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Heartland TV Series
Heartland Series Season 1 of 16
TV Series (Seasons 1-14)
Drama
5/5*
Formats available: DVD
This sprawling family saga takes place where an unfortunate tragedy has glued a family together to pull them through life's thick and thin moments. Follow young Amy Fleming as she slowly discovers she possesses her now-deceased mother's ability to aid injured horses as well as maintaining good relationships with those who are trying to get by one day at a time. The family pursues forgotten dreams and challenges as their strength is tested against personal struggles.
I have been a fan of Heartland since season 1, so when the television series was purchased for our library, I was ecstatic. People watch trailers or previews for this show and think “Oh, that is that show about horses,” but Heartland is so much more than that. Heartland is one of the longest running Canadian TV series and takes places on a ranch in rural Alberta, Canada near the fictional town of Hudson. Although the town may be fictional, the place is very much real and is known as the town of High River. The series focuses on Amy Fleming, the Bartlett/Fleming/Morris families, and their growth throughout almost sixteen seasons and running, fourteen of which we have at the library. The character development throughout the series is incredible. You may start out hating a character and end up loving them and vice versa. The show not only features horses, but also incorporates drama, heartbreak, death, and real family struggles while remaining family friendly and appropriate for all age groups. This is what some people would call a “good, clean show”. The coolest part about this series is that it was actually developed from the book series Heartland by Lauren Brooke. I do indeed consider myself a Heartland super fan, and I try to promote this series to anyone I can! Not only does the show take you on an emotional rollercoaster, but also it makes you feel like you are a part of the Bartlett/Fleming/Morris family!
Heartland, seasons 1-14 are available to checkout on DVD here at KHCPL.
Samantha
A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
233 pages/7 hours
Horror Suspense
4/5*
Formats available: Book, Libby eAudiobook, Libby ebook
"Mom seems off."
“Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.
She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.
But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.
To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.”
It is well known around here that I love the author T. Kingfisher. She is an extraordinary writer who dabbles in both Fantasy and Horror ; both of these genres are my favorite. Kingfisher recently dropped her newest book A House with Good Bones and I was on it as soon as my hold came through on Libby. (If you would like to read with Libby too, use your library card and pin number to access this database online or through your app store for free! Libby has thousands of eBooks and audiobooks for you to borrow through your device and they don't accrue fines or fees. Libby is also Amazon Kindle compatible. If you have questions, contact us at KHCPL). I went into this book blind: not reading the synopsis or any pre-reviews and was not disappointed. A House with Good Bones is about a thirty-something young entomologist/archeologist named Sam who goes to visit her mother while her current job is on hold. Sam realizes quickly her mother seems to have picked up a lot of paranoia and has dropped a lot of weight. One after another weird events within the home happen and Sam realizes that either her poor mother is ailing in her mind or the house has gone bad; neither seems to be the better option. Did I mention that there is also a kettle of vultures watching over the house?
What I loved most about this story is that I laughed throughout the entire book, even when chills were climbing up my spine. This haunted house telling is much different than anything I have read before and definitely is a great relief from the gothic upswing that books seem to be taking nowadays. Kingfisher also has great taste in creating main characters; in my experience it's difficult to find books written to my personal age demographic and body type. Sam, the main character, is in her thirties, chubby, nerdy, and career-driven; Sam sounded a lot like me! Apart from being an enjoyable nightmare, this book was a refreshing take on the haunted house trope we all know and love. I am giving this a 4/5 stars.
You can find A House with Good Bones in our physical library as a Hardback and on Libby as an EBook and an audiobook for checkout. For more book recommendations please tune in to Off the Books with B&S on any of your preferred podcasting platforms; new episodes air every other Thursday.
Bethann
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Truly Devious Series, Book 1 of 5
432 pages
YA Mystery
4.5/5*
Formats Available: Book, Playaway, Libby eAudiobook, Libby, eBook, Hoopla eAudiobook, Hoopla eBook
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.
True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester.
But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.
I was very pleasantly surprised with this book considering it has sat on my “To Be Read” shelf for as long as I can remember. Maureen Johnson’s novel, Truly Devious, reminded me of a modern-day Nancy Drew story, which is what had me hooked from the beginning. Stevie Bell gets accepted into Ellingham Academy, a boarding school for teens with special abilities...and no, not superpowers if that is what you are thinking. Of course, something nefarious is going on at the school, and Stevie, along with her friends, must play detective and solve the mysteries of Ellingham.
