Staff Picks

Shelley’s pick is the movie Martha Marcy May Marlene. A strange, dark film about a small cult and a girl that escapes it.  Great performance by Elizabeth Olsen (the Olsen twins’ sister!).

Marcia: The DVD, Fat, sick,& nearly dead follows the lives of two men on a quest for a healthy live free of disease and medications.  As you follow them through a 60 day vegetable juice diet and watch the weight fall off and they become medication free, you will find yourself cheering them on. I found it to be informative and motivational.

Faith was enthralled by Grace McCleen’s The Land of Decoration. It’s the story of 10 year old Judith McPherson, who belongs, with her father, to an apocalyptic Christian sect. She builds an imaginary world out of odds and ends in her bedroom, and believes she’s working miracles in the real world as she makes changes in the “land of decoration.” A stunning first novel.

Barb says that a great DVD in our collection to see is BABIES.  It is a really feel good movie.  An adorable glimpse at the first phase of life in this film following four newborn babies through their first year of life. Ponijao, Bayar, Mari, and Hattie were born in Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and California, respectively. By capturing their earliest stage of development on camera, Balmes reveals just how much we all have in common, despite being born to different parents and raised in different cultures.

Cathy was pleasantly surprised how much she enjoyed Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games: “This book reminded me of a cross between Orwell’s 1984 and Lord of the Flies.  It’s violent, but the violence serves the story. I liked the way the story unfolded (it seemed to always moving forward) and I liked how it kept me in suspense.  I found it hard to put down.”

Staff Picks

Barb recommends Jeffrey Archer’s Only Time will Tell.  This is the first novel in the Clifton Chronicles, a new series that tells of the story of a family across generations and oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.  The next novel is due out in the spring and is on order at the library.  The Sins of the Father.  If this is a new author for you try reading his other titles, especially Kane and Abel.

Shelley likes Joy for Beginners, the second novel by Erica Bauermeister. It’s a touching story of 6 friends each given a challenge by one of the group that has survived cancer.  Like her first novel, The School of Essential Ingredients, it engages the senses with a focus on the better things in life.

Faith’s pick is the 2010 movie Senna. An enthralling look at the life, career, and tragic death of Ayrton Senna, a winner at the Sundance Film Festival.

Anne liked The Chronicles of Avantia: First Hero, by Adam Blade. Middle ages and magical creatures. 4 stars.

Catherine recommends John Burdett.  He’s the one mystery writer I follow and his latest, Vulture Peak, did not disappoint.  A Thai Buddhist cop with a dark, dry sense of humour is just the sort of thing for a vacation.

Marcia: The power of habit : why we do what we do in life and business by Charles Duhigg. Want to change a bad habit? This evidence-based book gives a realistic look into how companies track our habits, and how we can understand and change our own habits for the better. What I liked most, is that it shows you clear and practical solutions to overcome everyday habits.

Kim had a lot of fun with the movie The Guard.  It features 2 excellent actors:  Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson.  It is set in rural Ireland.  It is extremely funny;  it keeps you laughing and on the edge of your seat.

Staff Picks

Anne says two thumbs up and you’ll never eat wheat again after reading Dr. William Davis’ Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health.

Kim recently read a book called I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.  This is a continuation of the series with the amazing Flavia de Leuce at the centre.   Flavia is a brilliant, gutsy 11 year old sleuth.  These “Flavia” books take you along for a fun and fascinating ride.  Her curiosity and creativity knows no bounds.  Get ready to have fun.

Shelley: If you need motivation to keep yourself on the fitness track, here are 2 dvds that might inspire you.  The first is “Team Everest”; a story about people with both physical and emotional disabilities trying to reach Base Camp at Mt. Everest.  The second is “Running the Sahara”; an epic trek of 3 men running for 111 days across the Sahara Desert.  Both of these documentaries demonstrate the triumph of the human spirit over incredible obstacles.

Barb:  Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.   In a tiny hut in rural India, Kavita gives birth to Asha. Unable to afford the luxury of raising a daughter, her husband forces Kavita to give the baby up–a decision that will haunt them both for the rest of their lives.

Faith‘s pick is the movie The Sunset Limited. It’s a character study written by Cormac McCarthy, with tour de force performances by director Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson. A beautiful battle of wills between a despondent professor of philosophy and an ex-con who hears the voice of God.

Staff Picks

Carolyn: Into the Wilderness, Sara Donati’s compelling first novel in a series of six, creates a complex, profound, passionate portrait of an emerging America.

Anne: Room by Emma Donoghue gets 4 out of 5 stars.  About a young woman kidnapped and kept in an 11 x 11 room for years.  She has a child by her captor that she names Jack.  When Jack is 5 he begins to question and she tells him about the outside world.  The book is told in Jack’s voice, which, being very childlike, is sometimes difficult to read. And I would have liked a more complete ending.

Gabrielle: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I just love the way this book is written. I was immediately drawn in to this richly atmospheric gothic novel.   The story is about a young woman who is hired to write the biography of a famous author who has kept her identity a secret.  As the story unfolds, secrets from both of their pasts are revealed.

Tia: Sisterhood Everlasting, by Ann Brashares.  Tibby, Bridget, Lena and Carmen have been best friends since they can remember. Now as young adults, time, distance and everyday life has come between them. A surprise trip to Greece (arranged by Tibby to reconnect them all) brings them back together, but in a way they never expected.

Faith: Oz and James Drink to Britain is a BBC miniseries where James May, presenter of Top Gear, and “TV’s Oz Clark” go on a road trip to discover the quintessential British drink.  Fans of Top Gear will find this series (almost) equally hilarious!

Barb: just finished The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield.  This is her debut novel.  The story takes place in Columbia County, Arkansas; the year is 1956, and it involves three generations. Samuel is a preacher without a church trying to keep his family together and maintain his dignity.  Every character plays a role in this story about tragedy, change, faith, redemption and miracles.  The characters spring to life as if they were members of one’s own family.

Vicki recommends A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber. Who doesn’t love a road trip!  Three generations of women set out on a road trip from Seattle, Washington to Vero Beach, Florida. They have lots of adventures along the way. They discover things about themselves and each other on this great trip.  They all come to conclusions about love in their lives.  I really enjoyed the character of Max.  Debbie Macomber had a lot to say about people judging others by their outward appearance. I loved that she utilized bikers to point this out.  An uplifting and wonderful read that I highly recommend. I couldn’t put it down because I was dying to know what decision Bethanne would make!

Staff Picks

Some recent recommendations from our staff:

Barb:  My staff pick is  Sandra Brown’s newest book  LETHAL.  When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that “sick” man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. This book is a must read, hooks you right at the beginning, lots of twists,  and you won’t be able to put it down.

Faith:  Dish: Women, waitressing and the art of service is a 2010 documentary that’s just come in at the library. It follows women at restaurants in Ontario, France, Quebec, and Japan, as it examines the intersection of gender, money, and working conditions in the food service industry.

Kim:  The book Daughters-in-Law by Joanna Trollope (2011) is a great read.  This family saga takes place in present day England (mainly in London).  It looks at the lives of the Brinkley family, specifically their 3 sons and their wives and young children.  It delves into how the next generation of the family interacts and meshes with the matriarch and patriarch of the older generation.   Just like every Joanna Trollope book I couldn’t put it down.

Marcia:  Well researched and full of facts, I truly enjoyed how the characters in The kitchen house by Kathleen Grissom were brought to life. This historical novel set in the 1800’s follows an indentured servant through her journey about plantation life, family, love and loyalty.

Gabrielle:  After River, by Donna Milner, is a Canadian novel.  A woman reminisces about the impact a Vietnam draft dodger had on her family and her BC small town.

Kathy:  You Again is a fun movie about a family reunited for a wedding. The sister of the groom thinks that she has never met her brother’s fiancée. Find out what happens when she learns that they have a history from high school!

Tia: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley is a great read for those who like romance and mystery with a little history tossed in. Eva returns to her childhood summer retreat. While there, she realizes that she is able to travel between the present and the past. She meets Daniel but how can they pursue a relationship when they are from two different time periods?

Cathy: The fourth book in the Cher and Bernie mysteries by Spencer Quinn is The Dog Who Knew Too Much. The book is narrated by a dog, Chet, who tells the story as he sees it. The novel will appeal to lovers of mysteries, dogs, and humour.

Vicki: The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha. All the topics that he brings up are true as are his reasons why they are awesome. When you read about each situation, you cannot help but chuckle. The awesome statements are about things funny, embarrassing, and happy but they pertain to things that happen to all of us.