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Daisy Minor, small town librarian, wakes on her 34th birthday and has an epiphany – she’s boring. She lives with her widowed mother and aunt, wears uninspired clothes to work every day, and doesn’t have a boyfriend. All she wants is to get a life. With the help of some well-meaning friends (and some not so well-meaning ones) Daisy gets a makeover, a new home and a puppy. She also gets the attention of Police Chief Jack Russo. When Daisy witnesses a crime, she becomes the killer’s next target. While Jack tries to protect her and unravel the mystery, they explore their sizzling attraction. With just the right mixture of romance and suspense, Linda Howard serves up another entertaining read.

Reviewed by Julie B., ImaginOn

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Readers all over the world recognize Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes as literature’s foremost detective. Many modern readers, however, do not know that Doyle was something of a sleuth himself. The True Crime Files of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collects Doyle’s arguments and evidence in two British criminal cases. In the first case, a man is convicted of committing a bizarre series of animal mutilations. The second case involves a brutal murder and the theft of some valuable jewels. If these two cases were fictional they might be included among Sherlock Holmes’s greatest adventures and Doyle’s work in these real-life cases rivals the imaginary sleuthing of his greatest creation. Recommended for any fan of Sherlock Holmes or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Reviewed by William N., Morrison Regional

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What if it was 1985 and the world’s superstars were authors and fictional characters? And what if someone invented a machine allowing people to enter fictional works? The world’s most evil criminal, Acheron Hades, has entered the original manuscript of Jane Eyre, kidnapped and brought the title character to 1985 England, and is holding her for ransom. In this hilarious spoof of mystery and science fiction genres, Special Operative Thursday Next, a feisty female literary detective, must rescue Jane and prevent the re-writing of a beloved work of literature. Highly recommended for those Douglas Adams fans wondering what to read next.

Reviewed by Glenda B., University City Regional

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The Wind Done Gone, Alice Randall’s parody of the classic Gone With The Wind, stirred up quite a controversy prior to its release, the issue being whether or not Ms. Randall infringed on copyright laws. But Randall’s debut novel was released and was on The New York Times Best Sellers list for five weeks. In The Wind Done Gone, Cinnamon is the mixed blood child of the plantation owner (Planter) and the mammy of the plantation. Cinnamon is also the half sister to Planter's wife’s child, 'Other', who happens to be married to ‘R’. Cinnamon is tired of taking the backseat to ‘Other’. ‘Other’ was favored over Cinnamon by Cinnamon’s mother, but Cinnamon is favored over ‘Other’ by ‘R’. Using first person narrative to tell Cinnamon’s story, Randall offers up a dose of historical fiction, with the subject matter itself being quite controversial. Set in the South during the mid 1930’s, The Wind Done Gone is a quick read that gives readers further insight to plantation life and its many complexities.

Reviewed by Vickie C., West Boulevard Branch

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Henry is a reluctant time traveler. He disappears from present time and reappears in some other time. He usually goes into the past but occasionally moves ahead into the future. He has no control over when he will disappear and where he will go, but he always comes back. Clare is twenty and Henry is twenty-eight when Henry meets Clare for the first time. They quickly fall in love and are soon inseparable. This debut novel chronicles their love story as Henry slips back and forth through time and Clare waits behind. This is a very unusual book but one that will draw you in at the very beginning and tug at your heartstrings all the way through.

Reviewed by Karen K., Morrison Regional

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Reader's comments about this book

Don't expect a storybook happy ending, but do count on an entertaining, profound, and moving book requiring a large suspension of disbelief.
-Tom, University City Regional Library

It is hard to believe that this is a first novel for the author! The story is very intricate, but the reader is kept up to speed throughout. This is a romance for those who like romance but are tired of the common. It contains suspense and a little science fiction as well.
-Elaine, Charlotte, NC

This is not your "average" time travel novel. At its heart, this story will reach out to anyone who has confronted those things that seem beyond our control. Which is just about everyone.
-Nancy, Charlotte, NC

This book is fantastic. I was a bit sceptical at first as I had this image of a hard-to-read love story with time travel in between. How wrong was I? There's something for everyone here, Humour, Sci-Fi, Love, Tragedy, Suspense. The good thing about this book is that the story is solid and the characters are strong. A brilliant read.
-Karen, Dublin

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Azar Nafisi read and discussed literature as an act of resistance against the totalitarian regime in her country, Iran. She and the other members of her book group risked imprisonment and worse by reading forbidden works and discussing counter-revolutionary ideas. Reading Lolita in Tehran tells her personal story as an academic struggling to spark young minds, recounts the tumult of revolution and war, and provides fresh insight into works by Nabokov, Fitzgerald, James, and Austen. This book is worth reading even if you don’t know all the books she discusses or who’s who in recent Iranian history because it portrays memorably the oppression of women and their creative response.

Reviewed by Tom C., Main Library

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The Bookseller of Kabul is not so much about one man’s dedication to preserving Afghanistan’s literature and culture across political regimes, as it is about those orbiting Sultan Khan, book merchant and clan patriarch. Sultan’s whims are law. His motivations are not the well-being of relatives, but only furthering his empire. Brothers and sons work long days in his bookstalls, receiving only food and clothing. Women live only to serve, but even they have their own vicious pecking order. Unmarried women are the lowest slaves, while wives with sons are more highly esteemed. Told by Asne Seierstad, a Norwegian journalist who lived with this family in 2002, the reader can examine not only Islamic norms and customs, but also the ways of an ancient tribal society, lying in stark contrast to modern sensibilities.

Reviewed by Lydia T., Main Library

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Claire Asquith’s amazing Shadowplay: The Hidden Beliefs and Coded Politics of William Shakespeare reveals a Bard many never knew. Readers of Shakespeare have noted for centuries his lack of political dissent. Although studies have deciphered many of the political nuances of his historical plays, until Shadowplay there wasn’t one solid volume to help in sorting out the many clues Shakespeare left us. Asquith examines phrases and quotes from many plays to show us that there is a genuine critique of the political culture of Elizabethan England in Shakespeare’s work. Much of it was hidden to avoid persecution from both the throne and the Church. Shadowplay sorts it out and gives a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s political concerns. Fascinating and informative, Asquith’s text brings new life to Shakespeare’s.

Reviewed by Nathan C., Main Library

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Like an old family cookbook with great recipes, librarian, Nancy Pearl, has whipped up a desirable book to suggest book titles for any reader. More Book Lust is the follow-up to Book Lust, offering—as the subtitle says—“reading recommendations for every mood, moment, and reason.” Described more as a companion than a sequel to Book Lust, Pearl’s categories jump from “Girl Guides…” to “Dick Lit” (urban men), to “Space Opera” (science fiction loaded with drama) to “Poetry Pleasers.” Including book recommendations from fellow librarians and others, the book covers fiction and non-fiction with a long reach of stories in various geographical locations. Lively written, Pearl’s comprehensive compilation also quickly adds if Book Lust has a related entry. It is a joy for bibliophiles.

Reviewed by Lawrence T., South County Regional

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Most “chicklit” heroines turn to shoes or clothes for their shopping fix, but in this compact novel, Dora, a 30-something Californian named after Eudora Welty, finds her emotional outlet in books. She immerses herself in self-described reading binges to escape her real life, which includes an estranged husband, dwindling financial resources, a new love interest, and a pathological fear of driving on L.A. freeways. Dora eventually learns that although one of the pure pleasures of reading is to be able to enter someone else’s life and momentarily forget our own worries, it’s no substitute for the real thing. Literacy and Longing in L.A. is a quick, satisfying read – the perfect book for bibliophiles to bring along on holiday for the proverbial beach read.

Reviewed by Lesley W., South County Regional

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Dorcas, a librarian, couldn't be more unlike her fraternal twin sister, Abigail. Dorcas, thin and angular, with an austere personality and a sharp wit, has professed a life of celibacy, while her zaftig twin delights in all things sensual. Their dysfunctional social circle includes a genius poet and Conrad Lowe, a sociopath and hack writer. The novel opens with Dorcas facing an impending hurricane, cataloging books in her library, including one written by her sister, a true crime exposé that retraces Abigail's life. Dorcas offers up the real story behind the book's insipid prose, as we learn how Conrad infiltrates, and almost destroys, the lives of both sisters. Tragedy, comedy and a bit of calamitous weather all combine to make this offbeat book supremely satisfying.

Reviewed by Lesley W., South County Regional

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Irony operates on many levels in this harsh but beautiful memoir. The title, for example, refers both to Bechdel's father's funeral parlor and the never ending bitterness that flourishes in a household that includes a closeted gay father, a betrayed and worn-down mother, and a budding lesbian daughter. Humor and heartbreak play equal parts in Bechdel's longing for a meaningful relationship with her father. Interestingly, they come closest in their shared interest and discussions of James Joyce and, among others, F. Scott Fitzgerald. This element adds a cultural sophistication to the narrative that, along with her highly evocative artwork, places this book among the best of its kind -- a wonderful argument for the viability and value of the graphic literary form.

Reviewed by Jim B., Main Library

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Diane Setterfield has written a mesmerizing novel, both mysterious and inspirational. Narrated in a richly descriptive prose, bookish Margaret Lea writes a biography about England’s best-selling author, Veda Winter, while offering a glimpse into her own tormented life. After Margaret goes to live with Veda on the beautiful, but desolate Yorkshire estate, she gets a glimpse into the mystery of the Angelfield twins, as told by the enigmatic and famous author. Yet, what exactly is Veda hiding in her story of the bedeviled twins of Angelfield? Is she, herself, one of the twins? What is the secret of the family tragedy? Finally, what is Veda Winter’s untold Thirteenth Tale? Setterfield has written a brilliant story, compellingly told - a perfect page-turner for chilly winter nights.

Reviewed by Rosanne L., Matthews Branch

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Reader's comments about this book

This was one of the most enthralling books I have read in years. Anyone who loves the written word and books in general will find a special interest in this mesmerizing tale! It is one of the works I wish I could read again and again with new eyes.
-Courtney, Charlotte, NC

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There are things in life that each individual feels define who they are and who they want to be, people, places and things that draw us in and make us whole. For Bob Smith, it is and always will be the words of Shakespeare. From his troubled early childhood and his relationship with his mentally challenged sister, Caroline, to his role as Hamlet’s dresser at the American Shakespeare Theatre, Smith sees beauty in everything through the power of Shakespeare’s words. Told with honesty, candor and Shakespeare, Smith recreates his life in this wonderful work peppered with the best of the Bard.

Reviewed by Courtney A., South County Regional

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Upon finding a collection of Oscar Wilde’s writings in a Cambridge, England bookshop, Thomas Wright, only 16 at the time, became hooked. Wright decided that he could better understand the mind, life and personality of Wilde through reading all the works that was once contained in Wilde’s personal library. At one time, Wilde possessed approximately 2,000 books. Due to some of the many unfortunate circumstances of Wilde’s life, his library did not survive for very long. Wright’s ‘mission’ to read all Wilde’s favorite books takes him on a twenty year journey, establishing in Built of Books a new kind of biography -- intimate, personal and rewarding to all those who understand and appreciate the power of books. Oscar Wilde would be proud.

Reviewed by Kim W., University City Regional

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