A Compilation of Cozies

In The Cost of Living by Rachel Ward, supermarket checkout girl Bea teams up with the clumsy new trainee, Ant; but can she trust him? When a young woman is brutally attacked on her way home from the supermarket, Bea thinks it's her responsibility to figure out who did it. After all, the police don't seem to be doing anything about it really. As customers and coworkers alike become suspects, dirty secrets surface and fear grips the town. Will Bea risk losing the people she loves most to solve this mystery?

Murder of a Good Man is a Piney Woods Mystery by Teresa Trent. Nora Alexander has come to Piney Woods, Texas to fulfill her mother's dying wish, but things get a bit dangerous. First, she is run off the road, then the sealed letter she is to deliver to Piney Woods' most prominent citizen--Adam Brockwell--turns out to be a scathing rebuke. Before you know it, the beloved Mr. Brockwell is found stabbed to death and suspicion immediately falls on Nora--because she's an outsider and one of the last people to see him alive. Ordered by the flirty sheriff, Tuck, not to leave town, Nora finds herself working with Tuck's Aunt Marty trying to revive business at the rundown Tunie Hotel. Will the secrets the old hotel harbors help clear Nora's name?

Scot Free by Catriona McPherson features Scottish-born marriage counselor Lexy Campbell moving to California to chase the American Dream. When she fell in love and married her hunky husband, Lexy moved to California and began building her marriage counseling practice. Life was indeed bright. Six months later, however, she's divorced, broke, and on her way back to Scotland. When her only client--sweet Mrs. Bombarro--is arrested for killing her husband with a fireworks rocket, Lexy knows the cops have it all wrong. In order to help out her client, she has to find a cheap place to sleep. When she checks into the Last Ditch Motel, Lexy finds an unexpected slice of life and a whole new world of trouble.

Deja Moo is a Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery by Kirsten Weiss. Maddie Kosloski, owner of San Benedetto, California's Paranormal Museum is no fan of the Christmas Cow--a thirty-foot straw bovine that graces the town square each December. For one thing, it replaces her museum as the top attraction every Christmas. Not to mention, every year, despite round-the-clock guards, the darn thing goes up in flames. This year, however, the cow is not the only thing to bite it. One of the night guards is found with an arrow sticking out of his chest. On top of all this, it seems that her new haunted cowbell exhibit is causing a panic. Can she quell the hysteria and find a killer without getting distracted by the hunky Detective Slate?

Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton is the first of her Deputy Donut Mystery. Emily Westhill--along with her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby, Deputy Donut--runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. When one of her regulars doesn't show up for her knitting group, Emily and some of the woman's friends go searching at Georgia Teeter's home only to find her murdered among a pile of stale donuts. Georgia's murder coincides with her son's murder five years earlier. It was a case Emily's late husband never solved and she will have to revisit some painful memories to help free an innocent man and trace a killer.

Join us tomorrow for the grand opening of our Parent Resource Center!

Steamy Romances to Enjoy

 In Stefanie London's Bad Bachelor, everyone is talking about the hot new app that ranks New York's most eligible bachelors. It's not the Prince Charmings on the list that has everyone abuzz, but the list of so-called "Bad Bachelors"--NYC's most notorious bad boys. Number one on that list is Public Relations guru Reed McMahon, but he's ready to clock the next person who mentions Bad Bachelors to him. Reed is known as an "image fixer," but he needs a PR miracle of his own. He decides that helping a struggling library run by Darcy Greer may just be what he needs to take his mind off the list. Darcy is a streetwise Brooklynite who knows Reed is just the sort of guy she should avoid, however, the library is in desperate need of his help, so she reluctantly agrees to work with him. She soon realizes that there is more to Reed than his reputation and maybe, just maybe, he's the One for her.

In Tempest by Beverly Jenkins, Regan Carmichael is an independent spirit who has traveled to the Wyoming Territory as the mail order bride for Dr. Colton Lee. Only, when she arrives she shoots her intended in the shoulder instead of greeting him with a kiss. It was an honest mistake, but Regan begins to question her decision to marry a man she's never met. Colton buried his heart with his first wife and is insisting that he only wishes to marry so that his daughter will not grow up without a mother. However, the thought of having a forthright woman bold enough to brave the wilds of Wyoming begins to stir something in his soul. Despite his family's disapproval and the threat from an unseen enemy, Colton decides to risk it all to make this match a true union of body and soul.

All I Want for Halloween is a romance novel by Marie Harte. Sadie Liberato is tired of plain life, so she plans on letting go at the costume party this Halloween. Dressed up and anonymous, Sadie hasn't felt this powerful, sexy, and free in a long while. Gear Blackstone has decided to cut loose for one night and the added anonymity of a mask helps. His cheating ex and slime-ball best friend really threw him for a loop and managed to send his life into a tailspin. Gear manages to find the sexiest, snarkiest woman he's ever met. There is no doubt that Sadie and Gear have a scorching encounter and they each want to meet the other in real life, but will the heat remain when the masks come off?

Twelve Nights of Temptation by Barbara Dunlop is part of Whiskey Bay Brides trilogy. Even covered in grease, marine mechanic Tasha Lowell excites Matt Emerson who owns a charter-boat empire. Matt knows that Tasha isn't interested in a romance with the boss, so he keeps his distance. Yet, a saboteur has targeted Matt's business and Tasha agrees to accompany him to the holiday ball to gather intel. Tasha was beautiful before the makeover, but now she takes Matt's breath away and keeping things strictly business is no longer an option.

August is Romance Awareness Month!

During August, why not celebrate Romance Awareness Month by checking out some of our romance novels?  We have authors from classical to modern day, including :

• Charlotte Bronte
• Jane Austin
• Joyce Carol Oates
• Denise Hunter
• Beverly Jenkins
• Cindy Woodsmall
• Jane Peart
• Lynsay Sands
• Jodi Thomas

Need more suggestions?  Watch our Facebook page for romance novels that have been turned into movies.

Parenting and Children's Education

Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child’s Education by Susan Wise Bauer offers a different perspective on the state of our educational system. Our K–12 school system is an artificial product of market forces. It isn’t a good fit for all—or even most—students. It prioritizes a single way of understanding the world over all others, pushes children into a rigid set of grades with little regard for individual maturity, and slaps “disability” labels over differences in learning style. In five illuminating sections, Bauer teaches parents how to flex the K–12 system, rather than the child. She closely analyzes the traditional school structure, gives trenchant criticisms of its weaknesses, and offers a wealth of advice for parents of children whose difficulties may stem from struggling with learning differences, maturity differences, toxic classroom environments, and even from giftedness.  Rethinking School is a guide to one aspect of sane, humane parenting: negotiating the twelve-grade school system in a way that nurtures and protects your child’s mind, emotions, and spirit. (from Goodreads.com)

In The Good News About Bad Behavior, author Katherine Reynolds Lewis tries to answer the question: Why don't our kids do what we want them to do? Parents often take the blame for misbehavior, but this obscures a broader trend: in our modern, highly connected age, children have less self-control than ever. About half of the current generation of children will develop a mood or behavioral disorder or a substance addiction by age eighteen. Contemporary kids need to learn independence and responsibility, yet our old ideas of punishments and rewards are preventing this from happening. To stem this growing crisis of self-regulation, journalist and parenting expert Katherine Reynolds Lewis articulates what she calls The Apprenticeship Model, a new theory of discipline that centers on learning the art of self-control. Blending new scientific research and powerful individual stories of change, Lewis shows that, if we trust our children to face consequences, they will learn to adapt and moderate their own behavior. She watches as chaotic homes become peaceful, bewildered teachers see progress, and her own family grows and evolves these new ideas. You'll recognize your own family in Lewis's sensitive, realistic stories, and you'll find a path to making everyone in your home more capable, kinder, and happier--including yourself. (from Goodreads.com)

Angela C. Santomero, MA, the award-winning creator of children’s television phenomena Blue’s Clues, Super Why!, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood knows that the preschool years—when children are between the ages of two and five—are the most influential, important years in a child’s life. In Preschool Clues, she breaks down the philosophy behind her shows—educating, inspiring, and empowering kids—into concrete strategies that parents and educators can incorporate into their family and classroom to set their preschoolers up for success, such as:

-Intentionally pausing to foster bonding, independence, and resilience

-Developing empathy and confidence through soliciting preschoolers’ help

-Becoming “fluent” in the language of preschoolers: Play

-Igniting your preschooler’s curiosity

-Being an involved co-player everyday

-Designing a healthy media diet

In Preschool Clues, Angela shares the latest research from top thinkers in child development and education. Through her practical, straightforward advice and inspiring, conversational approach, you will not only understand exactly what your children are learning from the shows they watch and why these shows are so effective, you’ll know exactly how to apply these same proven approaches in your daily life and with the same powerful results. (from Goodreads.com)

Feed the Baby Hummus teaches parents to confidently incorporate various multicultural practices into their own care taking plan. Pediatrician Lisa Lewis offers the wisdom and proven care taking practices of the cultures of the world, drawn from her own training, research, travel, and clinical experience. Although certain standards of care must exist for babies to thrive and be happy, Feed the Baby Hummus offers a variety of cross-cultural parenting information and baby care guidance from a trusted source. Parenting practices vary widely between countries and cultures. For example, in countries such as the Philippines, breastfeeding after age one year is common, and parents can make their own decision about what is right for their family. In Korea, babies eat a variety of spices and flavors, helping them develop a diverse palate and healthy eating habits. And in Italy, parents prevent separation anxiety by taking their babies to markets, restaurants, and churches and passing them around from person to person. (from Goodreads.com)

Caring for Autism: Practical Advice from a Parent and Physician delves into all these questions and more. As the father of a daughter with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and as a trained psychiatrist who specializes in ASD, Dr. Michael A. Ellis provides a holistic view of what comes after diagnosis. In user-friendly tones, he answers the most commonly asked questions about what it's like to live with ASD, what medications and therapies are available, and the global impact it has on the child's environment. With the help of his wife, Lori Layton Ellis, to provide a mother's perspective, Dr. Ellis shares personal stories of their 10-year journey to provide insight and support for anyone - patient, parent, caregiver - traversing the difficulties of autism and helping parent to answer questions like: What does it mean to be on the autism spectrum? How will this affect your child's life, your life, the life of your family, and others you interact with? What sorts of medications, therapies, and alternative methods are used to help manage the disorder? What are the financial and legal ramifications? How will this affect schooling, your spiritual growth, and everyday life? (from Goodreads.com)

The 9th edition of NOLO’s The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child covers two new Supreme Court decisions and developments in special-ed voucher programs. It provides key forms, sample letters, and resources you need at every stage of the IEP process. With it, you can make sure your child gets a good education. Federal law guarantees every child a free appropriate education, and the goal of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is to assure that every child with special needs receives what the law promises. But if you have a special-ed child, you know that your family must make sure the school follows through. This powerful book covers: 

-eligibility rules and assessments
-working with outside experts
-developing your child's ideal educational program
-preparing for and attending IEP meetings
-resolving disputes with school districts.