Brownstone written by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia

- Stephanie Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a graphic novel about family and identity, I recommend Brownstone written by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia, with color design by Ashanti Forston. This young adult graphic novel is a coming-of-age story about struggling to find your identity across multiple fronts. (This book also won the 2025 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.)

Set in 1995, Brownstone tells the story of Almudena, a fourteen-year-old living with her white mother. When her mother has the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong career goal, Almudena is sent to live with her estranged Guatemalan father for the summer. While Xavier seems excited to see her, Almudena is less than enthused. First off, there’s a language barrier: Xavier speaks almost only Spanish and Almudena knows little to no Spanish. Secondly, Almudena has never spent any time with her father. He also expects her to help fix up the old, broken-down brownstone where they are living for the summer. Not exactly how Almudena wants to spend her summer.

Almudena is thrown into this new environment with almost no support, but she has no option but to quickly adjust to her new reality. She spends her time helping Xavier and exploring his Latin American neighborhood. Each person she meets has their own heartbreaks and joys, which she soon finds herself invested in. The part that bothers her: everyone has an opinion about how she should act, talk, behave, and dress. They also have a problem with the fact that she doesn’t know where she’s from, a fact that Almudena is more than aware of herself. Spending this time with her father has put it more into focus that Almudena has no idea where she fits in.

As the summer rushes past, Almudena has more questions for her father, but time is quickly running out. Will she ever get the answer to her most important question: Where was Xavier when she was growing up? Spending time renovating his old brownstone gives them quality time together, but the other individuals she has met over the summer feel like they could become family too. Are they all meant to stay in each other’s lives? What will happen when Almudena’s mother comes back and she has to go home?

Brownstone was a refreshing read. It was sweet, yet layered and nuanced. Each character has a well thought out back story and none of them felt like token secondary characters. There are so many layers of identity struggle to this story, light yet heavy. I can’t wait to read more by this author and illustrator.

Cover Trends: I’m Spying On You

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Being around books every day means that you notice book cover trends. Publishing has changed so much over the years with one of the major changes being cover design. Covers have become more animated with abstract art and bold colors. One trend I’ve seen lately is people spying on others! Whether it’s through a letter slot, a magnifying glass, a pair of binoculars, or by creeping around a corner, these books below are just a sampling of books with nosy main characters!

The titles in this list are all standalones or first in series. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte

When a minor criminal is murdered in the smallest residential square in London, elderly heiress and landlady Celeste van Duren recruits two of her tenants to investigate. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone and is liked by all, while failed writer Lewis is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he’s not that fond of Audrey either—but Celeste is persuasive.

As they hunt for clues in and around the Square, they discover everyone has something to hide, including their fellow residents. Audrey and Lewis must find a way to work together if they’re to find the killer in their midst. Assuming of course, there’s just the one . . . – Union Square & Co.

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

The inspiration behind the Hallmark Channel movie Adventures in Love and Birding.

A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood.

Newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple.

Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds. – Gallery Books

This title is also available in large print.

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox (book 1 in Wyatt Investigations Mysteries series

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings: a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex: scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations . . . and a ridiculously hot stranger, who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective agency for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is, Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other? – Bantam

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao (book 1 in Hu Done It Mystery series)

The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead.

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia, and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex’s life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn’t commit? – MIRA

Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida

Recently divorced Gabby Greene spends most of her days listening to self-help books while wrangling her loving yet erratic kids. During a decade of marriage, Gabby shoved aside her own career and ambitions to make room for mountains of laundry, running errands, and investigating the case of the missing socks. Her number one suspect: their Bichon Frise, Mr. Bubbles.

All that changes when a secret government agency comes knocking on Gabby’s door, asking her to go undercover. At first, she thinks some reality show is pranking her, but apparently, she bears a striking resemblance to an agent recently murdered, and… well, desperate missions call for desperate measures. Soon Gabby is juggling motherhood and a crash course in Spying 101, led by a handsome James Bond-type who has secrets of his own.

As Gabby embarks on a dangerous mission involving money laundering, a Russian oligarch, and an unfortunate incident with a prosthetic nose, she begins to realize that she is far from the invisible housewife she once believed herself to be, and that maybe, just maybe, she might be capable of saving the day. – Forever

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb

Offered a dream job in Hollywood with a famous director and his actress wife, an insecure woman becomes their personal assistant where their secrets and lies place her in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.

Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. When a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.

The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.

When Nate takes an interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kick-starting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.

But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Marie (book 1 in Prairie Nightingale series)

When a former friend and devoted mother vanishes, a confident homemaker turned amateur sleuth follows an unexpected trail of scandals and secrets to find her.

Prairie Nightingale is both the midlife mother of two teenage girls and a canny entrepreneur who has turned homemaking into a salaried profession. She’s also fascinated with the gritty details of other people’s lives. So when seemingly perfect Lisa Radcliffe, a member of her former mom-friends circle, suddenly disappears, it’s in Prairie’s nature to find out why.

Given her innate talent for vital pattern recognition, Prairie is out to catch a few clues by taking a long, hard look at everyone in Lisa’s life—and uncovering their secrets. Including Lisa’s. Prairie’s dogged curiosity is especially irritating to FBI agent Foster Rosemare, the first interesting man Prairie has met since her divorce. His square jaw and sharp suits don’t hurt.

But even as the investigation begins to wreak havoc on Prairie’s carefully tended homelife, she’s resolved to use her multivalent homemaking skills to solve the mystery of a missing mom—and along the way discover the thrill of her new sleuthing ambitions. – Thomas & Mercer

Isabella’s Not Dead by Beth Morrey

Isabella’s NOT dead.

That’s what Gwen tells anyone who asks about the friend who ghosted them all fifteen years ago. But if Isabella’s not dead, then where is she? And why did she leave, just when Gwen needed her most?

Freshly fifty-three, out of a job, and with children who are starting to fly the nest, Gwen decides to turn detective. Setting out to solve the mystery, Gwen embarks on an adventure across England—then across Europe—that will test her marriage and put her on a collision course with reluctant acquaintances, a mother-in-law best described as eccentric, and a rabbit hole full of clues. But Isabella’s not the only one who’s lost.

A tale of deep, frayed friendship, fractured memories, and skewed perspectives, Isabella’s Not Dead is the story of one woman’s quest to reclaim her best friend—and herself. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

Nothing brings neighbors together like someone else’s secrets… At Shelley House, the walls have ears, and they’re attached to a ragtag duo of busybodies ready to pry, snoop, and generally annoy their neighbors into solving a crime.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House longer than any of the other residents, and if you take their word for it, she’s as cantankerous as they come. But Dorothy has her reasons for spying. And none of them require justifying herself to Kat Bennett.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat has never known a place where she felt truly at home, and crumbling Shelley House is no different. Her neighbors find her prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat’s plagued by a guilty secret from her past.

When their apartments face demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy agree on just one thing: they must save their historic building. But when someone plays dirty—and one of the residents is viciously taken down—Dorothy and Kat seek justice. The police close the investigation too soon, leaving it up to the unlikely amateur sleuths—with a playful Jack Russell terrier at their side—to restore peace in their community. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program. – Berkley

Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess

When thirty-four-year-old Cath loses her mostly absentee mother, she is ambivalent. With days of quiet, unassuming routine in Buffalo, New York, Cath consciously avoids the impulsive, thrill-seeking lifestyle that her mother once led. But when she’s forced to go through her mother’s things one afternoon, Cath is perplexed to find tickets for an upcoming “murder week” in England’s Peak District: a whole town has come together to stage a fake murder mystery to attract tourism to their quaint hamlet. Baffled but helplessly intrigued by her mother’s secret purchase, Cath decides to go on the trip herself—and begins a journey she never could have anticipated.

Teaming up with her two cottage-mates, both ardent mystery lovers—Wyatt Green, forty, who works unhappily in his husband’s birding store, and Amity Clark, fifty, a divorced romance writer struggling with her novels—Cath sets about solving the “crime” and begins to unravel shocking truths about her mother along the way. Amidst a fling—or something more—with the handsome local maker of artisanal gin, Cath and her irresistibly charming fellow sleuths will find this week of fake murder may help them face up to a very real crossroads in their own lives. – Gallery / Scout Press

2026 Academy Awards Nominees

- Elena Leave a comment

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony airs Sunday, March 15th. Nominees for all categories have been announced, and The Library has some available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Kanopy. Place a hold with your DPL card and view the following movies before the winners are announced! (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

Sinners
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Original Screenplay, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Michael B. Jordan), Achievement in Directing, and other nominations

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

One Battle after Another
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Leonardo DiCaprio), Achievement in Directing, and other nominations

Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.

Hamnet
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Jessie Buckley), Achievement in Directing, and other nominations

From Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, HAMNET tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

Marty Supreme
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Timothée Chalamet), Achievement in Directing, and other nominations

Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness in this globe-spanning, full-throttle thrill ride from Josh Safdie.

Bugonia
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Adapted Screenplay, Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Emma Stone), and other nominations

Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.

F1
Best Motion Picture of the Year, Achievement in Film Editing, and other nominations 

Sonny Hayes was the most promising phenom in the 1990s in Formula 1 until an accident on the track. Thirty years later, his former teammate Ruben Cervantes convinces him to come back and drive alongside hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce for one last shot at being the best in the world. Sonny’s past catches up with him, and he finds that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

Blue Moon
Original Screenplay, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Ethan Hawke)

…You know how in marriage they say “for better or for worse”? I think, in terms of my life, I have entered the “for worse” part, and it happened so quietly I didn’t even recognize it. Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon tells the story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel at the opening night party for his former partner’s hit show Oklahoma! By the time this night is over, Hart will have confronted both a world that no longer values his talent and the seeming impossibility of love.

Elio
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession. So, when he’s beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide, Elio’s all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien life-forms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Documentary Feature Film

Pavel “Pasha” Talankin is a beloved Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster who offers students a safe haven in his office. After Russia invades Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. Forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and horrified by the transformation of his school and community, he struggles with guilt and a sense of powerlessness, leading him to become an international whistleblower. As the school’s videographer, Pasha documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime, capturing the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of graduating students to fight in the war.

Jane Austen’s Period Drama
Best Live Action Short Film

England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his expensive education has missed a spot.

Song Sung Blue
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Kate Hudson)

Based on an incredible true story, Mike and Claire are two down-on-their-luck musicians who prove that it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams. They form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band called Lightning and Thunder, rising from a humble garage to dive bar gigs to unexpected hometown stardom. When tragedy strikes, their love for each other and passion for music give them the strength to overcome hardships, rediscover hope, and inspire everyone around them.

Weapons
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Amy Madigan)

From writer-director Sam Levinson comes Weapons— a tense, unsettling thriller that explores violence, identity, and the darker side of American suburbia. When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

The Smashing Machine
Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

The true story of mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr, whose obsession with greatness made him a legend — and nearly cost him everything. An epic about the courage to fight for something greater than victory.

Jurassic World Rebirth
Achievement in Visual Effects

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.

KPop Demon Hunters: Soundtrack
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

KPop Demon Hunters, a Netflix film from Sony Pictures Animation, follows K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey – when they aren’t selling out stadiums, they use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise. The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack includes the new song “TAKEDOWN,” featuring Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung from K-pop powerhouse girl group, TWICE.

New Westerns

- Stephanie Leave a comment

When looking at the new shelves, I noticed a trend in westerns that are not the traditional gun-slinging westerns that your grandparents read. While hard to explain, I highly recommend that you check out one of the new westerns listed below to see if you like them! As of this writing, these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Amity by Nathan Harris

New Orleans, 1866. The Civil War might be over, but formerly enslaved Coleman and June have yet to find the freedom they’ve been promised. Two years ago, the siblings were separated when their old master, Mr. Harper, took June away to Mexico, where he hoped to escape the new reality of the postbellum South. Coleman stayed behind in Louisiana to serve the Harper family, clinging to the hope that one day June would return.

When an unexpected letter from Mr. Harper arrives, summoning Coleman to Mexico, Coleman thinks that finally his prayers have been answered. What Coleman cannot know is the tangled truth of June’s tribulations under Mr. Harper out on the frontier. And when disaster strikes Coleman’s journey, he is forced on the run with Mr. Harper’s daughter, Florence. Together, they venture into the Mexican desert to find June, all the while evading two crooked brothers who’ll stop at nothing to capture Coleman and Florence and collect the money they’re owed. As Coleman and June separately navigate a perilous, parched landscape, the siblings learn quickly that freedom isn’t always given—sometimes, it must be taken by force. – Little, Brown and Company

The Antidote by Karen Russell

The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing—not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. The Antidote follows a “Prairie Witch,” whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples’ memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch’s apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town’s secrets and its fate.

Russell’s novel is above all a reckoning with a nation’s forgetting—enacting the settler amnesia and willful omissions passed down from generation to generation, and unearthing not only horrors but shimmering possibilities. The Antidote echoes with urgent warnings for our own climate emergency, challenging readers with a vision of what might have been—and what still could be. – Knopf

This title is also available in large print.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

The New York Times bestseller and “horror masterpiece” (NPR) from Stephen Graham Jones—the master of modern horror—is a chilling historical horror novel tracing the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones. – S&S / Saga Press

This title is also available in large print.

The Country Under Heaven by Frederic S. Durbin

Louis L’Amour meets H.P. Lovecraft in this thrilling western epic about a former Civil War soldier wracked by enigmatic visions . . .

Set in the 1880s, the story follows Ovid Vesper, a former Union soldier who has been having enigmatic visions after surviving one of the Civil War’s most gruesome battles, the Battle of Antietam. As he travels across the country following those visions, he finds himself in stranger and increasingly more dangerous encounters with other worlds hidden in the spaces of his own mind, not to mention the dangers of the Wild West.

Ovid brings his steady calm and compassion as he helps the people of a broken country, rapidly changing but, like himself, still reeling and wounded from the war. He assists with matters of all sorts, from odd jobs around the house, to guiding children back to their own universe, to hunting down unnatural creatures that stalk the night — all the while seeking his own personal resolution and peace from his visions.

Ovid’s epic journey across the American West with a surprising cast of characters blends elements of the classic Western with historical fantasy in a way like no other. – Melville House

Love is a War Song by Danica Nava

A Muscogee pop star and a cowboy who couldn’t be more different come together to strike a deal in this new romantic comedy by Danica Nava, USA Today bestselling author of The Truth According to Ember.

Pop singer Avery Fox has become a national joke after posing scantily clad on the cover of Rolling Stone in a feather warbonnet. What was meant to be a statement of her success as a Native American singer has turned her into a social pariah and dubbed her a fake. With threats coming from every direction and her career at a standstill, she escapes to her estranged grandmother Lottie’s ranch in Oklahoma. Living on the rez is new to Avery—not only does she have to work in the blazing summer heat to earn her keep, but the man who runs Lottie’s horse ranch despises her and wants her gone.

Red Fox Ranch has been home to Lucas Iron Eyes since he was sixteen years old. He has lived by three rules to keep himself out of trouble: 1) preserve the culture, 2) respect the horses, and 3) stick to himself. When he is tasked with picking up Lottie’s granddaughter at the bus station, the last person he expected to see is the Avery Fox. Lucas can’t stand what she represents, but when he’s forced to work with her on the ranch, he can’t get her out of his sight—or his head. He reminds himself to keep to his rules, especially after he finds out the ranch is under threat of being shut down.

It’s clear Avery doesn’t belong here, but they form a tentative truce and make a deal: Avery will help raise funds to save the ranch, and in exchange, Lucas will show her what it really means to be an Indian. It’s purely transactional, absolutely no horsing around…but where’s the fun in that? – Berkley

This title is also available in large print.

Ten Sleep by Nicholas Belardes

Jordan Peele’s Nope meets True Grit in Nicholas Belardes’s Ten Sleep, a supernatural modern-day western about a trio of young people on a 10-day cattle drive that leads them through a canyon haunted by ancient mysteries and savage beasts who existed long before humankind.

A young Mexican American woman detects uncanny creatures stalking her on a cattle drive toward a canyon soaked in blood in an unforgettable novel, brilliantly infusing the modern Western with spine-chilling horror . . .

When Greta Molina’s old friend Tiller offered her the job, a ten-day cattle drive across the Wyoming prairie from the ranching town of Ten Sleep, it sounded like a well-paid break. Three hundred and twenty cows and calves, two guys her age she’s known since college, and a few long days on an ATV will give her time to sort out the mess in her head. The canyon along the trail has a history, sure, but nature has a tendency toward violence. Greta can accept that, even if it makes her insides squirm.

What Greta doesn’t know is the legacy of murder and rot that runs deep into the rocks of this land. As each night passes on the prairie, the trio faces mounting supernatural dangers: a ghost train of the damned, wild animals walking alongside dead ones—and evidence of a gigantic creature in the skies, one that’s supposedly been extinct for eons. And Tiller may be hiding even darker secrets the further they go. Safety is only ten sleeps away, but Greta soon realizes that may be too long for all of them to survive.

Nicholas Belardes’s Ten Sleep is a fresh portrayal of the American West for fans of Catriona Ward, Victor LaValle and Jordan Peele’s Nope, by a rising star in horror. – Erewhon Books

Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski

Hard to figure how so much awful horror could’ve started out with just them two horses and not a one yet named…

While folks still like to focus on the crimes that shocked the small city of Orvop, Utah, back in the fall of 1982, not to mention the trials that followed, far more remember the adventure that took place beyond municipal lines.

