Spring is well underway and our latest batch of books are here for those days reading in the sunlight.
ADULT FICTION
Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan ~ The Evans women have some undead to kill. It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny-Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone. But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi-the original vampire-are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town. As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.
The Limits by Nell Freudenberger ~ A novel set in French Polynesia and New York City about three characters-a fifteen year old girl toggling between her mother, a marine biologist studying coral reefs on an island off the coast of Tahiti, and her father, a surgeon in Manhattan-who undergo massive transformation over the course of a single year.
The Murder Inn by James Paterson ~ The doors of the Inn at Gloucester are always open to anyone running from trouble or hiding from life. Its owner, former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, welcomes them with no questions asked. Until two strangers arrive for a temporary stay and a longtime resident starts looking over his shoulders. There’s another newcomer in town who puts the Inn under surveillance. When the surveillance turns into a series of attacks. Robinson launches an all-out fight to defend his town, his chosen family, and his home.
Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes ~ While part of a small space exploration crew on an abandoned planet, a psychologist confronts a gruesome murder and twisted secrets as she races to prevent history from repeating itself in the form of space-borne madness.
When I Think of You by Myah Ariel ~ In this sweeping second chance romance from debut author Myah Ariel, the unexpected spark of two former flames may force them to choose between their dreams and each other. Kaliya Wilson has paid her dues. But all the years behind the reception desk at a flashy film studio have only pushed her movie-making dreams further out of reach. That is, until a surprise reunion presents an opportunity that could make her career, or break her heart…a second time. It’s been seven years since Kaliya’s whirlwind college romance with Danny Prescott went up in flames. While her passions have stalled, his career is taking off. So when the hot shot director reappears to offer her a job on his next production, it’s a shock to the system. Working with Danny may recapture the intensity of their film school days, but trusting him again won’t come as easily. As the pair allows themselves the openness and vulnerability to entrust their deepest truths to each other, the possibility of a true connection draws ever closer. But when Hollywood politics and scandal threaten to sink the production and her career, Kaliya may have to risk everything to do what’s right-even if it means letting go of the second chance love of a lifetime.
The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron ~ Based on real accounts of Britain’s Land Girls and the Forgotten Blitz, The British Booksellers highlights the courageous choices we must make to live, love, and – in the face of all that tests us – fight for what matters most.
ADULT NON-FICTION
The primary solution rescuing our democracy from the fringes by Nick Troiano ~ Congress has become an unproductive and unaccountable mess. Polls show that only 20 percent of Americans think it’s doing a good job, yet 90 percent of incumbents are reelected. This shocking discrepancy is a natural outcome of our system of party primaries and their polarizing incentives. Party primaries were invented over a century ago to democratize candidate nominations, but today their exclusionary rules and low turnout guarantee the exact opposite: only a small fraction of voters wind up deciding the vast majority of our elections. The result is a Congress that, rather than representing a majority of Americans, is instead beholden to the fringes of both major parties. This is the “primary problem” in our politics today. Fortunately, the solution is both powerful and practical. Nick Troiano, founding Executive Director of Unite America, makes a bold proposal to abolish party primaries in our country. Doing so does not require a Constitutional amendment or an act of Congress. In fact, several states have already replaced party primaries with nonpartisan primaries that give all voters the freedom to vote for any candidate in every election, regardless of party.
Hits, flops, and other illusions my fortysomething years in Hollywood by Edward Zwick ~ “I’ll be dropping a few names,” Ed Zwick confesses in the introduction to his book. “Over the years I have worked with self-proclaimed masters-of-the-universe, unheralded geniuses, hacks, sociopaths, savants, and saints.” He has encountered these Hollywood types over four decades of directing, producing, and writing projects that have collectively received eighteen Academy Award nominations (seven wins) and sixty-seven Emmy nominations (twenty-two wins). Though there are many factors behind such success, including luck and the contributions of his creative partner Marshall Herskovitz, he’s known to have a special talent for bringing out the best in the people he’s worked with, especially the actors. In those intense collaborations, he’s sought to discover the small pieces of connective tissue, vulnerability, and fellowship that can help an actor realize their character in full. Talents whom he spotted early include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Claire Danes, and Jared Leto. Established stars he worked closely with include Leonardo DiCaprio, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Craig, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Connelly. As if that wasn’t enough, he sued Harvey Weinstein over the production of Shakespeare in Love, and won. He shares personal stories about all these people, and more. Written mostly with love, sometimes with rue, this memoir is also a meditation on working, sprinkled throughout with tips for anyone who has ever imagined writing, directing, or producing for the screen. Fans with an appreciation for the beautiful mysteries, as well as the unsightly, often comic truths, of crafting film and television won’t want to miss it.
Every living thing : the great and deadly race to know all life by Jason Roberts ~ In the 18th century, two men dedicated their lives to the same daunting task: identifying and describing all life on Earth. Their approaches could not have been more different. Carl Linnaeus, a pious Swedish doctor with a huckster’s flair, believed that life belonged in tidy, static categories. Georges-Louis de Buffon, an aristocratic polymath and keeper of France’s royal garden, viewed life as a dynamic swirl of complexities. Both began believing their work to be difficult, but not impossible–how could the planet possibly hold more than a few thousand species? Stunned by life’s diversity, both fell far short of their goal. But in the process they articulated starkly divergent views on nature, on humanity’s role in shaping the fate of our planet, and on humanity itself. The rivalry between these two unique, driven individuals created reverberations that still echo today. Linnaeus, with the help of acolyte explorers he called “apostles” (only half of whom returned alive), gave the world such concepts as mammal, primate and homo sapiens–but he also denied species change and promulgated racist pseudo-science. Buffon coined the term reproduction, formulated early prototypes of evolution and genetics, and argued passionately against prejudice. It was a clash that, during their lifetimes, Buffon seemed to be winning. But their posthumous fates would take a very different turn.
Chamber divers : the untold story of the D-day scientists who changed special operations forever by Rachel Lance ~ This is a previously classified story of one group of scientific researchers-men and women-who exposed themselves to extraordinary risks to make D-Day a success.
Silk : a world history by Aarathi Prasad ~ In a gorgeous history that spans continents and millennia, Aarathi Prasad weaves together the complex story of the queen of fabrics. Through the scientists who have studied silk, and the biology of the animals from which it has been drawn, Prasad explores the global, natural, and cultural history (and future) of a unique material that has fascinated the world for thousands of years.
Pizza Night by Alexandra Stafford ~ Make pizza night a fun weekly tradition with these 52 seasonal pizzas paired with salads for a complete meal-from the award-winning author of Bread Toast Crumbs and creator of the blog Alexandra’s Kitchen Creating consistently great pizza from scratch isn’t complicated–even kids can get in on the fun and lend a hand! Whether cooking pizza in your kitchen oven, a tabletop pizza oven, or an outdoor wood-burning oven, it all starts with the dough. In Pizza Night, professional chef Alexandra Stafford presents six simple doughs including one that’s gluten-free, for making deep dish, Neapolitan, and Sicilian style pizzas, along with easy techniques for perfecting your crust. Mix it by hand or use a stand mixer; make the dough the same day or ahead; make it extra cheesy and decadent or go the healthy road-pizza-making easily adapts to busy schedules and tastes, and requires very few pieces of special equipment. Each pizza is paired with a salad made with seasonal ingredients, and a few simple dessert recipes (Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon Semifreddo) make pizza night complete. From a springtime Asparagus, Salami, and CreÌ€me Fraiche Pizza served with a Snap Pea Salad with Walnuts and Citrus, to a Broccoli Rabe and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza accompanied by a Farm Share Harvest Slaw to a Roasted Hatch Chili Pizza with Corn and Oaxaca with a Melon, Cucumber and Mint Salad, Pizza Night serves up a year’s worth of inspired, satisfying, pizzas and salads to make pizza.
YOUNG ADULT
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. Vol 1 by Sekka Iwata ~ There’s never a dull day at the office when you’re a magical girl! Are you looking for something new? Something challenging? Something very highly paid? Exterminating monsters is an exciting, fast-paced field that will get you out from behind a desk and into the action. With over 500 magical girl companies now in operation, you’re sure to find a position–and a uniform–that fits. Start your career as a magical girl today! Kana Sakuragi is an excellent candidate for the job. Any job! She’s motivated and organized, and has a fantastic memory. So why has she interviewed at over 15 companies without receiving a single offer? She’s trying to keep a positive attitude, but it seems like her bad luck is only getting worse when a monster crashes her latest interview. As havoc ensues, she finds herself helping the magical girl who comes to their rescue and ends up with more than just her life in return. Meet the newest magical girl at Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc.!
The Notes by Catherine Con Morse ~ A reserved Chinese American teen at a Southern performing arts boarding school comes into her own under the tutelage of a glamorous new piano teacher while grappling with her first love, adolescent and academic pressures, and mysterious, personal notes.
Sound the Gong by Joan He ~ Zephyr, now a god in a warrior’s body, faces challenges as she strives to support her lordess Xin Ren in a tumultuous political landscape, and is determined to overcome fate and make her enemies pay, even when confronting a revelation about Crow’s true allegiance.
Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier ~ In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer hope when hope had gone, the tale came with a warning. Every wish demands a price. Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong. Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time-hope. But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself.
Against the Darkness by Kendare Blake ~ Frankie Rosenberg, the world’s first Slayer-Witch, finds herself fighting evil alone as the threat of Darkness grows, she must lead the charge to reunite the fragmented Scooby gang, save the slayers, and defeat the Darkness.
Teenage Dirtbags by James Acker ~ When Cameron Ellis dumps Phil Reyno and torpedoes his already-iffy reputation in the process, Phil hatches a plot to expose Cameron as the two-faced liar he truly is, recruiting his old pal Jackson Pasternak to help.
