Julie

I recently listened to two books (both downloaded from the download library, check out our website!) LITTLE BEE, written by Chris Cleave, and THE POSTMISTRESS, written by Sarah Blake. Both books were full of man's inhumanity to man. LITTLE BEE brought some of the tragedies that happen in Africa to light whereas THE POSTMISTRESS gave better insight into the Jewish plight during WWII. It makes one realize how strong the human spirit can be. I don't know if I can say that I enjoyed these books because some parts were hard to hear but I keep thinking about them and I would recommend reading them. Little Bee is a marvel. Her story ends and you can hear yourself saying, "Nooooooo.....". But her story will definitely stick with you and you will wonder how she kept going. The stories from the Jews in flight will break your heart also but you will be in awe at their strength, integrity and hope.

Julie
  I am currently reading a series by Kelley Armstrong.  It is called the Otherworld series.  There are witches, sorcerers, werewolves, vampires, demons, half demons, angels, necromancers, just about everything you could find in a fantasy world, these books have them!  They are good books and Ms Armstrong is a great writer.  I have also read a YA series of her's.  While waiting for some of my books to come through inter-library loan, I read the book, When Parents Text.  The book is based on a blog!  Very, very funny!!  I also read a Graphic Novel by Neil Gaimen, his Sandman series.  Also very good, but very dark.  If I was particpating in the Adult Summer Reading Program, I would get many tickets!!  But I work at the Library so I can only encourage you to come in and join the Summer Reading Fun!!

Book Reviews from Emma

Ever wondered where creativity comes from? Is it a spark or a slow burn? The product of a special type of mind or something that everyone can access? In his book, Creativity: How Creativity Works, New York Times bestselling author, Jonah Lehrer, attempts to answer these questions. He examines the lives of poets and artists, inventors and bartenders as he explains where creativity comes from and how it works, showing scientifically how we can make ourselves, our companies, our cities and even our culture more creative. If you enjoyed popular science books such as Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, then this could be a good book choice for you.

Many writers have mined the rich seam of exclusive school settings and experience as the backdrop to their novels, and The Year of the Gadfly by Jennifer Miller is no exception. The novel follows the lives of a new-to-town budding teen journalist who is dealing with a traumatic past experience and her enigmatic science teacher whose past is as equally murky. Both their lives are changed forever when they infiltrate a secret society that is threatening the stability of the school. Fans of The Secret History by Donna Tartt and The Lake of Secret Languages by Carol Goodman will like this book.

Not for the faint-hearted, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson will provide plenty of belly-laughs, if your stomach is strong enough. Famous for her blog, thebloggess.com, Lawson takes us through some of the events of her life which I guarantee will be unlike anything else you will read this year. Between a taxidermist father who has a penchant for bloody hand puppets, an anxiety disorder that makes her claim she was attacked by a serial killer at parties, and her long-suffering husband, Victor, this memoir has you laughing at things that you know you really shouldn’t be laughing at.

The New York Times Bestseller List June 17 and 24, 2012

June 17: fiction and nonfiction.

June 24: fiction and nonfiction.

The New York Times Bestseller List June 3 and 10, 2012

June 3: fiction and nonfiction.

June 10: fiction and nonfiction.

New Language Software!

Need something new to do this summer? How about learning a new language? Available now on the library website is Mango. Mango is free software that can help you learn a variety of languages, including Spanish, Japanese, Russian and many more. Follow the link on topshamlibrary.org to get started!