Great Children and Adult Read

Mr. Katapat's Incredible Adventures

by Stephane Barroux

Every day, Mr. Katapat heads to the library. That's right, the library. It's where all the excitement begins." I know, I know, picture books are generally for children, but I think adults would enjoy this one best. It's the story of a man who lives in books until he bumps into someone who opens his eyes to a whole new story. It's a library love story. Sigh.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Korie B.

New Nonfiction

If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name, by Heather Lende

You wouldn't think life stories based around obituaries would be so charming and uplifting, but I found this collection of short stories to be both. Truly a celebration of life, and an ode to small town Alaska, Heather Lende paints a picture of Alaskan life so appealing I wanted to move next door to her. But then I remembered I don't like really cold weather and I need sunlight all year around, or at least as much as we get here in Oregon.

Heather Lende is also a contributor on NPR's and a columnist for magazines around the U.S.

To find this book in the Library to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Korie B.

The Way Home

This is another great quick read by The Wire writer George Pelecanos.

Like most of his work it's set in Washington D.C. and involves petty (and not so petty) criminals and gangs. The main charaters in this novel are Chris Flynn, first seen in juvenile prison, and his father George. The story skips ahead a few years, and follows the twisted path of mistakes and violence, but is ultimately a story about redemption. Pelecanos does a great job of drawing his charaters.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Jean S

Check out some of our New Items

FICTION

Italian Shoes by Henning Mankill
Love Stories in this Town by Amanda Eyre Ward
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Woodsburner by John Piper



INSPIRATIONAL

Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick
Cousin's Promise by Wanda E Brunstetter
Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark
Take One by Karen Kingsbury



NON FICTION

Just When I thought I'd Dropped my Last Egg by Kathie Lee Gifford
The World is What it Is by Patrick French
Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards
Paul Newman by Shawn Levy

New Author's first Book

Pictures of an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling

Set in Paris, the majority of the story takes place as WWII has just ended. Max Berenzon is the son of an art dealer and his pianist wife. When Paris falls the family goes into hiding. After the war Max returns to discover all the family's art collection has vanished. The remainder of the book is about Max's quest to find the missing art and hopefully garner his dad's approval. During his search he discovers the truth of the tragic disappearance of his closest friend, the heroism of his lost love and uncovers a family secret.

The book is a good read but sometimes I got lost in the artist's names, their works and the various art dealers. The title interested me but I didn't feel represented this story of lost art.

To find this book in the Library go to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Denise R.

The Last Dickens

The Last Dickens: A Novel by Matthew Pearl

I'm a sucker for stories that seemingly bring me closer to my favorite characters or authors, and The Last Dickens is exactly that...
Set in 1870's Boston, Matthew Pearl weaves a story of murder and mystery surrounding the unfinished work of Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood. When Dickens' American publishers hear of the author's untimely death, they are anxious to get their hands on the last installment of the tale before anyone else to keep their small publishing company afloat. But it soon becomes a matter of life-and-death when the young man sent to retrieve the installment from the Boston docks is found murdered.
Matthew Pearl is also the author of The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow.

To find these books, please visit our library website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Korie B.

Thanks for the Memories

Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

I admit it: I often judge books by their covers. This book I read solely on the recommendation of the brilliantly designed cover, but was not disappointed. Cecelia Ahern's latest book is the story of a woman who gets a blood transfusion after an accident only to suddenly find herself suddenly endowed with another person's memories and knowledge. This tale is told back and forth between the donor and recipient, and it isn't long before you start rooting for them to get together. Although the ending is mostly predictable from the first chapter, the read is still delightful. I especially enjoyed the interactions between fathers and daughters in this novel- it was laugh-out-loud-funny at times.

Cecelia Ahern is also the author of the book P.S. I Love You, which is also a movie starring Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank.

To find these items please visit our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B.

Pulitzer Prize wining fiction

Elizabeth Strout recently won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction with her book Olive Kitteridge. Boy is it well deserved. Set up in 13 short vignettes, the whole book is tied together with one character, Olive Kitteridge who plays both small and large parts depending on the story. Strout evokes the human condition beautifully, describing the simplest details with heart wrenching beauty. In many of the stories, nothing much really happens, but Strout is able to draw the reader in to the inner of lives of her characters so deeply that one becomes mesmerized with their thoughts and feelings. I found this a very emotional but worthwhile read. Highly recommended.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M.