Talking Book and Braille Library News

Are you looking for a new book to read? Our TBBL Staff love to read, and we put together a list for you of our very favorite books, some new and some old.  Our list includes romance novels, non-fiction topics, bestsellers, mysteries and much more. Enjoy these and let us know what you think!

Is your mama a llama? DBC 04253, by Deborah Guarino.

Lloyd the llama meets all kinds of animals as he asks his question, "Is your mama a llama?" At last, his friend Llyn leads him to the answer he longs to hear. For preschool-grade 2. 1989.

No flying in the house, DB 011335, by Betty Brock.

A three-by-three inch talking dog is raising her young human ward in the home of a very rich woman. Trouble enters with a sinister cat named Belinda, who teaches the little girl to fly. A mysterious fantasy for grades 3-5. 2015.

Stellaluna, DB 039478, by Janell Cannon.

A baby bat and its mother are out looking for something to eat when they are attacked by an owl. The baby falls, landing headfirst in a nest of baby birds. Growing up with birds, the bat learns to eat bugs, sleep at night, and hang by her thumbs, until one day her mother finds her. Soon she learns to eat fruit, fly at night, and hang by her feet, but she is still friends with the birds. For preschool-grade 2. 1993.

From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, BR 009549 & DB 022914, by E. L. Konigsburg.

Claudia, feeling misunderstood at home, takes her younger brother and runs away to New York City where she sets up housekeeping in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For grades 4-6. Newbery Award. 1967.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, BR 016379, & DB 022796, by Dr. Seuss.

A story-poem about the activities of such unusual animals as the Nook, Wump, Yink, Yop, Gack, and Zed. For preschool-grade 2. 1960.

Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm, DB 058213, by Herman Parish.

Amelia Bedelia causes chaos in the library when she decides to help the librarian. She even takes the bookmobile to the bookstore to buy a book. For grades K-3. 2003.

A Walk Along the Beach, BR 023312 & DB 099515 by Debbie Macomber.

After their mother died and their father was lost in grief, Willa raised her siblings, Harper, and Lucas. She put her own life on hold as an adult to nurse Harper through a terrifying illness, but now that Harper is better, Willa has the chance at her own dreams. 2020.

The Girl He Used to Know, BR 023855 & DB 094490, by Tracey Garvis Graves.

Annika has trouble with social interactions, preferring books or chess. When Jonathan joined the chess club, he immediately fell for shy Annika. They pursue a relationship, but it doesn't last. Years later, they meet again, and their feelings remain strong. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2019.

See Me, BR 021374, by Nicholas Sparks.

Trying to turn over a new leaf and leave his violent past behind, Colin Hancock doesn't have time for a relationship. That changes when he meets Maria Sanchez, a successful lawyer who is running from her own dark history. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

You Had Me at Hola, (Primas of Power), BR 023696 & DB 100232, by Alexis Daria.

After a messy public breakup, soap opera actor Jasmine Lin Rodriguez is excited to return home to New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy. She is determined to focus on her career when a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela star Ashton Suarez. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.

Sunday at the Sunflower Inn, BR 024330 & DB 109360, by Jodi Thomas.

When McCoy Mason crashes on Interstate 45, he doesn't just bust up his Mustang, his leg, and his relationship. He also loses his prospects of a job and apartment in Houston. Honey Creek, home to his estranged grandfather, offers a temporary respite, a place to recover before moving on again. It’s not too late to surprise the whole town-or himself-by seizing a chance for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. And there's no better season than spring, when the warm breeze blowing in from the Brazos River brings fresh hope and second chances to those who need them most. Some strong language.

Love The One You're With, BR 017797 & DB 066946, by Emily Giffin.

Ellen has been happily married to her best friend's brother for one hundred days when she encounters Leo, who broke her heart eight years ago because he could not commit. As they get reacquainted, Ellen's desire for Leo resurfaces. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2008.

If Not for You, a novel, BR 021880 & DB 087546, by Debbie Macomber.

Eager to get away from her controlling mother, Beth moves to Portland, Oregon, to work as a music teacher. She agrees to a blind date with mechanic Sam, partly because she knows it would horrify her mother. An accident creates a bond between them. 2017.

A Dog Called Hope: A Wounded Warrior and the Service Dog Who Saved Him, DB 088872, by Jason Morgan.

The memoir of a former Special Forces soldier. Wounded badly and told he would never walk again, Morgan's recovery was long, and his wife left him with their three young sons. At this lowest point, a special service dog named Napal entered his life. Some violence and some strong language. 2017.

Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale; or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat, BR 018591, and DB 069557, by Gwen Cooper.

