Third Grave Dead Ahead

How many of you think of something funny when you picture the grim reaper?  Not what you usually do is it?  Now is your chance to practice that smile!  I just finished the third book in Darynda Jones' Charlotte Davidson series' (Charley for short), Third Grave Dead Ahead.  Charley is a private investigator who is also the grim reaper.  Now, that SOUNDS horrible, but that's not really a bad thing!  Charley's job is to help lost souls pass through her and get to the "other side-"  this is helped by the fact that she shines brightly (like a beacon), but only to dead people!  Besides her side job as the grim reaper, Charley also has an investigator office that's located across the street from her apartment and on the top of her dad's bar.  Her dad is a retired police man and her Uncle Bob still works for the force.  The stories are set in Minnesota, so if you are a fan of that region, this is definitely one of the books you want to read!  The funiest part of this book is that Charley does not want to fall asleep because Reyes, the son of Satan, keeps infiltrating her dreams whenever she does. Charley spends most of this book (the action takes place over two weeks) drinking huge amounts of coffee and trying not to fall asleep while driving, solving the mystery of a doctor's missing wife and helping a local biker gang find the person(s) killing their pets.  This is a hilarious ride of a book---if you love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series then you are sure to fall in love with Charley Davidson.  It helps to read this series in order, so start with the first one in the series, First Grave on the Right. 

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

WCVPL Online Catalog

I just finished reading the newest installment of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and it was just as good as the rest of the books in the series!  Alexander McCall Smith's latest, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection is set in Botswana as is the other books in the series.  The novel showcases the same familiar characters, with the addition of at least one new one!  Besides developments in their personal lives (Mma Makutsi and her new husband Phuti Radiphuti are building their dream house and one of the apprentices at the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law), Mma Ramotswe has been having dreams about a tall stanger who waits for her.  To top it off, Mma Potokwane, defender of Botswana's orphans, has been dismissed from her post as matron of the orphan farm!  Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi have their hands full trying to "make everything right" and deal with a surpise visitor to the detective agency!  I enjoy how McCall Smith brings Botswana to life in this series and I feel as if Mma Ramotswe and the rest of the characters are family members to me.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries, learning about Botswana and its people, you will enjoy reading this series.  I suggest you start with the first book, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency,  as the events in the characters lives build on each other in each successive book.   

With the approach of hot summer days, we need something to do inside and take our minds off the heat.  We have some great new craft books that can be used with children.

Learn to Knook  is by the editors of Leisure Arts.  Knooking is the new knitting.  The exciting new Knook is a specialized crochet hook that creates true knitted fabric, while the attached cord completely prevents dropped stitches.  You’ll enjoy learning the basic technique from our clear instructions, which are written for both right-hand & left-hand stitching.  Photos illustrate each step to make learning a breeze.  Once you’re familiar with the Knook, you can make the three warm projects in this book—a scarf, a pair of cozy mitts, or a child’s colorful hat.  The Knook is great for beginners or anyone who would like to learn to knit the easy way.

Just Duct Tape It! is also by the editors of Leisure Arts.  Here’s a fantastic idea that’s really sticking around—creating with duct tape!  You’ll find it in dozens of colors and prints, but it’s not just another pretty tape.  Duct is still strong enough to hang tough, so why not make it into original handbags and wallets? You can fashion a bouquet of wild flowers or a bright bangle bracelet.  Headed to school?  Make magnetic wallpaper and matching accessories for the best-looking locker, ever.  Your friends will be amazed at your creative ways.

Stitched Whimsy by Heidi Boyd are playful projects in felt and fabric.  Making adorable hand-stitched things using the fabric you love has never been easier.  Renowned crafter Heidi Boyd has 20 adorable sewn, stitched, and felted projects, complete with clear instructions, helpful illustrations, and crisp patterns.  There is something for everyone who likes to create handmade items, whether you’re new to sewing or a long time stitcher:  Loads of projects featuring hot fabrics, tantalizing textures and embellishments that add just the right touch.

Sacre' Bleu

The one word I can say about Christopher Moore's new novel, Sacre' Bleu is...phenomenal!  If you are a fan of Moore's work (Bite Me, Fool, Practical Demonkeeping) you are very familiar with his brand of biting, sarcastic, off-beat humor and just plain weird books.  I am always greatly amused by his stories and Sacre' Bleu does not disappoint.  Christopher Moore's latest intrigued me because it is set in France during the time that the Impressionist movement was in full swing and stars some of my favorite art characters.  I love Degas, Manet, Cezanne and other Impressionists so this book thrilled me because it stars many artists I'd have loved to have met.  Moore's book brings these artitsts to life, and you can picture them on the streets of Paris, drinking and carousing and trying to make a living by painting.  The premise of Sacre' Bleu is that there is a twisted, bent Colorman who wanders around Paris with his partner, a beautiful lady, trying to sell paint colors (and especially the very expensive ultramarine blue) to painters.  The Colorman has a special relationship with the sacre' bleu color and needs artists to buy the color and paint pictures with it in order for him to keep living.  The Colorman and his partner inspire artists to paint brilliant canvases by preying on their emotions, stopping time and inhabiting other people's bodies.  I don't want to give away too much of the story, but I promise you it is a tangled web of events right up until the very last pages. This book is beautiful, haunting and perfect for the art fan---especially if you enjoy imagining the lives of the great Impressionist painters!  Read this book, and then check out other Christopher Moore books---you won't be disappointed!  Interact with Christopher Moore by e-mail at theauthorguy@gmail.com, on Twitter@theauthorguy or on Facebook.com/theauthorguy. 

Sharks and Wolves

I have been attractedd to animal-themed movies lately, and two of the most fascinating ones I have watched are The Grey and Dark Tide.  The Grey is the story of a group of rough-and-tumble men flying home from their job in the frozen Alaskan wilderness.  Their plane crashes and they are suddenly forced to battle the wills of nature and a pack of wolves in order to make it home to their families. This movie is full of heart-pounding action and is not for the faint of heart!  Dark Tide is the story of Kate, a shark expert, who "free dives" with great white sharks outside of shark cages.  Kate's life is good until a fellow diver dies from a shark attack as she watches.  She loses her will to dive until a wealthy customer arrives, wanting to experience his own swim with sharks.  The sharks in this movie are celebrated for their beauty, majesty and ferociousness and the underwater scenes with the sharks are breathtaking.  Both of these movies show the stark beauty of nature and celebrate the power of animals.  Both moveis are rated PG-13 because of graphic/ disturbing animal attack scenes. 

Deadlocked

Deadlocked is the new novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series written by Misssissippi native Charlaine Harris. This novel is as full of action and character development as the other novels in the series. In this book, the Vampire Queen shows up to wreak havoc on Sookie and Eric's relationship, and the book opens up with the death of a half-were girl on Eric's front lawn, very soon after Eric has fed on her.  Sookie and Bill Compton, the official Area Five Investigator,commit to solving the mystery, figuring out what the Queen wants and dealing with the outlaw fairies in the area.  Meanwhile, many of Sookie's friends are having problems of their own with marriages, proposals and new babies.  Sam also has a few plans that involve the bar, Merlotte's, where Sookie works, and these plans involve Sookie too!  The story is another great installment in thhis series that promises to get better and better.  I do reccommend reading these books in order as the characters' actions build on the events of the previous books. Connect online with Charlaine Harris at www.charlaineharris.com or at facebook.com/CharlaineHarris

Hit the Park with Calico Joe

John Grisham's latest novel, Calico Joe is a tribute to the All-American game of baseball!  No matter how little of a fan you are, you will love this story. The book's action centers around the Mets and the Cubs and a brilliant rookie named Joe Castle. The book is told from the point of view of Paul Tracey, the son of callous, hard-throwing Mets pitcher Warren Tracey.  Paul, his sister Jill and their mom spend their lives trying to avoid the rants of Warren Tracey until Paul is captured by the allure of rookie Joe Castle in his brilliant opening run as a member of the Cubs team.  He is an amazing player on his way to a brilliant career until an incident with Warren Tracey ends his career forever. Later on in his life, Paul decides to encourage a truce between Warren and Joe---will he succeed or will they forever be embroiled in a feud? This book is a brilliant piece of storytelling---it's a very quick read and I hung onto every word, eager to get to the finale.  This book would be a perfect gift for that special man in your life, or any fan of baseball!!!  

Cheer on the "Mighty Macs!"

Every now and then I stumble across a wonderful movie that deserves to be watched over and over.  The Mighty Macs is a movie that everyone in your family will enjoy!  The movie explores the history of the women's basketball team at Immaculata College, who made it to the first Women's College Basketball National Championship in 1972.  Interestingly enough, Immaculata beat the Mississippi State team in the the semi-finals and they are featured a tiny bit in this movie too!  The movie is as much a history of the team as it is an exploration of the life of Immaculata's coach, Cathy Rush, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.  The story is one of grit, determination and beating all the odds as Immaculata rises above obstacles to win recognition for themselves, their team, and the sport of women's basketball.  Humorous and uplifting, this movie is a sports story that deserves to be told.  The movie is rated G and includes deleted scenes, an ESPN segment on The Mighty Macs as well as a "making the movie" segment.   Check out this website http://www.immaculata.edu/mightymacsthemovie/history.php for more information on this stellar moment in the history of women's sports.

Dogs Versus Cats

First let me say that dogs are fine, but cats are better!  Something about that drooling, rub my belly, I’ll do anything to please you attitude, just comes off as well, fake.  Cats are aloof, intelligent, and as the bumper sticker says, “take a message and get back to you.”  However lately I have read two of the cutest book about dogs.  One is part of a series and if you haven’t read them, give them a try.  They are very charming.  The other is by an author who has written other books but this is her first one on dogs.

Fashion Faux Paw by Judi McCoy stars professional dog walker Ellie Engleman and is the sixth title in this series.  When Ellie is hired for a Fashion Week event—caring for the dogs who will model outfits that match human models’—she’s more than ready to escape her world of pet-a-porter for the glitz and glamour of the fashion world.  But the glitter rubs right off when a designer drops dead of anaphylactic shock, her EpiPen useless after someone tampers with it.  The victims’ peanut allergy was as well-known as her dress designs.  With a little psychic help from the designer’s miniature Schnauzer, Ellie and her canine sidekicks are determined to sort through a coterie of backstabbing rivals and bitter enemies to find out who wanted the designer out of the competition—permanently.

The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service by Beth Kendrick is a hilarious and heartwarming story about bad dogs and the women who love them.   Lara Madigan has a gift:  She can help you find your soul mate—your canine soul mate, that is.  As a dog trainer with a soft spot for strays, she’s found perfect homes for sulky Shih Tzus, broken-down Border collies, and diabolical Dalmatians.  But while she’ll always make room for one more rescue mutt, she’s not sure she’s ready to commit to another human being—especially after her long-term boyfriend drops the bomb:  He’s not a dog person.  Horrified and temporarily homeless, Lara and her furry pack move in with her mother, a wealthy fashionista who forbids even a single drop of drool.  As word gets around the exclusive gated community, Lara is overwhelmed with demands for her services.  A model wants personal training for her overweight “flabrador”; an aging socialite preps her pedigreed puppy for dog show domination.  If Lara can survive the breakup, the outrageous requests of her high-maintenance clientele, and her dogs’ systematic destruction of her mother’s McMansion, she might finally find the rescue dog who rescues her in return—by leading her straight to the guy who could be her perfect match.

Spruce Up Your Home with Fabric!

While completing a reference question for a patron yesterday, I stumbled across a wonderful book in the "746.6" Dewey Decimal Classifcation!  For all of you non-librarians, this classification number is one of my favoirtes because it's where we file all of our wonderful craft books...and I will never have time to examine all of them!  The book that caught my eye was Susie Stokoe's Fabric Decorating Step-by-Step Project Book.  This book was published in the United Kingdom, and is a beautifully illustrated book.  The volume contains 95 ideas for printing, stenciling, painting and dyeing items that will look beautiful in your home.  This book is perfect for the homewowner who is looking to "re-do" his/her home with little money, by simply creating functional art items.  The book is divided into six "fabric decorating technique" chapters, plus a section on supplies and templates for many of the projects included in the book. The projects range from easy to difficult and each includes a detailed list of directions complete with photographs of each step.  One of my favorite projects is the fish-stencilled Shower Curtain on pg. 53! This is a great book for anyone who wants to try their hand a creating a unique fabric item for their home.