Her Royal Spyness

Her Royal Spyness
by Rhys Bowen.

Bowen’s new series lives up to her previous “Constable Evans” and “Molly Murphy” series. It seems like a mixture of P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum.

Lady Victoria Georgina Charlotte Eugenie, daughter to the Duke of Glen Garry and Rannoch, is 34th in line for the throne of England. As a poor relation, she finds herself looking for ways to live the LIFE without any funds. A summons from the Queen leads to spying on her cousin David and that American tart he’s interested in.

This series is another lighthearted mystery romp - this time through the world of English aristocracy in the late 1920s.

- Rochelle

Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler: a Memoir

Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler: a Memoir

by Wade Rouse

Because I've worked in public service my entire adult life, including a stint in the alumni office at UCONN, this book caught my eye. It's the true story of the author's work as public relations liaison at a private prep school and his interactions with staff, students and, especially, their families. Rouse's descriptions of the "Pink Barbies" and "Mean Mommies" (including what their little dogs are wearing) are absolutely hilarious. At times laugh-out-loud funny and at other times quite sad, it is the story of how the ultra-rich live and, quite often, rule over others. Though it is hard to understand why Wade Rouse allowed himself to be treated the way he was by these people, he does paint quite a vivid picture of how the other half lives. This book is available through CLEVNET.

- Linda B.

The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge

The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge
by Julie Whitaker& Ian Whitelaw

The Horse is not only for horse owners or equestrians, but for anyone who has a fondness for horses. The book is loaded with historical facts, trivia, as well as information about evolution, breeds, style of riding, as well as other numerous topics. Because the layout of the The Horse is unique, the reader doesn’t have to start with chapter one . . . just open the book to any section, any page.

-Rosie

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield

Vida Winter, a popular historical novelist, is at the end of her life. She hires Margaret Lea to write her extraordinary life story before it's too late. As the strange tale of the Angelfields unfolds, Margaret is mesmerized. Soon, she is uncovering old and new mysteries, as well as discovering personal revelations.

This is an captivating novel. Setterfield delves into the world of twins and their unique connection as well as the power of uncovering the past .

-Holly

The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told

The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy

by Rick Beyer

Here are some fun facts that will help you in your next trivia game. These are the interesting facts that make some of our presidents memorable. A fun book to read!

- Dixie

On Kingdom Mountain

On Kingdom Mountain

by Howard Frank Mosher

Miss Jane Kinneson is the owner of Kingdom Mountain, located on the US-Canadian border in upstate Vermont. She is an interesting character - independent, intelligent, and more than a bit eccentric.

The novel focuses on life in northern Vermont in 1930. Miss Jane must defend her mountain against developers who want to build a highway through her land.

On Kingdom Mountain is a delightful read, the story is imaginative, and the characters are fun. This book is part historical fiction with a little bit of mystery and a sweet love story. Wonderful!

- Kathy S.

. . . and His Lovely Wife

...and his Lovely Wife: a memoir from the woman behind the man
by Connie Schultz

Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz tells the inside story of her husband Sherrod Brown's campaign for the U.S. Senate from the fall of 2005 until the 2006 election. From mundane details like clothing choices and haircuts to gut-wrenching betrayals by friends and sacrifices by family, the author makes you feel like you are right there with her through these long months. I've always liked Connie Schultz' writing and point of view. If you do too, or just want to find out what a political campaign is like from the inside, this is a captivating book to read.

- Linda B.

The Secret Cardinal

The Secret Cardinal
by Tom Grace

The author pulls you into the story within the first few pages, much like Clive Cussler. Nolan Kilkenny, an ex-Navy SEAL, is called to the Vatican and given a mission by Pope Leo XIV to rescue a Bishop Yin from a Chinese prison. This adventure takes Kilkenny and his crew from the Vatican across Asia to China and ultimately involves the Mafia and the conclave of cardinals that will elect the next pope. It's a wild roller coaster ride from beginning to end.

- Pat

The Ghost at the Table

The Ghost at the Table
by Suzanne Berne

This is the book to read in November. It is the story of two sisters reuniting with their father for Thanksgiving dinner. They meet at the New England home of Frances, an interior decorator. Cynthia, an historical fiction writer, is visiting to gather information about a book on Mark Twain's daughter. Their different versions of their family history collide with the addition of their father and Frances' family.

This is a tale exquisitely told by Berne, an English professor at Harvard. As she exposes the past through eyes of the sisters, she adds more layers of meaning with the addition of the lives of Mark Twain's daughters.

- Holly

A Christmas Visitor

A Christmas Visitor

by Anne Perry

This book is a murder mystery set in the Lake District of England during Victorian times. The joyful tranquility of a snowbound estate is overturned in a moment by a shocking murder. A renowned mathematician and inventor, Henry Rathbone, puts his creative and analytical capacities to the test as he assumes the role of amateur investigator and cracks the case.

As an audio book, I very much enjoyed listening to Terrance Hardiman's voice, a well-known actor with BBC-TV!

- Ann

If Today Be Sweet

If Today Be Sweet

by Thrity Umrigar

Recently widowed Tehmina Sethna of Bombay is visiting her son, Sorab, and his family, in his Cleveland, Ohio home. Now she has to choose between her old, comfortable life in India and a new one in Cleveland with Sorab and his family. If Today Be Sweet is an entertaining and very enjoyable book.

-Lynn

This Matter of Marriage

This Matter of Marriage

by Debbie Macomber

Best-selling author Debbie Macomber is always a pleasure to read. Although not a new release, This Matter of Marriage was delightful. The book depicts the lighthearted story of a 29-year-old woman who has devoted her entire adult life to her self-made business. She realizes that it's time to find a husband and the resulting attempts are something else.

This book is a great read and you'll love the conclusion.

- Beckie

Summer Breeze

Summer Breeze

by Catherine Palmer & Gary Chapman

Summer Breeze is the second book of a four-part series entitled Four Seasons.

Readers meet the blended families of Derek and Kim Finley.

Kim's mother-in-law has come to town to stay . . . permanently! Other changes happen to Deepwater Cove, bringing the community together: there's a mystery to solve and a romance to follow. Read on!

- Ann

The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point: how little things can make a big difference

by Malcolm Gladwell

The Tipping Point is a book about how change happens. Tipping points happen when people act as connectors, mavens and salesmen and ideas become "sticky". In practical language, Malcolm Gladwell picks apart the notion of the epidemic using sociology & psychology. From Hush Puppy shoes to Sesame Street, he shows how ideas can take hold & why.

Malcolm describes this book as an intellectual adventure story. It is. It has an interesting and surprising way of making sense of things.

- Holly

Perennials for Ohio

Perennials for Ohio
by Debra Knapke and Alison Beck

Perennials for Ohio is an excellent reference book for any gardener. The book is small but packed with information and photos. It contains a chart listing the colors for the different species, blooming season, height, partiality to light, and soil conditions. There are tips how to use species in the landscape, problems or pests, and other pertinent information helpful to any gardener.

A must-read during the winter months while planning the special garden or renovating the landscape.

- Rosie

Shakespeare Retold

Shakespeare Retold
DVD

This BBC production of modern day re-tellings of 4 Shakespeare plays is brilliant. If you only get to see one, let it be Taming of the Shrew. Shirley Henderson & Rufus Sewell steal the show as a modern day Kate Minola & Petruchio with a feminist twist. James McElvoy is Macbeth, the brilliant chef who wants the restaurant. Much Ado about Nothing takes place in a newsroom and Midsummer Night's Dream at a British vacation resort.

Some of the endings are different than the plays (I won't tell you which) but they always work. Even if you don't get Shakespeare, you'll love it. Honestly, there's nothing better on the telly.

- Holly

The Wedding

The Wedding
by Nicholas Sparks

Wilson Lewis has been married for 30 years and is afraid he is losing his wife. He tries to bring the romance back into their marriage but his wife is preoccupied planning their daughter’s wedding.

Wilson was brought up differently than his wife Jane, whose parents were happily married for 50 years and showed their love for one another. He uses their marriage as a guide to heal his marriage, hoping his wife will fall back in love with him.

The Wedding is a tender and romantic love story and sequel to The Notebook, the love story of Noah and Allie Calhoun, Jane’s parents.

- Rosie

The Star Garden: A Novel of Sarah Agnes Prine

The Star Garden: A Novel of Sarah Agnes Prine

by Nancy E. Turner

Inspired by the author’s original family memoirs, this book, the third in the trilogy (which includes These Is My Words and Sarah’s Quilt), is told in diary form. It tells the extraordinary story of Sarah Prine, a feisty pioneer woman struggling to make a life for herself and her family in the harsh Arizona Territory in 1906. This engaging, well-researched novel is part historical fiction, part western and part romance, and thoroughly entertaining.

- Lynn

Thirst

Thirst
by Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver has been known as the quintessential nature poet for decades. Her observations of the the most common occurrence in nature have always been revelations. In Thirst, Mary's poetry takes an important turn. Following the death of her partner of 40 years, Mary has a long dark year of the soul. The poems that are the result are nothing short of beautiful.

An Ohio native, Mary Oliver is one of our finest living poets. Her poems can be appreciated by anyone who reads poetry.

-Holly

School's Out!

School's Out!

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Rachel Yoder is an energetic nine-year-old Amish girl from Lancaster County. School is out and Rachel is looking forward to having fun this summer, but she is full of mischief, and trouble often follows her. Will her family survive the many adventures along the way? Check out this book to find out!

- Debbie

It Happens Every Spring

It Happens Every Spring

Four Seasons Series, Book 1
by Gary Chapman & Catherine Palmer

Welcome to Deepwater Cove in Tranquility, Missouri! This first of four books follows four couples moving in and out of their different seasons; spring, summer, fall, and winter. It has the "Mitford" feel to it that Jan Karon portrays so well in the happenings of small-town life. You will meet newlyweds, blended families, couples who are deep in the throes of empty-nest adjustment, and senior couples. If you like this book, follow it up with Summer Breeze, the second in the series. Enjoy!

-Ann

Nineteen Minutes

Nineteen Minutes

by Jodi Picoult

Lots can happen in nineteen minutes. Jodi Picoult shows just how suddenly lives can be altered in this story of a school massacre that is told through not only from the point of view of the victims but also of the shooter. Very thought-provoking, Nineteen Minutes is yet another good book by this author.

-Lynn

This I Believe

This I Believe

by Jay Allison

NPR invited listeners to write a personal credo - a few hundred words explaining the principles that guide one's life. This book is a compilation of essays from those who accepted the invitation. People from all walks of life are included - famous and unknown alike.

It is inspiring to read the thoughts expressed; people's diverse writings of their most closely held convictions. You can't help but be led to the question - what do I believe?

This I Believe is also available as an audio book with each writer reading his own essay.

- Kathy S.

The Secret of Lost Things

The Secret of Lost Things

by Sheridan Hay

Rosemary, a lovely & naive woman from Tasmania, is thrust into the New York City world of eccentric book dealers & collectors following the death of her mother. Set in the Arcade (aka NYC's The Strand), she becomes entangled in a mystery involving a lost manuscript of Herman Melville. The plot thickens as staff manipulate her for clues to its whereabouts by using her as a ploy.
Full of intrigue & quirky characters, this is a novel for bibliophiles who dream of acquiring rare books.

-Holly

Bygones

Bygones

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

If you are a fan of the Amish fiction by Beverly Lewis and others, you are going to love Bygones, which takes place in a Mennonite community. Twenty-three years ago, Marie Koeppler left her Mennonite family and faith in Sommerfield, Kansas. Marie met a truck driver at her job and ran off to Cheyenne, Wyoming, later marrying Jep Quinn and giving birth to their daughter, Beth.

Upon leaving, she really hurt her family, especially her father and ex-beau Henry Braun, who never stopped loving her. Events lead up to Marie eventually coming back to Sommerfield and her relationship with God and her family.

I am looking forward to reading the second book in the Sommerfield Trilogy, Beginnings, coming in October.

-Debbie

Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather

by Paulette Jiles

A tale of the trials and triumphs of the Stoddard family, Stormy Weather is set in the oil fields of Texas during the Great Depression. The four women in this family bind together through the hard times that befall them.

After the death of Elizabeth's husband, she and her daughters return to the abandoned and run-down family farm. Together they must rebuild the farm and their lives. This is a beautiful story of determination, courage, and resourcefulness.

- Kathy S.

The Island

The Island

by Victoria Hislop

An absorbing novel of a young woman’s search for the truth of her mother’s past, The Island is the story of leprosy's touch on an extraordinary family, set in the Mediterranean during World War II.

- Lynn

Home to Harmony and Just Shy of Harmony

Home to Harmony and Just Shy of Harmony

by Philip Gulley

I enjoyed these homespun stories about life in a small town. The characters are sweet, quirky, and so believable that I checked to make sure it was fiction while I was reading it! It makes me think of Garrison Keillor and his News From Lake Wobegon. I'm hooked now - I'll be reading all of his books.

- Dixie

Cooking with Fernet Branca

Cooking with Fernet Branca

by James Hamilton-Paterson

I have many guilty pleasures. I love culinary snobbery, biting satires and witty characters. Cooking with Fernet Branca has this in spades with Gerald Samper, a ghostwriter for celebrities living in Tuscany. He fancies himself a culinary genius of great daring. His neighbor, Marta, has arrived from Voynovia, a fictitious ex-soviet region and is an earthy composer for an Italian avant-garde filmmaker. What follows is a comedy of manners told in the first person of each character.
Truly outrageous, this is one of the wittiest of contemporary novels.

-Holly

Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War

Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War
by Joe Bageant

Available through CLEVNET, Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America’s Class War, a new book by Joe Bageant, is an eye-opening story of the author’s return to his hometown of Winchester, Virginia after a 30-year absence. Besides introducing readers to colorful characters, Bageant gives an educational (and heart-wrenching) account of how our society’s unacknowledged class system came to be.

- Linda B.

The Last Chinese Chef

The Last Chinese Chef: a novel
by Nicole Mones

Maggie McElroy, a California food critic, travels to China to settle a paternity claim against her late husband's estate. While there, she also covers the story of Sam Liang, a rising culinary star. As Maggie uncovers her late husband's past in Beijing, she is drawn into the sensuous world of Chinese food, and the history and meaning of each dish through the eyes of Sam Liang.

By the author of Lost in Translation, this is an intelligent love story full of culinary and cultural detail.

-Holly

The Prince of Nantucket

The Prince of Nantucket
by Jan Goldstein

Teddy Mathison is the front runner to be the new U.S. Senator from California when he is called home to Nantucket to care for his ailing mother. As a man who "doesn't do relationships", he must figure out how to reconnect with his estranged daughter and come to terms with his past. A quick read full of emotional ups and downs.

- Nancy

The Mystical Life of Jesus: An Uncommon Perspective on the Life of Christ

The Mystical Life of Jesus: An Uncommon Perspective on the Life of Christ
by Sylvia Browne

If you were intrigued by the premise put forth in the DaVinci Code, you will find Sylvia Browne's book very interesting and enlightening. She explores the controversies surrounding the birth and life of Jesus.

-Pat

When Joy Came to Stay

When Joy Came to Stay
by Karen Kingsbury

When Joy Came to Stay is an inspirational story about Maggie Stovall and the lie she has carried and hidden very well throughout her life. Depression overcomes her and while she's in a mental hospital, Maggie's husband desperately goes in search for answers in her past. Interwoven in this plot is the story of a little girl named Amanda Joy who is lost in the foster care system and is in search of a family that will love her. Grab some kleenex and enjoy this book!

- Ann

Virgin River

Virgin River
by Robyn Carr
After suffering a tragedy, Melinda Monroe decides she needs a change of scenery. She leaves Los Angeles and accepts the position of nurse-practitioner/midwife in the small rural community of Virgin River, where she finds more than she bargained for. If you enjoy small town settings, likeable characters and good storylines, you will enjoy this book. Virgin River is the first book in the Virgin River Series. Shelter Mountain and Whispering Rock round out the trilogy.
-Patti

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
by Barbara Kingsolver

Food is near and dear to us. Barbara Kingsolver, in teamwork with her family, has produced a fascinating look at our cultural food habits as her family commits to a year of eating only what they can raise themselves with a few inputs from their neighbors. She chronicles the ironies (beginning the process with a trip to fill up with gas and junk food), the joys (special times with family and friends) and frustrations they encounter along the way. The book is seasoned with pithy articles by her husband and delicious recipes by her daughter. This book is written with the same spirit and style that pulls us into her works of fiction.

- Sue

Sweet Land

Sweet Land
DVD

Sweet Land is a love story set in rural Minnesota during the 1920's. When Olaf Torvik sends for a mail order bride from Sweden, he is unaware that Inge Altenberg is German. The Lutheran minister refuses to marry the couple following years of anti-German sentiment after World War I. Eventually, as the two work their farm together, they fall in love.
Beautifully filmed and a delightful story - is that rare film the whole family can enjoy together. Rated PG and available on DVD at the Burton Public Library.

-Holly

Without Consent

Without Consent
by Kathryn Fox

Dr. Anya Crichton, a forensic physician, sets out to uncover a violent serial rapist. While reviewing medical records, questionable practices by a reputable pathologist throw shadows over old case evidence. Conflicted by a desire to find the rapist and the possible exposure of negligence, Dr. Crichton knows that no matter how she proceeds things are going to get worse.

Readers of Patricia Cornwell, Tami Hoag and Tess Gerritsen will enjoy this new author in the forensic suspense genre.

- Rochelle

An Irish Country Doctor

An Irish Country Doctor
by Patrick Taylor

The proud owner of a new medical degree, Barry Laverty jumps at the chance to get a job as an assistant in a tiny rural practice with an older doctor. Fingal O’Reilly never lets his eccentric patients get the upper hand. Barry can’t decide if feisty O’Reilly is the finest teacher he’s ever had or perhaps the biggest quack he has ever encountered.

A humorous, light-hearted tale in the tradition of James Herriot.

- Lynn

Whistling in the Dark

Whistling in the Dark

by Lesley Kagen

A sweet little book about three sisters in the 1950s. It reminded me of my sister and I, growing up. The author is great because she makes you laugh and think, yes, that's how it was. Read this, you won't be disappointed!

- Linda W.

Hit the Road

Hit the Road
by Caroline B. Cooney

A wonderfully funny yet poignant story written for young adolescents is Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney. Published in 2006, it is the story of 16-year-old Brit and her 86-year-old grandmother Nannie, who is determined to attend her 65^th college reunion in Maine with her former college roommates. Unfortunately, Nannie’s daughter has taken away her car. Undeterred, Nannie rents an SUV and forces brand-new driver Brit to drive from Connecticut to Long Island and then up to Maine. On the way, they pick up Flo, kidnap Aurelia from a nursing home, and then have to save Aurelia’s fortune from her dastardly son Aston. Besides over-the-top hilarity, increasing suspense (with a little romance thrown in), Hit the Road touchingly portrays the loss of independence and choice faced by many seniors as Brit comes to realize that “the girls,” though they may need a bit of help, are still quite capable of ordering their own lives. I would recommend this novel to “girls” of any age.

– Linda B.

Astrid & Veronika

Astrid & Veronika
by Linda Olsson

Astrid & Veronika is about a friendship that develops between two women - Veronika, a young writer, and Astrid, an older, reclusive neighbor. Set in a tiny village in Sweden, Astrid & Veronika strike up a friendship based on loss. Spare and beautiful, this is a well written story.

- Lynn

Breakdown Lane

Breakdown Lane
by Jacqueline Mitchard

Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard will open your eyes to the problems of trying to function with MS and a dysfunctional family at the same time. Sounds depressing and like a book you would not want to spend time on but it actually is very well told & entertaining. I truly enjoyed it.
Available as book or book on CD at BPL.

- Beckie

American Bloomsbury

American Bloomsbury
by Susan Cheever

Any opportunity to gossip about Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne is a good one. Susan Cheever's book American Bloomsbury is a fun read about America's philosophers living Concord, Mass. Ripe with gossip (everyone had a crush on Margaret Fuller) and historical anecdotes, this is a beach read for the smart set.

-Holly

Welcome to the Burton Public Library Recommendation Blog. The staff at BPL always have interesting library items to recommend and now you can view them here on our blog.