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 ]

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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!

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 ]

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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!

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 ]

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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.

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

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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 ]

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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!

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 ]

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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!

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 ]

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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!

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!

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 ]

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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!

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 ]

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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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

New Customer Review - Graceling

Graceling
by Kristin Cashore [YA Cashore]

I loved this book. It has action, adventure, and magic, with a bit of romance. It's perfect for basicly anyone and I am glad I picked it up from my teacher's little library. I strongly recommend it for both guys and girls. -- review submitted by Teresa G. - 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.

Beethoven's Hair

Beethoven's Hair
by Russell Martin [Music 780.92 Beethoven]

This was a extremely fascinating read. After Ludwig van Beethoven died, several composers and friends clipped lockets of hair as a keepsake. One of these was student and friend Ferdinand Hiller; the locket of hair stayed in the Hiller family, passed down to his son Paul, but then disappeared at some point in World War II - resurfacing to a family in Denmark, where it was passed down to an adopted daughter who later auctioned it off. In the 1990s the locket was sold to two Americans Alfredo Guevara, Jr. and Ira Brilliant, two Beethoven enthusiasts. However, two questions remain: How did the locket end up in Denmark? And what was Ludwig van Beethoven's ultimate cause of death? A historical odyssey mixed with recent scientific testing reveals some startling clues about Beethoven's health, his life, and his destiny for greatness. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Beethoven: Biography of a Genius by George Marek.] -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in downloadable E-book format.]

[ official Beethoven's Hair web site ] | [ official Russell Martin 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!

Three Customer Reviews of The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan [j Riordan]

I absolutly loved this book. I refused to read it at first, because I thought it was a boy's book, not a girl's book, and then one of my classmates did a review on it, so I thought, well, maybe it's okay but I am very strong willed so I stuck to my first decision, and refused to read it. But then my teacher said that we had to read it in the next three weeks, if we hadn't already, so I started it the next day, and didn't put it down for the next 6 hours. I just kept reading, and up till then I hated reading, and now I love it. It was this book that changed my mind about reading being bad. I think I have five books I am currently reading, and hope to finish soon. If you're able to read chapter books, this book is for you. It is for boys and girls and I love it. -- review submitted by Teresa G. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

This book takes you on a thrilling adventure while you learn about the greek gods. In this book Percy is claimed by Posiden, the god of the sea. Percy and his friends except a quest given to them by chiron to go and get Zeus's lightning bolt for Hades, the god of the underworld. This book leaves you wanting to read more. Once you get into the book you will not want to put it down. This is a fast and easy read and highly suggest that you read this book. -- review submitted by Haleigh L. - a customer of the Gere Branch Library

This was a great book with mystery and an amazing troop to find their through. It had creatures with names that I can't pronounce. But for the most part I pronounced them just fine. I love this book because it had a lot of mythology. I think that all of you should read this book. -- review submitted by Taylor V.O. - 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 Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
by Neil Gaiman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is really a special novel. It is hard to express just how amazing this book really is. Gaiman writes in such a way that not only do the words leap off the page but they blend together like poetry. This is also one of the rare books that when I was finished I got a sense of satisfaction that is so unusual for me. I have had that feeling with books I didn't care for and some that I loved, this is the latter. The story feels so much like a myth or fairy tale and is just as magical.There is not much I can say about the story itself without taking anything away from the experience and I encourage you to enjoy the magic and dream, Neil Gaiman, for yourself. -- recommended by Wyatt P. - Gere Branch Library

[ official The Ocean at the End of the Lane page on the official Neil Gaiman web site ]

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