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Kansas City Noir (Akashic Noir)
by Kevin Prufer J. Malcolm Garcia Grace SuhDark and gritty tales set in the &“Paris of the Plains,&” including Nancy Pickard&’s &“Lightbulb&”—selected for The Best American Mystery Stories 2013. Akashic Books&’ groundbreaking, globetrotting noir anthology series sets all-new stories in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective metropolitan area. Now &“Kansas City, famous for its jazz, its barbecue, and its shady history, provides the venue for this solid addition&” (Publishers Weekly). This collection includes brand-new stories from J. Malcolm Garcia, Grace Suh, Daniel Woodrell, Kevin Prufer, Matthew Eck, Philip Stephens, Catherine Browder, John Lutz, Nancy Pickard, Linda Rodriguez, Andrés Rodríguez, Mitch Brian, Nadia Pflaum, and Phong Nguyen. &“Hard-used heroes and heroines seem to live a lifetime in the stories . . . Each one seems almost novelistic in scope. Half novels-in-waiting, half journalistic anecdotes that are equally likely to appeal to Kansas City boosters and strangers.&”—Kirkus Reviews &“Travel has many unexpected benefits, so even if you&’ve never had a reason to visit the city itself, you&’ll find Kansas City Noir surprisingly well worth the price of the ticket.&”—Bookgasm &“Picture steam rising from a sewer grate on a rain-slicked street. The sound of footsteps comes closer and closer behind you as you walk down a dark, downtown Kansas City alley. If this scenario entices you, then you just might enjoy Kansas City Noir.&”—Kansas City Public Television
Mexico City Noir (Akashic Noir)
by Eduardo Antonio Parra Bernardo FernándezLatin American noir at its finest. &“[A] diverse collection of stories which reflect the harshness and also the brittle brilliance of life in Mexico City.&”—MostlyFiction Book Reviews Akashic Books&’s acclaimed series of original noir anthologies has set a high standard for portraying cities and their neighborhoods in all their dark and violent splendor. Now, &“Mexico City Noir surpasses that standard with phantasmagorical tales of double-dealing, corruption, violence and self-delusion . . . This collection is such a varied literary feast. Fans of Jorge Luis Borges will find surprises galore in the story &‘Violeta Isn&’t Here Anymore.&’ The noir-ish maze that Myriam Laurini constructs with her flair for the shifting realities of &‘magical realism&’ is dazzling enough, and then up pops Borges . . . &“Peel back one layer and find something totally unexpected, these tales tell us again and again. As Eduardo Monteverde writes, &‘the heart of Mexico City is made of mud and green rocks, and the God of Rain continues to cry over the whole country.&’ And standing on that ground, the 12 writers here find inspiration to die for&” (Shelf Awareness). This anthology includes brand-new stories by Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Eugenio Aguirre, Eduardo Antonio Parra, Bernardo Fernández Bef, Óscar de la Borbolla, Rolo Díez, Victor Luiz González, F.G. Haghenbeck, Juan Hernández Luna, Myriam Laurini, Eduardo Monteverde, and Julia Rodríguez.
Seeing
by José SaramagoA strange protest triggers a descent into paranoia and chaos in this &“illuminating parable&”—a sequel to the Nobel Prize-winning author&’s Blindness (Ursula K. Le Guin, The Guardian, UK).On election day in the capital, it is raining so hard that no one has bothered to come out to vote. The politicians are growing jittery. Should they reschedule the elections for another day? Around three o&’clock, the rain finally stops. Voters promptly rush to the polling stations, as if they had been ordered to appear. But when the ballots are counted, more than 70 percent are blank.In response to this mass act of rebellion, a state of emergency is declared. But are the authorities acting blindly? The word evokes terrible memories of the plague of blindness that hit the city four years before, and of the one woman who kept her sight. Perhaps she is the one behind the blank ballots. A police superintendent is put on the case. What begins as a satire on governments and the dubious efficacy of the democratic system turns into something far more sinister. As the story unfolds, &“the humor is still tender but the tone darkens, tension rises&” (Ursula K. Le Guin, The Guardian, UK).
