One of the things I always forget about moving to a new place is the time it takes to get used to the noises of the new building. The Graham Building, built in 1938 and remodeled in 1960 (so say the plaques in the hallways), has a LOT of noises to get used to. I’m not saying the noises lead me to believe the building is haunted, but I will tell you I’ve been inspired to read some scary stories.
I enjoyed “Maplecroft” by Cherie Priest (available to download). This book’s main character is Lizzie Borden. (Yes, *that* Lizzie Borden.) Something is terribly wrong in her town and it’s possessing her neighbors. She has an elaborately secure lab she uses to figure out the entity’s origins and develop weapons to fight the monsters that show up in her town. She must destroy them. Even if they wear familiar faces.
My daughter and I are currently enjoying “Ghost Squad” by Claribel Ortega. We knew this book was for us when we read the back: “Be prepared. Respect the dead. Always have a cat.” So far, it’s a nice mix of tender, loving family ghosts and thrilling, not-so-loving ones. Spanish phrases are sprinkled throughout, but they’re pretty easy for this non-Spanish-speaker to translate so far.
“Bad Girls Don’t Die” by Katie Alender made me nostalgic for R. L. Stine’s “Fear Street” series from my pre-teen years. Alexis is beginning to suspect that her house is haunted, which is just one more piece of misery to add to her teenage existence. Alexis’s sister, Kasey, has a new obsession with dolls that is beyond creepy, making Alexis wonder if Kasey is being possessed. Now Alexis has to find out who the spirit is and how to defeat it.
Our staff is busy prepping for Summer Reading. Registration begins after Memorial Day with events and reading challenges throughout June and July.