Reviews

Staff Review Jul 12, 2014

In The Bully PulpitDoris Kearns Goodwin discusses the Progressive Movement through the eyes of three principal actors—Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Samuel S. McClure—along with the remarkable contributors to McClure’s Magazine, notably Ida Tarbell, Ray Stannard Baker, Lincoln Steffens, and William Allen White.

Staff Review

Babies

By Thomas Balmès
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Becky C.
Jul 10, 2014

Looking for a feel-good movie? Babies is a must-see documentary. Watch as four newborn babies from around the globe grow, learn, and love during their first year of life on this planet.

Each baby is born into a world full of different customs and opportunities, yet their universal humanity busts through cultural boundaries. Follow Ponijao from Namibia, Bayarjargal from Mongolia, Hattie from San Francisco, and Mari from Tokyo as each baby navigates his or her place in the world.

Staff Review

The Waiting

By Cathy LaGrow
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Colleen O.
Jul 9, 2014

In 1928, sixteen-year-old Minka has to make a decision that will affect her life forever: to give up her newborn daughter Betty Jane for adoption. At a sewing class picnic, Minka was assaulted in the woods by a stranger and becomes pregnant. The family has no way to support the baby, so against her strongest desires, she chooses a better life for Betty Jane. But she can't ever forget her little girl, and for twenty years she writes the adoption home trying to find information about her precioius daughter.

Staff Review

The Devil's Workshop

By Alex Grecian
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Hilary S.
Jul 6, 2014

The Devil's Workshop is the third in Grecian's Murder Squad series. Inspector Walter Day, and his partner, Nevil Hammersmith are joined by Day's former mentor, retired detective inspector Adrian March. After a train derails and sets loose convicted murderers on the London streets, these three inspectors must investigate the accident and prison, trying to determine just how many former prisoners are now on the loose.

Teen Review

Tease

By Amanda Maciel
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Kate M.
Jul 3, 2014

Another beautiful, intelligent, sensitive teenager has killed her self. The media blames the bullies at Emma Putnam's new school that refused to accept her, that kept her on the fringe. The used words like slut and whore, they left notes and signs on her locker, they found her on social media...they drove her to suicide.



But that is just one side of the story.



Teen Review

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

By Holly Black
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Josh N.
Jul 3, 2014

When I was in elementary school, I read many, many books on monsters and the paranormal. Books about ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, mummies, werewolves...and vampires. Outside of books, there wasn't a lot to see with vampires at the time. You might catch classic Universal monster movies or the later, bloodier Hammer horror movies on late night TV (assuming you could convince your parents to let you stay up that late).

Staff Review

Want Not

By Jonathan Miles
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Melody K.
Jul 2, 2014

Jonathan Miles crafts three separate stories in this novel of loss and desire. Micah and Talmadge are freegan lovers who invite an old friend into their New York City squat and their dumpster diving lifestyle.  Dr. Elwin Cross wants his wife back, wants his father to be whole again and swims through his grief with 100 extra pounds and a compassionate heart.  And Dave Masoli gathers debt and repels the love of his trophy wife Sarah and her wounded daughter.

Staff Review

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume I

By hitRECord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Hope H.
Jul 1, 2014

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume I is a creative, charming compilation of 1-5 sentence stories, poems, and artwork. The dainty book features 67 of the more than 8500 contributions originally submitted for the volume. Some made me laugh, others made me pause and reflect, and I kept flipping back to certain illustrations just to savor them a little longer. My favorite tiny story: