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I usually use this space to tell you about all the books I've loved. Today I'm going a different route. I just finished Gone Girl for my mystery book group and I'm not a fan. (We're meeting at South Madison this afternoon so I hope none of the group will read this before then.) The book is technically everything it should be but after plowing through the emotionally difficult journey the author created ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 14, 2013 | 1 comment

Magic with a little soul
A review of Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas

 Paranormal romance has been going strong for a while now. It's been doing so well that authors who haven't traditionally written in the sub-genre are adding getting in on the act. Sometimes with mixed results. Which is exactly the phrase I'd use to describe Lisa Kleypas' foray into the field. Justine Hoffman runs a bed and breakfast in Friday Harbor in the San Juans. She also is a ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 13, 2013 | 0 comments

Mind your manners, please
A review of How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

 I really, really like Caitlin (pronounced Catlin) Moran. She's a British broadcaster, TV critic and columnist at The Times that's taken the world by storm with her comedy writing. I think her book How to Be a Woman is refreshingly honest and smart and I wish I had her hair. I love that she is in her late 30s and still rocking tights with cut-offs and Doc ...read more

Reviewed by Molly - Central on February 11, 2013 | 0 comments

Too much of a good thing
A review of Another Brother by Matthew Cordell

 Life as the center of his parents' world is pretty sweet for Davy the sheep. But, when his brother comes along, things start to change... and change... and change... until Davy has twelve younger brothers! To make matters worse, the little lambs keep copying everything he does! What's a sheep to do? Hilarious line art with just the right touches of color tell this funny and sweet story, perfect for preschoolers. ...read more

Reviewed by Krissy on February 8, 2013 | 0 comments

Always, always, always tip the bellman
A review of Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky

 Surely I'm not going to benefit greatly from the advice that Jacob Tomsky shares about staying in luxury hotels (I most certainly am not staying in anything closely resembling a luxury hotel anytime soon, possibly ever) but I enjoyed this book immensely. It's eye-opening, super funny and easy to read. And after reading this book, I will happily tip any bellman that crosses my path. The author, known as "Tommy" in the industry, has worked in luxury hotels his entire adult life. His first job was ...read more

Reviewed by Molly - Central on February 6, 2013 | 0 comments

Future Foreign Legion
A review of Andromeda's Fall by William Dietz

 It's been a while since I've read some good military science fiction so I was happy to discover William Dietz's prequel to his popular Legion of the Damned series. His newest introduces Lady Catherine Carletto. Lady Catherine is a member of the powerful Carletto family. And that's not a good thing at the moment. Princess Ophelia has just staged a violent coup in which she killed the Emperor, her brother, and is now purging the empire of any and all who supported him. That includes the ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 5, 2013 | 0 comments

Screwball romance done right
A review of One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: the Second Rule of Scoundrels by Sarah MacLean

 Four seasons and four scoundrels and how they find love are the subjects of Sarah MacLean's Rule of Scoundrels series. The series focuses on four aristocrats whose scandals have exiled them from society and who are now owners of an exclusive gaming establishment, The Fallen Angel. Each finds a love powerful enough to bring them back into the light.  The first book in the series was Bourne & Penelope's story. This time around the love story is about Penelope's smart sister ...read more

Reviewed by Kathy K. - Central on February 2, 2013 | 0 comments

Penny has a new song!
A review of Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes

 In Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes, Penny wants to share her new song with Mama, but she can’t, because she might wake the babies. She wants to share it with Papa, but she can’t, because she might wake the babies. She tries to sing it to herself but needs a better audience. She tries to sing to her glass animal toys, but gets distracted. Will she ever get a chance to share her beautiful new song? Yes! Finally after supper, she sings the song all the way through to her whole family. ...read more

Reviewed by Tracy on February 1, 2013 | 0 comments

Learning your A, C, G, and Ts
A review of The Violinist’s Thumb, and Other Lost Tales of love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean

 Curling tongues. Attached ear lobes, widow’s peaks, blue eyes or brown. They’re all familiar tropes from high school biology class, proof of the genetic family inheritance we’re all saddled with, for good or bad. DNA continues to amaze with its ability to create all of humanity with just its mix of four repeating amino acids: adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine. But the story of DNA’s amazing versatility comes more fully to life in Sam Kean’s irreverent and informative The Violinist’s ...read more

Reviewed by Katie H. on January 31, 2013 | 0 comments

Marbles on meds
A review of Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir by Ellen Forney

 Ellen Forney is a Seattle artist diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This graphic novel chronicles her diagnosis, her interpretation of her manic and depressive episodes and her struggle to decide whether or not to be medicated. One of Ellen's first concerns with medication was how it would affect her art, but as her disease progressed, her concerns focused in a different direction: whether or not medication would actually help her get better. Wow. This book is heavy. It's exhausting. It's ...read more

Reviewed by Molly - Central on January 30, 2013 | 0 comments
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