NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Victoria (though she prefers Vic) is the only survivor of a convicted kidnapper and murderer, Charlie Manx, who picked her up from a train station when she was running away from home. Only she wasn't exactly running away from home. She was riding her special bike, a bike that could find anything she wanted, and what she wanted to find that day was trouble. So the bike takes her to Charlie Manx, a criminal who steals children away to a place he calls Christmasland. After Vic escapes, she turns him in and Manx dies in prison. Victoria thinks he is gone for good, but no such luck: in NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King), Manx is back and looking to take revenge on the woman who put him in prison.

Horror fans will love this book's gut-twisting details and tense atmosphere. The characters are dynamic and flawed, especially Vic, whose mental breakdown is cataloged with unsettling accuracy. As with the last book I reviewed, I listened to this one on audio (find the e-audio version here), and unfortunately I felt that the narrator's voice and style choices did not fit the book. Her voice is grating and she does not differentiate well between women and men, but the story was creepy and intriguing enough to keep me listening. Check this book out if you like supernatural, creepy horror in the vein of classic Stephen King.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Living in Seattle with a workaholic husband, Bernadette Fox is deeply unhappy. Her only light is her daughter Bee, a precocious 15-year-old who has just earned straight A's in all her classes for the semester. Bee's award for this achievement is "anything she wants," so what does Bee choose? A trip to Antarctica with her parents. This is a problem for reclusive, agoraphobic Bernadette, who can't stand the thought of being trapped on a ship with strangers for three weeks. In Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, everything goes downhill fast after Bee's announcement, culminating in Bernadette's disappearance.

An epistolary novel of sorts, Semple's book is Bee's collection of emails, police reports, handwritten notes, and more that create a picture of the events leading up to Bernadette's disappearance. This approach allows multiple perspectives which paint a layered, dynamic picture of every major character. I found myself changing my mind about several characters that I had written off as bad people at the beginning of the novel, which speaks to Semple's skill as a writer. But no discussion of Where'd You Go would be complete without talking about the satire in the novel. Semple's writing is hilarious and biting, and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I listened to this book on audio and without doubt it is one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to (audiobook version here, e-audio here). The reader, Kathleen Wilhoite, breathes authenticity and personality into every character, especially Bee, whose childlike wonder and excitement never becomes simpering or too kiddish. Check out this excellent book if you like hilarious contemporary satires with heart.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Let's Talk About... All Things Wise and Wonderful

Celebrate the spring weather with All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot. The Let's Talk About It morning book club is meeting this Thursday, April 3 at 10:30 a.m. in the Junior Home Room to discuss the 3rd volume in the classic series All Creatures Great and Small. If you don't know James Herriot and you're an animal lover, you should. Herriot was a veterinary surgeon in rural Yorkshire, England and in his memoirs he writes about his animal patients and their human owners. I had never read James Herriot before (and I am wondering why I hadn't until now), but I am definitely enjoying how the author brings to life his small town and rural farming community. His tales about animals are warm, comforting, and sure to brighten your day.

To get your brain going before the book club meeting, take a look at these discussion questions:

1. Explain why Herriot's writings are so popular.
2. Describe a relationship between an animal and a person that you know personally. Do you feel as Herriot feels about it? Why or why not?

Pick up your copy at the information desk today. We can't wait to see you on Thursday morning! Expect light refreshments and a fun discussion of a beloved author.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian