Book review-Just One Damned Thing After Another

And now for something completely different... I read a long string of novels that took place during World War II.  When I heard about Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor I thought it would be fun to read something on the light side.  It fit the bill! Max (Madeleine Maxwell) is the newest "historian" at St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research.  These aren't your typical nose-in-a-book historians, though. They actually travel through history to observe first hand what is happening.  Sounds easy, but one wrong step and history will kill an outsider before they can change what is to come.  Max comes up with a great idea for funding the institute, which leads to more hijinx. This was a fun book to read.  Max is a great character-somewhat mysterious back story, strong, witty, and smart.  I enjoyed the fast pace and the suspense.  This is a great book for someone who wants a quick, light read with interesting characters and a suspenseful plot.  Oh, and there's a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.

Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One By Taylor, Jodi 2016-06 - Night Shade Books 9781597808682 Check Our Catalog The first book in the USA Today bestselling British madcap time-travelling series, served with a dash of wit that seems to be everyone's cup of tea. "History is just one damned thing after another." --Arnold Toynbee Behind the seemingly innocuous facade of St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don't call it "time …More

Complimentary Reads

Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance By Martin, Monique 2011-09 - Createspace 9781466243439 Check Our Catalog Mystery, romance and adventure... Professor Simon Cross has spent his life searching for evidence of vampires and avoiding emotional entanglements. When a mysterious accident transports Simon and his assistant, Elizabeth West, back in time, Simon finally finds both the proof that he's been looking for, and the romance that he hasn't. Simon and Elizabeth's developing relationship is tested by …More

11/22/63 By King, Stephen 2011-11 - Scribner Book Company 9781451627282 Check Our Catalog Awards: L.A. Times Book Prize (2011), Locus Awards (2012), Thriller Awards (2012) King's heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination. Jake Epping is a 35-year-old high-school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. Jake's friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. 864 pp. 2,000,000 print. (General …More

A Discovery of Witches By Harkness, Deborah E. 2011-02 - Viking 9780670022410 Check Our Catalog Debut novelist Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense--a richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. …More

What to read while waiting for...

Artemis By Weir, Andy 2017-11 - Crown Publishing Group (NY) 9780553448122 Check Our Catalog The bestselling author of The Martian returns with an irresistible new near-future thriller--a heist story set on the moon. Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity's first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her …More

Are you patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for that best seller?  Here are some suggestions.

Aurora By Robinson, Kim Stanley 2015-07 - Orbit 9780316098106 Check Our Catalog A major new novel from one of science fiction's most powerful voices, AURORA tells the incredible story of our first voyage beyond the solar system. Brilliantly imagined and beautifully told, it is the work of a writer at the height of his powers. Our voyage from Earth began generations ago. Now, we approach our new home. …More

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress By Heinlein, Robert A. 1997-06 - Orb Books 9780312863555 Check Our Catalog The Hugo Award-winning classic that helped launch modern libertarianism, "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" is Heinlein's unforgettable tale of a Lunar revolution in 2076. Led by a one-armed computer technician, a radical blonde bombshell, an aging academic, and a sentient, all-knowing computer, the revolution's proclamation--"TANSTAAFL" (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)--remains a slogan of …More

Ultima By Baxter, Stephen 2015-08 - Ace Books 9780451467720 Check Our Catalog Hailed as -one of the most inventive writers that science fiction has ever produced- (SF Site), Stephen Baxter builds on the massive success of Proxima with a career-defining novel of big ideas.... On the planet of Per Ardua, alien artifacts were discovered--hatches that allowed humans to step across light-years of space as if they were stepping into another room. But …More

Upcoming Events at HPL

HACKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBER 23 - 25 AND WILL REOPEN ON THE 26TH AT NOON

Tech Tuesday 12:00 - 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 26 Reserve your 30 minute appointment to have your computer/tech questions answered by our in-house IT people. We will answer questions on using computers and apps-anything from how to navigate Windows to how to upload pictures to Facebook.  Call 231-722-8012  to reserve your spot.  By appointment only, walk-in spots will not be available.

HACKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBER 30 THROUGH JANUARY 1, AND WILL REOPEN ON JANUARY 2 AT NOON

Movies @ the Library-Concussion 5:30 pm, Tuesday January 2 Come to the library to see movies on the first Tuesday of the month.  Bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.  This month we'll be screening Concussion:  “A dramatic thriller based on the true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu. Omalu, a forensic neuropathologist, made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu's emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful and beloved institutions in the world.”  The movie runs 123 minutes.   Brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

STORYTIME! JANUARY 4, THURSDAY, 10:30 Join us for stories, songs, movement activities, and a craft just for little ones.

Computer Class-Twitter 10:30 am - 12:00  pm, Saturday, January 6 De'ondra Pentecost will teach computer classes on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Registration is required. Call HPL at 231-722-8000 or visit our online calendar.  Registration opens 1 month before the class.  Brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library. Twitter-learn how to tweet and retweet, follow people and get followers.

MINECRAFT JANUARY 6, SATURDAY, 2:00 Start the year off right! Minecraft creates healthy brains by encouraging creative thinking, but more importantly, it's fun too! Minecraft is open to the first 20 participants. Register online at hackleylibrary.org or by calling Youth Services at 231-722-8014.

What to read while waiting for...

Year One: Chronicles of the One, Book 1 By Roberts, Nora 2017-12 - St. Martin's Press 9781250122957 Check Our Catalog A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author--an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives... It began on New Year's Eve. The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything …More

Are you patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for that best seller?  Here are some suggestions.

Station Eleven By Mandel, Emily St John 2014-09 - Knopf Publishing Group 9780385353304 Check Our Catalog Awards: ALA Notable Books (2015) Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (2015) Indies Choice Book Awards (2015) John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2015) Michigan Notable Books (2015) National Book Awards (2014) New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Award (2015) PEN/Faulkner Award (2015) 2014 National Book Award Finalist A New York Times Bestseller An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything …More

Seveneves By Stephenson, Neal 2015-05 - William Morrow & Company 9780062190376 Check Our Catalog Awards: Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award (2016) From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem, Reamde, and Cryptonomicon comes an exciting and thought-provoking science fiction epic--a grand story of annihilation and survival spanning five thousand years. What would happen if the world were ending? A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish …More

Son of No One By Kenyon, Sherrilyn 2014-09 - St. Martin's Press 9781250029911 Check Our Catalog In the New York Times bestseller, Son of No One, part of the blockbuster The Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, it's not easy being life's own personal joke, but Josette Landry has made an unstable peace with the beast. Completely down on her luck, Josette takes a job with a local paranormal group as a photographer and camerawoman. Yeah, they're even crazier than she …More

Upcoming Events at HPL

Computer Class-Intro to Powerpoint 10:30 am- 12:00 pm, Saturday, December 16 De'ondra Pentecost will teach computer classes on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Registration is required. Call HPL at 231-722-8000 or visit HPL Events to register.   Registeration opens one month before the class date. Brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library. This weeks' topic--Powerpoint.  Learn how to create a slide show.

TO THE NORTH POLE! DECEMBER 16, SATURDAY, 12:30 Hop on the Polar Express and discover the magic of the season! Come watch the animated movie. We'll keep warm with hot chocolate and plenty of festive activities!

REINDEER! DECEMBER 16, SATURDAY, 2:30 Does Rudolph really have a red nose? Can reindeer actually fly? The only way you'll find out is if you meet our visiting reindeer in person! Join us outside on the lawn of the Hackley Administration Building to learn all about reindeer.

Tech Tuesday 12:00 - 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 19 Reserve your 30 minute appointment to have your computer/tech questions answered by our in-house IT people. We will answer questions on using computers and apps-anything from how to navigate Windows to how to upload pictures to Facebook.  Call 231-722-8012 at least 24 hours in advance to reserve your spot.  By appointment only, walk-in spots will not be available.

Tech Tuesday

12:00 - 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 26

Reserve your 30 minute appointment to have your computer/tech questions answered by our in-house IT people. We will answer questions on using computers and apps-anything from how to navigate Windows to how to upload pictures to Facebook.  Call 231-722-8012  to reserve your spot.  By appointment only, walk-in spots will not be available.

