If you love books about fairies, Disney, the movie Pinocchio, magic, adventure, family, friendship, love, and fantasy, I highly recommend you checking out “When You Wish Upon A Star” By Elizabeth Lim. This is another great Disney Twisted Tales series I have read along with other ones I have checked out in the past. This…
If you love music, classical music, and the composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, I would highly suggest you read this Why Beethoven: A Phenomenon in One Hundred Pieces! This is a great music history book that dives into the stories behind Beethoven’s musical compositions that the author discusses in the book. Norman Lebrecht reveals through Beethoven’s…
If you enjoy stories involving magic, spooky tales, seances, adventure, etc. you need to check this book out! This was a great middle school children’s book that had all of the above mentioned with so many twists and turns that I could not put this book down and had to finish it in one sitting!…
If you are a big fan of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner , and historical fiction I would highly suggest checking out Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb. I am a big fan of Frank Sinatra and love the era of classic Hollywood so I had to read this book…
I have been wanting to read Anatomy: A Love Story for a while on my To-Read List and finally have gotten the chance to check this one out and this was a wonderful Young Adult Historical Fiction book I have read in quite some time! The story is set in early 19th century Edinburgh, Scotland…
If you are a big music history and opera fan I would highly recommend reading the book “Opera: The Definitive Illustrated Story” By Alan Riding. As a big opera lover I really loved reading this book. It took me into the history and world of opera that dates back to its origin in 17th-century Italy…
The Wicked Ones is a Disney young adult book that tells the backstory of Cinderella’s stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella. The book gives us a glimpse into what caused them to become the stepsisters we know from the movie Cinderella. The book starts off when Drizella and Anastasia are young girls and their father mysteriously leaves…
Leech is a gothic science fiction horror story that is about a young doctor from the Interprovincial Medical Institute that takes on a mysterious medical case at an isolated chateau after the baron’s former physician passes away suddenly. The young doctor will take on a challenging assignment at the baron’s chateau due to a mysterious…
National Poetry Month was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996 to celebrate the integral role of poets and poetry in our culture. One of the ways we are celebrating National Poetry Month at the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers is through this discovery list of our favorite poetry collections and poems.…
If you are looking for a delicious Vietnamese restaurant I highly suggest you visit CaliBasil in North Beverly, MA. This hidden gem is located in the Shaws and Panera Bread plaza off of Route 1A. CaliBasil offers a variety of great Vietnamese cuisine ranging from warm Phos to banh mi sandwiches. They also have incredible…
When I saw this book in the catalog I had to place this one on hold to read and check out. I read the prequel to this book which is called The Daughter of the Moon Goddess. The Daughter of the Moon Goddess was an excellent read if you are interested in checking that one…
If you love Thai food or looking for something new to try to eat, you need to visit a local restaurant in the heart of downtown Danvers called Sawasdee Danvers. This is a wonderful small restaurant that has excellent food, great staff, and a relaxing atmosphere to sit down to enjoy a meal with your…
Heart of The Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin is forced to flee again and venture to the Immortal Realm where she and her companions encounter legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs. Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch Willow and Mason, two teens who…
Based on a true story, The Forty Elephants takes the reader into the dark underworld of 1920’s London and the all girl gang called the “Forty Elephants” whom the main character Alice Diamond becomes part of. In the beginning of the book we meet Alice who is struggling to support her family, survive the world…
This gothic chilling ghost story tells about the eccentric Winterbourne Hall that resides in the English countryside in Cornwall by the sea. The book is set in time periods in 1947 Cornwall and present day New York City. We are introduced to Alice Miller in the beginning of the story where she discovers a job…
This was such a great, charming, and sweet romantic young adult graphic novel that had all the feels and an amazing storyline. Crumbs is about a teen named Ray who is a seer that is trying to figure out her place in the world as well as work on her magical powers she has been…
The Lost Summers of Newport is a historical fiction that tells the stories of three women who encounter the gilded mansions of Newport, RI and the secrets and lives of the rich who resided in these magnificent homes . The book focuses on three main characters Andie, Ellen, and Lucia “Lucky: who live in different…
The Great Passion by James Runcie is an excellent book I highly recommend reading and checking out. The book is set in early 18th century Leipzig, Germany where 13-year old Stefan has just lost his mother due to illness. Stefan’s father decides to send him to a school in Leipzig to help him cope with…
