Make Me Exist


Brittany Ziegler - 2020
    She isn't even human. Hunted by an alien race, can she discover the truth before it's too late?Valerie Carling's life is quite normal for a divorced, single mother. She misses her ex-husband, but her world now revolves around her young daughter. That is, until a band of strangers show up and turn everything upside down.It's Charlotte's sixth birthday, and she's loving it. Presents, games, and cake! For Valerie, it's not that simple. Being with her ex and his new wife is always a strain, but not as hard as finding out that you're not who you think you are.When a group of strangers unexpectedly shows up at the party, suddenly Valerie's whole life feels like a lie. Why do they look so familiar? Why do they act like they know her? Stranger yet, why do they have the same startling green eyes as Charlotte?Catapulted into a world she doesn't remember, Valerie needs to trust these strangers to help save her daughter and herself from a terrible fate. She and Charlotte are pure-bloods, the only chance for an alien race on the brink of extinction.On the run and hunted like animals, her enemies will not rest until they have them in their clutches. But as her memories return, can Valerie tap into the powers she didn't even know she possessed and save their lives?Make Me Exist is a heart-pounding sci-fi adventure that will keep you riveted to your seat in a journey of mind twisting awakenings.

Rock Needs River: A Memoir About a Very Open Adoption


Vanessa McGrady - 2019
    Her sweet baby, Grace, was a dream come true. Then Vanessa made a highly uncommon gesture: when Grace’s biological parents became homeless, Vanessa invited them to stay.Without a blueprint for navigating the practical basics of an open adoption or any discussion of expectations or boundaries, the unusual living arrangement became a bottomless well of conflicting emotions and increasingly difficult decisions complicated by missed opportunities, regret, social chaos, and broken hearts.Written with wit, candor, and compassion, Rock Needs River is, ultimately, Vanessa’s love letter to her daughter, one that illuminates the universal need for connection and the heroine’s journey to find her tribe.

Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace


Anne Lamott - 2014
    It’s an approach that has become her trademark. Now in Small Victories, Lamott offers a new message of hope that celebrates the triumph of light over the darkness in our lives. Our victories over hardship and pain may seem small, she writes, but they change us—our perceptions, our perspectives, and our lives. Lamott writes of forgiveness, restoration, and transformation, how we can turn toward love even in the most hopeless situations, how we find the joy in getting lost and our amazement in finally being found.Profound and hilarious, honest and unexpected, the stories in Small Victories are proof that the human spirit is irrepressible.

Head Shot


Otho Eskin - 2021
    Homicide Detective Marko Zorn Washington, D.C. homicide detective Marko Zorn is investigating the murder of an actress—an old love—when he is assigned to protect the visiting prime minister of Montenegro, the beautiful Nina Voychek. Political enemies are planning her assassination—this, he knows—but now it’s apparent that he, too, is a target. As he foils the initial attempts on his life, he pulls out all stops—deploying his sometimes nefarious resources—to hunt whoever is targeting him and prevent an international tragedy on American soil. Decoded messages, Supermax prisoner interviews, mafia lawyers, and an ancient Black Mountain curse swirl among the icons of D.C. Marko and his young partner, Lucy, face down what may be multiple assassins with diverging agendas. Or are they facing one assassin—the deadliest and most elusive on the international stage?Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Daniel Silva While the novels in the Marko Zorn Thriller Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:The Reflecting PoolHead Shot

One Night in the ER


G. Scott McCreadie - 2021
    Jim McCray through a single twelve-hour night shift working in the emergency room of a small Midwestern hospital. The fast-paced writing chronicles Dr. McCray’s experience with wit and candor as he manages a series of typical but poignant patient interactions. The book dives deeply into the practice of modern emergency medicine with detailed descriptions of medical care and procedures. It is based on the author’s real-life experiences as a young resident physician.

They Called Us "Lucky": The Life and Afterlife of the Iraq War's Hardest Hit Unit


Ruben Gallego - 2021
    After two months in Iraq, Lima didn't have a casualty, not a single Purple Heart, no injury worse than a blister. Lucky Lima.Then, in May 2005, Lima’s fortunes flipped. Unknown to Ruben and his fellow grunts, al Anbar had recently become a haven for al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The bin Laden-sponsored group had recruited radicals from all over the world for jihad against the Americans. On one fateful day, they were lured into a death house; the ambush cost the lives of two men, including a platoon sergeant. Two days later, Ruben’s best friend, Jonathon Grant, died in an IED attack, along with several others. Events worsened from there. A disastrous operation in Haditha in August claimed the lives of thirteen Marines when an IED destroyed their amphibious vehicle. It was the worst single-day loss for the Marines since the 1983 Beirut bombings. By the time 3/25 went home in November, it had lost more men than any other single unit in the war. Forty-six Marines and two Navy Corpsmen serving with the battalion in Iraq were killed in action during their roughly nine-month activation.They Called Us “Lucky” details Ruben Gallego’s journey and includes harrowing accounts of some of the war’s most costly battles. It details the struggles and the successes of Ruben—now a member of Congress—and the rest of Lima Company following Iraq, examining the complicated matter of PTSD. And it serves as a tribute to Ruben’s fallen comrades, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The Consulting Gig


C.J. Capen
    THAT LOOK. The only way Andie Halzer survived her husband’s death was by remembering a stranger’s glance. As she sobbed inconsolably in the hospital hallway, his face transmitted empathy and a sense of calm. Somehow, that look told her that her life wasn’t over. After two years of grieving—and with the support of her two grown kids and best friend—she is ready to rebuild her life. She aces an interview for a position that offers meaningful work, but her potential employer, Jack Devlan, hires another candidate. He offers Andie a short-term consulting gig instead. Andie reluctantly agrees to what she considers a consolation job, not realizing how much change is in store for her. Her work with Jack challenges her self-limiting beliefs and ultimately restores her emotional strength. This is a full length, stand-alone, clean romance that contains adult themes and language.

Out of the Wild: Seven Years in the Wilderness


Charlie Paterson
    Away from all the modern conveniences and comforts most take for granted, his tale is one of adversity, building a dream with dogged determination. Battling against considerable and powerful opposition, bureaucracy, severe lack of money, unforgiving nature, loneliness and ultimately his own ill health; only to find the dream fulfilled will almost destroy him. A sometimes spiritual and critical tale of self-discovery where ultimately his growing faith in God literally saves him from a very sorry end in the mountainous wilderness of New Zealand. A story that exposes wilderness living as it truly is, not for the faint hearted. However, Out of the Wild is more than just a candid wilderness survival tale, but includes some very interesting snippets of New Zealand's early pioneer history associated to the Fiordland National Park, the Hollyford Valley, Martins Bay, the beautiful deserted ghost town of Jamestown Bay and even the fabled "lost ruby mine" in the inaccessible Red Hills. For the outdoor and "back to basics" enthusiasts Charlie details his accounts of hunting red deer in the thick Fiordland rainforest around his wilderness home to using the old traditional methods to store his kills, through to trapping introduced predators destroying the special rainforest ecosystems of Fiordland. "Out of the Wild" is a very unique New Zealand wilderness tale which will appeal to the outdoor conservative types.

Another Five Patients


Melissa Crickard - 2019
    When one of the resident physicians, Dr. Kip Paiva, becomes a critically ill patient herself, the team is forever changed. This suspenseful story of medical fiction traces foreign medical graduate Dr. Kip Paiva, an emigrant and survivor of human trafficking in post-apartheid South Africa. Her refuge from a Zulu militant captor comes to an end, as his brutal violence has finally tracked her across the ocean. While her past catches up to her, Dr. Paiva also becomes the scapegoat of a malpractice suit. Frightened for her and her son’s lives, Dr. Paiva begins a journey fueled by bottomless resiliency and a mother’s love. Her story intertwines through five others, all riveting, and all taking place in the busy Spectrum General Hospital in New York. Debut author Melissa Crickard uses this microcosm to illustrate larger aspects of modern medicine. Another Five Patients combines international intrigue and hospital politics with individual human stories involving hospital staff, patients, and their families. The result is a captivating, at times satirical, experience that reminds us that, whether doctor, mother, or child, we are all people, with flaws and emotions in a world of uncertainty.

A Hundred Sweet Promises


Sepehr Haddad - 2021
    Petersburg, Russia, in 1913. On the eve of World War I, Nasrosoltan embarks on a journey from his homeland, Persia, to study at the renowned St. Petersburg Conservatory in pursuit of his musical legacy. During this time, through a series of events beyond his control, he becomes acquainted with the Russian royal family and falls in love with a princess. Nasrosoltan suddenly finds himself in a battle between head and heart while being carried forward on a wave of destiny toward an uncertain future.

52 Ways to Live the Course in Miracles: Cultivate a Simpler, Slower, More Love-Filled Life


Karen Casey - 2016
    First introduced to ACIM during the early stages of sobriety when she hung on to Alcoholics Anonymous like her life depended on it (and, of course, it did), she yearned for something that could quiet her near constant anxiety. ACIM has done that for her, bringing her a simpler, softer, slower, and more loving life." Writing a book of essays about the course, suggesting how one can practice it for personal benefit, is so pleasurable. Every word I write is a constant reminder to me of how to cultivate greater peace in my own life. What could be better than that? Nothing comes to mind, frankly. " from the introduction"52 Ways to Live the Course In Miracles" takes readers on a journey through simple ideas and affirmations for meditation. Casey not only offers an explanation of the ideas, but also shares her own experiences with them stumbles and all offering proof of how helpful and practical they really are and showing that the goal isn t perfection, but rather progress toward creating a life of love and peace."

To the River's End: A Novel of the American Frontier


William W. Johnstone - 2021
    This is an unforgettable journey into the untamed American frontier. Where nature is cruel, violence lurks behind every tree, and where only the strongest of the strong survive. This is a story of America. TO THE RIVER’S END Luke Ransom was just eighteen years old when he answered an ad in a St. Louis newspaper that would change his life forever. The American Fur Company needed one-hundred enterprising men to travel up the Missouri River—the longest in North America—all the way to its source. They would hunt and trap furs for one, two, or three years. Along the way, they would face unimaginable hardships: grueling weather, wild animals, hunger, exhaustion, and hostile attacks by the Blackfeet and Arikara. Luke Ransom was one of the brave men chosen for the job—and one of the few to survive . . . Five years later, Luke is a seasoned trapper and hunter, a master of his trade. The year is 1833, and the American Fur Company is sending him to the now-famous Rendezvous at Green River. For Luke, it may be his last job for the company. After facing death countless times, he is ready to strike out on his own. But when he encounters a fellow trapper under attack by Indians, his life takes an unexpected turn. A new friendship is forged in blood. And a dangerous new journey begins...

Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life, A Memoir


Carol Smith - 2021
    Helen Macdonald found solace in training a wild gos­hawk. Cheryl Strayed found strength in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. For Carol Smith, a Pulitzer Prize­ nominated journalist struggling with the sudden death of her seven-year-old son, Christopher, the way to cross the river of sorrow was through work. In Crossing the River, Smith recounts how she faced down her crippling loss through reporting a series of profiles of people coping with their own intense chal­lenges, whether a life-altering accident, injury, or diag­nosis. These were stories of survival and transformation, of people facing devastating situations that changed them in unexpected ways. Smith deftly mixes the stories of these individuals and their families with her own account of how they helped her heal. General John Shalikashvili, once the most powerful member of the American military, taught Carol how to face fear with discipline and endurance. Seth, a young boy with a rare and incurable illness, shed light on the totality of her son's experiences, and in turn helps readers see that the value of a life is not measured in days.Crossing the River is a beautiful and profoundly moving book, an unforgettable journey through grief toward hope, and a valuable, illuminating read for anyone coping with loss.

8 Miraculous Months in the Malayan Jungle: A WWII Pilot's True Story of Faith, Courage, and Survival


Donald J. "DJ" Humphrey II - 2021
    Humphrey had his B-29 Superfortress directed at Singapore Island. After navigating the 1900-mile trip from India through dangerous weather, they had just successfully bombed their target. And that’s when Japanese Zeroes shot off the wing and sent the mighty aircraft death-spiraling into the Malayan jungle. Jumping to safety, Humphrey and a few of his remaining crewmates found themselves lost in the middle of occupied territory. Enduring vicious crocodiles, deadly snakes, and crippling malaria, the Americans battled just to stay alive. And though they made contact with Malayan resistance fighters, they could never be sure their benefactors weren’t pulling them even deeper into danger… In this harrowing true account, Major Humphrey’s son shares the extraordinary story of his father’s grueling ordeal. Told in the first person, this highly personal narrative puts you inside the mind of a man fighting for his country while struggling to survive. Eight Miraculous Months in the Malayan Jungle is a gripping memoir about overcoming unexpected peril. If you like World War II heroes, incredible stories of courage, and inspirational reads, then you’ll love Donald “DJ” Humphrey II’s captivating biography of his father.GR note: name edited to conform to Goodreads Librarian Manual would read as D.J. Humphrey II, and this is according to the cover image.

The Paleo Cardiologist: The Natural Way to Heart Health


Jack Wolfson - 2015
    The truth is that heart disease can be prevented naturally and cardiologist Dr. Jack Wolfson will show you how.You can trust Dr. Wolfson. For 16 years he worked as a hospital cardiologist performing coronary angiograms and pacemakers. After meeting his chiropractic wife, Dr. Wolfson now runs a very successful, holistic cardiology office.Inside "The Paleo Cardiologist," you will learn: 1) Paleo Nutrition is the food plan for health, 2) The importance of cholesterol to every cell in the body, 3) How to avoid pharmaceuticals and skip the dangerous procedures, 4) Why stress is bad for your heart and how to relax, 5) How to get rid of the chemicals and heavy metals, 6) Sleep is critical for heart health and how to get more Z s, 7) The Top 20 supplements for heart health, 8) The Top 20 blood tests you needGet informed. Get empowered. Read "The Paleo Cardiologist," the natural way to heart health."