This site offers news and discussion about technology, books, digital library content, media items, online library resources and free tech assistance patrons can acquire at the library!
Hi everyone, here is the latest edition of Library Connections, our weekly readers’, viewers’ and listeners’ advisory videocast.
The next Library Connections video will be posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2022.
Library Connections videos may also be accessed via the Southeast Steuben County Library’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SESTEUBENCOLIBRARY
Have a great week!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers.
Each title is followed by a listing of which formats it is available in for check out within the three catalogs: StarCat (Print, Large Print & CD Audiobook), The Digital Catalog (eBook & Downloadable Audiobook) and the Hoopla Catalog (Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Hoopla Audiobook).
For more information on the three catalogs skip to the section below the bestselling titles*
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New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays, and as I’ll be taking some vacation time next week, the next New York Times Bestseller list will be published to this blog on Sunday, March 13, 2022 – just a week before spring arrives!
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FICTION
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ABANDONED IN DEATH by J.D. Robb
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The 54th book of the In Death series. Eve Dallas investigates a homicide and the disappearance of other women who resemble that victim.
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THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR by Nina de Gramont
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
Miss Nan O’Dea becomes the mistress of Agatha Christie’s husband.
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DAWNSHARD by Brandon Sanderson
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
Set between installments of the Stormlight Archive series, the fate of Roshar and the Cosmere depends upon the uncovering of the secrets of a hidden island city.
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DIABLO MESA by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print & CD audiobook)
When two murder victims are found in Roswell, the archaeologist Nora Kelly and F.B.I. agent Corrie Swanson go back into action.
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GWENDY’S FINAL TASK by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar
(Available Formats: Print Book & CD audiobook)
The third book of the Gwendy’s Button Box trilogy. Gwendy, now a successful novelist and a rising political star, must keep evil forces away from her button box.
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HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD by Sarah J. Maas
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
Passion arises between Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar as they seek to avenge the deaths of Bryce’s friends.
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HOUSE OF SKY AND BREATH by Sarah J. Maas
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The second book in the Crescent City series. Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar must choose to fight or stay silent.
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IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & downloadable audiobook)
A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.
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THE JUDGE’S LIST by John Grisham
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The second book in the Whistler series. Investigator Lacy Stoltz goes after a serial killer and closes in on a sitting judge.
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THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & audiobook)
Hannah Hall discovers truths about her missing husband and bonds with his daughter from a previous relationship.
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THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Two friends who escaped from a juvenile work farm take Emmett Watson on an unexpected journey to New York City in 1954.
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LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
A young professor agrees to pretend to be a third-year Ph.D. candidate’s boyfriend.
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THE MAID by Nita Prose
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
When a wealthy man is found dead in his room, a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel becomes a lead suspect.
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THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Nora Seed finds a library beyond the edge of the universe that contains books with multiple possibilities of the lives one could have lived
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MOON WITCH, SPIDER KING by Marlon James
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
The second book in the Dark Star trilogy. Sogolon recounts the disappearance of a boy and a century-long feud.
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THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print & Libby eBook & audiobook)
A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.
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SIERRA SIX by Mark Greaney
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The 11th book in the Gray Man series. Court Gentry’s work on a C.I.A. action team comes back to life.
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THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT by Mitch Albom
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook & eBook)
After a ship explodes, 10 people struggling to survive pull a man who claims to be the Lord out of the sea
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UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Tate Collins and Miles Archer, an airline pilot, think they can handle a no strings attached arrangement. But they can’t.
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VERITY by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
Lowen Ashleigh is hired by the husband of an injured writer to complete her popular series and uncovers a horrifying truth.
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WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Libby/OverDrive Audiobook)
Diana O’Toole re-evaluates her seemingly perfect life when a pandemic disrupts her vacation in the Galápagos Islands.
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NON-FICTION:
1619 PROJECT edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake Silverstein
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Viewing America’s entanglement with slavery and its legacy, in essays adapted and expanded from The New York Times Magazine.
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ALL ABOUT LOVE by bell hooks
(Available Formats: Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The late feminist icon explores the causes of a polarized society and the meaning of love.
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THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK by Rosemary Sullivan
(Available Formats: Print Book)
New technology was used to investigate who revealed the location of Anne Frank and her family to the Nazis.
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THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)
How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.
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BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook, downloadable audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
A botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation espouses having an understanding and appreciation of plants and animals.
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CRYING IN H MART by Michelle Zauner
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The daughter of a Korean mother and Jewish-American father, and leader of the indie rock project Japanese Breakfast, describes creating her own identity after losing her mother to cancer.
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EDUCATED by Tara Westover
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
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FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH by Arthur C. Brooks
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog – coming soon!)
A columnist for The Atlantic espouses ways to shift priorities and habits to overcome waning abilities in later life.
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GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years.
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HOW TO BE PERFECT by Michael Schur
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The creator of “The Good Place” incorporates works by various philosophers to examine ethical questions and moral issues.
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THE NINETIES by Chuck Klosterman
(Available Formats: Print Book)
An overview of the cultural and historical impact of the 1990s.
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THE POWER OF REGRET by Daniel H. Pink
(Available Formats: Print Book & downloadable audiobook)
A look at four core regrets and potential strategies to make them a positive force.
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THE REAL ANTHONY FAUCI by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The anti-vaccine advocate gives his take on the chief medical advisor to the president.
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RED-HANDED by Peter Schweizer
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
The author of “Profiles in Corruption” portrays a conspiracy of how the Chinese government might infiltrate American institutions.
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THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
An examination of the leadership of the prime minister Winston Churchill.
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STOLEN FOCUS by Johann Hari
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Potential causes for diminishing attention spans and how corporations might raid our attention for profit.
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THE STORYTELLER by David Grohl
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
A memoir by the musician known for his work with Foo Fighters and Nirvana.
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WATERGATE by Garrett M. Graff
(Available Formats: Print Book)
A narrative account of the persons and events connected to the Watergate scandal using newly public documents and transcripts.
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UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.
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WILL by Will Smith with Mark Manson
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The actor, producer and musician tells his life story and lessons he learned along the way.
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Happy reading!
Linda Reimer, SSL
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*Information on the Three Catalogs*
Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/
The Digital Catalog has two companion apps, Libby & OverDrive. Libby is the app for newer devices and the OverDrive app should be used for older devices and Amazon tablets.
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/
The Hoopla Catalog features instant check outs of eBooks, downloadable audiobook, comic books, albums and streaming videos. Patron check out limit is 4 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.
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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.
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Also of Note: If a New York Times Bestseller isn’t yet available in any of the three catalogs; you can contact the library and request to be notified when it becomes available.
Southeast Steuben County Library Tel: 607-936-3713
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!
Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, March 4, 2022
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And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!
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Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In by 5th Dimension (Genre: Vocal, R&B, Pop)
From The Album: The Age of Aquarius (1969)
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Boogie Woogie Stomp by Albert Ammons (Genre: Blues)
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Darbone’s Breakdown by The Hackberry Ramblers (Genre: Folk, Country)
From The Album: Early Recordings: 1935-1950 (2003)
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Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison
From The Album: Cloud Nine (1987)
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Jam Up And Jelly Tight by Tommy Roe (Genre: Pop)
From The Album: Dizzy (1969)
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Joy To The World by Three Dog Night (Genre: Rock, Classic Rock)
From The Album: Naturally (1970)
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Picture In The Moonlight by The Gibson Brothers Band (Genre: Folk, Country)
From The Album: Spread Your Wings (1995)
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Roll Down The Line by Pete Seeger
From The Album: American Industrial Ballads (1992)
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Saved By The Music (Live) by John Lodge (Genre: Rock)
From The Album: The Royal Affair And After (2022)
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Wondering Where The Lions Are by Bruce Cockburn (Genre: Pop/Rock, Folk)
From The Album: Greatest Hits 1970-2020
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Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week
Nostalgia by Annie Lennox (Genre: Vocal, Jazz, Pop-Rock)
And from the album the song
Mood Indigo
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Have a great weekend,
Linda Reimer, SSCL
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REFERENCES:
Print References
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn
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Online Catalog Links:
StarCat
The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.
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The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby
The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.
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The Libby App
Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.
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Hoopla
A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here is the latest edition of Library Connections, our weekly readers’, viewers’ and listeners’ advisory videocast.
The next Library Connections video will be posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
Library Connections videos may also be accessed via the Southeast Steuben County Library’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SESTEUBENCOLIBRARY
Have a great week!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week.
Format Note: Under each book title you’ll find a list of all the different formats that specific title is available in; including: Print Books, Large Print Books, CD Audiobooks, eBooks & Downloadable Audiobooks from the Digital Catalog (Libby app) and Hoopla eBooks & Hoopla Downloadable Audiobooks (Hoopla app).
*More information on the three catalogs is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*
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Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Tuesdays.
And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
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Artemis by Andy Weir
(Available Formats: CD audiobook, Print Book, Large Print & eBook )
Jazz Bashara grew up in Artemis, the only city on the moon. She’s a young, misanthropic, underachieving genius who side-hustles as a smuggler. One day, she takes on a job that proves too dangerous and finds herself wrapped up in murder and an interplanetary struggle for control over a new technology worth billions. This exciting, whip-smart, funny thrill-ride boasts a wonderful cast of characters, a wide cultural milieu, and the appeal of a striking young woman as the main character. It’s one of the best science fiction novels of the yearbut to make it clear, Artemis is not The Martian (2011) redux. Tone, characters, structure are all very different. It’s more traditional sf and lacks the cheery novelty that characterized Weir’s famous first novel. The setting is just as detailed and scientifically realistic, but science isn’t the focus this time. Weir’s sarcastic humor is on full display, but Jazz delivers it with an anger that Watney (The Martian’s protagonist) never had. The Martian appealed to a broad audience beyond regular sf fans, and Weir’s second novel will be in high demand, thanks to that, though it may not be to everyone’s taste.-Booklist Review
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Black Widow by Randy Wayne White
(Available Formats: CD audiobook (narrated by the Great George Guidall) & Print Book)
What happens in the Caribbean at least on the tiny island of Saint Arc definitely doesn’t stay there. Especially if you happen to be a rich, young woman out for a final fling with your girlfriends before tying the knot. That demographic is likely to snag you in the web of Saint Arcs resident voodoo queen, the Widow, a sexually ambiguous dragon lady who runs a sophisticated blackmail enterprise. In this fifteenth outing for Whites beloved hero, marine biologist and special-ops agent Doc Ford, the Widow meets her match when she targets Fords goddaughter, Shay. Feeling a bit out of sorts since he retired from the clandestine services, Ford is ready to mix it up a little and heads off to the island to confront the blackmailers. He finds much more of a challenge than he expected and is happy to join forces with a mysterious island resident, a seventy something Brit who appears to be a former special-ops type himself. White makes the most of this pairing (imagine Michael Caine as the Brit), injecting some bantering fun into the high-octane action. As always in this consistently entertaining series, the plot offers a fascinating mix of headline-grabbing crime (Caribbean vacations gone bad) and history (island archaeology, with a touch of those ever-popular Knights Templar). Like Robert B. Parker and John D. MacDonald at their best, White draws readers into his world with characters you’d pay just to hang out with and then hooks us with straight-ahead action. Its an old-school combination, but it still works just fine. Starred Booklist Review
Readers’ Note: Black Widow is the fifteenth book in White’s Doc Ford series; if you’d like to start reading the series from the beginning, check out book 1 Sanibel Flats.
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Brighton by Michael Harvey
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Hoopla instant check out eBook)
After a series of novels featuring Chicago-based private investigator Michael Kelly (most recently The Governor’s Wife), Harvey sets this riveting stand-alone in his native Boston. Reporter Kevin Pearce, who has just won a Pulitzer Prize with the Boston Globe, returns to his hometown of Brighton for the first time since a teenage act of violence forced him to flee. In 1975, he and his friend Bobby Scales tracked down and killed a man Kevin saw running from the scene of a gruesome robbery that left his grandmother dead and his younger sister badly injured. Bobby took the heat and became the neighborhood’s most feared bookie, allowing Kevin to embark on the path of career respectability. But a quarter-century later, Bobby is now the prime suspect in a rash of murders involving Brighton’s seedy underworld, and Kevin will have to reckon with his long-buried past in a way that will test his allegiances–to his childhood friend, to his prosecutor girlfriend, and even to his sister, who is harboring secrets of her own. VERDICT Harvey’s gritty tribute to the working-class neighborhoods of his youth is as authentically captured as the best of Dennis Lehane. Fans of Martin Scorsese’s film The Departed will love the violent twists and turns of the novel’s final chapters. – Library Journal Review
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A City in Winter written by Mark Helprin & illustrated by Mark Helprin
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Another ambitious and glossy collaboration between novelist Mark Helprin and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg, continuing the story of Swan Lake, their earlier book that recreated the ballet classic for children. Emulating Maurice Sendak’s reinterpretation of The Nutcracker, both the earlier book and A City in Winter abound in winter season atmosphere and fairy tale magic. At the end of Swan Lake, the unnamed little girl who has heard the story of a prince and his beautiful lover Odette usurped from their kingdom by evil forces, realizes that she is the daughter of the pair, and the rightful heir to the kingdom. As the sequel begins, the girl is now an adult, restored to the throne as queen. She recalls her return to the city at age ten, and tells how the restoration came about. Amazon Review
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The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections: A Novel by Eva Jurczyk
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Hoopla instant check out eBook)
Liesl Weiss is acting as head of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections while her boss, Christopher, lies in a coma. She’d much rather be behind the scenes, but the university president, Lawrence Gerber, wants her schmoozing with donors. She sets up a private showing of the Plantin Polyglot Bible, Christopher’s prize acquisition, but when she opens the safe where it was stored, it’s not there. Has it been misplaced among thousands of rare books, or was it stolen? When an employee goes missing, signs point to theft, and still Lawrence is reluctant to get the police involved. Liesl is left to solve the mystery on her own, unsure of whom to trust among her staff, all while keeping donors happy and running the library. Jurczyk’s unique debut has plenty for bibliophiles to relish, from dark stacks to precious manuscripts. Readers will sympathize with Liesl and her desperation to keep her head above the demands of a position she didn’t ask for while untangling the intricate threads of the mystery of the missing book. – Booklist Review
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Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media by Jacob Mchangama
(Available Formats: eBook)
Journalist McHangama has written an insightful, nicely woven history that provides a coherent picture of how free speech has developed globally. From ancient Greece to the internet’s gigabytes, this account contends there has been a constant push-and-pull of whether freedom of speech is granted to the masses or solely held by the ruling elite. During his research, McHangama noticed patterns where people were granted the freedom to express their ideas but became vituperative and repressive to those who had more radical ideas. Using numerous anecdotes, the author makes this well-researched narrative both informative and entertaining as he recounts accusations of heresy and restrictions on the freedom of religion during the Inquisition and Martin Luther’s invention of the printing press, which challenged conventional ideas of disseminating news. McHangama argues that all ideas must be shared in order for democracies to survive and he warns against tech corporations, such as Twitter or Facebook, controlling speech on their platforms.
VERDICT With accessible and engaging writing, McHangama’s book is a highly recommended intellectual history for casual readers and those interested in the currency of free speech.- Starred Library Journal Review
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The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Hoopla instant check out eBook & audiobook)
In mid-ninth-century Norway, power was dispersed among many petty kingdoms, while sea-kings gained wealth and status through plunder. Chronicling the time that saw Harald Fairhair’s rise as eventual king of a united Norway, Hartsuyker’s terrific historical epic, first in a projected trilogy, beautifully evokes the period and the mind-set of its warring peoples. After his stepfather’s attempt on his life fails, Ragnvald Eysteinsson pursues revenge and a plan to regain his hereditary lands while finding his place amid the Norse kings’ shifting alliances and blood feuds. Meanwhile, his teenage sister, Svanhild, too strong-minded to be a peace-weaver bride, moves through challenging emotional territory after evading an unwanted marriage. Posing thoughtful questions about the nature of honor and heroism, and devoting significant attention to women’s lives, the novel takes a fresh approach to the Viking-adventure genre. Hartsuyker also shows how the glorious deeds in skaldic songs can differ from their subjects’ lived experiences. The multifaceted characters are believable products of their era yet relatable to modern readers; the rugged beauty of Norway’s farmlands and coastal landscapes likewise comes alive. The language is clear and eloquent, and the action scenes will have the blood humming in your veins. This is how tales from the old sagas should be told. – Starred Booklist Review
Readers’ Note: The second and third books in the trilogy are, respectively, The Sea Queen & The Golden Wolf.
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The Hush: A Novel by John Hart
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Hart’s career continues on its ever-upward trajectory: five books, five NYT best-sellers, two Edgars, and steadily growing critical acclaim. Those first five titles were all stand-alone thrillers, but this time Hart changes directions, offering a sequel to The Last Child (2009), in which 13-year-old Johnny Merrimon tracked the pedophile who abducted his sister. It’s 10 years later now, and Johnny is living off the grid, in a cabin deep in the mysterious Hush Arbor, 6,000 acres of North Carolina swamp that Johnny inherited via a slave freed by one of Johnny’s ancestors.
Trouble is stalking Johnny, however, both from inside the arbor, where his nightmares and blackouts are increasing, and from without, in the form of back taxes and a suit challenging his right to the property. Johnny’s oldest friend, Jack Cross, now a lawyer, is attempting to defend Johnny’s interests, but the prospects are dim for success. A relatively straightforward premise so far until Hush Arbor itself emerges as the story’s most powerful character, and the novel embraces the horror elements that have been clamoring for attention all along. It can be jarring when a seemingly realistic novel suddenly jumps into full supernatural mode, but Hart handles the transition seamlessly. He has always worked on the edges of southern gothic, so his genre-bending leap seems less dramatic than it might otherwise. Moreover, his vivid evocation of Hush Arbor and the ghosts it shelters, extending back to slavery, carries a Faulknerian density that makes the idea of the past coming alive deep in a swamp feel not only believable but also inevitable. Hart makes it six for six here, and behind this uncanny string of success is a rare ability to combine the most propulsive of popular fiction with beguilingly rich characters (Johnny is the black-sheep first cousin to Quentin Compson).
