Holiday Books

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!

THE HOUSE OF CROSS

In Washington, DC, as the president-elect prepares for her inauguration, Detective Alex Cross is thrust into a high-stakes investigation when multiple Supreme Court candidates are murdered; tasked with delving into the mind of a cunning killer, Cross must confront the most dangerous aspects of his work for the sake of his family, city, and nation.

CHRISTMAS IN BETHEL

The New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Box returns with another quiet tale of parental love, the sacrifices they are willing to make for their children and the true meaning of Christmas.

CITY OF NIGHT BIRDS

After a career-halting accident, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg to confront her past and to decide whether to rejoin the stage amidst the cutthroat world of Russian ballet.

AMBER ALERT

An explosive portrait of Dirty South revenge, triple-dealing, and crimes of passion as a suburban mom’s high-end criminal past comes back to haunt her, endangering her children and propelling her into a high-stakes game she remembers all too well.

THE ICON & THE IDEALIST

Examines the intense rivalry between Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett in the early 20th century, revealing how their conflicting visions for reproductive rights and birth control access significantly influenced American women’s lives and shaped the broader movement for reproductive freedom.

BETTY CROCKER FOUND RECIPES

From Betty Crocker, the brand beloved by generations of Americans, a carefully curated treasure trove of more than 100 favorite vintage recipes found in the Betty Crocker archives, dusted off and so delicious you’ll love them on today’s table.

DEATH TAKES THE LEAD

APRIL 1891: Prudence MacKenzie is delighted to attend a riveting rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands with her dear friend, Lydia Truitt, whose cousin, Septimus Ward, stars in the play. But the drama continues after the curtain falls, as the women overhear a ferocious argument between Septimus and the play’s famous playwright-director, Barrett Hughes.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

IN TOO DEEP

Waking up handcuffed in a dark hospital room with no memory, Reacher finds himself framed for a murder, setting the stage for an explosive reckoning, in the latest addition to the long-running series following The Secret.

KARLA’S CHOICE

George Smiley, John le Carré’s most famous spy, is drawn out of retirement in 1963 to investigate a missing man tied to a Russian defector, leading him back into the perilous world of espionage and his most cunning adversary’s secrets.

PATRIOT

A political freedom fighter who paid the ultimate price for his convictions recounts his political career, the many attempts on his life and the lives of the people closest to him and the relentless campaign he and his team waged against an increasingly dictatorial regime.

BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT

Seattle attorney Keera Duggan helps former childhood friend Jenna Bernstein, a disgraced biotech CEO accused of murdering her former partner, amidst rising doubts and circumstantial evidence in the second novel of the series following Her Deadly Game.

THE WOOD AT MIDWINTER

From an internationally bestselling and prize-winning author comes a short story set in the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET

A fan of mystery novels investigates a real-life murder when the benefactor of a world-famous magician turns up dead in the days leading up to Christmas and all the suspects are masters of illusion and misdirection.

DREAMING OF AUTUMN SKIES

Caroline, living with her domineering grandfather, embarks on a determined campaign to reclaim her power and independence, vowing to overcome her past suffering in the third novel of the series following Chasing Endless Summer.

~Semanur

Semanur’s Top Ten of 2023

semanurLeave a comment

As we approach the conclusion of 2023, it’s not just the turning of a calendar page—it’s a moment of reflection. Today, I invite you to step into my literary sanctuary as I unveil a curated selection of my favorite books from this year.

Shielding herself from the world behind the safety of her camera lens, photographer Ayah Fleming is pulled into the past when she returns home and uncovers the truth about her descendants with the help of a man who makes her long for a brighter future.

Sent into an arranged marriage, Tan Yunxian, forbidden to continue her work as a midwife-in-training as well as see her forever friend Meiling, is ordered to act like proper wife and seeks a way to continue treating women and girls from every level of society in 15th-century China.
From the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace comes a look at the school-to-prison pipeline and life in the juvenile “justice” system.
Drawing on 30 years of experience, a renowned cat behavior scientist references historical records and examines modern scientific studies of cat-human communication to reveal previously unexplored secrets of how cats all over the world have learned to talk to us.
In 1974, Paris perfumer Radha, on the cusp of a breakthrough, travels to India where she enlists the help of her sister and the courtesans of Agra, who use the power of fragrance to seduce, while finally confronting a past secret, which threatens her already vulnerable marriage.
Based on a true story and a five-million-word secret journal, this extraordinary work of fiction follows an orphaned heiress, banished from India to England, and a brilliant, troublesome tomboy who meet at the Manor School for young ladies in 1805 York where they fall secretly, deeply and dangerous in love.
Accused of murder, an enslaved woman goes on the run with an abolitionist schoolteacher in the fall of 1863, dodging constables and slave catchers, in the new novel by the New York Times best-selling author of If I Disappear.
In the years before the Civil War, Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, struggles through the miles-long march, seeks comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother, opening herself to a world beyond this world.
In 1921 Penang, when Willie, a famed writer and old friend of her husband’s, arrives for an extended stay, Lesley, as her friendship with Willie grows, makes a dangerous decision to confide in him about life in the Straits, including her relationship with a charismatic Chinese revolutionary a confession that has devastating consequences.
As WWII ends, Elise returns to Paris to reunite with her daughter only to find her friend Juliette, the woman she entrusted her daughter with, has seemingly vanished without a trace, which leads Elise on a desperate search to New York and to Juliette one final, fateful time.
~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!

BEHIND THE SEAMS

Showcasing the music legend’s most unforgettable looks from the 1960s until now, this stunningly photographed book displays Dolly Parton’s iconic sense of style along with entertaining personal anecdotes that, for the first time, reveal the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion.

THE EXCHANGE

In this explosive sequel to The Firm, Mitch, a partner at the largest law firm in the world, is asked for a favor by a mentor in Rome that plunges him into a sinister plot that has global implications and once against places everyone he holds dear in danger.

THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS

Arriving in Avalon, New York, to drop rescue puppies off at their forever homes, Brenda Malloy is trapped in the town by a blinding snowstorm, an escaped mutt and a life-saving encounter with a single dad and paramedic who restores her faith in Christmas and love.

THE SISTERHOOD

In this thrilling new perspective on history, the New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls turns her attention the women of the CIA who fought to become operatives, transformed spy craft and provided the data analysis that helped track down Bin Laden in his Pakistani compound.

THE HOUSE OF DOORS

In 1921 Penang, when Willie, a famed writer and old friend of her husband’s, arrives for an extended stay, Lesley, as her friendship with Willie grows, makes a dangerous decision to confide in him about life in the Straits, including her relationship with a charismatic Chinese revolutionary a confession that has devastating consequences.

UP ON THE WOOF TOP

When best-selling author Dame Ariadne Carlisle’s lead reindeer Rudy—and her good luck charm—goes missing, Chet the dog and his human partner Bernie, while searching for Rudy, find their seemingly simple case turning into a murder investigation when Dame Ariadne’s personal assistant plunges to her death.

DISTANT SONS

A group of people, still traumatized by the disappearance of three young boys in the 1970s, converge in a small Wisconsin town after a chain of random events culminates in violence and reveals long-buried secrets.

~semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are many exciting new book releases coming and you don’t want to miss it…

The Choice

When the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in a dream, practicing black magick and sacrificing the innocent, Breen, united with Keegan and all of Talamh, must save those in need of rescue and, with every weapon she has, confront the darkness once and for all.

The Whittiers

When a devastating tragedy takes their parents from them, the eldest four adult Whittier children must put aside their personal issues and grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings.

Hunting Time

A wealthy entrepreneur hires Colter Shaw to track down and protect his employee, Allison Parker, a brilliant engineer, who is on the run from her ex-husband with her teenage daughter, in the fourth novel of the series following Hunting Time.

A Christmas Memory

Reeling from the loss of his brother in Vietnam, Richard moves with his family from California to his grandmother’s abandoned house in Utah where he finds the holiday spirit with the help of an elderly neighbor and his dog.

NYPD RED 7

When a network of professional assassins, trained by the U.S. military, terrorize New York City, NYPD Red detectives Kylie MacDonald and Zach Jordan must hunt down these elusive mercenaries—the biggest challenge they’ve ever faced, which forever changes their lives.

The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book

Hand-picking the keenest insights and funniest exchanges from 84 episodes of the groundbreaking streaming series, this gorgeously designed and carefully curated book collects casual yet intimate conversations with the funniest people alive, becoming the most important historical archive about the art of comedy ever amassed.

Defending Alice: A Novel of Love and Race in the Roaring Twenties

Roaring Twenties New York society is set ablaze when a working-class black woman marries the son of a wealthy, prominent family and makes international headlines after he sues for annulment accusing her of hiding her “Negro blood.”

All the Blood We Share: A Novel of the Bloody Benders of Kansas

The family of a gifted medium who can receive messages from Beyond are welcomed by the town of Cherrvale, but no one knows about their other business, in a novel based on the true story of old West serial killers.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder by William Shatner & Joshua Brandon – The beloved star of Star Trek and recent space traveler reflects on the interconnectivity of all things, our fragile bond with nature and the joy that comes from exploration.

Daughter of Darkness by Terry Brooks – After accepting her Fae heritage and escaping the sinister Goblin prison, Auris tries to live happily with her lover, Harlow, until the Goblin attacks begin again and she must uncover her still-shrouded past for answers and solutions.

The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken – After her mother’s death, the narrator, a writer, recalls all that made her complicated mother extraordinary and even though she wants to respect her mother’s nearly pathological sense of privacy, must decide whether chronicling this remarkable life is an act of love or betrayal.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan – Her life upended when her husband revealed a darker side, Olivia MacAfee and her teenage son Asher move back to her New Hampshire hometown for a new beginning until Asher is implicated in the death of his girlfriend and she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng – In a society consumed by fear, 12-year-old Bird Gardner, after receiving a mysterious letter, sets out on a quest to find his mother – a Chinese American poet who left when he was nine years old, leading him to NYC where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.

The Twelve Long, Hard, Topsy-turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas by James Patterson & Tad Safran – During the holiday season, a family of three, missing someone very dear to them, find their house filling up with unexpected guests, making Christmas memories to last a lifetime.

Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie Haberman – The Pulitzer-Prize-winning New York Times reporter chronicles the rise of our 45th president, from his days as a New York City real estate developer to vanguard of a new norm-shattering era in American political history.

Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery – Excited to regain her independence after sending her sisters off to college, Camryn Neff is not thrilled when a client tries to set her up with her son in the second novel of the series following The Christmas Wedding Guest.

Endless Summer by Elin Hilderbrand – Nine stories set in the universe of the best-selling author’s previous romance novels includes a visit with friends of Mallory Blessing three years after her death and Margot Carmichael encouraging her husband to reunite with his ex.

Righteous Prey by John Sandford – When a mysterious vigilante group known only as “The Five” starts targeting the very worst of society, using their unlimited resources to offset the damage done by those they’ve killed, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in to investigate – and destroy – this virtually untraceable group.

~semanur

New Books Tuesday @RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Take a look at some of the exciting new releases coming to our shelves in this week…

The Sleep Fix: Practical, Proven, and Surprising Solutions for Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, and More
by Diane Macedo – A renowned ABC News anchor/correspondent and former insomniac presents cutting-edge research, expert advice, intimate stories and easy-to-implement solutions to help millions of people get the sleep they need.

Silent Parade by Keigo Higashino, Keigo – When the suspected killer of two young girls—20 years apart—dies during the annual street festival, Detective Chief Inspector Kusanagi turns to his friend Detective Galileo to help solve the string of impossible to prove murders.

Jane Austen’s Lost Letters by Jane K. Cleland – When she comes into the possession of two previously unknown letters by Jane Austen, antiques appraiser Josie Prescott, as she sets out to authenticate these letters, learns that someone is willing to kill to keep her from finding out the truth.

Agent Sniper: The Cold War Super Agent and the Ruthless Head of the CIA by Tim Tate – This look at one of most important Cold War spies details how he was able to smuggle out a huge amount of Soviet bloc intelligence and military documents.

Everyday Trauma: Remapping the Brain’s Response to Stress, Anxiety, and Painful Memories for a Better Life by Tracey Shors – A neuroscientist explores how trauma impacts the brain, especially for women—and how we can learn to heal ourselves.

Tailored Brain, The: From Ketamine, to Keto, to Companionship, a User’s Guide to Feeling Better and Thinking Smarter by Emily Willingham – Helping us understand cognitive enhancement, a journalist and science writer explores the promises and limitations of well-known and emerging methods of brain customization, including new research on the power of your “social brain.”

Fixed: How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem Solving by Amy E. Herman – An art historian and attorney uses works of art to present a new paradigm for problem-solving that focuses on critical thinking skills to help recognize and overcome biases that prevent us from seeing problems clearly.

Creative Types: And Other Stories by Tom Bissell – Writers, video-game developers, actors and other creative types who see the world a little differently and are each on the verge of artistic and personal crises populate a new collection of stories from the best-selling co-author of The Disaster Artist.

~Semanur

Cookbooks for Thanksgiving Inspiration

NicoleLeave a comment

Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday (Halloween will always hold that title) but I do rather love an excuse to consume copious amounts of food, try out new recipes, and acceptably nap on the couch in the middle of a family gathering.

If you are in need of some Thanksgiving kitchen inspiration, take a look below at some of my recommended titles for creating and sharing a delicious feast with your friends and family. Whether you are hosting a large group, people with special diets, or perhaps you are attending an intimate gathering, there is something for everyone in this curated collection.

Request one of these fabulous cookbooks today or stop in and see us at the library. What are some of your favorite cookbooks to break out for the holidays? Share in the comments!

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are many exciting new book releases coming and you don’t want to miss it…

Will by Will Smith with Mark Manson – A product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, and a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind, in this memoir, one of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life.

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich – The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author presents this unusual novel in which a small independent bookstore in Minneapolis is haunted from November 2019 to November 2020 by the store’s most annoying customer.

