Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Heart-Shaped Box / Joe Hill / 376 p.

Aging rock star Judas Coyne is a collector of the bizarre and grotesque; so naturally he jumps at the chance to buy a ghost that is for sale on the Internet.  Turns out not everyone on the Internet is who they say they are (shocking!).  The family that sold the ghost are old associates of Coyne and are bent on getting revenge.
The book is gross, creepy, and has many funny moments - everything a good horror novel should have.
BTW (Maryanne) - I highly recommend listening to this on CD the narrator's hypnotic voice was perfect!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Breach of Trust/DiAnn Mills/378 pages

Paige Rogers, a librarian in a small Oklahoma town, has a secret past. She is a former CIA agent who was involved in a covert mission which went wrong. While recovering from the botched mission, she becomes a Christian. Most of the people in the town really care for her - especially the high school football coach. The book follows Paige as she tries to keep her loved-ones safe, while trying to keep an evil person from becoming governor and questioning whether her CIA activities are compatible with her Christian morals.

I read this book for the "bonus point". I haven't read Christian fiction before, but this title was described as a "page-turner". The story moved really slowly until about page 300. I didn't care too much for the author's style - but I did finish it!

It Happened on Maple Street/Tara Taylor Quinn/271 pgs



This is the first title in a new series that is reality based romances - "True Vows". It is also the true romance story of the author - Tara Taylor Quinn. She is the author of over 50 romance titles and being a Harlequin author was her dream. She meets a young man at college and falls head over heels in love - her Harlequin man - but they are too young and end up going their separate ways. She leaves that school and goes to another religious based college and meets another man who she ends up marrying. The marriage was a mistake and years later she meets up with her Harlequin man again.

Forever/Maggie Stiefvater/390 pgs




This is the final title in the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" trilogy. Grace and Sam have traded places. Grace is now changing into a wolf and Sam is still human. The main story line in this one is that the wolves are now in danger - the hunt to kill the pack has been approved. Sam, Cole and Isabelle are trying to find a way to save the pack.

Fallen/Karin Slaughter/387 pgs

The action takes place in a span of 3 days: murder, kidnapping, and corruption. What more can you ask for--oh, yeah--there's a budding romance, too. I really like Karin Slaughter, and this didn't disappoint me at all!

Christmas Guest / Anne Perry 123 p.

Mariah Ellison, grandmama of Charlotte (married to Thomas Pitt policeman) is very put out to be spending Christmas with her former daughter-in-law and her new husband in Romney Marshes. Already cantankerous, she escalates the indignity of the situation despite everything done to make her very welcome. Maud Barrington joins the household after returning home after 40 years abroad in Muslim Africa because Maud's family believes she will be an embarrassment to a visiting peer. Maud entertains with her story of her travels and secretly Grandmama is interested. When Grandmama discovers Maud cold and dead, she decides to inform Maud's family. When the sisters reactions don't measure up, Grandmama decides she too can solve this mystery.
A Victorian Christmas mystery. Readers of cosy mysteries may enjoy this one.

Married to a Stranger / Patricia MacDonald 173 p.

Pregnant Emma Hollis, psychologist at a mental-health facility, marries the David Webster, freelance writer and heads to the woods for the honeymoon. David slips out to chop wood?? and Emma is attacked by a hooded axe-wheeling madman. Emma survives the assault while a passing hunter who saves her doesn't. David keeps coming to the top of the list of suspects, especially since he seems to be absent at all her assaults and incidents. Lt. Joan Atkins works to convince Emma that David only is after her money. There are many suspects with lots of suspense in this mystery.

Crooked letter, crooked letter / Tom Franklin 274 p.

Larry Ott spends his entire life as an outsider; awash in gossip and whispers when his very first date ever horribly wrong--the girl never returns. No body is ever found, no evidence of foul play, nor does Larry ever confess. "Scary" Larry becomes the key suspect when another girl goes missing. When Larry is shot, the investigation is run by his childhood friend, African American Silas Jones, now constable. Slow paced, descriptive mystery set in the 1970s Mississippi.

Anthony Award Nominee

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Forgotten Garden/Kate Morton/ 549 pages

Little Nell is left by a mysterious authoress on a ship bound for Australia in 1913.
The story unfolds from there over four generations of women who all hold their own
secrets. Why was Nell left alone? Who brought her to the ship? The dock master and his wife lovingly take in Nell but hold the truth of how she came to them for many, many years. Her father gives Nell the little white suitcase that she was left with on the dock and some fairy tales written by the authoress. Will Nell be able to unravel the mystery behind her true ancestry? While at times it is hard to keep track of them all, the characters all have amazing stories to share. But the switching back between times, from one generation to the next can be confusing. Usually I don't pick up books that are this lengthy but this one had me staying up late into the night. I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Ghost Shadow /Heather Graham/508 pages

ISBN – 9781410427656. #1 Bone Island Trilogy. Chances are if you liked the television series “The Ghost Whisperer” you will enjoy this series. Heather Graham weaves a humorous and page turning story with Katie O’Hara who can see the dead. The story takes place in Key West during Fantasy Fest which is similar to New Orleans Mardi Gra. A cold murder case is reopened when David Beckett returns to Key West. David left town several years ago after his girl friend is found murdered in his families historical museum. He wants to clear his name and bring the true killer to justice. Sadly the murders begin again shortly after David returns to Key West. Will Katie and her friendly ghost Bartholomew be able to help solve the mystery before someone else disappears? If you like this book try Maybe this Time by Jennifer Crusie. I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Grimm Legacy / Polly Shulman / 325 pages

The cover design grabs your attention, whets your curiosity, and entices you to read this unique book.  Elizabeth has a stepmother and two unkind stepsisters.  She is in Mr. Mauskopf's social studies class and decides to do a report on the Brothers Grimm.  Taking a job at Mr. M's suggestion at the New York Circulating Materials Repository hoping to make new friends as well as some money, she discovers that in addition to lending out objects rather than books, this library houses the Grimm Collection - where powerful, magical items from the Grimm's fairy tales are locked away.  Thing have been disappearing, including one of the pages who worked in the repository.  What plan is afoot?  Can Elizabeth catch the thief before she or her new friends are accused of the crime?  Are her friends guilty?

Truman Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

The Case of the Rock 'n' Roll Dog / Martha Freeman / 116 pages

"So far so bad,"  so says Cameron whose mom is president of the United States.  She does not do well in school.  Her spelling is atrocious.  She resents her cousin, Nate, who is perfect and who lives in the White House because his mom, Aunt Jenn, is the First Lady - a function Cam's dad cannot fulfill.  Cameron and her 7-year-old sister, Tess, solve the mystery of the missing baton.  The White House is preparing for a private concert by the Song Boys to promote literacy.  When the President's Own Marine Band director's baton goes missing - among other things, the girls determine to find it.  Great White House facts, as well as information on the Marine Band and John Phillips Sousa are presented.

Mark Twain Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

The Lost Hero / Rick Riordan / 557 pages

Fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will love this new series by Rick Riordan - The Heroes of Olympus. In Book 1, The Lost Hero, 3 of the 7 heroes prophesied to save the world have come together to begin their quest.  The book opens at the new Skybridge at the Grand Canyon.  Jason has no memory.  Piper's dad, a famous movie star and a Cherokee, has been kidnapped and she is threatened with his death if she does not co-operate with the kidnappers.  Leo is Jason's best friend at the school for "bad kids" that sponsored the trip.  After the Skybridge clash, the kids are whisked away to Camp Halfblood claimed by their godly parents, discover their powers, and are willing to sacrifice all for their friends and the greater good.  The reader is reunited with characters from the Percy Jackson books and are once again regaled with knowledge of Greek and Roman mythology.  We are also taken on a tour of the U.S. as the demi-gods battle the forces of evil.  We meet a mechanical dragon and learn that Jack London was a demi-god!?  Percy Jackson is missing.  Will he be found?

Truman Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

Back of Beyond / C. J. Box / 372 pages

This book is wonderfully typical C. J. Box. Although it does not feature Wyoming game warden, Joe Pickett, Back of Beyond's Cody Hoyt is a more than worthy xubstitute. Cody's AA sponsor bas been murdered and the MO matches 3 other recent crimes. Cody has been relieved of duty following his shooting the coroner, yet he takes off for the wilderness of Yellowstone to apprehend a party of trekkers, including bis son, Justin, and his soon-to-be stepfather. Cody believes the killer is on the trip...Oh...The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson is quoted.

Faerie Lord / Herbie Brennan / ?pgs



Faerie Wars Chronicles Bk 4: Henry once again finds himself back in the faerie realm amongst his friends. He finds that those he loves are contracting a debilitating disease, aging prematurely and dying. Of course, we find out that the local villan is behind it all. Predictable yet I enjoyed it.

The Faeman Quest / Herbie Brennan / 360p



Bk 5 of the Faerie Wars Chronicles: Henry's (human) and Blue's (faerie) teenage daughter ("faeman") gets into some dangerous situations when her curiosity about her father's world spurs her to investigate on her own.


Once again a war is eminent and then does not happen because of the ingenuity and bravery of the characters. I believe if a book 6 is published, I'd read it.

Fired Up/Jayne Ann Krentz/353 pgs




This is the seventh title in the Arcane Society series and is the first in the "The Dreamlight Trilogy". This one focuses on the Burning Lamp - a relict that was built by Nicholas Winters in the 17th century and which the current generation of the Winters family - Jack Winters - believes will save his life. He hires Chloe Harper, a PI who just happens to also be a Lightreader to find the Burning Lamp but they are not the only ones looking for it.

Flash and Bones/Kathy Reichs/278 pgs




This is the fourteenth book in the "Temperance Brennan" series - this is the series that the TV show "Bones" is based on. This title takes place completely in Tempe's home state of North Carolina. She is called to the Charlotte Speedway because a dead body has been found in a metal drum. This leads her on a chase to find out what happened to a couple 12 years earlier. There is a group of ringht wing extremists involved and bio-weapons. This was a very good book - probably one of my favorites of this series.

Matter of Class / Mary Balogh 393 p.

This Regency Romance delves into the relationships around the arranged marriage between Reginald Mason, raised a gentleman though not by birth, and Lady Annabelle Ashton, daughter of elitist Earl of Havercroft. Havercroft’s refusal to recognize social climbing upstart Bernard Mason has fueled the long-standing feud. Annabelle commits an enormous social scandal, forever putting her below the pale of marriage to any noble man. Reginald gets in crosswise with his father who issues the ultimatum—marry Lady Annabelle or do without financial support!
There are twists that for which Mary Balogh is known.

Check the SCCCLD catalog
2011 RUSA-Codes "Reading List"

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Stories I Only Tell My Friends/Rob Lowe/306 pages

Rob Lowe has had an interesting life. Certainly his move from Dayton to Malibu as a young teen helped his acting aspirations. Living four houses down from the Sheens didn't hurt either. It's hard to imagine my own 15-year-old son being allowed to go on auditions alone that were a three hour bus ride away. A different time and lifestyle to be sure. Since West Wing is one of my favorite shows ever, I was happy to read about that experience. He was not treated well by the producers (that was common knowledge at the time) but it never showed in his character. Sam Seaborn was perfected portrayed, and Rob Lowe was classy throughout. Lowe is lucky to have met many of the great actors before they passed. His story of his first meeting with Cary Grant (in my opinion, the perfect man) is classic. I enjoyed this book so much more than Jennifer Grant's book about her father. That one was so badly written and rambling that I gave up on it after 30 pages. If Lowe really did write this book, then he is not only an above-average actor but an above-above writer as well.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Epitaph Road / David Patenaude / 266 pages

The year is 2067 and a virulent plague has killed 2/3 of the world's male population.  In some countries disorder reigned as male leaders were no longer available to run the governments.  In others, the constitutional order of progression spiraled down to the first woman and they took over responsibility for maintaining order, initiating and orchestrating mass cremations and bringing together medical researchers to solve the mystery of the contagion before every male on the face of the earth was wiped out.
Charlie and his Mom and sister had gone camping and news reached them via radio about the catastrophe.  The disease is fast - 24 hours to death.  His Mom keeps checking him for symptoms.  His Dad is back home in Seattle and they fear for his safe.
Fast forward 30 years.  Elisha's Bear, the plague, has occurred 3 more times.  PAC, Population Apportionment Council, runs the world.  The council decides that no more than 5% of the population should be male and these males are relegated to non-threatening positions outside mainstream society.  All must pass trials to determine their future roles in society.
Charlie Winter's son, Kellen, is studying for his trials and hoping his Mom, a high-ranking official in PAC, will finally allow him to go stay with his Dad, a fisherman loner.  Kellen and his friends, Tia and Sunday, discover horrible facts relating to the plague while doing  homework assigned by Ms. Andersen.  They are heroes!...Or are they?
Great suspense read.  Though-provoking themes.  Some rough language.

"I couldn't help wondering if this way my last supper...Shouldn't we have some wine?  And a few apostles?"

Truman Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

Toys / James Patterson / 364 pages

Hays Baker is an elite, a scientifically designed and perfected race far superior to human skunks.  Elites consider humans to be despicable lowlifes to be confined to undesirable sections of the world.  They have caused all the wars and the problems of the world and deserve to be cursed.  When Hays is hospitalized after an injury, he discovers that he is, in fact, human.  The elites have fashioned a plan to eradicate humans.  Are toys a part of this plot?  On which side will hays fight?

The Secret Life of Bees / Sue Monk Kidd / 301 pages

Excellent read for the month of August as Our Lady's Day (August 15) features prominently in the story.  Young Lily accompanies Rosaline (sp?) to town so that Rosaline can register to vote.  When Rosaline spits tobacco juice on the shoes of several racist town good ol' boys, however, she is arrested, beaten, and hospitalized.  Lily helps her escape and they decide to run away to Tiberon, South Carolina.  Lily had a picture of Mary depicted as a black madonna which belonged to her now dead mother.  Lily holds herself responsible for her mother's death and longs to go to Tiberon which is printed on the back of the picture.  Lily finds true friendship, faith, and the meaning of life, and learns to forgive T-Ray while staying at the Honey House of the Calendar sisters.  This book features Civil Rights era events ans social awareness as well as heartfelt devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Three Black Swans / Caroline B. Cooney / 276 pages

"Black swans are events that are hugely important, rare, and unpredictable, and explainable only after the fact,"  according to philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb.  "They populate the whirlpool of uncertainty that is the future."  The three black swans in this book are identical triplets separated at birth.  Missy has an assignment in biology class to perpetuate a hoax.  She decides to announce at morning announcements at her high school that her cousin, Claire, is, in fact, her identical twin sister.  A video is made of the announcement and goes viral.  Wondering who is adopted and who their real parents are, the girls cope with effects of the video, and discover a third sister...and some answers.  This is a great, hard to put down, read.

Truman Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-2013

Heart of a Shepherd / Roseanne Parry / 161 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Brother's Dad is leaving for 14 months in Iraq.  Ignatius (Brother) will stay with Gramps and Grandma on the family ranch (sheep farm).  Grandma is a veteran who drove for the Brass during WWII and then served in the Reserves in the Motor Pool.  Gramps is an excellent chess player.  Brother finds several orphan lambs and says the "St. Patrick's Prayer" for them.  Gramps is a Quaker and foster the love of all creation within Brother.  Brother loses one of the lambs to the cold.  When the brothers come home for Christmas, they decide to add whiskey to their hot cocoa.  They begin discussing what to do about the ranch since the Grands have slowed down.  Brother gets upset and begins fighting them.  He breaks the hot cocoa pot on one of the brothers head and has to pick the glass out and add stitches.  Tragedy strikes Gramps with a heart attack and a fire.  Brother decides to become a chaplain in the army.

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

I have reread and posted to the blog all twelve Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-2012

Captain Nobody / Dean Pitchford / 195 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Newton Newman's older brother, Chris, is a football star.  Destined for college, he is about to play his final high school game and is the center of attention.  Newt is intrigued by super heroes and has a notebook of heroes he has designed.  He has two best friends - JJ, who is into books, and Cecil, who is into music.  The friends are trying to decide who they will be for Halloween - JJ=book character; Cecil=Mozart; and Newt=Captain Nobody.  Newt assembles a costume out of Chris's hand-me-downs which he has rescued from the laundry.  He wears the costume to school, creating havoc.  His brother is injured at his football game and is in a coma.  The book has some great laughs and yet deals seriously with the issues of friendship and familial love.

We need to get in touch with "our inner other".

Mudville / Kurtis Scaletta / 265 pages

It has been raining in Moundville for 22 years.  Supposedly the town is cursed by Ptanteca, a Dakota Indian boy, who swam away during the Dakota Wars and was never seen again.  Roy's father was in the baseball game that began the rain and then invented a rain guard system for houses.  His mother is a flight attendant and sends postcards from ballparks.  His cousin, Sturgis, comes to live with them.  His Mom, Evelyn, was killed in a car accident and Sturgis was injured.  When the rain stops, a rematch game is played, pitting the cousins.

Everyone should have a "defining moment in life"  a moment everybody knows them by.  It's the moment you know exactly who you are.
"Life is not about defining moments.  It is about what you do day to day."

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June / Phyllis Reynolds Naylor / 280 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Ivy June lives with her Papaw and Mamaw and Granny Ma.  Her grandfather, a 65-year-old coal miner, has asked that Ivy June come live with them as Ivy's house is too crowded.  Her Dad is a handyman and Papaw helps the family out.  Ivy June won a lottery of 6 to become an exchange student.  The girls will spend 2 weeks in Lexington and two weeks in Hazzard.  Ivy's Mom resents her.  Katherine's family is very nice and well-to-do.  Her mother is recovering from pneumonia.  The girls keep a journal of their experiences and their near tragedies - a surgery for Katherine's Mom and Ivy's Grandpa being lost in the mine.  Excellent, heart-warming story of young people overcoming the negative vibes of their parents and remaining true to friendship.

"If you do what's right then at the end of your life you can lay down and be peaceful."
"Truth is stranger than fiction."

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Storm Chaser / Chris Platt / 177 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Jessica lives with her family on Wild Hawk Ranch in Nevada.  Her horse, Rusty, is getting old and Jess has her eyes on one of the new wild horses, a pretty pinto mare.  She partners the mare with Rusty and begins gentling her.  During a lightning storm, the barn, the newly stored hay, and her brother Duncan's horse are destroyed by a fire.  Rusty is injured, too, and Jess nurtures him back to health, but he is no longer rideable.  Mr. Wagner decides to open the ranch to paying visitors.  Jess avoids her three year younger best friend in favor of visiting Ariel, who has designs on her brother.  Jess is a hard worker, respectful, and comes to understand the meaning of friendship.  She also gets to keep Storm Chaser.  This book will definitely appeal to all youngsters with fascination for horses.

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

11 Birthdays / Wendy Mass / 257 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Leo and Amanda share a birthday, are best friends, and have their parties together every year -  but not this year - their 11th. During last year's party, Amanda heard Leo saying something unkind, while he was trying to be cool.  She doesn't have many friends of her own.  She considered him to be her best friend and she was devastated.  They haven't spoken for a year.  On their 11th birthday, Amanda's Dad is sick, her Mom loses her job, and Amanda has gymnastics tryouts.  The day is repeated again and again until Leo realizes it is happening to both of them.  They skip school and attempt to set things right.

"Nothing nice you ever do for anyone is for no reason."
"You can't get any do-overs in life...being too nice is worse than being a jerk, which doesn't make any sense, but supposedly it will when I'm a teenager."

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

The Potato Chip Puzzles / Eric Berlin / 244 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Winston Breen is invited by his principal to represent his school in a puzzle contest sponsored by Simon Potato Chips.  He chooses his 2 friends, Mal and Jake, to be on his team.  Mr. Garvey is the school team sponsor and wants 2 mathletes on the team.  Winston threatens to quit if he can't keep Mal and Jake.  Mr. Garvey is determined to win and won't let the boys stop for lunch or help other teams.  A cheater gives flat tires, stops the ferris wheel, changes signs and beats on Jake.  The sponsor of another team, Carl Lester - principal, is behind the cheater.  He wants to pay old gambling debts.  This book contains many puzzles and their solutions which should intrigue many young people.

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

Chasing Fire/ Nora Roberts/ 472 pgs.



This new book (at least I finally got it) is pretty exciting. It is about smoke jumpers in Montana. Actually, there are smoke jumpers in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona, Alaska and places where there are forest fires. These people have to be adrenaline junkies as the parachute into the middle of forest fires and then try to put out the fires from the ground. I can't picture really doing that, but then I work at a library. What's going to happen? --book avalanche?

Anyway, the heroine, Rowan, is a hot, smoke jumpin' , Nordic Goddess type, but doesn't do relationships (aha! character flaw!)


Enter Rookie Gulliver - new to smoke jumping, but also hot. He works on having a relationship with Rowan and with true Nora Roberts style that relationship gets steamy and enters fantasy realm.


This time, there is mystery, murder, quite a few descriptions of being in a forest fire, and in all, quite satisfying.

Faith, Hope, & Ivy June/ Phyllis Reynolds Naylor/ 280 pgs.


This story about a student exchange program between an upper middle class student and a student from Appalachia seemed really contrived. I'm sure it was to make the points that everyone is different yet everyone is the same. The story is ok. The girls and their surroundings are well portrayed. Each girl has a family crisis in which a life is at risk and they
come to support each other. It was ok, but not believable to me. The girls seemed quite mature for their age. It's a Mark Twain.


Afraid of the Dark / James Grippando / 406 pages

Grippando does not disappoint in this newest book with Jack Swyteck. Swyteck is a defense lawyer who stops at nothing to get at the truth. He is a character who loves his friends, his fiancee and his family and often puts his own life on the line. In this novel, Jack's case intersects with the case of his fiancee and FBI agent Andie who is working an undercover case. It involves plenty of action, twists and turns that will keep you reading. Interesting question...what happens to the terrorist with a unique skill set who is no longer affiliated with his terrorist organization. Hmmm...read it and find out.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Bruiser / Neal Schusterman / 328 pages

Bruiser (Brewster) is a "freight train of badness barreling at my sister,"  so says Tennyson of his twin, Bronte.  (Their parents are professors of literature.)  Told in alternating voices - Brewster, Tennyson, Bronte, and Cody, this awesome book speaks of the power of friendship and self-sacrifice.  Brewster has a most unusual gift.  He can take the pain, both physical and emotional, from those he loves.  Caught in an abusive relationship with his uncle, he is redeemed by his uncle's stroke...or is he? ....drowning, divorce, responsibility.

"There is room in the world for miracles.  Maybe not the ones we expect, but they're miracles all the same. They happen every day if only we pay attention."

"Curiosity is rarely rational." 

Truman & Gateway Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

Virals / Kathy Reichs / 454 pages

Wow!  This book is awesome!!  Written by Kathy Reichs, creator of the Fox television hit "Bones" and author of 12 books in the Temperance Brennan series upon which the series is based, Virals is non-stop action!  Four "boat kids" so-called because they have to ferry to school every day because they live with their parents on a research island owned by the University of South Carolina, discover dog tags in the woods, rescue a sick wolfdog pup, catch a virus from the dog, and become virals - a pack with super powers and a dark secret.  They solve a forty year old murder and one much more recent.  This is Ms. Reich's first novel for young readers and hopefully not her last.

Truman Award Preliminary Nominee 2012-13

The Sherlockian / Abraham Moore / 350 pages / Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011

I love the cover of this book - inverted Sherlock Holmes-type pipe forming a question mark with a cut-out blood splatter for the dot.  This story is a mesmerizing, historical suspense detailing the discovery of the lost diary of the author of Sherlock Holmes and the murder of the man who found it.  Why did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle kill Holmes off only to later resurrect Him?

Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011
 I have read and posted to the blog all five nominees for Best First Novel Anthony Award 2011

The Damage Done / Hilary Davidson / 352 pages / Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011

This debut novel is an awesome page-turner.  Do not even attempt to read it if you have something pressing to do.  It will not get done.  Lilly Moore is a travel writer living in Spain. She has fled her New York apartment which she shared with her heroin-addicted sister, Claudia.  She is called back to N. Y. to deal with the suicide death of this sister.  When she goes to the apartment, she finds it too neat, the clothing in the closet is off, the shoes are not her sister's size, and the body in the morgue is not her sister's.  Who traded identities with Claudia?  And why?  Filled with a multitude of endearing and maddening characters, Damage Done is fast-paced and thought-provoking.

Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011

Rogue Island / Bruce DeSilva / 302 pages / Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011

Liam Seamus Aloysius Mulligan is a newspaper reporter in an age when newspapers have fallen on hard times.  News is readily available online and on cable TV and many people say they have no time to read.  Mulligan's editor has assigned him a dog story to write - a piece of fluff, a good news story to increase readership.  Mulligan focuses, however, on a rash of arson-caused deaths in Providence, Rhode Island.  His editor informs him that he must take Edward Anthony Mason IV on all his assignments.  Edward's father owns the paper and Edward is a recent graduate of Columbia School of Journalism.  Mulligan resents having to mentor Mason, but respect, trust, and a partnership ensue.  This is a page-turner and is true to life with several unresolved issues.  At times the language is a bit rough, but Rhode Island history and Red Sox mania make this book an enjoyable read.

"People are what they do."

Anthony Award Best First Novel 2011

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter / Tom Franklin / 274 pages / Anthony Award Best Novel 2011

Larry Ott and Silas "32" Jonas were unlikely friends in the 1970's.  Larry was the white son of a landed middle class mechanic and Silas was the poor son of a single black woman.  Larry is accused of the murder and disappearance of Cindy Walker, whom he was the last person to see. He was never brought to trail as no evidence could be found.  He has lived his entire life under this shadow, even after the death of his father and his inheritance of his father's garage.  Twenty years later, the friends meet again, as Silas - now an officer of the law, is investigating another disappearance.

Anthony Award Best Novel 2011

Million Dollar Throw / Mike Lupica / 244 pages

Nate Brodie is the star quarterback for his high school football team.  His best friend, Abby, is going blind but focuses on her artwork and others instead of feeling sorry for herself.  Nate saves enough money ($500) to buy an autographed football (Tom Brady).  Abby sees a contest order form stating that $500 in purchases at the sports store qualifies one to enter a contest.  Entries will be placed in a raffle.  Winner will get the chance to toss a football through a target.  The prize is 1 million dollars.  Nate's family can use the money, as his Dad has lost his job selling real estate.  He works for a sporting goods company but hates it.  He has a small real estate office and hopes to sell independently.  Nate's Mom has 2 jobs also, but they are in danger of losing their house.  Nate loses his mojo and is replaced by Eric as QB.  Does Nate make the million dollar throw?

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

Love, Aubrey / Suzasnne LaFleur / 262 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011

Aubrey's Dad and little sister, Savanah, have been killed in a car accident.  Her mother was driving and has left Aubrey alone because she is severely depressed.  Aubrey is living alone and attempting to care for herself.  She purchases a beta fish, Sam, for company.  Aubrey's grandmother takes Aubrey back to Vermont with her.  The family searches for her Mom, finds her in Colorado, gets her help and a job.  Aubrey make new friends, Marcus and Bridget.  Her family counselor, Amy, gives M&M's and good advice.  Aubrey tells her Mom that she will come home...just not yet.  "Lives are short."

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z / Kate Messner / 198 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

Gianna loves to run cross country but if she fails science she will not be able to run sectionals.  She is bad about deadlines and her friend, Zig, helps her out.  Her Nonna had come to live with them after she broke her hip.  She is getting forgetful.  She loves to go to the Italian Market in Montreal, says it's like jumping into a giant tossed salad.  Gianna's father owns and runs the local funeral home and takes Gianna to school in the hearse.  Bianca is trying to sabotage Gianna's trip to sectionals.

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

The Secret of Zoom / Lynne Jonell / 291 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

 Christina is bored.  She is not allowed to leave her house except for brief periods for fresh air.  She has a governess to care for her since her mother was blown up in a mine/laboratory accident.  She is not even allowed to attend school.  She does all her lessons on the computer, except for music.  She has Mrs. Lisowsky.  She watches local school kids and orphans through her telescope.  She watches Taft, one of the orphans escape, and she takes him back to the house through a tunnel she has found.  Together they discover that her mother is not dead.  She has been sending notes in test tubes, and Danny, Taft's friend, finds one. 

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

Runaway Twin / Peg Kehret / 197 pages / Mark Twain Award Nominee

Sunny Skyland has lived in 7 foster homes.  Her current foster mom, Rita, wants her to like healthy food.  On the first day of summer vacation, Sunny decides to walk to the store for a twinkie and finds a bag with $820 along the trail.  She determines to find her twin sister, Starr.  Her mother and grandmother had been killed in a car accident and her cousin, Jerod abandoned her.  Sunny misses Rita, finds Snickers - a dog the color of caramel and dark chocolate, and survives a tornado.

"If you want your dreams to come true, you have to take action."

Mark Twain Award Nominee 2011-12

Paranormalcy / Kiersten White / 335 pages

 Becca Fitzpatrick said this book is a "fast, flirty roller coaster of a ride...sassy, light-hearted, and downright scary.  Oh Bleep!  I'm in love."  I totally agree.  Using bleep instead of curse words, Kiersten White weaves a wonderful page-turner featuring faeries, vampires, werewolves, water sprites, trolls, hags, and, oh yes, humans.  Evie is a foundling who can see past the glamours erected by the paranormals.  She works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency trapping all of the above, except humans.  She falls in love with Lend, a shape-shifter.  She is central to an ominous faery prophesy.

"You have no idea how precious normal is."

Preliminary Nominee for Truman Award 2012-13

The Poacher's Son / Paul Doiron / 324 pages / Best First Novel Anthony Award 2011

Mike Bowditch is a Maine game warden.  He is a cop, and the forest is his beat.  His wife Sarah has been gone 55 days, disenchanted with his failure to move on, become a lawyer, and be financially and socially secure.  His father has been gone far longer.  A hard drinker whose marriage failed years ago, he now lives, and sometimes works, deep in the backwoods of Maine.  A recent land sale has local residents upset and causes the deaths of two.  Mike's Dad leaves an abrupt message on his answering machine the very night of the murders.  Is his father involved?  Mike works to solve the crimes and clear his father's name.
This novel has great suspense and a terrific ending.

Anthony Award for Best First Novel 2011

Soccerland / Beth Choat / 231 pages

Recommended by Brandi Chastain, Soccerland  "deals with emotions and real-life situations that girls face on and off the playing field."  Soccerland was the name Flora Dupre and her Mom gave to the fantasy land they escaped to when Ma was undergoing chemotherapy to defeat the cancer that was ravaging her body.  Conversationally, they would replay notable moments in women's soccer.  Her Mom succombed to cancer, and Flora is determined to become part of Soccerland in real life.  She lives on her French-Canadian grandparents' potato farm in Maine.  She is granted a scholarship to attend the International Sports Academy and try for a spot on the 15 and Under USA Women's Soccer Team. 
Excellent read!  Excellent themes...dedication, friendship, teamwork, and family!

"You're always going to make mistakes...What matters is how you handle those mistakes."

Preliminary Nominee for Truman Award 2012-13

I'd Know You Anywhere / Laura Lippman / 373 pages / Best Novel Anthony Award 2011

Eliza Benedict and her family have just returned to the US from London where they lived for several years.  As she, her husband, and her 2 children - Alby and Iso, are getting acclimated after the move, Eliza receives a letter written in purple ink obviously written in a female hand.  The letter writer is contacting her on behalf of Walter Bowman, a convict on Death Row.  He kidnapped and raped Elizabeth when she was 15, and raped and killed at least one other girl.  He wants to meet with her.  She fears the publicity that might result and the effects on her family if she agrees to the assignation. Her children know nothing of this part of her past.   Ms. Lippman has created a main character worthy of our sympathy and admiration.  She has definitely reinforced the caution to never, ever accept a ride from a stranger.

Anthony Award Best Novel 2011

Heist Society / Ally Carter / 287 pages

This book is typical Ally Carter, and I almost thought I had read it already it was so similar to other books I have read by this author.  A good read, Heist Society tells of a family of thieves who steal very valuable items.  Longing for a normal life, Kat Bishop leaves to attend a prestigious school in the States.  Unfortunately, she is suspended because the administration believes she is responsible for the headmaster's car spewing water in the fountain.  She has been set up.  Her family wants her back.  Her father has been accused of stealing paintings from a wealthy man and he gives a deadline for their return.  If the deadline is not met, her father will suffer the consequences.  The paintings were originally stolen by the Nazis.  Kat's team is fun, believable if you are willing to suspend disbelief, and enjoyably teenaged.

Preliminary Nominee for Truman Award 2012-2013

Snow Angels / James Thompson / 264 pages / Best First Novel Anthony Award

"Instead of justice I got truth." 
Although Detective Kari Vaara evoked sympathy, I would not recommend this book.  I found the language and the pervasive depravity shocking and offensive.  Five brutal deaths, the harsh cold of Lapland, unmitigated horrors, and foundering familial relationships, make this book depressing at best.  It does offer several plot twists and does engage the reader's desire to discover "who done it", but I don't think these justify the time spent reading.

Anthony Award for Best First Novel 2011

Because of Mr. Terupt / Bob Buyer / 269 pages

Despite some descriptions of problematic bathroom behavior at the beginning which might give some young men ideas, I would most assuredly recommend this book to all third - sixth graders.  Mr. Terupt is the teacher every kid wants and needs, and Mrs. Williams, the principal, is quite noteworthy as well.  This book is divided into parts by calendar months, and chapters by narrator, as each of the 7 main characters - kids in Mr. Terupt's class, tell the story of the school year that changed their lives.  This book has great suspense.  You want to know what the accident is.  It also has inspiring, universal messages.

