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February 2010 | |
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Throughout 2009, a group of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library employees read a number of Young Adult books. They chose Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan as the best Young Adult book published in 2009. Honor Books were: If I Stay by Gayle Forman, The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork, and Thirteenth Child by Patricia Wrede.. Beyond the Sidelines: True Stories from the World of Sports Sports have always been an important part of American culture. Often what happens beyond the sidelines, in the locker room, or even after an athlete’s career is over, can be more interesting and memorable than that game winning catch or unbelievable shot. Here are just a few books that examine sports and the athletes, both amateur and professional, outside of the game. Romantic Suspense Do you enjoy reading a fast-paced story about a strong heroine with elements of action, nail-biting suspense, and romance? The popularity of these novels has catapulted Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, Iris Johansen, Elizabeth Lowell and Sandra Brown onto the best seller lists. Check out our featured reviews and see why this genre has such a following.  
Here is an excerpt from WBTV Meteorologist Al Conklin's review of Killer Angels by Michael Shaara:
In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed of freedom and unity, the other of preserving a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into this pivotal battle. There were memories, promises and love. And far more than men fell on these beautiful, rolling Pennsylvania fields. Shattered futures, forgotten innocence and crippled beauty were also casualties of war. A terrible penalty to pay for pride and union. Shaara brings to life both the warriors and foot soldiers of the worst battle ever fought on North American soil, and does it with clarity and power. In a simple, yet convincing fashion, Shaara captures the essence of this great American struggle and makes the conflict all so real that even the novice civil war buff can relate and understand. Read it an you will find yourself drawn to Gettysburg – as I have been – many times over. Read more Celebrity Reviews
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Chris Grabenstein has an unlikely background as a successful mystery writer. Think clever, comedy. He had worked as an improvisational comedian and later as an advertising executive by writing commercials for years before moving permanently to write fiction. Success arrived with the creation of a New Jersey shore mystery series in the award-winning Tilt A Whirl and his follow-up Mad House which Kirkus named one of “Ten Best Mysteries of 2006.” His other work includes the “Chris Miller Holiday Thrillers” and his “rip-roaring ghost stories” for middle-school readers in The Crossroads and The Hanging Hill.
Read our Chris Grabenstein Interview “I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. It’s always been an escape for me, a place I could hide away from my troubles. One of the first books I remember truly loving was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I read it over and over. I remember sitting on my grandmother’s back porch wrapped in a blanket reading until the sun went down. I’m sure that worn out paperback is still in a box somewhere in her attic. My passion for books hasn’t diminished at all over the years. I read a lot and I read a lot of different types of books. I try and take care to choose titles that span a variety of genres. I do have favorites though! I love science fiction and fantasy. I also enjoy a good romance but usually prefer the young adult fiction romance titles. They seem to me to have more substance. Maybe it’s because I’m a young adult librarian! I have many favorite authors too. Angela Morrison, Stephenie Meyer, Claudia Grey, Nick Burd, Sarah Ockler, and Matthew Riley are only a few of my favorites. I give numerous verbal reviews to co-workers, friends and family. Anyone who knows me knows that when I like a book everyone is going to hear about it! Writing reviews is a great way for me to share how much I liked a book with people I don’t get the chance to talk to in person.” Read Book Reviews by our Featured Reviewer
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This month Reader’s Club honors Tiffany, a young adult librarian at University City Regional Library. She is an enthusiastic and voracious reader. Tiffany has reviewed several young adult novels for Reader’s Club. Here are her thoughts on reading and writing reviews:
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