In This Issue

Cynthia's Picks

Swift justice : murder and vengeance in a California town - Harry Farrell

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/1993
ISBN: 9780312089016
ISBN-10: 0312089015

Detailing San Jose's very own lynching in 1933, this book reads like the best fast-paced thriller. Examining every aspect of the events that resulted in the murder of popular young Brooke Hart, heir to the Hart's Department Store fortune, and the resulting lynching of the two men accused of the crime, this Edgar Award winner is an engaging examination of the tragedy that ensues when people are evil, greedy, and just plain stupid.

The Italian boy : a tale of murder and body snatching in 1830s London - Sarah Wise

Publisher: Metropolitan Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/1/2004
ISBN: 9780805075373
ISBN-10: 0805075372

One of the most celebrated crimes of the 19th century took place in London, when two 'Resurrection Men,' (body snatchers), not content with merely digging up the already dead, murdered a young boy in order to sell his body to a local medical college. Resurrecting 19th century London in all its gritty, smelly detail, Wise does a bang-up job of bringing this time and place, and its deadly trade in bodies for medical research, to life.

First Chapter

Man the hunted : primates, predators, and human evolution - Donna Hart, Robert W. Sussman

Publisher: Westview Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 3/1/2005
ISBN: 9780813339368
ISBN-10: 0813339367

Instead of making up fantasy monsters that prey on us and our neighbors, these authors contend that through most of human history, we were much too busy fending off very real, very deadly creatures. The image of early hominids as mighty hunters gets a thorough thrashing in this very interesting look at predation on primates, both historical and contemporary. You may never look at little Muffin sitting on your lap in quite the same way again.

Table of Contents

My dark places : an L.A. crime memoir - James Ellroy

Publisher: Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/1/1996
ISBN: 9780679441854
ISBN-10: 0679441859

We often wonder where our favorite authors get their ideas and inspiration. In this memoir by best-selling crime writer Ellroy, we don't need to look far to understand his obsession with violence against women as he writes about the murder of his own mother when he was only 10 years old. Although the crime is never solved, this intensely personal work unravels the secret life and thoughts of both the dead mother and the writer son who can't give her peace.

First Chapter

'Salem's lot - Stephen King

Publisher: Pocket Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2000
ISBN: 9780671039752
ISBN-10: 067103975X

Well, he may not be a Literary Genius, but, boy, does Mr. King tell a good story. One of my favorite vampire tales of all time is this incredibly creepy tale of the Undead on the loose in small-town Maine. Compelling, scary and chilling, it will make you re-check the locks on all the doors and windows at least a dozen times. And don't read the book or watch the TV movie with a roaring fire. You won't want to leave the chimney damper open all night.

First Chapter Table of Contents

Nichole's Picks

The rules of survival - Nancy Werlin

Publisher: Dial Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/7/2006
ISBN: 9780803730014
ISBN-10: 0803730012

Mathew, Callie and Emmy live with their very unpredictable mother Nikki. In the form of a letter form Mathew to Emmy, Rules of Survival tells a tale of a family trying to survive. When Nikki finally meets Murdoch, a man that everyone loves, there seems to be a ray of hope in their lives, but like the 50 men before, the relationship ends. Matthew, Callie and Emmy struggle to hold on to Murdoch even after the relationship is over, causing a riff in the family. This heartwarming story of survival is sad and uplifting all at once, I really enjoyed it. Her previous book called Double Helix is also a great scientific read.

Blind faith - Ellen Wittlinger

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/4/2007
ISBN: 9781416949060
ISBN-10: 1416949062

Liz is trying to cope with the death of her grandmother Bunny, while at the same time keeping her mother from wasting away with grief. When her mother finds solace in a spiritual church that claims to talk to the dead, Liz's family really gets tested. Nathan moves in across the street and there is an instant connection between him and Liz. Nathan's mother is also dying of cancer, and they form this incredible bond, eventually leading to a very sweet romance. I loved this book, the relationship between Liz and Nathan takes center stage and the way they look to each other for support is really great. I wouldn't be surprised to see this as an award winner. Her previous books include Hard Love and Sandpiper.

Devilish - by Maureen Johnson

Publisher: Razorbill
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/7/2006
ISBN: 9781595140609
ISBN-10: 1595140603

Jane and Ally are best friends, average girls with average popularity. One day after a horribly embarrassing moment, Ally comes to school completely transformed into a drop dead gorgeous goddess. Jane can't believe her eyes and after doing a little research she realizes that her friend has actually sold her soul to a demon who is disguised as a student. With the help of Owen, a strange boy from the all-boys school, Jane tries desperately to save her friend, but at what price? This is a really funny and light read that will keep you laughing for hours. She also wrote 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

American born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang ; color by Lark Pien

Publisher: First Second
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/5/2006
ISBN: 9781596431522
ISBN-10: 1596431520

This is truly a fabulous graphic novel with three stories that may seem unrelated, but come together at the end. The first story is about Jin Wang, who used to live in Chinatown, but has now moved to white suburbia, and has to endure teasing and isolation. The second story Danny, a jock at his high school has his reputation put to the test when his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee starts going to his high school, and lastly, the Monkey King, who truly wants to be a God. The artwork is great as well; if you haven't read a graphic novel before, try this!

Ah! My goddess. Volume one, Always and forever [videorecording] / directed by Hiroaki Gohda; script by Kunihiko Kondo, Nahoko Hasegawa; English version produced by Michael Sinterniklaas; directed by Sean Schemmel; translation by Yuki Urakawa - Gohda, Hiroaki

Publisher: Media Blasters
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/2006
UPC: 00631595055672

Keiichi Morisato accidentally received the services of a goddess named Belldandy, whose sole purpose is to be his girlfriend. At first excited, he quickly realizes that having a goddess as a girlfriend is hard to hide, especially if she has no idea how to act in the human world. This anime is really funny, if you like it we have up to volume 6.

Sarah's Picks

The lightning thief - Rick Riordan

Publisher: Miramax Books/Hyperion Paperbacks for Children
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/1/2006
ISBN: 9780786838653
ISBN-10: 0786838655

This is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Percy is twelve years old when he learns that he is a half-blood, or a demigod: the son of a mortal woman and a god (at first he doesn't know which of the gods is his father, but all is revealed in time). It turns out that the Greek gods, titans, monsters, etc., still exist in our world today. Spending summers at Camp Half-Blood and school years back home in the real world, Percy begins to learn how to get along in both worlds. He also finds out that a knowledge of the ancient myths is isn't just something he needs to learn for school - it's something he needs to know in order to survive.

London calling - Edward Bloor

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/26/2006
ISBN: 9780375836350
ISBN-10: 0375836357

An old radio transports 12-year-old Martin back and forth in time between London during the Blitz and the present day, where Martin is a scholarship student. In wartime London, Martin meets a boy named Jimmy, who asks him, "Will you help?" It's a story of past and present, fact and fiction, fathers and sons, and the nature of heroism.

First Chapter

Good night, Mr. Tom - Michelle Magorian

Publisher: HarperCollins
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/1/1986
ISBN: 9780064401746
ISBN-10: 006440174X

Reading London Calling reminded me of this older book about a child during the Blitz, so I had to re-read it. It is a touching tale of an abused London child who finds a new lease on life when he is sent to live in a remote English village. Masterpiece Theatre did a film version of the story (Goodnight, Mister Tom) that misses some of the wonderful detail and side-plots of the novel, but does an excellent job of depicting the characters and the setting.

The book of illusions : a novel - Paul Auster

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/1/2002
ISBN: 9780805054088
ISBN-10: 0805054081

In a completely different vein, I was thinking recently about this book, one of my favorite of the past few years. A literature professor, depressed and moody after the death of his wife and sons in an airplane crash, startles himself by finding amusement in a film clip of silent movie star Hector Mann. Mann, it turns out, had a burgeoning career in the late 1920s, when he suddenly vanished. The professor sets out to see all of Mann's films, and eventually begins writing a biography of the silent film star, whose life turns out to be much more complicated and mysterious than he could have imagined. Lovers of film and fans of Auster's style of meta-fiction will find this enthralling and engaging. Auster himself reads the unabridged audiobook version.

First Chapter