Information Systems Manager Will Duke recommends Here Beside the Rising Tide by Emily Jane. At first glance it might seem trite that Emily Jane creates a heroine, Jenn, who is a wildly successful author of “action smut,” her term, not mine; flowing hair, deep kisses, and washboard abs do have cameos in this novel. There is also, of course, a pushy editor who loves Jenn, not romantically but in a “You go girl!” way. But do any of us want to read another book about an … [Read more...] about Book Review: Here Beside the Rising Tide
Staff Reviews: Books, Films, Music, and More
Review of Books about Spiders, Bugs, and Insects
Gold Mine Housewares Supervisor Jessica Nava recommends: "The Tarantula Scientist" by Sy Montgomery Is there really such a thing as a tarantula scientist? Yes, there is! Follow spider scientist Sam Marshall on an adventure into French Guiana’s steamy rainforest in search of thee fantastic eight-legged wonders. Marshall takes us into the field and shows us how he finds and collects specimens. He studies these spiders in the wild, but he is also an educator. He is a professor at Hiram … [Read more...] about Review of Books about Spiders, Bugs, and Insects
Book Review: Wait for Me in the Rainbow
Gold Mine Consign Retail Supervisor Lily Lopez recommends "Wait for Me in the Rainbow" by Laura Vidal. I faithfully believe that when you share part of your life with a being as warm as a companion animal, you live the most unforgettable moments you could have imagined. Something that has curiously caught my attention is the affection and love that the people of the valley have towards their little animals as family members... ...these furry guardians who arrive to give a 180-degree … [Read more...] about Book Review: Wait for Me in the Rainbow
Book Review: Careless People:
A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism Librarian Andrea Nelson recommends "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby Back when Facebook (now Meta) was young, a sign hung on the wall of … [Read more...] about Book Review: Careless People:
Film Review: The Substance
Wood River Museum Collections Specialist Ellie Norman recommends the film, The Substance, starring Demi Moore. I first saw The Substance at last winter’s Sun Valley Film Festival, and it immediately stuck with me. Coralie Fargeat’s latest film is an audacious, bloody, and bitingly intelligent horror movie that digs deep into our cultural obsession with youth and beauty. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a once-famous television personality whose career begins to fade as she ages. … [Read more...] about Film Review: The Substance
Banned Book Week | Challenges to the Freedom to Read
Director of Library Operations Pam Parker recommends All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson and Plainsong by Ken Haruf. Statistically, book challenges may have dropped in 2024 over 2023. Yet these numbers cloud another reality—thousands of titles are no longer reaching their intended audiences due to the widespread use of challenges that have opened the door to an increasing number of book bans. According to PEN America, some16,000 instances of bans have occurred in public schools and … [Read more...] about Banned Book Week | Challenges to the Freedom to Read
