The Odd Life of Timothy Green

I just watched the sweetest movie a few nights ago, The Odd Life of Tmothy Green starring Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton.  The basic premise of the story is that Cindy and Jim Green are a happily married couple who can't wait to start a family, but can only dream about what their child would be like.  Lucky for them, Timothy shows up on their doorstep one stormy night and the Greens (and their small town of Stanleyville) learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life's greatest gifts. This movie is a heartwarming celebration of family in the way that only Disney can deliver!  The movie is rated PG and has been listed as the "perfect entertainment for the whole family."  It really will melt your heart.

Follow Some Fox Tracks...

I followed a different path this past week with one of my favorite authors---instead of reading her newest novel, I listened to it instead!  Rita Mae Brown's Fox Tracks is the latest in her cozy series starring Sister Jane Arnold, Master of Foxhounds of the Jefferson Hunt in Albemarle County, Virginia. This book's action begins in New York City, where Hunt Clubs from all over the United States have gathered for their annual dinner and gala event.  Feeling celebratory, Sister Jane and her young friend (and Custus Hall graduate) Tootie run down the street a few blocks to visit a tobacco shop and purchase cigars.  After an entertaining conversation with the owner, Adolfo, Sister and Tootie are shocked when they return to the shop to retrieve Sister's cell phone and find Adolfo dead with a package of American Smokes cigarettes lying over his heart.  This murder leads to an investigation of contraband tobacco that stretches across Virginia and even through Albemarle County.  Interspersed with the tobacco plot are descriptions of hunts and events in the lives of the human, canine and horse characters.  I suggest you begin reading this series with the first book, Outfoxed. If you enjoy listening to audio books on CD, Fox Tracks is a special treasure because it is narrated by the author herself! 

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

I've got the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day-read a paranormal mystery/romance!  Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet is the fourth mystery in the series written by Darynda Jones and starring Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire. Besides being a sexy scythe swinger, Charley is also a Private Investigator, and the case she solved in the third book was a real doozy.  This fourth book in the series opens with Charley taking a couple of months off of life to hide in her apartment, lick her wounds and wallow in self-pity.  With the help of an intervention planned by her sister, Gemma, her secretary Cookie and her police detective Uncle Bob, Charley shakes off her grief to investigate the mystery of a woman who shows up on her doorstep convinced that someone is trying to kill her.  The woman's rich family thinks she is making the whole stalking story up, but Charley is determined to set the woman's mind at ease, while she assists dead people who are attracted to her light, helping them "cross over" to the other side.  Meanwhile, Charley is trying to avoid confrontations with the sexy, sultry, Reyes Farrow, son of Satan and the man with the uncanny ability of showing up to save her life at opportune moments.  Charley knows she should stay away from Reyes but something about him is irresistible.  Also thrown into the mix is Charley's anger at her dad, who turned on her in book three and whom she has not forgiven or been able to speak to.  This book is another hilarious installment in this New York Times bestselling series.  If you are not familiar with this series, start with the first one, First Grave on the Right. Darynda Jones lives in New Mexico with her husband and two sons--check her out onlinie at www.daryndajones.com. 

Homestyle Quilts: Simple Patterns and Savory Recipes

I discovered a very delightful book today!  Being a quilter, I enjoy examining every new quilting book that arrives on the library's shelves.  Homestyle Quilts:  Simple Patterns and Savory Recipes by Kim Diehl and Laurie Baker is a wonderful addition to the library's collection.  The book is unique in that it pairs quilting patterns with recipes---for example, the "Bygone Baskets" is paired with a "Sante Fe Soup" Recipe that one of the author's quilting friends served the quilting group for lunch.  Both the quilting and the recipes are easy to follow, with detailed pictures and descriptions of the patterns and the quilting process.  The book is great for beginners as well as advance quilters.  My favorite aspect is that the authors show updated views of older quilt patterns, using contemporary fabrics.  There is also a great "Quiltmaking Basics" chapter listed at the end of the book which showcases illustrated techniques. 

Try Out Our New Computer Center!

     Join us at 10:00 AM on Friday, February 1 as we celebrate the Grand Opening of the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library’s Newly Renovated Computer Area.  The Library is pleased to announce that Lockheed Martin has donated $40,000 to the library for technological improvements.  The money was used to purchase a file server, several switches, twelve new computers, software, and to improve the buildings internet connectivity and wireless internet.   The donation also included the help of several Lockheed Martin employees who volunteered their time to install the equipment.  Lockheed Martin volunteers also helped the library by moving several servers into the library’s server rack, thereby freeing up some much-needed space which will be used as a staging area for any new computers purchased by the library.
     Lockheed Martin employees use the library frequently to check out materials for themselves and their families and use the library’s technology services.  Lockheed Martin employees were impressed with the library’s collections but thought that the library’s computer area needed improvements.  The best part of the project is the installation of eleven new computers in the library’s reference area and a new reference staff computer.  The library’s old computers were over five years old and there was not enough money in the library’s budget to fund the purchase of new ones.  The old computers were experiencing a lot of problems due to their age and their frequent use and the installation of eleven new ones was an unexpected gift for the library.  
     Improvements in the library’s network have resulted in faster access for patrons using the library’s Internet computers.  All of the technological improvements were put in place to help improve library patron and staff connections to the internet and other digital library resources.  The new computers, which will be installed by January 31, have 20” flat panel monitors and are small form factor computers—this means that they use less energy and are more environmentally friendly than the library’s previous internet computers

The Good Doctor

I watch a lot ot movies, and am not easily scared or disturbed---however, The Good Doctor is a DVD I recently watched that truly creeped me out!  The novel stars (and is directed by) Orlando Bloom.  He is a new "resident" doctor and the movie opens with him beginning a new job in a hospital.  Bloom is a loner, and becomes captivated by one of his patients, a beautiful girl in her 20's suffering from an infection.  The creepy part of the movie is not Bloom's relationship with the young woman, but the steps he takes to keep her in the hospital.  His actions are believable (and his acting is superb) and will really make you think twice about your next hospital visit!  The movie is rated PG-13. 

I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus

Have you performed the not-so-fun task of de-decorating the house?  Have you thrown away all the leftover Christmas food because you just can't face looking at it anymore?  If so, then I have found the perfect book for you!  It combines two of my favorite subjects---zombies and Christmas! S. G. Browne's I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus is the second "romantic, zombie, comedy" that the author has written.  This book does not have much romance, but it is another zany adventure in the (reanimated) life of Andy Warner, zombie extraordinaire.  The book opens with Andy and his fellow zombies escaping from a research facility in Portland, OR, where he has been subjected to experimental testing for the past year.  The zombies are treated like lab rats, and are forced to endure some pretty horrific things.  Andy escapes into a neighborhood and decides that "borrowing" the Santa Claus costume from a mannequin in someone's front yard is the perfect disguise to throw his captors off his track.  Andy's plan works until he stumbles upon a sweet, lonely, 9 year old girl who reminds him of his own daughter that he's lost, and who believes he is the real Santa.  When a group of rogue zombies recognizes Andy and adopts him as their mentor, Andy hatches a plan with his "zombie crew" to free the rest of his buddies from the research facility.  This is a zany holiday tale that will show you the true meaning of Christmas...zombie style!  If you want to follow Andy Warner's undead life from the beginning, read Breathers first. S. G. Browne lives in San Francisco and can be followed on Facebook and Twitter or visited at www.sgbrowne.com.

The Bone Bed

The Bone Bed is Patricia Cornwell's latest novel starring Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta.  Set around Boston, MA, the events of the novel center around the discovery of the body of a dead woman, suspended in the waters of the Boston Harbor.  Kay is diligently trying to piece together clues to discover the identity of the woman, at the same time that a female paleontologist disappears while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada.  Events unfold rapidly and Scarpetta's friends and family are dragged into the investigation too.  Familiar characters such as Pete Marino, Scarpetta's co-worker and friend, her niece Lucy and her FBI husband Benton also figure prominently in the book.  Lush descriptions of food and recipes appear along with detailed descriptions of forensic investigation techniques.  This book is another great installation in the Kay Scarpetta series and a fascinating look into the science of forensics. 

Notorious Nineteen

Want to recoup from the hustle and bustle of the holidays?  Why not try reading the newest Stephanie Plum novel, Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich?  This nineteenth book in the series serves up as much fun and zaniness as the other eighteen.  The characters you love (Lula, Connie, Ranger, Morelli and Grandma Mazur) are back, along with a few new ones.  The main action of this series centers around Stephanie (lingerie saleswoman-turned-bounty hunter) trying to find Geoffrey Cubbin, a bail skip with a 3 million dollar bond who has disappeared from his Tenton, NJ hospital room while recovering from an emergency appendectomy.  Recovering Geoffrey would really help Stephanie, since she desperately needs to pay her bills and purchase a new vehicle.  Cubbin has been accused of embezzling 5 million dollars from Cranberry Manor, an assisted living facility in Trenton, New Jersey and his wife and the residents would love to know where he has hidden the money---they just need to find him first!  In between trying to find Cubbin, Stephanie earns extra cash by posing as Ranger's date/personal bodyguard, a gig that involves a wedding and a hideous pink bridesmaid dress and a few racy moments.  This book is humorous and full of fun moments---the audiobook is as entertaining as the book so check out the CD if you don't have time to read it.  Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum and Lizzy and Diesel series', twelve romance novels, the Alexanddra Barnaby novels and How I Write:  Secrets of a Bestselling Author.   Visit the author's website at www.evanovich.com.

Happy Holidays!

We wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!  The library will be closed December 22-25 and December 29-January 1.  We will also close at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, Decembr 26 and Thursday, December 27.  We look forward to seeing you in 2013!