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I might be jumping the gun here but the department stores have Halloween decorations out and the weather has started to turn. Therefore, I officially declare it to be pre-spooktober and open season on all things ghoulish, frightening, and horrific. To help get you into the Halloween spirit I’ve conjured a selection of terrifying tales that’ll make your heart race and skin crawl. So prepare to sleep with the light on, for your reading displeasure here are my spooky Adult Fiction picks. Dead Silence S.A. Barnes Goodreads begins its description of Dead Silence as “Titanic meets The Shining”, which hits the nail right on the head. Claire Kovalik is about to lose the closest thing she can call a family. Her mega-corp employer has made her ship and crew obsolete but things take a disturbing turn when on a routine maintenance run they receive an odd distress signal. With no desire to return to Earth, Claire convinces her crew to investigate the mysterious call only to discover the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. Intrigued by the mystery and tempted by the prospect of a hefty salvage claim, Claire and her crew embark on a suspenseful and terror filled exploration of the imposing ghost ship. With a great set of characters, a strong lead reminiscent of Alien's Ripley, and an immersive atmosphere of fear, Dead Silence is a frightfully good time. Cycle of the Werewolf Stephen King One of King’s lesser known works and the basis for the 1985 film Silver Bullet starring Gary Busey, Cycle of the Werewolf is an underrated King classic. A werewolf is viciously killing the residents in the small town of Trakers’ Mills. Every full moon brings renewed carnage, but 10 year old Marty Coslaw has a plan to end the terror and he’ll need his uncle’s help. King, as always, is a master of character and setting. The scenes building up to the bloodshed are so immersive it’ll feel like you’re there with the unfortunate souls. At just over a hundred pages this is a quick read that you’ll have no trouble gobbling up in an evening. Abigale Hall: a novel Lauren A. Forry This is the book equivalent of a B-movie and I mean that in the best possible way. Seventeen-year-old Eliza and her troubled little sister have lost both parents to separate tragic events. Forced to leave London to work for the mysterious Mr. Brownwell amid the death and chaos of WWII Britain, Eliza struggles to control her sister's bizarre behavior while trying to balance her duties in the crumbling old manor, Abigale Hall. What on the surface appears to be a somewhat standard English Gothic/Horror novel, Abigail Hall has more than a few surprises in store and a climax that is sure to shock and astound. What are some of your favorite Horror novels? If you’ve read any of the ones reviewed here, what did you find most interesting? I look forward to hearing about your favorite horrific reads this fall. Stay tuned, in my next post I’ll once again highlight some of my favorite Horror films that I guarantee will torment you with nightmares.

I cannot be more excited about the fall season! I know I am a little early, but I am all ready to start implementing my favorite fall time activities. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love how the weather and the air changes to be more cool and crispy in the mornings and the evenings. I love how the stars shift in the sky. And always, I love how the leaves change color all around us. I feel like it is more often that I take notice of my surroundings with so much change happening outside all around. Continue on if you would like to know some of my favorite things to do in the fall. Hiking The best thing about the mornings and evenings cooling down is that I get to enjoy the beautiful weather with a hike with my family, friends, and my dog. I really try to go all around Treasure Valley and around the snake river, and I am a huge fan of the Wilson Creek pathway located in Nampa. The pathway has great shade and goes along the Wilson Creek. My favorite area features so many animals - local goats grazing, lots of ducks loafing, and even fish can be seen swimming in the creek. Going past Wilson Creek park and up along towards the Wilson Springs Ponds, you can even catch some beavers trying to pretend like they aren't there. I like to keep most of my hikes simple and lightweight, so I only bring essentials with me like water and sunblock, but there are so many ways to get prepared for hiking or to add in more challenging areas to explore. For more information on hiking, check out some of our books we have in our LYNX collection. Movies Who doesn't love to curl up and relax with a good movie, especially when the evenings start to get chillier? I love fall themed movies and I have a few that I like to watch every year. One of my favorite movies is When Harry Met Sally. Usually after I watch that I need at least one more Meg Ryan classic and I'll watch Sleepless in Seattle. However, fall also means Halloween and spooky movies for me. I watch an array of classic and new spooky movies each year. Some are really good and creepy like The Conjuring Series and other times I just have to get back into Hocus Pocus or ET. Tea time! Something fun that I like to do during the hot summer months is to grow herbs. They grow so fast and strong with all the sunlight I get on my balcony. When the warm season begins to end, I transfer my plants indoors and they survive as long as I don't clip them too much. I sometimes think about getting a grow light...maybe this Christmas. I use my herbs for cooking, but the majority of them get dried and stored for fall and winter and I make tea with them or cook with them during the off season. Interested in learning more about growing herbs for tea? The Herbal Tea Garden by Marietta Marshall Marcin has some great information. Herbs and Spices: Self Sufficiency, by Linda Gray is a quick guide to growing all sorts of herbs and spices indoors and outdoors and the book has a user friendly design that includes cute illustrations and to the point factoids I really enjoyed. Decorating It is definitely time for me to get back into decorating my home with all my fall favorites. I usually prefer a simple fall theme such as: yellow and orange flowers, a few pumpkins, maybe a scarecrow, some fun orange lights, and some nice spicy candle wax or cinnamon sticks. But once Halloween comes around I try to add in some new fun little spooky touches like ghosts, giant spiders, or skeletons. There are so many decorations that you can create on your own. Check out our catalog for some books that feature DIY decorations! Stargazing Lastly, I love how the stars change in the fall. Even though it is pretty cold at night, it is still so great to see so many constellations, nebula, planets, and even a galaxy. I have my own small telescope that I like to pull out and explore with, but stargazing is always way more fun in a group and can be done locally with the help of your local astronomy club. Safely explore the night sky with local enthusiasts and look through their often expensive and interesting telescopes. Saturn should be visible in the evenings and is so fun to see with a more professional telescope but is still a treat with a smaller telescope. Half the fun is tracking the way the stars and planets change over the duration of the season and some of us gazers even keep a star log. For more information on stargazing and astronomy, check out Astronomy - A Self Teaching Guide, by Dinah L. Moche, or look up more stargazing books from our catalog! I hope you are ready to enjoy your favorite fall time activities, whatever those look like to you! If you have some you would like to share, let me know in the comments section, I am always looking for more fun things to do each season!

Progressive rock isn’t just for nerds. Mostly for nerds, but not exclusively. I jest, but if a series of rock albums following the narrative of a comic book about an epic interplanetary war is nerdy then I’ll gladly accept my honorary pocket protector. Welcome to another Freegal album review. This month we’re examining the debut album by Coheed and Cambria, The Second Stage Turbine Blade. If you haven’t heard about the library’s free music streaming service Freegal, you can read all about it in my blog post here. The Second Stage Turbine Blade is a concept album and the second part of a tetralogy chronicling the Amory Wars, a science fiction series developed by the band’s lead singer and front man, Claudio Sanchez. The band itself is named after two prominent characters from the series first introduced in this debut album. If you’re not one to analyze lyrical content that’s okay, you don’t need to dive into the sci-fi narrative to enjoy Coheed and Cambria’s music, but a little background on the series helps make sense of some of the song titles and themes. Coheed and Cambria are an interesting blend of prog-rock, post-hardcore, and emo which makes it difficult to put their sound in a neat little box. While sharing aspects of these sub genres, Coheed and Cambria sound very distinct from their influences and peers. Expertly combining the more intricate and subtle songwriting craft of prog-rock while maintaining a youthful and energetic hardcore drive, the band excels at writing complex rock anthems that stick with the listener. Claudio’s high vocal range and unique voice make the band’s songs immediately distinguishable, daring the listener to sing along, and the intricate guitar leads add another technical level to the band’s sound. Like many first releases, The Second Stage Turbine Blade is a little rough around the edges both in terms of production and songwriting. Tracks feel incongruent and sound effects and arrangement make some transitions awkward. However, there’s a lot of good material and the band’s potential is on full display. Coheed and Cambria’s sophomore release, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is a fantastic follow up that perfectly illustrates a band finding their stride and crafting a particular sound. This would continue onto their third album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, which features the absolutely killer song “Welcome Home”. Best tracks include “Hearshot Kid Disaster”, “God Send Conspirator”, and “Devil in New Jersey”. All three feature great soaring choruses and ripping guitar leads. I can’t listen to “Hearshot Kid Disaster” without it getting stuck in my head for days and “Devil in New Jersey” is an incredibly upbeat jam contrasted by its bleak lyrics. If you haven't checked them out yet login to Freegal and give them a listen, and next time you're in the library tell me what you think.

