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Librarians

Bigfoot and the Librarian

January 10, 2022 by Tess Leave a Comment

Bigfoot and the Librarian by Linda Winstead Jones
Format: Digital Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

Marnie Somerset needs a fresh start; a new beginning, away from her dysfunctional family, and a worrying string of unsuitable ex-lovers. She accepts the position of Librarian for a charming little town she’s never heard of before: Mystic Springs, Alabama. Upon arriving, she finds the long-time citizens, who call themselves “Springers,” are a bit… stand-off-ish. Well, she supposes that’s to be expected. After all, Mystic Springs is a very small town, with a very insular community. At least the local author, Clint Maxwell, is helpful, and not hard on the eyes!

Clint knows the truth: Mystic Springs isn’t an ordinary town, and the people who’ve lived there for generations aren’t ordinary people. There is magic in Mystic Springs; witches, werewolves, fairies, fortune-tellers, and more. Clint himself is a shape-shifter who turns into Bigfoot whenever the mood strikes him! And Springers don’t take kindly to strangers. This Librarian is an outsider! It could be dangerous for her to stay, and much better for everyone if she left… too bad he can’t stop thinking about her!

This cute paranormal romance about a small southern town is the first in the Mystic Springs series by Linda Winstead Jones, and is available to listen to via Hoopla.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Audiobook, Bigfoot, Digital Audiobook, Librarians, Paranormal, Romance

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

September 2, 2020 by Mary Anne Leave a Comment

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Adults

Based on the true story of the Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky, this story is a love letter to Appalachia (Appa-latch-uh, not Appa-lay-cha) heritage, librarians and the blue skinned people.  Cussy Carter, otherwise known as Bluet, is one of the last remaining blue people of Kentucky and she doesn’t want to marry.  She wants to be a pack horse librarian delivering books to the mountain people in her town of Troublesome Creek.  Her father wants to make sure she is taken care of so he marries her off anyway.  The marriage does not go well and soon Cussy is living her dream delivering books and meeting all the people in her mountain community.

However, Cussy must deal with racism, poverty and the unforgiving hardship of living in 1930s Appalachia.  Cussy has blue skin and like others that are not white, she runs into the cruelty of racism.  She wants to be white and in exchange for food and protection decides to undergo experiments and experimental treatment for her blue skin which is in fact a genetic disorder called, Methemoglobinemia.

Cussy is one of the strongest, kindest characters I’ve read about recently.  She is beautiful inside and out and you want to wrap her up in a warm hug.  I really enjoyed this story of strength, compassion and, of course, librarians on horses!  I was also lucky to hear the author interviewed and found the history of the Pack Horse Library Project fascinating.  Check out her website for more information – https://www.kimmichelerichardson.com/the-book-woman-of-troublesome-creek

Find it in the catalog

 

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Appalachia, Being Different, Blue People, Historical Fiction, Horses, Kentucky, Librarians, Poverty, Racism

Sorcery of Thorns

June 10, 2019 by Mary Anne Leave a Comment

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Publication Date: June 4, 2019
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Teens, Adults

Elisabeth has grown up in one of the Great Libraries.  As a child she would play amongst the books and listen to them speak to her.  The Great Libraries are the home of many grimoires which are a sort of living book that will turn into monsters if they are provoked.  There is lots of magic in the Great Libraries and Elisabeth hopes to one day be a Warden, a protector of the libraries and magic contained within.

Elisabeth has been told that sorcery is evil and sorcerers are not to be trusted.  But, when she finally meets a sorcerer, Nathaniel Thorn, he doesn’t seem so bad.  Shortly after the sorcerer visits, a grimoire monster is unleashed and Elisabeth is wrongfully blamed for the death and destruction it caused.  So, she turns to her enemy, the sorcerer, for help.

Libraries, magic, books that are almost living things, a strong heroine and a little romance.  What more could you ask for??!!

Find it in the catalog

Filed Under: New for Teens, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Adventure, Book, Fantasy, Fiction, Librarians, Libraries or Books, Magic, Romance, Sorcery, Young Adult

The Library Book

November 5, 2018 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment

 New Material
The Library Book  by Susan Orlean
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Format: eBook, Book, Audiobook
Who it’s for: Teens, Adults

“Filled with heart, passion, and unforgettable characters, The Library Book is classic Susan Orlean, and an homage to a beloved institution that remains a vital part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country and culture. The Library Book reopens the unsolved mystery of the 1986 fire at Los Angeles Public Library’s Central Library—the most catastrophic library fire in American history—and delivers a dazzling love letter to libraries as an institution. Weaving her life-long love of books and reading with the fascinating history of libraries and the sometimes-eccentric characters who run them, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean presents a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling story as only she can. Along the way, she reveals how these buildings provide much more than just books — and that they are needed now more than ever.” – Publisher’s blurb

I was using NetGalley for the first time and needed a book to familiarize myself with how NetGalley works. (NetGalley is a site where book reviewers and other professional readers can read books before they are published, in e-galley or digital galley form. Members register for free and can request review copies or be invited to review by the publisher.) Since I got this copy from NetGalley, I have a lil introduction from the publisher about the book and author, which is neat because it gave me needed info. I did not remember what the book was about, only that the title was on my TBR list. I also did not know the author but her name sounded familiar.

My initial reaction to this book after reading 3 chapters or so was “Ooo, fire! Ooo, books!” Orlean’s writing feels like fiction not dry facts. I really enjoyed her writing. The Library Book starts with the author’s love of libraries as a child, which switched to her love of buying (instead of borrowing) books when she became an adult. Orelan then rediscovers her love of libraries when she has her own child. (This part made me nostalgic.) She then describes the LA Central Public Library, the collections, the art, the people, and the building. All of it sounded very cool and now I want to visit it. I think book lovers will really enjoy this book for sooo many reasons.

After those beginning chapters, she describes the fire. On one the hand my heart hurts at the damage done by the fire and water. On the other hand, the fire is so very cool, so very large, and so extraordinary. I also loved the description of how the city of LA came together to help the library: “They formed a human chain, passing the books hand over hand from one person to the next, through the smoky building and out the door. It was as if, in this urgent moment, the people of Los Angeles formed a living library. They created, for that short time, a system to protect and pass along shared knowledge, to save what we know for each other, which is what libraries do every day.”

Another aspect of the book I found delightful are the book titles with their library info at the beginning of each chapter. You can guess what the chapter will be about from the book listed.  I appreciated how Orlean goes back and forth with the time in each chapter. One chapter she is following librarians of the LA public library around in present day, the next chapter she is interviewing folks about the fire or describing the fire, and the next chapter she is giving us anecdotal library history. I found the history of library fires fascinating even though it made me sad. She also tells stories about notable folks that were involved with the library. The past directors of the LA public library were some characters!

The question of whether or not Harry Peake started the fire, was there on the day of the fire, or was just lying for attention and was completely innocent is not answered. Read the book and tell me your conclusion. Personally, I think Harry was there and started the fire accidentally.

Request your copy here!

Filed Under: New for Adults, Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Book, Community Life, eBook, ed, Fire, Librarians, Libraries or Books, Nostalgia, True Crime, True Stories

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