Adult Fiction
An Unlikely Match by Beth Wiseman.
When sparks fly between a
good Amish girl and a hunky member of the Hollywood elite, even matchmaking
innkeepers Esther and Lizzie know better than to fan the flames. Evelyn
Schrock has dismissed the attempts of every young man in her small Amish
community to court her. She's willing to wait for a suitor who shares her
curiosities about life and faith. The only reason Jayce Clarkson is in Amish
country hefting equipment for his famous father's movie production company is
for the paycheck. The homestyle cooking at the Peony Inn is a perk though, as
is his friendship with Evelyn Schrock. If Jayce can endure his dad's put-downs
for a month, he'll finally be in a position to make a fresh start--somewhere
away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and the shadow of his checkered
past. To matchmakers Esther and Lizzie, the widowed sisters who operate
the inn, Jayce seems like a good man stuck in a life he doesn't want. But the
boy isn't Amish, and that leaves far too much room for broken hearts. Despite
that, Jayce and Evelyn start to realize that they can't deny their growing
attraction. Any path forward seems impossible, and they will have to learn what
the future will look like when they leave their fate in Gott's hands.
Armored by Mark Greaney.
Joshua Duffy is a Close
Protection Agent--a professional bodyguard--and he's one of the world's elite
operatives. That is, he was until his last mission in Lebanon.
Against all odds, Josh got his primary out alive, but the cost was high. Josh
lost his lower left leg. There's not much call for an elite bodyguard with such
an injury. So, Josh has to support his family working as a mall cop in New
Jersey. For a man like Josh, this is purgatory on earth, but miracles can occur
even in Paramus. A lucky run-in with an old comrade promises to get Josh
back in the field for one last job. The UN is sending a peace mission into the
Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico, an area so dangerous it's known
as Espinazo del Diablo-- the Devil's Spine. Only a fool would think
they could broker peace between the homicidal drug cartels in the region, and
only a madman would sign on to keep those fools alive.
The Sweet Remnants of
Summer by Alexander McCall Smith.
When Isabel is invited to
serve on the advisory committee of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, her
husband, Jamie, expresses concern about the demands on her time. Never one to
duck an obligation, however, Isabel says she'd be happy to join. There she
meets a woman named Laura, whose husband--a prominent wine merchant from an
illustrious family--and son are at odds. Laura asks whether Isabel might
arbitrate between them. Isabel is reluctant to intervene in a familial drama
but, always one for practical and courteous solutions to theoretical problems,
she feels obligated to help. Will the demands on her moral attention never
cease? Meanwhile, having criticized Isabel for getting involved in the affairs
of others, Jamie does precisely that himself. He's helping to select a new
cellist for his ensemble but suspects that the conductor's attention may be
focused on something other than his favored candidate's cello skills. Jamie
feels it's important that the most qualified applicant gets the job--but how to
determine whether the conductor has the right qualifications in mind? With so
many complicated and fraught issues demanding their attention, Isabel and Jamie
will have to tap deep into their reserves of tact and goodwill as they navigate
the tricky and turbulent waters of these emotional matters.
Adult Non-Fiction
The New Retirement by Jan Cullinane.
In the newly revised Third
Edition of The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your
Life, best-selling and award-winning retirement author Jan Cullinane delivers
an organized, engaging, and holistic treatment of retirement planning. With
extensive updates and additions throughout, the book includes surveys,
questionnaires, and worksheets to help readers understand and apply the
critical steps affecting retirement planning.
iPad Manual for
Beginners and Seniors by Thomas
Cooper.
This universal iPad manual
for beginners and seniors explains in detail how to use your new iPad
effectively. In this user guide, you'll learn about all the new and already
familiar features provided by iPadOS 15, and will be able to use any of them.
Detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations will help you understand
and set up the iPad of any generation. This manual is based on iPadOS 15 and
explains every feature that will or will not work for your iPad. This way,
you'll get the most out of your iPad, get better control of every feature and
app, and more. Even if you don't know much about iPads, this iPad user manual
will take you from dummies to experts with ease
Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel
What is the Supreme
Court? by Jill Abramson. J NF
Ever since it was
established in 1789, the United States Supreme Court has had a major impact on
the lives of all Americans. Some of its landmark decisions have helped end
segregation, protected a person's privacy, and allowed people to marry whomever
they love. Best-selling author, former executive editor of The New York
Times, and self-confessed political junkie, Jill Abramson has written a
detailed and fascinating book that explains how the highest court in the United
States works, who gets to serve on it, which cases have had the greatest impact
on the country, and why the US justice system is so vital to democracy.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. J
A girl named Petra Peña,
who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But
Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few
hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have
been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the
human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the
discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister
Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins
of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard
- or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past,
and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?
Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man is marvellous entertainment, superb disinformation for those looking for a job in the CIA, MI6 et al and as noted elsewhere in the London Times "you’ll forget it the moment you stop watching it". So why spend so much on such a fictional film just to make James Bond and Jason Bourne look like slow horses? Why include gratuitous gruesome nail-pulling torturous stuff if this is meant to be the best escapism money can buy?
ReplyDeleteThere are many decent novels and films in the espionage genre that satisfy the demand for “fast and furious”. Surely the Russo bros must know that few viewers want non-stop “fast and furious” for two hours two minutes? Excellent examples of the skilful juxtaposition of “fast and furious” action packed scenes with more cerebral stuff feature in many of Len Deighton’s fictional works whether in writing or on screen with Caine or Cole as Harry Palmer or arguably even more strikingly in Bill Fairclough’s fact based spy novel Beyond Enkription in The Burlington Files series.
One classic espionage writer, namely John le Carré, was never noted for the “fast and furious”. If only John le Carré, Mark Greaney and the Russo Bros had collaborated one with another years ago! Mind you, apparently Fairclough approached le Carré on collaborative works and was turned down. As John le Carré allegedly commented “Why bother now?” A realistic response from an expert in spy fiction in his eighties! So, if you are an espionage illuminati best visit https://theburlingtonfiles.org and read Beyond Enkription.