Maybe I’m just getting old, but gee whiz there are just too many good games and not enough hours in the day. Which is why more than six months after its release I’ve finally played Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon . And let me tell you, it’s fantastic. I guess every reviewer on the face of the Earth has already come to that conclusion, but it’s not official until it’s on this blog. If my stamp of approval is all that it takes to convince you that Armored Core VI is worthy of your time, you can jump right to the bottom of this post and find catalog links to every available console version. As a young lad I religiously watched Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and would dream of piloting my very own giant mech . The premise of gargantuan robot combat thrilled my young mind with epic battles, huge explosions, and heroic monologues. However, I never connected with a video game that could evoke those same emotions. Whether the controls were clunky, the graphics lacking, or the story uninspiring, it seemed that video games couldn’t capture that mecha magic. Little did I know, the Armored Core series had been making that magic happen since 1997. Playing Armored Core VI was like living my childhood fantasies. The controls are so intuitive and responsive that after playing for just a few minutes they become second nature. The action is fast-paced, and the combat is intense but thoughtful. After the first couple missions you’ll feel like a real AC pilot. Sure, you can get obliterated in seconds by a barrage of enemy missiles, but once you master shooting, boosting, dodging, and weapon combinations, you'll dominate the battlefield. This is a From Software game after all, and sometimes you just have to get good.  There’s a ton of customization and player choice throughout the entire experience. With more than 300 parts to choose from including legs, arms, generators and boosters, you can build the mech of your dreams. Whether you want a sleek, fast, and light AC that will be a blur to your enemies, or a quad-leg behemoth loaded with heavy cannons and missile pods that can shrug off bullets like spit wads, the options are limitless. Personally, I built the most armored two leg monster I could and wielded dual gatling guns. Many of the arena enemies were melted in under a minute by my raw fire power. And if you really want to get in depth, you can customize every individual part’s paint and even make a pixel perfect emblem for your pilot.  The story was compelling and deceptively deep. Set on the distant planet Rubicon 3 after a great calamity known as the Fires of Ibis, the player assumes the identity of a fallen mercenary and is thrust into the middle of a conflict for control of the strange and valuable resource known as Coral. We never actually see any characters as all dialog is conveyed through comms and audio messages, but the voice acting and character development is superb. With three possible endings the last of which is only accessible after completing the first two, the game has plenty of replayability.  While your free time may be increasingly precious , I think you’ll find Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon  a worthy pursuit. These giant robots aren't going to blow themselves up, you know.   Get in on: Playstation 4 Playstation 5 Xbox Series X

As the end of July is upon us, I wanted to share some of the fascinating mystery books and authors I have grown to love this month while feeding my murder mystery/serial killer obsession. I’m not sure how healthy it is to crave a good mystery, or murder mystery party game, or read nonfiction serial killer facts, but I can confidently say I’m not the only one like this. So, for those of my friends who also feed on this, here are some lovely reviews, recommendations and finds from “Private Eye July”! Top Ten Most Circulated Murder Mystery Books: And Then There Were None -Agatha Christie “E” is for Evidence - Sue Grafton Stillwatch - Mary Higgins Clark The Witness - Sandra Brown High Five - Janet Evanovich In Plain Sight - C.J. Box Hour Game - David Baldacci Mind Prey - John Sanford Dirt - Stuart Woods Nothing to Lose : A Jack Reacher Novel- Lee Child   Board Game Recommendation: Hunt A Killer’s “ Death at the Dive Bar ” After completing Hunt a Killer’s “Class of ’98”, I decided on an easier challenge with a similar game. Rather than a full 6 “episodes” with each one taking about 2 hours to complete, “Death at the Dive Bar” is about 2-3 hours in total. It’s nice that everything you need to solve the case is in one box and you don’t have to eliminate suspects in a particular order. The downside of getting all the evidence at once is that it doesn’t really give direction on what order you should look at everything. The “Class of ‘98” game seemed slightly more guided, but more extensive and time consuming. After working with a friend of mine on this game, and once we figured out a direction, it was fun and exciting to unravel the mystery and uncover the twists in the storyline. Non-Fiction Recommendation : The True Crime File: Serial Killers, famous Kidnappings, Great Cons, Survivors and their stories, forensics, oddities and absurdities, quotes and quizzes I really struggled with turning this book back in. There were so many interesting facts, trivia and quizzes, and it’s a short 2-3 page read for each subject. Very quick and easy to pick up and put down and the information and detail is just fascinating.   I have yet to find a good murder mystery audio book, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know! I hope you enjoy these fabulous finds!

Go ahead and write in these library books . Maybe leave a note for the next patron or a suggestion for their next read. Draw something too if you're feeling creative and tell your friends to do the same. Have you ever heard of a librarian encouraging such behavior!? Defacing library materials, madness! But a blank journal is just a waste don't you think? These books are here for our patrons to share their stories and creative talents. So go ahead, take that pen or pencil and express yourself. It's a unique opportunity to add a little something of yourself to a living, growing collection and to engage with your community. I'd love to have your stories and many others in our new Community Journals collection! Currently, we have eight circulating journals, each with a different theme or focus: Creative Writing Family History Grief / Loss Hopes, Dreams, Prayers Local History Recipes / Cooking / Baking Recommendations / Reviews Travel Each journal comes with a cover sheet explaining the theme and guidelines for content. Patrons are encouraged to read previous entries but should not alter or modify them. Patrons are also encouraged to limit their entries to around 5 pages per check out to ensure that journals don't become one individual's personal diary. All entries will be reviewed by library staff and content that is determined to be vulgar, hateful, or unsuitable for a wide range of readers may be removed. When these journals are full, we'll catalog them into our non-fiction so they can circulate as a piece of local history. That means if you've contributed to any of the journals, you'll have your work in a library. How many people can say that?

To say I love a good mystery is an understatement and I’m sure those of you with the "Who Done it?" mentality feel the same way. I recently checked out our Murder Mystery kit, which has six episodes of the Hunt A Killer series. For those that are unaware, Hunt a Killer is a monthly subscription box where you receive pieces of evidence, witness statements, autopsy reports, flash drives, online resources, newspaper clippings, police reports, 911 transcripts, and any other information that helps you piece together a murder. You are working with a fictional private investigator who each month gives you the resources to eliminate a suspect. When you think you can eliminate a suspect you email in your findings which will reveal whether you're correct or not. After that, you can proceed to the next box. I followed the spirit of the game, and even though I had all 6 months of evidence and clues at my disposal, I went through each episode in order. In the “Class of ‘98” storyline, our victim is a man named Charles who was murdered after his high school reunion. You are informed that there are nine suspects currently being investigated. The first month’s box includes a letter from the private investigator, a blacklight, a high school yearbook, a map of the city, a letter from the sheriff, an investigation waiver, some witness statements, a crime scene description, a newspaper article, and an incomplete timeline. In the initial letter from the private investigator, you also receive some online files from her “desktop” that have further clues and information. Each month you can expect a combination of clues both from the box and online. After one or two hours with the first box, I was ready to eliminate a suspect. After emailing my findings I saw that my assessment was correct. This is more challenging than I originally pictured; there are ciphers to decode, hidden messages in items, and a lot more critical thinking skills than I imagined. It reminded me of an at home escape room with the level of clues needed to uncover. The amount of detail really draws you into the characters and makes you incredibly invested with solving the case. Though I tackled this alone, I would suggest this for a date night or a party with friends as the additional perspectives and ways of thinking would have proven helpful with the deductive reasoning needed. You can find the Hunt A Killer: Cass of ‘98 Murder Mystery game in our catalog here. While you're there you might also want to check out one of our other game kits, Death at the Dive Bar.

It's that time of year again! The sun is out and so is school. In order to help prevent the summer reading slump and to encourage kids to practice those critical reading skills, libraries all around the county are hosting their summer reading programs. Our program has grown and changed over the years, but our fundamental goal remains the same: keep kids and families reading during the summer break. Anyone can participate! We have three age groups: Kids, Teens, and Adults. Every age group has the same 30-day reading log where you set your own daily reading goal. Mark off every day that you meet your reading goal. Reading to your children can count towards both their reading goals as well as your own, and participants can count any reading done for other programs like our Ultimate Book Nerd Challenge towards their summer reading as well. Similar to previous years, we're giving out tons of free books! But we've upped our game this year. Participants now receive one book when starting the program, one book at the 15-day mark, and two books at the end of the program. That's 4 free books over the course of the program! Wow! You can view our catalog of prize books here. Another new feature of this year's program is our summer reading raffle. Participants will receive tickets not only for their reading log progress, but for attending our summer reading special programs, and by completing bonus bingo activities! Our raffle prizes and submission boxes are on display up front by our main desk, so come check it out!

