Remember the story problems that we did as kids in school? Here is a story problem: If today is November 9 and there are 30 days in November and thirty one days in December and Christmas falls on December 25, how many days are left until Christmas? I never was a whiz at math, but if I cheat and look at the calendar, I can tell you that there are 46 days until Christmas, and if I divide the 46 days into weeks, it’s still OVER 6 weeks until Santa makes his appearance. Department stores and TV ads are already playing Jingle Bells and “decking the halls.” Halloween is barely out of the woods and Christmas is already making an appearance. Have I slept through the fall months? Have I already missed my most favorite of all holidays; Thanksgiving?! Gee whiz, is it fair to shortchange Turkey Day and the fall season and jump straight into winter? Time to take a break and kick back and enjoy these cool, blustery days and snuggle into the nest that will soon enough be hard to find time for, and read, read, read! Here are a few new fiction titles from your friends at JCPL that will kick start your autumn break!
Dewey Andreas is searching for peace, and hopes to find it in rural Australia. Unfortunately, the powers that he once fought against are out for revenge, and now they’ve found him, forcing him to fight for his life. On the other side of the globe in Pakistan, a radical cleric has gained power, starting an all out war with India that quickly escalates out of control. With the threat of nuclear response a high probability, the need for a cease fire is more important than ever, and there is only one man who can lead a team that can pull off the impossible task; Dewey Andreas. But can he get out of Australia alive? Find out in “Coup d’Etat” by Ben Coes.
Amelia Wilkes and Anthony Winter are high school seniors, desperately in love. Amelia’s father, Harlan, however, will not allow his daughter to date. Her mother, Kim, though, is more open minded and keeps the couple’s secret. When Harlan discovers the couple’s passion for one another via intimate pictures on Amelia’s computer, his fury turns to a lust for revenge against the young man, and Harlan turns him into local law enforcement, creating a public case that takes disturbing twists and turns in “Exposure” by Therese Fowler.
When a hostage situation arises in a television studio, former investigative journalist, Tom Pegg finds himself embroiled in the mess when the kidnapper chooses him as a go-between. Events turn chaotic and the drama reaches a fever pitch when two very different people are thrown together by the crisis, resulting in gripping and page-turning suspense in “The Blue Light Project” by Timothy Taylor.
With streets named Nutcracker Court and Sugar Plum Lane, Fairbrook is the perfect town for Christmas glitz. But the holiday season isn’t what it’s cracked up to be for all of Fairbrook’s residents, including single mom, Carly Westbrook, who is struggling to make ends meet and still provide a nice Christmas for her boys, and Grant Barrows, a formerly wealthy businessman struggling to come to grips with his shrinking bank account. Still, the local ladies group holds out hope that a Christmas miracle may come to pass in “Christmas on Nutcracker Court” by Judy Duarte.
If there are 24 hours in a day and 46 days until Christmas, that adds up to 1,104 hours. Taking time out to relax and escape into the characters and plot of a good book checked out from the Jasper County Public Library might just fit into that schedule. If you do the math, you’ll discover that I’m 100% correct!
Showing posts with label New Fiction Titles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Fiction Titles. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
What Does Your Future Hold? New Fiction at JCPL, of Course!
If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be driving a mini-van someday, I would have told you that you’re wrong. No way would I drive a “bus.” My vehicles have always been compact; after all, I’m only 4’11” tall. So now, in my driveway, sits a red van, and every time I walk through my living room and see that “bus” out in my driveway, I wonder who is visiting, because, mentally, I still have not adjusted to the large capacity vehicle that is sitting where my little Toyota should be. I tote around 4 grandkids quite frequently, and buckling them into safety seats was getting way too cramped, hence the decision to buy a van. According to Carter, the character in the book I’m currently reading, buying a van is an inevitable consequence of getting older; everyone is doing it. In the story, he arrives at a party, driving a van, and when the hostess spies his new ride, she asks, “What is that?” “That,” Carter replies, is your future. You laugh now, but no one can escape the minivan. It’s like wrinkles and nursing homes.” Ouch…I had to learn from a character in “Finny” by Justin Kramon just how OLD I am. “Finny,” by the way, is one of the best, character driven novels I’ve read in awhile. At the beginning of the book, the main character, Finny Short, is fourteen years old, and a defiant teenager she is. Her parents are so exasperated with her antics that they send her to boarding school, where Finny must slightly readjust to her new surroundings. Her precociousness prevails, however, and Finny moves into adulthood after much mischief in a remarkable adventure, with no shortage of charm as she recklessly seeks happiness and true love.
This new title on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library is one you won’t want to miss; and for the upcoming cooler weather, don’t miss these new titles either!
When John and Irene got married, they were each certain of one thing; this would never work. When their daughter, Sadie, came along, the pair of them at least had one thing in common. Sadie was the center of their lives, and each of them held their daughter in their hearts as only parents can treasure their child. When John and Irene divorced, Sadie stayed the one common denominator in their lives, even though they lived across the country from each other. At eighteen, Sadie was like most teenagers, and began testing her strength and freedom, but when she dared to strike out on her own, going behind her parent’s backs to meet the boy of her dreams, Sadie found herself in deep trouble. John and Irene were then forced to meet once again, but this time under circumstances that neither of them ever expected in “Once Upon a Time, There Was You” by Elizabeth Berg.
Realizing that her days of lucid thinking are numbered because of early onset dementia, Ann Biddle desperately tries to resolve issues and hurts that have plagued her for decades, with the tragic death of her young daughter being the most difficult cross to bear. Blessed with Ellie, the eight year old granddaughter that she dearly loves, Ann finds common ground with her daughter in law, struggling to help the young mother unwind her tightly wound protectiveness toward Ellie in “The Bird House” by Kelly Simmons.
Taking an online test called, “What kind of car are you,” I discovered that beneath it all, I am really a VW Beetle, stuck in a red van’s body. What kind of car are you, and what does your future hold? Only one answer comes to mind for that question; that is a trip to JCPL, where the only thing you can really count on for your near future is lots of great, new fiction!
This new title on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library is one you won’t want to miss; and for the upcoming cooler weather, don’t miss these new titles either!
When John and Irene got married, they were each certain of one thing; this would never work. When their daughter, Sadie, came along, the pair of them at least had one thing in common. Sadie was the center of their lives, and each of them held their daughter in their hearts as only parents can treasure their child. When John and Irene divorced, Sadie stayed the one common denominator in their lives, even though they lived across the country from each other. At eighteen, Sadie was like most teenagers, and began testing her strength and freedom, but when she dared to strike out on her own, going behind her parent’s backs to meet the boy of her dreams, Sadie found herself in deep trouble. John and Irene were then forced to meet once again, but this time under circumstances that neither of them ever expected in “Once Upon a Time, There Was You” by Elizabeth Berg.
Realizing that her days of lucid thinking are numbered because of early onset dementia, Ann Biddle desperately tries to resolve issues and hurts that have plagued her for decades, with the tragic death of her young daughter being the most difficult cross to bear. Blessed with Ellie, the eight year old granddaughter that she dearly loves, Ann finds common ground with her daughter in law, struggling to help the young mother unwind her tightly wound protectiveness toward Ellie in “The Bird House” by Kelly Simmons.
Taking an online test called, “What kind of car are you,” I discovered that beneath it all, I am really a VW Beetle, stuck in a red van’s body. What kind of car are you, and what does your future hold? Only one answer comes to mind for that question; that is a trip to JCPL, where the only thing you can really count on for your near future is lots of great, new fiction!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Perfect Plethora of Printed Books, Presented by JCPL
I hate making mistakes, and what I hate even more is having to admit to making them. “Nobody is perfect,” “To err is human,” and to quote the famous Benjamin Franklin, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” Everyone has bad days, and makes boo boos from time to time. This correction in the Arizona Republican verifies that: “The Jumble puzzle which appeared on page D1 of Thursday’s edition actually was the puzzle scheduled to appear today. The Jumble originally scheduled to appear Thursday, as well as the answers to Wednesday’s puzzle are on page E1 today. The answers to the puzzle published today appeared Thursday and the answers to the puzzle published Thursday will appear Saturday.” Published puzzles seem to be puzzling even to the publishers of the printed puzzles, don’t you think? Maybe the puzzle publisher who printed the puzzles could have used a guardian angel to help them avoid such puzzlement. Don’t you wonder sometimes what a guardian angel would have to say if they recorded their thoughts in a journal every day? “The Guardian Angel’s Journal” by Carolyn Jess-Cooke tells the tale of a Margot Delacroix, a woman who has returned to earth as a guardian angel named Ruth. Sent back to life as her very own guardian angel, Ruth follows herself throughout her life, from birth through a troubled childhood, and all of the events of her adult life, as sort of a second chance to re-experience the biggest mistakes that led to her deepest regrets, eventually learning to love herself as unconditionally as she should have the first time around.
