Staff Picks - LibGuides at Boulder Public Library

To say Jennifer Murdley is unattractive would be an understatement, but as much she wishes to become beautiful it doesn't seem like her life will ever change... until one day she stumbles across a magic shop that will transform her life forever. Through unexpected twists and turns, Jennifer discovers that what's on the outside doesn't necessarily reflect what's truly important.

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Melissa recommends The Spellshop by Sara Beth Durst

The author says in the acknowledgements "I wanted to write a book that reads like drinking hot chocolate." I think this is the perfect description of The Spellshop. I was warmed and comforted from the first page to the last. Keila escapes a burning city and returns to the remote island that was her home. She thinks she is not lonely because she has her books, but bit by bit, cinnamon roll by patched roof, the people of the island welcome her back. They help her create a home and a found family that I want to visit and be a part of.Publisher's description:The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst's romantasy debut -- a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love. Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz--a magically sentient spider plant--have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire's most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city's elite. When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she'd see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy--and very handsome--neighbor who can't take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she's fed and to help fix up her new home. In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn't have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries. But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island's first-ever and much needed secret spellshop. Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.Find The Spellshop in our online catalog....

Abby recommends The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

One of my favorites from recent years, this book is classic Grady Hendrix. Suspenseful, very Southern, and a little gory (especially near the end), it is a yearly re-read for me. The audiobook is phenomenal too!Publisher's description:South Carolina in the '90s: a women's book club must protect its suburban community from a mysterious stranger who turns out to be a real monster.Find The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires in our online catalog...

Rachel recommends Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

Polly Perks lives in Borogravia, a country that has been ravaged by war for as long as she can remember. To find her missing brother, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the army, alone in her deception--or so she thinks. Pratchett's signature blend of humor and moving social analysis anchor this tale of what is means to really take pride in your country, and what it takes to fight against the status quo.Publisher’s description:In the small country of Borogravia, there are strict rules citizens must follow. Women belong in the kitchen-not in offices, pubs, nor pants. And certainly not on the front lines when war comes to Discworld. Polly Perks took over running her family's humble inn when her brother, Paul, marched off to war. But it's been more than two months since his last letter home, and the news from the front is bad. To find her missing brother, the resourceful Polly cuts off her hair and joins the army as a young man named Oliver. As Polly closely guards her secret, she notices that her fellow recruits seem to be guarding secrets of their own. And before they've learned to properly march, Polly and her fellow raw recruits find themselves in the thick of a losing battle. All they have on their side is the most artful sergeant in the army and a vampire with a lust for coffee. No matter, it's time to make a stand. . . . The Discworld novels can be read in any order but Monstrous Regiment is a standalone.Find Monstruous Regiment in our online catalog....

Juliana recommends The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Women follows Frances, a fictional character representing many women whose Vietnam War service went unrecognized. It focuses on overcoming trauma, the importance of sisterhood, and giving voice to the forgotten. Fans of The Nightingale will likely enjoy The Women.Publisher's description:Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.Find The Women in our online catalog....

Maria recommends Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville