– Book Reviews
“The Official Harry Potter Baking Book,” by Joanna Farrow. Copyright 2021, Scholastic Inc. (127 pages, $19.99).
With the 20th anniversary of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone being celebrated at the end of 2021, it seems fitting to revisit the wizarding world. And what better way than with a …
Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. New York : Tor, 2021.
What do a transgender violinist, the Queen of Hell, and a starship captain hiding in a donut shop have in common? They are the main characters of Ryka Aoki’s Light From Uncommon Stars, a heart-wrenchingly sincere science fiction novel released in …
The Maid by Nita Prose, New York : Ballantine Books, [2022]
The Maid is a fun, quirky locked room mystery with a unique protagonist.Molly is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She lives alone and has no friends. She used to live with her grandmother, but she passed away several months ago …
“Fatal Undertaking: A Buryin’ Barry Mystery” by Mark de Castrique. Sourcebooks 2010. 240 pages. Accessed via Hoopla online service via Alamance County Public Libraries
“Burying Barry” Clayton is a small-town funeral director or undertaker in the fictional western North Carolina mountain town of Gainesboro, NC. He recently returned to his family business after …
Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown by Anne Glenconner. New York, Hachette Books, 2020, 325 pp.
This title is the immensely entertaining story of the life of aristocrat and royal cohort Anne Glenconner, and a scintillating look into the private life of British aristocracy. Be prepared to …
When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Park Row Books, [2018]
Jessie Sloane has spent the last five years of her life circling the reality of her mother’s cancer battle. When she passes during the night, all Jessie can think about are the last words her mother said …
“Real Men Knit,” by Kwana Jackson. Copyright 2020, Harper Collins (336 pages, $16.00).
Kwana Jackson writes with the idea of needing “more diversity in romance” with all of her novels, and with Real Men Knit she doesn’t disappoint. We have the Strong Brothers, all adopted by Mama Joy, most from different backgrounds and …
“Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier” by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin; St. Martin’s Press (400 pages, $30).
Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, journalists both, have teamed up for a second time to bring us another historical documentary: Blood and Treasure. This book follows the life of …
We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker, Henry Holt & Co, 2021, 370 pages, $27.99
Adolescent outcast Duchess Radley is 13-years old and has had the responsibility of caring for Robin, her five-year-old little brother, for as long as she recollects. She’s not honestly even sure whether they’re full siblings because her …
Ruth Galloway Mysteries series by Elly Griffiths.
With the days becoming shorter and colder, I find myself craving comfort reading. For me, that means a cozy British mystery. I’m looking for a series that is set in a small village where lots of tea is consumed, and the text is full of fun …