Forgotten Voyage: the Deadliest Maritime Disaster You’ve Never Heard Of

I just listened to two amazing audiobooks. These books had me staying in my car long after I reached my destination. These stories are  exquisite and the narrators are gifted story tellers.  I recommend you settle in your favorite chair and prepare for a wonderful listening experience.

Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys 
Read by Jorjeana Marie, Cassandra Morris, Will Damron and Michael Crouch

In 1945 World War II is drawing to a close and bands of refugees attempt to escape the oncoming onslaught of the Russian soldiers, by boarding a ship to safety. Among the refugees are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find strength, courage and learn to trust one another as they journey toward freedom. Each hopes to recover something lost during Hitler's reign of terror. Told in alternating voices, this story will enthrall you and as you realize the story is a fictionalized account of the true story of the Wilhelm Gustloff you will hold your breath as you wait to learn the fate of the beloved characters. This is a story you will not soon forget.


The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne read by Derek Perkins

Truthfully I like this story, but I absolutely adore the narrator, Derek Perkins. Derek's voicing talent makes this a truly enjoyable read. I must confess,  I have never listened to a romance novel. This one was definitely worth listening too.
The story begins in an orphanage where a precocious 8-year-old girl,  Farah Leigh finds an injured 11-year-old boy named, Dougan of the clan Mackenzie and tends his wound. Farah names the boy her friend. She is his first friend ever and they become inseparable. In the way of children they vow to love each other forever and Doughan at the age of 13 handfasts with his Fairy. Unfortunately misfortune befalls them and they are separated. 17 years later Farah Leigh Mackenzie is a widow. Farah meets Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben. Dorian is wealthy villain and will fight to the death to get what he wants and to wreak vengeance on those who have wronged him. What he wants now is Farah Leigh Mackenzie. Farah has never met Dorian before and cannot understand why he is interested in her or her secrets. 

Woodcarving Books

This month the library is highlighting our Crafting and Home Decorating collection.  I've chosen my favorite craft: woodcarving!  First a few definitions and then on to the great resources here at the library.

Chip--a style of carving in which knives or chisels are used to remove small chips of wood from a flat surface in a single piece.

In the Round--a style of carving that is completed in its entirety and generally has a more "life like" surface and texture.  They can be any topic and any size.

Relief--figures are carved in a flat panel of wood in 3 dimension.  They project only slightly from the background rather than standing freely.

Whittling--a style where an object is carved from wood by repeatedly cutting small pieces from it.

No matter which style you prefer we have books for every woodcarver:

General Carving

Woodcarving: Techniques and Projects for the First-Time Carver by Everett Ellenwood

Woodcarving: 20 Great Projects for Beginners by John Hillyer

Wood Carving Basics by David Sabol



Chip Carving

Chip Carving: Design and Pattern Sourcebook by Wayne Barton

Complete Guide to Chip Carving by Wayne Barton

In the Round Carving

Carving Fantasy and Legend Figures in Wood by Shawn Cipa

Carving Caricature Animals by Desiree Hajny

Halloween Woodcarving by Cyndi Joslyn

Carving and Painting Christmas Ornaments by Betty Paddon

Carving in the Round by Andrew Thomas

Relief Carving


101 Artistic Relief Patterns for Woodcarvers by Lora S. Irish

Great Book of Carving Patterns by Lora S. Irish







Whittling

Complete Starter Guide to Whittling: 24 Easy Projects You Can Make in a Weekend--736.4 Comp

The Art of Whittling by Walter L. Faurot

The Little Book of Whittling by Chris Lubkemann

Tiny Whittling by Steve Tomashek

Whittling Pencils by Randy True

Specialties


Art of Chainsaw Carving by Jessie Groese

Make Your Own Walking Sticks by Charles Self


The Complete Book of Gourd Carving by Jim Widess and Ginger Summit

Carving Found Wood by Vic Wood

September's In the Queue

I know it's September but publishers are releasing Christmas stories early this year. In the hopes that, if you love Christmas stories, you may get one of these before the holidays, I placed them on this month's list. If you don't like holiday reads, never fear there are mysterious murders, tales of traitors, gales of laughter and even Bruce Springsteen's own story found in September's In the Queue. Find a cozy spot and settle down for a great story.

Fiction

Pushing Up Daisies by M.C. Beaton
When a wealthy land developer who plans to turn a community garden into a housing estate winds up dead, Agatha Raisin is hired to find the real killer.

The Christmas Angel Project by Melody Carlson
Four women inspired by their late friend's gifts to them, decide to become someone else's Christmas Angel and find their own lives enriched by the experience. 

Fates and Traitors by Jennifer Chiaverini
The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker returns with a riveting work of historical fiction following the notorious John Wilkes Booth and the four women who kept his perilous confidence.

Christmas Caramel Murder by Joanne Fluke
The holidays have arrived, and Hannah and her good pal Lisa have agreed to provide all the goodies for the town's annual production of A Christmas Carol. But before anyone can say "Bah, humbug!" a Santa-sized sack of trouble ensues.

Reckless Creed by Alex Kava
Ryder Creed, his K-9 search-and-rescue dogs, and FBI agent Maggie O'Dell are at the center of a mysterious murder investigation, which involves three murders in Chicago, Missouri and Alabama. They soon discover an ominous connection among all the deaths.

Mischling by Affinity Konar
A brave and magnificent testament to a shaken world, this novel tells the harrowing story of Pearl and Stasha, twin sisters who are forced to become curiosities of Mengele's Auschwitz Zoo. Pearl disappears after a performance, and Stasha vows to find her, no matter the cost.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by the Bolshevik tribunal and sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel. His attic room overlooks the Kremlin where he watches the world move on without him. Great characters, beautiful settings and prose make this a  fascinating read as the count attempts to understand why he is imprisoned and what it means to be a man of purpose. 

New Books By Best Selling Authors
The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg
Order to Kill by Vince Flynn
Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah
The Wish by Beverly Lewis
Small Great Things: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
Escape Clause by John Sandford
Pharaoh: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Wilbur Smith
Seduced by Randy Wayne White

Non-Fiction

In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox by Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett shares a behind-the-scenes look at her popular show and explores the elements that made it a success.

Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O'Reilly
O'Reilly portrays the events of World War II in 1944, when escalating Pacific battles between U.S. forces and the Japanese army lead to the development of humanity's deadliest weapon and President Truman's impossible choice.

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.