Nimble Novice's Titles

Wild by Cheryl Strayed (Adventure, Suspense, Travel, Sports) Oprah's Book Club is back! - only I didn't realize it until after I had finished reading this memoir and went online to find out more. Along with mentioning that this title was Oprah's first selection for Book Club 2.0, Author Cheryl Strayed's website includes photos from 1995 when at age 26, she hiked 1100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to the Bridge of the Gods - alone. Adventure, survival, and perseverance - this memoir is about overcoming obstacles and moving beyond grief - one boot-clad footstep at a time. The audio is every bit as good as the printed book - I switched back-and-forth between formats. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 02/09/2013 Add Comment

Defending Jacob by William Landay (Mystery, Horror, Crime, Business, Politics) Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber is on the stand at the Grand Jury investigation recalling details from the murder case - a bloody fingerprint, a serrated hunting knife, a handful of Facebook accusations - clues that seem to point in one direction - his own 14 year-old son. As an audiobook, Grover Gardner's cool, calm, and collected narration was perfectly matched to courtroom testimony told through flashbacks - all the more chilling for its control even without much character differentiation. His voice wrapped around my heart like a cold hand from the opening line until the final punch to the gut with the surprise ending. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/28/2013 Add Comment wow. -- anneboleyn on 01/29/2013

Dare Me by Megan Abbott (Adventure, Suspense, Travel, Sports) Always perfect, always in control, the new coach demands discipline, athleticism, and teamwork from her competitive high school cheerleaders - pushing their bodies past the breaking point to nail daredevil stunts that could earn the squad a spot at regionals. The girls have never been stronger and they owe it all to Coach - they would do anything to win her approval. But one girl liked things better the old way. Her way. And rivalries, jealousy, and resentment lead to a power struggle that goes too far. I was searching for clues in the secrets and lies of this disturbing mystery for adults right up until the surprise ending - but it was the feeling of menace and suspense that kept me turning pages long into the night. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/26/2013 Add Comment

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Science, Health) The book trailer for this title is posted on the library's reads4teens.org site and here's the hook: "Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair." Tiger Lily's story of love, betrayal, and heartbreak is narrated by Tinker Bell in this dark retelling of J.M. Barrie's classic. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/25/2013 Add Comment

Every Day by David Levithan (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Science, Health) If you looked completely different, would the person you love most still see the "you" inside? Waking up in a different body every day, 16 year-old "A" is sometimes a guy, sometimes a girl, sometimes white, sometimes black, sometimes gay, and sometimes straight - but on the inside, he is also himself - someone who treasures the present moment, respects the butterfly effect, and finds that people are often more alike than they are different. Fav Quote: "If you want to live within the definition of your own truth, you have to choose to go through the initially painful and ultimately comforting process of finding it" (p. 253). -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/20/2013 Add Comment

Railsea by China Mieville (Classics, Literary Fiction, Biography) Science fiction, you say? Yes - but I think fans of classics and literary fiction might like this steampunk retelling of Moby Dick even more- with its wordplay, literary asides, and symbolism. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/19/2013 Add Comment

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo (Romance, Women's Fiction, Relationships, Humor) With touches of both feminism and literary criticism, this realistic YA romance and coming-of-age story told in diary format from two points of view (his and hers) wasn't at all what I expected. Strong contender for the Morris Award which will be announced on Jan. 28. The library owns this one as a downloadable e-book. (As to the Morris, my personal fav is The Miseducation of Cameron Post - but I've got a feeling Seraphina might be the winner.) Fav Quote in Laura Buzo's debut: "Don't try to understand other people's marriages... You'll be lucky if you understand your own." -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/13/2013 Add Comment My prediction was correct - Seraphina just won the Morris! -- Nimble Novice on 01/28/2013

Titanic by Deborah Hopkinson (Historical Fiction, Westerns, History) Loaded with photographs and other primary sources, this non-fiction account of the sinking of the Titanic will interest the whole family from 5th grade on up to grandparents. Fav Quote: "the Titanic and the questions it raises reminds us that history isn't about learning names, events, and dates." Instead, the scope of the disaster is conveyed through the lens of a few passengers and crew members, giving it meaning on a personal level that is gut-wrenching and real. -- Added by Nimble Novice on 01/13/2013 Add Comment