On the shelves - Jan. 5
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These books are available at the Clovis-Carver Public Library:
“Sunset Beach” by Mary Kay Andrews: Out of a job and down on her luck, life doesn't seem to be getting any better for Drue Campbell. All of a sudden, her estranged father, a personal injury attorney, shows up at her mother's funeral after a twenty-year absence. Worse, he's remarried to Drue's eighth grade frenemy, and they're offering her a job. It seems like the job from hell, but with no other prospects, Drue joins the firm. When a suspicious death at a beach resort exposes possible corruption at her father's firm, she goes from unwilling cubicle rat to unwitting investigator.
“Sword of Kings” by Bernard Cornwell: It is a time of political turmoil as King Edward begins to lose control over his kingdom. There are two potential heirs and much doubt over whether the once separate states of Wessex and Mercia will hold together. Despite attempts at pulling him into the political fray, Uhtred of Bebbanburg cares only about Northumbria and its continuing independence. But an oath is a strong commitment and one had been exchanged between Uhtred and Aethelstan, an old friend and now a potential king. Uhtred was tempted to ignore the demands of the oath but an attack on him drives Uhtred south into England's fate.
“House of Earth” by Woody Guthrie: Tike and Ella May Hamlin are struggling to plant roots in the arid land of the Texas panhandle. The husband and wife live in a precarious wooden farm shack, but Tike yearns for a sturdy house that will protect them from the treacherous elements. Thanks to a five-cent government pamphlet, Tike has the know-how to build a simple adobe dwelling, a structure made from the land itself. A story of rural realism and progressive activism; a searing portrait of hardship and hope set against a ravaged landscape.
“Ghosts of Gold Mountain” by Gordon H. Chang: From across the sea, they came by the thousands, escaping war and poverty in southern China to seek their fortunes in America. Converging on the enormous western worksite of the Transcontinental Railroad, the migrants spent years dynamiting tunnels through the snow-packed cliffs of the Sierra Nevada and laying tracks across the burning Utah desert. Their sweat and blood fueled the ascent of an interlinked, industrial United States. But those of them who survived this perilous effort would suffer a different kind of death.
“Smoke House Handbook” by Jake Levin: Butcher and charcuterie expert Jake Levin's comprehensive guide guarantees mouthwatering results for producing everything from the perfect smoked salmon to a gorgeous smoked brisket. Detailed step-by-step photos show the various techniques and featured recipes include specialty brines and rubs along with preparation guidelines. With in-depth troubleshooting and safety guidelines, this is the one-stop reference for smoking success.
“Ever After” by Tamara Laporte: In addition to the beautiful art lessons created especially for this book by Tamara and eight other noted mixed-media artists, each chapter offers creative exercises that invite readers to explore stories, their symbolism, and a specific aspect of style development as they work toward and ultimately achieve their artistic goals.
These books are available at the Portales Public Library:
“The Star Wars Trilogy” by George Lucas, Donald F. Glut, and James Kahn: With the third and final installment of the latest Star Wars trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, out in theaters, fans may want to go back and revisit the original trilogy that started it all in its printed form. Luke Skywalker is a farm boy on the desert planet Tatooine who dreams of being anywhere else in the galaxy as a war rages between the corrupt Empire and the secret Rebel Alliance that dares to fight for freedom. When he acquires two droids, C-3PO and R2D2, and then meets legendary Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke is thrust into the middle of a conflict that has more to do with him than he ever imagined. Befriending both the smuggler Han Solo and Rebel ally Princess Leia Organa, Luke achieves his wish of flying his own ship in the Rebel's fleet and begins to train as a Jedi Knight under first Obi-Wan, and then the reclusive Jedi Master Yoda. All of Luke's adventures bring him closer to the formidable Darth Vader, the man who supposedly murdered his father and holds the truth to Luke's identity, while Vader strives to bring Luke over to the dark side of the Force and stop the Rebel Alliance from winning the war.
“Marilla of Green Gables” by Sarah McCoy: In this prequel to the beloved classic by L.M. Montgomery, Sarah McCoy's novel focuses on life in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, decades before Anne Shirley's arrival at Green Gables, where Marilla Cuthbert is just thirteen years old. When her mother dies in childbirth, the initially ambitious and spirited Marilla is suddenly thrust into the role of woman of the house with all its responsibilities, including cooking, sewing, cleaning and overseeing life on the farm, as well as looking after both her brother Matthew and their father Hugh. As she grows into a young woman, Marilla realizes that there are few opportunities for farm girls in Avonlea, but she is encouraged by her mother's sister, Aunt Elizabeth “Izzy” Johnson, who left Avonlea years ago to live in the bigger city of St. Catharines and is now a spinster but also a successful seamstress and businesswoman who has managed to support herself on her own. Setting off into the world outside of Green Gables on Aunt Izzy's advice, Marilla starts to make new friends and joins groups around Avonlea, including the Ladies Aid Society, while trying to decide whether or not to pursue a romance with nearby farmer John Blythe.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald The Original Screenplay” by J.K. Rowling: In the second installment of the J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series, the novelized screenplay of The Crimes of Grindelwald picks up right after the events of the first film and novel, when the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Gindelwald was successfully captured in New York with the help of magizoologist Newt Scamander and his friends. A year later, Grindelwald escapes while being transported back to Europe and flees to Paris, where he starts amassing a huge army of followers in order to continue his quest to rule over all the non-magical beings in the world. Albus Dumbledore, in an effort to derail these plans, sends Newt to Paris to track down the obscurial Credence Barebone before Grindelwald finds him, as Grindelwald believes that Credence is the only person or thing powerful enough to destroy Dumbledore, his one-time friend and present archrival. Reluctantly, Newt agrees and travels to Paris, where he meets his friends Jacob, Queenie, and Tina, and it is up to Newt and his allies to prevent Grindelwald from starting an all-out wizard-versus-Muggle war.
— Summaries provided by library staff
