Reviews turned in by 6/13/11.

Titles are linked to the library catalog, the eBook catalog, and the eAudiobook catalog when possible.

Lisa Ann Walker


The Other by Thomas Tryon This is an older book, 1971, that I recently read. Several horror writers such as Stephen King commented that they believed this book to be a rare gem of truly good horror fiction. Normally, I don't read much in the horror genre, but I was curious. I am glad I did. The book centers on a set of about 11 year old twins Niles and Holland. The two boys have just begun their summer vacation from school in 30s New England. They are often bored and seeking things to do. Unfortunately, one of the twins has a nasty cruel streak that leads the two boys into serious trouble. The family of the boys is struck down several times in the summer by the tragic loss of loved ones and pets. No one understands why this one family suffers so many accidents and deaths. The boys know something, but they won't tell, not even their beloved grandmother who now lives with them because their mother has had a mysterious nervous breakdown and never leaves her bedroom. Like all good horror/thrillers, this story has a good twist--twice! The author has written a wonderful good read minus the literary porn, no graphic violence, and profanity that litters too much of today's books.

Lisa Ann Walker

Twisted Tree by Kent Meyers I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of this novel. The description on the book leads you to believe that it is a story about a serial killer and one of his victims, this is actually a small part of the story. The murder acts as the center point of the compass: each chapter is inside the mind of one of the people from the vicitim's hometown. Their connection to her may be direct but more often it is distant and indirect. Each person's inner thoughts/dreams/failures are revealed to show how easy it is to misunderstand each other. The town is in North Dakota, a nearly isolated part of the country near the Badlands. Meyers' writing brings this area to life so that the setting becomes another character of the novel. The desolation of the world around them becomes a part of the desolation that many of them feel inside, not necessarily because of where they live, but how their lives have unfolded. This is not a who-done-it or CSI type investigation of the crime, instead it is a beautifully written testament of those left behind, the living, that the victim was once part of. We do get to see inside the killer's head, but not for the reason of attempting to solve the crime, but a chance to see the eerily his thoughts are not that much different from the thoughts of the others. He has hopes and dreams and questions too. The novel is not sentimental, it makes no attempts to apologize or seek pity for any of the characters. Instead it is simply a quiet, non-intrusive peek into the joys and disappointments of regular people.

Amanda England

I just finished “Dead Reckoning,”  (ebook) the latest installment of the “Sookie Stackhouse” series by Charlaine Harris. Sookie finds herself learning more about her fae history and how she ended up with her special talent. An unwelcome visitor from her past also comes back to stir up some trouble for Sam’s bar, and of course, Sookie herself. Sookie learns that Eric is keeping a secret from her, one of which Pam is forbidden to share. Even Bubba comes back for a rare performance, sequined jump suit and all. More family secrets are unlocked, new characters are introduced and of course, someone (ok, multiple someones) die. In an interesting twist, Harris brings two characters from a different series of hers into the world of Sookie. These characters have been in past Sookie books, but having recently read this “new” series, it was relevant to me. I really love when authors do that! There was no cliffhanger ending, so I am content in waiting a year for the next book. All in all, this was a good book, but not the most exciting in the series. In fact, it’s quite a bit tamer. The series is fantastic and one that is best read one book after another, with the exception of these later installments. I think now would be a good time for a reader to start this series. Be warned, however, if you watch HBO’s True Blood. The books appear to be a springboard for the show and there are very few similarities between the two. Do not expect the two to be identical.

Amy Hall

Barbossa's lip curled disapprovingly. "Now this is the last straw, " he said. "Girls and zombies are one thing, but escaped slaves?" From "Legends of the Bretheren Court: The Caribbean" by Rob Kidd As a fan of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, I thought that the book that I found for a buck at a summer book sale last year could be good-after all, how could the further adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow be all that bad? Well-Jack and Barbossa were true to the movies and were good, but the author kept throwing in all of these other characters. (There were even Incas involved!)So, I would have to agree with Barbossa's assessment-it is the last straw. Not sure that I care to read any of the other books in the series, but it was OK for a quick summer read and OK for a buck.

Carol Bopp

The Snowman (ebook, eAudiobook) by Jo Nesbo This thriller was translated into English from Norwegian. The names and places are unfamiliar to the American reader, but the prose is crisp, dialogue terse, and the story is compelling. I enjoyed this and would recommend this book for a reader who enjoys fiction from other countries.

Sheryl Richey

It is the 4th book in the Mortal Instruments Series, "City of Fallen Angels". I have read the previous three in the series, and I highly recommend to the reader that he or she start with Book One. I believe that if I had not done so, I would have been pretty well lost in the scheme of things, and would have not finished what is a very good book. The author is Cassandra Clare, and the books are, in order, "City of Bones", "City of Ashes", "City of Glass". The main characters are modern day teenagers, living (well, residing) in New York City. The focus of the book is Clary, a teen living with her widowed mother. Clary is almost immediately introduced to the world of Shadowhunters, mortal beings who hunt and destroy demons, along with other undesirables, as needed. The book is full of the trials and tribulations of the average teenager, most of whom are also dealing with powers of the supernatural. We find love, hate, battle, revenge, mystery, and some rather shocking twists along the way. While there is no explicit sex, there is a lot of violence, and some very disturbing subject matter. This series is definately NOT for the young teen reader. Along with Shadowhunters, we encounter demons of all shapes and sizes, vampires, faeries, werewolves, and wizards. I may have forgotten to mention a creature or two, and if not, they will probably appear in a future book. The next book is due out in May 2012. There is also a prequel series, "Infernal Devices", that I am anxious to begin. A very good read, I have passed it on to my family and friends. Enjoy.