On the shelves - Oct. 15

The books listed below are now available for checkout at the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The library is open to the public, but patrons can still visit the online catalog at cloviscarverpl.booksys.net/opac/ccpl or call 575-769-7840 to request a specific item for curbside pickup.

“Ladies of the Lake” by Cathy Gohlke. When she is forced to leave her beloved Prince Edward Island to attend Lakeside Ladies Academy after the death of her parents, the last thing Adelaide Rose MacNeill expects to find is three kindred spirits. The “Ladies of the Lake,” as the four girls call themselves, quickly bond like sisters, vowing that wherever life takes them, they will always be there for each other. But that is before: Before love and jealousy come between Adelaide and Dorothy, the closest of the friends. Before the dawn of World War I upends their world and casts baseless suspicion onto the German American man they both love. Before a terrible explosion in Halifax Harbor rips the sisterhood irrevocably apart. Seventeen years later, Rosaline Murray receives an unsuspecting telephone call from Dorothy, now headmistress of Lakeside, inviting her to attend the graduation of a new generation of girls, including Rosaline’s beloved daughter. With that call, Rosaline is drawn into a past she’d determined to put behind her. To memories of a man she once loved, of a sisterhood she abandoned, and of the day she stopped being Adelaide MacNeill.

“Normal Rules Don’t Apply” by Kate Atkinson. Nothing is quite as it seems in this collection of eleven dazzling stories. We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a man who bets on a horse that may—or may not—have spoken to him. Everything that readers love about the novels of Kate Atkinson is here—the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations on human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop.

“The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf” by Alexander McCall Smith. The Department of Sensitive Crimes is downsizing in light of a recent downturn of sensitive crime, and staff members are wondering who among them will be transferred elsewhere. As the bickering between colleagues intensifies, Ulf tries his best to stay above the fray. But when Anna, a longtime friend and coworker, appears to blame him for an old case that went sideways, it seems she may be putting her own job prospects above their friendship. In the midst of all this, Ulf embarks on an important inquiry: a man’s cabin has mysteriously disappeared and Ulf is tasked with finding out what happened. How exactly does one steal a house? And, more to the point, how does one track down a stolen house? Meanwhile, a promising veterinary treatment for deafness in dogs has been announced, and Ulf’s dog, Martin, might be the perfect patient.

“Grow Herbs: Essential Know-How and Expert Advice for Gardening Success” by Steohanie Mahon. Ideal for first-time gardeners, Grow Herbs contains everything you need to know to grow a wide variety of perennial and annual herbs. Learn how to sow, grow, harvest, and propagate your plants, with advice on caring for home-grown herbs as well as tips on making the most of store-bought pots.

“Treasure Bookmaking” by Natasa Marinkovic. Hobbies tend to require a big investment, but Author Natasa Marinkovic focuses on upcycling the available materials around us. Learn how to make beautiful journals—without purchasing book-binding tools, use what you have! With the things you have at home, create projects that are both useful and beautiful.

“Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide 2024” by Birnbaum Guides. Prepare for your Walt Disney World vacation with the one and only official, up-to-the-minute insider’s guide to America’s most popular travel destination!

— Summaries provided by library staff