YouTube Creator Cookbooks
From screen to stovetop, explore recipes from around the world with these YouTube creator cookbooks.
Category: Staff Review
Ducks: a Memoir Graphic Novel
A sensitive and thoughtful memoir about learning how to be yourself in the world as an adult.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
C-SPL Staff review of “Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou,” a dreamy and upbeat comic about the end of the world.
Generation Ship Sci-Fi Novels
Check out this staff review of two must-read generation ship sci-fi novels of survival.
An American Marriage
Staff review of a stirring and complicated love story by Tayari Jones.
Dubuque County Reads
Learn more about Dubuque County Reads!
Queen of the Tiles
Staff review of “Queen of the Tiles” by Hanna Alkaf.
Small Game
Read our staff review of the debut novel “Small Game” by writer, musher, and adventurer Blair Braverman.
Other Birds
An enchanting tale of secrets, lost souls, lonely strangers, and how the right flock can guide you home.
Two New Out of This World Mysteries
Two new books out this October that feature very different murder mysteries in outer space.
In the Dream House
A C-SPL staff review of “In the Dream House,” a revolutionary memoir about domestic abuse by award-winning author Carmen Maria Machado.
Fevre Dream
by Ryan Banks, Adult Services Are you a fan of “A Song of Ice and Fire” and eagerly anticipating the long awaited sixth volume, “Winds of Winter”? The bad news is that fans have been waiting over a decade for the next installment of Martin’s […]
Like A Sister
by Sarah Smith, Adult Services I tore through “Like a Sister,” the latest novel by Kellye Garrett, in a single weekend and it kept me guessing right up to the end. I highly recommend this stand-alone story to anyone who enjoys a mystery packed with […]
Mystery Mayhem
by Ryan Bankson Looking for a good mystery? Here’s one librarian’s take on the five best mysteries that C-SPL has to offer.
An Elderly Lady…
Staff Book Review By Sarah Smith, Adult Services It’s a little odd to describe a book about a serial killer as a light read, but Helene Tursten’s pair of “An Elderly Lady” books about the evil deeds of Maud, a respectable senior citizen (in most […]
The Last Gunfight
Staff Book Review by Ryan Bankson, Adult Services Are you looking for a book recommendation to get you through this burgeoning winter weather? I’m your huckleberry. I admit it, I’m obsessed with the 1993 cinematic masterpiece “Tombstone.” I’ve watched the shootout at the O.K Corral […]
The Residence
By Ryan Bankson, Adult Services Experience an otherworldly presence, a family overcome with unimaginable anguish, and a séance gone awry. To make things even more unsettling, this all takes place in the White House, and is supposedly based upon real events. Happy Spooktober, one and […]
Broken Genius
By Ryan Bankson, Adult Services Move over Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg: here comes Will Parker. The year is 2011, and Parker is the CEO of CastorNet, a billion dollar tech company turning heads in Silicon Valley. Still in his 20’s, Parker is considered […]
The Worst Best Man
By Sarah Smith, Adult Services In March of 2020 the world very suddenly became a place of confusion, uncertainty, and more than a little fear. The Covid-19 pandemic changed almost everything very quickly, and none of us really knew what might happen next. It was […]
The Outlaw Chronicles Series
By Ryan Bankson, Circulation Services What do you think of when you hear the name Robin Hood? An accomplished archer? A scoundrel with a merry band of thieves robbing passersby on the King’s Road? How about that guy in the funny costume in Robin Hood […]
Something to Talk About
By Sarah Smith, Adult Services In 1993, a book featuring two teen girls falling in love created a controversy in the town where I lived, and copies of the books were removed from libraries and even burned in protest. This incident left an impression on […]
The Boyfriend Project
By Sarah Smith, Adult Services “The Boyfriend Project” by Farrah Rochon was one of my favorite reads over the last year, and I am genuinely excited that on Thursday, May 20, Farrah Rochon herself will have a virtual event for Carnegie-Stout Public Library! You can […]
The Longer We Were There: A Memoir of a Part-Time Soldier
By Ryan Bankson, Circulation Services For nearly 20 years, the War in Afghanistan has been producing a substantial body of work. Whether it be fiction, nonfiction, prose, or even artwork, Operation Enduring Freedom, America’s most enduring war to date, has inspired a generation of war […]
Staff Review: Paperbacks From Hell
by Ryan Bankson, Circulation Services Horror novels are like pizza; even when they’re bad, they’re still pretty good. Cheap, dated thrills that were horror tropes back when horror fiction was in its infancy still resonate with those of us readers that just can’t get enough […]
Staff Review: Author Donald Ray Polluck
I was going through my ever growing “to be read” list recently, when I came across the ominous sounding The Devil all the Time, by Donald Ray Pollock. As with most of the titles on that doughty list of mine, I couldn’t remember what initially attracted me […]
Staff Review: RX: A Graphic Memoir by Rachel Lindsay
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rat race? Yeah, me too. RX: a graphic memoir by Rachel Lindsay explores the rat race of corporate America from the viewpoint of a woman stuck in a vicious cycle. This quick read pairs Lindsay’s basic, yet poignant drawings with her no-nonsense, […]
Staff Review: All My Colors by David Quantick
All My Colors by David Quantick is the story of Todd Milstead. Described as an egotistical a-hole— he’s a wannabe writer who talks a great deal more about writing and writers, than actually doing the work. His eidetic memory makes him able to quote books […]
Staff Review: Portugal by Cyril Pedrosa
Simon Muchat bares this telling sentiment near the beginning of the newly translated graphic novel Portugal by writer and artist Cyril Pedrosa, which follows the character’s journey to reconnect with his past, present, and place in the world. Simon, a fictionalized version of Pedrosa, is an aloof art […]
Staff Review: Spoonbenders
Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory made me laugh more than any other book I’ve read lately. Gregory’s story about the Amazing Telemachus family has clever dialog and plot, interesting characters, a tight-knit riotous family, and suspense. All these varying elements come together in a cohesive and enjoyable read. […]
Staff Review: I Believe in a Thing Called Love
If you’re looking for a fun, romantic read for Valentine’s Day, I suggest you check out I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo. This book is a sweet and goofy look at first love that will remind readers of the fun of watching a romantic […]