A New Year With Some New Books

Welcome January!

“ The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.” - Melody Beattie

Well folks can you believe it, the end of another year? We survived, and now let us focus on the new year ahead. Why not make a promise to yourself to try something new this year? Read a book out of your comfort zone or maybe do as I am doing now which is to choose an author and read as many of their books as you can.

My chosen author for January is Mary Kay Andrews and what an author she is! If you choose her list of books start with her Weezie and Bebe series Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze. They are two best friends who seem to somehow have the unfortunate luck of a mystery always surrounding them. They are a hilarious pair and Andrews can certainly bring out their characters in a way you can’t help but fall in love with. There are four books in this series.

I just finished Little Bitty Lies and I couldn’t put it down. Our character Mary Bliss thinks she has the perfect marriage, she can’t believe all the divorces and separations in her close neighborhood alone. Of course she loves to gossip as much as her best friend Katherine but when her husband Parker announces he has left her on a sticky note one morning her own world begins to fall apart. What will she tell people? Her husband would never do something like that. So she decides to start a little bitty lie…telling her daughter and everyone she knows that her husband is out of town on business and can’t be reached. But then she finds out he has absconded with all their money and savings, their home has a second mortgage taken out on it and her luxury cars have been sold. Her husband left all his business suits and took only tropical wear! Where is he? Then the bill collectors start calling and knocking, her husband is presumed dead or is he? And to top it all off ex-policeman turned private investigator Matt Hayslip shows up at her door with questions of his own. Please read this part heart-wrenching, part humor and plain ole’ southern mystery.

Hissy Fit: This Andrews novel is about Keeley Murdock who is engaged to A.J., the son of one of the most elite historical families in Madison Georgia. What a catch right? Well on the night of the rehearsal dinner she hears voices coming from the family board room so she carefully opens the door to find her hiccupping fiancé with her best friend Paige. She does what any fine bred southern girl would do…she throws a hissy fit. After she rips and tears through the rehearsal hall she precedes to the parking lot where she scratches her now ex-fiancé’s sports car with her keys. That will show him! She is an interior designer by trade running a family business with her aunt Gloria. After her ex-fiancé’s family blackballs them her only hope in keeping her business afloat is accepting a job of restoring an antebellum mansion for the new red haired stranger who just came to town! What’s his story? Can she re-do the mansion for him without losing her heart? Will she get the answers to the long ago question? What really happened to her mother? Be careful people what you start to uncover unless you actually want the truth to be exposed! Oh! It’s another good one.

I have also checked out The Fixer Upper and The High Tide Club (I’ll keep you posted on these two). Looks like lots of hot chocolate and cozy blanket time for me!

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If you enjoy suspense thrillers try our Tracker series written by Jeffrey Deaver. Our main character Colt Shaw is an ex-military guy who takes on jobs of finding people who are lost or missing. He encounters many hardships and unexpected turns with a host of characters all determined for him to fail on his mission. He must rely on his tracking instincts and try to become the person he is searching for predicting their moves until he can recover them and deliver them safely home. They are quite suspenseful, thought provoking and edge of the seat thrilling. I highly recommend this series especially if you are watching the hit show Tracker based on the books. Here are the books in order Book 1/ The Never Game, Book 2/ The Goodbye Man, Book 3/ Final Twist, Book 4/ Hunting Time, and Book 5/ South of Nowhere.

I just finished reading a children’s book A Cozy Winter Day by Eliza Wheeler. This would be the perfect book to check out and snuggle up to read to your little one. It’s about a little wooded village where Mama makes stew, Daddy makes bread and the little ones cozy up and make crafts. They all gather at the pond for ice skating followed by a bowl of hot stew. This little book is a gem and it will definitely make you want to get cozy. It’s available at our Sophia Library branch.

Remember if books aren’t your thing you can always pick up the latest issue of your favorite magazine like Pioneer Woman, Good Housekeeping or People. There’s always something for everyone at the Raleigh County Public Library and surrounding branches.

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People will I ever leave Nantucket?... I’m not sure. I try to check out other audios but I just can’t break up with Nantucket until I have exhausted every last Elin Hilderbrand audio. Here’s the crazy part…I’ve read all her books but by listening now I have a much better understanding on the characters I so loved on paper.

My DVD pick is I’ll Be Right There. It’s a comedy that follows a middle-aged woman who is navigating the challenges of her pregnant daughter’s wedding, her mom’s health problems, her son’s future and her own romantic issues. Edie Falco stars in this one and she brings to light all the many struggles and triumphs in our own lives we try to navigate each day. I hope you check this one out to watch this month.

Our craft this month is no-sew fleece throws:

Supplies Needed:

2 pieces of fleece 52”X 60”( Any color or pattern)

Scissors

Ruler

Instructions:

1. Line up the 2 pieces of fleece placing wrong sides together

2. Measure, mark , and cut a 4” square off each corner through both pieces

3. Measure, mark and cut 4” slits every 1” through both pieces

4. Tie each front fringe to the back fringe all around the throw using a double knot. Make sure not to tie too close or the blanket won’t lie flat.

Finish off your sweet throw and curl up with it all winter long or how about taking it to your local nursing home or assisted living facility? I know the residents just cherish these throws.

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Now let’s fix a couple soul warming recipes!

Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Recipe given to me by my sister Bebe)

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes (or more depending on your family size) cut into chunks

4 tbsp butter

2 carrots finely chopped

1 med onion finely chopped

1 stalk celery finely chopped

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small box Velveeta cheese (cut into pieces)

1 small box chopped broccoli (thawed and drained)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Over high heat bring to boil potatoes, carrots, celery, butter and onion, adding enough water to just cover. (you can also use chicken broth to boil your vegetables in , it adds more flavor.)

Boil until vegetables are just fork tender (don’t over- cook), then turn heat down to low/simmer. (Do not drain liquid)

Add the soups and stir thoroughly to combine. Add the cheese a few pieces at a time stirring between additions until all cheese is fully melted and incorporated.

Season with salt and pepper

Stir in thawed broccoli and simmer soup another 10-15 minutes so all flavors can blend, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Serve with piping hot Cheddar Chive Corn Muffins (recipe below)!

Cheddar Chive Corn Muffins Recipe (from Danelle American Cuisine)

Ingredients:

1 cup Flour

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 ½ tsps baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

4 tbsp butter softened

¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a muffin pan with liners

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, beat in the eggs, then stir in the milk, sour cream, cheese and chives.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Beat at low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan.

This recipe makes 1 dozen.

Dates to Remember:

New Year’s Day January 1, 2025

Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 20, 2025

Check out the RCPL website at rcplwv.org for New Year Programming for adults and children alike. There is plenty to do for all ages to keep you busy during these cold winter months.

Calendars for activities are posted on our website along with contact information, dates and times of programs.

Browse through the best seller and new DVD lists while you are there as well!

“January Brings the Snow,

Makes our Feet and Fingers Glow” - Sara Coleridge

Stay Cozy and Let it Snow!

The Bookmobile Lady

~The Bookmobile Lady~