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Kill the Irishman by Rick Porrello An weak book, marred by inconsistencies, a confusing narrative, and an overhyped premise. reserve a copy of Kill the Irishman review submitted by MD on 8/15/2011 Scumble by Ingrid Law A companion to "Savvy." Another young member has just turned 13 and therefore has developed his talent or 'savvy.' (See my review for "Savvy.") The destruction and fun that follow are fabulous. I'm waiting impatiently for Ingrid Law's next book. If you have a kid, know a kid or have any bit of kid left in you, get it for him/her and read it yourself! reserve a copy of Scumble review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 Savvy by Ingrid Law While reading this book, you can't help but to add an accent to the character's voices. They are quirky, sweet, fun, hysterical, unexpected and more. It's like the X-men meets Laura Ingalls territory. Super savvies ('gifts') in the heartland of America. A fun ride! reserve a copy of Savvy review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp This is the best investment I've made in a long time. I homeschool my daughter and this has provided me with a fantastic and comprehensive resource. I use it to create my IHIP (Individual Home Instruction Plan) and to select resources to assist with the learning. If I return to teaching in the public school system one day, I will definitely keep it by my side as well. reserve a copy of Home Learning Year by Year review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 Ultimate Cardmaking by Sarah Beaman Terrific collection of cardmaking techniques that can be altered easily. Some very simple, others with a few steps. All with charming results. I will be checking this book out periodically, I'm sure. reserve a copy of Ultimate Cardmaking review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 Make In In Minutes, Wreaths by Taylor Hagerty I like crafty things and aspire to be a little more Martha Stewart-y. This book has a terrific variety of wreaths ~ some flowery and traditional and others fun and unique. I made one wreath and want to do more. reserve a copy of Make In In Minutes, Wreaths review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan Loved it. Loved them all (the other books in the series). Stayed up too late reading it, as with the others. My daughter has started to read Greek Myths with me (because this series will be that much more fun to read with her when the backstories are fresh in her mind). I will pick up more of his books at the library today. reserve a copy of The Last Olympian review submitted by AZ on 8/15/2011 Wide as the Waters by Benson Bobrick As much a history of the Protestant Reformation in England as of the King James Bible, this is a well-written and lucid examination of the historical forces that culminated in teh production of arguably the most influential text in the English language. reserve a copy of Wide as the Waters review submitted by MD on 8/14/2011 Show Me the Good Land by Humphrey, Shonna Milliken An interesting look at rural Aroostook County in northern Maine. This book is primarily character driven. It gives a very good sense of life in the "County"(as it referred to locally)through brief snapshots of each protagonist. review submitted by CM on 8/13/2011 The Wonder of Charlie Anne by Fusco, Kimberley Excellent story about a young girl's trials growing in a small, rural town during the Great Depression. the book also incorporates themes of racism, difficulties with schooling, and poverty during this era. reserve a copy of The Wonder of Charlie Anne review submitted by CM on 8/13/2011 Lost In Shangri-La by Zuckoff, Mitchell The actual history of these events is quite interesting but somehow Mr. Zuckoff lost control of his narrative and his tale became weighted down with minute details. reserve a copy of Lost In Shangri-La review submitted by CM on 8/10/2011 When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Holt, Kimberley Holt Outstanding story about a teenage boy in rural Texas coming to grips with some very adult problems. Great characterizations and writing about small town America, No wonder Ms. Holt won the National Book Award. reserve a copy of When Zachary Beaver Came to Town review submitted by CM on 8/6/2011 Summer House by Thayer, Nancy This book's characters weren't fully fleshed out. Also, the plot was somewhat predictable. reserve a copy of Summer House review submitted by CM on 8/6/2011 Gandhi by Bhikhu Parekh A thorough but by no means exhaustive bio of the Mahatma. A good entry-level book if you want to get your facts straight on the man - a jumping-off book for more in-depth works. reserve a copy of Gandhi review submitted by LW on 8/5/2011 Sophie Scholl and the White Rose by Annette Dumbach and Jud Newborn Historical account of Sophie Scholl, a young University of Munich student who, together with her brother Hans and several others, formed the White Rose society to alert others to the true evil of the Third Reich. In an effort to combat the rampant Nazi propoganada, they composed leaflets denouncing National Socialism and mailed them randomly by the hundreds across Germany and Austria. They realized, long before others did, that their beloved nation of Goethe and Schiller was being turned into a seething pit of hatred and paranoia by Hitler and his minions. You can guess what happened to Scholl and her compatriots. This is a fascinating biography and piece of history. reserve a copy of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose review submitted by LW on 8/5/2011 The Painted Kiss by Elizabeth Hickey Time travel to fin-de-siecle Vienna, and meet painter Gustav Klimt and his companion/muse/conscience Emilie Floge. This historical fiction tells of their decades-long partnership and relationships with others in the Vienna art world. Rich with detail. reserve a copy of The Painted Kiss review submitted by LW on 8/5/2011 The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan This series is so much fun to read. Intended for younger readers, it is an entertaining ride while including seriously humorous updates on Greek gods and heroes. I can't wait to read the rest of these books and then reread them with my daughter! reserve a copy of The Titan's Curse review submitted by AZ on 8/2/2011 Now You See Her by James Patterson A great read! Couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and turns. reserve a copy of Now You See Her review submitted by JO on 8/1/2011 Trepasser by Doiron,Paul Dorion's second thriller involving Maine game warden,Mike Bowditch. This author's writing continues to get better and better. While The Poacher's Son was a very good mystery, this book has a tighter plot and integrates more of a sense of place into the story. reserve a copy of Trepasser review submitted by CM on 7/31/2011 Rescue by Shreve, Anita Good, fast-paced book about a Vermont paramedic, his daughter and his ex-wife. Not as detailed as some of Shreve's other books but still worth reading. reserve a copy of Rescue review submitted by CM on 7/31/2011 Reading My Father by Alexandra Styron It always disturbs how brilliant and successful people treat their families. I lose some respect for their talent. reserve a copy of Reading My Father review submitted by HM on 7/29/2011 14 Peck Slip by Dee, Ed One of the best books about the NYPD and police work in general. The story follows two partners and a body found in a barrel in Fulton Fish Market. reserve a copy of 14 Peck Slip review submitted by CM on 7/27/2011 the mammoth book of paranormal romance it was awsome i read the book in a matter of two hours and am now on my tenth time reading it reserve a copy of the mammoth book of paranormal romance review submitted by SR on 7/27/2011 Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons Sweet, funny and a little outrageous, this book explores the fictional lives of three North Carolina women - grandmother, mother and daughter. Charlie Kate is a self-taught doctor/healer who has wisdom - and sass - to spare. Her daughter and her granddaughter help her on her rounds and provide a foil for her peppery temper. Set in the 1930s and 40s. I love Kaye Gibbons' work - try "Ellen Foster" or "A Virtuous Woman" as well. reserve a copy of Charms for the Easy Life review submitted by LW on 7/27/2011 Create With Me (Magazine) by Stampington & Company This magazine is great for finding really artistic, but reasonable projects to do with your child. It's a definite step up from other such publications like Family Fun. I am really looking forward to doing some of these projects with both my daughter and her girl scout troop in the Fall. review submitted by AZ on 7/26/2011 The Last Juror by John Grisham The reason I enjoyed this book so much was not because of the suspenseful parts, but because of everything else. The characters, setting, time period and overall 'flavor' of this story makes you feel like you had the pleasure of visiting Ford County without the inconvenience of actually having to break a sweat. reserve a copy of The Last Juror review submitted by AZ on 7/26/2011 The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews Although the book is over400 pages, it is a quick read. very likabe characters and visual. reserve a copy of The Fixer Upper review submitted by JO on 7/26/2011 Welcome. To Temption by Jenifer Crusie A delightful book. Her characters are fun and visual. I enjoy her books as much as Janet Evanovich's! reserve a copy of Welcome. To Temption review submitted by JO on 7/26/2011 33 Men by Jonathan Franklin A must-read about the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped for 69 days. It is an amazing story of survival on par with "Alive," "127 Hours" and "Into Thin Air." reserve a copy of 33 Men review submitted by HM on 7/25/2011 The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid It is a good book about many universal themes, including immigrants, love and warfare. reserve a copy of The Reluctant Fundamentalist review submitted by HM on 7/25/2011 My Korean Deli by Howe, Ben Ryder Engaging story about running a convenience store in NYC. Also. explores the issues of intermarriage and culture clashes within a family. reserve a copy of My Korean Deli review submitted by CM on 7/25/2011 Into The Woods by French, Tana First rate police procedural story. The well-thought out plot revolves around an Irish detective, his female partner and the detective's troubled past. reserve a copy of Into The Woods review submitted by CM on 7/24/2011 Live Wire by Coben, Harlan This book felt rushed and plot also had a lot of holes. Not one of Coben's best efforts. reserve a copy of Live Wire review submitted by CM on 7/24/2011 Little Children by Tom Perrotta A fictional work about modern-day suburbanites who are discontented with their marriages, parenthood, and life in general. Lots of existential angst here. And as if that were not enough, evil lurks among them in the form of a paroled child molester who moves back in with his aging mom. Yes, this is the book that was made into a film starring Kate Winslet. The film is surprisingly true to the novel, but read the book anyway! reserve a copy of Little Children review submitted by LW on 7/24/2011 Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo Interesting encounter a little boy has with heaven. reserve a copy of Heaven is for Real review submitted by ET on 7/22/2011 Long Lost by Coben, Harlan Fast, action filled thriller about a murder in Paris. reserve a copy of Long Lost review submitted by CM on 7/22/2011 Gilded - How Newport Became America's Richest Resort by Deborah Davis A fun but not terribly weighty book about Newport, Rhode Island - Gilded Age resort of the Vanderbilts and Astors and their ilk. Traces the city from its roots as a Revolutionary War era naval port to the present day of charity benefits and yacht races. Tons of fun factoids and historical tidbits, especially regarding how the upper-upper crust partied like it was 1899. Like eating a box of bonbons. reserve a copy of Gilded - How Newport Became America's Richest Resort review submitted by LW on 7/22/2011 Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza Incredibly moving yet sad story of a survivor of the Rwanda genocide. Very insightful and thought provoking. reserve a copy of Left to Tell review submitted by ET on 7/21/2011 The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs A quick, easy read about the varied lives of several NYC women who meet at a Manhattan yarn shop to knit and exchange support and life secrets. reserve a copy of The Friday Night Knitting Club review submitted by LW on 7/19/2011 The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad A fascinating true account of a female Norwegian journalist who lived with an extended family in Kabul, Afghanistan during the tumultuous time of the 9/11 attacks and Hamid Karzai's struggle to create a new and better country. The detailed accounts of daily life are rich and fascinating, and the oppression of women even after the Taliban is out of power is shocking and saddening. reserve a copy of The Bookseller of Kabul review submitted by LW on 7/19/2011 Mudbound by Hillary Jordan A deeply sad and stunning fictional portrait of two Mississippi Delta families - one white, one black; one the owners of a farm and the other sharecroppers on it. The novel shows us subtle and blatant prejudices and surprising friendships - and betrayals. Set around the time of World War II. reserve a copy of Mudbound review submitted by LW on 7/19/2011 Indian Pipes by Riggs, Cynthia A whodunit based on a 92 year-old investigator who lives on Nantucket. Good sense of local character. Also, an interesting look at conflicts that arise with the proposed building of Native American casinos. reserve a copy of Indian Pipes review submitted by CM on 7/18/2011 One Was A Soldier by Spencer-Fleming, Julia Nice continuation of a good series. An intelligent yet thrilling plot. reserve a copy of One Was A Soldier review submitted by CM on 7/17/2011 The State of Jones by Jenkins, Sally A fascinating story about guerilla warfare within the Confederate states during the Civil War. Also, looks at the repercussions of Reconstruction on southern Unionists after the war. reserve a copy of The State of Jones review submitted by CM on 7/15/2011 Bayou (Volume One) by Jeremy Love This story is set in the very racist town of Charon, Mississippi in 1933. When the main character, a young girl named Lee, follows her friend Lily down to the Bayou to find Lily's missing necklace, something terrible happens. Lily is snatched up by some horrible bayou monster. Lee's father is accused of harming Lily and is taken into custody where he might undergo the same treatment that a young Billy Glass suffered for allegedly 'whistlin' at a white woman'. Lee takes it upon herself to save her father's life and recover Lily from the monster. Although this is volume one, and the story is only just beginning, Bayou has potential to be a great series. It offers a great story line rife with magical creatures, familiar characters from childhood stories woven organically into the story's framework, American history creatively told (i.e. the "Jim Crows" that attack are actually crows, and somewhat supernatural at that), and a uniquely pleasing style of art. I am anxiously awaiting the nest installment. reserve a copy of Bayou (Volume One) review submitted by EE on 7/14/2011 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Tower by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn Fantastic history of the twin towers and the laws/history of what was going on before the attacks occurred. It was an incredible story: frightening and yet thrilling all at the same time. reserve a copy of 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Tower review submitted by ET on 7/14/2011 Good As Gone by Coben, Harlan Good summer reading thriller. However, some of the plot twists and turns are a little hard to believe. Personally, I think Coben's Bolitar series is a better in terms of plot advancement. reserve a copy of Good As Gone review submitted by CM on 7/13/2011 Natural Born Ccharmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Although this is one of her older books, it is still one of her best! Her characters and the situations she puts them in are humerous and believable. Loved it! reserve a copy of Natural Born Ccharmer review submitted by JO on 7/13/2011 Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter This is the 4th and last book in a series. I loved all 4 of the books. The setting is England in the 1700's (I think) and about 4 independet women. It is a good and fast read and very HOT! reserve a copy of Dangerous in Diamonds review submitted by JO on 7/13/2011 Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke This is a book in a continuing series about baker Hannah Swenso. Hannah and her sisters seem to get involved in a lot of murders. It is humerous and chock full of all kinds of recipes. I enjoyed the book very much! reserve a copy of Sugar Cookie Murder review submitted by JO on 7/13/2011 Mortar and Murder by Bentley, Jennie Set in rural Maine, this mystery series is getting better and better. This book is the fourth. reserve a copy of Mortar and Murder review submitted by CM on 7/12/2011 The Snowman by Nesbo, Jo Super-but one should read the prior volumes in the series first. reserve a copy of The Snowman review submitted by CM on 7/11/2011 The Lake, the River and the Other Lake by Amick, Steve Good book about how the summer residents interact with the locals during the tourist season in a small midwestern town. reserve a copy of The Lake, the River and the Other Lake review submitted by CM on 7/11/2011 Big Girl Small by DeWoskin, Rachel Great tale about the trials and tribulations of high school in a media age. reserve a copy of Big Girl Small review submitted by CM on 7/11/2011 The Weird Sisters by Brown, Eleanor Nice, well thought-out story about three unusual sisters. reserve a copy of The Weird Sisters review submitted by CM on 7/11/2011 Tribute by Nora Roberts It was awesome! Classical romance, coudn't put it down! reserve a copy of Tribute review submitted by SR on 7/11/2011 Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls First person narration of the author's grandmother's life, as told by Jeannette Walls. Strong, believable voice, and a (semingly) honest look into ranching