Month: July 2023

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*

–

New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays.And the next New York Times blog post will be posted Sunday, August 6, 2023.

–

FICTION

–

THE COLLECTOR by Daniel Silva

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The 23rd book in the Gabriel Allon series. The art restorer teams up with a thief to find a missing painting and works to prevent a conflict between Russia and the West.

–

THE COVENANT OF WATER by Abraham Verghese

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out Audiobook)

Three generations of a family living on South India’s Malabar Coast suffer the loss of a family member by drowning.

–

CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook & eBook)

In 1970s Harlem, a furniture store owner and his partner in crime find themselves up against shady and violent forces.

–

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audibook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant check out eBook & Audiobook)

Winner of a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. A reimagining of Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield” set in the mountains of southern Appalachia.

–

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

After a tragedy, a popular food blogger brings friends from distinct times in her life to spend a weekend in Nantucket.

–

FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

(Available Formats: Print Book, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out eBook)

Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

–

HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A former couple pretend to be together for the sake of their friends during their annual getaway in Maine.

–

HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano

(Available Formats:Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In a homage to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” a young man’s dark past resurfaces as he gets to the know the family of his college sweetheart.

–

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

–

ICEBREAKER by Hannah Grace

(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)

Anastasia might need the help of the captain of a college hockey team to get on the Olympic figure skating team.

–

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.

–

IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In the sequel to “It Ends With Us,” Lily deals with her jealous ex-husband as she reconnects with her first boyfriend.

–

IMMORTAL LONGINGS by Chloe Gong

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The first book in the Flesh & False Gods series. Princess Calla Tuoleimi wants to take down the monarchy.

–

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A scientist and single mother living in California in the 1960s becomes a star on a TV cooking show.

–

OBSESSED by James Patterson and James O. Born

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook)

A killer, who targets women in New York City, becomes obsessed with Michael Bennett’s daughter.

–

THE ONLY ONE LEFT by Riley Sager

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In 1983, a mute woman confined to a wheelchair types out her side of the story about a family massacre to her home-health aide.

–

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Audiobook)

A widow working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium is aided in solving a mystery by a giant Pacific octopus living there.

–

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.

–

SOUL OF ASH AND BLOOD by Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The fifth book in the Blood and Ash series. The love between Poppy and Casteel faces new challenges.

–

TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Two friends find their partnership challenged in the world of video game design.

–

TOO LATE by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Dangers develop when a drug trafficker becomes obsessed with a woman who has a mutual attraction to a D.E.A. agent.

–

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.

–

NON-FICTION:

–

AMERICAN PROMETHEUS by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout Audiobook)

A biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and an inspiration for the film “Oppenheimer.”

–

AMERICA’S CULTURAL REVOLUTION by Christopher F. Rufo

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The conservative filmmaker shares his views on some of America’s institutions.

–

BEYOND THE STORY by BTS and Myeongseok Kang

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

An oral history of the K-pop group that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

–

BLOWBACK by Miles Taylor

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, who revealed himself to be the author of “A Warning,” gives his take on where Trumpism might be headed.

–

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

–

DARK FUTURE by Glenn Beck with Justin Haskins

(Available Formats: Print Book)

In  the second book in the Great Reset series. The conservative commentator gives his take on advances in technology and their potential impact.

–

EASY MONEY by Ben McKenzie with Jacob Silverman

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

The actor recounts his misadventures in cryptocurrency and analyzes its decline in value.

–

FOURTH TURNING IS HERE by Neil Howe

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

One of the authors of “The Fourth Turning” gives reflections on the cycles of history and makes predictions of potential outcomes generated by the present era of polarization.

–

HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST by Jeff Goodell

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

The impact that rising temperatures have on our seasons, food supply, economy and vulnerable populations.

–

I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED by Jennette McCurdy

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The actress and filmmaker describes her eating disorders and difficult relationship with her mother.

–

IN-BETWEEN by Hadley Vlahos

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A hospice nurse shares some of her most impactful experiences and questions some of society’s beliefs around end-of-life care.

–

JACKIE by J. Randy Taraborrelli

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A biography of the former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

–

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The story of a murder spree in 1920s Oklahoma that targeted Osage Indians, whose lands contained oil.

–

OUTLIVE by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford

(Available Formats: Print Book & Downloadable Audiobook)

A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

–

SPARE  by Prince Harry

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Duke of Sussex details his struggles with the royal family, loss of his mother, service in the British Army and marriage to Meghan Markle.

–

UNBROKEN BONDS OF BATTLE by Johnny Joey Jones

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The Fox News military analyst shares stories from working with veterans for over a decade.

–

THE WAGER by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobooks)

The survivors of a shipwrecked British vessel on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain have different accounts of events.

–

YOU WILL OWN NOTHING by Carol Roth

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

An entrepreneur gives her assessment of the impact that organizations and market forces may have on the assets of individuals

–

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSL

–

*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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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

–

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, August 4, 2023.

–

And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!

–

Baby Please Don’t Go by Lightnin’ Hopkins (Genre: Blues)

From The Album: Blues of the Delta (2016) by Various Artists

–

Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell and friends (Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Pop/Rock/Folk/Jazz = just great music!)

From The Album: Joni Mitchell At Newport (2023)

–

Debussy Children’s Corner by Isata Kanneh-Mason (Genre: Piano, Classical, Instrumental)

From The Album: Childhood Tales (2023)

–

El Dorado by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway (Genre: Americana)

From The Album: City of Gold (2023)

–

Everyday People by Sly And The Family Stone (Genre: R&B, Pop-Rock)

From The Album: Stand! (1969)

–

Heart Of The Night by Poco (Genre: Pop/Rock, Seventies Rock)

From The Album: Legend (1978)

–

The Power of Love by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Juke Box featuring Sarah Potenza (Genre: Jazz/Pop/Swing)

From The Album: The Fourth Tuning (2023)

–

Round And Round by Perry Como with Mitch Ayers & His Orchestra & the Ray Charles Singers (Genre: Vocal)

From The Album: The Very Best Of Perry Como (2000)

–

Take Me out to the Ballgame by Dr. John (Genre: Piano, Pop-Rock)

From The Soundtrack: Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (1994)

–

Yet To Be by Rhiannon Giddens featuring Jason Isbell (Genre: Americana)

From The Album: You’re The One (2023)

–

Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week

Beauty And The Beat (1981) by The Go-Gos (Genre: Pop/Rock)

And from the album the original music video for the song:

Our Lips Are Sealed

–

And just for fun, here is the song again, performed by the Go-Gos on The Today Show in September 2020:

–

Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

–

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

–

The Libby App

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

–

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.

