Hot Reads to Offset a Cold Winter's Chill

Pick up one of these novels set in hot, tropical climates to help warm those of us living too far north.

Tales from Margaritaville: Fictional Facts and Factual Fictions by Jimmy Buffet
The singer/songwriter displays his gift for creating witty, laid-back Southern stories in a collection of bizarre tales and thoughtful essays.

Tricky Business by Dave Barry A tropical storm hits a casino boat off the coast of Florida changing the lives of a quirky set of passengers.

Duma Key by Stephen King Renting a house on the Florida coast after suffering a crippling accident and ending his marriage, construction millionaire Edgar Freemantle creates works of art that lead him to discover unsettling elements from his landlady's enigmatic family history.

Glass Beach by Jill Marie Landis
Released from a loveless marriage, Elizabeth Bennett expects a peaceful life with her daughter on their lush Hawaiian estate, until her late husband's alluring illegitimate son appears to claim his father's half of the property.

Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux
An eccentric American inventor moves his family to the jungles of Central America in hopes of finding a better life.

Tourist Season by Carl Hiassen
A group of most unusual terrorists sets out to purge Florida of greed and corruption by attacking what they consider the root source--tourists.

The Comedians by Graham Greene Three men meet on a ship bound for Haiti, a world in the grip of the corrupt 'Papa Doc' and the Tontons Macoute, his sinister secret police. Brown, the hotelier, Smith the innocent American and Jones the confidence man - these are the 'comedians' of Graham Greene's title. Hiding behind their actors' masks, they hesitate of the edge of life. And, to begin with, they are men afraid of love, afraid of pain, afraid of fear itself.

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
In a prequel to Jane Eyre, Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway lives in Dominica and Jamaica in the 1830s before she travels to England, becomes Mrs. Rochester, and goes mad.

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
A young Haitian girl comes of age torn between two cultures--the Haiti of her Tante Atie and Grandmother Ife, and the New York of her mother Martine.

Oscar for Best Original Music Score

The 85th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013.  This year's Academy Awards nominees for Best Original Music Score have multiple nominations for other categories.

Anna Karenina - Dario Marianelli

Best Production Design - Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer
Best Cinematography - Jacqueline Durran
Best Cosume Design - Jacqueline Durran

Argo - Alexandre Desplat

Best Picture - Grant Heeslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney
Best Supporting Actor - Alan Arkin
Best Writing - Chris Terrio
Best Sound Editing - Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
Best Sound Mixing - John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and
   Jose Antonio Garcia

Life of Pi - Mychael Danna (won Golden Global Award)

Best Picture - Gil Netter, Ang Lee, and David Womark
Best Director - Ang Lee
Best Writing - David Magee
Best Original Song - "Pi's Lullaby" - Mychael Danna and
   Bombay Jayashri
Best Sound Editing - Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
Best Sound Mixing - Ron Bartlett, D. M. Hemphill, and
   Drew Kunin
Best Production Design - David Gropman and Anna Pinnock
Best Cinematography - Claudio Miranda

Lincoln - John Williams

Best Picture - Steven Speilberg and Kathleen Kennedy
Best Director - Steven Spielberg
Best Actor - Daneil Day-Lewis
Best Supporting Actor - Tommy Lee Jones
Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field
Best Writing - Tony Kushner
Best Sound Mixing - Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, and
   Ronald Judkins
Best Production Design - Rick Carter and Jim Erickson
Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski
Best Costume Design - Joanna Johnston

Skyfall - Thomas Newman

Best Original Song - "Skyfall" - Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
   (won Golden Globe Award)
Best Sound Editing - Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
Best Sound Mixing - Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, and
   Stuart Wilson
Best Cinematography - Roger Deakins

Grow Your Reading Skills

Did you know that the library offers free adult literacy classes? Classes are conducted by Oakton Community College and led by a teacher and a small group of dedicated volunteer tutors. This is a great opportunity for native and non-native English speakers to improve their reading and writing skills.  Class meets twice weekly. For more information, call Oakton College at (847)635-1426 or the Outreach Librarian at (847)729-7500 ext. 2612. If you are interested in being a volunteer tutor, contact the VITA Program Manager at (847)635-1426.

Registration:   Thursday, January 10th  or April 4th, 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM, or at other times if space permits
Classes: Tuesdays & Thursdays, January 15 - May 16
Time: 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Multipurpose Room
No Class: March 26 - 28

Best Titles of 2012 for...

The library sponsors several book discussion groups that meet throughout the year. After our book groups meet, we add multiple copies of the titles discussed to our Book Discussion Collection where they are available for patrons to check out. If you are are looking for engaging books worthy of discussion and need enough copies for all of your group members to check out, this collection is for you!

Here is a list of recommended titles from our book discussion leaders based on the best book discussions held at the library in 2012. All of these are available in the Book Discussion Collection:

Crashing Through by Robert Kurson

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Forthcoming Fiction in February

Here are some titles coming out this February. You can reserve these by going to our Online Catalog, or by calling the Reader Services Desk at 847-729-7500 x7600

Forbidden Sister by V.C. Andrews

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Hit Me by Lawrence Block

Farside by Ben Bova

Something Wicked by Nancy Bush

The Power Trip by Jackie Collins

The Woman who Wouldn’t Die by Colin Cotterill

The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie

Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner

Out of the Black Land by Kerry Greenwood

Benediction by Kent Haruf

Deadly Stakes by J.A. Jance

Guilt: an Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman

Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas

After Rome: a Novel of Celtic Britain by Morgan Llywelyn

Gods and Beasts by Denise Mina

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb

Bad Blood by Dana Stabenow

Warm Romances for a Cool Winter

Looking forward to cuddling by the fire with a good romance? Take a look at these charming titles to see if they will suit.

The Lady Most Willing by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway
   This title is a historical romance novel in three parts by three authors. It is a cold Scottish night and the laird decided that his heirs need to find a bride. So he kidnaps some ladies from a local ball and brings them to his chilly castle to meet his nephews. But the laird gets more than he bargained for when he gets an extra lady and a duke. Filled with great dialogue and fun characters, this story will charm you on that cold night. But make sure to have an afghan handy, since this castle is particularly drafty. 

If you like this book, go back to last year's The Lady Most Likely by the same authors. There is a character that is continued.

Can't Stand the Heat by Louisa Edwards
   This contemporary romance is for those readers who follow Top Chef and love the Food Network. Miranda, a New York culinary critic, accepts Chef Adam's challenge to work a day in his rising star restaurant. She thinks she's going to get a behind the scenes look at what makes him tick, but their chemistry together has the kitchen turning steamy. This is the first book in Edwards'  A Recipe for Love series, and she does a great job with the main and secondary characters. A fun time will be had by all.

 

How to Capture a Countess by Karen Hawkins
   This is the first book in the Duchess Diaries series that features the Duchess of Roxburghe (married five time and she has outlived them all!) and her attempts at being a matchmaker. She starts with her nephew Lord Sinclair who has a rather rakish reputation. The Duchess finds out that he has been hunting for her goddaughter Rose ever since she caused a bit of a scandal with him a at ball. Guess who the Duchess invites over for a house party? Hawkins provides her book with snappy dialogue and great humor. And just wait until you meet the infamous Roxburge pug dogs. I can not wait until the next title in the series.

Enjoy your reading!

It's The End of the World (We Thought) As We Know It

We thought the world would come to an end, but since it didn't, check out these awesome post Apocalyptic and dystopian reads!  Appropriate for both teens and adults. 

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
 Deuce gets her name when she is declared Huntress and protector of College, the enclave where the survivors of "the second holocaust" dwell. They live in abandoned subway tunnels, never venturing Topside; the stories of aboveground dangers are enough to keep everyone below. Deuce and her partner, the enigmatic Fade, bring news of the destruction of enclave Nassau by the mutant cannibal Freaks and are banished Topside for their trouble.

The Death Cure by James Dashner
 In this final book in the series, Thomas and his friends learn that the World in Catastrophe, Killzone Experiment Department (WICKED) wants to devise a blueprint for a cure for the lethal Flare disease by analyzing their brain patterns. Although Thomas knows that he was partially responsible for the creation of the Maze, a brutal experiment that forces its subject to undergo trials and tribulations, he no longer thinks the end justifies the means—even if the goal is to save mankind.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
In the near future, genetic engineering has given a single generation freedom from all physical ills and a long life, but something claims the lives of successive generations as women reach 20 and men reach 25. Many of the first generation and their offspring are fabulously wealthy, but the rest of the population struggles for a living. Rhine Ellery is 16 when she is kidnapped from Manhattan and selected as a bride for Linden Ashby, along with 18-year-old Jenna and 13-year-old Cecily.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
In Kagawa's postapocalyptic dystopia, vampires reign. Allison Sekemoto, 17, and her unregistered gang live in the shabby Fringe of New Covington while vampires rule the Inner City with their human pets, drinking blood donated by their Registered subjects. Unregistered humans roam without meal tickets or the Prince's protection, prone to arbitrary violence and starvation. In an act of desperation, Allie and her friends venture into the rabid-infested ruins surrounding the city in search of ancient, abandoned food hoards.

Delirium by Oliver Lauren
In this gripping dystopian novel set in a future Portland, ME, everyone is safe, unhappiness can be cured, and the freedoms we take for granted have been relinquished in the name of "security" and "the common good." There is no risk and no pain, or at least there won't be for 17-year-old Lena Haloway and her outspoken friend, Hana, once they turn 18.  Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
 In a future Chicago, the population is divided into five factions—Abnegation, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, and Amity—each of which believes its opposite is the root of human evil. Sixteen-year-olds are tested for aptitude and must choose whether to remain in their birth faction or select another. They are aided in this selection by a simulation in which their decisions indicate which faction best suits them. Occasionally, though, the simulation indicates multiple choices. These individuals, known as Divergents, are perceived as threats by leaders who want members to behave and think in specific ways. Fans of Collins, dystopias, and strong female characters will love this novel.