C-SPL Reader of the Month: Sharon

Youth Services Librarian Sharon Daly is the C-SPL Reader of the Month for March. In this interview, she shares about her love for the Beatles, psychological mysteries, and more.

Q & A with Sharon

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. Is this a trick question? I feel like Forrest Gump trying to choose from a box of chocolates. My choice from the past year is going to be…drumroll please… She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by Ann Hood. Why did I choose this young adult book about a girl spending the summer of 1966 planning, and scheming, and hoping to meet Paul McCartney? Because I could have written this book!  I felt every thrill and heartache Trudy did, and I could hear every Beatles song played on the radio that summer, and I loved (love) Paul McCartney! This book is all about hopes and dreams with a wonderful twist at the end that, I’ll admit, made me cry. Nostalgia at its best, and even though I cried, I also smiled...a lot.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. Sitting in a lounge chair on the beach with a soft breeze, and the palm trees providing the perfect balance of sun and shade. Oh, and a peach margarita on the table next to me.

If the beach isn’t an option, then my recliner at home with my two dogs on my lap and either coffee, tea, or a glass of wine. 

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next and what about it is most exciting?

A. The Witch Elm by Tana French

I love a good psychological mystery, and Tana French is a master at her craft. Ms. French’s many characters are always very complex and multifaceted. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the plot will spiral into another direction. The answers are never obvious. Her stories are always original, and the crime elements are perfect. I can’t wait to sink into this book, maybe on that beach, but more likely in the recliner.

Q. What book do you think more people should read and why do you think they should read it?

A. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

This beautiful, peaceful book is timeless and offers wisdom and guidance in such an eloquent and poetic way. The book is divided into chapters dealing with love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, houses, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death. It has been translated into 108 languages and has never been out of print. The Prophet was originally published in 1923.

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender’s Game is a science fiction book written in 1994, well before reading dystopian-type books became popular. I found the plot to be quite disturbing after realizing how the children are exploited and used in the Battle Room. The challenge I faced with this book was trying to remember that it was fiction and not reality. Even after I finished reading the book, those troubling feelings stayed with me.

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? (In other words, do you read every book to

the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?)

A. I have suffered through many books, hoping for a redeeming moment or a literary epiphany of some sort. Then I saw the t-shirt, So Many Books, So Little Time. Now, if I think a trip to the dentist would be less painful then reading, I know the time has come to put the book down.


Check out Sharon's other favorite books here: https://catalog.dubuque.lib.ia.us/cgi-bin/koha/opac-shelves.pl?op=view&shelfnumber=1422&sortfield=title

Staff Review: "The Day I Died" by Lori Rader-Day

If you were one of the lucky folks who got to meet award-winning mystery author Lori Rader-Day when she visited Carnegie-Stout Public Library back in May, you already know about her most recent book, The Day I Died. A compelling novel of psychological suspense with a Midwestern setting, this novel is a great summer read for anyone on the waiting list for the latest books by Paula Hawkins, Mary Kubica, and Heather Gudenkauf.

The Day I Died starts a bit slow as our narrator and main character, Anna Winger, is not very forthcoming with the personal details. Anna and her 13-year-old son are recent arrivals to the small, rural town of Parks, Indiana, and it's quickly obvious that Anna has spent most of her adult life (literally) running from a dark and abusive past. She makes a living as a handwriting analyst helping the FBI and law enforcement in their investigations, the HR departments of large companies, and people who have questions about prospective romantic partners.

Anna's precarious balance begins to topple when she's asked to consult on a missing persons case for the Sheriff's department of Parks. A very young boy has disappeared along with his mother, a likely victim of domestic abuse. A scenario far too familiar for Anna, who is also feeling pressure from Josh, her barely teenage son. Josh resents their constant moving and has questions about their lack of family.

Mild spoiler to follow. As a native Wisconsinite who has spent some time in the North Woods, I enjoyed how real Anna's fictional hometown of Sweetheart Lake felt.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Review: "The Last One" by Alexandra Oliva

We've all been there. You're making small talk at a social gathering, and a seemingly innocuous question turns into a conversational landmine.

"How's your cat doing? Still tearing up the couch?" you ask.

"No," your acquaintance responds, "she died last week."

Awkward silence descends.

It's common knowledge that you avoid the obviously controversial topics of politics and religion, but it's much easier to slip and ask a personally treacherous question about careers or relationships. Who wants to discuss the complications of their romantic life with near strangers and distant relatives? Add in all the varied social pressure around reproductive choices for women (the clock is ticking!), and you have a real recipe for disaster.

Zoo* is twenty-nine, happily married with an enjoyable career, and she decides to avoid the question of children for just a little bit longer by signing up for a reality TV competition focused on wilderness survival. Think, Survivor, but set in a wilderness area in Pennsylvania instead of somewhere more distant. Zoo's choice to pick adventure (and avoidance) over convention made perfect sense to me as a reader and a woman who's faced similar social pressures in her life.

I did not expect to find such a depth or resonance of character when I checked out The Last One by Alexandra Oliva. I wasn't looking for a reflection on the potential loss of self (or at least freedom) that can come from motherhood. Nope, I wanted to read Oliva's debut novel because I enjoy the escapism of a good survival tale, especially a survival tale in the face of The End of the World As We Know It.

The chapters alternate between a behind the scenes view of the reality competition and Zoo's continued struggle to survive alone in the wilderness. In the first chapter readers learn that a mysterious infection with a very high mortality rate will rapidly spread across the eastern United States (and entire world), leaving Zoo stranded and unaware.

The Last One will be near the top of my Best of list for 2016 for the way that Oliva mixes literary introspection, sharp human observation, and a suspenseful action plot. This is a fully absorbing weekend read that stuck with me even after I finished the last page, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a gripping tale of survival.

~Sarah, Adult Services


*Not her real name. Zoo is the nickname given to her by the TV show's production team, and as a reader you don't learn her real name until much later in the book.

Staff Review: Little Girls by Ronald Malfi

As a connoisseur of all things creepy I’ve read my share of ghost stories and have pored over various dusty tomes by lamplight at the witching hour. That being said, Little Girls by Ronald Malfi, takes the incorporeal cake. A sense of foreboding permeates the narration from the first page turn and, as the reader delves deeper into the disconcerting story line, a feeling of dread unwittingly crawls up the spine.  

As the title implies, in Little Girls the ghostly menace happens to be the restless spirit of a child. What is it about the apparitions of children that so readily strike a chord in our collective disquiet? When those twins crawl out of the woodwork croaking “REDRUM” or some youngster or other becomes possessed by a malevolent specter, it’s downright unsettling. If you pair ominous kids with a decrepit old mansion that happens to be the scene of a recent suicide, you have the setting of Little Girls.  

Throughout the tale the reader is given reason to question the sanity of the protagonist. Is Laurie Genarro being plagued by the phantom of her childhood tormentor or is she slowly losing her mind in the wake of her father’s suspicious death? Luckily for us it can be a little of both as a person’s ghosts aren’t always things that go bump in the night. 

If, dear reader, you happen to live in a haunted old manor house, like myself, I don’t recommend that you stay up late into the night with this book clutched in your cold, clammy hands wondering about that odd thumping sound resonating from the attic.  

~Ryan, Circulation                                      

                                                                                                                     

Reading Suggestions for the Characters of "How to Get Away with Murder"

How to Get Away with Murder is hands down my favorite show on television right now. If you enjoy a twisted, character-driven mystery that plays with non-linear storytelling (flashbacks into the future), you should go watch the first season right now because I wouldn't want to spoil a minute. If you're up to date on the first episode of the second season, you're safe to read on with no spoilers.

When it comes to reading suggestions for the characters of HtGAwM, almost every character could benefit from browsing the books shelved under 646.77 (aka Dating & Relationships).

Professor Annalise Keating: I wouldn't dare to give Professor Keating any sort of advice on anything ever.

Wes: Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke. Enough said.

Rebecca: Stiff: the curious lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach. Too soon?

Nate: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale. The story of the Victorian detective who inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to write Sherlock Holmes, and the case that destroyed his career.

Laurel: The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Someone needs to read this book. Seriously guys, murder is never a good extra-curricular.

Connor: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan. Connor deserves the escape of an upbeat, whimsical love story.

Asher: The Trophy Kids Grow Up by Ronald Alsop. Honestly? I picked this for the title. I don't think Asher is likely to read anything.

Michaela: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. An upbeat, romantic tale about a lost wedding ring and an engagement to the wrong man that has absolutely no murders and a happy ending? Just what Michaela needs.

Bonnie: Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas. An exploration of the traits used to identify psychopaths, including a helpful checklist.

Frank: The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. In fact, maybe Frank and Bonnie should just start a book club. Seriously, those two scare me.

If you enjoyed reading this, you should check out Aisha's reading suggestions for the characters of Scandal.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Review: The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips

The Beautiful Bureaucrat is, at exactly 180 pages, not a long novel (the pedantic might say novella), but author Helen Phillips does not skimp on the emotional walloping. In respect of Phillips's dense brevity, I'll do my best to keep this review short, too. I almost said "short and sweet," but that didn't seem right when discussing a book that left me feeling like my guts had been hollowed out -- yet still, somehow, hopeful.

If you have ever been young and unemployed, no matter how many applications you send or interviews you go to, or if you've clung to a terrible, soul-deadening job to avoid falling into unemployment, you'll probably be able to relate to Josephine, our story's main character. Josephine and her equally young husband Joseph moved from the suburbs (hinterlands) to the city for a chance at something better, but instead found months of unemployment and struggle.

Things are looking up as the story starts: Josephine and Joseph have both recently found employment. Josephine does her best to ignore the fact that her new job is a nightmare of isolation and data entry. But as her job slowly becomes more nightmarish, and Joseph becomes more absorbed into his seemingly more satisfying work, Josephine is left with only isolation and the worry that she will never have the life that she aspires to.

Phillips's writing is compelling, though readers should expect a fair amount of wordplay. If puns are not your thing, this might not be the book for you. (Mild Spoilers Ahead!) I should also provide a warning for readers who might not want to read about miscarriage, or who are frustrated by ambiguous endings.

~Sarah, Adult Services

#MCM Man Crush Monday- Blake Crouch

Even if you have been watching Wayward Pines on FOX, you may not know who Blake Crouch is. He's the author of the Wayward Pines trilogy: Pines, Wayward, and The Last Town, the books the TV series is based on.

  

I read the first book, Pines, a few months ago and it was a crazy mix of science fiction, mystery, and suspense. I don't know what happens in the last two books so I don't know how close to Crouch's original story line the TV show is, but trust me, it is also a crazy mix of science fiction, mystery, and suspense. I don't want to give anything away (and it's really hard to talk about the books or TV show without being able to give things away), but Matt Dillon (that's him upside down on the cover of Pines) plays an FBI agent who goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho to find two missing colleagues. And then things get nuts.

The books and the show have a wide appeal because even if you don't like the science fiction aspect (let's just say it involves an evolved species), you might like the mystery (why is everyone in the town so afraid to talk about how weird the town is and why are they so afraid to leave Wayward Pines?) and the suspense (after seeing what happens to someone who tries to leave, will Matt Dillon's character and his family also try to get out or will they stay in this super weird town?)

Blake Crouch, the man with the mind to mix all these different appeals, is my Man Crush Monday because getting me to be even slightly terrified (I watch Hannibal while eating dinner so I'm one tough cookie) is an accomplishment. Way to go, Blake!

Staff Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You, a 2014 novel that has garnered a long list of highly favorable reviews, awards, and other accolades, delivers a punch in its very first line: “Lydia is dead.” Lydia is Lydia Lee, the favored middle child of a mixed-race couple. Her father, James, a college professor, is American born of Asian descent, and her mother, Marilyn, a wannabe doctor who wound up a housewife, is white. Both parents dote on teenaged Lydia while also burdening her with the relentless expectation that she will fulfill all their own unmet dreams and needs.  Marilyn intends for Lydia to become a doctor, while James wants her to be popular and pretty.

The book opens with Lydia’s disappearance and subsequent discovery at the bottom of a lake near her Ohio home. Upon this tragic foundation, Celeste Ng builds an intricate structure of aftermath and backstory, deftly weaving characters and events spanning twenty years, from the 1950s to the 1970s, into a tight and increasingly oppressive and dysfunctional framework. The story's perspective shifts among family members in alternating chapters.

The big question, of course, is “What happened!!??” How did their beloved daughter drown? Was it foul play? Suicide? Some horrible accident?  We don’t find out until the end of the book. The author lays a trail of hints, clues, and suspects, one possible culprit being the wild and unsupervised son of a local divorcee, who was among the last to see Lydia alive.

Ng’s writing is fine and evocative, the societal circumstances she describes timely and fresh: the bigotry faced by Asians in America in the latter half of the twentieth century. We are now so accustomed to thinking of academic excellence, the surging Chinese economy, and the distinctly Asian flavor to our more multicultural cities, that it surprised me to realize that even educated, professional, American-born Chinese faced terrible discrimination (exacerbated in part by the Vietnam War) in so recent a past.

Ng excels at crafting sentences and at building (and resolving) an intricate plot. It is in the family dynamics she creates that I found my credulity stretched. Why is Lydia so favored, yet her older brother, Nath, an ardently-aspiring astronomer, elicits only rage or indifference from his parents? How can any parents consistently ignore a child, as the Lees do their youngest, Hannah? How could Marilyn abandon her family for months, not even leaving a note, in an early, aborted attempt to complete her education?  Is it the parents’ favoritism that causes the siblings to turn on each other?

These questions pile up and as they did, I found myself liking the Lees less and less -- every one of them -- and unlikeable characters make for a less compelling story. The more I read the novel, the more I wanted to flee its characters. But, reading through the reviews, it appears my reaction constitutes a minority view. Read the book for yourself and see what you think!

 ~ Ann, Adult Services

Staff Review: The Girl on the Train & Finding Jake

I've read two really great books lately, so I've decided to share about both of them for your to be read lists.  The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, published in January, and Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon, published in February, are full of suspense and will keep you guessing until the very end.  Both stories keep moving back and forth, either between characters or time periods, to give the reader multiple perspectives and give glimpses of the complete story.  They also provide shock and awe with a wide variety of emotions.  Prepare to spend a long amount of uninterrupted time for reading because neither book will not leave your hands until the end.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins has three main characters whose stories are all connected.  The main character, Rachel, tells most of the story. Her life is on a rapid downward spiral and she wants to find her purpose in the world.  She still commutes daily on the train to a job she no longer has just to pretend that she can still function in the world.  On one of the stops, she starts to see the same people day after day.  I’m sure we've all done it – see the same people through work or just passing by, or maybe it’s just a onetime thing, but we imagine these different people and give a life to them to forget about our own for a brief moment.  Rachel starts to do this and creates this elaborate back story for the perfect couple she observes.  Next the story introduces Anna and Megan.  They begin to tell us about their own lives and about their local neighborhood.  Soon they all realize how they fit into each others' lives and who can be trusted.

To make this story even better, there is disappearance of a local woman and everyone becomes a suspect.  People turn against each other in order to prove their own innocence.  I am reminded that “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.”*  This seems all fine and dandy, but these three women get more than just love.  There’s a missing person, drunken blackouts, liars, cheaters, and strangers laced throughout their lives and the goal is to just figure out what happened on a Saturday night.

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon tells the exact story described in the title.  Jake is missing and his father is desperately trying to find him.  This suspenseful book is a bit darker and more disturbing because it’s centered on something that happens in our society more often than we want.  There has been a school shooting with multiple fatalities and Jake goes from “Missing” to “Suspect and Accomplice.”  People draw their own conclusions based on reports that Jake has become responsible for this tragedy, therefore his own family is to blame because he’s not part of “the popular crowd” and hangs out with just a few close friends.

Jake’s father looks back on his life as a stay-at-home dad trying to raise two kids while his wife climbs the corporate ladder at her law firm.  He recalls events that have formed Jake’s life and if he became the person that his dad thinks he is, or if he became the person that the rest of the world believes he is.  All of these thoughts are weighing down the family and the news and media outlets are bombarding them with questions instead of focusing on the main goal.  Again, we all just want to love and be loved in return.  Yet sometimes love just isn't enough to get the answers to the most important question of all - Where is Jake?

Both of these novels provide confusion with plot twists and anticipation for what will happen next.  They also give a unique perspective on family dynamics because of the differences in the two stories.  Sometimes not everything comes out the way we want it to, but we just have to keep living (and reading) to see whatever happens next.

*eden abhez, by way of “Moulin Rouge”

~Andrea, Circulation

Staff Review: City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett’s earlier books combined elements from the horror, fantasy, and mystery genres to create a creepy, bleak alternate early 20th century small town America. In City of Stairs, he presents a more straightforward fantasy novel, complete with imaginative world-building, while still incorporating elements from the pages of spy thrillers and mysteries. The use of a suspenseful mystery plot and a cast of very colorful characters makes this book a great choice for readers who are relatively new to fantasy.

The story is set in a world dominated by the island nation of Saypur, whose technological advancements (on par with the early 20th century) have completely upended the former world order. Saypur used their science to overthrow their former conquerors, the Continentals. The Continent was once gifted with divine magic, until those gods were killed by the Saypuri. Bennett explores the lasting impacts of colonialism and the ways that we define our cultural identities, while still maintaining an action-packed plot.

Shara has spent most of her adult life in exile on the Continent as an employee of the Saypuri Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically, as a spy for the Ministry. She is accompanied by Sigrud, her imposing and violent “secretary” with a mysterious past. Shara and Sigrud come to city of Bulikov to solve the murder of Effrem Pangyui, a Saypuri historian whose controversial research earned him no shortage of enemies. Bulikov was once a city of wonders, the cultural and religious center of the Continent, but now wallows in poverty and disease.

At 450 pages, this is not a short book, though the plot moves along so quickly I found it difficult to put down. Another point in City of Stairs’s favor is that it is not part of a larger series, so readers aren’t being asked to commit to three or more books that may or may not have been written yet. By the last pages, most of the plot threads are wrapped up more or less neatly, but between the imaginative setting and the interesting characters (the foul-mouthed female military commander, Mulaghesh, was probably my favorite), I would be perfectly happy if Bennett did write a sequel some day.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, you might also enjoy:

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone: Gladstone’s debut is a mix of fantasy and steampunk with a fast-paced mystery plot. Tara, a first-year necromancer, is assigned to revive a dead god, but discovers a murder.




The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg: First in a series set around the Collegia Magica, the last college of magic in a world where science has gradually gained supremacy. Portier de Savin-Duplais, a Collegia librarian, is asked to investigate an attempted murder that quickly becomes more complicated.



Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara: A gritty work of fantasy, and the first in a series of mysteries. Hawks are the equivalent to police in the City of Elantra, and Kaylin is a new patrol officer out to find a serial murderer of children.

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.