Author: alamancelibraries

Calling all bookworms!!! Are you in search of your next great read? NoveList Plus is the resource for you! This incredible database is provided to ACPL by NC LIVE and offers a host of tools to help you find books attuned to your personal interests.

You can use NoveList to search for books by genre, theme, and appeal factors like “unreliable narrator”, “intricately plotted”, “flawed characters”, or “romantic mood”. You can also find curated book lists and reading challenges.

Is there an author to whom you are utterly devoted? Find a chronological list of their books and read them all! You can even access lists of “Read-Alikes” to discover works by authors who write in a similar style (and “Listen-Alikes” for audiobook fans!). If you’re hooked on a series, check NoveList to find out the newest title.

Read articles about your favorite books, discover titles that have won literary awards, and research informed reviews to help you decide whether a title should be added to your shelf.

Would you like to start your own book club? NoveList can help with its lists of “Book Club Best Bets”. Do you have young readers at home? Use NoveList to search for books by grade and reading level. Everything you need to find more books is available on NoveList Plus.

If you are interested in using this amazing resource, reach out to library staff and we’ll be happy to get you started. You can also make an appointment with our Technology staff for a 15-minute one-on-one crash course!

We hope you’ll try NoveList Plus! Librarians love it and we know you will too! Find the link on the ACPL website under “Books & More”.

Ashlea J. is Library Assistant at Mebane Public Library.

“Ana María and the Fox” by Liana De la Rosa. Copyright 2023, Berkley (341 pages, $17.00).
“Isabel and the Rogue” by Liana De la Rosa. Copyright 2024, Berkley (339 pages, $19.00).

“A River of Golden Bones,” by A.K. Mulford. Copyright 2023, Harper Voyager (385 pages, $29.00).
“A Sky of Emerald Stars,” by A.K. Mulford. Copyright 2024, Harper Voyager (354 pages, $29.00).

“The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy” by Megan Bannen. Copyright 2022, Orbit (439 pages, $18.00).
“The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” by Megan Bannen. Copyright 2024, Orbit (404 pages, $20.00).

Nice things come in threes, so here are three trilogies that are concluding with their final book in 2025.

Megan Bannen’s Hart and Mercy series is an interconnected, standalone trilogy, full of magical and western themes. Mercy is one of the many undertakers for her father’s business, Birdsall & Son, in the town of Eternity. Hart is a marshal patrolling the magical and strange wilds of Tanria. They both seem to not hold a lot of patience for one another. But when they both start receiving letters from “A Friend” and having someone to confide in, they realize that there might be more to each other than they originally thought.

Twyla and Frank have been Tanrian Marshals for eight years now, best friends for even longer. But when a nefarious plot is uncovered in Tanria that they need to investigate, it leads to complications – even with their friendship – something that Twyla is now realizing could be an all or nothing kind of love.

Adam is the doctor to the town of Eternity, but he seems to know more about what’s happening in Tanria than what he’s letting on. Rosie is an immortal demigod who’s lived so long that nothing should be surprising her anymore, so why is Dr. Adam and his portals and his knowledge of the mist surprising her?

Liana De la Rosa’s Luna Sisters Series is a historical romance trilogy following three heiresses as they are secreted away to London during the French occupation of Mexico. Ana María is the ever-dutiful daughter, the perfect niece, and the best representative for the Luna families. She’s in London to keep her sisters and herself safe, but she doesn’t feel like being safe when Mr. Gideon Fox keeps giving her his attentions. Gideon has to keep reminding himself of his goal in Parliament – to abolish the Atlantic slave trade – and that Ana María is just a distraction. But when Ana María is in need of a gentleman’s aid, Gideon knows he must help Ana María (and her sisters).

Isabel always considers herself as the wallflower, the forgettable Luna sister. Which works well for Isabel as she sneaks away from societies get-togethers to find information that she can send back to Mexico to help with the French occupation. But Isabel isn’t as forgettable as she thinks she is, as she accidentally continues to cross paths with Captain Sirius Dawson. After one too many times, Isabel and Sirius use their powers of sleuthing in order to help with their own agendas, and if they allow their attraction to be known – that’s just a perk of the job.

Gabriela – the youngest, prettiest, and most rebellious of the three sisters, is ready for her freedom. As she whisks away to her homeland, she finds herself in trouble and in need of aid. In steps Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield.

A.K. Mulford’s Golden Court trilogy is a whimsical blend of high fantasy, adventure, love, and self-discovery. The first book follows Calla, a wolf shifter in hiding, and their fight to save their kingdom and to figure out who they are outside of their twin sister.

Book two continues with Calla finding their footing while butting heads with the Ice Wolf Pack, but we also see Sadie’s POV’s as she struggles with where she fits in the new Golden Court and her travels across the land of Aotreas.

Book three seems to be from the POV of Briar, Calla’s twin sister, as she is in the middle of enemy territory with struggles of her own as Calla must figure out how to navigate a war to save themselves, their sister, and their people.

We carry copies of books one and two in each trilogy. If you don’t see book three – just ask a librarian (or fill in a suggestion online) to see if we can order it for the end of the year! Below are expected publishing dates for each conclusion for each trilogy:

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen – July 8, 2025

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa – August 26, 2025

A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford – November 4, 2025

Kayleigh D. is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library.

Alamance County Public Libraries’ annual murder mystery is sure to be a colorful event this year, filled with intrigue and excitement and a healthy dose of comedy. With help from the audience, it won’t take any time at all to figure out who murdered our victim.

Museum Director and Curator, Artemis Astor, was a loving father and husband, who worked diligently to bring beautiful art to his community. He worked tirelessly for years, trying to make a name for himself and impressed a lot of people, but his family came first. So, he packed up and moved to North Carolina where he could showcase all kinds of art, from local artists to celebrity artists from around the globe. Astor was an upstanding community-oriented man…or was he?

Someone on the art scene certainly didn’t think so! Could it be his lovely wife, Birdie? Perhaps Councilman John Martin had something to do with it? The competition, Monet Bardeaux could have done it! But what about Astor’s daughter, Leona? Or the mysterious Yuri? And we can’t forget Astor’s business partner, Indigo Guthrie! He’s looking quite suspicious these days.

Did Astor bring art to a community that wasn’t ready for it? Did he step on the wrong toes? Did he schmooze the right people? Why kill him? Who had the motive? Who had the heart? Who murdered Artemis Astor?

            Between all the artsy espionage, backstabbing, and secrets, this year’s murder mystery is one not to be missed. Expect anger, drama, and what’s a murder mystery without the FBI Art Crimes Department being involved?

The event itself is free and for adults only. It will take place at May Memorial Library at 7:00pm on both Friday, July 25^th and Saturday, July 26^th. Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided, so please come a little hungry.

Registration is limited to 4 tickets per household and tickets will be made available starting Tuesday, July 1, at midnight and are available electronically this year at our website:

https://alamancelibraries.libcal.com/calendar/maymemorial?t=g&q=murder%20mystery&cid=5444&cal=5444&inc=0

As always, space is limited, so please remember to book yours early! For more information, please call (336) 790-0465 or email Emery Lai at elai@alamancelibraries.org.

Nayak, Michael. Symbiote. London : Angry Robot, an imprint of Watkins Media Ltd, 2025.

Symbiote was a really enjoyable read for me. The mix of sci-fi and horror was handled in a way that felt fresh and grounded. The setting—a group of people working at a research station in the South Pole—added a great layer of isolation and tension. Right away, you can feel that something’s not right, and that sense of unease grows with every chapter.

One of the things I liked most was how the story built its horror slowly. There aren’t any jump scares or over-the-top monsters—instead, it’s the quiet dread, the things that feel off, and the sense that something dangerous is creeping in. The science adds realism, but it never bogs things down. It all feels close enough to real life to make the horror hit harder.

