On the shelves - Dec. 5

The books listed below are now available for checkout at the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The library is open to the public, but patrons can still visit the online catalog at cloviscarverpl.booksys.net/opac/ccpl or call 575-769-7840 to request a specific item for curbside pickup.

“The Wish Book Christmas” by Lynn Austin. Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love.

“A Good Day For Chardonnay” by Darynda Jones. Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff — and even fuller-time coffee guzzler — Sunshine Vicram didn’t get that memo. All Sunshine really wants is one easygoing day. Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?) Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance.

“The Perfect Ruin” by Shanora Williams. A brutal tragedy ended Ivy Hill’s happy family and childhood. Now in her twenties and severely troubled, she barely had much to live for. Until the day she discovers the name of the woman who destroyed her world: Lola Maxwell. Accomplished, gorgeous, and oh-so-caring, Lola has the best of everything-and doesn’t deserve any of it. So, it’s only right that Ivy take it all away. Little by little, Ivy infiltrates Lola’s elite circle, becomes her new best friend-and plays Lola’s envious acquaintances and hangers-on against her. And soon, an insidious someone will twist Ivy’s revenge into a nightmare of deception, secrets, and betrayal that Ivy may not wake up from.

“Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship” by Catherine Raven. When Catherine Raven finished her PhD in biology, she built herself a tiny cottage on an isolated plot of land in Montana. She was as emotionally isolated as she was physically, but she viewed the house as a way station. Then one day she realized that a mangy-looking fox was showing up on her property every afternoon. She brought out her camping chair, sat as close to him as she dared, and began reading to him from “The Little Prince.” Her scientific training had taught her not to anthropomorphize animals, yet as she grew to know him, his personality revealed itself and they became friends. From the fox, Catherine learned the single most important thing about loneliness: we are never alone when we are connected to the natural world.

“The Beauty of Everyday Things” by Soetsu Yanagi. Our lives are filled with objects. Everyday things used in everyday settings, they are our constant companions. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be natural and simple, sturdy and safe. They should, in short, be things of beauty.

“The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy” by Blaine T. Bettinger. Discover the answers to your family history mysteries using the most cutting-edge tool available. This plain-English guide will teach you what DNA tests are available; the pros and cons of the major testing companies; and how to choose the right test to answer your specific genealogy questions.

— Summaries provided by library staff