Look Again

Look Again
by Lisa Scottoline

Reporter Ellen Gleeson adopts an abandoned child she came to love while writing about his plight.

When she receives a "Missing Child" flyer she notices that the child looks uncannily like her adopted son. What should she do?

Lots of twists - loved it!

- Rochelle

Sonata for Miriam

Sonata for Miriam
by Linda Olsson

This is a story of families, and how they are affected by choice and loss.
Because of a choice made twenty years ago, world class composer Adam Ankar and his daughter are living in Australia, half a world away from the mother of his daughter. An accident changes Adam’s world in an instant, sending him on a journey to uncover his past and discover the fate of his parents in World War II, in Krakow, Poland. Adam struggles to come to terms with his life choices against the background of present day Poland.

- Sally

The Help

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett

I LOVED this book! The Help tackles the topic of race relations in the deep south in the early 1960's. The author does an excellent job of capturing the feel of that time in the South.

Miss Skeeter returns home after college hoping to become a writer. She starts writing a book told from the perspective of the Help- the maids of the white families of Jackson, Mississippi. As her project progresses, she realizes her idea will be much more difficult and dangerous than she had ever imagined. Just meeting with the maids can have frightening consequences for everyone.

This is an amazing book. There is never a dull moment in this story, it is hard to put this one down. Kathryn Stockett has a beautiful ability to tell the stories of the maids without being condescending or sensational. The Help is a touching and thought provoking book.

This is also available as an audio book. It is one of the best audio books I've ever listened to.

- Kathy

The Story of India

The Story of India
DVD

Michael Wood is an entertaining and expressive historian who finds delight everywhere he travels. This 6 part series from PBS is a fascinating history of India. From the earliest ancestors to present day India, he takes the viewer on a journey of all things India. The scenery is stunning and information first rate.

If you are an armchair traveler or a history buff, you will want to watch this from beginning to end.

-Holly

The Well and the Mine

The Well and the Mine
by Gin Phillips

The Well and the Mine is the story of a mining family's daily struggles against poverty and racism in Depression-era Carbon Hill, Alabama. The story moves between the alternating voices of the Moore family. When 9-year-old Tess witnesses a woman throwing a baby into their well, few are shocked, but all are mystified.

This is Southern fiction at its finest, from a talented new writer.

- Lynn

Great Gardens of England

Great Gardens of England
DVD

The gardens presented in this DVD are phenomenal! From small courtyards to huge estates steeped in history, forty English homeowners (gardeners) share their gardens and gardening views. Even though some of the estates are quite large, the landscape ideas and designs can be incorporated into a smaller scale. Or, watch the Great Gardens of England just for pure enjoyment!

-Rose

Twilight - dvd

Twilight
DVD

Twilight, the movie, has just been released. This is a very entertaining movie! If you have read the series, it's a must-see. If you haven't read the book, I still think you'll enjoy this movie. It is well done with plenty of intrigue, action, violence, and of course . . . love.

This series is so popular I'm sure that all of the books will be made into movies. See what everyone is talking about. Watch the movie!

- Patti

The Book Thief

The Book Thief
by Marcus Zusak

It isn't often that the Ladies of the Book Club (meeting: second Thursday of each month, 1:30, Burton Library) agree so completely on a selection. The Book Thief inspired us to such a conclusion. Told from Death's point of view it is a story of a young girl growing up inside Nazi Germany during World War II. It is an usual perspective. One that generated much discussion in our group. This book is sure to become a modern classic. It is both poetic and thought provoking. We give it 5 out of 5 coffee cups!

Twilight

Twilight series
by Stephenie Meyer

This series is geared toward the young adult, but has proven to be appealing to adults as well. There are four books in this series, starting with Twilight, followed by New Moon, Eclipse, and finally Breaking Dawn.

The saga begins with Isabella (Bella) Swan, a mature beyond her years 17-year-old who has come to live with her dad in Forks, Washington. She doesn't expect to like the dreary little town compared to sunny Phoenix, but things change after she meets mysterious (and incredibly handsome) Edward Cullen. They are undeniably drawn to each other and Bella can't help but be intrigued by him. As she gets closer to Edward and her feelings for him deepen, she finds out the truth, which he and his family have been hiding for years. As a result of her discovery, her life will be forever changed.

At first, I was not interested in reading what I though was simply a teenage love story, but the extreme popularity of this saga piqued my curiosity. This series does have bite, with a well thought out plot that is out of the ordinary. If you're looking for something a little different, try this series; it doesn't disappoint.

- Patti

Shelter Me

Shelter Me
by Juliette Fay

Shelter Me is the story of a young widow's year of loss, heartbreak, and healing. Fay brings the impact of sudden single-motherhood to life with humor and skill. Shelter Me is Juliette Fay's first novel, one I would consider a success, and I'm looking forward to more from her in the future.

- Lynn

The Anteater of Death

The Anteater of Death
by Betty Webb

This is the first book in the Gunn Zoo Mystery Series.

A dead body turns up in the enclosure with Lucy, the giant anteater. Anteaters can do a lot of damage, but did Lucy commit murder? Theodora "Teddy" Bentley, the zookeeper, has to find the real murderer before Lucy gets deported. Then another dead body turns up. Teddy searches for clues amid monkeys, wolves, and a cast of interesting characters. An enjoyable read.

- Dixie

The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars

The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars
by Joel Glenn Brenner

Join the author as she is the first reporter ever allowed through the chocolate gates of both Hershey and Mars companies and as she exposes the secretive and mysterious world of chocolate. Joel relates stories of industrial spies and paranoid executives, legends about the mystical powers of chocolate, and tales of corporate competitiveness between these two chocolate emperors that put the cola wars to shame. Did you realize that the Mars family is one of the wealthiest in the world, or that the Hershey profits support the world's richest orphanage? Grab some M & M's (from Mars) or some Hershey Kisses (from Hershey), or both, check out this book, and read on! It's a sweet blend of business and history!

- Ann

The Laws of Harmony

The Laws of Harmony
by Judith Ryan Hendricks

The Laws of Harmony is the latest book from the author of Bread Alone and The Baker's Apprentice. When Sunny Cooper's fiance is killed in an accident, she discovers that he wasn't who she thought he was. Sunny decides she needs to escape, and sells everything. She ends up in the Pacific Northwest, where she attempts to rebuild her life.

Judith Ryan Hendricks' descriptions of people and places are once again beautifully done. I enjoyed this book and hope to see a sequel.

- Lynn

Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof

Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof
by Blaize Clement

This is the fourth in the series of Dixie Hemingway mysteries which take place on Siesta Key, the barrier island just off Sarasota, Florida. Dixie is a former Sarasota County deputy sheriff who has an understandable breakdown after her husband and small daughter are killed. She's now a pet-sitter - a seemingly gentle, no-stress occupation. Unfortunately, she keeps finding dead bodies on Siesta Key! Though Dixie tries to cooperate with the police, especially hunky Detective Guidry, sometimes she just knows that her way is the right way, even when the right way puts her in danger. I think the mysteries keep improving as the series goes along. Dixie is a very likable character and conscientious pet-sitter. My mother lives on Siesta Key so it's fun for me to read about places I know so well.

- Linda

The Law of Attraction Plain and Simple

The Law of Attraction Plain and Simple: Create the Extraordinary Life that You Deserve
by Sonia Ricotti

This is a short & simple book about how to attract the life you want through positive thoughts & beliefs. In very clear terms she presents the 11 steps to clearing the way to manifesting your dreams.

The bottom line is that we choose our thoughts & feelings. By making a choice to be positive, we are creating a positive life. This book is for anyone who enjoyed the film What the Bleep Do We Know or the book & movie The Secret.

-Holly