Saturday, July 17, 2010

We are Moving!

The URL of the Reading Lines blog is moving. You can now find reviews of our favorite books at http://chiridgestaffpicks.wordpress.com/

Please update any RSS settings and follow us to our new web address. We will no longer continue to update this site.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Staff Picks: White Ghost Girls

White Ghost Girls
By Greenway, Alice
2006-01 - Grove/Atlantic
9780802170187 Check Our Catalog

In her astonishing literary debut, Greenway tells a tale of sacrifice and solidarity between two American sisters who tumble into their teenage years in 1967 Hong Kong, against an extraordinary backdrop that is both sensuous and dangerous. Kate and Frankie live with their mother in Hong Kong while their war photographer father documents the conflict in Vietnam. As Mao's cultural revolution begins to affect Hong Kong, Kate and Frankie deal with the turmoil of adolescence. This short novel features stark lyrical language and vividly recreates the atmosphere of Hong Kong in 1967. White Ghost Girls is a challenging and rewarding book and perfectly fits our summer reading theme; Water Your Mind - Read!

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Recommended Reads: Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure

Recommended Reads: Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip by Matthew Algeo (973.918 ALG)

As the days grow longer and the temperature soars, people across the country set off for a very American type of vacation--the road trip. Even the famous are not immune to the charms of the open road, as Matthew Algeo documents in this lively history. In 1953, ex-President Harry Truman decided to travel from his home in Independence, Missouri to New York City in his brand new Chrysler. Without Secret Service protection, Truman hoped to travel incognito but he was recognized everywhere. In this charming book, Algeo describes the bygone America of the 1950s that Harry and Bess Truman experienced on their one of a kind road trip.

Thursday, June 03, 2010

New May DVDs

Doctor Zhivago
Hamlet (2009)
Leap Year
Nine
Daybreakers
Edge of Darkness
Legion
Extraordinary Measures
Invictus
The Messenger
The New Daughter
Valentine's Day
Dear John
The Road
Stagecoach
True Blood: The Complete Second Season
Amreeka
Disgrace
My Fake Fiance
Sorority Row
Under Siege/Under Siege 2
We Believe

New May Books

Christian Fiction
Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason
The Last Christian by David Gregory
Edge of Apocalypse by Tim LaHaye
It Had to Be You by Janice Thompson

General Fiction
The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry
Miss You Most of All by Elizabeth Bass
The Language of Sand by Ellen Block
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
Beautiful People by Wendy Holden
The Red Thread by Ann Hood
How High the Moon by Sandra Kring
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Fabulously Fashionable by Holly McQueen
Return to Sender by Fern Michaels
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
Hearts on a String by Kris Radish
The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall

Historical Fiction
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
Amandine by Marlena De Blasi
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Private Life by Jane Smiley
The Marrowbone Marble Company by M. Glenn Taylor

Horror
Neverland by Douglas Clegg

Humor
Tell-All by Chuck Palahniuk

Mystery
The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron
Through the Cracks by Barbara Fister
State Fair by Earlene Fowler
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
The Silent Places by James Patrick Hunt
A Question of Belief by Donna Leon
Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine
Strip by Thomas Perry
Shades of Grey by Clea Simon
Deadline Man by Jon Talton

Romance
A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh
A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior by Suzanne Enoch
Wild Fire by Christine Feehan
Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson
Blood Born by Linda Howard
Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery
Garrett by Linda Lael Miller
Dangerous by Diana Palmer
Never Less Than a Lady by Mary Jo Putney
Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
The True Love Quilting Club by Lori Wilde
Honeysuckle Summer by Sherryl Woods

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb
Much Fall of Blood by Mercedes Lackey

Sports
Faster Pastor by Sharyn McCrumb

Suspense/Thriller
Executive Intent by Dale Brown
61 Hours by Lee Child
Bodily Harm by Robert Dugoni
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
The Other Side of the Door by Nicci French
Die Twice by Andrew Grant
Reckless by Andrew Gross
The Good Son by Michael Gruber
House of Secrets by Richard Hawke
City of Fear by David Hewson
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
The Ark by Boyd Morrison
Fever Dream by Douglas J. Preston
Intercept by Patrick Robinson
The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose
Storm Prey by John Sandford
The Nearest Exit by Olen Steinhauer
Innocent by Scott Turow

Westerns
Blue-Eyed Devil by Robert B. Parker

Friday, May 28, 2010

Recommended Reads: The Lock Artist

Recommended Reads: The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton MYS/HAM

When Michael was 8 years old, he suffered a tragedy that the author only alludes to throughout most of the story. Because of that horrific incident, he no longer speaks. As a troubled and isolated loner growing up, he develops a hobby of picking locks, and later, the ability to open safes by touch. While in high school, he falls in love with a fellow artist and for the first time ever, he feels that he has found the person with whom he wants to share his dark story. However, the girl's father, in debt to some shady people and fearing for his life, traps him into using his boxman skills for his own gain and leads him into a life on the run. The details of how he picks locks and breaks into safes is interesting, but becomes a little repetitive towards the end.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Recommended Reads: Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Recommended Reads: Every Last One by Anna Quindlen (FIC QUI)

Note: This review contains spoilers.

Throughout the first half of the book, we are intimately acquainted with the Latham family - a wholesome family with three young teenagers living in a peaceful and friendly neighborhood. There’s confident, popular and artsy Ruby; outgoing and athletic Alex who lives for sports; and his broody and intense twin, Max. The author weaves a disturbing undercurrent into this family dynamic with Ruby’s high school sweetheart Kieran, who refuses to acknowledge the reality that Ruby has broken up with him. A violent climax destroys the family, and Anna Quindlen leaves the reader picking up the pieces along with the survivors.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Recommended Reads: When Will There Be Good News?

Recommended Reads: When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson (FIC ATK)

When Will There Be Good News? is a perfect blend of character study and suspense novel. The novel opens with the brutal murder of a mother and two of her three children. The action quickly shifts to the present day as the lives of four characters soon become the focus: Dr. Joanna Hunter (who survived the murder of her mother and siblings), 16 year old Reggie Chase (who works as a nanny for Dr. Hunter), private investigator Jackson Brodie, and Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe of the Edinburgh police. Dr. Hunter mysteriously disappears and the lives of the characters swiftly begin to intersect. More than just a thriller, this novel offers penetrating insights into loneliness and the struggle to do the right thing in a confusing world.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Recommended Reads: House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Recommended Reads: House Rules by Jodi Picoult (FIC PIC)

This is the story of a family of two brothers and a single mother, and the daily challenges they face due to the older brother’s Aspergers (an Autism Spectrum Disorder). We get a glimpse of what it is like to live with someone who has Aspergers - the highly rigid schedules, the lack of social interaction, the strict adherence to "food color days" such as all-blue Tuesday, etc. This challenge becomes exacerbated when Jacob, a high-schooler, is accused of murdering his social skills tutor. The chapters alternate between the point of view of the various characters, and Jodi Picoult is a master at leaving the reader wondering until the very end about whether Jacob is innocent or guilty.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Recommended Reads: Balancing Acts

Recommended Reads: Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman (FIC FIS)

Four friends (Charlie, Bess, Naomi, and Sabine) run into each other at a college reunion and agree to join a six-week yoga class. Each of the women have changed since college and through this class they come together. This is a light read and a wonderful story about female friendships.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Recommended Reads: Shattered

Recommended Reads: Shattered by Karen Robards (FIC ROB)

Lisa Grant returns to her home in Lexington, Kentucky to care for her mother who is dying from ALS. She takes a job as a research assistant for Scott Buchanan, the Lexington County District Attorney. While researching a cold case involving the disappearance of a family, Lisa discovers a photo and finds that the daughter looks just like she did as a child. Soon Lisa's life begins to shatter and she confides in Scott. Lisa and Scott unravel the mystery in this thrilling tale of romantic suspense.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

April DVDs

12 Angry Men
Almost Famous
Avatar
Bad Lieutenant - Port of Call New Orleans
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Crazy Heart
Funny Girl
Ghost Hunters, Season Five, Part 2
Girl, Interrupted
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
It's Complicated
The Lovely Bones
The Maltese Falcon
An Officer and a Gentleman
The Outsiders
Pirate Radio
Pretty Woman
Young Frankenstein
The Young Victoria

New April Fiction

Adventure
The Barbary Pirates by William Dietrich

Christian Fiction
A Promise of Hope by Amy Clipston
Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs
The Inn at Angel Island by Thomas Kinkade
The Telling by Beverly Lewis
Small Change by Sheila Roberts

