The Glass Castle by, Jeannette Walls ~~Review

The Glass Castle by, Jeannette Walls
This was a sad but at times humorous story of a family called the Walls. They lived a fairly nomadic life at times always moving from town to town when things would get “hot”. They were a very poor family with 4 kids a father who was an alcoholic and a mother who as she called it was addicted to adventure. Jeannette Walls paints a picture of a family that had many hardships but to me it seemed like they weren’t short on love even though she does describe her mother as somewhat unloving who always said she would be a great artist if she hadn’t had kids. The dad is a dreamer always looking for a get rich quick scheme but he doesn’t depend on other people(Other than his children) for that he plans on inventing the next great thing saying he’s got plans for this and that but those plans never come to fruition because he’s always drinking.
Jeannette tells this story of her life in a matter of fact way and I liked that there wasn’t much poor me in this book, just this is the way it was. Despite their upbringing the Walls kids were all extremely intelligent reading at a very young age. Their parents taught them a lot and gave them a good education despite everything, in the sense that they were very book smart. But they did go hungry for the better part of their young lives and even when her parents were working the money vanished as fast as it came in with nothing going to clothing for the kids or food, it seemed when either parent was working which wasn’t often they would have food for less than a week then go hungry again.
I would have actually liked to have seen some pictures but she does explain why there weren’t any but I was curious about her mother’s art work. These parents I think did what they could with what capacity they had. I truly believe her father loved her and I was actually sad when he died in my mind he was a character. I like that Jeannette doesn’t make excuses for them just tells it like it is or was.
I really liked this book and would recommend it!
4 Stars

The Best YA Books You Haven’t Read

This idea was sent to me from Kelly over at YAnnabe Blog I thought it was a great idea so I thought I'd Play along!Thanks so much for this Kelly .

After the kid lit award announcements on Monday, I daydreamed about how those authors’ lives will never be the same. Their winning books will forever more sport a shiny badge, reserving them a spot on crowded bookstore shelves. And other books the authors write? “By Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead” certainly won’t hurt sales.

But the flip side of all this is that many wonderful books get published every year without registering a ripple, let alone a splash. And in the YA world specifically, the vast majority of great books don’t approach anywhere NEAR the fervor of Twil—er, The-Series-That-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Cybils help spread the love a little. As does the Nerds Heart YA tourney.

Even so, this is the fate of most great YA books:

1.Get published.
2.Get read by a few people that year, maybe a few more the next.
3.Get dumped on the bargain rack at the bookstore and start the descent into obsolescence.
It’s a damn shame, and we’re here to fix it.

Nobody Expects the Unsung YA Heroes Blog Blitz!
I teamed up with about 40 other bloggers to pick our favorite unsung YA heroes. These are YA books we love and think deserve more attention from the world of YA readers.

But how are we achieving this?

Today and tomorrow, you’ll find our picks on our blogs. Check out our lists! We bet you’ll find a few new-to-you titles you’re interested in reading. But we’re also secretly hoping you’ll think about your own unsung YA heroes and put together your own list. Because we’d really like to see it so we can read your favorites too. You’ll find links to all the lists and instructions for making your own at the end of this post.
Tomorrow, check back on my blog for a round-up uber-list of the titles that were most common across all our Unsung YA Heroes picks.
If you’re on Twitter, you can follow all the Unsung YA Heroes scuttlebutt by watching the #unsungYA tag.
Here's My List
1) Century by, Sarah Singleton 48 members on LibraryThing-
This is a book about 2 sisters who live in a world of night where all colors are muted into blacks & grey . But one sister may have discovered a way to bring color and life back into their world. This is a spooky and really good novel.

2) Boots and the Seven Leaguers: A Rock-and-Troll Novel & Pay the Piper: A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale 55 and 127 members respectively on LibraryThing-
Boots and the Seven Leaguers is about a troll named Gog who has no luck. He has an annoying smart little brother and a best friend named Pook who is a pookah (Notoriously mischievous beings).The biggest band around is coming to his town and he hasn’t got tickets, but with the help of his friends they come up with a plan, that yep you guessed it went wrong, now his little brother has been stolen.
This book carried a great message, that you don’t need fancy magic or a load of brains to be a hero. I recommend this book to all kids who are looking for something funny and adventurous and who knows what it’s like having pesky siblings and friends who get you in all kinds of trouble.(by, Sarah Schuster-abridged) Pay the Piper is the second book in the series this is a good fun series of unrelated yet similar stories.


3) Singing the Dogstar Blues 90 members on LibraryThing-
Singing the Dogstar Blues is set in futuristic times when spaceships and time travel are the norm. Joss Aaronson is the daughter of a famous news reporter and an unknown sperm donor. She loves music, and she's a student at the Centre for Neo-Historical Studies. When the Chorians, a race of aliens from the Sirius-B star, request that one of their young ones come and study time-travel at the University, Joss agrees to be its partner. Joss finds out that her partner, Mavkel, lost his birth-pair in a terrible accident and is getting sick because of it. The only way to save Mavkel's life is to pair with it, or join their minds. To do that, Joss has to find her mysterious father because to join she has to know her bloodlines. The only way to find her father is to jump back in time, which is forbidden for first year students....
This is a short novel that's a mix of science fiction, mystery, and adventure. It's suspenseful and makes you want to turn to the last page to see what happens. I thought this was a great book, so I gave it 4 stars!!!(by,Goose)
4) Spellfall by, Katherine Roberts 107 members on LibraryThing
This was a good book.Natakie is a normal girl, so she thinks. Her father has been drunk since the death
Of her mother, she has a stepmother who treats her well but a stepbrother who does not.
She finds a spell laying on the ground and things get very bad for her from there.
She is kidnapped by an evil Caster,Hawk who is trying to exact his revenge for being banished from
Eathhaven.She soon finds out her mother was a Spell Lady and it’s up to her to stop Hawk.
She gets help from unlikely people, and as her stepmother says crisis brings a family closer.
I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author.



5) The Light of the Oracle by, Victoria Hanley 109 members on LibraryThing
It’s been awhile since I read this one but I remember liking it very much. From back cover-Whispers stirred in Bryn’s ears. One word was clear, spoken in a voice that rang through her mind like a bell. Prophecy.

6) Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic Book) by, Patricia Wrede 217 members on LibraryThing
This book is kind of Harry Potter meets Little House on the Prairie, What a great concept!I did enjoy this book it’s the first in a series and I am hoping the next 2 books will have a little more meat to it now that we know the characters. This one was defiantly introducing the characters and with some excitement at the end.Ms.Wrede is a good writer and I have enjoyed her other books so I know this series will be good overall. I also have some theories about certain characters that I will be curious to find out if I am right about.

7) Waiting for Normal by, Leslie Connor 279 members on LibraryThing
This is a great book I see why it won awards! Addie is a young girl hoping for a normal life, but with a mother (mommers) who is an all or nothing type of person normal isn't likely to happen. This book shows that heroes are everyday people who care about each other. The characters in this book are compelling and real. Addie is the true hero in this book though through it all she keeps a positive attitude even when left alone for days on end. I highly recommend this book!!!!
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2009) School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2008)
8) The Society of S: A Novel by Susan Hubbard 329 members on LibraryThing
I enjoyed this book. Was a very different vampire story than Twilight. Even though the heroine is a young girl it doesn't have the teen angst which I found refreshing. Am defiantly looking forward to the next book!
9) Elsewhere & Neverwhere by, Will Shetterly have 348 & 266 respectively members on LibraryThing
Elsewhere- When Ron runs away, he ends up in Bordertown, a grim city that lies between the real world and the world of faerie, a place where elf and human gangs stalk the streets side by side, and where magic works better than technology. If the city doesn't kill him, it just may teach him what it is to be human.
Neverwhere- In the sequel to Elsewhere, winner of the Minnesota Book Award, Will Shetterly continues the adventures of Wolfboy. Ron's quest is to break the curse that has turned him into a werewolf; but there's a more dangerous game that that being played on the Border. The true Prince of Elfland is missing,fled across the order and into Bordertown. many are those who would find this Prince, some to guard the Power of Faerie, and some to take possession of it.
Ron is about to get caught in the crossfire--and he my just decide that being a werewolf isn't so bad after all...when you consider the alternatives.

10) Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman by, Eleanor Updale 408 members on LibraryThing
When a petty thief falls though a glass roof in his attempt to escape from the police, what should have been the death of him marks the beginning of a while new life. After his broken body is reconstructed by an ambitious young doctor, he is released from prison, and--with the help of Victorian London's extensive sewer system--he becomes the most elusive burglar in the city. He adopts a dual existence as a respectable, wealthy gentleman named Montmorency, and his degenerate servant Scarper. But Montmorency must always be on guard. The smallest mistake could reveal his secret and ruin both his lives. Fans of Pullman and Lemony Snicket will love this mystery story.
Make Your Own List!
If You’re on LibraryThing

1.Visit your LibraryThing catalog.
2.Click the Rating column to sort by that column, which will put the 5 stars first.
3.Click the Edit sort order button, which is in the toolbar that’s right under the tabs at the top—the toolbar with the A, B, C,… buttons. The Edit sort order button is the one with two blue arrows.
4.Under Subsort by, select total members and click the Up button next to it.
5.Click the Sort button.
6.If you want, use the Search your library box in the upper right corner to narrow your search, such as to a YA tag you use.
7.In your catalog, start at the top with your 5 stars and look for any titles that have less than 500 members. To see number of members, look in the rightmost column and check the number next to the little person icon.
8.Record any titles with less than 500 members, and keep going til you’re happy with your list!
If You’re Not
If you use Goodreads or some other book-tracking site, they probably have an export feature. So use that, then create a free account on LibraryThing, import your information, and follow the instructions above.


If you’re not in the book-tracking habit, haven’t you realized by now all the fun that can be had by joining a site like LibraryThing? I’m sure you will discover an awesome feature or two that you can exploit in your book-related endeavors.

But if you’re really not in the mood to join, you’ll have to search titles one-by-one:

1.Visit the LibraryThing Search page.
2.In Works, enter a title you think might be lesser known.
3.Click the Search button. Don’t stop when you get the search results! That will show you only how many actual copies members have claimed, not everyone who’s added the title to their catalog (such as to a wish list or a to-be-read list).
4.Click the appropriate search result. If there are multiple results for the title, just click one. They’ll all get you to the same place.
5.On the work page, look for the table right under the title and author’s name. The first column is titled Members. Look at the number in that table cell. If it’s below 500, the book isn’t well known, so add it to your list.
6.Rinse, repeat, lather.
For the Geekiest of Us
This post is already approaching the realm of novella, but I know you might be wondering a few things.

Why LibraryThing? Why not Goodreads, Shelfari, etc?
LibraryThing makes it easy to see the “other members” stat right from your catalog. Goodreads has a “num ratings” stat, but it shows just the number of ratings for a specific edition of a title. The LibraryThing member count includes every edition of the title. I’m not familiar with Shelfari or any other sites, and in the interest of time I went with what I know.

Why 500 or less members?
Completely arbitrary, but we needed some sort of cutoff to use as a guideline. Some of us even included titles with a few more members, so it really was just a guideline. For comparison, the first book of the Twilight series has 25,974 members and The Hunger Games has 3,929 members.

Teaser Tuesday~~The Glass Castle by, Jeannette Walls

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Glass Castle by, Jeannette Walls-pg.41-We laughed about all the kids who believed in the Santa myth and got nothing for christmas but a bunch of cheap plastic toys."Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotten," Dad said," you'll still have your stars."

Cry Wolf by, Patricia Briggs ~~Review

Cry Wolf by, Patricia Briggs
This was the start of a new series in The World of the Marrok featuring Charles & Anna well actually the start is in the book of short stories On the Prowl. Charles is Bran’s (The Marrok’s) son and enforcer/hitman who in the 2 centuries he’s lived has never been mated, until he meets Anna –in the short story The Alpha & Omega. Anna is an Omega wolf who was attacked and changes then abused by the Chicago pack that Charles rescued her from.
Cry Wolf starts out with Charles & Anna going back to Montana and getting to know each other because their wolves have already decided they are mated. But trouble is brewing in the mountains surrounding the pack’s home and Bran has no choice but to send Charles to investigate
I love Patricia Briggs writing she has created a wonderful world in the World of the Marrok that started for me in Moon Called a Mercy Thompson story. This one is different because our heroine in this is Anna who is deeply damaged by the events in Chicago after she was forcibly changed.
I am looking forward to more of Charles & Anna’s story and how they deal with the past and future. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next book in this series.

4 Stars

Sherlock Holmes

Oh, where to begin? After all, this name has spawned 56 short stories and 4 novels from the original author, countless others who’ve attempted to write their own Holmes, over 200 actors having played the detective since his premiere in 1897 and now, at last, the latest movie adaptation starring Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes), Jude Law (Watson), Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), and Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood) with direction and production courtesy of Guy Ritchie.
One of the most commonly used words I’ve found to describe this film is “action-packed” or “action-oriented.” Now, many a Sherlockian will find themselves in fear that the film has been dumbed down in regards to story, character development, and detective work taking a backseat to the things that go boom. Fortunately, it’s not the case as I found the action and intelligence to complement each other quite well, much like Holmes and Watson do. Together, Downey Jr. and Law have created a new version of the original dynamic duo that entertains and instills a deep sense of camaraderie far beyond the previous conception of the hero and his sidekick. RDJ is an entertaining, original, and clever Holmes and is an inspired choice as the world’s greatest detective. Law delivers as Watson and provides a superb foil to Holmes. The chemistry between the two is immediate, and it’s for that main reason that the movie works so well.
The action is satisfying save for one occurrence of extended slow-motion. The acting was spot on for the most part and well cast. The story, while not overtly complicated, was engaging and intriguing with more than a few references and quotes straight from Doyle’s stories. The setting is wonderfully executed; London is a sprawling city that serves as an ideal vessel for Holmes’ ventures. Finally, the ending leaves the door open for multiple sequels with the inclusion of Professor Moriarty, Holmes’ most worthy adversary which I look forward to expectantly. Guy Ritchie has delivered an encouraging start to what will hopefully become a very successful franchise and earns 4 stars for its efforts. ****

Review by Alisa Heskin

I’ve found that there is a certain difficulty in using an established character, let alone an iconic one at that, because there’s already a certain amount of expectations because of what’s previously been done. However, Sherlock Holmes is a contradicting character, both vague and defined and, therefore, is open to a wider differentiation of how the character is handled and those surrounding him and I believe that the filmmakers use this to their full advantage.

Upcoming Classes @ the Library

January 19 & 21: Microsoft Access
Cost is $40 per person; 10 slots available

Designed for individuals who are comfortable using the computer and want to learn how to create and use databases


February 23 & 25: MS PowerPoint
Cost is $30 per person; 10 slots available

Designed for individuals who are comfortable using the computer and want to learn how to create and run a slide show or presentation


March 16 & 18: Microsoft Excel II
Cost is $40 per person; 10 slots available

Designed for individuals who have basic knowledge of Excel

Call Susie at 947-5540 to register.

All classes are held from 6:30 – 8:30 pm each night at New Rockford Public Library

Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale Jr. with Stan Redding

"Catch Me If You Can." The title conveys perfectly the tone of the novel I had the pleasure of reading. It’s taunting yet playful, light-hearted and diabolically clever. It’s the story of one Frank Abagnale Jr., a con artist who stole millions of dollars, posed as an airline pilot, a doctor for under a year, and a lawyer all the while being wanted in 26+ countries…all before he was 21. Impressive, no? Yeah, I know. He’s a criminal, tsk tsk, shame on him and what not. However, I can’t help but feel some sort of affection towards a criminal such as he. After all, in the grand scheme of things, there is evil out there much worse than a check fraud.

Anyway, that’s beside the point. If a reader can’t appreciate the sheer genius behind his stint, I’m not sure how to respond. For example, a fake check had his real name and address on the back (since of course he was using an alias). He cashes the check then realizes the mistake afterwards. His plan was to go back and state that the “paycheck” had been in a mistaken amount and he should never have cashed it and can he please have it back please? However, the FBI had already been notified of the fake check and was on their way. Instead of bailing out right there and then, he poses as an FBI agent, makes a copy of the front of the check to maintain his facade (the side without the writing) and departs with the incriminating check as “evidence.” Five minutes later, a very frustrated, very real FBI agent walks in the bank.

It’s an addicting thrill ride to read and I found it very difficult to put down. It’s a quick read because of this, and I was sad to see it end. The commentary and narration is entertaining and has the quality of letting you in on the joke so I found myself elated when he pulled off a risky stunt and panicked when the FBI showed up to spoil the fun. Of course, what fun would it be without an adversary? The real irony is that Abagnale Jr. has made millions designing security protocol for checks, banks, and the like. If a truly fun read is what you seek, then look no further. 4 stars. ****

Review by Alisa Heskin

Also check out the movie adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio who does a solid job as the mastermind himself.
As it were, it seems that White Collar, a new original on USA, has taken a similar premise from Catch Me If You Can.

Teaser Tuesday~~The Shadow of the Wind by, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


The Shadow of the Wind by, Carlos Ruiz Zafon- Page 5-"This place is a mystery. A sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it & the soul of those who read it & lived it & dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down it's pages, it's spirit grows & strengthens. In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hands, a new spirit..."

Review of Wicked Lovely by, Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely by, Melissa Marr
From Book Cover- Aislinn has always seen faeries.Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world.When the rules that have kept Aislinn safe from them stop working, everything is suddenly on the line:her freedom; her best friend Seth; her life;everything.

At first I felt this book was predictable I felt like I’d read it before. Until the last hundred pages or so.
I like how she wrapped the story up *No Spoilers*.
Aislinn was a strong heroine that knows her own mind and fights for what she wants. I liked all the characters; I’d have to say that after Aislinn my favorite characters were Donia & Seth.
I did feel at times the story was rushed especially the scenes with Grama *Again No Spoilers *.I would have liked a little more information there and wish Grama would have had a bigger role in the story.
These were definitely not cute cuddly faeries I thought the author did a good job at creating the Faire World.
All in all a good first book and I do plan to read the next book in this series.
3 ½ Stars

Teaser Tuesday~~Wicked Lovely by, Melissa Marr

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Wicked Lovely by, Melssa Marr Page 41-"It's your staff,your binding,your treachery that started this game.You knew what would happen to the mortals when they took your chill.Mortals aren't made for--"

Favorite Books Read in 2009

Favorite books I read in 2009- Not necessarily published in 2009 but just that I read them this year.Happy New Year Everyone!
Adult Books:
The People of the Book by, Geraldine Brooks

The Help by, Kathryn Stockett- From State Library-Will be getting this for our Library

Nefertiti & The Heretic Queen by, Michelle Moran- From State Library-Will be getting this for our Library

An Echo in the Bone by, Diana Gabaldon

The Historian by, Elizabeth Kostova

The Shadow of the Wind by, Carlos Ruiz Zafon- From State Library-Will be getting this for our Library

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Woman in White by, Wilkie Collins- From State Library-Will be getting this for our Library

Earthly Pleasures by, Karen Neches

The Brutal Telling by, Louise Penny

Preying For Mercy 3-in 1 & Bone Crossed by, Patricia Briggs

One Thousand White Women by, Jim Fergus

Young Adult:

Waiting for Normal by, Leslie Connor

Wildwood Dancing by, Juliet Marillier

The Thirteenth Child by, Patricia Wrede

Into the Dark and Echo Falls Mystery by, Peter Abrahams

Beastly by, Alex Finn

The Body of Christopher Creed by, Carol Plum-Ucci

The Last Apprentice (Revenge of the Witch) by, Joseph Delaney

The Blue Bloods Series Books 1-4 by, Melissa De La Cruz

I Capture the Castle by, Dodie Smith

Mister B. Gone by, Clive Barker

Teaser Tuesday~~My Cousin Rachel by, Daphne duMaurier

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Well this is more than a sentence or two but its a classic and there's always more to say.
My Cousin Rachel by, Daphne duMaurierpg.91-"He was like someone sleeping who woke suddenly and found the world,"she said,"all the beauty of it,and the sadness too.The hunger and the thirst.Everything he had never thought about or known was there before him, and magnified into one person who by chance,or fate-call it what you will-happened to me.Rainaldi-whom he detested,by the way, as you probably did too-told me once that Ambrose had wakened to me just as some men wake to religion."

Special Holiday Hours

Special Holiday Hours this week The Library will be open regular hours Mon.-Wed. we will be Open Dec.31st from 10-3 and Closed Jan. 1st

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from The New Rockford Public Library.Hope Everyone has a Safe & Happy Holiday!The Library will reopen on Dec.28th.

Review Truly, Madly by, Heather Webber

Title: Truly, Madly by, Heather Webber ARC Copy From ER Program @ LibraryThing
Release Date: Feb.2,2009

Lucy hails from a long line of matchmakers known as Valentine Inc. According to family legend, the Valentines have been blessed by Cupid with psychic ability to help couples find true love. Trouble is, Lucy’s powers were zapped away by an electrical surge and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world?

The mix of Romance- Mystery & Humor was just the right blend.

I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to after seeing the quote on the back saying "Romance with a little Mystery and whole lot of fun” I would say just the perfect blend of all three!
Lucy Valentine is a great character she’s funny & tough, yet sweet & sensitive. I’ve also noticed a trend in some recent books I’ve read and was happy to see a romance Without a love triangle and I hope this series continues this.
I enjoyed Lucy & Sean’s courtship and all of the supporting characters are a great addition to this series and I look forward to getting to know them better.
The Mystery kept me guessing and was happily surprised by an outcome I had not figured out. This book is a nice mix of cozy mystery with a splash of psychic ability thrown in. If you like Janet Evanovich, Diane Mott-Davidson etc. you’ll enjoy this new series.

I know this book doesn’t come out till Feb.2010 but I am already looking forward to the next book in series. Bring on more Lucy Valentine!
I received this from LT’s Early Reviewers Program.

Teaser Tuesday~~ Truly, Madly by, Heather Webber

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



Truly, Madly by, Heather Webber -Release Date Feb.2,2009
Page 61-Not wanting to play her game, I turned my attention to the TV and the continuous coverage of the Little Boy Lost.Salty gusts of wind buffeted the cottage's windows. How long would the little boy last outside?

How to Ditch Your Fairy by, Justine Larbalestier

How to Ditch Your Fairy by, Justine Larbalestier

From Book Cover: Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy-like a specialized good luck charm- is vital to a person’s success. It might determine whether you make a sports team, pass a class, or that perfect outfit. But for fourteen-year-old Charlie, having a parking fairy is worse than having nothing at all- especially when the school bully carts her around like his private parking pass.
Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with her archenemy, Fiorenze (who has an all-the-boys-like-you-fairy), seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her hearts desire, it isn’t at all how she thought it would be, and she’ll have to resort to extraordinary measures to set things right.

This was a cute YA book. Its set in, as the author says “an imaginary country perhaps a little in the future.” It had some interesting slang and am glad she put a glossary in the back to explain what these words meant but she did use one of my favorite words “ discombobulated” and it was fun to see someone else use it.
This was a light fun read I liked the different fairies the “Parking Fairy”, ’The Shopping Fairy”, “The All-Boys-Will-Like-You Fairy”. It was cute to see how you can be jealous of someone and find out that what they have is not all it’s cracked up to be. If you have teenagers who like a light fun read I recommend this one!
3 ½ Stars

Teaser Tuesday~~ 9 Dragons by, Michael Connelly

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

From 9 Dragons by, Michael Connelly
Page 64-"By the way, why did your father buy a gun?He had been there for almost thirty years and then six months ago he buys a gun."

