My LINKcat AccountI know they say that as you get older, time seems to go faster – which personally, I wouldn’t know about. This summer, however, does seem to be getting a bit ahead of itself. Back-to-School ads started just after the 4th of July and at about the same time, Halloween items started populating some of the major stores. If you’ll scroll your eyes down the page a bit you will see a book by Fern Michaels with “Christmas” in the title. How’s that for jumping the gun a bit? FYI, Christmas is 141 days from today – that’s 4 months and 19 days. And, I just know in my heart of hearts, that this book is just the first shot across the bow. The publishers will all be jockeying to get their Christmas books out before ever other publisher does so that they can capture the early-shoppers market (or some other marketing strategy too arcane for me to understand). While summer is moving on apace here at the library – the Harry Potter Birthday has taken place and the summer library program has ended—there are still many books to be read that are just perfect for the beach, warm summer days, and those lovely, extended evening we are still experiencing. Below you will find a sampling of books for any season. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
Beyond words : what animals think and feel / by Carl Safina. The author takes readers inside the lives and minds of animals, describing their profound capacity for perception, thought and emotion.
Lessons from Tara : life advice from the world's most brilliant dog / by David Rosenfelt. The author of “Dogtripping” describes what he learned about life and love from his first dog, Tara, who inspired her namesake in the Andy Carpenter novels, his fictional works about an animal-loving attorney who saves both humans and canines from Death Row.
Selp-helf / by Miranda Sings. A tongue-in-cheek lifestyle guide by the popular YouTube personality shares irreverent recommendations for everything from how to dress for a date to performing magic tricks.
Dark places of the earth : the voyage of the slave ship Antelope / by Jonathan Bryant. Drawing from untapped archives, a professor of history who specializes in slavery and constitutional law investigates one of the most significant--and shocking and unjustly forgotten--Supreme Court cases in American history involving the slave ship “Antelope” and the 300 African lives at stake.
New Fiction
How to be a grown-up : a novel / by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus. When her husband loses his job and promptly abandons the family, middle-aged Rory McGovern returns to the workforce under two obnoxious 20-something employers and struggles with the challenges of single parenting. By the #1 best-selling authors of “The Nanny Diaries”.
Kitchens of the great Midwest : a novel / by J.Ryan Stradal. Raised with a sophisticated palate by her single father, Eva learns the culturally rich stories behind a series of Midwestern dishes while becoming the star chef at a legendary restaurant.
Wishes for Christmas / by Fern Michaels. A crossover holiday story featuring favorite characters from the Sisterhood and Godmothers series finds Maggie preparing a tribute to a beloved teacher while Toots investigates a mystery surrounding a designer from an exclusive Charleston firm.
Badlands : a novel / by C.J. Box. In the aftermath of a learning-disabled youth's discovery of a large cache of drugs and money, deputy sheriff Cassie Dewell struggles to keep the peace in a North Dakota community that has been transformed by oil discoveries and gang activity. By the “New York Times” best-selling, Edgar Award-winning author of “The Highway”.
Brush back / by Sara Paretsky. Reluctantly agreeing to help when an old high-school boyfriend asks her to exonerate his mother for the murder of his sister, V. I. Warshawski is forced to confront ugly politics and violent elements in the depressed steel mill town of her youth.
Death at Dovecote Hatch / by Dorothy Cannell. Suspecting foul play when a mild-mannered villager is found dead, Mullings estate housekeeper Florence Norris investigates a surprise will that reveals dark secrets in the victim's family history. By the author of “Murder at Mullings”.
The Bourbon Kings / by J.R. Ward. The return of the wealthy, secret-carrying Bradford family to their estate has bitter ramifications for a gardener who fell in love with their prodigal son two years earlier. By the #1 “New York Times” best-selling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Perfect touch / by Elizabeth Lowell. A former soldier-turned-rancher and a beautiful designer fall in love and race against time to stop a vicious killer. By the “New York Times” best-selling author of “Dangerous Refuge”.
The forgotten / by Heather Graham. When a husband who was believed dead is accused of murdering the wife he loved, FBI agent Brett Cody and a dolphin researcher Lara Mayhew team up with the elite Krewe paranormal-investigation unit to investigate zombie activities in Miami. By the “New York Times” best-selling author of “Waking the Dead”.