Et Cetera

Just finished Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros — book 2 in the Empyrean series.OMG Violet Sorrengail’s second year at Basgiath War College is even more intense! Action? Twists? That CLIFFHANGER? I couldn’t put it down. If you loved Fourth Wing, you need this sequel in your life.~Kellie Roberts, Children's Librarian

On May 16, Mount Mercy University pinned over 50 nursing graduates at the Nursing Pinning Ceremony.  Graduates Grace Lamont ’25 and Anna Horsfall ‘25 were featured as student speakers at the event. The Sister Mary Edward McConohy Nursing Award, which signifies high scholastic ability, professional integrity and the spirit of nursing, was given to Maddy Reid ’25.

On May 10, Concordia University, Nebraska awarded undergraduate and graduate degrees to more than 430 individuals. The class of 2025 was honored during an undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremony.Dr. Gene Edward Veith, writer and retired professor of literature, delivered this year’s commencement address. Veith previously served as the Provost of Patrick Henry College and a Professor of English at Concordia University Wisconsin.

A moving sale will be held from Thursday-Saturday, May 22-24 at 805 W. 17th St., Vinton. Hours will be:Thursday 3-7Friday 9-5Saturday 9-1Antiques, garden items, furniture, household, misc.You don't want to miss this sale!

The University of Sioux Falls congratulates 515 students who made the Spring 2025 Dean's List. Aubrey Gates of La Porte City, IA, was named to the University of Sioux Falls Spring 2025 Dean's List. Gates is majoring in Exercise Science.Gates was among 515 students named to the Spring 2025 Dean's List.

Halfway through 'Olive Kitteridge', and I already feel like Elizabeth Strout has dethroned my last favorite novel (The Wedding People by Alison Espach). This book is a gem—thirteen interconnected stories revolving around the unforgettable Olive Kitteridge. Strout's writing style reminds me of Anne Tyler: she elevates the ordinary into something extraordinary, revealing how we're all subtly bound together, much like the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Virgina stopped in to recommend Nora Roberts' Lost Bride Trilogy. 'Inheritance' and 'The Mirror' are both available for checkout in regular and large type at Vinton Public Library. The third book, 'The Seven Rings,' will be available in Winter 2025. Happy reading!

In the late 1920’s a celebrated author with a troubled past disappears, along with the sequel to her best-selling novel. In 1950s America, her daughter receives a message from England telling her that her mother’s documents along with a personal unopened letter have been found. Is it a hoax, like many that have come before? Is the risk of taking her asthmatic daughter abroad during London’s Great Smog worth the potential reward? In ‘The Story She Left Behind,’ Patti Callahan Henry once again weaves a fairy tale into a lovely novel, perfect for lovers of heartfelt fiction like me.

A fan of the TV show 'Golden Girls'? Then check out this cozy mystery 'Murder by Cheesecake' by Rachel Ekstrom Courage! Dorothy tries out a VHS dating service whilst Rose is planning a St. Olaf-themed wedding for her niece/cousin (yes, she is called both!) when a murder ensues in Miami where they are planning the wedding and the four ladies try to solve the case.

 Kirkwood Community College will hold its 2025 Commencement ceremony at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in downtown Cedar Rapids on Saturday, May 17, beginning at 10 a.m. More than 2,300 students are expected to graduate with approximately 650 students taking part in the ceremony. A total of 3,525 credit degrees, diplomas and certificates are expected to be awarded in the current academic year.