Month: September 2022

Mysteries

By Rhonna Hargett, Associate Director of Learning and Information Services

In my opinion, there is no better way to spend a fall afternoon than curled up in a comfy chair, with a cup of tea and a good mystery novel. Here are some of the new mysteries available at Manhattan Public Library.

Alex Segura brings the gritty world of 1970s New York City to life in “Secret Identity.” Carmen Valdez has left the sunshine and warmth of Miami to conquer the comic book world in New York, but after years of working diligently as an administrative assistant at Triumph Comics, her dream of writing continues to seem out of reach. When her work smoke buddy, Harvey, offers her the chance to write something up with him, she jumps at the opportunity, even if it means she won’t get any credit for it. Their work is well received, but soon after publication, Harvey is murdered. Carmen wonders what Harvey was hiding, and if his attackers will be coming after her next. “Secret Identity” is a gripping mystery, as well as a fascinating story of the challenges women faced in the 1970s.

As a fan of cozy mysteries as well as the works of Jane Austen, you can imagine my delight when I came across “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray. Gray’s novel begins in Donwell Abbey where Mr. and Mrs. Knightley are discussing an upcoming house party, to which characters from all of Jane Austen’s novels are invited. Everyone comes together and is ready for a lovely gathering when uninvited guest Mr. Wickham shows up and casts a pall over all, and it only takes a few days of his awfulness before he is found murdered in the gallery. Almost everyone at the party has a motive to do away with him, but no one wants to believe it of anyone present. The Tilneys’ daughter, Juliet, and the Darcy’s son, Johnathan, pair up to solve the mystery, and learn more than they could have possibly anticipated.  Gray manages to give us a satisfying mystery, along with a fascinating glimpse into the continuation of the lives of beloved characters. Although it was disconcerting to speculate which of them was guilty of murder, the complex personalities and intriguing plot keep the reader captivated to the gratifying end.

Lan Samantha Chang’s novel, “The Family Chao” is a story of intrigue and family drama. Leo Chao, the owner of the Fine Chao restaurant in rural Haven, Wisconsin, is known for his business acumen and his obnoxious personality. His wife has moved out, and his relationship with his three sons ranges from quietly resentful to completely estranged. When Leo is found locked in the walk-in freezer (which was not up-to-code) on Christmas morning, no one is surprised. His eldest son, Dagou, who works at the restaurant and is facing money troubles, has publicly, on several occasions, talked about his hatred for him, and wished him dead, but Dagou’s brothers aren’t convinced that the case can be solved so easily. “The Family Chao” is loaded with complex and fascinating characters. The Chao family is at the center of a small community of Chinese immigrants in a town that has at times been cruel to these newcomers. The sons have especially suffered discrimination and bullying, and each of them has responded in their own way: Dagou has his sexual exploits, Ming has built a cushion of money to protect himself, and James stays quiet and tries to avoid being noticed. Chang has created a riveting mystery, filled with complicated family relationships and a thread of grim humor.

For more intriguing reads, check out our Mystery newsletter at www.MHKlibrary.org.

Horror Authors to Read for Fall

By Amber Hoskins, Adult Services Librarian

With fall rapidly approaching and Halloween around the corner, now is a good time to discuss my preferred genre, horror. Since there are so many books to choose from, I would like to share some of my favorite authors who have mastered this category, and have more than one good book to offer.

I will start with Joe Hill, who has seen several of his stories be turned into movies and another into a TV series. There is not one book I have read from this author that I did not like, and that is a rarity for me. I loved his debut novel, “Heart Shaped Box,” and have continued to enjoy anything he publishes, including the short story collections. Hill is an author that can keep a fast pace and be creepy without getting too gory with the details, so this is a good author for someone who wants horror but doesn’t enjoy anything too graphic. I usually always prefer the book to the screen, but if you want to skip reading, you can check out the “Black Phone” movie or watch the “NOS4A2” series, which were both good adaptations, in my opinion.

Another author to look into would be Paul Tremblay. I must admit that I am not a fan of his short story collections, but I have enjoyed his novels. Tremblay just released a new book, “The Pallbearers Club,” this past July which has received positive reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. I would also recommend “The Cabin at the End of the World” and “Survivor Song” if you are into apocalyptic horror. In the former, the characters are forced to consider sacrificing their own fate for the rest of the world, while “Survivor’s Song” portrays the desperation of withstanding a doomsday caused by a disease outbreak. Both are fast-paced page turners that I found hard to put down.

