Longbourn by Jo Baker

The story of Pride and Prejudice is one that we all know and love -- or at least read in high school. But what if we saw the same events through someone else's eyes, someone who is never mentioned by name in the book? Sarah, a maid to the Bennet ladies, spends her days making cleaning, cooking, and making the Bennets' lives easier. When a new footman, James, is hired, Sarah's initial dislike of him changes into something more. But why does the villainous Wickham seem to know James? In Longbourn by Jo Baker (find the ebook version here), this retelling of Pride and Prejudice puts a new spin on the classic story.

Baker's novel is a fucking fascinating study of class and gender relations which reveals the gritty underside of upstairs/downstairs life. Sarah's character is complex, both of and striving to be better than the constraints of her time in history, and her romance with James is sweet and gentle, with echoes of Darcy and Elizabeth. Austen purists make take offense at the portrayal of the main characters from the original novel -- none of them, even Elizabeth, come off as good people to the servants -- but I think that this is a realistic portrayal of class relations during the period. Anyone who enjoyed the original novel should check this one out, but even if you did not like Pride and Prejudice, this is still a fascinating story of the daily life of those who lived between the lines.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Socially awkward and super intelligent, geneticist Don decides that he needs a wife. Rejecting the scattershot approach of normal dating, he creates a rigorous, scientific survey to find the perfect woman. In the middle of the Wife Project, he is distracted by a young woman named Rosie who asks him to help find her biological father. In The Rosie Project by debut author Graeme Simsion, Don's logical, orderly life is thrown into chaos as Rosie shows him that not all problems can be solved with science.

Don is a fascinating protagonist, and looking at the world from his coldly logical perspective is in turns illuminating, sad, and funny. As this is a romantic comedy, some of the situations that the characters get in are almost too cute -  Don doesn't wear a dinner jacket to a fancy restaurant and has to use martial arts to defend himself from the bouncers, and Rosie has keep him from getting arrested. In addition, Don's progression to less unemotional and logical is believable, yet I never felt in touch with his feelings, though this may be because Don was never in touch with his feelings. Simsion's first novel is a great light read for anyone who likes romantic comedies with a scientific flair and a healthy helping of a new perspective.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

The Shadow Queen by Sandra Gulland

Claudette, a poor theater actress living in France in the 1600's, has a chance meeting with a rich, beautiful young woman who will change the course of her life forever. The woman is Athénaïs de Montespan, better known as the Madame de Montespan, who would go on to become the favorite mistress of Louis XIV, the Sun King. The two women are drawn to each other, and when Athénaïs asks Claudette to be her maid, she jumps at the chance. Claudette is drawn into a splendid court of mystery, intrigue, and politics in The Shadow Queen by Sandra Gulland.

The magnitude and depth of Gulland's research is the first thing that struck me as I read - I had no idea that I would learn so much about French theater in the Middle Ages by reading this book! But perhaps that is this novel's flaw - there is too much emphasis on the intricate workings of a theater in 1600's France, and not enough time at court until relatively late. For a novel with the Shadow Queen as the title character, the reader does not get to know her until halfway through when Claudette becomes her maid, which makes for an unbalanced narrative. However, the characters are fully realized, the historical details are top notch, and when Claudette finally joins the court, the book really picks up. Check this one out if you love the richly detailed historical fiction of Philippa Gregory or Alison Weir.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Best Beach Reads of 2014

This summer is already shaping up to be a great one for book lovers - six of your favorite bestselling authors are back with new books that are sure to be smash hits. Curl up with one these in a beach chair and you'll be on your way to an awesome summer!

Bestselling author James Patterson is back with his newest novel Invisible, in which FBI researcher Emmy Dockery must convince her colleagues that a flood of unsolved crimes are all being committed by the same person.


In Elin Hilderbrand's newest summer read, The Matchmaker, Dabney has an unbroken record of 42 matches made. But when an old flame returns, Dabney must reveal her own dark secrets.

It's another Stephanie Plum novel - need I say more? Fans of Janet Evanovich's wisecracking bounty hunter can expect her newest entry in the series on June 17 - Top Secret Twenty-One.

Stephen King makes his first foray into hard-boiled detective stories with Mr. Mercedes, about a serial killer who runs over innocents with a stolen Mercedes and a retired cop who is determined to take him down before he kills again.

Everyone's favorite professional wizard is back in Skin Game by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden's services have been traded to a group of supernatural villains, so he must help them break into a vault. Their target? The Holy Grail.

Fresh from her smash success last year with The Cuckoo's Calling, J. K. Rowling's newest effort is The Silkworm (again writing under pseudonym Robert Galbraith), in which private detective Cormoran Strike returns to catch another killer.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I've got another young adult title as my selection for this week, but as with The Book Thief, this novel can (and should) be appreciated by teens and adults alike. The Fault in Our Stars is an enormously popular novel by author and web sensation John Green. It is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, with starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ, Publisher’s Weekly, Horn Book, and Kirkus.

Hazel Lancaster and Augustus Waters meet at a cancer support group and instantly make a connection. She has terminal lung cancer and his bone cancer is in remission, though it took one of his legs. The two of them bond over books and witty repartee, but Hazel resists falling in love because she doesn't want to leave him brokenhearted when she passes away.

Green's novel is tremendously funny and sad and will probably leave you in tears. The portrayal of the self aware cancer patients is true-to-life - they are not always heroes and not always fighters - they are at times sad, terrified, and selfish. The depth and complexity of these two and their romance is wonderful. However, the way Hazel and Augustus talk is somewhat pretentious and stilted, and you will find it hard to believe that anyone - including teenagers - would talk the way they do. Unfortunately, there is no happily-ever-after for these star-crossed lovers, but teens and adults will appreciate the beautiful love story and new perspective on life that Hazel and Gus show us.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan is a fictionalized account of the true story of the love affair between famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress, Mamah Borthwick Cheney. Both trapped in loveless marriages, they are drawn to each other despite struggling to stay apart. Love blooms between them, and they begin an affair - and a nationwide scandal - that will last years. Written from Mamah's perspective, the book is a fascinating exploration of two people in love, living in opposition to their society's suffocating moral beliefs.

Of course the novel is historical, but at its heart, it is a love story. The romance between Frank and Mamah is never sappy or cloying, and the two characters are drawn with depth and detail. However, this causes other secondary characters to fall flat, especially Mamah's sister, Lizzie, and her best friend Mattie. Although not much is known about Mamah, the few fictionalized letters and diary entires add a realistic dimension to the novel, as well as the depiction of the scandal that erupts when the affair is revealed to the public by the newspapers. Loving Frank is well worth the read for anyone who enjoys history, romance, or wants to know more about the lover of master architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

'Tis the season... for reading!

Christmas is just around the corner (as I'm sure you know), so take a break from the holiday madness and check out these new Christmas-themed books from your favorite authors!

Silent Night is Robert B. Parker's last novel, finished and published posthumously by his longtime agent. When a homeless client and a local halfway house are being threatened, Spenser discovers links to a drug lord.

For fans of Debbie Macomber, Starry Night is her newest novel. Carrie follows a scoop to get an interview with bestselling, recluse author Finn Dalton. As the two warm to each other, Carrie must choose between her career and her heart.

In A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry, a murder at a holiday party with her new beau as the prime suspect means Claudine must work fast to solve the crime and save the day.

Journey to Savannah in Christmas Bliss, Mary Kay Andrews' newest Christmas outing. Weezie is getting married, but her bridesmaid reveals she is expecting - within a few days! Can Weezie get married in time for Christmas and convince her bridesmaid to settle down with the father? 

In A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods, Jenny returns to her hometown, where she has always been treated as an outsider, for a music project and to see her estranged family. At the same time, an old flame tries to rekindle their stalled relationship. 

It's the perfect season for curling up with a good book. Happy holidays from us here at the Reader's Corner!

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Let's Talk About... Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Want to relax amid the bustle of preparing for the holidays?  Join us for a discussion of Helen Simonson's Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, the sweet, romantic story of an old widower living in a small village in the English countryside. This last book club meeting of 2013 will be on Thursday, December 5 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Junior Home room at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library. Light refreshments will be provided.

Major Pettigrew is a proper English gentleman who strikes up a friendship with the lovely Pakistani shopkeeper, Mrs. Ali, from down the road. They bond over the loss of their spouses and eventually their friendship begins to turn to romance. However, their blossoming love hits a snag when the others in the village find out and disapprove of the romance between a local and a foreigner.

Though I do not normally read romances, I enjoyed this novel for a lighter look at some deeper themes such as racism, dealing with adult children, and love after the death of a spouse. The characters also turned out to be deeper than I had initially assumed, and the Major especially grows over the course of the novel. In addition, the slow-burning romance between Mrs. Ali and the Major is heart-warming to observe as they bond over their losses and love of reading.

Here are some things to think about to get your brain working before the book club meeting:

• Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali have known one another for a time. What is it about this one moment, when he opens the door to her at the story's onset, that makes him fall in love with her?*
• How are outsiders treated in this village...and who are considered outsiders?*

Please join us to discuss this sweet English romance. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

*Discussion questions courtesy of Litlovers.com.

The Death of Spiderman's First Love - Debut Novel by Sarah Bruni

Sheila obsessively studies French in the hopes of leaving her small town home after her high school graduation. At her job as a nighttime gas station attendant, she meets a stranger who calls himself Peter Parker, after the true identity of the web-slinging superhero Spiderman. He believes that Sheila is Spiderman's first love, Gwen Stacy, and despite that (or perhaps because of it) she is drawn to the mysterious stranger. Soon he convinces her to run away with him to Chicago, but will not tell her why. The Night Gwen Stacy Died by Sarah Bruni is a one-of-a-kind debut coming-of-age novel, with romance, literary fiction, and comic books mixed in.

The book is a dizzying blend of fantasy and reality, where one cannot tell where the myths end and the real world begins. It relies on the Spiderman narrative to frame its story, but don't worry! Readers not familiar with the comics will not be lost since the novel is more about the search for identity and the creation of new ones than about the superhero story. One fault of the novel is that the characters tend to be emotionless and can be hard to identify with, but fans of Spiderman will enjoy Bruni's numerous nods to the original comics. If you love Spiderman or smart, experimental fiction, you should read The Night Gwen Stacy Died.

Fall "Let's Talk About It" Book Club Preview

It's getting to be that time again... book club season! The "Let's Talk About It" book group is starting up again on September 5*. Check out this preview of upcoming titles!

The novel for the first meeting is one I've reviewed for this blog before and one I greatly enjoyed: The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. It is the story of Liesel, a young German orphan who goes to live with foster parents during World War II. You can read my review of it here, but suffice to say it is deeply emotional and moving. Copies of The Book Thief are available now for check out at the Information Desk.

For a little variety, I included a nonfiction title in our Fall book club lineup. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder is a biographical account of the life of Paul Farmer, a doctor and anthropologist who traveled the world  fighting diseases, tuberculosis in particular. The discussion starts on October 3, so don't miss it!

The November selection is a relatively new title, published in May of this year: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. We will talk about this one on November 7. In a post-apocalyptic world, a man lives in an aircraft hanger with his dog. When he receives a message on his radio, he ventures out to find the source, and what he discovers is nothing he ever expected.

For the last book before the holidays, I decided on something a little lighter. On December 5, we will discuss Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. In a small village in the English countryside, Major Pettigrew lives in peace and quiet until his brother dies unexpectedly. This sparks a friendship between he and Miss Jasmina Ali, a Pakistani shopkeeper in the village. As their friendship turns into something more, the relationship is tested by those who think that romance between locals and outsiders is wrong.

Please join us for our first meeting on September 5 - you can expect lively discussion and light refreshments. We hope to see you there!

*All meetings of the "Let's Talk" book club are at 10:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month and take place in the Junior Home room at T-SPL.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian