Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

In Jamie Ford's debut novel, we meet Henry Lee shortly after his wife's death. As he walks past Seattle's famous "Panama Hotel" ,which is being refurbished , he spots a Japanese parasol. Could it belong to Keiko ? The book then flips back forty years earlier where Henry, of Chinese heritage and Keiko, of Japanese heritage become close friends as the two foreign students in the all white school. World War II is in full swing and soon the government rounds up all the Japanese, sending them to internment camps.

As the story unfolds, the reader, Henry's son and Henry himself learn about what made him the man he is today. Henry's father and mother, Keiko and her family, his friend Sheldon, the black saxophonist, and the decisions Henry had to make; all determining his character. Sometimes decisions can be bitter sweet.

Reveiw written by Denise R

This book can be found at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

At the start of The Cradle, Matt’s wife sends him to find the long lost antique cradle that she slept in as a baby. This turns into a quest that requires Matt to be brave, true and honest as he performs tasks along the way. We learn a lot about Matt and his past as he rises to each challenge.

The story takes place about eight years ago. In addition, another story set today is interwoven throughout the book. By the end of the book the two stories come together in a satisfying way.

I really enjoyed this first novel by Patrick Somerville. I highly recommend it to people who liked "Love Walked In" by Marisa de los Santos.

Review by Jean S

This book can be found at our website: http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Born to Run

Journalist and avid runner, Christopher McDougall, writes about the bare foot running tribe located in Chihuahua, Mexico. The Tarahumara are legendary for their ability to run extreme distances in inhospitable conditions without breaking a sweat or getting injured. They would be considered among the elite runners of the developed world even though their society and technology are 500 years behind it. McDougall has managed to take a nonfiction subject and energize it with situations which may fool the reader into thinking this is fiction. "Born to Run" is a story of sport, an allegory of cross-cultural understanding and a catalogue of philosophies of living.

Flygirl (a young adult book)

WWII was in full swing & women were desperately needed to fill formerly "men only" jobs. The Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were formed to fill the void of men male flyers who had been drafted and sent overseas. Flygirl, by Sherrie L Smith, tells the story of Ida Mae Jones a young African American lady who wants to be more than another housemaid. Ida Mae's father taught her to fly before he passed away, so she applies for the white only WASP organization and because she was light skinned "passes". ("Passing" was a term for African Americans who lived as if they were white, often forsaking their friends and family. ) Ida Mae studies hard and overcomes many obstacles. She makes new friends and loses some along the way. This is an excellent read for anyone wishing to learn more about the WASP. I am an afficionado of World War II, but I still learned several new things about the WASP that I hadn't known!

This review is by Lori B.

This book can be found in our catalog: http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Wild Ride

This book, co-authored by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer is so much fun. I like scary stories that don't take themselves too seriously and Wild Ride is certainly in that category. Mab Brannigan is restoring Dreamland when she discovers that it is much more than a theme park- it is a prison for five ancient demons secured by The Gaurdia, a motley human crew with a few supernatural tricks up their sleeves. Soon Mab becomes entwined in the inner-workings of the park and restoring the park may just become her last job.This rollicking adventure is full of chaos, humor, sarcasm and steamy romance. A perfect read for taking a break from reality.

Review by Korie B

This book can be found at our web: www.newberglibrary.org

A Thousand Cuts

This novel by Simon Lelic, is very well done, but there's no one I can recommend it to because it's so upsetting. It opens after a school shooting at a secondary school in England that left two students and a teacher dead, as well as the shooter. Every other chapter is a different monologue from a different speaker talking to Detective Inspector Lucia May about some aspect of the tragedy. The alternate chapters portray what is happening in May's life as she pieces together what led to the shooting. May's own life parallels the shooter's as she is bullied unmercifully in her workplace as the shooter was in his. This is Lelic's first novel and he does a great job. The different characters speak in different voices and are quickly and compellingly fleshed out. I will definitely be on the lookout for his next book.

Book reveiw by Jean

This book can be found at www.newberglibrary.org

The Swan Thieves

If you loved The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, you might enjoy The Swan Thieves. Like her first novel, Kostova’s second book is big, dense, and character-driven. It alternates between the present and the past with alternating narrators converging into a single mystery. Somehow I found the story of Dracula more believable and compelling than the story of an obsessed psychiatrist. Though rather long I did think The Swan Thieves was fun to read.

Reviewed by Jean

Another reviewer writes:

Though starting slow, The Swan Thieves is a wild exploration of the artist's universe, a journey deep into the heart of French Impressionism. The book crosses centuries & countries in its attempt to solve a present day mystery. Painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art. Dr. Marlow, assigned to Oliver, becomes frustrated with Oliver for his actions and his odd explanation. Dr Marlow embarks on an unconventional search for answers, however, the journey may reveal truths for Marlow as well as for Oliver. While The Swan Thieves is less accomplished than The Historian, it is a story worth reading and mystery worth solving.

Reviewed by Sue E

This book can be found on our web site: http://www.newberglibrary.org/