For sure no one expected the dead to rise, but they did. No one expected the mountain to fall either, but it did. No one expected an act of courage so great, and likewise so appalling, that it still staggers the heart and mind of anyone who knows anything about the Katanogos massif, to say nothing of Pillars Meadow.

As one Orvop high school teacher described that extraordinary feat just days before she died, Fer sure no one expected Kalin March to look Old Porch in the eye and tell him: You get what you deserve when you ride with cowards. – Pantheon

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas

In this homage to True Grit, a young woman makes a perilous journey west in 1863 in search of her gold-mining father.

After their mother dies, Haidie Richards and her younger brother, Boots, are put to work in an orphanage. Their father left four years earlier to find a gold mine in Colorado Territory, and since then he’s sent only three letters. Still, Haidie is certain that he is alive, has struck gold, and will soon send for them.

But patience is not one of Haidie’s virtues, and soon she and her brother make a break for it. Boots and Haidie, disguised as a boy, embark on a dangerous journey deep into Western territory. Along the way, Haidie learns fast not only how to handle mules, oxen, and greedy men, but also that you are better off in a community. Hers includes a card shark, independent “spinster” sisters, and a very fierce dog. Once she arrives in Colorado and finds out the truth about her father, Haidie will need all her new friends for a get-even plot worthy of The Sting.

Filled with vivid period detail, colorful characters, and the irreverent voice of our scrappy heroine, Tough Luck celebrates both the tenacity of youth and the persistence of the heart in the great American West. – St. Martin’s Press

This title is also available in large print.

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“The older she got, the less she thought she knew anyone at all.”
― Kate Alice Marshall, No One Can Know

In her 2024 novel, No One Can Know, Kate Alice Marshall discusses the ramifications of blindly trusting people, even family who should have your best interests at heart.

Fourteen years ago, Emma, Juliette, and Daphne Palmer left their family home never to return. What precipitated their departure has haunted the sisters forever: their parents were murdered in the house. After they were swept away from the house, they each faced their own issues. Emma became the prime suspect in their parents’ murders, Juliette left the younger two behind for college, and younger Daphne spent time in foster care not wanting to be reunited with her sisters. Now Emma and her husband are reeling from more news: she’s pregnant and he has lost his job. At a loss and with nowhere to turn, the two move back to Emma’s family home. It’s never been sold and is still owned by Emma and her estranged sisters. Emma’s reappearance in her hometown has brought up some secrets that some people would rather keep hidden. When she starts looking for answers, she soon finds her estranged sisters popping back into her life. As the three start working through their past, tensions rise. What happened the night their parents died? And what are they each hiding?

Told from multiple points-of-view as well as bouncing between the past and present, No One Can Know is a messy thriller that leads readers down dead end after dead end in a quest for answers. While the ending answered some of my questions, I still had more! I’m left with one big question: Do we finally know the truth? We may never know.

Board Books about Potty Time!

- Stephanie Leave a comment

A frequent topic we get asked about at the library are books to help with potty training! Below I have gathered a list of newer board books to read with the little ones in your life to help with potty time. As of this writing, all of these items are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Daniel Tries a New Potty by Maggie Testa

Daniel Tiger uses a public potty for the first time in this board book perfect for preschoolers!

Daniel Tiger is so excited to go to the train station with his mom to meet his friend Juan Carlos. But then Daniel has to go potty, and he has never used the one at the train station before. Luckily, Mom Tiger is there to help and explain the differences between a public potty and the one at home! – Simon Spotlight

Flush! Flush! Flush! by Douglas Florian

Don’t forget to flush! flush! flush! after using the toilet! This adorable rhyming board book teaches little ones all the steps to potty training.

Discover the whole Baby Steps Series with Play! Play! Play!, Bath! Bath! Bath!, Brush! Brush! Brush!, and Bed! Bed! Bed!

Everyone goes to the bathroom. Bright smiles and enthusiastic kids show toddlers the basics of potty training in this bouncy read-aloud. – little bee books

George goes to the potty by David Gomez

Peppa’s little brother George uses the potty for the first time in this handy board book! It’s a great tool for kids who are also toilet training. – Scholastic Inc.

No More Diapers: A Potty-Training Book illustrated by Marion Cocklico

Discover the perfect potty-time companion with No More Diapers, a delightful interactive book that helps little ones (and their parents) navigate the potty routine with ease.

Join Millie and Mo as they get ready to ditch the diapers and learn how to use the potty. Follow them as they go shopping for a special potty, choose their own underwear and finally go potty for the first time in this fun-filled novelty book, complete with engaging flaps and mechanisms. Each page features helpful potty-training tips for parents and carers, endorsed by The Good Play Guide and leading Early Years Consultant, Dr Amanda Gummer. With charming illustrations from Marion Cocklico, No More Diapers is the perfect book for potty time.

The Big Steps series is designed to support toddlers and parents through everyday experiences. – Campbell Books

Potty Time! by Caroline Church

Caroline Jayne Church and her delightful illustrations have loved children through and through, shown what fun the holidays can be, and how music can bring us closer together. Now her irresistible toddlers shine in this revamped preschool title focusing on the 1-2-3’s of potty training!

With a brand-new look, Potty Time! is Caroline Jayne Church’s entry into a proven timeless topic. The illustrations show joyful toddlers as they are gently encouraged to use the potty on their own. Sure to build confidence and inspire delight with children and guardians alike! – Cartwheel Books

Potty Time with Bean by Rachel Accurso, illustrated by Monique Dong

Toddlers can now learn to use the potty with this sturdy board book featuring Ms. Rachel— YouTube phenomenon, household name, and America’s favorite teacher!

For many young children and their caregivers, potty training is an uncertain time in their lives. Ms. Rachel’s comforting and age-appropriate Potty Time is fun, educational, and perfect for those embarking on this milestone. With sweet illustrations, familiar songs, and have-to-know gestures, Ms. Rachel brings her expertise to this brand-new board book with sturdy pages in an engaging story that will have little ones using the potty in no time. Features helpful potty training tips and advice in the back to assist with this important developmental milestone! – Random House Books for Young Readers

Potty time with Pete the Kitty: a lift-the-flap potty training book by Kimberly and James Dean

Potty time is cool with Pete the Kitty in this groovy lift-the-flap potty training board book!

Pete the Kitty walks toddlers through every groovy step for using the potty, from getting ready, to washing up—all leading up to one rockin’ celebration!

Includes 20 flaps to lift and step-by-step instructions for using the potty.

Increase toddlers’ confidence and success with this fun potty training book starring Pete the Kitty! – HarperCollins

Soul on Fire

- Stephanie Leave a comment

If you’re looking for an inspirational movie, check out Soul On Fire, the story of John O’Leary who survived a terrible accident in 1987 that no one expected him to survive. This 2025 biographical drama focuses on John O’Leary, a St. Louis native, who was in a house fire in 1987 where he suffered severe burns on over 100% of his body. Discussing burn trauma, this movie explores themes of self-acceptance, redemption, and faith as John, his family, and the local community band together to walk with John through this tragic journey. This was a devastatingly powerful movie that is full of heartbreak and struggle as John’s life changes forever through one snap decision. John O’Leary has also written two books: On Fire: the 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life published in 2016 and In Awe: Rediscover your childlike wonder to unleash inspiration, meaning, and joy published in 2020.

Check out the Davenport Public Library’s programs! Did you know that we offer movie programs? One that I wanted to highlight is Tuesday Cinema. Happening on the first Tuesday of the month at 2:00pm at the Main branch downtown, we watch a popular movie recently released to DVD. For more program information, check our calendar of events online.

New local author titles, July-December 2025

- Beth Leave a comment

Dozens of titles were added to our Local Authors collection during the second half of 2025. These are books written by authors born or living in Scott County, Iowa, or Rock Island County, Illinois. In most cases, the items were donated to the Davenport Public Library by the authors themselves. All Local Author items are available for checkout from our Fairmount branch.

Don’t forget — Zines are being added to the local author collection. Zines (pronounced “ZEEN” and short for “fanzine” or “magazine”) are small, independently produced publications. Zines are often created and photocopied by hand. Zines cover a wide range of topics, including art, politics, music, and personal experiences. If you are the creator of a zine (or zines) and are interested in donating to The Library, please drop off a copy at any Davenport Public Library branch. Please include a detailed synopsis along with the author’s contact information. Zines do not need an ISBN number or barcode.

My wicked hometown: the hidden history of Davenport, Iowa by D. Ezra Sidran, Ph. D. — A sordid history of Davenport, Iowa, as told using newspaper clippings going back to the 19th century. This book describes Davenport’s infamous Bucktown and how the archbishop of Davenport called the city, “The wickedest city in America.” Also included are photographs and reports from the Iowa DCI investigation into the collapse of 324 Main Street on May 28, 2023. When the building collapsed there were 74 open housing violations, 2 orders to vacate and a declaration from the Fire Marshall that it was a public hazard. Three people died when the building collapsed. A fourth had her leg amputated in the rubble.

I should’ve cheated by Isis. Robin Richardson swore she’d never be that woman — the one who gave her heart to a man who broke it a thousand times. But when it came to Saxon Anderson, she was addicted. Robin clung to the hope that one day he’d finally choose her. Enter Keontae Adams. Smooth, patient, and dripping with talent, Keontae gave Robin everything Saxon denied her. For the first time, Robin tasted real love — the kind that didn’t come with lies, games, and betrayal. Now Robin is caught between the man who’s owned her heart for years and the man who’s teaching her what love really means. The streets are watching and one wrong choice could cost her everything. Will Robin finally break free from the chains of her toxic past, or will Saxon’s pull drag her back into the chaos?

Escape on the Silk Road by Dan Moore — The thrilling adventure of four people who survive an airplane crash in the desolate reaches of western China. Fritz and Betta, German clothing designers, and Tegh, a Mongolian Uighur student, are expelled from China under suspicion of anti-government activities. Steve, an American forced to leave his NGO work by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is on the flight by happenstance. Thrown together by fate, the four strangers find themselves traveling the hazardous route of the ancient Silk Road as they head west, hoping to elude the Chinese officials who have declared them fugitives and find safety in Kazakhstan, more than 2,300 miles away.

Death and the dragon by David Hankins. After Lucifer played fast and loose with the Rules governing soul management–after he stole Abigail’s soul without Judgement–Grim storms into Hell to have words with the Lord of Lies. But one does not just waltz in demanding to speak with the Dragon. There are receptionists to battle, forms to complete, and minotaurs to charm. Oh, and a coup by Nigel the Demigod to stop. But what happens when Hell’s new leadership starts pulling the living into Hell before their time? When they bypass Death and threaten premature Armageddon? For Grim, there is no greater sin, and he will tear Hell apart to set thingsright, even if it costs his soul. Death is coming, and Hell will never be the same.”

To dwell in shadows by Avalon Griffin. Samael and Selene’s journey continues into the sinister depths of the Underworld, where Sam’s search for redemption becomes a battle between duty and desire. When Selene left her dull life in the human world to be with her demon mate, she was determined to thrive on her own terms. Selene was ready to build a life with Samael in the realm of Aurelia, free from the expectations of others. Yet, she soon realizes that being the fated mate of a demon comes with more than passion, as a trip to the Underworld forces her to question everything. After decades of loneliness, Samael is ready to heal from his traumatic past. With Selene at his side, he is certain that a reunion with his parents in the Underworld will bring only joy and closure.

Eerie April: a compilation of hauntings by April Crowder. Step into the world of Eerie April, where you will experience ghostly tales of the unexplained.

Silence chases miracles … the extraordinary true story of defying limits, rewriting futures, and finding healing in unexpected places by Dara and Mitch Dietrich. the extraordinary true story of Dara and Mitch, two individuals who defied diagnoses, defied expectations, and found healing not only in medicine and determination but in each other.

Read about Italy during the Winter Olympics

- Beth Leave a comment

The Olympic Winter Games take place in Milano Cortina, Italy, from February 6-22, 2026, with the Paralympic Winter Games taking place March 4-15, 2026. What a great excuse to read books that take place in Italy! As you watch the Games, you may spot the setting of your current read. Below you will find a list of books that take place in Italy, all owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

The Dogs of Venice by Steven Rowley. After months of planning a romantic holiday getaway in Venice, Paul is blindsided when his five-year marriage suddenly unravels. Fueled by heartbreak, Paul endeavors to take the trip alone. Soon after arriving in Italy, he notices a small, scruffy, self-assured dog trotting alongside a canal with the confidence he so desperately wants for himself. When their paths cross again, Paul feels compelled to learn how his new four-legged friend thrives on his own. Amid the food, sights, and welcoming people of Venice, Paul’s journey culminates in a magical encounter that leads him to feel real connection — to a dog, to a foreign city and, most importantly, to himself.

Murder in Chianti by Camilla Trinchieri. Set in the heart of Tuscan wine country, this mystery introduces Nico Doyle, a former NYPD homicide detective who’s just looking for space to grieve when he finds himself pulled into a local murder investigation. Mourning the loss of his wife, Rita, former NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle moves to her hometown of Gravigna in the wine-soaked region of Chianti. Half-Italian and half-Irish, Nico finds himself able to get by in the region with the help of Rita’s relatives, but he still feels alone and out of place. Early one morning, he hears a gunshot near his cabin and walks out to discover a dead body in the woods, flashily dressed in gold tennis shoes. Salvatore Perillo, the local maresciallo, enlists Nico’s help with the murder case. It turns out more than one person in this idyllic corner of Italy knew the victim, and with a very small pool of suspects, including his own in-laws, Nico must dig up Gravigna’s every last painful secret to get to the truth.

May the Wolf Die by Elizabeth Heider. Nikki Serafino is enjoying the sunset from her boat in her beloved port city of Naples, Italy, when she discovers the body of a man in the warm waters of the bay. An investigator working as the liaison between local police and American troops, Nikki is certainly no stranger to violence and organized crime, but this case grows complicated when the victim turns out to be a U.S. Navy captain stationed at the nearby military base-and the autopsy reveals foul play. As she delves into the case, another body is found and Nikki must face connections linking the murders to her own complicated history as a daughter of Naples.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series — is that too much to ask? Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life — the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life — Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case. Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker — and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly — theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker. Max happens to look exactly like Sofia Kristiansen, the youngest female prime minister in Europe. Sofia is powerful, beautiful, and unfortunately, someone is trying really hard to assassinate her. Her security service wants to outsmart the bad guys by employing a body double during the prime minister’s annual Italian holiday. Physically speaking, Max is an outrageously convincing doppelgänger; surely no one will spot the difference. No one can know about Max’s new job — no one except Sofia and a few intelligence officers, including Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who’ll instruct her how to act like a prime minister in public. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max — from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her as old passions and assassins collide.

There are four books in the “Meet me in Italy” series by Jennifer Probst, but each stands alone.

Our Italian Summer features three generations of Ferrari women who need to heal the broken pieces of their lives…and one trip of a lifetime through Italy.

The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti is about a secret romance that sends three estranged sisters to the Amalfi Coast to follow clues about their mother’s past and challenges them to a whole new future.

A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past in A Wedding in Lake Como.

And in the newest edition to the series, To Sicily with Love, a lonely woman meets the big Italian family she never knew about during a life-changing summer.

Anime Rom-Coms

- Elena Leave a comment

Last year, I wrote about romance manga, so this year I want to highlight on-screen love with these anime rom-coms. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance to watch, these anime series are a perfect match! The following titles are all available through The Library. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

My Love Story!!
Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart. Too bad the girls don’t want him! (They always go for his good-looking best friend, Sunakawa.) Used to being on the sidelines, Takeo simply stands tall and accepts his fate. But one day when he saves a girl named Yamato from a harasser on the train, his (love!) life suddenly takes an incredible turn! Takeo can hardly believe it when he crosses paths with Yamato again, and he finds himself falling in love with her… But with handsome Sunakawa around, does Takeo even stand a chance?

A Sign of Affection
For hearing-impaired university student Yuki Itose, silence has been a natural part of life since birth. Her world is small and isolated; she commutes to campus, interacts with her best friend Rin Fujishiro, and communicates through writing and text messages—a lifestyle that offers little to no change. One day, during her commute, Yuki meets fellow student Itsuomi Nagi, a multilingual travel enthusiast and friend of Rin. When Itsuomi learns of Yuki’s condition, he takes it in stride, moving Yuki’s heart. From this one simple gesture, Yuki and Itsuomi’s lives start changing day by day as they let each other into their own worlds.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
For Himuro, being a descendant of a snow spirit is tough at the workplace when your emotions can lead to snow blasts with snowmen and igloos. Any emotionally charged incident with coworkers can trigger it—conflict, fun, and in this case, romance. And with his lovely and calm coworker Fuyutsuki, he gets more frozen, literally. Get ready for a snow-white office romance that blows in like a blizzard.

Love after World Domination
It’s love at first sight for Fudo and Desumi, except it was during a battle of life and death. Fudo, leader of the hero squad Gelato 5, and Desumi, the Death Queen of the evil society Gekko, have found themselves caught in a forbidden love—and it’s their first relationship! Moving in secrecy, they live holding hands with one weapon in the other, finding out what’s truly fair in love and war. Can they keep their romance a secret from across the battlefield?

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer
College student Tokiwa gets invited to a mixer by his female classmate Suo. But when he arrives with his friends Asagi and Hagi, they’re greeted by three dazzlingly handsome men. Turns out these three cute boys are actually women in drag! They soon find themselves getting closer in unexpectedly heartwarming (and hilarious) ways.

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