“If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” – W. Clement Stone
And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens
fiction / romance / comedy.
Stuck in a Production Assistant job and living at home with her parents after a painful breakup, thirty-one-year-old Chloe Fairway isn’t where she wants to be in life. The last thing she needs is to face the people who once voted her “most likely to succeed” at her upcoming ten-year college reunion. And she definitely doesn’t want to see her former best friend, Sean Adler, who is now a hotshot film director living the life Chloe dreamed of. Desperate to make a splash—and to save face in front of the man who might be the one that got away—she turns to a mysterious dating service.
Enter Rob, her handsome, well-read, and charming match, the perfect plus-one to take to her reunion. The more she gets to know him, the more perfect he appears to be. Could it be that this dating service knows her better than she knows herself? And can she overlook the one big catch? As Chloe reconnects with old friends, she begins to question everything she thought she wanted. Maybe, just maybe, revisiting the past is exactly what she needs to move forward.
“Once again, Cousens proves that she can add an element of surprise and elevate a traditional rom-com to the next level… a sweet and witty romance with multifaceted characters and Cousens’ trademark warmth.” – Patricia Smith, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Sophie Cousens absolutely charms in this tale about the dangers of getting everything you wish for in this surprising romance with a touch of sci-fi.” – Iyana Jones, Swooon
“Sophie Cousens spins a love story that’s both tender and funny, exploring what happens when the one that got away suddenly comes back. Full of witty banter, nostalgia, and heart, this rom com reminds us that timing might be unpredictable, but true chemistry never fades.” – Aurora Dominguez, Out South Florida
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
fiction / horror / suspense / mystery / comedy.
Eighteen months and 11 lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, DC suburbs, 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month. Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian ― and in turn, get their marriage, plan to have a baby, and whole life back on track ― Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed and the masses descend (with unbeatable, all-cash offers in hand).
A little stalking? Harmless. A bit of trespassing? Necessary. As Margo infiltrates the homeowners’ lives, her tactics grow increasingly unhinged―but just when she thinks she’s won them over, she hits a snag in her plan. Undeterred, Margo will prove again and again that there’s no boundary she won’t cross to seize the dream life she’s been chasing. The most unsettling part? You’ll root for her, even as you gasp in disbelief.
Dark, biting, and laugh-out-loud funny, Best Offer Wins is a propulsive debut and a razor-sharp exploration of class, ambition, and the modern housing crisis.
“Deliciously dark and twistedly funny.” – Kirkus Reviews
“D.C. journalist Kashino alchemizes nearly two decades of real estate and home design coverage into a biting debut novel that might seem unbelievable but is utterly, gasp-inducingly, guffaw-out-loud fun.” – Terry Hong, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“The novel balances its satirical edge with a deep understanding of modern desperation—particularly around housing, identity, and stability—making it a fun and compelling read.” – Jenna LaBollita, Library Journal
Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of Insurrection, a Family, a Southern Town, and Identity in America by Lauretta Malloy Noble & LeeAnét Noble
nonfiction / history / true crime.
In the late nineteenth century, Laurinburg, North Carolina, was a beacon of racial calm—a place where Blacks and whites could live and work together. Black families like the Malloys became landlords, business owners, and doctors. Thriving together and changing the economic landscape. But that progress was shattered on the eve of Election Day, 1898, when supremacist groups launched a bloody attack, forcing Laurinburg’s Black citizens to flee. This riot was the beginning of the only recorded insurrection, stripping middle-class Blacks—who made strides during Reconstruction—of their seats on every electoral board.
With meticulous research drawn from sources including The New York Age and census records, the descendants of the town’s early Black leaders, Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnét Noble uncover the trailblazing achievements of their ancestors. Piecing together proof of Black resilience in a region shaped by profound adversity whose contributions extended beyond Laurinburg to institutions including Howard University and Meharry Medical College.
Black, White, Colored is the first book to shine a spotlight on the events in Laurinburg and its impact on the town’s Black occupants, giving Laurinburg its rightful place in American history.
“A personal exploration of two centuries of family, community, and identity in the South.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The Nobles have documented the fascinating oral stories of their family, reaching back to the Reconstruction era and illuminating the history of Laurinburg.” – Laura Ellis, Library Journal
Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century by W. David Marx ★
nonfiction / sociology / pop culture.
Over the past twenty-five years, pop culture has suffered from a perplexing lack of reinvention. We’ve entered a cultural “blank space”—an era when reboots, rehashes, and fads flourish, while bold artistic experimentation struggles to gain recognition. Why is risk no longer rewarded, and how did playing it safe become the formula for success? Acclaimed cultural historian W. David Marx sets out to uncover the answers.
In this ambitious cultural history, Marx guides us through the blur of the twenty-first century so far, from the Obama era to the rise of K-pop, from Paris Hilton to the Marvel cinematic universe, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to… Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, whose enduring influence highlights both their adaptability and the broader shifts in pop culture. Combining sociological, economic, and political insights with a deep dive into art, street culture, fashion, and technology, Blank Space dissects the rise of profit-driven, formulaic trends and the shifting cultural norms that often prioritize going viral over innovation. He reveals how backlash against indie snobbery and nineties counterculture gave rise to a “counter-counterculture”—one marked by antiliberal sentiment, the celebration of business heroes, and the increasing influence of industry plants and the elite class. In a world of crypto bros, nepo babies, and AI-driven art, Marx offers readers a much-needed dose of clarity and context.
Vibrantly narrated and sharply argued, Blank Space is an essential guide for anyone looking to understand the chaos of the twenty-first century, the trends, tastemakers, and icons who shaped it, and how we might push our culture forward over the next quarter century—through renewed emphasis on creativity, community, and the values that transcend mere profit.
“A wide-ranging, persuasive, readable treatise on a crucial component of modern life.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“A fascinating study of 21st-century culture.” – Rebekah Kati, Library Journal
“Comprehensively pessimistic… zips through notable names and scandals — from Ezra Klein to ‘Elsagate,’ Buzzfeed to BTS, Stüssy to Stewart Brand — with remarkable alacrity.” – Celine Nguyen, Asterisk Mag
“With reinforced gloves and hazmat suit, W. David Marx has waded, maybe inadvisably, into the endless present’s cranking, bucking flow… Blank Space is like taking uncomfortable splash-zone seats to a theater of hypermodern twenty-first century mayhem… Marx has made the real world sharper, more hysterical—and at the same time, grotesquely tedious… Blank Space fascinates because it makes radical the idea that the human will still be—despite frameworks of ideology that insist on symbolic or metaphorical superstructures—totalizing. Our imaginations remain intact.” – Mina Tavakoli, The Baffler
The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind by Simon Winchester
nonfiction / history / science / nature.
What is going on with our atmosphere? The headlines are filled with news of devastating hurricanes, murderous tornadoes, and cataclysmic fires affecting large swaths of America. Gale force advisories are issued on a regular basis by the National Weather Service.
In 2022, a report was released by atmospheric scientists at the University of Northern Illinois, warning that winds—the force at the center of all these dangerous natural events—are expected to steadily increase in the years ahead, strengthening in power, speed, and frequency.
While this prediction worried the insurance industry, governmental leaders, scientists, and conscientious citizens, one particular segment of society received it with unbridled enthusiasm. To the energy industry, rising wind strength and speeds are an unalloyed boon for humankind—a vital source of clean and “safe” power.
Between these two poles—wind as a malevolent force, and wind as savior of our planet—lies a world of fascination, history, literature, science, poetry, and engineering which Simon Winchester explores with the curiosity and vigor that are the hallmarks of his bestselling works. In The Breath of the Gods, he explains how wind plays a part in our everyday lives, from airplane or car travel to the “natural disasters” that are becoming more frequent and regular.
The Breath of the Gods is an urgently-needed portrait across time of that unseen force—unseen but not unfelt—that respects no national borders and no vessel or structure in its path. Wind, the movement of the air, is seen by so many as a heavenly creation and generally a thing of essential goodness. But when it flexes its invisible muscles, all should take care and be very afraid.
“A splendidly written account of an unseeable force.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“…colorful and evocative… Readers will savor this.” – Publishers Weekly
“Winchester [is] a great synthesizer of material… my copy of Breath is packed with my notes on the extraordinary people and details that Winchester unearths.” – Chris Hewitt, Minnesota Star-Tribune
Brimstone by Callie Hart
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Duty. Blood. Honor. Power.
Saeris Fane doesn’t want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court’s lips, but now that she’s been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she’s discovering that a queen’s life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders. Her ward—and her brother—need her back in her homeland… but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead…
“Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.”
Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.
“Return to the irresistible realm of the fae, complete with heart-pounding action, banter that’ll make you blush and characters we can’t get enough of.” – B&N Reads
The Burning Library by Gilly MacMillan
fiction / mystery / suspense.
On a frigid, windswept day in Scotland’s Western Isles, Eleanor Bruton’s body is discovered on the shore. To her family Eleanor was an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did flower arrangements and plumped kneeler cushions at church. Little did they know she was harboring a dark and all-consuming secret. A scrap of fraying embroidery that seems worthless at first glance.
For over a century, two rival organizations of women have gone to deadly lengths to secure the valuable artifact in the hopes of finding the original medieval manuscript from which it was torn. The Order of St. Katherine: devoted to the belief that women must pull strings in the shadows to exercise control. And the Fellowship of the Larks, determined to amass as many overt positions of power for women as possible… so long as their methods of doing so never come to light.
When Dr. Anya Brown garners international attention for her translation of the cryptic Folio 9, she is handpicked by Diana Cornish, a professor and high-ranking member of the Fellowship, to join the exclusive Institute of Manuscript Studies in St. Andrews. Unbeknownst to Anya she’s been recruited at great personal danger to translate ancient texts that the Fellowship believes critical to their mission.
Meanwhile at Scotland Yard, Detective Constable Clio Spicer begins a private investigation into the death of Eleanor Bruton.
As all the women grow further entangled in this ancient web, circumstances spin wildly out of control and their lives may be in grave danger.
“Macmillan’s compelling blend of academic intrigue, historical mystery, and high-stakes suspense makes this a must-read for fans of Kate Morton and Elizabeth Kostova.” – Kerri Copus, Library Journal
“Macmillan excels at blending historical fiction elements with layers of secrecy, hidden alliances, and side quests… [The Burning Library] delivers intrigue for readers drawn to literary mysteries, secret societies, and historical puzzles with a feminist edge. It’s a story about power, legacy, and the lengths to which people will go to control a narrative that shapes history.” – Stephanie, Crime Spree Magazine
Captain’s Dinner: A Shipwreck, an Act of Cannibalism, and a Murder Trial That Changed Legal History by Adam Cohen
nonfiction / history / true crime.
On May 19, 1884, the yacht Mignonette set sail from England on what should have been an uneventful voyage. When their vessel sank in the Atlantic, Captain Thomas Dudley and his crew found themselves adrift in a tiny lifeboat. As days turned to weeks, they faced an unthinkable choice: starve to death or resort to cannibalism.
Their decision to sacrifice the youngest—17-year-old cabin boy Richard Parker—ignited a firestorm of controversy upon their rescue. Instead of being hailed as heroes and survivors, Dudley and his crew found themselves at the center of Regina v. Dudley and Stephens, a landmark murder trial that would establish the legal precedent that necessity cannot justify murder—a principle that continues to shape Anglo-American law today.
In Captain’s Dinner, acclaimed journalist, Pulitzer Prize juror, and New York Times bestselling author Adam Cohen masterfully depicts both the harrowing weeks at sea and the sensational trial that followed. “Is killing one innocent person justified if it saves the lives of three others? Cohen’s answer—in this riveting account—reads like a thriller” (former U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken). Through this Victorian tragedy, Cohen reveals an enduring conflict between primal instincts and moral principles. This book will “make you think long and hard about what you might do to survive” (Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania).
Perfect for readers of David Grann’s The Wager and Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea, this pulse-pounding true story has become a real-life example of one of life’s greatest moral dilemmas. “Thoroughly researched and impeccably argued” (Martel). Rich with narrative detail and real-life courtroom twists, “brilliant and profound,” (bestselling author Amy Chua), Captain’s Dinner strikes at the heart of a question that haunts us all: When does survival justify murder?
“[A] must-read.” – David Pitt, Booklist
“[A] briskly told, deeply researched study . . . While Mr. Cohen engages readers with a lively and suspenseful narrative, he is also interested in exploring the intricate logic of the legal decision.” – Donna Sanders, Wall Street Journal
“Drama abounds on the high seas and in the courtroom in journalist Cohen’s rollicking dissection of ‘one of the most famous cases in Western law’… Cohen delves into the sensational trial, elegantly teasing out the significance of each lawyerly chess move. The result is a gripping look at a foundational moral shift of the modern era.” – Publishers Weekly
Clive Cussler Quantum Tempest by Mike Maden
fiction / suspense / adventure / action.
There’s a tempest brewing in Central America. A government crackdown on cartels leaves most of the drug lords locked up in an impregnable prison. In response, Amador Fierro, a brilliant, tech-savvy crime boss forges the seven largest cartels into an allegiance called La Liga. If they are to defeat the U.S. led offensive, they will need a powerful weapon. Thus is born Project Q: an Artificial General Intelligence computer that, when finished, will grant Fierro such overwhelming control of America.
Chairman Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon are the only ones standing in his way, but they have their own problems. While two members of the team are unreachable in the Darien Gap searching for an Iranian Quds Force base, the Oregon crew have a mole in their midst. Meanwhile, other dark forces are at play, competing for the all consuming power at hand.
The race to stop the launching of Project Q will come down to the wire, but it’s a race neither Juan Cabrillo, nor the western world, can afford to lose.
“[A] thrilling, action-packed novel that keeps you engaged throughout. The Oregon Files is one of my favorite series each year, and this one does not disappoint.” – Red Carpet Crash
“In Quantum Tempest, Mike Maden delivers everything Oregon Files fans crave: familiar beloved characters, adventure, and high-octane thrills. But he also delivers so much more, wrapping that classic adventure in a truly modern and thought-provoking techno-thriller… Maden has crafted a standout entry in the series that is as intelligent as it is entertaining. A definite must-read.” – Sam H. NetGalley
Mexico: A 500-Year History by Paul Gillingham
nonfiction / history.
At the beginning of his masterful work of scholarship and narration, Paul Gillingham writes, from its outset “Mexico was more profoundly, globally hybrid than anywhere else in the prior history of the world.” Over the ensuing five centuries, Mexicans have prefigured and shaped the course of human lives across the globe.
Gillingham begins in 1511 with the dramatic shipwreck of two Spanish sailors in the far south of Mexico. Ten years later Hernán Cortés led an army of European adventurers and indigenous rebels to seize the legendary island city of Tenochtitlán, the center of Montezuma’s empire, the largest in the Americas. The capture of the future Mexico City was, more than an extraordinary military event, the collision of two long-separated worlds, radically different in everything from biota to urban planning. Spaniards discovered tomatoes, chocolate, and a city larger and more sophisticated than anything they had ever seen. Mexicans discovered horses, wheels, and lethal germs, sparking a cataclysmic century of disease that wiped out a majority of the pre-existing population and led to a unique recombination of European and indigenous cultures. The industrial mining of Mexico’s silver transformed the wealth and trade of the world. Mexico’s independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821 led to a calamitous mid-century war with the United States and one of the first great social revolutions that brought peace for Mexicans throughout many of the global horrors of the 20th century, before the country itself collapsed into the violence of the cartels and a refugee crisis in the 2000s.
The history of Mexico has been, Gillingham shows, one of suffering empire but also of overcoming. Through it all the country set new standards for inclusivity, for progressive social policies, for artistic expression, for adroitly balancing dictatorship and democracy. While racial divides endured, so too did indigenous peoples, who enjoyed rights unthinkable in the United States. Mexico was among the first countries to abolish slavery in 1829, and Mexicans elected North America’s first Black president, Vicente Guerrero, its only indigenous president, Benito Juárez, and its only woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
As elegantly written as it is powerful in scope, rich in character and anecdote, Mexico uses the latest research to dazzling effect, showing how often Mexico has been a dynamic and vital shaper of world affairs.
“Superb… Essential, lively reading for anyone wishing to understand Mexico and contemporary geopolitics alike.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[An] enlightening study of one of the world’s most complex, richly diverse and politically unique countries… Mexico displays all the different sides of a much undiscovered, and misunderstood nation.” – Louis D. Hall, Unseen Histories
“With an eye for revealing details and a rejection of tired bromides, Gillingham describes a cultural melting pot that, despite hindrances, has succeeded better than some more powerful nations in living up to its ideals.” – Brendan Driscoll, Booklist
Off the Scales: The Inside Story of Ozempic and the Race to Cure Obesity by Aimee Donnellan
nonfiction / science / medicine / health / business.
A “cure” for obesity has long been the holy grail for the pharmaceutical industry, one that seemed unattainable until recent breakthroughs in type 2 diabetes research led to the development of Ozempic, a weight loss medication that activates a hormone in the stomach called GLP-1, making people feel fuller for longer. The treatment is so effective that it is already disrupting many industries―from healthcare to fast food to fashion―and it has quickly made its creator, Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, the most valuable company in Europe. But the impact of GLP-1s goes far beyond billion-dollar profits; a true long-term cure for obesity could save 40 percent of American adults from dangerous, preventable illnesses. And as more potential benefits emerge, one question looms in the minds of investors, healthcare workers, and politicians: Are these drugs too good to be true?
In Off the Scales, Reuters journalist Aimee Donnellan illuminates the history of a medical breakthrough that is poised to change the world, while raising difficult social questions about inequality and morality. Through original reporting and rigorous research, she forecasts the future of GLP-1s and examines what their explosive popularity tells us about our ideals of beauty and the lengths to which people will go in order to become thin.
Along the way, Donnellan profiles the scientist whose contributions to the discovery of GLP-1 were overlooked, documents her fight for recognition while her colleagues were thrust into the limelight, and offers new insights into the ways that the food and beauty industries made billions while promoting unhealthy and unrealistic body image standards and accelerating the obesity crisis. She also provides firsthand accounts of several early Ozempic users and the transformative effect the drug has had on their weight loss journeys.
Off the Scales is an informative and entertaining study of the unexpected consequences of finally getting what we’ve wanted for so long.
“[A] rich, even action-packed narrative of medical discovery. A tangled plot stuffed with big money, towering egos, and innovative science, capably told and without an ounce of flab.” – Kirkus Reviews
“…enlightening… an astute, fair-minded primer on the drug.” – Publishers Weekly
The Poems of Seamus Heaney by Seamus Heaney; edited by Rosie Lavan & Bernard O’Donoghue with Matthew Hollis
nonfiction / poetry.
This definitive collection of Seamus Heaney’s poetry, published in a single volume for the first time, gives us the full arc of the Nobel laureate’s long and varied career.
Seamus Heaney’s voice is like no other―”by turns mythological and journalistic, rural and sophisticated, reminiscent and impatient, stern and yielding, curt and expansive” (Helen Vendler, The New Yorker). Published in a single volume for the first time, the collected poems of Heaney is a testament to that unforgettable voice, and to the breadth and beauty of the Nobel laureate’s long and brilliant career, from his first book, Death of a Naturalist (1966), to poems written for Human Chain (2010), his twelfth and final book.
“One can only be grateful that Heaney held up and held on as long as he did.” – Michael Autrey, Booklist
“The glorious gathering-in of his achievement that is The Poems of Seamus Heaney, edited with meticulous care and luminous clarity by Rosie Lavan and Bernard O’Donoghue (with Matthew Hollis), allows us for the first time to see his dozen formal collections as only the most visible peaks in a constantly rolling range of creativity… This arrangement allows us to see Heaney’s oeuvre as a living, organic entity… [a] superb monument to his artistic grace and bracing humanity.” – Fintan O’Toole, The Observer
“Heaney’s was a conception of poetry as archaeological dig—the excavation and discovery of old life. But those who dig can be sowing new life, or burying for safekeeping and preservation, or even, as a dog will, for the sheer joy and flurry of it… There is so much here that is beautiful, poetry of pearl and mother-of-pearl and peacocks, of moondust and moonglow; even tarmac sparkles, as he drives down a ‘dewy motorway’. But there are other kinds of bogs in Heaney, too, which can be offered in retort to anyone who thought him a purveyor only of nacreous delicacy or Oirish pastoral.” – Oliver Soden, Prospect
Return of the Spider by James Patterson
fiction / suspense / mystery.
The suspense classic Along Came a Spider introduced an unsurpassed rivalry:
Detective Alex Cross; the “human superhero” (New York Times) versus Gary Soneji; the “most deliciously wicked character since Hannibal Lecter” (Lexington Herald-Leader).
But that wasn’t their first meeting…
Police discover that Soneji kept a murder book, Profiles in Homicidal Genius, detailing his transformation from substitute teacher to hardened serial killer—including clues that imply missteps that Alex Cross may have made as a rookie homicide detective.
Now, Alex must retrace the steps of that long-ago investigation and face… the Return of the Spider.
“Fans of the long-running series will enjoy this one a lot… [a] page-turning masterpiece.” – Red Carpet Crash
Robert B. Parker’s Showdown by Mike Lupica
fiction / mystery.
Vic Hale isn’t anyone’s idea of a father figure. He is one of the biggest – and loudest — podcasters in the nation and got there by spewing overheated rhetoric that’s reviled by some but loved by even more. His particular brand of “entertainment” is so successful, he’s about to sign the biggest contract in the history of online broadcasting. Vic’s riding high… until he gets a visit from Spenser, who specializes in bringing guys like Hale back down to Earth.
Spenser is there on behalf of Daniel Lopez, a young man who believes Hale may be his father. It’s a potentially explosive revelation for a man in the podcaster’s position and it might even be enough to blow up his massive new deal. That could explain the bodies that start popping up – bodies connected in one way or another with the mystery surrounding Daniel’s birth. There are a lot of questions remaining, and Spenser’s going to have to find the answers before someone shuts Hale or Daniel up for good.
“Good fun for Spenser’s legion of fans.” – Kirkus Reviews
“…this book never disappoints.” – Red Carpet Crash
“Suspenseful, honest, witty and engrossing… Mike Lupica has given us another wonderful Spenser novel that provides new challenges for our old hero. Delivering a thrilling no-nonsense detective story with the comforting dry humor and moral complexity readers have come to appreciate from our beloved Boston PI.” – Steven Netter, The Best Thriller Books
Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade
fiction / romance / comedy.
Karl and Molly were never together. There was a time, right after high school, where it seemed like they might finally cross the line from friends to lovers… but instead, a foolish misunderstanding meant they never spoke again. Molly went to LA and got married. Karl stayed in Harlot’s Bay and bought a bakery.
The only connection the pair has shared over the years is painfully one-sided: Now divorced, Molly narrates monster romance audiobooks, and Karl is an ever-diligent listener, clinging to his only piece of the one that got away.
Still, Molly hasn’t totally left Harlot’s Bay behind. When she hears that Karl’s obituary has run in the local paper, unexpected grief prompts her to hop on the next flight to Maryland… where she finds Karl very much alive, the victim of nothing but an accidental obituary.
As the pair reunite, they finally hash out their missed connection. True, Molly isn’t quite ready to trust again, but Karl is determined to prove himself worthy of her faith and devotion. And as her remaining time in Harlot’s Bay ticks down, Molly, the habitual cynic, just might find that Karl, the cranky town curmudgeon, is impossible to leave behind a second time.
“Readers will be unable to put this book down.” – Heather Miller Cover, Library Journal
“Series fans who met Karl as a colorful side character in book one will be especially glad to uncover his hopeless romantic streak. This is a charmer.” – Publishers Weekly
“…Dade handles everything with perfect panache… [a] scrumptious literary confection…” – John Charles, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts
fiction / romance / fantasy / mystery.
Long ago, Arthur Poole built a grand house overlooking the turbulent ocean, in a Maine village that bore his name. Today, Sonya MacTavish lives in that house―a manor that has been cursed for generations. Within its walls, she has witnessed the deaths of seven brides and the thefts of seven wedding rings. And now, to break the curse and banish a malevolent spirit once and for all, a difficult task must be completed.
After Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends are forced to hear, see―and feel―the suffering of the house’s many ghosts as their torment is reenacted by the evil presence, their bond only strengthens and their anger is renewed. Refusing to let her spirit be broken, Sonya searches each room for clues to her ancestors’ hidden story, putting the picture together, unearthing small treasures, and uncovering the moments of joy that existed among the sorrows. She’s determined to bring light to this haunted place―to fill it with people, with life and hope, once again.
But the enemy in the black dress continues to hover, to come at her in frightening forms. They may be illusions―but illusions can be powerful enough to wound and kill. She feeds on fear, and lies are her weapon. This dark-hearted witch wants to be mistress of Poole Manor, at any cost. And Sonya will need to fight a battle across two realms to finally take possession of the house on the clifftop―and of her own future…
“…Roberts once again showcases what she does best.” – Publishers Weekly
“Making effective use of her engaging brand of immersive storytelling, Roberts brings her Lost Brides trilogy, which began with Inheritance and continued with The Mirror, to a marvelously entertaining conclusion with a supernaturally infused, romance-imbued, gothic-tinged story that is guaranteed to send shivers of delight up and down readers’ spines.” – John Charles, Booklist
“Author Nora Roberts’ signature style is evident throughout this spell binding, small town adventure into the land of haunted houses, evil witches, and battles to banish them by breaking a curse… Highly recommended to fans of the author and readers who enjoy paranormal romance and mystical realism.” – Sandra Hoover, Mystery & Suspense
Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much by Cynthia Erivo
nonfiction / memoir / self help.
It is never too late to build the life you’re seeking.
Cynthia Erivo learned the music to Wicked a decade before she needed it, not knowing those same lyrics would change her life. Now she has performed those songs on the world stage, showing us there is always time to keep discovering ourselves. And to illustrate that it’s often the parts of ourselves we are told to bury that make us shine.
In a series of powerful, personal vignettes, Cynthia reflects on the ways she has grown as an actor and human and the practices she’s learned over years of performing and reminds us all we are capable of so much more than we think.
We all have hopes and dreams that we want to bring across the finish line. We all falter and take missteps. In this book, Cynthia draws from her experiences running marathons, both real and metaphorical, onstage and onscreen, to show how each challenge can help us. She urges readers to lean into the wisdom of their bodies, to understand and strive for a physical and mental balance. Because when we chase our deepest desires, each small step leads us closer to where we want to go.
“In her stream-of-consciousness style, Erivo repeatedly asks listeners guiding rhetorical questions as well as commanding us to, in light of her, discover our own passion, community, coping mechanisms, personal style, etc.” – Abby McCabe, Booklist
“Performing her story herself, Erivo takes back her power. As she explores her own life, she takes time to ask listeners about their own experiences. With her performance skills and melodic voice, Erivo captures listeners’ attention and leaves them feeling inspired to be themselves.” – AudioFile
Tom Clancy Executive Power by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson
fiction / suspense / mystery / action.
Luanda, Angola
An American intelligence team on a routine mission is wiped out. The sole survivor: Kyle Ryan, youngest son of President Jack Ryan.
But the massacre of his colleagues is just the prelude to an even more devastating conflict—a deadly military coup in the central African nation. The next step is a shocking escalation, the seizure of the American Embassy and the taking of numerous hostages including the ambassador and the younger Ryan.
As US forces fight insurgents street by street in the African capital city, Lieutenant Katie Ryan leads the effort to untangle the mystery behind the coup and the identity of the plotters. Is it the Chinese government? Is it a corrupt Angolan general? Or is there a darker force pulling the strings?
In the White House Situation Room, President Jack Ryan and his National Intelligence Team anxiously await the answers. He may have a full Marine Expeditionary Unit at his command, but the full executive power of the presidency is useless if they can’t find the target.
One thing’s for sure, Kyle and his fellow hostages sit at the center of the bullseye—human shields to deflect an American response. Jack Ryan has faced many challenges as President, but solving this problem is no one-man job. It’s going to take all three of them to get through this.
“Fans of the series will enjoy this action-packed novel.” – Red Carpet Crash
“This novel looks like Katie and Kyle’s debuts as central characters, and they are Ryans through and through—they run toward trouble, and they have no faults worth mentioning… The youngest Ryans will please fans of the genre.” – Kirkus Reviews
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.
The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.
Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.
When a mysterious blight endangers every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together, through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another, to save their community. But with a figure from her previous life knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder… does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?
“Violet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore is full of powerful mages, adorable magical creatures, and plot twists you won’t see coming. With lovable characters, the perfect slow burn, and spicy romance, this cozy fantasy brings us along on the winding journey of a woman daring to start over.” – Nora Wang, Book of the Month
“This debut title is a solid fit for fans of Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes or Amanda Flower’s Magic Bookshop mystery series as well as for those who grew up with Disney’s The Descendants… Cozy and whimsical, this is a fun dive into a fantasy world.” – Bre Weeks, Booklist
“Readers of cozy fantasy will adore Krempholtz’s debut, and fans of Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis, The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, and the Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire will find a new home in Dragon’s Rest.” – Marlene Harris, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
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