Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog

Curl up with a good library book!

2012-02-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

Community Library cardholders can now sign up for the 2012 Winter Reading Club! Whether you read print books or e-books, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library wants to hear your opinions. Join the dialogue: sign up & share your reviews here starting today, and stop by the library for your free sign-up gift. Each review you submit is also an entry for the raffle prize of the week, so the more you read, the more chances you have to win!

Just released...Home Front & The Fear Index

2012-01-30T08:30:00.002-05:00

Check out one of these brand-new books!

Home Front by Kristin Hannah - Struggling with a marital estrangement that is further complicated when one of them is deployed, military couple Michael and Joleen Zarkades are forced to confront their problems while protecting the security of their family. Like reading about military families? Also try the short story collection You Know When the Men Are Gone.
The Fear Index by Robert Harris - A genius hedge-fund manager finds his life unraveling after he is targeted by people who would love to get their hands on his secret computer algorithms that accurately predict the financial markets. If you like this book, you might also enjoy Kapitoil, a thriller about a mathematician who creates a computer program to predict oil futures.

Coming soon from Danielle Steel

2012-01-28T08:30:00.001-05:00

If you're one of Danielle Steel's millions of fans, good news - the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library is already accepting holds on her two forthcoming books: Betrayal (premiering March 27th - here's the official synoposis) and Friends Forever (premiering July 24th - here's the official synoposis). The first examines the dark side of fame and fortune as a renowned film director confronts an act of unimaginable treachery. The second tells the story of five children who meet on the first day of kindergarten and whose friendship is sorely tested in the years that follow.

Forever Soul Ties

2012-01-27T08:30:00.001-05:00

Christian fiction readers looking for a heartwarming contemporary story exploring one of morality's gray areas may want to try Forever Soul Ties, the forthcoming book by Vanessa Davis Griggs. When Butterfly runs into her high school sweetheart, what starts as innocent catching up on the years each has spent in unhappy marriages inexorably turns into adultery. Butterfly is found out and soon realizes she's being used as a pawn to bring down a new pastor--a young man who is upsetting tradition by preaching about real-life issues real people, like Butterfly, deal with. And as Butterfly faces a challenging search for truth, forgiveness, and the real meaning of love, she may finally break out of her cocoon.

Place your holds now for The Mysterium

2012-01-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Mysterium, the 8th book in the Hugh Corbett / Medieval Mysteries series, is coming soon! In 1304 London, Sir Hugh Corbett is ordered to investigate the murder of a Chief Justice in the King's Court. Each book works well as a standalone, but if you really want to read the series in order, you have to start with 1986's Satan in St. Mary's, available through inter-library loan with other Suffolk County libraries.

Become Enchanted by Romanov Russia

2012-01-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

St. Petersburg, 1917. As the new year dawns, a diver pulls the murdered body of Rasputin from the icy waters of the Neva River, thus beginning an unusual, gorgeously told love story set during the Romanovs' final days. Described as "a breathtaking tour-de-force by one of our most acclaimed writers," other books by Kathryn Harrison include the true crime book While They Slept and the psychological fiction Envy and Exposure. Harrison's The Seal Wife, a love story set in early 20th century Alaska, is the most similar to Enchantments.

The Rose of Winslow Street

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

Check out The Rose of Winslow Street, a newly-released work of historical fiction from Christian publisher Bethany House. In this heartwarming love story, Libby Sawyer and her father return home to Massachusetts from a summer vacation - only to find widower Michael Dobrescu and his family living in their house, claiming it had been willed to him long ago! The ensuing legal battle is decidedly less bitter than it could be, however, as Libby and Michael slowly fall in love. Enjoy Christian historical love stories? You might also like the new book The Keeper, the first in a planned series set in Amish country.

Inspirational Horse Stories

2012-01-23T08:30:00.003-05:00

Inspired in part by the success of the film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse, both fictional and nonfictional horse stories have also experienced a resurgence in interest. One brand-new addition to the genre is The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired a Nation. Similar nonfiction reads recommended by Novelist include Seabiscuit: An American Legend (also a movie) and The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat. For horsey fiction, try Riding Lessons and its sequel Flying Changes by the bestselling author of Water for Elephants (also a movie). Happy reading, neigh-bors!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

2012-01-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

The popular 2010 novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is being turned into a movie, Shelf Awareness reports. In Seth Grahame-Smith's fantastical reimagining of United States history, the 16th president turns out to have a secret life as a vampire hunter. Vampires, in this story, played a historically unknown but crucial role in the formation of the United States. If you enjoyed this book, also try Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by the same author. And for the real story on President Lincoln, try the newly-published nonfictional book Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly.

Connie Willis wins SFWA Grand Master Award

2012-01-20T08:30:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Connie Willis, whose contributions to speculative fiction have been recognized with the 2011 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Works of speculative fiction by this newest Grand Master that are available from your Community Library include Blackout and its sequel All Clear, in which time-traveling historians get stranded in World War II, or her short story collection The Winds of Marble Arch and Other Stories.

With 'Friends Like Us'...

2012-01-19T08:30:00.002-05:00

Lauren Fox's new novel Friends Like Us asks the question that most hope never to have to answer: how much (and who) would you give up for a friend? Sharing a relationship that causes many to mistake them for sisters, best friends Willa and Jane work freelance jobs and enjoy each other's company until an old high school buddy from Willa's past unexpectedly falls in love with Jane. Enjoy love triangles? You might also like these other new books available at Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library: The Lost Daughter, White Truffles in Winter, Promises, Promises, and The Stranger's Child.

Modern High Seas Adventure

2012-01-18T08:30:00.002-05:00

Nick Dybek's new novel When Captain Flint was still a Good Man tells the story of a boy whose parents make morally questionable choices in order to keep their livelihood. Cal's father is an Alaskan fisherman, braving the frigid and dangerous sea catching king crab; Cal's mother stays home with Cal, who is just old enough to wonder about her relationship with John Gaunt, the fishing fleet owner. When John Gaunt dies, the whole family has choppy waters ahead. For a lighter take on boyhood high seas adventure, try Michael Ondaatje's The Cat's Table.

Priest struggles with faith in debut 'Variations'

2012-01-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

John Donatich's The Variations is "a powerful debut novel about a priest who has lost his church, his mentor, and, most upsetting, his ability to pray." How can Father Dominic guide his parish, counsel a troubled teen, or inspire a budding pianist when everything he loves falls away? Reserve a copy of this new release using your Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library card, the smartest card in your wallet.

Love Downton Abbey? Check These Out

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

Love the popular television series "Downton Abbey" about a troubled family of English aristocrats and their loyal but meddling servants? This article in the New York Times shares its book recommendations for "Downton" fans, who also tend to be avid readers. Here are a couple highlighted titles that are available through your Community Library.

Magical Realism Meets Frosty the Snowman

2012-01-14T08:30:00.001-05:00

In Eowyn Ivey's just-published debut novel The Snow Child, homesteaders Jack and Mabel build a child out of snow in 1920s Alaska. The next day, the snow child is mysteriously missing, and the couple discovers a strange girl living in the Arctic wilderness with only a red fox for company. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about their snow child will transform all of them.

Debut novel The Orphan Master's Son

2012-01-13T08:30:00.002-05:00

Start the year off with a newly-published debut novel that's been generating serious buzz. In The Orphan Master's Son, Pak Jun Do, the son of a singer mother whose career forcibly separated her from her family and an influential father, runs an orphan work camp. Pak Jun Do rises to prominence using instinctive talents and eventually becomes a professional kidnapper and romantic rival to Kim Jong Il. By the author of Parasites Like Us. Enjoy stories set in Korea? You can also try the 2011 bestseller Please Look After Mom.

His Steadfast Love

2012-01-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Enjoy Christian novels with a historical twist? The fourth book in the "Darkness to Light" series, His Steadfast Love, has just come out. It's the spring of 1861 on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Amanda never thought she would marry because of a promise she made to her dying mother, but her attraction to Captain Kent Littlefield is undeniable. When Texas secedes from the Union, her brother Daniel aligns with the Confederate States, while Kent remains with the Union troops. Her heart is torn between the two men she is closest to and the two sides of the conflict. Amanda prays to God for direction and support, but hears only silences. Where is God in the atrocities of war- and whose side is He on? Amanda senses her life is at a turning point. She must trust God to deliver her family through the chaos of war with her heart and her faith intact. This book stands well alone, but sticklers for series order should start with In the Shadow of the Sun King.

Food Shortage Dystopias

2012-01-11T08:30:00.002-05:00

What if the only food available came from a single source of climate-resistant seeds? That's the question asked in Rob Ziegler's new dystopian novel Seed. In 22nd-century America, a hyper-intelliigent living city named Satori controls the production of this sole food source, at least until Secret Service agent Sienna Doss is tasked with finding a rogue seed designer, an assignment that she sees as an opportunity to take down Satori. Enjoy worst-case scenarios involving genetic engineering and a fragile food supply? You might also like Paolo Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl, in which an AgriGen agent is sent to Thailand to investigate rumors of black market fruits not created or controlled by the calorie companies.

On the financial crisis

2012-01-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

How exactly did it all come to this? Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis (author of The Big Short) is a new book presenting a darkly humorous look at the effects of the financial crisis on other countries and accusing greedy debtors in California and Washington, DC. Ron Suskind's Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President also examines the financial crisis by drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews and in-depth research, from the trading floors of lower Manhattan to the power corridors inside the Beltway. If this topic interests you but you find these books too heavy, you can also check out the new documentary Inside Job, which traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia.

Wit and Wisdom from Princess Leia, Kelly Kapoor, and Bill Cosby

2012-01-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

If you're looking for a few good laughs, try these three new releases:

Is everyone hanging out without me? by Mindy Kaling - The writer and actress best known as Kelly Kapoor on "The Office" shares observations on topics ranging from favorite male archetypes and her hatred of dieting to her relationship with her mother and the haphazard creative process in the "Office" writers' room.
Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher - In a book infused with her trademark incisive wit, the author of Wishful Drinking takes readers on a rollicking, behind the scenes tour of the Star Wars phenomenon.
I didn't ask to be born (but I'm glad I was) by Bill Cosby - In his first humor book since Cosbyology the legendary entertainer and funnyman provides insights on life including how to handle a teenage daughter who refuses to clean her room and a discussion of his antique bible collection.

The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares

2012-01-07T08:30:00.001-05:00

Looking for a suspenseful collection of short stories that will have you shivering under your covers (and not just because it's January)? Try The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares, a new book by Joyce Carol Oates. These six stories/novellas by the National Book Award-winning author of We Were the Mulvaneys includes the title story, in which the disappearance of a sweet blonde-haired child is linked to her mother's indiscretions, a too-obvious schoolteacher, and an older student with a fascination for a Native American legend.

Foodie Fiction Treat: White Truffles in Winter

2012-01-06T08:30:00.010-05:00

Gourmets, Francophiles, and historical fiction fans may find N.M. Kelby's new book White Truffles in Winter to be a delicious treat. The book opens near the end of famous French chef Auguste Escoffier's life. He has witnessed a tumultuous sweep of history from a unique position, and he recounts his days as a cook in the Franco-Prussian War, a chef for the beau monde in Paris and at London's Savoy, and a confidant of royalty and world leaders. The heart of Escoffier's story, however, lies in his love for two very different women: the famous, beautiful, and reckless actress Sarah Bernhardt and his wife, the independent and sublime poet Delphine Daffis. Now Escoffier has retired and returned to Delphine. She requests just one thing: that he produce a dish in her name. Yet how does one recreate the complexity of love in a single recipe? Escoffier must rediscover food's emotional capacity, its ability to communicate passion, regret, grief, forgiveness and love. Intrigued? Check out this tasty treat of a book from your Community Library!

If you give a girl a viscount

2012-01-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

Looking for some lighthearted chick-lit? Try the newly-released If You Give a Girl a Viscount by Kieran Kramer. Tired of his wealth-seeking female admirers, Viscount Lumley falls victim to his meddling godmother's latest matchmaking scheme when she introduces him to the lovely Ella. The book's title is a nod to the children's classic If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, which young people and the nostalgic are equally welcome to check out from your Community Library.

Concluding Paolini's Inheritance Cycle

2012-01-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

By now, fantasy fans have probably heard that Inheritance, the final book in Christopher Paolini's 4-book "Inheritance Cycle," has been released. As of this writing, the library's seven copies of this book are all checked out, but library cardholders are welcome to place a hold on Inheritance here by clicking the red "request" button. With each epic volume topping 800 pages, the series is popular with fans of intricately plotted fantasy stories like J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" or George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire," the latter of which has experienced a resurgence in interest since its television adaptation in "Game of Thrones." If you've already read all of the above, try Sherwood Smith's less well-known four-book fantasy series "Inda," which is also characterized by vivid world-building and intricate plots.

Arctic Adventures

2012-01-03T08:30:00.002-05:00

Recently, the library's monthly Historical Fiction NextReads e-newsletter (subscribe here) featured three Arctic adventure stories:

The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett - In the mid-19th century, explorers were obsessed with discovering a northwest passage through the Arctic Ocean. In The Voyage of the Narwhal, award-winning author Andrea Barrett depicts scholar and naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells as he and the crew of the Narwhal search for traces of Sir John Franklin's lost Arctic expedition. During their voyage, they endure a brutal winter, encounter Eskimos, and make surprising discoveries about themselves and each other. The New York Times calls this "gripping adventure" a "marvelous achievement."
The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan - During WWII, Louis Belk, an 18-year-old American sergeant trained in bomb detection and disposal, is dispatched to Anchorage, Alaska. There, far from the fighting, he confronts an unusual weapon: hot air balloons launched by the Japanese, carrying both deadly germs and the explosives required to disperse them. As Belk carries out his top-secret mission, he falls under the spell of Lily, a beautiful half-Russian, half-Yup’ik Eskimo fortune teller, whose spyhunting lover, Captain Thomas Gurley, is Belk's superior officer. Not to be confused with David Mitchell's similarly titled Cloud Atlas, author Liam Callanan's debut illuminates a little-known event in American military history. If this plot sounds familiar, it's probably because the book is currently being turned into a movie.
The Rope Eater by Ben Jones - To escape the bloody Civil War battlefields, 17-year-old Union Army deserter Brendan Kane joins the ragtag crew of the Narthex and prepares for a voyage of Arctic exploration. However, once the ship sets sail, Brendan and his fellow crew members learn that their captain's intended destination is actually a mythical Garden of Eden that he believes exists somewhere in the depths of the polar regions. As they venture through the frozen Arctic, their search for paradise turns into a horrific battle for survival. If you enjoy reading about extreme survival scenarios in frozen climes, you might also want to try Dan Simmons' The Terror, a fictionalized account of the 1840s Franklin expedition.

And if you don't mind mixing your Artic and your Antarctic fiction, another amazing read on this topic is Geraldine McCaughrean's White Darkness, in which fourteen-year-old Symone's vacation to Antarctica turns into a dangerous adventure when her uncle becomes obsessed with seeking Symme's Hole, a mythical opening that may lead to the center of the earth. Happy reading!

Start the New Year right

2012-01-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

Looking to finally quit smoking, lose those extra pounds, de-clutter your home, reconnect with a loved one, finish your degree, supercharge your career, or achieve another goal in 2012? Your Community Library has lots of great resources to help you on your way. Here are a few new motivational/self-help titles that might be a good place to start.

Not another New Year's

2011-12-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

If you routinely grumble at your neighbors' New Year's noisemaking and wouldn't be caught dead in Times Square on December 31st, then this lighthearted 'bah-humbug' book might be just what you need to lift your spirits. In Not Another New Year's, Hannah Davis plans to spend the holiday at a bar alone with beer and bitter memories of her fiancé's betrayal. But she surprises even herself when she allows herself to be picked up by a gorgeous and brooding man, who turns out to be former Secret Service agent Tanner Hart, a man with his own ghosts to put to rest.

2011 Top Fiction and Nonfiction

2011-12-30T08:30:00.002-05:00

It's a daunting challenge to select the best books of the year, but Booklist has done it! They have chosen Susan Orlean's Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend as the best adult nonfiction book of 2011; their selection for best adult fiction book of 2011 is The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright. But regardless of what you're reading and how (print or electronic), we at the Community Library would like to wish you a 2012 filled with wonderful reading material.

Books like Le Carre's 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

2011-12-29T08:30:00.003-05:00

Love top-notch spy thrillers? Filmgoers who have seen the new award-winning movie Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy might have (re)discovered John Le Carré's 1974 novel of the same name. In this classic suspense story, British agent George Smiley hunts for a Soviet double agent within the ranks of the Secret Service. And if you're similarly on the hunt for a good read-alike, try these three books, recommended by Novelist:

Secret Asset by Stella Rimington - Secret Asset portrays agent Liz Carlyle's attempt to thwart a terrorist attack and root out a mole in British intelligence. Rimington's eye for the details of life in a secretive community conveys a contemporary upgrade of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Morning Spy, Evening Spy by Colin MacKinnon - In Morning Spy, Evening Spy, a CIA agent investigates the death of a fellow agent during the year leading up to 9/11, uncovering ineptitude, almost willful blindness, and scrambled priorities reminiscent of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy's portrayal of Britain's MI5.
The Eighth Dwarf by Ross Thomas - Set in war-torn Germany in the late-1940s, The Eighth Dwarf features more action than Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and the pacing is faster than Le Carré's. However, both portray a world-weary cynicism and an equally compelling cast of minor characters.

Remember, you can log onto Novelist yourself anytime using your Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library card.

Weres and Wolves

2011-12-28T08:30:00.001-05:00

Love wolf/werewolf fantasy? Here are four suggestions just for you:

Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst - Set 14,000 years ago, Promise of the Wolves takes us to a land where time is counted in phases of the moon, distance is measured in wolflengths, and direction by the scent of the nearest trail.

Wolfsangel by MD Lachlan - Acting on a prophecy, the viking King Authun raids an Anglo-Saxon village and captures twin boys, taking them back to the witches who live on the perilous mountain of the Troll Wall. Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear - A young nobleman chosen to become a wolfcarl, a warrior bonded to a fighting wolf, Isolfr is bound to Viradechtis, a queen wolf, as they confront a powerful force supernatural creatures that threatens the complaisant human holdings.

Benighted by Kit Whitfield - Lola Galley, an ordinary human in a world in which nearly all the population is lycanthropic, sets out to bring to justice the rogue lune responsible for the mauling of an old friend.

A more comprehensive version of this themed list was originally published in the library's Fantasy December 2011 NextReads newsletter - subscribe free here for once-a-month emails about new releases and themed booklists in your favorite genre.

Don't miss this Shakespearean/Victorian mashup!

2011-12-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

Inspired by two beloved works of English literature (Twelfth Night and The Importance of Being Earnest), All Men of Genius takes place in an alternate Steampunk Victorian London, where science makes the impossible possible. Violet Adams wants to attend the exclusive, all-male Illyria College, founded by the late Duke Illyria. She gains entry disguised as her twin brother, Ashton, but keeping the secret of her sex isn't easy, especially when the duke's young ward starts to develop feelings for Violet's alter ego. Not to mention blackmail, mysterious killer automata, and the way Violet's pulse quickens whenever the young duke, Ernest (who has a secret past of his own), speaks to her. For another enjoyable story about a cross-dressing girl at a male-only school, try Tamora Pierce's young adult fantasy novel Alanna: The First Adventure, or the more recent work of realistic fiction, Babe in Boyland.

Books like Umberto Eco's 'The Prague Cemetery'

2011-12-26T08:30:00.001-05:00

Enjoy atmospheric historical fiction and conspiracy theories? Then you've probably already discovered Umberto Eco's new book The Prague Cemetery, which follows the controversial nineteenth-century story of a European world where violence and occult practices shaping key historical events are commonly linked by a solitary evil genius. If you loved it and are looking for similar titles, NoveList also recommends:

An instance of the fingerpost - Iain Pears - These two titles are both highly intellectual historical mysteries that bring Europe's past to life. Each focuses on a fictional character but features real historical figures, and each has elements of religious hatred, ethnic prejudice, and deception.
My name is Red by Orhan Pamuk - If you enjoy mysteries full of historical detail, a strong sense of place, and a many-layered plot, you may want to read The Prague Cemetery and My Name Is Red.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - The Prague Cemetery and The Count of Monte Cristo are stories of 19th-century intrigue, action, and conspiracy. Both are lyrically written and feature men who excel at keeping their true selves hidden in order to enact devious plans of revenge.

Log on to NoveList yourself using your Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library card, and discover even more books that are similar to your favorites.

War Horse leaps from print to screen

2011-12-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

Heading to the movie theater this holiday season? War Horse, a new film directed by Steven Spielberg, opens on Christmas. This movie tells the emotional story of a young man and his horse, who get caught up in World War I. Like many movies, War Horse is based on a book. Read Michael Morpurgo's original tale in the Kingfisher Book of Classic Animal Stories, available from your Community Library!

All I Did Was Shoot My Man

2011-12-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

The fourth and most recent installment of Walter Mosley's popular Leonid McGill mystery series has been released! In All I Did Was Shoot My Man, main character Leonid McGill finds himself caught between his sins of the past and an all-too-vivid present. When Zella Grisham is accused of both shooting her boyfriend and stealing more than six million dollars from the Rutgers Assurance Corp., Leonid McGill investigates, while his own family life begins to unravel around him. New to the series? Start with The Long Fall, followed by Known to Evil and When the Thrill is Gone.

Books like 'Clockwork Prince'

2011-12-21T08:30:00.001-05:00

Adults and teens alike enjoy the work of Cassandra Clare, whose second book in the "Infernal Device"s series, Clockwork Prince, has just recently been published. The Community Library owns three copies; unsurprisingly, all three of them are checked out. Whether you've read it already or are still waiting for your copy, try these similar reads, recommended by the readers' advisory database NoveList.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa - These sometimes (some might say "deliciously") melodramatic fantasy romances both have steampunk elements in the mix, and characters in each one are involved in a tense love triangle. This is book 3 in the 'Iron Fey' series, so start with The Iron King.
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton - Both of these romantic historical fantasy novels present a version of Victorian London in danger of being overrun by the supernatural, with heroines ill-prepared but determined to save the day.
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - Teens looking for fantasy novels with intricate plotting, steadily increasing tension, steamy love triangles, and plenty of twists and turns will be satisfied by either of these compelling reads.

