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!

Teaser Tuesday-An Echo in the Bone by, Diana Gabldon

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB 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 An Echo In The Bone By, Diana Gabaldon
Page-233-"You've been dreaming of them, haven't you?" I said, when the serving maid had gone out. We'd risen late, tired from the long ride to Wilmington the day before, and were the only diners in the inn's small front room.
He glanced at me and nodded slowly, a small frown between his brows. That made me uneasy; the occasional dreams he had of Bree or the children normally left him peaceful and happy.

I was going to put more but since it is a teaser I am leaving you with that! Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday~~A Breath of Snow and Ashes

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!



With An Echo in the Bone coming out today I thought I'd do a Teaser from Diana Gabaldon's last Oulander book~~ A Breath of Snow and Ashes~~ a little longer than a teaser but I just can't resist.Next week we'll have An Echo in the Bone!

page 584- I was scolded by everyone in sight, including young Ian, frog-marched upstairs virtually by the scruff of the neck, and thrust forcibly back into bed, where, I was given to understand, I should be lucky to be given bread and milk for my supper. The most annoying aspect of the whole situation was Thomas Christie, standing at the foot of the stairs with a mug of beer in his hand, watching as I was led off, and wearing the only grin I had ever seen on his hairy face.
"What in the name of God possessed ye, Sassenach?" Jamie jerked back the quilt gestured, peremptorily at the sheets.
"Well, I felt quite well and-"
" Well! Ye're the color of bad buttermilk, and trembling so ye can scarcely-- here, let me do that." Making snorting noises, he pushed my hands away from the laces of my petticoats, and had them off me in a thrice.

New Books & Library Happenings

Don’t forget The Big Read Kick-Off Burger Bash Sunday Sept. 27th from 12-2 pm at the Opera House.
New books this week:
In Adult Fiction:
The Neighbor by, Lisa Gardner
Alex Cross’s Trial by, James Patterson
Savannah Blues by, Mary Kay Andrews
See No Evil & Hear No Evil by, Allison Brennan
The Spellman Files by, Lisa Lutz
The Mercedes Coffin by, Faye Kellerman
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper by, Kathleen Y’Barbo
A Cousin’s Prayer by, Wanda Brunstetter
Hugger Mugger by, Robert B. Parker
The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by, Luanne Rice
Wicked Prey by, John Sandford
The Last Wife of Henry The VIII by, Carolly Erickson
In Paperback:
Almost Home—92 Pacific Boulevard—Ready for Love by, Debbie Macomber
Guilty by, Karen Robards
Cry Mercy by, Mariah Stewart
Sister’s Choice by, Emelie Richards
In Non-Fiction:
The Children’s Blizzard by, David Laskin
Hen & The Art of Chicken Maintenance by, Martin Gurdon
Madame Secretary a Biography by, Madeline Albright
Toujours Provence & Encore Provence by, Peter Mayle
World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative by, Ivor Mantanle
Pearl harbor America’s Call to Arms by, Life Magazine
Kurdistan by, Z. Arshi
Auschwitz a New History by, Laurence Rees
Egypt by, Nicholaas Biegman
When the Banks Closed, We Opened our Hearts by, Reminisce Magazine
Get Me Out Of here My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder by,Rachel Reiland
Crime Beat by, Michael Connelly
The Evil That Men Do by, Roy Hazelwood
In Audio:
Same Sweet Girls by, Cassandra King
Night Fall by, Nelson DeMille
Honorable Enemies by, Joe Weber
The Summons by, John Grisham
Between the Lines Nine Principles to Live By by, Orel Herschieser
Founding Mother The Women Who Raised Our Country by, Cokie Roberts
Ordinary Resurrections by, Jonathan Kozol
In Young Adult:
Fever 1793 by, Laurie Halse Anderson
Eva Moves the Furniture by, Margot Livesey
Payback Samantha McGregor #4 by, Melody Carlson

Friday 56 Under The Jolly Roger by, L.A. Meyer

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 storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


Here's mine:
From : Under The Jolly Roger:Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber by, L.A. Meyer

The grizzled old seaman who has me around the neck puts rough lips against my ear and whispers," Ye would've gotten clean away from this Hell Ship, girl, if'n you hadn't stopped to save poor Billy, and me mates and me ain't gonna be forgettin' that."
Well, at the very least I shall have a few friends aboard.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Here’s how it works:

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 The Last Wife of Henry VIIIby, Carolly Erickson

Page 31- I kept Anne's secret, and wondered whether, after a time, she would either return to Will or seek an annullment. For though the church did not allow divorce, it is possible to have a marriage annullled, if it had not been consummated. Anne did neither. For the time being, she simply dropped out of our lives.

T.A.B. review of "The Whispering Road" by, Livi Michael

The Whispering Road by, Livi Michael is about Joe and Annie, a brother and sister who were abandoned by their mother at a work house in the English country side. They are then sold out as farm hands only to be beaten and abused. They then escape and make their way along a winding road full of peril and danger, but not without a few kind-hearted souls. A few of these include a vagabond who maybe named Travis (he doesn't believe in giving his real name), the dog woman ( who may be a fallen angel), and a traveling circus full of misfits where Annie fits right in. I'll let you find out why. They meet all these people on their way to Manchester in search of their mother.

The Whispering Road is set amongst the middle class rebellion of the upper class. The middle class is trying to over throw the rich. This makes for an interesting plot. You get to see the cracks in the English social classes, and how people start to realize that the way that things are going on, like putting people in to the work houses, hundreds of children being put out on the streets, and the filth that people live in, could be made better.

Over all The Whispering Road isn't a bad book,. It almost feels like it could be split into two books or more though because our main character Joe goes through all these changes and they are very pronounced.You can tell when a new section of his life is about to happen. I give this book 3 ***

Sheriff Schuster