New titles from the Peak Picks collection that are currently in rotation. Stop by any branch to see what's available today!
Audition
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Fiction. "Two people meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She's an accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He's attractive, troubling, young---young enough to be her son. Who is he to her, and who is she to him? In this compulsively readable, brilliantly constructed novel, two competing narratives unspool, rewriting our understanding of the roles we play every day - partner, parent, creator, muse - and the truths every performance masks, especially from those who think they know us most intimately. Taut and hypnotic, Audition is Katie Kitamura at her virtuosic best." Publisher description
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Big Chief
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Fiction. "Hickey's engrossing debut revolves around a tribal power struggle and a young political fixer's reckoning with his identity. At 30, narrator Mitch Caddo is the youngest-ever operations director for the Passage Rouge Nation of Lake Superior Anishinaabe in Wisconsin. Due to his 'white-passing face' and Cornell law degree, Mitch is derided as a 'J. Crew Indian,' but his close friendship with tribal president Mack Beck... affords him power and prestige. Now, however, Mack's facing a tough reelection challenge from opponent Gloria Hawkins... who happens to be backed by Mack's adoptive father, Joe. It's a fresh take on the political novel." Publishers Weekly
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The Book of Alchemy
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Nonfiction. "After being diagnosed with leukemia at 22, Jaouad was inspired by Michael Bierut, a design professor who'd asked his graduate students to perform 'one creative act for 100 days,' to start a daily journaling practice in hopes of finding meaning in her illness. With this as a model, she gathers prompts from 100 novelists, journalists, and artists who invite readers to begin their own journaling practice. The prompts are varied enough to appeal to devoted diarists and newbies alike, and Jaouad poignantly interweaves her own intimate meditations on creativity, pain, and art." Publishers Weekly
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A Grain, A Green, A Bean
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Nonfiction. "Dietician Hamshaw has written a timely volume supporting the growing interest in plant-based cooking. Using a basic formula to mix grains, greens, and beans, the book is broken down into sections covering bowls, salads, sandwiches, and stovetop and oven recipes, with an emphasis on making quick yet flavorful and balanced meals. Standouts include red-wine braised mushrooms and French lentils with farro. Rounding out the well-organized sections, there are basic recipes for dips, hummus, and vegan sauces." Library Journal
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Happy Land
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Fiction. "The latest from Perkins-Valdez features a dual narrative that starts with Washington, DC, real estate agent Nikki Lovejoy being summoned to rural North Carolina by her estranged grandmother Rita. As the story and relationship between Rita and Niki develop, readers learn about family secrets and history of the Kingdom of the Happy Land. The historical side of the narrative is revealed by Luella, a Lovejoy ancestor known as the queen of Happy Land. This is a lyrical and unique work of historical fiction. The Kingdom is based on a real place about which readers will want to know more after reading Perkins-Valdez's novel." Library Journal
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Medicine River
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Nonfiction. "Journalist Pember debuts with a devastating history of Indian boarding schools... and the legacy of generational trauma they unleashed. Pember traces how over the course of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Christian mission to convert, 'civilize,' and assimilate Indigenous people came to focus its efforts on children, with the explicit aim to 'disrupt family ties.' Weaving into her narrative her own mother's experiences in a Catholic-run boarding school in Wisconsin, Pember explores the psychological ramifications the schools had on subsequent generations. This strikes a chord." Publishers Weekly
Format: Book
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Notes to John
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Nonfiction. "In November 1999, Joan Didion began seeing a psychiatrist because, as she wrote to a friend, her family had had 'a rough few years.' She described the sessions in a journal she created for her husband, John Gregory Dunne. The initial sessions focused on alcoholism, adoption, depression, anxiety, guilt, and the heartbreaking complexities of her relationship with her daughter, Quintana. It is an unprecedentedly intimate account that reveals sides of her that were unknown, but the voice is unmistakably hers---questioning, courageous, and clear in the face of a wrenchingly painful journey." Publisher description
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Say You'll Remember Me
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Fiction. "When Samantha brings her new kitten to attractive veterinarian Xavier, their first interaction does not go well. Xavier instantly puts his foot in his mouth but redeems himself at Samantha's next vet visit and asks her out. Unfortunately, after the world's most perfect, never-ending date, Xavier discovers that Samantha is moving across the country the next day. [T]he book deftly tackles challenges, such as early-onset dementia and caring for a parent, in between sweet and sexy scenes. Samantha and Xavier's story will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced long-distance romance..." Library Journal
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The Sirens
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Fiction. "In 19th-century Ireland, sisters Mary and Eliza were declared convicts and shipped to Australia. As they endured horrific conditions, they held on to hope and to each other. In 2019, recurring childhood nightmares continue to afflict first-year journalism student Lucy Martin. After waking up from a traumatic sleepwalking incident, Lucy escapes to her artist sister Jess's house in Comber Bay on the coast of New South Wales. Then Lucy discovers that her sister is missing... Comber Bay, known for its dark events from shipwrecks to missing men, piques Lucy's journalistic interest, and she begins to research while waiting for Jess to return. ...[A] lyrical story, intricately blending family dynamics with the magic of folklore." Library Journal
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Wild in Seattle
NEW FOR APRIL! Adult Nonfiction. "For award-winning natural history writer David B. Williams, to be connected to a place you need to pause and look deeply at it. Wild in Seattle is Williams' delightful journey of discovery in this city where not only is nature all around, it's also written in the stones of the urban landscape. Williams' lively essays woven with Elizabeth Person's engaging illustrations will fire up the curiosity of both residents and visitors alike, inspiring all to take a fresh look at the Emerald City." Publisher description
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Availability: On order
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