Little Souls by Sandra Dallas This historical fiction book is set in 1918 Denver, Colorado during World War I and the Great Spanish Influenza. The book focuses on two sisters named Helen and Lutie who have moved from Iowa to start a new life in Denver after the death of their parents. Helen is a…
Cinder & Glass is a retold of the classic fairytale of Cinderella. The story is set in the late 17th century in the court of the king of France. Cendrillon de Louvois the main character in the story has a lot of beauty, charm, etc. compared to the other ladies in the king’s court and…
Cuphead, Volume 1: Comic Capers & Curios by Zack Keller This graphic novel is a series of short stories and adventures of Cuphead and Mugman as they encounter old friends, enemies, shenanigans , thrills, and fun. The comics reflect the vintage animation of the popular video and computer game of Cuphead. The illustrations are amazing and…
Ari Reviews The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress By Ariel Lawhon I enjoyed reading this book very much. The story is set in 1920’s and 1930’s New York that focuses on three main characters Stella Crater the wife of Judge Crater, Maria the Crater’s Maid, and Judge Crater’s mistress Ritzi that are in a…
The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book: From Lefou’s Brew to the Jedi Mind Trick, 100+ Magical Disney-Inspired Drinks by Ashley Craft. As a Disney lover when I saw this book in the new nonfiction display I knew I had to check this one out to bring home to try out the recipes. This book…
I highly recommend this nonfiction book and it was an interesting read to learn about the life of Empress Maria Theresa and her three daughters that includes Marie Antoinette, queen of France. Nancy Goldstone did an amazing job in how she wrote the book and laid out each chapter relating to a particular topic about…
Are you looking for some spooky movies and books to read this month to countdown to Halloween? Here are my favorite movies and books to watch and read for the month of Halloween! Movies to Watch Addams Family Values Clue The Nightmare Before Christmas BeetleJuice Sleepy Hollow Corpse Bride Crimson Peak Frankenstein The Shining Nosferatu…
If you love historical fiction and a storyline that reflects hope, romance, mystery, and a wonderful set of characters in the book, I highly recommend The Lions of Fifth Avenue. This book is set in two time periods that focus on two female main characters that tell their stories and is set at the beautiful…
I came across this book at my other job while working in Tech Services and it caught my eye. I had to check this book out to read during the summer as one of my summer to read books. Clash focuses on two main characters in the story Olive and the new girl Natasha who…
I enjoyed reading this book. I could not put this book down and as a historical fiction book lover this one I highly recommend for those who love historical fiction. The Social Graces takes you into 1870’s New York City during the Gilded Age that focuses on the Vanderbilts and Astors in the book. It…
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a very haunting, magical, and spooky story. Hester Fox did an amazing job in combining the spooky and gothic touch with the paranormal in this book. The story takes place in 1840’s Boston, Massachusetts where two sisters Tabby and Alice escape from their relatives to seek…
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a children’s fantasy book that will take young readers into a world of gods, monsters, villains, and heroic folklore legends. The story tells of a seventh grader named Tristan Strong who feels horrible in not being able to save his best friend Eddie during a bus…
Stepsister is a dark version of the tale of Cinderella that is told from the viewpoint of the stepsister named Isabelle. Isabelle does not have the qualities compared to Cinderella with beauty, grace, kindness, etc. Isabelle tries to deceit the prince to claim him when she removes her own toes to fit in Cinderella’s glass…
The Downstairs Girl is set in 19th century Atlanta, Georgia that tells the story about a young seventeen-year-old girl named Jo Kuan. Jo and her guardian Old Gin live secretly under Mr. Bell’s house who is a publisher for the newspaper called “The Focus” that is not doing so well with publications and public interest.…
I Love You So Mochi tells the story of a Japanese American girl named Kimi Nakamura who is a senior in high school. Kimi feels uncertain about her future goals and whether she wants to attend art school after high school to become a painter like her mom. Kimi feels frustrated and often clashes with…
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk – Kelli Estes “Inspired by true events, Kelli Estes’s brilliant and atmospheric debut serves as a poignant tale of two women determined to do the right thing, and the power of our own stories. The smallest items can hold centuries of secrets… Inara Erickson is exploring her deceased aunt’s…
The book tells the story of a woman named Mrs. Goldman who loves to knit hats for everyone in the neighborhood. Sophia is one of the neighbors who helps Mrs. Goldman out in making the pom-poms since she feels knitting is a hard task. Mrs. Goldman herself does not have a hat of her own…
The Figaro Trilogy caught my eye when I was doing some browsing in the Comcat Catalog about music/operas and I came across this title. Beaumarchais’s book discusses the history and social background of the 18th century world behind the plays: The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, and The Guilty Mother. I never knew…
I am a big fan of Adriana Trigiani’s books. When I came across this book at the library I had to read it this one to add to my list of books to read by her. The book is set in late 1940’s South Philadelphia after World War II. The main character Nicky Castone is…