February 1, 2021 - New Arrivals

February 1, 2021

Adult Fiction

Hush-Hush by Stuart Woods.

Stone Barrington is settling in for some downtime in New York City when an anonymous enemy makes himself known. This nameless foe's threats hit close to home, and before Stone can retaliate, the fearsome messages turn into very real consequences. With the help of old friends--and a lovely new tech-savvy acquaintance--Stone sets out to unravel the fatal agenda. But as the web of adversaries expands, Stone realizes that no place is safe, and he'll have to flush out the mastermind before he and those closest to him are silenced for good....

 

All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz.

North Chastain possesses a paranormal talent that gives him the ability to track down the most dangerous psychic criminals. When his father suddenly falls into a coma-like state, North is convinced it was caused by a deadly artifact that traces back to the days of a secret government program known only as the Bluestone Project. North knows his only hope of saving his father is to find the artifact. He is good when it comes to tracking down killers, but to locate the relic he's going to need help from a psychic who knows the shadowy world of obsessive collectors, deceptive dealers and ruthless raiders...With her reputation in ruins after a false accusation, antiques expert Sierra Raines is looking for a fresh start. She turns to the murky backwaters of the paranormal artifacts trade, finding and transporting valuable objects with a psychic provenance. When North Chastain approaches her for help, Sierra takes him on as a client, though not without reservations. North represents the mysterious Foundation, the secretive organization established to police the underworld populated by psychic criminals and those, like Sierra, who make a living in the shadows of that world. North and Sierra soon find themselves at the scene of the Incident, which occurred decades ago in Fogg Lake. The town and its residents were forever changed by the disaster in the nearby Bluestone Project labs. The pair unearths shocking truths about what happened that fateful night, but they are playing with fire--someone in town knows what they've discovered and will do anything to make sure the secrets stay buried.

 

The Ekballist by G. P. Haggart.

Based on true stories. The Ekballist is a narrative account of one man's life encounters and battles with the forces of evil. After living a life as an atheist and later an occultist, he becomes possessed by an evil force. Not wishing for anyone else to experience the evil he witnessed, he obtains hidden knowledge that helps others to overcome Satan and his demons.

 

Adult Non-Fiction

Amish Friends From Scratch Cookbook by Wanda E. Brunstetter.

Why does nothing compare to the memories of Great-Grandma’s food? Could it be because she made everything from scratch? Amish and Mennonite cooks contribute recipes that celebrate the value of skipping the factory-made shortcuts and cooking from scratch. Over 270 recipes are organized into traditional categories from main dishes and sides to desserts and snacks. Also included are kitchen tips and stories about growing up around an Amish kitchen.

 

Second-Chance Cats by Callie Smith Grant.

There's no feeling quite like that of getting a second chance and a fresh start. When we adopt a homeless cat--or that cat decides to adopt us--we're not just giving one of earth's most beautiful and inscrutable creatures a chance at a good life, we're giving ourselves the gift of companionship, solace, and love. And plenty of laughter, too! This heartwarming collection includes more than 30 true, contemporary stories told by a variety of writers, including Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, and Kristin Billerbeck. Each feel-good story involves cat rescue, some in a typical way and others in surprising--even miraculous--ways. Sometimes the question becomes: Really, who rescued whom?

 

Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel

How an Outside Cat Becomes an Inside Cat by Steve Broom & Alicia Wallace.  E

"How does an outside cat become an inside cat? Everybody needs a home and so do our pets. Beautiful illustrations highlight this amazing story that shows the family values of home, acceptance and adoption. Children will delight in finding the hidden mouse on each page as the mouse becomes an eyewitness when a cat arrives on the family's doorstep and into his home. Written by a school teacher, the "talking points" at the end of the book help children retell the story, give their opinions and offer their thoughts and wisdom of what they would do in a similar circumstance." -- From Amazon.com.

 

Spell Starter by Elsie Chapman.  YA

The Sting meets Fight Club in this magical, action-packed sequel to Caster by Elsie Chapman. Every spell cast needs a starter. Aza Wu now has magic back. But like all things in her life, it has come at a great cost. After winning the Tournament of Casters, Aza is able to pay off her parents' debt to Saint Willow. But the price of the gathered spell she used to strip Finch of his magic has put her permanently in the employ of the gang leader. And the magic that has been returned to her is not her own. Aza is forced to use this magic, stolen and unpredictable, to do Saint Willow's dirty work. But the gang leader is ambitious and power-obsessed, and she always seems to have a larger plan. Aza knows that if Saint Willow can benefit, it doesn't matter who gets hurt along the way. Forced into a dangerous new situation, Aza will have to reckon with the choices she's made and the unstable magic she wields. If she can find a way out of Saint Willow's hold, she just might survive. That is, if her casting doesn't finally consume her.

Brooke County Public Libraries    Wellsburg (304) 737-1551    Follansbee (304) 527-0860

January 28, 2021 - WV Author of the Month

Brooke County Libraries are excited to feature west virginia fiction author Julia Keller. She's a reader favorite of mystery lovers not just the home state we share.

Info and images courtesy of Google, Wikipedia, and Julia Keller's website.

Keller was born in Huntington, West Virginia and lived there throughout her early life. Her father was a mathematics professor who taught at Marshall University. She graduated from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and earned a doctoral degree in English literature from Ohio State University. Her master's thesis was an analysis of the Henry Roth novel, Call It Sleep.

 

Keller was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University from the period of 1998 to 1999. She has taught at Princeton University, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Chicago. She also has served four times as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes. Her reviews and commentary air on National Public Radio and on The Newshour (PBS).

 

Keller began her career as a journalist as an intern for columnist Jack Anderson. She went on to work for over 25 years as a reporter for many major newspapers, including the Columbus Dispatch, The Daily Independent, and the Chicago Tribune. She joined the staff of the Chicago Tribune in late 1998. She was formerly employed as a cultural critic for the Chicago Tribune, but left her job in 2012 to write full-time.

 

Keller won the annual Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her three-part narrative account of the deadly Utica, Illinois tornado outbreak, published by the Chicago Tribune in April 2004. The jury called it a "gripping, meticulously reconstructed account of a deadly 10-second tornado".[1] The Tribune has won many Pulitzers but Keller's prize was its first win for feature writing.

 

In 2008, Keller wrote a nonfiction book that detailed the cultural impact of the Gatling gun. In 2012, she started publishing a series of mysteries, The Bell Elkins Mysteries, that details a woman's return to Appalachia and the mysteries that abound in her home town. The first book in the series. starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist. It was also a winner of the Barry Award for Best First Mystery.

Please feel free to share with us your favorite titles or similar authors below in our comment section here or on of our social media pages. Thanks for checking out little author spotlight this month.

Finally check out below the beautiful cover and info on her latest novel. Released in August of 2019.

What if you lost almost everything that gave your life meaning?

What happens next?

 

That’s the stark question faced by Belfa Elkins in The Cold Way Home, the eighth novel in the critically acclaimed series. Bell has lost her job as prosecutor. She has lost her beloved sister. And for a time, she even lost her freedom.

 

Now she must rebuild her life, step by step, and she must do so in the brooding shadow of the mountains.

 

When she’s asked to help find a missing teenage girl, Bell is thrust into the middle of a savage murder case whose roots reach deep in the haunted soil of Appalachia. Near the ruins of a psychiatric facility where forgotten souls were once at the mercy of a ghastly real-life medical procedure, a dead body is found.

 

The Bell Elkins series is a captivating, lyrical blend of gritty crime fiction and poignant family drama, of topical social issues and timeless human truths. Within one woman’s story, the story of West Virginia—bleak and battered yet beautiful—spreads its wounded radiance like a sunrise over those mountains.g

January 26, 2021 - Staff Reviews

 Staff Review

Miss Fix It

By Emma Hart

Release Date: May 1, 2018

Audiobook Available from WV Reads

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/3973940

3 Stars - If you're a sucker for a romance story with adorable little kids, look no further. Likable handy woman Kali's connection with single dad Brantley grows as she is fixing up two child bedrooms. But be aware Emma Hart's work here is definitely not PG. This slow burn romance has a racy side. 

Full disclosure: this was part audio read and part ebook but a seemless transition. I really think this book suffered greatly not having Brantley's point of view. I like my books with a mix of perspectives either in third person or multiple character first person. But Kali's head isn't a bad place to be. I genuienely clicked with her. My bestie and I also love Twizzlers on our girls nights and Friends reruns from way before we were old enough to drink wine. And I loved that she was confident enough not to lower her standards and wanted to wait for the right guy, not just the next best guy to come along. Her way of holding back with Brantlet was understandable but maybe went on a little too long. Elizabeth Hart did a pretty good job with Kali's POV as well.

The romantic comedy genre is booming but I was reading Emma Hart back when she wrote mostly grittier new adult. This one doesn't have quite sparkling banter but plenty of tension between hero and heroine. And the comedy turned a little too much body part humor for me sometimes. The family aspect here was enjoyable too, not just Brantley and the twins who stole the show. But I also enjoyed Kali with her dad and stepmom. I would have liked to see Brantley put his foot down a little more with the kids though. Kali was hardly in a place to become the tough parent, and while he didn't let them run roughshod over her, they apparently did it to him often. And the baby talk was a little much after awhile. But the sweet, steadily building relationship between both Kali and Brantley and Kali and the kids was smile worthy. The last quarter or so of the book was a bit anticlimatic for me, but no real complaints. This was a solidly cute, fun read start to finish.

(NS)

January 25, 2021 - New Arrivals

January 25, 2021

Adult Fiction

Daylight by David Baldacci.

FBI Agent Atlee Pine's search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller's high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy -- from which neither of them will escape unscathed. For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo. With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation. Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.

 

Piece of My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark.

“Television producer Laurie Moran and her fiancée, Alex Buckley, the former host of her investigative television show, are just days away from their mid-summer wedding, when things take a dark turn. Alex’s seven-year-old nephew, Johnny, vanishes from the beach. A search party begins and witnesses recall Johnny playing in the water and collecting shells behind the beach shack, but no one remembers seeing him after the morning. As the sun sets, Johnny’s skim board washes up to shore, and everyone realizes that he could be anywhere, even under water.” – Amazon.com

 

Marauder by Clive Cussler.

“While interrupting an attack on a Kuwaiti oil tanker, Juan Cabrillo and his team discover something even more dangerous: a ruthless billionaire's dying wish has allowed a paralyzing chemical to end up in the hands of a terrorist group. When an Oregon crew member falls victim to the poison, Juan Cabrillo will stop at nothing to find an antidote before it is too late. He and his team must connect an ancient mystery with a cunning modern enemy in order to save millions of innocent lives, including their own.” – Amazon.com

 

Adult Non-Fiction

An Unexpected Cookbook by Chris-Rachael Oseland.

Recipes for each of the seven Hobbit meals of breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper.

 

Reconsidering Reagan by Daniel S. Lucks.

"This book documents Reagan's childhood, political career, and presidency, arguing that Reagan compiled the worst civil rights record of any President since the 1920s; it explores his blithe indifference to the legacy of slavery, assaults on Affirmative Action and Voting Rights, a war on Drugs that ensnared the poor and people of color leading to the carceral state, and his hostility to the black freedom struggle."-- Provided by publisher

 

Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner. E

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow. – Amazon.com

 

Librarians by Emily Raij. JNF

"Librarians help people find the information they need. They work both in the public eye and behind the scenes. Give readers the inside scoop on what it's like to have the job of a librarian. Readers will learn about different types of librarians, the tools they use, and how people get this exciting, fast-paced job."-- Provided by publisher.

Brooke County Public Libraries    Wellsburg (304) 737-1551    Follansbee (304) 527-0860

January 22, 2021 - A Book & A Recipe

Who is up for some delicious donut pudding to warm up a wintery day?

This month's book and recipe combination comes straight from lovable romance heroine Blair Mallory herself. This dessert was a feature in Linda Howard's romantic suspense novel Drop Dead Gorgeous, the second Blair Mallory book. This title is available in multiple formats from Brooke County libraries so check it out!

As always, please feel free to let us know that you tried this out, either here in the comments or on one of our social media pages. We would love to hear about it!

Without further babbling from us... here's Blair!

Blair’s Krispy Kreme Doughnut Bread Pudding

  There’s, like, a hundred different versions of this recipe. I only make it for special occasions or when I want to suck up to somebody, because it’s so sweet it makes your teeth hurt. And I don’t put raisins in my bread pudding; raisins are a Yankee thing. I think they look like bugs.

  To begin with, use a 13 x 9-inch glass pan. The glass is so the pudding won’t stick. If you want to use a disposable aluminum pan, then I guess it doesn’t matter if the pudding sticks.

  Anyway, preheat the oven to 350. That’s Fahrenheit. I don’t do Kelvin or Celsius because they’re just weird.

  Here’s what you need:

  2 dozen Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts, torn into little chunks. Actually, I like the crullers better than the glazed doughnuts, because the texture seems more bread-pudding-like, but go with your favorite. Put the chunks in a large bowl.

  3 eggs, beaten. You may like yours merely subdued, but I want mine beaten. Don’t add them to the doughnuts yet.

  1 can sweetened condensed milk. Add to eggs. Beat together.

  Vanilla flavoring to taste. Add to milk and egg mixture. Use 1 teaspoon if you don’t like a strong vanilla taste, add more if you do. The whole point of this is to make the bread pudding the way you like it.

  ½ stick melted butter

  Cinnamon to taste. It takes way more cinnamon than you probably expect, but start out with a little and keep adding until it tastes right.

  Pour all this into the bowl of doughnut chunks, and stir. It’ll be too dry, because now you have to make a choice. You can either put in a can of fruit cocktail, with the juice, which gives the pudding enough moisture—and in a weird way the fruit cocktail cuts down on the sweetness—or, if the idea of fruit cocktail in a bread pudding gives you the heebie-jeebies, just start adding milk, a little at a time, and stirring it in, until the texture seems right to you, not so juicy that it’s soup but moist enough that it’s kind of like a lumpy cake batter.

  Now you have another choice to make: chopped pecans, or no chopped pecans. I love it with the pecans. If you decide to use them, add 1 cup to the mixture and stir well.

  You can also add a little nutmeg, about 1 teaspoon, if you like. I usually don’t.

  Pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if it’s done. If it isn’t, let it cook for another five minutes and check it again. Ovens are weird; what’s 350 on mine might be 342 on someone else’s. And I don’t get the altitude thing at all.

  Take it out and let it cool. Add a glaze if you like, then dig in. If you don’t want to fool with a glaze but the pudding looks naked with nothing on top, then buy some cans of ready-made frosting and put it on. Talk about sugar overload. Whoa, Mama. If you want to make a glaze, here are two recipes:

  Simple Sugar Glaze

  2 cups confectioners’ sugar

  3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water

  Mix together, and beat until it becomes smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the bread pudding. If this isn’t enough, make more.

  Buttermilk Glaze

  ¼ cup buttermilk

  ½ cup sugar

  ¼ teaspoon soda

  1½ teaspoons cornstarch

  ¼ cup margarine

  1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

  Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat. Cool slightly, then stir in the vanilla. Pour over the pudding.

  That’s it. Have fun! —Blair

*Note images and recipe do not belong to BCPL. They are courtesy of Google Images and Overdrive media.

Check out Drop Dead Gorgeous on our Ebook site WV Reads or in our physical locations!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/wvreads-wvlc/content/media/94956

January 21, 2021 - Staff Reviews

Twenty

By James Grippando

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/5457052

4.5 Stars! - An excellent edition to Grippando's long running Jack Swyteck series. This fast paced entry has a little of everything from legal battles to a whodunit mystery. Jack's experience and skills are put to the test when coming to the defense of a teenager caught in a tangled web of violence and lies. I barely put this book down.

I think fans of the series and those new to it can it enjoy it equally, but it's hard for me to view it from a new perspective. Or talk without spoilers. This was very refreshing in comparison to probably the last three books, maybe even five. Jack is front and center again, leading every chapter. And while a few far fetched details or bouts of luck pop up, this has to be his strongest performance as a defense attorney/sleuth in awhile. I was a bit surprised the shooting from the description only lasted the first fourteen or so pages, it did serve as a great kickstart. And finally Jack had a good chance to stand for what he believes in again, even if some of his beliefs are shaken.

This author has a few novels as close to perfect as I can think of, and this one falls just short in a few ways. Some fans of his side characters will probably have mixed feelings. Andie's not quite her usual kickass self. Theo's wise cracks are fewer. And Hannah and Abuela don't really get their chance to shine. Harry was missing in this one. Sometimes in the series focused highly on the life and families of Jack's client, the killer, or prosectuor. (Speaking of, it was cool to see Abe Beckman again.) I think there was room for a couple scenes for a new reader to get a better picture of Jack's family, career, and great sense of humor. I've wondered before if this series has been victim to page count cuts. But this was a very action packed and serious novel that didn't leave a lot of room for banter. It was a thrill ride from start to finish and I think one of the better books from this later half of the series.

(NS)

 

January 19, 2021 - Staff Reviews

The Virgin and The Rogue

By Sophie Jordan

Release Date: April 28, 2020

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4867950

2.5 Stars - An interesting and somewhat unique romance from the Rogue series. Charlotte and Kingston make a formidable and enteraining pair. But a few description details threw me for a loop once reading, and I had some hang ups while enjoying this story. Jordan's characters are likable as always though. A quick and fun historical, possibly something a bit quirky for fans of the genre.

Possibly, I just have enjoyed Jordan's contemporary romances more. If I've read her historicals before, I simply don't rememebe. Kingston was not quite as hollow and/or broody as many historical romance "rogues". His concern for Charlotte came through as genuiene and sweet. Charlotte I struggled with more, perhaps because the description made me think I would relate as a boring, practical middle sister. I didn't see much evidence of that. Charlotte was certainly intriguing and had few dull moments in this story! Also the book was not tagged as a series and I did feel a little lost in relation to Charlotte's and her sisters and their relationships.

The next part might be considered spoiler-y. But I think I need to talk about it. The beginning third of so of the book focuses on Charlotte's reaction to an exlir and the subsequent results. The potion concocted for her by her sister unintentionally is portrayed as similar to a college girl popping ecstasy or something in a night club and jumping the next man she dirty dances with. But honestly, this whole deal confused me. Charlotte feels miserable physically but she can't resist (literally) Kingston? She and Kingston both reign in their self control just enough to keep her a virgin but go their semi separate ways? Not to mention the way her POV was written has me dizzy. This weird description style happened again when she has an anxiety attack trying on her wedding dress. Also how were we to believe Charlotte was mousy and boring? She tells us. Multiple times. I wanted to appreciate her struggle to break out of her logical side and fall in love with Kingston. But, I didn't really get the connection until long into the book.

(NS)