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Malibu Summer: A Novel
by Libby GillLose yourself in this opposites-attract romance set on a sunny Malibu hillside Ivy Bauer is a young, bright soil scientist and inventor of a game changing organic irrigation system. She&’s on top of the world when, suddenly, her husband is killed in a biking accident. Needing space to grieve, she takes a summer job as a gardener in Malibu. Conrad Reed is a wealthy Hollywood has-been who, after the death of his wife, feels overwhelmed by the care of his anxious stepson Hudson, massive cliffside estate, and deteriorating career. He hopes Ivy will help take at least one thing off his plate. But the bossy, opinionated Ivy isn&’t making things any easier for him. Sparks fly—and not the good kind. But it&’s when Ivy finds the key to Hudson&’s heart that Conrad&’s own heart begins to melt as well—and then the sparks that fly are the ones that kindle the best kind of love affair . . .
A Fox, a Pig, and a Dig
by Jonathan FenskeJoin Pig and Fox for some fun in the sun at the beach!The stars of Jonathan Fenske's 2016 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book, A Pig, a Fox, and a Box, return in another humorous three-part story designed to engage early readers.This story contains charming characters combined with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids' confidence and create lifelong readers!As in the precursors to this tale—A Pig, a Fox, and a Box; A Pig, a Fox, and Stinky Socks; and A Pig, a Fox, and a Fox—Jonathan Fenske tells a humorous three-part story of two friends, Pig and Fox. In this book, Fox plays tricks on Pig at the beach! With comic art and simple language, this title is sure to have kids rolling with laughter.Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.
Exhibit: A Novel
by R. O. KwonNAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, TIME MAGAZINE, VOGUE, APPLE, THE MILLIONS, BUSTLE, NYLON, HARPER'S BAZAAR, BOOK RIOT, TODAY.COM, MS. MAGAZINE, CHICAGO REVIEW OF BOOKS, THE RUMPUS, LITERARY HUB, AUTOSTRADDLE, LGBTQ READS, BIBLIO LIFESTYLE, ALTA, AND GOOP! From bestselling author R. O. Kwon, an exhilarating, blazing-hot novel about a woman caught between her desires and her life.At a lavish party in the hills outside of San Francisco, Jin Han meets Lidija Jung and nothing will ever be the same for either woman. A brilliant young photographer, Jin is at a crossroads in her work, in her marriage to her college love Philip, and in who she is and who she wants to be. Lidija is an alluring, injured world-class ballerina on hiatus from her ballet company under mysterious circumstances. Drawn to each other by their intense artistic drives, the two women talk all night.Cracked open, Jin finds herself telling Lidija about an old familial curse, breaking a lifelong promise. She's been told that if she doesn&’t keep the curse a secret, she risks losing everything; death and ruin could lie ahead. As Jin and Lidija become more entangled, they realize they share more than the ferocity of their ambition, and begin to explore hidden desires. Something is ignited in Jin: her art, her body, and her sense of self irrevocably changed. But can she avoid the specter of the curse? Vital, bold, powerful, and deeply moving, Exhibit asks: how brightly can you burn before you light your life on fire?
The Bump
by Sidney Karger"With a fresh mix of Little Miss Sunshine and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Bump takes us on a laugh-out-loud and moving adventure. Wyatt and Biz are such vivid, relatable characters to root for as they navigate love and family with tears and hilarity. It's another sweet book from Sid and I didn't want this fun ride to end!"—Molly Shannon, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, and actressTwo men expecting a baby via surrogate go on the road trip of a lifetime in this hilarious and poignant novel by Sidney Karger, author of Best Men. Wyatt Wallace is a practical, super organized director of TV commercials. Biz Petterelli is a child-actor-turned-magazine-writer who thrives on spontaneity. Though polar opposites, they are fully committed to their relationship and their life in Brooklyn with their dog, Matilda. They&’re also about to have a baby together. And they&’re freaking out. They&’ve both dreamed of becoming parents, but now that it&’s happening, they&’re doubting everything. Their baby is due in a few weeks and instead of flying to California just before the birth as planned, Biz has a better idea. They could use one last hurrah, along with some serious &“us-time&” to mend the issues they&’ve been having lately—before they get tied down by fatherhood and its impending responsibilities. So the daddies-to-be load up their 1992 Volkswagen Cabriolet and embark on an epic cross-country babymoon. They attempt to recharge at the beach in Provincetown, stumble through their impromptu baby shower in Chicago, and endure a Star Wars-themed wedding in Colorado before heading west for the baby. But when they take several unexpected detours, old wounds are reopened and secrets spill out that could change their relationship for better or for worse, forcing the couple to reexamine the meaning of family while building their own. After all, what&’s a road trip without a few bumps along the way?
