Author: Martin, Kristen (Critic), author. Published: 2025 Call Number: 362.732 MARTIN Format: Books Summary: "The orphan story has been mythologized: Step one: While a child is still too young to form distinct memories of them, their parents die in an untimely fashion. Step two: Orphan acquires caretakers who amplify the world's cruelty. Step three: Orphan escapes and goes on an adventure, encountering the world's vast possibilities. The Sun Won't Come Out Tomorrow upends this. Pairing powerful critiques of popular orphan narratives, from Annie to the Boxcar Children to Party of Five, journalist Kristen Martin explores the real history of orphan-hood in the United States, from the 1800s to the present. Martin reveals the religious charity and mission that was the core of the first orphanages (one that soon changed to profit), the orphan trains that took parentless children out West (often without a choice), and the inherent racism that still underlies the United States' approach to child welfare. Through a combination of in-depth archival research, memoir (Martin herself lost both her parents when she was quite young), and cultural analysis, The Sun Won't Come out Tomorrow is a compellingly-argued, compassionate book that forces us to reconsider autonomy, family, and community. Kristen Martin delivers a searing indictment of America's consistent inability to care for those who most need it"--
Author: Jay, Warona, author. Published: 2025 2024 Call Number: F JAY Format: Books Summary: "Meet Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo. Or, for short, Eddie: an aspiring playwright who dreams of making it big in London's theater world. But after repeated rejections from white talent agents, Eddie suspects her non-white sounding name might be the problem. Enter Hugo Lawrence Smith: good looking, well-connected, charismatic and... very white. Stifled by his law degree and looking for a way out of the corporate world, he finds a kindred spirit in Eddie after a chance encounter at a cafe. Together they devise a plan, one which will see Eddie's play on stage and Hugo's name in lights. They send out her script under his name and vow to keep the play's origins a secret until it reaches critical levels of success. Then they can expose the theater world for its racism and hollow clout-chasing. But as their plan spins wildly out of control, Eddie and Hugo find themselves wondering if their reputations, and their friendship, can survive." --
Author: Sarver, Robert, author. Gendzier, Alex, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: 362.8609 Format: Books Summary: "It's clear that we have not honored the promise we make to veterans: that we as a country will help them after they've served and sacrificed. And while there are many books written by and for veterans, only a small selection of those address the transition to civilian life, and none are a truly complete reference for stepping out of service and back into normal life. Warrior to Civilian covers a range of topics, from the practical--finding a job, reintegrating into family life--to the more challenging topics, like dealing with loss, and finding new purpose in life. This well-curated resource incorporates stories, insights, and observations from veterans and their partners; evidence-based advice from health professionals and experts who work closely with veterans; and inspiration taken from heavyweights like Jon Kabbat-Zinn and Tony Robbins. The authors take care to address the unique challenges faced by veterans of color, and those in the LGBTQ+ communities. With support from some of our country's most recognizable military members, authors Rob Sarver, a former SEAL, and Alex Gendzier, combine their voices and their experiences in and out of the military in a unique way that will make this resource shine. Scaffolded by the hero's journey, in which the hero experiences a series of transformative events, they reveal that within the loss that many veterans have suffered while serving and suffer in the transition, there is great opportunity for healing."--
Author: Wilson, Kip, editor, author. Alessandri, Alexandra, author. Bowles, David (David O.), author. Crowder, Melanie, author. Engle, Margarita, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: Y ALL Format: Books Summary: "Spanning twelve short stories in verse, this collection explores love's many facets and how it manifests in and shapes our lives"--
Author: Jessen, Lauren Kung, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F JESSEN Format: Books Summary: "Chryssy Hua Williams comes from such a long line of women who are so unlucky in love that she has started to believe that her great-great-great-great grandmother has caused them to be cursed. Chryssy accepts that she may never have a happy ever after of her own so she sets out to discover how traditional Chinese medicine may bring lasting love to others. When Chryssy meets Vin, a serial dater who has found fame as a classical musician, she attempts to keep him at a distance to avoid heartbreak. After all, it's not Vin, but his brother, who she's been hired to help. While trying to cure one brother, she can't help falling for the other. Now the only logical plan of action is...to break the unbreakable curse"--
Author: Goodman, Matthew, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: 940.53 Format: Books Summary: "Two women in Nazi-occupied Paris created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen. With one in a German prison camp, the other wrote a book about it-a memoir that was built on lies. Now the bestselling author of Eighty Days shares their incredible, never-before-told full story"-- "Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines—some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car. Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After eighteen months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend Kitty’s bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work. Paris-Underground becomes a publishing sensation and Etta a celebrity. Meanwhile Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her—and the deeds that have been claimed in her name. In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records and personal testimonies that reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta’s memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women’s remarkable courage, Paris Undercover is a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal, and personal redemption" -- Amazon.
Author: Hays, Katy, 1982- author. Published: 2025 Call Number: LP F HAYS Format: Large print Summary: "From New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes an electrifying thriller about an opulent family and their mysterious assistant whose annual retreat to Italy is shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old murder. The world was shocked by playwright Sarah Lingate's death thirty years ago at a Moorish, whitewashed villa on the island of Capri. Absolved of the crime, the Lingate family maintains that what happened that night was a tragic accident, and every July they come back to prove it's true. This time, Helen Lingate, sole heir to the family fortune, has a plan. Tightly controlled by her father, Helen enlists the help of the family assistant, Lorna Silva, to free herself from her family's grip. But behind closed doors, the legendary Lingate family unity is at a breaking point. Upon arrival to their villa in Capri, a gift is waiting for them: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died. In the aftermath, the paranoid, insular Lingates begin to unravel. As the investigation into her mother's death is reopened, Helen begins to lose trust in everyone around her: her controlling father Richard, drug-addled aunt Naomi, aloof uncle Marcus, and even Lorna, whose past she realizes is frustratingly opaque. And as they fracture, the long-hidden truth about that night and the secrets they've kept from one another boil to the surface-and they might not leave the island alive. On glittering Capri, anything can be a mirage. And one thing is true: no one holds a grudge like family"--
Author: Jones, Sandie, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: LP F JONES Format: Large print Summary: California, 2011. Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life until a writer seeks her insight on the downfall of a major 1980s British band, revealing a past she left behind. The same day, her daughter goes missing, allegedly taken by an aunt she doesn't have. Nicole believes there's a link and revisits her past to protect her family. London, 1986. 16-year-old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober and its lead, Ben Edwards. When Ben meets Cassie's sister Nicole singing at a bar, he's drawn to her, leading to a family collision that changes their lives.
Author: Everett, Emily, 1986- author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F EVERETT Format: Books Summary: "A taut, lyrical, and life-affirming debut, All That Life Can Afford is a tale of aspirations, high society, and the bittersweet journey of turning over a new leaf while staying true to one's roots. I would arrive, blank like a sheet of notebook paper, and write myself new. As a child, Eva devoured London through library books-savoring its soft, dreamlike edges of castles and dances, a far cry from her life of co-pays and Craigslist and caring for her diabetic mother. She wanted to climb through the pages and live there. But when she arrives after college to a mildewed flat full of mousetraps, the real London, that free, intoxicating life of plenty, feels just as inaccessible as it did from America. Then she meets the Wilders-her stubborn, brilliant tutee Pippa, who whisks her off to Saint Tropez for winter lessons, and sphinxlike Faye, who dolls Eva up in her clothing and makeup, toting her around like a shiny new bauble. From Lisbon to Highgate, Eva is thrown into a heady whirlpool of luxury and excess, uncovering a hidden side of Europe, one where confidence is a birthright and blue blood runs through bulletproof veins. This life feels like a play upon a high, distant stage, but when Eva starts to take the role a little too seriously, she risks forgetting who she is underneath her borrowed clothes"--
Author: Kitamura, Katie M., author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F KITAMURA Format: Books Summary: "One woman, the performance of a lifetime. Or two. A mesmerizing Mobius strip of a novel that asks who we are to the people we love. Two people meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She's an elegant and accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He's attractive, troubling, and young-young enough to be her son. Who is he to her - and who is she to him? In this compulsively readable, brilliantly constructed novel, two competing narratives unspool, rewriting our understanding of the roles we play every day - partner, parent, creator, muse - and the truths every performance masks, especially from those who think they know us best. Taut, hypnotic, Audition is Katie Kitamura at her virtuosic best"--
Author: Cosimano, Elle, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F COSIMANO Format: Books Summary: "From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave-the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series. Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard. Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay's elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay's house, right across the street. Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case-or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they've dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else. When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?"--
Author: James, Holly (Novelist), author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F JAMES Format: Books Summary: "When bookish Penny Collins reluctantly lets her sister drag her to an estate sale at a neighbor's house, she's hoping for a little diversion rummaging through dusty antiques. Instead, she ends up in a public squabble over candlesticks with the deceased owner's nephew, Anthony--right before a dead body tumbles out of a closet. Penny's plan for the summer involved finalizing tenure at the university where she's a computer sciences professor. Instead, she's suddenly on the run with a man she barely knows, scaling walls, evading bullets, and accidentally stabbing henchmen. It seems the wrong people have got it in their heads that she's Anthony's girlfriend and, by association, in possession of something they desperately need--and will do anything to get"--
Author: Bennett, Robert Jackson, 1984- author. David Lindroth Inc., cartographer, illustrator. Published: 2025 Call Number: F BENNETT Format: Books Summary: Ana and Din are sent to the opposite fringe of the Empire to solve what appears to be a classic locked-room murder mystery. But no case that Special Investigations sends their most special team to is ever that simple. The moment that eccentric senior investigator Ana is on the scene, she knows that the case is about something no one wants to admit..."
Author: Nguyen, Viet Thanh, 1971- author. Published: 2025 Call Number: 809.9335 Format: Books Summary: "Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen's To Save and to Destroy is a deeply personal reflection on outsiders in literature and in US society. Across six essays, first delivered as the Norton Lectures, Nguyen offers insightful readings of authors who shaped his craft, culminating in a poignant and vigorous call for a solidarity of the devastated"-- "Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Viet Nguyen arrived in the United States as a child refugee in 1975. The Nguyen family would soon move to San Jose, California, where the author grew up, attending UC Berkeley in the aftermath of the shocking murder of Vincent Chin, which shaped the political sensibilities of a new generation of Asian Americans. The essays here, delivered originally as the prestigious Norton Lectures, proffer a new answer to a classic literary question: What does the outsider mean to literary writing? Over the course of six captivating and moving chapters, Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through lenses that are, by turns, literary, historical, political, and familial." --Amazon.com
Author: Chiaverini, Jennifer, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: LP F CHIAVERI Format: Large print Summary: As fall paints the Pennsylvania countryside in flaming colors, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson is contemplating the future of her beloved Elm Creek Quilts. The Elm Creek Quilt Camp remains the most popular quilter's retreat in the country, but unexpected financial difficulties have beset them and the Bergstrom family's stately nineteenth-century manor. Now in her eighth decade, Sylvia is determined to maintain her family's legacy, but she needs new resources both financial and emotional.
Author: Mahurin, Shelby, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: Y MAHURIN Format: Books Summary: "Celie gave in to the darkness and desire, a decision that may have cost her everything--her title as Chasseur, her fianc, even her life. But, as a vampire, Michal has never let death stop him before--and true love, after all, is eternal. Pick up where the heart-stopping, pulse-pounding events of The Scarlet Veil left off and discover how the duology ends--how the sparks of one heart can bring light to a world of darkness, even after it stops beating"--
Author: Thomson, James (Writer of A better ending), author. Published: 2025 Call Number: 362.28 Format: Books Summary: "For fans of We Keep the Dead Close and The Night of the Gun, a propulsive and moving memoir about a brother's decades-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding his sister's tragic death-and his own journey to forgiveness and closure"-- "On a summer evening in 1974, Jim Thomson arrived home from a baseball game to the news that his younger sister, Eileen, had taken her own life. To Jim, his parents, and his brother, Keith, the loss was unexpected and devastating. Only twenty-seven years old, Eileen had been living in California with her high school sweetheart, Vic, a cop, surrounded by a circle of close friends and working at a job she loved. It seemed unfathomable that she would kill herself, but as the family gathered in Pittsburgh to say goodbye, more details emerged that seemed to explain the tragedy: Eileen had confided in her parents that she had been suffering from depression, and her storybook marriage had been plagued by bitter fights, infidelity, and guilt. When Jim eventually sat down with his brother-in-law to talk about the final hours of Eileen?s life, Vic looked him in the eye and explained that he had stormed out of the room in the midst of a volatile argument. Moments later, a gunshot went off. Sensing no lies or evasion, Jim believed him. He recounted the story to the rest of the family, and they got on with their lives as best they could." --Amazon.com
Author: Andrew, Kelly, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: Y ANDREW Format: Books Summary: "Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity. But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected toaccompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine. She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark."--
Author: Chewins, Hayley, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: Y CHEWINS Format: Books Summary: "As far back as anyone can remember, the women of the Strand family have been magical. Their gifts manifest when they each turn fifteen, always in different ways. But Nell Strand knows that her family's magic is a curse. . . . Nell sees the way magic rips her family apart again and again. When Nell's own magic arrives in the form of ladybugs alighting on the keys of her beloved piano, the first thing she feels is joy. . . . But soon enough, the rest come. . . . Worst of all are the wasps. It doesn't matter how deep she buries her rage, the wasps always come"--Provided by publisher.
Author: Rudnick, Paul, author. Published: 2025 Call Number: F RUDNICK Format: Books Summary: A diverse cast of eccentric characters--including a tech billionaire, a flight attendant, a disgraced book editor, and a TikTok rapping Wall Street bro--collide at a lavish private island wedding, where love, chaos and self-discovery intertwine in unexpected ways. "A tech billionaire and the flight attendant he's marrying. A TV superhero who used to be married to the flight attendant. A Manhattan book editor and the sensitivity associate who got him fired. A twenty-three-year-old wild-child prodigy who's perhaps the savior of American literature. A vengeful Arkansas sheriff who sells a vitamin-enriched, ten-pounds-off-today demulsifier. A Wall Street bro who raps on TikTok. Two dentists--possibly stalking each other. What do these people have in common? Invited or not, they're all headed to the most anticipated destination wedding ever, on the billionaire's private island, to seek romance, to cause mayhem, and to figure out everyone else's futures, maybe even their own"--
