Release Date February 11, 2020

Rhys Bowen is one of those prolific authors that pretty much has her own section at the library. While I tend to be wary of authors who publish frequently, I know that Bowen has a devoted following, so I always intended to read one of her books. I was not disappointed.

The main character is incredibly relatable for someone who was supposed to have lived over a hundred years ago. Bella is forced to become a servant after her noble family falls on hard times. As a working-class woman, she struggles with having a career, but also wanting a husband and family. She is faced with many of the same opportunities and limitations faced by women today.

This historical romance set in Queen Victoria’s royal kitchens is deliciously soothing. I don’t have much experience with Cozy Mysteries, but I can now understand the appeal. How does an author manage to maintain a warm comfortable glow in a story filled with accidents, intrigue and murder? That is a special talent. I am looking forward to reading more by Bowen, I know I have a lot to choose from.

Fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs will adore this quick read. Readers of historical fiction and romance, as well as cozy mysteries will also enjoy this title. I am personally recommending this book to my English Aunt Mary. Your Aunt Mary will love it too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

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Check back on Tuesday for An Introvert's Guide to Holiday Parties!

​Thanksgiving is a big holiday. Even if you are not hosting a Thanksgiving get together, you are still usually expected to bring a dish. These books are great for hosts that are looking for new recipes and guests that want to bring something unexpected. This list includes comforting traditional options and exotic alternatives.

Cookbooks with the Best Sides and Snacks

Dips Spreads Nosh by Kimberly Stevens – Easy charcuterie platters, interesting breads and delicious hummus recipes.

What Can I Bring by Elizabeth Heiskell – This gorgeous book includes snacks, sides, desserts and main courses. It is a great option for someone looking to bring something simple, but unique.

Best Cookbooks for Hosts

Barefoot Contessa Parties by Ina Garten – Celebratory meals and a “Not Thanksgiving” section which includes a roast turkey and traditional sides with a twist. Mashed sweet potatoes and plum tart are a couple of the alternative dishes.

Festive Holiday Recipes by Addie Gundry – This traditional holiday cookbook is organized by course including sides, main courses and desserts.

Neely’s Celebration Cookbook – This southern cookbook is organized by month. It includes recipes for a full Thanksgiving meal featuring a fried turkey in the November section.

Pioneer Woman Cooks A Year of Holidays – This book is organized by holiday and includes roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, dessert and more in the Thanksgiving section.

Cookbooks with the Best Desserts

Big Book of Pies and Tarts by Betty Crocker – Seasonal favorites like pumpkin, apple and pecan pie as well as unique options like Chocolate Cashew Cranberry Tart.

Martha Stewart’s New Pies and Tarts – A whole section of just holiday pies including all of the traditional options, plus daring recipes like Persimmon Tartlets with Caramel Cream.
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Perfect Pie by America’s Test Kitchen – Hundreds of recipes for every imaginable type of pie with beautiful color pictures and step by step instructions. Fig, Cherry and Walnut Tart, Anyone?

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Check back on Thursday for a No Spoiler Review of Above the Bay of Angels.
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The best juvenile chapter books for elementary children in first through fifth grade. This list focuses on books about the traditional Thanksgiving celebration and books on being thankful.

Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey by Herman Parish – Hilarity and confusion ensue as Amelia Bedelia attempts to help with the Thanksgiving pageant.

Don’t Be Such Turkey (Katie Kazoo) by Nancy Krulik – Katie gets switched with a Pilgrim during a class Thanksgiving field trip.

It’s Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky – Thanksgiving Poems for new readers and their families.

Nate the Great Talks Turkey by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat – How will Nate solve the mystery of the giant turkey?

Thank You Sarah, The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson – A picture books for older kids about the power of persistence and the Thanksgiving Holiday. Great for families to share.

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Treehouse) by Mary Pope Osborne – Jack and Annie must learn how to celebrate Thanksgiving the old-fashioned way.

Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble (Ready Freddy) by Abby Klein – Nobody wants to be the Turkey in the Thanksgiving play; how will Freddy handle the role?

Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (Junie B Jones, First Grader) by Barbara Park – Being Thankful does not come naturally to the precocious Junie B Jones.

