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Do you love books?: At BCPL Newsletters | Between the Covers | Book Lists | Book Lovers' Corner | Collections | Hot Titles | Unique Critiques |
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Staff Reviews for 2012 of books, movies, music, and items in our collection...
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By Simon Toyne Sanctus is the first book in an exciting trilogy with the second book, The Key, to be published in June, 2012. If you liked The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, you will find this to be a real page-turner. The story is set in the mountains of modern-day Turkey and is complete with a sacred order of monks, priests, police, a charity and the search for a hidden religious relic with a secret that leads to almost certain death for those who become involved. The story is full of tension, twists and turns and involves an investigative reporter who is drawn into the story through a message that her brother, who has been missing for eight years, is dead. If you like thrillers which involve sacred sects, antiquities, secret societies and mysterious happenings, this book is for you. – Kim (RE) |
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By Margaret George Elizabeth Tudor, a largerthan- life icon in her own time, emerges from George’s compelling narrative as fully human. England itself is a character in George’s story: she colorfully evokes the nation’s climate, economy, government, costume, food, culture, speech and even smell. “Married to England,” the Virgin Queen faces threats from Spain, the Vatican, Ireland and even her own council. Her ability to accurately judge others’ characters has saved her life more than once, but now her infatuation with Robert Devereaux, the handsome but megalomaniacal Earl of Essex, imperils her throne. George’s narration moves from the point of view of Elizabeth herself to that of Lettice Knollys, cousin of the Queen and mother of Devereaux. Banished from court for an improper marriage, Lettice schemes with her son to improve their family’s status and fortune; but the resulting events will drastically alter the lives of both women. At 700 pages, the book is definitely a time commitment but would well suit anglophiles and fans of Philippa Gregory. – Jarrett (RE) |
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Directed by Mick Jackson “Nature is cruel, but we don’t have to be,” says Temple Grandin, the woman who single-handedly changed the way slaughter-bound livestock are treated in the U.S. The reason this is so remarkable is that Temple is an autistic woman whose doctor had recommended institutionalization when Temple was only 3 years old. Her mother vehemently objected, and the family undertook the challenges of raising and educating an autistic child. Temple is able to see and feel what animals see and feel, and this ability led her to design and create humane methods of animal treatment on ranches and in slaughter-houses. She is one of a handful of people in the world involved in this work. Grandin, who lives with high-functioning autism, is also a noted writer, teacher and consultant in autism advocacy. In 2010, she was named in by Time Magazine as one of the most 100 influential people of the year. Temple is the subject of the HBO biopic Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes as the future Dr. Grandin. The movie is significant on several levels: first, it is the story of a brilliant woman who proclaims herself “different, not less.” Second, it is the performance of a lifetime for Claire Danes, who won an Emmy for her convincing portrayal of the young adult Grandin. Finally, it is an outstanding HBO production, winning seven Emmy awards in 2010, including best made-for-TV movie, best direction and best acting. – Debra (RE) |
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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making By Catherynne Valente September is an ordinary girl from Omaha whose mother works in a factory and whose father is away fighting in the war. One day, while washing the dishes, September is spirited off to Fairyland, but the land she encounters is nothing like she expected it to be! Once through fairy customs, September encounters a bureaucratic fairyland peopled by gnome civil servants, prophetic witches, scholarly spriggans and duplicitous household objects. Her main travelling companions are A-Through-L, a Wyverary – a Wyvern who believes himself to be part wyvern and part library, and a Marid – an aquatic djinni – named Saturday. Fairyland’s creatures, September finds, live in fear of the Marquess, the cruel and temperamental ruler of Fairyland, who has ordered that all creatures that can fly have their wings bound in iron chains. This delightful and charming voyage-and-return story is really more for young teens than children (our heroine encounters blood, death and frightening transformation) but will suit fans of Pullman’s His Dark Materials, Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Juster’s Phantom Tollbooth. – Jarrett (RE) |
