Friday, July 22, 2011

New this Week

Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

Mid-nineteenth-century little person Mercy Levinia Warren Bump comes of age in the antebellum south before being invited to join the P. T. Barnum circus, through which she meets her future husband, General Tom Thumb, and pursues limitless international opportunities.

Thick as Thieves by Peter Spiegelman

Carr--ex-CIA--is the reluctant leader of an elite crew planning to take tens of millions of dollars belonging to a disgraced financier, Curtis Prager. But Carr's seasoned pros are wound drum-tight--months before, the man who brought them together was killed in what Carr suspects was a setup.

Full Black by Brad Thor

In the wake of a former U.S. President's appointment to the United Nations, counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath is wrongly implicated for a string of national emergencies and assassinations, a situation that forces him to race against time to uncover the real culprit.

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Someone has cut off the powers of headstrong young witch Savannah Levine and there's a witch-hunter out to kill her. Savannah, who just tackled her first murder case as a private investigator, now has to rely on mundane skills and her half-demon best friend, Adam, to turn the tables on her would-be killer and recover her magic.

Just Jennifer

The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams (Bantam, September 2011)


When profiler Keye Street separated from the FBI she knew she still needed to do a similar type of work to feed her addictive personality that caused her problems on the job in the first place. As a private investigator, she serves people and brings in bond jumpers, a thrilling, but not so lucrative, and often dangerous, profession. She has a steady stream of clients, attorneys and bondsmen, who she can count on for work, but when a serial killer begins to taunt the Atlanta Police Department, Lieutenant Aaron Rauser, one of Keye’s biggest supporters, turns to her to assist in the investigation. As the bodies piles up, the department grows more frustrated, and when Keye’s history comes to light, the APD wants her off the case. Never one to leave things alone, Keye unofficially continues her investigation leading to a conclusion that no one will see coming. A debut novel, some of the characters are not as fully developed as they might be otherwise, but Keye is a great addition to the ranks of Southern women in law enforcement and has a past guaranteed to offer a complex future. This smart psychological thriller (with some graphic descriptions of crime scenes) is definitely worth a look at.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

New this Week…

 Here are some new titles coming out this week.  Check them out from the library and see where they take you…

Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons
Thayer Wentworth marries an Irish professor and moves into her deceased grandmother's house in Atlanta a short distance away from the summer camp she attended as a child, where she begins to question whether her husband is the man she thought she knew.     




Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel
 A famous lifestyle arbiter and her shy chef daughter have their lives profoundly transformed on the eve of their 60th and 30th birthdays when a chance encounter in an elevator and a holiday weekend indiscretion lead to new chances at love.


Justice by Karen Robards
Taking a job with a Washington, D.C. law firm after witnessing the murder of the First Lady, attorney Jessica Ford investigates a rape victim's suspicious recant on the stand, a situation that is complicated by the disappearance of Jessica's predecessor.  


Split Second by Catherine Coulter
A serial killer is on the loose, and it's up to FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock to bring him down. They soon discover that the killer has blood ties to the infamous and now long-dead monster Ted Bundy. Savich and Sherlock are joined by agents Lucy Carlyle and Cooper McKnight, and the chase is on


Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva
After failing to stop a suicide bomber attack in London, master art restorer and assassin Gabriel Allon is summoned by the CIA and is faced with an organization riddled with dissent--and ill-equipped to deal with the deadly new face of global jihadist terror. 

Monday, July 18, 2011

Night Watch: A Tall, Dark & Dangerous Story

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Stars: 4
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: LA, CA



Hard to believe I missed this one, (C) 2003, as an avid Brockmann reader.  True to her Navy Seal story style we learn of the story between Wes Skelly & Brittant Evans.  Not as intense as her newer stuff but a nice summer romance/suspense read.

Water for Elephants

Author: Sara Gruen
Stars: 5
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: USA


This book was recommended to me by my Cousin the Librarian.  She told me I would really enjoy it.  It isn't my usual type of read and I soon found out it was an "in" book due to the movie.  I took the book and it sat.  I started it and put down and it sat.  It became due and I started to really read it.  I couldn't put it down.  The book just took you back to a different time in our country as seen through an elderly man.  You really felt like you were seeing the world through his eyes.  After working in healthcare for a long time I knew of the indignities that come with old age and the book made me truly feel for the main character.  The circus tidbits were fascinating.  As the jacket blurb stated that the characters continue to live on after the last page has been turn.  Highly recommended read if you have not read it yet.

