 Amy Tintera’s Listen for the Lie is one of those books that feels like it was designed to mess with your head, in the best way. Picture this: Lucy flees her small Texas town years ago after her best friend is murdered. Everyone thinks Lucy did it, but the catch is... Lucy doesn’t actually remember the night in question. Blackout, blood, no memory. Not exactly reassuring, right?
Fast forward, and now a popular true-crime podcaster drags Lucy back home to “set the record straight.” The book jumps between Lucy’s very sarcastic, sharp inner voice and the podcast transcripts that read just like the shows we all binge when we should be sleeping. That format makes it ridiculously addictive, you’ll keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” until suddenly it’s 2 a.m. The best part? Lucy herself. She’s messy, she’s funny, she’s self-deprecating, and you’re never totally sure if she’s guilty or not. The whole time, you’re caught between “there’s no way she did it” and “oh God, maybe she did.” Add in a small town where everyone holds a grudge, and the gossip feels like another character in the book. This isn’t just a whodunit, it’s more like, who do you trust? Who’s lying, who’s remembering wrong, and who’s twisting the story to suit themselves? If you like thrillers with unreliable narrators, podcast vibes, and a little bit of dark humor, Listen for the Lie will absolutely hook you. Check out the book, or download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian
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 Okay, so let me just say it: this book destroyed me. Like, ugly crying, tissues everywhere, the whole thing. Human Acts is not the kind of book you breeze through on a lazy Sunday, it’s the kind of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.
Han Kang, who, by the way, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024 (well deserved) takes us straight into the Gwangju Uprising of 1980 in South Korea. If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. Most Americans know nothing about it, which makes this book even more of a gut punch. She’s basically saying, “Look. Remember this. Don’t turn away.” And you can’t. The book is broken into different voices, people who lived it, suffered it, survived it, or didn’t. Every chapter feels like peeling back another layer of grief. Sometimes the writing is so sharp and raw that I had to stop, stare at the wall for a while, and then talk myself into picking it back up. It’s not easy. It’s not comforting. But man, it’s powerful. Han Kang builds this sort of memorial out of words, and reading it feels like standing in front of a monument where silence and tears are the only possible response. So yeah, this book devastated me. It broke me apart and left me different than when I started it. But isn’t that what great literature is supposed to do? Get the book at the library or download the eBook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Reading My Dark Vanessa was an extremely difficult and unsettling read. Russell doesn’t just tell a story; she dissects the decay beneath the surface of a power imbalance, carving into the marrow of consent, memory, and grooming until you’re left raw and unsettled.
Vanessa, the protagonist, is both victim and unreliable narrator of her own life. She’s fifteen when her teacher, Strane, begins his predatory “romance,” but the brilliance of the novel lies in how Russell captures the long echo of that abuse. The way Vanessa clings to the idea of being “special” even as her adult self unravels under the weight of truth. You want to shake her, you want to protect her, and sometimes you even want to believe her rationalizations, which is the exact trap Russell sets: she forces us to experience the seduction and the horror side by side. I had to put this down a few times. The book holds a mirror to the way society excuses powerful men and shames girls for their own exploitation. It makes you complicit in Vanessa’s struggle, and that’s the point. It’s supposed to be uncomfortable. The language is sharp, the atmosphere suffocating, and the emotional honesty is almost unbearable at times. At the end, you don’t walk away with neat answers or triumphant catharsis. Instead, you’re left with jagged edges, anger at Strane, grief for Vanessa, and maybe a gnawing reflection on the blind spots in your own perception of abuse. Dark, devastating, and unforgettable, My Dark Vanessa is less a novel than an autopsy of trauma, and reading it feels like opening wounds you didn’t know you had. It's a great book, but it's very upsetting. This book is available for download as an eBook or audiobook. Ask us for interlibrary loan if you prefer a physical copy. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Stephen King’s Fairy Tale isn’t just another “kid discovers magical portal” story. It’s really a story about a boy and his dog. More specifically: what lengths would you go to if the dog you loved most in the world was slipping away from you?
Charlie Reade is just a regular teenager dealing with more grief than most adults. After the tragic death of his mother, his father sank into alcoholism. Charlie and his father are setting their lives back on the right path when he stumbles into an old man’s life, then inherits his ancient house, his secrets, and most importantly, his elderly German shepherd, Radar. And if you’ve ever loved an old dog, the kind who looks at you with cloudy eyes with a softness like you hung the moon, you’ll understand why this book hurts in all the right places. Radar is failing, her legs going out, time running short. Charlie can’t accept that. And that’s where the fairy tale kicks in. There’s a way to save her. But, of course, it involves descending into a hidden kingdom where magic is tangled up with decay, curses, and tyrants who seem ripped out of the Brothers Grimm after a couple decades in prison. Charlie, who should be worried about school and baseball, instead walks willingly into horror because the alternative, losing Radar, is worse. That’s the thread King pulls on, and honestly, it’s brutal. If you’ve ever carried an old dog up the stairs or made the terrible vet appointment, you’ll feel every ounce of Charlie’s desperation. The fantasy kingdom, the monsters, the battle between good and evil—they’re all window dressing for the bigger, simpler story: love is irrational, loyalty makes us reckless, and sometimes the scariest thing in the world is watching your best friend fade away. Yes, it's long Some villains feel more like fairy tale sketches than flesh-and-blood monsters. But the book’s heart: the boy, the dog, and the impossible choice makes it worth the sprawl. By the end, you’ll ask yourself the same question King forces on Charlie: what would I risk, what kingdom of nightmares would I march into just for more time with my dog? Check out the book at the library. We have it in Large Print, too! You can also download the eBook or audiobook with your library card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  This book unsettled me in the best way. It’s set in small-town Minnesota and immediately took me back to my own childhood. I grew up in the shadow of Jacob Wetterling and Jonny Gosch disappearing. Adults were constantly warning us we were gonna get kidnapped, but at the same time they basically let us roam wild like little feral animals until dark. That mix of freedom and fear is all over this book.
Lourey captures it perfectly through Cassie’s eyes, the secrets, the predators everyone pretended not to see, the unease simmering under small-town life. Reading it felt way too familiar, like someone cracked open the childhood I remember but didn’t want to think too hard about. Creepy, raw, and unforgettable. Check out the book at the library. Aimee Clark, Library IT  Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar is one of those books that’s going to either knock the wind out of you in the best way or leave you muttering “what just happened?” under your breath. It’s Akbar’s first novel, though you can tell immediately he’s a poet. Every sentence is so vivid, sometimes you have to stop and reread just to absorb it all.
The main character, Cyrus Shams, is this queer, Iranian-American recovering addict whose life is one big, messy search for meaning. His mom died in a plane crash when he was a baby, and he’s been carrying that baggage around ever since. The book is about grief, but also about art, love, faith, and what it even means to be a “martyr” when you’re not necessarily in a religious war, but trying to make it through another day without falling apart. The structure is… all over the place, in a good way if you like that sort of thing. You get dream sequences, diary entries, snippets of poetry, and even weird conversations with Lisa Simpson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s raw and devastating, sometimes it’s surreal enough that you’re not totally sure if it’s really happening. If you’re cool with a novel that reads like a fever dream written by a poet who’s just a little obsessed with death, Martyr! will probably stick with you long after you finish it. If not, you’ll at least get some beautiful prose out of it. Get the book at the library or download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture’s Most Controversial Issues by Dan McClellan isn’t just a good read, it’s the kind of book that makes you stop mid-page and think, Wait… how did I not know this before? I loved it. Not in the polite, “yes, that was interesting” way, but in the full-on “this just rewired my brain” kind of way.
McClellan doesn’t simply toss out familiar verses and call it a day, he digs in. He peels back centuries of translation quirks, cultural drift, and straight-up misunderstandings, then lays the text out next to the world it was actually written in. Suddenly, passages you’ve heard a thousand times start sounding different, clearer, sharper, more human. What makes it work is his style. He’s a scholar, sure, but he’s not talking down to you from some academic tower. He’s more like the friend who happens to know way too much about the Bible and can explain it in a way that makes you go, “Ohhh, that makes sense now.” He connects the original language with the culture of the time, and the result is genuinely eye-opening. This book doesn't tell you what to think. It gives you the tools to look deeper and see what’s really there, then decide for yourself. And once you see it, you’ll never read the Bible the same way again. If you are interested in faith, Southwest Asian history, or just seeking meaning buried under layers of time and assumptions, this is a must-read. Get the book at the library, or download the audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  I’ve read a few of Frieda McFadden’s thrillers, and while I always appreciate the wild ride she takes the reader on, I usually find her protagonists a bit exhausting. It's like I'm being held hostage by someone with no chill and a lot of secrets, very superficial, materialistic, and frankly naïve people. That said, The Teacher was a standout for me. Easily my favorite of hers so far.
The pacing was sharp, the tension was just the right amount of unhinged, and the characters were compelling enough that I didn't feel the urge to throw my Kindle across the room (a genuine concern with some of her more frustrating narrators). Best of all were the twists, those classic McFadden whiplash but with extra polish. And that final twist in the last couple of pages? Perfectly nasty. Totally blindsided me in the best way. If you’re new to McFadden or looking for a gateway into her particular brand of domestic chaos and psychological suspense, this is the one I’d recommend. Get the book at the library or download the audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
Harper Collins, released June 17, 2025 What a delight! Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman is a huggable mystery. One of those books where the main character, Muriel Blossom, reminds you of someone you know and love like your mother, grandmother, older neighbor, or yourself. Muriel, a widower and recent lottery winner, decides to take a bucket list Parision river cruise with her life long friend, Elinor. Possibly because of Muriel’s age (68), plumpness, and overall compassionate demeanor, she becomes a dupe within a crime. But, as the story unfolds, we learn that Muriel is much smarter than anyone thinks. I had a lot of fun with this book. Laura Lippman is a seasoned mystery/detective writer with numerous awards and it shows. It is a heist turned into a murder mystery wrapped up in 270 pages. Muriel Blossom proved to be a great travel companion with her warmth, humor and wit. Mrs. Blossom hinted at being bitten by the travel bug. Yes, more Muriel Blossom adventures please. The pacing was great and I often found myself laughing out loud. This book is a perfect book club read with themes such as aging, identity and second chances. But, this is also a fun cozy read - go ahead, allow yourself the indulgence of traveling with Mrs. Blossom. I give it five out of five stars. Thank you Harper Collins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Robin Munson, Adult Programming & Grant Specialist Librarian Download this book with your SPL card on eBook or audiobook.  I went into All Systems Red by Martha Wells expecting, well, more murder from Murderbot. Instead, what I found was a deeply relatable, socially awkward security unit that mostly wants to be left alone so it can binge-watch its favorite space soap opera, The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. Murderbot is less about killing sprees and more about navigating human interactions with the enthusiasm of someone stuck at a party they didn’t want to attend. It’s apathetic, snarky, and somehow manages to be endearing while trying (and failing) to stay detached from the humans it’s assigned to protect. Each book is more of a mystery in space rather than a Sci-Fi adventure, although there is some of that.
I’m not usually big on series as tend to lose interest or balk at the commitment of so many books, but I tore through all of the Murderbot Diaries books. They’re fast, fun reads with just enough existential angst to keep things wildly entertaining. And now there’s a TV adaptation on Apple TV, so Murderbot finally gets to be the star of someone else’s screen for a change. I’m curious (and a little nervous) to see how they handle its glorious misanthropy on screen. I've watched the first two episodes and they were delightful, but the season isn't over yet. Start your Murderbot adventure with the book at the library or use your SPL card to download the eBook or audiobook. Aimee Clark, Library IT  If you're looking for some beautifully written fantasy/worldbuilding with a dash of real world, look no further than Dreamslinger! I loved the descriptions, and the magic system was so well-incorporated into a "real-life" scenario! The added themes are exceedingly relevant today, as well as poignant for the age group. If you like Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle, and enjoy the fights and foibles of Pokemon, then this is the book for you!
Not to mention: there are dragons. Lots and lots of dragons. Mariah Wills, Library Clerk Get Dreamslinger at the library.  If you’re looking for a horror novel that genuinely gets under your skin and stays there, This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno might just be the book to ruin your week in the best way possible.
The story follows Thiago, a guy reeling after the sudden death of his wife, Vera. He starts talking to her in the second person, so the whole book feels like a letter to someone who’s gone. And it’s not just sad (though it’s definitely sad). It’s weird, and unsettling, and at times downright terrifying. At first, the horror starts small. Strange noises, lights flickering, their smart speaker (Itza) acting possessed. You think, "Okay, haunted Alexa, that’s fun." But then it keeps escalating, and it becomes clear this isn’t just a haunted house or glitchy tech. There’s something bigger and stranger going on. Something that doesn't care about logic or closure. It’s like the horror version of grief itself. What really stuck with me, though, is how much heart is in this book. Thiago’s grief feels so real and so unfiltered. It’s messy. He’s angry, scared, numb, all of it at once. Moreno also weaves in subtle commentary on immigration, identity, and the alienation that comes with being a person of color in a country that treats you like an outsider even when you’re mourning. I will say, the book shifts gears pretty hard about two-thirds in. We move from haunted apartment to isolated cabin, and from domestic terror into full cosmic horror. Some people might find that jarring. I didn’t mind it. It felt like falling into the abyss alongside Thiago, but if you're someone who likes a neat resolution or grounded plot, the ending might leave you scratching your head. Still, for me, this book worked. It’s creepy. It’s sad. It’s strange in the best way. And it made me feel something deep in my gut. If you liked The Only Good Indians, or you want a horror novel that actually says something about what it means to lose someone, and to lose yourself in the process, pick this one up. Just… maybe don’t read it alone at night with a smart speaker nearby. Download the eBook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is less a novel than it is a slow-burning revenge opera stitched together with melodrama, betrayal, and deliciously petty vengeance.
We start with Edmond Dantes, a painfully earnest young man who makes the fatal mistake of trusting people. He's falsely imprisoned, and while rotting away in a dungeon for over a decade, he transforms from wide-eyed sailor to cold-blooded mastermind with unlimited funds and a penchant for disguises. It’s part prison escape story, part philosophical meditation, part soap opera with wigs and duels, and all of it works. Somehow. And it's really good. The plot is sprawling, with enough twists to make a telenovela blush. Dumas doesn’t write characters so much as he unleashes them. Everyone is dramatically flawed or flamboyantly wicked, and nobody ever just talks when they can monologue. It’s long. It’s extra. It’s deeply satisfying. If you’ve ever fantasized about enacting slow, poetic justice on your enemies while dressed like a mysterious aristocrat, this is your book. If not, read it anyway. You might discover you’ve had a Count of Monte Cristo buried inside you all along. Check out the book at the library, or download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Sadie by Courtney Summers is one of those rare books where the format is just as powerful as the story itself. I tend to bounce between print and audio depending on what I’m doing, but for this one, the audiobook is absolutely the way to go. It uses a full cast and leans hard into the true crime podcast structure, which makes it feel chillingly real.
The novel alternates points of view between Sadie, a girl on a desperate, rage-fueled journey to track down her sister’s killer, and West McCray, a podcast host trying to piece together what happened after Sadie disappears. This shift between her raw, vulnerable narration and his more removed, investigative voice builds a slow-burn tension that’s impossible to shake. It’s like living inside two timelines at once—one spiraling forward with Sadie’s determination, and the other chasing her ghost. Both formats—print and audio—are strong, but the audiobook takes it to another level. It’s immersive, unsettling, and emotionally devastating in the best way. If you’re looking for something gripping and unforgettable, Sadie delivers. The library has the book in print, but I really recommend the audiobook, which you can download with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  The September House by Carissa Orlando is a haunting in every sense of the word. Margaret buys a beautiful old home with her husband, only to discover it’s filled with screaming ghosts, blood that seeps from the walls each September, and something terrifying in the basement. But instead of running, she stays. She cleans up the blood. She pretends nothing is wrong. When her daughter comes back into the picture, the cracks in Margaret’s carefully managed world start to widen, and the story spirals into something both emotionally raw and deeply unsettling.
Orlando blends supernatural horror with real-world trauma, using ghosts as a metaphor for the things we live with, bury, and pretend not to see. It’s dark, eerie, sometimes funny, and emotionally sharp. If you like horror that lingers and means something, this one’s for you. Get the book at the library or download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian |
The SPL StaffWe work here at the library, and we’re into all kinds of books! How Do I Get These Books?See our Quickstart Guides page for information on how to use the online catalog and how to get eBooks and audiobooks for your specific device. You can also contact us there if you need more help!
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