Assignment 3

I’ve chosen a book from the Indie Next List-June Picks

 In “A Place at the Table” by Susan Rebecca White seemingly disparate people are connected in ways that slowly unfold for the reader.  Strong characterization and a restaurant setting  meld into a tale that unravels with delicious anticipation.  Fans of “Five Quarters of the Orange” by Joanne Harris or “The School of Essential  Ingredients” by Erica Bauermeister  will relish the emotion and intimacy of the storyline.

Assignment 2

The number of link choices in Early Word is mouth watering and overwhelming  at the same time.  It’s the most complete site I’ve ever seen for easy access to a huge compilation of sources for reviews.  One click and I find myself in a never-ending labyrinth that leads to one cache after another and winding my way out is difficult.  I had not heard of BEA before and I had to look it up to find out that it stood for BookExpo America.  I looked at some of the librarians’ picks from BEA 12- definitely a good resource for those looking for book group books.  I also looked at People Magazine’s latest reviews-good to know that’s there when I can’t find the latest issue for my lunch break!  I will continue to use these and the Indie Next Best Seller List for leads on great titles.

Week 5

                            

                                    

Assignment 1

I blame Early Word for the plethora of books that are currently sitting on my desk and on the hold shelf. It’s the kid in the candy store syndrome –only instead of a tummy ache from over indulging, I’m filled with longing for more time to devour and digest the riches. Many will wind up on my Goodreads “To Read” shelf- a shelf  that is buckling under the weight of stored desire-sigh.  Early Word did alert me to the novel that is presently sitting by my bedside.  It is “The Other Typist” by Suzanne Rindell.  I was intrigued by the reviewer likening it to “a pitch black comedy with a dollop of Alfred Hitchcock and a dollop of Patricia Highsmith” and also the 1920’s setting with the promise of shocking flapper behavior.  It sounded reminiscent of another book I’ve read and enjoyed- “Rules of Civility” by Amor Towles.  I’ve also started “Dollbones” by Holly Black.  It is a middle grade horror story and the title and cover alone were enough to lure me in. 

                    

Week 4

GoodReads

I've been a member of Goodreads for a while and come to rely on it more and more to jog my memory. I do get frustrated with the often slow loading time of the site though.  Listopia is fun to play with- I entered "books narrated by animals" in the list search and got back "The Cat's Meow" (67 books), "Dog's Eye View (40 books) amd Animal Narrators in Adult Novels (21 books).  Clearly, cats have won again! Just kidding-I love dogs just as much!  I found the "Best Books Ever" list disconcerting.  The Hunger Games is #1 on the list-huh???!  I enjoyed that book, but c'mon- Best Book Ever?


I sent a book rec to Heather Mays:

"Hi- I think you would enjoy this book
based on your five star rating for The Thirteenth Tale. It shares the mysterious tone and elements of the macabre along with a rich setting and complex storyline."

Week 3

Conversation 1 

It sounds as though this customer likes tales that fuse literal and emotional journeys.

Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor has the warmth, humor and introspection that the customer so enjoyed from reading Eat, Pray, Love.  Another

travel memoir with those elements is Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

                                                                                                                                     

Conversation 2

This customer wants to avoid the teen soap opera feel of Twilight and also wants something faster paced. The Carpathian series by Christina Feehan is suspenseful, dark and biting!  The first in the series is Dark Prince.  Another vampire series that fits the bill is the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse saga that the television show True Blood is based on. The first in the series is Dead Until Dark.

Conversation 3

This customer wants a true historic tale that has elements of suspense,and incredulity.  I would recommend Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larsen and Unbroken: A World War II story of Survival , Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.                                                           

Week 2

The article on appeal factors brought to mind a few considerations that I did not think were addressed. A few other aspects that might affect a person's like or dislike of a book are:

- Viewpoint- Is the book told in the first person or third person?  I have had customers that liked one way but not the other.  Also, is the book told from one person's perspective or different characters' perspectives?

- Timeline- Does the book jump back in forth between different periods of time or is it more linear?

- Bias- Some titles have a political or social agenda.  If it does not line up with the customer's ideals, they may not appreciate the recommendation.

 

Annotation 1:

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbaugh is a novel filled with complex characters facing emotional, moral and physical dilemmas.  The story centers on Henry, a star shortstop on his Wisconsin college baseball team who has had a long streak of no error games.  That ends when he throws a wayward ball that injures a teammate and sets off  an excruciating period of doubt and loss of ability. The book is rich with literary allusion and meditations on some of life's big questions.  Even non-baseball fans will relate to this coming of age story that burrows deep into the psyche while you root, root , root for the home team.

Annotation 2:

 The Ex-Pats is a fast-paced thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.  It follows an American family who are living in Luxembourg under the pretense that the husband's job has caused them to relocate. This plot driven novel incorporates the world of high finance and a cast of characters who are never who they say they are. 

I recommended two books on Debbie Bastacky's blog- The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.