tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-287282662024-03-05T08:23:28.903-05:00Brookfield ReadsThe Brookfield Library, 182 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, ConnecticutAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.comBlogger472125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-91333879722928032372014-06-01T15:42:00.002-04:002014-06-01T15:43:45.340-04:00Summer reads!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1U3kq8CpXa8Ky1Cf9oNaWJfs7kRxS2yAB2vH1Z95gvRq2rznMMSZtUin5VrhWFnnAPTt0uN2HGm5KO9TriQKAthJHQJ9ykpa3Yo7h2d5HfqeKFVkysZWBcQCQUzwKUVYZxYbVQ/s1600/woman_reading_by_water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1U3kq8CpXa8Ky1Cf9oNaWJfs7kRxS2yAB2vH1Z95gvRq2rznMMSZtUin5VrhWFnnAPTt0uN2HGm5KO9TriQKAthJHQJ9ykpa3Yo7h2d5HfqeKFVkysZWBcQCQUzwKUVYZxYbVQ/s1600/woman_reading_by_water.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">There are plenty of exciting new books coming out this summer. Check out <a href="http://nypost.com/2014/05/24/the-29-best-books-of-the-summer/">this list</a> of the "29 Best Books of the Summer" compiled by the <i>New York Post</i> with help from Manhattan bookstores The Mysterious Bookshop and The Strand, Brooklyn's Word, and Amazon. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #073763;">The list has everything from <i>The Matchmaker</i>--the newest from Elin Hildenbrand, the queen of the beach read--to literary heavyweight Haruki Marukami's new novel,<i> Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage</i>.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #073763;">You may have read Jojo Moyes' wildly successful novel, <i>Me Before You</i>. Her newest, <i>One Plus One</i>, comes out on July 1st, and is another contemporary opposites-attract love story.</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">Herman Koch's international bestseller, dark novel <i>The Dinner</i>, got people talking. His new book, <i>Summer House with Swimming Pool</i>, which comes out this week, is another chilling story told by a questionable narrator. A celebrity doctor is invited on vacation with a famous actor and his gorgeous wife, and somebody ends up dead. This latest effort by Koch promises to be another controversial and thought-provoking novel.</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">Emily Giffin is known for chick lit, but her just released-novel, <i>The One & Only</i>, represents a departure for her as it deals with darker themes. The plot revolves around a May-December love affair in which a 33-year-old woman begins to fall in love with her best friend's father and local football hero.</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">Also keep an eye out for new offerings from Charlaine Harris, Stephen King, Jo Nesbo, and Tom Rob Smith.</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">What books are you most excited to read this summer?</span></b></span>Elizabeth Oedel, Reference Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06868287055769821673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-29503360111737842912014-04-21T15:26:00.000-04:002014-04-21T15:26:28.907-04:00BROOKFIELD READS: THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Our Brookfield Library fiction discussion group will be reading THE CHAPERONE, an historical fiction book by Laura Moriarty, and meeting to discuss it on Monday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m. We have a great group of about a dozen readers who always welcome new members, so if you're looking for a book club to join, plan to attend. We should be getting in more copies later this week, and our books for discussion are located on a cart at the checkout desk.</b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>"</b></span></span><span id="freeText16431690584376635125"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A <i>New York Times </i>bestseller, <i>The Chaperone </i>is a
captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise
Brooks to New York City in the 1920s and the summer that would change
them both.<br /> <br /> Only a few years before becoming a famous
silent-film star and an icon of her generation, a fifteen-year-old
Louise Brooks leaves Wichita, Kansas, to study with the prestigious
Denishawn School of Dancing in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is
accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone, who is neither mother
nor friend. Cora Carlisle, a complicated but traditional woman with her
own reasons for making the trip, has no idea what she’s in for. Young
Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous black bob
with blunt bangs, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for
convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will
transform their lives forever.<br /> <br /> For Cora, the city holds the
promise of discovery that might answer the question at the core of her
being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in this
strange and bustling place she embarks on a mission of her own. And
while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, she is liberated in a
way she could not have imagined. Over the course of Cora’s relationship
with Louise, her eyes are opened to the promise of the twentieth century
and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.<br /> <br />
Drawing on the rich history of the 1920s, ’30s, and beyond—from the
orphan trains to Prohibition, flappers, and the onset of the Great
Depression to the burgeoning movement for equal rights and new
opportunities for women—Laura Moriarty’s The Chaperone illustrates how
rapidly everything, from fashion and hemlines to values and attitudes,
was changing at this time and what a vast difference it all made for
Louise Brooks, Cora Carlisle, and others like them."</span></b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-31846010448580298642014-04-16T13:38:00.004-04:002014-04-16T13:38:53.745-04:00I REMEMBER YOU: A GHOST STORY by Yrsa Sigurdardottir<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #741b47;"><i> Are you a fan of Scandinavian crime fiction? If you haven't read anything from Sigurdardottir, give this a try. One reader says this is one of the creepiest books she's ever read.</i></span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"In a departure from her series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir,
Iceland’s queen of suspense combines modern crime detection with
mysticism to chilling effect. The sense of foreboding starts early, as
married couple Katrin and Gardar, along with Lif, the widow of Gardar’s
best friend, travel from Reykjavik to isolated Hesteyri to renovate the
old house they’ve bought to turn into a guesthouse. Concerns about
finances and the viability of the project pale as something about the
house makes the trio want to leave it. Across the fjord, psychiatrist
Freyr starts working with police on the unlikely connection between an
elderly suicide victim and a six-year-old boy who disappeared three
years earlier and was never found. Inevitably the two plot lines collide,
revealing human behavior and failings—lies, betrayals, assaults,
murder—that explain only part of what has happened from a time decades
earlier to the present. Sigurdardottir skillfully builds the early
ominous warnings to the point that readers find themselves shouting to
Katrin to cut her losses and go home, as the unexplained becomes
terrifying. Nordic mystery writers can raise goosebumps as few others
can, and Sigurdardottir shows she’s one of the best." ~ Michele Leber, Booklist
</b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-87250523621480052362014-04-14T10:30:00.000-04:002014-04-14T10:30:35.646-04:00ASTONISH ME: A NOVEL by Maggie Shipstead<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"In this exquisitely rendered story of love, loss, betrayal, secrecy,
and artistic ambition, Maggie Shipstead takes hold of the reader and
doesn't let go. "Astonish Me" is a haunting, powerful novel."<br /> --Dani Shapiro </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> </i>"From the author of the widely acclaimed debut novel Seating
Arrangements, winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize: a gorgeously written,
fiercely compelling glimpse into the passionate, political world of
professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations. Astonish
Me is the irresistible story of Joan, a ballerina whose life has been
shaped by her relationship with the world-famous dancer Arslan Ruskov,
whom she helps defect from the Soviet Union to the U.S. While Arslan's
career takes off in New York, Joan's slowly declines, ending when she
becomes pregnant and decides to marry her longtime admirer, a PhD
student named Jacob. As the years pass, Joan settles into her new life
in California, teaching dance and watching her son, Harry, become a
ballet prodigy himself. But when Harry's success brings him into close
contact with Arslan, explosive secrets are revealed that shatter the
delicate balance Joan has struck between her past and present. In
graceful, inimitable prose, Shipstead draws us into the lives of her
lovably tempestuous characters. Filled with intrigue, hilarious satire,
and emotional nuance, Astonish Me is a brilliant investigation into the
bonds that hold us, despite the distancing of time and geography"</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> -- from the Publisher</b></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-90646469719559515102014-04-12T14:24:00.000-04:002014-04-12T14:24:08.832-04:00WITHOUT WARNING by David Rosenfelt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A new standalone from David Rosenfelt, who writes the Andy Carpenter mystery series is just about to hit our new book shelf: "Spooky. Creepy. Edgy. Shuddery. What more could anyone want?...Highly
recommended for readers craving that elusive "something
different.""--"Booklist"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i> </i>Years ago, Katie Sanford’s husband was convicted of the murder of Jenny
Robbins, then died himself in prison. It’s a small town and memories are
long, and Katie and Jenny’s husband, Chief of Police Jake Robbins, have
had to work at putting the tragedy behind them. But it's all brought up
again in the wake of a hurricane which has just wreaked havoc on their
quiet Maine town. Since its founding, Wilton has had a quaint tradition
of creating a time capsule every fifty years, and the storm unearthed
the most recent capsule. As the editor of the local paper, Katie joins
Chief Robbins to supervise its opening. Neither of them is prepared for
the macabre set of predictions, dating back to months before Jenny’s
murder, that they find inside. Someone predicted her death, as well as
eleven other tragedies, which are still occurring even long after the
death of Katie’s husband.<br /><br />At last, after all these years, Katie
has reason to hope that her husband might not have been guilty of
Jenny’s murder after all. But as she and Jake race to stop the next
predictions from coming true, they find themselves caught in a
terrifying mind game with no rules…and life or death consequences.</b></span><b> ~ from the Publisher</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Look for this one on our new book shelf next week. And if you haven't read any of his other books, give them a try. ~ Katherine</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-37353672795524683692014-04-11T17:44:00.000-04:002014-04-11T17:44:17.401-04:00 UNTIL TUEDAY: A WOUNDED WARRIOR AND THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER WHO SAVED HIM by Luis Carlos Montalván <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"A heartwarming dog story like no other: Tuesday, a lovable golden
retriever, changes a former soldier's life forever. A highly decorated
captain in the U.S. Army, Luis Montalvan never backed down from a
challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home
from combat, however, his physical wounds and crippling post-traumatic
stress disorder began to take their toll. He wondered if he would ever
recover. Then Luis met Tuesday, a sensitive golden retriever trained to
assist the disabled. Tuesday had lived among prisoners and at a home for
troubled boys, and he found it difficult to trust in or connect with a
human being--until Luis. <i>Until Tuesday</i> is the story of how two wounded
warriors, who had given so much and suffered the consequences, found
salvation in each other. It is a story about war and peace, injury and
recovery, psychological wounds and spiritual restoration. But more than
that, it is a story about the love between a man and dog, and how,
together, they healed each other's souls." ~ from the Publisher</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><i>Luis Montalvan and Tuesday continue to share their story at appearances across the United States, in fact, they will be at the Norwalk Public Library in a few weeks. An amazing, powerful, and heartwarming story. ~ Katherine</i></span></b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-90895103179730418712014-01-08T11:28:00.001-05:002014-01-08T11:28:11.281-05:00Reading for the New Year<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So many things in today's world get in the way of sitting down with a good book--computer time (thinking Words with Friends), television watching (catching up on that television series everyone is raving about), chores.....so this year may be the one to head back to the pleasures of reading.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6a/b4/ca/6ab4ca46560c9674e29772d3de5a19f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6a/b4/ca/6ab4ca46560c9674e29772d3de5a19f4.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Besides, we've all heard that reading can be a great stress reliever, right? And we all need that, agreed? Simply by opening a book, reading can relax your body by lowering your heart rate
and easing the tension in your muscles, by up to 68% according to a 2009 study at the University
of Sussex It works
better and faster than other relaxation methods such as drinking a hot cup of tea or listening to music. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So, no hard and fast resolutions here. But it would definitely be lovely to read more for pleasure, and to read more books outside the usual choices (for me that would be more nonfiction). Maybe more of a different genre, maybe some of those books that have been sitting in the TBR pile forever. And, a good year to catalog and rate ALL the books read in 2014, either on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a> or <a href="http://www.librarything.com/" target="_blank">LIBRARY THING</a> or <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/" target="_blank">SHELFARI</a>. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If one of yours is to join a book group, think about the offerings at your library. Here at Brookfield, we have at least three a month: <a href="http://www.brookfieldlibrary.org/book-clubs" target="_blank">Brookfield Reads Fiction, Book 'Em Mystery Group and Nonfiction Book Club. </a> And every few months we have a Cooking the Books get together, where we enjoy good book conversation and great food! Think about coming to one or more of our meetings--we love having new readers join us.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you have any reading resolutions for 2014? </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>~ Katherine</b></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-199210411592955032014-01-06T16:53:00.000-05:002014-01-06T16:53:36.948-05:00Is There a Pattern Here?<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I just finished reading THE SILENT WIFE by A. Harrison, and then picked up BACKSEAT SAINTS by Joshilyn Jackson, not realizing that both books were about mariticide, the killing of one's husband ( I admit to having to look that up). Motives differ wildly, however. THE SILENT WIFE is about revenge, and BACKSEAT SAINTS is about survival. </b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><i>THE SILENT WIFE is a psychological thriller about surviving a
long term relationship in which one partner is faithful, and the other is a serial cheater. It's about how far a woman will go maintain her lifestyle and keep what she feels is rightfully hers. BACKSEAT SAINTS is about domestic violence, twinged with wit and humor. </i></span><strong><em><span style="color: #660000;"><strong> </strong></span><strong><span style="color: #660000;">I will admit my husband is a bit worried about my choice of reading. ~ Katherine</span></strong></em></strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><strong><em><strong><br /></strong></em></strong></strong></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><strong><em><strong>THE SILENT WIFE by A. Harrison</strong></em></strong></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>"</em>Psychotherapist Jodi Brett is content with her tidy, tranquil existence
cooking for her husband, Todd Gilbert; walking the dog; seeing a few
clients out of their gorgeous Chicago condo while headstrong Todd works
as a professional renovator. As Jodi sees it, they complement each
other, and she doesn't mind pretending to disregard Todd's indiscretions
(which he clumsily attempts to cover up) in exchange. Accepting the
peccadillos of her adulterous husband is one thing, but when Todd takes
his infidelity to the next level and tells her that he's leaving her,
the existence she's clung to so dearly is destroyed. And Jodi will do
anything to take it back. And she does." ~ Publishers Weekly </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>BACKSEAT SAINTS by Joshilyn Jackson</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://lit.newcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/backseatsaints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lit.newcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/backseatsaints.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Rose Mae Lolley's mother disappeared when she was eight, leaving Rose
with a heap of old novels and a taste for dangerous men. Now, as demure
Mrs. Ro Grandee, she's living the very life her mother abandoned. She's
all but forgotten the girl she used to be-teenaged spitfire, Alabama
heartbreaker, and a crack shot with a pistol-until an airport gypsy
warns Rose it's time to find her way back to that brave, tough girl . . .
or else. Armed with only her wit, her pawpy's ancient .45, and her dog
Fat Gretel, Rose Mae hightails it out of Texas, running from a man who
will never let her go, on a mission to find the mother who did." ~ from the Publisher</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
<strong><strong><em><strong><br /></strong></em></strong></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-20572590262492717392013-12-31T11:49:00.000-05:002013-12-31T11:49:27.380-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY ~ Week Ending December 30, 2013<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Happy New Year, and amazingly, the end of a year of weekly book blogging!</b></i></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The title is the first tip off that this love story might not be the one that you expect--after all, how many love stories start with a shooting at a convenience store, between a man with Asperger's, grieving over great personal loss, and a young woman who has a charming and genius three year old son, the result of a sexual assault. This lovely southern fiction tale reminds the reader that love is at once fragile and strong, enduring and often surprising. ~ Katherine</b></i></span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780062105653_p0_v2_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780062105653_p0_v2_s260x420.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><em>"I fell in love with William Ashe at gunpoint, in a Circle K." First line of SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY.</em></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><em> </em>
</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
"For single mom Shandi Pierce, life is a juggling act. She's finishing
college; raising her delightful three-year-old genius son, Nathan, aka
Natty Bumppo; and keeping the peace between her eternally warring,
long-divorced Christian mother and Jewish father. She's got enough to
deal with before she gets caught in the middle of a stickup in a gas
station mini-mart and falls in love with a great wall of a man named
William Ashe, who steps between the armed robber and her son to shield
the child from danger.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shandi doesn't know that her blond god has his own baggage. When he
looked down the barrel of the gun in the gas station he believed it was
destiny: it's been exactly one year since a tragic act of physics
shattered his universe. But William doesn't define <em>destiny</em> the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.
