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Beyond the Best Dressed

Esther Zuckerman

The ultimate red carpet companion, Beyond the Best Dressed is an illustrated, personality-filled romp through more than 90 years of Oscar fashion, from the elegant to the absurd. 

From the show-stoppingly elegant (Halle Berry winning the award for Monster’s Ball in a breathtaking Elie Saab) to the decidedly kooky (Adam Rippon in a formal harness), the Academy Awards Telecast is one of the few nights of the year devoted entirely to glamor (in all its forms). Even in the age of streaming, millions upon millions of people sit down at the same time, turn on their televisions, and watch celebrities strut down the red carpet (and, sure, win some awards). Now fans can relive the glamor, drama, and lasting legacy of some of the most influential outfits from more than ninety years of the Oscar in Beyond the Best Dressed: A Cultural History of the Most Glamorous, Radical, and Scandalous Oscar Fashion. In twenty-five essays, culture writer Esther Zuckerman romps through the iconic fashion choices that made history on the most elegant stage of all, and analyzes the cultural impact of wardrobe decisions both absurd and wonderful. Beginning with Hattie McDaniel’s historic and trendsetting turquoise gown in 1940 (worn at a table segregated from her white agent), Zuckerman goes beyond the “best of” lists to shine a deserved spotlight on the truly unforgettable outfits–and deciphers what those outfits represented.

Beyond the Best Dressed is a first-of-its-kind commemoration of Oscar fashion that perfectly captures the glitz and the glamor for anyone who has ever been to an Oscar watch party (or texted their friends while they watched alone). Fully illustrated with whimsical interpretations of the outfits–including Michelle Williams' golden Versace, Sharon Stone's iconic Gap t-shirt, and Rita Moreno's groundbreaking dress worn in both 1962 and 2018–this book is a joyful and vivid odyssey that doesn’t stop at the hem of the dress, delving deeper into the cultural effect of these fashion flash points with research and original reporting.

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The Shadow Murders

Jussi Adler-Olsen

In the exhilarating penultimate thriller of the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling Department Q series, the team must hunt for a nefarious criminal who has slipped under the radar for decades.

On her sixtieth birthday, a woman takes her own life. When the case lands on Detective Carl Mørck’s desk, he can’t imagine what this has to do with Department Q, Copenhagen’s cold cases division since the cause of death seems apparent. However, his superior, Marcus Jacobsen, is convinced that this is related to an unsolved case that has been plaguing him since 1988.
 
At Marcus's behest, Carl and the Department Q gang—Rose, Assad, and Gordon—reluctantly begin to investigate. And they quickly discover that Marcus is onto something: Every two years for the past three decades, there have been unusual, impeccably timed deaths with connections between them that cannot be ignored, including mysterious piles of salt at the scenes. As the investigation goes deeper, it emerges that these "accidents" are in fact part of a sinister murder scheme.
 
Faced with their toughest case yet, made only more difficult by COVID-19 restrictions and the challenges of their personal lives, the Department Q team must race to find the culprit before the next murder is committed, as it is becoming increasingly clear that the killer is far from finished.

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The Book Haters' Book Club

Gretchen Anthony

"This sparkling novel starts with high energy and unique characters that move from one surprise to another." —Ann Garvin, USA TODAY bestselling author

All it takes is the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover…

That was what Elliot—the beloved co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookshop—believed before his untimely passing. He always had the perfect book suggestion for the self-proclaimed Book Hater. Now his grief-ridden business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell the cozy Over the Rainbow to condo developers.

But others won’t give up the bookshop without a fight. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, Bree and Laney, and Elliot’s romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Over the Rainbow has been Bree and Laney’s sanctuary since childhood, and Thom would do anything to preserve Elliot’s legacy. Together they conspire to save the bookshop, even if it takes some snooping, gossip and minor sabotage.

Filled with humor, family hijinks and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters' Book Club is the ideal feel-good read. It’s a love letter to everyday heroes—those booksellers and librarians dedicated to putting the right books in the right hands every day.

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Murder on the Spanish Seas

Wendy Church

Jesse O'Hara is profane, introverted, and not frequently sober – and has just lost another job. “A million-dollar brain and a ten-cent personality,” her last employer said. With nothing better to do, Jesse reluctantly accepts the gift of a luxury cruise around the Iberian Peninsula. She’s not sure she can drink enough to keep her boredom at bay, but that's the least of her problems. From the very first moment of the cruise, it's clear to Jesse that something is very wrong. 

 

Aided by her near-photographic memory, Jesse investigates a series of strange incidents on the ship and uncovers what looks like a terrorist plot in the works. But with each new layer uncovered, her perception shifts and broadens-- and someone doesn’t want her poking around. For Jesse, bruised and concussed is preferable to tan and relaxed, so she ignores the mounting danger even as she closes in on the villains, who have perfectly timed their grand finale... 

 

Murder on the Spanish Seas is a riveting, whip-smart, and smart-aleck debut thriller that will keep you on your toes just as frequently as it keeps you in stitches. A perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware and Janet Evanovich.

 

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The Color Storm : A Novel of Renaissance Venice

Damian Dibben

"Artists flock here, not just for wealth and fame, but for revolutionary color. Yet artist Giorgione "Zorzo" Barbarelli's career hangs in the balance. Competition is fierce, and his debts are piling up. When Zorzo hears a rumor of a mysterious new pigment, brought to Venice by the richest man in Europe, he sets out to acquire the color and secure his name in history. Winning a commission to paint a portrait of the man's wife, Sybille, Zorzo thinks he has found a way into the merchant's favor. Instead he finds himself caught up in a conspiracy that stretches across Europe and a marriage coming apart inside one of the floating city's most illustrious palazzi. As the water levels rise and the plague creeps ever closer, an increasingly desperate Zorzo isn't sure whom he can trust. Will Sybille prove to be the key to Zorzo's success or the reason for his downfall? Atmospheric and suspenseful and filled with the famous artists of the era, The Color Storm is an intoxicating story of art and ambition, love and obsession." -- Publisher marketing.

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The Book of Goose

Yiyun Li

Longlisted for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction. A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice.

A magnificent, beguiling tale winding from the postwar rural provinces to Paris, from an English boarding school, to the quiet Pennsylvania home where a woman can live without her past, The Book of Goose is a story of disturbing intimacy and obsession, of exploitation and strength of will, by the celebrated author Yiyun Li.

Fabienne is dead. Her childhood best friend, Agnès, receives the news in America, far from the French countryside where the two girls were raised—the place that Fabienne helped Agnès escape ten years ago. Now, Agnès is free to tell her story.

As children in a war-ravaged, backwater town, they’d built a private world, invisible to everyone but themselves—until Fabienne hatched the plan that would change everything, launching Agnès on an epic trajectory through fame, fortune, and terrible loss.

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The Best Friend

Jessica Fellowes

Following the intense, toxic friendship of two kindred spirits across their lifetimes, The Best Friend is a dark, suspenseful novel and first standalone from Jessica Fellowes, New York Times bestselling author of the Mitford Murders series and the companion Downton Abbey books.

Bella and Kate. Kate and Bella. From childhood they were bosom friends, Bella sensible and cautious, Kate gregarious and just a little dangerous.

Yet in spite of their intimacy, their trust is fragile. Men came into their lives and things changed: a black seed was set in the heart of their relationship. Over decades, acts of both cruelty and love ferment until one shocking event tests them more than ever. Neither will escape unscathed.

Reminiscent of Elena Ferrante and Sally Rooney, and for readers of Leila Slimani’s The Perfect Nanny and Ashley Audrain’s The Push, The Best Friend explores the darkest corners of female friendship, a place where loyalty and betrayal intersect with deadly consequences.

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A Very Typical Family

Sierra Godfrey

"I couldn't put it down. Engrossing, satisfying. The minute I turned the last page I messaged three friends to tell them they had to grab it." —KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick The Chicken Sisters

For fans of Emma Straub and Jennifer Weiner, comes a heartfelt, darkly funny novel about learning to love (and forgive) your family...even when they accidentally put you behind bars.

All families are messy. Some are disasters.

Natalie Walker is the reason her older brother and sister went to prison over 15 years ago. She fled California shortly after that fateful night and hasn't spoken to anyone in her family since. Now, on the same day her boyfriend steals her dream job out from under her, Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer saying her estranged mother has died and left the family's historic Santa Cruz house to her. Sort of. The only way for Natalie and her siblings to inherit is for all three adult children to come back and claim it—together.

Natalie drives cross-country to Santa Cruz with her willful cat in tow expecting to sign some papers, see siblings Lynn and Jake briefly, and get back to sorting out her life in Boston. But Jake, now an award-winning ornithologist, is missing. And Lynn, working as an undertaker in New York City, shows up with a teenage son. While Natalie and her nephew look for Jake—meeting a very handsome marine biologist who immediately captures her heart—she unpacks the guilt she has held onto for so many years, wondering how (or if) she can salvage a relationship with her siblings after all this time.

Written with delightfully dark humor and characters you can't help but cheer for, A Very Typical Family will have you reveling in the power of family and second chances. No one can change the past, but every day is an opportunity to choose your future.

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Amy and Lan

Sadie Jones

'Fabulous: vivid and funny, sometimes heart-rendingly sad' Guardian

This is the story of how we came to Frith. And we're never, ever, ever leaving.'

Amy Connell and Lan Honey are having the best childhood, growing up on a West Country farm - three families, a couple of lodgers, goats, dogs and an orphaned calf called Gabriella Christmas.

The parents are best friends too. Originally from the city, they're learning about farming: growing their own vegetables, milking the goats, slaughtering chickens and scything the hay--

'Mind your eyes! Don't break your neck! Careful!'

The adults are far too busy to keep an eye on Amy and Lan, and Amy and Lan would never tell them about climbing on the high barn roof, or what happened with the axe that time, any more than their parents would tell them the things they get up to - adult things, like betrayal - that threaten to bring the whole fragile idyll tumbling down...

'A gently episodic and humorous tale whose sharp-eyed, effervescent child narrators entertain... Beguilingly readable' Daily Mail

'Jones's evocation of childhood is spot-on: its fierce passions, disaffections, loyalties and suffering' Financial Times

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Bliss Montage : Stories

Ling Ma

A National Indie Bestseller "Dazzling . . . Ling Ma writes with such authority that we readers are simply swept along . . . If sometimes we wonder where we've ended up, maybe that sense of dislocation is the desired final effect." --Maureen Corrigan, NPR's Fresh Air "Uncanny and haunting . . . The genius of [ Bliss Montage ] is unearthed in how [Ma] stretches the boundaries of the world while zooming in on the details that matter most . . . A powerful reminder that there is more than one way to see -- and really know -- a person." --Michele Filgate, The Washington Post What happens when fantasy tears the screen of the everyday to wake us up? Could that waking be our end? In Bliss Montage , Ling Ma brings us eight wildly different tales of people making their way through the madness and reality of our collective delusions: love and loneliness, connection and possession, friendship, motherhood, the idea of home. A woman lives in a house with all her ex-boyfriends. A toxic friendship grows up around a drug that makes you invisible. An ancient ritual might heal you of anything--if you bury yourself alive. These and other scenarios investigate the ways that the outlandish and the ordinary are shockingly, deceptively, heartbreakingly alike.
Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a ProQuest® service.

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We Spread

Iain Reid

Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades, surrounded by the artifacts and keepsakes of her long life. She is resigned to the mundane rituals of old age, until things start to slip. Before her longtime partner passed away years earlier, provisions were made, unbeknownst to her, for a room in a unique long-term care residence, where Penny finds herself after one too many “incidents.”

Initially, surrounded by peers, conversing, eating, sleeping, looking out at the beautiful woods that surround the house, all is well. She even begins to paint again. But as the days start to blur together, Penny – with a growing sense of unrest and distrust – starts to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world. Is she succumbing to the subtly destructive effects of aging, or is she an unknowing participant in something more unsettling?

At once compassionate and uncanny, told in spare, hypnotic prose, Iain Reid’s genre-defying third novel explores questions of conformity, art, productivity, relationships, and what, ultimately, it means to grow old.

‘I loved this book and couldn't put it down – a deeply gripping, surreal and wonderfully mysterious novel. Not only has Reid given us a brilliant page turner, but a profoundly moving meditation on life and art, death and infinity. Reid is a master’ Mona Awad, author 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl and All's Well
 

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Where Secrets Live

S. C. Richards

In the vein of Wendy Walker and Karen Dionne, this twisted family saga speaks to dark family secrets and how some families will kill to keep them.

Raised by stepparents after the loss of their birth parents, Liz and Meredith McCallister are the only constants in each other’s lives—until Meredith is murdered in her lake home. Devastated by the loss, Liz becomes desperate to know why Meredith was killed. But the more she digs into her sister’s past, the uglier the story gets.

As a teenager, Meredith gave up a child for adoption. When Liz meets her niece for the first time, she finds an angry, troubled teenager, whose reappearance in her mother's life may have been the catalyst that got Meredith killed.

When Liz digs deeper into her sister's life and murder, she finds that their family had many buried secrets. But as Liz uncovers the truth, she realizes that not all secrets were meant to come to light, and her efforts have drawn the attention of someone who is determined to keep the past hidden—even if the cost is Liz's life.

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The Furrows

Namwali Serpell

 

How do you grieve an absence? From the award-winning author of The Old Drift, a brilliantly inventive novel that “captures the disorienting nature of grief [and] its brain-scrambling, time-altering power” (The Washington Post).
“A genuine tour de force . . . What seems at first a meditation on family trauma unfolds through the urgency of an amnesiac puzzle-thriller, then a violently compelling love story.”—Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn

ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Publishers Weekly

I don’t want to tell you what happened. I want to tell you how it felt.

Cassandra Williams is twelve; her little brother, Wayne, is seven. One day, when they’re alone together, there is an accident and Wayne is lost forever. His body is never recovered. The missing boy cleaves the family with doubt. Their father leaves, starts another family elsewhere. But their mother can’t give up hope and launches an organization dedicated to missing children. 

As C grows older, she sees her brother everywhere: in bistros, airplane aisles, subway cars. Here is her brother’s face, the light in his eyes, the way he seems to recognize her, too. But it can’t be, of course. Or can it? Then one day, in another accident, C meets a man both mysterious and familiar, a man who is also searching for someone and for his own place in the world. His name is Wayne. 

Namwali Serpell’s remarkable new novel captures the uncanny experience of grief, the way the past breaks over the present like waves in the sea. The Furrows is a bold exploration of memory and mourning that twists unexpectedly into a story of mistaken identity, double consciousness, and the wishful—and sometimes willful—longing for reunion with those we’ve lost.

 

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The Two Lives of Sara

Catherine Adel West

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Ms. Magazine, The Root, Popsugar, Bustle, and many more!



"An utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves." -- Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee





In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.



Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar.



Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. News spreads of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. are leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar's past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives.



With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love.

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Spells for Forgetting

Adrienne Young

 

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Lush with secrets, magic, and a past that won’t stay where it belongs, this novel is (quite fittingly) spellbinding.”—JODI PICOULT, author of Wish You Were Here

A deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love

Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family’s business, Blackwood’s Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings. But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed—Emery. But the town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all.

 

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Peg and Rose Solve a Murder

Laurien Berenson

Murder, She Wrote meets The Golden Girls in the award-winning author’s brand-new series! Two cantankerous septuagenarians, opposites in every way, put aside their differences to stop a killer… if they don’t throttle each other first!

Rose Donovan looks for the good in everyone. With her sister-in-law, Peg, that sometimes requires a lot of searching. Even a sixty-something former nun like Rose has her limits, and gruff Peg Turnbull sure knows how to push them. But after forty years of bickering, they’re attempting to start over, partnering up to join the local bridge club.

Peg and Rose barely have a chance to celebrate their first win before one of the club’s most accomplished players is killed in his home. As the newest members, the sisters-in-law come under scrutiny and decide to start some digging of their own. Bridge is typically seen as a wholesome pastime, yet this group of senior citizens harbors a wealth of vices, including gambling, cheating, and adultery . . .

By comparison, Peg and Rose’s fractious relationship is starting to feel almost functional. But as their suspect list narrows, they’re unaware that their logic has a dangerous flaw. And they’ll have to hope that their teamwork holds steady when they’re confronted by a killer who’s through with playing games . . .

“Engaging…[Peg and Rose] stand on their own as capable, witty women who are more than up to the task of crime-solving.” –Bookpage

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Seams Like Murder

Dorothy Howell

From USA Today bestselling author Dorothy Howell, a brand new cozy mystery series featuring twenty-something Abbey Chandler and her fellow sewing circle members in the quaint, touristy town of Hideaway Cove.

Abbey Chandler needs a new start and a place to escape, so Hideaway Grove, where she spent her childhood summers, seems like a perfect choice. Once there, she takes up a rewarding new hobby—but also gets tangled up in a hit-and-run homicide…

Abbey has barely arrived in the quaint, quiet town of Hideaway Grove before things turn from blissful to bloody—as the new librarian is mowed down by a car. The only witness on the scene isn’t much help, aside from handing Abbey the bag of books dropped by the victim. Even worse, the sheriff’s office seizes Abbey’s car because of a suspicious dent in the right front fender.

While she waits for the problem to be sorted out, Abbey is drawn into a charity sewing project—even though she can’t tell a bobbin from a seam ripper. Before she knows it, she’s graduating from pillowcase dresses to aprons, setting up a studio in a back room of her aunt’s bakery, and making plans to participate in the upcoming craft fair.

But through it all, she keeps looking for patterns and possible conflicts in the late librarian’s personal, professional, and romantic life. Then a shocking discovery sends her in a new direction, and as the truth begins to unspool, she’s got a notion about who’s guilty…

"Seams Like Murder is a charmer of a mystery, a thoroughly engaging tale of murder, romance, and yummy desserts. (Not to mention a nifty sewing project!) I was hooked from page one." Laura Levine, author of Death By Smoothie

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Fall Guy

Archer Mayor

In Archer Mayor's Fall Guy, a body found in the trunk of a stolen car leads Joe Gunther and his team to crucial evidence in an infamous unsolved case from years past.

A high-end stolen car is discovered in Vermont. A car filled with stolen items from a far-flung two stage burglary spree. But it's what is in the trunk that brings Joe Gunther and his team from the Vermont Bureau of Investigation. In the trunk is the body of burglar in question - one Don Kalfus. Complicating matters, while the body was found in Vermont, it appears he was probably killed in the next state over, New Hampshire.

The task force charged with finding out why Kalfus is murdered soon faces another problem. Within the pile of stolen cell phones found in the car is evidence of a notorious unsolved child abduction case from years earlier.

Now the seemingly simple case has become more complicated and deadly, leading Gunther's team to be pulled from the New Hampshire coast to near the Canadian border as they attempt to find and capture the psychopath responsible for a tangled, historical web of misery, betrayal, and loss.

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The Scent of Empires

Karl Schlögel

Can a drop of perfume tell the story of the twentieth century? Can a smell bear the traces of history? What can we learn about the history of the twentieth century by examining the fate of perfumes?

In this remarkable book, Karl Schlögel unravels the interconnected histories of two of the world’s most celebrated perfumes. In tsarist Russia, two French perfumers – Ernest Beaux and Auguste Michel – developed related fragrances honouring Catherine the Great for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. During the Russian Revolution and Civil War, Beaux fled Russia and took the formula for his perfume with him to France, where he sought to adapt it to his new French circumstances. He presented Coco Chanel with a series of ten fragrance samples in his laboratory and, after smelling each, she chose number five – the scent that would later go by the name Chanel No. 5. Meanwhile, as the perfume industry was being revived in Soviet Russia, Auguste Michel used his original fragrance to create Red Moscow for the tenth anniversary of the Revolution. Piecing together the intertwined histories of these two famous perfumes, which shared a common origin, Schlögel tells a surprising story of power, intrigue and betrayal that offers an altogether unique perspective on the turbulent events and high politics of the twentieth century.

This brilliant account of perfume and politics in twentieth-century Europe will be of interest to a wide general readership.

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The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

Sara Brunsvold

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care.

But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for it.

Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You'll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!

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Binging with Babish

Andrew Rea

The book that 5 million fans of Binging with Babish on YouTube have been waiting for!

The internet cooking show Binging with Babish has taken YouTube by storm with views as high as 12 million per episode. For each video, Andrew Rea, a self-proclaimed movie and TV buff, teaches a recipe based on a favorite TV show or film, such as the babka from the classic Seinfeld episode, the beef bourguignon from Julie & Julia, or the timpano from Big Night. This cookbook includes these and other fan-favorite recipes. Some are so delicious that you'll want to make them for dinner right away, like Bubba's shrimp from Forrest Gump, while others can be saved for impressing a loved one--like the chocolate lava cake from Jon Favreau's Chef, which the actor/director (who also wrote the foreword) asked to make during a guest appearance on Rea's show. Complete with behind-the-scenes stories and never-seen-before photos, as well as answers to frequently asked fan questions, Binging with Babish is a must-have companion to the wildly popular YouTube show.

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Ultimate Guide to eBay for Business

Christopher Matthew Spencer

"A master class on the entire process of setting up an eBay store and increasing sales reach for both new and existing businesses. Features proven tips and techniques for planning, starting, and executing a successful, profitable eBay business"-- Provided by publisher.

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The Science of Plants

DK Publishing, Inc.

 

Combining graceful design and beautiful imagery, this book provides an elegant introduction to the plant kingdom.

Discover the extraordinary diversity of the plant world—and how plants work—with this photographic celebration of the trees, flowers, and foliage plants that share our planet. From tiny mosses and delicate ferns to vibrant blooms and stately palms, Botany invites you to explore the plant kingdom from the ground up, and from root to leaf tip. DK’s elegant introduction to botany is packed with sumptuous photos and crystal-clear artworks that explain the mechanics of photosynthesis, why leaves change color, how cacti store water, and how seeds know when to grow. Filled with fascinating stories of how plants protect themselves from predators, and how flowers use color and scent to interact with—and manipulate—the creatures around them, Botany is a fresh and engaging introduction to the mysterious inner workings of the plant world.

 

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Arts & Crafts of the Native American Tribes

Michael Johnson

Praise for the companion title Encyclopedia of Native Tribes of North America by Michael Johnson:
"This substantial reference remains one of the most elaborately illustrated books on Native Americans now in print. . . . Highly recommended for North American historical and ethnographical collections."
-- Library Journal

Arts and Crafts of the Native American Tribes is an authoritative illustrated reference that has been carefully created to be a companion to Encyclopedia of Native Tribes of North America, not a competitive title. It examines in detail how Native American culture evolved and considers the regional similarities and differences of the arts and crafts created by tribes across the continent. Contemporary and modern photographs, fine line illustrations and step-by-step reconstructions (including a Plains Indian warrior dress with headdress, war bonnet, shirt and leggings) show the techniques of manufacture and display the skill and artistry of the crafters.

The book opens with concise coverage of the main cultural areas of North America and a survey of styles by region and over time. A major section on the living structures -- huts, tipis, igloos, etc. -- is followed by an analysis of individual crafts. These include:

  • Baskets -- plaiting, twining, coiling
  • Bone, antler and horn -- implements, tools, pins, fishhooks
  • Decorative arts -- beadwork, porcupine quillwork
  • Featherwork -- bonnets and headdresses
  • Metalwork -- copper, silver, iron, gold
  • Pottery
  • Shellwork
  • Skinwork -- rawhide, leather, furs
  • Stonework -- arrowheads, pipes, art
  • Textiles -- spinning, weaving
  • Woodwork -- totems, figures, masks, utensils, working with bark.

Arts and Crafts of the Native American Tribes is destined to be a primary reference used by ethnographers, historians and collectors for years to come. It is essential for any library serving academic patrons.

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Creating a Courtyard Garden

Joan Clifton

Whether you have a courtyard garden, a small terrace or a tiny patio, this book offers a host of inspirational designs. Joan Clifton celebrates the enclosed garden space, providing ideas for transforming the smallest courtyard into a peaceful haven. Each section looks at a different style of courtyard, highlighting the key features of each, whether this is hard landscaping, well-planted containers or atmospheric lights, trickling water and rustling plants. Garden plans, advice on materials, and suggestions for planting are all included. Whether starting from scratch or transforming an existing space, this book has all you need to create a stylish garden retreat that captures the essence of outdoor living.

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Ultimate Book of Home Plans, Completely Updated & Revised 4th Edition

Editors of Creative Homeowner

A collection of 680 best-selling designs from today’s leading architects and designers, Ultimate Book of Home Plans, 4th Edition offers virtually every home style, including farmhouses, country cottages, contemporaries, luxury estates, vacation retreats, and regional specialties. In addition to these designs, this essential catalog features practical tips and advice on everything from selecting a site and hiring a contractor to adding such finishing touches as trimwork and landscaping. With over 550 gorgeous, full-color photographs and 1,600 illustrations, experience real homes that were actually built from the designs, plus some interiors. This newly updated edition features more than 280 new house plans and nine new articles on an array of insightful subjects – from creating curb appeal and outdoor living must-haves to different architectural styles and smart home tech ideas. Also included is a new 3D Design America app plan section that will allow you to bring the home plan on the page to life on your phone in 3D!

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Best of How to Haunt Your House

Shawn Mitchell

Ready for a haunting good time? Want to learn to make your own tombstones and cemetery, turn your child into a mummy, create Monster Mud, and more? You've come to the right place! When the living set out to haunt houses, they scream for a unique look and feel. They want to create a spooky memory for visitors coming to party or trick or treat. With a bit of theatrics and light--and layers and layers of homemade cobwebs--today's home haunters hunger to go beyond just setting out a jack-o'-lantern on Halloween. Now you can create an extreme cinematic experience with touch, sound, smells, and spooktacular sights that bring on the chills and screams at every turn. This frightening decorating guide provides inspiration and instruction on how to lift your coffin lid a little higher and transform your house and yard into the best haunted attraction in the neighborhood this Halloween season!

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A Complete Guide to Chinese Brush Painting

Caroline Self

Paint the classic subjects that inspired ancient Chinese masters.

This book introduces the venerable art of painting with ink on rice paper using traditional techniques developed over a thousand years ago. It is ideal for a beginner hoping to practice a large variety of techniques and subjects.

With this practical guide, you will learn to paint:

  • Towering landscapes
  • The elegant Four Gentlemen
  • Plants like bamboo, orchids, plum blossoms, and chrysanthemums
  • Five animals from the Chinese Zodiac
  • The basic strokes used in calligraphy
  • And more!

Known as a "soft martial art," brush painting is as meditative as it is artistic. As you move through the lessons and exercises, you'll gain insight into and appreciation for the symbolism, historical context, techniques, and mindfulness associated with this ancient art form.

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Ancient Egypt

Steven Snape

 

Take a journey through Ancient Egypt and see how the pharaohs once lived!
An enticing and insightful guide that covers 3,000 years of life under the pharaohs (c. 3200-30 BCE) from the early kings of Egypt to the reign of Cleopatra and the Roman conquest, this book explains it all!

Written by a team of respected Egyptologists, this book includes the following exciting things:

   • Themed spreads explore developments in areas like religion, writing, painting, ceramics and medicine.
   • Biography spreads feature the lives of the most influential pharaohs and queens.
   • Detailed maps set the main sites in context, and show the growth of the civilization and its trade network.
   • An optional 80-page reference section provides a directory of the pharaohs and gods and goddesses.

Unlock every aspect of Ancient Egypt, from pharaohs and pyramids to ordinary people’s everyday lives and beliefs. With 31 Egyptian dynasties and 3,000 years of history, from the time of Narmer to that of Cleopatra and so much more, this is the perfect comprehensive guide to Egypt’s ancient civilization.

There's so much to learn and experience with this up-to-date biography on Ancient Egypt. With more than 850 photos, illustrations and maps, this is the perfect book for thinkers, borrowers, life-long learners or anyone with an interest in ancient civilizations and Egyptology.

 

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Becoming FDR

Jonathan Darman

“An illuminating account of how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s struggles with polio steeled him for the great struggles of the Depression and of World War II.”—Jon Meacham

“A valuable book for anyone who wants to know how adversity shapes character. By understanding how FDR became a deeper and more empathetic person, we can nurture those traits in ourselves and learn from the challenges we all face.”—Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs and Leonardo Da Vinci

In popular memory, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the quintessential political “natural.” Born in 1882 to a wealthy, influential family and blessed with an abundance of charm and charisma, he seemed destined for high office. Yet for all his gifts, the young Roosevelt nonetheless lacked depth, empathy, and an ability to think strategically. Those qualities, so essential to his success as president, were skills he acquired during his seven-year journey through illness and recovery. 

Becoming FDR traces the riveting story of the struggle that forged Roosevelt’s character and political ascent. Soon after contracting polio in 1921 at the age of thirty-nine, the former failed vice-presidential candidate was left paralyzed from the waist down. He spent much of the next decade trying to rehabilitate his body and adapt to the stark new reality of his life. By the time he reemerged on the national stage in 1928 as the Democratic candidate for governor of New York, his character and his abilities had been transformed. He had become compassionate and shrewd by necessity, tailoring his speeches to inspire listeners and to reach them through a new medium—radio. Suffering cemented his bond with those he once famously called “the forgotten man.” Most crucially, he had discovered how to find hope in a seemingly hopeless situation—a skill that he employed to motivate Americans through the Great Depression and World War II. The polio years were transformative, too, for the marriage of Franklin and Eleanor, and for Eleanor herself, who became, at first reluctantly, her husband's surrogate at public events, and who grew to become a political and humanitarian force in her own right.
 
Tracing the physical, political, and personal evolution of the iconic president, Becoming FDR shows how adversity can lead to greatness, and to the power to remake the world.

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Not My First Rodeo

Kristi Noem

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem tells her rough and tumble story of growing up on a ranch, and how a blessed life of true grit taught her how to lead.

“We don’t complain about things, Kristi. We fix them.” Taking her father’s words to heart, South Dakota's first woman governor Kristi Noem shares heartfelt – and heartbreaking – lessons on making things right in the world, from her childhood on a farm in the vastness of rural America, to the marbled halls of Congress, to the national spotlight amid a global pandemic.

From humorous barnyard battles with feisty cattle and rodeo horses, to the tragic and untimely death of her larger-than-life father, to her decision to her decision to return and run the farm and ranch with her family, Noem invites readers into a life defined by work, faith, and helping others. Noem's reflections are offered in the familiar, unvarnished voice of a woman who later defied Washington’s most powerful politicians and led the people of her small, hardscrabble state through natural disasters, the pain of a global pandemic, and the fear and turmoil that gripped the nation after.
 
While filled with plenty of candid observations and refreshingly frank assessments of the country's leading figures, the memoir's most powerful moments nevertheless come from honest glimpses into marriage, motherhood, and leadership in an unpredictable time. 
 
Far from a book about politics, Not My First Rodeo is the story of a life lived so far – with characters as richly textured as the Black Hills, and reflections as gentle and powerful as America itself.  

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Killing the Legends : The Lethal Danger of Celebrity

Bill O'Reilly

"The King is dead. The Walrus is shot. The Greatest is no more. Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. These three icons changed not only the worlds of music, film, and sports, but the world itself. Their faces were known everywhere, in every nation, across every culture. And their stories became larger than life-until their lives spun out of control at the hands of those they most trusted. In Killing the Legends, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard explore the lives, legacies, and tragic deaths of three of the most famous people of the 20th century. Each experienced immense success, then failures that forced them to change; each faced the challenge of growing old in fields that privilege youth; and finally, each became isolated, cocooned by wealth but vulnerable to the demands of those in their innermost circles. Dramatic, insightful, and immensely entertaining, Killing the Legends is the twelfth book in O'Reilly and Dugard's Killing series: the most popular series of narrative history books in the world, with more than 18 million copies in print"-- Provided by publisher

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How to Invest

David M. Rubenstein

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A master class on investing featuring conversations with the biggest names in finance, from the legendary cofounder of The Carlyle Group, David M. Rubenstein.

What do the most successful investors have in common? David M. Rubenstein, cofounder of one of the world’s largest investment firms, has spent years interviewing the greatest investors in the world to discover the time-tested principles, hard-earned wisdom, and indispensable tools that guide their practice.​

Rubenstein, who has spent more than three decades in the hypercompetitive world of private equity, now distills everything he’s learned about the art and craft of investing, from venture capital, real estate, private equity, hedge funds, to crypto, endowments, SPACs, ESG, and more.

-How did Stan Druckenmiller short the British pound in one trade for a profit of $1 billion dollars?
-What made Sam Zell the smartest, toughest investor the world of real estate has ever seen?
-How did Mike Novogratz make $250 million off crypto in one year?
-How did Larry Fink build BlackRock from scratch into a firm that manages more than $10 trillion?
-How did Mary Callahan Erdoes rise to the top of J.P. Morgan’s wealth management division to manage more than $4 trillion for individuals and families all over the world?
-How did Seth Klarman perfect value investing to consistently deliver net returns of nearly 20 percent?

With unprecedented access to global leaders in finance, Rubenstein has assembled the most authoritative book of its kind. How to Invest reveals the thinking of the most successful investors in the world, many of whom rarely speak publicly. Whether you’re brand-new to investing or a seasoned professional, this book will transform the way you approach investing forever.

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The Gospel of Wellness

Rina Raphael

Journalist Rina Raphael looks at the explosion of the wellness industry: how it stems from legitimate complaints, how seductive marketing targets hopeful consumers-and why women are opening up their wallets like never before.

Rina Raphael has been there. She's bought cases of kombucha, she's paid $45 for an exercise class, she's sprinkled mushroom "superpowder" in her coffee, she's gone on luxury mindfulness retreats, and she's hung out with Hollywood's crystal healers. . . . She's a respected journalist who has specialized in health and wellness, so she should know better right? Yes. And No.

You see Raphael was once a wellness junkie. Like millions of other women out there, she held out hope that clean eating or the newest strength training class would give her the salvation she sought. Why? Because the modern American woman has been sold a bum deal. In their male dominated workplace, stress levels for women are 1.5 times higher than for men. They then venture home, only to be confronted by "the second shift."

Just how bad is it? Google searches for "self care" are at an all-time high. Dentists have seen an uptick in angry women grinding their teeth at night. What have women been sold as coping mechanisms? Meditation apps, "detoxes", manifestation gurus--things that only a few years ago might have been considered fringe that are now mainstream. But deep within the underbelly of self-care--hidden beneath layers of clever marketing--the wellness industry beckons women with a far stronger, more seductive message. It promises women the one thing they desperately desire: control. They are told they can manage the chaos ruling their life by following a laid-out plan: Eat right, exercise, meditate, then buy all this stuff. This mass consumerism is a metaphor for harnessing everything that feels untenable in their life. Wellness isn't just a lifestyle; it's become something much more. It's something to believe in. Which is why wellness is increasingly adopting patterns similar to religion.

The desire to be healthy is anything but new. But what we're witnessing today is completely unlike its predecessors. Wellness, in its current form, is almost an obsession for the American woman. What's the reason everyone is guzzling kombucha and taking to aromatherapy now? Why do women feel the weight of the world when they go to the grocery store and choose conventional over the hefty priced organic produce for their families? Why, in this moment, do we find ourselves at what seems to be the peak of alternative health practices? To quote Gwyneth Paltrow at a recent Goop summit, "Why do we all not feel well?"

The Gospel of Wellness will examine how and why American women were led down this costly kale-covered path. Part investigative report, part sociological analysis, part personal account, this book will dive deep into this booming movement, bringing the reader inside the sprawling landscape of wellness and introducing them to its many trends and blind spots.

Blending traditional reporting, first-person narrative, and social critique, Rina Raphael will guide readers through a journey of the modern American woman and why she's so dissatisfied with the status quo. Wellness did not sprout in a vacuum: it's a reaction to trends building over decades. Women are searching for meaning, purpose, community, and certainty--and trying to find it in through health practices. But what happens when the cure becomes as bad as the disease?

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Indigenous Continent

Pekka Hämäläinen

There is an old, deeply rooted story about America that goes like this: Columbus “discovers” a strange continent and brings back tales of untold riches. The European empires rush over, eager to stake out as much of this astonishing “New World” as possible. Though Indigenous peoples fight back, they cannot stop the onslaught. White imperialists are destined to rule the continent, and history is an irreversible march toward Indigenous destruction.

Yet as with other long-accepted origin stories, this one, too, turns out to be based in myth and distortion. In Indigenous Continent, acclaimed historian Pekka Hämäläinen presents a sweeping counternarrative that shatters the most basic assumptions about American history. Shifting our perspective away from Jamestown, Plymouth Rock, the Revolution, and other well-trodden episodes on the conventional timeline, he depicts a sovereign world of Native nations whose members, far from helpless victims of colonial violence, dominated the continent for centuries after the first European arrivals. From the Iroquois in the Northeast to the Comanches on the Plains, and from the Pueblos in the Southwest to the Cherokees in the Southeast, Native nations frequently decimated white newcomers in battle. Even as the white population exploded and colonists’ land greed grew more extravagant, Indigenous peoples flourished due to sophisticated diplomacy and leadership structures.

By 1776, various colonial powers claimed nearly all of the continent, but Indigenous peoples still controlled it—as Hämäläinen points out, the maps in modern textbooks that paint much of North America in neat, color-coded blocks confuse outlandish imperial boasts for actual holdings. In fact, Native power peaked in the late nineteenth century, with the Lakota victory in 1876 at Little Big Horn, which was not an American blunder, but an all-too-expected outcome.

Hämäläinen ultimately contends that the very notion of “colonial America” is misleading, and that we should speak instead of an “Indigenous America” that was only slowly and unevenly becoming colonial. The evidence of Indigenous defiance is apparent today in the hundreds of Native nations that still dot the United States and Canada. Necessary reading for anyone who cares about America’s past, present, and future, Indigenous Continent restores Native peoples to their rightful place at the very fulcrum of American history.

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The Hundred Waters

Lauren Acampora

Celebrated by the Boston Globe as "a brilliant anthropologist of the suburbs," the deliciously weird and darkly offbeat Lauren Acampora returns to the secret lives of the polished Connecticut haven that got us all hooked on NPR Best Book of the Year The Wonder Garden, and jolts us with the sparks that fly when those lives collide

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Acampora's prose has a seductive, pearlescent allure."--TIME Magazine

 

Formerly a model and photographer trying to make it in New York, Louisa Rader is back in her affluent hometown of Nearwater, Connecticut, where she's married to a successful older architect, raising a preteen daughter, and trying to vitalize the provincial local art center. As the years pass, she's grown restless in her safe and comfortable routine, haunted by the flash of the life she used to live. When intense and intriguing young artist-environmentalist Gabriel arrives in town with his aristo-cratic family, his impact on the Raders has hothouse effects. As Gabriel pushes to realize his artistic vision for the world, he pulls both Louisa and her daughter Sylvie under his spell, with consequences that disrupt the Raders' world forever.

A strange, sexy, and sinister novel of art and attraction, in The Hundred Wa-ters Acampora gives us an incisive, page-turning story of ambition, despair, desire, and the price of fulfillment and freedom at all costs

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Natural History : Stories

Andrea Barrett

"A masterful new collection of interconnected stories, from the renowned National Book Award-winning author. In Natural History, Andrea Barrett completes the beautiful arc of intertwined lives of a family of scientists, teachers, and innovators that she has been weaving through multiple books since her National Book Award-winning collection, Ship Fever. The six exquisite stories in Natural History are set largely in a small community in central New York state and portray some of her most beloved characters, spanning the decades between the Civil War to the present day. In "Henrietta and Her Moths," a woman tends to an insect nursery as her sister's life follows a different path. In "Open House," a young man grapples with a choice between a thrilling life spent discovering fossils and a desire to remain close to home. And in the magnificent title novella, "Natural History," Barrett deepens the connection between her characters, bringing us through to the present day and providing an unforgettable capstone. Told with Barrett's characteristic elegance, passion for science, and wonderful eye for the natural world, the psychologically astute and moving stories gathered in this collection evoke the ways women's lives and expectations-in families, in work, and in love-have shifted across a century and more. Building upon one another, these tales brilliantly culminate to reveal how the smallest events of the past can have large reverberations across the generations, and how potent, wondrous, and strange the relationship between history and memory can be"-- Provided by publisher.

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The Mutual Friend

Carter Bays

"This is a rare thing: an original, intelligent novel that’s not just a perfect summer beach read, but one that deserves serious awards consideration as well. Put down your phone and pick it up… A major accomplishment.”
Kirkus (starred)

From the co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, a hilarious and thought-provoking debut novel set in New York City, following a sprawling cast of characters as they navigate life, love, loss, ambition, and spirituality—without ever looking up from their phones.

 
It’s the summer of 2015, and Alice Quick needs to get to work. She’s twenty-eight years old, grieving her mother, barely scraping by as a nanny, and freshly kicked out of her apartment. If she can just get her act together and sign up for the MCAT, she can start chasing her dream of becoming a doctor . . . but in the Age of Distraction, the distractions are so distracting. There’s her tech millionaire brother’s religious awakening. His picture-perfect wife’s emotional breakdown. Her chaotic new roommate’s thirst for adventure. And, of course, there’s the biggest distraction of all: Love.
 
From within the story of one summer in one woman’s life, an epic tale is unearthed, spanning continents and featuring a tapestry of characters tied to one another by threads both seen and unseen. Filled with all the warmth, humor, and heart that gained How I Met Your Mother its cult following, The Mutual Friend captures in sparkling detail the chaos of contemporary life, a life lived simultaneously in two different worlds—the physical one and the one behind our screens—and reveals how connected we all truly are.

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Sweetwater and the Witch

Jayne Castle

Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.

If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.
 
But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.
 
What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…

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Unleashed

Cai Emmons

 

Set amid California’s wildfire season, a vivid and magical novel following a family in crisis thrust on a collision course with the world around them that has an outcome beyond their wildest imaginings . . .  
When Lu and George Barnes drop their only daughter, Pippa, off at college, they return to their Sonoma home to find that their paths have diverged. Confronted with an empty nest, Lu’s increasing dissatisfaction with their materialistic lives becomes impossible to ignore. She is most content outdoors, finding the animals in her backyard far superior company to her pretentious neighbors. In contrast, George is eager to throw himself into his business, a local winery with an elite clientele, as well as his art collection. He cannot for the life of him understand his wife’s discontent.
 
Meanwhile, Pippa feels completely adrift at school in the bustle of LA—its unfamiliar noises, its unfriendly atmosphere. She finds comfort only in the beloved family cat she’s brought with her and in her zoology class, which makes the world seem just a bit brighter. As Lu, George, and Pippa struggle to adapt, growing apart in the process, tensions outside the family are mounting as well; women have been disappearing across the country with no worldly explanation, all while California’s wildfire season is swiftly approaching, bringing with it a reckoning that none of the Barneses can avoid. 
 
At once a grounded story about love and family, and a transcendent tale about the power of nature, Unleashed is a stunning look at what matters in an all too chaotic world, the things that sustain us when we are on the verge of losing it all, and how we might find ourselves in the most unexpected of ways.

 

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The Real Mrs. Tobias

Sally Koslow

"Sally Koslow channels Nora Ephron in this lively tale of obligation versus desire and the politics of family power. Deftly written with equal parts intelligence, pathos, and humor, The Real Mrs. Tobias is a pure pleasure to read."--Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of It All Comes Down to This

A sharply funny and big-hearted multi-generational story about the deeply complicated relationships between mothers- and daughters-in-law, told through three women who marry into the same family, a treat for fans of The Nest and Fleischmann Is in Trouble.

It's 2015 in New York City, and three women all known as Mrs. Tobias--Veronika, the matriarch, her daughter-in-law Mel, and Mel's daughter-in-law Birdie--are trying to navigate personal difficulties, some of which are with one another.Veronika and Mel, despite having little in common, are both psychotherapists who are more skilled at helping other people than solving their own problems. Birdie, still dealing with the culture shock of moving to New York City and marrying into the Tobias clan, is pushed to her limit when her husband gets into trouble. No amount of badgering from his steely grandmother, smart-mouthed mother, or disillusioned wife can convince him to own up to what he's done. Overwhelmed, Birdie bolts--along with the couple's young daughter--to her Midwestern hometown, hoping that space, warmth and wisdom from her own feisty grandmother will help her find a path forward. And though Birdie begins to find comfort in unexpected places--a local bookstore and the arms of her old boyfriend--her absence stirs up long simmering troubles back home forcing the Tobiases to reconsider their relationships to each other, and ultimately, what it means to be a family.

Will the three Tobias-women-by-marriage ever find themselves--and a way back to one another? A timely look at how women hold families together.

"With a shrewd eye and a light touch, Sally Koslow weaves a story about three strong women whose memories, dreams, and desires conflict and intersect as they navigate a series of family crises. Warm, witty, and heartfelt, The Real Mrs. Tobias is a cinematic, fast-paced treat."--Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles and Orphan Train

"With razor-sharp prose, witty humor and depth, Sally Koslow's The Real Mrs. Tobias takes us down the MIL Road . . . the one that should come with a warning. You will laugh, you will cry, you will empathize--and if you happen to be a Daughter-In-Law--you will say, Better her than me. Yet just when you think there is no way back, Koslow's page-turner will prove that while family ties can strangle, they also can keep you bound together through love, loss, secrets, and healing."--Lisa Barr, author of Woman on Fire

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Best of Friends

Kamila Shamsie

_______________'The spirit of Elena Ferrante haunts this tale of a friendship forged in Karachi' - Sunday Times'A profound novel about friendship. I loved it to pieces' - Madeline Miller'A shining tour de force' - Ali Smith, Guardian Summer Reading CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF 2022 BY THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, DAILY MAIL AND FINANCIAL TIMES_______________A dazzling new novel of friendship, identity and the unknowability of other people - from the international bestselling author of Home Fire, winner of the Women's Prize for FictionSometimes it was as though the forty years of friendship between them was just a lesson in the unknowability of other people...Maryam and Zahra.In 1988 Karachi, two fourteen-year-old girls are a decade into their friendship, sharing in-jokes, secrets and a love for George Michael. As Pakistan's dictatorship falls and a woman comes to power, the world suddenly seems full of possibilities. Elated by the change in the air, they make a snap decision at a party. That night, everything goes wrong, and the two girls are powerless to change the outcome.Zahra and Maryam.In present-day London, two influential women remain bound together by loyalties, disloyalties, and the memory of that night, which echoes through the present in unexpected ways. Now both have power; and both have very different ideas of how to wield it... Their friendship has always felt unbreakable; can it be undone by one decision?_______________'A new Kamila Shamsie novel is always worth celebrating, but Best of Friends is something else: an epic story that explores the ties of childhood friendship, the possibility of escape, the way the political world intrudes into the personal, all through the lens of two sharply drawn protagonists' - Observer, Books of the Year 2022

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The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole

JoAnna Carl

In this eighteenth mystery in the national bestselling Chocoholic series, a gang of crooks with a wicked sweet tooth wreaks havoc on the resort town of Warner Pier, and it's up to Lee Woodyard to rout the hungry rascals.

A frantic late-night phone call from her right-hand woman Dolly Jolly brings Lee Woodyard to the scene of a break-in at the Warner Pier jewelry store next door to TenHuis Chocolade. To her shock, the suspect being held at gunpoint by police is Dolly's boyfriend, Mike Westerly, who was recently hired as a night watchman specifically to prevent break-ins. Dolly hopes Lee can help straighten out the crazy misunderstanding.
 
Even crazier? The thieves took nothing of value from the jewelry store, only swiping some snacks. It's another in a series of break-ins by burglars the media has dubbed the Cookie Monsters. They've been hitting shops selling everything from sunglasses to shoes but stealing only sweets: lollipops, cookies, even chewing gum!
 
It all seems pretty funny--until the discovery of a dead body. With her friends and community in danger, Lee must stop one very sour killer before someone else comes to a bitter end.

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Crystals for Self-Care

Kirsty Gallagher

From the bestselling author of Lunar Living comes the ultimate guide to crystals and how they can help you live your best life.

This is the one book you need in order to understand how crystals can enhance your everyday life and look after you.
In Part 1, Kirsty explores what crystals are, how they work, before going on to explain how you choose, care for and programme them, and how to go about using them. Then, in Part 2, Crystals for Self-Care delves deeper into the many areas in which crystals work their magic. Chapters include Crystals for Love and Relationships, Crystals for Stress and Anxiety and Crystals for Work and Business.

Crystals for Self-Care will leave you feeling empowered, supported and ready to embark on your own crystal journey!

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Be Not Afraid of Love

Mimi Zhu

“Radical and revolutionary.” —Jonny Sun, New York Times bestselling author of Goodbye, Again

A collection of powerful interconnected essays and affirmations that follow Mimi Zhu’s journey toward embodying and re-learning love after a violent romantic relationship, a stunning and provocative book that will guide and inspire readers to lean into love with softness

In their early twenties, Mimi Zhu was a survivor of intimate-partner abuse. This left them broken, in search of healing and ways to re-learn love. This work is a testament to the strength and adaptability all humans possess, a tribute to love. Be Not Afraid of Love explores the intersections of love and fear in self-esteem, friendship, family dynamics, and romantic relationships, and extends out to its effects on society and the greater political realm. In sharing their own intimate encounters with oppression, healing, joy, and community, Mimi invites readers to reflect deeply on their own experiences as well, with the intention of acting as a guide to undoing the hurt or uncertainty within them. In this heartrending and revolutionary book, Mimi reminds us, be not afraid of love.

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Your Wedding, Your Way

Kim Olsen

Your Wedding, Your Way is a resourceful handbook for modern couples who want to celebrate their marriage in a way that feels true to them and is financially reasonable, whether that's an elegant dinner party, a weekend camping trip in a national park, or a road trip to Vegas.

Nowadays, more and more couples are eschewing tradition for a wedding celebration that feels more reflective of who they are and what they value. Whether it's a courthouse ceremony or a weeklong destination trip, there are so many ways to celebrate a union that don't require a big white dress, months of stressful planning, and an inflated budget.

For couples who want to do things a little differently, Your Wedding, Your Way is a resourceful guide full of helpful advice and how-tos, fun sidebars and listicles, and anecdotes from real couples who did it themselves. Modern couples of all ages and sexualities who are uninterested in the traditional wedding hoopla and are looking for alternative ways to celebrate will appreciate this practical handbook, and particularly millennials and Gen-Zers who reevaluated their priorities in recent years; who feel disconnected from antiquated traditions; who are getting married later and financing their wedding themselves; and who prefer meaningful experiences over things.

UNIQUE TO MARKET: Your Wedding, Your Way is an in-depth and one-of-a-kind resource for modern couples. There is no book dedicated to nontraditional weddings that is nearly as thorough as this one.

KNOWLEDGABLE AUTHOR: Scott Shaw wrote one of the few books to focus on elopements, Let's Elope, in 2001. Scott Shaw brings this background and his own personal experience (he eloped!), while Kim Olsen brings a youthful perspective and her journalistic eye.

ART OF ELOPING BRAND: The authors, Kim Olsen and Scott Shaw, recently launched their elopement brand, called The Art of Eloping, a go-to resource for couples who are planning to elope. Their website complements this book, offering a database of elopement vendors, interactive checklists, and inspiration via stories of real couples who eloped.

Perfect for:

* Couples who are interested in having a nontraditional wedding
* Millennial and Gen-Z couples who want an intimate celebration that doesn't drain the bank
* LGBTQ+ couples
* People who have been married before/are celebrating a second wedding or vow renewal
* Modern couples who prefer experiences over things

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Welding for Beginners

Stephen Blake Christena

Learn to weld, step by step, with this beginner’s guide.

Welding for Beginners, adapted from Stephen Blake Christena’s Learn to Weld, has culled the absolute basics that are required to build a successful welding hobby and illustrated them in these pages. Both practical and inspiring, this book teaches you the basic equipment you will need, setting up your work area, techniques for beginners with project ideas for practicing your skills, dos and don’ts, and welding safety.

If you are inexperienced and want to start out strong—whether working in a home workshop, school workshop, blacksmith shop, or auto shop—this is the perfect reference. The projects illustrate the basic foundation techniques that every welder needs to know, while also helping you tackle problems and fix mistakes as well as shortcuts and level ups. Photographs and illustrations teach welding and clear, concise, easy-to-read text takes all the confusion out of the learning the processes. 

This easy-to-use book includes:
 

  • Welding techniques for simple practical repairs and small artisan home projects 
  • Safety and protective gear
  • Workshop set-up plans
  • Basic equipment and upkeep
  • Basic welding types, including arc and MIG
  • Common mistakes and troubleshooting
  • Project ideas
  • Instructive photos showing process details for successful results 
  • Tons of quick tips and welding hacks to give beginners a strong foundation to improve upon


Get welding!

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MLA Handbook (OFFICIAL)

The Modern Language Association of America

Relied on by generations of writers, the MLA Handbook is published by the Modern Language Association and is the only official, authorized book on MLA style. The new, ninth edition builds on the MLA's unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements—facts, common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date—that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation, MLA style promotes the skills of information and digital literacy so crucial today.

The many new and updated chapters make this edition the comprehensive, go-to resource for writers of research papers, and anyone citing sources, from business writers, technical writers, and freelance writers and editors to student writers and the teachers and librarians working with them. Intended for a variety of classroom contexts—middle school, high school, and college courses in composition, communication, literature, language arts, film, media studies, digital humanities, and related fields—the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook offers
•New chapters on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, numbers, italics, abbreviations, and principles of inclusive language
•Guidelines on setting up research papers in MLA format with updated advice on headings, lists, and title pages for group project
•Revised, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for creating a list of works cited in MLA format that are easier to learn and use than ever before
•A new appendix with hundreds of example works-cited-list entries by publication format, including websites, YouTube videos, interviews, and more
•Detailed examples of how to find publication information for a variety of sources
•Newly revised explanations of in-text citations, including comprehensive advice on how to cite multiple authors of a single work
•Detailed guidance on footnotes and endnotes
•Instructions on quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism
•A sample essay in MLA format
•Annotated bibliography examples
•Numbered sections throughout for quick navigation
•Advanced tips for professional writers and scholars

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The Border

Erika Fatland

The acclaimed author of Sovietistan travels along the seemingly endless Russian border and reveals the deep and pervasive influence it has had across half the globe.

Imperial, communist or autocratic, Russia has been—and remains—a towering and intimidating neighbor. Whether it is North Korea in the Far East through the former Soviet republics in Asia and the Caucasus, or countries on the Caspian Ocean and the Black Sea. What would it be like to traverse the entirety of the Russian periphery to examine its effects on those closest to her?

An astute and brilliant combination of lyric travel writing and modern history, The Border is a book about Russia without its author ever entering Russia itself. Fatland gets to the heart of what it has meant to be the neighbor of that mighty, expanding empire throughout history. As we follow Fatland on her journey, we experience the colorful, exciting, tragic and often unbelievable histories of these bordering nations along with their cultures, their people, their landscapes.

Sharply observed and wholly absorbing, The Border is a surprising new way to understand a broad part our world.

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Pennsylvania Myths and Legends

Kara Hughes

Part of the Myths and Legends series, Myths and Legends of Pennsylvania explores unusual phenomena, strange events, and mysteries in Pennsylvania’s history. Each episode included in the book is a story unto itself, and the tone and style of the book is lively and easy to read for a general audience interested in Pennsylvania's history. Featuring stories about the notorious Murder Swamp, the coal mine that turned a vibrant town into a virtual ghost town, the USS Eldridge vanishing from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and many more.

 

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LeBron: Life Lessons from the King

Brian Boone

A biographical account featuring the secrets to success from one of the greatest basketball players of all time: LeBron James

“Nothing is given. Everything is earned.”

His power, speed, and killer instincts made him a basketball phenom, but it was blood, sweat, and determination that turned him into an undisputed champion. From the day Sports Illustrated deemed him “The Chosen One” when he was still in high school, LeBron James, a skinny kid from Akron, Ohio, rose to stardom for his world-class athleticism. Two decades, four NBA championships, three Olympic medals, four MVP awards, three teams, and eighteen All-Star selections later, LeBron is the reigning king of the NBA.

The world watches in awe as he breaks countless records and sets jaw-dropping new ones. He has taken his success further than anyone imagined, proving himself a savvy investor and businessman, making a splash in the entertainment industry, and emerging as a powerful voice for social justice. Brian Boone's LeBron: Life Lessons from The King offers courtside seats to the highs and lows of LeBron’s unbelievable journey and reveals valuable insights for anyone trying to make their own lofty dreams come true.

- Motivating and empowering quotes from King James himself
- A biographical look at LeBron’s early years, his rise to fame, and his most spectacular achievements
- Original art from Gilang Bogy that captures the spirit of a champion
- Guiding truths and hard-earned lessons to inspire your own path to excellence

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The Opera Sisters

Marianne Monson

Based on the true story of the Cook sisters, who smuggled valuables out of 1930s Nazi Germany to finance a daring, secret operation to help Jews find hope for a new life in England



British sisters Ida and Louise Cook enjoy their quiet, unassuming lives in south London. Ida writes romance novels, and Louise works as a secretary. In the evenings, the sisters indulge in their shared love for opera, saving their money to buy records and attend performances throughout England and Europe, becoming well-known by both performers and fellow opera lovers.



But when Hitler seizes power in 1933, he begins targeting and persecuting German Jews, passing laws that restrict their rights and their lives. The sisters continue their trips to the German opera houses, but soon, Jewish members of the opera community covertly approach the sisters, worried that they will be stripped of their wealth and forced to leave their homes and the country. Danger looms on the horizon, threatening to spill across all of Europe's borders.



Ida and Louise vow to help, but how can two ordinary working-class women with limited means make a difference?



Together with their beloved opera community, the sisters devise a plan to personally escort Jewish refugees from Germany to England. The success of the plan hinges on Ida and Louise's ability to smuggle contraband jewelry and furs beneath the watchful eyes of the SS soldiers guarding various checkpoints. But how many trips can they make before someone blows a whistle? Or before the final curtain falls on Germany's borders?



The Opera Sisters is a riveting and inspiring novel of two unlikely heroines whose courage and compassion gave hope to many Jews desperate to escape Nazi persecution.

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Quarter to Midnight

Karen Rose

Discover New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose’s brand-new series set in the sultry city of New Orleans and featuring a tough team of high-end private investigators who are after justice—no matter what they have to do to get it.

Good cops. Bad cops. Only one will win.
 
After completing her tours with the Marines in Iraq, Molly Sutton knew she could take down any bad guy she met. But when a family tragedy exposes the dark side of her local police, she joined up with her former CO Burke Broussard, who left New Orleans PD to set up a private investigative service for people who couldn’t find justice elsewhere.
 
Gabe Hebert saw the toll that working for the NOPD took on his dad and decided instead to make a name for himself as one of the best young chefs in the French Quarter. But when his father’s death is ruled a suicide after a deliberately botched investigation by his former captain, Gabe knows his dad stumbled onto a truth that someone wants silenced.
 
Gabe goes to his father’s best friend, Burke, for help. Burke assigns the toughest member of his team, Molly, to the case. Molly can’t believe she’s being asked to work with the smoking hot chef whose chocolate cake is not the only thing that makes her mouth water. Sparks fly as they follow the leads Gabe’s dad left them, unraveling a web of crimes, corruption, and murder that runs all the way to the top.

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Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match

Sally Thorne

From USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game Sally Thorne comes something a little unexpected… a historical rom-com that imagines Victor Frankenstein’s sheltered younger sister, and her attempts to create the perfect man.

For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor’s ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own.

When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love?

Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!

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A Dark and Snowy Night

Sally Goldenbaum

USA Today bestselling author Sally Goldenbaum continues her beloved Seaside Knitters Society mysteries set in the “idyllic world” (Publishers Weekly) of a small Massachusetts coastal community—rich in friendship and “full of suspense and human warmth” (The Washington Book Review)

* Includes a knitting pattern *


The Christmas trees are up, the Seaside Knitters are crafting warm and beautiful gifts for the holidays, and friends and families are gathering in picturesque Sea Harbor, Massachusetts—a place where traditions run deep, but so do some treacherous family secrets . . .
 
Winter in Sea Harbor is a feast for the senses—crackling bonfires, the scent of snow in the salty air, carols ringing out on the village green. This year, the Seaside Knitters have a sackful of obligations in addition to their usual Christmas preparations. Izzy is so overloaded with knitting classes that she hires an extra salesperson, but the new addition has trouble fitting into the yarn shop’s holiday spirit. Cass, juggling the stresses of running her lobster fishery, has finally found a nanny for her active toddler. Molly Flanigan seems practically perfect in every way—until she suddenly disappears, taking Cass’s beloved rescue mutt with her . . .
 
Meanwhile, the holidays are kicking off in style at Mayor Beatrice Scaglia’s holiday party, where a well-dressed crowd admires the mayor’s sumptuous new home and the celebrity chef catering the event.  An additional treat for Ben and Nell Endicott at the festive affair is reconnecting with a dear college friend, Oliver Bishop. But it’s not just reunions and the appetizers that are to-die-for. Before the party-goers can toast the beginning of Sea Harbor’s festive season, the chef—and young wife of the Endicott’s old Harvard friend—is found dead beneath the mistletoe . . .
 
Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and Cass must uncover the pattern to these mysteries to remove suspicion from those they love, bring a murderer to justice—and keep Sea Harbor’s holiday magic from vanishing into the chill winter air . . .

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Steeped to Death

Gretchen Rue

For fans of Laura Childs and Amanda Flowers, it’s teatime in Raven Creek—but a murder at the The Earl’s Study sets the stage for an intoxicating brew of small-town chicanery with a hint of the supernatural.

Phoebe Winchester’s beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for adventure—and a knack for making magical tea. It’s even rumored that she just might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. And she knows she’s in deep when a dead man is found on the shop’s back step, apparently killed while trying to break in.

Two suspects immediately emerge among the townspeople of Raven Creek, Washington. There’s village busybody Dierdre Miller, who seems desperate to buy Eudora’s house, and handsome PI Rich, one of Phoebe’s childhood friends—but how well does she really know him after all these years apart?

Phoebe knows she should leave it to the professionals, but as she starts to dig into the underbelly of Raven Creek, she begins to uncover the truth about Eudora. What’s more, her aunt might not have been the only witch in the family, as Phoebe soon discovers she has unique and unexpected gifts of her own.

Now, it’s just a matter of putting her newfound power to the test and cast a spell that could catch a killer.

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RV Hacks

Marc Bennett

Hit the road and experience the wonders of RVing with these useful tips and tricks to make RV life easier, more organized, more efficient, and fun!

Welcome to RV life! Whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced RVer, these RV hacks are sure to make life on the road easier so you can worry less and have more fun. From ingenious organizational hacks (like broom holders to keep flashlights at the ready or suction cup shower organizers to corral kids’ activity supplies) to ideas for repurposing plastic bottles to make a funnel or pancake batter mixer, RV Hacks has everything you need to make your next cross-country caravanning adventure carefree.

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The Mammoth Book of Chess

Graham Burgess

'A terrific work that is particularly suited for those from beginner to club player'
JOHN WATSON, The Week in Chess


The fully revised and updated award-winning, bestselling, classic chess book by FIDE Master and chess world-record holder, Graham Burgess.

Comprehensive and clear, this fully revised and updated fourth edition of Graham Burgess's bestselling chess classic is an invaluable guide to help any player progress to good club level and better. It provides a complete guide to the main chess openings along with hundreds of test positions for players at every level. This new edition includes:

Expanded and updated sections on playing online chess and using computers.

A complete and detailed guide to all the main chess openings.

Hundreds of new training exercises for players of all standards.

Courses in tactics, attacking strategy, combinations and endgames.

Analysis of some of the greatest games ever played.

Information and advice on club, national, and international tournaments.

A comprehensive A-Z glossary of chess terminology.

Practical advice and information for further study.

New sections on endgame studies and problems, with all examples from 2020 or 2021.

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Needle Felting Teddy Bears for Beginners

Roz Dace

Make 20 cute teddy bears with character using needle felting, from the authors of the Best Craft book 2021 "Needle Felting for Beginners"

Needle-felting is an easy and fun technique, requiring little in the way of expensive materials or equipment and award-winning authors Judy Balchin and Roz Dace show how to make 20 wonderful little teddy bears using this tactile technique.

Each bear measures around 4-5in tall and can be made in a matter of hours from a bundle of wool fibers, a felting needle and some carefully chosen embellishments. Each bear has its own special character, and they make ideal gifts and keepsakes for friends and loved ones. There's a pretty ballet bear, a cool Christmas bear, as well as a vintage bear, rainbow bear and cute baby bears.




• Detailed guidance is provided on the materials and equipment you need
• How to sculpt a basic bear; make your bears' paws, feet and faces; and how to really bring your bear to life by carefully positioning the nose, eyes and ears.
• The techniques are easy to learn and soon you will be designing and making bears of your own to keep or give.
• Each project is accompanied by clear, step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs
• Handy hints and tips throughout the book help the making process even easier.
With 18 bears to choose from, some with little friends to make as well, there is something for everyone in this delightful little book.

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Ultimate Interview

Lynn Williams

Don't let interview nerves get the better of you - present the best version of yourself and be ready for anything to wow your potential employer.

Including hundreds of sample interview questions and answers to really help you nail it on the day, Ultimate Interview is the ideal tool to help you relax and show off your best side. The secret to stress-free interviewing is preparation, preparation, preparation, and this book will take you through everything you need to effectively prepare, including:
-Understanding your interviewer and what they are looking for
-How to highlight the evidence they want to see
-How to stand out from the competition
-Coping with difficult questions
-Telephone, video and assessment centre interviews

This fully updated 6th edition now contains new and up-to-date advice on the future of work; developing resilience; blind selection processes; and working in the gig economy. Getting a job doesn't have to be painful - let this book help you give the Ultimate Interview.

About the Ultimate series...
The Ultimate series contains practical advice on essential job search skills to give you the best chance of getting the job you want. Taking you all the way from starting your job search to completing an interview, it includes guidance on CV or resume and cover letter writing, practice questions for passing aptitude, psychometric and IQ tests, and reliable advice for interviewing.

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Sewing Love

Sanae Ishida

Learn to sew beautiful, simple handmade clothes and begin a journey to loving the body you have.

Draft patterns and sew clothes that fit your unique body! In this garment-making primer, sewing is an act of radical kindness and self-care. Learning to sew for yourself enables you to make exactly the kinds of clothes you want, and empowers you to solve the fit issues that come with buying commercial clothing designed to fit one "ideal" body type. Sanae Ishida, author of the award-winning Sewing Happiness, guides you through the process with her inspiring personal story and gentle instruction in the simple art of pattern-making and garment sewing.

Create a complete capsule wardrobe of tops, bottoms, dresses, tunics, and outerwear. Each of the 15 projects (including variations) is designed to look good on a wide variety of body types—they're fashionable yet timeless, and let you move with ease. Every pattern is self-drafted (no printed pattern sheets here—you will learn to draft and customize basic shapes to your own body measurements for a comfortable fit). Patternmaking has never been easier than in this intuitive, fully illustrated book.

Includes:

 

  • Lookbook with photographs of the projects on diverse models
  • Primer on basic sewing, pattern drafting (slopers and muslins), and fitting
  • Step-by-step illustrated instructions for all 15 projects and variations
  • Heartwarming personal essay on the author's journey to body positivity

 

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Electric Cars For Dummies

Brian Culp

Drive into the 21st century in an electric car

With falling cost of ownership, expanded incentives for purchasing, and more model and body type options than ever, it may finally be time to retire the old gas-guzzler and dive into the world of electric car ownership. Electric Cars For Dummies is your guide to becoming lightning powered, reducing your carbon footprint, and saving money on gas while you do it. This book teaches you how to select the battery-charged vehicle that fits your need and budget. It also offers insight into how to maintain your electric car, including answering all your questions about charging your vehicle. Calculate the total cost of ownership, prep your home to become one huge charger, and demystify the battery, the tune-ups and more.

  • Learn the difference in cost of ownership and emissions between electric and gas-powered vehicles
  • Explore your options and find an electric car that fits in your budget
  • Know when and how to charge your vehicle, and what kind of maintenance it needs
  • Figure out how to charge your car on the go

This is the perfect book for new and would-be electric car owners looking for guidance on buying and maintaining one of these super sleek machines.

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Quick Calculus

Daniel Kleppner

Discover an accessible and easy-to-use guide to calculus fundamentals

In Quick Calculus: A Self-Teaching Guide, 3rd Edition, a team of expert MIT educators delivers a hands-on and practical handbook to essential calculus concepts and terms. The author explores calculus techniques and applications, showing readers how to immediately implement the concepts discussed within to help solve real-world problems.

In the book, readers will find:

  • An accessible introduction to the basics of differential and integral calculus
  • An interactive self-teaching guide that offers frequent questions and practice problems with solutions.
  • A format that enables them to monitor their progress and gauge their knowledge

This latest edition provides new sections, rewritten introductions, and worked examples that demonstrate how to apply calculus concepts to problems in physics, health sciences, engineering, statistics, and other core sciences.

Quick Calculus: A Self-Teaching Guide, 3rd Edition is an invaluable resource for students and lifelong learners hoping to strengthen their foundations in calculus.

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The Last Chairlift

John Irving

Growing up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions concerning the eventful past, Adam goes to Aspen, where he was conceived, to learn the truth about his mother, a former slalom skier and ski instructor, and meets some ghosts, which are not the first or the last ones he sees.

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Signal Fires

Dani Shapiro

A “gripping” new novel (People) from the best-selling author of Inheritance: On a summer night in 1985, three teenagers have been drinking. One of them gets behind the wheel of a car, and, in an instant, everything changes.

"A haunting, moving, and propulsive exploration of family secrets.” —Meg Wolitzer

ONE OF MOST EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: L.A. Times, TIME, Vanity Fair, LitHub, BookPage, Library Journal, The Millions


Signal Fires opens on a summer night in 1985. Three teenagers have been drinking. One of them gets behind the wheel of a car, and, in an instant, everything on Division Street changes. Each of their lives, and that of Ben Wilf, a young doctor who arrives on the scene, is shattered. For the Wilf family, the circumstances of that fatal accident will become the deepest kind of secret, one so dangerous it can never be spoken.

On Division Street, time has moved on. When the Shenkmans arrive—a young couple expecting a baby boy—it is as if the accident never happened. But when Waldo, the Shenkmans’ brilliant, lonely son who marvels at the beauty of the world and has a native ability to find connections in everything, befriends Dr. Wilf, now retired and struggling with his wife’s decline, past events come hurtling back in ways no one could ever have foreseen.

In Dani Shapiro’s first work of fiction in fifteen years, she returns to the form that launched her career, with a riveting, deeply felt novel that examines the ties that bind families together—and the secrets that can break them apart. Signal Fires is a work of haunting beauty by a masterly storyteller.

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A Heart Full of Headstones: An Inspector Rebus Novel

Ian Rankin

In a brand-new series installment, New York Times bestselling author, Ian Rankin, returns to his legendary detective--it's not the first time Rebus has taken the law into his own hands, though it may be the last.



John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life.



But what drove a good man to cross the line?



Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city's most explosive case in years, an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren.



One way or another, a reckoning is coming - and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders...

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Liberation Day

George Saunders

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • “One of our most inventive purveyors of the form returns with pitch-perfect, genre-bending stories that stare into the abyss of our national character. . . . An exquisite work from a writer whose reach is galactic.”—Oprah Daily
 
Booker Prize winner George Saunders returns with his first collection of short stories since the New York Times bestseller Tenth of December.

The “best short-story writer in English” (Time) is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose—wickedly funny, unsentimental, and exquisitely tuned—Saunders continues to challenge and surprise: Here is a collection of prismatic, resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy and brutal reality.

“Love Letter” is a tender missive from grandfather to grandson, in the midst of a dystopian political situation in the (not too distant, all too believable) future, that reminds us of our obligations to our ideals, ourselves, and one another. “Ghoul” is set in a Hell-themed section of an underground amusement park in Colorado and follows the exploits of a lonely, morally complex character named Brian, who comes to question everything he takes for granted about his reality. In “Mother’s Day,” two women who loved the same man come to an existential reckoning in the middle of a hailstorm. In “Elliott Spencer,” our eighty-nine-year-old protagonist finds himself brainwashed, his memory “scraped”—a victim of a scheme in which poor, vulnerable people are reprogrammed and deployed as political protesters. And “My House”—in a mere seven pages—comes to terms with the haunting nature of unfulfilled dreams and the inevitability of decay.

Together, these nine subversive, profound, and essential stories coalesce into a case for viewing the world with the same generosity and clear-eyed attention Saunders does, even in the most absurd of circumstances.

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It Starts with Us

Colleen Hoover

Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding” (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic For Dummies

Rob Sylvan

Edit, organize, store, and share photos

Whether you are brand new to photography, a devoted enthusiast, or a seasoned pro, there’s a version of Lightroom for you.

Lightroom For Dummies is the book to help you learn which version of Lightroom is right for your needs. The main focus of the book is on using Lightroom Classic, but also includes an introduction to Lightroom CC. All with the goal of helping you get started on the right foot toward taking your photographic workflow to the next level. The book is a great starting place to help you improve your family photos or add advanced Lightroom skills that aid your career. Look inside to find the steps to navigating the software and getting top-notch results.

  • Deciding which version of Lightroom is the best fit
  • Take control of your photo library with Lightroom Classic
  • Importing, organizing, and finding photos
  • Editing and sharing your photos
  • Producing a slideshow, book, print, or web gallery
  • Gain a foundation for getting started with Lightroom CC

Get ready to spend less time in front of the computer and more time behind the lens!

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Self-Care for Caregivers

Susanne White

Take care of yourself as you care for others with this accessible, easy-to-follow self-care guide to relax and rejuvenate.

It’s been said that there are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will become caregivers, and those who will need caregivers. Chances are you or someone you know is taking care of a loved one at home. If you do, you also know that caregiving—however fulfilling—is also hard on the caregiver’s mental and physical health. Self-care is vital to caregivers maintaining stamina and a positive outlook for both themselves and the people they care for. But being so busy caring for others can make it hard to find time for yourself.

In Self-Care for Caregivers, you’ll find short, easy-to-read—and often easy-to-do—ways to replenish your mind, body, and spirit, including:
-Practicing mindfulness by focusing in on your five senses
-Remembering to HALT to check if you’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired
-Making a gratitude list of at least three things you're grateful for
-And much more!

Full of practical advice and reminders to have a quick snack, call a friend, create a sanctuary, write in a journal, and more ways to take care yourself—plus resources for caregiving—this book will go a long way towards making your caregiving experience a happier and more healthful one for you and the people you care for.

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Speaking Across Generations : Messages That Satisfy Boomers, Xers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Beyond

Darrell E. Hall

"Different generations communicate differently. With fresh research from the Barna Group on how generations communicate, Darrell Hall sheds light on how each generation receives verbal messages, from Boomers and Xers to millennials and Gen Z. Discover how generational science can bridge the gap between speaker and listener so people of all generations can hear clearly"-- Provided by publisher.

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Apocalypse Ready

Taras Young

An expertly curated compilation of over one hundred years of officially published, step-by-step guides on how to deal with every kind of disaster imaginable, drawn from government archives around the world.

 

Global warming continues to cause extreme weather events and threatens to destroy the planet, while the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that disaster can manifest at any time. These and other possible impending catastrophes have caused rising levels of collective fear in nations around the world, and increasing demand for governments to plan, prepare, and avert calamity for its citizens. In Apocalypse Ready, Taras Young collects official survival and emergency documents from the United States to the Soviet Union offering essential survival tips and invaluable life-saving strategies for every possible cataclysmic eventuality.

 

Organized into four broad disaster-themed scenarios—“Pandemics,” “Natural Disasters,” “Nuclear War,” and “Alien Invasion”—this unique collection displays a plethora of questionable survival advice and scare tactics from all around the globe for response to every disaster scenario that has occurred or been imagined since the early twentieth century. From posters showing how to minimize your chances of catching the Spanish flu to documents indicating how to identify aliens, this carefully curated selection of disaster-planning documents reveals differences in public attitudes toward impending catastrophe since the 1910s. Informative commentary by Young provides historical contexts for the official advice, exploring how our universal preoccupation with apocalypse has manifested globally, and explanatory captions clarify the messages contained in the survival documents.

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Grant Writing For Dummies

Beverly A. Browning

Write award-winning grant proposals that build organizational capacity!

For nonprofit and for-profit firms alike, grants can be a singular generator of growth and impact. But many leaders are intimidated and confused by the sometimes-complex grant application process. The truth, however, is that anyone can learn to write and send a powerful grant letter with the right help.

In Grant Writing For Dummies, Dr. Beverly Browning draws on over four decades of experience writing grant applications and training grant writers to deliver a comprehensive and easy-to-follow roadmap to drafting and submitting grant applications that get funded. You’ll learn to craft the strongest application possible, find the best sources of funding from online databases, and present a realistic project budget plan.

You’ll also find:

  • Example types of funding requests that demonstrate how to apply the concepts discussed in the book
  • New and updated material walking you through the entire grant-writing process, from beginning to end
  • Writing techniques that capture the imaginations of grant reviewers who decide which applicants walk away empty-handed and which ones receive cash

Whether you’re looking to fund your nonprofit, grow your business, or develop your research venture, you’ll find the guidance you need in Grant Writing For Dummies.

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How to Write a Business Plan

Brian Finch

If you are starting or selling your own business, or wanting to expand your company, business plans are essential. Get expert guidance on how to make an impact with your business plan and successfully communicate your strategic vision.

Whether it is to raise finance, sell a business or develop a specific project, this is your one-stop guide to producing the most professional and convincing business plan for a new venture. This 7th edition now features even more practical exercises, useful templates and top tips to help you write a comprehensive and compelling plan, as well as content on digital developments such as crowdfunding, online retailing and digital marketing.


The Creating Success series of books...
Unlock vital skills, power up your performance and get ahead with the bestselling Creating Success series. Written by experts for new and aspiring managers and leaders, this million-selling collection of accessible and empowering guides will get you up to speed in no time. Packed with clever thinking, smart advice and the kind of winning techniques that really get results, you'll make fast progress, quickly reach your goals and create lasting success in your career.

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Social Media Marketing for Business

Andrew Jenkins

Social media has become an imperative for almost every business. Discover how to successfully implement an effective social media strategy that is supported and integrated throughout every part of your organization, with this essential handbook to enhancing your online presence and achieving the competitive edge.

Social Media Marketing for Business provides a step-by-step roadmap to setting up effective workflows, team configurations, governance models and social media policies, alongside creating and measuring social media campaigns and content themselves. Featuring insights from leading industry experts, it covers areas such as balancing social media ownership, measuring success using analytics and conducting a social media audit.

Containing an array of international case study examples from organizations such as Airbnb, Hyundai, Deloitte Digital and LVMH, Social Media Marketing for Business also explores how to build a supportive culture, get buy-in and common pitfalls to avoid. Supported by online presentation slides, content calendars, a content marketing framework and interactive tools for effective social media management, Social Media Marketing for Business is a one-stop-shop resource for developing social media marketing strategies and integrating them within your business to ensure their success.

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Digital Marketing Strategy

Simon Kingsnorth

The modern marketer needs to learn how to employ strategic thinking alongside the use of digital media to deliver measurable and accountable business success. Digital Marketing Strategy covers the essential elements of achieving exactly this by guiding you through every step of creating your perfect digital marketing strategy. This book analyzes the essential techniques and platforms of digital marketing including social media, content marketing, SEO, user experience, personalization, display advertising and CRM, as well as the broader aspects of implementation including planning, integration with overall company aims and presenting to decision makers.

Simon Kingsnorth brings digital marketing strategy to life through best practice case studies, illustrations, checklists and summaries, to give you insightful and practical guidance. Rather than presenting a restrictive 'one size fits all' model, this book gives you the tools to tailor-make your own strategy according to your unique business needs and demonstrates how an integrated and holistic approach to marketing leads to greater success. Digital Marketing Strategy is also supported by a wealth of online resources, including budget and strategy templates, lecture slides and a bonus chapter.

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Drawing Faces

Lise Herzog

Discover how to make your character drawings even more realistic with step-by-step instructions and tips and tricks for creating the most lifelike portraits and facial expressions.

Grab your sketchbook, pens, and pencils, and follow along as this instructional drawing guide teaches you everything you need to know about creating true-to-life human faces.

With more than 150 easy-to-follow illustrations, Drawing Faces is the perfect guide for aspiring artists looking to develop their portrait skills. Start off simple with learning how to draw basic facial features. By the end, you will have gained the knowledge you need to make your characters’ faces as realistic as possible including learning to draw:

 

  • Various facial expressions
  • Side profiles
  • Lifelike portraits
  • And much more!


Whether you’re a beginner or a drawing pro, Drawing Faces is the perfect book to hone your technical drawing skills and take your illustrations to the next level.

 

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Teach Yourself Photography : Get Started with Your Digital SLR Today

Chris George

What the beginner photographer really needs is a no-nonsense guide to the most important features on DSLRs written by experts that reveals in plain English exactly what they need to know and nothing more. Teach yourself Photography explains all the photography concepts beginners need, such as how to balance exposures, how to get sharp shots, and how to maximize image quality. Once you've mastered these basics, you can then move on to our more advanced skills section at the end of the book featuring practical how-to guides for shooting a range of core subjects. Take your photography to the next level and start learning today! -- Back cover.

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Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home

Margot Guralnick

Learn how to make planet-friendly choices at home with the design experts behind Remodelista.com

There’s no reason to sacrifice beauty, because this hardworking visual guide reveals a personalized, future-minded approach to creating a sustainable—and stylish—home by emphasizing conscientious consumerism and climate-aware choices.
 
In this book, you’ll visit a remodeled apartment inspired by the Slow Food movement, a DIY tree-house cabin, a multigenerational courtyard compound, and a family home built from hemp. There are tips on practices that reduce your environmental impact room by room, like adopting a gentler laundry routine, as well as eco-conscious guidelines for choosing nontoxic paint, upgrading windows, and eliminating plastic.
 
Change begins in the home, and it’s inspiring to learn how such steps, no matter how small, contribute to the greater good.
 
Including:

  • Low-impact remodeling ideas and approaches for every room
  • Planet-friendly essentials: lightbulbs, paint, rugs, furniture, and more
  • The Vintage 75: favorite tried-and-true objects for everyday use
  • Plus the lowdown on composting, roofing, insulation, HVAC, and more
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The Little Guide to Abba

Orange Hippo!

ABBA blasted their way onto the global pop scene with a Eurovision Song Contest win in 1974.

The song, 'Waterloo', the band's tenth single, was a top 10 hit around the world and spurred them on to enormous chart success with singles, then albums, then compilations selling in the millions. They truly conquered the world, recording, touring, performing and entertaining huge crowds everywhere they went, but after less than a decade, the dream was fading and they went their separate ways, seemingly never to record together again.

 

The superstardom was over, but their music continued to be popular and in every decade that passed the question was asked: will ABBA ever re-form? The answer was always no - they even allegedly turned down a billion-dollar tour - until the late 2010s, when rumours and announcements abounded and finally, to enormous global fanfare, the band revealed that a new 10-track album would be released in November 2021, and a virtual avatar tour would take place in from May 2022; fans went wild.

 

The Little Guide to ABBA celebrates everything the super Scandinavian pop group represents: brilliant pop music, 70s style, influence on hundreds of subsequent acts and an enduring legacy.

 

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Come to This Court and Cry

Linda Kinstler

In 1965, five years after the capture of Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, one of his Mossad abductors was sent back to South America to kill another fugitive Nazi, the so-called “butcher of Riga,” Latvian Herberts Cukurs. Cukurs was shot. On his corpse, the assassins left pages from the closing speech of the chief British prosecutor at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg:
 
“After this ordeal to which mankind has been submitted, mankind itself . . . comes to this Court and cries: ‘These are our laws—let them prevail!’”
 
Years later, the Latvian prosecutor general began investigating the possibility of redeeming Cukurs for his past actions. Researching the case, Linda Kinstler discovered that her grandfather, Boris, had served in Cukurs’s killing unit and was rumored to be a double agent for the KGB. The proceedings, which might have resulted in Cukurs’s pardon, threw into question supposed “facts” about the Holocaust at the precise moment its last living survivors—the last legal witnesses—were dying.
 
Rich with scholarly detective work and personal reflection, Come to This Court and Cry is a fearlessly brave examination of how history can become distorted over time, how easily the innocent are forgotten, and how carelessly the guilty are sometimes reprieved.

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God's Teeth and Other Phenomena

James Kelman

Jack Proctor, a celebrated older writer and curmudgeon, goes off to residency where he is to be an honored part of teaching and giving public readings, he soon finds the atmosphere of the literary world has changed since his last foray into the public sphere. Unknown to most, unable to work on his own writing, surrounded by a host of odd characters, would-be writers, antagonists, handlers, and members of the elite House of Art and Aesthetics, Proctor finds himself driven to distraction (literally in a very very tiny car). This is a story of a man attempting not to go mad when forced to stop his own writing in order to coach others to write. Proctor's tour of rural places, pubs, theaters, fancy parties, where he is to be headlining as a Banker-Prize-Winning-Author reads like a literary version of Spinal Tap. Uproariously funny, brilliantly philosophical, gorgeously written this is James Kelman at his best.

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The Cuckoo Syndrome

Andrea Anderson Polk

Is there someone in your life who tries to monopolize your time and consume your energy? Or someone who leaves you feeling confused or misunderstood, but you cannot put your finger on exactly how or why? Is there someone with whom you are unable to have a rational conversation and things seem very complicated? Maybe this person is never satisfied, no matter how much you try to love, help, and please them. Are you the one doing all the work in a relationship?

In The Cuckoo Syndrome, Andrea Anderson Polk, a licensed professional counselor, helps us fend off the cuckoos—unhealthy relationships, toxic thinking, and self-sabotaging behavior—in order to find our identity in God and discover new purpose, vision, and meaning in our lives.


We know the cuckoo bird as a colorful wooden figurine that pops out of a clock and chirps the hours of the day to the delight of children and adults alike. In reality, the cuckoo bird is a parasite—invading the nest of other birds, destroying the eggs already present, and fooling the family into raising an ever-demanding, never-satisfied cuckoo chick.

Polk, a licensed professional counselor, compares cuckoo birds—nature’s infamous imposter—to the human experience, situations, and relationships demonstrating haunting confusion and unnecessary suffering. Cuckoos can invisibly sabotage our most intimate relationships, our ministries, and our careers—our deepest desires.

In The Cuckoo Syndrome, Polk gives us new insight and ways to fend off these cuckoos that invade our “nests” with their devious disguises. Cuckoos can take many forms. There is the cuckoo of avoiding emotion, the fear cuckoo, the stress cuckoo, the shame cuckoo, the unresolved grief cuckoo, the perfectionism cuckoo, the counselor cuckoo, and probably the most insidious cuckoo of all: the religion cuckoo.

Drawing from a depth of study in scripture, science, and psychology, Polk breaks us free from the cuckoo’s snare by teaching us to embrace the desires of our heart as we uncover the truth of who we are, who others are, and who God is. We can learn to establish great joy in our identity by committing ourselves to discover meaning in suffering and understanding how our pain is the genuine catalyst for purpose.

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Picasso's War

Hugh Eakin

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • A riveting story of how dueling ambitions and the power of prodigy made America the cultural center of the world—and Picasso the most famous artist alive—in the shadow of World War II

“Fascinating, eloquent, wonderfully lucid, Picasso’s War will change whatever we thought we knew about modern art and its complicated reception on this side of the Atlantic.”—Francine Prose, author of The Vixen


In January 1939, Pablo Picasso was renowned in Europe but disdained by many in the United States. One year later, Americans across the country were clamoring to see his art. How did the controversial leader of the Paris avant-garde break through to the heart of American culture?

The answer begins a generation earlier, when a renegade Irish American lawyer named John Quinn set out to build the greatest collection of Picassos in existence. His dream of a museum to house them died with him, until it was rediscovered by Alfred H. Barr, Jr., a cultural visionary who, at the age of twenty-seven, became the director of New York’s new Museum of Modern Art.

Barr and Quinn’s shared goal would be thwarted in the years to come—by popular hostility, by the Depression, by Parisian intrigues, and by Picasso himself. It would take Hitler’s campaign against Jews and modern art, and Barr’s fraught alliance with Paul Rosenberg, Picasso’s persecuted dealer, to get Picasso’s most important paintings out of Europe. Mounted in the shadow of war, the groundbreaking exhibition Picasso: Forty Years of His Art would launch Picasso in America, define MoMA as we know it, and shift the focus of the art world from Paris to New York.

Picasso’s War is the never-before-told story about how a single exhibition, a decade in the making, irrevocably changed American taste, and in doing so saved dozens of the twentieth century’s most enduring artworks from the Nazis. Through a deft combination of new scholarship and vivid storytelling, Hugh Eakin shows how two men and their obsession with Picasso changed the art world forever.

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A Life in Light

Mary Pipher

From the bestselling author of Women Rowing North and Reviving Ophelia-a memoir in essays reflecting on radiance, resilience, and the constantly changing nature of reality.

In her luminous new memoir in essays, Mary Pipher-as she did in her New York Times bestseller Women Rowing North-taps into a cultural moment, to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change. Drawing from her own experiences and expertise as a psychologist specializing in women, trauma, and the effect of our culture on our mental health, she looks inward in A Life in Light to what shaped her as a woman, one who has experienced darkness throughout her life but was always drawn to the light.

Her plainspoken depictions of her hard childhood and life's difficulties are dappled with moments of joy and revelation, tragedies and ordinary miseries, glimmers and shadow. As a child, she was separated from her parents for long periods. Those separations affected her deeply, but in A Life in Light she explores what she's learned about how to balance despair with joy, utilizing and sharing with readers every coping skill she has honed during her lifetime to remind us that there is a silver thread of resilience that flows through all of life, and that despite our despair, the light will return.

In this book, she points us toward that light.

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I'm Glad My Mom Died

Jennette McCurdy

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

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Dinners with Ruth : A Memoir on the Power of Friendships

Nina Totenberg

Celebrated NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg delivers an extraordinary memoir of her personal successes, struggles, and life-affirming relationships, including her beautiful friendship of nearly fifty years with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Four years before Nina Totenberg was hired at NPR, where she cemented her legacy as a prizewinning reporter, and nearly twenty-two years before Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court, Nina called Ruth. A reporter for The National Observer, Nina was curious about Ruth's legal brief, asking the Supreme Court to do something revolutionary: declare a law that discriminated "on the basis of sex" to be unconstitutional. In a time when women were fired for becoming pregnant, often could not apply for credit cards or get a mortgage in their own names, Ruth patiently explained her argument. That call launched a remarkable, nearly fifty-year friendship. Dinners with Ruth is an extraordinary account of two women who paved the way for future generations by tearing down professional and legal barriers. It is also an intimate memoir of the power of friendships as women began to pry open career doors and transform the workplace. At the story's heart is one, special relationship: Ruth and Nina saw each other not only through personal joys, but also illness, loss, and widowhood. During the devastating illness and eventual death of Nina's first husband, Ruth drew her out of grief; twelve years later, Nina would reciprocate when Ruth's beloved husband died. They shared not only a love of opera, but also of shopping, as they instinctively understood that clothes were armor for women who wanted to be taken seriously in a workplace dominated by men. During Ruth's last year, they shared so many small dinners that Saturdays were "reserved for Ruth" in Nina's house. Dinners with Ruth also weaves together compelling, personal portraits of other fascinating women and men from Nina's life, including her cherished NPR colleagues Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer; her beloved husbands; her friendships with multiple Supreme Court Justices, including Lewis Powell, William Brennan, and Antonin Scalia, and Nina's own family--her father, the legendary violinist Roman Totenberg, and her "best friends," her sisters. Inspiring and revelatory, Dinners with Ruth is a moving story of the joy and true meaning of friendship.

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Hope and Glory

Jendella Benson

One of the year’s most anticipated by Marie Claire, Essence, Debutiful, & Goodreads

A brilliant debut by a British-Nigerian author—a heartfelt family drama that will delight book club readers and fans of books like The Girl with the Louding Voice and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows.

“Jendella Benson has drawn such a compelling world. The book and the characters stayed with me long after I'd turned the final pages!” —Candice Carty-Williams, bestselling author of Queenie

Glory Akindele returns to London from her seemingly glamorous life in LA to mourn the sudden death of her father, only to find her previously close family has fallen apart in her absence. Her brother, Victor, is in jail and won’t speak to her because she didn’t come home for his trial. Her older sister, Faith, once a busy career woman, appears to have lost her independence and ambition, and is instead channeling her energies into holding together a perfect suburban family. Worst of all, their mother, Celeste, is headed toward a breakdown after the death of her husband and the shame of her son’s incarceration.

Rather than returning to America, Glory decides to stay and try to bring them all together again. It’s a tall order given that Glory’s life isn’t exactly working out according to plan either, and she’s acutely aware that she’s not so sure who she is and what she wants.

A chance reunion with a man she’d known in her teens—the perceptive but elusive Julian—gives her the courage to start questioning why her respectable but obsessively private Nigerian immigrant family is the way it is. But then Glory’s questioning unearths a massive secret that shatters the family’s fragile peace—and she risks losing everyone she deeply cares about in her pursuit of the truth and a reunited family.

"Filled with unexpected, but earned, twists, Hope and Glory balances moments of rich humor and devastating profundity...deeply authentic." —Kirkus Reviews

"A sumptuous and satisfying meditation on family and the meaning of home.” —Publishers Weekly

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Yesterday's Spy

Tom Bradby

From the ITV News at Ten Anchor
'Atmospheric, informative and flawlessly plotted' The Sunday Times
'Riveting...with style and energy, evocative scene-setting and strong characterisation' Financial Times
What readers are saying:
'His telling of fiction is as good as his telling of the news on TV!' *****
'A very enjoyable book and a real page turner' *****
'Writing that seems not just plausible but frighteningly real' *****
_____________________________

A man in search of his son.
An agent on the run from his past.
A country on the verge of revolution...

Nothing good ever comes from a midnight phone call, especially from Downing Street. For washed-up spy Harry Tower, it is the worst news at the worst possible time. His son, Sean, has gone missing in troubled Iran after writing an exposé about government corruption.

Their relationship has never recovered since Harry's wife's suicide, for which Sean holds his father responsible. And Harry, with his career on the verge of disintegration, needs to find him and put things right.

When Harry arrives in Tehran, he finds a city on the cusp of revolution. Foreign powers are jockeying for influence, money and, most importantly, oil. The CIA are conspiring to undermine the government with an impending coup, and there are dark mutterings about opium smuggling. But the reasons for Sean's disappearance may be even more sinister than Harry first suspected.

Before long, he is on the run - not only from a faceless enemy, but from his own past. Which will catch up with him first?

Yesterday's Spy is Tom Bradby at his very best, delivering a cunning espionage novel rich in intrigue and history that will keep you guessing until the final pages.
_______________
Praise for Tom Bradby:
'A gripping thriller' Sunday Times
'Enthralling and fast-moving' Daily Mail
'Teems with twists...imaginative and unexpected' The Times
'Cracking' Financial Times
'An all-too-plausible premise' Observer

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The New Neighbor

Leah Stewart

In the tradition of Zoe Heller’s What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal, The New Neighbor is “a chilling page-turner” (People) with “simple, elegant language” (The New York Times Book Review) about an old woman’s curiosity turned into a dangerous obsession as she becomes involved in her mysterious new neighbor’s complicated life.

How much can you really know about the woman next door?

Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley is content hiding from the world. Stoic and independent, she rarely leaves the Tennessee mountaintop where she lives, finding comfort in the mystery novels that keep her company—until she spots a woman who’s moved into the long-empty house across the pond.

Her neighbor, Jennifer Young, is also looking to hide. On the run from her old life, she and her four-year-old son, Milo, have moved to a quiet town where no one from her past can find her.

In Jennifer, Margaret sees both a potential companion for her loneliness and a mystery to be solved. She thinks if she says the right thing, tells the right story, Jennifer will open up, but Jennifer refuses to talk about herself, her son, his missing father, or her past. Frustrated, Margaret crosses more and more boundaries in pursuit of the truth, threatening to unravel the new life Jennifer has so painstakingly created—and reveal some secrets of her own…

From the critically acclaimed author of The History of Us and The Myth of You and Me, The New Neighbor is “a promising exploration of the secrets we all carry and our refusal to forgive ourselves” (Publishers Weekly).

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The Thread Collectors

Shaunna J. Edwards

“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star

“A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife

1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.

Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.

As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.

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Hokuloa Road

Elizabeth Hand

A young man is drawn into the dark side of paradise in this "brilliantly atmospheric" (New York Times Book Review) and "refreshingly creepy" (Washington Post) mystery, about the eerie secrets of one Hawai'ian island--a place where people have long vanished without a trace . . .

On a whim, Grady Kendall applies to work as a live-in caretaker for a luxury property in Hawaiʻi, as far from his small-town Maine life as he can imagine. Within days he's flying out to an estate on remote Hokuloa Road, where he quickly uncovers a dark side to the island's idyllic reputation: it has long been a place where people vanish without a trace.

When a young woman from his flight becomes the next to disappear, Grady is determined--and soon desperate--to figure out what's happened to Jessie, and to all those staring out of the island's "missing" posters. But working with Raina, Jessie's fiercely protective best friend, to uncover the truth is anything but easy, and with an inexplicable and sinister presence stalking his every step, Grady can only hope he'll find the answer before it's too late.

Perfect for fans of Peter Heller and The White Lotus, and from award-winning writer Elizabeth Hand, a master of crime fiction known for her magnetic characters, seductive prose, and fearless excavations into the darkest corners of our world, comes a chilling and illuminating new novel about a place unlike any other--and the deadly cost of keeping it so.

"Set in a Hawaii so vividly imagined I'm still shaking sand out of my shoes."--Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of The Final Girl Support Group

"Twisty and dark . . . easily one of the best thrillers I've read." --Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs

"This is the perfect book for your summer beach bag--an evocative mystery set in a tropical island paradise." --Jason Rekulak, author of Hidden Pictures

 

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The Kingdom of Sand

Andrew Holleran

A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITOR'S CHOICE PICK

"[Holleran's] new novel is all the more affecting and engaging because the images of isolation and old age here are haunted . . . in 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about gay abandon, the sheer, careless pleasure of it: Dancer From the Dance. Now, at almost 80 years of age, he has produced a novel remarkable for its integrity, for its readiness to embrace difficult truths and for its complex way of paying homage to the passing of time." —Colm Toibin, The New York Times Book Review

"It’s rare to find fiction that takes this kind of dying of the light as its subject and doesn’t make its heroes feel either pathetic or polished with a gleam of false dignity . . . This sad, beautiful book captures the sensations Holleran’s characters are chasing — as well as the darkness that inevitably comes for them, and us." —Mark Athitakis, The Los Angeles Times

One of the great appeals of Florida has always been the sense that the minute you get here you have permission to collapse.

The Kingdom of Sand is a poignant tale of desire and dread—Andrew Holleran’s first new book in sixteen years. The nameless narrator is a gay man who moved to Florida to look after his aging parents—during the height of the AIDS epidemic—and has found himself unable to leave after their deaths. With gallows humor, he chronicles the indignities of growing old in a small town.

At the heart of the novel is the story of his friendship with Earl, whom he met cruising at the local boat ramp. For the last twenty years, he has been visiting Earl to watch classic films together and critique the neighbors. Earl is the only person in town with whom he can truly be himself. Now Earl’s health is failing, and our increasingly misanthropic narrator must contend with the fact that once Earl dies, he will be completely alone. He distracts himself with sexual encounters at the video porn store and visits to Walgreens. All the while, he shares reflections on illness and death that are at once funny and heartbreaking.

Holleran’s first novel, Dancer from the Dance, is widely regarded as a classic work of gay literature. Reviewers have described his subsequent books as beautiful, exhilarating, seductive, haunting, and bold. The Kingdom of Sand displays all of Holleran’s considerable gifts; it’s an elegy to sex and a stunningly honest exploration of loneliness and the endless need for human connection, especially as we count down our days.

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Dead Sea Conspiracy

Jerry B. Jenkins

In this thrilling adventure, archaeologist Nicole Berman is about to discover the key to unifying three major religions—if a dangerous enemy doesn't stop her first.

Archaeologist Nicole Berman is the first woman to be awarded a permit to lead a dig in Saudi Arabia. Nicole believes what she hopes to discover has the power to to rewrite world history. She assembles a team that will ultimately surprise - and in some cases - betray her. 

In a parallel storyline, readers are launched back to ancient Ur where young Abram is sent to learn from his forebears, who tell him firsthand stories of being on the ark during the Great Flood. 

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Cyclorama

Adam Langer

"TRUST EXERCISE meets THE INTERESTINGS in this story of ten teenagers brought together by a high school production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK-which will influence the rest of their lives. In an Evanston, Illinois magnet high school in 1982, a group of high schoolers meet to audition for the spring play, excited for the chance to escape the difficulties of their everyday lives. Declan, a senior and an experienced actor, is confident he'll get his first-choice role, but when the capricious, charismatic drama director instead casts Franklin, an unknown underclassman-and the two are seen alone at the director's house-the traumatic series of events that will haunt the cast for years begins to unfold. Thirty-four years later, the actors have moved on with their lives. Some are wildly successful, some never left their hometown, and some just want to be left alone. Everything will change, however, when one former member of their cast comes forward with an allegation dating back to the time of the play. The consequences of this public revelation will be far-reaching and complex, reverberating through all of their lives in unexpected ways. CYCLORAMA is a deeply insightful and compelling story of ordinary people, and Adam Langer's down-to-earth style brilliantly cuts to the core of what makes us who we are and how our pasts-both personal and global-resonate into our present and future. With remarkable tenderness and humanity, Langer reveals how the traumas of our youth continue to echo throughout our lives, in our politics, in our careers, and in our selves"-- Provided by publisher.

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How to Kill Your Family

Bella Mackie

A darkly humorous debut novel that follows a cunning antihero as she gets her revenge

 

When I think about what I actually did, I feel somewhat sad that nobody will ever know about the complex operation that I undertook. Getting away with it is highly preferable, of course, but perhaps when I’m long gone, someone will open an old safe and find this confession. The public would reel. After all, almost nobody else in the world can possibly understand how someone, by the tender age of 28, can have calmly killed six members of her family. And then happily got on with the rest of her life, never to regret a thing.
     
When Grace Bernard discovers her absentee millionaire father has rejected her dying mother’s pleas for help, she vows revenge and coldly sets out to get her retribution—by killing them all, one by one. Compulsively readable, Bella Mackie’s debut novel is driven by a captivating first-person narrator who talks of “self-care” and social media while calmly walking the reader through her increasingly baroque acts of murder. But then, Grace is imprisoned for a murder she didn’t commit.
     
Outrageously funny, compulsive, and subversive, How to Kill Your Family is a wickedly dark romp about class, family, love . . . and murder.

         

 

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The Girl from Guernica

Karen Robards

Inspired by Picasso's great masterpiece Guernica, New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards returns with a riveting story of love, intrigue, deception and bravery in the face of war...

On an April day in 1937, the sky opens and fire rains down upon the small Spanish town of Guernica. Seventeen-year-old Sibi and her family are caught up in the horror. Griff, an American military attaché, pulls Sibi from the wreckage, and it's only the first time he saves her life in a span of hours. When Germany claims no involvement in the attack, insisting the Spanish Republic was responsible, Griff guides Sibi to lie to Nazi officials. If she or her sisters reveal that they saw planes bearing swastikas, the gestapo will silence them--by any means necessary.

As war begins to rage across Europe, Sibi joins the underground resistance, secretly exchanging information with Griff. But as the scope of Germany's ambitions becomes clear, maintaining the facade of a Nazi sympathizer becomes ever more difficult. And as Sibi is drawn deeper into a web of secrets, she must find a way to outwit an enemy that threatens to decimate her family once and for all.

Masterfully rendered and vividly capturing one of the most notorious episodes in history, The Girl from Guernica is an unforgettable testament to the bonds of family and the courage of women in wartime.

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On the Rooftop

Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

A Reese's Book Club Pick

"An utterly original and brilliant story." -Reese Witherspoon

A stunning novel about a mother whose dream of musical stardom for her three daughters collides with the daughters' ambitions for their own lives--set against the backdrop of gentrifying 1950s San Francisco

At home they are just sisters, but on stage, they are The Salvations. Ruth, Esther, and Chloe have been singing and dancing in harmony since they could speak. Thanks to the rigorous direction of their mother, Vivian, they've become a bona fide girl group whose shows are the talk of the Jazz-era Fillmore.

Now Vivian has scored a once-in-a-lifetime offer from a talent manager, who promises to catapult The Salvations into the national spotlight. Vivian knows this is the big break she's been praying for. But sometime between the hours of rehearsal on their rooftop and the weekly gigs at the Champagne Supper Club, the girls have become women, women with dreams that their mother cannot imagine.

The neighborhood is changing, too: all around the Fillmore, white men in suits are approaching Black property owners with offers. One sister finds herself called to fight back, one falls into the comfort of an old relationship, another yearns to make her own voice heard. And Vivian, who has always maintained control, will have to confront the parts of her life that threaten to splinter: the community, The Salvations, and even her family.

Warm, gripping, and wise, with echoes of Fiddler on the Roof, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton's latest novel is a moving family portrait from "a writer of uncommon nerve and talent" (New York Times Book Review).

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I Was the President's Mistress!!

Miguel Syjuco

“A super-typhoon of a novel. A Babel of rogues, survivors, and shape-shifters. A polemic against corruption and greed. A sassy, swerving mini-series, touched by grace and beauty. A Filipino Bonfire of the Vanities for our beleaguered times. An uncompromising work of art.” —David Mitchell, author of Utopia Avenue

“It’s a rare novel that leaves you reeling simultaneously with admiration, exhaustion, amazement at its author’s reach and skill, and desolation at the world it spreads out before you . . . [A] raging protest of a book.” —The New York Times Book Review

From the author of the Man Asian Award-winning Ilustrado, an unflinching satire about power, corruption, sex, and all the other topics you were told never to discuss in polite company.

First came the Sexy-Sexygate scandal. Then an impeachment trial. Finally, a battle royale for the presidency. At the center of this political typhoon is Vita Nova, the Philippines’ most famous movie star and former paramour of the country’s most powerful man. Now, for the first time ever, she bares herself completely in a tell-all memoir that puts the sensational in sensationalistic.

The setting: a sweating, heaving country. The time: right now. The plot: a drug war rages; an assassin brandishes a pistol; a damsel rises from ashes to power; and a government teeters on the brink. Among the players are a dreamer who boxed and acted his way to the presidency; his Koran-toting nemesis in the Senate; a horny bishop; a cowboy turned warlord; a poor little rich boy dying with his dynasty; a washed-up reporter redeemed by one last scoop; a high school sweetheart driven mad by decades of disappointment; and an American naval officer tempting our heroine with a way out. As Vita warns, viewer discretion is advised.

In this masterful and audacious novel, Miguel Syjuco’s signature style—hilarious, insightful, playful, and provocative—animates thirteen indelible voices whose stories present a cross-section of a complicated society. I Was the President’s Mistress!! hurtles headlong into love, politics, faith, history, memory, and the ongoing war over who will tell the stories the world shall know as truth.

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Walk the Vanished Earth

Erin Swan

"This rich, endlessly engaging novel is, one hopes, the first in a long career for an author who has the talent and imagination to write whatever she wants." --The New York Times

In the tradition of Station Eleven, Severance and The Dog Stars, a beautifully written and emotionally stirring dystopian novel about how our dreams of the future may shift as our environment changes rapidly, even as the earth continues to spin.


The year is 1873, and a bison hunter named Samson travels the Kansas plains, full of hope for his new country. The year is 1975, and an adolescent girl named Bea walks those very same plains; pregnant, mute, and raised in extreme seclusion, she lands in an institution, where a well-meaning psychiatrist struggles to decipher the pictures she draws of her past. The year is 2027 and, after a series of devastating storms, a tenacious engineer named Paul has left behind his banal suburban existence to build a floating city above the drowned streets that were once New Orleans. There with his poet daughter he rules over a society of dreamers and vagabonds who salvage vintage dresses, ferment rotgut wine out of fruit, paint murals on the ceiling of the Superdome, and try to write the story of their existence. The year is 2073, and Moon has heard only stories of the blue planet—Earth, as they once called it, now succumbed entirely to water. Now that Moon has come of age, she could become a mother if she wanted to–if only she understood what a mother is. Alone on Mars with her two alien uncles, she must decide whether to continue her family line and repopulate humanity on a new planet.
A sweeping family epic, told over seven generations, as America changes and so does its dream, Walk the Vanished Earth explores ancestry, legacy, motherhood, the trauma we inherit, and the power of connection in the face of our planet’s imminent collapse.
This is a story about the end of the world—but it is also about the beginning of something entirely new. Thoughtful, warm, and wildly prescient, this work of bright imagination promises that, no matter what the future looks like, there is always room for hope.

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