Friday Reads

Friday Reads: Coming Soon in October

September 25, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

Did you know that you can put books on hold before they come out? Request it through the catalog or call 217-477-5220 to put yourself on the list!

Books from Favorite Authors coming out in October

October 1, 2020

Welcome to the United States of Anxiety: Observations from a Reforming Neurotic by Jen Lancaster

When did USA become shorthand for the United States of Anxiety? From the moment Americans wake up, we’re bombarded with all-new terrifying news about crime, the environment, politics, and stroke-inducing foods we’ve been enjoying for years. We’re judged by social media’s faceless masses, pressured into maintaining a Pinterest-perfect home, and expected to base our self-worth on retweets, faves, likes, and followers. Our collective FOMO, and the disparity between the ideal and reality, is leading us to spend more and feel worse. No wonder we’re getting twitchy. Save for an Independence Day–style alien invasion, how do we begin to escape from the stressors that make up our days?

Jen Lancaster is here to take a hard look at our elevating anxieties, and with self-deprecating wit and levelheaded wisdom, she charts a path out of the quagmire that keeps us frightened of the future and ashamed of our imperfectly perfect human lives. Take a deep breath, and her advice, and you just might get through a holiday dinner without wanting to disown your uncle. — from Goodreads

October 6, 2020

Troubles in Paradise (Paradise, book 3) by Elin Hilderbrand

As drama unfolds around her and her family after the death of her husband, who was leading a double life, Irene Steele gets some help from a mysterious source and a new beginning in the paradise of St. John after the truth is finally revealed.

The Searcher by Tana French

Retired detective Cal Hooper moves to a remote village in rural Ireland. His plans are to fix up the dilapidated cottage he’s bought, to walk the mountains, to put his old police instincts to bed forever.

Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care. And once again, Cal feels that restless itch.

Something is wrong in this community, and he must find out what, even if it brings trouble to his door. — from Goodreads

Elsewhere by Dean Koontz

Follows a father and daughter who come into possession of a very mysterious object, which the local eccentric, Spooky Ed, who passed it on to them called ‘the key to everything.’ The key comes with a warning that it must never be used, but of course that doesn’t exactly happen.

A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire

Following her brother’s death and her mother’s emotional breakdown, Laura now lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in a lonely townhouse she shares with her old-world, strict, often querulous grandparents. But the arrangement may be temporary. The quiet, awkward teenager has been getting into trouble at home and has been expelled from her high school for throwing a record album at a popular girl who bullied her. When Christmas is over and the new year begins, Laura may find herself at boarding school in Montreal.

Nearly unmoored from reality through her panic and submerged grief, Laura is startled when a handsome swan boy with only one wing lands on her roof. Hiding him from her ever-bickering grandparents, Laura tries to build the swan boy a wing so he can fly home. But the task is too difficult to accomplish herself. Little does Laura know that her struggle to find help for her new friend parallels that of her grandparents, who are desperate for a distant relative’s financial aid to save the family store.

As he explores themes of class, isolation, family, and the dangerous yearning to be saved by a power greater than ourselves, Gregory Maguire conjures a haunting, beautiful tale of magical realism that illuminates one young woman’s heartbreak and hope as she begins the inevitable journey to adulthood. — from Goodreads

Cardiff, By the Sea by Joyce Carol Oates

From one of the most important contemporary American writers, Cardiff, by the Sea is a bold, haunting collection of four previously unpublished novellas. Starting with the title novella-in which a romantic-minded young art historian is led to (re)discover a terrifying trauma after inheriting property in faraway Cardiff, Maine-through to “The Surviving Child”-which finds the young new wife of a famous poet’s widow haunted by the dead poet’s voice dancing in the wind, an inexplicably befouled well, and a compulsive draw to the same garage that already took two lives-Cardiff, by the Sea is ceaselessly sinister. In these psychologically daring, chillingly suspenseful novellas, Joyce Carol Oates writes about women facing threats past and present.

October 13, 2020

A Time for Mercy (Jake Brigance, book 3) by John Grisham

Jake Brigance, the protagonist of A Time to Kill, John Grisham’s classic legal thriller is back. This time he’s at the epicenter of a sensational murder trial that bitterly divides the citizens of Clanton, Mississippi.

Now, in A Time for Mercy, Jake is the court-appointed lawyer for Drew Gamble, a young man accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance sees it another way. Once he learns the details of the case, he realizes he has to do everything he can to save Drew—who is sixteen. Jake’s commitment to the truth puts his career and the safety of his family at risk.

Filled with all the courtroom machinations, small-town intrigues, and plot twists that have become the hallmarks of the master of the legal thriller, A Time for Mercy emphatically confirms John Grisham’s reputation as America’s favorite storyteller.

There is a time to kill, a time for justice, and A TIME FOR MERCY. — from Goodreads

Return to Virgin River (Virgin River, book 19) by Robyn Carr

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.

Determined to escape distractions and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. She knows the isolation will help her writing, and as she drives north through the mountains and the majestic redwoods, she immediately feels inspired. Until she arrives at a building that has just gone up in flames. Devastated, she heads to Jack’s Bar to plan her next steps. The local watering hole is the heart of the town, and once she crosses the threshold, she’s surprised to be embraced by people who are more than willing to help a friend–or a stranger–in need.

Kaylee’s world is expanding in ways she never dreamed possible. And when she rescues a kitten followed by a dog with a litter of puppies, she finds her heart opening up to the animals who need her. And then there’s the dog trainer who knows exactly how to help her. As the holidays approach, Kaylee’s dread turns to wonder. Because there’s no better place to spend Christmas than Virgin River. — from Goodreads

Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber

Trapped in the middle of five siblings, Everly Lancaster always had big dreams. Now a top real-estate executive, Everly finds her work is her life, leaving no space for anything (or anyone) else. Sensing her stress, Everly’s boss insists she take December off. At first, a month away seems crazy–how will the company survive without her? But Everly’s mother convinces her otherwise. She deserves a vacation–plus, when she returns, she’ll have no excuse to skip family Christmas like she did last year.

But after her vengeful assistant books a guided cruise in the Amazon instead of the luxury beach vacation she expected, Everly is horrified to realize that she’s about to spend the next two weeks trapped–with no Wi-Fi!–in the rain forest. Not even Asher Adams, the ship’s charming naturalist, can convince Everly that the trip will be unforgettable. Slowly but surely, she realizes he is right: the sights are spectacular. And with each passing day, Everly’s relationship with Asher deepens, forcing her to take a long, hard look at her priorities.

Everly and Asher begin to see magic in the possibility of a life together. But as the cruise nears its end, and Everly’s family Christmas approaches, both must decide if love is worth the risk. A merry surprise may be in store in Debbie Macomber’s newest holiday delight. — from Goodreads

A Song for the Dark Times by Ian Rankin

When his daughter Samantha calls in the dead of night, John Rebus knows it’s not good news. Her husband has been missing for two days.

Rebus fears the worst – and knows from his lifetime in the police that his daughter will be the prime suspect.

He wasn’t the best father – the job always came first – but now his daughter needs him more than ever. But is he going as a father or a detective?

As he leaves at dawn to drive to the windswept coast – and a small town with big secrets – he wonders whether this might be the first time in his life where the truth is the one thing he doesn’t want to find… — from Goodreads

The Last Druid (The Fall of Shannara, book 4)by Terry Brooks

Bringing a conclusion to an epic that has spanned centuries is a vast undertaking, but Terry Brooks is entirely equal to the challenge.

As the Four Lands reels under a brutal invasion from across the sea, spearheaded by a nation determined to make this land their own, our heroes must decide what they will risk to save the integrity of their home. For as one group remains to defend their homeland, another undertakes a perilous journey across the sea to the homeland of the invaders, carrying with them a new piece of technology that could change the face of the world forever.

For both groups, the stakes could not be higher. For those who remain, one of their key allies has been banished to the Forbidding: a demon-filled prison from which there is no escape. And the one who sent him there now stalks the land with a fearsome demon at her side, determined to seize what power she can. While across the sea, a small band of heroes has been shipwrecked far from the land they seek. Can a young girl free her mentor in time to stop an invasion? And can a strange new science reach a foreign shore in time to alter the fate of two nations…providing the device even works?

Filled with twists and turns and epic feats of derring-do–not untouched by tragedy–this is vintage Terry Brooks, and a fitting end to a saga that has gathered generations of readers into its fold. — from Goodreads

Friday Reads: Hispanic Heritage Month

September 18, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

National Hispanic Heritage Month starts September 15 and runs through October 15. Hoopla has a collection of ebooks just for the occasion. Here are some of our readers’ favorites.

Salsa by Jorge Argueta and Duncan Tonatium

In this new cooking poem, Jorge Argueta brings us a fun and easy recipe for a yummy salsa. A young boy and his sister gather the ingredients and grind them up in a molcajete, just like their ancestors used to do, singing and dancing all the while. The children imagine that their ingredients are different parts of an orchestra – the tomatoes are bongos and kettledrums, the onion, a maraca, the cloves of garlic, trumpets and the cilantro, the conductor. They chop and then grind these ingredients in the molcajete, along with red chili peppers for the “hotness” that is so delicious, finally adding a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of salt. When they are finished, their mother warms tortillas and their father lays out plates, as the whole family, including the cat and dog, dance salsa in mouth-watering anticipation. Winner of the International Latino Book Award for Guacamole, Jorge Argueta has once again written a recipe-poem that families will delight in. Each book in the cooking poem series features a talented illustrator from the Latino world. In Salsa the text is complemented by the rich, earthy illustrations of Duncan Tonatiuh, winner of the Pura Belpré Award. His interest in honoring the art of the past in contemporary contexts is evident in these wonderful illustrations, which evoke the pre-Columbian Mixtec codex.

Lowriders Blast from the Past by Cathy Camper and Raúl the Third

When new friends Lupe, Flapjack, and Elirio are each bullied by Las Matamoscas, they know they’re going to like one another. When they find out they all love lowrider cars, they know they’ll be friends for life. But the bullies won’t leave the Lowriders alone-and they don’t let any girls or babies into car clubs. Can these three determined outcasts prove they deserve to be in the car show? Humor, Spanish words, and lowrider culture come together in this heartwarming graphic novel of three friends navigating the bumpy terrain of friendship, bullying, and standing up for what you believe in. ¡Vámonos!

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes

When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words “Because magic” while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn’t sharing any, especially when it comes to Izzy’s father, who died before Izzy was born. But when she spends the summer in her Nana’s remote New Mexico village, Izzy discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of watermelon mountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, this heartfelt middle grade debut is as rich and satisfying as Nana’s homemade enchiladas.

Pati’s Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking by Pati Jinich

The host of a highly popular PBS series, Pati’s Mexican Table, and a self-described “overloaded soccer mom with three kids and a powerful blender,” Pati Jinich has a mission. She’s out to prove that Mexican home cooking is quicker and far easier than most Americans think. Her dishes are not blanketed with cheese, or heavy and fried, or based on complex sauces. Nor are they necessarily highly spicy. Surprising in their simplicity and freshness, they incorporate produce and grains. Most important, they fit perfectly into an everyday family cooking schedule and use just a handful of ingredients, most of which are already in your pantry. Many are homey specialties that Pati learned from her mother and grandmother, some are creative spins on classics, while others are not well known outside of Mexico. Dishes like Chicken à la Trash (it’s delicious!), a one-pot meal that Pati gleaned from a Mexican restaurant cook; Mexican Meatballs with Mint and Chipotle; Sweet and Salty Salmon; and Mexican-Style Pasta can revitalize your daily repertoire. You’ll find plenty of vegetarian fare, from Classic Avocado Soup, to Divorced Eggs (with red and green salsa), to Oaxaca-Style Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas. Your friends and family will enjoy Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Pickled Ancho Chile Vinaigrette; Crab Cakes with Jalapeño Aioli; and Chicken Tinga – (you can use rotisserie chicken), which makes a tasty filling for tortas and tostadas. Pati also shares exciting dishes for the holidays and other special occasions, including Mexican Thanksgiving Turkey with Chorizo, Pecan, Apple, and Corn Bread Stuffing; Spiral-Cut Beef Tenderloin; and Red Pozole (“a Mexican party in a bowl”), which she served on her wedding day. Desserts like Triple Orange Mexican Wedding Cookies, Scribble Cookies (sandwich cookies filled with chocolate), and little Apricot-Lime Glazed Mini Pound Cakes are sophisticated yet simple to make.

Hola and Goodbye: Una Familia in Stories by Donna Miscolta

In 1920s Southern California, Lupita Camacho leaves Mexico and settles not far from the border-and so begins the journey of an American family told by a chain of tales stretching across three generations. Early stories track Lupita’s concessions to the demands of her new country and her new fish cannery job overseen by a lecherous boss who makes sure Lupita, her friend Rosa, and their Chinese coworkers work long, hard, and, for the most part, in silence, since speaking any language but English is forbidden. The family’s first-generation Americans populate later stories as they work toward assimilation, complete with kidney-shaped in ground pools, even though their homes and children never quite match those in the pages of Ladies Home Journal. Finally, distanced from the culture of their ancestors and freed from the stigma of accented English, Lupita’s grandchildren live lives that are as wide-open as America: hosting karaoke nights, becoming female wrestlers, arriving at high school reunions utterly transformed. However, these modern-day family members discover that despite their freedom, they somehow remain set apart. In a time when the word “immigrant” has become politically charged and sometimes stripped of its earlier sense of dignity, these exquisitely human stories provide welcome restoration. In Hola and Goodbye, Donna Miscolta’s altogether fascinating and flawed characters face progress and failure against the backdrop of each new generation-bound together, and to us all, by the search for a place in this world.

Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum

Bellwether Award winner Susan Nussbaum’s powerful novel invites us into the lives of a group of typical teenagers-alienated, funny, yearning for autonomy-except that they live in an institution for juveniles with disabilities. This unfamiliar, isolated landscape is much the same as the world outside: friendships are forged, trust is built, love affairs are kindled, and rules are broken. But those who call it home have little or no control over their fate. Good Kings Bad Kings challenges our definitions of what it means to be disabled in a story told with remarkable authenticity and in voices that resound with humor and spirit.

My Documents by Alejandro Zambra

My Documents is the latest work from Alejandro Zambra, the award-winning Chilean writer whose first novel was heralded as the dawn of a new era in Chilean literature, and described by Junot Díaz as “a total knockout.” Now, in his first short story collection, Zambra gives us eleven stories of liars and ghosts, armed bandits and young lovers-brilliant portraits of life in Chile before and after Pinochet. The cumulative effect is that of a novel-or of eleven brief novels, intimate and uncanny, archived until now in a desktop folder innocuously called “My Documents.” Zambra’s remarkable vision and erudition is on full display here; this book offers clear evidence of a sublimely talented writer working at the height of his powers.

Friday Reads: Suicide Prevention Week

September 11, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

September 6 to 12 is Suicide Prevention Week. The books below give insight and help for depression, suicide prevention, and mental health awareness. Some of these books are fiction, some non-fiction. Always know that help is available and no one is alone.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a great resource: 1-800-273-8255

Dead serious : breaking the cycle of teen suicide : a book for teens, adults & educators / Jane Mersky Leder.

Teenagers who struggle with stress, grades, bullying, anxiety and depression, and sexual and gender identity may find themselves in crisis and end their lives. Learn how to break the cycle of teen suicide by recognizing the warning signs, encouraging conversation, and setting up a network of peers and trusted adults who can listen and, if necessary, connect to medical health professionals. Suicide is preventable.

If you feel too much : thoughts on things found and lost and hoped for / Jamie Tworkowski ; foreword by Donald Miller.

In 2006, Jamie Tworkowski wrote a story called “To Write Love on Her Arms” about helping a friend through her struggle with drug addiction, depression, and self-injury. The piece quickly went viral, giving birth to a non-profit organization of the same name. Nine years later, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) is an internationally-recognized leader in suicide prevention and a source of hope, encouragement, and resources for people worldwide. From personal stories of struggling on days most people celebrate to offering words of strength and encouragement in moments of loss, the essays in this book invite readers to believe that it’s okay to admit to pain and it’s okay to ask for help.

It’s kind of a funny story / Ned Vizzini.

Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan’s Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life-which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job-Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That’s when things start to get crazy. At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn’t brilliant compared to the other kids; he’s just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping-until, one night, he nearly kills himself. Craig’s suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety. For a novel about depression, it’s definitely a funny story.

My heart and other black holes / Jasmine Warga.

Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness. There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution—Roman, a teenage boy who’s haunted by a family tragedy, is looking for a partner. Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together.

Project Semicolon : your story isn’t over / with Amy Bleuel.

Reveals dozens of new portraits and stories from people of all ages talking about what they have endured dealing with depression and what they want for their futures.

Reasons to stay alive / Matt Haig.

Like nearly one in five people, Matt Haig suffers from depression. Reasons to Stay Alive is Matt’s inspiring account of how, minute by minute and day by day, he overcame the disease with the help of reading, writing, and the love of his parents and his girlfriend (and now-wife), Andrea. And eventually, he learned to appreciate life all the more for it.

Friday Reads: Labor Day

September 4, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

Reminder: Danville Public Library is closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day. We will reopen at 9:00 a.m. on September 8.

Looking for something to day on this Labor Weekend? Have a look at this set of books about working, job hunting, and a little bit of history.

Ace your résumé, application, and interview skills / Elissa Thompson and Ann Byers.

“Looking for a job can be overwhelming for anyone, especially a teen in search of that first paying gig. In this easy-to-follow guide, readers will learn all the steps to finding, applying, and interviewing for a job. Step-by-step instructions will explain how to build a résumé, how to write a compelling cover letter, and how to pen business correspondence. Accessible advice will help job-seeking teens to dress professionally, tackle tricky interview questions, and showcase the very best they have to offer”– Provided by publisher.

Colonial jobs / Verna Fisher.

Discusses the various products made by colonists-from flour and iron horseshoes to wooden buckets and furniture-this engaging guidebook teaches young readers about the different craftsmen of the era, including blacksmiths, coppers, and millers. Additional attention is also paid to the goods produced by Native Americans, including leather moccasins and woven baskets, and how these goods were exchanged in a barter economy.

Deep work : rules for focused success in a distracted world / Cal Newport.

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep — spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there’s a better way. This book presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four “rules,” for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill.

The job interview : questions and answers, the perfect resume, cover letter / Hayden Land, Freddy Writing.

2 books in 1, over 400 pages, Cover Letter, Resume, 185 Questions & Answers… what more do you want?It isn’t easy to get into a job. While you might be able to easily apply for a job advertisement you come across online, there is no guarantee that you will get the job. In fact, many people apply to job after job without so much as hearing back from the company. Even if a person gets an interview, there is no guarantee that they will leave a good impression. These days, despite more people having college degrees than ever before, it has become increasingly difficult to find a job. Whether you are hoping to get a high-level job at an elite company or an entry-level position at a local store, you are likely to be met with a number of challenges.Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way. Do you wish that finding an open position, writing a cover letter, crafting a resume, acing an interview, and getting a job was a simple matter of knowing how to play the game? This doesn’t have to be a dream. While the “game” of life is certainly not something with strict questions and answers, as every person is different, there are many answers that can get you to success.

Joy at work : organizing your professional life / Marie Kondō and Scott Sonenshein.

Stories, studies, and strategies to help you eliminate clutter and make space for work that really matters. Using the KonMari Method and cutting-edge research, Joy at Work will help you overcome the challenges of workplace mess and enjoy the productivity, success, and happiness that come with a tidy desk and mind.

Work : how to find joy and meaning in each hour of the day / Thich Nhat Hanh.

“We all need to Chop Wood and Carry Water”. In Thich Nhat Hanh’s latest teachings on how to use applied Buddhism in daily life, he looks at how we deal with workplace scenarios, handle home and family responsibilities, and endure traffic jams and other challenges of modern life. By carefully examining our everyday choices he encourages us to become a lotus in a muddy world by building mindful communities, learning about compassionate living, and come to an understanding of our inert “Buddha nature.” [Work] aims at contributing to new models of leadership and doing business, but is also full of life-coaching advise and finding our true happiness”– Provided by publisher.

Work : the world in photographs / Ferdinand Protzman.

Culled from National Geographic’s photographic archive as well as other important collections, this wide-ranging volume presents a varied group portrait of people at work–in great cities and tiny villages; in 19th-century China and 21st-century New York; in fields, factories, food carts, four-star restaurants, and just about everywhere else we earn our keep. Here are cowboys and clowns, shepherds and shopkeepers, street musicians and artists’ models all plying their assorted trades. Work is a subject that is both worldwide and personal. It is a shared endeavor at the very core of our identity. From the glamour of a Parisian fashion show to the grit of an African diamond mine, there are countless ways to make a living. With a mix of the utterly unexpected and the instantly familiar, this panorama takes an essential human activity and shows us myriad ways in which work is at once universal and delightfully, unforgettably unique.–From publisher description.

Friday Reads: End of Summer

August 28, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

As August draws to a close, we approach the end of summer. Students are going back to school, either in person or virtually, and feeling the change from the easy-going days of summer. Let’s really dig into this vibe with the following selection of books.

Summer’s end / Audrey Couloumbis.

Three teenaged cousins worry about their uncle who is missing in Vietnam, their brothers–the one who was drafted and the two who are dodging the draft, and the effects of their absence on the four generations gathered at the family farm in the summer of 1965.

Sisters of Summer‘s End / Lori Foster.

When single mom Joy Lee abandoned her old life to take a job at a lakeside resort, she found something that her family’s wealth and influence could never buy: peace of mind. Not easy to come by for the once-burned divorcée who keeps everyone at a distance. But when her new friend, Maris, dares her to take a chance with the drive-in’s charismatic new owner, everything changes for Joy and her young son. A difficult childhood has left Maris Kennedy with definite priorities. Her job running Summer’s End, the camp store and café, comes first. Always. Nothing could ever make her risk that hard-won security–especially not her free-spirited colleague. But the more she encourages Joy to open herself up to new experiences, the more Maris begins to wonder what she, too, might be missing. Learning how to trust will bring Joy and Maris together. And soon they form a friendship that leaves them as close as sisters–and open to love where they least expect it … in Summer’s End.

Summer’s end / by Sally Henson.

Sixteen year old Regan Stone has her life all mapped out. Every choice, from her dual credit classes to the out-of-state university she’s selected is deliberate. She even has a no-romance stipulation to avoid dangerous distractions. What Regan didn’t anticipate was the sudden change in her best friend, Lane, leaving only glimpses of the boy she grew up with. The bombshell Lane drops on her weeks before he leaves for college compels Reagan to come to terms with her own feelings. This summer may change everything.

The summer’s end / Mary Alice Monroe.

It is summer’s end and Sea Breeze, the family’s beloved estate on Sullivan’s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and find a new place in the world. Harper, the youngest sister, arrived at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend, but a rift with her wealthy, influential mother left her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother’s tyranny and with the help of her half sisters, Harper discovered her talents and independent spirit. But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on Harper’s courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. She must accept love fully into her life–the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a Wounded Warrior who has claimed her heart.

The end of summer / Tillie Walden.

“In a secluded castle, at the beginning of a winter that is predicted to last for three years, Lars is battling illness and boredom. He passes the time with his siblings and his giant cat, Nemo, as secrets are revealed and tensions within the family begin to simmer” — provided by publisher.

Friday Reads: National Dog Day

August 21, 2020 by danvillepubliclibrary

Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read. — Groucho Marx

This coming Wednesday, August 26, is National Dog Day. According to Wikipedia, the dog was the first animal that humans domesticated. We have created hundreds of breeds over the millennia. Enjoy this selection of dog books, for you and your best (dog) friend.

Cesar’s rules : your way to train a well-behaved dog / Cesar Millan, with Melissa Jo Peltier ; [illustrations by Victoria Parr].

A well-known dog trainer takes on the topic of training for the first time, by explaining the importance of balance as the foundation for a healthy relationship between you and your dog. To provide a variety of training options, Cesar calls upon experts in the field to offer their advice so you can find the perfect approach that works for you and your dog. Filled with practical advice, anecdotes, tips, and trouble shooting techniques for training either a new puppy or an old dog. It shows you how to communicate well with your dog and shares the most effective and humane methods for teaching your dog how to be a happy, well behaved member of your household. It also addresses: the most popular training techniques, including positive reinforcement and using a clicker; ways to teach basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, and come; the importance of balance, and why a well trained dog does not necessarily mean a balanced one; how to use your dog’s own natural inclinations to create better behavior. The methods and theories come from a variety of trainers, including Bob Bailey, Ian Dunbar, Joel Silverman, and Mark Harden.

The dog who knew too much / Krista Davis.

“America’s favorite dog comes to pet-friendly Wagtail for some rest and relaxation, but Holly quickly discovers that this perfect pup is a total scamp who takes every opportunity to run off and misbehave. During an outdoor treasure-hunting game, the star dog and Trixie, Holly’s beloved Jack Russell terrier, stumble across a dead body. Holly has more than murder to worry about, though, when a man shows up after reading an article featuring Trixie in a magazine and claims that he is the dog’s rightful owner. Holly will need to prove that she is her pup’s only parent and catch a killer to restore peace to her pet-loving happy place”–Amazon.

A dog’s way home / W. Bruce Cameron.

Lucas Ray is shocked when an adorable puppy jumps out of an abandoned building and into his arms. Though the apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn’t allow dogs, Lucas can’t resist taking Bella home. As it becomes more difficult to hide her from the neighbors, Lucas begins to sneak Bella into the VA where he works. There, Bella brings joy and comfort where it is needed most. After Bella is picked up by Animal Control because pit bulls are banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught at the separation, doesn’t plan to wait. With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and her person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home.

The golden rules of positive puppy training : everything you need to know for your puppy’s first year / Dr. Jean Cuvelier ; illustrations by Jean-Yves Grall.

The Golden Rules of Puppy Training is a complete, go-to guide that will help you change your perception of dogs and how they learn. With a focus on the puppy’s development during his first year of life, you’ll learn about reward-based training, why it’s the best method for both you and your pet, the importance of building a strong dog-owner relationship, and everything a dog needs to stay healthy, both physically and emotionally. By understanding how your puppy thinks and how to communicate with him, you’ll become an effective owner and trainer as you equip your dog with dozens of basic to advanced skills. You’ll be able to modify undesirable behaviors by using positive techniques. From teaching him how to walk on a leash and get accustomed to vet visits to how to eat calmly and close the refrigerator door, this training guide is filled with charming illustrations and graphics, step-by-step instructions, and insightful information that makes it the most engaging and playful manual you’ll ever own!

How to steal a dog : a novel / by Barbara O’Connor.

Living in the family car in their small North Carolina town after their father leaves them virtually penniless, Georgina, desperate to improve their situation and unwilling to accept her overworked mother’s calls for patience, persuades her younger brother to help her in an elaborate scheme to get money by stealing a dog and then claiming the reward that the owners are bound to offer.

Wondrous Rex / Patricia MacLachlan ; illustrations by Emilia Dzubiak.

Grace’s aunt Lily is a writer. She works with words every day and teaches Grace interesting words. But Lily’s own stories are not going anywhere so she posts an ad asking for help. The next morning, Grace opens the door and finds Rex: a Labrador retriever who will change Grace’s life, and Lily’s.

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