We hope you enjoy our latest VPL Newsletter; to subscribe, email library@vintonia.gov. See you at the library!

• 'A Certain Kind of Starlight' by Heather Webber
• 'Tracking Tilly' by Janice Thompson
• 'The Rose Arbor' by Rhys Bowen
• 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' by TJ Klune
• 'Cast, Catch, Release' by Marina Gibson
• 'Mountain Girl' by Marilyn Moss Rockefeller
• 'Love at First Book' by Jenn McKinlay
• 'Nice Work, Nora November' by Julia London
• 'Cold Vengeance' by Nancy Mehl
• 'A Happier Life' by Kristy Woodson Harvey

• 'The Art of Power' by Nancy Pelosi
• 'The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder' by David Grann, Large Type
• 'Sounds Fake but Okay' by Sarah Costello
• 'The Exceptions' by Kate Zernike
• 'Say the Right Thing' by Kenji Yoshino

• 'Peonies' by Jane Eastoe
• 'Rare Gems' by Howard Megdal
• 'The Accomplice' by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson
• 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote

• 'You Should Be So Lucky' by Cat Sebastian
• 'The Cemetery of Untold Stories' by Julia Alvarez
• 'The Wind Knows My Name' by Isabel Allende
• 'The Queen of Poisons' by Robert Thorogood

Just in case you somehow missed it, I really enjoy junior fiction books; it's probably the kid in me! I have found another one that I consider a winner, just right for kids in the middle school category, but enjoyable for all ages.

Lina Gao was left behind in China to live with her beloved grandparents at the age of six, when her parents and two-year-old sister moved to America. After five long years, her parents allow her to join them in what Lina believes to be a fairy-tale life in a new country. But what she dreams is not exactly the way it actually IS. With her limited English, Lina struggles to fit in at school, and to make friends.

This is a story of hope, challenges, strength and hard work. The way that Lina and her family handle this potpourri is an eye-opener for readers to see and understand a young point of view in an unfamiliar country. There is at least one more book in this series, and I will be following along as Lina and her family navigate their path. Two thumbs up; 4.8/5 on Goodreads.com.

~Connie

Hollows Bend, New Hampshire, seems like your typical small town where everybody knows everybody. Sherrif Ellie Pritchett boasts a low crime rate... until one day a strange, seemingly teenage girl shows up and everything descends into chaos. I LOVED this book! It definitely has a supernatural aspect to it, but it was very gripping. The writing style is a little strange for James Patterson, but each chapter starts with whose perspective is currently at the forefront. 10/10, would recommend! The story itself seemed like a mix of The Mist, Silent Hill, and Dean Koontz "Phantoms" with maybe even a bit of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds."

~Micah

I'm not a morning person but I've been waking up in the wee hours of the morning to read 'The Wedding People' by Alison Espach! I adore books that reference lines from other books (fans of Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton, this one's for you) but also manage to make me laugh. This book is that good; so good that I am laughing at five in the morning and waking up my husband and our three cats.

The main character, Phoebe, is my idea of the perfect friend: inside her head to the point of hilarity, witty, a Victorianist (yes, that's a thing) and just trying to get through the day...through a divorce...through a wedding that she hilariously becomes a part of...through this business of living. I really can't remember the last time a novel made me laugh as much Espach's writing has all whilst dealing with depression and divorce. I plan on finishing it this weekend and I highly recommend you place a reserve (4.25 rating on Goodreads.com and #7 on the NYT bestseller list this week!).

Happy reading, friends! ~Heather

I'm currently reading the 2023 comedic novel "Murder Your Employer: McMasters Guide to Homicide, Volume I" by Rupert Holmes. Picture Hogwarts, but for adults wanting training in the art of 'deletion.' It is creative, clever, and doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a winning combination in my book.

This multi-talented author is perhaps best known for writing and performing the 1979 classic 'Escape (The Pina Colada Song).' Check it out if you're a fan of quirky, dark humor. It currently has 3.85/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Happy reading!