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week!

*More information on the three catalogs and available formats is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*

–

Weekly Suggested Reading postings are  published on Thursdays.

And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Thursday, August 3, 2023 (Where did July go?!)

–

Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Davis’s 11th historical mystery featuring first-century Roman private informer Albia (after 2022’s Desperate Undertaking) is more low-key than past entries, but no less gripping. Flavia, the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco (hero of a prior Davis series), is asked by her Aunt Junia, who manages a grubby feeding post, to track down two customers who stiffed her. With only vague descriptions to go on, Flavia flexes her investigative skills to track down the deadbeats, only to land a more challenging assignment from one of their aunts after she confronts them. Tranquilla Euhodia’s niece is about to be married, but her future in-laws have raised questions about whether Euhodia’s brother is a free citizen, as he claims to be, or a slave. Flavia agrees to find proof that the boy is free, digging into an old murder in the process—and before long, she has a new murder to investigate. Unable to trust her employers or old confidants, Albia sets out to prevent more bodies from piling up. As always, Davis skillfully blends humor and historical detail. This classical series still feels fresh. – Publishers Weekly

Reader’s Note: If you’d like to binge read this neat historical series, and start reading from the beginning, check out book one: The Ides of April (2013)

–

The Good Ones by Polly Stewart

(Available Formats: Print Book)

When her mother dies, 37-year-old Nicola returns to her small Appalachian hometown to sell the family house. The place is rife with memories, foremost among them that of the mysterious disappearance 16 years earlier of her friend Lauren. Now, Nicola finds herself in a relationship with Warren, Lauren’s bereft husband, and working as a teacher for Warren’s younger brother, Sean, principal of the local high school with whom she had had an ambiguous relationship when they were teens. Emotional and other complications ensue, the only constants being Lauren’s continuing absence and the speculation that she’s dead, perhaps murdered; speaking of which, Nicola is now in danger herself, for she begins receiving threatening notes written in blood-red ink, saying, “No one wants you here.” Told in Nicola’s first-person voice, Stewart’s rather slow-paced story is not without its moments of welcome suspense and it will attract and engage the ever-increasing audience for domestic suspense. – Booklist

–

The Last Dance by Mark Billingham

(Available Formats: Print Book, Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook & Audiobook)

Billingham (Sleepyhead) launches a cracking new mystery series featuring the charming, sarcastic British Det. Sgt. Declan Miller. Miller’s wife, Alex—also a detective—was recently murdered on the job. Afternoons spent in the company of his pet rats and punctuated by visits from Alex’s ghost are not enough to keep Declan away from work for long, though, and he returns, grieving, after a six-week hiatus. The first case assigned to Miller and his new partner, Sara Xiu, is a double murder. It initially appears that the two victims—an organized crime heir and an IT consultant—have nothing in common, but after Declan taps into a network of sources spanning his and Alex’s ballroom dancing friends, an old informant, and Alex’s ghost, he starts to fear a complex conspiracy is at hand. Meanwhile, Declan’s friend, prison snitch Gary “Chesshead” Cole, tries to find Alex’s murderer, with tragic results. Billingham imbues Miller with a brilliant sense of humor and populates the margins of this well-paced mystery with lovable, fully fleshed characters whom readers will adore. This is the author at his best. – Starred Publishers Weekly Review

–

Moon of the Crusted Snow: A Novel by Waubgeshig Rice

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook & Audiobook)

Fall is just about to turn into winter when cell service goes out in a Anishinaabe community in Rice’s chilling post-apocalyptic novel (following Legacy). The novel centers on Evan Whitesky, a young father to two children living on a reservation in northern Canada who is attempting to relearn and maintain the traditional ways in a world where society has collapsed and electricity, cell phones, land lines, and satellites have all disappeared. In the absence of all the things that make the long, harsh winters of northern Canada easier, the community has to band together to ensure its survival, doling out canned provisions and trying to ensure running water and heat for everyone for as long as possible. When a man arrives seeking refuge from the chaos in the south, Evan and his community allow him to stay in spite of their misgivings. As the winter progresses and hunger sets in, hostility rises and small-town power struggles become a life-or-death affair. This slow-burning thriller is also a powerful story of survival and will leave readers breathless. – Publishers Weekly Review

–

Climate and the Science of Denial by David Lipsky

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout Audiobook)

A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book of 2023 • A USA Today Must-Read Summer Book • A Next Big Idea Must-Read Book • A Library Journal What To Read In 2023 Book

The New York Times best-selling author explores how “anti-science” became so virulent in American life—through a history of climate denial and its consequences.

In 1956, the New York Times prophesied that once global warming really kicked in, we could see parrots in the Antarctic. In 2010, when science deniers had control of the climate story, Senator James Inhofe and his family built an igloo on the Washington Mall and plunked a sign on top: AL GORE’S NEW HOME: HONK IF YOU LOVE CLIMATE CHANGE. In The Parrot and the Igloo, best-selling author David Lipsky tells the astonishing story of how we moved from one extreme (the correct one) to the other.

With narrative sweep and a superb eye for character, Lipsky unfolds the dramatic narrative of the long, strange march of climate science. The story begins with a tale of three inventors—Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla—who made our technological world, not knowing what they had set into motion. Then there are the scientists who sounded the alarm once they identified carbon dioxide as the culprit of our warming planet. And we meet the hucksters, zealots, and crackpots who lied about that science and misled the public in ever more outrageous ways. Lipsky masterfully traces the evolution of climate denial, exposing how it grew out of early efforts to build a network of untruth about products like aspirin and cigarettes.

Featuring an indelible cast of heroes and villains, mavericks and swindlers, The Parrot and the Igloo delivers a real-life tragicomedy—one that captures the extraordinary dance of science, money, and the American character.

–

Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Defiance by Brian Freeman

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Treadstone agents worldwide are being hunted down and killed as a U.S. government official seeks to erase all evidence of a fraught mission called the Defiance, and Jason Bourne is on the list. That puts him in opposition to an archenemy assassin known as Lennon. Next in Ludlum’s New York Times best-selling series, taken over by ITW/Macavity winner Freeman. – Library Journal Review

–

The Rooster House: My Ukrainian Family Story, a Memoir  by Victoria Belim

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

A Ukrainian American journalist recounts the history of her Ukrainian family within the broader context of Russian aggression since the 1930s. “I was born in Kyiv, but the first fifteen summers of my life unfolded in [Bereh] on the Vorksla River.” So writes Brussels-based journalist Belim in this poignant, gently unfolding tale. To her, the small village of Bereh was a “second home,” and her great-grandparents Asya and Sergiy were her “second set of parents.” Although she grew up in Chicago with her mother and stepfather, Belim pined for Bereh, yet she rarely visited–until 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and war broke out. Spurred by the rabid pro-Soviet stance of her uncle Vladimir, her father’s older brother, who goaded her with anti-Western propaganda, the author decided she needed to return to the Ukraine of her youth and reconnect with her aging grandmother Valentina, who lived in Kyiv but spent her summers in Bereh. The author writes movingly about helping Valentina with her cherry orchard and extensive garden and cooking traditional Ukrainian meals while weaving in painful memories of Soviet oppression–her relatives’ surviving the Holodomor of 1932-1933, when 4 million Ukrainian peasants died due to Stalin’s disastrous collectivization policy. Belim also writes about how, during the political purge of 1937, her uncle Nikodim inexplicably disappeared after being interrogated at the secret Soviet police headquarters called the Rooster House. “I thought of this uncle who had fought for a free Ukraine and who had paid the highest price as a kindred spirit,” she writes, “and I wanted to restore him to his rightful place in the family story.” While Valentina refused to revisit this haunting history, Belim was able to access Nikodim’s files and discover the truth. Throughout this powerful text, readers will encounter numerous satisfying layers. An elegant family narrative of myriad characters traumatized by the deep-seated Russia-Ukrainian struggle. – Kirkus Review

–

The Shadow Girls: A Natalie Lockhart Novel by Alice Blanchard

(Available Formats: Print Book)

An upstate New York detective investigating a series of girls held captive wonders if a lost friend could have been one of them. Det. Natalie Lockhart isn’t good at waiting, especially when she’s sitting fruitlessly in the hospital room of longtime colleague Lt. Det. Luke Pittman waiting for him to come out of a coma. Luke’s a fighter, so Natalie’s hoping for the best, but the dire straits of the situation have left her shaken and questioning what her relationship with Luke really is. Sorting it all out is put on hold when Natalie is called to a particularly chilling murder scene. Sitting in the middle of Murray’s Halloween Costumes is the corpse of Randolph Holmes, onto which someone has placed a red nose like a cherry on top. When Natalie looks around for motives, she’s disturbed by a discovery in Randy’s home: binders full of detailed descriptions of girls being held captive by whomever wrote them. Are they sick fantasy or sicker fact? The information in the binders seems to dovetail with a series of women who disappeared over a yearslong span, dubbed by one reporter “The Shadow Girls.” As she learns more about the case, Natalie can’t help wondering whether Bella Striver, her childhood best friend, might have been one of these shadow girls. Whether or not she is, Natalie is determined to solve the case of her long-missing friend. Just when this police-driven story seems to wind down, there’s a bonus mystery on top. – Kirkus Review

–

Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction by Max Allan Collins & James L. Traylor

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A full-dress biography of the most polarizing practitioner of 20th-century crime fiction. As Collins and Traylor note, nearly everyone deplored the sex and violence of Mickey Spillane’s (1918-2006) midcentury novels about private eye Mike Hammer–though that didn’t stop the millions of readers who catapulted him to the top of bestseller lists and kept him there. Delving into Spillane’s roots, the authors examine the evolution of comic-book hero Mike Lancer into Mike Hammer, cite contemporaneous reviewers who talked up or trash-talked Hammer’s adventures, and explore Spillane’s multimedia activities during the 10 years (1952-1962) of Hammer’s absence from the printed page. (Why the long silence? Collins and Traylor believe Spillane was waiting for his disadvantageous contract with film producer Victor Saville to expire). Warning in their opening chapter of spoilers ahead, the authors proceed to summarize the mysteries and solutions of all Hammer’s early novels. They’re at their best when mapping the Spillane metaverse, which includes novels, stories, articles, comic strips, radio broadcasts, TV programs, and movies, and weakest in their uncritical praise of their subject as a plotter, stylist, Jehovah’s Witness, and human being (a verdict his first two wives might have contested). “Mickey encouraged our best efforts, all the while sharing his humanity, generosity, and down-to-earth nature,” they write. “This book reflects not just our love for his work, but for the man, with thanks for his encouragement and friendship.” Spillane’s appealing directness provides an endless stream of anecdotes. The authors conclude with a formidable array of appendices, ranging from an autobiographical fragment that takes Spillane from birth to age 14 to an essay on “Ayn Rand and Mickey Spillane” to a brace of bibliographies and an account of some of their own extensive dealings with the author when he was alive and the work Collins has continued to complete since his death. Fans who’ve been waiting for a life of Spillane will gobble this up. – Kirkus Review

–

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

(Available Formats: Print Book, Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook & Audiobook)

In this beguiling midcentury historical fiction novel set in 1960s Italy, an ambitious American actress and single mother snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome…

Readers who enjoy the moody gothic allure of Kate Morton and Silvia Moreno-Garcia or the immersive settings of Lucinda Riley and Fiona Davis will be enthralled by Kelsey James’ spellbinding web of intriguing mystery, family secrets, forbidden love, and midcentury Italian flair.

–

Have a great day!

Linda Reimer

–

Information on the three library 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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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).

–

Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

–

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*

–

New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays.And the next New York Times blog post will be published Sunday, July 30, 2023.

–

FICTION

–

THE COVENANT OF WATER by Abraham Verghese

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out Audiobook)

Three generations of a family living on South India’s Malabar Coast suffer the loss of a family member by drowning.

–

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audibook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant check out eBook & Audiobook)

Winner of a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. A reimagining of Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield” set in the mountains of southern Appalachia.

–

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

After a tragedy, a popular food blogger brings friends from distinct times in her life to spend a weekend in Nantucket.

–

FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

(Available Formats: Print Book, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out eBook)

Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

–

HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A former couple pretend to be together for the sake of their friends during their annual getaway in Maine.

–

HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano

(Available Formats:Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In a homage to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” a young man’s dark past resurfaces as he gets to the know the family of his college sweetheart.

–

HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A portrait painter, who is diagnosed with a condition known as face blindness, falls for two different men.

–

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

–

ICEBREAKER by Hannah Grace

(Available Formats: Print Book & eBook)

Anastasia might need the help of the captain of a college hockey team to get on the Olympic figure skating team.

–

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.

–

IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In the sequel to “It Ends With Us,” Lily deals with her jealous ex-husband as she reconnects with her first boyfriend.

–

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A scientist and single mother living in California in the 1960s becomes a star on a TV cooking show.

–

MUST LOVE FLOWERS by Debbie Macomber

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook & eBook)

A nursing student and her widowed landlady navigate life changes and potential love interests.

–

OBSESSED by James Patterson and James O. Born

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook)

A killer, who targets women in New York City, becomes obsessed with Michael Bennett’s daughter.

–

ONLY ONE LEFT by Riley Sager

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In 1983, a mute woman confined to a wheelchair types out her side of the story about a family massacre to her home-health aide.

–

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Audiobook)

A widow working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium is aided in solving a mystery by a giant Pacific octopus living there.

–

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.

–

THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS by Kristy Woodson

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Harvey Four women join together to save a summer camp for girls.

–

TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Two friends find their partnership challenged in the world of video game design.

–

TOO LATE by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Dangers develop when a drug trafficker becomes obsessed with a woman who has a mutual attraction to a D.E.A. agent.

–

TWISTED LOVE by Ana Huang

(Available Formats: eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The first book in the Twisted series. Secrets emerge when Ava explores things with her brother’s best friend.

–

UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Tate Collins and Miles Archer, an airline pilot, think they can handle a no strings attached arrangement. But they can’t.

–

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.

–

YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

June Hayward, a struggling writer, must conceal the fact that she stole Athena Liu’s just-finished masterpiece after Liu’s sudden death.

–

NON-FICTION:

–

1964 by Paul McCartney

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A collection of photographs taken with a 35-millimeter camera during the rise of the Beatles from the end of 1963 through early 1964.

–

ALL ABOUT LOVE by bell hooks

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook &  Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

The late feminist icon explores the causes of a polarized society and the meaning of love.

–

AMERICAN PROMETHEUS by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout Audiobook)

A biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and an inspiration for the film “Oppenheimer.”

–

ART THIEF by Michael Finkel

(Available Formats: eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The author of “The Stranger in the Woods” tells the story of Stéphane Breitwieser, who stole art more than 200 times for the sake of admiring it.

–

BEYOND THE STORY by BTS and Myeongseok Kang

(Available Formats:

An oral history of the K-pop group that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

–

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

–

THE BOOK OF CHARLIE by David Von Drehle

(Available Formats: Print Book,  Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobooks)

The Washington Post columnist shares stories and wisdom he learned from a neighbor who was more than a century old.

–

BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Robin Wall Kimmerer

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, 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.

–

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.

–

DARK FUTURE by Glenn Beck with Justin Haskins

(Available Formats: Print Book)

In  the second book in the Great Reset series. The conservative commentator gives his take on advances in technology and their potential impact.

–

HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST by Jeff Goodell

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

The impact that rising temperatures have on our seasons, food supply, economy and vulnerable populations.

–

I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED by Jennette McCurdy

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The actress and filmmaker describes her eating disorders and difficult relationship with her mother.

–

IN-BETWEEN by Hadley Vlahos

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A hospice nurse shares some of her most impactful experiences and questions some of society’s beliefs around end-of-life care.

–

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The story of a murder spree in 1920s Oklahoma that targeted Osage Indians, whose lands contained oil.

–

OUTLIVE by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford

(Available Formats: Print Book & Downloadable Audiobook)

A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

–

PAGEBOY by Elliot Page

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Oscar-nominated star details discovering himself as a trans person and navigating abuse in Hollywood.

–

POVERTY, BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Evicted” examines the ways in which affluent Americans keep poor people poor.

–

SPARE  by Prince Harry

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Duke of Sussex details his struggles with the royal family, loss of his mother, service in the British Army and marriage to Meghan Markle.

–

UNBROKEN BONDS OF BATTLE by Johnny Joey Jones

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The Fox News military analyst shares stories from working with veterans for over a decade.

–

THE WAGER by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobooks)

The survivors of a shipwrecked British vessel on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain have different accounts of events.

–

WHAT AN OWL KNOWS by Jennifer Ackerman

(Available Format: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The author of “The Genius of Birds” explores new scientific discoveries about the brains and behavior of owls.

–

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSL

–

*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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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

–

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,

–

And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!

–

All Your Loving by Otis Rush (Genre: Vocal, Blues)

From The Album: This Ones A Good Un (1968)

–

Already Gone by The Eagles (Genre: Rock)

From The Album: On The Border(1974)

–

Blues For Mama by Nina Simone (Genre: Vocal)

From The Album: Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967)

–

Blues In The Night by Tony Bennett (Genre: Vocal)

From The Album: The Beat of My Heart (1957)

–

Breakfast In Birmingham by Tanya Tucker with Brandi Carlile (Genre: Country)

From The Album: Sweet Western Sound (2023)

–

Come Sail Away by STYX (Genre: Pop/Rock)

From The Album: The Grand Illusion (1977)

–

Days Gone Down by Gerry Rafferty (Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Rock)

From The Album: Night Owl (1979)

–

If That Ain’t A Reason by Joanne Taylor Shaw (Genre: Blues)

From The Album: The Blues Album (2021)

–

On The Border by Al Stewart (Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Rock)

From The Album: Year Of The Cat (1976)

–

Prelude / Angry Young Man by Billy Joel (Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Rock)

From The Album: Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert (2011)

–

Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week

Soothe Sailing: Brickman Plays Yacht Rock (Vol. 1) (2023) by Jim Brickman (Genre: Piano/Easy Listening)

And from the album the song:

I’d Really Love To See You Tonight by Jim Brickman

–

Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

–

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

–

The Libby App

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

–

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.

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

This blog post includes all the new titles that have been ordered by the library this month.

Some of these titles have arrived and can be requested through StarCat; other titles are not yet ready to circulate (and thus are not yet found in StarCat).

So, if you see a book you’d love to read, but don’t find it listed in StarCat, send me an email and let me know which title you’d like to read; and I will place it on hold for you, when it is ready to circulate.

My email address is: reimerl@stls.org

And here is list the list of New Books Coming Your Way for this month!

New Books is a monthly post; published on the fourth Saturday of the month. Unless it is Friday and I accidentally hit publishes a day early!

The next New Books Coming Your Was post will be out on Saturday, August 26, 2023.

–

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSC Library

–

Accessing The Catalogs:

And the direct link to our catalog of physical materials, AKA StarCat, is: https://starcat.stls.org/

The direct link to the online version of the Digital Catalog (companion app Libby, found in your app store) is: https://stls.overdrive.com/

And the Hoopla catalog (which is like Netflix in that all content* is available on-demand, the content changes over time & which also has a complementary app, simply called Hoopla) can be accessed online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

*Hoopla content includes Audiobooks, eBooks, comic books, TV shows & Movies (smart TV app is available)

Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week!

*More information on the three catalogs and available formats is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*

–

Weekly Suggested Reading postings are  published on Wednesdays.

