Book Lovers

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb
Melanie Benjamin

She may have been small in size but she had big dreams and even bigger ambitions.  Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump wanted to see the world and, more importantly, wanted to be remembered.  She embarked on her journey with a river showboat company but hit the big time when she hooked up with P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb to become the sensations of the Civil War era.  Told as a fictional memoir, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is a compelling story about very compelling people.

Aug 22, 2011
Susan
Zorro: the Legend Begins
Isabel Allende

This fun, adventure tale is the story of Diego de la Vega’s (aka Zorro) early years. We meet Diego’s parents (a nobleman, former soldier in the Spanish army and a female, Indian chieftess) as well as his lifelong companions (his soul brother, Bernardo, and good friend, Isabelle). We go on numerous high-flying adventures as he crosses the ocean, is welcomed into the secret La Justicia society, and learns tricks from a gang of gypsies. We even see him fall in love and lose that love (along the way earning a most diabolical enemy). Most of all, we see the young man mature into the dual personality of Diego, the foppish and fragile  gentleman, and Zorro, the brave, athletic, wise-cracking man of the mask. This story isn't all action jackson, though, as it also explores the many perspectives and influences which shaped  the hero. A fine read for any time of year.

Aug 19, 2011
Anonymous
State of Wonder
Ann Patchett

When Marina learns of the death of Anders Eckman, her lab partner and good friend, she is devastated. Her time for grief is cut short, however, when both Anders’ wife and her employer ask her to travel to South America to retrieve information about Anders’ death and his work, and to find an elusive researcher who may hold the truth about both. Marina ventures deep into the Amazon Rain Forest to confront her past and change her future. With her usual flair for creating rich and appealing characters while slowly revealing their complex histories, Patchett offers another gem to her readers. Highly recommended.

Aug 12, 2011
Anonymous
Children and Fire
Ursula Hegi

Children and Fire takes place in 1934 Germany when Hitler is starting his rise to power.  Thekla Jansen teaches fourth grade boys in Burgdorf (also the setting for the author's other books).  Confused herself about what is happening in her world, she tries to keep her class focused on learning rather than get caught up with all that is going on in the outside world.  All of the action happens in one day with alternating chapters that focus on Thekla's family history.  A fast read that gets you involved with the youngsters as well as the adults.

Aug 2, 2011
Susan
The Forge of God
The Forge of God
Greg Bear

This novel offers an interesting solution to the Fermi Paradox. Two alien civilizations have space crafts found burried in two different deserts on Earth.  One spaceship is manned by robots who say they are here to help the people of Earth and the other is manned by a dying alien life form who claims the first group are planet-eaters who are out to destroy our world and he was sent to come warn us.  The people of Earth have to decide which group they believe and Bear does a fantastic job of describing this scary end of the world scenario.

Jul 26, 2011
Kristy
Dead Reckoning
Charlaine Harris

When Merlotte’s is nearly burned to the ground, Sookie finds herself once more in the middle of the complicated dealings of the undead and nonhuman in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Vengeful shifters, meddlesome witches, powerful fairy artifacts and a vampire coup keep readers on their toes in the eleventh installment of Harris’ wildly popular Southern Vampire series. Fans of the HBO series True Blood who have not yet dug into this series should start with the series opener, Dead Until Dark.

Jul 12, 2011
Anonymous
The Genesis Code
The Genesis Code
John Case

This compelling biomedical suspense novel starts with a confession being made in a remote Italian village that the priest immediately goes to Vatican to report what he has heard.  In America, Joe Lassiter is investigating the bizarre murders of his sister and nephew in a house fire.  The arsonist is caught and badly burned, but manages to escape to the hospital.  Lassiter's investigation brings him to an unusal Italian fertility clinic that had performed treatments on his sister before her son was born.  Fans of Dan Brown will enjoy the fast pace and stratling plot twists.

Jul 7, 2011
Kristy
Dreams of Joy
Lisa See

Reeling from her father’s death and disillusioned by her family’s secrets, Joy flees to China in search of her real father and a Communist utopia. While Pearl knows that by returning to her homeland she may never again be able to leave the country she once risked her life to escape, she will risk everything to bring her daughter home. By switching narration between the two women, this sequel to Shanghai Girls examines both the wonders of the “Great Leap Forward” and the horrors of its execution in both the city and countryside of Red China.

Jul 5, 2011
Anonymous
Swamplandia!
Karen Russel

The Bigtree clan are proprietors of Swamplandia!, an alligator “amusement” park deep in the Florida Everglades.  After the park’s star and mother, Hilola, dies an early death, the family must find a way to fill the gap both emotionally and financially. The dad, Chief Bigtree, goes off to the mainland on mysterious money-making trip. The eldest, Kiwi, never an alligator wrestler, also goes mainland for a job at Swamplandia’s main waterpark competition, World of Darkness. Ossie, the eldest daughter, is visited by ghosts and goes on a dangerous trip when she is proposed to by one. Which leaves Ava, the youngest, to try and hold things together. This is an adventure story with some genuinely funny parts (especially with Kiwi’s comrades at the World) as well as creepy elements. Even with a blurb from Stephen King, it is evident that the author has some literary ambitions, using vivid descriptions and deep research to not only bring the story of the family to life but also the story of the swamp. Recommended for readers who like their fiction a little more character-based than action-oriented.

Jul 2, 2011
Anonymous
Seeker
Seeker
Jack McDevitt

Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath are antiquarians seeking space treasure that they are able to turn into serious profits.  One day, they get a lead from an unusual artificat that appears to be from the Seeker, a spaceship that was lost 9,000 years ago when the first group of human settlers left the home planet to establish a utopia called Margolia in the Earth year of 2688.  Benedict and Kolpath get drawn into an exciting adventure as they attempt to discover if the ship is still intact somewhere and if the lost colony of Margolia still exists.  Filled with mystery, science fiction and really well done aliens, there is nothing not to like about this book.

Jul 1, 2011
Kristy

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