POETRY

Proof, by Murray Dunlap

With the release of Proof, local author Murray Dunlap celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the car accident that left him immobile and with a severe brain injury. The poems chronicle his marriage, relationship with God, and the struggles and confusion he has encountered during his journey. Dunlap worked on the collection during his stay as a writer-in-residence at the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities. 

FICTION

How Hard Can It Be?, by Allison Pearson

Kate Reddy is approaching 50 and facing the ultimate female body betrayal: perimenopause, which she has nicknamed “Perry.” After leaving a highly successful career to raise her family, she finds herself entering the job market once again — no small feat at her age. All the while her husband is in the throes of a midlife crisis and her two children pose typical and not-so-typical challenges. The author of the best-selling I Don’t Know How She Does It leaves the reader gasping with laughter.

Florida, by Lauren Groff 

In 11 short stories, each masterfully crafted by a writer with a keen eye for humanity, Groff lifts the curtain on the side of Florida the sunburned droves of tourists trekking to man-made meccas miss. Dark, lush and dreamy, the stories depict the dangerous natural elements lurking in the Sunshine State along with its dissatisfied, insecure and flawed characters.

Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris

The author of Behind Closed Doors returns with a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. For the past decade Finn has wondered what happened to his girlfriend, Layla, after she disappeared from a rest stop. When he announces his engagement to Layla’s sister, Ellen, he starts getting signs that can only come from someone who knows her whereabouts
. . . or are they coming from Layla, herself?

Remind Me Again What Happened, by Joanna Luloff

A traveling journalist, Claire goes on an assignment to India, contracts Japanese encephalitis and wakes up alone in a hospital in the Florida Keys. Her husband and best friend come to be with her, and eventually take her home, but her memory loss wears on them all. Remind Me Again What Happened is a fascinating look at friendship and how events in our lives change those relationships.

Left: A Love Story, by Mary Hogan

Fay and Paul are vacationing in Spain when the first signs that something is wrong with Paul begin. Everything comes to a standstill when he falls and requires surgery. His mind is never the same, and Fay must learn to live with her new life. A touching account of loving someone in sickness and in health.

NONFICTION

Lincoln’s Last Trial, by Dan Abrams and David Fisher

At the end of the summer of 1859, 22-year-old “Peachy” Quinn Harrison went on trial for murder in Springfield, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln, who had been involved in more than 3,000 cases — including more than 25 murder trials — during his two-decade legal career, was hired to defend him.  Lincoln’s Last Trial captures a moment that shines a light on our legal system in a battle that remains incredibly relevant today.

The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy, by Jay Cost

Hamilton emphasized economic growth and Madison the importance of republican principles. Cost argues that both men were right and that their quarrel reveals a fundamental paradox at the heart of the American experiment. He shows that each man, in his own way, came to accept corruption as a cost of growth. The Price of Greatness reveals the trade-off that made the United States the richest nation in human history, and that continues to fracture our politics to this day.

Race to Save the Romanovs: The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue the Russian Imperial Family, by Helen Rappaport

Investigating the murder of the Russian imperial family, Helen Rappaport embarks on a quest to uncover the various international plots and plans to save them, why they failed, and who was responsible. She draws on never-before-seen sources from archives in the United States, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom, creating a powerful account of near misses and close calls with a heartbreaking conclusion.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Brave Enough for Two, by Jonathan D. Voss

Hoot and Olive are best friends and adventure lovers. As often happens, opposites attract. Olive likes her adventure in books while Hoot prefers the great outdoors. But, when good friends get together, things always seem to work out. With classic-feeling illustrations and a gentle back-and-forth story, Hoot and Olive are reminiscent of the friendships found in the A.A. Milne Winnie the Pooh stories. (Ages 3-6.)

Crunch the Shy Dinosaur, by Cirocco Dunlap, with illustrations by Greg Pizzoli

Shhhhh. Crunch the Dinosaur wants to come out and play, but is just too shy. Whisper his name and maybe he will venture out to join you. Engaging and interactive, this cute new dinosaur tale will delight young readers over and over again. (Ages 3-6.)

The Inventors at No. 8, by A.M. Morgen

On the eve of his 10th birthday, George, the third Lord of Devonshire, has suffered the death of almost all of the adults closest to him. His only guardian is his manservant, Frobisher. The pair survive by selling the furnishings from George’s house. When a thief tries to steal George’s legacy, his grandfather’s map to the Star of Victory, an ingenious mechanical bird intervenes. Jam-packed with thieves, clues and intrigue, The Inventors at No. 8 is a great summer read. (Ages 8-13.)

Neverworld Wake, by Marisha Pessl

Beatrice, Martha, Cannon, Whitley and Kipling find themselves in the Neverworld Wake, the hours the friends relive over and over, a hundred, a thousand, possibly a million times as they search for answers about their friend, Jim’s, death, and the accident that threw them into the wake. “The first thing you must do is stay calm,” says the mysterious Keeper. This psychological thriller of the most fascinating sort, where one’s worst nightmare is relived again and again, is an absolute beach-bag must for fans of Gone Girl, We Were Liars and We Are the Goldens. (Ages 14 to adult.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

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