Library Notes Week of March 29

We are headed into Tulip Festival time! I drive through the countryside coming to work and I see some of the fields have already begun to bloom. Aside from the traffic problems, I enjoy this time of year. If you see a member of the Friends of the Library be sure to buy a ticket for the framed tulip poster they are raffling off. It is an especially nice one this year. They will be out on the streets every weekend in April or you can get tickets at the Book Nook located in the front of the library. The money the Friends raise is very important. It keeps the library going.

Our Children’s Specialist, KJ Cooper, provided the book reviews this week focusing on our young adult books.

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher. Hannah Baker ended her life two weeks ago. Now, Clay is facing seven audiotapes on which Hannah explains her thirteen reasons why. Clay feels compelled to listen straight through the tapes and follow Hannah’s map to the significant places. The story is told by both Hannah (on the tapes) and Clay (in his reactions to the tapes) and is a moving reminder of how, sometimes, “meaningless” incidents can have a big impact on others.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. In a departure from his “Uglies” series, Westerfeld combines history with science fiction (heavy on the sci-fi). Set in 1914, the Archduke Ferdinand has been assassinated and his son, Alex is on the run from his enemies (Clankers who create amazing mechanical war machines.) In the meantime, a common girl in England, Deryn, disguises herself as a boy to join the British Air Service (Darwinists who biologically engineer fantastical creatures for their war efforts.) The two meet unexpectedly and begin an action-packed, life altering adventure aboard the Leviathan. The second in the series is scheduled to come out in October.

Shadowland by Alyson Noël. In a continuation of the Immortals series, Ever has found Damen, her soul mate across the centuries. Just when they almost reach their happy-ever-after, Damen falls under a powerful curse. Now, with any shared touch, Damen could be plunged into the Shadowland, the home for lost souls. Ever’s quest to find the magickal cure brings her into contact with Jude, who feels strangely familiar…

Library Notes Week of March 22

If you have a teen, be sure they get signed up for the latest teen program from the library—The Super Amazing Race! April 1st, from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Teams will be sent around town to find clues and perform tasks. After they get done, prizes will be awarded at a pizza party in the library. This will be a great activity during Spring Break. Sign up at the library.

If you are looking for something to read, try one of these books off the new book shelf.

Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom. A young woman is haunted by her roommate's murder; a man and his daughter-in-law confess their sins in the unlikeliest of places. In one quartet of interlocking stories, two middle-aged friends, married to others, find themselves surprisingly drawn to each other, risking all while never underestimating the cost. In another linked set of stories, we follow mother and son for thirty years as their small and uncertain family becomes an irresistible tribe.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Pacific Northwest apple country provides a beautiful, chilly setting for this family drama ignited by the death of a loving father whose two daughters have grown apart from each other and from their acid-tongued, Russian-born mother. After assuming responsibility for the family business, 40-year-old empty-nester Meredith finds it difficult to carry out her father's dying wish that she take care of her mother; Meredith's troubled marriage, her troubled relationship with her mother and her mother's increasingly troubled mind get in the way. Nina, Meredith's younger sister, takes a break from her globe-trotting photojournalism career to return home to do her share for their mother. These three women find each other and themselves with the help of vodka and a trip to Alaska.

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky. When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an tragedy for both Lily and herself. Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.

Library Notes Week of March 15

We are excited to announce the library now has downloadable audiobooks available thanks to the Washington State Library. There are brochures at the library to help you walk through the process of checking them out to your computer, I-Pod or MP3 player. There is one little catch—you must establish your account at the library through one of our computers or your laptop using our WiFi. It should only take a few minutes to get you set up then you can download books at home. We have a link on our webpage where you can go straight to the NetLibrary, look at the collection, and download books after you have your account. Come by and we will get you started.

If you are looking for a new book to read, try one of these.

The First Rule by Robert Crais. Frank Meyer had the American dream-until the day a professional crew invaded his home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Meyer was that- before the family and the business and the normal life-a younger Frank Meyer had worked as a professional mercenary, with a man named Joe Pike. The police think Meyer was hiding something very bad, but Pike does not. With the help of Cole, he sets out on a hunt of his own-an investigation that quickly entangles them both in a web of ancient grudges, blood ties, blackmail, vengeance, double crosses, and cutthroat criminal­ity, and at the heart of it, an act so terrible even Pike and Cole have no way to measure it. Sometimes, the past is never dead. It's not even past.

Catalyst: a Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey. Even among Barque Cats, Chessie is something special. Her pedigree, skills, and intelligence, as well as the close rapport she has with her human, Janina, make her the most valuable crew member aboard the Molly Daise. And the litter of kittens in her belly only adds to her value. Then the unthinkable happens. Chessie is catnapped from Dr. Jared Vlast's vet clinic at Hood Station by a grizzled spacer named Carl Poindexter.

Sizzle by Julie Garwood. After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra's life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other's hands—and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose.