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In the vast literary landscape, there exists a powerful and heartwarming theme that resonates with readers across genres: the found family. These are the stories where connections are forged not by blood, but by shared experiences, loyalty, and unwavering support. Whether it’s a ragtag crew of misfits, a group of unlikely allies, or a quirky ensemble, the found family trope celebrates the idea that home is not always where you were born, but where you find acceptance and love.
Check out these 10 books that beautifully explore the dynamics of found families. From epic fantasy sagas to contemporary tales, these novels remind us that sometimes the most profound bonds are the ones we create ourselves. So grab your favorite cozy blanket, brew a cup of tea, and let’s embark on a literary journey where the ties that bind are forged in courage, laughter, and shared secrets.
Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie
Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig. It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview -- to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right? I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they... offered me the job? It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here. So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course -- with a pay raise.
House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management, he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they're likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren't the only secret the island keeps...
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall
Rosaline Palmer is just barely holding her life together. Her paycheck might as well be parchment paper, her house is falling apart, and help from her parents is always served with a generous slice of disappointment and judgment. And the cherry on top? Now her daughter's school is charging all sorts of outlandish extra fees for trips that Rosaline can't afford. But where there's a whisk there's a way. . . and Rosaline has just landed a place on the nation's favorite baking show. Winning the prize money could change everything, but more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory. Charming and suave Alain Pope is just the type of person her parents planned for her to marry, and better yet, her fellow contestant is doing his best to sweep her off her feet. Yet while he says and bakes all the right things, it's friendly, down-to-earth electrician Harry Dobson who Rosaline finds as tempting as a midnight ice-cream sundae with salted caramel . . . and just as hard to resist. But as the competition -- and the ovens -- heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious recipes come about when you don't follow the recipe.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior's life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune's shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners, and a different kind of resolve.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.
The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
Here at Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself. Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer. When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal- a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Then a coded message from Kiva's family arrives, containing a single order- Don't let her die. We are coming. Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom. But no one has ever survived. With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb...
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo
Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!
Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know is that the wife he’s chosen is an assassin and the child he’s adopted is a telepath!
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws… and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
Little River, New York, 1994: April Sawicki is living in a motorless motorhome that her father won in a poker game. Failing out of school, picking up shifts at Margo’s diner, she’s left fending for herself in a town where she’s never quite felt at home. When she “borrows” her neighbor’s car to perform at an open mic night, she realizes her life could be much bigger than where she came from. After a fight with her dad, April packs her stuff and leaves for good, setting off on a journey to find a life that’s all hers.
As April moves through the world, meeting people who feel like home, she chronicles her life in the songs she writes and discovers that where she came from doesn’t dictate who she has to be.
March is Women's History Month, and KHCPL will be celebrating and supporting women all month long. Donate to our Days for Girls drive at any location all month, drop in on International Women's Day (March 8) to find out about local women-owned businesses, or join us for a special author event on March 12 (tickets free, but required). Here are just a few of our favorite books celebrating the contributions of women in history.
Wonder Women by Sam Maggs
In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Also included are interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations
We Go High by Nicole Ellis
Follow the life lessons of 30 remarkable women of color who are making their mark on society and culture. With 30 stunning, specially commissioned portraits, We Go High not only celebrates these remarkable women's achievements, but uncovers the personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drive them.
Women in...series (Sports, Science, Art) by Rachel Ignotofsky
A collection of beautifully illustrated and inspiring profiles of fifty pioneering women in sports, science, and art, from the eleventh century to today.
She Persisted...series (JUV) by Chelsea Clinton
Whether in science, the arts, sports or activism, women and girls throughout history have been determined to break barriers and change the status quo. They haven't let anyone get in their way and have helped us better understand our world and what's possible. In this series, Chelsea Clinton introduces readers to a group of incredible women who have shaped history all across the globe.
Did you know that the library has a movie streaming service that is FREE to use with your library card? KANOPY is full of popular TV shows and movies from channels like PBS and BBC to classic comedies and action flicks. Here are some Kanopy recommendations to go with some of our favorite books!
Loved One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid? - Try Past Lives
These romantic dramas confront notions of fate, love, and the choices that make a life.
Loved "Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? - Try "Luther"
This BBC drama series also features a genius, obsessive detective (Idris Elba) facing great evil and personal high stakes.
Loved "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen? - Try "Alone"
Although Brian didn't intend to end up stranded, the contestants on "Alone" face similar challenges for a reward that can change their lives. These are both thrilling wilderness survival stories.
Loved "Bringing Down the Duke" by Evie Dunmore? - Try "Mr. Malcolm's List"
These historical romances balance comedy with drama and are both light-hearted and engaging.
Celebrate Black History Month this month (and every month!) by checking out these nine books. For even more titles, check out our Featured Reads!
The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X by Les Payne
A revisionary portrait of the iconic civil rights leader draws on hundreds of hours of interviews with surviving family members, intelligence officers, and political leaders to offer new insights into Malcolm X's Depression-era youth, religious conversion, and 1965 assassination.
Physical | Libby | Hoopla
Paul Robeson: A Life of Activism and Art by Lindsey R. Swindall
Traces the life and multifaceted career of the African American icon and his dedicated commitment to promoting social change.
Physical
Black Women Will Save the World by April Ryan
The trailblazing White House correspondent reflects on 2020 and the unprecedented role of African American women in helping to uphold democracy and recalls her own personal journey from working-class Baltimore to the pinnacle of her profession.
Physical | Libby | Hoopla
Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America by John Lewis
In turbulent times Americans look to the Civil Rights Movement as the apotheosis of political expression. As we confront questions of social inequality, there's no better time to revisit the lessons of the '60s and no better leader to learn from than Congressman John Lewis. In Across That Bridge, Congressman Lewis draws from his experience as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless guidance to anyone seeking to live virtuously and transform the world. His wisdom, poignant recollections, and powerful ideas will inspire a new generation to usher in a freer, more peaceful society.
Physical | Libby
Civil Rights Queen by Tomiko Brown-Nagin
Civil Rights Queen captures the story of a remarkable American life, a figure who remade law and inspired the imaginations of African Americans across the country. Burnished with an extraordinary wealth of research, award-winning, esteemed Civil Rights and legal historian and dean of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Tomiko Brown-Nagin, brings Motley to life in these pages. Brown-Nagin compels us to ponder some of our most timeless and urgent questions–how do the historically marginalized access the corridors of power? What is the price of the ticket? How does access to power shape individuals committed to social justice? In Civil Rights Queen, she dramatically depicts some of the most profound judicial and societal changes made in twentieth-century America.
Physical
The Black Period: On Personhood, Race, and Origin by Hafizah Augusts Geter
Reclaiming her origin story as the queer daughter of a Muslim Nigerian immigrant and a Black American visual artist, the author creates a space for the beauty of Blackness, Islam, disability, and queerness to flourish, emerging from the erasures America imposes to exist proudly and unabashedly as herself.
Physical
The Chiffon Trenches by André Leon Talley
The Chiffon Trenches offers a candid look at the who's who of the last fifty years of fashion. At once ruthless and empathetic, this engaging memoir tells with raw honesty the story of how André not only survived the brutal style landscape but thrived--despite racism, illicit rumors, and all the other challenges of this notoriously cutthroat industry--to become one of the most renowned voices and faces in fashion.
Physical | Libby | Hoopla
The Three Mothers by Anna Malaika Tubbs
In her groundbreaking and essential debut, The Three Mothers, scholar Anna Malaika Tubbs celebrates Black motherhood by telling the story of the three women who raised and shaped some of America's most pivotal heroes: Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin. Much has been written about Berdis Baldwin's son James, Alberta King's son Martin Luther, and Louise Little's son Malcolm. But virtually nothing has been said about the extraordinary women who raised them, who were all born at the beginning of the 20th century and forced to contend with the prejudices of Jim Crow as Black women. Berdis, Alberta, and Louise passed their knowledge to their children with the hope of helping them to survive in a society that would deny their humanity from the very beginning-from, Louise teaching her children about their activist roots to Berdis encouraging James to express himself through writing, to Alberta basing all of her lessons in faith and social justice.
Physical | Libby | Hoopla
Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster
Written by her great-granddaughter, a historical portrait of the boundary-breaking civil rights pioneer includes coverage of Wells' early years as a slave, her famous acts of resistance, and her achievements as a journalist and anti-lynching activist.
Physical | Hoopla
If you've perused the shelves at any of our library locations, you may have passed by a section labeled JR HIGH. What is JR HIGH? This collection focuses on the concerns and interests of middle school students, bridging the gap between elementary and YA fiction. It is a small but mighty collection, where you'll find Rick Riordan, AVI, and Soman Chainani, but it is FULL of hidden gems. Here are just a few that we love!
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Sal Vidón, a type 1 diabetic and amateur magician with the inexplicable ability to open holes in the space-time continuum, adjusts to his new life at Miami's Culeco Academy of the Arts. The teachers are eccentric, his fellow students think he's a brujo (a bad witch), and every so often, Sal brings versions of his deceased mother over from other dimensions. Making friends with ambitious journalist Gabi Real and her unconventional family helps ease the transition. When Gabi's hospitalized baby brother takes a turn for the worse, Sal's power might be the solution they need—unless it destroys the universe.
York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby
This alternate-history series depicts three kids who try to solve a modern-world puzzle and complete a treasure hunt laid into the streets and buildings of New York City. Twins Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz are determined to solve the clues left behind by legendary inventors who dazzled New York with fantastic technology and skyscrapers before vanishing. As the intrepid trio follows a chain of previously undiscovered hints, they're drawn deeper into the truth behind the so-called Old York Cipher. Come for the puzzles, stay for the robot caterpillars.
Mascot by Antony John
After a car crash leaves Noah in a wheelchair, he is adjusting to the changes in his life and the way that those around him treat him differently. With the help of his longtime friend Alyssa and new friend Dee-Dub, Noah embarks on a series of hilarious challenges to beat the bully, drive away his mom's new love interest, and right other wrongs.
Nothing but Trouble by Jacqueline Davies
Two smart girls in one small town use their combined genius to liven up their world--one prank at a time. Maggie never knew her father, but she has inherited his gift for pranks and uses his old notebooks as a guide. Once she joins forces with new student Lena, there's no stopping the girls from livening up their dismal middle school with playful surprises for classmates, much to the principal's dismay.
National Make A Friend Day is on February 11th. To celebrate, here are some picture books all about friends.
Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
Meesha loves making things, but there's one thing she finds difficult to make; friends. She doesn't know quite what to do, what to say, or when to say it, and she struggles reading and responding to social cues. But one day, she discovers that she has a special talent that will help her navigate challenging social situations and make friends.
Physical | Libby
Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago
Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. But he's shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and share with them something he loves?
Physical | Libby | Hoopla
Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship by Kelly Light
Louise loves art more than anything. Imagine her delight when a new neighbor, Andie, moves in... and she loves art too! It's the best day ever. But liking the same thing doesn't always mean you agree on it. Can they overcome their creative differences? Sometimes, friendship, like art, can require collaboration.
Physical | Hoopla
Big Friends by Linda Sarah
Best friends Etho and Birt love going up Sudden Hill and sitting in simple cardboard boxes, imagining they are kings, soldiers, astronauts, or pirates until Shu asks to join them, and their "two-by-two rhythm" is disturbed.
Physical | Hoopla
Who Needs Friends? By Jia Liu
Ready to make his first friends but having no luck, Merlin the owl meets someone who shows him friendship is a fun give-and-take and encourages him to try again.
Physical
We all love a good slasher film, right? (Maybe not all of us.) But if you're a fan of thrills and chills or you're looking for a rip-roaring thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, we have the books for you.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
In January 1978, Florida State University student Pamela Schumacher becomes the sole witness when a killer invades her sorority house, murdering two of her friends and disfiguring two others. The killings bring Pamela into contact with Tina Cannon, who’s convinced the same man murdered her friend Ruth four years earlier in Seattle. Together, Pamela and Tina spend decades digging up evidence that might link the crimes and find justice for their slain friends.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby
Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
Anna Horn wants to know why young girls are disappearing on the reservation. When Anna's sister Grace goes missing, Anna and the tribe seek answers to the disappearances and discover that the tribe's difficulties are linked to the past. This mix of mythology and horror that deals with unsolved disappearances of Indigenous girls and tribal lore is a gripping read.”
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby
What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall
Relocating to her Catalina Island home, obituary writer Coco Weber, with a number of elderly folks dying on the island, draws connections between a serial killer's crimes and her own family tragedy while someone watching her every move is hell-bent on finally putting her past to rest.
Find it at the library: Physical
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Liz goes back to her small hometown for a wedding, but then Caroline, her friend’s biracial daughter, goes missing. Liz discovers that black girls go missing yearly, but the authorities don’t care, so she hopes to uncover this serial killer herself.
The month of February is all about love, relationships, and... libraries? That's right. February is Library Lovers month. There's no better way to celebrate than by reading a love story featuring libraries/librarians, so here are five titles to get you started.
Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi: After a spring fling gone wrong, DJ changes to a conservative look and scuttles away to Kansas to work at a small-town library, only to have her landlady try to fix her up with the very man that precipitated her flight.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby
What You Wish For by Katherine Center: When the new principal turns out to be the former, unrequited crush of her teen years, elementary school librarian Samantha Casey discovers that he is a changed man, determined to destroy everything she loves about the school, which forces her to take action.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby | Hoopla
The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer: A traveling librarian who delivers books on horseback to the superstitious coal-mining communities of Depression-era Kentucky bonds with a local man who has been shunned for pursuing an education.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby | Hoopla
The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead: As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek—in bed!—she decides she needs to change. And what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand? Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis’s opposite—and boy, do opposites attract! Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Cameras Logan promptly—and shockingly—flees.
Romantasy books are flying off the shelves, similar to the dragons in Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing, the hit dragon book everyone’s reading. You may be wondering what could possibly fill that Xaden-shaped hole in your life. If you’re looking for romantasy recommendations, you’ve come to the right place.
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez: To protect her ancestral home and inheritance from the greedy Dragon Guild, 18-year-old flamenco dancer Zarela Zalvidar takes her father’s place as Dragonador and must convince a handsome dragon hunter to help her save her family and birthright. This is technically a Young Adult fantasy, but this is the one for dragon-lovers.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby | Hoopla
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon: The fates of two bitter enemies with opposing magical abilities are swept together in this Southeast Asia-inspired world ravaged by storms. Their powers combine to form something new, and drama follows in this light vs. dark fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters and sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance.
Find it at the library: Physical | Libby
A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand: Gemma is the only person in her powerful family not to possess magic; in fact, she’s physically sickened by it. But when a dashing man tells her of a curse, Gemma engages in a quest to find her tormentor. This is a sweeping, romantic fantasy with the promise of more to come.
Every reader faces the challenge of trying to find that next great book. The staff at KHCPL are more than happy to help you find your next read. Here are some resources to help you!
BookPage:
BookPage is a monthly book magazine KHCPL subscribes to for you! You can pick up a free print copy at any library location or you can click the image below to read it online.
Booklist Reader:
Booklist Reader is Booklist’s new library patron–facing magazine, featuring diverse readers' advisory recommendations, in print and on audio, for readers of all ages.
LibraryReads:
LibraryReads is the monthly nationwide library staff picks list for adult fiction and non-fiction. Our goal is to help connect readers to as many books as possible, while drawing upon the incredible power that public library staff has in helping to build word-of-mouth for new books, and the important role that libraries play in creating audiences for all kinds of authors.
Personalized Recommendations:
Did you know you can fill out a form to get personalized recommendations from our Readers' Advisory staff? Go to KHCPL.org, click on the "We Recommend" tab and select "Personalized Recommendations." Once you fill out the form, our librarians will begin looking for books to recommend to you!
Novelist:
Novelist will help you find your next book! With an extensive database and a search engine that allows you to search by genres, themes, characters and much more, Novelist is a wonderful resource for finding your next book!
NextReads Newsletters:
Get monthly newsletters to your email inbox with NextReads! You choose which emails you want to receive and can get updates on the latest books coming out in your favorite genres!
Ask our Staff!
We are always happy to help you. Please feel free to ask us what we are reading or what we would recommend!
Title: The Inheritance Games
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: Inheritance Games series; 1 (Book two, The Hawthorne Legacy is due out September 2021)
Description: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.*
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult*
Call #: YA FIC Barnes, J 2020
Formats: Book, Overdrive eBook, Overdrive Audiobook
Staff Review:
This week I finished The Inheritance Games, and let me tell you… I was BLOWN AWAY. Not only did this gem incorporate mystery, but it gives you clues to channel your inner detective from cover to cover! There is also a sprinkle of a love triangle for all of my romance fans out there!
Avery Kiley Grambs is an ordinary girl who is struggling to make ends meet. She is living in her car when she gets news that is going to change her life forever. Avery has been included in the will of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. But why? Avery has never even met this man in her entire life. She is sent to Hawthorne House to learn how to go from rags to riches and deal with the four Hawthorne grandsons. And they are definitely not eyesores. Will Avery discover her role in the Hawthorne inheritance? Or is this all just a game?
When I say this book had one of the most iconic, phenomenal endings…I am NOT lying! I never saw this one coming. The way Jennifer Lynn Barnes dropped this crazy bomb at the end was one of the most mind-blowing plot twists I have ever read!!
This book was a solid 20/10 for me, and I hope you all will love it as much as I did!
You can check out this book at any of our branches and in ebook/audiobook form on Overdrive/Libby!
Samantha is co-host of KHCPL's podcast Off the Books with B&S. You can tune into their podcast on SoundCloud.
*Genre and description information from Novelist. Use Novelist to find your next book!
Title: Crave
Author: Tracy Wolff
Series: Crave series; 1
Description: Grace's world changed when she joined the academy. At the academy she is a mere mortal among gods...or monsters. She can't decide which faction she should join, or it she should join any of them. The one thing that unites them is their hatred of her. Then there's Jaxon Vega, a vampire with deadly secrets who hasn't felt anything for a hundred years. Jaxon has walled himself off for a reason. Does someone want to wake the sleeping monster in him? Is Grace the bait?*
Genre: Paranormal romances, Young Adult*
Call #: YA FIC Wolff, T 100.1 2020
Formats: Book, Overdrive eBook, Overdrive Audiobook, Hoopla Audiobook
Staff Review:
Fans of Twilight and all things vampire/supernatural….LISTEN UP!!!! I picked up Crave by Tracy Wolff the other day and was skeptical on whether to read it or not. The book cover was a little too Twilight for me, and I thought it may be pretty much the same plot line. But listen here folks… BOY. WAS. I. WRONG.
After the passing of her parents, Grace is sent to Katmere Academy….but not everything is as it seems with the students here at Katmere. She meets Jaxon Vega…mysterious, sexy, and all around bad boy who is hiding something that Grace cannot quite put her finger on. Can Grace uncover Jaxon’s secrets and discover the real reason she was sent away to Katmere?
Ladies and gents…This book had it all!! The romance was not overbearing, but just enough to make you want to hear more. This book is an excellent escape for all lovers of action and romance…and maybe a few plot twists to keep the story going.
This book was definitely a 4.9/5.0 for me!
~~Samantha
Samantha is co-host of KHCPL's podcast Off the Books with B&S. You can tune into their podcast on SoundCloud.
*Genre and description information from Novelist. Use Novelist to find your next book!
Title: The Fountains of Silence
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Call #: YA FIC Sepetys, R 2019
Formats: Book, Large Print, Playaway, Overdrive eBook, Overdrive Audiobook
I talk about Ruta Sepetys's books a lot; according to my co-worker Samantha, too much. With that said, I am definitely going to be talking about her more if she keeps dropping these pieces of art! If you have never read any of Sepetys's books and you love historical fiction then, what are you waiting for? Sepetys intertwines history and the lives that it influences into a beautiful tapestry that the reader sees, feels, and experiences. Sepetys's books are also great starters for people who are interested in this specific genre.
The Fountains of Silence is my favorite of her books because of the way that Sepetys chooses to tie in history with her narrative. She accomplishes this by strategically placing something I call "plaques" within the books chapters. These plaques are taken from actual historical articles about the place and time period that she is writing about thus making her words and the characters more real and believable. As the story comes alive, the reader immediately feels a sense of nostalgia and longing for the people and places, you see. When the author is able to make you feel everything that is happening to the character as if it is happening to you, I say that is a mark of an amazing writer.
Pick up this book and jump in feet first. Do not hesitate to pick this beautiful and tragic love story about a world that is so much different from our own and yet, sweetly the same.
I give this book 4.8 out of 5 stars.
You can find this book at your local branch or through Overdrive/Libby.
Bethann
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Bethann is co-host of KHCPL's podcast Off the Books with B&S. You can tune into their podcast on SoundCloud.
KHCPL 2021 Read or Dare Challenge
You may notice that this year we are having a KHCPL Read or Dare Challenge and some of you may be wondering what we mean by Dare. Well, KHCPL is challenging our staff to be more proactive about readers advisory. For those unfamiliar with the term readers advisory, it simply means helping our readers find materials they want to read in our library. This includes displays, social media posts, podcasts, book videoes, book marks, bibliographies, and many other ways of making our materials and books discoverable to our patrons. To get our staff thinking more about Readers Advisory, we offered to let them have freebies on some of our more challenging book categories by participating in a Dare to actively promote our book collections. So this year, they can read or step up their game by participating in a Dare. We invite our patrons to participating in our reading challenge, you can print a copy of the challenge by clicking one of the images below, or you can track your challenge in Beanstack online or with the app. If you have ideas for our Dares, you are welcome to send them to our Readers' Advisory Librarian, Melissa at mwheelock@khcpl.org.
NextRead Newsletters
If you need books for your 2021 Reading Challenge, try signing up for our NextRead Newsletters! Receive updates on books coming out in your favorite genres as well as other titles you might have missed. You control which newsletters you receive. Most NextReads Newsletters only come out monthly, though the New York Times Bestsellers are updated weekly.
January 2021 Books on Our Radar
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
For fans of Sorry to Bother You and The Wolf of Wall Street—a crackling, satirical debut novel about a young man given a shot at stardom as the lone Black salesman at a mysterious, cult-like, and wildly successful startup where nothing is as it seems.
There’s nothing like a Black salesman on a mission.
An unambitious twenty-two-year-old, Darren lives in a Bed-Stuy brownstone with his mother, who wants nothing more than to see him live up to his potential as the valedictorian of Bronx Science. But Darren is content working at Starbucks in the lobby of a Midtown office building, hanging out with his girlfriend, Soraya, and eating his mother’s home-cooked meals. All that changes when a chance encounter with Rhett Daniels, the silver-tongued CEO of Sumwun, NYC’s hottest tech startup, results in an exclusive invitation for Darren to join an elite sales team on the thirty-sixth floor.
After enduring a “hell week” of training, Darren, the only Black person in the company, reimagines himself as “Buck,” a ruthless salesman unrecognizable to his friends and family. But when things turn tragic at home and Buck feels he’s hit rock bottom, he begins to hatch a plan to help young people of color infiltrate America’s sales force, setting off a chain of events that forever changes the game.
Black Buck is a hilarious, razor-sharp skewering of America’s workforce; it is a propulsive, crackling debut that explores ambition and race, and makes way for a necessary new vision of the American dream. (From Publisher)
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond, the only clues some tire tracks nearby and a fur coat left in the car--strange for a frigid night.
Her husband and daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes an unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away.
The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. With her trademark exploration into the shadows of history, acclaimed author Marie Benedict brings us into the world of Agatha Christie, imagining why such a brilliant woman would find herself at the center of such a murky story.
What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators?
A master storyteller whose clever mind may never be matched, Agatha Christie’s untold history offers perhaps her greatest mystery of all. (From Publisher)
Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant
Jane the Virgin meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this charming debut romantic comedy filled with Black Girl Magic. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi and Nicola Yoon, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances.
Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.
When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just...gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.
But as Tessa checks each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all? (From Publisher)
January Book Page Now Available
The January issue of Book Page is now available. Read it by clicking on image below, or stop by any library location to pick up your copy. The January issue features their 2021 Preview, personal favorites of the Book Page editors, Q&A with the husband and wife writing team that publishes under the name Ellery Lloyd, and much more.
You can also get emails from Book Page by signing up for their newsletter.
Most of us think of February as the romantic month, but August actually holds the official title of Romance Awareness Month.
Do you feel like you don’t know much about the romance genre? Here’s some information from the Romance Writers of America to help:
• Romance novels have two basic elements; they feature a central romance and have a HEA (Happily Ever After).
• Click here to read more about the Romance genre from Romance Writers of America.
• Can include other sub genres, mystery, thriller, adventure, history, etc…
Romance recommendation:
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Why I chose this book:
This is a book I didn’t expect to like. I am not a big romance fan myself, I actually prefer mysteries, but this book was getting a lot of hype and I was curious what it was all about. When I started reading it, I discovered I really liked what the author was doing with this novel. Her characters are realistically portrayed and her writing draws you into their lives. The author is quite remarkable. In 2016, while she was writing The Kiss Quotient, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (https://www.helenhoang.com/about-helen-hoang/) and some of her experiences with Asperger's syndrome can be seen in her main character Stella. In an interview with NBC News Hoang states, “When it comes to media, not only is accurate representation needed, but also positive representation so that they know it’s not bad to be different.” Her romance focuses on bridging gaps, promoting acceptance and helping the reader understand what makes her main characters remarkable and unique. The main character of The Kiss Quotient, Stella, has Asperger’s Syndrome. Stella has difficulty relating to people and understanding interpersonal relationships in the same way other people do. Despite her difficulties, she is a brilliant, and most importantly, feeling character struggling to understand relationships, a subject even those without Asperger's Syndrome often struggle to understand.
Description (From the author’s website):
A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there’s not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases–a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice–with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan–from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…
As Michael and Stella’s no-nonsense partnership takes them out of the bedroom and into a fulltime practice relationship, being together starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…
Romance Heat Index (see image below):
SPICY
This book registers as VERY SPICY on our Romance Genre Heat Index. Get your fans out…you will need them. It won't be for everyone, but those who don't mind the heat will enjoy this book.
With cold weather and winter holidays approaching, our food needs turn from something cool, crisp, and refreshing to meals that are warm, cozy, and comforting, filled with memories and traditions.
Stop by The Cozy Apron for some easy and delicious recipes. There is everything from Oktoberfest potato stacks complete with sausage and beer to wonderful soups, including chili cheesesteak stew, rigatoni meatball soup, and chicken tortilla soup.
The Cozy Cook is another website that offers simple and delicious recipes for busy cooks. It contains ciabatta bread for dipping, copycat Texas Roadhouse rolls, and numerous Instant Pot recipes such as homemade Hamburger Helper, mashed potatoes, and broccoli cheddar soup. If you still love your crockpot, there are plenty of slow cooker recipes, including Mississippi pot roast and macaroni and cheese.
KHCPL is rich in cooking magazines from old favorites like Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day to modern classics like Cook’s Illustrated, Bon Appétit, and Food and Wine. Special dietary concerns don’t need to keep you from enjoying fall treats. Checkout Weight Watchers Magazine, Veg News, Clean Eating, Gluten-Free Living, Diabetic Living, and MaryJanesFarm, which features the article “The Secret to Perfect Pumpkin Pie” in the October/November issue.
For this busy time of year, be sure to make use of time-saving kitchen appliances! Pick up a slow cooker cookbook such as Fix-it and Forget-it Lazy and Slow Cookbook: 365 Days of Slow Cooker Recipes by Hope Comerford or Taste of Home Slow Cooker Throughout the Year: 495 Family Favorite Recipes: Simmering for Every Season!
Instant Pots are really popular, and KHCPL has the cookbooks! Try How to Instant Pot Book: Mastering All the Functions of the One Pot That Will Change the Way You Cook by Daniel Shumski or The Instant Pot Bible: More Than 350 Recipes and Strategies: The Only Book You Need for Every Model of Instant Pot by Bruce Weinstein.
For cookbooks that are seasonal, try Purely Pumpkin: More Than 100 Wholesome Recipes to Share, Savor, and Warm Your Kitchen by Allison Day or Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes by Andrea Reusing.
Sometimes cooking connects to our lives in deep ways. My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Changed My Life by Ruth Reichl follows Ruth as she heals through the simple pleasures of cooking after the abrupt closing of Gourmet Magazine. Each dish Reichl prepares for herself -- and for her family and friends -- represents her lifelong passion for food.
Food is also a profound reflection of a person's life. One of our top Howard County Reads titles for 2018 is What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro, which is not a cookbook but a fascinating study of food in the lives of six prominent women.
Enjoy the season with food that makes you happy!
All Hallows’ Read is the brainchild of author Neil Gaiman. In 2010 he had the sudden inspiration to start a new holiday tradition that involved giving books. The next major holiday was Halloween, and All Hallows’ Read was born. The idea behind All Hallows’ Read is to encourage people to “give someone a scary book for Halloween.” Old books, new books, secondhand books, hardcovers, paperbacks, eBooks, audiobooks, they are all fair game. Gather together and share a book with family or friends, or gift a total stranger as a random act of kindness. Rather than a sugary treat, All Hallows’ Read gives someone an experience by connecting that person with a story.
While booksellers were quick to embrace the book giving aspect of All Hallows’ Read, libraries quickly embraced the reading aspect. During the month of October, librarians encourage patrons to read a scary book to celebrate Halloween, making All Hallows’ Read a celebration of reading as well as of books.
The horror genre isn’t all blood and guts and homicidal clowns. If you don’t want a book that will keep you up all night, there are plenty of other options. Give something with spooky atmosphere a try. Check out a book with a post-apocalyptic setting. Pick up a thriller from the mystery section. Find a book with a supernatural element or, better yet, explore folklore about “real life” hauntings. If none of these appeal to you, try something seasonal. And if you’re still unwilling to dip your toes into the horror genre, then simply read a book this Halloween.
As nights grow longer and darker, chilly winds begin to blow, bringing us darker thoughts and thrills, Halloween, corn mazes, and spooky fiction! KHCPL has the books of the season! Gothic fiction is as old as Walpole’s 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto and as fresh as The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, which is now showing as a PBS series. The genre gets its name from the style of architecture seen in old castles, cathedrals, and spooky mansions that appear in the narratives. To learn more about the characteristics of Gothic literature, check out The Guardian's pictorial article "How to Tell You're Reading a Gothic Novel."
Try curling up in front of the fireplace with some classic short stories from well-known authors:
- The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales, edited by Chris Baldick
- The Classic Horror Stories by H.P. Lovecraft
- Classic Tales of Horror by Edgar Allan Poe
- In the Shadow of the Master: Classic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
These classic favorites are worth reading and re-reading, combining romance with spooky chills:
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (our Howard County Reads Pick for 2018)
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
- Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Great Gothic tales are still being written. Here are some more recent titles:
- The Abandoned Heart by Laura Benedict
- The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
- Hideous Love: the Story of the Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein by Stephanie Hemphill
- House of Secrets by V.C. Andrews
- The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
- The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala by Laura DiSilverio
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell
These newer titles continue Dracula's vampire tradition:
- The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
- Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
Wrap it all up with The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. This tale of 17th century Amsterdam involves young Petronella who arrives in the city to fulfill an arranged marriage that turns out to be different than she had imagined. She is gifted with a large cabinet representing her new home, filled with miniature people and furniture representing the mysterious household where she now resides. Enjoy the intriguing book, borrow the DVD, or enjoy watching it on PBS.
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Within the month of August, the first week is World Breastfeeding Week, and the last week is Black Breastfeeding Week. The goal of these observances is not only to inform and empower women in their childbearing years but to highlight the critical importance of community support for breastfeeding success.
Part of the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) 2018 campaign’s call to action is to spread awareness that everyone can help make breastfeeding easier, and KHCPL has resources for new mothers and mothers-to-be as well as their partners, relatives, and friends. There are over a dozen books in the library's collection on the topic of breastfeeding as well as a DVD. These materials offer information, guidance, and troubleshooting assistance.
For additional support, Howard Community Hospital offers a breastfeeding drop-in center on Friday mornings as a free community service.
One of the grand traditions of summer is the family vacation. The mere thought of a family road trip often conjures memories of endless hours of boredom punctuated by sibling squabbles in the back of a minivan, especially for people born in the era before walkmans, iPads, and vehicles with built-in DVD players.
To combat the tedium of long car trips, consider taking an audiobook along this summer! They are available on CD and mp3 discs that can be played on a car’s stereo and in digital formats that can be broadcast via Bluetooth from a personal mobile device. For long drives, select a books in a series, and for short drives, pick a stand-alone book.
Below are some suggestions for a variety of age ranges:
Family Friendly
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery
Fudge series by Judy Blume
Younger Children
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Brown Bear & Friends by Bill Martin, Jr.
Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Preteens & Teens
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Time Quintet series by Madeleine L'Engle
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
18 & Over
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
The Martian by Andy Weir
