Meet Sarah, the new Library Assistant at the Graham Public Library. New to our library system doesn’t mean that she’s not ready and willing to help with your technology questions and fill in as she’s needed. We’re looking forward to seeing how she makes her impact on the Graham community.
How long have you worked with the County? Just over three months.
Where are you from originally? Greensboro, North Carolina
What are you most passionate about? Crafting, accessibility, and learning new things.
Do you have a hobby? Reading (obviously), writing, and I’ve recently started crocheting!
When you were little, what was your dream job? English teacher or forensic anthropologist
If your life was a song, what would the title be? “Kaleidoscope” by Chappell Roan
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? Haggis flavored potato chips.
What’s your favorite TV show? Psych or Derry Girls
What is your favorite thing to spend money on? Clothes, stationery, and yarn.
What’s the most interesting thing you learned recently? The common starling was brought to the United States in the late nineteenth century as part of an effort to introduce all the birds mentioned in William Shakespeare’s works to North America.
The best part of fantasy fiction? The incredible worlds the authors make up! These new(ish) YA books have compelling worlds for us to enjoy as readers, as well as rich characters to populate them.
Heir by Sabaa Tahir – The world is the Martial Empire, and there’s a killer loose. Three young people have to overcome history, huge mistakes, and bad reputations to come together to save the world. Aiz uses her anger to better the lives of her people, until she makes a mistake and ends up in jail. Sirsha is tasked with capturing the killer to improve her reputation and earn some coin, but it’s not just her life on the line, it’s also her heart. Quil is the crown prince who doesn’t want to take the throne because he sees how power corrupts, but can he overcome his doubts and be the heir his people need? This book is set in the same world as her previous series, An Ember in the Ashes.
Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas – The world is Reino del Sol, and the Obsidian gods have been released into the chaos. All because Teo refused to kill one of his fellow semidioses. What can he do but be the Hero he never thought he could be, and return to Sol with the Sol Stone? Luckily, he has his best friend Niya and his crush Aurelio to help him fight the monsters and retrieve the stone. This is the second of a duology, the Sunbearer Trials.
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer – It’s our world, but after a deadly virus wipes out much of the population (which then came back to life as Ticks). Mara was a Tick, but now has been treated. She’s Mostly Dead, and sent to a resettlement program to live with her former friend Rory, who she kissed just before the end of the world. Rory is Barely Alive, and is expecting the worst at any time. She survived on the Island, one of the few places where people still live. But what does she do with her former best friend/crush who was a Tick, the monsters she’s learned to hate? This is a new twist on the zombie trope!
Draw Down the Moon by P.C. and Kristin Cast – The Academia de la Luna, a secret magic school off of the coast of Seattle, is the world. Wren isn’t supposed to have powers, but here she is, at the Academia, learning alongside Lee. Lee has been in love with Wren for years, but his original goal this year was to pass the trials, impress the Moon Council and improve his family’s standing in the world. Wren and Lee realize quickly that something is different this year with the trials, and Lee must to decide to save his family’s reputation, or the girl he loves. This is the first book of the series; the second will be released next spring.
Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender – The world is New Anglia, and Ash Wood is learning alchemy in secret because it is a crime to study magic without the direction of the Lancaster College of Alchemical Science. He’s caught by Ramsay Thorne, but instead of turning him in, she instead makes a deal with him. Help her find the Book of Source, and she’ll forget what she saw. Their journey leads to romance, danger and a reckoning – what is the price for power, and is it worth it? This is the first of a duology; the second will be released next spring.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faisal – The world is White Roaring, where Arthie’s teahouse turns into an illegal bloodhouse at night, serving the city’s working-class vampires. Her business is threatened by the powers that be, and she must partner with some strange bedfellows – a member of the Horned Guard, a vampire and a daughter of a shipping magnate – to take them down and save her shop. And maybe she’ll find some friends (and a love interest) along the way! This is the first of a series, with the sequel coming out in September 2025.
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a cozy fantasy romance about an isolated witch and an unconventional found family in the English countryside battling forces that seek to tear them apart. Simmering with a love of magic and a dash of the grumpy-meets-sunshine trope, Sangu Mandanna crafts an enchanted story that will warm your heart like one of Mika Moon’s magical cups of tea.
Mika Moon is a witch—which means she has spent most of her life alone, keeping her head down, unable to share this core part of herself with anyone outside of a small group of witches scattered across Britain she calls The Very Secret Society of Witches and its straitlaced leader, Primrose. No one can know she is a witch. No one does… except, when Mika posts videos online “pretending” to be a witch as an outlet for her loneliness, someone seems to take her claims seriously.
An anonymous message is sent to Mika that begins with “WITCH WANTED,” begging her to travel to the secluded and mysterious estate of Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to use and control their magic. At first, she thinks it’s a joke. Even if it weren’t, it breaks one of the most important rules she’s grown up learning: stay away from other witches, because too many witches in one place cause their powers to mingle and draw unwanted attention. Mika goes anyway and becomes entangled in their lives as the clock is ticking down before the girls must be able to control their magic, else they would be taken away from Nowhere House.
I easily fell in love with this motley cast of characters: Nowhere House’s jovial housekeeper (Lucie), a retired actor with a love for flamingo pink yarn (Ian), a gardener (Ken), three lovely little witches with big personalities that occasionally clash, and a grumpy librarian who is fiercely protective of the young girls and deeply distrusting of Mika (Jamie).
As Mika warms up to the inhabitants of Nowhere House and finds herself getting attached, she is confronted with the reality that her time there is limited and that she cannot stay—no matter how much she wants it. Despite her painful past, Mika Moon finds the courage to fight for the people she loves and, more importantly, for herself. There’s a comfort in seeing these characters, each isolated in their own way, finding a place to belong and people to call home.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches shows us the healing power of letting yourself be truly loved and that the family you choose is its own little kind of magic.
It is available as a physical copy through Alamance County Public Libraries as well as an ebook or audiobook via Libby.
Meet Nicole, our new Youth Services Coordinator for the county. New to our area, she’s jumped right in getting to know the people and organizations to make new partnerships and connections that will ultimately help children thrive!
How long have you worked with the County? Started on 3 June 2024
Where are you from originally? Originally a Carolina girl from the Coast
What are you most passionate about? Passionate about Folks (especially children) recognizing their light Within
Do you have a hobby? Not a traditional hobby, however I do practice Capoeira Angola (“a martial art”)
When you were little, what was your dream job? I wanted to be an Obstetrician (because of the Cosby show)
What was the best part of your week/weekend? Waking up slowly on a Sunday
If your life was a song, what would the title be? Soundtrack: Dream On by Aerosmith
Are you involved in any community projects or organizations? Not on any community projects Yet but grateful to be meeting phenomenal people in the community from various organizations from BHA, ACC, CSW, United Alamance & United Way
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? A snail
What’s your favorite TV Show? Keeping Up Appearances
What is your favorite thing to spend money on? Trips that require a Passport
Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is a holiday that is celebrated in Mexico on November 1 and 2. It is a special occasion where friends and family honor passed loved ones. Some traditions include hanging hand-cut paper banners, making colorful paper flowers, decorating sugar skulls and displaying it all together to make an ofrenda (altar). To read and learn more about Day of the Dead check out the following titles.
“Gustavo, the Shy Ghost” by Flavia Z. Drago is a charming tale about a timid ghost who learns to overcome his fears and embrace his unique qualities to make friends.
“Día de Muertos: Números: A Day of the Dead Counting” by Duncan Tonatiuh is a bilingual picture book that introduces young readers to the vibrant and cultural traditions of Day of the Dead through numbers.
“Celebrate the Day of the Dead!” by Diane de Anda explores the traditions and cultural significance of this Mexican holiday with characters Cristina and Carlos.
“Our Day of the Dead Celebration” by Ana Aranda is a book that follows Mar’s family gathering, in which readers learn about their favorite dishes, games, and, most importantly, stories.
“All books are magic. An object that can take you to another world without even leaving your room? A story written by a stranger and yet it seems they wrote it just for you or to you? Loving and hating people made out of ink and paper, not flesh and blood? Yes, books are magic.”
For all grown-up lovers of fairy tales, this book is perfect.
In the Red Crow State Forest in West Virginia, people tend to get lost. First, it was Shannon. Then, five years later, it was Ralph and Jeremy. Ralph and Jeremy came back after six months of being lost, and the community rejoiced. But they also questioned. Ralph remembers nothing. Jeremy says that they lived off of the land until they were able to make it back to a trail they recognized. These are reasonable assertions, except for the fact that the boys came back taller and broader and well-fed, and honestly, there’s not enough of Red Crow State Forest for them to be lost for six months and not be found.
Fifteen years later, Rafe (Ralph changed his name after this experience) lives a life as a recluse. He still remembers nothing, and feels that Jeremy abandoned him after they got back from the woods. Jeremy finds people who are lost, with an uncanny ability to rescue injured hikers, kidnapped children and missing family members.
Emilie has a missing person she needs to find – her half-sister Shannon. Emilie was adopted when she was a baby. She respected her mother’s wishes and didn’t do a DNA database like 23 and Me while she was alive. But after her mother’s death, her curiosity and desire to make connections with her biological family lead to her submitting her DNA. The match she finds is to a missing girl named Shannon, who disappeared at Red Crow State Forest 20 years ago. She reaches out to Jeremy, who drops a bombshell on her – when they were lost, they saw Shannon. More than that, they lived with Shannon in another world. And he wants to take her to her sister, but they need Rafe’s help to do so.
Then the fairy tale begins, and like all fairy tales, there are good guys and bad guys and magic and the power of stories to shape a world. I fell in love with Jeremy and Rafe immediately. Their love for each other and for their family (biological and chosen) is the balm my heart needed this year. Likewise, Skya (Shannon) and Emilie’s love for each other, even though they barely knew each other before they were separated, makes me want to call my brother and really reconnect with him.
This book has many echoes of The Chronicles of Narnia and other well-loved fantasies, but it has created a wonderful world of its own. I’m adding Shanandoah to my list of fantasy worlds I’d like to visit (along with Narnia, Hogwarts, Neverland, Oz, Middle Earth and Wonderland).
This is the second book I’ve read of Shaffer’s, and both have been absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait to see what she writes next (and hope that there’s a sequel to this book, because there are still things I need to know and “see”).
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org.
It’s the perfect time of year to encourage your kids to read by giving them a spooky book. This list is perfect for those in elementary and middle school grades.
Bee is bummed to be spending her summer at the lake with her family. She’d much rather be with her best friend. The magical house across the lake turns her into the cool girl she always wanted to be, but at what cost? She has nightmares and feels a chill in her bones, and fears that the witch in the woods is coming for her.
Since her near-drowning, Cass can pull back the Veil between the living and the dead. She likes having a foot in both worlds. When her family goes to Scotland to film a show about paranormal activity, Cass meets someone who shares her gift, and she reveals how much Cass still needs to learn about the city of ghosts to survive. This is book one of a series.
Prosper thinks he is the most ordinary member of his family, until he discovers there’s a demon living inside him. He has a short period of time to expel the demon before the takeover is complete, but will he learn enough, fast enough, to survive? This also has a sequel, The Last Life of Prince Alastor.
Oscar has a Curse – everything he touches dies, and while he is alive, he can turn into a ghost whenever he wants. To make things even more strange, he’s now on a journey with two skeletons to the city of ghosts, and maybe, going to find out who he really is.
Sebastian Wight is sent to Gallowgate to learn how to fight the ghosts and ghouls threatening the human world. He has the power to transverse the lands of the dead, but it’s the human world that has caused him the most trouble. In his new school, he finds people as eccentric as he is and who are willing to join him in the fight with the dead.
For a more humorous ghost story, read about the Dade family. Molly is hiding that her dead mom and brother are still with their family (as a ghost and a poltergeist, respectively), and that her younger sister Dyandra is zombie. But even with all of her supernatural relatives, she still has to prepare for her school concert, work on a group project with her nemesis, and do normal kid things, all while trying to look solemn when someone mentions her mother or brother. She also has to find out who killed them, and why, before that person kills her as well.
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. You can reach her at madams@alamancelibraries.org.
Meet Susana S. a newly full-time Library Assistant at the Graham Library. While she’s been at the Graham Library for a while, we are excited to now have her more often!
How long have you worked with the County? Almost 3 years.
Where are you from originally? I am from Chapel Hill.
What are you most passionate about? I love creating things and learning about how to become a better steward of the land.
Do you have a hobby? I like to crochet, specifically amigurumi projects.
When you were little, what was your dream job? I wanted to be a veterinarian.
What was the best part of your week/weekend? Cooking some new recipes.
What is your favorite thing to spend money on? Crafting supplies and miniature versions of things.
Content Warning: Sexual Content, Emotional Abuse, Toxic Relationship, Violence, Depression/Anxiety.
We begin with Mariel and a baking endeavor gone wrong. Instead of summoning flour, Mariel summoned Ozroth the Ruthless, a bargaining demon who can’t leave Mariel’s side until their bargain is complete. But Mariel is kind of fond of her soul and Ozroth is fond of Mariel’s emotions and they’re both fond of this awkward roommate situation they have fallen into. Nevertheless, once a magical wetland is endangered, Mariel and Ozroth team up to foil the plot of the upper elite witch, Cynthia, who wants to destroy this natural oasis.
Only a few days after Mariel and Ozroth’s story ends, we follow the chaotic week that Calladia (Cynthia’s estranged daughter and one of Mariel’s closest friends) and Astaroth (Ozroth’s Demon mentor) have to navigate. Our main characters take a road trip to find the witch in the woods in order to restore Astaroth’s memories. With Calladia’s “punch first, ask later” attitude and Astaroth being kind of ineffectual (since he doesn’t have any of his memories), the road trip has a lot of pitfalls, one being in the form of fire balls as another demon keeps popping up trying to kill Astaroth.
Now, A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire takes place roughly two years after the events in A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon and A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by kicking off with an event that connects our previous characters to Ben (Mariel’s friend and boss). Ben is giving a speech among his friends but realizes that everyone’s happiness is putting into perspective that Ben is lonely, even with his thriving plant shop and support for his friend’s happiness. This leads to Ben drunkenly purchasing a supposedly possessed crystal from eBay and completely forgetting about the impulse purchase for two weeks until it’s delivered. Enter Eleanora, a vampire-succubus from the medieval period who was truly trapped in the crystal by the witch in the woods (yes, the one from A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch), and now Ben’s new roommate. But could this brash, aggressive vampire be the answer to Ben’s loneliness? And can Ben and Eleanora navigate the growing attraction between them while looking to break her curse?
This series is a fresh take on contemporary paranormal romance that will make you laugh out loud. It has some heavy themes (mentioned above) that our characters have to navigate and not only face on their own, but have to be vulnerable enough to allow others to help as well. Hawley has truly made the quaint town of Glimmer Falls a magical setting, one that readers will thoroughly enjoy in this page-turning trilogy.
Kayleigh Dyer is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library. Contact her at kdyer@alamancelibraries.org.