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By Neal Shusterman This young adult dystopian novel tells the story of a process known as “Unwinding.” In lieu of punishments, parents may consider having their teens unwound. Teens who undergo the process are not considered dead but recreated in an altered state. The story follows three teens who are determined to survive to 18 and be spared from the procedure. This book raises the questions of when life begins and who determines its value. It is both compelling and terrifying, leaving the reader engrossed until the very end. – Kim (RE) |
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Everything Matters! – Stefan (RO)
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Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson – Susan (RO)
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Some Sing, Some Cry – Robert (RO)
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Round & Round Together: Taking a Merry-Go-Round Ride into the Civil Rights Movement – Kathleen (RO)
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Bear Meets Girl – Ginger (RO) |
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By Karen Russell Once its star female alligator wrestler dies, the seedy tourist trap run by the Bigtree dynasty is on the skids and the entire family becomes unmoored. Big brother Kiwi leaves the island to work for The World of Darkness, their mainland amusement park competitor, and Dad goes AWOL, leaving thirteen year-old Ava on the island with her otherworldly sister Osceola to care for their ninety-eight gators. When Ossie runs away to elope with the ghost of a WPA-era dredgeman, Ava embarks alone on an epic journey into the swamps to find her sister. This first novel is a coming of age tale that at times resembles Conrad, Garcia Marquez, Flannery O’Connor and L. Frank Baum. Russell’s prose shimmers with originality and she has created unforgettable, heartbreaking characters adrift in a vivid and bizarre Everglades landscape. Swamplandia! landed on both NPR’s and the New York Times’ “Best Books of 2011” lists and HBO plans an adaptation. – Jo (TO)
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By Erin Kelly Thirty-nine-year-old Louisa is emotionally scarred by a romantic relationship gone badly awry 20 years earlier; her sanctuary becomes restoring a manorial Tudor garden as part of a project to help at-risk youth. Nineteen year old Paul, seeking refuge from his own criminal activities, enters the scene assigned to the gardening project as a sort of witness protection program. Paul is a carbon copy of Louisa’s former beau and tension builds as the two begin a hidden affair while each attempts to hide their own secrets. In The Dark Rose, author Erin Kelly once again shows herself a deft thriller writer as she gradually reveals her protagonists’ pasts while entwining their stories to reach a dramatic conclusion. – Lori (TO)
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In the Sea there are Crocodiles By Fabio Geda Based on the true story of Enaiatollah Akbari – by Fabio Geda Italian translated into English – Ten-year-old Akbari, an Afghanistan boy was given 3 directives from his Mom and then taken to the Pakistan border and left hoping he would survive and thus escape the Taliban rule in 2000 . In the Sea there are Crocodiles is Akbari’s 5 year journey through Pakistan ,Iran ,Greece ,Turkey and finally into Italy. A story of unbelievable survival as recounted to Geda after the five years. The struggle and hope that Akbari portrays results in a thought provoking quick read for teens and adults. – Becky (TO)
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By Beth Revis Seventeen-year-old Amy makes the hardest decision of her life. Instead of staying on Earth, Amy chooses to join her parents on Godspeed, a spaceship that will carry cryogenically frozen volunteers to new life on a new planet. Now Amy is awake 50 years ahead of schedule and things aren’t going quite according to plan. Godspeed is no longer run by a pilot and his crew but rather by a tyrant named Eldest, who rules over a group of people who have made Godspeed their home. Someone is going around unplugging those who are still frozen and leaving them to die and Amy is determined to find out who it is and stop them. Across the Universe is a book that is a good recommendation for anyone who is a fan of dystopian fiction with a twist. The book is filled with suspense, mystery, and the idea of a world beyond our own. – Tiffany (TO)
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By Mal Peet Clem was born premature, when his pregnant mother was startled by a lovesick Nazi shooting her chimney to bits at the end of World War II in rural Norfolk, England. Mal Peet finds both the humor and the heroism in this story of three generations of one poor English family navigating the changes and opportunities of the 20th century. Half Jack Gantos and half John Irving, this is the rare work of realistic fiction that appeals to teens and to grownups alike. The British countryside setting and long time span, as well as the world events that directly impact each character's life, gives the book the feel of a BBC miniseries, at once epic and intimate. – Paula (TO)
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Charlotte au Chocolat: Memories of a Restaurant Girlhood By Charlotte Silver Upstairs at the Pudding is the name of a once beloved restaurant in Harvard Square where Charlotte Silver grew up and learned about life in her delightful memoir, Charlotte au Chocolat: Memories of a Restaurant Girlhood. Charlotte lives in a world of Chantilly cream and maraschino-laden Shirley Temples, where bow ties rule, and naps under the bar are cozier when swaddled in tablecloths. Life at the restaurant is charmingly stable and unpredictable at the same time. After her parents' divorce, Charlotte's eccentric, increasingly busy mother struggles to keep the business viable. There is little time for Charlotte, whose rather lonely life revolves around the restaurant staff. Although the author skims the surface of life's more serious moments, there is plenty of nostalgia to go around and a glimpse inside the restaurant business that is both wistful and realistic. - Cynthia (TO)
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By Jean Kwok As an immigrant from Hong Kong, young Kimberly Chang (born Ah-Kim Chang) and her mother find themselves tossed into a world of confusion. With Kimberly’s skills in both math and science, there is hope for a better life – one without the rundown apartment and sweatshop jobs that burden them. A true “coming of age” novel, Kimberly’s journey is both inspiring and engaging. – Latiesha (WH)
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By Lama Surya Das Surya Das is an American Buddhist who studied in the traditional school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is a teacher, author, guru, lecturer and more. His main point is to live fully in the “now,” in the present moment. Lama Surya Das gives us short exercises in meditation and deep breathing. He offers practical advice for Americans who are working full time, in the U.S., in the year 2012, not for monks in a monastery. I think anyone interested in living a healthier, less stressed life could benefit from reading this book. – Cindy (WH)
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American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot By Craig Ferguson Talk show hosts are a unique breed: when successful, they combine the skills of the comedian and the insightfulness of a psychologist with the glibness of the raconteur. Craig Ferguson, host of The Late Late Show, is among those to attempt this nightly balancing act. Known for his wit and genuine interest in others, Ferguson parlayed a fortuitous stint as a temporary guest host on The Late Late Show into a full-time position, and he’s still doing it today. In this autobiography he talks about why he loves America, which he credits for giving him a second chance and letting him find his way. –Tim (WH)
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Heartstrings and Diamond Rings By Jane Graves Alison Carter is plagued by horrible men. Deciding she needs professional help, she goes to “Matchmaking by Rochelle.” Little does she know that “Rochelle” has passed on and her grandson, hunky Brandon Scott, is now the matchmaker. Brandon, a real estate developer by trade, has been sidelined due to the slowing of the housing market. He must come up with cash quickly for his next big deal and what better way to get it than to run his grandmother’s little business? All Brandon needs to do is find the right guy for Alison. This book is a good read for someone who enjoys contemporary romance with lots of humor and highly developed characters. – Sandy (WH)
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By Nelson DeMille Anti-Terrorist Task Force members John Corey and his wife Kate, are among those targeted for death by the feared assassin/terrorist Asad Khalil, also known as “The Lion.” Corey attempts to track The Lion by following the trail of his suspected victims. Is assassination the only item on The Lion’s agenda? Is Corey tracking The Lion or vice versa? Highly entertaining and grisly at times, DeMille sets his story and theme against the aftermath of 9/11 and the possible future consequences of terrorism in the USA. Fans of the wisecracking, ex-NYPD, tough guy John Corey will enjoy this reprise to Demille’s earlier novel, The Lion’s Game. Readers unfamiliar with DeMille are in for a treat. – Dave (WH) |
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By Laura Wilson In war-torn London in 1940, the apparent suicide of a former silent screen star raises disturbing questions in the mind of Inspector Ted Stratton. Going against protocol and quietly conducting his own investigation, his inquiries bring him to the attention of the MI5. Meanwhile, nascent spy and socialite Diana Calthrop suspects her boss of espionage and the two investigations begin to converge. Brilliantly evoking the manners of the time as well as life during wartime – children being sent to the country, nightly air raids and living with the very real threat of invasion – The Innocent Spy is a well written and atmospheric historical police procedural. – Lisa (WO)
