Author: Mary Metcalf

ADULT FICTION

“A Short Walk Through a Wide World” by Douglas Westerbeke — “A wild romping adventure, a poignant tale of relationships and interconnectedness, and a compelling journey of self-discovery. A Short Walk Through a Wide World is utterly engrossing, a world—worlds—to get lost in. . . every reader will find something to love.” —Shelf Awareness

“All Fours” by Miranda July — “Showcases July’s wry observational powers about marriage, sex, aging and creative workaholism, along with her bawdy and philosophical sense of humor.” — San Francisco Chronicle

“Blue Sky, White Cloud” by Nirmal Ghosh — “With beautiful illustrations and rich prose, the three novellas in Blue Sky, White Cloud narrate stories from the perspectives of man and beast, showing us that, much like us, animals, too, have extraordinary stories to tell.” — Amazon

“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman — “Finally, literary fiction has started to fully appreciate the joy of an older female narrator . . . . Rocky is a worthy member of this new and much-needed club, not just for her date of birth but also for her relatability . . . . a protagonist like Rocky is so necessary, because a whole generation will now be able to read this wise and exquisitely written story and say I know how you feel. They will say, Same.” — The Guardian

“The Briar Club” by Kate Quinn — “A stellar historical mystery Quinn elegantly explores issues of race, class, and gender, and brings the paranoid atmosphere of McCarthy-era Washington to vivid life. For Quinn’s fans, this is a must.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Brides of Maracoor” by Gregory Maguire — “[A] complex, enticing fantasy. . . . Maguire cleverly teases out the characters’ motivation and desires, turning what at first appears to be a straightforward tale into a gripping page-turner. Fans will revel in this triumphant return to the world of Wicked.” — Publishers Weekly

ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL

“The Book of Genesis Illustrated” by R. Crumb — “Crumb’s vivid visual characterizations of the myriad characters, pious and wicked, make the most striking impression. His distinctive, highly rendered drawing style imparts a physicality that few other illustrated versions of this often retold chronicle have possessed. The centenarian elders show every one of their years, and the women, from Eve to Rachel, are as solidly sensual as any others Crumb has so famously drawn.” ― Booklist

ADULT MYSTERY

“Eruptions” by Michael Crichton — “Explosive…The action scenes will make readers’ eyes pop as the tension continues to build…Red-hot storytelling.”―Kirkus, starred review

“Pitch Dark” by Paul Doiron — “The resolution is absolutely stunning, and the narrative, as always, is compelling… Maine native Doiron is an outdoorsman, which adds a rare authenticity to the series.” ―Booklist, starred

“Return to Mariposa” by Anne Stuart — “A modern story of romantic suspense and masquerade, where no one is as they seem.” — Amazon

“Shanghai” by Joseph Kanon — “Edgar–winning Kanon plays global and personal intrigues to perfection here. Fans of historical thrillers will appreciate Kanon’s ability to cloak betrayals with the period’s looming uncertainty and evoke Shanghai’s particular vitality.” —Booklist (starred review)

“The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore — “The God of the Woods, like The Secret History, transports readers so deeply into its richly peopled, ominous world that, for hours, everything else falls away. . . . Breaking free of the spell Moore casts is close to impossible.” —Washington Post

ADULT NON-FICTION

“A Slow, Calculated Lynching” by Devery S. Anderson — “This meticulously researched book reveals how Kennard was wrongly imprisoned in Mississippi’s infamous Parchman prison farm, where he was denied proper medical care despite a cancer diagnosis. It reveals the chilling tactics the state of Mississippi employed to preserve white supremacy.” — Debbie Elliott ― NPR’s “Books We Love of 2023”

“American Visions: The United States from 1800-1860” by Edward Ayers — “Ayers’ accurate, balanced, and compelling history proves that progress is possible and that patriotism can be rooted in the complicated truths about the past.”― Booklist

“Fall of Civilizations: Stories of Greatness and Decline” by Paul Cooper — “A broad study of civilizations ….even history buffs will glean plenty of interesting historical information as he moves forward through the Khmer, Maya, and Vijayanagara India.”—Kirkus

“Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed our Food, our Planet, and Ourselves” by Nicola Twilley — “[Nicola Twilley] tells the fascinating story of refrigeration and tracks its effects on eating habits, family dynamics and much else. Along the way, she skillfully introduces us to the people who helped make refrigeration a key feature of everyday life and who now work at the chilly front lines of the modern economy.” —Wall Street Journal

“New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Though Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power and Facts” by Mary Haver M.D. — “[An]enlightening guide. . . . readers will welcome the affirming tone and the attention paid to less-discussed symptoms. . . . It’s an informative manual on an important yet underdiscussed health matter.”—Publishers Weekly

“Patton’s Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith and Victory in World War II” by Alex Kershaw — “There is also no dearth of books on George Patton . . . But Mr. Kershaw has a way of digging out gripping individual stories in the context of larger drama and bringing pace and suspense to the telling.”—Wall Street Journal

“The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance” by Rebecca Claren — “Memorable… Fascinating… A deft mix of personal and social history that recounts the transfer of Native American lands to non-Indigenous settlers, including Jews fleeing antisemitic violence. . . [The Cost of Free Land] seeks a humane path toward restitution.”—Kirkus (*starred review*)

“The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union” by Stephen Puleo — “Puleo’s vast knowledge of 19th-century Boston and its diffident attitude toward slavery and integration―due in no small part to textile merchants and financiers who relied on Southern cotton for their prosperity―adds tremendous value to his account of Sumner’s transformation from depressed and sullen Harvard-educated lawyer to uncompromising and unrelenting civil rights champion, orator, and senator…Required reading for anyone with even a slight interest in Civil War–era U.S. history. A wonderfully written book about a true American freedom fighter.” ―Kirkus (starred)

“The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts” by Loren Grush — “Tales of the space race enshrined in American history too often center on white men and elevate machismo…Science journalist Loren Grush reclaims this place as female…Grush skillfully weaves a story that, at its heart, is about desire: not a nation’s desire to conquer space, but the longing of six women to reach heights that were forbidden to them… Like space travel itself, The Six widens our vision of what it means to belong to ‘the whole family of humankind.’” —New York Times

“V is for Victory: Franklin Roosevelt’s American Revolution and the Triumph of World War II” by Craig Nelson — “A strong argument that ‘if any one human being is responsible for winning World War II, it is FDR.’ . . . [Nelson] points out that one American Revolution established the country in 1776, but another began in 1933 with the Franklin Roosevelt. . . . A compelling and convincing history lesson.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day” by Garrett Graff — “A sprawling history of D-Day from the point of view of participants on both sides. . . . [and] a timely reminder of the cost of war, as well as the bravery of those who stormed the beaches all those decades ago.” ― Kirkus Reviews

PICTURE BOOK

“Big Dog and Little Dog Making a Mistake” by Dav Pilkey
“Big Dog and Little Dog Wearing Sweat Pants” by Dav Pilkey
“Love is my Favorite Color” by Nina Laden
“Never Touch a Polar Bear” by Rosie Greening

JUVENILE BIOGRAPHY

“The Crayon Man” by Natasha Biebow — “Celebrating the inventor of the Crayola crayon! This gloriously illustrated picture book biography tells the inspiring story of Edwin Binney, the inventor of one of the world’s most beloved toys. A perfect fit among favorites like The Day the Crayons Quit and Balloons Over Broadway.” — Houghton

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

“Orbiting Jupiter” by Gary Schmidt — “A powerful story about second chances, all the more devastating because not everyone gets one.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Reckless” by Lauren Roberts — “After she conspires with the Resistance and kills the king, Paedyn Gray faces a perilous game of cat-and-mouse with Prince Kai, whom she once loved, as she uncovers revelations about her past that make her question everything she thought was true.” — Baker & Taylor

ADULT FICTION

“Birding with Benefits” by Sarah Dubb — “The slowly simmering romance that blossoms between plucky heroine and heart-of-gold hero results in some love scenes that are as hot as the desert sun in July.” ― Booklist, starred review

