Tag: Libby

Suggested Reading Five: April 8, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

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The Bridge Back To You by Riss M. Neilson

Neilson (A Love Like the Sun) crafts a heartfelt second-chance romance, bringing together Carmello Rodriguez and Olivia Jones through an unexpected inheritance. When Carmello’s late mother Celia leaves him 75 percent of her Filipino restaurant–with 25 percent going to his ex-girlfriend Olivia–the two professional chefs spend hours in Celia’s kitchen cooking together, rekindling favorite memories, and addressing their past relationship through their dual perspectives. Neilson excels at weaving cultural identity into the narrative. Carmello, of Filipino and Dominican descent, introduces his heritage through his passion of food, while Olivia explores her own multiracial identity and unique upbringing. Additionally, Neilson’s discussion of disabilities, such as chronic illnesses, includes a thoughtful portrayal of how they affect daily life. The couple’s honest communication feels genuine and is enhanced by posthumous emails from Celia that illuminate Carmello’s protectiveness as a father, Olivia’s nomadic lifestyle, and how their intertwined past shaped who they’ve become. VERDICT A slow-burn, small-town romance that beautifully demonstrates how food, family, and culture can bridge the past and present. Perfect for readers seeking emotional depth with a culinary heart.–Starred Library Journal Review

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The Delivery by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Merc Carter is not your typical deliveryman. A former postal inspector, he specializes in moving sensitive or dangerous packages—of all sorts—from point A to B. And sometimes he needs his gun to do so. Carter’s current mission leads him to Providence, Rhode Island, but his delivery is interrupted when he comes across a woman badly injured in a car wreck in the pouring rain. Then a man with a gun appears warning Carter away from the scene and Carter leaps into action, disarming the attacker and rescuing the crash victim.

Just as Carter thinks the danger has passed, he discovers a deeper mystery stemming from the crash, a deadly puzzle involving a memorable pair of grifters, a crooked ex-cop, stolen identities, human trafficking, and murder. And it appears that Carter’s next assignment will put him right in this conspiracy’s perilous center . . .

The follow-up to last year’s acclaimed hit, The Mailman, which launched the Mercury Carter series, The Delivery is a fast-paced, unpredictable thriller following a memorable protagonist whose resourcefulness is matched only by his quick wit and determination to never miss a delivery. – from the publisher

Reader’s Note: The Delivery is the second book in the Mercury Carter series. If you’d like to start reading the series from the beginning, check out book one: The Mailman.

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Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power by Abby Phillip

CNN anchor Phillip debuts with a fresh and illuminating account of Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns. Starting from Jackson’s childhood in segregated Greenville, S.C., Phillip traces his development into a prominent civil rights leader. Jackson became Martin Luther King Jr.’s “man in the North,” helming boycott campaigns that pressured companies into hiring more Black workers. He also took a growing interest in harnessing Black electoral power, spearheading efforts to register Black voters and aiding in the 1983 election of Chicago’s first Black mayor, Harold Washington, a victory that inspired Jackson to pursue his own presidential run. Phillip surveys the two Jackson campaigns’ notable achievements, including embarrassing President Reagan by negotiating directly with Syrian president Hafez al-Assad for the return of an imprisoned Black Navy lieutenant, and building his multiethnic “rainbow coalition” in part by advocating for white farmers. Phillip also delves into the campaigns’ catastrophic missteps, most destructively Jackson’s antisemitic reference to New York City as “Hymietown,” which derailed his 1984 bid. She also offers a striking analysis of Jackson’s continued influence, showing how his campaign prefigured the contemporary progressive platform and to some extent foreshadowed the populist agendas of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. The result is a paradigm-shifting reassessment of a progressive firebrand’s legacy. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review

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The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura

The third in Segura’s Raiders of the Lost Heart series features a sassy librarian and a hot, nerdy archaeologist. Dani Guiterrez has had a crush on her brother’s best friend since they were both teenagers, and when he disappears and is presumed dead, she is heartbroken. After a lifetime of playing it safe, Dani books a trip to Greece to mourn Theo in his favorite place. But she’s not there long before she sees Theo, who’s been kidnapped by smugglers who believe that he can lead them to a priceless ruby known as the Eye of the Minotaur. The kidnappers believe that she is his fiance, and Dani is soon caught up in the search. Starting as a slow burn, it eventually becomes a smoking inferno. Both of them have a hard time confessing their feelings, and there are several miscommunications, but Dani and Theo have amazing chemistry. Readers who love a good adventure romance combined with Greek mythology will not be able to put this one down. For fans of Ali Hazelwood and Sara Desai. – Booklist Review

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Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards

The brilliant Robards (Some Murders in Berlin, 2024) presents a captivating wartime adventure set it Ireland in 1918. The Irish are rebelling against the British for their independence and many of the locals are getting involved in dangerous acts. Rynn Carmichael is a 22-year-old local who is working as a nurse at Ballyshannon Court, a large family estate turned hospital during the war. Rynn discovers that her fiance , as well as her close childhood friends, are in a dire situation in which she involves herself. Several times over, in fact, starting with gun smuggling, murder, healing, and hiding the men who are fighting for Ireland. Trying to keep herself safe but also willing to support Ireland in whatever way she can, Rynn keeps getting embroiled in dangerous situations. This is an epic tale of feminine heroism, patriotism, and a touch of romance. With rich historical details of Ireland and London, descriptions of everything from fashion to classism, violence, and war, The Moonlight Runner captures readers right from the start. This page-turner is a must for historical fiction fans. – Booklist Review

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Weekly Suggested Reading Five postings are usually published on Wednesdays, unless Monday is a holiday and then they are published later in the week.

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

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Information on the four library catalogs

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders!

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV).

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

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Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

New Books Coming Your Way: December 2025

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, as we are at the end of our ordering year for print books and physical media items, this list of new titles consists entireley of eAudios & eBooks available for check out through Libby.

We’ll be getting more print books after the holiday season.

New Books Coming Your Way: December 2025

New Books Coming Your Way December 2025Download

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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P.S. Some of the print books & physical media items may not yet appear in StarCat. So, if you see any title you’d like to check out, but it isn’t in StarCat, send me an email or give me a call and I’ll put your name on the list for it, as soon as it has arrived.

P.S.S. The three digital catalogs are:

The Digital Catalog found online at https://stls.overdrive.com/ and its companion app Libby found in mobile app stores.

The Hoopla Catalog found online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ and its companion app, also called Hoopla and found in mobile app stores.

Kanopy: The streaming video catalog found online at https://www.kanopy.com/ and its companion app, also called Kanopy, found in mobile app stores.

New York Times Bestsellers: January 12, 2025

Linda Reimer

All titles can be requested/checked out through the library.

If you’d like to go the traditional route to request a title on this list and drop by the library, or give us a call – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

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New York Times Bestseller lists are shared via blog post on Sundays. And the next NYT blog post will be posted on Sunday, January 12, 2025.

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THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. JAMES by Percival Everett: A reimagining of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” shines a different light on Mark Twain’s classic, revealing new facets of the character of Jim.

2. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

3. THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah: In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America.

4. WICKED by Gregory Maguire: A misunderstood girl named Elphaba is declared a witch; the basis of the musical and the film.

5. THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden: Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

6. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas: After killing a wolf in the woods, Feyre is taken from her home and placed inside the world of the Fae.

7. THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore: When a 13-year-old girl disappears from an Adirondack summer camp in 1975, secrets kept by the Van Laar family emerge.

8. WIND AND TRUTH by Brandon Sanderson: The fifth book in the Stormlight Archive series. The fate of the Cosmere is imperiled as the fighting and chaos reach an apex.

9. IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: In the sequel to “It Ends With Us,” Lily deals with her jealous ex-husband as she reconnects with her first boyfriend.

10. IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse; the basis of the film.

11. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros: The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training under the new vice commandant might require her to betray the man she loves.

12. VERITY by Colleen Hoover: Lowen Ashleigh is hired by the husband of an injured writer to complete her popular series and uncovers a horrifying truth.

13. QUICKSILVER by Callie Hart: Saeris is transported to a dangerous land of ice and snow, where she must contend with a Fae warrior who has suspect agendas.

14. THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon: In Maine, 1789, a midwife seeks to uncover the true cause of the death of a man discovered entombed in the Kennebec River.

15. COUNTING MIRACLES by Nicholas Sparks: A man in search of the father he never knew encounters a single mom and rumors circulate of the nearby appearance of a white deer.

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NON-FICTION

1. THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES by Amy Tan: Essays and drawings by the author of “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” which depict a search for peace through birding.

2. CHER: THE MEMOIR, PART ONE by Cher: In the first part of her memoir, the multiple award-winning pop culture icon traces her childhood and forays into the world of entertainment.

3. FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey: Our criminal justice system viewed through the struggles of 10 wrongfully convicted people to achieve exoneration.

4. BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten: A memoir by the cookbook author and Food Network host known as the Barefoot Contessa.

5. MELANIA by Melania Trump: The former and future first lady describes her work as a fashion model, marriage to Donald Trump and time in the White House.

6. THE SERVICEBERRY by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The author of “Braiding Sweetgrass” illuminates how the gift economy in the natural world works and draws lessons for our economy; with illustrations by John Burgoyne.

7. REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell: Through a series of stories, Gladwell explicates the causes of various kinds of epidemics.

8. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt: A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.

9. THE SMALL AND THE MIGHTY by Sharon McMahon: A former high school government and law teacher profiles lesser-known Americans who made an impact.

10. GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey: The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years.

11. THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk: How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

12. FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough: Presley’s memoir, completed by her daughter, explores her relationships and challenges.

13. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents.

14. THE DEMON OF UNREST by Erik Larson: The author of “The Splendid and the Vile” portrays the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War.

15. NEXUS by Yuval Noah Harari: The author of “Sapiens” delves into how societies and political systems have used information and gives a warning about artificial intelligence.

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Have a great day!

Linda

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THE CATALOGS:

Catalog 1: StarCat

StarCat is the catalog of physical materials including print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. StarCat is available to all patrons of all public libraries in the Southern Tier Library System*

Starcat can be found online at: https://starcat.stls.org/

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Catalog 2: The Digital Catalog

The Digital Catalog (and its companion app Libby) offers all Southern Tier Library System member library patrons access to eBooks, eAudiobooks & eMagazines via a lending model known in Library-ese as “one copy/one user;” that library speak means that eBooks & eAudiobooks found in The Digital Catalog/Libby are like print books found on library shelves, only one patron can check out a copy of a title at a time.

Exception: Magazines found in the digital catalog are available via a different lending model known as simultaneous access. And that fancy library speak means that magazines are available for all patrons to check out at the same time, i.e. if you and all your family and friends wish to read the latest digital edition of Newsweek, all of you can check out the e version of the magazine and read it at the same time.

The Digital Catalog/Libby checkout limit is 5 titles a time.

The Digital Catalog is found online at: https://stls.overdrive.com/

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Catalog 3: Hoopla

The Hoopla Digital Catalog (and its companion app, also called Hoopla) offers Southeast Steuben County Library patrons access to a second digital catalog with an on-demand lending model. In library speak, this lending model, like The Digital Catalog/Libby’s magazine lending model, is known as “simultaneous access.” The difference is, the Hoopla catalog offers access to more formats: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, digital albums, TV shows & movies – and all items, in all those formats, are available  for patrons to checkout immediately. The Hoopla check out limit is ten titles per month.

Hoopla Formats: All Hoopla content can be accessed on a computer or mobile device, and TV shows and movies can be accessed on computers, mobile devices, smart TVs and media streaming players, i.e. Roku or  Apple TV.

The Hoopla Catalog is found online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

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*The Southern Tier Library System includes the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler & Allegheny counties.

New York Times Bestsellers: September 29, 2024

Linda Reimer

All titles can be requested/checked out through the library.

If you’d like to go the traditional route to request a title on this list and drop by, or call, the library – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA by TJ Klune: The second book in the Cerulean Chronicles series. The headmaster of a strange orphanage seeks to protect the magical children who reside there.

2. HERE ONE MOMENT by Liane Moriarty: Passengers on a short and seemingly unremarkable flight learn how and when they are going to die.

3. TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout: As a murder casts a pall on a town in Maine, Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge and Bob Burgess share stories and seek meaning.

4. IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse; the basis of the film.

5. THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah: In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America.

6. IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: In the sequel to “It Ends With Us,” Lily deals with her jealous ex-husband as she reconnects with her first boyfriend.

7. THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand: A body is found in Nantucket Harbor hours before a picture-perfect wedding.

8. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas: After killing a wolf in the woods, Feyre is taken from her home and placed inside the world of the Fae.

9. THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden: Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

10. DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver: Winner of a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. A reimagining of Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield” set in the mountains of southern Appalachia.

11. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros: The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training might require her to betray the man she loves.

12. VINCE FLYNN: CAPTURE OR KILL by Don Bentley: The 23rd book in the Mitch Rapp series. In 2011, operations take place to prevent a looming war in the Middle East.

13. A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas: The second book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre gains the powers of the High Fae and a greater evil emerges.

14. THE GAMES GODS PLAY by Abigail Owen: Gods enlist mortals to fight in their stead to determine who will sit on the throne in Olympus.

15. THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE by Matt Haig: A retired math teacher who inherits a run-down house on a Mediterranean island from a friend goes in search of answers.

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NON-FICTION

1. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents.

2. NEXUS by Yuval Noah Harari: The author of “Sapiens” delves into how societies and political systems have used information and gives a warning about artificial intelligence.

3. WHO COULD EVER LOVE YOU by Mary L. Trump: The author of “Too Much and Never Enough” and “The Reckoning” portrays the dynamics within her family.

4. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt: A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.

5. LOVELY ONE by Ketanji Brown Jackson: The first Black woman ever confirmed to the Supreme Court traces her family’s history and her personal ascent.

6. THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk: How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

7. HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D. Vance: The Yale Law School graduate and 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee looks at the struggles of the white working class through the story of his own childhood.

8. THE DEMON OF UNREST by Erik Larson: The author of “The Splendid and the Vile” portrays the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War.

9. GHOSTS OF HONOLULU by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Jr.: The story of a Japanese American naval intelligence agent, a Japanese spy and events in Hawaii before the start of World War II.

10. THE ART OF POWER by Nancy Pelosi: The representative from California chronicles her journey in politics, including her time as the first woman to serve as speaker of the House.

11. I USED TO LIKE YOU UNTIL…by Kat Timpf: The co-host of “Gutfeld!” and Fox News analyst shares her opinions on binary thinking.

12. REAGAN by Max Boot: A biography of the 40th president of the United States.

13. THE HIGHEST CALLING by David M. Rubenstein: Conversations with journalists, historians and former presidents on the American presidency.

14. IMMINENT by Luis Elizondo: The former head of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program shares insights on unidentified anomalous phenomena.

15. OUTLIVE by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford: A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

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There are currently three catalogs available to Southeast Steuben County Library patrons online, that you can access to search for and request New York Times Bestsellers, and other popular books and materials in a variety of formats, i.e. print books, eBooks, streaming videos.

All you need is a library card to get started!

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THE CATALOGS:

Catalog 1: StarCat

StarCat is the catalog of physical materials including print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. StarCat is available to all patrons of all public libraries in the Southern Tier Library System*

Starcat can be found online at: https://starcat.stls.org/

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Catalog 2: The Digital Catalog

The Digital Catalog (and its companion app Libby) offers all Southern Tier Library System member library patrons access to eBooks, eAudiobooks & eMagazines via a lending model known in Library-ese as “one copy/one user;” that library speak means that eBooks & eAudiobooks found in The Digital Catalog/Libby are like print books found on library shelves, only one patron can check out a copy of a title at a time.

Exception: Magazines found in the digital catalog are available via a different lending model known as simultaneous access. And that fancy library speak means that magazines are available for all patrons to check out at the same time, i.e. if you and all your family and friends wish to read the latest digital edition of Newsweek, all of you can check out the e version of the magazine and read it at the same time.

The Digital Catalog/Libby checkout limit is 5 titles a time.

The Digital Catalog is found online at: https://stls.overdrive.com/

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Catalog 3: Hoopla

The Hoopla Digital Catalog (and its companion app, also called Hoopla) offers Southeast Steuben County Library patrons access to a second digital catalog with an on-demand lending model. In library speak, this lending model, like The Digital Catalog/Libby’s magazine lending model, is known as “simultaneous access.” The difference is, the Hoopla catalog offers access to more formats: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, digital albums, TV shows & movies – and all items, in all those formats, are available  for patrons to checkout immediately. The Hoopla check out limit is ten titles per month.

Hoopla Formats: All Hoopla content can be accessed on a computer or mobile device, and TV shows and movies can be accessed on computers, mobile devices, smart TVs and media streaming players, i.e. Roku or  Apple TV.

The Hoopla Catalog is found online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

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*The Southern Tier Library System includes the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler & Allegheny counties.

Looking For Factual news? Try Ground News from Libby!

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, just a quick FYI email. A new library service is available today through Libby/The Digital Catalog to help you make sense of what news, found online, is factual and what stories are likely to be made-up, instead of credible news stories.

This new service is called Ground News and it offers you the tools to:

Compare 50,000 news sources in one convenient place
Get media bias and factuality ratings for news outlets
See how news stories are covered across the political spectrum
Balance your news diet with the My News Bias dashboard
And it is available in: English, Spanish, French

If you use the Libby app to check out library eBooks, eAudiobooks and magazines, you’ll see Ground News listed as a new offering when you open the app, if you’re using a smartphone, it should look like this:

And you just tap on the Ground News icon to access it.

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And if you use The Digital Catalog (that’s the web browser accessed version of Libby); just click on the following link*:

https://stls.overdrive.com/extras/ground-news

The Ground News services looks like this via a web browser:

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Have a great day everyone & as always, if you have questions about library materials or services, please ask the staff – we love questions in Library Land!

Linda

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* The Digital Catalog is found online at https://stls.overdrive.com/ and it should shortly have the new Ground News services prominently displayed on the home page; which it does not at the moment – thus my sharing the direct link to Ground News.