Welcome to Aurora Public Library’s blog. A place where our library staff share their thoughts, insider knowledge and overall love of all things book and community.
Feel free to comment on posts, re-blog and enjoy. To ensure a civil and focused discussion, comments will be held for a brief period before being published.
**Video may contain spoilers**
Join APL staff each week for a discussion of some of their current
reads! Each week they will discuss a book from a different genre. Join
the discussion live on at Facebook.com/AuroraLibrary each Friday at 1
p.m. (MST) and leave your thoughts in the comments below! (See
discussion questions below - questions may contain spoilers!)
The next discussion will be at 1 p.m. on April 24, 2020 on our Facebook page and will feature "Truth or Beard" by Penny Reid (available instantly on hoopladigital.com).
Discussion Questions for "Wuthering Heights"
- Why does Emily Bronte have so many different people telling this story? What is the effect of hearing the story filtered through so many different narrators? Are there characters that never get to tell their points of view?
- Do you continue to root for Heathcliff even knowing all of the horrible things he does? Why or why not? Do you think he is cruel? Is his cruelty justified?
- Are there any characters who are truly likable or sympathetic?
a movie review by Kristin S.
A programmer wins a mysterious contest and is taken to his eccentric CEO's remote mansion to complete a challenge. The challenge? To prove whether an android is sentient or not, using whatever questions he can devise.
This visually stunning sci-fi piece is both fast-paced and introspective. Like most good science fiction, it centers on the question, "What makes us human?" However, the further down the rabbit hole the movie draws you, the more you aren't sure what to expect from its answer. There's a tension in the dynamics between the three main characters that quickly leads you to wonder if something else is happening behind the scenes.
The cinematography is stunning. Frequent wide shots leave the characters feeling lost in an environment that is both vast and uncertain. The movie makes use of visual language just as often as spoken to tell its story by framing shots on things like the cracked glass in the corner of Ava's room that allude to a darkness beneath the bright facade. The mansion's architecture is a mixture of futuristic and natural, with large slabs of stone and lush trees paired with glass walls and diffuse floor lighting, and this backdrop gives the film a distinct visual flavor. The CGI used to create Ava is both interesting and well executed, but it's used with a subtlety that doesn't overshadow the acting within the scenes.
Overall, this movie does an excellent job of balancing philosophy and suspense, and keeps the viewer guessing throughout. If you're a fan of shows like "Westworld", definitely give this a shot.
This movie can be dark and tense at times, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. It addresses sexuality and adult themes in ways that can be brash or vulgar. There is a creeping feeling of danger and distrust throughout the film. Don't go into this if you need a happy ending.
There's also a painfully awkward dance scene.
Every title I recommend is available for you to watch instantly, for free, using our digital library services. "Ex Machina" can be accessed using our Hoopla service, with a direct link here:
https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12454577
Don't have a library card? Don't worry! You can sign up for a virtual library card from home by following these instructions.
Let us know what you thought of the movie in the comments below!
Check It Out! hoopla digital
by Kristin S.
hoopla digital is a free library service that lets you check out materials on your computer, smartphone or tablet. Hoopla has a wide range of content, including:
• eBooks
• Digital audiobooks
• Music
• Movies
• Television shows
• Comics
Everything on Hoopla is available instantly, meaning no hold lists. There are no fees or fines. When an item is due, it simply disappears off your device.
Aurora Public Library patrons can check out up to 14 items each month. Your checkout limit resets to max on the first day of a new month, even if you still have items from the previous month checked out.
Watch the video or check out the steps below to get started with hoopla!
1) If you are using a computer, visit hoopladigital.com. If you are using a smartphone or tablet, search your App Store or Play Store for the Hoopla app and download it.
2) Choose "Get Started Today" on a computer, or "Sign Up" on a phone or tablet.
3) Enter your email and choose a password
4) Choose Aurora Public Library (CO) - Be sure to select Aurora, Colorado
5) Enter your library card number
And you're done!
To find an item, choose the category you'd like to browse from the menu. You can also search for a specific item by typing the title in the white search bar beside the word "Everything" (on a computer), or by touching the magnifying glass and typing your search there (phones or tablets).
To check out an item, simply select it and hit "Borrow".
It will say beneath the item how long you may borrow the item for. Books and audiobooks you will have access to for 21 days, music for seven days, and movies for three days.
To view the items you have checked out, click "My Hoopla" then "Currently Borrowed" (on computer) or use the back arrow to return to the home screen (phone or tablet).
If you have any questions, please visit hoopla's help page or click here for information about how to connect with APL staff.
Tell us in the comments what your currently enjoying from hoopla!
Family Book Club with Miss Tess
"A Snicker of Magic" by Natalie Lloyd
Chapters 1 - 10
Want to read along and join the discussion? Check out "A Snicker of Magic" by Natalie Lloyd on Hoopla Digital!
Discussion Questions
1. From the mother’s story, what kind of magic would you want? (I would want to bake some magic into pies and cakes!)
2. Have you ever been the new kid(s) at school? Can you relate with Felicity and Frannie Jo?
3. Chocolate chip pork rind ice cream?? Yuck! What flavors would YOU create at Dr. Zook’s Ice Cream Parlor?
4. A boy in Felicity’s class asked why they called themselves the Brothers Threadbare. Later, Aunt Cleo tells Felicity “threadbare” means shabby, worn-out, well-used… Felicity’s teacher (Miss Lawson) tells the students they’ll need to figure out why the brothers called themselves that on their own. Do you have any guesses?
5. What would your talent be at a talent show?
6. What do you think of Jonah (the Beedle)?
7. Do you think Roger Pickle will come back?
8. What do you think of Oliver Weatherly, owner of Dr. Zook’s and original Beedle?
9. If Oliver offered you Blackberry Sunrise ice cream, would you take it? Why or why not?
10. Do you think the last sentence in chapter 10 is foreshadowing? That means when something is stated early in the book and comes true later on.
11. What are you enjoying most about this book so far? Any predictions you would like to make?
Comment from Miss Tess: I love the silly words used in this book. Like Felicity says, “Why the hayseed you call yourself a Beedle…?” and “too spindiddly an offer to pass up.” It would be fun to be like Felicity and write down all the words we like from this novel!
**Video may contain spoilers**
Join APL staff each week for a discussion of some of their current reads! Each week they will discuss a book from a different genre. Join the discussion live on at Facebook.com/AuroraLibrary each Friday at 1 p.m. (MST) and leave your thoughts in the comments below! (See discussion questions below - questions may contain spoilers!)
The next discussion will be at 1 p.m. on April 17, 2020 on our Facebook page and will feature "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte (available instantly on hoopladigital.com).
Dicussion questions for "If She Knew" by Blake Pierce
- Do you think Kate’s judgements/actions would be any different if she was still an agent?
- Why do you think Kate’s daughter Melissa wants to follow in her footsteps?
- How did the death of Kate’s husband Michael impact her job as an agent?
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