June 10, 2013
THE BEST MAN by Kristan Higgins. Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. There’s also some great scenery at the winery—including Levi Cooper, the local police chief, who just happens to be the best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, but she can’t quite forget that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute in the middle of her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.
THE SEVENTH VICTIM by Mary Burton. It’s been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young and pretty—their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a home-sewn white dress. But there was one would-be victim who miraculously escaped, just before the Strangler disappeared. Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life. Then, Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with devastating news: The Strangler is back—and he’s in Austin. The Strangler has craved Lara. For so long he has been waiting to unleash the beast within. And this time, he’ll prove he holds her life in his hands—right before he ends it forever.
TOP OF THE MORNING by Brian Stelter. When America wakes up with personable and charming hosts like Matt Lauer, Robin Roberts, and George Stephanopoulos, it’s hard to imagine their show bookers having to guard a guest’s hotel room all night to prevent rival shows from poaching. But that it just part of the intense reality Stelter reveals in this book—a gripping look at the most competitive time slot in television, complete with Machiavellian booking wars and manic behavior by the producers, executives, and stars. Featuring exclusive material about current and past morning stars, he illuminates what it takes to win the a.m., when every single viewer counts, tons of jobs are on the line, and hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and discover the dark side of the sun.
GOODNIGHT MIND by Colleen E. Carney, PhD. Do you lie awake at night going over and over the events of your day? Do you wish you could just turn off your thoughts when you turn off the lights? You aren’t alone. Many people who suffer from insomnia complain of having a “noisy” mind that keeps them up all night. If you’re ready to stop tossing and turning and not getting the sleep you need, this is the perfect book for your nightstand. Carney specializes in sleep disorders and can help you calm your overactive brain when you are trying to get to sleep. This little book offers easy exercises and tips to help you create the kind of routine and environment that will promote good sleep, put a buffer between the stress of your day and your pillow, and train your noisy mind to be quiet when you turn in at night.
June 4, 2013
INFERNO by Dan Brown. Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon awakens in a hospital in the middle of the night. Disoriented and suffering from a head wound, he recalls nothing of the last thirty-six hours, including how he got there…or the origin of the macabre object that his doctors discover hidden in his belongings. Langdon’s world soon erupts into chaos, and he finds himself on the run in Florence. Langdon quickly realizes that he is in possession of a series of disturbing codes created by a brilliant scientist—a genius whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written—Dante’s dark epic poem The Inferno. Racing against time, Langdon discovers a network of hidden passageways and ancient secrets, as well as a terrifying new scientific pattern that will be used either to vastly improve the quality of life on earth…or to devastate it.
DEEPLY ODD by Dean Koontz. How do you make sure a crime that hasn’t happened yet, never does? That’s the critical question facing Odd Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it’s the living that desperately needs Odd on their side. Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. Who the potential victims are and where they can be found remains a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a small-town parking lot. But Odd will soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder a mere prelude to much deeper designs. Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey—and, perhaps, to the bright light beyond.
WAKING UP IN HEAVEN by Crystal McVea. On December 10, 2009, McVea, a thirty-two-year-old mother of four, stopped breathing. Her face turned a dark shade of blue, then black. Her mother screamed for help, and a nurse tried to revive her…to no avail. Today, Crystal has no memory of what happened in that hospital room. She simply remembers drifting off. And she remembers waking up in Heaven. For most of Crystal’s broken life, she felt utterly beyond the reach of God—if God was even real. Then came December 10—and the nine minutes that changed everything. McVea invites readers along on a journey to witness the relentless pursuit of God in a life that was shattered and seemingly beyond hope, an awe-inspiring account of love, forgiveness, and redemption, and the healing power of God’s presence.
MARGARET THATCHER by Charles Moore. This first volume of Moore’s authorized biography of Thatcher reveals as never before the early life, rise to power, and first years as prime minister of the woman who transformed Britain and the world in the late twentieth century. Many of her former colleagues and intimates have shared previously unseen diaries and letters, and spoken frankly to him, knowing that what they revealed would not be published until after her death. This book sheds much new light on the whole spectrum of British political life from Thatcher’s entry into Parliament in 1959 to what was arguably the zenith of her power—victory in the Falklands in 1982. Moore recreates the circumstances and experiences that shaped one of the most significant world leaders of the postwar era.
May 29, 2013
FAMILY PICTURES by Jane Green. Sylvie and Maggie are two women living on opposite coasts with children about to leave the nest for school. Both are in their forties with husbands who travel more than they would like. The looming emptiness of their respective homes has left them feeling anxious and lonely, needing their husbands to be home now more than ever. It isn’t until Eve, Sylvie’s daughter, happens to befriend Maggie’s daughter that the similarities between these two women become shockingly real. A huge secret has remained well hidden for years until now, and their lives will be blown apart as dark truths from the past come to the surface. Can these two women learn to forgive, for the sake of their children? For the sake of themselves?
SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY, MAYBE by Lauren Graham. It’s January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing “important” work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan but she’s not ready to give up on her goal of having a career. Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class. And she can’t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, who’s suddenly taken an interest in her. But even with her bank account dwindling, her father wanting her to come back home, and her agent not returning her phone calls, for some reason she still keeps believing that she just might be able to pull this off and get what she came for.
MAKING THE WORLD SAFE by Julia F. Irwin. Historian Julia Irwin offers an insightful account of the American Red Cross, from its founding in 1881 by Clara Barton to its rise as the government’s official voluntary aid agency. She tells us the story of how Americans first began to see foreign aid as a key element in their relations with the world. As the American century dawned, more and more Americans saw the need to engage in world affairs and to make the world a safer place—not only by military action but also through humanitarian aid. Irwin describes how, during WWI, the ARC grew at an explosive rate and extended its relief work for European civilians into a humanitarian undertaking of massive proportions. In the aftermath of the First World War and throughout the interwar years, the ARC continued to serve the humanitarian interests of the United States and its citizens, while in WWII, it once again became a powerful part of government efforts to bring aid to war-torn parts of the world. The belief in the value of foreign aid remains a central pillar of U.S. foreign relations, and Irwin reveals how this belief took hold in America and the role of the American Red Cross in promoting it.
FAITH NO MORE by Phil Zuckerman. The reasons why more and more people are turning away from religion are still poorly understood by many. Zuckerman draws on in-depth interviews with people who have left religion to find out what’s really behind the process of losing one’s faith. He shows that leaving one’s faith is a highly personal, complex, and drawn-out process. And, he finds, that rather than the cliché of the angry, nihilistic atheist, apostates are life-affirming, courageous, highly intelligent and inquisitive, and deeply moral. Zuckerman predicts that this trend toward nonbelief will likely continue and argues that the sooner we recognize that religion is frequently and freely rejected by all sorts of men and women, the sooner our understanding of the human condition will improve.
Brooke County Libraries
Wellsburg (304) 737-1551
Follansbee (304) 527-0860
May 20, 2013
TAKING EVE by Iris Johansen. Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan’s mission is to bring closure to the families whose loved ones have vanished. She knows their anguish—her own beloved daughter, Bonnie, was taken from her when Bonnie was just seven years old. It is only recently that this mystery was resolved and Eve could begin her journey to peace. Now Jim Doane wants the same kind of answers about his missing twenty-five-year-old son. But he cannot go to the police without risking his own secrets and exposing his dark past, so instead he chooses a bold step to find the truth—a truth that takes Eve down a twisted path of madness and evil and into the darkest heart of her own history. Doane needs Eve Duncan’s skills and he’ll do anything to get them. Even if it means taking Eve.
SILKEN PREY by John Sandford. Very early one morning, A Minnesota political fixer answers his doorbell. The next thing he knows, he’s waking up on the floor of a moving car, lying on a plastic sheet, his body wet with blood. When the car stops, a voice says, “Hey, I think he’s breathing,” and another voice says, “Yeah? Give me the bat.” And that’s the last thing he knows. Lucas Davenport is investigating another case when the trail leads to the man’s disappearance, then—very troublingly—to the Minnesota Police Department, then—most troublingly of all—to a sadistic woman who has very definite ideas about the way the world should work, and the money, ruthlessness, and sheer will to make it happen. No matter who gets in the way.
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY by Phil Robertson. Duck calls—though the source of his livelihood—are not what makes Robertson the man he is today. When asked what matters in his life, he’s quick to say, “Faith, family, ducks—in that order.” It isn’t often that a person can live his dream, but Robertson, aka The Duck Commander, has proven that it is possible with vision, hard work, helping hands, and an unshakable faith in the Almighty. This is the remarkable story of one man who followed the call he received from God and soon after invented a duck call that would begin an incredible journey to the life he had always dreamed of for himself and his family. In the love of his country, his family, and his maker, Phil has finally found the ingredients to the “good life” he always wanted. And if you ever wind up sitting face-to-face with him, you’ll see that his enthusiasm and passion for duck hunting and the Lord is no act—it is truly who he is.
THE SECRETARY by Kim Ghattas. In November 2008, Hillary Clinton agreed to work for her former rival. As President Barack Obama’s secretary of state, she set out to repair America’s image around the world—and her own. For the following four years, BBC foreign correspondent Ghattas had unparalleled access to Clinton and her entourage, and she weaves a fast-paced, gripping account of life on the road with them. Here, she tells the story of Clinton’s transformation from popular but polarizing politician to America’s envoy to the world in compelling detail and with all the tension of high-stakes diplomacy. Filled with fresh insights, this book provides a captivating analysis of Clinton’s brand of diplomacy and the Obama administration’s efforts to redefine American power in the twenty-first century.
May 13, 2013
PIRATE ALLEY by Stephen Coonts. A luxurious vacation cruise to the exotic locales of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden turns into a nightmare for passengers and crew when their ship is suddenly attacked and captured by a band of bloodthirsty Somali pirates. An initial rescue mission ends in failure, and the decks are covered in blood. Unless they are paid a ransom of $200 million within seven days, the pirates threaten to execute everyone on board. But once the ransom is paid, Islamic militants intend to swoop in and slaughter the passengers, hoping to provoke a massive American military response that will set the Muslim world aflame. Jake Grafton is assigned to negotiate with the brutal pirate chief while his right-hand man, Tommy Carmellini, and a team of CIA and Navy SEAL operatives mount an undercover operation to save the hostages and keep the United States from being maneuvered into a murderous war.
HER AMISH MAN by Erin Bates. Because Leah McKenzie’s mother was “shunned” for marrying an outsider, Leah has never known her Amish relatives. Framed for a murder she didn’t commit, Leah needs somewhere to hide until she can clear her name. She heads for her grandmother’s home in Illinois looking for a safe haven but soon finds herself entranced by the simplicity of the lifestyle. When John Miller left his Amish village to attend college and join the military, he never thought he’d return. After the horrors he witnessed in war, however, he longed for a tranquility that he knew he could only find among his own people. But his world is soon turned upside down when he falls for the “English” woman who has come to be reunited with her kinsfolk. When danger follows Leah, John must not only protect her but also decide if her love is worth the risk of being “banned” forever.
DARING GREATLY by Brene Brown, Ph.D., LMSW. Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She explains that when we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives. And it’s not about winning or losing. Without question, putting ourselves out there means there’s a far greater chance of getting criticized or feeling hurt. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous or hurtful as standing on the outside looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to “dare greatly.”
THE ULTIMATE OBAMA SURVIVAL GUIDE by Wayne Allyn Root. You know something is very wrong with the U.S. economy…spectacularly wrong…disastrously wrong. And now that Obama has won re-election, the gloves are off. He is free to unleash his inner socialist—and bring on an economic disaster the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Great Depression. You’re struggling. You’re middle class…or a small business owner…or a little guy struggling to survive in the socialist Nanny State that America has become under Obama. And you know the Zombie Economy we’re already living in is heading straight for the edge of the cliff. Root will teach you how to turn Obamageddon into an opportunity to restore the American Dream for you and your family.
Brooke County Libraries
Wellsburg (304) 737-1551
Follansbee (304) 527-0860
May 6, 2013
WIDOW’S TEARS by Susan Wittig Albert. After losing her husband, five children, housekeeper, and beautiful home in the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Rachel Blackwood rebuilt her home and later died there, having been driven mad with grief. In present-day Texas, Claire, the grandniece of Rachel’s caretaker, has inherited the house and wants to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. But she is concerned that it’s haunted, so she calls in her friend Ruby—who has the gift of extrasensory perception—to check it out. But while Ruby is ghost hunting, Claire is drawn into the mystery of the haunted house and opens the door on some very real danger.
DEAD EVER AFTER by Charlaine Harris. After the terrible events of the last weeks, both Sookie and Sam are finding it hard to concentrate on Merlotte’s—and the bar is suffering for it. But Sookie finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. Then Arlene is found murdered, and Sookie is arrested for the crime. But the evidence is weak, and Sookie makes bail. Helped by her assortment of friends, living and dead, she must discover the truth about Arlene’s death to clear herself of suspicion. All she knows is that two mysterious men were somehow involved. As to whom they might be—Sookie will soon learn that she has more than one enemy waiting to get vengeance for the past.
CONTROL: EXPOSING THE TRUTH ABOUT GUNS by Glenn Beck. When our founding fathers secured the Constitutional “right of the people to keep and bear arms,” they also added the admonition that this right SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. It is the only time this phrase appears in the Bill of Rights. So why aren’t more people listening? History has proven that guns are essential to self-defense and liberty—but tragedy is a powerful force and has led many to believe that guns are the enemy, that the Second Amendment is outdated, and that more restrictions or outright bans on firearms will somehow solve everything. They are wrong. Here, Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. In doing so, he takes on and debunks the common myths and outright lies that are often used to vilify guns and demean their owners. Backed by hundreds of sources, this handbook gives everyone who cares about the Second Amendment the indisputable facts they need to reclaim the debate, defeat the fear, and take back their natural rights.
KEEP IT PITHY by Bill O’Reilly. One of the most recognized and talked-about journalists of our time, O’Reilly has become a veritable institution of political insight and keen advice. Here, he offers a classic collection of the most memorable writings from his bestselling books, and looks back at how his opinions and ideas have been proven right or wrong by the passage of time. With his trademark candor and no-nonsense approach, each chapter focuses on a core theme as it gathers O’Reilly’s thoughts on the most compelling issues of our time and provides readers an illuminating guide to the American cultural landscape. This is the perfect addition to an O’Reilly fan’s library, or the best introduction for the few left uninitiated.