Month: November 2010

The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell

Swedish judge Birgitta Roslin is shocked to find out that her mother’s adoptive parents were among those massacred one night in the tiny, snowy town of Hesjovallen.  The police charge a lone lunatic with the crime, but Roslin has reason to believe that a mysterious Chinese man may be responsible.  Her tips dismissed by the police, Roslin takes it upon herself to unravel the truth about the Hesjovallen murders, even as it brings her face to face with danger in the teeming city of Beijing.  Fans of Stieg Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy will enjoy Henning’s sweeping tale of suspense.

Bungalow Kid by Philip Ratzer

Philip, a boy from the Bronx,  reminisces about his childhood summers he spent at the Pesekow’s Bungalow Colony in the mountains of Sullivan County, New York on the shores of Loch Sheldrake Lake.  This story takes place when he is twelve years old and recounts the adventures of an almost teenage boy ‘s summer reconnecting with friends and family, puppy love and boyish pranks. This book will take you back to the days when you were growing up, returning to moments in time that can never be equaled.

Cat O’Nine Tales: And Other Stories by Jeffrey Archer

Archer put his time in prison to fine literary use, as evidenced by the 12 stellar entries in his fifth story collection, nine of which are based on tales he heard from fellow inmates while incarcerated.  The stories are delightful with a hint of O. Henry.

The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity by William Paul Young

This captivating novel will make you both  laugh and cry. When  a young girl is mysteriously abducted during a family vacation, there is evidence that she may have been brutally murdered in the Oregon wilderness. After four years go by, her father receives a note inviting him back to the shack for a weekend. Could that note have come from God?  You will be thinking about this book and its spiritual impact long after you put it down.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

The women of Lucy’s family have been cursed for generations to bear a child by the age of eighteen and then go mad.  Can Lucy escape this fate?  Only if she can complete the three impossible tasks named in the song “Scarborough Fair.”  Using some clues left by her mother, and aided by family and friends, Lucy races the clock to do the impossible and save herself.  A captivating fairy tale for young and not so young adults.

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Using a recipe that never gets old, King takes an unassuming small town, adds a pinch of the supernatural, and cooks up some chaos!  When a mysterious, impenetrable dome comes down over Chester’s Mill, isolation and deteriorating conditions bring out both the best and worst in the town’s residents.

Feed by M.T. Anderson (audiobook)

In the future, corporations rule the world.  Each child has a chip implanted in the brain at birth, which allows instant access to the “feed.”  Tasks that used to require computers, such as internet browsing, email and chat, can now be performed using thoughts and the feed.  Of course, since corporations sponsor the feed, the user is constantly bombarded with commercials and purchasing suggestions based on thoughts he or she is having at the moment. This ease of access to information comes at an extremely high price, though few seem to realize it.

Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling

What would you do if all technology suddenly stopped working?  How would you survive?  In this first of a series, everyone in the world has to find the answers to those questions.  Set in the Washington/Oregon area, this engrossing book follows several widely differing groups who find that, by banding together, they can survive.  Apocalyptic literature at its best.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Edward Tulane is a proud, self-centered china rabbit owned by Abilene.  When fortune takes him away from her and casts him alone into the world, Edward begins a long, hard journey, meeting many diverse people and finally learning what is really important.   A children’s book highly recommended to readers of every age.  It will touch your heart.