Summer classes are in full swing! Stop in the library to get your library account set up so you are able to check out materials whenever you need them!

Director's Review- City of Thieves by David Benioff

The siege of Leningrad; I knew before starting this book that it was going to upset me, and it did. I don't know why this period in history fascinates me, but I keep coming back for more. This was a great story, but if you're looking for something with a happy ending, this isn't the book for you. However, in stories such as this, you look for and learn to appreciate the few happy and upbeat moments when you encounter them. The suffering and the heartache of the characters were expected, but I didn't expect the humor from the character of Kolya. He was the bright spot in the midst of what was ultimately, an extremely depressing story. He was realistic, yet almost optimistic in his outlook of the war and life in general.
While this book didn't quite measure up to "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah, or "All the Light We Cannot See," by Anthony Doerr, it is still well worth reading. Though heavy on content, it is a quick read, and once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the end.

City of Thieves is available through Inter-Library Loan at the SCCC Library.

Library closed Monday, May 29th!

The library will be closed on Monday, May 29th, in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen at 7:00AM on Tuesday, the 30th. Have a safe weekend, everyone!

Lunch in the Library on Wednesday!

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon for Lunch in the Library, as we welcome Kansas Poet Laureate, Eric McHenry!

Director's Review- The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

This has been on my To-Read list since it was published, and while it definitely wasn't the worst book I've ever read, it didn't really live up to my expectations. The premise of reincarnation piqued my curiosity, but as with many YA books now, the insta-love between Haven and Iain annoyed me from the get-go. Yes, they've known each other in hundreds of past lives, but I felt that was too predictable. Plus, I thought Iain was slimy at times. Haven was far too trusting of him immediately, though she caught him lying to her several times and gave her plenty of reasons to doubt him, in my opinion. However, about halfway through, I felt the story really picked up and the focus wasn't solely on Haven and Iain's relationship. I did enjoy the story of the Ouroboros Society and the flashbacks Haven had of Constance and Ethan. Overall, I felt the idea of the story was great, but the execution was somewhat lacking.

"The Eternal Ones" is available through the State of Kansas audiobook library, OneClickDigital.

Director's Review- Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

This book was everything I expected it it be after reading the first two books in the series. Jackaby and Abigial's ghostly roommate, Jenny Cavanaugh, had been a supporting character in "Jackaby" and "Beastly Bones," but in the series' third installment, she becomes the focus of the story. Ten years ago, Jenny was murdered, and her fiance, Howard Carson, disappeared. The case was never solved by the police, and Jenny has enlisted Jackaby and Abigail to uncover her killer and determine what happened to her finance the night she was murdered. As Jackaby and Abigail delve into the cold case, another murder occurs with alarming similarities, and the group quickly realizes that Jenny's case might not be as cold as it seems.

Complete with the wit and eccentricity that readers have come to expect from the character of R.F. Jackaby, this book was every bit as exciting and engrossing as the rest of the series, and will leave you ready for the fourth and final installment.

"Ghostly Echoes" is available through the OneClickDigital Library on the State Library of Kansas Database.

Director's Review- Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

I've been on a big WWII fiction reading kick lately; add Young Adult to it, and I'll probably read it. As soon as I realized Girl in the Blue Coat took place in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, I added it to my To Be Read pile. Hanneke has many reasons to detest the unwanted Nazi invaders; they've taken over her country and she's lost her boyfriend, Bas, in the war. As an act of defiance against the Nazis and to help support her family, Hanneke acquires and delivers Black Market items to paying customers, but she's thrown for a loop when, instead of asking to find meat or cigarettes, she's asked to find a missing Jewish girl. The mystery of the girl's disappearance mixed in with the stories of the Resistance workers and the glimpses into the daily lives of those living in a Nazi-occupied country make for a great read.

"Girl in the Blue Coat" is available in the SCCC Library.