Reviews

Staff Review

The Butterfly Hours: Transforming Memories into Memoir

By Patty Dann
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Nov 16, 2016

In The Butterfly Hours, Dann uses “one-word memory triggers like ‘table’ or ‘car’ . . . as a way” for students, and eventually herself, “to stitch together the patches of [their lives].” Some of the stories shared are those of her students, some are her own. All are beautiful.

The reading could have gone quickly, but I saved and savored the chapters. Assignments are listed at the end of the book and a photocopy of them now rests in the cover of my journal.

Staff Review

But I Love Him

By Amanda Grace
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Jackie M.
Nov 9, 2016

Told mostly in reverse order, But I Love Him chronicles the relationship between Anna and Connor. The reader is introduced to Anna, a high school senior, who has spent the past year focused on Connor, and has slowly given up the people and things that were important to her prior to meeting him.

Staff Review

Meet the Author: Eve Brackenbury

By Eve Brackenbury
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Nov 9, 2016

Everyone knows poetry is a literary form with distinct sounds and rhythms meant to be read aloud. Eve Brackenbury, local poet and bookseller, will help participants who might never have spoken in front of a crowd learn to read poetry out loud. Her passion is evident in our interview and we hope you'll join us in learning how to turn your reading into a performance.

Tuesday, November 15th

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Central Resource Library - Logan Conference Room

Teen Review

We Are the Ants

By Shaun David Hutchinson
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Chris K.
Nov 2, 2016

If you knew the world was going to end, but you had the power to stop it, would you?

A Man Said to the Universe



A man said to the universe:

“Sir, I exist!”

“However,” replied the universe,

“The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation.”



~ Stephen Crane

Staff Review

The Hopefuls

By Jennifer Close
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by Diane H.
Nov 2, 2016

I’m of two minds about The Hopefuls. On the one hand, it is a thought-provoking look at a marriage under stress. On the other hand, I found the main character to be a bit lackluster.

Staff Review

The Complete Atomic Basie

By Count Basie
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Scott S.
Oct 31, 2016

Considered by some to be the Count's last great masterpiece, Basie and his orchestra's The Atomic Mr. Basie blasts big band swing at its edgy and exciting best, still filling the space that would soon become the domain of rhythm and blues and later rock and roll. Popular, fashionable, mainstream jazz would eventually evolve away from big swing bands, using small combos to further the bebop revolution and refine the cool movement.

Staff Review

The Burn Palace

By Stephen Dobyns
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Oct 30, 2016

I’ve been obsessed with Abigail Thomas’s work, and I've been reading everything she’s written one after the other. I decided I wanted to read something else, not only to cleanse my palate, but so I would have a book I already know I’ll love waiting for me at some time in the future when I really, really need a good book to read. So I compromised and read an author whom Thomas had thanked in her acknowledgments.

Teen Review

Swarm

By Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Josh N.
Oct 29, 2016

In Zeroes we were introduced to a group of teens with unusual, mostly subtle superpowers who find themselves in an increasing amount of trouble with both drug dealers and the police, using the very powers that got them into trouble in the first place to get them out again. I liked the novel a lot, so when I found out about the sequel, I was very excited.