And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

–

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Named a Most Anticipated Summer Read by Buzzfeed, Glamour, Town & Country, BookRiot, and more!

A ghostwriter and a struggling actor help each other on the page and in the bedroom in this steamy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk.

Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in “ghostwriter” until she attends a signing for a book she wrote—and the author doesn’t even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar and immediately connects with him. But when all their sexual tension culminates in a spectacularly awkward hookup, she decides this is one night better off forgotten.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show who now makes a living appearing at fan conventions across the country. Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand of hilarious mishaps.

Chandler’s determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn’t as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he’s distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they’re not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, they must figure out which is more important, business or pleasure—or if there’s a way for them to have both.

–

The Camp by Nancy Bush

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

Perfect for readers of Riley Sager and Grady Hendrix, a chilling new read from the New York Times bestselling author where a diabolical modern twist on Friday the 13th meets Yellowjackets at a summer sleepaway camp isolated in the woods of Oregon.

There are always stories told around the fire at summer camp—tall tales about gruesome murders and unhinged killers, concocted to scare new arrivals and lend an extra jolt of excitement to those hormone-charged nights. At Camp Luft-Shawk, nicknamed Camp Love Shack, there are stories about a creeping fog that brings death with it. But here, they’re not just campfire tales. Here, the stories are real.

Twenty years ago, a girl’s body was found on a ledge above the lake, arms crossed over her heart. Some said it was part of a suicide pact, connected to the nearby Haven Commune. Brooke, Rona, and Wendywere among the teenagers at camp that summer, looking for fun and sun, sex and adventure. They’ve never breathed a word about what really happened—or about the night their friendship shattered.

Now the camp, renamed Camp Fog Lake, has reopened for a new generation, and many of those who were there on that long-ago night are returning for an alumni weekend. But something is stirring at the lake again. As the fog rolls in, evil comes with it. Those stories were a warning, and they didn’t listen. And the only question is, who will live long enough to regret it?

–

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook & eBook)

It’s 1971. Trash piles up on the streets, crime is at an all-time high, the city is careening towards bankruptcy, and a shooting war has broken out between the NYPD and the Black Liberation Army. Amidst this collective nervous breakdown furniture store owner and ex-fence Ray Carney tries to keep his head down and his business thriving. His days moving stolen goods around the city are over. It’s strictly the straight-and-narrow for him — until he needs Jackson 5 tickets for his daughter May and he decides to hit up his old police contact Munson, fixer extraordinaire. But Munson has his own favors to ask of Carney and staying out of the game gets a lot more complicated – and deadly.
1973. The counter-culture has created a new generation, the old ways are being overthrown, but there is one constant, Pepper, Carney’s endearingly violent partner in crime. It’s getting harder to put together a reliable crew for hijackings, heists, and assorted felonies, so Pepper takes on a side gig doing security on a Blaxploitation shoot in Harlem. He finds himself in a freaky world of Hollywood stars, up-and-coming comedians, and celebrity drug dealers, in addition to the usual cast of hustlers, mobsters, and hit men. These adversaries underestimate the seasoned crook – to their regret.

1976. Harlem is burning, block by block, while the whole country is gearing up for Bicentennial celebrations. Carney is trying to come up with a July 4th ad he can live with. (“Two Hundred Years of Getting Away with It!”), while his wife Elizabeth is campaigning for her childhood friend, the former assistant D.A and rising politician Alexander Oakes. When a fire severely injures one of Carney’s tenants, he enlists Pepper to look into who may be behind it. Our crooked duo have to battle their way through a crumbling metropolis run by the shady, the violent, and the utterly corrupted.

CROOK MANIFESTO is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sneakily searching portrait of the meaning of family. Colson Whitehead’s kaleidoscopic portrait of Harlem is sure to stand as one of the all-time great evocations of a place and a time.

–

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life―placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition―the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into―love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?―with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

–

A Lady’s Guide To Scandal by Sophie Irwin

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Internationally bestselling author Sophie Irwin brings us another delightful, escapist historical romance, led by an audacious heroine who has suddenly inherited a fortune—but it has strings attached…

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season—no matter that he was not the husband Eliza wanted.

Now, ten years later, Eliza is widowed. Suddenly, she is left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. She’s always lived by society’s conventions, but now, Eliza has resolved to do as she wants. And what she wants is to head to Bath with her cousin Margaret, pursue painting, learn to drive, and flirt with Bath’s most alluring new resident, the infamous Lord Melville.

But when the ripples of Eliza’s behavior reach her late husband’s nephew—who broke

Eliza’s heart, years ago—Eliza will learn that freedom does not come without consequences. The only way to ensure she can keep her fortune is to avoid all scandal—but where’s the fun in that?

–

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film—and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

“No one punctures the skin of reality to reveal the lurking, sinister magic beneath better than Silvia Moreno-Garcia.”—Kiersten White, #1 bestselling author of Hide
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE SUMMER: The New York Times, NPR, Chicago Tribune, Paste, Lit Hub, CrimeReads

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

–

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Elle Kennedy’s next spicy and emotional romance in the blockbuster Avalon Bay series.
College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday…and maybe find herself a summer fling.

On her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay’s fun-loving golden boy.

Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he’s always down for a good time. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she’s not the girl you play games with. Cassie is gorgeous, hilarious, and, frankly, the coolest person he’s ever met. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone…only to realize he made a huge mistake. Soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. He wants that fling now. Big-time.

And maybe even something more.

As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they’re about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets—and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.

–

Sunshine Nails: A Novel by Mai Nguyen

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A Real Simple Must-Read Book of Summer 2023

“Mai Nguyen has proven herself to be a real standout.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author

A tender, humorous, and page-turning debut about a Vietnamese Canadian family in Toronto who will do whatever it takes to protect their no-frills nail salon after a new high end salon opens up—even if it tears the family apart. Perfect for readers of Olga Dies Dreaming and The Fortunes of Jaded Women.

Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran have built a comfortable life for themselves in Toronto with their family nail salon. But when an ultra-glam chain salon opens across the street, their world is rocked.

Complicating matters further, their landlord has jacked up the rent and it seems only a matter of time before they lose their business and everything they’ve built. They enlist the help of their daughter, Jessica, who has just returned home after a messy breakup and a messier firing. Together with their son, Dustin, and niece, Thuy, they devise some good old-fashioned sabotage. Relationships are put to the test as the line between right and wrong gets blurred. Debbie and Phil must choose: do they keep their family intact or fight for their salon?

Sunshine Nails is a light-hearted, urgent fable of gentrification with a cast of memorable and complex characters who showcase the diversity of immigrant experiences and community resilience.

–

To Have And To Heist by Sara Desai

(Available Formats: Print Book)

To exonerate her best friend, one woman must mastermind a jewelry heist during the wedding of the season in this hilarious romantic-comedy caper from the author of The Dating Plan.

Simi Chopra is on a bad-luck streak. She’s lost yet another job, her student loan debt won’t stop growing, her basement apartment is a certifiable flood zone, and now her best friend has been accused of stealing a multimillion-dollar diamond necklace. To put it lightly, she’s desperate for a break—that’s right when Jack waltzes out of the bushes and into her life.

Jack is just as charming as he is mysterious. When he offers to help her find the missing necklace and steal it back, Simi jumps at the chance to clear her friend’s name and collect the substantial reward. But every good heist needs a crew. All she needs to do is transform a ragtag group of strangers into an elite heist crew, infiltrate a high-society wedding and steal the necklace from a dangerous criminal before the happy couple say “I do.” Meanwhile the bride is keeping secrets, a detective with a slow-burn smile keeps showing up at her door, and the ultimate robbery might not be the wedding con, but the way Jack is stealing her heart.

–

What The Neighbors Saw: A Novel by Melissa Adelman

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Desperate Housewives meets The Couple Next Door in a chilling story of murder and intrigue set in a well-to-do DC suburb.

Sometimes the darkest acts occur in the most beautiful houses…

When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. Sam is on the cusp of making partner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and their glamorous neighbors welcome the couple with open arms. Things are looking up, and Alexis believes she can finally leave her troubled past behind.

But the neighborhood’s picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy – a handsome, successful father of three – is found dead on the steep banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken, and as the police struggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mounts and long-buried secrets start to emerge.

In the midst of the turmoil, Alexis takes comfort in her budding friendship with Teddy’s beautiful and charismatic widow, Blair. But as the women grow closer, the neighborhood only becomes more divided. And when the unthinkable truth behind Teddy’s murder is finally uncovered, both Blair and Alexis must reexamine their friendship and decide how far they are willing to go to preserve the lives they have so carefully constructed.

–

Have a great day!

Linda Reimer

–

*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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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).

–

Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

–

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*

–

New York Times Bestseller blog posts are published on Sundays.And the next New York Times blog post will be published Sunday, July 23, 2023.

–

FICTION

–

THE COVENANT OF WATER by Abraham Verghese

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out Audiobook)

Three generations of a family living on South India’s Malabar Coast suffer the loss of a family member by drowning.

–

CROSS DOWN by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook & eBook)

John Sampson seeks justice after Alex Cross gets injured.

–

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audibook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant check out eBook & Audiobook)

Winner of a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. A reimagining of Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield” set in the mountains of southern Appalachia.

–

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

After a tragedy, a popular food blogger brings friends from distinct times in her life to spend a weekend in Nantucket.

–

FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros

(Available Formats: Print Book, Downloadable Audiobook & Hoopla instant check out eBook)

Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

–

HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A former couple pretend to be together for the sake of their friends during their annual getaway in Maine.

–

HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano

(Available Formats:Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In a homage to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” a young man’s dark past resurfaces as he gets to the know the family of his college sweetheart.

–

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

–

ICEBREAKER by Hannah Grace

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

Anastasia might need the help of the captain of a college hockey team to get on the Olympic figure skating team.

–

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A battered wife raised in a violent home attempts to halt the cycle of abuse.

–

IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In the sequel to “It Ends With Us,” Lily deals with her jealous ex-husband as she reconnects with her first boyfriend.

–

LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See

(Available Formats:Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Tan Yunxian learns the pillars of Chinese medicine from her grandmother but is sent into an arranged marriage and pressured by her mother-in-law.

–

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A scientist and single mother living in California in the 1960s becomes a star on a TV cooking show.

–

LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A theoretical physicist finds her theories on love are tested by an experimental physicist.

–

ONLY ONE LEFT by Riley Sager

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

In 1983, a mute woman confined to a wheelchair types out her side of the story about a family massacre to her home-health aide.

–

PALAZZO by Danielle Steel

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print & eBook)

Challenges arise when a young woman takes over her family’s haute couture Italian leather brand and 400-year-old palazzo in Venice.

–

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook, Downloadable Audiobook, Hoopla instant checkout eBook & Audiobook)

A widow working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium is aided in solving a mystery by a giant Pacific octopus living there.

–

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A movie icon recounts stories of her loves and career to a struggling magazine writer.

–

TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Two friends find their partnership challenged in the world of video game design.

–

UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

Tate Collins and Miles Archer, an airline pilot, think they can handle a no strings attached arrangement. But they can’t.

–

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.

–

YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

June Hayward, a struggling writer, must conceal the fact that she stole Athena Liu’s just-finished masterpiece after Liu’s sudden death.

–

ZERO DAYS by Ruth Ware

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

A security system tester must elude the police to find the person who killed her partner in marriage and in crime.

–

NON-FICTION:

–

1964 by Paul McCartney

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A collection of photographs taken with a 35-millimeter camera during the rise of the Beatles from the end of 1963 through early 1964.

–

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

–

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.

–

I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED by Jennette McCurdy

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The actress and filmmaker describes her eating disorders and difficult relationship with her mother.

–

IN-BETWEEN by Hadley Vlahos

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A hospice nurse shares some of her most impactful experiences and questions some of society’s beliefs around end-of-life care.

–

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, Large Print, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The story of a murder spree in 1920s Oklahoma that targeted Osage Indians, whose lands contained oil.

 

–

MY FRIEND ANNE FRANK by Hannah Pick-Goslar with Dina Kraft

(Available Formats: Print Book)

A memoir by the Holocaust survivor who was first referred to as Lies Goosens in Anne Frank’s diary.

–

OUTLIVE by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford

(Available Formats: Print Book & Downloadable Audiobook)

A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

–

PAGEBOY by Elliot Page

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Oscar-nominated star details discovering himself as a trans person and navigating abuse in Hollywood.

–

THE PUPPETEERS by Jason Chaffetz

(Available Formats: Not yet available in any catalog)

The Fox News contributor and former congressman argues that liberals remain in power no matter who gets elected.

–

SPARE  by Prince Harry

(Available Formats: Print Book, CD Audiobook, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The Duke of Sussex details his struggles with the royal family, loss of his mother, service in the British Army and marriage to Meghan Markle.

–

TELL ME EVERYTHING by Minka Kelly

(Available Formats:Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobook)

The actress and philanthropist shares stories of adversity on her way to career success.

–

UNBROKEN BONDS OF BATTLE by Johnny Joey Jones

(Available Formats: Print Book)

The Fox News military analyst shares stories from working with veterans for over a decade.

–

THE WAGER by David Grann

(Available Formats: Print Book, eBook & Downloadable Audiobooks)

The survivors of a shipwrecked British vessel on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain have different accounts of events.

–

WHAT AN OWL KNOWS by Jennifer Ackerman

(Available Format: 

The author of “The Genius of Birds” explores new scientific discoveries about the brains and behavior of owls.

–

Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSL

–

*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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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

–

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,

–

And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week!

–

Cheer Up Good Times Are Coming by Ted Weems & His Orchestra

From The Album: Times Ain’t Like They Used To Be (Early American Rural & Popular Music) by Various Artists

–

Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top (Genre: Rock)

From The Album: Degüello (1979)

–

Handful Of Riffs by Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang (Genre: Country-Blues)

From The Album: Presenting Lonnie Johnson (1926)

–

The Last Thing On My Mind by Tom Paxton (Genre: Folk)

From The Album: Ramblin’ Boy (1964)

–

The Made On The Shore by Solas (Genre: Vocal, Celtic)

From The Album: Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers (2006)

–

Raise A Little Hell by The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (Genre: Blues)

From The Album: So Delicious (2015)

–

Rest by Anohni and the Johnsons (Genre: Pop/R&B)

From The Album: My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (2023)

–

Stranger In A Strange Land by Leon Russell (Genre: Classic Rock)

From The Album: Signature Songs (2023)

And as a bonus, from the forthcoming tribute album, A Song For Leon by Various Artists

Stranger In A Strange Land by Margo Price

–

Sliding Delta by Mississippi John Hurt (Genre: Blues)

From The Album: Worried Blues (1963)

–

Snigglin’ Blues by Barefoot Bill (Genre: Blues/Country-Blues)

From The Album: Alabama Blues: 1927-1931 (2023) by Various Artists (Yazoo)

–

Hoopla Recommend Album of the Week

Country Blues Bottleneck Guitar Classics 1926 – 1937 by Various Artists

And from the album the song:

Bottleneck Blues by Sylvester Weaver & Walter Beasley 

–

Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, etc.

–

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

–

The Libby App

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

–

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.

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Hi everyone, here are our recommended reads for the week!

*More information on the three catalogs and available formats is found at the end of the list of recommended reads*

–

Weekly Suggested Reading postings are published on Wednesdays.

And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

–

The 9th Man by Steve Berry

(Available Formats: Print Book)

From New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series comes a thrilling, action-packed historical adventure that sends Luke Daniels on an international manhunt for the truth about the assassination of President John Kennedy.

Luke Daniels is in London, between assignments with the Magellan Billet, when he receives a frantic call from an old friend.  Jillian Stein is in trouble.  She made a mistake and now her life may be in danger.  She needs Luke’s help.  Immediately.  Racing to Belgium Luke quickly finds that she was right.  A shadow team of highly-trained operatives are there on the hunt.  Intervening, he finds himself embroiled in a war between two determined sides — one seeking the truth, the other trying to escape the past — a war that has already claimed one life and is about to claim more.

Thomas Rowland is a Washington insider, a kingmaker, problem-solver, but also a man with a past.  For him everything turns with what happened on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.  What history has recorded is wrong.  There is more to the story, much more, and Thomas Rowland is at the center of that terrible reality.  But forces are working against him, and Rowland will do anything to keep the world from learning what actually happened on that fateful day, including killing Luke, Jillian and anyone else who might be a threat.

In a race from Belgium, to Luxembourg, to the bayous of Louisiana and the Wyoming wilderness, to a final confrontation in the Bahamas, Luke Daniels confronts a series of shocking truths which not only rewrite history but will forever change his own life — as he comes face to face with the ninth man.

–

Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez

(Available Formats: Print Book)

It is move in day at Anderson Hughes College. When the gunshots begin in the courtyard, the first person to react is Julia Bennett, tackling her daughter, Cora, and saving her life. Others near them are not so lucky. Dealing with the aftermath through the lens of her own childhood trauma, Julia starts questioning the events of that day. Was the attack random? Did the shooter miss their intended target? Ren Petrovic is a trained assassin who believes in only eliminating the guilty. She is not responsible for the shooting at Anderson Hughes, but she knows who is: her husband, Nolan. Ren suspects Nolan isn’t being truthful about who hired him, and the more she digs, the more she understands the danger they’re in. Before She Finds Me is intricately plotted and wildly exciting. Despite the inherent rivalry between Julia and Ren, both women are similarly beguiling and flawed characters. The changes in points of view allow for backstory to be revealed while still moving the pace along. Recommended for readers of the gritty, complex thrillers by Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, and Gillian Flynn. – Booklist Review

–

Dead Man’s Wake by Paul Doiran

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Game Warden Mike Bowditch’s engagement party is interrupted by the discovery of a gruesome double murder in this new thriller from Edgar Award-winning author Paul Doiron.

On the evening of their engagement party, Maine Game Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch and Stacey Stevens witness what seems to be a hit-and-run speedboat crash on a darkened lake. When they arrive at the scene, their spotlight reveals a gruesome sight: a severed arm floating just beneath the surface. As day breaks, the warden dive team recovers not one but two naked corpses: a dismembered man and the married woman with whom he was having an affair. Mike begins to suspect the swimmers’ deaths were not a senseless accident but a coldly calculated murder.

Meanwhile, the hunt is on for the mysterious boater. Suspects abound on the lake, nicknamed “Golden Pond,” including the violent biker husband of the murdered woman who may have taken vengeance on his wife and her paramour; a strange woman who claims to have witnessed the crash, but then changes her story; a very aggressive realtor and his wife who were determined to catch trespassers; and the lake’s earnest young constable whose eagerness to help may hide darker motives.

Alone among his fellow officers, Mike starts to sense the involvement of a trained marksman, smarter and more dangerous than any enemy he has ever faced before. As Mike and Stacey get closer to identifying the killer, their own lives are suddenly on the line as they confront a lethal killer who plans to silence them forever. The finale is a tour de force of drama and suspense.

–

Flags On The Bayou by James Lee Burke

(Available Formats: Print Book)

From New York Times-bestselling author James Lee Burke comes a novel set in Civil War-era Louisiana as the South transforms and a brilliant cast of characters – enslaved and free women, plantation gentry, and battle-weary Confederate and Union soldiers – are caught in the maelstrom

In the fall of 1863, the Union army is in control of the Mississippi river. Much of Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, is occupied. The Confederate army is retreating toward Texas, and being replaced by Red Legs, irregulars commanded by a maniacal figure, and enslaved men and women are beginning to glimpse freedom.