“Blessings” by Chukwuebuka Ibeh — “Lovely… Ibeh sets his story in the years leading up to the country’s 2014 anti-gay law, and, intriguingly, connects the dots of queer persecution and the everyday tragedies that are woven into the fabric of Nigerian life… Moving… Revelatory yet unresolved, simple yet polyphonic, hopeful yet full of heartbreak.”
—New York Times

“Code Red” by Vince Flynn — “The #1 New York Times bestselling series continues as Mitch Rapp faces off with Russia in this high-octane installment that is “ripped straight from next week’s headlines” — (The Real Book Spy).

“Go to Hell Ole Miss” by Jeff Barry — “I fully endorse Jeff Barry’s debut novel. Go to Hell Ole Miss is a pleasant and enjoyable read about a man and the love he has for his daughter and the people around him. Barry’s book tackles race through the eyes of the friendship, offering a welcome respite from the divided nation we find ourselves in today.” ——Sue Watson, journalist with The South Reporter

“Mind Games” by Nora Roberts — “Roberts’ latest may move you to tears, or joy, or dread, or all three….A touching story of love and grief ends in an epic battle of good versus evil.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Not in Love” by Ali Hazelwood — “The reigning queen of STEM romance.”—The Washington Post

“Shelterwood” by Lisa Wingate — “Wingate’s stellar latest explores a centuries-long legacy of missing child cases. . . . Wingate’s insightful depiction of her young characters’ vulnerability and resourcefulness enriches the intricate plotting, and her portrayal of the region’s history, culture, and landscape enthralls. Wingate is at the top of her game.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Henna Artist” by Alka Joshi — ““Rich in detail and bright with tastes and textures, The Henna Artist is a fabulous glimpse into Indian culture of the 1950s.”—Bookpage, Starred Review

“The Paris Novel” by Ruth Reichl — “[E]nticing . . . Reichl keeps the wine—and mouthwatering prose—flowing. . . . When a waiter drops an extra dessert on the table, better not send it back to the kitchen.”—The New York Times

“You Are Here” by David Nicholls — “Given the witty dialogue and sublime natural settings (think Wordsworth and Brontë), it’s not hard to imagine this as another of Nicholls’ big-screen adaptations, like One Day. A relatable and satisfyingly realistic love story to cure any lingering lockdown blues.” — Kirkus Reviews

“You Like It Darker” by Stephen King — “King proves he’s still a master of short fiction in his sterling seventh collection… This remarkably assured collection will thrill the author’s fans.” —Publishers Weekly

“Wandering Stars” by Tommy Orange — “Wandering Stars probes the aftermath of atrocity, seeing history and its horrors as heritable . . . The reader can see what the characters cannot—what forced migration and residential schools have prevented them from seeing and sharing. The reader can see how the addictions and terrors, as well as the capacity for pleasure and endurance, echo across the Red Feather family.” —The New Yorker

ADULT MYSTERY

“Camino Ghosts” by John Grisham — “Escapist entertainment…with elements of a more traditional Grisham thriller.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Clete” by James Lee Burke — “Burke returns to Louisiana’s New Iberia Parish and the late 1990s for a tangled tale that confronts private eye Clete Purcel with monsters in the present and spirits from the past . . . Devils and saints wrestle in the mud of bayou country.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Nothing to Lose” by J. A. Jance — “Arriving in the small town of Despair, Colorado, Jack Reacher finds himself taking on an entire town as he searches for the truths behind its sinister connection to a brutal war that is killing Americans thousands of miles away.” — Atlas Publishing

“The Housemaid is Watching” by Freida McFadden — “The New York Times best-selling author presents another addictive psychological thriller in the series in which the Housemaid, now with a family of her own, moves to the suburbs, leaving her dark secrets behind, but soon finds this seemingly perfect neighborhood the most dangerous place of all.” — Atlas Publishing

“The Last Murder at the End of the World” by Stuart Turton — “A gripping tale that reads like a Sherlock Holmes novel set in a broken future…Turton is an exciting writer with a knack for strange tales that push the envelope, and this strange story of murder, survival, and the importance of memory might be his best work yet.” ―Gabino Iglesias for NPR

“The Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley — “With characters suspicious and unlikable in their own way and a fun twist, you’re in for a dark and moody escape.” — NPR.org on The Paris Apartment

“The Paris Widow” by Kimberly Belle — “At the start of Belle’s entertaining latest (after The Personal Assistant), Atlanta caterer Stella Knox and her husband, Adam, are vacationing in Paris. When Adam vanishes following an explosion at a cafe, French police tell Stella that he was likely being targeted in connection with his work as a black-market antiques dealer. Stella’s shocked–she’s only ever known Adam as the owner of a quaint antiques shop back in the States. Then her hotel room is ransacked, and she starts to worry that whoever is after Adam might have their sights set on her as well. With no sign of Adam’s body, Stella turns to her money-laundering ex-boyfriend for help untangling what happened. Together, they leap down a rabbit hole of murder and espionage, uncovering some not-so-surprising secrets along the way. The occasional predictability doesn’t hinder things too much, however: Stella is an appealing protagonist, and Belle peppers the action with vibrant descriptions of her European setting…”– PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2024.

“Think Twice” by Harlen Coben — “Bestselling mystery and thriller writer Coben brings back longtime series hero Myron Bolitar (last seen in Home, 2016) in a rewardingly action-packed mystery…Plenty of biff-boff action and suspense throughout for fans of the series.”―Booklist

ADULT BIOGRAPHY

“Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Publishing in America” by Sara Franklin — “The Editor presents [Judith] as both a case study and an agent of change in American conceptions of femininity inside and outside of the home. But it also reads, more often than not, like a love story: a great, sweeping seven-decade romance between a woman and her work.” —The Atlantic

ADULT NON-FICTION

“In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face-to-Face with the Idea of an Afterlife” by Sebastian Junger — “Sebastian Junger is known for standing on the front lines in places that scare the hell out of the rest of us. Nowhere is that truer than in In My Time of Dying, where he turns inward to examine his own mortality, the most frightening—yet fascinating—frontier there is.” —Caitlin Doughty, New York Times bestselling author of Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory

“Northeaster” by Cathie Pelletier — “Cathie Pelletier anatomizes this two-day tempest in Northeaster, a historical re-creation of personal experiences so dramatic that they have lingered for decades in local and family lore. It’s touching to see the faces of real people who went through the ordeal.” — The Wall Street Journal

“Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully” by Julie McFadden –“What if we didn’t consider death the worst possible outcome? What if we discussed it honestly, embraced hospice care, and prepared for the end of our lives with hope and acceptance? In this compassionate and knowledgeable guide, TikTok star Julie McFadden-known online as “Hospice Nurse Julie”-shares the valuable lessons she’s learned in her fifteen years as an RN in the ICU and in hospice”— Baker & Taylor

“Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis” by George Stephanopoulos — “George Stephanopoulos’s amazing book tells the truth.  It puts us in the White House Situation Room with presidents from JFK to Biden. We are there when JFK creates the room after the Bay of Pigs, we are there during the 9/11 strikes, we are there during the chaotic moments after President Reagan is shot, and when President Obama orders the takedown of Osama bin Laden. This book provides answers to questions we’ve had for years.” ―James Patterson

“The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy — “TanTan, author of The Joy Luck Club and Valley of Amazement, returns to nonfiction as she chronicles her turn toward nature-and particularly to birds-as a source of solace and respite. Through observation and her own sketches, she details her backyard visitors with careful attention and whimsy. ” — LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2023.

“The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing and Your Personal Nutrition Plan” by Lisa Masé — “Food is what heals, and where our food comes from and how it’s prepared and savored all matter. Lisa kindly and wisely directs us to the kitchen, to food, and to the wise intelligence of our enteric brain, the gut. And Lisa does so with such deliciousness.” ― Rosemary Gladstar, author of Medicinal Herbs

“The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking — “Meik Wiking…knows the secret to happiness…[he] has written a gorgeously designed …guide to the Danish state of being that embraces coziness, sociability, thankfulness and comfort food.” — The Times (London)

“The Wide Wide Sea” by Hampton Sides — “The Wide Wide Sea portrays Cook as a complicated figure driven by instincts and motives that often seem to have been opaque even to him . . . [A]s Cook himself seemed to have realized, and at times lamented, he was but an instrument in a much, much larger scheme.”  —The New Yorker

BOARD BOOK

“Down by the Bay” by Raffi
“Pippa and Pelle and Their Cozy Home” by Daniela Drescher

PICTURE BOOK

“Ahoy!” by Sophie Blackall
“All Along the River” by Magnus Weightman
“Angela’s Glacier” by Jordan Scott
“Gotta Go, Buffalo” by Kevin Meyers
“I Know Here” by Laruel Croza
“Masala Chaie, Fast and Slow” by Rajani LaRocca
“Mother of Sharks” by Melissa Marquez
“Night in the City” by Julie Downing
“Small Things Mended” by Casey Robinson
“Stranded! A Mostly True Story from Iceland” by AEvar Benediktsson
“The Ever Changing Earth” by Grahame Baker-Smith
“The Last Zookeeper” by Aaron Becker
“The Tree and the River” by Aaron Becker
“What We’ll Build” by Oliver Jeffers
“What’s New, Daniel?” by Micha Archer

JUVENILE FICTION

“Eagle Drums” by Naugraq Hopson — “Eagle Drums marks the impressive debut of a gifted writer. Rainey gives readers an engrossing, exciting look into Iñupiaq culture while offering invaluable lessons about the power of community, kinship and celebrations.” ―BookPage, starred review

“Half Moon Summer” by Elaine Vickers — “Via distinct dual perspectives that alternate between Drew’s POV, told in compassionate prose, and Mia’s, conveyed in rhythmic verse, Vickers (Like Magic) vividly captures one emotionally turbulent summer filled with a friendship’s mutual trust and support.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Infinity Alchemist” by Kacen Callender — “Callender builds a rich environment that echoes real-world injustices…political intrigue, a fascinating magic system, and heart-pounding action propel the plot and, combined with Ash’s unfurling relationships with Ramsay and the rest of the supporting cast, result in a refreshingly affirming and tender standout fantasy.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Max in the House of Spies” by Adam Gidwitz — “Gidwitz imbues Max’s first-person voice with plentiful charm and intellect, making him an irresistible and irrepressible protagonist…. An exciting mixture of triumphs and perils, leading up to a cliffhanger ending that will have readers clamoring for the sequel.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Nigeria Jones” by Ibi Zoboi — “[Nigeria’s] personal journey toward emotional and radical self-honesty shapes this superb story.… A thoughtful reflection of real multilayered freedom struggles within Black diasporic communities. A strong declaration for supporting, loving, and empowering all Black women everywhere.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Northwind” by Gary Paulsen — “Spare, survival-oriented prose keeps the reader immersed in scenes difficult and wondrous, offering a glimpse of the sheer awesomeness of nature, showcasing the beauty of the sea and its inhabitants, and regaling readers with a timeless and irresistible adventure that has resilience at its heart.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The Absinthe Underground” by Jamie Pacton — “In this haunting tale, Pacton weaves a romantic and thrilling story of ambition, magic, and peril. Sybil and Esme’s chemistry is palpable, and Pacton’s lush portrayal of Severon as a city filled with art and beauty reminiscent of fin de siècle Paris adds additional layers of enchantment and appeal to the setting.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“The Boy Lost in the Maze” by Joseph Coelho — “Previous collaborators Coelho and Milner (The Girl Who Became a Tree) offer a vulnerable, nuanced look at masculinity via a teenager’s search for his father paralleled with the Greek myth of Theseus. . . Coelho presents an insightful, multidimensional interpretation of a millennia-old myth.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Minus-One Club” by Kekla Magoon — “This timely and thoughtful novel makes room for the increasing depth and complexity of navigating
adolescence alongside grief, religious dissent, and healing.” – Booklist, Starred Review

“The Selkie’s Daughter” by Lina Brennan — “The tale’s strength lies in its writing: well-drawn characters, a strong sense of place, vivid images of the natural world, and evocative fantastical elements. . . . An immersive reading experience threaded through with Celtic lore.” —Kirkus Reviews

JUVENILE GRAPHIC NOVELS

“The Life and Times of Alexander Twilight” by Bill Tulp — “… In this graphic biography, the story of Alexander Twilight and 19th Century Vermont is brought to life through visual storytelling – … This work covers Twilight’s early years to his notable career as a teacher, principal, minister, and first American of Black ancestry elected to a state legislature

….An innovator, educator, and devoted minister and legislator, he is perhaps best known for building a four-story granite dormitory for his students that has become the cornerstone of the present Old Stone House Museum and Historic Village in Brownington, Vermont.” — Amazon.com

“Mapmakers and the Flickering Fortress” by Cameron Chittock — “A refined end to a rousing voyage.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Mapmakers 2 Mapmakers and the Enchanted Mountain” by Cameron Chittock — “Determined to prove her worth as a Mapmaker and bring balance to the mountain by restoring its magic, Alidade, with the help of Lewis and Blue, realizes she’s running out of time when the Night Coats are spotted nearby.” — Atlas Publishing

JUVENILE NON-FICTION

“Discovering Life’s Story, Volume One: Biology’s Beginnings” by Joy Hakim — “This first of a four-part MITeen series charts the evolution of life science up to the late 1800s, when the origins of the virus was discovered by a baffled Dutch biologist who found a tiny infectious particle destroying tobacco crops”– Baker & Taylor

YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL

“Deep Dark” by Molly Ostertag — “Pairing measured pacing, dynamic paneling, robust dialogue, and abundantly realized main and supporting characters, Ostertag (The Girl from the Sea) delivers an expansive triumph–her best yet–to examine issues of grief, identity, intergenerational trauma, and reconnection.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Out of Left Field” by Jonah Newman — “Clever paneling and nearly wordless sequences effectively pump the brakes for key moments—and show glimpses of Jonah’s wild imagination… multiple queer characters of all ages at various stages of coming out add an important sense of community and possibility… A welcome hit into the outfield of books about queer athletes.” — (Kirkus Review)

ADULT FICTION

“Death’s End” by Cixin Liu — “A conclusion to the near-future adventure trilogy that began with The Three-Body Problem finds the reawakening of 21st-century aerospace engineer Cheng Xin, who possesses knowledge of a long-forgotten program, threatening the peaceful co-existence of humans and Trisolarans.” — Atlas Publishing

“Jackie & Me” by Louis Bayard — “A delight…a poignant, late-summer-afternoon kind of novel. …a story perfectly tuned to our ongoing fascination with the Kennedy marriage — and a novel, like Jackie herself, with charm to spare.” —The Washington Post

“The Dark Forest” by Cixin Liu — “Follows humanity’s desperate plan to outmaneuver alien invaders by placing all defensive strategies in the hands of four men, including an anonymous astronomer who is baffled by his new status.” — Baker & Taylor

“The Night Ship” by Jess Kidd — “Kidd shows a keen understanding of how thin the boundary between the magic and the mundane is for children and treats their understanding of the world with seriousness and compassion. Her prose has an arresting simplicity that evokes fairy tales, and the echoes between Mayken’s and Gil’s experiences are treats for the reader to discover. An ambitious, melancholy work of historical fiction that offers two wondrous young protagonists for the price of one.” ― Kirkus Reviews

“The Three-Body Problem” by Cixin Liu — “Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.” — McMillan Palgrave

ADULT MYSTERY

“A Calamity of Souls” by David Baldacci — “Bestseller Baldacci’s stirring latest… generates satisfying tension from Jack and Desiree’s clashing personalities, and his real-life experiences both as an attorney and as a child in 1960s Virginia lend the proceedings an air of uncommon authenticity. This ranks among the author’s best.”―Publishers Weekly

“Desert Star” by Michael Connelly — “Thrilling… Both cases require deep dives into the past; both lead to great action scenes; and, as always, Connelly displays his encyclopedic knowledge of the latest forensics… Bosch, however, takes a low-tech approach and follows leads in the field with his trademark intensity, driven by his desire to restore order in a violent world… [Desert Star] ranks up there with Connelly’s best.”―Publishers Weekly

“Flop Dead Gorgeous” by David Rosenfelt — ““Witty, well-paced. . . a treat for fans. Rarely does a series this long-running still feel so fresh.” –Publishers Weekly

“Righteous Prey” by John Sandford — “The book’s strength rests firmly on the rapport between Davenport and Flowers: their pithy dialogue is spiced with the kind of humor that enduring friendships engender. Sandford fans will hope they have a long run as a team.”—Publishers Weekly

ADULT BIOGRAPHY

“Circle of Sawdust: A Circus Memoir of Mud, Myth, Mayhem and Magic” by Rob Mermin — “Circle of Sawdust’ is a uniquely personal story of the wild characters, fascinating personalities, remarkable histories, and behind-the-scenes world of traditional traveling circuses. Here is a true-life tale about a boy’s impulse to run off and join the circus and then – through doubt, failure, loss, and tragedy- pursue the implausible vision of starting his own circus! With humor and passion, Mermin writes about the precarious life of a creative artist, the ups and downs of taking risks, and the idealistic struggle to hold onto a dream.” — from back cover.

“Here After: A Memoir” by Amy Lin — “As the author navigates the wake of her inexplicable loss, readers will be both humbled by and grateful for the way she brings us into her world. A beautifully visceral and emotionally intimate depiction of young widowhood.” ―Kirkus Reviews(starred review)

ADULT NON-FICTION

“10-Minute Balance Exercises for Seniors” by Primelife Wilderness — “…The comprehensive exercise guide that makes up the second half of the book is well-illustrated and easy to follow, ensuring user safety and the confidence that they’re getting the most out of regular workouts…”
―Self-Publishing Review

“Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan and Lifespan” by Maddy Dychtwald with Kate Hanley — “Maddy Dychtwald broadens the longevity conversation by covering all the essential pieces of the aging journey—including how to navigate ageism, rewrite our own attitudes about getting older, find purpose, foster connection, and manage our finances throughout a longer lifespan. Prepare to feel empowered and excited about the road ahead.”—Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, author of Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better

“Cutting Wood: Poems” by Phil Smith — “This collection of deeply personal poems describes a rural life in which trees, and the cutting, splitting, stacking, and burning of wood for heat are central to life. They explore hard work and labor, entangled connections with the natural world, the joy (and ache) of physical effort, and what it means to live in the North Country of New England and the Great Lakes.” — Amazon.com

“How to Say Goodbye” by Wendy McNaughton — ““Tenderly illustrated… [MacNaughton] distills hours of sitting, being there and waiting into a beautiful reminder that death is a part of living and that we can learn from it. “Follow their lead.” “Just be there.” “Cry. A lot.” This “how-to” guide about dying reminds the living to embrace the present and deepen our relationships.” ―NPR, “Books We Love”

“Leave Us in the Now: A Collection of Haiku, Volume 2” by Laura Lee Bond — “It can reveal a nugget of truth, like gold. A morsel of deliciousness to be savored. An instantaneous transportation into another world. It can change your consciousness. Or it can make you laugh.” — back cover

“Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbooks Got Wrong” by James W. Loewen — “Loewen’s book contains so much history that it ends up functioning not just as a critique, but also as a kind of counter-textbook that retells the story of the American past.”
―The Nation

“Mysteriously: A Collection of Haiku, Volume 1” by Laura Lee Bond — “In Mysteriously, the first volume in a trilogy of her haiku, Laura Lee Bond has compiled hard-won nuggets of universal truth.” — Amazon.com

“New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West” by David E. Sanger — “[A] cogent, revealing account of how a generation of American officials have grappled with dangerous developments in the post-Cold War era—the rise of an enduringly authoritarian China, the return of state-on-state conflict in Europe—that have produced a geopolitical mash-up of old and new . . . compelling . . . vividly captures Washington.”—The New York Times

“Poems Come” by Phil Smith — “… poems that tell stories. poems that dance. poems that sing. poems that change color.
these words also say what poems are not: violent. arrogant. mean. sound bites.
they describe the mystery. they talk about laughing. they’re insolent. they create stuff.
sometimes they’re impatient. sometimes they wait. they work for justice, enact gun laws, end ableism and saneism.
these poems are political acts.
phil smith, who put this book together, says he didn’t write these poems. they wrote themselves.” — Amazon.com

“Real Superfoods: Everyday Ingredients to Elevate Your Health” by Ocean Robbins & Nicole Dandrea-Russert — “A must-have cookbook for anyone looking to optimize their health and well-being. It cuts through conflicting and confusing nutritional advice and offers a practical path to slow the aging process through ordinary, easily accessible, and inexpensive ingredients.” — Mark Hyman, M.D., best-selling author and founder and director of The UltraWellness Center

“Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe” by Laura Lynne Jackson — “This most hopeful work is a peek behind the scenes of the universe, reading it is like receiving a private message from God. Its essence is this: While one’s body is temporary, one’s love lives forever.  What a thought!”—Mark Epstein, MD, author of Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself

“The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt — “[An] important new book…The shift in kids’ energy and attention from the physical world to the virtual one, Haidt shows, has been catastrophic, especially for girls.” —Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times

“The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War” by Erik Larson — “Perhaps no other historian has ever rendered the struggle for Sumter in such authoritative detail as Larson does here. . . . Few historians, too, have done a better job of untangling the web of intrigues and counter-intrigues that helped provoke the eventual attack and surrender.”—The Washington Post

“The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth” by Zoe Schlanger — “…an astounding exploration of the remarkable abilities of plants and fungi.…There are mind-bending revelations on every page, and Schlanger combines robust intellectual curiosity with delicate lyricism….Science writing doesn’t get better than this.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Reach” by Phil Smith — “Smith spent six weeks at Dickenson’s Reach in Down East Maine during the fall of 2019. The experience of living off-grid, with no running water and wood for heat, two miles from the nearest paved road was transformational. Created by Bill Coperthwaite, whose life and thinking about non-violent living that intentionally rejected capitalism and inequality, the homestead consists of a set of extraordinary yurts on 400 acres of wilderness, with 4.5 miles of ocean coast. Smith describes his connection with the animals, sky, water, soil, and trees that he lived among.” — Amazon.com

“This Place is North: Poems” by Phil Smith — “these poems – some short, some longer – are stories and songs about land and water, about animals and plants, about the author’s place among and alongside them. on the shore of lake superior, at the base of the abbaye peninsula, looking out at keweenaw bay, they explore what it means to live across all seasons in the north country. they take pleasure in hard work and small joys found in field and woods.” — Amazon.com

“Water-Color Rendered Words: A Collection of Haiku, Volume 2” by Laura Lee Bond — “It can reveal a nugget of truth, like gold. A morsel of deliciousness to be savored. An instantaneous transportation into another world. It can change your consciousness. Or it can just make you laugh. Leave Us in the Now, …, explores how we experience the now—whether it’s place, time, or the company we keep.” — Amazon.com

ITEMS

NT-USB Mini microphone — “The RDE NT USB Mini microphones operate with both Mac and Windows computers as well as tablets, and no preamp, interface, converters, or mixer are necessary for recording. It is powered by the USB bus of a computer and separate software is not required. RDE NT USB Mini microphones record audio at 24-bit / 48 kHz; make use of a directional cardioid polar pattern to minimize off-axis sound; and can be mounted to any standard microphone stand or their own magnetic stand. The NT USB Mini works with RDE Connect, a free streaming podcasting software.”

JUVENILE NON-FICTION

“The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity” by Nicholas Day — “A multistranded yarn skillfully laid out in broad, light brush strokes with some cogent themes mixed in.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review