Hot in Hellcat Canyon

Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long is a great beach read! It's beautifully written and unhurried, it's a perfect book for a hot summer day!

The author writes beautifully with precise words, great similes and metaphors, and developed characters, and insightful observations. Although she has written many historical romance series, Hot in Hellcat Canyon is her first foray into contemporary romance.

This is the story of a heroine, Britt, who is "emotionally hiding out" in a community called Hellcat Canyon after a distressing marriage. The Hero, JT, is a movie star who had a rough childhood, has a failing career, and is just coming off of a bad five-year relationship. He is looking over Hellcat Canyon because it's the location of an upcoming TV series he will be starring in. Then his ex, rich, famous and beautiful Rebecca, shows up and there is a lot of conflict related to this. But, of course you can guess what happens in the end. *JK*

One plus one of things going wrong!

Jojo Moyes new book, One Plus One, is a sympathetic story of a young single mom whose luck has run out. She is a likeable character who has lots of heart.Her husband has done a vanishing act, her teenage stepson is being bullied, and her math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she can't afford to pay for. That's Jess's life in a nutshell-until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess's knight turns out to be  Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages, maybe ever.
A good read for all you folks who like romance. ML

Family Secrets

Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead follows the life of young dancer, Joan, from her aspirations in a New York city ballet company and her early retirement when she decides to get married and has a child. Along the way, readers are introduced to the characters that influence Joan's life: Arslan Ruskov, the brilliant Russian dancer whom Joan helps to defect, Jacob, her partner in her strained and awkward marriage, Harry, Joan's ballet-prodigy son, and Chloe, the neighbors' daughter. Recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction and family secrets. Similar in style to Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake" and Jess Walter's "Beautiful Ruins." HM

The Intouchables (French Film)

In general, I tend not to be an advocate for Foreign Films.  However, with that being said, I have watched my fair share of some good and some bad over the years.  A friend, who resides in the Netherlands, had recommended this film to me several months ago during her visit.  Ever since then, I have been anxiously awaiting its debut in the American market. 

The Intouchables is a remarkable French film that is based on a true story about an ex-con (Driss) from the projects, who is hired to take care of an eccentric French aristocrat (Philippe).  As this unlikely duo overcomes adversity of every flavor in  this story, they also shatter their preconceptions of love, life and each other.  Based on the #1 International best-selling book, You Changed My Life, this story is adventurous, humorous and emotionally enlightening all in one.  Nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, I could easily recommend it to individuals who might be interested in Foreign Films, but who are intimidated by the language barrier.  This film's plot is very easy to follow even if you are not a master of the French language and is arguably one of the best Foreign Films I have ever watched.  I highly recommend it, but its 'R' rating (for language and some drug use) makes it not suitable for young children.  Otherwise, there is really nothing in it that I found to be offensive (in my opinion) at all.  BC-Library Director

Read a Banned Book!

In 1937, writer and ethnographer Zora Neale Hurston published her greatest work to little fanfare -- Their Eyes Were Watching God was largely ignored, and was even viewed as tawdry.  Decades later, scholars and readers rediscovered her classic and fell under the spell of its heroine, Janie Crawford, a strong-willed African-American woman who narrates the passionate and tragic events of her life in 1930s Florida.  It is now regarded as one of the most important works in 20th century African American literature.

Their Eyes Were Watching God is just one of many books that the American Library Association has recorded as being banned or challenged by various groups -- check out our Banned Books display in the Adult Department.  HM

Thanksgiving

In the spirit of the season, check out Margaret Visser's The Gift of Thanks, a look at gratitude from an anthropological perspective. Visser divides her book into six parts, journeying from the outwardly mundane exercise of saying "thank you" to exploring the genuine feeling of gratefulness. She also delves into the cultural and biological roots of emotions and how they have shaped our civilizations and interpersonal relationships for millennia. HM

Eternal Flame

In Ghost Light, Joseph O'Connor explores what remains after a great romance has come to an end. Based on the real-life relationship between Irish playwright John Synge and his teen-aged muse, actress Molly Allgood, readers are taken on a journey through 1900s Dublin and 1950s London. Only a few years into their secret courtship, Synge dies, leaving young Molly alone to contemplate their love affair in the decades that follow. Through Molly's narration, we are told that a ghost light is the single luminescent left to burn in the theatre, always avoiding complete darkness. Synge's memory is Molly's ghost light and her constant companion during her downward spiral to alcoholism and destitution, but Molly herself is also a ghost light, the only flame left from a time gone by. O'Connor's prose makes for a very quick and engaging read, leading readers down the rabbit hole within his heroine's mind. HM

The Other Half

What's Eating Gilbert Grape author, Peter Hedges, has written a compelling novel that delves into the intersecting lives of a select group of New Yorkers. The Heights begins with happily married Tim and Kate. Tim takes a break from his modest teaching job to complete his languishing dissertation and take care of the children while Kate accepts a lucrative (but socially important) job. The beautiful and wealthy Anna Brody moves into the neighborhood, then Kate's former love, a handsome Hollywood star, reappears, and things get complicated. The characters propel the story through its twists and turns, resulting in a great summer read.