Jabari Jumps
Violet Shrink
Staff Picks

StoryWalk®: Jabari Jumps Read-Alikes

  • Richland Library
  • Thursday, April 14
Visit Richland Library's Jabari Jumps StoryWalk® at Caughman Road Park or pick up the book from your neighborhood library and find your courage to try something new.  Next, check out some of these good books to continue the stories at home! Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. 
Soul Food Sunday
Food
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Tasty Treats

  • Heather M.
  • Monday, April 04
Check out these tasty treats that look good enough to eat--I mean, read.  Whether it's a delicious thick red stew shared with neighbors, a food truck rodeo or applesauce in your hair, these books offer a veritable buffet of cuisines and experiences to share together.  (Some of these books even offer recipes so you can make food with your friends and family!)
The Bridge
Thirteen Reasons Why
Staff Picks

Suicide In Teen Fiction

  • Thomas M.
  • Friday, April 01
According to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-24. Silence will not make the problem go away.
Hungry Hearts
With the Fire on High
Staff Picks

Teen Food Books

  • Alison B.
  • Friday, April 01
Do yourself a flavor and check out some of these teen titles featuring delectable eats that will have your mouth watering. From traveling abroad to study culinary arts in Spain (With the Fire on High) to working the locally owned women-run ice cream stand (Stay Sweet) to competing on a reality TV food competition (Where There's a Whisk), you'll be in foodie heaven.
Your Money or Your Life
Get Good with Money
Staff Picks

Personal Finance Books By Women

  • Thomas M.
  • Sunday, March 20
The history of money is full of barriers to women. For example, until 1974, American banks could refuse to issue credit to unmarried women and require a husband's signature for married women. Today, many of those barriers have been broken and anyone can attain financial freedom. For Women's History Month, here is a list of personal finance books packed with good advice, all authored by women.
Everything is Illuminated
Fahrenheit 9/11
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #9 - Starting with 'Eva Luna')

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, March 15
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Witch Hat Atelier. Vol. 01
The Legend of Zelda. Twilight Princess. Vol. 01
Staff Picks

Manga For Tween Readers

  • Thomas M.
  • Friday, March 11
Manga (Japanese comics) offer endless worlds and types of stories for audiences, but where should younger readers begin? The list below includes titles for tween readers who are curious about manga.
Eloise at the Plaza
Emma.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #8 - Starting with 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test')

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, March 08
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Blog
Richland Library Cooper

In Defense of Short Stories

  • Charlotte D.
  • Friday, June 30

Short stories sometimes get a bad rap - but these collections just might change your mind about the writing form.

Soulswift
Undead Girl Gang
Staff Picks

Teen Hidden Gems

  • Alison B.
  • Sunday, March 06
You've read the bestsellers and the trending titles on social media, now try some young adult books that flew under the radar and you may have missed. Discover a new favorite in these teen books that deserve more love.
And We Rise
Freedom Swimmer
Staff Picks

Teen Historical Fiction

  • Alison B.
  • Tuesday, March 01
Bridge the gap between past and present in these latest teen historical fiction novels. From disappearances in 1400s Korea (The Forest of Stolen Girls) to a diverse reimagining of Little Women in 1863 (So Many Beginnings) to dreams of an aspiring 1950s Broadway actress (Mazie), no matter what year you're in, you'll find something to keep you turning pages.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood.
Driving Miss Daisy.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #7 - Starting with 'Deenie')

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, March 01
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
The Crimson Petal and the White.
Crucible
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #6 - Starting with 'The Crimson Petal & The White')

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, February 22
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
How to Be Fine
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead
Staff Picks

Mental Health Month

  • Morgan R.
  • Monday, February 21
If you are feeling depressed, lonely, or are just having a bad day, try one of these titles and let reading briefly take you out of reality. Whether you are looking for something to make you laugh, an out-of-this-world sci-fi, or need a little self-help action, we've got you covered. For personalized recommendations, click here. You are not alone. These resources may help you:
Dune
Dune.
Staff Picks

What to Read If You Like: 'DUNE'

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, February 18
So, you've finally seen the movie and/or read the book. Great! Check out the rest of the Dune series or other series of similar themes!  Be careful with how much spice you consume...
Mister Miracle
Naomi Season One.
Staff Picks

Black Superheroes (2022 Update)

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, February 16
Following 2019's list of Comics With Black Protagonists, here are some recent releases featuring black superheroes. Some are from big, established universes, while others star in their own fantasy series.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Count of Monte Cristo (2002.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #5 - Starting with 'The Code of the Woosters')

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, February 11
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Turn Right at Machu Picchu
It's What I Do
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - True Travel Tales

  • Sara M.
  • Friday, February 11
Fulfill the "Read a book about a journey" prompt for this year's Broader Bookshelf challenge with one of these nonfiction travel books.  Travel writing can take you all the way around the world from the comfort of your living room! Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
Anansi Does the Impossible!
Staff Picks

A Year of Black History

  • Helene F.
  • Thursday, February 10
A Year of Black History Continues   Folktales, comics and history ... here we are!  Also, Hoopla is allowing 15 checkouts for the month of February, as well as bonus borrows.  Hoopla offers many comic book/graphic novels to choose from!  Please, enter your email address and password associated with Hoopla.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Narrative Nonfiction: The Truth Can be Stranger Than Fiction

  • Kate B.
  • Thursday, February 10

If you’re a fan of novels, narrative nonfiction is a great way to introduce yourself to nonfiction reading or broaden your reading repertoire. Narrative nonfiction is a true story (hence the nonfiction part) written in the style of a novel (hence the narrative part).

Nothing but Blackened Teeth
Taaqtumi
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Folk Horror

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, February 10
Did you really love Midsommar?  Want more of The Wicker Man?  Then you want more folk horror in your life!  Folk horror takes some element from folklore - nature spirits, Fair Folk, Japanese oni  - and incorporates it into a horror narrative.  Whether it's a creepy cult, the darkest part of the forest, or an animal that doesn't look quite right in the broad daylight, folk horror delivers the scares.  
Orwell's Roses
A Little Devil in America
Staff Picks

2021 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalists

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, February 10
The finalists for the 2021 National Book Critics Circle Awards were recently announced.  Given annually since 1976, they are the only major book awards selected by critics.  The winners will be announced in March.  Check out the following finalists from our collection, in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poetry, and criticism.  (The list also includes the finalists for the NBCC's John Leonard Prize for Best First Book.)
I Am Brown
The Electric Slide and Kai
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Picture Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
"Black children lose teeth, learn to walk and talk, start Kindergarten, and tussle with siblings just as all children do, so books portraying them in these and all scenarios is not just appropriate, it should be the norm." - Kelly J. Baptist, author Below are Joyful books that reflect the everyday happenings in the lives of young black children.
Black Boy Joy
Rebound
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Middle Grade Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
The experiences of young black children is not all rooted in trauma. No child wants to constantly read about oppression, hardships and struggles. There is Joy in being black and it is important for children to not just seem themselves in books but see themselves in a positive light. The books below are simply about Black kids just living!
Ace of Spades
Ace of Spades
Staff Picks

Teen Dark Academia

  • Alison B.
  • Friday, February 04
Dark academia is on the rise. Not sure what it is? Think tweed blazer and plaid skirt uniforms, sprawling gothic architecture campuses and boarding schools, and mysteries with dark and morbid origins. Whether it's joining a secret society, witnessing a murder, or caving under the immense pressure of classes, these students might have to risk it all to accomplish their goals. 
The Sparrow
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Fantastic Voyages

  • Sara M.
  • Friday, February 04
Fulfill the "Read a book about a journey" prompt for this year's Broader Bookshelf challenge with one of these fantasy, sci-fi, or horror books!   Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
The Luminous Dead
World War Z
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Sci-Fi Horror

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, February 03
Do you like your horror to come with a sci-fi frame?  Here are some books that cross genres to give you a little bit of both! Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Coraline
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Horror for the Easily Frightened

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, January 27
So you saw that we're asking you to read a horror book for this year's reading challenge, and your immediate response was "nope, not this fraidy cat!"  If you don't read horror because you don't want to be too scared, here are a few options for you.  Some are older classics, which tend to be a little less scary to modern eyes, and some are modern books with a lower chill factor.  Keep in mind that horror is subjective - what's terrifying to one person doesn't even move the needle for another, so your mileage may vary!
Not the Witch You Wed
Count Your Lucky Stars
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for February 2022

  • Sarah C.
  • Wednesday, January 26
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in February 2022, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
A Lot Like Adiós
Have We Met?
Staff Picks

Romance Novels by Authors of Color

  • Morgan R.
  • Saturday, January 22
Whether you are looking for something to read while getting cozy by the fire, or catching some rays at the beach, these books are sure to heat things up. 
Dread Nation
Handling the Undead
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Horror with Zombies

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, January 20
Do you like your books to have brrrrains?  Perhaps a little bite?  This list has all kinds of zombies - fast zombies, slow zombies, disease zombies, magic zombies, any kind of zombie you want. Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
Skin of the Sea
Skin of the Sea
Staff Picks

Teen Mermaids & Sirens

  • Alison B.
  • Thursday, January 13
Stories of mermaids and sirens are prevalent in myths and legends all around the world. Dive into some YA titles about living below water, iridescent scales of all colors, and the alluring appeal of these mythical beings.
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Staff Picks

RM's Reading List

  • Alison B.
  • Thursday, January 13
Kim Namjoon, also known by his stage name RM, is the leader of the worldwide famous K-pop group BTS. Beyond being a talented rapper, creative songwriter/producer, team mentor, and impressive dancer, he is also an avid reader. Below is a list of reading recommendations he has shared spanning across genres and countries of origin.
My Heart is a Chainsaw
The Shining Girls
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - The Horror of Final Girls

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, January 13
What's a final girl?  In a horror movie, usually in slasher films, the final girl is the last survivor who confronts the killer and usually lives to tell the tale.  Think Laurie Strode from Halloween, Nancy Thompson from A Nightmare on Elm Street, and even Ellen Ripley from Alien.  They exist in books too - and there's a bit of a trend lately of books with characters meta-aware of the trope.  Check out this list of horror books with tough ladies who fight back.  
A Big Mooncake for Little Star
Mommy's Khimar (read Along)
Staff Picks

Great Books for Ages 3, 4, 5

  • Children's Room
  • Friday, January 07
"Night after night, Little Star took tiny nibble after tiny nibble of the Big Mooncake."--A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin Preschoolers are listening to longer books and asking LOTS of questions.  They are growing their independence along with their attention spans.  Bring your book lover to Richland Library and pick up one of these terrific titles today.  
Off to See the Sea
I Want to Be an Astronaut
Staff Picks

Great Books for Toddlers

  • Children's Room
  • Friday, January 07
"Monsters straight ahead!  Watch out for the yellow rubber ducky!"--Off to See the Sea by Nikki Grimes Toddlers are on the move, but they still love a good story.  They're learning new words every day and will ask to hear their favorite book again and again (and again).  Check out some of these toddler-tested titles to share with your mover and shaker.  
You See, I See
On the Go with Mother Goose
Staff Picks

Great Books for Babies

  • Children's Room
  • Friday, January 07
"You see a bustling city.  I see adventure ahead!"--You See, I See: In the City by Michelle Sinclair Colman Snuggled in your lap, babies love books with photographs, simple, bright illustrations, rhyming and the sound of your voice.  Find your little one's new favorite story from our list of books to share.  
Collected Ghost Stories
The Exorcist
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Classic Horror

  • Sara M.
  • Thursday, January 06
If you want to understand where any genre is going, you have to understand where it's been.  This list of classic horror novels (arbitrary cutoff: pre-Stephen King) includes a little bit of everything: psychological thrillers, sexy vampires, cosmic horror, haunted houses, and of course g-g-g-ghosts! Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
The Sun is Also a Star
The 5th Wave
Staff Picks

Young Adult Book To Movie Adaptations

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, January 05
Is the book always better than the movie? What if the book is young adult fiction? Sometimes the author's voice is too unique on paper to be translated to the silver screen. Or can actors and visual style add a fresh, new angle? Reading and then watching a story (or vice versa) can lead to interesting insights about what makes one version of a story better... or worse.
Song of Solomon
Americanah
Staff Picks

Picks from Levar Burton's Book Club

  • Megan M.
  • Tuesday, January 04
Check out this list of picks from Levar Burton's Book Club.The latest pick is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 
The Girl with the Louding Voice
Black Sunday
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2022: African Authors

  • Morgan R.
  • Tuesday, January 04
Fulfill the prompt, "Read a book by an author from an African nation" with one of these engaging books. Find out more information about the #BroaderBookshelf challenge here. Need more suggestions? Fill out a Personalized Reading Recommendation form. It's a quick and easy way to find your next favorite read. 
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

#OwnVoices: Children's Books Reflection of 2021

  • Taelor J.
  • Thursday, June 23

Missed out on 2021 book releases? Don't worry, you can find #OwnVoices books published in 2021 for both younger and older children here. I don't forget to look out for what's to come in 2022!

