn what I liked to listen to.

Overall, I'd call this experiment as success. I wouldn't think of setting out on a long trip without an audiobook or two (CD for the car, OverDrive downloadable for a plane). If I have a headache or insomnia, curling up in bed with a quieter audiobook is perfect. The right narrator improves the experience: the jokes are funnier, the scary bits are more terrifying, and the characters come alive.

More than anything, I'd recommend you try setting a reading resolution for 2013, and maybe pick up an audiobook! If you were wondering what I've listened to, keep reading for my list.

January
Cinder written by Marissa Meyer, narrated by Rebecca Soler

A science-fiction retelling of Cinderella with cyborgs? Sign me up! The book itself didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it also didn't discourage me from trying more audiobooks. It's also possible that I was a little annoyed to find out that this was only the first book in a series. 


February
State of Wonder written by Ann Patchett, narrated by Hope Davis

I'd had this on my To Read list since writing the Ann Patchett Read Alikes post, and it didn't disappoint. I passed some relaxing evenings with this book and a cup of tea. There were a few discs that were scratched to the point of annoyance, but I mentioned it to a coworker when I returned the disc and we got it cleaned up.

March
The Cinderella Deal written by Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Susan Boyce

I generally love Jennifer Crusie (and was on a romance/chick lit kick at the time), but I learned that listening to a narrator reading a steamy love scene aloud is far more embarrassing than reading it in the quiet of my own head.

April

The Scorpio Races written by Maggie Stiefvater, narrated by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham
I adored this book. I loved the story, the characters, and especially the narrators. I'd thought it might be confusing to have multiple narrators voicing the same characters, but because the chapters alternate perspective with the narrators, it worked very well. And okay, I'll admit it. I developed a bit of a crush on Steve West's voice. I even attempted to listen to him read The Grand Design by Steven Hawking.

May
Lock and Key written by Sarah Dessen, narrated by Rebecca Soler

I may not have loved Cinder, but I did enjoy Rebecca Soler's narration, add in my enjoyment of Sarah Dessen's writing, and this was a winner. Ruby's journey from fiercely independent and somewhat destructive to someone with family and hope for the future was definitely compelling.

June
Heartsick written by Chelsea Cain, narrated by Carolyn McCormick

I don't know what I was thinking. I don't like to watch horror movies. I tend not to read scary books. I'm one of those people who would only watch Criminal Minds with my hands over my eyes. I think I almost drove off the road listening to the serial killer describe how she tortured her victims. Ms. Cain wrote a suspenseful story, and Ms. McCormick is a skilled narrator, but I was not the right reader to fully appreciate their work.

July
Ready Player One written by Ernest Cline, narrated by Wil Wheaton

I'd checked out the print book, but hadn't gotten past the first chapter before it was due back to the library again (the peril of being surrounded by more good books than you have time to read). Then Andrew wrote his glowing review which includes the fact that Wil Wheaton was the narrator, and I had it on my hold list again. Did not regret that.

August
The Flight of Gemma Hardy written by Margot Livesey, narrated by Davina Porter

Davina Porter is one of my favorite narrators (someday I will listen to the second half of Outlander), and Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. The escape to cold, rainy Scotland was great in the middle of hot, dry August.

September
Beauty Queens written by Libba Bray, narrated by Libba Bray

This was my first foray into downloadable audiobooks; an iPod is much easier to carry on an airplane than a box of 14 cds. The story starts with a plane crash, which I found hilarious. In fact Ms. Bray's narration (including a wide range of voices to distinguish the very large cast) kept me laughing my entire vacation.

October
First Grave on the Right written by Darynda Jones, narrated by Lorelei King

Another downloadable for my vacation. This was a perfect mix of humor, action, and steamy romance. It's dark, but still fun. I will definitely be checking out the second book in the series. I'm leaving out the cover art because I find it bland.

November
For the Win written by Cory Doctorow, narrated by George Newbern

This book was a trick. I was expecting something along the lines of Ready Player One, and yeah, there was action and video games, but there was also a lot of information about economics. However, it turned out to be the perfect companion on a weekend when I put a few hundred miles on my car. I'm not sure everyone appreciated my desire to talk about credit default swaps.

December
The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, narrated by Jennifer Ehle

I picked this series up in audiobook form at the suggestion of a coworker. Technically I haven't finished the book yet, but I will this weekend! This is definitely a fun example of steampunk, and it doesn't hurt that the narrator is also the actress who played Elizabeth in the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries!