Staff Review: The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

I've admitted that I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, so it came as quite a surprise to me that I was captivated (and spooked!) by Jennifer McMahon's The Winter People, an out-and-out ghost story complete with shadowy figures, scuttling creatures in closets, and a bona fide portal through which to call forth the dead (an inadvisable practice).

The Winter People weaves two time-frames together: the very early 1900s and the present day, both narratives unfolding in the same place: the village of West Fall, Vermont, which should be idyllic but is actually totally creepy. In 1908, West Fall farm wife Sara Harrison Shea, in deep mourning over her small daughter's recent death, is brutally murdered and then skinned, a horrific crime that has never been solved.

Fortunately, Sara left behind a journal, which not only chronicles life's (mostly tragic) events but also describes in detail the phenomenon of "the sleepers," dead people allegedly brought back to life, who may haunt the wooded crags near West Fall, particularly the area of outcroppings known as the Devil's Hand. Sara's journal was so sensational that it was published after her death, under the title Visitors from the Other Side.

One hundred years later, the present-day occupants of Sara's old farmhouse, the Washburn family, find themselves swept up in the mystery of Sara's death and the sleepers. This is no coincidence, because the parents had learned of Sara and her journal before moving to Vermont and, in fact, purchased the Shea farmhouse in an attempt to locate missing journal pages that set out the exact steps involved in raising the dead. The Washburns' hope is to cash in on that secret knowledge, for who that has experienced traumatic loss would not pay good money to resurrect a beloved partner or child? This book is populated with people possessed of this desire.

I won't say much more because The Winter People is such a fun, compelling read because of its building suspense: what is real, what is the product of overwrought imagination, what is only a dream? The truth is ever-so-slowly revealed as the narratives move back and forth between the unfolding revelations of Sara's diary and the present-day search by the two Washburn daughters for their mother, who has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared. A constant presence in both stories, the Devil's Hand looms dark and terrifying, its rocks, caves, and deep-forest trees shrouding all manner of things that go bump -- or scuttle-scuttle -- in the night. 

~Ann, Adult Services 

What's your next read?

Like most people, staff at Carnegie-Stout enjoy taking the occasional online quiz that promises to tell us which Game of Thrones character we're most like or whether or not we'd survive in The Hunger Games. Then we thought, why not make our own book quiz? So we made two!

Our Favorite Books of 2013, part two

It's time once again for the staff of Carnegie-Stout Public Library to pick our favorite books of 2013. It's a mix of books new in 2013, and books new to us in 2013. This is the second half of our list, you can check out the first set of our favorite books of 2013 by clicking here. If you're wondering what other patrons have been reading this year, you can check out the What Dubuque is Reading Pinterest Board. We'd love it if you'd share your favorite books from this past year in the comments

Andrea, Circulation: Growing up, I did not read many books that are considered “the traditional classics.” Trying that now as an adult, I finally picked up To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Published in 1960 and set in the South, this is a time that I do not know very well.  Aware of this fact, I wanted to keep reading it once I started.  Seeing the world through the eyes of Scout and Jem in 1930s Alabama, I was able to learn many lessons about inequality and justice.  I can't imagine this is how people used to live, yet this was a normal occurrence to them with change slow in coming.   Now I am finally able to understand all of the nuances brought out by this book in the world today and how many actual Boo Radleys there are in our own lives.  I am now thankful for my first journey into the classics and I am waiting for my next trip very soon. 

Amy, Youth Services: Pure Trilogy by Julianna Baggott (Pure, Fuse, and Burn): These books take place during the post-apocalyptic future world.  A cataclysmic event has happened and all of the people outside the "dome" suffer from fusing's of materials and other people that were near them at the time.  Pressia has a doll head fused to her hand.  She meets up with Partridge who is an escaped "pure" dome-dweller.  Together they brave the desolate and treacherous countryside to find her mother that she is sure survived the cataclysm.  They also search for the secret that will free the Wretches (those outside the dome) of their fusing's forever.  I'm anxiously awaiting the 3rd installment of this trilogy.  It's due to be released in February 2014.  I liked the fast pace of these books and the intriguing story.
You might also enjoy checking out Allison's review of Pure.

