Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from all at TPL!

Happy Holidays!

Season's Greetings from the TPL staff!

The New York Times Bestseller List January, 1 2012

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 25, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 18, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Susan's current reads!

I just finished a book called, A Monster Calls: a novel by Patrick Ness inspired by Siobhan Dowd and illustrated by Jim Kay. It was suggested to me by Cyndi Burne, our Teen Librarian and Assistant Director. The book is in the Teen or Young Adult (YA) section of the library. It is a superb example of the power of storytelling-- at once, a story of one young man's attempt to deal with tragedy in his life and also an allegory about how the human spirit can overcome great pain and despair. Beautifully written and amazingly illustrated, A Monster Calls, is a modern classic in the tradition of all mythic tales which seek to shed light on the human condition--truly a perfect novel.

The Book Look Discussion Group at The Highlands just read and discussed Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Louis Zamperini, a young long distance runner is shot down with his crew in enemy waters in the South Pacific. After drifting for weeks, he is found and imprisoned as a POW in Japan. This is his story of how he coped, survived and triumphed through incredible adversity. Many of us felt new admiration for all veterans and ongoing sadness for the many valiant men and women who have sacrificed so much for their country in past generations and today.

The New York Times Bestseller List December 11, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

What are you reading?

What have you been reading recently? Let the TPL staff know using the comments feature below!

The New York Times Bestseller List December 4, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 27, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 20, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

Emma's Reads

Last Read:

In When She Woke, Hillary Jordan reimagines Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in a book that is reminiscent of dystopian novels such as A Handmaid’s Tale and 1984.  Hannah Payne (a near-future Hester Prynne) awakes a victim of melachroming, a technique in which lawbreakers’ skin is literally color-coded to their crime. Hannah’s is (of course) red and her crime is the illegal termination of her pregnancy and her refusal to name the father. As we follow the repercussions of Hannah’s choices and others’ reactions to her, we get a glimpse of a world that ours could become.  While not as strong as the novels which it clearly takes inspiration from, When She Woke is an interesting read and would appeal to readers of the dystopian genre. 

Currently Reading:

The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds among Brother and Sisters Reveal about Us by Jeffrey Kluger—Part reflection, part scientific research, The Sibling Effect explores the psychological effects our siblings have on us and how our families shape us.

The New York Times Bestseller List November 6, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 30, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

A Real Charmer

Linda:
I have just read a cozy mystery by Colin Cotterill called Killed at the Whim of a Hat. It is the first in a new series and promises to be a winner. In a similar style to the No. One Ladies Detective Agency, this book is full of local charm, humor, and culture. Ex crime reporter Jimm Juree, a twenty something woman in southern Thailand becomes embroiled in the rare killing of a Buddhist monk. She sees this murder as her way back into crime writing and resolves to find the real killer because the police do not seem inclined to examine the evidence. Feeling burdened by her forced move to the south, her aging mother, and an unwanted suitor, Jimm embarks on an adventure that may solve more than one crime.

Helen

I just finished reading "A Double Death on the Black Isle" by A.D. Scott. I really liked this book as it was a continuation of the same characters from the first novel "A Small Death in the Great Glen." They both take place in Scotland during the 1950's and of course there are murders to solve!

My next book to read is "Death in the City of Light" by David King, a true story of a serial killer during the Nazi occupation of Paris.

Julie

I am currently reading the last book in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, Shadowfever. The whole series is very good but the main character, Mac, is very conflicted about who she is or what she may be. If you like Faery fantasies, you will like this series.
My next book is Vision Impossible about a psychic detective. This is also part of a series and this is the fifth or sixth book. They are fun and decent mysteries.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 23, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

More Staff Reads!

Emma:

I’m currently reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It is an unusual story about the Circus of Dreams, a mysterious nocturnal spectacle that appears as if by magic. Behind the scenes, two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, are trained by their masters to compete against each other in a ‘game’ that only their masters know the repercussions of. Morgenstern is a Boston author and this is her debut novel. The whole book is very unique with a dream-like quality. I’m enjoying it very much so far.

Mariah:

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

The frontman of The Decemberists wrote a kids book! When Prue’s baby brother is kidnapped by a murder of crows, Prue must journey into the Impassable Wilderness on a rescue mission.

Linda:

Here's a review of one of my favorite reads this year:

Meet Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler and his whole family in a character driven mystery series written by British author Susan Hill. The first book is called The Various Haunts of Men. Ms. Hill is a writer in the same league with P.D. James or Elizabeth George and her exploration of human nature and complex issues is superb. This book is more than just a mystery, though the mystery itself is compelling. A middle age woman is missing but the police do not seem overly concerned. After all she has no ties that bind and could be off on a jaunt. Only Freya Graffam, the new transfer in from London, seems to be convinced there is a crime to pursue; until someone else turns up missing. Then the game is on. The suspense will keep you reading into the night and the ending will keep you up even later. I highly recommend this book, but it comes with a warning. It’s definitely not a cozy.

Cyndi:

Here is my list of recent, current and future books:

I recently read Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. An interesting Young Adult ghost story with a twist. This book bounced from funny to sad to horrifyingly gruesome!

I am currently reading Nightspell by Leah Cypess. I have just start but loved her previous book Mistwood. Both are fantasies with female lead characters that develop into their true selves as the story progresses.

On my bedside table I have:

Deanna Raybourn latest The Dark Enquiry. This is the fifth book in the Lady Julia Grey series.

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore. This book is a continuation from I am Number Four which has recently been made into a movie. The book is better!

Also on deck: Vanish: a firelight novel by Sophie Jordan.

Stay with me by Paul Griffin.

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson.

Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead.

So many books...so little time

What are you reading?

Here is what the staff of Topsham Public Library are reading at the moment. Leave a comment and tell us what you are reading!

Julie:

Last read: Julie Garwood's Ideal Man

Can FBI agent, Max Daniels, protect Dr. Ellie Sullivan from a past stalker and a killer who she could possibly identify all while attending her sister's wedding to Ellie's former fiancé?

Reading: Sue Ann Jaffarian's Baited Blood

Madison Rose works for a vampire council in CA and lives with two grandparent-ly vampires. Why is someone dumping dead undead in their pool?

Next Read: Karen Marie Moning's Bloodfever

Mary Ann:

I am reading Maine author Paul Doiron’s second book—Trespasser. Game Warden goes to investigate an auto/deer collision and only finds huge pool of blood.

Helen:

I am reading The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb which is historical fiction about Tom Dula who was hung for killing Laura Foster.

Lynne:

I just finished The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield. I loved it! It has great characters and is a story of an extended family in Arkansas in the 1950’s. A story of good and evil, love and faith, I highly recommend it! I am currently reading The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole. This is a follow-up to Poison. It takes place in Rome in the late 1400’s. The main character is a young girl who has “inherited” her father’s occupation as the court poisoner for the Borgia family. Rodrigo Borgia is now Pope. This story is full of deceit, danger and power struggles!! The next book that I’ll read is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This is a debut novel for the writer. The book received some very good reviews. It’s the story of a young woman who has gone through the foster care system. Using her love and incredible knowledge of flowers, she tries to help others change their lives while trying to overcome some of her past challenges in life.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 16, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 9, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List October 2, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List September 25, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List September 18, 2011

This week's best sellers: fiction and nonfiction.