Another Year Full of Reviews & News!

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We launched Chapter Chats in 2020 as a way to stay in touch with our community during the Covid pandemic. We’re still here and doing better than ever! 2024 was Chapter Chats’ best year yet – our 147 posts garnered more than 34,400 views from 24,400 visitors. Thank you for making us part of your online reading!

The Marvel franchise is still apparently a force to be reckoned with, as a look at an older TV series was far and away the top post for the year (with more than 1,200 views): Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The next Top Ten entries included:

A woman's face in profile, looking to the left, is blurred across the cover.
The book cover depicts a woman in a red coat from an overhead view, walking down a frozen path with icy trees on either side of the path.
A stack of the books referred to in the blog post, with a blue and white coffee mug on top that says "Read Jewish Books."

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan: This debut novel is set in Bintang, Kuala Lumpur during the British rule and Japanese occupation of Malaysia.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon: In 1789 Maine, an unexplained death pushes the sleepy town of Hallowell into an intricate legal battle, full of conspiracy, power plays, and intrigue.

The Shadow Children Series: The Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix has an entirely new feeling and meaning now that we have experienced something similar.

Community Building with Mah Jongg: The community is the heart of the library, and in February we marked the second anniversary of one such community building activity: Mah Jongg Meet Up.

Global Neighbors series: Lunar New Year: We learned about Korea in May, about India in October, and we glimpsed the rich cultural heritage of China with Lunar New Year.

Jewish Joy: Windows & Mirrors during Jewish American Heritage Month: A look at ordinary people who happen to be Jewish, living their lives, finding humor and, most importantly, their happily-ever-afters.

Get “Schooled” on the Board of Education: Even if you do not have school-aged children, the well-being and success of students and staff should be the concern of the entire community.

Inspiring Laughter: A review of Leslie Jones’ memoir that takes you along for a wildly candid, gritty, and funny ride.

Donate Your Gently Used Books and Support a Good Cause: A quick overview about donating your books to the Library.

Studying to Succeed: Do you ever wonder where all those navigation tabs at hclibrary.org go? One of the answers is homework help!

Here are a few equally excellent posts that maybe you missed:

A lone figure is seen walking up a backlit staircase, with an elaborate clockwork structure above the title.
A group of odd but friendly creatures perch on a rock in an alien swamp.
Several figures in Star Trek uniforms are groups in a light stream, with space ships and planets in the background.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark: It’s an alternative history, magical, buddy cop, police procedural romp of a story, complete with a little romance.

The Perfect Stories of Claire Keegan: “Long short stories,” as Keegan refers to them, are the ideal length for busy times and for reading again and again. Every word is perfect.

Cozy Graphic Novels About Being Friends: If your children love reading about friendship, mystery, and character growth, take a chance with the middle grade graphic novel, Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures and Treasure in the Lake.

Cerritos Strong!: This show is truly a love letter to the Star Trek franchise. It is filled with humor, adventure, heart, and more than a starbase full of legacy references.

And still, the most viewed post since Chapter Chats began: How to Bypass the News Paywall with Your Library Card.

Consider joining the more than 300 folks who subscribe, so you never miss a Chapter Chats post.

Happy New Year!

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