 If you’ve seen The Revenant movie, the one where Leonardo DiCaprio finally grabbed his Oscar, you probably think you know the story of Hugh Glass. Bear attack, crawling across the wilderness, icy revenge quest. And yeah, the movie was brutal and gorgeous, but the book? The book is better.
Michael Punke’s The Revenant doesn’t need to make up a tragic backstory with a wife and child (that part was pure Hollywood). What Glass actually went through was already unbelievable. Punke lays out the sheer insanity of his survival, crawling for weeks with shattered bones, fighting infection, dealing with betrayal, and still somehow dragging himself forward. And that’s not even the half of it. The novel includes details and feats the movie just skipped over, probably because audiences would’ve thought they were too over the top to be real. Before this all happened, he was even a pirate on a ship!! The film gave us a spectacle. The book gives us the full man versus nature, man versus man, and man versus his own breaking point story. If you liked the movie, read the book. If you didn’t like the movie, still read the book. It’s that good. Get the book at the library or the eBook and audiobook are available for download with your library 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  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  In We Do Not Part, Han Kang, now crowned with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, continues to unravel the raw sinews of the human spirit with her trademark elegance, restraint, and haunting brutality. If you’ve read The Vegetarian or Human Acts, you already know that she is not here to comfort you. She is here to disarm you, to offer silence as indictment of past sins, and pain as a kind of testimony.
This latest novel is perhaps her most distilled expression of sorrow and connection yet. It is a story soaked in grief, not just personal grief, but historical and national grief, a grief that simmers beneath the skin, unnamed and yet entirely felt. Her language is stripped down to the bone, almost surgical in its precision, leaving vast, aching white space between sentences like unspoken truths hanging in the air. At its core, We Do Not Part is about the relationship between two friends. But it’s also about war, memory, intimacy, and the ways violence echoes through generations like a haunting melody. The lines between presence and absence, love and loss, flesh and memory blur. Han Kang does not offer resolution. She never has. But what she does offer is something far more rare: an invitation to sit in discomfort, to witness the beauty in fracture, and to confront the quiet devastation of history without blinking. It is no surprise that the Nobel committee recognized her. Han writes not with ink but with absence, making you feel the ghosts between the words. We Do Not Part is not just a novel, it is a requiem for everything we cannot hold on to, and a prayer for what lingers anyway. A devastating, masterful work. Read it, but don’t expect to emerge unchanged. Her books are always a favorite of mine even though they leave me devastated, and this did not disappoint. Check it out at the library. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy is one of those classic novels that genuinely lives up to the hype. It dives into messy relationships, complicated emotions, and the pressures of society in 19th-century Russia. At the center is Anna, whose intense affair with Vronsky pulls her into a spiral of love, heartbreak, and loneliness.
What makes the book special is how deeply Tolstoy explores his characters. Anna feels real, flawed, and relatable, even if some of her choices are difficult to understand. There's also Levin, a character wrestling with his own questions about life's meaning, providing a thoughtful contrast to Anna's intense storyline. Sure, the book is lengthy, and Tolstoy sometimes spends considerable time discussing farming, politics, or philosophy, which can slow things down. However, these moments teach you a lot about Russian history, politics, and society in the 1870s, adding important layers to the story and making it more than just romantic drama. In the end, Anna Karenina is about real people struggling with love, society, and themselves. It’s the kind of novel you keep thinking about long after you've finished reading it, and it's definitely worth giving a shot. It’s certainly one of my favorite books! Reserve it at the library or get the audiobook or eBook. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Allen Eskens’ The Quiet Librarian is one of those books you just can’t put down. Think The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah with a tiny sprinkle of John Wick.
The story follows Hana Babic, a quiet, mousy, unassuming librarian in Minnesota with a dark, complicated past. When her best friend is murdered, Hana suddenly finds herself responsible for a young boy and pulled into a web of danger tied to a life she thought she’d left behind. Back during the Bosnian War, she was a teenage resistance fighter known as the Night Mora, a figure who became something of a boogeyman to the oppressing army. She buried that part of herself long ago, but now it’s all bubbling back up as she tries to protect the boy and figure out what really happened to her friend. What really makes this book stand out is Hana. She’s complex, brave, and haunted in a way that feels totally real. Watching her shift from someone who just wants to stay invisible to someone who has no choice but to face her past is both powerful and heartbreaking. Eskens does a fantastic job weaving together past and present, showing how trauma leaves its mark, but also how strength and healing can grow from it. The writing is sharp, the pace is spot-on, and the emotional moments really land. If you’re into stories about hidden identities, strong women, and a bit of mystery with real emotional weight, The Quiet Librarian is 100% worth the read. Reserve the book at the library here. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  This book is a heartfelt, emotional story that weaves together history, love, and loss in a really touching way. Set in Seattle, it follows Henry Lee, a Chinese American man who, in 1986, comes across a piece of his past when he learns about belongings found in the old Panama Hotel, items left behind by Japanese American families sent to internment camps during World War II. This discovery brings back memories of his childhood, especially his friendship (and first love) with Keiko, a Japanese American girl.
The story jumps between the 1940s and the 1980s, showing young Henry dealing with racism, family pressure, and the heartbreak of being separated from Keiko. At the same time, older Henry is trying to come to terms with his past and figure out what it all meant. The writing is simple but really effective, and Ford does a great job of making you feel the emotions of the characters. While some parts of the story are predictable, the book has a lot of heart. It’s bittersweet, just like the title suggests, and it sticks with you long after you finish. If you like historical fiction with strong emotional depth, this is definitely worth a read. Get the book at the library! Or if you prefer, download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. 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 is 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?
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  John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a short but unforgettable story about two friends, George and Lennie, trying to make a better life for themselves during the Great Depression. They dream of owning land, but life doesn’t go easy on them, and things take a heartbreaking turn.
The book has been banned in some schools because of its language, racial slurs, violence, and tough topics like sexism and disability. Some think it’s too harsh, while others say it’s an important look at the struggles of the time. No matter how you feel about it, Of Mice and Men is one of those books that stays with you. It’s about friendship, dreams, and how unfair life can be, but that’s what makes it so real. Check it out at the library. Get the audiobook narrated by Gary Sinise or the eBook. We also have the DVD of the movie starring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Blood Meridian throws you headfirst into a brutal and beautiful world where violence is the law of the land, a far cry from the usual Western stories. The Kid's journey with a group of scalp hunters is nothing compared to the terrifying Judge Holden, a figure of pure, chilling chaos, whose presence hangs over the story like a dark cloud. McCarthy's writing, epic and mesmerizing, turns the landscape into a nightmarish vision, a desolate and unforgiving place where good and evil lose all meaning. This is a story without heroes or redemption, a raw and uncompromising experience that, despite its darkness, stays with you long after you finish it, forcing you to face the darkest parts of human nature and the brutal truth of history.
Get the book at the library or get the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books that sticks with you. Set in the 1930s South, it’s told through the eyes of Scout Finch, a curious, sharp kid growing up with her brother Jem and their dad, Atticus. When Atticus, a lawyer, defends a Black man falsely accused of a crime, Scout starts to see the ugly side of the world, racism, injustice, and the way people refuse to do what’s right. Harper Lee’s writing is simple but powerful, making big themes like racism, morality, and empathy easy to connect with. At its core, it’s about growing up and realizing the world isn’t always fair, but that standing up for what’s right still matters. The book has been banned and challenged in some schools for its discussions of race, language, and tough topics. Some people think it’s too controversial, but others see it as an important read for understanding history and injustice. Whether you’re reading it for the first time or coming back to it, To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that makes you think, feel, and see things a little differently. Reserve the novel in regular or Large Print. Or, download the eBook or audiobook narrated by Sissy Spacek. We also have the classic movie starring Gregory Peck available on DVD for checkout. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian   The Sympathizer is a thrilling mix of spy thriller and historical drama set during and after the Vietnam War. The nameless narrator, a conflicted double agent, struggles with divided loyalties between communist Vietnam and capitalist America, all while delivering sharp, sarcastic insights. With twists, dark humor, and a deep dive into identity and betrayal, this book is a solid, thought-provoking read that hooks you from the beginning and keeps you on your toes, never knowing where it will go.
Reserve the book from the library or get the eBook with your SPL card. Viet Thanh Nguyen won the Pulitzer for this novel and well as many other awards, and he certainly deserved all of them! It has since been made into an HBO series starring Robert Downey Jr. playing multiple roles that the narrator meets during his life. Hoa Xuande of Cowboy Bebop plays our narrator, and Sandra Oh also stars. The showrunner and director of several episodes is Park Chan-wook, famous for Decision to Leave and the Vengeance Trilogy (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance) which can be viewed on Kanopy with your SPL card at the time of this post. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  In 1975, a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy family vanishes from a summer camp. Oddly, her older brother disappeared from the same camp 14 years earlier. To make things even stranger, her parents own the camp.
This story dives into class divides—the wealthy camp owners, their privileged friends, and their children who attend, contrasted with the local workers hired to maintain the camp and its grounds. It’s a tale of power, privilege, and the secrets that simmer beneath the surface. This was such a gripping, eerie read. The mix of mystery and atmosphere totally pulls you in, and the creepy, woodsy vibes blows you away. The story keeps you guessing, and the characters feel so real. If you’re into dark, twisty tales with a lot of feels, this is your book. Aimee, IT Librarian Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in the catalog! We even have it in Large Print! Use your SPL card to reserve the eBook or audiobook.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of those books everyone gets force-fed in school, right? And depending on your teacher, you were either told it’s the “Great American Novel” or you sat there wondering why Jim, the most interesting and important character, barely gets a real voice. Enter Percival Everett. With James, he basically says, “Okay, let’s fix this.” And wow, does he ever.
This book is Jim’s story, straight up. It’s not a retelling so much as a reclamation. Jim is smart, funny, furious, and painfully aware of the absurd world he’s trapped in. Everett doesn’t shy away from the horror of slavery, but he also loads the book with dark, biting humor that makes you laugh and wince at the same time. Think gallows humor meets razor-sharp social critique. Huck is still around, of course, but through Jim’s eyes you see him less as this lovable misfit and more as a kid who’s still marinating in the ugliness of the world around him. Meanwhile, Jim gets to shine in a way Twain never gave him room to. He’s clever, thoughtful, deeply human, he’s the heart of the story, not the sidekick. What I loved most is how Everett plays with language. He digs into how words are used to control, to demean, and also how they can be twisted back as power. It makes you think not just about history, but about how much of that same nonsense still echoes today. Bottom line: James is bold, angry, hilarious, and devastating all at once. I loved it. Aimee, IT Librarian Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in the catalog! We even have it in Large Print! You can also reserve the eBook or audiobook for download with your SPL card! |
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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