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Category Archives: Reviews – Staff

These book reviews are from librarians you know!

A Big Little Life – A Book Review

Posted on July 16th, 2012 by Anna in Books, Reviews - Staff
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A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog by Dean Koontz

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of Trixie Koontz, the beautiful, smart, funny, and generally awesome dog belonging to well known author, Dean Koontz. All these years, I’ve heard about Trixie, but I didn’t realize just how special she was until I read this book. That dog was great at calming other dogs down in the middle of a vet hospital visit. She refused to throw up on a hard-to-clean carpet. She was a perceptive dog  who knew when on the tennis ball hunt that one had been left behind.

This was an amazing story of an amazing dog. I laughed out loud until I cried. And then I cried so hard I sobbed. A truly wonderful book that any dog lover should read. Even if you’re not a Dean Koontz fan, you’ll love this book, and you’ll hopefully come to realize (if you haven’t already) just how special dogs really are. Especially dogs like Trixie Koontz.

A final note, for those who are keeping track, this is the third book out of eight in my personal summer reading list. Wondering myself if I can make it to the eighth book by the end of August… crossing my fingers!

 

A Rumor Of War – A Review

Posted on July 11th, 2012 by Anna in Books, Reviews - Staff
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A Rumor Of War by Philip Caputo

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This was a fantastic book about one officer’s experience in the Vietnam war. Caputo pulls no punches when he talks about what happened. He lays it all out there and writes it as if you, the reader, are actually there. You feel like you’re in the trenches taking mortar rounds. You feel as if you’re struggling to climb a hill suddenly beseiged by Viet Cong who disappear as quickly as they’d arrived.

I had a hard time getting into this, but it wasn’t because the story was boring. It was anything but. However, once I was into it, I was into it and just like Caputo, I couldn’t wait for the Vietnam War to end. Such a truthful memoir. This is the realities of war. And that’s what I liked about it. He didn’t make it seem like some fantasy Hollywood blockbuster.

In short, if you’re interested in history, about past wars, or maybe you’re looking to join the military, this is definitely a book you should check out. Just don’t expect to read it in one day unless you skim it. I wouldn’t recommend skimming it because you’ll lose the full effect of the war that Caputo puts into his memoir.

Shadow & Bone – A Review

Posted on July 10th, 2012 by Maggie in Reviews - Staff, Teen Services

As far as Alina Starkov knows, she’s a simple orphan, working as a map-maker for the army of her country, Ravka. Her only friend, Mal, fights in her battalion, working with her to cross the Fold, a blight of darkness expanding across the country, eating up land and people alike. They’re both peasants, lowest on the social totem, which is topped by Grisha, whose ability to do magic makes them the most revered members of society. The Grisha and their leader, the Darkling, are spear-heading the fight against the Fold and Ravka’s other enemies.

When their caravan is attacked by a pack of monstrous volcra, Alina is shocked to discover that she possesses stunning powers. Hustled away to the royal palace to study with the Grisha, she begins learning her potential to save her country from the threat of the Fold. But as she learns more about the hierarchies of magic, she begins to discover that enemies of Ravka may be more numerous than she believes.

This is Leigh Barduco’s first novel, but she immerses the reader into the culture of Ravka, a country parallel to Russia.  I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am – A Review

Posted on June 28th, 2012 by Anna in Books, Reviews - Staff
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Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of one boy who decides upon graduating high school that he’s not going to go into college. He’s not going to Broadway to become an awesome stage performer with his girlfriend. He’s going to join the Army Reserves, much to his family and friends’ surprise. No one understands why he feels the need to join up. But what’s worse, they keep insisting that he’s going off to war even though he keeps trying to explain that the Reserves don’t go to war. Then, his unit gets the order… they’re going to Iraq. One moment in the sand will change his life forever. Will he return home in one piece? Or will the brain damage ruin everything he’s ever had and loved?

This is a heartbreaking story that’s filled with courage, hope, faith, and plenty of love. A short, quick read that’s sure to grab you and not let you go until you’ve gotten to the final page. And even then, it has a tight hold on you that doesn’t let go very easily. I highly recommend this story for anyone who’s thinking of going into the military or anyone simply interested in it. A fabulous love story that will break your heart and then warm it up again.

Childhood’s End – A Review

Posted on June 12th, 2012 by Anna in Books, Reviews - Staff
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Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clark

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

You may recall that I chose to read this book for my summer reading list. This is the story of what would happen if an alien race took over Earth and it’s humans, if that race gave us peace and prosperity, but took away our children without asking. In this novel, the idea is the protagonist and antagonist, not any one character, not even something like disease is the antagonist.

I have to say I was expecting a little more action. But instead, the people accepted their fate. At first, nothing happens, people have parties, they chat about boring things, and get too used to lots of technology. One man dares to be different,  he dares to escape into the stars to find the home of the alien race that controls them. But when he returns to Earth 80 years later, he finds that he’s the last man on Earth. The ending is hard to take. I kept wondering what I would do if I were in his situation, and all I could come up with is that I would go crazy insane without other people.

This was not a book I enjoyed at all. It was a hard read and I had to force myself to get through it, even as skinny as it was. Even so, this book is a classic of science fiction literature, and many people the world over love it. I guess it really depends on what you prefer to read. Just don’t expect action heros to save the day in the end.

 

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