New winter reads at the Maricopa Public Library

Maricopa Public Library has some great new books that will make the winter reading season an enjoyable one indeed.

Maricopa readers may not need a big, fluffy blanket or a warm fire in the fireplace – maybe just a warm drink and a comfortable chair to set the mood for the following books:

National Book Award winner for “Paris Trout,” Pete Dexter returns with “Spooner,” a tale about a man and his troubled stepson. Haverill, Vermont, is the setting for Chris Bohjalian’s “Secrets of Eden.” A murder-suicide grips this small town, and four key characters narrate the story, revealing secrets and more. Anne Tyler tells the tale of Liam Pennywise, a recently retired fifth grade teacher and his efforts to recover the moments of his life in “Noah’s Compass.” 

The works of four new novelists premiere this month. “The Summer We Fell Apart” is the debut novel for Robin Antalek. The story revolves around the trials and tribulations of the Haas family. Also making its debut in January is “Saving CeeCee Honeycutt” by Beth Hoffman; it is a coming of age story, featuring a twelve-year-old girl who leaves Ohio behind and moves to Savannah, Georgia, with her great Aunt Tootie Caldwell.   Pregnant, troubled and alone, seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel learns the art of fireworks when she studies under M.J. Blacklock in Jane Borodale’s first novel “The Book of Fires.” Domestic violence and the legacy it leaves behind resonate in Randy Susan Meyers’ “The Murderer’s Daughters.”

As fans of Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton await the new movie “Alice in Wonderland,” some may want to read Melanie Benjamin’s “Alice I Have Been.” It combines fact and fiction to tell the story of the girl who inspired Lewis Carroll’s classic works. Best-selling author Elizabeth Kostova writes about art and madness in “The Swan Thieves.”  The inhabitants of an apartment building located at 66 Star Street undergo changes when a mysterious visitor arrives in Marian Keyes’ “The Brightest Star in the Sky.” Faith and reason take center stage in Rebecca Goldstein’s “36 Arguments for the Existence of God.” The effects of war on a British soldier and his family in late 1950s Cyprus is at the heart of Sadie Jones’ “Small Wars.”

Among other titles to look forward to is T. Jefferson Parker’s “Iron River,” featuring Charlie Hood on the California/Mexico border searching for illegal weapons. Wyatt Hunt and the Hunt Club are back in John Lescroart’s “Treasure Hunt” set in San Francisco’s elite world of charity events. For those who love a great historical epic, Bernard Cornwell’s “The Burning Land” continues his Saxon Tales, centering on England’s history. Professional mercenary Joe Pike seeks to clear the name of a murdered friend in Robert Crais’s “The First Rule.” British policeman Hamish Macbeth is about to be married in M.C. Beaton’s “Death of a Valentine,” but he’s convinced that love is dangerous when a much admired woman is murdered. 

Faithful dog Chet (he’s the narrator) and his faithful owner Bernie find more than they bargained for at a dog show in Spencer Quinn’s “Thereby Hangs a Tail.” Sean Dillon is back for more adventure in Jack Higgins’ “The Wolf at the Door,” and this time there’s trouble brewing with the Russians. Daniel Suarez gives fans of the techno-thriller genre what they’ve been waiting for with “Freedom,” the sequel to his bestselling “Daemon.” 

Rounding out the newest in fiction is “Erak’s Ransom,” book seven in John Flanagan’s “Ranger’s Apprentice” series. A bevy of short stories come from TC Boyle in “The Wild Child” and in Tim Dorsey’s “Gator a Go Go” (spring break in Florida was never like this).  Finally, Joshua Ferris’s second book “The Unnamed” delves into the life of an attorney overcome by a mysterious illness, characterized by constant rambling and walking. Wyman Ford takes a secret trip to Cambodia to find the source of mysterious gemstones and trouble ensues in Douglas Preston’s “Impact.”

Children will enjoy Margaret Mahy’s “Bubble Trouble,” a hilarious tale about a little girl named Mabel, her brother and a bubble that creates havoc for everyone. A young girl named Miranda, who lives in New York City, is receiving mysterious notes in “When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead. When sixteen-year-old Cameron, finds out he’s going to die, he sets out on a road trip in Libba Bray’s “Going Bovine.” A compulsive liar named Micah takes center stage in Justine Larbalestier’s “Liar.” Teen angst and more are found in “Heartless,” in the continuing young adult saga better known as “Pretty Little Liars” by Sara Shephard. The world of vampires returns, this time in LJ Smith’s “Shadow Souls,” the second book in the “Vampire Diaries: The Return.” However, readers must wait until March 16 for its release.

While most of the library’s new arrivals are fiction, those who prefer non-fiction need not be disappointed. Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans, but Josh Neufeld explains it all in a graphic novel entitled “AD: New Orleans After the Deluge.” Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey of self-reflection became a bestseller, and she’s back with “Committed” and her return trip to the state of matrimony. Suze Orman one of America’s leading experts in finance, helps women deal with money issues in “Women and Money.” We all want to look great, feel great and wonder what it takes to stay young. Greg Critser takes on the subject in “Eternity Soup: the Quest to End Aging.” Finally, the autobiography that everyone has been waiting for (fans of Ozzy Osbourne that is); the perennial rocker exposes it all in “I am Ozzy.”

With all of these books, now would be a great time to sign up for the library’s Winter Reading program. If you haven’t done so yet, take the time to register online or at the library. Reading is one of the best ways to relax after a busy day of work or school. Stay tuned; more new books will soon dot the shelves of the Maricopa Public Library. 

Roberta Cianciosi heads the Friends of the Maricopa Public Library group. She is an avid reader, a published writer and will be offering information on new books available at the library each month.

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