Hello! As we wrap up another summer and finish off the Summer Reading program and the summertime events, I feel happy with how everything went this year. For outreach, we concentrated on a wonderful partnership with Caldwell School District and visited some of the Oasis Feeding Sites in July. We were able to stop by 4 locations and provide activities and giveaway kits for the families who came out. Our kits were funded by a grant from the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Thanks to our wonderful team of summer reading volunteers, we were able to give out an amazing number of kits to the community. Staff was also able to do storytimes at the Indian Creek Plaza, and headstart storytimes to La Adelita and Casa de los Colores. All the kids had so much fun listening to the different stories provided by so many of our staff members! Staff enjoyed reading outside of the library and reading some of their favorite picture books. They also liked being able to see the looks on all the kids faces when they did some of the interactive storytimes. Our homebound delivery route is expanding and we have been so happy to make sure our patrons who can no longer visit the library are getting the materials that they want. Are you or a family member interested in homebound services? Make sure you fill out an application if you are interested in starting up some services! Thanks to the Friends of the Library for making sure that we always have enough bags for our homebound patrons. We appreciate everything that you provide for our library! Other fun things that we have been able to do is drop off some books to the Canyon County jail so that inmates have reading materials, make sure to bring calendars and books to community partners such as our Laundromat Literacy Center, Farmway Village, or Salvation Army, and rotate our care center kits to different centers so that everyone is able to read something they enjoy. Here's hoping that fall is a great season as well!

If you’re like me and running a low / no budget recording setup chances are you're doing most everything “in the box”. My audio rack only holds two recording interfaces and any effects processing takes place in my DAW. It’s a technological feat that’s economic, space saving, and allows a great deal of flexibility. While the stock plugins in my DAW are fantastic and get plenty of use, sometimes I need a specific tool for a particular effect. Thankfully there are tons of great VST plugins available for free online when you need to add a little pizzazz to your mix. I’ve chosen five of my favorites to recommend and provided links where you can download and try them yourself. My most recent discovery, Modern Deathcore has become a standard on kick drums. The name alone indicates that this plugin means serious business. Modern Deathcore is a compressor with attitude that can be configured to add a lot of color and character to the source. Modern Deathcore gives users plenty of configuration options without having extraneous buttons and knobs that clutter up space. The high pass and low pass filters are an excellent feature and the color button can really make this plugin pop. Voxengo Span is a real time spectrum analyzer and an indispensable tool for reference mixing. Supporting multi-channel analysis, Span can display spectrums form two different channels or channel groups at once. Being able to get a visual reference between your work and a reference track is a key feature of the plugin and a great way to evaluate how your track stacks up. Have you ever wanted the compression, distortion, and noise of cassette tape on your tracks but you either don’t own a deck or don’t want to go through the work of patching one in? Using actual sampling of tape white noise, Tape Cassette 2 provides complete control over noise saturation, wow, and flutter to emulate that sweet compact cassette experience. This plugin is capable of making a track sound like a brand new well functioning tape, or one that’s been left in an old Honda Civic since ‘92. An email is required to register this one but it’s well worth the minor inconvenience. Recording bass DI is common practice but finding a decent bass tone in the digital world can sometimes be a struggle. Luckily, ignite amps offers their SHB-1 Extreme Bass Head plugin for free. This is an aggressive sounding amp with a lot of tonal control. I especially like pushing up the gain and playing with the toggle switches to brighten the tone and attack of my bass tracks. It’s a reliable sound that pushes the bass forward in the mix and provides presence and feel for a DI track. Stereo Touch is another killer free plugin from Voxengo. Branded as a stereo-widener and mid-side stereo delay, Stereo Touch is described as taking a mono signal and generating a stereo signal by means of channel delay. This little plugin can take a lifeless mono track and transform it into a spacious stereo signal with as much width as you’d like. I often like to use this when recording demos that I know I won’t be double tracking guitar for. Running a distorted rhythm guitar through Stereo Touch is a quick and easy way to fatten guitar tone and widen guitar tracks without recording a second take. Backing vocals low in the mix also work well, creating the illusion of more backing tracks. Obviously this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to free audio effects so expect to see more featured here in the future. What are some of your favorite plugins and what do you like about them? And if you tried any of the ones featured here what did you think?

Graphic novels are one of my favorite things to read. The very first graphic novel series I read was Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto back in middle school; but it is still one of my favorite series to this day and I have re-read it several times. The series is about a young boy who is hated by his ninja village because of a demon sealed inside of him. Despite this, he is an overall cheerful kid who has dreams of one day being respected by his village and becoming the village leader. He spends the series working hard in attempts to achieve this goal. In total there are 72 volumes in this series but one of the pros of graphic novels is that they are usually a quick read. There are a few different kinds of graphic novels. The most popular are called manga and they are graphic novels that originate from Japan that are translated into English. Naruto would be an example of manga along with My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi which is one of the most popular manga series currently. Other forms of graphic novels include comics or essentially any type of book with sequential art that tells a story. Picture books or books with just general art in them are typically not considered graphic novels. Some graphic novels are meant to be more lighthearted for a simple and enjoyable read while others will have a more intense plot to follow. The ones with a more intense plot will often have an overarching plot that the characters are working toward along with smaller plot arches. There are also several genres available to appeal to many different readers. Below are some series that I and other staff members have read and recommend. Catwad Catwad by Jim Benton is a simple, more comedic read about two cats named Blurmp and Catwad. Blurmp is happy and silly while Catwad is serious and grumpy, so naturally they make the perfect comedic duo. The books are made up of short snippets that show their many adventures and daily life, making it a good choice when you want a lighter read and a bit of laughter. It’s aimed more toward younger readers, but adults can enjoy it as well. Reading it almost reminded me of the Sunday comics that I used to enjoy as a kid as it follows a similar kind of style. A Silent Voice Trigger Warning: bullying and thoughts of self harm A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima is a shorter graphic novel series with only 7 volumes. It follows two main protagonists, Shoya and Shoko who meet in elementary school when Shoko transfers to Shoya’s school. Shoko is deaf and uses hearing aids. Shoya learns this and begins to bully Shoko, going so far as to destroy her hearing aids. This forces Shoko to eventually leave school and Shoya faces the ramifications, including being bullied himself. The series picks up again when the two meet up again by chance six years later. Shoya uses this chance to try and make up for his past actions and make amends with Shoko. This is another one of my favorite series for the representation of deaf culture and how it shows the ramifications of bullying for both the bully and the victim. It also shows self-growth and making the effort to change as a person and make up for past deeds. Heartstopper Trigger Warning: homophobia/transphobia, bullying, eating disorders, thoughts of self-harm, and mental illness Heartstopper by Alice Oseman is an LGBTQIA+ teen romance series perfect for anyone who may be questioning their sexuality or gender identity. The series follows Charlie and Nick who become friends after being sat together in one of their classes. Charlie develops a crush on Nick but doesn’t believe he has a chance. After spending time with Charlie and doing some self-reflecting, Nick realizes that he has stronger feelings for Charlie than he initially thought. The series follows them as they navigate their life and relationship and all the ups and downs that come with it. It offers a bunch of representation as it includes a trans character and other same-sex couples and the author is even non-binary. It also handles bullying, eating disorders, and depression in teens. On the surface it is a cute romance series but below the surface it handles a bunch of important situations that many teens face. Berserk Content Warning: This series is written for an adult audience. Contains violent and sexual content Berserk was written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura before his passing in 2021. The series has recently been picked up by his colleague and childhood friend, Kouji Mori. It follows Guts, a swordsman, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band named the “Band of Hawk”. Guts joins the mercenary band after losing a fight to Griffith, but things don’t settle from there. The series is full of action and violence as Guts and Griffith each fight to get stronger and reach their own goals. It’s full of twists and turns that leave the reader wondering what will happen next. There are also various monsters and archdemons to really add to the plot and give the characters plenty to fight.

Music is big business. And not just for record companies or artists, but for entire industries devoted to the playback and experience of sound. From mass produced Bluetooth headphones to hand built direct drive record players, the means of audio reproduction means big bucks. The technology facilitating our listening experience has changed considerably since the days of Edison’s phonograph and consequently so has our relationship with recorded sound. As an aspiring audio engineer I’ve been reading extensively on not only the craft of music production, but about its history and cultural influence. Therefore, for your reading pleasure I’d like to present three outstanding reads about our relationship with not just music, but recorded sound itself. Perfecting Sound Forever by Greg Milner is a fascinating look at the evolution of audio recording and consumption. Providing heaps of historical context, Perfecting Sound Forever follows every major advancement in recording technology and presents it side by side with the cultural climate in music. There’s also a plethora of technical information explaining exactly what sound is, the various ways it can be captured, and how the methods of reproduction operate mechanically and electronically. An engaging read from beginning to end, the author presents each major advancement in a linear fashion while relating its lasting impact on the present. Passages detailing the recording history of artists like Les Paul and Lead Belly illustrate how shifting attitudes towards music and sound recording forever changed how music is produced and understood. The New Analog is an absolute must read for any music lover. Author Damon Krukowski takes a critical look at our relationship with music and how technological shifts have altered our listening experiences. Examining the conflict of analog vs digital recording and playback, the book expands on this dichotomy to illustrate the importance of noise in our lives. Krukowski argues that we’ve prioritized signal to such a degree that we’ve abandoned our own senses. Isolated from noise, signal becomes meaningless with no locus for us to derive meaning. Far from being a rant about the good old days of playing vinyl, The New Analog takes a nuanced and informative approach to the current status quo of audio production and distribution. Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore isn’t directly about recording or the technology surrounding music, but it is an interesting look at how major record labels once operated before the digital collapse. Author Dan Ozzi delivers a thorough and humorous examination of the biggest alt-rock breakthroughs in the post Nirvana age. Filled with interviews from bands like Jawbreaker, My Chemical Romance, and Blink 182, Sellout highlights the highs and lows of bands making it big and selling out to major record labels. It feels like there’s so much more to say about all three of these books and perhaps I’ll do each one justice someday with its own post. Expect more posts on recording in the future as we take a look at every music nerds greatest obsession, gear!

Hello there! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! At the library we have been busy signing up families for Summer Reading! But we have also had a lot of fun visiting some places around the Caldwell area as well. Here's a recap of what we did in May, what we have planned for June! MAY In spring we were able to visit a few schools before summer began. We attended the Literacy Night that was held at Washington Elementary. There we were able to talk to families about our library services and the importance of literacy. There were so many families there! We also went to the Lakevue Elementary School Carnival. There we were able to offer library card sign up and talked about the upcoming Summer Reading program. We also were able to hang out at Caldwell High School and talk about Summer Reading volunteering. We have had so many volunteers sign up with us this year to help hand out Summer Reading logs and to help us give out book prizes. All their help makes all the difference for our program and we are so happy so many teens were able to volunteer this year! We also attended a Summer Reading Celebration with Rediscovered Books. We had so much fun making pins and buttons with the families, giving out book recommendations at the Book Doctor booth, and we even 3D printed some cool bearded dragon prizes! Did you win one? We took the Mobile Makerspace to Farmway Village in June as well. We enjoyed some food, STEM activities, STEM kits from the Idaho Commission for Libraries, and had some books to give away, too! The kids had so much fun learning about magnets and 3D printers. That is the farthest we have taken the Mobile Makerspace, and we had so much fun making the trip! JUNE So far in June, we attended Family Fun Day to do some sidewalk chalk art and to give out some free books. We had a blast and even Clyde the Camel stopped by to say hello! We are going to be hanging out at Manchester Park with the Mobile Makerspace and the mayor. We will bring the Makerspace to Get the Funk Out laundromat, where we have our very first literacy center for the families who do laundry there. We will also stop by the Caldwell senior center to talk about the Talking Book Service and our technology tutoring services. We have also been at the downtown plaza to host storytimes, have you caught one yet? Lastly, we will be working with WICAP headstart to do some storytimes as well! SEE YOU SOON? Does it sound like a lot? That is because it is! We are trying to make sure that we can get to as many places as possible so that all of Caldwell gets a chance to experience fun activities such as STEM activities, 3D printing, or storytimes. Do you think you can make one of our events? Our events are listed on our library programs for each month. Do you want to know more information about any of the locations or partnerships we have with our community? Please reach out and let us know and we can guide you in the right direction. And don't forget to stop into the library and sign up for our Summer Reading Program! Hope we see you soon!

Need help looking for an upcoming read or the next book in a series? This blog post will give you a few tools to help you navigate this process. One of my favorite websites for searching for books and series is Fantastic Fiction. Most days, library staff will have patrons come in asking for the next book in a series, when James Patterson’s newest book is coming out, and what books we recommend. Fantastic Fiction is a very easy way to get those questions answered. This website will show new, upcoming, and release dates for books. Readers can search for books by author, title, and series. There are also previews of books and recommendations from authors. With Fantastic Fiction, there is also a way to sign up on their page and add favorite authors and books you have read. After the authors are added, they will start sending emails letting the reader know when new books are being released. This can be helpful if you are a voracious reader like I am and can’t wait to see when the next book will be available. Goodreads is another great site to look for books. You can explore by title or author through this search engine. This website also has a login if you want to keep track of what you have read in the past and what you are currently reading now. You can also make lists on Goodreads and add titles to them like favorites, DNF (did not finish), and come back to this one. I love this website because it gives excellent suggestions for other books that are similar in a particular genre if you want a new read. It also has a “popular list” section to see what other users are reading and has their reviews to help you decide on your next read. Another feature they offer is something I mentioned in a previous blog post on reading challenges. You can set a goal of how many books you would like to read in a year, and it will track your progress. Google Books can also be helpful when looking for books. This tool is one that I recently discovered. Of course, you can search the web on Google for books, but this site will only bring up books related to your query. With Google Books, you can preview the book, see the cover art, and even read a few chapters. There is an option to see more editions if you are looking for an older book. Another benefit is to find out if the book is available locally through a nearby library. With Google Books, you can also add it to your online library, read reviews from other readers, and see similar books to the one you are searching for. If you are having trouble finding out more about a book, the advanced search preference could help. You can search by subject, publisher, language, and much more. These tools should assist any reader in finding a new book, a book from a series, a book they could not remember the title to, and so much more. I hope you enjoy these websites as much as I do. And of course, if all else fails in your search for books, please give us a call here at the library, and we would be happy to assist you in finding the book you are looking for!

Gothic Fiction is a genre where stories primarily focus on the feeling of terror or mystery. Stories usually take place in an unsettling setting, such as ruins or old buildings and castles (Britannica). The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole was the first story published to be considered gothic fiction (Pagan). Since then, it has grown widely as a genre. Stephen King's works are considered contemporary gothic. Several different elements exist in gothic fiction and stories will often utilize multiple of these elements. Prophecies, curses, and omens are among common elements in gothic stories. Supernatural and paranormal activities are also common elements that are present and are shown in a couple of the books listed below (“The Top 10…”). Stories also contain intense emotions in their characters (Pagan). Below is mix of classic and more modern examples of gothic fiction. The Castle of Otranto – Horace Walpole The Castle of Otranto starts off the book with a tragedy and an ancient prophecy. The story begins as Lord Manfred’s son, Conrad, marries Princess Isabella. When Conrad is crushed shortly after the wedding, it is revealed that there is an ancient prophecy where the current family line of the castle will die out when it is no longer suitable for the castle. Menfred becomes determined to marry Isabella in hopes of producing more sons to help keep the family line alive. Secrets are uncovered and truths are revealed as Isabella attempts to escape the marriage and Menfred is still determined to marry her. Many elements of gothic fiction exist in this book, and it is the first published story of gothic fiction. On top of the ancient prophecy, there is also an ominous setting with the threat of the prophecy looming above them. Death is apparent in this book along with a woman in distress. High emotion is also present as Lord Manfred is dealing with the possible end of his family line and his desperation to continue it and marry Isabella. All these elements are common in gothic fiction. Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia Mexican Gothic is full of mystery as the protagonist, Noemí, goes to visit her cousin who suspects that her husband is slowly poisoning her. When Noemí gets there, there is an unwelcoming and unsettling atmosphere in the home, and the people that live there don’t help the situation. Dark family secrets are uncovered as it’s revealed the family has a troubling past. When Noemí becomes affected by visions, the horrifying truth of the family is revealed and it becomes fight to escape the house, and the family, with her life. Taking place in an unwelcoming and ominous setting with a dark mystery to be uncovered, this book is a good, modern, example of gothic fiction. The visions also fit in with the theme of gothic fiction and the suspense of Noemí trying to escape with her life adds suspense that the genre is also known for. The woman in distress aspect with Noemí’s cousin is also a common element of gothic fiction. Dracula – Bram Stoker Dracula is probably one of the most well-known examples of gothic fiction, if not the most well-known, which makes it easy to help connect with the genre. Leaning more into gothic horror, right off the bat the book checks off the supernatural mark with Dracula himself. The book immediately starts off with horror as Dracula leaves a gentleman to die in his castle where three vampire women are. He moves to London, causing the crew on the ship he was traveling on to disappear, and begins to stalk a woman named Lucy. This causes changes to happen to Lucy and the men in her life begin to hunt down the cause of it. Fear is a big part of this book as Dracula hunts his victims and the humans must find the cause to everything that has been happening. The fear and violence mean that this story falls more under gothic horror, which is a subgenre to gothic fiction that focuses more on fear than anything else. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louise Stevenson The main character alone in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde falls under gothic fiction. Dr. Jekyll is in a battle with himself as he has bad impulses and vices that he wants to act upon but doesn’t want to damage his character. Thus, he makes a serum that transforms him into Mr. Hyde that allows him to act upon those impulses, resulting in Mr. Hyde becoming a villain that attacks other people. The local community becomes determined to stop Mr. Hyde from hurting anyone else. The book directly explores his inner battle and nature of man as they struggle between their good and bad impulses, and the fear that happens when the bad eventually begins to take over. This struggle that the book shows represent another element of gothic fiction where characters struggle with good vs. evil. The Little Stranger – by Sara Waters The Little Stranger is a story teeming with supernatural elements as the setting, a crumbling estate, is haunted by ghosts in the 18th Century. Faraday, a doctor, experiences the strangeness of this estate when he goes to treat one of the house maids and ends up becoming a family friend after staying to treat the son, Roderick, who suffers from his time in WWII. Mysterious things begin to happen when the once gentle family dog mauls a girl at a party thrown by the family and Roderick claims that something appeared in his room wanting to harm him but proves to threaten the entire family and their way of life, without the family realizing the full extent. Filled with suspense, tragedy, and supernatural themes, The Little Stranger is a modern example of gothic fiction. The reader is left on the edge of their seat the entire story as the family has to overcome several strange instances that can’t easily be explained, even leading the reader to question exactly what happened at the end. It also plays with strong emotions as Faraday and Caroline, the daughter, struggle with their romantic feelings the entire novel before the end where the reader is thrown for a loop. These are just a few examples of gothic fiction. There are so many other books to check out that would fall under it. If you’re unsure, looking for any of the common elements is a good way to start. Sources: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Gothic novel". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/art/Gothic-novel. Accessed 20 March 2022. Pagan, Amanda. “A Brief History of Gothic Horror.” New York Public Library, 18 Oct. 2018,https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/10/18/brief-history-gothic-horror. Accessed 20 March 2022. “The Top 10 Elements of Gothic Literature.” invaluable, https://www.invaluable.com/blog/elements-of-gothic-literature/. Accessed 26 March 2022

Last year commemorated the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Month. April was first declared National Poetry Month in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets and celebrated worldwide. There are many ways you can celebrate poetry - from reading your favorite poem to exploring the works of a new poet or even trying to write poetry. You can find more ideas for celebrating National Poetry Month on poets.org. Last year, I highlighted five contemporary poets and their recent works. This year, I'll be highlighting five poetry anthologies published in the 21st century. These anthologies are available from local libraries, so you can check them out and read to your heart's content! I'll include links to the catalog holdings for each title so you can find out how to get your hands on each of them. As you explore these poems, I hope you find joy and inspiration in their words and rhythms, and you continue to enjoy the beauty of poetry all year long. Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry, collected and with an introduction by Joy Harjo, 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo is the first Native poet to serve as a United States Poet Laureate. She was appointed in 2019 and continues to serve in this position. The Poet Laureate of the United States is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress. "During their term, the poet laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry." (United States Poet Laureate, Wikipedia article) One of Joy Harjo's projects in this position was the book Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry. This anthology collects poetry from contemporary Native poets and highlights the triumphs and struggles of First Nations people and their integral contributions to American poetry. Each poem is accompanied by a photograph and biography of the poet - the book covers the work of 47 poets across the United States. You can read more about the poets and Joy Harjo's projects as Poet Laureate on the Library of Congress page Living Nations, Living Words. Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience, edited by Patrice Vecchione and Alyssa Raymond This anthology of poetry for teens and young adults highlights the experiences of first- and second-generation young adult immigrants and refugees. Many of the issues faced by the poets are faced by young adults and teens everywhere, such as feelings of isolation, self-doubt, and loneliness. Yet others are unique to the immigrant experience, feelings of intense homesickness, stereotyping, and social exclusion. The book features 60 poems with brief biographies of the poets and a bibliography of additional titles the editors recommend. Patrice Vecchione has edited numerous award-winning poetry anthologies for young adults and has taught creative writing to young people, many of whom were migrant students. Alyssa Raymond is a young adult writer and writing instructor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, edited by James Crews There is a lot of negativity in the world, and often, literature and poetry can be heavy with the grief and sorrow of human wrongs. How to Love the World collects uplifting poems from various American poets - including Joy Harjo, U.S. Poet Laureate. Old and new poets are featured alongside each other in this COVID-era publication. These poems can be used as part of your daily gratitude practice or a simple reminder that the world can still be beautiful. James Crews is an award-winning poet who leads mindfulness and writing retreats. Please Excuse This Poem: 100 New Poets for the Next Generation edited by Brett Fletcher Lauer & Lynn Melnick If you're interested in the future of poetry, I highly recommend this book. Brett Fletcher Laure and Lynn Melnick have compiled one hundred poems by one hundred different young poets in this contemporary work of artistry. The poems cover a vast array of topics, reflecting the poets' views as they meditate on the world. Hard issues are discussed, but the language is accessible and contemplative. Brett Fletcher Lauer is the deputy director of the Poetry Society of America and poetry co-chair for the Brooklyn Book Festival. He has edited and co-edited several books and anthologies. Lynn Melnick currently teaches poetry at Columbia University and the 92Y community center in New York City. Her poetry has appeared in several notable publications, such as the New Yorker, and her own poetry collections. Seriously Funny: Poems About Love, Death, Religion, Art, Politics, Sex, and Everything Else edited by Barbara Hamby and David Kirby This anthology compiles 187 poems from new and old poets that tackle serious issues with wit, comedy, or laugh-out-loud foolishness. Fun Fact: the editors made most of their selections for this book in their Seriously Funny Mobile Unit, their shared compact car. They'd load the car with boxes of poetry and take turns reading aloud to each other as they drove. Their guidelines? Any poem that made them both think AND laugh. They hope the poems they selected will do the same for the reader. Barbara Hamby and David Kirby teach in the English Department at Florida State University. We hope you enjoyed this list. Do you have a favorite poetry anthology? Let us know in the comments!

The mission of the Caldwell Public Library is to "provide services and information to connect, enrich, and inspire our community." Library staff strives to provide the best possible experience for our users - both in-person and online. We understand the importance of building trust with our users and helping them find the resources they need. My name is Leslie Jimenez, and I am the Outreach Services Assistant at the Caldwell Public Library. I graduated from the University of Idaho in May 2021 with a B.S. in Business Marketing and a B.S. in Advertising (Go Vandals!). Before that, I graduated from Caldwell High School in May 2016. A fun fact - I completed my senior project at CHS by job-shadowing the current Library Director, Lacey Forst, and writing a research paper on the importance and significance public libraries have on low-income communities, which to this day, I strongly believe is still very relevant and of significance. If I’m not out in the community doing outreach with our Outreach Services Librarian, Monique, you can find me at the reference desk doing my best to help out patrons. As I go into my fourth month at the library, my top two favorites about my position have been (1) our Homebound service that allows us to bring library materials to residents of the city who otherwise cannot come to the library. Although the pandemic has prevented some face-to-face interactions, I still enjoy ordering and delivering these materials to our patrons. If you know of anyone interested, click here to learn more! (2) Learning about our awesome Mobile Makerspace: a tiny home that lets us bring free public WiFi, technology activities like our 3D printer, laser cutter, and other STEM-related activities as well as library materials to our community members for access. We are prepping it up for events like our Gala and fun summer events coming soon! The library has such an array of resources and information to offer. With just your library card number, you can stream music for free on Freegal, check out ebooks and audiobooks on the Libby app, search our catalog and check out materials straight from your phone on the Ida app. Our Library of Things has so many activities for you and your family to engage with, our long list of online databases, and much more on our website. If you have a chance, I recommend going through our website! I’m looking forward to doing more outreach to our community members, like our awesome seniors and Spanish-speaking families. I can go on about how your Caldwell Public Library strives to help out the Caldwell community. Whether it’s partnering with another organization to provide resources for families and our patrons without homes or asking for donations to provide free literacy and early STEM materials for our youth- we see so many people from different walks of life - and we want to help as much as possible. Our mayor once said, “There has never been a better time to work here at Caldwell”! Por favor visítanos y descubre los tesoros ocultos de su biblioteca!