Here are few of my favorite recent reads. Library staff would be happy to help you place requests on these or any other titles. If you’d like to place your own request, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog.

Cecily Foster is an excellent podcast producer, even when working for a production company in dire straits. What she is not is lucky in love. When her boss gives her a chance to save her and her colleagues’ jobs by being the subject of a new dating podcast, Cecily reluctantly agrees; at least she can exercise a bit more control over the final product if she hosts and produces. She is set up on twenty dates by a dating and life coach, all of which will be recorded for the podcast. Then, she meets Will by chance, and Cecily can’t help but compare each new date to his easy charm and kindness. “Back After This” by Linda Holmes is a more grown-up romance, perfect for fans of Curtis Sittenfeld.

Wyatt and Dawn Decker are the hosts of a cable television, home renovation show. He’s all charm and good looks, and she brings the down-to-earth wit. Everything is just perfect. But after Dawn gives birth to twins, Wyatt’s behavior begins to change. He’s short and mean with Dawn, zones out for long, unexplainable stretches, and seems to be keeping more than one secret. When Dawn finds evidence of the unthinkable, she takes the twins on the run. But can she outrun Wyatt’s charm and the court of public opinion? I enjoyed the fresh premise for Daniel Kenitz’s suspense novel, “The Perfect Home.”

Suzanne Collins’ “Sunrise on the Reaping” is a prequel to “The Hunger Games” and tells the story of young Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch doesn’t live an easy life, but he is content to work hard supporting his family and spend as much time as possible with his love, Lenore Dove. All of that is taken from him when he is selected as a competitor in the 50th Hunger Games, a fight to the death of 48 teens aged 12-17. This is the annual punishment the Capitol has set for the districts of Panem for their uprising. If you’re not familiar with “The Hunger Games” trilogy, I would suggest reading it first. Fans of “The Hunger Games” will recognize many beloved characters and root for Haymitch as he faces the terror and heartbreak of the games.

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg became overnight sensations as The Griffin Sisters, a pop-rock band that had one mega-hit album in the early 2000s. But 18 years later, Zoe is a stay-at-home mom warring with her daughter, Cherry, and Cassie has disappeared completely. When Cherry decides to audition for a national, televised singing competition, she decides that her long-lost Aunt Cassie would be the perfect person to mentor her – if Cherry can find Cassie and convince her to step back into the public eye. I always relish Weiner’s depictions of sisterly relationships; she knows just how razor thin the line can be between biggest supporter and biggest competitor. If you enjoy Jennifer Weiner’s book, “The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits,” you might also enjoy “In Her Shoes,” one of her earlier novels featuring battling sisters.

If you’d like to request these or any other titles, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog, or call the library at 507-359-8331. New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway and is open from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday-Saturday.