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By Richard Paul Evans This coming-of-age novel is rather short (as are most books by this author) but has a powerful message. Luke, a college graduate, is the son of a multi-millionaire. When he graduates from college, he naturally assumes he will take over the family copy store business, which happens to be ranked as a Fortune 500 company. But first, his father tells him that he should go to grad school to make sure that’s what he really wants to do. So Luke gets his MBA at Wharton and hangs out with a group of friends who are primarily interested in having a good time and taking it easy. Instead of returning to work, Luke announces to his dad’s dismay that he will travel to Europe, using a million dollars that was left in a trust fund to him by his deceased mother. Needless to say, everything goes downhill for Luke from there. He must pull himself out of the deep hole he has made for himself. This is a retelling of the “Prodigal Son” story found in the Bible. (It is not religious, however, except for the inherent morals of the story.) I was entranced with this from beginning to end. – Debbie (WO)
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By Veronica Roth Divergent, Veronica Roth’s first book, is easy to recommend to teens who liked the Twilight and The Hunger Games series, which became heavily requested reading beyond the teen scene. This book is about choices, being vulnerable and fierce at the same time and dealing with others in society. Not unlike many teens today who are asked to choose college, work or military, once Divergent’s characters reach 16 they must choose one of five factions to live in and devote the rest of their lives to its ideals. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and answering the need to be someone else. So she makes a choice and learns along the way that she needs to be strong, using what she knew and what she has learned. The book has electrifying decisions, betrayals, stunning consequences and romance found in unusual places. Ms. Roth not only writes for teens but is a huge advocate of teen fiction. Be sure to check out her website for some great reader’s advisory. Her sequel Insurgent is due out May 2012. – Nancy (WO)
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I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution By Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum Though it appears dense at over 600 pages, this collective oral history of MTV’s unlikely rise from laughable experiment to pop-culture kingmaker is a surprisingly light and amusing read. Spanning MTV’s first 10 years, everyone from Billy Idol to Weird Al Yankovich reflects on the good, bad, ugly and improbable in the early years of MTV. So much was done without a plan, a budget or sense of what was happening that the fledgling channel had to rely on Rod Stewart and unknown British New Wave artists for enough content to stay on the air. After growing into itself, the station evolved quickly from an experimental showcase of obscure talent into a massive teen-marketing juggernaut, eventually (and oddly) abandoning music altogether after the introduction of The Real World in 1992. This is a recommended read for lovers of pop-culture history as well as guilty consumers of celebrity gossip. – Brad (WO)
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By Octavia Butler Dana Franklin is a 26-year-old black woman living in 1970s Los Angeles. While moving into her new apartment with her equally new husband Kevin she becomes dizzy and suddenly finds herself in early 19th century Maryland. Before she has any time to process what has happened she sees a young white boy drowning in a river. She wades in and saves the boy who she will come to find is her ancestor and future slaveholder Rufus Weylin. Throughout the novel, Rufus summons Dana from her time to his whenever he is in immediate danger. Dana must ensure his survival so that he can father a child with Alice, a free black woman who, through a series of misfortunes, comes to live on the Weylin plantation as a slave. As Dana spends more and more time in antebellum Maryland she tries to reconcile her 20th century ideals and identity and is met with disastrous and oftentimes violent outcomes. Kindred is a complex novel where the lines between good and evil are as blurry as the passage of time. – Shani (WO)
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How the States Got Their Shapes By Mark Stein Mark Stein takes you on an adventure 200 years in the making in this book on the geography and cartography of the American landscape. Did you know that the last of the original 13 colonies to have its boundary settled was Maryland? And that it was only in 1910? Did you know that the border of New York encompasses all of the water of the Hudson River but only half of the river bed itself? Were you aware that Maryland has lost every fight over its border lines it’s ever been in since the formation of the United States? This is a history of our nation from a whole different perspective, giving readers a feeling for all the troubles those who went before us went through to establish that which we are so familiar with today. A fun, engaging and truly unique read for everyone, whether they are map-makers or not! – Sean (WO) |
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By Kathy Reichs “Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they’ve turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now the very place that brought them together – the Loggerhead Island Research Institute – is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!” Reichs, the author of The New York Times bestselling Temperance Brennan novels, introduced us to Tempe’s niece Tory in Virals, Reichs’ first teen novel. Seizure, the second book featuring Tory and her friends, will appeal to teens and adults alike with its combination of action, suspense and humor. My only complaint is that one section of the story where the kids were being chased by the bad guys was very Gooniesesque. Otherwise I found it to be a fun story and look forward to the group’s next adventure. – Tina (AR) |
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By Roger Ebert Arguably the premiere film reviewer of his generation, Ebert has penned an open, honest and detailed autobiography. He includes memories of his classic American childhood, his parent’s marriage (strife included), his struggle with alcoholism, stories of his many friends (some famous, some not) and his remarkable interviews and experiences. He ends with his marriage with Chaz, the love of his life, the challenges presented by his illness and surgeries and his philosophical views on religion and the hereafter. Most absorbing is Ebert’s sharing of the relationship between himself and Gene Siskel. Argumentative, sibling-like in intensity, full of love and laughter…their 23-year partnership was television magic. And there is so much more, such as his surprising, close relationship with Russ Meyer … who knew Roger Ebert wrote the screenplay for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls?. Interviews with Lee Marvin and John Wayne are included as well as an intimate profile of the one-of-a-kind writer Studs Turkel. Unable to speak after a bout with thyroid cancer and three surgeries, Ebert has found an inner voice that is strong, thoughtful and wise. Not unlike the heightened senses of the newly blind or deaf, having lost his spoken voice, his written words as he recalls his personal experiences are thoughtful and intense. He conjures for us his childhood in the ’50s and his part in the idealism of the ’60s and contemporary American cinema in subsequent decades. Narrated by Edward Herrmann, the listener initially longs for the sound of Ebert’s familiar voice. But as the book progresses the pitch perfect reading by Edward Herrmann becomes an authentic alternative. – Gail (AR) |
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By Kate Morton On a lonely dock in Australia a small child waits for the lady. She never arrives …Years later the same child discovers the family she thought was hers isn’t. So begins a search for personal history that spans several generations and two countries. With just a small suitcase containing a few items a grandmother and granddaughter piece together their history and heritage. – Constance (AR)
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By Jack Gantos Jack Gantos is a 12-yearold version of himself in this dark comedy set in 1960s Pennsylvania. Jack, a nervous boy who suffers from an obscene amount of nose bleeds, is unjustly grounded for the entire summer and can only leave the premises to help Miss Volker, the town’s medical examiner. Volker, a septuagenarian obsessed with being the last original citizen of Norvelt, is busy writing the obituaries of her neighbors who are dying with suspicious frequency. Jack’s tasks include typing and delivering the obits, defending Miss Volker from the amorous advances of the town’s elderly constable, Mr. Spizz, and checking on the life status of various older residents – once while dressed as the Grim Reaper! For any fan of weird and funny, Jack Gantos is like Chuck Palahniuk for the middle school set. – Erin (AR) |
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The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer By Philip Carlo Meet Richard Kuklinski. He was a family man and a coldblooded serial killer. Once he was captured and sentenced, he decided to tell all. Philip Carlo compiled hours of interviews with the man who confessed to over 200 murders to bring the story to you about this giant man with equal parts of compassion, understanding and terror. Carlo describes a character clearly influenced by his upbringing. Learn about Richard’s troubled adolescence and abusive family and how this translated directly into a life of crime. Along with the cold-blooded stories of murder, you learn how the Mafia works and how Richard and the Mafia took advantage of him being Polish, not Italian. Carlo is brutal and honest in his treatment of each crime that Richard commits. You’ll also read about his curious courtship of his wife and the odd relationship they had. He was a caring, devoted father but at the same time emotionally abusive to his wife and children. Phillip Carlo’s storytelling reads like a great suspense novel, then splashes your face with a reminder that the story is real. The movieis expected in 2013 with Michael Shannon playing “The Big Guy.” – Richard (AR) |
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