kingstonpl

Staff Picks: Rebekah's April Pick

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:52:04 GMT

Rebekah's April Pick: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

In her debut novel, Shelby Van Pelt somehow made us all fall in love with the friendship between a charismatic octopus, a 70 year old janitor, and a luckless 30 year old at a small aquarium in the fictional town of Sowell Bay, Washington.

The tragic story of Tova Sullivan starts when her 18 year old son goes missing and presumed dead after finding some of his belongings and a boat in the Puget Sound. 30 years later, now widowed, Tova is spending her life cleaning the local aquarium and keeping all of the sea life there company when she notices an escapee stuck in some power cords in the break room. From there, Tova and her new friend Marcellus the Octopus strike up a friendship where she lets him roam while she cleans and converses with him like a little therapist in a tank. Known for their intelligence, Marcellus the octopus connects some pieces about what happened to her son and who the new maintenance boy at work could be for her.

Meanwhile, a 30 year old, who seems to fail at adulting most of the time, has just been dealt a hand of a new break up, loss of his job, and nowhere to turn to. Abandoned by his mother at just 9 years old, Cameron Cassmore strikes up the bright idea of finding who his real father is in his own "get rich quick scheme" and sets out on a journey to Sowell Bay in a beat up camper to follow the lead that his dad is a successful real estate tycoon based off of a photo and a class ring he found in his mothers belongings.

Marcellus gets to work trying to get Tova and Cameron to put the pieces together about both of their pasts by using his wit and his skill to place objects in their way to try to help them find the answers they both so desperately need.

The journey between these three characters is sure to tug on your heart strings and leaves you invested in finding out the true story and connections between this unlikely trio of friends. Brought together by fate (and shoved together by a caring, albeit pushy octopus) the journey of Tova and Cameron prove that growth and healing can happen to anybody, at any age and following along while they both get answers to questions and revisit hard feelings that they've both harbored for decades makes all the answers worth it in the end.

The dynamics between the characters and their unique personalities will have you feeling like you're a part of the little community of Sowell Bay.

This contemporary, literary fictional novel is sure to leave you with all the feels and is why it is Rebekah's pick of the month.

Check this book out at Kingston Public Library today!

Staff Picks: Barbara's March Pick

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:41:00 GMT

Barbara's March Pick: His & Hers by Alice Feeney

Barb ara's March Read is a twisty, psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

A woman is murdered in a small town and there are ALWAYS two sides to every story. Someone isn't telling the truth and some secrets are never told.

This story will keep you guessing all the way to the end and just when you think you know what will happen, you'll find yourself guessing wrong.

Alice Feeney has perfected the art of thrill writing which makes her one of Barbara's favorite thriller authors to date. You won't be able to put this book down until you're done. The plot twists will keep you guessing until the very end.

Staff Picks: Lusanne's February Pick

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:25:00 GMT

Lusanne's February Pick: The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Lusanne's favorite February read takes you to a place where a good writer never wants to go yet has you empathetic for the worst thing a writer can ever be.

Jacob Finch Bonner, an author struggling to write a follow up novel to his highly successful debut, reluctantly takes a position teaching in an MFA program at a lowly upstate New York college. Bonner is underwhelmed by the talent of his students save for one. Evan Parker dismisses any guidance from Bonner and is exceedingly arrogant and off putting. Parker has already begun a novel that he is convinced will be a best seller and reiterates it does not require any constructive input from anyone, least of all a washed up one hit wonder.

Evan begrudgingly lets Bonner read a portion of his book as per the course requirement. Bonner can now see why Parker is so confident. He can write. Jake is unexpectedly captivated by the plot of the work. A few years pass and literary success eludes Jake. He waits for the release of the Evan's novel he is sure will be the hit Parker expounded on but it never comes.

When Parker suddenly dies, Bonner makes the untoward decision to claim the plot of Parker's novel as his own.

The story simply MUST be written.

Jake, correct in his assumptions that Parker wrote a gripping novel, basks in the fame and fortune that should have been Parker's.

It's a juggling act keeping the secret from his publisher and his fan base but of course it's good to be on top again until it isn't.

As Jake learns more about the intricate story behind the plot of "his" book, someone emerges from the shadows within it and threatens to shatter his glory.

Pick up our copy of The Plot at Kingston Public Library today!

Special Guest - Tom Carson, Historian 2/24/26

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:25:41 GMT

The Friends of the Kingston Public Library in vite you:

You are invited to come listen to historian Tom Carson speak about the history of Rockwood and the Rockwood Forest Trails and iron mines. He will also address a time capsule located in Roane County and the unique history surrounding the area.

Tom Carson was born in Johnson City, TN and graduated from UTK with a Masters in Environmental Engineering. His love of history has provided a comprehensive story of Roane County.

Kingston Public Library
February 24, 2026 @ 6:00PM

Staff Picks: Jessica's January Pick

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:59:51 GMT

Jessica's January Pick: Hello, Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey

The town of Black Harbor in this novel is a dark and frozen town of desolation and the perfect pick for a thrilling, icy winter read making this book Jessica's favorite pick for a January read.

Hannah Morrissey hits the ground running with this thrilling 2022 debut full of sharp-edged prose, suspense, and multi-layered characters.

Written from the perspective of a police transcriber, this crime novel is like no other!

Haunting and atmospheric, this debut novel blurs the lines of expectation and carves its own permanent mark among must-read fiction. Poetic prose pulls you in and heart-pounding suspense keeps you hypnotized until the very last page.

Come by and borrow our copy of Hello, Transcriber if you’re a fan of:
��‍�� suspenseful police procedural.
��‍�� moody atmospheric settings.
��‍�� prose that makes you grab your highlighter.

This is the first book in Hannah's Black Harbor series which, so far, includes four titles! We have all of them available for checkout.

Snow is falling..reading is calling

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:42:41 GMT

Come grab a cozy read and settle in for the cold weather!

We have cozy reads for every genre! Come grab a book or get a recommendation from a Librarian to keep you occupied all winter long!