Program Ends but Libraries Will Rock Forever

Final Book Reviews – August 25, 2018

Today we wrap up the 2018 Summer Reading program “Libraries Rock.”  We had 23 readers submit reviews for 157 books!  We had 39 individuals participate in the Adult Summer Reading program, many contributing to all three aspects of the program:  reading books and submitting reviews; attending a program or workshop; and participating in the creation of the mural.  This year’s mural, an interpretation of Roy Lichtenstein’s “Preparedness” which is in the collection at the Guggenheim, will be revealed today and will be hung in the Food For Thought Café sometime in the next two weeks.  This painting was chosen, not for the “Libraries Rock” theme, but rather in celebration of the Library’s Golden 50^th Anniversary.  The painting was created in 1968, when the South Brunswick Public Library was formed.  It was while the country was in the throes of the Vietnam War, a few months after the Tet Offensive in January 1968.  This quote by Jennifer Blessing, from the Guggenheim website (https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2496) may provide insight into the artist’s view at the time:

“Lichtenstein cultivated imagery from the history of art while continuing to use the conventions of comics and advertisements. In Preparedness (1968) he used the Benday-dot technique to make a wall-size painting (10 feet high by 18 feet wide) that suggests the work of Fernand Léger and the WPA artists of the 1930s, who painted monumental murals, readable at a distance, on themes of workers and everyday life. Lichtenstein followed this practice to an ironic and somewhat subversive end. Painted during a year when public opinion on the Vietnam War shifted dramatically, Lichtenstein’s massive depiction of machinery and soldiers probes the conventions of selling the promises of the military-industrial complex, while quietly alluding to the naive optimism underlying a call to arms.”

The residents of South Brunswick must have been happy to focus on something besides what was happening on the other side of the world for a change when they created this home for lifetime leaning.

These are the reviews submitted this week:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone (3¯) “Easy to empathize with the characters.”

Channel of Peace by Kevin Tuerff (5¯) “Amazing and absorbing.”

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan (3¯) “A noble quest, an ancient prophecy and a reluctant hero make for an adventure pitting good against evil where no one is as he/she seems.  In these lands of magic and mythical beings, sometimes friends are enemies and enemies are friends.”

Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind (4¯) “When centuries-old barriers between lands begin to fail, evil forces manipulate the peoples to turn against each other.  Wizards, dragons and magic abound as a small band of friends set out to save the world.”

Undercover by Danielle Steel (4¯) “Not a typical Danielle Steel book in that this one had a bit of a mystery to it.  Easy summer read.”

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin (5¯) “A really good book about an adopted daughter looking for her place in her adopted and biological families.  I like how it gave everyone’s perspective.”

These books were read but no review was submitted: 

Bone Box by Faye Kellerman (NR)

The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe (3¯)

The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey (NR)

We hope you have enjoyed participating in the Summer Reading and found these reviews helpful in finding good reads and in discovering new authors and genres.  Next year’s theme will be “A Universe of Stories,” about space, to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing. 

The themes used by SBPL are created by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP www.cslpreads.org/) used by participating libraries all around the country.  They create program manuals and hire the artist who will create the posters and other material used for the program.  The artist for the 2018 Libraries Rock artwork was Brian Pinkney and the 2019 artwork will be Leeza Hernandez.  This is some information about these illustrators:

From https://www.brianpinkney.net/main.html:  “Acclaimed artist Brian Pinkney is the illustrator of several highly-praised picture books including The Faithful Friend, In the Time of the Drums, and Duke Ellington.  He is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and holds a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Andrea, with whom he often collaborates, and his two children.”

“Brian has won numerous awards including two Caldecott Honors, four Coretta Scott King Honors and a Coretta Scott King Award, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. He has been exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, The Detroit Institute of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The School of Visual Arts, and The Society of Illustrators. “

From http://www.leezaworks.com/about.html:  “Leeza Hernandez, an award-winning illustrator and now children's book author, hails from the south of England, but has been living in New Jersey since 1999. She works as an art director at a local magazine and in her spare time, creatively noodles with new ideas for books in her art studio. She loves to experiment with printmaking, pen and ink, digital collage and painting.”

“Leeza's books include the latest in the “Homework” series: Eat Your U.S Hstory Homework (Charlesbridge), due out in the Fall, plus Dog Gone! and Cat Napped! (G.P. Putnam's Sons) and New York Times Betseller John Lithgow's Never Play Music Right Next To The Zoo (Simon&Schuster).” 

The Penultimate Reviews

The summer is winding down and so are the number of reviews submitted.  We only had sixteen books reviewed this week by five readers.  There is one title below that is a “classic” that is apparently still a good read, a book about the classic Fahrenheit 451, a retelling of a classic mythological tale, some classic reviews of a few romances (one reported as steamy) and there is also the first truly bad review of the summer.  I wonder if people just don’t finish the really bad ones and so they don’t submit a review.  Do you feel compelled to complete a book that you have started (like I seem to feel) or how bad does the book have to be to abandon it before you reach the end?  The books reviewed this week, in no particular order, were:

The Bridges of Madison County – Robert Waller (5¯) “A brief encounter between a world-travelling photographer and a rural farmer’s wife, whether by chance or destiny, profoundly impacts both their lives.  While a departure from my usual reading - no mystery, murder or forensics – I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this compelling novel.  Highly recommended.”  This is the 1992 bestseller that was made into a movie and a Tony Award winning musical.  If you didn’t read this when it was first published, read it now – or if you did, read it again.  It was not a bestseller for nothing!

A Body to Die For – Kate White (5¯) “A freelance crime reporter goes to a spa weekend for some much needed relaxation only to stumble upon a dead body.  As she investigates, to the annoyance of the police, she uncovers secrets someone wants to keep hidden and soon becomes a target.  Highly recommended.”

The Murderers – W.E.B. Griffin (3¯) “Murder, conspiracy, drugs and dirty cops abound in this police procedural.  Several seemingly unrelated story-lines converge as Philadelphia’s elite Special Operations Squad investigate to unravel these mysteries.”

Diet Land – Sarah Walker (5¯) “This book was a very visceral reading experience.  Despite the outlandish premise, the action [that] opens with Alicia “Plum” is highly empathetic.  The characters have such different goals and the way they play off each other makes this more of a social commentary and character study than the chick-lit inspired cover would suggest, which, in the end, is in keeping with the book’s themes.  There is some highly graphic content, though, so be forewarned.”

Clockwork Dynasty – Daniel Wilson (4¯) “This was a different take on robots and the question of sentient robots than any book I have read.  It switches between Russia, England, China and Oregon, of all places, but never loses it flow.  A wonderful historical sci-fi thriller with a bit of steampunk and a lot of magic.”

The Season - Sarah MacLean (5¯) “This is such a sweet, wonderful YA novel.  It was the first Regency novel I ever read and holds its charm even after eight years.  The story follows three girls and one boy in Regency England during the Napoleonic wars.  It has Egyptology, magic, intrigue, spies and a really cute romance tempered by wonderful friendship.”

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover – Sarah MacLean (5¯) “I decided to read this when I realized that the author of The Season (which I was rereading this week) also wrote adult romances.  It has a very determined bluestocking as the female protagonist and a casino owner who tries a bit too hard to be a cad or scoundrel as the male protagonist.  For a romance novel, there is much more focus given to world-building and characterization.  Also, it was really humorous and had me in stitches.” This is the second in the series “The Rules of Scoundrels.”

Circe – Madeline Miller (5¯) “One of the best books I have read this year, if not the best.  The prose is amazing and I had to pause while reading to take it in.  Each of the characters is nuanced and the descriptions are very evocative.  I am an absolute sucker for mythology retelling and this one was beautifully done.”

Dear Fahrenheit 451 – Annie Spence (5¯) “This is basically a very informal, very entertaining collection of book reviews interspersed with anecdotal commentary.  I found three new books to read and a lot of laughs.  Less ‘ha-ha’ funny and more ‘that is so on point it is priceless’ types of laughs, though.”

Assume the Worst – Carl Hiaasen (4¯) “This is a short, tongue-in-cheek, college commencement speech pastiche.”  The reviewer worried that the book was too small and short to “count” toward summer reading, but any reading counts particularly by popular authors!  Carl Hiaasen is known of his tongue-in-cheek humor.

 

Everything Everything – Nicola Yoon (3¯) “This is a very dramatic – life or death – story of first love.  It made for pleasant and interesting reading.  However, many details of the main character’s family situation and the background were glossed over.  The plot strained credibility in so many different ways and that detracted from the reading experience.”

My Old Faithful Stories – Yang Huang (2¯) “I did not like this book very much.” 

These books got star ratings but there was no written review given:  DC Comic: Bombshells #1 – Marguerite Bennett (5¯); Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death – Amy Chu (5¯); The Wife – Meg Wolitzer (4¯) and The Strawberry Hearts Diner – Carolyn Brown (3¯).

There is one more week in the 2018 Adult Summer Reading program “Libraries Rock.”  Get your reviews written!  Any reviews submitted this week into one of the collection boxes will be removed on Saturday, August 25 and then the boxes will be put away for the summer.  We hope you have enjoyed reading this summer – we have enjoyed reading your reviews!  The End-of-Summer Adult event (by invitation only) has been rescheduled to Saturday, August 25 at 2:30 in Meeting Room A/B.  An invitation will be sent to anyone who participated in reading, joined one of the summer reading programs or worked on the mural. 

There will be light refreshments, the unveiling of this summer’s mural, conversation about what we read and a few door prizes.  We can answer the question about whether you read to the end everything you start and discuss other topics about genres and writing styles.  Bring the names of your favorite authors and be prepared to explain why you like them. 

Next summer, the theme will be “A Universe of Stories” all about space!  Look for more information in the May/June 2019 Compass.  And don’t forget the Awesome Box in the lobby where you can return books that you thought were “awesome.”  They will be made available for others to read.

The Pace Picks up as We Near the End of the Summer

Sorry the reviews for the week ending on August 4 are late.  I was out of work for a week to attend a family funeral and I am only now getting caught up.  This week was our busiest week.  Fifteen reviewers read 38 books!  And again, they were all across the board in fiction genres and in non-fiction topics.  The reading choices of this community are as diverse as its population!

This week, there were two books that were read by more than one reader; both were murder mysteries:  The first was Say Nothing by Brad Parks.  Reader 1 gave it 5 stars but did not write a review – Reader 2 just said “very good.”  The other repeat was Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan.  Reader 1 gave it only 3 stars but the second reader gave it 5 stars and said, “A mystery novel set in 1930’s Boston.  The author manages to describe both the trials and struggles of the Depression as well as the glitz and glamour left over from the 1920’s flapper-era nightclubs.  The first half of the novel is a delightful character study and sets the scene for the mystery in the second half.”

Several other well received murder mysteries were reviewed this week:  Murder Must Advertise – Dorothy Sayers (5+¯) “Traditional who-done-it.  An aristocrat goes undercover at a British Advertising firm after the suspicious death of an employee.  Was it a disgruntled co-worker?  A jilted lover?  An angry relative?  A violent drug dealer?  The author keeps the reader in suspense throughout with plenty of clues and red herrings.  Highly recommended.”

Tombstone Courage – J. A. Jance (5¯) “The newly elected sheriff must hit the ground running.  When called out to a murder site on her first day, a skeleton is discovered beneath the body.  Now she must investigate two murders at the same location – decades apart.  The sheriff must delve into well—guarded family secrets to uncover the truth.  Highly recommended.”

The Escape – David Baldacci (5¯) “Love his work.  Always a good read.”

The Couple Next Door - Shari Lopez (NR) “Excellent cliffhanger.  Keeps you on the edge of your seat.”

After Anna – Lisa Scottoline (5¯) “Really good, fast paced book.  It was hard to put it down!” Amazon lists this book as a domestic thriller.  

There were a few more mystery thrillers that did not get as high a rating, but there is no way to know if their ratings are comparable. :

The President is Missing – James Patterson and Bill Clinton (4¯) “The ending seemed like a political speech.  I was disappointed in the beginning – Paterson usually grabs me right away.  I can read in a few days.”

The Ruin – Dervla McTiernan (4¯) – No review

Shadow Prey – John Sanford (3¯) “A series of murders are committed using a Native American ceremonial knife.  As the killer(s) strike throughout the country, the detectives must determine a pattern and discover whether these are random serial killers or a well-organized ‘Holy War’ for political reasons or revenge.”

Hummus and Homicide – Tina Kashian (3¯) “This was a light, fun cozy mystery.  I liked the family dynamics. (The protagonist is part of a close-knit Armenian-American family).  The action centers around the family-owned restaurant where someone died after sampling from the ‘hummus bar.’  The reveal of the murderer was hidden pretty well and kept me guessing. The protagonist has two suitors and that fun too.”

Also reviewed were general fiction, science fiction and fantasy books and a collection of short stories: 

Saving Grace – Jane Green (NR) “Very good.”

Love the One You’re With – Emily Griffin (5¯) “Light reading.  Good story line and not too predictable. It’s about how a family survives after the loos of a brother/friend but it is not sad.”

The Gift – Deb Stoner (NR) – “Very thrilling sci-fi mystery novel.  Main character is very relatable.”

Shadow Bound – Erin Kellison (NR) “Excellent science fiction novel.  Very compelling.”

The Oxford Inheritance – A.A. McDonald (4¯) “It starts off as a mystery set in Oxford, England, then careens full-tilt into contemporary fantasy.  It’s only okay, largely indistinguishable from a lot of other novels.”

