On the shelves - Dec. 19

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 Book of Magic” by Alice Hoffman. The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.

“Sunflower Sisters” by Martha Hall Kelly. Georgeanna “Georgey” Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and the demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on the battlefront a bother. In the South, Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland. Her sister, Patience, is enslaved on the plantation next door, and both live in fear of LeBaron, an abusive overseer who tracks their every move. When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through, she sees a chance to finally escape-but only by abandoning the family she loves.

“The Man Who Died Twice” by Richard Osman. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim-the Thursday Murder Club-are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper's Chase, their posh retirement village. But they are out of luck. An unexpected visitor-an old pal of Elizabeth's arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he's seriously on the lam. Then, as night follows day, the first body is found. But not the last. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our four friends catch the killer before the killer catches them? And if they find the diamonds, too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?

“A Dog Named Boo” by Lisa J. Edwards. The dunce of obedience class with poor eyesight and a clumsy gait, Boo was the least likely of heroes. Yet with his unflappable spirit and boundless love, Boo has changed countless lives through his work as a therapy dog. But perhaps Boo's greatest miracle is the way he transformed Lisa Edwards's life, giving her the best gift of all: faith in herself.

“The Life and Times of Jo Mora: Iconic Artist of the American West” by Peter Hiller. Jo Mora (1876-1947) lived the Western life he depicted in his prolific body of visual art, comprising sculpture, paintings, architectural adornments, dioramas, and maps. He explored California Missions, the natural glories of Yosemite, California's ranch life, and eventually the culture of the Hopi and Navajo in Arizona. During his travels, Mora documented observations that became the source material and inspiration for much of his later artwork. Remarkably, throughout his life Mora supported his family solely through a series of art commissions that ranged from restaurant murals to heroic-scale sculpture. Peter Hiller's thoughtful presentation of Jo Mora's life is seen here in all of its creative glory.

“A Beginner's Guide To Japan” by Pico Iyer. In “A Beginner's Guide to Japan,” Iyer draws on his years of experience-his travels, conversations, readings, and reflections-to craft a playful and profound book of surprising, brief, incisive glimpses into Japanese culture. He recounts his adventures and observations as he travels from a meditation hall to a love hotel, from West Point to Kyoto Station-and to remind those who do of its myriad fascinations.

— Summaries provided by library staff