Recommendations of recent books from the staffs of a rotating list of Northern California independent bookstores. In another enjoyable addition to the Jack Reacher series, the hero is sent to Germany with a team of FBI and CIA agents to track down a suspected terrorist. Funny, clever and very weird, Magary’s fantasy world is a thoughtful and surreal existential survival tale. Seattle dweller Eleanor Flood has lost her creative way and is on the brink of losing her mind and her husband. Semple is back with trademark razor wit, deadpan humor and a lot of heart. The stories of the six children whose lives are forever changed unfold with humor and insight. Always hilarious, smart and a bit grumpy, Bryson tours Britain again, 20 years after “Notes From a Small Island.” Exploring ancient texts, artifacts and mythology, Beard’s fascinating history is both accessible and engrossing. She was the girl who got so depressed and fat after her mom died that she had to be removed from her bedroom by crane.