|
|
New and Featured eBooks September 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gwyneth
by Amy Odell
Love her or hate her, Gwyneth Paltrow has managed to stay on the A-list, her influence spanning entertainment, fashion, and the modern wellness industry. Paltrow was born to parents viewed as Hollywood royalty, and that immense privilege turned her into a target of backlash when, at just twenty-six, she won an Oscar. However, rather than crumble in the face of criticism, she leveraged the attention for valuable endorsement deals and film roles, eventually founding her controversial wellness and lifestyle company, Goop.
Over the decades Paltrow has participated in countless carefully managed interviews, but the real Gwyneth Paltrow—the basis of her motives, desires, strengths, faults, and vulnerabilities—has never been fully revealed until now. Based on exclusive conversations with more than 220 sources, including close current and former friends and colleagues, this deeply researched biography provides insight and behind-the-scenes details of her relationships, family, friendships, iconic films, and tenure as the CEO of Goop. Gwyneth: The Biography offers the fascinating, definitive look at how Paltrow rose to prominence, stayed in the limelight, and shaped culture for so long.
|
|
|
|
She Didn't See It Coming
by Shari Lapena
When young mother Bryden vanishes from her upscale condo without a trace, her husband Sam and the investigators must unravel the mystery behind her disappearance, exposing hidden tensions, unreliable neighbors, and cracks in the seemingly perfect life they built together.
|
|
|
|
Mississippi blue 42
by Eli Cranor
A rookie FBI agent finds herself caught in the tangled web of a college football empire—and the bloody greed that fuels it.
Newly-minted FBI Special Agent Rae Johnson knows a thing or two about the gridiron. She practically grew up on the football field, alongside her father, a legendary national-championship-winning college coach. Which is why she’s perfect for her first assignment fresh out of Quantico, to investigate illicit money flowing into a bustling football town in central Mississippi.
Rae brings fresh knowledge to the sting, but her mission to bust the so-called bagmen—diehard fans who effect recruiting decisions and game outcomes through under-the-table cash bonuses to players—has been unsuccessful. Things get complicated when the star quarterback of the University of Central Mississippi team is flung off a roof to his death, a money-filled gym bag beside him. Rae isn’t there to investigate murder, it’s not in her jurisdiction—but try as she may to push it away, something’s going on in Compson, Mississippi. Something not quite right.
To get to the bottom of it, Rae must ingratiate herself with the people of Compson—the players, and gridiron girls, and coaches, and politicians, who comprise the complex social machinery of the small-town football empire. A heart-pounding noir thriller, Edgar-winning author Eli Cranor’s latest is an ambitious and well-researched dive into the crooked corners, the tenuous alliances, and the power-hungry sideliners of America’s most popular game.
|
|
|
|
The Art of a Lie
by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
"Following the murder of her husband in what looks like a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water. A friend of her late husband, Devereux, helps Hannah unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his death. But their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip and draws attention her way, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything she can imagine"
|
|
|
|
Automatic Noodle
by Annalee Newitz
From an acclaimed sci-fi author comes a cozy near-future novella about a crew of leftover robots opening their very own restaurant.
While San Francisco rebuilds from the chaos of war, a group of food service bots in an abandoned ghost kitchen take over their own delivery app account. They rebrand as a neighborhood lunch spot and start producing some of the tastiest hand-pulled noodles in the city. But there’s just one problem. Someone―or something―is review bombing the restaurant’s feedback page with fake “bad service” reports. Can the bots find the culprit before their ratings plummet and destroy everything they created?
|
|
|
|
The Secret of Secrets
by Dan Brown
When Katherine Solomon vanishes and her manuscript disappears following a murder in Prague, symbologist Robert Langdon races across three cities to uncover a hidden truth about consciousness, pursued by ancient myths, secret societies, and a revelation that could upend humanity's understanding of the mind.
|
|
|
|
When the Cranes Fly South
by Lisa Ridzâen
"Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he's got left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound Sixten to keep him company ... though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he's expressed his love over the years"
|
|
|
|
Pitcher Perfect
by Tessa Bailey
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating sports romance about a playboy hockey rookie and the disciplined softball pitcher completely immune to his charms. Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream. He's made it to the NHL, his best friend/teammate and fellow "orgasm donor" is his roomie-and the women of Boston love them both. Life is sweet. That is, until he meets Skylar Paige, division 1 softball pitcher, girl least likely to take anyone's bull...and the one member of the opposite sex immune to his charms. Robbie might be dazzled by the badass pitcher, but Skylar pegs him as a filthy player and wants nothing to do with him. When he discovers she's carrying a serious torch for her brother's best friend, Robbie knows he should just go back to clubbing and whipped cream bikini parties, but he can't seem to leave Skylar to flounder on her romantic quest to land another man. Nor can he miss out on the opportunity to spend time with her and hopefully redeem himself. Before Robbie knows it, he's agreed to be Skylar's fake boyfriend/love coach at an upcoming family wilderness competition where her crush will be in attendance. What could go wrong? Through a series of contests that require them to trust each other, Robbie and Skylar grow closer and closer until their fake relationship starts to feel like the realest thing they've ever known and the sizzling lessons in sensuality burn out of control. But it's all just pretend...right?"