When Hannah Laveau, an enslaved woman working on the Lufkin plantation, is accused of murder, she goes on the run with Florence Milton, an abolitionist schoolteacher, dodging the local constable and the slavecatchers that prowl the bayous. Wade Lufkin, haunted by what he observed—and did—as a surgeon on the battlefield, has returned to his uncle’s plantation to convalesce, where he becomes enraptured by Hannah. Flags on the Bayou is an engaging, action-packed narrative that includes a duel that ends in disaster, a brutal encounter with the local Union commander, repeated skirmishes with Confederate irregulars led by a diseased and probably deranged colonel, and a powerful story of love blossoming between an unlikely pair. As the story unfolds, it illuminates a past that reflects our present in sharp relief.

James Lee Burke, whose “evocative prose remains a thing of reliably fierce wonder” (Entertainment Weekly), expertly renders the rich Louisiana landscape, from the sunsets on the Mississippi River to the dingy saloons of New Orleans to the tree-lined shores of the bayou and the cottonmouth snakes that dwell in its depths. Powerful and deeply moving, Flags on the Bayou is a story of tragic acts of war, class divisions upended, and love enduring through it all.

–

The Hospital by Han Song

(Available Formats: Print Book)

From acclaimed Chinese author Han Song comes a twisted, experimental narrative of one man’s mysterious illness and his journey through a dystopian hospital system.

When Yang Wei travels to C City for work, he expects nothing more than a standard business trip. A break from his day-to-day routine, a good paycheck, a nice hotel—nothing too extravagant, of course. No fuss, but all the amenities.

But this is where his problems begin. A complimentary bottle of mineral water from the hotel minibar results in sudden and debilitating stomach pain, followed by unconsciousness. When he wakes three days later, things don’t improve; they get worse. With no explanation, the hotel forcibly sends him to a hospital for examination. There, he receives no diagnosis, no discharge date…just a diligent guide to the labyrinthine medical system he’s now circulating through.

Armed with nothing but his own confusion, Yang Wei travels deeper into the inner workings of the hospital and the secrets it’s hiding from the patients. As he seeks escape and answers, one man’s illness takes him on a quest through a corrupt system and his own troubled mind.

–

The Merry Widow Murders by Melodie Campbell

(Available Formats: Print Book)

It’s the latter half of the Roaring Twenties and Lady Lucy Revelstoke, the unconventional widow of a young British lord, is once more crossing the Atlantic on a state-of-the-art ocean liner. Rubbing elbows with the era’s elite, Lucy has come a long way from her roots as the daughter of a Canadian mobster. But when a dead man turns up in her stateroom on the first night of the voyage, Lucy wonders if her past has come back to haunt her. Who is this dead man? Is someone from her past trying to send her a message? Lucy doesn’t wait to find out. With her chivalrous friend Lord Tony, and Elf, her pickpocket-turned-maid, she endeavours to throw the body overboard. It does not go as planned. When the body is discovered by authorities on the ship, Lucy must do everything in her power to find the murderer before they look too deeply into her past.

–

The Queens of New York by E. L. Shen

(Available Formats: Print Book)

From acclaimed author E. L. Shen comes a sun-drenched, cinematic YA novel about three Asian American girls, their unbreakable bond, and one life-changing summer, perfect for fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable. But this summer, they won’t be together.

Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.

As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together.

–

Sivulliq: Ancestor by Lily H Tuzroyluke

(Available Format: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

Indigenous writer Tuzroyluke’s stirring debut evokes the beauty of the Arctic and sheds light on a dark corner of U.S. history. In the spring of 1893, a smallpox epidemic devastates Indigenous communities along the north shore of Alaska. After lighting a funeral pyre for the bodies of her husband and immediate family, Kayaliruk heads north in a dog sled with her three children to find other survivors. Along the way, they suffer a violent encounter with Naluagmiut (white men), who kidnap her only daughter. Badly injured and near starvation, Kayaliruk is determined to save her daughter and follows the men’s American whaling ship with her two sons, first to Herschel Island, an outpost in the Beaufort Sea, then to Siberia. The story of Kayaliruk’s journey alternates with that of Ibai, a Black whaler from Massachusetts, whose fate will eventually merge with Kayaliruk’s. Tuzroyluke explores a chapter of American expansion rarely included in history books, illuminating both the rich cultural diversity predating U.S. colonialism in the Arctic and the sordid legacy of whalers who overhunted and spread diseases. The ice is as omnipresent a character as either protagonist: “unpredictable, feared and a living creature” that can shift, crack, and overwhelm. Tuzroyluke’s beautiful novel crackles with a fierce love of her people and their land. – Publishers Weekly Review

–

Summer’s Gift: A Novel by Jennifer Ryan

(Available Formats: Print Book)

Bestseller Ryan (Surrendering to Hunt) takes readers on an emotional journey of familial reconciliation in this dramatic contemporary romance. Summer Sutherland, 25, is miserable. She has financial security and privilege thanks to her adoring business mogul grandfather, but she’s never felt a sense of stability or belonging. Due to her flighty, selfish mother, Jessica, Summer’s never known her father and spent her childhood bouncing “from home to home, school to school, and stepfather to stepfather.” All that time, Jessica’s kept a massive secret: she knows exactly who Summer’s father is, and where Summer can find him. When the truth finally comes out, Summer goes looking for him—and finds a whole new family. It’s a whirlwind of revelations, love, and long-simmering resentment. Amid all the chaos, Summer finds refuge in her budding connection with Cody, her father’s business partner whom he’s always treated like a son. Their chemistry is instant and intense—and together they navigate the murky waters of family secrets, past hurts, forgiveness, and new beginnings. The romance is endearing, but it’s the complex and affecting family drama that will really hook readers. Colleen Hoover fans should check this out.

–

The Wedding Gift by Carolyn Brown

(Available Formats: Print Book & Hoopla Instant Checkout eBook)

A bride with cold feet might just make the mistake of a lifetime… Includes two bonus novellas to help you celebrate the seasons!

A week before your wedding is one heckuva time for your ex to ride back into town, stirring up trouble. But that’s exactly the predicament Darla McAdams finds herself in. Darla’s on the verge of breaking up with her fiancé, Will Jackson—only a week before the wedding. Her parents would disown her, but Darla’s sure that her Granny Roxie will understand when Darla tells her that her first love, Andy, has come back to town. Thank goodness for a wise granny’s reminiscences of her own sassy wedding at just the right moment…

–

Have a great day!

Linda Reimer

–

*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.

–

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.

–

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.

–

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).

–

Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

–

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.