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The Christmas promise / by Evans, Richard Paul,author.;
On the night of her high school graduation, Richelle Bach's father gives her and her identical twin sister, Michelle, matching opal necklaces. "These opals look identical," he tells them, "but the fire inside each is completely unique--just like the two of you." Indeed, the two sisters couldn't be more different, and their paths diverge as they embark on adulthood. Years pass, until--at their father's behest--they both come home for Christmas. What happens then forever damages their relationship, and Richelle vows never to see or speak to her sister again. In their father's last days, he asks Richelle to forgive Michelle, a deathbed promise she never fulfills as her twin is killed in an accident. Now, painfully alone and broken, caring for the sickest of children in a hospital PICU, Richelle has one last dream: to be an author. The plot of her book, The Prodigal Daughter, is a story based on her sister's life. It's not until she meets Justin Ek, a man who harbors his own loss, that a secret promise is revealed, and Richelle learns that the story she's writing is not about her sister, but about herself.
Subjects: Christmas fiction.; Psychological fiction.; Authors; Grief; Life change events; Man-woman relationships; Parent and adult child; Sisters; Twins;

How to Potty Train a Dinosaur. by Wilbert, Caitlin,film director.; Williams, Cedric,actor.; Vooks (Firm),dst; Kanopy (Firm),dst;
Cedric WilliamsOriginally produced by Vooks in 2021.We all know cleaning up dino poo in the backyard is no fun—and dino diapers are way too stinky to be an option. So, how do you potty train a dinosaur? First, you need to find a toilet that’s their size. Then, you have to teach them to know when it’s time to go. You might even have to set them on the potty every so often until they learn.Wiping, flushing, and washing their claws are all a part of the process. Sometimes, a dinosaur won’t want to take a break from playing to use the toilet. Sometimes, there’ll be accidents. But with a little help and encouragement, they’ll get the hang of it eventually. Right?HOW TO POTTY TRAIN A DINOSAUR is a simple overview of—and playful take on—the basics of potty training. By putting the focus on a dinosaur instead of the reader, the story places children on the same side as the adults, making the discussion more approachable. Written and illustrated by Alycia Pace. Published by Familius.Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subjects: Education films.; Children's stories.;

Children of the black glass / by Peckham, Anthony.;
In an unkind alternate past, somewhere between the Stone Age and a Metal Age, Tell and his sister Wren live in a small mountain village that makes its living off black glass mines and runs on brutal laws. When their father is blinded in a mining accident, the law dictates he has thirty days to regain his sight and be capable of working at the same level as before or be put to death. Faced with this dire future, Tell and Wren make the forbidden treacherous journey to the legendary city of Halfway, halfway down the mountain, to trade their father's haul of the valuable black glass for the medicine to cure him. The city, ruled by five powerful female sorcerers, at first dazzles the siblings. But beneath Halfway's glittery surface seethes ambition, violence, prejudice, blackmail, and impending chaos. Without knowing it, Tell and Wren have walked straight into a sorcerers' coup. Over the next twelve days they must scramble first to save themselves, then their new friends, as allegiances shift and prejudices crack open to show who has true power.Ages 10-14.
Subjects: Fantasy fiction.; Action and adventure fiction.; Siblings; Parent and child; Obsidian; Quests (Expeditions); Adventure and adventurers;

The worst life has to offer : a mother's grief journey to the other side of sadness after the death of her two sons / by Cox-Mlynczyk, Venetta,author.;
"Venetta Mlynczyk has endured unimaginable tragedy, a parent's worst nightmare. The sudden deaths of her only two children, just six months apart. Suffering excruciating pain, and grappling with complicated grief and guilt, led her to dark places. Then, in the throes of grief, she was completely blindsided by a cruel twist that shocked people around the world. Suspicions surrounding the investigation into Brandon's death, left Venetta on a path seeking justice for years. Devon's death also sparked mysterious lingering questions. From the depths of despair, she found the courage and strength to navigate the multiple layers of her grief, exploring a myriad of messy emotions. In the face of adversity, Venetta's resilience offers hope and inspiration to anyone grieving the death of a loved one. The sun will shine again on the other side of sadness, even when the worst life has to offer, happens."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Cox-Mlynczyk, Venetta.; Children; Grief in women.; Grief.; Mothers and sons.; Mothers; Parental grief.; Traffic accident victims;

The party : a novel / by Harding, Robyn,author.;
"In this stunning and provocative domestic drama about a sweet sixteen birthday party that goes horribly awry, a wealthy family in San Francisco finds themselves entangled in a legal battle, their darkest secrets revealed, and their friends turned to enemies. One invitation. A lifetime of regrets. Sweet sixteen. It's an exciting coming of age, a milestone, and a rite of passage. Jeff and Kim Sanders plan on throwing a party for their daughter, Hannah--a sweet girl with good grades and nice friends. Rather than an extravagant, indulgent affair, they invite four girls over for pizza, cake, movies, and a sleepover. What could possibly go wrong? But things do go wrong, horrifically so. After a tragic accident occurs, Jeff and Kim's picture perfect life in a wealthy San Francisco suburb suddenly begins to unravel. A lawsuit is filed that irrevocably changes their relationship, reveals dark secrets in the Sanders' marriage, and exposes the truth about their perfect daughter, Hannah. Harkening to Herman Koch's The dinner, Christos Tsiolkas's The slap, and Liane Moriarty's Big little lies, The party takes us behind the façade of the perfect family, exposing the lies, betrayals, and moral lapses that neighbors don't see--and the secrets that children and parents keep from themselves and each other"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Upper class families; Family secrets; Teenage girls;

