The Lost Ones /

by Ace Atkins   (Find the Book)

Edgar-finalist Atkins showcases his versatility in his exciting, thoughtful second thriller starring ex-Ranger-turned-lawman Quinn Colson (after 2011's The Ranger). Colson, who survived tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan, has only recently become sheriff in Tibbehah County, Miss., where graft is personified by Johnny Stagg, president of the board of county supervisors. Stagg, who was Colson's opponent in a special election to fill the vacant sheriff's position, is now determined to make life difficult for his adversary. Things are challenging enough without this personal animus. A battered child brought into the local trauma center leads the authorities to a horrific baby farm, and Donnie Varner, an old friend of Colson's, has gotten mixed up with some very bad and very violent people. Atkins manages to sell the notion of a contemporary laconic lead battling evil that could come straight out of a Gary Cooper western. . -- Publisher's Weekly

Steal like an artist : 10 things nobody told you about being creative /

by Austin Kleon.    (Find this Book)                                You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.
When Mr. Kleon was asked to address college students in upstate New York, he shaped his speech around the ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out. The talk went viral, and its author dug deeper into his own ideas to create Steal Like an Artist, the book. The result is inspiring, hip, original, practical, and entertaining. And filled with new truths about creativity: Nothing is original, so embrace influence, col- lect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path. Follow your interests wherever they take you. Stay smart, stay out of debt, and risk being boring—the creative you will need to make room to be wild and daring in your imagination. -- Publisher's Description.

The storm : a novel from the NUMA files

by Clive Cussler.    (Find this Book)
Global climate change poses a threat in bestseller Cussler's exciting 10th thriller featuring Kurt Austin and the gang from the National Underwater and Marine Agency (after 2011's Devil's Gate, also coauthored with Brown). When everyone aboard a NUMA research vessel dies after their catamaran runs into a mysterious black oily substance in the Indian Ocean, where they were investigating water temperature anomalies, Kurt and partner Joe Zavala rush to find out what happened. Wealthy Yemeni Jinn al-Khaif, who's behind the killings, has dumped billions of microbots into the sea to cool it and create weather patterns that will deliver rain to certain areas and prevent rain from falling in others. Jinn plans to become even richer by selling these weather patterns to governments. Kurt and Joe are out to stop him, and, as always, the fate of the world rests in their hands. A clever twist at the end shows Cussler still plotting at the top of his game.  -- Publisher's Weekly.

Pot, inc. : inside medical marijuana, America's most outlaw industry

by Greg Campbell.       (Find the Book)
Campbell's impressive new book explores pot from all angles, giving voice to both sides on the complex debate, and providing a surprisingly thoughtful meditation on the drug, especially the medical benefits. Campbell (Blood Diamonds) delves into the history of pot's persecution, beginning with the racial undertones of initial opposition in the 1930s, to Nixon's War on Drugs and the contemporary federal approach that seems too entrenched to reverse its universal policy of "Just Say No." Although he supports a nuanced acceptance of marijuana use, Campbell holds the pro-pot advocates up to the journalistic microscope, highlighting the leadership squabbles, scandals, and shady characters within the movement. The narrative proves most engaging when Campbell explores his personal involvement with the drug. After his home state of Colorado amended the state constitution to permit medical marijuana, and with the 2009 memo from the Obama administration that downplays the importance of persecuting medical marijuana charges, Campbell joins the Wild West of marijuana cultivation, as hundreds of dispensaries pop up overnight, including one in his own gym. Not content to observe, Campbell applies for a medical marijuana card, converts his basement office into a grow room, and even sells his pot on Craigslist. The book masterfully blends research with personal anecdote to argue that the problem in this country isn't marijuana, but how wrongly we perceive it.  -- Publisher's Weekly

The last boyfriend

by Nora Roberts.     (Find this Book)

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist—and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery McTavish...

Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation—and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery’s thoughts. But the attraction she’s feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen’s hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected—and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last… Publisher's Marketing.

End this depression now!

by Paul Krugman.       (Find this Book)
Krugman (Fuzzy Math), winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics, takes an edifying and often humorous journalistic approach to the current economic crisis in this accessible and timely study. Rather than provide a mere postmortem on the 2008 collapse (though relevant history lessons are provided), Krugman aims to plot a path out of this depression. He maintains that "We are suffering from a severe overall lack of demand;" as every purchase is also a sale, everyone's income is someone's spending , and few are currently spending. This "paradox of thrift," when everyone cuts back and tries to pay off old debt at the same time, ensures a stagnant economy-when no new debt is issued, the cycle continues, for one man's debt is another man's asset. Krugman suggests, then, that "the government [must] spend where the private sector won't," a la FDR's workers' programs during the Great Depression. The problem, of course, arises when politics enters the equation-some view government intervention as a gateway to socialism, whereas others can't agree on appropriate "shovel-ready" projects to spend money on. Krugman has consistently called for more liberal economic policies, but his wit and bipartisanship ensure that this book will appeal to a broad swath of readers-from the Left to the Right, from the 99% to the 1%. -- Publisher's Weekly.

Ties That Bind (Cobbled Quilt Series #5)

by Marie Bostwick.      (Find the Book)
Margot Matthews is miserable. Her 40th birthday comes on the heels of the end of her relationship with local lawyer Arnie Kinsella and has convinced Margot that she may never meet the love of her life. Through a series of life-changing events, including a tragedy that nearly severs the relationship she has with her parents, Margot discovers that maybe she was never as alone as she thought. Though this is the fifth book (after Threading the Needle) in Bostwick's quilting series, readers need not have read the others. Bostwick seamlessly introduces characters and recaps their backstories enough for new readers to focus on the action from the start of the novel. Verdict Unexpected twists for Margot and other town residents help move the action along and make the story more interesting than a run-of-the-mill novel about a woman bemoaning her lack of a love life. Those who enjoy reading about close-knit friends who come together in times of need (such as Neta Jackson's "Yada Yada Prayer Group" series) will enjoy this title. -- Library Journal Review.

Bay and her boys : unexpected lessons I learned as a (single) mom /

by Bay Buchanan.     (Find the Book)
Twenty-three years ago, Bay Buchanan was thrown--or as she says, dumped--into the world of single parenting. It wasn't a popular time to be raising kids solo, especially as a rising star in the conservative movement. But she quickly realized she needed to overcome the hurt and confusion and focus on giving her all to her children.
"Bay and Her Boys" is a compelling story that takes the reader on a candid trip into the world of single working motherhood. For the first time, Buchanan writes of her experiences--mistakes she made and rules that worked--in the hopes of encouraging mothers to make success at home their first priority in life.
Buchanan also wants to change the national dialogue about single moms with a shot across the bow of both conservatives and liberals. This book is the first step by a prominent conservative to be there for all mothers: standing with them, inspiring them, and arming them with tools that will help their kids succeed in life. -- Publisher Marketing.

Rest in Pizza (Pizza Lover's Mystery Series #4)

 by Chris Cavender.     (Find this book)
Life is never dull for Eleanor Swift, owner of A Slice of Delight, a pizzeria in the sleepy town of Timber Ridge, N.C., as shown by Cavender’s charming fourth pizza lovers mystery (after 2011’s A Pizza to Die For). When a dead body turns up in her restaurant yet again, Eleanor and her wisecracking younger sister and business partner, Maddy Spencer, must race to find the killer among a host of colorful suspects: a chef’s inebriated wife, a snappy television producer, a wronged assistant chef, and a local bookstore owner hiding a big secret. Meanwhile, Maddy and Eleanor wrestle with their always complicated love lives and the always complicated ins and outs of owning a small business. Though this foodie cozy drags in the middle and suffers from some overwritten passages, the two lovable, dynamic protagonists and the warm smalltown atmosphere more than compensate.  -- Publisher's Weekly.