aired the week of March 16, 2015

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira is the 2015 All Iowa Reads selection.  Mary Sutter is a midwife in Albany, New York at the dawn of the Civil War.  She dreams of becoming a surgeon and in order to see her dreams realized leaves home for Washington City after reading an advertisement from Dorothea Dix requesting nurses.

Join us as we discuss this title at our next Pushing the Limits session on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 6:30 in the Shenandoah Public Library Auditorium.  Snacks will be provided.

aired the week of March 9, 2015

Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer is set in Cape Town, South Africa.  Detective Inspector Benny Griessel is jolted awake with a call about the murder of a young woman.  The news just gets worse, not only is she a tourist but there has been a second murder and a third soon to be committed.  So starts the longest Thirteen Hours of Griessel's life.

aired the week of March 2, 2015

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter starts in Italy in 1962 when a dying American starlet stays at an out of the way inn.  It begins again today when the Innkeeper shows up on a film lot in Hollywood looking for the woman he met almost 50 years ago.  This story spans 50 years and two continents full of flawed yet fascinating characters.

aired the week of February 23, 2015

The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow is the story of Georgia Waltz who is widowed young when her husband dies suddenly of a heart attack training for the New York City Marathon.  When Georgia talks with her husband's attorney she is shocked to find they are almost penniless.  Where did their money go and how could the man she thought she knew so well do this to her and their daughters?

aired the week of February 16, 2015

The High Divide by Lin Enger is a western story set in the waning days of the buffalo herds at the end of the Indian Wars.  Ulysses Pope disappears from his home in Minnesota.  As his wife and sons try to grapple with his sudden disappearance they must confront several difficult truths about the man they thought they knew so well.  A beautifully written family story.

aired the week of February 9, 2015

Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver is a fun period mystery set in 1930's England.  Amory Ames gets herself embroiled in a murder investigation when one of her party is murdered at hotel where they are all vacationing.  When her good fried is accused of the murder she dons her sleuthing hat and starts asking questions.

aired the week of December 22, 2014

The Christmas Angel by Jane Maas may very well be one of my new favorite Christmas stories.  This beautiful tale follows poor Welsh coal miner Owen Thomas as he makes an angel for his love.  His suit is rejected and he leaves for America where the precious tradition of the Christmas Angel is passed from one generation to the next until she comes full circle.

aired the week of February 2, 2015

Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan is a difficult book to categorize.  Twelve-year-old Willow Chance is a genius with poor social skills.  But she manages to find friends when tragedy strikes her young life.  Enter school behavioral counselor Dell Duke and Qang-ha and his sister Mai who are also visiting the counselor.  This is a must read story that will make you laugh and cry in turns.  A gem to treasure.

aired the week of January 26, 2015

A Cold and Lonely Place by Sara J. Henry is set against the backdrop of upstate New York int he Adirondack Mountains.  When men cutting ice for a sculpture find a body frozen in the ice reporter Troy Chance is surprised she knows the dead man.  He was her roommate's boyfriend and there has to be a story there.

aired the week of January 19, 2015

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron is set in rural Maine.  Mike Bowditch is a young game warden for the state who sets of on his own to investigate a murder in which his father is the primary suspect.  An enjoyable series that will have you checking out the rest of the 5 titles.

1. The Poacher's Son
2. Tresspasser
3. Bad Little Falls
4. Massacre Pond
5. Bone Orchard

aired the week of January 12, 2015

The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee is the story of Portia who is having to learn how to take control of her own life and live for her dreams not someone elses.  She has run to New York City after divorcing her husband in Texas. Now she will have to make it on her own and come to terms with the knowing that she has.  A bit romance, a bit foodie, a dab chick lit and a little sprinkle of magic make this a wonderful story that is delicious to the last page.

aired the week of January 5, 2015

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews is set in Savannah, Georgia and follows Cara Kryzik the owner of a start up flower shop called Bloom who is trying her hardest to keep her business afloat and juggle all the demands of picky panicky brides and their mothers.  This is a feel good chick lit read.

aired the week of December 29, 2014

Carries Top 10 Reads for 2014 
Listed in the order read:

1. Six Years by Harlan Coben
2. Snapshot by Lis Wiehl
3. The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billie Letts
4. The Ranger by Ace Atkins
5. Vintage by Susan Gloss
6. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
7. Delicious! by Ruth Reichl
8.Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
9. Goodnight June by Sarah Jio
10. The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron

aired the week of December 15, 2014

A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer follows Nicole and her new husband Sebastian as they try to create the perfect first Christmas in spite of Sebastian's daughter from his first marriage who is scheming to try and get her parents back together in time for the birth of her second child.

aired the week of December 8, 2014

A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas tells the story of Eliza Spooner who lives in northeast Kansas during the Civil War.  She is making a quilt for her husband who is fighting with the Kansas Volunteers. But there are so many decisions she has to make now as the head of her house.

aired the week of December 1, 2014

Three Story House by Courtney Miller Santo tells the story of three cousins, Lizzie, Isobel and Elyse as they travel to Memphis to help Lizzie save her family home, Spite House from the wrecking ball.

aired the week of November 24, 2014

I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe is a work of historical fiction set during the early days of the Civil War.  Rosetta decides to follow her husband Jeremiah when he enlists with the Union Army.  She cuts her hair dons men's clothes and joins up as Private Ross Stone.

aired the week of November 17, 2014

Landline by Rainbow Rowell tells the story of Georgie who is missing the family Christmas trip to Omaha to work on her new sitcom.  Her husband Neal is hurt and Georgie is afraid it is the end of her marriage.  Then she finds an old landline in her childhood bedroom that will connect her to Neal in the past.  Maybe she can repair the future with this old phone.

aired the week of November 10, 2014

Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott introduces Sam Capra who works at the CIA field office in London.  When the office is blown up it looks like Sam is the traitor or maybe his pregnant wife is behind it.  Sam knows that isn't true, but how will he find the responsible party when the CIA is holding him in custody?

aired the week of November 3, 2014

Quiet Dell by Jane Anne Phillips tells the story of widowed Asta Eicher who in 1931 begins an ill fated correspondence with a gentleman from West Virginia.  It is only later she and her three children are discovered buried behind his barn.  Journalist Emily Thornhill vows to avenge this family from her hometown of Chicago and see that justice is served.  Based on a true story this is a gripping and powerful tale.

aired the week of October 27, 2014

Runner by Patrick Lee is a thriller that is difficult to put down.  Meet Sam Dryden who literally bumps into 12-year-old Rachel on the boardwalk while men are trying to hunt her down and kill her.  Sam immediately becomes her protector, but who are these men and why are they trying to kill her?

aired the week of October 20, 2014

One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson tells the fascinating story behind many of the amazing things accomplished during that summer such as Charles Lindberg's cross Atlantic flight and Babe Ruth setting the home run record.  This book will be discussed as part of the Library's Pushing the Limits series on Thursday, October 23rd at 6:30 in the Library' north room.