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 so I simply won’t. Also, some of it could be rather outdated since the book was first published in 1981.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

Friday 56

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.


Here's mine:



Troll Bridge A Rock 'N' Roll Fairy Tale by, Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple-
She lay still, trying to slow her frantic breathing. In her mind, she thought she heard a soft barking chuckle. If she were lucky-- and her luck had not been very good of late--trolls would be too stupid to count to five.

Teaser Tuesday

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



1. Grab your current read.
2. Open to a random page.
3. Share two (or three or four, if you're me) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
4. 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!)
5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Thirteenth Child by, Patricia Wrede Page 159-
Then I felt magic gathering around us, and I heard Lan's voice say " Uncle Earn," just as cold as the air the day the steam dragon fell on Mr. Stoltz's feed store, I felt even sicker. I didn't think Lan was going to pull the magic in and let it go this time.He was going to let loose, and there was no telling what the result would be. My legs were wobbly, but I struggled to my feet, just as Uncle Earn turned toward Lan and opened his mouth.
" Uncle Earn," I said, loud and clear as I could." If it's me you have a grudge on, it's me you ought to be talking to."

Friday 56

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 Hob's Bargain by, Patricia Briggs
Finally,frustrated, I kicked my feet free from the stirups and lay flat on his back, trusting him to follow the others without making a fuss.

Wishful Wednesday

What books have you been wishing you buy / get lately?





Weekly event brought to you by MizB





These two are on my wish list but just haven't gotten around to ordering them yet!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...
•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 Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

The Neighbor by, Lisa Gardner
Pg.54-Miller would guess the high net worth came from a lump sum deposit,such as an inheritance or insurance settlement.He had detectives working on tracing the money now.

Magyk

This book is about the family of Septimus Heap. Septimus was lost at birth, but on the same day his family found a baby girl. Twelve years later the baby girl is found to be the missing princess. This explodes the lives of all the Heaps, a boy from the young army, and a mage into mass caos.

They all end up in a marsh battle to reclaim thier country. In this story the find Septimus and new friends. I loved this book and thought it was so full of unexpected suprises. I gave it 4 stars.(****) Review by: Alyssa N.

written by: Angie Sage

Friday 56

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.

He was older now and if he didn't get his strength back soon,how could he possibly hope to beat it this time.--Curse of the Bane The Last Apprentice by,Joseph Delaney

The Vampire Diaries Books 1 & 2 by, L.J. Smith

The Vampire Diaries -The Awakening & The Struggle

This was a just ok..It wasn't a bad book but wasn't great either I hope that makes sense.It reminded me alot of Twilight BUT this was written Before Twilight so I guess I should say twilight reminded me of this book.It ended in the middle of a big scene and I really don't don't feel the need to run and get the next book off the shelf,so that should tell you something right there.Younger teens who like paranormal romance may like this but I enjoyed her NightWorld books better.I am really curious how this is going to be a TV Series.2 1/2 Stars

Teaser Tuesday

I will be gone tomorrow so thought I'd post this early!
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

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 Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

The Lace Reader by, Brunonia Barry
Page 109-It is the journal I wrote at McLean.Dosed with Stelazine,my face hanging and droopy.I wrote my history as I remembered it

Friday 56

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 Vampie Diaries The Awakening by L.J. Smith
"Now," she continued,looking at the other two with sparkling dark eyes," we all press our thumbs together and swear.

Feel free to post yours in comments.

The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

The Society of S is a book about a teenage girl and...never mind, I won’t tell you. Although, the book summary does spoil it rather nicely. The book centers around Ari, a rather sheltered child living with her father. I’m not going to continue boring you with plot summary because that’s what reading the book is for, right? After all, now I’ve cleverly created mystery which will entice you to read it out of sheer curiosity. That is exactly what I recommend, read it.
The characters are interesting and not simple cardboard cutouts unlike other supporting characters with blind loyalty or simple motives. As most young adult novels center around, the theme deals with the coming of age and, in effect, coming to terms with yourself. That’s not particularly a bad thing because Society of S does it quite well. The writing is engaging, extremely so. However, I’m not sure which category to put the book in. It’s somewhat of an adventure mixed with some fantasy, and a more of a science fiction persona with a dash of conspiracy to make it fun. Unlike most science fiction I’ve read, the writing was fluid and never seemed to sputter on inexplicable, scientific jargon—the plague that most sci-fi seem to suffer from.
The villain was vaguely clear after some time, although to some, he might appear more Machiavellian than “evil.” Strangely enough, the actual Society of S isn’t even mentioned until the last 50 pages or so from the end. It doesn’t play a prominent role except for, perhaps, only the lifestyle it imposes. Again, one of the best aspects of the novel (now horribly clichéd by today’s writers) will stay unknown until you so choose to read the spoiling book summary or decide to read the book yourself. I recommend avoiding the summary and head straight to the book. I award The Society of S by Susan Hubbard 4 stars. ****

Review by Alisa Heskin

Arthur and the Seeing Stone

- Kevin Crossley-Holland

A well written story of a boy named Arthur, in the year 1199. Arthur is a young boy, soon to become a man. He is diligent

in his studies and practices his yard skills often. He takes great pride in his ability to read and write. He speaks as often as

possible with his friend Merlin, as he tries to understand the things that happen in the world.

Merlin gives Arthur a piece of obsidian, which Arthur treasures more than anything. As he holds it, it grows warm and shows

him things. One of these things is himself, but not himself. The boy in the stone looks like him, and bears the same name, but

they are not of the same world. Some things that Arthur-in-the-stone does, happen in his world, with some variations.

A very good book, with a twist on the old ledgends.

T.A.B. Review Aimee by, Mary Beth Miller

Aimee by, Mary Beth Miller is just another yawn.There is nothing special about it.The story line seems a bit over used,I'm sad to say.Zoe,the main character of the book,is dealing with the death of her best friend Aimee who killed herself.Except,everyone believes that Zoe helped Aimee die,even her family.So after a big court case,Zoe and her family move away from their hometown leaving her old life behind.During the course of the novel you slowly learn why Aimee killed herself and at the end Zoe realizes it was not her fault that Aimee died.
There is nothing really new or eye catching about this book.It is an overused storyline in todays society and is very depressing,not even the end can lift the black pawl on this book.To give it some credit though the characters are very well developed and the storyline,though overused,is very sturdy.There is no rambling on about insignificant things.I give this book 3/5 stars.
Sara Schuster

Bone Crossed by, Patricia Briggs

In the fourth book of the Mercy Thompson Series Mercy is once again up against bad vampires including an old enemy Marsilia.This is a great series I love Mercy she is such a strong independent woman.She takes care of herself even though she has all these Alpha Males/Werewolves on her side ,She fights for who she cares about and she fights for herself and tries her best not to become a "victim".What I really like about this book was that after the awful trauma she went through in the last book it wasn't just oh that story is over she's all better,no she deals with post traumatic stress and panic attacks.I like that she is relatable even in a fantasy world.
I also appreciate the fact that the writer of this book Patricia Briggs doesn't need to go into the long drawn out sex/love scene her writing reminds me of the old movies where you got to see the build-up and then the couple closing the bedroom door.
I will definitely keep reading about Mercy ,and recommending this book.5*****

Alisa's Occasional, Arbitrary, Movie Reviews #1

Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Released in 1990
Directed by Renny Harlin
Starring Bruce Willis
Rated R

There isn’t much to a Die Hard film. It’s actually quite simple in hindsight. Namely, the main components being cussing, violence, the obligatory stupidly, stubborn character, and of course, the real hero that goes it alone in the fight against evil. However, the difference between a Die Hard movie and any other action movie is that…the Die Hard franchise does it extremely well.

The first Die Hard is a classic, and there’s usually two ways a sequel can go when following such a movie. Either it improves on the flaws of the original, thus making a better installment, or it’s a half-hearted attempt screwed up by some change in the production (whether it be different writers, directors, cast, etc.). Die Hard 2 is somewhere in the middle.

Die Hard 2 takes place in an airport located in Washington D.C. Terrorists have taken over all communications making it impossible for the control tower to relay instructions to the planes flying above. Their goal is to procure the release of a political prisoner by any means necessary. The storyline reminds me of the first Die Hard where Hans Gruber gives the LAPD false demands which also dealt with the release of political prisoners. Is this a nod to the original? Either way, the threat is conveyed rather effectively given that the planes forced to circle above have only a limited amount of fuel to stay airborne. The threat is made even more real when the viewers discover that John McClane’s wife and mother-in-law are aboard one of the endangered planes.

Bruce Willis returns to his iconic role as Officer John McClane, basically a man who can't tolerate stupidity and does whatever he believes is needed to get the job done and done right. This ideal leads to a multitude of clashes with the captain of the airport police force. As I mentioned before, there’s usually one idiotic character in a movie like this. Voila! The army also makes an appearance later on as the situation escalates. Anyway, enough plot summary.

Die Hard 2 doesn’t live up to its predecessor. It still has merit as a more than decent action flick. This just doesn’t have the same feeling of claustrophobia or urgency as the first film managed. The villain, played by William Sadler, isn’t nearly as fun as Alan Rickman’s character in Die Hard. Although, I’m not being entirely fair as Rickman is a very hard actor to match in terms of diabolical “evilness.”

Willis is excellent, as usual, playing McClane. He’s human, vulnerable, but manages to take on however many henchmen needed to save the day. Another aspect of the Die Hard films that I’ve appreciated is the fact that he can bleed. He’s not invincible and he comes out of heavy fights with injuries and ignores the pain to get what he needs accomplished. This wasn’t nearly as prevalent. Countless sprays of bullets were aimed at McClane and not one hits him? Yes, he doesn’t come out of the ordeal without a scratch, but it’s not as neatly done. He has blood streaming from somewhere, and I’m left to guess how it happened. Was it in an explosion? Was it the gunfights? Fisticuffs? It’s this amount of detail that I miss, but overall this is simply a fan’s quibbles.

The continuity in the second movie is a nice touch. It’s not merely another installment that just happens to have the same characters in a new situation, but acknowledges the events of the first film and the consequences stemming from it. This intrigues and also adds comedic moments between McClane and a certain female reporter. A few other past characters make an appearance such as Officer Powell and Richard Thornburg (the reporter from the previous movie). This leads to excellent scenes and comic relief.

In the grand scheme of it all, Die Hard 2 is still an excellent movie with fine special effects and intense action. Is it as good as the original? In my humble opinion, it’s not quite up there. That shouldn’t stop anyone from watching this spectacle though. With twists and turns along the road, clever dialogue, and lots of things that go boom, Die Hard 2 is still one of the better action movies out there.

4 Stars ****

Waiting on Wednesday

An Echo in the Bone ( Outlander Book 7) by, Diana Gabaldon
Release Date September 22,2009
Summary-Jamie Fraser, erstwhile Jacobite and reluctant rebel, knows three things about the American rebellion: the Americans will win, unlikely as that seems in 1778; being on the winning side is no guarantee of survival; and he'd rather die than face his illegitimate son - a young lieutenant in the British Army - across the barrel of a gun. Fraser's time-travelling wife, Claire, also knows a couple of things: that the Americans will win, but that the ultimate price of victory is a mystery. What she does believe is that the price won't include Jamie's life or happiness - not if she has anything to say.

Claire's grown daughter Brianna, and her husband, Roger, watch the unfolding of Brianna's parents' history - a past that may be sneaking up behind their own family.




WoW is hosted by Jill - head over there to see what other bloggers are looking forward to this week.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

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 Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I've decided to do three different genres this week mystery-christian fiction-young adult:

The 8th Confession by, James Patterson- page 99-When Cindy left Neil Pincus,she was irritated and just as determined as before.The lawyer had called her girl.Like she was one of his kids.He'd underestimated her tenacity,and he didn't get that she was a working journalist who covered crime. She was careful.She was experienced.She was a pro. And what she hated the most ? He'd gotten to her.

The Edge of Light by, Ann Shorey-pg 166-"Nothing I do lines up with the way his late wife did things.You'd think I was ten years old, the way he acts." She sighed.She'd been concerned about protecting her virtue once under Mr. Pitt's roof and instead found herself sharing a house with a man fixated on turning her into a duplicate of his dead wife.No matter what I prepare for,life sends me something else.

Hunger by, Michael Grant-pg.258-Zil rounded Edilio."You going to make Hunter give up his weapon?Huh?He's got powers,man,and that okay,but the normals can't have weapons?How are we supposed to defend ourselves from the freaks?"

A Scandal in Bohemia, The Red-Headed League, and A Case of Identity

What is it that fascinates readers when it comes to Sherlock Holmes? It's been to the point where some don't even realize he was a fictional character. Others have formed groups in his honor--The Baker Street Irregulars, Sherlockians, the list goes on. Why have other authors attempted the character, written biographies, or debated for years whether he attended Cambridge or Oxford? The answers are many, varied and changes from fan to fan. Personally, I harbor an admiration for his quick wit, intelligence, and superb deductive abilities. The character is also a mystery. The author never dwells on Holmes the character, but rather his methods, successes, and more rarely, his failures. The majority of the stories are written behind Watson's eyes which I find welcoming. Watson is as amazed, astonished, disgusted, or mystified as we are by his companion. To tie in with my recent Sherlock Holmes "spree", the following contains short reviews concerning three of the fifty-six short stories penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

"A Scandal in Bohemia"
This is the first of the "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." We are also introduced to whom Holmes will always refer to as "the woman"--Irene Adler. Adler is the only woman Holmes has ever shown interst in. She is one of the few who can match his ingenuity. This remains one of my personal favorites because of the sharp dialogue that it seems only Doyle can provide. Smugness is suddenly an attractive quality in a character to say the least. The plot has a few twists and turns and is overall, an very entertaining read. By the end, I wasn't sure if I was pleased the most with the apparent victor of the match between Holmes and Adler or the opposite--both being intriguing. Another quality of the Holmes collection is that reading them in order is not required. With the exception of a few, they can be read in any order. However, I would recommend the reading of a few of the short stories or at least "A Study in Scarlet" before this as it would familiarize the characters which greatens the impact of this particular one. I award "A Scandal in Bohemia" 4 stars. ****

"The Red-Headed League"
There a quite a variety of short stories concerning Holmes. Many, of course, deal with crime (from murder to thievery), some with misunderstanding, and others are quite comical. The following is a combination. Without spoiling too much, as the title suggests, Holmes client features a fiery red head in quite a confounding position. While I didn't particularly enjoy this entry, it's unique and quite unorthodox. It also helps that it isn't lengthy since the plot isn't complex. The most interesting portion of the story is the explanation of the queer events. I award "The Red-Headed League" 3 stars. ***

"A Case of Identity"
It's always a treat when Doyle allows the reader insight into Holmes' thoughts and beliefs. This is how "A Case of Identity" is introduced, a debate between Watson and Holmes about what is normal, extraordinary, interesting, and its involvement with society. There seems to be a misconception about Watson's intelligence. The general view is that Watson isn't the sharpest man. I disagree. After all, he is a physician and secondly, anyone would pale in comparison to Holmes. But, I suppose that's besides the point. I find this to be a case in which Holmes would refer to as having "features of interest." It's quite short, but the overall plot doesn't suffer from it. Another one of my favorites due to its strange (but almost expected) twist and excellent writing, I award "A Case of Identity" 4 stars. ****


Reviews by Alisa Heskin

The Beguilers by Kate Thompson

This book was defiantly an interesting one. I don't really know what to say about it. The story was very... odd. It was one of those books you just want to be over. The few good things about this book are that I never knew what was going to happen next and it was a fantasy book (which is one of my favorite types of book). Over all I give this book a three out of five stars.

The Friday 56

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.

"Yet here she was,scepter in hand,following a path between the palace and the outer wall that separated the grounds from the rest of Wonderopolis."
Seeing Redd by, Frank Beddor

Want it Wednesday

Title: The Van Alen Legacy Blue Bloods Book #4

Release date : Oct.6,2009

Story synopsis:

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

***I liked this series and am looking forward to this one because Book #3 really left me hanging!

Teaser Tuesday

Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two "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!

Still Alice by, Lisa Genova-pg.129-"I don't remember much." There it was,her Alzheimer's,stripped and naked under fluorescent lighting,on display for Sarah Something to scrutinize and judge.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by, Justine Larbalester-pg.188-"What's your Fairy?" I asked.
"Jukebox". "What's a jukebox fairy?" I asked,wondering what a jukebox was.
"Wherever I go the music playing is always something I like. I never hear music I hate."

100 Posts

Wow I just realized that we have posted 100 posts on this blog!
I would like to Thank NRPLTAB for their great reviews you all make my job fun!!
And thank-you Sara S. for helping me hang my NEH Picturing America Pictures!

New Books This Week

New Books this week are:
In Adult fiction:
Knockout by, Catherine Coulter
Swimsuit by, James Patterson
The Reverend Finds His Calling by, Paula Winskye
The Historian by,Elizabeth Kostova
I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason by,Susan Kandel
Choke Point by,James Mitchell
The Real Minerva by, Mary Sharratt
The Woman of The House by,Alice Taylor
In Adult Non-Fiction:
It's Not About The Bike My Journey Back To Life by, Lance Armstrong
Sacred Hoops Spiritual Lessons from a Hardwood Warrior by, Phil Jackson
Wisdom of the Ages 60 days to Enlightenment by,Wayne Dyer
In Young Adult:
The Vampire Diaries books 1-4 by, LJ Smith
How to Ditch Your Fairy by, Justine Larbelester
Talyn by, Holly Lisle
Bonecrossed ( Mercy Thompson #4) by, Patricia Briggs
Ironside A Modern Fairytale by, Holly Black
Dogland by, Will Shetterly
Incantaion by, Alice Hoffman
Beastly by, Alex Flinn
In Juvenile Fiction:
I'm Glad Poems About Me by,Jack Prelutsky
Prairie Dog at Home on The Range by,Sarah Toast
The Kid Who Became President by, Dan Gutman
Stage Fright by, Ann M. Martin
The Witches by, Roald Dahl
The Midnight Horse by, Sid Fleischman
Blue Ribbon Friends by,Allison Estes
Elizabeth Gail and the Mystery of Johnson Farm by, James Preller
Danger After Dark by, Ellie McDonald
Ottoline and The Yellow Cat by,Chris Riddell
The Following are all by Matt Christopher:
the Submarine Pitch-The Team that Couldn't Lose-Look Who's Playing First Base-Catching Waves-Soccer Duel-Soccer Hero-Miracle at the Plate-Fairway Phenom-Center Court Sting-Dirt Bike Runaway-Body Check-Double Play at Short-On the Bike With Lance Armstrong
In Chapter Books:
The Impossibles by,Agnes McCarthy
Scooby-Doo and The Fairground Phantom by,James Gelsey
Doggone it! By, Nancy Krulik
Marshal Matt and The Case of the Freezing Finger by,Nancy Sanders
The Ruby Princess Runs Away by,Jahnna Malcolm
Sheltie in Double Trouble & Sheltie Goes To School by, Peter Clover
Silver by, Gloria Whelan
Junie B. Jones Has A Monster Under Her Bed by, Barbara Parks
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by, Barbara Parks

Teaser Tuesday

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two "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!

Fatally Flaky by, Diane Mott Davidson-page 151-Julian popped into the kitchen through the back door."Fire's ready.Oh man, you should see Billie.That Dress does not fit her.She looks like a whale inside a white girdle thats ,like,two sizes too small."

Summerland by, Michale Chabon-page 208-"That does it," snapped Padfoot.he grabbed Mr.Feld by the back of his collar and dragged him to his feet,dangling him by means of one powerful brutish arm,so that Mr.Felds toes barely grazed the floor."mr.Bruce feld,prepare to lose yourself the remainder of your marbles."

The Scarecrow by, Michael Connelly-page 187-"Jack, you can't write it and you know it.You are the story.I need to get you with Larry so he can interview you and then write the story.The switchboard's taken more than thirty messages from reporters wanting to interview you,including the New York Times,Katie Couric, even Craig Ferguson from the Late Late Show."
"Ferguson's not a reporter."

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

In World War 2, a plane crashes on a remote island, stranding a group young boys. The boys have fun for a time, but soon things break apart. Rules become a thing of the past, the signal fire is all but forgotten, and savagery becomes the new way of life. Hunting is all that is important to most of the boys, and those who don't agree are excluded and left to die. That is until they become a "threat" to the new way of life the boys have found on the island...

I thought that the idea of being stranded on an island and living a young boy's fantasy of growing up in the wild with no adults or rules was nice, but only as an idea. This novel seemed a little longwinded even though it is a very short book, and it seemed a little random at times. One minute the boys are prancing around having fun and the next they might be in an argument over how important hunting really was to their survival. No offense to anyone who liked "The Great Gatsby", but that is the only comparison I have as far as books that I have a great dislike for...

Two stars * *

Erienne Sjoquist

Blackthorn Winter by Kathryn Reiss

First off, this book was very predictable. It's your average murder mystery, so there were no real surprises.
Juliana Martin-Drake is not happy about moving to England with her mother and twin siblings. But her mother wants some "time off" from her marriage and goes back to her homeland of jolly old England to work on her paintings. Juliana meets a boy who we can obviously predict she falls in love with and tries to investigate the murder of her mother's close friend Liza Pethering. Juliana, who is adopted, rediscovers her forgotten memories of childhood and uses them to solve the mystery. Everything wraps up nicely, if a bit boringly, but it was still a good ending.
This was a rather good book, even with all the predictableness, so it will be getting: 3 stars ***

New Movies from Books Coming Soon

Which Ones Are You Looking Forward To?

My Sister's Keeper by,Jodi Picoult

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince by, JK Rowlings

The Time Traveler's Wife by, Audrey Niffinger

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by,Judy Barrett

Where the Wild Things Are by, Maurice Sendak

The Lovely Bones by, Alice Seibold

Twilight New Moon by, Stephenie Meyer

I also heard they are doing a movie to the Percy Jackson Series and
The Guardians of Ga'houle.
And a TV Show on the CW from the Vampire Diaries by,LJ Smith those books have been ordered and should be here next week!
The movie I'm most looking forward to is Harry Potter and second would be Where the Wild Things Are!

Black Taxi By:James Moloney

This book is about Rosie Sinclair. Her grandfather was just put in prison for six months after a thirty year career of a not so legal nature.While he is in prison Rosie gets to take care of his black Mercedes.

The Problem: After Rosie gets the car and a cell phone of her grandfather's she starts receiving threatening phone calls from "Mr. Underworld."

Other characters: Glenda her best friend who also happens to be an exotic dancer, Todd a nice sporty boy who she kinda likes, and bad boy Chris who turns her world upside down.

Summary: After getting the car and phone Rosie gets calls threatening her grandfather if she doesn't return the ring.She also finds out that her grandpa also uses the Mercedes to taxi some elderly people around town. Now with the help of Glenda, Todd, and Chris Rosie fights to keep her grandfather safe.Will she be successful? Find out in Black Taxi.

I really liked how this author keeps you guessing.He has you thinking it's this person then suddenly he proves you wrong.This was a great book so i gave it 4 stars. (****)

Singing the Dogstar Blues, by Alison Goodman

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 suspensful 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!!!

Join Our Group On Facebook

Sorry can't figure out how to make it clickable so you'll have to copy and paste it into your browser!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=75952658495

Teaser Tuesday

TEASER TUESDAYS 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!

Take Two by, Karen Kingsbury-The Doctor isn't sure."There were tears in her mom's voice."can you please come?"

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by, Maggie O'Farrell -Esme stares.The scene seems to tremble and break apart.She has the sensation of being pulled strongly towards it,as if drawn by a magnet.

Waiting for Normal by, Leslie Connor-Mommers was always getting ideas.Big ideas.She always dove right in,too,like she was in a hurry,like a person trying to catch up.

Hoot - Carl Hiaasen

This was a good book! i thought at least! i saw the movie long before i read the book but the book was so much better! It's about this boy who's tryin to save these little owls from having there burrows crushed for a new pancake house. Along with him his step sister and a kid nick-named Tex, who just moved from Montana to Florida, have to out smart an old guy watchin over the site till the construction starts! It's a good book but it has some bad launguage. i wouldn't recommend it for younger kids. I give it 3 stars.

Holiday Hours

The Library will be closed July 3rd.For Independence Day!Sorry for any inconvenience!

Random Reviews Young Adult Books

These are just some books I've read in the past month or two that I thought I'd write a short review on.
Body of Christopher Creed, The by Carol Plum-Ucci,
This is a hard book to review without giving away the major plot points.Suffice it to say(if you read the book you'll understand that) anyone who lives in small town should read this book!We all know about bullying and outcasts especially in high schol but as you get older you realize its not just high school there are adult bullies and outcasts too.And in a a small town everyone has a secret.I found this book engaging and see why it won so many honor awards.I would venture to say that everyone should read this book!4****

Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic Book) by Patricia Wrede,
I did enjoy this book its 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 definatly 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 theorioes about certain characters that I will be curious to find out if I am right about.4****

Anansi Boys: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
Ah Neil you did it again..I just love anything this man writes!!And this one was no exception!I won't go into the whole story ,but the characters in this book had me laughing.There wasn't any flat characters at all they were all so fleshed out so you cared what happened to each and everyone of them including the bad guy!Loved it!
5*****

In the Company of Ogres by A. Lee Martinez
This was a hilarious book..If you like Terry Pratchett or Terry Brooks Andover Try this book!Never Dead Ned is a great character though his name sounds like he can't die its more lke he can't stay dead he dies all the time..When he ends up in charge of Ogre Company his life as it is will change forever I can't say more you have to read this book!!
4 1/2 ****

Waiting for Normal by,Leslie Connor
This is a great book I see why it won awards!Addie is a young girl hoping for a normal life,but with a 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!!!!
5*****

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
The concept of this book is very interesting the Blue Bloods came over on the Mayflower they are "immortal"but in a new way they live to 100 then are reborn then in their teens they aquire all their past memories.This was a quick read I guess all the brand names were a bit much they took up too much of the book.I will finish reading this series and am hoping it gets better.It definatly didn't live up to all the hype so far.
3 1/2 ***

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz
Well I certainly liked this book better than the first..it does grab you and keep you interested especially the last 100 pages I couldn't put it down.That being said I wish there was more character develpoment and less fashionista.I am wondering if anything is going to redeem Mimi she is the most awful person and I guess I like an anti-hero I can root for at least somewhat.I will finish this series off as it left you hanging so much that a person almost has to.My advice though would be to make sure you have ALL the books before you begin they are a quck read with major cliffhangers.
4****

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz
I really like this book but I thought it was the last in the series but I guess not.So now have to wait till Oct.09 for the next one.I do like the whole concept of this series its so interesting.I do feel that there were major holes in the story like when Bliss leaves Allegra and she was screaming and then never went back to her at all,I thought Schyler visited her mom every sunday?So what happened there?It was never explained so am hoping it will be in the next book!All in all a pretty good series.
4****

Random Reviews Adult Books

These are just some books I've read in the past month or two that I thought I'd write a short review on.
Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson,
I enjoyed this interesting romance..The concept was fun Jane had an imaginary friend ,Michael,when she was little to help her cope with her overbearing mother.,When Jane is in her 30's she meets up the real Michael and they fall in love.One thing about this book is you have to suspend some belief and don't look to hard at the schematics of the whole situation.Such as why do other people see Michael now?But I disagree with people who have said this was a bit a fluff yes it was a light read but a good book none the less I would recommend this book to anyone! 4****

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline,
This was a different book than Lisa usually writes its not about lawyers.Its a very good book action all the way through.I won't go into the whole story see it above.It was a book I couldn't put down, the story is so engaging its sucks you in from page one and doesn't let up till the end!The twist and turns it takes keep you on the edge of your seat.Well written as,you've come to expect from Lisa Scottoline. 4 1/2****

Miss Julia Hits The Road by, Ann Ross
This was my first Miss Julia book I did find it cute and loved all the Biker stuff because I am one.Love her southern humor
though I was expecting a mystery it was a cute book. 3 1/2***

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd,
This was an interesting story, of midlife crises of possible mental illness,and of secrets and truths. I did find it a little slow at times but it was still a good story,with characters you can care about even with their flaws. Although some people think of this book as just a sad tale of a woman who has an affair I felt it was so much more than that and that the affair was all part of Jessie journey. What would you do if you get a phone call telling you your mother has chopped off a finger and that she did it on purpose?Especially after being estranged from her after your father dies when you feel to blame for it. The truth of her fathers death is at the heart of this book ,and I won't give any spoilers. Suffice it to say Jessie's journey takes some twists and turns for her to make her way back “home” to herself. 3 1/2 ***