Good Reads & Views

You Were Always Mom’s Favorite by Deborah Tannen
306.8754 TAN

In this book, Deborah Tannen explains the relationships and bonds of sisterhood.  She has conversations with real life sisters and draws information from these conversations.  She explains about her own childhood, growing up with two sisters, and the relationships and discussions they had when they were younger and also the relationships and discussions they have at this point in their lives.  She recalls being mistaken for her sister almost every day growing up.  She offers advice and information on both the good and frustrating aspects of growing up with sisters.

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews
FIC Andrews, Mary Kay

Keeley Rae Murdock is one day away from the wedding of her dreams.  But while at her rehearsal dinner she finds her fiancé and maid of honor together in a compromising position.  Just as she is putting the finishing touches on her “hissy fit”, she notices that a man in a yellow Cadillac is watching her. It turns out that this is Will Mahoney.  He is the young man who has just purchased the Loving Cup Bra Factory and one of the oldest plantations in Madison, Georgia. It turns out that Will has a fortune to spend and needs an interior decorator to turn his house into a home that his soon to be girlfriend will love. Keeley just happens to be that interior decorator.  While working for Will, Keeley learns a lot about herself, her parents, and a really big secret that some people have been keeping from her for a long time.

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
FIC Macomber

When Lydia, a cancer survivor, opens a yarn shop in Seattle, the three women in her introductory knitting class seem to have nothing in common. As the classes continue, however, they support each other as Alix deals with the emotional consequences of her troubled past, Carol hopes fervently for a baby, Jacqueline faces the truth about her marriage, and Lydia tackles her fears for the future.

The Giver by Lois Lowry
PBK Lowry; LT FIC Lowry; CD BOOK Lowry;  YA CD BOOK Lowry; J AWARD SHELF Lowry; J PBK AWARD SHELF Lowry; J CD AUDIOBOOK Lowry; J BK CASS LOWRY/AWARD SHELF

This Newbery Medal-winning novel initially appears to depict an ideal futuristic society. Twelve-year-old Jonas receives his life’s assignment as the Receiver of Memory. His daily meetings with the Giver, who conveys memories of life before the establishment of their regimented society, gradually lead Jonas to question their way of life. The One Book, One Batavia selection in 2006.

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
FIC Meltzer, Brad

A thriller custom-made for the bookish. Beecher, an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., is about to become embroiled in some dangerous business. When Clementine, an old flame, visits to research the identity of her father, she and Beecher discover the shocking truth about her family. Meanwhile, Beecher accidentally discovers an old book that contains a secret code in invisible ink, which brings him into contact with the Culper Ring, a secret network that is actively working within the National Archives and throughout the capital, to help protect the presidency. Beecher’s discovery puts him in danger, as he learns secrets nobody outside the Culper Ring is meant to know. A great book for adult fans of the National Treasure movies.   

 

Adult Fiction, Thrillers, Reviewed by SC

Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason
FIC Arnaldur, Indridason

A young woman commits suicide at the holiday cottage on the shores of the same lake where 30 years earlier her father had drowned. Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson becomes skeptical when a friend, convinced that the woman would not have killed herself, comes to see him. The death is officially a suicide but he is driven to continue a private investigation. He visits friends, relatives and acquaintances of the woman until he uncovers an ingenious and sinister plot surrounding the death. At the same time he renews his effort to find what happened to two young people who disappeared decades ago. The many strands of these investigations force Erlendur to confront the ghosts from his own past involving the death of his younger brother. A quiet mystery and haunting story.

Agent X by Noah Boyd
FIC Boyd, Noah

When FBI Agent Kate Bannon allegedly tries to commit suicide her Director feels there’s more to it than the obvious. He enlists the help of Steve Vail (the outcast agent first introduced in The Bricklayer) to find out who is after Kate and why. Vail is led to an officer at the Russian embassy who claims he can supply a list of Americans giving information to the Russians including someone very high up in the U.S. intelligence community. When the officer disappears, Steve and Kate must find him or his list. One clue leads to another and another puzzle to solve and each is fraught with danger.  Fast paced with intricate plot twists that will keep you guessing to the end.

The Money Class by Suze Orman
332.024 ORM

Suze Orman’s master class on personal finance informs the reader that the American Dream is kaput and will need to be replaced by the 'New' American Dream. Living within your means, preferably even below your means, is the new plan. Spending just to spend does not make you happy, saving money and investing wisely will make you happy. Delivering a bracing dose of reality with her no-nonsense approach to personal finance, Suze Orman delivers another winner.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
FIC Petterson, Per

This award winning novel, beautifully written, tells the story of retired widower Trond who moves to a lone cabin in rural Norway. There, he ends up confronting  memories of his younger years, especially the summer he spent with his often absent father in 1948. A poignant coming-of-age story coupled with the attempts of an old man to make sense out of his life, this novel may not appeal to those who look for a climactic finish or a lot of action; if you don’t mind a fragmentary approach, however, and enjoy a well-told story, give this one a try.

Role models by John Waters
791.430233 WAT 

Outrageous and campy John Waters is known for his early cult films, as well as more “mainstream” hits such as Serial Mom and Hairspray. From the outlandish fashions of Rei Kawakubo to Little Richard’s pompadour to the incomparable cool of Johnny Mathis, Waters shares a bit of himself through those who most influenced him. Waters finds his role models not only in the famous, but among the less well known (Leslie Van Houten, the longest-imprisoned Charles Manson follower) and the unusual (crude Baltimore bar owner Esther Martin). Oh, and John Waters admits to being a bookworm: "I've jitterbugged with Richard Serra, eaten Thanksgiving dinner with Lana Turner, had tea with Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, gone out drinking with Clint Eastwood, and spent several New Year's Eve parties in Valentino's chalet in Gstaad, but what I like best is staying home and reading."