You can read ESL / New Adult Reader books from the Cuyahoga County Public Library on your phone with an app named Libby, by Overdrive. You will need a Cuyahoga County Public Library card/account (available for free to all Tri-C students). If you do not already have one, go to the link below.
The links below are e-books that may be available for you to check out from the CCPL library. Once you get your CCPL card, click the i button to see a description of the book. If the book sounds interersting, click the link to go to the CCPL library page and check it out.
All night by
Gregor is a comedian and Jess is a struggling actor. The sudden death of their close friend Peter forces them to think about their lives. They stay up all night talking, loving, arguing. This is their night of truth. Who are they? What do they want? What do they mean to each other?
Bed and breakfast by
Annie runs a bed and breakfast. She has lived alone since her husband died five years ago. Now, she wishes for someone to love. One morning Brent, a guest, walks into her life. Her heart skips a beat. Handsome, charming, well dressed - will Brent turn out to be the man of her dreams?
Beethoven's Tenth by
Piano tuner Frank Ryan is paid in kind by an aging music teacher with an old manuscript that turns out to be Beethoven's Tenth Symphony. Launched into a world of intrigue and violence, Ryan, an unlikely sleuth, realizes he must use his wits to conquer his enemies and solve the mystery of the manuscript. In the process Ryan discovers whom he can trust and what he is made of. The first in a series featuring Frank Ryan, Beethoven's Tenth is a smart page-turner.
The Break-In by
Marcus and Alex have two things in common - they each have a broken heart and a plan. Marcus wants to win back his girlfriend. He is ready to stage a break-in for her. Eleven-year-old Alex wants to find his father's killer. He has a gun and may be ready to use it. When Marcus and Alex cross paths, they make a mess. But in a strange way, they also begin to understand each other. The Break-In is a funny story about finding brotherhood in dark times.
Change Order by
Mel is happy making sidewalks and going out for a beer with the boys. He's a good worker, but needs his buddy Adam to get the job done right. Adam does not want to be a concrete worker for the rest of his life. He wants to be a foreman. Soon Adam's wish comes true. When Adam becomes the boss, things begin to change. For one thing, Adam and Mel are not such great buddies anymore. Both men learn a lot about themselves in the weeks that follow. But do Adam and Mel find a way to stay buddies?
The Clear-Out by
Duncan is very angry. Tess, his wife, has turned their dining room into a library. Then disaster strikes: Tess gets sick, and soon Duncan is alone. Right away, he clears out the books he hates. Suddenly, things in the house start to move around by themselves. A strange message appears in the kitchen. Is the house haunted?
Disconnect by
Since moving hundreds of miles to a new school, Daria has become increasingly dependent on her cell phone. Texts, Facebook and phone calls are her only connection to her friends in Calgary, and Daria needs to know everything that is going on at home to feel connected to her old life. Her cell phone habit looks a lot like addiction to her mother and to her new friend Cleo. Daria dismisses the idea of technology addiction as foolish until her habit puts a life in danger.
Doors to the Sky by
Leena's children are older, so she goes back to school. All goes well until Omar, her husband, finds out. "Why are you doing this to me?" says Omar. "Are you trying to make me look like a stupid fool?" Omar wants Leena to take care of the books for his business. He wants her to take care of their kids and home. He wants to keep things as they always were. But Leena wants more for herself. She dreams of becoming a teacher. Does Omar find a way to rise above his fear as Leena reaches to touch the sky?
From Scratch by
Cookie is about to lose her job at the local bakery. She dreams of owning her own bakery but doesn't think she has the skills or money to do it. Most of all, she doesn't have the self-confidence. When she takes a course at the local college, she finds she has much more going for her than she imagined. With the help of her community, she figures out how to make sure no one has to go without her famous doily cookies for long!
Him Standing by
When Lucas Smoke learns the Ojibway art of carving from his grandfather, he proves to be a natural. He can literally make people come to life in wood. Then Lucas's growing reputation attracts a mysterious stranger, who offers him a large advance to carve a spirit mask. This mask is to represent the master, but Lucas must find its face in his dreams. As his dreams become more and more disturbing, he feels himself changing. And the mask takes control of his life. Then a chance encounter with an old woman introduces him to the identity of the master. He is an ancient sorcerer named Him Standing, a powerful and dark wizard. The more Lucas works on the mask, the closer Him Standing comes to emerging from the dream world to walk the earth again. What follows is a race against time and the forces of evil in this supernatural thriller.
