What would you do if you knew the world was coming to an end in a matter of months?  Would you keep on working? In this pre-apocalyptic police procedural set in the United States, Hank Palace is a quirky detective who continues to investigate deaths including a seemingly innocent suicide. In a world turned upside down by a looming asteroid, this fast paced mystery is surprising and intricately plotted while being oddly uplifting. Palace’s dedication to his job forces us to question the worth of a life when all will perish in weeks. Winner of 2013 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, this is the first book in a trilogy. Ben H. Winters currently lives and writes in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Attorney Mickey Haller is a Los Angeles attorney who owns a small fleet of Lincoln automobiles, which he uses as an office as needed, hence the name "The Lincoln Lawyer".   Mickey owes a big mortgage on an almost empty scenic home, and has two ex-wives who figure prominently in the story, as well as a teenage daughter.  In a brutal assault case, Mickey may actually have found a truly "innocent" client - or is he?  The plot keeps twisting and turning, with a surprising ending.  This 10 disc set read by Adam Grupper is highly recommended.  This title is also available in regular print, large print, and a DVD released in 2011.  I have not seen the movie, but usually the book is better than the movie, so read it or listen to it first!

This BBC series is set in the mid-1950s in a poverty stricken area of East London.  Nurse midwives work alongside an Anglican order of nuns to deliver most babies at home, as was the custom at the time.  The characters are all very likable or at least interesting, which adds to the viewer's enjoyment.  The key midwife is young nurse Jennie Lee, although the viewer comes to love ALL the nurses and the nuns that work together.  Smoking was very pervasive at that time and so the series stays true to the period.  For the squeamish, many of the birth scenes are very realistic, but the viewer also is elated to see a baby delivered successfully.   Sometimes there is tragedy, but overall, this compelling series leaves us wanting to view the next season in the series.  The plot lines of the episodes keep progressing in the lives of the nurses and nuns, so if possible watch this series beginning with Season One.  Popular music from the time period is incorporated periodically, which adds to the viewing and listening experience.

FBI special agent Kate O'Hare has made it her mission to nail international con artist Nicolas Fox. When she discovers his plot to plunder a venture capitalist's twentieth-story Chicago penthouse of all its cash and treasures while the self-proclaimed "King of Hostile Takeovers" is getting married, Kate is 85 percent--okay maybe 92 percent--sure that she's finally going to bag Nick Fox.

 Problem is, first Kate has to convince her boss, building security, and maybe even herself, that wedding planner Merrill Stubing is actually Nicolas Fox. Second, she has to figure out how to corner and capture him without disrupting the event of the year. And third, what's going to happen once O'Hare finally gets her hands on Fox? It's going take a pro to catch a con before the fireworks over Lake Michigan go off.

 I am a longtime fan of Janet Evanovich’s novels. Readers will be entertained by the quick wit of her characters and the fast-paced action. This new series reminds me of the TV show “White Collar” with the addition of sexual tension between the FBI and the fugitive. Excited to continue on with the characters in the full length novels The Chase & The Heist!

A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet sitting by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean), the unremembered past comes flooding back.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a groundbreaking work told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human. Gaiman masterfully shows the power that stories possess to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out.

 

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother?

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

When Alyss Heart, heir to the Wonderland throne, must flee through the Pool of Tears to escape her murderous Aunt Redd, she finds herself lost and alone in Victorian London. Befriended by an aspiring author named Lewis Carrol, Alyss tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Alyss trusts this author to tell the truth so that someone, somewhere will find her and bring her home. But he gets the story all wrong. He even spells her name incorrectly!

Fortunately, Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan knows all too well the awful truth of Alyss' story and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may eventually battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

The Looking Glass Wars unabashedly challenges our Wonderland assumptions surrounding mad tea parties, grinning Cheshire cats, and a curious little blond girl to reveal an epic battle in the endless war for Imagination.

What would YOU think if you woke up one day only to discover that you could suddenly see ghosts? Would you think you were crazy? Sleep-deprived? Cursed?

Unfortunately for Chloe Saunders, she doesn’t get to decide that for herself right away. When an unexpected visit from a dead school janitor causes her to have a mental breakdown, Chloe finds herself placed in Lyle House, a group home for troubled teenagers. Overnight, she goes from being a normal high school girl to a diagnosed schizophrenic. And that’s not even the worst of it.

Besides the fact that she is now seeing things she shouldn’t be able to see, Chloe is still the same “good girl” who follows the rules, does well in school, and works towards her dream of becoming a movie director. Normally, this would not be a problem. In Lyle House, though, where one of her nicer housemates is a pyromaniac who might have set her own mother on fire, being the only good girl in a group of troubled teenagers may be a weakness…one that could get her killed.

As if things aren’t already bad enough, Chloe becomes suspicious that Lyle House isn’t all it seems when her roommate is suddenly taken away, never to be heard from again. After doing a little digging, Chloe finds evidence suggesting that she might not be the only Lyle House resident parading unusual abilities around under the guise of a mental illness...

This suspense-packed, page-turner is no Twilight! Be warned: Pick this up and you'll want to read the whole trilogy!

Kaeldra is an outsider. Her wavy, blonde hair and tall stature alone are enough to single her out as a foreigner. But what the people of Elythia really don't like about Kaeldra is her uncanny, green "Dragon-Sayer" eyes. According to legend, people with green eyes possess the power to commune with dragons. And on one fateful, stormy night, Kaeldra learns that this legend is not just some fairy tale...she really can understand dragons.

When her younger sister falls deathly ill, Kaeldra must put her special ability to the test. Seeking out the mother dragon who is nesting with her newly born draclings in a nearby cave, Kaeldra makes a dangerous bargain. In return for some of the mother dragon's milk, the only existing cure for her sister's illness, Kaeldra agrees to help care for the draclings.

Unfortunately, Kaeldra is not the only person who knows of the dragons' existence. And when the mother dragon is killed while out on a hunt, the fate of the draclings is left in Kaeldra's hands. Will she turn them over to her mighty King, who demands their blood? Or will she defy his will and take on the dangerous task of reuniting the draclings with their kyn?

In this exciting fantasy adventure, readers will fall in love with Susan Fletcher's colorful cast of characters. Readers will sympathize with Kaeldra, suffering with her in her sacrifices, rejoicing with her in her successes, and falling in love with the draclings. This is a book you don't want to miss!

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight–she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme and often-feared skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. Now, Katsa must struggle for redemption from her own horrifying Grace while teaming up with another young fighter to save their land from a mad king's corruption...

The winner of more than ten literary awards, including the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature, the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and the ALA Teens' Top Ten, Kristin Cashore's debut novel will draw you into a vivid world of magic and intrigue. The strong-willed Katsa and her warrior friend Po will take you on a wild adventure that will keep you turning pages!

Exploration in deep space means away missions. And everyone knows, if there’s an away mission, two things will happen; the officers will survive and someone in a red shirt is going to die. But rarely has the story been told from the ensign point of view until now. Andrew Dahl is assigned to the Intrepid, and can’t help but notice the alarming mortality rates of ensigns on away missions, and how everyone conveniently disappears when the higher ups are looking for people to go on said away missions. He and his friends get caught up in wild conspiracies, and are shocked by the answer they find.

A hilarious parody of the science fiction genre, and most noticeably the red shirts from “Star Trek”, Scalzi has written a very enjoyable adventure that pays homage to the old science fiction shows, while still standing on its own two feet. The big twist of the book is inspired and unique, and “Redshirts” is a must read for any fan of the slight campiness of the old science fiction shows.

“From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.”

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies. Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna’s first adventure begins—one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and make her a legend in the land.

This must-read for teens and adults alike is propelled by one of the most powerful female leads in young adult literature. Once you pick up this incredible fantasy adventure, you won't be able to put it down, and it'll leave you craving for the next installment of this amazing quartet...

Clover is a wife and mother in her early fifties. She realizes she no longer turns heads the way she used to and is only really missed by her family when dinner isn't on the table on time. Then one day she wakes up to discover that she is invisible, literally invisible. She panics but her husband and children don't even notice although her best friend does. This relives Clover, at least she isn't losing her mind. Clover discovers there are other women like her. Women of a certain age who have disappeared. These women band together to help each other and get the recognition and appreciation that they deserve. This is an inspiring and humorous book which will appeal to anyone who has ever felt invisible.

What if the story of Cinderella was set in the future, contained cyborgs, androids, hovercrafts, political intrigue and a plague. Cinder has all of these plus a love story. Cinder is sixteen, lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters. She is considered a technological mistake by most of society and spends her days making a living as a mechanic to support her family. Her reputation as a mechanic brings Prince Kai who needs to have his personal android repaired before the annual ball. He jokingly says it is "a matter of national security". Before Cinder can repair the android her sister and only human friend becomes ill with the plague that has devasted the Earth for over a decade. Her stepmother blames Cinder for her daughter's illness and "volunteers" her for plague research. No volunteer has ever survived. The scientist who is conducting the research discovers some unusual things about Cinder. Information that others would kill for. Exciting from start to finish, this book is the first in The Lunar Chronicles series.

When Amy Dunne vanishes from her Missouri home, her husband Nick is the prime suspect. After all, he lied to the police during questioning and his alibi is not very strong. Still, he maintains his innocence. It doesn't take long for readers to realize that Amy has secrets... lots of secrets... and Nick does too! Poor Nick had better think fast, or life as he knows it will be over.

