Piggy Bunny, because sometimes a piglet’s just gotta be a bunny

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Vanessa

“You are a piglet, deal with it.” This is what Liam is always being told by his brother and sister in the new book, Piggy Bunny. Liam is a piglet who dreams of being the Easter Bunny. His parents love him, support him, and tell him he is perfect just the way he is. ‘Just the way he is’ is a piglet who wants to be the Easter Bunny. No matter how much the other piglets laugh at him and tell him they don’t believe in the Easter Bunny, Liam knows that one day, if he practices hard enough, he will become what he knows he is supposed to be. In the end, a gift from Grandma finally lets Liam become someone everyone can believe in.

This is an excellent book about acceptance and being yourself. The light-hearted story-telling style teaches without preaching and makes the piggy characters real and relatable. This is a story every child should read.

Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Laura

wind through the keyhole Through the Keyhole, the latest Dark Tower book, by Stephen King is due out soon.

From Stephen King’s Official Site

Dear Constant Readers,

At some point, while worrying over the copyedited manuscript of the next book (11/22/63, out November 8th), I started thinking—and dreaming—about Mid-World again. The major story of Roland and his ka-tet was told, but I realized there was at least one hole in the narrative progression: what happened to Roland, Jake, Eddie, Susannah, and Oy between the time they leave the Emerald City (the end of Wizard and Glass) and the time we pick them up again, on the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis (the beginning of Wolves of the Calla)?

There was a storm, I decided. One of sudden and vicious intensity. The kind to which billy-bumblers like Oy are particularly susceptible. Little by little, a story began to take shape. I saw a line of riders, one of them Roland’s old mate, Jamie DeCurry, emerging from clouds of alkali dust thrown by a high wind. I saw a severed head on a fencepost. I saw a swamp full of dangers and terrors. I saw just enough to want to see the rest. Long story short, I went back to visit an-tet with my friends for awhile. The result is a novel called The Wind Through the Keyhole. It’s finished, and I expect it will be published next year.

It won’t tell you much that’s new about Roland and his friends, but there’s a lot none of us knew about Mid-World, both past and present. The novel is shorter than DT 2-7, but quite a bit longer than the first volume—call this one DT-4.5. It’s not going to change anybody’s life, but God, I had fun.

– Steve King

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Laura

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris, the latest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series is available now. (I just put a copy on hold so the line forms behind me!). If you’ve watched True Blood but haven’t picked up the books yet – what are you waiting for?! And, if like me, you’re a longtime Sookie reader, savor this one; it’s the penultimate book in the series.

Publisher description – With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Read an excerpt from Deadlocked.

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” or How to Give Yourself a Headache.

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Ross

Did you know that besides carrying the latest bestsellers, the library carries books for us overly contemplative types?

After finishing grad school, I’ve been looking for a new challenge to prevent my brain from turning into treacle. I’m trying to brush up on my understanding of philosophy, regardless of how abstruse it may be. I started last fall with Great Courses’ Introduction to Greek Philosophy. The presenter, a philosophy professor at Carnegie Mellon, makes the whole mess accessible and entertaining. And I could listen to it in my car. It definitely cut down on the road rage, although I’m certain that my driving concentration was probably somewhat compromised.

Certainly, philosophy may be hard to comprehend, but the library has excellent resources for trying to do the mental gymnastics required that would drive others mad. My current reading companion is The Philosophy Book, which puts the salient thoughts of the major thinkers in (mostly) Western philosophy in easy to comprehend language. Plus, it has pictures and brightly colored diagrams and shiny, glossy pages! Another great series of introductions is the Philosophers In 90 Minutes series, which is also written for the non-specialist.

Good luck and don’t become too much of a solipsist!

Find Your Own “Odyssey”

Posted on March 26, 2012 by eric

When I was in elementary school I considered myself a pretty good athlete, after all I was the second fastest kid, the second farthest thrower, the second hardest kicker, second most accurate basketball shooter and I was pretty good at football. As far as football goes, I went to every Cincinnati Bengals home game and grew up looking up to those monstrously huge men. Residing in Norwood, at the time, the only guy I knew of that made it to the NFL or any professional sport from my hometown was Brian Pillman, but he never made it past a pro training camp. He did, however, make it as a professional wrestler.

As a six year old, watching those NFL games, I knew I didn’t want to be hit that hard, by anybody, thus, I turned my attentions toward baseball and soccer, after all I wasn’t even the best athlete in my grade, I was second. The best athlete in my grade, the guy that was first in all those categories did make it in the NFL. Not only that, he won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. Even as a young kid I knew my friend Marc Edwards would make it in football someday. Not only did he have tools and the talent but he had the drive and determination to rise up out of blue collar Norwood. The book Odyssey : from Blue Collar, Ohio to Super Bowl champion by Aaron M. Smith is about Mr. Edwards and chronicles what it takes to make it to the professional level in athletics and compete. He battled through some of the same adversity we all have. Nothing was handed to him, he knew what he wanted and worked to make his goal.

Even though he had talent, it still takes hard work to make it in any industry and Marc is evidence of that. This story is not about being a professional athlete it is about being the best person you can. Mr. Edwards’ odyssey should give inspiration to us all. Find your talent and work to make your goals.

Read the book.

New Stephen King

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Laura

November 22, 1963 changed the United States forever. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in his motorcade, and a broken-hearted America has spent nearly 50 years remembering and speculating about the tragic events in Dallas. In his latest novel, mega-best-selling writer Stephen King asks a fascinating question: What if you could go back in time and change that day? More specifically: What if you could save JFK? In 11/22/63, an English teacher travels back to 1958 and begins a quest to alter history. Space and time are placed on the line in King’s thought-provoking and much-anticipated novel. Due out in November, put a copy on hold now.

The Latest Survival Tools: The Curling Iron And The Evening Gown

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Meg

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray begins with a plane crash that strands thirteen beauty pageant contestants from the “Miss Teen Dream” on a deserted island. Only the island really isn’t deserted. In a dormant volcano on the other side of the island lies the hidden lair of evil corporate spies who are about to give bombs made from hair remover cream to an Elvis loving dictator. This book has something for everyone: mystery, suspense, snakes big enough to swallow humans whole, perils of teeth whitening, questioning sexuality and reality TV pirates with British accents.

The contestants’ ranks are filled with the typical pageant stereotypes like the perfect beauty queen from Texas who has been in pageants since she was three and believes that the girls should practice their talent routines while waiting to be rescued. However, the girls begin to work together and learn to do for themselves without worrying what their parents, pageant officials or society in general will think. They learn to fish with their curling irons and filter water with an evening dress. So, after providing themselves with clean drinking water, food, and shelter, the girls must rescue shipwrecked reality stars and finally put a stop to an illegal arms sale. Along the way there are short commercial breaks brought to you by the Corporation. The book is filled with footnotes about the fictional products and shows available from the Corporation whose motto is “Because Your Life Can Always Be Better.”

This book is about teenage girls on a journey of self-discovery. However, it is also a campy, satirical look at society today. No subject is left uncovered by this book. Shots are taken at corporate America, reality TV and product advertising. It also explores taboo topics like GLBT and plastic surgery in teenagers. So, I would not only recommend this book to teenagers, but anyone looking for a funny unique character driven story.

Bestselling Authors Strut Their Stuff This Fall

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Pat

There are some great fiction titles coming out this fall, especially if you have a favorite character you have been following for years. Here are just a few of the titles sure to make a buzz:

V is for Vengeance – Kinsey Milhone Mystery by Sue Grafton ( November 14)

Red Mist - Kay Scarpetta Mystery by Patricia Cornwell ( December 6)

The Drop – Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly ( November 28)

Kill Alex Cross – Alex Cross mystery by James Patterson ( November 14)

Kill Shot – Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn ( November 1)

Explosive Eighteen – Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich ( November 22)

The Next Always – new Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts ( November 1)

A few stand-alone titles you will not want to miss:

Litigators – John Grisham ( October 25)

Zero Day - David Baldacci ( November 1)

Best of Me – Nicholas Sparks ( October 11)

11/22/63 – Stephen King ( November 8 )

Our Collection Development department usually places orders for titles from best-selling authors approximately 6-8 weeks prior to the publication date. Check the “Coming Soon items on order” link on our catalog to see when these blockbusters have been ordered!