Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

This hilarious series featuring Stephanie Plum, inept tracer of bail jumpers, continues her adventures with Lulu as they attempt to rescue Vinnie, the owner of the agency. Connie, the office manager, uses her talent for making stink bombs, Stephanie manages to damage a couple more cars and Grandma Mazur doesn't let a broken foot slow her down. Morelli and Ranger hover enticingly. The plot may be thin, but you never laughed so much while reading a book! JES

Neighborhood Watch by Cammie McGovern

Suburbia is ominous and dangerous in this story told by an unreliable narrator who has blackouts and sleepwalks. After 12 years in prison Betsy is released when new evidence contradicts her conviction for murder. Will she find out who committed the murder? JES

Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek

Set in The Hamptons, two half sisters inherit a run down cottage. Social commentary, humor and parallels with "The Great Gatsby" as well as eccentric characters enliven this beach read. JES

The Clearing

by Heather Davis

It is present day when Amy decides to move from Seattle to the small town of Rockville, Washington and live with her great aunt Mae. It’s her senior year and she wants a fresh start away from her abusive ex-boyfriend.

She is in a new school with new people but nothing seems to be that much better. Understandably, Amy is very hesitant to trust anyone again. Then she goes through the clearing behind Aunt Mae’s house and meets Henry, who is stuck in the summer of 1944. Amy and Henry fall into a sweet romance in which a bit of time travel is necessary.

The book alternates between Amy’s and Henry’s points of view to effectively show what each is feeling. And although this novel never goes much deeper than the surface and the dialogue comes off a bit awkward, it is a very interesting story that keeps you wondering until the end what will happen.

~ Hilary

Perfect Timing

by Jill Mansell

Twenty-two year old Poppy Dunbar has just met the man of her dreams, which is great because he is just as interested in her. ... Except she is supposed to be getting married to somebody else the next day. Poppy is not leaving her fiancé for another man. However, she now realizes that she is not as in love with him as she should be and calls the wedding off. Everyone is horrified that she would do that to such a nice guy. And when a shocking family secret is revealed to her she knows it is time to leave Bristol.

Poppy goes to London to create a brand new life for herself. The events that follow are peppered with colorful characters, hilarious situations, and heartwarming moments. The end result seems like a world away from where she began.

Fans of Sophie Kinsella's books will enjoy the humor and pacing of this fun, fast read.

~ Hilary

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

by Sarah Addison Allen

When a car accident leaves teenager Emily Shelby orphaned, she is sent to her mother’s hometown where she has never been before – to live with her grandfather, whom she has never met. While Grandpa Vance at first seems strange and unfamiliar the town of Mullaby, North Carolina is even more peculiar. Emily can’t figure out why the town is so mysterious or why people treat her with near disdain when they realize whose daughter she is.

Julia, who is in her early thirties, wants nothing more than to escape Mullaby for good. It is full of too many painful memories. But when her father died he left her his barbecue restaurant and a pile of debts that she has to pay off before she can disappear again. In the meantime, she bakes cakes for the restaurant and tries her hardest to avoid Sawyer. Yes he’s incredibly handsome and yes he has that irresistible "southern gentleman" air about him. But he is also one of her most painful memories.

Little by little the mysteries and secrets of Mullaby are untangled and both Julia and Emily are surprised by where they end up.

Sarah Addison Allen writes with a great skill for storytelling using vibrant characters and a sprinkling of magic.

Other delightful titles by this author:

* Garden Spells
* Sugar Queen


~ Rebecca and Hilary

A Year on Ladybug Farm

By Donna Ball

Bridget, Lindsay, and Cici have been friends for over twenty years. When tragedy strikes in Bridget's life the other two rally around her. Deciding that they all need to take a second look at their dreams the three of them pool their money and talents in order to create a new future for themselves. But when they purchase Ladybug Farm there are many things that they don't know about it. Mysteries and surprises abound, making Bridget, Cici, and Lindsay wonder if they are up to the task at hand after all.

Although the character development never did get very deep it was still an endearing story of friendship. And while there were engaging secondary characters it was the setting and the house itself that kept my attention.

The story continues in the sequel: At Home on Ladybug Farm.

~ Hilary

The First Star: Red Grange and the Barnstorming Tour that Launched the NFL

Did you know that the University of Illinois was home to perhaps the most dominant football player of his day? Or that the Illini have won multiple national championships? Or that the Chicago Bears under George Halas were within months of bankruptcy in the early days of the league?
I wasn't aware of any of this, which made this book, The The First Star by Lars Anderson, such a fascinating read. It is the story of Red Grange, a boy who grew up in Wheaton, IL and became the most dominant football player of his day, and an athlete whose stardom briefly equalled that of Babe Ruth. Known as the "Galloping Ghost," Grange was a superstar at the University of Illinois, and his hiring by and promotion of the upstart Chicago Bears is perhaps the most influential reason for the popularity of professional football in the United States today.
If you are a fan of football, the Illini, or the Bears, I recommend this as a compelling read. John H.

