 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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 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  True Grit by Charles Portis isn't just your typical Western; it's a fantastic story of revenge, but also surprisingly funny and touching. Told from the point of view of the super-independent 14-year-old Mattie Ross, it's all about her going after the guy who killed her dad. She hires Rooster Cogburn, a tough, one-eyed US Marshal, and their unlikely team-up is what makes the book so great. Portis's writing is a joy to read, really witty and descriptive. Sure, it's a revenge story, but the characters, especially Mattie (she's amazing!) and the wonderfully grumpy Rooster, are what make this book unforgettable. True Grit is a timeless story about courage, determination, and how complicated justice can be, and it's told brilliantly. I'm not usually into Westerns, but I loved this one. Highly recommend!
Reserve the library book (also in Large Print) or use your SPL card for the audiobook. 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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