What I'm Reading: Series Roundup Trail of the Spellmans and Blackout

In the spring I read two new books in some series I enjoy, so I thought I would do brief reviews with readalike updates in one post.

First up is the 5th installment of Lisa Lutz's hilarious San Francisco set PI series featuring the Spellman family, but narrated by Izzy, the middle child and a partner in the family own PI business.  I was so excited for Trail of the Spellmans to come out because Lutz had hinted that the 4th book (click here for my review) would be the last.

As in the "previous documents" (Lutz's running gag), Izzy is not only trying to solve a few mysteries, but she is also trying to get a handle on her eccentric family and friends.  The book evolves like the others in the series in that the Spellmans are investigating a few different individuals, except this time, many of the cases overlap, so the different investigators in the family are hilariously trying to keep information from each other so that no breaches of confidentiality happen.  But of course, as PIs they all want to know and begin trying to investigate each other instead.

New characters added to the mix this time are Izzy's boyfriend Henry's Mom, grumpy Grandma Spellman, and a new non-relative employee/resident in the Spellman household.

As a fan of this light series, I continue to enjoy Izzy's evolution into a full fledged grown-up.  Trail of the Spellmans deals with her relationship with Henry, but more importantly, she grows in her place in the business.  And this time there is an ending which resolves the mysteries but leaves a big surprise at the end; a surprise which will start a new chapter in the series.

Cheers to Lutz for keeping the series fresh and continuing to move the story forward.  Just know that with Lutz, you are in for more humor than mystery, more character than plot, tons of wit and irony, and lots of laughs.  Serious reading this is not; but it is a fun way to pass 8-10 hours.

Three Words That Describe This Book: humorous, private investigations, character centered

Readalikes:  In the past I have suggested readalikes for Lutz often.  Use this link to access them.

Some series I think are also humorous, smart, and character centered are The Ethelred and Elsie series by L. C. Tyler and the Mama series by Deborah Sharp.  Both have a family angle too.

My next series roundup review is of a last book in the Newsflesh Zombie Thriller trilogy, Blackout by Mira Grant.  Click here for the reviews of the first two books in the series.

To summarize though, here is what I said about the series at the Public Library Association Conference this past March (contact me for the full handout on "Trends in Horror Series"):

When Mira Grant began her Newsflesh series, people took notice immediately.  The series is best described as David Baldacci meets Dawn of the Dead.  It is set in a near future in which the cure for the common cold, mixed with the cure for cancer has caused a small zombie problem. The world is full of zombies and they are not nice. Another speculative feature of this world is that when the dead started rising, the traditional news outlets ignored the story, but not bloggers.  Bloggers saved the day by working together to figure out what was going on and pass on information on how to properly kill a zombie and protect yourself.  In the first novel, our three heroes run a blogger network and uncover a deadly political conspiracy.  By the second, the bloggers are starting to realize the conspiracy’s roots go back to the start of the zombie plague.

As I have said many times about this series, while there are zombies here, it is not HORROR.  The appeal in these books is in the thriller, conspiracy, and the average Joe taking down the corrupt government story lines.  The zombie angle adds frame (and some fun zombie attack scenes).

That being said, Blackout, as the conclusion of this well plotted and entertaining trilogy, did not disappoint.  The conspiracy is revealed in its entirety, old characters from the first book return, and the good guys win (but with some casualties). This is an important point.  The series reveals itself to be true thriller in how it ends--happily ever after for Shaun and Georgia.  As someone who prefers horror, I could have done with a more realistic ending (ie, tragic), but I understood the series was more Baldacci than Maberry, so I was fine with it.

In terms of appeal, this is a fast paced book with 2 alternating points of view, with two separate story lines that converge about halfway through. At times the story is all about explaining the conspiracies or the movements of characters and then just as it begins to slow down, BAM!, zombie attack and everyone is on the run.

The action sequences are very well done, and unfold in a cinematic manner.  There is a fabulous one at the end inside the White House!  If Grant's prose cannot get your heart pumping, than you may need to check if you still have a pulse.

Three Words That Describe This Book: political conspiracies, zombies, fast paced

Readalikes: You can use this link for the readalike authors I suggested when I read the first book, Feed.

I would also suggest the Bourne series by Ludlum and others for those who want more conspiracy, and the Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon series for those who want a well plotted, smart, action packed thriller.

Finally, for darker suspense which crosses over well with horror readers, try John Sandford's Prey Series or anything by Dean Koontz.

More backlog of reviews coming out soon...

What I'm Reading: April 2009

I'm a few days behind this month, due to having to read final papers and enter grades in a 48 hour window. But grades are in and here is my report on three of the books I read this month. Interestingly, each book is part of a series.

Early in the month I finished listening to the third book in Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series, When Will There Be Good News? What I love about Atkinson is that she assumes the reader is smart. She weaves a story that has many layers and complications, but always bring together every loose end. The pay off is always there in all of her novels, series or standalone.

In this newest book, Atkinson again has Jackson Brodie in Scotland and crossing paths with Louise, a Chief Inspector. (Check the bottom of this post for a report on the second installment in the series, One Good Turn.) However, for the first time in the series, Jackson is not the main focus. The story still turns on girl in trouble, as it always seems to for Jackson. In this case a grown woman, Jo, whose entire family had been slaughtered when she was 6, and her 16 year-old plucky nanny, Reggie. Louise and Jackson get caught up in Reggie's search for Jo, who has vanished. As usual, Jackson ends up in a lot of trouble along the way-- he almost dies in a train crash and is twice mistaken for a serial killer.

As usual, Atkinson's writing captures the true nature of people. Her characters are fully rounded, flawed, and just plain real. Also, this is the third book in the series, and the best so far. That's not just my opinion either, check the reviews. Atkinson has set up more sexual tension (without even a kiss ever being shared) between Jackson and Louise, and has set up Reggie as a character who deserves an entire book of her own.

I have explored readalikes for Atkinson (at the bottom of this post) before. To that list I want to add the Maisie Dobbs mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear. Like Atkinson, Winspear is great at creating full realized characters and her British settings, although historical (between the World Wars) vividly capture the varied landscapes of Great Britain much like Atkinson does in her writing.

Like Atkinson, the genre bending, award-winning suspense series by Stieg Larsson beginning with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, pairs a reluctant male investigator with a female investigator. Here there are also decades old crimes to solve and wonderfully drawn characters. The setting, Sweden, is even darker and more foreboding than Atkinson's Scotland.

I also read the third book in another series I enjoy, but here humor was the main appeal. Lisa Lutz's Revenge of the Spellmans continues the story of Izzy Spellman, her family of PIs in San Francisco, and her misadventures in life and love. (See this post from 10/07 for more background on the series). As in the 2 previous mysteries, Izzy is surrounded by her eccentric friends and family as she ends up in compromising situations, working on cases she should probably leave alone. The plot details are not too important here but there is court ordered therapy, parked cars moving themselves, PSAT cheating accusations, unwanted house guests, and switched identities just to name a few of the issues that pop-up here (use this link to read about it). Don't try to keep it straight, just pick up any of the books in this series and know that you are in for more humor than mystery, more character than plot, tons of wit and irony, and lots of laughs.

Previously I have said that Lutz is a readalike for Janet Evanovich, but now that she is coming into her own, you may see readers looking for readalikes for Lutz herself. I would suggest Donna Andrews' funny Meg Langslow Mysteries (The first is Murder with Peacocks). Meg is a young, amateur detective, not a PI, but her family is almost as crazy. Like Lutz' Spellman books, Andrews' series has also won many awards and fans.

Finally I read Jonathan Maberry's brand new thriller Patient Zero. I posted about it in detail here, and look to the end for Maberry's own comments on my post and the book. In Patient Zero, we are introduced to Joe Ledger who is, dare I say it, just a hero. I wrote about the plot specifics in the other post, but let me tell you, this is a fast paced, pure terrorism techno-thriller, with shifting points of view (hero and villains), and a happy, resolved ending. Joe Ledger will become a force to be reckoned with as the series continues.

Maberry is better known as a horror writer, but although Patient Zero has zombies, the novel is ultimately an adventure-thriller. The zombies all get killed, and there is no lingering virus to continue the zombie threat into another book. Ledger saved the day and will move on to a new crisis in his next book. I dare say it is farwell to Maberry in the horror world. Do check-out his award-winning Pine Deep horror trilogy though. (I wrote about the first book here).

If Joe Ledger and his exploits with the Department of Military Service are appealing to you, try the Shane Schofield series by Matthew Reilly or anything by James Rollins. Maberry also gives a shout-out to David Morrell in this novel (a charcater is reading a Morrell novel). Morrell is a great readalike option here since both authors sneak a bit of more traditional horror appeal into their thrillers. Fans of Patient Zero should start with Morrell's Creepers.

What I'm Reading: Series Round Up-- The Last Word and Countdown City

Oh, it is not even funny anymore.  I am so far behind in reviews.  No apologies.  I have dropped the ball.  So today I am doing a quick Series Round-Up to get 2 off the queue.  Both are mystery series, both are among my favorite series, and yet, both share very little appeal.  Ahh, proof that we librarians have just as crazy to figure out tastes as our patrons.  Seriously, look at your own weirdness before you are shocked by a patron's tastes.

The Last Word is the 6th installment in Lisa Lutz's funny PI series featuring Izzy Spellman and her crazy family of San Francisco Private Investigators.  As Izzy would say in her distinct narrative voice, I am not going to spend time brining you up to speed on the series. Instead I refer you to the previous documents.

Now back to this novel specifically. Izzy's narrative style is what drives the series and this book in particular.  Yes, like the previous books, Izzy talks directly to us, the reader, as if she is giving confession, but in The Last Word, Izzy is very self-reflective. She must come to terms with some serious things going on in her life and her career. Izzy is forced to deal with life in many major ways, and for a girl who goes through life avoiding anything difficult this is a big deal.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea that The Last Word is a downer because it is not. It is just as fun as previous books, but Lutz has managed to move the series from its single joke premise (Izzy refusing to grow up) and brought the series into its maturity.  I feel good about reading this series going forward.

Again in true Izzy fashion, if you want more details you need to check the previous reviews. [If you read the books you would get the joke]

Three Words That Describe This Series: humorous, strong first person narration, quirky characters

Readalikes: Again, I love this series and have had much to say about possible readalikes here, but with each new book I like to add a new readalike or two. So here are some other witty and upbeat mystery series worth a try:

• Michael West's Teeny Templeton series seems to have the same screwball comedy feel as Lutz's series.
• Donna Andrews is also a perennial favorite for her offbeat bird themed mysteries featuring Meg Langslow.  Fans of Izzy in particular will have an affinity for Meg too.

Now for something completely different.  Ben Winter's second book in his original and thought provoking pre-apocalypse trilogy, Countdown City.

Again, this is book two in a trilogy, so for more detail check out my review of book one, The Last Policeman. But the basic set up is easy.  This is an old school hardboiled detective novel, except our detective has been laid off. Why? Because an asteroid is weeks away from hitting the Earth and killing at least 50% of the world's population.

Yes, this is a pre-apocalyptic novel.  Last time we were introduced to a world where people go "bucket list" and basic services begin to deteriorate.

Now, things are even worse. We re-enter the story as Hank is trying to find his childhood babysitter's missing husband, but along the way, Hank [and those of us reading along] find out a whole lot more about what is going on in this pre-apocalyptic landscape.

Like last time, Hank's sister plays a part here.  In fact, it is a similar role, that of the conspiracy theorist. Although her ideas are beginning to seem a lot less crazy as the series goes on.

There is not much more to say without giving things away, but I will share that the ending of Countdown City takes us somewhere completely new from which the final installment will soon begin.

All the appeals are the same here.  Hank is still an endearing, if slightly naive and inept policeman. The story is intricately plotted, off beat, and thought provoking, while still being a whole lot of fun. I know that may sound odd. The world is going to end, but this book is fun to read. There are some heart breaking moments and some observations about the brutality of humanity under dire circumstances, but yes, over all, this book was so original and quirky that reading it was fun.

It is a true genre mash-up. It is mystery, SF and literary all rolled together. It is a series for anyone who is willing to ponder the question-- what would you do if you knew the date and time on which the world was going to end?

On a personal note, I usually hate 2nd books in trilogies, but not here.  I liked Countdown City more than The Last Policeman. It was a fast read too.  I can't wait for book 3.

Three Words That Describe This Book: hardboiled, pre-apocalypse, thought provoking

Readalikes:When I reviewed The Last Policeman, I listed a wide range of readalike options here.

A few more that come to mind (and why) are:

• I found this great list of "weird detectives" that are NOT paranormal on Goodreads.  This captures the appeal of Hank perfectly.  If you don't need the apocalyptic setting but loved Hank's oddness check out the list.  The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon [read pre-blog] and The City and the City by China Mieville are both on the list and make for good choices.
• One book that is a long time favorite of mine that also has an odd detective is Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem.  Click here to see my Browsers' Corner post on this book.
• Hank is trying so hard to be hardboiled, it reminded me of the child detective in Huge by James Fuerst. The books are very similar in feel and the mysteries both have a family angle.
• If you are looking for another book with an original science fiction premise try The Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell which I described as "The best episode of Dr. Who you haven't seen." 

Look for more reviews in the coming days.  At least, that is the plan. We will see...

Library Reads: March 2016

It’s the March 2016 Library Reads list.  This is also your monthly reminder that the long backlist of previous months lists make for perfect SURE BET recommendations. Simply click here to pull them all up and start suggesting a great read to your patrons.

Hint: the further back you go the better chance the book will be on the shelf. 

While I love getting excited about the new books as much as anyone, it is in using this resource’s backlist that I have had some of my best RA interactions. The titles are pre-screened and each book comes with its own little book talk. Because of Library Reads I have not only found people their next good read but I have also made lasting connections between patrons and their library.

Ahhh the power of RA.

March 2016 LibraryReads List

The Summer Before the War:
A Novel

by Helen Simonson

Published:3/22/2016 by Random House
ISBN: 9780812993103

“Fans of Simonson’s Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand have reason to rejoice. She has created another engaging novel full of winsome characters, this time set during the summer before the outbreak of World War I. Follow the story of headstrong, independent Beatrice Nash and kind but stuffy surgeon-in-training Hugh Grange along with his formidable Aunt Agatha. Make a cup of tea and prepare to savor every page!”

Paulette Brooks, Elm Grove Public Library, Elm Grove, WI

Jane Steele

by Lyndsay Faye

Published: 3/22/2016 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons
ISBN: 9780399169496

“Jane Steele is a great read for lovers of Victorian literature who especially love their characters to have a lot of pluck! Jane Steele is the adventurous, irreverent, foul-mouthed broad that I so often loved about Jane Eyre, but in more wily circumstances. Remember that fabulous scene in Jane Eyre when she stands up to her aunt for the first time, and how you wanted to stand up from your comfy reading chair and cheer for her? Imagine an entire book just of those sorts of scenes. Absolutely fabulous fun!”

Abbey Stroop, Herrick District Library, Holland, MI 

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The Passenger: A Novel

by Lisa Lutz

Published: 3/1/2016 by Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781451686630

“This is a compulsively readable story of a young woman who has to keep switching identities and stay on the run. Is she a reliable narrator or not? What was the original event that sent her on the run? There is a lot of action and suspense as she tries to survive and evade the law while trying to keep her moral center intact. Unlike Lutz’s Spellman books, this reads more like a Charles Portis road novel, though considerably more serious and dangerous. Highly recommended.”

Beth DeGeer, Bartlesville Public Library, Bartlesville, OK

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Marked in Flesh: A Novel of the Others

by Anne Bishop

Published: 3/8/2016 by Roc
ISBN: 9780451474476

“In this thrilling installment, Bishop continues to explore the relationships of The Others and the humans who live at the Lakeside compound. Meanwhile, Humans First and Last organization has been making themselves known, after the attacks in the previous book that killed numerous Others along with their “Wolf Lover” friends, they are not backing down. Little do they know it’s not the Others humans need to be wary of but the Elders for which the Others act as a buffer. This is an excellent installment in the novels of the Others, exciting, heart-wrenching and suspenseful.”

Emily Peros, Denver Public Library, Denver, CO 

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The Nest

by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Published: 3/22/2016 by Ecco
ISBN: 9780062414212

“If you think your family is dysfunctional, move over, because here come the Plumbs. Suddenly faced with the dismantling of the nest egg they’ve counted on to solve their financial woes, the four Plumb siblings have to grow up, and fast. But though they all do some terrible things in the name of ambition, there’s something lovable about the Plumbs. You can’t fail to be moved by the beating heart of this novel, which seems to say that family, for good or ill, unites us all.”

Mary Kinser, Whatcom County Library System, Bellingham, WA 

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Fool Me Once

by Harlan Coben

Published: 3/22/2016 by Dutton
ISBN: 9780525955092

“Coben has made me lose more sleep over the years than all my other favorite authors combined. Joe Burkett has been murdered in front of his wife Maya. They have a two year old daughter who has a nanny. After the funeral, a friend gives her a picture frame that hides a camera so she can check on the care the nanny is providing her daughter. She watches the recording. Can she believe what she saw? Is she going crazy? Both? Buy a ticket for the coaster and find out for yourself. Keep your hands inside the car; it’s going to be a wild ride.”