I was on the edge of my seat for pretty much the entire book, but the ending…ugh…what a cliffhanger. Johnson ended the book making sure you had no option but to pick up the next book in the series (I see what you did Miss Johnson). I really thought that she would wrap up the mystery in book one, so I was very surprised at how abrupt the ending was. I may be guilty of shouting “What the heck?” at an inanimate object.
My favorite part about this book was the setting because I am a sucker for a good “dark academia” aesthetic. Ellingham Academy is set in a remote place somewhere in Vermont, which is the perfect set up for a murder mystery. Absolutely no one will hear you if you scream. The old school is surrounded by all kinds of winding paths and gardens, which made me picture an old college campus with some gargoyles. Throughout the book we flip back and forth from present-day to 1936 when the school was just opened. This gave a great perspective of what was happening as the kidnappings of the Ellingham family were going on. Normally, when books switch time periods I lose interest, but the flip flopping was necessary and added so much more mystery to the story.
If you listen to the podcast Off the Books, you know I am a sucker for a good mystery. This book was comparable to The Inheritance Games and The Naturals, which are both series written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, that my co-host and I happen to rave about constantly. I really do believe we mention The Naturals in every episode. If you have picked up either of these novels, or you are just getting into the mystery genre be sure to pick up Truly Devious! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would encourage everyone to give it a try!
You can find Truly Devious in our physical library as a Hardback and on Libby and Hoopla as an EBook and an audiobook for checkout. For more book recommendations please tune in to Off the Books with B&S on any of your preferred podcasting platforms; new episodes air every other Thursday.
Click here to view our interview with Truly Devious author Maureen Johnson.
Samantha
Cocaine Bear
1 hr. 35 Min
Comedy/Horror
3/5*
Formats available: DVD, Blu-Ray
In December 1985 Andrew C Thornton II, a former narcotics officer turned drug dealer, jumped from his plane with 75 lbs. of cocaine somewhere over Georgia. Thornton died and the cocaine went missing. Three months later, 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine were found alongside a bear who passed away after consuming the cocaine. The bear was given the nickname “Cocaine Bear.”
While people do not know exactly how the bear reacted when it consumed the cocaine, the movie Cocaine Bear takes a stab at it. This horror-comedy, directed by Elizabeth Banks, deals a group of people who try to escape the bear’s rampage. Included in this group is a mother (Keri Russell) trying to rescue her children who have skipped school to go in the woods, drug dealers (headed by Ray Liotta) who are trying to find their lost cocaine, and a park ranger trying to control a gang of teenagers. The pacing of the movie is predictable but the humor makes this an interesting watch. The movie does have some gore so if you don’t like that this movie may not be for you. If you like to watch animals go wild, Cocaine Bear is for you.
Cocaine Bear is available to checkout on Blu-ray and DVD here at KHCPL. If you like Cocaine Bear, we have other movies that are very similar. Check those out too.
Tonya
Dead Silence by B A Barnes
345 pages/13 hours
Sci-Fi Horror/ Short Story Collection
4.5/5 *
Formats Available: Book, Libby eAudiobook, Libby eBook, Hoopla eAudiobook
"Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.
What they find is shocking: the Aurora, a famous luxury spaceliner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick search of the ship reveals something isn’t right.
Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Messages scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold on to her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate."
I love watching gaming streams, particularly indie horror games. I recently watched a YouTuber stream a game called Dead Space and I immediately knew I wanted to read a book that was just like it. I wanted action and gore, mystery, and heart-racing terror; my reading desires were giving space tragedy vibes. Therefore, I did the "books similar to Dead Space" search through Google and our catalog, https://khcpl.wise.oclc.org/cgi-bin/bx.pl, and I came across the book Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes.
What this reminded me of was Titanic meets Sci-Fi Horror and I was sold. Fortunately, Dead Silence was everything I wanted it to be and a little more. Following a main character who has past trauma and sees the dead while trying to unfold a horrifying mystery kept me excited until the end, even when the ending wasn’t quite what I expected. I am a slow reader and I was able to get this finished in a few days. You should check it out!
You can find Dead Silence in our physical library as a Hardback, on Libby as an eBook and an eAudiobook, and on Hoopla as an eAudiobook for checkout. For more book recommendations please tune in to Off the Books with B&S on any of your preferred podcasting platforms; new episodes air every other Thursday.
Bethann