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"And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days." ~ James Russel Lowell (1819-1891), American poet
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New and Recently Released!
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| Beneath the Bonfire: Stories by Nickolas ButlerSet in the vividly depicted northern states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, the stories collected here usually offer authentic male perspectives. Friendships between men are strengthened, tested, or lost, as are marriages and other relationships; there are plenty of women in these tales as well. Complex characters face hardships forced on them by circumstances or of their own making; either way, this is a poignant collection for fans of Jim Harrison's similarly moving writing. |
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| The Well by Catherine ChanterSometime in the nearish future, when the U.K. is mired in drought, Ruth Ardingly and her family flee London for a country farm. As the drought worsens and their neighbors' crops wither, water continues to flow freely on their property (called the Well) -- it even rains daily. This of course engenders both suspicion in their neighbors and adoration from those who believe both the Well and Ruth are Chosen. A "provocative, tantalizing triumph" (Booklist), this dystopian debut novel combines personal tragedies with religious fanaticism and environmental disaster. |
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| Girl in the Moonlight: A Novel by Charles DubowWylie Rose is only nine or ten when he meets the girl who will obsess him for decades. Their feverish teenage affair ends with the first of many broken hearts for Wylie; Cesca continues to walk in and out of his life at whim, destroying his other relationships throughout their adult lives. Narrated by Wylie, who becomes an artist, this lavishly descriptive novel name-drops famous painters, references the AIDS epidemic, and offers a glamorous portrait of old-money families during the last half of the 20th century. |
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| War of the Encyclopaedists: A Novel by Christopher Robinson and Gavin KoviteBest friends Mickey Montauk and Halifax Corderoy spent much of their post-college years throwing parties, but like all good things, this relatively carefree life must come to an end. Mickey's National Guard unit is going to Iraq, which means he can't join Halifax at grad school. They keep in touch, continents apart, through frequent edits to a Wikipedia article they created about themselves, each wrestling with problems unique to their situations. Certain to appeal to other "new adults," for whom so much seems uncertain, this debut novel was written by two authors who drew on their own experiences as a grad student and infantry platoon leader respectively. |
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| Boo by Neil SmithNicknamed for his ghostly white skin and pale hair, 13-year-old Boo does not fit in at school. The victim of a school shooting, Boo lands in an afterlife filled exclusively with other 13-year-olds (they theorize that there's a "Town" for every age group) where he finds the kinds of friendships that eluded him in life, including with another boy from his hometown. Boo has a unique, memorable voice, and Town itself is extremely detailed. With themes of bullying and forgiveness leavened by a bit of humor, this smart and unusual coming-of-age story has appeal for both adults and teens; it's been frequently compared to Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. |
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| Tell the Wolves I'm Home: A Novel by Carol Rifka BruntSet in 1987, this is the story of 15-year-old June, whose much-loved uncle Finn has just died of AIDS. Her sister, Greta, jealous of the time Finn and June had spent together, treats her cruelly, and June is bereft. When Toby, Finn's lover, starts contacting June secretly, it's the beginning of a new and touching friendship, but one that is also at risk. This emotionally wrenching novel won an Alex Award in 2013 and is a "beautifully bittersweet mix of heartbreak and hope" (Booklist). |
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| Centuries of June by Keith DonohueAfter a bad fall in his bathroom one night in June, narrator Jack awakens to find that he's been joined by the ghost of Samuel Beckett (or maybe it's his whiskey-soaked dad) while eight naked women are asleep in the adjoining bedroom. The eight women, who come from different eras, each take a turn literally trying to attack him before explaining why Jack, who stands in for all men and specifically for the men who betrayed them, deserves punishment. Full of literary allusions and plenty of surrealism (Jack's cat can talk), Centuries of June is a "puzzling and greatly satisfying trip" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Fourth of July Creek: A Novel by Smith HendersonWith his own home life in shambles (he's separated from his wife and daughter and estranged from his father), Pete Snow pours his energies into his job as a social worker in poverty-stricken rural Montana. But his latest charge, a nearly feral 11-year-old who appears to be the son of a disturbed survivalist, is different. Not only does Pete find it hard to help the boy, the case gets him involved in a manhunt after the F.B.I. shows interest in his father. Dramatic and gritty, with strong descriptions of the rough Montana landscape, this debut novel will appeal to fans of Peter Heller. |
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| Goodnight June: A Novel by Sarah JioWhen she inherited her great-aunt's Seattle bookstore, the last thing that financier June Anderson (who specializes in shutting down failing businesses and selling their assets) expected was to keep it. Already planning on selling to a developer, June instead reconnects with her childhood through her aunt's possessions, including letters between her aunt and well-known children's author Margaret Wise Brown, of Goodnight Moon fame. When she gets a notice of imminent foreclosure, June decides to leave her career behind in favor of saving the store. Optimistic and imaginative, this will have great appeal for fans of children's literature -- and second chances. |
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| Juliet in August by Dianne WarrenSet during a single August day in Juliet, Saskatchewan, this insightful, award-winning debut (titled Cool Water in Canada) puts us squarely in the hearts and minds of the small town's varied citizens. Full of character studies, rather than a plot with forward momentum, Juliet in August may appeal most to readers of short stories: among the profiles are a theater owner in love with his brother's widow, unaware that she shares his feelings; a bank manager who struggles with his knowledge of his customers' finances; and a particularly debt-burdened citizen who seems to be losing everything -- his land, his money, and maybe even his family. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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