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Kansas Talking Book News Update – Spring 2025

02/24/2025
Michael Lang
No Subjects

From the Director’s Desk

Happy Kansas Talking Books Week!

Our annual celebration of Kansas Talking Books kicks off on March 3rd with the theme Your Story, Our Mission

Kansas Talking Books’ mission is to provide accessible reading materials to all qualifying Kansans, so that all may read. Your stories, the stories of our readers, their families, and friends, are among our greatest assets in fulfilling this lofty goal.  

The impact of Talking Books is best expressed by those who experience it firsthand. They illustrate the life-changing impact of Talking Books more than any brochure or commercial ever could. Here are a few examples:

“Having books read to me keeps me SANE.”

“My sister was very happy and excited that she could belong to a book club being legally blind.”

“When he was introduced to Talking Books, it was like he had his life back. He now reads more books than he did when he was sighted.”

Your stories are powerful. With Talking Books Week upon us, now is the perfect time to share your talking books story with everybody. Spread the word, not just to those who qualify, but to everyone. Because everyone knows someone with a print disability.

I also encourage you to reach out and share your story with us, so that we may share them to a wider audience. Your experiences will encourage others and help us continue our mission. Let’s celebrate the power of reading together!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at 620-341-6287 or email me to discuss them. 

Keep reading, share your story, and celebrate Kansas Talking Books Week with us!

Michael Lang, Director

KTB Updates

Your Story, Our Mission: Kansas Talking Books Week

Everyone has a library story; the joy of discovering a new favorite book, the comfort of revisiting an old classic, the thrill of learning something new. Stories shape our lives. This year, Kansas Talking Books Week celebrates the theme Your Story, Our Mission, highlighting the incredible impact that talking books have on our patrons across the state.

Throughout the week, KTB will be sharing real stories from our patrons, individuals whose lives have been enriched by access to audio and Braille materials, to showcase how vital this free service is to Kansans who are print disabled.

For many, talking books are more than just entertainment; they are a lifeline; providing independence, engagement, and a connection to the world of information that might otherwise be out of reach. Whether it’s a veteran downloading books with BARD, a child diving into a world of fantasy, or a lifelong reader staying up to date with the latest bestsellers, Kansas Talking Books is dedicated to making reading accessible to all.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Kansas Talking Books Week! Follow along on our blog and Facebook page as we share powerful stories from our patrons. 

Welcome New Staff

We’re excited to welcome Miguel to the Kansas Talking Books team! Miguel will be working closely with our amazing volunteers to record audio and produce high-quality talking books for our patrons. In addition, he will provide friendly support to library patrons over the phone, ensuring they have the resources they need.

New on NFB-Newsline

Our local Newsline channel continues to expand access to local interest materials. Check out these latest additions.

  • Audubon of Kansas: For people interested in Kansas conservation related news.
  • Kansas Tourism: Newest editions of the Visit Wichita and Visit Manhattan publications. 
  • Kansas Country Living: A monthly publication of the Kansas Rural Electric Cooperatives keeps readers informed of energy issues, industry news, and their impact on rural electrification. Also features articles about people, events, food & travel in Kansas.

All KTB patrons can access NFB-Newsline, a free audio news service that offers access to more than 500 newspapers, magazines and more. Sign up for Newsline today by calling 620-341-6286 or emailing Ryan Lauber

Braille Calendars

Kansas Talking Books has a limited number of NLS produced braille wall and pocket calendars available to patrons. You can request a calendar by contacting our office. Requests will be filled on a first come, first served basis. 

The Community Table

Kansas Talking Books invites you to share your recipes and the memories tied to them for The Community Table, a special collection featuring contributions from patrons and staff across the nation. 

This project, spearheaded by Maureen Dorosinski from the Florida Braille and Talking Book Library and Jennifer Falvey from South Carolina’s Talking Books Services, will be recorded, embossed in braille, and made into large print. Once completed, the collection will be available on BARD for all talking book patrons. Recipes and stories shared by our Kansas community will represent the Midwest section of the book.

Need inspiration? Here’s an example:

"My grandma’s homemade rolls were golden, flaky, and soft, their yeasty aroma filling the kitchen. After her passing, I found her recipe—just a list of ingredients with no instructions. Guided by a memory of her teaching me to knead dough until smooth but slightly sticky, I recreated her rolls. Every time I make them, I feel her presence." – Maggie, Melvern, KS

Share your recipes and memories by emailing KTB@ks.gov, calling 1-800-362-0699, or mailing them to: 

Kansas Talking Books
1 Kellogg Cir, Box 4055
Emporia, KS 66801

We look forward to including your story in this heartwarming project! 

KTB Virtual Book Club: 

Meet other KTB patrons and participate in an exciting discussion during our quarterly Virtual Book Club. Meetings begin at noon on the dates listed. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please call Maggie at 620-341-6281 or email our office at KTB@ks.gov

March 13th: Bring Your Own Book. Maggie and KTB readers from across the state would love to hear about the book(s) you’ve been reading. We welcome all KTB patrons to participate, regardless of whether you read something recently. This is a great opportunity to find new books to read.

June 11th: June’s book club selection ties into our summer reading program theme. This year’s theme is art, so we’ve selected a thrilling story of an art theft and the mystery left so many years later.

DB 105442 The Last Mona Lisa by Jonathan Santlofer.

In 1911, the Mona Lisa is stolen. More than one hundred years later, art professor Luke Perrone digs for the truth of his most famous ancestor, Vincent Peruggia, the man who stole the Mona Lisa. But Luke uncovers darker secrets. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2021.

Manhattan Visually Impaired Persons Book Club

The Manhattan VIP Book Club invites all Kansas Talking Books patrons to join their virtual book club discussions held via Zoom or by by calling the Kansas Talking Books office at 1-800-362-0699 on the third Tuesday of every month at 1:00 p.m. The next three dates and books to be discussed are:

March 18th : DB 115655 The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. As characters' stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins of white, Christian America struggle and what they must do to survive. Strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

April 15th : DB 116354 The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger.

On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota, gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River. Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn's murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

May 20th : DB 75277 Double Cross: The true story of the D-Day spies by Ben Macintyre.

Author of Operation Mincemeat (DB 71406) recounts the deception the Allies used to keep secret the planned location of their 1944 invasion of France. Details the efforts of Tommy "Tar" Robertson of Britain's MI5 to turn playboys, party girls, and eccentrics--all of whom were Nazi spies--into double agents. Bestseller. 2012.

Birding by Ear Virtual Event

We are pleased to announce our “birding by ear” virtual event in partnership with Audubon of Kansas, Thursday, May 1, at 3:00 p.m. It will be recorded for later viewing.

Birding by Ear: There’s more to bird watching than meets the eye (mostly for beginning birders) presented by Jackie Augustine. Just like you can tell who is talking by the sound of their voice, you can learn how to identify bird species by their song. You probably know a few birds already – think about what a Canada goose or American crow sounds like. Dr. Jackie Augustine, Audubon of Kansas Executive Director, is a bird watcher and ornithologist. In this presentation, she will discuss the purpose of bird songs and how to identify common birds.

This online event will use Zoom or can be accessed by telephone. Please contact the library at 1-800-362-0699 or by email at KTB@ks.gov if you are interested in participating or would like more information.

Summer Reading 2025

Join us in exploring the vibrant stories of imagination and creativity where words color your world during the 2025 Color Our World summer reading program. Each week, we’ll provide activities to spark your creative side and themed book recommendations full of colorful characters, dashing adventures, and inspiring tales. Stay tuned to our Summer Reading website for more information as we work to build an exciting summer reading program.

In addition, NLS continues their summer reading program for talking book and braille patrons nationwide. They will have multiple virtual events for all ages during the summer. 

This year we are partnering with Envision and the Envision Arts Gallery and Community Engagement Center to develop in-person programs for summer reading. Plans are still being finalized. Keep an eye on our summer reading webpage for dates and times for NLS events and the programming offered at Envision Arts Gallery.

The 2025 Color Our World summer reading program begins June 2 and ends August 1. For more information or to register call us at 1-800-362-0699, email KTB@ks.gov, or sign up online.

KTB Outreach Events Calendar

March 5: Dedicated Readers Book Club. 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at CenterWell Senior Primary Care, 2402 E 13th St N, Wichita.

March 13: Wamego Public Library: Children's Braille Pop-In. 10:30 a.m. at Wamego Public Library, 431 Lincoln Ave. 

April 2: Aging with Attitude: Estate Planning On Your Terms Conference. 9:30 am - 3:30 pm at The Page, Banquet Room, 2920 10th St. Great Bend.

April 4: Library of Congress Community Outreach. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St., Lawrence. Kansas Talking Books will present during this event.

April 8: Library of Congress Community Outreach. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Girard Public Library, 128 W Prairie St, Girard. Kansas Talking Books will present during this event

Sat. April 12: Wichita Big Read: Innovations in Accessible Reading presentation. 2:30 Wichita Public Library Westlink Branch, Wichita. 

April 25: Aging with Attitude Regional Expo. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Independence Community College, West Campus, 2615 W. Main Street, Independence. 

April 26: Hands-Only Health Fair. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Emerson Park, 2717 Strong Ave, Kansas City, KS

April 27: CCVI Trolly Run After BashImmediately after the race at the Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, MO.

April 30: Buter County Spring Fling, Sr. Health Fair: 9:00 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the El Dorado Civic Center, 201 E. Central and the Butler County Community Building, 206 Griffith, El Dorado.

News from NLS

Find Great Books with Collections Connections

With hundreds of thousands of audio and braille books and magazines available from NLS, it’s hard to know where to start when searching. Collections Connections, a free email newsletter from the NLS Collection Development staff, can help. Each month it highlights fiction and nonfiction titles focused on a timely theme. To sign up, send your name and email address to the Collection Connections team at connections@loc.gov. You can unsubscribe yourself from the list at any time.

The Economist

The Economist has recently changed its audio format, and NLS no longer has access to the audio files. NLS is currently researching alternative audio formats that can be used to convert the Economist. In addition, NFB-Newsline are currently in the process of negotiating an agreement with the publisher. Economist uploads to BARD and Newsline will be delayed until further notice. 

BARD Express Update

NLS has released a software update to BARD Express. Version 3.1.2 includes several improvements:

  • Items per page, found under the View menu, now has a maximum value of 500.
  • BARD Express now supports more external storage devices.
  • The global setting speed in the BARD Express player respects the speed setting of a book that has previously been adjusted.

To download the update, a user who already has BARD Express installed can open the program, open the Help menu, and choose Check For Updates. If BARD Express is not already installed, it can be downloaded from the BARD Express home page.

NLS Patron Events        

Introducing the DA2: NLS’s Newest Talking Book Machine on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. There will be a presentation and demonstration of the machine during the NLS Many Faces of BARD online program via Zoom. 

The NLS Patron Engagement Section hosts several other regularly scheduled events via Zoom. All events start at 6 p.m. central time.   

You can find more information on the Patron Engagement webpage. To get the latest news and updates from NLS directly to your inbox, including information on NLS programs, 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.

Readers’ Advisors Recommend: Own Voices, Disability Memoirs

Experience the personal stories of success and challenges experienced by authors with disabilities in this selection of memoirs. 

DB 122023 Vision: A memoir of blindness and justice by David S. Tatel.

David Tatel has served nearly 30 years on America's second highest court, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where many of our most crucial cases are resolved-or teed up for the Supreme Court. He has championed equal justice for his entire adult life; decided landmark environmental and voting cases; and embodied the ideal of what a great judge should be. Yet he has been blind for the past 50 of his 80-plus years. Initially, he depended upon aides to read texts to him, and more recently, a suite of hi-tech solutions has allowed him to listen to reams of documents at high speeds. At first, he tried to hide his deteriorating vision, and for years, he denied that it had any impact on his career. Only recently, partly thanks to his first-ever guide dog, Vixen, has he come to fully accept his blindness and the role it's played in his personal and professional lives. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 81567 Laughing At My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw.

Burcaw describes the challenges he faces as a twenty-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy--from awkward handshakes to trying to find a girlfriend, and everything in between. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

DB 105634 Being Seen: One deafblind woman’s fight to end ableism by Elsa Sjunneson.

In this memoir, award-winning author Elsa Sjunneson, who identifies as Deafblind, discusses growing up and living in an ableist world. Sjunneson, also a professor and activist, explores how the misrepresentation of disability in books, movies, and TV harms both the disabled community and everyone else. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 104231 Grit: A family memoir on adversity and triumph by Jeff Moyer.

In this memoir, the author reflects on his family's struggles with multiple disabilities prior to the Disability Rights Movement, his family's involvement in the Americans with Disabilities Act, and his own work in assistive technology. 2018.

DB 115575 The Country of the Blind: A memoir at the end of sight by Andrew Leland.

We meet Andrew Leland as he's suspended in the liminal state of the soon-to-be blind: he's midway through his life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that ushers those who live with it from sightedness to blindness over years, even decades. He grew up with full vision, but starting in his teenage years, his sight began to degrade from the outside in, such that he now sees the world as if through a narrow tube. Soon-but without knowing exactly when-he will likely have no vision left. Full of apprehension but also dogged curiosity, Leland embarks on a sweeping exploration of the state of being that awaits him: not only the physical experience of blindness but also its language, politics, and customs. He negotiates his changing relationships with his wife and son, and with his own sense of self, as he moves from his mainstream, "typical" life to one with a disability. Strong language. Commercial audiobook.

DB 113637 Don’t Ask the Blind Guy for Directions: A 30,000-mile journey for love, confidence, and a sense of belonging by John Samuel.

After a diagnosis of a degenerative eye disease, John Samuel's life-and his chance at success-started to vanish. In a world systemically unequipped for accessibility, disability inclusion is often left out of conversations about diversity. For people with disabilities, it can feel impossible to adapt and thrive when you're already set up for failure. A more accessible world is possible-when we see the amazing opportunities in our differences. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 121835 Just Human: The quest for disability wisdom, respect, and inclusion by Arielle Silverman.

Born without sight, Dr. Arielle Silverman has never missed the visual. Being blind never bothered her much but, as she grew, she discovered others saw her blindness very differently. Many people saw her as either helpless or inspirational, but rarely did they see her as just human, with the same capacities and desires as her peers. Arielle has spent a lifetime exploring ways to foster respect and inclusion, not only for blind people like her, but for all of us whose bodies or minds differ from the norm. 

DB 63743 Shades of Darkness: A black soldier’s journey through Vietnam, blindness, and back by George E. Brummell.

Memoir of Staff Sergeant George Brummell, who was blinded in Vietnam. Recalls growing up in segregated Federalsburg, Maryland, before joining the army at age seventeen. Highlights his rehabilitation, quest for a college degree, and career with the Blinded Veterans Association. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2006.

DB 118039 Leg: The story of a limb and the boy who grew from it by Greg Marshall.

Greg Marshall's early years were pretty bizarre. Rewind the VHS tapes and you'll see a lopsided teenager limping across a high school stage, or in a wheelchair after leg surgeries, pondering why he's crushing on half of the Utah Jazz. Add to this home video footage a mom clacking away at her newspaper column between chemos, a dad with ALS, and a cast of foulmouthed siblings. Fast forward the tape and you'll find Marshall happily settled into his life as a gay man only to discover he's been living in another closet his whole life: He has cerebral palsy, a diagnosis that has been kept from him since birth. Here, in the hot mess of it all, lies Greg Marshall's wellspring of wit and wisdom. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 105662 The Night the Lights Went Out by Drew Magary.

Author of The Hike (DB 85573), Someone Could Get Hurt (DB 86716), and The Postmortal (DB 88857) presents a memoir of his recovery after suffering a near-fatal traumatic brain injury from a mysterious fall. Discusses changes to his relationships, resulting permanent disabilities, and mental health. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 117821 My Kaleidoscope Eyes: A journal journey with retinitis pigmentosa by Pamela Edwards.

What job could she do without vision? How would she support herself and her children? When Pamela received her retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis, it sent her world into chaos. As a single mother of three small children, she had to fight. Giving into the blindness was never an option. She needed to find a way but feared time was not on her side. With the help of those closest to her, she found the resources and confidence to persevere. Commercial audiobook.

