And the Dark Sacred Night

By Julia Glass

This novel reveals a man’s struggle to discover his biological father. By the end of his journey he discovers the identity of the man that has truly been his father. He also gains insight to more of his mother’s life and finds the truth of the secrets that she has been keeping. I hope you enjoy this well written story as much as I did.

~ Beckie

Long Way Home

by Louise Penny

The release of Louise Penny's latest mystery is a highlight of my summer.  I can't wait to find out what has happened in the village of Three Pines.

In "Long Way Home", Clara is in search of Peter.  At the end of the last book, Clara and Peter decided to separate for one year so that they can contemplate the importance of their marriage.  However, following the one year deadline, Peter hasn't returned.  Clara turns to Inspector Gamache for help.  Gamache is now living in Three Pines following his retirement from the Surete du Quebec.  With the help of Myrna, Jean-Guy Beauvior and Gamache, Clara journeys to the mouth of the St. Lawrence seaway in search of her husband.

I refuse to spoil the plot. If you have read the other Louise Penny mysteries, put this title on hold.  You will want to read it.  If you haven't read the others, you are one lucky person!  You have ten good books to read and a cast of characters to fall in love with.  I can't recommend this series enough.

-Holly

Bittersweet

By Colleen McCullough

Set in Australia during the Depression era, the descriptions of the times and place are probably the best part
of this book. I enjoyed the story of the two sets of Latimer twins and the ties of sisterhood that overrides all else in this historical romance. Find a cozy place and block out some time to enjoy this book.

~ Sally

The Sea Garden

By Marcia Willett

Having read every Marcia Willett book that I can get my hands on, I want to say that this is as good a read as any she has written. She revisits several of her characters, although you do not need to have read previous books to enjoy this story of Jess and her journey to the Cornish coast of England. Jess arrives in the English countryside to meet the widow of the artist whose award she has just received. As Jess becomes acquainted with Kate, and meets the many family members, she senses that she is a part of their story. I enjoyed the descriptions of the sea, the river, the moors and the secrets that Jess encounters about her own past. The twist at the end of the story is very unexpected.


~ Sally

The White Magic Five and Dime

A Tarot Mystery #1
By Steve Hockensmith with Lisa Falco

This was a total surprise for me. I saw this on the "New" shelf display, and went right ahead and judged the book by its cover. I fell in love with the character, Alanis, and her witty and sometimes nasty sarcastic inner voice. She is actively trying to find herself despite her constant memories of a terrible childhood (and terrible really doesn't come close to an accurate description). The story twists and turns as Alanis tries to figure out who murdered her mother. This was just so much fun to read, it was funny in parts, heartwarming in others, and was a quick read. I like to call them candy-bar-books, you can read them pretty fast and they give you a happy sugar-rush. This looks to be the first in a series of Tarot Mysteries, so I'm looking forward to more!​

~ Becky W.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book

By Diane Muldrow


This book is sitting on our New Books shelf as you enter through the front door of our library, but don't let the cover fool you - it's written for adults. Not that it would be inappropriate for a child, but it has a strong sense of nostalgia that would be wasted on the very young.

Some of our best remembered characters and scenes from Little Golden books are featured with some added words of wisdom: "Be a hugger", "Turn off the TV from time to time" and my favorite, "sweatpants are bad for morale".

This title is currently featured on the NPR Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller list.

Pick it up! It's a fun, quick read.


~ Paula

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape

By Jenna Miscaviage Hill with Lisa Pulitzer

eBook format, also available in print and audio

Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised in the church from the time she was a toddler until she fled as a young adult in 2005. Her parents were in the upper ranks of the organization and Jenna worked up to the rank of a Sea Org member.

In her book "Beyond Belief", Jenna shares her experiences in the Church of Scientology: the strange rituals, secrets, neglect, and verbal abuse. Jenna and the other children were separated from their families at a very early age and subjected to mind-control techniques and propaganda.

I found many of the Scientology beliefs to be quite shocking. They believe that our souls live for millions of years and would make Sea Org members (often children) sign million year contracts to stay in the organization. They call those of us who are not in the organization "wogs" - unenlightened souls - and are warned to stay away from us and not to speak to us about their beliefs.

Jenna and others who have left the organization have created a website to help those who have left Scientology or would like to. I have been curious about the organization due to the rumors, press, and famous Hollywood celebrity members such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Jenna was very brave to escape from the organization and has written a very personal account of her experiences.

Click here to watch the CNN interview with Jenna by Piers Morgan, 2013.

~ Paula

Adult Summer Reading Reviews

Here are some reviews from a few of our Adult Summer Reading participants this week.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

"Awesome book! :) I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. Very human...easy to read and stay interested. Can't wait to read more books by Jenny Han!"

~Reviewed by Amy H.

The Wedding Shawl by Sally Goldenbaum

"Very good character and locale development makes me want to pick up a pair of knitting needles and move to their little town."

~Reviewed by Nancy F.

Child of Mine

By David and Beverly Lewis

Jack Livingston, a successful pilot, has been raising his niece Natalie, since a tragic accident took her adoptive parents. Laura Mast, their Amish nanny, tenderly cares for Natalie as her own.
Natalie wants a mother more than anything in the world. She loves Laura and is actively campaigning for her to become her new mommy. The fact that Laura is Amish and Jack isn’t, doesn’t make much difference to Natalie.

Kelly Maines lost her infant daughter to a kidnapping years ago and has searched for her ever since. Thanks to some friends who are able to help with expenses, she has followed leads for over eight years. It has taken its toll on her health and her relationships.

Now a tip from Kelly’s investigator shows a possible match that points to Natalie. Could this be her long-lost daughter?

~ Dixie

Field of Prey

By John Sandford
Audiobook format read by Richard Ferrone

This is Number 24 in the Prey series featuring Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent Lucas Davenport. The story begins with two teenagers who are having romantic relations on an abandoned farm when they discover a mysterious and very foul smell. The local police discover a cistern filled with more than a dozen discarded women's bodies. This is when Davenport and his team are called out to find the "Black Hole" killer.

As the reader, Sandford makes us believe that we are all-knowing - we know from the beginning who the killers are. However, we are helpless as we watch Davenport and his team hunt for Horn and R.A. who have been stalking and killing beautiful young blondes for over a decade.

Because this is Sandford, he throws in major surprises and plot twists to keep us on the edge our seats. We have grown to like Davenport and the other returning characters. They are well-developed and funny, with the same shortcomings that many of us share.

A few pet peeves of mine: John's adopted daughter, Letty, is 17 and reads all of the gory case notes, studies the photos, and attends meetings and interviews with Davenport. No way. Lucas' wife and other children hardly appear in this book. AND, there is a second completely unrelated plot line running that confuses the main story and is an unnecessary distraction.

Overlook these flaws and grab this book!

~ Paula

Walking on Water

By Richard Paul Evans, read by the author
Audiobook format


This work is the fifth in the series, but unfortunately for me it is the first book that I listened to in this series. Regardless (that I am listening to them out of order), I fully enjoyed this book; I plan on listening to “The Walk” which is the first book in the series, followed by the remainder of the series.

After multiple tragedies in Alan Christoffersen’s life he feels that what he needs is to embark on a trek across America, from Seattle to Key West, walking the entire three thousand four hundred plus miles. “Walking on Water” is the final segment of his journey. Along the way he meets interesting characters, experiences another tragedy and finds closure.

The series includes: “The Walk”, “Miles to Go”, “The Road to Grace”, “A Step of Faith” and “Walking on Water”. I think you will enjoy this series by Richard Paul Evans.

~ Beckie H.

Decorate Fearlessly: Using whimsy,confidence, and a dash of surprise to create deeply personal spaces

By Susanna Salk

As a huge consumer of all things related to decorating, I am always excited to see a new book on this topic hit our shelves. The title "Decorating Fearlessly" describes my style - I paint everything that is not nailed down!

Having said this, I was very disappointed by this book. Although there are hundreds of full-color photos, there is very little text and no "how to's" for those of us who enjoy doing it ourselves. There were 3 or 4 designs that I found interesting, but I usually devour decorating books. (I do like the entry hall design on page 120 and the dining room on page 142.)

If you enjoy leafing through decorating books and enjoy a more bizarre style in your home than I do, this book may be for you!

~ Paula

Adult Summer Reading Reviews

Here are some reviews from a few of our Adult Summer Reading participants this week.

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

"Good read for Janet Evanovich fans....I'm hooked!"

~Reviewed by Alex S.

Irish Country Wedding by Patrick Taylor

"This Irish Country series allows the reader to fall into the story as if you are a member of the village that it takes place in! This "wedding" book is a nice tale of love and sense of community. At times this book gave me goosebumps, which makes it a winner!"

~Reviewed by Jody G.




John Wayne, My Father by Aissa Wayne with Steve Delsohn


"A personal story about America's most enduring legend. After reading this book, John Wayne is pretty much like the characters he plays."

~Reviewed by Sandra D.

The Big-Flavor Grill: no-marinade, no-hassle recipes

By Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby

It's summer, it's warm out, and you don't have to fight your way through the snowdrift to get to the grill! But what frequently happens to me is the lack of planning time when it comes to having to marinate meat before grilling. Often my excitement of the spur of the moment idea that we can grill is dampened by the realization that we will have to marinate the meat for at least a half hour or it will taste boring. This book eliminates the marinade and provides recipes that have you do 3 steps: prep, grill, & toss. The prep stage is mixing a bunch of common ingredients together while the grill heats up, the grilling is just that (grilling the meat with maybe some pepper), and last is the toss stage where you simply mix the cooked meat with the ingredients you combined in the prep. Plus, not all the recipes are for meat, there are potatoes, corn, asparagus, and a neat section of mixed drinks. There were some very tasty recipes in here!


~ Becky

Bears of the Last Frontier:The adventure of a lifetime among Alaska’s black, grizzly, and polar bears

By: Chris Morgan

This is a beautiful book with awesome photos of grizzlies, black, brown and polar bears in Alaska. I read every word from beginning to end and found it informative and interesting.  If you think bears are fascinating like I do, check this book out and enjoy!

This is the companion book to the PBS Nature film special Bears of the Last Frontier.

~ Dixie