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• Staff Picks Newsletter • |
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Looking for your next fave read? Want to read what we're reading? You're in the right place! Like you, our staff love to read good books. Explore the books we are loving right now and discover some new titles to add to your TBR (to be read) pile with our monthly Staff Picks!
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HEADQUARTERS: STAFF PICKS
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The Business Trip
by Jessie Garcia
On a plane, two women, business traveler Stephanie and abuse survivor Jasmine, unknowingly share a connection as they begin sending identical, increasingly erratic texts about the same man, Trent McCarthy, before both vanish, prompting an urgent investigation into their mysterious disappearance and the sinister manipulations at play.
- Picked By: Shannon, Assistant Director
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A Flicker in the Dark
by Stacy Willingham
"It is hard to believe that A Flicker in the Dark is Stacy WIllingham’s debut. This novel is finely crafted with cleverly layered twists, both subtle and shocking."
Twenty years after her father was arrested as a serial killer, Louisiana psychologist Chloe Davis becomes alarmed when local teenage girls once again go missing and she begins seeing parallels that may or may not be there.
- Picked By: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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The Girlfriend
by Michelle Frances
"The Girlfriend is an easy-to-read, compelling domestic thriller featuring a small cast of characters and a soapy storyline. This novel reads like a Lifetime movie, and I am surprised it is Prime Video and not them who latched on to the adaptation!"
When her son, a handsome doctor, is left in a coma after a terrible accident, wealthy Laura Cavendish sets in motion a chain of events to make his manipulative girlfriend, Cherry, pay for her involvement, but Cherry has her own plans—to become Laura's worst nightmare.
- Picked By: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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The Hitchhikers
by Chevy Stevens
"A chilling thriller from literary agent Chevy Stevens which makes you wonder how much you should help others ..."
On the remote Canadian highways in 1976, Tom and Alice are on an RV road trip to repair their marriage and heal the wounds of recent tragic events, but when they join up with a seemingly friendly young couple, things take an even darker turn.
- Picked By: Laura, Library Director
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How to Tidy Your Mind: Tips and Techniques to Help You Reduce Mental Clutter
by Anna Barnes
"This book subtly reshaped my mind, giving me the space and perspective I needed to reconsider my life, determine what is essential, and plan for how I can do more of what matters and less of what doesn’t."
Come along in this how-to book to learn how to declutter your mind, worry less, and live more. It’s no secret that we have all grown accustomed to worry in the past few years. Although it’s a normal part of the human experience, when it begins to affect both your mental and physical health, it’s time for a change. With a few tricks and techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and more, you can bring order to your inner world and find a sense of peace again.
- Picked By: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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A Hundred Crickets Singing
by Cathy Gohlke
1944: a violent storm rips through No Creek, North Carolina exposing a hidden trunk and secrets dating back to the Civil War. Celia Percy suspects the truth could transform the future for her friend Marshall, who is now fighting overseas, but whose ancestors were once enslaved by the Belvidere family. 1861: After her mother's death, Minnie Belvidere works frantically to keep her household running and her family together. Her brothers are divided in loyalties between the Confederacy and the Union.
- Picked By: Lynette, Programming Administrator
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Jujutsu Kaisen
by Gege Akutami
Although Yuji Itadori looks like your average teenager, his immense physical strength is something to behold! Every sports club wants him to join, but Itadori would rather hang out with the school outcasts in the Occult Club. One day, the club manages to get their hands on a sealed cursed object, but little do they know the terror they'll unleash when they break the seal.
- Picked By: Josh, Information Technology Manager
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The Last Affair
by Margot Hunt
"Painting a realistic portrait of family life and the struggles of keeping the spark alive in a marriage over the years while also raising kids, The Last Affair shows how yielding to the smallest of impulses can end in disastrous results."
A high-suspense thriller told from alternating perspectives details an affair between an image-minded mother of three and a married man whose wife's murder triggers explosive reverberations throughout their small seaside town.
Available only in the Hoopla app.
- Picked By: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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She Didn't See It Coming
by Shari Lapena
"The 'woman goes missing' storyline is back and more suspenseful than ever, thanks to Lapena's cleverly layered writing with tightly wrought twists that deliver a sucker punch."
When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene, and the investigation begins: can the detectives find her before it's too late?
- Picked By: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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When We Had Wings
by Ariel Lawhon
Based on real history and alternating between three perspectives, When We Had Wings tells an amazingly moving story of heroic service, perseverance in the darkest of days, and the hope of the human spirit.
- Picked By: Lynette, Programming Administrator
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Akira Book 6
by Katsuhiro Otomo
As Tetsuo begins losing control of his abilities, the military's forces converge on Neo-Tokyo for the final confrontation.
- Picked By: Danny, Branch Assistant
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Ancient Greece
by Sandra Newman
Presents an introduction to ancient Greek civilization, describing its history, city-states, government, religion, arts, sciences, and warfare.
- Picked By: Van, Reference Librarian
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Apprentice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Happy working as the assistant to The Villain, Evie Sage notices something strange happening with the kingdom's magic and must protect their lair in Rennedawn in the second novel of the series following.
- Picked By: Jessica, Branch Assistant
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Chasing the Spotlight
by Sarah Anne Sumpolec
Determined to get the lead in the spring musical, Amelia discovers that her best efforts are playing out a little differently than she dreamed.
- Picked By: Liza, Library Page
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Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
by Heather Fawcett
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things...But Emily Wilde is not good at people...So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hransvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: the dashing and insufferably handsome Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of her research, and utterly confound and frustrate Emily. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery.
- Picked By: Brittany, Branch Associate
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The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk
by Carissa Broadbent
Imprisoned by vengeful gods after sacrificing everything, Mische and Asar reunite for a final quest through collapsing realms and divine conflict, seeking the god of death's power and a second chance at love, redemption, and immortality.
- Picked By: Rayven, Library Page
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The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Living in a "perfect" world without social ills, a boy approaches the time when he will receive a life assignment from the Elders, but his selection leads him to a mysterious man known as the Giver, who reveals the dark secrets behind the utopian facade.
- Picked By: Madison, Branch Assistant
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Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name
by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Little Luvvie is ready for her first day at a new school. But immediately things do not go well. First, a kid in class makes fun of her name. How dare he! But Luvvie's instant response gets her scolded. Then she forgets her lunch. And worst of all, her teacher sees a private note Luvvie had written to herself where she talked about how much she doesn't like her new school.
- Picked By: Tricia, Branch Assistant
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The Love Fix
by Jill Shalvis
When guarded art appraiser Lexi Clark returns to Sunrise Cove for her late mother's final wish, a road trip with her free-spirited stepsister and childhood rival Heath forces her to confront buried emotions, family fractures, and an unexpected chance at healing and love.
- Picked By: Kim, Branch Associate
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A Prayer For Our Country: Words to Unite and Inspire Hope
by Barry C. Black
In this inspirational prayer, U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black leads children in thanking God for America, while showing them that healing and unity is possibly in our country by seeing the image of God in others.
- Picked By: Doris, Branch Assistant
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Curvy Girl Summer
by Danielle Allen
Approaching her thirtieth birthday, Aaliyah seeks love through a dating app with her friends' support, but finds unexpected connections amidst the lies, catfishing, fetishizing and overall chaos of online romance.
- Picked By: Leah, Branch Manager
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Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Gamers head to an ancient version of the Sinnoh region to survey the land and catch wild creatures in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The action is set many years before Pokémon: Diamond Version and Pokémon: Pearl Version, when the land was still known as the Hisui region. Players choose Rowlet, Cyndaquil, or Oshawott as partners, and then they explore the land, engage in battles, and use wooden Poké Balls to capture a variety of monsters. The goal is to create the region’s first Pokédex, and users may come across mythical Pokémon like Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus.
Available as a Nintendo Switch Video Game.
- Picked By: Katie, Reference Librarian
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Resident Evil 2
A rookie cop's first day on the job. A student searching for her missing brother. A city on the verge of collapse... Completely reimagined award-winning horror classic. Play individual campaigns as Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Explore a stunningly rebuilt Raccoon City infested with terrifying zombies.
Available as a PS4 Video Game.
- Picked By: Taylor, Branch Assistant
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The Shining
by Stephen King
Jack Torrance sees his stint as winter caretaker of a Colorado hotel as a way back from failure, his wife sees it as a chance to preserve their family, and their five-year-old son sees the evil waiting just for them.
- Picked By: Lizzie, Maintenance and Custodial Assistant
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Where Courage Calls: A When Calls the Heart Novel
by Janette Oke
A companion story to the Hallmark Channel series finds Beth leaving the social privileges of wealth to accept a teaching position in the rugged foothills of Canada, where she tries to make a difference in the aftermath of a tragic mining accident. TV tie-in.
- Picked By: Amber, Branch Assistant
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The White Lotus - The Complete First Season
Set at an exclusive Hawaiian resort, follows the exploits of the hotel guests and employees as tensions arise between them, revealing the complex truths of the seemingly picture-perfect reality.
- Picked By: Lisa, COS Assistant
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The Wrong Daughter
by Dandy Smith
Sixteen years after Olivia vanished during a seemingly safe night home alone, a woman claiming to be her reappears, forcing sister Caitlin and their family to confront buried memories and the chilling possibility that they've welcomed the wrong daughter back.
Recommended as an audiobook in the cloudLibrary app.
- Picked By: Sue, Library Page
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SOUTH LAFOURCHE: STAFF PICKS
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The Build Your Bowl Salad Cookbook
by Nina Cherie Franklin
Discover how to create delicious, balanced, and nutrient-rich salads with The Build-Your-Bowl Salad Cookbook, featuring 75 easy recipes to support lifelong wellness and healthy eating.
- Picked By: Carmen, Branch Assistant
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Creepy Campfire Stories
by Anastasia Garcia
Gather around the campfire and embark on a chilling journey through the great outdoors where monsters hide. Featuring iconic landscapes like Redwood National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Glacier National Park, this book will haunt your dreams long after the last ember of the campfire has faded. Here are just a few of the super-scary stories inside: a strange museum that won't stay open after dark; sinister plants with a taste for human flesh; monsters hidden in the snow - friend or foe?; mysterious lights in the sky leave messages in a cornfield; and a winged creature warns of impending doom. Read them before bed if you dare!
- Picked By: Marty, Library Page
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Gallant
by Victoria Schwab
Invited to return to Gallant, Olivia Prior finds herself in a crumbling manor riddled with secrets about her family, forcing her to decide whether to protect our world against the Master of the House or take her place beside him.
- Picked By: Grace, Library Page
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Grand Theft Auto V
When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the U.S. government and the entertainment industry, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a ruthless city in which they can trust nobody, least of all each other. Features across-the-board graphical and technical enhancements for a deeper, more vibrant world. Returning players get special access to vehicles, weapons, collectibles and more.
Available as a PS4 Video Game.
- Picked By: Shane, Maintenance Associate
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How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way
by Tim Seldin
Packed with Montessori-based preschool activities and educational games that build confidence and independence through active learning, this authoritative illustrated guide helps raise self-reliant and creative children. Celebrate physical and intellectual milestones from birth to age six with activity checklists, and encourage development through proven child-centered teaching methods. This edition has been updated to include the latest child development research, advice about screen time in the digital age and a contemporary approach to cultural education.
- Picked By: Carmen, Branch Assistant
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Murder By Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery
by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
When Dorothy's obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf-themed wedding Rose is hosting.
- Picked By: Jacob, Acting Manager
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Switzerland
by Rick Steves
Presents an updated guide to the cities, mountain resorts, lakes, hotels, transportation, and restaurants of Switzerland.
- Picked By: Andrew, Branch Assistant
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Yellowface
by R. F. Kuang
After witnessing the sudden death of Athena Liu, struggling author June Hayward steals Athena's novel about Chinese laborers in World War I, rebranding herself as a diverse author, but as her fraudulent success mounts, June finds herself haunted by Athena's legacy and unraveling secrets.
- Picked By: Grace, Library Page
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You Like It Darker: Stories
by Stephen King
Delving into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal, the legendary storyteller and expert in short fiction presents this exhilarating collection of 12 tales, many never-before-published, about fate, mortality, luck and the folds in reality where anything can happen.
- Picked By: Marty, Library Page
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The Library Lion
by Michelle Knudsen
Miss Merriweather allows a lion to remain in the library as long as he behaves, but when she is accidentally injured, the big cat must break the rules--and risk his privileges--to summon help.
- Picked By: Amy, Branch Assistant
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Kinfolk
by Sean Dietrich
When a mysterious teenager shows up in Nub's life in rural Alabama, he learns that family, forgiveness, and kindness can be found in the most unlikely of places.
- Picked By: Lori, Branch Manager
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Win
by Harlan Coben
A high-suspense follow-up to the best-selling The Boy from the Woods is presented from the viewpoint of Myron Bolitar's fan-favorite sidekick, Windsor Horne Lockwood III. TV tie-in.
- Picked By: Laura, Branch Assistant
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Birds of Louisiana & Mississippi: Field Guide
by Stan Tekiela
Learn to identify birds in Louisiana & Mississippi, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela's famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in your area. This book features 146 species of Louisiana & Mississippi birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out.
- Picked By: Jolene, Branch Assistant
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Daisy Darker
by Alice Feeney
A family gathering for their matriarch's 80th birthday in her crumbling, gothic house on a tiny island begin disappearing one by one, in the new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of Rock Paper Scissors.
- Picked By: Jolene, Branch Assistant
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Homegrown Pantry
by Barbara Pleasant
Presents guidance on how to stock a pantry for year-round use, discussing fifty-five crops and how best to harvest and preserve them, including canning, pickling, and fermenting, and at what amounts.
- Picked By: Luticia, Branch Manager
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Then She Was Gone
by Lisa Jewell
Struggling to put her life back together a decade after her beloved teen daughter's disappearance, a divorced woman bonds with a charming single father whose young child eerily resembles the woman's own lost daughter and who compels a wrenching search for answers. By the best-selling author of The Third Wife.
- Picked By: Luticia, Branch Manager
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The Acorn People
by Ron Jones
The author's experiences as a counselor at a summer camp for handicapped children form the basis for his portrayal of five severely handicapped youths at Camp Wiggin and the acorn necklaces and zest for life that united them all.
- Picked By: Jessica, Branch Associate
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The Healing Garden: Cultivating & Handcrafting Herbal Remedies
by Juliet Blankespoor
The founder of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine presents this ultimate reference for anyone looking to bring the beauty and therapeutic properties of plants into their garden, kitchen and home apothecary. Illustrations.
- Picked By: Jessica, Branch Associate
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Say You'll Remember Me
by Abby Jimenez
There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes-all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there's nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong... . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date-possibly the best in living history-Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life-and even a love-worth remembering.
- Picked By: Jessica, Branch Associate
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About Time
When Tim discovers he can time travel, he decides to use this ability to change his fortune by getting a girlfriend, but a glitch provides some mishaps along the way.
- Picked By: Jill, Branch Assistant
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The Darkest Part of the Forest
by Holly Black
When a boy with horns on his head wakes up in the town of Fairfold, where humans and fae exist side by side, Hazel is swept up in new love, shifts her loyalties, feels the sting of betrayal, and makes a sacrifice to the faerie king.
- Picked By: Grace, Library Page
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A Discovery of Witches
Follows the adventures of Diana Bishop, a brilliant historian and witch, who forms an alliance with geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont after discovering a bewitched manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian Library.
- Picked By: Marty, Library Page
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Emma
In 1800s England, a well-meaning young woman meddles in the romantic relationships of those around her.
- Picked By: Jill, Branch Assistant
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The Hurricane Wars
by Thea Guanzon
The heart is a battlefield. War has raged for a decade in Lir, and orphaned soldier Talasyn has learned to keep her powers hidden to survive. As the last known Lightweaver on the continent, she can create radiant weapons that cut through the invading Shadowforged warriors' dark magic. But all that changes when she is forced to reveal her abilities on the battlefield to defend herself from the Shadowforged prince himself, Alaric Ossinast. In a clash of light and dark, their magic combines to create a newforce the likes of which has never been seen. This rare power could be the key to saving many lives-if Talasyn and Alaric don't destroy each other first. Pushed together into a fraught political engagement, the two adversaries find themselves pawns in a much bigger game between conflicting nations. Neither is pleased by the arrangement, but when a new threat emerges, necessity forces the pair to confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion-one that could save their world, or end it. An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.
- Picked By: Grace, Library Page
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Little Thieves
by Margaret Owen
Posing as a royal to rob the nobles blind, seventeen-year-old Vanja Schmidt is thrilled by her luck until she crosses the wrong god and is cursed to turn into the jewels she covets unless she can pay back her debts--quickly.
- Picked By: Grace, Library Page
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Murder On the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie
On a three-day journey through the snowbound Balkan hills, Hercule Poirot must weed through an array of international suspects to find the passenger who murdered a gangster on the Orient Express.
- Picked By: Jill, Branch Assistant
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Nightmares & Dreamscapes: Stories
by Stephen King
A collection of twenty-three short works includes vampire thrillers, ingenious imitations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mysteries, a teleplay from "Tales of the Darkside," and a nonfiction Little League story.
- Picked By: Marty, Library Page
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Paradox
by Catherine Coulter
When divers discover the bones of multiple murder victims during a search of Lake Massey, agents Sherlock and Savich make a connection between the bones and an escaped psychopath who attempted to kidnap five-year-old Sean Savich.
- Picked By: Sally, Branch Manager
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who introduce him to the real world of high school.
- Picked By: Marty, Library Page
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Pride & Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Jane Austen's best-loved novel is an unforgettable story about the inaccuracy of first impressions, the power of reason, and above all the strange dynamics of human relationships and emotions. A tour de force of wit and sparkling dialogue, Pride and Prejudice shows how the headstrong Elizabeth Bennet and the aristocratic Mr. Darcy must have their pride humbled and their prejudices dissolved before they can acknowledge their love for each other.
- Picked By: Sally, Branch Manager
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The Princess Diaries
by Meg Cabot
Fourteen-year-old Mia, who is trying to lead a normal life as a teenage girl in New York City, is shocked to learn that her father is the Prince of Genovia, a small European principality, and that she is a princess and the heir to the throne.
- Picked By: Sally, Branch Manager
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Double Lives
by Mary Monroe
Depression-era, Southern identical twin sisters decide to switch places when one is being stifled in a passionless marriage and the other is heartbroken over losing her true love, in the fourth novel of the series following Love, Honor, Betray.
- Picked By: Kaina, Branch Manager
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Easter In the Bayou
by Danyelle Scroggins
Grief stole her faith. Love might help her find it again. Jenae Jonesby has spent a year running--from God, from love, and from the pain of losing her mother on Easter Sunday. The only thing keeping her grounded is her work at Brights Marketing, where she has carved out a career fueled by ambition and creativity. But when Aspen Haywood, the firm's part-owner, steps into leadership, her carefully built world begins to crack. Aspen has already faced death and won. Surviving cancer renewed his faith, and now he's determined to live life with purpose. His return to Brights Marketing brings an unexpected challenge--Jenae. Their clashing perspectives ignite tension, but Aspen senses that her resistance is more than professional. It's personal. As Easter nears, the bayou comes alive with celebration, and Jenae is forced to confront her past, her faith, and the possibility of love. Can Aspen's unwavering belief in God and her help mend what's been broken? Or will she let grief keep her from the greatest resurrection of all--her own? A heartwarming Southern tale of faith, loss, and the power of love, Easter in the Bayou will remind you that even in the deepest sorrow, redemption and hope await.
- Picked By: Kaina, Branch Manager
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Empty Vows
by Mary Monroe
Popular, generous, forty-something widow Jessie Tucker decides to make herself indispensable to recently widowed Hubert Wiggins but is disappointed when he is not everything she dreamed he would be and instead turns her attentions to a much younger man.
- Picked By: Kaina, Branch Manager
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Mrs. Wiggins
by Mary Monroe
A tale set in the world of the award-winning Mama Ruby series follows the experiences of a woman from an at-risk family who marries a preacher to establish a safer life before discovering her husband's desperate secret.
- Picked By: Kaina, Branch Manager
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The Riviera House
by Natasha Lester
When she mysteriously inherits a home on the Riviera, Remy Lang, while working on her vintage fashion business, finds a catalog of the artworks stolen during World War II and makes a shocking discovery that leads her on an extraordinary journey to the past.
- Picked By: Kristen, Branch Assistant
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The Seven Sisters
by Lucinda Riley
Gathering at their Lake Geneva estate when their adoptive father passes away, six sisters receive tantalizing clues about their true heritage, prompting Maia to journey to Rio de Janeiro to learn the story of her parents' forbidden love. By the best-selling author of The Orchid House.
- Picked By: Kristen, Branch Assistant
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