Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite, reviewed by Lisa H

Ghost on Black Mountain is a novel containing several different mini-novels.  The first half of the book is focused on "Nellie" and her abusive relationship with her husband "Hobbs".  The second half of the book is wrapped around Nellie and 4 other woman whose lives all intertwine with each other.  Black Mountain is a mysterious and eerie place surrounded by ghosts.  When Nellie marries Hobbs and moves to the Mountain, everyone tells her to move away as fast as she can, but Nellie won't listen.  Horrible events start to happen and ghosts appear to tell Nellie that her life will soon be over if she doesn't leave.  By the time she figures everything out, it is too late.  This is not a scary book, but it is wonderfully written and a true page turner.  It is a vivid look into the beauty and folklore of the Appalachian landscape.

WonderStruck by Brian Selznick

   There is a display in our library of a new book called WonderStruck.  Even though it is in the juvenile section, the display caught my eye.  Enough so, that I had to read the book.  I am so glad I did.  It is two stories intertwined with each other.  One story told in pictures and one story told in words.  It is set fifty years apart and it is absolutely beautiful. One story is based around a young girl named Rose, who is desperately trying to find a certain actress and one story that is based on Ben who is trying to find his father.  The adventures and circumstances surrounding these two characters is amazing and the end of the story will leave you cheering for more.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton reviewed by Lisa H

Sister by Rosamund Lupton is not my usual kind of book, so I was a little apprehensive about reading it.  Once I got started I could not put it down.  It is a mystery, set in England, surrrounding 2 sisters.  Parts of the book are written in letter form from one sister to another, which is not my favorite style of reading.  Nevertheless, the book is captivating from beginning to ending.  It is the story of a woman who is determined to find the murderer of her sister. The story flashes back to their past and reveals beautiful memories as well as heartbreaking pain.  The characters are fascinating and designed to always leave you guessing. 

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond reviewed by Judith Cosgray

This is the true story of blogger and cookbook author Ree Drummond's whirlwind life and romance with her very own cowboy whom she affectionately calls "Marlboro Man". I am not one for a romance but I love her blog (www.thepioneerwoman.com) and her cookbooks are excellent. So I gave the story a chance and it worked its magic. Her life story has as much twists and turns as any great work of fiction, but in the same tone you realize she is no different than the rest of us. Her life took some unexpected turns, resulting in meeting the man of her dreams - a rancher from Oklahoma instead of a hot shot businessman in Chicago. I thoroughly enjoyed this biography - check it out.

Shadow of a Quarter Moon by Eileen Clymer Schwab reviewed by Lisa H.

  Shadow of a Quarter Moon is a historical fiction novel set in North Carolina in the 1830's.  It revolves around the life of a plantation owners daughter named Jacy.  Jacy leads a privleged life until her father dies unexpectly and leaves her alone with her mother.  Jacy is expected, by her mother, to marry a man she does not love.  Many secrets come out about Jacys life in the course of feuding with her mother.  Her whole identity is gone.  She decides to take matters into her own hands and run away.  While her journey to the north is very difficult, along the way she finds herself.  The individuals she meets on her journey are amazing and heartbreaking.  The risks that are taken and trust that is never broken makes this a wonderful read.

The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison reviewed by Lisa H

This fictional novel is set in England during World War II. It revolves around a little girl who is forced to evacuate her home and travel to an unknown destination for safety by herself.  She arrives by train at Ashton Park with about 80 other children.  At first, I was afraid to read anymore of this book, fearing some horrible abuse or torture. I was pleasantly surprised to find beautiful love stories entertwined with the pains of war.  It is a well written and lovely story.  While not everything turns out the way you hope, it keeps you turning the pages quickly. 

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler reviewed by Lisa H

Kindred is a historical/science fictional novel set in 1976.  Its main character is an african american woman named Dana, who is married to a white man.  Dana, however, develops the gift of time traveling.  There is a major problem with this gift, as she travels back in time to her ancestors slave plantation.  She is "summoned" to the plantation whenever the owner is in danger and can not return to the present unless she is in danger herself.  The lessons that Dana learns and the ancestors that she meets are priceless.  You can only imagine going back in time to a place where you were treated like property and trying to fit in and follow the rules.  The novel is wonderfully written and keeps you interested and hoping for the best. 

The Brides House by Sandra Dallas Reviewed by Lisa H

  I have read the last 4 books written by Sandra Dallas and they are amazing.  The Brides House is a novel spanning 3 generations of women who live in a small community in Colorado.  It begins in 1880 with Nealie Bent who falls in love with the Brides House and with the wrong man.  The story continues with Nealies daughter Pearl and then ends with Pearls daughter Susan.  The woman of this book are strong, courageous and beautiful. They have many difficult decisions to make and you find yourself hoping for the best for all of them.  The plot has many twists and turns, but it is easy to follow. I instantly fell in love with the writing style and descriptions that Sandra Dallas gives us. 

Pretty Little Liars ~ Reviewed by Shari Lackner

The front cover says it all “Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret”. The characters: Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna used to be best friends. Then Ali died. Everything changed.

Throughout the story, each girl has a separate part “mini-story”. This will help us understand the girls better, especially as we continue reading the series. Spenser is a perfectionist who always comes in second place to her sister.  Aria just got back from Finland and develops a relationship with her English teacher, Ezra. Hanna is a snobby rich girl who gets away with stealing and loves gossiping with her best friend Mona. The girls are all united at Ali’s funeral, where they all receive a letter from A. This is not the first time they have received something from A. Every time the girls do something bad, they get a text or letter from A. Who is A? How does A know what is happening all the time? You will have to read the book to find out!

Pretty Little Liars is the first of 9 books in the series, by Sara Shepard.  Read one chapter of the book and you’ll be hooked!!

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See Reviewed by Lisa Howe

  Dreams of Joy is a sequel to the book Shanghai Girls, and if I had one word to describe this book, it  would be "powerful."  Lisa See is one of my all-time favorite authors and she has not let me down again this time.  It is a fictional tale of a young girl trying to find her way in this world. It takes you from Chinatown in California to small rural villages and big cities in China.  The authors descriptions of the characters and cities  are vivid and beautiful, but also real and at times, mind-boggling. This story takes place in 1957 when 19 year old Joy runs off to join The New Society of Red China and faces many dangers in the Communist regime.  Joys mother then returns to China to try and find her and runs into many old demons and difficult challenges.  The biggest challenge of all is how to get back out of China.  If you haven't read Shanghai Girls, you definately need to read that first, but Dreams of Joy is a treasure!

Founding Gardeners. The Revolutionary Generation, Nature and the Shaping of the American Nation. Reviewed by Judith C.

When one thinks of the founding of our nation, you do not immediately think of gardening. Andrea Wulf has vividly recounted the founding of our nation through the "Founding Fathers" love of agriculture, botany and planting. The book tells of a time when the leaders of this new nation knew that if the United States were to ever succeed, we needed to be independent of reliance on other nations for our basic needs such as food and manufactured goods. George Washington was so devoted to his love of Mount Vernon (his home plantation) that on the eve of the Revolution, when British warships gathered off Staten Island, he wrote to his estate manager about planting the gardens. (Some of those very trees are still standing today) Wulf writes of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson's very close friendship and how they traveled in English countryside examining gardens. James Madison and Jefferson's New England countryside tour, and John Adams' obsession with manure. Most of all the call to a republican state (not political party) where an agrarian society it to be held  in the highest esteem; preservation of natural resources prevailed, and thinking of the collective good above personal gain. 

I found this books to be absolutely inspiring and a must read for a gardener and/or history buff.

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newman. Reviewed by Lisa H

     The Sandalwood Tree starts off in India in 1947, where an american couple have relocated to start a new life with their son.  They move into a brick colonial bungalow in a  small village to try and escape the violence surrounding India and Britain. It is in walls of that bungalow, where a dark secret is hidden.  When a series of old letters dating back to 1857 is discovered, the mistress of the house is compelled to find out what happened to the occupants and the author of the letters.  The search leads the mistress to temples and bazaars and finally back to her bungalow.  While searching for history the mistress and her husband try to reconnect with each other after a difficult separation during World War II. The author does a wonderful job describing India and its many traditions, celebrations and tragedies.  While the book does jump back and forth between 1857 and 1947, it is not difficult to follow. It is a story of forbidden love in a forbidden country between forbidden races and cultures. 

The Wilder Years by Wendy McClure. Reviewed by Lisa H

    Those of you who love Little House on the Praire, either the books or the T.V. shows, will definately need to read this book.  The author of this story is quite possibly the biggest fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and the book revolves around her attempts to actually be Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book is the authors true life adventure to visit Lauras log cabins and farms.  As the author traces the Ingalls travels from one state to another, she discovers many things, including the fact that the Little House books may actually be fiction.  The author also attempts to churn butter, make bread and remember the "vanity cakes" that Laura had on her birthday? She makes those too! Reading The Wilder Years took me back to my own childhood and I love remembering those books.  She makes wonderful references to the Little House books that just make me smile.  While her visits to the different places that Laura lived didn't all turn out the sunny way she imagined, the way she describes the details, makes it seem like she enjoyed herself anyway.  The author has a wonderful sense of humor and I think you needed it if you were going to live like Laura Ingalls. 

The Confession of Katherine Howard 05-12-11 reviewed by Lisa H

The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn, is a fictional account about the 5th wife of Henry the VIII.  I am so interested in everything that has to do with the Tudors, but I find alot of the books are hard to understand.  This book was easy to comprehend and easy to read.  The book begins when "Kate" is queen and flips back and forth into the past, revealing a fictional account of her youth. The story is told from Kates childhood friends point of view, and while we all know the eventual outcome of her short life, it is fascinating to think about what her life prior to being queen might have been like.  I know some of the book is based on fact,  but I enjoy picturing what they all looked like and how they lived.  Suzannah Dunn has written 3 other books on the wives of Henry the VIII, all of which I will be reading.

Changes Are Happening

We are making all kinds of changes! We have moved the Adult Audio Books to the center isle near the DVDS so that they are easier to view in the tilted shelves. CD's cases have been moved to allow a comfortable and inviting seating arrangement. So come, sit a spell and enjoy what your library has to offer.

Also check our new Calendar of Events page. We will be adding our programs to the page so you can easily access, print or receive e-mail notification of events.

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Spring has Sprung!

If you are working on your yard or planning that garden stop by the library for some great lanscaping books to get your creative juices flowing.

Have some home improvement projects in mind? Check out Home Improvement and Small Engine Repair database from the comfort of your own home just got to the library web page, click on Reference and Resources, Online Databases then to EbscoHost Home Improvement or Small Engine Repair.

If you have questions you may call the Refernece Desk at 614-837-4104 ext. 233

New Job Search Center Open

If you are looking for a job, need to update your resume or want to enhance your interview skills the library has a new Job Search Center located in the Reference Department.

The Job Search Center has 2 dedicated laptops for your use, reference materials for resume writing and interviews as well as links to local job placement websites.

Just stop by the Reference Desk to have the Librarian log you into a computer.