General Fiction
The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg
Get Lucky by Katherine Center
The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas
Uptown by Virginia DeBerry
The Walk by Richard Paul Evans
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott
The Swimming Pool by Holly Lecraw
Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
Exclusive by Fern Michaels
The Lake Shore Limited by Sue Miller
Bite Me: a Love Story by Christopher Moore
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Miss Julia Renews Her Vows by Ann B. Ross
Happy Now? by Katherine Shonk
The Other Family by Joanna Trollope
Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright

Graphic Novels
Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn by Grant Morrison

Historical Fiction
Wildflowers of Terezin by Robert Elmer
A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin
31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
Pearl of China by Anchee Min
Matterhorn: a novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

Mystery
Holly Blues by Susan Wittig Albert
Elegy for April by Benjamin Black
Cat of the Century by Rita Mae Brown
Haunt Me Still by Jennifer Lee Carrell
Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark
Nashville Noir by Jessica Fletcher
This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
The Black Cat by Martha Grimes
Crimes by Moonlight by Charlaine Harris
Dead Head: a Dirty Business Mystery by Rosemary Harris
Laughed 'Til He Died by Carolyn Hart
The Third Rail by Michael Harvey
City of Lost Girls by Declan Hughes
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King
Super by Jim Lehrer
The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith
A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters
Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder by Sara Rosett
Shoot to Thrill by P.J. Tracy
Memory by Donald E. Westlake
Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl
The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear

Romance
A Certain Wolfish Charm by Lydia Dare
Stay a Little Longer by Dorothy Garlock
A Father for Zach by Irene Hannon
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber
Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick
Shameless by Karen Robards
Night Tales: Night Shield & Night Moves by Nora Roberts
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks
Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods
Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Changes: a novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
At the Gates of Darkness by Raymond E. Feist
A Mighty Fortress by David Weber

Suspense/Thrillers
Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci
The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass
Nowhere to Run by C.J. Box
212 by Alafair Burke
The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark
The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker
The Burying Place by Brian Freeman
The Killing Edge by Heather Graham
Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson
Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen
The Executor by Jesse Kellerman
The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds
The 9th Judgment by James Patterson
The Moonlit Earth by Christopher Rice
Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods

Westerns
The Book of Murdock by Loren D. Estleman

Monday, April 26, 2010

Recommended Reads: Hush

Recommended Reads: Hush by Kate White (MYS WHI)

Lake Warren takes a job as a marketing consultant for a fertility clinic in New York. Lake is going through a divorce and custody battle. She has a one night stand with Dr. Keaton--who is murdered. How will Lake prove she isn't a murderer, fight a custody battle, and keep her job at the fertility clinic? This thriller proves to be a quick read and a compelling page-turner.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Recommended Reads: Fireworks Over Toccoa

Recommended Reads: Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff (FIC STE)

This is a great book from a first time author. Set in Georgia near the end of World War II, Southern belle Lily awaits the return of her husband who she hasn't seen in three years. One day, she meets Jake, a pyrotechnics specialist and soon Lily is torn between her husband Paul and her love for Jake. Reminiscent of The Bridges of Madison County and The Notebook, this love story is a perfect light read.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Recommended Reads: Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight: an African Childhood

Recommended Reads: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: an African Childhood by Alexandra Fuller (BIOG FUL)

This compelling autobiography opens with Alexandra's mother warning her six year old daughter not to startle her parents while they are sleeping because "We might shoot you . . . by mistake." Alexandra's parents sleep with loaded guns by the bed because they are white farmers living in Rhodesia during the civil war between the black natives and the white colonial rulers. In vivid language, Alexandra describes her childhood in southern Africa, a place she loves despite its harshness. Surrounded by war and domestic chaos, Alexandra (nicknamed Bobo by her family) grows up and creates her own identity while never ceasing to love her unusual parents and her homeland. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is moving book that will especially appeal to readers who love autobiographies.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Recommended Reads: Alice I Have Been

Recommended Reads: Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (FIC BEN)

Curious about the real Alice in Wonderland? This entrancing novel brings to life the girl (and woman) behind the story. Narrated in the first person by Alice Liddell Hargreaves, the book recounts her life from her childhood in Oxford (where she forms a friendship with Charles Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll) through a romance with Queen Victoria's youngest son, and later marriage and motherhood. Her struggle to forge her own identity beyond that of Carroll's Alice is a gripping one. A wonderful blend of literary mystery, romance, and coming of age story, Alice I Have Been is an enthralling tale.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

New March Fiction

Adventure
The Silent Sea by Clive Cussler
King, Ship, and Sword by Dewey Lambdin

Christian Fiction
Letters to God by Patrick Doughtie
Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze
Take Three by Karen Kingsbury
Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers

General Fiction
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Losing Charlotte by Heather Clay
Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman
Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman
The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald
Solar by Ian McEwan
Game Over by Fern Michaels
Fragile Beasts by Tawni O'Dell
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
The Long Way Home by Robin Pilcher
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine
So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Big Girl by Danielle Steel
One Good Dog by Susan Wilson

Historical Fiction
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
The Queen's Lover by Vanora Bennett
Red Inferno 1945 by Robert Conroy
The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
The Sheen on the Silk by Anne Perry

Horror
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Horns by Joe Hill

Mystery
From the Grounds Up by Sandra Balzo
The Intrigue at Highbury: Or, Emma's Match by Carrie Bebris
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
The Last Illusion by Rhys Bowen
The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs
Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke
False Mermaid by Erin Hart
The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz
The Man From Beijing by Henning Mankell
Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin
Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay
Known to Evil by Walter Mosley
The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
Invisible Boy by Cornelia Read
Grey Matters by Clea Simon
The Bad Kitty Lounge by Michael Wiley
The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool by Richard Yancey

Romance
Out of Body by Stella Cameron
Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr
Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie
Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
Down River by Karen Harper
What Mother Never Told Me by Donna Hill
Here Comes Trouble by Donna Kauffman
Steamed: a Steampunk Romance by Katie MacAlister
The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn
Shattered by Karen Robards
Big Jack by J.D. Robb

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
Spellwright by Blake Charlton
Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison
Warriors by George R.R. Martin
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley
The River Kings' Road: a novel of Ithelas by Liane Merciel
Stealth (Star Wars: Clone Wars) by Karen Miller
Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Secret of the Dragon by Margaret Weis

Short Stories
Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger by Lee Smith

Suspense/Thrillers
Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
The Moses Stone by James Becker
Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt
The Pallbearers by Stephen J. Cannell
Caught by Harlen Coben
Clean Kill by Jack Coughlin
The Cold Room by J.T. Ellison
Hell Gate by Linda A. Fairstein
Final Target by Steven Gore
Money to Burn by James Grippando
Deception: an Alex Delaware novel by Jonathan Kellerman
If the Dead Rise Not by Philip Kerr
Down to the Wire by David Rosenfelt
Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline
Blood Vines by Erica Spindler
Live to Tell by Wendy Corsi Staub
Once a Spy by Keith Thomson
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
Hush by Kate White
Deep Shadow by Randy Wayne White

Urban
Married on Mondays by Honeyb
Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It by J.D. Mason

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Recommended Reads: The Diana Chronicles

Recommended Reads: The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown (BIOG DIA)

This week's recommended read is inspired by March's Women's History Month. The Diana Chronicles is perhaps the definitive biography of Princess Diana. Not just a recounting of juicy gossip, this book provides insights into Diana's private life, the British Royal Family and the celebrity culture of the late 20th century. The various triumphs and setbacks of Diana's life resemble a real-life soap opera and Tina Brown uses vivid, propulsive language that truly puts readers into the action. This biography paints a portrait of a complex woman who captured the hearts of many in the not too distant past.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Recommended Reads: Sharp Objects

Recommended Reads: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (FIC FLY)

To say that journalist Camille Preaker has serious issues is an understatement. Fresh out of a stay in a mental hospital for carving words into her flesh with a razor, Camille is sent on assignment to her home town of Wind Gap, Missouri ("one of those crummy towns prone to misery") to write about the murders of two young girls. While there Camille is forced to interact with her dysfunctional family and confront the her troubled past. This lurid thriller is a cross between V.C. Andrews and Chuck Palahniuk and features a propulsive plot that will keep you turning the pages to find out what creepy secret will be revealed next.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Recommended Reads: Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

Recommended Reads: Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (289.33 KRA)

