Happy Friday, Dear Blog Readers and Beloved Patrons!

Today, we present you with five new books on our shelves for your consideration.  Hopefully you will find something to whet your reading appetite!

Scarlett Undercover: Jennifer Latham’s first young adult novel is a blend of some fantastic tropes: Scarlett is a 15-year-old Muslim American private detective in Las Almas, whose newest case involved a church-turned-tattoo parlor, genies, ancient curses and, most surprisingly, the secrets that lurk in her own family.  The School Library Journal calls Scarlett the “heir apparent to Veronica Mars” (high praise indeed!), and Kirkus gave this debut a starred review for its smart blend of noir and paranormal.

The Well: This book is another mysterious mash-up of genres that is garnering a good deal of attention.  Set on a farm in modern-day Britain that is rapidly running out of water, Catherine Chanter tells the story of a farm that has never suffered the effects of the drought, becoming an oasis in the modern-day desert.  The Guardian says that this book is an odd blend of science-fiction and fairytale, but Publisher’s Weekly is heralding Chanter’s first novel as “Extraordinary”.  Safe to say, this is a book guaranteed to keep you on your toes…

The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons: After a painfully-long hiatus, Lawrence Block’s much-adored, charming and sticky-fingered hero, Bernie Rhodenbarr, is back in his eleventh adventure.  This time around, Bernie and his sidekick Carolyn find themselves wandering from manor house to museum on the hunt for an F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, and tracking down a killer in their spare time.  Block’s decision to publish this unexpected series’ addition under his own imprint has led industry insiders to speculate whether we can expect more of Bernie’s adventures in the future….One can only hope!

The Rocks: Peter Nichols’ family saga opens with a single question–what happened in 1948 to drive two devoted honeymooners irrevocably apart, despite their living on the same island together for more than half a century?  Though the question is a heavy one, Nichols’ keeps the tone of this book light and thoroughly engaging, even as he peels back the layers of this mystery and probes at the secrets that have remained hidden for years.  The seaside resort where his tale is sounds like the perfect setting for a weekend-esacpe read– even Travel and Leisure gave this book a positive review!

Stalingrad: The City That Defeated the Third Reich: Professor Jochen Hellbeck’s history of the pivotal and devastating Battle of Stalingrad  is so much more than a work of military history.  By incorporating eye witness accounts from both Russia soldiers and civilians (including women and children, who are so often overlooked in wartime histories), as well as German soldiers and prisoners of war, Hellbeck brings the city, and the cataclysmic battle that took place there between August 1942-February 1943, to vivid life.  Originally published to rave reviews in Germany, this book has finally been translated for the English-speaking market, and the Boston Globe has already declared this work a “stunning history” that reads like literature.

What will you be reading this weekend, beloved patrons?  Let us know in the comments section!

Happy Friday, dear patrons!  In our Five Book Friday posts, we will be highlighting some of the new books that have appeared on our shelves this week.  Our inaugural
post features everything from Irish drama to vampire romances, from a wartime mystery to a man who can paint other people’s memories.  We hope you enjoy!

The Green Road: A novel that spans thirty years and three continents, Irish author Anne Enright’s newest novel tells the story of Rosaleen, matriarch of the Madigan family, and her four children.  But this book is so much more than a family saga.  Hailed by The Guardian as a “brilliant, devastating, radical novel”, this story reads like a collection of short stories all tied together by some of the most vivid, honest, and empathetic characters you will meet in fiction for some time.  Though the plot of this novel is more subtle than most, the relationships that readers build with these characters makes the journey feel fulfilling regardless of what takes place along the way.

Maggie Bright: A Novel of Dunkirk: In order to aid the massive British evacuation from Dunkirk, Churchill authorizes civilian vessels to bring soldiers back across the English Channel.  But when Claire Child’s yacht, Maggie Bright is commandeered into service, it will bring her into contact with two men, and a dark mystery, that will change all their lives forever.  Grimly realistic, romantic, and uplifting by turns, Tracey Groot’s newest release seems to be garnering a good deal of positive attention from both readers and critics alike.

The Shadows: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood: J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series has become a staple of the paranormal romance genre, and with every novel, she expands the shadowy, dangerous world they inhabit even further.  This impressive thirteenth installment features Trez, a damaged and hunted loner who is trapped between the love of a powerful woman and a fate he is powerless to escape.  Though this might not be the best place for new readers to begin, fans of this series will find all of Ward’s trademark emotional highs, and clever plot twists.

The Memory Painter: Gwendolyn Womack’s debut is a genre-challenging, unsettling, and immediately engaging book about an artist whose paintings are inspired by his haunting, vivid dreams, and a brilliant woman who realizes the startling truth behind his visions.  RT Book Reviews says of this book: “the dreamlike descriptions, unnerving conspiracies and eerie sense of foreboding and premonition that haunts the protagonists will keep readers fascinated even after every strange secret has been revealed.”

The Fall: John Lescroart is one of those rare novelists who succeeds in a number of different genres; from historical fiction to mystery–to this newest legal thriller.  Kirkus says that this 16th outing featuring Dismas Hardy is a “wild tale”, full of twists and surprises, and though it may not be the strongest series installment, it is certainly hitting all the right notes with longtime fans of Lescroart’s work.

Want to see what else is new on the shelves?  Come on in and check out a few new books today!