I would like to point out one more author who is great at writing about haunted places without getting into grisly details. Jennifer McMahon has been compared to Shirley Jackson when it comes to her ghost stories. I have read several of McMahon’s novels, and none have been disappointing. This year, she released “The Children on the Hill.” In this book, McMahon gives us an eerie novel inspired by “Frankenstein,” which fans of gothic horror are sure to love. This story follows a timeline from 1978 to the present and involves a psychiatrist grandmother who takes a patient into her home where she is also raising her two grandchildren. This book will keep you guessing until its climactic ending.  I would also suggest her novel “The Invited,” which follows the story of a married couple who decide to build a house on haunted land, and find out there are consequences for that.

If historical fiction is your wheelhouse, and you would like to read something spooky in that genre, check out Alma Katsu. Katsu recently penned “The Fervor,” which follows the story of a mother and daughter who are sent to a Japanese-American internment camp during WWII. As always, Katsu blends this history with paranormal twists and turns, which never ceases to entertain. You can also look into her other stories which blend history with the supernatural. “The Hunger” follows the story of the Donner Party and “The Deep” conveys a story about survivors of the Titanic.

For my final recommendation, I have an older book to endorse. This one is for those who want something really unnerving. “The Troop” by Nick Cutter is one of the creepiest books I have ever read, and that is because I find parasites terrifying. If you want to read about a bio-engineered, government experiment gone wrong, this is your book. Cutter does not side-step any of the gory details about this insatiable, horrific parasite, so be warned. If you are not bothered by this kind of thing, then read this book; you will not forget it, or regret it.

I hope these recommendations give you an excuse to curl up with a blanket and read something thrilling. If horror is not your thing, you can still enjoy the cooler weather while being wrapped up with a gentler read.  The ways in which you wish to enjoy your fall reading is strictly up to you, so do what makes you happy this season!

Books and Mooncakes

By Stephanie Wallace, Library Assistant 2

Picture this: leaves, just beginning to change color, glimmering gold, silver, and bronze under the light of the full moon. Countless paper lanterns in every color, many in the shape of rabbits, illuminating walkways and windows. The sounds of music playing and people laughing drifting from dining rooms and backyards. The smell of fresh mooncakes mixing with the scent of noodles and roasted duck. In countless homes across China and many East Asian countries, these snapshots showcase just a few ways the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated. This year, it’s on September 10.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Every country that celebrates it has their own unique traditions, but for everyone, it’s an opportunity to visit home, reconnect with friends and family, and appreciate their blessings.

If you and your family want to learn more about the Mid-Autumn Festival, a great place to start is to learn about the folktales associated with the holiday. “Mooncakes,” written by Loretta Seto and illustrated by Renné Benoit, is a picture book about a young girl who celebrates the holiday with her parents. While they eat mooncakes together, an iconic pastry shared on this day, the girl’s parents tell her the stories of Chang’e and her husband, Hou Yi; the Jade Rabbit; and the Woodcutter, Wu Gang.

The story of Chang’e, the Lady in the Moon, is particularly popular, and different versions exist. “The Shadow in the Moon: A Tale of the Mid-Autumn Festival” by Christina Matula and “Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival” by Sanmu Tang are two other picture books with their own unique retellings of the story. As an extra bonus in both of these books, the authors share their own recipes for mooncakes.

Children who are beginning to read independently may enjoy “Autumn Festival Fun,” adapted from an episode of Nickelodeon’s “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” television show by Tina Gallo. In the story, Po the panda must help Mr. Ping, the owner of a popular restaurant, make thousands of mooncakes in time for the celebration.

Intermediate readers who are comfortable with chapter books may appreciate “The Dreamweavers” by G.Z. Schmidt or “Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend” by Katie Zhao. In “The Dreamweavers,” a pair of twins must save their grandfather from the Emperor’s prison after the mooncakes which he meant to give to the prince as an offering are tainted by a mysterious darkness. In “Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend,” the titular protagonist, Winnie Zeng, accidently awakens both evil spirits and her own shamanic powers after using her family’s magical cookbook to make mooncakes for her school’s bake sale.

Anybody who loves young adult graphic novels will adore “Mooncakes” by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu. In the book, a young witch named Nova and her childhood crush, a werewolf named Tam, grapple with their magical responsibilities. As they prepare for the mid-autumn season, Nova and Tam must battle demons sent by a cult seeking to harness Tam’s powers and learn what makes their abilities special in order to succeed.

