Here are the latest book reviews
from our active staff.
Check out their
latest picks for adults and children.
| New for Ages 8-12 |
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The
Penderwicks on Gardam Street
by Jeanne Birdsall
In this sequel to The Penderwicks, the sisters are back for another
fun-loving adventure. When
Aunt Claire comes for a visit with her plan to find the girls a
stepmother, they frantically implement their own "Save Daddy"
plan. No one can replace their late mother!
So they set about to subvert any future dates Aunt Claire hopes
to arrange for Father. Full of humor and laugh-out-loud reading. Ages
9-12. (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $18.99 /$17.09)
Reviewed by Carol.
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Dragon’s
Keep
by
Janet Lee Carey
Long ago when the house of Pendragon ruled England, King Uther banished
his daughter to live in exile upon Wilde Island. Before she left, Merlin
spoke to her of a prophecy, that the 21st queen of Wilde Island would
accomplish three deeds: “ She shall redeem the name Pendragon, end war
with the wave of her hand, and restore the glory of Wilde Island.” But
when the 21st queen is born with a dragon claw upon her ring finger, it
is seen as a curse that must be removed at any cost. An excellent tale
that depicts what happens to those who try to control destiny, and
proves that the best way to fulfill fate is to follow your own heart. A
good choice for anyone with an interest in medieval fantasy, and even
those who aren’t fairy tale lovers. Ages 12 and up. (Harcourt
Publishing, $17.00/$15.30) Reviewed
by Aric.
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Rodrick
Rules
by
Jeff Kinney
Rodrick Rules, sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is an
account of Greg Heffley's attempts at safely navigating the hazards of
middle school, including his efforts to impress girls, do as little
homework as possible, and avoid the embarrassment of being in the talent
show. Most importantly, Greg is desperate to keep the secret of one
particular incident that happened over the summer. But keeping this
secret is complicated: Rodrick, Greg's older brother, knows all about it
and never lets Greg forget it! (Amulet, $12.95/$11.66) Reviewed by
Shari. |
|
New
Hardcover Fiction |
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Wolf
Totem By Jiang Rong
When a Beijing student is sent to live as a
shepherd among the herdsmen on the Inner Mongolia steppes during the
1960s Cultural Revolution, he faces the challenge of coexisting within
the beautiful but cruel surroundings of the area. Chen Zhen's
fascination with the fierce wolves that haunt the grasslands searching
for food turns his obsession with these animals and their fight for
survival into a strong feeling of reverence. This beautifully written
epic covers a period of years as the peaceful harmony between man and
his surroundings is shattered by the Han Chinese sent from the city to
modernize the grasslands. The translation of this best-selling Chinese
novel, partly autobiographical, is my choice for this month's best book.
(Penguin Press, $26.95/$24.26) Reviewed by Carol.
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The Hakawati
by
Rabih Alameddine
After
living in America for a large part of his adult life, Osama al-Kharrat
returns to Beirut to his father’s deathbed. The Hakawati intertwines
Osama’s time spent in the hospital with his father and family with
memories of his childhood and his grandfather who was a genuine Hakawati,
or storyteller. This captivating novel spans centuries with classic
Middle Eastern fables brilliantly woven in with the modern life of Osama.
Alameddine offers a novel - or, more accurately, a story - that
allows us to escape through time, makes us laugh, and breaks our heart.
Praised as The Arabian Nights of the 21st century, The Hakawati is a
must-read. Alameddine delivers a tale of survival, in every sense of the
word, like a true Hakawait.
(Knopf, $25.95/$23.36) Reviewed by Shelby.
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Winter
Study by
Nevada Barr
It's January and Park Ranger Anna Pigeon is sent to
Isle Royal in Lake Superior to study wolf/moose interaction prior to the
introduction of wolves in her own Rocky Mountain National Park. There
are only seven characters (not counting the three wolf packs): Anna and
six researchers, including two from the Department of Homeland Security.
The Homeland Security contingent is there to determine whether the park
should remain open winters to protect the scrap of Canadian Border from
terrorists - a move which would effectively close down the 30-year study
and make a few people unhappy. In this wintry outdoor setting with no
indoor plumbing or running water, strange things begin to happen.
When one of the assistants is mauled to death - by either a
two-footed or a four-footed beast - it becomes urgent for Anna to find
out who has something to hide. With her usual black humor, she describes
terrifying natural threats which continue to mount. This is my first
Anna Pigeon mystery, and I enjoyed the fast pace and well-researched
story so much I am now officially a fan! (Penguin/Putnam,$24.95/$22.45) Reviewed
by Susan.
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New Fiction in Paperback
|
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The
Lizard Cage
by
Karen Connelly
With an eloquence to match any seasoned writer’s, Connelly’s debut
novel takes us into the brutal world of a 1990s Burmese prison. Here we meet songwriter, musician and political
prisoner Teza. After narrowly escaping death at the hands of his
captors, Teza befriends a boy known to him only as Free
El Salvador, the words
written on the boy’s favorite t-shirt. A new life for both man and boy
begins the moment of their first dialog, inspiring each to thoughts and
actions that will change their lives forever. So compelling I couldn’t
put it down, The Lizard Cage shows how the human connection can liberate the
soul from even the most harrowing conditions.
(Spiegel & Grau, $14.00/ $12.60) Reviewed by Melissa.
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Stone
Creek: A Novel by
Victoria Lustbader
Although I
continually find myself reading novels about loss and love, this one
stood out from the crowd. The novel centers on the collision of two
worlds, that of a beautiful middle-aged wife of a rich businessman, and
a devastated single father. Both have lost someone they love: Danny the love of
his life and mother of his child, and Lily the child she will never
know. Together they help each other cope with their losses and the lives
they seem to have outgrown. This is a
love story that will stay with you not because it contains passion, but
because of its deep and lasting bond of friendship.
(HarperCollins, $13.95/ $12.56) Reviewed by Sarah.
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Science Fiction
|
The
Name Of The Wind
by
Patrick Rothfuss
On the Northern California Bestseller list only two weeks after hitting
the shelves, this is the perfect summer read for the fantasy fan. Kvothe
is an inconspicuous innkeeper with an incredible story to tell.
Extraordinarily intelligent, he has lived in squalor, cheated his way
into the Kingdom’s most prestigious
Arcane
University
,
and fought demons, all in an effort to avenge the death of his parents.
Full of adventure, magic, philosophy, and intrigue, Rothfuss’s debut
novel will please fans of epic fantasy writers such as George R. R.
Martin and Scott Lynch. (Daw, $7.99/$7.19) Reviewed by Eric. |
| The
Dreaming Void
by
Peter F. Hamilton
Hamilton
continues to impress in his latest work, the first book in a new
trilogy, The Dreaming Void. He skillfully manages to provoke thought in
the reader without losing the lightheartedness and sense of wonder
required to make reading any work of science fiction enjoyable. The
story follows three main characters, and touches on the viewpoints of a
score of individuals. The societies and worlds are vivid while the cast
of characters ranges and expands the gamut of what is human. It's
impossible to read this book and not wonder what humanity will become or
contemplate what we are now. (
Del
Ray $27.00/$24.30) Reviewed by Harry. |
|
Hardcover Non-Fiction
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The
Billionaire’s Vinega
r:
The
Mystery of the World’s Most
Expensive Bottle of Wine by
Benjamin
Wallace
History, wine, and money come together to create a story for anyone who
likes a good glass of wine. This
enjoyable book has a great cast of characters and a series of events
giving the reader mystery, suspense, and comedy in a true-life drama of
the wine industry. (Crown,
$24.95/$22.46) Reviewed by
Steve. |
| America
’s
Hidden History:
Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten
Founders Who Shaped A Nation
by
Kenneth C. Davis
The author of Don’t Know
Much About History gives us a book spanning a period from the Spanish
arrival in
America
to George Washington’s inauguration in 1789.
It encompasses the story of the first real pilgrims in
America
;
the story of Queen Isabella,
Columbus
,
and the pigs that may have spread disease to many Native Americans; and
the little known story of the headstrong young soldier George Washington
who committed a war crime, signed a confession, and started a war.
Great for the history buff. (Smithsonian Books, $26.95/ $24.26)
Reviewed by Steve.
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The
Translator: A Tribesman’s
Memoir of
Darfur
by Daoud Hari
The Translator is a suspenseful, harrowing, and
deeply moving memoir of how one person has made a difference. Author
Hari is a living witness to the brutal genocide under way in
Darfur
.
Using knowledge of languages as his weapon, Hari has helped inform the
world about the crisis in his country.
(Random House, $23.00/ $20.70)
Reviewed by Steve |
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Paperback
Non-Fiction
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America
’s
Hidden History:
In the Country of Men
by
Hisham Matar
Matar’s novel - told through the eyes of nine-year-old Suleiman who
narrates as an adult - tracks
the effects of Khadafy’s Libyan 1969 September revolution on the el-Dawani
family. The book covers the
regime’s reign of terror itself, the mock trials, televised
executions, neighbors informing on friends, and the ways a child
perceives and is affected by it. (Dial Press, $12.00/$10.80)
Reviewed by Steve.
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