DBC17258 Magnificent Midnight’s Marvelous Memories: A loving relationship between a young woman and her therapy horse by Tally L. Russell.

Tally was compelled to write this book to share her experiences with Therapeutic Horseback Riding. Tally had ridden horses since she was 4 years old and longed to have a horse of her own. Welcoming Midnight into her life was a dream come true for Tally. She conveys the story of the incredible 10 1/2 years she and Midnight shared together. An underlying theme of the book is the mindset of how there are infinite possibilities when one believes in oneself, and that one's greatest dreams can come true! For grades 2-4.

DBC19469 A Flower Grows in Stone: The diary of a life in progress by Anisah Hassan.

Anisah Hassan's personal testament to the suffering and plight of people living with Stiff-Person/Moersch Woltman Syndrome. The author offers her first-hand account in the form of a narrative, with personal impressions, anecdotes, experiences, and reflections. In trying to demystify SPS, the author endeavors to provide inspiration and hope. Anisah also reaches out to victims of Multiple Sclerosis, cancer, accidents, and anyone enduring isolation occasioned by illness.

Upcoming State and Postal Holidays Reminder

Monday, May 26th – Talking Books Closed, Postal Holiday (Memorial Day)

Thursday, June 19th – Talking Books Closed (Juneteenth)

Friday, July 4th – Talking Books Closed, Postal Holiday (Independence Day)

Contact Kansas Talking Books: 

Address: 1 Kellogg Circle, Box 4055. Emporia, KS 66801 

Toll free phone: 1-800-362-0699 

Local phone: 1-620-341-6280

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Email: KTB@ks.gov 

Kansas Talking Books Website

Talking Books Talk Blog

Talking Books on Facebook

 

No Subjects
03/27/2025
Maggie Witte

Are you looking for your next great read? Check out Kansas Talking Books most recent staff picks, where we highlight books our staff have recently read (or re-read) and enjoyed. Maybe one of them will be your next fantastic adventure!

Michael Lang, Director

DB 104755 The gunslinger: Dark tower, book 1 by Stephen King 
His evil nemesis, the "man in black," creates many problems for the gunslinger as the gunslinger travels through time, seeking vengeance for the death of his father and the dishonoring of his mother. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 1982.

DB 104715 The drawing of the three: Dark tower, book 2 by Stephen King 
Roland the gunslinger continues his search for the Dark Tower in a tale of horror, during which he cohabits three lives in New York City: a heroin addict, The Prisoner; a schizophrenic woman, The Lady of Shadows; and a murderer, Death. Violence and strong language. Commercial audiobook. 1987.

Natalia Renfro, Machine Clerk

DB 108069 Season fears: Alchemical journeys, book 2 by Seanan McGuire 
Melanie has a destiny, though it isn't the one everyone assumes it to be. Meanwhile, Harry doesn't want to believe in destiny, because that means accepting the loss of the one person who gives his life meaning. When a new road is laid out in front of them, walking down it seems to be the only option. Sequel to Middlegame (DB 95164). Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

Troy Arndt, Circulation Clerk

DB 110577 The other name: Septology, books 1-2 by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls 
"The Other Name follows the lives of two men living close to each other on the west coast of Norway. The year is coming to a close and Asle, an aging painter and widower, is reminiscing about his life. He lives alone, his only friends being his neighbor, Åsleik, a bachelor and traditional Norwegian fisherman-farmer, and Beyer, a gallerist who lives in Bjørgvin, a couple hours' drive south of Dylgja, where he lives. There, in Bjørgvin, lives another Asle, also a painter. He and the narrator are doppelgangers--two versions of the same person, two versions of the same life. Written in hypnotic prose that shifts between the first and third person, The Other Name calls into question concrete notions around subjectivity and the self. What makes us who we are? And why do we lead one life and not another? Through flashbacks, Fosse deftly explores the convergences and divergences in the lives of both Asles, slowly building towards a decisive encounter between them both. A writer at the zenith of his career, with The Other Name, the first two volumes in his Septology, Fosse presents us with an indelible and poignant exploration of the human condition that will endure as his masterpiece." -- Provided by publisher. -- Translated from the 2019 Norwegian edition. Some strong language.

DB 116597 The September house by Carissa Orlando 
"A thrilling psychological horror debut about a woman who is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes haunted, no matter the cost... You can survive anything. That's what Margaret tells herself when the walls of her house start to drip blood every September. She's learned how to live with it...and the other terrifying apparitions that have made the sprawling Victorian house she and her husband bought four years ago turn from a dream home into a living nightmare. But she can outlast all of it. Hal felt differently, though. Her husband couldn't take the hauntings anymore, and he left. But now he's not returning calls, and their daughter Katherine arrives, intent on looking for her missing father, convinced something grim has happened to him. With every desperate attempt Katherine makes at finding Hal, the hauntings at the September House grow more harrowing, because there are some secrets the house needs to keep." -- Provided by publisher. -- Strong language, violence. Commercial audiobook.

DB 88447 Final girls by Riley Sager 
A decade ago, while vacationing at a cabin with fellow college students, Quincy Carpenter was the only one to escape a killer's rampage. In recovery, she met another "final girl." Now, after a frantic call to Quincy, that woman has been killed. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 88608 Kings of the wyld: Band, book 1 by Nicholas Eames 
Long past their days of glory, the mercenary band once led by Clay Cooper gets back together for one more mission to help a friend whose daughter is in trouble. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian/Lead Readers' Advisor

DB 125859 Under the oak tree: the comic. 1 by Suji Kim 
"Most fairytales end with a wedding and a happily-ever-after--but this is no fairytale. When stuttering Lady Maximilian is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father's schemes, her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their relationship before it can begin. Riftan leaves for war the morning after their disastrous wedding night, and it's three years until Maxi sees him again. Now the husband she barely knows is a war hero. And when he comes home to claim her, Maxi will need to master her own bewildering desire--and Riftan's--before she can hope to become the true mistress of their enormous castle estate. That task will demand courage from Maxi, even as she struggles to find her own voice."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 121696 How to become the Dark Lord and die trying by Django Wexler 
"Davi has done this all before. She's tried to be the hero and take down the all-powerful Dark Lord. A hundred times she's rallied humanity and made the final charge. But the time loop always gets her in the end. Sometimes she's killed quickly. Sometimes it takes a while. But she's been defeated every time. This time? She's done being the hero and done being stuck in this endless time loop. If the Dark Lord always wins, then maybe that's who she needs to be. It's Davi's turn to play on the winning side"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119351 The king's captive: Gate of myth and power, book 1 by K. M. Shea 
"I can turn into a housecat. It's a fun magic, except in a world filled with vampires and werewolves, it doesn't exactly make me a powerhouse. Instead, the supernatural community has classified me as an outcast, which means one thing: Picking on me is open season all day, every day. The local fae are the worst of all, and it's during one of their regular "capture the cat-girl" sessions that I shift into my cat form and meet HIM for the first time. Noctus is so powerful his magic radiates off him like a sun, and my fae captors can barely look in his general direction. And then my life gets even more terrifying when Noctus decides to take me with him. As a pet. Why did he pick today to "adopt don't shop" a cat?"--Goodreads. Some violence and some strong language.

DB 119352 The king's shadow: Gate of myth and power, book 2 by K. M. Shea 
"I just spent the last month pretending to be the pet cat of an elf king. Today, I discovered we're enemies. In a supernatural society filled with vampires, werewolves, and wizards, I've always been an outcast with my ability to turn into a housecat. No one knew what I was. Turns out, I'm a shadow a race of supernaturals that were wiped out by the elves centuries ago. Who explains this to me? Noctus, the elf king I've been staying with while pretending to be his pet "cat," not knowing I'm the archenemy of his people. Talk about the most awkward ancestry results ever. Now I'm stuck staying with Noctus because he can't let me go thanks to all of his secrets I unwillingly learned as a cat. At least he hasn't killed me. Yet..."--Goodreads. -- Some violence and some descriptions of sex.