Preliminary nominee for Mark Twain Award 2012-13

The Wyoming Kid / Debbie Macomber / 249 Pages

A rancher who used to be a bull rider realizes two years after breaking up with the town's teacher that he may actually be falling in love with her, just when her college boyfriend is preparing to visit.  Can he convince her that he loves her, and that she still has feelings for him? 

This book was ok.  It was predictable, but a fast, easy read. 

Oryx and Crake/ Margaret Atwood/374 pgs

Remember last month I talked about Year of the Flood? Well it was the second in a trilogy so I decided to go back and read the first one in order to see if any of my questions would be answered. I have to say Atwood does a wonderful job of world building. We have a society that has been utterly destroyed by a man's ego and now the survivors are trying to go on one day at a time. Our main narrator is Snowman or Jimmy and we alternative back and forth from the present and its dangerous problems to the past and the beginning of the end. We often wonder as we read if Jimmy had done this or that or said this or that would it have made a difference. I don't know. Jimmy really didn't seem to possess much backbone or original thinking but I may be too hard on this guy. I loved Atwood's sly humor and sarcastic wit - Chicken Nubbies anyone? I do know that if I ever meet a pigoon or a wolvog I need to climb a tree or something taller quickly. I know there is to be a third volume. I don't know when it will be published but I can't wait to see if Jimmy finally decides to take responsibility or if someone else will ultimately decide the fate of the survivors.

Empire of the Summer Moon/S.C. Gwynne/371 pgs

The subtitle says it all: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History. In an easy and approachable tone, Gwynne takes us through the beginning of the West and the encroachment of Spanish soldiers, Mexican settlers and American people from the East. We learn about the various tribes and the challenges they posed to the conquerors. When the Spanish were finally defeated not by people but by the landscape they left behind their horses. The Comanches learned over time what these new animals could do for them. In just a few short years they transformed themselves from a humble gatherer to one of the most feared warriors on earth. Quanah was the child of a white woman and an Indian chief. We follow his story as well as the Comanche nation as they lose land and experience broken promises. Once on the reservation Quanah took to his new world and learned the value of cattle, friendship and having a long dining room table. He amassed a great fortune only to die a penniless man. Quanah was also a contemporary of Geronimo but isn't it interesting which one we remember? A great introduction to someone looking for early Native American history. Wonderful read.

Divergent/Veronica Roth/487 pgs.

O.K.--I read this in 2 days; enough said! Seriously, though, Veronica Roth is going to give Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games a run for her money with the beginning of this series. In this dystopian society, teens (at the age of 16) choose which "faction" they will become members of: Abnegation, Candor, Amity, Erudite, or Dauntless. There is mystery, suspense, betrayal, and a little romance. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment; rumor has it that Divergent is going to made into a movie.

Linger / Maggie Stiefvater 362 p.

Linger continues the romance of Grace and Sam started in book 1, Shivers. Cole, rock band bad boy and new werewolf of Mercy Falls, Minn. becomes the love interest of Isabel. Sam starts to trust this totally human life while Grace fights to contain her growing illness possibly associated with her werewolfness. Grace gets in crosswise with her parents when they discover her hidden love. Story is told alternately by these four. This tends to be a cliffhanger. Look for Forever to finish this trilogy.

Place reserve for Linger in the SCCCLD catalog

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The American Heiress/Daisy Goodwin/465 pages

Cora Cash's mother is determined for her daughter to marry royalty. The Cash fortune, with that horribly tacky new money, is a perfect fit for bankrupt baron or duke or even a prince (if you're willing to settle for something other than an English title.) Cora does what she's told (most of the time) and is lucky enough to find love and a title. But does he love her or her money?

This is the first historical romance I've read in a very long time. It was like a deliciously decadent dessert. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but one will suffice for quite some time. The descriptions of the extravagances of the time period still boggle the mind. I can only imagine what it would be like to spend money as freely and frivolously as the American Heiress does.

Bury Your Dead / Louise Penny 371 p.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Montreal police returns in this 6th book where Louise Penny masterfully interweaves three substantial plots set in Quebec. On leave, he investigates the murder of Augustin Renaud, an eccentric obsessed with finding the final resting spot of Samuel de Champlain, Quebec's founder, while he rehashes a police-hostage situation gone bad. Add his doubts about a recently settled murder the Three Pines murder enquiry that sent B&B owner Olivier to prison (bk. 5). Readers of mysteries set in locals may find this of interest. Readers of P.D. James may enjoy this. Listen to the audiobook for an interview with Penny.

Link to the SCCCLD catalog for Louise Penny's works
Anthony Award Nominee

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Bone Collector / Jeffery Deaver 421 p.

Extremely fast-paced mystery. Introduces Lincoln Rhyme, ex-head of NYPD forensics. Rhyme is now a quadriplegic with nothing but time on his hand until asked to review a crime-scene report about a buried corpse at the deserted West Side railroad track. The body of a man kidnapped with a woman co-worker from the airport on the eve of a great UN doings. UNSUB 823 plants ingenious clues at each new crime scene forcing Rhyme and his team to analyse trace evidence very rapidly. Plot twists and subplots complicate the story.

Movie

Check the SCCCLD catalog.

The Perfect Poison/Amanda Quick/340 pgs





This is the sixth title in the Arcane Society series and is the story of Caleb Jones, the founder of Jones & Jones and takes place back in the Victorian age. He is hired by a botanist, Lucinda Bromley when she discovers that a very rare plant which is poisonous has been stolen from her and used to murder a lord. She has been accused of poisoning her fiance in the past and does not want to go thru that again. Once again they are fighting the Emerald Tablet - this version is calling themselves the Seventh Circle and the Founders formula. Of course, Lucinda and Caleb are attracted to each other but Caleb has been told that his particular power will cause him to go mad and kill himself so he says he will not marry Lucinda. It all works out in the end with a few detours of course.

A World Without Heroes / Brandon Mull / 454 pages

This is the first title in Mull's new Beyonders series. It is fabulous. There's lots of action, adventure, bizarre creatures, puzzles, and good vs evil. The Beyonders are people from our world who crossover to the fantasy world of Lyrian ruled by an evil wizard. The book features two strong characters, 14 year old Jason and Rachel, who are both Beyonders and must work together to save a world that is in great need of heroes. In fact, this book does a rather good job of explaining just what a hero is. Kids who like Angie Sage's Septimus Heap books or John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice books will eat this up. Great "boy" book.

The Light Bringer/Chris Digiuseppi & Mike Force/323 pgs



The authors of this book are the chief of police and assistant chief of police in Lake St. Louis and the story is about a police officer who is contacted about a special mission with a special federal agency. He is given this job because of his handling of those who are left behind after a death. His new mission is to help those who have died reach their destination and to help those left behind. He is told that 16 people are going to die and he does not know why. The story started out a little slow but did get better. I did enjoy this story and it does give you another idea about what the afterlife - it is a good vs evil story but does not favor any one religion's belief over another.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Justice/Karen Robards/342 pages

Attorney Jessica Ford was forced to enter the witness protection program of the Secret Service since she was the lone witness to the First Lady's murder(from Karen Robards' previous novel "Pursuit"). She becomes involved in a high profile murder case when another attorney from the case drops out. When Jessica investigates and ties together several odd occurrences, her life is in danger. Lots of plot twists keep you guessing, and I was surprised to find out who the villain was.

Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy; bk. 1) / Lauren DeStefano / 358 p.

After modern science turns every human into a genetic time bomb with men dying at age twenty-five and women dying at age twenty, girls are kidnapped and married off in order to repopulate the world.

The storyline is a lot like "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, but less literary and not as deep with the social commentary.  It is still a good read, with three very different female characters whose actions and reactions to their situation remind me of people I know in my life.  There is also romance in the story, but only time (and the other two volumes) will tell where it will lead.  Teens will enjoy this book and will give them a few social topics to think about (ie Genetic engineering, Male / Female roles, misogyny, polygamy, social structures, classism, and more).  I would give this book a soft PG-13 rating, because the main focus of the book is procreation; so some very young characters (14 years old) are involved in adult relationships.  No major detailed descriptions, but the reader is aware that things are happening behind closed doors.

Lethal/Sandra Brown/472 pgs.

I had the opportunity to read the advance, uncorrected proof of Sandra Brown's latest. In typical Sandra Brown style, Lethal has mystery, romance, suspense, and red herrings. Who's trustworthy and who's not? But most importantly, who is the Bookkeeper?

