Bedside Reading
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Memoir
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Never Sit If You Can Dance
An Amazon Bestseller Jo’s mother, Babe, liked to drink, dance, and stay up very late. When the husband she adored went on sales calls, she waited for him in the parking lot, embroidering pillowcases. Jo grew up thinking that the last thing she wanted was to be like her mother. Then it dawned on her that her own happiness was derived in large part from lessons Babe had taught her. Her mother might have had tomato aspic and stewed rhubarb in her fridge, while Jo had organic kale and almond milk in hers, but in more important ways they were much closer in spirit than Jo had once thought. At a turbulent time in America, Never Sit If You Can Dance offers uplifting lessons in old-fashioned civility that will ring true with mothers, daughters, and their families. Told with lighthearted good humor, it’s a charming tale of the way things used to be―and probably still should be. |
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Fiction
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The Birth Mother | Seymour Ubell
On a business trip, a high-powered fifty-six-year-old American entrepreneur visits his partners in China. After their meeting, his Asian mentor invites him to an orphanage, a trip that will change the course of his family's life forever. Without hesitation, he and his wife fall in love with Anglo/Asian twin girls and become their adoptive parents. The children grow up in a world of twists and turns with multiple coincidences and synchronicity. Their journey takes them from China to Europe to America and back to China where their unusual birth mother enters their lives. This powerful story is filled with drama at every turn as the daughters face internal and external challenges. The Birth Mother is a story filled with love, pathos, tragedy, and triumph. Read, laugh, cry, and learn. It's a tale you will never forget. |
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BRAINSTORM | A.M. Wilhelm
WHEN ORPHANS WITH MENSA IQS ARE TAKEN, THE US GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO USE THEIR INTELLIGENCE FOR THE GREATER GOOD. P.I. Nick Sperry investigates the disappearance of Sidney Ryder. Nick's girlfriend, Melissa, brought the child to Sunshine Children's Home, D.C. eight years ago. Nick isn't fooled when the federal orphanage claims to have no record of her son. As an ex-CIA agent, Nick understands the immoral capabilities of the US government. Fueled by suspicion, he discovers Sidney isn't the only lost orphan. Meanwhile, Dr. Jack Kerwin begins to work with Tabula Rasa, a miraculously effective think-tank based out of the Center for Interactive Research and Solutions, or CIRAS. Under the direction of Tabula Rasa, Jack's research on childhood leukemia could save countless lives. But, his enthusiasm recedes when he notices strange things lurking behind the center's shiny walls. |
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Picnic in Someday Valley | Jodi Thomas
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas welcomes readers to Honey Creek, Texas, a charming little town nestled in the rolling hills bordering the Brazos River, where friendship and love are always close at hand, ties run deep, and lives intersect in unexpected ways…Filled with Jodi’s characteristic warmth, endearing characters, and authentic Texan flair, this story about a quiet cowboy and the local outcast is perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber… Marcie Latimer longs to run away from Someday Valley—especially since her ex-boyfriend spun a web of lies that almost led to tragedy in neighboring Honey Creek. Little wonder so many locals have turned their backs on her. But not Brand Rodgers. The quiet cowboy comes to listen every time she sings at Bandit’s Bar, offering a glimpse of safety and calm that Marcie’s rarely known. After Texas Ranger Colby McBride saved Honey Creek’s mayor, Piper Mackenzie, from a fire, she claimed him with a kiss. That was five months ago, and Colby still isn’t sure where they’re headed. Piper loves her town—but does she love Colby? And is he even ready for what comes next? Pecos Smith, Honey Creek’s emergency dispatcher, is grateful to have a new bride he adores and a baby on the way—even if one vital piece of the puzzle is missing. But as trouble comes stalking through the valley, lives will cross surprising paths. And Marcie, who’s always felt that a forever love was out of reach, might discover that Someday is the perfect place to find it… |
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The Summer I Found Myself | Colleen French
In this uplifting story of self-discovery, gratitude, and second chances, two women who have been best friends since childhood reunite at a Delaware beach house to spend what could be their final summer together after one receives a harrowing cancer diagnosis. It turns out an oceanside cottage is the perfect setting for a season of surprising lessons about how much there is to gain—when you finally let go… In the last two years, English professor Ellen Tolliver has weathered heartache with grace—including an unwelcome divorce and losing her parents. In her more honest moments, Ellen might admit that she’s sick of loss. She longs to stretch and grow, to truly fill her days. Maybe this year, she’ll have something to recount in her Christmas letter other than her son’s travel adventures. Maybe she’ll be too busy to even write a Christmas letter. On impulse, Ellen invites her ailing best friend, Lara, to spend the summer with her at the Delaware beach house she inherited from her parents. Lara can relax on the big front porch after chemo while Ellen readies the house for sale. But Lara has plans too—she’d like to help Ellen discover who she is, or better yet, who she can still become. At Lara’s urging, Ellen joins a local writer’s group, tries online dating, and mingles with the new friends Lara brings home from her support group. She forgoes white wine (won’t stain if you spill it!) for red and eats French fries for breakfast. She even flirts with the local bookstore owner, a handsome, sun-kissed, younger man. And as she embraces the freedom that comes with breaking her own rules, she wonders if it’s not just her past that lies in this beloved quirky town, but her future too. |
