June 7, 2021
Adult Fiction
Turn a Blind Eye by Jeffrey Archer.
Newly promoted to
Detective Inspector, William Warwick is tasked with a dangerous new line of
work, to go undercover and expose crime of another kind: corruption at the
heart of the Metropolitan Police Force. Along with detectives Rebecca Pankhurst
and Nicky Bailey, his team is focused on following Detective Jerry Summers, a
young officer whose lifestyle exceeds his income. But the investigation risks being
compromised when Nicky falls for Summers. Meanwhile, notorious drug baron Assem
Rashidi goes on trial, defended by Booth Watson QC, while William's father Sir
Julian and sister Grace lead the prosecution case. And William's wife Beth, now
a new mother to twins, makes a surprising new friend in Christina Faulkner--the
ex-wife of William's former rival, criminal financier Miles - who has not only
turned over a new leaf, but also has a new-found source of income when Faulkner
dies suddenly of a heart attack and she stands to be sole inheritor of his
estate. As the undercover officers start to draw the threads together, William
realizes that the corruption may go deeper still, and more of his colleagues
than he first thought might be willing to turn a blind eye.
Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian.
Boston, 1662. Mary
Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue,
and in England she might have had many suitors. But here in the New World, amid
this community of saints, Mary is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man as
cruel as he is powerful. When Thomas, prone to drunken rage, drives a
three-tined fork into the back of Mary's hand, she resolves that she must
divorce him to save her life. But in a world where every neighbor is watching
for signs of the devil, a woman like Mary--a woman who harbors secret desires
and finds it difficult to tolerate the brazen hypocrisy of so many men in the
colony--soon becomes herself the object of suspicion and rumor. When tainted
objects are discovered buried in Mary's garden, when a boy she has treated with
herbs and simples dies, and when their servant girl runs screaming in fright
from her home, Mary must fight to not only escape her marriage, but also the
gallows.
Miss Julia Happily Ever
After by Ann B. Ross.
Wedding fever hits
Abbotsville and several of Miss Julia's friends have plans to tie the knot.
But, as usual, nothing is so simple. Christy Hargrove suddenly gives up a
lifelong dream and drops out of medical school to marry, Helen Stroud and
Thurlow Jones decide to change their commercial arrangement into a marital one,
and, to Miss Julia's consternation, Lillian, her housekeeper and closest
companion, is considering a less-than-romantic offer to wed a local businessman
who turns courting into a job interview. And then there's LuAnne who just wants
to be married, and Janelle who doesn't. Miss Julia wants to properly celebrate
each ceremony, insofar as anyone will let her. But Helen wants a private, even
secretive, wedding; Christy's fiancé wants a destination wedding, and Lillian
can't decide if she wants a wedding at all. In the middle of it all, a strange
figure keeps showing up in town, streaking across lawns and vandalizing the
gardens of Miss Julia's neighbors. Abbotsville's liveliest resident finds
herself trying to solve it all---matters of the heart and petty crime
alike---and once again save the day.
Adult Non-Fiction
World Travel by Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever.
Anthony Bourdain saw more
of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from the hidden pockets
of his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in Borneo, from cosmopolitan
Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to Tanzania's utter beauty and the stunning
desert solitude of Oman's Empty Quarter--and many places beyond. In World
Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun
and frank travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his
favorite places--in his own words. Featuring essential advice on how to get
there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid, World
Travel provides essential context that will help readers further
appreciate the reasons why Bourdain found a place enchanting and memorable.
Supplementing Bourdain's
words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family that tell even
deeper stories about a place, including sardonic accounts of traveling with
Bourdain by his brother, Christopher; a guide to Chicago's best cheap eats by
legendary music producer Steve Albini, and more. Additionally, each chapter
includes illustrations by Wesley Allsbrook.
How to Avoid a Climate
Disaster by Bill Gates.
Bill Gates has spent a
decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of
experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political
science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the
planet's slide to certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only
explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, but
also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal. He
gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his
understanding of innovation and what it takes to get new ideas into the market,
he describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce
emissions, where and how the current technology can be made to function more
effectively, where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on
these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete, practical plan
for achieving the goal of zero emissions--suggesting not only policies that
governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our
government, our employers, and ourselves accountable in this crucial
enterprise. As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be
simple or easy to do, but if we follow the plan he sets out here, it is a goal
firmly within our reach.
Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel
Unplugged by Gordon Korman.
J
As the son of the world's
most famous tech billionaire, spoiled Jett Baranov has always gotten what he
wanted. So when his father's private jet drops him in the middle of the
Arkansas wilderness, at a place called the Oasis, Jett can't believe it. He's
forced to hand over his cell phone, eat grainy veggie patties, and participate
in wholesome activities with the other kids, who he has absolutely no interest
in hanging out with. As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the
unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a
baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he can't help noticing that the adults at
the Oasis are acting really strange. Jett is determined to get to the bottom of
things, but can he convince everybody that he is no longer just a spoiled brat
who is making trouble?
The Wonderful Things
You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin. E
Illustrations
and simple, rhyming text reveal a parent's musings about what a child will
become, knowing that the child's kindness, cleverness, and boldness will shine
through no matter what, as will the love they share.
