Reading 2.0

MWF SEEKING BFF by RACHEL BERTSCHE

2011-12-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New BFF is about Rachel's search for a new best friend. She had many friends when she lived in New York, friends she had known for years. But as many people do, she graduated from college and followed her heart to be with her future husband. Living in Chicago, she had many casual friends, but no one she knew as well as she should like. No friends who knew exactly what she was thinking, or who would drop everything for her. Rachel researched a lot about friendships and their importance in life. She throws in these tidbits as she describes how she came to decide that she would go on 52 'friend dates' in an effort to find a new best friend.

How does she find friends to 'date?' Many of them were acquaintances she had met around town, some were friends of friends, others were blind dates. It really is not as easy as it was back in our school years. Some dates went better than others. She judged potential friends based on their common interests and if the conversation ever turned to television and movies. Some dates were awkward as the conversations went no where, others went well, but the friend was just too busy to truly connect.

I found this to be an interesting read because I feel like I can relate to the author. I'm at the same age and although I did not move, most of my friends moved away. I wouldn't even know where to begin to try looking for a new BFF. I'm certainly not brave enough to try what she did, but I did learn ways to meet people that don't seem weird or creepy. Overall it was entertaining and I learned a lot about the importance of friendships and overall well-being.

IS EVERYONE HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME? by MINDY KALING

2011-12-20T11:33:00.000-08:00

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and other concerns) is a collection of essays written by the adorable and honest Mindy Kaling. (Kelly from The Office) If you are looking for something spicy and scandalous, this is not your book. Mindy talks about happy and innocuous issues like weight, fashion, and friendships. She is a big fan of monogamy and not a fan of one-night stands... Chelsea Handler fans may not be amused. Instead, Mindy talks about her journey to Hollywood and the people who helped her get there. It's an interesting look at how to become a comedy writer/actress in Hollywood without changing yourself. It was not laugh out loud funny like Tina Fey's Bossypants, but it was cute-funny and lighthearted.

DESTINY OF THE REPUBLIC by CANDACE MILLARD

2011-12-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

Destiny of the Republic interweaves the stories of Charles Guiteau, James Garfield, and Alexander Graham Bell. Charles Guiteau's life story is quite fascinating and it is very clear that the man who would kill Garfield was insane.
James Garfield's story is very American for that time. He grew up poor, but was able to make a name for himself. He never aspired to be President, and reluctantly took the position. He hoped to make changes to the spoils system, but never had the chance.
Bell's story is included as he worked desperately to invent something that could detect the bullet in Garfield's back. He had an interesting history working with the deaf.
Millard is an expert at crafting nonfiction in a way that appeals to the reader. She chooses lesser known historical events and brings them to light by revealing all the characters involved. It was very hard to put down this book, wondering what would happen next. She also does this exceptionally well in The River of Doubt.
I would recommend this to anyone that is a nonfiction reader, especially of history.

ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME by BETH HARBISON

2011-11-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

Erin has a job she usually enjoys as an events coordinator at a fancy resort. She has been dating her boyfriend Rick for exactly one year when he shows up in a limousine to take her out to celebrate. Exhausted from her long day of dealing with a bratty 15 yr old, she wearily goes to dinner and suddenly realizes that Rick is on his knee and asking her to marry him. The first thought that goes through her head is "nate" Who is Nate? Nate is introduced in the alternating chapters that tell about her teenage years. Nate was her first love. Like any teenage romance, they had their ups and downs and eventually they broke up when Erin seemed to get bored with him. Both of them were devastated, but went their separate ways and didn't contact each other. Though she had dated many guys since Nate, he was still the one she thought of when she was with Rick. Eventually Erin happens to run into Nate, and what she finds out will change her life.

I was expecting a lighthearted chick-lit book but this was much deeper. The sex scenes aren't terribly graphic, but they are described. I would recommend this book for fans of Allison Winn Scotch and Jennifer Weiner

DEATH BY THE DOZEN by JENN MCKINLAY

2011-11-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

Death by The Dozen continues the story of the owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, Melanie, Angie, and Tate. Melanie is the main character and sleuth. She is dating Angie's brother Joe. Angie is her cupcake baking partner who dates a famous rock star, while Tate provides the financial backing (and is secretly in love with Angie). In this entry in the series, Melanie and Angie enter a contest at the local food festival. They are competing with other chefs from the area including their arch rival, Olivia. Each day of the competition, a mystery ingredient is revealed and they must make something delicious from it. The ingredients are odd, but things go well for the duo. That is, until one of the judges is murdered and someone tries to poison Mel and Angie. Of course Mel begins to investigate, with a little help from Uncle Stan.
This is another stellar entry into the series. A couple new characters are introduced and some tension arises within relationships. The recipes are little more 'out there' because of the odd ingredients, but would be fun to try. McKinlay has kept my interest and I look forward to the next Cupcake Bakery Mystery.

HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY by AUDREY NIFFENEGER

2011-10-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Wanting to read a spooky book for our October discussion, I chose Her Fearful Symmetry for book club. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, up to a certain point. The author's writing is amazing. Her words flow nicely and gave a real spooky and peculiar vibe to the book. She introduces us to two sets of characters, one is a group of people who live near a cemetery in London. The other is a family living in Illinois, consisting of a mother and father and twin 20yr old girls, Julia and Valentina. The twins are quite odd and are very close. They still dress alike and tend to do the same things everyday. However, neither of them has successfully ventured out into the real world.
Their estranged aunt Elspeth, (mother's twin sister) died and willed them her flat in the the apartment building in London, provided that they live their for a year and do not allow their parents to visit it. Also living in the building was her lover Robert and a man with severe OCD, Martin.
When the twins arrive, they were expected to be escorted around town by Robert, but he is very shy and tends to just stalk them from a distance. They befriend Martin and try to get him to break out of his shell, as he has not left his flat in many months. The most interesting part of the story is Elspeth's ghost who is gaining energy to try and 'haunt' the twins, or at least get them or Robert to notice her. As she gains strength and learns how to manipulate objects, the story takes a turn for the weird. It also gets quite a bit convoluted as readers' learn that the characters are hiding some pretty big secrets.
I enjoyed the story up until Elspeth becomes interactive. At that point, it become strange and I had to go back and read through some parts a few times to understand what was going on, and who was who. Everyone in the book club agreed, but we really enjoyed the author's writing style. If you are appreciative of good writing and an odd story, then this would be the book for you.

The Big Scrum

2011-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football details an important time in football history.
Miller describes how Theodore Roosevelt grew up as a sickly child, but one who would do anything to overcome his ailments. Thus, he became a solid athlete and sports enthusiast, though he never really played football. At Harvard, Teddy was a fan of the game, which looked quite a bit different than it does today. The sport resembled a more violent version of rugby. No equipment was worn, and the ball only moved forward in kicks. As the sport grew in popularity, so did the injuries and deaths of its players. This caused great concern among many people. One such person was Harvard president Charles Eliot, who want to outright ban football. He was not alone. Many schools banned the sport.
If you read The Big Scrum, you'll find out how Teddy was able to gain support for football and eventually help transition it into the game it is today.

Summer reading program 2011

2011-06-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Sign up for the Summer Reading Program! Read 6 books and/or magazines and you win a free book. You will also be entered into a drawing for an e-reader! Stop at your local branch for a reading log.

Join us for our first summer event on Monday, June 13th at 6:30 p.m. We will be presenting a travelogue on Vietnam.

The Icing on the Cupcake

2011-03-15T12:39:00.001-07:00

For a fast fun girly read, try The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross.

It tells the story of "southern belle" Ansley, who thought she had her life all figured out. She was graduating from college and engaged to her longtime sweetie, Parish. Well her diva-ish ways caused the demise of her relationship and, therefore, her plan to become a stay-at-home wife and mother.

After sulking around for a few days, Ansley decides she needed to try something new, so she wrote to her long lost grandmother in NYC. Her grandmother invites her to come to the city, but requires that Ansley gets a job and stays busy. Instead, Ansley spends her days feeling sorry for her self and coping by baking up a storm. For generations, the women in her family have been fabulous cooks and bakers. Ansley is no different.

Her grandmother is estranged from her mother, so Ansley tries to get her to open up as to why and hopefully get them to mend their relationship. In the meantime, she is inspired to open a bakery in an empty storefront not far from her grandmother's home. She keeps it a secret and uses all her own recipes, money, and smarts to open her new business.

Though it requires some suspension of disbelief to accept that Ansley would have enough money to rent a storefront in NYC, The Icing on the Cupcake is a cute read. The character, though at first is snobbish and spoiled, ends up changing into a likeable person that you'll root for. The book also includes cupcake recipes. YUM

The Great Fitness Experiment

2011-02-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading The Great Fitness Experiment: One Year of Trying Everything by Charlotte Hilton Andersen. It's all about the author's experience of trying different forms of exercise to find out what was most effective. I figured it would be like a women's version of the popular 4-Hour Body .

Each chapter describes a different month in which Charlotte tried a new workout and sometimes, a diet that came prescribed with it. She also writes a personal essay that relates to health and body image. She gets pretty personal with her essays and you'll find out about her struggles with self image and where they originated.

Some of the different workouts she tried were Functional training, Double Cardio, CrossFit, Tracey Anderson's celeb workout, and Jillian Michaels. Though Andersen is honest about the results of her workouts, it is still somewhat hard to say which was the most effective at helping her obtain her fitness goals. Some months saw her gain weight in muscle, others saw no difference, and a couple showed some weight loss and fitness gain. Nonetheless, I learned a lot about the benefits and pitfalls of these different workouts that will be useful to my fitness regime.

This is a recommended read for lady athletes and health buffs.

Buttercream Bump Off

2011-01-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

The second book of the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series is finally out. I've eagerly awaited Buttercream Bump Off since I finished it's predecessor, Sprinkled With Murder, last spring. The wait was worth it!

Buttercream Bump Off begins with the characters picking up right where they left off. Tate is now single, (his fiance was the first victim), Melanie is dating her best friend Angie's brother, Joe, and Angie is still hopelessly in love with Tate. Of course, they are all three busy running Fairy Tale Cupcakes, their shop in Scottsdale, AZ.

Melanie is a bit alarmed when her mother announces that she has a date with a well known wealthy man named Baxter Malloy. Unfortunately, the date does not go well as it ends with Baxter's murder and her mother being the only person with him that night.

As with every other cozy mystery, the main characters go about trying to solve the murder on their own. Things are further complicated when Angie begins to date Baxter Malloy's estranged son (and murder suspect).

This is a great follow up to Sprinkled with Murder, with fun and spunky characters and lots of yummy recipes too. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next one!

Snow Play

2010-12-30T09:06:00.000-08:00

Even though it's rainy today, I thought I'd mention the new book, Snow Play by Birgitta Ralston. It's a unique manual on how-to make all kinds of cool stuff out of snow.

Not only can you learn how to make snow words, snow sea creatures, snow bunnies, and snow cakes, but you can also construct a full bar out of snow and ice. Or try making a snow cave with a slide. Each entry gives the necessary tools and a rating of the difficulty of the project. Many of the advanced projects incorporate candles and saws, so if you're working with kids, they will need some help.

Check this out and keep these projects handy for the next snow day!

Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse

2010-12-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

I recently finished listening to the audiobook edition of Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse by James Swanson. I have previously read and enjoyed Swanson's other books about Lincoln, Manhunt and Chasing Lincoln's Killer.

Bloody Crimes follows both Lincoln and Davis and explores their similarities and differences. Davis seems to have been in a bit of denial about his defeat and was in no hurry to leave his capital city of Richmond. Davis isn't villified in the book, he is actually made out to be an intelligent, thoughtful- though misguided, person.

Lincoln was just beginning to enjoy his victory when his life was cut short by Booth's bullet.

Swanson again retells Lincoln's death, but most of the story is told from the point he is carried into Peterson house, just across from Ford's Theatre. His body travels cross country and great pains were to taken to ensure he looked decent enough for public viewing.

This is another great Lincoln book and is unique because of the focus on his death, rather than life. That sounds a bit morbid, but truly, it is fascinating. Also, you'll learn a lot about Jefferson Davis and what it was like to lose the Civil War.

Town in a Blueberry Jam

2010-11-09T14:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't stopped reading my cozy mysteries. My latest pick is Town in a Blueberry Jam by B.B. Haywood. It is the first in yet another series about food. This one follows Maine transplant Candy Holliday. It looks as though the theme will be Maine foods, as the next in the series is called Town in a Lobster Stew.

I had a few cozies downloaded to my Nook and was somewhat reluctant to start this one. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the author's descriptions of the small town in Maine, Candy's blueberry farm, and all the interesting characters in Cape Willington.

This follows the typical cozy formula of which I, for some reason, never tire. Candy ends up investigating the suspicious deaths of a womanizing swimming legend and a woman who was recently named Queen at their annual Blueberry festival and pageant. Candy's friend Ray is accused of murder, so her and her father Doc decide to help prove his innocence. Candy's friend Maggie also gets wrapped up in the investigation.

The ending was a bit of a surprise and culminated in a rooftop struggle between the killer and Candy. Check this one out, but beware, the second book doesn't come out until February.

Olive Kitteridge

2010-11-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is book of stories that all involve, one way or another, the character of Olive Kitteridge. Olive is a retired school teacher who lives in a small town in coastal Maine. She is a larger than life character who is opinionated and brash, yet sometimes quite insecure and unaware.

Though Olive seems to be the focus of the book, in many of the stories she is just an observer. Many other colorful characters get to tell their stories about life in the small town and the problems that plague them including infidelity, death, eating disorders, etc. Though depressing at times, this novel will also make you laugh at Olive's views on life and change in her small town.

Fat Witch Brownies

2010-10-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Another day, another cookbook. Fat Witch brownies are well-known in New York as being THE BEST. That's probably because the bakery only sells brownies and variations such as blondies. Now the owner, Patricia Helding has shared her secret recipes with the world.

The recipes are all very simple and scaled down to fit in a 9x9 pan. The first recipe is for the original and the rest of the book contains brownies that are dressed up in some way by including different fruits and flavors like Earl Grey Brownies and Cinnamon Ginger Brownies.

Subsequent chapters cover blondies and bar cookies like Cranberry Blondies and Butterscotch Flips.

I decided to make the Intense Chocolate Brownies. Why not go all-out right from the get-go? The recipe included 7 oz of bittersweet chocolate along with sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, etc. Nothing too exotic. They were very simple to make, I melted some butter with the chocolate incorporated the dry ingredients, and baked them for 25 minutes.

I also decided to go a step further and make some frosting from the book as well. I melted 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips with 1/2 stick of butter, stirred in a few tablespoons of milk, and mixed in a cup of confectioners' sugar. After the brownies cooled, I frosted them and dug right in. They were marvelous! The brownies were dense and fudgy, just the way I like them. The book also includes a recipe for cakey brownies if you're into that sort of thing. This recipe will definitely be added to my baking repertoire.

Highly recommended for chocolate lovers

THE BIG BURN, CAKE POPS, & STORM FRONT

2010-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well I just got back from vacation and read a few interesting books on the way.

The first book I finished was The Big Burn by Timothy Egan. It is essentially two stories interwoven, the friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot which lead to the creation of the Forest Service, and the nation's largest wildfire in the summer of 1910. He describes the politics and passion behind the nation's conservation movement and ascribes much credit to the huge wildfire for fanning the flame, so to speak. Much of the book recounted the terrible days and nights the rangers and firefighters spent trying to put out the flames. Many died and many more were severely injured by the flames, smoke, and falling trees.

The second book was Bakerella's Cake Pops. I've followed Bakerella's blog for a while now and this book adds to some of her unique ideas from it. A cake pop is made from cake balls. Cake balls are made by baking a cake and, while it's still warm, crumbling it and mixing it with frosting. Then you roll it into balls and freeze. Then you use candy melts or melted choc. chips to coat them. Add a stick, and ta-da! Cake pop. This book goes a step further and teaches how to make the pops into little characters by using candy and decorating techniques. So cute! This takes a lot of time and patience, but I hope to make some for the Friends' of the Library bake sale. Check out her blog here for fun ideas.

The third book was/is (I'm not quite finished) Storm Front by Jim Butcher. It is the first book in the Dresden Files series. The series follows PI/wizard Harry Dresden. Harry has an office in Chicago and often gets clients to hire him to find things that are missing. He also occasionally works for a woman, Murphy, a detective for the Chicago PD. Murphy needs his help to solve a murder that looks to be supernatural. It's quite gruesome and the circumstances seem to suggest that magic was used. Harry has to help her figure out what happened, why, and who is responsible. As he gets closer to the truth, he faces mobsters, demons, and a rival wizard who all want to bring him down. This is a good pick for fans of supernatural mysteries.

CREAM OF THE CROP CRAFT BOOKS

2010-09-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

I occasionally dabble in crafts- embroidery, sewing, appliqueing, and card making. (Knitting was an epic fail) Though I'm not very adept at any of these things, I absolutely looove craft books. Even if readers don't follow the patterns and directions, they can be inspired by the cute things in them. Here are a few of my favorite crafty books...

Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting little animals and toys. This is a fun book with patterns on making creepy toys like ninjas, the grim reaper, Medusa, and zombies.

Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray

This is a great book for beginner embroiderers because it shows each stitch and gives tips on choosing threads and fabrics. It has cute patterns and offers creative inspiration for free form embroidery.

Simply Sublime Bags by Jodi Kahn

This is a low sew or no-sew book about making purses and bags. This appealed to me as I haven't yet mastered the sewing machine. It teaches how to make bags from pillowcases, t-shirts, placemats, and other odd fabrics you may have around the house. It has instructions for making a wallet from Monopoly money! Super cute!

Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan

Love love love this book. I have made several of the projects, including the stuffed bear on the front cover. I like to go to Home Ec in Iowa City and get cute fabrics to make stuff from this book like the fabric collage, cafe curtains, and eyeglasses cozy.

Feel free to share your favorite craft books in the comments.

2010-09-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

Marcelo in the Real World was the topic of discussion at our August 23rd book discussion group. Though the novel is typically found in the Young Adult section of libraries, it appeals to adults of all ages. It is the story of a 17 yr old boy, Marcelo, who has Asperger's Syndrome. He has always gone to a school for kids with special needs and is looking forward to working there over the summer. Suddenly, his father tells him that he needs to experience the "real world" and work in his law office over the summer. If Marcelo is able to follow the rules, he can go back to his special school. Otherwise, he will go to public high school for his senior year.
Of course Marcelo runs into some awkward social situations and ethical dilemmas while working at the firm. Though we were all a little hesitant to read it, we all ended up really liking the book. Recommended for fans of contemporary fiction.

A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender

2010-08-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Not done with the foodie cozy mysteries yet. I recently finished A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender. This foodie mystery follows Eleanor Swift, a young widower and owner of a pizza shop called A Slice of Life, in North Carolina. Eleanor and her late husband Joe opened the pizza shop and she continued running it after his death. She is helped by her sister Maddy and a couple college students.
The story opens with Eleanor discovering a dead body on a pizza delivery run. Richard Olsen, a man who is a well known womanizer, is laying on his floor with a knife in his chest. Immediately, the police suspect Eleanor of the murder because she was basically in the wrong place at the wrong time. Eleanor is afraid that this will hurt her pizza business, because the police aren't doing a good enough job in clearing her name. So together they set out to find out who really killed Richard. Of course their are some interesting characters living in this small town, many of whom have reason to want Richard dead.

This is another fun entry in the cozy mystery genre. As a bonus, it includes recipes for homemade pizza crust and sauce. Like many similar books, there seems to be a lot of filler. In this case, it's conversations between sisters and descriptions of the pizzas, nothing too thrilling, but terribly tedious either. If you are a fan of this ever expanding genre, give it a go. The second book, Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder, is also available.

The Lost City of Z

2010-08-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here is another bestseller I finally got around to reading, The Lost City of Z by David Grann. It's about the British explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in 1925 while searching for a lost elaborate city in the Amazon. The lost city of gold, or El Dorado, was long sought by explorers to the region. Fawcett wasn't searching for gold as much as he was searching to prove himself correct. He believed in a civilization that could live and thrive in the dangerous region. He himself had visited the Amazon numerous times and learned how to communicate with the local tribes and avoid the disease and starvation that had plagued so many. If anyone could find a lost city, it would be Fawcett.
Fawcett also took along his son Jack and Jack's friend Raleigh. They were last heard from on May 29, 1925. He was a well known explorer, so many people decided to venture after him. The book reports that some have estimated over 100 people died or were lost trying to find him.
The story is fascinating and Grann does a terrific job of describing the character that was Fawcett. He, himself, also ventured to the Amazon region and found a world much different than the one Fawcett explored.

This is a great adventure read that doesn't get bogged down by scientific facts or narrative. Highly recommended for adults, and teens would also like this!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2010-08-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

I finally read the much hyped Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stiegg Larsson. It's the first in the Millennium trilogy. The book begins with two separate stories that intersect about 1/3 of the way through. You meet the two main characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. Mikael is a financial journalist who has just been convicted of libel. Lisbeth is a freelance investigator for a security company. Mikael temporarily leaves his post at the financial magazine Millennium and is offered an odd job from Henrik Vanger, owner of a large corporation. Henrik wants Mikael to use his investigative skills to reopen a cold case missing person case. The missing person being Henrik's great niece, Harriet. Mikael reluctantly agrees.
Vanger also hired Lisbeth to investigate Mikael to be sure he could be trusted with the job. Lisbeth is a misfit who was bounced around between mental institutions when she was younger. However, she has extraordinary investigative skills.
You can kind of see now why their stories intersect.

The mystery of what happened to Harriet is intriguing and kept me reading. However, I was turned off by some of the violence and sex in the book. It wasn't terribly explicit, but I usually go for lighter reads. Also, I felt that the book contained a lot of filler that was unnecessary. The characters are interesting, but the mystery was a little convoluted and confusing. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of the genre, I would recommend the book. I'm still undecided about finishing the trilogy.

Magazine spotlight: Living Without

2010-07-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

The library subscribes to dozens of magazines and the cooking titles are always popular. Along with the Taste of Homes and Cooking Light, we offer a magazine called Living Without. It's written for people with food allergies, diabetes, and special diets that exclude common ingredients. Included are recipes that are gluten-free, egg-free, and vegan. Columnists also offer tips and alerts to keep you up to date on companies that offer special products and the latest scientific research. You can learn about surprising sources of allergens and get lists of products to avoid.
Living Without is published bimonthly (6 times/yr). Check it out at the Eldridge branch or place a hold in our catalog.

Run Like a Mother

2010-07-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

This one's for the ladies. The ones who like to move and move fast. It's called Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea. It all started with two women who had just had children, trying to get back into running shape. They decided to pitch an article to Runner's World about their journey. That whole experience with them trying to balance family, work, and running lead them to write this book.

There is a lot of great advice in here for runners of all ages, but it is geared toward time crunched mothers who have to consider their families in their decisions. They give advice on nutrition, racing, finding motivation, and managing children and husbands. Their insight is both humorous and helpful. This is a great read for women athletes who can relate to the authors' experiences and find inspiration in their successes.

Mr Peanut

2010-07-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated by this book, Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross. In an interview with author Ross, he revealed that the idea for this book came from this story his father had told him. One of his aunts was allergic to peanuts. When his father came over for a visit, he found her sitting at the dining room table with a pile of peanuts in front of her. She said, call 911 and shoved a fistful of nuts into her mouth....

It inspired Ross' story in which the main character, David Pepin is extremely morbid and, though in love with is wife, constantly imagines the various ways she could die. Well she does die, and now he is the prime suspect. The story of his marriage intersects with the stories from other characters and their relationships with spouses. It ends up being a very interesting book about marriage and the many paths it can take. Recommend for those with an open minded sense of humor and interest in psychology.

Stephen King's Picks

2010-07-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

Take a break from my recommended reads to check out
Stephen King's Summer Picks

All of them are good ones!

The Missing Ink

2010-06-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

Here's another fun crime mystery, Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson. It's the first in the series of Tattoo Shop Mysteries.
Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist who owns a shop in Vegas called The Painted Lady. She lives with her brother Tim, a policeman for LVPD.
Brett and her shop are suddenly pushed into the spotlight when a woman, Elise, who is missing was reportedly last seen at the Painted Lady. Her fiance Chip, the son of a wealthy developer, is looking for her. When Brett last saw Elise, she gave a fake name and said she wanted a tattoo with the name Matthew in it. Now a body is found in a car and Tim needs Brett's help in identifying her. The plot thickens and Brett soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery that seems a bit convoluted at times, but makes for a fun read. The ending was not predictable, which i enjoyed because it kept the mystery alive for me through the entire book.

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2010-06-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

A well reviewed and popular book, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is our next book discussion selection. Instead of reading it, I checked out the audio book. Even if you have already read the book, I would recommend listening to it.
The novel is a series of letters written between an author, her agent, her suitor, and various citizens of Guernsey, who formed a book club during German occupation of WWII. When listening, you can hear the different voices read their letters. The voice actors all had distinct voices and English accents. Though there are a lot of characters, it helps you to keep them straight and remember each of their unique stories.

I'm not all the way through it yet, but so far so good. It's full of humor and history- a nice, light summer read...or listen.

Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion

2010-06-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Another cookbook post!

I think I first heard of Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion by Elinor Klivans on a recipe blog in which the author made the S'Mores cake. Being a chocoholic, I immediately placed it on reserve and was thrilled to get it in my hands.
Yes, the whole book is chocolate based recipes, though it includes some white chocolate (blech) recipes as well. The first chapter gives you the basic recipes that you will need for most of the book. A simple chocolate buttercream, ganache, devil's food cake, and white chocolate cake. The rest of the book gives you ideas for constructing and adding upon these, as well as a few other basic cake recipes.
Every recipe gives a clear list of ingredients and simple instructions. Almost every entry includes a photo, which is a big plus for me. I want to see what I'm going to make!

Here's a few of the cakes included in the book:
Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake
Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Raspberry and White Chocolate Truffle Cake
Chocolate Zebra Cake
Coffee-Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

so many possibilities in just one book! I'm going to bake the Peppermint Patty Cake and bring it to work to share. Recommended for anyone with a sweet tooth.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

2010-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer is out now! You can buy it in a bookstore, which donates $1 of the sale to the American Red Cross, or you can read it online until July 5th at www.breetanner.com

Or you can always order it from the library...
visit our website and click Online Catalog to search. There will undoubtedly be a wait for it, so place a hold using your library card and we will let you know when it's ready for you!

The book is about a minor character from the Eclipse book, Bree Tanner. She's a vampire, but not of the Cullen "no human hunting" persuasion. Tweens and teens can come to our Eclipse party on June 28th from 3-4 p.m. to talk about the book and win cool Twilight prizes. Us adults can just nerd out on our own.

Baking Cakes in Kigali

2010-05-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Baking Cakes in Kigali is about more than just baking cakes. It follows our heroine of sorts, Angel Tungaraza, a baker in Kigali, Rwanda. The turmoil in Rwanda has taken it's toll on many of it's citizens, and the AIDS epidemic has directly affected Angel.

As a well respected baker, Angel is visited by people in the neighborhood whenever they have an occasion to celebrate. She hears their stories and becomes sort of a surrogate mother to many of the younger women living in her apartment complex.

Though sad at times, there were many interesting characters and stories that I enjoyed reading about. It also gave me a perspective on what it's like to live in such a tumultuous country.

Summer Reading- Books to try

2010-05-20T16:34:00.001-07:00

We are gearing up for the Summer Reading Program. I've been visiting schools and therefore mostly reading young adult novels. I thought I would go ahead and let you know what's been hot at our library lately...

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This is the first of a trilogy that has been buzzed about for awhile now. The author actually died in 2004, and the books were originalyl published posthumously in his native Sweden. The third of the trilogy is about to be released in the U.S. The books follow a family who are the subjects of a murder investigation. A grisly crime thriller about a cold case murder.

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa M.D.

This one will appeal to fans of the book Dewey, about the library cat. Oscar is a cat that showed up one day at a nursing and rehab center in Rhode Island. The author claims that Oscar has a special gift- he knows when a patient is going to die. He walks right into their room and curls up on their bed until the suffering is over. Sounds too sad for my taste, but this has been a popular one!

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

A novel about a young girl who immigrates to the U.S. from Hong Kong. She is very intelligent and was a good student in Hong Kong but, after the move, struggles with working and learning English. The book is part autobiographical.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Okay, this one sounds silly, but the author actually did a lot of historical research to make it sound as believable as possible. Abe Lincoln's mother was actually killed by a vampire, so he has a vendetta against all the blood suckers. In his effort to take them down, he learns of an alliance between vampires and slave owners, so of course Lincoln is out to get them too. This is a fun book that reads like a historical account of that time period.

What's A Ghoul to Do?

2010-05-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the third 'cozy' mystery I have cozied up to lately. What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie is the first installment in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries series. It isn't a new series, the fourth just came out in March.
What's a Ghoul follows MJ Holliday and her ghosthunting partner Gilley Gillespie. MJ has some psychic abilities and a lot of ghost hunting equipment, which she uses to help the lost souls pass over to the other side.
In this book, she meets a hot doctor named Steven Sable. Steven's grandfather just died, and his death was ruled a suicide. However, Steven isn't quite convinced. Also, he just inherited his family's lodge and has seen his grandfather's ghost walking the grounds. MJ and Gilley are hired to help him figure out just what is going on and why.

Though scary things happen, this isn't a 'make-you-jump thriller' as much as it is a 'make-you-laugh' mystery. If you are a fan of Ghosthunters, you will be familiar with the equipment and techniques MJ uses to 'hunt' for ghosts.
Like the previously reviewed Cupcake and Donut Shop mysteries, this is a light and fun read, but is a tad bit racier as there is sexual tension and situations between characters.

Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore

2010-04-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

At first glance, one might think Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore is a baseball book. However, it really is a book about many things, World War II, rural life, and dealing with disappointments.

Gary Moore wrote the book about his father who was an amazing player. At 15 he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, World War 2 began and baseball came to a standstill as players enlisted in the service. Gary's father, Gene was able to enlist as well and was placed on a team that traveled the globe playing baseball. Everything changed when the U.S. captured a group of German soldiers and, for reasons you'll have to read to find out, had to keep them secret. The ragtag team of baseball players were forced to keep close watch over these prisoners. SO what did they do? They played baseball with them.

This is a great uplifting read and will soon be made into a film, so check it out before the rush of requests begin!

Glazed Murder

2010-04-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

I guess April is going to be culinary mystery month, because I've just finished another and started a third.
Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck is the first in the Donut Shop Mystery series. Yes, just about every food establishment has a mystery series around it. I'm not sure what the appeal is, but I do like donuts.
This series follows the owner of Donut Hearts, Suzanne Hart. Suzanne bought the shop on a whim after her messy divorce from Max, an aspiring actor who is trying to win her back. Now she wakes up every morning around 1 a.m. to go to her shop and make donuts.
One early morning, she opens the shop, looks outside and sees a body being thrown from a vehicle. Turns out one of her regular customers was murdered and for some reason, the body was dumped on her doorstep. Unfortunately, Suzanne is now in danger because she is a witness to part of the crime. In an effort to protect herself and her shop, she sets out to investigate who might be involved. Along the way she meets Jake, a state police investigator, who offers her a romantic diversion.
Though this follows the standard cozy mystery formula, I really enjoyed the story and characters. however, everything wraps up very quickly at the end, and I would have liked to have more clues along the way. If you enjoy light mysteries and romance, this is a fun one to try!

Sprinkle with Murder

2010-04-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Looking for a fun book to read while on vacation, I found Sprinkle with Murder by Jennifer McKinlay. A new title in the Berkley Prime Crime line up, this book begins the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. The 'star' of the series is Mel Cooper, one of the owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery. She works with her best friend and co-owner Angela. The third owner is their other best friend Tate.

Tate is engaged to fashion designer Christie Stephens. Christie is a bit of a diva and demands that Mel bake her some sample cupcakes so she can decide what to order for her wedding. Unfortunately for both of them, Christie is found dead with Mel's cupcake in hand. With rumors swirling of Mel and/or Tate being involved in the murder, Mel decides to take matters into her own hands and solve the case.

This is a great new addition to the cozy mystery genre and a must for all cupcake fans! There are a few twists and turns I didn't see coming, and a brewing romance. I plan on trying out some of the great cake recipes in the back.

REMINDER

2010-03-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's COMING SOON!

Book discussion with author John Price!
Monday, April 12th at 6 PM at the Scott County Library in Eldridge!

JOIN US PLEASE! click here for the full Scott County Reads Together schedule

Snapped

2010-02-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, Snapped by Pamela Klaffke won't appeal to all readers. I very much enjoyed it, but I feel like that has to do with my age and familiarity with a sort of underground hipster scene. If you don't know what that means, then don't bother. But if you do, you will enjoy this book.

Snapped follows 39 year old Sara B., an owner and photographer for the popular Canadian style magazine Snap. She's made a career out of being a photographer who creates a column full of style Do's and Don'ts. Things start to unravel when she realizes that she is an unmarried childless 39 yr old who isn't even sure what is a 'do' or 'don't' anymore. She just knows that things can't keep on the way they have been with her boring boyfriend, changing friends, and alcohol fueled nights out. Things just keep getting worse for poor Sara and many younger readers will relate to her confusion and mid-life breakdown. A funny and meaningful read for the 20-30 yr old readers.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

2010-02-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

We just got this great cookbook in from the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. She has a very successful website which can be found HERE

Ree was a city girl who found herself back in the country after settling down with a man she refers to as "Marlboro Man," a rancher in Oklahoma. She shares her country style recipes in this book with beautiful step by step photos and detailed instructions.

Drawn in by the pretty photos of food, I thought I'd give it a go and see if I could make something edible. Browsing through the book, I found that the recipes were very easy and the ingredients were things I had handy at home.

The first recipe I made was for her sour cream pancakes. It's a recipe passed down from Marlboro Man's grandmother, Edna Mae. They were light and fluffy, with a nice little zing to em.

The other recipe I tried was for her Chocolate Sheet Cake. It was the easiest and moistest cake I have ever had! Just make sure you have buttermilk on hand. The icing goes on while the cake is still warm, so it oozes off the sides and into the middle of the cake. YUM YUM. And this recipe is available online!

She has many other recipes that I'd love to try if I had the time. Pizza, pot roast, biscuits- nothing fancy, just country favorites. Check this book out if you are a beginning cook or fan of country favorites.

SPECIAL EVENT

2010-02-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

ON FEBRUARY 15TH, ALL OVERDUE FINES WILL GO TO DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS IN HAITI!!!

sad news

2010-01-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

RIP Robert Parker

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/ap_en_tv/us_obit_robert_parker

Check out one of his many great books in the Spenser series at your library.

American Lion

2010-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Andrew Jackson, one of our most hated Presidents, is the subject of the biography, American Lion by Jon Meacham. So why would you want to read about Jackson anyway? Well, his idea of the Presidency was unique, as he took great pride in the position and power. His term was filled with social drama of high society. Meacham also gives us insight on Jackson's mistreatment of Native Americans and slaves.
Don't be fooled, this is no textbook on his presidency. Meacham writes a very readable book about a very complicated man. A great read for history buffs!

The Bright Forever

2009-12-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

The Bright Forever is a compelling, yet depressing book about a small town that is shaken to the core by a child abduction. Nine year old Katie Mackey disappears one night while returning her books to the local library. The mystery of who took The story is told from many points of view, at times you will hear from the girl's tutor Henry Dees, and sometimes from the view of her brother Gilley. This makes for quick and compelling reading.

The author, Lee Martin, directs the Ohio State creative writing program, and it is evident in his own writing. He issomewhat poetic when describing the people and places visited in the story. Though very sad, I was engrossed in the story from cover to cover.

The Bright Forever will appeal to fans of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

Shiver

2009-12-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a spooky tale about a girl named Grace. Grace lives in Northern Minnesota where wolves are a common sight in the winter. One winter, Grace was attacked by a pack of wolves and is still haunted by memories of it. However, one wolf seemed to have influenced the others to turn away and Grace watches for his return every winter. This particular wolf had yellow eyes.

One winter, a local teen is killed and the town goes on a hunt for the wolf they believe is responsible. This leads to an encounter between Grace and a boy named Sam. From there on out, it becomes a bit of a love story that will appeal to fans of Twilight and light romance. Like the Twilight series, this can be found in the Young Adult section of the library or book store, but has adult appeal.

Holiday Picks

2009-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here's what's coming up in holiday fiction!

Christian fiction author Melody Carlson offers up another Christmas tale, The Christmas Dog

Kat Martin tells the story of 6 people and how their lives intersect during the holiday season in The Christmas Clock.

The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs is a popular series and she has written a light romantic Christmas story about a librarian! Check out Lakeshore Christmas.

If you follow Linda Lael Miller's Creed series, then A Creed Country Christmas is a must for you

Heather Graham has written a light Christmas mystery/romance called, Home in Time For Christmas

Every year you can expect a Christmas tale from Richard Paul Evans. This year's book is The Christmas List

Debbie Macomber fans, be sure to read her latest feel good Christmas novel, The Perfect Christmas

Fans of more steamy romance will like, Yule Be Mine by Lori Foster

Crafty readers will enjoy Jennifer Chiaverini's A Quilter's Holiday and Kate Jacobs' Knit the Season

For humor with a heart, try The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren

For a tearjerker about a tight knit cookie exchange group, try The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman. Recipes included!

The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh follows a 7 year old boy and his 3 Christmas wishes.

Fans of Amish fiction should check out Cindy Woodsmall's The Sound of Sleigh Bells.

Why is My Mother Getting a Tattoo

2009-11-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well I am back from vacation and was able to finish three books while I was gone.
The first is a collection of true stories by Jancee Dunn. Jancee has written two books, Don't You Forget About Me, a novel about a woman who moves back in with her parents during her divorce, and But Enough About Me, a memoir of her years working at Rolling Stone. This one, Why is My Mother Getting a Tattoo? and other questions I wish I never had to ask, is about her family.

Every family has their funny and quirky attributes, and her family is no different. This is a purely funny and happy book. No real sad sob stories because she admittedly had a very happy childhood. The stories are about the mundane silly things in her life, such as the weird articles her father sends her in the mail, arguments over what kind of pies to eat at Thanksgiving, and her husband's aversion to breakfast buffets and brands of jeans with long names.

This is a very quick read, 205 pages total, each story has less than 20 pages. They'll make you laugh and remind you of the funny things that occur within your family.

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure

2009-10-12T17:25:00.001-07:00

This book by Matthew Algeo is a fabulous retelling of Harry and Bess Truman's post-presidency road trip. It gives us a glimpse of what life was like for ex-Presidents. Harry had one of the most normal post-Presidential lives and this excursion is just one example. It was interesting to read about how people reacted to his trip and where him and Bess ate and stayed. It's a quick fun read that takes you back to the 1950s when the open road offered recreation, not traffic and headaches.

Green Dog, Good Dog

2009-09-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Green Dog, Good Dog by Dominique DeVito is a short book that offers helpful tips on how to reduce "your best friend's carbon paw print." DeVito does so without being preachy or too technical when it comes to being earth friendly.
Her tips can make a huge difference in saving energy. According to her, if 10% of households with pets chose greener options, 4 million households would be generating less waste and electricity. That is a big difference made just by following a few tips.
Her tips actually come in 4 levels. Level 1 is just making a conscious choice to be greener. Level 2 is making a strong effort, level 3 is living as green as possible, and level 4 is the greenest. She recommends starting with level 1 and working your way through the levels.
For me, the most helpful tips were the home remedies that can be used in place of chemical treatments for things like shampooing, flea and tick prevention, and grooming.
If you have a dog, check out this book and see what you and your dog can do to minimize your impact on the environment.

FREE BOOK FRIDAY site

2009-09-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Check out this website, FREE BOOK FRIDAY. They give away free copies of books every Friday. All you do is put in your name and email address. They also have some cool author interviews and fun stuff on there. Who doesn't like free stuff?

Born to Run

2009-09-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Someone else actually checked this book out for me, because they know I am a runner. I decided to give it a shot and I could not put the book down! It is a fascinating story about a tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara. They run miles and miles for recreation and never seem to tire or get injured.

It all began when the author, Christopher McDougall, began searching for a solution for his foot injuries. His doctors always told him it was inevitable, he was too big to run, and running was too stressful on our joints. But then he learned about the Tarahumara and other "barefoot runners" and ultramarathoners who could run over a hundred miles at one time and not get hurt. He set out to discover their secrets.
In the book he talks to many doctors, scientists, and runners who discuss how shoes have basically ruined our natural stride and cause many of the foot and knee problems we have today. These problems never existed when everyone went barefoot.

The most fascinating part of the book is learning about the Tarahumara, how they live, work, and play, and what they eat. The author also participated in, and describes a 50 miles race through Tarahumara country, competing with the tribe and famous ultramarathoners from the U.S.

This is a must read for all runners !! I learned a lot about how I can improve my running and nutrition. Even those who don't run will be fascinated by the science and history of human physiology and the unique Tarahumara.

Teen books with adult appeal

2009-08-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Twilight spawned a whole slew of authors trying their hand at writing the "next big thing." So what series or book will be the next 'Twilight?'

The Hunger Games from Suzanne Collins has gotten a lot of buzz and the second book in the trilogy, Catching Fire, comes out September 1st. The trilogy is set in the future and the United States is divided into 12 districts with an oppressive government and shortage of food. Each year, group of kids are selected by lottery to compete in this massive reality show/game to win food for their district. Suddenly it's kill or be killed, all while the citizens of the district watch and hope for their competitor to survive and win them food.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (author of Coraline) is another hit for the popular writer. I could see this one being a Tim Burton movie someday. It is similar to the Jungle Book, but the young baby escapes a murderer and ends up in a graveyard. The ghouls and spooks of the graves raise him (they call him "Nobody") from infant to teenager, much like the animals of the jungle raised Mowgli. This recently won the Newbery Medal.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike is set to become a movie. It is the first of four books about a girl who suddenly sprouts wings on her back. She then discovers that her parents found her on their doorstep when she was a baby, so she goes about to uncover her past and who her real parents are.

Twenties Girl

2009-08-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Sophie Kinsella's latest book, Twenties Girl is a slight departure from her previous novels. Instead of focusing on romance, this is a mystery/ghost story. However, it is still lighthearted and humorous with a dash of romance.
Lara Lington wasn't having much luck in life. Her boyfriend unexpectedly dumped her and her partner in her new business venture has suddenly jumped ship. Her great aunt Sadie has just passed, and though she never really knew her, she goes to the funeral with her family. It is there that she encounters Sadie's ghost, a young version of the now dead 105 yr old woman. Sadie's spirit is sassy, energetic, and fun but very upset over a missing necklace. Lara, being the only one who can see her, is constantly pestered by Sadie until she decides to try and help her track down the necklace.
Of course Sadie gets Lara into some funny and interesting situations that lead to Lara meeting some new people and making decisions she never would have made without her.
This is another great novel from Kinsella and will be a hit with her fanbase as well as those who enjoy cozy mysteries and light romance.

New Biographies

2009-08-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

Biographies and memoirs are always popular among readers. Lately there have been quite a few popping up on bestseller lists. Here's a few of the newest and hottest titles.

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
This is not a new book, but is popular again because of the movie. A project that originally began as a blog, Julie Powell decides to 'spice up' her life by cooking all 524 recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. The movie bounces back and forth between the lives of Julie and Julia.

Bobby and Jackie: A Love Story by C. David Heymann
This bio focuses just on the years of the love affair between the two- 1963-1968. Apparently it was an 'open secret' among the family. The author was able to get access to Secret Service men and FBI files that tell of the late night trysts between the two.

Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin
Be wary of this one! A blogger who has made some outrageous claims about celebrities quickly penned this book to exploit Jackson's death. Nevertheless, it is a hot seller right now for people seeking gossip on the last years of MJ.

Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook- A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich
About Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg, the founders of Facebook.

Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox
Discusses his last 10 yrs of dealing with Parkinson's and his transition from TV star to advocate.

Here's a short list of a few other hot picks
Munson: the Life and Death of a Yankee Captain by Martin Appel
Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend by Larry Tye
Prairie Tales by Melissa Gilbert
Mommywood by Tori Spelling
Growing Up Again by Mary Tyler Moore
Might As Well Laugh About it Now by Marie Osmond
Paul Newman: A Life by Paul Levy
The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley
and coming soon...
Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin

Don't You Forget About Me

2009-07-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

Don't You Forget About Me is the first novel written by former Rolling Stone writer/MTV VJ Jancee Dunn. She previously wrote a memoir about her life as a celebrity interviewer in the book, But Enough About Me. She has a new non-fiction book out, Why is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?
Don't You Forget About Me follows Lillian who suddenly finds herself single after her husband gets bored with their life together. She takes a leave of absence from her job and moves back in with her parents. Suddenly she is surrounded by the comforting sights and sounds of her childhood growing up in suburbia. She contacts old friends from high school and prepares for her 20 yr class reunion by listening to 80s music and tracking down her ex-boyfriend.
This novel will appeal to late 20s- 30 somethings who can relate to Lillian. She's young enough to start over, but too afraid to take the leap. You'll find yourself rooting for her to get back on track. Check out this humorous novel with many 80s references that will make you remember and laugh.

The Big Ass Book of Crafts

2009-07-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

It's National Anti-Boredom Month! It really is, I'm not making that up... So I decided to review the Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano. It's a great craft book for beginners who are looking for fun and quirky crafts to keep busy. These aren't just chintzy little crafts for kiddies to make. Most of them are cool ideas for sprucing up home decor like frames, plates, and lamps. The projects tend to use materials you would already find around your house, such as subscription cards from magazines, scrapbook paper, straws, and duct tape, so you could consider them as "green" crafts. Then you could rest assure that you are doing your part to save the earth ;)
Check out the author's website for examples. Click here.

Here is a cute shadow box project-

Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200

2009-07-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hungry Girl: 200 recipes under 200 calories by Lisa Lillien is a popular cookbook aimed towards women who like to eat, but are conscious of calorie intake. There are different chapters for types of foods- breakfast, salads, desserts, drinks, starters, dips, and more. I was excited to get this book and see what kinds of recipes were included. Honestly I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping the recipes would be easier to make. A lot of them require expensive substitute ingredients like egg substitute, tofu pastas, and no cal. sweetener. Also they include ingredients that don't exactly appeal to me, like no sugar added applesauce, fat free cheeses, and reduced sugar/no fat products. The book has some color photos of the foods, but not of every one.
If you are willing to put the effort into finding the ingredients and making the recipes, then go for it. the book must be popular for a reason. For me, it's just easier to buy 100 calorie packs or granola bars.
Check out the author's website for more details and healthy ideas.

Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend

2009-07-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

For those looking for a fun non-fiction read, Bigfoot by Joshua Blu Buhs might be your cup of tea. Buhs gives a comprehensive yet compelling detailing of the big guy, exploring eyewitness accounts from history to modern day and from Nepal to California. He also got to know the bigfoot fanatics who spend tremendous amounts of time and money exploring the wilderness, trying to gather evidence of the elusive man beast. Buhs is a scholar and gives great footnotes to detail his research, so you can see the amount of work that went into the book. Though he claims to still not believe in Bigfoot, you might change your mind after reading it.

Accidentally Dead

2009-06-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy is the second book in a trilogy of humorous paranormal romances. The first is the Accidental Werewolf, which I had not read, but I was still able to follow along as each book works as a standalone. The third book is The Accidental Human.
The three books follow a group of three friends, Mary, Wanda, and Nina, who are single successful women living in New York City. They live normal lives until they each have an encounter with the paranormal. In Accidentally Dead, it is with a vampire who accidentally bites Nina while she is working at a dentist's office. Suddenly she finds herself as one of the undead and has a little trouble adjusting to the idea. Luckily her friends are there to help.
The characters are very funny and sassy, they are foul mouthed and brutally honest. The premise is fun and light with a dash of romance. Recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris (True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse), Janet Evanovich, and MaryJanice Davidson.

Monster

2009-06-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Monster by A. Lee Martinez is a fast and funny fantasy read about a "cryptobiological containment and rescue" worker nicknamed Monster. Basically, he is a monster catcher. Anything that happens to cross over into the real world, such as Yetis and trolls, Monster must catch and contain using magic. One day, he meets Judy, a supermarket worker who seems to have a lot of problems with these cryptos intruding into her life. Though they don't like each other, it soon becomes apparent that they need each other to figure out why it keeps happening to her. This is a great pick for fans of humorous sci-fi/fantasy.

Ghost Hunting

2009-06-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ghost Hunting by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson

Ghost Hunting: True Stories of the Unexplained Phenomena from the Atlantic Paranormal Society is a book from the stars of Scifi's Ghosthunters series, Jason and Grant. The book begins with Jason explaining how he came to be interested in the paranormal. It's a fascinating and strange story involving a random old woman and olives. The second chapter details how TAPS investigates hauntings. If you have seen the show, then you know their approach is scientific and based on evidence rather than "feeling" or bogus psychics.
The remaining chapters in the book describe different cases they have been on, including some they have featured on the show- The Stanley Hotel and The St. Augustine Lighthouse. There is also a small section of photos in the middle.

This is a fascinating read for those interested in the paranormal, and one I picked because our local ghost hunting group, NIXPART, will be at the library this Saturday (June 13th) at 2 p.m. NIXPART members investigated the Eldridge library last weekend. They use similar techniques as TAPS, as they are a TAPS "family member." ON Saturday they will give a "how-to ghost hunt" talk, describing their methods and instruments. They will also reveal the evidence of their library investigation. So join us on Saturday at 2p.m. for this fun and fascinating event!

Softies and Cute Stuff crafts

2009-06-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

These are a couple of books I'm using this summer as programming for tweens and teens. They are Softies and Cute Dolls. Both of these books have simple instructions for creating small plush creatures. Materials needed are basic felt or cloth of some sort, embroidery thread, and a needle. Some of the more difficult projects require a sewing machine. The first plush I created was from the Softies book by Therese Laskey. I had never sewn before, but following the step by step directions, I ended up with a pretty cute little cupcake plush. The whole project probably took me about 2 hours, but I'm a newbie, so it will probably take less if you have sewing experience. I will definitely be making more this summer as these cute dolls make great little presents and decorations for kids and adults. Check out the books at the library this summer and have fun!

Upcoming Programs

2009-05-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 18th at 6 p.m., IOW@TWORK coordinator Marleen Olsen will be teaching job seekers how to find and apply for jobs. Everyone is welcome and may bring a laptop computer to follow along with the websites she will discuss.

Check out our job section in the dewey number 650.14. We have many books on searching and creating resumes.

On May 27th at 6:30 p.m., the University of Iowa Speaker's Bureau is bringing in Dr. Joni Kinsey to speak about the work of Iowa artist Grant Wood. This is the same bureau who brought us our fantastic Amish speaker, Dr. Frank Yoder. So come out and learn about Grant Wood!

City of Bones

2009-05-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

City of Bones is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series. I don't normally read fantasy, but the cover looked cool and had a quote that described the book as funny, dark, and sexy. It is written as a YA book, but I think it's a great book for adults, especially those into the paranormal mystery genre.

City of Bones introduces readers to the Downworlders and Shadowhunters. Shadowhunters kill demons to try to make the world a better place. Downworlders are vampires, werewolves, etc. and if they get out of hand, the Shadowhunters might come after them too. Most humans cannot see either. However, Clary can. She is the main character who finds out about this world while at a club. She watched a Shadowhunter kill a demon and wondered why no one seemed to notice except her. That's when Jace, a shadowhunter, realized that she had "the sight."

Later, Clary's mom disappears and she starts to find out the truth about her mother and father's involvement in the other world. A lot of mystery and action follow.
I recommend this book fans of fantasy/mystery such as Charlaine Harris' series. Check out the second and third book, also available now.

Breathers

2009-05-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Breathers: a zombie's lament by SG Browne is a bit of a horror story, but mostly a romantic comedy. It's about Andy, a middle aged zombie who reanimated after a grisly car accident. His wife died and his daughter was sent to live with her aunt. He wandered back home and now lives in his parent's wine cellar.
Being a zombie is a bit shameful for all involved. Andy can't speak because of his accident so he limps around town with a wipeboard over his neck. More often than not, he comes home covered in food and garbage people have thrown at him.
His parents are ashamed of him and hide him away when friends come to visit. Andy really only leaves the house to go to his support group meetings where you meet an interesting cast of characters, some who meet their untimely demise when breathers (aka living people) beat them and pull off their limbs. Rita, a suicide victim with stitches over her neck and wrists, soon becomes Andy's love interest though he struggles with his feelings because he still misses his wife.
Ultimately, this a funny and touching story about what it's like to be an outsider.
Check out "Andy's blog" here.

World's Most Haunted Places

2009-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

World's Most Haunted Places is a spooky collection of real ghost stories from around the world. Author Jeff Belanger traveled around the world speaking to many local historians as well as eyewitnesses to haunted happenings. The stories describe the places of the hauntings as well as the accounts of many who claim to have experienced them.
A story from Chicago tells of a young woman nicknamed Resurrection Mary. Supposedly Mary was out dancing at a local club and was struck by a car and killed in the 1930s. Now her ghost waits for cars at the gates to Resurrection Cemetery on Archer Avenue in Chicago. Some people claim that she has run out in front of their car and then disappeared into thin air. Many people panic and think that they've struck someone but then find no one laying in the street. A few others claim to have given her rides and then watched her disappear as she entered the cemetery.
For more spooky stories from around the world, check out this book. I was thoroughly creeped.
For local lore, check out this website from Dwyer and Michaels.

Your Big Fat Boyfriend

2009-04-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

Your Big Fat Boyfriend: How to stay thin when you're dating a diet disaster by Jenna Bergen

I was drawn to this book because of the humorous title and because a lot of ladies find themselves in this situation. Your Big Fat Boyfriend is a lighthearted yet very helpful guide to helping ladies stay fit when their boyfriend isn't. The truth is that many couples do gain weight after getting together. The reasons vary from adjusting to each others eating habits to using dining out as a way of spending time together.
The book includes tips on estimating your metabolism, how to eat healthy when dining out and ordering in, how to grocery shop, what exercises are most efficient (and offer couples together time), and it even includes a few easy recipes. There is no complicated program to follow, just easy lifestyle changes that will make you more aware of what you put in your mouth. A fun fast read for the ladies. Check out this news story from ABC

Abode a la Mode

2009-04-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Abode a la Mode: 44 projects for hip home decor by Jeanee Ledoux is a fun decorating book for those creative and crafty people who may be short on funds. The style is definitely modern and colorful, so it will appeal to people with such tastes. The author has some great ideas for projects that can be made by modifying and embellishing cheap or existing furniture. Most of the supplies needed are fabric, glue, and stencils. The instructions are clear and easy and each project includes color photos to guide you through the process.
Check out this book if you are looking to redecorate a small space on a budget or if you are a first time DIY-er. Check out this site for more free ideas like the domino backsplash.

Dump 'Em

2009-04-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Jodyne Speyer offers readers a humorous how-to book about breaking up with "anyone from your best friend to your hairdresser" in Dump 'Em
Speyer and others offer personal stories of times when they should have broken up with someone, but didn't have the guts to. Such instances include dumping unmotivated personal trainers, unreliable carpoolers, and even annoying kid's friend's parents. This guide is laid out nicely first describing how to lay the groundwork for a break-up, then giving you specifics steps and words to say when breaking it off, and the humorous what to do if your in a pinch, and don't have time to lay the groundwork for a proper break-up.
This is a great book for anyone looking for the polite way out of many of life's relationships.

The Woman Who Can't Forget

2009-04-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

The Woman Who Can't Forget by Jill Price and Bart Davis is Jill's memoir of having hyperthymestic syndrome. In other words, Jilly has "continuous, automatic, autobiographical recall" of every day of her life since the age of 14.
Readers will learn about Jill's special condition and her struggles with being unable to turn off these memories, as well as how a normal human processes and recalls memories. Though it sounds like a great ability to have, would you really want to recall every moment of your life and how you felt at those moments?
Read or listen to this fabulous story! CLICK HERE TO SEARCH THE CATALOG

Other People's Love Letters

2009-04-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See is an intriguing collection of original letters either saved or found and compiled by Bill Shapiro. The letters appear as color copies of their original formats, some written on cardboard, postcards, napkins, or in the margins of newspapers. Funny, sad, and emotional- these letters to and from complete strangers will strike an emotional chord with any reader who has ever written or received a similar note.
Check out a brief synopsis written by the editor by clicking HERE

World War Z

2009-03-31T07:34:00.000-07:00

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks is a great choice for fans of horror and science fiction. The author interviews various witnesses to a zombie outbreak that began in China and soon spread throughout the world. Part social/political commentary, readers learn what people and the governments had to do to try and contain this outbreak. Each witnesses account is a compelling story that will have you imagining you would do if a zombie or virus outbreak did occur.

Belle in the Big Apple

2009-03-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Belle in the Big Apple tells the story of a young southern woman who finds herself in New York City working for a news station. She is struggling to have her stories aired among the political spots that are filling the news during an election year. As a southerner, she is very polite, charming, and somewhat naive as to how dirty her job and living in New York City can be. Though the story and characters can get confusing, it is a relatively quick and fun read for fans of chick-lit. Also, the author, a food journalist, includes recipes to correspond with food eaten/cooked/written about in the story.

Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea

2009-03-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea is a collection of humorous essays written by E! star and comedian, Chelsea Handler. Check out her Myspace Profile

I was familiar with Chelsea as a player in the prank show, Girls Behaving Badly, and from her shows on E! She is very funny and blunt and I expected no less from her writing. The essays were funny and honest, but they weren't as outrageous as I had expected. For someone who knows her humor, more would be expected. I mean, in her previous book, she documented her one-night stands!
Not as witty as Sarah Vowell or David Sedaris, I would recommend this book to fans of humor, especially women humorists such as Erma Bombeck.

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

2009-03-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

Quite possibly the yummiest cookbook ever, Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor is a collection of the most tempting dessert recipes I have ever read.

It includes such sinful recipes as Sticky Fingers Triple Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches, Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake, and a New York Cheesecake Milkshake. It also has helpful hints for baking the perfect pie crust, working with phyllo, and making candy.

Check out Jill's website for helpful tidbits and a recipe of the week.

Eleanor Vs. Ike

2009-02-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

Scott County Reads book discussion group just finished a discussion of the book Eleanor Vs. Ike by Robin Gerber. The book is a work of fiction that explores the possibility of an election between Eleanor Roosevelt and Dwight D Eisenhower.
We discussed if the events in the book could actually have happened or not. We also talked about what did happen in the election between Eisenhower and Stephenson, compared to the fictional election between Eleanor and Ike. Gerber did a great job blending facts with the fiction and we all had to do our homework when I came to distinguishing the two.
All members of the group really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans of history and historical fiction.

Still Alice

2009-02-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Lisa Genova's debut novel Still Alice shines a light on a devastating disease. Alice Howland is a 50 year old cognitive psychology professor at Harvard. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The book follows two years of her life into the descent of dementia and her struggle to live in the moment. This book grabs you from the first page and will inform, scare and change you the reader. Read and share with your friends!

Review by Maggie, Circulation- Eldridge

The Uncommon Reader

2009-02-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Uncommon Reader is actually a novella written by Alan Bennett, one of England's leading dramatists. The uncommon reader is the Queen, Elizabeth II. This is a humorous look at what happens when the queen checks out a book from the mobile library and discovers what she has been missing all her life. Yet others of her family, employees and Parliament aren't too thrilled with her new found passion. A humorous read and well worth the time!

Review by Maggie, Circulation- Eldridge

O Little Town

2009-01-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

I would recommend O Little Town by Don Reid of the Statler Brothers. The year is 1958 and it is Christmas time in Mt. Jefferson. In this author's first novel, Don relates the story of three families that find they are connected in ways they never expected. Spanning three generations, O Little Town is a tender tale of love and forgiveness for any season. An interesting read for a first novel!

Time of My Life

2008-12-19T13:48:00.000-08:00

Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

From the outside, Jillian Westfield seems to have a great life. A successful husband, young daughter, and nice house in the suburbs. However, she finds herself trapped in this life and comparing herself to her mother who left her family 20 years prior. Suddenly, during a massage one day, she wakes up and finds herself in the 7 years in the past. Now she has chance to find out what her life would be like if she stayed with "the one who got away" and kept her career.

The book is a great new spin on an old story. It's funny, but also seriously explores the emotions of abandonment, love, and motherhood. The ending is a bit predictable, but it's an interesting ride there. For fans of Jane Green, Marian Keyes, and books about women/motherhood.

Autobiography of Santa Claus

2008-12-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

To get into the holiday spirit, Scott County Reads book group will be reading and discussing The Autobiography of Santa Claus on December 22nd. Jeff Guinn wrote the novel that is based partly on the real St. Nicholas, but mostly on the fictional character of Santa Claus. He describes his life from 280 A.D. to the present and adds in some other famous historical figures along the way.
Guinn has followed up this novel with How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas and The Great Santa Search.

Anyone interested in joining our group, no commitment required, can pick up a copy at the Eldridge branch and join us on December 22nd at 6:30 p.m.

Queen of Babble

2008-12-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

Written by the author of the Princess Diaries, this novel is a hilarious entry to the adult chick-lit genre. It will especially appeal to those in their 20s and early 30s as it follows recent college graduate, Lizzie Nichols.
Before graduation, Lizzie fell in love with a British RA who she incidentally, met in the girls shower when he alerted her of a fire alarm. They only spent a few days together before he moved back home to London, but they kept in touch via e-mail. Instead of going to France with her best friends, Lizzie is going to visit and stay with him for a month. While there, things go awry because of her big mouth and her summer ends in a completely different place than it began.

Lizzie is a very realistic character whose big mouth and babbling often get her into humorous situations. I would recommend this to younger fans of the chick-lit genre.

Good Luck

2008-12-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

Good Luck by Whitney Gaskell

Lucy Parker is having the worst day ever. First, she is fired from her teaching job because of false accusations from a male student. Then she comes home to find her boyfriend Elliot in bed with another woman. She spends the rest of her day sulking in her PJs.
The next day, Lucy checks her lottery ticket to find that she won a 64 million dollar jackpot. However, she also finds dozens of reporters and TV crews on her front lawn, wanting to interview the disgraced former teacher. Lucy makes her escape and claims her money, but now, with no job and no boyfriend, she doesn't know what to do.

Good Luck is a fun chick-lit novel with lots of laughs and some serious soul searching parts as well. It is somewhat predictable, but the story is fun and the ending wraps it up well. For fans of Sophie Kinsella and Janet Evanovich.

Hello Cupcake

2008-11-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Hello, Cupcake! Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack

This is easily the coolest cupcake book I've ever seen. The book was passed around the library for everyone to ooh and ahh at the creations. Though they seem a bit daunting, the authors are very convinced that anyone could recreate their designs. I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes.

The designs range from cute to wacky. You can make corn on the cob cupcakes with Jelly Bellys or cute puppy cupcakes with chocolate wafers and a doughnut hole. The authors didn't use any fancy tools, just ziploc bags clipped at the corner, canned frosting, and food coloring. I'm going to try making the Christmas ornament cupcakes for the Friends Bake and Craft Sale on December 13th!

Click here to read the Hello, Cupcake blog with more tips and designs.

Firefly Lane

2008-11-14T06:16:00.001-08:00

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah is a great read. Kate and Tully meet as
8th graders in 1974 and quickly become BFF and are as opposite as two
people can be. Follow them for over thirty years and see how their
friendship becomes the mainstay of their lives. They think they've
survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart. It is a
coming of age novel and the story of a generation of women who were both
blessed and cursed by choices. Share this one with your friends!

Daughters of Blessing series

2008-11-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

Daughters of Blessing Series by Lauraine Snelling

Snelling's series is set in Blessing, North Dakota in the early 20th century. The first book centers around the upcoming nuptials of Ellie Wold and Andrew Bjorklund. Both were characters in Snellings' Red River North series. Ellie and Andrew have known since they were young children that they would be married. They planned to wed after graduating from school, but unforeseen circumstances delay their nuptials. While this angers Andrew, Ellie is much more patient and understanding. As a result, the couple run into problems in their previously solid relationship.

Snelling is very adept at setting the scene of the early 1900s. Many of her readers enjoy the historical detail of every story. Recommended for fans of Christian fiction and light romance.

The fourth book in this series is now out and available at your library~!

Marsbound

2008-10-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Marsbound by Joe Haldeman

This is the second novel by Joe Haldeman that I have read. The other is The Accidental Time Machine, which I very much enjoyed. This novel was also very good because of it's readability. Haldeman does not get deep into the science behind his fiction, he keeps it simple and interesting so it will appeal to all fiction readers.
This particular novel follows a teen girl named Carmen, who is moving to Mars with her family. Obviously set in the future, they use a space elevator to reach a station above the earth and then board a shuttle for Mars. The entire trip takes about 8 months. For me, this was the most enjoyable part of the story because I liked imagining what it would be like to live in a space elevator and shuttle for so long. It was also interesting to read how the technology worked.
Once on Mars, Carmen finds herself in a heap of trouble and makes a startling discovery. The second half of the book is quite a bit different from the first, but also very entertaining. I highly recommend it to science fiction and adventure fans. Will also appeal to teens.

Scott County Reads November selection

2008-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

Our November selection for the Scott County Reads book discussion group is The Summer of 1787 by David O. Stewart. It tells the story of the development of the Constitution of the United States by describing the debates and meetings by all the key players. This is a must read for any U.S. history buff and will also appeal to readers who enjoy good non-fiction narratives. Discussion will be November 24th at 6:30pm in the First Amendment Room at the Eldridge branch. Books are available now.

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

2008-10-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

This book is written in a letter format and gives the reader a revealing look at Guernsey Island during World War II. Juliet, a London writer, is intrigued by the Literary Society and a series of letters are exchanged by members of the group and Juliet. With humor, snide remarks, and a mystery or two, the reader is pulled into the correspondence and can't put the book down.

Review by Elizabeth, tech services

I Closed My Eyes

2008-10-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

Gabcast! Reading 2.0 #6

Nineteen Minutes

2008-10-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a school shooting from different perspectives. Readers will get to know each of the main characters in the story, their family history, and their view of what happened that day.
The shooter, Peter grew up being bullied and ignored by parents who were still grieving the loss of their oldest son. Josie, the most popular girl at school and daughter of another main character, is your typical high school girl who tries hard to fit in, but isn't very happy in her skin. She witnesses the shooting first hand. You also get perspectives from Josie's mother Alex, Peter's parents, a policeman at the scene, and the defense attorney.
Picoult often writes books that seem to be stripped from the headlines, but she does her research and always writes real and compelling stories. The book can be slow moving at times, especially through the trial, but the very real emotional characters should keep you hooked.

Scott County Reads

2008-09-29T11:15:00.001-07:00

Our next book discussion will be on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. Stop by the library to pick up your copy and join us on October 27th at 6:30pm in the First Amendment Room. The book is about Christopher, an autistic teenager who attempts to solve the mystery of the neighbor's murdered dog. It has been described as a funny and touching novel.

Oval Office Oddities

2008-09-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Oval Office Oddities: An Irreverent Collection of Presidential Facts, Follies, and Foibles
by Bill Fawcett

For a light, fun, and educational read, check out Oval Office Oddities. It tells interesting and funny stories about our nation's Presidents. The chapters are divided by topic such as Presidential firsts, Presidential peculiarities, and Presidents as people. You'll find out what interesting hobbies Presidents had, as well as who was having extramarital affairs, and what kind of pets they had. (Calvin Coolidge had a pet raccoon named Rebecca) This book is a great conversation starter and good for history fans who don't have much time for a long historical narrative.

The Accidental Time Machine

2008-09-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman

Matt Fuller is your average guy, a bit on the lazy side, stuck in a dead end job as a lab assistant at MIT. He is building a calibrator when it suddenly disappears and then reappears a second later. He experiments with the machine and realizes that he has built a time machine. This particular time machine only goes forward in time and the interval it travels into the future increases by 12 each time.

If Matt is touching the time machine, he also travels with it. With nothing going in his life, he decides to travel. The first few times, he only travels a little bit, but he keeps ending up situations where his only escape is to jump forward again. Haldeman offers a unique perspective on the world in each of the futures presented. When he meets and falls for a young woman, he must decide what is best for the two of them and what kind of future world he wants to live in.

This book is a fun and fast sci fi read. It will appeal to sci fi fans as well as your average fiction reader. Nothing is too far "out there" or fantastical for the average readers' taste.

Audition

2008-09-04T07:11:00.001-07:00

Audition by Barbara Walters
This book is like a "cheat sheet" to world history and sensationalism circa 1950-2007, with intimate details not heard on TV broadcasts. Walters also shares a lot of memories about the early club show scene on the East coast in the pre-Las Vegas era. Walters is a pioneer in modern journalism for women and an interesting writer.

Review by Penne.

Click here for a New York Times article about the book.

Two books about knitting/sewing

2008-08-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Sweet Gum Knit Lit Society by Beth Patillo is a good read. Several women of Sweetgum, Tennessee meet monthly for a book discussion led by the town librarian while they indulge in their passion for knitting. When an angry teenager joins the group, secrets are revealed and all are affected by reading children's classics such as the Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden, and Pollyanna.

The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary and Sewing Circle by Lois Battle is an older book, but very enjoyable. When a bankrupt divorcee socialite moves to Florabama, AL, she becomes a mentor to a group of women who had worked in a lingerie factory that closed down. A rich tapestry of female friendships tell a heartfelt story about the surprising power of a group of small town women.

The Complete Idiots Guide to Camping and Hiking.

2008-08-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

By Michael Mouland

This book teaches you simple skills in a systematic, easy to understand form. The book will teach you how to read a map and compass, how to take children camping, some of the most important equipment that you will need, and how to get the most out of boating, hiking, biking or driving to your destination.

Review by Summer Reader

The Last Lecture

2008-08-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

By Randy Pausch

"Time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less time than you think." In 2006, Randy Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Coincidentally, he was asked to give a lecture at Carnegie Mellon where he was a Computer Science Professor. The lecture, titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", was about the importance of over coming obstacles, enabling the dreams of others and of seizing every moment.

Review by Summer reader

Video of Randy Pausch lecture

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2008-08-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

By Aron Ralston

Aron Ralston is an experienced outdoorsman. He had spent time in all kinds of challenging situations. He decided to take a simple hike in the Utah canyons. The hike was pleasant in Blue John Canyon until he turned around and was within 8 miles of his truck. Aron was climbing off of a wedged boulder, when the boulder slipped, wedging his right hand against the canyon wall. For the next 6 days Aron exhausts all of his escape options except for one.

Review by Summer reader

Read an excerpt from the book and see photos by clicking HERE

Big Stone Gap

2008-08-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

By Adriana Trigiani

Big Stone Gap is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The main character, Ave Maria Mulligan, describes herself as the town's spinster. She is 35 years old and the town's pharmacist.

Ave inherited the town's pharmacy from her father. After her mother dies, Ave discovers (from a letter her mother left her) that Ave's biological father is a man that lives in Italy.

Note from Amazon: Ave's emotional turmoil takes place against a colorfully detailed tour of Big Stone Gap's history and attractions, including its summer drama festival and its designation as the home of Appalachian bluegrass. Even the actual 1978 visit of senatorial candidate John Warner and his wife, Elizabeth Taylor, plays a part in the story. In the tradition of romantic heroines, Ave is unable to recognize true love until it's almost too late, and meanwhile, there are some fairy tale touches, such as the arrival of her entire newly discovered Italian family.

Review by Summer reader

Photo from Big Stone Gap from www.bigstonegap.org

Survival of the Sickest

2008-08-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

By Sharon Moalem and Jonathan Prince

This book ties together disease, evolution, and genetics. The theory is that the environment puts "pressure" on all living things. This "pressure" causes the living thing to develop characteristics that help it to survive long enough to reproduce. Some of the genetic mutations have enhanced our ability to survive long enough to reproduce but end up being detrimental as we age.

Summary by Summer reader