</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Now, William and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies
head-on, making choices that will reveal unexpected truths about love,
life, and the world they <em>think</em> they know." ~ from the publisher</b></span></span><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-79791938501484302512013-12-28T11:30:00.001-05:002013-12-28T11:30:52.140-05:00A FAVORITE MYSTERY SERIES FROM SUZANNE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377580020l/17286693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377580020l/17286693.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/2930477?query=SOMETHING%20BORROWED%20SOMETHING%20DEAD;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank">Something Borrowed Someone Dead</a> Agatha Raisin, Bk 24<br />Author: M. C. Beaton<br /><br /><span style="color: #660000;"><i>The
24th book in the series and I'm still hooked! The characters continue
to grow and if you've followed the series from the beginning you realize
how close they've become. I highly recommend this book if you're an
Agatha Raisin fan. ~ Suzanne</i></span><br /><br />Gloria French was a jolly widow with dyed
blond hair, a raucous laugh, and rosy cheeks. When she first moved from
London to the charming Cotswolds hills, she was heartily welcomed. She
seemed a do-gooder par excellence, raising funds for the church and
caring for the elderly. But she had a nasty habit of borrowing things
and not giving them back -- just small things, a teapot here, a set of
silverware there. So it's quite a shock when she is found dead, murdered
by a poisoned bottle of elderberry wine. Afraid the murder will be a
blight on the small town, parish councilor Jerry Tarrant hires private
detective Agatha Raisin to track down the murderer.<br /><br />But the
village is secretive and the residents resent Agatha's investigation. Of
course, that doesn't stop the ever-persistent Agatha from sticking her
nose where no one wants it -- especially as the list of suspects grows.
And, as if it isn't enough that Agatha's ex has reentered the picture,
the murderer is now targeting Agatha!</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-46617751580255706462013-12-26T14:58:00.000-05:002013-12-26T15:26:39.875-05:00CLASSIC BOOKS SO SHORT YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO READ THEM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thoughtsonmybookshelf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/breakfast_at_tiffanys-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://thoughtsonmybookshelf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/breakfast_at_tiffanys-large.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>I just ran across this post on Huff Post Books on amazing short classics. There are quite a few that I never read, and didn't realize they were under two hundred pages--some are even under one hundred pages. Like so many readers, it gets harder and harder to find time to read, and it's exciting to think that you can experience a classic you always meant to read in just a few hours or a day. I've always meant to read <i>Breakfast at Tiffany's</i>, <i>The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> and <i>Frankenstein,</i> just to name a few. Oh yes, and <i>Oh Pioneers!</i> and <i>Ethan Frome</i>. All of these are under 600 total pages, still shorter than Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch which is almost 800 pages, currently on best seller's lists and one of my favorite books of the year. </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/06/these-classic-books-are-s_n_4373470.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/06/these-classic-books-are-s_n_4373470.html" target="_blank">Check out the list</a>.....do you see any you would consider reading, especially given the length? ~ Katherine</b></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-16547807928915848922013-12-24T12:52:00.001-05:002013-12-24T12:52:35.937-05:00DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE HOLIDAY BOOK?<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The library has had holiday books on display for the past few weeks, and heaven knows there is no shortage of them! There are quite a few popular adult authors write books specifically about
Christmas, either as a spinoff of a series or as a standalone book: Debbie Macomber, Thomas Kinkade, Anne Perry, Richard Paul Evans, and Donna VanLiere, just to name a few. The challenge each year is to decide which ones to buy. This year, some of the books added to our collection included CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS and CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE by Debbie Macomber, A NANTUCKET CHRISTMAS by Nancy Thayer, and SILENT NIGHT by Robert Parker.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/6327/1261629184-skippingchristmasfull.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/6327/1261629184-skippingchristmasfull.jpeg" width="208" /></a></b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My favorite Christmas book remains SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham. When it looks like Luther and Nora Krank will be alone for Christmas, they joyfully decide to skip the holiday altogether and arrange a Caribbean cruise. No navigating crowded malls, no fruitcake, no elaborate house decorating project, no Christmas tree, and no rooftop Frosty the Snowman. But, plans often go awry, and the Kranks discover that skipping Christmas isn’t half as easy
as they’d imagined, and they rediscover the joys in spending the holidays with family and friends. It's a classic tale made modern, and a funny look at the chaos that has become part of our holiday tradition. P.S. Skip the movie, read the book! ~ Katherine</b></span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-71519554179673630762013-12-24T10:28:00.004-05:002013-12-24T10:34:46.867-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ TIME FLIES ~ Week Ending December 23<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">TIME FLIES was the perfect book for a busy time of year--light, funny and, for baby boomers, it gives the reader an opportunity to reminisce about high school memories, class reunions and music from the 70's, with a bit of seriousness thrown in--entertaining chick lit. ~ Katherine</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://clairecook.com/_Media/34143508_med.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://clairecook.com/_Media/34143508_med.jpeg" width="210" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Years ago, Melanie followed her husband, Kurt, from the New England
beach town where their two young sons were thriving to the suburbs of
Atlanta. She’s carved out a life as a successful metal sculptor, but
when Kurt leaves her for another woman having the tools to cut up their
marriage bed is small consolation. She’s old enough to know that high
school reunions are often a big disappointment, but when her best friend
makes her buy a ticket and an old flame gets in touch to see whether
she’ll be going, she fantasizes that returning to her past might help
her find her future…until her driving phobia resurfaces and threatens to
hold her back from the adventure of a lifetime.<i><b>Time Flies</b></i> is
an epic road trip filled with fun, heartbreak, and friendship, and
explores what it takes to conquer your worst fears…so you can start
living your future." ~ from the Publisher</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-77383250604549554032013-12-19T17:17:00.000-05:002013-12-19T17:17:44.426-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS ~ Week Ending December 16, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781590514634_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781590514634_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>If you’re in the mood for something to restore your faith in love, try The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. It spans the decades between the 1950s and the present, and is set primarily in Burma. It's a fairy tale of a love story between two unlikely people who are separated for almost all of their adult lives. It's also a testament to those who are disabled (one suffers from temporary blindness, the other from a deformity), and shows how their lives are enriched rather than limited, both by their determination to live full lives, as well as their willingness to trust each other. ~ Katherine</i></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace,
neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might
be...until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago, to a Burmese
woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and
coming to terms with her father's past, Julia decides to travel to the
village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable
hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the reader's
belief in the power of love to move mountains." ~ from the Publisher</b></span><br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
that
is set in Burma and spans time from the 1950′s to the present. It is
the gorgeous telling of a love story that will touch your heart and have
you believing in true and everlasting love. - See more at:
http://darlenesmoliak.booktrib.com/reviews/the-art-of-hearing-heartbeats/#sthash.WPTEt29z.dpuf</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-85611841580467148132013-12-18T11:12:00.004-05:002013-12-18T11:19:13.767-05:00JUST FOR FUN<span style="font-size: large;"><b>With all the stresses of this time of year (shopping, snow storms, cranky people), it's time for something light. How many of these books do you recognize?</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://ebookfriendly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/iOS-7-book-cover-The-Help.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ebookfriendly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/iOS-7-book-cover-The-Help.jpg" width="212" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>This was supposed to be one of the easiest ones, and I read it, twice, but couldn't guess the cover. In fact, I only guessed two of them, and one I hadn't even read.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Take a look and some guesses. How many did you get? Any surprises? </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://ebookfriendly.com/famous-book-covers-ios-7/" target="_blank">Famous book covers as seen on iOS7</a></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-656280155586356502013-12-17T15:23:00.000-05:002013-12-17T21:07:18.005-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE ~ Week Ending December 9, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE was my first Neil Gaiman book, and it was a strange and often chilling journey into childhood dreams--and nightmares. Because it is a story about
children and seen through the eyes of a child, it
seemed to be more of a juvenile book--but not one that you'd want to read to children. It's myth, fantasy and horror, a fairy tale. It's the reality of the helplessness of childhood, and some very astute views of adults:</b></i></span><br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #073763;">“Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside,
they're big and thoughtless and they always know what they're doing.
Inside, they look just like they always have. Like they did when they
were your age. Truth is, there aren't any grown-ups. Not one, in the
whole wide world.” </span></i></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #073763;"> </span></i>and</div>
<i><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>"Adults follow paths. Children explore. Adults are content to walk the
same way, hundreds of times, or thousands; perhaps it never occurs to
adults to step off the paths, to creep beneath rhododendrons, to find
the spaces between fences." </b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Highly recommended! ~ Katherine</b></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351914778l/15783514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351914778l/15783514.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #45818e;"><b>"Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to
attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is
drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he
encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and
grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits
by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the
ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And
it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have
happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.
</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #45818e;"><b>
</b></span><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>
Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this
farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a
touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was
unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little
boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to
protect him, no matter what." ~ from the Publisher</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-36956953820755558062013-12-12T14:48:00.000-05:002013-12-12T14:53:03.462-05:00WHAT DO THESE THREE BOOKS HAVE IN COMMON?<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/2923246?query=power%20foods%20for%20the%20brain;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank">POWER FOODS FOR THE BRAIN by Neal D. Barnard, M.D</a>.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/michaeltobias/files/2012/12/Power_Foods_for_the_Brain.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/michaeltobias/files/2012/12/Power_Foods_for_the_Brain.jpg" width="131" /></a></b></span></div>
<div id="postBodyPS">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Could your breakfast or lunch be harming your memory? </b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Are you missing out on the foods that could prevent Alzheimer's disease?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Everyone knows good nutrition supports your overall health, but few
realize that certain foods-power foods-can protect your brain and
optimize its function, and even dramatically reduce your risk of
Alzheimer's Disease.<i> </i>Now,<i> New York Times</i> bestselling
author, clinical researcher and health advocate Dr. Neal Barnard has
gathered the most up-to-date research and created a groundbreaking
program that can strengthen your memory and protect your brain's health."</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/2983207?query=healing%20is%20possible;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank">HEALING IS POSSIBLE </a>by Neil Nathan, M.D.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5156B5H-2SL._SY300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5156B5H-2SL._SY300_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"... In <i>Healing Is Possible</i>, Dr. Nathan identifies the
twelve major imbalances in the body that often contribute to chronic
and/or complex illnesses, such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.
Unfortunately, these balances are often overlooked or ignored by
mainstream medicine. By identifying and treating these imbalances-which
he calls the "Big Six" and "Little Six"-symptoms often improve or
resolve completely. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/1857631?query=autism%20mom%27s%20survival;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank">THE AUTISM MOM'S SURVIVAL GUIDE (FOR DADS TOO!)</a> by Susan Senator</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://susansenator.com/amsgcover300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://susansenator.com/amsgcover300.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Given the daily challenges of raising a
child with autism, it’s easy for parents to lose themselves and for
their overall quality of life to plummet. Susan Senator interweaves the
voices of autism parents, researchers, and professionals to offer
guidance and encouragement on how to find happiness and fulfillment in
the midst of the struggles of raising an autistic child. Topics include:
how to handle feelings of despair and hopelessness; finding fun, even
during turbulent times; caring for your marriage; and finding a balance
between accepting your child as he or she is and seeking new treatments."</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So what do these books have in common? They are part of a new health and wellness collection, generously provided by a grant from New Milford Hospital. The collection is located on the small bookshelf by the end computer behind the reference desk. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you're out tonight, stop by the library at 7:00 p.m. to hear about the healing benefits of acupuncture, and about the new health database, also provided by New Milford Hospital: <a href="http://www.brookfieldlibrary.org/research/research-by-subject/health/consumer-health-complete" target="_blank">Consumer Health Complete.</a></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(Note: Book descriptions provided by publishers) </b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-78024644066877245852013-12-10T12:14:00.001-05:002013-12-10T12:17:50.132-05:00TIRED OF LISTS? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/02/01/books_art-02-b60757f738e5635691641eea00091a3aeda43a44-s6-c30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/02/01/books_art-02-b60757f738e5635691641eea00091a3aeda43a44-s6-c30.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As much as I love lists of books (best books of the year, best mysteries...literary fiction.....nonfiction), they're not always the most fascinating reading. It's kind of like eating vegetables, if you're not a vegetable fan, they're necessary but not your most favorite food on the plate. NPR has been putting out some of my favorite book lists, and according their website, they have published more than 80 year-end
book lists — the best book club books, the best cookbooks, the best gift
books, the best guilty pleasures. And they decided it was time to change it up--do something completely different. </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2013/#/tag/book-club-ideas,npr-staff-picks" target="_blank">Check out their website</a> and see what you think. It's a lot more fun--you can see the dust jackets and click to a review. You can combine lists, and if you want a "printable" list, you can get that also. Personally, I love it! ~ Katherine</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-64755183816882000592013-12-09T12:54:00.000-05:002013-12-09T12:54:41.734-05:00A MYSTERY TITLE RECOMMENDATION FROM SUZANNE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jacquelinewinspear.com/images/maisie-dobbs-225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.jacquelinewinspear.com/images/maisie-dobbs-225.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Maisie Dobbs - Maisie Dobbs, Bk, 1<br />Author: Jacqueline Winspear<br /><span style="color: #7f6000;"><br /><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>"I
loved the characters, the history and the way the author drew you into
Maisie's journey. For a first in the series, I found the story kept my
interest as it developed the characters." ~ Suzanne</i></span></span><br /><br />Maisie Dobbs isn't
just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence -- and
the patronage of her benevolent employers -- she works her way into
college at Cambridge. When World War I breaks out, Maisie goes to the
front as a nurse. It is there that she learns that coincidences are
meaningful and the truth elusive. After the War, Maisie sets up on her
own as a private investigator. But her very first assignment, seemingly
an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of
secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War
and the love she left behind. </b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-26056451798100544112013-12-06T13:59:00.001-05:002013-12-06T14:41:29.708-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ SILVER STAR ~ Week of December 2, 2013<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Jeannette Walls' first two books, GLASS CASTLE, about her childhood growing up with highly dysfunctional parents, and HALF-BROKE HORSES, "real life" fiction about her grandmother, were both bestsellers,and darlings of book clubs. Her newest book, SILVER STARS, is definitely fiction, although the subject matter is similar--children with generally more sense of than the adults around them, doing their best to make mature decisions and take the high road. This book felt more like young adult fiction, told from the point of view of a twelve year old, on the same topic. I'd like to see Jeannette Walls write about something else! ~ Katherine</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Being a single mother is never easy, but for Charlotte Holladay, a
wannabe folk singer in 1970, raising her 15- and 12-year-old daughters,
Liz and Jean (aka “Bean”), is more than she can handle. Known for
dropping out when things get tough, Charlotte’s latest spell of parental
abandonment attracts police attention and the girls flee California
rather than face being placed in foster care. A cross-country bus trip
lands them on the doorstep of their only relative, the previously unmet
Uncle Tinsley, and their arrival proves to be as much of a shock for the
reclusive widower as it is for the girls themselves. As the trio learns
to coexist, Liz and Bean try to fit into the small southern town. With
money tight, they land jobs with mill foreman Jerry Maddox, an
overbearing brute who runs roughshod over the town’s residents and takes
advantage of Liz’s trusting nature, with devastating results" ~ Booklist </b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-12716629103107333472013-12-01T10:10:00.000-05:002013-12-01T10:21:41.912-05:00Best Books of 2013?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another list.......</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/books/review/100-notable-books-of-2013.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>100 Notable Books of 2013 from the New York Times Book Review.</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/12/08/books/review/08notables-img/08notables-img-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/12/08/books/review/08notables-img/08notables-img-articleLarge.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two of my favorites of this year (which isn't over, by the way, NYTBR), is Donna Tartt's THE GOLDFINCH and THE WAVE by Sonali Deraniyagala. Both a tale of struggling to survive, after great personal loss, one fiction, one nonfiction. And each dealing with guilt, in their own ways.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What have you read this year that you recommend? </span></b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-29703909074311230632013-11-30T10:55:00.000-05:002013-11-30T10:55:44.975-05:00TWO NEW REVIEWS FROM SUZANNE<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>I have two books this week. The first is a cozy mystery set in
Victorian England. I liked the characters immediately and thought it was
a good mystery. I already have the second book in the series in my
bookshelf. </i></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQfbv0VHcH0zkDG9-wKS86xBqkjit-7VO_tmodC56POGsLGM5ol" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQfbv0VHcH0zkDG9-wKS86xBqkjit-7VO_tmodC56POGsLGM5ol" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i> ~ From Suzanne</i></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;">The Inspector and Mrs Jeffries - Mrs. Jeffries, Bk 1<br />Author: Emily Brightwell</span><br /><br />IS
THERE A DETECTIVE IN THE HOUSE? She keeps house for Inspector
Witherspoon... and keeps him on his toes. Everyone is astonished by the
inspector's Scotland Yard successes - but they don't know about his
secret weapon. In fact, even he doesn't know about his secret weapon...
because she's as ladylike as she is clever. No matter how messy the
murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries' polished detection skills
are up to the task... proving that behind every great man there's a
woman - and that a crime-solver's work is never done...<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>This book I wasn't so sure about and ended up loving it. You end up rooting for Queen Victoria and her demon fighting skills! ~ Suzanne</i></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">Queen Victoria Demon Hunter<br />Author: A. E. Moorat</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEMYBRcEjIJhwt3rqzzygDOXFpFQfTbj9NAOjp6TkZ1569ss6p1lg4764GS20-GsFCoJhr8xG7gcZq8PDuz8tTp5mMkQcUbHPz9jZN-3SWk-xG5Ntw3lIXpikGFu1xBmrQnkO/s1600/Queen+Victoria+-+Demon+Hunter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEMYBRcEjIJhwt3rqzzygDOXFpFQfTbj9NAOjp6TkZ1569ss6p1lg4764GS20-GsFCoJhr8xG7gcZq8PDuz8tTp5mMkQcUbHPz9jZN-3SWk-xG5Ntw3lIXpikGFu1xBmrQnkO/s320/Queen+Victoria+-+Demon+Hunter.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /><span id="goog_888077688"></span><span id="goog_888077689"></span><span id="goog_888077691"></span><span id="goog_888077692"></span>London,
1838. Queen Victoria is crowned; she receives the orb, the scepter, and
an arsenal of bloodstained weaponry. If Britain is about to become the
greatest power of the age, there’s the small matter of the undead to
take care of first. Demons stalk the crown, and political ambitions have
unleashed ravening hordes of zombies even within the nobility itself.<br /><br />But
rather than dreams of demon hunting, Queen Victoria’s thoughts are
occupied by Prince Albert. Can she dedicate her life to saving her
country when her heart belongs elsewhere?<br /><br />With lashings of
glistening entrails, decapitations, zombies, and foul demons, this
masterly new portrait will give a fresh understanding of a remarkable
woman, a legendary monarch, and quite possibly the best demon hunter the
world has ever seen.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Thanks for sharing your reviews, Suzanne!</span> </b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-43715289084128614232013-11-30T10:29:00.002-05:002013-11-30T10:37:15.610-05:00THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES, and Top Crime Novels of All Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1311281734l/10822858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1311281734l/10822858.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We just read THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen in our mystery group, "Book 'Em!--and I'm into his second book, THE ABSENT ONE as I write this. THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES was given starred reviews by three of the four top review sites--and a definite thumbs up by our book discussion group, and is the first of the Department Q series. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carl Morck used to be one of Copenhagen's best homicide detectives. Then a
hail of bullets destroyed the lives of two fellow cops, and Carl--who
didn't draw his weapon--blames himself. So a promotion is the last thing
he expects. The new Department Q is a department of one, and Carl's got
only a stack of Copenhagen's coldest cases for company. When Carl demands an assistant, he<span class="MHRHead"> gets a lot more than he bargained for--a mysterious Muslim named Hassad who dons rubber gloves to clean thoroughly,
makes bad coffee, drives like a madman, and acts like a Syrian Sherlock
Holmes. Carl is content to put his feet up and do
little or nothing, but Assad digs into the case files. He locates valuable bits of information, smoozes with the secretaries, and goads Carl into
acting like a detective. This unlikely pair soon become wrapped up with a challenging cold case--the disappearance five years earlier
of Merete Lynggaard, a beautiful, talented, and dedicated young
politician. Did Merete fall overboard while she was a passenger on a
ferry? Did she commit suicide? Or did someone abduct her? Is she really dead? This is Scandinavian crime fiction</span><span class="a-declarative" data-action="columnbalancing-showfullreview" data-columnbalancing-showfullreview="{"rest":" If the latter, who would want to hurt this kind and compassionate woman? With the help of his able factotum, Carl emerges from his lethargy and makes up his mind that he will find out what really happened to Merete.<br /><br />\"The Keeper of Lost Causes\" is an addictive read. Who can resist flawed heroes who underachieve until they find some reason to put forth their best effort? Carl is an excellent investigator when he is not busy wallowing in self-pity or having panic attacks. Adler-Olsen uses flashbacks effectively to recount Merete's torturous ordeal. She shows amazing spunk and resourcefulness as she squares off against villains readers will love to hate; they are sadistic, vengeful, and remorseless fiends who enjoy inflicting agony on their helpless victim. It is entertaining to observe Assad and Carl squabble and fuss like kindergarten children (Carl does most of the fussing) until the pair eventually learn to work together productively. This is a darkly humorous, poignant, twisty, and engrossing novel that thriller fans will eagerly embrace."}"><a class="a-link-normal" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Keeper-Lost-Causes-Department/product-reviews/0452297907/ref=cm_cr_dp_text?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending#R29LEOMLYXHPHF"><span class="a-letter-space"></span></a></span> at its best.