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The House of Special Purpose

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The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for:  Adults

The House of Special Purpose is an historical novel set in the early to mid-20th century.  Georgy Jachmenev is an old man reminiscing on his former life when he was a youth in Russia.  He lives with his wife Zoya in England.  Georgy’s father, a tenant farmer, is inexplicably abusive to him.  As a teen, Georgy is witness to an event that takes place which precipitates his move to Saint Petersburg, the palace of the czar.  Czar Nicholas II and his wife, Empress Alexandra, have four daughters and a son.  Georgy is brought to the palace to live with the royal family as a companion to the son, young Alexei who was born with hemophilia.  He requires strict governance to prevent injury that could cause internal bleeding.  The story is set in the 1970’s but flashes back to the early 1900’s in Russia.  In the end, the true meaning of the house of special purpose is revealed.

The story is narrated by award-winning Stephan Rudnicki who does an excellent job speaking with a Russian accent.

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Walk on Earth a Stranger

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Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Format: Book

Who’s it For: Teens and Adults

Leah Westfall is able to sense the location of gold. In 1847, Leah’s secret ability is a blessing for her family. However, when her parents are murdered for their stash of gold, it becomes a curse. What is an orphaned fifteen-year old to do? Hacking off her long braid and donning men’s clothes, Leah, now “Lee,” flees on her trusty horse, Peony. Her best friend, Jefferson, who is half Irish and half Indian, has already headed off for the Gold Rush. Will Lee be able to catch up with Jeff? And will the murderer catch up with her?

I enjoyed this historical fiction with a fantasy twist.  Although it is a work of fiction, this story was true to its setting.  Through Lee, the reader experiences travel in the Old West, from flatboat to covered wagon.  Socially, the story is also accurate.  Lee is frustrated when she realizes that on the trail, she is allowed to hunt for food and wrangle cattle as a man but is relegated to washing the family laundry as a woman.  Also on the wagon trail, Jeff, as a “half breed,”  often suffers snide racial comments from fellow travelers.  The varied characters in this tale, from feisty Lee to the German immigrant Hoffmans, to the rough wagon train cowboys, enhance the rich tapestry of the tale as well as the time period.

The good news is that this is just the first book in the Gold Seer series!

Are you intrigued? Please check out this enjoyable tale of family, friends, budding romance, and life in the Old West!

 

A Defense of Honor

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Title: A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter
Format: Book
Who’s it For: Teens and Adults

Katherine FitzGilbert, “Kit,” was cautiously optimistic when she met Graham, Lord Wharton, behind a potted plant at a London ball. If she didn’t need to escape from two thugs who wanted her papers, she wouldn’t be at the ball. And if she hadn’t met Graham, she might not have believed that there were truly kind and respectable men who were also titled. Could he actually be trustworthy?

Kit and Graham’s paths next crossed in the countryside of Marlboro. Graham had arrived with his friend Oliver to track down Oliver’s missing sister, Priscilla. While Oliver rested at an inn, Graham explored the forest nearby. He arrived on horseback at a manor bearing two children, Alice and Henry, the latter who’d injured himself while playing in a tree.

“What are you doing here?” asked Kit.

Graham was likewise puzzled. What were Kit, two other women, and about a dozen children doing at a secluded country manor? Was there a connection between Kit being in Marlboro and her visit to the ball in London?

When the  local bridge flooded, Graham was pleased to stay longer with Kit and the children. Meanwhile, Kit dreaded that Graham would discover more about their hidden life at Hope Manor. Would Kit and Graham discover each other’s secrets?

I enjoyed this well-written story of illegitimacy and love in Regency England.

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The Witch of Willow Hall

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The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Adults

When I was a teenager I was obsessed with reading Gothic romance.  I devoured every Victoria Holt (Jean Plaidy and Philippa Carr were her other pen names), Phyllis Whitney, and Mary Stewart book I could get my hands on.  I also read Anne Rice.  And Dracula by Bram Stoker was my favorite classic that I read at the time.  As an adult I read Susanna Kearsley and any other Gothic romance I can get my hands on.  Up until now, none of them have come close to being as mysterious, creepy, haunting and romantic as those I read as a teenager.  Hester Fox’s debut book, The Witch of Willow Hall is everything I love about Gothic romances.

The year is 1821.  Lydia Montrose and her family have recently moved to New Oldbury from Boston after a scandal caused by her older sister, Catherine.  Their house, Willow Hall, is large and imposing at it sits on the hill.  Lydia has a hard time sleeping in the house.  Who is the woman in the garden she sees out the window late one night?   Emeline, the youngest sister, is captivated with the pond and the young boy she meets there.  And Catherine is on the hunt for a husband so that she can avoid more scandal.  Her situation will soon no longer be a secret.   Mr. Barret, their father’s business partner, has become an interest to both Lydia and Catherine.

What was the scandal that caused them to move to New Oldbury?  Why does Lydia feel uncomfortable in the house?  Will Catherine find a husband?

There is mystery, tragedy and romance.  A great read for a stormy, cold afternoon by the fire (maybe not so much late at night).

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Merry and Bright

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Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Merry Smith has family obligations to her brother with Down Syndrome, aging parents and her brother’s golden retriever.  She struggles to keep up with her job with a consulting firm at the Boeing Company.  She has no time for a social life but her mother and brother create a profile on an online dating service and she starts to accumulate many matches.  When Merry begins chatting with a stranger online she discovers that they have similar interests.  The chats soon become the best part of her day but she is reluctant to meet her mystery man.  This holiday story will be the perfect way to brighten your spirits.

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White Hot

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White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Format: CD Audio Book #2
Who It’s For: Adults

In this Hidden Legacy Series book, best-selling authors Ilona Andrews a pseudonym for a husband and wife writing team, have put out another magical detective story.

Nevada Baylor is the lead in a family owned detective agency. She possesses a unique secret magic skill –she knows when people are lying.

She has used this skill and good old-fashioned hard work to solve cases, which has built her family business up and kept it afloat. Her magic skill is a secret, in a time when magic users are the norm.

Conner Rogan is a billionaire prime, one of the highest-ranking magic users. They are working together to solve a mystery that has them pitted against powerful magic possessors. The sparks between Nevada and Rogan are undeniable but Nevada refuses to see them. As Nevada hones her magic skills, she and Rogan will soon discover that ice can burn.

Find it in the catalog.