Ring in the New Year with a Good Book!

A ravishing, luminous selection of short stories from the prize-winning imagination of A. S. Byatt, "a storyteller who could keep a sultan on the edge of his throne for a thousand and one nights" (The New York Times Book Review). Mirrors shatter at the hairdresser's when a middle-aged client explodes in rage. Snow dusts the warm body of a princess, honing it into something sharp and frosted. Summer sunshine flickers on the face of a smiling child who may or may not be real. Medusa's Ankles celebrates the very best of A. S. Byatt's short fiction, carefully selected from a lifetime of writing. Peopled by artists, poets, and fabulous creatures, the stories blaze with creativity and color. From ancient myth to a British candy factory, from a Chinese restaurant to a Mediterranean swimming pool, from a Turkish bazaar to a fairy-tale palace, Byatt transports her readers beyond the veneer of the ordinary—even beyond the gloss of the fantastical—to places rich and strange and wholly unforgettable. (from Amazon.com)

Bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón conceived of this collection of stories as an appreciation to the countless readers who joined him on the extraordinary journey that began with The Shadow of the Wind. Comprising eleven stories, most of them never before published in English, The City of Mist offers the reader compelling characters, unique situations, and a gothic atmosphere reminiscent of his beloved Cemetery of Forgotten Books quartet. The stories are mysterious, imbued with a sense of menace, and told with the warmth, wit, and humor of Zafón's inimitable voice. A boy decides to become a writer when he discovers that his creative gifts capture the attentions of an aloof young beauty who has stolen his heart. A labyrinth maker flees Constantinople to a plague-ridden Barcelona, with plans for building a library impervious to the destruction of time. A strange gentleman tempts Cervantes to write a book like no other, each page of which could prolong the life of the woman he loves. And a brilliant Catalan architect named Antoni Gaudí reluctantly agrees to cross the ocean to New York, a voyage that will determine the fate of an unfinished masterpiece. Imaginative and beguiling, these and other stories in The City of Mist summon up the mesmerizing magic of their brilliant creator and invite us to come dream along with him. (from Amazon.com)

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Holiday Hours

 

New Medical Nonfiction

Take Control of Your Drinking: A Practical Guide to Alcohol Moderation, Sobriety, and When to Get Professional Help (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) is by Michael S. Levy. Accepting that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to controlling drinking, the latest edition of this bestselling book will help you assess your drinking and determine whether moderation or abstinence is the best path for you. For decades, the standard treatment for people struggling with alcohol consumption has focused on convincing them to admit that they are an alcoholic, to stop drinking entirely, and to enter into a program, most commonly Alcoholics Anonymous. But in his more than thirty-five-year career as an addiction specialist working with people who want to change their drinking habits, Michael S. Levy has found that the routes to behavioral change actually vary. And although abstinence is the successful route for many people, others can moderate their drinking on their own or with professional help. In this practical, effective, and compassionate book, Levy helps people take control of their alcohol problem by teaching them how to think about and address their drinking habits. Beginning with a set of self-assessments that reveal whether the reader's use of alcohol is creating problems, Levy explains the causes of problem drinking, discusses the growing recognition of the various ways an alcohol use disorder can show itself, and talks about why it is so difficult to change. Offering advice for choosing between moderating your drinking or abstaining altogether, he also touches on coping with slipups, fighting helplessness and the fear of failure, and knowing when moderation is not achievable.

Mayo Clinic on Incontinence: Strategies and treatments for improving bowel and bladder control is by Paul D. Pettit and Dr. Anita Chen, M.D. If you’re suffering from unwanted symptoms of incontinence—like an uncontrollable bladder and bowel problems—you’re not alone. Millions of Americans struggle daily with issues related to urinary or fecal incontinence, and the effects can be invasive and debilitating. And while many believe incontinence is an age-related issue, the condition prevents patients of all ages from enjoying an active and carefree lifestyle. What most Americans don’t know is that incontinence can be improved and, in some cases, even cured. Simple changes to everyday behaviors can ease symptoms of incontinence, while medications and minimally invasive procedures, like injections, can bring long-lasting relief to patients. And in more serious cases, surgical procedures can assist in relieving and often curing problems related to the condition. Penned by two of Mayo Clinic’s leading urogynecologists, Mayo Clinic on Incontinence outlines the common causes of incontinence and provides tailored treatment advice for patients of all demographics. Readers will also find tools for enhanced living with incontinence, including tips to reduce the risk of developing incontinence, minimize issues while out in public, and boost overall sexual health and wellness. With more than 10,000 patients treated for incontinence by the Mayo Clinic each year, this book provides a source of hope from the experts who are leading the efforts to treat and cure incontinence.

Bipolar Disorder: a Guide for You & Your Loved Ones is by Frances Mark Mondimore. Compassionate and comprehensive, Dr. Francis Mondimore's pathbreaking guide has helped thousands of people and their loved ones cope with bipolar disorder. Now in its fourth edition, Bipolar Disorder has been totally revised and reorganized to reflect dramatic improvements in the treatment of the illness, as well as numerous scientific breakthroughs that have increased our understanding of its causes.With insight and sensitivity, Dr. Mondimore:

• surveys new medications for treating bipolar disorder, including ketamine, exploring the benefits and potential side effects

• reviews the scientific studies that back up claims for recommended botanicals and nutritional supplements, such as omega-3s and NAC, and tells you which ones to leave on the shelf

• expands the chapter on brain stimulation treatments to include new transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices and techniques such as "deep TMS" and "theta-burst TMS," as well as new details about vagal nerve stimulation

• describes the emerging field of pharmacogenomics: the science of using a patient's genetic profile to improve the selection and dosing of medications

• examines the important relationship between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder while discussing why one or the other diagnosis is often overlooked in persons who have both

• lays out recommended lifestyle changes and practical approaches to managing the illness better, planning for emergencies, building a support system, dealing with insurance and legal issues, and defining the role of the family

The Breast Cancer Book: A Trusted Guide for You and Your Loved Ones (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) is by Kenneth D. Miller. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be scary and confusing. There are medical terms to learn, options to consider, and important decisions to make, all while trying to carry on with work, family, and life. The Breast Cancer Book can't reverse a diagnosis or make breast cancer disappear, but every page can inform and empower you or your loved ones, no matter where you are in the breast cancer experience. Written by three trusted experts―an oncologist, a breast surgeon, and a two-time breast cancer survivor―this multidisciplinary book walks you through everything you need to know about breast cancer so that you can make the best decisions about diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. In plain, easy-to-understand language that illuminates all the facets of this disease, the authors draw on their professional experience and the most current scientific knowledge to:

• describe the risk factors for breast cancer;

• explain the various tests used to detect cancer;

• clarify the full range of treatment options, from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to newer combination therapies;

• provide insight from experts in genetics, radiation oncology, and breast reconstruction;

• present inspirational true stories of breast cancer survivors; and

• simplify complex concepts with detailed graphics, tables, illustrations, and photographs.

Merry Christmas Reads

The latest from Debbie Macomber is called Holiday Lights and includes the following stories:

THE FORGETFUL BRIDE Caitlin Marshall is stuck spending the holidays with Joe Rockwell. Her childhood friend is still a terrible tease, claiming that he and Cait are married. Oh, sure, they had a pretend ceremony when she was eight—but now it would seem that Joe wants to make their relationship into something real.

SUGAR AND SPICE Librarian Jayne Gilbert needs a man she can bring to her high school reunion. So, naturally, Jayne turns to a book: How to Pick Up a Man. And it works, even if she attracts the attention of good-looking Riley Chambers only because she’s carrying that book, not because she followed its advice!

FRIENDS—AND THEN SOME Lily Morrissey decides it’s time to find a husband, preferably one who can look after her. It’s a strictly practical decision, so she enlists the help of her best friend, Jake Carson, in the Great Husband Search. But then Lily’s feelings for Jake start to change… Could they become more than friends?

Best in Snow: An Andy Carpenter Mystery is by David Rosenfelt. In this Christmas mystery, lawyer Andy Carpenter and his golden retriever, Tara, are on the beat after a body turns up in the snow and a journalist is the prime suspect. Christmas has come early to the town of Paterson, New Jersey, in the form of a snowstorm that dumps two feet of snow on the ground. Lawyer Andy Carpenter likes snow – white Christmas and all that – but it can cause problems for the walks he takes his dogs on every day. When Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, goes to play in the snow and instead discovers a body, Andy ends up on the phone with the local newspaper editor. The murder victim is Mayor Alex Oliva, who had an infamous relationship with the newspaper. Last year a young reporter published an expose, and Oliva had him fired for libel. Now, the young reporter – and prime suspect – is in need of a lawyer. Andy agrees to take the case, though it’s not looking good this holiday season.

The Wish is Nicholas Sparks' latest. 1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she met Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce showed her how much there was to love about the wind-swept beach town—and introduced her to photography, a passion that would define the rest of her life. By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him. As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier—and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.

RaeAnne Thayne's latest is called Sleigh Bells Ring. Angel’s View Ranch has always been special to Annelise McCade. Once upon a time, it was her family’s land, until her grandfather sold it to billionaire Wallace Sheridan. Now employed as the live-in caretaker, Annie is just trying to make it through the holidays with both her sanity and her niece's and nephew’s faith in the magic of Christmas intact. The six-year-old twins recently lost their mother, so Annie tells herself it wouldn’t be a problem to bring them to Angel’s View. Why should it be? The Sheridans haven’t visited in years, not since Wallace died. They would never know the twins were there…until Tate Sheridan shows up out of the blue two weeks before Christmas. Crushed to learn that Tate is there to sell his grandfather’s property—and mortified that her secret guests have been discovered—Annie offers her resignation. But Tate asks them to stay and help him get the house ready for one last family Christmas before it’s put on the market. Annie and Tate have three days to work their magic before the Sheridan clan arrives—and to work through the growing attraction between them. But Annie simply can’t fall for the man who will put her out of a job and a home. Still, the sparkle of the season is impossible to deny…and this Christmas has surprises in store for everyone.

(All synopses from Amazon.com)

New Christmas Audio Books

 

From the best-selling author Lynn Austen comes The Wish Book Christmas--a nostalgic and endearing holiday story that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and don’t deserve. Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab - since a dog topped the boys’ wish list for Santa. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love. (from Amazon.com)

Beloved award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Mary Monroe delivers a hopeful and heartwarming story--Once in a Lifetime--about an impossible Christmas dream, an unexpected act of goodwill - and a surprising chain of events that could gift joy far beyond the holiday season. Free-spirited, living on the fly, Vanessa Hayes is still always down for traditional family holiday fun - until now. She’s making her oft-delayed wish finally come true: Christmas in Paris, the glittering City of Lights. But when her passport gets delayed, it’s too late for Vanessa to rebook. Now it looks like the Yuletide she longs for won’t happen. Until a stranger suddenly enters her life, and changes it forever. Overwhelmed by responsibility, Judith Guthrie is too busy worrying about her seriously ill brother to have time to celebrate. She’s taken a leave from her teaching job to care for him as he’s on the waiting list for a life-giving transplant. A trip to France is a kind of happiness she can’t imagine. But when she accidentally receives Vanessa’s passport, Judith can’t resist delivering it in person so Vanessa will at least have her holiday dream. She can’t anticipate that her small gesture will result in a series of big choices, big miracles, and lifelong rewards that all will be thankful for over many Christmases to come. (from Amazon.com)

Three charming and festive holiday novellas spiced with humor, frontier action, and sweet romance. In this three-in-one novella collection, best-selling author Karen Witemeyer presents the new story A Texas Christmas Carol, in which a town's wealthy Scrooge-like bachelor finds his world invaded by a woman set on earning his donation for helping the local poor, and by the penetrating questions of three mysterious visitors. It also includes, for the first time in audio, An Archer Family Christmas. When the Archer clan gathers for the Christmas holiday, an unexpected request for help leaves Cassandra Archer directly in the path of a dangerous outlaw. Desperate to protect the woman he loves, Jim Archer races to the rescue, only to find that Cassie's life is not the only one in peril. It will take a Christmas miracle - and the entire Archer clan - to keep a second Archer Christmas from ending in disaster. In previously published Gift of the Heart, a widow and her young daughter move to Hope Springs for a fresh start. But with no money to secure a home, Ruth must convince a wealthy resort owner to accept her heirloom brooch as collateral. Will the pin that brought love to three generations soften the heart of a wounded recluse and give Ruth a second chance at love as the holidays draw near? Sprinkled throughout the collection, you'll find a hope-filled Christmas devotion, Witemeyer holiday recipes, and fun facts about 19th-century Christmas celebrations! (from Amazon.com)

Thanksgiving Hours

 

New Cookbooks to Enjoy

 

Cook your way across Louisiana with beloved chef Kevin Belton’s newest cookbook! Kevin Belton’s fourth cookbook and television series focuses on the amazing food found throughout Louisiana. The star of New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton heads to multiple parishes found across Louisiana to explore dishes and unique flavor profiles associated with each area of the state. Kevin Belton’s Cookin’ Louisiana has 78 recipes (3 from each episode of the coordinating TV series) along with a generous helping of Kevin’s captivating stories and humor. Recipes include Smoked Meat Loaf with Sweet Glaze, Louisiana Fish on the Half Shell, Cane Syrup Cake, Pumpkin Soup, Fried Alligator Bites, and Shrimp Scampi Risotto. (from Amazon.com)

A Feast of Wonder! Gastro Obscura: a Food Adventurer's Guide written by Cecily Wong is created by the ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura. This breathtaking guide transforms our sense of what people around the world eat and drink. Covering all seven continents, Gastro Obscura serves up a loaded plate of incredible ingredients, food adventures, and edible wonders. Ready for a beer made from fog in Chile? Sardinia’s “Threads of God” pasta? Egypt’s 2000-year-old egg ovens? But far more than a menu of curious minds delicacies and unexpected dishes, Gastro Obscura reveals food’s central place in our lives as well as our bellies, touching on history–trace the network of ancient Roman fish sauce factories. Culture–picture four million women gathering to make rice pudding. Travel–scale China’s sacred Mount Hua to reach a tea house. Festivals–feed wild macaques pyramid of fruit at Thailand’s Monkey Buffet Festival. And hidden gems that might be right around the corner, like the vending machine in Texas dispensing full sized pecan pies. Dig in and feed your sense of wonder. (from Amazon.com)

A Weissman once said"...can we please stop with the barrage of 2.3 second meals that only need 1 ingredient? I get it…we’re busy. But let’s refocus on the fact that beautifully crafted burgers don't grow on trees." Ironically this sounds a lot like he's trying to convince you to cook, but he's really not. Is this selling the cookbook? The point is that the food in this book is an invitation that speaks for itself. Great cooking does, and should, take time. Now is the time to double down and get your head in the cooking game. Or you know, don't. Maybe get someone else to cook this stuff for you...that works too. How can you know if something is your favorite if 50 to 80 percent of the stuff you've been eating was made by someone else? Butter, condiments, cheese, pickles, patties, and buns. For a superior and potentially even life-changing experience, you can (and should, to be honest) make these from scratch. Create the building blocks necessary to make the greatest meal of your life. While you're at it, give it the Joshua Weissman—or your own—twist. As Joshua would say, “If you don’t like blue cheese, then don’t use blue cheese.” From simple staples to gourmet to deep-fried, you are the master of your own kitchen, and you'll make it all, on your terms. With no regrets, excuses, or apologies, Joshua Weissman will instruct you how with his irreverent humor, a little bit of light razzing, and over 100 perfectly delectable recipes. If you love to host and entertain; if you like a good project; if you crave control of your food; if fast food or the frozen aisle or the super-fast-super-easy cookbook keep letting your tastebuds down; then Joshua Weissman: An Unapologetic Cookbook is your ideal kitchen companion. (from Amazon.com)

The story of Hawaiian cooking, by a two-time Top Chef finalist and Fan Favorite, through 100 recipes that embody the beautiful cross-cultural exchange of the islands. Even when he was winning accolades and adulation for his cooking, two-time Top Chef finalist Sheldon Simeon decided to drop what he thought he was supposed to cook as a chef. He dedicated himself instead to the local Hawai‘i food that feeds his ‘ohana—his family and neighbors. With uncomplicated, flavor-forward recipes, he shows us the many cultures that have come to create the cuisine of his beloved home: the native Hawaiian traditions, Japanese influences, Chinese cooking techniques, and dynamic Korean, Portuguese, and Filipino flavors that are closest to his heart. Through stunning photography, poignant stories, and dishes like wok-fried poke, pork dumplings made with biscuit dough, crispy cauliflower katsu, and charred huli-huli chicken slicked with a sweet-savory butter glaze, Cook Real Hawai‘i will bring a true taste of the cookouts, homes, and iconic mom and pop shops of Hawai‘i into your kitchen. (from Amazon.com)

In Observance of Veteran's Day...

 The Library will be closed all day on Thursday, November 11, 2021 in observance of Veteran's Day.

Thank You to all who have served. Your service and sacrifice have made it free for us to read whatever we choose.

Go Screen Free!

Unplugged Play: Toddler: 155 Activities & Games for Ages 1-2 is by Bobbi Conner. Unplug your toddler with over 150 screen-free games and activities! From Tunnel Tube to Party Play Dough, Bumper Ball to Hoop-Dee-Do, here are more than 150 screen-free games and activities to help kids enjoy the wholesome old-fashioned experience of playing creatively and freely...without technology. There are outdoor games and indoor games, games to play solo and games to play with others, crafts, songs, guessing games, puppet ideas, playdates and party favorites––even instant activities to do at the kitchen table while dinner’s cooking. All games are toddler-tested and approved! A note to parents: Play matters! Technology has the place, but these unplugged games are designed to stretch the imagination, spark creativity, build strong bodies, and forge deeper connections with family and friends. (from Amazon.com)

Unplugged Play: Preschool: 233 Activities & Games for Ages 3-5 is also by Bobbi Conner. Unplug Your Preschooler with more than 200 screen-free games and activities! From Animal Doctor to Lunch Bag Puppet, Letter Hunt to Life-Size Me, here are more than 200 screen-free games and activities to help kids enjoy the wholesome, old-fashioned experience of playing creatively and freely...without technology. There are outdoor games and indoor games, games to play solo and games to play with others, arts and crafts, songs and rhymes, playdates and party favorites––even instant activities to do at the kitchen table while dinner’s cooking. All games are preschooler-tested and approved.  A note to parents: Play matters! Technology has its place, but these unplugged games are designed to stretch the imagination, spark creativity, build strong bodies, and forge deeper connections with family and friends. (from Amazon.com)

In The Unplugged Family Activity Book by Rachel Jepson Wolf, you’ll fall in love with every season—wherever you call home. So grab your family and friends, and get ready for an adventure that will last all through the year! Get ready for kid-approved ideas that celebrate the great outdoors year round! Whether you’re building forts or making fresh cider, there’s something for every kid and every season. What might unfold if we put away our devices for an hour, a day, or even longer? What adventures await, when we press pause on technology? The Unplugged Family Activity Book invites you and your loved ones to connect, create, and celebrate all year long. With more than 50 projects, crafts, and recipes, plus ideas for seasonal celebrations to share with family and friends, there’s fun to be had, all through the year. Host a springtime tea party, where you’ll nibble shortbread cookies and make a mossy teacup fairy garden. Or gather with friends for a summer potluck party. Blow giant bubbles, race leaf-and-bark boats, or camp out in your own backyard. In the fall, enjoy a harvest party with your friends! Create a fall leaf rainbow, sip mulled cider, and bake bread over a campfire. When winter comes, celebrate the longest night of the year with twinkling ice lanterns. Try your hand at candle dipping and pen your wishes for the coming year. You’ll find instruction and recipes for:

• Candied violets
• Herbal first aid balm
• Rose petal tea
• Infused honey
• Homemade ice cream
• Summer flower bunting
• Homemade dragonfly wings
• Felted acorn necklaces
• Autumn gratitude tree
• Decorative lanterns
• Baked apples
• Winter stargazing
• Maple lollipops
• Dried citrus garland
• Plus dozens more crafts, projects, and recipes!  

(from Amazon.com)

Give Yourself Chills

Dean Koontz thrills with his novel Devoted. Woody Bookman hasn’t spoken a word in his eleven years of life. Not when his father died in a freak accident. Not when his mother, Megan, tells him she loves him. For Megan, keeping her boy safe and happy is what matters. But Woody believes a monstrous evil was behind his father’s death and now threatens him and his mother. And he’s not alone in his thoughts. An ally unknown to him is listening. A uniquely gifted dog with a heart as golden as his breed, Kipp is devoted beyond reason to people. When he hears the boy who communicates like he does, without speaking, Kipp knows he needs to find him before it’s too late. Woody’s fearful suspicions are taking shape. A man driven by a malicious evil has set a depraved plan into motion. And he’s coming after Woody and his mother. The reasons are primal. His powers are growing. And he’s not alone. Only a force greater than evil can stop what’s coming next. (from Amazon.com)

Silvia Moreno-Garcia offers an atmospheric horror novel with Mexican Gothic. After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind. (from Amazon.com)

Malorie is Josh Malerman's sequel to his stellar Bird Box. Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence. There remains no explanation. No solution. All Malorie can do is survive - and impart her fierce will to do so on her children. Don’t get lazy, she tells them. Don’t take off your blindfold. And don't look. But then comes what feels like impossible news. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope. Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive. Malorie has already lost so much: her sister, a house full of people who meant everything, and any chance at an ordinary life. But getting her life back means returning to a world full of unknowable horrors - and risking the lives of her children again. Because the creatures are not the only thing Malorie fears: There are the people who claim to have caught and experimented on the creatures. Murmurings of monstrous inventions and dangerous new ideas. And rumors that the creatures themselves have changed into something even more frightening. Malorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more. (from Amazon.com)

Plain Bad Heroines is a novel by Emily M. Danforth. Our story begins in 1902, at the Brookhants School for Girls. Flo and Clara, two impressionable students, are obsessed with each other and with a daring young writer named Mary MacLane, the author of a scandalous bestselling memoir. To show their devotion to Mary, the girls establish their own private club and call it the Plain Bad Heroine Society. They meet in secret in a nearby apple orchard, the setting of their wildest happiness and, ultimately, of their macabre deaths. This is where their bodies are later discovered with a copy of Mary’s book splayed beside them, the victims of a swarm of stinging, angry yellow jackets. Less than five years later, the Brookhants School for Girls closes its doors forever—but not before three more people mysteriously die on the property, each in a most troubling way. Over a century later, the now abandoned and crumbling Brookhants is back in the news when wunderkind writer Merritt Emmons publishes a breakout book celebrating the queer, feminist history surrounding the “haunted and cursed” Gilded Age institution. Her bestselling book inspires a controversial horror film adaptation starring celebrity actor and lesbian it girl Harper Harper playing the ill-fated heroine Flo, opposite B-list actress and former child star Audrey Wells as Clara. But as Brookhants opens its gates once again, and our three modern heroines arrive on set to begin filming, past and present become grimly entangled—or perhaps just grimly exploited—and soon it’s impossible to tell where the curse leaves off and Hollywood begins. (from Amazon.com)

Scary Short Stories to Enjoy

Ghost Stories: Classic Tales of Horror and Suspense is edited by Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger. The ghost story has long been a staple of world literature, but many of the genre's greatest tales have been forgotten, overshadowed in many cases by their authors' bestselling work in other genres. In this spine-tingling anthology, little known stories from literary titans like Charles Dickens and Edith Wharton are collected alongside overlooked works from masters of horror fiction like Edgar Allan Poe and M. R. James. Acclaimed anthologists Leslie S. Klinger (The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes) and Lisa Morton (Ghosts: A Haunted History) set these stories in historical context and trace the literary significance of ghosts in fiction over almost two hundred years—from a traditional English ballad first printed in 1724 through the Christmas-themed ghost stories of the Victorian era and up to the science fiction–tinged tales of the early twentieth century. 

A Wave of Fear: a Classic Horror Anthology is edited by Hugh Lamb. Includes selections by L.A. Lewis, Eleanor Scott, Ambrose Bierce, M.P. Shiel, H.R. Wakefield, Charles Birkin, L.T.C. Rolt, Marjorie Bowen, A.C. Benson, E.F. Benson, R.H. Benson, Joy Burnett, Frederick Cowles, D.K. Browster, J.D. Beresford, Robert W. Chambers, and Vivian Meik. Keep yourself up at night reading classic and contemporary stories of terror and suspense.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes--the classic short story collection from bestselling author Stephen King. A wrong turn on a lonely road lands a wayward couple in Rock and Roll Heaven, Oregon, where there’s no escaping the free nightly concert….A novelty toy becomes an unexpected and terrifying instrument of self-defense….An ex-con pieces together a map to unearth a stolen million dollars—but at what price?...A private investigator in Depression-era Los Angeles is finding his life unraveling as he discovers the shocking truth of who he really is….A third-grade teacher is willing to dig deep in order to exact revenge for his murdered wife.... These are just some of the haunting scenarios to be found in this classic collection—spellbinding tales from the darkest places and the unparalleled imagination of fiction’s master storyteller.

Games Creatures Play edited by Charlaine Harris, Toni L. P. Kelner. Welcome to the wide world of paranormal pastimes, where striking out might strike you dead. In this all-new story collection of the most peculiar plays ever made; sports fans live and die by their teams' successes and failures-though not literally. But these fifteen authors have written spirited--in more ways than one--new tales of killer competitions that would make even the most die-hard players ask to be benched. In Charlaine Harris's "The Blue Hereafter," Manfred Bernardo learns about softball from a certain blond barmaid in Louisiana. Life-and-death stakes make the competition get serious in William Kent Krueger's "Hide and Seek." r Mercedes Lackey's "False Knight on the Road" features a high-stakes drag race on a foggy mountain road between a clever young bootlegger and a mysterious stranger. In Laura Lippman's "Ice," a young girl learns the true story behind a bit of neighborhood folklore. Seanan McGuire presents "Jammed," in which a chimera loose during the Roller Derby makes it anyone's guess as to who will still be skating by the time the buzzer sounds. In Brandon Sanderson's "Dreamer," a game of cops and robbers is a new challenge when the players are able to switch bodies at will. And Scott Sigler follows ghost stomper Hunter Hunterson as he investigates a haunted, never-ending baseball game in "The Case of the Haunted Safeway." These and eight more supernatural sporting stories are guaranteed to have you rooting for the home team, or else.

Spotlight on Fantasy in New Adult Fiction

 

Certain Dark Things is by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. "Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Here in the city, heavily policed to keep the creatures of the night at bay, Domingo is another trash-picking street kid, just hoping to make enough to survive. Then he meets Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers. Domingo is smitten. He clings to her like a barnacle until Atl relents and decides to let him stick around. But Atl's problems--Nick and Rodrigo--have come to find her. When they start to raise the body count in the city, it attracts the attention of police officers, local crime bosses, and the vampire community. Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? Or will the city devour them all?" (from the publisher)

M.J. Kuhn delivers her newest with Among Thieves. "In just over a year's time, Ryia Cautella has already earned herself a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the dockside city of Carrowwick--not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name. For the past six years, a deadly secret has kept her in hiding, running from town to town, doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the formidable Guildmaster--the sovereign ruler of the five kingdoms of Thamorr. No matter how far or fast she travels, his servants never fail to track her down...but even the most powerful men can be defeated. Ryia's path now leads directly into the heart of the Guildmaster's stronghold, and against every instinct she has, it's not a path she can walk alone. Forced to team up with a crew of assorted miscreants, smugglers, and thieves, Ryia must plan her next moves very carefully. If she succeeds, her freedom is won once and for all...but unfortunately for Ryia, her new allies are nearly as selfish as she is, and they all have plans of their own." (Amazon.com)

Author T.J. Klune offers a touching love story in Under the Whispering Door. "Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead. But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home." (Amazon.com)

Kevin J. Anderson's sequel to Spine of The Dragon brings bitter rivalry and blood feud―that might be the downfall of the human kingdoms. Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, have been in conflict for a thousand years. But when an outside threat arises―the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world―the two warring nations must somehow set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against a far more deadly enemy. Book One awakened the great dragon, and set the kingdoms at each other’s throats. In Book Two, Vengewar, the Three Kingdoms are shattering under pressure from an inexperienced new King who is being led by an ambitious regent to ignore the threat of the Wreths, in favor of a Vengewar with Ishara. His brother and uncle can see only the danger of the Older Race. In Ishara, the queen lies in a coma, while an ambitious priest seizes power. But he has neither the training nor the talent to rule a nation― or even a city. Ishara is in deadly peril, and the Wreths have not even appeared on their continent." (Amazon.com)

New Adult Graphic Novels

"Bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp and artist Manuel Preitano unveil a graphic novel--The Oracle Code--that explores the dark corridors of Barbara Gordon's first mystery: herself. After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon undergoes physical and mental rehabilitation at the Arkham Center for Independence. She must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Strange sounds escape at night while patients start to go missing. Is this suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Or does Barbara actually hear voices coming from the center's labyrinthine hallways? It's up to her to put the pieces together to solve the mysteries behind the walls." (from Amazon.com)

"Bestselling author and artist Reza Farazmand, his first graphic novel about a young monster who moves to a big city. City Monster is set in a world of supernatural creatures and follows a young monster who moves to the city. As he struggles to figure out his future, his new life is interrupted by questions about his mysterious roommate—a ghost who can’t remember the past. Joined by their neighbor, a vampire named Kim, they explore the city, meeting a series of strange and spooky characters and looking for answers about life, memories, and where to get a good beer. With Reza's signature style, and familiar snark, this graphic novel is equal parts irreverent and insightful, the perfect vehicle for conveying the utter absurdity of our bizarre and confusing times." (from Amazon.com)

"Elsie the vampire is three hundred years old, but in all that time, she has never met her match. This all changes one night in a bar when she meets Jimmy, a charming werewolf with a wry sense of humor and a fondness for running wild during the full moon. Together they enjoy horror films and scary novels, shady strolls, fine dining (though never with garlic), and a genuine fondness for each other’s unusual habits, macabre lifestyles, and monstrous appetites. First featured as a webcomic series on Tapas, Fangs chronicles the humor, sweetness, and awkwardness of meeting someone perfectly suited to you but also vastly different. This deluxe hardcover edition of Fangs features an “engraved” red cloth cover, dyed black page trim, and 25 exclusive comics not previously seen online. Filled with Sarah Andersen’s beautiful gothic illustrations and relatable relationship humor, Fangs has all the makings of a cult classic." (from Amazon.com)

"An American classic and one of the world’s seminal antiwar books, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five is faithfully presented in graphic novel form for the first time from Eisner Award-winning writer Ryan North and Eisner Award-nominated artist Albert Monteys. 

 Listen: Billy Pilgrim has...

• read Kilgore Trout
• opened a successful optometry business
• built a loving family
• witnessed the firebombing of Dresden
• traveled to the planet Tralfamadore
• met Kurt Vonnegut
• come unstuck in time.

Billy Pilgrim’s journey is at once a farcical look at the horror and tragedy of war where children are placed on the frontlines and die (so it goes), and a moving examination of what it means to be fallibly human." (from Amazon.com)

Spotlight: Adult Non-Fiction

Grace Olmstead's latest offering is called Uprooted: Recovering the Legacy of the Places We've Left Behind."In the tradition of Wendell Berry, a young writer wrestles with what we owe the places we’ve left behind. In the tiny farm town of Emmett, Idaho, there are two kinds of people: those who leave and those who stay. Those who leave go in search of greener pastures, better jobs, and college. Those who stay are left to contend with thinning communities, punishing government farm policy, and environmental decay. Grace Olmstead, now a journalist in Washington, DC, is one who left, and in Uprooted, she examines the heartbreaking consequences of uprooting—for Emmett, and for the greater heartland America. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Uprooted wrestles with the questions of what we owe the places we come from and what we are willing to sacrifice for profit and progress. As part of her own quest to decide whether or not to return to her roots, Olmstead revisits the stories of those who, like her great-grandparents and grandparents, made Emmett a strong community and her childhood idyllic. She looks at the stark realities of farming life today, identifying the government policies and big agriculture practices that make it almost impossible for such towns to survive. And she explores the ranks of Emmett’s newcomers and what growth means for the area’s farming tradition. Avoiding both sentimental devotion to the past and blind faith in progress, Olmstead uncovers ways modern life attacks all of our roots, both metaphorical and literal. She brings readers face to face with the damage and brain drain left in the wake of our pursuit of self-improvement, economic opportunity, and so-called growth. Ultimately, she comes to an uneasy conclusion for herself: one can cultivate habits and practices that promote rootedness wherever one may be, but: some things, once lost, cannot be recovered." (from Amazon.com)

Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg aims to popularize the notion of ‘social infrastructure'—the physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact. "We are living in a time of deep divisions. Americans are sorting themselves along racial, religious, and cultural lines, leading to a level of polarization that the country hasn’t seen since the Civil War. Pundits and politicians are calling for us to come together and find common purpose. But how, exactly, can this be done? In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg suggests a way forward. He believes that the future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries, childcare centers, churches, and parks where crucial connections are formed. Interweaving his own research with examples from around the globe, Klinenberg shows how “social infrastructure” is helping to solve some of our most pressing societal challenges. Richly reported and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides." (from Amazon.com)

"A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes. Strong Towns: A Bottom Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity by Charles L. Marohn is a book of forward thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this long-standing problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles―and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life.

• Develop in depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never ending urban growth
• Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low risk investment and a grassroots focus
• Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns
• Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity

Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live." (from Amazon.com)

"Our current food system has decimated rural communities and confined the choices of urban consumers. Even while America continues to ramp up farm production to astounding levels, net farm income is now lower than at the onset of the Great Depression, and one out of every eight Americans faces hunger. But a healthier and more equitable food system is possible. In Building Community Food Webs, Ken Meter shows how grassroots food and farming leaders across the U.S. are tackling these challenges by constructing civic networks. Overturning extractive economic structures, these inspired leaders are engaging low-income residents, farmers, and local organizations in their quest to build stronger communities. Community food webs strive to build health, wealth, capacity, and connection. Their essential element is building greater respect and mutual trust, so community members can more effectively empower themselves and address local challenges. Farmers and researchers may convene to improve farming practices collaboratively. Health clinics help clients grow food for themselves and attain better health. Food banks engage their customers to challenge the root causes of poverty. Municipalities invest large sums to protect farmland from development. Developers forge links among local businesses to strengthen economic trade. Leaders in communities marginalized by our current food system are charting a new path forward. Building Community Food Webs captures the essence of these efforts, underway in diverse places including Montana, Hawai‘i, Vermont, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, and Minnesota. Addressing challenges as well as opportunities, Meter offers pragmatic insights for community food leaders and other grassroots activists alike." (from Amazon.com)