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Hampton Roads: Books for Moms

Mother's Day is only a few days away. If your mom (or the special mom figure in your life) is a reader, why not consider a book as a gift? And don't forget to arrange for her to have some reading time to go with it. Here are a few new titles that might pique her interest:

On May 1, Terri Osburn of Virginia Beach released the third and final book in her Anchor Island series. In "Home to Stay," hometown girl and bartender Willow Parsons has sworn off romance, thanks to a disastrous past relationship. But when handsome Randy Navarro, her brother's best friend, determines to ferret out Willow's secrets, she must decide between the road and the safety of anonymity, or home and the promise of love. "Home to Stay" is available in print, eBook and audio at Amazon.com and other online retailers for about $9, $5 and $11, respectively. You can read more about Osburn and her books at terriosburn.com.

Photo lovers might enjoy "My Virginia Rivers" by author/photographer Will Daniel. According to the book jacket, Daniel traveled around Virginia for four years, snapping digital images of the state's rivers "from the storied Shenandoah Valley to Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay." The resulting 140-page volume is filled with more than 250 photos that capture the beauty of our commonwealth's rivers. The 9-by-11-inch hardcover is available from publisher Schiffer Books, schifferpublishing.com, as well as major online retailers for about $30.

Staff recommends

Book series are hot with readers these days. Recently the booksellers at the Barnes & Noble in Hampton's Peninsula Town Center suggested these "first of a series" titles to their customers. Here, in their own words, are their recommendations:

"Dead Iron: The Age of Steam" by Devon Monk. Blending an exciting mix of western, this is an exciting novel for anyone looking for some variety in their steampunk. To add to the appeal of the story, the main character is a werewolf.

"The Blood Gospel: The Order of the Sanguines Series" by James Rollins. An archaeologist, a soldier and a priest are in a race against time to stop the destruction of the world. It is full of action and history. It's a must read.

"The Pillars of the Earth" (prequel to "World Without End") by Ken Follett. A masterful story during feudal England's 12th century about a monk who wants to build a wondrous Gothic cathedral in a small town. The author intertwines this story with betrayal, love, power and revenge.

"Darkfever: Fever Series Book 1" by Karen Marie Moning. The author combines fantasy and romance with a touch of humor. This series will draw you in and keep you enthralled to the end.

"Naked in Death" by J.D. Robb (alter ego of romance author Nora Roberts). Wonderful characters, good mysteries. As you continue to read more of the series, J.D. Robb pulls you into the character relationships. A not-too-far-in-the-future series that keeps you returning for the next book.

"Age of Ra (Pantheon Series)" by James Lovegrove. Each book in the series presents a unique take on the gods of myth and legend existing in the real world. 'Age of Ra' presumes the Egyptian gods won a divine war and have divided our world between them.

"Murder on Astor Place (Gaslight Mystery)" by Victoria Thompson. It is 1920 in New York City, and modern-thinking Sarah Brandt is a midwife with a mystery to solve. The book has great characters with a twisted ending.

"Article 5" by Kristen Simmons. This teen fantasy adventure read is a true page-turner that will get your attention from the very first chapter. Simmons weaves suspense, action, adventure and romance into a novel that will leave you dying to read book two, "Breaking Point."

Poetry news

National Poetry Month is officially over, but local poets are as busy as ever.

•On Thursday, Poetry Night at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center will feature poetry-inspired art. Woodside High School French teacher Najoua Benothmane, who previously challenged her students to interpret in art Charles Baudelaire's poem "The Eyes of the Poor," will present their work and read the poem in its original French translation. Benothmane will be followed by readings of ekphrastic (art-inspired) poetry and an open mic, time permitting. The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. Pfac is located on the grounds of The Mariners' Museum Park, 101 Museum Drive, Newport News. Go to pfac-va.org for information.

•Friday, May 9 is the deadline to register for the 2014 Poetry Festival of Virginia which takes place Friday and Saturday, May 16-17 at the James City County Library, 7770 Croaker Road, Norge. The two-day festival is packed with workshops, readings, open-mike sessions and more. Go to poetrysocietyofvirginia.org to register.

Vote in poetry contest

Voting is underway for the Readers' Choice winner of the Daily Press Poetry Contest. View entries at dailypress.com/poetry. To vote, go to contests.dailypress.com and select "Daily Press Poetry" from the list. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 11. Meanwhile, Daily Press staff and guest judges are busy combing through entries to choose their top selections. The 2014 Daily Press Poet Laureate will be announced on Sunday, May 18. Good luck to all our entrants.

Price can be reached at 757-247-4745

HRBooks Launches

Check out our new book feature, HRBooks, on Page 2. Each week local readers will share information about local author books. See what your friends and neighbors have to say.

Copyright © 2015, Daily Press
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