Shannon Harris

“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!” – Bram Stoker

In last week’s article of “What’s New at A. K. Smiley Public Library,” my creepy cohort Jill ‘Mummified’ Martinson, recommended books on how to decorate your house for a Halloween party. This week, I will be sharing my grave reviews to get one into the Halloween mood. As the song goes in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, “Life’s no fun without a good scare.”

If you are looking for a classic horror story, Smiley Library has quite the creepy collection of titles to choose from. We have Dracula by Bram Stoker, Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Shirley Jackson’s collection of Novels and Stories which features her popular short story, “The Haunting of Hill House,” and last, but certainly not least, we have Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination which feature several of Poe’s most popular works like, “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” So, make your way out of your tomb to check out these bone chilling titles.

Ok, I know what you are thinking, these titles aren’t that original, and you have probably read them already, and you may want something new to read. So let me recommend some new titles from the horror genre that will make you reconsider sleeping with the light off.

Little Eve is Catriona Ward’s latest novel and winner of the Shirley Jackson Award. Ward’s novel takes place on a small isle in Scotland where the residents of the isle are hiding dark secrets and these secrets are about to be discovered.

Lute by Jennifer Thorne also takes places on a secluded island where the inhabitants of the island resort to extreme measures to keep their idyllic lifestyle.

Josh Malerman’s newest novel, Daphne, is a must-read novel for fans of urban legends and slasher films. The local basketball team tell a tale of a former classmate who disappeared under strange circumstances. Was she murdered, was it self-inflicted, or is she still alive committing acts of violence at the very high school she attended? Come and check out Daphne today to find out.

So, creep on down to A.K. Smiley Public Library to check out these titles that will surely curdle your blood.

-‘Sanguinary’ Shannon Harris is a Library Specialist by day and watcher and reader of all things horror by night.

The month of August has been designated as Read-A-Romance Month. So, to get you in the mood for some summer love, I have selected a few new romance novels to highlight for your reading pleasure. If these titles don’t put you in the mood for love, then come and visit A.K. Smiley Public Library in person and check out our display of diverse and inclusive romance books where we have something for everyone.

Fans of the very popular romance novel, Boyfriend Material, by Alexis Hall, will be pleased to know that the sequel, Husband Material, will be available for check out soon. Everyone’s favorite fake couple turned real couple are starting to feel the pressures of happily ever after; will they cave into the pressures and break up or will true love conquer?

If you are looking for an out of this world extraterrestrial romance, then let me introduce you to the very popular series, Ice Planet Barbarians, by Ruby Dixon. These books are wildly popular on many social media outlets and lucky for you, dear reader, A.K. Smiley Public Library has the first book (Ice Planet Barbarians) and the second book (Barbarian Alien) in the series for you to stay up all night with. Get acquainted with Georgie and her friends as they acclimate to a world much different from their own.

Fans of the popular romance novel, The Love Hypothesis, by Ali Hazelwood, will be pleased to know her latest ‘STEMinist’ romance novel, Love on the Brain, will be released later this month, so place a hold on the book now. Scientist Bee Königswasser is forced to collaborate with her grad school nemesis, Levi Ward, on a project where everything seems to be going wrong, and Bee can’t help but notice Levi’s lingering glances and strong arms. Read this book to find out if these rivals can overcome their past and find love.

Hopefully these titles will satisfy all your romance needs for the month of August.

The long hot summer months are upon us and what better way to spend them than staying inside and reading. It is my job here, at A.K. Smiley Public Library, to order books for the fiction collection, which includes horror, supernatural, and fantasy, some of my favorite genres. Here are some new titles that will be released this summer that will make you want to sleep with the lights on.

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel is one of the most anticipated books in horror fiction this season. This book will have the reader reconsidering a family reunion with a long lost cousin that may have been involved in a cult in their youth.

Hide by Kiersten White will have the reader rethinking visiting an amusement park any time soon. Fans of the hit Netflix show Squid Game will want to check this title out for sure.

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey shows how, sometimes, home isn’t where the heart is. This book will have the reader reluctant to visit their family home. If you enjoyed the Netflix show The Haunting of Hill House, then this book should be on your summer reading list.

So head on down to A.K. Smiley Public Library to check out these titles today. For more information, please visit our website at www.akspl.org, or call us at 909-798-7565.

Shannon Harris is a lover of all things scary and supernatural. She moonlights as a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library during daytime hours.

Most people have heard the old adage, “Too many books, not enough time.” As of lately, I have been finding myself short on time to read (insert audible gasp here). So, here are a few new titles from the fiction collection that I am looking forward to reading. That is, when I have the time to read.

Sundial, Catriona Ward’s latest horror novel looks like a terrifyingly good read. If her name looks familiar to you, you might have read her previous novel, The Last House on Needless Street.

Young Mungo is Douglas Stuart’s latest novel. Stuart won the 2020 Booker Prize for his beautiful novel Shuggie Bain, one of my favorite books that I have read to date.

Quan Barry’s latest novel, When I’m Gone Look for Me in the East, takes the reader on a spiritual quest through the Mongolian landscape. Barry’s previous novel, We Ride Upon Sticks, took us on a journey through young adulthood with a field hockey team, which I really enjoyed reading a few years ago.

One book I am really looking forward to reading is Simone St. James’ latest novel, The Book of Cold Cases. St. James’ previous novel, The Sun Down Motel, was one of the only books to scare me enough that I didn’t want to turn off the lights.

These are just a few books that are on my never-ending to-be-read list. Come on down to the library, and check out these titles and many more.

 

For more information visit our website at www.akspl.org, or give us a call at 909-798-7565.

 

The beginning of the New Year is usually filled with resolutions of diets and exercise, but here at A.K. Smiley Public Library the only resolution we made is to make sure that our shelves are filled with the latest and greatest titles. Here are some buzz-worthy new titles whose authors are making their fictional debut.

Fiona and Jane is Jean Chen Ho’s debut novel, and it has already been named one of the most anticipated books for 2022. Fiona and Jane is about the experiences of two young Taiwanese American women and the power of their friendship that transcends distance and time. This novel is a reminder of what it feels like to be young and alive.

Frida Liu thought she was a good mother to her only daughter, Harriet, until one day, she wasn’t. The School for Good Mothers is Jessamine Chan’s unsettling debut novel where Frida is at risk of having her daughter taken away from her. She now has to prove to the government that she is indeed a good mother by attending a government-run school where mothers like her will learn to be ‘good.’

How High We Go in the Dark is Sequoia Nagamatsu’s breathtaking debut novel about an ancient deadly virus that has swept Earth and the survivors left behind in its wake. The chapters are told from the perspective of characters that are trying to find beauty, hope, and love even when the world seems like it is at its bleakest.

A.K. Smiley Public Library is closed for in-person services until January 31, so make sure to use our Books-to-Go program to check out these titles and more.