Staff Picks
LibraryReads for December 2020
- Sarah C.
- Monday, November 30, 2020
Collection
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country. All these books will be published in December 2020, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Take It Back
Published in 2020
"From author Kia Abdullah, Take It Back is a harrowing and twisting courtroom thriller that keeps you guessing until the last page is turned. One victim. Four accused. Who is telling the truth? Zara Kaleel, one of London's brightest legal minds, shatteredthe expectations placed on her by her family and forged a brilliant legal career. But her decisions came at a high cost, and now, battling her own demons, she has exchanged her high profile career for a job at a sexual assault center, helping victims whoneed her the most. Victims like Jodie Wolfe. When Jodie, a sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, accuses four boys in her class of an unthinkable crime, the community is torn apart. After all, these four teenage defendants are from hard-workingimmigrant families and they all have proven alibis. Even Jodie's best friend doesn't believe her. But Zara does-and she is determined to fight for Jodie-to find the truth in the face of public outcry. And as issues of sex, race and social justice collide,the most explosive criminal trial of the year builds to a shocking conclusion"-- Provided by publisher.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
Published in 2021
"December 1926: England unleashes the largest manhunt in its history. The object of the search is not an escaped convict or a war criminal, but the missing wife of a WWI hero, up-and-coming mystery author Agatha Christie. When her car is found wrecked, empty, and abandoned near a natural spring, the country is in a frenzy. Eleven days later, Agatha reappears, claiming amnesia. She provides no answers for her disappearance. That is...until she writes a very strange book about a missing woman, a murderous husband, and a plan to expose the truth. What role did her unfaithful husband play? And what was he not telling investigators? THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE explores one strong woman's successful endeavor to take her history into her own hands"-- Provided by publisher.
The Dark Archive
Published in 2020
"[BACK COVER] A professional spy for a mysterious Library that harvests fiction from different realities, Irene faces a series of assassination attempts that threaten to destroy her and everything for which she has worked. Irene is teaching her new assistant the fundamentals of a Librarian's job, and she is finding that training a young Fae is more difficult than she expected. But when they are the targets of kidnapping and assassination attempts, she decides that learning by doing is the only option theyhave left. . . . In order to protect themselves, Irene and her friends must do what they do best: search for information to defeat the overwhelming threat they face and identify their unseen enemy. To do that, Irene will have to delve deeper into her ownhistory than she ever has before, face an ancient foe, and uncover secrets that will change her life and the course of the Library forever"-- Provided by publisher.
This Time Next Year
Published in 2020
"Their lives began together, but their worlds couldn't be more different. After thirty years of missed connections, they're about to meet again.."-- Provided by publisher.
The Wrong Family
Published in 2020
An off-kilter narrator witnesses the slow unraveling of a couple's strained marriage that erupts in unexpected ways, in a chilling tale of domestic suspense.
The Arctic Fury
A Novel
Published in 2021
"1855: Virginia Reeve is summoned by an eccentric Brit with a compelling offer. Lady Jane Franklin wants her to lead a dozen women into the Arctic in search of the ships of her husband's lost expedition, and she's willing to pay handsomely. All four search attempts Lady Franklin has sponsored have failed. She has decided only a radical new approach can succeed: let women make the decisions. Lady Franklin will disavow all knowledge of the expedition if it fails, but if it succeeds, she promises great rewards .A year later, Virginia stands trial for murder. Survivors of the expedition willing to publicly support her sit in the front row. There are only six left. Set against the unforgiving backdrop of one of the world's most inhospitable locations, THE ARCTIC FURY uses the true story of Lady Jane Franklin's tireless attempts to find her husband's lost expedition as a jumping-off point to spin a tale of bravery, intrigue, perseverance and hope"-- Provided by publisher.
Perestroika in Paris
Published in 2020
"From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres and the New York Times best-selling Last Hundred Years Trilogy, a captivating, brilliantly imaginative story of three extraordinary animals--and a young boy--whose lives intersect in Paris Paras is a spirited racehorse at a racetrack west of Paris. At dusk, one afternoon she pushes open the door of her stall--she's a curious filly--and, after traveling through the night, arrives by chance in the City of Light. She's dazzled, and often mystified, by the sights, sounds and smells around her, but she isn't afraid. Soon she meets an elegant dog, a German shorthair pointer named Frida, who knows how to get by without attracting the attention of suspicious Parisians. Paras and Frida coexist for a time in the city's lush green spaces, nourished by Frida's strategic trips to the bakery and the butchershop. They keep company with two irrepressible ducks, and an opinionated raven. But then Paras meets a human boy, Etienne, and discovers a new, otherworldly part of Paris: the secluded, ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly-one-hundred-year-old great grandmother live, quietly and unto themselves. As the cold weather and Christmas near, the unlikeliest of friendships bloom among humans and animals alike. But how long can a runaway horse live undiscovered in Paris? And how long can a boy keep her hidden, and all his own? Jane Smiley's beguiling new novel is itself an adventure that celebrates curiosity and ingenuity, and expresses the desire of all creatures for true friendship, love, and freedom"-- Provided by publisher.
Ten Rules for Faking It
Published in 2021
"What happens when your love life becomes the talk of the town? As birthdays go, this year's for radio producer Everly Dean hit rock-bottom. Worse than the "tonsillectomy birthday." Worse than the birthday her parents decided to split (the first time). But catching your boyfriend cheating on you with his assistant? Even clichaes sting. But this is Everly's year! She won't let her anxiety hold her back. She'll pitch her podcast idea to her boss. There's just one problem. Her boss, Chris, is very cute. (Ofcourse). Also, he's extremely distant (which means he hates her, right? Or is that the anxiety talking)? And, Stacey the DJ didn't mute the mic during Everly's rant about Simon the Snake (syn: Cheating Ex). That's three problems. Suddenly, people are lining up to date her, Bachelorette-style, fans are voting (Reminder: never leave house again), and her interest in Chris might be a two-way street. It's a lot for a woman who could gold medal in people-avoidance. She's going to have to fake it 'till she makes it to get through all of this. Perhaps she'll make a list: The Ten Rules for Faking It. Because sometimes making the rules can find you happiness when you least expect it"-- Provided by publisher.
How to Fail at Flirting
Published in 2020
"One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever's world upside down. When her flailing department lands on the university's chopping block, Professor Naya Turner's friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for anevening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she'll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Letthe guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check...almost. Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she's flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship--except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career. Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she canflirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she's finally living again"-- Provided by publisher.