~Kelly

I recently read 'Attack of the Black Triangles' by Amy Sarig King. I have been eager to read this Iowa Teen Award book. Mac is now in 6th grade and is excited to be in class with his best friends, Denis and Marci. He is hesitant about his new teacher Ms. Sett with her weird rules and wanting everything to be perfect. So far school is off to a good start and by week three Lit Circle starts. Mac's group is to read 'The Devil's Arithmetic' by Jane Yolen. As Mac gets farther into the book, he notices that some words are blacked out. He can't believe someone would prevent the truth from the readers. You have to understand, Mac has learned grace from his mother, but he also sees the power in telling the truth and using your voice. Mac and his friends head to the principal's office to protest censorship, but will that be enough? Will they be taken seriously?

Because Jane Yolen's book is often referenced in the 'Attack of the Black Rectangles,' I also read 'The Devil's Arithmetic.' Written in 1988, this historical fiction book is about a girl named Hannah, a girl living in present day, who is celebrating Passover Seder with her family. Hannah is bored by stories and tired of her religion. She entertains her Grandad by opening the door for the prophet Elijah. However, when the door opens, Hannah is transported back in time during the Holocaust. Hannah already knows what happens during the Holocaust, but the others around her do not. Hannah thinks this is all a bad dream and she will wake up and be with her family again. At the end Hannah will learn something very important about her family.

~Kellie

This colorful wall in our Children's Library is a fun way for us to feature our youngest readers! Once kids are enrolled in our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten reading challenge, their pictures hop from planet to planet as they read books on their way to the sun!! They earn a prize at each planet, and a grand prize once they reach 1,000 books! Once kids 'graduate' by entering Kindergarten, we give them their picture as a souvenir. This is just one more way our library supports reading in our community!

Join us at Vinton's Celebration Park for lunch with the library staff! Bring a sack lunch and join us for a casual conversation about books; we’ll have a limited number of adult fiction titles available for checkout. We'll meet every Monday in September and October, beginning September 9th, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Everyone is welcome. Scheduling subject to staff availability and the weather.

• Monday, September 16th
• Monday, September 23rd
• Monday, September 30th

Join us for our monthly Adventures in Bookclubbing, where you pick the book! This month's theme is 'Football.' We're now meeting two times each month; choose your book, and then choose the time that works best for you.

• Tuesday, September 17th at 6pm
• Thursday, September 19th at 12pm

We had a fun time planting our own Spider Plants to take home in the Children's Library!

They may have lost the game Saturday, but the Hawks beat the Cyclones in our library 'This or That' poll! Stop in and vote and/or comment below on our latest 'THIS OR THAT' challenge! Which do you prefer: Apple Cider or Pumpkin Spice Latte???

Congratulations to our Books and Cooks: Tailgate Edition winners! Watch for our next cooking contest next Spring, where you pick a book, prepare a dish inspired by the book, and compete for prizes! Happy reading (and eating)!

Have you heard about our new expanded library hours? Stop into the library on Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 8pm, and Friday mornings starting at 7am! And we're still open from 9am-Noon on Saturdays. See you at the library!

Halfway there! This guy has read 500 books.

Our Beanstack Red Carpet Reading Challenge for adults started September 1st! Sign up and read 6 titles from our list of books that were adapted into Oscar nominated films; complete the challenge and receive a trophy at our 2025 Red Carpet Fundraiser! Pictured below are some of the many titles to choose from. Happy reading!

Stop into the library and check out our latest display in the Reading Room--the One-Sentence Book Review! We have blank review sheets available at the circulation desk for you to complete to help add to our display. Happy reading!

This month the New York Times Book Review listed 'The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.' Below are the titles that we have in our physical collection here at the Vinton Public Library. Happy reading!

Hours of Operation:

Mondays: 9a-5p

Tuesdays: 9a-8p

Wednesdays: 9a-5p

Thursdays: 9a-8p

Fridays: 7a-4p

Saturdays: 9a-Noon

Sundays: Closed

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Email: library@vintonia.gov
Website: vinton.lib.ia.us
Location: 510 2nd Avenue, Vinton, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 472-4208
Facebook: facebook.com/heartofvinton