If you are a history buff as I am, I highly recommend The Murder of Helen Jewett: the life and death of a prostitute in nineteenth-century New York. During this time period murder in New York was not as prevalent as you might think, and brothels were a societal norm. Using historical records, news articles, and letters written by the victim to her patrons, author Patricia Cline Cohen provides a thoughtful and in-depth look into the life of one young lady from her childhood in Maine to her brutal death in a New York City brothel. Cohen discusses Helen's migration from Maine to New York, and touches on commerce, the development of communities, and the mingling of the classes in New England. Upon Helen's death, the reader is witness to every circumstance - from the inquest, to the investigation and trial, and the rumor and sensationalism created by the burgeoning field of investigative journalism. Cohen also includes the scandal involved with the murdered prostitute’s clientele and the fact that during her formative years she was in the care of one of Maine's leading families, who afforded her a formal education.
--Larry G.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Great December Releases
I know what you're thinking: as if you have time to read this month, what with all of the holiday preparation, shopping, and cooking! However, if you can spare a moment to yourself, check out one of these upcoming releases. Trust me, the break will be worth it!
December 7th: Puttering About in a Small Land by Phillip K. Dick
Roger and Virginia Lindhal’s marriage is already on the rocks when they enroll their son in a private school in the mountains of California. When they meet the Bonners, a complicated series of events, emotions, and traumas are released. This story is typical Phillip Dick, with an intense emotional buildup and very detailed characters. You’ll find that you won’t be able to put it down.
December 7th: The Good Son by Russel D. McLean
Looking for a new author? Try this debut by new Scottish writer McLean. Scottish private investigator J. McNee tries to come to terms with his immense personal baggage as he investigates the apparent suicide of Daniel Robertson. This tale of love, betrayal, and loss successfully blends classic mystery styles with a more edgy modern flair.
December 14th: Witch and Wizard by James Patterson
In this gripping dystopian story, 15-year old Wisty and her older brother Whit are thrown in a secret prison with no explanation. While in prison, they discover new and incredible powers, but can they master their skills in time to save themselves- and the world? Patterson delivers another page-turning thriller sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
December 14th: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
In another dystopian world, Eddie Russett has no desire to be anything but completely loyal to the Collective, who rule society through color. When he meets Jane, life as he knew it is shattered as she opens his eyes to the truth behind the “Colortocracy.” Fforde is equal parts humorous, genius, and ridiculous in this new romantic thriller.
Happy reading!!
--Jenn C.
December 7th: Puttering About in a Small Land by Phillip K. Dick
Roger and Virginia Lindhal’s marriage is already on the rocks when they enroll their son in a private school in the mountains of California. When they meet the Bonners, a complicated series of events, emotions, and traumas are released. This story is typical Phillip Dick, with an intense emotional buildup and very detailed characters. You’ll find that you won’t be able to put it down.
December 7th: The Good Son by Russel D. McLean
Looking for a new author? Try this debut by new Scottish writer McLean. Scottish private investigator J. McNee tries to come to terms with his immense personal baggage as he investigates the apparent suicide of Daniel Robertson. This tale of love, betrayal, and loss successfully blends classic mystery styles with a more edgy modern flair.
December 14th: Witch and Wizard by James Patterson
In this gripping dystopian story, 15-year old Wisty and her older brother Whit are thrown in a secret prison with no explanation. While in prison, they discover new and incredible powers, but can they master their skills in time to save themselves- and the world? Patterson delivers another page-turning thriller sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
December 14th: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
In another dystopian world, Eddie Russett has no desire to be anything but completely loyal to the Collective, who rule society through color. When he meets Jane, life as he knew it is shattered as she opens his eyes to the truth behind the “Colortocracy.” Fforde is equal parts humorous, genius, and ridiculous in this new romantic thriller.
Happy reading!!
--Jenn C.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Flash Forward
What would you do if you got a glimpse of your own personal future and it looked bleak? Would you try to change things or accept that the future is unchangeable and make the best of it? In Flash Forward, now an ABC series on Thursday evening which is loosely based on the 1999 novel by Robert J. Sawyer, you will get a chance to see what some have done when faced with that question.
Give the book a try; it is a little more technical than the loosely based series but an interesting novel that makes you think, “What if....?”
--Lois M.
Give the book a try; it is a little more technical than the loosely based series but an interesting novel that makes you think, “What if....?”
--Lois M.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Lost Symbol: What Did You Think?
“The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown is a predictable adventure. Twists and turns that make you scratch your head but still hold your interest enough to want see where it all ends. And as in his previous book, “The Da Vinci Code,” there’s enough intriguing details to investigate further once you put the book down.
What did you think? Leave us a comment and let us know!
--Alana F.
What did you think? Leave us a comment and let us know!
--Alana F.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
More Historical Intrigue
What began as just another Showtime series soon became my obsession.
Life in Tudor England and especially the court of Henry VIII caught my attention not only for the main character Jonathan Ryes Myers but also the subject line that followed.
I knew it would be a fictional tale with liberties taken in the plot but soon it proved to be an interesting adaptation of this time in history.
Because of this Showtime series I found myself reading books, some fiction others nonfiction, in an attempt to sort out the true facts from the surreal; what follows are a list of books I found myself reading in a futile attempt to unravel the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The author uses many public records and personal letters of the early 1500's to offer a comprehensive version of the tempestuous private and public lives of Henry VIII and his six wives.
In Triumph's Wake: Royal Mothers, Tragic Daughters, and the Price They Paid for Glory
By: Julia P. Gelardi
Historian Gelardi focuses on the fates of three pairs of royal mothers and daughters: Isabella of Castile and Catherine of Aragon, Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette, and Queen Victoria and Empress Frederick.
The Constant Princess
By: Philippa Gregory
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England but things do not turn out as planned, in this dramatization it shows how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title after the death of Price Arthur.
Mademoiselle Boleyn
By: Robin Maxwell
A look at the future queen of England before Henry VIII comes into her life.
Anne Boleyn; A new Life of England’s Tragic Queen
By: Denny, Joanna
For a change of pace read about the true life and tragedy associated with the life of Anne Boleyn.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Starring: Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson
DVD 2008
This is a tale of two sisters competing for the same king. This movie version uses some historical but mostly fictional details to weave an interesting and entertaining story.
The Last Wife of Henry VIII
By Carolly Erickson
In this first-person account of the life of Catherine Parr, who survived marriage to the dangerous and mercurial Henry Tudor, is arguably his most interesting bride. Cultured, well-educated and beautiful, "Cat" catches Henry's eye as a young girl and benefits and suffers from his favor all her life but in the end, gets everything she wants.
The Children of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The tragedy of four accidental rivals to a throne, three of them children by different mothers of a much married king does not lose any of its drama by frequent retelling. Along with the royal siblings the doomed Lady Jane Grey is included.
Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
By: Alison Weir
Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554), whose ascension to the English throne was briefly and unluckily. Jane's parents groomed her from infancy to be the perfect consort for Henry's son, Prince Edward. When Edward dies, Lord and Lady Dorset maneuver the throne for their 16-year-old daughter. Using multiple narrators, Weir weaves a conspiratorial web with Jane caught at the center.
The Lady Elizabeth
By Alison Weir
The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary.
The Mistresses of Henry VIII
By: Kelly Hart
This is a behind the scenes look at the many other women in King Henry VIII’s life.
I find myself anxiously awaiting the start of season four of Showtime’s “The Tudors” and reading, not only about the wives and children, but the many other fascinating people during this time period.
--Lois
Life in Tudor England and especially the court of Henry VIII caught my attention not only for the main character Jonathan Ryes Myers but also the subject line that followed.
I knew it would be a fictional tale with liberties taken in the plot but soon it proved to be an interesting adaptation of this time in history.
Because of this Showtime series I found myself reading books, some fiction others nonfiction, in an attempt to sort out the true facts from the surreal; what follows are a list of books I found myself reading in a futile attempt to unravel the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The author uses many public records and personal letters of the early 1500's to offer a comprehensive version of the tempestuous private and public lives of Henry VIII and his six wives.
In Triumph's Wake: Royal Mothers, Tragic Daughters, and the Price They Paid for Glory
By: Julia P. Gelardi
Historian Gelardi focuses on the fates of three pairs of royal mothers and daughters: Isabella of Castile and Catherine of Aragon, Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette, and Queen Victoria and Empress Frederick.
The Constant Princess
By: Philippa Gregory
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England but things do not turn out as planned, in this dramatization it shows how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title after the death of Price Arthur.
Mademoiselle Boleyn
By: Robin Maxwell
A look at the future queen of England before Henry VIII comes into her life.
Anne Boleyn; A new Life of England’s Tragic Queen
By: Denny, Joanna
For a change of pace read about the true life and tragedy associated with the life of Anne Boleyn.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Starring: Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson
DVD 2008
This is a tale of two sisters competing for the same king. This movie version uses some historical but mostly fictional details to weave an interesting and entertaining story.
The Last Wife of Henry VIII
By Carolly Erickson
In this first-person account of the life of Catherine Parr, who survived marriage to the dangerous and mercurial Henry Tudor, is arguably his most interesting bride. Cultured, well-educated and beautiful, "Cat" catches Henry's eye as a young girl and benefits and suffers from his favor all her life but in the end, gets everything she wants.
The Children of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The tragedy of four accidental rivals to a throne, three of them children by different mothers of a much married king does not lose any of its drama by frequent retelling. Along with the royal siblings the doomed Lady Jane Grey is included.
Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
By: Alison Weir
Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554), whose ascension to the English throne was briefly and unluckily. Jane's parents groomed her from infancy to be the perfect consort for Henry's son, Prince Edward. When Edward dies, Lord and Lady Dorset maneuver the throne for their 16-year-old daughter. Using multiple narrators, Weir weaves a conspiratorial web with Jane caught at the center.
The Lady Elizabeth
By Alison Weir
The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary.
The Mistresses of Henry VIII
By: Kelly Hart
This is a behind the scenes look at the many other women in King Henry VIII’s life.
I find myself anxiously awaiting the start of season four of Showtime’s “The Tudors” and reading, not only about the wives and children, but the many other fascinating people during this time period.
--Lois
Monday, September 28, 2009
What I'm reading
1. Just finished Jeff Lindsay's fourth installment in his Dexter series, Dexter by Design. When his sister is stabbed in the line of duty, our favorite serial killer tracks down the person he thinks is responsible. But this time Dexter's made a rare mistake, and somebody's out for revenge. What's a psychopathic predator to do when the tables are turned and he becomes the prey?
2. Currently wrapped up in American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's hilarious, heartbreaking memoir of his misadventures on the road from substance-abusing Scottish punk rocker to sober comedian with his own late-night TV show - and an American citizen. Enjoying it immensely, even if I'm never up late enough to catch Craig's show!
3. Next up will be An Echo in the Bone, the long (long, long, long)-awaited next chapter in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I can't wait to see what Claire and Jamie Fraser are up to, as the American Revolution gets closer and closer; and whatever happened to their daughter Brianna and her family, once they returned to the twentieth century? I'm not even going to peek at the last page on this one - I'd rather be surprised.
How about you? What have you read lately that you want to tell us about?
--Nora
2. Currently wrapped up in American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's hilarious, heartbreaking memoir of his misadventures on the road from substance-abusing Scottish punk rocker to sober comedian with his own late-night TV show - and an American citizen. Enjoying it immensely, even if I'm never up late enough to catch Craig's show!
3. Next up will be An Echo in the Bone, the long (long, long, long)-awaited next chapter in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I can't wait to see what Claire and Jamie Fraser are up to, as the American Revolution gets closer and closer; and whatever happened to their daughter Brianna and her family, once they returned to the twentieth century? I'm not even going to peek at the last page on this one - I'd rather be surprised.
How about you? What have you read lately that you want to tell us about?
--Nora
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Which One Gets Your Vote?
The National Book Foundation is holding a Special Election! Between now and October 21, readers can go to www.nbafictionpoll.org and cast their votes in the race for the Best of the National Book Awards Fiction campaign. The candidates are:
**John Cheever, The Stories of John Cheever
**Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
**William Faulkner, Collected Stories of William Faulkner
**Flannery O'Connor, The Complete Stories
**Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow
**Eudora Welty, The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
When you vote, you'll also get a chance to enter into a drawing for a two-night stay in Manhattan and a pair of tickets to the 60th National Book Awards ceremony on November 18.
Cast your ballots now - who knows? You might win!
--Nora
**John Cheever, The Stories of John Cheever
**Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
**William Faulkner, Collected Stories of William Faulkner
**Flannery O'Connor, The Complete Stories
**Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow
**Eudora Welty, The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
When you vote, you'll also get a chance to enter into a drawing for a two-night stay in Manhattan and a pair of tickets to the 60th National Book Awards ceremony on November 18.
Cast your ballots now - who knows? You might win!
--Nora
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Authors and Book Clubs in September
We've got a couple of great author visits planned for September, and the book clubs will be discussing a wide range of titles:
Author Events
As part of the North Carolina Literary Festival's Authors on the Road program, author P. T. Deutermann (Sana M. posted about him here) will make an appearance at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1. A reception and book signing with the author will kick things off at 5:30 PM, followed by a presentation at 6:30 PM.
Audience favorite Dr. Elliot Engel returns to the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 22, when he'll talk about Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist and Nobel Prize winner. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and there is a small admission fee: $10 for the public, $5 for Friends members, and $2 for students. Tickets are sold at the door, and you can join the Friends at the event. Dr. Engel's programs are always very well attended, so come early for the best seating!
Book Club Meetings
September 8:
East of the River Book Club (East Regional Library), will discuss The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, at 7:00 PM.
The McArthur Road Irregulars (North Regional Library) will be talking about Swedish author Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, also at 7:00 PM.
September 9:
North Regional's Wednesday Book Club will discuss Dr. Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture at 10:30 AM.
September 15:
The Gen-X Book Club will meet at 7:00 PM at DeDeaux's Java Shop on Ramsey Street to talk about The Help, a novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The Spring Lake Book Break Book Club gets together at 7:00 PM at the Spring Lake Branch and will discuss Ann B. Ross's Miss Julia Stands Her Ground.
September 17:
The Opened Gates Book Club will meet at the Headquarters Library at 7:00 PM. This meeting will be in conjunction with the newly formed African American Family History Study Group, and will focus on viewing and discussing an abridged version of a documentary film, Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North, which connects a Rhode Island family with their ancestors' role in the slave trade. Contact Wanda Hunter, our Local and State History Librarian and Opened Gates facilitator, for more information.
September 28:
The Great Books Discussion Group will examine The Garden of Forking Paths, a short story by Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges.
Please join us for any of these events! For more information, please call the branch where the event will take place.
--Nora
Author Events
As part of the North Carolina Literary Festival's Authors on the Road program, author P. T. Deutermann (Sana M. posted about him here) will make an appearance at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1. A reception and book signing with the author will kick things off at 5:30 PM, followed by a presentation at 6:30 PM.
Audience favorite Dr. Elliot Engel returns to the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 22, when he'll talk about Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist and Nobel Prize winner. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and there is a small admission fee: $10 for the public, $5 for Friends members, and $2 for students. Tickets are sold at the door, and you can join the Friends at the event. Dr. Engel's programs are always very well attended, so come early for the best seating!
Book Club Meetings
September 8:
East of the River Book Club (East Regional Library), will discuss The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, at 7:00 PM.
The McArthur Road Irregulars (North Regional Library) will be talking about Swedish author Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, also at 7:00 PM.
September 9:
North Regional's Wednesday Book Club will discuss Dr. Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture at 10:30 AM.
September 15:
The Gen-X Book Club will meet at 7:00 PM at DeDeaux's Java Shop on Ramsey Street to talk about The Help, a novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The Spring Lake Book Break Book Club gets together at 7:00 PM at the Spring Lake Branch and will discuss Ann B. Ross's Miss Julia Stands Her Ground.
September 17:
The Opened Gates Book Club will meet at the Headquarters Library at 7:00 PM. This meeting will be in conjunction with the newly formed African American Family History Study Group, and will focus on viewing and discussing an abridged version of a documentary film, Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North, which connects a Rhode Island family with their ancestors' role in the slave trade. Contact Wanda Hunter, our Local and State History Librarian and Opened Gates facilitator, for more information.
September 28:
The Great Books Discussion Group will examine The Garden of Forking Paths, a short story by Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges.
Please join us for any of these events! For more information, please call the branch where the event will take place.
--Nora
Should Be an Interesting Fall
According to this article, publishers and booksellers are cautiously optimistic about the fall book season. There sure are a lot of big names on the list: everything from celebrity memoirs and biographies, to new releases from literary heavy-hitters, to the latest from some popular fiction authors (cough - Dan Brown - cough). Seems like there's going to be something for everybody!
We're happy to reserve a copy of these, and many other new books, for you. Stop by the library and put your name on the list today.
--Nora
We're happy to reserve a copy of these, and many other new books, for you. Stop by the library and put your name on the list today.
--Nora
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Historical Intrigue
Looking for scandal, political intrigue and religious turmoil? Then check out the goings on in England and France by following the escapades of Elizabeth I of England, Princess Alais of France, and the Boleyn sisters. Cloak and dagger, secrets whispered behind tapestries, unrequited love, courtly misadventures and countries in turmoil abound in The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir, The Rebel Princess by Judith Koll Healey and The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Be transported.
--Alana F.
--Alana F.
Monday, August 17, 2009
"Amateur Marriage" by Anne Tyler
Being married 27 years myself, I am always entertained by stories of marriage and family, and all the joys and tribulations associated with both. The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler is set in Baltimore and the plot moves effortlessly over a period of sixty years. Known for capturing the tumultuous lives of the ordinary American middle class, the author symbolizes the rocky road of Michael and Pauline Anton’s relationship using the attack on Pearl Harbor as the back drop for their first meeting.
Without getting bogged down in the details of the social issues of the day Ms. Tyler focuses on the complexities of family life within a changing society as the mismatched couple builds their family through the 1950s: having children, moving from the city to the suburbs, taking care of elderly parents, and suffering through adulterous behavior.
The family is torn apart in the sixties as the reader is witness to the effects of the developing counterculture of hippies, beatniks and drugs leaving Michael and Pauline to struggle with abandonment and wondering what they could have done differently.
Eventually the couple and the family reach a middle ground in which ignoring differences and moving past placing blame allows one character to quietly reflect about Michael and Pauline. ''You were ice and she was glass, two oddly similar substances, come to think of it -- and both of them hell on your children.''
I highly recommend “The Amateur Marriage” and others by Anne Tyler including “Ladder of Years” and “The Accidental Tourist”.
--Larry G.
Without getting bogged down in the details of the social issues of the day Ms. Tyler focuses on the complexities of family life within a changing society as the mismatched couple builds their family through the 1950s: having children, moving from the city to the suburbs, taking care of elderly parents, and suffering through adulterous behavior.
The family is torn apart in the sixties as the reader is witness to the effects of the developing counterculture of hippies, beatniks and drugs leaving Michael and Pauline to struggle with abandonment and wondering what they could have done differently.
Eventually the couple and the family reach a middle ground in which ignoring differences and moving past placing blame allows one character to quietly reflect about Michael and Pauline. ''You were ice and she was glass, two oddly similar substances, come to think of it -- and both of them hell on your children.''
I highly recommend “The Amateur Marriage” and others by Anne Tyler including “Ladder of Years” and “The Accidental Tourist”.
--Larry G.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Author Visit: P.T. Deutermann!!
P.T. Deutermann, although not a Southerner by birth, is one by choice. After a 26-year career as a Naval officer, Mr. Deutermann retired to Rockingham county to write full-time. His first nine novels are suspense thrillers, many of them having some type of connection to the navy. In 2006, he released The Cat Dancers, the first of the series featuring retired Sheriffs’ Deputy, Cam Richter. The series is set primarily in western North Carolina, in the fictional Manceford County, which is somewhat north and west of Charlotte. The Cat Dancers are a shadowy group of vigilantes, who have an initiation ritual of a face-to-face encounter with a wild mountain lion. Lt. Richter becomes personally involved when his ex-wife, a sitting judge, is killed.
In the next installment, Spider Mountain, Deputy Richter is now ex-deputy Richter, and he has opened his own private investigation business, assisted by the two best sidekicks in crime fiction, a pair of German Sheperds named Frick and Frack. He agrees to help a friend out by looking into the brutal assault on a female forest ranger in a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There, he runs into a sinister Appalachian matriarch named Ginny Creigh who controls the local crystal meth trade, and owns most everything and everyone in their neck of the woods.
In The Moonpool, one of Cam’s investigators is found dead in a convenience store restroom in Wilmington, North Carolina. When her body sets off radiation alarms, a heavily guarded nearby nuclear power plant, becomes suspect. Racing against time, Cam uncovers an inside threat, a plan to use the plant's own systems to initiate an unstoppable, disastrous series of events.
In the most recent novel, Nightwalkers, released this past June, Cam decides to retire (again) and purchases a 700-acre antebellum plantation in the North Carolina countryside. He almost immediately finds himself targeted by a determined stalker, who holds Cam responsible for some unknown crime. Cam will need all of his resources, including his redoubtable German Shepherd companions, to stay alive as he deals with the stalker, some very eccentric people, and all the entanglements of a place suddenly alive with ghostly secrets and the fruits of a bloody past.
P.T. Deutermann is currently at work on his 14th book, a historical novel about World War II, to be called Glory. He is part of the Authors on the Road program, and will be speaking at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1st at 6:30 pm. This event is free to the public and is sponsored by the the North Carolina Literary Festival, which will be held in Chapel Hill on September 10th through the 13th.
--Sana M.
In the next installment, Spider Mountain, Deputy Richter is now ex-deputy Richter, and he has opened his own private investigation business, assisted by the two best sidekicks in crime fiction, a pair of German Sheperds named Frick and Frack. He agrees to help a friend out by looking into the brutal assault on a female forest ranger in a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There, he runs into a sinister Appalachian matriarch named Ginny Creigh who controls the local crystal meth trade, and owns most everything and everyone in their neck of the woods.
In The Moonpool, one of Cam’s investigators is found dead in a convenience store restroom in Wilmington, North Carolina. When her body sets off radiation alarms, a heavily guarded nearby nuclear power plant, becomes suspect. Racing against time, Cam uncovers an inside threat, a plan to use the plant's own systems to initiate an unstoppable, disastrous series of events.
In the most recent novel, Nightwalkers, released this past June, Cam decides to retire (again) and purchases a 700-acre antebellum plantation in the North Carolina countryside. He almost immediately finds himself targeted by a determined stalker, who holds Cam responsible for some unknown crime. Cam will need all of his resources, including his redoubtable German Shepherd companions, to stay alive as he deals with the stalker, some very eccentric people, and all the entanglements of a place suddenly alive with ghostly secrets and the fruits of a bloody past.
P.T. Deutermann is currently at work on his 14th book, a historical novel about World War II, to be called Glory. He is part of the Authors on the Road program, and will be speaking at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1st at 6:30 pm. This event is free to the public and is sponsored by the the North Carolina Literary Festival, which will be held in Chapel Hill on September 10th through the 13th.
--Sana M.
Monday, August 3, 2009
What Might Have Been...
Fragment by Warren Fahy is a story about what might have been.
The story opens on a ship called the Trident that happens to be the backdrop for a show called SeaLife. SeaLife chronicles the adventures of a team of scientists as they explore the uncharted reaches of the south Pacific. Unfortunately, the show has lousy ratings, no drama and is basically wrapping up. The Trident is heading home when they get a distress signal coming from Henders Island. They decide to answer the call and from here on out in the story their lives, shortened though they will be, take a turn for the worse.
Henders Island is what the rest of the Earth might have been like if it hadn’t broken up into the continents we know today. Strange and violent species have evolved in a hypercompetitive environment where everything eats everything else. Humans are no match for any of the animals, as some of the Trident’s crew find out the hard way. After the inauspicious and bloody landing of some of the show’s scientist is broadcast on television, the military sends a fleet to the island with their own handpicked experts. Their plan to destroy Henders Island is complicated by the discovery of a benign and intelligent species and the race to save it from destruction.
Fragment is a great read in the same vein as Jurassic Park or Relic. I would highly recommend it.
--Mike N.
The story opens on a ship called the Trident that happens to be the backdrop for a show called SeaLife. SeaLife chronicles the adventures of a team of scientists as they explore the uncharted reaches of the south Pacific. Unfortunately, the show has lousy ratings, no drama and is basically wrapping up. The Trident is heading home when they get a distress signal coming from Henders Island. They decide to answer the call and from here on out in the story their lives, shortened though they will be, take a turn for the worse.
Henders Island is what the rest of the Earth might have been like if it hadn’t broken up into the continents we know today. Strange and violent species have evolved in a hypercompetitive environment where everything eats everything else. Humans are no match for any of the animals, as some of the Trident’s crew find out the hard way. After the inauspicious and bloody landing of some of the show’s scientist is broadcast on television, the military sends a fleet to the island with their own handpicked experts. Their plan to destroy Henders Island is complicated by the discovery of a benign and intelligent species and the race to save it from destruction.
Fragment is a great read in the same vein as Jurassic Park or Relic. I would highly recommend it.
--Mike N.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
What Did You Read on Your Summer Vacation??
Where did the summer go?
Wasn't it just yesterday that the kids were STARTING their summer vacation? Now begins the madness that is Back to School Season, rivaled only by Holiday Season in its chaos. Moms and dads begin that mad rush to get school supplies, new clothes, and those last-minute required reading books the kids need for their projects.
Before you get lost in the world of pencils, sneakers, paper, and Trapper Keepers (do they still make those?) take a moment to appreciate all the wonderful things you did this summer: the beach, the movies, and especially the books!
With so many wonderful books having been released this summer, I spent many days reading by the pool. My favorite summer read would have to have been Relentless by Dean Koontz. I absolutely love books that scare me, and this one definitely did the trick! It was his best since Velocity, if you ask me.
But enough from me. I want to know what made it into you're beach bag this summer. Did Pahlaniuk's new book thrill you? Did you fall in love with Danielle Steel's new release? Let us know! Either way, we hope you had a safe and happy summer. =)
--Jenn C
Wasn't it just yesterday that the kids were STARTING their summer vacation? Now begins the madness that is Back to School Season, rivaled only by Holiday Season in its chaos. Moms and dads begin that mad rush to get school supplies, new clothes, and those last-minute required reading books the kids need for their projects.
Before you get lost in the world of pencils, sneakers, paper, and Trapper Keepers (do they still make those?) take a moment to appreciate all the wonderful things you did this summer: the beach, the movies, and especially the books!
With so many wonderful books having been released this summer, I spent many days reading by the pool. My favorite summer read would have to have been Relentless by Dean Koontz. I absolutely love books that scare me, and this one definitely did the trick! It was his best since Velocity, if you ask me.
But enough from me. I want to know what made it into you're beach bag this summer. Did Pahlaniuk's new book thrill you? Did you fall in love with Danielle Steel's new release? Let us know! Either way, we hope you had a safe and happy summer. =)
--Jenn C
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
August Releases
Hey there, Readers!
There are plenty of great books coming out in August. Don’t miss the following titles, available at your library!
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon
At the hub of newest Dark Hunter novel is Fang Kattalakis, brother of two powerful members of the Omegrion (the council that leads the Were-Hunters). When war breaks out, Fang must choose between saving the woman he loves and breaking the law of his people, ruining his relationship with his brothers. Don’t miss this suspenseful new novel by this New York Times bestselling author, releasing August 4.
Smash Cut by Sandra Brown
The Queen of romantic thrillers is back with more heart-pounding suspense. Serial killer Chreighton Wheeler is obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films. When Creighton’s uncle is shot dead in a robbery, gallery owner Julie Rutledge is convinced that Creighton is behind it. A rash of crime follows as Julie and criminal lawyer Derek Mitchell join forces to catch Creighton. Brown delivers another fast-paced read, available August 11.
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Wildly popular author of “The Other Boleyn Girl” begins a new series, telling the story of Elizabeth Woodville Grey, who assisted in making the War of the Roses take root. As a 27-year old widow, her marriage to 22-year old King Edward IV is not only shocking, but it shifts loyalties: Elizabeth’s family becomes Edward’s strongest supporters while Edward’s chief advisor becomes the epicenter of a plot to overthrow the King. Gregory delivers another entertaining and entirely plausible historical novel, set to release on August 18.
A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz
One of the Kings of horror and suspense shocks readers yet again with his new book- but not in the way you’d think. What’s surprising about this book is that it’s not a horror. There’s no evil priest, crazed psychopath, or unimaginable monster in this new release. Instead, it’s a humorous, touching, from-the-heart story about Koontz’s dog, Trixie. He does insinuate that Trixie is special in an otherworldly sense, but what pet owner wouldn’t? This debut nonfiction novel from Koontz is not to be missed, and is available on August 25.
Know of some other new releases that are worth mentioning here? Let us know what you think!!
--Jenn C.
There are plenty of great books coming out in August. Don’t miss the following titles, available at your library!
Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon
At the hub of newest Dark Hunter novel is Fang Kattalakis, brother of two powerful members of the Omegrion (the council that leads the Were-Hunters). When war breaks out, Fang must choose between saving the woman he loves and breaking the law of his people, ruining his relationship with his brothers. Don’t miss this suspenseful new novel by this New York Times bestselling author, releasing August 4.
Smash Cut by Sandra Brown
The Queen of romantic thrillers is back with more heart-pounding suspense. Serial killer Chreighton Wheeler is obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films. When Creighton’s uncle is shot dead in a robbery, gallery owner Julie Rutledge is convinced that Creighton is behind it. A rash of crime follows as Julie and criminal lawyer Derek Mitchell join forces to catch Creighton. Brown delivers another fast-paced read, available August 11.
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Wildly popular author of “The Other Boleyn Girl” begins a new series, telling the story of Elizabeth Woodville Grey, who assisted in making the War of the Roses take root. As a 27-year old widow, her marriage to 22-year old King Edward IV is not only shocking, but it shifts loyalties: Elizabeth’s family becomes Edward’s strongest supporters while Edward’s chief advisor becomes the epicenter of a plot to overthrow the King. Gregory delivers another entertaining and entirely plausible historical novel, set to release on August 18.
A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz
One of the Kings of horror and suspense shocks readers yet again with his new book- but not in the way you’d think. What’s surprising about this book is that it’s not a horror. There’s no evil priest, crazed psychopath, or unimaginable monster in this new release. Instead, it’s a humorous, touching, from-the-heart story about Koontz’s dog, Trixie. He does insinuate that Trixie is special in an otherworldly sense, but what pet owner wouldn’t? This debut nonfiction novel from Koontz is not to be missed, and is available on August 25.
Know of some other new releases that are worth mentioning here? Let us know what you think!!
--Jenn C.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Downtown Owl Makes the Unremarkable Remarkable
Even if you could find Owl, North Dakota on a map, you probably wouldn’t stop there. It’s just like any other Nothingtown in 1980’s America: no cable. No culture. No nothing. Just boredom, and a whole lot of it. No one moves away and hardly anyone moves in. With a population of only 800, everyone knows what everyone else is doing. All the time. It’s very Big Brother/George Orwell (ironically, the majority of the book takes place in 1984).
Living in this bleak town are several unremarkable characters, living quiet and indistinct lives. Julia Rabia, a schoolteacher who recently moved to downtown Owl, finds herself “more depressed than she had ever been in her entire twenty three year existence,” despite the instant celebrity status that comes with being a beautiful stranger in a small town. Mitch Hrlicka plays high school football and is mainly concerned with how weird he is (or isn’t) and whether he is going to have to fight Chris Sellars. Horace is seventy-three, and thinks a lot about Alma, his wife who passed away of a disease unknown to him.
There are no fireworks in Downtown Owl. Mitch does not become a star NFL quarterback. There is no prince on a white horse to come and rescue Julia. Horace continues to frequent the same coffee shop day in and day out. Klosterman offers an unromanticized looks at small town life. He disregards convention to give readers a look at what it’s like to be a plain person leading a plain life in a plain town. The end result is a raw, honest look into what could be the life of anyone who grew up in rural America.
You would expect the pace of a book about a “down” town to move as lazily as the town itself. However, the plot chugs along nicely, as you find yourself getting more and more wrapped up in the lives of Owl’s citizens. Everything seems complacent, if not perfect, when disaster strikes out of nowhere. Readers will find themselves caught as off guard and unprepared for the story’s climax as the characters are for the blizzard that strands them. In the end, you’ll be dazed, rereading the last few chapters over and over to make sure you understood correctly.
Downtown Owl was only released last year, and is the first novel by Klosterman, a Minnesota newspaper columnist. But you would never know it, because it has a “modern classic” feel to it that is reminiscent of Kerouac or Salinger. Klosterman has accomplished something few people could ever do: he has captured the essence of normality, and recreated it between the covers of his book. In doing so, he has created a novel that is not only timeless, but a true joy to read, too.
--Jenn C
Living in this bleak town are several unremarkable characters, living quiet and indistinct lives. Julia Rabia, a schoolteacher who recently moved to downtown Owl, finds herself “more depressed than she had ever been in her entire twenty three year existence,” despite the instant celebrity status that comes with being a beautiful stranger in a small town. Mitch Hrlicka plays high school football and is mainly concerned with how weird he is (or isn’t) and whether he is going to have to fight Chris Sellars. Horace is seventy-three, and thinks a lot about Alma, his wife who passed away of a disease unknown to him.
There are no fireworks in Downtown Owl. Mitch does not become a star NFL quarterback. There is no prince on a white horse to come and rescue Julia. Horace continues to frequent the same coffee shop day in and day out. Klosterman offers an unromanticized looks at small town life. He disregards convention to give readers a look at what it’s like to be a plain person leading a plain life in a plain town. The end result is a raw, honest look into what could be the life of anyone who grew up in rural America.
You would expect the pace of a book about a “down” town to move as lazily as the town itself. However, the plot chugs along nicely, as you find yourself getting more and more wrapped up in the lives of Owl’s citizens. Everything seems complacent, if not perfect, when disaster strikes out of nowhere. Readers will find themselves caught as off guard and unprepared for the story’s climax as the characters are for the blizzard that strands them. In the end, you’ll be dazed, rereading the last few chapters over and over to make sure you understood correctly.
Downtown Owl was only released last year, and is the first novel by Klosterman, a Minnesota newspaper columnist. But you would never know it, because it has a “modern classic” feel to it that is reminiscent of Kerouac or Salinger. Klosterman has accomplished something few people could ever do: he has captured the essence of normality, and recreated it between the covers of his book. In doing so, he has created a novel that is not only timeless, but a true joy to read, too.
--Jenn C
Monday, July 6, 2009
(READ) IT AGAIN, SAM
This morning, I stumbled across this Newsweek column about the joys of rereading, where author David Gates explains why he keeps going back to certain books over the years. By happy chance, I’ve just finished my annual re-reading of one of my all-time favorites, These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (I had to buy a new copy, I think my third, because mine is beginning to fall apart, despite my best efforts at preservation). I first read it when I was 11 years old, and it’s a big part of the reason I fell in love with the romance genre. Every time I read it I discover something new about it.
I know I’m not alone in this habit. Everybody has a “comfort read,” a book to pick up when you just want to return to something familiar. It could be a certain mystery or thriller; it could be the books set in the Middle-Earth that J.R.R. Tolkien created for Frodo and company; it could be Bruce Catton’s nonfiction books on the Civil War.
I think the rereading habit starts early in life. I remember as a kid reading, over and over, the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A.A. Milne (the pre-Disney ones, with drawings by Ernest Shepard). Ask any parent how many times he or she has read Goodnight, Moon or Green Eggs and Ham to a child. Adolescent and young-adult readers find and hang on to their favorites, too – books like Bridge to Terabithia or Holes. So it’s only natural that we carry this habit with us into adulthood.
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a dozen books I’ve returned to over the years, everything from These Old Shades to A Time to Kill by John Grisham and Sharpe’s Waterloo by Bernard Cornwell. Someday I’ll work up the energy to go back and reread all the Patrick O’Brian novels and Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles.
What about you? What books do you find yourself rereading?
--Nora
I know I’m not alone in this habit. Everybody has a “comfort read,” a book to pick up when you just want to return to something familiar. It could be a certain mystery or thriller; it could be the books set in the Middle-Earth that J.R.R. Tolkien created for Frodo and company; it could be Bruce Catton’s nonfiction books on the Civil War.
I think the rereading habit starts early in life. I remember as a kid reading, over and over, the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A.A. Milne (the pre-Disney ones, with drawings by Ernest Shepard). Ask any parent how many times he or she has read Goodnight, Moon or Green Eggs and Ham to a child. Adolescent and young-adult readers find and hang on to their favorites, too – books like Bridge to Terabithia or Holes. So it’s only natural that we carry this habit with us into adulthood.
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a dozen books I’ve returned to over the years, everything from These Old Shades to A Time to Kill by John Grisham and Sharpe’s Waterloo by Bernard Cornwell. Someday I’ll work up the energy to go back and reread all the Patrick O’Brian novels and Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles.
What about you? What books do you find yourself rereading?
--Nora
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Another vote for The Strain
Tammy H. has already mentioned The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Here's another endorsement from a library staff member:
I've just finished reading the The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan and I must say I really loved it. After I finished reading it, I realized that this is how vampires are supposed to be - SCARY! They only see humans as a means for their survival and their goal is to finally conquer the human race. Literally, they're out for blood. So much for brooding, sexy vampires with feelings!
--Greta N.
I've just finished reading the The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan and I must say I really loved it. After I finished reading it, I realized that this is how vampires are supposed to be - SCARY! They only see humans as a means for their survival and their goal is to finally conquer the human race. Literally, they're out for blood. So much for brooding, sexy vampires with feelings!
--Greta N.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Let's Talk About It!
Interested in checking out one of the library’s book clubs in July? Here’s the list:
July 14, North Regional Branch:
What really happened to the Bethany girls 30 years ago? Were they actually kidnapped and murdered? NRL’s book group, the McArthur Road Irregulars, will deal with problems of identity, in both pre- and post-DNA-testing eras, as they discuss What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman. To learn more, call 822-1998.
July 14, East Regional Branch:
Join “East of the River: the Book Club” as they discuss The Beach House by Jane Green. This captivating novel about the strength of family, friendship, and self-discovery is a great summer read. For more information, call 485-2955.
July 27, Headquarters Library:
The Great Books Discussion Group will be talking about “The Open Boat,” considered by many to be Stephen Crane’s best short story. Copies of the story and discussion questions are available at the Information Desk, HQU. Learn more by calling 483-7727, x204.
Even if you don’t join us for any of these discussions, keep on reading – and keep on filling out your reading logs for the Summer Reading Club, which wraps up on July 31.The more logs you complete, the more chances you’ll have in the drawing for the grand prize, a gift card to a local bookstore. And your attendance at any of these programs counts as one book read!
--Nora
July 14, North Regional Branch:
What really happened to the Bethany girls 30 years ago? Were they actually kidnapped and murdered? NRL’s book group, the McArthur Road Irregulars, will deal with problems of identity, in both pre- and post-DNA-testing eras, as they discuss What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman. To learn more, call 822-1998.
July 14, East Regional Branch:
Join “East of the River: the Book Club” as they discuss The Beach House by Jane Green. This captivating novel about the strength of family, friendship, and self-discovery is a great summer read. For more information, call 485-2955.
July 27, Headquarters Library:
The Great Books Discussion Group will be talking about “The Open Boat,” considered by many to be Stephen Crane’s best short story. Copies of the story and discussion questions are available at the Information Desk, HQU. Learn more by calling 483-7727, x204.
Even if you don’t join us for any of these discussions, keep on reading – and keep on filling out your reading logs for the Summer Reading Club, which wraps up on July 31.The more logs you complete, the more chances you’ll have in the drawing for the grand prize, a gift card to a local bookstore. And your attendance at any of these programs counts as one book read!
--Nora
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Science Fiction/Fantasy Panel in Cary
Hey all!
Anyone out there a fan of Science Fiction or Fantasy? Head on up to the Barnes and Noble in Cary on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7pm for a Science Fiction and Fantasy Panel. James Maxey (author of the Dragon Age series- book one is Bitterwood), David Drake (author of When the Tide Rises), Lisa Shearin (author of the Raine Benares series- book one is Magic Lost, Trouble Found), and Mark Van Name (author of Overthrowing Heaven) will all be there for a discussion of the genres, with book signings afterwards.
The Barnes and Noble is across from the Carytowne Center Mall. The address is 760 SE Maynard. Call (919) 467-3866 for more information.
Head on up for a night of lively discussion from some of the best voices in the genre!
--Jenn C.
Anyone out there a fan of Science Fiction or Fantasy? Head on up to the Barnes and Noble in Cary on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7pm for a Science Fiction and Fantasy Panel. James Maxey (author of the Dragon Age series- book one is Bitterwood), David Drake (author of When the Tide Rises), Lisa Shearin (author of the Raine Benares series- book one is Magic Lost, Trouble Found), and Mark Van Name (author of Overthrowing Heaven) will all be there for a discussion of the genres, with book signings afterwards.
The Barnes and Noble is across from the Carytowne Center Mall. The address is 760 SE Maynard. Call (919) 467-3866 for more information.
Head on up for a night of lively discussion from some of the best voices in the genre!
--Jenn C.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Twists and Turns in Swedish Thriller
I love mysteries, but lately they’ve been getting predictable. If I read even one more tale of a sadistic serial killer preying on defenseless children and young women, pursued by a successful but tormented female detective and her gruff but heroic male sidekick, I may throw the book in disgust. You know the ones — they fairly wallow in the angst, the carnage, the ever-increasing depravity — and is there actually some crime-solving or plot twist in there somewhere? Then, inevitably, the villain sets his sights on the poor female detective, until the sidekick sweeps in for a last-minute rescue.
Hello, writers: formula is for romance novels. Gratuitous violence is no substitute for genuine intrigue. And neurosis is not character development.
Thankfully, the latest book by Swedish author Steig Larsson is anything but predictable. The Girl Who Played With Fire, due out in July, follows the same characters as his 2008 bestseller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is working with two other writers to break a major story about sex trafficking of teen girls, but on the eve of its publication his colleagues are found shot to death. No link is apparent between them and the brilliant but unpredictable super-hacker Lisbeth Salander — yet her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Blomkvist is convinced that Salander did not commit the murders (though “innocent” is not a word he would apply to her) but she has disappeared, and he is far from the only one searching for her.
This book is well-crafted and detailed. Usually when a person says, “I finished it all in one night!” it’s a sign of praise, of a can’t-put-down book. I’m a fast reader and finish almost every book in a night or two, but this one took me several days, by choice. It was long and detailed enough to savor. The details aren’t fluffy character descriptions, either, but complex bits of narrative that flesh out the story in unexpected ways. That thing about Fermat’s Theory? Not relevant to the plot but it gives the reader an example of how Salander’s mind works. In addition, Larsson’s writing style is descriptive, with a pace that builds throughout the novel. Scenes of violence or sex are not gratuitous but are described vividly.
My favorite part about this book is Lisbeth Salander. She has a photographic memory, probable Asperger’s syndrome, and a dark and twisted past. She is legally classified “non compos mentis” and under guardianship, yet she is the most efficient researcher Milton Security has ever hired. Her concept of justice has little to do with any recognized legal system. She is being hunted by the police, assorted villains, and Blomkvist himself, and manages to stay hidden. In contrast, I feel that Blomkvist is not quite as well developed in this book as Salander. His primary purpose as a character is to give Salander an ally, one who is not in hiding and who has access to the official murder investigation. To more clearly understand the relationship between the two characters, I recommend readers start with the first book, which fills in the gaps in their history.
The Girl Who Played With Fire is an excellent choice for mystery fans who like a more complex read. It’s more Lee Child or Jeffrey Deaver than Janet Evanovich. It will appeal to readers who like strong female characters or investigative journalists. Just remember: to get the most out of this book, read the other one first.
--Tiffany H.
Hello, writers: formula is for romance novels. Gratuitous violence is no substitute for genuine intrigue. And neurosis is not character development.
Thankfully, the latest book by Swedish author Steig Larsson is anything but predictable. The Girl Who Played With Fire, due out in July, follows the same characters as his 2008 bestseller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is working with two other writers to break a major story about sex trafficking of teen girls, but on the eve of its publication his colleagues are found shot to death. No link is apparent between them and the brilliant but unpredictable super-hacker Lisbeth Salander — yet her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Blomkvist is convinced that Salander did not commit the murders (though “innocent” is not a word he would apply to her) but she has disappeared, and he is far from the only one searching for her.
This book is well-crafted and detailed. Usually when a person says, “I finished it all in one night!” it’s a sign of praise, of a can’t-put-down book. I’m a fast reader and finish almost every book in a night or two, but this one took me several days, by choice. It was long and detailed enough to savor. The details aren’t fluffy character descriptions, either, but complex bits of narrative that flesh out the story in unexpected ways. That thing about Fermat’s Theory? Not relevant to the plot but it gives the reader an example of how Salander’s mind works. In addition, Larsson’s writing style is descriptive, with a pace that builds throughout the novel. Scenes of violence or sex are not gratuitous but are described vividly.
My favorite part about this book is Lisbeth Salander. She has a photographic memory, probable Asperger’s syndrome, and a dark and twisted past. She is legally classified “non compos mentis” and under guardianship, yet she is the most efficient researcher Milton Security has ever hired. Her concept of justice has little to do with any recognized legal system. She is being hunted by the police, assorted villains, and Blomkvist himself, and manages to stay hidden. In contrast, I feel that Blomkvist is not quite as well developed in this book as Salander. His primary purpose as a character is to give Salander an ally, one who is not in hiding and who has access to the official murder investigation. To more clearly understand the relationship between the two characters, I recommend readers start with the first book, which fills in the gaps in their history.
The Girl Who Played With Fire is an excellent choice for mystery fans who like a more complex read. It’s more Lee Child or Jeffrey Deaver than Janet Evanovich. It will appeal to readers who like strong female characters or investigative journalists. Just remember: to get the most out of this book, read the other one first.
--Tiffany H.
Friday, June 12, 2009
(More) What I'm Reading
The Last Child, by John Hart
I've been a John Hart fan since his first novel, The King of Lies. The author recently spoke at the North Regional Branch and stated that he thought this novel was his best yet. I have to agree. If you haven't yet discovered John Hart, what are you waiting for? In Last Child, young girls are disappearing in an unnamed rural NC town and 12 year-old Johnny is determined to find his twin sister, who's among the missing. What he unearths is more sinister than anyone imagined, sending shock waves through the community and putting Johnny's own life in danger. This is an excellent read that I couldn't put down.
The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Tired of sexy, sensitive vampires? Well, here's an alternative for you! From the creator of the Academy Award-winning Pan's Labyrinth, this novel reminded me of why vampires scared the heck out of me as a kid. The blurb says it all: They have always been here. Vampires. Nesting and Feeding. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come. In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In three months, the country. In six months -- the World. This is a great read -- it grabs you by the throat (pun intended) and doesn't let go. It's the first installment in a trilogy.
Relentless, by Dean Koontz
I've been a Koontz fan for years, but his recent novels were a disappointment. This novel reminded me why I am a fan. Relentless is a great read and fast-paced. Filled with quirky characters and a hint of the supernatural, it had me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
--Tammy H.
I've been a John Hart fan since his first novel, The King of Lies. The author recently spoke at the North Regional Branch and stated that he thought this novel was his best yet. I have to agree. If you haven't yet discovered John Hart, what are you waiting for? In Last Child, young girls are disappearing in an unnamed rural NC town and 12 year-old Johnny is determined to find his twin sister, who's among the missing. What he unearths is more sinister than anyone imagined, sending shock waves through the community and putting Johnny's own life in danger. This is an excellent read that I couldn't put down.
The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Tired of sexy, sensitive vampires? Well, here's an alternative for you! From the creator of the Academy Award-winning Pan's Labyrinth, this novel reminded me of why vampires scared the heck out of me as a kid. The blurb says it all: They have always been here. Vampires. Nesting and Feeding. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come. In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In three months, the country. In six months -- the World. This is a great read -- it grabs you by the throat (pun intended) and doesn't let go. It's the first installment in a trilogy.
Relentless, by Dean Koontz
I've been a Koontz fan for years, but his recent novels were a disappointment. This novel reminded me why I am a fan. Relentless is a great read and fast-paced. Filled with quirky characters and a hint of the supernatural, it had me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
--Tammy H.
Monday, June 8, 2009
What I'm Reading
What better way to kick off the library's Summer Reading Program than a review of the things I'm currently reading? Over the weekend I finished a couple of books, one older, one new; tore through a memoir by a famous son of famous parents; and began a historical thriller.
--from 1997, Night in Eden, by Candice Proctor. Historical romance. Convicted and transported to New South Wales, Bryony Wentworth finds herself drawn to Hayden St. John, the enigmatic landowner who's arranged for her to be wet nurse to his infant son. It's been a while since I read a genre historical romance, and this one delivered on all the levels I expected it to.
--just published, Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir. Christopher Buckley recalls the nine-month period between the deaths of his parents, William and Patricia Buckley. The author draws a very personal portrait of two complex and at times contradictory personalities. They loved each other to the end, but often didn't speak for weeks at a time. They were a glamorous couple, but Bill was "a bit of a slob," while Christopher never found Pat more beautiful than when she was gardening in jeans and an old T-shirt. You'll laugh; you'll cry. Don't miss the chapter where Christo tells his dying mother, "I forgive you."
--also just out, The Secret Speech, the follow-up novel to Tom Rob Smith's blockbuster debut Child 44. It's 1956 and the Soviet Union is beginning to loosen up just a fraction three years after the death of Stalin. Former secret policeman Leo Demidov struggles to adjust to new political and personal realities. I've just started this book (only on p. 28), but I have no doubt I'm going to relish this as much as I did Child 44.
What about you? What are you reading?
--Nora
--from 1997, Night in Eden, by Candice Proctor. Historical romance. Convicted and transported to New South Wales, Bryony Wentworth finds herself drawn to Hayden St. John, the enigmatic landowner who's arranged for her to be wet nurse to his infant son. It's been a while since I read a genre historical romance, and this one delivered on all the levels I expected it to.
--just published, Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir. Christopher Buckley recalls the nine-month period between the deaths of his parents, William and Patricia Buckley. The author draws a very personal portrait of two complex and at times contradictory personalities. They loved each other to the end, but often didn't speak for weeks at a time. They were a glamorous couple, but Bill was "a bit of a slob," while Christopher never found Pat more beautiful than when she was gardening in jeans and an old T-shirt. You'll laugh; you'll cry. Don't miss the chapter where Christo tells his dying mother, "I forgive you."
--also just out, The Secret Speech, the follow-up novel to Tom Rob Smith's blockbuster debut Child 44. It's 1956 and the Soviet Union is beginning to loosen up just a fraction three years after the death of Stalin. Former secret policeman Leo Demidov struggles to adjust to new political and personal realities. I've just started this book (only on p. 28), but I have no doubt I'm going to relish this as much as I did Child 44.
What about you? What are you reading?
--Nora
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Meet the Authors - This Saturday
(Updated June 4)
Come one, come all to the library's Local Authors Showcase!
This Friends of the Library-sponsored event takes place on Saturday, June 6, from noon until 4:00PM at the Headquarters Library in downtown Fayetteville. Meet some of the region's homegrown writers, learn about their books, ask about their publishing experiences, and help us kick off our Adult Summer Reading Club.
Here's a tentative list of participating authors and their books:
- Timothy T. Ajani, Streams of Refreshing: Inspirational Poems for Our Time
- William Billings, From Cotton Field to University: A History of Methodist University 1956-2006
- Gloria Elliott, Chip the Silent Watchdog
- Pauline Hicks Chapman, Survived to Love
- Suzanne Farrior, Froggie Babies, The Hungry Little Bunny, and A Child's World from My Point of View
- Esther Fay Holcombe, A Young Woman’s Struggle and Delights in 1857 and The Intruder
-Margaret Jefferson, Fear to Faith: A Poetic Journey
-Charles Mathews, Charlie and GI's Best-kept Secret in the Far East
- Matthew McLean, A Bewitching Summer, Shame in a Small Town, and Locked Up Freed Busted
-Shirley McNeill, Exploring Sensational You: Helping Youth Develop Character
- Edna Moore, I Refuse To!
- William Pate, Survival of The Lost Colony, the Untold Story
-Suzetta Perkins, Behind the Veil, A Love So Deep, and EX-terminator: Life After Marriage
- Reginald Pinkney, Pass It On
- Catherine Poole, Bat Boy’s Crazy Day
-Marylou Berry Roche, Fun Golf Games for Women
- Hope Roten, Overthrone
- Janine Scott-Lowe, Reflections, Inspirations
--Nora A.
Come one, come all to the library's Local Authors Showcase!
This Friends of the Library-sponsored event takes place on Saturday, June 6, from noon until 4:00PM at the Headquarters Library in downtown Fayetteville. Meet some of the region's homegrown writers, learn about their books, ask about their publishing experiences, and help us kick off our Adult Summer Reading Club.
Here's a tentative list of participating authors and their books:
- Timothy T. Ajani, Streams of Refreshing: Inspirational Poems for Our Time
- William Billings, From Cotton Field to University: A History of Methodist University 1956-2006
- Gloria Elliott, Chip the Silent Watchdog
- Pauline Hicks Chapman, Survived to Love
- Suzanne Farrior, Froggie Babies, The Hungry Little Bunny, and A Child's World from My Point of View
- Esther Fay Holcombe, A Young Woman’s Struggle and Delights in 1857 and The Intruder
-Margaret Jefferson, Fear to Faith: A Poetic Journey
-Charles Mathews, Charlie and GI's Best-kept Secret in the Far East
- Matthew McLean, A Bewitching Summer, Shame in a Small Town, and Locked Up Freed Busted
-Shirley McNeill, Exploring Sensational You: Helping Youth Develop Character
- Edna Moore, I Refuse To!
- William Pate, Survival of The Lost Colony, the Untold Story
-Suzetta Perkins, Behind the Veil, A Love So Deep, and EX-terminator: Life After Marriage
- Reginald Pinkney, Pass It On
- Catherine Poole, Bat Boy’s Crazy Day
-Marylou Berry Roche, Fun Golf Games for Women
- Hope Roten, Overthrone
- Janine Scott-Lowe, Reflections, Inspirations
--Nora A.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
June Releases
June is a popular month for new releases. So popular, in fact, that I had a hard time picking just a few to highlight. There are just too many great new reads this summer for me to decide. After much agonizing, I managed to pick out five June highlights to share with you. Here they are, in order of their release date. Pack up the kids, grab a book, and hit the beach!
June 1: Medusa by Clive Cussler
In the latest NUMA Files novel, Kurt Austin must stop a virus from destroying the earth. The Blue Medusa jellyfish may hold the key to stopping this epidemic, but the scientists conducting the research keep dying. Austin and his partner must deal with not just the virus, but the Chinese triad behind the outbreak. Austin may not be Dirk Pitt, but he and Zavala do make for an entertaining pair.
June 8: Relentless by Dean Koontz
Relentless promises to deliver another winning thriller from Koontz, if you can call complete paranoia “thrilling.” Meet Cubby, a man with a picturesque family and successful career as an author. His life is charmed, or at least was, until Shearman Waxx writes a vicious critique of Cubby’s newest book for a leading newspaper. A seemingly innocent encounter between the two men soon escalates into unimaginable terror for Cubby as he struggles to deal with Waxx, who is a complete sociopath. Read this one with the lights on!
June 15: The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
A young mother disappears from her home, with her four-year-old daughter the only witness. Her husband seems more intent to destroy the evidence than assist with the investigation. Time is running out for Detective Warren as she digs under the surface of this seemingly perfect family in an attempt to find the missing woman. The Neighbor is a fast-paced thriller reminding readers that things are not always what they seem.
June 22: Roses and Thorns by Bret Michaels
Alright, I admit it. I love Bret Michaels. I love his band, Poison, I love his solo career, and I love Rock of Love on VH1. Roses and Thorns is Bret’s autobiography, following the rock icon/reality TV star from the creation of Poison through the partying and conflicts with other band members to an accident that left him in the hospital with a broken nose, teeth, fingers, ribs, and jaw. He also details his comeback, solo career, and quest for love on VH1. Fights, love, drama, and rock ‘n’ roll…who says nonfiction is boring?
June 29: Swimsuit by James Patterson
Everything James Patterson writes is an instant bestseller. Fans of his thrillers can expect shocking plot twists and chilling conclusions in Swimsuit that have become classic Patterson. When a supermodel disappears from a photo shoot in Hawaii, her parents travel to the island to investigate, never imagining the horrors they would encounter. Reporter Ben Hawkins is presented with an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil as he investigates the kidnapping in hopes of getting an idea for his next bestseller. As always, Patterson knows how to make our hearts pound and our imaginations wander.
Honorable Mentions:
Watch the shelves for these other hot June releases:
June 1:
Skin Trade: Laurel K. Hamilton
Matters of the Heart: Danielle Steele
Undead and Unwelcome: MaryJanice Davidson
June 8:
Roadside Crosses: Jeffery Deaver
Apocalypse 2012: Gary Jennings
Secret Sentry: The Untold Story of the National Security Agency: Matthew Aid
June 15:
Along for the Ride: Sarah Dessen
Dune Road: Jane Green
L.A. Candy: Lauren Conrad
June 22:
Fixer Upper: Mary Kay Andrews
Prism: Faye Kellerman
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen: Janet Evanovich
June 29:
Any Minute: Joyce Meyer
Apostle: Brad Thor
Return to Sullivan’s Island: Dorothea Benton Frank
--Jenn C
June 1: Medusa by Clive Cussler
In the latest NUMA Files novel, Kurt Austin must stop a virus from destroying the earth. The Blue Medusa jellyfish may hold the key to stopping this epidemic, but the scientists conducting the research keep dying. Austin and his partner must deal with not just the virus, but the Chinese triad behind the outbreak. Austin may not be Dirk Pitt, but he and Zavala do make for an entertaining pair.
June 8: Relentless by Dean Koontz
Relentless promises to deliver another winning thriller from Koontz, if you can call complete paranoia “thrilling.” Meet Cubby, a man with a picturesque family and successful career as an author. His life is charmed, or at least was, until Shearman Waxx writes a vicious critique of Cubby’s newest book for a leading newspaper. A seemingly innocent encounter between the two men soon escalates into unimaginable terror for Cubby as he struggles to deal with Waxx, who is a complete sociopath. Read this one with the lights on!
June 15: The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
A young mother disappears from her home, with her four-year-old daughter the only witness. Her husband seems more intent to destroy the evidence than assist with the investigation. Time is running out for Detective Warren as she digs under the surface of this seemingly perfect family in an attempt to find the missing woman. The Neighbor is a fast-paced thriller reminding readers that things are not always what they seem.
June 22: Roses and Thorns by Bret Michaels
Alright, I admit it. I love Bret Michaels. I love his band, Poison, I love his solo career, and I love Rock of Love on VH1. Roses and Thorns is Bret’s autobiography, following the rock icon/reality TV star from the creation of Poison through the partying and conflicts with other band members to an accident that left him in the hospital with a broken nose, teeth, fingers, ribs, and jaw. He also details his comeback, solo career, and quest for love on VH1. Fights, love, drama, and rock ‘n’ roll…who says nonfiction is boring?
June 29: Swimsuit by James Patterson
Everything James Patterson writes is an instant bestseller. Fans of his thrillers can expect shocking plot twists and chilling conclusions in Swimsuit that have become classic Patterson. When a supermodel disappears from a photo shoot in Hawaii, her parents travel to the island to investigate, never imagining the horrors they would encounter. Reporter Ben Hawkins is presented with an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil as he investigates the kidnapping in hopes of getting an idea for his next bestseller. As always, Patterson knows how to make our hearts pound and our imaginations wander.
Honorable Mentions:
Watch the shelves for these other hot June releases:
June 1:
Skin Trade: Laurel K. Hamilton
Matters of the Heart: Danielle Steele
Undead and Unwelcome: MaryJanice Davidson
June 8:
Roadside Crosses: Jeffery Deaver
Apocalypse 2012: Gary Jennings
Secret Sentry: The Untold Story of the National Security Agency: Matthew Aid
June 15:
Along for the Ride: Sarah Dessen
Dune Road: Jane Green
L.A. Candy: Lauren Conrad
June 22:
Fixer Upper: Mary Kay Andrews
Prism: Faye Kellerman
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen: Janet Evanovich
June 29:
Any Minute: Joyce Meyer
Apostle: Brad Thor
Return to Sullivan’s Island: Dorothea Benton Frank
--Jenn C
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Unforgettable Lexi
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Congratulations, Lexi Smart: you now have everything you’ve ever wanted. All of the things you hated about your life have magically disappeared overnight. You’re rich. You’re married to a gorgeous man (who's also rich). Your thankless job as an associate junior sales manager has transformed into a corporate management position, and you now have your own personal assistant. You have sleek hair, straight teeth (goodbye, Snaggletooth!), and a toned body that would make Jessica Simpson jealous. Life seems perfect. Now if only you could remember how you got there!
The last thing Lexi knew about her life was that she was having the worst night ever. She was standing on a street corner in the pouring rain, with discount half-size-too-small boots pinching her toes to the point of blinding agony, with her friends caterwauling a dubious rendition of “It’s Raining Men” behind her. Her father had just passed away. Loser Dave had stood her up (again) after promising to meet her at ten. Her hair was frizzy, her teeth were crooked, and (according to her) she was overweight. As she tried to hail a cab home, she slipped in the rain and hit her head on the ground. Suddenly, she's waking up in a hospital bed, it’s three years later, and she's been transformed into....well, into someone who carries a Louis Vuitton purse and has perfectly manicured nails.
As Lexi attempts to meld herself into a life she knows nothing about while struggling to remember how she got there, she begins to realize that her life is not as charmed as it appears. Her best friends will barely speak to her anymore, her colleagues call her “the Cobra,” and everyone (including the irritatingly cute architect with a huge secret) keeps pestering her to remember places, people, and things she is not familiar with.
As the threads of Lexi’s seemingly charmed life start to unravel and reveal its underlying ugliness, she starts to realize that some things are more important than a fancy car and perfect hair. After all, what’s the point of having disco lighting in your loft if your best friend isn’t there to have a dance party with you? She starts to miss her old life, where at least she felt like herself. Memories or not, is it too late to turn things around?
Sophie Kinsella lures readers in with an insatiably devilish wit and then hooks them with her irresistibly charming characters. Lexi’s situation and struggles are relatable to readers who've ever been unhappy with their job, their appearance, or their life. Allow yourself to laugh with Lexi, feel her frustration, and empathize with her situation as she tries to set things right. Remember Me? is an unforgettable blend of mystery, romance, and real-life.
--Jenn C.
Congratulations, Lexi Smart: you now have everything you’ve ever wanted. All of the things you hated about your life have magically disappeared overnight. You’re rich. You’re married to a gorgeous man (who's also rich). Your thankless job as an associate junior sales manager has transformed into a corporate management position, and you now have your own personal assistant. You have sleek hair, straight teeth (goodbye, Snaggletooth!), and a toned body that would make Jessica Simpson jealous. Life seems perfect. Now if only you could remember how you got there!
The last thing Lexi knew about her life was that she was having the worst night ever. She was standing on a street corner in the pouring rain, with discount half-size-too-small boots pinching her toes to the point of blinding agony, with her friends caterwauling a dubious rendition of “It’s Raining Men” behind her. Her father had just passed away. Loser Dave had stood her up (again) after promising to meet her at ten. Her hair was frizzy, her teeth were crooked, and (according to her) she was overweight. As she tried to hail a cab home, she slipped in the rain and hit her head on the ground. Suddenly, she's waking up in a hospital bed, it’s three years later, and she's been transformed into....well, into someone who carries a Louis Vuitton purse and has perfectly manicured nails.
As Lexi attempts to meld herself into a life she knows nothing about while struggling to remember how she got there, she begins to realize that her life is not as charmed as it appears. Her best friends will barely speak to her anymore, her colleagues call her “the Cobra,” and everyone (including the irritatingly cute architect with a huge secret) keeps pestering her to remember places, people, and things she is not familiar with.
As the threads of Lexi’s seemingly charmed life start to unravel and reveal its underlying ugliness, she starts to realize that some things are more important than a fancy car and perfect hair. After all, what’s the point of having disco lighting in your loft if your best friend isn’t there to have a dance party with you? She starts to miss her old life, where at least she felt like herself. Memories or not, is it too late to turn things around?
Sophie Kinsella lures readers in with an insatiably devilish wit and then hooks them with her irresistibly charming characters. Lexi’s situation and struggles are relatable to readers who've ever been unhappy with their job, their appearance, or their life. Allow yourself to laugh with Lexi, feel her frustration, and empathize with her situation as she tries to set things right. Remember Me? is an unforgettable blend of mystery, romance, and real-life.
--Jenn C.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Doctor is In
“Put this book down. Right now. Do not buy it. Stop Reading. Now. Why are you still reading this? Okay. I warned you.”
Straight from these opening words, it’s clear that Denis Leary’s Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid is not meant for the light of heart. He makes it quite clear that no matter who you are, this book will probably offend you. It's tactless. It's uncensored. It's also absolutely hysterical. Why We Suck is 240 pages of pure comedic ingenuity. “Doctor” Denis Leary expresses his opinion on what’s wrong with America these days – and how to fix it. No one and nothing is safe from his scrutiny - from Angelina Jolie to ice cream to Ritalin.
Part memoir, part self-help, and part rant, Why We Suck declares an all-out war on pop culture, politics, and cats. Yes, cats. Of his cat, Leary says, “I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him - which wouldn’t be very far since he’s the size of a fat raccoon on steroids. He’s the Roger Clemens of catball.” Fans of Leary’s stand-up comedy know that he is not one to sugar-coat his opinions. He thinks that kids these days are spoiled and overmedicated and that Oprah is “the cure for what ails America.” Every opinion Leary has is somehow expressed between the covers of Why We Suck, and the end result is an instant satirical classic.
If you’re a fan of heavy sarcasm and political humor, and don’t mind occasionally vulgar language, then you’ll probably enjoy this book. Just don’t take it too seriously, or you’re likely to end up on the phone with your lawyer. Or, a psychiatrist. :-)
--Jenn C.
Straight from these opening words, it’s clear that Denis Leary’s Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid is not meant for the light of heart. He makes it quite clear that no matter who you are, this book will probably offend you. It's tactless. It's uncensored. It's also absolutely hysterical. Why We Suck is 240 pages of pure comedic ingenuity. “Doctor” Denis Leary expresses his opinion on what’s wrong with America these days – and how to fix it. No one and nothing is safe from his scrutiny - from Angelina Jolie to ice cream to Ritalin.
Part memoir, part self-help, and part rant, Why We Suck declares an all-out war on pop culture, politics, and cats. Yes, cats. Of his cat, Leary says, “I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him - which wouldn’t be very far since he’s the size of a fat raccoon on steroids. He’s the Roger Clemens of catball.” Fans of Leary’s stand-up comedy know that he is not one to sugar-coat his opinions. He thinks that kids these days are spoiled and overmedicated and that Oprah is “the cure for what ails America.” Every opinion Leary has is somehow expressed between the covers of Why We Suck, and the end result is an instant satirical classic.
If you’re a fan of heavy sarcasm and political humor, and don’t mind occasionally vulgar language, then you’ll probably enjoy this book. Just don’t take it too seriously, or you’re likely to end up on the phone with your lawyer. Or, a psychiatrist. :-)
--Jenn C.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Intrigue in Elizabethan England
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory is the author’s take on what happened while Mary, Queen of Scots was a “guest” in England from 1568-1587. After a failed uprising in May 1568, Mary fled to England seeking protection from her cousin Queen Elizabeth I. Instead, Elizabeth had her arrested and imprisoned.
The book begins when George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick, agree to take on Queen Mary as a “guest” in their home at Tutbury Castle during her stay in England. They believe this privilege will gain them favor at Elizabeth’s court. However, Elizabeth and her advisors cannot decide quite what to do with Mary, and the “visit” goes on longer than George or Bess ever thought it would.
Queen Elizabeth’s advisors know England cannot support Mary retaking the Scottish throne; if she succeeds, Scottish lords - and some English ones - will support her claim to the throne of England. She remains a “guest,” moving with the family to their different homes.
Early on, Bess is assured that she and her husband will be reimbursed for the cost of keeping Mary with them. As time goes on and there’s no repayment, she begins to wonder if she will ever see the money again. Mary still insists on being treated as a queen and having her entourage with her at all times, which causes a strain on Bess and George’s finances. Will housing all these people bankrupt Bess and George?
The financial strain is unbearable for Bess, who is a self-made woman. She grew up with next to nothing and, through her first three marriages, amassed a small fortune of her own. Bess is the one who keeps the books for all of the property she and her husband own, so she knows better than he how Mary’s stay is hurting them. George becomes so smitten with Mary that he does not care about the finances; he thinks she should have whatever she desires and whatever will make her the happiest.
Queen Elizabeth’s chief advisor William Cecil and his large group of spies are concerned with gathering information about Mary: whom she sees, what she does, who writes to her, whom she writes to, and more. They hope that her activities and whom she socializes with will show that, even from within the borders of England, Mary is plotting with the Scots to overthrow Elizabeth and take the throne. Bess is Cecil’s informant in her household, which upsets the besotted George when he finds out.
Even though I knew how Mary’s part of the story would end, I read to see how she’d react to being imprisoned while being referred to as a guest. I read to learn how hosting Mary would affect Bess and George, personally, financially, as well as how it would affect their relationship with each other. For me, this is proof of Gregory’s abilities as a storyteller.
Gregory’s knowledge about the Tudors in general, and the research she conducts for on each story’s specific subject, make all of her novels historically accurate, as well as good reads. Of course she takes liberties with some parts of her novels, such as conversations between characters; it’s not possible to know exactly what was said between Mary and Bess during Mary’s stay. Gregory’s knowledge of the Tudors also earned her a spot as the Tudor expert on a show called Time Team, a British show about archeological digs in England.
I recommend this book for anyone looking to enjoy a good historical novel about Mary, Queen of Scots and Tudor England.
--Erika E.
The book begins when George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick, agree to take on Queen Mary as a “guest” in their home at Tutbury Castle during her stay in England. They believe this privilege will gain them favor at Elizabeth’s court. However, Elizabeth and her advisors cannot decide quite what to do with Mary, and the “visit” goes on longer than George or Bess ever thought it would.
Queen Elizabeth’s advisors know England cannot support Mary retaking the Scottish throne; if she succeeds, Scottish lords - and some English ones - will support her claim to the throne of England. She remains a “guest,” moving with the family to their different homes.
Early on, Bess is assured that she and her husband will be reimbursed for the cost of keeping Mary with them. As time goes on and there’s no repayment, she begins to wonder if she will ever see the money again. Mary still insists on being treated as a queen and having her entourage with her at all times, which causes a strain on Bess and George’s finances. Will housing all these people bankrupt Bess and George?
The financial strain is unbearable for Bess, who is a self-made woman. She grew up with next to nothing and, through her first three marriages, amassed a small fortune of her own. Bess is the one who keeps the books for all of the property she and her husband own, so she knows better than he how Mary’s stay is hurting them. George becomes so smitten with Mary that he does not care about the finances; he thinks she should have whatever she desires and whatever will make her the happiest.
Queen Elizabeth’s chief advisor William Cecil and his large group of spies are concerned with gathering information about Mary: whom she sees, what she does, who writes to her, whom she writes to, and more. They hope that her activities and whom she socializes with will show that, even from within the borders of England, Mary is plotting with the Scots to overthrow Elizabeth and take the throne. Bess is Cecil’s informant in her household, which upsets the besotted George when he finds out.
Even though I knew how Mary’s part of the story would end, I read to see how she’d react to being imprisoned while being referred to as a guest. I read to learn how hosting Mary would affect Bess and George, personally, financially, as well as how it would affect their relationship with each other. For me, this is proof of Gregory’s abilities as a storyteller.
Gregory’s knowledge about the Tudors in general, and the research she conducts for on each story’s specific subject, make all of her novels historically accurate, as well as good reads. Of course she takes liberties with some parts of her novels, such as conversations between characters; it’s not possible to know exactly what was said between Mary and Bess during Mary’s stay. Gregory’s knowledge of the Tudors also earned her a spot as the Tudor expert on a show called Time Team, a British show about archeological digs in England.
I recommend this book for anyone looking to enjoy a good historical novel about Mary, Queen of Scots and Tudor England.
--Erika E.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Super Short Story Collection
The Darker Mask: Heroes from the Shadows A collection of short stories, edited by Gary Phillips and Christopher Chambers
As a kid, I grew up loving superheroes and wanted to be one myself. If only I could get bit by a mutant spider or be dosed by gamma rays! Alas, I never became Spider Man or the Incredible Hulk. That didn’t put an end to my insatiable need to read about the do-gooder’s fight against evil. As I got older and realized that situations aren’t always black and white, I came to appreciate the dark hero, like Batman, who deals with inner struggles while trying to right the wrongs of his world. In The Darker Mask: Heroes from the Shadows, the protagonists would make Batman look like a saint.
The collection starts out strong with "Dream Knights," the story of two ordinary, underemployed people, Cassandra and Saddiq, who take on different personas when they fall asleep. Evil beings called Watchers feed on and amplify the negative thoughts and emotions of people from the real world. The more people act out on these thoughts, the stronger the watchers become in both the real and dream world. Cassandra and Saddiq transform into special warriors when they sleep with the ability to fight the watchers in the dream world, thus lessening their influence on the other side. But as they become better warriors on the other side, their waking selves suffer the consequences.
If you believe in karma and enjoy a little vengeance now and then, you’ll like "The Strega’s Last Dance." Angela Sandrini is the most prized Strega in New York City in 1949. She is a marriage counselor, nurse and witch all in one. She has seen much in her long life and has suffered a great deal. Much of this suffering was due to the local gangster, Bruno Maltano. Every business enterprise pays Bruno for the privilege of being in his neighborhood. As a result, he has made many enemies. The one person he doesn’t extort is the Strega. He needs her to find out who is going to make a move on his territory. But Bruno doesn’t realize that the Strega has been waiting for him for many years, and could be the one enemy he cannot defeat.
"The Henchmen" is a satirical look at the superhero versus super villain motif that makes you wonder, “Who are the real heroes?” JobPower is a temp agency that operates out of a tractor trailer. They don’t fill jobs for secretaries and office workers; instead they hire henchmen to tag along with super villains on mostly poorly thought out crime sprees or political crusades. The henchmen are underpaid, have no insurance and often suffer bodily harm at the hands of Night Mare, the local hero. Taurrance Green is one of the henchmen down on his luck until one day his true gifts shine through, and he finds himself in charge of a small army after their leader is killed. In many ways he becomes more of a hero than Night Mare could ever be.
I hope I have given you a taste of the kinds of adventure you’ll find in this unique collection of stories. If you like urban fiction and don’t mind a little strong language and violence, check it out.
--Mike N.
As a kid, I grew up loving superheroes and wanted to be one myself. If only I could get bit by a mutant spider or be dosed by gamma rays! Alas, I never became Spider Man or the Incredible Hulk. That didn’t put an end to my insatiable need to read about the do-gooder’s fight against evil. As I got older and realized that situations aren’t always black and white, I came to appreciate the dark hero, like Batman, who deals with inner struggles while trying to right the wrongs of his world. In The Darker Mask: Heroes from the Shadows, the protagonists would make Batman look like a saint.
The collection starts out strong with "Dream Knights," the story of two ordinary, underemployed people, Cassandra and Saddiq, who take on different personas when they fall asleep. Evil beings called Watchers feed on and amplify the negative thoughts and emotions of people from the real world. The more people act out on these thoughts, the stronger the watchers become in both the real and dream world. Cassandra and Saddiq transform into special warriors when they sleep with the ability to fight the watchers in the dream world, thus lessening their influence on the other side. But as they become better warriors on the other side, their waking selves suffer the consequences.
If you believe in karma and enjoy a little vengeance now and then, you’ll like "The Strega’s Last Dance." Angela Sandrini is the most prized Strega in New York City in 1949. She is a marriage counselor, nurse and witch all in one. She has seen much in her long life and has suffered a great deal. Much of this suffering was due to the local gangster, Bruno Maltano. Every business enterprise pays Bruno for the privilege of being in his neighborhood. As a result, he has made many enemies. The one person he doesn’t extort is the Strega. He needs her to find out who is going to make a move on his territory. But Bruno doesn’t realize that the Strega has been waiting for him for many years, and could be the one enemy he cannot defeat.
"The Henchmen" is a satirical look at the superhero versus super villain motif that makes you wonder, “Who are the real heroes?” JobPower is a temp agency that operates out of a tractor trailer. They don’t fill jobs for secretaries and office workers; instead they hire henchmen to tag along with super villains on mostly poorly thought out crime sprees or political crusades. The henchmen are underpaid, have no insurance and often suffer bodily harm at the hands of Night Mare, the local hero. Taurrance Green is one of the henchmen down on his luck until one day his true gifts shine through, and he finds himself in charge of a small army after their leader is killed. In many ways he becomes more of a hero than Night Mare could ever be.
I hope I have given you a taste of the kinds of adventure you’ll find in this unique collection of stories. If you like urban fiction and don’t mind a little strong language and violence, check it out.
--Mike N.
Friday, May 8, 2009
New Release: The Help
In The Help, a first novel by Kathryn Stockett, it is the 1960s and Jackson, Mississippi is still in the grip of racial segregation. White women trust their black housemaids with the children but not with the family silver, and the black maids are more afraid of the wrath of the society matrons than of the KKK. The two main items on the Jackson Junior League’s agenda are sending food to the starving children of Africa and promoting the Home Help Sanitation Initiative to encourage homeowners to build a separate bathroom for the maid.
Skeeter Phelan sees the irony of the situation, though she doesn’t claim an interest in civil rights or political affairs. But when Skeeter returns from college and finds that her family’s maid and her longtime confidante, Constantine, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, she starts asking questions that could permanently disrupt the social status quo. She’s just trying to find out what happened to Constantine, while dodging her mother’s criticism and working on her fledgling writing career. But the only writing job she can get is a domestic advice column in the local paper, so she turns to her friend’s maid, Aibileen, for advice about rust stains, silver polish, and laundry.
Aibileen has raised seventeen white children in her career as a maid, but since her own son died in an accident at the sawmill where he worked, she has begun to chafe under the pressure of racial inequality. She is willing to answer Miz Skeeter’s questions about household maintenance, but she refuses to talk about Constantine — and when Skeeter gets a daring idea for a book about the life of a Mississippi housemaid, Aibileen realizes that telling the truth could be a matter of life and death.
Aibileen’s best friend, Minny, doesn’t know how not to tell the truth, and her opinions are about to spell the death of her employment options. She has gotten on the bad side of Hilly Holbrook, queen bee of the Jackson social set, and if word gets out about the Terrible Awful she committed against the all-powerful Hilly, losing another job will be the least of Minny's troubles.
As the civil rights movement heats up, a New York editor agrees to read the book that Skeeter has written with Aibileen, Minny, and several other maids. The stories they tell are about a complex relationship of both love and hate, trust and fear, interdependence and inequality. If anyone figures out the anonymous work is really about Jackson — well, none of them wants to think about what might happen then. The women have a plan to keep their big secret, with the unwitting help of the fearsome Miss Hilly, but the book will change all their lives.
This book is excellent—complex, detailed, engaging, and well-written. The author captures the individual characters’ voices with amazing understanding. A topic like segregation is easily turned into a lecture or a horror story, but The Help shows the full range of emotion — love, friendship, humor, petty squabbles, worries about money or boyfriends or what Mama might say. It gives a rare and insightful view of segregation and racial conflict from the inside, from the personal perspective of seemingly minor players in the larger drama.
And if literary characters can be judged by God, I’m pretty sure Hilly Holbrook is going to hell.
--Tiffany H.
Skeeter Phelan sees the irony of the situation, though she doesn’t claim an interest in civil rights or political affairs. But when Skeeter returns from college and finds that her family’s maid and her longtime confidante, Constantine, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, she starts asking questions that could permanently disrupt the social status quo. She’s just trying to find out what happened to Constantine, while dodging her mother’s criticism and working on her fledgling writing career. But the only writing job she can get is a domestic advice column in the local paper, so she turns to her friend’s maid, Aibileen, for advice about rust stains, silver polish, and laundry.
Aibileen has raised seventeen white children in her career as a maid, but since her own son died in an accident at the sawmill where he worked, she has begun to chafe under the pressure of racial inequality. She is willing to answer Miz Skeeter’s questions about household maintenance, but she refuses to talk about Constantine — and when Skeeter gets a daring idea for a book about the life of a Mississippi housemaid, Aibileen realizes that telling the truth could be a matter of life and death.
Aibileen’s best friend, Minny, doesn’t know how not to tell the truth, and her opinions are about to spell the death of her employment options. She has gotten on the bad side of Hilly Holbrook, queen bee of the Jackson social set, and if word gets out about the Terrible Awful she committed against the all-powerful Hilly, losing another job will be the least of Minny's troubles.
As the civil rights movement heats up, a New York editor agrees to read the book that Skeeter has written with Aibileen, Minny, and several other maids. The stories they tell are about a complex relationship of both love and hate, trust and fear, interdependence and inequality. If anyone figures out the anonymous work is really about Jackson — well, none of them wants to think about what might happen then. The women have a plan to keep their big secret, with the unwitting help of the fearsome Miss Hilly, but the book will change all their lives.
This book is excellent—complex, detailed, engaging, and well-written. The author captures the individual characters’ voices with amazing understanding. A topic like segregation is easily turned into a lecture or a horror story, but The Help shows the full range of emotion — love, friendship, humor, petty squabbles, worries about money or boyfriends or what Mama might say. It gives a rare and insightful view of segregation and racial conflict from the inside, from the personal perspective of seemingly minor players in the larger drama.
And if literary characters can be judged by God, I’m pretty sure Hilly Holbrook is going to hell.
--Tiffany H.
Books into Movies - Summer 2009
Screenwriters have been adapting books into movies since Georges Méliès used Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon as a source for the first science-fiction film, A Trip to the Moon, in 1902 (included in the bonus features on this DVD). Over a hundred years later, they’re still at it. This summer promises some real treats for book lovers who enjoy a good flick.
The summer action starts off with a bang when Angels & Demons (watch the trailer) opens May 15. Robert Langdon chases the Illuminati across Rome, in an attempt to derail a plot against the Catholic Church. Tom Hanks returns as the intrepid investigator, although I understand the filmmakers wisely decided to do away with the goofy hairdo he sported in The Da Vinci Code.
Next on track is a remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, (watch the trailer) which opens June 12. It’s the third film version of John Godey’s 1973 thriller about the hijacking of a New York City subway train; this time around it stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta, along with a couple of my favorite character actors, Luis Gúzman and John Turturro. All aboard!
Switching gears and slowing down, Michelle Pfeiffer stars in the film version of Chéri, opening in limited release on June 26. Beautiful but aging Léa is asked to see to the worldly education of the son of an old friend. It’s been described as the story of a relationship between a boy who won’t grow up and a woman who can’t stay young. From what I saw in the trailer, the film looks gorgeous – exactly the kind of movie you want to come downtown to see at the Cameo!
Also opening on the 26th: Abigail Breslin stars in My Sister’s Keeper (watch the trailer), the adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s novel about a girl with a very sick older sister. Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric play the parents, with Sofia Vassilieva as the sister, Kate. This movie should be popular with all the book clubs that read and enjoyed the book – remember to bring a box of tissues when you go to see it.
I Love You, Beth Cooper (watch the trailer) is based on Larry Doyle’s novel about what happens when a shy high-school valedictorian throws caution to the winds and tells the cheerleader he adores how he feels – during the graduation ceremony. Hilarity and complications ensue. This teen-geek rom-com opens July 10, and it’s directed by Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two Harry Potter movies.
Speaking of the Boy Wizard, all good Muggles know to keep their date books open for July 15, the day that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (watch the trailer) opens. In this, the penultimate installation of the series, Harry and Professor Dumbledore prepare for the battle they know is coming against Voldemort. If any book-movie is guaranteed money in the bank this summer, it’s got to be this one.
More fantasy is in store on August 14, with the opening of The Time Traveler’s Wife (no trailer available yet). A blend of science fiction and romance, but not quite either of these things, it’s the story of Clare and her husband Henry, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to jump from one time period to another. This is another book club favorite whose arrival has been eagerly anticipated by the many loyal fans of the book. Hey – Eric Bana plays Henry, a librarian. What’s not to like?
The summer closes with a tasty morsel of a movie, Julie & Julia (watch the trailer), which is based on not one, not two, but three books. The title comes from Julie Powell’s account of how she spent a year preparing (or trying to prepare!) every recipe in Julia Child’s breakthrough work, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Interspersed with Julie’s struggle to find herself in haute cuisine is the story of how a nice lady from America became an internationally known chef and television star; material for this came from Mrs. Child’s memoir My Life in France. Amy Adams stars as Julie, while Meryl Streep positively channels Julia. Think of this film as a scrumptious dessert for summer’s end – Bon Appétit!
--Nora
The summer action starts off with a bang when Angels & Demons (watch the trailer) opens May 15. Robert Langdon chases the Illuminati across Rome, in an attempt to derail a plot against the Catholic Church. Tom Hanks returns as the intrepid investigator, although I understand the filmmakers wisely decided to do away with the goofy hairdo he sported in The Da Vinci Code.
Next on track is a remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, (watch the trailer) which opens June 12. It’s the third film version of John Godey’s 1973 thriller about the hijacking of a New York City subway train; this time around it stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta, along with a couple of my favorite character actors, Luis Gúzman and John Turturro. All aboard!
Switching gears and slowing down, Michelle Pfeiffer stars in the film version of Chéri, opening in limited release on June 26. Beautiful but aging Léa is asked to see to the worldly education of the son of an old friend. It’s been described as the story of a relationship between a boy who won’t grow up and a woman who can’t stay young. From what I saw in the trailer, the film looks gorgeous – exactly the kind of movie you want to come downtown to see at the Cameo!
Also opening on the 26th: Abigail Breslin stars in My Sister’s Keeper (watch the trailer), the adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s novel about a girl with a very sick older sister. Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric play the parents, with Sofia Vassilieva as the sister, Kate. This movie should be popular with all the book clubs that read and enjoyed the book – remember to bring a box of tissues when you go to see it.
I Love You, Beth Cooper (watch the trailer) is based on Larry Doyle’s novel about what happens when a shy high-school valedictorian throws caution to the winds and tells the cheerleader he adores how he feels – during the graduation ceremony. Hilarity and complications ensue. This teen-geek rom-com opens July 10, and it’s directed by Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two Harry Potter movies.
Speaking of the Boy Wizard, all good Muggles know to keep their date books open for July 15, the day that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (watch the trailer) opens. In this, the penultimate installation of the series, Harry and Professor Dumbledore prepare for the battle they know is coming against Voldemort. If any book-movie is guaranteed money in the bank this summer, it’s got to be this one.
More fantasy is in store on August 14, with the opening of The Time Traveler’s Wife (no trailer available yet). A blend of science fiction and romance, but not quite either of these things, it’s the story of Clare and her husband Henry, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to jump from one time period to another. This is another book club favorite whose arrival has been eagerly anticipated by the many loyal fans of the book. Hey – Eric Bana plays Henry, a librarian. What’s not to like?
The summer closes with a tasty morsel of a movie, Julie & Julia (watch the trailer), which is based on not one, not two, but three books. The title comes from Julie Powell’s account of how she spent a year preparing (or trying to prepare!) every recipe in Julia Child’s breakthrough work, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Interspersed with Julie’s struggle to find herself in haute cuisine is the story of how a nice lady from America became an internationally known chef and television star; material for this came from Mrs. Child’s memoir My Life in France. Amy Adams stars as Julie, while Meryl Streep positively channels Julia. Think of this film as a scrumptious dessert for summer’s end – Bon Appétit!
--Nora
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