Under the Banner of Heaven is an intriguing blend of true crime narrative and religious history. The book opens with the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter by two of her brothers-in-law who claim that they were following a commandment from God. Krakauer then traces the founding of Mormonism by Joseph Smith and the contemporary practice of Mormon fundamentalism. The fascinating page turner explores the boundaries between faith and insanity in contemporary America while explaining the influence of the past.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Recommended Reads: Brick Lane

Recommended Reads: Brick Lane by Monica Ali (FIC ALI)

Brick Lane is the story of Nazneen. Nazneen is born into poverty in Bangladesh but when she is 18 she travels to London to marry an older man chosen for her by her parents. Nazneen passively accepts her fate with her boorish, foolish husband and soon becomes a mother to two girls. As time passes, Nazneen gains confidence and begins to challenge the rules set for her by the immigrant Muslim community in which she lives. This fascinating novel gives readers insight into the contemporary immigrant life in Great Britain as Nazneen pursues her modest dreams with quiet tenacity.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Recommended Reads: Imperial Life in the Emerald City

Recommended Reads: Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran (956.7044 CHA)


This suspensful, true life story tells of life in Baghdad's Green Zone during the American occupation of Iraq. After toppling Saddam's regime, American forces set up their headquarters in a protected bubble away from the turmoil and uncertainity that Iraqis faced daily. The narrative details the numerous mistakes the Americans made early in the occupation from spending billions of dollars to make the Green Zone just like America (complete with GMC Suburbans and bottomless quantities of pork available at every meal) to hiring people for important positions based on political affiliation. A movie based on the book and starring Matt Damon will soon be in theaters; read the book before heading to the show!

Monday, February 15, 2010

January DVDs

Big Fan
The Boys Are Back
Bright Star
Gamer
Halloween II
The Hurt Locker
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
In the Loop
The Invention of Lying
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Moon
Pandorum
Post Grad
Saw VI
Sergeant York
Surrogates
Whip It
Whiteout


New February Books

General Fiction
Secret Whispers by V.C. Andrews
Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop
Secrets of Eden by Chris A. Bohjalian
Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins
Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens
Model Home by Eric Puchner
Big Girl by Danielle Steel
An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor
Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

Christian Fiction
Matthew's Story: From Sinner to Saint by Tim LaHaye

Historical Fiction
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank DeLaney
Conspirata by Robert Harris
The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon
The Information Officer by Mark Mills
Black Hills by Dan Simmons

Horror
The New Dead: a Zombie Anthology by Christopher Golden
Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

Mystery
Wild Penance by Sandi Ault
Aunt Dimity Down Under by Nancy Atherton
Knit, Purl, Die by Anne Canadeo
Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean
Winterland by Alan Glynn
Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy
Short Squeeze by Chris Knopf
Wicked Craving by G.A. McKevett
Split Image by Robert B. Parker
Broken Places by Sandra Parshall
Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
A Night Too Dark by Dana Stabenow

Romance
Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Dead by Midnight by Beverly Barton
The Golden Season by Connie Brockway
The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie
Street Game by Christine Feehan
The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding
Beguiled by Deeanne Gist
The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins
Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter
Shattered by Joan Johnston
The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens
Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner
The Prodigal Wife by Marcia Willett
The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton
Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

Suspense/Thriller
The Midnight House by Alex Berenson
The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd
False Convictions by Tim Green
Devils in Exile by Chuck Hogan
The Breach by Patrick Lee
Last Snow by Eric Van Lustbader
The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer
Heresy by S.J. Parris
Worst Case by James Patterson
Freedom by Daniel Suarez

Urban
Heard It All Before by Michele Grant
Big Girls Do Cry by Carl Weber
In My Sister's House by Donald Welch

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Recommended Reads: I See You Everywhere

Recommended Reads: I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass (FIC GLA)

I See You Everywhere is the story of two dramatically different sisters. Louisa is the responsible older sister who builds a life for herself as an artist in New York. Clem is the unpredictable and rebellious younger sister whose passion for wildlife leads to a career as a biologist in the West. The novel is narrated by each sister in alternating chapters over a span of 25 years. Louisa and Clem love and hate each other, support and comfort each other, and struggle to understand each other. In beautiful prose, Glass fashions a realistic portrait of ups and downs between two siblings over a number of years.

Monday, February 01, 2010

New January Books

General Fiction
Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
Small Wars by Sadie Jones
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith
The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
A Fair Maiden by Joyce Carol Oates
The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal
Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton

Historical Fiction
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
The Hidden Flame by Davis Bunn
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin
The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper
Roses by Leila Meacham

Mystery
Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton
The Godfather of Kathmandu by John Burdett
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton
Merry Wives of Maggody by Joan Hess
A Whisper to the Living by Stuart M. Kaminsky
Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn
Gone 'Til November by Wallace Stroby
Snow Angels by James Thompson
The Red Door by Charles Todd

Romance
Early Dawn by Catherine Anderson
How I Met My Countess by Elizabeth Boyle
Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr
Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr
Carolina Isle by Jude Deveraux
Hunting Julian by Jacquelyn Frank
Fit to be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher
Guilty Pleasure by Lora Leigh
Midnight Sons Volume 3 by Debbie Macomber
The Taking by Erin McCarthy
Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan
Tate by Linda Lael Miller
Succubi Like It Hot by Jill Myles
On Fire by Carla Neggers
Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Catalyst: a Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey
The Domino Pattern by Timothy Zahn

Suspense/Thrillers
Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
Gutshot Straight by Louis Berney
The First Rule by Robert Crais
Burn by Ted Dekker
Silencer by James W. Hall III
The Wolf at the Door by Jack Higgins
Blood Ties by Kay Hooper
Treasure Hunt by John Lescroart
Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker
Impact by Douglas Preston
The 5 Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly
Altar of Eden by James Rollins
Kisser by Stuart Woods

Urban
Snapped by Tracy Brown
Be Careful What You Pray For by Kimberla Lawson Roby


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Recommended Reads: La's Orchestra Saves the World

Recommended Reads: La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith (FIC MCC)

La (short for Lavender) Stone tells us her story from the World War II while she is in England. La settles in a small town. She seeks diversions from the war and she decides to start an orchestra. She draws musicians from the town and a local RAF base. Feliks, a Polish refugee, becomes her prized recruit. Will La's orchestra save the world? Read it and find out for yourself.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Recommended Reads: The Slippery Year

Recommended Reads: The Slippery Year by Melanie Gideon (BIO GID)

This is an enjoyable reflection written by a 44-year old mother and wife trying to determine what is important in life, and what it means to be happy with the life you find yourself in. It’s her uplifting and funny story of how she deals with her husband’s midlife crisis when he buys an atrocious-looking camper RV that he insists on parking in the driveway of their affluent suburb, or tries to recapture her passionate feelings for this otherwise-practical husband who insists on wearing a safety helmet while surfing, or missing her nine-year old son when he goes off to camp for the first time. As she says in the introduction, “The Slippery Year is the story of how I come to terms with my happily ever after. It’s a conversation – personal and universal, funny and heartrending – about all the things that matter: children, the Sunday paper, sisters, good-hair days, dogs, love, loss, the passage of time, and all the reasons to go on living even when the only thing we can be sure of is that one day it will all end."

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Recommended Reads: When Everything Changed

Recommended Reads: When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins (305.4 COL)

This fascinating history of American women in the late 20th Century opens with a 28 year old secretary being lectured by a male judge for wearing slacks to traffic court. The year was 1960. Through a combination of interviews with women and contemporary magazine and newspaper accounts, the author shows how the status of women in society has changed over the past 50 years. From stories of flight attendants who were fired for marrying to Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for President, Gail Collins sympathetically details the challenges women have faced. The interesting women from the Mad Men era through the Internet era described in this book makes history truly come alive.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Recommend Reads: A Friend of the Family

Recommended Reads: A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein

A Friend of the Family traces the disintegration of a wealthy New Jersey suburban family. This suspenseful novel is narrated by Pete Dizinoff, a successful family doctor with a wife, a son, and close friends. Jumping back and forth in time between the idyllic past, where Pete and his wife built a life with their beloved son Alec, and the present day, where Pete is estranged from his family and being sued for malpractice, this dark family story traces how a perfect suburban life can so easily shatter. Pete is incensed to learn that his treasured only child is dating Laura, the daughter of his best friends Joe and Iris, who is not only older than Alec but has a criminal past. Pete's efforts to end Alec and Laura's relationship will turn out to have tragic consequences. Grodstein does a brilliant job of getting inside the mind of a middle-aged Jewish doctor and evoking the suburban New Jersey milieu. A sense of dread consumes the story and you'll read on wanting to find out what horrible incident occurs to estrange Pete from his family and friends.