Library Notes week of December 13

We are very excited to be having the Knights of Veritas come to La Conner December 21 at 12:30. They are a non-profit charitable organization out of Moses Lake, specializing in interactive educational demonstrations of medieval arms, armor, combat, and knighthood. The program is a great one for all ages, so we thought holding it at the Senior Center during Winter Break would be the perfect thing. Mark your calendar and be sure to come.

Here are a few new books you might enjoy.

Valcourt Heiress by Catherine Coulter. After his older brother Arthur unexpectedly dies, Garron of Kersey returns home to Wareham Castle to assume his duties as the new earl. But the castle is nearly deserted, with only a few of its retainers hiding within. It seems that a few days after Arthur’s death, the “Black Demon” arrived at the castle and demanded Arthur’s fortune in silver. When they discovered that the castle’s residents know nothing about a treasure, the Black Demon and his men wreaked havoc. As Garron attempts to restore order to his new home, he is aided by a young woman named Merry. While Merry is smart, with a mouth to match, there is something a bit off about her story.

Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart. When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts. Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with—living or dead.

Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carre. Perry and Gail are idealistic and very much in love when they splurge on a tennis vacation at a posh beach resort in Antigua. But the charm begins to pall when a big-time Russian money launderer enlists their help to defect. In exchange for amnesty, Dima is ready to rat out his vory (Russian criminal brotherhood) compatriots and expose corruption throughout the so-called legitimate financial and political worlds. Soon, the guileless couple find themselves pawns in a deadly endgame whose outcome will be determined by the victor of the British Secret Service's ruthless internecine battles.

Library Notes Week November 15

The holidays are coming up fast. Maybe you need to check out some craft books so you can make some gifts. We have lots to inspire you.

If you like Science Fiction, stop in and check out one of these books from the new book shelf.

Gauntlgrym, Neverwinter by R. A. Salvatore. In their search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own.

Out of the Dark by David Weber. In the very near future, Earth has been targeted for colonization by a galactic empire known as the Hegemony. Deemed "lunatic local sentients" by a survey team that witnessed King Henry V and his troops slaughtering the French at Agincourt, humankind has essentially been written off as bloodthirsty, expendable barbarians. When the Hegemony's henchmen, the doglike Shongairi, show up to conquer Earth, the resistance is beyond anything they had ever imagined, especially when vampires appear to help the humans.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan. The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight. The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age. Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way--at long last--to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.

Library Notes Week September 27

This week is National Banned Books Week. If you have a chance to look over the list of banned books, you will likely find some of your favorite books made the list. Stop in and check one out to see for yourself why it made the list.

When you come in you might want to check out one of these new titles.

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt. A German Shepherd police dog witnesses a murder and if his owner--an Iraq war vet and former cop-turned-thief--is convicted of the crime, the dog could be put down. Few rival Andy Carpenter's affection for dogs, and he decides to represent the poor canine. As Andy struggles to convince a judge that this dog should be set free, he discovers that the dog and his owner have become involved unwittingly in a case of much greater proportions than the one they've been charged with. Andy will have to call upon the unique abilities of this ex-police dog to help solve the crime and prevent a catastrophic event from taking place.

The Elephant’s Journey by Jose Saramago. Solomon and his keeper, Subhro, live in dismal conditions, forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. When it occurs to the king and queen that an elephant would be an appropriate wedding gift, everyone rushes to get them ready: Subhro is given two new suits of clothes and Solomon a long overdue scrub. It was in 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant’s journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Out of this material, José Saramago has spun his novel.

The Spiders Web by Margaret Coel. When Arapaho Ned Windsong is shot to death, his fiancée Marcy is the only witness. Even though she identifies two Arapaho troublemakers, Ned's family clings to the belief that Marcy herself was responsible. Convinced of Marcy's innocence, Vicki agrees to represent the outsider- and finds herself at odds with her own people.

Library Notes Week September 13

September 1st the reciprocal agreement went into effect with Sedro Woolley. If you are a resident of the La Conner Library District, and have a card in good standing, you just need to get a sticker on your library card. You can then take that card into Sedro Woolley and sign up for a card with them. We now have agreements with Anacortes, Upper Skagit and Sedro Woolley. Mt. Vernon and Burlington are in process so we hope to have those in place early next year.

If you are looking for something to read, check out one of these new titles.

Veil of Night by Linda Howard. Jaclyn Wilde is a wedding planner who loves her job—usually. But helping Carrie Edwards with her Big Day has been a nightmare. Carrie is a bridezilla of mythic nastiness, a diva whose tantrums are just about as crazy as her demands. But the unpleasant task at hand turns seriously criminal when Carrie is brutally murdered and everyone involved with the ceremony is accusing one another of doing the deed.

Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. This is the first of a 10-part epic fantasy series from Sanderson, best known for his efforts to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. In a storm-swept world where history has dwindled into myth, self-serving aristocrats squabble over mystical weapons that render their bearers immune to mundane attacks. The ambitious scholar Shallan learns unexpected truths about the present, the virtuous aristocrat Dalinar reclaims the lost past, and the bitter and broken slave Kaladin gains unwanted power.

Lost Empire by Clive Cussler. When Sam and Remi find a huge ship's bell on a dive off the Tanzanian coast, they must work to find a way to recover it without running afoul of the Tanzanian government. Meanwhile, Mexican president Quauhtli Garza, a staunch nationalist, knows that this bell comes from a former Confederate ship that sank off the east African coast after the Civil War. Garza fears the discovery of a missing piece of a Quetzalcoatl statuette, which was aboard the ship, will undermine his grip on power.

