With the past week and a half of extremely hot days, one of the best ways the Kansas Talking Books (KTB) staff stayed cool was through reading. The KTB staff has various reading interests, from vampire stories to cryogenically frozen bodies to future outlooks on technology . Find out what the KTB staff has been reading recently and make these one of your next reads.
Beat the heat this summer by staying indoors and get any of these books in seconds using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download. BARD is a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled allowing all its patrons to have access to audio and braille materials with just a few taps or clicks. Learn more about BARD through the KTB BARD Resources webpage or by calling the office at 1-800-362-0699 or emailing KTB@ks.gov.
Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian / Lead Readers' Advisor
DB 128903 Under a vampire moon: Argeneau, book 16 by Lynsay Sands
"Escaping a horrible marriage, Carolyn Connor has no desire to think about men--a vow she's determined to keep while on vacation in St. Lucia. She'll take the Caribbean sun and sea and plenty of tropical drinks with those cute umbrellas poolside, thank you. She absolutely does not need male company, no matter how tan and rock-hard his body may be. Easy enough, but then Carolyn meets the charming Marguerite Argeneau, who is infamous among her family for her matchmaking prowess...Christian Notte has well known the power of finding a life mate. He's seen enough of his Argeneau relatives taken down for the count, but he never imagined he'd let himself fall in love--until he meets the enthralling, charmingly skittish, and oh-so-mortal Carolyn. But how will he reveal what he is and still convince this once-bitten mortal to trust him with her heart...and her forever?"-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129208 The lady is a vamp: Argeneau, book 17 by Lynsay Sands
"One late night leads to... Kidnapped! When Jeanne Louise Argeneau left work, she never thought she'd end up tied down by a good-looking mortal. More attracted than annoyed, she quickly realizes there is more to her abductor than meets the eye. One desperate act leads to...Love? Paul Jones has need of a vampire, and only Jeanne Louise will do. He just has to convince this beauty of a Vamp to help him...never imagining that he would fall in love. But with the immortal world's answer to law enforcement hunting them, their time together is running out...and Paul and Jeanne Louise will need to risk everything to spend an eternity together."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 128994 Immortal ever after: Argeneau, book 18 by Lynsay Sands
"When she is rescued from a psychotic vampire by Anders, an immortal creature who claims that she is the woman destined to be his life mate, Valerie Moyers tries to resist her fate as Anders battles her former captor."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129128 One lucky vampire: Argeneau, book 19 by Lynsay Sands
"Luck be a vampire tonight... When Nicole Phillips agreed to hire a housekeeper, she pictured someone a little frumpy and almost certainly female. Instead, she gets gorgeous, unmistakably male Jake Colson. The man is proving indispensable in the kitchen and everywhere else..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129297 Vampire most wanted: Argeneau, book 20 by Lynsay Sands
"For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan, she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129681 The immortal who loved me: Argeneau, book 21 by Lynsay Sands
"After meeting Sherry Carne when he chases some rogue immortals away from her store, Basileios Argeneau realizes that she may be his life mate and determines to win her love while protecting her from harm."-- From publisher.
DB 129524 About a vampire: Argeneau, book 22 by Lynsay Sands
"With immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can't win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed, Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her. And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly's already married. Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they belong together. She needs Bricker's help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate--maybe even his life--and he'll break every rule to do it..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129687 Runaway vampire: Argeneau, book 23 by Lynsay Sands
"Dante Notte has heard it said that love hurts. He just wasn't expecting it to run him over in an RV. Still, a punctured lung and broken ribs are nothing compared to the full-body shock he feels whenever he's near the vehicle's driver, Mary Winslow. He needs to keep her safe from their pursuers while he rescues his brother. Most challenging of all, he needs to claim this smart, stubborn woman as his life mate. The naked, injured, insanely gorgeous younger man who clambered into her RV insists they belong together. If Mary wasn't feeling their incredible connection in every inch of her being, she wouldn't believe it. But now that the men who took Dante's twin are after her too, trusting her gut means risking her life for an immortal who's the very definition of a perfect stranger."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129527 Immortal nights: Argeneau, book 24 by Lynsay Sands
"When she rescues a naked man from a plane's cargo hold, Abigail Forsythe, miles away from civilization and hunted by his kidnappers, finds a passion like no other in the arms of this immortal creature."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 114458 Ten tomatoes that changed the world: a history by William Alexander
"The tomato gets no respect. Never has. Lost in the dustbin of history for centuries, accused of being vile and poisonous, subjected to being picked hard-green and gassed, even used as a projectile, the poor tomato has become the avatar for our disaffection with industrial foods - while becoming the most popular vegetable in America (and, in fact, the world). Each summer, tomato festivals crop up across the country; the Heinz ketchup bottle, instantly recognizable, has earned a spot in the Smithsonian; and now the tomato is redefining the very nature of farming, moving from fields into climate-controlled mega-greenhouses the size of New England villages. Supported by meticulous research and told in a lively, accessible voice, Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World seamlessly weaves travel, history, humor, and a little adventure (and misadventure) to follow the tomato's trail through history. A fascinating story complete with heroes, con artists, conquistadors, and-no surprise-the Mafia, this book is a mouth-watering, informative, and entertaining guide to the food that has captured our hearts for generations." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 122000 Assassins anonymous by Rob Hart
"Mark was the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. But after learning the hard way that his life's work made him more monster than man, he left all of that behind, and joined a twelve-step group for reformed killers. When Mark is viciously attacked by an unknown assailant, he is forced on the run. From New York to Singapore to London, he chases after clues while dodging attacks and trying to solve the puzzle of who's after him. All without killing anyone. Or getting killed himself. For an assassin, Mark learns, nonviolence is a real hassle"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Sarah Bruemmer, Library Assistant
DB 124340 That librarian: the fight against book banning in America by Amanda Jones
"One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss "book content," she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing. Amanda Jones has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns--funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians--in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and "Christian." But Amanda Jones wouldn't give up without a fight: she sued her harassers for defamation and urged others to join her in the resistance. Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against equity and inclusion, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager
DB 35967 Ubik by Philip K. Dick
Scientists have found a way to preserve bodies in order to bring them back to half-life. Glen Runciter, concerned about some of his firm's clients, goes to consult with his dead wife, Ella, but finds her body taken over by a stronger half-life. When Runciter is killed during an assignment on the moon, his employees hope to put his body into a state of half-life also. But strange happenings make them wonder if he is really dead. Strong language. 1969.
Michael Lang, Director
DB 128554 Cold eternity by S. A. Barnes
"Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago... The cryo program, created by trillionaire tech genius Zale Winfeld, is long defunct, and the AI hologram "hosts," ghoulishly created in the likeness of Winfeld's three adult children, are glitchy. The ship feels like a crypt, and the isolation getsto Halley almost immediately. She starts to see figures crawling inthe hallways, and there's a constant scraping, slithering, and rattling echoing in the vents. It's not long before Halley realizes she may have gotten herself trapped in an even more dangerous situation than the one she was running from..."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 130138 (in process) The starving saints by Caitlin Starling
"Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months. Food is running low and there has been no sign of rescue. But just as the survivors consider deliberately thinning their number, the castle stores are replenished. The sick is healed. And the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints have arrived, despite the barricaded gates, offering succor in return for adoration. Soon, the entire castle is under the sway of their saviors, partaking in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin. The war hero Ser Voyne gives her allegiance to the Constant Lady. Phosyne, a disorganized, paranoid nun-turned-sorceress, races to unravel the mystery of these new visitors and exonerate her experiments as their source. And in the bowels of the castle, a serving girl, Treila, is torn between her thirst for a secret vengeance against Voyne and the desperate need to escape from the horrors that are unfolding within Aymar's walls. As the castle descends into bacchanalian madness -- forgetting the massed army beyond its walls in favor of hedonistic ecstasy -- these three women are the only ones to still see their situation for what it is. But they are not immune from the temptations of the castle's new masters ... or each other; and their shifting alliances and entangled pasts bring violence to the surface. To save the castle, and themselves, will take a reimagining of who they are, and a reorganization of the very world itself." -- From publisher.
Jason Brinkman, Production Manager
DB 127088 Dead in the frame: Pentecost and Parker mystery, book 5 by Stephen Spotswood
"New York City, 1947: Wealthy financier and ghoulish connoisseur of crime, Jessup Quincannon, is dead, and famed detective Lillian Pentecost is under arrest for his murder. Means, motive, and a mountain of evidence leave everyone believing she's guilty. Everyone, that is, except Willowjean "Will" Parker, who knows for a fact her boss is innocent. She just doesn't know if she can prove it. With Lillian locked away in the House of D-New York City's infamous women's prison-Will is left to root out the real killer. Was it a member of Quincannon's murder-obsessed Black Museum Club? Maybe it was his jilted lover? Or his beautiful, certainly-sociopathic bodyguard? And what about the mob hit-man who just happened to disappear after the shots were fired? With the city barreling toward the trial of the century, each day brings fresh headlines and hints of long-buried scandals from Lillian's past. Will is desperate to get her boss out from behind bars before her reputation is destroyed. Because the House of D is no kind place, especially for a woman with multiple sclerosis. Or one with so many enemies. Her health failing and targeted by someone who wants her dead, Lillian needs to survive long enough to take the stand. With time running out on both sides of the prison walls, Will and Lillian must wager everything to uncover who put their thumb on the scales and a bullet in Quincannon's head. Before Lady Justice brings her sword down, ending Pentecost and Parker's adventures once and for all."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
DB 129569 More everything forever by Adam Becker
"How Silicon Valley's heartless, baseless, and foolish obsessions--with escaping death, building AI tyrants, and creating limitless growth--pervert public discourse and distract us from real social problems Tech billionaires have decided that they should determine our futures for us. According to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and more, the only good future for humanity is one powered by technology: trillions of humans living in space, functionally immortal, served by superintelligent AIs. In More Everything Forever, science journalist Adam Becker investigates these wildly implausible and often profoundly immoral visions of tomorrow--and shows why, in reality, there is no good evidence that they will, or should, come to pass. Nevertheless, these obsessions fuel fears that overwhelm reason--for example, that a rogue AI will exterminate humanity--at the expense of essential work on solving crucial problems like climate change. What's more, these futuristic visions cloak a hunger for power under dreams of space colonies and digital immortality. The giants of Silicon Valley claim that their ideas are based on science, but the reality is darker: they come from a jumbled mix of shallow futurism and racist pseudoscience. More Everything Forever exposes the powerful and sinister ideas that dominate Silicon Valley, challenging us to see how foolish, and dangerous, these visions of the future are."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.