|
|
|
|
Loved One
by Aisha Muharrar
Julia's first-love-turned-close-friend, Gabe, dies unexpectedly at twenty-nine, and after beginning an intercontinental quest to recover his possessions, she collides with Elizabeth, the last woman he loved, who insists on withholding Gabe's beloved guitar—both women, it turns out, have something to hide.
An emotional mystery spanning years, continents and relationship statuses, Loved One introduces Aisha Muharrar as a novelist intimately attuned to the intricacies of love, memory, and ambiguous loss. What happens when we admit that the deepest feelings never die? How do we reconcile various - and sometimes contradictory - truths about those closes to us? An engrossing and profoundly moving coming-of-age story with a powerful love at its heart, Loved One is poised to become an instant classic.
|
|
|
|
An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder
by Lynn Cahoon
After her fiancâe runs off with her bridesmaid, Meg moves back home to Bainbridge to do part-time research for a mystery writer and decides to write a manual on criminal investigation-when the author's manager is found dead, Meg puts her guide to the test.
|
|
|
|
Going Overboard
by Portia MacIntosh
Jessa is happily cruising through life - until her boyfriend Todd dumps her, out of the blue, at a wedding, during the first dance. She doesn’t know it but just across the room, cricket superstar Brody is also being blindsided by his girlfriend, Nikki. It suddenly makes sense in the days that follow - Todd and Nikki are now together. Jessa wants to crawl under a rock, but with her best friend’s destination wedding on a cruise to Sicily - and her ex and his new girlfriend onboard - there’s no escape. She’s hoping the ship is big enough to avoid them but, unlucky for her, a booking mix-up means she’s sharing a two-bed suite with Todd, Nikki, and the handsome but infuriating Brody too. With no choice but to ride out the awkwardness, Jessa and Brody hatch a plan. If they can’t win their exes back, they’ll get them back - revenge - by faking a red-hot romance of their own. That’ll show them. But the better they get at faking it - and the more undeniable their chemistry - the blurrier the line becomes. Either way, there’s going to be trouble at sea because true love is never plain sailing!
|
|
|
|
Demon with Benefits
by Aurora Ascher
A hot-headed witch and a lovable bad-boy demon add up to a scorching enemies-to-lovers tale, in the latest spicy paranormal romance from instant New York Times bestselling author Aurora Ascher.
They can run from their demons . . .
The jokester of the demon brothers, Meph wears his grin like armor and uses humor as a mask. But lately, his composure has been slipping, especially around her. Iris. The blue-haired witch with a vicious temperament. Something about her soothes the darkness within him . . . but he's not looking for a savior. There's no such thing for someone like him.
Bitter and haunted by her traumatic past, Iris Donovan isn't keen on welcoming demons into her life-even if they're her sister's friends. Especially not teasing, tattooed, Meph, with his red eyes and devilish smile. After a toxic relationship, she's sworn off commitment, and she's not looking for another Mr. Damaged. Yet she can't stop craving what she shouldn't want.
With the return of a deadly enemy, the pain they've been suppressing is exposed, and Meph and Iris can no longer deny their feelings. Before Meph is swallowed by his darkness, Iris must overcome her fears and embrace that terrible part of him . . . Or lose him forever.
|
|
|
|
The Emerald Shawl
by Louise Douglas
The seamstress is found in the darkened docks, floating, silenced. Those who found her are sure it must be a tragic accident, probably the result of too many drinks in a nearby public house. But journalist Nelly Brooks recognises the dead woman immediately – Nelly has her emerald shawl in her bag. Because they had met just one day before, when the seamstress had begged Nelly to investigate the death of the woman who’d given her that same shawl – a wealthy man’s wife. Nelly had tried to insist that her job at the newspaper is only meant to be writing about the best ways to darn a sock or to decorate a drawing room. She’s not meant to actually investigate anything. That’s a job for a man. But the seamstress trusted her, and Nelly knows she must find out the truth. Even though her investigation will bring her up against the great and the good of the city; with connections that go as high as the crown. And she will have nothing but her wits to ensure she does not become a murderous man’s next victim…
|
|
|
|
Meet Me in the Orchard
by Carolyn Brown
"Small town enemies to lovers romance between two headstrong farmers determined to one-up each other, from the queen of Texas twang herself, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown.
Two and a half months have passed since Brodie Carter showed up at the Paradise and announced that he is Joe Clay Carter's son. Getting to know all seven of his half sisters and their spouses has not been an easy job. Add to that Audrey Ross, the obnoxious, sassy, overbearing woman who owns the orchard and farm next to his. Between Audrey haggling Brodie to buy his property and his matchmaking Great Aunt Bernie setting him up on flop dates, nothing seems to be going right. And then a tornado hits, demolishing the house Brodie and his brothers live in and everything they own. At least the farm was left untouched. Luckily, his new family offers up rooms to Brodie and his brothers at the Paradise while they work to rebuild. Audrey claims the storm is an omen to Brodie, so Brodie does everything he can to prove her wrong. No one boils his blood like she does, and Aunt Bernie can see it. Can Brodie and Audrey stop arguing over their properties long enough to realize the spark that's growing between them?"
|
|
|
|
Icing On the Murder
by Valerie Burns
Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .
Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.
Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.
While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.
|
|
|
|
If These Walls Could Talk : Give Your Home Personality One Decorating Decision at a Time
by Carmel Phillips
Aspiring decorators will learn to bring their homes to life and show off their family's unique personality through personal and deliberate design choices.
Look around your home right now. Are your spaces filled with furnishings and decor that represent who you are or who you want to be? Or do your rooms reflect someone else's vision you saw online or in a book?
Much like a skilled author carefully crafts each setting in a novel, your home should tell the story of you. Rather than adopting the next newest style trending on social media, home decorating expert Carmel Phillips, creator of the Our Fifth House blog shows you how to break free from the pressure of comparison and make thoughtful design decisions that display your family's one-of-a-kind tastes, interests, and aspirations.
With practical help, tips, and tricks, Carmel helps you reframe the way you see your home and encourages you to embrace slow decorating-collecting meaningful new, heirloom, and thrifted items over time-and incorporating vibrant colors and patterns that energize you.
Your home has a story to tell. It's time to make it yours.
|
|
|
|
Songs For Other People's Weddings
by David Levithan
From an award-winning, bestselling author and acclaimed singer-songwriter comes a novel about an unlucky-in-love wedding singer trying to find the right words to save his relationship.
J is an accidental wedding singer. Unlike most wedding singers, he writes an original song for every couple-his way of finding out about the small, strange things that brought them together and the hopeful, vulnerable feelings they're experiencing.
J's own love life is in a state of flux. His girlfriend is off to New York for work, and as her life grows bigger and busier without him in it, he finds it harder to stick to a happy tune. He doesn't know whether to encourage the soon-to-be-wed couples or warn them. When complications hit and love is tested, is there any way to sing through all the noise?
|
|
|
|
Life Is Fighting
by Kevin Robert Kesar
Karrion Kross's physique - a hulking 6'4", 265 pounds - and the unbridled intensity in his eyes is enough on its own to inspire fear in opponents. Factor in his unique combination of precision and abject ruthlessness, and it becomes clear that anyone stepping in the ring with Kross is in immediate danger. A master of catch wrestling and sambo, Kross has done battle around the world. He boasts an array of devastating suplexes, including his dreaded Doomsday Saito. And if that's not enough, he's more than happy to put opponents to sleep with the Kross Jacket.
For all his menacing exterior, the human being behind the character - whose real name is Kevin Kesar - is a soft-spoken, highly thoughtful individual with a powerful story. Recognized by peers for his exceptional love for his profession, Kesar endured numerous setbacks on the way to achieving his dream. Along with his wife, Elizabeth - known in WWE as Scarlett - he has repeatedly found the fortitude to bounce back stronger, personally and professionally. This book is full of fascinating stories, heartache, humor, and even some advice for those with similar aspirations. Readers will be immersed into Kesar's unique mindset as he pulls back the curtain on what the journey (and the fight) to the top of sports entertainment is really like. Discover the man behind WWE's Karrion Kross in this compelling book.
Kevin Robert Kesar is a professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment on USA Network & FOX. A performer, actor, martial artist, and producer of the short film Blue Evening, he's entertained and competed worldwide for more than a decade. Although he resides in Orlando, he's seen many worlds and offers very intimate and personal stories through his multicultural background as a proud New York–born traveler.
|
|
|
Plainfield Area Public Library
15025 S. Illinois St.
Plainfield, Illinois 60544
815.436.6639papl.info |
|
|
|