By a Basketball Fan for Basketball Fans

I like basketball, but I don't love basketball. In a normal year, I might catch 6-8 hours total of basketball on TV. I rarely will watch a game beginning to end, with the possible exception of a Morton High School game.

That said, I was surprised that I absolutely loved The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. Bill Simmons is a basketball fan, seemingly from birth. He has lived and loved professional basketball for decades, and his love of the game comes out in writing that is personal, lively and funny. And, extremely well informed. He has attended thousands of games and watched more, and his memory and experience bring a dry subject to life

This book includes segments on the greatest pro teams of all time, the greatest pro players of all time, and many other items big and small, all delivered in an easy to read format. Best of all, Simmons brings his particular sense of irreverent humor to the subject. The book is littered with footnotes, most of them snarky and hilarious asides or stories related to the subject at hand.

When my daughter was quite young, we used to sit and watch Michael Jordan as he led the Bulls to their second threepeat. Reading this book was the most fun I have had with basketball since then. JSH

The Mozart Season by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Twelve year old Allegra is an exceptional violinist who spends the summer preparing for a prestigious competition where she will play Mozart's Fourth Concerto in D. As she learns to express the music she comes to learn a lot about herself. She begins by feeling like a "nothing" neither Jewish like her father nor Kansas farmer like her mother. Her emotional awareness grows during the summer and by the time school starts in the fall she realizes the many ways that everyone is connected. JES

Rapunzel's Revenge

by Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale has a knack for fairy tales. She is adept at retelling classics as well as creating her own.

In her first graphic novel she puts a whole new spin on the well known story of Rapunzel. You can forget just about everything you already knew about this character because Hale reinvents her into a fun and surprising heroine.

This Rapunzel doesn't wait to be rescued. She takes action, joins forces with a boy named Jack, and sets out to save her homeland from the villainous Mother Gothel.

The witty characters and fantastic illustrations done by Nathan Hale (no relation to the author) make this book enjoyable and memorable.

The adventures continue in the sequel, Calamity Jack, where the story is told through the viewpoint of Rapunzel's friend.

Other fabulous books by Shannon Hale:

* Princess Academy
* Goose Girl series (4)
* Book of a Thousand Days


by Hilary & Rebecca

Undercover

by Beth Kephart

Elisa Cantor is a high school student who is good at writing poetry and coming up with metaphors. She really has no friends, but boys in her class come to her when they need a love letter written. So she writes love letters that she will never receive as she develops a crush on a boy who likes someone else. It isn't until her literature class reads the play Cyrano de Bergerac that she begins to feel like she is living a tragedy.

The story is told through Elisa's voice and the secondary characters always seem to be in the background, coming off a bit flat. The end felt rushed, but overall it was a nice story with pretty language and a likeable main character.

Hilary and Rebecca

Love Walked In

by Marisa de los Santos

First meet Cornelia Brown - the thirty-something manager of a Philadelphia coffee shop. She is a quirky, witty, and vibrant woman who loves Cary Grant and old movies. She knows that she doesn't want to be the manager of a coffee shop forever but she isn't sure what exactly she does want to do.

Next meet Clare Hobbes - an eleven year old who enjoys reading stories about orphans (Anne Shirley, Mary Lennox, and Sarah Crewe to name a few). But Clare is also carrying a huge weight on her shoulders and living in constant fear that someone will discover a secret she is desperately trying to keep.

What do these two heroines have to do with each other? Nothing at first. Then their worlds collide and they are both surprised by the bond that they form.

This is a beautiful story of love, tragedy, and hope. Throughout the book it is evident that the author truly is a poet; her use of language often has a lyrical effect.

Another thing that makes this a fun read is all of the references to classic movies, actors, and actresses.

Hilary

DAY AFTER NIGHT by Anita Diamant

The setting is August 1945 in Atlit, an internment camp near Haifa for "illegal" Jewish immigrants attempting to escape from Europe to "Zion" (Israel). The four main characters are young women who survived the Holocaust. Shayndel was a Polish resistance fighter; Leonie faced her war horrors in Paris; Tedi was a Dutch Jew who survived by hiding; and Zorah survived a concentration camp. All of them are haunted by their memories and afraid to hope. Their gradual friendship gives them strength to create their new lives. Vivid descriptions of the conditions and characters that I grew to care about brought history to life. This fiction book is based on the true story of 200 prisoners who were rescued from Atlit. JES