Rejoice gaming enthusiasts, the Elden Ring DLC will soon be upon us! But if the wait has become unbearable and you’re in desperate need of frustration there’s hope. I’ve compiled even more soulslike games that you can check out from the library. Yes, with your humble library card you can take any of these games home for free. Which is good news, because one of these titles probably isn’t worth your hard-earned dough. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. If you’re not familiar with From Software’s Dark Souls and its family of games, I’d encourage you to read more about them in my post on Elden Ring. You may also want to check out my first look at Soul’s inspired games right here on the Caldwell Public Library’s blog. The Good: Lies of P might be the best, most refined soulslike I’ve played. Previously I would have awarded that title to The Surge or its sequel. Both are excellent sci-fi takes on the Souls formula, but Lies of P is on a whole other level. As with all of the games highlighted here, Lies of P has all of the core Souls elements but distinguishes itself with some innovative additions. Leveling is balanced with an upgrade skill tree, weapon attacks can be altered by changing handles and blades, weapon durability actually matters, and there’s much more of an emphasis on blocking at the right moment for a “perfect block” that can negate more damage and build stagger in enemies. Lies of P takes a lot of influence from Bloodborne as well, both in mechanics and tone. The environmental and enemy designs are creepy and unsettling, with unique locations and characters. I could spend pages praising the visual design, fluidity of gameplay, characters, setting, and just about every other aspect of the game. Fan of the Souls series or not, Lies of P is an excellent and well-balanced game with plenty to offer. The Bad: Dolmen is a pretty bad title for a video game. Which is fitting because Dolmen is a bad game. A bad game that I played all the way through and mostly enjoyed. In my previous look at soulslikes I reviewed two other sci-fi takes on the formula, Hellpoint, and Immortal Unchained. While both were flawed indie imitators without any significant innovation, they both succeeded by offering a unique experience with their sci-fi settings and visual design. Hellpoint in particular, did an excellent job of making its space station setting feel epic and threatening. Dolmen is bland as plain oatmeal. The story is puddle deep. NPCs are virtually non-existent. The weapons are generic and boring. The game structure is painfully linear, and the leveling system is so basic it may as well have been left out. Overall, the game feels lazy and unfinished. But it's a hard game. Or maybe just cheap. I haven’t quite decided, but I’d avoid this game unless you relish the oddly terrible. The Unknown: Lords of the Fallen released in 2014, is one of the earliest copycats to take notes off From Software’s homework. Wait, that’s not right. Lords of the Fallen released in 2023, is the latest take on the soulslike formula. Described as a “successor” to the original game, Lords of the Fallen has received mixed reviews but appears to have a decent level of polish. Why they decided it should share the name of the first installment is beyond me. Particularly, when the original was a clunky mess that I stopped playing after only a few hours. I haven’t touched this one yet, but it won’t be long before I do. Based on other reviews, there are some new elements and mechanics that could prove interesting provided they’re done right. I’ll most likely be revisiting this title the next time I’ve got enough new soulslike games to blather about. Until then, get good or get busy dying!

Is there a particular book that moved you as a child that maybe your child has never heard of? I started thinking about this a few days ago and realized that we’ve all grown up in different environments when society and the world moved differently than it does now. Two books that I distinctly remember having a profound impact on me were Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli and The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks. Maniac Magee is about a runaway child, who, throughout the book, is taken in by different families. It addresses themes of racism and inequality as he tries to embrace which home is best for him. I love that the book's message is to treat everyone with kindness and acceptance, no matter what their circumstance. In The Fairy Rebel, a woman is struggling to conceive a child and befriends a fairy in her garden named Tiki, who uses magic to help the woman have a child. This is against the fairy rules, triggering an uprising with the Fairy Queen. This book taught me to show compassion, to stand up for what you believe in, and to help others even if it’s not popular or against someone else’s desires. I decided to inquire with my colleagues about what moved and inspired them as a child and wanted to share some of the responses I received. Michael: “Has anyone suggested The Little Prince? That is one of my favorites. The Little Prince is a 1943 fantasy novella originally published in French by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The book follows the titular character the Little Prince, as he visits various planets and their inhabitants before encountering the narrator on Earth. The book explores themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. Central to the book are explorations of imagination, childhood, and human nature." Virgil: “Two of my favorite book series growing up were the Silverwing series by Kenneth Oppel and Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky. I loved both of these series for the same reason: they made me feel like I could get through anything and reminded me that I am never alone. As the main characters faced challenge and conflict, they showed their resiliency and bravery, helping me to feel strong and courageous in my own life. They are both great reads for lovers of nocturnal animals, those who seek out action and adventure, and anyone who needs a reminder that no matter what they are facing, they can get through to the other side." Todd: "I really loved anything by Gary Paulsen: The Hatchet Series specifically." Lea: "For me, it was The Berenstain Bears series. I particularly remember one of the books, which was about Mother's Day, and how tired and worn out the Mother Bear was. The cubs and the dad pitched in to try to make her Mother's Day special, and I remember how it really changed my perspective on what it means to be a mom and the sacrifices we make for our children, and how that I shaped me into the mom I am today as well." Sharon: "For me, the book that stood out was The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. The series of books is very silly and lighthearted and takes place in a Victorian time setting. The main character, Penelope, becomes a governess for a set of three children, who have literally been raised by wolves, and she tries to teach them Shakespeare, and other classic literature. It is a very laugh out loud book that tries to have culture reason with legit wolf raised kids... which seems ridiculous. My 9-year-old granddaughter also loves this book as much as I do." Darla: "The Aristocats. Because I have always loved kitties, and I had always loved cats, and had barn cats growing up, and sometimes we had double digits on how many cats we would have at a time, and this book reminds me of the happiest times I had as a child."

April is National Poetry Month! Introduced in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is an opportunity to highlight an underappreciated literary artform and a celebration of the craft. Here at Caldwell Public Library, we're marking the occasion by encouraging our patrons to participate in Erasure Poetry. Erasure Poetry, also known as Blackout Poetry, is a form of found poetry where a poem is created by taking an existing text and blacking out or eliminating words. By selectively blacking out parts of the text a poem is formed with the remaining words. Our staff took damaged and discarded items no longer suitable for circulation and placed their pages next to our poetry book display along with a submission box and black sharpie. Patrons are free to select a page and create their own blackout poem that staff will sort and display next month. A similar submission station is set up in the Kids and Family section of the library. We had a ton of fun creating our own poems which we used to decorate the submission boxes. In fact, we made more than we needed and decided to display them in our staff area! We're excited to see what our patrons create and look forward to reading and sharing your poems.

Where do I begin with Reggie and the Full Effect? The solo project of James Dewees, Reggie and the Full Effect are an Irreverent and goofy group that defy genre conventions. The band is generally referred to as post-hardcore but that only scratches the surface of their sound. Incorporating elements of Hip-Hop, Metal, Euro-pop, and a slew of other influences, Reggie and the Full Effect are a wildly unpredictable listening experience. However, humor and lightheartedness are core elements of any Reggie release. Welcome to another Freegal album review. Freegal is a free music streaming service that you can access with your Caldwell Public Library card. You can read more about Freegal here. Released in 2013 after a successful Kickstarter, No Country for Old Musicians is Reggie and the Full Effect’s sixth studio album. A mix of synth driven post-hardcore, joke interludes, and “guest” appearances from some of the band’s alter egos such as Common Denominator, it's a chaotic record that follows the band’s typical format. The opening track gives a pretty good indication of what Reggie is all about as the listener is blasted by a thirty second faux-country jam that hollers the album title repeatedly. Short audio clips and song snippets are a staple on most Reggie releases for better or worse. One of my favorite tracks here is "37". The song’s basic narrative revolves around the speaker being visited by monsters on his birthday. The monsters don’t want to eat him but have come to recruit him for their monster band. "They say they've come from a faraway land And that they're here to start a band And what a nice coincidence That I can play lots of instruments" The upbeat chorus and snappy drums really make this track pop and I always get the melody stuck in my head. The snare sounds fantastic in this track! Seriously, check it out. The music video is also excellent and has a lot of fun with the monster theme. "Revenge Is a Dish Best Served at Park Chan-Wook's House", is a real banger of a track with hilarious tongue in cheek lyrics. Once again, the production of the record shines with thick guitar tracks and layers of vocals. If you don’t listen to the lyrics closely you might mistake this for a serious post-hardcore revenge song. "And I had a lot of time to think To try to figure out How many rocks it would take to make your body sink" The theme here is all about outrageous Korean revenge cinema but it's delivered with so much energy it feels personal. Tracks like this are often my favorite on Reggie records because they just flat-out rock. A final highlight from the album is "Who Needs Another Drank? Feat: Floppy Disk-0". If you haven’t caught on yet, Reggie and the Full Effect don’t take their song titles too seriously. This is mostly a hip-hop infused track with an epic singalong chorus to close it out. Once again, the lyrics are hilarious, and James’ rapping is just as good as his singing. The nasally whine behind his delivery is reminiscent of the Beastie Boys and his flow is tight. This song makes me long for more Reggie tracks in this style. No Country for Old Musicians is loaded with joke songs and sound clips which can come across as filler. Certainly, after listening to the album a few times, I began to skip some of the more schtick songs but there’s still plenty of substance and good content here. Reggie and the Full Effect may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you enjoy music that doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t afraid to be weird then there’s a lot to like about the group. It’s obviously the passion project of a very talented musician and his group of cohorts, and it's clearly good-natured fun.

“What I am, and I know it, is responsible, joyful, thankful." To say that I feel inspired working in a library daily would be an understatement. Today’s inspiration comes from a lovely book of poetry called, “Red Bird” by Mary Oliver. As I was checking in this book, a lovely patron wrote on a post-it note the last line of a poem which read: “What I am, and I know it, is responsible, joyful, thankful. I would not give my life for a thousand of yours”, under this was written, “For whoever reads this, don’t forget that.” It really opened my eyes as to what this means to me, and how I can apply it to my life. What it means to be joyful and thankful…I don’t see joy and happiness as the same thing. I feel like joy has a deeper sense of self reflection, and purpose; to find joy in each day is an active choice, an outlook with deeper meaning. After this, I looked into some additional books by Mary Oliver, one of them titled: A Poetry Handbook, which gives some advice on prose and how to perfect my writing skills. I was inspired again at how words can move people, and so badly wanted to share this gift with others. I’d like to share this poem with you in full and would love to hear thoughts on what it means to you. "Straight Talk From Fox" By Mary Oliver Listen says fox It is music to run over the hills To lick dew from the leaves To nose along the edges of the ponds To smell the fat ducks in their bright feathers but far out, Safe in their rafts of sleep. It is like music to visit the orchard, To find the vole sucking the sweet of the apple, Or the rabbit with his fast-beating heart. Death itself, is a music. Nobody has ever come close to writing it down, Awake or in a dream. It cannot be told. It is flesh and bones changing shape and with good cause, Mercy is a little child beside such an invention. It is music to wander the black back roads Outside of town No one awake or wondering If anything miraculous is ever going to happen, Totally dumb to the fact of every moment’s miracle. Don’t think I haven’t peeked into windows. I see you in all your seasons Making love, arguing, talking about God As if he were an idea instead of the grass, Instead of the stars, The rabbit caught in one good teeth-whacking hit And brought home to the den. What I am, and I know it, is Responsible, joyful, thankful. I would not give my life for a thousand of yours Source: https://pickmeuppoetry.org/straight-talk-from-fox-by-mary-oliver

There are few things finer in life than sitting down to watch your favorite holiday films. It's a tradition that brings friends, families, and screens together as we seek to collectively decompress. Curling up on the couch, wrapping yourself in a blanket, basking in the warm glow of the TV, and sipping a hot beverage as the snow falls outside is truly sublime. In honor of this holiday ritual, I'd like to highlight some classic holiday comedies. As always, you'll find catalog links to these films so you can request a copy for pickup right here at the Caldwell Public Library. Ernest Saves Christmas (PG) I'm a huge Ernest fan, and it you haven't seen the late great Jim Varney in action as the titular character this is an excellent entry point. Santa is ready to retire, and he has precious little time to convince his replacement to take the job or there won't be a Christmas at all. Thankfully, Santa's taxi from the airport is driven by the ever helpful, overly enthusiastic, and firm Santa believer, Ernest P. Worrell. A missing magic sack and a rebellious runaway further complicate Santa's mission as Ernest, despite his clumsy and destructive tendencies, tries to avoid a Christmas calamity. A fun, fast paced slapstick that's sure to please, Ernest Saves Christmas still makes me laugh even after seeing it hundreds of times. Home Alone (PG) Ever heard of this hidden gem? The original two Macaulay Culkin films are amongst the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. And for good reason, the films are hilarious, heartwarming, charming, and iconic. Home Alone spawned the wacky traps built by a kid to defeat bad guys trope, essentially creating a new subgenre of slapstick comedies. However, I'd skip the lower budget, lower effort sequels that sought to capitalize on the franchise's popularity. The 3rd film is still mostly enjoyable, but I wouldn't follow the series much further unless you're a mega fan with a high tolerance for schlock. Jingle All the Way (PG) I was a little surprised to see this film's resurgence. It was plenty popular when I was a kid, but it seemed like this goofy Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas film about a workaholic father's desperate quest for a Turbo-Man action figure was destined to be forgotten. The way the movie portrays rabid Christmas shoppers is hilarious and at times sadly accurate. Arnold fights a group of shady Santa toy dealers, punches out a Reindeer, and ultimately becomes Turbo-Man himself as he tries to prove to his son that he can indeed keep his word. Plenty of enjoyably outrageous antics and some subtle adult humor keep the film engaging from start to finish.

Working the front desk here at the Caldwell Public Library is the best way to find something new to read. Rarely do I have to go out of my way to find my next book, it simply comes back in our book drops, arrives through our courier, or appears on a cart I'm organizing. And that's exactly how I discovered Where are your boys tonight? : the oral history of emo's mainstream explosion 1999-2008. If you're familiar with any of my previous Freegal posts, you'll understand the immediate appeal this book had for me. But if this is your first-time hearing about the library's free music streaming service Freegal, you can learn more about it here. And if you don't have the privilege of processing thousands of returned library books every week, check out some of our tips and tricks for finding the perfect book for you or your family. I highly recommend "Where are your boys tonight?" for anyone interested in music history, the emo scene, or for fans of bands like Fallout Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Used, or Panic at the Disco. The book is loaded with great stories, backgrounds, and insight into the personal and professional lives of some of the scenes most well-known and obscure acts. A word of warning though, this is an oral history which means there are a ton of names to keep track of. Which finally brings us to today's Freegal album review. Overanalyzing the Manifestations of the Unconscious is a 1998 EP from the band Humble Beginnings. The band was a staple of emerging emo scene on the East coast with many of its members going on to bigger projects as the style exploded in popularity. The band had a lot of small releasees from local labels but never broke out to a national audience. However, this EP did get a small re-release in 2018. Overanalyzing the Manifestations of the Unconscious is the most polished and poppy of the band's output, with tight production and solid song writing. Primarily a pop-punk affair, the EP has all the subtle flavor of the New Jersey and Long Island emo scene baked in. A little more rhythmic, danceable, and groovy, this EP really highlights the elements that made the scene unique. Breakdown beats with gang vocals, thick guitars, and skate punk speed are the core of the band's sound. There's not a bad song on the EP's slim 6 tracks. Highlights include the outro on "Three Thirty Four", and the epic chorus on the final track "Faith98". "Where are your boys tonight" introduced me to some really interesting and foundational groups. I was blasting Humble Beginnings and a few other bands featured in the book constantly while reading. So, if you're curious like I was about the origins of emo's most popular phase, check out both "Where are your boys tonight" and this great EP.