A Christmas Legacy by Anne Perry – After her friend gets unceremoniously fired with no references right before the holidays, Gracie takes the recently-vacated job herself to try and figure out what happened in the latest novel of the series following A Christmas Resolution.

The Dark Hours  by Michael Connelly – LAPD Detective Reneé Ballard, investigating a New Year’s Eve murder along with an unsolved murder, teams up Detective Harry Bosch once again when their two cases—one old and one new—intersect, while an undetected killer watches their every move.

Dark Tarot by Christine Feehan – An ancient Carpathian, Sandu Berdardi, finally finds his life-mate when Adalasia explodes into his mind seamlessly and guides him on a dangerous quest while consulting her deck of cards in the latest addition to the series following Dark Song.

Heard It in a Love Song  by Tracey Garvis Graves – Newly divorced and lonely, Layla Hilding cautiously gets to know a newly-separated dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where she teaches music in the new novel from the best-selling author of The Girl He Used to Know.

Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King – A collection of short stories from the best-selling author of Writers & Lovers explores desire, heartache, loss and love in tales about a neglected teenage boy befriended by housesitting college students and a booksellers unspoken love for his employee.

Never by Ken Follett – Navigating terrorist attacks, illegal arms trading and smear campaigns, Pauline Green, the country’s first women president, is caught in a complex web of alliances with the most powerful counties that are being orchestrated by the enemy, and only those the most elite skills can stop the inevitable.

Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution by H. W. Brands – A best-selling historian presents a dramatic narrative of the American Revolution that reminds us that before America could win its revolution against Britain, the Patriots had to win a bitter civil war against family, neighbors and friends.

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski – In this personal exploration of feminism, sexuality and power, of men’s treatment of women and women’s rationalizations for accepting that treatment, the acclaimed model and actress presents essays that chronicle moments of her life while investigation culture’s fetishization of girls and female beauty.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Better Off Dead by Andrew Child & Lee Child – Jack Reacher doesn’t back down and doesn’t hesitate to teach someone a lesson when a shadowy crew picks a fight with the former US Army military police major in the latest novel of the series following The Sentinel.

Down the Hatch by M.C. Beaton & R. W. Green – Private detective Agatha Raisin, having recently taken up power-walking, is striding along a path in Mircester Park during her lunch break when she hears a cry for help. Rushing over, she finds an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Swinburn, in the middle of the green with the body of an old man lying at their feet.

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury – The #1 New York Times bestselling author of life-changing fiction brings her signature emotional, heart-tugging (Woman’s World) prose to this wise and worldly novel of forgiveness and hope in the City of Lights.

The Nameless Ones by John Connolly – From the international and instant New York Times bestselling author of The Dirty South, the white-knuckled Charlie Parker series returns with this heart-pounding race to hunt down the deadliest of war criminals. In Amsterdam, four bodies, violently butchered, are discovered in a canal house, the remains of friends and confidantes of the assassin known only as Louis.

Going There by Katie Couric – Heartbreaking, hilarious, and brutally honest, Going There is the deeply personal life story of a girl next door turned household name. The iconic media star discusses her professional and personal life, including losing her husband at a young age, her historic turn as anchor of the CBS Evening News, and experiences dealing with gender inequality.

As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall – The first in a thrilling new series from Emmy Award-winning TV Host and Journalist Tamron Hall, As The Wicked Watch follows a reporter as she unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two Black girls the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

The Unheard by Nicci French – In this new heart-pounding standalone from the internationally bestselling author that People calls “razor sharp,” a single mother suspects her young daughter has witnessed a horrible crime when she draws a disturbing picture but the deadly path to unravel the truth could cost her everything.

Renegades: Born in the USA by Barack Obama& Bruce Springsteen – Two longtime friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music, and their enduring love of America, with all its challenges and contradictions, in this stunningly produced expansion of their groundbreaking Higher Ground podcast, featuring more than 350 photographs, exclusive bonus content, and never-before-seen archival material.

The Wicked Widow by Beatriz Williams – While digging up dirt on a Presidential candidate at the behest of her 90-something society queen aunt, pregnant Ella Dommerich, with the help of her mysterious connection to a certain redheaded flapper, stands between a ruthless family and the prize it’s sought for generations.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan – Perfect for the holidays! A brand-new heartwarming Christmas novel from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas at the Island Hotel. 

Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg – A simple sting operation takes a violent and unexpected turn for Detective Eve Ronin in a gripping thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller – The captivating and powerful story of one man who banishes himself to a solitary life in the Arctic Circle, and is saved by good friends, a loyal dog, and a surprise visit that changes everything, in a novel that is both ceaselessly brilliant and pure delight.

~Semanur