Born to Darkness

by Suzanne Brockmann

This book is a departure from Brockmann's popular Troubleshooters series about Navy Seals. It takes place in Boston, sometime into the future, when our country is still gripped by the second Great Depression and the divide between the haves and have-nots is greater than today. People even have to pay the police to file reports and investigate crimes.

The heroes are a team of super-people from the Obermeyer Institute somewhere outside of Boston. Called "Greater-Thans," the team members all have different enhanced abilities and are trained to control their powers and use their talents for good. At this future time in our society, evil has definitely gotten the upper hand! The book jacket talks about Brockmann's "talent for sexy, action-packed storytelling" and this story definitely fits the bill. 

~ Linda

Quiet: The power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

by Susan Cain

You know you are an introvert if ….you prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; you favor working on your own, over brainstorming in teams. Author Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects. She examines both brain science and psychology to show how introverts move through the world.

Quiet offers advice on everything from how to better negotiate differences in introvert-extrovert relationships, to how to empower an introverted child when it makes sense to be a "pretend extrovert." You may find yourself in this book, or perhaps someone you know.

Regardless, it is an interesting read, and I recommend this book to introverts and extroverts alike.

~ Sally

Seriously...I'm Kidding

by Ellen DeGeneres

Audiobook format.
Also available in print and large-print editions.

Talk show host, best-selling author, and 12-time Emmy winner, Ellen DeGeneres has written her third book in which she updates the reader, or listener in this case, on the new events in her life and career since her last book, “My Point…and I do have one”, was released in 2007. Some of these happenings include: marriage to Portia De Rossi, “Cover Girl” status, American Idol judging, and her colonoscopy.

This 3-CD audiobook set passes very quickly as it narrated by DeGeneres herself. I was surprised by the amount of material that has been added specifically to the audiobook version, such as a meditation while you are driving, special sound effects, and chapter 29. The print version of the book doesn’t include numbered chapters as it is a series of short essays, but Ellen (May I call you Ellen?) announces each chapter number in the audiobook. Don’t let the fact that there are 57 chapters worry you – some chapters contain only a word or two.

The book and audiobook are done in classic, tongue-in-cheek “Ellen” style where her warmth and positivity shine through. Having said this, if you love Ellen, you will love this. If you don’t, skip this one.

~ Paula

Daily Coyote

The Daily Coyote: a Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming by Shreve Stockton

Shreve Stockton describes her first year raising a coyote and living in Wyoming. This is a love story really, about a young woman and her new home, new boyfriend, and a coyote pup named Charlie. She takes this task seriously and provides training while respecting the unique nature of this wild animal.

Not only is Stockton a great writer, but a fantastic photographer as well and the natural beauty of the land (and Charlie) shines through. If you love animal stories like I do, check this book out.

-Dixie

Imagine by Jonah Lehrer

“The imagination is vaster than we can imagine. We just need to learn how to listen." “Imagine” by New York Times best-selling author, Jonah Lehrer (“How We Decide”), is an exploration into the world of imagination and creativity through the areas of artistic inspiration, brain function, mental illness, and amphetamines.

Many artists, writers, and musicians from the early Greek through present day, have suffered from bi-polar disease or depression, which can generate feelings of melancholy triggering intense concentration and creativity. Artists and musicians are not the only ones to take advantage of creativity as a tool for productivity. The leaders of 3M and Pixar inspire creativity in their workforce through physical building arrangement, collaboration with those outside of the company, and group dynamics.

Lehrer encourages the reader to look at the world from a different vantage point. Think like a child. Talk to someone new. Travel.

Although this book is very thought-provoking, Lehrer sometimes jumps from topic to topic without providing a smooth transition. While I would not call this a casual read, the science of creativity is explored and those interested in the topic of imagination and inspiration will be intrigued.

~ Paula

A Basketful of Broken Dishes

A Basketful of Broken Dishes: a true story
By Naomi Mullet Stutzman

The author, Naomi Stutzman tells the story of her parents, Simon and Sue Mullet, a couple from Geauga County, who leave their Amish way of life early in their marriage. Naomi is their youngest child and the only child in the family not born Amish.

Even from a young age, Simon struggled with following the strict Amish rules. Simon and Sue marry, both having joined the church making their vows to keep the Ordnung, but Simon continues to question everything. He joins the military, which is forbidden and Sue is now stuck between the Bishops and her husband. Who was she to obey?

Together they set their family free from the bondage of “religion” although their freedom brings a heavy price - the Bann – shunning. Naomi relates how her mother loved unconditionally and lived courageously looking forward to her divine inheritance and how it was hidden in her earthly inheritance, a basketful of broken dishes.

Dixie

Love in a Nutshell

Love in a Nutshell
by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

Kate Appleton seems to be on the receiving end of bad luck. She recently divorced her cheating husband but the final straw was losing her job as editor of a magazine. Kate decides to move to her parents’ summer vacation home in Michigan and turn it into a bed and breakfast. For extra cash, she finds a job bartending but is fired for serving bad beer. The only other alternative is to find employment at a local brewery owned by Matt Culhane.

Mr. Culhane finds out Kate lacks sufficient experience but makes a deal with her . . . pay the hourly minimum wage and if she finds the culprit that is sabotaging his company, there will be $20,000 bonus. After being hired, that is when problems begin for Kate and the brewery.

Even though the style of writing for this novel is a little different than the norm for Evanovich, it still is entertaining and fun to read.

- Rose

Homefront

Homefront
by Kristin Hannah

“All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .”

Michael and Jolene Zarkades are in a marriage in trouble. Jolene is in charge of the family and does not know how to share family responsibilities with her husband. Michael’s reaction is to spend more and more time at work and less and less time with the family. They are falling apart as a couple, and then… Jolene’s National Guard Unit is deployed to Iraq. The home front changes Michael, just as surely as war changes Jolene.

-Sally

Red Mist

Red Mist
by Patricia Cornwell

In Red Mist, Cornwell is at the top of her game. At the request of a female prisoner, Scarpetta goes to Savannah for a visit. The request was a lure to manipulate Scarpetta into an investigation that involves multiple deaths taking place over a decade.

Nice to see Cornwell return to more of her earlier style. Great read.
-Rochelle

Portlandia

Portlandia (DVD)

Carrie Brownstein, punk rocker, and Fred Armisen, SNL comedian, star in this hilarious take on all things Portland, Oregon. Season 1 of this TV series has some very funny segments including "The Women and Women First Bookstore" and "The Mayor is Missing". Cameos from Colin Meloy from the Decemberists and the actual mayor of Portland, made the series more entertaining.

Filmed in Portland, it is an homage to the city. I felt like I was visiting. If you need a laugh, you can't go wrong.
-Holly

Bonnie

Bonnie
by Iris Johansen

Bonnie is the explosive conclusion to the trilogy preceded by Eve and Quinn. Johansen previously wrote 11 books that described these characters and the road they traveled to discover who killed Bonnie.

The trilogy goes into more detail about the initial loss of Bonnie and how Eve and Quinn met. A fitting conclusion to a wonderful story.

-Rochelle

Summer in Europe

A Summer in Europe
Marilyn Brant

Have you ever traveled in Europe for the summer, or wanted to? Enjoy the trip with a quirky groupof Sudoku and Mahjongg playing characters as you relive or imagine your trip of a lifetime. Single, almost engaged Gwen joins the tour with her zany Aunt Mae, discovering her true art and perhaps, true love. The descriptions are delicious - from the food to the vistas and classic points of interest. Discover Europe along with the realization that - “It’s not where you go. It’s what you take back with you.”
-Sally

Jefferson's Sons

Jefferson's Sons
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Written for young people, Jefferson's Sons is the story of Sally Hemings' children fathered by Thomas Jefferson and the life they led as slaves at Monticello. This is a very gently-told fictional account of how life may have been for Beverly, Harriet, Maddy and Eston. Their mother Sally was fierce in her love for them and her assurances to them that "Master Jefferson" would set them free upon their 21st birthdays. It was Sally's firm conviction that Beverly, Harriet and Eston would grow up and pass for white in society. It is also the story of Maddy's anger and frustration, knowing his skin would be too dark to pass and that he wouldnever see his siblings again once they came of age. This is a wonderful book to share with older elementary-aged kids, either at home or in the classroom, and would be a great discussion starter.

I especially liked the Afterword. The author explains what is really known about the Hemings family and how she used historical documents to tell this story. She goes on to say that this is her
imagination at work and that someone else using the same historical documents might well write a totally different story. There is a lot here to get kids thinking. The author includes a list of sources for further study.

- Linda

Wife-In-Law

Wife-in-Law
by Haywood Smith

Betsy Callison and Kat Ellis lived across the street from each other and became very best friends even though they were complete opposites. Betsy was very neat, dressed properly, and a great cook and housekeeper. On the other hand, Kat dressed like a hippie, was not a very good cook, and her house was a mess. Surprisingly, even their husbands became friends. Life was good for both families until Betsy’s husband, Greg, wanted a divorce. Of course Kat was there for Betsy to lean on. Then Kat’s husband, Zach, became very ill with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and one year later passed away.

The women’s friendship was tested two years later when Greg moved back to town and started dating Kat. He lied to Kat and let her believe he changed and convinced her into marrying him. Betsy did not want to interfere with their lives so kept her thoughts to herself until a “friend” approached her with proof Greg was cheating on Kat. Betsy was reluctant to approach Kat with the evidence but was pressured into it. The day Betsy decided to tell Kat about Greg turned out to be a fatal mistake and turned both families’ lives around. Betsy wished she had listened to her conscience and never showed Kat the photos of Greg and the other woman.

Rose

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier

Nightwoods
by Charles Frazier

In his latest novel, Charles Frazier returns to Appalachia to tell the tale of Luce, a young woman who takes in her sister's emotionally scarred children. She must then protect them from their abusive, violent father when he comes looking for them. Frazier is an excellent storyteller. As the novel develops, the reader is led into a deeply entangled tale that becomes more menacing with every page. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.

-Kathy S.