Tag Archives: #gpltalk

2018 #GPLtalk Reads

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Just in case you were wondering – talking about books is a favorite pastime for librarians.  Connecting a reader to their new favorite read gives us goosebumps, and sharing a love of story and the importance of literacy is a passion for many who hold a master’s degree in library science.  The Greenwood Public Library is dedicated to making books a topic of conversation throughout our city through literary programming, displays, and services.  That’s one of the many reasons we started our #GPLtalk podcast – a great way to start a dialogue about books and find a community of readers who maybe can’t make it into the library as often as they would like.

We would LOVE for you to be a part of that conversation!  Getting involved is SUPER easy.  All you have to do is subscribe to our bi-monthly podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud and listen to a fun, book-themed topic twice a month.  And if you’re so inclined, leave us a message about your love of books and reading, offer us reading recommendations, or let us know your thoughts on the current topic.

If you would like to read along with us in 2018:

January – The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters

February – Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca

March – My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

April – Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

May – Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World by Matthew Goodman

June – The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

July – Scythe by Neal Shusterman

August – The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan

September – Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan

October – The Color Project by Sierra Abrams

Podcast: Books to Movies

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There is a new #GPLtalk podcast for your listening pleasure!

Reading enthusiasts tend to have a love/hate relationship with book to movie adaptations. While there is a place in our hearts that desires greatly to see our favorite stories played out before us on the silver screen, there is always the chance that our expectations, our hopes and dreams, will be unfilled or defiled.

This month, your friendly neighborhood librarians are discussing (for better or worse) what books they would love to see adapted for film – along with a short discussion about Harry Potter which was inevitable.

 

 

And as promised in the cast, here are a list of the books not included because of time.

 

Emily’s List:

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

 

Aubrey’s List:

Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

 

Jessica’s List:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom

 

Valerie’s List:

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

 

Podcast: Nevernight

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Can’t make it to one of our regularly scheduled book clubs? Then read along with our #GPLtalk podcast. Each month, we discuss a different book, and we’d love for you to join us!

This month we discussed Nevernight, a fantasy series by New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

(From Goodreads) In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Book Club Conclusion: We all were pleasantly surprised by this book, and we look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Take a listen as Emily, Aubrey, Jessica, and Valerie discuss world building, different book structures, and their desire for a shadow friend.

If you’ve read the book (or plan to read it!), we’d love to hear your book club conclusion. Would you recommend the book to others?

And be sure to read along with us next month as we discuss Luvvie Ajayi’s I’m Judging You.

Podcast: The Comet Seekers

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Can’t make it to one of our regularly scheduled book clubs?  Then read along with our #GPLtalk podcast.   Each month, we discuss a different book, and we’d love for you to read along!

This month we discussed The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick, her debut novel.

The story starts out on a research station in Antarctica.  Róisín is a scientist studying comets and François is a chef looking for adventure in his life.  Both are facing struggles with guilt and letting go of their pasts.

Each chapter gives the reader a glimpse of Róisín‘s or François‘s past only when a comet is visible in the sky.  Jumping between generations, we watch as Róisín‘s and François‘s lives cross as they both deal with issues of family, loss, love, and guilt.

Book Club Conclusion: There were mixed reviews on this one.  Some of us thought it was beautifully written, some thought it was just okay, and others really hated it.

Take a listen as Emily, Aubrey, Jessica, and Valerie discuss genres, unreliable narrators, some readalikes, and definite turnoffs in stories.

If you’ve read the book (or plan to read it!), we’d love to hear your book club conclusion. Would you recommend the book to others?

And be sure to read along with us next month as we discuss Leslie Livingston’s The Valiant.

Podcast: Vassa in the Night

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It’s no secret that librarians like to talk about books.  Actually we more than like it – book discussions and conversations about literacy and authors is one of our deep and abiding loves.  That’s one of the reasons why we started the #GPLtalk podcast.  Our audio inspired book club allows readers to participate in a conversation even if they are unable to make it to one of our regularly scheduled book club events.

This month we discussed Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter, a retelling of a quirky (and kind of crazypants) retelling a Russian folktale.

The story is set in Brooklyn…well, sort of set in Brooklyn.  Okay – it’s set in an enchanted Brooklyn that is suffering from seemingly endless nights.  Like seriously long evenings filled with boredom and eventually dread.  Vassa Lowenstein lives in a complicated family situation, left with a step-mother who doesn’t want her, and step sisters who believe she is a kleptomaniac and a liar.  Down the street is a twenty-four hour convenience store, which sounds all nice and useful, except for the fact that it is owned by Babs Yagg who has a policy of beheading shoplifters – and sometimes innocent shoppers as well.  So when Vassa’s stepsister sends her out for light bulbs in the middle of the night, she knows it could easily become a suicide mission.

But Vassa has a bit of luck hidden in her pocket, a small wooden doll named Erg that was gifted to her from her dead mother.  With Erg’s help, Vassa must complete a number of impossible tasks and hopefully break the witch’s curse and free Brooklyn from the awful night.

Book Club Conclusion: Vassa in the Night is a strange, crazy little book that is extremely entertaining and highly recommended.

Take a listen as Emily, Aubrey, Jessica, and Valerie discuss the hero’s journey, swan feet, and the possible meaning behind a man intentionally turning himself into a German shepherd.

If you’ve read the book (or plan to read it!), we’d love to hear your book club conclusion.  Would you recommend the book to others?  What are your opinions on Vassa and this crazypants retelling?

(We immediately handed the book off to one of our prolific teen readers to get his opinion.  Perhaps we’ll follow up with his comments!)

And be sure to read along with us next month as we discuss Margaret Atwood’s Hag Seed.