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure/Matthew Algeo/262 pgs




This book was great. Harry Truman shortly after leaving the White House decides he wants to drive from Missouri to Washington - Road Trip!! He does it without any Secret Service - there was none given to presidents until after he was out of office and without press following him. Just him and Bess. The author makes the same trip years later and tries to make the same stops that the Trumans made and he talks to some of the people that they stayed with. The book gives you an idea of what Harry Truman was really like and also tells about some of the changes that were made after he left office - examples: pension (there was none and the Trumans were almost broke because he didn't want to do anything which would degrade the office of the President) and the Secret Service.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Throne of Fire / Rick Riordan / 452 pages

This is the 2nd book in the Kane Chronicles which are based in Egyptian mythology. I listened to it on CD and found it enjoyable though Sadie seems to be shouting in a British accent during most of her portion of the story. It features two intrepid siblings, Carter & Sadie Kane, who have all of the normal sibling issues and must save the world from chaos in 5 days. The book has adventure, heroism, courage, humor and a good dose of mythology. Upper elementary and middle school kids will love Throne of Fire and be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

What Alice Forgot/Liane Moriarty/426 pages

Alice wakes up on the floor of her gym. It seems she fell off her bike during her spin class and hit her head. The last thing she remembers is being happily married and anxiously expecting her first child. In reality, she has three children and is in the middle of a nasty divorce. What the heck happened to her life?

This was a great end of the summer book. It's a long but fast read with a satisfying ending.

Friday, August 19, 2011

I'd Know You Anywhere/Laura Lippman/373 pgs.

Several victims are kidnapped and murdered--why was Eliza Benedict allowed to live? Discovering the answer to this question is what propels the plot in Lippman's psychological mystery. It's a very absorbing read; I highly recommend it!

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter / Tom Franklin / p272



The setting is 1970's Mississippi rife with racial tension. The characters: Silas, the son of a poor, single black mother, and Larry, the child of white lower-middle class parents, were both outsiders, Silas because of his color, Larry because he was quiest and a little odd, his nose always buried in horror novel. For a few months in their youth, they broke out of their circumstances and shared a special bond. When a young girl goes missing and all suspicions point to Larry, their bond breaks.


A story of a boyhood friendship lost and later reclaimed after years of separation. Not ever having read anything by Tom Franklin, I'm glad I picked this up. I enjoyed it.

First Lady / Susan Elizabeth Phillips 384 p.

Phillips takes a out-of-the-ordinary concept, a widowed First Lady on the run -- escaping White House duties and pressures, etc.; a disenchanted journalist and a couple of orphans and makes it believable. Again, humor and credible scenes make this a delightful read. Phillips enchants her contemporary romance readers by incorporating one of the characters in future books.

Rita Award

Link to the SCCCLD catalog

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Running Hot/Jayne Ann Krentz/337 pgs

This is the fifth title in the Arcane Society series. Grace Renquist is a librarian who just happens to be able to profile people by their aura. She is sent to Hawaii by Jones & Jones in order to get information on a member of the society and is partnered up with Luther Malone, a former cop and he also can read auras. They end up at a resort where there seems to be a big meeting of Nightshade operatives and soon one of the operatives is dead. Luther & Grace try to figure out who is the murderer and fight the attraction they are feeling - they both have secrets (of course). This was another good story and only 7 more titles in the series - so far at least.


Gone With the Wind / Margaret Mitchell / 884 Pages

I have always thought that this book would be hard to read, with long, drawn-out descriptions that were tearfully boring... At least, that's what I was told. 

I found this book to be one of the very best that I have EVER read.  It was amazing, beautiful, and fast-paced.  I have never before read a book in which the characters were so well-developed.  It was hard to believe that Miss Scarlett O'Hara and Mr. Rhett Butler were fictional because you could feel their emotions leap off the page and into your heart as if everything they were feeling and doing and saying had actually occured.  The dialogue was very well-written and a delight to follow, and while there were lengthy descriptions of the goings-on of the war in the state of Georgia and the occasional paragraph that described the character's surroundings, I felt that they added to the credibility of the story, making everything seem so much more real and believable than if they weren't there.  It helped to explain why certain characters did and said the things that they did.  Even though the book is covering more than a decade of time, it didn't feel lengthy.  It was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. I was sad that it came to an end as fast as it did, and am disappointed that Ms. Mitchell never got around to writing a sequel, because the story was so engrossing that I feel I need to know what happened after the last words. Perhaps I will get around to reading the sequel written by Alexandra Ripley, but I feel that I may be disappointed after how much I loved the original.

Overall, this book was beautifully written, full of character, feeling, intense emotions, and a believable historical background.  I would highlt recommend it to any of my friends who were looking for a historical "romance" that was different from the rest. 

Movie Adaptation

Crunch Time / Diane Mott Davidson / 471 pages

Goldy the caterer is a good-hearted soul, dedicated to her family, a good friend, and always getting herself in dangerous situations when she's just trying to help. This is a good title in the series though there is alot going on and many loose ends to tie up neatly at the end. The whole time you are reading the books you will be craving real butter, heavy cream, and melty cheese. The recipes of food featured in the book are a big plus. I just wish I could prepare and serve such delicious meals and make it look so easy.

MULTIPLIERS: HOW THE BEST LEADERS MAKE EVERYONE SMARTER by Liz Wiseman with Gred McKeown - 268 pages

The monthly selection for a Manager's Book Discussion group.

Nonfiction - a practical management title. What kind of manager are you? The authors present their theory of two kinds of leaders - both are successful but one is a Multiplier, the other is a Diminisher. The Multiplier is the type of leader anyone would want to work for because they make everyone feel smarter. The other, not so much and this is despite the fact that they 'do' tend to hire only the best & brightest. Unfortunately, these Diminishers also tend to suck the energy & enthusiasm out of their people.

Numerous examples, taken from real-life interviews, illustrate both kinds of managers and tables for each example are provided which clarify the differences in the different manager's style. Each chapter closes with a chart which summarizes the points made and explains what is needed to become a Multiplier.

lml/GA

SHANGHAI GIRLS by Lisa See - 322 Pages

Book Discussion title at Kisker Road Branch

As always, Lisa See is a great read and excellent book discussion author. Her historical fiction books based on Chinese culture offer lots of discussion points.....If you haven't done "Shanghai Girls" or "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" consider adding one to your list ...

Her newest title "Dreams of Joy" is a continuation of "Shanghai Girls" and is currently on the "HOT NEW READ" list. I see potential for a new book discussion [title] .....

Lisa - KR Book Club

THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton - 473 Pages

Book Discussion title at McClay Branch

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton is a Gothic novel...told by 90 year "Grace" who began her life in said house as a serving girl. When the story opens Grace is meeting with Ursula who is making a movie about the "suicide" which occurred there years before. Since Grace was in residence the night of the tragedy Ursula wants to interview her as well as get Grace's "take" on the sets. From there we journey back in Grace memories....her Mother's presence in her life...stern, unaffectionate but as best as she could took care of Grace., Grace's own daughter Ruth with whom she has no better relationship than she had with her own Mother.

We get a bird's eye view into the residents of the House at Riverton...the serving staff, caring, warm, a well oiled machine who had "serving" down pat yet who truly cared about not only the lords and ladies of the manner but especially about the rest of the staff who served. We see Grace become mesmerized by Hannah and her sister Emmeline who had "soo much life" about them. Grace feels a special connection to Hannah especially all her life....until the day of Hannah's death. We learn the true story of the "suicide" of Robbie Hunter and like a game of chess...all the pieces fall together to make a tragic but well written ending if a touch unbelievable (my take only!)

Many rabbit trails there are to go down from mother/daughter relationships, WWI with its rationing, the privilege and responsibility of wealth, to the unfairness of life, lost love, being but a few.

As is true of all Gothic novels there is dark side Morton creates which permeates the entire book. Some of her quotes are priceless:

"There's nothing spoils a young lady's loveliness so much as impertinence of intellect."

"...for home is a magnet that lures back even its most abstracted children."

"Photographs force us to see people before their future weighed them down, before they knew their endings."

and one of my own personal favorites: "reading is one of life's great pleasures;talking about books keeps their worlds alive for longer."

The gals gave the book a 2 out of five...with 1 being the best...majority rule.

Ruth - MY Book Club

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

ROCKET BOYS/OCTOBER SKY by Homer Hickam - 368 Pages

Book Discussion title at Corporate Parkway Branch

... I'm sure everyone has seen the wonderful movie "October Sky". If not, check it out, pop some popcorn and be prepared to be transported back to a time and place when learning in America cost the same amount as an iron train rail.

America in the '50s. A time of "Father Knows Best" on the tube (not that I remember this), Elvis Presley was on the radio, and the price of bread was $0.14 cents. The world was rosy. But on October 4, 1957, the sunny landscape darkened with the passage of Sputnik overhead.

Sputnik electrified everyone, but it especially charged a young man from Coalwood, West Virginia. Homer Hickam was expected to follow his father's plan; graduate from high school, enter the mine, and eventually fill his father's shoes as foreman. Homer had different plans; he wanted to build rockets.

Homer teams with 3 other boys to create what was to become known as the "Rocket Boys". Together the boys rebel against an established town mindset, and expand the future of everyone in Coalwood.

This title has a lot of themes to discuss:

Boy coming of age
Space program
Small town in the 1950's
Father and sons

I'd like to recommend the title for future discussions ... because it's one of the few books I've read for Book Discussion that leaves you with a big ol' smile at the end.

Stacey - CP Book Club

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE BY Margaret Truman - 272 Pages

Book Discussion title at Middendorf-Kreddell Branch

We combined [a] mystery discussion with a walk down history lane. I was able to pull some non-fiction books written by Truman about her parents, her own story, and the other First Ladies. I also found a book on the White House and what happened in the White House during each Administration. Margaret had an insider viewpoint from which she wrote her books and it gives the reader a sense of being behind the scenes.

There are many historic locations in the Washington D.C. area that Margaret Truman used to center her mysteries around. If anyone has book discussion members interested in the DC area monuments, cultural institutions, organizations, and historical events and want some light reading, they may enjoy Margaret Truman's mysteries.

Claire - MK Mystery Book Club

A RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick - 305 Pages

Book Discussion title at Kathryn Linnemann Branch

'A Reliable Wife' by Robert Goolrick takes the concept of the 'mail-order bride' and turns it upside-down. The main characters in the book (Ralph Truitt and Catherine Land) each has his own 'not so innocent' reasons for agreeing to this marriage, but what each of them gains is not what is expected. The story is dark, but so beautifully written and expressed, you cannot help but be drawn into it.

While most of my ladies really enjoyed this one, there were a few that thought it was too 'over the top' - some were surprised at the sexual content in the book. There was much to discuss - familial relationships, social classes, small-town life, and of course, roles of men and women at the turn of the century. For local history buffs, there is a chunk of the story that takes place in St. Louis (ca 1908). - this was fun to discuss!

If you're looking for a complex and satisfying read for your group (or yourself) - 'A Reliable Wife' fits the bill...

Melanie - KL Book Club

i'd know you anywhere / Laura Lippman 373 p.

Eliza Benedict carefully crafted peaceful, ordinary suburban life is shattered when Walter Bowman's letter tells her "I'd know you anywhere". In 1985, Walter cowered her when he kept her captive at 15 for 39 days. Now on prison's deathrow and within weeks of his execution for the rape and murder of another girl, he re-enters her life to manipulate her to save his life. Eliza agrees to talk to him. The story unfolds on two fronts: one reveals her past ordeal and the other her current life as she interacts with her moody daughter, her daughter's teachers, her sweet son, convicted killer Walter, and his civilian advocate. A fast-paced psychological look at victim and the aftermath of a violent crime.
Anthony Award Nominee for Best Novel

Check the SCCCLD catalog

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Third Circle/Amanda Quick/342 pgs



This is book 4 in the Arcane Society series. This one takes place in the Victorian era. Leona Hewitt is a crystal worker and is looking for a very powerful crystal that had been stolen from her family. She locates the crystal but she also runs into Thaddeus Ware, a member of the Arcane Society and a very powerful mesmerist. He is also after the crystal but he is also hiding a murderer who is also a preternatural hunter. Soon the hunter and his employer are after Leona and Thaddeus. It does get a bit confusing going from one era to another in this series but the titles have all been enjoyable and can be read individually.

The Mystery at Fort Sumter / Carole Marsh 150 p.

Mystery solvers Mimi, Papa, Grant and Christina travel to Charleston, the most haunted city in America. Sleepy Grant peers at the Old Citadel Hotel thinking they are staying at Fort Sumter. Grant spouts trivia on Civil War. While on tour of Fort Sumter, Grant, and Christina join with a ranger's children in solving the mystery of the missing cannonballs. And, Mimi learns that Aunt Lulu, deceased, has disappeared. Mimi (Carole Marsh), Papa, Christina and Grant (real grandchildren of Carole) have several mysteries to solve.

This Real Kids Real Places mystery is filled with historical information about Fort Sumter, the Civil War, and old Charleston.

Apply to be a character in a future Carole Marsh book.

SCCCLD's holdings of America's National Mystery Book Series

Monday, August 15, 2011

Beauty Queens / Libba Bray / 396p

  So, at first, I hated it.  Granted, it was an audio book which I tend to more easily dislike, but still (Libba Bray read it and usually authors ruin books when they read them themselves, but she did a great job).  I found the satire to be just too thick and almost offensive in its obviousness.  Like, seriously, I was offended for teenagers.  Also, almost all of the characters seemed to be over-simplified caricatures of themselves.  Ugh.

But then, it got a little better.  Then a little better.  It soon became a full out party of themes that I love - feminism, the evils of corporate greed, the falsity of reality tv.  So fine, it grew on me.  I think that, probably, if I read it instead of listening to it, some of the things that annoyed me wouldn't have made me as crazy (the footnotes, the "commercial breaks," the whiny voices of some of the characters, the thinly veiled Sarah Palin impression, etc.) and maybe I would have liked it more from the start.  But, in the end, I enjoyed the story and the message.

A good book to offer politically and socially conscious older teens.

of Bees and Mist / Erick Setiawn / 404p

A story about a young woman, growing up in a dysfunctional family, in an unnamed land, believes she'll find refuge in her married life. She finds that this is not always true. All the characters in the story seem motivated by grief, jealousy, greed and thwarted love and are emotionally immature.

I do think the symbolism of the bees and mist are well thought out and descriptive of how, when we harbor feelings as stated earlier, they would manifest themselves visually and eat away at an emotionally healthy life.

Turn of Mind/Alice LaPlante/305 pages

Dr. Jennifer White is a recently widow and retired orthopedic surgeon. She also has been diagnosed with dementia. She narrates the unfolding drama surrounding her and her illness. Her children have split control of her life. Her son has medical power of attorney, while her daughter has financial control. Both would like total control. Her best friend and neighbor, Amanda, has been killed and cruelly maimed. Jennifer's fairly rapid descent into the later stages of dementia is hard to read. The first part of the book is a slow read, but it does pick up pace nearly halfway through.

The Hunt / Jan Neuharth / 368 pages

This captivating murder mystery revolves around the complex and romanticized lifestyle of elite foxhunters.  Multi-millionaire playboy, Doug Cummins, is accused of murdering three women by a deputy who is convinced of his guilt and determined to bring an end to his pampered lifestyle.  Clyde wages a media campaign to convict Doug.  Doug hires a local attorney, Anne Sullivan, to represent him.  Her life is threatened, as is the life of her niece, and Doug is caught in a web of murder, intrigue, and multiple murderers.

"There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."  Winston Churchill

The Bride's House / Sandra Dallas / 374 pages

A nice overview of three generations of daughters that starts in the 1800's in Georgetown, Colorado, a small mining town. Family dynamics, family secrets, true love and unrequited love all play a role in the each generation. Hmm...do themes run in families? Think of your own and let me know!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Rebecca/Daphne Du Maurier/380 pgs.

This is our August book club read, and since I had never read this "classic," I was looking forward to it. Maybe I was expecting too much, but it's not one of my favorites. One of my co-workers had to read it in high school, and loved it. I had to read Jane Eyre in high school, and loved it--if I had read Jane Eyre for the first time at this time of my life, I might have been disappointed in it, too. I had a difficult time remembering that Rebecca was written around 1938, and as such, I found the "new" Mrs. de Winter a wimp, and Maxim a boring, chauvinistic pig (not to mention way too old and worldly for her). I realize that their personalities reflect the time period in which the book was written, but it was still hard to swallow. The last 50 pages of the book were the best part--and never knowing Mrs. de Winter's first name was aggravating! (for lp--imho)

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Always Something There to Remind Me/Beth Harbison/506 pgs


Erin had found the love of her life as a teenager but she didn't appreciate him at the time. It is now 20 years later and her current boyfriend has asked her to marry him. Unfortunately the first thought she has is her old boyfriend. The book goes from present time to Erin's teenage years and explains what happened and follows her dilemma about what to do now. It was your typical romance and was a good and quick read.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Woods Runner / Gary Paulsen / 164 pages

Thirteen year old Samuel is a courier du bois - a woods runner, providing meat for the settlement.  He and his parents live on the edge of the wilderness in colonial Pennsylvania.  One day while Samuel is out hunting, the Revolutionary War comes to his home.  The British and Iroquois Indians attack and his parents are taken prisoners.  Samuel follows along until he can find a way to secure his parents' freedom.  He comes upon a settlement which has been attacked by brutal Hessian mercenaries, takes Annie along as her parents have been killed.  Narrative is interspersed with factual, historical segments relating to the Revolutionary Wary, including the thousands of POW's and the British failure to feed, cloth, and care for them.