life in the American Southwest in the early 1900s. You'll admire Lily Casey Smith's determination and grit. The only drawback is the same criticism I had of Walls' memoir, "The Glass Castle," which is that, while Walls presents very interesting information and stories, she does not flesh it out. There is no pause in the storytelling to expound upon an emotion or idea, and no moment is taken to reflect upon the landscape or the people. In short, there is not a lot of depth or character development. What you get is just the "facts" and not much else, so the draw of reading is to follow the plot and see what happens next. Walls refers to the book as a "novel," due to the fact that she wrote in the first person, but it lacks the feel of a novel, and truly does seem more like another memoir, even if not her own. If you enjoy memoirs, I'd recommend giving this one a try. reserve a copy of Half Broke Horses review submitted by KG on 7/11/2011 Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in some different reading, cultural wise. The tales in this story were funny, sad and exciting all at the same time. You'll go on the journey and not want to stop reading until you reach the end! reserve a copy of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress review submitted by ET on 7/5/2011 The Buffalo Soldier by Bohjalian, Chris, This was really fantastic! I loved the development of characters and the paired stories (comparison between past events and present). I definitely recommend this! reserve a copy of The Buffalo Soldier review submitted by ET on 7/3/2011 Midwives by Bohjalian, Chris, I enjoyed a lot of other books by this author, but felt that this book just dragged on for a while. The case was interesting, but I felt like things needed to move a little more quickly for me. reserve a copy of Midwives review submitted by ET on 7/3/2011 Bossypants by Tina Fey A great glimpse into a sharp comic mind. Fey regales with stories of motherhood, writing for a hit TV show, and her early days starting out in improv. Lots of LOLs. reserve a copy of Bossypants review submitted by DP on 7/2/2011 The Bible by King James Version It's a great book. reserve a copy of The Bible review submitted by KR on 7/2/2011 Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern I can't believe I read this book, and I can't believe I laughed so hard at it. Halpern reminisces about life with his his grouchy, foul-mouthed Dad, who happens to be a doctor of nuclear medicine but can't seem to utter a sentence that doesn't contain the "s" word, the "f" word and the "a" word. I realized that like a 12-year-old, I was laughing at the potty talk, but, hey, I was laughing. reserve a copy of Sh*t My Dad Says review submitted by LW on 7/2/2011 When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin This truly is one of the most fascinating and remarkable books I have ever read. It's the true story of Godwin, who grew up on a white-owned farm in Rhodesia, run by his Englsh parents. When the country achieves independence and the corrupt Robert Mugabe takes power, the entire game changes. Godwin is a world-class journalist who has worked for the BBC, National Geographic and many more outlets. This is a story about family, country and culture and I can't recommend it highly enough. reserve a copy of When a Crocodile Eats the Sun review submitted by LW on 7/2/2011 Mao's Great Famine by dikotter, frank Where did Pol Pot and Kim Jing-il learn lessons about terrorizing their populations with famine? From Mao. Over 45 million people died from starvation because of Mao's policies during the Great Leap Forward. A very well written account about the horror in Ch9ina that seems to have been glossed over. reserve a copy of Mao's Great Famine review submitted by NP on 6/30/2011 Satori by Don Winslow A 'prequel' to the book Shibumi by Trvanian. Enjoyed reading about Nicholai Hel again; not as good as the original but I do hope for more adventures. reserve a copy of Satori review submitted by NP on 6/28/2011 lightning strikes by v.c.andrews seeing rain,s struggle continue and how she copes. reserve a copy of lightning strikes review submitted by YS on 6/28/2011 Inner Peace by Dalai Lama This read was the soothest read for the summer so far. It gave me so much hope and positivity in life. I am going through a lot as we all are, it gave me the power to fight back in my life and be peaceful in my heart and soul. Really amazing book, for all who are going through something in life. reserve a copy of Inner Peace review submitted by SM on 6/27/2011
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