Lapena is a new author who has written a thriller centering around the kidnapping of a baby. The wealthy parents are at a dinner party next door,and left their baby sleeping in her crib.they had a baby monitor
and checked on her often. So how did the baby disappear? Lots of twists and turns in this thriller.
Reviewed by Terri.
Bohjalian writes another thriller and this time it concerns sleepwalking. Annalen’s disappearance is attributed to her sleepwalking,but why was she near the river and where is her body? Her family and
the authorities spend the novel trying to solve this mystery. Of course there’s a twist at the end! This is Bohjalian at his best.
Reviewed by Terri.
This book is one of the best of 2016! The novel centers around Count Alexander Rostov who is exiled to the Metropol Hotel because the Bolsheviks accuse him of being an unrepentant aristocrat.
The hotel is across from the Kremlin where The Count can observe the changing government for the next 30 or so years. The Count lives his life with grace and dignity. This is a must read for readers
who like historical fiction and strong characters.
Reviewed by Terri
Patchett writes about the dissolutions of two marriages and the fallout for the families. Bert cousins falls in love with Beverly Keating at her child’s christening and thus begins the ends of the two marriages. The story spans five decades and shows how the Cousin and Keating children form a lasting bond.
Reviewed by Terri.
I love to read books about intertwined relationships; especially those involving old friends and lovers who part and meet again. In Shotgun Lovesongs four friends come together to attend a wedding in their small hometown. Sadder and wiser in their adult lives, they will face lost loves, missed opportunities and friendships so old and deep that there is hiding who they have become.
A great read! Read-a-likes are The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper and South of Broad by Pat Conroy.
This is the second book I have read by Elizabeth Kelly and it won’t be the last! The Miracle on Monhegan Island is an absolute delight! At first, I wasn’t sure if I would like this book because the story is recounted by a dog who has been kidnapped, but it turns out that he very happy with his new family who certainly prove to be much more exciting then his previous owners. Ned (nee Lupine) goes to live with the Monahans where he is given to young Hally by his rakish, wandering father, Spark, as reparation for his neglect. Growing up on an island off the coast of Maine, Hally has been raised by his grandmother (now deceased), his evangelical grandfather, Pastor Ragnar, and his gentle uncle, Hugh. Upsetting the eclectic group’s dynamic, Spark’s return is only a precursor to the very dramatic effects of the “Miracle”!
Entertaining, insightful and heart-wrenching, this is a great book for those who like stories about family drama, love and redemption. If you like this, you should try Kelly’s first book, The Last Summer of the Camperdowns.
Reviewed by Kris Chin
I’m not a great fan of mysteries but for my long commute I need something that will keep my attention. Long prose set my mind to wondering so I thought I’d try the latest Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mystery by Louise Penny. I really enjoyed this book! I’m not sure if I made a mistake by diving into the most recent book in the series, but the story went along just fine and I didn’t feel hindered by not knowing some of the back story (although I will go back and read more in the series). Gamache and his group of comrades are instantly likable. The story line was exciting and never predictable. The narrator of the audiobook is someone that I recognize from other books and he does a wonderful job. I’m glad I took a chance on a mystery; it made me remember the Martha Grimes, Richard Jury mysteries I enjoyed several years ago! Highly recommended!
Reviewed by Kris Chin
OK, this book is about a hamster–BIG mistake on the author’s part! Of course a guinea pig would have been more exciting, but what can you do-HUMANS!
Anyway, species aside, this book is a lot of fun! Kids, have you ever wondered what your classroom pet does over the summer (if these children’s room walls could talk!) ? Join everybody’s favorite hamster (UGH!), Humphrey, (what a great name!!), as he takes a trip to overnight camp and makes some new friends. And don’t forget to check out the other books in this fun series.
Reviewed by me, Humphrey, premier library mascot and Bernadette Foley, human, who works in the Children’s Room.
Looking for a picture book that will amaze and inspire both you and the kids? This beautifully illustrated one will have you gazing in wonder at the trees and shrubs that are sculpted into animal masterpieces after nightfall by the mysterious night gardener.
Reviewed by Bernadette Foley, Children’s Services