#Romantic Comedy

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People by Tracy Kidder, Tracy – Tells the story of an inspiring doctor who made a difference by helping to create a program to care for Boston’s homeless community.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix – Forced to return to the small Southern town where she grew up to sell her late parents’ house, Louise discovers that her and her brother’s old grudges pale in comparison to the terror that still lurks within its walls.

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict – After her sister Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and her sister Unity follows Diana to Munich, inciting rumors that she’s become Hitler’s mistress, novelist Nancy Mitford, after uncovering disquieting documents, must make difficult choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.

The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston – As Constance finds her way back to New York City in the late 1800s to prevent the death of her siblings and stop serial killer, Dr. Enoch Leng, FBI Special Agent Pendergast desperately tries to find a way to reunite with her before it’s too late.

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon – When three teenagers – Hannah, a sweet girl with an unstable history; Jack, the popular kid with a mean streak; and Christopher – an outsider desperate to fit in – become suspects in the murder of a fellow student, their parents will do anything to protect them, even at the others’ expense.

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall – Twenty-two years after her best friend was attacked in the woods, surviving seventeen stab wounds, Naomi Shaw, who has a secret worth killing for, returns home when the man responsible dies in prison to find out what really happened, no matter how dangerous the truth may be.

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis – When she inherits a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B along with her ex-best friend Lauren and Knox, the guy who once broke her heart, Alice unexpectedly finds acceptance, true friendship and love as they work together to restore the inn to its former glory.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here we have some new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week! 

Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer – In this highly anticipated follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Less: A Novel, Arthur Less, after the death of an old lover and a sudden financial crisis, sets out on a literary adventure across the U.S. during which he must finally face his personal demons.

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout – Former married couple now lifelong friends, New Yorkers Lucy Barton and William, as a panicked world goes into lockdown, hunker down in a little house in Maine on the edge of the sea where they are faced with fear, struggles and isolation as well as hope, peace and possibilities.

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman – While Elizabeth is presented with a deadly mission—kill or be killed—the Thursday Murder Club and their unlikely new friends, including TV stars, money launderers and ex-KGB colonels, investigate two murders, 10 years apart, and must catch the culprit and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again.

A Truth to Lie For by Anne Perry – Britain’s MI6 sends Elena Standish on a dangerous mission to smuggle a breakthrough weapon in germ warfare out of Germany before the developers can tell Hitler it exists in the fourth novel of the series following A Darker Reality.

Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks – After his own musical career was tragically roadblocked, Colby Mills meets and falls for a graduate of a prestigious college music program looking to become a star in Nashville, in the new novel from the best-selling author of The Wish.

Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory – Accidentally and unknowingly having a one-night stand with her new employee the night before his first day, stressed out Napa Valley winery owner Margot Nobel tries to keep things purely professional, but fails miserably.

Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization by Neil deGrasse Tyson – Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, an astrophysicist discusses the scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently, sharing insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive in a universe stimulating a deeper sense of unity for us all.

Suspect by Scott Turow – Investigating the high-profile case of police chief Lucia Gomez, who is accused of soliciting sex for promotions to higher ranks, P.I. Clarice “Pinky” Granum must unravel the dark secrets of the people closest to Gomez, drawing her into the deepest recesses of the city’s criminal networks.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are tons of new releases that come to our shelves every week. Here are some books we picked out for you!

If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction, and Healing by Kathleen Buhle – The former wife of Hunter Biden discusses the heartbreaking collapse of her marriage to Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, which ended in 2017 amid his then then-secret struggles with addiction.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks – A scientist from Australia and a Nigerian-American art historian become connected by their shared interest in a 19th century race horse, one studying its remains, the other uncovering the history of the Black horsemen who were critical to its success.

The Friendship Pact by Jill Shalvis – Forming a friendship pact, Tae Holmes and former Marine—and her high school fling—Riggs Copeland try to track down the father Tae’s never met, leading them on a wild adventure during which they form a bond in a way neither had seen coming.

A Way Out of No Way: A Memoir of Truth, Transformation, and the New American Story by Raphael G. Warnock – The first Black senator in Georgia’s history looks back on his spiritual and personal journey, including his leadership of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and discusses his own experiences living both the pain and promise of America’s story.

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes – Returning to her Maine hometown to handle her grandmother’s estate, Laurie investigates a love letter and a mysterious wooden duck she found at the bottom of a cedar chest and is swept up in a journey of self-discovery and antiques.

The Local by Joey Hartstone – When the judge on his case is murdered—and all evidence points to his client, wealthy Pakistani-American businessman Amir Zawar, patent lawyer James Euchre sets out to prove Zawar’s innocence in a town where everyone knows everyone and bad blood has a long history.

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand – Attempting to win the favor of the Hotel Nantucket’s new London billionaire owner, general manager Lizbet Keaton, with drama behind closed doors, staff and guests with complicated pasts, a ghost roaming the halls and her own romantic uncertainty, has her work cut out for her.

How to Raise an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi – This guide for parents, caregivers and teachers focuses on strategies for talking to children about racism, how to avoid the mistakes of our past and help dismantle racist behaviors in ourselves and our world.

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton – Detective Elise King, in a seaside town where tensions are growing between the locals and weekenders, investigates the disappearance of a man during a music festival. By the New York Times best-selling author of The Widow.

A Face to Die for by Iris Johansen – An archaeologist who lost her father to tomb raiders after discovering Helen of Troy’s burial spot teams up with a forensic sculptor to recreate Helen’s ship-launching face in the latest novel of the long-running series following The Bullet.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are tons of new releases that come to our shelves every week. With all the books being unique in their own ways, it is hard to choose between the ones that are suitable for your taste. Here are some books we picked out for you!

His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Robert Samuels & Tolusa Olorunnipa – Two prizewinning Washington Post reporters examine how systemic racism impacted both the life and death of the 46-year old Black man who was murdered in broad daylight outside a Minneapolis convenience store by white officer Derek Chauvin.

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub – When Alice wakes up on her 40th birthday somehow back in 1996 as her 16-year-old self, she finds the biggest surprise is the 49-year-old version of her father with whom she is reunited, and, armed with a new perspective on life, wonders what she would change given the chance.

Razzmatazz by Christopher Moore – In 1947 San Francisco, bartender Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin is tasked by club owner Jimmy Vasco to find out who is killing the city’s drag kings, while Eddie “Moo Shoes” Shu seeks to save his uncle’s opium den from Squid Kid Tang.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner – Presents a story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world.

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach – Opening in the early 90s and charting almost two decades of shared history and missed connections, a new novel is both a breathtaking love story about two broken people and a coming-of-age tale.

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard – Set against the backdrop of the race to exploit Africa by the colonial powers, this unrivaled story of courage and adventure brings to life the rivalry between two enemies—a decorated soldier and a young aristocrat/Army officer—as they set out to find the mysterious headwaters of the Nile River.

Thrill of the Hunt by Rita Mae Brown – When several members of the hunt club are blackmailed by doctored videos showing career-ending deeds, Sister and her friends set out to find the culprit while contending with other mysteries plaguing their beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain town, including two suicides and a secret stash of gold.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren – When the man who broke her heart is in her tourist group, Lily Wilder, the daughter of a notorious treasure hunter, after the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, must decide whether she’ll risk her life and heart on the adventure of a lifetime.

You Have a Friend in 10a by Maggie Shipstead – A New York Times best-selling and Booker Prize shortlisted author, in her hypnotic first collection of short stories, mines the complexities of love, sex, and life in ways that are both harsh and hilarious, perceptive and compassionate.

Countdown to Midnight by Dale Brown, Dale – Working for a shadowy intelligence outfit with Cold War roots, a former U.S. Air Force officer must uncover a mystery collaboration between Iran and Russia in the follow-up to the New York Times best-selling Arctic Storm Rising.

In the Blood by Jack Carr – A former Navy SEAL relies on allies around the world to track down who is responsible when a Mossad operative dies in a plane explosion in the fifth novel of the series following The Devil’s Hand.