In Our Stars (The Doomed Earth #1)
by Jack CampbellLieutenant Selene Genji has one last chance to save the Earth from destruction in this pulse-pounding science fiction adventure, from the author of the New York Times bestselling Lost Fleet series.Earth, 2180Genetically engineered with partly alien DNA, Lieutenant Selene Genji is different from ordinary humans. And they hate her for it. Still, she&’s spent her life trying to overcome society&’s prejudice by serving in the Unified Fleet while Earth&’s international order collapses into war.Genji is stationed on a ship in orbit when humanity&’s factional extremism on the planet reaches a boiling point, and she witnesses the utter annihilation of Earth. When the massive forces unleashed by Earth&’s death warp space and time to hurl her forty years into the past, Genji is given a chance to try to change the future and save Earth—starting with the alien first contact only she knows will soon occur.Earth, 2140Lieutenant Kayl Owen&’s ship is on a routine patrol when a piece of spacecraft wreckage appears out of nowhere. To his shock, there is a survivor on board: Selene Genji. Once her strange heritage is discovered, though, it becomes clear that Genji is a problem Earth Guard command wants to dispose of—quietly. After learning the horrifying truth, Owen helps her escape and joins her mission.Together, they have a chance to change the fate of an Earth doomed to die in 2180. But altering history could put Genji&’s very existence in danger, and Owen wonders if a world without her is one worth saving. . . .
Charles & Ray: A Story of Charles and Ray Eames
by James YangA playful introduction to the designs of Charles and Ray Eames by Geisel-winning creator James Yang.Charles was an architect. Ray was a painter. Together they made the perfect team. By using structure, shape, and color, they knew they could transform anything. And because they saw problem-solving as an adventure, they were able to incorporate playfulness into everything they designed.Geisel Award-winning author and illustrator James Yang has created an exuberant story about Charles and Ray Eames, two of the most iconic designers of the Mid-century modern design movement, which will inspire readers to dream up new ways to see the world around them.
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife
by Sebastian JungerA near-fatal health emergency leads to this powerful reflection on death—and what might follow—by the bestselling author of Tribe and The Perfect Storm. For years as an award-winning war reporter, Sebastian Junger traveled to many front lines and frequently put his life at risk. And yet the closest he ever came to death was the summer of 2020 while spending a quiet afternoon at the New England home he shared with his wife and two young children. Crippled by abdominal pain, Junger was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Once there, he began slipping away. As blackness encroached, he was visited by his dead father, inviting Junger to join him. “It’s okay,” his father said. “There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll take care of you.” That was the last thing Junger remembered until he came to the next day when he was told he had suffered a ruptured aneurysm that he should not have survived.This experience spurred Junger—a confirmed atheist raised by his physicist father to respect the empirical—to undertake a scientific, philosophical, and deeply personal examination of mortality and what happens after we die. How do we begin to process the brutal fact that any of us might perish unexpectedly on what begins as an ordinary day? How do we grapple with phenomena that science may be unable to explain? And what happens to a person, emotionally and spiritually, when forced to reckon with such existential questions?In My Time of Dying is part medical drama, part searing autobiography, and part rational inquiry into the ultimate unknowable mystery.
I Hope This Finds You Well: A Novel
by Natalie SueIn this wildly funny and heart-warming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job. A laugh-till-you-cry debut novel you’ll be eager to share with your entire list of contacts, perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. As far as Jolene is concerned, her interactions with her colleagues should start and end with her official duties as an admin for Supershops, Inc. Unfortunately, her irritating, incompetent coworkers don’t seem to understand the importance of boundaries. Her secret to survival? She vents her grievances in petty email postscripts, then changes the text colour to white so no one can see. That is, until one of her secret messages is exposed. Her punishment: sensitivity training (led by the suspiciously friendly HR guy, Cliff) and rigorous email restrictions.When an IT mix-up grants her access to her entire department’s private emails and DMs, Jolene knows she should report it, but who could resist reading what their coworkers are really saying? And when she discovers layoffs are coming, she realizes this might just be the key to saving her job. The plan is simple: gain her boss’s favour, convince HR she’s Supershops material and beat out the competition.But as Jolene is drawn further into her coworker’s private worlds and secrets, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble—especially around Cliff, who she definitely cannot have feelings for. Soon she will need to decide if she’s ready to leave the comfort of her cubicle, even if it means coming clean to her colleagues.Crackling with laugh-out-loud dialogue and relatable observations, I Hope This Finds You Well is a fresh and surprisingly tender comedy about loneliness and love beyond our computer screens. This sparkling debut novel will open your heart to the everyday eccentricities of work culture and the undeniable human connection that comes with it.
Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks
by Charlamagne Tha GodFrom Charlamagne Tha God, host of the morning radio phenomenon The Breakfast Club, and founder and CEO of iHeartRadio&’s Black Effect Podcast Network, a rundown on how small talk from small minds has taken over our world, and the BIG conversations needed to climb our way back.For fourteen years, Charlamagne Tha God has been cohost of iHeartRadio&’s nationally syndicated morning radio show The Breakfast Club and has proven his power as a culture mover and thought leader, by being his completely authentic self on-air, from his famous &“You ain't black&” moment with President Biden, to heartfelt chats with cultural icons like Sean &“Jay-Z&” Carter and Judy Blume, to viral classics with Kamala Harris and Soulja Boy, his incredible reach and impact on the pulse of America continues to grow. In his new book, Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks, Charlamagne takes full command of his new perch, broadening his scope and embracing his life roles as a cultural curator, social commentator, job-creator, mental health advocate, and Girl Dad in ways we&’ve never seen before. In his signature irreverent style, he looks at the world through his own lens, concluding that our divisions, our unhappiness, and our dissatisfactions stem from our failure to have meaningful conversations with each other. With lessons pulled from his past, and an eye on the future, Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks makes us laugh, cry, and think as Charlamagne&’s shares his thoughts on growth, empowerment, and evolution in our fast-changing world. In short—it&’s time to stop lying to each other, and ourselves. Fame, money, social media, politics, hip-hop culture, and fatherhood, he takes it all on here. In the process, Charlamagne reveals more about himself than we&’ve ever seen before. This master of seeing through the BS even calls it on himself, as he delivers his most insightful and heartfelt work yet—his call to stop the insanity while we still can.
Perfume and Pain: A Novel
by Anna Dorn&“Perceptive and witty—like a Sally Rooney novel set in Southern California.&” —Star Tribune (Minneapolis) &“It&’s this author&’s best work yet. A Sapphic roller-coaster ride.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A controversial LA author attempts to revive her career and finally find true love in this hilarious nod to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction.Having recently moved both herself and her formidable perfume bottle collection into a tiny bungalow in Los Angeles, mid-list author Astrid Dahl finds herself back in the Zoom writer&’s group she cofounded, Sapphic Scribes, after an incident that leaves her and her career lightly canceled. But she temporarily forgets all that by throwing herself into a few sexy distractions—like Ivy, a grad student researching 1950s lesbian pulp who smells like metallic orchids, or her new neighbor, Penelope, who smells like patchouli. Penelope, a painter living off Urban Outfitters settlement money, immediately ingratiates herself in Astrid&’s life, bonding with her best friends and family, just as Astrid and Ivy begin to date in person. Astrid feels judged and threatened by Penelope, a responsible older vegan, but also finds her irresistibly sexy. When Astrid receives an unexpected call from her agent with the news that actress and influencer Kat Gold wants to adapt her previous novel for TV, Astrid finally has a chance to resurrect her waning career. But the pressure causes Astrid&’s worst vice to rear its head—the Patricia Highsmith, a blend of Adderall, alcohol, and cigarettes—and results in blackouts and a disturbing series of events. Unapologetically feminine yet ribald, steamy yet hilarious, Anna Dorn has crafted an exquisite homage to the lesbian pulp of yore, reclaiming it for our internet and celebrity-obsessed world. With notes of Southern California citrus and sultry smokiness, Perfume and Pain is a satirical romp through Hollywood and lesbian melodrama.
