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Herbal Handbook by New York Botanical Garden

Title:  Herbal Handbook
Author: New York Botanical Garden
Review: This is a great little guide to garden herbs! I love the little tidbits of information such as Victorian language of flowers, and where the plant originates from. Also there are little recipes. 
Review by:  Kiana
Title:  Herbal HandbookAuthor: New York Botanical GardenReview: This is a great little guide to garden herbs! I love the little tidbits of information such as Victorian language of flowers, and where the plant originates from. Also there are little recipes. 
Review by:  Kiana
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Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix

Title:  Terciel & Elinor
Author: Garth Nix
Review: This book has all of my favorite elements: magical plots, romance, mystery, and, most importantly of all— Mogget the cat! It was such a joy to read about how Sabriel’s parents met, as well as the details of their own individual life stories, and I particularly enjoyed Terciel’s characterization and his approach towards being the Abhorsen-in-waiting.    Review by:  Jo
Title:  Terciel & ElinorAuthor: Garth NixReview: This book has all of my favorite elements: magical plots, romance, mystery, and, most importantly of all— Mogget the cat! It was such a joy to read about how Sabriel’s parents met, as well as the details of their own individual life stories, and I particularly enjoyed Terciel’s characterization and his approach towards being the Abhorsen-in-waiting.   
Review by:  Jo
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The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore


Title:  The Woman They Could Not Silence
Author: Kate Moore
Review: This biography is absolutely fascinating! Written in novel form based on well-researched articles and journal entries, Moore introduces us to Elizabeth Packard, a mother whose intelligence and boldness landed her in an insane asylum. Packard is now remembered as an advocate for the rights of women and those accused of insanity. I highly recommend!    Review by:  Bethany
Title:  The Woman They Could Not SilenceAuthor: Kate MooreReview: This biography is absolutely fascinating! Written in novel form based on well-researched articles and journal entries, Moore introduces us to Elizabeth Packard, a mother whose intelligence and boldness landed her in an insane asylum. Packard is now remembered as an advocate for the rights of women and those accused of insanity. I highly recommend!   
Review by:  Bethany
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What We Talk about When We Talk about Books by Leah Price

 

Title:  What We Talk about When We Talk about Books
Author: Leah Price
Review: 
When it comes to books and reading, is the way you read just as important as what you are reading?  Does the physical format of the book make a difference?
Review by:  Ben

Title:  What We Talk about When We Talk about BooksAuthor: Leah PriceReview: When it comes to books and reading, is the way you read just as important as what you are reading?  Does the physical format of the book make a difference?

Review by:  Ben

 

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One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

Title:  One Italian Summer 

Author: Rebecca Serle

Review: This is a wonderful read!! Katy is devastated when her mom dies. She does not know how to handle the pain, how to go on. She decides to take the Italian trip her and her mother were supposed to take. Next is a magical experience that she was not prepared for. She meets her mom! A young healthy alive free sprite. This book is a adventure, self discovery and romance all in one. 

Review by:  Julie

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Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

 

Title:  Love & Saffron 

Author: Kim Fay

Review:

Two friends, two very different ages, living states away stay in touch with each other over the years though hand written letters. Their correspondence is heartwarming. If you like books about food and friendships, this book is for you!

Review by:  Jan

 

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The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Title:  The Witness for the Dead

Author: Katherine Addison

Review: This return to the world of the Goblin Emperor absolutely blew me away! This unique story has it all: a murder mystery,  a journey of self-discovery, phenomenal world-building, and a genuinely kind, caring main character. I absolutely adored Thara Celehar in the Goblin Emperor!

Review by:  Jo

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The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte P. Gilman

Title:  The Yellow Wallpaper

Author: Charlotte P. Gilman

Review:

I thought this classic short story was absolutely fascinating, in a slightly terrifying sense. In diary-entry format, we watch as a young mother suffering from depression is slowly driven mad. Written as a critique of “rest cure” often prescribed to women in the 1800s, Gilman’s most famous work is a chilling one to remember.

Review by:  Bethany

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Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese

Title:  Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide

Author: John Cleese

Review:

John Cleese of Monty Python fame, writes some effective ideas for anyone trying to be creative.  This handy pocket size is perfect to carry along to inspire you wherever you go.

Review by:  Ben

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Shady Hollow by Juneau Black

Title:  Shady Hollow

Author: Juneau Black

Review:

Shady hallow is a wonderful village where the forest animals live together joyfully and in peace . Or is it??? One morning the village grumpy toad is found dead in the pond.  Arriving on the case, the newspaper reporter Vera Vixin . Vera knows she can solve the case, but will she out-fox  the killer before she is there next victim?

This is a quick and fun mystery that is a treat to read.

Review by:  Julie

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99% Invisible City by Roman Mars

Title:  99% Invisible City              

Author: Roman Mars

Review:

Following up on the 99% Invisible podcast, this book takes a look at some of the things we walk past every day and may not notice.  You might not think that city infrastructure is an interesting topic, but dig just a little under the surface and there are fascinating stories to discover.

Review by:  Ben

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Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

Title:  Empire of the Vampire

Author: Jay Kristoff

Review: Recently, I was looking for a seasonally-appropriate epic fantasy read, and Empire of the Vampire popped up on my radar as an upcoming release, so I picked it up! Suffice it to say, I finished it in under three days. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s the perfect blend of excellent world-building, compelling characters, and a strong story, and the gorgeous illustrations by Bon Orthwick included between every few chapters add a lot of great content that captivates your attention and explores the characters and settings in such a fun way. If you’re looking for an engaging dark fantasy story, this is a must-read!

Review by:  Jo

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Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Title:  Under the Whispering Door 

Author: TJ Klune

Review:

Under the Whispering Door follows Wallace, a recently-deceased man, on his journey of processing the details of his life and the circumstances of his death itself, with the assistance of the Reaper Mei and Hugo, the ferryman meant to guide him into the afterlife. The setting of this book is absolutely lovely; I can think of no better place than a tea shop for this story to take place in. All in all, Under the Whispering Door is an absolutely beautiful book that radiates warmth and will make you laugh, cry, and probably feel all the better about life once you’ve finished it.

Review by:  Jo

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Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Title:  Tales from the Cafe

Author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Review:

What if you could go back in time?? In a small little cafe off a side street you can get a cup of coffee and a trip back in time.. There are rules though, don’t break the rules, this book weaves 4 peoples stories together it  will leave you tearful, joyful and wanting a cup of coffee..

Review by:  Julie

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Gastro Obscura by Cecily Wong & Dylan Thuras

Title:  Gastro Obscura

Author: Cecily Wong & Dylan Thuras

Review:

Food lovers and travel adventurers rejoice! This book is for you all! What a gem of a book. Treasure after treasure on every page. Unimaginable taste delights...and taste adventures! Fluffy Beer, Spit Roasted Cake, Bouncy Meatballs...What?!?! Not to mention the incredible photos. Look no further for the perfect gift. Gastro Obscura has arrived.

Review by:  Jan

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Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Title:  Iron Widow

Author: Xiran Jay Zhao

Review:

A reimagined telling of China's only female emperor, in a fantasy setting. Zetian is a young woman set on revenge for her sister's murder. She joins the army as a concubine pilot of a Chrysalis, huge machines powered by the qi of the male and female pilots. Will she get her revenge? What secrets will she uncover along the way?

Review by:  Kiana

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Apples Never Fall by Liane Moiarty

Title:  Apples Never Fall

Author: Liane Moiarty

Review:

Fans of Liane Moiarty books will not be disappointed.  Her latest release is my favorite! A well written, suspenseful page turner. I loved it until the very last word.

Review by:  Jan

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The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Title:  The Priory of the Orange Tree

Author: Samantha Shannon

Review:

The Priory of the Orange Tree is an epic, loose re-telling of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. It has a great cast of strong female characters in a complex and well-designed world, as well as a beautiful, slow-burn romance. If you are intimidated by the size of this book, don't be! The story is enthralling and absolutely worthy of your time.

Review by:  Jo

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Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

Title:  Pathfinder

Author: Orson Scott Card


Review:
Deep in space Ram Odin is piloting a starship full of frozen colonizers to a planet far away from earth. He is hoping to jump through a fold in space-time and cut 900 years off the journey, but this has never been done before. There's no guarantee it will work. What if something goes wrong?

Review by:  Kiana

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New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton

Title:  The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes

Author: Sam Sifton

Review:

What a fun cookbook to have by my side as I decide what to cook next! It's just what I have been wanting for years. Page after page of fabulous dishes made just by grabbing ingredients from my pantry, tossing them together and ending up with a terrific dish. SO many great ideas!  I LOVE this book.

Review by:  Jan

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