The Serpent’s Shadow – Mercedes Lackey (3¯) “A fun fantasy read, though the casual racism and exotifying of Hinduism was a bit jarring and disrupted my immersement in the narrative.  Set in early 20^th century London, the highlight was definitely the banter between the ‘twins.’

Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe (4¯) “A peek into African tribal life.”

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet – Jamie Ford (4¯) “It’s a very touching book.”

Only one series of books was submitted this week – an unfinished trilogy titled “Southern Kingdom” by Drew Jones.  The reader said the first two installments, A Legend is Born and Queen’s Revenge, were “Excellent” and she is anxiously waiting for number three. 

Mr. Splitfoot –  Samantha Hunt (5¯) “This book is the essence of American Gothic literature encapsulated.  It had excellent writing, and while the plot had some unexpected twists, it was more rooted in evocative prose than lurid gimmicks.  The narrative is set largely in upstate New York and weaves between past and present well.”

Awayland – Ramona Ausubel (NR) “A collection of short stories set about the theme of ‘travel.’  My favorites were the ‘Animal Mummies,’ ‘Freshwater for the Sea’ and ‘Departure Lounge.’  ‘Template for a Proclamation to Save the Species’ was also quite funny, if overall tragic.  All the stories have a lingering melancholy to them.”

The next four books were either submitted without reviews or were only given a star-rating, but are by very familiar authors who are known to write great books.  .  The Beatle and Onyx and Crake, both by Margaret Attwood, The Suspect by James Patterson (5¯) and Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan (3¯), the author who will be featured at this year’s author dinner on September 8 at 6:00 p.m. in the library.  Tickets are on sale now at https://www.sbpl.info/about/foundation/tickets/

The following five books are by Arundhati Roy, an Indian writer whose first fiction novel, God of Small Things, won the Booker Prize in 1997.  Roy has written a number of books, including the four non-fiction titles reviewed here, about politics and the human condition.  Roy is the recipient of the 2002 Lannan Foundation Cultural Freedom Prize, the 2011 Norman Mailer Prize for Distinguished Writing, and the 2015 Ambedkar Sudar award.

God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy (5¯) “I have read this book many times before but I keep seeming to come back to it.  The lush descriptions of Kerala’s environment and the way the author plays with language set this book apart.  It empathetically details how trauma can affect people and their near and dear ones.”

 

Capitalism: A Ghost Story - Arundhati Roy (5¯) “This is a short, but very dense text.  It shows how Capitalism in its current iteration marginalizes large swathes of the population.”

Broken Republic - Arundhati Roy (5¯) “A collection of three essays exploring the failure of contemporary politics in providing for and protecting people displaced by infrastructure development.”

Field Notes on Democracy - Arundhati Roy (5¯) “This is another collection of essays that intersperses pieces about the rebel movements in Northern India with others that chronicle the efforts of the government to tamp down on free speech and land rights in the name of development.”

The Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire – Arundhati Roy (NR) “This text cross-examines the idea of ‘empire’ as demonstrated by the Bush administration and contemporary politicians in other countries.  She draws parallels with the rhetoric used by said politicians (which is seeing a current resurgence) and those used by empires read about in history books.”

Lastly, is the following small assortment of non-fiction titles that were reviewed this week:

Lucifer Effect – Philip Zimbardo (5¯) “This book was very disturbing in its exploration of the human capacity for evil.  Zimbardo details the Stanford Prison experiment he conducted, while providing the background for what inspired his research into the dark heart of human nature.  It has a hopeful chapter, though, where he puts froth his ideas about what heroism means in the face of evil.”

How to Break Up with Your Phone – Catherine Price (NR) “I liked the title of the book and that’s how I borrowed this one.  I liked the ‘you can personalize the plan’ the author had mentioned in pages 76 – 78.  I feel that everyone should read this book and try the plan.” J

Eat Fat, Get Thin – Mark Hyman (NR) – No review

What Would Dolly Do? – Lauren Marino (NR) about Dolly Parton.

Quite an interesting variety of books this week; surely there is something for everyone!

August 4, 2018 – The Battle of the Readers

This week we had twenty-four reviews submitted and the majority were from our two most prolific readers.  One submitted eight reviews and the other ten!  And surprisingly, they both read science fiction/fantasy series and graphic novels as well as other genres.

Two by bestselling author Janet Evanovich included Hardcore Twenty-four (NR) and Dangerous Minds (NR).  These were not reviewed but readers of this author don’t need reviews; they will read all of Evanovich’s books because they are consistently easy and enjoyable reads.

Another reader is revisiting her favorite classics.  This week she read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (5¯) and said, “I absolutely loved this book.  It has become one of my favorite of all times.  I never wanted it to end.  I cared about Francie so much and I loved reading about her growing up years.”  [Bloggers note: My favorite part of his book is always the interaction between Francie and the librarian.  Clearly an example of how not to do reader’s advisory!]  

The other classic this reviewer read this week is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (5¯).  She writes, “A classic and not just for kids.  Mark Twain’s humor is so wonderful.  And the creation of his charactersTom Sawyer (and Huck Finn) are delights.”

Our second most voracious reader submitted eight titles in a wide-range of genres this week:  One of the bestsellers from a popular author was Sweet Vengeance by Fern Michaels (4¯) “A woman spends ten years in prison after being wrongfully accused of murdering her husband and twin daughters.  Due to a recent ruling that allows for the re-opening of her case – a tantalizing offer of a retrial – she has a second chance to prove her innocence.  This fast-paced story covers approximately a week of time.  The reader gets caught up in wondering who really committed the crimes.  It appears that those who could have kept her out of prison the first time around “decided,” for a multitude of personal reasons, to not admit the evidence that could have shown her as innocent in the first place.” 

The other, a “beach read” for sure, was Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank (4¯) “A truly lovely story about two couples who become friends one summer while staying at the same beach resort.  This tale looks at long surviving relationships and how important it is to re-solidify ties to one another and to keep those relationships strong.  It is also a glimpse at dreams and the importance of family no matter how much time might have passed since seeing one another.  All in all, this quick and “no think” read is absolutely charming and a good summer read.” 

One of this reader’s reviews was about the graphic novel Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin (4¯).  She says, “Wires and Nerve is a graphic novel complimentary story to the series “The Lunar Chronicles.”  In this tale the reader follows Iko, the android, as she helps her friend Cinder round up some of the genetically manipulated human “wolfmen” on Earth and return them to Luna (the moon).  After getting to know little Iko a little from the series, it’s great that she gets a chance at her own spotlight in these books set post the events of Winter.  Of course, it is a blast to see all the other characters again, too.  Plus, one of the benefits of a graphic novel is that the reader has a chance to see how the author has pictured her characters from the past novels.”

For anyone who has not yet ready book one of the series young adult series “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas, this review of book two, Crown of Midnight may contain some spoilers (5¯) “Calaena Sardothein survived the trials of the last book [Throne of Glass] to become the King of Arderlan’s champion.  Now she has to figure out how to maintain her ethical self while at the same time doing the king’s bidding to eliminate his enemies.  Unfortunately, Calaena continues to suffer the loss of everyone she loves while trying to find her own bit of happiness.  The author weaves a splendid tale and drops a new task for Calaena to unravel.  Side characters receive time as well which enriched the tale.  At the end the reader received a big surprise, which serves to entice one to continue the story by picking up book 3 of the series Heir of Fire.”

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (5¯) “Told from the voice of Patroclus, this story reimagines the life and achievements of Achilles and other events of The Iliad.  Despite the fact that the reader knows the eventual outcome of the tale of Achilles, the author draws expertly on previous historical writings to compose a heartbreaking novel of friendship, relationships, and how every decision one makes determines the make-up and identity of an individual.  Truly, this is more of a fictionalized idea of Petroclus, a lesser known figure of the time of the Trojan War, and thus more of a glimpse of those who supported and surrounded the heroes of ancient times.  Hopefully, lovers of mythology and ancient Greece/Troy will appreciate this contribution to our literature.”

Also included was this review of the juvenile novel A World Without Princes, the second book in the “School of Good and Evil” series by Soman Chainani (5¯) “Just when Sophie and Agatha have returned home, thinking their wish has been granted and their fairy tale has come to “the end,” both girls find themselves back at the School for Good and Evil.  However, this time new wishes have altered the school into a school for girls and a school for boys.  Together, Sophie and Agatha have to face a new Dean, a change in their relationships towards their classmates, and have to make a decision if they really want to live in a world without princes.  The author does a wonderful job at confusing the reader to wonder who is evil and who is good, making one consider the depths of individuals and humanity.”

Book two of the eight book series: “The Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard was reviewed a few weeks ago by this reader.  There also may be some spoilers in this review of book three, Kings Cage (5¯) “During book 3 of the “Red Queen Saga,” Mare finds herself the prisoner of Maven.  For the first half of the story, Mare struggles to survive her circumstances.  Maven makes all sorts of deals with former enemies to become allies against his brother Cal and the Scarlet Guard.  All of a sudden, a new player, the territory of Montfort, becomes a major piece to this conflict, further complicating the tale, but giving new perspective on how a possible future for Mare and the rest of the citizens of Norta could look like.  It is beneficial to get chapters from characters other than Mare, as this “war” is being fought on so many fronts.  How will it end?”

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (5¯) is book one of a comic trilogy of the same name.  “Rachael agrees to accompany her boyfriend Nick to Singapore for summer vacation and to attend the wedding of his best friend.  Unfortunately, Nick fails to prepare Racheal for his big extended family as well as how wealthy they are.  Perhaps the best part of this novel is how the author changes to the individual stories of multiple people, rather than keep the focus solely on Racheal and Nick.  The reality that wealth does not equate to the level of happiness weaves its way throughout the tale.  The prose reads incredibly smoothly and for a book over 500 pages, the author really keeps the reader’s attention.  Glad this is the first of a trilogy.”

Our most voracious reader this week submitted the following ten reviews, the first six in the fantasy/horror genre:

Rupert Wong: Cannibal Chef is the first book in the “Gods and Monsters: Rupert Wong” series by Cassandra Khaw (5¯) “This was definitely one of the better works by the author.  Even the so-called monsters were nicely humanized but never lost that unsettling edge, thanks to the author’s very visceral descriptions - not for the faint of heart.  It made me laugh a lot, though the jokes tend to run the vein of demon unions and annoyingly clingy spirits.  I especially liked how the author included the stories from her childhood and her part of the world to build her supernatural alternate reality.  There are only so many vampires, werewolves and zombies that one can read about after all.”

Book two of the same series by Cassandra Khaw is Rupert Wong and the End of the Earth (5¯) “This is the second novel in the series and the one where Rupert’s position as objective narrator is made a bit more contentious.  His personal experiences and emotions are beginning to take a mental, as well as a physical toll.  On the bright side, there was more Bob.  The writing was as gory as ever but we also got to see more of the world, and we were introduced to a new pantheon.”

Hammers on Bone also by fantasy/horror writer Cassandra Khaw (4¯) is part of a “Persons non Grata” series.  “About a supernatural sleuth on a mission to track down a literal monster of a man.  Very gory, but manages to maneuver the fine line between visceral and straight-up “splatterpunk.”  The writing is well-done, though.” 

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (5¯) – “I give this book 5/5 for the conceit and execution alone.  It is about a doctor for supernatural beings called Greta.  In a very realistic turn of events, she is in her thirties, a bit stressed and genuinely loves her job even if it weighs on her.  There are also murders and cults.  I was particularly appreciative of her use for a 3-D printing machine since it parallels current research.”

This reviewer also read books one and two of a fantasy graphic novel series by Marjorie Liu called “Monstress”: Volume 1 - Awakening (5¯) and Volume 2: The Blood (5¯).

The following three reviews are for collections of short stories:

The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea by the North Korean writer who goes by the pseudonym Bandi (5¯) “A collection of short stories by a writer still in North Korea.  It is a poignant look at how totalitarianism burdens both the bodies and psyches of those living under it.  Each story follows a different individual.  The striking thing is how, no matter the gender, social, economic or familial status of each protagonist, they are troubled.  The stories are also very human.”  The reviewer goes on to say, ”at the close of the 2016 presidential election, a lot of people worried that we would be tossed into some 1984-esque dystopia.  For the people living in North Korea, that Orwellian state has been their reality for nearly the past forty years.”

The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield (4¯) “It is important to remember that these stories were written at the turn of the last century [1922]. They could read as taking place in a modern small town as much as one from a hundred years ago, which attests to their timelessness.  The writing is very simple and each story is brimming with description.”

State of Freedom – Neel Mulsherjee (4¯) “This was a collection of short stories detailing life in India for different types of Indians.  It was interesting how all the lives were linked and the stories overlapped.  I found the one about the Londoner especially funny.  The play on form was interesting.  The thing is, it is not so much a collection of short stories as a novel told through short stories.”

And finally for this reviewer, Give Me Your Hand by Edgar winning author Megan Abbott (5¯) “A very suspenseful story that satirizes the cutthroat competitiveness in scientific research and female friendships.  The best part was thinking you had gotten the plot twists, only for more to show up in every chapter.”

Another reader reviewed Weight Loss Free Style Cookbook by Bradley Branson (4¯) “I liked this book because this is a simple recipe book with easy to follow steps like I write in my cooking blog devakottaisamayalarai.blogspot.com.  I tried two recipes and it came out well: 1) Heavenly Avocado Toast Egg in a Hole and 2) Scrumptious French Onion Soup (without beef broth).”

The final reader submitted a review for one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors: One Summer, America 1927 by Bill Bryson (NR).  The reviewer writes, “Very informative book.  I am impressed with his knowledge of history and the very descriptive explanation of the people involved.”  I would add that I am always amazed at Bill Bryson’s ability to research a topic, compile the details and weave such a readable story.  It brings history alive.  I would love to watch how he does it.

There are just two more weeks in the summer reading “Library Rocks” program.  Anyone who has submitted a review is invited to the adult end-of-summer party on August 18 at 2:30.  Look for your invitation in your email if you have given me (or the library) your email address. 

We now have an Awesome Box in the lobby where you can return any book that you would describe as “Awesome” and there is a note to add where you can say why.  You can just say, “see my book review” and I will make sure the review you write for Summer Reading gets together with the book you return to the Awesome Box.  Thanks for sharing your opinions.

Halfway through the Adult Summer Reading Program - Libraries Rock!

This week we had 25 reviews from nine readers – nine more reviews than last week.  Looks like people are really getting into relaxing with a good book.  This week we had another marathon reader who polished off two series of books by one author and four more besides – twelve in total.    I envy her determination!  And surprisingly (sadly for her) she did not win the prize drawing even though half of the tickets were hers, so there’s hope for all readers to win a prize no matter how many reviews you submit.

A few titles came in only with ratings and no review.  They were Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews (5¯) and Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine by Marcia Lynn McClure (3¯).  Four titles were submitted without a review or a rating but these are newer titles by popular authors: Sundays at Tiffany by James Patterson with Gabrielle Charbonnet, Private Vegas by James Patterson with Maxine Paetro and The Pact by Jodie Piccoult.

This is what the other readers had to say about the books they read:

The Killing Edge – Heather Graham (4¯) – “The author successfully combines murder, mystery and romance with a religious cult, swimwear models and the occult thrown in for good measure.”

The English Girl – Daniel Silva (5¯) – “International spy thriller, [featuring Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon], set in Britain, Corsica, Israel and Russia, has many twists and turns that keep the reader engrossed throughout.  Highly recommended.”

Under Cover – Danielle Steele (NR) – “Great Book. Exciting and filled with action.”

The Morning They Came for Us – Janine DiGiovanni (5¯) – “Truly describes the struggles, challenges and loss people feel as they live in a war-torn country.  A book that involves emotion and gives readers a direct image on the conditions in Syria.  Very impactful and strong message for the need for peace, happiness and just a ‘normal’ day of life.”

Native Son – Richard Wright (4¯) - “Very powerful read about a young man who struggles to make a living in an oppressed world.  Feeling trapped by society’s expectations, family obligations and the stereotypical viewpoint of an African American, he sets out to be different.  The ending is sad but a close image to the reality of the time period.”

Pax Britannica – Jan Morris (4¯) – “This is a nonfiction text detailing the mentality and materiality of Victorian England in an era described as ‘Pax Britiannia.’  It is a bit dry, in terms of non-academic nonfiction, but highly informative.  Every sentence brings with it new revelation.”

Our most voracious reader this week polished off two series of books by the author Bec McMasters.  The first is a five book series called the “London Steampunk” series.  The second, by the same author, is titled “The Dark Arts Trilogy.”  According to Goodreads.com, there are some other books that fit into the first series.  One before the first book, a prequel, two after the first book and one after the third book.  I am not sure if they were written in sequence or the author just wanted to have more fun with the characters and the setting.  Warning, there may be some spoilers in the following reviews. 

Kiss of Steal (Book 1 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (2¯) – “This could have been better.  The characters, while not one-dimensional, come across as a bit flat.  I felt they were more exposition and description than expression or (meaningful) dialogue.  The setting was intriguing and the epidemiological component was fascinating.  I am excited to read more of the series and see how the overreaching plot develops.  I could see the plot twists a mile away, though, but it was exciting to read the chase nonetheless.”

Heart of Iron (Book 2 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This one was far better than the first in terms of character depiction and development.  Will and Lena’s motivations were much better written.  Also, the descriptions of the city and its transport system were particularly intriguing.  I would have a battle of the cars and platforms but, for now, shall settle with roof-top fights.”

My Lady Quicksilver (Book 3 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This author’s writing improves with every book in the series.  Jasper and Bose have wonderful chemistry along with their character development.  I love how the author seems to gain new skills with each book.  It is like both the world, the conspiracies and the characters became more intricate the further the narrative goes.  As always, the descriptions of the scenery, specifically, are constantly detailed and I found Rosalind’s care for her siblings (blood and adopted) very touching.  Ingrid is amazing.”

Forged By Desire (Book 4 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (4¯) – “This one was definitely the funniest so far.  I laughed multiple times while reading this.  Again, I could see the twist from a mile away, but I loved the banter and how the main pairing act as foils for each other, while all the protagonists have their foils.  This one was especially interesting since they both share the same occupation.  Perry was wonderful and her sentiments were reminiscent of those felt by women of many ages.  So it was rather sweet that things worked out for her.  I appreciate how the heroine had a panic disorder.  Such things are so rare in romance.”

Of Silk and Steam (Book 5 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (4¯) – “This series gets better and better.  I decided I would finish it in a week and here I am!  Leo and Mina had me in stitches. Especially because they are both such strong-willed stubborn idiots.  I did not see some of the twists, probably because I was either laughing or heavily invested in Mina’s wardrobe.  One can only wish for such fancy dresses.  Nonetheless, I liked how the roles were reversed with Mina being the one to be all broody and ‘reveal depths’ or whatever.  And the Zeppelins!  I love fictional aeronautics and the staple airship scene in this steampunk novel did not disappoint.”

Shadowbound (Book 1 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “I will probably be done with all of this author’s books by the end of this week.  The best thing about these are that the chapters would work excellently as a serialized publication, so I can get stuff done without completely losing track of the plot.  I like how lush the descriptions of magic are, and how the single mom thing was handled.  I wonder how being a doctor in this world would be considering how often they seem to hurt themselves.”

Hexbound (Book 2 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This one was a bit of a disappointment character-wise after all the other ones.  They felt one-dimensional and flat.  I felt like one was pure trauma and the other pure idealism.  The romance felt shoehorned into the plot instead of being seamless.  Although I like the chess metaphor, the novel felt rushed and rough.  The characters felt more like tropey-trite plot devices than anything else.”

Soulbound (Book 32 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (2¯) – “Verity is the soul of wit. (This is a cleaver pun.)  I found her antics amusing and it was nice that she was the racist thief and he the bookish prude (and he had good reason, but still).  I will probably crack up every time I see a billiards table, now.  She had me in stitches.  The plot thickened in this one and while the ending was a bit sad, I am at least glad my favorite characters all seem amicable at the least.  Also, the old woman is definitely MVP.  I love how the author included LG character and actually gives them relevance, capabilities and happy endings.”

Bygone Badass Broads – Mackenzi Lee (5¯) – “This book had lovely illustrations accompanied by fascinating mini-biographies of different historical women.  I appreciated how the author drew from across time and space and held to tell these stories.  It was also nice to learn about women not typically featured in such compendiums (there are only so many times one can read how Marie Curie died from radiation or Queen Elizabeth I’s presumed virginity), like Emily Warren Roebling (she built the Brooklyn Bridge) or Trung sisters (they freed Vietnam from the Han Dynasty.)”

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee (5¯) – “I rarely see novels that crack me up quite as much as this one did.  Monty is an absolute idiot and cad but somehow, I still end up rooting for him.  I appreciate that everyone who loves him calls him out for his idiocy and that he develops and grows as a character. Felicity was also fantastic.  I have a soft spot for stubborn, smart lady doctors in fiction and it was an absolute delight to watch her hold her own in the face of the comically absurd amount of tribulations the intrepid trio faced.  This book is wonderful, especially because it blends science fiction, adventure and romance.”

A Shiver of Blue – Everly Frost (4¯) – “Typical Gothic horror but for a young adult audience and set in rural America. Interestingly the isolation also serves to set the narrative out of time.  The effect is pretty disorienting and makes the story seem a bit like magical realism.  Not for hardcore Gothic romance fans but deeply satisfying for pure Gothic lovers.  It is heavily influenced by the American tradition, complete with mounted heads of deceased animals and ominous wooded cabins.  The twist is far from predictable and the confrontations were visceral and evocative.”

One Crazy Summer – Rita Williams-Garcia (3¯) – “It was interesting in the historical context of this story as it takes place in California in the summer of 1968 – a very turbulent time in our country’s history [and the year that South Brunswick Public library was founded].  It follows the journey/adventures of 3 young black girls who travel to California to spend time with their estranged mother who is involved with the Black Panthers.  The girls learn more about the causes of civil rights and social justice while also getting to know their mysterious mother.  It was an interesting story but, at times, a bit far-fetched, because the girls had to fend for themselves so much of the time.  By today’s standard, this would have been considered parental neglect.”

Clock Dance – Ann Tyler (4¯) – “The story was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the characters at the end, however, an afterward would have been appreciated because the last scene in the airport left you hanging.”  Maybe it was set up to be a serial – like a cliffhanger?

The Lido –Libby Page (5¯) – “What a lovely story.  Great characters and a hopeful message.”  Editors note: Nice to know…it seems that stories with hopeful messages are few and far between.

Happy Reading!  You have three more weeks to submit your reviews to be eligible to win the weekly prize drawing and to attend the end of summer party on August 18, when the program ends for this summer.