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!

Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson – A follow-up to the best-selling Be Frank with Me follows the experiences of a former Yale student whose life at a 1930s Reno divorce ranch is upended by a shy woman and a thrice-divorced pilot.

Martha Stewart’s Very Good Things: Simple Tips and Genius Ideas for an Easier and More Beautiful Life
by Martha Stewart – The premier American lifestyle expert and television personality shares practical tips and clever solutions for making life easier and more delicious such as infusing vinegar with herb blossoms and using lip balm to free a stuck zipper.

The Prophets by Robert Jr. Jones – Two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation find refuge in each other while transforming a quiet shed into a haven for their fellow slaves, before an enslaved preacher declares their bond sinful.

All the Colors of Night by Jayne Anne Krentz – A sequel to The Vanishing finds a young man with rare crystal-energy abilities partnering with a disgraced paranormal artifacts finder to track down a mysterious relic that may be tied to a parent’s sudden coma.

Neighbors by Danielle Steel – Opening her home to neighbors in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, a reclusive woman inadvertently triggers events that reveal secrets, divide relationships and forge new bonds among strangers. By the best-selling author of All That Glitters.

American Traitor by Brad Taylor – Assisting a witness’s flight from murderous foreign agents, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill uncover a plot to trigger a war between China and Taiwan by destabilizing the latter’s government and digital defenses.

The Push by Ashley Audrain – A devoted mother with a painful past gradually realizes that something is very wrong with her daughter, a fear that is complicated by her husband’s dismissive views and the birth of a healthy son.

Twenty by James Grippando – A nightmarish shooting at their daughter’s school finds Jack Swyteck and his law-enforcement officer wife, Andie, investigating a chief suspect’s alleged ties to Al Qaeda amid growing anti-Muslim fervor.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins – Supplementing her modest income by stealing small valuables from her gated-community clients, a broke dog-walker endeavors to win the heart of a wealthy bachelor before learning his late wife’s own rags-to-riches story.

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour – An unambitious college graduate accepts a job at Sumwun, the hottest NYC startup, and reimagines himself as “Buck” a ruthless salesman and begins to hatch a plan to help young people of color infiltrate America’s sales force.

Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg – A sequel to Lost Hills finds Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detective Eve Ronin investigating the cold-case disappearance and death of a woman whose remains are found in the aftermath of a Santa Monica Mountains fire.

~Semanur~

Discover Winter Indoors & Out @RRPL

DoriLeave a comment

It’s a new month, a new year, with Winter and the long months of January and February providing a time to either snuggle in for contemplation and calm, or to go outdoors for a chilly adventure. Either way, here are a few books, tips, and links that can guide your journey.

If you want to stay in and stay warm, you can get through the Winter by cooking: bake a pie, sip a hot toddy, roast some vegetables or make a pot of soup. There’s a resurgence of fondue recipes – who can resist dipping things into a big pot of cheese?

What about crafting, putting together food for the birds, learning knitting, or making paper snowflakes?Wouldn’t it be fun to make homemade valentines this year? RealSimple has some punny ideas for adults.

Self-care is essential right now: burn some scented candles, enjoy a bubble bath, drink tea and read (always recommended), try a few puzzles (come and get one at the library) or word games. You just need a blanket, and some fuzzy slippers. It’s also time for some resolutions – they don’t need to be about change, but can just be about learning – taking on a new hobby, signing up for an online class, participating in a book club, or starting seeds from scratch.

If you’re game to venture outdoors, go hiking! The Cleveland Metroparks is beautiful this time of year and they even have a Winter Bucket List that you can participate in!

Grab your binoculars and find what birds live in your neighborhood. While you’re out and about, try to identify animal tracks. Or go out at night and learn about the constellations.

The next time it snows, go take a look at snowflakes up close. Then return inside, snug with a cup of hot chocolate, and read the book Snowflake Bentley, a lovely book about the man who first photographed snowflakes.

The Winter might be long, but there is so much to do!

~ Dori

Time for New Year’s Resolutions! Maybe…..?

SaraCLeave a comment

I’m terrible at sticking to resolutions. So terrible in fact, that I no longer make them. But maybe this year can be different? I’d love it if just about everything in 2021 was different than 2020, so maybe a few resolutions are in order. But after the year we’ve had, I think it’s time to make resolutions about things that we WANT to do rather than ones about stopping things we think are bad for us. This article by Arthur C. Brooks in The Atlantic, says that when we make resolutions, the thing we are almost always trying to improve is our happiness. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/12/new-years-resolutions-will-make-you-happier/617439/

The reason many resolutions fail is that we discover striving for that one thing– weight loss, a daily workout routine, eating whole foods doesn’t actually make us happy. Most of our resolutions can be good things to strive for as part of the overall goal of improving our lives, but many of these things need not be goals in and of themselves if being more content is really what we want. This article speaks of setting resolutions around goals such as forgiveness and practicing mindful gratitude. Focusing on what has gone right rather than dwelling on what has gone wrong, and giving people the gift of forgiveness (whether they asked for it or not), with the main purpose of gaining peace for ourselves. Sound like a selfish reason to offer forgiveness? That’s ok! We all deserve a little self-love and to put ourselves and our mental health first sometimes.

I like that broader idea of setting resolutions around things that promote self-care such as gratitude and forgiveness, but those can be a little abstract for me. I need some concrete resolutions that I can cross off my list. Things like make one new recipe every month, try a new local restaurant for carryout once a month, try to spend 15 minutes in nature every day (even if it’s just a walk around the block), take a nap on your day off, and actually use all those fancy bath bombs that you got in your stocking. And of course, the best kind of concrete resolutions for many of us involve reading. I’m setting a challenge for myself of two books a month-one that is new and the other that is something I’ve always wanted to read but haven’t gotten around to yet. So often books get pushed down my list by newer ones until they fall off altogether. At the end of this post are a few titles that I’d like to try.

It is a lot more fun setting resolutions around things that you actually want to do rather than things “that would be good for you.” Give it a try, but remember the most important part- your goal in setting these is to improve your happiness and quality of life- so be kind! If you don’t manage to do all the things you decided on, it’s ok. So, skip that one and catch it next time–your resolutions are yours alone, and since they focus on things that bring you joy, you can have all the time in the world to complete them. 🙂

My 5 Star Top Ten List

brubakerbLeave a comment

2020 has been a year in which I read many trilogies:  Shades of Magic by Schwab, Lady Astronaut series by Kowal, Star Trek: The Janus Gate by Graf, The Broken Earth by Jemisin, and The Dam Keeper by Kondo and Tsutsumi

My top 10 list (in chronological order that I read them)

The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson

(A sequel to Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain, which takes the thrills to the next exciting step.)

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

(What makes us the wise man of the ape species?)

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

(Each of the three books in the ongoing series so far are 5 stars in my opinion. I love the alternative history space race that is firmly rooted in real science and math.)

Blacksad written by Juan Diaz Canales with art by Juanjo Guarnido

(This is a film noir detective story with animal characters. It is a bit like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

(The middle volume with a sort of Olympics for Magicians is the peak)

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark

(This is a slim steampunk adventure set in Cairo by a hot speculative fiction writer.)

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

(A classic text of the ’60s Civil Rights era that is still useful for understanding current racial tensions in America.)

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

(A great start to her Hugo Award winning trilogy with a couple nice twists near the end.)

The Dam Keeper: Return from the Shadows by Robert Kondo and ‘Dice’ Tsutsumi

(Perhaps this ending of the trilogy with its community joining together is the best part.)

Citizen Illegal by Jose Olivarez

(This is a poetry book recommended by the virtual book club on this blog as a book to start the conversation about immigration.)

-Byron

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

Hush-Hush by Stuart Woods – New York City cop turned Manhattan law firm rainmaker, Stone Barrington, lands in hot water in a highly anticipated latest installment in the best-selling series by the Edgar Award-winning author of Chiefs .

Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd – Sentenced to life in prison for a murder she did not commit, 18-year-old Evelyn escapes and works under an alias at a wilderness camp, where her chance at revenge is complicated by a former employer’s mysterious connections.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict – Claiming amnesia after going missing for more than a week in late 1926, up-and-coming mystery author Agatha Christie pens a chilling story that brashly implicates her war-hero husband. By the author of The Other Einstein.

Under the Alaskan Ice by Karen Harper – A sequel to Deep in the Alaskan Woods finds a young widow assisting a pilot in the wake of a bush plane crash, before an unknown adversary begins sabotaging the pilot’s investigation in the Alaskan wilderness.

The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher – An off-kilter narrator witnesses the slow unraveling of a couple’s strained marriage that erupts in unexpected ways, in a chilling tale of domestic suspense by the best-selling author of The Wives . 

Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane – Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?

The Case for Keto: Rethinking Weight Control and the Science and Practice of Low-carb/High-Fat Eating by Gary Taubes – The best-selling author of Why We Get Fat and The Case Against Sugar reveals why the established rules about eating healthy might be the wrong approach to weight loss for millions of people, and how low-carbohydrate, high-fat/ketogenic diets can help so many of us achieve and maintain a healthy weight for life.

The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman – A professional spy for a mysterious Library which harvests fiction from different realities, Irene faces a series of assassination attempts that threaten to destroy her and everything she has worked for.

Watch Her by Edwin Hill – Investigating a suspicious burglary and the disappearances of Prescott University alumni, Harvard librarian Hester Thursby and Detective Angela White uncover financial transgressions, rumors of infidelity and a decades-old tragedy. By the author of Little Comfort.

Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves – Tending her veterinarian father’s Hertfordshire racing pigeons while waiting for her best friend to return from World War II, Olive is recruited into the Baker Street covert branch of British Intelligence before investigating the murder of a local busybody.

~Semanur~

Reconnect@RRPL – Some End of Year Recommendations

carolLeave a comment

I can’t let 2020 end without sharing two of my most recent obsessions with you, that you too, ahem, can also realize courtesy of your local library.

First up is a book that would have made my “Top Ten of 2020” post, had I read it earlier. Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen was my Christmas weekend read and I’m still reeling from this gut-puncher of a debut. This dark and darkly comic novel is told over the course of a single work-week through eyes of Majella, a 27-year-old woman who works at the local chip shop. Majella lives with her alcoholic mom in fictional Aghybogey, Ireland, a depressed border town where tensions between Catholics and Protestants run deep and violent. Majella, who might be autistic, is just trying to figure out the changing world around her. In the week after her grandmother has been murdered, Majella is desperate to carry on with her usual routine, and returns to work. There, her descriptions of a typical night in the chip shop provide a razor-sharp commentary on her small-town and its inhabitants, and on her own life’s painful history. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. Place your hold in our catalog.

My second new obsession has been watching A Suitable Boy, a BBC television drama based on a (over 1,300 page!) 1993 novel by Vikram Seth, set in 1951 in a newly-independent India. This six-part miniseries is the coming-of-age story of Lata, a university student who is torn between her family duty, religious loyalty and love, as three very different men try to win her heart. This show has it all: lush settings, a lesson in Indian history, great music, and romance, of course! Acorn released episode five today and I cannot wait to watch it. Did I mention that I stream Acorn (including this show) for free from the library? You can, too! Click here to get started.

And, until next time, Happy New Year! ~Carol

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

In Case You Get Hit By a Bus: A Plan to Organize Your Life Now For When You’re Not Around Later by Abby Schneiderman/ Adam Seifer/ Gene Newman – A practical guide based on first-person experience with sudden loss shares advice for how to protect loved ones through proactive legal measures, discussing such topics as personal finances, funeral arrangements and legal safeguards.

Growing Under Cover: Techniques for a More Productive, Weather-Resistant, Pest-free Vegetable Garden by Niki Jabbour – Best-selling author Niki Jabbour provides an essential, in-depth guide to creating controlled growing spaces for productive vegetable gardening, using row covers, shade cloth, low tunnels, cold frames, hoop-houses, and more.

Friendshipping: The Art of Finding Friends, Being Friends, and Keeping Friends by Jenn Bane/ Trin Garritano/ Jean Wei – Humorous and sincere, this book of advice, illustrated throughout, presents the tips and tools readers need to make new friends and improve the quality of existing friendships.

Knit Happy With Self-Striping Yarn: Bright, Fun and Colorful Sweaters and Accessories Made Easy by Stephanie Lotven – The knitwear designer and the founder of Tellybean Knits shows knitters and crafters of any level how to incorporate playful whimsy into sweaters, hats, gloves and more through multi-color stripes and shapes.

Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden by Jessica Walliser – Reflecting the latest research on how plants influence and communicate with each other, the author offers a research-based guide to companion planting&;a gardening method that uses strategic plant partnerships to improve crop yields and outsmart pests.

1000 Japanese Knitting & Crochet Stitches by Nihon Vogue & Gayle Roehm – This book is a treasure trove of needlecraft patterns and motifs for experienced knitters and crocheters seeking to create and better understand the infinite variety of their craft. This Japanese reference work is beloved by knitters the world over, and the English version will allow even more crafters to enjoy these techniques.

Rick Steves Istanbul: With Ephesus & Cappadocia by Lale Surmen Aran & Tankut Aran – A comprehensive guide to exploring Istanbul, from domed churches and mosques to Turkish baths and whirling dervishes, including top sights and hidden gems, the best places to eat and sleep, detailed neighborhood maps, packing lists and a phrase book.

The Great British Baking Show: Love to Bake by Paul Hollywood / Prue Leith – The Great British Baking Show: Love to Bake Throughout the book, judges’ recipes from Paul and Prue will hone your skills, while lifelong favorites from the 2020 bakers offer insight into the journeys that brought the contestants to the Bake Off tent and the reasons why they – like you – love to bake.

~Semanur~