The group dynamics were another highlight. Being stuck in such a remote place made it feel like a return to high school—where small tensions can turn into big problems, and past baggage resurfaces in ugly ways. Watching the characters try to keep it together while everything starts unraveling made the story even more gripping. You start to wonder what’s scarier: the strange force they’re up against, or how people act under pressure.

Overall, Sybiote is a strong mix of sci-fi and psychological horror. If you like slow-burn stories with tense atmosphere, layered characters, and a creeping sense of dread, this one is definitely worth a read.

Tyler J. is a Library Assistant at Mebane Public Library.

Mandanna, Sangu. Vanya and the Wild Hunt. New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2025.

If your child loves fantastical adventure books, they’ll love Vanya and the Wild Hunt!

Vanya can hear books talk. She also has ADHD, which is why she figures her parents wouldn’t believe her if she told them about her conversations with An Incomplete Guide to Good Manners, Lady Firoza’s Encyclopaedia of Flowers, and The Pocket Compendium of Poisons. But when she comes home early from school because she forgot her homework, she saves her parents from an Old One and find out there’s a lot they’ve been hiding from her, too.

Vanya’s mother is an archwitch, and her dad is an archivist. Her mother made a deal with an Old One years ago to keep Vanya safe, but someone else broke the agreement. Now that Vanya’s powers are known and the deal with the Old One is off, her parents decide to send her to Auramere, a school for young Archlings. Being the child of two powerful monster-hunters, she should be safer there, and will learn to harness and wield her powers.

At Auramere, Vanya lives with her parents’ best friends, Jasper and Roman, who are professors at the school. For the first time in her life, she finds school interesting, and she is excelling at her studies. But the Old Ones are stirring, and no one knows who is behind the attacks. There are sightings of The Wild Hunt, which shouldn’t be able to be in Auramere, unless the one controlling The Wild Hunt is one of them.

Vanya is a relatable heroine for kids. She gets herself in trouble, but has a huge heart and love for others. This story isn’t as complex as Rick Riordan’s books, making it something younger kids will enjoy before they’re ready for his series. I would recommend this book as a read aloud for younger children as well. I really enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to book two whenever it comes out.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Our Summer Reading Program began this week, and we wanted to review a few light and enjoyable books to get the summer started. If you’re reading, you should be logging your minutes in our Summer Reading Program through Beanstack. After you’ve logged 90 minutes, Beanstack will let you know you won a prize, and you can come to the library to pick up your free book. Every 90-100 minutes after that, you’ll get a raffle ticket to enter in our end-of-summer basket giveaway.

Beanstack works best on their app, but you also can use a computer to log your minutes on the ACPL Beanstack site.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

My beach read pick for the summer is Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.  It’s the story of two authors who compete to write the biography of a former tabloid princess who no one has seen in years.  The book is humorous and light, with a romantic storyline and a little bit of spice.  If you’ve enjoyed Henry’s other novels, you will be pleased with this read. 

– Amy K., Branch Manager, May Memorial Library

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

This is the second of a feel-good series featuring two “old maids” in Regency England. Augusta and Julia Colebrook solve mysteries, right wrongs, and rebel against what society thinks mature women (or really, women at all) should do with their time. This book is a cozy mystery/proper romance, and is perfect for sitting outside under a tree with an icy drink.

– Mary Beth A., Community Engagement Librarian

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

A man trapped in a sword. A woman trapped (literally) in her own bedroom by a scheming aunt who wants her to marry her son. When Hella takes the sword off the wall, and tries to hurt herself with it, Sarkis awakes and pleads with her to NOT use the sword in such a way. Instead, they escape and then work to return her to her rightful inheritance. This is a cozy fantasy with a lovely romance, and enough action (sword fights with an awakened sword) to make the story fly along.

– Mary Beth A., Community Engagement Librarian