And the Winners Are...

The 2017 Audie Award Winners have been announced! I've been anxiously awaiting the results of this years Audiofiles awards and they're finally here! If you love listening to audiobooks these are books that should be on your radar. These books blend terrific stories with amazing narrators which creates a fantastic listening experience. For your reading pleasure a few of the 2017 Audie Award winners. If you'd like a complete listing of the Audie Award winners they can be found here.

Audiobook of the Year 
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter. Narrated by Mariska Hargitay, with the authors, published by Hachette Audio
The audiobook does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don't throw away their shots.

Best Male Narrator
Jesrusalem by Alan Moore Narrated by Simon Vance
Jerusalem's dizzyingly rich cast of characters includes the living, the dead, the celestial, and the infernal in an intricately woven tapestry that presents a vision of an absolute and timeless human reality in all of its exquisite, comical, and heartbreaking splendor.

Best Female Narrator
Be Frank With Me by Julia Clairborne Johnson
Reclusive literary legend M. M. "Mimi" Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years. But after falling prey to a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, she's flat broke. Now Mimi must write a new book for the first time in decades, and to ensure the timely delivery of her manuscript, her New York publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. The prickly Mimi reluctantly complies - with a few stipulations: no Ivy Leaguers or English majors. Must drive, cook, tidy. Computer whiz. Good with kids. Quiet, discreet, sane.

Fantasy
The Hike by Drew Magary Narrated by 
On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the "Producer," the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path.

Humor
I'm Judging You written and narrated by Luvvie Ajayi 
Luvvie Ajayi's debut book of humorous essays dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives - from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook.

Inspirational/Faith Based Fiction
Risen: The Novelization of the Major Motion Picture by Angela Hunt Narrated by P.J. Ochlan and Alana Kerr Collins.
Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down. His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth - and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.

Literary Fiction and Classics
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Narrated by Dominic Hoffman
Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into different villages in 18th-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and will live in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle, raising children who will be sent abroad to be educated before returning to the Gold Coast to serve as administrators of the empire. Esi, imprisoned beneath Effia in the castle's women's dungeon and then shipped off on a boat bound for America, will be sold into slavery.

Multi-Voiced Performance
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult Narrated by Audra McDonald, Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than 20 years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders, or does she intervene?

Mystery
The Crossing by Michael Connelly Narrated by Titus Welliver
Detective Harry Bosch has retired from the LAPD, but his half brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, needs his help. The murder rap against his client seems ironclad, but Mickey is sure it's a setup. Though it goes against all his instincts, Bosch takes the case. With the secret help of his former LAPD partner, Lucia Soto, he turns the investigation inside the police department. But as Bosch gets closer to discovering the truth, he makes himself a target.

Nonfiction
Hillbilly Elegy Written and narrated by J.D. Vance
The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.'s grandparents were "dirt poor and in love" and moved north from Kentucky's Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility.

Narration by the Author or Authors
A Life in Parts Written and Narrated by Bryan Cranston
In his riveting memoir, A Life in Parts, Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany and beyond, to megastardom and a cultlike following, by vividly revisiting the many parts he's played on camera (astronaut, dentist, detective, candy bar spokesperson, president of the United States, etc.) and off (paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, son, brother, lover, husband, father).

Paranormal
Ghost Gifts by Laura Spinella Narrated by Nicol Zanzarella
All Aubrey Ellis wants is a normal life, one that doesn't include desperate pleas from the dead. Her remarkable gift may help others rest in peace, but it also made for an unsettling childhood and destroyed her marriage. Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden - until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder.

Romance
Dirty by Kylie Scott Narrated by Andi Arndt
The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a brokenhearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that come with her.

Science Fiction
Star Wars the Force Awakens By Alan Dean Foster Narrated by Marc Thompson
Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning new action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters.

Thriller/Suspense
Cross Justice by James Patterson Narrated by Ruben Santiago Hudson and Jefferson Mays
When his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown for the first time in over three decades. As he tries to prove his cousin's innocence in a town where everyone seems to be on the take, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he's ever known.

Young Adult
Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys Narrated by Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris and Michael Crouch.
In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety.

June's In The Queue

Find great summer reads in June's In the Queue!

Fiction

Our Little Racket: A Novel by Angelica Baker
When an investment banker is accused of malfeasance in the wake of the 2008 economic crash, four women, including friends and family members, begin questioning their shifting roles in their personal and community lives.

The Child by Fiona 
A twisting psychological thriller by NY Times best selling author of the The Widow As an old house is demolished, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton. Journalist Kate Waters believes it's a story that deserves attention, and what she uncovers is a mystery that someone prefers remain buried.

The Little French Bistro: A Novel by Nina George
Following a failed suicide attempt inspired by her loveless marriage, Marianne Messman travels to Brittany where the guests of a charming bistro reintroduce her to life's delights.

Magpie Murders: A Novel by Anthony Horowitz
The final chapter of mystery writer Alan Conway's latest manuscript is missing and Alan later turns up dead. His editor, Susan Ryeland, follows clues buried in the text to investigate the author's suspicious death.

Beach House For Rent by Mary Alice Monroe
Cara Rutledge rents out her beach house to Heather Fordham. When a sudden tragedy brings Cara back to the beach house, Heather refuses to move from her newfound sanctuary. 

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris
Cass is plagued with guilt for not stopping for a stranded driver who was later reported murdered. Since the incident, Cass has been forgetting. She forgets where she left the car, if she took her pills, where she put her purse or why she ordered a pram when she doesn't have a baby. But she can't forget the silent phone calls that she believes are from the killer.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore: A Novel by Matthew Sullivan
When a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this fiendishly clever debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.

New Books By Best Selling Authors

Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo
The Late Show by Michazel Connelly
The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green
Camino Island by John Grisham
Love Story: A Novel by Karen Kingsbury
The Silent Corner: A Novel by Dean R. Koontz
Every Last Lie: A Novel by Mary Kubica
The Bourne Initiative by Eric Lustbader
Tom Clancy Point of Contact by Mike Maden
Two Nights: A Novel by Kathy Reichs
The Ultimatum by Karen Robards
The Duchess: A Novel by Danielle Steel
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Non-Fiction

If I Understood You, Would I have This Look On My Face? By Alan Alda
Alan Alda tells us the fascinating story of his quest to learn how to communicate better and to teach others to do the same.

I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart
An inspirational memoir on the importance of believing in oneself. The author shares stories about how his unique way of looking at the world enabled his survival and successful career.

Enjoy Your Journey by Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer combines biblical principles with personal experiences to explain how people can enjoy everyday on their journey through life.

May's In the Queue

Enjoy spring with some great new books from May's In the Queue!

Fiction
Sycamore: A Novel by Bryn Chancellor 
A mesmerizing debut novel and coming of age story. When human remains are linked to an unsolved disappearance, resident of the town reminisce about the past and explore the forces that drive human nature.

The Switch by Joseph Finder
Michael Tanner pics up the wrong Mac Book at the TSA Security line. By the time he gets home and realizes his error it is too late. The laptop belongs to a U.S. Senator and has top secret documents on it. Unbeknownst to Tanner Senator Susan Robbins broke the law and uploaded  classified documents on her personal computer. If the documents wind up in the wrong hands it could be Snowden 2.0 and her political career over. Suddenly Tanner finds himself a hunted man, terrified for the safety of his family, in desperate need of a plan, and able to trust no one.

G-Man by Stephen Hunter
Charles Swagger finds a cache of his grandfather's hidden FBI memorabilia and vows to discover his grandfather's fate. As he works to uncover the truth he discovers someone wants the truth buried, and will do anything to keep it hidden.

