Talking Books Talk

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

DB 115285 The beach house by Jenny Hale

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

DB 103564 Malibu rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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

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

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

DB 114407 The guest by Emma Cline

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

DB 116951 The whispers by Ashley Audrain

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

DB 115175 A little ray of sunshine by Kristan Higgins

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

DB 109296 An island wedding by Jenny Colgan

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

DB 95996 The overdue life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

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

DB 103002 Heart bones by Colleen Hoover

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

DB 95304 The summer wives by Beatriz Williams 

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

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

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

Check out what our staff have been reading since May.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian

DB 114761 Warrior girl unearthed by Angeline Boulley

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

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

DB 119086 All the hidden paths by Foz Meadows

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

DB 116667 Call me maybe by Cara Bastone

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

DB 116668 Sweet talk by Cara Bastone

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

DB 116669 Seatmate by Cara Bastone

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

DB 117271 Assistant to the villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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

DB 22934 Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card

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

Amanda Diggs, Production Manager

DB 106099 Fatal fried rice by Vivien Chien

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

DB 109692 Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

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

DB 105459 Slewfoot: a tale of bewitchery by Brom

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

Jason Brinkman, Library Assistant

DB 80178 The escape by David Baldacci

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

Michael Lang, Director

DB 90711 Circe by Madeline Miller

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

DB 118263 Starter villain by John Scalzi

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

From the Director’s Desk

Happy Summer to you all!

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

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

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

Enjoy the warm weather and read on!

–Michael Lang, Director

KTB Updates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quarterly Virtual Book Club, June 12

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

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

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

We look forward to hearing from you!

2024 Virtual Book Club Dates & Books

Wednesday, September 4 at noon.

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

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

Wednesday, December 11 at noon

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

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

Manhattan Book Club Dates & Books

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

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

DB 103326 The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

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

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

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

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

Magazine Circulation

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

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

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

News from NLS

NLS Summer Reading Program

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming NLS Events         

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

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

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

Topic: NLS eReader Updates: A Brief Review.

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

Music section

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

As an alternative, NLS recommends that patrons:

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

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

Readers’ Advisors Recommend: Summer Fantasy

Escape the summer into these fantasy books.

DB 119678 The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

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

DB 119573 Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

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

DB 119435 Ours by Phillip B. Williams

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

DB 119298 The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

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

DB 119201 Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

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

DB 118891 The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

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