Beyond the Desk

Brynne and Desirae discuss the novel Little One by Olivia Muenter, a book about a woman who escaped the cult she was raised in and, years later, gets pulled back into its story. Also mentioned: Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter. Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, hoopladigital.com and kanopy.com/en/westallis. For more about WAPL, visit westallisli...

Brynne and Sarah talk about Chloe Benjamin's Under Story with local book buyer Jason. The novel follows Laurel, a scientist reeling from a personal loss, who flees to Antarctica, only to encounter a strange, beguiling light across the ice. Also mentioned: The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin, The Overstory by Richard Powers, The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, The Other Valley by Scott Alex...

Sarah discusses Ann Patchett’s Whistler with West Allis book club regulars Michele and Heather. The novel is a moving look at family relationships and tells a story you won’t soon forget. Also mentioned: The Dutch House, Tom Lake and The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett, the movie The Holiday , Writers & Lovers and Heart the Lover by Lily King, Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín, and The Librarianis...

Whether you enjoy a character-driven mystery, cozy or suspenseful ride, you’re sure to discover something to add to your TBR list in this episode featuring librarians Desirae and Sarah. Books mentioned: Missing by E.A. Jackson, How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin, That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally, With My Little Eye and Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson, Heartwood by Amity Gaige, Whid...

Angie, Brynne and Sarah discuss Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton. The award-winning memoir follows the author’s surprising relationship that develops with a wild hare during the pandemic shutdown. Also mentioned: Pet by Chloe Dalton (forthcoming), H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman, A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg, and The Serviceberry and Braiding...

Desirae and Sarah talk about Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows Joan as she becomes one of the first women scientists in NASA’s space shuttle program in the 1980s and finds love. Also mentioned: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, film adaptations of Batman and Little Women , Sally Ride: America’s First Woman in Space by Lynn Sherr, To the Moon and Back by Eliana Rama...

Sarah and Brynne discuss Lily King’s latest novel, Heart the Lover , a moving exploration of love, friendship and how our choices are everything. Also mentioned: Writers & Lovers, Euphoria, and the story collection Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King and Normal People by Sally Rooney. Read Lily King’s essay here: https://www.vogue.com/article/boyfriend-best-friend-love-story Find instructions...

Librarians Katie and Desirae talk about books in verse just in time for poetry month! Books mentioned: Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, Enter the Body and Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Crank, Glass, and Fallout by Ellen Hopkins, Starfish by Lisa Fipps, Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, Long Way Down by Jaso...

Sarah and Kaitlyn discuss what romantasy is as well as popular titles in the genre—including A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) and Fourth Wing . Books mentioned: A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight , and A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, and Fourth Wing, Iron Flame , and Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. Also ment...

Staffers Desirae and Karen talk about the author Freida McFadden and two of her twistiest books. Books mentioned: The Housemaid , The Boyfriend , and The Tenant . Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com,hoopladigital.com and kanopy.com/en/westallis. For more about WAPL, visitwestallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Staffers Sarah, Desirae and Brynne talk about the best books they read the past year.  Books mentioned: A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko; The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey; The Wrong Daughter, One Small Mistake, The Perfect Match and The Wedding Vow by Dandy Smith; All Fours by Miranda July; The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo; and Love, Mom by Iliana Xander. Also mentioned: A Walk in the Woods by B...

Co-hosts Brynne and Desirae discuss Mona Awad's novels Bunny (2019) and We Love You, Bunny (2025) following the latter's release. The novels follow five women in a fictional MFA writing program at a presitgious university and delves into their unique, unsettling, and magical creative processes. Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, hoopladigital.com and k...

Staffers Sarah, Karen and Emily talk about The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, the historical novel follows the 18th-century midwife as she delivers babies, prepares to testify in court, and deals with a patriarchal culture in her small community in Maine. Also mentioned: A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and the documentary A Midwife’s Tale...

Librarians Sarah and Brynne discuss the Secrets of the Nile duology featuring What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez. The historical fantasy novels follow Inez from Argentina to Egypt, where she seeks answers about her parents’ deaths. Along the way she discovers magical objects, adventure and romance. Also mentioned: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie and the movie ad...

Librarians Desirae and Sarah talk about the atmospheric thriller Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. When a writer’s wife goes missing, his career stalls. Then his agent gives him an opportunity to start fresh on a remote island off the coast of Scotland. But it’s filled with secrets and mysteries, and he begins to see his wife everywhere. Also mentioned: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney, the movie The Wi...

Librarians Desirae and Sarah talk about this suspenseful novel that follows a woman trying to uncover the truth of her mother’s death 30 years prior on the Italian island of Capri. On an annual family visit there, one of their party goes missing, and the decades-old case gets reopened. Also mentioned: The Cloisters by Katy Hays, The White Lotus TV series, Revenge TV series, The Heiress by Rachel H...

Sarah, a librarian at WAPL, interviews Harini Nagendra, author of the Bagalore Detectives Club Mystery series. Her most recent novel, Into the Leopard’s Den , takes amateur detective Kaveri Murthy to the mountains of Coorg while investigating a series of murders. Also mentioned: The Bangalore Detectives Club, Murder Under a Red Moon and A Nest of Vipers by Harini Nagendra; Tommy and Tuppence myste...

Librarians Katie and Sarah chat about Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. This Hunger Games prequel follows Haymich Abernathy as he navigates his way through a Quarter Quell, in which twice as many tributes compete in the Hunger Games. It’s a worthwhile page-turner with an emotional punch. Also mentioned: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, and The Battle of Songbirds and Snakes by...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so Sarah sat down to talk with Meg Kissinger, author of While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence . Meg grew up in a large family, and some family members struggled with bipolar disorder and depression. But even as they struggled to understand what was happening, they were a close-knit clan whose humor helped them c...

Librarians Desirae and Katie sit down to discuss the lasting impact of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight book series. Works mentioned: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, Midnight Sun, Forever Dawn, and Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer; The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan; Looking for Alaska by John Green; The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld; Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Harry Po...

West Allis resident Tammy joins WAPL staffers Sarah and Karen to discuss the bestseller The Women by Kristin Hannah. It tells the story of Frankie, a sheltered young woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam and encounters difficulty reacclimating to civilian life upon her return. Also mentioned: The TV series M*A*S*H , about the Korean War; the movie Born on the Fourth of July ; the TV seri...

Librarian Desirae and library assistant Bianca sit down to discuss the importance of representation in romance and highlight three of their favorite reads. Works mentioned: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf, Electric Idol by Katee Robert, and How to Dance by Jason B. Dutton. Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, hoopladigital.com and kanopy.com/en/westalli...

WAPL staffers Desirae, Sarah and Karen discuss The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. This standout literary mystery follows the disappearance of a teen in the same woods where her brother went missing years before. Also mentioned: Long Bright River by Liz Moore. Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, hoopladigital.com and kanopy.com/en/westallis. For more abo...

Katie, Desirae and Sarah talk about their favorite reads of the year. We suggest thrillers, nonfiction, graphic novels and more. Works mentioned: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen, First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston, America Redux by Ariel Aberg-Riger, All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews, the movie Lady Bird , The Wedding People by Alison Esp...

WAPL librarians Desirae and Sarah are joined by Jenn from Brown Deer Public Library for a discussion on why they love audiobooks. They talk about some of their favorites, including ones featuring terrific solo narrators as well as those with a full cast. Works mentioned: The Wedding People by Alison Espach; The Storyteller by Dave Grohl; From Cradle to Stage by Virginia Hanlon Grohl; Surrender by...