Heavy Metal and You

Author: Christopher Krovatin
Stars: 5
Review by: babygirlshaina
Destination: 


This was one of the best books I've read in a really really long time. It actually talks about issues teens deal with everyday, it's great on advice.. definitely a number one summer read!

The American Heiress

Author: Daisy Goodwin
Stars: 5
Review by: Jelsey
Destination: London and Dorset, England


In 1893 wealthy Cora Cash and her mother travel from Newport, R.I., to London, England, to find an aristocratic husband for the beautiful Cora.  This book will remind you of Henry James and Edith Wharton in their stories of well-heeled Americans seeking matches with titled Europeans.  The contrast between the outgoing, trusting Cora and the old-world aristocrats she must negotiate among makes for wonderful theater.  The story is fast moving and told with elegance and wit.  I hated to see it end!

The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare

Author: Arliss Ryan
Stars: 4
Review by: Marianne S.
Destination: England


For once, Shakespeare is the writer of the Shakespearean plays.  It just happens to be Mrs. Shakespeare who is doing most of the writing.

Make Take Murder

Author: Joanna Campbell Slan
Stars: 3
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: Missouri


Right along the same lines as the rest of this scrapbooking mystery series.  Fun, easy read. This one was a slightly disturbing look into the world of domestic violence, with a bit of a surprise at the end.

High Noon

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: Savannah, GA


Easy quick beach read.

One! Hundred! Demons!

Author: Lynda Barry
Stars: 5
Review by: Elaine
Destination: 


Graphic novel with great appeal. Colorfully drawn illustrations and unique format. Growing up is not always easy, but shapes what we become. In this case, the author talks about becoming a writer/illustrator candidly and with wit.

Pumped for Murder

Author: Elaine Viets
Stars: 3
Review by: the reader
Destination: Miami, Florida


A light murder romp great for summer.

Witches of East End: A Novel

Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Stars: 5
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: North Hampton (Long Island), New York


This is the first book in a new series by this author that is known for her YA series (Blue Blood, Ashley's, etc.)  JJ posted it as a new release and her write up got me interested in giving this book a try.  It's about 3 "witches" living on Long Island.  There is mystery, old lore mixed with new lore, love and more.  I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to her next installment.

Crunch Time: A Novel of Suspense

Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado


This is the most current book in the Goldie Schulz, Caterer, series.  The plot in general follows the standard format of these types of mysteries.  There were some character development twists that made it keep your interest plus the good recipes.

My Sister's Keeper

Author: Jodi Picoult
Stars: 5
Review by: Carol M.
Destination: 


Heart breaking ending!

East of Eden

Author: John Steinbeck
Stars: 5
Review by: Barbie
Destination: California, USA


Loved everything about this book, again!  I'm so sorry I missed the book club discussion.

Sarah's Key

Author: Tatiana De Rosnay
Stars: 5
Review by: Little Red Hen
Destination: Paris


I got out one of my many bookmarks before I started this book. I didn't need it. Back and forth from one chapter in 1942 and the next one in the present, the story moves from a roundup of Jews by French police acting on orders from the Nazi. The chronicle of a little-known event which resulted in the death of 4,000 Jewish children opened my eyes to another horror. It is also a very chilling personal story of Sarah, her brother and her parents. Never Forget.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Confession

Author: John Grisham
Stars: 3
Review by: BJS
Destination: Kansas and Texas



A good read from Grisham.  Deals with the subject of the Death Penalty, wrongful prosecution and defending someone on death row. Interesting but slanted.

The Carousel Painter

Author: Judith Miller
Stars: 3
Review by: BJS
Destination: Ohio



An easy read - light in nature.  About a woman artist with no home who moves from France to Ohio and begins a career as a Carousel Painter.  Deals with the idea of a woman working in a factory in 1890, continues with a theft and deals with the levels of society at the time. So mystery, romance and historical piece.

The Devil in the White City

Author: Erik Larson
Stars: 5
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: Chicago


I know I am a few years late reading this past bestseller, but I finally got around to it and loved it!!   I listened to the audiobook--it was excellent.   I am now ready to read this author's brand new bestseller.

Saving Cece Honeycutt

Author: Beth Hoffman
Stars: 4
Review by: line82
Destination: Georgia


Delightful! Will share with my daughter.

Dreaming in English

Author: Laura Fitzgerald
Stars: 5
Review by: acorn
Destination: U.S. and Iran


I loved this book.  Best one I have read in a while.

The Penelopiad

Author: Marrgaret Atwood
Stars: 2
Review by: Mich D
Destination: Greece


Loved the idea of rewriting a myth from a different character's point of view, but it was only ok. 

The Hills of Tuscany

Author: Ferenc Mate
Stars: 3
Review by: Little Red Hen
Destination: Tuscany, Italy


If I can't go there, I read there. I have been immersed in Italy and am a true pushover for these stories about finding ancient farmhouses and restoring them. In some ways I liked this author's experiences, his memories more than Frances Mayles. She comes at it from a privileged southern childhood that she remembers too frequently. Mate and his wife, Candace are also an artistic duo, he a writer, she, an artist, but this pair is more palatable than Frances and Ed. This memoir has references to Etruscan history, everyday life in a small Italian village and of course, gastronomic descriptions that made me hungry.

A Reliable Wife

Author: Robert Goolrick
Stars: 3
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: Wisconsin


"Ralph Truitt placed a notice in a Chicago paper for a reliable wife.  She responded saying that she was a simple honest woman.  She was anything but honest."  Good book about love, loss and revenge.  Well written, a bit wordy at times.  Main character is very focused on sex, so there is a lot in the book - it gets detailed and is explicit.

Tick Tock

Author: James Patterson
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
Destination: Rockaway Beach, Queens, NY


Any thriller with Irish cops in NY is a win for me. Detective Bennett and his unusual family are a treasure to follow as well.

The Confession

Author: John Grisham
Stars: 2
Review by: Fernanda L.
Destination: TX


The story is about an innocent man being sentenced to death and at the last minute the real killer wishes to confess.  I found some of the characters and their involvement in the case to be far fetched.  Definitely strong on the anti-death penalty front.

Villa Mirabella

Author: Peter Pezzelli
Stars: 4
Review by: smudge
Destination: Rhode Island, USA


A nicely written story about going home and growing up.

The Snowflake

Author: Jamie Carie
Stars: 3.5
Review by: JamBob
Destination: Canadian Gold Rush 1834


Very nicely written....this little novella describes the cold harsh conditions of getting to Canada for the gold rush....I got this book at last year's book club party....the cover of a log cabin in the snow with a sled dog attracted me. Its a story about hope, courage and faith from the perspective of a young lady who makes the journey into the rough and tumble town of Dawson. She finds herself, and her life's purpose through love and perseverance.

Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories

Author: Lisa Lillien
Stars: 2
Review by: queenbee
Destination: My Kitchen


Looking for something new and easy to make. Lots of easy desserts, but lots of egg beaters and fake whip cream. I would add the real food and be happier with the calories and flavor. Good book for weight watchers, point counts are available for many recipes.

10th Anniversary

Author: James Patterson
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
Destination: San Francisco, California


Typical Patterson, easy-quick-summer read. I have followed these characters and feel committed to the series.

No Biking in the House WIthout a Helmet

Author: Melissa Fay Greene
Stars: 5
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: Georgia, U.S.


This is a memoir about how the author and her husband had 4 biological children and adopted 5 children from Bulgaria and Ethiopia.  The family stories are funny and poignant and inspiring!  Very enjoyable.

Silver Girl

Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Stars: 5
Review by: KeeRead
Destination: Nantucket


Great book.  All of hers are good.

Fatally Flaky: A Novel

Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado


Caterer/Sleuth is on the job again.  Easy reading mystery with good recipes.

Sweet Revenge: A Novel of Suspense

Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado


Continued story of the Caterer/Sleuth.  Keeps with the story line but does not repeat a lot of past info. Again good recipes and light mystery.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Congratulations to...

...Saraswati, our Week #5 Prize Winner!

I Heart New York

Author: Lindsey Kelk
Stars: 2
Review by: Mich D
Destination: New York

About a girl running away from her problems and trying to fix her life in New York.  Completely unrealistic chick lit.

The Villa

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 3
Review by: Bookworm237
Destination: Napa Valley, CA, and Venice, Italy

A great read full of mystery, murder, love, suspense, sex, scandal, betrayal, family, tradition, and wine. The story follows the Giambelli family who are international winemakers. At first the book started off a little slow and was slightly confusing with all of the names and characters being introduced, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. I am still amazed at the way the author intertwined everyone and all of the plots she had going on, to make a complete story and a clean packaged presentation. Definite surprise twist at the end. The characters are easy to fall in love with and it was a wonderful book.

Love the One You're With

Author: Emily Giffin
Stars: 3
Review by: Bookworm237
Destination: New York, NY, and Atlanta, Georgia

About the one you marry vs the one who got away. A good read and definitely relatable to anyone who often wonders what ever happened to "the one that got away". Audiences follow the heroine as she wonders if her great life and great marriage are really the way her life should have turned out...or if she was meant to be with someone else.

Crazy in the Kitchen: Food, Feuds, and Forgiveness in an Italian American Family

Author: Louise DeSalvo
Stars: 3
Review by: LateNightReader
Destination: New Jersey & Italy

The aspect of this book that made it an  interesting read for me was that it it gave some insight into one family's reaction to their immigration and how it shaped the next generation. I was able to identify with her descriptions of watching "TV Food"!

Made to Crave

Author: Lysa Terkeurst
Stars: 4
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: wherever you are!

You already know what you should eat, and why...but this book takes a look at the emotional side of your out of control eating, and gives some thoughtful insight about why we do it, and how to think about stopping. 

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author: Stieg Larsson
Stars: 5
Review by: L.Z.
Destination: Sweden

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, and it didn't disappoint!  If you've enjoyed the first two, this conclusion is a must!

Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End

Author: Leif G.W. Persson
Stars: 5
Review by: Little Red Hen
Destination: Stockholm, Sweden

If you shop at IKEA, the Swedish company, you have a small pencil, a pad of paper and a tape measure to take notes and help you keep track of things. This book needs similar tools.

The title,  "I have lived my life caught between the longing of summer and the cold of winter." is the first sentence of text in a letter recovered from John P. Krassner, who took his life by jumping from a student dormitory s window, his body followed by his other boot with a hollow heel, in the heel a key to the safe-deposit box in the US. In a hand-written text,  An honest Swedish Cop.Police Superintendent Lars M. Johansson with his Stockholm address.

Lars Martin Johansson, Police Superintendent of National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, a solitary man, divorced, and in the process of changing jobs gradually and thoughtfully follows his instinct that something doesn't add up.

Across the ocean he goes to Langley, VA and a seminar and a side trip to Albany, NY to visit Sarah J. Weissman, who identifies herself as a freelance writer and Krassner s old girl friend.

 Johnansson learns about Krassner as the American nephew of John Fionn Buchanan and his agent from the cold war,  Pilgrim Prime Minister of Sweden.

In a New Jersey tie, Buchanan was born in Newark, NJ . He served in Stockholm for four years as appointed assistant military attaché at the American embassy in Stockholm. He left the military and returned to academic life as a professor in contemporary European history at SUNY Albany. But it was his will leaving all of the collected property, including the intellectual property to John P.Krassner that has Johnansson convinced something just isn t right.

The connection between the Buchanan Papers, the murder by the Swedish secret police operative of John Fionn Buchanan, aka Raven, and the murder of the Swedish Prime Minister is one of those elements.
Like the nesting Russian dolls, there are many characters driven by a mixture of neuroses, psychoses, alcoholism, and sex, sex, sex. Russian alliances, The Cold War, Africa, power, the CIA, aquavit, Italian food, Swedish new potatoes with dill, there are endless alleys of stories to turn into and muse and many times get lost.


That is why like the IKEA shopper, the Leif GW Persson reader, needs a small pencil, a notepad and a sleepless night. 

The Glass Castle

Author: Jeannette Walls
Stars: 3
Review by: Lisa McD
Destination: Southwest US, West Virginia, NYC

The book was riveting, but the family dysfunction was too unbearable to "enjoy" the book.

Every Day in Tuscany

Author: Frances Mayes
Stars: 2
Review by: pla
Destination: Italy

It all sounds beautiful and delicious, but this is really just a stream-of-consciousness recitation of every bite of food they ate, every flower they saw, every town they visited.

Bel-Air Dead

Author: Stuart Woods
Stars: 3
Review by: BigDa
Destination: Los Angeles

We know the bad guys ahead of time, and Stone Barrington ferrets them out.

Rise Again: A Zombie Thriller

Author: Ben Tripp
Stars: 4
Review by: Mich D
Destination: California

Great zombie story if you like Night of the Living Dead movies.  About a sheriff who has to survive during a plague that changes humans into zombies.

Fallen

Author: Karin Slaughter
Stars: 4
Review by: the reader
Destination: Georgia

This was a great read - a little gory in parts.

Now You See Her

Author: James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
Stars: 4
Review by: Tartu
Destination: Florida

A little bit better than his normal fare; the ending was a little predictable.

The Inner Circle

Author: Brad Meltzer
Stars: 4.5
Review by: provo
Destination: Washington, DC

First time reading this author, many twists throughout.

Caleb's Crossing

Author: Geraldine Brooks
Stars: 4
Review by: acorn
Destination: Early New England settlers

As good as all her others.  Really takes you back to the time period.

Faith

Author: Jennifer Haigh
Stars: 4
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Boston

Interesting book about a priest that is accused of abusing a boy.  The story is told in the past tense from his sister's point of view. 

Tuscany for Beginners

Author: Imogen Edwards-Jones
Stars: 3
Review by: JamBob
Destination: Italy

Think of Under the Tuscan Sun with more comedy. A british expat goes to Tuscany to operate a B&B. She thinks she can speak Italian and rule the expat community but her perch is rivaled by a spunky American woman who has the same ideas and could do it one better. A light sumer read that you can enjoy with a wine spritzer by the pool. The book offers an interesting twist...it is written in the first person then in the third person so you get the full effect of the comical circumstances. The book even includes local receipies.....Bon Appettito!

Marco and the Blade of Night

Author: Thom Madley
Stars: 4
Review by: Marianne S.
Destination: England

Second YA companion piece to Phil Rickman's The Chalice.  Fun for fans of the supernatural.

Marco's Pendulum

Author: Thom Madley
Stars: 4
Review by: Marianne S.
Destination: England

YA companion piece to Phil Rickman's The Chalice.  Fun for fans of the supernatural.

Haunting Jasmine

Author: Anjali Banerjee
Stars: 3
Review by: smudge
Destination: Washington

A good summer read.  A bit predictable, but fun nonetheless.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Tawdry Knickers and Other Unfortunate Ways to Be Remembered

Author: Alex Novak
Stars: 4
Review by: BKF
Destination: The World



The name of the book aptly describes it! A fun read, with namesakes and their stories grouped into catagories such as Politics, Military, Fashion, etc.

The Complaints

Author: Ian Rankin
Stars: 4
Review by: Betsy the librarian
Destination: Edinburgh, Scotland



Malcolm Fox is an investigator in the Complaints (internal affairs) division of the Edinburgh Police Dept. The death of his sister's live-in boyfriend is somehow related to the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy property developer. The plot has many twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Present day Edinburgh is portrayed as place teeming with construction and teetering on the brink of economic disaster. Other books by Rankin are also highly recommended!

Under Fishbone Clouds

Author: Sam Meekings
Stars: 4
Review by: smudge
Destination: China



This story wove Chinese myths and the evolution of a marriage in China from the 30s through current day.  Very enjoyable.

Mother Was a Gunner's Mate: World War II in the Waves

Author: Josette Dermody Wingo
Stars: 4
Review by: smudge
Destination: U.S., 1940s



Although not a particularly well written book, the story of a mid-western girl joining the Waves was interesting and a fun read.



Friday, July 8, 2011

New This Week


Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

New threats emerge to endanger the future of the Seven Kingdoms, as Daenerys Targaryen, ruling in the East, fights off a multitude of enemies, while Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, faces his foes both in the Watch and beyond the great Wallof ice and stone.

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

The plans of four women--including a college student egg donor, a working-class surrogate mother, a wealthy woman, and her stepdaughter--are thrown into turmoil when the wealthy woman's husband suddenly dies and names the stepdaughter the unborn baby's guardian.


Iron House by John Hart

Two decades after a pair of orphaned brothers are separated when one of them flees after a murder accusation, the runaway brother, now a seasoned killer, returns to North Carolina to protect his brother and solve the mystery of their past.




Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross

When disaster strikes his older brother Charlie, who once fell under the sway of a deeply disturbed cult-like figure, Jay Erlich is drawn back into his brother's past of secrets, terror, and lies.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Lighthouse

Author: P.D. James
Stars: 4
Review by: Reader
Destination: 



The Lighthouse is a good crime mystery that gives insight to the characters as the plot develops.  The book is part of a series in which Commander Adam Dalgiesk of Scotland Yard and his team solves crimes.  They are sent to Combe Island to solve a murder.  Combe Island, that is privately owned, offers peace and tranquility to those born there or people with power and authority


The author has spent many years in British Civil Service, which includes the Police and Criminal Law Department.