The Mystery Guest
by Grégoire BouillierA &“frank and wry, mad and graceful&” (Slate) true story about getting dumped, and getting over it.When the phone rang on a cold November afternoon in 1990, Grégoire Bouillier had no way of knowing that the caller was the woman who had left him, without warning, five years before. And he couldn&’t have guessed why she was calling: not to say she was sorry, not to explain why she&’d vanished from his life, but to invite him to a party. A birthday party. For a woman he&’d never met. Here is the unlikely but true account of how one man got over a broken heart, regained his faith in literature, participated—by mistake—in a work of performance art, threw away his turtlenecks, spent his rent money on a 1964 bordeaux that nobody ever drank, and fell in love again. Named one of the year&’s best books by Slate and the San Francisco Chronicle when it first appeared in English, The Mystery Guest is a &“darkly hilarious . . . odyssey . . . that wends its loopy way toward yes&” (O, the Oprah Magazine).
Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television, and the Movies
by Jerry AdlerThis must read is your golden ticket to a trip down memory lane with of one of Hollywood's most iconic actors. . .Who almost turned down his iconic role on The Sopranos because he could not sing? Did Katharine Hepburn really build the Uris building? How did a simple handshake with President Kennedy almost end in disaster? In his debut memoir, Too Funny for Words, Jerry Adler reveals all for the first time! In his career as a theater director, producer, and actor that has spanned over 70 years, Adler has certainly had his fair share of laughs, and is ready to take readers on a reminiscent journey of Hollywood tales past. With numerous stories to tell, each funnier than the last, sit back and enjoy a trip behind the scenes. Including unforgettable stories about: Paul Rudd, Robin Williams, Meryl Streep, Larry David, James Gandolfini, Alan Arkin, Woody Allen, JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Barbra Streisand, Joe Pesci, Paul Reiser, George Clooney, Richard Burton, Richard M. Nixon, Katharine Hepburn, Julie Andrews, Orson Welles, and many, many more!
Home and Alone
by Daniel SternSimply a must read for anyone who seeks a behind-the-scenes peek of some of Hollywood's classic films. . .Beginning with his film debut in Breaking Away, Daniel Stern has grown up on-screen before our very eyes. His connection with audiences is cemented in movies like Home Alone and City Slickers, and in his debut memoir, Home and Alone with Daniel Stern, he is the Everyman narrator on a ride into the human side of Hollywood. Buckle up and experience what it&’s like driving Robert Redford in his Porsche at 100 mph, or stripping down for a nude scene in front of a group of total strangers. Share the out-of-body moments of flying alone with Mel Gibson on his jet to Las Vegas and smashing a fake mustache onto Gary Busey&’s face while cursing him out on the pitcher&’s mound of Wrigley Field in front of a sellout crowd. Join him in his triumphant stories like conquering his dyslexia as the voice of The Wonder Years, and his terrifying ones like being sued for $25 million by CBS and Columbia pictures. Touching and hysterical, often at the same time, Stern gives readers a peek at the highs and lows of a Hollywood career, and a closer look at the movies they love and the people who make them. Inspiring as it is humorous, Stern weaves a compelling tale of an artistic hippie-child of the 60&’s, who by age thirteen had hitchhiked his way across the Eastern half of the U.S.A. By age seventeen he had dropped out of high school and was living on his own in New York, and by nineteen he was starting a family of his own. His insights into marriage, children, parents and parenting are not only hilarious, but packed with subtle wisdom. But the real surprises are in Stern's off-screen roles as a bronze sculptor, cattle rancher, avocado farmer and public servant. The hard work and commitment he has put into his on-screen successes are applied with the same intensity to every aspect of his life. From creating monumental public art projects and founding a Boys & Girls Club to visiting troops in Iraq and learning to birth a cow, he has lived it all. Home and Alone with Daniel Stern is for anyone who needs reminding that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition: Write and organize scripts and tools (In a Month of Lunches)
