On the shelves - Dec. 29

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.

“Mistletoe Season: Three Christmas Stories” by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller, & Pepper Basham. In Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts, Hailey Fairchild is about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and determined to say no to mistletoe. In Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller, Kieran O’Neill reconnects with Emmy Banks, but can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay and she’ll never leave? In The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham, Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his fairytale life for a three-month “punishment” in Ransom, North Carolina. Add a beautiful woman and a little Christmas magic, and it might be enough to help the prince understand what matters most.

“The Sunflower House” by Adriana Allegri. In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it’s 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret―her birth mother was Jewish. One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.

“Forever Home” by Graham Norton. Carol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland, her only son now grown. A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging—and sparks a flurry of speculation. What does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to his wife who abandoned him and his children all those years ago? Carol and Declan know their relationship is the talk of the town, but the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer. When Declan becomes ill, their relationship falters. His children are untrusting and cruel, and Carol is forced to leave their beloved home and move back with her parents. Carol’s mother is determined to get to the bottom of things. It seems there are secrets in Declan’s past, strange rumors that were never confronted, and suddenly the house they shared takes on a more sinister significance that affects them all.

“Footnotes From the Most Fascinating Museums” by Bob Eckstein. Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums is a collection of the greatest and most beloved museums of North America, illustrated and explored through fun and fascinating anecdotes. Curated by Bob Eckstein, this delightful twist on an art history book shows these institutes in a way not seen before, illustrated in a lush and idealized style.

“A Brief Atlas of the Lighthouses at the End of the World” by José Luis González Macícas. There is something beautiful and wild in the impossible architecture of lighthouses. These precariously perched structures have been the homes and workplaces of keepers whose romantic guardianship has saved countless lives from cruel seas. While that way of life may have faded away, as the lights go out and the buildings crumble, we still have their stories.

“Chocolate Lover: A Baking Book” by Michele Song. Melty pools of chocolate in a warm chocolate chip cookie. A decadent, perfectly fudgy brownie. An oh-so-nostalgic yellow birthday cake with whorls of chocolate buttercream. These recipes run the gamut from easy 15-minute pleasures to impressive kitchen projects that double and triple down on chocolatey goodness.

— Summaries provided by library staff