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The alluring smoky aroma, the sizzle of basting food, and the distinctive look of charred spots and grill marks let you know it’s barbecue time! “Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out” by Michael Symon can help expand your outdoor menu with 100 recipes that also include refreshing cocktails and desserts. Invite some friends over for Symon’s juicy Lucy double cheese and bacon burgers with a side of Old Bay grilled corn, grilled eggplant parmesan, or spicy black cod with grilled lime. As a bonus, taking the party outside will help keep your kitchen cool.

Pool parties, cook outs, family reunions, and movie nights are all fun reasons to gather during the hot months. As a guest, you may ask or be asked to bring a dish. “What Can I Bring?” by Casey Elsass provides 75 recipe ideas for your next casual invite. Some examples are golden ratio guac and seven-onion dip to pair with your favorite chips. Perfect pasta salad can be dressed three ways with a choice of red sauce, oil + vinegar, or pesto. For something sweet without involving an oven, there is mango and sticky rice pudding, plus colorful party krispies.

 

Summer is the ideal season for simple-to-assemble no-fuss chilled treats. Bobby Lloyd has gathered a delicious collection of cool and creamy confections in her second cookbook, “Magnolia Bakery Icebox Desserts.” A slice of frozen key lime pie with a graham cracker crust might cool the palette after a spicy meal. Other refrigerated delights include Boston cream pie banana pudding layered with fudge icing, Nilla wafers and banana slices, apple or peach crisp ice box bars, and peanut butter whipped cream, and chocolate cookie ice box cake.

 

~ Diana Lamb, library specialist, and culinary book reviewer extraordinaire! ♥

IT’S STILL PRIDE MONTH FOR A FEW MORE DAYS! So, let’s explore a personal favorite genre of mine: Queer Horror. The idea of horror quite frequently focuses on the out of the ordinary, or the thing that is out of place. And, when you grow up feeling the same way, it makes sense to identify with creatures like Frankenstein’s monster or Dracula, creatures that were not asked to be but are and must adapt to a world that is unwelcoming. In honor of pride month, here are some new works that exemplify the idea that what goes bump in the night isn’t always the thing you should fear.

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling is not for the faint of heart. Three women, Ser Voyne, a war hero, Phosyne, an ex-nun, and Treila, a survivor, are trapped within the walls of a sieged castle. Along with all the other town folk, soldiers, and king, they are barricaded within with dwindling supplies and no hope for rescue from the outside world. People are starving and the three women are out of time to find a solution. But a miracle happens and the patron saint of the city arrives, bringing food and salvation. But the three women do not see a happy ending coming, they believe tragedy has arrived. Visceral and dark, Starling creates another stellar horror entry.

In Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, Lenore has been married to steel works magnate Henry for ten years. She prides herself on being the model wife in spite of the loss of her parents at a young age and having to fight tooth and nail in order to secure a proper and convenient marriage. Henry, a man with money but no status, and Lenore, a woman with status but no money, find in each other a solution to their problems. After ten years though, the relationship wains as no children are produced and Lenore finds the confines of society are beginning to tighten. On the way to their new estate in Nethersaw, the pair meet the sickly and sickeningly beautiful Carmilla, whom Lenore endeavors to bring back to health. But deep secrets are revealed in Nethersaw and Lenore finds herself fighting for her life against foes outside as well as in. Gothic and alluring, Dunn reworks the story of Carmilla into a new sumptuous read.

Jo Kozak finds herself looking to standout in art school in Mallory Pearson’s Voice Like A Hyacinth. Jo is in the final year of art school along with her friends Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz. The group is devoted to each other and take on an us vs. everyone else stance. The problem? The end of the year is capped off with a group showing and the best student of the year is given a chance to have a solo show, gain notoriety, and an almost guaranteed career. Only one will get the spot and with doubt and anxiety mounting, the friends turn to otherworldly means to improve their chances. But all things cost, and when their lecherous teacher is sacrificed for their benefit, the girls must reckon with their choices and fight to keep their friendship from being torn apart. Pearson’s work is reminder that the road of ambition is paved with blood, sweat, and tears.

None of those sound interesting? There are so many more, like Awakened by A.E. Osworth about a malicious AI and the coven of witches trying to stop it. Or The Lamb by Lucy Rose, a novel about a mother whose appetite for meat goes a little too far. So many wonderful books and so little time! Enjoy these books and remember the library is for everyone.

June is audiobook appreciation month. Please visit A.K. Smiley Public Library to check out our variety of audiobook options!

Physical audiobooks in the library include audio compact discs, MP3 discs, and Playaway devices. Compact discs (audiobooks and music) are playable on CD or DVD players, your car’s audio system, or your computer (if there is a CD player option).

MP3 discs may be listened to on MP3 players, CD players with MP3 capabilities, and desktop and Mac computers, or files can be transferred to a portable music player.

Playaway devices are small self-contained recordings that you listen to by connecting earphones (disposable earbuds are available on request), or plugging into speakers or your car speakers from the universal headphone jack on the unit. They are easy to use, are hands-free, and very portable. Plug in your headphones, place the device in your pocket, and listen while walking, exercising, or for entertainment while doing mundane tasks. Electronic audio items are also available through our website, www.akspl.org, and can be downloaded through Libby/OverDrive to your computer, tablet, or phone. Please check our website for instructions.

Our audio items are available in both fiction, non-fiction, and music. Plan a visit to our beautiful library soon to browse the selections or check our catalog online on our website (www.akspl.org) before you arrive.

Happy listening!

 

Hear ye! Hear ye! Now that I have your undivided attention, I am pleased to tell you that A.K. Smiley Public Library has added some new movies and television series to the collection to check-out for free! Here are some of the new DVDs that are available to check out.

For fans of international films, we have the Japanese film Drive My Car and Korean films The Host, Escape, Train to Busan, Peninsula, and Memories of Murder.

If Sci-fi is more your thing, then you will be happy to know that we have Prometheus, Alien Covenant, and Alien Romulus. These films are part of the Alien franchise, starring Sigourney Weaver.

For fans of Westerns, we have the television series 1883 and 1923, both are a continuing story of the popular television series Yellowstone (which we also have).

For the cinephiles out there who like to watch the Oscar-nominated films we have The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, and Anora.

For Star Wars fans, we now have The Mandalorain available for check-out.

If you like a good scare, we have Black Phone, Wolf Man, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

Fans of the movies in the Marvel Universe will be happy to know that we have Captain America: Brave New World and Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings.

For fans of binge-worthy shows, we have The Penguin, Better Call Saul, Severance, Interview with the Vampire, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and the newest season of Outlander.

If none of these selections sound appealing and you want something funny and uplifting, then I am pleased to tell you that we have the television series Ted Lasso.

So come and down and check out these DVDs!