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Cozy and Clever Books for Teens and Adults
During uncertain times, there’s something reassuring about a cozy book. But even better than a cozy book is a cozy, clever book with bits that’ll make you laugh out loud as you settle deeper into your armchair. Here are some favorite cozy clever reads across several genres, suitable for older teen to adult readers. Check your shelves or find these online through your library’s digital ebook collection or Amazon. Cozy fantasies: Take Patricia Wrede’s The Raven Ring or W. R. Gingell’s Masque. They’re cozy and clever. Each has an element of mystery, ironically. Masque is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with the mystery involving string of murders. In…
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The Refrain Within by Liz Tolsma
God Will Provide The Refrain Within by Liz Tolsma is a heart-wrenching Christian historical novel set in Hungary in 1944 at the height of the Nazi occupation. It is the third book in the Music Of Hope series but can be read as a stand-alone. We witness the bravery of those who do what they […]
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The Marriage Of Innis Wilkinson by Lauren H Brandenburg
The Truth Will Set You Free The Marriage Of Innis Wilkinson by Lauren H Brandenburg is an entertaining contemporary novel. It is the sequel to The Death Of Mungo Blackwell but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed catching up with familiar characters. The feud between the Blackwells and the Tofts continues with each […]
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On the Horizon by Lois Lowry
On the Horizon recalls two pivotal events of World War II through the eyes of witnesses, victims, and two children who would meet much later. On the Horizon: World War II Reflections by Lois Lowry, illustrated by Kenard Pak. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020, 71 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, 8-10 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Lois Lowry’s father was a Navy surgeon. Some her earliest memories are of the years he was stationed in Honolulu in the years just before the event known as Pearl Harbor. She remembers playing on the beach with her grandmother as her dad took home movies with an old Bell & Howell. Years later, when visiting…
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One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan
Never Too Late One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan is a most delightful contemporary festive offering that will have you longing for snow covered hills and log fires. The novel is about families. They come in all sorts of sizes and shapes – some are loving, others are fractured. We parent the best we […]
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The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby
Mesmerising The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby is a beautiful novel about love, exploration and discovering yourself. It is a very unique read and a fabulous debut novel. The action begins in October 1987 – A date I remember well due to the infamous weather forecast by the BBC’s Michael Fish. We follow a young […]
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When The Music Stops by Joe Heap
Of Memories And Love When The Music Stops by Joe Heap is a beautiful contemporary novel about life with its loves and losses. The story has a serene atmosphere as we see the life an octogenarian has lived. The novel alternates between present day and significant events in her past. The stories are linked by […]
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*Through the Wardrobe by Lina Maslo.
This C.S. Lewis biography, accessible to 5-year-olds, includes fascinating details for Narnia fans of all ages *Through the Wardrobe: How C. S. Lewis Created Narnia by Lina Maslo. Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins), 2020, 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 5-10 The second son born to Albert and Florence Lewis decided at the age of 4 that he would be called “Jack,” not Clive Staples. Besides strong opinions, he had a lively imagination and loved making up imaginary worlds with his older brother. In his pleasantly cluttered Belfast home, one piece of furniture that loomed large was the double-doored wardrobe that had been carved by the…
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Together By Christmas by Karen Swan
Best Friends Together By Christmas by Karen Swan is a powerful contemporary novel about friends, fear and relationships. Good friends are hard to come by. Some are far closer than family. There are some loyal friendships within the novel. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. A close bond between war correspondents has broken down […]
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Little Bird by Cynthia Voigt
Little Bird, a young crow, embarks on a quest that will expand her world and reward her curious mind. Little Bird by Cynthia Voigt, Illustrated by Lynn Rae Perkins. Greenvillow, 2020, 319 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 5-10 as a read-aloud; 8-10 independently Little Bird has one job: to protect the fledglings of her home nest. But sometimes threats come from more than one direction. The day of the hawk, the cats, and the fisher brought the loss of one baby crow. But even worse, the theft of Our Luck: the bright, shiny string woven into the nest as long as Little Bird could recall.…
