Talking Books Talk

Check out what the Kansas Talking Books staff and a guest from the Topeka office have been reading recently!

Valarie Lamoreaux, Deputy State Librarian

DB 118891 The bullet swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

"In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. He's good with his gun and is drawn to trouble but he's also out of money and out of options. A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado, Mexico, where he lives with his wife and children, and so when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it-with his younger brother Hugo in tow. But when the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers, Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge that endangers not only his life and his family, but his eternal soul. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico's most renowned actor and singer. But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. In its ancient pages, Jaime learns about the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors. And when the same mysterious figure from Antonio's timeline shows up in Mexico City, Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors' crimes, unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Amanda Diggs, Production Manager

DB 109286 The Secret, Book, & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

"Miracle Springs is a place of healing. Strangers flock there hoping that the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. And, if none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That's Nora's special talent: prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person's deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden. But when a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, he's found dead on the train tracks before he can keep their appointment. Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman's demise, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, and, as the society works to untangle the web of corruption surrounding the murder, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 112637 Don’t fear the reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

"Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho. Dark Mill South's Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Michael Lang, Director Kansas Talking Books

DB 109291 Aurora by David Koepp

"In Aurora, Illinois, Aubrey Wheeler is just trying to get by after her semi-criminal ex-husband split, leaving behind his unruly teenage son. Then the lights go out, not just in Aurora but across the globe. A solar storm has knocked out power almost everywhere. Suddenly, all problems are local, very local, and Aubrey must assume the mantle of fierce protector of her suburban neighborhood. Across the country lives Aubrey's estranged brother, Thom. A fantastically wealthy, neurotically over-prepared Silicon Valley CEO, he plans to ride out the crisis in a gilded desert bunker he built for maximum comfort and security. But the complicated history between the siblings is far from over, and what feels like the end of the world is just the beginning of several long-overdue reckonings, which not everyone will survive." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 122458 Incidents around the house by Josh Mallerman

"A horror novel about a haunting, told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls "Other Mommy." To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There's Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: "Can I go inside your heart?" When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the question over and over, Bela understands that unless she says yes, her family will soon pay. Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe, but other incidents show cracks in her parents' marriage. The safety Bela relies on is about to unravel. But Other Mommy needs an answer. Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror about a family as haunted as their home."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116859 Drowning: the rescue of Flight 1421 by T.J. Newman

"Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors-but it's too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside. More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives. Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent-Shannon's mother and Will's soon-to-be ex-wife-who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff. There's not much time. There's even less air. With devastating emotional power and heart-stopping suspense, Drowning is an unforgettable thriller about a family's desperate fight to save themselves and the people trapped with them-against impossible odds." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 104847 My heart is a chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

In a quickly gentrifying rural town, tourists begin to die, and the tension between the community and the celebrity newcomers heads to a tipping point. Protected by her encyclopedic knowledge of horror films, Jade, of Blackfoot descent, hopes it is enough to help her survive. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 122021 Fat vampire, book 1 by Johnny B. Truant

"When overweight treadmill salesman Reginald Baskin finally meets a co-worker who doesn't make fun of him, it's just his own bad luck that tech guy Maurice turns out to be a thousand-year-old vampire. And when Maurice turns Reginald to save his life, it's just Reginald's own further bad luck that he wakes up to discover he's become the slowest, weakest, most out-of-shape vampire ever born, doomed to "heal" to his corpulent self for all of eternity. As Reginald struggles with the downsides of being a fat vampire -- too slow to catch people to feed on, mocked by those he tries to glamour, assaulted by his intended prey and left for undead -- he discovers in himself rare powers that few vampires have... and just in time too, because the Vampire Council might just want his head for being an inferior representative of their race."-- Goodreads. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 61222 Interview with the vampire by Anne Rice

Frightening world of vampires as told to a young boy who tapes the story on cassette. Follows the fortunes of Louis, a gentle vampire; Lestat, a vengeful and bloodthirsty vampire; and Claudia, a little demon with the face of a doll. 1976.

Troy Arndt, Circulation Clerk

DB 89005 My absolute darling by Gabriel Tallent

Since her mother's death, fourteen-year-old Turtle has been isolated. She keeps to herself at school and roams the woods near her Northern California home. Things change when she meets Jacob and realizes the treacherous life she shares with her father must change. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

Nataly Renfro, Machine Clerk

DB 110476 Final heir by Faith Hunter

"Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself-Jane's old boss and the former master of the city. With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She'll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 121430 Avenging angel by Kristen Ashley

"Rachel Armstrong has a burning need to right the world's wrongs. Thus, she becomes the Avenging Angel. And maybe she's a bit too cocky about it. While riding a hunch about the identity of a kidnapper, she runs into Julien "Cap" Jackson, who was trained by the team at Nightingale Investigations in Denver. Now he's a full-fledged member at their newly opened Phoenix branch. It takes Cap a beat to realize Raye's the woman for him. It takes Raye a little longer (but just a little) to figure out how she feels about Cap. As Raye introduces Cap to her crazy posse of found family and his new home in the Valley of the Sun, Cap struggles with his protective streak. Because Raye has no intention to stop doing what she can to save the world. But there's a mysterious entity out there who has discovered what Raye is up to, and they've become very interested. Not to mention, women are going missing in Phoenix, and it seems like the police aren't taking it seriously. Raye believes someone should. So she recruits her best friend Luna, and between making coffees, mixing cocktails, planning parties and enduring family interventions (along with reunions), the Avenging Angels unite to ride to the rescue."-- From publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 120986 Creed by Kristen Ashley

"As children, Tucker Creed and his neighbor Sylvie Bissenette find they have something awful in common. The bond they form blossoms with their ages. Creed breaks free from the town, and Sylvie is forced to endure a nightmare-- and do the unspeakable to end it. To deal, she develops a hard shell with sharp edges that very few can break through. When Creed again finds his Sylvie, he discovers he has to find his way back into her heart without getting shredded in the process."-- From publisher.  -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 120987 Sebring by Kristen Ashley

"Nick Sebring has issues. Born feeling like an outsider in his own family, growing up under the shadow of a brother who could do anything, Nick isn't that great of a guy. But when this culminates with Nick lashing out to hurt his brother through the woman he loves, Nick turns inward and makes some decisions about the man he intends to be. And as he does this, he falls in love and truly learns the man that he's grown to be. When his love is murdered right before Nick's eyes, Nick knows he has to avenge her. He knows how he's going to avenge her. And he has no qualms using Olivia Shade to exact that vengeance. Olivia Shade has grown up on the outside of her family too. Her problem is that they don't want her outside. They want her all the way in, right under their thumbs. She pays the price for seeking escape and learns her lesson--she'll never see a dawn where she wakes up free. Then she meets Nick Sebring, and even as she fights it, the hope that died years ago starts to blossom. She can find love. She can have a man of her own. She can be happy. She can be free. Olivia hopes while Nick schemes. However, as Nick peels back the layers of all that is Olivia Shade, he finds something surprising. He understands its fragility. He falls in love with its beauty. He seeks to protect it. But he forgets to protect his Livvie from one thing: Nick Sebring"--Back cover.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119074 Taking the leap by Kristen Ashley

"Alexandra Sharp has been crushing on her coworker John "Rix" Hendrix for years. He's her perfect man, she knows it. She's just not his perfect woman, and she knows that, too. Then Rix gives Alex a hint that maybe there's a spark between them, that if she takes the leap, she might be able to fan into a flame. This leads to a crash and burn, and that's all shy Alex needs to catch the hint never to take the risk again. However, with undeniable timing, Rix's ex, who broke his heart, and Alex's family, who spent her lifetime breaking hers, rear their heads, gearing up to offer more drama. With the help of some matchmaking friends, Rix and Alex decide to face the onslaught together.... As a fake couple." -- Provided by publisher.  -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119383 Fighting the pull by Kristen Ashley

"Hale Wheeler inherited billions from his father. He's decided to take those resources and change the world for the better. He's married to his mission, so he doesn't have time for love. There's more lurking behind this decision. He hasn't faced the tragic loss of his father, or the bitterness of his parents' divorce. He doesn't intend to follow in his father's footsteps, breaking a woman's heart in a way it will never mend. So he vows he'll never marry. But Hale is intrigued when he meets Elsa Cohen, the ambitious celebrity news journalist who has been reporting on his famous family. He warns her off, but she makes him a deal. She'll pull back in exchange for an exclusive interview. Elsa Cohen is married to her career, but she wants love, marriage, children. She also wants the impossibly handsome, fiercely loyal, tenderhearted Hale Wheeler. They go head-to-head, both denying why there are fireworks every time they meet. But once they understand their undeniable attraction, Elsa can't help but fall for the dynamic do-gooder. As for Hale, he knows he needs to fight the pull of the beautiful, bold, loving Elsa Cohen, because breaking her would crush him." -- Provided by publisher.  -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 110785 Dream maker by Kristen Ashley

"Evie is a bona fide nerd and a hyperintelligent chick who has only ever been able to rely on herself. So when she decides to earn an engineering degree, she takes a job dancing at Smithie's club to make the tuition money she needs. But between her lack of dancing skills and an alpha bad boy who becomes overly protective, Evie realizes this gig might not be as easy as she thought. Daniel "Mag" Magnusson knows a thing or two about pain, but the mask he wears is excellent. No one can tell that this good-looking, quick-witted, and roguish guy has deep-seated issues. Mag puts on a funny-guy routine so he can hide his broken heart and PTSD. But when Evie dances her way into Mag's life, he realizes that he needs to come face-to-face with the demons of his past if he wants a future with her." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 112337 Dream chaserby Kristen Ashley

"Ryn Jansen has no interest in taking a risk on Boone Sadler. Thanks to a long list of men who've done nothing but let her down, Ryn vows to stay far away from the caring, protective commando. And when Boone confronts Ryn with evidence that her loved ones are conning her, Ryn is less than thrilled -with her family and Boone. But even as Boone proves he's the kind of guy to meet her every need, she doesn't trust him to stay when life gets hard ... Boone Sadler's never been one to back down from a challenge. He's determined to show the funny, sexy Ryn that the irresistible connection between them is worth exploring. But caring for Ryn's heart and body becomes a matter of life and death when Ryn's beloved niece and nephew are put in danger and dirty cops begin gunning for Ryn. Soon Boone realizes their romance is in danger of more than heartbreak -and to have any future together, they'll have to put their trust in each other." -- Provided by publisher.  -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

High school can be the best time of your life, the total opposite where you can’t wit to leave, or middle of the road. No matter which it is for you, there’s no doubt that there is some sort of drama going down at some point, be it small disagreements, large throw-down arguments, or physical aggressions. Don’t forget about the social hierarchy and the cliques. There’s a reason books are so often set in school with so rich a source of inspiration.

But as much as there is drama, it’s a great time to make friends, live in the present while keeping an eye on the future, and learn about yourself in the process. We’ll help prep you for the new school year with a selection of great books all set in high school. Each one is different, with their own kinds of drama and not always the most realistic. However, the interactions between characters come from experience as well as creativity. Check out these books as the first day of school draws near.

Are you and your family running around trying to get everything prepped for the new school year? Take a break with BARD where each of these books can be downloaded with just a few taps on your mobile device or some clicks on your computer. BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, is a web-based download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books that makes accessing the books and other materials in our collection easy and available at your fingertips. To learn more, visit our website at https://kslib.info/talking or contact us at 1-800-362-3699 or KTB@ks.gov. We are happy to guide you through getting BARD set up on your smart device or using your computer. BARD lets you read what you when you want it.

DB 79573 The nightmare affair by Mindee Arnett

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, sixteen-year-old Destiny "Dusty" Everhart feeds on the dreams of others. When she sees a murder in hot, bad boy Eli Booker's dream, the two search for a killer. Some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2013.

DB 82401 The fixer by Jennifer Barnes

When her grandfather develops dementia, Tess, a high school junior who runs his Montana ranch, is whisked away to Washington, D. C., by a sister she barely knows and thrown into a world of politics and power. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2015.

DB 66621 I’d tell you I love you, but then I’d have to kill you by Ally Carter

Sophomore Cameron Morgan attends the Gallagher Academy--a girls' school for secret agents, where her mother is the headmistress. On a covert training mission in town, Cammie meets Josh, a cute and ordinary boy, and arranges to see him again. For junior and senior high readers. 2006.

DB 117544 True true by Don P. Hooper

"When Gil, a Black teen from Brooklyn, struggles to fit in at his primarily white Manhattan prep school, he wages a clandestine war against the racist administration, parents, and students, while working with other Black students to ensure their voices are finally heard. This is not how seventeen-year-old Gil imagined beginning his senior year--on the subway dressed in a tie and khakis headed towards Manhattan instead of his old public school in Brooklyn. Augustin Prep may only be a borough away, but the exclusive private school feels like it's a different world entirely compared to Gil's predominately Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn. If it weren't for the partial scholarship, the school's robotic program and the chance for a better future, Gil wouldn't have even considered going. Then after a racist run-in with the school's golden boy on the first day ends in a fight that leaves only Gil suspended, Gil understands the truth about his new school--Augustin may pay lip service to diversity, but that isn't the same as truly accepting him and the other Black students as equal. But Gil intends to leave his mark on Augustin anyway. If the school isn't going to carve out a space for him, he will carve it out for himself. Using Sun Tzu's The Art of War as his guide, Gil wages his own clandestine war against the racist administration, parents and students, and works with the other Black students to ensure their voices are finally heard. But the more enmeshed Gil becomes in school politics, the more difficult it becomes to balance not only his life at home with his friends and family, but a possible new romance with a girl he'd move mountains for. In the end, his war could cost him everything he wants the most." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 116765 The making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila

"Yolanda Alvarez is having a good year. She's starting to feel at home at Julia De Burgos High, her school in the Bronx. She has her best friend Victory, and maybe something with José, a senior boy she's getting to know. She's confident her initiation into her family's bruja tradition will happen soon. But then a white boy, the son of a politician, appears at Julia De Burgos High, and his vibes are off. And Yolanda's initiation begins with a series of troubling visions of the violence this boy threatens. How can Yolanda protect her community, in a world that doesn't listen? Only with the wisdom and love of her family, friends, and community--and the Brujas Diosas, her ancestors and guides." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 116591 Their vicious games by Joelle Wellington 

"Eighteen-year-old Adina Walker, a scholarship student at a prestigious academy, faces the consequences of a single mistake and competes in a high-stakes contest hosted by the wealthy Remington family, where she uncovers unsettling truths about the sponsors and the contest's high stakes." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 113468 Imposter syndrome and other confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park

"Alejandra Kim doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere. At her wealthy Manhattan high school, her super Spanish name and super Korean face do not compute to her mostly white "woke" classmates and teachers. In her Jackson Heights neighborhood, she's not Latinx enough. Even at home, Ale feels unwelcome. And things at home have only gotten worse since Papi's body was discovered on the subway tracks. Ale wants nothing more than to escape the city for the wide-open spaces of the prestigious Wyder University. But when a microaggression at school thrusts Ale into the spotlight--and into a discussion she didn't ask for--Ale must discover what is means to carve out a space for yourself to belong." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 111542 The fill-in boyfriend by Kasie West

"When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend Bradley dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable: convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. Will Gia turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 110117 Nothing more to tell by Karen M. McManus

"Brynn Gallagher uses her internship at a new true crime show to investigate the unsolved murder of her favorite teacher, uncovering secrets about her school, her teacher, and her ex-best friend in the process." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 108455 Blaine for the win by Robbie Couch

"After his boyfriend Joey breaks up with him to pursue more "serious" guys, Blaine decides to run for senior class president as Joey's successor to prove his worth. But is Blaine willing to sacrifice everything about himself to do it?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022.

DB 102535 The escape of light by Fred Venturini

Teenage burn survivor Wilder Tate faces the challenges of high school but in the aftermath of tragedy he discovers the capacity to forgive and empathize, learning the importance of healing from the inside out. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019.

DB 101776 This is my brain in love by I. W. Gregorio

Rising high school juniors Jocelyn Wu and Will Domenici fall in love while trying to save the Wu family restaurant, A-Plus Chinese Garden. Meanwhile, mental health issues and family prejudices threaten their budding romance. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2020.

DB 106638 In every generation by Kendare Blake

As Frankie learns magic from her mother, Willow, a new student shows up at New Sunnydale High School with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack. Frankie must become a slayer-witch, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her aunt Buffy. Strong language and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2022.

DB 112060 Highly suspicious and unfairly cute by Talia Hibbert

"Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine. Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.) These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her. Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

<DB 117037 Destination anywhere by Sara Barnard

"Peyton King has always wanted to belong. She seizes the opportunity to start over at a new school and finally finds real connections with the friends she's always dreamed of and even an actual boyfriend! But after flying high in her newfound happiness, Peyton comes crashing down when reality sets in and the ones she cares about let her down. Peyton's friends can't fix her and she can't help them if they won't let her. If she wants to find real, lasting happiness, Peyton will have to search somewhere else. With nothing but her sketchpad and a backpack, she buys a one-way ticket and gets on a plane. How far will she go to change her story?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

Olympic games originated in ancient Greece around the 6^th century BCE, occurring every four years as do our modern Olympics. The first Olympics started with a foot race, but, as more sports were included, the games expanded to cover four days with a fifth for a closing ceremony (Britannica, 2024). However, the Olympics ended in the late 4^th century CE and were revived after much interest in the 19^th century. In both ancient times and our modern world, truces are observed throughout the Olympic Games so that the athletes and people from around the world can come together as a symbol of peace.

There are many sports included in the Summer Olympics. Here are just a few of the sports: archery, basketball, beach volleyball, diving, equestrian, cycling, golf, swimming, and much more. You can find a complete list on the Olympics website: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/sports. We’ve gathered a list of books about sports included in the Olympics. Learn about these sports and the individuals associated with them.

Don’t miss a single book from this list: they are all available on BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download web-based download repository. The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books provide BARD so that our patrons have access to almost all the digital audio and braille books and magazines in the collection. These books can be downloaded in about a minute with a couple of taps using BARD Mobile on an Android or Apple smart device. You can also download books from the website or BARD Express desktop application (Windows only) to a flash drive that will play using the USB port on the side of the digital talking book machine. If you would like more information, contact our office by phone at 1-800-362-0699 or by email at KTB@ks.gov.

Sources

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, June 28). ancient Olympic Games. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/sports/ancient-Olympic-Games

Sakavitsi, K. (2024, January 11). The history of the Olympic Games. Olympics. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://olympics.com/en/news/the-history-of-the-olympic-games

Paris 2024 Olympic sports. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/sports

Swimming

DB 56039 Gold in the water: the true story of ordinary men and their extraordinary dream of Olympic glory by P. H. Mullen

Chronicles the arduous years of training of the 2000 U.S. Olympic swim team that led to victory in Australia. Follows coach Dick Jochums and his athletes, including two asthmatics who overcame their medical problems to succeed. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2001.

DB 118959 The watermen: the birth of American swimming and one young man’s fight to capture Olympic gold by Michael Loynd

"In the early twentieth century, few Americans knew how to swim, and swimming as a competitive sport was almost unheard of. That is, until Charles Daniels took to the water. On the surface, young Charles had it all: high-society parents, a place at an exclusive New York City prep school, summer vacations in the Adirondacks. But the scrawny teenager suffered from extreme anxiety thanks to a sadistic father who mired the family in bankruptcy and scandal before abandoning Charles and his mother altogether. Charles's only source of joy was swimming. But with no one to teach him, he struggled with technique-until he caught the eye of two immigrant coaches hell-bent on building a U.S. swim program that could rival the British Empire's seventy-year domination of the sport. Interwoven with the story of Charles's efforts to overcome his family's disgrace is the compelling history of the struggle to establish the modern Olympics in an era when competitive sports were still in their infancy. When the powerful British Empire finally legitimized the Games by hosting the fourth Olympiad in 1908, Charles's hard-fought rise climaxed in a gold-medal race where British judges prepared a trap to ensure the American upstart's defeat. Set in the early days of a rapidly changing twentieth century, The Watermen-a term used at the time to describe men skilled in water sports-tells an engrossing story of grit, of the growth of a major new sport in which Americans would prevail, and of a young man's determination to excel." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Gymnastics

DB 23706 Mary Lou: creating an Olympic champion by Mary Lou Retton

The popular winner of gymnastics competition in the 1984 Olympics tells how it is possible to achieve excellence in any field. Her message is that natural ability is only half the battle; hard work and mental toughness are equally important. Includes chapters by both coach and pupil.

DB 91675 Letters to a young gymnast by Nadia Comaneci

Reflections on her career by the legendary gymnast who was the first person to score a perfect 10. 0 in Olympic competition. Topics covered include dedication, strength, courage, pressure, goals, dreams, triumphs, challenges, and love. Pays particular attention to living under a totalitarian regime as a celebrated figure. 2004.

Basketball

DB 107588 Coach K.: the rise and reign of Mike Kryzewski by Ian O’Connor

Biography of Mike Krzyzewski, known worldwide as "Coach K," who led the Duke basketball program for more than four decades. The author had unprecedented access to Krzyzewski's best friends, closest advisers, fiercest adversaries, and generations of his players and assistants. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

DB 116763 When the game was war: the NBA’s greatest season by Rich Cohen

"The 1980s were a transformative decade for the NBA. Since its founding in 1946, the league had evolved from a bruising, earthbound game of mostly nameless, underpaid players to one in which athletes became household names for their thrilling, physics-defying play. The 1987 season was the peak of that golden era, a year of incredible drama that featured a pantheon of superstars in their prime-the most Hall of Famers competing at one time in any given season-battling for the title, and for their respective legacies. In When the Game Was War, bestselling author Rich Cohen tells the story of this incredible season through the four teams, and the four players, who dominated it: Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons, and a young Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. Taking the reader from rural Indiana to the southside of Chicago, suburban North Carolina to rust-belt Michigan, Cohen explores the diverse journeys each of these iconic players took before arriving on the big stage. Drawing from dozens of interviews with NBA insiders, Cohen brings to vivid life some of the most colorful characters of the era-like Bill Laimbeer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny Ainge, and Charles Oakley-who fought like hell to help these stars succeed. In the decades since, the NBA has grown into a multi-billion-dollar organization, with rabid fans all over the globe. For anyone who longs to understand how the NBA came to be the cultural juggernaut it is today-and to relive the magic and turmoil of those pivotal years-When the Game Was War brilliantly recasts one unforgettable season and the four transcendent players who were at the center of it all." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 93941 The mamba mentality: how I play by Kobe Bryant

The former basketball star, who retired in 2016 after playing for the Los Angeles Lakers for twenty years, discusses his career. He shares details of his workout schedules, mental preparations, and technical descriptions of how he approached the game. Bestseller.  2018.

Cycling

DB 109033 Two wheels good: the history and mystery of the bicycle by Jody Rosen

"The bicycle is a vestige of the Victorian era, seemingly at odds with our age of smartphones and ride-sharing apps and driverless cars. Yet we live on a bicycle planet. Across the world, more people travel by bicycle than any other form of transportation. Almost anyone can learn to ride a bike--and nearly everyone does. In Two Wheels Good, journalist and critic Jody Rosen reshapes our understanding of this ubiquitous machine, an ever-present force in humanity's life and dream life--and a flash point in culture wars--for more than two hundred years. Combining history, reportage, travelogue, and memoir, Rosen's book sweeps across centuries and around the globe, unfolding the bicycle's saga from its invention in 1817 to its present-day renaissance as a "green machine," an emblem of sustainability in a world afflicted by pandemic and climate change. Readers meet unforgettable characters: feminist rebels who steered bikes to the barricades in the 1890s, a prospector who pedaled across the frozen Yukon to join the Klondike gold rush, a Bhutanese king who races mountain bikes in the Himalayas, a cycle-rickshaw driver who navigates the seething streets of the world's fastest-growing megacity, astronauts who ride a floating bicycle in zero gravity aboard the International Space Station. Two Wheels Good examines the bicycle's past and peers into its future, challenging myths and cliche´s while uncovering cycling's connection to colonial conquest and the gentrification of cities. But the book is also a love letter: a reflection on the sensual and spiritual pleasures of bike riding and an ode to an engineering marvel--a wondrous vehicle whose passenger is also its engine." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Some descriptions of sex, strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

Golf

DB 67147 The match: the day the game of golf changed forever by Mark Frost

Recreates a 1956 California golf match, arranged on a bet by millionaires Eddie Lowery and George Coleman, that pitted amateurs Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi against professionals Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson and changed golf from amateur pastime to career sport. Details the evolution of the game in America. 2007.

DB 113478 The greatest game ever played: Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, and the birth of modern golf by Mark Frost

"THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED is the story of Francis Ouimet and Harry Vardon, who in pursuit of their passion for a game that captivated them as children, broke down rigid social barriers that made their sport accessible to everyone on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond, positioning golf as one of the most widely played games in the world. Ouimet and Vardon were two men from different generations and vastly different corners of the world whose lives, unbeknownst to them at the time, bore remarkable similarities, setting them on parallel paths that led with a kind of fated inevitability to their epic battle at Brookline years in the future. This collision resulted in the 'big bang' that gave rise to the sport of golf as we know it today. For Mark Frost, Francis Ouimet and Harry Vardon represent everything that's right about sports in general and sportsmen in particular; gentlemen, champions, teachers, leaders, and each in their own quiet way, heroes. In THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED, Frost attempts to create penetrating studies of both of these men, along with over dozens of the game's seminal figures, within the dramatic framework offered by the tournament when they finally met, one of the most thrilling sports events in history, the 1913 U.S. Open." -- Provided by publisher.  --   Commercial audiobook.

Rowing

DB 77138 The boys in the boat: nine Americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown

Recounts the accomplishments of nine working-class athletes from the University of Washington who beat elite teams at home and abroad and won the gold medal for rowing at the 1936 Nazi-orchestrated Berlin Olympics. Bestseller. 2013.

Surfing

DB 78134 The world in the curl: an unconventional history of surfing by Peter J. Westwick

A sociological history of surfing, from its ancient roots in the Hawaiian islands to its move from counterculture popularity into the middle-class mainstream. Discusses the best places to catch a big wave, technological improvements to surfboards and wetsuits, and environmental concerns. 2013.

Fencing

DB 57237 By the sword: a history of gladiators, musketeers, samurai, swashbucklers, and Olympic champions by Rich Cohen

British Olympic fencer details the history of sword fighting from ancient Egyptian times to the twenty-first century. Includes anecdotes about noted warriors, politicians, and actors who wielded the sword; ponders the sociology of dueling--including cheating; and details the art of blade making. Some violence. 2002.

Boxing

DB 82525 The domino diaries: my decade boxing with Olympic champions and chasing Hemingway’s ghost in the last days of Castro’s Cuba by Brin-Jonathan Butler

Writer, filmmaker, and avid boxer Butler traveled to Cuba to write about the national boxing team. This memoir weaves in his personal experiences visiting Havana over the years with stories about Cuban athletes who forgo wealth to remain on the island. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

DB 24209 The black lights: inside the world of professional boxing by Thomas Hauser

The author follows superlightweight boxer Billy Costello during a three-month period ending November 3, 1985, when he successfully defended his World Boxing Council crown. Offers a vivid portrait of the life of a professional boxer. Some strong language.

Tennis

DB 89048 Unstoppable: my life so far by Maria Sharapova

A memoir from tennis champion Maria Sharapova. Maria arrived in Florida from Russia with her father at the age of seven; neither spoke any English. She recounts her youth spent training, her first win at Wimbledon at seventeen, and her fight to get back on the court. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

DB 104721 The master: the long run and beautiful game of Roger Federer by Christopher Clarey

A sportswriter profiles the Swiss-born tennis legend, based on his reportage of Federer's long career and interviews with his subject and the many rivals he played against, such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service, provides instant access to hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and music materials in audio and electronic braille. You’ll find current bestsellers, literary classics, mysteries, westerns, romances, and more; a wide selection of books for school-age children and teens; and books in Spanish and other world languages. Dozens of titles are added each week! And you can subscribe to magazines automatically and easily through BARD.

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Most popular talking books on BARD July 2024

• DB120798 A calamity of souls by Baldacci, David
• DB 85796 Hillbilly elegy: a memoir of a family and culture in crisis by Vance, J. D
• DB121247 Think twice by Coben, Harlan
• DB121646 The 24th hour by Patterson, James & Paetro, Maxine
   
• DB121429 Only the brave by Steel, Danielle
• DB121769 Eruption by Patterson, James & Crichton, Michael
   
• DB120803 The pact by Castillo, Linda
• DB119313 The locked door by McFadden, Freida
• DB121139 Table for five by Wiggs, Susan
• DB120802 Murder Inn by Patterson, James & Fox, Candice
   
• DB118858 Basic training for NVDA by NV Access
• DB121568 Camino ghosts by Grisham, John
• DB120867 Skeleton road by McDermid, Val

Most popular audio magazine on BARD July 2024

• The Week July 26, 2024
• Atlantic Monthly July, 2024
• Reader's Digest July, 2024
• Economist June 29, 2024
• Contemporary Soundtrack July, 2024
• Horticulture: For Gardeners Everywhere July, 2024
• People July 22, 2024
• Consumer Reports July, 2024
• Consumer Reports: On Health July, 2024
• Audubon December, 2023
• Health and Nutrition June, 2024
• American Indian March, 2024
• Harvard Women's Health Watch July, 2024

Find a list of available magazines on the NLS website.  
 

Kansas Talking Books’ staff share what they’ve recently been reading. Download one today and be ready to ready in minutes using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a web-based download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books that allows patrons access to almost the entire collection of digital audio and braille books and magazines.

Amanda Diggs, Production Manager

DB 104344 Survival of the fritters by Ginger Bolton

Former 911 operator Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, and works alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and tabby cat Deputy Donut. But when a favorite customer is found murdered on the five-year anniversary of her son's murder, Emily vows to solve both cases. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DB 112637 Don’t fear the reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

"Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho. Dark Mill South's Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Nataly Renfro, Machine Clerk

DB 79327 Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire

Years ago, Rose Marshall died when a man ran her off the road. Now, she haunts the highway and helps truckers transition to the other side. But with her killer still free and alive, Rose decides it's time to hunt him down. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 2014.

DB 108883 The girl in the green silk gown by Seanan McGuire

"For Rose Marshall, death has long since become the only life she really knows. She's been sweet sixteen for more than sixty years, hitchhiking her way along the highways and byways of America, sometimes seen as an avenging angel, sometimes seen as a killer in her own right, but always Rose, the Phantom Prom Date, the Girl in the Green Silk Gown. The man who killed her is still out there, thanks to a crossroads bargain that won't let him die, and he's looking for the one who got away. When Bobby Cross comes back into the picture, there's going to be hell to pay-possibly literally. Rose has worked for decades to make a place for herself in the twilight. Can she defend it, when Bobby Cross comes to take her down? Can she find a way to navigate the worlds of the living and the dead, and make it home before her hitchhiker's luck runs out? There's only one way to know for sure." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DB 110422 Angel of the overpass by Seanan McGuire

"Rose Marshall died when she was sixteen years old and on her way to her high school prom. She hasn't been resting easy since then-Bobby Cross, the man who killed her, got away clean after running her off the road, and she's not the kind of girl who can let something like that slide. She's been looking for a way to stop him since before they put her body in the ground. But things have changed in the twilight world where the spirits of the restless dead continue their "lives." The crossroads have been destroyed, and Bobby's protections are gone. For the first time, it might be possible for Rose to defeat him. Not alone, though. She'll need every friend she's managed to make and every favor she's managed to add to her account if she wants to stand a chance...and this may be her last chance to be avenged, since what is Bobby Cross without the crossroads? Everything Rose knows is about to change." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 84010 Brief history of creation: science and the search for the origin of life by Bill Mesler and H. James Cleeves 

Journalist Mesler and biologist Cleaves survey the history of Western science and the investigations into the creation and development of life. They examine the philosophical debates, political changes, and scientific understanding surrounding each discovery, and cover ancient Greek scientists, the use of the microscope, and Darwin's voyage, among others. 2016.

DB 120243 Lake of souls: the collected short fiction by Ann Leckie

"Journey across the stars of the Imperial Radch universe. Listen to the words of the Old Gods that ruled The Raven Tower. Learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls. And so much more, in this masterfully wide-ranging and immersive short fiction collection from award-winning author Ann Leckie"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 120303 The paleontologist by Luke Dumas

"Curator of paleontology Dr. Simon Nealy never expected to return to his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History. He was just a boy when his six-year-old sister, Morgan, was abducted from the museum under his watch, and the guilt has haunted Simon ever since. After a recent breakup and the death of the aunt who raised him, Simon feels drawn back to the place where Morgan vanished, in search of the bones they never found. But from the moment he arrives, things aren't what he expected. The Hawthorne is a crumbling ruin, still closed amid the ongoing pandemic, and plummeting toward financial catastrophe. Worse, Simon begins seeing and hearing things he can't explain. Strange animal sounds. Bloody footprints that no living creature could have left. A prehistoric killer looming in the shadows of the museum. Terrified he's losing his grasp on reality, Simon turns to the handwritten research diaries of his predecessor and uncovers a blood-soaked mystery 150 million years in the making that could be the answer to everything."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 110285 The babysitter lives by Stephen Graham Jones

"When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying: the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms doesn't mean jack if you choke on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes--Ron is a nurse, in an old-fashioned white skirt-uniform, and Desi has an Authentic Squaw costume, complete with buckskin and feathered headdress. Excitement is in the air. Charlotte's last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy, when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte's mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter's worst nightmare has come true: they're not alone in the house." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 117669 Iron flame by Rebecca Yarros

"Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College--Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Now the real training begins, and Violet's already wondering how she'll get through. It's not just that it's grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it's designed to stretch the riders' capacity for pain beyond endurance. It's the new vice commandant, who's made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is-unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet's body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else's, she still has her wits--and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But a determination to survive won't be enough this year. Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College--and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 67272 The candy bombers: the untold story of the Berlin airlift and America’s finest hour by Andrei Cherny

Recounts the post-WWII Berlin airlift of 1948-1949. Describes the Soviet Union's attempt to expel British, American, and French troops by blockading sectors of the city--actions that consigned more than two million citizens to starvation. Relates the American response--airlifting food and supplies and parachuting candy to children. Some violence. 2008.

DB 118797 Chasing serenity by Kristen Ashley

"From a very young age, Chloe Pierce was trained to look after the ones she loved. And she was trained by the best. But when the man who looked after her was no longer there, Chloe is cast adrift-just as the very foundation of her life crumbled to pieces. Then she runs into tall, lanky, unpretentious Judge Oakley, her exact opposite. She shops. He hikes. She drinks pink ladies. He drinks beer. She's a city girl. He's a mountain guy. Obviously, this means they have a blowout fight upon meeting. Their second encounter doesn't go a lot better. Judge is loving the challenge. Chloe is everything he doesn't want in a woman, but he can't stop finding ways to spend time with her. He knows she's dealing with loss and change. He just doesn't know how deep that goes. Or how ingrained it is for Chloe to care for those who have a place in her heart, how hard it will be to trust anyone to look after her... And how much harder it is when it's his turn." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Enjoy these summer love stories in the cool air inside as the summer starts heating up again. Avoid the heat and download any of these books today from BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download. BARD is a web-based downloading service provided to patrons by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books. It gives patrons access to almost our entire collection of digital audio and braille books and magazines.

DB 61448 Summer Boys by Hailey Abbott 

Three teenage cousins reunite at their families' summer cottages at the beach. But problems arise when Jamie is rejected by last year's boyfriend, Ella falls for her sister's guy, and Beth sees her best buddy George in a new light. For senior high readers. 2004. 

DB103323 Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler 

After spending her summer in the Outer Banks, Larissa starts her senior year of high school with the attention of her longtime crush, the superstar quarterback. But then Jasmine, her romantic summertime fling, reappears and complicates matters. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021. 

DB111310 How I survived my summer vacation. Vol. 1 

"A collection of short stories set during the summer after sophomore year at Sunnydale High. When sophomore year ended with Buffy's defeat--just barely--of the Master, she headed off to spend the summer with her father in L.A. The theme was R&R, parties, and an occasional shopping spree. But things that go bump in the night don't take vacation. So Buffy's trying desperately to keep a lid on things in L.A. and to keep her secret identity from her father. Meanwhile, back in Sunnydale, trouble keeps popping up in the darnedest places. Giles wants Willow and Xander to have a "normal" summer, so he and Jenny Calendar, whose budding romance is progressing to full bloom, attempt to stave off the forces of darkness sans Slayer and Slayerettes. And Angel, grappling with Buffy's brush with death, must decide: Does he want to be a more permanent member of the Scooby Gang? Concerts. Picnics. The resurrection of an ancient monster or two. Just your typical fun in the sun." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 

DB103322 Sunkissed by Kasie West 

Betrayed by her best friend and dragged off to a remote family camp, seventeen-year-old Avery's dreams of a perfect summer seem over, until a whirlwind romance leads to an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021. 

DB104789 Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen 

When Ever Wong's parents send her away for the summer, she's expecting a strict, educational immersion program in Taiwan. Instead, she finds the infamous "Loveboat." Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2020. 

DB109781 Golden Boys by Phil Stamper 

"Gabriel, Reese, Sal, and Heath are best friends, bonded in their small rural town by their queerness, their good grades, and their big dreams. They are about to embark on the summer before senior year of high school, where each is going on a new, big adventure, from attending a design school in Paris to interning on Capitol Hill for a U.S. Senator. What will this summer of new experiences and world-expanding travel mean for each of them--and for their friendship?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 

DB104186 Blackout by Ashley Woodfolk, et al.  

Six interconnected short stories of warmth and electricity of Black teen love in New York City during a summer blackout. Acclaimed, award-winning authors include Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021. 

DB 66722 Peculiar Treasures by Robin Jones Gunn 

The summer before her senior year at Bible college, Katie Weldon catches the bouquet at her best friend Christy Miller's wedding. But Katie's new assignment as resident assistant at her dorm brings up new challenges in her relationship with almost-boyfriend Rick Doyle. For senior high and older readers. 2008. 

DB 70051 Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 

The summer before entering college, bookworm Auden visits her father and his new family in the beachfront town of Colby. When she meets bike-shop manager Eli, a fellow insomniac, Auden realizes what has been missing in her life and seizes the opportunity to change. For senior high readers.    2009. 

DB104120 Once upon a quincean~era by Monica Gomez-Hira 

Carmen takes on a summer internship that has her reuniting with estranged family for an over-the-top quincean~era, reluctantly reconnecting to a long-lost ex-boyfriend, and finding happiness in the chaos. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021. 

DB116483 The summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han 

"Belly spends the summer she turns sixteen at the beach just like every other summer of her life, but this time things are very different." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 

DB119146 The Getaway List by Emma Lord 

"The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List -- a list of all the adventures they've wanted to do together since he moved away -- will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future. Riley isn't sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom's scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young--except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley's feelings in a direction she didn't know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart." --provided by publisher. 

DB108648 Float by Kate Marchant 

"Waverly Lyons has been caught in the middle of her parents' divorce for as long as she can remember. This summer, the battle rages over who she'll spend her vacation with, and when Waverly's options are shot down, it's bye-bye Fairbanks, Alaska and hello Holden, Florida to stay with her aunt. Coming from the tundra of the north, the beach culture isn't exactly Waverly's forte. The sun may just be her mortal enemy, and her vibe is decidedly not chill. To top it off? Her ability to swim? Nonexistent. Enter Blake, the (superhot) boy next door. Charming and sweet, he welcomes Waverly into his circle. For the first time in her life, Waverly has friends, a social life, and soon enough, feelings for Blake. As the two grow closer, Waverly's fortunes begin to look up. But every summer must come to an end, and letting go is hardest when you've finally found where you belong." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2022. 

DB 85482 The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood 

Gottie Oppenheimer, a seventeen-year-old physics prodigy, navigates grief, love, and disruptions in the space-time continuum in one very eventful summer. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2016. 

DB115556 Those Summer Nights by Laura Silverman 

"After recovering from a soccer injury that ended her Olympic dreams and still grieving the death of her beloved grandmother, seventeen-year-old Hannah Klein must navigate a new summer job working with her ex-best friend, her younger brother, and her brother's suddenly attractive best friend." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Strong language and descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 

DB107622 We can't keep meeting like this by Rachel Lynn Solomon 

A wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a cater-waiter who's a hopeless romantic flirt and fight their way through a summer of weddings. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

DB116721 Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino 

"Seventeen-year-old Lilah, who wears hearing aids, returns to a summer camp for the Deaf and Blind as a counselor, eager to improve her ASL and find her place in the community, but she did not expect to also find romance along the way." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 

DB102792 Love is a revolution by Rene´e Watson 

Harlem teenager Nala is looking forward to a summer of movies and ice cream until she falls in love with the very woke Tye and pretends to be a social activist. For senior high and older readers. 2021. 

DB 94994 When Summer Ends by Jessica Pennington 

Aiden, former star pitcher and golden boy of Riverton, quits the team when he starts to lose some of his vision. He and Olivia, whose life is falling apart, connect during the last summer of high school as both seek a new direction. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019. 

Julia Quinn published the first book in the Bridgerton series in 2000. It is set during the Regency era of Britain, usually officially considered to be 1811-1820 (although it is sometimes considered as starting as early as 1795 and ending as late as 1837), when George, Prince of Wales, ruled the country as regent while his father was indisposed. It was a period of social and cultural growth as the Regent was a patron of the many new movements in the arts that led to a refinement and sophistication of in all areas of the arts. This is reflected in the novels about this period.

Regency romances first became popular with the writing of Jane Austen and over the time have regained popularity as new romance authors return to the time period bringing renewed interest. Don’t forget to try the original Bridgerton books and any of these other wonderful Regency romance reads.

Psstt… All of these books are available on BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books that enables patrons to download books and magazines whenever they want in just about a minute.

Start off with the original Bridgerton book:

DB 60504 The duke and I by Julia Quinn

Simon Basset, the new duke of Hastings, and Daphne Bridgerton stage a courtship to keep society matchmakers at bay. But when the charade becomes all too real for Daphne, Simon must either marry her or risk ruining her reputation and breaking her heart. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2000.

DB 63410 The wedding bargain by Victoria Alexander

London, 1818. Pandora Effington has avoided marriage for six seasons, yet Maximillian Wells, the earl of Trent, intends to wed her. Pandora agrees, but only if Max completes the twelve labors of Hercules. Despite the seemingly impossible task, Max determines to win her hand. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999.

DB 65815 One night for love by Mary Balogh

England, 1813. Neville Wyatt, the earl of Kilbourne, is about to marry his stepcousin, Lauren Edgeworth, from A Summer to Remember (DB 54986), when his first wife, Lily Doyle, appears. He had married the illiterate Lily in war-torn Portugal and thought she had been killed. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1999.

DB 69136 The black moth by Georgette Heyer

Heyer's first book follows the earl of Wyncham's heir, Jack Carstares, who became a highwayman after being wrongly accused of cheating at cards. Now, years later, Jack comes out of hiding to rescue Diana Beauleigh from the unwanted attention of the villainous duke of Andover. Includes 2003 foreword. 1929.

DB 57930 Duchess in love by Eloisa James

Regency England. Gina was wed as a young girl to Cam Serrard, a duke. Cam fled to Greece after the ceremony, but returns twelve years later to give Gina an annulment so she can remarry. The couple unexpectedly fall in love. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2002.

DB 59273 Secrets of a summer night by Lisa Kleypas

Four Victorian young ladies band together to seek husbands for one another, despite their "unmarriageable" traits. Impoverished aristocrat Annabelle attracts rich commoner Simon, who only wants a mistress. Wealthy Evangeline and American sisters Daisy and Lillian conspire to manipulate the situation. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004.

DB 74458 A night to surrender by Tessa Dare

Spindle Cove, England; 1813. In her community, Susanna Finch has cultivated a tranquil safe haven for young women--free of men and militia. Susanna is outraged when her father gives injured officer Victor Bramwell the title of earl and sends Victor to protect a nearby castle. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2011.

DB 75674 The ugly duchess by Eloisa James

London, 1809. James Ryburn's father the duke forces James to marry plain-faced Theodora for her fortune. Theo and James fall in love, but Theo banishes James when she discovers the truth. After seven years at sea James returns to win Theo back. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2012.

DB 26301 Love only once by Johanna Lindsey

Regina Ashton, to her shame, has fallen in love with the arrogant nobleman who abducted her one night from a London street to his townhouse and awakened her passion. Nicholas Eden wants to return the love born of scandal, but the painful secret of his illegitimacy has hardened his heart. Explicit descriptions of sex.

DB 62512 Captain Jack’s woman by Stephanie Laurens

1811. Kit Cranmer returns to her grandfather's country estate after years in London. Disguised as a boy, she helps the locals smuggle goods from Napoleonic France. She falls in love with fellow crook Captain Jack--in reality a nobleman spy. Prequel to the Bastion Club novels. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

DB 107190 Once upon a marquess by Courtney Milan

The last man Judith Worth wants to see again is Christian Trent, the Marquess of Ashford. He spent summers at her family home, kissed her one magical night, and then heartlessly ruined her father. But when a tricky business matter arises, he's the only one she can ask for help. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2015.

DB 70508 Loving a lost lord by Mary Jo Putney

1812. Mariah Clarke invents an imaginary husband to avoid the unwanted advances of George Burke, who seeks to reclaim the estate of Mariah's late father. When an amnesiac shipwreck survivor washes up on the beach, Mariah convinces the lost man that they are married. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2009.

The first days of summer was June 20. As we are all aware, summer is the hottest and brightest season of the year with more daylight hours than night. With the high temperatures this summer, enjoy a relaxing day in the cool indoors or in the shade outside with a talking book. Try any of the following books that largely take place during the summer as your next read.

DB 115285 The beach house by Jenny Hale

"When her gram passes away, Melanie Simpson feels utterly lost. But her grandmother's will gives her a purpose: an inheritance to buy a crumbling house in Rosemary Bay. They used to visit the village every summer, sit by the sparkling water on a beach the color of pearl, and daydream about turning the place on the corner into a bed and breakfast. On her first night in her new hometown, Melanie meets local contractor and landowner Josh Claiborne, whose eyes match the dazzling sea. Melanie plans to restore the beach house to its original glory, and Josh is the perfect person to help renovate the wrap-around porch weathered by the coastal breeze and the peeling white paint faded by the sun. But hiding in a closet is a yellowing stack of letters that could change everything. The looping handwriting reveals the mystery of the rickety house-a buried history that touches everyone in Rosemary Bay. Will its secrets bring Melanie and Josh together or tear them apart?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Some strong language.

DB 103564 Malibu rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

In the summer of 1983, Nina Riva was hosting her annual celebrity-filled party, despite the impending end of her marriage. Nina and her three siblings, all connected to the world of surfing, might have survived their unconventional upbringing, but each is hiding secrets. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 114309 Welcome to the circus of baseball: a story of the perfect summer at the perfect ballpark at the perfect time by Ryan McGee

"In the spring of 1994, Ryan McGee (new college graduate) bombed his coveted interview with ESPN-the only place he ever wanted to work. But he did receive one job offer: to work for $100 a week for the Asheville Tourists, a proud minor league baseball team in the heart of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. McCormick Field, home to the Tourists, had once been graced by Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Jackie Robinson. What could go wrong? Welcome to the Circus of Baseball is McGee's hilarious, charming memoir of his first summer working in the sporting world. He has since risen the ESPN ranks to national TV, radio, and Internet host, but his time in Asheville still looms large. Among the many jewels of his experience. . . McGee recounts one of the most entertaining on-field brawls you'll ever witness (between the fourteen league mascots who had assembled for the all-star game-an eight-foot-tall foam-costumed crustacean, a pudgy red fox, a giant skunk . . . and they were really fighting), as well as the nervous moment he oversaw the game-day entertainer known as "Captain Dynamite and His Exploding Coffin of Death." Most important, McGee details a magical summer of baseball, of learning the ropes, of the ins-and-outs of running a minor league team, and of coming to understand how the pulse of a community can beat gloriously through a minor league ball club." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 114407 The guest by Emma Cline

"Summer is coming to a close on the East End of Long Island, and Alex is no longer welcome. A misstep at a dinner party, and the older man she's been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city. With few resources and a waterlogged phone, but gifted with an ability to navigate the desires of others, Alex stays on Long Island and drifts like a ghost through the hedged lanes, gated driveways, and sun-blasted dunes of a rarefied world that is, at first, closed to her. Propelled by desperation and a mutable sense of morality, she spends the week leading up to Labor Day moving from one place to the next, a cipher leaving destruction in her wake." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116951 The whispers by Ashley Audrain

"On Harlow Street, the well-to-do neighborhood couples and their children gather for a catered barbecue as the summer winds down; drinks continue late into the night. Everything is fabulous until the picture-perfect hostess explodes in fury because her son disobeys her.  Everyone at the party hears her exquisite veneer crack-loud and clear.  Before long, that same young boy falls from his bedside window in the middle of the night.  And then, his mother can only sit by her son's hospital bed, where she refuses to speak to anyone, and his life hangs in the balance. What happens next, over the course of a tense three days, as each of these women grapple with what led to that terrible night?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 115175 A little ray of sunshine by Kristan Higgins

"A kid walks into your bookstore and... Guess what? He's your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise! And a huge surprise it is. It's a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother...without a word to either her or his dad. It's also a surprise- to say the least-to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She's spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can't help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He's moved back to town, three-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she's always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things. When Matthew walks into Harlow's store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions-about what being a parent really means-explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined...and as both women learn that for them, there's no limit to a mother's love." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 109296 An island wedding by Jenny Colgan

"On the little Scottish island of Mure--halfway between Scotland and Norway--Flora MacKenzie and her fiance´ Joel are planning the smallest of "sweetheart weddings," a high summer celebration surrounded only by those very dearest to them. Not everyone on the island is happy about being excluded, though. The temperature rises even further when beautiful Olivia MacDonald--who left Mure ten years ago for bigger and brighter things--returns with a wedding planner in tow. Her fiance´ has oodles of family money, and Olivia is determined to throw the biggest, most extravagant, most Instagrammable wedding possible. And she wants to do it at Flora's hotel, the same weekend as Flora's carefully planned micro-wedding. As the summer solstice approaches, can Flora handle everyone else's Happy Every Afters--and still get her own?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 95996 The overdue life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

School librarian Amy Byler is astounded when the husband who abandoned her three years ago shows up in her rural Pennsylvania town. She agrees to let him take care of their two kids while she takes a break in New York City. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2019.

DB 103002 Heart bones by Colleen Hoover

When her mother dies of an overdose when Beyah is nineteen, she goes to Texas to live with the father she barely knows. Her new neighbor Samson is attractive, but he is hiding secrets. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.

DB 95304 The summer wives by Beatriz Williams 

Stories from the 1930s, 1950s, and 1960s unfold as secrets of the of Winthrop Island are laid bare. In 1951, Miranda Schuyler joins her mother and stepfamily on the island and falls in love with Joseph Vargas. Nearly twenty years later, she returns to right a wrong. Contains some violence, some strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DB 95362 Lake of the Ozarks: my summer in a vanishing America by William Geist

Emmy-award winning news correspondent and author of Way off the Road (DB 66185) and Good Talk, Dad (DB 79190) reminisces about working for his bombastic Uncle Ed as a teenager at a resort in Lake of the Ozarks. Describes the tourism industry and jobs he held. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Check out what our staff have been reading since May.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 114761 Warrior girl unearthed by Angeline Boulley

"With the rising number of missing Indigenous women, her family's involvement in a murder investigation, and grave robbers profiting off her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people's inheritance." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

Don’t miss the NLS summer reading author talk with Angeline Boulley on July 25 at 6:00 p.m. Learn more on summer reading webpage.

DB 119086 All the hidden paths by Foz Meadows

"With the plot against them foiled and the city of Qi-Katai in safe hands, Velasin and Caethari have begun to test the waters of their relationship. But the wider political ramifications of their marriage are still playing out across two nations, and all too soon, they're summoned north to Tithena's capital city, Qi-Xihan, to present themselves to its monarch. With Caethari newly invested as his grandmother's heir and Velasin's old ghosts gnawing at his heels, what little peace they've managed to find is swiftly put to the test. Cae's recent losses have left him racked with grief and guilt, while Vel struggles with the disconnect between instincts that have kept him safe in secrecy and what an open life requires of him now. Pursued by unknown assailants and with Qi-Xihan's court factions jockeying for power, Vel and Cae must use all the skills at their disposal to not only survive, but thrive - because there's more than one way to end an alliance, and more than one person who wants to see them fail." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116667 Call me maybe by Cara Bastone

"Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It's amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days. Except my shiny new website is glitching, and my inner rage-monster is ready to scorch some earth...when he finally picks up. Not the robot voice I expected but a real live human named Kal. He's surprisingly helpful and really knows his stuff, even if he's a little awkward...in an adorable way.  And suddenly I'm flirting with him? And I think he's flirting back. And suddenly it's been hours, and we're still on the phone talking and ordering each other takeout while he troubleshoots my website. And suddenly we're exchanging numbers and sending texts and DMs every day, leaving voice mails (who even does that anymore?!). And suddenly I'm wondering if it's possible for two people to fall in love at first talk. Because I'm falling...hard." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116668 Sweet talk by Cara Bastone

"It's officially booty o'clock, I'm alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake...and I'm pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on. I've been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman's dimples for two months, and even though I'm sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn't mean it's not an opportunity on mine. It's the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back. And then somehow we keep talking...ALL NIGHT. We're both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night. And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something. And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family, to his amazing artwork. There's no topic we don't cover.... Except for who I really am. It's the only question of his I won't answer. As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we've built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream...." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116669 Seatmate by Cara Bastone

"I have exactly 5 hours and 10 minutes to get from Boston to New York City or the professional opportunity of a lifetime disappears. My only travel option? The second to last seat on a discount bus. Across from the bathroom. Wearing last night's clothes (don't ask). All worth it if I can make it in time. My nerves almost get the best of me, but then there he is, sitting down in the seat next to me. Tall. Friendly smile. Bright indigo streak in his brown hair. The perfect distraction. Turns out he's on his way to reconnect with an old flame. The one who got away. We can both make it on time - just barely - if the traffic keeps flowing. Playing road-trip games, avoiding calls from his mother, and effortless conversation keeps us from clockwatching...until the bus breaks down. And my seatmate turns into my copilot as we wrangle a ride in a car three decades old. And hit all the traffic. And oh, Lord, the detours. And somehow I end up careening cross-town on the handlebars of a Citi Bike carrying a box of kittens. (Yeah, don't ask.) He's my hero every step of the way...and I might be falling for him. But what happens when we reach our final destination? Could my seatmate really be my soul mate?" -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 117271 Assistant to the villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

"ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits. With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer-naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don't find evil so attractive, Evie. But just when she's getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat . . . and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain-and his entire nefarious empire-out. Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work . . . and ensure he makes them pay. After all, a good job is hard to find." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 22934 Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card

In a future Earth engaged in an interstellar war against insectoid aliens, Ender Wiggin is chosen at the age of six to be trained as the military genius who will carry his people to victory. Along with his brother Peter and his sister Valentine, he not only brings the conflict to an end, but also affects the evolution of human society. Strong language.

Amanda Diggs, Production Manager

DB 106099 Fatal fried rice by Vivien Chien

Lana Lee has all the business instincts to make her family's Chinese restaurant a success. But not so much with the cooking instincts. She heads to culinary school on the sly. But when her instructor is murdered, Lana must find the killer and clear her name. Some violence and some strong language. 2021.

DB 109692 Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

"A Cape Cod shop owner and her book club must find a crafty killer in this charming new series from the Agatha-nominated author of the Country Store Mystery series. Summer is busy season for Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida's bicycle shop, nestled in the quaint, seaside hamlet of Westham, Massachusetts. She's expecting an influx of tourists at Mac's Bikes; instead she discovers the body of Jake Lacey. Mac can't imagine anyone stabbing the down-on-his-luck handyman. However, the authorities seem to think Mac is a strong suspect after she was spotted arguing with Jake just hours before his death. Mac knows she didn't do it, but she does recognize the weapon--her brother Derrick's fishing knife. Mac's only experience with murder investigations is limited to the cozy mysteries she reads with her local book group, the Cozy Capers. So to clear her name--and maybe her brother's too--Mac will have to summon help from her Cozy Capers coinvestigators and a library's worth of detectives' tips and tricks. For a small town, Westham is teeming with possible killers, and this is one mystery where Mac is hoping for anything but a surprise ending. . . ." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 105459 Slewfoot: a tale of bewitchery by Brom

Connecticut, 1666. Slewfoot, an ancient spirit, is known as a protector to the wildfolk and a demon to the colonists. To Abitha, a recently widowed outcast in her pious village, Slewfoot is the only one she can turn to for help. Together, they ignite a battle between pagan and Puritan. Some strong language, violence. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Jason Brinkman, Library Assistant

DB 80178 The escape by David Baldacci

U.S. Army special agent John Puller is the man they call to investigate the toughest crimes facing the nation. But he is unprepared to hunt the most formidable and brilliant prey he has ever tracked--his own brother. Imprisoned for treason and national security crimes, Robert has now inexplicably escaped. Strong language and some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 90711 Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe grows up in the court of her father, the sun god Helios. Despised by her parents and others, she falls in love with a mortal who shuns her. When she takes revenge, she is banished. Those who wish her and others harm are transformed into pigs. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DB 118263 Starter villain by John Scalzi

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyperintelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

From the Director’s Desk

Happy Summer to you all!

I want to use this space to congratulate Debbie Peck on her upcoming retirement. Debbie has worked for Kansas Talking Books since August of 1987. She has been a key member of our team, working in various roles in the circulation process for almost 37 years. During her tenure, she’s been part of many changes. She’s mailed out books on records, duplicated cassettes, checked in digital books, and ran the Gutenberg download on demand workstation.   

We will forever be thankful for her hard work and dedication to our patrons. Debbie’s positive attitude and sense of humor made her a fantastic coworker. All of us at Kansas Talking Books and the State Library wish Debbie good luck, good health, and a long happy retirement.

Keep reading for KTB news, NLS updates, and book recommendations. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at 620-341-6287 or email me to discuss them. 

Enjoy the warm weather and read on!

–Michael Lang, Director

KTB Updates

Summer Reading 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library : La Aventura Comienza en tu biblioteca

This summer, “Adventure Begins at Your Library” with our weekly themed book recommendations, activities, and virtual events. Even better…each person that registers for our annual summer reading program will be entered into the weekly prize drawings for a $10 Walmart gift card. Participants who meet the reading requirements and return their reading logs are entered into the grand prize drawing for a $50 gift card.

Don’t miss the awesome virtual events planned as part of the summer reading program:

• 6/12 at 12:00 p.m.: KTB Virtual Book Club (young adults and adults)
• 6/24 at 3:00 p.m.: Kickoff for all ages
• 7/18 at 3:00 p.m.: Story time and music (K-3 but all ages welcome)
• 7/25 at 6:00 p.m.: Author talk with Angeline Boulley (adults and young adults)

If you’d like to learn more about our annual summer reading program, check out our most recent blog post that explores what the program has to offer.

The next 5 people who register will also receive a free summer reading tote bag as a welcome gift for signing up for the program.

We hope you’ll join us this summer! To register, contact our office at KTB@ks.gov, 1-800-362-0699, or online at:

https://bit.ly/KTB-Summer-Reading-Registration-2024 (English)

https://bit.ly/KTB-Summer-Reading-Registration-2024-es (Spanish)

Quarterly Virtual Book Club, June 12

Join KTB patrons from across the state to discuss DB 114761 Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley on Wednesday, June 12, at noon in preparation for the National Library Service for Blind and Print Disabled’s summer reading virtual author talk in July. It’s a great chance to learn about the book, what others thought of the book, and learn about the author.

Annotation: "With the rising number of missing Indigenous women, her family's involvement in a murder investigation, and grave robbers profiting off her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people's inheritance." Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

Please let Outreach Librarian, Maggie Witte know if you would like to participate in the book club. Email her or call her at 620-341-6281. Please include whether you need the book mailed to you or if you will be downloading it from BARD.

We look forward to hearing from you!

2024 Virtual Book Club Dates & Books

Wednesday, September 4 at noon.

DB 109032 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Annotation: "On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. " Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

Wednesday, December 11 at noon

DBC02962 The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol rescued his career and revived our holiday spirits by Les Standiford

Annotation: With warmth, wit, and good cheer, Standiford shows how the unlikely success of "A Christmas Carol" revitalized Charles Dickens's languishing career and revived the celebration of the near-forgotten Christmas holiday.

Manhattan Book Club Dates & Books

This book club is open to all Kansas Talking Books patrons, regardless of where you are in the state. They meet using Zoom, which can be accessed by calling in or using a computer/smart device.

Tuesday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.

DB 103326 The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Annotation: Before he disappears, Hannah's husband of one year, Owen, smuggles a note to her, asking her to protect his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who refuses to have anything to do with Hannah. They soon realize that Owen is not who he says he is and Bailey holds the key. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

Tuesday, July 16 at 1:00 p.m.

DB 67272 The Candy Bombers: The untold story of the Berlin Airlift and America’s finest hour by Andrei Cherny

Annotation: Recounts the post-WWII Berlin airlift of 1948-1949. Describes the Soviet Union's attempt to expel British, American, and French troops by blockading sectors of the city--actions that consigned more than two million citizens to starvation. Relates the American response--airlifting food and supplies and parachuting candy to children. Some violence. 2008.

Magazine Circulation

Magazine readers may have noticed a change in their subscription delivery. Kansas Talking Books was one of the first libraries to start sending out magazines that had been sent by NLS. This change allows us to send out issues in a more timely manner and better track lost cartridges.

Being one of the first libraries to switch meant that we found a few bugs in the process. We believe that those are all fixed, fingers crossed. If you received old issues of magazines, we apologize.

You can find a list of NLS publications on their magazine website. A list of magazines recorded by us and other talking books libraries is on our website. If you want to subscribe to any of these magazines, please contact Amanda by email or call 620-341-6282.

News from NLS

NLS Summer Reading Program

NLS is pleased to announce the events scheduled for its second Summer Reading Program, which will run from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 9. All events will take place on Zoom.

• Kickoff event (all ages): Monday, June 24 at 3:00 p.m.
• Story time and music: Turtle Dance Music (K–3rd grade): Thursday, July 18, at 3:00 p.m.
• Author Talk: New York Times bestselling author Angeline Boulley with Andrea L. Rogers moderating (YA and Adult): Thursday, July 25, 6:00 p.m. The recording of this event will be available for two weeks following the event.

Online activities will also be available for participants, including Choose Your Reading Adventure, the Whispering Library Escape Room, and more.

For the kickoff, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden will read The Adventures of Marshmallow and Peter by Peter Heath (DBC30393; BR25025 in process).

Patrons and librarians are welcome to submit their questions for Angeline Boulley to NLSPES@loc.gov before Friday, July 19. Boulley is the author of Firekeeper’s Daughter (BR24040, DB102762) and Warrior Girl Unearthed (BR25116 in process, DB114761).

More information is available on the NLS Summer Reading webpage. Registration links for all activities and links for online activities will be posted in June.

Upcoming NLS Events         

Quarterly Patron Corner. Monday, June 10 at 6 p.m. 

Topic: NLS Summer Reading: Another Bridge for Literacy for Children Who Are Blind or Low Vision. 

Many Faces of BARD. Thursday, June 13 at 6 p.m.  

Topic: NLS eReader Updates: A Brief Review.

To get the latest news and updates from NLS directly to your inbox, including information on NLS programs and services, sign up for the NLS Patron Announce email list.  Send your name and email address to the Patron Engagement Section at NLSPES@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe yourself from the list at any time.

Music section

As NLS relocates to the main Library of Congress campus this spring and summer, the Music Section is preparing to move their extensive music collections. Between April 29 and mid-July, while books and equipment are packed and unpacked, they may not be able to circulate hard-copy scores in the usual turnaround time. The Music Section will continue to assist patrons with identifying and providing materials, and materials will be circulated in as timely a way as possible, but patrons may experience delays.

As an alternative, NLS recommends that patrons:

1. use the NLS Braille-on-Demand program to request hard-copy scores,
2. retrieve audio and braille materials from BARD and emboss them locally, and
3. identify other opportunities to read, download, or emboss the digital copies available on BARD.

Additionally, if patrons are seeking scores that are not yet available on BARD, please let the Music Section librarians know so that they can prioritize these titles for digitization and upload them to BARD as soon as possible.

Readers’ Advisors Recommend: Summer Fantasy

Escape the summer into these fantasy books.

DB 119678 The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading. But this is no ordinary book...It is the Book of Doors. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them. Then she's approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He's a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors from those who will do evil. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119573 Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

Being the daughter of the village Capuwa, or demon-priest, Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. Influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, the villagers who once respected her father's craft have turned on the family. Yet, they all still seem to call on him whenever supernatural disturbances arise. Now someone-or something-is viciously seizing upon men in the jungle. But instead of enlisting Amara's father's help, the villagers have accused him of carrying out the attacks himself. As she tries to clear her father's name, Amara finds herself haunted by dreams that eerily predict the dark forces on her island. And she can't shake the feeling that it's all connected to the night she was recovering from a strange illness, and woke up, scared and confused, to hear her mother's frantic cries: No one can find out what happened.  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119435 Ours by Phillip B. Williams

Saint, a fearsome conjuror who, in the 1830s, annihilates plantations all over Arkansas to rescue the people enslaved there. She brings those she has freed to a haven of her own: a town just north of St. Louis, magically concealed from outsiders, named Ours. It is in this miraculous place that Saint's grand experiment, a truly secluded community where her people may flourish, takes root. But although Saint does her best to protect the inhabitants of Ours, over time, her conjuring and memories begin to betray her, leaving the town vulnerable to intrusions by newcomers with powers of their own. As the cracks in Saint's creation are exposed, some begin to wonder whether the community's safety might be yet another form of bondage. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119298 The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Manchuria, 1908. A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman's identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they've remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119201 Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

It is 1793 and the French Revolution is in full swing. Vampires-usually rich and aristocratic-have slaked the guillotine's thirst in large numbers. The mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel, a disguised British noble, and his League are heroically rescuing dozens of aristocrats from execution, both human and vampire. And soon they will have an ace up their sleeves--Eleanor Dalton. Eleanor is working as a housemaid on the estate of a vampire Baroness. Her highest aspiration is to one day become a modiste. But when the Baroness hosts a mysterious noble and his wife, they tell Eleanor she is the spitting image of a French aristocrat, and they convince her to journey to France to aid them in a daring scheme. Soon, Eleanor finds herself in Paris, swept up in magic and intrigue-and chaos-beyond her wildest dreams. But there's more to fear than ardent Revolutionaries. For Eleanor stumbles across a centuries-old war between vampires and their fiercest enemy. And they're out for blood. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 118891 The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. He's good with his gun and is drawn to trouble but he's also out of money and out of options. When he hears about a train laden with gold and treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it-with his younger brother Hugo in tow. But when the heist goes awry