Favorite Titles of 2009

It's time to take a look back and see what we read in 2009 - and "we" means everybody reading this!

What was good? What wasn't? Did you discover a new author? Break into a different genre? See what our staff has been reading on our Shelfari page if you're a member, or stop by our Staff Picks & Recommended Reads shelf here at the library.

Personally, I read a crazy amount of Young Adult books this year. My reflection? YA is full of series these days - everything is either already part of a series or the start of a new one. This makes it easy to keep reading - when you find a story you like, there will be more - but super frustrating when you're waiting for the next book (like I'm waiting anxiously for the third in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - not expected until next fall, yikes!).

So help me keep my sanity while I'm waiting. What have you read in 2009 that you think was a 'don't miss'?

What I found in the stacks today

The nice thing about working in a library is that you stumble onto the most interesting books. And not always while you're processing returns or the like, either. I ran across this little gem called "10 Sure Signs A Movie Character Is Doomed & Other Surprising Movie Lists" just lying discarded in the stacks today. The author is Richard Roeper, noted movie critic who is the reviewing partner of Roger Ebert. Here's a sample from the book:

5 Things That Happen When A Wrongly Accused Fugitive Walks Into A Bar, A Restaurant Or A Convenience Store:

1. A television will be turned on, and the news will be playing.

2. The fugitive will glance nervously at the TV and then order a drink or a pack of smokes.

3. The newscaster will start reading a story about the fugitive, with a mug shot of the fugitive prominently displayed.

4. A customer will glance at the fugitive and then back at the TV.

5. Just as the customer realizes the fugitive is RIGHT THERE, he turns -- and the fugitive is gone, the door swinging in his wake.


Does this scenario sound familiar to you? Post a comment and tell us in which movie you've seen it happen. "10 Sure Signs That A Movie Character Is Doomed & Other Surprising Movie Lists" is a fun read. You'll find it in the Young Adult section of the library under the call number 791.4302 Roeper if you want to read it for yourself. After I'm done with it, of course...

Book Review Blooper Reel

This is the footage you weren't supposed to see! All the bloopers from our one minute book reviews this week. I had to limit the number of times I used myself, because I messed up A LOT. Enjoy.

EDIT: I posted the wrong video. Talk about a blooper reel! Here's the real thing.

Linette's One Minute Book Review

Our Young Adult librarian, Linette Ivanovitch, reviews Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith.

Molly's One Minute Book Review

Reference Librarian Molly reviews the James Beard award winning book "Fat" by Jennifer Mclagen in this installment of our One Minute Book Reviews.

Ben's One Minute Book Review

Today, yours truly reviews a book of technology essays by Cory Doctorow. To get a free copy of this book go to his website. We also have it here at the library, of course.

Dana's One Minute Book Review

For the second installment of our one minute book reviews we turn to Dana, who splits his time between the Children and Young Adult desks reviewing another Young Adult book, "Skate" by Michael Harmon.

Winter Reading Celebration!

Join local author Deirdre McNamer for a Winter Reading Celebration and Grand Prize Drawing on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. McNamer will read from her novel Red Rover and share her list of 2009 winter reads.

You can still earn your free coffee drink and enter the drawing if you turn in your Winter Reading forms on or before March 25!

This week we're featuring Sara Vilhuber's review of Dark Symphony by Christine Feehan:

"A convoluted mystery full of sizzling romance and passion. Compliments others in the series nicely. I loved the jaguar twist!"

More Community Reviews!

Warm with a good book, earn a free coffee drink, and win great prizes! Join the Winter Reading Program. Ends March 25!

It's long past time to recognize February's Winter Reading Program drawing winners. Jerry Hanowell of Missoula and Margaret Sandor of Seeley Lake both won $25 gift certificates to Fact & Fiction. Congratulations!!

Today we feature an anonymous review of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.

"I read this in 24 hours - didn't even go to bed! A wonderful Wisconsin version of Hamlet. The novel carries you along and absorbs you completely."

Books reviewed by YOU!

It's COLD outside! Warm with a good book, earn a free coffee drink, and win great prizes! Join the Winter Reading Program.


Today we feature Eddie Ledermann's review of The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism by John Bogle:

"An important book by the founder of the Vanguard Group. This book is for all who are upset by the lack of integrity in the financial system and who want to change the focus of capitalism back to the wealth of nations, not the wealth of greedy individuals."

Teen Tech Review: Little Brother

In his novel Little Brother, Cory Doctorow envisions a time in the not-so-distant future where the power of the police and military branches of the government are usurped by the Department of Homeland Security after a devastating terrorist attack on San Francisco. The protagonist, a teenage boy, is taken into custody without arrest, interrogated and released days later with an explicit warning to not tell anyone about his ordeal unless he wants to "disappear." Throughout the course of the book, the protagonist creates a network of like-minded teens, using currently available technology, to act as a "Little Brother" to the Department of Homeland Security's "Big Brother."

The book deals with themes of free speech and censorship as it relates to technology. What do you have the right to chat about with your friends while online? What kinds of programs or operating systems are you allowed to install on your computer, or for that matter, what kinds of programs or operating systems are you allowed to author? It deals with the theme of a marginalized teenager whose father is quick to discount, instead taking the word handed down from the Department of Homeland Security as the ultimate truth, until it is almost too late. The book also deals with the paranoia of a town under siege from imaginary foes and the penchant of angry mobs of people looking for a scapegoat, in this case unruly teens they don't fully understand.

Little Brother is essentially a primer on the cutting edge technology available today and how to use that technology to preserve your right to free speech, freedom of association and freedom from unlawful imprisonment, and was by far the most important book published in 2008 for teens and adults alike.

Download Little Brother for free (from the author!) right here.

See Cory read a section from the novel.

Review(s) of the week!

More winter weather is on the way, so now's the time to warm with a good book, earn a free coffee drink, and win great prizes! Join the Winter Reading Program.

The Winter Reader Review forms are pouring in, so we'll be featuring a few reviews over the coming week.

Today we feature Debra Unruh's reviews of two of her most recent winter reads:

In the Woods by Tana French
"A detective novel with a twist. A bit slow in the middle, but like every good mystery, it is driven to the end."

Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron
"It has all the right ingredients for a suspense novel, but it is far too predictable. A light read."

Teen Book Reviews

We now have a section of our website devoted to teen book reviews!

Members of out Teen Reading Club have put together six reviews so far and posted them to our website. Read them right here. They've reviewed diverse genres from romance to fantasy to fantasy romance, and plan on putting more reviews up in the coming weeks.

Having teens post their own book reviews is great, because no matter what we read as librarians about what is cool, or what teens want to read, it always comes down to the readers. So in a way we're skipping the middleman (or woman as it may be) and letting the people actually checking out and reading the books tell US about them.

...and if you're a teen who wants to get in on the action, just stop by the YA room and chat with one of the librarians there. They'll let you know exactly what you need to do to get your reviews up on the site.