by James Petty Don Jones Jeffery HicksAutomate complex tasks and processes with PowerShell scripts. This amazing book teaches you how to write, test, and organize high-quality, reusable scripts for Windows, Linux, and cloud-based systems.Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition takes you beyond command-line PowerShell and opens up the amazing world of scripting and automation. In just 27 bite-sized lessons, you&’ll learn to write scripts that can eliminate repetitive manual tasks, create custom reusable tools, and build effective pipelines and workflows. In Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition you&’ll learn: Setting up a reliable scripting environment Designing functions and scripts Effective pipeline usage Scripting and security Dealing with errors and bugs Source control with git Sharing and publishing scripts Professional-grade scripting practices The PowerShell language lets you write scripts to control nearly every aspect of Windows. Just master a few straightforward scripting skills, and you'll save yourself from hours of tedious tasks. This revised second edition is fully updated to PowerShell&’s latest version, including hands-on examples that perfectly demonstrate modern PowerShell&’s cross-platform applications. About the technology You can write PowerShell scripts to automate nearly any admin task on Windows, Linux, and macOS. This book shows you how! In just 27 short lessons you can complete on your lunch break, you&’ll learn to create, organize, test, and share scripts and tools that will save you hours of time in your daily work. About the book Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition is a hands-on introduction to PowerShell automation and toolbuilding. Updated for the latest version of PowerShell, this thoroughly revised bestseller teaches you how to write efficient scripts, find and squash bugs, and organize your tools into libraries. Along the way, you&’ll even pick up tips for securing and managing Linux and macOS systems. What's inside Setting up a reliable scripting environment Designing functions and scripts Effective pipeline usage Sharing and publishing scripts About the reader Beginning to intermediate knowledge of PowerShell required. About the author James Petty is CEO of PowerShell.org and The DevOps Collective and a Microsoft MVP. Don Jones and Jeffery Hicks are the authors of the first edition of Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches. Table of Contents PART 1 1 Before you begin 2 Setting up your scripting environment 3 WWPD: What would PowerShell do? 4 Review: Parameter binding and the PowerShell pipeline 5 Scripting language: A crash course 6 The many forms of scripting (and which to choose) 7 Scripts and security PART 2 8 Always design first 9 Avoiding bugs: Start with a command 10 Building a basic function and script module 11 Getting started with advanced functions 12 Objects: The best kind of output 13 Using all the streams 14 Simple help: Making a comment 15 Errors and how to deal with them 16 Filling out a manifest PART 3 17 Changing your brain when it comes to scripting 18 Professional-grade scripting 19 An introduction to source control with Git 20 Pestering your script 21 Signing your script 22 Publishing your script PART 4 23 Squashing bugs 24 Enhancing script output presentation 25 Wrapping up the .NET Framework 26 Storing data—not in Excel! 27 Never the end
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife
by Sebastian JungerA near-fatal health emergency leads to this powerful reflection on death—and what might follow—by the bestselling author of Tribe and The Perfect Storm.For years as an award-winning war reporter, Sebastian Junger traveled to many front lines and frequently put his life at risk. And yet the closest he ever came to death was the summer of 2020 while spending a quiet afternoon at the New England home he shared with his wife and two young children. Crippled by abdominal pain, Junger was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Once there, he began slipping away. As blackness encroached, he was visited by his dead father, inviting Junger to join him. &“It&’s okay,&” his father said. &“There&’s nothing to be scared of. I&’ll take care of you.&” That was the last thing Junger remembered until he came to the next day when he was told he had suffered a ruptured aneurysm that he should not have survived. This experience spurred Junger—a confirmed atheist raised by his physicist father to respect the empirical—to undertake a scientific, philosophical, and deeply personal examination of mortality and what happens after we die. How do we begin to process the brutal fact that any of us might perish unexpectedly on what begins as an ordinary day? How do we grapple with phenomena that science may be unable to explain? And what happens to a person, emotionally and spiritually, when forced to reckon with such existential questions? In My Time of Dying is part medical drama, part searing autobiography, and part rational inquiry into the ultimate unknowable mystery.
One Perfect Couple
by Ruth WareRuth Ware, the powerhouse New York Times bestselling author with over six million books sold to date, returns with her ninth novel, which promises to be the summer&’s most gripping beach read.Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctorate research has fizzled out, she&’s pretty sure her contract will not be extended, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren&’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. This is the big break she needs! A whirlwind preproduction process later, Lyla finds herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joe and Romi, and Connor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize. Alas, not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start going wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to reach the boat and crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. Tensions run high and fresh water runs low. Then, one by one, contestants start to die. Lyla suddenly realizes she and Nico are trapped on the island with a murderer on the loose…and nowhere to hide. A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.
On Sex and Gender: A Commonsense Approach
by Doriane Lambelet ColemanAn eye-opening account of what the left and right get wrong about sex and gender—and how we can be a thoughtful, sex-smart society.On Sex and Gender focuses on three sequential and consequential questions: What is sex as opposed to gender? How does sex matter in our everyday lives? And how should it be reflected in law and policy? All three have been front-and-center in American life and politics since the rise of the trans rights movement: They are included in both major parties&’ political platforms. They are the subject of ongoing litigation in the federal courts and of highly contentious legislation on Capitol Hill. And they are a pivotal issue in the culture wars between left and right playing out around dinner tables, on campuses and school boards, on op-ed pages, and in corporate handbooks. Doriane Coleman challenges both sides to chart a better way. In a book that is equal parts scientific explanation, historical examination, and personal reflection, she argues that denying biological sex and focusing only on gender would have detrimental effects on women&’s equal opportunity, on men&’s future prospects, and on the health and welfare of society. Structural sexism needed to be dismantled—a true achievement of feminism and an ongoing fight—but going forward we should be sex smart, not sex blind. This book is a clear guide for reasonable Americans on sex and gender—something everyone wants to understand but is terrified to discuss. Coleman shows that the science is settled, but equally that there is a middle ground where common sense reigns and we can support transgender people without denying the facts of human biology. She livens her narrative with a sequence of portraits of exceptional human beings from legal pioneers like Myra Bradwell and Ketanji Brown Jackson to champion athletes like Caster Semenya and Cate Campbell to civil rights giants like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Pauli Murray. Above all, Coleman reminds us that sex not only exists, but is also good—and she shows how we can get both sex and gender right for society.
What This Comedian Said Will Shock You
by Bill MaherThe hilarious and controversial host of HBO&’s Real Time with Bill Maher has written his funniest, most opinionated, and most necessary book ever—a brilliantly astute and acerbically funny vivisection of American life, politics, and culture. Some of the smartest commentary about what&’s happening in America is coming from a comedian—this comedian being Bill Maher. If you want to understand what&’s wrong with this country, it turns out that one of the best informed and most thought-provoking analysts is this very funny pothead. The book was inspired by the &“editorial&” Bill delivers at the end of each episode of Real Time. These editorials are direct-to-camera sermons about culture, politics, and what&’s happening in the world. To put this book together, Maher reviewed more than a decade of his editorials, rewriting, reimagining, and updating them, and adding new material to speak exactly to the moment we&’re in. Free speech, cops, drugs, race, religion, the generations, cancel culture, the parties, the media, show biz, romance, health—Maher covers it all. The result is a hugely entertaining work of commentary about American culture in the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers, and H. L. Mencken.
Murder at the Spelling Bee (A Maya and Sandra Mystery #4)
by Lee HollisThe murder of a moderator for a school competition spells trouble for Portland P.I. partners and moms Maya Kendrick and Sandra Wallage . . . Twelve-year-old Rocco Fanelli is a spelling bee champ in the making. He&’s the odds-on favorite to win the local middle-school bee and go on to the regionals, the state, and ultimately the nationals. Which is why someone is trying to intimidate him to drop out with a threatening note in his locker. Rocco&’s concerned parents hire Maya and Sandra to uncover the culprit and ensure their son&’s safety. But the competition turns killer when a high school teacher who&’s running the bee, clearly favoring certain students, is found dead in the school supply closet. Sandra had already confronted Ellie Lambert over unfairly grading her son Ryan—which now makes her a suspect. She&’s not the only one who tangled with the teacher, however, and with suspects ranging from helicopter parents to the school custodian, Maya and Sandra will need to put their heads together to spell out who had the motive and opportunity to silence Ellie Lambert . . .
Escape Velocity
by Victor ManiboA twisty new near-future genre-bending thriller: Knives Out in space with a Parasite twist. A decades-old murder looms over the glamorous clientele of a high-end space hotel . . . while an unforeseen threat percolates in the service corridors. The guests are about to experience the hospitality they deserve. Space Habitat Altaire is the premier luxury resort in low Earth orbit, playground of the privileged and the perfect location to host reunions for the Rochford Institute. Rochford boasts only the best: the wealthiest, most promising students with the most impressive pedigrees. Complete with space walks, these lavish reunions are a prime opportunity for alumni to jockey for power with old friends and rivals—and crucially, to advance their applications to live in an exclusive Mars settlement. Earth is dying, and only the best deserve to save themselves. Aboard the Altaire for their 25th reunion, finance magnate Ava pursues the truth about her brother&’s murder during their senior year, which cast a dark shadow over their time at Rochford. Laz, ambassador and political scion, hopes to finally win Ava&’s heart. Sloane, collecting secrets to conceal his family&’s decline, angles for a key client. And Henry, heir to a healthcare empire, creates an unorthodox opportunity to get to Mars in a last-ditch effort to outrun a childhood secret. While these erstwhile friends settle scores and rack up points, they fail to notice that other agendas are afoot at the Space Habitat Altaire, and their own futures aren&’t the only ones at stake—&“the best&” will soon regret underestimating those they would leave behind on Earth.
The Amish Quiltmaker's Uninvited Guest (The Amish Quiltmaker #5)
by Jennifer BeckstrandThe beloved bestselling inspirational romance author continues her uplifting Amish Quiltmakers series set in Colorado. Will appeal to readers of Amish and inspirational romance and fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Amy Lillard, and Emma Miller. Esther&’s distant cousin, widower Menno Eicher, needs to be hard-headed and practical. Swamped by family and farm responsibilities, he must find the perfect wife as quickly as possible, so he&’s shown up in Colorado—with &“finding a wife&” on his To-Do list! Esther&’s community has many women who could match his ever-growing requirements. Yet after a chance meeting, Menno keeps coming back to baker Joanna Yoder. Hard-working, honest, and forthright, she&’s distracting Menno from his search, opening his heart—but refuses to believe he&’s falling hopelessly in love with her . . . Happily busy inventing and selling delicious desserts, Joanna has no time for someone as ridiculously exacting as Menno. After all, what sort of man thinks choosing a wife is like picking a pie at the general store? But once she sees the surprisingly kind heart, doting father, and understanding man beneath his hard-to-please ways, she has second thoughts. With faith and genuine love, might the few things they have in common overcome the differences between them—and prove precious enough to risk a future together?
The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow
by Elaine DimopoulosButternut and the meadow creatures return in this middle-grade adventure sequel that will charm animal-loving fans of The Tale of Despereaux and Clarice the Brave. Illustrated by Caldecott winner Doug Salati.After their remarkable rescue, the meadow creatures are back—now closer than ever and with beloved rabbit Butternut still captivating them all with her storytelling. But when a dazzling group of traveling turkeys shows up and persuades the meadow creatures to join them in putting on performance, Butternut is not sure she can find her place in all the excitement. She questions her storytelling abilities compared to this new crew.When it turns out the turkeys—and the grand show—are not what they seem, Butternut's family and friends are suddenly in imminent danger. Butternut must figure out how to trust herself and find help. In the end, the hope is that friendship will win once more.Beautiful and arresting black-and-white illustrations bring the animals to life in this nail-biting and heartwarming story about trust: trusting our instincts, trusting our creative talents, and trusting those who know and love us, even when it&’s hard.&“Treasured classics designed to be read aloud and shared.&”—Caroline Carlson, author of Wicked Marigold
Wait: A Novel
by Gabriella BurnhamA young woman reunites with her teenage sister in their childhood home on Nantucket Island after their mother disappears in this alluring coming-of-age novel from the acclaimed author of It Is Wood, It Is Stone.&“A novel to remember.&”—Sarah Thankam Mathews, author of All This Could Be DifferentElise is out dancing the night before her college graduation when her younger sister, Sophie, calls to tell her that their mom is nowhere to be found. Elise leaves on the next flight back to her childhood home, Nantucket Island, for the first time in nearly four years.The sisters soon learn that their mother was stopped by police on her way home from work and deported to São Paulo, Brazil. Intent on bringing her mother back, Elise stays and secures the same job she had in high school: monitoring endangered birds. Meanwhile, her best friend from college, Sheba—a gregarious socialite and heir to a famed children&’s toy company—reveals that she has inherited her grandfather&’s summer mansion on Nantucket. Elise&’s worlds collide as she confronts the emotional and material conditions that have fractured her family, as well as the life in Brazil that her mother has had to leave behind.Told with penetrating insight, humor, and unexpected tenderness, Wait is a story about a family swimming against the social currents that erode bonds: housing precarity, immigration systems, and inherited wealth. But it is also a story about love, wit, and sisterhood, and how two sisters cling to each other in the midst of cataclysmic change, all the while dreaming about a better future.
Sensual: Connect Deeply, Express Freely, Love Intimately
by Henika PatelSensual is a guide to understanding the inner spark we are all born with, why and how we lose it, and how to reclaim our power to live the life we truly want. Sensuality is about more than just pleasure. Sensuality is an innate power that can help you to tune in to your body, mind, and spirit. To be sensual is to know yourself so intimately that you can move through life with confidence and clarity, deeply connected to the fire within. In this book, Henika Patel invites you on a journey of expansion to find your unapologetic, unashamed, fully expressed sensual spirit. Blending Eastern philosophy and Western psychology with practices, rituals, and stories from her own life, Henika will empower you to: – Overcome blocks, shame, and numbness – Unleash and express your authentic desires – Discover your inner spark and confidence – Find sensuality, connection, and freedom in all areas of your life, from love and creativity to work and relationships Are you ready to connect with your sensual power?
Mood Swings: A Novel
by Frankie Barnet"Yes, &“Mood Swings&” is a novel about tech moguls and the collapse of society. Yes, maybe it&’s an &“internet novel.&” But it&’s also so much more than that. And isn&’t that lovely, to find a book that transcends its buzzwords? Isn&’t it beautiful for a work of art to prove you wrong?" —Sarah Rose Etter, The New York Times Book Review*"For fans of Patricia Lockwood&’s No One Is Talking About This (2021). An off-kilter, hauntingly hilarious debut novel." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[A] bonkers story . . . Despite the sobering material, this is a hoot." —Publishers WeeklyIn a pre-apocalyptic world not unlike our own, a young Instagram poet starts an affair with a California billionaire who's promised a time machine that will make everything normal again—whatever that means.Everyone knows something&’s off, but nobody can agree on just what it is. Maybe it&’s the weather; maybe everyone&’s just so damn sensitive these days. Or maybe it&’s because the animals of the world have finally had enough, besieging towns and cities and terrorizing their human residents.Jenlena and her best friend Daphne are two humanities grads in their early 20s, trying to find their way in a society that has just eradicated all animals for the safety of humanity. In the post-fauna world, Jenlena transforms from an aspiring poet to a gig worker, capitalizing on other people&’s grief by selling house plants that have come to replace pets and cosplaying as dogs for pay. Meanwhile Daphne, a once-promising student, flounders in a deep depression, smoking weed and ditching work to hang out with her once famous, now canceled boyfriend. When Jenlena meets the California billionaire Roderick Maeve, and the two become romantically entangled, she is exposed to a new understanding of wealth, power, and the gender economy—just as the world hurtles toward its alleged salvation.Marked with Frankie Barnet&’s poignant intelligence and sly sense of humor, Mood Swings is a stand-out debut novel that imagines with pitch-perfect absurdity what comes after life as we know it.