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Air date: June 15, 2025
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JESSICA:
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.
Today's two reading recommendations are a thriller and a fantasy romance.
First, we’re going to hear from Jennifer, library associate at the Camano Island Library, for a story that asks “How would you live your life if you thought you knew how it would end? Go ahead, Jennifer.
JENNIFER:
A short flight from Hobart to Sydney Australia became turbulent in an unusual way. In Liane Moriarty’s novel, “Here One Moment,” a trance-like passenger, who later gets the name “The Death Lady,” walks down the aisle after takeoff, pointing at passengers declaring the age they will be when they die, and the cause of death. Some receive a long life with a gentle passing in their sleep. Others receive a shock when the age isn’t so far off, and the cause of death is disturbing: self-harm, or death by intimate partner. That prediction was directed at a young bride who was off to celebrate her honeymoon with her new husband. Is the honeymoon ruined? Marriage doomed? The most heart wrenching prediction for me was for a little boy. This is the only one where the Death Lady shows any emotion. She is sad when she points at him and says, “age seven, drowning.”
After the flight some of the Death Lady’s predictions come true. Through social media the search begins among passengers to identify this woman.
In the novel, the reader learns about the Death Lady, and her life as the daughter of a fortune teller. Was she a fraud? Legit? Either way it was embarrassing for her to grow up with a fortune teller mom. Can you imagine?
I highly recommend this novel by Liane Moriarty. If you’ve never listened to an audiobook before, this would be a perfect novel to try it out. The actor’s voice is compelling and entrances listeners into the lives of the characters.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Jennifer! That sounds absolutely gripping.
Next, let’s hear about a magical story of rare spells, from Jay, librarian at the Freeland Library. Take it away, Jay.
JAY:
“The Spellshop“ made me smile, which is surprising considering that it starts with the burning of a library. In this romantic fantasy, Kiela leads a quiet life as a librarian in The Great Library of Alyssium. She is so absorbed in her work that she is caught unawares when the monarchy falls, and the city is burnt by rebels. She escapes with her assistant, a sentient spider plant named Caz, and several crates of rescued and/or stolen spellbooks.
They run to her childhood home on the remote island of Caltrey. Desperately just wanting to hide, Kiela soon realizes that to survive, she will need to interact with other people. Despite rusty social skills, she makes friends in the village and even gets unasked for assistance from her kind and handsome neighbor, Larren. Yes, he’s the love interest and a reminder that the ability to build bookshelves is a good way to ingratiate yourself.
Despite the turmoil, Kiela is beginning to thrive. The same cannot be said for Caltrey and its inhabitants. Kiela wants to use the spells to help her neighbors. However, unofficial spellcasting is strictly prohibited and punishment, if caught, severe. So, Kiela carefully crafts her spells as home remedies. Now if she can just keep it a secret ...
The author, Sarah Beth Durst, wanted to write a book that read like drinking hot chocolate. Or eating fresh pastry. Or both. And I really feel that she accomplished that.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Jay! A cozy spell shop on a remote island — that’s exactly the kind of escape I need.
Our recommendations this week are: “Here One Moment” by Liane Moriarty and “The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst.
Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.
Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.
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