Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Witching Hour / Nora Roberts / 100 pages

Basically a novella, this little book was trite, badly written, and not one of Nora Roberts best efforts.  However, it did hold enough interest for me to finish it even though it is totally predictable as to what would happen.  This storyline was definitely not fresh.  It was not too bad to listen to in the car so I didn't actually waste time reading it. So, I'm sure everyone will now put in a reserve for this one.  Not.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Stealing Home/Sherryl Woods/394 pgs


This is the first title in the Sweet Magnolias series and is Maddie Townsend's story. Maggie's husband has left her for his nurse, who is much younger and pregnant.  Her oldest son is skipping classes and baseball practice, the middle son is no longer telling jokes and the youngest, her daughter has a broken heart. Her two best friends have come up with a plan to open a spa in Serenity and they want her to run it for them.  And on top of all of this, she likes her son's baseball coach and he likes her but the town disapproves.  Very good story - can't wait to read the next one.

Eight Days to Live/Iris Johansen/408 pgs


This is the 10th title in the Eve Duncan series, but Eve is a minor character in this book.  This one focuses on Jane MacGuire, Eve's adopted daughter. She is having an exhibit of her paintings at a Paris gallery, and one of Jane's pieces, titled Guilt, prompts a charge of blasphemy from a dangerous cult. She is told she has eight days to live and to prove their point, they nail the body of the gallery owner to a cross.  Because they have been warned by a member of the cult, John MacDuff and Jock Gavin show up at the gallery to protect her. Jane then calls in Seth Caleb, the mysterious hunter from Blood Game, to hunt down the missing informer in order to get more information regarding the cult and to save her life.

Operation Yes / Sara Holmes 234 p.

First year teacher, Miss Loupe, begins the new school year by taping off an space for improvisational acting exercises for her sixth-grade students at an Air Force base school. Bo Whaley, and his newly arrived cousin Gari end up in Miss Loupe’s class. The class reluctantly tries improv. Miss Loupe wins over the class so well that by the time she experiences a personal tragedy they work together to raise money utilizing their newly developed improv skills. Operation Yes draws national attention to the wounded soldiers from Iran and Afghanistan.


2012 Notable Children's Books

Hidden / Helen Frost 147 p.

Fourteen year-old Wren and Darra recognize each other when they meet face-to-face for the first time at summer camp. First Wren tells of their shared experience of her kidnapping from six years ago. For Wren, the hours drag on as she searches for a way out of Darra’s father’s garage. Darra is the only one who guesses that Wren is hidden in the garage. She leaves food and water. Each was profoundly influenced by the Wren’s kidnapping. Darra’s abusive father ends up in prison. At camp, they ignore each other until their Lifesaving exercise has them in an intense underwater encounter. Helen Frost makes use of poetic forms to tell each girl’s story. Wren’s is through free-verse with Darra’s a new form invented for this book. To get more of Darra’s story, read the last word of each of the long sentences.


2012 Notable Children's Books

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Private Games / James Patterson / 426 pages

Nothing new in this Patterson really written by Mark Sullivan.  This is one of the "Private" books featuring the international security agency.  In this book a pyscho is trying to ruin the 2012 Olympics in London.  I think Patterson has been talking to his friend Rick Riordan about his Percy Jackson books because he uses a mythology motif with Cronus wanting to show his displeasure with what the Olympic games have become.  I'm starting to think of Patterson books as fairy tales for adults, good vs evil, violence & gore, but all ends well with good overcoming evil.  121 chapters and 426 pages so he keeps you bouncing right along as you're thinking to yourself...why am I reading this? 

The Beekeeper's Apprentice/ Laurie R. King/ 405 pages

It took me about 200 pages to get into this book.  I was surprised, because I had read "A Monsterous Regiment of Women" a book later in the series about 13 years ago and remember really liking that book.  But, I guess it's all the set up that takes time and can drag a bit. 

But, this is the story of Mary Russell, and how she came to be an apprentice to Sherlock Holmes.  It's been a while since I've Read Conan Doyle's Holmes, so I have to admit Robert Downey Jr. is the Holmes most recent in my head and I can see him in the role of Holmes in this story, even though Holmes is more of a supporting character.

Anyway, it's a good mystery with some twists.  And I would recommend it, but with the warning that it's a big dry in the beginning.  But, I think it sets you up to read a great series of books.

The Dog That Talked to God/Jim Kraus/332 pgs



Mary Fassler has lost her husband and child and is mad at God.  She decides to adopt a miniature schnauzer for company. Mary, who makes a living writing Amish stories, is in for a surprise one night when Rufus, speaks to her asking her if she thinks he's fat. Rufus then tells her that he also talks to God. Rufus soon becomes her adviser. When Rufus is hit by a car during a winter walk, Mary decides to change her life and they move to the ocean.  There she decides it may be time to start dating and she finally meets a man who understands what she has been through and may change her mind about letting God back into her life.  Starts a little slow but was a very good read.

Almost Summer/Susan Mallery/100 pgs



 Paige McLean has always longed to see the world. But events have put an end to those dreams she thinks.  Until she takes in Alistair Woodbury, a charming British surgeon who needs a place to stay when his plans fall through.
Alistair has traveled the world and has vowed to live alone. But he finds himself enjoying Fool's Gold and spending time with Paige.  Will he decide to stay in Fool's Gold?
 

Flirting with Disaster/Sherryl Woods/393 pgs


Maggie Forsythe has spent her life trying to please her parents and then rebelling against them.  When her engagement to an acceptable man is broken by her ex-fiance, she runs away.  But her sulking is interrupted by her best friend and her husband plus the ex with a request.  They want her to help them build a house for a single mom and her 3 kids.  It is also a plot to have Maggie meet Josh Parker, the contractor on the job, a man who would not be acceptable to her parents or so she thinks.  Good story.

Queen of Hearts / Martha Brooks 214 p.

Set during World War II, teenager Marie-Claire and her younger brother and baby sister are all stricken with tuberculosis. Sent to the sanitarium near their Manitoba farm, they join the other "exiles" as they chase the cure.

Her anger and stubbornness shows as she Marie-Claire struggles with personal tragedy, loss of privacy, and separation from everyone she knows. Nicknamed the Queen of Hearts by her late uncle (a TB victim), she works to keep from turning her back on others.

No cure exists... the best is to arrest the disease. There Marie-Claire makes friends with roommate Signy. Though she lost her brother, it is through him that she meets Jack.

Martha Brooks recreates the TB ward with such accuracy and care. Turns out she was raised by a medical family on the grounds of a tuberculosis sanatorium.


2012 Notable Children's Books

How to Live with a Neurotic Cat / Stephen Baker 128 p.

"And then God created a furry lump which, for the lack of a better name, He called the Cat. He looked at His creation and shook His head. It wasn't exactly what He had in mind. "

Cat owners know every nuance Stephen Baker describes about life with a cat. Be prepared to LOL and the illustrations are delightful.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Insurgent/Veronica Roth/525 pgs.

Insurgent picks up where Divergent left off. Conflicts between the various factions arise, sides must be chosen, and a war of sorts ensues. Tris and Tobias' relationship goes through ups and downs, friends die, and a secret needs to be uncovered in order for those remaining to survive. It is a quick read with many twists and turns along the way. I am anxiously awaiting the conclusion to this trilogy. I really liked The Hunger Games, but I think this is much better--just my opinion!

Fifty Shades of Grey/E.L. James/514 pgs.