This new fiction title is just one in a long line of books, new to the Jasper County Public Library. Read on for more!
If you love Robin Cook, Michael Palmer and Patricia Cornwell and the pageturning medical drama that they bring to their novels, “Public Anatomy” by A. Scott Pearson, with its intriguing characters and high octane medical drama will be just what the doctor ordered. In this medical thriller, you’ll meet Doctor Eli Branch, a surgeon with a hand injury who is approached by two FBI agents investigating the subsequent deaths of two people who have undergone routine, but robotic, surgeries. Plot twist after plot twist lead Branch on a kaleidoscope of adventures as he seeks the truth, enlisting the help of forensic pathologist, Meg Daily in this thought-provoking novel.
Case closed turns out NOT to be the case for Nina Reilly in “Dreams of the Dead” by Perri O’Shaughnessy. The setting is South Lake Tahoe, California and the characters range from adventurers to criminals to lawyers. When disaster walks into a Lake Tahoe Ski Resort in the form of Jim Strong, a sociopath who Nina defended two years before against murder charges, Nina must expose the secrets of someone very close to her to prove that the dead cannot destroy the living. Written with a breakneck pace and plenty of twists and turns, this novel outlines human drama, establishing its right at the top of legal thriller genre.
Crime solving, 1970’s style, laced with a plucky police detective named Monika Paniatowski, offers readers pageturning police procedural drama when a murder case is reopened after the deathbed confession of the convicted killer of a thirteen year old girl becomes a declaration of his innocence for the crime. The last confession of accused rapist and killer, Fred Howard, is one that declares his innocence to the Priest performing the last rites for the convicted killer just before his death. Enter Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hall and Chief Constable George Baxter, along with Monika, the complex details begin to unravel as cobwebs of clue after clue build to a satisfying conclusion.
Are you puzzled? Well, from my “experience,” being puzzled is not so bad if you have a good distraction, so postpone your puzzle on purpose and pore over the plethora of pristine printed books in the Jasper County Public Library within your proximity; you’ll be pleased, we promise!
This new fiction title is just one in a long line of books, new to the Jasper County Public Library. Read on for more!
If you love Robin Cook, Michael Palmer and Patricia Cornwell and the pageturning medical drama that they bring to their novels, “Public Anatomy” by A. Scott Pearson, with its intriguing characters and high octane medical drama will be just what the doctor ordered. In this medical thriller, you’ll meet Doctor Eli Branch, a surgeon with a hand injury who is approached by two FBI agents investigating the subsequent deaths of two people who have undergone routine, but robotic, surgeries. Plot twist after plot twist lead Branch on a kaleidoscope of adventures as he seeks the truth, enlisting the help of forensic pathologist, Meg Daily in this thought-provoking novel.
Case closed turns out NOT to be the case for Nina Reilly in “Dreams of the Dead” by Perri O’Shaughnessy. The setting is South Lake Tahoe, California and the characters range from adventurers to criminals to lawyers. When disaster walks into a Lake Tahoe Ski Resort in the form of Jim Strong, a sociopath who Nina defended two years before against murder charges, Nina must expose the secrets of someone very close to her to prove that the dead cannot destroy the living. Written with a breakneck pace and plenty of twists and turns, this novel outlines human drama, establishing its right at the top of legal thriller genre.
Crime solving, 1970’s style, laced with a plucky police detective named Monika Paniatowski, offers readers pageturning police procedural drama when a murder case is reopened after the deathbed confession of the convicted killer of a thirteen year old girl becomes a declaration of his innocence for the crime. The last confession of accused rapist and killer, Fred Howard, is one that declares his innocence to the Priest performing the last rites for the convicted killer just before his death. Enter Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hall and Chief Constable George Baxter, along with Monika, the complex details begin to unravel as cobwebs of clue after clue build to a satisfying conclusion.
Are you puzzled? Well, from my “experience,” being puzzled is not so bad if you have a good distraction, so postpone your puzzle on purpose and pore over the plethora of pristine printed books in the Jasper County Public Library within your proximity; you’ll be pleased, we promise!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Directional Dyslexics Need Good Books Too!
The letters "DD" universally stand for "designated driver." It could also stand for "Directional Dyslexic," and I know this because I am one. Famous for losing my way, I have been known to take the scenic route as though I have all the time in the world, and that goes for finding my car in a parking lot, too. I recently purchased a new vehicle, and am still getting used to finding it when I shop. Most everything on it is power, including the doors and back hatch, so my keychain comes complete with keyless entry that is supposed to make things like grocery shopping easier, and it would, if I could ever find my vehicle in the parking lot. Coming out of the grocery store, I headed for a red van, pushing buttons all the way, trying to get the doors to open and be ready to load the groceries. Mumbling under my breath that the thing never works when you want it to, I happened to turn around and see that the van parked in the opposite lane was obeying the command of my keyless entry; probably because it WAS my van, and not the one I was facing at the time.
Could I use a book to "take me away?" You bet...and here are some new fiction titles that will do just that!
A twisted killer with a perverted sense of style is on the loose in "Fever to the Bone" by Val McDermid. Youth and innocence are the objects of his desire and it is up to investigator, Tony Hill to end the ruthless campaign of murder and brutality before more young lives are lost.
The death of Tim Overleigh's ex-wife threatens to send him over the edge. To combat his grief, he makes the life-altering decision to give up his career in the world of extreme sports and joins a team of mountain climbers in Nepal. The spiritual awakening of the mountain ascent is short lived for Overleigh, however, and turns deadly for he and the entire team of climbers when, one by one, they become the victims of murder in "The Ascent" by Ronald Malfi.
Music has marked each milestone in Zoe Baxter's life, and after suffering a series of personal tragedies, Zoe begins a career as a music therapist. As an unexpected romance buds for Zoe, she begins questioning the relationships she has with those closest to her as they voice their disapproval for the new love in her life in "Sing You Home" by Jodi Picoult.
Taking a break from her college studies, Ingrid Holburne meets and marries art dealer Gil Grey. Ingrid's cousin, Ralph, and her friend, Julia, however, do not see reason for celebration of the couple's happy news. When the tragedy of September 11 takes Ingrid's life, Ralph and Julia are sticken with grief, and find themselves retracing her steps of that day only to encounter one mystery and web of deceit after another in "The Legacy" by Kirsten Tranter.
We can all identify with the "Excedrin headache" commercial or the "Calgon Take Me Away" ad with the woman overwhelmed by screaming kids, barking dogs, and a ringing doorbell. Excedrin and Calgon are just the beginning for directional dyslexics like me, because pointing me in the direction of my local branch of JCPL is the best way to "get away from it all" that I can think of!
Could I use a book to "take me away?" You bet...and here are some new fiction titles that will do just that!
A twisted killer with a perverted sense of style is on the loose in "Fever to the Bone" by Val McDermid. Youth and innocence are the objects of his desire and it is up to investigator, Tony Hill to end the ruthless campaign of murder and brutality before more young lives are lost.
The death of Tim Overleigh's ex-wife threatens to send him over the edge. To combat his grief, he makes the life-altering decision to give up his career in the world of extreme sports and joins a team of mountain climbers in Nepal. The spiritual awakening of the mountain ascent is short lived for Overleigh, however, and turns deadly for he and the entire team of climbers when, one by one, they become the victims of murder in "The Ascent" by Ronald Malfi.
Music has marked each milestone in Zoe Baxter's life, and after suffering a series of personal tragedies, Zoe begins a career as a music therapist. As an unexpected romance buds for Zoe, she begins questioning the relationships she has with those closest to her as they voice their disapproval for the new love in her life in "Sing You Home" by Jodi Picoult.
Taking a break from her college studies, Ingrid Holburne meets and marries art dealer Gil Grey. Ingrid's cousin, Ralph, and her friend, Julia, however, do not see reason for celebration of the couple's happy news. When the tragedy of September 11 takes Ingrid's life, Ralph and Julia are sticken with grief, and find themselves retracing her steps of that day only to encounter one mystery and web of deceit after another in "The Legacy" by Kirsten Tranter.
We can all identify with the "Excedrin headache" commercial or the "Calgon Take Me Away" ad with the woman overwhelmed by screaming kids, barking dogs, and a ringing doorbell. Excedrin and Calgon are just the beginning for directional dyslexics like me, because pointing me in the direction of my local branch of JCPL is the best way to "get away from it all" that I can think of!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Think Twice...Then Check Out a Good Book From JCPL!
Comic strip author, Bill Watterson, is quoted as saying, "Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice." Thinking twice is a great idea, if you can remember to do it. Listening twice is an even better idea. Shopping with my 4 year old granddaughter the other day, the only thing on her mind was that she didn't want to have to walk through the store; she wanted to ride in style, like her 2 year old sister, in a cart provided by the store. Thinking I was using psychology with her, I asked, "Doesn't it make you feel like a big girl, walking alongside Mommy and me?" Exasperated by my psychobabble, she looked at me and said, "No, and that's why I'm so oppwessed! (translates to depressed in adult language) I just want to wide! (ride.) Being oppwessed is no fun, and reading can take the doldrums out of my day quicker than thinking OR talking. Here are some great, new fiction titles from the Jasper County Public Library; a sure cure for oppwession.
A seaside vacation that was meant to recapture her happy childhood unexpectedly triggers deeply disturbing and haunting memories that were, previous to now a well kept secret in "A Secret Kept" by Tatiana De Rosnay.
Perfect parents and neighbors, Patty and Walter Berglund, appear to do an about face and their lives become a mystery as one change after another in their habits force their friends and neighbors to do a double take in "Freedom," a book that explores the darker side of family life, by Jonathan Franzen.
Karena has always watched out for and taken care of her bipolar twin, Charles. As a teen, Charles began to refuse his medication and Karena found herself following her brother around, just to be sure he was safe. Obsessed with the unpredictability of the weather, Charles' greatest passion was chasing dangerous storms. After a deadly storm chase separated the twins from one another, Karena embarks on a dangerous journey to find him once again before he does damage to himself or someone else in "The Stormchasers" by Jenna Blum.
After forty years, Anne Marie Smeaton has returned to her hometown. A normal life is not easy to come by for Anne, however, as she bears the scars from a memory too awful to forget. At the age of eleven, Anne Marie killed a little boy, and feels the only way to escape the tragedy of that event is to confront it head on by telling her story to journalist, Joe Donovan. As old nightmares surface and Anne suffers from horrifying visions of the past, a teenager in her housing unit is murdered and Anne fears the worst in "Speak No Evil," Book 4 in the Joe Donovan series.
How about that; a cure for depression without side effects. However, if sleeplessness occurs, it'll only be because you can't put the book down once you start reading it, and if trouble concentrating or operating heavy machinery occur, it'll only be because you're so absorbed in your book that you can't think of anything else! Sort of makes you think twice, doesn't it?
A seaside vacation that was meant to recapture her happy childhood unexpectedly triggers deeply disturbing and haunting memories that were, previous to now a well kept secret in "A Secret Kept" by Tatiana De Rosnay.
Perfect parents and neighbors, Patty and Walter Berglund, appear to do an about face and their lives become a mystery as one change after another in their habits force their friends and neighbors to do a double take in "Freedom," a book that explores the darker side of family life, by Jonathan Franzen.
Karena has always watched out for and taken care of her bipolar twin, Charles. As a teen, Charles began to refuse his medication and Karena found herself following her brother around, just to be sure he was safe. Obsessed with the unpredictability of the weather, Charles' greatest passion was chasing dangerous storms. After a deadly storm chase separated the twins from one another, Karena embarks on a dangerous journey to find him once again before he does damage to himself or someone else in "The Stormchasers" by Jenna Blum.
After forty years, Anne Marie Smeaton has returned to her hometown. A normal life is not easy to come by for Anne, however, as she bears the scars from a memory too awful to forget. At the age of eleven, Anne Marie killed a little boy, and feels the only way to escape the tragedy of that event is to confront it head on by telling her story to journalist, Joe Donovan. As old nightmares surface and Anne suffers from horrifying visions of the past, a teenager in her housing unit is murdered and Anne fears the worst in "Speak No Evil," Book 4 in the Joe Donovan series.
How about that; a cure for depression without side effects. However, if sleeplessness occurs, it'll only be because you can't put the book down once you start reading it, and if trouble concentrating or operating heavy machinery occur, it'll only be because you're so absorbed in your book that you can't think of anything else! Sort of makes you think twice, doesn't it?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Dog Days of Summer Call for Good Reading Material!
No matter where you go, chances are you'll have to do some waiting. Waiting to be called for your appointment at the doctor or dentist's office; waiting in line at the grocery, drug, or department store; wait, wait, wait. Standing in line just about anywhere I go, I can almost count on the person ahead of me needing a price check, or having a problem of some sort that's going to require LOTS of time to remedy; but my wait pales in comparison to the headline that reads, "Two sisters reunited after 18 years at checkout counter." And I thought MY wait was long! Another headline states the obvious with, "If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last awhile." Sometimes animals make headlines, and in this case, a cow on a rampage makes news with, "Enraged cow injures farmer with ax;" and while we know that some animals eat their young, humans aren't supposed to (although sometimes we wonder if we should consider it), but the headline, "Kids make nutritious snacks" makes you second guess the choices of some folks. Speaking of choices, check out these new fiction titles, and just WAIT until you read on for some really good entertainment for the "dog days of summer!"
As the country's brightest doctors race to find the cure for infections that kill thousands each year, photojournalist, Claire Shipley, is following the story, dear to her heart, because her young daughter died from a sudden illness that possibly could have been cured by this new drug called penicillin. As doctors close in on their research for the miracle drug that will change history, a researcher at the institute dies suddenly, and Claire finds herself entrenched in a battle to find the killer before it's too late in "A Fierce Radiance" by Lauren Belfer.
When Eric Shaw takes on the job of making a documentary about Alyssa Bradford's 95 year old father in law, Campbell Bradford, he travels to the older man's hometown, where its charming history turns into an eerie mystery in "So Cold the River," an intensely frightening novel by Michael Koryta that centers around an old hotel that has been restored and the dark history and long forgotten evil surrounding it.
The year is 1704, and young Elizabeth is sent to Versailles, Louisiana in search of a husband. When she is paired with the charismatic and ruthlessly ambitious soldier, Jean-Claude, she is surprised to find herself not only attracted to him, but falling in love with him as well. Auguste, as well, must manage to find happiness in a new world when he is abandoned, and then befriended by Elizabeth's husband, Jean-Claude. When both Elizabeth and Auguste are ultimately betrayed by Jean-Claude, they find themselves drawn together in unexpected ways in "Savage Lands" by Claire Clark.
Growing up as the product of professional parents in Glasgow, Scotland, Kit Philipson had every advantage. While his mother lay dying, she confessed to Kit that he is adopted, and soon after, vague memories of Kit's early life begin to plague him, sending him searching through old newspaper files that reveal Kit's true identity and the actual facts of the abduction that led him to become part of the Philipson family in "A Stranger in the Family" by Robert Barnard.
You've probably heard it said that "good things come to those who wait," but Abraham Lincoln summed it up with, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle." There you go; don't let the good titles be left behind; just get in your car and head to your local branch of JCPL, where every new title is an experience worth its WEIGHT in gold!
As the country's brightest doctors race to find the cure for infections that kill thousands each year, photojournalist, Claire Shipley, is following the story, dear to her heart, because her young daughter died from a sudden illness that possibly could have been cured by this new drug called penicillin. As doctors close in on their research for the miracle drug that will change history, a researcher at the institute dies suddenly, and Claire finds herself entrenched in a battle to find the killer before it's too late in "A Fierce Radiance" by Lauren Belfer.
When Eric Shaw takes on the job of making a documentary about Alyssa Bradford's 95 year old father in law, Campbell Bradford, he travels to the older man's hometown, where its charming history turns into an eerie mystery in "So Cold the River," an intensely frightening novel by Michael Koryta that centers around an old hotel that has been restored and the dark history and long forgotten evil surrounding it.
The year is 1704, and young Elizabeth is sent to Versailles, Louisiana in search of a husband. When she is paired with the charismatic and ruthlessly ambitious soldier, Jean-Claude, she is surprised to find herself not only attracted to him, but falling in love with him as well. Auguste, as well, must manage to find happiness in a new world when he is abandoned, and then befriended by Elizabeth's husband, Jean-Claude. When both Elizabeth and Auguste are ultimately betrayed by Jean-Claude, they find themselves drawn together in unexpected ways in "Savage Lands" by Claire Clark.
Growing up as the product of professional parents in Glasgow, Scotland, Kit Philipson had every advantage. While his mother lay dying, she confessed to Kit that he is adopted, and soon after, vague memories of Kit's early life begin to plague him, sending him searching through old newspaper files that reveal Kit's true identity and the actual facts of the abduction that led him to become part of the Philipson family in "A Stranger in the Family" by Robert Barnard.
You've probably heard it said that "good things come to those who wait," but Abraham Lincoln summed it up with, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle." There you go; don't let the good titles be left behind; just get in your car and head to your local branch of JCPL, where every new title is an experience worth its WEIGHT in gold!
Friday, July 16, 2010
You Might Be an Avid Reader if...
"You might be a redneck when you take a trip to the dump and bring back more than you took," is one redneck phrase that made comic, Jeff Foxworthy, famous. If I had to choose a topic to write about, I'd turn "redneck" into "menopause," and the phrases would go something like, "You might be in menopause when you spend more time rearranging the contents of your freezer than eating them, just to get a blast of cold air during a hot flash," or, "You might be in menopause when you discover that the local petting zoo's llama died, and you find yourself choking back tears, even though you didn't even know its name," or, "You might be in menopause when your body gives off enough heat during a hot flash to solve the world energy crisis." You get the picture. Similarly, you know you're at the Jasper County Public Library when you can check out the best new fiction titles around. Here are just a few of our newest to choose from.
It's been two years since Abbie Fox has seen her father, but a family crisis forces her to return to Nantucket, where her sisters, Lily and Emma, are struggling with losses of their own. As the summer wears on, each of the three sisters find themselves in unpredictable situations, undergoing personal transformations that may change their lives in "Beachcombers" by Nancy Thayer.
As a reporter for the Bergen County News, Chris Turley strives to live up to the legendary career of his father, Edward Turley, but never seems to make the grade. Everything changes for Chris, however, when an explosion rocks the building next door and Chris heroically saves five people from the burning building. Instant celebrity that he is, Chris receives an anonymous tip after the incident that leads him into a reporter's dream that quickly turns into a nightmare in "Down to the Wire" by David Rosenfelt.
You can't fool Mother Nature, and when Dr. Claus Rhumkorrf struggles with one experiment after another to replace failing human organs and tissue with that of animals, a process called xenotransplantation, he succeeds, only to regret it when his creation turns on him and society in general in "Ancestor" by Scott Sigler.
The dawn of a new day brings tragedy to the world of the Amish in "Pray for Silence." When the police are summoned to a small, quiet Amish family farm, they discover the horror of an entire family wiped out; brutally tortured and slain. With Kate Burkholder and Agent John Tomasetti investigating the case, one secret after another is revealed in this, the second book in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo.
Shep Knacker has plans for his nest egg. He thinks of this phase of his life as "The Afterlife," and when he sells his home repair business for a cool million bucks, he is ready to "get out of Dodge" and head for his dream retirement destination. His wife of twenty six years, Glynis, though has just returned from her doctor's appointment, and announces a medical condition that requires enough treatment that Shep's nest egg, as well as his plans for "The Afterlife" are irrevocably changed in "So Much for That" by Lionel Shriver.
If I had to choose one of the titles listed above to describe how I feel about menopause, it would have to be "So Much for That," and if you have to ask me why that is, "you might not be in menopause."
It's been two years since Abbie Fox has seen her father, but a family crisis forces her to return to Nantucket, where her sisters, Lily and Emma, are struggling with losses of their own. As the summer wears on, each of the three sisters find themselves in unpredictable situations, undergoing personal transformations that may change their lives in "Beachcombers" by Nancy Thayer.
As a reporter for the Bergen County News, Chris Turley strives to live up to the legendary career of his father, Edward Turley, but never seems to make the grade. Everything changes for Chris, however, when an explosion rocks the building next door and Chris heroically saves five people from the burning building. Instant celebrity that he is, Chris receives an anonymous tip after the incident that leads him into a reporter's dream that quickly turns into a nightmare in "Down to the Wire" by David Rosenfelt.
You can't fool Mother Nature, and when Dr. Claus Rhumkorrf struggles with one experiment after another to replace failing human organs and tissue with that of animals, a process called xenotransplantation, he succeeds, only to regret it when his creation turns on him and society in general in "Ancestor" by Scott Sigler.
The dawn of a new day brings tragedy to the world of the Amish in "Pray for Silence." When the police are summoned to a small, quiet Amish family farm, they discover the horror of an entire family wiped out; brutally tortured and slain. With Kate Burkholder and Agent John Tomasetti investigating the case, one secret after another is revealed in this, the second book in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo.
Shep Knacker has plans for his nest egg. He thinks of this phase of his life as "The Afterlife," and when he sells his home repair business for a cool million bucks, he is ready to "get out of Dodge" and head for his dream retirement destination. His wife of twenty six years, Glynis, though has just returned from her doctor's appointment, and announces a medical condition that requires enough treatment that Shep's nest egg, as well as his plans for "The Afterlife" are irrevocably changed in "So Much for That" by Lionel Shriver.
If I had to choose one of the titles listed above to describe how I feel about menopause, it would have to be "So Much for That," and if you have to ask me why that is, "you might not be in menopause."
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Here's the "Skinny" on New Fiction at JCPL
It started with hot coffee at McDonald's, now we are a "warning weary'" society. Danger lurks where you would least expect, on products far and wide, and here is proof. A warning found on shampoo for dogs reads, "Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish." Doing your hair may also be hazardous to your health when you consider these warnings: "Do not use while sleeping," found on a hairdryer, and "Warning: This product can burn eyes," found on a curling iron. Pretty much the scariest of these warns, "Do not use for drying pets," found in a microwave oven manual! While shopping recently, I discovered one consumer product that does not come with a warning label that actually should, and if you've ever tried on a pair of "skinny jeans," you'll identify with me here. I was just excited to find some jeans in my size, and didn't pay attention to whether they were boot cut, classic cut, flares, high rise, low rise, or any other style. Once I got them past my ankles in the dressing room, I knew I was in trouble, and thought I'd have to call out the National Guard to get the things off! A second set of skin couldn't have fit any tighter, and I seriously thought I'd either have to end up purchasing the things and wear them home or call "9-1-1, what's your emergency!"
That's the "skinny" on skinny jeans. Now here's the "skinny" on what's new in adult fiction at the Jasper County Public Library.
A loss that occurred fifteen years earlier has put a wedge between Emily and her physician husband, Simon. On his way to discovering a major breakthrough in the management of chronic pain, Simon is oblivious to the deep divide that is growing ever wider between he and Emily. When an old lover of Emily's resurfaces, the pair is faced with the realization that their marriage is on the brink in "Remedies" by Kate Ledger.
Not the typical English gentlewoman, Bess Crawford is independent and understands the importance of duty, responsibility and honor. The year is 1916, and as World War I begins, Bess volunteers in the nursing corps. There, she meets the young and severely wounded Lieutenant Arthur Graham, whose dying wish is for Bess to deliver a message to his brother. Fulfilling the duty of this last request, however, thrusts Bess into a maelstrom of mystery, endangering her very own life in "A Duty to the Dead" by Charles Todd.
The sudden disappearance of his daughter, Sydney, leads Tim Blake on a wild goose chase. Thinking that he knew his daughter as well as any parent could, Tim finds he must face the fact that his beloved daughter has not only disappeared without a trace, but that she led a double life as well. Retracing her steps, Tim tries to piece together the secrets of his daughter's darker side in "Fear the Worst" by Linwood Barclay.
Financially secure and living a luxurious life with his wife, Dana, and daughter, Marissa, Dr. Adam Bloom has it all. Everything changes in an instant, however, when Adam wakes up one night to discover two armed intruders have broken into his home. Able to gun down one of the intruders while the other one escapes, Adam and his family no longer feel secure in their own home. Recovering from the break-in takes time, and in the midst of healing from the violation of their property, Marissa meets young Xan, a talented artist with whom she quickly falls in love. As strange things begin to happen in the Bloom household, however, Adam knows his first instincts about Xan were right in "Panic Attack" b y Jason Starr.
Panic attacks come in all sizes and shapes, and for lots of different reasons. Try on a pair of skinny jeans for size, and you'll know what I mean.
That's the "skinny" on skinny jeans. Now here's the "skinny" on what's new in adult fiction at the Jasper County Public Library.
A loss that occurred fifteen years earlier has put a wedge between Emily and her physician husband, Simon. On his way to discovering a major breakthrough in the management of chronic pain, Simon is oblivious to the deep divide that is growing ever wider between he and Emily. When an old lover of Emily's resurfaces, the pair is faced with the realization that their marriage is on the brink in "Remedies" by Kate Ledger.
Not the typical English gentlewoman, Bess Crawford is independent and understands the importance of duty, responsibility and honor. The year is 1916, and as World War I begins, Bess volunteers in the nursing corps. There, she meets the young and severely wounded Lieutenant Arthur Graham, whose dying wish is for Bess to deliver a message to his brother. Fulfilling the duty of this last request, however, thrusts Bess into a maelstrom of mystery, endangering her very own life in "A Duty to the Dead" by Charles Todd.
The sudden disappearance of his daughter, Sydney, leads Tim Blake on a wild goose chase. Thinking that he knew his daughter as well as any parent could, Tim finds he must face the fact that his beloved daughter has not only disappeared without a trace, but that she led a double life as well. Retracing her steps, Tim tries to piece together the secrets of his daughter's darker side in "Fear the Worst" by Linwood Barclay.
Financially secure and living a luxurious life with his wife, Dana, and daughter, Marissa, Dr. Adam Bloom has it all. Everything changes in an instant, however, when Adam wakes up one night to discover two armed intruders have broken into his home. Able to gun down one of the intruders while the other one escapes, Adam and his family no longer feel secure in their own home. Recovering from the break-in takes time, and in the midst of healing from the violation of their property, Marissa meets young Xan, a talented artist with whom she quickly falls in love. As strange things begin to happen in the Bloom household, however, Adam knows his first instincts about Xan were right in "Panic Attack" b y Jason Starr.
Panic attacks come in all sizes and shapes, and for lots of different reasons. Try on a pair of skinny jeans for size, and you'll know what I mean.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"Find Yourself" With a Good Book From JCPL!
I have never painted anything in my life, with the exception of walls and paint by number sets. Picking up a paintbrush and using my imagination to create something out of nothing are not in my MO. That's why when I brought home a ceramic piece, crafted by my mother in law years before she passed on, I really didn't intend to paint it myself. But, being the do-it-yourselfer that I am, I decided to give it my best shot. Dragging out the paints and brushes, my kitchen table became a study in art as I began to get creative early one afternoon. By 11:00 pm that night, I was bleary eyed and getting clumsy, but decided to do just one more thing before packing it in for the night. That was a bad idea; just ask my cat. Timing is everthing, and as I spilled the brown paint I had just opened back up, my 25 pound orange cat got caught in the crossfire, and in just seconds, his striped, orange coat became a brown blob. Running for cover with me close behind, the hissing and biting ensued as I did the best I could to relieve his hair from permanently splotchy, blotchy brown, back to his original color. My day of self-discovery ended in a mass of brown towels and one really mad cat, which brought me to realize that I should have followed my first instict; do not try to be creative when I already know I don't have a creative bone in my body. I should have stuck to my real bedtime ritual, and that is to open a good book until sleep takes over.
That's my story, and here are some new fiction titles from JCPL, just waiting to be part of your daily ritual!
Grief and denial turns to shock for the friends and family of Greg and Tess MacAvoy when their anniversary sail turns tragic and the pair is found dead. Along with 3 other couples, Greg and Tess were part of a group lovingly called, "The Castaways." "The Castaways" by Elin Hilderbrand is a masterfully woven tale, intense in character driven plot, bringing to life the loyalty, devotion, and love of closely knit friends who also have skeletons in their closets and secrets to be revealed.
The silence of autopsy patients speaks volumes to forensic psychiatrist, Jo Beckett, as she unravels the mysteries behind cadavers while performing psychological autopsies, determining the cause of death for each subject. When Jo is asked to perform a psychological autopsy on a living person who has lost his memory, she has to read between the lines, stringing clues together only to discover that her patient's amnesia must be reversed before disaster strikes San Francisco in "The Memory Collector," Book 2 of the Jo Beckett Series by Meg Gardiner.
As Jericho Ainsley lay dying, the former head of the CIA and Wall Street tycoon summons former lover, Beck DeForde to his bedside. "Jericho's Fall" by Stephen L. Carter features Beck DeForde as an unforgettable heroine, plunging her into the intricately woven plot and battle of wits between foreign governments and powerful corporations with an edge of the seat suspense that delves into the morality of our government offices and the possible meltdown of America's financial system.
Searching for peace from a too-eventful career as a detective, Cam Richter buys a seven hundred acre plantation in North Carolina, but the pretty plantation has its price, and the cost may be Cam's life as the history of the house comes back to haunt him in "Nightwalkers" by Peter T. Deutermann.
Clearly, creativity also has its price. Cost of paints to cover a ceramic piece; $10, cost for brushes; $5, an 11 pm voyage through the house in hot pursuit of an orange cat who is about to color my world and everything in it brown; priceless.
That's my story, and here are some new fiction titles from JCPL, just waiting to be part of your daily ritual!
Grief and denial turns to shock for the friends and family of Greg and Tess MacAvoy when their anniversary sail turns tragic and the pair is found dead. Along with 3 other couples, Greg and Tess were part of a group lovingly called, "The Castaways." "The Castaways" by Elin Hilderbrand is a masterfully woven tale, intense in character driven plot, bringing to life the loyalty, devotion, and love of closely knit friends who also have skeletons in their closets and secrets to be revealed.
The silence of autopsy patients speaks volumes to forensic psychiatrist, Jo Beckett, as she unravels the mysteries behind cadavers while performing psychological autopsies, determining the cause of death for each subject. When Jo is asked to perform a psychological autopsy on a living person who has lost his memory, she has to read between the lines, stringing clues together only to discover that her patient's amnesia must be reversed before disaster strikes San Francisco in "The Memory Collector," Book 2 of the Jo Beckett Series by Meg Gardiner.
As Jericho Ainsley lay dying, the former head of the CIA and Wall Street tycoon summons former lover, Beck DeForde to his bedside. "Jericho's Fall" by Stephen L. Carter features Beck DeForde as an unforgettable heroine, plunging her into the intricately woven plot and battle of wits between foreign governments and powerful corporations with an edge of the seat suspense that delves into the morality of our government offices and the possible meltdown of America's financial system.
Searching for peace from a too-eventful career as a detective, Cam Richter buys a seven hundred acre plantation in North Carolina, but the pretty plantation has its price, and the cost may be Cam's life as the history of the house comes back to haunt him in "Nightwalkers" by Peter T. Deutermann.
Clearly, creativity also has its price. Cost of paints to cover a ceramic piece; $10, cost for brushes; $5, an 11 pm voyage through the house in hot pursuit of an orange cat who is about to color my world and everything in it brown; priceless.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Live the Life of Riley; Check Out a New Book From JCPL!
Where in the world do we, as Americans, come up with some of the phrases that we do? Maybe you don't "know beans" about this question, and need to "pull strings" and "go gaga" to find the answer. Or maybe you're too "bushed" to care or would rather "beat around the bush" before you "nip it in the bud." If someone else "beats you to the punch" in discovering the answer, would it "rub you the wrong way?" Boy, that would sure feel like a "double cross," but it would sure be a "red letter day" if you "spilled the beans" yourself, then you could "read the riot act" to your opponent, "lock, stock and barrel."
After all of your hard work, you can kick back, relax, and "live the life of Riley" by checking out a book from the Jasper County Public Library. These new fiction titles are sure to put you "on cloud nine."
Bound together by a kinship that only twins can understand, Marion and Shiva Stone are orphans who grow up sharing common interests, from their fascination with medicine to their love for the same woman. Fresh out of medical school, Marion decides that his passion for the same woman that his brother loves has put a wedge between him and his twin, and flees his homeland. Finding solace in a New York City hospital internship, Marion's past catches up with him, nearly destroying his life, leaving him no choice but to place his trust in the brother who betrayed him in "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese.
Instilling the love of music in others is a passion for Barbara Hall. Playing the violin herself, Barbara knows that her own musical skills will never amount to anything but mediocre, but when she begins teaching Hallie, she recognizes the girl's talent for music as the real thing. Barbara's drive for Hallie to be the best backfires on her, however, and she makes a terrible mistake, leaving the teacher to reevaluate her past, present, and future in "The Music Teacher" by Barbara Hall.
Not every fairy tale ends happily ever after, and that becomes evident to Julie Hanrahan after her whirlwind courtship and subsequent marriage to Dr. Thomas Larkin when she uncovers unthinkable truths about her new husband in "Die Before I Wake" by Laurie Breton.
Dreaming of a life outside of her father's apothecary where she prepares herbs and remedies, Lilly is haunted by memories of her mother who mysteriously disappeared years before. A trip to London offers Lilly new pleasures and an introduction to the world of fashionable society, as well as the truth about what really happened to her mother in "The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen.
Arriving in Summerville, Ohio with her Newfoundland, Bowser, Abby goes to work in her newly owned coffee shop, courtesy of her deceased grandmother. Trouble finds Abby, however, in the shape of an exasperating college professor. Enter Daisy, a web code writer with a hyperactive Jack Russell as a sidekick, and Shar, an ancient history professor with a neurotic dachshund named Wolfie, and the three women pair up to dig in and find out what on earth is happening in the small Southern Ohio town before an ancient goddess stages an apocalyptic takeover in "Dogs and Goddesses" by Jennifer Crusie.
That brings us to the "dog days of summer," which call for something "of a different climate" to read, and in order to "get on the stick" and "find your niche" as the summer comes to an end, just stop in any branch of JCPL, where the new fiction on the shelves will make you want to "check us out!"
After all of your hard work, you can kick back, relax, and "live the life of Riley" by checking out a book from the Jasper County Public Library. These new fiction titles are sure to put you "on cloud nine."
Bound together by a kinship that only twins can understand, Marion and Shiva Stone are orphans who grow up sharing common interests, from their fascination with medicine to their love for the same woman. Fresh out of medical school, Marion decides that his passion for the same woman that his brother loves has put a wedge between him and his twin, and flees his homeland. Finding solace in a New York City hospital internship, Marion's past catches up with him, nearly destroying his life, leaving him no choice but to place his trust in the brother who betrayed him in "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese.
Instilling the love of music in others is a passion for Barbara Hall. Playing the violin herself, Barbara knows that her own musical skills will never amount to anything but mediocre, but when she begins teaching Hallie, she recognizes the girl's talent for music as the real thing. Barbara's drive for Hallie to be the best backfires on her, however, and she makes a terrible mistake, leaving the teacher to reevaluate her past, present, and future in "The Music Teacher" by Barbara Hall.
Not every fairy tale ends happily ever after, and that becomes evident to Julie Hanrahan after her whirlwind courtship and subsequent marriage to Dr. Thomas Larkin when she uncovers unthinkable truths about her new husband in "Die Before I Wake" by Laurie Breton.
Dreaming of a life outside of her father's apothecary where she prepares herbs and remedies, Lilly is haunted by memories of her mother who mysteriously disappeared years before. A trip to London offers Lilly new pleasures and an introduction to the world of fashionable society, as well as the truth about what really happened to her mother in "The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen.
Arriving in Summerville, Ohio with her Newfoundland, Bowser, Abby goes to work in her newly owned coffee shop, courtesy of her deceased grandmother. Trouble finds Abby, however, in the shape of an exasperating college professor. Enter Daisy, a web code writer with a hyperactive Jack Russell as a sidekick, and Shar, an ancient history professor with a neurotic dachshund named Wolfie, and the three women pair up to dig in and find out what on earth is happening in the small Southern Ohio town before an ancient goddess stages an apocalyptic takeover in "Dogs and Goddesses" by Jennifer Crusie.
That brings us to the "dog days of summer," which call for something "of a different climate" to read, and in order to "get on the stick" and "find your niche" as the summer comes to an end, just stop in any branch of JCPL, where the new fiction on the shelves will make you want to "check us out!"
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
"Do-able" Fiction Titles From JCPL
Unless you've been living on another planet entirely, you know that the past month has been a bad one for celebrities. Leaving behind the legacies of their talents and their star quality, all of these celebrities have, at one time or another in our lives, left an imprint. Michael Jackson gave us a different spin on music and dancing, moonwalking his was to stardom, Karl Malden, also a native of Indiana, was cast in many dramatic roles throughout his career, and Farrah Fawcett, as we all know, left us the legacy of great hair. Thinking of that, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and have a look at my high school yearbook. I was a child of the '70's...and as I paged through my past, it came to me that many of us who take this trip back in time must be asking ourselves, "What was I thinking?!" That was the day of the "unisex" hairstyle; the pre-Farrah style that had NO style, parted straight down the center and hanging limply around the curves of our faces, actually leaving very little face to see the light of day. You had to look closely at the photographs and read the names of the kids pictured, just to make out who was male and who was female, because the boys sported the same do's as the girls; do's that would, these days, be considered, "don'ts."
Thankfully, time marches on, and with that, we have found simpler, more fashionable ways of doing things. The Jasper County Public Library has kept up with the times, and here are a few fiction titles that you'll find "do-able."
In the aftermath of discovering that her husband had become a casualty of the Iraq War, Abby Fitzgerald is confronted with truths about her husband and the complex life that he led, leaving her shell-shocked in "One September Morning" by Rosalind Noonan.
Sixteen years old and diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Will Heller boards an uptown B train in New York City. Convinced that the world is being changed by the climbing temperatures brought on by Greenhouse Gasses, Will believes that he can reverse the heating up of the planet by cooling down his own body. "Lowboy" by John Wray takes the reader on a journey through the tunnels of the city as Will searches for Emily Wallace in his own psychotically haunted attempt to save the planet.
Set in the coastal area of New England, "The Geometry of Sisters" by Luanne Rice introduces the reader to Maggie Shaw, a woman torn by the tragic disappearance of her husband and oldest daughter. Taking a teaching position at Newport Academy, Maggie, along with her fourteen year old daughter, Beck, struggle to adjust to their new lives, but the age old rift between her own sister and herself haunts Maggie, and similarly, Beck can't forget her own sister, Carrie.
The old Victorian house that Ivy and her husband, David, purchased is full of unwanted items that need to be cleaned out. When they decide to hold a yard sale for their unwanted items, a woman who turns out to be a classmate of David's appears, wanting to see the inside of their home. "Never Tell a Lie" by Hallie Ephron, Ph.D is a thriller that you won't be able to put down, full of secrets, betrayals, and lies that spin a fantastic web of deceit, making everyone who reads it ask the compelling question, "How well do you really know someone?"
The year is 1944, and Johnny Wrigley is a newly minted marine headed for overseas. Baseball is his true passion, and the dream of one day playing in the major leagues is what he holds onto while away. "Oh Johnny" by Jim Lehrer is a coming of age story about a talented athlete who never gives up on his dreams.
Everyone, at one time or another, has to ask themselves, "What was I thinking?" It's just a right of passage as we go through life. Checking out reading material that suits you does not have to fall into the "What was I thinking" category, however, and that is because the Jasper County Public Library offers such great choices that you can never go wrong!
Thankfully, time marches on, and with that, we have found simpler, more fashionable ways of doing things. The Jasper County Public Library has kept up with the times, and here are a few fiction titles that you'll find "do-able."
In the aftermath of discovering that her husband had become a casualty of the Iraq War, Abby Fitzgerald is confronted with truths about her husband and the complex life that he led, leaving her shell-shocked in "One September Morning" by Rosalind Noonan.
Sixteen years old and diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Will Heller boards an uptown B train in New York City. Convinced that the world is being changed by the climbing temperatures brought on by Greenhouse Gasses, Will believes that he can reverse the heating up of the planet by cooling down his own body. "Lowboy" by John Wray takes the reader on a journey through the tunnels of the city as Will searches for Emily Wallace in his own psychotically haunted attempt to save the planet.
Set in the coastal area of New England, "The Geometry of Sisters" by Luanne Rice introduces the reader to Maggie Shaw, a woman torn by the tragic disappearance of her husband and oldest daughter. Taking a teaching position at Newport Academy, Maggie, along with her fourteen year old daughter, Beck, struggle to adjust to their new lives, but the age old rift between her own sister and herself haunts Maggie, and similarly, Beck can't forget her own sister, Carrie.
The old Victorian house that Ivy and her husband, David, purchased is full of unwanted items that need to be cleaned out. When they decide to hold a yard sale for their unwanted items, a woman who turns out to be a classmate of David's appears, wanting to see the inside of their home. "Never Tell a Lie" by Hallie Ephron, Ph.D is a thriller that you won't be able to put down, full of secrets, betrayals, and lies that spin a fantastic web of deceit, making everyone who reads it ask the compelling question, "How well do you really know someone?"
The year is 1944, and Johnny Wrigley is a newly minted marine headed for overseas. Baseball is his true passion, and the dream of one day playing in the major leagues is what he holds onto while away. "Oh Johnny" by Jim Lehrer is a coming of age story about a talented athlete who never gives up on his dreams.
Everyone, at one time or another, has to ask themselves, "What was I thinking?" It's just a right of passage as we go through life. Checking out reading material that suits you does not have to fall into the "What was I thinking" category, however, and that is because the Jasper County Public Library offers such great choices that you can never go wrong!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Make a New Book From JCPL Your All Time Favorite!
My favorite book of all time is " The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough. This family saga, set in the Australian Outback, spans three generations of the Cleary family, their trials, tribulations, tragedies, loves and losses. The main focus of the story is the forbidden romance between Meggie Cleary and the family's parish priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. When Meggie marries Luke' O'Neill out of desperation to get her mind off of Father Ralph, you suspect that things are going to go downhill for her in a hurry, but as an innocent bystander, and not the one who penned the story, you are powerless to stop the unfolding events.
"The Thorn Birds" is a classic story, and one that will live on as a favorite for many who pick it up. Read on for a list of new adult fiction that may become a favorite to you sometime in your near future.
"All the Colors of Darkness" by Peter Robinson features Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and Detective Annie Cabbott as they investigate a double murder, unveiling nightmarish motives and one enormous surprise after another, unhinging the reader with shocking details and plot twists and turns that make for page-turning suspense.
With the planet on the verge of eco-disaster, a series of strange events begin to unfold when a mysterious sign appears everywhere that natural disasters, terrorist activities, or sites of conflict are occurring. Is this a sign of resolution in the world, or could it be a portent of catastrophic events to come? Only one man understands the mysterious meaning behind the symbol in the sky. Will he be able to save mankind with his knowledge, or could it all be a hoax? Find out in "The Sign" by Raymond Khoury.
The "Spellman Series" continues with side-splitting antics and hilarious character develpment in "Revenge of the Spellmans" by Lisa Lutz. In this latest installment, Private Investigator, Izzy Spellman, is on court-ordered therapy after getting too close to the previous subject of her investigation. Not quite mentally on board yet for another case, Izzy decides that tailing the wife of a suspicious husband should require no real mental muscle and takes on the case. The simple case becomes more and more complicated and vexing wtih each day of boring surveillance, and more questions than answers begin to pop up, bringing Izzy to the conclusion that her mental health must be taking a turn for the worse. Add to that her confused feelings for Detective Harry Stone, and the result is Spellmania at its best.
Committed to ridding the world of its depraved human members, Arlan is enlisted by another member of the Kahill clan's kill team to assist in uncovering the mastermind of the Buried Alive Killer case. Agreeing to meet with the key informant, Macy Smith, Arlan is taken by surprise when he becomes enamored with the blonde, petite, and beautiful lady who holds a deeper connection to the Buried Alive Killer than anyone could have imagined in "Undying" by V.K. Forrest.
Some stories are just more memorable than others. What is your favorite book of all time? If you don't have an answer, it's definitely time to visit your local branch of JCPL, where the most memorable title for you is just waiting to be checked out!
"The Thorn Birds" is a classic story, and one that will live on as a favorite for many who pick it up. Read on for a list of new adult fiction that may become a favorite to you sometime in your near future.
"All the Colors of Darkness" by Peter Robinson features Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and Detective Annie Cabbott as they investigate a double murder, unveiling nightmarish motives and one enormous surprise after another, unhinging the reader with shocking details and plot twists and turns that make for page-turning suspense.
With the planet on the verge of eco-disaster, a series of strange events begin to unfold when a mysterious sign appears everywhere that natural disasters, terrorist activities, or sites of conflict are occurring. Is this a sign of resolution in the world, or could it be a portent of catastrophic events to come? Only one man understands the mysterious meaning behind the symbol in the sky. Will he be able to save mankind with his knowledge, or could it all be a hoax? Find out in "The Sign" by Raymond Khoury.
The "Spellman Series" continues with side-splitting antics and hilarious character develpment in "Revenge of the Spellmans" by Lisa Lutz. In this latest installment, Private Investigator, Izzy Spellman, is on court-ordered therapy after getting too close to the previous subject of her investigation. Not quite mentally on board yet for another case, Izzy decides that tailing the wife of a suspicious husband should require no real mental muscle and takes on the case. The simple case becomes more and more complicated and vexing wtih each day of boring surveillance, and more questions than answers begin to pop up, bringing Izzy to the conclusion that her mental health must be taking a turn for the worse. Add to that her confused feelings for Detective Harry Stone, and the result is Spellmania at its best.
Committed to ridding the world of its depraved human members, Arlan is enlisted by another member of the Kahill clan's kill team to assist in uncovering the mastermind of the Buried Alive Killer case. Agreeing to meet with the key informant, Macy Smith, Arlan is taken by surprise when he becomes enamored with the blonde, petite, and beautiful lady who holds a deeper connection to the Buried Alive Killer than anyone could have imagined in "Undying" by V.K. Forrest.
Some stories are just more memorable than others. What is your favorite book of all time? If you don't have an answer, it's definitely time to visit your local branch of JCPL, where the most memorable title for you is just waiting to be checked out!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Make these Great, New Fiction Tltles Part of Your Summer "To Do" List
Anyone who is old enough to remember the Ray Rayner Show is old enough to remember that one of the trademarks of that children's show was Ray Rayner's jumpsuit, filled with papers that were his own personal "to do" lists. You knew the show was over when all of the papers on Ray Rayner's coveralls were gone. Are you a list maker, or do you throw caution to the wind?
Here, you'll find a list; but this list is one you won't want to ignore, because in it, you'll find the key to summer relaxation...a new fiction title from the Jasper County Public Library. Here are just a few of the new books you'll find among "lists" of many others!
There are always three sides to every story. In "Above the Law" by Tim Green, nothing is as it appears when an illegal Mexican immigrant is shot to death on a ranch outside Dallas, Texas. The shooter is a well respected young Senator who tearfully and convincingly claims that the shooting was a tragic hunting accident. When the victim's sister-in-law comes forward telling a different tale, Casey Jordan, an attorney from the local legal aid clinic, takes on the case, determined to uncover the truth. But, the real truth is that the popular Senator is a wily and vindictive opponent, and will stop at nothing to save himself.
When you win the lottery on the very worst day of your life, it's time to go into hiding. That's exactly what Lucy Parker does in "Good Luck" by Whitney Gaskell. With a cheating boyfriend, a failed career, and now a media circus at her heels, all that Lucy Parker wants to do is become invisible. Escaping to Palm Beach to stay with an old college friend, Lucy does her best to put her notoriety behind her, but no matter how discreet she tries to be, her past catches up to her, and just when she's ready to give up and cash it all in, fate intervenes, giving Lucy a glimpse of what she's really worth.
Seeing things from the perspective of a four legged canine is what "Nose Down, Eyes Up" by Merrill Markoe is all about. Narrated by one of four dogs owned by Gil, this hilarious romp of a book is the story of "Jimmy" the dog, and how he shares his knowledge of people with all the other dogs in the neighborhood. Gil, Jimmy's owner, finds his pet's lectures to be ingenious, and comes up with the idea to take Jimmy's show on the road and merchandise his advice on the Internet. This, combined with Jimmy's realization that he is adopted and that Gil is not even the same species as him, brings the canine-human existence under scrutiny, while at the same time, leaves no doubt of the bonds that are forged as humans and "man's best friend" co-exist.
Thanksgiving dinner is ready and Eve feels abundantly blessed as she shares the perfect holiday feast with her family. When a phone call interrupts their peaceful meal, Eve's husband, Jonathan, retreats to their bedroom to take the call. Irritated by his lack of hospitality, Eve walks in on what looks like a very intimate conversation with her husband and a woman that she later learns is named Laney. Jon swears that there's nothing physical between he and Laney, but can a man and a woman be "just friends?" Find out in "Love and Other Natural Disasters" by Holly Shumas.
If you have a paper trail following you everywhere you go, you're in good company. As long as that paper trail is inevitable, you may as well add one more stop to your list, and that is a trip to JCPL, where you'll be glad with all of the new fiction on the shelves that the list goes on and on!
Here, you'll find a list; but this list is one you won't want to ignore, because in it, you'll find the key to summer relaxation...a new fiction title from the Jasper County Public Library. Here are just a few of the new books you'll find among "lists" of many others!
There are always three sides to every story. In "Above the Law" by Tim Green, nothing is as it appears when an illegal Mexican immigrant is shot to death on a ranch outside Dallas, Texas. The shooter is a well respected young Senator who tearfully and convincingly claims that the shooting was a tragic hunting accident. When the victim's sister-in-law comes forward telling a different tale, Casey Jordan, an attorney from the local legal aid clinic, takes on the case, determined to uncover the truth. But, the real truth is that the popular Senator is a wily and vindictive opponent, and will stop at nothing to save himself.
When you win the lottery on the very worst day of your life, it's time to go into hiding. That's exactly what Lucy Parker does in "Good Luck" by Whitney Gaskell. With a cheating boyfriend, a failed career, and now a media circus at her heels, all that Lucy Parker wants to do is become invisible. Escaping to Palm Beach to stay with an old college friend, Lucy does her best to put her notoriety behind her, but no matter how discreet she tries to be, her past catches up to her, and just when she's ready to give up and cash it all in, fate intervenes, giving Lucy a glimpse of what she's really worth.
Seeing things from the perspective of a four legged canine is what "Nose Down, Eyes Up" by Merrill Markoe is all about. Narrated by one of four dogs owned by Gil, this hilarious romp of a book is the story of "Jimmy" the dog, and how he shares his knowledge of people with all the other dogs in the neighborhood. Gil, Jimmy's owner, finds his pet's lectures to be ingenious, and comes up with the idea to take Jimmy's show on the road and merchandise his advice on the Internet. This, combined with Jimmy's realization that he is adopted and that Gil is not even the same species as him, brings the canine-human existence under scrutiny, while at the same time, leaves no doubt of the bonds that are forged as humans and "man's best friend" co-exist.
Thanksgiving dinner is ready and Eve feels abundantly blessed as she shares the perfect holiday feast with her family. When a phone call interrupts their peaceful meal, Eve's husband, Jonathan, retreats to their bedroom to take the call. Irritated by his lack of hospitality, Eve walks in on what looks like a very intimate conversation with her husband and a woman that she later learns is named Laney. Jon swears that there's nothing physical between he and Laney, but can a man and a woman be "just friends?" Find out in "Love and Other Natural Disasters" by Holly Shumas.