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Summer in the City | Lori Wilde, Priscilla Oliveras, Sarah Skilton
Each connected novella in this fun, fresh Rom-Com anthology follows a different woman from a group of NYC friends whose plans to escape the summer heat with a fabulous girls-only weekend suddenly lose steam when an unexpected blackout cuts off power to all of Manhattan. But while the lights are out, enemies become lovers, acquaintances find they have more in common than a pack of matches, and the city really heats up! Witty, fun, and totally on-trend, Summer in the City is the perfect Rom-Com anthology, written by three authors known for their sense of humor, spicy romance, and fresh approach to falling in love. Night at the Museum by Lori Wilde Art restorer Ria Preston knows a thing or two about beauty. And when she discovers her neighborhood crush, gregarious Wall Street advisor Vic Albright, is locked overnight in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her, she can’t resist taking him on a very private tour… Lights Out by Priscilla Oliveras Back in high school, Vanessa Ríos and Mateo Garza were theater troupe rivals. Now Mateo’s a rising Broadway star and Vanessa’s his most scathing critic. Cue a plot twist straight out of central casting: the two end up alone in his New York City apartment during the blackout, setting the stage for what could be their second act romance… Mind Games, by Sarah Skilton What happens in college stays in college—unless you never get over it. In fact, Alison has been waiting to take her revenge on Nick, once the hottest guy on campus, now the hottest guy on the rising magician’s circuit. But her plans to sabotage his first show are upended by the power outage. That’s when the real magic happens… |
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Business
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The Changemaker | Deke Copenhaver
What Is A changemaker? Leadership is never easy. Almost all leaders deal with both triumph and tragedy, oftentimes in equal measure. The fact of the matter is that leadership insists on constant rejection of the status quo. True leaders demand continuous reflection and improvement of those around them, and even more importantly, of themselves. True leaders are Changemakers. In Deke Copenhaver’s The Changemaker: The Art of Building Better Leaders, you will learn to become unafraid of doing something different in the service of a good cause and how to spark a movement that others can’t help but rally around. The Changemaker is a roadmap of sorts, designed to deliver comprehensive, common sense leadership strategies to people from all walks of life. Through personal and professional anecdotes, case studies, and the wisdom from Changemakers gone by, The Changemaker will inspire and empower you to embrace adversity, rely on creativity and character, and sometimes take the road less traveled in order to unlock your ultimate potential. |
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Stand Out or Sit Down | Tenaz Purdy
It’s tough enough to be a teen or young adult looking for a job during good economic times. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, where unemployment numbers reached their highest in our country’s history since the Great Depression, finding a job may seem downright impossible. But there is good news, because employers are still hiring, and entry-level jobs and internships are still high in demand. It’s also important for young people to look ahead, because the pandemic will end. And when it does, those who have coupled their marketable skills with solid job-searching preparation will be more successful in finding a job they love than those who have not. Stand Out or Sit Down offers time-tested techniques that have helped thousands of young jobseekers overcome their unique obstacles: balancing school-work-home commitments, overcoming a perceived lack of work experience, managing various levels of parental involvement, and using and misusing technology, just to name a few. Succeeding in a job begins by finding the right job for them—not just any job. Self-assessment, networking, researching job opportunities, using technology to their advantage, properly completing job applications, resume writing, and interviewing are all taught with the young job seeker in mind. For example:
Stand Out or Sit Down also gives a voice to the thousands of employers whose businesses depend on the youth labor force. Most are happy to employ and mentor the young but have serious concerns about young workers’ lack of preparation for the working world. Their stories about young job applicants are also told to convey their concerns, expectations, and insider advice. |
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Vivid Vision | Cameron Herold
Many corporations have slick, flashy mission statements that ultimately do little to motivate employees and less to impress customers, investors, and partners.But there is a way to share your excitement for the future of your company in a clear, compelling, and powerful way—and entrepreneur and business growth expert Cameron Herold can show you how.Vivid Vision is a revolutionary tool that will help owners, CEOs, and senior managers create inspirational, detailed, and actionable three-year mission statements for their companies. In this easy-to-follow guide, Herold walks organization leaders through the simple steps to creating their own Vivid Vision, from brainstorming to sharing the ideas to using the document to drive progress in the years to come.By focusing on mapping out how you see your company looking and feeling in every category of business, without getting bogged down by data and numbers, Vivid Vision creates a holistic road map to success that will get all of your teammates passionate about the big picture.Your company is your dream, one that you want to share with your staff, clients, and stakeholders. Vivid Vision is the tool you need to make that dream a reality. |
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