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The track record is enough on its own, but this time the idea of a sequel to a popular previous novel will have Hart’s fans squirming in anticipation. Booklist Review
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Ink & Bone by Lisa Unger
(Available Formats: CD audiobook, Print Book, Large Print)
Unger returns to the Hollows, New York, a small town that positively vibrates with supernatural activity. Finley Montgomery is its newest inhabitant, moving in with her grandmother Eloise, a well-known psychic who works with Jones Cooper, the local private investigator. Several children who have gone missing in town, with Abbey the most recent of them. Her parents are distraught and their marriage is on the brink when, in a final attempt at any sort of closure, Abbey’s mother hires Cooper to find her missing daughter. In this case, Eloise can’t help, but Finley can. Finley has been having visions since she was a small child, driving a massive wedge between her and her mother. But Eloise can help Finley nurture her gift, and that process may lead to finding the missing children. This engrossing story weaves between these unusual characters and the man who abducted Abbey, building suspense on every page. The tension is palpable, and Unger straddles the fine line between thriller and horror, making this a very exciting and riveting read, sure to appeal to a wide range of readers, including Kay Hooper or Stephen King fans. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Unger’s consistent appearances on best-seller lists speaks to her ability to draw in devoted readers across genres, and her latest will do the same. – Starred Booklist Review
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Shadow of the Alchemist by Jeri Westerson
(Available Formats: CD audiobook, Print Book & Hoopla instant check out eBook)
The Tracker takes the case of a French alchemist who is targeted for his secrets in this mystery set in the gritty streets of fourteenth century London.
After losing his knighthood, Crispin Guest has found a new calling as the Tracker, a private investigator who can locate anything—or anyone. Now famed French alchemist Nicholas Flamel needs Crispin to locate his wife, Perenelle, and his apprentice, Thomas Cornhill. But the case takes a sinister turn when Flamel’s apprentice is found murdered. The kidnapper promises that Flamel’s wife will be next . . . unless he hands over his precious Philosopher’s Stone, a magical object that can turn lead into gold.
Soon, strange, antiquated symbols begin appearing throughout the city. Crispin must decipher their meaning to unearth the kidnappers true motive. Plunged into an underground world where alchemy combines with treacherous politics, Crispin will have to unravel the mystery in order to find his wife and unmask a dangerous mastermind determined to wreak havoc throughout the city.
Shadow of the Alchemist was featured as a “Best of 2013 Selection” by Suspense Magazine and was a finalist for Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Mystery Suspense & Thriller category.
Readers’ Note: This is the sixth book in the Crispin Guest mystery series. If you’d like to start reading the series from the beginning, check out book 1 Veil of Lies.
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Have a great week!
Linda Reimer
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*Information on the Three Catalogs*
Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/
The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, digital magazines and a handful of streaming videos. The catalog, which allows one to download content to a PC, also has a companion app, Libby, which you can download to your mobile device; so you can enjoy eBooks and downloadable audiobooks on the go!
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/
The Hoopla Catalog features instant checkouts of eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV series. Patron check out limit is 6 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.
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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.
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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.
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Have questions or want to request a book?
Feel free to call the library! Our telephone number is 607-936-3713.
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers.
Each title is followed by a listing of which formats it is available in for check out within the three catalogs: StarCat (Print, Large Print & CD Audiobook), The Digital Catalog (eBook & Downloadable Audiobook) and the Hoopla Catalog (Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Hoopla Audiobook).
For more information on the three catalogs skip to the section below the bestselling titles*
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New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays, and the next New York Times Bestseller post will be published on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
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FICTION
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ABANDONED IN DEATH by J.D. Robb
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The 54th book of the In Death series. Eve Dallas investigates a homicide and the disappearance of other women who resemble that victim.
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BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson
(Available Formats: Print Book & coming soon in eBook format)
Eleanor Bennett’s inheritance for her two children challenges what they knew about their lineage and identity.
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THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR by Nina de Gramont
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
Miss Nan O’Dea becomes the mistress of Agatha Christie’s husband.
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THE CITY OF THE DEAD by Jonathan Kellerman
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The 37th book in the Alex Delaware series. Delaware and Sturgis investigate a double homicide.
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CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
An interconnected cast of dreamers and outsiders are in dangerous and disparate settings past, present and future.
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DARK HORSE by Gregg Hurwitz
(Available Formats: Print Book & CD audiobook)
The seventh book in the Orphan X series. Evan Smoak must get inside the fortress of a cartel leader.
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THE HORSEWOMAN by James Patterson and Mike Lupica
(Available Formats: Print Book & CD audiobook)
As the Paris Olympics draw near, a mother and daughter, who are champion horse riders, compete against each other.
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IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & downloadable audiobook)
A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.
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THE JUDGE’S LIST by John Grisham
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The second book in the Whistler series. Investigator Lacy Stoltz goes after a serial killer and closes in on a sitting judge.
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LADY’S MINE by Francine Rivers
(Available Formats: Print Book)
In 1875, a hotelier takes an interest in a woman who takes over her uncle’s newspaper in a mining town in the Sierra Nevadas.
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THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & audiobook)
Hannah Hall discovers truths about her missing husband and bonds with his daughter from a previous relationship.
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THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Two friends who escaped from a juvenile work farm take Emmett Watson on an unexpected journey to New York City in 1954.
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LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
A young professor agrees to pretend to be a third-year Ph.D. candidate’s boyfriend.
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THE MAID by Nita Prose
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
When a wealthy man is found dead in his room, a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel becomes a lead suspect.
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THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Nora Seed finds a library beyond the edge of the universe that contains books with multiple possibilities of the lives one could have lived
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ONE STEP TOO FAR by Lisa Gardner
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
The second book in the Frankie Elkin series. Frankie searches for a young man who went missing during a bachelor party camping trip.