My favorite recommendation on this list is the adult fiction series “Heaven Official’s Blessing” by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. The translated series follows the adventures of Xie Lian, crown prince of a kingdom that has since gone to ruin following his ascension to godhood. “Heaven Official’s Blessing” is part of two unique Chinese genres, danmei and xianxia. Danmei focuses on romance and relationships between men, and xianxia is historical fantasy, which focuses on ancient China, achieving immortality, and the crossover between the three realms of heaven, the ghost kingdom, and beyond. The Mid-Autumn Festival is featured prominently in the third volume, but the series is a wonderful place to start if you are interested in learning more about Chinese culture.

If all of these books have gotten you interested in hosting your own party inspired by the Mid-Autumn Festival, consider using the recipes in “Mooncakes + Milk Bread: Sweet & Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries” by Kristina Cho. It showcases a wide variety of crowd-pleasing snacks, drinks, and appetizers you can make for your guests.

No matter how you choose to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival, I hope this selection of books will deepen your appreciation of East Asian cultures. When you gaze upon the moon tonight, remember: anything well-loved deserves its own holiday.

Dark Academia

By Alex Urbanek, Collection Services Librarian

Ever since I was young, the start of school has meant that it is time for Fall to begin. However, since we’re still dealing with 90-degree days that refuse to let me wear comfy sweaters and drink hot cider, I have to get my autumnal fix from books. Over the last year or so I’ve found an interesting niche of books that have been labeled under the sub-genre “dark academia.” Dark academia originally began as an aesthetic, with photo collages, music, and fashion choices donning the label. Think, college library with stone and gargoyles on a rainy day, and sometimes murder or psychological horror mixed in. It is worth noting that while I adore this genre, it is not for everyone. I highly suggest checking trigger warnings before reading any dark academia or horror books to be sure you’ll enjoy the title.

One of my favorite authors, Erin Morgenstern, came out with the book “The Starless Sea,” a fairly whimsical adaptation of the genre. Zachary Ezra Rawlins was working on his graduate degree at a school in Vermont when he found an unlabeled book in the library. Within the book, he finds a story about an experience he had with a disappearing door as a child, as well as a key. He also finds a drawing of a bee, key, and sword, which lead him to a masquerade party in New York. All of this leads him to find an ancient, secret, underground library within its own realm.  As he explores this underground world, he learns about the societies of people who have risen and fallen trying to protect it, or hide it. Morgenstern does an incredible job of world-building and fully immersing you within this secret library’s world.

“Truly Devious” by Maureen Johnson begins a 5-book young adult series, with the latest book slated to come out in December. Stevie Bell loves true crime: she listens to all of the true crime podcasts and is obsessed with coming to her own conclusions. When she gets accepted to Ellingham academy, Stevie is elated. Ellingham Academy is a one-of-a-kind school that was founded in the 1930s by truly-eccentric billionaire Albert Ellingham to create a space where children could learn through play. Unfortunately, within the school’s first few years, Albert’s wife and young daughter were kidnapped, a puzzle of a ransom note was found, one of the new students was found murdered, and, while his wife was returned home, they never found his daughter. Thus, began an investigation that, at the time of Stevie entering Ellingham, has still not been solved. Stevie is determined to solve the Ellingham murder and find out what truly happened during that first year.  Johnson makes sure that readers are on the ride with Stevie, discovering clues when she does and making their own assumptions before the final verdict is declared.

When an author gives up on a story, where does the unfinished tale go? A.J. Hackwith has created a world in which all unfinished stories end up in the Unwritten Wing, based in Hell. In “The Library of the Unwritten,” Claire, the head librarian of the Unwritten Wing, has been enjoying her death spent cataloging and keeping track of unwritten stories. She also must make sure that any characters who materialize out of their stories either make it back to their book or take up residence in her wing. They definitely cannot make it up to the human world to upset or confuse their would-be authors. Unfortunately, one of the characters does indeed gets out, and when Claire and her former-muse-turned-assistant Brevity follow him up to the land of the living, they end up learning about a much more disastrous lost book, the Devil’s Bible. Now they must race against time and the angel Ramiel to find and retrieve the Bible before either Heaven or a lesser demon get ahold of it.

If you’re wanting more books with spooky vibes, or something completely different, you can always get a personalized reading list from the Manhattan Public Library. Our librarians are excited to help you find the perfect book to get you ready for autumn and the impending holiday season.