Sarah, Adult Services: It's hard to pick just one book for this list, which is why it's nice that I get to post reviews for my favorites throughout the year.  Even so, I'm picking two books. A friend insisted that World War Z by Max Brooks was worth reading despite the zombies, and while I did have zombie themed nightmares, it was an amazing audiobook. It's a full cast recording, so each narrator who shares their experiences in the zombie war has a unique voice and character. Zombie stories, like much of science fiction, are used as metaphors for the problems in modern society, and Brooks does a brilliant job of that. My second choice is The Human Division by John Scalzi. I read this in a standard print copy, as opposed to its original release as a series of short stories. I think this was the strongest title in his Old Man's War series, but I'm a sucker for collections of interconnected short stories. If I have a complaint, it's that the ending is a little too open, but I'm hopeful that means there will be a book six.

Michelle, Adult Services: Jan Brett's brand new book Cinders: a chicken Cinderella is my Christmas present to myself.  Cinderella is not my favorite fairy tale, but Jan Brett's spin on the story and her illustrations are incredible.  The four page center foldout is a magical ballroom scene that gives new meaning to "chicken dance"!  I love looking at the details in the borders around each set of pages.  Brett knows chickens; this is evident in her drawings and her description of the flock's pecking order.  Cinders, her Cinderella, reminds me of Doofus and Dorcas, my Silver Gray Dorking hens.

Angie, Circulation: The House of Hades is the 4th book in the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan– a secondary series that follows the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Much like the Harry Potter series, the heroic adventures in this book appeal to a wide audience - middle-grade through adult readers. For those unfamiliar with the Percy Jackson world - the setting is the modern world, with a twist: The gods of Olympus (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, etc.) and the monsters of mythology like giants, the Titans and Tartarus, are real and causing chaos) and it is the job of a group of 7 demi-gods (teens who have one mortal parent, one godly parent) to defeat those monsters who are out to destroy the human race. This book takes a darker turn than some of the other books in the series, but the demigod characters really come into their own in this book. With humor and daring, the demigods come to believe that they might be able to pull off the impossible when they work as a team.I listened to the audiobook version of this book– and the performance by narrator Nick Chamian was commendable. I highly recommend anyone listen to the entire series on audiobook. The stories are exciting and funny.

Emily, Youth Services: Gulp by Mary Roach. One would not expect a "journey through the alimentary canal," which is what we now call the digestive tract, to be an enjoyable, let alone funny, read but it is! The subject is well researched with both historical and modern references. Mary Roach covers every - yes, every - aspect of the digestive process with facts, stories, and humor. Gulp is a thorough yet light-hearted examination of a serious and often unpleasant subject.

Our Favorite Books of 2013, part one

It's time once again for the staff of Carnegie-Stout Public Library to pick our favorite books of 2013. It's a mix of books new in 2013, and books new to us in 2013. And if you just can't get enough of librarian reading suggestions, check out the Twitter hashtag #libfaves13 for the favorite reads of librarians across the nation and around the world. We'd love it if you'd share your favorite books from this past year in the comments!

You can browse our favorite books from past years here:
Staff Picks 2011, new books
Staff Picks 2011
Staff Picks 2012, part one
Staff Picks 2012, part two

 

Andrew, Adult Services: I’d love this book even if it was just a chunk of paper bound together as an excuse to print the clever title, but it quickly becomes apparent that Ryan North knows Hamlet very well and is quite aware of the bizarre genius of making a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book out of what may be the most famous example of literary indecision. North’s humor is gleeful and smart, alternating between Dungeons & Dragons references and insightful critique of the play. His wry commentary on the treatment of Ophelia is particularly enjoyable. I’ll be playing around in these 600+ pages for some time to come!

Jackie, Circulation: Drinking and Tweeting by Brandi Glanville is exactly what I expected it to be and more! It is an honest, sad, hysterical, sarcastic account of Brandi's life. This book shares her ups, downs, and everywhere (and I do mean everywhere) in between! It is a candid account of her life before Real Housewives of Orange County and her separation from her cheating husband (Eddie Cibrian). She speaks openly about dealing with the loss of her relationship, having a woman move in on her life and children (LeAnn Rimes), reinventing herself, and getting back into the dating world. She briefly discusses her spot on the Real Housewives show but it is not the driving force of the book by any means. This is a great, funny, quick read! If you have ever had relationship blunders you will surely relate to Brandi!

Mary, Youth Services: My favorite read in 2013 was The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Kelsey Moore. Excellent book with touching stories and a big splash of humor. It's about the enduring bond of three high school friends though the ups and downs of life. Reminded me of the nostalgia settings in the Fannie Flagg's books.

Laura, Circulation: The Legend of Broken by Caleb Carr. This is a truly unique historical novel with the feel of a fantasy even without any supernatural elements.  Although mostly speculative, it feels natural and believable, mysteriously set . . . somewhere . . . in a post-Roman Europe, in a dangerous culture that has maybe sown the seeds of its own destruction.  Precise, flowing prose and a jaw-dropping plot twist made this my favorite book of the year.  I've never read anything else like it!

Mike, Adult Services: A book I enjoyed this year was Mississippi Solo: A River Quest by Eddy L. Harris. It was published in 1988 and is out of print, so I bought a used paperback copy on eBay. When he was 30, Harris canoed the length of the Mississippi River by himself, and his book takes readers along on the three-month journey, from camping on sandbars to locking through dams to exploring quirky river towns like Dubuque, where Harris ate Yen Cheng egg rolls under the Town Clock. Harris's bubbliness is weird, and he goes overboard with his anthropomorphic descriptions of the river, but his book reminded me of my younger days when I lived three blocks from Ol' Man River in Savanna, Illinois, especially the days I spent with friends in flat-bottom boats. Now at 60, Harris is raising money to paddle the river again, this time with documentary filmmakers in tow: www.eddyharris.com. If Harris makes it back to Yen Cheng, his crew is bound to shoot some interesting footage. If not, he has at the very least inspired one aging river-rat wannabe to save up for a canoe.

Allison, Adult Services: I picked up Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block expecting a standard YA end-of-the-world survival story, with some teenage love drama thrown in. While there is a world-ending catastrophe and romance, the book was anything but standard. Drawing on Homer's "Odyssey" (which, I'll be honest, I only skimmed in high school. It isn't necessary to be familiar with the tales, but, I appreciated Block's book more after a little review) the story begins when a cataclysmic earthquake destroys the West Coast and a wall of water sweeps seventeen-year-old Penelope's family away. After narrowly escaping death at the hands of looters, Pen sets off on a perilous journey to find her family, encountering human-devouring giants, sirens,  lotus-eaters and witches, and gathering three companions to aid her quest. Magic and the fantastic is woven throughout the narrative, which skims back and forth from Pen's present journey to her life before the Earth Shaker, when she was just on the precipice of discovering her sexuality. Even though the book wasn't at all what I though it was, I was enchanted by the magical realism and love that suffused the story.

Lisa, Circulation: Historical fiction is my favorite genre, so I really enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jaime Ford. I learned about part of American history that I never really knew about before. Set in Seattle during World War II, the story centers around the evacuation of Japanese Americans to internment camps hundreds of miles away from their homes. They are denied their belongings and the lives they have established there. It is a story of a shamful part of American hisotry, but also of family ties and bonds between fathers and sons. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. 

Amy, Youth Services, The Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier (Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue, and Emerald Green): Gwen has inherited the time-travel gene from her ancestors.  She travels through time in London with Gideon, another time-traveler, to search for the "Circle of Twelve" which are other time-travelers and find out what her own destiny is.  She is the Ruby in the Circle of Twelve and once all the pieces of the puzzle are put together, her own destiny will be revealed.  These books were very interesting and had a refreshing story that separates it from all the similarly written dystopian YA novels of this year.

Staff Review: Innocence by Dean Koontz

What does it mean to be human? Is there such a thing as a “damaged” person? If you want to explore these questions while reading an eerie, enchanting tale, then I recommend reading Innocence by Dean Koontz. I came to this book having read his Frankenstein and Odd Thomas series, but this was his first stand alone book for me. Innocence has the endearing traits I’ve come to expect from Koontz, like characters I loved and respected and villains who were, well, outrageously villainous. Also some utterly creepy marionettes . . .

In Innocence, we meet Addison Goodheart, a being so deformed that he is rejected on sight by any person he encounters.  Even so, he is an essentially happy, if lonely, man who deeply loves humanity even though he is rejected by it. He lives in hiding in an unspecified American metropolis that feels a little bit surreal and very mysterious. When he dares to make a real connection with another person, he begins an adventure of discovery and danger.

You shouldn’t read this book if you like easy answers. You’ll be asking yourself, “What IS this guy’s deal anyway?” In fact this question is so compelling that you will keep reading through all the (sometimes slow) backstory and present day until you find out. Or don’t. All I will say is that if you keep reading, you won’t be disappointed. It’s an intriguing book with a very satisfying ending.

~Laura, Circulation

Advance reader's review copy was provided by the publisher.

If you're looking for more Dean Koontz, check out our Dean Koontz read alike post.

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

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Have you ever enjoyed a book so much that you find yourself  trying to read more and more slowly, rationing out chapters so that perhaps the book might not end so quickly? That is what I found myself doing half-way through Pure by Julianna Baggott. Usually, I plow through books at a breakneck pace, skimming though sentences to find out what happens next, and that's especially true if it's one that one as filled with peril and mystery as Pure is.

Pure opens roughly nine years after the apocalyptic Detonations; a cataclysmic world-wide disaster that destroyed much of civilization. The cause of the Detonations is unclear (and is one of the story's many mysteries) but the effects were devastating. Those who survived did so at a great cost; they are fused with whatever (or whoever) they were holding or standing close to at the time. For our main character 16-year-old Pressia, it means having her left hand and arm fused with the plastic doll she was holding. Other characters in the story bear similar scars - a boy with a flock of live birds fused to his back, another with his younger brother permanently attached to his shoulders. Nightmarish creatures called Dusts (people fused with the earth or buildings) and Beasts (people fused with wild animals) haunt the landscape, devouring any living thing that comes within reach.

Equally deadly is the OSR - once called Operation Search and Rescues, now known as Operation Sacred Revolution - the paramilitary group that runs the poverty-riddled settlement where Pressia lives with her grandfather. At age 16, all children must register with the OSR or face execution. If selected, recruits are "un-taught" how to read and taught how to kill. Those who are too weak or deformed to join are used as live targets for the new recruits.

But this bleak and deadly landscape isn't the only world here. There are those who escaped the Detonations by taking shelter in the Dome, which sits on a great hill overlooking the rubble fields. A few weeks after the Detonations, thousands of notes were dropped on the rubble fields with this message:

From www.puretrilogy.co.uk

This message was the first and only communication from the Dome. Years later, some people worship the Dome, others, like the OSR, plot to destroy it. But many think little about it, more concerned with day-to-day survival.

Life inside the Dome, however, is far from perfect. The cost of surviving the Detonations is to live in a tightly-controlled society under constant surveillance. Sixteen-year-old Partridge, son of the Dome's most powerful man, lives an isolated life, haunted by the death of his mother, who chose to leave the Dome during the Detonations, and his older brother's recent suicide. After uncovering evidence that his mother may still be alive, Partridge escapes the Dome to the rubble fields.

Pressia, meanwhile, is on the run from the OSR when she finds Partridge and saves him from a Groupie attack (Groupies are quite literally groups of people fused together). Thinking she can somehow use Partridge to get off the OSR's list, she agrees to help him find his childhood home, where he believes he will find clues that will lead him to his mother.

Pressia and Partridge's search does not end there, of course. What they uncover leads them to question their own lives, the world they have grown up in and who they really are. Though the book is long at 400+ pages, it is a fast-paced read, filled with action, surprising revelations, heartbreak and of course, more questions than answers. But as quickly as the action unfolds, you'll want to slow down and take in every word.

Baggott's world-building is excellent, adding that much more urgency to Pressia and Partridge's journey. While there is a hint of romance between some characters, it is not the central theme. Pressia is a very strong female lead - while not always sure of the decisions she makes, she never yields control or loses her agency. This is a refreshing change after having read so many YA Hunger Games wannabes. To be sure, Pure is no less dark than Hunger Games, in fact, it is more so. The world of Pure is more complex, with lies and deceptions layered one after another and filled with so much tragedy that it is part of everyday life. That people like Pressia are able to not just survive, but to do so with their spirit intact is no less a victory than finding the answers to the questions surrounding her.

It wasn't until the very last page of the book that I realized it was part of a planned trilogy. The next book, Fuse, is due out in February and you can already place a hold on it (after mine, of course!)

~ Allison, Adult Services

Update 1/30/13 - Pure was awarded the 2013 ALA/YALSA Alex Award, which is given every year to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults! See the whole list at: www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards#current

Scare Up a Good Read

I was first introduced to the horror genre in my 9th grade English class when we were assigned Stephen King's short story collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes. As one prone to nightmares, I was a little wary about reading anything remotely scary. But after I finished "The End of the Whole Mess," I was hooked and quickly plowed through the rest of the collection.

Since then, I've learned that there are many, many different kinds of horror. There are the classic masters - Poe, Stoker, Lovecraft - whose stories have frightened generations of readers. There are books that explore the darkest reaches of the human mind, and those that deal in supernatural forces. Of course, tales of vampires, werewolves and zombies have always been part of the genre, as are those books that poke fun at the things that go bump in the night.

Classic horror - Classic doesn't always have to mean old (though there's certainly nothing wrong with that!) Covering many horror subgenres, the classics are those that have both stood the test of time and that have defined and shaped the genre.

The Complete Stories of Edgar Allen Poe  - "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Hart," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and many more classic gothic horror tales by the master.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty - The classic tale of demonic possession that inspired many movies.
Dracula by Bram Stoker - The quintessential vampire novel. Try to read it and not hear Bela Legosi's voice.
Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly - Shelly's misunderstood monster still lives on today in books, movies and thousands of Halloween costumes
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson - Eerie and menacing, Jackson's tale of a 80-year-old haunted mansion will stay with you for months afterwards.
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells - Wells' tale of genetic engineering gone horribly wrong was decades ahead of it's time, and is even more frighting today.
Psycho by Robert Bloch - Norman Bates and his mother. Need I say more?
Tales of H.P. Lovecraft - "The Call of Cthulhu," "The Dunwich Horror," "The Outsider" and more in this collection of Lovecraft's more suspenseful and horrifying tales.

Psychological horror - What darkness lies in the hearts of men and women? These books explore monsters and horror that we inflict upon each other.

Abandon by Blake Crouch - Investigating the bizarre and abrupt disappearance of every citizen from a gold-mining town over a century earlier, a history professor and his daughter embark on the journey aware that the last team that attempted to solve the mystery was never heard from again.
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub - Old friends try to come to grips with the darkness of the past--a secret ritual that left behind a gruesomely dismembered body--and find themselves face-to-face with the evil they helped create.
The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle - Landing in a budget-strapped mental institution after being accused of a crime he does not remember, Pepper is assaulted by a monstrous creature that has been attacking patients but that the hospital staff does not believe exists.
Misery by Stephen King- Rescued from a car crash by a psychotic woman claiming to be a fan, novelist Paul Sheldon becomes a captive invalid in her secluded Colorado farmhouse.

And more ... (click on the title for a description)
Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
The Terror by Dan Simmons (my review of this book is here)
What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
Your House is on Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye

The Occult - The supernatural, spirits and black magic are staples of the horror genre. These books will give you chills, night or day.

Carrie by Stephen King - A repressed teenager uses her telekinetic powers to avenge the cruel jokes of her classmates. A remake of the classic 1976 movie based on the books is due out next year.
Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers - In 1862 London, the ghost of John Polidori, the one-time physician of Lord Byron, is determined to possess the life and soul of an innocent young girl, and a group of mismatched allies must enter into a supernatural underworld in order to stop him.
Horns by Joe Hill- After his childhood sweetheart is brutally killed and suspicion falls on him, Ig Parrish goes on a drinking binge and wakes up with horns on his head, hate in his heart, and an incredible new power which he uses in the name of vengeance.

And more ... (click on the title for a description)
Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
The Thirteen by Susie Moloney
Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

The Funny Side of Horror - Are you more Shaun of the Dead than Dawn of the Dead? The horror genre is ripe for parody, and these books take full advantage. Although humor certainly doesn't mean you won't have your pants scared off!

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith - Reveals the hidden life of the sixteenth U.S. president, who was actually a vampire-hunter obsessed with the complete elimination of the un-dead, and uncovers the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of the nation.
Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore - Goth girl Abby Normal and her brainiac boyfriend pursue a vampire cat and his minions, but things become even more complicated with the arrival of three ancient vampires intent on getting some payback.
Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany - Jane Austen, turned into a vampire against her will, joins a group of English vampires in putting their superhuman strength and speed to the service of their country and thwarting a French invasion.
This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong - The sequel to John Dies at the End in which our heroes find that books and movies about zombies may have triggered a zombie apocalypse, despite a total world absence of zombies. It takes you on a wild ride with two slackers from the Midwest who really have better things to do with their time than prevent disaster.

And more ... (click on the title for a description)
Allison Hewitt is Trapped: A Zombie Novel by Madeleine Roux
Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion by Alan Goldsher
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

Zombies and Werewolves and Vampires, Oh My! - The staples of the horror genre are the creatures of our nightmares made real. While vampires and werewolves have been the classic manifestations, zombies are gaining popularity among writers and readers of horror alike.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - On the eve of her marriage, Elena Michaels learns that her fiancé has been concealing his secret life as a werewolf, and, as a bonus, he has made her into one also.
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist  - Twelve-year-old Oskar is obsessed by the murder that's taken place in his neighborhood. Then he meets the new girl from next door. She's a bit weird, though. And she only comes out at night.
Zone One by Colson Whitehead -  In a post-apocalyptic world decimated by zombies, survivor efforts to rebuild are focused on Manhattan, where civilian team member Mark Spitz works to eliminate remaining infected stragglers and remembers his horrifying experiences at the height of the zombie plague.

And more ... (click on the title for a description) 
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Petrified by Graham Masterton
Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

~ Allison, Adult Services

Spotlight: Epistolary Novels

Quill and Modern Pen by DigitalParadox

I have a weakness for epistolary novels, I may not always love them, but I'm more likely to pick them up in the first place. I'm sure more than a few of you are wondering what on Earth epistolary means. Epistolary comes from the word epistle, which means letter. Thus an epistolary novel is composed, at least in part, by letters between characters.

Pamela by Samuel Richardson is an early and notable example of the form. First published in 1740, it was a huge bestseller that inspired copycats and parodies. Pamela, a young maid, becomes the object of obsession for her employer, but in the end her virtuous nature leads to a happy ending.

Other Classic Epistolary Novels
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Les Liasons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Contemporary Takes on the Epistolary Novel
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
A story about change, tradition, family, and politics in a small community unified by a reverence for language. The community is shaken when the letter “z” is outlawed, but that is just the beginning. Quirky, clever, and perfect for anyone who loves word games.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
An epistolary novel set shortly after the end of WWII on the Channel Island of Guernsey, this intricately plotted novel has a wide appeal. The plot has a touch of romance and mystery, but is primarily a moving look into the perseverance of the British residents of Guernsey under the Nazi occupation.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Ms. Walker tackles the complex and often troubling issues of race and sex in America, as well as the individual's strength to persevere through our connections with others and God, in her thought-provoking writing. The Color Purple is the bittersweet story of Celie, a young African-American woman in the early half of the 20th century who is raped, beaten, and isolated. She writes of her troubles to God, and to her sister, a missionary in Africa. The Color Purple was awarded both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Lionel Shriver's reflective, character-driven novels explore the complex impact of contemporary life, from health care to ambition and fame, on society through the lens of the individual. We Need to Talk About Kevin, which was recently adapted as a film, is told through a series of letters written by Eva to her ex-husband after their troubled 17-year-old son, Kevin, kills nine people at his school. We Need to Talk About Kevin was awarded the Orange Prize for fiction in 2005.

Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles
Mr. Miles' bitterly funny first novel will resonate with anyone ever frustrated by the modern inconveniences of air travel or the cumulative disappointments of life. What starts as a bitingly angry letter of complaint by Benjamin Ford to the airline that has stranded him at O'Hare with no escape in sight, becomes Bennie's examination of his entire life.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart
Mr. Shteyngart's novels typically include characters who look at America from an, often Russian, immigrant's perspective. His darkly humorous, near future Super Sad True Love Story also takes a biting look at our fascination with technology, from email to social media, and its impact on our relationships.

Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas
Sandra Dallas' novels focus on the lives of her quirky, quick-witted heroines and the relationships they build in small town America. Her writing has a homespun quality with careful use of dialect and the stories move at a relaxed pace. The story of Alice's Tulips is told through a series of letters between Alice, a young bride whose husband has left their Iowa farm to fight in the Civil War, and her sister.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This young adult novel is currently in production for a movie adaptation to be released this September. Charlie writes a series of semi-anonymous letters to an unnamed "friend" about his struggles fitting in in high school after his best friend's suicide. Mr. Chbosky handles some difficult topics with honesty and a little dark humor, as readers watch Charlie confront his past and take control of his future. Parents of younger of more sensitive readers may want to read this book before their teens.

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 Alike: Walking Dead

Robert Kirkman has shown himself to be one the big names in comics for the 21st century. He's written for long standing franchises like the X-Men, as well as original series like The Walking Dead. His writing is compelling and plot-driven with complicated sub plots. Mr. Kirkman produces books that are bleak, gruesome, and aware of conventions and history of the genre.

The Walking Dead captured the popular imagination with its menacing zombies and the complicated interactions of its cast of characters. Recently adapted as a television program, which is also available at Carnegie-Stout.

If you're a fan of The Walking Dead, we have more that you might enjoy:

World War Z by Max Brooks
A dystopian world inspired by zombie filled horror movies as written by the humorous nonfiction guide, The Zombie Survival Guide. Rich with detail, with subtle dark humor, this “historical account” of the zombie apocalypse is engaging. Similar in form to a collection of short stories, the action follows multiple characters.

Y the Last Man by Brian K Vaughan
Mr. Vaughan is known for his fast-paced stories, engaging dialog, well-crafted characters, and subtle consideration of social issues. His graphic novel series Y the Last Man follows Yorick Brown, the only man to survive an apocalypse and his adventures in a world populated entirely by women. Start with Unmanned, and be warned that this series contains graphic depictions of violence and sexuality.

The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Passage is the story of a band of survivors, the last humans uninfected by terrible plague developed by the government that turns the infected into vampire-like creatures. Bleak, suspenseful, and character-driven, with subtle homages to the work of Stephen King, this gory tale of survival in the face of unspeakable horror has appeal for those who don't typically pick up a horror novel.

Preacher by Garth Ennis
Mr. Ennis' work is not for young readers, readers with weak stomachs, or those uncomfortable with negative portrayals of religion. But if you're looking for a gritty, action-packed, dialog-rich story of a rag tag group of friends and their fight for justice and against evil, this is the series for you. Start with Gone to Texas, the Reverend Jesse Custer, his gun crazy ex-girlfriend, and an Irish vampire hit the road on a quest to find God and hold Him accountable for the state of the world.

Planetary by Warren Ellis
Mr. Ellis has written for DC, Marvel, Image, and even tried his hand at webcomics. He has an ability to blend cynical dystopias with hopeful idealism. Dark humor and wit abound in his stories that draw from current events and popular mythology. His series Planetary, follows the Archaeologists of the Impossible, who are anything but ordinary themselves, and their quest for the truth behind urban legends.

From Hell by Alan Moore
Mr. Moore's work has earned him both a Hugo and an Eisner, in addition to scores of devoted fans. Known for his intricate plots, thought-provoking themes and wit, Mr. Moore's comics are meant for mature readers and contain graphic sex and violence. Start with From Hell, a bleak and disturbing story of Jack the Ripper.

The Stand by Stephen King
Mr. King has long dominated the horror genre with his atmospheric stories of good versus evil. In The Stand humanity is decimated by a menacing plague, and the story follows and increasingly small group of survivors. The novel has been adapted as a television mini-series as well as a series of graphic novels. The graphic novel series starts with Captain Trips and is scripted by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The graphic novel is a faithful translation that keeps the tension high with short scenes and creepy art (warning: the plague victims are pretty gross).

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 Alike: Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz writes suspenseful horror novels that maintain a fast-pace and intricate plots. His novels are not for those with faint hearts or weak stomachs, but if you don't mind violence or adult language, Mr. Koontz provides a satisfyingly unsettling read.

His earliest novels were more straightforward science fiction titles or explorations of other genres written under various pseudonyms. The current day result of his varied writing experience are novels that mix genre elements and keep readers on the edges of their seats.

Though most of his novels stand alone, Mr. Koontz also writes the popular Odd Thomas series. There won't be a new Odd Thomas title until the summer of 2012, but the stand alone 77 Shadow Street is due out this December.
You can read more about Mr. Koontz on his website (www.deankoontz.com), which includes a section on his beloved dog, Trixie.

Other authors fans of Dean Koontz may enjoy include:

Stephen King is arguably the biggest name in horror fiction, and it's likely you've already picked up one of his fast-paced novels with their sympathetic heroes and truly evil villains. Consider this your opportunity to add a hold request for Mr. King's upcoming science fiction suspense story about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, 11/22/63.

John Saul is another long-standing name in the field of horror writing. His fast-paced novels are cleverly plotted and suspenseful have appeal for adults as well as older teens. Start with House of Reckoning, Sarah Crane is lonely in her new foster home until she is befriended by the high school art teacher, but things start to fall apart when Sarah's paintings begin to echo violent crimes from the town's past.

Dan Simmons, like Mr. Koontz, has written both horror and science fiction, and featuring similarly sympathetic characters. Mr. Simmons, however, writes in a greater variety of style and tone from the character-driven and atmospheric historical novel The Terror (see Allison's staff review of The Terror) to the hardboiled mysteries featuring Joe Kurtz (start with Hardcase). More traditional horror fans should start with Children of the Night for Mr. Simmons take on vampires.

David Ambrose is the author of supernatural thrillers with an emphasis on the paranormal. His novels include detail on the technical aspects in addition to their fast-paced plots. Start with Superstition, scientists attempt to create a ghost, but their experiment quickly escapes their control with deadly consequences.

Peter Straub, an occasional coauthor of Stephen King, has written a number of creepy, violent, intricately plotted horror novels. Start with A Dark Matter, a midnight ritual in 1960s Wisconsin continues to haunt the participants 40 years later.

Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King, and an author of compelling and creepy horror stories in his own right, as well as a series of graphic novels, Locke & Key. To sample his novels try Heart Shaped Box, Judas Coyne is more interested in his collection of occult knick-knacks than his career as a rock star, but adding a ghost purchased over the internet to his collection was not his wisest move.

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!

13 Days of Scary Movies

Halloween is approaching, and what better time to curl up on the couch with some popcorn and scary movie? Check back here each day, or like us on Facebook, to read about 13 of the most horrifying movies available at Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

The Exorcist
This 1973 film, based on the novel by William Blatty, was nominated for ten Academy Awards (winning for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay), and is consistently selected as one of the scariest movies of all time.

Shaun of the Dead

This 2004 British zombie comedy stars Simon Pegg and is directed by Edgar Wright. The two had previously worked together on the comedy series Spaced. This is the only zombie film I will ever be brave enough to watch.

Dawn of the Dead

This 1978 film is the follow up to George A. Romero's 1968 Night of the Living Dead, though the only characters they have in common are the zombies. For fans of the zombie genre, it's difficult to pick a favorite between the two, but there's no doubt that the zombies remain popular to this very day.

Alien
Ridley Scott's 1979 horror film set in deep space role has influenced science fiction and horror over the past three decades.The film stars Sigourney Weaver in her first film role. Alien continues to be influential today, with unforgettable special effects and scares like the chestburster. In addition to a number of Saturn awards, the film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

Saw
This intensely violent 2004 film proved popular enough for six sequels, as well as a comic book. The Jigsaw Killer's twisted morality and gory torture has been compared to the earlier film Seven, though not always favorably. Despite the criticisms, the Saw franchise has been an undoubtedly popular addition to the horror genre.

Rosemary's Baby
Roman Polanski's 1968 film was based on the novel by Ira Levin, and started a trend of horror films about Satanism. Ruth Gordon won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the entirely too creepy neighbor.

Plan 9 From Outer Space
Ed Wood's 1959 film has zombies, aliens, terrible special effects, and Vampira. Both a cult classic and one of the worst films ever made, the library's copy includes commentary by Mike Nelson of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The Shining
Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's novel initially met with poor reviews due to its slow pacing, and was one of the first films to be nominated for a Razzie. However, opinion has shifted to the film's favor over the decades. The film is now considered to be an iconic source of pop culture imagery, but many still prefer the original novel.

Let the Right One In
This 2008 film combines two of the hottest trends of the 21st century: Swedish literature and vampires. Young Oskar is lonely, bullied, and not terribly happy but then a new little girl, Eli, moves in next door. There was an American remake in 2010, Let Me In, but the reviews weren't as favorable.

Psycho
It's difficult to select a single Hitchcock film, but Norman Bates, inspired by Ed Gein, is slightly more terrifying than a bird. Not only did Psycho (1960) receive four Academy Award nominations, it was so controversial at its release that it prompted the resignation of film critic C.A. Lejeune.



The Thing
The story of parasitic extraterrestrials that invade a remote Antarctic base started life as a story written by John W. Campbell, and was first adapted to the big screen in 1951 as "The Thing From Another World." The film was remade in 1982 by John Carpenter with Kurt Russell. This fall a prequel to the 1982 film was released to somewhat poor reviews.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
We start off our list of 13 scary movies with one of the earliest. This silent film from 1920 is a notable example of German Expressionist film making, and boasts one of the first twist endings.



Paranormal Activity
What started as an independent film written and directed by Oren Peli, and filmed in his own home became one of the biggest hits of 2007. The story of a young couple who suspect that all is not right in their home, the film packs big scares with minimal special effects. A third film in the series was released this October.