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A Novel
by Jennifer Moorman
With her signature blend of magical and heartfelt storytelling, USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Moorman returns with The Charmed Library, a love letter to libraries, favorite childhood stories, and readers who have fallen for fictional heroes.
Like many other public libraries, the one in Blue Sky Valley, North Carolina, is a haven for readers. But it's also unlike any other. In this library, fictional characters step off the page into real life. Assistant librarian Stella Parker has no idea. Still reeling from her father's death and--more recently--a breakup, she hasn't noticed. All she knows is she's stuck in a job she's overqualified for and stumped about what to do with her life.
Everything changes when she burns her beloved journal.
Words matter to Stella. For as long as she can remember, she's seen them. Words appear--in varying colors and fonts--rising from surfaces, bouncing over objects, and even wiggling out of people. Words give her insight into emotions and untold stories. But the words change for Stella after she burns her journal. Suddenly they're demanding, urgent--and painful.
Then Stella stumbles upon strange characters in the library after hours. One is an oddly familiar World War II soldier who introduces himself as Jack—Jack Mathis, the main character from her favorite book. A fictional hero and Stella's first crush. Standing in front of her in the flesh.
Jack tells Stella about the magic hidden in the library. Skeptical, Stella rashly invites a villain to visit, and chaos ensues. As she discovers the importance of protecting the library's secret and gets to know the real Jack, words continue to appear. What are they trying to tell her?
Much too quickly, Stella is faced with the reality that all stories must end, and magic comes at a price. The characters who visit the library can only stay for fourteen days. And Jack's time is almost up.
"Words literally come to life for a lonely assistant librarian in this exquisite tale from Moorman ... Moorman drops in plenty of delightful details, such as the appearance of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, who dazzles the library's women patrons, and she makes it easy to suspend disbelief, considering that, as Arnie says, 'The world is full of the impossible.''' ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Moorman delivers the perfect blend of magical realism and romance in this sweet tale about the power of books ... With enough surprises to keep it from being predictable, Moorman's delightful story will charm readers." ―Library Journal
"Moorman examines the consequences of losing oneself to grief and the magical, healing power of books. This enchanting and delightful read is a must for book and library lovers." ―Booklist
"A whimsical, heartfelt escape that honors the emotional power of great stories--not just how they begin, but how they must end." ―Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of A Map to Paradise
"The Charmed Library absolutely charmed me—a love letter to the magic found in libraries, to the words of our favorite books that open up whole worlds, to the power of love to heal. From the first page, I was enraptured by Stella's story. What book lover hasn't wished they could meet their fictional friends and crushes in the real world? But woven in the wonder of literary characters coming to life is a journey of self-discovery and the realization of how instrumental books are to a community and to a woman trying to find her way. This is Moorman's best book yet!" ―Joy Callaway, international bestselling author of The Star of Camp Greene
This information about The Charmed Library was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jennifer Moorman writes enchanting novels inspired by the everyday magic and whimsy in the world around her. She is the bestselling author of the magical realism Mystic Water series, The Baker's Man, and The Magic All Around.
Born and raised in Southern Georgia, Jennifer has a deep love for nature, a fondness for honeysuckle, and childhood memories of whippoorwills singing her to sleep. She is a foodie, a self-taught baker, and has a travel bag ready for her next adventure. She can always be won over with chocolate, unicorns, or rainbows.
When she's not writing, you can find her testing a new recipe, chasing rainbows, or stargazing. She lives in a magic house in Nashville, Tennessee. Connect with Jennifer at jennifermoorman.com; Instagram: @jenniferRmoorman; Facebook: @jennifermoormanbooks; and BookBub: @JenniferMoorman.
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From the author of Looker comes this "compulsive and unforgettable novel" (Mona Awad) of razor-sharp suspense about two local librarians whose lives become dangerously intertwined.
by Mark Lawrence
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Two strangers find themselves connected by a vast and mysterious library containing many wonders and still more secrets, in this powerfully moving first book in a new series from the international bestselling author of Red Sister and Prince of Thorns.
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