DB 119353 The king's queen: Gate of myth and power, book 3 by K. M. Shea 
"When the elven king of death released me even though my existence is a threat to his kingdom, I took the opportunity to run. There is just one problem. I also fell in love with him. Nothing like a little doomed love to add a dash of intrigue to life, right? Unfortunately, that's not even the worst of it. I'm a worrier on my best days, but with a psycho tracking my every move because he's obsessed with killing me, I've graduated to the level of paranoid lunatic. Even if I could forget about the tracker not happening since he's figured out the fastest way to get to me is to attack my adopted family my regular life is also anxiety-inducing as the city of Magiford is brewing with trouble. Someone is setting off increasingly powerful magical spells downtown, upsetting all the humans. The supernatural community is desperate to find the perpetrator, and the top leaders are convinced the psychotic tracker chasing me is in on it. Their solution? Use me to capture the tracker for questioning."--Goodreads. -- Some violence and some descriptions of sex.

DB 125304 We kept her in the cellar by W. R. Gorman 
"Eunice follows three strict rules in life: treat Cinderella as family, prevent her from accessing rats or mice, and never look at her between midnight and 3 a.m. Cinderella, possessing dark powers, is cared for by Eunice, who keeps the family's secret. Eunice's life has been filled with nightmares and close encounters with the monster in the cellar. Upon befriending Prince Credence and securing a ball invitation, Eunice sees a chance for freedom. However, Cinderella escapes, wreaking havoc at the ball and captivating the prince. Eunice must now decide what she's willing to sacrifice to stop her stepsister."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 64445 His majesty's dragon by Naomi Novik 
English naval captain Will Laurence discovers a dragon egg aboard a captured French frigate. Once the creature, Temeraire, hatches, Will harnesses it and bonds immediately and irrevocably with it. The pair trains in the art of airborne combat before joining the Aerial Corps to battle Napoleon's forces. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

DB 124632 My vampire plus-one: My vampire, book 2 by Jenna Levine 
"Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single, but not according to her family. She's tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone, anyone, to pose as her date. After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he's perfect for her purposes. He's a bit strange, but that's fine--it'll discourage tough questions from her family. For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 115655 The Heaven & Earth Grocery store by James McBride 
"In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Chicken Hill was where Moshe and Chona Ludlow lived when Moshe integrated his theater and where Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. When the state came looking for a deaf boy to institutionalize him, it was Chona and Nate Timblin, the Black janitor at Moshe's theater and the unofficial leader of the Black community on Chicken Hill, who worked together to keep the boy safe. As these characters' stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins of white, Christian America struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town's white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community-heaven and earth-that sustain us." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

No Subjects
03/17/2025
Maggie Witte

March is National Craft Month, so get crafting with inspiration from the craft books available in our collection. Crafting is not only a fun pastime or source of income but is also beneficial for your health. It can help your mental well being by reducing stress and anxiety, reduces risks of or decreasing cognitive decline impairment, and increases community engagement. The craft books we selected listed below offer something for everyone, whether you are a complete beginner or a veteran crafter.

Begin, or go further in, your creative journey with our selection of nonfiction instructional guides and handbooks, histories of crafting, or memoirs and biographies of artisans and craftspeople. Or, if you're unsure about actually doing crafts yourself, follow fictional characters as they craft in between dealing with friendships, romances, murder and mysteries, and the general ups and downs of life. Enjoy the selection of crafty cozy mysteries and yarn-tastic dramas.

Happy crafting and reading!

Nonfiction

Instruction Guides and Handbooks

DB 58586 Stitch ‘n Bitch nation: the knitter’s handbook by Debbie Stoller

Cofounder of trendy New York City knitting circle gives a brief history of this needle craft. Presents the basics: how to cast on, bind off, and knit. Explains advanced stitching and repair techniques and provides details for over thirty projects, including Pippi Kneestockings, Sparkle Hat, and Under the Hoodie. Some strong language. 2003.

DB 121097 Homemade perfume: create exquisite, naturally scented products to fill your life with botanical aromas by Anya McCoy

"This unprecedented, comprehensive guide from renowned perfumer Anya McCoy is an inspiring resource for anyone interested in creating artisanal perfume at home. Discover simple step-by-step methods for making perfume without harsh chemicals. Jump right in, using local plants and common household ingredients. Soon youll be building your own scent collection and creating unforgettable gifts for friends and family." --WorldCat.

DB 118183 The beginner's guide to wheel throwing: a complete course for the potters wheel by Julia Weber

"Welcome to the wheel, from artist and instructor Julia Claire Weber. In The Beginner's Guide to Wheel Throwing, you'll find all you need to develop the skills (and patience) you need to make your first forms. You'll start at the beginning of the process with a tour through a typical ceramics studio, a discussion of the best clays for throwing, as well as a variety of centering methods. Then unleash your creativity with the chapters that follow. You'll find: Starter projects like cups, bowls, and plates to hone your skills. Tutorials on important topics like trimming and handles. A unique decal workshop, unlocking the potential of image transfer. Throughout the book, skill-building is front and center, with tips and tricks to help you crack the code and make pieces you're proud of. Gallery work from some of today's top artists are sure to inspire potters of all levels. What will you make first? For beginners and those returning to ceramics, the Essential Ceramics Skills series from Quarry Books offer the fundamentals along with fresh, contemporary, and simple projects that build skills progressively." -- Provided by publisher.

DB 114628 Learn to sew and embroider: 35 projects using simple stitches, cute embroider, and pretty appliques by Emma Hardy

"Pick up this book and you'll soon be a sewing whiz, using a wide variety of hand stitches and learning how to sew on a zipper, attach buttons, embroider, and appliqué. In Jewelry and Accessories, you can make adorable watermelon slice brooches or a fun raccoon scarf, while Toys and Dolls features a fake fur teddy bear that would make a great gift--he's so sweet, though, that you might want to keep him for yourself!" -- Provided by publisher. -- For grades 3-6 and older readers.

DB 112423 Botanical soaps: a modern guide to making your own soaps, shampoo bars and other beauty essentials by Maria Tarallo

"Sustainability is creeping into all aspects of our lives. The beauty industry is one of the biggest polluters, littering our oceans with used plastic bottles and containers. In response to this there is a growing movement of people looking for cleaner and greener ways to beautify. Learn how to simplify your beauty regime with Botanical Soaps as this book shows you how to create your own beauty products using all natural ingredients. Demystify your skin type and discover how to combat bathroom plastic, minimise your routine by making your own soaps, shampoo bars and other beauty products, including lip butters, cleansers, bath salts and natural deodorants. Botanical Soaps is a beautiful and inspiring lifestyle guide that will encourage you to green up your beauty regime with all natural, organic projects that are kinder to both the planet and your skin." -- Provided by publisher.

DB 108164 Craft lab for kids: 52 kstb.DIY projects to inspire, excite, and empower kids to create useful beautiful handmade goods by Stephanie Corfee

"Through 52 fun, customizable crafts activities, Craft Lab for Kids promotes creativity and hands-on making for kids age 8 and up." -- Provided by publisher. -- For grades 3-6. 2020.

DB 69781 Small loom and freeform weaving: five ways to weave by Barbara Matthiessen

Beginner's guide to weaving using portable and inexpensive framing options such as knitters looms, handheld Weavettes, homemade board looms, pins, and found objects. Includes instructions for some thirty small-scale projects ranging from wearables to home decorations. Covers design basics, weaving techniques, and finishing procedures. 2008.

DB 54350 Crocheting in plain English by Maggie Righetti

Commonsense approach to this handcraft that is appropriate for beginners and informative for more advanced crocheters. Covers its history and basic preparations; planning projects and stitch techniques; easy-to-follow lessons; finishing touches; and sensible solutions to nagging problems. 1988.

DB 53883 Cool stuff: things to make and do by Jennifer Traig

A straightforward how-to manual of projects that can be accomplished in less than one day. Presents simple ways to decorate household objects or personalize belongings. Provides lists of materials needed with step-by-step directions for completing the product. For grades 4-7. 2001.

Histories of Crafting

DB 104611 Craft: an American history by Glenn Adamson

A historian and curator examines the history of America through the lens of craft. He shows the contributions artisans have made to society, from colonial times to the maker movement of today. 2021.

DB 90367 Crft: an inquiry into the origins and meaning of traditional crafts by Alex Langlands

Archaeologist examines the meaning of the Old English word "craeft," which denoted a sense of knowledge, wisdom, and resourcefulness through the history of production of goods made by human hands. Topics include making hay, sticks and stones, beekeeping, textiles, homebuilding, agriculture, and more. 2017.