The Hangman by
On a cold November morning, a jogger runs through the woods in the peaceful Quebec village of Three Pines. On his run, he finds a dead man hanging from a tree. The dead man was a guest at the local Inn and Spa. He might have been looking for peace and quiet, but something else found him. Something horrible. Did the man take his own life? Or was he murdered? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called to the crime scene. As Gamache follows the trail of clues, he opens a door into the past. And he learns the true reason why the man came to Three Pines.
In From the Cold by
Rose and her daughter Hazel are on the run in a big city. During the day, Rose and Hazel live in a shack hidden in the bushes. At night, they look for food in garbage bins. In the summer, living in the shack was like an adventure for Hazel. But now, winter is coming and the nights are cold. Hazel is starting to miss her friends and her school. Rose is trying to do the right thing for her daughter, but everything is going so wrong. Will Hazel stay loyal to her mother, or will she try to return to her old life?
Just for Today by
Biff held up a big bottle. It was almost empty. "This bottle was full this morning!" he laughed. Something in his laugh was not funny. "You've been drinking all day?" Abby shouted. Abby loves Biff. But she beings to hate their life together. The alcohol. The fighting. Something has to change. Biff begins to go to AA meetings. He finds out that making a change is not always easy. Is Biff able to stay on the path to a better life?
Listen! by
Liz invites her sister, Roma, and two friends to dinner. The four women have something important in common: they are hearing daughters of deaf parents. Each woman brings an old family picture to the table. Each tells a story about her picture. Roma has always felt alone and different. As a child, she had to "listen and tell." Roma became the listener because her mother could not hear. But by the end of the evening, Roma knows she is not alone. She and the other women learn that growing up with deaf parents has given them rare and special gifts.
The New Normal by
Tamar Robinson knows a lot about loss--more than any teenager should. Her younger sisters are dead, her parents are adrift in a sea of grief, and now Tamar is losing her hair. Nevertheless, she navigates her rocky life as best she can, not always with grace, but with her own brand of twisted humor. She joins the chess club with her friend Roy, earns a part in the school production of The Wizard of Oz, buys an awesome wig, lands a crappy job, gets invited to the prom (by three different guys!) and helps her parents re-enter the land of the living. What Tamar lacks in tact (and hair), she makes up for in sheer tenacity.
The Next Sure Thing by
Cree Thunderboy wants nothing less than to be the next great blues man. But, playing to tiny audiences in shabby rooms like Shelly's Crab Shack, his career is stalled. Then at the race track he meets Win Hardy, a seemingly charming rogue who spots Cree's knack for picking winning horses. He offers to record his first CD and send him on tour, as long as Cree can keep coming up with the hot tips at the track. Things are looking good for Cree until he discovers Win's connections to the mob and his violent response to anything that doesn't go his way. And when things inevitably go bad, Cree discovers that in life and in gambling there is never really the next sure thing.
The Night Thief by
Simple country handyman Cedric O'Toole relies on his organic vegetable garden to supplement his meager income, so he's upset when vegetables begin disappearing. After several futile attempts to protect the garden, he stakes it out one night with his shotgun and spots a shadowy figure running into the woods. Cedric follows and finds a young boy living rough on his land. The boy has never been taught to read or write, and no one has reported him missing. No stranger to childhood neglect himself, Cedric takes the boy under his wing and tries to find answers. Who is the mystery boy, and why is he hiding in the woods? The Night Thief is the third novel in a series featuring reluctant sleuth Cedric O'Toole.
A Robot Instead by
Buzz, click. Buzz, click. "Sometimes I get real tired of this same old job," says Sonny. Sonny works on a line in a machine shop. All day long he drills holes into engine blocks. He doesn't love his job, but it feeds his family. Then Sonny gets bad news. He is laid off. His job is taken over by a robot. Sonny is angry at the company. He feels alone. He feels like nothing at all. Does Sonny give up hope? Or does he find a way to get his life back?
Play Money by
"I just got my first credit card. I love it! It's like play money." Terri is divorced. She is free to do what she wants. Shopping is what she wants to do most. "You will get a bill, you know," says he good friend, Brett. But Terri does not listen. Soon Terri is in trouble. She can't keep up with the bills. The credit card companies are after her. Terry looks for an answer to her money problems. Along the way, she finds love. But not without breaking someone's heart. Does Terri find a way to fix her money troubles and her love life?
Take Away Three by
Rennie walked into the house. He took one step and stopped dead in his tracks. The house was empty! Everything was gone. Kara and the kids were gone too. Kara has left Rennie for another man. "You're never home," Kara tells him. Rennie is a truck driver. It's the only way he knows to make a living. Rennie knows he hasn't been the best husband. He also knows he still has a crack at being a good dad. Does Rennie find a way to keep his job and get his family back together?
That Dog Won't Hunt by
Cowboy drifter Rick Cooper is on the run in the California desert when he meets Gladys Ryan, an eccentric widow who offers him a ride in her classic 1970 Mustang. Before long she convinces him to accompany her to Northern Ontario to help refurbish her hunting lodge, promising him a share of the upcoming season's profits and hinting at more. The offer is too good to pass up. Rick takes to life in the bush, working hard to make the lodge successful. In his free hours he hunts birds, reluctantly taking Bucky, Gladys' ancient golden retriever along with him. But when the lucrative season comes to an end, Gladys refuses to share the profits, instead offering the hired man a few thousand dollars in wages. In the middle of a drinking bout, an argument ensues. Rick shoves Gladys and she falls and hits her head and dies. He takes her body into the remote bush and disposes of her trademark Mustang, telling anyone who asks that she has gone off on her annual snowbird vacation. No one seems suspicious and it looks like the perfect crime. Rick seems to have it all figured out...except what to do with Bucky...
Time to Talk by
The Hot Summer Race is only a week away. Bob's car is not ready. So he starts calling in sick. "Don't worry," says Bob to his wife. "You watch. I'm going to win the Hot Summer Race. We are going to be rich!" Instead, Mia, his wife, has to get a job. When Mia does not come home one night, Bob knows something has to change. Bob risks everything for the love of racing— his job, his marriage, and his life. Does he find a way to have it all?
Tribb's Troubles by
Tribb has always been a thinker, not a doer. But he needs to do something about the mice in his house, and fast. Linda, his wife, hates those mice. If only Tribb could get rid of the nasty little things. Then Linda might be happy again. Maybe even fall in love with him again. Tribb has his troubles, all right. Mouse trouble. Marriage trouble. In the end, though, Tribb solves his problems. Or does he?
The Way It Works by
Walter Davis is young, handsome, intelligent, dynamic, personable and homeless. The product of a bi-racial marriage but abandoned by his father as a young child, he prides himself on three things: his drive to succeed, his fine clothes and never having been late for anything in his life. Walter is also homeless. The medical expenses that came with his mother's brief and unsuccessful battle against cancer have left him destitute. Still, ever the optimist, Walter believes that if he lives in his car for a few months, he will have the time he needs to find a good job in the business world and turn his life around. His situation gets more complicated when he finds himself attracted to a girl he meets at the mailing center where he keeps a post box. But trying to impress a girl when you have no fixed address proves difficult, and when he's caught in a lie, she shuns his company. Walter's struggles grow when his car is impounded and he can't afford to pay the fine. Only resilience, ingenuity and his drive to succeed can bring Walter back from the brink of despair.
Worst Date Ever by
Jennie has been a widow for two years. Her twelve-year-old son thinks it's about time she started dating, and so does her best friend, Angela. So with Angela's help, Jennie signs up to an online dating site. Within hours, she has several dates lined up for the week. Surely there will be one Prince Charming in the bunch. And if not, it's only one date, right? How bad could it be?
IN PERSON: Tri-C Libraries are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can visit a librarian in person during those hours EXCEPT on Friday when the librarians are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Call or chat with a Librarian Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.