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News & Stories
On Saturday, July 4, more than 50 members of the Arlington Heights community joined the library in the Frontier Days Fourth of July Parade.
Arlington Heights readers strolled downtown while hearing from acclaimed bestselling authors Layne Fargo, Sandra Jackson-Opoku and Daniel Kraus.
Makerplace staff partnered with the Village of Arlington Heights Public Works to bring a unique community art project to the Arlington Heights Farmers Market.
Your Next Great Read

Kobiety
Hannah, Kristin,
"Intymny portret dorastania w niebezpiecznych czasach i epicka opowieść o narodzie podzielonym przez wojnę. Powieść opowiada o życiu wychowanej w tradycyjnym domu studentki, przyszłej pielęgniarki, Frances ,,Frankie" McGrath. Gdy wybucha wojna w Wietnamie, Frankie podejmuje decyzję o pracy wolontariuszki. Rzeczywistość wojny zmienia jej perspektywę widzenia świata. Jest przytłoczona chaosem i zniszczeniami. Każdy dzień to gra życia i śmierci, nadziei i zdrady. Przyjaźnie są głębokie, ale można je stracić w jednej chwili. Książka pokazuje podziały, jakie wojna w Wietnamie wywołała w amerykańskim społeczeństwie oraz traktowanie kobiet, które narażają się na niebezpieczeństwo, aby pomóc innym, a po wojnie nikt o nich nie pamięta. „Kobiety" to emocjonalna, bogato narysowana historia z zapadającą w pamięć bohaterką, której idealizm i odwaga zdefiniują epokę."--Provided by publisher

Everything everywhere...
Kirkman, Rick,
"One of the most beloved family comic strips, Baby Blues chronicles the adventures of the McPherson parents, Darryl and Wanda, and their three children, Zoe, Hammie, and Wren. Written by Jerry Scott and illustrated by Rick Kirkman, this complete collection of 2023 Baby Blues comic strips will delight new and old parents alike." --

Double trouble
Oates, Joyce Carol, 1938-
A double dose of gripping psychological suspense, pairing two complete novels and two rare short stories. Two serial killers -- one female, one male -- murder in the name of a higher cause. A female serial killer seeks refuge in her twin sister's home in STARR BRIGHT WILL BE WITH YOU SOON, while a male serial killer murders for the woman he craves in SOUL/MATE -- and the echoes continue in the rare short stories "The Murderess" and "An Unsolved Crime."

A bend in the road
Sparks, Nicholas,
Devastated by the death of his wife in a hit-and-run accident, Miles, deputy sheriff of New Bern, North Carolina, discovers new meaning in his life when he meets Sarah Andrews, a woman struggling to rebuild her own life

So old, so young
Ginder, Grant,
"Six Friends. Five Parties. Twenty Years... How did we get So Old, So Young? From Grant Ginder, the bestselling author of The People We Hate at the Wedding, comes a novel of impending millennial middleage that is part love story, part tragic comedy. Five parties over the course of two decades bring six college friends together, exploring the ways we can run from and cling to our friends in love, life,and death. For Marco and Mia, Sasha and Theo, Richie and Adam, theone constant in life after college together has been change. New jobs. New cities. New spouses. New children. Through it all, one thing they thought would always stay the same is their friendship. But time has a way of breaking even the strongest bonds and testing what we thought we knew. From East Village apartment parties and disastrous destination weddings to fortieth birthdays and suburban backyard barbecues, Grant Ginder's resonant, funny, and deeply moving novel isa story about the growing pains of the millennial generation, and acelebration of how love can shift, stumble, and grow into something bigger than we ever could have imagined"--

How to kill a guy in ten dates
Thompson, Shailee,
"A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl. When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie attend a speed-dating event,Jamie expects to meet a roster of mediocre men and indulge in some street food afterwards. She doesn't expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at their table during a blackout. After the lights come back on and there are more bodies on the floor, it becomes clear that dating can be a very dangerous pastime. Armed with makeshift weapons and Jamie's extensive knowledge of what NOT to do in a slasher, the remaining speed daters try to find an exit while the killer adds to their body count. As the night progresses and Jamie comes face-to-mask with the murderer, she begins to suspect they are committing the slayings to woo one of the daters and turn them into a real-life Final Girl. But Jamie has other plans, and as she fights for herlife, she can't help but find herself ensconced in a love triangle with two of the other survivors. Will she make it through the bloodshed to find her Happily Ever After? Or does this machete-wielding psychopath have another ending in mind?"--

Darkrooms
Hannigan, Rebecca,
"What secrets lurk in the Hanging Woods? On the night of the Summer Solstice in 1999, nine-year-old Roisin O'Halloran marched into the Hanging Woods, the mysterious copse that had inspired fear in decades of children in the small Irish town of Bannakilduf. She was never seen again. Twenty years later, two women are drawn together to discover the truth of what happened to the missing girl: Roisin's older sister Deedee, a rookie cop who's barely hanging on to the appearance of keeping it all together, and Roisin's childhood best friend Caitlin, a petty criminal who was the last person to see the young girl before she disappeared, now returned to her hometown after her mother's death. Reluctantly brought together after decades of mistrust, Caitlin and Deedee must reckon with their shadowy pasts, the monsters that still haunt them, and the role they each may have played in Roisin's disappearance. With old wounds made fresh, the unresolved events of that summer years ago rise to the surface, and the truth threatens to reshape the small town that would prefer the past remain buried. The siren of the Hanging Woods rings out once more. After all, nothing can stay hidden forever."--

When justice comes
Coble, Colleen,
"Hez and Savannah Webster have survived storms that would bury others without a love as strong as theirs -- but can they withstand the final battle in the deadly Legare-Willard feud that threatens to sweep away everything they've fought for? Hezekiah "Hez" Webster and his fiancée, Savannah, stand on the brink of a new life, but their dreams are haunted by specters of the past. Just as they're getting ready to adopt her nephew, two other petitioners also file for custody -- both of whom only want Simon for their own gains. Between the financial company that Hez outmaneuvered to save the university from ruin and the bad blood from the head of the Willard family, it's hard to say who wants them out of the way more. Hez and Savannah's quest for justice leads them through a labyrinth of family law, where loyalties are tested and trust is a dangerous luxury when every decision could be their last. With the clock ticking, Hez and Savannah must confront the ghosts of their past and their deepest fears to secure a future for Simon. But with every secret revealed, the stakes grow higher. Can they build the family they've always dreamed of, or will their enemies succeed in tearing them apart forever?" --

A great act of love
Rose, Heather, 1964-
"Van Diemen's Land, 1839. A young woman of means arrives in Hobart, Australia, with a boy in her care. Leasing an old cottage next to an abandoned vineyard, Caroline Douglas must navigate an insular colony of exiles and opportunists and invent a new life on this island of extreme seasons and wild beauty. But Caroline is carrying a secret of such magnitude that it has led her to cross the world. It will take all she is made of to bring it into the light. A Great Act of Love is a spellbinding story that soars from the French Revolution to London and New York on an epic voyage to Tasmania. Here is a story of a family with champagne in their blood, and an enterprising woman determined to rewrite their legacy. The lives of Caroline, her father, and the residents of the island will collide in devastating and profound ways."--Amazon

Strangers in the villa
Harding, Robyn,
"Sydney Lowe's life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage. High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes' bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive."--

Murder your darlings
Blum, Jenna,
"For every woman who's ever fallen for a bad man comes a hilarious and eviscerating tale of love, loss, and deadlines from New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum. Known for such brilliant historical novels as Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family, A Mighty Blaze co-founder and New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum now offers a contemporary, suspenseful novel about love, loss, and revenge in the world of books. Simone "Sam" Vetiver is a mid-career novelist finishing a lukewarm publicity tour while facing a deadline for a new book on which she's totally blocked. Recently divorced, Sam is worrying where her life is going when she receives glowing fan mail from Stratospherically Successful author William Corwyn, renowned for his female-centric novels. When William and Sam meet and his literary sympathy is as intense as their chemistry, both writers think they've found The One. But as in their own novels, things between Sam and William are not what they seem. William has multiple stalkers, including a scarily persistent one named The Rabbit. He lives on a remote Maine island, where his writer life resembles The Shining. And when writers turn up dead, including from The Darlings support group William runs, Sam has to ask: Is it The Rabbit-William's #1 Stalker? Another woman scorned? Can William be everything he seems? Narrated by Sam, William, and The Rabbit, Murder Your Darlings is a wickedly witty look at today's literary landscape and down-the-rabbit-hole tale of how far people will go for love"-- Provided by publisher

Out of time
Hannon, Irene,
"For historical anthropologist Cara Tucker, the chance to spend a sabbatical semester on a remote country estate -- with full access to its vast library and century-old journals -- is a dream come true... until a series of strange incidents begins to turn her dream into a nightmare. Someone, it seems, does not want anyone diving into the past and unearthing old ghosts. Sheriff Brad Adams has seen his share of suspicious activities during his law enforcement career, but what's happening at the isolated estate is out-of-pattern in his quiet, rural Missouri county. Beset by danger, Cara and Brad work together to try to untangle the clues. But when the peril turns lethal, the situation takes on a new urgency, and their mission is clear: Find out who is behind the string of menacing incidents before the perpetrator strikes another deadly blow."--Page 4 of cover

Still into you
Connor, Erin,
"Bad-boy-turned-straight-edge frontman, Dax Nakamura, would prefer the skeletons in his closet to stay there, thank you very much. But not giving interviews didn't stop the press from writing about one of metal's biggest bands-or its lead vocalist. With their new album about to drop, Dax is finally ready to address the rumors that have plagued Final Revelations for the past eight years. And the only person he trusts to write it is the same person who broke his heart three summers ago. Sloane Donavan knew she wanted to write about music since the first time she posted a MySpace blog for her neighbor's garage band. A journalism degree, a failed internship, and countless backstage passes later, Sloane still hasn't secured the dream job she left her dream man behind for. So when Dax shows back up with a career-making opportunity-exclusive insight into him, his band, and the chance to craft the narrative of one of the scene's most revered bands-Sloane agrees, with one stipulation: No one can know they're exes. As they dive into Dax's past, Sloane quickly realizes their history isn't the only thing he's hiding, and Sloane has a choice to make. The article Dax wants and the salacious tell-all Sloane's editor expects are two completely different stories. This is the big break she's been waiting for, but it comes with a price: the chance to rewrite the ending with her first and only love"-- Provided by publisher

This story might save your life
Crum, Tiffany,
"Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different "against-all-odds" survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy's experience with severe narcolepsy, they've been the best friends everyone wants to befriend--and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy's husband Xander, they've built a lucrative empire. The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander's one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple's disappearance is the incomplete, previously-unseen first draft of Joy's memoir. Benny is desperate to find them, even when the police soon zero in on him as their prime suspect. Millions of devoted listeners think they know the "real" Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world--and from each other."--

Flowers for Algernon
Keyes, Daniel,
"Charlie Gordon is about to embark upon an unprecedented journey. Born with an unusually low IQ, he has been chosen as the perfect subject for an experimental surgery that researchers hope will increase his intelligence-a procedure that has already been highly successful when tested on a lab mouse name Algernon. As the treatment takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment appears to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance, until Algernon suddenly deteriorates. Will the same happen to Charlie?" -- Front jacket flap

Where we keep the light : stories from a life of service
Shapiro, Josh,
"A grounded and intimate portrait of life by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Where We Keep the Light is the story of public service and personal faith. From an early age, Josh Shapiro learned and practiced the power of showing up, listening, and executing, to make people's lives a little better. In the pages of this account of his life, Shapiro relates powerful stories about his family, his faith, and what matters to Americans tired of all the divisiveness and distrust in our leaders. Reflecting on what he's learned by knocking on doors, serving his community, and tackling the tough problems that no one wanted to touch in new and different ways, Shapiro reminds us that government can be a force for good, that conventional wisdom is rarely wise, and there's more that unites Americans than divides us. Shapiro is answering a call to service at a time when we need leaders like him to step up. Where We Keep the Light is a must-read account of his life and what lies ahead." --

Comfort in the wild
Wooldridge, Jane,
"Award-winning travel writer Jane Wooldridge answers an age-old question in this book: How can one visit pristine, soul-stirring nature destinations without giving up any of the comforts that make a vacation a vacation? She's picked over 100 eye-candy destinations--deep jungles, arctic icescapes, bucolic farmlands, stark deserts, remote islands, and more--and, with gentle humor and deep insight, gives readers the whys and hows of visiting. Alongside the text, dozens of vivid photos showcase these special places as well as the design-forward resorts, ships, glamping communities, and other lodgings that provide hospitality in the wild. Evocative images range from close-ups of wildlife on African savannahs, to monks going about their business in Bhutan, to desert landscapes deep in Egypt and Jordan, to polar bears prowling the ice in the islands of Svalbard. Not only a book to dream on, 'Comfort in the Wild' will help readers create enriching, authentic adventures of their own."--

9 months that count forever : how your pregnancy diet shapes your baby's future
Inchauspé, Jessie,
"From bestselling author and Glucose Goddess, a groundbreaking guide to the science of pregnancy nutrition that empowers mothers-to-be to improve their baby's health for a lifetime. Most pregnant women are told: "Eat whatever you normally eat. Your baby will get what he needs from you." But science tells a different story: your diet during pregnancy shapes your baby's health for life. And somehow, no one has told you the rules--until now. When biochemist Jessie Inchauspé became pregnant, she uncovered striking research: choline, DHA, protein, and glucose are four key nutrients that influence a baby's development in the womb; yet most women don't get nearly enough of the first three and too much of the fourth. In this book, Jessie reveals science-based hacks to: Support your baby's brain development, cognitive growth, and emotional resilience ; Help lower their risk of health challenges later in life like asthma, allergies, and diabetes ; Influence your baby's body composition, organ function, and long-term metabolism. With guidance on supplements, nausea, labor, breastfeeding, meal plans, and recipes, as well as Jessie's personal journey, this book reveals the extraordinary power mothers hold during pregnancy--and is an essential companion for every parent-to-be."--

Chicago poems
Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967,

Intimacy : a field guide to finding connection and feeling your deep desires
O'Brien, Ita,
"What is desire? What is attachment? What is chemistry? What is intimacy? In Intimacy, the pioneering intimacy coordinator behind the series Normal People offers a groundbreaking exploration of sex, love, and partnership--and the path to forging a deeper connection to ourselves and others. "A vital contribution to our understanding of intimacy both on screen and in life."--from the Foreword by Gillian Anderson As intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien has choreographed some of the most passionate and vulnerable intimate scenes on-screen. From Normal People to Sex Education and I May Destroy You, and in so many more productions, she has also made these scenes safer, more joyful and more empowering to perform in. No one knows intimacy, the power of true connection, better than O'Brien. So, what can her work teach us about our own relationships, both with ourselves and others? How can we use her tools to discover what it is that we truly want in our intimate lives? And how can all of this create environments in which intimacy can take seed, grow, and even thrive? Combining embodied wisdom, behind-the-scenes stories, and exercises for connection, Intimacy offers us a field guide to discovering our desires, communicating our needs, and cultivating truly intimate relationships at every stage of our lives."--Publisher

Illinois real estate license exam prep : all-in-one review and testing to pass Illinois' PSI real estate exam

One plate at a time : recipes for finding freedom with food
Lovato, Demi, 1992-
"From Grammy-nominated singer, actress, and advocate Demi Lovato, a deeply personal cookbook focused on finding healing and nourishment in the kitchen. Demi Lovato might not be the first name that comes to mind for a celebrity cookbook. In her own words: 'You may be wondering, Who the heck does this girl think she is, writing a cookbook? Isn't she famous for having issues around food? Does she even know how to cook?' And yet, it is precisely this struggle that inspired One Plate at a Time. Because for Demi, learning to find joy in the kitchen was lifesaving. And now she wants to share that joy with everyone. Demi's cooking journey started when she almost thirty, after years spent in recovery from anorexia and bulimia. Getting comfortable behind the stove and preparing simple yet wholesome meals has been critical to her healing and has allowed her to connect with her creativity in a new way. In One Plate at a Time, Demi offers eighty recipes meant to inspire comfort and confidence in the kitchen. While many cookbooks can feel overwhelming--filled with a dizzying array of choices and unfamiliar ingredients--One Plate at a Time is made up of a simple, manageable selection of recipes that emphasize enjoyment over perfection. Covering everything from breakfasts to snacks to mains to desserts, Demi shares her 'top five' of every dish, including five satisfying soups, five sturdy salads, five perfect pastas, five fifteen-minute dinners, five surefire comfort foods, five desserts that wow, and more. Filled with beautiful food and lifestyle photography, deeply personal anecdotes, pantry tips, cooking hacks, and reliably foolproof, satisfying recipes, this is a cookbook for Demi Lovato fans, for people who struggle to enjoy food without guilt, and for anyone looking for a gentler, more grounded approach to cooking. One Plate at a Time is Demi's set list for a delicious new way of thinking about food and how it fits into our lives"--

Life is lifey : the A to Z's of navigating life's messy middle
Shahi, Sarah, 1980-
"Equal parts pep talk, reality check, and cocktail party confessional, Life is Lifey is a humorous and inspirational guide to unapologetically and authentically figuring out life's messy middle. Join Sarah Shahi as she cannonballs into the magical chaos of life--marriage, divorce, kids, career pivots, and everything in between. Like your brutally honest big sister (with a glass of wine in hand, wearing yesterday's eye liner), Life is Lifey is an encyclopedia on "how to adult," filled with personal stories that will have you lol-ing and advice that's like a warm hug followed by a swift kick in the pants. This isn't about living your "best life" (so 2015). This is about shutting out the noise--self-doubt, partners, or that one mom from the PTA--and tapping into the voice within that's 100 percent, unapologetically you. Whether you're limping out of a messy breakup or just trying to survive Mondays, Life is Lifey is the permission slip you didn't know you needed to start making choices that scream your truth"--

Firefly encyclopedia of birds
"The clear, easy-to-read text of the Encyclopedia is enhanced by about 1,000 photographs revealing the enormous diversity of birds in their natural habitats, from Arctic tundra to tropical rain forest. In addition, a wealth of beautifully detailed color and line illustrations depict representative species from each family and highlight characteristic behaviors. Throughout, "Factfiles" with distribution maps and scale drawings place essential data at the reader's fingertips"--

Bittersweet : the five tastes of dessert and beyond
Ho, Thalia,
Wild Sweetness: The Five Tastes by Thalia Ho is a visually striking cookbook presenting over 100 dessert recipes that explore the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. The book emphasizes the ways these flavors interact to create balance, contrast, and complexity in desserts. Recipes range from traditional favorites to inventive and adventurous creations, accompanied by reflective commentary and photography that highlights the artistry of cooking and presentation. Suitable for both beginning and experienced home cooks, this work combines culinary instruction with a meditative approach to flavor, texture, and the sensory experience of food

