MY LIBRARIAN CARLY – Batavia Public Library

My Librarian Carly

Email Carly

I read for pleasure and that is the moment I learn the most.

—Margaret Atwood

It is true that a big perk of working in a library is that I am surrounded by books and fellow lovers of reading. However, what I have truly enjoyed and what interested me initially in librarianship is the opportunity to wear different hats. Organization, curiosity, reading, and the excitement of never knowing what my day will turn out to be are only a few things that made me realize that being a librarian was my calling. Not only do I have a love for books but also for video games (ask me what I’m currently playing!), film & television shows, research, and helping people. As for my genre tastes, I tend to “read with the seasons,” is what I call it. In winter months you’ll find me reading dark fantasy, adventure, dystopian and various YA novels and series including works by Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Armentrout and Sabaa Tahir. Fall is reserved for Thriller and Suspense (with a sprinkling of Horror) like Alex Michaelides and Stephen King. Spring and Summer I tend to start my rom-com and more beachy type reads, reaching for novels by Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood. At the end of the day though, when walking through the stacks, I may never know what I will be inspired to read next.

On Carly's Bookshelf

From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer Armentrout

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Carly's Top 10 Favorite Books

Dripping with romance, passion and danger, a huntress finds herself imprisoned in an enchanted court within the enemy's kingdom only to find love in the most unlikely person, her captor. A darker Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Set in Munich during WWII. ‘Death’ narrates this dramatic coming-of-age story of a young illiterate girl Liesel, who develops a talent for stealing books in an attempt to learn to read during a time of hardship and loss.

A moving and heartbreaking love story about how an accidental meeting can alter the course of one’s life forever.

A gruesome murder, a woman held captive in her own mind, and a therapist determined to unlock her secrets. This story becomes a maze-like exploration with mind-blowing twists.

This dark academia fantasy starts in Oxford University with a spellbound witch who must unravel her own secrets and protect her forbidden romantic relationship with a vampire. A 3-book series.

A time traveling romance set in Scotland that contains struggle, suspense, passionate romance and the strength of survivors. An epic series.

A remarkable memoir about Jeannette Walls and her childhood living a nomadic lifestyle with her dysfunctional and vibrant family. A story of redemption, resilience and navigating the difficulties of unconditional love.

Amanda Lindhout tells her story of the harrowing time she was held captive for 15 months in Somalia. This memoir explores how she survived using her own memories and her visits to a house in the sky.

A thrilling story set in a post-apocalyptic world with a military protagonist fighting to restore civilization in a zombie filled U.S. Full of exhilarating page-turning action and suspense. A 6-book series.

Set in Victorian London, a brave, intelligent and sometimes hard-headed young girl breaks the societal mold with her interest in learning pathology. She soon finds that her curiosity and passion leads to a hunt down some dark alleys.

Cute Cover Romances

After a series of mishaps a PhD student finds herself asking the university’s most hated professor to start fake dating. A grumpy & sunshine rom-com with a science-y twist.

A clever Rom-Com of two people who fall in love one transmission at a time. What will happen when they finally meet in person? Full of half-truths, personal growth, and an exploration of real love.

A hilarious enemies to lovers’ story full of sexual-tension. Lucy and Josh embark on a ruthless game of one-upmanship in this workplace romance.

Full of equal parts hilarious banter and shockingly tender moments, this friends to lovers romance will leave you with a blissful and warm after-glow.

Phoebe is obsessed with all things true-crime and suddenly finds herself suspicious of her late father’s neighbor, Sam. A humorous romance mixed with greater depth makes this books an interesting and fun read.

A hauntingly romantic and heartwarming story wrapped up in the challenges of grief and loss. This contemporary romance follows Florence, a ghostwriter who believes love is dead until a certain presence shows up.

A wedding. A trip to Spain with the most infuriating man. And three days of pretending. The perfect slow-burn romance.

A witchy, quirky, and Halloween themed romance set in a charming mountain town. This story is fully of magical mishaps, sweet and spicy sexual tension, and two exes that must find a way to break a break-up hex.

Thrilling tales of suspense...

A sinister apartment in Paris and its inhabitants all become suspects in this thrilling tale that is layered with action-packed sequences.

A dark psychological thriller about the daughter of a serial killer and the supposed copycat killer who has emerged 20 years later. This story is spine tingling and deliciously twisty.

Penelope is happily married with two kids when an old roommate shows up that she hasn’t seen in 20 years needing a place to stay. Forced to confront a past she tried to forget this story is an engaging tangled web to unravel with each page.

A dark academia thriller set in Cambridge follows group therapist Mariana Andros who is all but certain that Fosca, a Greek tragedy professor, is a murderer. A gripping and heart-in-the-throat ride.

Lowen is hired by Jeremy Crawford to complete a book series his injured wife is unable to finish and soon finds a terrible secret she is torn on telling. A story mixed with tension, fear, passion, and a shocking plot twist that will leave you reeling.

YA Fantasy Series

On the brink of war an orphan finds herself with magic she never knew she possessed that is the key to saving everyone.

An excellent blend of romance, fantasy, and action. This series follows Poppy, chosen by the gods to be Maiden, but her true destiny as well as her own desires soon change the course of the kingdom.

A fantasy world inspired by Rome run by military with high stakes, adventure, romance and danger. We follow Laia, a salve, and Elias a soldier. Neither are free.

Enter this fantasy world of dark and cold, daemons, gypsies, armored bears, and a young girl with a strange compass.

A thrilling dystopian fantasy follows a young girl whose touch paralyzes and kills. After a life without freedom, she finds the courage to finally fight back from her captors.

VIP Video Games

Play as a hardened survivor that must deliver a girl who may be humanity’s last hope across a post-pandemic country. Third-person perspective using firearms and improvised weapons.

A stunning open world action/adventure. Play as Jin Sakai, a samurai destined to protect Tsushima Island from Mongol invaders at all costs.

The final conclusion of Nathan Drakes story. Control Nathan Drake as he reunites with Victor Sullivan on another adventure to find Henry Avery’s lost treasure. Third-person action game with puzzle like sequences.

Play as your own avatar in a dark fantasy world of monsters and demigods. It is your task to explore this open world, grow in strength, and fight or ally with others to collect the Great Rune.

A cozy and fun customization game that allows you to escape to a deserted island, create your own paradise and collect adorable residents to live with.

A young hunter in a world overrun by machines sets out to uncover her past. An Action role-play set in a beautiful open world that offers plenty of exploration, action, and character building.

Play as Kratos who must traverse the dangerous Norse worlds with his son Atreus to complete deeply meaningful task. An action-adventure game that is mostly linear with elements of exploration.