The Ginseng Hunter: A Novel

The Ginseng Hunter

By Jeff Talarigo

Nan A. Talese, 2008. 177 pgs. Fiction

The Ginseng Hunter is set in China just across the border from North Korea and depicts the lonely, difficult, and troubled life of a young man who survives by hunting ginseng roots. Early on in the story Chairman Mao has determined that all the people are to go out and kill sparrows because they are taking too much the seeds and grain. The results are devastating.

The story is interesting and poignant; however, the story is also one of sadness, loss, and survival with little hope.

SML

The Royal Treatment

The Royal Treatment
By Lindsey Leavitt
Disney/Hyperion Books, 2011. 264 pgs. Young Adult

Desi Bascomb is still working as a substitute princess, taking their place when they want to jaunt off on vacation or avoid a particular event in their lives. While there are still things that Desi likes about her job--including advancing to the next level of training--she also comes to realize that the company she's working for has its secrets, some of which Desi doesn't like. Also, she messed up on a previous assignments by getting a crush on Prince Karl, and her latest assignment has her crossing paths with him again, although this time she's standing in for Karl's brother's girlfriend. If that's not complicated enough, Desi's realizing there's more to her magical potential than she realized and she's acting in her school play, opposite of her best friend's crush who seems more comfortable with her than with her friend.

This second book in the Princess for Hire series started out a little slow for me, but when I hit the middle and realized how things were going to work out, I couldn't wait to see how they played out. Readers will definitely be satisfied with where this one goes, but the cliffhanger ending will have them hoping Leavitt cranks out the next installment really quickly. This series is a lot of fun and will appeal to many tween and teen girls.

AE

Ammon

Ammon
by H.B. Moore
Covenant, 2011. 288 pgs. Fiction

With the fire of newfound testimony, Ammon and his brethren leave Zarahemla to preach the gospel in Lamanite lands. Ammon follows the Spirit to the borders of Ishmael, where he’s ambushed just seconds after spotting Elena, a fair-skinned woman who captures his interest. As Ammon gains renown in the kingdom, he defends Elena from the advances of Gad, the loathsome widower she’ll soon be required to marry. Then, swearing allegiance to the Lamanite king and trusting in the Lord, Ammon further proves his strength and devotion by sparing King Lamoni’s flocks from plunderers. The amazed king and his court are converted to the gospel through Ammon’s powerful teachings and the miraculous events that follow. But each action Ammon takes causes more and more disruption throughout the kingdom, and he finds that even becoming the king’s closest confidant does not ensure his safety.

This is the fourth book in a series that Moore has written based on stories from the Book of Mormon. Although I was already quite familiar with the story, this book was hard to put down. Moore adds so many details to the story and explores some of the unanswered questions from the source material in novel ways. This book has a little bit of everything: action, adventure, romance, and spiritual experiences.

JC

Courting Miss Amsel

Courting Miss Amsel
By Kim Vogel Sawyer
Bethany House, 2011. 346 pages. Romance

Edythe Amsel is the new schoolteacher in Walnut Grove, and while some of the parents seem opposed to her teaching methods and curriculum, Joel Townsend supports her fully. His two orphaned nephews finally love going to school and Joel appreciates what Miss Amsel has done for them. He begins to have feelings for her and wants to court her, but Edythe, who spent fourteen years raising her younger siblings, doesn't want to give up her teaching job and has no intention of getting married and taking on another family to nurture.

This is a satisfying historical romance. I enjoyed both Edythe and Joel as characters and thought the story moved well. Readers of inspirational romances will be pleased.

AE

Blood Red Road

Blood Red Road
By Moira Young
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011. 459 pgs. Young Adult

In a distant future, eighteen-year-old Lugh is kidnapped, and while his twin sister Saba and nine-year-old Emmi are trailing him across bleak Sandsea they are captured, too, and taken to brutal Hopetown, where Saba is forced to be a cage fighter until new friends help plan an escape.

This was an interesting dystopian novel that I think fans of Hunger Games will enjoy. There is a lot of action and a touch of romance. It took me a while to get used to the dialect and was a little slow to start; but by the end, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Blood Red Road is the first book in this series. I look forward to meeting this author when she comes to the Library on October 11th!

AMM

Blindsided

Blindsided
By Priscilla Cummings
Dutton Children's Books, 2010. 226 pgs. Young Adult

Natalie O'Reilly has been losing her sight for years, but she's always held out hope that she wouldn't go completely blind. However, as the beginning of her sophomore year approaches, Natalie's doctor tells her that she will go blind and she needs to prepare for that. She reluctantly goes to a school for the blind, where she'll be taught to read in Braille, use a cane, and adapt to being without her sight. Even with the new skills she's learning, Natalie ultimately has to decide if she'll use them to face the world or if she'll go back home and hide.

I really enjoyed being able to see how a person would adjust from being able to see to living in darkness. Natalie's struggle to accept her condition, physically as well as emotionally, was realistic and gave readers an inside look at challenges faced by a blind person.

AE

Lost Encyclopedia

Lost Encyclopedia
By Paul Terry and Tara Bennett
Dorling Kindersley, 2010. 386 pgs. Nonfiction

Featuring over 1500 images, the Lost Encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference guide to the characters, locations, plotlines, relationships, and mythologies from all six seasons of the landmark series.

If you enjoyed the TV series Lost, are wondering what the show was about, or still feeling lost after end of the series… this book is for you! I enjoyed learning a bit more about the back stories of my favorite characters and being reminded of how the characters were connected to one another. This book is chock full of pictures and facts about this popular TV show.

AMM

If Life is a Bowl of Cherries—What am I Doing in the Pits?

If Life is a Bowl of Cherries—What am I Doing in the Pits?
By Erma Bombeck
Recorded Books, 2002. Nonfiction

In this collection of heartwarming essays, the bestselling author ponders what it takes to survive the rigors of contemporary living.

I enjoyed parts of this book, although I didn’t find it as funny as I thought it would be. This is a collection of Erma Bombeck’s essays, many of which were published in her newspaper columns. I didn’t particularly love the way the reader read the book, but on the whole was entertained by this collection.

AMM

Prophecy

Prophecy: An Historical Thriller
By S.J. Parris
Doubleday, 2011. 375 pgs. Mystery.

Giordano Bruno returns in this second installation of Parris’s new mystery series. This time, all of England is talking about the prophecies predicting Queen Elizabeth’s imminent death. Powerful astrological phenomena abound but when one of the Queen’s ladies is found violently murdered, Bruno is skeptical about the causes being supernatural and begins a hunt for conspirators and murderers.

Parris continues her series with vibrant historical settings and an intriguing mystery to unravel. Bruno is an entertaining and likable hero with virtues as well as faults providing a believable and multilayered character. This is a great choice for both mystery readers and those who enjoy historical fiction.

CZ

A Young Wife

A Young Wife
By Pam Lewis
Simon & Schuster, 2011. 289 pgs. Historical Fiction.

Based loosely on the life of the author’s grandmother, A Young Wife tells the story of Minke van Aisma. At the age of 15, Minke is sent to Amsterdam from her small fishing village to care for the dying wife of a wealthy businessman named Sander DeVries. After only a few months, the wife dies and Minke is caught completely off-guard when Sander proposes marriage and a plan to leave the Netherlands for opportunities in Argentina. Mistaking an exciting infatuation with lasting love, Minke agrees to the marriage and is soon saying farewell to her family and homeland. However, life in Argentina fails to live up to Sander’s promises and Minke is forced to face the consequences of her rash decision to marry a man she barely knew.

I thought the most interesting part of A Young Wife was the descriptions of turn of the century Netherlands, Argentina, and New York. Each stage of Minke’s journey illuminated the lives of immigrants who left the Old World searching for happiness in the New. I finished the book a bit curious as to what portions of the story were true and which portions were fictionalized. The plot’s conclusion seemed a bit too coincidental to be believable but sometimes truth can actually be stranger than fiction, so you never know.

CZ

The Mozart Conspiracy

The Mozart Conspiracy
By Scott Mariani
Simon & Schuster, 2011. 337 pgs. Fiction.

As a former British SAS officer, Ben Hope has a valuable skill set that he uses to help individuals in a variety of crisis situations. After rescuing a kidnapping victim, Ben’s hopes of several weeks of recuperation are destroyed by a call from a close friend’s sister, who also happens to be Ben’s ex. Leigh’s brother died months ago in an apparent accident, however recent events are making the circumstances surrounding his death look more and more suspect and Leigh’s own life has now been threatened. Here enters an intriguing and dangerous puzzle involving Mozart’s mysterious death and the Freemason movement of the late 18th Century.

This book has been described as “James Bond meets Jason Bourne meets The Da Vinci Code,” which is a tall order to fill. But Scott Mariani succeeds in this exciting adventure novel. The Mozart Conspiracy is the first American release for a British series that currently has six installments. I am anxiously looking forward to the next volume’s US release. Enthusiastically recommended!

CZ

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
By Jennifer Armstrong
Crown, 1998. 133 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and his crew set sail on the Endurance, headed for Antarctica, where they planned to be the first people to ever cross the entire continent. However, they never even reached land; the water was particularly icy that year, and the ship became trapped in the ice. Although they survived and were pulled along with the ice flows, when the ice finally began to thaw, the huge ice flows and icebergs proved treacherous; the Endurance was crushed and sank, leaving the men stranded with only three small lifeboats and no way to let anyone know they needed help. However, Shackleton was determined that they would survive.

This is a fascinating piece of history; Shackleton's story is certainly exciting and Armstrong's writing really makes it come alive for readers. This is jam-packed with interesting information as well--did you know that there are more than 80 kinds of ice? Or that the most fertile ecosystem in the world is at the Antarctic Convergence, where the polar water mixes with warmer water from the north? With a riveting story, captivating details, and lots of photographs, this is a first-rate piece of nonfiction.

AE

The Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty
By Alexander Lagos and Christopher Lagos
Random House Children's Books, 2010. 1 volume (unpaged). Young Adult

Brody and Graham are slaves but when the master's son attacks Brody and Graham retaliates, they must flee. They're headed for Benjamin Lay's lair, as Lay is an abolitionist. However, before they meet up with him, they are found by William Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's son, who uses them as subjects for a scientific experiment. The experiment leaves them with extreme powers, which they use to fight back against their master and the slave catcher who is out to get them.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a historical fiction graphic novel series. However, I felt like this volume was a little bit confusing; I had a really difficult time figuring out if the protagonists were supposed to be children or approaching adulthood. In some of the illustrations they seemed older and more mature; in others (even ones that took place at the same time, since I do recognize that the book flashbacked to an earlier time) they seemed much younger. Overall, though, I am interested to see what happens to Graham and Brody in the next installment of the series.

AE

The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe

The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe
by Peter Godwin
Little, Brown 2011. 371 pgs. Nonfiction

Last year I read Peter Godwin’s memoir, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun, about his return to Zimbabwe when his father was dying and his realization while there that his homeland was dying too. In this book, Godwin and his sister return to Zimbabwe in early 2008 after dictator Robert Mugabe has been defeated by the popular vote. Mugabe refuses to give up the presidency and responds with a brutal campaign of violence and torture against his “enemies”. Godwin tours the country secretly interviewing victims of the regime and documenting the chaos in Zimbabwe.

This book was hard to read because some of the descriptions of atrocities were just too heartbreakingly vivid. I had to read it a little at a time, but I learned much more about the current situation in Zimbabwe than I had ever known before. Although some of the stories in it are truly devastating, there are also many accounts of bravery from people who are not afraid to stand up for they know is right.

JC

Eona: The Last Dragoneye

Eona: The Last Dragoneye
By Allison Goodman
Viking, 2011. 637 pgs. Young Adult

In this sequel to Eon, Eona and Lord Ido are the only two dragoneyes left alive, which means they are also the kingdom's only hope against Sethon, who, after slaughtering most of his family, has made himself emperor. Ido has been captured by Sethon; Eona has escaped to find Kygo, the true heir, but she is still untrained and doesn't know how to use her power, and she's discovering things both about her ancestors and herself that frighten her. While Kygo trusts her enough to make her his highest advisor, others are wary of her and even Kygo's feelings seem mixed. Eona must figure out how to control her power and how to even trust herself to make the right choices if Kygo has any chance of defeating Sethon and restoring peace to the kingdom.

Readers will be drawn once again into the Empire of the Celestial Dragons. Eona's internal struggles (including what her morals are, how she's willing to use her power, who she trusts and even who she's attracted to) are well-portrayed and make her into a round, but not always likable, character. Fans of Eon will like the conclusion; those who haven't read Eon will definitely need to read it first or they'll be completely lost in this intricate fantasy.

AE

What Can't Wait

What Can't Wait
By Ashley Hope Perez
Carolrhoda LAB, 2011. 234 pgs. Young Adult

Marisa Moreno has dreams bigger than her Mexican-American family can imagine. Her father insists she work to help pay the bills and cook him meals and her sister is always asking Marisa to babysit her daughter. Marisa understands that doing well in high school will get her to college, but no one else in the family appreciates that fact. As Marisa’s senior year passes, she faces several events and mistakes that will challenge her commitment to college, even forcing her to wonder if she is doing the right thing. Marisa comes from a completely different background than many and the differences may surprise the reader. Her attitudes and actions are completely understandable and her growth as a character is believable in this gritty, realistic, and unflinching look at one girl’s path to her dreams.

MN

Genoa Bay

Genoa Bay
By Bette Nordberg
Monarch Books, 2009. 319 pgs. Fiction

There is a quote from the book Genoa Bay that states, "Grief has been described as-the process of learning to live comfortably in a new normal." That is exactly what Brandy Beauchamp must do. Widowed, with a young daughter to raise, Brandy must learn how to make her own new life. She inherits, Maggie's Place, an old run down Bed and Breakfast inn, located on Genoa Bay, British Columbia, from the lady who took her in as a teenager. What should she do with it? It is such a long way from her current life in Florida. The decision will determine Brandy and her daughters' life path.

This easy to read, clean, Christian novel has adventure (is someone trying to sabotage Brandy's life?) and a bit of romance ( he's stocky with calloused thick fingers). Once in a while the references to God and Christianity seem a bit awkward, but REMEMBER, this is a Christian novel. I found this to be a surprisingly enjoyable book to get lost in and come out feeling good. mpb

My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business

My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business: A Memoir
By Dick Van Dyke
Crown Archtype, 2011. 287 pgs. Biography

His father feared that he would never amount to anything. Boy, was he wrong. Dick shares his struggles in trying to make it in show business starting with local club acts to starring in his own show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, to making Hollywood classics like Mary Poppins. He decided early on that he wanted to be involved in productions that he would not be embarrassed for his family to watch, and for that, he has become a family favorite to many. Life was not always perfect for him; he discusses his battle with alcoholism and finding peace with himself. Dick Van Dyke keeps talking about retiring but it looks like this 86-year-old has no intentions of slowing down.

To be honest, I usually “read” biographies by looking at the pictures and checking the index who they mention and look at their connection but this memoir grabbed me from the beginning and I found myself reading into the night. You will not find any dirty gossip about Hollywood but you will hear a lot of funny stories.

KK

Accomplice

Accomplice
By Eireann Corrigan
Scholastic Press, 2010. 296 pgs. Young Adult

After attending a college prep seminar where an advisor informs them that good grades, extracurricular activities, and even community service aren't enough to distinguish themselves from the hoards of other students trying to get into college, Finn and her best friend Chloe hatch a crazy plan: they pretend that Chloe has been abducted and plan that Finn will be the one to find her, vaulting them both into celebrity status that will essentially guarantee them entrance to any college. So Chloe hides out in Finn's absent grandmother's basement while Finn pretends to look for her, gives press interviews, and tries not to panic. However, their plan quickly goes awry and Finn realizes she may be in over her head.

I found this book to be rather unsettling-- and not just because of the girls' rather disturbing way of thinking. While the plot of the book was enough to keep me reading since I had to see how things turned out, I also never fully believed that two intelligent girls would pull a stunt like this, and while there are several possible reasons why Finn might get involved (including her admiration of, and possibly even attraction to, her best friend) in it, none of them was fully developed enough for me to really buy it. It's definitely thought-provoking and there are many readers who will be drawn in by the plot, but at the same time, I think there are a lot of readers who will be put off by it as well.

AE

When the Black Girl Sings

When the Black Girl Sings
By Bil Wright
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008. 266 pgs. Young Adult

Lahni is an African American girl who was adopted as a baby by a white couple. She's always sort of wondered about that--why they wanted that and how her family fits together--and now, as a teenager attending a predominantly white school and with her parents on the brink of divorce, Lahni is wondering more than ever who she is. When she and her mother start attending church and Lahni hears the choir sing gospel music, she realizes that she wants to sing and joins the choir as well as prepares for a musical competition at school. At the same time, however, she struggles to reach inside her and truly find her voice.

Lahni is a realistically-portrayed character and her struggles to figure out her identity and to deal with her family troubles are problems that many teens will be able to relate to.

AE

Trespasser

Trespasser
by Paul Doiron
Minotaur Books, 2011. 310 pgs. Mystery.

When game warden Mike Bowditch is called out late one night for a car/deer crash on the Parker Point Road he arrives in time only to find the damaged car but no deer and no driver. He figures the deer has been poached post-mortem, but where is the young Asian woman who told the tow truck driver someone was coming to pick her up. He shouldn't have been worried to turn the whole mess over to the Highway Patrol, but he was. His concerns are borne out when he and his old pal Charley discover Ashley Kim's brutalized body. The police tell Mike to back off but he can't; he feels responsible and is drawn farther into the mystery when the current homicide mirrors one from some years back when a girl was murdered in the same fashion. The Maine coast in a wintry early Spring is the perfect cold and foggy setting for the monstrous doings of a man no one yet suspects. Second in the Mike Bowditch mystery series, after Poacher's Son, Trespasser is a fine story of a good but deeply conflicted man fighting his own demons as he takes on the very real devil next door.

LW

Emperors of the Ice

Emperors of the Ice
By Richard Farr
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. 217 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Aspley Cherry-Garrard, a.k.a. Cherry, was a surprising choice to go with Captain Robert Falcon Scott on his fateful expedition to Antarctica. However, he was selected to go on the journey and experienced the adventure of a lifetime, including a three-man expedition through unbelievable conditions to gather eggs from Emperor penguins for scientific research. Cherry was not one of the men chosen to try to make it to the South Pole, but he was one of the men who went to search for Scott's party when they did not return.

This book is an interesting blend of fiction (since the book is told from Cherry's first-person point of view but not written by Cherry) and nonfiction (since it's based extensively on Cherry's own writing and other historical documents and it's only the dialogue that is imagined). It was interesting to see how the trip was about more than just making it to the Pole; it was also about science and experimentation. This is a fine book for those interested in learning more about Antarctic exploration.

AE

Hidden

Hidden
By Helen Frost
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. 147 pgs. Young Adult

When she was a child, Wren was huddled in the back seat of her family's van when it was stolen; while the thief didn't know that Wren was in the back, his daughter, Darra, came to realize that she was there and wanted to help her escape. Wren managed to escape on her own, and years pass. However, as teenagers, the girls end up at the same summer camp and instantly know who the other is and must come to terms with the horrible event that connects them.

This verse novel is short but it packs a punch, with the two girls taking turns narrating and drawing readers into both sides of the story. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a good, thought-provoking novel.

AE

Delirium

Delirium
By Lauren Oliver
Harper, 2011. 441 pgs. Young Adult

In a future United States, love has been classified as a deadly disease, causing madness, unhappiness, and a host of other problems. Scientists have developed a cure to be given to people when they reach the age of eighteen; once they are cured, they are no longer capable of loving and they have orderly, stable lives, devoid of pain. Lena, whose mother wasn't cured and went mad, can't wait to turn eighteen and be cured. At least until she meets Alex, that is. Alex has never received the cure and introduces Lena to a whole new way of thinking about love. Soon, Lena must decide if she'll adhere to the laws of her society or try to pursue a relationship with Alex.

I really liked the premise of the book; the idea of government regulating and banning love is certainly intriguing. There were times when I was completely drawn into the book and other times when I wished there was less descriptive information and more plot. I have to say, I didn't like the ending, not just for the way things played out but what I thought was almost too easy a response and acceptance of her new fate by Lena. All in all, though, I think a lot of readers will enjoy this book that gives a whole new meaning to being star-crossed lovers.

AE

A Matter of Class

A Matter of Class
By Mary Balogh
Vanguard Press, 2010. 191 pgs. Romance

Reggie Mason's father has made his money in coal, something that has not endeared him to the higher classes in Regency society. However, he is determined that Reggie will be accepted as a gentleman by marrying him off to a titled woman, and Reggie's current wasteful behavior pushes him to act sooner rather than later. Opportunity arises when Lady Annabelle Ashton is caught running away with her father's groom. Disgraced, her beaux want nothing to do with her, but Reggie's father makes Lady Annabelle's father an offer he can't refuse, and soon, Reggie and Annabelle are betrothed. Little do their parents know that they have a secret of their own.

This book is predictable and nothing about it really made it stand out for me, but those who are looking for a quick guilty pleasure to read might like this one.

AE

Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep
By S.J. Watson
Harper, 2011. 360 pgs. Fiction.

Each morning Christine Lucas wakes up not knowing who or where she is. Her short term memories are erased each night when she sleeps. Her husband, Ben, must explain to her not only who he is but how she got to be middle aged. This amnesia is the result of a mysterious accident that occurred nearly 20 years before.

Christine begins to see a doctor without her husband’s knowledge. Ben has given up all hope of her ever recovering. At the encouragement of Dr. Nash she starts a journal to write down the memories she does have so when she forgets them again, she will be able to read about them. Dr. Nash must call Christine every morning to tell her about the journal and where it is hidden. When Christine opens the journal she is terrified to discover she has written “Don't trust Ben” on the first page of the notebook. Ben has been lying to her about some things. He claims they have never had children, but Christine has written down a memory of her little baby boy. A boy that Ben says has grown up and died in Afghanistan. Is Ben just trying to spare her feelings? Can Christine’s own memories even be trusted?

How can anyone function when they can't even trust themselves? In this debut psychological thriller, Watson has presented a well-written and fascinating look into how we use memory to identity ourselves and understand our lives. This book has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.

AJ

State of Wonder

State of Wonder
By Ann Patchett
Harper, 2011. 353 pgs. Fiction

A potential miracle drug that will allow women to conceive children well past menopause is in development deep in the wilds of the Amazon jungle. Dr. Annick Swenson, a renowned gynecologist working for the Vogel pharmaceutical company has been researching the reproductive habits of a local tribe, but when communication stops between the eccentric Dr. Swenson and Vogel, an affable pharmacologist, Anders Eckman, is sent to the jungle to learn the status of the drug research. Months later Vogel receives a short letter from Dr. Swenson explaining that Eckman has died of a fever. Marina Singh, Eckman’s friend and research partner is asked by both Eckman’s bereaved wife and Vogel’s CEO to discover what has happened. What Marina has told no one is that she and Dr. Swenson have an overlapping past that Marina has tried to forget, and nothing can prepare Marina for what she learns in the sweltering, insect-infested jungles of the Amazon.

Ann Patchett is a master story teller. She deftly handles emotional scenes where science and ethics clash, well-written prose where the jungle itself is so vividly described it acts almost as another character, and fast-paced narrative that includes encounters with anaconda snakes and cannibals! While I don’t think this book would be everyone’s cup of tea, I personally have enjoyed everything I have read by Patchett and State of Wonder is perhaps my favorite.

AJ

Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit

Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit
by Barry Estabrook
Andrews McMeel, 2011. 220 pgs. Non-Fiction.

Everyone who has ever tasted a vine-ripened tomato from his own garden knows that supermarket tomatoes bear little resemblance to the real thing other than that they are round and red. Red, as we discover in Estabrook's invaluable book, because they have been blasted with ethylene gas to artificially ripen them after they have traveled in their bright green state long distances, each tomato so hard one could blow through your windshield if it fell off the truck at speed. What one may not know is that the Florida Tomato Committee (among others) decrees that this must be so, screening every single tomato that leaves that state for color, size, and shape, but never for taste. Because Florida tomatoes are grown in sand in hot and humid conditions, growers must rely on chemical nutrients and a toxic mix of pesticides to bring their fruit to market. And also, in the case of the pesticides, to bring their workers' babies to earth armless and legless. Virtual and actual enslavement have been the rule rather than the exception in Florida agribusiness' employment practices. But there is a bright side to Estabrook's text as well, as he shares the history of the tomato, which originated in the high mountain deserts of Peru and Chile, and also the stories of more principled growers who sell ugly tomatoes that taste like a tomato should taste, and who pay their workers a living wage and who have a care for their health and safety. Tomatoland is a fascinating, eye-opening look at what we eat and why, and how things should be different. Estabrook himself points out the irony inherent in an industry where the workers who bring our food to market cannot themselves afford to feed their families. Come on. This is America, for crying out loud.

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy
By Dean Koontz
Books on Tape, 2004. 10 CDs. Fiction

Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it, in the very same hospital. As Jimmy's mother is working to bring him into the world, his grandfather suddenly sits up and predicts that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson — five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. Before they can discount Josef's words as delusional rambling, he also predicts the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance. What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive?

This was my first Dean Koontz book, and I listened to the audio version while commuting, and the only bad part about that was having to get out of the car. Koontz certainly knows how to keep the story moving , even if this was also one of the strangest things I've read in awhile. Jimmy Tock is a pastry chef hailing from a culinarily advanced family, so delectable treats and descriptions pepper the narrative. Jimmy's family also loves to laugh and humor is woven throughout the book, although at times when it's juxtaposed with horrific events, it can get a bit macabre. Still, powerful themes of love and family remain dominant even when things get crazy, and I was often surprised by the meaningful wisdom of the narration. Exciting, humorous, delectable, and surprising.

BHG

Blindsight

Blindsight
by Robin Cook
Putnam, 1992. 339 pgs. Fiction

Dr. Laurie Montgomery, a new forensic pathologist in the NYC Medical Examiner's office, finds a pattern of unrelated cocaine overdose deaths among career-oriented people never known to have used drugs. Despite the obvious evidence that she's onto something, her boss couldn't care less, while the homicide detective she becomes involved with is more concerned about a recent rash of mob killings. To make things more complicated, Laurie’s parents are trying to set her up with a new man, a self-centered ophthalmologist whose patients just happen to include the mob boss behind both the cocaine deaths and the murder spree.

This is the first book in a series of mysteries involving Laurie Montgomery, and like most of Robin Cook’s books it involves a complicated network of underhanded dealings by a variety of characters including corrupt doctors, crooked cops, and the mob. The action is fast-paced and Cook includes vivid medical descriptions to liven up the plot.

JC

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell
By Crickett Rumley
Egmont USA, 2011. 296 pgs. Young Adult

Jane is finally going home again after being kicked out of all her boarding schools; home to Bienville, Alabama where her mother died and where the Magnolia Maids pageant reigns supreme. Persuaded by her grandmother to join the pageant, rebellious Jane is surprised to be elected as a Maid. When the adult supervisor tries to force Jane and trailer park resident Brandi Lyn off the court, Jane decides to fight back and become the perfect Maid. A fun, fluffy, humorous read about one teenage girl’s attempt to find her place home again.

MN

Hell is Empty

Hell is Empty
by Craig Johnson

Viking, 2011. 312 pgs. Mystery.

This seventh book in Johnson's Walt Longmire series begins in a classic vein with the title from Shakespeare's Tempest and moving quickly into Dante's Inferno, but spiraling upwards instead of down. Longmire and his deputies have delivered a scary batch of prisoners to federal agents and are on their way home when they discover a bobby pin bent into a picklock in one of the sandwiches delivered by a local lodge. Their worst fears are realized when no one can raise the FBI agents. All but two are dead--one taken as a hostage and the other scarcely alive--and Longmire sets out after the crooks without backup for the sake of the kidnapped agent. Help may be slow in coming because a brutally cold blizzard is raging on Cloud Peak. As the escapees are one by one captured or killed, the hunt becomes a battle of raw will, intelligence, and a true feel for the mountain as the sheriff pursues Raynaud Shade, a Dantean demon indeed, to the peak where both may die. Walt is joined intermittently in his search by his old friend Virgil White Buffalo, a seven-foot Crow Indian whose grandson Shade has killed, and who may or may not actually be still in the flesh. Longmire is the most appealing character imaginable and his quest through the frigid blasts of Hell makes for a killer story, in more ways than one.

LW

Bewitching Season

Bewitching Season
By Marisa Doyle
Henry Holt, 2008. 346 pgs. Young Adult

Persephone (Persy) and Penelope (Pen) are twins embarking on their debut season in London. However, they aren't ordinary girls: they're witches, and while Pen is happy to take London by storm, shy Persy would rather not have a season. Her first choice would be to marry their handsome neighbor Lochnivar, but she thinks he could never care for her, especially if he discovered her magical abilities. Her second choice is to find a job as a governess or something that's more compatible with using her magic--something no lady should do. However, as they set off to London, their governess, also a witch, goes missing and, in between balls and parties, they need to figure out what happened to her.

This book had a lot of plot lines mixed together, and I honestly started to wonder why the twins weren't more concerned with their governess's disappearance. Luckily, their little brother pointed that out to them and spurred them along in their rescue. I enjoyed the look at the London season and Victorian society, and I liked Persy as a main character, although her complete obliviousness to Lochnivar's feelings did start to get a little grating at the end. Overall, it's a frothy, fun book, good for a lazy summer afternoon.

AE

The Winter of Our Disconnect

The Winter of Our Disconnect
By Susan Maushart
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2011. 278 pgs. Nonfiction

What do you do when you and your children are all too connected to technology? Unplug everything! Maushart, a single mother, felt the entire family was too connected and decided to have a six-month sabbatical. Everything went—the television, computers and the Internet, cell phones, and video game devices. The only things left were the landline phone and radios/stereos. Everyone experienced some sort of withdrawal and one daughter spent six weeks at her father’s as a way of rebelling. But in the end Maushart found that unplugging brought their family closer together and opened new creative outlets for several of them, among other benefits.

This is a very fascinating look at how various media outlets have overtaken our lives, particularly those of the younger generation. Maushart chronicles her family’s experiment and cites many studies on how technology is hurting us, how teenager’s brains may or may not be different from adults, plus other intriguing data. This will make readers evaluate their own media consumption and look at how they can handle technology differently.

MN

The Memory Palace

The Memory Palace
By Mira Bartok
Free Press, 2011. 320 pgs. Biography

This memoir by artist and children’s book author Bartok describes a life dominated by her gifted but schizophrenic mother. After trying for years to help her mother, she finally changes her name and cuts off all contact with her; the estrangement leaves her mother homeless, wandering with her belongings in a knapsack, writing letters to her daughter’s post office box. Reunited 17 years later, Bartók is suffering memory loss from an accident; her mother is 80 years old and dying from stomach cancer. Only through memories do they each find solace for their collective journey. Using a mnemonic technique from the Renaissance—a memory palace—Bartók imagines, chapter by chapter, a mansion whose rooms secure the treasured moments of her reconstructed past.

This book is both beautiful and difficult to read. I kept putting it down to take a break, because Bartók’s writing is so vivid that I could feel the emotional pain and confusion life with her mother caused her. This book really helped me understand not only what it would be like to live with a family member that is mentally ill, but also what it might feel like to be the person affected by schizophrenia. I think the strength of this book is the fact that Bartók manages to convey how much love she feels for her mother and provides glimpses us of her humanity that exists beneath the symptoms of her illness. I like that she includes passages from her mother’s writings as well as some of her own original art in the book.

JC

The Cowgirl Way

The Cowgirl Way
By Holly George-Warren
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 112 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

This book briefly covers women's involvement in the American west (such as owning cattle and becoming outlaws), as well as in wild west shows, rodeos, and western films and music. It concludes with a chapter about cowgirl fashion.

While I'm certainly interested in knowing more about cowgirls, I felt like this book read more like a list of names than a book. While the many women listed showed that there were (and are) plenty of women who were eager to rope and ride, at the same time, it was difficult to keep track of all the different people mentioned and the detailed tidbits that especially caught my attention weren't really developed into anything more. So, for readers who want to get some names of cowgirls and then do further research elsewhere, this is a good choice, but anyone looking for in depth information will have to look elsewhere.

AE

The Blight Way

The Blight Way
By Patrick McManus
Simon & Schuster, 2006. 272 pgs. Mystery

An ex-con calls the sheriff and informs him of a body lying across his fence. What great timing, the sheriff had been in need of a birthday present for his Pap's 75 birthday, assisting in a murder investigation would be perfect for the former sheriff. Bo Tully, sheriff of Blight County, Idaho, appears to be a folksy backwoods cop, but in reality he is a sly, relentless, good looking cross between Andy Griffith and Columbo. As more bodies appear, the solution to the murders gets murkier. Just how was he going to arrest an entire town?

Looking for a clean, outdoorsy, humorous, easy going mystery that anyone can enjoy? Try Patrick McManus' The Blight Way (1st in Sheriff Bo Tully Mystery Series). For an extra treat try the unabridged 5 disc Audio Partners version and let the superb narrator, Charles Legget, whisk you right into backwoods Blight County. mpb

Rescue

Rescue
by Anita Shreve
Little, Brown & Co., 2010. 288 pgs. Fiction

Webster, a young paramedic living with his parents in rural Vermont, meets Sheila Arsenault when he pulls her, bloodied and unconscious, out of a car wreck caused by her driving under the influence of alcohol. Her glossy brown hair draws him compulsively back, and he steadfastly ignores all warning signs as their relationship develops. Restlessness, a decidedly rocky past, and hints of alcoholism surround Sheila as their affair barrels into marriage and an unexpected pregnancy. An act of Sheila's finally causes their breakup, and Webster is left as the single father of two-year-old daughter Rowan. Years later, he must revisit decisions made during his marriage, as Rowan's teenage years begin to mirror her mother's history.

This was a good, quick read with a strong plot. However, all of the characters seemed somewhat flat and stereotypical so I had a hard time understanding their motivations. The story was interesting but there wasn’t much else that was memorable about the book.

Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815

Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815
By Gordon Wood
Oxford University Press, 2009. 778 pgs. Non-fiction

I rather enjoyed this book. As the title indicates, it covers the first few decades of American history, following the ratification of the Constitution and the election of Washington. It explores a number of bigger subjects such as diplomacy, law, religion and political party formations. The author illustrates how each of these were shaped by the forces of expanding democratization. Those who are more interested in the kind of history that emphasizes on how people lived will be disappointed. There is no treatment of daily domestic life. However, I would recommend this to anyone who loves American history. A big book but it reads well.

CHW

Inca Gold

Inca Gold
By Clive Cussler
Simon & Schuster, 1994. 537 pgs. Fiction

This story has a rather long, slow beginning with essentially two prologues before the story really begins--the first set in the year 1533, the second in 1578. Then the real story begins in 1998 when NUMA Agent Dirk Pitt becomes involved in the rescue of a couple of archaeologists in Peru. One thing leads to another and the entire party are captured by a group of violent artifact smugglers. The illegal smuggling operation is connected to a large international antiquities business. Ultimately the story focuses on the search for and acquisition of an Incan treasure trove of staggering size--golden artifacts worth a billion dollars. There's scuba diving (of course), helicopter dogfights, underground rivers, ancient artifacts, tons of gold, oh, and a demon of death.

SML

Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole

Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole
By Walter Dean Myers
Scholastic Press, 2004. 134 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Myers discusses how the Antarctic region became of interest to the world, from economic and scientific standpoints, and the expeditions that shaped our understanding of Antarctica. The expeditions of James Cook, Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott, and Richard Byrd are among those described. The details of the journeys (including the deaths of Scott and his fellow explorers), the region, and the developing technology used to further exploration were highly interesting. This is a great introduction to Antarctica and leaves me eager to read more on the topic.

AE

The Plague

The Plague
By Joanne Dahme
Running PressTeens, 2009. 272 pgs. Young Adult

Nell looks remarkably like Princess Joan and is given a position as the princess's double, appearing in place of the princess in any potentially dangerous situation. When Princess Joan dies in the latest run of the plague, the Black Prince, Joan's creepy older brother, wants Nell to permanently assume the princess's position, and Nell must escape from him and convince the king that Joan is the one who died.

While I appreciated the insights that this book gave into what life was like during the plague, I also felt like there were some aspects of the plot that weren't fully explained--like why the Black Prince wanted Nell to be the princess--and there were several supporting characters who seemed to serve no real purpose in the book. There was nothing that really made this book very memorable for me.

AE

The Healer's Apprentice

The Healer's Apprentice
By Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan, 2010. 261 pgs. Young Adult

Rose is a woodcutter's daughter who has been apprenticed to the local healer. While her status as a future healer is higher than it would be if she were living at home, she's still well below the duke and his family. And yet, Rose attracts the attention of both of the duke's sons. The duke's heir, Lord Hamlin, is betrothed to a woman he's never met--a girl who is in hiding until Lord Hamlin can track down the sorcerer who threatened her just after her birth--so Rose's feelings for him, and his for her, are just setting them up for heartbreak. And the younger son, Lord Rupert, has a reputation as a rogue, but he seems to truly be interested in settling down with Rose. Perhaps, defying all odds, Rose will be able to find love and rise above her station.

I liked the premise of this book more than the actual writing of it. While it's an interesting look at life in the Middle Ages, there were times when the writing either didn't flow or was just too cheesy for my liking. However, it's a clean read, and those looking for an inspirational title for teens may like it.

AE

I Don't Want to Kill You

I Don't Want to Kill You
By Dan Wells
Tor, 2011. 320 pgs. Fiction.

Dan Wells introduced us to John Wayne Cleaver in the chilling novels I Am Not a Serial Killer and Mr. Monster. In I Don't Want to Kill You, Cleaver faces his toughest challenge yet. John Wayne Cleaver has called a demon---literally called it on the phone---and challenged it to a fight. He’s faced two monsters already, barely escaping with his life, and now he’s done running; he’s taking the fight to them. As he wades through the town’s darkest secrets, searching for any sign of who the demon might be, one thing becomes all too clear: in a game of cat and mouse with a supernatural killer, you are always the mouse.

I’ve never been a big fan of the horror genre until I read Dan Wells’ books. His latest is the third in the trilogy that began with I Am Not a Serial Killer, so don’t read this book until you have read the first two. I thought this was a great finish to a great series. There were plenty of surprises to keep me guessing, but the strength of these books is not just in the action but also in the characterization. I’ve enjoyed watching John Wayne Cleaver change throughout each book as a result of the situations he finds himself in (even if sometimes the action is so gory I feel like I’m reading with my eyes half open because I don’t want to look).

JC

Lady Macbeth's Daughter

Lady Macbeth's Daughter
By Lisa Klein
Bloomsbury, 2009. 291 pgs. Young Adult

When Grelach, Macbeth's wife, gives birth to a daughter--and a lame one at that--Macbeth, who has been promised sons by the Wyrd sisters, is irate and sends the child off to be killed. However, one of the Wyrd sisters is Lady Macbeth's maid and she rescues the child (unbeknownst to either of her parents) and takes her home to be raised by her sisters. Albia, the child, has a relatively good childhood, not knowing her true parentage, but the Macbeths, as they are driven by ambition and the desire to rule Scotland, commit murder and send Scotland into an uproar and Albia is caught up in the madness.

This book is told mainly from Albia's point of view, with some chapters thrown in from Grelach's view point; I think those chapters are supposed to make her a sympathetic character, but for me, it didn't work, perhaps because Lady Macbeth has always been one of my least favorite of Shakespeare's characters. I did like Albia, however, along with the touch of romance that she encounters. There were a couple things that were left open-ended at the end of the book, but overall, it's an interesting twist on the story of Macbeth.

AE

Forgotten

Forgotten
By Cat Patrick
Little, Brown, 2011. 288 pgs. Young Adult

Every night, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning she has forgotten everything from the previous day because her memory works backwards: she can remember things that will happen in the future but doesn't know what has taken place in her past. London relies on reminder notes that she writes to herself to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting - before it destroys her future.

This was an interesting book, with more twists and turns than I was expecting which kept me turning pages. London's relationship with Luke is pleasing enough, but doesn't take center stage as London keeps discovering important aspects of her life and new ways live with her condition. My only problem with this book was that it wasn't quite as compelling as I'd hoped from reading the premise. Still, if you're looking for a quick summer read, this is interesting enough. Recommended for older teens.

BHG