Aurora Public Library Blog

Welcome to Aurora Public Library’s blog. A place where our library staff share their thoughts, insider knowledge and overall love of all things book and community.

Feel free to comment on posts, re-blog and enjoy. To ensure a civil and focused discussion, comments will be held for a brief period before being published.



Recent Posts
August 2018 - Posts

Meal ingredients behind title graphic

Post by Elizabeth B. 

Hello, friends and library patrons! It's almost the end of summer. Have you checked off everything on your summer list? Been to a beach bonfire? Started a band? Made your own ice cream? Fought off a group of multi-eyed foxes on a late-night hike?

No, you're right. I haven't done any of those things, either.

But fortunately, we live in a world with libraries, where each of those adventures is just a page-turn away! Welcome to Camp Read-a-lot, where I've tracked down reads just as adventurous and interesting as you are. Check out these four books about summer (and two tasty snacks) as you finish your vacation.

Two people on the beach watching the ocean"Summer of Salt" by Katrina Leno 
One-Sentence Summary:
Georgina Fernweh, the only non-magical Fernweh, must clear her family's name when tragedy strikes the island of By-the-Sea.
Why you'll love it: Georgina's sister can fly! Her great-great-great-aunt might be a bird! There's a graveyard where it's always autumn and a goth ice cream shop and a cute romance between Georgina and a visiting girl named Prue. I felt like I could hear the waves and rain while reading.
Essential summer activity checklist: Bird-watching, beach bonfires, solving supernatural mysteries



Person with burger"The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)" by Amy Spalding
One-Sentence Summary:
Abby's used to being the sidekick in her friends' stories, but a summer full of bests – best internship, best burgers, best dresses, and maybe even best summer romance – is about to propel her into the spotlight.
Why you'll love it: When I finished reading this book, I wanted to dye my hair pink and learn to sew. Abby's funny, cool, creative, and caring: such an amazing main character! The side characters are fun, too, from bro-BFF Jax to Abby's crush Jordi Perez, a photographer girl in all black who just happens to be competing for Abby's internship. This felt like the literary equivalent of sunshine and cotton candy.
Essential summer activity checklist: Rating burgers, wearing cute outfits, working an internship while worrying about eventually making money

Girl playing guitar"All Summer Long" by Hope Larson 
One-Sentence Summary:
When Bina's best friend Austin leaves for the summer, Bina has to find other friends to spend time with and other ways to fill her summer.
Why you'll love it: Bina is a musician to the core. Her passion for music takes her on all sorts of adventures: breaking into her best friend's house, going to a concert for the first time, and writing her own songs. Bina's social life is also changing in less fun ways, and she has to adjust, from dealing with cool but condescending older kids to her suddenly distant best friend and distracted parents. This book will be a new favorite for Raina Telgemeier fans.
Essential summer activity checklist: Playing music, going to concerts, waiting for a friend to reply to a text

Main characters in a wooden row boat"Lumberjanes" by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn A. Allen and Noelle Stevenson 
One-Sentence Summary:
A group of girls at a highly unusual summer camp battle mythical monsters and solve mysteries, much to the dismay of their cabin leader.
Why you'll love it: I never went to summer camp, but I'm pretty sure this is what it must have been like. I love all of the Lumberjanes – Mal is my favorite – and I love the weird adventures they manage to find everywhere they go. Plus, I'm curious what's going to happen! This is a good choice if you want to read an ongoing comic book filled with new plot twists on every page.
Essential summer activity checklist: Arm-wrestling, cake-decorating, Friendship to the Max


AND THE SNACKS:
All of these books are fantastic and wonderful, but you can't read on an empty stomach! You've got to get some ice cream to beat this summer heat.

If you want a cooking challenge, you could make some Sea Salt Ice Cream. These nostalgic treats from the Kingdom Hearts series are perfect for anyone who loves ice cream or video games. Plus, I've tested them out and they're delicious.

If you'd like to make them, check out The Geeky Chef Cookbook by Cassandra Reeder or The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook by Rosanna Pansino. Best enjoyed with one or two friends on top of the nearest clock tower.

"But what if I am ALREADY outside on a clock tower, away from fancy kitchen equipment?" you may ask.

Don't worry, friend, I still can help. Do you have two Ziploc bags and some half-and-half? Here's a quick and easy recipe that will have you eating ice cream faster than you can say "library card."

Make Your Own Ice Cream
What You Need
• Two plastic Ziploc bags – one pint-sized and one gallon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• A spoonful of sugar (or two if you want, I won't judge)
• 3-4 cups of ice
• 8 tablespoons of salt
• And a towel so your hands don't freeze

1. In the smaller bag, combine the cream, vanilla, and sugar.
2. In the big bag, put the ice and salt.
3. Seal up the small bag and put it in the large bag.
4. Wrap the bag in the towel and shake it, juggle it, whatever you like – just keep it moving!

Every website I've seen says that this takes 5 minutes, but it took me about 10.

And ta-da! Ice cream!

(Thanks to How Stuff Works and Genius Kitchen for the recipes I based this on!)

Now, armed with these snacks and reading recommendations, I hope you can have a wonderful end-of-summer vacation.

Posted by [email protected]  On Aug 31, 2018 at 11:10 AM
  

Colorful dot picture with blog title

Post by Kristin S.

Recent New York Times Bestsellers (month of July):

Fiction

 

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

Gabriel Allon, the art restorer and assassin, fights the Russians to decide the fate of postwar global order.

   

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

When Eddie disappears, Sarah realizes they did not share the truth with each other.

   

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

Annie Marlow forms new relationships in the Pacific Northwest as she tries to recover from tragedy.

   

Spymaster by Brad Thor

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook]

The 18th book in the Scot Harvath series.

   

Thrawn: Alliances by Timothy Zahn

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

A Star Wars saga. Darth Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn join forces to serve Emperor Palpatine.

 

Clock Dance by Anne Tyler

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

A window into Willa Drake’s life over 50 years and how she adjusts to some of life's surprises.

 

The Good Fight by Danielle Steel

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook

Meredith McKenzie embraces and eschews the values of her family of lawyers during the tumultuous 1960s.

 

The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

Borrow: [Normal Print] [Large Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

In the 1950s, a high-society schoolgirl falls for the son of a lighthouse keeper and, years later, tries to help undo his wrongful imprisonment.

 

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

Miryem goes to collect debts owed to her father and winds up on a dangerous quest.

 

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

A young woman living in New York City in 2000 contends with depression, bad relationships and an incompetent psychiatrist.


Nonfiction

 

The Russia Hoax by Gregg Jarrett

Borrow: [Print]

The Fox News analyst makes his case for why the F.B.I. investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia is without legal merit.

 

Liars, Leakers, and Liberals by Steven Brill

Borrow: [Print] [ebook] [eAudiobook]

The legal analyst and Fox News host argues in favor of President Trump.

 

Indianapolis by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic

Borrow: [Print]

A newly researched look into the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the story of the survivors and the fight to exonerate the court-martialed skipper.

 

The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

The former New York Times chief book critic examines the cultural forces that have chipped away at reason and common values.

 

The Briefing by Sean Spicer

Borrow: [Print] [eBook]

A personal account of working for Trump's campaign, transition team and the Trump White House.

 

From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein

Borrow: [Print] [eBook] [eAudiobook]

A memoir by a woman who went from working many part-time jobs to becoming one of President Obama's stenographers.

 

 DVDs - New Arrivals:

 

Life of the Party

Borrow: [DVD]

When her husband dumps her, Deanna goes back to college at the same school as her daughter. Embracing freedom, fun and frat boys, Deanna finds her true self.

 

Tully

Borrow: [DVD]

From the director-writer duo behind Juno and Young Adult, comes the year's smartest comedy about a mother (Charlize Theron) who forms a unique bond with a young nanny, Tully.

 

Overboard

Borrow: [DVD]

A spoiled, wealthy yacht owner is thrown overboard and becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee. A remake of the 1987 comedy.

 

Dark Crimes

Borrow: [DVD]

In the midst of a murder investigation, clues about a similar crime are unveiled in an author's book.

 

Final Portrait

Borrow: [DVD]

The story of Swiss painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti.

 

Kings

Borrow: [DVD]

The life of a foster family in South Central Los Angeles, a few weeks before the city erupts in violence following the verdict of the Rodney King trial.

