tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3994189913212429082024-03-13T19:33:40.780-04:00Bibliophibian - encouraging the love of booksJanelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.comBlogger287125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-4135421979929778292014-07-10T13:13:00.000-04:002014-07-10T13:16:50.666-04:00Astonish Me - Maggie Shipstead<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Astonish Me</i> is the irresistible story of Joan, a young American dancer who helps a Soviet ballet star, the great Arslan Rusakov, defect in 1975. A flash of fame and a passionate love affair follow, but Joan knows that, onstage and off, she is destined to remain in the background. She will never possess Arslan, and she will never be a prima ballerina. She will rise no higher than the corps, one dancer among many.After her relationship with Arslan sours, Joan plots to make a new life for herself. She quits ballet, marries a good man, and settles in California with him and their son, Harry. But as the years pass, Joan comes to understand that ballet isn't finished with her yet, for there is no mistaking that Harry is a prodigy. Through Harry, Joan is pulled back into a world she thought she'd left behind - back into dangerous secrets, and back, inevitably, to Arslan</span></blockquote>
<i>Received an ARC via Harper Collins</i><br />
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At first I was hesitant to read this second book by Maggie Shipstead, because I wasn't a big fan of her first book - <i>Seating Arrangements.</i> But I was pleasantly surprised how this book captured my attention right from the start. I have a feeling the main theme - ballet - was more interesting than a wedding weekend - which is the focus of her first book. Also I could relate a bit more to the characters in <i>Astonish Me</i> than <i>Seating Arrangements</i>.<br />
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The book does flash back in time as the present day story moves forward. As a reader, you don't learn about Arslan's journey until halfway through the book. Joan also is not the typical mother who might push her son towards the same experiences that she had as a child. She does strive to be the best mother she can for her son, even if that means memories from her past have to be revealed.<br />
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Maggie Shipstead weaves these characters together as she points out that sometimes your past is hard to leave behind in order to move forward. <i> </i><br />
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Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-14284203767249997132014-04-30T20:49:00.000-04:002014-04-30T20:49:54.831-04:00The UnAmericans - Molly Antopol<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In this auspicious debut, Molly Antopol cuts a wide swath through the fabric of time and place, exploring people from different cultures who are all painfully human in their joys, desires, tragedies, and heartaches. An actor, phased out of Hollywood for his Communist ties during McCarthyism, tries to share a meaningful moment with his son. An Israeli soldier comes of age when his brother is maimed on their communal farm. A gallerist, swept up by the 1970s dissident art movement, begins smuggling paintings out of Moscow and curating underground shows in her Jerusalem home. This is a rare collection as accomplished at capturing our soaring triumphs as it is our crippling defeats--a hopeful reminder that we are all closer and more capable than we sometimes feel.</span></blockquote>
The premise of this book was really fascinating to me and Antopol was recognized as a writer to watch. What I didn't realize until I started to read this book, that the book was a collection of short stories. These stories all have a shared theme of an immigrant making their way in a new country, but the stories don't relate to each other. At times, it was hard to switch and relate to new characters every 10 pages or so.<br />
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That aside, Antopol captures the immigrant and even second-generation immigrant life really well. Each story ends with a small twist that usually I didn't see coming. The prose is just beautifully written and draws the reader in. I highly recommend this book!Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-17366192781397223982014-04-30T20:37:00.002-04:002014-04-30T20:37:21.070-04:00Visitation Street - Ivy Pochoda <br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Summer in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a blue collar neighborhood where hipster gourmet supermarkets push against tired housing projects, and the East River opens into the bay. Bored and listless, fifteen-year-old June and Val are looking for some fun. Forget the boys, the bottles, the coded whistles. Val wants to do something wild and a little crazy: take a raft out onto the bay. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But out on the water, as the bright light of day gives way to darkness, the girls disappear. Only Val will survive, washed ashore semi-conscious in the weeds. June's</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> shocking disappearance will reverberate in the lives of a diverse cast of Red Hook residents. Fadi, the Lebanese bodega owner, trolls for information about the crime. Cree, just beginning to pull it together after his father's murder, unwittingly makes himself the chief suspect although an elusive guardian seems to have other plans for him. As Val emerges from the shadow of her missing friend, her teacher Jonathan, Julliard drop-out and barfly, will be forced to confront a past riddled with tragic sins of omission.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This book reminded me a lot of <i>Let the Great World Spin</i>- all the different story lines and characters end up coming together into one story at the end. Pochoda captures the Red Hook neighborhood well and how that neighborhood adapts and changes with the potential of economic development. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The relationship between Jonathan and Val felt strained to me and wasn't expected. Pochoda weaves together characters from different parts of the neighborhood and allows them to grow and change because of these relationships. Fadi and Cree are two examples of characters that grow by the end of the book because of the new relationships they make. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Underneath the neighborhood changing and the new relationships, there is a simple mystery about what happened to Val and June. The reader doesn't learn what happens until near the very end, but the mystery doesn't disappear from the first chapter to the last chapter. </span>Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-39120988819906974222014-04-30T20:12:00.000-04:002014-04-30T20:12:44.828-04:00The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This book definitely grew on me as I read more and more. The main narrator is quirky and has an interesting outlook on life, but underneath is just a regular guy wanting some companionship. I could definitely see this book being turned into a romantic comedy movie. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Simsion captures true humility in the relationships within this book. He challenges the readers to look at their own relationships and see why we are friends or lovers or partners with other people. While science and math are themes in this book, Don must learn to trust his instincts in order to grow and blossom in his relationship with Rosie. </span><br />
<br />Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-14366961218815741672014-03-03T21:30:00.002-05:002014-03-03T21:36:38.546-05:00The Lost Sisterhood - Anne Fortier<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Lost Sisterhood tells the story of Diana, a young and aspiring--but somewhat aimless--professor at Oxford. Her fascination with the history of the Amazons, the legendary warrior women of ancient Greece, is deeply connected with her own family's history; her grandmother in particular. When Diana is invited to consult on an archeological excavation, she quickly realizes that here, finally, may be the proof that the Amazons were real. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Amazons' "true" story--and Diana's history--is threaded along with this modern day hunt. This historical back-story focuses on a group of women, and more specifically on two sisters, whose fight to survive takes us through ancient Athens and to Troy, where the novel reinvents our perspective on the famous Trojan War.</span></blockquote>
<i>Received an e-galley from Ballentine </i><br />
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I read Fortier's <i>Juliet</i> pretty much in one day at the beach, so I was looking forward to seeing how she captured the same intensity with the Amazons. I wasn't disappointed. I was drawn into the mystery of the story right away. While I had some knowledge of Greek mythology and the Amazons, I found myself learning more about that civilization. <br />
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Readers looking for a romance along with a good mystery will enjoy this book. The main characters definitely have a romantic comedy relationship (on again off again) for most of the book. At times, I did wish Diana would be a bit stronger and thoughtful about her actions. She did grow from a bookworm type professor into a confident and well published professor by the end of the book.<br />
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The style of the book goes between the present day and the past story. This back and forth didn't happen every chapter which sometimes confused me. Also in the last quarter of the book, there is less past story and more present. I found myself wanting to read more about the past heroine than Diana. <br />
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Fortier delivers another strong novel with twists, turns and romance all wrapped into one. Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-82731276176535191262014-03-01T20:20:00.000-05:002014-03-01T20:22:05.615-05:00Charlotte's Web by E.B. White<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An affectionate pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, White reminds readers to open their eyes to the wonder and miracle found in the simplest of things.</span></blockquote>
<i>February Book Club</i><br />
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It was my turn to host book club this past month and I choose <i>Charlotte's Web </i>for the book. We've been reading our favorite books from our childhood. I remember reading this book and feeling sad for Charlotte. <br />
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Rereading the book as an adult, I was struck by the amount of vocab words and turns of phrases that are prevelant throughout the prose. We discussed at book club how by the end of the book Fern is not really mentioned anymore. Friendship is a key theme throughout this book and it is interesting how Wilbur's friendship with Fern is different than his friendship with Charlotte. <br />
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I found a <a href="http://www.walden.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/CW_EdGuide.pdf" target="_blank">nice appreciation of E.B. White</a> when searching for discussion questions. Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-48179202215001007982014-02-02T19:21:00.000-05:002014-02-02T19:21:34.622-05:00The Fever by Megan Abbott<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hocky star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security. </span></blockquote>
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<i>Read an e-galley from Little Brown</i><br />
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I haven't read any other books by Abbott, but something about this description and the cover of this book drew me in. As a mysterious illness slowly starts to impact a high school class, everyone is questioning will I be next? Abbott tells the story from each character's perspective. The confusion, the uncertainty, the gossip, the social media impact is spot on. It's easy for the reader to relate with either the students or the parents or just as someone in the community. I could see this book adapted into a long CSI episode - all the elements can be found. There is even a little science fiction/fantasy element to this book. A few times I got the chills from reading a passage here and there. In the end the root cause is because of basic human emotions. High school never changes when it comes to girls who like boys and boys who like girls. Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-91134684848780964652014-02-02T15:41:00.000-05:002014-02-02T15:41:38.698-05:00King and Maxwell by David Baldacci<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It seems at first like a simple, tragic story. Tyler Wingo, a teenage boy, learns the awful news that his father, a soldier, was killed in action in Afghanistan. Then the extraordinary happens: Tyler receives a communication from his father . . . after his supposed death. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tyler hires Sean and Michelle to solve the mystery surrounding his father. But their investigation quickly leads to deeper, more troubling questions. Could Tyler's father really still be alive? What was his true mission? Could Tyler be the next target? </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sean and Michelle soon realize that they've stumbled on to something bigger and more treacherous than anyone could have imagined. And as their hunt for the truth leads them relentlessly to the highest levels of power and to uncovering the most clandestine of secrets, Sean and Michelle are determined to help and protect Tyler--though they may pay for it with their lives.</span></blockquote>
There are some authors who are your go to defaults when you need a good book. For me David Baldacci is that default author. As a library student I volunteered at a Friends of the Library bookstore and ended up finding on the shelf a David Baldacci book that was signed by the author. I became hooked from that book and always looked forward to the next adventure. <br />
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This book is the 6th in a series of books featuring business partners Sean and Michelle. I am sure there are other Baldacci fans who would LOVE to see these two characters become more than business partners. I thought with them being mentioned in the title we would see their relationship deepen, but not much happened on that front. There were a few close calls in this book where it looked like Sean and/or Michelle could finally get fatally injured. <br />
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Baldacci is a master with plot twists and turns and knows how to keep the reader turning those pages. He recently <a href="http://youtu.be/-P3nypr1vbE" target="_blank">was interviewed by ALA</a> and said this about engaging the reader:<br />
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The only connection I can make with the reader on a human level is through the characters. The plot is the plot. But if they don't care about what happens to the characters, you can write a great plot with mediocre characters and no one is going to care. </blockquote>
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-57575160068503209922014-01-11T13:02:00.001-05:002014-01-11T13:04:16.440-05:00Twenty-Sided Die by Brian Prisco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87PKRFFUZGowt7jTdI0jjiV9PYJQrkZSVhtCptVYWVNXxva0jc2a3czqRV5R5Do8knJCez0NVjl2hD6-anNWDUrZlhUtTxWSD1-rDyAG0lAxyxaWU_PA8IXkpgE46tcWIQKdSBhH4ojW5/s1600/PriscoBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87PKRFFUZGowt7jTdI0jjiV9PYJQrkZSVhtCptVYWVNXxva0jc2a3czqRV5R5Do8knJCez0NVjl2hD6-anNWDUrZlhUtTxWSD1-rDyAG0lAxyxaWU_PA8IXkpgE46tcWIQKdSBhH4ojW5/s1600/PriscoBook.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dorks versus orcs! Twenty-Sided Die chronicles the trials and tribulations of a group of small-town Pennsylvania summer camp counselors and their regular Dungeons & Dragons group. Young love, nerd hate, magic, Magic: The Gathering, swords and sousaphones abound. It's one part Stand By Me, one part Clerks, and one part The Guild, shaken and served. These twenty interconnected short stories delve into the seedy underbelly of surburban life, as well as navigating the halls of high school and beyond. Marvel as our intrepid heroes battle savage Abercrombies, gun-toting hillbillies, and -- more often than not -- each other.</span></blockquote>
One new experience for me in 2013 was being a beta-reader. I was honored to be a beta-reader for<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Sided-Die-Brian-J-Prisco-ebook/dp/B00HHLOBCI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1" target="_blank"> this book</a>. I always try to support debut authors as much as I can and this author just happens to be a good friend from high school. Plus, this book is loosely based on my hometown and the author has always demonstrated great creativity.<br />
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Prisco's passion for storytelling and wit shows throughout the book. Small town life is captured with ease and the reader is taken on a journey. While I've never played Dungeons & Dragons, the narrative of the characters' adventures provides its own unique experience. Besides small town life and D&D, the reader is treated to stories about how underdogs can rise above their bullies and still seek revenge in some cases.<br />
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This book was financed by a Kickstarter campaign with matching funds from a benefactor. Prior to publishing this book, Prisco also wrote <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boogeymen-Brian-J-Prisco-ebook/dp/B00FNR17RA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1" target="_blank">Boogeymen</a> </i>which brings all your favorite horror film characters together for one awesome event to fight to the death. He also was the co-creator of <a href="http://cannonballread.com/about/" target="_blank">Cannonball Read</a> which challenges readers to read 52 books in a year. Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-89288560478529599602014-01-11T10:01:00.002-05:002014-01-11T10:01:27.850-05:00Black Horizon by James Grippando<i>** Received as Advanced Reading Copy from Harper Collins **</i><br />
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In Black Horizon, a riveting and timely thriller drawn from tomorrow's headlines, New York Times bestselling author James Grippando brings back popular Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck in an international case involving a devastating oil spill that pits him against his most villainous adversaries yet.<br />Three summers after the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, oil is again spewing into the ocean—from a drilling explosion in Cuban waters sixty miles off the Florida Keys, creating a politically complex and volatile situation. Representing an American woman whose Cuban husband was killed on the rig, Jack finds himself in dangerous waters when he discovers that his incendiary case may be lethally connected to his new wife Andi's undercover assignment for the FBI . . . and that the looming environmental catastrophe may have been no "accident" at all.</blockquote>
In 2014 I had decided to only write reviews for books that I gave 4 or 5 stars. But I realized I'm still receiving advanced reading copies from publishers and I should make an effort to write up reviews for those books as well. It turns out this book is both an ARC and a 4 star book.<br />
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Back in October 2011, I received an ARC from Harper Collins by an author named James Grippando called <i>Need You Now</i>. The book was very much a ripped from the headlines book and I enjoyed the plot twists and the characters very much. I had just read <i>Too Big To Fail</i> so this book paired well as a fictional counterpart. I was excited too see on the March list of ARCs from Harper Collins another ripped from the headlines style book by James Grippando. <br />
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Working for a news organization, I learned a lot about the Deepwater Horizon spill from all different angles, so I was curious to see how Grippando could fictionalize a similar oil spill investigation. There is plenty of political intrigue as well as romance within this book. I haven't read any of his other Jack Swyteck books so I was worried I would miss back stories and be confused with the book. But I was pleasantly surprised and didn't feel I lost too much by not knowing Jack and Andi's past adventures.<br />
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I was a little disappointed that Andi's side of the story wasn't flushed out more. A significant event happens to her in the middle of the book and I felt that Grippando didn't really address what Andi might have felt about that event. Also it was really clear that when the story was told suddenly by a minor character's point of the view, something was going to happen to them. It would have been nice to have the minor character's point of view be a little more consistent throughout the book.<br />
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Overall this book is a page turner and details how a simple action of investigating an explosion on an oil rig is sometimes more of a political game of cards than anything else. I'm looking forward to seeing what Grippando writes next.<br />
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-73053355679341941922014-01-05T15:02:00.000-05:002014-01-05T15:02:49.917-05:00Reading in 2013I had a goal of reading 70 books in 2013 as well as participating in the 5th round of Cannonball Read - reading & reviewing at least 52 books. Unfortunately, I didn't meet either of those goals.<br />
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Taking care of two little girls definitely impacted my time to write up book reviews. My daily commute has allowed me time to read, but I still felt short of hitting my Cannonball Read goal as well as my personal goal.<br />
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I've updated <a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/p/cannonball-read-round-five.html" target="_blank">my master list with all the books I did read in 2013 (44 total)</a>, but I won't be posting reviews for all of them. Going forward in 2014, I won't be participating in the next round of Cannonball Read, but I still set a personal goal of 70 books.<br />
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Book review wise, I'm going to focus on writing up thoughts for books that I rate 4 or 5 stars, but otherwise I'll just be adding the books to my master list. Family comes first.<br />
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Here are my favorite books of 2013 with brief thoughts on each of them:<br />
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<i>Anonymous Sources</i> by Mary Louise Kelly - debut novel by a former NPR colleague full of intrigue and mystery roughly based on her experiences reporting stories. I'm hoping we see more books from Mary Louise in the future.<br />
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<i>Anne of Green Gables & To Kill A Mockingbird</i> - two classics that my book club read. One was a re-read while the other was the first time I read it. Both demonstrate why countless generations continue to fall in love with these characters over and over again.<br />
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<i>The Husband's Secret</i> - this book was all a buzz on Twitter and elsewhere. The author weaves multiple story lines together in ways you wouldn't expect. Readers can easily identify with the characters.<br />
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<i>Sea Creatures</i> - this book is the second book of Susanna Daniel that takes place in Southern Florida. Susanna weaves prose and shows the reader the human side of her characters.<br />
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<i>Godiva</i> - Nicole Galland is a master at taking a historical figure and finding the unknown stories about them. While the Lady Godiva story is well known, Galland provides a fresh look at this legend.<br />
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<i>The English Girl</i> - there are some authors that capture the reader's attention from the first chapter. Daniel Silva is one of those authors. Twists and turns are aplenty as the mystery of the English girl is unraveled.<br />
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<i>The Doll</i> - third in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series. I'm a huge fan of Taylor Stevens. If you haven't read these books - you should!<br />
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<i>The Perfume Collector</i> - Paris in the 1950s, romance, mysterious benefactor, and a collection of jars. Enough said - how can you not be curious?<br />
<br />Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-58298530779579871912013-06-21T20:58:00.000-04:002013-06-21T20:58:08.114-04:00CBR5 #10 The Geneva Decision by Seeley James<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Until a few weeks ago, she was an international soccer star. But now she's taken the helm of her billionaire father's private security company, and she's playing against a whole new set of opponents: the kind who shoot to kill. On her first day on the job, Pia's client is assassinated in front of her. There's no time for training, so Pia must trust her instincts and athletic skills to unravel the complicated maze of money laundering and piracy that will take her from Swiss mansions to the jungles of Cameroon. Her battle-hardened employees suspect she's just a spoiled rich girl with a mean corner kick. But Pia's got some unexpected moves of her own. Will they be enough to bring her team through its mission?</blockquote>
I don't remember exactly how this book made it into my e-book queue, but it was an unexpected find. Something about the Pia character reminded me of the Vanessa Michael Munroe character from Taylor Stevens' series. Perhaps it is the mysterious past, or the need to demonstrate her defense skills. I felt that the soccer angle didn't really add anything to the plot overall.<br />
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This book has a good old-fashioned mystery at the core with modern day twists. If you are looking for a good read with mystery, intrigue and a touch of romance this book is for you. Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-65614191738444750772013-06-20T17:25:00.001-04:002013-06-20T17:26:44.281-04:00CBR5 #9 The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">An inheritance from a mysterious stranger . . .</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">An abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank of Paris . . .</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">And three exquisite perfumes that hold a memory . . . and a secret</span></span></blockquote>
<i>Read an ARC from Harper Collins</i><br />
<br />
I'm a sucker for books set in Paris and a good mystery. This book goes back and forth between 1955 and the 1920s weaving mystery, good times, scandals and romance with both Grace, the jaded housewife, and Eva, the mysterious muse. <br />
<br />
While initially I was not impressed with the Grace character, she does manage to grow as a person by the end of the book. Plus she has a sweet romance with the French lawyer helping with the estate left to her. Eva has her own issues and is constantly trying to reinvent herself and run away from her past. The reader will be happy to see how the two characters intertwine and "connect" even though they never meet in person.<br />
<br />
Tessaro's writing draws the reader in and captures the essence of both time periods and places (New York and Paris). I'm curious to see if previous books by Tessaro are able to capture the same whimsical nature that <i>The Perfume Collector</i> has.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-60680093048660347532013-06-18T17:35:00.003-04:002013-06-21T20:59:22.622-04:00CBR5 #8 The Doll by Taylor Stevens<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Haunted by a life of violence and as proficient with languages as she is with knives, Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and hunter, has built her life on a reputation for getting things done—dangerous and often not-quite-legal things. Born to missionary parents in lawless Africa, taken under the tutelage of gunrunners, and tortured by one of the jungle’s most brutal men, Munroe was forced to do whatever it took to stay alive. The ability to survive, fight, adapt, and blend has since taken her across the globe on behalf of corporations, heads of state, and the few private clients who can afford her unique brand of expertise, and these abilities have made her enemies. On a busy Dallas street, Munroe is kidnapped by an unseen opponent and thrust into an underground world where women and girls are merchandise and a shadowy figure known as The Doll Maker controls her every move. While trusted friends race to unravel where she is and why she was taken, everything pivots on one simple choice: Munroe must use her unique set of skills to deliver a high-profile young woman into the same nightmare that she once endured, or condemn to torture and certain death the one person she loves above all else. Driven by the violence that has made her what she is, cut off from help, and with attempts to escape predicted and prevented, Munroe will hunt for openings, for solutions, and a way to strike back at a man who holds all the cards. Because only one thing is certain: she cannot save everyone. </blockquote>
<i>read as a e-ARC via NetGalley</i><br />
<br />
This book is the third in Taylor Stevens' Munroe character series. I've been a huge fan of Stevens since I heard about her first book, <a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2011/11/cbr3-46-informationist-taylor-stevens.html" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Informationist</a>, back in 2011. Her second book, <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/01/cbr4-5-innocent-taylor-stevens.html" target="_blank">The Innocent</a>, </i>continued to impress me and this third book did not let me down as well. <br />
<br />
The character Vanessa Michael Munroe has been described as a female Michael Borne and Stevens continues to demonstrate that likeness in each of her books. In the first book, the reader is intrigued by Munroe's past. In the second book, the reader learns more about the decisions she had to make in order to survive let alone help others. In this third book, the reader continues to see how past decisions have hurt and helped Munroe in her life. This third book also allows the reader to see how the few people Munroe allowed into her life are impacted when she is in danger.<br />
<br />
Stevens continues to put the reader directly in the action as well as within the characters' minds. At the same time she exposes a real-world problem and situation in a creative way. If you are looking for a good set of books for your beach reads this summer, I recommend picking up these 3 books from Taylor Stevens.<br />
<br />
Check out <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2013/06/08/taylor-stevens-the-doll-women-as-men-in-history/2401801/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-LifeTopStories+%28Life+-+Top+Stories%29" target="_blank">this recent article where Stevens</a> shared instances of real-life women who disguised themselves as men similar to the Munroe character.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-55114974855931623432013-04-28T18:55:00.000-04:002013-04-28T18:55:44.659-04:00CBR5 #7 The 500 by Matthew Quirk<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mike Ford is a former con artist who's been plucked from his Harvard Law School classroom to be an associate at The Davies Group, Washington's most high-powered and well-respected strategic consulting firm. Their specialty: pulling strings and peddling influence for the five hundred most powerful people inside the Beltway, the men and women who really run Washington -- and by extension the country, and the world. The namesake of the firm, Henry Davies, knows everyone who matters; more importantly, he knows their secrets. Davies' experience goes back 40 years -- he worked for Lyndon Johnson, jumped shipped to Nixon, then put out his own shingle as the Hill's most cut-throat and expensive fixer. Now he's looking for a protégé to tackle his most high-stakes deal yet, and Mike fits the bill. Quickly pulled into a seductive, dangerous web of power and corruption, Mike struggles to find his way out. But how do you save your soul when you've made a deal with the devil?</blockquote>
I found this book via Amazon's Kindle Deal of the Day. Any book that deals with politics, intrigue and the DC metro area usually grabs my attention. To me this book was 1 part Nicolle Wallace Washington politics with 1 part David Baldacci thriller. <br />
<br />
I had a hard time putting this book down, but at the same time the plot seemed familiar. If you are looking for a Washington thriller then this book is for you. I was surprised by the ending, but in a way I kinda knew that was the way the book was going to end.<br />
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-12555223700830618412013-04-27T08:04:00.003-04:002013-04-27T21:25:17.337-04:00Read-A-Thon Day!Today is the spring read-a-thon hosted over at <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/" target="_blank">Dewey's Read-a-Thon</a>. You can also follow the action on <a href="https://twitter.com/readathon" target="_blank">Twitter</a> as well. It is hard to believe that during the last read-a-thon, my girls were still gestating nicely. Time has flown by!<br />
<br />
I'm going to do my best to read a bit, cheer on folks and possibly participate in some mini-challenges. We have a baby shower to go this afternoon, outside of watching our girls will distract me from the read-a-thon fun! I will be updating this post throughout the day with my updates.<br />
<br />
<b>Hour 1</b> - my little ones woke up within 5 minutes of me posting initially. So I gave them baths and got them dressed for the day.<br />
<br />
<b>Hour 2</b> - I am cheering on Team Tiger, so I spent some time going through the blogs from M-Z posting some commenting love. <br />
<br />
<b>Hour 3 - </b>I spent some time cheering Team Tiger blogs from G-K and responding to some earlier comments as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Hour 4</b> - More cheering on readers and playing with my girls. <br />
<br />
<b>Hour 5</b> - <b>Hour 11</b> - heading to a baby shower and will catch up with read-a-thon fun hopefully in hour 12.<br />
<br />
<b>Hour 12 - </b>dinner and relaxing for a bit<br />
<br />
<b>Hour 13 & 14 </b> - went through the rest of the Team Tiger blog list and cheered on more readers. I might check out a mini-challenge, but I am fading as I have been up since 5:30 this morning. Even though I didn't get any reading done today, I enjoyed cheering others on and seeing what they were reading.<br />
<br />
<b>Introductory Questions</b><br />
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?<br />
DC Metro area<br />
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?<br />
I haven't even picked out a TBR stack (shocker!), but I might focus on reading some e-books<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.453125px;">3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?</span><br />
I am very unprepared with read-a-thon snacks. Whatever I have in the house will have to work<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.453125px;">4) Tell us a little something about yourself!</span><br />
I am a librarian and a mother of twin girls who just turned 6 month yesterday<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.453125px;">5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.453125px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.453125px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> This read-a-thon is now my 5th or 6th one. I am planning to participate as much as I can and encourage on other readers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.453125px;"><br /></span>
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-56256047532957995542013-04-25T18:54:00.002-04:002013-04-28T18:56:04.962-04:00CBR5 #6 Faking It by Elisa Lorello<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What happens when a writing professor and a male escort become friends? Thirty-four-year old professor Andi Cutrone has broken up with her fiance in Massachusetts, moved back to her native New York, and wants to be a better lover. So after meeting Devin, a handsome, charming escort, she proposes an unusual arrangement: lessons about writing in exchange for lessons about sex. When Devin accepts Andi's proposal, he draws up a contract in which the two are forbidden to see each other socially. There's just one problem: Andi also wants Devin. Faking It is a witty, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-wrenching story about relationships, writing, and getting real</blockquote>
I'm not sure where I heard about this book, but it was the first book I read as my hour commute started up. Andi is a likeable character and the reader is immediately drawn into the proposal between her and Devin. I was glad to see that Lorello provided some depth to her characters. This book is more than a normal romantic comedy/chick lit book.<br />
<br />
Without giving away too much of how the book ends, I was glad to see that Lorello didn't take the traditional approach with her characters. But there was a nice twist at the very end that definitely will keep the reader guessing. This book is another good beach read.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-26385224041321477362013-04-25T18:29:00.000-04:002013-04-25T18:29:11.209-04:00CBR5 #5 The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite Manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned Mary Lennox is spoiled, sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.But Misselthwaite hides another secret, as mary discovers one night. High in a dark room, away from the rest of the house, lies her young cousin, Colin, who believes he is an incurable invalid, destined to die young. His tantrums are so frightful, no one can reason with him. If only, Mary hopes, she can get Colin to love the secret garden as much as she does, its magic will work wonders on him</blockquote>
<i>March Book Club</i><br />
<br />
This year my book club is reading selections from our Childhood. In February, we started off with <i>The Great Gatsby</i>. I don't remember reading <i>The Secret Garden</i> as a child, although I'm sure I did. I was familiar with the story to know that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/find?q=the+secret+garden&s=all" target="_blank">multiple movies </a>and <a href="http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/shows/secretgarden.htm" target="_blank">a musical</a> were made based on the book.<br />
<br />
I found it hard to read the prose when Burnett used the Yorkshire speak and at times I ended up skimming the descriptive parts to find out what happened next to the characters. During our book club we discussed how important to the growth of a child is adult guidance and attention. We also discussed if redemption should be given to Colin's father once he realized what he had been missing by not having a big relationship with Colin.<br />
<br />
Reading this book as an adult, I focused on different things than if I had been reading this book as a child. But I feel like there is still a powerful message to take from the book whether reading it as an adult or as a child.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-4578094030933914962013-04-25T17:55:00.001-04:002013-04-25T17:55:28.904-04:00CBR5 #4 How Lucky You Are by Kristyn Kusek Lewis<br />
<blockquote>
In the tradition of Emily Giffin and Marisa de los Santos, HOW LUCKY YOU ARE is an engaging and moving novel about three women struggling to keep their longstanding friendship alive. Waverly, who's always been the group's anchor, runs a cozy bakery but worries each month about her mounting debt. Kate is married to a man who's on track to be the next governor of Virginia, but the larger questions brewing in their future are unsettling her. Stay-at-home mom Amy has a perfect life on paper, but as the horrific secret she's keeping from her friends threatens to reveal itself, she panics. As life's pressures build all around them, Waverly knows she has some big decisions to make. In doing so, she will discover that the lines between loyalty and betrayal can become blurred, happy endings aren't always clear-cut, and sometimes you have to risk everything to gain the life you deserve.</blockquote>
I read the bulk of this book while my one daughter was in the hospital for an outpatient procedure. Up until that day, my reading time had been non-existent. But when given hours of uninterrupted time to kill reading a book becomes a great activity.<br />
<br />
This book captured my attention within the first couple of pages. I was lost in the lives of Waverly, Kate and Amy. Lewis did a good job of showing the push and pull of their relationship as new details of each of their lives were discovered. I could see this book being turned into a Romantic Comedy/Chick Flick no problem. I felt that each character tried to grow a bit by the end of the book even if that meant potentially losing their long staying friendships. I liked the DC Metro area being featured within the book as well. The intrigue of politics and the city life added an extra element to the overall plot.<br />
<br />
This book would definitely be a great beach read or a good book to pick up when you need some light, but touching reading. <br />
<blockquote>
</blockquote>
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-53018421443988190822013-04-16T14:25:00.000-04:002013-04-16T14:26:26.531-04:00Computers in Libraries 2013 SummaryLast week I spent half days attending the 2013 <i>Computers in Libraries</i> conference here in Washington, DC. This year's theme was "Evolving in New Directions."<br />
<br />
<b>Keynote Speakers</b><br />
This conference likes to bring in speakers from outside of the library/information profession world and have them apply their expertise to the theme of the conference. I felt that only Wednesday's speaker, <a href="http://danielwrasmus.com/" target="_blank">Daniel Rasmus</a>, was able to really circle back to the library/information profession world with his talk. The other two speakers' messages got lost in infomercials for their books (or Amazon) or awkward speaker techniques. Videos of each of the talks are <a href="http://www.libconf.com/topic/cil2013keynotes/" target="_blank">posted here</a> on the LibConf blog. <br />
<br />
Here are some takeaways I had from the three keynote speakers:<br />
<ul>
<li>The pace of technology is increasing. There are more iPhones being bought than there are babies being born. </li>
<li>There is a shift to a subscription economy, companies are trying to keep customers coming back to them each week/month/year, where true service does pay off. </li>
<li>Customers don't want a generic experience - they want the experience customized to them. </li>
<li>Libraries need to harness the power of citizen led communities and crowd technologies to revitalize our services. </li>
<li>When thinking about the future of libraries, remember that we have no data from the future so it is hard to be evidence based. </li>
<li>Document the uncertainties you face and actively engage with the uncertainities when making strategic decisions. </li>
<li>Use scenario planning to help think about possible ways the future may turn out; then plan for contingencies and mitigate risks.</li>
</ul>
<b>Session Highlights</b><br />
Below are highlights from sessions that I attended. I was only able to be at the conference for the morning and early afternoon sessions.<br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b>
<h4 data-mce-href="http://www.infotoday.com/cil2013/presentations.asp" href="http://www.infotoday.com/cil2013/presentations.asp">
<i><b>Making Libraries - Getting Into the Hardware Biz</b> by Jason Griffey (</i><a href="http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2013/04/08/make-the-tools-that-measure-the-future/">slides</a>)</h4>
Jason
was my mentor in ALA's Emerging Leaders program back in 2010. I'm
always curious to see what interesting things he is exploring within the
technology world. This year's talk was about how libraries can get
into the hardware building space using open source hardware. I had
never heard the term open source hardware before until this talk. <br />
<br />
Two
principles influence the open source hardware world - Moore's Law which
states every 18 months, processors get more powerful for half the price
& Koomey's Law which states every 18 months, the amount of power
needed for processors are cut in half. <br />
<br />
There are two open source hardware platforms <br />
<ol>
<li><i><b><a href="http://images.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=ardunio&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=lZFPtlAZSXXCSM&tbnid=aY9Mc_zfy98T_M:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Farduino.cc%2Fen%2FMain%2FArduinoBoardDiecimila&ei=2FZtUcOxKrXh4APwnYH4BQ&bvm=bv.45175338,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNHhRSejvuN8VhKd95fMonDm9JZE5Q&ust=1366206553103229">Arduino</a></b></i>
single board micro controller - digital board that allows you to
measure things in the physical world - control sensors, inputs, lights
($30); thousands of ready to go library driven modules using Arduino via
GitHub and other places</li>
<li data-mce-href="http://images.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=raspberry+pi&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=-oTToASPChgmsM&tbnid=KSj4SlP-n2sc9M:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raspberrypi.org%2Ffaqs&ei=AVdtUd2XF7TA4AO3uIHwBQ&bvm=bv.45175338,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFgNNv_s9OiixMdQJanwUd8hYm9Vg&ust=1366206593530907" href="http://images.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=raspberry+pi&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=-oTToASPChgmsM&tbnid=KSj4SlP-n2sc9M:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raspberrypi.org%2Ffaqs&ei=AVdtUd2XF7TA4AO3uIHwBQ&bvm=bv.45175338,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFgNNv_s9OiixMdQJanwUd8hYm9Vg&ust=1366206593530907"><i><b><a href="http://images.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=raspberry+pi&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=-oTToASPChgmsM&tbnid=KSj4SlP-n2sc9M:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raspberrypi.org%2Ffaqs&ei=AVdtUd2XF7TA4AO3uIHwBQ&bvm=bv.45175338,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFgNNv_s9OiixMdQJanwUd8hYm9Vg&ust=1366206593530907">Raspberry Pi </a></b></i> -a full computer - has memory, input and outputs; runs Linux, runs memory - no hard drive, has slot for memory card</li>
</ol>
Jason
provided some comparisons between building and buying hardware which
highlighted the financial reasons for libraries using more open source
hardware.<br />
<br />
<table class="confluenceTable"><tbody>
<tr><th class="confluenceTh">Item</th><th class="confluenceTh">Vendor Cost</th><th class="confluenceTh">Open Source Cost</th></tr>
<tr><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">Patron Counter</td><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">$200-300</td><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">$70</td></tr>
<tr><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">Temperature/Humidity Loggers</td><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">$200-1500</td><td class="confluenceTd" colspan="1" width="">$85</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div data-mce-href="http://www.shopperception.com/technology.php" href="http://www.shopperception.com/technology.php">
<br /></div>
<div data-mce-href="http://www.shopperception.com/technology.php" href="http://www.shopperception.com/technology.php">
Taking
a step back, Jason shared an example of how hardware can give us the
ability to measure things that we couldn't before. If a library hooked
up a XBox Kinect in front of a book display, they could <a href="http://www.shopperception.com/technology.php">measure patron behavior as they browsed</a>.
Jason challenged us to make the tools that measure the future which
will provide more data about what our patrons do in libraries and help
focus our services to our patrons needs.</div>
<h4>
<i><b>Evolving Libraries: What's At Our Core? by Rudy Leon</b></i> (<a href="http://conferences.infotoday.com/documents/167/D102_Leon.pptx">slides</a>)</h4>
<div data-mce-href="http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2013/a-librarians-guide-to-makerspaces/" href="http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2013/a-librarians-guide-to-makerspaces/">
Rudy heard <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17940819">John Seely Brown speak at Internet Librarian 2011 </a>and was inspired to focus on the question "Who are libraries if we don't focus on warehousing books?"<br />
<br />
Libraries
provide access to information via findable content and learning
environments and skilled professionals to teach, train and lead users to
content. Given this statement - she challenged us to consider if the
physical items on shelves really define libraries or not.<br />
<br />
Rudy stated that libraries are <a href="http://makerspace.com/">makerspaces</a>. (Aside - Makerspaces has been the buzz topic in the <a href="http://oedb.org/blogs/ilibrarian/2013/a-librarians-guide-to-makerspaces/%29">library world</a> & <a href="http://pcsweeney.com/2013/02/11/introducing-library-maykermondays/">#MaykersMondays </a>in the recent months. <br />
<br />
Rudy left us with the following question to ponder: What are we, if all the books go away?<br />
<br />
After
her presentation there was a good 20 minutes of discussion and sharing
between the session participants about what is working and what isn't
working for them. This session seemed to go fast and I felt like the
discussion could have gone on for another hour. </div>
<br />
<h4>
<i><b>Change Without Pain by Laura Botts & Jill Sodt</b></i> (<a href="http://conferences.infotoday.com/documents/167/A301_Botts.ppt">slides</a>)</h4>
We
often assume that our staff will learn tools without much training
during a period of change. Jill encouraged us to take time to survey
your users and staff before implementing a new process and plan out
support for the new tool/process. <br />
<br />
Laura provided the tip of
finding mentors online who have dealt with similar change. These
mentors could be within your professional organizations or by contacting
the authors of articles or blogs.<br />
<br />
Don't just look for a mentor,
but also be a mentor to someone else. Keep in mind "Someone knows what
you need. Someone needs what you know." <br />
<br />
"Lazy consensus" is a <a href="http://nowviskie.org/2012/lazy-consensus/">methodology for collaborative change</a>.
When a decision needs to be made, someone steps up with a proposal
about how to proceed and the whole group gets a certain amount of time
to speak up against it. The default answer is always yes.<br />
<i><b> </b></i><br />
<i><b>Tools Providing Outcome Measures - Charlotte Mecklenberg Library</b> </i><br />
Staff
from the Charlotte Mecklenberg Library shared their stories about two
development projects that helped provide better metrics around their
summer reading program and year round programming. They tackled these
development projects in response to having a 30% budget cut and feedback
from a patron task force. <br />
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
revolutionized its approach to summer reading and year-round programming
by developing technology-based tools to provide outcome measures that
are meaningful to funders and advocates. <br />
<ul>
<li><b>Program Portal</b>
- a cloud-based database that is accessible to all programming and
management staff and facilitates planning, full-costing, and evaluation.
</li>
<li><b>Summer Reading Online Database</b> - created
for the annual summer reading program for all ages, captures in real
time the progress toward specific targets such as minutes read per
participant and completion rates, tied into research about summer
learning loss. </li>
</ul>
I liked that the IT & Library staff
presented the tools together at the conference. I would love to see more
of these two groups presenting together. <br />
<br />
<br />Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-612757002917526342013-02-04T16:08:00.001-05:002013-04-28T18:56:25.216-04:00CBR5 #3 Preemie Parents by Tami Gaines <blockquote class="tr_bq">
Tami Gaines addresses the emotional aspect of being a preemie parent and delivers a positive message of hope and action. She is truly an authority on this subject as she has lived the experience firsthand. Both her children were preemies (she gave birth to twins after only 25 weeks (her daughter spent 3-1/2 months in the neonatal intensive care unit, her son spent over 18 months). <i>Preemie Parents</i> is an inspiring, personal guide that will help parents of preemies learn valuable lessons in coping and becoming effective advocates for their children.</blockquote>
I found this book looking for a preemies book that would share experiences with raising premature children. At first, I found Tami's story interesting, but as I read more and more of the book I just felt sad for her. Tami's story is extreme and not like the average preemie story. <br />
<br />
This book could be a one part of any education for a new parent of a preemie just starting their NICU journey, but it shouldn't be the only story they read. For me at our stage of our journey, I didn't learn too much that I already knew. Some of her advice would not be realistic for every parent of a preemie. Overall this book didn't satisfy the need I was trying to fulfill.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-31700399221752971332013-02-04T15:26:00.000-05:002013-04-28T18:56:42.095-04:00CBR5 #2 Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers. Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.</blockquote>
As I am just jumping into this e-book world, one of my friends suggested that I read this memoir for some lighter side reading on my iPad. I have watched Mindy on <i>The Office</i>, but I didn't know much more about her.<br />
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I enjoyed this book and read it over a few early morning while rocking my daughter to sleep. The book is part storytelling part stream of consciousness that pulls the reader in. If you read Tina Fey's <i>Bossypants</i>, then you would like this book as well.Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-11615046637985215522013-01-12T12:51:00.000-05:002013-04-28T18:56:55.125-04:00CBR5 #1 Nurture Shock by PO Bronson and Ashley Merryman<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One of the most influential books about children ever published, <em>Nurture Shock</em> offers a revolutionary new perspective on children that upends a library's worth of conventional wisdom. With impeccable storytelling and razor-sharp analysis, the authors demonstrate that many of modern society's strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring--because key twists in the science have been overlooked. Nothing like a parenting manual, NurtureShock gets to the core of how we grow, learn and live.</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>January Book Club Selection</i></span><br />
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"It's when children are at their most mysterious that we, their caregivers, can learn something new." This sentence is the very last one in the conclusion of this book and it really captured the tone of the book well.<br />
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During my pregnancy, I didn't read many parenting or twin books. It was hard for me to think about what life with my two girls would be like. Now that they are born and I'm learning what it means to be a full-time (right now) mom, I am curious to read more parenting books. So when <i>Nurture Shock</i> was chosen for book club, I dove right into the book. <br />
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The term "Nurture Shock" refers to the panic, common among new parents, that the mythical fountain of knowledge is not magically kicking in at all. Reviewing many different research studies, the authors found that most of the noteworthy insights into child development were revealed when two assumptions were dropped:<br />
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<li>Things work in children the same way that they work in adults.</li>
<li>Positive traits necessarily oppose and ward off negative behavior in children. </li>
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The authors explore the effect of losing one hour of sleep, why children lie, the impact of siblings, language development, talking about race, the inverse power of praise and testing for the gifted program. Even though a lot of research was presented throughout the book, the authors had a way of framing the studies with real world examples to help explain what the research found. </div>
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While some of the topics are not relevant for my parenting situation right now, I do feel that I learned more about how a child's brain works. The language chapter was extremely interesting to me as it explained different methods to helping increasing your child's vocabulary. The chapter on praise definitely was eye-opening as well. Even someone who is not a parent, but is interested in how a child's brain works would find this book interesting. </div>
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This book was also my first adventure with an e-book. As the e-book craze has grown over the past couple of years, I resisted getting an e-reader and continued to just read paper books. But after reading magazines on my iPad, I decided to try out reading a book on the iPad. I like that I can highlight different sentences as I read - which is helpful for non-fiction reading. And reading e-books has been easier than paper books while holding my daughter. </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i><br /></i></span>Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-31203075264407325042013-01-03T20:47:00.001-05:002013-01-04T11:05:34.841-05:002012 End of the Year Summary<br />
Happy New Year! I set a reading goal of 70 books in 2012 and I didn't quite make that goal. I did read 65 books, which was 9 more than the year before. I successfully completed the<a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/p/cannonball-read-round-four.html" target="_blank"> fourth round of Cannonball Read</a>. <br />
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Jamie at <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2012/12/end-of-year-book-survey-2012.html" target="_blank">The Perpetual Page Turner</a> hosted an end of the year book survey again this year. Here are my answers to that survey:<br />
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<b>1. Best Book You Read in 2012:</b> While it is tough to pick just one book, I would say <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/02/cbr4-8-night-circus-erin-morgenstern.html" target="_blank">The Night Circus</a></i> by Erin Morgenstern was the best book I read in 2012.<br />
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<b>2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't: </b>Hands down <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbr4-45-gone-girl-by-gilian-flynn.html" target="_blank">Gone Girl</a></i> by Gilian Flynn. I know this book was buzzing throughout the book world, but I didn't find the characters that likable. Perhaps I read this book at the wrong time or I missed some key to the book.<br />
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<b>3. Most Surprising (In a Good Way) Book in 2012:<a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/04/cbr4-15-ive-got-your-number-by-sophie.html" target="_blank"> </a></b><i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/04/cbr4-15-ive-got-your-number-by-sophie.html" target="_blank">I've Got Your Number</a></i> by Sophie Kinsella was my surprise book in 2012. My expectations for Chick Lit books is never high, but this book had a nice mystery and romance missed into the plot.<br />
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<b>4. Book You Recommended To People The Most in 2012: </b>Taylor Stevens' second book <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/01/cbr4-5-innocent-taylor-stevens.html" target="_blank">The Innocent</a></i> and <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/11/cbr4-61-in-woods-by-tana-french.html" target="_blank">In The Woods</a></i> by Tana French are two books that I recommended the most in the past year.<br />
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<b>5. Best Series You Discovered In 2012: </b>I don't tend to read a lot of series books, but I did discover Brad Parks' Carter Ross' Mysteries (<i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/09/cbr4-3637-40-3-mysteries-by-brad-parks.html" target="_blank">Faces Of The Gone</a>, <a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/09/cbr4-3637-40-3-mysteries-by-brad-parks.html" target="_blank">Eyes Of The Innocent</a>, </i>and <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/09/cbr4-3637-40-3-mysteries-by-brad-parks.html" target="_blank">The Girl Next Door</a>)</i> this year.<br />
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<b>6. Favorite New Authors You Discovered in 2012:</b> Rachel Joyce, Tana French and Gregg Hurwitz are three new authors I discovered in 2012.<br />
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<b>7. Best Book That Was Out Of Your Comfort Zone or Was A New Genre For You: </b>We read a graphic novel <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbr4-54-tricked-by-alex-robinson.html" target="_blank">Tricked</a></i> by Alex Robinson for book club. I hadn't read a graphic novel since college so it was a "new" experience for me.<br />
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<b>8. Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Book in 2012:</b> <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbr4-57-youre-next-by-gregg-hurwitz.html" target="_blank">You're Next</a></i> by Gregg Hurwitz kept me on the edge of my seat.<br />
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<b>9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:</b> I am not a big fan of rereading books, so probably none.<br />
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<b>10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012: </b>It is a toss-up between <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/09/cbr4-32-beautiful-ruins-by-jess-walter.html" target="_blank">Beautiful Ruins</a></i> and <a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/11/cbr4-60-secret-kept-by-tatiana-de-rosnay.html" target="_blank"><i>A Secret Kept</i> </a><br />
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<b>11. Most memorable character in 2012:</b> I would say Harold Fry from <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2013/01/cbr4-64-unlikely-pilgrimage-of-harold.html" target="_blank">The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry</a></i>. Rachel Joyce captured the essence of a retiree suddenly encouraged to take on an impossible task.<br />
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<b>12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012:</b> <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/11/cbr4-63-unbroken-by-laura-hillenbrand.html" target="_blank">Unbroken</a> </i>by Laura Hillenbrand because she was able to make non-fiction seem like fiction.<br />
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<b>13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012: </b> There isn't one specifically, but I found myself gravitating towards books about marriage and motherhood as those two life events happened for me over the past 18 months.<br />
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<b>14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read:</b> Definitely <i>Unbroken</i>.<br />
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<b>15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012: </b>Hmm.. this question is tough. Many of the books I read this year were full of beautiful passages.<br />
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<b>16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012: </b><br />
Shortest - <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/04/cbr4-19-kissing-list-by-stephanie.html" target="_blank">The Kissing List</a></i> at 223 pages<br />
Longest - <i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbr4-56-forever-queen-by-helen-hollick.html" target="_blank">Forever Queen</a></i> at 629 pages<br />
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<b>17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It: </b>I think <i>Tricked</i> was one book that had me shocked, perhaps more because it was graphically depicted.<br />
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<b>18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012: </b>The budding romance between Emily and Winn in <a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/11/cbr4-62-girl-who-chased-moon-by-sarah.html" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Girl Who Chased The Moon</a> because of the innocent way it started.<br />
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<b>19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously: </b>Close tie between <i>The Girl Who Chased The Moon </i>and <i>Small Wars</i>. Both were books by authors that I read before but hadn't enjoyed the first book.<br />
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<b>20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else: </b>Definitely <i>You're Next</i> - thanks to Jen at <a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/" target="_blank">Jen's Book Thoughts</a> recommendation.<br />
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Looking ahead to 2013, I've set my reading goal at 70 books again. It may be challenging with two little ones to take care of as well, but I am going to try. I'm also going to make some of those books e-books. I have joined Cannonball Read round five as well. <br />
<br />Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399418991321242908.post-15930544756310197782013-01-03T14:14:00.000-05:002013-01-03T14:14:09.911-05:00CBR4 #65 - Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz<br />
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Over the past two decades, Nick Horrigan has built a quiet, safe life for himself, living as much under the radar as possible. But all of that shatters when, in the middle of the night, a SWAT team bursts into his apartment, grabs him and drags him to a waiting helicopter. A terrorist— someone Nick has never heard of—has seized control of a nuclear reactor, threatening to blow it up. And the only person he’ll talk to is Nick, promising to tell Nick the truth behind the events that shattered his life twenty years ago. At seventeen years old, Nick Horrigan made a deadly mistake—one that cost his stepfather his life, endangered his mother, and sent him into hiding for years. Now, what Nick discovers in that nuclear plant leaves him with only two choices—to start running again, or to fight and finally uncover the secrets that have held him hostage all these years. As Nick peels back layer after layer of lies and deception, buffeted between the buried horrors of the past and the deadly intrigues of the present, he finds his own life—and the lives of nearly everyone he loves—at risk. And the only thing guiding him through this deadly labyrinth are his stepfather’s dying words: TRUST NO ONE.</blockquote>
I picked up this back list title after reading Hurwitz's latest book (<i><a href="http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbr4-57-youre-next-by-gregg-hurwitz.html" target="_blank">You're Next</a></i>) a few months ago. True to his previous books, Hurwitz knows how to keep his readers on their toes. <br />
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This book reads like a <i>24</i> plot line with more back story on the main characters. Corruption among the different government agencies is not new, but Hurwitz knows how to bring a fresh take on the idea. There is even a romantic subplot which leaves the reader guessing if Nick and his ex-girlfriend will get back together.<br />
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If you are looking for a good thriller with some touching family and personal moments this book is for you.<br />
Janelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291078088994851628noreply@blogger.com0