I could not put this book down! It is a fast paced psychological thriller that managed to keep me guessing until the very end.

What can your peas do? Are they astronauts? Bakers? Construction workers? If they just sit on your plate, then they are not as talented as these peas. These peas even know their alphabet!

A Young Hoosier Book Award nominee for 2012-2013, LMNO Peas is not one you will want to miss!

Ever wonder what Neverland was like before Wendy and her brothers arrived? Jodi Lynn Anderson presents this dark imagining of Neverland with Princess Tiger Lily as the main character. Tink, who like all fairies, can't speak, tells the story of how Tiger Lily meets Peter Pan. Being the shaman's daughter, running around in the forest with the fierce and feared Lost Boys is frowned upon. What will happen when her worlds collide?

If you enjoy dark and gritty reimaginings of classic tales, Tiger Lily is for you.

Imagine a love that crosses time and distance. Kate is a Wall Street analyst and Julian is a British hedge fund billionaire. She is surprised when he makes a point of meeting her and seems to know her. Next we find Kate and Julian in France during World War I. How did they get there and what has happened bring them there? Kate and Julian fall in love but there is always a shadow of danger over them. Their story travels back and forth through time. Julian loves Kate and is protective of her but seems to always keep a part of himself from her. Kate and Julian's happiness is clouded by corporate espionage, secrets from the past and questions about how and why they have traveled through time . Overseas is a romantic and exciting read from beginning to end.

Haunting and whimsical, Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things (2006) is an interesting compilation of short works featuring dark and lovely stories and poems including a particular favorite, “October in the Chair.” This specific tale is evocative of Gaiman’s distinctive and romantic style and his charming and eerie prose. In this short story, the months of the year are personified and are gathered for a board meeting around a campfire. Each month demonstrates his/her own personality traits and skills for storytelling as they share tales with the group. October is presiding over the autumnal meeting, and his story of a young boy who makes a ghostly friend after he stumbles into a cemetery will appeal to Gaiman fans who have read The Graveyard Book. In this Gaiman collection of tales and poems, vivid imagery and sensory diction weave a dream-like web to catch the reader’s attention, particularly those partial to the science fiction and fantasy genres. Excerpt: “October was in the chair, so it was chilly that evening, and the leaves were red and orange and tumbled from the trees that circles the grove. The twelve of them sat around a campfire roasting huge sausages on sticks, which spat and crackled as the fat dripped onto the burning applewood, and drinking fresh apple cider, tangy and tart in their mouths.”

John Constantine (Reeves), a long time self-proclaimed exorcist, can see into the world of angels and demons by witnessing what he calls half-breeds. He is cast into a demonic plot when he crosses paths with a detective (Rachel Weisz) whose sister, haunted by demons herself, just committed suicide. Constantine's own life is at risk by his own hand due to his excessive smoking habit. As the clock ticks, he must help the detective solve her sister's death before John's soul is collected by the Devil himself.

The visual effects are stunning, offering a unique look into the world that Constantine's sees. And for those interested, there is enough deep symbolism to delve into for hours. But I recommend Constantine for both the initiated and the profane.

When March Went Mad is the story of “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird and the dramatic season leading up to that magical March 26, 1979 game where they met for the only time in college. That game is what made March as we now know it – complete madness, and a multibillion dollar business that sports lovers look forward to every year. It also spurred the resurgence of the NBA.

It's 1968, Martha a lonely elderly widow opens her door to Homan, a deaf black man, Lynnie a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Lynnie's newborn baby, Julia. The couple are runaways from a School for the Incurable and Feebleminded who are deeply in love and desperate to save the baby. The couple seek help from Martha, a childless, retired schoolteacher. Lynnie is soon captured and returned to the School. Homan escapes but ends up far away and unable to find his way back. The baby Julia is hidden and raised by Martha. Over the course of 40 years as they try to reunite their story is told.

After a devastating hurricane turns her life upside down, Laurel Daneau is forced to start over. On the surface, Laurel seems to be doing well in her new school. She is a cheerleader and she has a popular boyfriend nicknamed T-Boom. Privately, though, she is struggling with the loss of her mother and her grandmother and she is hurting. When T-Boom introduces Laurel to meth, she believes that she has finally found a way to numb her pain. But a meth addiction proves to be more than she bargained for.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by connectivity? Have gadgets taken over your household? Do you ever wish for just five minutes of unplugged time? Then you have to read this book! Goodnight, iPad is a parody of Goodnight Moon, and it is quite entertaining for children and adults alike. The family elder decides that she is fed up with the electronic gadgetry that is keeping her children and grandchildren occupied. So, she starts eliminating devices, beginning with the iPad. Of course, her actions are met with protests, and readers can't help but smile as they try to imagine life without cell phones, computers, and handheld games. Rapper Eminem gets a brief mention, making this a thoroughly modern parody.