August is Here......More Beach Reads

Even though our days--and nights--have felt like August, we still have August in front of us, and hopefully more trips to the beach.  Some of our staff members have some suggestions for summer reading:

Anita recommends:  THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKE SHOP & CAFE by Mary Simses

"A high-powered Manhattan attorney finds love, purpose, and the promise of a simpler life in her grandmother's hometown. 

Ellen Branford is going to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish--to find the hometown boy she once loved, and give him her last letter. Ellen leaves Manhattan and her Kennedy-esque fiance for Beacon, Maine. What should be a one-day trip is quickly complicated when she almost drowns in the chilly bay and is saved by a local carpenter. The rescue turns Ellen into something of a local celebrity, which may or may not help her unravel the past her grandmother labored to keep hidden. As she learns about her grandmother and herself, it becomes clear that a 24-hour visit to Beacon may never be enough. THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKESHOP & CAFE is a warm and delicious debut about the power of a simpler life."  ~ from the Publisher

Jenn recommends:  UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter 

"Bill Black is a scary guy: a tall ex-con who rides to work on a Harley and trails an air of violence wherever he goes. In Macon, Georgia, Bill has caught the eye of a wiry little drug dealer and his cunning girlfriend. They think Bill might be a useful ally. They don’t know that Bill is actually a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent named Will Trent. Or that he is fighting his own demons, undercover and cut off from the support of Sara Linton—the woman he loves, who cannot be told of the risk Will is taking.

Sara herself has come to Macon because of a cop shooting: Her stepson, Jared, has been gunned down in his own home. Sara holds Lena, Jared’s wife, responsible: Lena, a detective, has been a magnet for trouble all her life, and Jared’s death is not the first time someone Sara loved got caught in the crossfire. Furious, Sara finds herself involved in the same case that Will is working without even knowing it, and soon danger is swirling around both of them." ~ from the Publisher

Mary recommends:  THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

"The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness." ~ from the Publisher

And if you want more suggestions, take a look at six of Oprah's picks.  If we don't already have these titles, they are on order and will be in soon.

Brookfield Reader Reviews

THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS by Jan Philipp Sendker

"A panacea to our hectic lives. Slow down and listen. Enjoy what you have. the compelling story made me want to read faster to see what happened next, but, I also wanted to slow down and savormy time with the characters and their story.  When I finished the book, I closed my eyes, listened to the rain and "tried" to hear my heartbeat.  I knew the spell was broken when I started to worry what the dust bunnies under my bed sounded like.  A wonderful, gentle read."  ~ Diane S.  
(5 stars)

THE DINNER by Herman Koch

"Two couples meet for dinner--and so begins a truly disturbing story.  This is a book that one may not "like" but is compelled to finish reading.  What factors in our lives make us the people we turn out to be? How far would we go to protect the ones we hold dear?  How do we sometimes rationalize our actions?  This book will spark some interesting discussions for any book club.  I can guarantee you will want to discuss it with someone when you finish!"  ~ Patricia M.  (4 stars)


 THE TALK FUNNY GIRL 
by Roland Merullo
 
A different, quirky novel of growth, love, and trust.  The setting is rural New Hampshire, and the main character draws you into her story." ~ Marie D.  (5 stars)

"Raised by parents so intentionally isolated that they speak their own hybrid dialect, abused youth Marjorie witnesses her parents' submission to a sadistic cult leader before she is rescued by another abuse survivor who teaches her stone working skills."  Merullo is the author of the popular novel, BREAKFAST WITH BUDDHA.

Sookie Stackhouse from Suzanne

Dead Ever After 
Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 13
Author: Charlaine Harris

I started reading this series well before it became True Blood on HBO. I really like the take on the vampire/supernatural genre. This is the final book in the series and I found it ok. Ms. Harris brought in some of the previous characters but they didn't flow well into the story. I would give this book 3 out of 5. It didn't end with the "I'm going to miss the characters" feeling I've had with other series. 

 ~ Suzanne

52 Weeks 52 Books ~ ME BEFORE YOU ~ Week Ending July 22, 2013

ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes

Life and circumstances put together Louisa, a small town, middle class, English girl with a flair for vintage clothing, who has found herself in a series of dead-end jobs, and Will, a wealthy and successful man who was into extreme sports until an accident rendered him a quadriplegic. Will has decided that he has the right to end his  life--it's painful and joyless--and then his parents talk him into giving it at least six months, and hire Louisa to be his new caretaker. Worlds apart, they get off to a difficult start, but when Louisa discovers his plans to die, she becomes determined to prove to Will that life is worth living.  Louisa plans a series of adventures, and life, and their friendship changes them, and their families.

While this is partly a romance book, it's not fluffy, and the author is skillful at drawing quirky and flawed characters that you fall in love with.  It's funny, and heartbreaking, and a book that keeps you up all hours to finish. Don't miss this one--you'll be thinking about the story and characters long after you turn the last page--a definite, must read.  ~ Katherine

More Summer Reads from Melanie

The Caster Chronicles Series 
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl:
Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Darkness
Beautiful Chaos
Beautiful Redemption

Rather than review all four books in this series, I'm just going to lump them all together. This was an absolutely fantastic series, very well written and page-turning. I'd recommend this to teens or adults that like supernatural type reads, but have standards higher than the Twilight crowd.


 

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

by Jessica Sorensen

I loved this book. It's about two college freshman with histories of abuse, and how they come together and get each other past it. Its told in alternating viewpoints, which I love. It's written pretty simply, but that worked well I this case. I recommend it.















The Secret of Ella and Micha / The Forever of Ella and Micha
by Jessica Sorensen

These were ok.  I read the second hoping it would be better than the first. The story is about two rather damaged college freshman and their complicated friendship/romance. Its also told in alternating viewpoints. The characters are kind of lovable but kind of annoying, and the book was very poorly edited. There's typos and misspellings galore, which makes it at times hard to read. If I had to make a recommendation, I'd say read 'Callie and Kayden.' Skip these.

Thanks for sharing more of your summer books, Melanie!

More Summer Titles From Our Readers

Here are some of the books reviewed by our readers, from our Groundbreaking Reads.  Ratings are from 1-5 stars, 5 being best.  Enter our biweekly drawing (next drawing on July 26) for great prizes (for Brookfield and local residents)!

THE ONE I LEFT BEHIND by Jennifer McMahon

"This fictional account of a cold case by a Connecticut author, Jennifer McMahon, was suspenseful and full of surprises.  It's a quick read that draws you in chapter by chapter.  The novel is set in both present day as well as in 1985, when the crimes occurred.  Although suspenseful, this isn't a book filled with lots of action.  It centers around the lives of a mother and daughter, who lead an nontraditional  lifestyle."  ~ Chrys  (5 stars)

THE SEARCHERS: The Making of an American Legend
by Glenn Frankel

THE SEARCHERS tells the real story behind the John Wayne movie of the same name, from how the movie came together, and, since the movie is based on a true story, you find out just what the story was.  As is so often the case, the true story is so different from the movie version.  In the true story, the young nine year old girl who is kidnapped by the Comanches is not recovered until she is in her 20's.  She's become so a part of their culture, that she barely remembers how to speak English.  She became the wife of a warrior, and had three children with him.  When she's found, she's returned to her white relatives and culture, and dies in despair, as white culture had become foreign to her, and only her baby daughter was recovered (her two sons were not).  ~ Sue (5 stars)

FIFTY SHADES DARKER by E. L. James

At the moment I feel like I am the last person in town to read this series.  Last year almost everyone in my Bunco group read it, but I found it gave a little too much information about their personal life.  Well, everyone said it is a great love story if you could just get past the sex, which I did.  It was a great read while sitting at the beach.  ~ Margaret (3 stars)

This is part two of the Fifty Shades trilogy about the erotic love affair between student Anastasia Steele and entrepreneur Christian Grey.

52 Weeks 52 Books ~ Unwritten ~ Week Ending July 15, 2013

"The library was magical because every time I walked through the door, there were literally thousands of voices ready and willing to have a conversation with me.  I walked through the door, stared at all those stacks and bindings, and whispered, “Tell me a story." 

From UNWRITTEN by Charles Martin

Looking for a good summer read? Famous actress Katie Quinn is rich beyond belief, with a career that has won her many admirers as well as awards, but she has secrets that lead her to decide that life isn't worth living.  Her priest intervenes in her suicide attempt, and leaves her in the care of a man who also is unable to live with the sadness of his past, and who had faked his death years earlier to be able to live a solitary, nameless life off the Florida coast. A friendship develops, secrets unfold, and the healing begins.  ~ Katherine

Groundbreaking Reads - Books from our Readers

MY BELOVED WORLD by Sonia Sotomayer

"I generally don't like biographies because they can be long winded and sometimes boring.  However, MY BELOVED WORLD was an engaging book that I found to be inspirational.  It was not a "work hard and you will be successful" diatribe, but a book that painted Justice Sotomayor as an individual who set goals, valued family, had a love of learning and was not afraid of a challenge."  Rated 5 stars.

                                               ~ Ann


BLACK ORDER by James Rollins

"A book of action, adventure, good, evil and some love thrown in for good measure.  I enjoyed it!  Note:  this book is part of the Sigma Series, which is not mentioned on the cover. Rated 5 stars.

~ Jacklyn





THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult  

"A beautifully written story told in such historic detail.  I cried through parts and was captivated till the very end.  I highly recommend this book but be warned....it is heart wrenching." Rated 5 stars.

~ Mary

Books to Movies: A Few of the Upcoming

I try to "read it before you see it," but it seems like that's getting harder and harder as reading time shrinks, and I don't always manage to turn the last page, or even the first page, before the book to movie hits the theater, or the red box.  There are some great and/or very popular books that will be on the screen that I'd like to read before I experience them as films.  Plus, how can you complain that the movie wasn't as great as the book if you haven't read it?  

These are just a few that will be coming out. I've read several, and several are on my future reads list. Have you read them?  Do  you like to read the book before you see the movie?  Are there any movies you've skipped, because you loved the book too much? Or is there a movie that you loved more than the book?  Are there any book to movies coming out that you can't wait to see?

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn.  

This runaway bestseller has Ben Affleck in current negotiations to play the lead, with rumors of Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman and Emily Blunt vying for the part of Amy, in this thriller about a marriage gone terribly wrong. The book twists and turns, leaving the reader constantly guessing what happened to Amy, who disappears on the date of their fifth anniversary.  Is she alive? Is she dead? Did Nick have anything to do with her disappearance?





THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE by  Diane Ackerman

The Zookeeper's Wife is true account of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who helped save hundreds of Jews and Polish resisters, smuggling some to safety, and keeping others safe along with surviving zoo animals, during the Nazi invasion. Jessica Chastain will take the starring role of Antonina.  




SIX YEARS by Harlan Coben

Always a popular author, Coben's SIX YEARS is a stand alone thriller. Six years ago, Jake Fisher fell madly in love with Natalie and they spend three idyllic months together in a remote retreat, before Natalie suddenly ends the relationship and marries another man. At the wedding Natalie tells a shattered Jake to leave her and her new husband alone and never contact them again. He keeps his promise until he reads, six years later, that her husband has died. Jake attends the funeral in the hope of meeting Natalie again - but is stunned to see that the grieving wife is not Natalie. Hugh Jackman will star in the movie.

OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon 

OUTLANDER is set to hit as a sixteen episode cable tv series (Starz) in 2014.  This romance/time travel book was published more than twenty years ago, but continues to be a favorite, taking place in Scotland in 1945 and the 18th century.  Sam Heughan is playing the character of Jamie Fraser, and it's interesting to get the take on how the author feels about this casting. 

In the Good Old Days

Do you miss the old card catalogs?  With some of the challenges we've had these past few weeks with our internet connections, you might even find some of us librarians fondly longing for the days when we could look for a book by rifling through the drawers.  But those days are gone, and although the card catalog has gone digital, people are finding innovative uses for those old oaken cabinets.  

People have created wine chests, planters, jewelry caches, yarn and craft drawers, kitchen islands and buffet tables and coffee tables. The ideas are endless.  And if you find one at a good price at a yard sale, consider yourself lucky, because some of them are going for big bucks on ebay.  

52 Weeks, 52 Books ~ HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo ~ Week Ending July 8

 HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo

Amish series are popular, and my favorite is the Kate Burkholder mystery series, written by Linda Castillo. Kate, Chief of Police, was raised Amish, but broke away as a  young woman to follow her dreams to work in law enforcement.  She's now in Painter's Mill, a community of both Amish and English, and smack in the middle of a troubling case when a buggy is involved in a hit and run and her childhood best friend's husband and two children are killed.  

Castillo gets better and better as she writes, and in this book, fifth in the series, the reader gains added insight into Kate's troubled past, and her struggles between her Amish past and modern ways.  This could be read as a stand alone, as Castillo gives the reader the background, but why not start at the beginning?  Great twist at the end!
                                                                ~ Katherine

A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery from Suzanne

Dead Bolt - Haunted Home Renovation, Bk 2
Author: Juliet Blackwell

"I really like this series. It has mystery and 
ghosts  :).   I also like that it has a strong lead female character."  ~ From Suzanne


Turner Construction's latest restoration project is a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco. This time general contractor Mel Turner has to work around the owners who insist on sticking around -- along with some ghosts that insist in their own way that the work stops... The ghosts aren't the only ones standing in the way of the renovations. A crotchety neighbor, Emile Blunt, secretly wants this house, and could be behind some of the disturbances. But when Emile is found dead, it's Mel who appears guilty. Now she must restore the building -- and her reputation -- before it's too late.

52 Weeks 52 Books - RAGE AGAINST THE DYING - Week Ending July 1, 2013

RAGE AGAINST THE DYING by Becky Masterman

How refreshing to read a thriller with a woman who's about my age, and who isn't using knitting needles as her weapon of choice! Fifty-nine year old Brigid Quinn is smart and a bit unorthodox,  a retired FBI agent who is recently married to an ex Catholic priest with two pugs.  She suddenly finds herself in the middle of an old unsolved case, that put her into early retirement and just about broke her heart. Definitely not a "cozy" mystery, this gritty and dark tale, lightened by Brigid's wonderful sense of humor, makes this a book you can't put down.  I can't wait for the next Brigid Quinn book!  ~ Katherine