Author: alamancelibraries

Women Are Some Kind of Magic Series by Amanda Lovelace

In Amanda Lovelace’s first collection of poetry she explores the hopes and struggles of her past and present by leaning into fairy tales and themes we all grew up with. She explores subjects of toxic relationships and self-love by setting them against the backdrop of fairy tales to give herself (and her readers) a happy ending.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One. Lovelace, Amanda. Kansas City Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Andrews McMeel Universal, [2017].

This first collection is separated into four parts; the princess, the damsel, the queen, and you. Lovelace lets the last part, “you” focus on the reader while the first three sections focused on herself. Lovelace explores a raw and honest take on love, loss, grief, and healing with this collection that connects to the reader in a personal way.

The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One. Lovelace, Amanda. Kansas City Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Andrews McMeel Universal, [2017].

This second collection follows a singular character more so. We have the witch, who is powerful, independent, and now – she is indestructible. Lovelace focuses on being strong and unapologetic and excepting of self-love and feminine power in this collection. She also advocates for the reader to realize all of those things and to embrace that in their own life. 

The Mermaid’s Voice Returns in This One. Lovelace, Amanda. Kansas City Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Andrews McMeel Universal, [2017].

The final collection of poems shows that, like a mermaid, we are all more than what people see. Instead of just being the “siren” we are soft and in need of a safe space. One of Lovelace’s themes in this collection is the idea of healing and the courage it takes to get to that place. This collection also contains some guest poems by other poets, to allow more voices to showcase unity.

This isn’t your typical poetry. Lovelace doesn’t focus on rhyming lines or meter, nor does she have a heavy emphasis on syllabic beats, Lovelace writes her poems in a more modern way. She focuses on stream of conscience – on how we think or talk.

Note: This entire collection of poems does contain themes of abuse, assault, and healing that Lovelace does warn the reader about at the beginning of each book.

Kayleigh Dyer is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library. Contact her at kdyer@alamancelibraries.org.

The Wings of Fire Series by Tui T. Sutherland

Looking for holiday gifts for your late elementary/middle school children? We often get questions about different book series to purchase for kids, so this week, we’re featuring The Wings of Fire series by Tui Sutherland.

The Wings of Fire series is about a group of dragonets who are part of a prophecy to end the endless wars between the seven dragon tribes. The Talons of Peace kidnapped the dragonets years ago and have raised them together in a cave. In the outside world, dragons, for the most part, live with their species. Few places exist where dragons of different types would spend any amount of time together, leading to a lot of misconceptions of each other and even hatred. But these five dragons have been raised as friends, knowing they’re going to have to work together to stop the Dragon Wars.

In the first book, the dragonets escape the caves when one of their lives is threatened by the dragons holding them. Unfortunately, they are immediately captured by the queen of the Skywings, and must find a way to escape from her kingdom as well.

Each book has one dragonet as its main character. The first five books deal with first prophecy. Book 6 begins the second prophecy (with a new set of dragonets), and Book 11 introduces a whole new continent, with new dragon species! The original books are now being re-released as graphic novels.

Sutherland has built a wonderful fantasy world that kids will enjoy exploring through these books. As an adult, I enjoyed them greatly, and have seen kids fly through the series. With fifteen books in the main series, companion books and the graphic novels, there is plenty to get excited about.

There are many positive messages these books teach:

Friendship across species – Kids will find it easy to understand that the dragons are judging others by their outward characteristics and prejudices, and why that is wrong.

Kindness – The villains in these stories are ruthless and unkind, and each story reinforces that while evil can rule for a time, goodness always prevails if dragons (or people!) stand together. There also are characters who have made bad choices (or have been led to making bad choices) and are given the chance to redeem themselves.

A Sense of Adventure – If your kid loves adventure, these books deliver in spades! There are numerous battles in each book, and each dragon has their own special powers and strengths. What you’ll love is how different types of strength and power are celebrated, so every kid reading it will find a character with which they really identify.

Diversity/Neurodiversity – As I stated above, each dragon has their own power and strengths. The world values certain traits over others (both our world and the dragon world), but having those preferred traits don’t necessarily lead to success. Kids learn to value their own strengths and feel they are an important part of the world.

Representation: There are LGBTQIA+ characters, which means kids who identify as such feel seen.

(Possible) Negatives:

Violence: These books do depict dragon deaths. The violence is not gratuitous, but it might upset some children. There are dragons who have seized power (and hold power) through violence.

Neglect: Some dragonets are welcomed back into their families, while others are not. The dragons watching over the dragonets in the beginning are pretty callous at times.

Romance: The dragons do have crushes on each other, and talk about liking each other. Any romance depicted is age-appropriate (holding tails), but it is a part of these books that you might be surprised to see!

However, these “negatives” shouldn’t stop your children from enjoying these books! If your children are concerned, or you are, you can talk about these topics as your children read these books, or even before they begin the series. Talking about something happening to a book character, like a dragon, is a good way to introduce a topic with children in a way that doesn’t seem as threatening or personal to them.

We always love giving book recommendations and helping to grow a love of books in children. Come by any library for more recommendations.

Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. You can reach her at madams@alamancelibraries.org.

Looking for a new cozy-fantasy / cozy-mystery read but don’t know where to start? Try Juneau Black’s Shady Hollow Mysteries Series, where small town charm meets murder mystery but with a twist. All of our characters are animals, like Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit or Brian Jacques’ Redwall Series. The Herald’s ace reporter Vera Vixen, amateur detective, won’t let the unknown stop her as she gets to the bottom of these cases that keep popping up in the harmonious town of Shady Hollow.

Shady Hollow. Black, Juneau. New York : Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022.©℗♭2015.

This is the first book in this cozy fantasy/mystery series where we first meet the woodland residents of Shady Hollow.

Shady Hollow is an idyllic place to live, until murder stirs up the harmony that is normally felt in this town. Reporter Vera Vixen has a nose for news and knows that the residents of Shady Hollow deserve the truth – and so do the victims. So, she begins her own investigation while trying to discover the truth (and not agitate Deputy Orville) and uncovers mysteries of the residents of Shady Hollow that they would rather have stayed secret.

Cold Clay. Black, Juneau. New York : Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022. ©2017.

Set against the beautiful autumnal background of Shady Hollow, a cold case shakes up life again when a skeleton is found in the apple grove.

Vera sets her sights on solving this cold case in order to save her friend Joe from the easy out of framing him for his wife’s murder. As Vera begins to piece together a decade old puzzle, truths and secrets begin to emerge that some neighbors of Shady Hollow would rather have stayed dead and buried.

Mirror Lake. Black, Juneau. New York : Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 2022. ℗♭2020.

With an election season causing tension to rise in Shady Hollow and a resident convinced that her husband is actually an imposter, Vera has a lot to report for The Herald in Black’s next novel.

Vera doesn’t dismiss the claims of mistaken identity but she must tread carefully since a nosy, oblivious, author is butting in and a sinister presence is wanting everything to stay in the dark.

Twilight Falls. Black, Juneau. New York : Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023. (not available at ACPL yet)

Vera Vixen is loving springtime in Shady Hollow, because love is in the air, both for her and Police Chief Orville Braun, and for the young sweethearts Jonah Atwater and Stasia von Beaverpelt. When Jonah’s father, Shelby, perishes by going over the falls, Stasia is the prime suspect. Vera finds herself on the other side from Orville in this case. Will true love prevail?

EverGreen Chase. Black, Juneau. New York: Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021. (available for Kindle only)

In this winter novella the chances of the winter cheer for Shady Hollow going off without a hitch should be easy, until the solstice tree has disappeared without a trace! Can Vera and her friends figure out who would want to take away all of the town’s winter cheer?

This is a festive, Christmas flavored, cozy mystery that is low stakes.

Fans of Beatrix Potter and Agatha Christie should enjoy this series. Most are available as hard copy books that can be placed on hold with your library account. There are more titles in the series that ACPL does not carry at the moment, but patrons are able to request the library to purchase it online or with staff. Book 5, Summers End, is coming out in July 2024.

Kayleigh Dyer is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library. Contact her at kdyer@alamancelibraries.org.

We love to highlight all different genres of books, so this week, we’re featuring several new Christian Romance Fiction choices on our shelves.

A Million Little Choices by Tamera Alexander

This book is set in two different time periods – present day and the 1860s. Two women face marital breaking points and must decide how best to advocate for what they need, trusting God to lead them down the right path. Content warning: this book features spousal abuse and threats of murder in the 1860s timeline.

Her Secret Hope (3^rd of a series) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Other books in the series: Her Heart’s Desire and Her Only Wish.

It has been two years since Lily traveled to Florida from Ohio, and she’s happy with her new life. At least, most of the time, she’s happy. But now she has met Eddie, a hard-working farmer, from a town close to hers in Ohio. She believes she can’t go back to a place where she wasn’t accepted, but she can’t ask him to stay in Florida with her. Can she?

A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson

This novella is perfect Christmas reading! Adelaide has just found out she is a direct descendant of King Maximillian V of Montovia. She can’t believe that this is real life, but decides to take the king up on his offer of a holiday in Montovia. She finds a beautiful country with very jealous royal relatives, and a chance of fairy-tale, happily-ever-after love.

Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet

Julia Monroe is in her 40s, and hoping for a fresh new start. She is a widow with two grown children, but now she can focus on herself and building her New Orleans cleaning business. But God and her best friend has other plans for her, throwing her together with her old flame, Samuel, who has just moved back home. She wants to avoid him, to keep her heart from breaking again, but will she give him a chance?

Shadows at Dusk (2nd of a series) by Elizabeth Goddard

First book in the series is: Cold Light of Day.

Set in southern Alaska, this book is a romantic suspense featuring a bush pilot named Carrie and a Montana detective named Trevor. Trevor is searching for his missing sister, and all he has to go on are some photographs. Carrie knows the area well and can help him, if he helps her find her best friend’s killer along the way. The two face danger on their quest for answers, and must learn to trust each other.

You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

Starr is struggling. She’s come home for Christmas with no job and no significant other, and she has to attend her sister’s wedding to her ex-boyfriend. Thankfully, her brother’s best friend jumps in and offers to attend wedding festivities with her, in exchange for her fixing up his failing Christmas shop. Could this lead to her happily-ever-after?

Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at 336-570-6981 or madams@alamancelibraries.org.

This week, we’re featuring Native American fiction for all ages! These books celebrate Native American tribes’ cultures and traditions, as well as sharing stories about past and current challenges Native Americans face(d).

Picture Books

Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson

ACPL has this book in electronic format for a reason! The book was written by Robbie Robertson, a musician of Mohawk and Cayuga descent, and includes a song written and performed by him.

Hiawatha was chosen by the Peacemaker to share his message of unity with the five warring Iroquois nations during the 14^th century. He (and the Iroquois nations) were so successful in finding peace and setting up a way to govern that centuries later, the authors of the U.S. Constitution would use their example in setting up our democracy. This book was illustrated by David Shannon, using oil paintings, and is absolutely beautiful.

Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis

We all love it when we visit family and get to experience new things. Maggie is going to begin her first-ever beading project with her grandmother. She’s going to make strawberry earrings. But she learns much more than just how to bead, as her grandmother tells her about how beading kept her connected to her Anishinaabe culture when she lost her status as an Indian because of an unfair law.  Kids will learn about the cultural importance of beading, as well as information about some of the laws that affected Native Americans in the past.

Bowow Powwow: Bagosenjige-niimi-idim by Brenda J. Child

Windy Girl, her dog Itchy Boy, and her uncle attend a powwow. Windy’s imagination takes off that night, when she dreams about a bowwow powwow, with dogs dancing and eating and drumming and sharing stories. This is a playful way to teach kids about Native American powwows, and their importance to the culture of Native American tribes.

Juvenile Fiction

Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis

Regina’s tribe, the Umpqua, are legally disbanded, and her family has to move, from Utah to Los Angeles. Going from living on tribal land to living in a large city is culture shock for the entire family. Jobs are hard to find, racism is everywhere, and they don’t have the same community they had back home, where everyone helped each other. Regina has to figure out if she is Indian or American, or can she be both? Kids who have moved or changed schools will empathize with Regina, as well as those who have faced discrimination.

The Sea in Winter by Christine Day

Maisie has had a really tough year. She is a dancer who hasn’t been able to perform due to an injury. She thinks no one can understand her and her feelings of hopelessness. She’s not really excited about an upcoming road trip near the Makah community, where her mother was raised, and her anxiety and dark mood affect her more and more as the trip comes closer. Can she find her way past her physical and mental pain? This story deals with anxiety and depression through the lens of a Native American girl who needs her family and community more than ever.

Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac

Malian loves visiting her grandparents, who live on a Wakanaki reservation. But when COVID hits, and travel is suspended, Malian has to stay on the reservation indefinitely. She keeps her family safe by staying indoors, and showing her grandparents how to use video chat to keep up with others. The reservation dogs keep them safe as well, especially Malsum. This book is written in verse and is inspired by oral storytelling traditions of Native Americans.

