Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2011: Amy F.’s Picks

Hi all, I’m an irregular blogger at best, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have several books to recommend!  I like a healthy dose of paranormal in my fiction, but I’m not averse to mysteries, women’s fiction, thrillers and science fiction, with a little chick lit and historical fiction thrown in for good measure. These are the five best older books that I discovered in 2011:

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher has actually called his series “Dirty Harry Potter” – but I think “Gritty Magic” would be more accurate.  Harry Dresden is a wizard, and he advertises in the phone book, which means he gets all sorts of interesting clientele.  His Chicago is hard-boiled, filled with low-lifes, shadowy characters and mafiosos who may or may not also be werewolves or have demons at their beck and call.  In this book, someone is using black magic to murder people, and Harry has to figure out how to stop the killing before he becomes the target.  A fast pace and good dark humor make this one hard to put down. Read my colleague Dan B.’s full review.

Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
Lincoln Rhyme is hard-pressed to show any interest when his cousin Arthur is arrested for murder.  After all, all the evidence points to him, and Arthur is not Lincoln’s favorite cousin.  Bowing to pressure when Arthur’s wife begs for help, he reluctantly agrees – until her realizes the evidence is a little too perfect.  The killer uses data mining – gathering those little details out there about all of us – where we shop, what we buy, what magazines we read, websites we visit – to perfectly frame his victims.  Seemingly innocuous information turns into life-altering evidence in his brilliant but twisted mind.  This thriller keeps you guessing and turning the pages until the very end.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
You’ll understand why I procrastinated reading Outlander when you see its size – it’s a BIG book.  Luckily, Outlander was totally worth the time I gave to it.  This book has everything: adventure, magic, romance, mystery, history, and great writing to boot!  On a second honeymoon in Scotland, Claire’s world is ripped out from under her when she wakes up two hundred years in the past.  Not only does she have to figure out where – and when – she is, she has keep herself alive and unharmed long enough to figure out how to get back.  The challenges she faces are fascinating, funny and scary – and will keep you turning the pages! Read my colleague Kathryn G.’s full review.

A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield
Ever since Stella Hardesty dispatched her abusive husband with a wrench, she’s found a new path in life.  Sure, she keeps her sewing shop going, selling thread and needles to look “legitimate”.  She can’t help it if women keep calling her to dish out her own special brand of justice to the many abusing and cheating husbands and boyfriends in town!  She manages to stay under the radar most of the time, but she knows her warm feelings towards the town sheriff are not good.  If only he didn’t look quite so good in those jeans….

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Every time a Kate Morton book is published there’s a collective sigh of happiness in library-land, so I decided to see what the fuss was about.  In 1913, a little girl is found abandoned and alone, carrying a single suitcase, on the docks in Australia.  In 2005, her granddaughter Cassandra discovers that suitcase and resolves to solve the mystery of her grandmother’s identity.  Who was she?  The answers lie in a garden across the world, in Cornwall.  This is the kind of good book I was sorry to finish.

Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Please let us know in the comments!

Best ‘New to Us’ Books of 2011: Lynn W.’s Picks

Not surprisingly, my Best New to Me list is a reflection of my Best of the New list.  My leanings toward mysteries, historical and literary fiction, and memoirs are represented here, too.

The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas
Dallas is a Colorado writer who makes that state come alive in her historical novels.  Mattie Spenser is a young Iowa wife whose new husband, Luke, the town catch, has a passion to head west shortly after their wedding, leaving all they know behind.  After an eventful journey by wagon, Mattie and Luke construct a soddy and he begins breaking ground for planting.  However, Luke soon makes several lengthy trips away and Mattie begins to suspect he is involved with a girl from their Iowa hometown.  How she handles this information, makes friends in need while he is gone, and manages their baby’s birth in his absence make for a very human story, told simply and from the heart.

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I listened to the audio version of my favorite childhood book.  It was just as richly evocative of prairie life in the 1880s Dakotas as I remembered:  the year round impact of weather on life in town and on the claim, the closeness of family where there are few to rely on, our unchanging human nature with its love of friends and petty jealousies intertwined, no matter how small the society. You CAN go home again, at least in books; I’m glad I revisited These Happy Golden Years.

Traveler by Ron McLarty
A mysterious shooting incident in Jono Riley’s childhood comes back to intrigue him when his old friend Cubby informs him his sister Marie has died suddenly.  She and Jono were making snow angels in a field when she was shot in the arm when they were kids and the shooter was never found. Now, decades later, the bullet, not removed from Marie, has “traveled” and pinched an artery, causing her death.  Jono, an actor who supports himself bar-tending in New York City, returns home to Providence, Rhode Island determined to find the shooter and bring him to justice.  Just as in The Memory of Running, McLarty tells his tale in everyday conversational English, but delivers a punch with his plotting and character development.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
Jody Linder lives in the house her father was murdered in twenty three years ago, the same evening her mother disappeared.  Small town Kansas is pictured with superb descriptions of the surrounding ranch lands, the hierarchy of society, and Jody’s reactions as she contemplates the thought that perhaps the wrong man was convicted of her father’s murder. The convicted man is released from prison and returns to Rose, Kansas to find the real guilty party.  The twists and turns of the plot and the real guilty party’s reactions to the investigation will keep you on the edge of your seat and Pickard’s prose will simply amaze you, as most readers don’t expect such wonderful writing in a mystery.

My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
Truth be told, this is the only book by Conroy I have read and I found it very engaging.  Conroy’s favorite books can be surprising, Gone with the Wind, for one, but he explains how or from whom the book came to him, what was happening in his life at the time, and the book’s meaning for him.  In his chapter about War and Peace, Conroy’s enthusiasm and appreciation for Tolstoy and his masterpiece are almost enough to entice one into attempting to read it. The final chapter, Why I Write, is full of savory sentences like this one:  “Here is what I want from a book, what I demand, what I pray for when I take up a novel and begin to read the first sentence:  I want everything and nothing less, the full measure of a writer’s heart.”  Enough said.

Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2011: Emil S.’s Picks

Before I worked in a library, I was a book editor for nine years, and a master of library science and a master of arts in literature may suggest that I have a thing for books. So, slowly, I read a lot of books. My range is fairly wide (me thinks, any way), beginning in 1700 B.C.E. and lasting till present day. Here are some of my favorites which I discovered in 2011:

The Great Enigma by Tomas Tranströmer
It is not every year – or every decade, even – that a poet receives the Nobel Prize for literature, but in 2011 it happened. Since his debut in 1954, Tranströmer has published (roughly) 250 pages of poems, and The Great Enigma (2004) will probably be his last collection of verse, for he is old and has already had some close encounters with death. The poems appear to be about the wonder of existence, and they display gratefulness for what life has given and continues to offer. God has always been present in Tranströmer’s poetry, but in The Great Enigma the presence of God is more obvious than ever before. However, the poet is not preachy – all he is saying is that he, even as death is drawing near, is deeply thankful for being part of the copulative verb “to be.”

True Grit by Charles Portis
Charles Portis’ True Grit (1968) is a simple and straightforward tale of an attempt to achieve justice or deliver vengeance, powerfully told and enriched by outstanding monologues and dialogues. The storyteller is a Mattie Ross, and the tale is told from the perspective of Ms. Ross as an older woman, in 1928. Many years earlier, at the age of fourteen, she undertook the quest of tracking down Tom Chaney, the man who killed her father. The country she portraits is a land filled with Americans in different stages of desperation, trying to survive in an age where the line between law and crime, law enforcer and criminal, is vague. Tragedy and comedy sometimes share room in a single sentence, and the young country that is in the process of growing older is developing a particular identity. Read my colleague Amy W.’s full review.

Top Ten: The Forty-Niners by Alan Moore (writer) and Gene Ha (artist)
In Top Ten: The Forty-Niners (2005), Briton Alan Moore tells the tale of Neopolis, a city that in 1949 is brand new, and populated by humans (and other creatures) with super powers. The city is magnificent and its dark underbelly serves as an appropriate offset: Nazi scientists are trying to change events of the past so that the Third Reich will triumph, and vampires are preying on the citizens of the city – whereof some are all too eager to become victims of the bloodsuckers. In the midst of this mess, a police department is trying to keep the situation from spinning out of control, and the officers of this force are the main characters of the tale. Some law enforcers believe in the persuasive power of brute force, others are still trying to figure out who they are and what their role is in this new city, and then there is the divine Joanna Dark – or The Maid. She feels no ambivalence at all – she is just in the world to crush evil.

War by Sebastian Junger
The American military endeavor in Afghanistan has entered its eleventh year of combat, and it is the longest war in U.S. history. Journalist Sebastian Junger spent 14 months embedded with a platoon – that’s about 30 men – of the 173rd Airborne brigade in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. It is a tiny outpost of U.S.A.’s mighty military machine, and out here the U.S. soldiers know that they may get overrun by the Taliban, who – heavily armed – engage in battle “as calmly as if they [are] organizing a game of cricket.” War (2010) is a book that is well researched, engaging, and deeply moving. A large number of U.S. soldiers engaged in the war in Afghanistan come and go and only a few are portrayed in a multi-layered way, but overall Junger paints an image of the warrior that is complex and honest, and War offers anthropological, biological, historical, psychological, and sociological insights as it shows the warrior in fear, killing, and love. Read my full review.

The Book of Five Rings by Musashi Miyamoto
Miyamoto’s The Book of Five Rings (1645) is a masterpiece that may have the ability to help anyone who has ever encountered difficulties in life (that would be everyone). The text focuses on the way of war and the way of the sword, but it can easily be adapted to all kinds of situations. The author speaks of many possible paths in life, about the importance of studying, knowing, and understanding the path chosen, and, Miyamoto says, those who have a deep understanding of the path they are walking have nothing to fear. It is hard to do such a rich book justice, and Miyamoto would perhaps say: return to it frequently, study the text thoroughly, and embrace its wisdom.

Each title is linked to the library catalog. Have you read any of these books? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2011: Mary P.’s Picks

Hi again from Mary P.  Last week you may have read  about the best books I’ve read published in 2011, take a look at some books published previously that I discovered this year and loved.  I’ve especially enjoyed discovering some authors that have been around a while and read both their old and new material.

At Home: A Short History of a Private Life by Bill Bryson
This is the year I discovered Bill Bryson.  For many of you, this may be old news, but Bill Bryson is great.  I read four of his books this year, and some, like At Home, are quite thick.  Bryson writes nonfiction with a humorous slant that usually involves some aspect of his life.  In At Home, Bryson covers the vast history of human homes and houses based around the history of his own home in rural England.  This book is packed full of unusual stories and fascinating tidbits on human history ranging from the evolution of the meaning “room and board” to why we have salt and pepper on our kitchen tables.  All the while, Bryson packs in this information with his trademark style that will leave you laughing and amazed.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer by Seth Grahame-Smith
Abraham Lincoln has be the subject of many books.  This is the first that images the Civil War as a bigger battle and Lincoln as a key factor in the defeat of the vampire scourge in America.  Seth Grahame-Smith is no stranger to the reworking of a famous idea into something novel (pun intended) and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer does not fail to satisfy.  In Grahame-Smith’s world, young Abe loses his mother to the Vampiric plague and vows to fight back by killing every vampire he can find.  This decision takes Abraham forward towards presidency in a world where the history mirrors the one we know, but also shows a hidden world that we never knew could exist.

Unbroken: A World War II story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption  by Laura Hillenbrand
Unbroken has been on the New York Times best sellers list for 51 weeks. One more and it’ll be a year.  Can it really be that good?  My answer is unequivocally yes.  Hillenbrand tells the amazing story of Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner turned World War II airman.  His story is itself almost beyond belief; it alters the idea of the limits of human survival and strength.  However, the power of the story is complemented by Hillenbrand’s excellent storytelling.  The book at time literally took my breath away and deserves the praises it has received.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is being made into a movie.  I am super excited about this as it is one of my favorite books.  However, I am a little tense, because the movie comes out in January and I want everyone to read the book before they see the movie.  This book is so heartening, so poignant, so beautiful that I want everyone to experience it as it is before seeing the movie changes how it is read.  The book centers around Oskar Schell, a nine year old pacifist and physicist who excels at tambourine.  After losing his father in the attacks on September 11, 2001, Oskar finds a single key among his father’s things. With only the clue of “Black” written on the key, Oskar sets off on a mission to find the keys home and discover more about his father.

Black out and All Clear by Connie Willis
I also discovered Connie Willis this past year.  She has been an award winning Science Fiction writer for years.  Her two newest books, Black Out and All Clear, are just as celebrating; she won both of Science Fiction’s highest honors, the Nebula and Hugo Awards for best novel (it’s really one story split over two books).  Set in Oxford in 2060, three historian are traveling back in time to London during the Blitz of World War II.  Sent back in time to study the past directly, their presence is not suppose to change history.  Yet when their portals back to the future are not working, all three must find each other and find how to get back in time before they cause something disastrous like the outcome of the war.

If any of these titles interesting you, they are linked to the Wake County Public Libraries catalog so you can find them at the libraries.  And if you have read any, please feel free to add your opinion in the comments (but only if you agree with me…Just kidding).

Best ‘New to Us” Books in 2011: Dan B.’s Picks

This week we’re trying something new for our book-a-day blog, which is to present our favorite “New to Us” (older) books that we discovered this year. Last week we told you some of our favorite new books published this year. This week different staff members will take turns letting you know their top 5 favorite older books that we each read for the first time this year.

If you’re familiar with my previous posts you’ll know that I love Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Classics. My picks for the 5 best “New to Me” books from 2011- presented in no particular order – certainly reflect my reading tastes:

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
While not the first book in the series, it is one of the most famous Poirot stories, in part due to the movie and TV versions. In it M. Poirot finds himself on a train when the first class car is fully booked in the dead of winter. Naturally, a murder occurs, and Poirot must put his “little grey cells” to work solving the crime. The evidence is gathered in a very methodical and linear way, complete with a map of the train car. Although many pieces of evidence and testimony from the passengers contradict each other, Poirot once more solves the insoluble. Read my full review.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
I picked Scalzi’s Fuzzy Nation as one my favorite books of 2011, but I wouldn’t have read it had I not discovered Mr. Scalzi at the beginning of the year with this book. On his 75th birthday John Perry did two things: he visited his wife’s grave and then he joined the army. Earthlings are told that those 75 years old who volunteer for the Colonial Defense Force will receive a new body and can retire as a colonist on another world after their service is completed. Of course, they are not told everything about life out among the stars. Scalzi’s writing is top notch, combining thought provoking and touching moments with humor and plenty of action. Fans of Ender’s Game, The Forever War or Starship Troopers will love it. Read my full review.

The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo
After having had this book on my “to read” list for a long time, I listened to the audio version this year, narrated by the estimable Jeremy Irons (who my wife always refers to as Uncle Scar from The Lion King). The story is that of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, who wishes to travel and see the wonders of the world. He travels from Spain to Morocco to Egypt and gets stuck or finds obstacles seemingly in his way throughout the journey. He eventually meets the fabled alchemist who helps Santiago discover his dreams and leads him to his happiness and treasure.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
One of the best Fantasy books of the past decade, but don’t take my word for it! Kvothe (pronounced like “quothe”) was once the most legendary and powerful wizard the world has known. But, his troubled life has led him to seek anonymity running an  inn out in the countryside. The spreading evil that he thought he had left behind soon makes it’s way to his part of the world, as does the Chronicler of Stories, who discovers Kvothe’s true identity and persuades him to tell his life’s story. The book has been compared to Harry Potter, as well as to the Fantasy novels of Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin, but those comparisons only paint a part of the amazing picture that Pat has written for us.  Read my full review.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
If anyone can give us a good look at what life was like for Americans during The Great Depression, it’s Steinbeck. The Joad family farm in Oklahoma has suffered because of the Dust Bowl, and banks who foreclose on families who have worked the same land for generations. Now the Joads must make the long, difficult trek across the country on the famous mother road, Route 66, in search of promised ease and plenty in California. What they find is not easy and the only thing that’s plentiful is too many people in search of too few jobs. The Joads face many hardships, but this quintessentially American novel shows how they persevere in adversity.  Read my full review.

So, have you by chance read any of these books? If so, please leave us a comment to let us know.

Best New Books of 2011: Janet L.’s Picks

It’s that time of the year—the time for Best Books lists.  2011 was a good year for mysteries and five of my favorites are below.  They made the cut because they had good plots, interesting characters, and a strong sense of place.  Being a librarian, I decided to put them in order alphabetically by author.  Happy reading!

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Carl Morck has just returned to work after a shooting that killed and maimed fellow officers.  He shows up late, insults colleagues, and is a general pain in the neck.  His boss is tired of the morale problems he’s creating.  When a new department is created to handle “cases deserving special scrutiny”  management seizes the chance to transfer Carl.

Carl’s enthusiastic assistant Assad brings to Carl’s attention the case of Merete Lynggaard, a politician who disappeared five years ago.  Everyone assumes she’s dead, except Carl Morck.  Carl is surprised to find himself caring about his job again, even if everyone else in homicide thinks his interest in this case is final proof that he’s a lost cause.

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran
Claire DeWitt is a private investigator who goes by the book.  Specifically, the book Detection by the great French detective, Jacques Silette.

It’s 2007 and Claire has been hired to find out what happened to Vic Willing, a New Orleans prosecutor who hasn’t been seen since Hurricane Katrina.   As Claire drives around the surreal landscape that is post-Katrina New Orleans she is struck and saddened by its shattered beauty.  And she realizes, along with several other characters, that New Orleans “knows how to tell a beautiful story.  It truly does.  But if you’re looking for a happy ending, you better be lookin’ somewhere else”.

I liked the atmosphere of this story and its refusal to make people all bad or all good.  I liked Claire, who tries to hide her big heart under a thin veneer of wisecracks.  I found the New Orleans Sara Gran conjures up vivid and original.  And I found myself pondering the words of Jacques Silette.  Silette’s first rule of solving mysteries is “most people don’t want their mysteries solved.  Including us.”  I’m still thinking about that.

Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton
It’s been a long time since Hamilton published an Alex McKnight mystery, but this book was worth the wait.  Alex is still drinking Canadian beer at the Glasgow Inn, still working on his cabins, still wondering why on earth he lives in a place where winter never seems to end.

Everything in his life is reassuringly normal until he receives a plea for help from his arch nemesis, police Chief Roy Maven.  As strange as it seems to Alex, Maven does have at least one friend, Charles Razniewski.  Razniewski needs help investigating the death of his only child.  McKnight agrees to help even though he thinks there is little he can do–how can he say no to what will surely be a once in a lifetime request for a favor from Maven?

Hamilton’s writing is taut, with frequent flashes of mordant humor.  The pacing is electric, building to a heart stopping climax.  I defy anyone to stop reading this book once they’ve hit page fifty.

The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill
“When love is in opposition to grim reality, there is usually only one winner.” So goes the underlying motif of the story of Wolf Hadda.  Wolf has worked hard to rise from humble beginnings and has built up a successful business and a big bank account.  But suddenly he finds himself in a nightmare of false accusations. He has no idea why this is happening and who is responsible.  Even worse, he’s not sure who his true friends are anymore.

So what will happen? Will the winner be love or grim reality? I recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a great read. It has a large cast of compelling characters, terrific plotting,  and vivid descriptions of the Cumbrian countryside. As a crime novel I think it stands with the best of P.D. James and Elizabeth George.

White Heat by M.J. McGrath
This first novel has one of the most interesting amateur detectives you’ll ever meet.  Edie Kiglatuk lives on Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic.  She is half-Inuit and famed for her skill as a guide; she has never lost a client in one of the harshest, albeit beautiful, landscapes on the planet.  She’s leading a party of two on what seems to be a fairly routine trip when one of the men is found shot just outside camp.  Edie is stunned.  This was no accident.  Edie calls on all her skills to track down the killer, hoping to find the culprit before more people are hurt.

This book reminded me of the Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries.  It’s grittier than Hillerman’s books, and Edie has more personal problems (she’s a recovering alcoholic), but if you’re looking for a book that is well written, introduces you to a fascinating culture, and has a strong sense of place, stop looking now.

If you’ve read any of these books (or if you’d like to) please drop us a line in the comments below to let us know.

Best New Books of 2011: Lynn W.’s Picks

There were many wonderful novels published this year, making a choice of five challenging. Since I’m drawn to memoirs, mysteries, literary, and historical fiction, my list is reflective of these interests.

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
Hoffman’s intriguing history of the fictional town of Blackwell, Massachusetts begins in the 1600s when a group of English settlers arrive late in the year, doomed to die of starvation save the efforts of Hallie Brady, who isn’t above eating eel and has an affinity with the local bears. Her favorite bear is killed and buried in her garden only to reappear centuries later as skeletal remains. The interconnected stories cover a 300 year time span and introduce fascinating as well as everyday characters living in and passing through Blackwell, including Johnny Appleseed.  Hoffman’s trademark magical realism is an integral part of this story, and while I usually have no patience with it, it totally charmed me this time out.

Until Thy Wrath Be Past by Asa Larsson
Asa Larsson’s 2008 mystery was translated and published in 2011, perhaps due to the explosive popularity of Stieg Larsson’s books. Asa Larsson’s (no relation) writing is poetic and descriptive of northern Sweden’s lakes, forests, and isolated villages.  This novel begins with a dramatic winter scene ending in an astonishing method of murder:  blocking the hole in a frozen lake which a young diving couple needs to escape. The investigating detectives are drawn into web of secrecy including World War II collaborators with the Nazis and war profiteers with an intense desire to hide and forget the distant past. This book made me eager to return to it and reluctant to finish it, an excellent mystery indeed.

The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell
Kurt Wallender is off his game.  He’s aging and has left the Ystad police force.  Then his daughter Linda’s father in law, a retired admiral, disappears. Kurt begins an informal investigation and becomes embroiled in a complex situation involving a 1980s submarine incident which has somber implications for the government. As always, Kurt questions his life and his choices, ever the gloomy Swede, but this time the self-questioning is poignant, his investigative focus wavers, and the reader asks, “Why is he doing that?” The oh-so-sad ending of the final Kurt Wallender mystery reveals why his state of mind and ability to follow through on his investigation have diminished.  This is an outstanding series finale.

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin
I blogged about this title earlier and it remains one of my favorite novels of the year.  In a nutshell, Park So-nyo, an elderly Korean wife and mother of four, has disappeared at a Seoul subway station, inadvertently left behind by her husband who boarded a train assuming she was behind him, as usual.  Her life story and meaning to her family is slowly revealed through four sections  told by her daughter,  by the oldest favored son,  by her once-philandering and frequently missing husband, and another from her own point of view as she wanders Seoul, lost and alone with her disconnected memories.  No one ever quite knew her for herself or valued her as highly as they might have:  perhaps that’s the appeal of this story, which all of us can identify with at times.  A two (hanky wrapped) thumbs up.

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller
You really must get to know Nicola Fuller of Central Africa, as her daughter names her in several chapters of this memoir.  Now in her sixties, Nicola has lived most of her life in Africa and chafed when she and her husband lived in England for a few years.  They farmed in Rhodesia when the bush wars began about 1970 and Tim Fuller was called up to fight, while Nicola stayed on the farm with the Alexandra and her sister, carrying a rifle when she rode her horse around the fields or drove to town.  As she and Tim reminisce with Alexandra under the tree of forgetfulness while drinking tea or cocktails, Nicola repeatedly says to Alexandra, “I suppose you’ll put that in one of your dreadful books.”  I frankly don’t think I would like this woman and her strong opinions, but she is fascinating for having lived through some tough times and survived with spunk aplenty.  This is a great audio book.

If you’ve read (or want to read) any of these books, please drop us a note in the comments below.

Best New Books of 2011: Stephen B.’s Picks

My Name is Steve, and I’ve worked as an Library Assistant for Wake County libraries for more than 10 years. I love thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction and non-fiction and you can throw in an occasional sports book. I’m a pretty regular contributor to our book-a-day blog, and here are my picks for the best new books of 2011:

The Affair by Lee Child
In this prequel to the well known and increasingly popular Jack Reacher stories, Child brings us full circle to when Reacher was still an MP in the Army. He doesn’t realize it but he is working on a case that will end his military career and lead to all the books we have come to love. If you want to read this latest thriller by a first rate and almost universally admired author, be sure to check out the six different formats in which this book is available (e-book, audio book, large print & more).

Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein
A burned, decapitated body shows up at a Baptist church in Harlem and Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cooper must find the ‘perp’  – who just may be a religious serial killer. This possibility looks more likely after a second body appears on the steps of a Catholic church in Little Italy. NYPD homicide detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace are there to assist in solving the case and Fairstein gives us the bonus of a historical tour of New York City.

Live Wire by Harlan Coben
We are going to get to know the family of Myron Bolitar as he hunts for the missing wife, Kitty, of his longtime estranged brother, Brad. As per usual, Myron’s best friend, Win will be there to assist in anyway he possibly can. Note: this novel is also available in many different formats, so you can use your e-reader or CD player to enjoy the latest in the popular Bolitar series.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson
Most of us think we know the story of WWII, but there is a lot we don’t know about Germany in the 1930′s as Hitler tightens his power on the German people. We will see much of this through the eyes of Will Dodd and his family. He is the US ambassador appointed by FDR.  Read my colleague Bob’s review.

The Complaints by Ian Rankin
Rankin has his Scottish detective, Malcolm Fox, trying to solve a murder without much help from his fellow officers. Fox now serves on ‘ The Complaints & Conduct’ branch of the police. What we know in the United States as ‘Internal Affairs.’  If you are working for Internal Affairs most officers will not give you the time of day. And this murder may involve another officer. Read my full review of this gripping mystery.

What are your favorites that were published this year? Have you read any of mine? Let us know in the comments!

Best New Books of 2011: Mary P.’s Picks

Hi from your friendly neighborhood book blogger extraordinaire, Mary P.!  As a regular reviewer on this blog I’ve been lucky to share my thoughts on a number of books, and of course I have a few more favorites to recommend.  My reading taste is eclectic, but I tend to lean towards non-fiction, humorous works, historical fiction, chick lit, and books for teens.  I think my picks for the 5 best books of 2011 reflects this, with a tinge of supernatural thrown in for fun!

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran
Set in the buildup and terror of the French Revolution, this novel follows the path of the young wax sculptress, Marie Grosholtz, who would eventually become the famous Madame Tussaud, as she and her family walks the fine line of survival during the tumultuous times. A self proclaimed survivalist, Marie and her family pays court to both royalist and revolutionaries as she serves as a tutor to a princess of France and obeys the demands of the mobs.  Moran’s excellent historical novel brings to life a fascinating time in history and a moving portrayal of Madame Tussaud.

BossyPants by Tina Fey
Before 30 Rock, before Sarah Palin, before even SNL, Tina Fey was just a Greek girl growing up outside Philadelphia with overly protective father and an already quirky sense of humor.  In her memoir, Fey tells the story of childhood and rise to fame from her summers in children’s theater to the long days of travel for the improv group Second City in Chicago to the challenges of working in the male dominated world of comedy writing.  And of course, since she is Tina Fey, this memoir is hilarious.  For fans of Fey, this books is a sure hit, and for you other five people, don’t worry you’ll enjoy it too.

The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
On a hot summer day in 1954, 13-year old Jubid Watts heads south from her Charlotte, North Carolina home on vacation with her family and Mary, the family’s black maid.  Mary has always been Jubie’s favorite; her protector from her father’s violent temper and her mother’s indifference and a source of unconditional love.  As the family travels further south, Jubie witnesses the growing racism towards Mary.  When a tragedy occurs on the trip home, Jubie must come to terms with what others think and feel and what she knows is right.

I’m Kind of a Big Deal by Stephanie Wilder-Taylor
Stephanie Wilder-Taylor is not a household name.  She has had a successful writing career on television and with books, but not the fame she was sure she would have as a 17 year old running away from home to become famous.  Her memoir chronicles her struggling years as a stand-up comedian, a lousy actress (her words), and a worse waitress.  Her stories of trying to make it big by being an obscure extra in an obscure Bob Dylan video or a cynical contestant on a dating show will keep you laughing and cheering for the author’s eventual success.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
This book is the cure for all the supernatural fans who like the idea of vampires, witches, love, and much more, but want a mature book that goes beyond teenage romances and angst.  Diana Bishop is an American scholar doing research in the famed Bodleian Library in Oxford when she unwittingly comes across a bewitched alchemy manuscript.  Descendant of a long line of distinguished witches,  Diana has spent all of her life denying her powers and living as a human.  However, the discovery of the manuscript and the arrival of vampire Michael Clairmont will soon force Diana to come to terms with her past and her powers.

If any of these titles interesting you, they are linked to the Wake County Public Libraries catalog so you can find them at the libraries.  And if you have read any, please feel free to add yoru opinion in the comments (but only if you agree with me … Just kidding).

Best New Books of 2011: Dan B.’s Picks

This week we’re trying something new for our book-a-day blog, which is to present our favorite books from this year. If Newspapers, Magazines and Online Booksellers can do it, why can’t your local library? Different staff members will take turns each day letting you know their top 5 favorite books from this year. Then, next week we’ll do the same thing, but tell you our five favorite older books that we each discovered this year.

To recap, this week = top 5 new books from 2011; next week = top 5 “new to us” older books that we discovered this year.

If you’re familiar with my previous posts you may recall that I love Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Humor, and Classics. My picks for the 5 best books of 2011- presented in no particular order – certainly reflect my reading tastes:

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
Danny North is alternately picked on and ignored by his family. Everyone else can do magic and the older family members teach the younger ones, but Danny just doesn’t seem to have any talent. So, naturally, he runs away, but ends up learning more about who he is where his family has come from. The Norths are actually descended from the Old Norse Gods Odin, Thor, Loki and the rest, and their power has been diminished since Loki closed the gate to Westil 1,400 years ago. And it turns out Danny just might be able to open it again. Interwoven are also chapters about the land of Westil and a young man named Wad, who is actually very, very old, but just can’t remember that other life he once had. Read my full review.

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
Jack Holloway is a prospector on the planet Zara XXIII and has found the mother-load of one of the most valuable gems in the galaxy. But, the even greater discovery he made that same day was of a small creature he dubs “Fuzzy.” Why is that the greater discovery? Because it turns out that the Fuzzies just might be sentient, and if they are, that means that ZaraCorp is on the planet illegally and has to give up all of the resources its mining, and thus begins a plan involving deception, arson, and murder – winding up with a suspenseful courtroom drama to determine the fate of the Fuzzies.  Read my full review.

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
The latest in the popular Dresden Files series is the story of Harry Dresden solving … *spoiler alert* … his own murder! Yes, as the title suggests, Harry is a ghost and has been sent back to find out who killed him and why, and to protect his friends who are now in mortal danger. This turns out to be much harder than you’d think, for as a ghost, Harry can’t touch the real world and most people can’t see or hear him, either. To make matters worse, six months have passed since he was gunned down and his friends and loved ones were each greatly impacted and changed by Harry’s untimely death.  Does he solve his own murder? What happens to his friends? And how can the series continue if Harry’s dead? The answers lie within, but do yourself a favor and start at the beginning with Storm Front, which I’ve reviewed before.

The Astounding, the Amazing and the Unknown by Paul Malmont
This historical novel is set during World War II on the American home front. Based on some real events, it tells the story of what happened when authors from the early days of Science Fiction magazines were recruited by the Navy to form a think tank to turn Sci-Fi ideas (ray guns, invisibility, etc.) into reality. Throw in a mystery involving Tesla’s quest for free and abundant electricity and Malmont has given us a great story with lots of twists and turns that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and suspense, as well as science fiction. Read my full review.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
Certainly the publishing event of the year was the long-awaited new novel in Martin’s highly popular Song of Ice and Fire series (helped, in no small part, by the HBO program). It is a massive tome (at about 1,100 pages), and one should absolutely not start with this, the fifth book in the series, but instead begin with A Game of Thrones. The events of Dance actually follow the third book and take place concurrently with the fourth book, but tell the stories of different characters in different parts of Martin’s fully realized Fantasy world. One of the most appealing – yet challenging – aspects of Martin’s style is that he has such a huge cast of characters, and that the tale is told from many different points of view.

P.S. I probably would have put Stephen King’s new book about a man going back in time to try and stop the Kennedy assassination, 11/22/63, on this list, but it just came out and I haven’t finished it yet.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Let us know what your favorite books of the year are in the comments!