And of course, if you're new to the series, start with Infernal Devices, book 1: Clockwork Angel, or the first book from another series in the same universe: Mortal Instruments, book 1: City of Bones.

Nothing Can Make Me Do This

2011-12-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Enjoy domestic drama? Nothing Can Make Me Do This by David Huddle tells the story of a family torn apart by its patriarch's dirty secret. This book received a starred review in Booklist: "Huddle zestfully traverses the erratic arc of love, lust, and everything in between." Be the first at your Community Library to put a hold on this exciting new book.

Top-notch hard-boiled crime fiction in 'Angel Face'

2011-12-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Looking to read a suspenseful, gritty crime novel set in nearby New York City? Try the new book Angel Face, which Booklist praises as "top-notch hard-boiled crime fiction." Young prostitute Angel Tamanaka's life becomes intertwined with hit man Leonard Carter after Angel witnesses Leonard killing one of her clients, a high-profile member of organized crime who told Angel about a hidden cache of money before he died. You'll be turning pages until midnight with this one!

Long Island Reads

2011-12-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

The "Long Island Reads" book selection for 2012 has been announced: The Lost Wife, by Alyson Richman. Set in the last moments of calm in prewar Prague, Lenka, a young art student, and Josef, who is studying medicine, fall in love. With the promise of a better future, they marry -- only to have their dreams shattered by the imminent Nazi invasion. Readers who loved The Lost Wife can also take a ten-day tour through the book's setting in the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary - get details here.

Readers' Choice Best Books of 2011

2011-12-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

'Best-of' book lists offer readers a chance discover gems they may have missed. Bookpage offers the top 30 books of 2011,based on votes from over 2,500 readers, all of which are available through your Community Library. And here they are:

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
3. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
4. In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
5. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
6. (2-way tie) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
8. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
9. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
10. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
11. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
12. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
13. (3-way tie) The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman, The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht, and The Affair by Lee Child
16. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
17. (2-way tie) Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks & The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
19. Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
20. (4-way tie) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean, The Greater Journey by David G. McCullough, and The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
24. (3-way tie) A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, and When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
27. (3-way tie) The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, and The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
30. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Another Top 10 Books of 2011 List

2011-12-15T08:30:00.002-05:00

Want a second opinion to the New York Times top 10 books of 2011 list? Here's the top 10 picks of the year (including both fiction and nonfiction) from a Shelf Awareness freelance book reviewer (read the full article here.) Only one book made it onto bost 'Top 10' lists: Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding, about a disasterously thrown baseball that affects the lives of five people in surprising ways.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach *
The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier
Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman
Volt by Alan Heathcock
Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert
History of a Suicide: My Sister's Unfinished Life by Jill Bialosky
Townie: A Memoir by Andre Dubus III

Blue Nights by Joan Didion

The Other Walk: Essays by Sven Birkerts

Lose yourself in amazing 'Amazir'

2011-12-14T08:30:00.002-05:00

If you like your historical fiction to transport you to destinations as vividly drawn as characters, try the newly-released Amazir: A Novel of Morocco, which Booklist describes as "an epic adventure-cum-love story set in 1938." When an idealistic young Englishman, Harry Summerfield, befriends an American oil explorer in Gibraltar, their meeting sparks a journey for both men that will take them across Morocco and northern Africa. There, they encounter the harsh realities of Berber opposition to French colonial rule and the passion and conflict of a love for the same young French woman. The book's publisher describes Amazir as "a breathtaking journey into the souks and mountains of Morocco that chronicles a powerful love affair and a nation's political turmoil."

Newest Joe Gunther novel Tag Man

2011-12-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

Tag Man, the newest in the popular Joe Gunther mystery series, has just been released. This follow-up to Red Herring has Vermont detective Joe Gunther on the heels of what appears to be an unlucky burglar. When this burglar breaks into the heavily secured homes of wealthy Vermont citizens and discovers evidence of a string of murders in one of the homes, Joe Gunther untangles conflicting evidence while the burglar flees for his life. New to the series? Each book stands well alone, but sticklers for series order should start with 1993's The Skeleton Key.

If you like the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series...

2011-12-12T08:30:00.004-05:00

If you like Alexander McCall Smith's "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" books, you might also enjoy these other mystery series (on display downstairs in the Fiction section):

China Bayles Mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert - China Bayles is a herbalist and loveable amateur sleuth. The books work well alone, but for those readers who are sticklers about series order, start with 1992's Thyme of Death, available for pick up at Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Library via loan from other Suffolk County libraries.
Miss Marple Mysteries by Agatha Christie - A truly classic series featuring an unflappable upper-class British heroine, who solves mysteries over a cup of tea. The first title, A Murder at the Vicarage, was published in 1930 and has since been re-released.
Mrs. Murphy Mysteries by Rita Mae Brown - Mrs. Murphy is a clever housecat with a nose for trouble; starting with the publication of 1990's Wish You Were Here, she helps her owner solve crimes. For other murder mysteries involving cats, try Lilian Jackson Braun's "Jim Qwilleran" feline whodunit series, starting with 1966's The Cat Who Could Read Backwards.
Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle - Clare Cosi, the manager of a small coffeeshop, gets drawn into amateur crime solving. The series started in 2003 with On What Grounds.
Maxie and Stretch by Sue Henry - Independent retiree Maxie McNabb is 63 and as sharp as ever; she solves crimes with the help of her loveable dachshund Stretch. Start with 2004's The Serpent's Trail.
Someday Quilts by Clare O'Donohue - Nell Fitzgerald and her knitting club, "Someday Quilts," somehow get themselves entangled in mysteries that they alone can solve. Series newcomers should start with 2008's The Lover's Knot.

Happy Birthday, William Floyd

2011-12-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

William Floyd School District, William Floyd Parkway, William Floyd Plaza - William Floyd's name is all over this community, but who was William Floyd anyway? In fact, William Floyd was a local resident (his estate in Mastic is now a historic site) who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Celebrate this local founding father's 277th birthday on Saturday, December 17th by visiting your Community Library. At 3 pm, local schoolchildren will perform music and read selections from their essays, after which all are invited to help blow out the candles on William Floyd's birthday cake and enjoy some light refreshments. Can't make it to the party? Read up on William Floyd - check out a book from your Community Library's "Happy Birthday William Floyd" display.

NYT 10 Best Books of 2011

2011-12-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again! Everyone with an opinion is busy compiling 'best-of lists' for 2011, and the book world is no exception. Here is The New York Times's recently released list "10 Best Books of 2011:"

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Ten Thousand Saints by Eleanor Henderson
The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht
Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens
The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Journey to Understand His Extraordinary Son by Ian Brown
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
A World on Fire: Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War by Amanda Foreman

Do you think the New York Times missed one? Share your opinions - comment!

Some families have laws all their own...

2011-12-08T08:30:00.000-05:00

Bernadette "Bernie" Sullivan is the daughter of a proud New York City police family; her brothers are all NYPD cops, her sister married a police officer, and Bernie herself is an assistant District Attorney. But when tragedy hits close to home, Bernie must re-evaluate what it means to serve justice. Rosalind Noonan's newly-published The Daughter She Used to Be is a solid pick for fans of domestic or psychological fiction.

Gingerbread Bump-Off

2011-12-07T08:30:00.004-05:00

Think your holiday season has been stressful? Escape from endless shopping lists and also gain a little perspective with Gingerbread Bump-Off, in which Phyllis Newsom, overwhelmed with Christmas baking and prepping her house for her town's annual Christmas Tour of Homes, discovers the attempted murder of a close friend on her own front porch. The 6th in the "Fresh-Baked Mystery" series starting with A Peach of a Murder, Gingerbread Bump-Off is also a good stand-alone story that includes recipes as a bonus. Fans of Joanne Fluke (Devil's Food Cake Murder) should not miss this cozy culinary mystery.

Civil War historical fiction - Battle of the Crater

2011-12-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

The best-selling writing team of Valley Forge presents The Battle of the Crater, a tale inspired by a crushing 1864 Union defeat, tracing the investigation of reporter and Lincoln confidante James O'Reilly, who retraces the tragedy and how a promising campaign went wrong. Civil war buffs and fans of American historical fiction will be interested in checking out this book, co-authored by 2012 presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich.

Get your tissue box ready for Proof of Heaven

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

Hundreds of Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library patrons have checked out Todd Burpo's new book Heaven is for Real. New novelist Mary Curran Hackett picks up on this theme in her debut novel, Proof of Heaven. Get your tissues ready - in this fictional story, a dying boy wishes to meet his father, who abandoned his mother before he was born. This moving tale of a terminally ill child's final wish will tug at your heartstrings.

Grisham's 'Firm' on NBC

2011-12-03T08:30:00.001-05:00

NBC is launching a new drama starring Josh Lucas based on John Grisham's bestselling 1991 legal thriller The Firm. More of a sequel than a retelling, the TV series picks up years after main character Mitch McDeere breaks free from his former employer, a mob-controlled law firm. Visit this article from Entertainment Weekly's "Inside TV" for trailers from the new show.

Snowed in with a good book

2011-12-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

Check out the December book display downstairs in the Fiction section at your Community Library! Featured books fit a "snowed in" theme, and are perfect for curling up with on a long winter's night. Titles on display include a range of snowbound stories, from classics like Call of the Wild, in which a dog explores Alaska's Klondike gold fields, to Kiss of Snow, a sizzling paranormal romance between a mortal woman and a member of the SnowDancer werewolf pack. For a wintery mystery, try Snow Angels, in which a racially charged murder around Christmas in Finland takes a toll on Inspector Vaara's marriage. Although the weather in the Shirley area has been surprisingly mild so far, these snowy reads will have you reaching for the hot chocolate.

A cozy snowbound mystery in "Superior Dilemma"

2011-12-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

With December now upon us, many people in the Tri-Hamlet area are starting to think with dread of snow. For the residents of the fictional Apostle Bay, however, winter is a welcome season that is key to their economy. Every year, the town hosts the Lake Superior Sled Dog Challenge. This year, however, someone is booby-trapping the course, endangering snowmobilers and tourists. Newspaperman Vince Marshall is torn between his desire to get to the bottom of this mystery and his need to provide emotional support for his wife, a high school teacher who is having health problems. Readers of cozy mysteries will enjoy this story, which is the third in a trilogy (preceded by Superior Death and Superior Deception).

Deception at Lyme; or, The Peril of Persuasion

2011-11-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

Attention Austen fans! The 6th entry in a mystery series featuring Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy and his new bride Elizabeth has just been released. The Deception at Lyme; or, The Peril of Persuasion tells the story of a holiday gone terribly wrong. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy investigate the murder of a woman whose body was found at the base of Lyme's famous sea wall, as well as the prospect that Fitzwilliam's naval-lieutenant cousin may have also been murdered. Each title in the series stands well alone, but newcomers may want to begin with the first book, Pride and Prescience; or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged.

"Good Christian Bitches" controversial debut novel

2011-11-29T08:30:00.002-05:00

New author Kim Gatlin sure hasn't shied away from controversy with her debut novel, titled Good Christian Bitches. In this new book, newly divorced Amanda Vaughn returns to her Texas hometown, where she is targeted by a malicious group of holier-than-thou Christian women who see the rich, single, and sweet-natured Amanda as a rival. When the so-called Christians start attacking Amanda's children, the usually gentle Amanda has had enough. Unsurprisingly, this book has already drawn fire from Christian watchdog groups, but the premise has at least one fan: television network ABC. The book has already been optioned as a TV series pilot, and is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about new releases this season. Reserve it today!

Exciting Debut: Julia's Child

2011-11-28T08:30:00.003-05:00

A well-intentioned mom bites off more than she can chew when she creates 'Julia's Child,' a line of organic food for toddlers inspired by her own desire to provide her child with simple, healthy meals. Pouring all her time and resources into the new business, Julia's family life soon suffers. According to the review in Booklist, author Sarah Pinneo "perfectly captures what it's like to risk it all to follow a dream," having herself given up a Wall Street career to become a food journalist. Looking for additional stressed-out mom stories? Try...

Western + steampunk + mystery = Alloy of Law

2011-11-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

Looking for an action-packed read the defies easy classification? Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson combines elements of Westerns, mysteries, and fantasy to create this unique new release. Although the book is set in the same universe as Sanderson's earlier Mistborn trilogy, 300 years have passed since the events in those books, making Alloy of Law a solid stand-alone selection. As the Booklist reviewer puts it, Alloy of Law is "rife with philosophical ponderings, and plenty of crime-fighting action, [and it] fits nicely in any gun holster." Of course, if you want to read this book, you'll have to get in line!

Imagining Thanksgiving 1962 in American Boy

2011-11-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Larry Watson's new book American Boy starts on Thanksgiving Day, 1962, when the shooting of a young woman sets off a chain of events in a small Minnesota town. Booklist, which gave American Boy a starred review, describes the book as a modern-day Catcher in the Rye, and also recommends it as a crossover title for teenaged readers. Happy Thanksgiving (and happy reading) from your Community Library.

What authors would you invite for Thanksgiving dinner?

2011-11-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is tomorrow; if you could invite any author (living or dead) to join you, who would it be & why? Here's one librarian's list:

Joanne Fluke (Devil's Food Cake Murder) - because she'd bring one heckuva dessert.
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice) - because she died a spinster after having written some of the best love stories of all time, and I've always wanted to ask her about her own love life
Brandon Sanderson (The Way of Kings) - because he's just a great writer who will always be welcome at my dinner table

Obama on the Couch

2011-11-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

Get inside of the mind of the President with Obama on the Couch, a practicing pyschoanalyist's take on the United States' Commander in Chief. According to the publisher, Justin A. Frank's new book "analyzes Barack Obama's behavior to explain the apparent disconnect between his campaign promises and presidential choices, drawing on factors from his past to illuminate the role of unconscious thoughts on the administration of his policies." If you enjoy reading pyschoanalyses of presidential behavior, you might also want to check out Bush on the Couch by the same author.

Grief and a mother's guilt in Didion's touching new memoir

2011-11-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Celebrated author Joan Didion has released a new memoir brimming with emotion. In Blue Nights, Didion "reflects on her grief about her daughter's death, her guilt about her choices as a mother, and her fear of mortality," according to Goodreads, which has named this book a "Mover and Shaker" for the month of November. Didion's 2005 memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, won the the National Book Award in nonfiction and is also worth checking out. Keep your tissues handy!

