2.5 stars After taking a leave of absence for her mental health, Darcy returns to her job as a public librarian. The last thing she needs is more difficulties, but she’ll have to deal with aggressive journalists, creepy emails, book bans, and protesters. Okay read. I expected to enjoy this more than I did. I…
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3 stars A spicy paranormal romance that puts a modern spin on A Christmas Carol. Harriet loves all things Christmas, but when a Ghost of Christmas Past comes to haunt her, they’re both a little confused about the assignment. As they visit her holiday past, they uncover something deeper than either of them expected. Interesting…
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Illustrated by Xindi Yan 5 stars A touching story filled with sweet moments and delightful humor. Laila is used to translating things from English to Chinese for her parents. But one day, she decides to do something bigger. She sets out to teach them English. Together, the family learns from one another, figuring out all…
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by Annelise Ryan 3 stars A cozy mystery with a cryptid twist. Cryptozoologist and bookstore-owner, Morgan Carter, is hired to help the police with an open investigation. The bodies of animals and humans have been washing up on the shores of Lake Michigan with mysterious injuries and Morgan is tasked with determining if their deaths…
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Illustrated by Courtney Lovett 3 stars A fun read overall. Honestly, the setup was a little weird to me. A journalist and a doctor drive around the country in their RV with their two young children and their dog helping out with various natural disasters. It seemed odd that Jaden and Leela would go along…
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Illustrated by Bhagya Madanasinghe 5 stars Adorable, heartfelt, and delicious! Noor wants to have a samosa party with her friends, but keeps running into problems along the way. With reminders of her Dadijaan’s advice, she pushes through and puts her own unique spin on a family recipe. Such a sweet story. Great themes of perseverance,…
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by Vivien Chien Narrated by Cheryl May 2 stars A fine cozy mystery. I enjoyed this well enough and appreciated the spin on the genre. I do think it kind of dragged by the end but it works fine as a relatively quick, low-stakes read. I listened to the audiobook though and the narrator did…
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5 stars A modern-day Monster with a story all its own. Told through powerful verse and emotive visuals, this is the story of Amal Shahid, a teenage artist and poet sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. I love Zoboi’s writing and this one did not disappoint. Packed with raw emotion, this book is…
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5 stars I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It’s not a genre I would typically gravitate toward, but I was instantly pulled in by Braithwaite’s dark humor and dry wit. Korede would do anything to protect her younger sister, Ayoola. But after the third boyfriend who’s wound of dead in…
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Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise 5 stars Another fantastic read from the Klise team! Appleton Elementary prides itself on staying they same. When the new librarian, Rita B. Danjerous, comes along and introduces a “green dot” collection, not everyone is on board. Following written interactions between various characters, readers will embark on a journey to…
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