Rowayton Library
March 2014              Reviews by Rowayton Library's Reader Advisor, Ruth Freeman

It's Almost Spring! New Recommendations from the Rowayton Library...

 

 

The Secret of Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbes takes place during the Italian campaign in World War II. Juliet Dufresne is a nurse on the front, searching for her missing brother amid the carnage. Juliet has to grow up quickly and face some unpleasant truths about people she believes she knows. The camaraderie of a hospital staff under permanent fire is clearly rendered, with vivid characters who cope with the stress in unique ways.

 

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Children of the Revolution is the most recent in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. Set in Yorkshire, a present day murder has possible connections to university life in the late 1960's. Numerous suspects of all social classes, all harboring secrets, keep Inspector Banks and his team on their toes. Sprinkled with the author's trademark references to all kinds of music, this is an enjoyable, well written mystery that will please this author's fans and draw in new readers.

 

A Big Heart Open to God: A Conversation with Pope Francis is the transcript of the interview he gave six months into his papacy. It's a fascinating glimpse of the new Pope through his views on a wide range of issues. This is thoughtful reading for anyone interested in the leader of the Catholic Church.

 

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Anna Quindlen's Still Life with Bread Crumbs is the first good beach read of the year, not that our weather has been accommodating to sun and sand fantasies! The novel follows Beverly Winter in the post -divorce twilight of her career as a photographer. She is adjusting to rural life, the downward trajectory of fame, and financial stress all at once. Charming roofers and cute dogs take the sting out of her situation. It's an oft told tale but Quindlen is a really good writer and a wry observer of life.

 

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Ripper by Isabel Allende is a departure for this author. It's a thriller set in San Francisco that traces the hunt for a serial killer. It's very atmospheric; she certainly knows her city. The focus is on a group of on line game players from around the world who hunt down clues the police are missing. The major characters are teenage Amanda, her grandfather, detective father, and her mother Indiana.

 

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An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris is the acclaimed novel by one of the best historical fiction writers. He takes on the infamous Dreyfus case which began in 1896. The French military's accusation of treason against a Jewish officer is shown to be false and politically motivated. Fully developed characters create palpable tension even knowing the ultimate resolution of the affair.

 

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Tatiana is Martin Cruz Smith's latest Arkady Renko novel. This series, which began in 1981 with Gorky Park, has traced the Soviet Union from the Cold War to the present day. Tatiana is timely given the recent end of the Sochi winter Olympics. Set in the current oligarch dominated Putin era, the mystery tracks Arkady's efforts to determine whether a reporter's suicide might be murder. Sound familiar? Ripped from the headlines tension makes this hard to put down.

 

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North of Boston is the thrilling debut novel by Elisabeth Elo. It has all the requisite elements for a spine tingling mystery - an intrepid heroine, skullduggery on the high seas, murder, a precocious child, and lots of tangled relationships. This doesn't do it justice but I don't want to give too much away. It's really good!

 

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Look Up - Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annete Cate is a wonderful introduction to bird watching for children. It's a clever mix of facts and humorous asides from a bird's perspective. The illustrations are charming and the helpful hints are good for all ages.

 

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We have a large group of new Young Adult novels. Selected synopses follow, but come look at the full display!

 

 

Willow by Tonya Hegamin - it's 1848 and Willow is a slave who has been taught to read and write. This is both a coming of age story and an examination of the meaning of freedom and bondage.

 

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The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau - in a future defined by wastelands your prospects are determined by a rigorous test. Cia Vale embarks on a suspenseful journey to successfully make it into college.

 

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Five Six Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle is the inspiring, funny follow up to Better Nate than Never.

 

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The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage continues the story of a sixth grade girl who heads up the Desperado Detectives.

 

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If you liked this book try that book:

 

 

 

Enigma by Robert Harris - The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst

 

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles - A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer

 

The Last Child by John Hart - Ordinary Grace by William Kreuger

 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd

 

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry - The Son By Philip Meyer

 

Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand - The Railway Man by Eric Lomax

 


Following are some of our new audio books:

 


 

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (particularly good for those of you undertaking a cross country journey!) 

 

Transatlantic by Colum McCann

 

The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly

 

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

 

Sycamore Row by John Grisham

 

Inferno by Dan Brown

 


The DVD Corner

 

 

 

For those of you enjoying the Netflix version of House of Cards don't forget to watch the original British trilogy from 2003. It's a sneaky, subtle delight starring Ian Richardson. Hungry for more political intrigue? Then check out Borgen, the outstanding Danish series about a female Prime Minister juggling the media, the pressures of family life, and the maneuverings of political enemies. Finally, don't miss The Americans, the FX series about deeply embedded Russian spies in Washington DC in the early 1980's. They live in the suburbs as a family, and their double lives provide ample opportunity for mayhem. 

 

 

 

Check out the following Oscar nominated Best Picture films that have released to date:

  • Blue Jasmine
  • Captain Phillips
  • The Butler
  • Dallas Buyers Club
  • Nebraska
  • Gravity 
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