Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog

Title: Firefly Lane
Genre: Adult Fiction
Author: Hannah, Kristen
Rating: 5

Review: A great book about the true meaning of friendship. In life we all make mistakes and this book shows the power of true friendship and how they are there for each other in times of need. Awesome book with a sad ending, but I felt that the ending made the book even that much better. Definitely worth reading!!

Reviewed by: Maureen

Title: The Mountains of Israel
Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Author: Archbold, Norma
Rating: 4

Review: This book is very informative about the prophesies in the Bible. It explains in detail what God intended for his people of Israel. An easy read, not too complicated, not too long.

Reviewed by: Kim

Title: Twilight
Genre: Adult Fiction
Author: Meyer, Stephanie
Rating: 5

Review: I thought the book was excellent.It kept the reader interested throughout the entire book.

Reviewed by: Donna

Title: Hope
Genre: Adult Fiction
Author: Copeland, Lori
Rating: 4

Review: Excellent Christian romance novel.

Reviewed by: Ellen

Title: Sophie Metropolis
Genre: Adult Fiction
Author: Carrington, Tori
Rating: 4

Review: Hilarious improbable story of an offbeat young Greek woman and her exploits as an inexperienced Junior Private Investigator working for her retired uncle. Her cases include a missing mutt, an missing elderly gent who the neighbors think is a vampire, and a cheating wife somehow connected to the FBI. Throw in a handsome Aussie maybe about-to-be-lover and you have a very amusing story.

Reviewed by: Carol

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda