Librarians read…a lot!
And since we read so much, we’re uniquely qualified to recommend books that we think others might enjoy. Here are some of the books that we’re reading right now that we think would be worth your time to consider.
Comida Casera
Author:
Dora Ramirez
“Comida Casera is the cookbook I wish I had when I first stopped eating meat in 2015. At the time, there were hardly any resources on adapting Mexican cuisine to a vegan diet, and it was quite difficult for me to make the transition. My cookbook is a love letter to my country and my people. It is a book that honors traditional Mexican flavors and techniques, but relies on the immense world of plants to do so. Plant-based eating continues to trend, but there’s still a sense that giving up animal products means giving up your favorite family and cultural foods. Bilingual, Mexican-born chef, writer, and founder of dorastable.com, Dora Stone keenly felt that when she decided to go vegan for health reasons. But once she started reinventing her favorite recipes, she realized that plant-based ingredients can actually enhance the dishes. Now in Comida Casera, Dora shares her fresh take on traditional cuisine in chapters devoted to everything from tamales to mole, favorite home comfort foods to fine dining. From Indigenous recipes created in partnership with cocineras tradicionales to Mexico’s markets and street vendors, Comida Casera is a delicious love letter to food and culture, celebrating the interconnectedness of both through a plant-based lens. With recipes for: Almond Queso Fresco, Green Chilaquiles, Chilorio Burritos, Pumpkin Seed Enchiladas, Mushroom Chorizo, Porcini Mushroom Chicharrones, Al Pastor Tacos, Mushroom Carnitas Tacos, Bean and Nopal Tostadas, Potato and Poblano Stuffed Corn Cakes, Mole Poblano Enchiladas, Pumpkin Seed Green Mole, Jackfruit Pozole Rojo, Tres Leches Cake, Vanilla Flan, and more!” -Provided by publisher.
Leave only footprints: my Acadia-to-Zion journey through every national park
Author:
Conor Knighton
“The Emmy-winning CBS Sunday Morning correspondent chronicles his year traveling to every one of our National Parks, discovering the most beautiful places and most interesting people that America has to offer. When Conor Knighton decided to spend a year wandering through America’s “best idea,” he was worried the whole thing might end up being his worst idea. But after a broken engagement and a broken heart, Conor desperately needed a change of scenery. The ambitious plan he cooked up went a bit overboard in that department; Knighton set out to visit every single one of America’s National Parks, from Acadia to Zion. Leave Only Footprints is the memoir of his year spent traveling across the United States, a journey that yielded his “On the Trail” series, which quickly became one of CBS Sunday Morning’s most beloved segments. In this smart, informative, and entertaining book, he shares how his journey through these natural wonders ended up changing his worldview on everything from God and love to politics and technology. Whether he’s waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway, Knighton goes behind the scenery to provide an unfiltered look at our country. In doing so, he reveals the unforgettable stories behind the often beautiful, always fascinating lands that all Americans share.” – Provided by publisher.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Author:
Sangu Mandanna
“Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her great-aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…. Enter Luke Larsen, a handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing. Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone…and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.” -Publisher.
Guardian Herd: Starfire
Author:
Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
“The first book in a gripping new tween fantasy series about winged horses. Once every hundred years, a black pegasus foal is born, prophesied to either unite or destroy the five herds of flying horses that live in Anok–fated to become the most powerful pegasus in all of the land. Star is this black foal. Even though Star has malformed wings that make him unable to fly, the leaders of each herd will take no risks and want to execute Star before his first birthday. With the help of his friends, Star must escape the clutches of the powerful leaders, and his epic journey of self-discovery turns into a battle between good and evil that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
Curious Minds
Author:
Janet Evanovich
Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and (some people might say) handsome, or he’d probably be homeless. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight. What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold, and a life-and-death race across the country. Through the streets of Washington, D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it.