 

Operation Red Sea

Borrow: [DVD]

An elite Chinese assault team performs dangerous missions against Somalian pirates and rebels and terrorists in Arabian Peninsula.

 

Incident in a Ghostland

Borrow: [DVD]

Sixteen years after a frightening confrontation in their deceased aunt's house, two women return to the house and begin experiencing paranormal activity.

 

The Con is On

Borrow: [DVD]

A British con-artist couple plans a jewel theft to pay off their gambling debt to a mobster.

 

Isle of Dogs

Borrow: [DVD]

In a near-future dystopian Japan where all dogs have been banished to a trash island after a flu outbreak, twelve-year-old Atari sets out for the island to find his lost dog Spots.

 

Disobedience

Borrow: [DVD]

A woman returns to the community that shunned her for her attraction to a childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

 

I Feel Pretty

Borrow: [DVD]

A woman struggling with insecurity wakes from a fall believing she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. Her new confidence empowers her to live fearlessly, but what happens when she realizes her appearance never changed?

 

DVDs - Coming Soon: 

 

Avengers: Infinity War

Borrow: [DVD]*

With the powerful Thanos on the verge of raining destruction upon the universe, the Avengers and their Super Hero allies risk everything in the ultimate showdown of all time.

 

Deadpool 2

Borrow: [DVD]*

The sequel to the first one.

 

First Reformed

Borrow: [DVD]*

The pastor of a small church in upstate New York spirals out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife in this taut, chilling thriller.

 

The Miracle Season

Borrow: [DVD]*

Based on a true story, a high school girls' volleyball team must pull together and compete after the sudden death of their star player.

 

Love After Love

Borrow: [DVD]*

Following the death of their husband and father, a family struggles to cope with the loss and move on with their lives.

 

Breaking In

Borrow: [DVD]*

Gabrielle Union stars as a woman who will stop at nothing to rescue her two children being held hostage in a house designed with impenetrable security.

 

The Rider

Borrow: [DVD]*

After a tragic riding accident, a young cowboy undertakes a search for a new identity and redefine what it means to be a man in the heartland of America.

 

On Chesil Beach

Borrow: [DVD]*

In 1962 England, a young couple finds their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.

 

Aardvark

Borrow: [DVD]*

Troubled man Josh Norman has hallucinations of his famous brother Craig so sees a therapist, Emily, who ends up falling for Craig.

 

Revenge

Borrow: [DVD]*

Jen is enjoying a getaway with her boyfriend when it's disrupted by his sleazy friends. Their intrusion leads to a shocking act that leaves Jen near death. Unfortunately for her assailants, Jen reemerges with a wrathful intent: revenge.

 

Bad Samaritan

Borrow: [DVD]*

Life is good for two young car valets who use their business as a front to burglarize houses of their unsuspecting patrons until they target the wrong house, changing their lives forever.

 

How to Talk to Girls at Parties

Borrow: [DVD]*

Worlds collide when Enn, a shy teenager in 70s London, meets the beautiful and rebellious Zan at a party. They set in motion the ultimate showdown between their rivaling worlds and test the limits of how far they will go for true love.

 

Furlough

Borrow: [DVD]*

Melissa Leo and Whoopi Goldberg star alongside Tessa Thompson in this hilarious and touching road trip comedy.

 

Show Dogs

Borrow: [DVD]*

A human detective and his canine partner must go undercover at an exclusive dog show and recruit an all-star cast of animal helpers to solve their biggest case yet.

 

Book Club

Borrow: [DVD]*

Four friends' lives are turned upside down to hilarious ends when their book club tackles the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey. Also starring Andy Garcia, Don Johnson and Craig T. Nelson.

 

RBG

Borrow: [DVD]*

Details the biography and career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

 

Upgrade

Borrow: [DVD]*

After his wife is killed during a brutal mugging that also leaves him paralyzed, Grey Trace is approached by a billionaire inventor with an experimental cure that will "upgrade" his body.

 

American Animals

Borrow: [DVD]*

The unbelievable but true story of four young men who brazenly attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history.

 *Caution: Once DVDs are released, the links above may stop working.

 

Sources: The New York Times, Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon, Goodreads, EarlyWord, Novelist, DVDs Release Date

Posted by [email protected]  On Aug 08, 2018 at 1:42 PM