Archives for October 2026

True-ly disturbing reads for Halloween

October 25, 2026 By Allison Peyton

Halloween is almost here! At AKSPL we are prepared with many frightening books to help celebrate the season. Whether it is fiction or non-fiction there is a little something for everyone. There are three new books that will be discussed here.

To start off with a real-life scare, The Vampire’s Cult: The Untold Story of Obsession, Control, and a Shocking Small-Town Murder, by Chet Hardin will keep anyone up at night. A controlling madman, his apprentice/accomplice, and the young woman who fell into their clutches. Sydney Loofe was a small-town Nebraska girl looking for love. She went out on an online date only to never be seen again. Her murder turned the small town of Wilber, Nebraska upside down. This book will make one rethink dating apps.

Another fearsome crime in real life goes back over 100 years to New Orleans and the mysterious “ax-man” murders in the early years of the 1900s. Entire families in areas surrounding New Orleans and into Texas were slaughtered by an unknown assailant with an ax. Inquisition for Blood: The Making of a Female Serial Killer in the Jim Crow South, by Lauren Nicole Henley discusses the case of Clementine Barnabet who allegedly confessed to the murders even though she’d been in jail when some of them occurred. This is a fascinating snapshot of the southeastern United States at the turn of the century with all its good and its bad.

Frieda McFadden delivers another spooky read with Want to Know a Secret? April Masterson is the perfect influencer online. Offline, her secrets are another story. What is she hiding? Is she as perfect as she seems? McFadden creates another thrilling story of how far secrets can go and the lengths people take to protect themselves.

Come check out our Halloween book display (created by staff) for more spine-tingling reads. One may want to read them with the lights on!

Which witch will bewitch you?

October 18, 2026 By Kristina Naftzger

Teens, I wanted to surprise you and spice things up this October by NOT writing about spooky, creepy, freaky Halloween-related books, but that required inspiration for a fresh theme. I typed “October Holidays” into my search bar, clicked a link, and rubbed my hands together when I saw the long list. This was going to be easy! “National Black Dog Day,” “CD Player Day,” “Virus Appreciation Day,” “National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day” (I hope my parents are reading this), “I Love Yarn Day,” “National Hug a Drummer Day,” “Change a Light Day,” “International Day for Failure,” “Spreadsheet Day,” “World Egg Day”…all of these sacred holidays are celebrated in October! And this was only the tip of the iceberg. This article was going to write itself! It was time to head to the Young Adult (YA) shelves for my material…

Long story short, I’m writing about witches.

Kamome Shirahama’s YA manga graphic novel series “Witch Hat Atelier” is perfect if you love great illustration, action, and daydreaming about witchy shopping malls. When Coco accidentally unleashes dark magic by copying a seal from a mysterious book of spells, things quickly turn grim (translation: Coco messes up the world) and there’s no way she can undo this alone. Qifrey (a witch), takes Coco under his wing, where she will train at his atelier, along with a cast of other apprentice witches. Meanwhile, dark forces are working against Coco…which side will prevail? (No pun intended.)

In Lizzie Ives’ YA novel “Fat Witch Summer,” Thrash is a plus-sized, acne-prone sixteen-year-old witch whose mother is the total opposite; her mom practically glitters with slim witchy perfection and power. After accidentally stumbling upon her own aptitude for magic, Thrash discovers she will receive a special, supernatural Gift: Glamour, Growth, or Sight.

The problem? Gifts are chosen by mothers, and Thrash fears her mom is going to select the Gift that will make Thrash her mom’s mirror image. But Thrash likes herself the way she is, and thus, she goes on the run, joining forces with a coven of teen witches, who are determined to steal their own Gifts and self-actualize the witches they want to be. After a wild and witchy road trip, which Gift will Thrash end up with? (Of course, again, no pun intended.)

Katrell talks to dead people. In “Bad Witch Burning,” by Jessica Lewis, sixteen-year-old Katrell leverages her paranormal conversational powers to make money for her financially unstable family, but it’s never enough. When Katrell learns she can do more than just talk to the dead, things start getting serious. She realizes there is a lot more money to be made, but she receives a warning from the spirit world that she is treading into treacherous territory and needs to stop. Which voices will Katrell listen to? (Again, this word choice is purely coincidental).

Teens, I hope you will stop in to the library this October and read something witchy or anything else that casts a spell on you.

And, of course, I’m also wishing you the happiest and healthiest “World Egg Day.”

Kristina Naftzger is a Youth Services librarian at A.K. Smiley Public Library.

For the love of reading— titles that celebrate books and the ways we read

October 11, 2026 By Celina Lozano

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes before a book makes its way into your hands, or onto your reading device?

Literary agents play a major role in that process, yet their influence on the publishing world and literature often goes unnoticed. Laura B. McGrath’s Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction, takes readers behind the scenes to explore how literary agents have shaped American literature form the 1950s to today.

McGrath’s research examines the roles agents take on in the publishing world, such as advocating for authors, acting as intermediaries between writers and publishers, and navigating the balance between artistic value and the business demands of publishing conglomerates. She also explores other aspects of the profession, including how agents find their first clients, the importance of foreign rights, how literary value is determined, and the influence agents have over an author’s success.

While reading the chapter “The Lunch,” I was surprised to learn that Joseph Heller became the first client for the highly influential literary agent Candida Donadio after his manuscript for Catch-22 was rejected by editors. Donadio helped get the novel published launching her illustrious career and playing an important part in Heller’s success. This is just one example of how much influence an agent can have on an author’s career, and the books that become part of American literature.

Readers interested in a detailed account of literary agents and their impact on American literature and the publishing industry will enjoy this read while gaining valuable insight into both fields.

Next, we have a book that centers on the relationship between readers and reading. Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum (translated by Shanna Tan) is filled with fifty-three short essays that touch upon some of our shared experiences as readers such as, not finishing reading a book, forgetting what we just read, and deciding what books to keep on our bookshelves when decluttering.

She offers advice on how to expand how we read, and shares her perspective on a variety of literary topics such as eBooks, book clubs, library visits, and indie bookshops. As you read the essays, you will encounter book titles relevant to each essay’s topic. For example, the essay, “Read Big Books” mentions Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, and describes reading it as feeling like a breathtaking hike. Nonetheless she enjoyed every moment.

Bo-Reum’s book is an easy read, but more importantly, she efficiently communicates her thoughts and perspectives on a variety of literary topics while establishing shared experiences that readers will find both relatable and refreshing.

Finally, we have a memoir by Oliver James, Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok. James shares his experience on how childhood learning disabilities and educational neglect led him to graduate from high school while being illiterate. At the age of thirty-two, James was motivated by his dreams and committed himself to learning how to read through books, audiobooks, voice-to-text, the support of others, and singing on TikTok Live, where he needed to read song lyrics in order to sing as an online audience cheered him on. Shortly after, he began reading live online to hundreds of people, many of them educators, who supported him by reading along and helping him along the way.

James shares his reading challenges and victories and introduces a fundamental book in each chapter that shaped and informed his reading journey. He also gives us glimpses into how illiteracy and literacy have impacted his personal life.

His story serves as an opportunity to reflect on the reality that, while reading may be commonly perceived as a skill many possess, today there are adults who continue to strive for literacy, and encourages us to cheer on those who are working toward improving their well-being.

Keep on reading and visit A.K. Smiley Public Library to find a book that resonates with you.

Celina Lozano is a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library.

Ooooo… ‘Tis the season of the scare

October 4, 2026 By Shannon Harris

As author L.M. Montgomery says in Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” I absolutely adore the month of October, especially Halloween. So, in celebration of my favorite time of year, here is a list of books and movies to get you in the mood for some Halloween fun.