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PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
Opposites Poppy and Alex meet to vacation together one more time in hopes of saving their relationship.
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THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print & Libby eBook & audiobook)
A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.
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SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION by Elena Armas
(Available Formats: eBook)
Catalina’s insufferable colleague Aaron agrees to be her fake date to her sister’s wedding.
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STEAL by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
(Available Formats: Print Book & Large Print)
An N.Y.P.D. detective, a hedge fund chief executive and a psychology professor are wrapped up in the disappearance of a college student.
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THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT by Mitch Albom
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook & eBook)
After a ship explodes, 10 people struggling to survive pull a man who claims to be the Lord out of the sea
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UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Tate Collins and Miles Archer, an airline pilot, think they can handle a no strings attached arrangement. But they can’t.
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VERITY by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
Lowen Ashleigh is hired by the husband of an injured writer to complete her popular series and uncovers a horrifying truth.
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WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Libby/OverDrive Audiobook)
Diana O’Toole re-evaluates her seemingly perfect life when a pandemic disrupts her vacation in the Galápagos Islands.
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NON-FICTION:
1619 PROJECT edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake Silverstein
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Viewing America’s entanglement with slavery and its legacy, in essays adapted and expanded from The New York Times Magazine.
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ALL ABOUT LOVE by bell hooks
(Available Formats: Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The late feminist icon explores the causes of a polarized society and the meaning of love.
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BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK by Rosemary Sullivan
(Available Formats: Print Book)
New technology was used to investigate who revealed the location of Anne Frank and her family to the Nazis.
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THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)
How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.
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BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook, downloadable audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
A botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation espouses having an understanding and appreciation of plants and animals.
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CRYING IN H MART by Michelle Zauner
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The daughter of a Korean mother and Jewish-American father, and leader of the indie rock project Japanese Breakfast, describes creating her own identity after losing her mother to cancer.
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EDUCATED by Tara Westover
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
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ENOUGH ALREADY by Valerie Bertinelli
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook & eBook)
The actress and TV personality describes her personal setbacks and difficult journey to self-acceptance.
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GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years.
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HOW TO BE PERFECT by Michael Schur
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The creator of “The Good Place” incorporates works by various philosophers to examine ethical questions and moral issues.
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THE NINETIES by Chuck Klosterman
(Available Formats: Print Book)
An overview of the cultural and historical impact of the 1990s.
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ORIGIN by Jennifer Raff
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
Using genetic data, an anthropologist traces the lineage of the first people to populate the Americas and the routes that they took.
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THE REAL ANTHONY FAUCI by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The anti-vaccine advocate gives his take on the chief medical advisor to the president.
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RED-HANDED by Peter Schweizer
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
The author of “Profiles in Corruption” portrays a conspiracy of how the Chinese government might infiltrate American institutions.
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THE STORYTELLER by David Grohl
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
A memoir by the musician known for his work with Foo Fighters and Nirvana.
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UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.
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UNTHINKABLE by Jamie Raskin
(Available Formats: Print Book coming soon)
The Maryland congressman describes leading the impeachment effort against the former president shortly after his son’s death by suicide and the insurrection at the Capitol.
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WILL by Will Smith with Mark Manson
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The actor, producer and musician tells his life story and lessons he learned along the way.
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Happy reading!
Linda Reimer, SSL
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*Information on the Three Catalogs*
Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/
The Digital Catalog has two companion apps, Libby & OverDrive. Libby is the app for newer devices and the OverDrive app should be used for older devices and Amazon tablets.
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/
The Hoopla Catalog features instant check outs of eBooks, downloadable audiobook, comic books, albums and streaming videos. Patron check out limit is 4 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.
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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.
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Also of Note: If a New York Times Bestseller isn’t yet available in any of the three catalogs; you can contact the library and request to be notified when it becomes available.
Southeast Steuben County Library Tel: 607-936-3713
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!
Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, February 25, 2022
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And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!
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B-Side by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (Genre: R&B)
From The Album: Texas Moon (2022)
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The Color of Love by Rick Braun (Genre: Jazz, Easy Listening)
From The Album: Rick Braun (2022)
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Evening by The Moody Blues (Genre: Classic Rock)
From The Album: Days of Future Passed (1967)
Listeners’ Note: Days of Future Passed is available for instant checkout through Hoopla!
And as you can’t have the evening without the night —
Here, from the same album, is:
The Night (AKA Night in White Satin)
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Flodden Field by Mandy Morton & Spriguns (Genre: Folk)
From The Album: After The Strom: The Complete Recordings (2022); originally released on the album Jack With A Feather (1975).
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Invincible by Eddie Vedder (Genre: Rock)
From The Album: Earthling (2022)
Listeners’ Note: Earthling is available for instant checkout through Hoopla!
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John Barleycorn Must Die by Traffic (Genre: Folk, Rock)
From The Album: John Barleycorn Must Die (1970)
Listeners’ Note: John Barleycorn Must Die is available for instant checkout through Hoopla!
And as a bonus, a song that can also be found on the John Barleycorn Must Die,
Glad
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Let There Be Drums by Sandy Nelson (Genre: Drums, Classic Rock)
In honor of the great rock drummer who died on Valentine’s Day at the age of 83.
He left behind some terrifically upbeat music, including this song!
From The Album: Let There Be Drums (1960)
Listeners’ Note: Let There Be Drums is available for instant checkout through Hoopla!
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Michelle by The Beatles (Genre: Rock, Classic Rock)
From The Album: Rubber Soul (1965)
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Sonata in F Minor – 29. Allegro assai by Marc-André Hamelin (Genre: Classical, Piano)
From The Album: CPE Bach: Sonatas & Rondos (2022)
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Sunday by Frank Sinatra (Genre: Vocal)
From The Album: Swing Easy! (1954)
Listeners’ Note: Swing Easy! is available for instant checkout through Hoopla!