Library Notes Week August 30

School has started up for another year. Where did the summer go? As your student goes back to school remember we have homework help on our website. Check it out at www.lclib.lib.wa.us. The La Conner Rotary funds some great databases that can help your student with class assignments. Next time you see a Rotary member say thank you, we appreciate their continued support.

If you are looking for something to read, stop by and check out one of these new titles.

Star Island by Carol Hiaasen. The career of singer Cheryl Bunterman (aka Cherry Pye) is foundering due to her lack of talent and indiscriminate appetite for drugs, booze, and sex. Among those struggling to keep Cherry's career afloat are her mother, Janet Bunterman; producer Maury Lykes; and "undercover stunt double" Ann DeLusia, who will mislead the press into thinking Cherry is out and about when she's really in rehab. Crooked real estate developer Jackie Sebago and paparazzo Bang Abbott, who plans to hitch his wagon to Cherry's star, add to the madcap fun. Mayhem follows after Bang kidnaps Ann instead of Cherry by mistake, and ex-Florida governor and eco-vigilante Clinton "Skink" Tyree, who was smitten with Ann after a chance encounter, rushes to her rescue.

The Good Son by Michael Gruber. Somewhere in Pakistan, Sonia Laghari and eight fellow members of a symposium on peace are being held captive by armed terrorists. Sonia, a deeply religious woman as well as a Jungian psychologist, has become the de facto leader of the kidnapped group. While her son Theo, an ex-Delta soldier, uses his military connections to find and free the victims, Sonia tries to keep them all alive by working her way into the kidnappers' psyches and interpreting their dreams. When the kidnappers decide to kill their captives, one by one, in retaliation for perceived crimes against their country, Theo races against the clock to try and save their lives.

Queen of the Night by J. A. Jance. Every summer, in an event that is commemorated throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Queen of the Night flower blooms in the Arizona desert. But one couple's intended celebration is shattered by gunfire, the sole witness to the bloodshed a little girl who has lost the only family she's ever known. To her rescue come Dr. Lani Walker, who sees the trauma of her own childhood reflected in her young patient, and Dan Pardee, an Iraq war veteran and member of an unorthodox border patrol unit called the Shadow Wolves. Joined by Pima County homicide investigator Brian Fellows, they must keep the child safe while tracking down a ruthless killer.

Library Notes Week of August 2

If you use our WiFi after library hours you will notice a big change. It will now be available only from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and not available at all on Sunday. We hope this will be temporary. If this impacts you, please let us know.

Come by and check out one of these titles from our new book shelf.

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke. Dave Robicheaux is back in New Iberia, Louisiana, hoping to enjoy the company of his adopted daughter, Alafair, who is taking a semester off from law school to finish a novel. Not nearly as suspicious of Louisiana's blood-stained aristocracy as Dave, Alafair has become involved, romantically and otherwise, with Kermit Abelard, a writer who is also the son of one of the region's most notorious robber barons. Kermit, along with his friend, an ex-con turned best-selling memoirist, volunteers to help Alafair find a publisher for her book, much to Dave's chagrin. Father-daughter conflict ensues, and as Dave's investigation of a series of murders veers ever closer to the Abelards, it appears that, yet again, the closets of Louisiana's rich are knee-deep in skeletons.

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith. Set in present-day London, Smith's charming first in a new series offers a variation on his 44 Scotland Street books, centering on the eccentric occupants of Corduroy Mansions and their offbeat doings. William French, a wine merchant, hopes to force his son, Eddie, who refuses to take his hints about sharing a flat with other 20-somethings, to leave the nest by getting a dog whose presence in their apartment he expects will drive Eddie out. William's neighbors include Dee, who works at a vitamin shop and believes a coworker needs to purge his system of excess sodium, and her roommate, Jenny, who works for an odious MP, Oedipus Snark, who treats Jenny like dirt.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner. When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict and trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.

Library Notes week of July 19

The Summer Reading Program is winding down. July 29th we will embellish a wind chime kit. Please call us and let us know you will be coming as supplies are limited--466-3352. All activities are held on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. before we open our doors for the day. You can check out the schedule on our website http://www.lclib.lib.wa.us/ . Come join us for a fun time.

When you bring in your child for the craft time, take a look at the new book shelf for one of these new titles.

Alice I have Been by Melanie Benjamin. Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole–and the grown woman whose story is no less enthralling.

Altar of Eden by James Rollins. Louisiana state veterinarian Lorna Polk stumbles upon a fishing trawler shipwrecked on a barrier island. The crew is missing or dead, but the boat holds a frightening cargo: a caged group of exotic animals, clearly part of a black market smuggling ring. Yet, something is wrong with these beasts, disturbing deformities that make no sense: a parrot with no feathers, a pair of Capuchin monkeys conjoined at the hip, a jaguar cub with the dentition of a saber-toothed tiger. They also all share one uncanny trait—a disturbingly heightened intelligence. To uncover the truth about the origin of this strange cargo and the terrorist threat it poses, Lorna must team up with a man who shares a dark and bloody past with her and is now an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, Jack Menard.

Southern Lights by Danielle Steel. Sifting through mountains of forensic evidence, Alexa prepares for a high-stakes trial…until threatening letters throw her private life into turmoil. The letters are addressed to her beautiful seventeen-year-old daughter, Savannah, whom Alexa has been raising alone since her divorce. Alexa is certain that Quentin is behind the letters—and that they are too dangerous to ignore. Suddenly she must make the toughest choice of all—and send her daughter back to the very place she swore she would never return to: the place where her marriage ended in heartbreak…her ex-husband’s world of southern tradition, memories of betrayal, and the antebellum charm of Charleston.