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Check back on Tuesday for a Thanksgiving Cookbooks List.

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The best Thanksgiving picture books to share as a family. This list features books about the traditional Thanksgiving celebration, creating your own traditions, Thanksgiving history and books on being thankful.

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet – The story behind the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson – Friends share a simple feast in this lyrical tale of sharing and thankfulness.

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules – Everyone celebrates Thanksgiving in their own way, embrace your traditions and your family.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson – Thanksgiving feast version of the classic rhyme.

Just a Special Thanksgiving (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer – A busy Thanksgiving holiday for Little Critter, a play, parade and dinner for the whole town.

Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney – Thanksgiving is a time to eat and give thanks Llama Llama.

Pete the Cat First Thanksgiving by James Dean – Pete the Cat’s reenactment of the first thanksgiving, followed by a feast.

Ten Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston – A silly turkey-centric rendition of Ten Little Monkeys.

Thankful by Eileen Spinelli – All the big and small things we can be thankful for.

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Check back on Thursday for the best Thanksgiving Chapter Books.

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Halloween is finally here! The uncontested best holiday in the world! This year my family and I are going as Star Wars characters. H will be Ewan McGregor’s Obi-wan Kenobe, my daughters are going as Ahsoka Tano and a baby Ewok. I will be a generic female Jedi. Why a generic female Jedi, you ask? Because there are very young women and very old women in Star Wars and none in the middle. Nobody wants to see me in a Leia bikini, but I’m not retired yet either. So, generic it is.

Every year we host a “Trick-or-Treat” party. We invite everyone we know to come enjoy pizza, beer, wine and unlimited candy. Everyone either goes trick-or-treating or hands out candy to the parade of children. The kids run around the house and the neighborhood like the Witches and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that they are. It’s basically four hours of sugar fueled chaos.

This Halloween, dress up if you want to, eat lots of candy, and let the teenagers trick-or-treat. Whatever your plans are, I hope that it is a happy and safe night. Only 365 more days until next Halloween!
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Check back on Tuesday for a Thanksgiving Picture Book List!

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When I first started working at the Library, we had a handful of volunteers who worked a disorganized ten hours per week. We had a few volunteers that had been coming in for years, they would come in when they wanted, do their task and leave. We also had short term volunteers, they would show up when they were available and we would scramble to find work. We had volunteers, but we didn’t have a volunteer program.

When I finally became a proper Reference Librarian, I immediately started conspiring to take over as the Volunteer Coordinator. I liked working events, I liked working circulation and I liked working with Teens, it just seemed like a good fit. It was not a difficult sell. Once I took over, I immediately started a schedule-based volunteer program, and by the end of the month was getting 40-50 hours per week of volunteer work. 

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I know you are not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, but have you seen this cover? It’s gorgeous. Can I get a print for my house? Of course, I did not choose this book based solely on the cover. The summary of the impending environmental catastrophe and the fact that this book is Norwegian were both intriguing. I was excited to read something with a European perspective.

This book is divided into two narratives. There is the older Norwegian environmentalist looking back on her life and the young French father trying to survive in a world without water. One tells us what we have to do, the other tells us what will happen if we don’t. Both will make you feel incredibly guilty for living in modern society.

This author is gifted at writing the beauty of the Fjords, the loneliness of the ocean and the desperation of the drought. The shaming of greed and environmental recklessness is necessary and done well. However, I had a hard time connecting to this story and the characters. I suspect that the author made me feel so guilty, that I subconsciously became guarded against this story.

This book will appeal to adult readers who enjoy speculative, environmental, apocalyptic and survival fiction. Anyone who is interested in climate change and environmentalism will also find this book to be intriguing and relevant.

For a list of small changes, you can make to help the environment, click here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

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Libraries already serve veterans every day. We’ve all seen the Octogenarian with a military service cap on, but we’re also assisting the less obvious young men and women veterans. They might be in need of specialized assistance or they might just need access to services you already offer. Either way, there are many simple ways that library staff can support this group.

The best way to get started is to work with your local Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). As you are probably aware this department is notoriously understaffed and underfunded, so they will likely be grateful for your partnership. Many VA branches will have a staff member available to provide official training on ways that you can support veterans. They will also have contacts within the veteran community for people you can partner with to fill needs and advertise services.

After you have begun working with the VA, you will want to reach out to the veterans that are in your service area. Holding a round-table discussion with a small group of local veterans is a great way to learn their needs. Most of the time their needs will conveniently line up with services that the library already offers. They will likely need, periodic meeting space, specific computer classes, help with job searches or any of the other services you already offer. 

As Veterans Day approaches it is a good time to analyze the services that you provide for this group and make improvement where you can. A lot of libraries are almost as understaffed and underfunded as the VA, so just do the best that you can with what you have. Since so many veteran needs overlap with library services, a simple invitation to participate might be all that you need to provide.     

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Check back on Thursday for a No Spoiler Review of The End of the Ocean by Lunde

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I liked the movie, Practical Magic, when it came out a thousand years ago. I didn’t know it was based on a book until much later, and even if I had, I would not have read it at that time. When this movie came out, I was still having my reading selected by school teachers. I only recently became interested in this book when the author released the prequel, Rules of Magic. I debated reading the story in chronological versus publication order, and ended up reading Practical Magic first. I’m not sure I made the right choice…

Practical Magic was first published in 1995, which puts it at about 24. This is a long time for a book to stay relevant. Most books do not stay readable for more than five years. The writing is starting to seem cliché, but with a book of this age, you have to wonder if it created the clichés. I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that this will not become a “Classic”, but this book will have value for a particular type of reader. Fans of paranormal romance who were adults in the 70’s and 80’s would likely find this book to be wonderfully nostalgic.

For now, I have kept Rules of Magic on my to-read-list, we’ll see if I’m ever in the mood for it. 

You may also enjoy this No Spoiler Book Review of Dead Reckoning. 

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This is book ELEVEN of the Southern Vampire series. This review is more about the series in general than this book. No spoilers I promise!

I know this book has been out for almost a decade and I only just now read it! The thing is, I really enjoy this goofy series, but I need time between each story so I don’t get sick of them. I actually started reading this series sometime around 2008 (when the show came out) and have read about one a year since then. I always get the audio version because the narrator is super sassy.

These books have a classic, timeless, if white trash feel to them. Like if Jane Austen had grown up in a trailer in the Kingdom of Louisiana. This series is bursting with backwoods vampires, werewolves, fairies and other supernatural beings. All of whom vie for the attention of a telepathic blond barmaid. There is always a mystery to be solved, an adventure to be had, and lots of supernatural sex. Like I said, goofy.

These books are great for anyone who enjoyed the show, but never read the series. The show follows a loose outline of the book series with similar characters, setting and sexy mood. However, most of the stories that happen in the books don’t happen in the show and vice versa. It’s like getting twice as much Sookie! Great for fans of vampire fiction, paranormal romance and mystery.    

You may also like this No Spoiler Book Review of Practical Magic.

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I love horror and Halloween so it is crazy that I have never read the Haunting of Hill House. This year as I was searching for a spooky book to start the season, I kept seeing this book on all the lists. After about the 100th time that I saw this book I realized that it is not in fact The Hills Have Eyes (yuck) and then I felt like an idiot for ignoring this book. Don’t judge me! We’re all guilty of skimming!

It took my brain a few pages to get used to Shirley Jackson’s superior writing style. I had just finished a popular fiction book that was only okay, so my brain was a little lazy at first. After that, I was completely engaged by the characters and creeped out by the sadistic house. I made the mistake of reading this right before bed several times. I had to consciously remind myself that nothing creepy has ever happened in my house so I could go to sleep.

Don’t assume that because this book is 60 years old that it is a safe quaint Halloween read. Most readers will be spooked by this book, and it has moments of real violence. However, it is not gory or obscene the way that a lot of modern Horror can be. This is the perfect book for anyone looking for a haunted Halloween ghost story. 

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In case you haven’t noticed, I really love Halloween, I’ve pretty much dedicated this whole month to Halloween posts. Here is a list of creepy books to get you in the Halloween spirit. I have ranked this list from quaint and cozy to, well…Stephen King.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen – A gothic setting and an imaginative young heroine make this classic novel a cozy Halloween read.

Discovery of Witches (Series) by Deborah Harkness – Complicated paranormal romance featuring witches, vampires and demons.

Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe – Short poetic stories with wicked twists.

Dracula by Bram Stoker – The original gothic vampire story.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – Intriguing tale of horror and revenge.

Passage (Series) by Justin Cronin – Epic tales of survival after a vampire apocalypse.

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson – Four strangers rent a haunted house to study paranormal activity.

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King – A terrifying vampire wreaks havoc on small town.

Shining by Stephen King - A family becomes trapped in an isolated haunted hotel and must fight for their survival.

Check back on Tuesday for a review of Haunting of Hill House.
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Fantastic stories featuring witches, vampires and other strange creatures for readers in pre-school through high school. These stories range from fun and sweet to so scary you will be checking closets for monsters!
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Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds – A fun book about being scared.

Grimelda the Very Messy Witch by Diana Murray – An adorable little witch accidentally cleans up.

Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano – A little square pumpkins saves the day.

Mary McScary by RL Stine – A little girl tries her best to be scary, scary, scary!

Pete the Cat Trick or Treat by James Dean – A spooky flip-the-flap book for little hands.
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Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson – A very inclusive witch finds room for everyone on her broom.

Bunnicula (Series) by James Howe – A fun series about a bunny vampire?!?

Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine – This prolific children’s horror series features every imaginable monster and more.

Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – Beautifully written dark tale of a boy raised in a graveyard.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz – Classic campfire stories to scare the kids.

Spooksville by Christopher Pike (Series) – Life in a small town with spooky secrets.
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Witches by Roald Dahl – A cautionary tale for children living in a dangerous world full of witches.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake – A violent ghost story with a hint of romance.

Cirque Du Freak (Series) by Darren Shan – Creepy vampire story that is just right for brave teens.
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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Series) by Ransom Riggs – Strange supernatural children must fight dangerous villains.

Check back tomorrow for a Halloween Book List for Adults!

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Most elementary schools have switched from celebrating Halloween, to having a book based costumed character day. I have seen parents struggle with the last-minute search to find a terrible movie-to-book adaptation for their previously purchased Halloween costume. Instead of doing that, check out one of these great books with highly recognizable characters and easy to create looks.

These costumes are best for kids in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Most parents will be able to assemble these costumes with items they already own, a trip to the store and very minimal craftiness.

For more in depth DIY instructions please see my previous posts for Dylan the Villain, Fancy Nancy, Pirates Don’t Change Diapers, and Olivia. 

​Best Characters for Young Girls
Click on the pictures to clear caption

Check back tomorrow for a Kids Haunted Book List!

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Olivia by Ian Falconer was first published in 2000, it is a popular book featuring a high energy, high fashion piggy on her adventures with her family. The interesting thing about dressing up like Olivia, is that the books are illustrated in black and white with just a little red, so the look is highly stylized. Olivia has several books and a TV series so she is a very recognizable character. 

Most parents will be able to assemble this costume with items they already own, a trip to the store and very minimal craftiness.

This is the fourth DIY costume post, please check back on Tuesday for a list of additional costume character ideas.

You will need:

Visit Sayyes.com​ to learn how to make easy piggy ears

Pirates Don’t Change Diapers was first published in 2007, it is a popular book that most kids have already read. Jeremy Jacob is a regular boy who gets help babysitting from a silly pirate crew. Assembling a costume is easy because Jeremy Jacob dresses like a normal kid, who has pirate friends. If you add a bandana and a big belt to your kids’ normal jeans and tee shirt, you probably achieved the perfect Jeremy Jacob costume. Ahoy, Pirates!

Most parents will be able to assemble this costume with items they already own, a trip to the store and very minimal craftiness.

This is the third of four DIY costumes, please check back for more ideas.

You will need:

​Let's Collaborate! What characters do you recommend for easy costumes? Comment below:

Fancy Nancy was first published in 2005, it is the quintessential girlie dress up book. One of the nice things about dressing up as Fancy Nancy is that you can use your creativity. There are dozens of Fancy Nancy books and Nancy has a new look in each book, so as long as you are fancy, you can be Nancy. I based my costume creation on the original Fancy Nancy book, but any book in the series works great!    

Most parents will be able to assemble this costume with items they already own, a trip to the store and very minimal craftiness.
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This is the second of four DIY costumes, please check back every day this week for more ideas.
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You will need:

​Let's Collaborate! What characters do you recommend for easy costumes? Comment below:

Halloween is fast approaching and with it, parents in desperate need of a last-minute costume based on a book character. If your town is like mine, the schools celebrate some sort of book based, non-Halloween, dress up bonanza. This means that parents will buy their kids a Halloween costume and then panic when Trixten and Paxler tell them they can’t wear it to school. I have created four school friendly costumes that parents can put together pretty easily. The first is Dylan the Villain, I will post a new character every day for the rest of this week.

Dylan the Villain was first published in 2016, it is an under-rated, fun and mischievous book. I chose this as one of my DIY dress up books, for a couple of reasons. First, we love Dylan the Villain. The story is about a highly competitive, robot building, super villain in training. What’s not to love? Second, Dylan the Villain, is a title character, which helps with recognition. Lastly, even if you have never read Dylan the Villain, you would still recognize the costume as a super-villain (or maybe hero) without having to ask.

Most parents will be able to assemble this costume with items they already own, a trip to the store and very minimal craftiness.
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You will need:

For a DIY tee-shirt cape visit cutesycrafts

​Let's Collaborate! What characters do you recommend for easy costumes? Comment below:

This book is raunchy. I guess this has been a popular genre for a while, the VERY personal memoirs by bloggers? I only discovered this genre for myself this year when I finally read Jenny Lawson’s, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. Let’s just say Lawson “turned me on” (pun intended) to a whole new type of book.

The audio of, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, had me laughing in the first minute. I stepped outside to take my morning walk, when the author described herself as “35ish, but I could pass for forty-seven to fifty-two, easily; sixty something if I stay up all night”. This had me. I was barely containing my insane laughter as my neighbor resisted the urge to ask me if I was okay.
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This memoir is full of self-deprecating humor, which is of course hilarious. However, if I’m being honest, the author is too hard on herself. The author continuously comes down on herself for being lazy, but all evidence suggests she is anything but… She works 50 hours a week, writes a blog, dates, and goes out clubbing. The thought of her lifestyle is absolutely exhausting.

I found this book to be entertaining, but I would be hesitant to recommend it to almost anybody. This book should come with a warning label: may cause uncontrollable laughing, flinching, and moments of disgust. May not be suitable for people who are allergic to cats, heterophobic, homophobic, racist, people with bad backs, heart disorders or bad credit scores. 

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Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places. I love adventuring. I am “outdoorsy” so a place that is in the mountains with a giant, pristine lake, and countless opportunities for activities, is my kind of place. I have been to Tahoe three times, but I have never been able to stay for more than a few days at a time. Even with our time restrictions, I feel like we get a lot done, we have hiked, went on a Tahoe Lake Cruise, did a treetop obstacle course and went to the library. I hope to be able to go back someday and spend more time, there is just so much to do and it is so beautiful.

Tahoe City Library is located within sight of the lake and a nice walking and biking trail. I imagine staff members might enjoy taking their lunch breaks at the lake and getting some exercise on good weather days. The library itself is on the bottom floor of a shared building and is only slightly bigger than your neighborhood Little Free Library. That being said, the library is very efficiently run and makes great use of its limited space.  

The librarian that runs the branch, has been there for over a decade, and seems to be a collection development master. When she took over the branch, the library shelves were overflowing and books were stacked and stored wherever they would fit, but you would never know that now. The library is very neat and books have plenty of shelf space. Running a small branch is hard for a lot of librarians because of the constant weeding that is required to maintain the collection. When I complimented her on her collection development practices, she just shrugged it off, so it must come naturally to her.

This tiny library offers so much for its community. This is a place where locals and tourists can come and get a library card, access computers and check out books, dvds and audiobooks. They offer Storytimes and a Summer Reading Club program. They have adorable pins and stickers for patrons, like the llama pin that I pawed so much, the librarian kindly asked if I might want it. I did, I really did want it. Tahoe City Library might be small, but the location and services are perfect for this mountain town.

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