If you have a paper trail following you everywhere you go, you're in good company. As long as that paper trail is inevitable, you may as well add one more stop to your list, and that is a trip to JCPL, where you'll be glad with all of the new fiction on the shelves that the list goes on and on!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New Fiction to Ring in Spring at JCPL
One of my favorite magazines is Reader's Digest. Within the folds of its pages, you can laugh, learn and every once in awhile, enjoy "sniglets." These imaginary words are fun, and are always good to bring about that "aha!" moment; the moment that strikes a chord and you identify with the meaning behind the word. For example, this winter introduced the folks of northwest Indiana to the "chorecast." A "chorecast" is just a forecast with a twist; one that lets you know that along with whatever Mother Nature is sending our way, there will be shoveling involved. If you were lucky enough to get out of the house this winter, you may have encountered an "acceligator," someone who, while yakking on a cell phone, is also tailgating you. Reaching your destination, you'll want to be on the lookout for a "pickparker," someone who brazenly steals the parking space that you are about to pull into.
If you've had enough of the chorecast, been followed by one too many acceligators, or have been aggravated by a pickparker, stop in your local branch of JCPL and check out a new fiction title that will take your mind off your troubles.
After the state shuts him down for practicing detection without a license, Teddy gives up the idea of investigating altogether. But when a man that Teddy had just befriended the day before turns up dead in front of his office, Teddy suspects foul play and his investigative skills kick into high gear. Add to that two unexpected visitors from the pound, and "The Highly Effective Detective Goes to the Dogs" by Richard Yancey becomes a humorous romp of twists, and turns into the hot pusuit of a comically colorful murder investigation.
Entrepreneur and billionaire, James Sands, is riding high on the tide of success in the world of business, but is losing ground in his personal life and marriage to wife, Anne. Delving even deeper into a business deal that will give him control over all of the public water in the Pacific Northwest, Sands finds his empire crumbling when he discovers that his business partner has been murdered in "The Army of the Republic" by Stuart Archer Cohen, a novel of political intrigue.
Taking on the problems of the world, Claire Danner Crispin readily agrees to co-chair the Nantucket Children Summer Gala, and realizes only too late that she has been duped into hosting the event because of her connections to rock star, Max West. One catastrophe leads to another, and Claire comes to the conclusion that it's time to establish some boundaries in her life in "A Summer Affair" by Elin Hilderbrand.
Time to "op-up" (push your glasses back up on the bridge of your nose), and find your "nagivator" (spouse or partner who enjoys being a backseat driver) and come to the Jasper County Library, where you can stock up on good books right before the budding bushes, flowers and trees bring on a fit of one sneeze after another, better known in the world of sniglets as a "sneezure."
If you've had enough of the chorecast, been followed by one too many acceligators, or have been aggravated by a pickparker, stop in your local branch of JCPL and check out a new fiction title that will take your mind off your troubles.
After the state shuts him down for practicing detection without a license, Teddy gives up the idea of investigating altogether. But when a man that Teddy had just befriended the day before turns up dead in front of his office, Teddy suspects foul play and his investigative skills kick into high gear. Add to that two unexpected visitors from the pound, and "The Highly Effective Detective Goes to the Dogs" by Richard Yancey becomes a humorous romp of twists, and turns into the hot pusuit of a comically colorful murder investigation.
Entrepreneur and billionaire, James Sands, is riding high on the tide of success in the world of business, but is losing ground in his personal life and marriage to wife, Anne. Delving even deeper into a business deal that will give him control over all of the public water in the Pacific Northwest, Sands finds his empire crumbling when he discovers that his business partner has been murdered in "The Army of the Republic" by Stuart Archer Cohen, a novel of political intrigue.
Taking on the problems of the world, Claire Danner Crispin readily agrees to co-chair the Nantucket Children Summer Gala, and realizes only too late that she has been duped into hosting the event because of her connections to rock star, Max West. One catastrophe leads to another, and Claire comes to the conclusion that it's time to establish some boundaries in her life in "A Summer Affair" by Elin Hilderbrand.
Time to "op-up" (push your glasses back up on the bridge of your nose), and find your "nagivator" (spouse or partner who enjoys being a backseat driver) and come to the Jasper County Library, where you can stock up on good books right before the budding bushes, flowers and trees bring on a fit of one sneeze after another, better known in the world of sniglets as a "sneezure."
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Get a Good Book at JCPL ASAP
We are a short order society. The quicker, the better. And getting in touch with one another is easier and quicker than ever these days as well. Speed dial and texting get you in touch, ASAP. Whether in the AM, the PM, CST, EST, or PST, we can reach each other 24/7. A little TLC in your communication may make you BFF, or even make you LOL.
FYI, however, keep in mind that you need ID for everything these days. If you go to the ATM, you need a PIN on payday, and to that I say, TGIF! Getting home, you'll want to settle in, grab a PBJ or a BLT, pour an OJ and watch TV. Or, maybe you'd rather read? No need for a PI's help in that area. Just go to JCPL, where TEAM is the buzz-word. We'll help you find some great new fiction, PDQ! Check out these new titles!
"The Importance of Being Married" by Gemma Townley is the first in the Wild trilogy. Creatively written, the main character in this series is Jessica Wild, a young woman who befriends Grace, a sweet old lady in a nursing home. With each visit, Jessica's nonexistent love life blossoms into a fabricated, tangled web of deceit, as Jessica leads Grace to believe that she is engaged, and then married, to her glamorous boss, Anthony Milton. When Grace passes away, she leaves her fortune to Jessica; not Jessica Wild, but Jessica Milton. Oh the tangled webs we weave, Jessica! Will Jessica be able to snag her boss and make him her husband? And is it worth the fortune that awaits her?
Abbie Grace Coleman and Doss Michaels come from two very different backgrounds. Despite their different upbringings, they marry and believe that they are one another's true soul mates. When Abbie falls ill, she makes a list of 10 things she wants to accomplish before she dies. With Doss at her side, the pair embark on a journey that takes them down the St. Mary's River in "Where the River Ends" by Charles Martin.
A twenty year absence finds Randall Wilkes back in Pilgrim's Rest, Tennessee, where he accepts a low profile position from once governor, Sonny McMahon. But when Sonny's mother is brutally murdered, Randall must put his past investigative skills to the test and draw on his knowledge of his old stomping grounds in "Damnation Falls" by Edward Wright.
Ebb, Nebraska is a quaint farming town. More than 100 days without rain have the residents of this small town seeking miracles, and they believe the answer to their prayers lies in Vernon Moore, a traveling salesman and occasional miracle worker. But the town millionaire, Clem Tucker, has a proposal for Vernon that defies the town in "The Widows of Eden" by George Shaffner.
If you would like to RSVP to anything in this column, just contact any branch of JCPL, and we'll fill you in with info, YTD. You don't need a UPC to check out books, which all have an ISBN. At JCPL, we strive for good PR, which means that we'll BBL with more titles, which are TBA. TIA, and we'll TTYL.
FYI, however, keep in mind that you need ID for everything these days. If you go to the ATM, you need a PIN on payday, and to that I say, TGIF! Getting home, you'll want to settle in, grab a PBJ or a BLT, pour an OJ and watch TV. Or, maybe you'd rather read? No need for a PI's help in that area. Just go to JCPL, where TEAM is the buzz-word. We'll help you find some great new fiction, PDQ! Check out these new titles!
"The Importance of Being Married" by Gemma Townley is the first in the Wild trilogy. Creatively written, the main character in this series is Jessica Wild, a young woman who befriends Grace, a sweet old lady in a nursing home. With each visit, Jessica's nonexistent love life blossoms into a fabricated, tangled web of deceit, as Jessica leads Grace to believe that she is engaged, and then married, to her glamorous boss, Anthony Milton. When Grace passes away, she leaves her fortune to Jessica; not Jessica Wild, but Jessica Milton. Oh the tangled webs we weave, Jessica! Will Jessica be able to snag her boss and make him her husband? And is it worth the fortune that awaits her?
Abbie Grace Coleman and Doss Michaels come from two very different backgrounds. Despite their different upbringings, they marry and believe that they are one another's true soul mates. When Abbie falls ill, she makes a list of 10 things she wants to accomplish before she dies. With Doss at her side, the pair embark on a journey that takes them down the St. Mary's River in "Where the River Ends" by Charles Martin.
A twenty year absence finds Randall Wilkes back in Pilgrim's Rest, Tennessee, where he accepts a low profile position from once governor, Sonny McMahon. But when Sonny's mother is brutally murdered, Randall must put his past investigative skills to the test and draw on his knowledge of his old stomping grounds in "Damnation Falls" by Edward Wright.
Ebb, Nebraska is a quaint farming town. More than 100 days without rain have the residents of this small town seeking miracles, and they believe the answer to their prayers lies in Vernon Moore, a traveling salesman and occasional miracle worker. But the town millionaire, Clem Tucker, has a proposal for Vernon that defies the town in "The Widows of Eden" by George Shaffner.
If you would like to RSVP to anything in this column, just contact any branch of JCPL, and we'll fill you in with info, YTD. You don't need a UPC to check out books, which all have an ISBN. At JCPL, we strive for good PR, which means that we'll BBL with more titles, which are TBA. TIA, and we'll TTYL.
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