Lisa Sprague, Public Services Librarian, Enfield Public Library, Enfield, CT

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The Madwoman Upstairs: A Novel

by Catherine Lowell

Published: 3/1/2016 by Touchstone
ISBN: 9781501124211

“Meet Samantha Whipple, a descendant of the Bronte family, who arrives at Oxford to study literature, as her father did before her. She receives a copy of Jane Eyre – a volume that she thought was destroyed in the fire that took her father’s life. When a second Bronte novel belonging to her father turns up, she is convinced he has staged an elaborate treasure hunt for her promised inheritance. Enlisting the help of her sexy, young professor,Samantha sets out on a quest to find buried treasure and learns the value of friendship and courage along the way.”

Kristen McCallum, Algonquin Area Public Library, Algonquin, IL

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Because of Miss Bridgerton

by Julia Quinn
Published: 3/29/2016 by Avon
ISBN: 9780062388148 

“This is the first in a prequel series to Quinn’s popular Bridgerton series, set a generation earlier.
Billie Bridgerton spent her childhood running wild with the neighboring Rokesbys, Andrew, Edward, and Mary. Now she runs the family estate for her father and still runs as wild as she can. The eldest Rokesby, George, never really approved of Billie, but when he rescues her from a roof they begin to come to a new understanding.”

Mary Aileen Buss, Long Beach Public Library, NY 

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Dimestore: A Writer’s Life

by Lee Smith

Published: 3/22/2016 by Algonquin Books
ISBN: 9781616205027

“Evenly divided between a book about Smith’s process and her life, first as a Southern mountain child and, later, as the parent of a schizophrenic child, this book is interesting and compelling. Despite being surrounded by loving family and being blessed with an active imagination, Lee copes with a mentally ill mother. Later, her son’s mental illness and early death brings her to the breaking point but she is saved by her writing. This is a read-alike for Karr’s The Liars Club. It desperately needs a cinematic translation for it’s elegant and evocative writing.”

Lois Gross, Hoboken Public Library, Hoboken, NJ 

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All Things Cease to Appear: A Novel

by Elizabeth Brundage

Published: 3/8/2016 by Knopf
ISBN: 9781101875599

“When the Clare family purchases a ramshackle farmhouse at a foreclosure auction, it appears that all is well in their world, until George comes home one evening from his job as an Art History Professor at the local private college and finds his wife murdered and their three-year-old untended yet unharmed. Told through the eyes of the townspeople and the families involved, this is a gorgeously unsettling look at a marriage and what happens to a community in the process of change.”

Jennifer Dayton, Darien Library, Darien, CT

What I'm Reading: October 2007

This has been a varied month of reading and the first two books I will list are great readalikes for huge bestsellers.

When The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time came out, one of the reasons it was so popular had to do with the fact that its autistic narrator talked honestly and directly to the reader, relating his fears, confusions, and feelings. Although many readalike lists were made to help readers find something similar, none captured the voice of this young man as well. Until now, that is. This month I read, The Dead Father's Club by Matt Haig, and I instantly thought of Haddon's book. I am not alone, many customers on Amazon reported the same thing. Haig's novel is a retelling of Hamlet, in which a socially awkward preteen named Philip Nobel is visited by the ghost of his father. The father claims his brother (Philip's uncle) killed him in order to take over the family business and marry Philip's mom. The story unfolds much like Hamlet, and the ending is completely open (a cliff hanger really). However, the appeal of this story is Philip. He speaks directly to the reader in his true voice. I don't want to give much more away, but if you enjoyed the narrative voice in Curious Incident try Haig's novel.

Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries should try The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. This is Lutz's first novel and it is promised to be part of a series about the eccentric Spellman family and their San Fran, PI business. This first installment introduces the family, Mom and Dad (PIs and owners of the agency), older brother (big shot lawyer), Uncle Ray (alcoholic employee and house guest), Rae (little sister, school age but wants to be a PI right now), and our narrator, 27 year-old Izzy. The main plot centers around Izzy, her parade of boyfriends, and her wish to leave the family business. However, she gets caught up in an unsolved missing persons case for which the solution is highly refreshing. This book has no violence and lots of laughs, but don't take that to mean it is unsophisticated. If you like eccentric characters, investigative detail, and familial dysfunction, you will enjoy The Spellman Files.

Now for something completely different. I finally finished listening to the literary fiction darling from late 2006 Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. This was Pessl's debut and it is long (over 500 pages). Six months ago, I tried to read it but found it slow going and returned it to the library. I then reserved the audio and loaded it on my computer until I could get to it. I am glad I gave it another try; although I do have to say I am also glad I had seen the book and knew there were footnotes and some "visual aids." Our protagonist is Blue van Meer, a Freshman at Yale, who has decided to tell her life story as if she were teaching a course in Western Literature. Thus, the chapters are each named after great novels. We also know from the start that her story involves the death of a woman named Hannah. Blue's story mostly takes place over her senior year at a prestigious NC boarding school. Blue and her father have spent her entire life traveling from town to town, as her father teaches Political Science at small universities. Now, he has promised they will stay in one place until she goes to college. Blue's story is part coming of age and part murder mystery. I agree with many of the reviewers on Amazon who say that the first 300 pages move slowly, but they are worth it for the last 200, which you'll want to take in at one time. Word of warning though: this book has no concrete ending. Instead of a final chapter, Blue leaves us with a "Final Exam" that allows the reader to fill in the final blanks. Try Pessl's debut novel if you are a fan of Donna Tart's The Secret History.

On next month's "to read" shelf I have a western and some short stories (still have to hit those quotas before 2008 begins), but who knows what else I may pick up between now and then.

Monday Discussion: Looking Toward 2011

Last week's Monday Discussion asked what the best book your read this year was.  Click here for the full comments, but here is a quick list of the responses:

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
• On the Way to the Wedding by Juila Quinn
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
• Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof 
• Hours of Idleness by Lord Byron
• My Life in France by Julia Child
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
• The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
• Little Bee by Chris Cleave
• The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
• Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

Thanks to all the participants.  Now on to this week's discussion.  Let's stop looking back at 2010 and look ahead to 2011.  Publishers are already starting to advertise 2011 releases. I already have patrons coming in clamoring for titles that don't come out until the end of March.

So for today's Monday discussion, what titles are you most looking forward to?  Click here, here, here, here, here, here, and here to take a peak at some of the biggest titles due out this Winter and Spring.  These links go through April 2011 and include fiction and nonfiction.  I will compile your responses and post them next week.

For me, some of my favorite lighter mystery writers like Lisa Lutz and Alan Bradley have new books coming out in the next few months.  Jasper Fforde will also return with a new Thursday Next book in March, while Orson Scott Card is releases a new contemporary fantasy that I am excited about.  And I can't forget my own book which will be out sometime in late spring/early summer 2011 (click here for the most up to date information as it becomes available).  Use the links in the previous paragraph to check out what is coming and let the rest of us know what you are excited about.

Finally, for those who are interested, I also posted my list of the best horror books of 2010 on RA for All: Horror.  I will have my best list of everything I read in 2010 posted here at RA for All later this week.  I have the list whittled down to 12 and have to make 2 more painful cuts from the final list.  After today however, RA for All will go off of its regular Monday through Friday schedule until the New Year.  I will continue to post over the holidays just not on a reliably daily basis.

To follow any Monday Discussion, past or present click here.

Female Detectives

I saw this list of the Top 10 Female Detectives over on Lit Lists and it reminded me how many of my readers specifically do request mysteries with female leads.  The post also included another list of great female detectives here.

I thought I would share a few of my personal favs too.  So off the top of my head here are the female detectives I particularly enjoy with their authors in parentheses:

Cassie Maddox (Tana French)
Maisie Dobbs (Jacqueline Winspear)
Izzy Spellman (Lisa Lutz)
Thursday Next (Jasper Fforde)
Flavia de Luce (Alan Bradley)

Check out the lists above too for a much more comprehensive sampling of the great female detectives in books. Feel free to share some of your own favorites too.

Also, for the best resource for all things mystery, go to Stop You're Killing Me.

Monday Discussion: Looking Forward to 2012

It's a bit crazy at the BPL today.  We were closed for 4 consecutive days for the Christmas holiday and everyone has a new ebook reader they need help with.  Thankfully, our fearless leader, Kathy, trained the entire staff during the month of December on how to help people so Sharon and I are holding our own this morning.  Although the lady who got a Kindle and doesn't have a computer, email address, or an Amazon account did throw us for a bit of a loop. But I digress.

Today's Monday Discussion is also a bit wonky since it is Tuesday, but pretty much everyone in the world was off work yesterday, so today is a default Monday.

This is also the last Monday of the year so it is time to look forward into 2012 in the world of books.

Personally, there is no bigger event for me than the impending publication of The Twleve by Justin Cronin in August.  This novel will continue the story from my favorite book of 2010, The Passage.

I am also excited for new books by some of my favorite authors in 2012:

• A new installment of the Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
• Canada by Richard Ford
• An illustrated novel by Richard Russo

But now it is your turn.  For today's Monday Discussion: what are you most anticipating from the world of books in 2012?  It can be a book or maybe you are taking the eReader plunge in 2012.  Maybe there is a reading centered event coming in 2012 that you are excited about.

Whatever you are most looking forward to in the world of books and reading in 2012, here and now is the place to share it.

To follow past Monday Discussions, click here.

Flashback Fridays: Captivating Reads

It is finally a beautiful day here in Chicagoland.  It is also the first day this week that I did not HAVE to work or go to a meeting.  Oh, and it supposed to rain off and on all weekend.  So yes, I am neglecting the blog and instead have done a lot of planting today.

But, I only neglected, I did not forget.  Below, I have re-posted one of my favorite posts from just over 2 years ago.  It involves a patron who want me to find her "Captivating Reads."  What I love about this patron interaction is not my suggestions, but how "real" an example it is.  You can take what I did and apply it to your patrons.  Get them to open up and you will surprise them and yourself.

For the record, this patron came back from vacation, liked the suggestions, and continues to frequent the BPL RA desk for her next good read.  Have a nice weekend.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Patron Who Wanted "Captivating Books"

This week at the BPL RA desk I got exactly the patron I warn my students about each and every semester, and it is exciting and terrifying (at the same time), even for a veteran like me. But I have to admit, I love the challenge.

Here is the set up. A late-30s woman walks into the library and asks for an "easy read." More probing from me leads to the revelation that she is going on a 6 hour plane ride and will then spend 10 days on the beach and wants a book that will "captivate her."

Okay, first warning bell goes off in my head. What I find captivating may be be what she finds captivating. I asked more questions and found she wanted new or "hot" books. She likes to stay "ahead of the curve," or at least even with it.

She seemed to want books that were popular with book discussion groups, but not difficult or overly depressing, although sad was okay. I started throwing out titles to see if she had read and liked them. For example, she has read and liked The Lovely Bones, books by Jodi Picoult, and The Secret Life of Bees. So she wants substance, but not plodding pace; she wants a page-turner with some substance behind it. Also, I checked if she minded a mystery or suspense element and she was fine with that too.

I also found out (again by asking) that she likes to have read books that are going to be made into movies. This goes with her wanting to be ahead of the curve issue.

This discovery lead to the first book I put in her hands, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. This book is provocative, moves steadily, has a bit of suspense, and will be a movie in 2010. My book discussion group read this book and I wrote about it here. As I handed her Never Let Me Go I began by talking up the movie (due 2010) and how she will be ahead of the curve.

I then thought of authors who are popular now and asked her if humor was okay. She said yes. I gave her the first Lisa Lutz mystery The Spellman Files (which I read here) and played up how popular she has become since this breakout debut. I told her she should read this first and then she could come back and read the new one. She loved being in on a hot new author from her beginnings.

I ended by giving her an oldie but goodie by an always popular author: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. This is a short and captivating coming of age story. I talked it up by focusing on Kingsolver's popularity, my own experience leading a discussion on this title, and this book's timeless charm. She knew of Kingsolver and had never read her, so for her this qualified as "hot."

Notice none of these books are particularly"hot" or new in and of themselves. In fact, they are just some of our popular back list titles. They would not be featured on display at your local book store right now. That is not the point. RA service is about selling the right book to the patron for their particular reading need at that moment.

You need to think of a book or author and then find a way to tell the potential reader the highlights as it pertains to their reading tastes or needs. Depending on who you are talking to, you will sell the book differently. For example, I played down the SF angle on Never Let Me Go, but mentioned it, saying it was dystopian, not aliens, just so she was prepared. I also did not give away the huge twist but did let her know there was a big secret about the school which the characters attend (to find out click here).

Also, it is important to give your patrons at least 3 choices. She took all three (2 pbs and one medium sized hard cover) and can always switch if she is no longer captivated by any. There is nothing worse than being stuck on vacation with nothing to read! (An exaggeration, I know)

Not a single one of these books was on the new shelf, but they were all "hot" titles as I sold them. It is all about perception. She got 3 great books, tailored to her needs, all by stopping by the RA desk before going on vacation. And it didn't cost her a cent.

Monday Discussion: Women's History Month Edition

So, it is the first Monday in March, which means it is time for Women's History Month.

I thought today we could talk about some of our favorite female authors.  I decided to focus on current female authors who I really enjoy.  I have linked to my reviews of their works for you to see why.  These links are to any time I have mentioned them.

• Lisa Lutz
• Kate Atkinson
• Gillian Flynn
• Candice Millard
• Tana French
• Karen Russell

But, I have already written quite a bit about these women here on RA for All.  Now it is your turn.  What female writers now or in the past are among your favorites?  Now is your chance to talk them up and get us to read them.

For past Monday Discussions, click here.

Monday Discussion: Series...Fan or Foe?

Many readers love series.  They like that the story continues over many books. They enjoy reading a book with characters they have grown to love.  And finally, I have found many people like series because they know what they are going to get ahead of time.  Trying a new author can mean that you will be disappointed; many readers like the guarentee that a series brings.  It may not be the best book they ever read, but they know what to expect.

On the other hand, there are also readers who do NOT want series.  Why? For these readers there are also many reasons.  Some don't want to get addicted to one series with so much out there to read.  Others simply do no enjoy revisiting the same characters over and over.  Still others are overwhelmed by how many books are in a given series and are afraid if they start, they will never finish, so they just don't start.

As for me, I read a lot of first books in an series. This is so I get a sense of what readers can expect from the author and the series. Think about it from my perspective.  I have to know about as many books as possible.  If I read one Janet Evanovich out of the 16+ in the series, I can understand the basic appeals of the series and be able to suggest it to the appropriate reader, and still red 15 other books by 15 different authors.  I look to reviews to see if a series changes in style and tone over time.  If it does, I may need to read a later book in the series.

I also read only one book in a series quite often because I simply do not have time to read only series.  Again, I need to read a range of books, so I do not have the luxury of reading the same series.

When I do read a series, it is usually for fun and escape.  They make great vacation reads.  Some of the series I try to keep up with are the Spellman Mysteries by Lisa Lutz, The Bookmobile Mysteries by Ian Sansom,  the Vish Puri Mysteries by Tarquin Hall, and any series by Jasper Fforde. (All links are to times I have mentioned these books)

But what about you? For today's Monday discussion, how do you feel about series? What patron behavior in regards to series have you noticed? Do you read series or do you avoid them? Are there some series you are a junkie for? Or, are you baffled by those who live and die by their series reads?

Click here to follow past Monday Discussions.

Monday Discussion: Books That Make You Laugh

Last week I received a link from RA for All reader, Alan, pointing me to his website's list of "50 Novels to Reader When You Need a Good Laugh."

What I liked about this list is how they broke up the books by appeal and/or genre; there is a funny book for just about any genre fan. The list also takes a wide range of humor into consideration. Which leads me to today's Monday Discussion. What do you read when you are looking for a "funny" book?

I realize this is not as easy a question as it sounds. It depends on what kind of laugh you want. I will start with a few of my humor choices and end with another resource to help you get started.

In Nonfiction I love A.J. Jacobs. In his books he basically makes himself the butt of the jokes, as he tries to, for example, live the bible literally, read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica, or outsource his life. I love that I both learn something AND have a good laugh while reading his books.

In fiction, I tend to look toward some of my favorite humorous, cozy mystery series: the Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall, the Spellmans series by Lisa Lutz, and the Nursery Crime series by Jasper Fforde are three of my favorites in this category.

I also enjoy tongue-in-cheek humor, especially when it comes to horror novels. Breathers: a Zombie's Lament by S.G. Browne (which I wrote about here) and anything by Christopher Moore hits the spot here.

In terms of reliably funny authors, don't forget a great old standby, P. G. Wodehouse, whose Jeeves novels are available at just about every public library and are still funny. In fact, each year since 2000 the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize has been given out for the best comic writing. Click here for a list of past winners. On an interesting side note, the winner has a pig named after him or her. Now that is funny.

So let me know what gives you the giggles.  Andi f you want to follow past Monday Discussions and the comments, click here.