Like a Bargain? Then You'll Love The New Fiction at JCPL!

Printer-friendly

Sitting by my front door are a pair of flip flops; the ones I wore all summer long and just never had the heart to put away for the winter. It's January, I know; boots should take the place of those flip flops, but I still can't make myself put those pretty, beaded symbols of summer away. Besides they were a bargain.

Looking back over 2011, I could do worse than paying $3 for a pair of comfy shoes that not only made it through the summer and fall, but are holding fast to their place by the threshold of my front door through the winter months too. As I researched the year 2011, it seems as though my bargain flip flops were REALLY inexpensive compared to a pair of colorful Chipkos flip flops that sold at auction for a whopping $18,000! Hand painted though they may be, they certainly were not much of a bargain, and made the list for one of the "priciest items of 2011." Do you like a bargain? If you do, and you want to start your New Year right, come to your local branch of JCPL, where the new fiction on the shelves are just the bargain you've been looking for! Check out these titles!

Autumn Reiniger is a daddy's girl. You could even go so far as to say that she's a bit spoiled, since Daddy has already bought her a sports car, pays for her apartment, and foots the bill for the private college she's attending as she parties away her weekends. So, what can Daddy give Autumn for her birthday that she hasn't already got? How about an "ultimate urban reality game," a sort of high priced game of cops and robbers, set up just for she and five of her friends. Sounds like fun, but as the game heats up, a gang of real kidnappers zeroes in on the group, carting them off into the woods to get Daddy's attention, because, after all, the way to Daddy's riches is through his little girl in "The Nightmare Thief" by Meg Gardiner.

Never one to throw caution to the wind, Lucy Streeter has lived her life playing by the rules, and as a result, she feels unfulfilled and lacking passion. Everything changes for Lucy, however, after a trip to a fortune teller reveals that her future will be dreadfully shortened, and as one prophesy after another comes true, Lucy decides that if her days are numbered, it's time for her to start living out her dreams. Squeezing a lifetime of fulfillment into a few short days is not easy, though, and as Lucy faces all of her fears and lives life to the fullest, she decides it's also time to take a risk where her heart is concerned. But will she live to regret it? Find out in "Famous Last Words" by Annie Sanders.

Life can change in a heartbeat, and nobody knows that better than Wolf Hadda. One minute, he's living a fairy tale existence as a successful businessman, married to the woman of his dreams, and the next, a knock on the door leads Wolf into the nightmare life of prison; an innocent man caught in a trap. Under the guidance of the prison therapist, Wolf finally begins to find his sanity, and is paroled and sent back to his family. Now known as The Woodcutter, Wolf is out for revenge. Seeking the truth and vengeance, though, may lead him into a quagmire that he can never escape in "The Woodcutter: A Novel" by Reginald Hill.

Past and present combine to create an unforgettable story in "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. A childhood spent in the foster care system has made Victoria Jones a stand alone woman with no real connections to the world. The only thing she truly understands and feels connected to are flowers, and through flowers, can convey any thought or feeling that needs to be communicated. At the age of eighteen, Victoria becomes emancipated from the foster care system, and is hired by a local florist. As she uses her talent with flowers to help others, she is approached by a mysterious flower vendor who makes her question what's been missing in her life, making her wonder if it's worth risking it all for a second chance at happiness.

The dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch" sold for $4.6 million dollars; kitten shoes made for Princess Soraya of Iran, $26,385; a Row's Alligator Bag, $39,000; and shoelaces made of 14 karat gold, $19,000. One trip to the Jasper County Public Library and as many new titles for free as you can carry; priceless!