Popular Book Club Books

Thinking about starting your own book club, or just looking for a great, discussion-worthy book? The following are the most popular recent book club books based on votes from readers of 27,000 book clubs registered at Bookmovement.com:

1. Room by Emma Donoghue

2. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

4. Little Bee by Chris Cleave

5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

6. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

7. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

8. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

9. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

10. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (currently the library's Featured Staff Pick!)

Your community library also has its own book club available to all adult patrons. This month, the club is reading the 1969 award-winning science fiction story The Left Hand of Darkness about a world similar to Earth except that the inhabitants are androgynous, neither male or female. Register here and visit the circulation desk for your copy!

Book-to-movie Alert: Snow Flower & the Secret Fan

Fox Searchlight has released a trailer for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, the film adaptation of Lisa See's novel about two female best friends in ancient China. The movie introduces a second, parallel storyline set in modern-day Shanghai, which follows the descendents of these two friends. Directed by Wayne Wang, it stars Bingbing Li, Gianna Jun, Vivian Wu and Hugh Jackman. Scheduled for release on July 15, you still have four months to check out the book and read it before going to see the movie this summer.

Winter Reading Club Update, Week 6

Six weeks into the Winter Reading Club and the website already has 425 posted book reviews! Congratulations to J.L., who won Week Six's prize basket, "Death by Chocolate." Keep the entries coming; the next raffle prize is "Jump, Jive, and Java" and the drawing for it will be held first thing on Monday, 2/14. Haven't joined the reading club? It's still not too late; sign up here or by calling the Adult Reference Desk at (631) 399-1511 x 240. All adult cardholders are welcome. For your browsing pleasure, here are some of the books that received excellent reviews in the winter reading club this week (click the covers to see the complete record & reserve your own copy):

Moning's "Shadowfever": Read-alikes

Fans of Karen Moning's bestselling paranormal thriller Shadowfever (book 4 in the ongoing "Fever" series) have a few good read-a-like options. NoveList, a readers' advisory database that MMSCL patrons can access for free online, recommends:

Shadowplay by Tad Williams

If you like epic fantasy fiction that goes beyond battles between good and evil and beings with special powers, you may like both Shadowfever and Shadowplay. In both, the protagonist discovers a family secret that prompts him (or her) to seek revenge. This is book 2 in a series; if you're a stickler for reading books in order, start with Shadowmarch.

Belladonna by Anne Bishop

If you like steamy fantasy fiction in which a strong female protagonist must fight the forces of evil, you may want to read both Shadowfever and Belladonna. In order to combat evil, both women possess supernatural powers. This is the second book in a two-book set; consider starting with the first book, Sebastian.

Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Acheron and Shadowfever are both fantasy quests that are part of larger series. Both have elements of romance, and in each of these titles a female protagonist seeks to understand and solve an ancient mystery while fighting forces of evil.

Tuscon Festival of Books

This weekend is the annual Tuscon Festival of Books, with live TV coverage airing on C-SPAN 2. Here are some of the books that are being profiled: request your own copy from the library by clicking the covers!