New Fiction Coming Soon! July/August 2016

coming soon

Want a little heads up on when your favorite author is publishing a new book?  Here are some of the new fiction hardcover books coming out in July and August.  Clicking on the title will bring you to our catalog where you can place a hold if you’d like.

JULY

whitefernAndrews, V.C. Whitefern – The long-awaited sequel to My Sweet Audrina, one of V.C. Andrews’s strangest, most beloved books—and now a Lifetime movie! Whitefern swallowed Audrina’s childhood—and now the sprawling Victorian mansion threatens her adult life too.

 

innocentsAtkins, AceThe Innocents – A former high school cheerleader is found walking a back road completely engulfed in flames.

 

 

killer lookFairstein, LindaKiller Look – When murder rocks New York City’s Fashion Week, Alex Cooper along with Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, must reveal the grime beneath the glitz to expose the culprit—unless a wolf in model’s clothing gets to them first.

 

fallingGreen, Jane Falling – Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines—and rather dull boyfriend—of her upper-crust English life and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in finance. But her soulless, cutthroat, all-consuming job was another life she didn’t want.

drinking gourdHambly, Barbara Drinking Gourd – Following the murder of a chief ‘conductor’ of the Underground Railroad, Jubal Cain, the coordinator of the entire Railroad system in Mississippi, is accused of the crime. It’s up to Benjamin January to step in and find the true killer – before their covers are blown.

night and dayJohansen, Iris Night and Day – Protecting Cara Delaney from the enemies who want her dead leads Eve to be their target. It will take everything she has to rescue Cara, and doing so will put that which is dearest to her at risk.

 

make me love youLindsey, JohannaMake Me Love You – A sparkling, passionate tale of an earl’s daughter who must convince a mysterious viscount to marry her and end his vendetta against her brother.

 

another oneLovesey, PeterAnother One Goes Tonight – Two police officers are about to head home after a long night shift when they receive one last call: a suspicious nude person has been spotted. En route to the call, the patrol car spins off the road, killing one of the exhausted cops instantly and leaving the other in critical condition.

chance developmnetsMccall Smith, Alexander Chance Developments – While gathering material for a photography book about Edinburgh, Alexander McCall Smith found himself inspired to create stories about the people captured in a number of particularly striking photos.

 

white bonePearson, Ridley White Bone – When ex–military contractor John Knox receives a text from partner Grace Chu warning that she fears her cover may have been blown while on assignment, he jumps into action.

 

secret language ofRose, M. J.The Secret Language of Stones – As World War I rages and the Romanov dynasty reaches its sudden, brutal end, a young jewelry maker discovers love, passion, and her own healing powers in this rich and romantic ghost story.

 

outfoxedRosenfelt, David Outfoxed – Lately, Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter has been involved in a county prison program where inmates help train dogs the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs, to make them more adoptable, benefiting both the dogs and the prisoners.

 

magicSteel, DanielleMagic – A tale set against a backdrop of the glamorous annual White Dinners in Paris traces the experiences of longtime participant Jean-Philippe Dumas, who reflects on friendship, love and magical possibilities on a life-changing night.

 

land of theWood, BarbaraLand of the Afternoon Sun – The story of a woman finding her own personality and strength in the West against a breathtaking desert landscape that changes constantly and shows its deadly side in poisonous snakes, flash floods and sand storms, with dramatic moments of forbidden romance, reversals, treachery, betrayal and, ultimately, triumphs.

AUGUST

die like an eagleAndrews, Donna Die Like An Eagle – Meg and Michael coach their twin sons’ youth baseball team and tangle with Biff Brown, the petty, vindictive league head. On opening day, Biff’s lookalike brother is found dead at the ball field. Biff has an alibi–and Meg suspects he may actually have been the intended victim.

crowned andBowen, Rhys Crowned and Dangerous – With Darcy driving me out of London in a borrowed motor car, I soon discover that he isn’t planning to introduce me to the pleasures of sinning in secret—as I had hoped—but to make me his wife!

 

puppetBrown, Dale Puppet Master – Recruited into the FBI to help track down criminals behind a massive financial scam, a robotics genius is swept up by a dangerous conspiracy that compels him to unleash the most powerful cyber weapons the world has ever seen.

 

jealous kindBurke, James Lee The Jealous Kind – An atmospheric, powerful, coming-of-age story set in 1950s Texas, as the specter of the Korean War looms.

 

surrend new yorkiCarr, CalebSurrender, New York – Many dedicated years working for the NYPD didn’t mean much when criminal psychologist Trajan Jones was fired from the force. Now living in exile in upstate New York, Trajan is reduced to teaching an online course in criminal investigation.

a time of tormentConnolly, John A Time of Torment – Dangerous and driven private investigator Charlie Parker returns in the latest gripping thriller, in which ungodly fears haunt a strange and isolated community.

 

knit your ownFerris, Monica Knit Your Own Murder – Local knitters are participating in a fundraising auction to save a community center, creating a growing pile of stuffed animals and toys right in front of the auctioneers as the audience bids. Among those contributing the most knitted goods is temperamental businesswoman Marsha Hanover—who keels over halfway through the event.

sunday kind of loveGarlock, Dorothy Sunday Kind of Love – The New York Times best-selling author of Twice in a Lifetime presents a latest heartland America romance that explores the challenges of finding love in unexpected places.

 

three sistersGregory, PhilippaThree Sisters, Three Queens – Raised in the coldly ambitious nursery of their grandmother Lady Margaret Beaufort (The Red Queen) Margaret and Mary Tudor are destined to be queens. The lives of these three women intertwine,  as each survives childbirth, war, and political treachery.

brokenGriffin, W.E.B.Broken Trust – Having investigated his share of gruesome murders, Philadelphia Homicide Sergeant Matt Payne is beginning to think nothing can shock him – until the case of a young socialite’s death lands on his desk.

 

sweet tommorrowsMacomber, Debbie Sweet Tomorrows – Jo Marie Rose and Mark Taylor return in the conclusion to this wonderful series set in Cedar Cove, as new guests check in to the Rose Harbor Inn—where happily ever afters await those who need them most.

 

liar's keyNeggers, CarlaLiar’s Key – An FBI legend, a mysterious antiquities specialist and a brazen art thief draw top FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan into a complex web of blackmail, greed and murder.

 

bullPatterson, James Bullseye – Tracking a pair of killers who are targeting an extremely popular United States president, detective Michael Bennett puts himself in the line of fire to prevent an assassination and the re-ignition of the Cold War.

 

first starPhillips, Susan Elizabeth First Star I See Tonight – A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel.

 

 

damagedScottoline, LisaDamaged – Named the guardian ad litem of a middle-school boy with emotional issues on whose behalf she is suing the Philadelphia school district, Mary DiNunzio is confronted by elite lawyer Nick Machiavelli and risks her engagement in her obsessive investment in the case.

 

rushing watersSteel, Danielle Rushing Waters – An interior designer, her independent architect mother, a British investment banker, an ER doctor who survived Hurricane Sandy and two NYU students are thrust together when a major hurricane descends upon New York City and wreaks unimaginable devastation

 

family treeWiggs, SusanFamily Tree -Love. Success. A handsome husband, a beautiful home. These are the things Annie Rush can call her own. These are the foundations of her charmed life in Los Angeles.  But in an instant, that life is shattered. And as Annie sifts through the ashes, she must face the shock and pain of a devastating loss.

 

smooth operatorWoods, Stuart Smooth Operator – When President Kate Lee calls Stone Barrington to Washington on an urgent matter, it’s soon clear that a potentially disastrous situation requires the kind of help more delicate than even he can provide .

New Contemporary Romance Authors

I catalog the new mass market paperbacks, so I have easy access to the new titles coming in and I decided to take a gamble on some new authors.  Some were surprisingly entertaining and I’ve added a few of the new authors to my favorites list. If you’re looking for something new to read in the contemporary romance family, take a look at some of these new titles. They are all series but can be read alone.

Don’t be afraid to try something new – you might like it!

as good as newAs Good As New  (A Something New Novel) – Jennifer Dawson – After an injury ends his NFL career, Evan Donovan is stunned when Penelope Watkins, the woman who has loved him for years, shows up on his doorstep determined to nurse him back to health—and to make him admit that he cannot live without her.

heart like mineHeart Like Mine  (An Echo Lake Novel) – Maggie McGinnis – To save the pediatric department at Vermont’s Mercy Hospital, aspiring CFO Delaney Blair must convince pediatrician Dr. Joshua Mackenzie to help her on her mission, and as they work closely together, an emergency changes everything and forces them to realize that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

hold your breathHold Your Breath  (Search and Rescue) – Katie Ruggle – When he and his team of rescue divers go face-to-face with a killer, Callum, the haunted leader of the close-knit Search and Rescue brotherhood, finds that both his heart and life are on the line as he allows himself to get close to newcomer Louise “Lou” Sparks.

love walks inLove Walks In  (The Shaughnessy Brothers) – Samantha Chase – Though most things come easily to wealthy, luxury resort owner Hugh Shaughnessy, the loss of his mother hit him hard, and he’s been wary of growing close to anyone ever since—until a runaway bride Aubrey literally climbs into his life via a hotel window.

more than a feelingMore Than A Feeling  (Heart of the Rockies) – Sara Richardson – While starting a new life free of fear in Aspen, Colorado, Ruby James finds her quiet existence interrupted by police office Sawyer Hawkins who awakens feelings within her that she thought were long buried.

one night charmerOne Night Charmer  (Copper Ridge Novels) – Maisey Yates – Determined to make it on her own, Sierra West asks overly opinionated, yet totally gorgeous Ace Thompson for a bartending job, and as they work side by side, they get closer and closer to breaking the “no mixing business with pleasure” rule.

take me home tonightTake Me Home Tonight  (Rock Star Romance) – Erika Kelly – The new keyboardist of the band Blue Fire, Calix Bourbon, who is desperately trying to keep his fractured family together, finds himself distracted by the band’s beautiful personal chef, who has her heart set on auditioning for a televised cooking show—and on him.

draw me closeDraw Me Close  (Hearts and Crafts) – Nicole Michaels – Happy with her life the way it is, DIY refurbisher Lindsey is thrown for a loop when she encounters the man she has never stopped loving—Derek, an architect and single father who will do anything to keep her close this time and never let her go.

best laid weddingBest Laid Wedding Plans (Magnolia Brides) – Lynnette Austin – After inheriting her family’s beautiful antebellum home, Jenni Beth Beaumont, determined to turn the residence into a wedding destination, goes up against an architectural salvager—and her former flame—who is determined to purchase and deconstruct her family’s estate.

one for meThe One For Me (A Danvers Novel) – Sydney Landon – When he meets Crystal Webber, who literally faints at his feet, billionaire playboy Mark DeSanto suddenly finds himself wondering if it’s time to explore something long-lasting instead of a brief encounter.

cuff meCuff Me  (New York’s Finest) -Lauren Layne – When his longtime partner, Jill—a sassy, sexy, smart-mouth blonde—begins seeing someone, NYPD homicide detective Vincent Moretti realizes that he wants her for himself and will break all the rules to convince her to be his partner for life.

someoneSomeone Like You (The Harrisons) – Jennifer Gracen –  Agreeing to coach a kids’ soccer team, soccer star and black sheep of the wealthy Harrison clan, Pierce Harrison, meets his match in his co-coach Abby McCord, a sweet-faced beauty with trust issues, who blocks his amorous advances at every turn.

What Do Your Kids Want To Be?

Ask any young child what they want to be and you could get a variety of answers. Some want to be doctors or nurses, others want to be firefighters or police officers. Some answer with more entertaining answers like ‘rich’ or ‘a giraffe’. (Yes, I have heard that answer.)

CAREERMost kids have big dreams. It is important that we encourage them to explore the wide variety of options available. A great way to foster those dreams, and how important school and responsibility are to achieve them, is to help them learn about the actual careers. My daughter is set on becoming a wild animal veterinarian, and my son is determined to either hunt monsters or write books and graphic novels. In both cases I get to focus that interest in reading certain books, and the importance of certain subjects and willingness to dive in to the subjects that interest them most. I also get to teach them about related careers, and what paths their interests might take them.

I always wanted to be an astronaut or archaeologist, but I learned early on that I was much better with words and thinking about the big things rather than doing the math, engineering, and physical labor necessary for either. It was not long before I decided that books and the written word was a much better focus for my energieCAREER2s and aptitudes.

Here are some great resources for researching different careers, and the education paths and experience that can help your kids test if they are really interested and if the interest will last. These resources can also be used to encourage studying particular subjects or give some career ideas for those that enjoy one subject over others.

Dinosaur Scientist: Careers Digging up the Past by Thom Holmes
Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Technology: Roller Coaster Designer, Space Robotics Engineer, and Moreby Linda LeBoutillier
Talking with Adventurers: Conversations with Christina M. Allen, Robert Ballard, Michael L. Blakey, Ann Bowles, David Doubilet, Jane Goodall, Dereck & Beverly Joubert, Michael Novacek, Johan Reinhard, Rick C. West and Juris Zarins compiled and edited by Pam Cummings and Linda Cummings
Have you Seen this Face?: the Work of Forensic Artists by Danielle Denega
Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Science: Food Taster, Human Lie Detector, and More by Jennifer Wendinger
Dusted and Busted!: the Science of Fingerprinting by D.B. Beres
Unusual and Awesome Jobs in Sports: Pro Team Mascot, Pit Crew Member, and Moreby Jeremy Johnson
Scuba Divers: Life Under Water by John Giacobello
Unusual and Awesome Jobs in Math: Stunt Coordinator, Cryptologist, and More by Lisa M. Bolt Simons

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CAREER10For the youngest readers I would recommend the easy nonfiction series’ by Patricia Hubbell or Heather Adamson. Here are some of those titles; Police: Hurrying! Helping! Saving!, Teacher!: Sharing, Helping, Caring, Firefighters!: Speeding! Spraying! Saving!, Check it Out!: Reading, Finding, HelpingA Day in the Life of a Police Officer, A Day in the Life of a Firefighter, A Day in the Life of a Construction Worker.

CAREER12There are even more resources for the older readers and young adults, including; Cool Careers Without College for Animal Lovers by Chris Hayhurst, Exploring Careers: a Young Person’s Guide to 1,000 Jobs from the editors at JIST, The Teen Vogue Handbook: an Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion, Careers for Environmental Types & Others Who Respect the Earth by Michael Fasulo and Jane Kinney, College Majors and Careers: a Resource Guide for Effective Life Planning by Paul Phifer, and Great Careers in 2 Years: the Associate Degree Option: High-Skill and High-Wage Jobs Available Through Two-Year Programs by Paul Phifer.

June is National Rose Month

rose

Roses have a long and colorful history. They have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics. The rose is, according to fossil evidence, 35 million years old. In nature, the genus Rosa has some 150 species spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico and including northern Africa.

November 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem.  Americans have communicated their feelings through roses for years.

rose redRose Color Meanings:

 

Red:  love, beauty, courage, respect

Yellow:  joy, gladness, friendship

Red and yellow:  jovial, happy

Yellow with red tips:  falling in love

White:  purity, innocence

Pink:  appreciation, thank you, admiration

Orange:  desire, enthusiasm

Peach:  appreciation, sincerity, gratitude, closing the deal

Lavender:  love at first sight

Coral: desire

2 rosesRoses by the Number:

 

A single rose of any color:  utmost devotion

Two roses entwined:  ‘marry me’

Six roses:  a need to be loved or cherished

Eleven roses:  receipient is truly and deeply loved

Thirteen roses:  secret admirer

Roses make an appearance in many books.  To connect to our catalog for all things roses, click here.  Below are a few fiction books referencing roses.

winter rosesWinter Roses – Diana Palmer – Ranch owner Stuart York is at the mercy of Ivy Conley, his younger sister’s best friend, when she, upon returning home, is determined to prove that she is no longer a little girl, but a woman who wants him more than anything.

chalice of rosesChalice of Roses – Jo Beverley – Four novellas about quests for the Holy Grail, including a woman who must use it to bring peace to England and a Regency lady who must protect it from Napoleon’s spies.

 

rosesRoses – Leila Meacham – Having not married in spite of their true feelings, cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick struggle with deceit, secrets and tragedies that challenge their children and grandchildren in their small east Texas community.

for the rosesFor The Roses – Julie Garwood – Discovered abandoned as a baby in a New York City alley and raised by the Clayborne brothers, four urchin boys, Mary Rose Clayborne remains fiercely loyal to her misfit family until an English lord reveals a shocking secret that sends her into a confrontation with her past.

coming up rosesComing Up Roses – Catherine Anderson – Widow Kate Blakely, who is wary of love after her failed first marriage, nonetheless falls for her new neighbor, Zachariah McGovern, after he rescues her four-year-old daughter, Miranda, from a well.

bed of rosesBed of Roses – Nora Roberts – Florist Emma Grant despairs of ever finding Mr. Right, until she develops feelings for Jack Cooke, an architect who works closely with her and her colleagues at Vows wedding planning.

summer of rosesSummer of Roses – Luanne Rice – Lily Malone is forced to confront the events and relationships of the past as she deals with the man who has separated her from everything she has ever loved, but who could hold the key to her young daughter Rose’s future.

good year for rosesA Good Year for the Roses – Gil McNeil – Recently divorced and struggling to support her three boys, Molly is stunned when she inherits her aunt’s manor house, a house that includes her eccentric old uncle, an ailing bed-and-breakfast, and a beautiful rose garden.

roses are redRoses Are Red – James Patterson – Facing a particularly vicious breed of killer in his latest investigation, Alex Cross finds his family targeted by the vengeful Mastermind, a situation that is complicated by tension in his relationship with his girlfriend Christine and his daughter Jannie’s unexplained seizures.

the care and handlingThe Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns – Margaret Dilloway – Enduring a strict schedule that balances her teaching job with the hospital regimen required by her kidney disease, Gal Garner devotes her spare hours to cultivating a new rose variation before her world is upended by the arrival of her teenage niece.

 

If you’re interested in the growing and care of roses, we have a great selection of nonfiction books under 635.9337.

roses a celebrationRoses: a celebrationA unique book on roses gathers together the wisdom of thirty-two well-known rose gardeners, including Rosie Atkins, David Austin, Thomas Christopher, Ken Druse, Joe Eck, Allen Lacy, Anthony Noel, Michale Pollan, David Wheeler, Christopher Lloyd, Anne Raver, and Graham Stuart Thomas, among others.

roses without chemicalsRoses Without ChemicalsA former curator at the New York Botanical Garden describes 150 different varieties of roses that can be grown without the use of pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers and provides information on planting, pruning and caring for these gorgeous blooms.

everyday rosesEveryday RosesA guide to growing roses dispels common myths, offers advice on selecting the right roses for one’s landscape, provides information on disease and chemical-free pest control, and includes suggestions for garden design and maintenance.

 

designing with rosesDesigning With RosesExplores the versatility of roses and offers advice on planting, feeding, and pruning.

 

coffeeCoffee For RosesAccompanied by full color photographs, a garden expert reveals the truth behind 71 common garden practices, in this delightful combination of practical advice and gardening history.

complete guide to rosesComplete Guide to RosesAn innovative, lavishly illustrated series of authoritative gardening books from the experts at Miracle-Gro takes the mystery out of horticulture for home gardeners of all skill levels with essential information on plant selection, cultivation, garden maintenance, pest control, soil preparation, climate, landscape design, and more.

Books that Defy Genre Labels and Description

Part of my job in labeling and cataloging books includes deciding if it needs a genre label and which one(s). Some books are easy. With some books I know right away that it needs a mystery, fantasy, or science fiction sticker. Particularly if the publisher is nice enough to include that information in a subtitle or in the book description. Sometimes it takes a little more research, but the author or publisher often include the intended genre pretty clearly somewhere, if you know where to look. However, there are some books that are simply beyond categorizing. Sometimes this is because the book covers so much ground very well, sometimes it is because it simply defies description, and sometimes it is because it crosses so many genre lines that there is not enough room to defygenre1include all the relevant genre stickers.

Here are a few examples of fascinating reads that defy simple genre classifications:

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Interweaves six narratives spanning the period between 1984 and the 2030s to chronicle a secret war between a cult of soul-decanters and a small group of vigilantes who would take them down. By the award-winning author of Cloud Atlas.defygenre2

Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott
A century-old classic of British letters that charmed and fascinated generations of readers with its witty satire of Victorian society and its unique insights, by analogy, into the fourth dimension.

Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami; translated by Alfred Birnbaumdefygenre3
Tracking one man’s descent into the Kafkaesque underworld of contemporary Tokyo, Murakami unites East and West, tragedy and farce, compassion and detachment, slang and philosophy.

2666 by Roberto Bolaño; translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer
An American sportswriter, an elusive German novelist, and a teenage student interact in an urban community on the U.S.-Mexico border where hundreds of young factory defygenres4workers have disappeared.

The Incarnations by Susan Barker
Receiving mysterious letters from someone claiming to be his soulmate, a Beijing taxi driver learns about their shared relationships in numerous past lives before becoming increasingly certain that someone is watching him.

defygenrebtmMore suggestions for indescribably interesting reads include: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, Valis by Philip K. Dick, Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen, Frost in May by Antonia White, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino,Gun, With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethe,Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke,The Marvels by Brian Selznick, In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters, and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Have you ever read a book that left you changed but still somehow wondering what exactly it was that you just read? What is your favorite book that left you speechless when it came down to recommending it or describing it to someone else?