Book review-At the Water's Edge

I picked up At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen because I liked Water for Elephants so much. This book takes place during World War II, from the perspective of rich New Yorkers.  They are only mildly aware of what is going on in Europe and only because it inconviences them.  Maddie and Ellis Hyde are living a sheltered and pampered life, pretty much living off Ellis' parents.  They, along with Ellis' best friend Hank, get very drunk at a New Year's Eve party and become the talk of high society.  Ellis' parents decide enough is enough and throw them out.  Ellis and Hank decide the only way to get back in their good graces is to travel to Scotland and find the Loch Ness monster, which Ellis' father tried to do years ago.  Maddie does not want to go, pointing out that there is a war on, but Hank is able to book passage to Scotland and off they go.  Once there, they are appalled that they are not waited on hand and foot in the small inn.  Maddie is embarrassed by Ellis and Hank but is not sure what to do.  The two men start looking for the monster, leaving Maddie to her own devices.  She makes friends with the innkeeper and the  women who work at the inn.  She realizes that her marriage is a sham and that she has been sheltered from the realities of life. As she learns more she realizes that she cannot stay with Ellis. I enjoyed seeing how Maddie grew from a whiny young woman to a strong individual.  I also enjoyed the Scottish setting, and seeing the war from yet another point of view.  I would recommend it to people who are interested in World War II from the point of view of "home front" and people who like fiction about personal growth.

At the Water's Edge By Gruen, Sara 2015-11 - Spiegel & Grau 9780385523240 Check Our Catalog NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - In this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces. At the Water's Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young woman's awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish …More

Complimentary Reads

Skeletons at the Feast By Bohjalian, Chris 2008-05 - Shaye Areheart Books 9780307394958 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title Capturing both the power and poignancy of romance and the terror and tragedy of war, Bohjalian's latest work puts a moving face on one of the 20th century's greatest tragedies. …More

Letters from Skye By Brockmole, Jessica 2013-07 - Ballantine Books 9780345542601 Check Our Catalog In 1912, a chance letter from a young student to a reclusive poet sparks a trans-Atlantic romance spanning two wars. …More

Secrets of a Charmed Life By Meissner, Susan 2015-02 - Berkley Books 9780451419927 Check Our Catalog The author of A Bridge Across the Ocean journeys from the present day to World War II England, as two sisters are separated by the chaos of wartime... Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the …More

What to read while waiting for...

End Game By Baldacci, David 2017-11 - Grand Central Publishing 9781455586608 Check Our Catalog Number-one New York Times-bestselling author Baldacci returns with his most breathtaking thriller yet, as Will Robie and Jessica Reel, two of the most lethal people alive, must find the one man has always had their backs: their handler, code-named Blue Man. …More

Are you patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for that best seller?  Here are some suggestions.

Never Never By Patterson, James Author Fox, Candice 2017-01 - Little Brown and Company 9780316433174 Check Our Catalog The Instant #1 New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Never... assume you know someone. Harry Blue is the top Sex Crimes investigator in her department. She's a seasoned pro who's seen it all. But even she didn't see this coming: her own brother arrested for the grisly murders of three beautiful young women. Never... …More

Don't Let Go By Coben, Harlan 2017-09 - Dutton Books 9780525955115 Check Our Catalog With unmatched suspense and emotional insight, Harlan Coben explores the big secrets and little lies that can destroy a relationship, a family, and even a town in this powerful new thriller. Suburban New Jersey Detective Napoleon "Nap" Dumas hasn't been the same since senior year of high school, when his twin brother Leo and Leo's girlfriend Diana were found dead on …More

Moonlight Mile By Lehane, Dennis 2010-11 - William Morrow & Company 9780061836923 Check Our Catalog Awards: Dilys Award (2011) "New York Times"-bestselling author Lehane delivers an explosive tale of vengeance and redemption in this brilliant sequel to "Gone, Baby, Gone"--heralding the long-awaited return of beloved private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. …More