The author describes adopting Homer, a small, abandoned kitten whose infected eyes were surgically removed. Details the adventures of spunky, active Homer over the next dozen years--living with two other cats in New York apartments, surviving 9/11, and endearing himself to everyone he met including (eventually) the author's future husband. 2009.

Poverty, By America, DB 113856, by Matthew Desmond.

The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. Some lives are made small so that others may grow. 2023.

Remarkably Bright Creatures, BR 024204, and DB 107924, by Shelby van Pelt.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors, and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body, DB 067828

Paleontologist posits that human bodies and minds have evolved from parts common to other creatures. Discusses the ways in which fossils explain the inner workings of our organs. Describes reconstructing relationships between long-dead animals and the anatomy and genes of recent ones. 2008

The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War, DB 066763

History professor chronicles the fight for California between pro- and antislavery groups after the Mexican War. Describes the impact the discovery of gold had on the political climate, the rush for statehood, and an 1859 duel between senator David Broderick and state supreme court judge David S. Terry. 2007.

The witching hour: a novel, DB 35448, by Anne Rice

Generations of the New Orleans Mayfair women have possessed unusual powers accompanied by the ghost-like presence of Lasher. Separated from her family, neurosurgeon Rowan Mayfair has the powers but is unaware of her family history. When she saves the life of Michael Curry, he also obtains power and, with a historian's guidance, helps Rowan unravel the mystery of Lasher. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1993.

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, DB 99550, and BR 23373, by Grady Hendrix.

The one thing Patricia Campbell has to look forward to is her book club of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. When James Harris moves into the neighborhood and joins the club, Patricia senses there is something not right about the man. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

Outsider, BR 23150, and DB 92110, by Stephen King.

When the body of an eleven-year-old boy is found, all the evidence points to one of Flint City's most popular citizens, local teacher Terry Maitland. Terry has an ironclad alibi, which leaves Detective Ralph Anderson wondering how a man could be in two places at once. Violence and strong language. 2018.

The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments, DB 115996, by Hadley Vlahos.

Passionate advocate for end-of-life care and TikTok star Nurse Hadley shares moving stories of joy, wisdom, and redemption from her patients' final moments, offering powerful lessons on facing death, recovering from loss, and how to live your life in this deeply personal memoir. Talking about death and dying is considered taboo in popular culture, even in the medical field. Our understanding of death is riddled with misconceptions: memories flashing before our eyes, cascading regrets, and chasing bright lights at the end of tunnels. But for most people, this will not be their experience. Rather, it will be a slower process requiring preparedness, good humor, and a bit of faith. Vlahos recounts the most impactful stories from the people she's worked with-from the woman struggling with her religious beliefs despite her strict Catholic upbringing, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter, to the young patient who laments that she spent so much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her-while also sharing her own fascinating journey. With profound insight, humility, and respect, The In-Between is a heart-rending memoir about how caring for others can transform a life, while also offering wisdom and comfort for those dealing with loss and providing inspiration for how to live now. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2023.

The Haunting of Hill House, DB 21679, by Shirley Jackson.

During his scientific investigation of the ghosts in an old, abandoned house, Dr. Montague invites a young man and two women to participate in his experiments. 1959.

The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation, DB 73780, and BR 18749, by Elizabeth Letts.

Relates Dutch immigrant Harry de Leyer's 1956 purchase of a gray horse from a slaughterhouse truck for eighty dollars. Recounts de Leyer's Long Island boarding-school students riding the horse named Snowman, the discovery of Snowman's jumping feats, and his victory at the 1958 National Horse Show. Bestseller. 2011.

All The Light We Cannot See, DB 079182 and BR 023326, by Anthony Doerr.

When Paris is invaded by the Nazis, Marie-Laure LeBlanc's father evacuates her to St. Malo to stay with her great-uncle. Blind since the age of six, Marie-Laure must learn about the town by the scale model her father has left. Then, the Germans arrive. Violence and some descriptions of sex. 2014.

The Never Game, DB 95477, by  Jeffery Deaver.

When a young woman goes missing in Silicon Valley, her father hires Colter Shaw--an expert tracker raised by survivalists--to find her. When another victim is kidnapped, clues point to a video game in which the player has to survive after being abandoned in an inhospitable setting. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Louisiana Longshot, Miss Fortune Mysteries Bk 1, DB 86862, By Jana DeLeon.

With a price on her head from one of the world's largest arms dealers, CIA assassin Fortune Redding poses as a librarian and former beauty queen while she hides in the small bayou town of Sinful, Louisiana. Her newly inherited dog immediately digs up a human bone in her backyard. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2012.

The Thursday Murder Club, DB 100981, by Richard Osman.

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly to discuss unsolved crimes. When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. And the bodies begin to pile up. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.