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Just for fun, I ran across a list of the <a href="http://www.listchallenges.com/the-top-101-crime-novels-of-all-time" target="_blank">101 Top Crime Fiction Novels of All Time</a>, and found I've only read about 20 percent of them. Take a look--how many have you read? Do you think anything is missing? I would have liked to see THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO there. What do you think?</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>~ Katherine </b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-31561955317133147382013-11-27T11:38:00.001-05:002013-11-27T11:51:33.540-05:0052 Weeks 52 Books ~ THE ROSIE PROJECT ~ Week Ending November 25, 2013<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>“But I’m not good at understanding what other people want.’<br />‘Tell me something I don’t know,’ said Rosie for no obvious reason. I quickly searched my mind for an interesting fact. <br />‘Ahhh…The testicles of drone bees and wasp spiders explode during sex.”
</b></span></span><br />
―
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1895943.Graeme_Simsion">Graeme Simsion</a>,
<i>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/22084678">The Rosie Project</a></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/2938766?query=rosie%20project;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank">THE ROSIE PROJECT</a> by Graeme Simsion </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://img2-2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2013/08/15/The-Rosie-Project.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://img2-2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2013/08/15/The-Rosie-Project.jpg" width="130" /></a></b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don Tillman is a brilliant scientist, but hopeless at social interactions. Determined to find a wife, Don develops a sixteen page
questionnaire for “The Wife Project.” When Rosie Jarman walks in with her “Father Project, ” Don quickly discounts her as a candidate for his lifelong partner, but is caught up in helping her find out who her biological father was. As Don narrates
the book in first person, the reader gets to share in the challenges he faces in dealing with Asperger's Syndrome, trying to navigate many
situations that unsettle his scientifically calculated approach to daily
existence. This novel is a
wonderful tale of two very different people developing a
relationship and how they accommodate each other's uniqueness. The ending may leave you with questions about the outcome of the Father Project, but the Wife Project seems pretty well settled. Look for a sequel....... ~ Katherine</b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28728266.post-43574410622494678972013-11-23T10:14:00.001-05:002013-11-23T10:17:34.564-05:00Earth from Space and More Coffee Table Books<a href="http://brookfield.biblio.org/eg/opac/record/2977312?query=earth%20from%20space;qtype=keyword;locg=39" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>EARTH FROM SPACE by Yann Arthus-Bertrand</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/11/EarthFromSpace_cover200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/11/EarthFromSpace_cover200.jpg" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>For lovers of "coffee table books," EARTH FROM SPACE is a magnificent and telling book about our changing planet. </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"From space, Earth is a magnificent sight, splashed with vivid colors,
patterns, textures, and abstract forms. Views from above can also
provide telling information about the health of our planet. To help us
understand the more than 150 breathtaking satellite photographs in <i>Earth from Space</i>,
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, an aerial photographer and devoted environmental
activist, discusses the impact of deforestation, urban sprawl, intensive
farming, ocean pollution, and more. Using high-resolution imagery, we
can monitor the evolution of vegetation around the Chernobyl nuclear
disaster site, snow loss on Mount Kilimanjaro, and the health of
migratory bird populations. <i>Earth from Space</i>’s compelling
selection of satellite images raises important questions about our
future, while also showcasing the planet’s beauty—leaving no doubt that
it is something crucial to protect." ~ From the Publisher</b></span></span><br />
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<i><b>Madagascar. Near-infrared is often used to detect
vegetation, which may appear in the final image as red, such as the
mangrove trees here along the Betsiboka River's estuary. Nearby rice and
cassava plantations are in lighter red, yellow and pink.</b></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is the founder of GoodPlanet, an organization
dedicated to preserving the environment, and the award-winning author of
more than forty books, including the international bestseller "Earth
from Above." He is a traveler, photographer, and former hot-air balloon
pilot, and is world renowned for his astonishing photography books. His
seminal work, "Earth from Above", has been published in numerous
languages and was the basis for a worldwide photo exhibition.
Arthus-Bertrand's work regularly appears in "Geo, Life, National
Geographic", and "Paris-Match."</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Looking for more coffee table type books? We have a few on our center display. And.... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/19/coffee-table-books-_n_4301933.html" target="_blank">Check out HuffPost Books article on 15 Gift-Worthy books! </a></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>~ Katherine </b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189434035394402854noreply@blogger.com0