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I do have to admit that I didn't really think much of this book after reading. However, I came away with a satisfied feelings towards it. It's difficult to explain, really. I harbor no ill will, nor do I feel any strong passion to lobby for it, but enough about my inner turmoil. I Capture the Castle tells the story of the Mortmains and the world they live in as told by Cassandra via her journal. It's an interesting perspective, and it gives the feeling that she is writing to the reader in particular. Whatever she knows, thinks, and feels is laid bare on the pages. The plot seemed basic at first, but managed to draw me in anyway. All of the characters were reasonably fleshed out, and I generally seemed to like them...or at least tolerate them. However, there is one aspect to any plot that I absolutely despise. To put it simply, it's any sort of "cheating" or infidelity. It irritates me to no end due to its cliched nature, and I see it as the "easy conflict" (a.k.a. when the writer has a romantic couple and can't think of any other type of conflict therefore he/she takes the easy way out with unfaithfulness). Unfortunately, this book is guilty of it. In its defense, I can't judge it too harshly since it was most likely the book that started the cliche in the first place (written in 1948). To sum it all up, I would say subtlety is its most prevalent strength (that's rather oxymoronic wording isn't it?). From its deliberate pacing to its tendency to completely absorb me into its inner workings, I can honestly say I enjoyed it, more so, after I'd finished it. It doesn't rely on shocking plot twists and doesn't try to wow and astound. The mundane fascinates until it no longer becomes mundane. I award I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 3 stars.

***

Review by Alisa Heskin

Paula Winskye Book Signing and Reading

Dec.14 from 6-8 Join us as Paula Winskye Local Author does a reading from her latest novel.

The Probable Future by, Alice Hoffman

The Probable Future by, Alice Hoffman
From the back cover-Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, jenny can see people’s dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window to the future-a future she might not want to see. When Stella’s premonitions puts her father in jail, wrongly accused of homicide.
This is a story of magical realism and 3 generations of women trying to handle the legacy of the Sparrow family and their own relationships with each other.
This is my first Alice Hoffman book after hearing so much about this author. I really enjoyed this story and the character development. This is a character driven book, yes, there is the whole dad in jail story line but it is not the main story.
The main story is about these generations of Sparrow women and how things that happened years ago to their ancestors can have an effect all those years later.
I did enjoy this book and plan on reading more by this author!
I would recommend this to anyone who likes magical realism or character driven storylines.
3 ½ Stars

Teaser Tuesday~~The Probable Future by, Alice Hoffman

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Probable Future by, Alice Hoffman
Page 55-But following the killing in Brighton,one of the officers who'd been on duty that night remembered the report, and he had dug up Will's file.There he found a description of the victim and the exact cause of death, six days before it had occurred.

Holiday Open House

Falling Angels by, Tracy Chevalier

Falling Angels by, Tracy Chevalier

This is the story of 2 girls growing up in the early 1900’s in London. Maude Coleman and Lavinia Waterhouse are unlikely friends they meet in a London cemetery, where their family plots are next to each other. Their families really have nothing in common and after their first meeting they don’t see each other for awhile till they become neighbors and renew their friendship. Maude and her mother don’t always see eye to eye on things since her mother has discovered the suffragette movement and ends up in jail to the embarrassment of her entire family.Lavinia and her mother get along well although they seem to look down at others especially Maude’s mother Kitty. Kitty and her “radical” friends are preparing for the march to Hyde Park to promote a woman’s right to vote and so much goes horribly wrong that day that changes both families and the girls’ friendship forever.


I always enjoy stories about suffragettes and this was no exception. I did listen to this on audio and there was one thing that bothered me about the audio version of this book is that it is set in England and the narrator did not have an English accent, but that doesn’t have anything to do with my enjoyment of the writing/storyline of this book.
This was a well written story with fully fleshed out characters, there are a lot more stories going on than just the story of these two girls there is Simon the gravedigger, Jenny the maid and of course the mothers of these two girls.
I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction, suffragettes, and stories about friendship.
4 stars

Teaser Tuesday~~ Falling Angels by, Tracy Chevalier

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



Falling Angels by, Tracy Chevalier page 61-
"Reading," Grandmother said, her fish-bone look even stronger."That won't get a girl anywhere.It'll just put ideas in her head.Especially rubbish like those Alice books."
Mummy sat up straighter.She read all the time."What's the matter with a girl having ideas, Mother Coleman?"

Dead Until Dark by, Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark by, Charlaine Harris

I liked parts of this book and disliked parts; I will try to explain.
Liked~ The storyline the whole vampires out of the closet, the characters were interesting even though I felt there may be too many. Oops that’s a dislike.
Dislike ~Too much explicit sex~~ The killing of a character that I felt would have made the series more interesting.

I guess I didn't find this book great and don't feel it lived up to all the hype I've heard. I am reading the second installment and do so far like it a bit better except that as with this book she's killed off a colorful character in the first 10 or so pages. But this is about the first book.
So I will conclude that the jury is still out on this series of books we'll see if when I get done with the 2nd one if it makes me want to read the 3rd.

3***

Teaser Tuesday~~Dead Until Dark by, Charlaine Harris

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



From Dead Until Dark by, Charlaine Harris~Page 19~"The vampire was in the when I was there?"Jason asked dazzled.
"Uh-huh.The dark-haired guy sitting with the Rats."

Teaser Tuesday~~ True Blue by, David Baldacci

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B from Should Be Reading.

The rules are as follows:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers




From True Blue by, David Baldacci~Pg57
He Pointed at her.”I knew I recognized you. You’re her sister, Mace Perry. “Should have remembered as soon as you said your name.”He broke off.”But the newspapers said your name was originally Mason Perry.”He looked at her funny.”Mason Perry, Perry Mason the TV Lawyer? Is that a coincidence?”

People of the Book by, Geraldine Brooks

From Amazon~Amazon Best of the Month, January 2008: One of the earliest Jewish religious volumes to be illuminated with images, the Sarajevo Haggadah survived centuries of purges and wars thanks to people of all faiths who risked their lives to safeguard it. Geraldine Brooks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March, has turned the intriguing but sparely detailed history of this precious volume into an emotionally rich, thrilling fictionalization that retraces its turbulent journey. In the hands of Hanna Heath, an impassioned rare-book expert restoring the manuscript in 1996 Sarajevo, it yields clues to its guardians and whereabouts: an insect wing, a wine stain, salt crystals, and a white hair. While readers experience crucial moments in the book's history through a series of fascinating, fleshed-out short stories, Hanna pursues its secrets scientifically, and finds that some interests will still risk everything in the name of protecting this treasure. A complex love story, thrilling mystery, vivid history lesson, and celebration of the enduring power of ideas, People of the Book will surely be hailed as one of the best of 2008. --Mari Malcolm




This was a very engaging book .I found this story fascinating but it is hard to put a synopsis in because this book is the story of one book The Haggadsh that spans 500 years. Where it’s been- who has it and how it got there.
The characters in all the different time periods are fully fleshed out and really make you feel your right there with them. This book takes you on a fascinating journey through history and truly makes you care what happens to the Haggadsh.
I found myself just as engrossed with the book (in the book) as the narrator, I would recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction.
I give it 4 Stars

Gilt-Edged Bonds by Ian Fleming

James Bond is an icon. Like many icons, they originally stem from literature of some sort. However, Bond is arguably most known for his film adaptations starring Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, George Lazenby, or, more recently, Daniel Craig. Fleming’s first of the Bond novels, Casino Royale, first hit the streets in 1953 and the first real Bond movie (I’m not counting the Casino Royale spoof, my apologies) arrived in 1962. In the nine years in between, Bond became enormous. There is a reason for that. Gilt-Edged Bonds contains three of Fleming’s novels; Casino Royale, From Russia with Love, and finally, Dr. No. It was new and exciting, a mixture of fast-paced writing, romance, danger, and adrenaline-filled thrills written with biting detail and intelligence. Even decades later, they still hold up pretty well.

All three of the novels are amazingly solid and it was a very smart move to put them in one convenient package. While they’d each definitely work as a standalone adventure, they’re best read in succession since there are references to previous entries. The first, Casino Royale, is among one of my personal favorites of the film adaptations and the book ranks no differently. Le Chiffre is quite different from his movie counterpart, and Bond’s character is clarified to an extent where the thoughts behind those steel blue eyes are revealed. Bond is a much colder character than what I expected which both fascinates and intrigues. From Russia with Love wasn’t as compelling an installment as others in the series. I attributed it to the fact that Bond isn’t focused on as much, rather, the antagonist and the love interest are expanded upon more so. This creates more of a variety, but when I’m most interested in James, and all I’m getting is back story about others (albeit, it was quite well-written), I can’t help but sigh and try to get through those parts as quickly as possible so I can find out what my favorite secret agent is up to. The last, Dr. No is my top pick of the three. It was absolutely diabolical! I loved every moment and I became hopelessly addicted, and so, unfortunately, it ended much too soon. I must admit that I didn’t expect much because of my previous viewings of the movie. The movie was “good”, but there was better. There was so much that couldn’t be put in the movie due to either budget constraints, the need for a shorter runtime, or simply technological limitations at the time. I look forward to reading this one again sometime in the near future.

A word of warning, there are some outdated ideals present in the novel—mostly a more paternalistic view of women. It didn’t bother me much since times were different back then, although it was mostly in Dr. No I noticed it. Casino Royale differed with a more intelligent and interesting love interest. Another thought I’d mention, Bond gets abused…a lot. I mean, really, poisoned, shot at, tortured, and run through a gauntlet of traps each more deadly than the last. It only increases my respect for 007 and gives the chance to show off some qualities in a long-standing character, his endurance, resourcefulness, and insurmountable tolerance for pain. Strangely enough, I could only imagine Daniel Craig in the place of Bond while reading through these. After finishing them, it seemed to me that Craig is one of the more accurate depictions of Fleming’s Bond. Of course, that doesn’t discredit any of the actors. Connery still has the womanizing, suave Bond that I’ve come to know and love, Brosnan’s the badass (pardon my French), and Moore is…err *cough*…something else. For myself, Craig is the cold, calculating, and gritty version that fits best with the novels. Anyway, movies aside, the essential character of Bond is versatile enough to have the potential to appeal to a variety of readers and movie-goers for generations (which it has, by the way). It's one of the finer points of the character, versatility. Overall, Casino Royale receives 4 ½ stars, From Russia with Love 4 stars, and Dr. No 5 stars.

Review by Alisa Heskin

Review of One Thousand White Women~The Journals of May Dodd

One Thousand White Women~The Journals of May Dodd by, Jim Fergus

Introduction (From the Readers Guide) to One Thousand White Women
One Thousand White Women is the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women who, under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1875 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. The covert and controversial "Brides for Indians" program, launched by the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, is intended to help assimilate the Indians into the white man's world. Toward that end May and her friends embark upon the adventure of their lifetime. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time.


This was a very interesting story and I enjoyed it very much. May Dodd's story is compelling from being put in an insane asylum for living with a man and bearing his children out of wedlock , to her decision to be one of the thousand brides for the Indians as a way to escape the asylum.
I found her to be a great strong woman far ahead of her time. The other women who were on this journey with her were a colorful assortment of characters. I loved the names some of these Indians and white women ended up with (Fact or Fiction who knows). Jim Fergus wrote this book with such detail that I almost felt like an observer to the events happening in May's life. I enjoyed the journal details and the colorful way May sometimes explained things, and I felt for her when she was missing her children but understood her reasoning behind not jumping off the train and going back to them.
The ending left me a little sad but still a great enjoyable book.
4 Stars

Thank-You Veterans!

Thank -You To All Military Personel Past and Present!

Thanks for ensuring our Freedom!

Tuesday Teaser~ Syren by, Angie Sage

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B from Should Be Reading.
The rules are as follows:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


From Syren Book #5 in the Septimus Heap Series by, Angie Sage
Page 72- By now Merrin was cowering in the corner, whimpering.At first he had thought that one of the Manuscriptorium scribes had somehow stuck an Expanding Booger Spell (an old Manuscriptorium favorite) on him when he wasn't looking. But now- even with his eyes shut tight- Merrin knew it was worse than that.

Daughters Of The Moon:Goddess of the Night by: Lynne Ewing

In this book Vanessa Cleveland if facing some very serious challenges. Her and her friend Catty have very unique powers.Catty travels back in time and Vanessa can become invisible. Vanessa and Catty have to face mischievous gossips at school, finding out their goddesses and trying to survive multiple attacks by the Atrox's servants. Will Vanessa and Catty survive and what other mysteries lie around the corner? Find out in Daughters of the Moon: Goddess of the Night.

T.A.B. Review-The Midnight Diary of Zoya Blume by, Laura Shaine Cunningham

The Midnight Diary of Zoya Blume by, Laura Shaine Cunningham
In a nutshell it takes more letters to spell the authors name then it does to describe the story.BORING.The idea of an adopted orphan from Russia living with her quirky mother who suddenly has to leave for an emergency medical procedure is kind of interesting, but the story is written for a younger girl.
The story is really kind of predictable, nothing too exciting, except maybe for the birthing process of a cat (which is probably the most vivid part of the story, surprising in a story geared towards a younger audience). Our main character Zoya is also really whinny nerve grating. She doesn't change a whole lot throughout the story making it hard to like her.

Overall the book was really dull, all 163 pages of it, and at a way younger reading level than anyone in high school should be reading.
I give it 2 Stars.
Sara Schuster

The Brutal Telling by, Louise Penny

The Brutal Telling by, Louise Penny
From back cover~ "Chaos is coming, old son." With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered.When a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro and antique store, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers and lies- and catch a killer whose identity will shock them all...

I enjoyed this book.Inspector Gamache reminded me alot of Poirot.I had not read the previous Three Pines novels but I never felt lost with the characters.I will now be buying the previous books!This was a new author for me and I really enjoyed her writing.
This book kept my attention all the way through and kept you guessing I actually thought the killer was going to be someone else!I like when I am wrong.
The characters were all so vibrant and felt like old friends by the end of the book.Loved the quirkiness of Ruth she was too fun!
Would recommend this book to anyone who likes Agatha Christie and likes a good mystery without all the sex and language!
4 out of 5 Stars

Friday 56~ The Birth of Venus by, Sarah Dunant

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends at http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


From The Birth of Venus by, Sarah Dunant
Despite my mother's ointments,my skin is as dark as my sister's is fair, and recently my giraffe body has begun to sprout in ways that all of Erila's skills with lacing and thick box pleats of the tailor's design cannot hide.

New Books This Week

New Books this week are:
In Adult Fiction:
9 Dragons by, Michael Connelly
Prayers for Sleep by, Jeffery Deaver
The Missing by, Beverly Lewis
Under the Cajun Moon by, Mindy Starns Clark
Measure of mercy by, Lauraine Snelling
Sweet Smoke by, David Fuller
Swan Peak by, James Lee Burke
The Last Witchfinder by, James Morrow

In Paperback:
The Next Accident by, Lisa Gardner
Close Enough to Kill by, Beverly Barton
At The Stroke of Madness by, Alex Kava
Family Tree by, Barbara Delinsky

In Audio:
One Thousand White Women by, Jim Fergus- Cassette
Fireside by, Susan Wiggs - CD

In Adult Fantasy:
Gods Behaving Badly by, Marie Phillips

In Young Adult:
Mister B. Gone by, Clive Barker
Bran Hambric-The Fairfield Curse by, Kaleb Nation
The Magykal Papers by, Angie Sage

In Juvenile Fiction:
Odd & the Frost Giants by, Neil Gaiman
The Magician’s Elephant by, Kate Di Camillo

In Children’s Fiction:
Creaky Old House by, Linda Ashman
Dewey There’s a Cat in The Library by, Vicki Myron
Are You Quite Polite? Silly Dilly Manners Songs by, Alan Katz
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share by, Mike Reiss
Where is Polka Dots? By, Samantha Berger
Guess Who’s Coming to Santa’s for Dinner? By, Tommie DePaola
Fire, Fire, Emergency by, Kate Hayler
Thomas and the Hide and Seek Animals by, Reverend W. Awdry
My “C” Book by, Jane Belk Moncure
Its Mine! by, Leo Lionni
All You Need for a Snowman by, Alice Schertle
The Missing Mitten Mystery by, Steven Kellogg
The Forgetful Bears by, Larry Weinberg
Garfield’s Ironcat by, Jim Davis
Little Whistle by, Cynthia Rylant
Do Your Ears Hang Low? By, Rachel Lisberg
Oswald makes Music by, Dan Yaccarino
A Little Nap by, Dan Yaccarino
Roar! A Noisy Counting Book by, Pamela Duncan Edwards
Clean Up! by, Dana Nuesner
The Little Snowflake by, Steve Metzger
The Honeywood Street Fair a Little Bill Book
Franklin Fibs by, Paulette Bourgeois
Giggle, Giggle, Quack, Quack by, Doreen Cronin
The Biggest Snowball Ever by, John Rogin
Beach day by, Quinlan B. Lee
Tiny Tilda’s Pumpkin Pie by, Susan Kantor
There Was an Old lady Who Swallowed a Shell by, Lucille Colandro
Animal Parade by, Christine Ricci
The Ants Go Marching by, Jeffery Scherer

Teaser Tuesday~~Odd & The Frost Giants by, Neil Gaiman

TEASER TUESDAYS hosted by Should Be Reading asks you to:


Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!


Please avoid spoilers!

From Odd & The Frost Giants by, Neil Gaiman
PG 78-I’m here to drive the Frost Giants from Asgard, explained Odd. Then smiled at the giant, a big happy, irritating smile.

Friday 56 -An Unexpected Apprentice by, Jody Lynn Nye

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends at http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

The Creature hauled itself out of the surf, its cone-shaped body rearing up ten feet high, muscular tentacles digging into the sand.
~~An Unexpected Apprentice by, Jody Lynn Nye~~

Review of Mister B. Gone by, Clive Barker

This was a very interesting book I would say its Horror/Fantasy.It was written with an interesting perspective its as if the book is having a conversation with you the reader.And the book is a demon wanting to be burned.
There were definately some icky parts of this book when the book/demon tells the reader about his various torture methods it gets pretty graphic.But other than those moments I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected to.
I would recommend this book to Horror fans and anyone who enjoyed Good Omens by, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
3 1/2 Stars

Teaser Tuesday-The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by, Carson McCullers

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:



Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



In Honor of The Big Read todays book is...
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by, Carson McCullers Page 246-
"One thing I've thought about," Mick said."A boy has a better advantage like that than a girl.I mean a boy can usually get a part-time job that don't take him out of school and leave him time for other things.But there's not jobs like that for girls.When a girl wants a job she has to quit school and work full time.I'd sure like to earn a couple bucks a week like you do, but there's just no way."

The Van Alen Legacy ( Blue Bloods #4) by, Melissa De La Cruz

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods #4) by, Melissa De La Cruz

This book takes place a year after the end of book 3.The conclave was pretty much annihilated Lawrence was killed and what’s left of the conclave believe that Schuyler killed him. So her and Oliver go on the run.

In previous book in this series I complained about all the “fashionista” stuff and was very happy that in this book it was not there. This book was full of action from beginning to end with each chapter told by alternating narrator’s- Schuyler, Bliss & Mimi. Schuyler on the run with Oliver, Bliss dealing with “The Visitor” inside her, and Mimi has become a Venator and is traveling with Kingsley Martin.

I really enjoyed this book and I feel it was the best in the series. It was action packed and made look forward to the rest of the series even more.I will leave it at that because telling anymore would spoil it.
I give this book 4 ½ Stars

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This was a wonderful book. It is formed around the mystery that surrounds and combines Dracula the vampire with its namesake, Vlad "the Impaler" Dracula. As the story progresses you learn much more than the basics of vampire lore and ancient customs. There is so much I wish to put down, but how can I without giving away the whole story?

Paul is a historian in America when his life is turned upside down after finding a mysterious book. This book is the basis of the mystery which shrouds Vlad Dracula and his hiding place. When Paul's friend and teacher, Professor Bartholomiew Rossi, dissappears, Paul is stricken with grief. He knows the only way to find his friend is for him to delve into the mystery of the book and Vlad Dracula.

A wonderful book, I give it 5 stars *****
Showie

M.D. by Neil Ravin

M.D. by Neil Ravin

Let me begin by stating that this book is designed for a select demographic. It’s not for everyone. It moves at a very deliberating pace that may seem to drag at times, but engrosses all the same. It was difficult to absorb myself into the work and world of Dr. William Ryan M.D., but once I allowed myself to do so, enjoyed the book immensely. I had to be patient (see what I did there?) and take the time to learn and recognize all the characters. There are quite a few of them and about four of them get…quite intimately involved with Ryan. There are few characters that I feel like I have to take responsibility for and Ryan was one of them. I felt embarrassed as he made his mistakes, angry at an idiotic blunder of another colleague, and smug right along with him. This made the ride of a long year as an intern all the more interesting. The medicine is interesting the deeper you delve, ranging from life threatening sarcomas to a rare reaction to a flu medicine. I don’t have the qualifications to comment on its accuracy concerning the medical procedures, terms, etc. so I simply won’t. Also, some of it could be rather outdated since the book was first published in 1981. Never the less, one could hardly tell as the novel seemed as if it could be present day. Of course, if I was an expert in the medical field, I doubt that would be the case. The ending is rather anticlimactic, but, at the same time, oddly fitting. It resolves some key issues, but leaves the rest of the story up to speculation. I award M.D. by Neil Ravin 4 stars. ****


Review by Alisa Heskin

An Echo in the Bone by, Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone continues the story of Claire & Jamie Fraser.This is book #7 in the Outlander Series.
So I will assume those reading this review have read the previous books so will not go into the story in too great a detail.
At the end of A Breathe of Snow & Ashes Bree, Roger and their children went back to their own time I enjoyed the back and forth in Echo from 1777 to 1980 and seeing them adjust back into life in modern times.
In an Echo in the Bone Jamie & Claire again run into such difficulty during their travels, meeting some new characters along the way some famous in Claire’s actual time.
The love story of course is there with a few others thrown in. The extended family of these two continues to grow as they make their way through the Revolutionary War. With a side trip to Lallybroch where Jamie & Claire deal with endings in more ways than one.

I Loved this book as I have loved this entire series was glad the author let us know what happened with Bree and her family when they went back to their own time. This installment answered some questions revealed some answers and unfortunately left us hanging at the end. But I guess that’s what makes a great series I just wish it wouldn’t be another 2 years or more before we can catch up with Jamie & Claire and find out what happens next. All in All Another Great book by Diana Gabaldon
5*****

Fine Forgiveness

Are you embarrassed that your books are overdue? Scared the fine will be more than the book? Well your worries are over. To celebrate 1 year in our new location we will be having Fine Forgiveness Weeks from Sept. 28th- Oct.9nd.Bring the books back or drop them in the drop box and all fines will be forgiven as long as the books make it back to the library!