Fiction

The Snow Child

Review written by: sue
4
What a magical book and one that was hard to put down. It takes place in the wilderness of Alaska in the 1920's and from the start the reader is lured into the unforgiving landscape that takes and gives back in equal measure. The story revolves around a couple who have come to Alaska to escape the pain of loss. As they struggle with the daily grind of making a life on their remote farm, we are introduced to a Russian fairy tale which weaves it's way throughout the book leaving the reader wondering if the book itself is more of a fairy tale. the main character of the snow child is as enchanting and magical as she is elusive. The descriptions of the wildness that was Alaska back then, the friendships and awakenings and character depictions all make the Snow Child an entrancing story. Amazon recently had it on their "best books of the month list".
By Author/Artist: Eowyn Ivey
Format: hardcover
ISBN: 9780316175678

Get Ready, Get Set, Write!

Have you ever considered writing a novel? Here's some motivation:  November is National Novel Writing Month!
 
The goal is to complete a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month.   The NaNoWriMo website offers guidance and motivation:  you can join online forums, track your progress, connect with local participants and glean tips on how to survive writing so much in so little time.  While you don't have to formally sign up, it is free and easy to do so.  

So, up for the challenge?  After years of making excuses, I will attempt to write about characters that keep nagging for my attention.  I hope some of you will join me!

Review: Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

High school sophomore Andrew Zansky can't have these things because he is fat.  At 307 pounds, he has to worry about whether he will fit into his desk, keep an eye out for the school bully who just wants to beat him up, and try not to eat in front of his mother who badgers him about his weight.

Even though Andy is very smart, has a great sense of humor and a good friend in model UN fanatic Eytan, he is still aware that in high school, as in the rest of his life, he just doesn't fit.

When Andy is unexectedly befriended by the popular school quarterback he finds himself trying out for the football team.  Suddenly he is in the popular crowd - he now can have friends who invite him to parties, students who wave to him in the halls and maybe even April, the girl of his dreams.

But will it last?

This book won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award for 2010.  Andy's self-deprecating humor and observations of his fellow students, as well as some very funny situations, can make you laugh out loud.  (see pages 49-52 where Andy gets tangled in the soccer net during gym class and has to be cut out of it)

But underlying it all is a feeling of poignancy because of  someone so likeable who is constantly feeling bad about himself because of the way he looks.  A good message that girls aren't the only ones who suffer from society's pressure to look a certain way.

If you like this book, try Chris Crutcher's Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes.

Place a hold on Food, girls, and other things I can't have

The Voyage Out

Review written by: Lo-Hua
4

Though not as memorable as Mrs. Dalloway, The Voyage Out still attests to Woolf's laudable pen, which flows simply and lightly, yet exudes acumen and verve. One might argue that The Voyage Out is a love story, for it describes the romantic relationship between two young people---mainly, that between Terrance and Rachel---but more so, the story offers an insightful case study of each lover's growth and development. At times, the individual analyses become so concentrated and sincere that the reader forgets a romantic relationship is taking place. Enwrapping Terrance and Rachel's love story is a ridicule of high-fashioned 19th century London society. Woolf notes the perfunctory, petty lives many of the story's characters lead, and has them present various theories on what genuine happiness may be. All in all, The Voyage Out is an artistic, commendable piece---maybe not Woolf's best work, but certainly worth a read.

By Author/Artist: Virginia Woolf
Format: Hardcover

Fahrenheit 451

Review written by: Shiwani
4

Fahrenheit 451 takes place in the future, where a "fireman", named Guy Montag, burns books for a living. One day, all of that changes when it occurs to him that maybe these books shouldn't be burned like the government says. What follows is Guy's chase around the city, as he tries to escape the government. I love science fiction, and even though this book is older than most I read, I enjoyed it. Ray Bradbury's predictions for the future are jarring, yet believable when you look at our life now. Children and adults alike will enjoy Fahrenheit 451.

By Author/Artist: Ray Bradbury
Format: Paperpack
ISBN: 0345342968

Boost Your Summertime Fun - Visit our July Displays

Come to the library and sharpen the joys of summer!

In July, our display spotlight is on "Beach Reads" -- books that are enthralling, mesmerizing, funny, moving, thrilling, cryptic, charming, riveting, jocular  ... well, you get the picture!

And, your "Road Trip" this summer gets the spotlight in another display.  You'll find more than you'll ever need to get the most fun out of your next jaunty excursion!

Dead Witch Walking

Review written by: Andrea Vandermeer
3

Dead Witch Walking is the first in the Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison. The story line moves very slowly for the first half of the book and I contemplated not finishing it. However I decided I should give it a chance and found out that the second half picked up quite a bit. There was a lot more action and I hope that the rest of the series is as action packed as the second half of Dead Witch Walking.

By Author/Artist: Kim Harrison
Format: Paperback book

Loon Lake

Review written by: Susan
2

Set in 1930's America, this is the story of a young drifter whose primary desire in life is to avoid the tedious and dull existence of his parents. One day, while Joe is running from a sickening experience at his latest job, he sees a private train carrying a wealthy group of people into the Adirondack woods; his obsession with finding the beautiful young woman on the train, leads him to the estate of a wealthy businessman, where his life becomes entangled with the tycoon, the woman, a poet, and a mobster. The book was written both in first and third person narratives, with periodic out-of time-sequence changes, and interspersed with poetry. Not only did the writing style make the story confusing, but the characters' overwhelming self-absorption made them rather unlikable. This is my first Doctorow novel, and I am not compelled to read another.

By Author/Artist: E.L. Doctorow
Format: paperback
ISBN: 0449216039

Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

There are three important things you need to know about Justin Cronin's new epic novel, The Passage.

First: You'll want to cancel any appointments, meetings, and commitments you had planned for this week.  Trust me, they are no longer important.  Once you start reading this book you won't be able to put it down.  Cronin does a masterful job of quickly building tension and then maintaining it over the entire span of the novel.  Reading The Passage feels like reading Stephen King at the height of his game (fellow lovers of The Stand, this book is for you!), which is probably why King wrote a rave review for the dust jacket.  Just like with King’s novels I was afraid to keep reading, lest one of my favorite characters get killed or infected with the terrifying virus that plagues Cronin’s tale.  But the story was so compelling that I was afraid to stop reading!  I had to know what happened next so I kept reading, and reading, long into the night.  Which brings us to the important question of sleep.  Sleep no longer matters. 

Nonresident fees for library cards have increased

To offset reductions to the library's budget, fees for nonresident library cards have increased, as of July 1, 2010. This first increase in seven years was approved by the East Lansing Library Board of Directors on April 21, 2010.

New annual rates are:

  • Individual card: $30 (from $20)
  • Family card: $40 (from $30)
  • 6-month individual card: $18 (from $12)

What's Next : a "best" site for series readers.

What's Next AdultWhat's the 5th book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson?  The author's first name is Marilyn and she writes a mystery series--who could she be?  Has James Lee Burke written more than the Dave Robicheaux series?

Staff Review: The Postmistress, by Sarah Blake

I kept reading good things about Sarah Blake's new novel, The Postmistress, but I thought, "not another book about World War II." Well, yes, it is another book about World War II, but a good one, told from yet another vantage point.

Staff Review: Honolulu by Alan Brennert

I recently finished a wonderful work of historical fiction called Honolulu by Alan Brennert, which is the absorbing tale of a young Korean mail order bride who arrives in Hawaii in 1914 in search of a better life. Her dreams, unfortunately, don't become reality, at least at first.

Staff Review: Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger

I rarely have "Oh my God!" moments when reading a book, but I did when I read Audrey Niffenegger's latest work Her Fearful Symmetry. You might recognize the author's last name because she penned the best-selling novel (and movie)

Book Talk coming up

One of the most popular novels of 2009, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, will be discussed at  Book Talk on Tuesday, January 26, from 7-8:30 pm.  The author, an acclamied short-story writer, has written his first novel - the story of Henry Lee, a recent widower, who relives his childhood in Seattle and his first love, Keiko, whose family ends up being relocated to a Japanese internment camp.

Guest speaker: Dr. Iwao Ishino will talk about his family's experiences in Japanese internment camps during WWII.

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