Announcing a new trilogy from Nora Roberts

2011-11-19T08:30:00.001-05:00

Nora Roberts fans, take note: The Next Always, book one in a planned trilogy by this popular author, is due out soon. This book, which received a starred review in Booklist, is a love story set around a historic hotel that has endured war and peace, and even rumored hauntings. In the story, the inn is getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett's social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there's another project he's got his eye on: the girl he's been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen... Reserve your copy early to be sure you don't have long to wait!

Thrilling Series Starter: The Boy in the Suitcase

2011-11-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

In this first installment of a newly-translated series of Danish thrillers, Red Cross nurse Nina Borg retrieves a suitcase from the Copenhagen train station, discovering to her shock that its contents is a drugged three-year-old boy. Too scared to go to the police, Nina risks her life to protect the child in this high-adrenaline novel, which is on Goodreads' featured November "Movers and Shakers" list. Fans of other Scandinavian crime writers such as Stieg Larsson (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Jo Nesbo (The Snowman), and Lars Kepler (The Hypnotist) will especially enjoy this latest series to cross the Atlantic. Reserve Lene Kaaberbøl's The Boy in the Suitcase from your Community Library by clicking the link and entering your barcode information.

2011 National Book Award Winners Announced

2011-11-17T10:27:00.001-05:00

Winners of the coveted 2011 National Book Award have just been announced! Check one out from your Community Library!

Fiction - Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward - Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.

Non-Fiction - The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt - A humanities professor describes the impact had by the translation of the last remaining manuscript of "On the Nature of Things" by Roman philosopher Lucretius, which fueled the Renaissance and inspired artists, great thinkers, and scientists.

Can't get enough Amish Inspirational fiction?

2011-11-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

Fans of big-name Amish inspirational writers like Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis might also want to try relative newcomer Jerry Eicher. The third book in his Little Valley series, Ella Finds Love Again, has just been published. Start with book 1, A Wedding Quilt for Ella, in which Ella copes with the loss of her fiancee Aden, and continue with book 2, Ella's Wish, in which Ella looks after motherless girls while dealing with two suitors. Readers looking for other writers of Amish inspirational fiction might also want to try Marta Perry (Rachel's Garden) or Suzanne Woods Fisher (start with The Choice, Book 1 of Lancaster County Secrets).

New release from the master of horror

2011-11-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Attention Stephen King fans! 11/22/63, King's first full-length novel since 2009's Under the Dome, is coming soon to a library near you. The book tells the story of Jake Epping, an English teacher who travels back in time to grant his friend's dying wish: to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. Unsurprisingly, not everything goes according to plan. The review in Library Journal notes that "alternate-history buffs will especially enjoy the twist ending." Reserve a copy from your Community Library today!

If you like Clive Cussler...

2011-11-14T08:30:00.005-05:00

Are you one of Clive Cussler's many fans? Novelist, your Community Library's readers' advisory tool, describes this prolific author as "the quintessential Adventure writer." If you enjoy the fast-paced adventure stories that are the hallmark of Cussler's work, you might also like some of the titles currently on display downstairs in the fiction section. Selections include:

The Six Sacred Stones - A sequel to Seven Deadly Wonders finds soldier Jack West, Jr., and his elite team working to counter the efforts of a dark cabal that has been steadily undermining their past efforts with the intent of staging a catastrophic attack.
The Exodus Quest - Archaeologist Daniel Knox must crack one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the ancient world if he is going to exonerate himself from suspicion of murder and save his partner, Gaille, who has been kidnapped from the crumbling set of Egyptian ruins. A sequel to The Alexander Cipher.
The Lucifer Code - Abducted during a visit to Turkey, Thomas Lourds is ordered by his murderous captors to translate a lost scroll attributed to the Book of Revelations' John that is being sought aggressively by dangerous, powerful groups for its potential capacity for triggering the Apocalypse.
The Devil Colony - After a mountainside massacre yields a grim message, Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, must join with Commander Grayson Pierce and an unlikely ally if he is going to get to the root of a conspiracy that stretches back to a lost prehistoric colony in America. By the best-selling author of The Doomsday Key.
Hawke - A modern-day swashbuckler and one of England's most decorated naval heroes, Lord Alexander Hawke heads for the Caribbean on a top-secret mission for the U.S. government, to locate an experimental stealth submarine, built by the Soviets just prior to the end of the Cold War, which has fallen into the hands of an unstable government planning a preemptive strike against the U.S.

Disappointed with Patterson

2011-11-12T08:30:00.001-05:00

Reader and library member E.L. shares her disappointment with James Patterson's Now You See Her. Giving the book 2 out of 5 stars, the reviewer says "Not one of Patterson's best. Nina is living incognito with her daughter. Years ago she was someone else, married to a psychopath cop, and almost killed by a serial killer. She's able to escape, start a new life, however, it all catches up with her in the end."

Have you also been disappointed by Patterson's recent work? Or have you been pleasantly surprised? Has anyone read his newest Christmas Wedding yet? Share your opinions by commenting or submitting your own reviews.

Pulitzer-winning author reveals Catherine the Great

2011-11-11T08:30:00.002-05:00

From a minor German princess to empress of Russia, Catherine the Great's life provides great fodder for a biography, and Pulitzer-winning author Robert K. Massie has accomplished this task to rave critical reviews. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman talks about Catherine as an individual as well as a ruler, taking a behind-the-scenes look at the life of this great leader. Click here or pick up a free copy of Bookpage at your Community Library to read an interview with this new biography's author.

Looking for another high-quality biography of a powerful woman? Try Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff, which made quite a splash when it came out in late 2010.

A Prodigal Son in Lost December

2011-11-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

Richard Paul Evans (bestselling author of The Christmas Box) has released another heart-warming book just in time for Christmas; Lost December retells the Biblical story of the prodigal son in modern times. When Luke Crisp graduates from business school, his wealthy father is ready to turn over the family business to his son. But Luke scorns his father's offer, cashes out his trust fund, and lives a life of reckless indulgence. When the money runs out, he secretly takes a low-level job at his father's Fortune 500 company, where he meets a struggling single mother and learns a valuable lesson about personal joy.

Not for the easily offended: Lightning Rods

2011-11-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

How can sexual tension at the workplace be ended? If you're Joe, the main character of the new book Lightning Rods, your solution is going to be rather unorthodox: hire 'lightning rod' women who service their coworkers in addition to doing regular office work. Joe gets nervous when the FBI starts investigating his use of female employees as 'lightning rods,' only to find out that the government agency wants to implement his system, too. Not for the easily offended, Lightning Rods is a darkly humorous social commentary that Library Journal describes as "a total hoot" for the right person.

Can't get enough Hunger Games?

2011-11-08T08:30:00.002-05:00

With the Hunger Games movie coming soon, your Community Library can't keep the Hunger Games trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay) on the shelves! For those of you who hunger for additional high-quality dystopias, there are plenty of great choices out there. Try, for example, The Handmaid's Tale, in which an ultra-religious fervor ushers in a new era of misogyny; The Passage, in which a military experiment goes chillingly wrong, and The Leftovers, in which a Rapture-like event mysteriously causes some people to disappear. 1Q84, whose storyline is a nod to Orwell's classic dystopia 1984, is a bestseller in its native Japan; its English translation is on track to earn similar success. Share your favorite dystopias by commenting!

Concluding the Acacia trilogy

2011-11-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

Fans of George R.R. Martin's epic "Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series might have already discovered David Anthony Durham's "Acacia" books, starting with The War with the Mein. Like the "Song of Ice and Fire," this series follows the children of a noble family torn apart by betrayal. With epic world-building and intriguing political maneuvering, the first two "Acacia" books have garnered a large fan following in their own right. Now, the trilogy finally comes to a climactic close with The Sacred Band. Place your holds now!

Military fiction

2011-11-05T08:30:00.011-04:00

Veterans' Day is in November, and your library is celebrating by showcasing Military Fiction at the base of the stairs in the adult fiction area. Titles on display are from this list compiled by librarian Jessica O., and include The Officers' Club, a modern-day murder mystery in which the dead body of a female servicemember is found at the Mexican border, and Sword and Drum, a Western set during the Civil War in which a detachment finds themselves fighting the Apache. Whether or not you're a vet, all Suffolk County library card holders are welcome to check them out!

Crichton's posthumous thriller Micro

2011-11-04T08:30:00.002-04:00

When Michael Crichton died of cancer in 2008, he left behind a partial manuscript for a book titled Micro, in which a group of graduate students get more than they bargain for when they accept work with a mysterious biotech start-up in Hawaii. Reuters reports that Richard Preston, author of the science thrillers The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event, was selected to complete the book by the Crichton estate and by publisher HarperCollins. Now, the last work of the author who gave the world Jurassic Park is scheduled for release on November 22. Reserve your copy today!

Stephenson's new cyberthriller Reamde

2011-11-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

In Neal Stephenson's newest cyberthriller Reamde, criminals quietly launder money in the online fantasy world of T'Rain until teenaged Chinese hackers unleash a virus named Reamde. Now, good guys and bad guys must fight for control of this virtual landscape, with real-world wealth and power at stake. Fans of science fiction and spy novels alike will enjoy this new release.

Required Reading: The Influencing Machine

2011-11-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

The Influencing Machine is a recently-published graphic novel examining the media. The starred review in Library Journal compares the book's narrator to "a chatty but interesting poli-sci professor" who guides the reader "through media history, source accuracy (or not), journalist impartiality (or not), bias (seven kinds), dilemmas relating to war reporting, objectivity (or not), disclosure, tricks the mind plays on understanding news stories, and how the media mirror ourselves in all of our human diversity." The review also recommends that the book "should be required reading for nearly everbody over age ten, media students, and plain ole citizens, especially." Intrigued? Pick it up at your Community Library!

England's highest literary honor goes to 'The Sense of an Ending'

2011-11-01T08:30:00.002-04:00

Julian Barnes has won the Man Booker Prize for his new book The Sense of an Ending. In addition to the prestige of England's highest literary honor, the prize also comes with £50,000 (about $78,000) in prize money. This new award-winner "follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about--until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present."

5 things Halloween can teach us about reading

2011-10-31T08:30:00.009-04:00

1. Don't judge a book by its cover. The gore-encrusted trick-or-treater who knocks at your door is just wearing a costume; similarly, unappealing cover art can disguise a gem of a book.
2. People like to be scared - as long as they know they're safe. R.L. Stine credits the popularity of his children's Goosebumps series with the principle of the "safe scare." Admit it; there are probably a few scary books you've enjoyed reading while snug in your home, too.
3. Free candy makes life sweeter. With Winter Reading Club starting soon, you will soon get your own sweet treat in exchange for reading.
4. It's okay to object to things. Maybe you disapprove of sexy Halloween costumes, or of the holiday in general. Chances are, you have strong views on fiction, too. Not to worry, your Community Library prides itself on having reading material for people from all idealogies. Sign up for a NextReads email newsletter to get the inside scoop on favorites from all genres, including Christian Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.
5. Sometimes, you just have to get outside of yourself and pretend to be someone you're not. Part of the joy of fiction is in escapism. Escape with a good book from your Community Library!

Humorous Horror for Halloween

2011-10-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

Enjoy your creepy stories on the light side? Check out one of these humorous works of horror for perfectly amusing Halloween reading.

'Descendents' Author Counts Her Blessings

2011-10-28T08:30:00.000-04:00

Few would-be novelists are able to get their books published, let alone get their debuts turned into movies starring George Clooney. But, as reported in this issue of Shelf Awareness, that's exactly what happened to new author Kaui Hart Hemmings. Set in Hawaii, her book The Descendents tells the story of wealthy landowner Matthew King, his two out-of-control daughters, and his comatose wife, whom they are about to remove from life support. Now, the author of The Descendents is counting her blessings; the movie adaptation of her book is premiering November 18th, and you'll see plenty of the author's friends and family as extras in the background. Reserve this book before the rush here at your Community Library!

Jackie Kennedy still has it

2011-10-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

Jackie Kennedy still has it - the power to charm and enthrall America, that is. The new book by the former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy: Historical conversations on life with John F. Kennedy has jumped to the top of the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. The popular book is built around transcripts of a seven-part interview recorded in 1964. Reserve a copy today!

2011's Top Ten Debut Novels

2011-10-25T08:30:00.000-04:00

Enjoy sampling new literary talent? Debut novels are almost always high-quality, because publishers will only gamble on an unknown author if they really believe in his or her book. Plus, reading debuts allows you to discover a new author before anyone else does! In this article from Booklist, the top ten debut novels of 2011 are highlighted. Some, like The Family Fang, The Language of Flowers, and The Submission have been featured previously on this blog. Other first novels on the list available from your Community Library include The Arriviste, The Art of Fielding, The Borrower, Swamplandia!, The Taker, When God was a Rabbit, and The World Beneath. Are there any 2011 debuts you especially enjoyed? Leave a comment!

Spooky Reads for Halloween

2011-10-24T08:30:00.000-04:00

Looking for something to chill and thrill you this Halloween? Grab one of these spine-tingling stories from your Community Library. Have any other spooky story suggestions? Comment!

New Miniseries Stephen King's Bag of Bones

2011-10-22T08:30:00.001-04:00

Master of horror Stephen King is having one of his books turned into a miniseries. Deadline reports that King's book Bag of Bones will be released as a 4-hour, 2-night special on A&E. The publisher describes Bag of Bones as "a tale of grief and lost love's enduring bonds, of haunting secrets of the past, and of an innocent child caught in a terrible crossfire." In the story, a grieving widower returns to the lakeside getaway he once shared with his wife, and finds the town under the control of a powerful, vindictive millionaire. Nothing is quite as it seems; read the book and/or watch the forthcoming miniseries to find out more!

National Book Award Finalists in Fiction

2011-10-21T08:30:00.001-04:00

Looking for a high-quality work of fiction? Try one of this year's National Book Award finalists:

The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak - Follows young Jozef Vinich as he struggles to survive the brutal conditions on the Southern Front of World War I. A debut novel.
The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht - Struggling to understand why her beloved grandfather left his family to die alone in a field hospital far from home, a young doctor in a war-torn Balkan country takes over her grandfather's search for a mythical ageless vagabond while referring to a worn copy of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book."
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka - Presents the stories of six Japanese mail-order brides whose new lives in early twentieth-century San Francisco are marked by backbreaking migrant work, cultural struggles, children who reject their heritage, and the prospect of wartime internment.
Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman - Presents a collection of short stories that focus on the trials and tribulations of a group of Northeasterners.
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward - Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.

Water for Elephants Read-alikes

2011-10-20T08:30:00.000-04:00

Enjoyed Water for Elephants? This popular novel by Sara Gruen (which was recently turned into an equally successful movie available at your library) tells the story of two circus performers during the Great Depression. If you're looking for something similar in style to read, try any of the following books from this librarian-compiled list: The Help, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, The Thirteenth Tale, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner, and The Dry Grass of August. Select titles are on display downstairs in the Fiction section; you're welcome to check them out!

Families in the Aftermath of Tragedy

2011-10-19T08:30:00.001-04:00

Did you enjoy the new book The Night Strangers by Chris Bohaljian? For other stories about families in the aftermath of tragedy, Shelf Awareness recommends the following three books. Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a work of classic literature in which the lower-class Tess becomes the victim of her father's desire to rise in society. In the fictional Red Hook Road, the accidental death of a newlywed couplebrings out the simmering class tensions in a Maine resort town. Finally, A Rip In Heaven is the true story of the author's brother and two female cousins who were raped, pushed off a bridge, and left for dead. Got any other suggestions for this topic? Share them by commenting!

Attention Wicked Fans!

2011-10-18T08:30:00.001-04:00

Hundreds of thousands of people are familiar with Gregory Maguire's "Wicked Years" series that retells the classic Wizard of Oz from the villain's point of view. The first book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, was published in 1995 and was soon thereafter adapted as a hit Broadway musical. Book two, Son of a Witch, came out in 2005, followed by A Lion Among Men in 2008. The fourth and final installment in this magical series, Out of Oz, is due to be released on November 1st of this year. Get your hold requests in now!

Pessimists' Reading List

2011-10-17T08:30:00.005-04:00

War, terrorism, corporate greed; this article from The Millions features a pessimist's reading list styled as "troubled reading for troubled times." Highlighted titles available from your Community Library include The Night Manager by John Le Carre, which deals with illegal drug and arms trafficking, and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, where a dystopian future is ruled by calorie companies that regulate the Earth's dwindling food supply. Check one out, or for additional troubled-times reading selections, take a look at this earlier post about top-ten schadenfreude novels.

Big Push for The Marriage Plot

2011-10-15T08:30:00.001-04:00

If you're one of the over 100 Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library patrons who has signed up for the discounted train trip to New York City on 10/29/2011, then chances are good that you'll soon see the giant billboard in Times Square advertising The Marriage Plot, a forthcoming book by Pulitzer-winning author Jeffrey Eugenides. In this story of love triangles and self-actualization, Madeleine Hanna breaks out of her straight-and-narrow mold when she enrolls in a semiotics course and falls in love with charismatic loner Leonard Morten. However, things are complicated by the resurfacing of man who is obsessed with the idea that Madeleine is his destiny. Interested? Reserve your copy today.

Happy 50th Birthday, Catch 22!

2011-10-14T08:30:00.002-04:00

Catch-22, Joseph Heller's famous novel about the absurdity of war, is turning 50! Inspired loosely by Heller's own experiences as a soldier in World War II, this book was published in 1961 to mixed reviews. However, with public frustration building over the conflict in Vietnam, the book resonated with many readers. Since then, the book has become so universally known that its title has entered our language: the phrase "catch-22" means a bureaucratic trap, or a situation from which there is no escape. If you haven't yet read this classic novel, check it out from your Community Library today!

New TV Series: The Magicians

2011-10-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

Did you enjoy Lev Grossman's The Magicians or is recently-released sequel, The Magician King? You're not alone; in fact, the books have achieved such popularity that Fox has bought the rights and plans to produce a television series. Deadline reports that the writers of the forthcoming show will be none other than the ones who penned the blockbuster movie X-Men: First Class. In the story, Quentin Coldwater graduates from a secret, exclusive college of magic in upstate New York and finds that a fictional land from a series of childhood fantasy novels is real, but is more darker and dangerous than he could have imagined. If you haven't yet treated yourself to this humorous portal fantasy described as "at once psychologically piercing and magnificently absorbing," then reserve The Magicians today!

New 'In Death' Novel

2011-10-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

Can't get enough of J.D. Robb's "In Death" series? Then you probably know that the newest book in the series, New York to Dallas, has just come out, immediately jumping to second place on the New York Times bestseller list (superceded only by Kathryn Stockett's ever-popular book The Help). In this newest series installment, Lt. Eve Dallas is pursued by a revenge-obsessed child molester whom she had sent to prison early in her career. New York to Dallas is the 33rd book in this wildly popular series of thrillers; the complete and chronologically ordered list of titles is available here.

Reading with a Southern Accent

2011-10-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about reading is the ability to visit anywhere in the world without leaving your home. Take a reading trip to the American South with books from the Reading with a Southern Accent booklist, assembled by librarian Carolyn P. Selected titles include Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, about a newly-orphaned twelve-year-old girl who is whisked away to live with her great-aunt in Savannah, and Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, in which a newcomer to a small North Carolina town gradually overcomes her troubled past. These and other books from this list are on display downstairs in the Fiction section, across from the Readers' Advisory desk. Check one out!

Books by TV Characters

2011-10-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

The recent publication of Pawnee: The Best Town in America is somewhat unique because its author, Leslie Knope, is herself a fictional character from the sitcom "Parks and Recreation." Still, as this article in The Atlantic points out, there has been more than one book authored by television characters. Bart from "The Simpsons" has published a Guide to Life. In the fifth season of NBC's "How I Met Your Mother," character Barney Stinson explains that his foolproof method for seducing women is outlined in his playbook, which was later published under the title The Playbook, with the character receiving authorial credit. Richard Castle, the main character on ABC's detective show "Castle," has an entire series of murder mystery novels! In fact, Castle's books are so popular that the Community Library purchased two copies of his latest book, Heat Rises, in order to meet the high demand. Know of any other books authored by fictional characters?

The Power of Self Control

2011-10-08T08:30:00.001-04:00

A relative newcomer on the New York Times bestseller list is Willpower, a nonfictional book that helps readers achieve their goals through the power of self-control. The publisher describes this book as: "A forefront psychologist and a New York Times science writer draw on a landmark study linking will power to glucose levels, identifying the pivotal roles of healthy eating and sleeping in achieving personal goals while outlining strategic recommendations for establishing self-control habits." Interested? Reserve a copy today!

2011 Nobel Prize in Literature

2011-10-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer has won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature. Not a prolific writer, his work has been praised for the power of its language as well as the meaningful themes it addresses. Read the full article in the Guardian here. Interested? Read his poem "An Attempt at Jealousy" in 100 Great Poems of the 20th Century, available at here at your Community Library.

Rising Star: Debut Novel Night Circus

2011-10-06T08:30:00.002-04:00

A newly published book that's fast becoming a bestseller is Night Circus by debut novelist Erin Morgenstern. Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways. A good next read for fans of Water for Elephants; those who enjoy a taste of magical romance with their circus stories might also enjoy Tiger's Curse.

King of Heists Film Adaptation

2011-10-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

Telling the exciting true story of one of the most famous bank robberies in American history, it was only a matter of time before the book King of Heists was adapted for the big screen. Now, J. North Conway's 2009 bestseller is on its road to Hollywood, with the forthcoming movie to star actor Jeremy Renner (who was also in the 2010 bank heist movie, The Town). Reserve a copy of this action-packed true account now, before the new movie makes it much harder to get!

Today in Fiction

2011-10-04T08:30:00.003-04:00

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story "The Problem of Thor Bridge" begins on a fictional October 4th at the turn of the last century. A governess is accused of killing her wealthy male employer's wife, and the evidence against her is damning: an eyewitness places her at the scene of the crime and the murder weapon has been found in her wardrobe. Can Sherlock Holmes prove her innocence? Visit today in fiction; read "The Problem of Thor Bridge" in The Complete Sherlock Holmes, available from your Community Library.