Great Crime Authors!

One of the best crime fiction writers out there right now is Jo Nesbo. Many critics have compared him to Stieg Larsson, but I think Nesbo is in a league of his own. His books are set in Oslo, Norway and follow Detective Harry Hole. When he was rising to fame, not many of his books had be translated into English so the first book I read was Redbreast (#3 in the series now). The series is up to eleven books now. I think they are all good but the one that really sucks you into the world of Harry Hole is Redbreast. 








If you are in the mood for an Irish setting, then Tana French is the author for you. She writes crime fiction that revolves around the Dublin Murder Squad and each book follows a different detective. There are six books in the series and she writes one about every two years. Start with In the Woods.







Another great but overlooked author is Tania Carver. She is the pseudonym of husband and wife team Martyn and Linda Waites. These crime novels are set in England and follow Detective Inspector Philip Brennan and psychologist Marina Esposito as they solve serial murders. This eight book series is not for the faint hearted because of graphic murder scenes, but they are fantastic at showing the points of view of both the killer and the police. You should read this series in order and start with The Surrogate. 




And finally, try crime novelist J.T. Ellison. She has two well-known series: Taylor Jackson is an Nashville detective introduced in All the Pretty Girls. The second series stars Tennessee medical examiner Samantha Owens, beginning with A Deeper Darkness. Read Jackson's story first because Owens first appears in the this series and you learn her back story.




So, consider reading one of these great crime series...you won't be disappointed.

Spring is in the air

Once Spring arrives, the mood in the air changes. You see more smiling faces and hear more laughter. The library offers multiple kinds of books to keep you in good spirits. Whether you are looking for true stories, fictional adventures, or just plain, old romance, then the library is the place to be-either in person or digitally.

Some great reads for true story lovers are:

Oogy: the Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin--a tale about a puppy that endured so much and the family who loved him unconditionally.

The Secret History of Jane Eyre by John Pfordresher--follows how the author Charlotte Bronte wrote her classic novel and concealed that fact from her closest friends so as not to reveal her own personal struggles.

We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere by Gillian Anderson--inspires women to use practical, spiritual, and psychological tools to create a more fulfilling life.










For you fiction lovers:

We were the lucky ones by Georgia Hunter--a novel based on a true story of a Jewish family in Poland that were scattered throughout the world by WWII and their quest to find each other.

All Grown Up by Jamie Attenberg--is about an alcoholic designer that hides her unhappiness and anxiety from her family and friends until a newborn's illness forces them to re-evaluate their lives.

The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova--follows an American tourist in Bulgaria and her efforts to return a mysterious package to the family she shared a cab with.










And finally, for those of you who feel romance in the air:

The Undateable by Sarah Title--is a fun tale about an "undateable" librarian who agrees to let a reporter find her "perfect match".

Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shavis--follows a guy unwilling to commit to his girl but who sabotages her dates with others.

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh--is about a woman who leaves London to teach at an orphanage and the artist who awakens something new in her.











So open your mind and try a different genre this Spring. You never know, you might like it.

The Son

If you like to read or listen to books then the library is the place to be. We offer several, different formats besides hardback books including cdbooks, ebooks and eaudiobooks. And now the library has audiobooks on MP3 discs! They are great because the entire book is on just one disc so they are great for vacation plus more cost effective. I am more of a hardcopy book kind of person but I do like to read books on my Kindle when I'm traveling.


One book I really enjoyed was The Son by Jo Nesbo. Nesbo is from Norway and is best known for his crime novels. The Son is about a young man with a drug addiction who is being haunted by his father's past. If you like fast-paced books with lots of twists and turns then this is the book for you. This book is very different from the author's Harry Hole series.

Now narrators are the ones that make or break an audiobook. I always try to have at least 2 or 3 different audios on hand just in case I don't like the narrator's voice, which has happened in the past. 

So take a chance on an audiobook. The library has something for everyone and you just might fall in love with listening. 

The Last Station

There are always movies that make you think about your existence, make you feel sad or happy, or just make you laugh. I am an avid movie watcher.  One of my all-time favorite movies is Last Station. When I first decided to watch this movie it was because it starred James McAvoy (yep, I said it).  I didn’t know what to expect from this movie because I am not really into period pieces.  However, Last Station was an excellent film with superb acting and a great storyline.  It is about Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and it has a couple of risqué scenes that add depth to the movie.

                There are quite a few films that are based on books and this is one of them.  Last Station: A Novel of Tolstoy’s Final Year is a biographical novel written by Jay Parini.  It shows the relationships between Tolstoy, his wife, and his lead disciple.  I think the movie, which stars Christopher Plummer as Tolstoy, Helen Mirren as his devoted wife, and James McAvoy as his personal secretary, did a great job following the flow of the book.  In order to enjoy the films completely, I prefer to watch the movie before reading the book.  I am more of a visual person and I don’t like to know what is going to happen in advance.

                If you want to watch something really good, I would highly recommend Last Station.  It’s a movie that will keep your interest and in the process you’ll learn something about the iconic Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.

Run The World

New Years always starts with resolutions. Most athletes start the year by planning how to improve their performance. Some would like to run faster, some would like to lift more weight and some just want more energy. There are quite a few books out there that are excellent and can help people achieve their goals.

There is a misconception that athletes must eat meat in order to improve their performance. But that is not so. There is a really good book that was published in 2013 that outlines good nutrition for athletes. It's called The Runner's World Cookbook. I read it and was impressed by all the good pointers on how to improve my athleticism. The great thing about this book is that it's filled with lots of good recipes that are geared towards meat lovers, vegans, vegetarians and gluten free folks.




Runner's World Cookbook
613.7 Runn

Here is another good book that is completely plant-based:

No Meat Athlete
641.5636 Fraz 

Now the hardest thing for you might be keeping true to your New Year's resolutions and sticking with them. I have learned that a good support system and small monthly victories can do wonders for ones self-esteem.