New Witchy Books

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Over the last couple years, I have noticed an increase in witchy romances. That in turn led me to new witchy books across genres. Below you will find a list of witchy books published in 2025 that span a wide variety of genres: horror, romance, cozy, historical, and more! Let us know in the comments if you have a favorite witchy read.

As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes

A young woman learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family

Lilian Estrada seemingly has it all: an ob-gyn star on the rise, a master at balancing work with whirlwind romances and part of a family of fiercely loyal and exceptional women, all bound together by an extraordinary secret. The Estrada women each possess a unique power, and Lily shines with the rare gift to manipulate memories. Yet not even her mystical abilities can shield her from a harrowing event at the hospital, one that sends her powers—and her confidence—spiraling out of control.

Seeking solace, Lily retreats to her family’s ancestral home in Mexico, only to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past—Sam, the first love she never forgot. Nearly a decade since she last saw him, Sam is hardly the boy she once knew, and as old flames spark to life, Lily must navigate the mysteries of their shared history and the depths of her own heart if she hopes to control her unpredictable magic. – Park Row

This title is available in large print.

An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward

An ancient witch explores the thrills—and perils—of online dating with hilarity and heart in a charming rom-com perfect for fans of cozy fantasy and witchy romance.

Meet Thorn Scarhart, a thirty-nine-year-old witch who’s having trouble finding love in the 17th century. Despite the local matchmaker’s efforts and Thorn’s arsenal of powerful love potions, she has yet to fall in love. After the disappearance of her sister and the loss of her mother, Thorn was too caught up in…well, life, to focus on dating. Now, she fears she may have missed her chance.

But, when one of her potion brews backfires spectacularly, Thorn is hurled 350 years into the future, landing in a bustling city where her once-isolated cottage is now a historical museum. While this unexpected leap through time may seem daunting, modern life does have its perks: indoor plumbing, electric kettles, and the world of online dating. At thirty-nine, the odds may not be perfect, but at least they’re not impossible.

With the help of the museum’s new curator—and her charming veterinarian brother—Thorn dives headfirst into the 21st-century dating scene. And as she searches for romance, she might also find herself along the way. – S&S / Saga Press

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 Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn

Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things—plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story.

But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger—it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters—Bane Witches—women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men.

Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing—it’s time to feed. – St. Martin’s Griffin

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved. – Del Rey

This title is also available in large print.

A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher

A witch generationally cursed to never find true love sets out to break the spell cast on her family, and must team up with the last person who wants to help her – the witch who set the curse in the first place.

Doreen MacKinnon is doomed to die of a broken heart – if she can’t break the centuries old curse placed on her family.

Three hundred years ago, Ambrose MacDonald, a powerful male witch, fell in love with a MacKinnon. And when the MacKinnon witches forbade him from seeing his love, by secretly hiding her away, he retaliated by cursing the family and its future generations to never find love. But it wasn’t without a cost. Now, Ambrose is imprisoned by those same witches, trapped in a tempest and doomed to outlive everyone he has ever loved.

But Doreen isn’t like the other MacKinnon witches. As the 13th generation of the MacKinnon line, Doreen is one of the most powerful witches in centuries… and one of the loneliest. So when she discovers where Ambrose has been trapped, she releases him to help her break the curse, once and for all. Ambrose agrees to help, but with his own motive: vengeance. He plans to use her as bait to enact his revenge on her family.

Together, they enter a series of trials, which take them to a castle in Scotland, off a cliff, and into a world beyond their wildest dreams. As they work together, sparks start to fly, but soon Doreen must choose how far she is willing to go to break the curse, and what she’s willing to sacrifice. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell

It’s 1989, and Joe Agabian and his best friend Ronnie set out to spend their first summer working in the hedonistic gay paradise of Fire Island Pines. Joe is desperate to let loose and finally move beyond the heartbreak of having lost his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The two friends are quickly taken in by a pair of quirky, older house cleaners. But something seems off, and Joe starts to suspect the two older men of being up to something otherworldly. In truth, Howie and Lenny are members of a secret disco witch coven tasked with protecting the island—and young men like Joe—from the relentless tragedies ravaging their community. The only problem is, having lost too many of their fellow witches to the epidemic, the coven’s protective powers have been seriously damaged.

Unaware of all the mystical shenanigans going on, Joe starts to fall for the super-cute bisexual ferryman who just happens to have webbed feet and an unusual ability to hold his breath underwater. But Joe’s longing to find love is tripped up by his own troublesome past as well as the lure of a mysterious hunk he keeps seeing around the island—a man Howie and Lenny warn may be a harbinger of impending doom.

The Disco Witches need to find help—fast—if they’re to save Joe and the island from the Great Darkness. But how? Fans of spicy queer romances with a dash of fantasy will fall in love with this stunning novel of community, love, sex, magic, and hope in desperate times. – Alcove Press

A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher

At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Festival Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a heartsick witch could do. Run.

Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown—with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow—hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify—and control—her fiery abilities.

Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door.

Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Highest Fated Mates Percentage in the World. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce

Newly-minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead, she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, and anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. And he has a proposition for her.

Alice Webber is a thirteen-year-old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it.

But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.

As Mina races to uncover the truth behind Alice’s condition, the dark cracks of Banathel begin to show. Mina is desperate to understand how deep their sinister traditions go–and how her own past may be the biggest threat of all. – Minotaur Books

Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things by Breanna Randall

In the small town of Gold Springs, Calliope Petridi and her two sisters carefully guard the secret of their magic and the price they must pay to practice it: memories. Luckily, all Calliope wants to do is forget: the mother who left without a trace, the sisters from whom she feels increasingly distant, and most of all, the way the love of her life shattered her heart two years ago.

But when a mysterious evil awakens, the fragile thread that holds the sisters together breaks. As their magic slowly begins to fade, Calliope accidentally binds herself to the handsome leader of a rival coven infamous for their ruthless pursuit of power. Battling the sizzling chemistry with a man she can’t trust, Calliope must confront memories of her past, family secrets, and ancient magic in order to protect the town and all she loves. But will she have anything left of herself? – Dell

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

They were never girls, they were witches . . . .

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, frightened, and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by the adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood. – Berkley

This title is also available in large print and Playaway audiobook.

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic.

When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well…

Little does Saskia know that the “wizard” she’s falling for is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise, with no magical training whatsoever. On the run, with perilous secrets on his trail and a fast growing yearning for the wicked sorceress, he’s in danger from her enemies and her newfound allies, too. When his identity is finally revealed, will their love save or doom each other? – Bramble

Cross My Heart and Never Lie written and illustrated by Nora Dåsnes, translated by Matt Bagguley

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Nora Dåsnes, a Norwegian author and illustrator, has written the Stonewall Book Award winning juvenile graphic novel Cross My Heart and Never Lie. This graphic novel, translated by Matt Bugguley, tells the story of Tuva, a new seventh grader, and her questions about becoming a teenager. Tuva has big goals for the year. She wants a trendy look, to build the best fort in the woods with her two best friends Linnea and Boa, and to do so many other things. When she starts seventh grade, Tuva quickly realizes that nothing is what she thought it would be.

Linnea has fallen in love and has a boyfriend. Bao thinks that this is ridiculous and absolutely hates everything to do with love. They both expect Tuva to pick a side, which is not what she wants to do. As the days pass, her friends split into two teams: Team Linnea and the girls who fall in love versus Team Bao and the girls who will never fall in love. Tuva spends her time wondering where she falls and struggling to keep both of her friends happy. On one hand, she wants to stay a kid and build forts with Bao, but on the other hand, she wants to learn how to become a mature teenager like Linnea. When Miriam, a new student, shows up, Tuva is drawn to her. She feels like she has met her soulmate, but that adds more confusion for Tuva. What is she feeling? Will her friends accept her? How will she survive these big changes?

I wish Cross My Heart and Never Lie had been around when I was in junior high. It was so refreshing to read about an awkward seventh grader who had no idea who they were and was struggling to figure out basically everything. This age is so confusing, but Nora addresses this awkwardness in an incredibly realistic way. The choice of a diary-style graphic novel added to the relatability for me. At points, I found myself wanting to be able to reach into the book and tell Tuva that everything will be okay. Five star read.

Taylor Swift: The Life of a Showgirl Inspired Reading List

- Paige Leave a comment

Now that Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has been thoroughly listened to, discussed, and theorized by many, here’s an inspired reading list for each song to keep the vibes going! Each of these titles selected are available for checkout and were picked based on the song title, themes, lyrics or all of the above! All descriptions are provided by the publisher. 

Fate of Ophelia – Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most popular, and most puzzling, play. It follows the form of a “revenge tragedy,” in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties.

Among them: What is the Ghost—Hamlet’s father demanding justice, a tempting demon, an angelic messenger? Does Hamlet go mad, or merely pretend to? Once he is sure that Claudius is a murderer, why does he not act? Was his mother, Gertrude, unfaithful to her husband or complicit in his murder? — Simon & Schuster

Elizabeth Taylor – Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon by Kate Andersen Brower

No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor’s glamour and guts or her level of fame. She was the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood studio system and she is a legend known for her beauty and her magnetic screen presence in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century and nearly sixty films. But her private life was even more compelling than her Oscar-winning on-screen performances. During her seventy-nine years of rapid-fire love and loss she was married eight times to seven different men. Above all, she was a survivor—by the time she was twenty-six she was twice divorced and once widowed. Her life was a soap opera that ended in a deeply meaningful way when she became the first major celebrity activist to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS. A co-founder of amfAR, she raised more than $100 million for research and patient care. She was also a shrewd businesswoman who made a fortune as the first celebrity perfumer who always demanded to be paid what she was worth.

In the first ever authorized biography of the Hollywood icon, Kate Andersen Brower reveals the world through Elizabeth’s eyes. Brower uses Elizabeth’s unpublished letters, diary entries, and off-the-record interview transcripts as well as interviews with 250 of her closest friends and family to tell the full, unvarnished story of her remarkable career and her explosive private life that made headlines worldwide. Elizabeth Taylor captures this intelligent, empathetic, tenacious, volatile, and complex woman as never before, from her rise to massive fame at age twelve in National Velvet to becoming the first to negotiate a million-dollar salary for a film, from her eight marriages and enduring love affair with Richard Burton to her lifelong battle with addiction and her courageous efforts as an AIDS activist. 

Here is a fascinating and complete portrait worthy of the legendary star and her legacy. — Harper Collins

Opalite – The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

What if the end of the road is just the beginning?

Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.

Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all. — Penguin Random House

Father Figure – The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Since its release in 1969, The Godfather has made an indelible mark on American crime fiction. From the mind of master storyteller Mario Puzo, it traces the Corleone family, whose brilliant and brutal portrayal illuminated the violent and seductive allure of power in American society. A tale of family and loyalty, law and order, obedience and rebellion, it has stood the test of time as the definitive novel of the Mafia underworld.
 
Beyond the bestselling novel, Francis Ford Coppola’s incomparable film adaptation and Academy Award winner for Best Picture cemented The Godfather‘s reputation as a triumph in storytelling and a seminal classic for the ages. With a legacy of blood and honor, it is a cultural touchstone that has resonated for generations, and still mesmerizes readers to this day. —Penguin Random House

Eldest Daughter – Book Lovers by Emily Henry

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves. — Penguin Random House

Ruin the Friendship – If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

If he had been with me, everything would have been different…

Autumn and Finn used to be inseparable. But then something changed. Or they changed. Now, they do their best to ignore each other.

Autumn has her boyfriend Jamie, and her close-knit group of friends. And Finn has become that boy at school, the one everyone wants to be around.

That still doesn’t stop the way Autumn feels every time she and Finn cross paths, and the growing, nagging thought that maybe things could have been different. Maybe they should be together.

But come August, things will change forever. And as time passes, Autumn will be forced to confront how else life might have been different if they had never parted ways… — Sourcebooks Fire

Actually Romantic – Bunny by Mona Awad

Samantha Heather Mackey couldn’t be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at New England’s Warren University. A scholarship student who prefers the company of her dark imagination to that of most people, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort–a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other “Bunny,” and seem to move and speak as one.

But everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the Bunnies’ fabled “Smut Salon,” and finds herself inexplicably drawn to their front door–ditching her only friend, Ava, in the process. As Samantha plunges deeper and deeper into the Bunnies’ sinister yet saccharine world, beginning to take part in the ritualistic off-campus “Workshop” where they conjure their monstrous creations, the edges of reality begin to blur. Soon, her friendships with Ava and the Bunnies will be brought into deadly collision. — Penguin Random House

Wi$h Li$t – Love is a War Song by Danica Ward

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? — Penguin Random House

Wood – The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren 

Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion…she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas.

Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.

Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is…Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be. — Simon & Schuster

CANCELLED! – The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Under the influence of a charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at a New England college discover a way of thought and life a world away from their banal contemporaries. But their search for the transcendent leads them down a dangerous path, beyond human constructs of morality. — Penguin Random House

 

 

 

Honey – From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one. After seventeen years–and countless broken bones and broken promises–she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything. Including Ivan Lukov — Self Published

 

 

The Life of a Showgirl – The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison

It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more—even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy—the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways—her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves. — Macmillan

Any other books that remind you of the songs? Tell us in the comments!

Video Games with Cat Protagonists

- Elena Leave a comment

October 29th is National Cat Day. And what could be a more purrfect way to celebrate than pretending to be a cat yourself? The following games have a cat protagonist and offer plenty of cat-like hijinks from catching fish to knocking things off counters. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

Whisker Waters

Whisker Waters is the ultimate RPG adventure that blends light fantasy and the art of fishing into a mesmerizing world. As a player, you’ll create and play as your very own Cat character and embark on a whimsical fishing journey like never before. Whether you’re a fishing pro or just starting out, this game has something for everyone. Put away your swords and learn to solve challenges with clever fishing techniques!

Available on: Nintendo Switch

Petit Island

Petit Island is a charming open-world narrative exploration game set in a beautiful tropical paradise! Walk a mile in Lily’s paws as she embarks on a quest to rediscover the untold adventures of her once daring and free-spirited Grandpaw. In his younger days, Grandpaw was a cat of boundless curiosity and bravery. Full of stories and experiences, he spent his youth exploring the islands and going on many adventures. But ever since the big move to the city, he has left his adventuring days behind him. Now in his twilight years, Grandpaw’s memories are beginning to fade. All that remains are fragments of stories shared with his beloved grandchild, Lily, and some in his old journal that has recently been discovered. Can you help Grandpaw remember his past and discover your own adventuring spirit?

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S

Stray

Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly. Roam surroundings high and low, defend against unforeseen threats and solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures. See the world through the eyes of a cat and interact with the environment in playful ways. Be stealthy, nimble, silly, and sometimes as annoying as possible with the strange inhabitants of this mysterious world. Along the way, the cat befriends a small flying drone, known only as B12. With the help of this newfound companion, the duo must find a way out.

Available on: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S

Cat Quest III

Get whiskered away on a hearty cat venture in Cat Quest III, the third instalment in the award-winning Cat Quest series! Play as a swashbuckling purrivateer in this 2.5D open-world action RPG set in a fantastical pirate-themed world – the Purribean – an archipelago swarming with Pi-rats searching for the Northern Star – a long-lost mythical treasure. Alongside your trusty spirit companion, set sail through the Purribean in your very own ship! But beware, the seas are dangerous, and a meow-tiny is nigh as the hordes of Pi-rats under the order of the Pirate King hunt you down…

Available on: Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5

October’s Bestsellers Club Fiction and Nonfiction Picks

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It’s a new quarter and that means new fiction and nonfiction picks have been selected for you courtesy of Bestsellers Club! Four fiction picks are available for you to choose from: diverse debuts, graphic novel, historical fiction, and international fiction. Four nonfiction picks are available for you to choose from: biographies, cookbooks, social justice, and true crime. Our fiction and nonfiction picks are chosen quarterly and are available in regular print only. If you would like to update your selections or are a new patron who wants to receive picks from any of those four categories, sign up for Bestsellers Club through our website!

Bestsellers Club is a service that automatically places you on hold for authors, celebrity picks, nonfiction picks, and fiction picks. Choose any author, celebrity pick, fiction pick, and/or nonfiction pick and The Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! Still have questions? Click here for a list of FAQs.

Below you will find information provided by the publishers and authors on the titles we have selected from the following categories in fiction: diverse debuts, graphic novel, historical fiction, and international fiction and the following categories in nonfiction: biographies, cookbooks, social justice, and true crime.

Acronym definitions
BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
LGBTQ+: Lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, and more.

FICTION PICKS

Diverse Debuts:

Diverse Debuts: Debut fiction novel by a BIPOC author, LGBTQ+ author or an author from another marginalized community.

This Here is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry

Three people—two enslaved, one indentured—living beside each other, struggling against their circumstances, trying to bend destiny.

As the seventeenth century burns to a close in Tidewater, Virginia, America’s character is wrought in the fires of wealth, race, and freedom.

Young Bless, the only child left to her enslaved mother, stubbornly crafts the terms of her vital existence. She stands as the lone bulwark between her mother and irreparable despair, her mother’s only possibility of hope, as Bless reshapes the boundaries of love.

David is a helping child and a solace to his parents, and he gave a purpose to their trials. His survival hinges on his mother’s shrewd intellect and ferocious fight, but his sustenance is his freed Black father’s dream of emancipation for the entire family.

Jack Dane, a Scots-Irish boy, sails to Britain’s colonies when his father sells him into indentured servitude as an escape from poverty. There Jack learns from the rich the value of each person’s life.

A breathtaking, haunting, and epic saga, This Here Is Love intimately intertwines us with these beautifully drawn, unforgettable American characters. Bless, taken to serve the slaveowner’s daughter, must decide where she belongs: with the enslaved or above them. David, sold away from his people, retreats into himself even as he yearns to unite with others. Jack, acting impetuously, changes his fortune, but will doing so sacrifice his humanity?

All three come together on Jack’s land. As they face and challenge each other, they will relinquish and remake beliefs about family and freedom, even as they confront the limits of love. – W.W. Norton & Company

Graphic Novel:

Graphic Novel: Fiction novel for adults of any subgenre with diverse characters depicted by color illustrations, sketches, and photographs.

A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll

In E.M. Carroll’s haunting adult graphic novel horror story A Guest in the House, a young woman marries a kind dentist only to realize that there’s a dark mystery surrounding his former wife’s death.

After many lonely years, Abby’s just gotten married. She met her new husband—a recently widowed dentist—when he arrived in town with his young daughter, seeking a new start. Although it’s strange living in the shadow of her predecessor, Abby does her best to be a good wife and mother. But the more she learns about her new husband’s first wife, the more things don’t add up. And Abby starts to wonder . . . was Sheila’s death really by natural causes? As Abby sinks deeper into confusion, Sheila’s memory seems to become a force all its own, ensnaring Abby in a mystery that leaves her obsessed, fascinated, and desperately in love for the first time in her life.

E.M. Carroll’s masterful balance of black and white, surreal colors, rich textures, and dramatic lettering is assured to bring this story to life and give readers a chill up their spine as they read. – 23rd St.

Historical Fiction:

Historical Fiction: Historical fiction novel written by a BIPOC author, LGBTQ+ author or an author from another marginalized community, with main character(s) from a marginalized community.

The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie

In 1945, Charlie Trammell steps off a cross-country train into the vibrant tapestry of Los Angeles. Lured by his cousin Marguerite’s invitation to the esteemed West Adams Heights, Charlie is immediately captivated by the Black opulence of L.A.’s newly rechristened “Sugar Hill.”

Settling in at a local actress’s energetic boarding house, Charlie discovers a different way of life—one brimming with opportunity—from a promising career at a Black-owned insurance firm, the absence of Jim Crow, to the potential of an unforgettable romance. But nothing dazzles quite like James “Reaper” Mann.

Reaper’s extravagant parties, attended by luminaries like Lena Horne and Hattie McDaniel, draw Charlie in, bringing the milieu of wealth and excess within his reach. But as Charlie’s unusual bond with Reaper deepens, so does the tension in the neighborhood as white neighbors, frustrated by their own dwindling fortunes, ignite a landmark court case that threatens the community’s well-being with promises of retribution.

Told from the unique perspective of a young man who has just returned from a grueling, segregated war, The Great Mann weaves a compelling narrative of wealth and class, illuminating the complexities of Black identity and education in post-war America. – Crown

International Fiction:

International Fiction: Fiction novel originally written in another language with main character(s) from marginalized communities.

Summerhouse by Yiğit Karaahmet ; translated by Nicholas Glastonbury

A gay couple’s 40-year relationship is imperiled by a new arrival to their sleepy island paradise: The Birdcage as done by Highsmith.

Fehmi and Şener have been together forty years—no small feat for any pair, but especially admirable for a gay couple in Turkey. Behind closed doors, their life on Büyükada, an idyllic island near Istanbul, is like a powder keg that needs only one spark to blow. That spark soon comes in the form of Deniz, the wildly handsome and troubled teenager next door, who immediately catches Fehmi’s eye.

This “harmless” crush immediately raises Şener’s hackles; although he doesn’t think Deniz would ever reciprocate Fehmi’s feelings, it’s not a risk he’s willing to take. But when one betrayal leads to another, Deniz hatches a plan, and the sultry summer takes a dark turn as the couple’s relationship is put to the test like never before. Will lust or love win the day? One thing’s for sure: not everyone will be getting out of this love triangle alive.

Dishy, suspenseful, and boiling over with black humor, Yiğit Karaahmet’s debut makes a fierce political statement about supporting “gay wrongs” while also introducing a shockingly lovable pair of antiheroes who could be Tom Ripley’s grandfathers. – Soho Crime

NONFICTION PICKS

Biography pick

Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution by Molly Beer

A women-centric view of revolution through the life of Angelica Schuyler Church, Alexander Hamilton’s influential sister-in-law.

Few women of the American Revolution have come through 250 years of US history with such clarity and color as Angelica Schuyler Church. She was Alexander Hamilton’s “saucy” sister-in-law, and the heart of Thomas Jefferson’s “charming coterie” of artists and salonnières in Paris. Her transatlantic network of important friends spanned the political spectrum of her time and place, and her astute eye and brilliant letters kept them well informed.

A woman of great influence in a time of influential women (Catherine the Great and Marie-Antoinette were contemporaries), Angelica was at the red-hot center of American history at its birth: in Boston, when General Burgoyne surrendered to the revolutionaries; in Newport, receiving French troops under the command of her soon-to-be dear friend Marquis de Lafayette; in Yorktown, just after the decisive battle; in Paris and London, helping to determine the standing of the new nation on the world stage.

She was born as Engeltje, a Dutch-speaking, slave-owning colonial girl who witnessed the Stamp Act riots in the Royal British Province of New York. She came of age under English rule as Angelica, the eldest daughter of the most important family on the northern part of Hudson’s River, raised to be a domestic diplomat responsible for hosting indigenous chiefs and enemy British generals at dinner. She was Madame Church, wife of a privateer turned merchant banker, whose London house was a refuge for veterans of the American war fleeing the guillotine in France. Across nationalities, languages, and cultures, across the divides of war, grievance, and geography, Angelica wove a web of soft-power connections that spanned the War for Independence, the post-war years of tenuous peace, and the turbulent politics and rival ideologies that threatened to tear apart the nascent United States

In this enthralling and revealing woman’s-eye view of a revolutionary era, Molly Beer breathes vibrant new life into a period usually dominated by masculine themes and often dulled by familiarity. In telling Angelica’s story, she illuminates how American women have always plied influence and networks for political ends, including the making of a new nation. – W.W. Norton & Company

Cookbook pick

Simple Pleasures: Incredibly Craveable Recipes for Everyday Cooking by Jodi Moreno

Jodi Moreno captures life’s simple pleasures in her collection of super-easy-to-make, highly craveable comfort recipes. In addition to the standard chapters on breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, this playful book has sections devoted to pasta parties and long leisurely gatherings with friends—all with super adaptable recipes that feel both unexpected and approachable.

James Beard–nominated chef Jodi Moreno captures life’s simple pleasures in her collection of super-easy-to-make, highly craveable comfort recipes.

Sizzling bacon in the morning
A perfectly ripe avocado
Freshly baked bread out of the oven
Pomodoro simmering on the stove
…these are just a few of life’s simple pleasures.

A few things you will be sure to find: lots of butter, crème fraîche in desserts, juicy ripe tomatoes everywhere, mounds of parmesan cheese, blankets of sauces, layers of texture and flavor, and the perfect mix of indulgence + feel-good foods to nourish you inside and out.

In addition to the standard chapters on breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, this playful book has sections devoted to pasta parties and long leisurely gatherings with friends—all with super adaptable recipes that feel both unexpected and approachable. – Gibbs Smith

Social Justice pick

Body Problems: What Intersex Priest Sally Gross Teaches Us About Embodiment, Justice, and Belonging by M. Wolff

In Body Problems, M. Wolff offers groundbreaking insight into Sally Gross, a South African intersex priest and activist whose body was continuously policed and politicized. Gross’s role in founding Intersex South Africa and her involvement with the African National Congress are celebrated in the Apartheid Museum, but the complex dimensions of her life—from her Jewish heritage to her Christian priesthood and Buddhist practices—remain largely unexplored. Wolff illuminates these lesser-known aspects of Gross’s spirituality and theorizes her resistance to the regulation of intersexuality. The book urges readers to rethink bodies and belonging, particularly as they relate to formations of gender and religion. Wolff presents Gross’s life as a guide for discerning our commitments to social justice and responsible relations. Body Problems is a timely and expansive contribution to ongoing discourses on the medical, religious, and political construction of bodies. – Duke University Press

True Crime pick

The Sleep Room: A Sadistic Psychiatrist and the Women Who Survived Him by Jon Stock

A chilling true story of medical abuse, psychological manipulation, and the women who refused to be silenced.

In the heart of postwar London, Dr. William Sargant was a revered psychiatrist with a glittering résumé. He was also a regular lecturer in the United States, where he was a visiting professor at Duke University and had close connections with the CIA.

But behind the doors of Ward Five at the Royal Waterloo Hospital, he orchestrated one of the most disturbing chapters in modern psychiatric history.

Known as the Sleep Room, this ward became the site of relentless experimentation. Women—many young, vulnerable, and without consent—were subjected to months of chemically induced sleep, interrupted only for electroconvulsive therapy and forced feedings. Their identities blurred, their memories fractured, and their lives forever altered.

Now, decades later, the survivors are speaking out. In this gripping investigation, journalist and novelist Jon Stock uncovers the dark legacy of Sargant’s methods, the institutional complicity that enabled them, and the haunting question: Were these women victims of rogue science—or pawns in a broader, state-sanctioned agenda?

The Sleep Room is a powerful blend of investigative journalism and survivor testimony, exposing the twisted intersection of medicine, power, and secrecy. – Abrams Press

Join Bestsellers Club to have the newest fiction and nonfiction picks automatically put on hold for you every quarter.

Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love) written and illustrated by Laura Gao

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Laura Gao’s latest graphic novel, Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love), grabbed me from the start in this young adult graphic novel about someone so different from myself, yet so relatable. This coming-of-age story was beautiful and angsty and full of slow-burn romance that had me cheering at the end, hoping that each character would find their happily-for-now.

Kirby Tan learned rock climbing from the best, her father. After his death, she fell into a slump, but with her mother’s encouragement, Kirby went full-tilt into rock climbing and ended up becoming her high school’s top climber. With the nickname, ‘Queen of Balance,’ Kirby’s wish is to get a college scholarship for rock-climbing. Her dreams come to a pause when she suffers an injury at a meet that puts her out for the rest of the season. Without that extracurricular, Kirby needs another club to join. She finds her way to the newspaper club, specifically working on a love advice column, because of the extra credit promised. Bex Santos, the person in charge of the astrology-based column, couldn’t be more different than Kirby. She wears crystals, reads tarot, and isn’t afraid to share her opinions loudly to anyone and everyone. Kirby reluctantly helps Bex with these matches, but the more time she spends with her, the more Kirby starts to wonder if the two of them are connected via the stars. Is Kirby willing to go after what she wants with Beth while her church community and her family possibly against their relationship? How will Kirby balance her new life with Bex with her current life with her family and church friends? It’s all on the line.

Horror Manga

- Paige Leave a comment

‘Tis the season…SPOOKY season that is! With the weather becoming crisper and Halloween on the horizon, it always gets me in the mood to read some horror (despite my aversion to all things scary the rest of the year). My favorite way to consumer horror by far is through manga. The intense, suspenseful plot lines with the incredibly detailed artwork just makes it so much more impactful for me.  Here are some horror manga that I either recommend or have my eye on to read this season that might pique your interest as well! All descriptions are provided by the publisher. 

Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection – Junji Ito

The master of horror manga brings the world’s greatest horror novel—Frankenstein—back to life. Junji Ito meets Mary Shelley! The master of horror manga bends all his skill into bringing the anguished and solitary monster—and the fouler beast who created him—to life with the brilliantly detailed chiaroscuro he is known for. Also included are six tales of Oshikiri—a high school student who lives in a decaying mansion connected to a haunted parallel world. Uncanny doppelgangers, unfortunately murdered friends, and a whole lot more are in store for him. Bonus: The Ito family dog! Thrill to the adventures of Non-non Ito, an adorable Maltese! – Viz Media

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku – Yuji Kaku

Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious assassins ever to come out of the ninja village of Iwagakure. He’s ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. He has only one hope–in order to earn his freedom, he must travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal. Failure is not an option. On this island, heaven and hell are just a hair’s breadth away. – Viz Media

 

 

Stitches – Hirokatsu Kihara, art by Junji Ito

Horror manga giant Junji Ito teams up with spooky story writer Hirokatsu Kihara for the ultimate collection of fright-filled ghost tales!

A tumor shaped like a man’s face slowly moves across a woman’s body. The sea shoots glowing balls into the sky, much to the distress of beachgoers. And a girl dressed up for a holiday has no eyes, no nose, nothing—her face is a total blank.

Hirokatsu Kihara pens true stories of unsolved mysteries, stitched together with page after page of Junji Ito’s original illustrations in this collection of nine eerie tales and a bonus manga story. – Viz Media

H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness –  adaptation and artwork by Gou Tanabe

January 25, 1931: an expedition team arrives at a campsite in Antarctica . . . to find its crew of men and sled dogs strewn and dead. But a still more horrific sight is the star-shaped mound of snow nearby . . . for under its five points is a grave–and what lies beneath is not human! 

At the Mountains of Madness is a journey into the core of Lovecraft’s mythos–the deep caverns and even deeper time of the inhospitable continent where the secret history of our planet is preserved–amidst the ruins of its first civilization, built by the alien Elder Things with the help of their bioengineered monstrosities, the shoggoths.

Since it was first published in Astounding Stories during the classic pulp era, At the Mountains of Madness has influenced both horror and science fiction worldwide! – Dark Horse

The Summer Hikaru Died – Mokumokuren

It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy…but when it looks so very like Hikaru…and acts so very like Hikaru… – Yen Press

 

 

 

Blood on the Tracks – Shuzo Oshimi

From the creator who brought you notable works such as The Flowers of Evil, Happiness, and Inside Mari, comes a new suspense drama centering on the theme of a toxic parent.
Dive into this latest thriller by master storyteller, Shuzo Oshimi.

Seiichi’s mother loves him very much, and his days pass with placid regularity. School, friends, even the attention of his attractive classmate Fukiishi. Until one terrible summer day, that all changes… – Kodansha

 

We also have a new blog post about what new horror novels recently got added to our collection! Check it out here.

What’s your favorite way to consume horror?  Let us know in the comments!

 

October’s Celebrity Book Club Picks

- Stephanie 2 Comments

Bestsellers Club is a service that automatically places you on hold for authors, celebrity picks, nonfiction picks, and fiction picks. Choose any author, celebrity pick, fiction pick, and/or nonfiction pick and The Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! Still have questions? Click here for a list of FAQs.

It’s a new month which usually means that Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have picked new books for their book clubs! Slight change for October 2025: Reese Witherspoon doesn’t have a pick for this month! Instead she is taking readers along with her on tour for her new book, Gone Before Goodbye, that she wrote with Harlan Cobem. Reminder that if you join Bestsellers Club, you can choose to have their selections automatically put on hold for you.

Jenna Bush Hager has selected The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill for her October pick.

Curious what The Irish Goodbye is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

It’s been years since the three Ryan sisters were all together at their beloved family home on the eastern shore of Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by an accident on their brother Topher’s boat: A friend’s brother was killed, the resulting lawsuit nearly bankrupted their parents, and Topher spiraled into depression, eventually taking his life. Now the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, eager to reconnect, but each carrying a heavy secret. The eldest, Cait, still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, rekindles a flame with her high school crush: Topher’s best friend and the brother of the boy who died. Middle sister, Alice, has been thrown a curveball that threatens the career she’s restarting and faces a difficult decision that may doom her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk of bringing the woman she loves home to meet her devoutly Catholic mother. Infusing everything is the grief for Topher that none of the Ryans have figured out how to carry together.

When Cait invites a guest from their shared past to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface, nearly overpowering the flickering light of their family bond. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves—and one another. – Henry Holt and Co.

Join Bestsellers Club to have Jenna and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

New Books for Educators

- Beth Leave a comment

Even teachers and support staff in the education field need a boost as the school year kicks into full swing. The following titles are written for educators to help them have a positive experience in the classroom that translates into a good experience for students. These items have been recently added to our Literacy and Learning Collection. Descriptions from the publishers.

The Accessible Music Classroom for All by Brian Wagner-Yeung – This book provides teachers with the tools to give every student the appropriate support needed in music classrooms, especially in diverse settings, by presenting evidence-based strategies and examples of accessible music-making in action. While the book focuses on students with disabilities, readers will find that the strategies can benefit all.

Real Talk for New Teachers: Tools for Building a Sustainable Career by Katy Farber. Real Talk for New Teachers helps beginning teachers develop their vision and orient their practice toward a personally fulfilling, healthy, and sustainable career. Having a sustainable career goes beyond buzzwords like self-care. This book provides meaningful ideas for balancing the demands of the profession and getting the most out of it. Topics include managing health, time, and emotions; building community with students and families; collaborating with colleagues; creating an engaging curriculum; and leading a busy classroom. Whether you read this book alone or with a mentor, you’ll come away with clear ways to cultivate strong learning communities and practices that support both personal and collective efficacy in this vital profession.

Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education by Isabelle C. Hau – The most important aspect of early childhood in general and education in particular is the quality and care of the relationships a child forms. Love to Learn shows how to build and develop these relationships — and unlock every child’s true potential. Early relationships are the key to healthy brain development, resilience, and lifelong flourishing. This book offers a vision for a future where learning is relational, and love is a literacy. It is a provocative paradigm shift, from child-centered education to relationship-centered learning.

 

The School Mental Health Response Handbook: Practical Strategies for Educators and Support Staff by Ali D’Amario. Make a difference in children and young people’s lives at school with targeted mental health support exactly when you need it. The essential companion for addressing the mental health challenges faced by children today. Covering topics such as developmental trauma, anxiety, and self-harm.

Up Your Teaching Game: Creating Story-Based Games to Engage K-12 Students by Janna Jackson Kellinger. Up Your Teaching Game offers K-12 teachers an intuitive and refreshingly fun pathway for creating immersive, story-based games that encourage students to experience the curriculum through play. Regardless of their technical abilities, design acumen, grade level, or domain, today’s teachers have fresh opportunities to create and implement their own content-based games based on the same techniques that video game designers use to create commercial video games. In five actionable steps, this book prepares educators to design curricular games that teach instead of test, that are derived from content rather than divergent from it, and that motivate students to take ownership over their learning. Programs that most teachers are familiar with, such as PowerPoint and GoogleSlides, and technologies that may be new to them, such as Twine and Scratch, are addressed alongside the use of their own classrooms and schools as game spaces.

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Byron Graves’ debut novel, Rez Ball, tells the story of a young basketball player determined to prove to his Ojibwe community that he  has what it takes to take the high school basketball team to the state championships for the first time ever.

Tre Brun, a sophomore at Red Lake Reservation high school, spends any free time he has playing basketball. Haunted by memories of his big brother Jaxon who recently died in a tragic accident, Tre decides he is going to try out for the varsity basketball team. He hopes to help take the team all the way to their first state championship. When Jaxon’s former teammates offer to help Tre on this new journey, he decides this must be fated. With one of his friends filming Tre for a future documentary, his dreams of playing in the NBA become even more solid. At home, Tre is constantly reminded of Jaxon and how much he doesn’t measure up to him, but Tre hopes that using his skills on the basketball court will allow him to match Jaxon’s talent. Tre knows he cannot mess up. The team has almost made it to state many times, but after decades of just misses, they actually have a chance with Tre this year. They have to win state, for Jaxon and for the whole rez.

This was a heartbreakingly gorgeous read. Graves portrays the ugly times, alongside the beautiful moments, but paces the story in a way to keep readers wanting more from start to end. This is a realistic look at balancing grief and legacy while trying to be your own person. As a non-basketball player, I can say that the basketball scenes were very well-written and easy to follow. This is a five star read for me!

This title is also available in large print.

Interested in this book? Rez Ball is the November See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, November 5th at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

November 5 – Rez Ball by Byron Graves

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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