Library Lady

Supernatural Devices - Review

2012-02-10T15:31:00.002-05:00

Supernatural Devices: A Steampunk Scarlett Novel #1
By Kailin Gow

Supernatural Devices is really more of a historical paranormal novel, rather than a steampunk novel, which makes the title very misleading. The Devices are the only steampunk elements in the book and they don’t come into the story until almost the end. Most of the book is instead about a seventeen year old girl named Scarlett Seely who has second sight, which is the ability to see things such as ghosts and other paranormal beings. She is asked to help out on a case of theft by none other than the famous Sherlock Holmes. Because of her gift, Scarlett is very good at finding things, which is why Mr. Holmes calls for her assistance. As the story goes on, you find out that the item she is searching for is, in fact, a magic ring. There is a love triangle, a kidnapping, and a few attempted surprises which were very easy to predict. While this book will appeal to any paranormal fan, it was not very original and certainly will not appeal to those looking for a steampunk book. As the series continues, it has potential to turn into a steampunk series, but Supernatural Devices was nothing more than a pretty girl deciding “do I want the vampire or the bad boy fae?” The heroine was your stereotypical beauty who had long golden hair and a beautiful body and knew how to fight anything and everything. Scarlett was a strong character but she wasn’t very unique, and she also wasn’t very smart. This would be an additional purchase to a public library system.

Homework Help

2012-02-08T13:10:00.002-05:00

So, I got a comment a few days back on one of my reviews from this kid who asked for my help. Now normally I'd be like oh yeah I'll help what do you need? Help researching something, help learning about something? No, he wanted me to explain to him exactly what a particular book was about, and the point of the book. Here's the exact comment: can u tell me the main proiblem in the book like whats the point of the book what do they need to do and what do they do i need the info for a book thin plz help. Now like I said, I don't mind helping with homework. But I will not do it for you. If you are searching and find one of my reviews only to ask me something that sounds like an assignment so you don't have to read the book, save your fingers. If you have read the book and want to discuss it then I'm more than willing to discuss it with you or help point out particular points. Happy Reading!

The Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

2012-02-04T12:11:00.005-05:00

The Ripper
by Amy Carol Reeves

The Ripper is a different take on the Jack the Ripper murders in 1888. It is the story of a young lady, Arabella (Abbie), who has a mental connection to The Ripper. Abbie is a very strong heroine who is new to London. She lives with her Grandmother in a large estate. Her mother and father are dead and Abbie has only recently moved in with Granny. Abbie is impulsive, stubborn, and not the cultured young woman her grandmother wants her to be. Instead, she is what her mother raised her to be; strong, smart, and tough. After a late night romp through the east end in pursuit of a pickpocket, Abbie’s grandmother is furious. Grandmother decides to punish Abbie in order to make Abbie realize how wonderful her life of ease is. A friend of Grandmother’s, Dr. Bartlett, has asked that Abbie assist him at Whitechapel Hospital. Whitechapel is a hospital for prostitutes and other women who are poor and have no where else to go for medical care. Grandmother expects Abbie to come running back after a week of hard work, but instead Abbie is immediately hooked on the job. She has a passion for caring for others and for helping the underdog. She meets two young doctors who become very important to her: one is a possible love interest and one is more of a friend and brother figure. The first murder occurs after Abbie has worked in Whitechapel for a few weeks. The victim is a prostitute who has recently been discharged from the hospital. Abbie sees the murder happen in her dreams, but thinks it’s a nightmare. The next day she finds out it was real.

The Ripper is a great read. It grabs you almost immediately and is very hard to put down. I was very surprised by the ending. The Ripper is not easy to predict, at least not for most of the book. There are always a few things that are easy to predict in most books, but this one kept me guessing. The only predictable part was which guy she would ultimately end up with, and who her real father was. The ending was a little unrealistic, but great for showing what an underestimated tough girl can do when she puts her mind to it. I do wish that Grandmother was a little more developed. It was easy to tell that she cared a lot for Abbie and didn’t want to lose her the way she had lost her daughter, Abbie’s mother. I also would have liked to know more about the butler, Richard. There was enough of a cliff-hanger ending that there could possibly be a sequel, but it was also wrapped up well enough that there doesn’t have to be one. This is a great book for opening discussions on several social problems in the past that are still going strong today, such as medical care for the poor and inequality among different classes of people. The Ripper would be a good choice for any public library.

Coming back to blogging...

2012-01-20T12:32:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I added a review on here but thanks to a new to me website I'm going to start again. I've joined a site called netgalley.com that will let me download free prepublished ebooks (Being a librarian has some cool perks!). I finished one recently so look for the review soon!

The Peculiars by Maureen doyle McQuerry

2012-01-20T12:15:00.003-05:00

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

The Peculiars is a story that is mostly historical fiction, with a bit of steampunk, fantasy and sci-fi mixed in for good measure. It is the story of Lena, who has a birth defect. Her hands and feet are much longer than normal and because of this her grandmother says she is a goblin. Lena isn't sure, but after hearing her grandmother tell her this throughout her entire life, Lena wonders herself if it's true. Goblins are one of the 'peculiar' races, which are seen as inferior and have no rights. Lena's father, also a goblin according to her grandmother, deserted his family when she was five years old. Lena is afraid that the bad traits goblins have will cause her problems, and she sees some of these traits in herself. These traits and a hidden letter from her father, encourages Lena, on her 18th birthday to look for her missing father. Her mother assures her that he wasn't a goblin, but that he was just not made to be a family man. She leaves the comfort of her city and travels by train to a border-town called Knob Knoster.

After making a friend and having a bit of an adventure on the train to Knob Knoster, Lena arrives mostly safe and sound. Once she gets to town things really get interesting. She is hired to spy on a doctor who may or may not be breaking the law, and ends up learning a lot more than she bargained. I really liked Lena because she is a strong character who doesn’t want to conform in the way that society expects her to conform. Lena is adventurous, smart, and naive. She makes mistakes and learns from them, and she cares about her friends. Most of the 'goblin' traits are the traits of a smart, motivated young woman who wants more from her life than sitting in a parlor sewing and waiting suitors to come visit her. Most of the main characters were pretty well developed, but there were a few things that I would have liked to have cleared up; perhaps that will happen in a sequel. Although parts of the plot were predictable, there were quite a few things I didn't see coming. I will be purchasing this one for my library when it comes out. Ms. McQuerry did a very good job of describing what it feels like to be different and to want to hide the parts of our bodies that we don't see as 'beautiful'.

Thank You to Netgalley.com and Abrams for letting me read this one!

The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan

2010-09-29T10:24:00.000-04:00

The Thin Executioner is the story of 12 year old Jebel’s journey from spoiled, arrogant, closed minded child to someone much different. We meet Jebel at a public execution which is normal for his town. The executioner is revered above all others, and Jebel happens to be the executioner’s son. Jebel has two brothers who are much larger, and older than Jebel, and his father shows obvious favor to the older boys. Jebel’s society is a very harsh society with slaves and harsh punishments (execution) for even the slightest offense. At one of these executions, Jebel’s father stands up in front of the crowd and publicly humiliates Jebel without even realizing it.

Jebel vows to go on a quest to the great fire god so that he can be made invincible by him. To accomplish this he travels hundreds of miles on foot with no one but a slave taken to sacrifice to the god once he reaches his mountain. Shan got his motivation from Huckleberry Finn and as you read The Thin Executioner the similarities are easy to see. While the idea is not new, the book is excellent. Shan builds complete societies from scratch, including languages, customs, and religions. The people that Jebel meets along the way teach him much about both himself and the world he inhabits.

When I first began reading The Thin Executioner, I wasn’t sure I would be able to finish it; Jebel’s society is extremely violent, and Jebel himself is a product of that society so he also is violent. Even with the violence and Jebel going back to his roots over and over, it was hard to put this one down once I got into the book. His thoughts and actions at the beginning of the book made me want to execute him myself. As he makes his journey, he grows, and the ending of the book was one of the best I’ve ever read. This book has a very solid 5 stars from me. The writing is excellent, and the story is better than excellent.

Teen Summer Reading, another year!

2010-08-07T17:32:00.002-04:00

Today was the finale for the teen summer reading party. It's always exhausting but worth the work. It went really well, I think everyone had a good time. We had about 100 people there. I'm lucky to have great people to work with, without them I couldn't do half as much as I do, so thanks to all of you, you know who you are. Goodbye summer reading, see you next year. BTW, if anyone has any ideas let me know!

Sea by Hiedi R. Kling

2010-08-06T11:16:00.000-04:00

Sea is a novel of loss, recovery, and healing. Sienna is fifteen and recovering from the death of her mother three years before. She has recurring nightmares about the accident in which her mother died. Her mother’s plane went down during a storm over the Indian Ocean. Before the accident, Sienna loved the ocean; after, she’s terrified of it. Her father decides to help Sienna get over her mother’s death, her fear of the ocean, and her nightmares by inviting her to accompany him and his staff to Indonesia. It is 2004 and her father and his team are psychologists going to help the children deal with the Tsunami disaster. Sienna is adamantly opposed to going, but eventually she decides to face her fears after watching a short video about the survivors of the Tsunami.

After a long and harrowing flight, she and the team arrive in Yogikarta. Sienna finds many surprises, including romance, religious and cultural shock, and closure. She has fun, but at the same time, helps others. I enjoyed reading Sea; It’s a great book. Ms. Kling does a good job of describing what it must have been like for those who were the survivors of the Tsunami. The ending was somewhat sad and a bit surprising, but it leaves you with hope. There were a few discrepancies, but on the whole, it was great. The imagery was wonderful; you really felt like you were there with Sienna. I’ll give this one a 4.

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

2010-07-31T11:22:00.000-04:00

Girl in the Arena is an interesting take on where today’s violence-ridden society could lead. It is about a young lady, Lyn, 16, who is the daughter of a “neo-gladiator.” In this society fighting to the death in arenas is a common sport; in fact it’s a way of life for a lot of people. There are specific rules for the competitions, their competitors, and the families of the competitors. One of the rules forces Lyn to grow up very quickly when she ends up engaged to be married to her father’s killer.

There is plenty of fighting and blood in the book, but the plot is more than just that. Ms. Haines doesn’t focus too much on the fighting, but instead focuses on how that fighting affects the different characters of the book. There are places that the reader is left open mouthed at the gall of the GSA (Gladiator Sports Association). They run the lives of all those involved in the Gladiator lifestyle. They make promises they don’t keep and enjoy the pain of their gladiators. For example, in one fight, the gladiator’s parents come out into the arena armed to fight their own son, all set up by the GSA.

I really liked Lyn, because she’s extremely strong. I also liked that by the end of the book you are rooting for both Lyn, and Uber (the gladiator who killed Lyn’s father). Ms. Haines doesn’t make him out to be a bad guy, but more a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s very sweet and understanding to Lyn and quite a gentleman. The ending turns out semi-well, but I won’t tell you more than that. This one is worth the read, I’ll give it 3.5 stars, because it made me cry in places, and it was a little hard to get into the story.

The Maze Runner

2010-06-07T10:04:00.001-04:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Imagine it’s your first waking moment, total blackness, strange sounds, almost no memory, hoping you’re in a nightmare, but unable to wake up. The Maze Runner is the story of Thomas who wakes up in a metal box being lowered into a strange community of teenage boys. This community is called “The Glade.” What is it? Well the boys don’t really know, all they know is they’ve been there for a long time, they don’t remember anything about their previous lives except their first names and snatches that they can’t make sense of, and they are in the middle of a maze that seems unsolvable. Each boy has his own job in The Glade, supplies are sent weekly through the metal box. The maze is full of gruesome beasts called reavers that are half animal, half machine and more terrifying than any nightmare any of the boys could conjure.

The Maze Runner is a gruesome book, filled with fighting, and trying to survive. It’s a great boy book and is the first in a planned trilogy. It took me a little while to get into it but it did finally grab my attention. I think my problem was that I couldn’t imagine anyone being so cruel and doing this on purpose to the boys. This one has lots of death, blood and gore, and a cliffhanger end. It will leave fans chomping at the bit for the next in the series. I give this one a 3.5.

Kind words

2010-06-06T17:14:00.002-04:00

It's great when people say thank you for the little things you do. It's even better when people realize how important your job is and publicize it. One of my favorite authors did this recently in her blog. Her name is Libba Bray and she's an award winning young adult author. You can read her article here: Libraries are the Torch of the World I think I like her even more now. So thank you for the praise to libraries and librarians Libba.

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

2010-06-05T14:50:00.001-04:00

I loved Restoring Harmony! Restoring Harmony had great characters, all strong and with their own quirks. Even the bad guys had good qualities that made you like some of them, though you didn't want to admit it. The story was very believable, and a good study of what could be. Molly, the main character goes from Canada to the United States in an attempt to bring her Grandfather home.

The year is 2041, and there is almost no oil. Molly is strong but naive, which is to be expected from a farm girl going to a big city alone. Some of the plot was predictable but there were several twists I didn't see coming, especially at the end. All the characters grew a substantial amount in the story and it was a lot of fun reading about that growth. Molly's music was especially unique to the story. I don't remember another dystopian type book with music, or at least not any with the main character so musically inclined. It really enhanced the story, and made it more real. Ms. Anthony created a historical feel for a futuristic novel, including the music and the market for whiskey, the farming, cobbling, and open markets. This one is a 4 star book!

Life As We Knew It, book review

2010-05-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It is a cold hard look at what could happen in our future. It’s the story of one family’s struggle for survival after a meteorite hits the moon and knocks it out of it’s orbit and much closer to the Earth. Life as we Knew It is a study in cause and effect: because of the moon’s effect on the Earth, our world is turned upside down in a matter of days. The gravitational pull has changed since the moon is closer and causes massive tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanoes which in turn causes millions to die immediately, and more to die later from famine, sickness, and starvation.

At first the main character, Miranda, seemed whiney to me, but I could also understand her feelings. The author used journal entries written by Miranda to tell the story through Miranda's eyes. The journal entries did a good job at showing the emotion of what it would feel like if something so apocalyptic happened. Ms. Pfeffer did a good job of showing the growth and strength of Miranda as the story progresses. It shows the types of sacrifices someone might make in that situation, but also the hardships of making those sacrifices. This was a very grim book, but it ended with hope. This one is a 3.5 star book because it made me cry so much, but the story is a good one to read and contemplate.

Summer Reading Begins!

2010-05-26T11:46:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday we kicked off our summer reading programs. This year I'm doing an Adult and teen summer reading program, so if I look a little more frazzled than usual, that's why. It's a lot of work but it's fun and rewarding so it's worth it. We had a great turnout for this past Saturday's party, with over 100 people attending. We've got lots of things planned this summer including Dungeons and Dragons Game days, travel programs, gardening programs, book clubs, murder mystery parties, scavenger hunts, and even a "literary" speed dating program for the adults. It should be lots of fun!

blue plate special

2010-04-24T16:01:00.000-04:00

blue plate special by Michelle D. Kwasney

I'm still trying to decide exactly how I feel about this book. If I took anything away from this novel, it would be an appreciation of family. The girls in this book all have horrific experiences that no one should have to go through. blue plate special was a difficult book to read because of all the pain the girls endure. The title and the book’s cover don’t really give you any idea of what the book is about, but at the end, you find that they do tie in to the plot, and they both end up being an important part of the story. My emotions ran the gamut while reading this one. I went from shock to pure outrage with lots of other emotions thrown in as well. I couldn't help but think of my daughter and mother while I was reading blue plate special.

The main characters of blue plate special are three girls, Madeline, Desiree, and Ariel, who live in different decades. blue plate special is the story of their years as teenagers, and the issues each girl faces. Ms. Kwasney does a good job of creating the imagery associated with each girl, where each girl lives and what it's like to be each girl living in a specific time. The writing styles that Ms. Kwasney used made it very easy to keep track of who was who; each girl had a very distinct voice that was not easily confused with the others. Some may say that Ms. Kwasney tried to include too much in her book but I don't think so. She did a very good job of tying everything together. I was really surprised when I found out that the girls were all connected. I won’t tell you how but I will tell you that when I figured out who was who in each story I was baffled and just plain mad about one character in particular. However, by the end I came to understand the reasons behind what happened, and like one of the main characters, began to forgive one of the other characters. I'm going to give this book 3 stars, because in the beginning it was so depressing, I'm not sure I would have finished it if it wasn't a book club book, however as far as writing and imagery goes I give it a 5. blue plate special's intended audience will eat this one up, and it has a lot of good discussion topics as well.

The Squire's Quest by Gerald Morris

2010-04-23T13:49:00.001-04:00

**Contains one small spoiler**

The Squire’s Quest is the ninth in a series of books by Gerald Morris called The Squire's Tales. Even though I haven't read the rest of the series I was still able to enjoy the book. This one made me want to go back and read the other books in the series, and there was enough background information that it was easy to catch up. The Squire’s Quest had enough magic to make it interesting to someone who likes to read fantasy, but not so much that a historical fiction fan would turn away from it. Some parts were predictable, but there were other parts that really surprised me, and the end was especially jaw dropping. Although the lovers lived, it reminded me of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but even more tragic. The writing was easy to follow but there was some language that may not be appropriate for younger ages. The women characters in the book were very strong while the men were both charming and devious, a good combination in any book.

I laughed out loud in parts of the book and cried in others. When I first began reading this book I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. I’m not usually a fan of King Arthur type books but this one grabbed my attention relatively quickly and held on. This is a great “boy book” with lots of fighting and intrigue, but it also has just enough romance that girls will enjoy it as well. The only part that didn’t seem to flow well was when a couple of the main characters disappeared for over a month and no one seemed too worried when they finally reappeared. Mr. Morris did mention some of the changes that took place while they were missing, but I would think the characters would have been missed a little more than they were. I’ll give this one 4 stars. Well-done Mr. Morris.

This month's Kindred Connections book club book

2010-02-27T12:46:00.000-05:00

Ghost Huntress: The Guidance by Marly Gibson

The Guidance was a fun read. This one is great for reluctant readers, but it is aimed more for girls than boys. It could be read as a stand alone book, however I feel the reader would enjoy the series more if it was read in order. Ms. Gibson put enough background information in the second book so that it would still be a good read. As a southerner, I can say the language Ms. Gibson used was right on for the south. The dynamics of the relationships between the friends and the adults were very good, and were presented in a true to life manner. I really liked all the characters; the main character was sassy, smart, and a good heroine.

The books are somewhat predictable, but there are still enough twists to keep the attention of the reader. There were some plot elements that did not get finished, such as who is Emily and where did she come from? I'm pretty sure I've guessed the answer but there's always a chance I'm wrong. I'm sure Ms. Gibson will answer that one and the other questions left hanging in her third book. I give this one 4 stars.

Another one from Sarah! Thanks again.

2010-02-15T11:20:00.001-05:00

I just read Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony (due for release in May), and I must say I really liked reading this book. I hate to also say that I have some complaints about it, but I do. I think Anthony is a promising writer. She paces her writing well and she has gotten the art of creating suspense down. At the end of each chapter is a hook to pull the reader on, and she plants plot elements throughout her story that surprise the reader later.

I liked her protagonist, Molly, instantly, and if it weren’t for that I probably would have found the futuristic world Anthony creates a bit too derivative; her world seems like any other dystopia I’ve ever read – perhaps more boring though. Molly is forced to navigate this futuristic America, a hostile place, and I liked that as a Canadian traveling to the states to find her grandparents, she is as new to the corrupt order as the reader is.

I was disappointed in Anthony’s treatment of Molly at times. Molly ultimately reaches her goal in the story by selling alcohol on the black market, and this fifteen-year-old girl – who seems completely inexperienced with men – ends up in a relationship with the twenty-one-year-old man she meets. Without giving too much away, I’ll just tell you that Anthony doesn’t reach hard for emotions when Molly has to part with her most precious possession. The moment calls for more and she just doesn’t deliver. Molly is very family-oriented, though. Her heart is with her pregnant mother who needs a doctor to deliver the baby, and she is devoted to the task of bringing her grandparents (her grandfather, a doctor) to live in Canada with them.

I’ll tell you that overall I liked this story. For all the problems I found with Molly’s character, I like a heroine who puts her family first, and this story is all about sacrificing for the people you love. It’s fast-paced and an interesting read that I think teens will get lost in. I know when I had to put it down I looked forward to getting back to the story. I’ll give it three out of five; a heartfelt dilemma and a strong protagonist on a sometimes mediocre background.

January book club book review

2010-01-29T11:01:00.000-05:00

The Secret of the Yellow Death by Suzanne Jurmain
I don’t normally read non-fiction, but received this one in a shipment of advance copies.It held my attention and was very informative.I learned a lot about Yellow Fever, and the medical practices of the past.The pictures were great, and I would like to see the color ones instead of the black and white pictures in the advance copy.This is a great book for middle school grades. The Appendix was very useful, especially the volunteer list and the glossary of scientific terms.I have to give this one 5 stars.Excellent work Ms. Jurmain!

This one is from the library writing intern, Thanks Sarah!

2010-01-12T19:31:00.002-05:00

So, Della has given me, a writing intern at the library, a chance to offer a few book reviews here on the blog this semester. It’s pretty exciting for me! I’ve gotta say, though, I never read YA books (with the exception of Harry Potter), so I’m really new to the different age groups that these books are aimed toward. I wanted to jump in and give my opinion, however, so here’s the first book I read.

Kathryn Erskine’s second novel, Mockingbird, which is due for release in April, follows a ten-year-old girl named Caitlin who is dealing with her brother’s recent death. On top of that, she has Asperger’s Syndrome, and she is constantly misunderstood by the people around her. As the narrator of the story, Caitlin gives the reader insight into the thought processes of someone with this form of high-functioning autism. This is similar to Mark Haddon’s protagonist in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, although Haddon’s book was aimed toward adult readers while this one was intended for a younger audience.

I wasn’t sure when I began reading just who the intended audience was, but eventually I decided this was written with children and preteens in mind. I think Caitlin’s character is odd, true, but she seems inconsistent. She’s somewhat sarcastic in the beginning, but becomes more childlike towards the end, like she is withdrawing in maturity level as she acquires social skills. It’s a slight change in her character that I detected based on her earlier stubbornness and self-awareness. I found Caitlin likeable and a strong character throughout. Her moments of epiphany are funny and serve well as milestones in the story.

Erskine references To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my favorite books, but there is no similarity between the two, and while I like Mockingbird, it just doesn’t match up with Harper Lee’s beautiful novel. I found her decision to italicize dialogue to be distracting, and her use of CAPs for emphasis a lot like yelling. I’m not one for innovation sometimes (don’t get me started on sentence fragments and stream-of-consciousness!), so some people may like her decision here. There were places where this book made me misty-eyed – which is not that easy to do to me. Overall, I thought this was a sweet story and a quick read. And I always enjoy an unusual narrator. I’m not sure how to rate it since I’m new here, so I’ll just say I liked it but I didn’t love it.

Panama, book review

2009-12-07T19:58:00.000-05:00

Panama by Shelby Hiatt

Let me start by saying I’m not a prude; I’m an open-minded librarian. However, there were parts of this book that made me cringe. This book reads more like a cheap romance paperback than a young adult title. It starts slow and is hard to read even before the ‘romance’ part of the book. The background stories were more interesting than the main story line.

I liked the author’s portrayal of the main character’s excitement and disappointment when she arrived in Panama. The author did not scrimp on details of the conditions of the workers and their living quarters, which was one of Panama’s best parts. The turmoil that takes place in that setting is shown realistically through the eyes of a teen. Having the Wright brothers as neighbors was a nice twist. However, the flood and earthquake seemed thrown in to lengthen the book, unless the author was trying to include actual events that occurred in those areas at that time.

The plot jumped around quite a bit, especially toward the end. The book mentioned that one of the Wright brothers was dead while the main character is home, but doesn’t mention how or why he died. As close as the main character was to the Wright brothers, there should have been some mention of the incident. The author did a good job of capturing the excitement of the people as the Canal was finally completed. I liked that natives were the first to use the canal. I also liked how she ended the book, with the entry in the Diary. I believe this is a 2 star book, at best. If it was marketed toward an older audience, I would probably give it a little better rating, but as is, I didn’t care for this book very much at all. The author should write for some other audience instead of teens.

Warning, Vent Inc!

2009-12-05T11:10:00.005-05:00

So as I've said I'm a librarian in Chattanooga Tennessee and I know all of us librarians deal with the same things but it never fails to amaze me. I create book lists to help people find what they want. I just went through a book list that I've created and at least half the books have been stolen. We can't reorder them. We don't have enough money to waste more on books that people are going to come and steal again anyway. We can not help people create their own libraries from books they have stolen from our library. Yes it is Our library, yours and mine, if you live in Hamilton County. What these thieves don't get is they are stealing from themselves. They pay taxes, the taxes help us get the books. These people are so selfish, that they steal the books so no one else can read them. /rant off.

Another book review!

2009-11-21T11:44:00.003-05:00

Boys, Girls, and other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

This one comes out in January, so this review is a little early. One of the things I love about being a librarian, Advance Reading Copies or ARC's as we call them :)

I really enjoyed this book, although it brought back some of my own memories about school I'd have rather not remembered. Ms. Wiseman weaves a familiar and believable tale of a high school freshman as she attends a new school. The reader always knows what Charlie, the main character, is thinking and the secondary characters are also well developed. The relationships Charlie has with the others in the book are easy to follow. At times, it is hard to pick out the "good guy," but this is not unusual in a real setting. Ms. Wiseman does not shy away from the issues surrounding our schools today, such as hazing, drinking, bullying, racism, and adults who are focused on things other than the well being of their students.

There are parts of the book that seemed predictable, but the author does a good job of throwing the reader curve balls just when the plot is starting to slow. This book doesn't make the mistake of focusing too much on the adults in the story, but only mentions them when the main characters are in direct contact with them. It is written in the first person and that makes it easy to follow and get wrapped up in; this is one of those books that once you start reading it, you get pulled in and don't want to stop until you see how it is going to end. This is an excellent book for girls who are reluctant readers, or for those who want a quick and enjoyable read. Charlie's voice is fresh and strong, and her character grows throughout the book as she deals with problem after problem. By the end of the book, Charlie doesn't know who to trust, but everything gets resolved, and everyone is happy, except for the bad guys.

Scary book review, Just in time for Halloween!

2009-10-28T16:58:00.010-04:00

The Well is a great Halloween book, very creepy! It was a fast read and would be great for reluctant readers, especially boys, but girls will like it as well. The story was well written, and the language was easy to read and follow. I liked the foreshadowing, but I think the authors could have done more with Amelia’s house in the story; however, the authors do a really good job developing the character of Cooper and Cooper’s family. I felt sorry for the creature in the well, and hoped that somehow he would be able to get out. I know he was pretty mean, but hey, two hundred years alone in a well will do that to you, right?

As much as I enjoyed the book, there were a couple of flaws. First, there were too many current culture references; when a book has a lot of current culture references, the shelf life for it is pretty short. We librarians like books to have staying power. Second there was a hole in the plot toward the end. Whipple seemed to appear out of nowhere. He went from being dead to showing up in Cooper’s lap while Cooper was in his Dad’s car. Meghan was also a little too forgiving and seemed to believe everything a little too easily. She was also pretty wimpy, but then this does seem like a guy book and wimpy girls go along with the territory. In all I’ll give this one 4 stars, I was surprised I liked it so well.

Another Book Review: Donut Days

2009-08-28T11:34:00.004-04:00

Let me start by saying I'm probably not the intended audience, but I kept an open mind and tried not to let my own views influence the way I felt about this book. It was an easy read, and would make a great Quick read for reluctant readers. For a first novel Ms. Zielin did well. The plot was simple and easy to follow, except for the abbreviated names, which made reading the story more difficult. I had to reread a few pages in the beginning until I could reliably figure out who the book was talking about. There was not enough character development for supporting characters; really, the only character you knew anything about was the main character herself. For many of the supporting characters, the only things you really learn about them are their names. There were a few details thrown in, but it would have been better if there were more, especially for those characters that appeared more often, such as Jake and Natalie. For example, why and when did Jake change his looks?

Emma, the main character is going through typical teenage anxiety about family and school life, but Ms. Zielin successfully adds in an extra little twist, by having Emma question her faith. It was interesting to get a glimpse into the life of someone growing up in an evangelical church. I liked Emma because she didn't accept things at face value, unlike some of her friends. Emma's friends however, were made out to be selfish, simple people; even her best friend, Natalie, was portrayed this way and I don't think that was the author's intention. The climax toward the end when the money was stolen seemed out of place and rushed. The ending wrapped most things up, and it was nice that her family became stronger. In all, I would give the book a 3 out of 5 rating.

Busy Summer!

2009-08-24T21:48:00.004-04:00

Well it's been a while since I posted! It has been a good summer though. We had record turn outs for our teen summer reading program and hopefully it'll be even better next year. I'm also happy with a new program I came up with, it's called Kindred Connections. It's a book club for parents and teens. This year we read Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and I.Q. by Roland Smith. All excellent books.

I got to meet and entertain Mitali Perkins this summer which was one of the highlights. If anyone ever gets the chance to meet her or be in one of her talks at a conference, take the chance! I'm trying to keep my book club going but I don't know if the library will be able to. I'm begging publishers to give me advance copies of their books and promising them write ups on them if they will give me enough to give to my book club members. If anyone can pull any strings I'd appreciate it! I also have more reviews to post but have to get time to write them! I'll try to put up a review for I.Q. and for the last couple of books I've read when I can. Time for sleeping now just thought I'd update this thing since I haven't done it in a while. Take care all!

Book Reviews!

2009-04-28T18:46:00.001-04:00

Well, I've been busy busy! I have read a couple of books planned lots of programs for my library, played Mommy made lots of goodies, enjoyed Easter with my family, and now I'm cheating while I'm at work and updating my blog. I figure that since it's talking about work and books that it will be alright.

The first book I would like to tell you about is called The Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins. Wow, just wow this one makes you think, and be appreciative for what we have here in the United States. The language is beautiful and the story is heartbreaking. The Secret Keeper is about a family in India around 1970. The father of the family loses his job and goes to America to try to find another one and leaves behind his wife and two daughters. The younger of the two, Asha is a very strong willed girl. While their father is in America, Asha her sister Reet, and their mother go to live with their paternal grandmother, uncle and their family.

Immediately when they get to the house Asha is told she is too skinny, unattractive, boy-like, too dark skinned, and so on. Great for self-esteem right? This family is very traditional, the sisters can not leave the house without an escort, they may never be seen talking to boys, they may not play sports, they have to keep themselves covered at all times, and the worst thing is that they are no longer allowed to go to school because they can't afford it. Asha has a very hard time coping. She has always written in a journal and now it seems like her only respite from her overbearing family. She calls her journal her secret keeper, and secrets it does keep!

Reet receives a proposal and Asha is shocked to hear her that her Uncle is considering marrying her off! She comes up with a scheme to fix the problem but I'll make you read the book to find out what it is. Just when Asha thinks things can't get worse a telegram comes and unfortunately it's bad news. Asha's father has died in an accident. Now the three of them are alone with no way to make their own money and dependent on people who seem backwards and overbearing to Asha. Lots more goes on in this great book, including a forbidden romance, sneaking out of the house and an arranged marriage. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in women's studies, a great story, a historical novel, a coming of age book, well Anyone!

Aquarium visit!

2009-03-29T10:38:00.000-04:00

Hello everybody, last Thursday my DH, daughter and I went to the aquarium here in Chattanooga. It's a pretty nice aquarium, though I like Cincinnati better. They had some sharks, penguins, and a really nice butterfly garden. I think the butterflies were my favorite part. Munchkin had a great time, she was so excited she asked about it several times a day until we finally got to go. We went out for lunch first at TGIFriday's and then went to the aquarium. The line was pretty long so if you are local and you plan on going I'd advise you to use their buy tickets ahead option but you have to do it several days in advance. We got to pet sting rays and some kind of little sharks, munchkin loved that. In fact later on I had her up where she could see something and she kept trying to jump in the water. She got pretty mad at me when I made her get down. It was great fun and in all a very good day. We went to Ben and Jerry's after the aquarium and got some ice cream so we all enjoyed that to.

Books and stuff

2009-03-09T19:59:00.001-04:00

Hi, I've finished another great book, this one was called The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It was a futuristic book where the United States is no more but instead is this place called Panem. In this place there are 12 districts each responsible for something like agriculture, mining, explosives, etc.

It's not a very good place, people starve to death, get blown up in mines and oh this little game that the leaders put on each year to remind the downtrodden people that they can kill for no reason and will. Each year all children ages 12-18 are put into a pool and 1 boy and 1 girl are drawn from each district. Then they are put into an arena and have to kill each other to win the games. Gory huh! Anyway it ended up being a good book. It's also on the Best Books for Young Adults list and was a runner up for an award I think. It is a series and now there are lots of us at my library waiting on the edges of our seats on the sequel which isn't coming out till September! I haven't picked my next book but I'll let you know when I do! Hope everyone out there is doing well!

Hair Cut!

2009-02-19T21:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I got my hair chopped off today. Munchkin and I went to see my aunt and here are the results! I like it and hope I can pull off short hair :) I'll try to get some of the back later on.

Yoga Night

2009-02-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

Each Monday night I have a yoga class. This has only been going on a few weeks but my husband told munchkin where I was the first night I took the class and that started a bit of a tradition. Now I do yoga twice, once at the gym and once when I get home. I found a book at the library called Sleepy Little Yoga by Rebecca Whitford and Martina Selway. It's great and munchkin loves it. This past Monday I brought it home with me after Yoga and started reading it to her and she immediately started doing the poses. I was impressed, and wished I could be that flexible again! Anyway I'm putting up some pictures of us doing Yoga and her with her Yoga book. Enjoy! Oh and one more thing, the 'smile' on her face is her 'cheese' face. Now any time we ask her to smile she does that!

Pictures!

2009-02-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

Well as my first blog post said, I'm a mom and I thought I would post some pictures of my little munchkin. She's 2 and a half now and surprises us every day. This is about a month ago when we were getting ready to make some banana bread, which we need to do again. I have 6 bananas that are way past their prime and perfect for banana bread! We'll get to that in a little while.

Last weekend the family and I (munchkin, Big Munchkin and me) went to visit my mom and munchkin got to play with her very own bunny! Here is a picture of that. They are very cute together.

Time to go, little bit wants mommy snuggles. Take care and more to come!

Hello Out There!

2009-02-07T17:19:00.001-05:00

Hi and welcome to my brand new blog. I'm hoping to figure out this whole blogging thing and well this is my attempt. A little about me, I'm a teen librarian, a mom, and a wife, and an occasional gamer (shh don't tell anyone). I hope to use this thing to promote programs for my library, to talk about the great books I read and order for my library, and to share things with my friends and family in far off places. Right now I'm reading a book by Mitali Perkins called First Daughter: White House Rules. I've got lots of books on my to read list but this is the first since Mitali is coming to visit my library this June (woohoo!) You can see her website here: http://www.mitaliblog.com/ Reading Mitali's books made me want to create my own blog and see what all this is about. More to come soon! Right now I have to get to work.