Young Adult

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Daunis Fontaine feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. She puts her dreams of college on hold to care for her mother. The only bright spot is Jamie, a hockey player on her brother’s team. But she can tell that Jamie is hiding something. She witnesses a murder, and becomes an undercover agent for the FBI, which is investigating a new lethal drug. She is a reluctant agent, especially as she realizes that they don’t seem to care nearly enough about the victims of the crimes being committed. This thriller will appeal to any young adult that feels that the adult world doesn’t care about them.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Louise Wolfe just broke up with her first real boyfriend because he mocked Native people in front of her. It’s her senior year, and she’d rather focus on family and school (especially the school newspaper) anyway. But school becomes a very contentious space, as she and a photojournalist named Joey investigate the outrage when the school musical director casts non-white actors in The Wizard of Oz. The newly-formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater lead protests, and anonymous people send threats to cast members, including Louise’s little brother, who was cast as Tin Man. Can Lou trust her heart to someone else, or will she break Joey’s heart by not being willing to take a chance?  Teens will love the romance as well as the topical discussion of casting traditional plays and musicals with actors that don’t look like their predecessors.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This is the book people think of most often when mentioning young adult Native American literature. Junior wants to be a cartoonist, and knows he’ll have a better chance of going to college and getting a good job if he goes to the all-white town high school, rather than the school on the rez. But at the town school, he’s the only Indian, other than the mascot. This book is based on Alexie’s own life, and includes cartoons his character draws. It deals with some dark subjects, including violence, death, and poverty, but ends with hope for his main character and his friends and family.

Adult

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

This collection of twelve stories illuminate Talty’s take on being a Penobscot in present times, and how we find ways to survive after tragedy. Stories include a boy who finds a cursed jar that dooms his family, a woman with Alzheimer’s projecting the past on her grandson and two friends who decide to rob the tribal museum to make some money off of antiques.

Stealing by Margaret Verble

Verble writes about a Cherokee child who lives with her widowed father, until she is removed from the home and sent to a Christian boarding school. Kit loves reading, gardening and fishing, but she’s lonely. She meets a mysterious woman who has just moved down the road, and befriends her. But when tragedy strikes, she is made a ward of the court and sent to a religious boarding school, where she is abused and told to forget her Native heritage. But Kit keeps a journal and plots to escape the school and find her family again.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Luz is a Seer. She has visions of her ancestors, and is chosen by them to pass on the stories and the lessons from the past. She is living in 1930s Denver, by herself, after her older brother is run out of town by an angry white mob. Luz’s strength and ability to survive will resonate with a lot of readers as she makes sure her family’s stories aren’t lost. Those who enjoy multigenerational sagas with entertaining characters will love Woman of Light.

Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at 336-570-6981 or madams@alamancelibraries.org.

Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island. Boyer, Susan M. Holland : Stella Maris Books, LLC, 2023.

This is a big, juicy Southern mystery/romance where the setting (Charleston, S.C.) is almost a character of its own! The library has purchased this in electronic formats only; I recommend the audiobook (through Libby), because the Southern accents really add something to the story.

Hadley Cooper is a P.I. in the Charleston area. When she rescues a dog on the beach of Sullivan’s Island, she makes a new friend and gets a new client, Eugenia Ladson. Eugenia thinks her husband Everett is cheating on her, and hires Hadley to find out for sure. Eugenia invites her to join her group of friends, who meet on the beach for drinks once a week (never mind you aren’t supposed to drink on the beach). The group is varied in age and interests, but all have been adopted by Eugenia, who is the kindest soul. Hadley has had her dream house fall in her lap – a gentleman hires her to housesit a beautiful mansion on Sullivan’s Island, something she couldn’t afford in her wildest dreams, and now she has some friends to get together with on the island.

Hadley is a local girl, but one with an interesting history. Her mother raised her on her own, and didn’t tell her anything about her father until she was dying of cancer. Hadley wants nothing to do with Swinton, her father, but she has become good friends with her half-brother, J.T. Of course, Everett and Swinton run in the same (very expensive) circles, so in investigating him, she runs into her father. She tries to avoid him as much as possible, but Eugenia has something up her sleeve about her father that might change her mind.

When there’s a murder, Hadley is the main suspect’s alibi, but she is convinced he is guilty. She investigates the murder, even though her ex-boyfriend, Cash, has already arrested someone, a bartender called Katarina. Hadley is convinced someone has framed Katarina, and uses her PI skills to help her mount a defense.

The mystery is good, but what makes this book great are the characters. Eugenia is larger than life, as are her friends. There’s a scene outside of a funeral that will have you laughing so hard you cry. Hadley is a quirky vegan who is fairly straight-laced, especially for a private investigator. J.T. and some of the other men described in the book come out of Central Casting for Rich Southern Boys, but that’s a stereotype for a reason! I know some of those Rich Southern Boys myself! Boyer’s writing captures so much Southern charm that I’m planning on reading other books by her.

This is definitely summer reading, but it works for the fall and winter, too. I tend to picture myself in warmer climes when it is cold, and this book will fit that bill!

Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at 336-570-6981 or madams@alamancelibraries.org.