Tuesday, December 24, 2019

New Books in Biography

BIOGRAPHY
Reading about other people, those in modern times or those from the past, can always be interesting. We have one of each of those categories added to our collection this month.

Image result for Catherine the Great: last empress of Russia by Michael W. Simmons Born an obscure German princess who suffered under the control of a domineering, narcissistic mother, the fourteen-year-old Princess Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst seemed to be destined for a minor marriage and a forgettable career. Destiny had other plans for her: summoned to Russia, then considered by most Europeans to be a vast, primitive wasteland, devoid of culture or sophistication, she became the Grand Duchess Ekaterina, wife of the future emperor Peter III.

What followed her short, unhappy marriage was a legendary rise to supreme power. At the age of 33, the Grand Duchess Catherine became the Empress Catherine II, ruler in her own right of the largest empire on earth.

In this book, you will learn how, during Catherine’s lonely years as a neglected wife in the court of the Empress Elisabeth, she bided her time and amassed the necessary political and military support to overthrow the heir to the Romanov dynasty and seize his throne. You will also learn why, over the course of her 34-year reign, which saw rebellions, foreign wars, popular uprisings, and a string of jealous lovers vying for her favor, she came to be remembered by history under the name conferred upon her by her own people: Catherine the Great.
Life is magic by Jon Dorenbos    

Image result for Life is magic by Jon Dorenbos
               You might recognize him as an NFL All-Pro or as an elite magician who made the finals of Amer­ica’s Got Talent and regularly appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. But Jon Dorenbos says that what he does is not who he is. Who he is, is someone forced, at the most tender of ages, to coach himself into turning tragedy to triumph.

One morning in August 1992, when Jon was twelve years old and living a seemingly idyllic childhood in suburban Seattle, he woke up for baseball camp. His dad waved good-bye. Later that day, Jon heard the news: his father had murdered his mother in the family’s three-car garage. In an instant, his life had shattered. He’d been essentially orphaned.
Thrust into foster care while his father stood trial for murder, Jon struggled.

Left to himself, he discovered an unlikely escape performing magic tricks. If you found a way to alter your reality after your dad—your hero—killed your mom, wouldn’t you cling to it too? Then came football, which provided a release for all of Jon’s pent-up anger. Together, magic and football saved him, leading to fourteen NFL seasons on the gridiron and raucous sleight-of-hand perfor­mances to packed houses across the globe.

In 2017, after being traded to the New Orleans Saints, Jon was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition. He had a choice: break down, or—as he’d long by now taught himself—bounce back. “Talk to yourself, don’t listen to yourself,” Dorenbos advises for those moments when the inner voice of self-doubt screams.

Monday, December 23, 2019

New CD-Books at the Library


New in our CD-Books!
We have added to our CD-Books! Great offerings for our patrons that enjoy listening to books instead of reading. Perfect for the commuter or on the road traveler.

The Guy Who Died Twice: A Detective D.D. Warren Story by Lia Gardner (CD book)

The Guy Who Died Twice               Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren confronts the strangest case of her career in this exclusive eBook short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner. A USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestseller! D. D. Warren was pretty sure she'd seen it all. Then a man walks into police headquarters, attempting desperately to convince the squad that he's dead. Explaining to him that he's very much alive, they finally send him on his way...and then hours later, he turns up actually dead. And it's on D. D. Warren to figure out how and why the dead man died...twice.
The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks (CD)

Image result for The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks cd               In 1932, two North Carolina teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks fall in love. Spending one idyllic summer together in the small town of New Bern, Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson do not meet again for 14 years. Noah has returned from WWII to restore the house of his dreams, having inherited a large sum of money. Allie, programmed by family and the "caste system of the South" to marry an ambitious, prosperous man, has become engaged to powerful attorney Lon Hammond. When she reads a newspaper story about Noah's restoration project, she shows up on his porch step, re-entering his life for two days. Will Allie leave Lon for Noah?


The House Husband by James Patterson (CD)

Image result for The House Husband by James Patterson (CD)               Darien Marshall is the best dad, the best husband...well, maybe not. Detective Teaghan Beaumont is getting closer and closer to discovering the truth about Darien Marshall. But there's a twist that she--and you, dear reader--will never see coming.



              DEEP DOWN - Jack Reacher must track down a spy in soldier’s clothing—by matching wits with four formidable females. Three are clean—but the fourth may prove fatal.
 Summoned by Military Intelligence to Washington, D.C., Reacher is sent undercover. The assignment: The army is meeting with its Capitol Hill paymasters for classified talks on a new sniper rifle for U.S. forces. But vital details about the weapon are leaking—straight from the Capitol and probably into the hands of unidentified foreign arms dealers. That’s where Reacher comes in. His task: infiltrate the top-secret proceedings and smoke out the mole. His target: a quartet of high-powered Army political liaison officers—all of them fast-track women on their way to the top. According to his bosses, it’s a zero-danger mission. But Reacher knows that things are rarely what they seem. And he’s learned the hard way never to underestimate an opponent. Or four.

SECOND SON - A young Jack Reacher knows how to finish a fight so it stays finished. And, in one of his earliest challenges, he knows that his analytical brain is just as important as his impressive brawn.
 Okinawa, 1974. Even at thirteen, Jack Reacher knows how to outwit and overpower anyone who stands in his way. His family has come to the Pacific with his father, who’s preparing for a top-secret Marine Corps operation. After receiving a rude welcome from the local military brats, Reacher and his older brother intend to teach them a lesson they won’t forget. But it’s soon clear that there’s more at stake than pride. When his family’s future appears to come crumbling down, it’s the youngest Reacher who rises to the occasion with all the decisive cunning and bravura that will one day be his deadly trademark.

HIGH HEAT - In the midst of a savage heat wave and an infamous murder spree, a blackout awakens the dark side of the city that never sleeps—and a young Jack Reacher takes action as only he can.
 July 1977. Jack Reacher is almost seventeen, and he stops in New York City on the way to visit his brother at West Point. The summer heat is suffocating, the city is bankrupt, and the mad gunman known as Son of Sam is still on the loose. Reacher meets a woman with a problem and agrees to help her . . . but then the power grid fails, and the lights go out, plunging the lawless city into chaos. What does a visiting teenager do in the dark? If that visiting teenager is Jack Reacher, the answer is plenty.

JACK REACHER'S RULES - Jack Reacher’s Rules is the ultimate fan’s guide to the World of Reacher! Featuring selections from all seventeen electrifying Jack Reacher novels and an introduction from Lee Child himself, this one-of-a-kind audiobook compiles timeless advice from maverick former army cop Jack Reacher.



              
MIDNIGHT IN DEATH – Eve’s name has made a Christmas list, but it’s not for being naughty or nice. It’s for putting a serial killer behind bars. Now the escaped madman has her in his sights. With her husband, Roarke, at her side, Eve must stop the man from exacting his bloody vengeance—or die trying…

INTERLUDE IN DEATH – In early spring of 2059, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called off planet to face a grueling ordeal – giving a seminar at the largest police conference of the year, to be held in a swanky resort. A resort which just happens to be owned by her husband, Roarke, of course.
Even though Eve can’t quite see it that way, it’s supposed to be at least partly a vacation. But work intrudes in the form of a bloody homicide, and Eve is off and running. The case is complicated by Eve’s personal history with the victim – and by the killer’s history with Roarke. As danger closes in and the body count rises, Eve must find a way to stop the cycle of violence and revenge and shove the past back where it belongs.

HAUNTED IN DEATH – Number 12 is an urban legend in 2060 New York City. The hot club in the 1960s, it is now reported to be haunted…and cursed. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called there to investigate the apparent murder of Radcliff Hopkins, its new owner and the grandson of the man who made Number 12 a cultural icon. Several bullets from a banned gun end his dream of returning the building to its former glory.
With everyone around her talking about the supernatural, pragmatic Eve won’t let rumors of ghosts distract her from hard evidence. The case becomes even more bizarre when it appears to be linked to the suspicious disappearance of a rock star eighty-five years ago. As Eve searches for the connection, logic clashes with the unexplainable. She may be forced to face the threat of something more dangerous than a flesh-and-blood killer.

Backlash by Lisa Jackson (CD)

 
              The ranch country of Montana is beautiful, unforgiving, and for Colton and Denver McLean, filled with a whole lot of bad memories. It’s been seven years since a fire claimed their parents’ lives and drove both brothers away. Now their uncle’s death has brought them back to a place where loyalty and love runs deep—but so do grudges.
Suspicion still swirls about what caused that tragic fire. It created a rift between Denver and the foreman’s daughter, Tessa Kramer. Now Tessa hopes to buy the ranch, if Denver and Colton will agree to sell, but the property is beset by problems. A prized stallion disappears. Other horses start falling sick. Someone seems determined to disrupt—or destroy—the McLean family’s legacy by any means necessary. And finding answers will turn this homecoming into a time of reckoning with enemies past and present . . .

You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark (CD)

Television producer Laurie Moran recently became engaged to her investigative television show’s former host, Alex Buckley, and since then, the two have been happily planning a summer wedding, preparing for Alex’s confirmation to a federal judicial appointment, and searching for the perfect New York City home for their new life together.
But then Laurie is approached by Robert and Cynthia Bell, parents of Dr. Martin Bell, a physician who was shot dead as he pulled into the driveway of his Greenwich Village carriage house five years ago. The Bells are sure that Martin’s disgraced and erratic wife, Kendra, carried out the murder. Determined to prove Kendra’s guilt and win custody over their grandchildren, they plead with Laurie to feature their son’s case on Under Suspicion, ensuring her that Kendra is willing to cooperate.
As Laurie dives into the case, she learns that Martin wasn’t the picture-perfect husband, father, and doctor he appeared to be and was carrying secrets of his own. And what does the web of lies ensnaring the Bell family have to do with a dangerous stranger, who gazes at Laurie from afar and thinks, She is actually quite a lovely girl, I’m sure she’s going to be missed…?

Hostage by Robert Crais (CD)


              
Jeff Talley was a good husband, a fine father, and a frontline negotiator with LAPD's SWAT unit. But the high stress, unforgiving job took an irreparable toll on his psyche. After a despondent father murders his wife and son and takes his own life, Talley hits bottom. His marriage ends, he resigns from SWAT, and he struggles to escape from his former life by taking the chief-of-police job in a sleepy, affluent bedroom community far from the chaos and crime of Los Angeles. But Talley's pursuit of peaceful small-town life is about to change when three young men, fleeing the robbery of a mini mart, invade a tightly secured home, and take the family hostage. Plunged back into the high-pressure world that he has desperately been trying to put behind him, Talley finds his nightmare has barely begun, because this isn't just any house. It belongs to a brilliant white-collar criminal who launders money for L.A.'s renegade franchise of La Cosa Nostra. And the accountant's records of the incriminating money trail that lie within will put L.A.'s most lethal and volatile crime lord, Sonny Benza, behind bars. As Talley desperately tries to save the innocents inside, the full weight of Benza's wrath descends on him, putting Talley and his own family at risk. Soon, all involved are held hostage by the exigencies of fate and the only one capable of diffusing the crisis is the least stable of them all.

On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah


               
Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school abroad. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Alone in the house that is no longer a home, Annie comes to the painful realization that for years she has been slowly disappearing. Lonely and afraid, she retreats to Mystic, the small Washington town where she grew up, hoping that there she can reclaim the woman she once was—the woman she is now desperate to become again.
In Mystic, she is reunited with her first love, Nick Delacroix, a recent widower unable to cope with his grieving, too-silent six-year-old daughter, Izzie. Together, the three of them begin to heal, and, at last, Annie learns that she can love without losing herself. But just when she has found a second chance at happiness, her life is turned upside down again, and Annie must make a choice no woman should have to make. . .

Updated 9/11/2020 to include permalinks to the catalog.

New Fiction to round out the year

In the Adult Fiction Section we have added the following new books in November and December.


Adult Fiction

A Minute to midnight by David Baldacci

A Minute to Midnight (Atlee Pine, #2)               FBI Agent Atlee Pine returns to her Georgia hometown to reopen the investigation of her twin sister's abduction, only to encounter a serial killer beginning a reign of terror, in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.FBI Agent Atlee Pine's life was never the same after her twin sister Mercy was kidnapped--and likely killed--thirty years ago. After a lifetime of torturous uncertainty, Atlee's unresolved anger finally gets the better of her on the job, and she finds she has to deal with the demons of her past if she wants to remain with the FBI. Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum head back to Atlee's rural hometown in Georgia to see what they can uncover about the traumatic night Mercy was taken and Pine was almost killed. But soon after Atlee begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered, her face covered with a wedding veil--and the first killing is quickly followed by a second bizarre murder. Atlee is determined to continue her search for answers, but now she must also set her sights on finding a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. But in a small town full of secrets--some of which could answer the questions that have plagued Atlee her entire life--digging deeper into the past could be more dangerous than she realizes. . .

Blue Moon by Lee Child

Blue Moon (Jack Reacher, #24)               “This is a random universe,” Reacher says. “Once in a blue moon things turn out just right.”

This isn’t one of those times.

Reacher is on a Greyhound bus, minding his own business, with no particular place to go, and all the time in the world to get there. Then he steps off the bus to help an old man who is obviously just a victim waiting to happen. But you know what they say about good deeds. Now Reacher wants to make it right.
An elderly couple have made a few well-meaning mistakes, and now they owe big money to some very bad people. One brazen move leads to another, and suddenly Reacher finds himself a wanted man in the middle of a brutal turf war between rival Ukrainian and Albanian gangs.
Reacher has to stay one step ahead of the loan sharks, the thugs, and the assassins. He teams up with a fed-up waitress who knows a little more than she’s letting on, and sets out to take down the powerful and make the greedy pay. It’s a long shot. The odds are against him. But Reacher believes in a certain kind of justice . . . the kind that comes along once in a blue moon.

Past tense by Lee Child

Past Tense (Jack Reacher, #23)               Jack Reacher hits the pavement and sticks out his thumb. He plans to follow the sun on an epic trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn’t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been: the town where his father was born. He thinks, What’s one extra day? He takes the detour.
At the same moment, in the same isolated area, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians had been on their way to New York City to sell a treasure. Now they’re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. The owners seem almost too friendly. It’s a strange place, but it’s all there is.
The next morning, in the city clerk’s office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He’s told no one named Reacher ever lived in town. He’s always known his father left and never returned, but now Reacher wonders, Was he ever there in the first place?
As Reacher explores his father’s life, and as the Canadians face lethal dangers, strands of different stories begin to merge. Then Reacher makes a shocking discovery: The present can be tough, but the past can be tense . . . and deadly.

The Guardians by John Grisham

The Guardians               In the small north Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk as he worked late one night. The killer left no clues behind. There were no witnesses, no real suspects, no one with a motive. The police soon settled on Quincy Miller, a young black man who was once a client of Russo’s.
Quincy was framed, convicted, and sent to prison for life. For twenty-two years he languished in prison with no lawyer, no advocate on the outside. Then he wrote a letter to Guardian Ministries, a small innocence group founded by a lawyer/minister named Cullen Post.
Guardian handles only a few innocence cases at a time, and Post is its only investigator. He travels the South fighting wrongful convictions and taking cases no one else will touch. With Quincy Miller, though, he gets far more than he bargained for. Powerful, ruthless people murdered Keith Russo, and they do not want Quincy exonerated.
They killed one lawyer twenty-two years ago, and they will kill another one without a second thought.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63               Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke... Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten...and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Starless Sea               Far beneath the surface of the earth, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. The entryways that lead to this sanctuary are often hidden, sometimes on forest floors, sometimes in private homes, sometimes in plain sight. But those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins is searching for his door, though he does not know it. He follows a silent siren song, an inexplicable knowledge that he is meant for another place. When he discovers a mysterious book in the stacks of his campus library he begins to read, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities, and nameless acolytes. Suddenly a turn of the page brings Zachary to a story from his own childhood impossibly written in this book that is older than he is.
A bee, a key, and a sword emblazoned on the book lead Zachary to two people who will change the course of his life: Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired painter, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances. These strangers guide Zachary through masquerade party dances and whispered back room stories to the headquarters of a secret society where doorknobs hang from ribbons, and finally through a door conjured from paint to the place he has always yearned for. Amid twisting tunnels filled with books, gilded ballrooms, and wine-dark shores Zachary falls into an intoxicating world soaked in romance and mystery. But a battle is raging over the fate of this place and though there are those who would willingly sacrifice everything to protect it, there are just as many intent on its destruction. As Zachary, Mirabel, and Dorian venture deeper into the space and its histories and myths, searching for answers and each other, a timeless love story unspools, casting a spell of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a Starless Sea.

Winter Sisters by Robin Oliveira

Winter Sisters (Mary Sutter, #2)               New York, 1879: An epic blizzard descends on Albany, devastating the city. When the snow finally settles, two newly orphaned girls are missing. Determined not to give up hope, Dr. Mary Sutter, a former Civil War surgeon, searches for the two sisters. When what happened to them is finally revealed, Dr. Sutter must fight the most powerful of Albany's citizens, risking personal and public danger as she seeks to protect the fragile, putting at risk loves and lives in her quest to right unimaginable wrongs.
As contemporary as it is historic, Winter Sisters is part gripping thriller, part family saga, and ultimately a story of trauma and resilience that explores the tremendous good and unspeakable evil of which humans are capable.


Criss Cross by James Patterson

Criss Cross (Alex Cross, #27)               After witnessing the execution of Michael Edgerton, a man he helped convict of several murders, Alex Cross thought he could finally put the case behind him.
But when a body turns up with a note signed by 'M', Alex knows that the nightmare is far from over.
Accused by Edgerton's family of framing him for murder, Cross fights to clear his name as the case against him builds.
And as more notes - and more bodies - start appearing, Cross is determined to put an end to this case once and for all.

Of Blood and Bone: Chronicles of the One, Book 2 by Nora Roberts

Of Blood and Bone (Chronicles of The One, #2)               Of Blood and Bone, a new tale of terror and magic in a brand new world.They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed. Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before--the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted--and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden.In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

The Rise of Magicks: Chronicles of the One, Book 3 by Nora Roberts

The Rise of Magicks (Chronicles of The One, #3)               After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her young years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined to save even those who have been complicit with this evil out of fear or weakness―if, indeed, they can be saved.
Strengthened by the bond she shares with her fellow warrior, Duncan, Fallon has already succeeded in rescuing countless shifters and elves and ordinary humans. Now she must help them heal―and rediscover the light and faith within themselves. For although from the time of her birth, she has been The One, she is still only one. And as she faces down an old nemesis, sets her sights on the enemy’s stronghold, and pursues her destiny―to finally restore the mystical shield that once protected them all―she will need an army behind her…

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Olive Kitteridge (Olive Kitteridge, #1)               At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life – sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty.

Olive, again by Elizabeth Strout

Olive, Again               The iconic Olive struggles to understand not only herself and her own life but also the lives of those around her in the town of Crosby, Maine. Whether with a teenager coming to terms with the loss of her father, a young woman about to give birth during a hilariously inopportune moment, a nurse who confesses a secret high school crush, or a lawyer who struggles with an inheritance she does not want to accept, the unforgettable Olive will continue to startle us, to move us, and to inspire moments of transcendent grace.

Friday, December 20, 2019

New books in the Kids Room

The following NEW books have been added to our collection in the kids room during November and December 2019.

Juvenile Fiction


Diary of a wimpy kid, bk. 1 by Jeff KinneyDiary of a wimpy kid, bk. 1 by Jeff Kinney
              
 It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.
In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.


Diary of a wimpy kid: the ugly truth, bk. 5 by Jeff KinneyDiary of a wimpy kid: the ugly truth, bk. 5 by Jeff Kinney
               The massively funny fifth book in the bestselling and award-winning "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up. But is getting older really all it's cracked up to be? Suddenly Greg is dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older. And after a fight with his best friend Rowley, it looks like Greg is going to have to face the "ugly truth" all by himself...




     

Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-popular party girl, bk. 2 by Rachel Renée Russell

Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-popular party girl, bk. 2 by Rachel Renée Russell
               Recipe for disaster: 4 parties. Add 2 friends and 1 crush. Divide by 1 mean girl out to RUIN Nikki. Mix well, put fingers over eyes, and CRINGE.
I thought it would NEVER happen, but my life is FINALLY going well for me. I’m adjusting to my new school and hanging out with my BFFs Chloe and Zoey. And, get this! My crush, Brandon, has asked ME to be his lab partner—a seriously awesome development. However, when I overhear mean girl MacKenzie bragging that Brandon’s taking HER to the Halloween dance, I’m totally BUMMED and sign-up instead to spend Halloween at a kid’s party with my bratty, little sister, Brianna.
Lucky for me, I find out Mackenzie is lying and my dream of going to the party with Brandon could become a reality! But, can I juggle TWO events at the exact same time and survive a wacky assortment of trials, tribulations and disasters?!! HELP!!!

Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-talented pop star, bk 3 by Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-talented pop star, bk 3 by Rachel Renée Russell           
Nikki’s Road to Stardom Checklist:
[Tick] Diva showdown
[Tick] BFF feud
[Tick] Talented entourage to back up VIP (Very Important Pop Star!)
Just when I was starting to get used to life at my new school, this talent competition could change everything!






Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-happy heartbreaker, bk. 6 by Rachel Renée Russell

Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-happy heartbreaker, bk. 6 by Rachel Renée Russell
               It’s the biggest dance of the year and I am HOPING my crush, Brandon, (shhhh!!) wants to be my date. But time is running out. What if he doesn’t say yes? Or worse . . . what if he’s waiting for MacKenzie?!! It’s time for me and my BFFs, Chloe and Zoey to tackle the topic of love, Dork Diaries style! SQUEEEE!!!!



Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-glam TV star, bk. 7 by Rachel Renée Russell

Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-glam TV star, bk. 7 by Rachel Renée Russell               Everyone’s been rooting for me and my crush, Brandon—and now I can FINALLY write all about what did – or didn’t – happen with our first kiss!
Sighhhhh. There’s a LOT happening right now! A reality TV crew is following me and my friends as we record our hit song together, plus there are voice lessons, dance practice, and my little sister Brianna’s latest wacky hijinks (they NEVER end).
I’m sure I’ve got this…but I hope all of this excitement won’t cause new problems for me and Brandon…eek!!




Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-happily ever after, bk. 8 by Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-happily ever after, bk. 8 by Rachel Renée Russell
              After a bump on the head in gym class on April Fool’s Day, Nikki has a wild dream in which she, her BFFs Chloe and Zoey, her crush Brandon, and mean girl Mackenzie all end up playing the roles of some familiar classic fairy tale characters. Of course, the stories don’t go quite as expected—because they each have a very special Dork Diaries spin!







Young Adult


Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

               Z lie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Or sha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could've imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too. Now, Z lie struggles to unite the maji in an Or sha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Or sha, Z lie must fight to secure Amari's right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy's wrath. With civil war looming on the horizon, Z lie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Or sha tears itself apart. Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the stunning sequel to Tomi Adeyemi's New York Times-bestselling debut Children of Blood and Bone, the first book in the Legacy of Or sha trilogy.

Lost, book 2 by P.C. Cast

Lost, book 2 by P.C. Cast               Things have settled down at the Tulsa House of Night since Zoey and the gang closed the tear between worlds and sent Other Kevin back to the Other World. Neferet hasn't stirred. Damien and Jack are falling in love all over again. Stevie Rae and Rephaim are back in Tulsa where they belong. The Depot Restaurant is being rebuilt with the enthusiastic involvement of local humans. A new school year has begun, and Zoey's exchange student program with public schools is really taking off. All is well. But if all is well, why is Zoey increasingly withdrawn and moody? Sadly, Stark is sure he knows the answer to that question. Zoey can't stop thinking about following her brother to the Other World, and Stark isn't deluding himself about why. Of course, she wants to be sure her brother is okay. Of course, she wants to help defeat Neferet in yet another world and be sure the balance between Light and Darkness is restored. But the real reason Z is so drawn to that other House of Night world is because Heath Luck, her childhood sweetheart, is alive in that world-alive and mourning her death. In Lost, we follow Zoey, Stevie Rae, and Rephaim to an alternative version of the House of Night, where dangers take the form of friends and allies are found in the strangest places. Will Z return to our world and leave Heath to his? And if she does, will Stark forgive her for leaving? Find out in the second part of this exciting new House of Night Other World adventure!

Forgotten, book 3 by P.C. Cast

Forgotten, book 3 by P.C. Cast               Before he was freed by Neferet, Kalona was imprisoned within the earth for centuries because of the Darkness in his heart. But what happened to the Other World's Kalona? It's as though he's been forgotten, or maybe he never existed at all.
In the present, Other Neferet may have left her House of Night, but she has far from given up her goal of immortality and world domination. As she operates in secret to gain access to Old Magick, the new High Priestess, Anastasia Langford, works toward peace and acceptance for the vampyres of the Other World. But just as Other Kevin's broken heart will take time to heal, peace in that world will also take time and work--and not all of the Other World vampyres want peace. After all, why should they return to being shunned by humans, especially when they've had a taste of how it feels to be in power?

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan               Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire. In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back and this time it's Lei they're after -- the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king's interest. Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learns the skills and charm that befit a king's consort. There, she does the unthinkable -- she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world's entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan               In this mesmerizing sequel to the New York Times bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped their oppressive lives in the Hidden Palace, but soon learn that freedom comes with a terrible cost.Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel Demon King wasn't the end of the plan---it's just the beginning. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei's head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren apart from within. Meanwhile, an evil plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?

Friday, December 6, 2019

Jennie's Christmas Mercantile

Season's Greetings Everyone!

It is the most wonderful time of the year and we are bringing to you some amazing vendors that have holiday gifts ready for you!

Our Christmas Mercantile is Saturday, December 14th from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. We do still have some booths open and the fee is $40.

As of Noon on December 6th, these are our vendors:

  • Thirty-One Gifts, Whitney Williams
  • Damsel in Defense, Martha Downing
  • Season Frost Art
  • Lorraine's Unique Jewelry, Music & Cards
  • Trina's Creations
  • Pink Zebra, Barbara Donnelly
  • Bee Creative & Beadit
  • Author, L.A. Smith
  • Ariel Inspired, Susan Dawson
  • Color Street, Rebecca Clinard
  • Mary Kay, Joyce Waggoner
  • ToJo Creek
  • Doterra, Lynn Wheatley
  • Partylite, MaryAnn Parish

To our community and patrons, PLEASE come out and support this fundraiser. We value the time and energy that our vendors are bringing for this event. 

There will be many different things available at the mercantile, sure to be something for everyone. Come out, bring a friend, and tell a friend.


The most up to date information can be found on the FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

November was fast!

Seems like just yesterday I was typing up the monthly weblog for October, but here we are.

November had a lot going on with Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving along with the NaNoWriMo.

November Events
               For NaNoWriMo we had 2 writers take on the challenge. And it was a challenge. Both writers learned a lot about themselves and how research when writing can determine how well the story is developed.

               This was a month long event with special days to get together. It was enjoyable. Next year we hope to have many more involved. (Stayed tuned for a Facebook poll at the beginning of the year.)

               We had a Thanksgiving themed Story time this past month as well. Our director enjoyed reading to the children and then making turkeys.

November Fundraiser Status
               At the beginning of the month we met the $500 match and were able to order the first phase of our new shelves. WE CAN NOT WAIT!

               We have an immeasurable amount of gratitude to those that have already donated and contributed. Thank you!

               We currently have $505 towards phase 2. Just need $495 more to get the second set of shelves ordered. It would be awesome to reach our goal before the end of December.

               We are hoping the first set will be here before Christmas. It is SO very exciting. (Just think, more room for more books!)

Future Events
               December 12th from 4-6 we will have craft and then StoryTime with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Our favorite jolly couple will be here at 5. We do request a $10 donation per family.

               December 14th from 10-4 is our Jennie's Christmas Mercantile. Several vendors will be here with MANY different gift items Please make sure to come and support them.

               In January we will be having a Story Time hosted by Ms. Jennifer. Look out for more information concerning that.

               (Would you be interested in hosting a story time for our kids? They really love it. It would involve reading and a small craft. Let us know!)

November New Patrons
               We made new friends in November! 23 new friends to be exact. 13 adult friends and 10 juvenile friends. We are glad to enlarge our library community.

November Circulation
               213 books were checked out! Way to go guys.
               47 DVDs were checked out. Do I hear movie night? We have a LOT of movies to choose from.
               6 CD-Books were checked out. These are awesome for our commuters.

               70 Computers were used. So very glad that our community can come and use the computers and access the Internet for free (just need a library card). We have seen our patrons apply for jobs, look for places to rent, work on schoolwork, and a lot more.

               Unfortunately, since January 1, 2019 we have 44 items overdue. Please make sure to return your items so others can use them.

November New Resources
               We added 51 new resources to our collection in November. 18 were purchased new the rest were donated. Thank you!

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Here come December Events!


It's hard to believe that 2019 is almost gone!

Before it is though, we have some fun events coming up.

December 12th Mr. and Mrs. Claus are going to stop by for a visit for an afternoon story time. At 4 pm, we will have a Christmas story and craft with the Jolly elf and his wife. Make sure to bring your camera for pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. There is a $10 suggested donation per family.

December 14th Jennie's Christmas Mercantile will be in full swing from 10 am - 4 pm. Make sure to stop by and get your last minute Christmas shopping done. We want to support the vendors that are supporting us.

Please note that we will be closed December 24, 25, and 26 so that our staff and volunteers can spend time with their families.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Thank you! Don't Stop

At the end of September, we shared the post - We are growing, and you can help.

The gist of the post is that our library is growing and we need to add shelves in our fiction and our genealogy/local history areas.
Current display area where shelves
will be added in

So an awesome update!

The Friends of White Bluff offered a matching grant if we raised $500 towards are goal. On November 8th we reached $500 making our total $1000. We notified Tennsco and ordered phase one of our shelving.

We are looking forward to getting the new shelves and filling them.

Phase one of the shelving will add shelves in the fiction area. Currently it is where we have had a table with displays on it or our used book sale. (Never fear, our displays/book-sales are just relocating to other areas that are better suited for them.)
Non-fiction shelves

The shelves we will be installing match what we have used with our paperback books and our nonfiction books. These shelves will allow much needed space for our existing collection and continue to allow us to grow.

As you are able to see in the pictures, the metal shelves are tall and provide a lot of shelving space. This is great to add to our fiction section as we grow and have room.

We aren't finished, though.

We still are eager to get the shelves in the genealogy and local history section completed with a workstation. We are still working toward getting another $1000.

We have recently had people stop by looking into the history of the county and while they were able to take the reference materials to our sitting area, they would have loved it if the workstation was already in place.

How can you help?
Paperback shelves and Fiction

You can donate at The Jennie Woodworth Library in person. (We can take cash or check.)

You can participate in our fundraisers. The Jennie's Christmas Mercantile is December 14th 10-4 here at the Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center. Our story time on December 12th with Mr. & Mrs. Claus is also a fundraiser. ($10 donation per family suggested)

You can spread the word!

The Jennie Woodworth Library is supported by our patrons and community partners. We could not do what we do without you as a rural library. We appreciate everyone that contributes to our library and the programs that we are able to provide to the community.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Goodbye October! Hello November.


Image may contain: people sitting, table and indoorWe had a fun October!

There were several new additions to our library. Including 2 new volunteers! If you are here when Melba or Wade are, please give them a great big welcome! (We really love our volunteers! They are what keeps us going.)

The Johnson Family also had a work day and moved things around in the library to make a seating area for our patrons to be able to sit and enjoy the ambiance of our library. We also have tables and chairs that can be used for work or study.


October Events –
Story time for the Not So Scary Costume PartyWe had a Not So Scary Costume Party where several came out and were wearing their costumes. We appreciate Stephanie Crowder and Molly Hawkins doing the story time and craft. We had 37 in attendance.


October Fundraiser Status -
We are also doing a fundraiser so that we can add more shelves. Our overall goal is $2000. Currently, The Friends of White Bluff has committed $500 towards our goal as long as we get $500 raised on our own. As of this posting, we are at $460. Just need $40 more to get the match.

The great news here? Once we have $1000 we can proceed with phase one of the shelving.


Jennie's Christmas Mercantile December 14Future Events - 
In December we are having the Jennie's Christmas Mercantile December 14th from 10-4. We have openings for vendors and all the information is on the Facebook Event, Jennie's Christmas Mercantile


October New Patrons –
               We welcomed 26 new patrons. 8 Juvenile and 18 Adult. It is so wonderful to have new patrons of our library. We want everybody to know we are here and are a valuable resource to the community.        

October Circulation –
               319 books were checked out! Way to go guys.

               57 DVDs were checked out. Do I hear movie night? We have a LOT of movies to choose from.

               13 CD-Books were checked out. These are awesome for our commuters.

               71 Computers were used. So very glad that our community can come and use the computers and access the Internet for free (just need a library card). We have seen our patrons apply for jobs, look for places to rent, work on schoolwork, and a lot more.

               Unfortunately, since January 1, 2019 we have 48 items overdue. Please make sure to return your items so others can use them.

October New Resources –
               We have 62 new/new to us items added into our inventory.  48 Books, 7 DVDs, and 7 CD-Books. This is made possible by our community supporting our library. Of these additions, only 14 were purchased brand new. We appreciate the donations from our community.

               We accepted gently used materials that are in good condition. Currently we would really like to add to our CD-Book collection. There are many commuters in the area that enjoy listening to books while driving.


November Events -
November Event Calendar at Jennie Woodworth Library
Make sure to check out our events this month. We are proudly a Come Write In location for NaNoWriMo.org and will be having a couple events associated with it. We also have a story time coming up too.

We will see YOU at the library.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Fresh Fiction in the Young Adult Section






Young Adult

We always try to make sure to cover the bases with our patrons. Earlier in the week we shared the new books that are for the "adults". Now here are the books new in the Young Adult section. (ssshhh, our director prefers books in YA, just remember it's the genre classification.)

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin CraigHouse of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next. 

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie StiefvaterShiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. 

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
the longing.
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being a human.

the linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater
Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater
then.
When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.
That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment--a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.