CISA : certified information systems auditor : practice tests, covers 2024-2029 exam objectives
Gregory, Peter H.,
Improve your understanding of every CISA exam domain and objectives to further your career in information security auditing CISA Certified Information Systems Auditor Practice Tests provides essential and practical exam prep for the popular CISA certification. Hundreds of domain-by-domain practice questions cover all the tested Certified Information Systems Auditor exam objectives, helping you prepare for the test and for the real-world demands of a career in systems audit, security, and control. Just like the real exams, the practice questions written by veteran information security experts Peter Gregory and Mike Chapple cover the information system auditing process, the governance and management of IT, information systems acquisition, development, and implementation, information systems operations and business resilience, and the protection of information assets. These rigorous and realistic practice questions will get you ready whether this is your first role in the industry or if you are experienced and ready to advance your career. By studying the domain-by-domain questions and well as taking the full chapter practice exams, you'll get help in identifying your subject-matter strengths and weaknesses and be ready to shift from topic to topic in an exam-like setting. In the book, you'll get: Challenging questions designed to advance your understanding and comprehension of all covered exam domains ; Questions as similar as possible to the real CISA exam questions ; Complimentary access to online version of the same questions to practice your online test-taking skills ; Perfect for everyone studying for the CISA Certified Information Systems Auditor certification exam, this book will also benefit IT security professionals seeking to test and improve their skillset

Adobe Photoshop : 2026 release
Chavez, Conrad,
The fastest, easiest, most comprehensive way to learn Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book contains 15 lessons that use real-world, project-based learning to cover the basics and beyond, providing countless tips and techniques to help you become more productive with the program. For beginners and experienced users alike, you can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you. Learn to: Create and improve images using the professional tools in Adobe Photoshop Seamlessly remove backgrounds, replace skies, and repair photos Select subjects with complex outlines, including hair Use Adobe Firefly generative AI to retouch challenging images or to create new images from a text prompt Composite multiple images with graphics and typography Using a timeline, animate graphics and type and combine them with video and audio Automate repetitive tasks Edit camera raw images Export your work for the web, mobile devices, video, and print Classroom in a Book®, the best-selling series of hands-on software training workbooks, offers what no other book or training program does an official training series from Adobe, developed with the support of Adobe product experts. Purchasing this book includes valuable online extras. Follow the instructions in the books Getting Started section to unlock access to: Downloadable lesson files you need to work through the projects in the book Web Edition containing the complete text of the book, interactive quizzes, and videos that walk you through the lessons step by step

MCAT general chemistry review

Volga blues : a journey into the heart of Russia
Mian, Marzio G.,
In this work of reported nonfiction, an Italian journalist travels undercover along the Volga River to document contemporary Russian society following the invasion of Ukraine and restrictions on foreign media. Framed as a historical and cultural journey, the narrative combines travel reporting, interviews, and analysis informed by Russian history and literature. Through conversations with a wide range of individuals, the author examines public attitudes toward war, nationalism, religion, and relations with the West, as well as perceptions of Russia's past and future. The book situates present-day Russia within longer historical, ideological, and cultural contexts and includes a map and black-and-white photographs

Birds & blooms. Gardening secrets
Transform your yard into a year-round wonderland -- with a little help from Gardening Secrets! Discover a treasure trove of useful hints and hacks, including budget-friendly garden center shopping tips, clever ways to grow veggies all year long, and must-do garden tasks. Whether you're tending to spring blooms, nurturing drought-tolerant succulents or raking in fall's bounty -- this all-season gardening guide from the pros at Birds & Blooms has you covered

The tomb of dragons / Katherine Addison
Addison, Katherine,
Thara Celehar has lost his ability to speak with the dead. When that title of Witness for the Dead is gone, what defines him? While his title may be gone, his duties are not. Celehar contends with a municipal cemetery with fifty years of secrets, the damage of a revethavar he's terrified to remember, and a group of miners who are more than willing to trade Celehar's life for a chance at what they feel they're owed. Celehar does not have to face these impossible tasks alone. Joining him are his mentee Velhiro Tomasaran, still finding her footing with the investigative nature of their job; Iäna Pel-Thenhior, his beloved opera director friend and avid supporter; and the valiant guard captain Hanu Olgarezh. Amidst the backdrop of a murder and a brewing political uprising, Celehar must seek justice for those who cannot find it themselves under a tense political system. The repercussions of his quest are never as simple they seem, and Celehar's own life and happiness hang in the balance

Gauntlgrym. [Bk. 1]
Salvatore, R. A., 1959-
Drizzt joins Bruenor on his quest for the fabled dwarven kingdom of Gauntlgrym, but before they even get close, another drow and dwarf pair -- Jarlaxle and Athrogate -- stumbles across it first -- and set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter

The spear cuts through water
Jimenez, Simon, 1989-
"Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds"--

Gleam
Kennedy, Raven,
King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His. The thing about being confined is that you believe it's to keep the bad out. ...Until you realize it's about keeping you in. I'm now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won't sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there's something that's bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry. But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger -- Amazon

Wrath of empire
McClellan, Brian, 1986-
"The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not. Back in the capital, Michel Bravis smuggles even more refugees out of the city. But internal forces are working against him. With enemies on all sides, Michel may be forced to find help with the very occupiers he's trying to undermine. Meanwhile, Ben Styke is building his own army. He and his mad lancers are gathering every able body they can find and searching for an ancient artifact that may have the power to turn the tides of war in their favor. But what they find may not be what they're looking for"--

The stone sky
Jemisin, N. K.,
""Intricate and extraordinary." - New York Times on The Fifth Season THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS... FOR THE LAST TIME. The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women. Essun has inherited the power of Alabaster Tenring. With it, she hopes to find her daughter Nassun and forge a world in which every orogene child can grow up safe. For Nassun, her mother's mastery of the Obelisk Gate comes too late. She has seen the evil of the world, and accepted what her mother will not admit: that sometimes what is corrupt cannot be cleansed, only destroyed. The remarkable conclusion to the post-apocalyptic and highly acclaimed trilogy that began with the multi-award-nominated The Fifth Season. The Broken EarthThe Fifth SeasonThe Obelisk GateThe Stone Sky For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out: The Inheritance TrilogyThe Hundred Thousand KingdomsThe Broken KingdomsThe Kingdom of Gods The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella) Dreamblood DuologyThe Killing MoonThe Shadowed Sun The Dreamblood Duology (omnibus)"--

Psychopomp & circumstance
Royce, Eden,
"Ignyte and Mythopoeic Award-winning author Eden Royce pens a Southern Gothic historical fantasy story of a contentious funeral in her adult fiction debut. Phee St. Margaret is a daughter of the Reconstruction, born to a family of free Black business owners in New Charleston. Coddled to within an inch of her life by a mother who refuses to let her daughter live a life other than the one she dictates, Phee yearns to demonstrate she's capable of more than simply marrying well. When word arrives that her Aunt Cleo, long estranged from the family, has passed away, Phee risks her mother's wrath to step up and accept the role of pomp-the highly honored duty of planning the funeral service. Traveling alone to the town of Horizon and her aunt's unsettling home, Phee soon discovers that visions and shadows beckon from every reflective surface, and that some secrets transcend the borders of life and death"--

A clash of kings
Martin, George R. R
"Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders--Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon--who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead . . . victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky--a comet the color of blood and flame--six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard's son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King's Landing. Robert's two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers. A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel . . . and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors. Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment--a tale of pure excitement you will never forget."

The burning queen
Verma, Aparna,
""So what will you become, Elena? Villain, hero, or conqueror?" Ravence has fallen. Her enemies have ravaged her people. And now Elena Aadya Ravence must decide how far she will go to reap her revenge. As she is pulled into a bitter war that will decide the fate of her kingdom, a new tyrant rises to reclaim his home, and Elena finds that perhaps her hunger isn't enough. And his knows no bounds"-- Provided by publisher

The summer war
Novik, Naomi,
"In this poignant, heartfelt novella from the New York Times bestselling author of Spinning Silver and the Scholomance trilogy, a young witch who has inadvertently cursed her brother to live a life without love must find a way to undo her spell."-- Provided by publisher

Starside
Aster, Alex,
"Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals--the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic. Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only one: vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn't after the gods' magic--she's going to kill them. First, she must survive the Culling, the king's deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith's apprentice, Aris doesn't have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords--ones that contain power--are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor--but a target. Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren't dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can't trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king's guard who betrayed her years ago--and who may now be the key to her survival. But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family's death. And when it's revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what's coming..."--Provided by publisher

The dark mirror
Shannon, Samantha, 1991-
"Everything is about to change. Paige Mahoney is outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in more than a decade -- but she has no idea how she got to the free world. Half a year has been wiped from her memory. Her journey back to the revolution soon takes her to Venice, where the Domino Program has uncovered evidence of a secret Scion plan. Before Paige can return to London, she must help the network unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist, which threatens to bring Europe to its knees in weeks. And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories -- Arcturus Mesarthim -- might also hold the key to thwarting Scion, allowing the revolution to strike an unprecedented blow... With its intricate worldbuilding, slow burn romance, and "complex, ever evolving, scrappy yet touching" (NPR.org) heroine, The Bone Season series shows Samantha Shannon at the height of her considerable powers." --

The Pariah
Ryan, Anthony,
The Pariah begins a new epic fantasy series of action, intrigue and magic from Anthony Ryan, a master storyteller who has taken the fantasy world by storm. Born into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the freedom of the woods and the comradeship of his fellow thieves. But an act of betrayal sets him on a new path - one of blood and vengeance, which eventually leads him to a soldier's life in the King's army. Fighting under the command of Lady Evadine Courlain, a noblewoman beset by visions of a demonic apocalypse, Alwyn must survive war and the intrigues of the nobility if he hopes to claim his vengeance. But as dark forces, both human and arcane, gather to oppose Evadine's rise, Alwyn faces a choice: can he be a warrior, or will he always be an outlaw?

