December 8, 2022 - BCPL Resume Tips

Welcome back, resume warriors! We like your dedication - checking in with us during the holiday season. Brooke County Libraries have one last tip to share this year on how to make your resume shine!

Resume Tip #26 - Leave out personal details.

While it's tempting to include on your resume why you took two years off or have been looking for steady work for six months - resist!

Potential employers will ask about your personal life and/or any gaps in your resume during your interview. Don't confuse a job profile with a dating profile, though it's easy to get confused with all the online updates nowadays! "Single mom of three searching for part time receptionist work!" is not a good idea.

There may be a small section called a summary at the top of your resume template that the only acceptable place to include any personal details of your life history. Those should even so be kept short and sweet such as "Work at home mom looking to rejoin workforce at a full time capacity" or "Long time student and lover of learning ready to share my knowledge with a hand-on full time position". Make sure you make it about why you're ready for the next (or maybe even first) big job!

Yes, understanding that you took time off to care for a sick relative, nurse your own injuries or illnesses, or to raise children is an important component of who you are! 

But the reasoning behind your job history, schooling, or time off is usually irrelevant in the face of other candidates. Everyone has a personal story! Maybe your competition spent a full year backpacking through Europe whereas you extended your maternity or paternity leave. Neither possibility will convince a potential employer to call for that interview, and you can always talk about your dreams, goals, and personal life briefly at the face-to-face meeting.

That's all for today! Have a healthy, happy, holiday season; and here's to hoping for all our followers to find great jobs in the new year! 

Remember, your local library is always available for job hunt tips, resume help, and more!

 

December 7, 2022 - Staff Reviews

The Heat Is On

By Jill Shalvis

Release Date: June 25, 2013

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/1239335

4 Stars - This fun little beach read had surprising intensity! Bella and Jacob both had major commitment phobia but were adorable together. When Bella's dates come under attack, Jacob's determined to get to the culprit before he gets to them. 

Shalvis has a cute message at the beginning of this about having fun writing for HQ Blaze series. I think the level of fun she had showed with this one. This isn't an angsty read though there's plenty of drama. Jacob's a great hero, especially fun to see with Bella and his brothers. Bella was a bit more difficult to understand. She's baker and traveler, not one for settling down. Her list of real friends is small so it makes her instant connection with Jacob extra sweet. Both of these two do a lot verbal pushing away while pulling each other closer. It got to be a bit much here and there.

I find it interesting how many times in romances, the woman is the one with one foot out the door. Girls can be reluctant to give up their freedom too, and not just in regards to dating. More like, they don't always want to buy a house, pets, and give up traveling. It's always refreshing. The side characters were cool but not particularly funny or memorable except for Jacob's brothers. Now, for the mystery. This is not a whodunit on the level of Agatha Christie of course. But I admit I didn't know who the bad guy was until he revealed himself. There was quite a series of suspenseful moments in this one, making it easy to not put it down. I wouldn't say there were any fabulous action sequences or explosive scenes. But there was just enough intrigue to keep this one exciting. This would be a perfect paperback for romance readers to grab for a weekend trip or rainy day on the couch.

(NS)

November 29, 2022 - Staff Reviews

The Bedroom Experiment

By Kendall Ryan

Release Date: Feburary 11, 2020

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4966608

3 Stars - This novella was entertaining but not as much fun as it could have been. Morgan and Isla make a cute couple and they're really just getting started. This quick and mostly dirty little read makes a nice addition for fans of these lovable hockey players but is also basically a standalone.

This is a short story that's heavy on the steamy scenes and light on substance. Kendall Ryan has a way with characters and this story is no exception. Morgan and Isla's little fling feels like the tip of an iceberg. I do wish we'd gotten Isla's point of view as well. Morgan's got a bad boy vibe but he's a good guy at heart. Isla's a bit of a mystery cause she's part girl next door and part siren.

We get a few mentions and some love from Morgan's teammates, but otherwise this could have been a completely separate story. It's not obvious where the idea came to tie this in here. Although, it could have made for a great little Christmas novella. I'm not sure these two's back and forth would have filled a whole novel. Their only conflict is that as teenagers, they became step siblings. No creepy vibes though because they never lived together or anything. But I wasn't really a fan of the ending. I wasn't sure what the purpose was to spending a year completely apart and then deciding to be together. There was no indication either one of them really pined away for the other. Why didn't they just stay together after hooking up the first time? I think a few more pages or chapters would have rounded these two out more and the story would have felt more complete.

(NS)

November 23, 2022 - Staff Reviews

A Tryst by the Sea

By Grace Burrowes

Release Date: March 1, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/7115106

3 Stars - The short novel was a bit more intense than the usual historical novella. Burrowes surprised me with the sobfest potential in this little rekindled romance tale.  Gill and Penelope are struggling to find themselves and figure out their future as they revisit their past on a lovely seaside trip.

Grace Burrowes was new to me so if she's inclined to such heart wrenching work, I was unaware. This definitely is not in the company of light and flirty historical romances but it has its own appeal. The mini saga of this long married couple was a moving drama. Gill and Penelope are still in love with each other but neither seems to realize it's mutual. There has been so much heartache in their pasts that it seems impossible to overcome. But once they face old struggles and really get to know each other again, it's all sweetness.

This one was a basis of miscommunication that's hard for me to abide. Many will say these two were young, kept apart by circumstances beyond their control. How could they know each other? But the excuses for ten years of distance and partial misery felt flimsy. Maybe this is a romance best suited to readers finding themselves at crossroads or looking back. Penelope is lovely and lonely and ready to move on. She's young but feels older than her years. Gill's been devoted to her in his heart and mind but not great at showing it. They've held themselves apart for fear of additional heartache. Facing what they've lost and learning to be brave for the chance at resuming their relationship is something they manage to do though. Gill stands his ground with his family, and Penelope figures out how to forge ahead with hope rather than resignation. It's basically a short version of a tragic little love story that shows it's never too late for a happy ending.

(NS)

November 22, 2022 - A Book & A Recipe

Happy Thanksgiving! - A little early.

We at Brooke County Libraries are very excited to share this wonderful recipe with you just in time for holiday, hopefully. This November we are sharing the recipe for Peach-Raspberry Pie straight from Pie Hard by Kristen Weiss. It's a quirk cozy mystery from the Pie Town series.

Let's get started, shall we?

Supplies:

2 pre-made piecrusts at room temp.

3 pounds firm-ripe peaches (about 6 large) cut into 1 inch slices.

2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste.

2 1/2 T cornstarch, divided.

9 T sugar, divided.

1/2 tsp ground ginger.

Pinch of salt.

8 oz raspberries (approx 2 cups).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. In mixing bowl, toss in cut peaches, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of sugar.

3. Let rest for 30 minutes. Then, pour off any excess juice, reserving 1/2 cup.

4. Return the reserve juice to the bowl.

5. Add ginger, salt, and 2 T cornstarch, and toss.

6. In a separate bowl, toss the raspberries with 1 T sugar and remaining 1/2 T of cornstarch.

7. Line the pie tin with one crust and poke it with a fork 4 or 5 times.

8. Pour half the peach mixture into the crust and layer on top of it half the raspberry mixture.

9. Add the remainder of the peaches and then what's left of the raspberries.

10. Cut the second crust into strips and weave it over the pie in a lattice top.

11. Trim the edges so that 1/2 inch hangs over the pie tin and crimp.

12. Place pie into freezer for 20 minutes.

13. Remove pie from freeze and dust crust with a bit of sanding sugar. Put the pie on a cookie sheet  and bake approx. 30 minutes, until the crust is slightly brown.

14. Reduce the temp to 350 Fand bake another 45-60 minutes until the crust is deep, golden brown.

15. Cool before slicing.

What a fun, unique pie to bring for Thanksgiving! Forget the classic apple and pumpkin, mix it up with a new dessert maybe. 

Let us know how it goes too. We love to hear from our readers in the comments or on any of our social media pages.

Don't forget - check in next month for a Christmas recipe!

Intrigued by the story? Check out our ebook copy on WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4258145

Images and info are courtesy of WV Reads, Google, etc.
 

November 17, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Thunder Point

By Jack Higgins

Release Date: September 1, 1994

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/613586

3.5 Stars - Escapist fiction at its best. Sean Dillon is at the start of his lengthy book series and intriguing as ever. He's got that broody bad boy side down to an art and it's hard to tell what he's thinking. Half this book takes place on the island of St. John which makes it perfect for a day at the beach or on the couch. While a bit plodding and repetitive, this old-fashioned little action thriller was a lot of fun.

Jack Higgins is up there with Clancy, Cussler, and Ludlum as some of the most noteworthy globe-trotting story authors of the late 20th century. I've read the fewest of Higgins books but he still has a great style all his own and a fascinating main man in Sean Dillon. Dillon's background is uniquely crafted to make him stone cold yet likable. Every great assassin has a backstory that makes him already suited to the spy game and his is acting. But he wasn't an actor for long before the IRA managed to snatch him up. Now he's in a bind and forced to work for the government. 

The side characters here are simpler but fun as well. Poor Henry is a diver in the wrong place at the right time. He finds a remarkable discovery in the clear Carribean waters that sets everything in motion. It's not a treasure per se. But a lot of people want it. Enter his friend Jenny, a roommate he more less rescued that fills the heroine roll. Her part probably leaves a bit to be desired by modern feminists but I thought she was likable and had a redeeming grit. Ferguson and Carney end up as Dillon's crafty and amusing sidekicks for most of it, even if Dillon isn't technically the boss. This isn't a mystery as much as a straightforward treasure hunt, fight, and race type of story. Some aspects of the plot you can see coming but are none the less entertaining. Despite it being a relatively short book, there is a little skimming and it wouldn't made a great audiobook. For example, Dillon lights up a cigarette for something to do countless times and a few sections are more info dumps than research discoveries. Overall all though, it's an exciting little sea worthy tale that's worth the trip into the past.

(NS)

November 9, 2022 - Book Club Preview

Thanks for checking in for our November book club pick!

This month we're reading and discussing Night by Elie Wiesel.

The meeting will be on Thursday, November 17th at 5pm, virtually and at BCPL. This will be our last discussion for the 2022 year.

About the book -

Night is a 1960 memoir by Elie Wiesel based on his Holocaust experiences with his father in the Nazi German concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944–1945, toward the end of the Second World War in Europe. In just over 100 pages of sparse and fragmented narrative, Wiesel writes about the death of God and his own increasing disgust with humanity, reflected in the inversion of the parent–child relationship as his father deteriorates to a helpless state and Wiesel becomes his resentful, teenage caregiver. "If only I could get rid of this dead weight ... Immediately I felt ashamed of myself, ashamed forever." In Night everything is inverted, every value destroyed. "Here there are no fathers, no brothers, no friends", a kapo tells him. "Everyone lives and dies for himself alone."

Translated into 30 languages, the book ranks as one of the bedrocks of Holocaust literature. It remains unclear how much of Night is memoir. Wiesel called it his deposition, but scholars have had difficulty approaching it as an unvarnished account. The literary critic Ruth Franklin writes that the pruning of the text from Yiddish to French transformed an angry historical account into a work of art.

About the author -

Wiesel was 16 when Buchenwald was liberated by the United States Army in April 1945, too late for his father, who died after a beating while Wiesel lay silently on the bunk above for fear of being beaten too. He moved to Paris after the war and in 1954 completed an 862-page manuscript in Yiddish about his experiences, published in Argentina as the 245-page Un di velt hot geshvign ("And the World Remained Silent"). The novelist François Mauriac helped him find a French publisher. Les Éditions de Minuit published 178 pages as La Nuit in 1958, and in 1960 Hill & Wang in New York published a 116-page translation as Night.

He was a professor of the humanities at Boston University, which created the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies in his honor. He was involved with Jewish causes and human rights causes and helped establish the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D. C. In his political activities, he also campaigned for victims of oppression in places like South Africa, Nicaragua, Kosovo, and Sudan. Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. The Norwegian Nobel Committee called him a "messenger to mankind", stating that through his struggle to come to terms with "his own personal experience of total humiliation and of the utter contempt for humanity shown in Hitler's death camps", as well as his "practical work in the cause of peace", Wiesel delivered a message "of peace, atonement, and human dignity" to humanity.

Interested in the story? Check out the ebook copy we have on WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/729732

Do you love this book? Are you intrigued by the book club pick? Let us know! We love to hear from our readers in the comments or on any of our social media pages.

Images and info are courtesy of WV Reads, Wikipedia, and Google.
 

November 8, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

Hook, Line, and Sinker

By Tessa Bailey

Release Date: March 1, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6303596

3 Stars - This long love story from newly minted rom-com queen Tessa Bailey has so many cute factors. Hannah and Fox have super chemistry but also make a perfect quirky couple for a light read. This book really would have been great at half the length, I think. But music lovers, small town tv show watchers, and friends-to-lovers fans will find so much to like.

Tessa's more intense romances from back in the day were solid four-star reads for me. Now the whole romantic comedy tidal wave sweeping the romance novel nation wipes me out. Fox and Hannah are instantly likable and easy to root for as a pair. But after awhile their almost respective insecurities weigh down the story. Hannah's not content to be a supporting actress in life and she's trying to squeak out of her comfort zone. Fox finds his world upside when faced with a roommate he has romantic feelings for. Gotta feel for them both.

I'm not a fan of the story being told in texts and song lyrics. I need dialouge and showing not telling. But it's a cute way to be modern and heartfelt so that's fine for many readers so I'm in the minority. The whole classic music but throw in some Lana Del Ray thing went over my head. I have simple music tastes but I'm sure headphone wearers everywhere will eat all that up. The book has a very fun Gilmore Girls vibe. Plus there's plenty more Brendan and Piper for fans of the first book. I found that one somewhat forgettable so this can be a standalone. Bailey wastes little time turning up the heat on these two. And I was oddly into all the side drama with Sergei. I was a bit exhausted at the halfway point though and discouraged when these two had made little progress on themselves and the pursuit of a meaningful relationship. Still, there's lots of fun to be had here in Westport! Tessa's very unique style is sure to charm as always.

(NS)

November 4, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

Take a Chance with Me

By Kristen Proby

Release Date: January 25, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6436009

3 Stars - Another likable entry set in Proby's Seattle universe. I was really looking forward to Cam and Maggie's story, and it fell just a bit shy of expectations. Maggie's fiery personality is central here as she battles her past. Cam's a strong, supportive shoulder that she needs to lean on.

There was so much build up to Maggie's story in her branch of the Seattle families. And I was ready to devour her and Cam's book. Proby oddly didn't work any suspense and only a little steam into this one. She chose instead to highlight Maggie's struggles since getting out of an abusive marriage, and her lifelong friendship with Cam that becomes more. Cam's more patient with her than I could have probably been to be honest. But these two did have a lot of chemistry and a beautiful relationship with her family.

I felt like this one just wasn't as tightly plotted and had some tropes I generally don't enjoy. Cam is Maggie's much older brother's best friend, and while I was buying Maggie's crush on him, I couldn't see Cam's side as much. Maggie's almost too indecisive and capricious. I can understand her reluctance to change and commitment but frankly, her life was shaped by her own bad choices so. There's a really weird aspect of the plot involving money left behind by her husband. Cam's got secrets that are left really, really vague. I feel like Proby should have doubled down somewhere to up the excitement levels a little. Either they have a secret passionate affair or end up in danger from one of Maggie's beau's lifestyle choices. This one was definitely entertaining though, slightly saucy but mostly sweet. Just felt like a bit was left on the table.

(NS)

October 28, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Dead or Alive

By Tom Clancy & Grant Blackwood

Release Date: December 7, 2010 

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/611981

3.5 Stars - A worthy if wordy entry into the Ryan series that moves so many of Clancy's best characters more into the modern world of terrorism. Plus, we get to see some new guys in action too. This may not be the series top work, but it's certainly entertaining. I personally found it a breath of fresh air in comparison to the latest ones.   It's a transition novel of sorts, but surely worth the effort for anyone into the Ryan universe.

This one has much more going than the previous entry (Teeth of the Tiger). It manages to maintain an exciting pace. It was fun to revisit one of my favorite series and hit some stories I missed. Blackwood isn't my favorite author of the series but this one still has enough trademark Clancy style to feel authentic (which sadly hasn't been the case since Greaney left the team in like 2016). Jack Jr. is falling nicely into his super spook role now, taking on more fieldwork than his father did, but still learning as an analyst too. Jack Sr. is considering another run for the presidency but he's pretty content returning to his life as a non fiction writer and scholar.

Unlike the prior novel that started with a bang and quickly fizzled, this one manages to do better. The Campus is still getting established. We're getting juicy back stories on all the characters that will soon make up the team. From rehashing some of Clark's war stories to meeting Army Ranger in trouble Sam Driscoll, it's all a lot more exciting. I'll say it's still a lot of info but it's Clancy's way of painting very dynamic characters. Also the hunt for The Emir is really livening up. We've got more action, even in the first half of the book. Of course, everyone likes to complain this second series isn't vintage Clancy. It doesn't bother me. This is still like 85% Clancy. A few things bugged me. Why did they make a point of Ryan discussing his election campaign with his staff but not his family? Did Sr and Jr really not get into Jack's new job position or they did they? There's still a bit of dragging around the two-thirds mark. But overall, this is a great entry in the Ryan cannon of books and made me disappointed in the newest novels all over again. This isn't an easy weekend read, but that just means there's plenty to sink your teeth into here. Lots of action and intriguing characters all over the place.

(NS)

October 27, 2022 - BCPL Young Adult Author of the Month

Thanks for checking in this month to get the profile of our October Young Adult Author of the Month! At Brooke County Libraries, we're excited to feature the work of Lauren Kate.

Lauren writes twisty and exciting fantasy fiction novels and now has started on romantic comedies and more.

Lauren Kate (born March 21, 1981) is an American author of adult and young adult fiction. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages, have sold more than eleven million copies worldwide, and have spent combined months on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Her titles include The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and Fallen, which reached number 3 on the New York Times Best Seller List for children's chapter books on January 8, 2010, remaining there through April 2011. Fallen's sequel Torment entered the NYT Best Seller list at number 1. Kate was raised in Dallas, Texas, and has a Master's degree in fiction from the University of California, Davis. Kate has stated that experience of the "Old South" in the Atlanta area (she went to college at Emory) inspired her to set Fallen in a Civil War era academy. Kate married Jason Morphew, a poet and singer-songwriter, in 2009. They have two children.

Her standalone novel, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, was released on November 12, 2009, and her second work, Fallen (the first in the Fallen series), was released that same year. Torment, the sequel to Fallen, released on 28 September 2010, debuted at number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List, remaining at that position through the week of October 17.

Fallen in Love—a collection of novellas set in the Middle Ages that tell the back-stories of several of the Fallen series' main characters—was published on January 24, 2012. Rapture, the final installment of the series, was published on June 12, 2012. Unforgiven, a spin-off novel featuring the side-character Cam Briel from the series and his love Lilith, was released on November 10, 2015. Sony Pictures optioned the film rights to the entire series on the day of Fallen's release (December 9, 2009).

Random House released the first book of Kate's subsequent series, Teardrop, in October 2013. A prequel novella, titled Last Day of Love, was released two months later in December 2013.

Interested in reading some of Lauren Kate's stories? Check out our selection of her work that's available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/search/creatorId?query=238439&sortBy=newlyadded

Are you a fan of Lauren's work? Maybe she's written one of your favorites. Let us know in the comment section or on any of our social media pages!

Images and info are courtesy of Wikipedia, Google, Goodreads, WV Reads, and author webpages.

 

October 25, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Wild Temptation

By Mari Carr

Release Date: September 7, 2019

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4961095

4 Stars - This little romance was equal parts sweet and steamy and a fun surprise. May was independent and determined but learned to let her soft side show. Lochlan was a bit of a jerk but once he found May's real side, he really stepped it up for her. Very easy read and enjoyed it more than expected.

Mari Carr had fallen off my radar and admittedly some of her books are a bit too 50 Shades for my usual taste. I dropped into the middle of this series but felt like I could easily follow along with the family history. I loved May because she was so strong while still being sweet. All too often in fiction, these girls have a cold streak a mile wide. Lochlan maybe felt a tad over the top but really few ladies wouldn't love his take charge side. It's not just in the boardroom and the bedroom. He's really supportive of May even when she pushes him away in an effort to protect her heart.

There was so much more to this one than the blurb. May has two adorable nieces and a mother she's taking care of and she wears the weight of her little world on her shoulders. Enter Lochlan and he shows her how to ask for help and let go, literally. I won't lie. There's a lot of cliches in here like insta-love and virgin heroines and alpha male posturing. But the first half where Lochlan was stepping in with May's family and welcoming them into his own really had me. Things really steamed up for the second half, probably moreso than most sensitive readers could skip over. But there's a good chance they could skim over the sexy times and like the story overall just fine. Carr's racier set-ups that are mentioned off handedly here as tying in with the big family didn't appeal to me. But I'll definitely read a few more from this series.

(NS)

October 20, 2022 - Staff Reviews

The Recovery Agent

By Janet Evanovich

Release Date: March 22, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/5808615

3 Stars - Evanovich is still trying to find her footing in this new treasure hunt series. Gabriella Rose has a whole new backstory and set of skills that set her apart from her other quirky, comedic heroines. I loved the Recovery Agent idea. Those looking to mix it up their reading lists with a jungle adventure will have a lot of fun. But I think it's going to take a few more books for her to reach Plum levels of fortune and glory.

I've read all of Evanovich's Plum and Fox + O'Hare novels, plus some of the standalone romances. And the Indiana Jones films are my absolute favorites. So you can imagine my excitement. Gabriella has all of the trademark heroine boxes checked plus she gets to have actual skills! She's got the crazy family, small town childhood sweetheart complicated history, and an affinity for finding trouble. Rafer Jones is her ex-husband who has his own curious set of talents and a major soft spot for his ex. We actually get a little POV from him too! But I felt like I never really got into either of their heads for more than a minute or two.

Disclaimer: honestly, I'll read just about any treasure hunt tale set in a tropical, mysterious atmosphere. But I think that was the problem. I've read too many adventure tales to be impressed with this plot. Evanovich relies mostly on humor, characters, and an easy read quality not plots. But she falters here. She made an odd choice in not going first person POV and left a lot on the table. It seems liked she short changed Rose and counterparts in development. Some of the dialouge and jokes were really cringey. While the sidekicks and villians are equal parts funny and menacing, no one actually feels dangerous. Which makes for great light reading but lets down a swashing buckling style adventure just a little. And I found this really difficult to read at times. The depictions of settings and the treasure details had my head spinning. Like why are they searching for a Peruvian treasure on an island by Costa Rica? Are they after the Seal of Solomon or a ring or is it the same thing? We're in the ruins or a cave... Her terse and quick descriptions don't apply as well to exotic locations as they do to small town Jersey. I'm not sure where she'll take Gabriella Rose next after throwing so much into this one but we'll see. It was still quick and light and hopefully this improves with age like her other series.

(NS)

October 19, 2022 - A Book & A Recipe

Welcome back, readers and eaters! 

We're excited to share a pretty spoooky recipe with you this October. Brooke County Libraries is featuring the recipe for Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead) from A Catered Halloween by Isis Crawford. This fun cozy mystery is full of quirky characters and great food.

Ingredients-

Bread:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

5 to 5 1/2 cups flour

2 (1/4 oz.) packages of active dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp whole aniseed

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

Glaze:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tbpn orange zest

Instructions-

1. Bring the sugar, juice, and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Boil for 2 minutes.

3. Set the glaze aside.

4. In a saucepan over medium flame, heat butter, milk, and water until warm to the touch. Do not boil.

5. Measure out 1.5 cups of the flour and set aside.

6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1.5 cups of flour, yeast, salt, aniseed, and sugar.

7. Beat the warm liquid until well combined.

8. Continue beating in flour until dough is soft but not sticky.

9. Knead the dough on the floured board until smooth and elastic.

10. Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place.

11. Let the dough double in bulk, probably 1.5 hours of time.

12. Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons, bones, etc.

13. Let loaves rise for an hour. Preheat oven to 350 F.

14. Bake the loaves for 40 minutes.

15. Remove from the oven and paint on the glaze with a pastry brush.

Sounds delicious, right? Such a fun Halloween treat that's not ALL sugar!

If you try out this recipe, be sure to let us know! We'd love to hear from you in the comments or in person, or on any of our social media pages.

Intrigued by the book? Check out our ebook copy!

A Catered Halloween - West Virginia Reads - OverDrive

As always, images and info are courtesy of WV Reads, Google, author webpages, and more.

 

October 18, 2022 - BCPL Resume Tips

Thanks for checking in with us at Brooke County Libraries for our latest resume tip!

 Resume Tip #24 - Always use chronological order (reverse)

Your work experience, education, and volunteer and training history should all work backwards, starting from the most recent. This gives your potential employer the chance to get to know you quickly. Plus, it keeps things simple at a glance.

Sad but true, most prospective employers are busy, and they do not have time to sort through your information. You should give them the best glimpse of your qualifications by showing what you've been doing lately and then work backward. This is true regardless of whether your most recent job position is the most relevant to the new position. You will always be able to clarify your best experience, highest achievement levels, and other details during your interview. 

Also, don't pick and chose previous job positions to include. Make sure you stick to your last five to ten years of employment.

Please let us know if you have questions! We'd love to hear from you in person, in the comments, or on our social media pages. And don't forget your local library is always a great place for help with your job search.

October 12, 2022 - Book Club Preview

Welcome back, book club readers! Are you ready for a sneak peek of our book club pick this month?

We're reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.  

The next meeting and discussion with be Thursday, October 27th at 5pm virtually and in person at BCPL. Call us for further questions please!

About the book-

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

About the author - 

Haig is the author of both fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. His work of non-fiction, Reasons to Stay Alive, was a number one Sunday Times bestseller and was in the UK top 10 for 46 weeks. His bestselling children's novel, Father Christmas and Me, is currently being adapted for film, produced by Studio Canal and Blueprint Pictures.

His novels are often dark and quirky takes on family life. The Last Family in England retells Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 with the protagonists as dogs. His second novel Dead Fathers Club is based on Hamlet, telling the story of an introspective 11-year-old dealing with the recent death of his father and the subsequent appearance of his father's ghost. His third adult novel, The Possession of Mr Cave, deals with an obsessive father desperately trying to keep his teenage daughter safe. His children's novel, Shadow Forest, is a fantasy that begins with the horrific death of the protagonists' parents. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize in 2007. He followed it with the sequel, Runaway Troll, in 2008.

Haig's vampire novel The Radleys, was published in 2011. In 2013, he published The Humans. It is the story of an alien who takes the identity of a university lecturer whose work in mathematics threatens the stability of the planet who must also cope with the home life which accompanies his task.

In 2017, Haig published How to Stop Time, a novel about a man who appears to be 40 but has, in fact, lived for more than 400 years and has met Shakespeare, Captain Cook and F. Scott Fitzgerald. In an interview with The Guardian, Haig revealed the book has been optioned by StudioCanal films, and Benedict Cumberbatch had been "lined up to star" in the film adaptation. Reasons to Stay Alive won the Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards in 2016 and How to Stop Time was nominated in 2017. In August 2018, he wrote lyrics for English singer and songwriter Andy Burrows's music album, the title of which was derived from Haig's book Reasons to Stay Alive.

In 2020, Matt Haig released his novel The Midnight Library. It was shortlisted for the 2021 British Book Awards "Fiction book of the year". The Midnight Library was adapted for radio and broadcast in ten episodes on BBC Radio 4 in December 2020. In 2021, Haig appeared on Storybound (podcast) accompanied by an original score from Robert Wynia. Haig is married to Andrea Semple; they have two children and one dog. The family lives in Brighton, Sussex. The couple homeschool their children.[16] Haig identifies as an atheist. Haig's latest book, The Comfort Book, was released on 1 July 2021.

Interested in The Midnight Library? Check out our ebook copy!

The Midnight Library - West Virginia Reads - OverDrive

Do you love this story or this author? Let us know in the comments section or on any of our social media pages.

As always, info and images are courtesy of WV Reads, Wikipedia, Google, Goodreads, etc.