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Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week
Young, Gifted And Black by Aretha Franklin (1972) (Genre: R&B)
And from the album the song
Rock Steady
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Have a great weekend,
Linda Reimer, SSCL
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REFERENCES:
Online References
Sailor, S., & Shortt, C. (2022, February 17). Noted drummer Nelson dies. Boulder City Review. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://bouldercityreview.com/news/noted-drummer-nelson-dies-68496/
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Print References
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn
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Online Catalog Links:
StarCat
The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.
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The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby
The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.
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The Libby App
Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.
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Hoopla
A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here is the latest edition of Library Connections, our weekly readers’, viewers’ and listeners’ advisory videocast.
The next Library Connections video will be posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
Library Connections videos may also be accessed via the Southeast Steuben County Library’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SESTEUBENCOLIBRARY
Have a great week!
Linda Reimer, SSCL
Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week.
Format Note: Under each book title you’ll find a list of all the different formats that specific title is available in; including: Print Books, Large Print Books, CD Audiobooks, eBooks & Downloadable Audiobooks from the Digital Catalog (Libby app) and Hoopla eBooks & Hoopla Downloadable Audiobooks (Hoopla app).
*More information on the three catalogs is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*
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Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Tuesdays.
And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
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Blue Ridge Run by Harry Harrigan
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Master Sergeant Roman Keane is six hours and one last salute from retirement. After twenty-three years and three combat tours with the 75th Ranger Regiment, he’s got a Silver Star, a titanium knee and a plan to see America on his Road King motorcycle. No more patrols, no more firefights. Nothing more dangerous than passing the old work van rumbling along in front of him as he rides toward Hunter-Stewart and the sunset of his career in the Army. But just as he twists the throttle to pass, a woman’s bare foot smears a bloody print on the van’s back window. Roman turns back to help, triggering a chain of events that puts his brother Virgil and two old friends in the crosshairs of a murderer. Saving them sends Roman on a desperate ride from Savannah to DC, where he discovers that the past he has been trying to forget has not forgotten him. It’s been waiting patiently, holding his secret like a time bomb.
Readers’ note: This is the first book in the Road King Chronicles.
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The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd
(Available Formats: Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
Keira Beck is satisfied with her life–she has a happy marriage, two children, and a successful business. Then a diagnosis of breast cancer throws her carefully ordered life into disarray. Soon, she’s undergoing chemotherapy, her teenage daughter is growing more rebellious every day, and her business partner is turning their gift shop into an online business selling cheap tchotchkes. A chance encounter with a runner outside the medical clinic gives Keira a surprising boost of encouragement, and soon she’s joining Tamsin, a fellow patient, for regular runs. They form a running club with other women undergoing treatment, and their shared experience turns them into fast friends. What begins as a morale boost becomes a lifeline as each of the women progresses with her treatment. Lloyd spins a compassionate, big-hearted tale about a woman in crisis and the people who rally around her. While the depiction of breast cancer treatment is realistic, Keira’s wry observations of her situation add a strong dose of humor, keeping the tone light. Readers who enjoy Mary Adkins and Katherine Center will delight in this uplifting, feel-good story. –Booklist Review
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Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & two audiobook versions one read by Kenneth Branagh and the other by David Suchet)
Following the success of Murder on the Orient Express directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, Twentieth Century Fox will next adapt this classic Hercule Poirot mystery for the big screen.
Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries, Death on the Nile.
The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.
Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: “I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.” Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems.
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The Disciple of Las Vegas by Ava Lee
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout audiobook)
The first book of an electrifying new series, Ian Hamilton’s The Disciple of Las Vegas introduces Ava Lee: a deadly martial artist with a taste for luxury and a mind like a steel trap.
Fifty million dollars has disappeared into thin air from the accounts of one of the richest men in the Philippines, Tommy Ordonez. His one hope is Ava Lee—sleek, capable forensic accountant and sleuth. With the help of her Triad-connected partner, Uncle, Ava follows the money trail from San Francisco to Costa Rica to the casinos and illegal gambling dens of Las Vegas. Meanwhile, a vengeful adversary from Ava’s past has put out a contract on her life, and the shadowy hit man is close at her heels every step of the way. Will Ava recover the stolen cash without stepping into the crosshairs of a growing list of enemies?
Readers’ Note: This is the first book in the Ava Lee series.
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The Kind One by Tom Epperson
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout audiobook)
Screenwriter Epperson (coauthor of the script for One False Move) makes an effortless transition to novel writing with this hard-biting noir set in 1930s Los Angeles. While the contours of the plot will strike many as familiar, the author avoids clichés in his tale of Danny Landon, who works for vicious mobster Bub Seitz (aka “the Kind One”). Danny, who suffers from amnesia, only dimly recalls the events that led to his receiving the epithet “Two Gun Danny,” but finds the accounts he’s been given of his violent past at odds with his current revulsion for bloodshed. When Seitz, a mercurial figure with a hair-trigger temper, asks Landon to keep an eye on his current squeeze, Darla, the two men soon find themselves in conflict. With spare prose, Epperson presents Landon’s inner turmoil plausibly and manages to throw in an occasional turn of phrase that Raymond Chandler might have penned. While this book lacks the depth of James Ellroy’s L.A. noir novels, it’s an impressive debut and deserves to be followed by more. – Publishers Weekly Review
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The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
An aspiring young storyteller with retinitis pigmentosa discovers that she’s the only one who remembers life on Earth after waking up 380 years in the future in this suspenseful speculative novel. In the year 2061, a solar flare has altered the course of Halley’s Comet, putting Earth and its inhabitants right in its trajectory. Twelve-year-old Petra Peña, a resourceful Mexican American preteen who longs to follow in her cuentista grandmother’s footsteps and tell stories for a living, successfully boards one of the last ships off-world—as do members of a dangerous, cultlike group called The Collective. When Petra awakens centuries later at the ship’s destination, she quickly realizes that The Collective has wiped the memories—or lives—of her fellow passengers, and she must use her wits and Mexican folklore to protect the remaining humans and avoid the same fate. Through Petra’s gut-wrenching, tenderly crafted narrative arc, author Higuera (Lupe Wong Won’t Dance) explores how story can awaken empathy, hope, and even resistance in an audience. This is the work of a true cuentista: gripping, euphonious (“The wind carried it off far away into the stars”), and full of storytelling magic. Starred Publishers Weekly Review
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A Letter To Three Witches by Elizabeth Bass
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
Bass (Life Is Sweet) delivers an enchanting paranormal rom-com replete with laugh-out-loud banter. The Engel cousins are forbidden to practice magic, as punishment for the actions of their great-great-grandfather, whose magic accidentally caused the Dust Bowl. But Tannith—the troublemaker of the “cousin coven,” which also includes Gwen, Milo, and Trudy—leaves magical mayhem in her wake when she dramatically departs the cousins’ hometown of Zenobia, N.Y., leaving behind a letter informing the trio that she’s placed a love spell on one of their significant others, who’ll soon be joining her in New York City. Trudy, whose marriage to her husband, Laird, is crumbling, realizes she has a penchant for accidental enchantments. Milo’s been “dabbling” in spellwork ever since meeting his mayoral candidate boyfriend, Brett. And while Gwen works through insecurities after moving in with her boyfriend, Daniel, she discovers a powerful magical strength. But their illegal spellcasting may incur the wrath of the Grand Council of Witches. Tannith makes for a flat antagonist—the quintessential wicked witch—but as the tale takes on an almost episodic form, moving between quirky blunders, it achieves sitcom-level humor that will have readers cackling. The ending feels a bit tidy, but it’s a charming ride to get there. Fans of Practical Magic will be delighted. Publishers Weekly Review
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Miss You by Kate Eberlen
(Available Formats: Print Book, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
Have you ever caught a stranger’s eye for a moment too long and wondered, “what if?” In 1997, 18-year-old Tess and her best friend, Doll, are in Florence, Italy, the summer before Tess is supposed to begin university in London. She first encounters the lanky, disheveled Gus when they both wander inside a quiet church. By chance, Tess and Doll see him again on the Ponte Vecchio, where Gus takes a picture for them–but then they’re gone. That momentary connection is all that binds these two together as life hands them obstacles and heartbreaks separately. Gus must deal with the guilt he feels over his older brother’s death in a skiing accident and grabs the chance to reinvent himself at school with a new girlfriend, Lucy, who knows nothing of his past. Tess returns from Italy to the realization that her mother is not only sick, but dying. Who will care for her unusual baby sister, Hope? For Tess, it means forgoing her spot at the same university where Gus is starting over. Debut novelist Eberlen develops two wonderfully distinct storylines, but her characters are carefully connected by proximity and circumstance. It’s as if their shadows are moving in sync from opposite sides of a screen. For readers who like their romance to simmer throughout a story, be warned that Eberlen deals more in missed chances: “In front of me, there was a tall woman with a fidgety little girl in one hand”–if only Tess had turned around. We instead have the pleasure of getting to know Gus and Tess completely before they truly meet each other. It’s a bittersweet moment when their timelines finally converge years later, as there isn’t much time before Eberlen lets the curtain fall. Though at that point it’s already clear: “Sometimes the best things are staring you right in the face, know what I mean?” Eberlen’s characters are so real and deserving of love–thankfully it’s safe to root for them both, and root for them you will. Kirkus Review
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Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook coming shortly)
In this second installment of the Dark Star Trilogy, James returns to Iron Age Africa with the story of Sogolon, introduced in Black Leopard, Red Wolf (2019) as a sometime antagonist, sometime ally of Tracker. The first part Sogolon’s story is told in third person as she recounts the days of a youth more than 150 years in the past, where she encounters the Aesi, the sinister chancellor in the court of Fasisi, and discovers the uses of her own fickle magic. Shifting to first person, James describes the family Sogolon makes with a shapeshifting lion, which is devastatingly disrupted by an attack from the Aesi. Spending most of the ensuing century in the bush, Sogolon becomes the “Moon Witch,” a self-appointed vigilante for hire. Sogolon is possibly immortal, but she is also deeply human and filled with rage and bitterness, searching for a purpose as history swirls around her. If Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a penciled comic panel, Moon Witch, Spider King is the version rendered by James the inker: the geography, myth, magic, and people of this epic setting are revisited to add shading and detail in a recursive procedure that results in a vibrant tapestry begging for infinite return trips. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fans are clamoring for the second in a trilogy that is described as an Afrocentric Game of Thrones. Booklist Review
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Woman Last Seen: A Novel by Adele Parks
(Available Format: Hoopla instant checkout audiobook)
Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmom to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday. Her husband, Mark, says he knows nothing of her whereabouts. She went to work and just never came home. Their family is shattered.
Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman Daan and vanishes the same week. Kai left their luxurious penthouse and glamorous world without a backward glance. She seemingly evaporated into thin air. Daan is distraught.
Detective Clements knows that people disappear all the time—far too frequently. Most run away from things, some run toward and others are taken but find their way back. A sad few never return. These two women are from very different worlds. Their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the detective believes they might be.
How could these women walk away from their families, husbands and homes willingly? Clements is determined to unearth the truth, no matter how shocking and devastating it may be.
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Have a great week!
Linda Reimer
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*Information on the Three Catalogs*
Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/
The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, digital magazines and a handful of streaming videos. The catalog, which allows one to download content to a PC, also has a companion app, Libby, which you can download to your mobile device; so you can enjoy eBooks and downloadable audiobooks on the go!
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/
The Hoopla Catalog features instant checkouts of eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV series. Patron check out limit is 6 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.
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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.
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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.
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Have questions or want to request a book?
Feel free to call the library! Our telephone number is 607-936-3713.
Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Hi everyone, here is the weekly list of New York Times Bestsellers.
Each title is followed by a listing of which formats it is available in for check out within the three catalogs: StarCat (Print, Large Print & CD Audiobook), The Digital Catalog (eBook & Downloadable Audiobook) and the Hoopla Catalog (Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Hoopla Audiobook).
For more information on the three catalogs skip to the section below the bestselling titles*
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New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays, and the next New York Times Bestseller post will be published on Sunday, February 20, 2022.
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FICTION
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BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson
(Available Formats: Print Book & coming soon in eBook format)
Eleanor Bennett’s inheritance for her two children challenges what they knew about their lineage and identity.
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BOOKS OF JACOB by Olga Tokarczuk
(Available Formats: Print Book)
In the mid-18th century, a young Jew named Jacob Frank gains a fervent following as he repeatedly reinvents himself.
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CHRISTIE AFFAIR by Nina de Gramont
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
Miss Nan O’Dea becomes the mistress of Agatha Christie’s husband.
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CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
An interconnected cast of dreamers and outsiders are in dangerous and disparate settings past, present and future.
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DEVIL HOUSE by John Darnielle
(Available Formats: Print Book)
A crime writer re-examines his work after moving into a house where a pair of briefly notorious murders took place.
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THE HORSEWOMAN by James Patterson and Mike Lupica
(Available Formats: Print Book & CD audiobook)
As the Paris Olympics draw near, a mother and daughter, who are champion horse riders, compete against each other.
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IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & downloadable audiobook)
A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.
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THE JUDGE’S LIST by John Grisham
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The second book in the Whistler series. Investigator Lacy Stoltz goes after a serial killer and closes in on a sitting judge.
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THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & audiobook)
Hannah Hall discovers truths about her missing husband and bonds with his daughter from a previous relationship.
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THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Two friends who escaped from a juvenile work farm take Emmett Watson on an unexpected journey to New York City in 1954.
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LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
A young professor agrees to pretend to be a third-year Ph.D. candidate’s boyfriend.
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THE MAID by Nita Prose
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
When a wealthy man is found dead in his room, a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel becomes a lead suspect.
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THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
Nora Seed finds a library beyond the edge of the universe that contains books with multiple possibilities of the lives one could have lived
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ONE STEP TOO FAR by Lisa Gardner
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
The second book in the Frankie Elkin series. Frankie searches for a young man who went missing during a bachelor party camping trip.
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PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
Opposites Poppy and Alex meet to vacation together one more time in hopes of saving their relationship.
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RECITATIF by Toni Morrison
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The late Nobel Prize-winning author’s only short story, first published in 1983, tells the story of Twyla and Roberta, who recognize their deep bond despite their differences.
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THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print & Libby eBook & audiobook)
A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.
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THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT by Mitch Albom
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook & eBook)
After a ship explodes, 10 people struggling to survive pull a man who claims to be the Lord out of the sea
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UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Tate Collins and Miles Archer, an airline pilot, think they can handle a no strings attached arrangement. But they can’t.
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VERITY by Colleen Hoover
(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)
Lowen Ashleigh is hired by the husband of an injured writer to complete her popular series and uncovers a horrifying truth.
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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes.
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WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Libby/OverDrive Audiobook)
Diana O’Toole re-evaluates her seemingly perfect life when a pandemic disrupts her vacation in the Galápagos Islands.
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NON-FICTION:
1619 PROJECT edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake Silverstein
(Available Formats: Print Book)
Viewing America’s entanglement with slavery and its legacy, in essays adapted and expanded from The New York Times Magazine.
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ALL ABOUT LOVE by bell hooks
(Available Formats: Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The late feminist icon explores the causes of a polarized society and the meaning of love.
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BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK by Rosemary Sullivan
(Available Formats: Print Book)
New technology was used to investigate who revealed the location of Anne Frank and her family to the Nazis.
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THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)
How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.
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BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook, downloadable audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & audiobook)
A botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation espouses having an understanding and appreciation of plants and animals.
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CRYING IN H MART by Michelle Zauner
(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The daughter of a Korean mother and Jewish-American father, and leader of the indie rock project Japanese Breakfast, describes creating her own identity after losing her mother to cancer.
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DILLA TIME by Dan Charnas
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
The life, work and cultural influence of the late hip-hop producer J Dilla.
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ENOUGH ALREADY by Valerie Bertinelli
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook & eBook)
The actress and TV personality describes her personal setbacks and difficult journey to self-acceptance.
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GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey
(Available Formats: Print Book, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years.
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HOW TO BE PERFECT by Michael Schur
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The creator of “The Good Place” incorporates works by various philosophers to examine ethical questions and moral issues.
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THE POWER OF REGRET by Daniel H. Pink
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
A look at four core regrets and potential strategies to make them a positive force.
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THE REAL ANTHONY FAUCI by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla instant checkout eBook)
The anti-vaccine advocate gives his take on the chief medical advisor to the president.
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RED-HANDED by Peter Schweizer
(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)
The author of “Profiles in Corruption” portrays a conspiracy of how the Chinese government might infiltrate American institutions.
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SOUTH TO AMERICA by Imani Perry
(Available Formats: Print Book)
A wide-ranging collection of stories and histories based in the American South that also illuminate the country as a whole.
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TASTE by Stanley Tucci
(Available Formats: Print Book, Libby eBook & audiobook)
The award-winning actor reflects on his career, Italian-American heritage, meals and mishaps.
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UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle
(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD audiobook, eBook & downloadable audiobook)
The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.
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UNTHINKABLE by Jamie Raskin
(Available Formats: Print Book coming soon)
The Maryland congressman describes leading the impeachment effort against the former president shortly after his son’s death by suicide and the insurrection at the Capitol.
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WILL by Will Smith with Mark Manson
(Available Formats: Print Book)
The actor, producer and musician tells his life story and lessons he learned along the way.
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Happy reading!
Linda Reimer, SSL
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*Information on the Three Catalogs*
Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/
The Digital Catalog has two companion apps, Libby & OverDrive. Libby is the app for newer devices and the OverDrive app should be used for older devices and Amazon tablets.
All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.
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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/
The Hoopla Catalog features instant check outs of eBooks, downloadable audiobook, comic books, albums and streaming videos. Patron check out limit is 4 items per month.
Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.
The Hoopla App is available for Android or Apple devices and most smart TVs & media streaming players.
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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org
Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.
The StarCat app is called Bookmyne and is available for Apple and Android devices.
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Also of Note: If a New York Times Bestseller isn’t yet available in any of the three catalogs; you can contact the library and request to be notified when it becomes available.
Southeast Steuben County Library Tel: 607-936-3713
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Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.
Tech & Book Talk at SSCL 