What Alice Forgot

Author: Liane Moriarty
Stars: 4
Review by: Bus Driver 621
Destination: Sydney, Australia



The loss of your memory can be very scary but it seems to benefit the character Alice.  The misunderstanding, arguments, miscommunications, lost tempers are all forgotten.  The story for Alice becomes a twist of a wonderful life and a reminder for us.  Sometimes we forget how fast our children grow, our carefree childhood memories with family and friends and how to live in the moment.

Congratulations to...

... Mich D, our Week #4 Prize Winner!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Just Jennifer

Dominance by Will Lavender (Simon & Schuster, July 2011)


In 1994, a small Liberal Arts college in Vermont offers a controversial class: a convicted murderer, once a gifted professor, will conduct a class via satellite from his jail cell, called Unraveling a Literary Mystery in which nine of the best and the brightest will try and uncover the true identity of reclusive author Paul Fallows. Alex Shipley quickly realizes that Richard Aldiss’s motive behind teaching this class is hoping to inspire one of his students to follow the clues he gives and prove his innocence. Jump to the present where Alex is Dr. Shipley, a respected English professor at Harvard. She is summoned back to Jasper college where one of the members of Aldiss’s class has been murdered in the same method and same setting as the two murders of which Aldiss was convicted. Alex gathers the other six original members of their group together (one killed himself several years earlier) and they relive the past, realizing someone may be playing The Procedure, a game in which participants reenact one of Fallow’s books, except no one has ever died before. The narrative alternates between 1994 when Alex followed Aldiss’s clues to Iowa, and the present, when she realizes she may not have done such a good thing twenty-five years ago.

In addition to being a suspenseful thriller, Dominance explores the possibilities of good books intriguing and puzzling, being more than a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, but sometimes being twisted for evil. The plot takes several twists and turns, ending up more or less where you might expect, but with one final surprise to leave you hanging. Alex is often aloof and detached, but very driven, making her Aldiss’s perfect choice for whatever game he is playing. 

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Just Jennifer

Iron House by John Hart (Thomas Dunne, July 2011)


Brothers Michael and Julian were rescued from a near-drowning in a cold, Southern creek, only to spend their early years tormented in an orphanage, Iron House. Michael is the stronger of the two brothers, though they both take their share of beatings from the other boys. When Julian kills one of the boys, Michael takes the blame and runs from the orphanage not knowing that Julian is about to be adopted by a very rich woman who would have also taken Michael. Michael grows up on the streets of New York and is taken in by a crime boss who hardens Michael and makes him tougher than he was before. Julian lives in North Carolina, the son of a Senator, but is an unwell teenager and adult, even though he is a successful author. When Michael denounces his crime family to be with Elena, the woman he loves, two of his “brothers” in the family promise vengeance, threatening not only Elena, pregnant with Michael’s child, but Michael’s brother as well. Michael travels to North Carolina to find Julian and stumbles into something bigger than he, something that will tear down everything he ever believed and ever knew.

Hart is a two-time Edgar winning author who creates an almost gothic atmosphere with a tightly woven plot. There are some clichés (the Senator’s affairs, caught on film, of course) and Elena and Julian, the two most important people to Michael, are not as well-developed as some of the others. There is a mental disorder disclosed near the end of the book that doesn’t fit one of the character’s behavior attributed to the disorder. There are also some graphic scenes that readers may find disturbing. That said, Iron House is a fast-paced read with some interesting twists and turns, some expected, some not, with that brooding wonderful Southern atmosphere for which John Hart is known.

Friday, July 1, 2011

New This Week

Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerristen (Ballantine)

Discovering primate hair at the scene of a grisly murder in Chinatown, Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles discover clues linked to the fable of the Monkey King.







Betrayal of Trust by J.A. Jance (William Morrow)

Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont uncovers a dark and deadly conspiracy that reaches deep into the halls of state government, in this latest thriller from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.






Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens (St. Martin’s)

Struggling with a need for closure, Sara Gallagher attempts to reconnect with her birth parents only to learn that her biological father is an infamous serial killer, a discovery that causes her to fear she has inherited violent tendencies.





Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante (Atlantic Monthly Press)

Implicated in the murder of her best friend, Jennifer White, a brilliant retired surgeon with dementia, struggles with fractured memories of their complex relationship and wonders if she actually committed the crime, a situation also marked by her grown children and live-in caretaker. A first novel.



Escape by Barbara Delinsky (Doubleday)

Languishing in her career as a business lawyer after relinquishing her dream to defend victims of corporate abuse, Emily Aulenbach impulsively abandons her husband and returns to a New Hampshire town where she spent a watershed college summer.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Congratulations to...

... Teddy Bear, our Week #3 Winner!

Just Jennifer

The Beekeeper’s Lament by Hannah Nordhaus (Harper Perennial, July 2011)


The honeybee has always been an integral part of the American agriculture industry. Pollination bees provide is crucial to the survival of most crops and the production of fruits and vegetables, but to who much thought isn’t often given. Hannah Nordhaus tells the story of John Miller, a commercial beekeeper whose passion is raising bees and transporting them and their hives from the mid-west to the west coast of the United States. He does so with great understanding of the part these bees play in the delicate balance, but also with an understanding for the needs of the bees if they are to thrive and be productive. Hannah Nordhaus tells the story in a way that makes the reader take a second look at the complexity in an insect that appears simplistic at first. She also writes with an engaging style that makes you feel you know the true John Miller with his good humor and sometimes off-beat wit. The book is entertaining, concerning and hopeful at the same time.

Snowfinder: United States of America

Author:
Stars: 3
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Utah



Now I'm psyched for ski season!  I loved looking at all the trail maps and photos.  The only drawbacks are that I wish the book had included more of the minor ski areas and the months the snow is good for skiing at each location, rather than descriptions of every trail on the mountains.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Dreams of Joy

Author: Lisa See
Stars: 5
Review by: Janet H
Destination: China



Loved it!  This was a sequel to Shanghai Girls.  Eye opening regarding the events of the famine in China in the 1950s. 

A Young Wife

Author: Pam Lewis
Stars: 4
Review by: SCL
Destination: Argentina



This "young wife" had quite the adventurous life.  International travel, intrigue, good friends.  It was a quick read that I didn't want to put down.  Although the overall plot was a little predictable, it was a "Hollywood ending" that brought a smile.

Summer Garden--Tatiana and Alexander

Author: Paulina simons
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
Destination: Russia, Germany, AZ, FL



 This was a long book and part three of a trilogy that took you all over the world. The first book, Bronze Horseman rates a 5 star, second one a 4 star and the third a 3, in my opinion.

The Pale Rose of England

Author: Sandra Worth
Stars: 4
Review by: sc2011
Destination: Ireland & England


This is the story of the Pretender's (Perkin Walbeck's) wife, Lady Catherine Gordon.  After her husband's plot to take the crown of England failed, she was held prisoner by Henry VII (who claimed to be in love with her).  She had to endure the hostilities of the English court while her husband was held in the Tower.  After a failed escape attempt, Perkin was tortured and killed by Henry VII.  Even after Perkin's death, Catherine never lost faith in her husband's claim that he was the son of Edward IV.  Overall interesting read.

Lambs of London

Author: Peter Ackroyd
Stars: 3
Review by: ddlesmom
Destination: Englad



The Lambs of London is the story of Charles and Mary Lamb, authors of Shakespeare for Children, and the great literary hoax that was played upon London in the first few years of the 19th century by William Henry Ireland, son of a book seller. 

Summer Rental

Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Stars: 4
Review by: sc2011
Destination: .NC



 Perfect beach read.

Smokin' Seventeen

Author: Janet Evanovich
Stars: 2
Review by: DebH09
Destination: NJ



This series has really become stale.  It needs to end or take a different direction soon.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

Author: Alison Bechdel
Stars: 3
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Pennsylvania



A memoir told in graphic novel format.  Alison Bechdel's discovery during her college years of her true sexual orientation occurs simultaneously with finding out about her father's, and dealing with his sudden accidental death at the same time.

the View from Mount Joy

Author: Loma Landvik
Stars: 4
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Minnesota


 Lorna Landvik does a great job of getting inside a teenage boy's (and eventually, a man's) head!  Shattered dreams and unexpected joys come together in this quirky story about coming of age, friendships, obsessions, and serendipitous events.

The Bean Trees

Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Stars: 4
Review by: Miss Lucy
Destination: Oklahoma



Social commentary and twists and turns in a literary page-turner!  Barbara Kingsolver knows how to tell a redeeming story, even when the subject matter deals with child abuse, abandonment, and illegal immigrants.

Midnight Bayou

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 4
Review by: deckreader
Destination: Louisiana bayou



Romantic, suspenseful, quick read.

On Borrowed Time

Author: David Rosenfelt
Stars: 5
Review by: LP
Destination: US



Fast moving read.

D is for Deadbeat

Author: Sue Grafton
Stars: 3
Review by: Debster
Destination: CA



A good beach read.  Easy to finish in a weekend.

H is for Homicide

Author: Sue Grafton
Stars: 3
Review by: Debster
Destination: CA



Quick read.  Entertaining, if lightweight.

A is for Alibi

Author: Sue Grafton
Stars: 3
Review by: Debster
Destination: CA



Reliably entertaining.

Blood Orchid

Author: Stuart Woods
Stars: 3
Review by: Debster
Destination: FL



Predictably entertaining.

The Woods

Author: Harlan Coban
Stars: 4
Review by: Debster
Destination: NJ!



My first introduction to Mr. Coban's work.  I WILL return for more "Jersey Fresh" writing!

The Wrecker

Author: Clive Cussler
Stars: 5
Review by: Debster
Destination: American West at the turn of the century



Another tale of Isaac Bell (sigh!).

The Chase

Author: Clive Cussler
Stars: 5
Review by: Debster
Destination: San Francisco (earthquake)



Clive Cussler leaves the oceans behind for a TRAIN chase this time.  I don't know why, but - to me - Isaac Bell seems like the sexiest of Cussler's heroes.

The Painted Darkness

Author: Brian James Freeman
Stars: 3
Review by: Mich D
Destination: New England woods



Very short book about an artist and where his creativity comes from.  Spooky.  Tells the parallel stories of his childhood and adulthood.

Spartan Gold

Author: Clive Cussler
Stars: 2
Review by: Debster
Destination: Maryland



Having written approximately 50 books to date, Mr. Cussler can be excused for a few inconsistencies.  However, this novel (from the Fargo series) takes thing to new depths.  Very sloppy.

Black Torte

Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
Destination: Colorado



Fun, light mystery this time centered around lawyers, jealousy and greed.  Don't forget it comes with great recipes too.

The Navigator

Author: Clive Cussler
Stars: 4
Review by: Debster
Destination: 900 BC "A Far Off Land",  1809 DC & VA,  2011 Chesapeake Bay area



My first Cussler book, I hadn't yet caught on to the "Prologue" device, so it was a little hard to get into at first.  Now that I understand his methods, the "madness" makes sense!

Smokin Seventeen

Author: Janet Evanovich
Stars: 5
Review by: the reader
Destination: Trenton, NJ



Stephanie Plum at her funniest!

The Sixth Man

Author: David Baldacci
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Destination: from Maine to NY



Intrigue among the intelligence agencies of the US.

S'mother

Author: Adam Chester
Stars: 4
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: CA



Adam has saved all of the letters his crazy, overprotective mother has sent him over the years. From when he left for college in the 80s until now....THOUSANDS of letters.   All of which are hysterical for us and embarrassing for him!

Compuls1on

Author: Heidi Ayarbe
Stars: 4
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: US


An interesting YA book that takes a realistic look at a teenager with OCD.   

When God was a Rabbit

Author: Sarah Winman
Stars: 5
Review by: libraryaimee
Destination: England & NYC



This book was fantastic!    Dark comedy, touching, sweet, quirky, unpredictable...everything I love in a novel!  I will buy it for everyone I know!  The Christmas pageant near the beginning with an octopus and a tragic accident involving baby Jesus was priceless!

New This Week

Here are some new titles coming out this week. Check them out from the library and see where they take you…


The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbi Ann Mason (Random House)

Inspired by the wartime experiences of her late father-in-law, award-winning author Bobbie Ann Mason has written an unforgettable novel about an American World War II pilot shot down in Occupied Europe.



Now You See Her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown)

After building up a successful life in New York and hiding her past, Nina Bloom returns to Florida to confront the terrible secret that shattered her life 18 years ago and protect an innocent man who is framed for murder.



Bright’s Passage by Josh Ritter (Dial Press)

A debut novel by the acclaimed songwriter follows the story of World War I veteran Henry Bright, who while grieving over the death of his young wife struggles to care for their new infant and travels a fire-stricken landscape accompanied by a guardian angel and a cantankerous goat.

The Yankee Years

Author: Joe Torre & Tom Verducci
Stars: 4
Review by: Bookworm237
Destination: Bronx, NY



A must read for any Yankee fan! Readers get an inside look at the Yankee Dynasty (98, 99, 00), the 12 years Torre spent as the Yankees manager, how he handled certain athletes, and of course Steinbrenner. Torre puts it all out there and is honest about all of his experiences. A wonderful read and the true end to one of the best managers in Yankees history.