Greenburgh Public Library Blog

Book 1 in the breathtaking sci-fi space saga inspired by astrology that will stun fans of the Illuminae Files and Starbound series. At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain.... a Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can't solve for 'x' to save her life-so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories. When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens-including its beloved Guardian-Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House's new leader. But, a true Cancrian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts. Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. 

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

Call Number: Fiction Eames

ISBN: 9780316362535

Publication Date: 2018-08-28

Nicole says: "I enjoyed the series The Band by Nicholas Eames this year. I heard that the author uses the" tropes of classic rock and maps them onto a D&D adventure party" on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour All-Book edition and was immediately interested. I especially love his humor, world building, and characterizations and agree that the battle scenes are very readable. There are two books out so far and I hope that there are more coming!  Side note: each book as a Spotify playlist."
 

A band of fabled mercenaries, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, tour a wild fantasy landscape, battling monsters in arenas in front of thousands of adoring fans, but a secret and dangerous gig ushers them to the frozen north, and the band is never one to waste a shot at glory . . . even if it means almost certain death. Live fast, die young. Tam Hashford is tired of working at her local pub, slinging drinks for world-famous mercenaries and listening to the bards sing of adventure and glory in the world beyond her sleepy hometown. When the biggest mercenary band of all, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, rolls into town, Tam jumps at the chance to sign on as their bard. It's adventure she wants - and adventure she gets as the crew embark on a quest that will end in one of two ways: glory or death. It's time to take a walk on the wild side.

 

Circe by Madeline Miller

Call Number: Fiction Miller

ISBN: 9780316556347

Publication Date: 2018-04-10
 

Marie says: "Simply outstanding."
 

#1 New York Times Bestseller " A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story, Circe manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right." --- Alexandra Alter, New York Times

 

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power--the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.

 

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Call Number: YA Fiction Blake

ISBN: 9780062385437

Publication Date: 2016-09-20

Kathy says: "Three sister's coming of age vying for one dark crown. Sisters will love it!"

A New York Times bestseller! Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.  In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions. But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose...it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown. 

 

The Sun Does Shine : How I Found Life and Freedom on death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

Call Number: 364.66 H

ISBN: 9781250205797

Publication Date: 2018

 

Kate says: "Mr. Hinton spends nearly 30 years on Death Row for a crime he never committed.  An inside look at being born poor and black in contemporary America.  An inviting, interesting and strangely uplifting account of how Mr. Hinton forgave the injustice of being a black man today."

A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit.

 

C.B. Strike by Jackie Larkin, et. Al.

Publication Date: 2017

 

Kate says: "For anyone who loves a good mystery without too much torture and gore, in modern day London with fabulous characters, will be hooked and want to stay tuned for more."

Cormoran Strike is a war veteran turned private detective operating out of a tiny office in London's Denmark Street. Though he's wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike's unique insight and his background as an SIB Investigator prove crucial in solving complex cases that elude the police.

 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Call Number: FICTION OWENS

ISBN: 9780735219090

Publication Date: 2018-08-14

Susan says: "  loved the main character, a courageous young woman who lived alone in a North Carolina marsh since she was a child. The locals had always been suspicious of her and when her ex dies in an odd accident, she is charged with murder. At her trial, the book shifts to a gripping murder mystery, with a fantastic "I didn't see that coming" ending. I think this book would be enjoyed by people who like:  historical fiction; stories about surviving against the odds; stories with a heart-warming romance; and those who like a murder mystery."

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens. Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

 

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Call Number: FICTION PICOULT

ISBN: 9780345544988

Publication Date: 2018-10-02
 

Nancy says: "Gripping topics ripped from the headlines that we could all relate to."

 

The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center--a women's reproductive health services clinic--its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage. After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic. But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order to save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester, disguised as a patient, who now stands in the crosshairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.
 

The Girl in the Castle by Santa Montefiore

Call Number: FICTION MONTEFIORE

ISBN: 9780062456854

Publication Date: 2018-07-24

Diana says: "This historical fiction trilogy follows the Deverill and O'Leary families from Ireland to New York and back. The audiobooks are melodramatic but very entertaining! The accents are great, and the story of each character is well-developed. A fun read--you'll want to read the three books to find out what happens!"

The Irish Girl was previously published as The Girl in the Castle. Ireland. The early twentieth century. Two girls on the cusp of womanhood. A nation on the brink of war.
 

Santa Clarita Diet by Victor Fresco/Netflix

Publication Date: 2017

 

Christina says: "Insanely, good fun. This TV series, produced by Netflix, is for people who love outrageous comedy. Not for the faint of heart."

Sheila and Joel are married real estate agents in Santa Clarita, California. When Sheila dies, their lives take a dark turn.