Preliminary nominee for the Truman Award 2012-2013

Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life / James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts / 281 pages

Rafe Khatchadorian compares Hills Village Middle School to a prison.  On his first day in middle school he is beset by the school bully, must endure the traditional reading of the green book - the school rules, decides to become the person depicted in best friend, Leo's, pictures and pulls the fire alarm.  He develops Operation R.A.F.E. - Rules Aren't For Everyone, assigns points for breaking rules in the code of conduct, uses one of the spiral notebooks his mom bought him for school supplies to record his points, and for the first time ever knows what motivation feels like and is actually looking forward to school.  The surprise at the end, and the troubles Rafe finds himself in, make this an enjoyable book.  Hopefully, it won't serve a inspiration to middle schoolers!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sizzle and Burn/Jayne Ann Krentz/359 pgs



This is the third title in the Arcane Society series and takes place in modern times. Raine Tallentyre is a psychic who hears voices and was always told by her aunt not to tell anyone or they would think she was crazy. Her father had been thrown out of the Arcane Society years ago and she has no use for the Society. Until she meets Zack Jones who is needing her help to stop the Nightshade group and they are after her. Very enjoyable read.

Breaking Silence / Linda Castillo / 302 pages

Another fast-paced thiller by Castillo starring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Kate and her professional counterpart and soul mate, special agent John Tomasetti, solve a series of hate crimes and murders in the Amish community. This story unfolds like the layers of an onion and the end will leave you gasping. We get a good look at what it's like to be a cop and the burden of living with some dark stains on one's soul. Great writer, great story, great character. You'll like it.

Natural Born Charmer / Susan Elizabeth Phillips 394 p.

Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard life takes a turn when he picks up a headless girl beaver marching down the side of the road. Blue Bailey is just trying to make ends meet after her mother emptied her checking account. She and Dean start the road trip that ends at his farm that he is having remodeled. When he turns up he discovers a surprise in the contractor…can’t spoil the story. Phillips takes a funny start adds complications and continues the laughs. She is known for wit and humor in her stories.

Check the SCCCLD catalog

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Flash Burnout / L.K. Madigan 332 p.

Fifteen-year-old Blake is in a good world – he has a new girlfriend, Shannon and a friend who shares his love for photography student, Marissa. He sends out mental calls for “Houston” while learning to steer the course in his first boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. The three seem to okay until he takes a chance photo of a street person who turns out to be Marissa’s mother. He increasingly spends more time with Marissa – keeping hush-hush about Marissa’s meth-dependent mom. Madigan includes some typical storylines: big brother, boy-girl love, sex, while weaving in details about photography. An entertaining read. Some may object to the consensual sex.
Gateway Readers Award nominee

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Racing in the Rain: my life as a dog/Garth Stein/278 pgs




This is a adaption of the title "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and is meant for younger readers. That being said I think that the subject matter - racing, illness, divorce and death may be a little too much for a young child (it is supposed to be for children 8 -12) but the story is very good. It is the story of Enzo the dog. It starts with him getting ready to die and he starts to tell his life story. He belongs to Denny a race car driver and Enzo loves racing - he also believes that when he dies he will return as a man - saw it in a documentary. He wants to model himself after Denny. The story is at times very funny and very sad. I did enjoy reading it and will probably now try the grownup version!

Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe / C.S. Lewis 198 p.

During WWII, when children are playing hide-in-seek end up in a wardrobe, they are transported to Narnia where the wicked White Witch “stonifies” her enemies and keeps the country in winter without Christmas. Falling for Turkish delight, Edmund becomes her informant. The rest of the children, Susan, Lucy, and Peter, work with Aslan, the lion, to free the country. Aslan surrenders his life to the White Witch for Edmund’s. Peter leads the army again the witch’s forces. Edmund atones for his misplaced allegiance during the battle for Narnia. Aslan rises from the dead. He releases all from their stone jails. The children mature as the Kings and Queens of Narnia. When they find their old wardrobe, they pop back into their own land and time.
Movie

Painted House / John Grisham 388 p.

Luke Chandler, age 7, tells of his life on cotton farm in rural Arkansas in the 1950’s where his parents and his grandparents struggle to harvest the cotton and to scrape a living from the farm. They hire Mexicans and hill people to pick the cotton. For six weeks, they pick cotton in the heat and the rain. Luke sees and hears of things 7-year olds don’t need to see…a man beaten to death, then another murder, birth of a child. He continues the house painting started by a hill people’s son. With the flood, the lowland cotton is destroyed. The story ends with Luke’s parents decide to move to the city to work in a factory.
Movie

Monday, August 8, 2011

Ruler of the Realm / Herbie Brennan / 423 p

Book 3 of the Faerie Wars: Queen of the Faeries of the Light, Holly Blue contemplates taking her people to war against the Faeries of the Night, but her plans are upset by the demon Beleth's plot to overthrow the Realm using her human love interest, Henry. Holly Blue's love for Henry overcomes the demon's plot.
Lots of adventure, descriptions, fighting and demons. Enjoyable but I still liked the first book the best. On to the next in the saga....Faerie Lord book 4.

Happy Birthday/Danielle Steel/339 pages

"Happy Birthday" is the story of a mother and daughter who reach milestone birthdays and how they deal with the circumstances of their lives at that time. Valerie and April Wyatt experience some life-changing events, and have to decide whether there is more to life than just a career and blind ambition.

Evermore (immortals series 1)/ Alyson Noel / 306 pgs.

Since the car accident that claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras and hear people's thoughts, and she goes out of her way to hide from other people until she meets Damen, another psychic teenager who is hiding even more mysteries.

Once again a quiet shy teenage girl, Ever, tries to hide from her classmates by covering herself up and listening to her ipod all day.  Of course the hot new guy in school Damen is completely infatuated with her.  Sound familiar?  (ie. Star Crossed by Angelini Josephine, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick , Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Fallen by Laren Kate, & others).  Not much is new in this series from the titles I mentioned above;  The "hot" guy has special powers and there are forces in the universe that is keeping the couple from being together.  

If you have a teen that liked any of the titles mentioned in this review they will probably like this as well.

Lock & Key / Sarah Dessen / 422 p.

17 year old Ruby is abandoned by her Alcoholic mother; so she is court ordered to move in with her older sister Cora and her husband Jamie.  Ruby goes from a run-down, broken home to a rich neighborhood and a formal prep school.  Needless to say she runs into a few bumps as she adjusts to her new life and learning that it is okay to ask others for help.

The book was an enjoyable read, the characters are realistic and the story focuses on several issues: making choices, friendship, family, Independence, and types of child abuse.  I heard this book on tape and thoroughly enjoyed the reader.  Recommended. 

Before I Go to Sleep / S. J. Watson / 358 pages

This is a carefully plotted psychological thriller that will leave you reeling. Christine has lost her memories and awakes each day not knowing who she is, where she is, or who the man in the bed next to her is. It poses a very interesting question of what our memories mean to our lives each day and how they define who we are and who we can trust. As a reader you will feel Christine's fear, frustration, grief, joy, and confusion that overwhelm her each day as she starts her life anew. I wonder if Alzheimer's patients might feel a bit the same. Great read.

Now You See Her/James Patterson/383 pgs



This is your typical James Patterson book - short chapters and a quick read. Both my husband and I read it this weekend. I totally enjoyed this book and I did not want to put it down. Nina Bloom goes to Key West as a student during Spring Break and ends up staying for a number of reasons. She marries a cop there, gets pregnant and finds out her husband isn't what he appears to be. She fakes her death and leaves Florida. Years later, she returns to help a man she know is innocent from being put to death and her problems all come back to haunt her. This is a much better story that "Toys" was - more of what you expect from Patterson.