The School for Good Mothers
The Overnight Guest
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for January 2022

  • Sarah C.
  • Wednesday, December 29
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in January 2022, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Patricia Highsmith
Redeeming Justice
Staff Picks

New in Biography and Memoir

  • Bland L.
  • Wednesday, December 29
Notable new releases include Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei’s 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows and Indian economist (and prolific author) Amartya Sen’s Home in the World.  Carole Angier’s
The Bad Seed
The Good Egg
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Children's eBooks 📱

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends' and neighbors' children were reading in 2021? Us too!  Long story, short. It was a good year to be a wimpy kid, a teen wizard, or Dog Man.  
A Wrinkle in Time
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Children's Audiobooks 🎧

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends' and neighbors' children were listening to in 2021? Us too!  Long story, short. It was a good year to be a teen with magical powers. 
Pete the Cat and the Cool Caterpillar
Pete the Cat's Groovy Bake Sale
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Children's Fiction 📚

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends' and neighbors' children were reading or being read in 2021? Long story, short. It was a good year to be Mo Willems.  
Children of Blood and Bone
Firekeeper's Daughter
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Teen Audiobooks 🎧

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends and classmates were listening to in 2021? Us too!  Series seem to take top marks across teen formats this year--with lots of checkouts of The Grisha Trilogy and A Court of Thorns and Roses Series as well as older favorites like the Twilight series and The Hunger Games.  
Anxious People
The Vanishing Half
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Adult Audiobooks 🎧

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends and neighbors were listening to in 2021? Us too!  No surprises here. The Four Winds, The Vanishing Half, and The Midnight Library took top honors across all adult fiction formats this year but there are lots of other titles to check out too. 
Children of Blood and Bone
Shadow and Bone
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Teen Fiction 📚

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends and classmates were reading in 2021? Us too!  Series seem to take top marks across teen formats this year--with lots of checkouts of The Grisha Trilogy and A Court of Thorns and Roses Series as well as older favorites like the Twilight series and The Hunger Games.  
Ruin and Rising
Shadow and Bone
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Teen eBooks 📱

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, December 29
Curious as to what your friends and classmates were reading in 2021? Us too!  Series seem to take top marks across teen formats in 2021--with lots of checkouts of The Grisha Trilogy and A Court of Thorns and Roses Series as well as older favorites like the Twilight series and The Hunger Games.  
Anxious People
Daylight
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Adult eBooks 📱

  • Richland Library
  • Tuesday, December 28
Curious as to what your friends and neighbors were reading in 2021? Us too!  No surprises here. The Four Winds, The Vanishing Half, and The Midnight Library took top honors across all adult fiction formats this year but there are lots of other titles to check out too. 
The Four Winds
Anxious People
Staff Picks

Top Checkouts 2021: Adult Fiction 📚

  • Richland Library
  • Tuesday, December 28
Curious as to what your friends and neighbors were reading, watching, and listening to in 2021? Us too!  No surprises here. The Four Winds, The Vanishing Half, and The Midnight Library took top honors across all adult fiction formats this year but there are lots of other titles to check out too. 
Naturalist
The Ants
Staff Picks

Naturalist: E. O. Wilson, 1929-2021

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, December 28
In his long and distinguished career, scientist and author Edward O. Wilson, who died on 26 December, wrote as much for a popular audience as he did for his academic peers.  In addition to several books on ants (on which he was a world authority), he published widely on evolutionary biology and conservation.  One of his collaborations with fellow ant expert Bert Hölldobler, The Ants, won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Top Checkouts of 2021

  • Richland Library
  • Thursday, December 30

2021 ushered in a year of stellar new releases from old favorites, a barrage of debut authors, and lots of titles that broadened our bookshelves (and minds) and filled up our streaming queues. Here's a look at the top 10 books, movies, and songs by age group and format. 

Slouching Towards Bethlehem
After Henry
Staff Picks

Remembering Joan Didion

  • Bland L.
  • Monday, December 27
Joan Didion, who died at age 87 on 23 December, astutely sized up American culture from the 1960s onward in a series of nonfiction and fiction works that met with both critical and popular acclaim.  The prolific Didion is perhaps still best known for her first two essay collections, Slouching Towards Bethlehem and
People We Meet on Vacation
It Happened One Summer
Staff Picks

35 Best Romance Books of 2021

  • Mona Verma
  • Wednesday, December 22
2021 was a great year for Romances. As a romantic at heart, I was happy to see many diverse authors writing books with diverse characters falling in love. Do browse this list which includes holidays romances, hate turning to love stories, friends turning into lovers, finding love in unexpected places and much more! 
Trillions
Get Good with Money
Staff Picks

New Business Books

  • Bland L.
  • Wednesday, December 22
This batch of new business books features some sharp corporate take-downs, including Peter Robison’s Flying Blind: The 737 MAX Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing and Bartow J.
Super Volcanoes
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2021
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, December 21
Check out the latest in science writing from our collection.  Notable titles include Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, by best-selling author Mary Roach (dubbed "America's funniest science writer" by the WaPo) and Scientist: E. O.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Fairy Tale Comics
Staff Picks

Graphic Novel Adaptations

  • Thomas M.
  • Monday, December 20
How does an artist take the descriptions and inner lives of prose characters and translate them into pictures and poses against backgrounds? This list represents a wide range of stylistic adaptations of prose stories and poems, including manga versions of several classics. Visual elements and speech bubbles can also help developing readers comfortably navigate the text. These graphic novels are great for fresh takes on old favorites as well as gateways for new readers to get hooked.
Intimacies
The Reading List
Staff Picks

35 Best Book Club Picks of 2021

  • Mona Verma
  • Monday, December 20
Book clubs are a great way to spark conversations and connect with people. After reading a really good book, I am always curious to know what other people thought of it. It is interesting to see how each person interprets a book differently and the animated discussions which follow based on how you relate to the book. 
Homemade Love
Appalachian Elegy
Staff Picks

In Memoriam: bell hooks

  • Sarah C.
  • Thursday, December 16
The inimitable scholar, poet, critic, and activist bell hooks passed away on December 15, 2021 at the age of 69.  Celebrate the life of this groundbreaking thinker with one of her many works -- hooks wrote for all ages on topics ranging from feminism and gender to race and politics.  
Blog
Richland Library Main

#OwnVoices: The Mistress of Spices (Book Review)

  • Mona Verma
  • Thursday, June 23

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s bestselling book, The Mistress of Spices is an evocative classic; a magical, mystical tale of a clairvoyant who sells spices that can soothe your soul. The author says that she wrote this novel “in a spirit of play, collapsing the divisions between the realistic world of twentieth century America and the timeless one of myth and magic” in her “attempt to create a modern fable."

Stress Relief for the Anxious Mind
Why Are We Yelling?
Staff Picks

Holiday Mental Health

  • Sarah C.
  • Tuesday, December 14
The holidays aren’t always the joyful experience they’re meant to be; in fact, they can exacerbate feelings of grief, anxiety, and depression.  If you or someone you love is dealing with holiday blues this year, check out some of the titles below for helpful tips to ease the struggle.  You are not alone! If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.  Help is always available.  
Tokyo Ghoul. Vol. 01
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Part 4, Diamond is Unbreakable, Vol. 1
Staff Picks

Most Popular Manga of 2021

  • Thomas M.
  • Monday, December 13
2021 was the year of the great manga shortage, but Richland County found plenty to enjoy from their local library's shelves! Data from every Richland Library location was tabulated to form the list of popular manga series below. Each series is listed by its first volume so that new readers can catch up to the hottest manga. In some cases, volumes from much later in a series ranked highly, which is a great sign that fans stuck around.
Carrie
Carrie.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #4 - Starting with 'Carrie')

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, December 13
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Beloved
Bel Canto
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #3 - Starting with 'Bambi')

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, December 13
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Blog
Richland Library Main

All Her Little Secrets: A Book Review

  • Mona Verma
  • Friday, December 17

Wanda M Morris’s stunning debut Mystery/Thriller 'All Her Little Secrets' published on November 2, 2021, is riveting. I cannot stop talking about this book and recommending it to my friends. As an addict of psychological suspense, I am always looking forward to the next adrenaline pumping read. This one kept me up at night, navigating its unpredictable twists and turns and I just had to finish the book in one sitting to know how the story ends.

Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: The City We Became - A Review

  • Mahogany S.
  • Thursday, June 23

What we are, what we’re made of, is many worlds coming together. Reality and legends. This world where we’re just people, and that world, where we can be miles-wide cities that just happen to be sitting a couple of feet across from each other because the laws of space, physics, don’t work the same way.

You Should See Me in a Crown
The Poet X
Staff Picks

Teen Fiction For Dormant Readers

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, December 08
Lifelong reading can be a rewarding habit, but some young people may not see themselves as readers. Sometimes called "dormant readers," these teens seem to read and write just fine, but they do not read books for pleasure. Fortunately for them, there are plenty of compelling stories in print, online, and audio. Below is a list of Quick Picks For Reluctant Young Adult Readers titles from the past three years of the Young Adult Library Services Association's selections.
Devil's Pass
Drawn Away
Staff Picks

HiLo Teen Fiction

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, December 08
HiLo fiction stands for High interest, Low reading level. Most HiLo books have certain storytelling techniques in common. Their sentences and paragraphs are short, with generous line spacing. Vocabulary is fairly simple. These features make the text easy to follow. Plots are driven by action and a linear sequence of events. HiLo books are, to use a popular expression, "the books where stuff happens." They can be a building block in the development of a growing reader as well as an engaging, fast-paced read. You won't believe some of the sudden twists and turns these stories take!