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Fiction

The Silver Arrow

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The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Dear Uncle Herbert,
You’ve never met me but I’m your niece Kate, and since it’s my birthday tomorrow and you are super rich do you think you could please send me a present?
Warmly,
Kate

Kate has no idea when she writes this letter to her Uncle Herbert, whom she has never met, but is told is very rich and very irresponsible, that he will actually show up on her birthday with a present.

She certainly has no idea that the present will be an actual steam engine called “The Silver Arrow.”

She really couldn’t have guessed that tracks would suddenly appear from her backyard into the woods beyond, and that the train will take off along them.

She couldn’t have even had an inkling that talking animals will be waiting with tickets at magic train stops all over the world, and she and her little brother Tom are expected to conduct them to their destinations.

These are the first of many surprises for Kate as she embarks on an adventure filled with thrills and chills in this novel for children by Lev Grossman (author of The Magicians novels for adults) which makes a wonderful read-aloud for families to share together.

Find The Silver Arrow in the catalog

Ararat

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Ararat by Christopher Golden
Format:  Book
Who it’s For:  Adults

After a huge avalanche forces Adam Holzer and Meryam Karga, a couple climbing Mount Ararat, to hunt for shelter in one of the mountain’s caves, they stumble upon what they believe to be Noah’s Ark. Thrilled by their finding, the couple visions of turning their luck into a best-selling biography. Inside the ark is a great coffin that rapidly becomes the primary interest of the crew. Speculating who might be inside, with theories stretching from Noah himself to other biblical figures–the crew, after a passing disagreement, makes the choice to break open the coffin. But instead of discovering Noah, a horrible, evil-looking, horned cadaver rests inside.

What could go wrong?

Quite a lot. Particularly when an invading strangeness runs its nails down everybody’s back; when the crew turns abnormally malicious, needy, or fearful. When the crew awakens screaming, mysteriously overwhelmed by long-buried childhood terrors. When people disappear.

Find Ararat in the catalog!

The Ruins

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The Ruins by Scott Smith
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Two young couples decide to take a trip to Mexico.  The group enjoyed the beach, hotel, and making friends with fellow tourists when the brother of one of the couples goes missing.   The group ultimately decides to go searching for the missing brother.  Trekking through the Mexican jungle, the group stumbles upon a village which is only the beginning of the creeping horror; they endure throughout the story.  What started as an exciting day-trip gradually spirals into a terrifying nightmare when they find the remains of an ancient ruins site… and the disturbing presence that lurks there.

Find The Ruins in the catalog

The Fall

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Recommended TV Series
The Fall by Acorn Media
Who it’s for: Adults

Brief Synopsis: Psychological thriller where a senior police officer from England is brought to Belfast, Ireland to lead the hunt for a serial killer.

Review: I was on hoopladigital.com browsing the tag Crime. I was in the mood for a new police procedural to watch. The cover caught my eye when I recognized Gillian Anderson from The X-Files and Jamie Doran from Fifty Shades. I have not watched many British productions. The ones I have watched have been mostly comedies produced by BBC television. This is a drama produced by Acorn, which, judging by the promotional images, probably lacked humor. I had only watched two BBC dramas but I absolutely loved them (Sherlock and Orphan Black). They were not original story concepts (there are only so many). To me the stories were produced, written, directed, and acted in completely fresh and new ways. The Fall is a TV show about the hunt for a serial killer that focuses on the killer and the police officer hunting him.  I predicted The Fall would tell this unoriginal idea in a way that I had never experienced before that would leave an impression just like Sherlock and Orphan Black.

Thankfully, I guessed correctly. 😁

The Fall seemed like it would be a darker version of Dexter, the Showtime TV series about a serial killer. I really, really, really liked Dexter. I was a little concerned that there might be gore, graphic murders, or rape scenes. I checked the reviews and was assured that was not the case. The Fall was not like Dexter where I got to know almost every aspect of the serial killer and the detectives hunting him. In The Fall, the murder victims and the other people in their lives are not the relationships that captured my attention. I am not sure if it is because it is a British production or an aspect of their culture but even by the end of the series both main characters are still a little like work associates not close friends. The TV show did reveal some things about their personalities and relationships with others that kept me very interested. It was not enough for me to truly root for one or the other. It was a great story but not one that invested too many emotions for me except excitement and anticipation of what comes next. At one point or another, I felt sympathy for Paul, Gibson, the murder victims, the police officers Gibson showed up by being brilliant, and Paul’s family. However, unlike in USA tv shows where I truly felt an emotional connection with the characters, if Paul or Gibson did something out of character, I would be annoyed but not highly upset (like I was with the last season of Dexter. 😤 still mad about that disaster of a season!)

Another reason I decided to watch this show is that it is a British TV drama. The entire TV series ends fairly quickly. It only has 3 seasons (or series as they call it). I consider this a binge worthy series. Every season it felt like Gibson was going to catch Paul or he would turn himself in or something.  I must say that is very good production, writing, and acting when I know a TV show lasts for 3 seasons but almost every episode kept me on the edge of my seat. That is the only reason I binged it. Normally I take my time with TV series; watching 1-2 episodes a day; finishing it in 3 or 4months. With The Fall, I could not wait for my hoopla checkouts to renew. I got the physical DVD copies and watched the entire 3 seasons in about 2 weeks. BINGE. WORTHY. I looked for similar shows. I was told about the Netflix series You which is based on a novel written by Caroline Kepnes. I may check one of them out or both.🤷🏾‍♀️🤔

Find it on hoolpadigital.com or check out the series on DVD!

Uglies

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Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Format: book
Who it’s for: teens

In a future civilization, the government offers its citizens on their sixteenth birthday dramatic plastic surgery to turn them into ‘pretties,’ who will then live a carefree life of relaxation and parties.  Tally Youngblood is eager for her modifications, but Shay, another ugly, talks to Tally about the opportunity of rebelling against the social standards of physical beauty.  On the day of Tally’s operation, she is given a proposition: assist the authorities in tracking the rebel Shay down, or never undergo the “pretty” surgery.  Tally ultimately chooses to help the authorities in pursuing the rebels.  Through some twists and turns in the story, the rebels soon reveal to Tally that the operation also contains surgery that makes them easier to control–ultimately altering their brains.  Tally and the other uglies join together to resist their transformation and to discover a remedy for those already turned ‘pretty’.

Series order:

  1. Uglies
  2. Pretties
  3. Extras
  4. Specials

Find Uglies in the catalog!

We Ride Upon Sticks

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We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Format:  Book
Who it’s for:  Adults

It’s 1989 in Danvers, Massachusetts, and the Lady Falcons field hockey team is easily the worst team in their high school league. Fed up with losing, the team uses their knowledge of the town’s history as the site for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials to make a deal. This dark deal involves armbands cut from a blue athletic sock and an Emilio Estevez journal.

All of a sudden, the Lady Falcons cannot be stopped. They’re breaking records and are on their way to the state championships. But at what cost? Emilio needs to be fed dark energy. The girls begin doing wicked deeds in order to strengthen the journal and continue winning.

Their goalie has a mark on her neck that looks like it’s growing teeth and it really does seem like their center forward’s bangs might be communicating with them telepathically.

If this sounds to you like the weirdest book ever, you wouldn’t be wrong. While the writing is dense, the description, ‘80s references, and strange point-of-view make you feel like you are a part of the 1989 Lady Falcons. You really get to know each member of the team and what drives them to make the pact with Emilio.

We Ride Upon Sticks is truly impossible to put down once you begin. This is a great choice for fans of Bunny by Mona Awad or anyone else who enjoys strange stories about witchcraft and dark magic.

Find We Ride Upon Sticks in the catalog!