The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

The second book in the Blue Heron series follows another Holland sister.  Honor is the oldest sibling in the family and after a trip to the gynocologist she is told she should really think about having babies because her eggs are getting up there in years.  After asking her long time crush and best friend to marriage and in return being rejected shes not sure what to do next.  Enter Tom Barlow-who is trying to stay to in the country because of his unofficial stepson.  With his work visa about to expire he has to get a green card somehow. The two agree to marry each other but will they see the feelings they have for each other?

The family relationships is one thing that makes this such a great book. Tom is trying so hard to keep his relationship with his almost stepson alive.  He's willing to do anything for the boy who has turned into a moody teen and wants nothing to do with Tom. 

Higgins books are always full of funny moments.  Throughout the book Honor's eggs have a running commentary with her and like in the first book in the series, The Best Man, the Holland grandparents are as dysfunctional as ever.

Hilarious and heart breaking at times this book was a fantastic read.  I'm excited that there is going to be a book three in this series!

This book will be out on October 29.  Place a hold on it here.

Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell

Jill Mansell always writes funny happy romances. You get to know the characters in the book and become absorbed in their lives. Don't Want to Miss a Thing is full of laughs, romance and is just an all around makes you feel good book.

The book follows Dex who is living the high life in London. With money, a great job and a revolving door of women he has it all. When his sister unexpectingly passes away, he becomes the guardian to her 8 month old daughter Delphi. He quits his job and moves to the quaint village of Briarwood where he meets next door neighbor Molly. Molly is a comic strip artist and the two form a friendship that is always closely leading to something more.

I love the little gossipy town where the villagers always seem to know everything minutes after it happens. There are few surprising moments in the book that I never saw coming and I always have trying to decide what couple will end up together.  I love how Dex fumbles his way through raising Delphi. Most other men would have given up right away but he sticks to it and finally grows up.

If you are looking for a light easy romance to read make sure to place on hold on Jill's Mansell's Don't Want to Miss a Thing which is due out in November.

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween

Scaredy Squirrel is back giving tips on how to have a successfull Halloween. Of course Scaredy Squirrel is scared of most things with danger and unpredictability high on the list (but don't forget the germs!)

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween: A Safety Guide for Scardies is split into 8 different chapters including Halloween Decorations (always carve a pumpkin with a friendly look!), Halloween Costumes (start looking for a costume in early June), and Halloween Candy (chocolate is good but it does melt and attracts bunnies).  Scaredy Squirrel tells everyone how to have a safe, accident free, Halloween.

This a great book to teach children about the spookiest night of the year.  It is full of funny parts and is not to scary. Scaredy Squirrel is a lovable character with OCD tendancies that everyone will love.  Make sure to place a request on the book here.

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Nantucket Blue follows Cricket Thompson who is planning on having the summer of her dreams.  She's going to
Nantucket with her best friend Jules, and she plans on making her crush Jay hers.  Shortly before they are supposed to leave Jules' family suffer a tragedy that tears the two friends apart.  Cricket still decides to spend the summer in Nantucket-but is stuck making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support her.  Cricket also finds time to fall for someone that should be off limits.

Howland's weaves together a wonderful story of loss, love, friendship and finding who you are.  I loved Cricket, she did not give up when her plans were messed up a few times in Nantucket.  She got to experience so many things that she wouldn't be able to if her and Jules didn't have a falling out.  All the characters were great in the story. I absolutely hated Jules who I know was going through a lot of family grief but that did not make it all right for her to be such a brat to everyone.

Make sure you check out Nantucket Blue if you're looking for a great young adult romance book.

The Week Before the Wedding by Beth Kendrick

After a crazy childhood, Emily is looking for the perfect life.  She wants the perfect husband with the white picket fence house.  After meeting her perfect fiance (he's a surgeon!) they plan a wedding in just months.  Emily wants everything to be perfect, but when she gets to the resort where the wedding will be at an unexpected vistor shows up-her ex-husband Ryan from 10 years ago.  And much to her surprise, he's not the slacker she left but a very successful movie producer.

The Week Before the Wedding by Beth Kendrick is a typical chick lit book.  The book is set the week before Emily is supposed to be married and as each day passes more troubles come for Emily.  Her mother and future mother-in-law do not get along, her bridemaids are revolting, and their is nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she's making a mistake and marrying the wrong man.  Of course Ryan doesn't help much turning up every time Emily needs help.

If you are looking for a light chick lit read then this is the book for you.

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

After a string of failed relationships Anne Blythe is sick of finding a man herself without help. Stumbling across a business card and believing it is for a dating service Anne sets up an appointment. To her shock she realizes it's not a dating service but an arranged marriage service.

Even though she can't believe it herself Anne goes through the process and after a few months she get told she has a perfect match with Jack.  The two meet for the first time on a Mexico vacation and get married the next day.  In the beginning they seem to get along fine but will she ultimately recieve her romantic ending?

This book made me think if I could truly go through this.  Would I be able to marry someone after only knowing them for just a few hours?  I wouldn't even imagine what my family would say.  Arranged marriages still happen around the world and I'm sure people can become happy and love the person that they married.  I liked the book because it was a topic I don't think I have seen before.

Anne is such a great character ("Anne of Green Gables" fans will notice that yes she was named after Anne Shirley and her brother's name is Gilbert-her mother was a fan!).  As she struggled throughout the book I began to care about her.  All the characters in the story were well written.

If you are looking for a different romanctic story then make sure to pick up "Arranged" by Catherine McKenzie.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Four minutes does not seem like much time-but it was just four minutes that changed Hadley Sullivan's life.

In the book The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Hadley is four minutes late for her plane.  A plane she wasn't to excited to get on in first place since it is taking her to London to her dad's wedding to the woman he left  her mother for. 

As she waits for the next flight she meets Oliver, whose British and perfect of course.  They connect instantly after a long night on the plane next to each other.  After loosing each other at arrival will there be a chance for them to meet again?

This is a great teen read.  Although it just seems like a harmless romance, Hadley has to deal with her feeling toward her dad who she hasn't seen in over a year.  The scenes with Hadley and her father are heartbreaking and I think he is really selfish man.  On the other hand her and Oliver definitely have some swoon-worthy scenes. 

Definitely check out The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight if you are a fan of teen romances.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

I recently saw a book trailer for The Diviners by Libba Bray. Most of the time I think the trailers are awful but this one actually made me want to read it.

Creepy right? I'm not one for scary books but I thought I would give it a try. I'm happy I did because it was a really great book.

 

The book is set in 1926, Evie O'Neill has just been sent to New York after a scandal arises in her Ohio hometown. Evie is estastic-shopping and parties-what's not to love? The only downside is she has to live with her uncle the who owns the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult or what it is called more often The Museum of Creepy Crawlies. Evie is having a fantastic time with her friends Mabel and Theta until her uncle is called to help with a murder of a young girl. As her uncle helps solve the case, he doesn't realize that Evie has a special power that may be the key to solving the murderer who is haunting New York City.
The book does have some scary moments for me but I don't really anything scary. The killer does sing the song from the trailer which gave me goosebumps. I bet the audio book would be great for people who like horror!

 

I can't decide if I like Evie or not. She definitely sticks up for herself and is the first to want to tackle the murders. There are many characters in the book-some with more minor roles but since this book is the first in a series I'm sure they will come up again in the books to come.

 

Don't be put off by the length of the book (it's nearly 600 pages) it was a quick read. 

 

Now I can't wait for the second book to come out because from the conclusion of The Diviners it sounds great!

The Boy in the Song: The True Stories Behind 50 Rock Classics

Did you know that the Beatles song "Hey Jude" was written for John Lennon's son Julian or that Eric Clapton's son "Tears in Heaven" was written about his son that died?

The Boy in the Song: The True Stories Behind 50 Rock Classics by Frank Hopkinson and Michael Heatley gives the readers the stories on how each boy or man inspired the artists.  The songs span decades from the sixties with The Beatles to Adele's "Rolling in the Deep."

One of the best stories was from Alanis Morrisette's "You Outta Know" who was supposedly written about Dave Coulier, who played Joey on Full House.  Although Alanis never admitted to who the song is about Coulier did say the two dated.

This book is full of background information on some famous songs and is informative for all music lovers.

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown

Ever wanted to know what would happen if Darth Vader was a loving father to Luke?  The book Darth Vader and Son will answer that for you.

Written as a comic, author Jeffrey Brown takes the reader on a journey of small segments in the life of Darth and Luke.  It shows everything from the two taking a trip to the zoo to look at a Bantha to Darth telling Luke to pick up his toys. My favorite shows a happy Darth Vader as Luke receives a medal which is quite far from the menancing Vader that I knew when I was little.

The colorful illustrations are adorable and full of other popular characters from Star Wars (the little Han Solo was my favorite!)  This book is great for young and old Star Wars fans.

On a Stick: 80 Party-Perfect Recipes by Matt Armendariz

On a Stick: 80 Party Perfect Recipes by Matt Armendariz is full of recipes of food that you eat on a stick.  I'm sure everyone has had a corn dog or a shish kabob but have you had pizza or waffles on a stick?

The book is split into two parts: savory foods on a stick and sweet foods on a stick.  None of the recipes seem that complex and require easy everyday ingredients. There are many recipes in the book that would be great for kids.  Who wouldn't enjoy Pizza Skewers or s'mores (using the recipe from the book on homemade marshmallows).

One of the most unique recipes is for Frozen Elvis.  You take frozen bananas and roll them in melted chocolate.  Then roll the banana in chopped cooked bacon and peanuts.  Place it in the freezer again and you have a great frozen treat.

Another great thing about the book is it includes recipes for the dips used-cucumber yogurt and spicy garlic soy are two that I will be trying soon! 

Mod Podge Rocks! by Amy Anderson

I have used Mod Podge a few times to for paper crafts.  When I saw the book Mod Podge Rocks! by Amy Anderson at the library I decided to check it out expecting to find some more ideas for crafts using different paper.  What I found was a whole bunch of different things that you use mod podge for.

Mod Podge Rocks! has instructions for 41 projects.  The project ideas are split into three groups: wearables (who knew you could decoupage cowboy boots!), home decor, and holiday.  Every page is filled with colorful step by step pictures and a picture of the final project.  The list of items you need for the craft are available with every one and instructions are easy to follow.

Since I have just used mod podge a few times I didn't realize how many different types were available.  There's matte and glossy, outdoor and fabric mod podge-basically there is an mod podge for everything you may want to decoupage.  I'll definitely be trying the sparkle mod podge soon which makes everything look glittery.  Being only used to decoupaging with paper, I was surprised to see many of the craft ideas using fabric.  For example, the book gives instructions on how to decoupage a bike helmet using any fabric scraps you may have around (page 30) and also tells you how to decoupage an suitcase (page 86).  Holiday themed crafts included gift tags (page 112) and gift bags (page 114).

One of my favorite craft projects is the retro floral outdoor chair (page 82). Using outdoor mod podge and fabric an old chair can be made to look like new. The bright floral fabric makes the chair really pop.

Anderson also writes the blog Mod Podge Rocks (http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/) which contains much more craft ideas.

Decoupage is an easy craft to do with all ages.  If you never done it before or do it all the time check out this book filled of ideas.

The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn

This is the kind of historical novel where I find it hard to read to the end, not because the writing is bad, but because I already know that things don't turn out well for the title character. I know Katherine Howard is executed by her middle aged husband Henry VIII, but Suzannah Dunn was able to keep me reading through her artful story telling and believable characters, and in the process she skillfully portrays Katherine Howard as both a precocious child, and a sex-crazed woman. Dunn paints such a vivid picture of Katherine's days with her girlfriends and boyfriends before ascending the throne, that I just couldn't stop reading.

The story is told through the words of a childhood friend from the Duchess of Norfolk's home, another teenaged girl who is a little less advanced than Katherine Howard herself in terms of sex and romance. Much of the charm of the book is the naive voice of this main character, teenaged Cat Tilney, as she approaches relationships under the tutelage of her more experienced friend, Katherine Howard. While Howard is naturally above it all, Cat deals with some of the same issues as any teen - trying to live up to the hopes and wishes of her family, falling in love, thinking about marriage, dealing with people she doesn't like, all in shadow of her magnetic friend. Whether or not Cat Tilney actually existed historically I don't know at this point, but her portrayal here is so fascinating, that I can't wait to do more research on the topic.

I think it would be a good novel for teens to read, up to a point, as the execution of Katherine Howard at such a young age might clarify for teens why their parents warn them about life and its dangers. The only place the novel falls down for me is when Katherine Howard instructs her friend in medieval birth control methods, hoping she will follow her example and become sexually active. In contrast, the rest of the sex in the novel is handled with comparative subtlety.

All in all, a fascinating look at the early life of Katherine Howard, one of Henry VIII's hapless queens, and how her whole life was a crazy train destined to end fatally for her and the men who loved her. More disturbing to see as a parent is how none of the adults in her life cared for her as anything but a mindless pawn formed to further their own ambitions in the cut-throat Tudor court. It might be instructive for older teens who don't yet realize how every choice they make, even while in the midst of those carefree teen years, can have serious implications for their adult lives.

Submitted by Gerti

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Reading Level: Young Adult

I haven't read this book but it intrigued me enough to want to blog about it. Dia Reeves is a fellow librarian so I thought that was cool.

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. They are the daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer. And they find themselves starting to give into their deepest desire-the desire to kill. So the killing spree begins and they have learned from their father's mistakes. But when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities.

New to the Library

What I love about working in the library is that I get to see all the new books that come in. So as I was looking on our new shelf of books I came across these four titles that looked really good.

Adult Book

I love Keri Arthur. I have read all her Riley Jenson books and this is the seventh book in the series. In this installment you find Riley hunting down a powerful sorceress who can raise the dead to do her killing. Plus Riley is caught between her steady vampire Quinn and her growing crush on the sexy bounty hunter rogue wolf Kye Murphy. I can't wait to read it.

Adult Book

Jillian Hoffman is the bestselling author of Retribution. I haven't read any of her books but

Plea of Insanity sounds intense. Julia Vacanti is a young ambitious prosecutor facing a case that could launch her career. The defendant is David Marquette a successful Miami surgeon and devoted family man that is accused of killing his wife and three children. The plea is Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Just reading the first few lines peaks my interest. Maybe it peaks yours as well.

YA Book

In King of the Screwups Liam Geller is Mr. Popularity. Everybody loves him and he excels at everything. But like a typical teenage boy he has a knack also for screwing up. His father throws him out of the house and Liam is taken in by his gay glam-rocker disc jockey uncle. Liam has a chance to start over and be everything his father wants him to be but his "Aunt" Pete see him for who he really is and Liam has to decide which version of himself he can live with. Sounds good!

YA Book

Fate is the sequel to Tattoo. So I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who wants to read these books in order.