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Resource Spotlight: Novelist – Find your Perfect Match Book

10 Feb

Ever watch a movie or read a book and think, “I love this vibe: the small-town setting with a flawed but theatrically endearing character. Oh, and the eerie undertone really has me hooked. I want more!”? I go through these phases all the time, latching to a specific theme or feeling and absolutely wanting more of it. 

Logo for EBSCOhost NoveList, showing the word “NoveList” in stylized lettering with the tagline “Your Guide to Reading.”

With your Hoboken Public Library card, you have access to Novelist, a book recommendation resource available through the New Jersey State Library. It’s a treasure trove of curated reading suggestions organized by theme, genre, author, tone, and so much more — helping you find stories that match exactly what you’re in the mood for.

Login here and click on Discover Novelist on the left.

The Appeals Index lets you search for books based on what kind of reading experience you want. Are you drawn to sarcastic narrators, offbeat humor, or characters wrestling with teenage angst? Maybe you’re on the lookout for a love story with gritty realism or on an isolated beach. How about a time-traveling superhero who plays God. 

You’ll be shown a list of titles that fit your selection. 

Prefer to explore by theme instead of character? The Theme Index breaks down stories into setups such as forbidden love, coping with death, witchcraft and the occult, exploring faith, or rural noir. These are blueprints of the story, or tropes – the fish out of water hero or the framed protagonist.

This index is your go-to when you say to yourself “I love story like this, but don’t know what to search for.

You can get lost in Novelist. It’s great. Sometimes, just browsing through categories like found footage horror or wistful coming-of-age helps you realize what truly draws you. Once you’ve found your match, head over to the BCCLS catalog to place your hold.

Which Index are you most enjoying in Novelist? Have you found any new themes or appeals that interest you? Comment below.

Novelist is linked above. You need your library card number to enter the site. The BCCLS catalog is linked as well. 

Hit subscribe to get Hoboken Public Library Staff Picks to your email!

Written by:
Sean Willey
Information and Digital Services Assistant

Cozy Fantasies: Brigands & Breadknives and The House Witch

12 Nov

Brigands and Breadknives
by Travis Baldree
Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes was instrumental in beginning the cozy fantasy wave. I personally find it refreshing to enjoy the lighter side of fantasy with a bit more humor and a bit less darkness than the previous wave of grimdark novels in the early 2000’s brought. The third in the series, Brigands & Breadknives is equally delightful, but definitely still has some very suspenseful moments and some blood is shed. This story instead of focusing on orc Viv, follows her friend Fern, a sweet, but foul mouthed rattkin, who upon having a midlife crisis is ready to find what the next chapter of her life holds. I loved seeing again Potroast her now senior, but still adorable doglike gryphet, but also enjoyed new characters like Zil a goblin, who breeds chaos and is sure to be a fan favorite. This novel like the previous entries will appeal to those who enjoy stories about found family and self-reinvention. Where Baldree excels compared to some other cozy fantasy authors is creating an intriguing and well paced plot to place his charming characters and also giving us something unique in each installment.

The House Witch
by Delemhach
I enjoyed The House Witch (1) by Delemhach as an audiobook. Matthew Wolf does a great job of narrating the story. Finlay Ashowan is the King of Daxaria’s new cook, but he is hiding secrets. The biggest of these is he is a house witch, meaning he is able to do magic associated with the household he lives in and works for. The novel contains likeable characters, a sweet romance, and an endearing kitten, Finlay’s familiar, Kraken (who looks quite a lot like one of my own cats). This novel will appeal to those who don’t mind some modern anachronisms in with their medievalesque setting. There are two more volumes of this romantasy series also available from Hoopla. If you enjoy this novel, I would also recommend checking out T.Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking .

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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