I admit it--my curiosity got the best of me with all of the media hype this book has received. In some respects, I was expecting much worse. It's basically about Anastasia Steele's relationship (both physical and emotional) with billionaire Christian Grey.  The fact that the physical relationship has Grey as the Dominant, and Steele as the Submissive, with a lot of description of the acts performed, is what comprises the controversy surrounding this book. All I can say is different strokes (pun intended) for different folks!

Insurgent/Vernoica Roth/525 pages

This is book two in a planned trilogy by Veronica Roth.  The story takes up right where "Divergent" ended with war between the factions almost a certainty. Tris, Tobias and a small group of rebels have escaped after the simulation and now they have to make choices. The author reveals more about the characters and the plot takes several different twists. We learn more about each faction, but the tone of this book is a little more somber because the characters, especially Tris, are trying deal with all they lost. It took a few chapters to get back into the story because there was no recapping the first book, so I found myself trying to remember specific characters and  events from  "Divergent". This is another great story by Roth and  "Hunger Games" fans will love this series!

Grammar Girl's 101 Words Every High School Graduate Needs to Know / Mignon Fogarty / 120 Pages

This short little book was a great refresher in the definitions of many words that you hear on the news but maybe are unsure of their exact meaning. Words you need to get by in life. Words that are good to know if you want to be engaged in an intellectual conversation. I was worried that maybe I wouldn't know the meanings of most of them, but am happy to say that there were only two words for which I was completely stumped on their definitions. Unlike a dictionary, this book defines the words with a paragraph or two of information, including the word's history, and then includes a quote to show you how the word is used. The quotes come from a wide variety of sources, from books including Gone With the Wind, Sense and Sensibility, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and from TV shows including Star Trek, House, and The Simpsons, among other things. It was a nice little book that was written well and was enjoyable. I will have to check out Grammar Girl's other books.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

The False Prince / Jennifer Nielsen / 342 pages

Nielsen creates a mythical world in which the king, queen & heir apparent are all murdered.  The only hope for Carthya is if the regents accept a boy as the long-lost prince and allow him to rule the country.  The power-hungry regents are anything but honest, border countries are ready to invade at the first sign of civil war, and one of the regents has a plan to pass off an orphan as the long-lost prince and rule as the puppet master.  Here we have the story with all its glorious twists and turns of the two week training period to turn Sage, Tobias or Roden into Prince Jaron.  Plans are for the two boys not chosen to meet dire consequences.  The story has a very satisfactory ending, but you will get no spoiler here.  You must read it for yourself.  Recommended fantasy for grades 5-7.  Oh, by the way, this is the first book in a trilogy so you have more to look forward to.  Hope Nielsen is a fast writer.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Now You See Me / S. J. Bolton / 395 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This is a real seat-of-your-pants thriller...and the plot twists make it an unforgettable read.  Young detective constable Lacey Flint is confronted with a recently stabbed middle-aged woman who dies in her arms in the heart of London.  Lacey becomes an integral part of the investigation into multiple murders that bear a striking resemblance to those perpetrated by Jack the Ripper.

Black Hills / Nora Roberts / 742 pages

Ethan Stowe is a serial killer in the Black Hills of South Dakota, stalking and killing hikers.  Claiming to be a Lakota Sioux descendant, he believes he is justified in wreaking vengeance against all who have trespassed on sacred ground.  His current target is Lid, who owns and runs a big cat sanctuary.  She has always been best friends with Coop, who left years ago to become a New York cop and then a private investigator.  He broke her heart when he left.  His grandfather Sam has been injured and now Coop has a good reason to return and help manage his grandfather's horse business.  He is also ready to claim Lil's heart.  This is a quick read, filled with romance and the importance of family.  If you can read this without smiling....well...you can't.

The Lady of the Rivers / Phililppa Gregory / 443 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This historical novel is filled with witchcraft, passion, adventure, and the inner workings of the English court circa 1400.  Young Jaquetta is married off to the elderly Duke of Bedford, the English Regent of France, who desires her for her beauty and her relationship to Melusina, the river goddess.  He wants to use her sight in his alchemy experiments.  He does not come to her bed to beget an heir.  Upon his death, Jaquetta weds his chief squire, Richard Woodville.  She becomes close friends with the wife of King Henry VI and advises the French queen to act with wisdom.  The story begins with Jaquetta's  friendship with Joan of Arc, gives excellent insight into the hazards of the nobility, court gossip and intrigues, and is , perhaps most of all, a love story.

A Home By the Sea / Christina Skye / 355 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Debbie Macomber says this is "a delightful story about healing, forgiveness, and love all neatly wrapped up in a ball of yarn,"  to this I would add self-sacrifice.  Grace resigns from her dream job when the grandfather who raised her is hospitalized.  She gives up authoring a digital cookbook and world travel to help her grandfather and his vet clinic.  She also moves 3000 miles away from her bomb-deactivating new love, Noah, and his large, welcoming family.  This Summer Island book is a fun read, filled with food, friendship, family, and happily ever after.

"Getting hurt was the price you paid to know you're alive."

|"To make a family is simple, to keep it together was the hard thing."

Hidden / Helen Frost / 147 pages

Wren Abbot is eight years old when she in inadvertently kidnapped.  Her mother had gone inside to pay for gasoline when shots are fired inside the the store.  Wren's car is stolen with her inside under a blanket.  The thief is unaware of her presence.  Wren remains hidden in a boat inside his garage for several days and is left food by the thief's eight year old daughter, Darra.  Wren escapes through a pet door and runs to a nearby Amish house for help.  Darra's father is arrested and sent to prison.  Six years later, the girls meet at summer camp.  "Using a different poetic structure for each voice, Helen Frost reveals what is hidden in this poignant multi-layered story of friendship and forgiveness."  Great, quick read!!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Eclipse Bay/Jayne Ann Krentz/346 pgs


In the Oregon town of Eclipse Bay, former wedding consultant Hannah Harte has returned home after she receives an unexpected inheritance, Dreamscape - her aunt's home. But she must share it with Rafe Madison, and their families have been feuding for years.  When it appears that Hannah may be in danger, they move in together and find out that they have been attached to each other since a night eight years before.

Once Was Lost/Sara Zarr/224 pages

As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy into the idea of the perfect family, a loving God and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has lots of reason to doubt. Her mother is in rehab after a DUI and  her father is more interested in the congregation than the family. After a young girl goes missing in their small community, Sam begins to question everything, including her faith. This isn't really a religious book but it is more about losing hope when things go wrong. The setting is based around a youth group in a church where Sam's father is the pastor, but the book isn't preachy and the characters aren't sitting around waiting for a miracle.  Throughout the book, Sam is struggling to find out who she is and what she believes.  The tone of this book is pretty somber and deals with some depressing issues, but the author does a good job of making the characters, even with their flaws, likeable.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bad Baby Names / Sherrod & Rayback / 122 pages

If you have ever hated your name, you should read this book. All the names in it are real, and most of them are from the US census report and from before 1930. It is really sad what some parents have saddled their children with. It was very entertaining and the author's commentary on the names is funny. If you need a laugh, check it out. And then be glad your name isn't Bird Butcher, Good Lord, Friendly Hell, or Hysteria Johnson.

At Home on Ladybug Farm / Donna Ball / 344 pages

Three women who are lifelong friends leave their comfortable lives to embark on a new adventure together...rehabbing a 100 year old estate in Virginia.  Each of the women has a special talent to contribute:  rehabbing, art, & cooking.  They learn new skills, survive financial crisis, make friends in a small town, discover things about themselves and develop new ways to make their vision work.  They are so industrious and accomplish so much in a few hours that you feel guilty sitting down and reading when you should be building a chicken coop, planting a garden, cleaning out & restoring fountains & reflecting pools, tearing down walls, refinishing heart of pine hardwood floors, rebuilding a barn and saving a teenage boy who is brilliant and talented but has had a sucky life.  Women's fiction through and through.

Voices on the Wind / Evelyn Anthony 145 p.

In the village of Amdale, England, Katherine Alfurd is something of a local character as she tells anyone who will listen of tales of her fighting in the French resistance. People listen with only half an ear until the Butcher of Marseille is returned to France to stand trial for Nazi war crimes. Katherine becomes a person of interest as she tells of everything she can of those times to Paul Roulier. Katherine remembers how the resistance leader, her comrades-in-arms, and even herself fell into the Gestapo's hands. All had been betrayed and most died in Gestapo custody. Katherine was spirited away by a double agent. She agrees to meet with the "Butcher", perhaps now the voices from the past will be silenced. Unknowingly she becomes the center of attention as her actions may adversely affect people's lives now.

Trauma / John J. Fried and John G. West 152 p.

Dr. Allan Kirk, trauma physician, loses a young accident victim due, in part, to protocols and procedures surrounding after hours ERs. While researching needless dying after trauma ER treatments, he meets Julie McDonough, a medical statistician. After remarks to the press, Kirk is embroiled in a fight to save his career. Hospital politics and an unscrupulous hospital administrator on track to increase profits keep him off-balance.

Readers of this work may enjoy the hospital novels of Frank G. Slaughter.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Decision Points / George Bush / 497 pages

This book on cd was so long that I despaired of ever finishing.  However, it was quite in depth and mostly interesting.  Written by George Bush, it detailed his eight years in the white house as only he could view it.   He comes through as a loyal, deeply religious person who really tries to live what he believes.  He has a self-deprecating sense of humor and can tell stories on himself.  He amazingly starts the book discussing how he came to quit drinking.  I doubt he would have ever made president had he continued to drink. As a person, I think I could like him.  He had a wild ride as a president and did the best he could. 

Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem / Rosalyn Schanzer 144 p.

Tells the story of the victims, the accused witches, the politicians, the judges, and officials of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Two children have fits, mutter strange gibberish and experience frightful contortions of their backs, necks, and arms. The fits do not respond to anything so locals begin to be accused of being witches. When the accused insist they are innocent, they are put in jail. Families would provide food and other necessities. Some accused asked to be sold as indentured servants in order to pay their bill. The number of accused grew and grew. One minister was brought a great distance to be tried and hung. Ultimately, many were convicted and hung. The rest of the accused were left in poverty. Schanzer enhances the story with actual courtroom testimony. She also describes several possible theories of causes. “What Happened Next” concludes the story of the primary players.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Birds of Paradise / Diana Abu-Jaber / 362 pages

Avis is an artist working in pastry.  From her state-of-the-art professional at-home kitchen she creates heavenly pastries sought after by all the elite of Miami Beach.  Her husband, Brian, is a lawyer for a huge corporation, and her son, Stanley, owns his own organic food market.  Her daughter, Felice, has run away repeatedly and has been gone 5 years.  Birds of Paradise focuses chapter by chapter on the different characters as they struggle with the difficult demands of life. 

Only Yours / Susan Mallery / 378 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Montana Hendrix is a dog trainer and a triplet.  She comes from a family of 6 kids plus one and all have chosen to remain in Fool's Gold.  When Montana brings an unruly therapy trainee dog to the hospital burn ward, she meets Dr. Simon Bradley.  Simon's scars do not prevent Montana from seeing Simon's good looks nor his offsetting personality.  Simon was pushed into a fire by his mother and bears emotional as well as physical scars.  Montana has super human patience and understanding, which is exactly what Simon needs!

The Unwanteds / Lisa McMann / 390 pages

This book is very different from Ms. McMann's YA books.  There is no objectionable language!!  The  Unwanteds is appropriate for, and should appeal to, most middle schoolers.  It was created after a family discussion about cuts made to the arts program at Ms. McMann's children's school.  What if children showing creativity were eliminated?  What if everybody just thought they were eliminated, but were really taken to a world that fostered their creativity?  Alex is purged from Quill, but his twin brother, Aaron, is not and has designs on the High Priestess's job.  Ms. McMann's dystopian fantasy is clever, funny, and thought-provoking.

The Black Hawk / Joanna Bourne / 327 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This story alternates between 1818 London and 1794 Paris.  Justine DuMontier is a member of the French Secret Police and Adrian Hawhurst is a English spy destined to be head of British Intelligence while Justine becomes an English shopkeeper.  As unlikely as it may seem the two, though enemies, are lovers for 24 year when they are thrown together in a plot to discredit the Black Hawk.  This slightly unbelievable fairy tale romance tugs at your heart strings.  The novel's historical background information is intriguing and the creatively designed plot encourages a straight-through read.

"It is a discipline to set aside pain and do one's work.  It makes one strong."

Woodcutter / Reginald Hill / 519 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Reminiscent of The Count of Monte Christo by Alexander Dumas, The Woodcutter features Wolf Hadda who is unjustly accused and punished for the crimes of fraud and pedophilia.  His attempted escape to prove himself innocent results in a terrible accident which leaves him grossly disfigured and in a coma.  After serving 7 years of his sentence and undergoing intense psychotherapy with a woman prison psychiatrist, Wolf is released.  During his incarceration his wife divorced him and married his lawyer and his only child, a daughter, has died.  Wolf sets out to clear his name.  This is a riveting story, a fairy tale, if you will, of the bad things that can happen to an honest, hard-working man of integrity despite...or perhaps because of...his inherent goodness.  Great audio!!

Bossypants/ Tina Fey/ 277p

So I have loved Tina Fey for years (she would be who I pick if I could pick one celebrity friend).  I loved her on SNL.  And was obsessed with the first few seasons of 30 Rock.  And this book has made me love her even more.  I listened to the audiobook of which Fey reads on my commute to and from work.  People driving beside me probably thought I was a crazy person because I, seriously, cackled the entire drive.  Automatically, I want to say every woman needs to read this, but I think EVERYONE needs to read this.  It's just too good to limit it to one gender.

How to Save a Life/ Sara Zarr/ 341p

Mandy is in trouble.  She is pregnant and wants to find a good home for her baby.  Jill is still mourning the recent loss of her father.  Their worlds collide when Jill's mother, dealing with her grief in her own way, invites Mandy to move in with them to help with the pregnancy and eventually adopt the baby.  Told from both Jill and Mandy's perspectives this story, like all Zarr stories, should resonate with teens.  Both Mandy's past struggles and Jill's current struggles are slowly revealed as the two get to know each other.  The audiobook version was strong - I recommend.

Give to older teens that are looking for realistic fiction.

Star Trek Voyager: Encounters with the Unknown / 208 pages

This comic book is a compilation of four different Star Trek Voyager comics, each with different authors. I found it very enjoyable. I haven't read a comic book before (pretty sad, I know...) and I thought it was easy to read and fun as well. The stories were interesting enought to keep my attention, and I read it all in a weekend. Being based on my favorite Star Trek series helped, as well. False colors / Nathan Archer -- Avalon rising / Janine Ellen Young & Doselle Young -- Elite force / Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning -- Planet killer / Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith.

Moon over Manifest / Clare Vanderpool 351 p.

Abilene Tucker arrives at Manifest, Kansas for the summer of 1936.  Her father has put her on the train, sending her to an old friend, Pastor Shady Howard, while he works a railroad job.   She wants to learn more about her father.  She discovers a cigar box filled with old letters and mementos from 1918. She and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, read about a spy known as The Rattler.  This sparks their spy investigation.  Vanderpool artfully interweaves stories about 1936 and 1918.   Miss Sadie, a "diviner" slowly leads her through the story of Ned and Jinx.  Wonderfully enriched with historically details about World War I, the 1918 flu epidemic, and life in Manifest.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Dead Heat / Dick Francis and Felix Francis 342 p.

Max Moreton, chef and owner of the Hay Net in Newmarket, caters the meal for private event at the racetrack where practically everyone gets food poisoning including himself. The next day, at an exclusive luncheon for forty at the sky boxes at the 2000 Guineas race, a bomb explodes killing and injuring many. Soon many of his customers cancel their reservations, the health department closes his restaurant, and violist Caroline Aston files a lawsuit. With his reputation at stake, Max starts asking questions. As his sleuthing uncovers more, attempts to kill him escalate. Francis incorporates rich details about the restaurant business in this fast-paced, intricately plotted suspense.

Under the Mesquite / Guadalupe Garcia McCall 224 p.

Lupita, a Mexican-American teenage girl, takes on familial responsibilities when her mother gets cancer.  With seven siblings, Lupita balances high school classes, discovering her acting skills, and dealing with friends who don’t understand.  Mami is the anchor for this close-knit family and Papi works construction.  She finds refuge writing under the mesquite tree in the front yard.  Told in free verse, McCall takes inspiration from the difficult experiences of her own family.

2012 Notable Children's Book

Monday, May 21, 2012

11/22/63 / Stephen King / 849 pages

I don't read much Stephen King but since 11/22/63 is a time travel book and not horror, I decided to give it a whirl.  Fascinating.  Who doesn't want to go back in time and change something?  What would happen if we could change the past?  Jake Epping accepts the mission to step back into the past to try and prevent the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  While the primary premise of the book was interesting and well done, what was most engaging to me was how much our lives have changed since 1958.  I lived it and was amazed and constantly thinking, Oh Yeah, I remember that.  There were the "good old days" pros but also a lot of cons.  Makes you wonder what someone reading about 2011 in the year 2064 will think..oh yeah, they texted then, drove their own gasoline powered cars, could use as much water as they wanted, and did something called keyboarding.  Recommended.

Crystal Gardens/Amanda Quick/338 pgs

Someone wants to kill Evangeline Ames, a novelist and a professional companion. Her role as a professional companion is a cover for her true profession--an investigator. She and her friends, Beatrice and Clarissa, work for Mrs. Flint and Mrs. Marsh; they investigate men who try to become engaged to women with a sizable dowry. After one such investigation, Evangeline's life is in danger. She is sent to Little Dixby, far from London where she had been working. In Little Dixby, Evangeline meets Lucas Sebastion who rescues her from another attempt on her life. Set in Victorian times, Crystal Gardens has mystery, romance, and paranormal activity. It's a fast, enjoyable, read!

11th Hour/James Patterson/488 pgs


Lindsay is expecting a baby and Joe is trying to get her to work less but unfortunately that isn't happening.  Two heads are found on the grounds of a movie star's home and there is someone killing drug dealers - it is thought to be a rogue cop.  Lindsay ends up working both cases.   Plus she is having to deal with a reporter who is making up stories to make the SFPD look bad and Yuki is sleeping with Lindsay's boss.  This all adds up to a lot of stress for Lindsay.  Love this series and this one doesn't disappoint

In the Company of Others: a Father Tim novel/Jan Karon/399 pgs


I loved the Mitford books but am not having the same feeling with the Father Tim series.  This one is very slow and spends the entire story in Ireland.  This may not have been a bad idea but the entire story takes place at a B&B because Cynthia hurts her ankle so they can't do any sight seeing.  There is too much going on about problems with the other characters and a story regarding the past building of a local home. 

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Buried in Buttercream/G.A. McKevett/277 pages

In the last book, Savannah Reid was seriously wounded and her longtime friend and partner, Dirk, proposed to her. Fast forward to the new book and their wedding day except that it's not going to be that easy. Instead of saying "I dos", they are chasing down the arsonist who set fire to the community center right before the wedding, destroying everything including Savannah's wedding dress. When another attempt to wed gets cut short due to the murder of their wedding planner, Savannah and Dirk, along with Tammy and Savannah's brother Waycross, set out to find the murderer. With Savannah's entire family staying at her house until they get married, she has additional motivation to solve the mystery and finally get hitched. Savannah's also dealing with nightmares and fatigue due to her life-threatening injury. Gran Reid offers some good advice about forgiveness and healing.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Close to You/Christina Dodd/396 pgs

This is the final story in the trilogy about the Prescott sisters.  Caitlin Prescott was a baby when her parents were killed.  She was adopted and is now known as Kate Montgomery and working as a news reporter.  When she discovers she is being stalked she is given a chance to do a story on Teague Ramos, the owner of a bodyguard service, and he becomes her bodyguard.  Soon it becomes apparent that she is in more trouble than just being stalked and it may have something to do with her biological family.  Good story which ties up all the loose ends from the previous stories.

The Last Boyfriend/Nora Roberts/336 pgs.

This is book two in the "Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy." The first book was The Next Always which introduced the reader to the Montgomery family--Beckett, Ryder, and Owen, plus mom, Justine. As in book one, work continues on the renovation of Inn BoonsBoro into the town's new bed-and-breakfast.  This is Owen's story, and his new found attraction to Avery MacTavish--an old childhood friend, and owner/operator of Vesta, the town's pizzeria. Throw in "Lizzy," the ghost haunting Inn BoonsBoro, and the reader can sit back and enjoy a typical Nora Roberts romance.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Bossypants / Tina Fey / 277 pages

I read Bossypants and now I've listened to Bossypants narrated by the author Tina Fey.  All I can say is this is the funniest 5.5 hours you will ever spend listening to an audiobook.  Fey's narration adds even more humor to the book.  It's not all fun though, Fey takes a serious look at how she became who she is, what it's like to be a woman in a male-dominated world of comedy, how aging is different for women, what it's like to "run the show" and be responsible for the lives and welfare of employees, and the struggle of all working moms.  Five stars for this audiobook...you will laugh, you will think a little differently, and you will empathize with someone from a different world...or is it so different?

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Where Things Come Back / John Corey Whaley / 228 pages

This winner of the Printz and Morris Awards is a most unusual book!    Although I was a bit put off by the language, the message imparted by the book and the pathos of the main characters perhaps compensate for  it.  Cullen Witter 's brother, Gabriel, has disappeared.  Cullen is devastated by the disappearance and finds it difficult plan for the future and to continue in with life as it is in the present.  He is also trying to understand how the alleged sighting of a woodpecker previously thought to be extinct has turned the town on its ear.  Is the disappearance of his brother connected to the reappearance of the woodpecker?  References to the Book of Enoch, the battle between the angels, the nephilim, and Ethiopia certainly engage the reader and combine with this coming of age tale to demand that the reader consider the philosophical aspects of existence.

