Quick Picks

Valentine's Day can be divisive for those who embrace all the romance and love, and those who can't stand it. Tana and I are here to talk about books that made us laugh, gave us warm and fuzzy feelings, and had a little bit of romance, to try to bridge the gap between those who love all things romantic on Valentine's Day and those who do not.

The Flatshare, by Beth O'Leary

Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman

Talk Bookish To Me, by Kate Bromley

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

I've Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella

The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne

Nick's Library Suggestion:

Novelist

Steve joins me in this episode to discuss the results of our library's Best of 2021 ballots in many categories, including books and media. 

Fic:

Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell

Razorblade Tears - SA Cosby

The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah

The Other Emily - Dean Koontz

The Man Who Lived Underground - Richard Wright

She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan

The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles

Mys/Thrill:

Razorblade Tears - SA Cosby

The Man Who Died Twice - Richard Osman

Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley

You Love Me - Caroline Kepnes

The Other Emily - Dean Koontz

Rom:

Talk Bookish To Me - Kate Bromlet

Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - Balli Kaur Jaswal

The Ex Hex - Erin sterling

The Becoming - Nora Roberts

Jay's Gay Agenda - Jason June

Sci-Fi/Fan:

The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune

Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr

Kingdom of Souls - Rena Barron

The Becoming - Nora Roberts

Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Jhao

She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan

Nonfic:

Notes on Grief - Chimamanda Ngozi Adeichie

Unforgotten: The Wild Life of Dian Fossey and Her Relentless Quest to Save Mountain Gorillas - Anita Silvey

The Comfort Book - Matt Haig

From Whisper to Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement - Paula Yoo

On Juneteenth -  Annette Gordon-Reed

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America - Clint Smith

Cookbooks:

SkinnyTaste Air Fryer DInners - Gina Homolka

Tik Tok Recipes

Everyday Dinners: Real-Life Recipes to Set Your Family Up for a Week of Success - Jessica Merchant

I Hate to Cook Cookbook - Peg Bracken

Fast Easy Cheap Vegan - Sam Turnbull

Bio/Mem:

Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir - Michelle Zauner

The Soul of a Woman - Isabel Allende

Be a Work in Progress: And Other Things I'd Like To Tell My Younger Self - John Cena

YA:

Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley

Take Me Home Tonight - Morgan Matson

Girlhood: Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices - Masuma Ahuja

The Corpse Queen - Heather Herrman

GN/Manga/Comic

Prince Freya - Keiko Ishihara

In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers: The Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, and Years after the 9/11 Attacks - Don Brown

In Love & Pajamas: A Collection of Comics About Being Yourself Together - Catana Chetwynd

Cat Massage Therapy - Haru Hisakawa

Youth Fic:

Finding Junie Kim - Ellen Oh

Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Pena

Pic. Book:

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story - Kevin Noble Maillard

Milo Imagines the World - Matt de la Pena

Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued - Peter Sis

Album:

Red (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift

If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power -- Halsey

Haughty Melodic -- Mike Doughty

Song:

"Lil Bit" by Nelly & Florida Georgia Line

"Yonaguni" by Bad Bunny

"I Am Not a Woman, I'm a God" by Halsey

"You're Not Alone" by Semisonic

Podcasts:

Quick Picks

Casefile

Spittin Chiclets

Daily Shine

Pretty Messed Up

Stolen: The Search for Jermain

Over My Dead Body: Fox Lake

January means lists, lists, lists. Resolution lists, to-do lists, award nomination lists, award winners lists, and of course, favorite lists. Today Tana and I share our favorite books of 2021.

If you're interested in our Best of Kids Books Facebook series on January 22, 2022, hosted by Aleece and Kelly, please visit the Round Lake Area Public Library's Facebook Page.

Tana's Top Ten List:

Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby

Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell

Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau

100 Years of Lenny and Margo, by

Sparks Like Stars, by

Phone Booth at the End of the World, by

Cold Millions, by

The Golem and the Djinni; Hidden Palace, by

Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr

Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune

Nikki's Top Ten List:

Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune

Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr

The Scarlet Dress, by Louise Douglas

Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby

My Heart Is a Chainsaw, by Stephen Graham Jones

The Man Who Died Twice, by Richard Osman

Apples Never Fall, by Liane Moriarty

Final Girl Support Group, by Grady Hendrix

The Last Thing He Told Me, by Lauran Dave

The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny

Sources and lists we like:

NPR Booklists

Bookmarks Magazine

BookPage Magazine/Website

Book Riot

Celebrity Book Clubs like Read With Jenna, Reese's Book Club, GMA: Book Club

Dublin Awards

Novelist

Fantastic Fiction website

Time Magazine Books

Nick's Library Suggestion:

Gale Courses

For most people, the holiday season means family time, which can be wonderful or it can be incredibly frustrating. Tana is back to discuss some of our favorite books that are about family, the good and the bad.

Discussed:

The Lost Man, by Jane Harper

Tallgrass, by Sandra Dallas

Razorblade Tears, S. A. Cosby

The Survivors, by Jane Harper

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, by Heather Webber

The Mountains Sing, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

Dutch House, by Ann Patchett

Mentioned:

Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas

Patchwork Bride, by Sandra Dallas

Prayers for Sale, by Sandra Dallas

Blacktop Wasteland, S. A. Cosby

Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett

For those who celebrate Christmas, there are a lot of traditions many of us have in common. Whether it’s baking for loved ones, colors or a theme for all tree decorations, holiday meals, what day presents are opened, and many more, one I think most of us embrace whole-heartedly is a personally curated list of Christmas movies to put on in the background or to sit down with focus and watch. And today Marina, my Christmas movie expert, shares her favorites, some new and some old, for a variety of tastes, and we trade recommendations for each other and for you.

We also welcome your recommendations. Feel free to leave a voice message on Spotify or Anchor, or email us at [email protected].

Discussed:

Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Rated G, Disney+

A Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) Rated G, TBS and TNT

Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) Rated G, Apple TV

A Christmas Story (1984) Rated PG, HBO and DirectTV

Elf (2003) Rated PG, HBO and DirectTV

Home Alone (1990), Rated PG, Disney+

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989), Rated PG-13, HBO and DirectTV

The Princess Switch (2018), Rated PG, Netflix

A Christmas Prince (2017), Rated PG, Netflix

Knight Before Christmas (2019), Rated PG, Netflix

Santa Girl (2019), Netflix and Hoopla

Love Actually (2003), Rated R

The Holiday (2006), Rated PG-13, Netflix and Hulu

Almost Christmas (2016) Rated PG-13, DirectTV and FX Now

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Rated R, DirectTV and AMC

Die Hard (1988), Rated R, Roku and IMDB TV

Bad Santa (2003), Rated R, PlutoTV

Bad Moms Christmas (2017), Rated R, DirectTV and Sling

The Night Before (2015), Rated R, FX Now and DirectTV

A Castle For Christmas (2021), Netflix

The Ref (1994), Rated R, Hoopla

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), Rated G, Peacock

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Rated G

Frosty the Snowman (1969), Rated G

A Wish For Wings That Work (1991), YouTube

Last Holiday (2006), Rated PG-13, Shotime and DirectTV

Jingle Jangle (2020), Netflix

Edward Scissorhands (1990), Rated PG-13, Hulu

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021), VH1

Klaus (2019), Rated PG, Netflix

Recommendations for finding where movies are streaming: letterboxd.com and justwatch.com

Nick's Library Suggestion:

Happy Native American Heritage Day!

Join Kelly and me for a great discussion about some of the fantastic books by or about Native Nations. We have books for young kids, tweens, teens, and adults, celebrating and teaching us about indigenous culture. We both are excited and hopeful for the doors that have opened to Native American authors, and we would like to shout from the rooftops that we also need audiobooks read by indigenous people. We hope you find something of interest to pick up and try out.

Discussed:

We are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, by Traci Sorell

I Can Make This Promise, by Christine Day

Firekeepers Daughter, by Angela Boulley

Putuguq and Kublu, by Danny Christopher

Heartdrum: collection of books from HarperCollins by Native American Authors

There, There, by Tommy Orange

Flight, by Sherman Alexie

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann

The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones

Mapping the Interior, by Stephen Graham Jones

Nick's Library Suggestion:

Ancestry

Whether it's for health reasons, environmental reasons, or to accommodate someone else's dietary needs, we all need good vegetarian and vegan recipes we can count on for regular meals or family gatherings, and Steve joins me to discuss our favorite cookbooks and some of the delicious meals we've made from them.

Discussed:

Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes, by Bryant Terry

Books by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:

I Can Cook Vegan

Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious, Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week

The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook: Entertaining for Absolutely Every Occasion

Veganomicon; The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule

Vegan Pie In the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers & More

Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy Vegan, by Chloe Coscarelli

Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen: 150 Pizzas, Pastas, Pestos, Risottos, & Lots of Creamy Italian Classics, by Chloe Coscarelli

Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized, by Sam Turnbull

Fast Easy Cheap Vegan: 101 Recipes: 30 Minutes or Less, 10 Ingredients or Less, $10 or Less, by Sam Turnbull

The Seitanic Spellbook, by the Vegan Black Metal Chef

Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining & Everyday, Lauren Ulm

One-Hour Diary-Free Cheese: Make Mozzarella, Cheddar, Feta, and Brie-Style Cheeses -- Using Nuts, Seeds, and Vegetables, by Claudia Lucerno

Others worth checking out:

Vegan Bowl Attack!: More than 100 One-Dish Meals Packed With Plant-Based Power, by Jackie Sobon

Vegan Yack Attack On the Go!: Plant-Based Recipes for Your Fast-Paced Vegan Lifestyle, by Jackie Sobon

Vegan Yack Attack's Plant-Based Meal Prep: Weekly Meal Plans and Recipes to Streamline Your Vegan Lifestyle, by Jackie Sobon

Bake and Destroy: Good Food for Bad Vegans, by Natalie Slater

Nick's Library Suggestion:

This extended episode is a conversation between my long-time friend, Dr. Briana Jackson, who I consider a connoisseur of scary movies, wherein we talk all about them, from our favorites to tropes to how to cope when watching truly terrifying films. We chose to leave this as a longer episode and not break it down into two so hopefully there's something here to keep you entertained on this last October weekend.

**Trigger warning: there is a lot of content discussed that may be disturbing to some listeners. If this isn't your cup of tea, please skip this episode.

Discussed:

The Pit and the Pendulum - 1961

The Ring - 2002

The Exorcist - 1973

Babadook - 2014

Hereditary - 2018

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - 2005

Buried - 2016

The Vanishing - 1988

Lars von Trier movies: Melancholia - 2011; The Antichrist - 2009

Pan's Labyrinth - 2006

Lights Out - 2016

Conjuring 2 - 2016

Alien/Aliens - 1979/1986

It Follows - 2014

Student Bodies - 1981

Oculus - 2013

Don't Breathe - 2016

Sinister - 2012

Hellraiser - 1987

Hellraiser 2 - 1988

Frailty - 2001

10 Cloverfield Lane - 2016

Event Horizon - 1997

People Under the Stairs - 1991

The Descent - 2005

Silence of the Lambs - 1991

Red Dragon/Manhunter - 2002/1986

Hannibal (TV series) - 2013-2015

The Platform - 2019

Nick's Library Suggestion:

There are so many types of horror novels to devour and we have compiled a list of a wide variety of books for adults and some for teens, with more well-known authors and some more obscure, so that there's something for everyone if you like a scary story.

Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

Author, Grady Hendrix: Horrorstor; Final Girl Support Group; The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires; Podcast: Super Scary Haunted Homeschool

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

House Next Door by Ann Rivers Siddons

Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann

Author, Stephen King

Nos4A2 by Joe Hill

Infidel by Pornsak Picchetshote

Rachel Rising by Terry Moore

Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

Author, Dan Simmons: Song of Kali; Seasons of Horror; The Terror

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer by Ridley Pearson

Author, Paul Tremblay: Head Full of Ghosts; The Cabin at the End of the World

Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates

Author, Stephen Graham Jones: My Heart is a Chainsaw; Mongrel; The Last Final Girl; Zombie Bake-Off; Mapping the Interior

Nick's Library Suggestion:

I love ghosts. I grew up loving ghosts like Casper and Gus and even when I found stories where they weren't so friendly, I still loved them. Ghost stories are my absolute favorite and I'm going to share with you some of the creepy, ghoulish ghost stories you may not know about, or maybe you do and just need a nudge to try them. There is no better time to hang out with an apparition or visit a haunted house than October, so grab a warm blanket and some hot cocoa and settle in with a spooky tale like these.

Mentioned:

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving

Hell House, by Richard Matheson

Amityville Horror, by Jay Anson

The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill

Anthologies edited by Martin H. Greenburg

Alfred Hitchcock's Haunted Housefull, short stories by multiple authors and edited by Alfred Hitchcock

Discussed:

The Invited, by Jennifer McMahon

Author Simone St. James' books: The Broken Girls, The Sun Down Motel, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, and Inquiry Into Love and Death

The Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo

The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb

Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold

Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

Author Joe Hill's books: 20th Century Ghosts, Heart-Shaped Box

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Ghost Story by Peter Straub

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Nick's suggestion from libraries:

Magazines on Overdrive