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Book Review: One Great Lie

One Great Lie by Deb Caletti

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One Great Lie by Deb Caletti is the story of Charlotte, a high school student in the United States who earns a scholarship for a writing program in Italy with one of her favorite writers. Charlotte has always been passionate about writing and literature, especially since she wants to learn more about one of her ancestors, Isabella di Angelo, who also wrote poetry. At the time Isabella di Angelo lived, many women were wrongfully accused of many things and much of their work was taken credit by men. This book really uncovers the mistreatment of women like her as Charlottle explores Italy. Meanwhile, she also learns more about the writer running the writing program, Luca Bruni. This book discusses many serious and difficult topics as Charlotte goes through many obstacles, but also gains new friendships and knowledge.

I enjoyed the growth of Charlotte and how she learns to handle different situations throughout this novel. However, the tone seems unsure making the storyline confusing and difficult to follow. But overall, it was interesting to follow this mystery and see how the characters learn and grow through all the twists in turns. I would give this book a 7/10. I think people who enjoy mysteries and realistic fiction would find this a decent read!

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 5/24/21

Library Latest – May 18, 2021

Looking for some inspo for your (it FINALLY feels like) spring cleaning? Look no further than these helpful reads.

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Home Comforts: eBook

Zero Waste Home: eBookaudiobook

Outer Order, Inner Calm: eBook | audiobook

The Home Edit: eBook

Sustainable Home: eBook

The Complete Book of Clean: eBook 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: eBook | audiobook

 

The Story Begins

This teaser was written by Hannah Lee, Theme Master for the 2021 D&D Super Dungeon. For details concerning the upcoming Super Dungeon, visit our web page.

First, they crawled out of the sea, weak limbs adapting to their first steps, ears twitching against the wind’s whispers,  eyes wincing and delicate skin peeling from the sun’s unfiltered spears cast through a vast blue sky. They could not speak then, but there was a touch of the magic on them already, a frail connection to a creature they only dreamed of in the dark chill of night: a vast slumbering beast beneath the deepest crevasse of the ocean.

These dreams changed as they changed. Some lost their scales and grew feathers. Some bristled with sparse hair, then grew sleek and slender to match the lengths of shadows beneath their forest homes. Generations passed and the touch of magic that made them look at the world with terror and emotion eventually saturated into their bones and brains and gave them… words.

Captivated by the power and beauty of their own forms, they found new ways to explain their own beginnings: a white bull mother crested out of the ocean waves, a cackling goddess with long fingers and the glint of dice between them, a moving speck of light that cast life into each animal and tree and rock to watch them grow. The stories they told entangled with their connection to the old one’s magic and gave shape to gods with freedom and wills of their own. These gods loved the storytelling mortals, but felt danger in every passing moment–a danger they could not explain, but threaded into their very existence. This fear brought them to open portals into the chaos beyond the Material Plane and create their own safe havens, their own children, their own worlds. Tenuously, they siphoned power and gave back only what the storytelling mortals asked of them. They needed that power, they reasoned.

They needed to save it for themselves.

For deep beneath the surface of this new and shining world, the old one slept. And as long as the old one slept, there was always a chance he’d wake.

Until the day the Six came into being–and everything began to die.

Library Latest – May 11, 2021

Like the song says – Brush Up Your Shakespeare! with one of these Shakespeare remixed novels. From Pulitzer Prize winners to Oprah’s Book Club picks, there’s a new twist on a twice-told tale for everyone.

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Mama Day: eBook

A Thousand Acres: eBook | audiobook

The Dead Fathers Club: audiobook

Vinegar Girl: eBook | audiobook

The Last True Poets of the Sea: eBook | audiobook

Hag-Seed: eBook | audiobook

The Gap of Time: eBook | audiobook

 

 

Library Latest – May 4, 2021

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate with some (or all!) of these Own Voices stories, histories, and memoirs.

Fiction

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Memoir

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Nonfiction

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Sansei and Sensibility: eBook

How Much of These Hills is Gold: eBook | audiobook

Interior Chinatown: eBook | audiobook

Bestiary: eBook

The Last Story of Mina Lee: eBook | audiobook

My Year Abroad: eBook | audiobook

First Comes Like: eBook | audiobook

Not Quite Not White: eBook

Dear Girls: eBook | audiobook 

All You Can Ever Know: eBook | audiobook 

Minor Feelings: eBook | audiobook 

We Too Sing America: eBook

 

 

Library Latest – April 20, 2021

He’s got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a recipient of Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, a GLAAD Award winner, and NASA named an asteroid after him. That’s right, today is lovely human George Takei’s 84th birthday! Check out some highlights from his astonishing career.

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Prefer digital options? Get those here…

They Called Us Enemy: eBook

To the Stars: audiobook

To Be Takei: movie

Library Latest – April 13,2021

Got a favorite classic story? Instead of (another) rereading, why not try one of these retellings!

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Pride: eBook | audiobook

Fingersmith: eBook | audiobook

Anna K: eBook | audiobook

When She Woke: eBook | audiobook

The Silence of the Girls: eBook | audiobook

Home Fire: eBook | audiobook

The Penelopiad: eBook

Hausfrau: eBook | audiobook

Boy, Snow, Bird: eBook | audiobook

Shylock Is My Name: audiobook

The Gap of Time: eBook | audiobook

Book Review: Queen’s Peril

Queen’s Peril by E.K. Johnston

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I want to start this off by saying I am not a huge fan of Star Wars. I have nothing against it, I am just not a person who knows a ton about it. So I was really curious how I would like this book, considering it is set in the Star Wars universe, which I do not know a lot about, and how much I would feel like I understood it.

This book is about 14-year old Padmé, the newly elected queen posing as Amidala. Panake, her Royal Guard, has found her a handmaid, a girl names Tsabin. Tsabin looks very similar to Padmé, which is the reason Panake chose her. Panake’s plan is for Tsabin to be Padmé’s body double, in case of any danger that may arise. However, Padmé points out that having only one double wouldn’t work very well, as it would be suspicious if the “queen” was left all alone. Because of this, Panake agrees to try and find more doubles. Eventually, he finds 4 more doubles, and Padmé and the group start to get closer. Padmé plans to host a summit, and she informs Senator Palpatine of her plan (spoiler alert- he’s evil). The girls later sneak out to a party, and Sabé ends up having to pretend to be Padmé because Padmé gets glitter on her hand that won wash off. Sabé then gets mad at Padmé because Padmé offended Harli while posing as Sabé, and Harli got angry with Sabé. But will the girls be able to bond together as true danger approaches? Read the book to find out!

I ended up really liking this book, for multiple reasons. First of all, I think Padmé’s character was similar to how a 14-year-old would act, and I think the author did a great job creating the characters. Additionally, the storyline was really interesting in my opinion. I was able to understand (most of) it despite not knowing a ton about Star Wars. Last but not least, I loved that there were multiple strong female characters in the story, but it wasn’t mentioned too many times that they were girls. I liked the fact that they were powerful as a female, and it wasn’t their biggest characteristic. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Star Wars, books about adventure, and books with strong female characters. 

Library Latest – April 6, 2021

April is Earth Month! Take some time to delve into the inextricable relationship between humans and our planet with any one (or more!) of these compelling titles.

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Braiding Sweetgrass: eBook | audiobook

Under a White Sky: eBook | audiobook

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference: eBook | audiobook

Nature’s Best Hope: eBook | audiobook

The Story of More: eBook

Late Migrations: eBook

The Botany of Desire: eBook | audiobook

Climate Justice: audiobook

Revisions to Service

Updated  4/5/21

We are proud to announce that we are ready to allow patrons back into the Library. Beginning April 5th, holds pickup will now be back inside the Library. As before, adult and teen holds can be picked up at our Main Circulation desk, while Children’s holds can be picked up in the Jane Gray Dustan Children’s Room. Patrons will be allowed to pick up museum passes on hold in the Reference Room too. Additionally, we’ll be offering 45-minute computer appointments, including the use of the printers and photocopiers. You can learn more about that here.

Everyone must wear a mask covering their nose and mouth when they are in the building and maintain 6 feet of distance with others. This is non-negotiable. If you are unable to wear a mask for health reasons, we completely understand, and in those cases we’ll be willing to serve you outside of the Library. For anyone unwilling to comply with the mask protocol, we’ll be calling the Belmont Police Department to come down and help educate citizens on the importance of this town wide mandate. 

Pickup and computer use hours are as follows:

  • Monday – Wednesday: 9:00am – 6:00pm 
  • Thursday: 11:00am – 6:00pm 
  • Friday and Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Available virtually 24/7/365: We will continue to offer our digital library from the comfort of your home. Our Reference Librarians will be available via live chat, email, and phone to help you with reference questions during operating hours.

Don’t forget, we also are offering a slate of online programs via Zoom, which are free to all. This month we are featuring the 2nd  and final month of our Community Read “Better Through Books: Healing Community Together.” For this final month of the program, we’ll focus on wellness as part of our overarching theme on healing. 

Kind regards, 

Peter J. Struzziero
Library Director

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