My LINKcat AccountHappy Valentine’s Day! As we all know, this observance originated as a feast day for a couple of Saint Valentines who were martyred for their faith. Through folk tradition over the years celebrating this day has become a significant cultural and commercial celebration of romance all over the world. I hope your sweetie brought you chocolate, flowers, a card, took you out to dinner, or even wrote you a poem.
If your Valentine Day celebration leaves you feeling energized, Gee Funny Farm is bringing some woodland creatures to the library on Saturday morning to help the library celebrate the Winter Reading Program – Winter Woodland Reading Adventure. Learn about the winter behaviors and adaptations of porcupines, snakes, skunks, rabbits, hedgehogs, and red foxes—and then meet some of them in person. Plan on attending!
We are approaching the end of the Winter Reading Program on March 1st. There is still time to read and record books, earn Dragon Dollars and spend them in our store or donate them to designated charities. Each day that gets us closer to the end of the Winter Reading Program also gets us closer to the start of spring. In fact, I saw a couple of robins hanging out in a tree in the front yard that was covered with berries (possibly fermented). They were having a wonderful time. Two robins do not a spring make, but we are edging closer all the time. Below you will find some of the new books which recently arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
“Saints and Liars: The Story of Americans Who Saved Refugees from the Nazis” by Deborah Dwork. A history that plumbs the extraordinary stories of American relief and rescue workers during World War II.
“Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman’s March and the Story of America’s Largest Emancipation” by Bennett Parten. Details General William T. Sherman's 1864 march through Atlanta to Savannah, highlighting its impact on the Civil War and the self-emancipation of enslaved people who joined his army, addressing the initial Reconstruction efforts and the challenges faced by newly freed individuals amidst ongoing racism and opposition.
“Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose” by Martha Beck. A guide to overcoming anxiety by tapping into creativity, blending neuroscience and sociology to explain how engaging the brain's creative systems can break the anxiety cycle and lead to peace, improved problem-solving, and deeper connections with others.
“Chasing Peace: A Story of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and the Spiritual Power of Neuroscience”. A personal journey from debilitating anxiety and depression to peace through self-directed neuroplasticity, retraining the brain to unlearn harmful patterns and alight with spiritual principles to embrace our true self.
“What if You are the Answer? And 26 Other Questions That Just Might Change Your Life” by Rachel Hollis. A self-help book provides the best questions to ask oneself, rather than the best answers.
New Fiction
“Power of Persuasion” by Stacey Abrams & Selena Montgomery. A.J. Grayson is hired by the cabinet of King Damon Toca of Jafir to install her revolutionary AI system to thwart a potential coup, and as Damon guards against a treacherous adversary, he finds he is drawn to A.J. and will risk everything for a future with her.
“Remember When: Clarissa’s Story” by Mary Balogh. When Clarissa Ware returns to Ravenswood after living a society life as the Dowager Countess of Stratton, she reconnects with widowed village carpenter Matthew Taylor, and their summer friendship deepens into romance.
“The Vanishing Point: Stories” by Paul Theroux. A collection of stories set in diverse locations, from Hawaii to Africa and New England, explores pivotal moments in life where paths converge, delving into themes of memory, longing, and the passage of time, showcasing the author's trademark insight and empathy.
“Clever Little Thing” by Helena Echlin. After her daughter Stella begins mimicking the personality of her deceased babysitter, Blanka, pregnant Charlotte becomes convinced that Blanka has possessed her child, leading her on a chilling and obsessive quest to uncover the truth and save her daughter.
“The Crash” by Freida McFadden. Eight months pregnant and abandoned by her baby’s father, Tegan embarks on a desperate journey to her brother's house during a storm, only to crash and find herself at the mercy of a remote couple with potentially sinister intentions.
“The Dark Hours” by Amy Jordan. Retired detective Julia Harte has spent years hiding in a quiet Irish village, haunted by memories of capturing the country’s most prolific serial killer, but when a copycat emerges, she’s pulled back into the hunt, determined to stop the new killer—or die trying.
“Holmes is Missing, No.2 (Holmes, Marple & Poe)” by James Patterson & Brian Sitts. Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations face a challenging string of child abductions that forces them to solve the case without their brilliant leader, Brendan Holmes. in the second novel of the series following “Holmes, Marple & Poe”.
“The Inheritance” by Trisha Sakhlecha. The Agarwal family gathers on a private Scottish island for a reunion where patriarch Raj plans to announce his company’s succession, but as long-held secrets, personal betrayals, and simmering tensions rise, the reunion takes a deadly turn, leaving someone murdered in their wake.