The Island by Adrian McKinty – In a new thriller, a family that just wanted a nice vacation finds themselves running for their lives.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

Breathe by Joyce Carol Oates – After her husband comes down with a mysterious illness, Michaela contemplates widowhood at age 37 and refuses to surrender her love in the new novel from the best-selling and prize-winning author of The Falls.

Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson – A mother and midwife inadvertently threatens the fortunes and livelihoods of her family and their neighbors after noticing an increase in local miscarriages and believes it’s caused by the pesticides used by the Sanderson Timber Company.

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange – Returning to the east coast to recover from a drunk driving accident she caused, 29-year-old Sunday Brennan must protect her family from a man from her past who brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin.

Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews – When a filmmaker takes footage of Macbeth, which her husband is producing, that reveals dark secrets about the major players, Meg Langslow, with the filmmaker’s electronic devices destroyed, must uncover the darkest secret of all to expose a killer.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton – A single author believes she’s met her dream match on a dating app until he ghosts her and forces her to deal with everything she’s trying to ignore, including her father’s dementia and her editor’s dislike of her new book.

Billy Summers by Stephen King – A former Iraq war vet working as an assassin-for-hire who only accepts jobs when the target is truly a bad guy seeks retirement in the new novel from the legendary best-selling author of over 60 novels.

Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown – A moonshiner in Prohibition-er Texas must deal with murder, lust, greed and other mayhem in the new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of Thick as Thieves and One Good Deed.

Class Act by Stuart Woods – Returning to New York from Maine, Stone Barrington helps out a former client who mistakenly thought an old feud would remain in the past in the latest addition to the long-running series following Double Jeopardy.

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens – Beth Chevalier quits school, lies to her parents and becomes addicted to pills while dealing with the murder of her sister on the notorious Cold Creek Highway in the new thriller by the author of Still Missing.

Down Range by Taylor Moore – An elite, undercover DEA officer helps out a formerly-peaceful ranching community in Texas who are under assault by a group of criminals controlled by a rich, entitled businessmen with ties to law enforcement and local businesses.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones – While in Portugal for her brother-in-law’s wedding to Ali, who rubs everyone wrong way, Rachel discovers something about Ali that changes everything and threatens to unravel friendships and marriages in a place where jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death.

The Turnout by Megan Abbott – When a suspicious accident occurs at their family-run ballet studio just at the onset of the annual performance of The Nutcracker, sisters Dara and Marie Durant find their delicate balance threatened by an interloper.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here we have some new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Rabbits by Terry Miles – Conspiracies abound in this surreal and yet all-too-real technothriller in which a deadly underground alternate reality game might just be altering reality itself, set in the same world as the popular Rabbits podcast.

Animal by Lisa Taddeo – Joan returns to Los Angeles to come to terms with a childhood trauma and forge the power to fight back against the people who hurt her in a new novel by the author of Three Women.

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel – The Mitchell sisters – teenage triplets – find everything changing in their town when a handsome new student enrolls at Bourne Memorial High who happens to be their family’s sworn enemy.

Castle Shade by Laurie King – Queen Marie of Romania, granddaughter to both Queen Victoria and Tsar Alexander II calls on Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes to investigate a series of strange accidents in Castle Bran in the latest addition to the series following Riviera Gold.

Love for Beginners by Jill Shalvis – Starting a new life after waking up from a coma, Emma Harris finds her plans of opening up a doggy day care derailed by her childhood nemesis, but she soon learns that life isn’t what you are given, it’s what you make of it.

Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins – When his wife leaves him letters, one for every month in the year after her death, Joshua is led on a journey of pain, anger and denial that eventually makes room for laughter and new relationships.

The Bullet by Iris Johansen – Eve Duncan puts her happily-ever-after with Joe on hold when his ex-wife shows up, on the run with enough secrets to get them all killed.

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman – A British actress new to Hollywood, Mia Eliot is forced to play the role of a lifetime when a girl she only met once disappears and an imposter shows up in her place, forcing her to question her sanity as the truth goes beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

The President’s Daughter by James Patterson – A one-time Navy SEAL and past president, Matthew Keating, after his daughter is kidnapped by a madman, embarks on a one-man special-ops mission that tests his strengths as a leader, a warrior, and a father.

Tom Clancy Target Acquired by Don Bentley – Taking on a cushy assignment in Israel at the request of Ding Chavez, Jack Ryan Jr. finds himself the target of trained killers after helps a woman and her young son, forcing him to use all his skills to protect the life of the child.

The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery – Brought back together when Cassidy, the little sister they have in common, suddenly needs them both, Daisy and Sage must cast aside their hatred for each other to care for Cassidy and are caught off guard when long-buried secrets lead to forgiveness and a powerful friendship.

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker – Pretending to be human, magical beings Chava, a golem, and Ahmad, a jinni, find their lives intertwined as they try to make sense of the world around them and the people whose lives they have unwittingly affected.

~Semanur

Love is in Bloom: New and Upcoming Romance

NicoleLeave a comment

Ahh May. That magical time of year when the flowers are blooming, everything is a beautiful green, and the weather is wildly unpredictable (that might just be a Northeast Ohio factor). It’s also a great time of year to pick up a light and fun romance! Take a look below for ten new and upcoming romance titles sure to make for a great read- whether you are cozied up on the couch or soaking up some sunshine poolside.

Excited to dive into one of these titles? Visit our OverDrive digital library or request a print copy today!

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

These are the books we are adding to our collection this week. Click on the blue text to go to our catalog and place a hold today!

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger – When her husband is arrested in an Ivy League admissions sting, jeopardizing everything she worked so hard for, Peyton, co-anchor of a hit morning show, soon discovers that this is not the worst of it as dark secrets in their posh world come to light.

The Stars We Share  by Rafe Posey – A sweeping World War II novel about the secrets we keep from the ones we love, and a couple tested again and again by distance, sacrifice, and a woman’s ambition to fulfill her own dreams.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren – Perfect for fans of The Rosie Project and One Plus One, an entertaining novel follows single mom and data-and-statistics wizard Jess Davis as she, using a revolutionary new scientific dating app, is matched with the app’s arrogant creator who is not what he seems.

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb – Moving to a small Texas town, Sophie O’Neill is immediately drawn to socialite Margot Banks who invites her into a secret clique called the Hunting Wives, with which she becomes obsessed until she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation with no way out.

Local Woman Missing  by Mary Kubica – When Delilah, who disappeared 11 years earlier when she was only six years old, shockingly returns, the residents of a quiet suburban neighborhood want to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find.

The Clover Girls by Viola Shipman – The new owners of Camp Birchwood—thanks to their late friend, Emily—Elizabeth, Veronica and Rachel must spend a week together remembering the dreams they put aside and find a way to become the women they always swore they’d grow up to be.

Madam by Phoebe Wynne – While working at Caldonbrae, a prestigious boarding school high above the rocky Scottish cliffs, 26-year-old Rose Christie discovers the true extent of the school’s nefarious purpose when she tries to find out what really happened to her predecessor.

Freedom by Sebastian Junger – Intricately crafted and thought-provoking, the author, ruminating on the concept of freedom, shares his journey walking the railroad lines of the east coast with three friends as an experiment in personal autonomy, but also in interdependence.

Phase Six by Jim Shepard – One of the few survivors of a mysterious outbreak in Greenland, 11-year-old Aleq must deal with crushing guilt for what he may have unleashed from a mining site, while two Epidemic Intelligence Service agents work together to head off the cataclysm.

Light Perpetual  by Francis Spufford – A novel set in 1944 London imagines the lives of five souls who perished during a visit to a local store, illuminating the shapes of experience, the extraordinariness of the ordinary, the mysteries of memory and expectation, and the preciousness of life.

~Semanur

Books and Movies to Share on Galentine’s Day

Nicole2 Comments

Valentine’s Day is this Sunday, February 14, and whether you love or hate this holiday, it’s hard to deny that it does make for a great excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate covered strawberries without shame (or is that just me?). I am personally a fan of the holiday, but one of my most favorite holidays is actually the day preceding Valentine’s Day- Galentine’s Day!

Image from NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”

If you are unfamiliar with Galentine’s Day, it was born out of the amazing television show Parks and Recreation. The holiday was the creation of the beloved fictional deputy director of Parks and Recreation in Pawnee, Indiana, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). The show’s writers centered the 16th episode of the second season around Leslie’s favorite February tradition, Galentine’s Day. Over a brunch of waffles and excessive gift-giving, Leslie celebrates the joy of female friendship with close friends and co-workers. This has now become a legit holiday with companies creating cards for the occasion and businesses offering Galentine’s Day specials.

Leslie explains, “Every February 13, my ladyfriends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.” Unfortunately, this is not the time for brunch gatherings and long evenings at the wine bar, so how can you celebrate? Share some amazing books with your best gal pals or watch a film together online (ideas for how to watch together here)!

Below you’ll find some of my top picks for books (fiction and nonfiction) and films that are perfect for Galentine’s Day celebrating and sharing!

Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

Bridesmaids directed by Paul Feig

Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Let’s Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship by Gail Caldwell

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Girls Trip directed by Malcom D. Lee

Mean Girls directed by Mark Waters

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

Girl Talk: What Science Can Tell Us About Female Friendship by Jacqueline Mroz

Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

Wishing you all a safe and happy Galentine’s Day! Happy reading!

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

Cover image for Aftershocks : a memoir

Aftershocks by Nadia Owusu – An award-winning essayist combines literary memoir and cultural history to examine her personal struggles with her mixed-heritage identity and the emotional trauma of her mother’s abandonment and father’s dark secrets.

Cover image for The captive : a novel

The Captive by Fiona King Foster – A woman with elite skills from her violent past travels with her family and an escaped criminal through a harsh winter landscape to claim a bounty and safeguard her loved ones from murderous rivals.

Cover image for Detransition, Baby

Baby Detransition by Torrey Peters – A trans woman, her detransitioned ex and his cisgender lover build an unconventional family together in the wake of heartbreak and an unplanned pregnancy, in a debut by the author of the novella, Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones.

Cover image for The children's blizzard : a novel

The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin – The best-selling author of The Aviator’s Wife draws on oral histories of the Great Plains blizzard of 1888 to depict the experiences of two teachers, a servant and a reporter who risk everything to protect the children of immigrant homesteaders.

Cover image for The Lost Boys: A Decker/Lazarus Novel

The Lost Boys by Faye Kellerman – Detectives Peter Decker and Tyler McAdams link two suspicious disappearances from an assisted living facility to the case of three missing campers, before the reappearance of a foster son’s biological mother upends Decker’s home life.

Cover image for Sleep well, my lady

Sleep Well, My Lady by Kwei Quartey – PI Emma Djan investigates the death of a Ghanaian fashion icon and social media celebrity, Lady Araba, who was found murdered days after breaking up with her boyfriend, a womanizing talk-show host.

Cover image for Saving justice : truth, transparency, and trust

Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust by James Comey – The former FBI Director and best-selling author of A Higher Loyalty, uses his long career in federal law enforcement to explore issues of justice and fairness in the U.S. justice system.

Cover image for The Forever Girl

The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis – Returning to her hometown to attend an estranged friend’s wedding, Maze navigates unexpected secrets with her childhood circle of friends while discovering that she still has feelings for a long-ago crush.

Cover image for The scorpion's tail : a Nora Kelly novel

The Scorpion’s Tail by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child – A sequel to Old Bones finds FBI agent Corrie Swanson and Santa Fe archaeologist Nora Kelly investigating the mummified corpse of a long-dead victim who died in agony while holding a mysterious 16th-century gold cross.

Cover image for Spin

Spin by Patricia Daniels Cornwell – Captain Calli Chase races against time to thwart a plot that leaves the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

~Semanur