Lingua Franca
by William ThackerA marketer learns the limitations of language in this &“hilarious&” and thought-provoking satire (Flux Magazine). Miles Platting is pulled from the ruins of a shipwreck into a hospital in which no one will speak to him. The founder of Lingua Franca—a naming rights agency committed to renaming every UK town after a corporate sponsor—Miles is desperate to recount the story of his quest for linguistic supremacy to anyone who&’ll listen. Confined to his bed in a deathly quiet ward, Miles seeks to find his colleagues and reunite with his true love. But in doing so, he must confront his most deeply held convictions and consider the question of what&’s in a name in a world where the spoken word has been replaced with silence.
Teach Her
by Mark KottingWhen an everyman&’s life unravels, the mundane spins out into a bizarre tale of regret and revenge in this &“glimpse into lives we rarely get to read about&” (Sean Lock).Local barber Jim January has what appears to be a stable life, even if it is a bit dull. But that&’s about to change—and his wife Shirley leaving him is only the beginning. In the topsy-turvy world of Mark Kotting&’s Teach Her, a teacher is in for the chop; an ex-pupil with psychotic tendencies wants answers; and a one-legged soldier home from war has revenge in his heart.Tension is rising as this unique cast of characters struggle to live side-by-side in a small town.This odd and unnerving tale will leave you questioning the influence of teachers and the value of a fake leg.
All I Ever Wanted (The Summer Love Novels #1)
by Katrina MillsIn this romantic comedy, the reunion between a teacher and her army veteran ex-love might make for the hottest summer this small town has ever seen. Eat a stick of butter or return to her hometown? School teacher Kinsley Bailey would rather risk the caloric overload. Staunton, Virginia, is laced in bad memories of a mentally ill mother, an estranged father, and the first boy who broke her heart. Yet the news of her father&’s death has forced her return to the nightmare. Now in the heat of summer, Kinsley&’s left unraveling the mysteries surrounding a house, an antique gun collection, a flabby basset hound, and a safety deposit box that no one in the family wants to discuss. After a series of tough breaks, army soldier Bastian Harris desires the serenity of small town life in Staunton. Even with women signing up for his shooting courses and emphasizing their desires for a different kind of target practice, he keeps his nose down and his gun in his holster. Yet when a certain auburn-haired blast from the past comes blazing into his shop to sell her late father&’s antique gun collection, he might have to reconsider the tranquil life and take up arms for the one woman he could never forget.
The 25-Year War: America's Military Role in Vietnam
by Bruce Palmer Jr.An American army general presents an insider's history of the Vietnam War with &“a tough, dispassionate, common-sense analysis&” of what went wrong (Baltimore Sun). On April 30, 1975, Saigon and the government of South Vietnam fell to the communist regime of North Vietnam, ending twenty-five years of struggle for American military forces. This is the story of what went wrong there militarily, and why. General Bruce Palmer experienced the Vietnam War in the field and in the highest command echelons. America's most serious error, he believes, was committing its armed forces to a war in which neither political nor military goals were ever fully articulated by our civilian leaders. Our armed forces, lacking clear objectives, failed to develop an appropriate strategy, instead relinquishing the offensive to Hanoi. Yet an achievable strategy could have been devised, Palmer believes. Moreover, our South Vietnamese allies could have been bolstered by appropriate aid but were instead overwhelmed by the massive American military presence. Compounding these errors were the flawed civilian and military chains of command. The result was defeat for America and disaster for South Vietnam. &“Perhaps the best single account of the Vietnam War by a military man.&” —Baltimore Sun
Cain: A Novel
by José SaramagoA &“winkingly blasphemous retelling of the Old Testament&” by the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Gospel According the Jesus Christ (The New Yorker). In José Saramago final novel, he daringly reimagines the characters and narratives of the Old Testament. Placing the despised murderer Cain in the role of protagonist, this epic tale ranges from the Garden of Eden, when God realizes he has forgotten to give Adam and Eve the gift of speech, to the moment when Noah&’s Ark lands on the dry peak of Ararat.Condemned to wander forever after he kills his brother Abel, Cain makes his way through the world in the company of a personable donkey. He is a witness to and participant in the stories of Isaac and Abraham, the destruction of the Tower of Babel, Moses and the golden calf, and the trials of Job. Again and again, Cain encounters a God whose actions seem callous, cruel, and unjust. He confronts Him, he argues with Him. &“And one thing we know for certain,&” Saramago writes, &“is that they continued to argue and are arguing still.&”"Cain's vagabond journey builds to a stunning climax that, like the book itself, is a fitting capstone to a remarkable career."—Publishers Weekly, starred reviewThis ebook includes a sample chapter of Jose Saramago&’s Blindness.
Cross My Path (The Blackie and Care Cat Mysteries #3)
by Clea SimonAn old enemy from the past spells trouble for a young PI and her enigmatic cat in this dystopian noir mystery from the author of The Ninth Life. Care&’s reputation as a private investigator is growing, and clients are starting to beat a path to her door. An elderly woman seeks her help in finding out what happened to her missing brother. Blackie senses that he has met this woman before, some time before he became a cat. But who is she—and what is their connection? At the same time, a dockworker asks Care to find a colleague who has gone missing. But how does a poor laborer have the funds to pay for Care&’s investigative services? As Blackie and Care delve further into each case, it becomes clear that neither client has been telling the whole truth. Then a body is discovered at the waterfront, and the investigation takes a disturbing new twist…&“Cat-loving fans of grim postapocalyptic tales will best appreciate Simon's third Blackie and Care mystery.&”—Publishers Weekly
Life Mask: A Novel
by Emma DonoghuePrivilege has a price for three high-society Londoners in this eighteenth-century historical novel by the author of Room and The Pull of the Stars. In a time of looming war, of glittering spectacle and financial disasters, the wealthy liberals of the Whig Party work to topple a tyrannical prime minister and a lunatic king. Marriages and friendships stretch or break; political liaisons prove as dangerous as erotic ones; and everyone wears a mask. Will Eliza Farren, England's leading comedic actress, gain entry to that elite circle that calls itself the World? Can Lord Derby, the inventor of the horse race that bears his name, endure public mockery of his long, unconsummated courtship of the actress? Will Anne Damer, a sculptor and rumored Sapphist, be the cause of Eliza's fall from grace? Let the games begin . . .&“Mesmerizing. With the French Revolution raging in the background, Donoghue has lighted on another terrific story, and she pulls off a dazzling feat of choreography.&” —Julia Livshin, The Washington Post Book World&“Few will be able to put it down before its enthralling tales end.&” —Chicago Tribune
Virginia at War, 1865 (Virginia at War #Vawr)
by William C. Davis And James I. Robertson Jr.The final volume in this comprehensive history of Confederate Virginia examines the end of the Civil War in the Old Dominion. By January 1865, most of Virginia's schools were closed, many newspapers had ceased publication, businesses suffered, and food was scarce. Having endured major defeats on their home soil and the loss of much of the state's territory to the Union army, Virginia's Confederate soldiers began to desert at higher rates than at any other time in the war, returning home to provide their families with whatever assistance they could muster. It was a dark year for Virginia.Virginia at War, 1865 presents a striking depiction of a state ravaged by violence and destruction. In the final volume of the Virginia at War series, editors William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr. have once again assembled an impressive collection of essays covering topics that include land operations, women and families, wartime economy, music and entertainment, the demobilization of Lee's army, and the war's aftermath. The volume ends with the final installment of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire's popular and important Diary of a Southern Refugee during the War.
101 Things To Do With a Sheet Pan (101 Things To Do With)
by Madge BairdPare down your kitchen prep and clean-up with mix-and-match recipes for easy one-pan meals—from the author of 101 Things to Do with Rotisserie Chicken.Baking sheets aren&’t just for cookies! Enjoy the ease of serving up tasty meals by cooking your main dishes and sides together in the oven on a sheet pan, without having to dirty a bunch of pots or stand over a hot stove. Just prep your ingredients, arrange them on the pan, and pop into the oven. From appetizers to main dishes, side dishes, snacks, and of course desserts, 101 Things to Do with a Sheet Pan is chock-full of easy-to-make recipes for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike, such as Ciao Italian Stuffed Mushrooms, English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas, Mexicali Corn, Cheesy Summer Squash, Turkey Meatloaf with Pomegranate Glaze and Roasted Red Grapes, Chinese Sticky Ribs with Pork Dumplings, Blackberry-Apple Crisp, and Chewy Almond Brownies. Simple never sounded so good!
D.C. Noir: The Classics (Akashic Noir)
by Jim Patton Kenji Jasper Richard CurreySixteen stories of capital crimes and misdemeanors—the basis for the film directed by George Pelecanos, producer and writer of The Wire. Mystery sensation Pelecanos pens the lead story and edits this groundbreaking collection of stories detailing the seedy underside of the nation&’s capital. This is not an anthology of ill-conceived and inauthentic political thrillers. Instead, in D.C. Noir, pimps, whores, gangsters, and con-men run rampant in zones of this city that most never hear about. This anthology includes brand new stories by George Pelecanos, James Grady, Kenji Jasper, Jim Beane, Jabari Asim, Ruben Castaneda, James Patton, Norman Kelley, Jennifer Howard, Richard Currey, Lester Irby, and others. &“[Grady&’s] &‘The Bottom Line&’ is a tour de force of narrative bravado. A story of double-dealing on Capitol Hill, it crams enough plot to power a full-length novel into a mere 30 pages. From its opening sentence—&‘The Capitol building glowed in the night like a white icing cake&’—to the surprises at its finish line, this is a story that never stops barreling along.&”—The Washington Post &“Pelecanos . . . delivers a wholly satisfying volume. From his own &‘Confidential Informant,&’ to James Grady&’s &‘The Bottom Line,&’ Pelecanos shows us how both trash-strewn alleys and oak-paneled offices can trap their occupants with dreams, compromise, and heartbreak.&”—Booklist &“Well written . . . Highlights include Pelecanos&’s &‘The Confidential Informant&’ and Laura Lippman&’s &‘A.R.M. and the Woman.&’&”—Publishers Weekly
No Second Chances: A Voodoo Mystery Set In New Orleans (The Quentin Archer Mysteries #3)
by Don BrunsA New Orleans detective&’s investigation of a fellow cop&’s murder reveals surprises in this mystery from the USA Today–bestselling author of Thrill Kill.One of Quentin Archer&’s fellow officers has been shot dead in broad daylight, in his own squad car. A random cop killing…or something more sinister? With no leads to go on, Archer turns to voodoo queen Solange Cordray for help. But is he prepared to take her advice? As Archer uncovers some surprising facts about the dead man&’s past, there is another murder. With the simmering racial tensions in the city threatening to escalate into outright violence, Archer begins to suspect there&’s far more to Officer Leroy&’s killing than he&’d first supposed. Could it be part of a carefully orchestrated plan of revenge…?&“Even if there seems no room left for the unexpected, Bruns still has one last surprise up his sleeve.&”—Kirkus Reviews&“Richly nuanced…Bruns clearly loves New Orleans and pithily inserts details of the city&’s complex history and culture.&”—Publishers Weekly
Li'l Pumpkin Cookies
by Julia M. UsherCelebrate fall or Halloween—or give yourself a treat any time of year—with these delicious pumpkin spice cookies from the author of Cookie Swap. Embellished with orange glaze, cinnamon stick "stems," and green sugar "vines," these pumpkins appear to be freshly plucked from the patch! With expert advice and step-by-step instructions from celebrated cookie queen Julia M. Usher, you'll be able to add these gourmet ghouls to your next Halloween party or use them in a pumpkin-themed garden scene for a centerpiece.
Your Nutrition Solution to a Healthy Gut: A Meal-Based Plan to Help Prevent and Treat Constipation, Diverticulitis, Ulcers, and Other Common Digestive Problems (Your Nutrition Solution Ser.)
by Kimberly A. TessmerBanish bad bacteria, soothe symptoms, and stay healthy with this dietician-designed eating plan. If you suffer from any type of gut-related disorder, you know the discomfort it can cause. Some conditions can even become debilitating over time. The gut houses countless numbers of bacteria—some are good for you, while others negatively impact your health. Choosing the right foods can help to support the good bacteria, decrease the bad, and treat stomach or digestive issues you are already experiencing. Your Nutrition Solution to a Healthy Gut provides a plan for both prevention and treatment you can live with for a lifetime, as well as: The latest medical information on the gut, and an overview of various gut-related/digestive disordersTips on nutritional intake and lifestyle changes needed to manage gut-related issues and maintain a healthy gutFacts on nutritional supplements that can help develop optimal gut healthEasy-to-follow meal plans to help get you started on life with a healthy gut This guide gives you the help you need to make nutritional and lifestyle changes that can free you from a lifetime of medications, discomfort, and pain.
A Touch of Darkness
by Yelena Casale Tina Moss&“An imaginative twist on the concept of angels and demons&” from the USA Today bestselling authors of Embracing Darkness (Night Owl Reviews). Cassie Durrett dreams of the darkness. And lives the nightmare. She&’s working for a tightwad boss at a pretentious NYC diner, dealing with paralyzing pain that doctors can&’t diagnose, and trying to hide her hands that glow purple whenever she . . . well, whenever. So when mystery man Gabe walks out of her dreams and into her life to spout some nonsense about her being a mythical creature, she chalks it up to one more crazy thing to add to her it&’s-a-crappy-life list. Yet when his predictions start to come true, she&’ll need his help to beat back the darkness-spawned creatures invading her reality. Pretty soon Gabe has her running halfway across the country in search of answers. As a bond grows between them, Cassie worries not about losing her mind to the paranormal madness, nor her life to hellish monsters. Rather her deepest fear is surrendering her heart to a powerful man fallen from grace. &“A new, unique urban fantasy world with vibrant settings, worldbuilding, true-to-life character personalities, and intense conflict and tension.&”—Melinda S. Collins, contributor to Once Upon the Longest Night: An Anthology of Romantic Vampire Stories
Your Nutrition Solution to Type 2 Diabetes: A Meal-Based Plan to Help Manage Diabetes (Your Nutrition Solution Ser.)
by Kimberly A. TessmerReduce the risk of complications with this dietician-designed eating plan. The correct diet plan can be the key to lowering—or even eliminating—the need for prescription medications and living a life without the worry of medical complications due to type 2 diabetes. Your Nutrition Solution to Type 2 Diabetes will give you: The latest medical information on type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, and an overview of the disease Interactive tools for learning how to eat to control your diabetes Easy-to-follow meal plans to help get you started Understanding how foods affect you and following healthy guidelines can reduce your risk—and make you feel better. This book, written by an experienced dietician, can show you how. &“Everything you need to know, from what is happening in your body to how to shop the supermarket aisles is included in this jam-packed resource.&”—Bonnie R. Giller, MS, RD, CDN, CDE
Nasty Cutter (The Raymond Donne Mysteries #4)
by Tim O'MaraEx-cop Raymond Donne returns in an &“absorbing&” mystery of &“long-buried secrets, a two-decades-old rape case, and shady legal shenanigans&” (Publishers Weekly). When his father&’s former law partner, Harry Stover, is murdered while being celebrated as Williamsburg, Brooklyn&’s &‘Man of the Year,&’ ex-cop turned schoolteacher Raymond Donne fights his old police instincts and vows to stay out of the investigation. That is until his childhood home is broken into and one of his students is threatened. Has a decades-old case of his father&’s come back to haunt the Donne family? Could the murder have something to do with the victim&’s charitable work connecting low-income kids with business leaders in Williamsburg? Raymond never has liked unanswered questions, and when the answers come a little too close to his home and school, he decides he&’s not above giving the cops a little unwanted help. Praise for the Raymond Donne mysteries &“Tim O&’Mara's Sacrifice Fly is the best first crime novel I&’ve read in years. Knowing about the ways of city life and compassionate about its flawed characters, the writing has a swing as natural and strong as Roberto Clemente&’s. It&’s a real gem.&”—Houston Chronicle &“An authentically gritty debut crime novel . . . Mr. O&’Mara&’s first-person mystery is rich in hard-boiled New Yorkese.&”—The New York Times &“Gritty New York noir . . . Highly readable slice of streetwise fiction.&”—Cleveland Plain Dealer &“The acrid, knowing Brooklyn atmosphere is strong enough to bottle.&”—Kirkus Reviews &“A definite purchase.&”—Library Journal
Red Tea
by Meg MezeskeA mystery unfolds in rural Japan. &“Mezeske&’s debut is quietly ominous, the tension rising like steam off a freshly made cup of tea.&”—Heidi Lang, author of Rules of the RuffJordan Howard moves to the Japanese countryside to become a high school English teacher, not an amateur detective. But when Jordan&’s students are murdered one after another, she resolves to find the culprit, fueled by lingering guilt over her own brother&’s death.Toshihiko Sakurai, the ambitious police detective investigating the murders, warns Jordan against getting too involved, both with the case and with him. Yet, the two of them cannot seem to disentangle.As Jordan gets closer to uncovering buried secrets surrounding the deaths, the murderer closes in on her too. And she just may be the next victim of the serial killer&’s deadly brew . . . &“Red Tea is written as intricately as a puzzle box is carved. There are twists around every corner and thinly veiled evil lurking everywhere . . . The world building is delightful and gives one a nice view of what living in rural Japan could be like.&”—InD&’tale
Good Time Coming: A Novel of the American Civil War
by C.S. HarrisA girl grows up too quickly in Civil War Louisiana: &“Powerful…This is top-notch historical fiction.&”—Publishers WeeklyI killed a man the summer I turned thirteen… Thus begins USA Today-bestselling author C. S. Harris&’s haunting, lyrically beautiful tale of coming of age in Civil War-torn Louisiana. Eleven-year-old Amrie St. Pierre is catching tadpoles with her friend Finn O&’Reilly when the Federal fleet first steams up the Mississippi River in the spring of 1862. With the surrender of New Orleans, Amrie&’s sleepy little village of St. Francisville—strategically located between the last river outposts of Vicksburg and Port Hudson—is now frighteningly vulnerable. As the roar of cannons inches ever closer and food, shoes, and life-giving medicines become increasingly scarce, Amrie is forced to grow up fast. But it is her own fateful encounter with a tall, golden-haired Union captain named Gabriel that threatens to destroy everything and everyone she holds most dear. Told with rare compassion and insight, this is a story of loss and survival; of the bonds that form among women and children left alone to face the hardships, depravations, and dangers of war; and of one unforgettable girl&’s slow and painful recognition of the good and evil that exists within us all. &“This story of love, loss, and growing up under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable is beautifully written, superbly researched, emotionally engaging and gripping from first page to last. A must for old-school fans of historical fiction.&”—Booklist (starred review
The Painted Gun
by Bradley Spinelli2018 Shamus Award Finalist: A &“tricky and delightfully surprising crime novel&” set at the dawn of the digital age in San Francisco (Publishers Weekly).It&’s 1997, and the dotcom boom is going strong in San Francisco. But ex-journalist and struggling alcoholic David &“Itchy&” Crane's fledgling &“information consultancy&” business is getting slowly buried by bad luck, bad decisions, and the growing presence of the Internet. Before he can completely self-destruct, a private investigator offers him fifty grand to find a missing girl named Ashley. Crane takes the job because the money&’s right and because the only clue to her disappearance is a dead-on oil portrait of Crane himself—painted by the mysterious missing girl whom he has never met.As Crane&’s search for Ashley becomes an obsession, he stumbles upon a series of murders, for which he begins to fear he's being framed...&“Spinelli deftly segues from one genre to another—from hard-boiled noir to paranoid thriller, puzzle mystery (with each and every riddle logically explained), spy caper, and ultimately to something evocative of Bogart and Bacall. Spinelli is definitely a talent to watch.&”—Publishers Weekly&“A neat little post-modern mash-up of Chandler and Hammett...[Spinelli&’s] got wit and style up the wazoo.&”—Thrilling Detective &“The Painted Gun is hardboiled like they don&’t make anymore. Whiplash twists, razor-sharp prose, an addictive narrative—I couldn&’t read it fast enough.&”—Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse
Cereal Sweets & Treats
by Jessica SegarraFrom the creator of The Novice Chef Blog, recipes to create delicious desserts and snacks from your favorite cereals.Everybody loves cereal, whether is it floating in a big bowl of milk or straight out of the box. In Cereal Sweets & Treats, Jessica Segarra takes her passion for cereal one step further to satisfy both young and old sweet-tooth cravings by turning these sugary little bits of crunchy heaven into, dare we say, guilt-free desserts and snacks featuring bars, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, candies, cookies, and frozen treats. So open up a box of your favorite cereal, mix in a few ingredients and then sink your teeth into a Fruit Loops Cupcake, Lucky Charms Macaroon, or pour yourself a Cap&‘n Crunch Milkshake.
Finding Nouf: A Novel
by Zoë FerrarisA Palestinian P.I. investigates the death of a pregnant Saudi teenager in a mystery that offers &“a fascinating glimpse into the workings…of Saudi society&” (Publishers Weekly). When sixteen-year-old Nouf ash-Shrawi goes missing, her prominent family calls on desert guide Nayir al-Sharqi to lead a search party. Ten days later, Nouf&’s body is discovered. The coroner determines that she was several weeks pregnant. But even more unsettling is that she died not of dehydration but from drowning. Though her family is suspiciously uninterested in getting at the truth, Nayir is determined to find out what happened. Now Nayir, a gentle and pious Palestinian living in Saudi Arabia, must delve into Nouf&’s secret life—no easy task in one of the world&’s most rigidly gender-segregated societies. Shocked by the idea of a woman baring her face and working in public, Nayir realizes that to gain access to the hidden world of Saudi women, he will have to join forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab worker at the coroner&’s office. As their partnership leads to surprising revelations, it also challenges Nayir, bringing him face to face with his desire for female companionship and the limitations imposed by his beliefs.
With a Hammer for My Heart: A Novel (Kentucky Voices)
by George Ella Lyon&“A story rich in precise, gorgeous language . . . Tragedies old and new weave a tiny Kentucky town into the center of the universe.&”—Booklist (starred review) With a Hammer for My Heart is the story of Lawanda, a precocious, poverty-stricken fifteen-year-old girl from Cardin, Kentucky, who dreams of attending college. When Lawanda&’s friendship with an alcoholic World War II veteran named Garland is misinterpreted by their fellow townspeople, a tragedy calls her future into question. &“A compelling, skillfully told story . . . Lyon&’s finest achievement.&” —Lexington Herald-Leader &“[A] rich tale of healing, redemption, and social responsibility.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Lyon consistently reveals in her work an ability to render the peculiarities of the people and the places she knows best, while at the same time exploring concerns that lend her stories and poems universal appeal. The same is true of With a Hammer for My Heart, a powerful first novel that catapults Lyon into the ranks of other well-respected contemporary novelists.&” —The Southern Register &“The dialogue in this wonderful story is moving, often funny, and always true to life. YAs will find in Lawanda a revealing picture of a young woman struggling to become her own person in the midst of a loving family whose members think they know what&’s best for her.&” —School Library Journal