Dying Breath by Heather Graham
Historian Vickie Preston first saw a ghost when she survived a brutal attack by a serial killer. Now authorities recruit her to help them track another serial killer with the aid of a victim's ghost. 

It's Always the Husband by Michele Martinez
A suspense novel written by a former New York City federal prosecutor depicts an increasingly troubled friendship among three former college roommates. Kate, Aubrey and Jenny were best friends in college. Twenty years later, one of them is standing on the edge of a bridge and another is urging her to jump. How did their friendship get here and can it lead to murder. 

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
This is a quirky, charming, bighearted, and at times poignantly dark debut novel. Ginny is an autistic teen who has been adopted by a wonderful family, yet she longs to be with her baby sister, who remains in the care of her drug addicted mother. 

The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme C. Simsion
Despite his happiness, Adam Sharp wonders how different his life might have been if he hadn't let Angelina Brown, a strong willed actress, walk out of his life. When she calls unexpectedly, he wonders what she wants, and if he has the courage to find out. 

New Books by Best Selling Authors
Paradise Valley by C. J. Box
Matchup: The Battle of the Sexes Just Got Thrilling edited by Lee Child
Dangerous Minds by Janet Evanovich
The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand
You Will Pay by Lisa Jackson
Since We Fell: A Novel by Dennis Lehane
Murder Games by James Patterson
The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick
Use of Force by Brad Thor
Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani
Indecent Exposure by Stuart Woods

Nonfiction  
Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies: The Civil War by David Fisher 
Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies shares lesser known stories about the civil war and its leading figures to debunk common myths and reveal forgotten factors.

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken
 The Harvard graduate, comedian, and U.S. Senator, chronicles the story of his unlikely campaign and details what his service has taught him about America's deeply polarized political culture.

Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 by David Sedaris
An anthology of the author's favorite diary features excerpts that inspired his famed autobiographical essays and shares insights into the intimate areas of his life. 

Best Light Reads

I enjoy reading thrillers, but every now and then you need a light read that does not involve murder, mayhem, torture or massive amounts of intrigue. Sometimes a nice fun story is just what the doctor ordered. In this blog I'm going to list some of my favorite light reads and maybe a few of the high octane thrill rides that allow me to appreciate a fun story.

Eight Hundred Grapes: A Novel by Laura Dave
Georgia Ford learned important secrets. The secret number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of win: eight hundred. The secret ingredient in her mother's lasagna: chocolate and the secret behind ending a fight: hold hands. This is a heartbreaking, funny and deeply evocative novel about love, marriage, family, wine, and the treacherous terrain where they intersect.

Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living by Jason Gay
I was going to write a brief synopsis...but then I read the authors summary and I decided to leave this summary to the Thurber Prize winning author who says it best (aka Jason Gay the author). 
"The book you hold in your hand is a rule book. There have been rule books before--stacks upon stacks of them--but this book is unlike any other rule book you have ever read. It will not make you rich in twenty-four hours, or even seventy-two hours. It will not cause you to lose eighty pounds in a week. This book has no abdominal exercises. I have been doing abdominal exercises for most of my adult life life and my abdomen looks like it's always looked. It looks like flan. Syrupy flan. So we can just limit those expectations..." What this book is, is hilarious. If you need a relaxing look at life...this is it. You will laugh and maybe even find a little truth about yourself. 

The World's Largest Man: A Memoir by Harrison Scott Key
A sly, witty and heartfelt tribute to a father who was much like Paul Bunyan and how his son came to appreciate the man, he could never be. Winner of the Thurber Prize.

Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen by Mary Norris
Comma, comma, comma chameleon is just the beginning of this fantastic and hilarious account of The New Yorker Magazine page 'Ok-er' and her 35 years of checking for punctuation pitfalls. If you are a comma killer, like me, you will truly enjoy this hilarious story.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
A wonderfully charming story of a widow, Arthur Pepper who finds a charm bracelet that his wife would never have owned, yet she did. This lovely homebody decides to venture forth and find out what he never knew about his wife of many years. A truly beautiful story that should not be missed.

Out of Warranty by Haywood Smith
This is a fantastic story about a widow who has no additional health coverage besides medicare. It's the story of how she searches for a husband for better coverage. A funny laugh-out-loud story that will make you smile. It also has heartfelt moments that make it truly irresistible. 

Thrillers filled with death, mayhem and intrigue. Note some of these are books in a series. I strongly advise reading the first book in the series (which is in parenthesis) before reading the book on my list. Many of these stories have strong character development so you may lose something if you haven't read the series in order. 

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs (Moon Called is the first in the series.) 
The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly
A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham (Flawless)
The Whistler by John Grisham
Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton (Rebel of the Sands)
Wait for Dark by Kay Hooper (Haven)
Orphan X by Greg Hurwitz
You Don't Want to Know by Lisa Jackson
Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb (Naked in Death)
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

2017 Book To Movie Adaptations

2017 has already had a few book-to-movie adaptations such as: "Logan", "The Shack", and "Beauty and the Beast".  The following highlights the others coming out later this year.  The library has all the books so you can compare and find out for yourself whether or not the book is better than the movie.

Already Released

"Before I Fall" based on the young adult novel by Lauren Oliver.

"The Sense of an Ending" based on the book by Julian Barnes.

3/31--"The Zookeeper's Wife" based on the book by Diane Ackerman about the true story of zoo owners who saved hundreds of Warsaw Jews during WWII.

4/7--"Wonder" based on the kid's book by R. J. Palacio about a young boy with a facial deformity and his struggle for acceptance.

Upcoming Releases

4/21--"The Lost City of Z" based on the book by David Grann--about a British explorer who disappeared in 1925 while searching for an Amazon civilization.

4/28--"The Circle" based on the book by Dave Eggers about young woman who works for a giant tech company and the scary things that happen.

5/5--"The Dinner" based on the book by Herman Koch about two sets of parents struggling with the horrible crime their teen sons have committed.

5/19--"Diary of a Wimpy Kid Long Haul" based on the kid's book by Jeff Kinney.

5/19--"Everything, Everything" based on the young adult novel by Nicola Yoon about a quarantined girl, allergic to everything, who falls for her neighbor.

6/2--"Captain Underpants" based on the kid's book by Dav Pilkey.

6/2--The Wonder Woman movie based on DC Comics series The New 52.

7/14--"My Cousin Rachel" based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier about an Englishman and his mysterious cousin who may be a murderess.

7/21--"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" based on the French comic series Valerian and Laureline.

7/28--"Atomic Blonde" based on the book The Coldest City by Antony Johnston.

7/28--"The Dark Tower-The Gunslinger" based on the fantasy epic by Stephen King about Roland Deschain's struggle to preserve his dying world.

9/8--"It" based on the horror novel by Stephen King about seven adults who return home to confront an evil from their childhoods.

10/13--"The Snowman" based on the Norwegian detective thriller by Jo Nesbo.

10/20--"The Mountain Between Us" based on the novel by Charles Martin about two plane crash victims who must survive the wilderness together.

10/20--"Same Kind of Different as Me" based on the book by Ron Hall.

10/27--"Thank You For Your Service" based on the book by David Finkel about how soldiers adjust to living back home after serving overseas.

11/22--"Murder On the Orient Express" based on the mystery by Agatha Christie.

April's In the Queue

If you love reading you definitely want to look at April's In the Queue. It  is filled with fantastic stories you will love to read!

Fiction
Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
A powerful and insightful story that explores what can happen when we carry the heavy weight of other people's dreams on our shoulders.

Marlena: A Novel by Julie Buntin
An electric debut novel about love, addiction and loss; the story of two girls and the feral year that costs one girl her life and impacts the other for decades.

Full Wolf Moon by Lincoln Child
Traveling to an isolated writer's retreat, Jeremy Logan, an investigator who specializes in unexplained phenomena, discovers a dead hiker whose wounds suggest an unnatural attack. 

Song of the Lion by Anne Hillerman
A deadly bombing is discovered to be part of a terrorist plot to disrupt peaceful negotiations between the Hopi and Dine tribes. Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn discovers a link between the bombing and one of his cold cases that has haunted him for years.

The Shadow Land: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova
An engrossing novel that spans the past and the present and unearths the dark secrets of Bulgaria.

Earthly Remains by Donna Leon
Inspector Brunettis' endurance is tested more than ever before. During an interrogation of an arrogant suspect, Brunetti acts rashly, doing something he will come to regret. In the fallout he realizes he needs a break. When he is granted leave he escapes to a villa owned by a wealthy relative. Once there  he becomes embroiled in the disappearance of his host in the aftermath of a sudden storm.

The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve
This suspenseful novel about a courageous woman tested by a catastrophic event and its devastating aftermath is based on the true story of the largest fire in Maine. 

My Italian Bulldozer: A Novel by Alexander McCall Smith
A hilarious stand alone novel about Paul Stewart's misadventures in travel and romance in the Italian countryside.

New Books by Best Selling Authors

Robert B. Parker's Little White Lies by Ace Atkins
No Middle Name by Lee Child
Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
Nighthawk by Clive Cussler
The Broken Road by Richard Paul Evans
Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
The Thirst by Jo Nesbo
Fallout by Sara Paretsky
Come Sundown by Nora Roberts
Against All Odds: A Novel by Danielle Steel
Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer

Nonfiction
Nevertheless: A Memoir by Alec Baldwin
In a candid memoir, a noted, o utspoken actor chronicles the highs and lows of his life and career.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
A true account of the early 20th century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered a chilling conspiracy.

Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott
An impassioned exploration of mercy, its elusive presence and why people ignore or embrace it.

Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith
A revealing portrait of the crown royal that offers new insights into his lonely childhood, intellectual quests, entrepreneurial pursuits and marriages.

For Your Listening Pleasure: Best Audio Books

If you love listening to audio books you are going to love this post. Here are a few fantastic audiobooks that offer great narrators along with wonderful stories.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

This heart warming debut novel intended for middle school children will please readers/listeners of all ages. This action packed story raises thought-provoking questions about the environment, the role technology plays in our world and what it means to be alive. Beautifully narrated by Kate Atwater.

Ghost Boy: The Miraculous Escape of a Misdiagnosed Boy Trapped inside His Own Body  by Martin Pistorius

This is the heart-wrenching story of one boy's return to life through the power of love and faith. Listeners hear of a parent's resilience, the consequences of a misdiagnosis, abuse at the hands of caretakers, and the unthinkable duration of Martin's mental alertness betrayed by his lifeless body. Narrated by Simon Bubb.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

Gripping and important, Dead Wake captures the sheer drama and emotional power of a disaster whose intimate details and true meaning have long been obscured by history. The narration by Scott Brick makes this great story a true listening pleasure. 

You will find more great audiobooks in our Audiobooks  e-newsletter.

March's In the Queue

Don't let the winter blues bring you down. Find a book that will lift your spirits in March's In the Queue.

Fiction
A Simple Favor: A Novel by Darcy Bell
A single mom's life is turned upside down when her best friend vanishes. This chilling debut thriller will have you wondering who is telling the truth.

In The Name Of the Family: A Novel by Sarah Dunant
A captivating novel about Renaissance Italy and one of history's most notorious families, the Borgias.

A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham
Someone is murdering beautiful young women in the New York area and displaying them in mausoleums and underground tombs. FBI Special Agent Craig Frasier is the lead investigator determined to find the killer.

Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley
Jubilee Jenkins is allergic to human touch. When her mom dies she is forced to reenter the world. Moving on with her life she befriends and a troubled child and begins to fall for his father. 

New Books by Best Selling Authors
The Fix by David Baldacci
The Lost Order by Steve Berry
All By Myself, Alone by Mary Higgins Clark
The Burial Hour by Jeffrey Deaver
No Easy Target by Iris Johansen
The Horse Dancer by JoJo Moyes
Two From the Heart by James Patterson
Golden Prey by John Sandford
One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline
Fast and Loose by Stuart Woods

Non-Fiction
Good Grief: Heal Your Soul, Honor Your Loved Ones, and Learn to Live Again by
Theresa Caputo
Inspiring spirit-based lessons on how to work through and overcome grief in a guide that offers testimonies by the author's clients.

Being Elvis: A Lonely Life by Ray Connolly
A fresh look at the 20th century icon who transformed American culture. Veteran rock journalist explores the extravagance and irrationality inherent in the Elvis mythology, offering a thoughtful celebration of an immortal life.

Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Ernest Hemingway's Secret Adventures by Nicholas Reynolds
The astonishing untold story of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway's secret life as a spy for both the Americans and Soviets before and during World War II.

Don't Judge a Book by It's Movie

Have you ever gone to see a movie that was based on a book?  You get there with people who have never read the book and they are raving about how wonderful the movie was and you think to yourself, "Yes, the movie was good, but the book was better." If you agree with me or have seen one of these movies and decided against reading the book, I urge you to read the book. You may be surprised by how much you enjoy it.

Here are a few books that were made into movies.  

Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson 
This amazing psychological thriller keeps you turning pages wondering what will happen next.  I hear the movie did not do the book justice...but I admit I have not watched the movie. 

Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
The movies are well done and amazing,...however the books are vivid and filled with even more amazing details.  I urge you to read the books. They are perfect for readers of all ages.

City of Bones from Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, this entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will thoroughly enjoy!

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Alice Howland is a Harvard Professor at the top of her game, when she becomes disoriented and confused the doctor diagnoses her with early onset alzheimer's disease. This is the story of how she and her family learn to cope with her disease. Beautifully written and in turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying. 

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Tom Sherbourne returns from war and takes a position as a lighthouse keeper off the coast of Australia. His young wife, Isabel joins him. They long to start a family but she miscarries and has still births, so when a young infant washes ashore Tom allows his wife to keep the infant. It's a decision which has devastating consequences. 

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
A spine tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography. This book will delight readers who enjoy adventures found in the shadows. 
Here's to great literature that can be made into movies!

The Circle, revisited

If you're a movie hound, then maybe you've heard that David Eggers' The Circle will be hitting the big screen on April 28. Starring Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, Bill Paxton, and more, it promises to be an entertaining way to pass two hours or so. But have you read the book? I wrote about it a few years back, but if you've forgotten, well, read on.

Have you ever wanted to just grab someone by the shoulders and shake them awake because they seemed oblivious to the seriousness of the things happening around them--or worse, the things happening to them?  If not, allow me to introduce you to Mae Holland (Emma Watson), the naïve young protagonist of The Circle. Trust me, you'll want to do more than just shake her by the book's end.

Truthfully, I really liked Mae at first. I especially enjoyed her excitement and wide-eyed wonder at landing a dream job at one of the world's most powerful tech companies, the Circle. Like most new employees, Mae is eager to please her superiors, including her friend Annie (Karen Gillan), who pulled strings to get her the job, but in doing so she seems almost as eager to give herself away in the process. For example, all Circle employees are expected to participate in various company activities (there are hundreds to choose from) and contribute to the company's social-network feeds (Zing, InnerCircle, OuterCircle, etc.), all of which is taken into account when calculating an employee's "Participation Rank." Okay, whatever: The food in the cafeteria today was excellent. Zing! But when Mae is dressed down for spending a weekend at home rather than staying on campus and "participating," not to mention having the gall to go kayaking without documenting any of it on her social feeds, I was bothered by her acceptance of these criticisms as valid. Unfortunately, Mae telling her supervisors that what she does on her own time is her own business would have been useless, because at the Circle, everything you do is the Circle's business. Rather than rebel, Mae acquiesces, and in doing so, she begins to lose herself.

By the time we reach the second act of the story, Orwellian slogans are being trotted out at a company pep-rally--SECRETS ARE LIES, SHARING IS CARING, and PRIVACY IS THEFT. (Seriously, didn't any of these people read 1984?) Mae finds herself rising quickly through the company ranks and becoming a star both inside and outside the Circle--and, of course, chief rival to Annie for the attention of their social-network overlords. The price is Mae's sense of self and any remaining scrap of privacy she might have held onto, as well as her friendship with Annie. Admittedly, much of what happens in this half of the book is so over the top that I found it silly, but with the ever-growing reach of surveillance, it may not be beyond the realm of possibility.

So there you have it. I can't promise that the movie will do the book justice (they almost never do, understandably), but if your interest is piqued, give it a shot. And by all means, read the book!

  

February's In the Queue

No matter if it's freezing rain or snowing outside you are sure to enjoy one of these fantastic new books from this month's In the Queue! I recommend sitting inside and forgetting the weather, while you are entranced by one of these great stories. 

Fiction
Garden of Lamentations: A Novel by Deborah Crombie
Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are drawn into separate investigations that hold disturbing and deadly complications for them.

Most Dangerous Place: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James Grippando
This spellbinding tale of suspense is based on a true life story. Jack Swyteck defends a woman accused of killing the man who raped her and must separate the need for vengeance from the truth.

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan MastaiLiving in an alternate world of flying cars, moon bases, and plentiful food, aimless Tom Barren is blindsided by a time-travel mishap that lands him in the year 2016. Filled with humor and heart this debut novel has Tom asking himself, "Should I stay or should I go?".

The Impossible Fortress: A Novel by Jason Rekulak
A dazzling debut novel--at once a charming romance, a hilarious crime caper and a moving coming-of-age story about what happens when a boy pretends to seduce a girl to steal a magazine and then discovers she is his soul mate.

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan
This debut novel tells the story of an all women's choir in England who refuse the vicar's edict to shut down the church choir, when the men go off to war. The women of this small village use their songs to lift up themselves, and their community as WWII tears through their lives.

Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel by George Saunders
George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a thrilling, supernatural realm which is both hilarious and terrifying. Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's eleven-year-old son, finds himself in purgatory, where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, and quarrel. A monumental struggle erupts as the ghosts try to determine what to do with Willie's soul.

New Books By Best Selling Authors
Vicious Circle by C.J. Box
The Devil's Triangle by Catherine Coulter
The Cutthroat by Clive Cussler
Banana Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham
Mississippi Blood: A Novel by Greg Iles
Man Overboard by Judith A. Jance
Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
If Not For You: A Novel by Debbie Macomber
A Book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oates
The Black Book by James Patterson
Humans, Bow Down by James Patterson

Non-Fiction
Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu
An inspiring memoir counsels women on how to cultivate the essential skills of reevaluating expectations, setting realistic goals and meaningfully engaging with others in order to thrive.

Cesar Millan's Lessons From the Pack: by Cesar Millan
Cesar shares heartwarming stories about dogs that have inspired him the most. He reveals the many ways that dogs and people can enrich each other's lives, sharing the lessons he has learned from the dogs he has trained.

Pretend I'm Not Here by Barbara Feinman Todd
Revealing what it's like to get into the heads and hearts of some of Washington's most compelling and powerful figures, Feinman Todd offers authentic portraits that go beyond the carefully polished public personas that are the standard faire of the Washington publicity factory. At it's heart this is a funny and forthcoming story of a young woman in a male-dominated world trying to find her own voice while eloquently speaking for others.