 Jonathan Katz’s Cleave the Sparrow is one of those books where you set it down and immediately think, what the hell did I just read, and why do I kind of love it? It’s satire cranked to eleven, absurdist comedy welded to existential dread, and politics skewered with the subtlety of a chainsaw. Imagine Vonnegut, Catch-22, and Dr. Strangelove all locked in a room together, fed nothing but espresso, bad cable news, and episodes of Rick and Morty, then told to write a novel before sunrise. That’s the vibe.
The story itself? I read the book and still don't know, and I'm pretty sure that was the point. Katz doesn’t give you a neat arc to follow, he throws you into a warped dystopia where media, politics, and human nature all get flayed open and roasted over the fire. It’s messy, chaotic, and deliberately overstuffed with ideas, but buried in all that noise are razor-sharp one-liners and these moments of clarity where you feel like the book just sucker-punched you with some hard truth about the absurdity of being alive. Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. If you need your fiction tidy, logical, and polite, this book will drive you up the wall. But if you’re willing to lean into the chaos, there’s something strangely exhilarating here. You’ll laugh, you’ll grimace, you’ll occasionally wonder if you’re losing your grip on reality. I know it's had mixed reviews. Certain portrayals feel insensitive, some sections read like a rant that went on too long. But honestly, even the flaws add to the manic energy of it all. It’s not neat. It’s not safe. It’s not “literary fiction” in the respectable sense. It’s more like being trapped in a late-night conversation with someone brilliant, unhinged, and just drunk enough to let something slip. Bottom line? Cleave the Sparrow isn’t a book you read for comfort. It’s a book you read to get shaken up, to laugh at the absurdity of the world, and maybe to feel a little less alone in the chaos. You’ll either bail after twelve pages or carry it with you like a strange fever dream you can’t stop thinking about. Check out the book at the library. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian
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 We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of those books that sticks to your ribs in the worst possible way. It’s not just a story about a kid who grows up to do something horrific, it’s about parenting, blame, and that uncomfortable question: what if you just don’t like your own child?
The whole thing is told through letters from Eva, Kevin’s mom, to her estranged husband. She’s brutally honest about how motherhood never felt natural to her. She didn’t want to give up her career, she didn’t feel that rush of unconditional love everyone talks about, and from the very beginning Kevin seemed… off. Cold, manipulative, like he was always two steps ahead of everyone else. And that’s where the book gets under your skin. Did Kevin turn out the way he did because Eva never bonded with him? Or was he born this way and nothing could have changed it? Shriver never gives you an easy answer, and that’s what makes the story so unsettling. The writing is sharp and unsparing. You go into the book already knowing Kevin is going to commit a massacre, so the whole time you’re reading with this sense of dread. But the scariest parts aren’t the violence. They’re the little family moments where Kevin seems to know exactly how to twist the knife in his mom, and she can’t get anyone else to see it. It’s not a light read, and honestly it’s not one I’d hand to just anyone. But if you want a book that will mess with you and leave you thinking long after you finish, this one delivers. The movie with Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly is good, but the book? Way darker, way smarter, and way harder to shake off. Download the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. If you prefer a physical copy, ask about interlibrary loan. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  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  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  This book goes hard. Really hard. S.A. Cosby takes us to a small Southern town with big secrets, and the result is a gritty, emotional rollercoaster that’s part murder mystery, part social commentary, and completely impossible to put down.
The story follows Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff in a deeply divided Virginia county, as he investigates a horrifically disturbing crime. What starts as one murder quickly unravels into something much darker, and Titus ends up confronting not just a killer, but the deep-rooted racism and hypocrisy baked into the town's history. Cosby's writing is sharp, raw, and real. He’s got a way with words that hits you right in the gut. One minute you’re caught in a tense shootout, the next you’re reflecting on trauma, justice, and what it means to do the right thing in a messed-up world. Titus is a total standout, flawed, principled, tired, but relentless. He’s the kind of character you root for because he’s trying so hard in a place that’s actively working against him. If you’re into crime thrillers with depth, soul, and a little blood on the page, All the Sinners Bleed is your book. S.A. Cosby is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Get it at the library or download the audiobook or eBook. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Wow. This book is a trip. If you’re looking for a straightforward horror story, this isn’t it. But if you love psychological horror that keeps you second-guessing everything, The Last House on Needless Street is an absolute must-read.
The story centers around Ted, a recluse who lives in a boarded-up house near the woods with his cat, Olivia (who has her own chapters... yes, really), and his daughter, Lauren, who sometimes just… disappears. Then there’s Dee, a woman determined to figure out what happened to her missing little sister, who vanished years ago. The way these threads come together is nothing short of mind-blowing. The writing is unsettling in the best way. It messes with your head, making you question every character and every detail. And when the truth starts to unfold? It’s equal parts shocking, heartbreaking, and completely brilliant. Ward does an incredible job exploring trauma and survival in a way that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading. That said, this book isn’t for everyone. It’s slow at times, and the multiple perspectives (especially the cat’s) can feel disorienting. But if you stick with it, the payoff is so worth it. Final thoughts? This is one of those books that lingers in your brain, making you want to reread it just to catch all the clues you missed. Creepy, emotional, and totally unique, I highly recommend it. Get the book at the library or download the eBook or audiobook. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  C.J. Box is best known for his three series, but he also offers a handful of standalone novels. Blue Heaven happens to be my favorite.
In northern Idaho, retired police officers commit a murder witnessed by a 12-year-old girl and her little brother. The trouble deepens when these corrupt ex-cops already know the kids' identities and the details of their mother's search. They manage to persuade the overwhelmed rural sheriff to bring them on board for the investigation. The children’s unexpected salvation comes from an old-school rancher on the brink of foreclosure. Yet, in a community now overrun by affluent newcomers fleeing the city, he finds himself unsure of whom to trust. How can he possibly protect these kids when he doesn't even know who his real enemy is? This story struck a personal chord as it mirrors the loss of family farms, blending a ticking-clock thriller fueled by greed over land deals with a heartfelt portrayal of small communities uniting in the face of adversity. Overall, it was a fantastic read. Interested? Reserve the physical copy at the library, or the eBook or audiobook with your SPL card. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  After 30 years in prison for causing a child's death, Vincent King is finally released. He went to jail at 15, turned in by his best friend, Walk, who’s now the local chief of police. Walk keeps an eye on Vincent’s ex-girlfriend, Star, a struggling drug addict, and her kids: 13-year-old Duchess, who’s had to grow up too fast to care for her little brother, Robin.
They all still live in the same small California town where it all started. Then, a body is found. Secrets unravel, tensions rise, and the big question looms: who did it? We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is an emotional rollercoaster of a crime thriller with so much heart. It’s got a gripping plot, but what really stands out are the unforgettable characters, especially Duchess, the tough-as-nails, complex girl the story revolves around. The writing is beautiful, full of raw emotion and small-town drama, with twists that keep you hooked. It’s heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, a truly memorable read. If you love character-driven stories with a side of suspense, don’t miss this one! It may be my favorite book ever. We have it available to reserve, plus Large Print and Audio CD copies for checkout. How about a downloadable audiobook or ebook? No, really. Read it. Please. Then come and tell me what you thought. Aimee Clark, IT Librarian  Marshall Miller, raised by his single mom, is thrilled to get his license. But on his first drive, just a few miles from home, he’s pulled over by a strange, unsettling officer with a crying girl in the backseat. Months later, he’s shocked to see her face on a missing person poster. Who is she, and what really happened that day?
This book is a chilling page-turner that perfectly blends suspense, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. The eerie small-town setting and vivid atmosphere pull you in, while the twists keep you hooked. It’s the perfect read for fans of spooky thrillers so grab it and prepare to be captivated! Aimee, IT Librarian Interested in this book? Click here to reserve it in the catalog! There is also an eBook available to download with your SPL card. Reserve it here. |
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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