Living on the Edge / Shannon Butcher / 359 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Sloane has a most unusual job.  She is a mercenary, trained in all sorts of weapons and engaging in missions around the world.  She grew up trapped  in private boarding schools and believing that she is shunned by her father, the General.  Sloane is determined to go to Columbia to rescue her former roommate, Gina.  Lucas has been commanded by the general  to do anything to prevent Sloane from taking the trip.  He fails, and he, Sloane, Gina, and Sloane's friends and co-workers face a deadly enemy.  This novel is part of The Edge series, so not all loose ends are tied up.  The suspense is riveting.

Treasure Worth Seeking / Sandra Brown / 285 pages

Erin has finally located her brother.  They were adopted into several families after their death of their mother and have never met.  When Erin arrives at his house, she is greeted by Lance, a treasury official, who tells her that her brother is missing, is an embezzler, and is wanted.  He, at first, believes that Erin may be an accomplice and treats her quite unfairly.  This book is more risque romance that thriller.  It features overly protective parents, a Texan fiance, and a pregnancy outside marriage.

Force of Nature / C. J. Box / 385 pages

Dave Farkus recently took up "Fly-fishing as a way to meet girls.  So far, it hadn't worked out very well."  He'd landed in Saddlestring, Wyoming with no job.  The natural gas pipeline company was challenging his disability payments, and his ex-wife, Ardith, was threatening to take back to court for missed alimony payments.  Nearly being drowned in the river by an empty boat filled with blood and three dead bodies added injury to insult.  Game warden, Joe Pickett, is called to help with the investigation into the deaths.  His friend, Nate Romanowski, is suspected, but cannot be located.  Three more people go missing.  Incompetent Sheriff McClanahan is beside himself and worried how this will affect his reelection.  Nate goes in search of John Nemecek, his superior in undercover operations, who he believes is behind all the mayhem.

Killed at the Whim of Hat / Colin Cotterill / 374 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

You might not laugh out loud, but you will definitely chuckle throughout this story.  Jimm Juree is an ambitious crime reporter with a most eccentric family - trust me!!  When her mother sells the family home, Jimm is forced to move to a rural village on the south coast of Thailand.  She has purchased a rundown resort and needs all her family members to help run it.  Jimm is afraid her career is over until a VW van containing the skeletal remains of two vintage-era hippies is unearthed on a farmer's field.  Shortly after this discovery, an abbot at a local Buddhist temple is found viciously murdered.  The only suspects are the temple's monk and nun - who may or may not be romantically involved.  With luck, perseverance, and the help of her entire family - especially her ex-traffic cop grandfather and her brother/sister, Jimm unravels the mysteries that underlie these peculiar events.  As part of her masters in English studies, Jimm was assigned the writings/speeches of George W. Bush to analyze and evaluate.  Quotes from George W. Bush are sprinkled throughout the story.  Did he really say all those things?!

Deadly Little Lies / Jeanne Adams / 266 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This is an electrifying thriller.  Don't attempt it as a fill-in read.  It demands your full attention.  When a handsome, of course, wealthy Greek shipping magnate invites a prestigious art gallery's owner to dinner, it ends in death, maiming, and kidnapping.  Darvos and Carrie are drugged and dumped in a pit in Belize.  There are plots, counter plots, a resurrected relative, an unknown relative, rogue CIA agents, independent snipers, and ancient ruins in this fast-paced "who's responsible" story.

To Have and To Kill / Mary Jane Clark / 323 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

A Wedding Cake Mystery
Piper Donovan, a frustrated actress, has returned to her New Jersey hometown and agrees to work with her mother at the family bakery until another acting job comes along.  Her good friend, Glenna, star of a soap opera, has requested that Piper's mother make the cake for her upcoming wedding.  Piper attends an auction for a prestigious girl's school as Glenna and the co-star are to be the MC's.  The water on the podium has been poisoned.  The co-star dies, but was he the intended victim or was Glenna?  Piper is drawn into the investigations of multiple murders.  Her mother macular degeneration forces Piper to complete the wedding cake.  Her FBI boyfriend is proud, to say the least, of all Piper's accomplishments.

Doc / Mary Doria Russell / 394 pages / RUSA Reading List

Doc is the story of Doc Holliday and his relationshlip with the Earp brothers.  Doc was a dentist and would probably have had a fine life as a southern gentlemen if war had not decimated the South and fate had not dealth his mother and himself TB.  Born with a cleft palate and hair lip, his early life was marked by corrective surgeries and his mother's encompassing love and early death.  Told that he must leave Georgia for his health, he gave up plans of a dental practice with his cousin and headed west.  On cannot read Doc without having overwhemling compassion for this Wild West icon and his friends, the Earps.

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice / Andrea Kane / 389 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Wow!  Was this book a suspense-filled ride!!  Couldn't put it down.  Two kidnappings occur 32 years apart.  Judge Hope's twin sister was kidnapped when they were 6 years old.  Now her 5 year old daughter, Krissy, had been kidnapped.  Judge Willis calls in Forensic Instincts, a free-lance agency with a good rep for solving crimes.  Casey Woods, Marc - a former Navy Seal, and Ryan - a techno-wizard, are on the case with a psychic, an ex-FBI man, and Casey's boyfriend, a local police officer.  Lots of suspects, ties to organized crime, and a page-turning plot make The Girl Who Disappeared Twice irresistible.

Young Fredle / Cynthia Voigt / 227 pages / 2012 Notable Children's Book Recording

This is an endearing story of a young house mouse, Fredle, and his experiences in the world outside.  After eating too much peppermint patty, he is put outside to die.  Upon his quick recovery, we experience everyday sights, sounds, and events as new and exciting adventures and discoveries through Fredle's eyes.

You're Next / Gregg Andre Hurwitz / 407 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

This is a hair-raising, spine-tingling, page-turning adventure.  Young Mike Wingate was abandoned at a playground when he was 4 years old.  His father abandoned him and as he had blood on his sleeve, Mike has always feared that his father had killed his mother before abandoning him.  He was raised in a foster home with Shep, who turned to crime and safe-breaking.  Fast forward, Mike is a successful business man about to receive an award for the green community he created and built.  Unfortunately, one of his subcontractors installed PVC pipe instead of the pipe called for in  specs and the community is not green.  The subcontractor has disappeared.  Should Mike reveal the discrepancy?  Should he refuse the award  Who has targeted him and his family?  Hunted by every law enforcement agency, he discovers familial ties to an Indian tribe.  Are these ties the cause of his troubles?

Super-Sized Slugger / Cal Ripkin, Jr. / 183 pages

Cody is often teased about his size - especially by bully Dante.  When Cody tries out for Dante's position on the Orioles, Dante turns up his taunts.  Cody's dad, a police officer and former bully victim, gives Cody suggestions on how to deal with the threat.  Cody briefly becomes a suspect in a theft ring at York Middle School and is instrumental in uncovering it.  This is a great baseball story featuring boy/girl friendship, dedication, and team spirit.

When Passion Rules / Johanna Lindsey / 523 pages / R. T. Reviewer's Choice Award

Johanna Lindsey has over 60 million copies of her books in print for good reason.  Her romance novels are fast-paced, enjoyable reads.  When Passion Rules features Alana who was a princess kidnapped at birth.  Her kidnapper, Rastibon was supposed to kill the baby but couldn't do it.  Instead he raised Alana.  When she turned 18 he insisted she return home to quell a rebellion promulgated on her father's kingdom due to his lack of heirs.  She is believed to be an impostor, and her jailer, Christoph, proves to be her true love.

Down By the River/Robyn Carr/377 pgs


In this final installment on Grace Valley, there's big news about beloved Dr. June Hudson--she is pregnant--and the locals, especially her father, are wondering when she's going to marry retired DEA agent Jim Post. The new  preacher has a gambling problem; June's octogenarian novelist aunt, who has murdered her absent husband over and over again in her books, is expecting a visitor and Jane's ex-boyfriend is wanting to quit his job as an insurance agent and become a carpenter - even though his twin sons are still recovering from their injuries.  Plus the river is rising due to unending rain.  Good story.

Heartache Falls/Emily March/ 342 pgs


After being married for more than twenty years, and with an empty nest, Ali Timberlake has come to Eternity Springs alone. Taking a job at the Bristlecone Café, Ali is fulfilling a lifelong dream and is becoming a member of the mountain town. But a big piece of her is back in Denver with her husband, Mac, a successful judge.

When Mac shows up in Eternity Springs—determined to win his wife back—he learns why the place that has given Ali such feelings of happiness and belonging. He wants that for her, but even more, he wants that with her.

The Lucky One/Nicholas Sparks/326 pgs


While in Iraq, U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt. Unable to locate the owner of the picture he decides to keep it and he experiences a sudden streak of luck - winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, has an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph  - it is his  lucky charm.

Once home, he can't get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a walking journey across the country to find her. Once he finds her in North Carolina and gets a job working at the kennel owned by her family, he is attracted to her and decides to keep the photo and his luck a secret.


I decided to read this after hearing about the movie - it is a good love story

Smoke in Mirrors/Jayne Ann Krentz/320 pgs


When her dead half-sister Meredith Spooner, involves her in a clever scheme, Leonora Hutton sets out to make things right and prove her innocence to Thomas Walker, another victim of Meredith.  But when she is left a safe-deposit box containing a book about Mirror House, the mansion where Meredith worked, and newspaper clippings about an unsolved murder, they have to discover what really happened to both Meredith and Beth, Thomas' dead sister-in-law.

Almost Like Being In Love/Christina Dodd/375 pgs

 Pepper Prescott's nature helped her survive when her parents were killed and she and her siblings were sent to different foster homes around the country. Now as a young woman she will have to depend on it again when she finds herself on the run after witnessing a shooting. Pepper flees to the only place she ever considered home and is shocked to find her old lover, Dan Graham, living on the remote mountain ranch.  Pepper is not sure she can trust Dan, an ex-Special Forces soldier,with her secrets, her life, and her love.  Second in the trilogy about the Prescott sisters.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Inside Out and Back Again / Thanhha Lai / 261 pages

This juvenile fiction book is really good and quite unusual.  It looks like it will be some sort of verse, but it is just sentences going down the page that don't look like much, but tell the entire story incredibly well.  It would be great for those who have difficulty reading.  The story, however, needs some knowledge of the Vietnam war on the part of the reader.  Elementary children today probably know nothing about a war that only their grandfathers could have been in.  I would love to see this in middle school for history class.  It's not just the actual history.  It  is also how the family adjusts to the new life in the United States and the prejudice that they encounter.  The story is from the point of view of a ten year old girl (the author) who escapes Vietnam as a boat person and is re-located to Alabama.  The culture shock is quite large.  This is a Newberry honor book and National Book award winner.  Rightly so.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

A Death in Paradise/Robert Parker/192 pages

Jesse Stone has settled in nicely in Paradise. He gets to be the star of the beer leagues baseball team. He still gets to see his ex-wife Jenn when she isn't seeing anyone else. He's not exactly pining away for her either because he's never at a loss for female companionship. The discovery of a young female body in the lake provides the initial crime for Jesse to investigate. His first mission is to identify her which is difficult because of the shape the body is in. When he gets a lead on her identity, the girl's family denies that she even exists. It just goes to show that you don't have to live in the big evil city to have family troubles leading to even bigger problems.


Shadow of Night/Deborah Harkness/600 pgs.

Thanks to our Collection Development Manager, I was able to read the "advance uncorrected bound manuscript," Shadow of Night. This is the second installation in Harkness'  All Souls Trilogy. It picks up where A Discovery of Witches left off--Diana (a witch) and Matthew (a vampire) have time traveled back to 1590 London. They are in search of an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. They hope this manuscript will shed light on why vampires, witches, and daemons are dying out in the 21st century. Real historical personalities become part of the story line, in addition to the reader's understanding of Diana and Matthew's families. I thought A Discovery of Witches was going to be a hard act to follow, but Shadow of Night  more than surpassed my expectations.  I can't imagine how the final installment will top either book!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

The Painted Veil / W. Somerset Maugham/ 294 p

"The Painted Veil" is told from the point of view of Kitty, a beautiful English party girl, who is being pushed to make a beneficial marriage by her family.  When her younger sister becomes engaged the pressure increases on Kitty and she agrees to marry a shy, intelligent scientist home on leave from Hong Kong. Not the brillian match she hoped to achieve, but good enough.  Kitty is soon bored by her devoted husband, Walter, and strays.  Walter finds out and forces Kitty to face the fact that her dreams of true love are not ever going to happen.  When Walter is volunteers to doctor a cholera ridden area of China, Kitty goes with him to avoid the humiliation of divorce.

Once there, Kitty begins to change.   She sees her husband in a different way, through the eyes of the people he is caring for. She also begins to see herself.

I first heard about this story because I had seen the movie.  Both stories convey the hope that we can grow and change -- become better people.

The Night Strangers/ Chris Bohjalian/ 378 pp


An airline pilot decides to do an emergency landing in a lake but, unlike Capt Sulley Sullenberger, this pilot, Chip Linton, is unable to land safely.  The resulting depression and post traumatic stress forces the family to a seek out a small town out of spotlight to recover.  Almost immediately Chip, his wife Emily and their twin daughters are embraced by women in the town who call themselves herbalists.  Their interest in the girls go beyond neighborly and soon the reader is drawn into the story wondering if the herbalists have an agenda.  Chip, meanwhile, has discovered some secrets in the old house and is haunted by the people he was unable to save.

I was captivated by the premise of the story but the ending left me unsatisfied.  The author does a wonderful job portraying the mind of someone who is gripped by forces outside himself.

Nursery Rhyme Comics / 115 pages

50 famous cartoonists give 50 both traditional and less-well-known nursery rhymes new life.  All rhymes are told in a series of panels so you will find this book in the 741's and not the 398.8s.  Some rhymes are given new interpretations (Old Mother Hubbard as a rock star), some expand on the rhyme (This Little Piggy), some are humorous (Rock a Bye Baby), and some are rather mature (The Owl & the Pussy Cat).  The cartoonists range from well known children's book authors such as Nick Bruel, David Macaulay, Jules Feiffer, and Sara Varon to those from the adult world of comics including Gahan Wilson, Roz Chast, Tony Millionaire, and Kate Beaton. What fun this would be for a class to use for creative writing and drawing.  Recommended for grades 3 & up.  Adults will also enjoy. 

The Woodcutter / Reginald Hill / 519 pages

Honestly, it took me 166 pages to get into this book but it was worth it.  The Woodcutter is a very well written novel that is character driven.  Not being familiar with all the genre and appeal terms, the best I can do is psychological suspense thriller.  The novel takes place in the mountainous landscape of the Cumbrian area of the United Kingdom.  It is a story that deals with betrayal, revenge, justice, class structure and grim necessity.  Wolf Hadda, the son of the woodcutter, becomes a very successful businessman and marries the Lord's daughter.  Things turn bad when he is set up as a pedophile and fraudulent business owner.  His relationship with the prison psychiatrist, Alva Ozigbo, eventually earns him is freedom and opportunity to find the truth but what will the truth do to him?  Great read.

Unnatural Acts/Stuart Woods/307 pages

Apparently, Woods has decided that Stone Barrington's stories have all been told because even though this novel is advertised as a Stone Barrington novel, it is more about fleshing out the recurring character of Herbie Fisher. The biggest problem Stone has to deal with is Elaine's death (in the book and in real life), so he and Dino must find a new place to have dinner and be seen. P. J. Clarke's is the winner for now. Herbie, now known as Herb for professional reasons, is a perfect little Stone clone. His life just falls into place and even when the psychopathic-sociopath-with-violent-tendencies son of a billionaire client tries to first set him up and then physically harm him, he still comes out unscathed. Stone's unfailing good fortune is extending to all the people around him. I can't imagine what it would be like to live such a charmed, yet shallow, life. But I'm okay with that.

Where Things Come Back / John Corey Whaley / 228 pages

Really fresh writing.  Very well-done characters.  Whaley had a lot of currency with the woodpecker and the zombie images.  Whaley, being only ten years out from high school really captures the spirit of that time period and also what it is like to live in one of those tiny towns.  Lily, Arkansas could have been LeGrand, Iowa or any other of the thousands of tiny towns throughout the midwest where few people hope to spend their lives.  I had a little trouble following his time line transitions in the book, but that soon cleared up.
A warning for those who don't want "language".  He uses a fake bad word a lot and one real warranted F word.  It's probably enough that some parents will reject the book, but shouldn't.  This book would make a great book discussion book with the issues it brings up.  I hope there is another book from this author.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Bitterblue/Kristin Cashore/563p


I'll preface with saying that I love this book series.  I fell in love with Graceling when it came out a few years ago and really enjoyed Fire as well.  I think I even squealed in excitement when I saw that this was on the hold shelf for me...  I quickly went home, stayed up 'til 3am reading it, woke up the next day and started reading it again.  Like, didn't even get out of bed or eat until 1:30. 

It has been 8 years since King Leck, Bitterblue's father, was killed and she became queen.  Eight years for the country of Monsea to struggle with the horrors of what Leck did to his people.  Bitterblue feels too sheltered from the past and from her people so she decides to sneak out at night to see the real Monsea.  She quickly decides that her advisors are keeping things from her and that real changes need to happen in Monsea so that she and her people can get over King Leck's reign.  Katsa, Po, and even Fire make an appearance in this book and so I recommend reading the previous two novels before you tackle this one - it's worth it.

Though Graceling will continue to be my favorite in the series so far, Bitterblue should not disappoint fans of the previous two books.  I can't wait until the next one comes out!

Give to fans of Cashore's previous work, and fans of Megan Whalen Turner, Shannon Hale, etc. 

Delirium/Lauren Oliver/441p

Another in a long line of teen dystopian plots, Delirium does kind of stand out from the pack to me (and, it seems, to others because circulation seems to be steadily growing on this one...).  In a future where love is considered a sickness and it is required of you in society to be cured of it, Lena is just a few months out for the "cure" before she meets Alex... And falls in love.

As I said, this one was pretty good.  Give to fans of Matched, Hunger Games, Divergent, etc.

The Fault in Our Stars/John Green/318p


John Green's latest book is a doozey.  16 year old Hazel, who has stage IV cancer, hates going to the cancer support group, but her parents make her go to the depressing "literal heart of Jesus" to meet other kids going through similar struggles.  Hazel's views on support group quickly change when she meets Augustus.  Sparks fly and Hazel and Augustus quickly fall for each other regardless of oxygen tanks and amputated limbs.

This book is filled with emotion - both happy and sad.  I literally laughed out loud while reading this book and also cried, a lot.  Augustus is one of the most charming characters I have ever experienced in a book and Hazel's musings on life are pitch perfect.

Everyone who knows me knows I love John Green.  I do not say it lightly when I say that this is my new favorite John Green book.

Give to every teenager (nay, person!) ever.  Seriously.

Where Things Come Back/John Corey Whaley/228p

Cullen lives in a small town in Arkansas where nothing happens; until a woodpecker thought to be extinct is spotted in the area.  Around that same time, Cullen's brother disappears.  A really imaginative story with an ending that makes you want to read it again, Whaley's first book won both the Morris and Printz awards and for good reason.

Recommend to fans of John Green - has similar tone and intellect.

The Key to the Golden Firebird/Maureen Johnson/297p

Three sisters come home from playing a prank of a friend to find that the father has had a massive heart attack and died.  One year later, the book covers, from all three perspectives, how the girls are dealing with their grief.  Both funny and sad, the book has a nice tone and does not come across as too heavy handed when the girls make stupid decisions.  If you have enjoyed other titles by Maureen Johnson, you should consider giving this older title of hers a try.

Give to teens that want something a little lighter than Sarah Dessen.

Ptolemy's Gate/Jonathan Stroud/501p

In the final book of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, Nathaniel finally starts to question his blind ambition of becoming the most important magician of his time.  That questioning, however, does not make him start treating Bartimaeus any better.  Out of fear for what Bartimaeus knows, Nathaniel has not allowed the djinni to go back to the other place to restore his strength for fear that another magician will summon him and find out Nathaniel's secrets.  This leave Bartimaeus weak and, naturally, quite grumpy.  All the while, Kitty Jones is studying magic herself to get to the bottom of Bartimaeus's past. 

I really enjoyed this trilogy and definitely plan to read the prequel "The Ring of Solomon."  The character Bartimaeus is just fantastic.  Give to teen fans of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Skulduggery Pleasant, and/or Septimus Heap.

Crank/Ellen Hopkins/537p

Ellen Hopkins's books make me want to curl up in a ball a cry; but, the teens love 'em and so I feel obligated to subject myself to the torture of reading one of her titles about once every two years.  And so that's some insight into why it has taken me sooooo long to read Crank. 

Kristina goes off to visit her loser father one summer and not only takes on a totally different persona (Bree) but starts dating a guy who introduces her to meth (or, "The Monster" as it is referred to in the book).  The story follows Bree through that summer and then the struggles of returning home, having to find out how to score meth, and hiding her new addiction from her mother.  What I can only assume is an accurate portrayal of a meth addiction, this story (based on Hopkins's daughter's addiction),  is bleak and heart wrenching.  Follow this one up with something lighthearted!

Still Alice/Lisa Genova/292 pages

This novel revolves around Alice Howland, a 50 year old Harvard professor, researcher, lecturer, wife and mother to three successful grown children. Alice is at the top of her game and very satisfied with her accomplishments and her life. Then Alice starts to forgets things, she doesn't suspect anything too terrible, maybe menopause symptoms or too much stress, but eventually when Alice can't make her way home after an exercise run she decides to get herself checked out. This is a touching story but also a little terrifying. Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Genova tells the story from Alice's point of view and although there are many times you want to cry, the way her relationships with her family evolve are heart warming. The author is a neuro-scientist and sometimes her writing sounds like a neuro-scientist but "Still Alice" is a great story. Warning -- it will make you question your moments of middle-aged forgetfulness!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

This was an interesting YA book with the requisite number of problems.  It is about  two sisters, Kate 18 and Mary 16.  Their father dies and their mother is in a persistant vegetative coma. They sisters are faced with the bills, needing to move out of the house, as well as neither of them drives.  Throw that in with dealing with grief, personal relationships, the future, and school and you have quite a book.  Should qualify for a Truman Nominee.  It's quite good.  It asks some of the big questions of faith and values.  It is also the first book I've ever read where the characters are Hispanic, but are just characters who happen to be Mexican American.  It's not a "Minority Hispanic Character" which is how it usually is in a book with any Hispanic minority.  Very refreshing.

The Friendship Doll / Kirby Larson / 200 pages

I chose this book because there was a silhouette picture on the front cover.  It is a JF book about a doll sent from Japan with a group of "Friendship Dolls" in 1927.  Each section of the book is a vignette of a different girl and a different time period and the effect the doll has on her.  At first, I wasn't sure I liked the book, but then I kept noticing how well the author could give a flavor of the time period with just a few descriptions and words from the period.  She also writes well. 
This is a definitely a book for anyone who likes dolls or who likes time periods or who just wants to study writing.

Monday, May 7, 2012

What Doesn't Kill You/Iris Johansen/406 pgs.

This is Catherine Ling's story. She is called upon to protect her friend, Hu Chang, and in the process, details of her life are revealed. The reader learns how her friendship with Hu Chang has evolved, how Catherine became involved with the CIA, and how her relationship with her son, Luke, is progressing. This novel follows Johansen's Eve/Joe/Bonnie trilogy, and is better than I anticipated. Really enjoyed it!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Where Things Come Back / John Corey Whaley / 228 pages

I can see why this title won the Morris Award for best debut teen novel and the Printz Award for best teen novel.  It is multilayered, thought-provoking, complex and wonderfully well-written.  The book seems perfect for teen book discussion groups who will want to delve into plot elements of religion, loss, and second chances.  The main character, 17 year old Cullen Witter is very well crafted.  In some ways you will think about "who will read this."  Definitely good for serious high school level readers.  It reads very quickly but leaves you thinking maybe you should read it again.  Read it and let me know what YOU think!

Green River Killer/ Jeff Jensen/ 237 pages

This is a graphic novel telling of the story of the man who caught the Green River Killer.  I wish it would have gone into a little more detail of how he was caught.  I don't quite get what linked him to the murders outside of his DNA.  But, it's a sad story of a man whose life had to revolve around someone else's disturbing crimes.  The details of the killer's desires was disturbing, but not lingered on.  I think it was tastefully done and an interesting story.  The opening is very alarming, but the book as a whole is not like the opening scene. 

Friday, May 4, 2012

Lucky for Good / Susan Patron 208 p.

This final novel in the Hard Pan trilogy finds eleven-year-old Lucky living a comfortable life in the small town of Hard Pan, California with her adoptive mother Brigitte interacting with the local quirky characters and helping in Brigitte’s Hard Pan Cafe.  Challenges come like health department threatening to shut down the café, losing a good friend Lincoln, and the return of six-year-old Miles’s mother from prison with strong religious beliefs.  Lucky worries that Justine will take Miles away from Hard Pan.  And she ponders about her long absent father and works to find his sister.  Patron incorporates bits of poetry, genealogy, and health ordinances along with Lucky’s contemplation of a Higher Power and her first kiss with aplomb.  Readers will enjoy the upbeat ending as Patron ends all the plot lines.

2012 Notable Children's Recording

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Entwined/Heather Dixon/472 pages

A magical young adult novel that is loosely based on the original Grimms fairy tale, "Twelve Dancing Princesses". In Dixon's story, Azaela is the oldest daughter and heir to the throne. After her mother dies and the family is in mourning, Azaela takes charge of the eleven younger princesses and they find an enchanted passageway underneath the castle where they can dance all night. The tale becomes more dark and mysterious when the "Keeper" of the dancing pavillion reveals secrets from the past and forces the princesses to aid with his escape from the magical forest. The story has several unexpected twists and some lighthearted moments as the girls entertain eligible suitors for marriage. I listened to this book and the reader was great, would recommend for those readers that like fairy tales, princesses, castles and of course dancing!

ALA Best Books for Teens

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Just the Way You Are/Christina Dodd/374 pgs


When Hope Prescott was 16, her parents disappeared while vacationing in Mexico and were accused of embezzlement.  Hope and her three siblings were separated and sent to different foster homes around the country. Now, seven years later, Hope is still trying to find them. To support herself, she works for an answering service and cares for her clients as if they were family. When businessman Zach Givens hires Hope's service, she mistakes Zack for his butler. Tired of people only wanting him for his money, Zack is charmed by Hope decides to keep up the charade. Good story and first in a trilogy.

Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time / Elaine Scott 66 p.

The Hubble Space Telescope plays a leading role transforming our understanding of the universe.  Fabuous deep space photographs from the telescope are paired with a narrative that effectively tells about the telescope, discoveries, Big Bang Theory, and stars.  Kudos to Elaine Scott for her wonderful explanations.  She has a nice way of explaining complex scientific concepts.  Librarian's note: this author opens with the story of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. 


2012 Notable Children's Books

Music was it : young Leonard Bernstein / Susan Goldman Rubin 178 p


California author Susan Goldman Rubin relates the early years of Leonard Bernstein.  Lenny, as a baby, would tap in time.  Soon he knew music was it and would be his life's career.  His father, a successful businessman, wanted him to take over the family business.  Music was no career, he said--  Music was for klezmers. Lenny worked constantly to convince his father to at least partially pay for piano lessons and his musical education.  He played piano to pay his way through school. In the 1930s and 40s, classical music was dominated by Europeans.  An American Jew would find it difficult to be a success in the classical world.  Rubin presents his relationship with his family, his lifelong friends and fellow musicians, adventures and accomplishments, teachers, in a warm, vibrant way.  Biography concludes with his triumphant conducting debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic.  And it is there that Lenny's father realizes that his son is a great success.  Delightfully illustrated with photos, concert programs, early doodles and letters, excerpts from musical scores and other primary documentation.

2012 Notable Children's Book

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Perfect/ Ellen Hopkins/ 622 pages

As always Ellen Hopkins tells her story in verse, so this is a quick read despite it's length.  But, this is the tale of 4 teens and how their lives interconnect as they strive for perfection.  One is addicted to seroids, one is annorexic, one doesn't want to dispoint his parents by following his dreams of being a dancer, and one is discovering she is a lesbian.  For Hopkins, this was a mild read--normally I am shocked at least once while reading, but this one seemed like it would resonate with almost any teen.  Very intersting and sympathetic characters, and I love the way the verse is written as well--that's it's own unique part of this book.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan/ Lisa See/ 258 pages

Snow Flower and Lily have been bound together as sisters starting at their foot binding.  This is the story of these two girls as they grow up, get married, and discover secrets about each other.  Lily has perfectly bound feet and marries well, Snow Flower is not so lucky.  I read this book for our book club and it was great for discussion material.  The foot binding was in more detail than I had read before and it was sad to learn the secret that hurt this wonderful friendship. 

Faithful Place / Tana French / 400 pages

Listened to Faithful Place on CD and the narrator Tim Gerard Reyolds is amazing.  His Irish accent lends the perfect tone to the story of Dubliner Frank Mackey who is drawn back into Faithful Place, the sordid neighborhood where he grew up with his dysfunctional family.  Having avoided any contact with his family for over 20 years, he now dredges up all the old feelings as he tries to solve the murder of his fiancee who he thought abandoned him years ago.  Makes you wonder...can we ever escape our past?  Does nothing ever go away?  How does the past influence what happens in our future?  Well done and worthwhile.