If you liked the book, will you like the movie?

February 17, 2015February 12, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

Some very popular books have recently come out as movies and are generating a lot of positive buzz.

Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed – A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe—and built her back up again.

The movie stars Reese Witherspoon (and is also Producer) as Cheryl Strayed and Laura Dern as Cheryl’s mother, Bobbi. It is rated R for sexual content, nudity, drug use, and language. It is mostly faithful to the book and critics say Reese delivered the performance of her life and was nominated for a Golden Globe and Oscar. Laura Dern was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. The movie is rated R.

Unbroken: A World War II story of survival, resilience and redemption by Laura Hillenbrand – Relates the story of a U.S. airman who survived when his bomber crashed into the sea during World War II, spent forty-seven days adrift in the ocean before being rescued by the Japanese Navy, and was held as a prisoner until the end of the war.

The movie is most notably directed by Angelina Jolie. It has won the American Film Festival top ten film of the year. Jack O’Connell, who plays Louis Zamperini, has won two awards – Hollywood Film Award for Actor and National Board of Review Award for breakthrough actor. The movie is rated PG-13.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova – Feeling at the top of her game when she is suddenly diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, Harvard psychologist Alice Howland struggles to find meaning and purpose in her life as her concept of self gradually slips away. The movie stars Julianne Moore as Alice who recently won the Golden Globe award for Best Actress. She also won Best Actress with several other associations including The Chicago Film Critics and Hollywood Film Awards and has been nominated for an Oscar as Best Actress. Alec Baldwin stars as the husband, John. The movie is rated PG-13.

American Sniper by Chris Kyle – A member of Navy SEAL Team 3 describes his life as a father and husband, and as the serviceman with the most confirmed sniper kills in the history of the United States military while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bradley Cooper has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Chris Kyle. The movie has also been nominated for Best Picture. The movie is rated R.

If you’ve read the book, will you go see the movie? Let us know what you think of the movie. Did it capture the essence of the book, or was it a disappointment? If you liked the movie, will you read the book? Which did you like better? We want to know!

Cozy Mysteries – February 2015

February 10, 2015January 28, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

A great assortment of new cozy mysteries have arrived!

Meet Your Baker (A Bakeshop Mystery) – Ellie Alexander

Murder at the Book Group (A Book Group Mystery) – Maggie King

Snow Way Out (A Snow Globe Shop Mystery) – Christine Husom

For Whom the Bluebell Tolls (A Bridal Bouquet Shop Mystery) – Beverly Allen

Diners, Drive-ins, and Death (A Comfort Food Mystery) – Christine Wenger

Twisted Threads (A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery) – Lea Wait

Fry Me A Liver (A Deadly Deli Mystery) – Delia Rosen

A Seamless Murder ((A Magical Dressmaking Mystery) – Melissa Bourbon

All The President’s Menus (A White House Chef Mystery) – Julie Hyzy

In Hot Water (A Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery) – J.J. Cook

Criminal Confections (A Chocolate Whisperer Mystery) – Colette London

Town In A Pickle (A Candy Holliday Murder Mystery) – B.B. Haywood

Gilt By Association (A Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery) – Karen Rose Smith

An Early Wake (A County Cork Mystery) – Sheila Connolly

Played By The Book ((A Novel Idea Mystery) – Lucy Arlington

Mrs. Jeffries And The One Who G0t Away (A Victorian Mystery) – Emily Brightwell

As Gouda As Dead (A Cheese Shop Mystery) – Avery Aames

This Old Homicide (A Fixer-Upper Mystery) – Kate Carlisle

At The Drop of a Hat (A Hat Shop Mystery) – Jenn McKinlay

Fry Another Day (A Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery) – J.J. Cook

License to Dill (A Pickled & Preserved Mystery) – Mary Ellen Hughes

A Root Awakening (A Flower Shop Mystery) – Kate Collins

Our Patrons Pick Their Favorite Books of 2014

February 3, 2015January 16, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

For the last several years, The Department of Human Services of Cheshire has had a mitten tree in the library’s lobby, requesting the public to donate holiday gifts for needy girls and boys. Our patrons have always been very generous and we thank you very much!

This year, after the gifts were gathered up to be delivered, we turned the mitten tree into ‘what was your favorite book of 2014′ tree.

Here’s what you said:

Children:

A Cheese Colored Camper – Geronimo Stilton
Because of Mr. Terupt – Rob Buyea
Biscuit – Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Daddy Hugs – Karen Katz
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Jeff Kinney (3)
Dragons – Lucille Recht Penner
Frozen adapted by Sarah Nathan and Sela Roman
Gathering Blue – Lois Lowery (YA)
Humphrey Series – Betty Birney
I Spy series – Jean Marzollo & Walter Wick
I Survived Series – Lauren Tarshis
I’m Too Fond of My Fur – Geronimo Stilton
Isabelle – Lawrence Yep
It’s Hard to be 5 – Jamie Lee Curtis
Junie B., First Grader At Last – Barbara Park
Last Olympian – Rick Riordon (YA)
Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
Looking for Alaska – John Green (YA)
Miss Daisy is Crazy – Dan Gutman
Molly Moon Series– Georgia Byng
Number the Stars – Lois Lowry
Okay for Now – Gary Schmidt (YA)
One For The Murphys – Lynda Mullaly Hunt (YA)
Out of My Mind – Sharon M. Draper
Polar Express – Chris Van Allsburg
Rainbow Fairy Series – Daisy Meadows
Rangers Apprentice Series – John Flanagan
The BFG – Roald Dahl
The Blood of Olympus – Rick Riordan (YA)
The Fault in Our Stars – John Green (YA)
The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien (YA)
The Last Battle – C.S. Lewis
The Lost Warrior – Erin Hunter (Graphic Novel)
The Maze Runner – James Dashner (YA)
The Penultimate Peril – Lemony Snicket
The Secret of the Snow – Thea Stilton
Warriors: Bramble Star’s Storm – Erin Hunter

Adult:

A Man Called Ove – Frederick Backman
A Week in Winter – Maeve Binchy
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
Being Mortal – Atul Gawande (Nonfiction)
Child of Mine – David & Beverly Lewis
Clifton Chronicles – Jeffrey Archer
Daughter of Fortune – Isabel Allende
I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai (Nonfiction)
Pegasus – Danielle Steel
Ready Player One – Ernest Cline
Sin Undone – Larissa Ione
Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good – Jan Karon
Summerset Abbey – T.J. Brown
The Aviator’s Wife – Melanie Benjamin
The Bible
The Boys in the Boat – Dan Brown (Nonfiction)
The First Phone Call From Heaven – Mitch Albom
The Invention of Wings – Sue Monk Kidd
The Language of Flowers – Vanessa Diffenbaugh
The Leftovers – Tom Perrotta
The Lost Empire of Atlantis – Gavin Menzies (Nonfiction)
The Silkworm – Robert Galbraith
The Spirit of Steamboat – Craig Johnson
The Walk Series – Richard Evans
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – John LeCarre
Vienna Prelude – Bodie Thoene
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood – Diana Gabaldon

If you don’t see your title here, there were a few mittens that we could not decipher.

The Wait Is Almost Over – Fifty Shades of Grey

January 29, 2015January 28, 2015 / Linda / 2 Comments

The movie, Fifty Shades of Grey, based on the books by E. L. James, is scheduled to be released to movie theaters on February 13th. If you haven’t read the books, or you read them and want to refresh your memory, now’s the time to do it! We own the trilogy in multiple formats:

Fifty Shades of Grey – When Anastasia Steele, a young literature student, interviews wealthy young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, their initial meeting introduces Anastasia to an exciting new world that will change them both forever. Book. Large Print. Audiobook. Ebook. Eaudio.

Fifty Shades Darker – After a brief break-up, Anastasia and Christian change their arrangement and both wrestle with their inner demons, as Anastasia tries to make an important decision. Book. Large Print. Audiobook. Ebook. Eaudio.

Fifty Shades Freed – Even though Christian and Anastasia are now a proper couple, they still have many obstacles to overcome, including Christian’s past coming back to haunt Anastasia. Book. Large Print. Audiobook. Ebook.

Book Club Picks – Historical Fiction

January 25, 2015January 16, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

Cold winter nights are perfect for settling into a great historical fiction book!

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro – After receiving a large inheritance from a complete stranger, London socialite and newlywed Grace Monroe searches for the identity of her mysterious benefactor and uncovers the story of a unique woman who inspired one of Paris’ greatest perfumers, which transforms her own life.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger – Looking back at a tragic event that occurred during his thirteenth year, Frank Drum explores how a complicated web of secrets, adultery, and betrayal shattered his Methodist family and their small 1961 Minnesota community.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman – A tale inspired by the tragic first-century massacre of hundreds of Jewish people at Masada presents the stories of a hated daughter, a baker’s wife, a girl disguised as a warrior, and a medicine woman who keep doves and secrets while Roman soldiers draw near.

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell – Captured and raised by Danes in the ninth century, dispossessed nobleman Uhtred witnesses the unexpected defeat of his adoptive Viking clan by Alfred of Wessex and longs to recover his father’s land.

The House Girl by Tara Conklin – A novel of love, family, and justice follows Lina Sparrow, an ambitious first-year associate in a Manhattan law firm, as she searches for the “perfect plaintiff” to lead a historic class-action lawsuit worth trillions of dollars in reparations for descendants of American slaves.