The accidental favorite : a novel / by Littlewood, Fran,author.;
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams comes a wryly resonant and deeply moving family dramedy investigating the question so many of us have asked ourselves: do my parents have a favorite? Vivienne and Patrick Fisher have done an excellent job raising their three daughters, Alex, Nancy, and Eva. They're well-adjusted women with impressive careers, caring partners, exciting hobbies, and sweet children. So it's with great anticipation that three generations of Fishers gather at a beautiful glass house in the English countryside for a weeklong celebration of Vivienne's seventieth birthday. But when Patrick's reaction to a freak accident on the first day of the trip inadvertently reveals that he has a favorite daughter, no one is prepared for the shockwaves it sends through the family. Decades-old unresolved sibling rivalries are suddenly unmasked. And be it newly uncovered smoking habits, ancient crushes, or private doubts about life decisions both big and small, no one's secrets are safe. Still-tender wounds are reopened amid an audience of friends, husbands, grandchildren, and even coworkers, and as the family's past is re-written, they find themselves suddenly unmoored. In a lively, poignant examination of memory, sisterhood, and family ties, Fran Littlewood reminds us just why it is that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Novels.; Families; Fathers and daughters; Memory; Secrecy; Sibling rivalry; Sisters;

Her secret son / by McKinnon, Hannah Mary,author.;
"When Josh's longtime partner, Grace, dies in a tragic accident, he is left with a mess of grief-- and full custody of her seven-year-old son, Logan. While not his biological father, Josh has been a dad to Logan in every way that counts, and with Grace gone, Logan needs him more than ever. Wanting to do right by Logan, Josh begins the process of becoming his legal guardian-- something that seems suddenly urgent, though Grace always brushed it off as an unnecessary formality. But now, as Josh struggles to find the paperwork associated with Logan's birth, he begins to wonder whether there were more troubling reasons for Grace's reluctance to make their family official. As he digs deeper into the past of the woman he loved, Josh soon finds that there are many dark secrets to uncover, and that the truth about where Logan came from is much more sinister than he could have imagined ..."-- Page [4] of cover.
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Domestic fiction.; Family secrets; Stepfamilies; Custody of children;

No way out : a novel / by Hunter, Cara,author.;
It's Christmas in Oxford, and firefighters have pulled two children from the smoking ruin of their home. The mystery deepens when it becomes clear that the parents are nowhere to be found. Why were the children left in the house alone? Why is neither parent answering their phone? Were they kidnapped? Murdered? From the start, DI Fawley--still reeling from his own personal tragedy--knows that this house fire is the scene of a crime, not an accident. Then new evidence comes to light and confirms the team's worst suspicions. The blaze was arson. Who would have torched a seemingly happy family's home on Christmas? As DI Fawley and his team of detectives sift through the evidence, old tensions and new problems in the family are slowly revealed. Something terribly out of the ordinary has happened, and the truth slowly begins to reveal itself ... A gripping and provocative tale of arson, murder, and family intrigue, No Way Out is everything you'd expect from one of Britain's queens of crime, Cara Hunter.
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Novels.; Fawley, Adam (Fictitious character); Arson; Missing persons; Murder; Police;

The net beneath us / by Dunbar, Carol,1970-author.;
"He promised her he would never let go. She's willing to risk everything to hold on. In the aftermath of her husband's logging accident, Elsa has more questions than answers about how to carry on while caring for their two small children in the unfinished house he was building for them in the woods of rural Wisconsin. To cope with the challenges of winter and the near-daily miscommunications from her in-laws, she forges her own relationship with the land, learning from and taking comfort in the trees her husband had so loved. If she wants to stay in their home, she must discover her own capabilities, and accept help from the people and places she least expects. Dunbar, drawing from her own lived experiences, vividly describes the wonder and harshness of life off the grid. Told over the course of a year, The Net Beneath Us is a lyrical exploration of loss, marriage, parenthood, and self-reliance; a tale of how the natural world--without and within us--offers us healing, if we can learn where to look"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Novels.; Bereavement; Outdoor life;

The booklover's library : a novel / by Martin, Madeline,author.;
In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she's left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots' Booklover's Library to take a chance on her with a job. When the threat of war in England becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through the recommendations she provides to the library's quirky regulars. But the job doesn't come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing and the work at the lending library forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident. As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Domestic fiction.; Novels.; Books; Libraries; Mothers and daughters; Widows; World War, 1939-1945;