Bloody Good Graphic Novels for Halloween

Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 by Stellan Harris

Hello, my ghouls, ghosts, and other assorted specters. We are in the thick of Halloween season, with less than a week until that magical day of candy and costumes, spooks and scares! In celebration of the season, I wanted to take you, dear reader, through a number of my favorite graphic novels that fit the occasion for one simple reason: they are gory, gruesome, drenched in enough blood to make Dracula drool, and otherwise feature plenty of insides that just so happen to be on the outside. All of these graphic novels have their merits outside of their crimson-coated cast, with the level of horror varying from title to title. Each title, however, is worth a look for those who don’t mind things getting a little bit bloody in honor of the spooky season. So let’s get started! Continue reading “Bloody Good Graphic Novels for Halloween”

Spooky, Not Scary Watch-List

Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 by Grae

Do you love all matter of spooky ephemera, including (but not limited to) asymmetrical gourds, a crunchy walk through leaf-litter at dusk, black cats, swooping bats, a chilly breeze, the moonlit hoot-hooting of an owl, flickering shadows, the curling crackle of a bonfire with friends, your favorite elder’s throaty cackle? 🍠🍂🐈🖤🦇🌬️🌕🔥

Are you into that *swirls hands in the air over imaginary cauldron/crystal ball* distinctly witchy vibe? 🔮🕯️

Are you a young ghoul at heart? 👻

Does your bedroom feature skulls, spiderwebs, and tombstones as year-round decor? 🕸️💀

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you’re among friends (or fiends 😈)! Halloween and all its haunted trappings gives my heart, in the words of young vampire Vlad the Rad, “bat wings” and “sugar-frosted lightning bolts,” but I have a confession: while I love all manner of the occult, I am just too tender-hearted for the harrowing thrills, over-the-top gore, scritchy-scratchy musical panic, and heart-pounding jump-scares that are present in many scary movies (and the horror genre more generally). Which means I have to be extra selective when it comes to figuring out how to best usher and revel in the ghastly glory of spooky season. So this year I’ve come up with a curated Spooky, Not Scary™ Watch-List perfect for anyone who wants to experience a spectre-tacular atmosphere without sacrificing their delicate nerves. Each tv show, movie or video is rated on a scale of 0-5 smashed pumpkins. The more smashed pumpkins (which I’ve metaphorically dropped out of terror), the closer the tv show/movie/video is to being truly frightening. Note: no gourds were harmed in the making of this list. 🎃

You can access the full list here; what follows are my Top 6 with minimal spoilers! Happy Hauntings! Continue reading “Spooky, Not Scary Watch-List”

Season of the Witch

Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 by Dana

In perusing new stories for the spooky season, I was thrilled to see so many books about witches!  I actually had trouble narrowing them down for this blog!  Harness your magic, get ready for adventures, and revel in autumn with some witchy reads.

Continue reading “Season of the Witch”

Cosplay Tutorial: Woodland Creature Transformation

Posted on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 by Megan

Do you daydream about escaping into the woods and wonder what it would be like to be a woodland creature? Or do you want to know how to give up a boss life for a moss life? We recently hosted a program where we did all that and more! In our ongoing how-to cosplay series, we transformed ourselves and our patrons into fantastic woodland animals. Don’t worry if you missed our program, we’ve got tips below to help you become a majestic creature! And be on the lookout for more cosplay fun in December! Continue reading “Cosplay Tutorial: Woodland Creature Transformation”

Cooking by the Book: Key to Your Culinary Kingdom

Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by Stellan Harris

It is an unavoidable truth that all of us, rich and poor, young and old, have one thing in common: we have to eat. Eating is all well and good, but the problem for most folks is the cooking required to get to that step. Between all the chopping, seasoning, mixing, and cooking to get to a delicious meal it’s hard to blame anyone for reaching for takeout instead. However, we here at DBRL have decided to save you money, help you learn some new skills, and maybe even help you eat a bit better! Well, maybe some of the time, we do make some delicious desserts when the mood strikes us. “Cooking by the Book” is a monthly program put on by DBRL in order to showcase some fantastic recipes we’ve found, give a live demonstration and some background information on what we’re cooking, and a chance for you to cook along with our presenters over Zoom! If you can’t make it to the program that month, don’t worry. Every session of “Cooking by the Book” is recorded and posted our DBRL YouTube playlist afterward, making it easy to catch up if you miss one or go through our backlog of programs if you’re just joining us. Continue reading “Cooking by the Book: Key to Your Culinary Kingdom”

Dark Academia

Posted on Friday, September 9, 2022 by Dana

Dark academia is an aesthetic and book genre that has gained a lot of popularity in the last year or so, thanks to TikTok.

Dark academia’s look comes mostly from boarding schools and old universities. Think school uniforms, tweed jackets, stone columns, dark wood, dimly lit libraries with old books and drifting dust.

The books that fall into the dark academia trend could have many aspects of this multifaceted genre. They often take place in a school or university and have menacing themes like crime or secret societies. The characters may study classical philosophy, poetry, or literature. Death, existentialism, and mortality are often subjects. They aren’t usually high fantasy, but often involve arcane knowledge and more speculative elements.

As we settle into the new school year, check out this list and indulge your blazer-wearing, coffee-drinking, mystery-loving self.

The Selector’s Selections: August 2022

Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 by Brianna

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of the new school year approaching. Whether that fills you with joy, dread, or something in between, why not try a new book to usher in the new semester? As always, these are brand new books which means we may not have the ebook version yet. I can order print copies ahead of time so they show up in our catalog, but digital things I order the day of. So if you prefer to read or listen to your book digitally, check our catalog or your Libby/Sora app after the book’s release date! Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: August 2022”

Steamy Summer Reads

Posted on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 by Dana

 

We’re in those last, steamy days of summer.
School is an impending obligation, but if you’re not ready to let go of the golden sultriness, I’ve got a few books to help your summer feel endless.

Continue reading “Steamy Summer Reads”

@dbrlteen Instagram

Posted on Friday, August 12, 2022 by Megan

Exciting things are happening over here at the library! You can now find us on Instagram @dbrlteen. Here you’ll find the latest information about library and community events as well as what we’re reading! Smash that follow button or better yet set us as a favorite so you get the most up-to-date info.

Tiny person points to "add to favorites" star on Instagram profile.