Cardington-Lincoln Public Library

Must-Read Books
March 2026

Adult Fiction
Felicia's Favorites by Danielle Steel
Felicia's Favorites
by Danielle Steel

A mother bestows a life-changing legacy on her five adult daughters in this profoundly moving novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel. After the unexpected death of their mother, Felicia Morgan Weston, her five daughters are summoned to a historic Connecticut farmhouse for the reading of her will. Still reeling from shock, they hear revelations that will potentially change their lives--and they realize there was much more to their mother than they ever knew. Charlotte, the oldest, always resented her mother's advice, but now misses her terribly. An entrepreneur and single mother, she doesn't dare hope for a second chance at love. Although content with her career as a TV producer and her life with her partner in Greenwich Village, Quinne is about to have an opportunity to dream bigger. Former ballet dancer Olivia has lived as a paraplegic since a car accident twelve years ago. Refusing to be a burden, she has denied herself the love of her life. Despite her mother's disapproval, Veronica resigned herself to a secret relationship with an ambitious married senator. Happily married mother of three Isabelle has just found out that her husband is having an affair with his much younger intern. Each sister is about to receive a gift beyond her wildest dreams from their very private but loving mother, who considered all her girls her favorites. Danielle Steel's new novel is a moving testament to the power of a mother's love and the importance of fully embracing life.
Once and Again by Rebecca Serle
Once and Again
by Rebecca Serle

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Serle, the author behind heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) modern classic In Five Years, returns with an unforgettable tale of a family of women with an astonishing gift: the ability to redo one moment in their lives. The women of the Novak family were each born with a gift: they can, just once, turn back time. Lauren has known since she was fifteen that her mother Marcella saved Lauren's father from a deadly car accident. Dave is alive and happy, and out on the Malibu waves. But ever since, Marcella, her power spent, has lived in fear of what she won't be able to reverse. Her own mother, Sylvia, is her polar opposite: a free-spirited iconoclast with a glamorous past she only hints at. Lauren has spent her life between these two role models--and waiting for her own catastrophe to strike. Then one summer, Lauren's husband takes a job in New York and she moves back to Broad Beach Road, back into her childhood home on the shores of Malibu. Lauren looks forward to surfing with her dad again and perhaps repairing an unspoken fracture in her relationship with her mother. What she doesn't expect is for the boy next to door to return home as well: Stone, Lauren's first love, who broke her heart nearly a decade before. As Lauren falls into familiar patterns, with her family and, more dangerously, Stone, she finds herself thinking about all the choices, large and small, that have brought her to this moment. And wondering, finally, if one of them should be undone.
A Far-Flung Life by M. L. Stedman
A Far-Flung Life
by M. L. Stedman

From the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Light Between Oceans comes a breathtaking and epic novel set in the vast outback of Australia--about tragedy, family secrets, and the enduring power of love. When we do something that can't be undone or mended, how do we go on living? How do we find our North Star when there is no right answer? These are the questions at the center of M. L. Stedman's unforgettable and magisterial new novel, A Far-flung Life. From the author of the beloved and bestselling The Light Between Oceans, this is a sweeping and epic story of a family, a tragedy, and the aftermath that reverberates for decades. Remote Western Australia, 1958: here, for generations, the MacBrides have lived on a vast sheep station, Meredith Downs. It is a million acres, an ocean of arid land. On an ordinary day, on a lonely road, under the unending blue sky, patriarch Phil MacBride swerves to avoid a kangaroo. In seconds the lives of the entire MacBride family are shattered. And then, tragedy revisits when a twist of consequences claims the life of one sibling, and leads another to give up everything for the sake of an innocent child. Matt, the youngest MacBride, is plunged into a moral and emotional journey for which there is no map, no guide. The secrets at the heart of this gutting and beautiful story force him to choose between love and duty, sacrifice and happiness. A Far-flung Life is a tale about family and belonging, fate and time. It is about people trying to do their best, and each, for private reasons, seeking shelter from the storm of life. Can a fleeting moment unravel a whole life, mar it indelibly and irrevocably? Can compassion, resilience and forgiveness allow us to come to terms with our human imperfections? These are the questions Stedman asks in A Far-flung Life, her profoundly moving, uplifting, and luminous new novel about what the heart can endure for the sake of love.
Just Friends by Haley Pham
Just Friends
by Haley Pham

This heartwarming and swoon-worthy second chance romance about childhood friends reconnecting as adults is the highly anticipated debut novel from YouTube creator Haley Pham. Blair and Declan were inseparable growing up--best friends who knew each other better than anyone else. But when an impulsive kiss took them from friends to something more, everything changed. Just as quickly as their romance started, one moment shattered it all, leaving them with nothing but heartbreak and silence. Now, four years later, Blair is back in their coastal hometown of Seabrook to support her mom and care for her great-aunt Lottie as her health declines. To make ends meet, Blair applies to work at a coffee shop--only to discover it's managed by none other than Declan. The boy she loved. The boy she lost. The boy who still makes her heart race. As Blair's path keeps crossing with Declan's, old wounds resurface, secrets are revealed, and sparks reignite. But could their future ever be free of their past? Told in dual timelines that unravel the magic and pain of first love, Just Friends is a moving, romantic story about second chances, the weight of dreams, and finding your way back to the people who feel like home.
A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St James
A Box Full of Darkness
by Simone St James

Strange things happen in Fell, New York. A mysterious drowning at the town's roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For the Esmie siblings--Violet, Vail, and Dodie--the final straw was the shocking disappearance of their little brother. It started as a normal game of hide-and-seek. The three closed their eyes and counted to ten while Ben went to hide. But this time, they never found their brother-he was gone and the ongoing search efforts turned up no clues. As their parents grew increasingly distant, Violet, Vail, and Dodie were each haunted by visions and frightening events that made them leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people--spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years. And now after two decades running from their past, it's time for a homecoming. Because Ben is back, and he's ready to lead them to the answers they've longed for and long feared. If the ghosts of Fell don't get to them first--Provided by publisher.
The Beginner's Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter
The Beginner's Quilt
by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Outdoorsy Emma Bontrager's forced lessons in the household duties of an Amish wife lead her to discover an unexpected new passion for quilting.
The Devil's Bible: A Cotton Malone Novel by Steve Berry
The Devil's Bible: A Cotton Malone Novel
by Steve Berry

From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, a tale of mystery and intrigue stretching back over four centuries. Former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is called to Sweden when the younger sister of King Wilhelm I is kidnapped. The ransom demand? Hand over an 800-year-old book, the Codex Gigas--the largest illuminated medieval manuscript in the world. Claimed as war loot from Bohemia in 1648, it's been kept in Stockholm for nearly 400 years. Along the way it also acquired another more mysterious moniker ... The Devil's Bible. Now the Czech Republic wants the codex back, and Sweden has agreed to return it, but forces are at work to stop that deal from happening. The likely instigator? Russia. Who is also top of the list for possible kidnappers. It's up to Cotton and Cassiopeia Vitt to locate the king's sister, secure the codex, and thwart the Russians. Yet nothing is as it seems. Trusted allies become hostile enemies. Long-standing enemies suddenly shift into partners. Making matters worse, an array of conflicting personalities re-emerge from Cotton's past, transforming an already chaotic international situation into something far more personal and deadly. From the cobbled streets of Stockholm with its placid waterways and picturesque islands, to the hostile skies over the Baltic Sea, and finally onto a fabled 16th century Swedish warship, Cotton and Cassiopeia come face-to-face with the unthinkable--changing both of their lives forever.
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
by Heather Fawcett

A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montr al turns to a grouchy but charming magician to help save her shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series. Absolutely magnificent Full of cats and magic, this is the kind of book you want to instantly reread. I loved every character, every cat, and every moment with all my heart --Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats. Now it's the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock--who also happens to be the world's most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past--including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse. Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop--and the cat shelter--in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart. Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn't need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he's more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue--and romance--in her life. After all, second chances aren't just for rescue cats. . . .
The Hadacol Boogie: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke
The Hadacol Boogie: A Dave Robicheaux Novel
by James Lee Burke

Dave Robicheaux, James Lee Burke's iconic detective, returns to investigate the death of an unidentified woman, pulling him into a vortex ofcorruption and violence in the Louisiana bayouWhen a cloaked, disfigured man leaves a dead woman in a garbage bag on Dave Robicheaux's property, he knows his world and family are about to change.With Valerie Benoit, a detective new to the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department who is grappling with sexist and racist harassment from their colleagues, and the volatile but fiercely loyal Clete Purcel, Dave embarks on an investigation that brings him into the most dangerous moments of his career and threatens the lives of Valerie and his daughter Alafair.He encounters a local handyman who leaves cryptic notes and warns of the ghosts who roam the shores of the bayou and is targeted by a vicious New Orleans button man and gangsters from the north.Through brilliant prose and a quintessential cast of characters, James Lee Burke weaves a portrait of a gritty, violent Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century. Visceral, atmospheric, and wholly original, The Hadacol Boogie brings to life Dave Robicheaux's fierce determination to confront evil both past and present.
The Heir of Whitestone by Catherine Coulter
The Heir of Whitestone
by Catherine Coulter

A brilliant young innovator with a mysterious past and a boldly sharp-witted Lady uncover deadly secrets in #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter's thrilling, new Victorian-era romantic mystery filled with daring escapes, exciting twists, witty humor, and characters you won't soon forget. When Alex Ivanov was 12, someone tried to kill him. Now, 11 years later, they still want him dead. England, 1842. Queen Victoria reigns, Buckingham Palace is overrun with rats, and the streets of London are filled with intrigue. Alex Ivanov is a brilliant young innovator, designing cutting-edge train engines. But Alex has a secret--he isn't really Alex Ivanov. As a boy, he was pulled from the Thames, presumed drowned, with no memory of who he was. Rescued and raised by the formidable Ryder Sherbrooke, Alex has built a new life, but his past is catching up with him. Lady Camilla Rohman has problems of her own. Trapped by a scheming stepmother and a family determined to see her married off, she is as clever as she is desperate. When fate throws her into Alex's path, their connection is undeniable. But as their whirlwind romance turns into marriage, danger follows. On their honeymoon, a series of deadly attacks make one thing clear--someone wants Alex dead. As they race to uncover the truth, old enemies and long-buried secrets come to light, leading them to a shocking revelation that will change everything...
The Bookstore Diaries (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel of Secrets, Drama and Second Chance Love by Susan Mallery
The Bookstore Diaries (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel of Secrets, Drama and Second Chance Love
by Susan Mallery

Preorder now to get a deluxe limited edition of The Bookstore Diaries This special-edition hardcover will include beautifully designed endpapers and gorgeous sprayed edges This summer, the town's juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's joyful and sparkling new novelJax has a slight issue with control--as in, she needs it. Always. Too bad she has power only over the Painted Lady Bookstore, the Victorian mansion turned bookshop she inherited. No one else listens to a word she says. Her ex gets engaged for questionable reasons. Her beloved sister, Ryleigh, wants to move away to find a husband. And the handsome contractor Jax has chosen to convince Ryleigh to stay is only interested in Jax. Still, she's living the bookworm dream--until an unhappy accident erases the names from the bookshop lockboxes where the town keeps their diaries. Which means the only way to find a diary's owner is...to read it. As secrets spill and scandals surface, life at the Painted Lady Bookstore gets a lot more colorful and chaotic. But for a woman who's always had to take charge, Jax will see that losing control--especially with the right wrong guy--can set you free.Don't miss these other great reads from Susan Mallery: Otherwise Engaged Beach Vibes The Boardwalk Bookshop Once Upon a Holidate One Big Happy Family
This Book Made Me Think of You
by Libby Page

When her new husband Joe dies of cancer, grief-stricken London book editor Tilly learns from their local bookseller that Joe has arranged for her to receive a book -- along with a note -- every month for a year. As the weeks pass, Tilly becomes friends with struggling bookstore owner Alfie and tries new things with Joe's literary encouragement in this charming read. For fans of: Mikki Brammer's The Collected Regrets of Clover.
Served Him Right by Lisa Unger
Served Him Right
by Lisa Unger

A twisty and pacy thriller. --Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid seriesA woman's brunch with friends quickly turns dark in this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa UngerAna Blacksmith has gathered her closest friends and sister Vera for a brunch to celebrate her recent breakup from her boyfriend Paul. But when shocking news about Paul arrives, all eyes are on Ana, the angry ex with a bad reputation. Suspicions only intensify when Ana's best friend falls deathly ill after the brunch.But Ana is not the only one who had a score to settle with Paul. As the investigation unfolds, rumors of a secret network that uses ancient methods to obtain justice begin to emerge. Vengeance is sweet, but it can also be deadly. Ana and Vera are determined to find the truth before Ana takes the fall and their own long-buried history comes to light.
Jigsaw: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
Jigsaw: An Alex Delaware Novel
by Jonathan Kellerman

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The iconic thriller series that inspired the upcoming streaming show on Prime Video, in development now Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis, the most beloved duo in American crime fiction, return in this electric novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense (Los Angeles Times). This one looked like a slam dunk: a young woman found dead at her kitchen table, DNA on cigarette butts linking quickly to an ex-boyfriend with a criminal record. Or so homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis thought. Then everything changed and a quick close turned into a mind-bending whodunit. That's when Milo called in psychologist Alex Delaware, his best friend and a long-term consultant on those cases. The ones that are different. Then there's another one: an old woman found brutally murdered, her body stashed in a deep freeze and mutilated. And when Milo learns who she is, he's stunned. This victim is someone he once knew. Complicating matters further, her home is an extreme hoarder's den, virtually impassable due to years of stored trash and apparently meaningless objects. Except for the envelopes of cash stashed among the garbage. As Alex and Milo dig deeper into the seemingly unrelated crimes, they discover shocking links between the victims and realize they have a labyrinthine--and deadly--puzzle to solve. Cast against the unforgettable L.A. ambience unique to the novels of Jonathan Kellerman, this is classic Delaware at its best.
Adult Nonfiction
Why Socialism Struggles: Exposing the Economic Errors That Undermine Utopian Ideals by Doug Cardell
Why Socialism Struggles: Exposing the Economic Errors That Undermine Utopian Ideals
by Doug Cardell

Why Socialism Struggles: Exposing the Economic Errors That Undermine Utopian Ideals
Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling
by Danny Funt

Washington Post contributor Danny Funt's illuminating debut chronicles the evolution of legalized sports betting in the United States, detailing the rise of companies like FanDuel and DraftKings and how they prey upon consumers and athletes alike. Further reading: The Bookie: How I Bet It All on Sports Gambling and Watched an Industry Explode by Art Manteris and Matt Birkbeck.
The Maplehurst Murder: Mount Vernon's Most Infamous Unsolved Crime by Mark S. Jordan
The Maplehurst Murder: Mount Vernon's Most Infamous Unsolved Crime
by Mark S. Jordan

More than a century later, a grisly Ohio cold case murder gets new life. The night before Easter 1905, Miranda Bricker left her sister's house and made her way through the darkness. Her destination was her living quarters and place of employment, the Maplehurst mansion, the home of Mount Vernon, Ohio's leading industrialist. Within sight of her destination, an attacker emerged from the darkness, rushing her from behind. Their battle cut across the Maplehurst lawn, ending in Bricker's death before witnesses could be sure what was happening. The killer melted away into the night. The hasty investigation that followed almost resulted in an innocent Black man's lynching before the case went cold and was forgotten. Mark Sebastian Jordan has uncovered the roots and ripples of a story that crosses the continent and points out the possibility of a suspect 120 years later.
Youth Fiction
Watch Out for the Lion! by Brooke Hartman
Watch Out for the Lion!
by Brooke Hartman

Warning readers who dare to open the book that there is a lion hiding inside, this surprising story helps them discover what is really lurking in the pages of this interactive adventure.
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes That You'll Love to Cook and Eat by America's Test Kitchen Kids
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes That You'll Love to Cook and Eat
by America's Test Kitchen Kids

The #1 New York Times Best Seller and IACP Award Winner!Want to bake the most-awesome-ever cupcakes? Or surprise your family with breakfast tacos on Sunday morning? Looking for a quick snack after school? Or maybe something special for a sleepover? It's all here. Learn to cook like a pro--it's easier than you think.For the first time ever, America's Test Kitchen is bringing their scientific know-how, rigorous testing, and hands-on learning to KIDS in the kitchen!Using kid-tested and approved recipes, America's Test Kitchen has created THE cookbook every kid chef needs on their shelf. Whether you're cooking for yourself, your friends, or your family, The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs has delicious recipes that will wow!Recipes were thoroughly tested by more than 750 kids to get them just right for cooks of all skill levels--including recipes for breakfast, snacks and beverages, dinners, desserts, and more.Step-by-step photos of tips and techniques will help young chefs feel like pros in their own kitchenTestimonials (and even some product reviews!) from kid test cooks who worked alongside America's Test Kitchen will encourage young chefs that they truly are learning the best recipes from the best cooks.By empowering young chefs to make their own choices in the kitchen, America's Test Kitchen is building a new generation of confident cooks, engaged eaters, and curious experimenters.
Rabbit Tea: Ready-To-Read Level 2 by Cynthia Rylant
Rabbit Tea: Ready-To-Read Level 2
by Cynthia Rylant

A rabbit is having a tea party and needs lots of treats! Will Ginger, Piper, and Tom at the Mouse and Spoon Bakery be able to bake enough carrot cakes in time?--
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