July’s Big Library Read: A Mystical Family Saga About the Power of Stories
Posted on July 15, 2025 at 6:00 am
Big Library Read
JULY 17–31
Libby’s free, global digital book club: Borrow the Big Library Read title with no holds and no waiting, starting July 17!
Available through Libby and OverDrive
The Storyteller’s Death
By Ann Dávila Cardinal
There was always an old woman dying in the back room of her family’s house when Isla was a child…
Isla Larsen Sanchez’s life begins to unravel when her father passes away. Instead of being comforted at home in New Jersey, her mother starts leaving her in Puerto Rico with her grandmother and great-aunt each summer like a piece of forgotten luggage.
When Isla turns 18, her grandmother, a great storyteller, dies. It is then that Isla discovers she has a gift passed down through her family’s cuentistas. The tales of dead family storytellers are brought back to life, replaying themselves over and over in front of her.
At first, Isla is enchanted by this connection to the Sanchez cuentistas. But when Isla has a vision of an old murder mystery, she realizes that if she can’t solve it to make the loop end, these seemingly harmless stories could cost Isla her life.
The Storyteller’s Death is an International Latino Book Award Gold Medal winner and was BuzzFeed’s 20 Highly Anticipated Thrillers of 2022 and BookRiot’s 15 Best New Mystery Books of 2022.
Themes/Genres: family saga, Hispanic heritage, historical fiction, magical realism, mystery, thriller
About the Author
Ann Dávila Cardinal is a two-time International Latino Book Award winning novelist and aging tattooed punk. She is a Nuyorican, Vermont-based author with an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA), and she comes from a long line of Puerto Rican writers. She is the author of the young adult novels Five Midnights, Category Five, Breakup from Hell, and You’ve Awoken Her. Her adult debut, The Storyteller’s Death, received multiple starred reviews and was the winner of the International Latino Book Award Gold Medal. Her second adult novel, We Need No Wings, was released in 2024.
Author Event, Discussion Board & Extras
Hosted by Joe Skelley of Book Lounge by Libby, this engaging conversation with Ann Dávila Cardinal explores the novel’s themes of family, identity, and the power of stories that transcend generations. Be sure to sign up for this online program from Big Library Read, scheduled for Thursday, July 31, at 9am.
Big Library Read Discussion Board
You’ll find thoughtful questions that promote discussion and the sharing of ideas and experiences.
This discussion guide for The Storyteller’s Death includes 10 questions that promote book group discussions and a conversation with the author.
A letter from Ann Dávila Cardinal to you, the reader, that includes cocktail and snack recipes.
What Is Big Library Read?
Big Library Read is facilitated by OverDrive and is a reading program that connects readers around the world with the same digital read (eBook and audiobook) at the same time without any waitlists or holds. Essentially, it is the first global, virtual book club.
As a worldwide digital version of a local book club, the program is free through SCLD to in-district card holders.
Download Libby or head to the OverDrive website to borrow the free eBook or audiobook on your phone, tablet, or computer anytime during the two week reading period.
Tags: adults, Big Library Read, book, libby, overdrive, reading, teens
