Authors who know how to string sentences together to hook their readers in the first 50 pages of a book are doing their job. If you are an avid reader, you probably have a rule of thumb about how long you'll read before deciding whether to move on to another book, or keep reading.

Here are a few new titles that you may get "hooked" on right away. Read on!

Do you believe in good luck charms? In Nicholas Sparks' new book, "The Lucky One," you'll meet Logan Thibault, a man whose luck changes in a big way after he discovers a picture of a smiling woman that he never met, but carries it around as a talisman anyway. Typical of Nicholas Sparks, this book takes twists and turns that keep the reader in suspense and turning pages till the very end.

True love and real life are on a collision course in "Love the One You're With" by Emily Giffin. Witty storytelling by this author introduces us to Ellen and Andy, a newlywed couple living an idyllic life until an old boyfriend enters the picture to stir things up. Will this perfect marriage survive the bump in the road experienced by this couple?

Enduring personal tragedy and money troubles makes Nan, a known crazy woman living in Nantucket, even more determined to live her life as she pleases. Facing yet another financial dilemma, Nan decides to rent out rooms in her rambling house, and in the process, meets other folks who are struggling with issues in their own lives in "The Beach House" by Jane Green.

Buried under the Antarctic ice, a pristine body of water is discovered. But when a breakout of Mad Cow Disease erupts in France, Dr. Noah Haldane searches for clues that will lead him to those pristine waters, uncovering the find of a century in "Cold Plague" by Daniel Kalla.

Will you get hooked in the first 50 pages of these books? Come to the Jasper County Public Library and you'll be sure to get "reeled in" by your very own "catch of the day!"

A Word From the Book Lady

Hi everyone,

Let me introduce myself, and give you an overview what you'll be seeing here.

Each month I'll be sharing some book reviews with you, and hopefully giving you some ideas of what the library has to offer in fiction and non-fiction. Titles that you may enjoy, subjects that will "take you away" for the great escape of reading.

I am looking forward to getting started, and invite everyone to feel free to offer suggestions about your interests.