Imager's battalion
Modesitt, L. E., Jr., 1943-
Magical hero Quaeryt leads the first Imager fighting force into war and joins a vengeful invading army in the hostile land of Bovaria, where Quaeryt secretly demonstrates the heroics of Imagers to legitimize their status

The girl and the stars
Lawrence, Mark, 1966-
"A stunning new epic fantasy series following a girl who is cast out by her people and must fight with everything she has to survive, set in the same world as Red Sister. In some children, the old blood shows, giving them strength, speed, and mystical power. In the cities of Abeth's Corridor, such children are prized. But on the vast ice plains of Abeth, those traits lead children to burn bright and die young, and the discipline of the priests is harsh. Any child who shows signs of the old races is cast into the Pit of the Missing, never to be seen again. Yaz is only sixteen, but she feels a burgeoning gift and she knows the next gathering will be her last--the priests see everything, and her aberrance will not be tolerated. But then she is spared and her brother is identified as one of the broken and cast down into the pit. Stunned, awash with guilt and grief, she flings herself in after him. She expects to find death. Instead she finds a sprawling, secret civilization, where survival is even less assured than on the ice plains. And she soon realizes that this underground empire revolves around a great truth--and an even greater evil--that puts all of Abeth in danger"--

Good housekeeping easy paleo : 70 delicious recipes

Fizz : 80 joyful cocktails and mocktails for every occasion
Smith, Olly (Wine writer),
"Here are 80 seriously simple alcoholic and booze-free cocktails that will help you bring joyful moments to the everyday; all you need to do is add sparkles. Whether it's champagne, cava, prosecco, cider, beer, tonic, soda, ginger ale, or kombucha, these are wonderful bubbly recipes for every occasion"--

Living vegetarian for dummies
Babich, Suzanne M.,
"Vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, whatever--you'll love your new, healthier diet...Whether you're going totally meatless or just eating less meat, Living Vegetarian For Dummies is your source for practical info and advice on embracing the veg-head lifestyle. Lose weight, lower your cholesterol, reduce your carbon footprint, decrease your risk of heart disease and certain cancers--it's all possible when you turn to plants instead of animals to fuel you. We've got pro tips on planning meals, ordering at restaurants, and balancing your dietary needs. Plus, recipes so delicious you'll wonder why you ever thought you needed meat in the first place. Discover the health and environmental benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. Transition away from a meat-centered diet with easy recipes and meal plans. Find plant-based alternatives to your favorite meat products. Get tips for navigating menus while eating out and replacing meat in your daily routine. Living Vegetarian For Dummies is for anyone who wants to learn more about what it means to be mostly or completely vegetarian. We make it easy to transition, with this fun and straightforward guide." --

The hungry girl diet : Big portions. Big results. Drop 10 pounds in 4 weeks
Lillien, Lisa

The great gelatin revival : savory aspics, jiggly shots, and outrageous desserts
Albala, Ken, 1964-
"Once synonymous with food novelty, gelatin has re-emerged as an attention-grabbing element of creative cuisine and avant-garde drinkology. Ken Albala's most fearless food exploration yet takes readers into the sublime world of aspics past and present. Blending history with his trademark zeal for experimentation, Albala traces gelatin's ever-changing fortunes alongside one-of-a-kind recipes that inspire, delight, and terrify as only jello can do. Gelatin's wondrous arrival in the medieval era was part of a technological watershed. Today, it reflects our high-tech zeitgeist. Albala encourages readers to celebrate gelatin's return with advice on creating a base and making silicone molds while his outrageous original creations dare you to add some jiggle to breakfast (Eggs Benedict in Champagne Jello), a nightcap (Froot Loop Negroni), or any culinary moment in between. A lighthearted manifesto for the new age of aspics, The Great Gelatin Revival rattles our very understanding of what food can be"--

A grandfather's lessons : in the kitchen with Shorey
Pépin, Jacques,
The world renowned French cooking instructor teams up with his granddaughter to prepare plain but elegant dishes, including curly hot dogs with pickle relish, marinated Chinese mushroom salad, and blueberries in honey sauce

You can cook this! : turn the 30 most commonly wasted foods into 135 delicious plant-based meals
La Manna, Max,
A social media star chef teaches how to harness the power of plants through simple and flavorful recipes that help fight food waste, providing practical ideas for using up the whole vegetable, transforming leftovers, and storing food to maximize freshness

Ottolenghi comfort
Ottolenghi, Yotam,
"The New York Times bestselling author of Ottolenghi Flavor reimagines comfort food with over 100 global, personal recipes"--

Dinner at home : 140 recipes to enjoy with family and friends
Brownson, JeanMarie,
"Recipes for home cooking from Chicago Tribune food columnist"--

Eat Jewish : over 100 recipes that blend Jewish heritage, modern flavors, & family traditions
Strauss, Melinda,
"Modern Orthodox Jew Melinda Strauss strongly believes that food has no boundaries and wants everyone to feel comfortable making Jewish food. Including challah breads, dips, soups, dairy and non-dairy dishes, sweet treats, and holiday recipes ... [the author] invites you to the family table to share and enjoy this delicious cuisine"--Page 4 of cover

Baking wonderland : a mix and match cookbook for kids!
Parker, Jean (Baker),
"This mix-and-match cookbook is for curious kids who love to laugh. It's the perfect first baking book for children to use their imaginations, learn new skills and take their baking adventures to out-of-this-world heights! Be our guest and explore this magical theme park full of the most scrumptious cookie, cupcake, donut and cake recipes. Mix and match them with our fabulous frostings, glazes, toppings, and milks to build countless combinations for your dream desserts"--

One tin bakes
Kimber, Edd,
Whether you want cookies or cakes, pastries or desserts, something fruity, chocolatey, spiced or nutty, baking just got a whole lot easier. From Praline Meringue Cake to Matcha Roll Cake, Peanut Butter Brookies to Tahini Babka Buns, all you need is just one standard 9 x 13in baking tin. Varied and versatile, requiring minimal skill and little equipment, Edd Kimber's delicious treats range from simple bakes to slice and serve to impressive but achievable showstoppers

The Swedish Christmas table : traditional holiday meals, side dishes, candies, and drinks
Linder, Jens,

Good cheap eats dinner in 30 minutes (or less!)
Fisher, Jessica (Jessica Getskow)

The good pantry : homemade foods & mixes lower in sugar, salt & fat
Jacob, Dianne, 1955-
"Filled with creative recipes and expert advice, The Good Pantry puts a DIY spin on kitchen basics, offering healthy alternatives to common store-bought products. Discover more than 140 ideas for great-tasting sauces and spreads, ready-made baking and cereal mixes, make-ahead doughs, crowd-pleasing snacks, and more. These re-crafted recipes replace the additives and preservatives found in packaged products with fresh ingredients and more whole grains, creating delicious and long-lasting items that you'll feel good enjoying. Each item comes with instructions for storage, and a variety of gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg-free options are flagged for those with food allergies and restrictions."--provided from Amazon.com

The greatest sentence ever written
Isaacson, Walter,
"To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a ... deep dive into the creation of one of history's most powerful sentences: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundationfor the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation. Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating thethen-radical concepts behind it"--

Veil. Vol. 1, Temperature of orange
Kotteri,
Like a classic film, he and she encountered each other by chance. He was an on-duty police officer in the city. She was a runaway heiress. When he learned that she is looking for work, he decided to welcome her as the police station's telephone operator... This was the beginning of the everyday lives of he and she, and the delicate distance between them. Enjoy witty dialogue and bold illustrations, in this in full-color manga collection by Kotteri!

Revolutionary girl Utena. The student council saga. 1
Utena's sense of chivalry pits her against the student council members of Ohtori Academy, fighting a series of dangerous duels with its members

Revolutionary girl Utena. The student council saga. 1
Utena's sense of chivalry pits her against the student council members of Ohtori Academy, fighting a series of dangerous duels with its members

Becoming
Obama, Michelle, 1964-

Simply tomato : 100 recipes for enjoying your favorite ingredient all year long
Holmberg, Martha,
"Americans eat more tomatoes than any vegetable except for the potato. But what do we do with all those tomatoes? Acclaimed chef, cooking teacher, and author Martha Holmberg shares 75 recipes to turn the tomato into glorious dishes. Whether it's a fresh-off-the-vine tomato or a just-picked-from-the-supermarket-shelf tomato, Holmberg has ideas to make the best of our favorite summer fruit. There are three versions of gazpacho, five ways to top roasted tomato puff pastry, plus Tomato and Zucchini Gratin, Classic Panzanella, Tomato Risotto, and Stuffed Tomatoes with Spiced Beef Piccadillo. With more tomato varieties in existence than ever before, Holmberg explains which tomatoes work best with which recipes: choose a beefsteak to roast with fish or pick cherry tomatoes to toss with corn in a quick summer salad. Holmberg also reveals her secret, umami-packed ingredient-tomato water. She calls it a "magical elixir" that can add intense tomato flavor to most anything you make"--

Lollapalooza : the uncensored story of alternative rock's wildest festival
Bienstock, Richard,
"The definitive, no-holds-barred oral history of 1990s alt-rock festival Lollapalooza--told by the musicians, roadies, and industry insiders who lived it. From the New York Times bestselling authors of Nothin' But A Good Time. In Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival, New York Times bestselling authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour tell the no-holds-barred history of the iconic music festival. Through hundreds of new interviews with artists, tour founders, festival organizers, promoters, publicists, sideshow freaks, stage crews, record label execs, reporters, roadies and more, Lollapalooza chronicles the tour's pioneering 1991-1997 run, and, in the process, alternative rock's rise--as well as the reverberations that led to a massive shift in the music industry and the culture at large. Lollapalooza features original interviews with some of the biggest names in music, including Perry Farrell and Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Youth, Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, Ice-T, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, Patti Smith, Alice in Chains, Metallica and many more. Conceived by Farrell as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza's inaugural outing across the U.S. in the summer of 1991 helped to coalesce an ideology and aesthetic that not only washed over popular music but seeped into fashion, film, television, literature, food, politics and more. Throughout the decade, Lollapalooza offered a vast and diverse ensemble of bands, breaking barriers of genre and uniting alternative rock, heavy metal, punk, hip-hop, industrial, goth, avant-garde, spoken word, electronic dance music and other styles under one big tent, and setting the template for the modern American music festival and the scores of other contemporary destination fests that are now an integral part of how audiences experience live music. Unorthodox not just in music, Lollapalooza also spotlighted visual arts, nonprofit organizations, political outfits and even the occasional freak show, offering a tantalizing cocktail of culture, art, and activism that, taken together, defined the alternative mindset that dominated the 1990s. Echoes of its impact reverberate strongly today - cemented by annual sell-outs at destination events all over the world, an estimation of 400,000 attendees at the flagship Chicago fest each summer, and a spot among the world's largest and longest-running music festivals. A nostalgic look back at 1990s music and culture, Lollapalooza traces the festival's groundbreaking origins, following the tour as it progresses through the decade, and documenting the action onstage, backstage, and behind-the-scenes in detailed and uncensored and sometimes shocking first-person accounts. This is the story of Lollapalooza and the 1990s alternative rock revolution"--

The killer next door
Marwood, Alex
"A taut new psychological thriller from the Edgar Award-nominated author of The Wicked Girls Alex Marwood's debut novel, The Wicked Girls, earned her lavish praise from the likes of Stephen King, Laura Lippman, and Erin Kelly, and was shortlisted for an Edgar Award. Now Marwood's back with a brilliant, tightly paced thriller that will keep you up at night and make you ask yourself: just how well do you know your neighbors? Everyone who lives at 23 Beulah Grove has a secret. If they didn't, they wouldn't be renting rooms in a dodgy old building for cash-no credit check, no lease. It's the kind of place you end up when you you've run out of other options. The six residents mostly keep to themselves, but one unbearably hot summer night, a terrible accident pushes them into an uneasy alliance. What they don't know is that one of them is a killer. He's already chosen his next victim, and he'll do anything to protect his secret"--

How to win friends and influence fungi : collected quirks of science, tech, engineering, and math from nerd nite
"In the vein of acclaimed popular-science bestsellers such as Atlas Obscura, Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry, The Way Things Work, What If?, and Undeniable, the co-founders of the global science organization Nerd Nite bring readers a collection of wacky, yet fascinating STEM topics. For 20 years, Nerd Nite has delivered to live audiences around the world, the most interesting, fun, and informative presentations about science, history, the arts, pop culture, you name it. There hasn't been a rabbit hole that their army of presenters hasn't been afraid to explore. Finally, after countless requests to bring Nerd Nite to more fans across the globe, co-founders and college pals Matt Wasowski and Chris Balakrishnan are bringing readers the quirky and accessible science content that they crave in book form, focused on STEM and paired with detailed illustrations that make the content pop. The resulting range of topics is quirky and vast, from kinky, spring-loaded spiders to the Webb telescope's influence on movie special effects. Hilariously named after Dale Carnegie's iconic book, How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi features narratives, bursts, and infographics on all things STEM from scientists around the world. Chapters are sure to make you laugh-out-loud, with titles such as "The Science of the Hangover," "What Birds Can Teach Us About the Impending Zombie Apocalypse," and "Lessons from the Oregon Trail." With fascinating details, facts, and illustrations, combined with Chris and Matt's incredible connections to organizations such as the Discovery Network and the Smithsonian Institution, How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi is sure to reach joyful STEM enthusiasts of all ages around the world. About Nerd Nite: Started in 2003, Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in 100+ cities worldwide during which folks give 20-minute fun-yet-informative presentations across all disciplines, while the audience drinks along!"--

Replaceable you : adventures in human anatomy
Roach, Mary,
"The body is the most complex machine in the world, and the only one for which you cannot get a replacement part from the manufacturer. For centuries, medicine has reached for what's available--sculpting noses from brass, borrowing skin from frogs and hearts from pigs, crafting eye parts from jet canopies and breasts from petroleum by-products. Today we're attempting to grow body parts from scratch using stem cells and 3D printers. How are we doing? Are we there yet? In Replaceable You, Mary Roach explores the remarkable advances and difficult questions prompted by the human body's failings. When and how does a person decide they'd be better off with a prosthetic than their existing limb? Can a donated heart be made to beat forever? Can an intestine provide a workable substitute for a vagina? Roach dives in with her characteristic verve and infectious wit. Her travels take her to the OR at a legendary burn unit in Boston, a "superclean" xeno-pigsty in China, and a stem cell "hair nursery" in the San Diego tech hub. She talks with researchers and surgeons, amputees and ostomates, printers of kidneys and designers of wearable organs. She spends time in a working iron lung from the 1950s, stays up all night with recovery techs as they disassemble and reassemble a tissue donor, and travels across Mongolia with the cataract surgeons of Orbis International. Irrepressible and accessible, Replaceable You immerses readers in the wondrous, improbable, and surreal quest to build a new you."--Book jacket

Amity
Harris, Nathan,
In 1866 New Orleans, formerly enslaved siblings Coleman and June are separated, only to embark on perilous, individual journeys through the Mexican desert to reunite and seize the freedom they were promised

Annihilation
VanderMeer, Jeff
Area X has claimed the lives of members of eleven expeditions. The twelfth expedition consisting of four women hopes to map the terrain and collect specimens; to record all their observations, scientific and otherwise, of their surroundings and of one another; and, above all, to avoid being contaminated by Area X itself

The handmaid's tale
Atwood, Margaret, 1939-
"Margaret Atwood's best-loved novel has taken the world by storm again. Riding high on bestseller lists for months and the basis for Hulu's Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning smash hit series, The Handmaid's Tale is everywhere--and it's primed for a stunning new graphic novel adaptation. The story is iconic: In the Republic of Gilead, a Handmaid named Offred lives in the home of the Commander, to the purpose that she become pregnant with his child. Stripped of her most basic freedoms, (work, property, her own name), Offred remembers a different time, not so long ago, when she was valuable for more than her viable ovaries, when she was mother to a daughter she could keep, and when she and her husband lived and loved as equals. Darkly prescient, scathingly sarcastic, and eminently frightening, The Handmaid's Tale has only gained relevance since it was originally published, and remains one of the most powerful, widely read stories of our times. This illustrated edition is a must-have for Atwood's growing legions of fans"--

The 500 hidden secrets of Chicago

Milk without honey
Harms, Hanna, 1994-
"Bees are vital to securing our food supply. We could live in a paradise where insects, especially bees pollinate fragrant seas of flowers whose fruits we harvest. Instead, vast lawns are now replacing flower gardens, and agriculture is characterized by monocultures. Pesticides and climate change are also causing insect mortality, with dramatic consequences for the global ecosystem. As we destroy the insect populations, honey is just one of many foods that will no longer be available to us, unless we learn to honor our innate connection with nature before it's too late."--

Barely functional adult : it'll all make sense eventually
Ng, Meichi,
"...a hilarious and poignant [autobiographical] collection of beautifully illustrated short stories that perfectly captures the best and worst of adult life and the joy, terror, fun, and pain that comes with learning to navigate its complexities and conundrums"--Back cover

Heart the lover
King, Lily,
""You knew I'd write a book about you someday." Our narrator understands good love stories--their secrets and subtext, their highs and their free falls. But her greatest love story, the one she lived, never followed the simple rules. In the fall of her senior year of college, she meets two star students from her 17th-Century Lit class: Sam and Yash. Best friends living off campus in the elegant house of a professor on sabbatical, the boys invite her into their intoxicating world of academic fervor, rapid-fire banter and raucous card games. They nickname her Jordan, and she quickly discovers the pleasures of friendship, love and her own intellectual ambition. Youthful passion is unpredictable though, and she soon finds herself at the center of a charged and intricate triangle. As graduation comes and goes, choices made will alter these three lives forever. Decades later, Jordan is living the life she dreamed of, and the vulnerable days of her youth seem comfortably behind her. But when a surprise visit and unexpected news brings the past crashing into the present, she returns to a world she left behind and is forced to confront the decisions and deceptions of her younger self. Written with the superb wit and emotional sensitivity fans and critics of Lily King have come to adore, Heart the Lover is a deeply moving story that celebrates love, friendship, and the transformative nature of forgiveness. Wise, unforgettable, and with a delightful connective thread to Writers & Lovers, this is King at her very best, affirming her as a masterful chronicler of the human experience and one of the finest novelists at work today"-- Provided by publisher

Try not to breathe
Bell, David, 1969 November 17-
"An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the horrifying truth about her family... A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys. But a frantic phone call turns Avery's life upside down. Her father-a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery-says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna's just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows. Anna Rogers is fed up with her family-a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it's okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there. Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she's no longer road-tripping; she's running, pursued by an older sister she doesn't trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks. When Avery discovers Anna's hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that the past is catching up with them-including the explosive secret at the very heart of the Rogers family"--

How Simi got her groom back
Dev, Sonali,
The Naik sisters escaped their traumatic past in Mumbai to come to the States, but their journeys have been vastly different. Simi is working toward a bright future as a pediatric nurse in a small town in Kentucky when Rupi shows up at her door in distress, on the run, and as always, dragging trouble in her wake. With Rupi's safety in jeopardy, the sisters hatch a desperate plan to keep her in the country: Rupi must get married and fast even if it means Simi recruiting the man she's been secretly dating as her sister's groom. A perfect plan? Not quite. But there aren't many alternatives. As the big day inches closer, Simi and Rupi face a storm of wedding shenanigans and romantic surprises, not to mention sisterly jealousies. As the stakes and tensions rise, will their secrets tear them apart or will they find a way to risk everything for love? --from Amazon

A walk in the park : the true story of a spectacular misadventure in the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin,
"From the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the epic adventure tale The Emerald Mile comes the most dramatic and deeply moving account ever of walking the Grand Canyon, a highly dangerous, life-changing 750-mile trek. The Grand Canyon is an American treasure, visited by more than 6 million people a year, many of whom are rendered speechless by its vast beauty, mystery, and complexity. Now, in A Walk in the Park, author Kevin Fedarko chronicles his year-long effort to find a 750-mile path along the length of the Grand Canyon, through a vertical wilderness suspended between the caprock along the rims of the abyss and the Colorado River, which flows along its bottom. Consisting of countless cliffs and steep drops, plus immense stretches with almost no access to water, and the fact that not a single trail links its eastern doorway to its western terminus, this jewel of national parks is so challenging that when Fedarko departed fewer people had completed the journey in one single hike than had walked on the moon. The intensity of the effort required him to break his trip into several legs, each of which held staggering dangers and unexpected discoveries. Accompanying Fedarko through this sublime yet perilous terrain is the award-winning photographer Peter McBride, who captures the stunning landscape in breathtaking photos. Together, they encounter long-lost Native American ruins, the remains of Old West prospectors' camps, present day tribal activists, and signs that commercial tourism is impinging on the park's remote wildness. An epic adventure, action-packed survival tale, and a deep spiritual journey, A Walk in the Park gives us an unprecedented glimpse of the crown jewel of America's National Parks: an iconic landscape framed by ancient rock whose contours are recognized by all, but whose secrets and treasures are known to almost no one, and whose topography encompasses some of the harshest, least explored, most awe-inspiring terrain in the world"--

A pair of aces
Benedict, Marie,
"A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law--a prosecutor and a madam--who team up to bring down notorious gangster Lucky Luciano, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian. Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan's first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City's five largest organized crime families. Other prosecutors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they've all focused on the crime syndicate's traditional businesses-bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing-or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its hand in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can't get Luciano alone. Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all. Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they're trying to convict. It is this very alliance-of two women from vastly different worlds-that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen"-- Provided by publisher

Laundry love : finding joy in a common chore
Richardson, Patric,
"Patric Richardson, aka the "Laundry Evangelist," reveals his revolutionary methods for cleaning clothes-and making laundry loads more fun. Doing laundry is rarely anyone's favorite task. But to Patric Richardson, laundry isn't just fun-it's a way of life. After years of running Laundry Camp at the Mall of America for thousands of eager learners, he's ready to share his tips, tricks, and hacks-bringing surprise and delight to this commonly dreaded chore. Sorting your laundry? It's not all about whites and darks. Pondering the wash cycles? Every load, even your delicates, should be washed using express or quick-wash on warm. Facing expensive dry cleaning bills? You'll learn how to wash everything-yes everything-at home. And those basically clean but smelly clothes? Richardson has a secret for freshening those too (hint: it involves vodka, not soap). Changing your relationship with laundry can also change your life. Richardson's handy advice shows us how to save time and money (and the planet!) with our laundry-and he intersperses it all with a healthy dose of humor, real-life laundry stories, and lessons from his Appalachian upbringing and career in fashion. Laundry Love will make you wonder why you ever stressed about ironing, dry cleaning, or (god forbid) red wine spills on your new couch. No matter the issue, Richardson is here to help you make laundry miracles happen-wrinkles and stains be damned"--

We begin at the end
Whitaker, Chris,
"Thirty years ago, a teenage Vincent King was sent to prison. But now, he's served his sentence and is returning to his hometown. The hometown where his childhood best friend, Walk, is now the chief of police. The town where his childhood sweetheart, Star Radley, still lives. The same Star Radley whose sister he killed. Duchess, Star's daughter, is a self-proclaimed outlaw. She needs to be. Who else is going to take care of her and her five-year-old brother? Star is still dazzling, still beautiful, but she hasn't shined as bright since Vincent was sent away. Too often it's Duchess and Walk who are the ones taking care of her. But when Duchess exacts her own vigilante revenge, she will set into motion a series of events that threatens not only her own family, but everyone she grows close to. A crime thriller that will break your heart and a literary novel with a mystery at its core, We Begin at the End unforgettably examines how the choices we make can nudge us into the dangerous ground between good and evil"--

A cyclist's guide to crime & croissants
Claire, Ann,
"Nine months ago, Sadie Greene shocked friends and family by ditching her sensible office job in the Chicago suburbs and buying a sight-unseen French bicycling tour company, Oui Cycle. Now she's living the unconventional life of her dreams in the gorgeous village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer. Sans souci means carefree, but Sadie feels enough pressure to burst a tire when hometown friends arrive for a tour, including her former boss, Dom Appleton. Sadie is determined to show them the wonders of France and cycling--and to prove she made the right move. She hopes her meticulously planned nine-day itinerary will win them over, with its stunning seascapes, delicious wine tastings, hilltop villages, and, of course, frequent stops for croissants. When Dom drags his heels on fun, Sadie vows he'll enjoy if it kills her. That is, until Dom ends up dead. The tragedy was no accident. Someone went out of their way to bring a permanent end to Dom's vacation. As more crimes--and murder--roll in, suspicions hover over Oui Cycle. To save her dream business, help her friends, and bring justice, Sadie launches her own investigation. However, mysteries mount with every turn. On an uphill battle for clues, can Sadie come to terms with her painful past while spinning closer to the truth--or will a twisted killer put the brakes on her for good?"--Amazon

Killers of a certain age
Raybourn, Deanna,
"Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that's their secret weapon. They've spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills. When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they've been marked for death. Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman-and a killer-of a certain age"--

If I ruled the world
Barnett, Amy DuBois,
"A fast-paced, juicy debut novel that peeks behind the curtain at the cutthroat world of hip-hop music and the glamorous magazine scene in the late 1990s, written by the ultimate insider. It's 1999, and Nikki Rose is the only Black editor on the staff of a prestigious fashion magazine she once thought would be her ticket to becoming a respected editor-in-chief. But after being told one too many times by her boss that "Black girls don't sell magazines," she walks away to take over Sugar, a struggling hip-hop music and lifestyle magazine with untapped potential. Thrown into an entirely new world of wealth, decadence, and debauchery, Nikki has just six months to save Sugar-and her own dreams. As she pulls all-nighters at the office and parties with the era's most influential bad boys, Nikki must prove she has what it takes to lead. Along the way, Nikki leans on a circle of loyal friends, and navigates unexpected romances that force her to reckon with what-and who-she truly wants. But her most dangerous challenge is evading Alonzo Griffin, her very married, very powerful ex-boyfriend and former boss, who's determined to destroy both her and Sugar. If I Ruled the World is a smart, utterly immersive romp through one of the most dynamic eras in pop culture history-a story of ambition, friendship, love, and the journey to finding your own voice."-- Provided by publisher

Poverty, by America
Desmond, Matthew,
"The Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author of Evicted reimagines the debate on poverty, making a new and bracing argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it. The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit scores of its citizens to live and die on the streets, and authorize its corporations to pay poverty wages? In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. And we stockpile opportunity in exclusive communities, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside those of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may grow. Elegantly written and fiercely argued, this compassionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem. It also helps us imagine solutions. Desmond builds a startlingly original and ambitious case for ending poverty. He calls on us all to become poverty abolitionists, engaged in a politics of collective belonging to usher in a new age of shared prosperity and, at last, true freedom"--

Mr. & Mrs. Witch
Bond, Gwenda,
"In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the new novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they've kept from each other. Savannah Wilde is a witch, a powerful one, and a member of C.R.O.N.E, an organization for hire that deals with supernatural threats using their magic. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised her friends and family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life when she notices her bridal party and her mom are freaking out minutes before the wedding. Griffin Carter is an agent for H.U.N.T.E.R., a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can't wait to lay his eyes on the woman he's about to spend the rest of his life with. As he's getting ready, Griffin overhears his father and friends discussing something in distressed whispers. What he finds out concerns him, but not enough to deal with before the ceremony. As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there's bad blood between their organizations is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out. Unable to go through with their orders, they-and their friends -find themselves on the run. But when the two of them discover a secret about both of their organizations, Savvy and Griffin realize the only way to survive is to team up-and, even with assassins hot on their trail, they just might make it out alive and try again at 'I do'"--

The reef
Roberts, Nora
Underwater diver Matthew Lassiter and Tate Beaumont, a student of marine archeology, search shipwrecks for a 16th century necklace. Together they brave danger--the necklace was cursed by its owner, a witch burned at the stake--and danger leads to love

The Route 66 cookbook : the best recipes from every stop along the way
Ly, Linda, 1980-
"The Route 66 Cookbook shares recipes for the must-try breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts from restaurants all along the Mother Road."-- Provided by publisher

Hemlock Island
Armstrong, Kelley,
"Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it's the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who've fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out...and failed. When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who's now a cop. There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it... But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they're trapped with someone-or something-that doesn't want them leaving the island alive" --

A light in the dark : surviving more than Ted Bundy
Rubin, Kathy Kleiner,
"In January 1978, I slept in my bed at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University as Ted Bundy stalked nearby. He grabbed an oak log from a stack of firewood, slipped through a back door with a broken padlock, and headed upstairs.He began twisting doorknobs. Room 9 was open, and he quietly and quickly killed one of my sleeping sorority sisters. Across the hall, he found another unlocked door and murdered again. Then, he turned the knob to my bedroom and found it was open. I remember the attack vividly. Bundy bashed me once in the head with the log and then attacked my roommate. He heard me moaning and came to finish me off. He never let his victims live. But he stopped suddenly when a bright light filled the room. He fled the sorority house and the light disappeared. Bundy wasn't my first brush with death, and he wasn't my last. I've long been a survivor."--Back cover

Fried green tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe
Flagg, Fannie

Laundry love : finding joy in a common chore
Richardson, Patric,
"Patric Richardson, aka the "Laundry Evangelist," reveals his revolutionary methods for cleaning clothes-and making laundry loads more fun. Doing laundry is rarely anyone's favorite task. But to Patric Richardson, laundry isn't just fun-it's a way of life. After years of running Laundry Camp at the Mall of America for thousands of eager learners, he's ready to share his tips, tricks, and hacks-bringing surprise and delight to this commonly dreaded chore. Sorting your laundry? It's not all about whites and darks. Pondering the wash cycles? Every load, even your delicates, should be washed using express or quick-wash on warm. Facing expensive dry cleaning bills? You'll learn how to wash everything-yes everything-at home. And those basically clean but smelly clothes? Richardson has a secret for freshening those too (hint: it involves vodka, not soap). Changing your relationship with laundry can also change your life. Richardson's handy advice shows us how to save time and money (and the planet!) with our laundry-and he intersperses it all with a healthy dose of humor, real-life laundry stories, and lessons from his Appalachian upbringing and career in fashion. Laundry Love will make you wonder why you ever stressed about ironing, dry cleaning, or (god forbid) red wine spills on your new couch. No matter the issue, Richardson is here to help you make laundry miracles happen-wrinkles and stains be damned"--

The nightmare before kissmas
Raasch, Sara
Nicholas "Coal" Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR facade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night. But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter princess and his brother's not-so-secret crush. A situation that has diaster written all over it. Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess's hand ... and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the prince of Halloween. It's a fake competition between two holiday princes who can't keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unfortgettable love stories of the year

Chinese heritage cooking from my American kitchen : discover authentic flavors with vibrant, modern recipes
Chung, Shirley (Chef),
From growing up in Beijing to attending culinary school in California, to making her name in the restaurant world and on Top Chef, today Shirley Chung is dishing out new and dazzlingly delicious takes on Chinese cuisine. These recipes are fresh and inspired, yet approachable for home cooks. Here are a few you won't want to miss: Sweet-and-Sour Baby Back Ribs, Five-Spice Seared Duck Breast with Kumquat Mustard, Scallion Pancakes with Hazelnut Pesto, Seared Scallops with Spicy Black Bean Sauce, Spinach Egg Drop Soup and Beijing-Style Hot Pot. These recipes use simple ingredients and techniques, but have the standout flavor and texture you expect from top-notch restaurants--no wok required! Plus you'll find fascinating history and chef's tips tucked away in the headnotes and instructions that will make you a better cook. Shirley brings the same lively energy to her book that made her a fan-favorite on Top Chef. She'll make you excited to cook, and her recipes--each with a gorgeous photograph--will have you drooling over the pages. With Shirley in your kitchen, every meal becomes a fun and delicious celebration. --from Amazon

Simple Thai cookery : step by step to everyone's favourite Thai recipes
Hom, Ken

The true true story of Raja the Gullible (and his mother)
Alameddine, Rabih,
In a tiny Beirut apartment, sixty-three-year-old Raja and his mother live side by side. A beloved high school philosophy teacher and "the neighborhood homosexual," Raja relishes books, meditative walks, order, and solitude. Zalfa, his octogenarian mother, views her son's desire for privacy as a personal affront. She demands to know every detail of Raja's work life and love life, boundaries be damned. When Raja receives an invite to an all-expenses-paid writing residency in America, the timing couldn't be better. It arrives on the heels of a series of personal and national disasters that have left Raja longing for peace and quiet away from his mother and the heartache of Lebanon. But what at first seems a stroke of good fortune soon leads Raja to recount and relive the very disasters and past betrayals he wishes to forget.--

Abyss
Binge, Nicholas,
"A FanFiAddict Most Anticipated Title! Severance meets Lovecraft in this surreal tale of corporate horror and existential dread. Joe always had potential, but he doesn't expect much, and he hopes that his new job as an admin assistant won't expect much of him. But when he enters the offices of Ponos-a company he's never heard of and knows nothing about-he discovers that potential is exactly what they want from him. A feverish dive into the inhumanity of both late-stage capitalism and the crippling anxieties of modern life, Abyss adds a new level of meaning to 'wage slave'"-- Provided by publisher

The mountains we call home : the Book Woman's legacy
Richardson, Kim Michele,
"In this standalone and companion novel to the The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, our heroine for the ages, legendary book woman, Cussy Lovett, returns home. A powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the printed word, The Mountains We Call Home is wrapped into a vivid portrait of Kentucky life: examining incarceration and criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, and tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds, along with nostalgic glimpses of a bustling, multifaceted Louisville, and heartwarming portraits of reading efforts in every facet of life. Meticulously researched and richly detailed with a new cast of absorbing and complex characters, this beautifully rendered, authentic Kentucky tale is gritty and heartbreaking and infused with hope, spirit, and courage known only to those with no way out"--

How to cheat your own death
Perrin, Kristen,
"1968: Frances Adams is loving her new London life, and she's stepped into a world of glamour thanks to her new friend, Vera Huntington--a magnetic socialite as mysterious as she is provocative. Vera dances around London like she owns it, taking Frances with her. Present day: When Annie Adams heads to London to visit her famous artist mother, Laura, the last thing she expects to find is a dead body. Least of all for it to be Laura's new protégée, left in an alley with her heart surgically removed from her chest. Annie is no stranger to murder--after all, she's solved a few already. And something about this case feels familiar. She's read about one just like it in the journals of her late great aunt Frances, whose friend Vera was killed in the 1960s in the exact same way. As Annie investigates, threats pile up on Laura's doorstep, and it soon becomes clear that she's next. With her mother's life on the line, can Annie find the killer before it's too late?"--

The unseen world
Moore, Liz, 1983-
"The moving story of a daughter's quest to discover the truth about her beloved father's hidden past. The moving story of a daughter's quest to discover the truth about her beloved father's hidden past Ada Sibelius is raised by David, her brilliant, eccentric, socially inept single father, who directs a computer science lab in 1980s-era Boston. Home-schooled, Ada accompanies David to work every day; by twelve, she is a painfully shy prodigy. The lab begins to gain acclaim at the same time that David's mysterious history comes into question. When his mind begins to falter, leaving Ada virtually an orphan, she is taken in by one of David's colleagues. Soon after she embarks on a mission to uncover her father's secrets: a process that carries her from childhood to adulthood. What Ada discovers on her journey into a virtual universe will keep the reader riveted until The Unseen World's heart-stopping, fascinating conclusion"--Provided by publisher

Saint Catherine
Meyer, Anna,
In her 20-something years of existence, Catherine never skipped mass once. As a recovering Irish American Catholic, she has mostly traded the world of communion and confessionals for the "city-girl" struggle of work-life balance, family, and her relationships. The only thing she has not been able to shake is her fear that something bad will happen if she misses Sunday mass. But her fears become a reality when she skips mass for the first time and discovers she is now being possessed by a demon claiming to be the prince of hell. As she takes matters into her own hands and attempts to exorcise these demons (both the paranormal and emotional kind), Catherine must face her buried guilt and what it truly means to be good

The making and breaking of the American constitution : a thousand-year history
Peterson, Mark A., 1960-
"A provocative new history of America's constitution and an urgent call to action for a nation confronted by challenges its founders could never have imagined. The American Revolution occurred at a time when Britain's constitutional order failed to adapt to the extraordinary growth of its colonies. The framers designed an American constitution to succeed where Britain's had faltered, planning for continuous population and territorial expansion that would eventually cross the continent. Yet by the end of the nineteenth century, it was already ill-suited for an increasingly urban, industrialized society, and the transformations of the twentieth century have pushed it to a breaking point. This book charts the history and aims of the American constitution from its origins in an agrarian past to the grave crisis we face today. Mark Peterson traces the American constitutional tradition to the control of land in medieval England, showing how the founders incorporated the aspirations of Magna Carta with the administrative principles of the Domesday Book, a meticulous survey and valuation of landed property commissioned by William the Conqueror. This framework encouraged the growth of democratic self-government in a young nation. It also institutionalized the colonization of territory and the expulsion of Indigenous peoples, establishing a legal blueprint for transforming tribal lands into revenue-yielding real estate for settlers. Peterson's riveting narrative paints an arresting picture of a dynamic republic whose frame of government has changed enormously to meet the challenges of the modern age but whose written constitution has changed very little. Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, The Making and Breaking of the American Constitution reveals how this widening disconnect threatens the very existence of our democracy. It calls for a constitution that sustains the ideals developed over the past thousand years while meeting the challenges of the future."--

The American Revolution : an intimate history
Ward, Geoffrey C.,
From the award-winning historian and filmmakers of The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The Roosevelts, and others: a richly illustrated, human-centered history of America's founding struggle-expanding on the landmark, six-part PBS series to be aired in November 2025. "From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen not to be extinguished." -Thomas Paine. In defeating the British Empire and giving birth to a new nation, the American Revolution turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies on the Atlantic coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired independence movements and democratic reforms around the globe. The American Revolution was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war, fought by neighbors on American farms and between global powers an ocean or more away. In this sumptuous volume, historian Geoffrey C. Ward ably steers us through the international forces at play, telling the story not from the top down but from the bottom up-and through the eyes of not only our "Founding Fathers" but also those of ordinary soldiers, as well as underrepresented populations such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, and American Loyalists, asking who exactly was entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Enriched by guest essays from lauded historians such as Vincent Brown, Maya Jasanoff, and Alan Taylor, and by an astonishing array of prints, drawings, paintings, texts, and pamphlets from the time period, as well as newly commissioned art and maps-and woven together with the words of Thomas Paine- The American Revolution reveals a nation still grappling with the questions that fueled its remarkable founding

American struggle : democracy, dissent, and the pursuit of a more perfect union : an anthology
Meacham, Jon,
This "collection covers a wide spectrum of history, from 1619 to the twenty-first century, with primary-source documents that take us back to critical moments in which Americans fought over the meaning and the direction of the national experiment. From the founders to Lincoln to Obama, from Andrew Jackson to Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, from Seneca Falls to the March on Washington, this chorus ... tells the story of the country and of its people. As clashes over liberty and slavery, inclusion and exclusion, play out, these voices, ... framed by Meacham's singular commentary, remind us that contentious citizenship and fair-minded observations are essential to bringing about the more perfect union envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution, which Frederick Douglass called a 'glorious liberty document'"--

Last branch standing : a potentially surprising, occasionally witty journey inside today's Supreme Court
Isgur, Sarah, 1982-
"A myth-busting glimpse into the inner workings of the Supreme Court in the "Roberts era," revealing what we get wrong about the nine justices (and what they eat for lunch) and the right way to fix a Court in crisis-from the popular ABC news pundit and witty co-host of the top legal podcast in the US"-- Provided by publisher

Declaring independence : why 1776 matters
Larson, Edward J. (Edward John),
On the 250th anniversary of American independence, with the history of our founding a political battleground, this study of the ideas and battlefield sacrifices of 1776 by a Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar could not be more timely

The unfinished business of 1776 : why the American Revolution never ended
Richards, Thomas, Jr., 1983-
A clarion call for taking back the American Revolution from the far right, published for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Who gets to claim the legacy of the American Revolution and the mantle of patriotism that goes along with it? In a sharp, irreverent, deeply informed account of the nation's founding moment and its enduring legacies, historian Thomas Richards Jr. invites us to see the Revolution not just as a one-time fight for political freedom from Britain but as an ongoing struggle for equality, justice, and social and political independence for all Americans

This land is your land : a road trip through U.S. history
Gage, Beverly,
"Ride along with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Beverly Gage as she travels the country to see the museums, historic sites, roadside attractions, reenactments, and souvenir shops where Americans learn--and fight--about our history. From the birth of the nation in Philadelphia to Disneyland and the California dream, This Land Is Your Land offers a guided tour of thirteen places and thirteen key moments that define America's greatest successes and challenges"--

Boston, 1776 : a rogue tour of Revolution City
Dickey, Jeff,
"Relive the chaos, courage, and color of the American Revolution's capital city while meeting those who led the fight in the nation's War of Independence."--Amazon

The westerners : mythmaking and belonging on the American frontier
Nelson, Megan Kate, 1972-
"The Westerners tells two richly detailed and interwoven stories. The first reveals the captivating lives of women and men moving through the American West -- Indigenous peoples, Black Americans, Mexican Americans, and Canadian and Asian immigrants -- in the 19th century. The second tracks the attempts of many Americans to erase these westerners from history, through a frontier myth that lionized individualism and conquest and celebrated white settlers traveling west in search of prosperity. Nelson's vivid, eye-opening account centers on seven extraordinary individuals whose lives capture the true history of the frontier: Sacajawea, not just Lewis and Clark's guide but an explorer who forged her own path; Jim Beckwourth, a biracial fur trader whose sharp cultural insight made him indispensable; María Gertrudis Barceló, a Hispana gambling saloon owner who broke every stereotype to become the wealthiest woman in Santa Fe; Ovando Hollister, a gold miner, soldier, and newspaper man who championed Western expansion; Little Wolf, a Northern Cheyenne chief whose courageous leadership secured his people's future; Canadian immigrant Ella Watson, who strove to become a ranch woman in a male-dominated world; and the defiant Polly Bemis, a Chinese immigrant who carved out a life in Idaho despite federal expulsion efforts." --

Freedom lost, freedom won : a personal history of America
Robinson, Eugene, 1954-
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eugene Robinson traces his family's 200-year journey from slavery through civil rights, examining cycles of progress and setbacks in America's racial history

This vast enterprise : a new history of Lewis & Clark
Fehrman, Craig,
"In 1806, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return from their yearslong journey -- having led the Corps of Discovery across eight thousand miles of rapids, mountains, forests, and ravines -- they bring an incredible tale starring themselves as courageous explorers, skilled survivalists, underrated scientists, and peaceful ambassadors. While there is truth in those descriptions, there is also distortion. From one of the most exciting new historians to emerge in the past decade, This Vast Enterprise offers a bold and novel take on the expedition: a gripping narrative that draws on lost documents, stunning analysis, and Native perspectives. Craig Fehrman spent five years visiting more than thirty archives, interviewing more than a hundred sources, and collecting oral history passed down over centuries. He came to see that the success of Lewis and Clark depended on much more than just Lewis and Clark. We all know Sacajawea, and some of us know York, the Black man Clark enslaved. But This Vast Enterprise introduces us to John Ordway, a working-class soldier who fought fearsome grizzlies and towed the captains' hulking barge. It introduces us to Wolf Calf, a Blackfoot teenager who watched his friend die in a tense battle with Lewis and his men. To capture this cast of characters, each chapter in This Vast Enterprise moves to a different person's point of view, describing their desires and contradictions with an unprecedented level of care. One chapter shows Thomas Jefferson operating in an age of bitter partisan unrest -- his secret political maneuvers to fund the expedition, revealed here for the first time, are a case study in presidential power. Another chapter shows the strategy and strength of Black Buffalo, completely upending our understanding of Lakota-American diplomacy. York, in his chapters, finds ways to wield power and make choices in an era that didn't allow him much of either. Clark is not a folksy Kentuckian but a student of the Enlightenment. (Fehrman discovered his college notebook; no previous biographer even realized that he went to college.) Lewis is someone willing to sacrifice everything for his country, his mission, and his mentor, Jefferson; in Fehrman's subtle yet heartbreaking analysis, Lewis's legendary strengths are inseparable from his lifelong weaknesses. In the end, the captains are men who needed help -- from Sacajawea, from the Corps, and from each other. Mile after mile, the expedition pushes on through dramatic hailstorms and flash floods, life-threatening frostbite and infections, rattlesnakes and rabid wolves, with the Spanish cavalry in fierce pursuit. Fehrman balances the story's inherent adventure with the humanity of its protagonists." --

The greatest sentence ever written
Isaacson, Walter,
"To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a ... deep dive into the creation of one of history's most powerful sentences: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundationfor the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation. Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating thethen-radical concepts behind it"--

Angelica : for love and country in a time of revolution
Beer, Molly,
Through the extraordinary life of Angelica Schuyler Church, a politically astute and socially influential figure, this story reveals how women shaped early American history through diplomacy, personal networks and a strategic presence in key revolutionary moments

We the people : a history of the U.S. Constitution
Lepore, Jill, 1966-
From the best-selling author of "These Truths" comes "We the People," a stunning new history of the U.S. Constitution, for a troubling new era

The ride : Paul Revere and the night that saved America
Kennedy, Kostya,
"Timed for the 250th anniversary of one of America's most famous founding events: Paul Revere's legendary ride, newly told with fresh research into little-known aspects of the myth that every American learns in school On April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops, which would seek to crush their nascent revolt. Revere was not the only rider that night, and indeed, he had completed at least 18 previous rides throughout New England, disseminating intelligence about British movements. But this ride was like no other, and its consequences in the months and years to come-as the American Revolution morphed from isolated skirmishes to a full-fledged war-became one of our founding legends. In The Ride, Kostya Kennedy presents a dramatic new narrative of the events of April 18 and 19, 1775, informed by fresh primary and secondary source research into archives, family letters and diaries, contemporary accounts, and more. Kennedy reveals Revere's ride to be more complex than it is usually portrayed-a coordinated series of rides by numerous men, near-disaster, capture by British forces, and finally success. While Revere was central to the ride and its plotting, Kennedy reveals the other men (and, perhaps, a woman with information about the movement of British forces) who helped to set in motion the events that would lead to America's independence. Thrillingly written in a dramatic, unstoppable narrative, The Ride re-tells an essential American story for a new generation of readers"--

1776
McCullough, David G
Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost -- Washington, who had never before led an army in battle

We the women : the hidden heroes who shaped America
O'Donnell, Norah,
"Over a decades-long, distinguished career ... journalist Norah O'Donnell has made it her mission to shed light on untold women's stories. Now, in honor of America's 250th birthday, O'Donnell focuses that passion on the American heroines who helped change the course of history. ... Through extensive research and interviews, as well as historical documents and old photos, O'Donnell curates a ... portrait of these fierce fighters for freedom. From Mary Katherine Goddard, who printed the first signed Declaration of Independence, to the Forten family women, who were active in the abolition and suffrage movements and were considered the 'Black Founders' of Philadelphia, to the first women who served in the armed forces even before they had the right to vote, O'Donnell brings these extraordinary women together for the first time, and in doing so writes the American story anew"--

The promise of a nation : commemorating 250 years of patriotism, resilience, and aspirations from the national collection
"Celebrate 250 years of American history-and witness the nation's decade-by-decade evolution-in this gorgeously illustrated volume featuring 700 Smithsonian objects"-- Provided by publisher
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