From the publisher: Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.
by Payton Dowell
Book Review | The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis
From the publisher: Hannah is a thirty-something wife, home-health worker, and antiwar activist. Her husband, Johnny, is a stay-at-home pothead working—or “working”—on building them a house before the winter chill sets in. They’re currently living and screwing in the back of a truck, hoping for a pregnancy, which seems like it will never come. Legs in the air, for a better chance at conception, Hannah scans fertility Reddits while Johnny dreams about propagating plants—kale, tomatoes—to ensure they have sufficient sustenance should the end times come, which, given their fragile democracy strained under the weight of a carceral state and the risk of horrible war, doesn’t seem so far off. Helping Hannah in her fight for the future is her best friend Gabby, a queer naturalist she idolizes and who adores her. Helping Johnny build the house is Tyler, an off-the-grid conspiracy theorist driven sick by his own cloudy notions of reality…
Book Review | Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
From the publisher: Bea is on the run. And then, she runs into Lou. This chance encounter sends them on a journey through West Texas, where strange things follow them wherever they go. The landscape morphs into an unsettling world, a mysterious cat joins them, and they are haunted by a group of threatening men. To stay safe, Bea and Lou must trust each other as they are driven to confront buried truths. The two women share their stories of loss and heartbreak—and a startling revelation about sexual assault—culminating in an exquisite example of human connection.
Tillie Walden weaves a surreal twist on the classic road-trip narrative. Like any road trip, there are slow, meditative moments and there are fast-paced chases that make the reader’s heart race. There are moments that feel so real you pause to reflect on your own memories and surreal, hauntingly creepy forays into a world that can only be described as…
Our Favorite Recipes
The holiday season has us in a cooking mood, and we’re taking to the blog to share some of our staff’s favorite recipes. Have a favorite family recipe? Share it with us! Send to reference@galesburglibrary.org and your recipe will be featured in a future blog post!
Spinach Casserole
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (24 oz.) small curd cottage cheese
3 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach
10 strips bacon, cooked crisp
1 stick butter
6 eggs, beaten until smooth
5 tbsp flour
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice …
Book Review | The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
From the publisher: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend?
Prince Sebastian recruits expert dressmaker Frances to design and sew dresses for him. The two become fast friends and go on all sorts of adventures together. The tradeoff is…
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you a teen looking for some volunteer hours? A retiree looking for a way to fill some time? Someone who just LOVES the library and wants to help out? Consider becoming a volunteer!
Here are some of the current volunteer opportunities we have available:
Adopt-a-Shelf
Adopt-a-Shelf volunteers care for a section of the library by making sure that the books are clean, in good condition, and in proper order.
Volunteers age 14 and up are welcome to adopt the Young Adult or Children’s section.
Volunteers age 18 and up are welcome to adopt any of the following sections: Adult…
Staff Picks — July 2021: Payton
Curious what the staff of GPL likes to read? Every month we’ll share five titles we’ve read recently. All titles are available for checkout at the library — give us a call or visit the catalog to put one on hold!
THE LAST KINGDOM by Bernard Cornwell
This is the story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms…