Desirae and library assistant Kate discuss chilling horror stories, including author Jonathan Edward Durham's debut novel, Winterset Hollow. Also mentioned: Skin Thief by Suzan Palumbo; Breakable Things by Cassandra Khaw; Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff; Watership Down by Richard Adams; What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher; and Bunny by Mona Awad. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moore via Pixabay

Are you looking for inspiration to make the next year your best? Librarians Sarah and Meagan discuss “year of” books, or project books that involve making a change over the course of a year. Titles discussed in this episode include: Coop by Michael Perry, Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger, The Moneyless Man by Mark Boyle and Year of Yoga by Kassandra Reinhardt. Also mentioned: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Population 485 and Truck by Michael Perry; the Lonely Planet guide to Peru; A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg; and Yoga with Adrienne. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Librarians Sarah and Desirae talk about Nita Prose's new novel The Mystery Guest, a sequel to The Maid. Also mentioned: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Librarians Sarah and Meagan talk about the delightful novel Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. In it, a former actress recounts her summer with a famous actor, as she and her adult daughters pick cherries during the pandemic shutdown. Also mentioned: Our Town by Thornton Wilder; Bel Canto, The Dutch House, Truth and Beauty, and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett; Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy; The Sentence by Louise Erdrich; and Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart. To see Ann Patchett Dec. 6 at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee, but your ticket at https://mkefilm.org/events/an-evening-with-ann-patchett. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

West Allis residents and library book clubbers Jen and Jessi join Sarah for a discussion of what they’ve been reading. They also talk about why they enjoy book clubs, how they choose what to read next, odd jobs they’d like to pursue, and more. Titles discussed in this episode include: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims, Murder Is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns, the Fox and O’Hare series by Janet Evanovich, Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont, and Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah. Also mentioned: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, Burnt by Clare Frank, Toni Morrison, the Dead-End Job mysteries by Elaine Viets, and the Chloe Ellefson mysteries by Kathleen Ernst. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Julia the intern hosts this episode and is joined by librarian Sarah as they discuss cozy mysteries. This is a shared favorite genre of the two. They discuss the basics of cozies, what readers can expect when they open up a cozy, and favorite titles of theirs! Titles discussed in this episode include: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan, Shady Hollow by Juneau Black, the Hannah Swensen Series by Joanne Fluke, Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney, Happiness Falls by Angie Kim and the Cat in the Stacks Series by Jackson Braun. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Katie and Sarah talk about books that will tickle your funny bone. Whether you enjoy essays, memoirs or novels, you’ll find a story guaranteed* to make you laugh. Titles discussed in this episode include: King of the Mild Frontier by Chris Crutcher, Big Swiss by Jen Beagin, Hey Ladies! by Michelle Markowitz and Caroline Moss, Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris, The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro, Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster, Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny, Survival of the Thickest by Michelle Buteau, Dear Girls by Ali Wong, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith, Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, the TV show Somebody Somewhere, and Shrill by Lindy West (also adapted for TV). Also mentioned: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson; the TV show Killing Eve, based on the Villanelle series by Luke Jennings; the movie Bridesmaids; Early Morning Riser and Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny; A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost; The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris; The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz; and Verity by Colleen Hoover. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. *Just kidding! There are no guarantees, but you can tell us what you think and share your favorite funny books with us at [email protected]. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Intern Julia joins Sarah and Katie to discuss Gabrielle Zevin’s must-read novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which follows Sam and Sadie who design hit video games. It’s an unforgettable, moving tale about storytelling, friendship and the creative process. Also mentioned: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, Looking for Alaska and The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, Anne Tyler, and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. To play Emily Blaster, go to gabriellezevin.com/emilyblastergame Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Just in time for summer, we talk about what we think makes for a good beach read and offer a variety of recommendations, several of which are recent releases. We also chat about why we enjoy reimagined stories, whether inspired by Jane Austen novels, fairy tales or other source material. Titles discussed in this episode include: Book Lovers by Emily Henry; Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld; Hooked, Scarred, Wretched and Twisted by Emily McIntire; This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs; The Last Word by Taylor Adams; and Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Also mentioned: Beach Read and Happy Place by Emily Henry; Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev; Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin; Eligible, Prep and Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld; Crossed by Emily McIntire; The Queen of the South by Arturo Pérez-Reverte; the movie Notting Hill; Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto; and The Maid by Nita Prose. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Thirty years after it was published, The Secret History by Donna Tartt remains as influential as ever, mentioned on cover blurbs and social media. It even informs the Dark Academia subculture. Librarians Meagan and Sarah discuss the atmospheric campus novel and talk about the joys of rereading. Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay