The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

For Christina Rosati, the realities of World War II are distant until the ancient Etruscan burial site on her family’s villa in the Tuscan Hill country becomes of interest to the Germans. Once the villa has drawn the attention of the Nazis, more and more of the Rosati family freedoms and property are taken away.  Their villa is commandeered to house German officers, land mines are buried in the surrounding olive groves, and when the Allies arrive, the fleeing Germans bomb much of the villa.

For Serafina Bettini, the horrors of war are front and center. Orphaned by the war, she and her two brothers are part of the Italian resistance until both brothers are executed by the Nazis.  Serafina, only a teenager, finds a new family with a few of the other partisans. For the partisans there is very little shelter or food, but there is a strong bond among them as they defend their homeland.

Ten years after the Allies arrive, Christina and Serafina’s lives collide when Christina’s sister-in-law is murdered and Serafina is one of the lead investigators on the case.  Christina and Serafina are both trying to move forward from the devastation the war brought into their lives, but the murder forces them to relive those times. They find that even though their experiences and choices during the war are very different, they also share some similarities.

This is another new author for me and I wasn’t sure I’d like the way he alternates between two time periods. But once I started reading, I found that this style works well.  The Light in the Ruins is a good novel for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.  You’ll find yourself wondering what decisions you would have made in similar circumstances and whether you would have been able to move forward from such adverse situations.

~Vicki

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Spanish Blockbusters July 2013

Does your library have a large or growing population of Spanish-speaking patrons? If so, Brodart’s Spanish selection experts produce some great lists from which you can choose titles to stock on your shelves. One of our monthly lists is Blockbusters, which contains both translations of bestselling U.S. authors and the hottest native titles from Spanish-speaking countries. Below are just a few examples of July’s Blockbusters, so view the whole list here. 

El Negocio del Siglo 21 (Business of the 21^st Century)

by Robert T. Kiyosaki

From the bestselling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, this business book teaches readers how to utilize marketing practices to increase business revenue. Kiyosaki has been a proponent of entrepreneurship, business education, investing, and financial education being taught in schools around the world. His books, both under the Rich Dad brand and outside it, are typically written in anecdotal format, hoping to inspire readers down the road to financial success, not necessarily lay out a step-by-step plan for wealth. There is no English translation of this title. Learn more and order here.

Inquebrantable (Unbreakable) by Jenni Rivera

Rivera is best known as a singer-songwriter in the banda genre, a form of traditional regional Mexican music popular in Mexico and areas of the Southwestern United States. In her biography, she opens up about the demons and hardships that privately plagued her. She reveals the candid truth behind her divorce, challenges presented by her body image, domestic and sexual abuse, and the toll that raising five children and thriving in an industry dominated by men took on her. In December 2012, Rivera, along with six others, died in a plane crash near Iturbide, Nuevo León, Mexico. Learn more and order here.

El Cumpleanos Secreto (The Secret Keeper) by Kate Morton

Originally published in English in October 2012, The Secret Keeper is a spellbinding novel filled with mystery, thievery, murder, and enduring love. When Laurel, 16, went to her old treehouse during a boring farm party, she watched her mother, Dorothy, and a stranger commit a criminal act that has haunted Laurel to this day. Half a century later, Dorothy celebrates her 90th birthday as Laurel, now an actress, comes back to the London farm. Secrets will be revealed and preconceptions shattered before all is said and done. This novel was both a critical and commercial success in the U.S., and it’s now available for Spanish speakers to enjoy, as well. Learn more and order here.

The Last Whisper in the Dark by Tom Piccirilli

Not only are all the siblings in Terrier Rand’s family named after dogs, but the entire family is full of thieves and criminals, but Terrier is trying to turn his life around. He is investigating the disappearance of his old friend Chub after a heist that went wrong. Chub’s wife, Kimmy, is Terrier’s ex-girlfriend, whom he left during a very painful period in their relationship (which is never fully explained; I think the first novel had the story). Terrier is trying to right the wrong that he did her by finding her husband.

Chub was involved with some very bad people that Terrier runs into along the way. Determined to save his friend, Terrier throws caution to the wind and continues to investigate even though he gets beat up and almost killed.

The Last Whisper in the Dark is a follow up novel to Tom Piccirilli’s The Last Kind Words, which I did not read. I do feel as if I missed a lot of backstory in this one, so I would recommend reading the previous novel first.

I found the book started out a little bit slow, but started picking up by the middle and kept me curious enough to continue reading to the end. I was very upset the book ended so abruptly, though. It appears obvious there will be a follow up novel to this one, so at least I’ll be able to pick that one up and continue the story.

~Tina

Learn more and order here.

Finding Colin Firth by Mia March

Mia March is back with her sophomore novel, Finding Colin Firth.  We are back in Boothbay Harbor, Maine with the story of three women who are strangers, who all end up in Boothbay Harbor at a cross roads in their lives.

Bea Crane is a recent graduate who is cooking in a Boston diner when she receives a letter from her dead mother and finds out she was adopted. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. Veronica Russo has returned to Boothbay Harbor after many years away, having left after Bea’s birth, and is working in a local diner and selling special pies. She is trying to reconcile her past. How will she handle her now 22-year-old daughter appearing in Boothbay? Gemma Hendricks is heading to Boothbay for a childhood friends’ wedding and to reconnect with her old friend, June (one of the characters from Meryl Streep Movie Club). Just before she leaves New York City, she realizes she is pregnant and is trying to come to grips with her husband’s desire to become the perfect Stepford suburban family.

As we get to know these characters, there is a buzz in Boothbay Harbor because Colin Firth is coming to town to shoot a movie. Will they be able to get a glimpse of him? Will Gemma be able to get an interview that will resurrect her career?  Will Veronica and Bea be able to forge a bond after their years apart?

I have to admit that I am a bit of a bookaholic and Mia March’s Meryl Streep Book Club has been in my to-read pile, so picking up Finding Colin Firth was a no-brainer. This may be just March’s sophomore novel, but for those who love women’s fiction like me, she is soon to be a must-read author and will make her way to the top of your to-read pile.

Finding Colin Firth will be a great addition to your shelves, not only as a great summer read, but a great story of women who are finding their way in life with a little love, a little friendship, a little pie, and a little Colin Firth.

~Becky

Learn more and order here.

Unseen by Karin Slaughter

Unseen by Karin Slaughter is her eighth novel featuring detective Will Trent. In this installment, Will is posing as Bill Black, a violent ex-con.

Will’s undercover gig goes well (almost too well), as a drug dealer decides they need to become allies. But without Sara, the woman he loves, he finds himself being pulled by his past demons.

At the same time Will is dealing with this, Sara is dealing with her own case: her stepson Jared is brutally gunned down. Lena, his wife, sees it happen and goes a little crazy and kills one of the attackers. There are a lot of bad feelings between Lena and Sara already: Sara blames Lena for her husband, Jeffery’s, death, and this does nothing to fix that relationship.

The two cases start to come together, and as the plot careens toward the ending, everyone is shocked at the secrets that are being kept on all sides.

Unseen does refer to past story lines about the characters, but Slaughter gives enough backstory that it can be read as a standalone. I do recommend reading the previous novels, though, because they’re just as good as Unseen. There’s a reason she’s one of the best suspense writers out there.

~Tina

Learn more and order here.

Saving Thanehaven by Catherine Jinks

Some days I feel like there isn’t a unique idea left out there for authors to use. But then I pick up a book like Saving Thanehaven by Catherine Jinks and I’m reminded there are still plenty of stories to tell.

Noble is a knight battling his way across dangerous terrain with his sword, Smite. Smite is just as unfriendly as the land; whenever he gets hungry, he takes big bites out of Noble’s arm. Noble’s goal is to defeat Lord Harrowmage and rescue Princess Lorellina from the Fortress of Bone.

One day after a particular tough battle, Noble meets Rufus, an oddly dressed youth, who tells Noble he doesn’t need to fight. He suggests they go talk to Lord Harrowmage to negotiate a truce so the battle ends. He also convinces Noble to get rid of Smite, even though he worries he won’t be able to fight gargoyles along the way. Rufus reassures him, though, convincing him that he will be able to defeat any danger they come across.

Rufus, who is actually a piece of malware, explains to Noble that he is nothing more than the lead character in a first-person “shooter” game called “Thanehaven Slayer,” who is controlled by some distant player. Their adventure turns into a quest to free gaming subroutines everywhere. Joined by a growing retinue of fugitive characters, they jump from game to game with an efficient antivirus program in a white lab coat hot on their heels.

With the popularity of online gaming continuing to grow, I’m surprised this is the first time I’ve read a book that has given life to computer characters in this way. I loved the “personality” Jinks gave to Rufus, whose full name is Ruthlessrufus, a very fitting moniker. There can almost be a Toy Story comparison made—there are those who believe the characters in their games are real, just as there are those who believe their toys come to life when nobody is watching.

Written for ages ten to 14, Saving Thanehaven is a great book for those who enjoy playing computer games or reading adventure books. I recommend librarians add this title to their shelves.

~Brittany

Learn more and order here.

Picks for Public Libraries June 2013

Looking for high-quality nonfiction that review journals might otherwise overlook? Go no further than Brodart’s Picks for Public Libraries list, a collection of titles up to three months pre-pub of topics ranging from computer how-tos to relationship and family issues. Some of this month’s selections are below, but you can view the whole list here.

Vintage Beauty: Your Guide to Classic Hollywood Make-at-Home Beauty Treatments

by Daniela Turudich

The starlets of Hollywood’s Golden Age have become icons of glamour, and the beauty regime of those unforgettable leading ladies is explored and expanded in this unique guide to recapturing the look of a bygone era. Discussing fashion, beauty, and bath tips that were used and perfected by pioneers of style, the book will help modern women understand makeup and styling history as well as how to create the effect of Hollywood glamour themselves. Learn more about this title and order here.

Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers, 2nd Ed.

By Richard C. Frank

Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, a compassionate and knowledgeable physician explains what cancer is, which factors determine a patient’s prognosis, how cancer treatments work to eradicate cancer, why they sometimes fail, and what patients can do to optimize their own survival. The second edition of this essential resource for patients and their families discusses new treatment options that have become available, including targeted therapies, immune therapies, and personalized cancer medicine. Information on the types of medicines used to fight cancer has been completely updated and revised; also included is a new section on alternative cancer therapies. Learn more about this title and order here.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: The Real Language of the Modern American Military

by Alan Axelrod

Few areas of human endeavor have produced more—or more colorful—terms than has the military. Soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have over centuries come up with words, phrases, and acronyms to express everything from raw emotion to complex technology. The military is both a distinctive way of life and a community, and a command of its slang is essential to admission to full membership within the group. Most military slang is almost always familiar only to the troops. However, many elements of military vocabulary have become part of our national speech. The “real” language of the modern military set forth in this lively book embodies a uniquely American attitude and an exuberantly colloquial, unwaveringly honest, and enduringly American grace under pressure. Learn more about this title and order here.

 

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café by Mary Simses

If you are charmed by the simpler pleasures of life, you’ll be quickly drawn into this lovely debut by Mary Simses. A quiet tale emphasizing the importance of family and tradition, it is a stirring testimony to the power of love.

Ellen Branford, a corporate attorney from Manhattan, would never be the type of person to find anything to like in Beacon, Maine. Yet she discovers one delightful surprise after another when she sets out to grant the wish of her beloved late grandmother. With nothing more than a letter and an address of where to deliver it, Ellen soon finds herself captive in the small town after a series of mishaps extends her stay. After practically drowning in a local bay and then saved by handsome carpenter Roy Cummings, Ellen soon becomes entranced with the small town and its quirky attractions. When several attempts of delivering her letter fail, Ellen decides to slow down a bit and savor the quiet atmosphere of Beacon. Along the way, she meets several local people who knew her grandmother well and willingly share their loving memories with her.

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, devoted fiancé Hayden Croft is waiting in the wings for Ellen’s return as she is expected to accompany him to an awards dinner. A highly successful lawyer in the same firm as Ellen, Hayden is symbolic of everything Ellen holds dear, including the fast-paced life of big city living. When unexpected delays cause Ellen to miss the dinner, it forces her to step back and think about what she really wants out of life. Surely she loves Hayden, so why does she keep thinking about Roy? The fact that he and Ellen keep bumping into each other in the small town has to be more than a coincidence. Ellen tries to shake away her new-found feelings for Roy because she doesn’t want to hurt Hayden, but soon finds out that sometimes your heart and your head have different agendas. Filled with doubt about her future, Ellen does some much-needed soul-searching and finally realizes the answers to her future are found in the most unexpected places.

A funny, touching, and captivating story, The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café is sure to warm the hearts of audiences everywhere. This book will no doubt have many readers adding this new favorite author to their bookshelf.

~Susan

Learn more and order here.

Drift by Jon McGoran

Set in Pennsylvania, loner Detective Doyle Carrick has to return to his parent’s rural home due to their untimely death and a 20 day suspension from the police department. Upon his arrival, he meets his new neighbor, Nora, and is shocked to find out just how much he’s attracted to her. After settling back into his childhood home, he discovers quite a bit has changed in his little farmland community. Organic farms are all the rage, all his neighbors either seem to be disappearing or selling off their farmland to large development companies, and big city drug dealers start to turn up in town.

Even though his friends from the force have told him more than once to stay out of it, he just can’t seem to, especially after Nora starts to receives threats about selling off her land. Her crops seem to be coming down with an unidentified fungus and the local hospital seems to be seeing more and more overdosing cases. When Nora and Doyle’s mutual friend Moose overdoses and swears all he had the night before was an organic wine, the locals all call squish.

What Doyle first believes to be a large drug trafficking ring taking place in town turns out to be much, much more. Right up to the end, Drift really keeps you guessing.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The subject matter for this mystery thriller gives it a unique twist and certainly makes  even the reader think about the what if’s. Topics we hear about and see every day are given a fresh look from this angle. The ending had a few unrealistic aspects, but Drift is still definitely worth the read. I would recommend this book for all mystery and thriller fans. I am anxious to see what Jon McGoran comes up with next.

~Jennifer

Learn more and order here.

The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane by Kelly Harms

It’s the perfect time of year to bust out the tanning lotion, beach umbrella, swimsuit, and oh, yeah, the ultimate beach read! Luckily for us, The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane fits that bill perfectly. A charming and hilarious debut novel with a quirky yet lovable cast of characters is just the ticket to the start of everyone’s favorite reading season.

Meet the two Janine Browns who reside in Cedar Falls, Iowa. One of them just won the home of her dreams in Christmas Cove, Maine, but when they both show up to claim the prize there can only be one winner, right? From there begins a clever and wacky story of mistaken identity between two totally different women: Janine Brown, a mousy introvert who spends most days happily hiding in her kitchen (and who can’t believe her crazy Aunt Midge entered her name in the contest behind her back) and across town, Nean Brown who usually has nothing but hard luck and hard times and just knows it is her true destiny to deserve something better.

When both women end up meeting in the oddest of circumstances, it is one crazy adventure after another. First, they must clear up who actually did win the house. Neither one wants to budge, but when the crew from the Free House Sweepstakes shows up and proves Janine is the winner, Nean comes up with an ingenious plan to extend her stay. Aunt Midge seals the deal by discovering Nean’s cover-up and practically blackmails Nean into becoming Janine’s BFF.

Not too long afterward comes the shy but ruggedly handsome Noah, who arrives just in time to clear up the initial confusion about the owner of the house and Janine’s stolen U-Haul, and the devilishly handsome J.J., who saves Nean from drowning and then conveniently turns out to be the hunky landscaper hired to maintain the girls’ mansion. Both men have secrets of their own and it’s up to the girls to figure out what makes these guys tick and eventually claim them for their own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming story with its true-to-life characters and snappy dialogue. As with the ending of summer, to reach the last page is bittersweet and I guarantee you’ll miss this crazy bunch from Christmas Cove long after you close the cover. This story will make for some great book club discussions as well as a perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon poolside. Grab a copy, a comfortable lawn chair, and enjoy!

~Susan

Learn more and order here.