From Publishers Weekly: "Abraham starts this rich, exciting, and fresh epic fantasy series opener in a fairly standard fashion: an orphaned girl and a once great general escape from a city under siege with the help of a traveling theater troupe. But that's where the clichés end, for Marcus Wester would far rather guard humble caravans than cruel kings, and Cithrin bel Sarcour's loyalty is not to her long-dead noble parents but to the Medean Bank that took her in. Cithrin and Marcus must smuggle the treasury of the lost city of Vanai through a war zone in which every army seeks new sources of funds and every king wants them dead. With a deft and light hand, Abraham questions and explores the fantasy-world assumptions that most authors take for granted, telling an enjoyable and genuinely innovative adventure story along the way."

From the publisher: 'In the wake of President Obama’s deal with congressional Republicans to preserve Bush-era tax cuts—tax cuts that gave colossal breaks to the wealthiest Americans— Senator Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont, publicly denounced the deal as an “absolute disaster” and decided to do something about it. On Friday, December 10, 2010, Senator Sanders galvanized millions of Americans with an eight-and-a-half-hour filibuster decrying the tax deal and all it symbolized: the bankrupting of the middle class, corporate greed, and the impotence and corruption of today’s Congress. As Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel noted, “The good Senator from Vermont spoke for millions of struggling working and middle class people who feel their voices aren’t being heard in a system dominated by well-funded lobbyists and corporate insiders.”

Upcoming books!

From BookPage, here's a list of 25 of the most anticipated books of the fall. Check it out and then call us to get your request in!

From Library Journal: "In this latest from Hegi, the story weaves between present and past, with characters linked to crucial moments in history beginning with February 27, 1934, the first anniversary of the burning of the German Reichstag (Parliament) in Berlin. While an arsonist has been named responsible, not everyone accepts the official version of the event that transformed the lives of the German people. Meanwhile, in the fictional village of Burgdorf, Germany, a young teacher strives to protect her students and herself from propaganda and fear in these early days of Hitler's regime. She cannot believe that the Nazis will last, but meanwhile, to keep the job she believes she was destined to fill, she must conform to behavior that is repugnant to her. Guiding, modeling, and lovingly supporting her young charges through tumultuous times, she endeavors to discover the depth of her own moral courage. This novel is a lyrically written, emotionally powerful portrayal of a brilliant teacher battling the tragic effects of one man's hubris that shattered not only a town but the entire world."

From Library Journal: "Magnificent and intriguing photographs and illustrations put these titles on par with works of art and not just coffee-table art. Natural History was produced by Smithsonian scholars and other experts to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This is an international encyclopedia of life-forms-e.g., fossils, fungi, plants, animals, mammals-that includes vital facts and two to three sentences about each as well as more than 5000 color illustrations in all. Each grouping is introduced by an essay that puts it in biological and evolutionary perspective. The initial introduction considers life on Earth, including basic principles of evolution, cladogram principles, and a large "Tree of Life."

New music at the library

Come Around Sundown by Kings of Leon




Brothers by The Black Keys




Goodbye Lullaby by Avril Lavigne



My Kinda Party by Jason Aldean

From the publisher: "Culinary legend Patricia Wells is back with the definitive guide to creating delicious and hearty salads for any occasion—including more than 150 recipes and gorgeous color photographs. It's a simple yet compelling concept: enjoying a light and delicious main-course salad as a healthy, fresh alternative to more conventional and traditional fare. You can experience a whole world in a salad—with tender greens, savory meat, seafood, and vegetable accompaniments, and versatile dressings—and salad-friendly sides such as homemade bread and home-cured olives. In Salad As A Meal, Patricia Wells gives readers hundreds of delectable ideas, with concepts inspired by her Provençal garden and the interests of students in her high-demand cooking classes.

From Library Journal: "With total candor, Goldman describes his life with his wife, Aura Estrada, who died tragically in 2007. This is only a novel in that he changed names to protect some specific identities; otherwise the story is true. This is an authentic work of the heart and soul. He and Aura had a short married life, but one can tell they were happy. They were both gifted writers. He was significantly older; her mother was controlling, and her father absent. Aura was a bright light of ineffable humanity. Goldman describes Aura and his life with her in a gradual way that circles backward and forward in time from the present. He fills in the story bit by bit; the actual description of the accident coming last. The feeling, the memorial incarnation that this book creates, is monumental. This book about tragic death is a gift for the living."

From the Barnes & Noble Review: "In this case, Special Agent Pendergast doesn't want only justice; he seeks revenge. His wife Helen has been murdered, and his hunt for her killer will take him to faraway places and lead him to dangerous contacts. As his search takes him ever deeper into the secrets of Helen's life, he comes to the realization that the woman closest to him had held her secrets tightly. An exceptionally strong number of a bestseller series."

From the publisher: "Every good love story has another love hiding within it. Brokenhearted and still mourning the loss of her husband, Heidi travels with Abbott, her obsessive-compulsive seven-year-old son, and Charlotte, her jaded sixteen-year-old niece, to the small village of Puyloubier in the south of France, where a crumbling stone house may be responsible for mending hearts since before World War II. There, Charlotte confesses a shocking secret, and Heidi learns the truth about her mother lost summer when Heidi was a child. As three generations collide with one another, with the neighbor who seems to know all of their family skeletons, and with an enigmatic Frenchman, Heidi, Charlotte, and Abbot journey through love, loss, and healing amid the vineyards, warm winds and delicious food of Provence." Check it out!

Winner of the 2011 PEN Literary Award

From Library Journal: "In summer 1969, Atlanta native Frances Ellerby goes to Miami for a wedding and meets not only Dennis DuVal, the man she will marry, but also Marse, a woman who becomes her best friend. The DuVal family owns a beach house on stilts in Biscayne Bay, where Dennis and Frances will spend many of the happiest years of their marriage. Their daughter, Margo, is born, then Frances has several miscarriages. Dennis is a lawyer but grows dissatisfied with his job. The family seems happiest on the water, boating and fishing. Frances never gets over her amazement that her life flourishes in gaudy, exotic Miami. Sometimes she feels she drifted into her marriage, but as the years go by, her deep commitment to family and friends, often tested, is portrayed with emotional depth. She changes before our eyes from a guileless girl to a woman of wisdom. This decades long story of a marriage will appeal to fans of Barbara Bradford, Jodi Picoult, and Sue Miller."

Newly arrived at the library:


Inside Job (Rotten Tomatoes rating 97%)









Fair Game (Rotten Tomatoes rating 80%)








South Riding

From Library Journal: "Not only do Leibovitz and Miller narrate a fascinating cultural exchange unknown to many of today's readers, but they also share the personal stories and finer points about a very interesting time. In 1872, the first group of what would total 120 Chinese boys, with an average age of nine, came to America to learn about our progressive and modern country. Their disembarkation in San Francisco, rail trip across the country, lives with host families, and attendance of the best schools in New England are meticulously described. Also noted are the cultural differences; acceptance and ignorance exhibited by both sides; and the diversity of the Chinese the boys met, from California prospectors to the New England gentlemen who were their teachers. After nine years, the boys, grown to young men, were recalled when differing opinions of the exchange prevailed in China. The authors source firsthand accounts, diaries, letters, and biographies for their very engaging chronicle. A dedicated website adds to the value of this worthwhile read. Not to be missed.

New from Jim Butcher!!

From Library Journal: "Death won't stop Harry Dresden. In Changes, book 12 of Butcher's "Dresden Files" series, the title promised and Butcher produced. By the end, everything in Harry's world had changed, including his status as a living wizard of the White Council. Readers had a tease in the short story "Aftermath," from Side Jobs, showing that the denizens of Chicago's magical side would not give up on Harry or his work. Harry, now a ghost, is given the chance to go back to solve his own murder, and what follows is an intense ride through the true aftermath of his death. Butcher's attention to detail and description will bring new readers on board, while longtime fans will be surprised and elated to see what's in store for them now. This stunning, exciting series entry with its heart-stopping action will shock and thrill Butcher fans."

From the publisher: "From the towering minarets of Turkey's Hagia Sophia to the cloud-wrapped city of Machu Picchu in Peru, this captivating guide displays exquisite details of more than 100 spiritual landmarks around the world. Perfect for both the globe-trotting adventurer and the armchair traveler, it provides in-depth facts about the construction and religious significance of each location, as well as tips on the perfect time of year to visit. Full-color photographs show each stunning site as it looks today, while illustrations reconstruct the ancient buildings as they would have appeared at their height."

New from C.J. Box!

From Publishers Weekly: "In this sprawling, ambitious stand-alone from Edgar-winner Box, Cody Hoyt, an investigator in the sheriff's department of Montana's Lewis and Clark County, and a (barely) recovering alcoholic, goes in search of the man who burned his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor to death. What at first appears to be a random crime broadens in scope to include multiple murders, the unresolved disappearance of a private plane in Yellowstone National Park, and a Mexican drug lord. The action culminates with a chase into the "back of beyond," a remote wilderness area of Yellowstone, where Hoyt's son, Justin, who's in his late teens, is on an expedition with his new stepfather." Check it out!

Book Sale!

Don't forget that the Friends of the Library used book sale will be at the library this Saturday (August 5) from 9am - noon downstairs in the Foot Room. Great selection, great prices, great cause - come check it out!

From Library Journal: "Magson introduces MI5 agent Harry Tate in this thriller series launch. Though loyal and able, Harry is blamed for a drug-bust fiasco and posted to the Republic of Georgia. Completely off the grid, the Red Station in Mtskheta shelters several of MI5's erring agents and lies directly in the path of the Russian army's stealth move into South Ossetia. Stronger and smarter than he looks, Harry susses out shockingly incriminating facts about British domestic and international espionage operations as well as about his own earlier debacle. Harry's headlong flight from the impending war and from an agency assassin gives Magson plenty of ammo for a ramped-up spy story of unusual vigor and imagination. The plotting is intricate, the black hats and white hats are hard to distinguish, and the action is intense and fast-paced."

From Library Journal: "Wickenden shares the story of her grandmother Dorothy Woodruff, who, along with close personal friend Rosamond Underwood, spent nine months teaching at a remote settlement school in northwestern Colorado in the early 20th century. This highly personalized and meticulously researched account is more than a simple family history: it tells a great backstory about American development in those years, an "alternative western," in Wickenden's words. These rich and well-educated young society women, tired of social conventions and frustrated by suffrage work, came face to face with another America in the years before World War I-one that was poor, diverse, remote, lacking in modern conveniences, occasionally violent, and yet spectacularly beautiful and "new." Although far from being a scholarly account, the story here adds to our understanding of the complexity of women's experiences in presuffrage America. As college students today do transformative volunteer work worldwide, so, too, did these two young women. Their lovingly preserved letters richly demonstrate how in seeking to assist others they also changed themselves."

Each year, the English Department at San Jose State University sponsors the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Entrants are competing to see who can write the worst opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. There are several subcategories (e.g. detective fiction, romance, etc) but the Grand Prize this year went to Sue Fondrie for the following entry:

"Cheryl’s mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories. " Check out their website - it's good for lots of laughs!

Interested in automatically being notified when a new book by a favoraite author comes out? Check out any of these 5 services and you'll have a vastly better chance of being nearer the top of the waiting list!