DB 59722 No idle hands: the social history of American knitting by Anne L. Macdonald

Historian and lifelong knitter presents a history of knitting in America from colonial times to the 1980s. Using magazine articles, knitting brochures, and responses from knitters around the country, Macdonald shows how needlework as a necessity, or for pleasure, shaped the lives of women throughout the years. 1988.

Memoirs and Biographies

DB 84484 Knitlandia: a knitter sees the world by Clara Parkes

Knitwear designer shares stories from her travels since 2000, when she began the email newsletter Knitter's Review. Tales include befriending a legendary yarn designer in New Mexico, her annual trek to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, and visiting Iceland to commune with the local knitting community. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2016.

DB 106441 Hooked: how crafting saved my life by Sutton Foster

A Tony Award-winning actress combines memoir with an ode to crafting as therapy. She describes how she channeled her emotions into her creations as she navigated the significant moments in her life, and they gave her tangible reminders of her experiences. Includes supplemental material. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 113482 Unraveling: what I learned about shearing sheep, dyeing wool, and making the world's ugliest sweater by Peggy Orenstein

"The COVID pandemic propelled many people to change their lives in ways large and small. Some adopted puppies. Others stress-baked. Peggy Orenstein, a lifelong knitter, went just a little further. To keep herself engaged and cope with a series of seismic shifts in family life, she set out to make a garment from the ground up: learning to shear sheep, spin and dye yarn, then knitting herself a sweater. Orenstein hoped the project would help her process not just wool but her grief over the recent death of her mother and the decline of her dad, the impending departure of her college-bound daughter, and other thorny issues of aging as a woman in a culture that by turns ignores and disdains them. What she didn't expect was a journey into some of the major issues of our time: climate anxiety, racial justice, women's rights, the impact of technology, sustainability, and, ultimately, the meaning of home. With her wry voice, sharp intelligence, and exuberant honesty, Orenstein shares her year-long journey as daughter, wife, mother, writer, and maker--and teaches us all something about creativity and connection." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook.

DB 121730 Threads of life: a history of the world through the eye of a needle by Clare Hunter

"For the mothers of the disappeared in 1970s Argentina, protest was difficult. Every Thursday they marched in front of government buildings wearing headscarves embroidered with the names of their lost children. Through sewing, they found a way to campaign. In Tudor England Mary, Queen of Scots was under house arrest and her letters were censored, so she sewed secret treason into her needlework to communicate with the world outside. From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry and First World War soldiers with PTSD, to the maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, Threads of life stretches from medieval France to contemporary Mexico, from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland. It is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power and politics told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DBC24680 Beyond stitch & bitch: reflections on knitting and life by Afi Scruggs

A collection of essays that explores the emotional and spiritual experiences common to those who knit. Its stories chronicle how knitting can be a spiritual, meditative experience, and how one can learn patience, creativity, discipline, and diligence from knitting. Intertwined with the essays are knitting patterns with easy how-to steps and photographs. Adult. Unrated.

DB 97428 Vanishing fleece: adventures in American wool by Clara Parkes

Knitwear designer chronicles the process of turning wool into garments after buying a bale of wool from a sheep breeder. Discusses the harvesting of wool, the state of wool mills in North America, production decisions, the dyeing process, and designing knitwear. 2019.

Fiction

Crafty Cozy Mysteries

DB 70181 Paper, scissors, death: Scrap-n-craft series, book 1 by Joanna Campbell Slan

St. Louis. Scrapbooking housewife Kiki Lowenstein's comfortable life is shattered when her husband George's naked corpse is found at the local Ritz-Carlton. While trying to create a new life for herself and her daughter, Kiki tracks George's killer and uncovers his sordid secret life. Includes paper-crafting tips. 2008.

DB 122246 Dire threads: Threadville, book 1 by Janet Brolin

"When Mike Krawbach, the town's corrupt commissioner, who keeps denying her renovation plans, is found dead in her yard, Willow Vanderling, Threadville's newest resident, becomes the prime suspect and works to clear her name."-- From publisher.

DB 96611 Crewel world: Needlecraft mysteries, book 1 by Monica Ferris

When Betsy Devonshire arrives in Excelsior, Minnesota, all she wants is to visit her sister Margot and get her life in order. She never dreamed her sister would give her a place to stay and a job at her needlecraft shop. Things have never looked so good--until Margot is murdered. Contains some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 1999.

DB 80491 Death by cashmere: Seaside knitters mystery, book 1 by Sally Goldenbaum

Not long after Isabel "Izzy" Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters. When Izzy's renter drowns mysteriously, the women decide to investigate. Commercial audiobook. 2008.

DBC06805 Lye in wait: a home crafting mystery, book 1 by Cricket McRae

A soap maker, who uses lye to make her products, discovers her handyman dead in her studio. He was killed with lye, but the soap maker has all her supplies locked up tight. The detective has his own ideas about the situation. The soap maker wants to search down some clues herself, even when that brings her into some danger.

Yarn-tastic Dramas

DB 68562 Casting spells: Sugar Maple series, book 1 by Barbara Bretton

Part-sorceress and knitting-shop owner Chloe Hobbs must fall in love to preserve a spell protecting the supernatural residents of Sugar Maple, Vermont. Various matchmaking efforts--involving trolls and selkies--fail until Chloe meets homicide detective Luke MacKenzie. Unfortunately he's human. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2008.

DB 93957 A single thread: Cobbled Court Quilts, book 1 by Marie Bostwick

The end of Evelyn's marriage was a wake-up call, prompting her to move to Connecticut and open a quilt shop. She bonds with three women who show up for one of her quilting classes, and when Evelyn faces breast cancer, she leans on them for support. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2008.

DB 65774 An Elm Creek quilts sampler: Elm Creek quilts, books 1-3 by Jennifer Chiaverini

Women forge friendships while sharing their needlecraft. In The Quilter's Apprentice, Waterford, Pennsylvania, newcomer Sarah McClure takes quilting lessons from her crotchety employer Sylvia Compson. In Round Robin, the quilters open an instructional camp. In The Cross-Country Quilters, five new members join the group. 2001.

DB 65750 The Friday Night Knitting Club, book 1 by Kate Jacobs

Single mother Georgia Walker runs a Manhattan yarn shop where knitters gather regularly to work on projects and share stories. Aging widow Anita, pre-law student Peri, and secretive Lucie join the club as unexpected events--including the return of Georgia's ex--unravel their lives. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2007.

DB 58642 The shop on Blossom Street Blossom Street series, book 1 by Debbie Macomber

Three diverse women--tough girl Alix, hopeful mother Carol, and unhappy wife Jacqueline--attend a beginners' knitting class hosted by cancer survivor Lydia in her Seattle yarn store. All four become friends and make unexpected discoveries about themselves and each other. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004.

DB 82111 Boys don't knit (in public) by Tom Easton

After a brush with the law, Ben, a dyed-in-the-wool worrier, must take up a new hobby as a condition of probation and chooses knitting. Amazed and conflicted by his own skill, Ben strives to keep his talent a secret. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2015.

DB 96385 The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs

After a scandal, Caroline Shelby returns home to Oysterville with two children for whom she is now the legal guardian. Reconnecting with old friends, she starts the Oysterville Sewing Circle as a place where the women of the town can share their troubles and support each other. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

DBC13285 The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

The society of small town Harleyville, Kansas is built around a quilting circle, The Persian Pickle Club. The members band together when a new addition brings with her a dark secret that tears the fabric of the group.

DBC04974 Waking up in the land of glitter: a Crafty Chica novel by Kathy Cano-Munillo

Free-spirited Latina Estrella "Star" Esteban has made a mess of everything. If losing her almost-boyfriend Theo and her job wasn't enough, she is practically drowning in glitter--350 pounds of it. With the help of some craft crazy friends, and even an enemy, she sets out to correct her mistakes and change her life for the better. Some strong language.

DB 92924 The glassblower, book 1 by Petra Durst-Benning

1890. The three daughters of glassblower Joost Steinmann must find their way in the world after he dies. Johanna looks for work, Ruth longs for love, and Marie is fascinated by the all-male tradition of glassblowing. Translated from the original 2003 German edition. Violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2014.

DB 92799 The Saturday Evening Girls Club by Jane Healy

Boston, 1908. Four friends, daughters of immigrants, meet every Saturday for a pottery class. Caprice, Ada, Maria, and Thea have ambitions beyond their parents' expectations and must juggle the conflicting desires. Each has the opportunity to find love. 2017.

DB 71685 The lace makers of Glenmara by Heather Doran Barbieri

Kate, an aspiring fashion designer from Seattle, travels the back roads of Ireland to recover from a broken heart. An extended stay in Glenmara with traditional lace makers, a new project, and a chance for romance give Kate a fresh perspective on life. Some strong language. 2009.

DB 64371 Avielle of Rhia by Dia Calhoun

Fifteen-year-old Princess Avielle is the only member of the royal family to survive a deadly attack. While hiding among the townsfolk, she discovers her magical gift for weaving and must find out whether her destiny will lead her to good or evil. For grades 6-9. 2006.

DB 36885 Carver by Ruth Yaffe Radin

Ten-year-old Jon, who is blind, and his mother return to live with his grandmother at Kellam's Landing, where Jon attends public school for the first time. His new friend Matt tells him about Carver, an embittered old man who carves exquisite wooden birds. Jon's father had loved carving birds before his fatal accident, and it becomes important to Jon to also learn the craft, although he knows that his mother will not approve. For grades 4- 7.

If you would like more craft books, try searching our online catalog at https://kstb.klas.com. You can search for “Crafts” or even by individual crafts, such as knitting, quilting, crocheting, etc. There are more books available in our collection. These are just some of the books we have available about crafts. If you find something you would like to read, you can order it directly through the online catalog, email or call the office with your order, or download the books using BARD.

BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, is a web-based service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) and Kansas Talking Books offering patrons access to downloadable audio and electronic braille books and magazines, as well as music information and learning materials. The books listed above and in our catalog are all (for the most part) available for download through BARD. For more information 

No Subjects
03/12/2025
Maggie Witte

The Kansas Talking Books (KTB) Quarterly Virtual Book Club's March “Bring Your Own Books” discussion occurred earlier today. During this book club meeting, participants could discuss any book (or books) they have recently been reading or even their favorite book. It's a opportunity to meet and interact with other KTB patrons and staff to get a variety of recommendations. Those mentioned by the participants today display how we each differ in our reading tastes. It's always fun to learn what others are reading; who knows, maybe one of these books will catch your interest and become your next read.

Michael Lang, Kansas Talking Books Director

DB 119203 Orbital by Samantha Harvey

"A slender novel of epic power, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men hurtling through space-not towards the moon or the vast unknown, but around our planet. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts-from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan-have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below. We glimpse moments of their earthly lives through brief communications with family, their photos and talismans; we watch them whip up dehydrated meals, float in gravity-free sleep, and exercise in regimented routines to prevent atrophying muscles; we witness them form bonds that will stand between them and utter solitude. Most of all, we are with them as they behold and record their silent blue planet. Their experiences of sixteen sunrises and sunsets and the bright, blinking constellations of the galaxy are at once breathtakingly awesome and surprisingly intimate. So are the marks of civilization far below, encrusted on the planet on which we live." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook.

DB 117371 The mostly true story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley

"Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it. One slip on the rug. That's all it took for Louise Wilt's daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one. The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things-weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately? Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who-if they can outrun the mistakes of their past-might just have the greatest adventure of their lives." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some descriptions of sex, strong language. Commercial audiobook.

Jane, Silver Lake

DB 120199 Three-inch teeth by C. J. Box

"A rogue grizzly bear has gone on a rampage--killing, among others, the potential fiancé of Joe's daughter. At the same time, Dallas Cates, who Joe helped lock up years ago, is released from prison with a special list tattooed on his skin. He wants revenge on the people who sent him away: the six people he blames for the deaths of his entire family and the loss of his reputation and property. Using the grizzly attacks as cover, Cates sets out to methodically check off his list. The problem is, both Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett are on it"-- Back cover. -- Strong language and some violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 86075 The edge of the Empire: a journey to Britannia: from the heart of Rome to Hadrian's Wall by Bronwen Riley

In the year A. D. 130, Rome is the heart of a vast empire ruled by Hadrian, and Britannia is merely a troublesome, faraway province. Using an extensive range of Greek and Latin sources, the author describes an epic journey from Rome to Hadrian's Wall at the empire's northwestern frontier. 2015.

Jackie, Leavenworth

DB 49645 Redeeming love by Francine Rivers

Sarah was only eight when her mother died and she was sold into prostitution. When she is in her early twenties and working in a California brothel as "Angel," a devout Christian gentleman rescues her. But Sarah has trouble accepting God's redeeming love. Some descriptions of sex. 1997.

DB 121637 Bits and pieces: my mother, my brother, and me by Whoopi Goldberg

"From multi-award winner Whoopi Goldberg comes a new and unique memoir of her family and their influence on her early life."-- OCLC. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 92057 Fly girls: how five daring women defied all odds and made aviation history by Keith O'Brien

An account of how a group of female pilots banded together to fight for the chance to compete in airplane racing, a hugely popular sport in the years between WWI and WWII. Profiles five talented pilots, including Amelia Earhart, and the competition and camaraderie they shared. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

Betty, Manhattan

DB 116354 The river we remember by William Kent Krueger

"On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota, gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn's murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past. Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn's death threatens to expose." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

Maggie Witte, Kansas Talking Books Outreach Librarian

DB 125304 We kept her in the cellar by W. R. Gorman

"Eunice follows three strict rules in life: treat Cinderella as family, prevent her from accessing rats or mice, and never look at her between midnight and 3 a.m. Cinderella, possessing dark powers, is cared for by Eunice, who keeps the family's secret. Eunice's life has been filled with nightmares and close encounters with the monster in the cellar. Upon befriending Prince Credence and securing a ball invitation, Eunice sees a chance for freedom. However, Cinderella escapes, wreaking havoc at the ball and captivating the prince. Eunice must now decide what she's willing to sacrifice to stop her stepsister."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 64445 His majesty's dragon by Naomi Novik

English naval captain Will Laurence discovers a dragon egg aboard a captured French frigate. Once the creature, Temeraire, hatches, Will harnesses it and bonds immediately and irrevocably with it. The pair trains in the art of airborne combat before joining the Aerial Corps to battle Napoleon's forces. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

DB 119351 The king's captive by K. M. Shea

"I can turn into a housecat. It's a fun magic, except in a world filled with vampires and werewolves, it doesn't exactly make me a powerhouse. Instead, the supernatural community has classified me as an outcast, which means one thing: Picking on me is open season all day, every day. The local fae are the worst of all, and it's during one of their regular "capture the cat-girl" sessions that I shift into my cat form and meet HIM for the first time. Noctus is so powerful his magic radiates off him like a sun, and my fae captors can barely look in his general direction. And then my life gets even more terrifying when Noctus decides to take me with him. As a pet. Why did he pick today to "adopt don't shop" a cat?"--Goodreads. Some violence and some strong language.

No Subjects
03/03/2025
Michael Lang
Kansas Talking Books Week 2025 celebrates the theme Your Story, Our Mission, highlighting the incredible impact that talking books have on our patrons across the state
No Subjects
02/24/2025
Maggie Witte

The Kansas Talking Books staff has an eclectic taste in books from all different genres. Check out what our staff has been reading this month.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 121552 Ocean's godori by Elaine U. Cho

"Becky Chambers meets Firefly in this big-hearted Korean space opera debut about a disgraced space pilot struggling to find her place while fighting to protect the people she loves. "A thrilling, transportive ride from a powerful and evocative new voice."-- Lena Waithe, Rishi Rajani, and Naomi Funabashi, Hillman Grad Books Ocean Yoon has never felt very Korean, even if she is descended from a long line of haenyeo, Jeju Island's beloved female divers. She doesn't like soju, constantly misses cultural references, and despite her love of the game, people still say that she doesn't play Hwatu like a Korean. Ocean's also persona non grata at the Alliance, Korea's solar system-dominating space agency, since a mission went awry and she earned a reputation for being a little too quick with her gun. When her best friend, Teo, second son of the Anand Tech empire, is framed for murdering his family, Ocean and her misfit crewmates are pushed to the forefront of a high-stakes ideological conflict. But dodging bullets and winning space chases may be the easiest part of what comes next. A thrilling adventure across the solar that delivers hyperkinetic action sequences and irresistible will-they-won't-they romance alongside its nuanced exploration of colonialism and capitalism, Ocean's Godori ultimately asks: What do we owe our past? How do we navigate our present while honoring the complicated facets of our identity? What can our future hold?"-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 107522 The diamond eye by Kate Quinn

Kiev, 1937. Bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila becomes a deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

DB 122378 Of jade and dragons by Amber Chen

"After her father's murder, eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying travels to the capital, where she diguises herself as her brother and infiltrates the Engineers Guild as she tries to solve her father's murder with help from a prince with plans of his own."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers.

DB 110049 Half a soul by Olivia Atwater

"Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment-an unfortunate condition that leaves her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season-but when Elias Wilder, the strange, handsome, and utterly ill-mannered Lord Sorcier, discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into peculiar and dangerous faerie affairs. If her reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all high society, then she and her family may yet reclaim their normal place in the world. But the longer Dora spends with Elias, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love even with only half a soul." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Ryan Lauber, Library Assistant

DB 94475 Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

In the prisons of the Lord Ruler, Kelsier discovers he has the powers of the Mistborn. A brilliant thief, Kel recruits a team from the underworld's elite to challenge the Lord Ruler. It's a long shot, until Kel finds the ragged girl Vin, a half-skaa orphan like him. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 58628 The lone drow by R. A. Salvatore

After their near-devastating defeat in The Thousand Orcs (DB 58337), dwarves and humans flee the onslaught of King Obould Many-Arrows and his orc army. Dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, having become separated from his companions, sets out alone across the Spine of the World to avenge the fallen. Violence. 2003.

Jason Brinkman, Production Manager

DB 122096 Challenger: a true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space by Adam Higginbottom

"On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in twentieth-century history -- one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told. Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, original reporting, Challenger : A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space follows a handful of central protagonists -- including each of the seven members of the doomed crew -- through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward. It's a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige ; of hubris and heroism ; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public. Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and the lives of men and women whose stories have been overshadowed by the disaster, as well as the designers, engineers, and test pilots who struggled against the odds to get the first shuttle into space. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history -- and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

No Subjects
02/11/2025
Maggie Witte

Have you ever told yourself, “This year, I'm going to read more books”? Do you want to encourage yourself to read outside your comfort zone? Are you looking to challenge yourself?

Several reading challenges exist online, some with various prompts to get you reading outside your box, others with a numbered reading goal to reach, but all with the goal to get you reading more. Yes, we know we're already nearing mid-February, but it's still early in the year and a perfect time to get started. Try yourself with any one of these challenges we've rounded up from the multitude across the Internet. 

Remember, if you need help to find books to fit your challenge prompts or just need help finding your next read, the Kansas Talking Books' team of readers' advisors are just a call (1-800-362-0699) or email (ktb@ks.gov) away. We are happy to help you with any of your reading or library needs.

Reading Challenges:

Book Riot's 2025 Read Harder Challenge - use the 24 prompts provided to read outside your comfort zone.

The StoryGraph's Genre Challenge 2025 - read outside your normal genres with this list of prompts for both fiction and nonfiction genres.

2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge - set your goal to read x number of books this year and use the tips and prompts new this year to reach your goal.

2025 Barnes and Noble Book Challenge - challenge yourself to read 52 books, one for each week, fitting the one simple prompts provided which include a couple of possible books matching the prompt as a starting point.

Beat the Backlist - focus on clearing out your to-be-read (TBR) list with this challenge using the prompts provided.

Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge - read as many books as you can this year, maybe even one per week, with the 52 prompts provided to expand your reading selection.

2025 PopSugar Reading Challenge - use these prompts as inspiration for choosing your next read.

2025 NoveList Reading Challenge - use the monthly prompts to inspire you pick something different for your next read:

  • January: Mix things up with a genre blend.
  • February: Fall in love with an LGBTQIA+ romance.
  • March: Stay up to date with a book about current social issues.
  • April: Read a book with neurodivergent characters.
  • May: Enjoy a larger-than-life cinematic book.
  • June: Lighten up with a funny or whimsical graphic novel.
  • July: Enjoy a chilling summer with must-read horror.
  • August: Read a cli-fi, solarpunk, or hopepunk book.
  • September: Read a book set in the decade you were born.  
  • October: Try an award-winning audiobook or graphic novel. 
  • November: Tempt your tastebuds with a culinary read.
  • December: Go meta with books about books.

Kansas Talking Books Summer Reading - while not a reading challenge, find book recommendations each week focused on a different theme between June 2 and August 1. Find out more on our website.

No Subjects
02/04/2025
Michael Lang

Check out January's top BARD downloads in Kansas! If you aren't yet a BARD user, you can learn more at the NLS BARD website. If BARD isn't a good fit for you, we are still happy to mail books and magazines directly to your home. Just drop us a line at KTB@ks.gov or call 800-362-0699. Happy reading!

Most popular Kansas BARD user audiobook downloads January 


Most popular Kansas BARD user audio magazine downloads from January 2025. 

  • Atlantic Monthly January, 2025
  • The Week January 17, 2025
  • The New Yorker December 23, 2024
  • Guide Posts February, 2025
  • The Week December 27, 2024
  • AARP Magazine and Bulletin October, 2024
  • Mother Jones January, 2025
  • Atlantic Monthly December, 2024
  • Discover November, 2024
  • The New Yorker January 13, 2025
  • New York Times Book Review January 05, 2025

     A full list of available magazines can be found on the NLS Website

Most popular Kansas BARD user braille book downloads from January 2025 

  • BR25214 What Every Blind Person Needs You to Know: A handbook for friends, family and colleagues of the visually impaired by Hunt, Leanne.
  • BR24484 The Chicken Bible: Say goodbye to boring chicken with 500 recipes for easy dinners, braises, wings, stir-fries, and so much more by America's Test Kitchen.
No Subjects
01/29/2025
Maggie Witte

Today is Kansas Day, celebrating the day Kansas was admitted into the Union in 1861 as the 34th state. In honor of this day, we've pulled a list of the top ten most popular books in the past 5 years that are about Kansas and recorded by your very own Kansas Talking Books library through efforts of staff and volunteers. These books cover a variety of topics, people, and events in Kansas history with a popular paranormal western included. Make one of these local interest books your next read.

1. DBC06570 It happened in Kansas: remarkable events that shaped history by Sarah Smarsh

It Happened in Kansas features over 25 chapters in Kansas history. Lively and entertaining, this book brings the varied and fascinating history of the Sunflower State to life. Some violence.

2. DBC17284 Flint Hills cowboys: tales from the Tallgrass Prairie by James F. Hoy

The Flint Hills are America's last tallgrass prairie, a green enclave set in the midst of the farmland of eastern Kansas. Known as the home of the Big Beef Steer, these rugged hills have produced exemplary cowboys -- both the ranch and rodeo varieties -- whose hard work has given them plenty of material for equally good stories. Adult.

3. DBC17310 Peggy of the Flint Hills: a memoir by Zula Bennington Greene

"Peggy of the Flint Hills" was a beloved Topeka newspaper columnist, dispensing common sense and uncommon insight six days a week for 55 years. But her true masterwork was this little memoir, now seeing publication for the first time--a breathtakingly rich recollection of her childhood in the Ozark foothills and her young adulthood in the Kansas Flint Hills. With a full heart and a matchless memory, Peggy writes of the people and places that shaped her, offering readers a crystalline window into a long-gone world.

4. DBC14923 Notorious Kansas bank heists: gunslingers to gangsters by Rod Beemer

Bank robbers wreaked havoc in the Sunflower State. After robbing the Chautauqua State Bank in 1911, outlaw Elmer McCurdy was killed by lawmen but wasn't buried for sixty-six years. His afterlife can be described only as bizarre. Belle Starr's nephew Henry Starr claimed to have robbed twenty-one banks. The Dalton gang failed in their attempt to rob two banks simultaneously, but others accomplished this in Waterville in 1911. Nearly four thousand known vigilantes patrolled the Sunflower State during the 1920s and 1930s to combat the criminal menace. One group even had an airplane with a .50-caliber machine gun. Join author Rod Beemer for a wild ride into Kansas's tumultuous bank heist history. Some strong language and some violence.

