Saturday, August 31, 2013

Customer Review - Emma (on DVD)

Emma
directed by Douglas McGrath [DVD Emma]

It was a very good movie! I think that it showed the time period very well! Overall very good! -- review submitted by Ellie R. -  a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Nebraska's Post Office Murals

Nebraska's Post Office Murals
by L. Robert Puschendorf [751.72 Pus]

This book, published by the Nebraska State Historical Society, provides information about 14 murals found in post offices around the state. The murals came out of one of the programs of The New Deal. Very interesting and informative! -- recommended by Meredith M. - curator of the Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors

[ official Nebraska's Post Office Murals web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Customer Review - The Face on the Milk Carton

The Face on the Milk Carton
by Caroline B. Cooney [j Cooney]

Kept me very interested throughout the whole book! Such a good pageturner! I loved it!!! -- review submitted by Ellie R. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.
Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories
by Ian Fleming [Compact Disc Fleming]

This is a collection of nine short stories by Ian Fleming. There is a good variety of story lines in this set, featuring the iconic James Bond. Some are told in the present, some as a conversation looking back at a story in the past, and some as a mix. The settings also vary greatly, including London, Paris, the tropics, and the sea. All the stories are full of excitement and would appeal to readers who enjoy a mix of adventure, travel, war and spy stories. The library only has this on book on CD, but don't let this disappoint you. Because of the high quality narration and the page turning plots, you won't want to turn it off. -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library

[ official Ian Fleming estate web site ]


If you like this, you may also wish to check out our James Bond booklist -- The Name is Bond...James Bond

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Foal Play

Foal Play
by Kathryn O'Sullivan

This funny cozy is perfect for a lazy afternoon. Fire Chief Colleen McCabe doesn't plan on getting involved in a murder investigation. It just happens after the body of Myrtle Crepe, a cranky retired school teacher who fiercely protects the wild horses roaming the area, is found in her burned out home. Things spin out Colleen's control and she ends up investigating three murders – much to the annoyance of Sheriff Bill Dorman. O'Sullivan paints great word pictures of the Outer Banks in this award winning debut novel. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Donna Andrews and Ellery Adams.]

[ official Foal Play and official Kathryn O'Sullivan web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Customer Review - Walk Two Moons

Walk Two Moons
by Sharon Creech [j Creech]

This has to be the best book I've ever read . It had a healthy dose of romance, adventure , and mystery. I love all the characters and twists. I recommend this book to everybody with a good heart. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Davidsbunderlantze

Davidsbunderlantze
by Robert Schumann [downloadable resource]

Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6, is a collection of pieces written for solo piano. The actual title refers to a philosophical "League of David" Music Society in which they defend contemporary music against its detractors or "Philistines." It's two primary member's consist of Robert Schumann's two alter-egos: the passionate "Florestan" and introverted "Eusebius." Each one of the pieces is initialed at the end by its author: F or E, (keeping in mind that Robert Schumann composed the entire set). The set lasts about 30 minutes, depending on if the artist takes the repeats. Every single one of these pieces is a gem, but I particularly like "Zart und singend," and "Frisch." The Stephen Hough recording is one of my favorites, and keep in mind this piece is ONLY accessible through our online database. There is no CD of the piece in our system. This is one of the epic pieces of the Romantic Era, and I encourage you to explore other pieces from our music databases! -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Smithsonian Global Sound database, Jazz Music Library database, other pieces accessible through Classical Music Online.]

[ Robert Schumann Wikipedia page ]


Have you heard or downloaded this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Shadows of the Workhouse

Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse
by Jennifer Worth

Based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, this compelling PBS TV series is now being published in print form. I found the stories flesh out shows that I have seen very well. the writing is excellent and draws the reader into the world of the slums of mid-twentieth century England. -- recommended by Kim J. - Bennett Martin Public Library [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Call the Midwife, the BBC series on DVD.]

[ Wikipedia page for the late Jennifer Worth ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Customer Review - Have a Hot Time, Hades!

Have a Hot Time, Hades!
by Kate McMullen [juvenile book]

It was very well written. A great introduction of greek mythology for kids. Kids will have lots of fun reading it and getting the whole story and picture, while being taught classic and enjoyable tales. -- review submitted by Jocelyn M. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

[ Not currently owned by the Lincoln City Libraries ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Pirate's Wish

The Pirate's Wish
by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Picking up where The Assassin's Curse left off, Ananna and Naji are still stranded on a magical island. When they are rescued their quest to break Naji's curse (Naji has to protect Ananna at all costs) resumes. The romance between the main characters also intensifies. Clarke's writing has definately improved since her first book and is highly entertaining. She has expanded on her somewhat limited world building from The Assassin's Curse, as well as included much more history on the characters. My only complaints are the love hate relationship Ananna has with Naji as well as the very convenient way they seem to get out of their problems. Other than that a very enjoyable YA read. -- recommended by Wyatt P. - Gere Branch Library

[ official Pirate's Wish page on the official Cassandra Rose Clarke web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Customer Review - Wuthering High

Wuthering High
by Cara Lockwood [YA PB]

I liked it. It was good but a bit weird and strangely addicting, and also funny when Dracula showed up. I do recomend it though. -- review submitted by Teresa G. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Cold Room

The Cold Room
by J.T. Ellison

This police procedural involves Nashville police detective Taylor Jackson, her fiancé Dr. John Baldwin, an FBI profiler and a New Scotland Yard inspector. The murders are brutal. Afterwards, the killer stages the victims to look like famous works of art. Inspector James "Memphis" Highsmythe flies from London at Baldwin's request to help with the investigation because the same murderer appears to have killed in Great Britain. His instant infatuation with Taylor (she resembles his dead wife) is creepy. Jackson struggles with her demotion within the Nashville Police Department. She misses leading her own team of investigators and she locks horns with her new lieutenant. To add to the stress in Taylor's life is The Pretender, a serial killer who stalking Taylor. He called Taylor to let her know that he was not involved in these murders and that he is still out there and watching. This is fourth book in this series. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Alex Kava and Lisa Gardner.]

[ official J.T. Ellison web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

The 2nd Law


The 2nd Law
by Muse [Compact Disc 781.66 Mus]

The 2nd Law was released in October 2012, and the second track "Madness" has been played on the radio consistently ever since. The rest of the album is good, but not nearly as great. The very first track actually quotes a theme from Led Zeppelin's Kashmir, and some of the other songs on the CD sound awfully similar to other bands like U2 and Coldplay. Muse themselves claims influences from Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Skrillex, Queen, and Stevie Wonder. The album makes great use of mixed meter (One of the pieces is in 5/4) and its use of mixed modes (a variant type of scale). "Madness" was on the top of the Billboard Alternative chart for 19 weeks, and was nominated for a Grammy for "Best Rock Song," it clearly dominates the rest of the album. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Muse - Absolution; Muse - The Resistance; The Origin of Symmetry; Black Holes and Revelations.] -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Muse web site ]


 Have you heard this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Customer Review - Queenie Peavy

Queenie Peavy
by Robert Burch [j Burch]

When we first meet Queenie Peavy, we learn that she's the only girl in Cotton Junction who could chew and spit tobacco. That however isn't what lands Queenie in the principal's office in the first chapter. Rather, her action of throwing rocks at the boiler room door does. If you expect Queenie to feel fear or remorse at being in trouble, she acts just the opposite. She boasts of her deadly aim. And when Mr. Handley recites a long list of misdemeanors, Queenie simply informs him that he's left out a few. Until she's told that the judge wants to see her, nothing fazes Queenie. Yet deep inside exists another side to Queenie, one that is sorry that Queenie told the principal that she didn't care what happened to her. The problem is that Queenie has said "I don't care" for so long that now sometimes she actually believed it. We soon learn other harsh realities about Queenie, such as that she doesn't seem to feel bad for throwing rocks at kids who tease her or killing a squirrel for food. Life might have continued like this for Queenie if not for two incidents. One happens when she hurts a student in an act of revenge. The other happens when she's accused of breaking the window in the church bell tower. Both of these land her one step closer to jail or towards following in her other's footsteps, which Queenie initially thinks just might be fine by her. Except then her dad is released from jail, allowing Queenie to see an unexpected side to her dad. Then Queenie faces choices about who she will become. In Queenie Peavy, Robert Burch has created a troublemaker whom we grow to love despite Queenie's penchant for making bad choices. -- review submitted by Allison H.-F. - a customer of the Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Customer Review - The Lying Game

The Lying Game
by Sara Shepard [YA Shepard]

GREAT BOOK!! Kept me guessing the whole time, such a page turner!!! I would DEFINITELY recommend this book and book series to anyone and everyone! -- review submitted by Ellie R. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Customer Review - The Boy Who Grew Flowers

The Boy Who Grew Flowers
by Jen Wojtowicz [jP Wojtowicz]

This was a charming little book about a boy who lived up in the mountains with his odd family. I say odd because his uncle tamed wild snakes and his brothers where shape shifters. His mom even used a bowling bag as a purse! Now Rink, didn't have any of those strange talents but by all means he wasn't normal either. His talent was that during every full moon he sprouted flowers all over his body. He met a girl at school who's left leg was a whole inch shorter that her right one. Rink liked this girl so much that he went home and took some of his uncles snakes left over skin and made shoes and the left foot had a heel one whole inch taller that the right one. He presented the shoes to her and she loved them, as they danced they told each other about their families. At last Rink told the girl about how he sprouted flowers every full moon. Instead of being grossed out like he thought, she laughed and liked him even more. Towards the end of the book, it stated that the two have been married for 25 years and had 7 kids. Rink has been making the girls shoes ever since. -- review submitted by Whitney L. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Twilight Zone Collection 1

The Twilight Zone Collection 1
[DVD Twilitght]

In the decades since DVDs first became commonplace instead of VHS tapes, The Twilight Zone has been released and re-released in a variety of different packages, from full-season box sets, to "fan favorites" collections, to several different Full Series boxes. I treasure my own full series collection of DVDs, however for anyone just wanted to sample the show or revisit some of the best-known episodes, this Collection 1 set available through the libraries is a great place to start. This set contains 35 of the classic 1959-1965 series' 156 episodes, in their original black and white. Whether you're looking for Agnes Moorhead's bravura performance in "The Invaders", Burgess Meredith in the wistful "Time Enough at Last", the Cold War allegory "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner vs. a gremlin on the wing of a plane, "A Game of Pool" (with Jack Klugman and Jonathan Winters -- both of whom have passed away within the past 12 months), or "Mr. Dingle the Strong", "A Passage for Trumpet" (Klugman again in one of his best performances), the quintessentially ironic "To Serve Man", or creepy Billy Mumy in "It's a Good Life!", you'll find them all in this collection. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of the many Twilight Zone story collections, or collections by some of the show's greatest writers, including Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont. I also highly recommend the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone (not currently available from the Lincoln City Libraries, but available through our InterLibrary Loan service. It, too, featured excellent writers, directing and acting!] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ Scott's reviewer profile | Scott's past reviews on BookGuide | Subscribe to Scott's monthly library newsletter -- It's All Geek to Me! ]


[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Twilight Zone Facebook page ]


 Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Customer Review - The Candymakers

The Candymakers
by Wendy Mass [YA Mass or j Mass]

I thought this book was a well written book. After I read this book, I went and read all the other ones by Wendy Mass. I never wanted The Candymakers to end because it was such a great book. I wish Wendy Mass would write more books like The Candymakers. -- review submitted by Barrett P. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Proxy

Proxy
by Alex London [YA London]

Syd's life is not his own. In the future people may sell years of their lives to repay debt, they are Proxies. Society (the rich) encourages this system. Those born rich are the fortunate Patrons, those born poor have no choice but to sell their lives to the Patrons just to live. Sixteen year old Syd is just trying to get by. Going to school and being in the city has already gotten Syd eighteen years as a Proxy to probably the worst Patron he could have been stuck with. He has taken beatings and electric shocks as punishments for his Patron's vandalism and pranks. But then he faces the worst punishment possible for his Patron. Death. Knox is a rich kid parting hard and goofing off. Trying to impress a girl Knox steals one of his dad's high speed hover cars. On the road he loses control and crashes. He is told the girl is dead and that the punishment for the murder is death. His Proxy's death. Proxy was a quick read for me and I did find it entertaining. The author does a good job at keeping the story moving and for a dystopian I found the idea original. I thought the interaction between the characters was very realistic and you can see how they grow from knowing each other. Overall a very fast paced and action filled story. -- recommended by Wyatt P. - Gere Branch Library

[ official Proxy page on the official Alexander London web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Underwater Dogs

Underwater Dogs
by Seth Casteel [636.7 Cas]

This amusing photography book jumped off the new books display at me a few months ago, grabbing my attention with its eye-catching cover image. Seth Casteel has compiled an extensive collection of photographs of a variety of different breeds of dogs, all plunging into swimming pools in search of tennis balls or other items thown into the water. The dogs are all captured, underwater, with expressions ranging from comical to bizarre, and many of the shots are completely unforgettable. If you are a dog lover, I highly encourage you to browse through this short, but intriguing photo book -- I challenge you to finish the book without a smile on your face! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ Scott's reviewer profile | Scott's past reviews on BookGuide | Subscribe to Scott's monthly library newsletter -- It's All Geek to Me! ]

[ Seth Casteel's official Little Friends Photos web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Customer Review - The Guardians: The Girl

The Guardians: The Girl
by Lola St. Vil [young adult item]

This book is mainly about the gaurdian angels that come down to earth along with the 'bad' angels called Akons. The Akons' leader is Lucy, also known as the devil or Atourum. The guardians' leader is Omnis. Both sides' goal is to find the triplex. The triplex is a package that blends in with its surroundings. If the Akons find it the world will be destroyed; if the guardians find it the world will be saved. Overall, I think this book is really good, 'cause it has lots of action with just the right amount of romance. This book will be really good for fans of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, the Heroes of Olympus, the Kane Chronicles,and other books similar to these. Since I happened to have read this book on Kindle it does have a few typos and misspellings. -- review submitted by Noha A. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

[ Not currently owned by the Lincoln City Libraries ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Customer Review - The Raft

The Raft
by S.A. Bodeen [YA Bodeen]

This book was recommended to my by Sarah D. at Gere Branch, when we were talking about another book we had read in the teen summer book group by the same author. We had read The Compound by S.A. Bodeen, and I enjoyed that book so much I decided to read The Raft. The main character Robie gets stranded in the Pacific when the plane she is on crashes, en route to her home on Midway Island. I was skeptical about this book because this route has been taken by many other authors and can seem repetitive since it has been, however, I was disproved quickly. Much like The Compound, the book moves at a fast pace, but not so fast that you can't keep up and get lost. The story line is solid and pleasing. I would highly recommend this read to any young adult looking for a quick and good read. -- review submitted by Alex A. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Every Last Secret

Every Last Secret
by Linda Rodriguez

Rodriguez turned her pen from poetry to prose and created an award winning mystery. Marquitta (Skeet) Bannon left the Kansas City Police Department for the job of police chief at Chouteau University in Brewster, Missouri. Life is less stressful than solving murders in KC. That changes when Skeet gets a late night phone call from her new officer saying, "Chief! It's Dave Parker. I found a body." The body is that of Andrew McAfee, the assistant editor of the campus newspaper. Who would have reason to bludgeon this student to death? Was he working on a story that someone did not want published? As Skeet pokes into McAfee's life she finds a trail of blackmail that leads to the college's administration. The second book in this series, Every Broken Trust, was just published. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department [ See Donna's reviewer profile | See Donna's reviews on BookGuide ] [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Linda Castillo, Bill Crider and the Johanna Brady series by J. A. Jance.]

Novels page on the official Linda Rodriguez web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Customer Review - Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
by Alvin Schwartz [j398.2 Sch or jPB]

Awesome! Just scary enough. My friends freak when they read these. I love it!!! -- review submitted by Teresa G. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Small Gods

Small Gods
by Terry Pratchett

This fantasy novel is part of Pratchett's Discworld series. It's not necessary to read them in order, but I got the feeling that the more of them you read the more they will make sense. While I could follow the plot, a number of things just seemed odd. I wasn't sure if I was missing some background information or if it is meant to seem random in a humorous way. This story follows Brutha who lives at the citadel in Omnia. The people of Omnia worship the great god Om. Whilst gardening Brutha encounters a talking tortoise, who only he can hear, who claims to be the great god Om. Why can only Brutha hear the tortoise? Is the tortoise really Om, and if it is why is he in the shape of a tortoise unlike the statues of him around the citadel? To find out and to follow Brutha on his adventure when someone discovers Om is speaking to him, you must read the book. I would recommend this to those who enjoy philosophical quandaries, fantasy novels, or books by British authors. If you like this, there are at present 39 books in the Discworld series, and a few have been made into movies. -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library  [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Hogfather By Terry Pratchett (DVD Hogfather).]

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Small Gods web site ] | [ official Terry Pratchett web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Customer Review - The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch
by Joseph Delany [j Delaney or YA PB]

If you are a die-hard fantasy fan (Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me!) then this book is absolutely for you. Joseph Delaney has spun a tale full of mystery, excitement, and, you know, the little bit of blood that's almost inevitable in a fantasy. It was an awesome book that kept me up for days thinking about it. The pace never stopped and the plot never let up its guard. -- review submitted by Brenton Z. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Royal Wulff Murders

The Royal Wulff Murders
by Keith McCafferty

On the surface, fly-fishing does not appear to be a murderous sport. But combine it with a plot to spread whirling disease in Montana trout streams for profit and the temptation is too great. I like the variety of characters. They range from wealthy businessmen who own summer homes in the area to vacationers to locals (both native and newcomers). There was too much fly-fishing detail for my taste and not enough of Sheriff Martha Ettinger, who wrestles with the pitfalls that a job in law enforcement puts in the path of a woman. McCafferty is an editor of Field and Stream magazine. This is his first novel. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department [ See Donna's reviewer profile | See Donna's reviews on BookGuide ] [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of C.J. Box, Joseph Heywood and Paul Doiron.]

[ Penguin's official Royal Wulff Murders web page ] | [ official Keith McCafferty web site ]


Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Customer Review - The Reluctant God

The Reluctant God
by Pamela F. Service [j Service]

The Reluctant God is a book about a teenage king name Ameni. He is to guard the Egyptian treasures. A girl in present day named Lorna finds his tomb. Without explanation, Ameni comes back to life and asks Lorna to aid him on his journey to get back the sacred urns that Lorna's dad gave to a mueseum in London. They go on a crazy trip, meeting many obstacles along the way. Finally Ameni finds the urns in a house of criminals and he and Lorna fight for their lives. Ameni is given the chance to become a god but decides to live one more lifetime with Lorna. Overall the book is good, it does lack details though. -- review submitted by Lilly G. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

"The Woman Who (Maybe) Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig" - an article review

"The Woman Who (Maybe) Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig"
by Tony Horwitz in the Jul/Aug 2013 Smithsonian

This was a very interesting article in Smithsonian Magazine (July/August 2013) about how women athletes began competing with men-- sometimes playing on the same teams in semipro baseball leagues. The article is mostly about how Jackie Mitchell struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig back-to-back in 1931; and...she was only 17 years old at the time! It also mentions other notable female baseball players, such as Lizzie Arlington - the first woman in baseball's minor leagues. The article describes pitch-by-pitch how Jackie's match-up with Gehrig and Ruth went down, but also muses on the possibility that Gehrig and Ruth might have purposely struck-out to gain publicity for the league. Overall, a very fascinating article. Props to Tony Horwitz at Smithsonian Magazine for researching the story. -- article recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ See Jeremiah's reviewer profile | See Jeremiah's reviews on BookGuide ] [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A League of Their Own (DVD); Sports Illustrated; ESPN Magazine.]

[ official article link on the Smithsonian's web site ] 


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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Customer Review - So Yesterday

So Yesterday
by Scott Westerfeld [j Westerfeld]

I LOVE this author! He writes such good books with great plots. This book kept me guessing. Such a great read! -- review submitted by Ellie R. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Assassin's Curse

The Assassin's Curse
by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Ananna is a high ranking pirate's daughter. When her parents arrange for her to be married, Ananna wants none of it. She dosen't want to ba a pirate captain's wife, she wants to captain her own ship. Escaping on camel back, she runs from her husband-to-be and hides in the bustling city market. While in the market Ananna can't get her thoughts off of her fiancé's threats, that his father will hire one of the famed magical assassins to hunt her down. She makes a plan to brave the desert when everything goes wrong. An assassin shows up. During the insueing fight (in a somewhat unbelivable scene) Ananna saves Naji and thus activates his curse. He must protect her no matter what or he will die. This book starts off very quickly, which is a fast attention grabber but I usually prefer some world building first, especially in a fantasy world. Ananna is a nice change for a female character in YA fiction, and I did find that refreshing. I wasn't sure about this book in the first hundread pages or so as the book does move very fast, but after it really did start to grow on me. For her first novel Cassandra Rose Clarke did very well, and I believe her writing will get much better in the future. I will be reading the sequel, The Pirate's Wish, which I hope will tie up the loose ends. -- recommended by Wyatt P. - Gere Branch Library

[ official Assassin's Curse page on the official Cassandra Rose Clarke web site ]


Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Customer Review - Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables
by Lucy Maud Montgomery [j Montgomery]

This book was amazing! I've read it several times and it's one of my favorites. My mom read it to me for school. Pretty soon my little brother and sister started listening to it also. When she was done we would all beg her to read another chapter. The main character is easy to fall in love with. The story is very well written. I love the author. There are also a couple of books that come after it. I would recommend this book very highly. It is definitely a classic! -- review submitted by Abby S. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women (on CD)

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
by Jay Allison [Compact Disc 170.44 All]

I don't listen to anywhere near enough NPR, in my own opinion. Especially considering that I missed all of these wonderful audio essays as they've aired over the years. I was familiar with the This I Believe project back in the 1950s and 1960s, hosted by Edward R. Murrow. I'd even seen a couple of books compiling some of those classic essays in print form. But I was unaware of the more recent revival of that series on today's National Public Radio. This I Believe (both eras) was an attempt to summarize the personal beliefs of not only significant (i.e. "famous") members of society, but also everyday people. Contributors were asked to provide a short written essay beginning with the declarative statement "This I Believe". Those essays were then recorded for sharing over the radio airwaves.. This 5-CD set compiles 8 of those audio essays, a mixture of both the 1950s recordings and those which were recorded and aired in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Most of the audio recordings are by the writers of the original essays. The themes and tones of the essays can touch on religious, political, social and historical issues, but can also be highly personal. The necessity of brevity forces the essayists to distill their thoughts down to the absolutely essential points. I found these recordings very thought-provoking, and many of them were quite moving. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ Scott's reviewer profile | Scott's past reviews on BookGuide | Subscribe to Scott's monthly library newsletter -- It's All Geek to Me! ]

[ official This I Believe web site - an ongoing project ]


Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Monday, August 12, 2013

New Customer Reviews - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

During the course of our Summer Reading Program, several reviews for various books in the Harry Potter series were submitted to our Customer Reviews pages on the libraries' BookGuide reader site. Here are the reviews for the final book in the Potter series: 


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling [j Rowling]

This was one of the most exciting of the series. It was really good, except that too many people died. Rowling did a very good job with this book and she made sure that everything was explained from the past books. This book is not a waste of your time. I'm planning on reading it again. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

I picked up this book because it was the last book in the series and I had to finish it. I would definetly recommend this book because it's a real hooker. I couldn't put it down. I think the title really refers to the book, because many people die in the book. It also has a great ending! One of the best books I've ever read! -- review submitted by Amilia B. - another customer of the Gere Branch Library

This is the last gripping installment of the Harry Potter series. Voldemort is rising to power and Harry and his friends must find and destroy all Horacruxs. They leave Hogwarts to search. They try and discover the secrets of what really is happening. People are lost, war is in full swing. They must stop Voldemort form taking power. When they return to Hogwarts war is all over the school. When Harry agrees to surrender, he learns something: He is the last Horcrux. He will have to die to defeat Voldemort. What does he do? Read to find out! -- review submitted by Ashley A. - another customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find these reviews helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

New Customer Review - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

During the course of our Summer Reading Program, several reviews for various books in the Harry Potter series were submitted to our Customer Reviews pages on the libraries' BookGuide reader site. Here are the reviews for the sixth book in the Potter series: 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J.K. Rowling [j Rowling]

This was a good but sad book. It was not bad but it was my least favorite of the entire series. But I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes suspenseful stories. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

New Customer Review - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

During the course of our Summer Reading Program, several reviews for various books in the Harry Potter series were submitted to our Customer Reviews pages on the libraries' BookGuide reader site. Here are the reviews for the fifth book in the Potter series: 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling [j Rowling]

This book I thought had a good but slow beginning. then after the first few pages it really starts to pick up in a truly wonderful way. when I first started to read this I was automatically stuck to it. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Friday, August 9, 2013

New Customer Reviews - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

During the course of our Summer Reading Program, several reviews for various books in the Harry Potter series were submitted to our Customer Reviews pages on the libraries' BookGuide reader site. Here are the reviews for the fourth book in the Potter series:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J.K. Rowling [j Rowling]

This is my favorite of the Harry Potter series, because of the amount of adventure, excitement and peril. I love the twists. I would recommend it to anybody who likes adventure and magic. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

It's an amazing book. I love the whole series, and if you have liked the books you should totally read this. I, again, love these, and I recommend anyone to read these from age 10 to 107. You will love them. -- review submitted by Teresa G. - also a customer of the Gere Branch Library

This has to be one of my favorite Harry Potter books. This fourth installment in the seven book series is about how the Triwizard Tournament is at Hogwarts. Three schools come together: Hogwarts, Beaubaxtons, and Dumstrang to compete to see who can win the trophy. Three seventh years are selected: Victor Crum, Fleur Delacor, and Cedric Diggory. Then, when everyone thought everyone was chosen another piece of paper comes out from the Goblet, Harry Potter. Harry is a fourth and cannot compete. No one knows who put his name in, but Dumbledore says that if the cup picked his name he is competing. Competitions include: trying to get the egg from fierce dragons, going underwater with mermaids, and the final maze with obstacles galore! Who wins? What awaits the winner at the end of the maze? Is it really the Triwizard cup? READ IT TO FIND OUT! -- review submitted by Ashley A. - also a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find these reviews helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

New Customer Reviews - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

During the course of our Summer Reading Program, several reviews for various books in the Harry Potter series were submitted to our Customer Reviews pages on the libraries' BookGuide reader site. Here are the reviews for the first book in the Potter series:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K. Rowling [j Rowling]

It's an amazing book. I totally loved it. If you haven't read it yet, go read it now. I strongly recomend it to any age group. -- review submitted by Teresa G. - customer of the Gere Branch Library

This book was clearly the best in the series. They have a little bit of every thing in this book from dragons to unicorns. I recommend this book to everyone. -- review submitted by Felicity N. - also a customer of the Gere Branch Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find these reviews helpful?

New Customer Reviews appear regularly in the pages of the BookGuide web site, particularly during the Summer Reading Program. You can visit the Customer Reviews page to see them all and/or submit your own, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually as we receive them.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club
[DVD Breakfast]

A conversation between some of my younger co-workers recently got me to thinking about this quintessential 80s-era "brat pack" classic. Written and directed by John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes Trains and Automobiles and many more), The Breakfast Club is the ultimate for navel-gazing teens. Four high school students are forced to attend an all-Saturday detention day, overseen by their overbearing principal. The teens come from drastically different backgrounds -- The Jock (Emilio Estevez), The Princess (Molly Ringwald), The Brain (Anthony Michael Hall), The Criminal (Judd Nelson) and The Basketcase (Ally Sheedy), but over the course of a morning and afternoon spent verbally sparring, then sharing, with each other, they each come to a better understanding of the complications that anyone's life can have. This film should be required viewing for any student of the 1980s, and features terrific performances from a very talented young cast. Molly, Judd and Ally, in particular, stand out, as does Paul Gleason as Mr. Vernon. What, on the surface, appears to be a very lightweight film, actually carries considerable heft. I was impressed, and still am, even though it's been almost 30 years since it was released. Also features an iconic musical soundtrack as background to the drama. This specific "Flashback" DVD version features a 12-part documentary, in which cast members look back at the making of the film, and others in the entertainment business reflect on The Breakfast Club's cultural impact, as well as feature commentary by Judd Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall, and a mini-documentary on the origins of the "Brat Pack" of 80's actors. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Breakfast Club Facebook page ]

 
Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!