​Let me start with a confession: I usually avoid series. The thought of investing in six, seven, or OMG ten volumes of anything makes me feel like I'm being roped into a cult. So when I picked up Dungeon Crawler Carl, I wasn’t expecting to get hooked. I was expecting a few laughs, maybe some dumb fun. What I got was an obsessive, page-devouring spiral of pure joy, horror, and unhinged delight.

This book, this series, is absurd, brilliant, and bananas in all the best ways. Imagine if The Hunger Games got drunk with The Running Man, invited a sentient cat with a gambling addiction, and then all of them were thrown into a sadistic alien reality show dungeon designed by someone who clearly has beef with humanity. That’s the vibe.

Carl is our reluctant hero, snatched from a crumbling Earth in his boxers and thrust into a dungeon where survival is livestreamed for galactic entertainment. His companion, Princess Donut, a bedazzled, talking Persian cat with the charisma of a diva and the bloodlust of a warlord, might just be one of the best-written characters in genre fiction, full stop. The tone whiplashes between comedy, gore, heart, and sheer insanity in a way that somehow works. Dinniman writes like he’s in on the joke but still deeply committed to telling a real story underneath the chaos. And, he does.

The world-building is endlessly creative and unrelenting. There’s no time to catch your breath, just as you're getting used to one deranged monster or trap, the next level hits harder. It’s funny, horrifying, emotionally sincere, and yes, addictive. I devoured these books. Plural. Me. The stand-alone-book-preferring heathen.

If you’re tired of Sci-fi/Fantasy/Dystopia that takes itself too seriously, or if you want to read something where the stakes are real, the satire is sharp, and the cat has better dialogue than most human protagonists, start crawling. Just don’t expect to stop. Oh, and sadness. Book Eight isn't out until this fall.

Get Dungeon Crawler Carl at the library.

​Aimee Clark, IT Librarian

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
HarperCollins Publishers set for release August 2025
By Robin Munson

What would you do if your Cambridge PHD advisor in Magic died and his soul, like all souls, is wandering the depths of Hell hoping to make proper amends before being reincarnated? Most students would change advisors, finish out their degree, and enjoy their future careers in magic. But, that is not what PHD students Alice Law and Peter Murdoch do. Instead, they travel to Hell and trade half their remaining life span to bring back Professor Grimes's soul while putting their lives, and their own souls, in danger. All this to save a man that only a few admired and many despised.

I enjoyed trudging through Hell with Alice and Peter. Alice, a driven, flawed, and closed person is the narrator.  A perfect combination for Professor Grimes to exploit and conjure an unhealthy classroom competition between Alice and Peter. It took a trip through Hell to challenge Alice physically, mentally, and emotionally to bring about the growth needed in her life. Peter, on the other hand, is a really good guy (which also upsets Alice). Both learned to work together with a combination of mathematics, science, and philosophy to help maneuver them through each of the courts of Hell based on the 7 deadly sins and the final eighth court.

The pacing throughout this book was great. I found myself reading late into the night eager to see how Alice and Peter were trekking through Hell. They met former Cambridge students or "victims" of Professor Grimes and the unraveling of the story and the characters was fascinating. Kuang was able to take my emotions from an "okay, here we are, in Hell" to an "Oh no she didn't!" about midway through.

I recommend this book to any fans of R.F. Kuang, anyone interested in philosophy, or anyone who enjoys a really good plot driven by relatable characters. It is well written and definitely worth the read. Katabasis comes out in August 2025 for all to enjoy.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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Sam DuChamp is the author of spy thrillers that sell, but he's no Tom Clancy. He invents a new character, Quichotte, an aging representative of a pharmaceutical company obsessed with reality TV. He has fallen in love with the host of a young daytime TV show and is convinced that she will feel the same. He even imagines a son, Sancho, into existence, and they climb into Quichotte's beat-up car, heading toward New York City on a surreal journey to meet his future bride without knowing that she has secrets of her own. The narrative switches between Sam and Quichotte, who are more alike than not, showing that Sam is using his character to work out his own demons. Or perhaps, where does fiction end and reality begin?

I loved this book. LOVED. Reserve the book here or download the audiobook with your SPL card here.

​Aimee Clark, IT Librarian

It's 1348, and the Black Plague is decimating Europe. In France, a disgraced knight rescues a girl from a grim fate among the dead. She claims the plague is just the beginning; Lucifer and his fallen angels are preparing to wage war on Earth. She's headed to Avignon (where the Pope resided at the time) because destiny calls. The knight's intrigued – will he join her and act as her protector? They also pick up a drunken priest along the way. The girl herself… is she delusional, or is she truly a voice of God?
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Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman is fantastic. It's a rich blend of fantasy, heavy on religious symbolism, with a touch of horror and historical fiction. It crosses genres so effectively, and I highly recommend it.

Click here to reserve the audiobook for download with your library card. Prefer a physical copy? Ask us to interlibrary loan one!

Aimee Clark, IT Librarian

In Aster’s world, boys are shapeshifters and girls are witches—no exceptions. But Aster loves magic, even though it’s forbidden for him. When his family is in danger, he has to choose between following the rules or embracing who he really is.

With gorgeous artwork and a heartfelt story, The Witch Boy is all about identity, breaking traditions, and self-acceptance. Some schools have banned it for challenging gender norms, but that’s what makes it an important topic of discussion.
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If you love magic, friendship, and stories about being true to yourself, this one’s a must-read!

Get the book at the library or download the eBook.

​Aimee Clark, IT Librarian

Ever wished your favorite book could be real? Dreamed of meeting the characters? Be careful what you wish for—because on Addington Isle, fiction is far less deadly than reality.

In Winterset Hollow, a group of friends visits the setting of their favorite childhood book—a whimsical tale of talking animals and their end-of-summer festival. Think The Wind in the Willows or Winnie-the Pooh. But the truth behind the story is far darker than they ever imagined. Barley Day isn't just a celebration—it's a hunt. And they're the prey.

Thrilling, terrifying, and full of surprises, Winterset Hollow delivers unforgettable and sympathetic characters on both sides, shocking twists, and a climax that will leave you gasping. On Barley Day, there’s only one rule: run.

Maybe you've never heard of this book, but if you spend any time on social media, you've seen the author's quotes. He's become quite famous for his wit. You should read his book, it's one of my favorites. Reserve it here.

Aimee Clark, IT Librarian