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The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson

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The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson
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Well! I was so excited to be asked to be a part of this book! I wasn’t sure what to expect but it exceeded expectations! I am humbled to be in such great company. One of the best things about my job is the people. Book people are the actual best! This book proves it. Fierce, intelligent people across the country were interviewed about their jobs in the book world. We may live far apart, but the message is the same. We care about people reading. We will move heaven and earth to get children to read. We are compassionate and empathetic people who take the time to listen to customers’ stories. I love this world and am so excited to get people to understand how important books and their book pimps are.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and LibrariansThe Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson, (List Price: $30, Little Brown and Company, 9780316567534, April 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Wedding Issues by Elle Evans

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Wedding Issues by Elle Evans
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Laugh out-loud funny book just in time for wedding season. This book engages family, friends, the wedding industry, and a fast-paced plot perfect for the beach. I gave this to my future daughter-in-law, hoping she can find the fun in the planning. A must-read for any bride.

Wedding Issues by Elle Evans, (List Price: $17.99, Zibby Books, 9781958506745, April 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica

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She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica
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Mary Kubica is probably one of the nicest and sweetest people you will meet. How she can write page-turning thrillers so well is beyond me. She doesn’t disappoint in this new one at all. Meghan is a divorced mom of a teenage daughter who works long shifts as an ICU nurse. That job alone can weigh you down with stress. Add raising a daughter in a tiny apartment and worrying about her and finances in this world, and you can understand Meghan’s anxiety. Now, though, a woman comes under her care after a bad accident. The girl’s life was in disarray, and her grief-stricken parents hadn’t spoken to her in a long time. Will she wake up? Will she remember the minutes leading up to when she may have been pushed? What is the backstory between the two? I had no idea what was going to happen and gasped out loud when I found out. This book will be huge!

She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica, (List Price: $30, Park Row, 9780778308065, April 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Being Henry by Henry Winkler

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Being Henry by Henry Winkler
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I wanted to reach through the pages and hug this little boy who wasn’t loved by his family. Henry was born to Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. The trauma must have been horrible for them, but a child is innocent. Henry was a funny kid who got away with so much outside his home and was grounded for life always inside it His parents called him dumb dog in German. He had no idea he had dyslexia until his early 30’s but was able to complete college and ended up gettin into Yale Theater Group for his masters. He is not to be kept down. They took a chance on him with Happy Days but what happened on that show and after leaves you cheering him on. I can’t wait to meet him again. Last time he stole my wine and I want it back.

Being Henry by Henry Winkler, (List Price: $30, Celadon Books, 9781250888099, October 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney

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How to Build a Boatby Elaine Feeney
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I feel very fortunate to have had read this beautiful book. Autism is so hard and not having anyone in my family with it, I only know what I hear. When these 3 characters come together to help build a boat they bond and learn so much about themselves and each other. People are afraid of what they don’t understand and autism is one of those things we just don’t know enough about. It’s hard enough to be a freshman in high school, compound that with being different. This is a love story for the 3 generations involved. I guarantee you will see the world a bit differently after.

How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney, (List Price: $17.95, Biblioasis, 9781771965859, November 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan

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So Late in the Dayby Claire Keegan
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So Late in the Day is brilliantly written with Keegan’s beautiful prose. The underlying theme in the stories is the fractured relationships between a man and woman, told with a nuanced tension that grips the reader from beginning until end. A quietly delightful, tense, and gripping read.

So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan, (List Price: $20, Grove Press, 9780802160850, November 2023)

Reviewed by Kelley Barnes, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Omega Farm by Martha McPhee

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Omega Farm by Martha McPhee
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When you return home, everything looks smaller. When you go home after a messed up childhood, you go back to an almost fetal position. You feel like the child you were-not the adult who has been successful. This memoir by Martha McPhee will lead you down her rabbit hole grieving for what she lived through while taking care of her mother during the pandemic. It is not all sad though, there are so many layers of hope, love and forgiveness.

Omega Farm by Martha McPhee, (List Price: 28, Scribner, 9781982197995, September 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch

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Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch
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My favorite aspect of this book is the way magic works in this world. It takes inspiration from paganism and I love how this book shows the real aspects of witchcraft through fantasy. It’s always very refreshing to see a book portray magic in a way that showcases real traditions and spiritual beliefs. I also loved how this book also stayed true to the historical aspects of when it was written. Even though this is a fantasy it’s set in a world that reflects our own and it takes place in the Holy Roman Empire which means that a lot of history is strewn across the book. I also love how the book doesn’t back down from discussing some of the harsh realities that people had to face during the period, especially when it focused on the catholic church and how its reign murdered hundreds of innocent people by burning them at the stake. It criticized the way the church was corrupted at that time by mentioning how paying the church got on out of accusations, and how the people burned at the stake did nothing wrong, other than be accused. This is a topic that is not often talked about in books like these so it was nice to have such information acknowledged.I loved reading about how magic in this world was used. I’m excited to read more from this series and its authors.

Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch, (List Price: $18.99, Sourcebooks Fire, 9781728272160, October 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
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Set in the same world as the Inheritance Games this book focuses on fan favorites Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne. They are in pursuit of a dangerous winner take all game. Less brutal than the Hunger Games it does evoke the eagerness to win and you won’t be able to put it down.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, (List Price: 19.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316480772, August 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs

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All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs
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This book was amazing and such a fun and relatable read. I love the character development and growth of Eloise throughout the book. Austin’s sunshine personality perfectly fits with Eloise’s anxious and sad character, giving us the best of both worlds. Overall, it was a fantastic book that I will definitely be rereading.

All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs, (List Price: 19.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534493575, July 2023)

Reviewed by Meredith Church, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow by Ryan T. Higgins

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Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow by Ryan T. Higgins
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I literally jumped up and down when we received this! Bruce’s friends don’t know why he doesn’t want to celebrate Halloween. But they get him to give out candy and have fun in only the way that Grumpy Bears can have. The Bruce books are a favorite. This time for a grumpy, hilarious Halloween picture book that will keep you in stitches. Bruce’s friends don’t know why he doesn’t want to celebrate Halloween. But they get him to give out candy and have fun in only the way that Grumpy Bears can have. The Bruce books are a favorite

Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow by Ryan T. Higgins, (List Price: 18.99, Disney Hyperion, 9781368059589, July 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook

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The Madstoneby Elizabeth Crook
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Westerns are back in the spotlight, and this one doesn’t disappoint! It has everything you need in a book rolled into one. When Benjamin happens on a pregnant woman and her child, he envelopes them and scurries away with them to escape Texas. It’s the wild west, so shenanigans are afoot, and some savory characters are on the trail. But this isn’t one of those, it is filled with heart. Fascinating.

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook, (List Price: $29, Little, Brown and Company, 9780316564342, November 2023)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Red by Annie Cardi

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Red by Annie Cardi
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In this young adult retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Tess is forced to find the strength to break the cycle of abuse occurring in her church after getting an abortion. Told in a way that doesn’t demonize faith, but rather shows how it can come up short and allows Tess to find her voice again.

Red by Annie Cardi, (List Price: $18.99, Union Square & Co., 9781454951308, 2024-01-30)

Reviewed by Shannon Rogers, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Captain America: The Ghost Army (Original Graphic Novel) by Alan Gratz

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Captain America: The Ghost Army (Original Graphic Novel) by Alan Gratz
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Alan Gratz brings his ability to make young kids want to read to graphic novels, and it’s great! Merging an exciting story with historically accurate information on WII, any fan of history, Marvel, or ghost stories will love this book.

Captain America: The Ghost Army (Original Graphic Novel) by Alan Gratz, (List Price: $14.99, Graphix, January 2023)

Reviewed by Kelley Barnes, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett

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The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett
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A modern-day retelling of one of my favorite books as a kid. They don’t change the story, which I liked, they just add some modern takes. So much fun and beautiful. You will want this in your collection!

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett (List Price: $18.99, Orchard Books, 9781338673845, November 2022)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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