What to Read After, or While Waiting for, The Fault in Our Stars

February 15, 2014June 6, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

Are you among the masses that read and loved The Fault in Our Stars by John Green? If not, know that the book is emotionally charged. While considered a young adult novel because of the ages of the two main characters, the book has been read and raved about from teens and adults alike. It is not an easy read, but one that is worth the emotional investment that it seems to require. The book is about sixteen year old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, who has accepted her terminal diagnosis. Then a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob’s (aka mad cow) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Teenaged Luna, who lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side with her movie director father, tries to piece together the death of her mother with the seven unheard messages left on her forgotten cell phone.

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Seventeen-year-old Greg has managed to become part of every social group at his Pittsburgh high school without having any friends, but his life changes when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a girl he once knew in Hebrew school who has leukemia.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Told from their own viewpoints, seventeen-year-old Jill, in grief over the loss of her father, and Mandy, nearly nineteen, are thrown together when Jill’s mother agrees to adopt Mandy’s unborn child but nothing turns out as they had anticipated.

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
As she tries to sort out her feelings of love, seventeen-year-old Cass, a spunky math genius with an introverted streak, finds a way to memorialize her dead best friend.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A terminally ill teenaged girl makes and carries out a list of things to do before she dies.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Sixteen-year-old Valerie, whose boyfriend Nick committed a school shooting at the end of their junior year, struggles to cope with integrating herself back into high school life, unsure herself whether she was a hero or a villain.

Still looking for more? Then you might also be interested in: Saving June by Hannah Harrington, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Ask the Passengers by A S King, Every Day by David Levithan, Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan, The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan, Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A S King, Just One Day by Gayle Forman, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer Lish McBride, Wonder by R J Palacio, The Cardturner by Louis Sachar, and Speechless by Hannah Harrington.

Romance Books – Fall In Love With A Series

February 13, 2014September 15, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

A little romance is just the ticket to get you through this winter. Settle in with a romantic series and enjoy some “happily ever after”. (A great thing about all of these series is that you don’t have to read them in order. They are great as stand alones!)

1. Blackberry Island by Susan Mallery. A real place located near Olga, Washington. On historic Blackberry Island, Washington, visitors discover what locals know: Life Is Sweet. Book one – Barefoot Season. Book two – Three Sisters. Book three (due to be released in March) – Evening Stars.

2. Bad Boys of Crystal Lake by Julianna Stone. Realistic and edgy, with a large-world perspective as well as warm characters and an appealing small-town feeling. Book one – The Summer He Came Home. Book two – The Christmas He Loved Her. Book three (due to be released in April) The Day He Kissed Her.

3. Black Knights, Inc. by Julie Ann Walker. As tough and unique as their custom-made Harleys, the men of Black Knights Inc. will steal your breath and your heart. Book one – Hell On Wheels. Book two – In Rides Trouble. Book three – RevIt Up. Book four – Thrill Ride. Book five – Born Wild.

4. Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak. A small-town romance series with a twist – all the characters are significantly different from each other. Engaging, full of heart and humor. Book one – When Lightning Strikes. Book two – When Snow Falls. Book three – When Summer Comes. Book four – Home to Whiskey Creek. Book five – Take Me Home For Christmas.

5. Thunder Point by Robyn Carr. Share the joys, heartbreaks, challenges and triumphs of the people who inhabit the small Oregon town of Thunder Point. Book one – The Wanderer. Book two – The Newcomer. Book three – The Hero. Book four – (coming in March) The Chance.

6. Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts. Meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac—the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies. Book one – Vision in White. Book two – Bed of Roses. Book three – Savor the Moment. Book four – Happy Ever After.

7. Bachelor Firemen by Jennifer Bernard – For the men and women of San Gabriel’s Station 1, the road to romance takes some wild and hilarious curves. But true love is always worth it. Book one – The Fireman Who Loved Me. Book two – Hot For Fireman. Book three – Sex and the Single Fireman. Book four – How To Tame A Wild Fireman. Book five – Four Weddings and A Fireman.

8. The Destiny Series by Toni Blake – Welcome to Destiny, Ohio, a quaint small town brimming with heart-stopping romance, searing passion, good friends, laughter, a sense of community, and even a few dark secrets. Book one – One Reckless Summer. Book two – Sugar Creek. Book three – Whisper Falls. Book four – Holly Lane. Book five – Willow Springs. Book six – Half Moon Hill.

9. Ocean Breeze Trilogy by Sherryl Woods – The stories of three sisters’ quests for love and family in a North Carolina beach community ravaged by a hurricane. Book one – Sand Castle Bay. Book two – Wind Chime Point . Book three – Sea Glass Island.

10. Simply Quartet by Mary Balogh. These are the stories of four teachers at Miss Martin’s School for Girls in Bath, England. Book one – Simply Unforgettable. Book two – Simply Love. Book three – Simply Magic. Book four – Simply Perfect.

On Our Shelves: New Romance Paperbacks

February 11, 2014September 15, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

New Romance paperbacks for January and February:

Going Twice by Sharon Sala Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods Contemporary Romance

At River’s Edge by Mariah Stewart Contemporary Romance

All You Need Is Love by Marie Force Contemporary Romance

Perfect Together by Carly Phillips Contemporary Romance

Had to be You by Robin Kaye Contemporary Romance

Winter At Mustang Ridge by Jesse Hayworth Contemporary Romance

Cider Brook by Carla Neggers Contemporary Romance

High Seduction by Vivian Arend Romantic Suspense

Nothing Sweeter By Laura Drake Contemporary Cowboy Romance

Texas Hold ‘Em by Christie Craig Contemporary Cowboy Romance

The Cowboy of Valentine Valley by Emma Cane Contemporary Cowboy Romance

Why Earls Fall In Loveby Manda Collins Historical Romance

When The Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries Historical Romance

Lord of the Rakes by Darcie Wilde Historical Romance

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare Historical Romance

Walking On Air by Catherine Anderson Historical Western Romance

Linda Reads: Let Me Be The One by Bella Andre

February 6, 2014September 15, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Let Me Be The One is book six in The Sullivans series. All of the books in this series can be read alone. This series of books is beautifully written and a joy to read.

Ryan and Vicki were best friends in high school, but have long since gone their separate ways – Vicki to Europe as a sculptor and Ryan as a star baseball pitcher in San Francisco. After a failed marriage, Vicki finds herself in San Francisco applying for a prestigious position in the art community and finds herself in an awkward position with one of the judges. Even though she hasn’t seen him in years, her first thought is to call Ryan for help.

Ryan volunteers to be Vicki’s “pretend boyfriend” to protect her from the unwanted advances of an influential judge. But both Vicki and Ryan have trouble with the “pretend” part. Neither wants to ruin their friendship by becoming lovers, but that’s proving to be quite difficult. No matter how hard they try, their “love” for each other overtakes their “friendship”.

Touching, sweet, romantic and sexy, with likeable characters, this book is my favorite so far of the series.

Sports Romance Books

January 30, 2014September 15, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Sports romance books are becoming increasingly more and more popular. These athletes are generally at the top of their game, rich, and famous. They are confident, stubborn, dedicated, focused, passionate, and have a soft side – which makes them strong, interesting characters. All of them eventually realize that the love of a woman is what they need to make their life complete. These stories are not overloaded with sports scenes or terminology. There is just enough to give you a realistic insight into the sport and the challenges these athletes and the women in their lives face.

(On a side note: Model Jed Hill seems the most popular choice for the many “naked chest” covers of sport romance books. See his “stats” here and his facebook page here. Enjoy!)

With the cold days and nights ahead, turn up the heat with a Sport Romance! Here’s a sampling of some titles available at the Cheshire Library. Some are series where the first title is listed to get you started, although you don’t need to read them in order.

Tracy Solheim’s Out of Bounds footballseries. Book one – Game On. Book two – Foolish Games. The funny, sexy and heartwarming exploits of the Blaze football stars and the women in their lives.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a sports series centering around football called Chicago Stars. The first title is It Had to be You. A sexy, outrageous New York woman inherits a football team.

Let’s Misbehave by Lisa Plumley is a football story centering around Quarterback Cash Connelly and his need to find a nanny.

Another football themed title is Sweet Spot (book two of the Bakery Sisters trilogy)by Susan Mallery. A touching, heartwarming story of a youth football coach and a bakery owner going through hard times.

Rachel Gibson has a hockey series, Chinooks Hockey Team. The first title is Simply Irresistible. Realisticstory about a hockey jock tamed by an irresistible woman.

Deirdre Martin also has a hockey series, Blades with the first title being Body Check. Fun, sexy, withwonderful characters and story line.

Just In Time (Alaskan Night series) by Addison Fox about an injured hockey star returning to Alaska to heal and try to make things right with the girl back home.

Molly O’Keefe – two of her best poignant and deeply sensual books are hockey stories – Crazy Thing Called Love and Can’t Buy Me Love.

Jill Shalvis offers two baseball theme books – Double Play and Slow Heat. Jill’s books are humorous,sexy and fast reads.

Stealing Home is part of Sherryl Woods’ series Sweet Magnolias. It’s about a single mom and her son’s baseball coach.

Staying with baseball, Pitch Perfect (A Cricket Creek Novel) by LuAnn McLane. A hard-swinging baseball team and three hometown heroes try to revitalize the community.

Let Me Be The One by Bella Andre. Part of The Sullivans – focusing on baseball pitcher Ryan Sullivan.

Pamela Britton has an exciting NASCAR series. The first title is Slow Burn. An action packed, sexy read.

Also in the race car theme – Erin McCarthy’s series, Fast Track. Try Slow Ride and Jacked Up. Fast paced, steamy with a touch of humor.