Book & Game

Staff Recommendations


	Duma Key by Stephen King Stephen King fans, if you haven't read King's latest book, you should! In classic King style, he weaves a story about Edgar Freemantle, a construction worker who looses his arm in an accident, only to discover that during and after his recovery he has a talent for drawing and painting. But not just the usual talent for art as he soon learns. Edgar rents a beach house on Duma Key, an island on the Florida coast where he continues his recovery. His artwork has somehow connected to the world beyond, and his paintings wake up ghostly entities from the island's past. Readers will experience a story that is both scary and fascinating. -- Ben
	Small Favor by Jim Butcher Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series proves that fantasy and the modern world can be incorporated in an imaginative way creating a new look at the classic battle of Good vs. Evil. He molds together the genres of fantasy, mystery and horror to create intricately complex plotlines. Butcher's characters are charmingly relatable with flaws and imperfections that make the story not only more appealing, but also more believable to the reader. In the latest installment of the Dresden files, Harry finds himself amidst a struggle between the humans he strives to protect from supernatural forces, fallen angels and the Knights of the Cross. In typical Dresden fashion, he must fight to protect the world while making the hard choices between protecting his friends, protecting the greater good or giving into his darker impulses. Butcher's writing style highlights the struggles portrayed in Harry's dilemmas, magnifying and shedding light into the kinds of choices that mold the very structure of a person's character. -- Becky
	City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Clary's life changes the night her mother disappears. Jace may be the most beautiful boy she's ever seen, but he's also one of the most dangerous. Demon hunters by trade, Jace and his adopted family may be her only path to getting her mother back. Forbidden love, fast-paced dialog, and not-stop action. Adult & young adult fantasy lovers will adore this book. -- Holly
	Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan Many of you will recognize the distinctive voice of Maureen Corrigan from her book reviews on NPR's Fresh Air. In this book, part memoir part review, she tells how books have shaped her life from classic literature to hard-boiled detective fiction. In the introduction she writes, "It's not that I don't like people. It's just that when I'm in the company of others--even my nearest and dearest--there always comes a moment when I'd rather be reading a book." At the end of the book she provides a useful list of recommended reading. -- Ben
	People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks I enjoyed this book - found it fascinating as it followed the history of an antique book in the midst of restoration. As the book conservator discovers small items, stains, threads, inks, etc. we are taken to the time & place in the books history where the anomaly occurred. In the end, the story has a great twist. Suspenseful, educational, entertaining. -- Diane
	Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher Why would a smart pretty girl kill herself? As set of audiotapes that arrived in a mysterious box is about to tell Clay exactly why - in the dead girl's voice. A hard-hitting, brilliantly written book. Thirteen Reasons Why will haunt you - in a good way. -- Holly
	Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner Jennifer Weiner makes the everyday woman feel desirable in this novel. A must read for any woman that has felt uncomfortable in her own skin. -- Becky
	Wicked by Gregory Maguire Oz with a twist. If you are like me, one who grew up reading L. Frank Baum's adventures of Dorothy, you will enjoy this spin; Oz from the Wicked Witches perspective. Be introduced to Elphaba, a shy, geen-skinned girl with a deathly aversion to water. Who would have guessed that the wicked witch once roomed with Glenda the Good & participated in political movements dedicated to achieving equal rights for animals? -- Jennilyn
	Wild Nights by Joyce Carol Oates Joyce Carol Oates' book "Wild Nights" is an excellent read for those interested in the disturbingly personal. In "Wild Nights" Oates creates stories of famous authors faced with their flaws and regrets, and selfish of their last moments despite their vulnerability. It is unsettling to observe an image of Samuel Clemens that is not all charm and justice, and yet oddly pleasurable. Oates' fictive characters based on historical authors display their "true" selves, prideful and confused, degraded and childlike, and yet they remain grand and rich. To imagine these subjects in all their human glory and all their human vulgarity only heightens their appeal. Oates not only writes compelling visions of her characters, but uses their styles as well. This book is flattery, therefore, in that it imitates, but it is also subversive. All this makes it a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable read. -- Kayt
	Escape by Carolyn Jessop Carolyn Jessop was one of the few women involved in Warren Jeff's FLDS cult that was able to escape with all 8 of her children. This is a heartbreaking look in to the lives of the women & children who were trapped by Warren Jeffs. -- Jannelle
	Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher Years ago Barbara Sher wrote a book called, I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was. In that book she wrote a chapter about Divers and Scanners. Divers are those personalities who like to dive deep in to a subject, interest or profession and get really good at it. Scanners are those who like a honey bee flit from flower to flower finding the sweet nectar of each new thing. Scanners are the jack-of-all-trades kind of people. The chapter Barbara wrote got such a big response, that she decided to write a whole book on Scanners. Refuse to Choose was born. This book is for anyone who likes lots and lots of different things, and wishes they could do something about it. There's nothing wrong with you, Sher says, you are great just the way you are. Forget the pressure of doing just one thing! You can do it all and Barbara Sher shows you how! Highly recommended. -- Ben Visit barbarasher.com
	Brave Story by Miyuki Miyabe Brave Story is about a young Japanese boy named Wataru. His father has left him and his mother for another woman and soon after his mother is hospitalized after trying to commit suicide. He is told by a strange boy Mitsuru that he can change his destiny in the Land of Vision. Wataru takes the opportunity and follows him through an entrance in an unfinished building. In order to summon the Goddess of Fate Wataru must collect five gemstones: charity, bravery, faith, grace and the power of darkness and light, to reach the Tower of Destiny. On his journey he makes many friends including a catkin, Miina, and a waterkin, Ki-Kima. -- Alexandera
	Tunnels by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams Will and his friend Chester discover a strange civilization living underground in huge caverns when they are investigating Dr. Burrow's (Will's father) mysterious disappearance. This book grabs you from Chapter 1 and doesn't let go. Aimed a 8 to 14 year olds, I believe that this book has a much wider appeal to adventures of all ages. -- Jannelle
	Newspaper, Pennies, Cardboard & Eggs for Growing a Better Garden by Roger Yepsen Filled with over 400 innovative ideas, this usable and earth-concious book will help you discover how to work smarter-not-harder to cultivate a better garden. -- Jannelle
	1,000 Journals What a great idea! Turn 1,000 blank journals loose on the world and see what kind of a life they will live. Left on park benches, train stations, or flown around the world, these journals have developed a creative force all their own. Participants write, draw, or paste on to a page their personal thoughts or grand insights and then pass the journal along to someone else. What results is a collective, anonymous, creative emergence of the group mind. From the inspirational to the crude, and the amazing to just plain silly, these works of art are on a journey, and you could be part of it. To see more visit 1000journals.com. And now a documentary film, see 1000journalsfilm.com. -- Ben
	Symphony of Ages Delve into a book by Elizabeth Haydon, I promise you'll not be disappointed. With a writing style rich in detail, yet fluid in its delivery, Hayden achieves complex characters braided into intricate plots, spiced with quirky dialog. I'd greatly recommend her "Symphony of Ages" trilogy, which follows the story of a young Namer (Rhapsody) and her unique pack of cohorts as they discover new worlds, and (eventually) rediscover an ancient kingdom. Hayden connects a reader intimately with her characters, leaving you with the distinct feeling you've not only read a book, but made a number of close friends. Mixing her SciFi genre with universal tales of mythology, Hayden has been hailed as an author who "elevates craftsmanship to a new excellence." (Romantic Times Gold Medal Review) --Jennilyn
	With No One as Witness by Elizabeth George An excellent addition to the Inspector Lynley series, the engrossing story brings contemporary London and outlying areas to life. Scotland Yard is working on slayings that have common threads. The story is in the unraveling of these threads to the eventual and surprising conclusion. A great read of those who enjoy a complex mystery with complex characters. -- Dianne
	Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg A compelling novel written with the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 as its background. The characters are poignantly portrayed and the reader will come to care for them personally. There is warmth & humor as well as tragedy & personal sacrifice. -- Dianne
	The Emancipator's Wife by Barbara Hambly A novel portraying the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, the book brings to life the period just before the civil war through the assassination of Lincoln and into her subsequent turbulent life. We see her hunger for education and knowledge in a time when such pursuits were frowned upon for ladies. We see her struggling with bouts of rage and self doubt. We feel her sense of betrayal when accusations come from all directions. We feel her loneliness when sent to an asylum by her only surviving son. I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in this period of our country's history. --Dianne