December's Recommended Reads |
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All books mentioned in this edition of the Great Reads Newsletter are available on the Ocean County Library's OverDrive Collection and in our catalog. You can browse the entire OverDrive Collection here.
On mobile devices you can download the Libby App from the device's app store to browse the collection.
For help and support visit the library's help page and click on the OverDrive tab.
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We Met in December
by Rosie Curtis
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Twenty-nine-year-old Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling, but grand, Notting Hill house-share with four virtual strangers. On her first night, Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor, at a Christmas dinner hosted by her landlord. As far as Jess is concerned the connection is clear. She starts planning how they will knock down the wall between them to spend more time together.
When Jess returns from a two-week Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else—beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into the man of her dreams and the woman of his.
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Royal Holiday
by Jasmine Guillory
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Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain private secretary, his charming accent, and unyielding formality.
Malcolm Hudson has worked for the Queen for years and has never given a personal, private tour—until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her.
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The Winter Duke
by Claire Eliza Bartlett
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All Ekata wants is the chance to prove herself as a scholar. Once Ekata's brother is finally named heir to the dukedom of Kylma Above, there will be nothing to keep her at home with her murderous family. Not her books or her experiments, not her family's icy castle atop a frozen lake, not even the tantalizingly close Kylma Below, the underwater kingdom that provides her family with magic. Just as escape is within reach, her parents and siblings fall under a strange sleeping sickness, and no one can find a cure. In the space of a single night, Ekata inherits the title of duke, her brother's captivating warrior bride, and ever-encroaching challengers. Nothing has prepared Ekata for diplomacy, for war, for love or for a crown she has never wanted. |
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Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. Leaving one always means missing the other. Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other. By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love. |
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Winter Sky
by Patricia Reilly Giff
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Siria loves everyone at Pop's firehouse. And she loves the stars in the winter sky. Her mother, who died, named her after Sirius--the Dog Star, brightest in January. But starry nights can fill with flames, and Siria sneaks out to chase the firetrucks. If she's there, everyone will be safe. Still, Siria's not brave like Pop. Her best friend Douglas used to chase with her, and it wasn't so scary. But she did something wrong; they're not friends now. This winter, Siria must learn to be brave. Because she's got to fix things with Douglas; and when Pop is injured, she needs courage, and her friends, more than ever. |
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The Popper Penguin Rescue
by Eliot Schrefer
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It's been years and years since the Popper family lived in Stillwater, but the town is still riding high on its former penguin residents. Across the river, in Hillport, residents try to re-create the magic with penguin carnival rides and penguin petting zoos, pretending they're the Popper originals. As the years have gone by, fewer and fewer people have come, and the small attractions shuttered.
Nina and Joe Popper have just moved to Hillport with their mother. There's a lot to do: unpacking, scrubbing the floors, investigating the basement — wait, what's this? Two penguin eggs are tucked snugly near the furnace!
It's up to Nina and Joe to find their newly hatched penguin chicks a home.
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Hanukkah Bear
Written by Eric Kimmel
Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
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Bubba Brayna makes the best latkes in the village, and on the first night of Hanukkah, the scent of her cooking wakes a hungry, adorable bear from his hibernation. He lumbers into town to investigate, and Bubba Brayna—who does not see or hear very well—mistakes him for her rabbi. She welcomes the bear inside to play the dreidel game, light the menorah, and enjoy a scrumptious meal.
However, after her well-fed guest leaves, there’s a knock at the door—it’s the rabbi, and all of Brayna’s other friends, arriving for dinner. But there are no latkes left—and together, they finally figure out who really ate them.
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Together for Kwanzaa
Written by Juwanda G. Ford
Illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger
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Kwanzaa is Kayla’s favorite time of year. But this year, it looks as if a heavy snowstorm will keep her big brother, Khari, from getting home in time for the festivities! Will Khari miss the celebration completely? Or will Kayla and her brother somehow find a way to be together for Kwanzaa? |
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Construction Site on Christmas Night
Written by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by AG Ford
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The trucks are gearing up for Christmas by building a special gift! There's a surprise waiting for each of them, too! Presents await for Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, Dump Truck, and Cement Mixer as each finishes their part of this big, important job. |
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