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Check out these recommended reads, hand-picked by library staff just for readers like you!

 

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The Road Trip

Beth O'Leary

Two exes reach a new level of awkward when forced to take a road trip together in this endearing and humorous novel by the author of the international bestseller The Flatshare.

What if the end of the road is just the beginning?

Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.

Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.

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The Nickel Boys (Winner 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

Colson Whitehead

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this Pulitzer Prize-winning follow-up to The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
 
When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.
 
Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers and “should further cement Whitehead as one of his generation's best" (Entertainment Weekly). 

Look for Colson Whitehead’s bestselling new novel, Harlem Shuffle!

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It Ends with Us

Colleen Hoover

Falling for a stubborn but sensitive neurosurgeon after a youth spent hard to earn an education and start her own business, Lily is frustrated by his aversion to commitment before reconnecting with a first love from the past she left behind.

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Wandering Stars

Tommy Orange

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOKA TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR The Pulitzer Prize-finalist and author of the breakout bestseller There There ("Pure soaring beauty."The New York Times Book Review) delivers a masterful follow-up to his already classic first novel. Extending his constellation of narratives into the past and future, Tommy Orange traces the legacies of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family in a story that is by turns shattering and wondrous.

"For the sake of knowing, of understanding, Wandering Stars blew my heart into a thousand pieces and put it all back together again. This is a masterwork that will not be forgotten, a masterwork that will forever be part of you.” —Morgan Talty, bestselling author of Night of the Living Rez

Colorado, 1864. Star, a young survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre, is brought to the Fort Marion prison castle,where he is forced to learn English and practice Christianity by Richard Henry Pratt, an evangelical prison guard who will go on to found the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, an institution dedicated to the eradication of Native history, culture, and identity. A generation later, Star’s son, Charles, is sent to the school, where he is brutalized by the man who was once his father’s jailer. Under Pratt’s harsh treatment, Charles clings to moments he shares with a young fellow student, Opal Viola, as the two envision a future away from the institutional violence that follows their bloodlines.

In a novel that is by turns shattering and wondrous, Tommy Orange has conjured the ancestors of the family readers first fell in love with in There There—warriors, drunks, outlaws, addicts—asking what it means to bethe children and grandchildren of massacre. Wandering Stars is a novel about epigenetic and generational trauma that has the force and vision of a modern epic, an exceptionally powerful new book from one of the most exciting writers at work today and soaring confirmation of Tommy Orange’s monumental gifts.

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Dear Committee Members

Julie Schumacher

Finally a novel that puts the "pissed" back into "epistolary." 
Jason Fitger is a beleaguered professor of creative writing and literature at Payne University, a small and not very distinguished liberal arts college in the midwest. His department is facing draconian cuts and squalid quarters, while one floor above them the Economics Department is getting lavishly remodeled offices. His once-promising writing career is in the doldrums, as is his romantic life, in part as the result of his unwise use of his private affairs for his novels. His star (he thinks) student can't catch a break with his brilliant (he thinks) work"Accountant in a Bordello," based on Melville's"Bartleby." In short, his life is a tale of woe, and the vehicle this droll and inventive novel uses to tell that tale is a series of hilarious letters of recommendation that Fitger is endlessly called upon by his students and colleagues to produce, each one of which is a small masterpiece of high dudgeon, low spirits, and passive-aggressive strategies. We recommend"Dear Committee Members"to you in the strongest possible terms."

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The Talented Miss Farwell

Emily Gray Tedrowe

Catch Me If You Can meets Patricia Highsmith in this "stylish" (New York Times Book Review) page-turner of greed and obsession, survival and self-invention that is a piercing character study of one unforgettable female con artist.

At the end of the 1990s, with the art market finally recovered from its disastrous collapse, Miss Rebecca Farwell has made a killing at Christie's in New York City, selling a portion of her extraordinary art collection for a rumored 900 percent profit. Dressed in couture YSL, drinking the finest champagne at trendy Balthazar, Reba, as she's known, is the picture of a wealthy art collector. To some, the elusive Miss Farwell is a shark with outstanding business acumen. To others, she's a heartless capitalist whose only interest in art is how much she can make.

But a thousand miles from the Big Apple, in the small town of Pierson, Illinois, Miss Farwell is someone else entirely--a quiet single woman known as Becky who still lives in her family's farmhouse, wears sensible shoes, and works tirelessly as the town's treasurer and controller.

No one understands the ins and outs of Pierson's accounts better than Becky; she's the last one in the office every night, crunching the numbers. Somehow, her neighbors marvel, she always finds a way to get the struggling town just a little more money. What Pierson doesn't see--and can never discover--is that much of that money is shifted into a separate account that she controls, "borrowed" funds used to finance her art habit. Though she quietly repays Pierson when she can, the business of art is cutthroat and unpredictable.

But as Reba Farwell's deals get bigger and bigger, Becky Farwell's debt to Pierson spirals out of control. How long can the talented Miss Farwell continue to pull off her double life?

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Steal Like an Artist

Austin Kleon

You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.

When Mr. Kleon was asked to address college students in upstate New York, he shaped his speech around the ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out. The talk went viral, and its author dug deeper into his own ideas to create Steal Like an Artist, the book. The result is inspiring, hip, original, practical, and entertaining. And filled with new truths about creativity: Nothing is original, so embrace influence, collect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path. Follow your interests wherever they take you. Stay smart, stay out of debt, and risk being boring—the creative you will need to make room to be wild and daring in your imagination.

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The Improbability of Love

Hannah Rothschild

Wickedly funny, this totally engaging, richly observed first novel by Hannah Rothschild is a tour de force. Its sweeping narrative and cast of wildly colorful characters takes you behind the scenes of a London auction house, into the secret operations of a powerful art dealer, to a flamboyant eighteenth-century-style dinner party, and into a modest living room in Berlin, among many other unexpected settings.

In The Improbability of Love we meet Annie McDee, thirty-one, who is working as a chef for two rather sinister art dealers. Recovering from the end of a long-term relationship, she is searching in a neglected secondhand shop for a birthday present for her unsuitable new lover. Hidden behind a rubber plant on top of a file cabinet, a grimy painting catches her eye. After spending her meager savings on the picture, Annie prepares an elaborate birthday dinner for two, only to be stood up.

The painting becomes hers, and as it turns out, Annie has stumbled across a lost masterpiece by one of the most important French painters of the eighteenth century. But who painted this masterpiece is not clear at first. Soon Annie finds herself pursued by interested parties who would do anything to possess her picture. For a gloomy, exiled Russian oligarch, an avaricious sheikha, a desperate auctioneer, and an unscrupulous dealer, among others, the painting embodies their greatest hopes and fears. In her search for the painting's identity, Annie will unwittingly uncover some of the darkest secrets of European history--as well as the possibility of falling in love again.

Irreverent, witty, bittersweet, The Improbability of Love draws an unforgettable portrait of the London art scene, but it is also an exuberant and unexpected journey through life's highs and lows and the complexities of love and loss.

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Little Beach Street Bakery

Jenny Colgan

In the bestselling tradition of Jojo Moyes and Jennifer Weiner, Jenny Colgan's moving, funny, and unforgettable novel tells the story of a heartbroken young woman who turns a new page in her life . . . by becoming a baker in the town of Cornwall

A quiet seaside resort. An abandoned shop. A small flat. This is what awaits Polly Waterford when she arrives at the Cornish coast, fleeing a ruined relationship.

To keep her mind off her troubles, Polly throws herself into her favorite hobby: making bread. But her relaxing weekend diversion quickly develops into a passion. As she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, each loaf becomes better than the last. Soon, Polly is working her magic with nuts and seeds, chocolate and sugar, and the local honey—courtesy of a handsome beekeeper. Packed with laughter and emotion, Little Beach Street Bakery is the story of how one woman discovered bright new life where she least expected—a heartwarming, mouthwatering modern-day Chocolat that has already become a massive international bestseller.

Includes 7 Recipes!

 

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Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts

Crystal Wilkinson

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A lyrical culinary journey that explores the hidden legacy of Black Appalachians, through powerful storytelling alongside nearly forty comforting recipes, from the former poet laureate of Kentucky.

“With Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, Crystal Wilkinson cements herself as one of the most dynamic book makers in our generation and a literary giant. Utter genius tastes like this.”—Kiese Laymon, author of the Carnegie Medal-winning Heavy

People are always surprised that Black people reside in the hills of Appalachia. Those not surprised that we were there, are surprised that we stayed.

Years ago, when O. Henry Prize-winning writer Crystal Wilkinson was baking a jam cake, she felt her late grandmother’s presence. She soon realized that she was not the only cook in her kitchen; there were her ancestors, too, stirring, measuring, and braising alongside her. These are her kitchen ghosts, five generations of Black women who settled in Appalachia and made a life, a legacy, and a cuisine.

An expert cook, Wilkinson shares nearly forty family recipes rooted deep in the past, full of flavor—delicious favorites including Corn Pudding, Chicken and Dumplings, Granny Christine’s Jam Cake, and Praisesong Biscuits, brought to vivid life through stunning photography. Together, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts honors the mothers who came before, the land that provided for generations of her family, and the untold heritage of Black Appalachia.

As the keeper of her family’s stories and treasured dishes, Wilkinson shares her inheritance in Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts. She found their stories in her apron pockets, floating inside the steam of hot mustard greens and tucked into the sweet scent of clove and cinnamon in her kitchen. Part memoir, part cookbook, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts weaves those stories together with recipes, family photos, and a lyrical imagination to present a culinary portrait of a family that has lived and worked the earth of the mountains for over a century.

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Senegal

Pierre Thiam

Senegal will transport you deep into the country's rich, multifaceted cuisine. You'll feel the sun at your back and the cool breeze off the Atlantic, hear the sizzle of freshly caught fish hitting the grill, and bask in the tropical palm forests of Casamance. Inspired by the depth of Senegalese cooking and the many people he's met on his culinary journey, these recipes are Pierre Thiam's own creative, modern takes on the traditional. Learn to cook the vibrant, diverse food of Senegal, such as soulful stews full of meat falling off the bone; healthy ancient grains and dark leafy greens with superfood properties; fresh seafood grilled over open flame, served with salsas singing of bright citrus and fiery peppers; and lots of fresh vegetables and salads bursting with West African flavors.

Pierre's first book, Yolele!, introduced Senegalese food to the world, and now Senegal takes a deeper dive, showcasing the ingredients and techniques elemental to Senegalese cooking, the food producers at the heart of its survival, and the unique cultural and historical context it exists in. You'll meet local farmers, fishermen, humble food producers, and home cooks each with stories to tell and recipes to share and savor. You won't just be learning to make a few dishes, you'll learn about the Senegalese people, the stories of their past, and importantly, the issues they face today and tomorrow. This is the food of Senegal, from the source to the bowl.

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Dreamland

Sam Quinones

Winner of the NBCC Award for General Nonfiction

Named on Amazon's Best Books of the Year 2015--Michael Botticelli, U.S. Drug Czar (Politico) Favorite Book of the Year--Angus Deaton, Nobel Prize Economics (Bloomberg/WSJ) Best Books of 2015--Matt Bevin, Governor of Kentucky (WSJ) Books of the Year--Slate.com�s 10 Best Books of 2015--Entertainment Weekly�s 10 Best Books of 2015 --Buzzfeed�s 19 Best Nonfiction Books of 2015--The Daily Beast�s Best Big Idea Books of 2015--Seattle Times� Best Books of 2015--Boston Globe�s Best Books of 2015--St. Louis Post-Dispatch�s Best Books of 2015--The Guardian�s The Best Book We Read All Year--Audible�s Best Books of 2015--Texas Observer�s Five Books We Loved in 2015--Chicago Public Library�s Best Nonfiction Books of 2015

From a small town in Mexico to the boardrooms of Big Pharma to main streets nationwide, an explosive and shocking account of addiction in the heartland of America.

In 1929, in the blue-collar city of Portsmouth, Ohio, a company built a swimming pool the size of a football field; named Dreamland, it became the vital center of the community. Now, addiction has devastated Portsmouth, as it has hundreds of small rural towns and suburbs across America--addiction like no other the country has ever faced. How that happened is the riveting story of Dreamland.

With a great reporter�s narrative skill and the storytelling ability of a novelist, acclaimed journalist Sam Quinones weaves together two classic tales of capitalism run amok whose unintentional collision has been catastrophic. The unfettered prescribing of pain medications during the 1990s reached its peak in Purdue Pharma�s campaign to market OxyContin, its new, expensive--extremely addictive--miracle painkiller. Meanwhile, a massive influx of black tar heroin--cheap, potent, and originating from one small county on Mexico�s west coast, independent of any drug cartel--assaulted small town and mid-sized cities across the country, driven by a brilliant, almost unbeatable marketing and distribution system. Together these phenomena continue to lay waste to communities from Tennessee to Oregon, Indiana to New Mexico.

Introducing a memorable cast of characters--pharma pioneers, young Mexican entrepreneurs, narcotics investigators, survivors, and parents--Quinones shows how these tales fit together. Dreamland is a revelatory account of the corrosive threat facing America and its heartland.

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The Urge

Carl Erik Fisher

Named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker and The Boston Globe

An authoritative, illuminating, and deeply humane history of addiction—a phenomenon that remains baffling and deeply misunderstood despite having touched countless lives—by an addiction psychiatrist striving to understand his own family and himself

“Carl Erik Fisher’s The Urge is the best-written and most incisive book I’ve read on the history of addiction. In the midst of an overdose crisis that grows worse by the hour and has vexed America for centuries, Fisher has given us the best prescription of all: understanding. He seamlessly blends a gripping historical narrative with memoir that doesn’t self-aggrandize; the result is a full-throated argument against blaming people with substance use disorder. The Urge is a propulsive tour de force that is as healing as it is enjoyable to read.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick

Even after a decades-long opioid overdose crisis, intense controversy still rages over the fundamental nature of addiction and the best way to treat it. With uncommon empathy and erudition, Carl Erik Fisher draws on his own experience as a clinician, researcher, and alcoholic in recovery as he traces the history of a phenomenon that, centuries on, we hardly appear closer to understanding—let alone addressing effectively.
 
As a psychiatrist-in-training fresh from medical school, Fisher was soon face-to-face with his own addiction crisis, one that nearly cost him everything. Desperate to make sense of the condition that had plagued his family for generations, he turned to the history of addiction, learning that the current quagmire is only the latest iteration of a centuries-old story: humans have struggled to define, treat, and control addictive behavior for most of recorded history, including well before the advent of modern science and medicine.
 
A rich, sweeping account that probes not only medicine and science but also literature, religion, philosophy, and public policy, The Urge illuminates the extent to which the story of addiction has persistently reflected broader questions of what it means to be human and care for one another. Fisher introduces us to the people who have endeavored to address this complex condition through the ages: physicians and politicians, activists and artists, researchers and writers, and of course the legions of people who have struggled with their own addictions. He also examines the treatments and strategies that have produced hope and relief for many people with addiction, himself included. Only by reckoning with our history of addiction, he argues—our successes and our failures—can we light the way forward for those whose lives remain threatened by its hold.
 
The Urge is at once an eye-opening history of ideas, a riveting personal story of addiction and recovery, and a clinician’s urgent call for a more expansive, nuanced, and compassionate view of one of society’s most intractable challenges.

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Sober Curious

Ruby Warrington

Would life be better without alcohol?

It’s the nagging question more and more of us are finding harder to ignore, whether we have a “problem” with alcohol or not. After all, we yoga. We green juice. We meditate. We self-care. And yet, come the end of a long work day, the start of a weekend, an awkward social situation, we drink. One glass of wine turns into two turns into a bottle. In the face of how we care for ourselves otherwise, it’s hard to avoid how alcohol really makes us feel… terrible.

How different would our lives be if we stopped drinking on autopilot? If we stopped drinking altogether? Really different, it turns out. Really better. Frank, funny, and always judgment free, Sober Curious is a bold guide to choosing to live hangover-free, from Ruby Warrington, one of the leading voices of the new sobriety movement. 

Drawing on research, expert interviews, and personal narrative, Sober Curious is a radical take down of the myths that keep so many of us drinking. Inspiring, timely, and blame free, Sober Curious is both conversation starter and handbook—essential reading that empowers readers to transform their relationship with alcohol, so we can lead our most fulfilling lives.

 

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Never Enough

Judith Grisel

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From a renowned behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict, a rare page-turning work of science that draws on personal insights to reveal how drugs work, the dangerous hold they can take on the brain, and the surprising way to combat today's epidemic of addiction.

Judith Grisel was a daily drug user and college dropout when she began to consider that her addiction might have a cure, one that she herself could perhaps discover by studying the brain. Now, after twenty-five years as a neuroscientist, she shares what she and other scientists have learned about addiction, enriched by captivating glimpses of her personal journey.
In Never Enough, Grisel reveals the unfortunate bottom line of all regular drug use: there is no such thing as a free lunch. All drugs act on the brain in a way that diminishes their enjoyable effects and creates unpleasant ones with repeated use. Yet they have their appeal, and Grisel draws on anecdotes both comic and tragic from her own days of using as she limns the science behind the love of various drugs, from marijuana to alcohol, opiates to psychedelics, speed to spice.
With more than one in five people over the age of fourteen addicted, drug abuse has been called the most formidable health problem worldwide, and Grisel delves with compassion into the science of this scourge. She points to what is different about the brains of addicts even before they first pick up a drink or drug, highlights the changes that take place in the brain and behavior as a result of chronic using, and shares the surprising hidden gifts of personality that addiction can expose. She describes what drove her to addiction, what helped her recover, and her belief that a "cure" for addiction will not be found in our individual brains but in the way we interact with our communities.
Set apart by its color, candor, and bell-clear writing, Never Enough is a revelatory look at the roles drugs play in all of our lives and offers crucial new insight into how we can solve the epidemic of abuse.

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Dopamine Nation

Dr. Anna Lembke

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES and LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER
“Brilliant . . . riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued.”—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick,
as heard on Fresh Air

This book is about pleasure. It’s also about pain. Most important, it’s about how to find the delicate balance between the two, and why now more than ever finding balance is essential. We’re living in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . The increased numbers, variety, and potency is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation. As such we’ve all become vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption.
 
In Dopamine Nation, Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explores the exciting new scientific discoveries that explain why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain . . . and what to do about it. Condensing complex neuroscience into easy-to-understand metaphors, Lembke illustrates how finding contentment and connectedness means keeping dopamine in check. The lived experiences of her patients are the gripping fabric of her narrative. Their riveting stories of suffering and redemption give us all hope for managing our consumption and transforming our lives. In essence, Dopamine Nation shows that the secret to finding balance is combining the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery.

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Dopesick

Beth Macy

An instant New York Times and indie bestseller, Dopesick is the only book to fully chart the devastating opioid crisis in America: "a harrowing, deeply compassionate dispatch from the heart of a national emergency" (New York Times) from a bestselling author and journalist who has lived through it 
In this masterful work, Beth Macy takes us into the epicenter of America's twenty-plus year struggle with opioid addiction. From distressed small communities in Central Appalachia to wealthy suburbs; from disparate cities to once-idyllic farm towns; it's a heartbreaking trajectory that illustrates how this national crisis has persisted for so long and become so firmly entrenched. 
Beginning with a single dealer who lands in a small Virginia town and sets about turning high school football stars into heroin overdose statistics, Macy endeavors to answer a grieving mother's question-why her only son died-and comes away with a harrowing story of greed and need. From the introduction of OxyContin in 1996, Macy parses how America embraced a medical culture where overtreatment with painkillers became the norm. In some of the same distressed communities featured in her bestselling book Factory Man, the unemployed use painkillers both to numb the pain of joblessness and pay their bills, while privileged teens trade pills in cul-de-sacs, and even high school standouts fall prey to prostitution, jail, and death. 
Through unsparing, yet deeply human portraits of the families and first responders struggling to ameliorate this epidemic, each facet of the crisis comes into focus. In these politically fragmented times, Beth Macy shows, astonishingly, that the only thing that unites Americans across geographic and class lines is opioid drug abuse. But in a country unable to provide basic healthcare for all, Macy still finds reason to hope-and signs of the spirit and tenacity necessary in those facing addiction to build a better future for themselves and their families. 
"An impressive feat of journalism, monumental in scope and urgent in its implications."--Jennifer Latson, The Boston Globe 

 

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Welcome to Lagos

Chibundu Onuzo

“Storylines and twists abound. But action is secondary to atmosphere: Onuzo excels at evoking a stratified city, where society weddings feature ‘ice sculptures as cold as the unmarried belles’ and thugs write tidy receipts for kickbacks extorted from homeless travelers.” —The New Yorker 

When army officer Chike Ameobi is ordered to kill innocent civilians, he knows it is time to desert his post. As he travels toward Lagos with Yemi, his junior officer, and into the heart of a political scandal involving Nigeria’s education minister, Chike becomes the leader of a new platoon, a band of runaways who share his desire for a different kind of life. Among them is Fineboy, a fighter with a rebel group, desperate to pursue his dream of becoming a radio DJ; Isoken, a 16–year–old girl whose father is thought to have been killed by rebels; and the beautiful Oma, escaping a wealthy, abusive husband. 

Full of humor and heart, Welcome to Lagos is a high–spirited novel about aspirations and escape, innocence and corruption. It offers a provocative portrait of contemporary Nigeria that marks the arrival in the United States of an extraordinary young writer.

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Convenience Store Woman

Sayaka Murata

Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her. For her part, in the convenience store she finds a predictable world mandated by the store manual, which dictates how the workers should act and what they should say, and she copies her coworkers' style of dress and speech patterns so that she can play the part of a normal person. However, eighteen years later, at age 36, she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life, but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations and causing her family to worry about her. When a similarly alienated but cynical and bitter young man comes to work in the store, he will upset Keiko's contented stasis--but will it be for the better?

Sayaka Murata brilliantly captures the atmosphere of the familiar convenience store that is so much part of life in Japan. With some laugh-out-loud moments prompted by the disconnect between Keiko's thoughts and those of the people around her, she provides a sharp look at Japanese society and the pressure to conform, as well as penetrating insights into the female mind. Convenience Store Woman is a fresh, charming portrait of an unforgettable heroine that recalls Banana Yoshimoto, Han Kang, and Amélie.

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Stray City

Chelsey Johnson

“A thoughtful and joyous literary experience that celebrates its characters and liberally rewards its readers.” —New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice

"I tore through this novel like an orphaned reader seeking a home in its ragtag yet shimmering world." — Carrie Brownstein

“Our ’90s nostalgia is hella high these days, and this tender, funny story made our aging hipster hearts sing.” — Marie Claire

A warm, funny, and whip-smart debut novel about rebellious youth, inconceivable motherhood, and the complications of belonging—to a city, a culture, and a family—when none of them can quite contain who you really are.

All of us were refugees of the nuclear family . . .

Twenty-three-year-old artist Andrea Morales escaped her Midwestern Catholic childhood—and the closet—to create a home and life for herself within the thriving but insular lesbian underground of Portland, Oregon. But one drunken night, reeling from a bad breakup and a friend’s betrayal, she recklessly crosses enemy lines and hooks up with a man. To her utter shock, Andrea soon discovers she’s pregnant—and despite the concerns of her astonished circle of gay friends, she decides to have the baby.

A decade later, when her precocious daughter Lucia starts asking questions about the father she’s never known, Andrea is forced to reconcile the past she hoped to leave behind with the life she’s worked so hard to build.

A thoroughly modern and original anti-romantic comedy, Stray City is an unabashedly entertaining literary debut about the families we’re born into and the families we choose, about finding yourself by breaking the rules, and making bad decisions for all the right reasons.

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Welcome to Lagos

Chibundu Onuzo

“Storylines and twists abound. But action is secondary to atmosphere: Onuzo excels at evoking a stratified city, where society weddings feature ‘ice sculptures as cold as the unmarried belles’ and thugs write tidy receipts for kickbacks extorted from homeless travelers.” —The New Yorker 

When army officer Chike Ameobi is ordered to kill innocent civilians, he knows it is time to desert his post. As he travels toward Lagos with Yemi, his junior officer, and into the heart of a political scandal involving Nigeria’s education minister, Chike becomes the leader of a new platoon, a band of runaways who share his desire for a different kind of life. Among them is Fineboy, a fighter with a rebel group, desperate to pursue his dream of becoming a radio DJ; Isoken, a 16–year–old girl whose father is thought to have been killed by rebels; and the beautiful Oma, escaping a wealthy, abusive husband. 

Full of humor and heart, Welcome to Lagos is a high–spirited novel about aspirations and escape, innocence and corruption. It offers a provocative portrait of contemporary Nigeria that marks the arrival in the United States of an extraordinary young writer.

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My Crocheted Home

Salena Baca

Personalize your home with handmade crochet!

Crocheting items for the home provides a wonderful opportunity to display and enjoy your handmade items every day. Adorn your dining room with a beautiful wall hanging, plants in textured cozies, and the Elm Placemats and Runner. Snuggle into the cozy Arrowwood Throw with your head on a crocheted pillow and your feet propped up on the Wow Ottoman. Crochet baskets and caddies for every room--they can be made to match your decor and are both stylish and functional.

Salena Baca has a knack for creating crochet patterns with interesting texture and design elements while using only the basic crochet stitches. All patterns presented in this book are suitable for a beginner to intermediate crocheter, so grab your hook and yarn and get started. You'll love seeing and using your crochet all around your home!

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The Beginner's Guide to Knitting

Lynne Rowe

Unlock the art of knitting: Expert guidance, easy projects, and essential tips to begin your knitting journey with confidence!

Renowned knitting expert Lynne Rowe will be your trusted mentor, walking you through every step of the way. With Lynne's expert guidance, you'll effortlessly learn how to hold your needles, select the perfect yarn, decipher knitting patterns, execute various stitches, employ seamless sewing techniques, and conquer your very first knitting projects.

Lynne's friendly approach, easy-to-follow advice and clear tutorials will ease you into the welcoming world of knitting. By taking small steps and familiarizing yourself with the knitting terminology and techniques, you'll swiftly grasp the basics and become a confident knitter in no time at all.

There are 8 bright and contemporary projects, each clearly set out with easy-to-follow patterns. Choose from:

  • Tranquility spa set
  • Cozy scarf
  • Hygge headbands
  • Color block cushion
  • Baby blanket
  • Bunting
  • Ribbed beanie hat
  • Fingerless mittens

What makes this book truly exceptional is that each project progressively builds upon your knitting skills, so you'll soon be creating your own knitted wearable accessories and home décor items with all things bright and woolly!

Whether you aspire to knit heartfelt gifts for loved ones, express your creativity through handmade fashion, or simply find solace in the rhythmic motions of knitting, this book has everything you need to get started.

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Stitches and Seams

Valeria Carrandi Macias

Learn the essential skills you need to create garments and textile crafts from scratch!

Welcome to the wide and wonderful world of sewing! You have your sewing machine at the ready--now what? For those DIYers who are ready to dive into garment and textile craft creation, Stitches and Seams teaches you essential skills that every beginner needs to know. Author and acclaimed sewing teacher Valeria Carrandi Macias walks new sewists through everything they need to get started with sewing projects, from necessary tools and gear to essential skills, like inserting a zipper, making straight stitches and clean corners, and how to use patterns. Valeria also offers indispensable information about the vast sewing vocabulary, fabric selection, and making measurements for fitting.

Stitches and Seams is the book you'll need not only to immerse yourself in the nuts and bolts of sewing, but also to get you going on your machine with helpful preparation exercises, practical tips, and detailed instructions for five unisex sewing projects that put your new knowledge into action.

Learn to make:

-A coaster and table mat set

-An apron

-A zippered pouch

-Pajama set with top and shorts

-A tote bag to haul your fabric and sewing gear

The journey to making your own wardrobe begins here, with your very first stitches and seams.

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Get Messy Art

Caylee Grey

Getting messy is the best part of creating! Get Messy Art gives you the freedom, inspiration, and ideas to experiment and play with art techniques and projects to create perfectly imperfect art.

We’re always told that play and experimentation is the foundation of growing as an artist. But where do you start? Where to find new techniques to try? How do you bring them all together? Get Messy Art has all the guidance, instruction, and inspiration you need. Based on the popular online class and community website Get Messy Art, this book brings together tons of creative art techniques and projects, including painting with watercolor and acrylic, mark-making, drawing with markers and pen and ink, sketching faces, and much more.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You’ll also learn how to make your own art journals and trendy junk journals—easy handmade books to work in that are personalized and one of a kind.

In Get Messy Art you’ll discover:

  • A welcoming environment that encourages play and experimentation, to help you become the artist you always wanted to be.
  • How to use no-rules, no-stress art techniques as a creative outlet to express feelings.
  • Actionable inspiration that will keep you going, even when motivation is scarce.
  • Fresh techniques that will show you innovative ways to use low-cost supplies such as paint and mediums, stencils, pens, and paper.
  • Easy background techniques that will get you started and banish fear of the blank page.
  • The satisfaction of making your own unique journals using simple methods.

Ultimately, art is all about creating for the sake of creating. It’s powerful, it’s cathartic, it’s messy—and it’s all yours. It’s time to get messy!

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The Big Book of Happy Crafts

Lucia Mallea

It's time to get crafty! Join internationally renowned artist and content creator Lucia Mallea on a fun and colorful crafting journey through 24 stylish projects.

From stunning paper flowers and cheerful party decorations to DIY home décor and even stylish fashion accessories, readers will learn how to elevate inexpensive craft supplies into stunning works of art like cake stands, flower curtains, parrot earrings, statement stars, and more. Each project includes frustration-free step-by-step instructions and gorgeous photos of the finished results. Readers will discover how to choose the right tools, master basic techniques, and add fun embellishments to their creations. And the best part? This book includes handy ready-to-go templates and a bonus pullout project. It's time for readers to gather their friends, break out the glue guns, and craft themselves happy!

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Kawaii Doodle Café

Faith Varvara

Your table is ready . . . Learn to draw over 100 adorable doodles of your favorite snacks, desserts, drinks, and more!

Welcome to the Kawaii Doodle Café, where popular kawaii artist Faith Varvara shows you how to draw over 100 cute and tasty foods, both sweet and savory, with easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, à la carte items, pastries, desserts, and drinks, along with tableware. This adorable book includes:
 

  • A simple drawing style perfect for beginner artists of all ages.
  • Delectable foods and drinks from around the world, including Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée, Strawberry Parfait, Avocado Toast, Breakfast Burrito, Japanese Omurice, Bubble Tea, and much more!
  • A cozy café aesthetic.
  • A fun introduction about the café and its cute, talented staff.
  • Tips for drawing and coloring your foods.
  • Endless options to customize the foods to create your own feasts. 
  • Coloring pages.


Soon enough, you’ll be a regular customer, filling your sketchbook with a delicious memory every time you visit.

Keep doodling away as you collect all the fun books in the Kawaii Doodle series, which include: Kawaii Doodle Class, Mini Kawaii Doodle Class, Kawaii Doodle Cuties, Mini Kawaii Doodle Cuties, Kawaii Doodle World, Kawaii Kitties, and Kawaii Doggies.

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A Year of Granny Squares

Kylie Moleta

Discover the versatility and timelessness of the granny square, with 52 granny squares to take you through every week of the year!

"This crochet book is a standout for its colorful seasonal designs that will bring out crafters' creativity all year. An adorable purchase". LIBRARY JOURNAL

Kylie Moleta has designed these colorful, creative, and diverse squares with the changing seasons in mind. From lacy, lightweight summer squares to heavier, textured designs for when it gets chilly. From charming florals to geometric patterns, each granny square is a mini-masterpiece waiting to be brought to life by your skilled hands.

4 seasonal projects are included, with the flexibility to use many of the 6 x 6in. (15 x 15cm) squares in them. Here, you'll find designs for all skill levels, written patterns, and corresponding charts to suit every kind of crocheter. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced crocheter, there's something for everyone in this captivating collection.

Featuring clear instructions, detailed stitch diagrams, and stunning photography, "A Year of Granny Squares" ensures that you have all the tools you need to embark on your crochet adventure with confidence. Expand your skills, learn new techniques, and watch your crochet expertise grow throughout the year.

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Water Paper Paint

Heather Jones

This book is not only for "painters" but for all types of creative individuals who want to experience and play with watercolor, whether their background is mixed-media, textile art, journaling, or paper craft. Unlike the typical watercolor text books, this unique, beautiful volume is a field book of inspiration, creative ideas, how to's, and projects, all from an artist's perspective. Each creative exercise features a technique, shows step-by-step photographs, and includes a clever idea for a gift or project that can be made from the painted samples.

 

 

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Papier Mache

Sarah Hand

Papier mache is back—and not just for kids! In this third book in the Art Makers series, artists of all skill levels, crafty families, and others will love learning to work with their hands to make and then create with papier mache. 

The perfect tactile and environmentally conscious art form, papier mache uses simple, affordable, and recyclable tools and can be made easily at home. This accessible guide covers the tools, materials, and techniques for making papier mache, followed by step-by-step projects for making quirky, whimsical, folk art–inspired:

  • Home decor
  • Gifts
  • Jewelry
  • Dolls
  • Animal figurines
  • And much more

Art Makers: Papier Mache is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get started with this fun, easy technique, or for those who want to revisit the joy of making papier mache from their childhood.

The Art Makers series is designed for beginning artists and arts-and-crafts enthusiasts who are interested in experiencing fun hands-on mediums, including polymer clay and embroidery.

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Knitted Wild Animal Friends

Louise Crowther

Go wild with this brand new collection of adorable knitted wild animal toys and their clothes and accessories by best-selling author Louise Crowther.

After the success of Knitted Animal Friends, Louise has created knitting patterns for 12 new, wild animals including a zebra, elephant, lion, tiger, chimpanzee, sloth, koala, bear, hippopotamus, panda, giraffe and even a rhinoceros - all with their own distinct personal style!

The animal dolls all have the same basic body shape and size so that all of the outfits are interchangeable (they also work for the dolls in Knitted Animal Friends too), so you can mix and match your favourites.

Whether you love Charlie the Chimpanzee's casual outfit of rainbow striped cardigan, shorts and sneakers, or Sophie the Tiger's more formal pink ruffle dress which is perfect for a birthday celebration, there is a something for everyone. Edward the Sloth likes to take it easy and relaxes in comfy pyjamas a fluffy robe and slippers when he's kicking back, whereas Hugo the Zebra is always up for an adventure and enjoys wearing his red and white dungarees so he's ready for anything.

Louise's attention to detail means that every outfit fits perfectly and you will enjoy creating all the details that make each one so distinctive. There are instructions for how to construct the animal dolls and outfits as well as step-by-step photography for any unusual techniques. Louise also explains how to follow charts for the colourwork details in the outifts, as well as step-by-step tutorials for any special stitches.

There are so many possibilities for animal and outfit changes so that you can make the perfect doll for the cheeky monkeys in your life.

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Friends: The One with the Crochet

Lee Sartori

Crochet your favorite characters, iconic outfits, delightful décor, and more from the beloved sitcom, Friends!

There’s nothing better than enjoying an activity with your friends! Gather yours and re-create iconic moments with this deluxe collection of over 25 official patterns for amigurumi, housewares, costume replicas, inspired apparel, and more both inspired by and pulled directly from the hit TV show, Friends. Featuring patterns for all skill levels, beautiful full-color photography, step-by-step instructions, and clearly presented charts and schematics, Friends: The One with the Crochet is the ultimate crocheter’s guide to the show that’s always been there for you.

PROJECTS FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: This comprehensive, officially licensed guide includes fun projects for every skill level and a wide range of stitches and techniques.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: Includes meticulous step-by-step instructions and easy-to-understand charts and schematics.

25+ ORIGINAL PATTERNS: More than 25 unique Friends-inspired patterns including patterns for amigurumi, housewares, costume replicas, inspired apparel and more.

GORGEOUS PHOTOS: With beautiful full-color photography and iconic images from the show, this is the perfect way to celebrate Friends.

COMPLETE YOUR FRIENDS COLLECTION: Also available are Friends: The Official Cookbook, Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook, Friends: The Official Recipe Journal, Friends: The Official Advent Calendar, Friends: Yellow Frame Softcover Notebook, and more!

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Linocut

Sam Marshall

A step-by-step guide on how to create personal and contemporary linocut prints.

A linocut is a relief print created by carving a design into a printing block. It is the uncut surface, not the carved away areas, that gives you your image when you roll it with ink, lay paper on top then apply pressure to produce a print. 

With 18 easy-to-follow projects that can be adapted to suit your own ideas, experienced printmaker Sam Marshall guides you through the whole process – from the drawing to the carving to the inking to the printing – of creating your own beautiful prints and handmade cards whether you are working from your kitchen table or a more advanced studio set-up. 

By taking inspiration from everyday life, Sam helps you to build your confidence with observational drawing. Featuring step-by-step projects, the book demonstrates a range of skills with low-cost materials to produce simple linocuts, reduction linocuts and colourful multi-block prints. You will also learn more experimental techniques such as combining monoprint, chine collé, jigsaw linocuts and rainbow rolls and pick up handy tips on subjects such as 'noise' and editioning your prints. 

Beautifully illustrated with photographs of Sam's own drawings and linocuts, and featuring the work of 5 talented printmakers, Linocut is an essential guide to linocut printmaking. Packed with creative and practical advice to guide and encourage you, whether you're just starting out, returning to the craft or looking to expand your printmaking skills.

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Crepe Paper Blooms, Bugs and Butterflies

Eileen Lim

Step into the vibrant world of Crepe Paper Blooms, Bugs and Butterflies with Miss Petal & Bloom, a.k.a. Eileen Lim.

In this beautifully illustrated guidebook, internationally acclaimed artist Eileen reveals her secrets to crafting whimsical blooms and insects using 180gsm Italian crepe paper. To begin, the materials and basic techniques are broken down in detail, making this a perfect book for beginners.

In the Blooms chapter, you'll learn how to create a host of flowers that will never wilt, including a sunflower, a rose, two kinds of peonies, a dahlia, a ranunculus, oriental poppies, anemones, hydrangeas and a magnificent king protea. Eileen also demonstrates simple ways to transform your handmade flowers into lovely bouquets - perfect as gifts for your loved ones.

In the Bugs and Butterflies chapters, you'll be introduced to a collection of quirky crepe paper insects, such as two spectacular moths, two butterflies, colourful beetles, a dragonfly and a chubby little bumblebee, plus a fun range of display ideas.

Finally, in the Potted Plants chapter, Eileen shares techniques for making a variety of plants, as well as tips on how to pot them. These include daffodils, irises, orchids, delphiniums, tulips, foxgloves and gorgeous succulents that you'll never need to water.

With step-by-step photos for all projects, accompanied by full-size templates, you'll be inspired to give this addictive craft a go, and create beautiful paper blooms, bugs and butterflies for all occasions.

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Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines

Libby Ashcraft

Discover a new approach to crafting! Perfect for sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and a variety of other arts and crafts, digital cutting machines are changing the way people enjoy their favorite hobbies. Whether you're in the market to buy one or are looking for guidance and inspiration, this complete how-to manual is here to help. With overviews on the top three brands - Cricut, Silhouette, and Brother - clear instructions for foolproof preparation and cutting different materials, technique tutorials, handy hacks, unique fabric-based step-by-step projects, and so much more, Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines will help you make the most of your machine! Author Libby Ashcraft has been teaching sewing, embroidery, and embroidery software for over 20 years. She has expanded her expertise to include electronic cutters, including the Silhouette Cameo and Brother ScanNCut. As a licensed instructor, Libby travels around the country to lead workshops and classes at various summits and events.

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Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square

Margherita Cole

Draw unique cartoon characters using simple geometric shapes!

In Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square, professional artist and My Modern Met contributor Margherita Cole offers easy-to-follow instruction for using basic shapes to draw cute cartoon characters.

Her approach is simple: All you need are basic drawing tools and shapes to cartoon! The book features dozens of drawing projects and step-by-step instruction perfect for beginning and aspiring artists, cartoonists, illustrators, pen and graphite artists, and many others.

Each project combines simple geometric shapes—including circles and triangles and squares but also ovals, rectangles, and more—to draw adorable, cartoon-inspired artwork, including cartoon:

  • Heads
  • Faces
  • Bodies
  • Unique characters
  • Animals, such as elephants
  • And more!


Cartooning can be easy—with the right instruction! Learn to draw cartoon characters and more using geometric shapes with Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square.

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Tom Lake

Ann Patchett

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America's finest writers.

In the spring of 2020, Lara's three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

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Weather Girl

Rachel Lynn Solomon

A TV meteorologist and a sports reporter scheme to reunite their divorced bosses with unforecasted results in this electrifying romance from the author of The Ex Talk.

Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer.

In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.

Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?

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The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

Margareta Magnusson

A charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life.

In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming.

Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects). Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go.

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Divine Rivals

Rebecca Ross

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

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Know My Name

Chanel Miller

Universally acclaimed, rapturously reviewed, and an instant New York Times bestseller, Chanel Miller's breathtaking memoir "gives readers the privilege of knowing her not just as Emily Doe, but as Chanel Miller the writer, the artist, the survivor, the fighter." (The Wrap). Her story of trauma and transcendence illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicting a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shining with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.

Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing. Entwining pain, resilience, and humor, this memoir will stand as a modern classic.

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The Violin Conspiracy

Brendan Slocumb

Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. 
 
When he discovers that his beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach, and together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Without it, Ray feels like he's lost a piece of himself. As the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.

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Elatsoe

Darcie Little Badger

A Texas teen comes face-to-face with a cousin's ghost and vows to unmask the murderer.

Elatsoe--Ellie for short--lives in an alternate contemporary America shaped by the ancestral magics and knowledge of its Indigenous and immigrant groups. She can raise the spirits of dead animals--most importantly, her ghost dog Kirby. When her beloved cousin dies, all signs point to a car crash, but his ghost tells her otherwise: He was murdered.

Who killed him and how did he die? With the help of her family, her best friend Jay, and the memory great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Elatsoe, must track down the killer and unravel the mystery of this creepy town and it's dark past. But will the nefarious townsfolk and a mysterious Doctor stop her before she gets started?

A breathtaking debut novel featuring an asexual, Apache teen protagonist, Elatsoe combines mystery, horror, noir, ancestral knowledge, haunting illustrations, fantasy elements, and is one of the most-talked about debuts of the year.

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Something

Natalee Creech

"When I know a friend is hurting then my heart starts aching too, like it's asking me a question . . . is there something I can do?"

Based on a familiar passage from Matthew 25, this picture book explores themes of compassion and empathy, encouraging children to take positive action when they see a need in the world around them. From big things--like helping to plant a community garden or trying to find a home for an animal in need--to small things--like making a card or welcoming someone new--there is always something we can do! The book's lyrical refrain will stick with kids long after the book is closed: "If there's something that you notice, there is something you can do. Keep your kindness radar working--maybe something starts with you!" Immerse your little one in a world of kindness and hope with this gorgeously illustrated offering from Natalee Creech.

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The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

Colleen Oakley

Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.
 
One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.
 
The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m.  insisting that they leave town immediately? 
 
Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

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All Together Now

Gill Hornby

The small town of Bridgeford is in crisis. Downtown is deserted, businesses are closing, and the idea of civic pride seems old-fashioned to residents rushing through the streets to get somewhere else. Bridgeford seems to have lost its heart. 

But there is one thing that just might unite the community -- music. The local choir, a group generally either ignored or mocked by most of Bridgeford's inhabitants, is preparing for an important contest, and to win it they need new members, and a whole new sound. Enlisting (some may say drafting) singers, who include a mother suffering from empty-nest syndrome, a middle-aged man who has just lost his job and his family, and a nineteen-year-old waitress who dreams of reality-TV stardom, the choir regulars must find -- and make -- harmony with neighbors they've been happy not to know for years. Can they all learn to work together, save the choir, and maybe even save their town in the process? 

All Together Now is a poignant and charming novel about community, family, falling in love -- and the big rewards of making a small change.

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Wonder

R. J. Palacio

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. 
 
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Beginning from Auggie’s point of view and expanding to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others, the perspectives converge to form a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope.

R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out. 
 

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The Luminaries

Susan Dennard

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. 

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. 

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

"You'll want to get lost in the world of The Luminaries again and again.”—Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author

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Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Meet Yinka: a thirty-something, Oxford-educated, British Nigerian woman with a well-paid job, good friends, and a mother whose constant refrain is “Yinka, where is your huzband?”

Yinka’s Nigerian aunties frequently pray for her delivery from singledom, her work friends think she’s too traditional (she’s saving herself for marriage!), her girlfriends think she needs to get over her ex already, and the men in her life…well, that’s a whole other story.  But Yinka herself has always believed that true love will find her when the time is right.

Still, when her cousin gets engaged, Yinka commences Operation Find-A-Date for Rachel's Wedding. Aided by a spreadsheet and her best friend, Yinka is determined to succeed. Will Yinka find herself a huzband? And what if the thing she really needs to find is herself?

Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? is a fresh, uplifting story of an unconventional heroine who bravely asks the questions we all have about love. Wry, moving, irresistible, this is a love story that makes you smile but also makes you think--and explores what it means to find your way between two cultures, both of which are yours.

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2022 BY MARIE CLAIRE, PARADE, ESSENCE, MS. MAGAZINE, POPSUGAR, BUSTLE, BOOKRIOT, DEBUTIFUL AND MORE!

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An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

Hank Green

The Carls just appeared.
 
Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship—like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor—April and her best friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world—from Beijing to Buenos Aires—and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight.
 
Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. And all eyes are on April to figure out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.
 
Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring for the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye. The beginning of an exciting fiction career, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a bold and insightful novel of now.

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Dancing through Space

Lydia Lukidis

The true story of Dr. Mae Jemison, whose lifelong passions of science and dance prepared her to become a trailblazing astronaut.

Today, Dr. Mae Jemison is famous for being the first Black woman to travel into outer space. But when she was growing up, she felt torn between two passions: science and dance. It seemed like an impossible choice. There had to be some way to make room for both—and Mae found one. As an adult, she combined her gifts of scientific logic and artistic creativity and became an astronaut.

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Composting for the Absolute Beginner

Dede Cummings

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the various methods of composting and how to adapt them to your home and garden. With full-color photographs and easy-to-follow instructions, this will be an essential addition to every gardener’s library.

Great compost is one of the most important secrets of successful organic gardening. Topics covered here include:

  • What you can and can’t throw on your compost pile
  • How to balance nitrogen and carbon in your pile for quick decomposition and rich compost
  • Buying or building the best tools and containers
  • Vermicomposting
  • How to compost indoors
  • Troubleshooting smelly compost, dry compost, and other problems
  • How and when to apply the compost to your garden beds


With growing concerns about the use of pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs in mainstream gardening practices, more and more families are turning to their backyards to grow their own food using methods they know are safe. The need for clear, straightforward instruction on organic gardening techniques has never been greater. With Composting for Absolute Beginners, readers will get the information they need to prepare their gardens for healthy, abundant crops.

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The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden

Stacy Tornio

"The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden helps you become more intentional about attracting birds, bees, and more to the garden...you can build a beautiful garden for all seasons while simultaneously striving to support wildlife."―Horticulture

The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden is a beginner-friendly handbook that helps homeowners create a beautiful garden that attracts birds, bees, butterflies, and more. Everyone wants a garden buzzing with life, and Stacy Tornio makes it easy by sharing details about which plants attract specific creatures.

Stacy Tornio makes it easy to attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your home garden by sharing details about which plants attract specific creatures. The simple organization makes it easy to find exactly what you want, with chapters on attracting birds, bringing in bees butterflies, and welcoming wildlife. If you are looking to build a garden from scratch, there are ten plans with specific plant choices. The plans include a hummingbird garden, a birdseed garden, and options that are low-maintenance and drought-resistant. You'll also find expert advice on finding the right feeder, avoiding pesticides, and choosing native plants. The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden is a beautiful, photo-filled guide that will help you grow the earth-friendly garden of your dreams.

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Improving Your Soil

Keith Reid

Valuable advice from an expert in soil science.

Intended for both small and medium-size gardens, Improving Your Soil reveals the steps to take to achieve the perfect soil base in which to grow plants. With directions on amending poor soil, modifying mediocre earth, aerating compacted topsoil and substrates, and testing pH levels, this book enables gardeners to nurture their plants and promote more abundant growth.

The features of good soil include proper structure and nutrients that encourage healthy plant growth. Soil in "good tilth" is loamy, nutrient-rich and friable because it has an optimal mixture of sand, clay and organic matter that prevents severe compaction. Improving Your Soil shows gardeners how to improve the soil in their garden to encourage good seed bedding and a strong root system for proper nutrient disbursement throughout various soil depths.

Flower gardeners and vegetable gardeners will all benefit from the tips and methods in Improving Your Soil.

Topics include:

  • What your soil can tell you about how you need to manage it
  • Soil texture and structure -- building soil tilth
  • Using amendments to correct soil problems, such as clay or sandy soil
  • Creating a good environment for plant growth in different situations
  • Providing the right amount of water for plants
  • The teeming microscopic world of soils
  • Building soil organic matter
  • Crop rotations
  • Types of compost and how to make good compost
  • Managing soils to minimize pest and disease problems
  • Feeding the plants -- the nutrients they need, and how to get them there
  • Overcoming common nutrient deficiencies
  • Organic vs. mineral fertilizers.

The detailed information is complemented with line drawings, diagrams and illustrations that demonstrate various soil issues and how to resolve common problems. With information on remedying specific problems with particular plants, Improving Your Soil will be an often-consulted resource for all gardeners.

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Small-Space Vegetable Gardens

Andrea Bellamy

“If I could recommend one book for small-space vegetable gardening, this would be it. Andrea Bellamy nailed it!” —Joe Lamp’l, Growing a Greener World

Small-Space Vegetable Gardens explains the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space. Andrea Bellamy, author of the award-winning blog Heavy Petal, shares all the knowledge she’s gained from years of gardening small: how to find and assess a space, and how to plan and build a garden. Bellamy also highlights the top sixty edible plants and offers complete information on how to sow, grow, and harvest them. This hardworking and enthusiastic guide teaches gardeners how to take advantage of the space they have—whether it’s a balcony, a patio, a plot in a community garden, or even a small yard—to create the food garden of their dreams.

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Gardening Know How – The Complete Guide to Vegetable Gardening

Editors of Gardening Know How

An extensive and info-packed bible of home vegetable growing from the editors of the world’s most-visited gardening resource, Gardening Know How. 

With the experts from Gardening Know How at your side, cultivating loads of fresh, homegrown food has never been simpler. This indispensable handbook for vegetable gardeners includes not only the essential information you need to succeed, but also a wealth of expert tips and real-world advice to smooth the many inevitable bumps on the road to a productive edible garden. 

Gardening Know How – The Complete Guide to Vegetable Gardening is here to answer your every veggie-growing question, from asparagus planting to zucchini pest control—and everything in between. Detailed plant profiles offer specific cultivation information and unique growing tips for each vegetable crop, allowing you to pick and choose which crops to grow based on your climate and personal preference.

Other highlights:  
 

  • Planting plans for maximizing succession planting
  • Soil-building expertise from the pros
  • Budget-friendly garden design ideas and inspiration
  • Seed starting and transplanting information
  • Know-how on filling raised beds and containers
  • Tips for companion planting
  • Guidance on feeding, watering, and mulching your veggie plants
  • Recommendations on the best varieties to grow
  • Harvesting advice for dozens of different vegetables 


QR codes throughout the book guide you to even more available resources on the Gardening Know How website. Plus, lush, full-color photos highlight the beauty and value of homegrown harvests from backyard gardens, both large and small.

Welcome to the garden!

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The Manual of Seed Saving

Andrea Heistinger

“Makes it easy to find information in a snap, on most any edible you want to grow.” —Kylee Baumle, Horticulture

Growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs from seed has many benefits for both the gardener and the planet. Why save seeds when you can buy them so cheap? Not only does seed saving allow you to grow a diverse, organic array of fruits and vegetables, it also offers an opportunity to work closely with nature and be even more hands-on with the food you grow, cook, and eat. Supported by research from the global conservation organizations Arche Noah and Pro Specie Rara, The Manual of Seed Saving features information on how to maximize seed quality and yield for crop plants like asparagus, carrots, corn, rhubarb, spinach, squash, and tomatoes. Plant profiles include critical information on pollination, isolation distances, cultivation, harvest, storage, and pests and diseases.

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Reader's Digest The Essential Book of Herbs

Reader's Digest

An illustrated guide to growing and using herbs to enhance your cooking and your health.

This beautifully illustrated, complete guide to herbs unlocks the secrets of these wonder plants—from planting and harvesting to cooking and storing—including their health benefits. Now you can discover the joy and pleasure of growing your own herbs—for spicing up meals, creating crafts, treating ailments, and more. In this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated herbal guide you’ll find information on their history, cultivation, propagation, and harvesting, along with a wealth of great ideas for using herbs everyday in a variety of ways.

This guide unravels the mysteries of these versatile plants, with savvy tips and simple formulas for maximizing their powers. Did you know?

· Mint can repel ants, flies, mice, and moths

· Garlic can seriously lower cholesterol

· Chives, fennel, tarragon, thyme, oregano, and winter savory are perennials

· Rosemary was used in the Middle Ages for its tranquilizing effects, and it is still a digestion aid

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The Organic Herb Gardener

Graham Clarke

Discover the wonderful diversity of herbs in this comprehensive guide for the organic grower. The amazing range of colours, size, textures and perfumes make growing herbs an infinitely rewarding experience. Perfect for the organic gardener, herbs attract beneficial insects and wildlife and are often tough and resilient to pests and disease. Practical advice on planning a herb garden, propagating, planting, harvesting, drying and storing is included along with a handy calendar of jobs. The A-Z directory of herbs will inspire planting ideas and give background information of known culinary, medicinal and cosmetic uses for each herb.

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The Compost Coach

Kate Flood

The Compost Coach is a colourful, comprehensive and accessible guide to creating the very best compost AKA garden gold. Kate is on a mission to empower readers to understand the small steps they can take every day to look after the environment and live more sustainability.

The book is pitched at the home composter, including people who live in apartments and houses with or without gardens (yes, you can compost without a garden!). Kate helps the reader to rethink their waste management and teaches them how easy it is to divert food scraps and household carbon away from landfill. She unravels the technicalities of soil science, talks through the building blocks of a robust compost system and busts a few myths along the way. Charming illustrations, how-to photos, and Kate's warm, entertaining voice complete the package.

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Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden

Jessica Walliser

Winner of the American Horticultural Society Book Award

Insects are indeed valuable garden companions, especially the assassin bugs, damsel bugs, stink bugs, and other predatory carnivores that eat the insects that dine on your garden. Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden is a book about bugs and plants, and how to create a garden that benefits from both. In addition to information on companion planting and commercial options for purchasing bugs, there are 19 detailed bug profiles and 39 plant profiles. These profiles include a description, a photograph for identification, an explanation of what they can do to support pest control. Design plans show how to create a border specifically for the natural, sustainable inclusion of beneficial bugs in your garden. 

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Indoor Kitchen Gardening Handbook

Elizabeth Millard

Named one of the Best Gardening Books of 2014 by the Chicago Tribune, Indoor Kitchen Gardening is about creating a sense of play and nourishment. It takes just a few dollars and a few days for you to start enjoying fresh, healthy produce grown indoors in your own home.The Indoor Kitchen Gardening Handbook is a more compact, giftable edition of the original book and offers tons of great growing information in a smaller package. 

Imagine serving a home-cooked meal highlighted with beet, arugula, and broccoli microgreens grown right in your kitchen, accompanied by sautéed winecap mushrooms grown in a box of sawdust in your basement. If you have never tasted microgreens, all you really need to do is envision all the flavor of an entire vegetable plant concentrated into a single tantalizing seedling. If you respond to the notion of nourishing your family and guests with amazing, fresh, organic produce that you've grown in your own house, condo, apartment, basement, or sunny downtown office, then you'll love exploring the expansive new world of growing and eating that can be discovered with the help of the Indoor Kitchen Gardening Handbook.

Inside, author and Bossy Acres Farm CSA co-owner Elizabeth Millard teaches you how to grow microgreens, sprouts, herbs, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and more--all inside your own home, where you won't have to worry about seasonal changes or weather conditions. Filled with mouthwatering photography and more than 200 pages of do-it-yourself in-home gardening information and projects, Indoor Kitchen Gardening Handbook is your gateway to this exciting new growing method--not just for garnishes or relishes, but for wholesome, nutritious, organic edibles that will satisfy your appetite as much as your palate.

There's a certain thrill that comes from growing your own food, and if you're wearing your pajamas while you do it, that excitement can feel doubled. Easy growing projects, with a few challenging ones tossed into the mix, make indoor gardening a fun journey, not a daunting task. It doesn't matter if you want to grow your own food indoors in an urban apartment or in a rural farmhouse, anyone can use the techniques found here to grow a garden abundance--indoors! Let the year-round food growing adventure begin.

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Burpee The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener

Karan Davis Cutler

A Backyard-Gardener’s Guide to Growing a Bountiful, Great-Tasting Harvest

The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener features:

  • A full-color encyclopedia of over 100 vegetables and herbs with detailed, expert advice on growing them successfully from planting to harvest
  • Planting and growing techniques that keep maintenance to a minimum
  • Entries on how to grow unusual edibles, such as refreshing mesclun for salads, colorful edible flowers, spicy mustards, and more
  • Descriptions and photos of a host of succulent vegetables, both hybrids and heirlooms, from common to exotic
  • Complete information on improving even the poorest garden soil using safe, organic techniques, plus practical advice on making compost
  • Recommendations on garden tools you need–and those you don’t
  • Information on controlling pests and diseases organically, without resorting to poisonous sprays
  • Spectacular full-color photographs of vegetables and herbs, food gardens, and edible landscapes, plus 30 black-and-white line drawings
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Building Soil: A Down-to-Earth Approach

Elizabeth Murphy

This is your down-to-earth, complete manual for achieving great gardening results with your own rich, organic soil!

How do you recognize healthy soil? How much can your existing soil be improved? What are the best amendments to use for your soil? Let Building Soil answer your questions and be your guide on gardening from the ground up! Fertilizing, tilling, weed management, and irrigation all affect the quality of your soil. Using author Elizabeth Murphy's detailed instructions, anyone can become a successful soil-based gardener, whether you want to start a garden from scratch or improve an existing garden.

If you want methods that won't break your back, are good for the environment, and create high-yielding and beautiful gardens of all shapes and sizes, this is the book for you! Create classic landscape gardens, grow a high-yielding orchard, nurture naturally beautiful lawns, raise your household veggies, or run a profitable farm. A soil-based approach allows you to see not just the plants, but the living system that grows them. Soil-building practices promote more ecologically friendly gardening by reducing fertilizer and pesticide use, sequestering greenhouse gases, and increasing overall garden productivity.

Building Soil is a simple book full of practical, up-to-date information about building healthy soils. Simple methods perfect for the home gardener's use put healthy, organic soil within everyone's reach. You don't need a degree in soil management to understand this book; you only need a yard or garden and the desire to improve it at the most basic level.

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The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds

Robert Edward Gough

Enjoy your favorite varieties of garden plants year after year with this comprehensive guide to gathering, preparing, and planting seeds. Authors Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough provide simple instructions that clearly explain the whole process, from basic plant biology to proper seed storage and successful propagation. Gardeners of any experience level will find all the information they need to preserve genetic diversity, cut costs, and extend the life of their favorite plants to the next generation and beyond.

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Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

Kirsten Miller

"Kirsten Miller has that rare ability to take a serious subject and make it very, very funny. I enjoyed this novel and you will too."--James Patterson

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books--none of which she's actually read. To replace the "pornographic" books she's challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she's sure the town's readers need.

What Lula doesn't know is that a local troublemaker has stolen her wholesome books, removed their dust jackets, and restocked Lula's library with banned books: literary classics, gay romances, Black history, witchy spell books, Judy Blume novels, and more. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean's library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean's enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town's disgraced mayor.

That's when all the townspeople who've been borrowing from Lula's library begin to reveal themselves. That's when the showdown that's been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.

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A Well-Trained Wife

Tia Levings

The instant New York Times bestseller:

“Today it hit me when he hit me, blood shaking in my brain. Maybe there wasn’t a savior coming. Maybe it was up to me to save me.”

Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.”

Tia knew that to their neighbors her family was strange, but she also couldn't risk exposing their secret lifestyle to police, doctors, teachers, or anyone outside of their church. Christians were called in scripture to be “in the world, not of it.” So, she hid in plain sight as years of abuse and pain followed. When Tia realized she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women, she began to resist and question how they lived. But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.

Told in a beautiful, honest, and sometimes harrowing voice, A Well-Trained Wife is an unforgettable and timely memoir about a woman's race to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage.

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A Walk in the Park

Kevin Fedarko

Two friends, zero preparation, one dream. From the author of the beloved bestseller The Emerald Mile, a rollicking and poignant account of an epic 750-mile odyssey, on foot, through the heart of America’s most magnificent national park and the grandest wilderness on earth.

A few years after quitting his job to follow an ill-advised dream of becoming a guide on the Colorado River, Kevin Fedarko was approached by his best friend, the National Geographic photographer Pete McBride, with a vision as bold as it was harebrained. Together, they would embark on an end-to-end traverse of the Grand Canyon, a journey that, McBride promised, would be “a walk in the park.” Against his better judgment, Fedarko agreed to the scheme, unaware that the small cluster of experts who had completed the crossing billed it as “the toughest hike in the world.”

The ensuing ordeal, which lasted more than a year, revealed a place that was deeper, richer, and far more complex than anything the two men had imagined—and came within a hair’s breadth of killing them both. They struggled to make their way through the all but impenetrable reaches of its truest wilderness, a vertical labyrinth of thousand-foot cliffs and crumbling ledges where water is measured out by the teaspoon and every step is fraught with peril—and where, even today, there is still no trail along the length of the country’s best-known and most iconic park.

Along the way, veteran long-distance hikers ushered them into secret pockets, invisible to the millions of tourists gathered on the rim, where only a handful of humans have ever laid eyes. Members of the canyon’s eleven Native American tribes brought them face-to-face with layers of history that forced them to reconsider myths at the center of our national parks—and exposed them to the impinging threats of commercial tourism. Even Fedarko’s dying father, who had first pointed him toward the canyon more than forty years earlier but had never set foot there himself, opened him to a new way of seeing the landscape.

And always, there was the great gorge itself: austere and unforgiving but suffused with magic, drenched in wonder, and redeemed by its own transcendent beauty.

A Walk in the Park is a singular portrait of a sublime place, and a deeply moving plea for the preservation of America’s greatest natural treasure.

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Dies the Fire

S. M. Stirling

More of "the best straight-ahead science fiction the genre has ever seen" (Amazing) from the bestselling author of "Conquistador," 
An electrical storm over Nantucket causes all electronic devices to cease to function-computers, radio, even firearms-and plunges the world into a darkness humanity is unprepared to face. But as some people band together to help, others are building armies for conquest...

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Stormy Weather

Carl Hiaasen

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Hysterically funny...Hiaasen at his satirical best." - USA Today

Two honeymooners wake up early, make love twice, and brace themselves for a spectacle they won't be watching from the sidelines. A seductive con artiste stumbles into a scam that promises more cool cash than the lottery. A shotgun-toting mobile home salesman is about to close a deal with disaster. A law school dropout will be chasing one Gaboon viper, a troop of storm-shocked monkeys, and a newfound love life, while tourists by the thousands bail from the Florida Keys. We're now entering the hurricane zone, where hell and hilarity rule. And in the hands of the masterful, merciless Carl Hiaasen, we're going to have some weather.
 

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Becky Chambers

Winner of the Hugo Award!

In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, bestselling Becky Chambers's delightful new Monk and Robot series, gives us hope for the future.

It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.

One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. 

But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.

They're going to need to ask it a lot.

Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

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Just for the Summer

Abby Jimenez

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick!

This witty, slow-burn rom-com is the "ideal beach read." --Elle

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea... and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

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Doomsday Book

Connie Willis

Connie Willis draws upon her understanding of the universalities of human nature to explore the ageless issues of evil, suffering, and the indomitable will of the human spirit.

“A tour de force.”—The New York Times Book Review

For Kivrin, preparing to travel back in time to study one of the deadliest eras in humanity’s history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin—barely of age herself—finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history’s darkest hours.

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CIRCE

Madeline Miller

"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right" (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times). In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world. #1 New York Times bestseller -- named one of the best books of the year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, BuzzFeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider

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The Rise of Wolf 8

Rick McIntyre

"The powerful origin story of one of Yellowstone's greatest and most famous wolves." --Washington Post

"[The Rise of Wolf 8] is a goldmine for information on all aspects of wolf behavior and clearly shows they are clever, smart, and emotional beings." --Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today

Yellowstone National Park was once home to an abundance of wild wolves--but park rangers killed the last of their kind in the 1920s. Decades later, the rangers brought them back, with the first wolves arriving from Canada in 1995.

This is the incredible true story of one of those wolves.

Wolf 8 struggles at first--he is smaller than the other pups, and often bullied--but soon he bonds with an alpha female whose mate was shot. An unusually young alpha male, barely a teenager in human years, Wolf 8 rises to the occasion, hunting skillfully, and even defending his family from the wolf who killed his father. But soon he faces a new opponent: his adopted son, who mates with a violent alpha female. Can Wolf 8 protect his valley without harming his protégé?

Authored by a renowned wolf researcher and gifted storyteller, The Rise of Wolf 8 marks the beginning of The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone series, which will transform our view of wolves forever.

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Horse

Geraldine Brooks

“Brooks’ chronological and cross-disciplinary leaps are thrilling.” —The New York Times Book Review

Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME

“A thrilling story about humanity in all its ugliness and beauty . . . the evocative voices create a story so powerful, reading it feels like watching a neck-and-neck horse race, galloping to its conclusion—you just can’t look away.” —Oprah Daily

Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award · Finalist for the Chautauqua Prize · A Massachusetts Book Award Honor Book 

A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history

Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack. 
 
New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance.
 
Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse—one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success.
 
Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism.

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Poverty, by America

Matthew Desmond

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Evicted reimagines the debate on poverty, making a “provocative and compelling” (NPR) argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Oprah Daily, Time, The Star Tribune, Vulture, The Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Public Library, Esquire, California Review of Books, She Reads, Library Journal

“Urgent and accessible . . . Its moral force is a gut punch.”—The New Yorker

Longlisted for the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award • Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal 

The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit scores of its citizens to live and die on the streets, and authorize its corporations to pay poverty wages? 
 
In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. And we stockpile opportunity in exclusive communities, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside those of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may grow.
 
Elegantly written and fiercely argued, this compassionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem. It also helps us imagine solutions. Desmond builds a startlingly original and ambitious case for ending poverty. He calls on us all to become poverty abolitionists, engaged in a politics of collective belonging to usher in a new age of shared prosperity and, at last, true freedom.

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Thank You for Listening

Julia Whelan

From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan's uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator--who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident--and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.

For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She's found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.

On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world's most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book--with Brock McNight, the industry's hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn't buy what romance novels are selling--not after her own dreams were tragically cut short--and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

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Practical Magic

Alice Hoffman

*25th Anniversary Edition*—with an Introduction by the Author!

The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, and The Book of Magic.

For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic...

“Splendid...Practical Magic is one of [Hoffman's] best novels, showing on every page her gift for touching ordinary life as if with a wand, to reveal how extraordinary life really is.”—Newsweek 

“[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible.”—Cosmopolitan

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The God of the Woods

Liz Moore

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

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Year of Wonders

Geraldine Brooks

This gripping historical novel is based on the true story of Eyam, the "Plague Village", in the rugged mountain spine of England. In 1666, a tainted bolt of cloth from London carries bubonic infection to this isolated settlement of shepherds and lead miners. A visionary young preacher convinces the villagers to seal themselves off in a deadly quarantine to prevent the spread of disease. The story is told through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Anna Frith, the vicar's maid, as she confronts the loss of her family, the disintegration of her community, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit love. As the death toll rises and people turn from prayers and herbal cures to sorcery and murderous witch-hunting, Anna emerges as an unlikely and courageous heroine in the village's desperate fight to save itself. Exploring love and learning, fear and fanaticism, and the struggle of science and religion to interpret the world at the cusp of the modern era, Year of Wonders is at once a story of unconventional love and a richly detailed evocation of a riveting moment in history. Like Arthur Golden's Memories of a Geisha and A. S. Byatt's Posession, Year of Wonders blends learning and romance into an unforgettable read.

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The Little Friend

Donna Tartt

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Goldfinch comes an utterly riveting novel set in Mississippi of childhood, innocence, and evil. •  “Destined to become a special kind of classic.” —The New York Times Book Review

The setting is Alexandria, Mississippi, where one Mother’s Day a little boy named Robin Cleve Dufresnes was found hanging from a tree in his parents’ yard. Twelve years later Robin’s murder is still unsolved and his family remains devastated. So it is that Robin’s sister Harriet—unnervingly bright, insufferably determined, and unduly influenced by the fiction of Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson--sets out to unmask his killer. Aided only by her worshipful friend Hely, Harriet crosses her town’s rigid lines of race and caste and burrows deep into her family’s history of loss. Filled with hairpin turns of plot and “a bustling, ridiculous humanity worthy of Dickens” (The New York Times Book Review), The Little Friend is a work of myriad enchantments by a writer of prodigious talent.

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Tokyo Ever After

Emiko Jean

Emiko Jean’s New York Times bestseller and Reese Book Club Pick Tokyo Ever After is the “refreshing, spot-on” (Booklist, starred review) story of an ordinary Japanese American girl who discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan!

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izumi discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity...and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

In a whirlwind, Izumi travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.

Izumi soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairy tale, happily ever after?

Look for the bestselling sequel, Tokyo Dreaming, out now.

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Solo

Kwame Alexander

Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess is a New York Times bestseller! Kirkus Reviews said Solo is, "A contemporary hero's journey, brilliantly told." Through the story of a young Black man searching for answers about his life, Solo empowers, engages, and encourages teenagers to move from heartache to healing, burden to blessings, depression to deliverance, and trials to triumphs.

Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he'd give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy, including the loss of his mother. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming Blade will become just like his father.

In reality, the only thing Blade and Rutherford have in common is the music that lives inside them. And songwriting is all Blade has left after Rutherford, while drunk, crashes his high school graduation speech and effectively rips Chapel away forever. But when a long-held family secret comes to light, the music disappears. In its place is a letter, one that could bring Blade the freedom and love he's been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift.

Solo:

  • Is written by New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award-winner Kwame Alexander
  • Showcases Kwame's signature intricacy, intimacy, and poetic style, by exploring what it means to finally go home
  • An #OwnVoices novel that features a BIPOC protagonist on a search for his roots and identity
  • Received great reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus.

If you enjoy Solo, check out Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess.

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Legendborn

Tracy Deonn

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

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My Lady Jane

Cynthia Hand

This comical, fantastical, romantical, New York Times bestselling, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey is “an uproarious historical fantasy that’s not to be missed” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong.

New York Times Bestseller * Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Book of the Year * Bustle Best Young Adult Book of the Year * YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults

And don't miss the authors' next fun read, My Plain Jane!

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Rosie Revere, Engineer

Andrea Beaty

Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal—to fly—Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. But when her contraption doesn’t fly but rather hovers for a moment and then crashes, Rosie deems the invention a failure. On the contrary, Aunt Rose insists that Rosie’s contraption was a raging success: you can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit.
From the powerhouse author-illustrator team of Iggy Peck, Architect comes Rosie Revere, Engineer, another charming, witty picture book about believing in yourself and pursuing your passion.

Praise for Rosie Revere, Engineer "Comically detailed mixed-media illustrations that keep the mood light and emphasize Rosie’s creativity at every turn." —Publishers Weekly

"The detritus of Rosie’s collections is fascinating, from broken dolls and stuffed animals to nails, tools, pencils, old lamps and possibly an erector set. And cheddar-cheese spray."
Kirkus Reviews

"This celebration of creativity and perseverance is told through rhyming text, which gives momentum and steady pacing to a story, consistent with the celebration of its heroine, Rosie. She’s an imaginative thinker who hides her light under a bushel (well, really, the bed) after being laughed at for one of her inventions."
Booklist

Award
2013 Parents' Choice Award - GOLD
2014 Amelia Bloomer Project List

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Sydney & Simon: Full Steam Ahead!

Paul A. Reynolds

Twin mice solve a problem using STEAM in this early chapter book for young artists, inventors, and creative thinkers—featuring illustrations from the award-winning author/illustrator of The Dot

Sydney and Simon are twin mice on a mission. They want to enter their flowers in the neighborhood flower show, but the flowers in the window box are wilting in the city heat, and the window is jammed. How are they going to get water to their blossoms so they'll live and flourish in time for the show?

Sydney and Simon are lucky to be growing up in a curious and creative family and are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and record their findings through writing, art, music, and video. Their mother is a scientist and their father is a poet. Their family motto is: "When the going gets tough, the creative get going."

Utilizing the S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) philosophy of learning, this brightly illustrated story shows how an interdisciplinary studies model helps Sydney and Simon achieve their goals. In a practical, fun, and hands-on way, young readers will be inspired to interact with their own natural learning skills and start experiencing the world-and their education-in a whole new way.

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Programmed to Paint

Mauricio Abril

Join Pintro the robot's journey as he learns how to create art!

Pintro is a robot who is practically perfect. He knows all there is to know about how to garden, how to bake, and especially everything about math. But the one thing Pintro does not know how to do? Make art! Whenever he tries, he just produces a perfect copy of the subject. While that's not a bad thing, he knows there's more to art than that. Can Pintro connect with his creativity and overcome his programming so he can finally paint the way he wants to?

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Water Is Water

Miranda Paul

Drip. Sip. Pour me a cup. Water is water unless...it heats up.
Whirl. Swirl. Watch it curl by. Steam is steam unless...it cools high.

This spare, poetic picture book follows a group of kids as they move through all the different phases of the water cycle. From rain to fog to snow to mist, talented author Miranda Paul and the always remarkable Jason Chin (Redwoods, Coral Reefs, Island, Gravity) combine to create a beautiful and informative journey in this innovative nonfiction picture book that will leave you thirsty for more.

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Izzy Newton and the S. M. A. R. T. Squad: Absolute Hero (Book 1)

Valerie Tripp

When middle school mishaps happen, five friends form the S.M.A.R.T. Squad and use their collective skills and the power of science to bring order to their school.

Science reigns supreme with this squad of young brainiacs. Join Izzy Newton and her friends in the first adventure of this fun new middle-grade fiction series from National Geographic Kids.

A crowded new school and a crazy class schedule is enough to make Izzy feel dizzy. It may be the first day of middle school, but as long as her best friends Allie Einstein and Charlie Darwin are by her side, Izzy knows it'll all be okay. However, first-day jitters take an icy turn when Izzy's old pal Marie Curie comes back to town. Instead of a warm welcome, Marie gives her former pal the cold shoulder. The problems pile up when the school's air-conditioning goes on the fritz and the temperature suddenly drops to near freezing. The adults don't seem to have a clue how to thaw out the school. Cold temperatures and a frigid friendship? Izzy has had enough of feeling like an absolute zero. She rallies the girls to use their brainpower and science smarts to tackle the school's chilly mystery ... and hopefully to fix a certain frozen friendship along the way. Will the girls succeed and become the heroes of Atom Middle School?

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Steam Tales: Around the World in 80 Days

Katie Dicker

"[S]tudents clamoring for more books with STEAM experiments and fun facts would enjoy these two titles."--School Library Connection

"Each volume in the STEAM Tales series offers a famous title that has been adapted for younger readers and studded with informational features and engaging science activities that relate to the story in some way....This literary series will appeal to kids with far ranging curiosity about STEAM-related topics."--Booklist

Fire up young readers' imagination and creativity with this classic story featuring added STEAM activities. This beloved children's adventure is retold with vivid and engaging new illustrations - and at the end of every chapter, there are exciting new science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, themed around the events in the book. The activities range from simple puzzles to fun, dynamic experiments, so there's something for every enquiring mind. It's the ideal combination of enchanting story and stimulating science fun.

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Steam Tales - The Secret Garden

Katie Dicker

"[S]tudents clamoring for more books with STEAM experiments and fun facts would enjoy these two titles."―School Library Connection, review of STEAM Tales: Alice in Wonderland and STEAM Tales: Around the World in 80 Days

"Each volume in the STEAM Tales series offers a famous title that has been adapted for younger readers and studded with informational features and engaging science activities that relate to the story in some way....This literary series will appeal to kids with far ranging curiosity about STEAM-related topics."―Booklist, review of STEAM Tales: Alice in Wonderland and STEAM Tales: Around the World in 80 Days

Fire up young readers' imagination and creativity with this classic story featuring added STEAM activities.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's enchanting tale is retold with vivid and engaging new illustrations - and at the end of every chapter, there are exciting new science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, themed around the events in the book. The activities range from simple puzzles to fun, dynamic experiments, so there's something for every enquiring mind. It's the ideal combination of wonderful story and stimulating science fun.

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Steam Tales - The Wizard of Oz

Katie Dicker

"[S]tudents clamoring for more books with STEAM experiments and fun facts would enjoy these two titles."―School Library Connection, review of STEAM Tales: Alice in Wonderland and STEAM Tales: Around the World in 80 Days

"Each volume in the STEAM Tales series offers a famous title that has been adapted for younger readers and studded with informational features and engaging science activities that relate to the story in some way....This literary series will appeal to kids with far ranging curiosity about STEAM-related topics."―Booklist, review of STEAM Tales: Alice in Wonderland and STEAM Tales: Around the World in 80 Days

Fire up young readers' imagination and creativity with this classic story featuring added STEAM activities.

Dorothy's adventure through Oz is retold with vivid and engaging new illustrations - and at the end of every chapter, there are exciting new science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, themed around the events in the book. The activities range from simple puzzles to fun, dynamic experiments, so there's something for every enquiring mind. It's the ideal combination of enchanting story and stimulating science fun.

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The Math Adventurers: Build a Friendship

Sital Gorasia Chapman

Introduce kids aged 5-7 to shapes in an adventure story featuring two funny, mischievous robots named Beep and Boots

Join two friendly and funny robots, Beep and Boots, as they learn all about shapes and discover that math is everywhere they look.

Beep the robot would love nothing more than to have her own pet, like her friends do. One morning she gets a surprise delivery—a package containing circles, squares, triangles, and pentagons for her to make her own robot cat! Beep realizes that she can’t make a pet pal from flat, two-dimensional shapes so, with a flash of magic, the shapes become three-dimensional spheres, cubes, and pyramids. Join Beep as she tries different ways of putting shapes together to build her robot cat and make a best friend forever.

Characterful illustrations and rhyming text bring Beep and Boots to life. Children aged 5–7 will love seeing the adventures the robot duo go on and will learn key mathematical concepts concerning shapes in a gentle, fun way. Questions at the end of the book reinforce learning and encourage kids to look at the math they can see in the world around them.

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Teddy Bear Addition

Barbara Barbieri McGrath

Teddy Bears are on an addition mission! 

Math, counting, sorting and adding for young children. Easy, fun, and educational. Visual learners can watch the teddies add more and more. And kinetic learners can copy the action with their own teddy bear manipulatives. Catchy speech bubbles accompany lively verse as teddies add single-digit and double-digit numbers from one to fifty.

Playful rhymes and hands-on interaction make this book perfect for use with bear counters and other classroom manipulatives.

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Science Verse

Jon Scieszka

"Amoeba"
Don't ever tease a wee amoeba 
By calling him a her amoeba. 
And don't call her a him amoeba. 
Or never he a she amoeba. 
'Cause whether his or hers amoeba, 
They too feel like you and meba.

What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes . . . the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun.

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Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor (Frank Einstein series #1)

Jon Scieszka

New York Times Bestseller

"I never thought science could be funny . . . until I read Frank Einstein. It will have kids laughing."
--Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid

"Huge laughs and great science--the kind of smart, funny stuff that makes Jon Scieszka a legend."
--Mac Barnett, author of Battle Bunny and The Terrible Two

Clever science experiments, funny jokes, and robot hijinks await readers in the first of six books in the New York Times bestselling Frank Einstein chapter book series from the mad scientist team of Jon Scieszka and Brian Biggs. The perfect combination to engage and entertain readers, the series features real science facts with adventure and humor, making these books ideal for STEM education. This first installment examines the science of "matter."

Kid-genius and inventor Frank Einstein loves figuring out how the world works by creating household contraptions that are part science, part imagination, and definitely unusual. In the series opener, an uneventful experiment in his garage-lab, a lightning storm, and a flash of electricity bring Frank's inventions--the robots Klink and Klank--to life! Not exactly the ideal lab partners, the wisecracking Klink and the overly expressive Klank nonetheless help Frank attempt to perfect his inventions.. . . until Frank's archnemesis, T. Edison, steals Klink and Klank for his evil doomsday plan!

Integrating real science facts with wacky humor, a silly cast of characters, and science fiction, this uniquely engaging series is an irresistible chemical reaction for middle-grade readers. With easy-to-read language and graphic illustrations on almost every page, this chapter book series is a must for reluctant readers. The Frank Einstein series encourages middle-grade readers to question the way things work and to discover how they, too, can experiment with science. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews raves, "This buoyant, tongue-in-cheek celebration of the impulse to 'keep asking questions and finding your own answers' fires on all cylinders," while Publishers Weekly says that the series "proves that science can be as fun as it is important and useful."

Read all the books in the New York Times bestselling Frank Einstein series: Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor (Book 1), Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger (Book 2), Frank Einstein and the BrainTurbo (Book 3), and Frank Einstein and the EvoBlaster Belt (Book 4). Visit frankeinsteinbooks.com for more information.

STARRED REVIEW
"In the final analysis, this buoyant, tongue-in-cheek celebration of the impulse to 'keep asking questions and finding your own answers' fires on all cylinders."
--Booklist, starred review

"Scieszka mixes science and silliness again to great effect."
--Kirkus Reviews

"In refusing to take itself too seriously, it proves that science can be as fun as it is important and useful."
--Publishers Weekly

"With humor, straightforward writing, tons of illustrations, and a touch of action at the end, this book is accessible and easy to read, making it an appealing choice for reluctant readers. A solid start to the series."
--School Library Journal

"Kids will love Frank Einstein because even though he is a new character he will be instantly recognizable to the readers...Jon Scieszka is one of the best writers around, and I can't wait to see what he does with these fun and exciting characters."
--Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl

"Jon Scieszka's new series has the winning ingredients that link his clever brilliance in story telling with his knowledge of real science, while at the same time the content combination of fiction and non fiction appeals to the full range of the market."
--Jack Gantos, Dead End in Norvelt

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Math Curse

Jon Scieszka

Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem? You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes until your bus leaves. Is there enough time? You have 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants. Can you make 1 good outfit? Then you start to wonder: Why does everything have to be such a problem? Why do 2 apples always have to be added to 5 oranges? Why do 4 kids always have to divide 12 marbles? Why can't you just keep 10 cookies without someone taking 3 away? Why? Because you're the victim of a Math Curse. That's why. But don't despair. This is one girl's story of how that curse can be broken.

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Cola Fountains and Spattering Paint Bombs

Jesse Goossens

Bring STEM home with this colorful collection of science experiments that use everyday household objects. Turn your home or garden into a laboratory and create paint bombs and elephant toothpaste, let crystals grow, volcanoes erupt and CDs fly, build your own lava lamp, and discover how you can bounce an egg. Jesse Goossens has collected 47 spectacular, exciting, and sensational experiments with clear instructions and helpful information presented in a graphic way. Illustrator Linde Faas has exploded her palette to introduce even more giggles. The result is a festive book for budding inventors and other sorcerers' apprentices. Parental supervision recommended.

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