5. DBC06565 Of grave concern: Ophelia Wylde series, book 1 by Max McCoy

The Civil War is over, and many a young widow has turned to spiritualism to contact their husbands on 'the other side.' But Ophelia Wylde won't be fooled twice. After wasting her money on a phoney psychic, she decides if she can't beat 'em, join 'em. She leaves New Orleans and heads West, selling her services as a spiritual medium who speaks to the dead. By the time she reaches Dodge City, business is booming. Except for a handsome but skeptical bounty hunter named Jack Calder, no one suspects Ophelia of running a con game--until an unfortunate 'reading' of a girl who's still living exposes her to a town full of angry customers. As punishment, the mob drags Ophelia to Boot Hill and buries her alive in a fresh grave overnight. That's when the dead start speaking. To her. For real. And for dead people, they've got lots to say. Contains some descriptions of sex, some strong language, and some violence.

6. DBC08730 Harvey Houses of Kansas: historic hospitality from Topeka to Syracuse by Rosa Walston Latimer

Starting in Kansas, Fred Harvey's iconic Harvey House was the first to set the standard for fine dining and hospitality across the rugged Southwest. In 1876, the first of Harvey's depot restaurants opened in Topeka, followed just a few years later by the first combination hotel and restaurant in Florence. Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls introduced good food and manners to the land of Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and raucous cattle drives. In her third book on the Harvey House legacy, author Rosa Walston Latimer goes back to where it all began in this history of hospitality from the Sunflower State.

7. DBC05083 Time's shadow: remembering a family farm in Kansas by Arnold J. Bauer

Arnold Bauer grew up on his family's 160-acre farm in Goshen Township in Clay County, Kansas, amidst a land of prairie grass and rich creek-bottom soil. His meditative and moving account of those years depicts a century-long narrative of struggle, survival, and demise. A coming-of-age memoir set in the 1930s to 50s, it blends local history with personal reflection to paint a realistic picture of farm life and families from a now-lost world. Contains some strong language and some violence.

8. DBC06579 Shadow on the hill: the true story of a 1925 Kansas murder by Diana Staresinic-Deane

On Decoration Day in 1925, John Knoblock returned to his Kansas farm to find his wife slaughtered on the kitchen floor. Within hours, dozens of lawmen, family members, well-meaning neighbors and gawkers paraded through the Knoblock farmstead, contaminating and destroying what little evidence was left behind. A small team of inexperienced lawmen, including a newly elected sheriff who had never run a murder investigation, attempted to reconstruct and solve the most gruesome murder in the history of Coffey County, Kansas. Adult. Some violence.

9. DBC08676 The border between them: violence and reconciliation on the Kansas-Missouri line by Jeremy Neely

The author recounts the exploits of John Brown, William Quantrill, and other notorious guerrillas, as well as the stories of everyday people who lived through the conflict that marked the terrible first act of the American Civil War. He then examines how emancipation, industrialization, and immigration eventually eroded wartime divisions. Some violence.

10. DBC02420 And hell followed with it: life and death in a Kansas tornado by Bonar Menninger

Detailed account of the June 1966 tornado in Topeka, where property damage of $100 million made it the most destructive in U.S. history up to that time. Some violence and some strong language.

No Subjects
01/24/2025
Maggie Witte

January is a fresh start to a new year. Wondering what our staff is reading this month? Some of us are rereading some of our favorite comfort reads while others are reading new books. Check out what we're reading and see if any of these will be your next read.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 119203 Orbital by Samantha Harvey

"A slender novel of epic power, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men hurtling through space-not towards the moon or the vast unknown, but around our planet. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts-from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan-have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below. We glimpse moments of their earthly lives through brief communications with family, their photos and talismans; we watch them whip up dehydrated meals, float in gravity-free sleep, and exercise in regimented routines to prevent atrophying muscles; we witness them form bonds that will stand between them and utter solitude. Most of all, we are with them as they behold and record their silent blue planet. Their experiences of sixteen sunrises and sunsets and the bright, blinking constellations of the galaxy are at once breathtakingly awesome and surprisingly intimate. So are the marks of civilization far below, encrusted on the planet on which we live." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook.

DB 124838 Blood test by Charles Baxter

"In this fresh take on love and trouble in the American heartland, Brock Hobson, an insurance salesman and Sunday-school teacher, finds his equilibrium disturbed by the results of a blood test. Baxter, a master storyteller, brings us a gradually building rollercoaster narrative, and a protagonist who is impertinent, searching, and hilariously relatable. From his good-as-gold, gentle girlfriend to the excessively macho subcontractor guy his ex-wife left him for, not to mention his well-raised teenage kids, now exploring sex and sexuality, the secondary characters in Brock's life all contribute meaningfully to the drama, as increasing challenges to his sense of self and purpose crash over him. The final battle--no spoilers, but there is one--couldn't be more delightful, as this quick and bracing novel reminds us to choose the best people to love, accept the ones we love even if we didn't choose them, and love them all well"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Nataly Renfro, Machine Clerk

DB 122854 The black bird oracle by Deborah Harkness

"Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself--and her family history--in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling All Souls series. Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clairmont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two other-worldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana's family line. Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family's future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It's time you came home, Diana. On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family's dark past, and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power-if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Ryan Lauber, Library Assistant

DB 94475 Mistborn by Brondon Sanderson

In the prisons of the Lord Ruler, Kelsier discovers he has the powers of the Mistborn. A brilliant thief, Kel recruits a team from the underworld's elite to challenge the Lord Ruler. It's a long shot, until Kel finds the ragged girl Vin, a half-skaa orphan like him. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2006.

Jason Brinkman, Production Manager

DB 123864 The fellowship of the ring: being the first part of the lord of the rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

"Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit, sets out on a perilous journey to the Cracks of Doom, along with a band of warriors from different kingdoms, to destroy the Dark Lord's Ring of Power."-- WorldCat. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 123865 The two towers: being the second part of the lord of the rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

"Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin-alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go."-- Goodreads. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 123866 The return of the king: being the third part of the lord of the rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

"Presents the adventures of the little hobbit Frodo Baggins and his trusty companion, Sam as they journey from Middle Earth to the land of the Shadow in a final reckoning with the evil power of Sauron."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 113965 The Wager: a tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder by David Grann

"On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty's Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as "the prize of all the oceans," it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing nearly 3,000 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. But then ... six months later, another, even more decrepit craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways, and they told a very different story. The thirty sailors who landed in Brazil were not heroes - they were mutineers. The first group responded with countercharges of their own, of a tyrannical and murderous senior officer and his henchmen. It became clear that while stranded on the island the crew had fallen into anarchy, with warring factions fighting for dominion over the barren wilderness. As accusations of treachery and murder flew, the Admiralty convened a court martial to determine who was telling the truth. The stakes were life-and-death-for whomever the court found guilty could hang. The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers. Grann's recreation of the hidden world on a British warship rivals the work of Patrick O'Brian, his portrayal of the castaways' desperate straits stands up to the classics of survival writing such as The Endurance, and his account of the court martial has the savvy of a Scott Turow thriller. As always with Grann's work, the incredible twists of the narrative hold the reader spellbound." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 110541 A merry little meet cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

"Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn't ask for more. But when Bee's favorite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he's making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee's career is about to take a more family-friendly direction. Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns this is a task a lot easier said than done. Though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her co-star is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan's promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he'll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom. But things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont, when Nolan recognizes his new co-star from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he's a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel's execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan's singing career comes snooping around--and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee. And if Bee and Nolan can't keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 115206 Fourth wing by Rebecca Yarros

"Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros. Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general-also known as her tough-as-talons mother-has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away ... because dragons don't bond to "fragile" humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter-like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda-because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die." -- Provided by publisher. -- Explicit descriptions of sex, some strong language, violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

No Subjects
01/13/2025
Michael Lang
December download devotees delighted. Don't delay, download directly!
No Subjects