My LINKcat AccountEveryone’s heard the story (and possibly a song) about the swallows returning to Capistrano every spring. This phenomenon has been going on for centuries. Every year the swallows finish their six thousand mile flight to arrive on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th) to nest and rear young. In Hinckley, Ohio, the buzzards (also known as Turkey Vultures) return every March 15th. The story goes that buzzards first started flocking to Hinckley Township in 1818, after the “Great Hinckley Hunt” brought hundreds of hunters together with a goal of extinguishing carnivorous animals that had been attacking livestock. Turkey vultures were flying over DeForest on March 15th as well. Coincidence? You decide. While I was composing this, starring out the window in deep thought, a great blue heron flew past heading north, northwest. I know we still have a few basketball tournaments to get past before we can declare that the early spring predicted by groundhogs and our own Booky the Badger, has officially arrived – but since we rolled past the vernal equinox on the Sunday the 20th, all the signs are pointing towards spring. The spring titles from the publishers are also popping up like tulips on a sunny day. A few of the newest arrivals are listed below. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
Sleep smarter : 21 essential strategies to sleep your way to a better body, better health, and bigger success / by Shawn Stevenson. The host of a popular podcast, The Model Health Show, describes the importance of better sleep, and offers a 21-day plan to help readers fall asleep faster and avoid waking up during the night to attain a happier, healthier life.
American character : a history of the epic struggle between individual liberty and the common good / by Colin Woodard. Explores the ongoing debates throughout history between the fight for individual rights and the community as a whole, from discussions that took place at the Constitutional Convention, through the Civil War, all the way up to the modern Tea Party.
Rightful heritage : Franklin D. Roosevelt and the land of America / by Douglas Brinkley. The New York Times best-selling author of The Wilderness Warrior examines the environmental legacy of FDR and the New Deal, evaluating the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the dozens of State Park systems that were protected by his decisions.
New Fiction
The total package / by Stephanie Evanovich. The New York Times bestselling author of “Big Girl Panties” is back with a funny, sweet, and sizzling novel about love, redemption, and second chances in a story which asks, can a sports journalist trying to claw her way to the top and a quarterback who knows all about rock bottom make it to the Super Bowl without destroying each other?
Midnight sun / by Jo Nesbo. Arriving in a quiet Norway community where locals ask few questions, a former fixer for a cruel international drug king seeks redemption while becoming the kind of man his former boss and he used to target. By the internationally best-selling author of The Snowman.
The charm bracelet : a novel / by Viola Shipman. Through an heirloom charm bracelet, three women will rediscover the importance of family, love, faith, friends, fun and a passion for living as the magic of each charm changes their lives.
The pharos gate : Griffin & Sabine's lost correspondence / by Nick Bantock. Published simultaneously with the 25th-anniversary edition of Griffin & Sabine, The Pharos Gate finally shares what happened to the lovers, in a gorgeous volume that will surely delight Griffin and Sabine's longtime fans and a new generation of readers.
Property of a noblewoman : a novel / by Danielle Steel. The discovery of a cache of letters, photos and jewels in an abandoned safe deposit box brings together several unlikely people who investigate the mysterious disappearance of a beautiful young countess 75 years earlier. By the best-selling author of “Prodigal Son”.
The storm sister : Ally's story / by Lucinda Riley. An Olympic yachting hopeful traces her heritage to Norway, following an intriguing clue left by her deceased father, which leads her to uncover the story of a woman linked 100 years ago to the composer of “Peer Gynt,” Edvard Grieg.
At the edge of the orchard : a novel / by Tracy Chevalier. Settling in the swamps of early 19th-century northwest Ohio, the Goodenough family works relentlessly to establish an apple orchard that reflects respective dreams before their youngest child heads to Gold Rush California to collect seeds for a naturalist. By the best-selling author of “Girl with a Pearl Earring”.
Treachery at Lancaster Gate : a Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novel / by Anne Perry. Investigating an explosion in the heart of London that suspiciously coincided with a secret police raid, Commander Thomas Pitt finds evidence of a targeted murder and follows leads to the drawing rooms of the city's elite. By the best-selling author of the William Monk series.
The widow / by Fiona Barton. After Jean's husband dies, the community wants to know the real truth about the crime he was suspected of—but Jean has secrets of her own.