Dear Library Patron

Wow, it's been a while since I drafted a "Dear Library Patron" letter!! It feels SO GOOD!!! WHOOOT WHOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!! Oh, and before I start my letter - be sure to enter my latest giveaway!!!

Dear Library Patron,

Welcome to the Library!! I am glad to see that you have found that we offer free internet access to all patrons! However, I would like to extend some advice.

Please consider that you have planted yourself on a computer in the children's department of the building. You are free to use these computers, of course, but you might want to watch what you say. For instance, yelling at your husband/boyfriend that it's his fault you are in such financial debt is probably not appropriate behavior - not only in the children's department, but in the library building in general. Also, asking your husband/boyfriend WTF is wrong with him, and then telling him you don't even want to hear his answer, let alone see his face is also probably not appropriate.

I am sorry you are finding yourself a victim of the economy and poor choices, but please, leave your loud discussions at home.

Oh, and seeing as how it's December in Minnesota, probably you want to put some pants on your three year old before taking her outside in the snow.

Thank you,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Librarian

Review and Giveaway!! Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan

When Stephanie at HarperCollins emailed me and asked me to review Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan, I jumped at the chance!! I’m a sucker for a good chick-lit novel, and with the promise of time travel and a cute puppy on the cover, I couldn’t resist!!

Anna is dealing with a lot right now. She has had three miscarriages and is recently divorced from her husband who has had an affair. She escapes with a friend on a trip to England, Scotland and Ireland, and upon her return discovers her brother, Patrick, has been in a terrible car accident while on his way to pick up his sixteen year old son who has stolen a car and wound up in jail. Anna, dealing with seeing her older brother in a coma, has to go and bail her nephew, Joseph, out of jail.

Exhausted, Anna brings Joseph home to get some sleep before they go to the hospital to see Patrick. Anna wakes up in the middle of the night to find Joseph rummaging through her suitcase. The package Joseph has found, a gift from a stranger in Ireland, turns out to be something of a portal, and the two are violently transported back to 1844 Ireland.

I loved the time travel part of this story. Anna and Joseph were separated and found by drastically different people. Anna is found by an Irish country family, while Joseph is found by a wealthy British man who looks down upon the Irish. Each story holds it’s own while we learn about the struggles and stories of these two sides. It’s interesting how both Anna and Joseph have to learn how to live in 1844 and deal with the times and lack of current “luxuries.”

Anna tries desperately to find Joseph and to figure out why they have been transported to this exact moment in time. Why 1844 Ireland? How did this happen? You will just have to read the book to know for sure!!! I found that I just couldn’t put this book down – I was totally invested in the characters – even Joseph, who was quite the obnoxious teenager!

And now, you have a chance to read it, too!!! Stephanie at HarperCollins is letting me give away 5 copies!!! HOOORAY!!!!! So, all you have to do is leave a comment here on my blog. Please leave your email address – if I don’t have a way to contact you, you won’t be entered in the contest! I’m going to open the contest to ANYWHERE – if HarperCollins can’t deliver it to you, I will!!!

The contest ends on Thursday, December 10, and I’ll announce the winners on Friday, December 11!! Good luck to everyone!!!!!! And a big THANK YOU to Stephanie!!!

Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tour: Purged by Darkness

From the Book Jacket:

In the gang lifestyle, honor and loyalty is what is expected of you. Fear, death and betrayal is what often follows. In this world, no one wins and all those involved often find themselves in too deep to ever get out.

With the story revolving around six friends, it traces their rise ad fall inside the organized crime syndicate, the Triads. With their love for each other and their loyalties not far behind, it is the same quality that will push their friendship beyond all limits.

In the criminal underworld, the word friendship doesn’t exist. For this group of friends, it is all they have. Love is what keeps them together, but will it be enough to survive in a world where bullets speak louder than words and death awaits them at every turn?

How much do you know about gangsters and the criminal underworld? I have to admit, I don’t know much. I have seen The Godfather, but not many other movies. I have read The Mad Ones by Tom Folsom about Crazy Joey Gallo, but that’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge.

Purged by Darkness by Michael Estepa takes a look at the criminal underworld of Melbourne, Australia through the eyes of Kai, an up and coming member of the Triads. Kai and his five friends have been involved in this organization since Kai was 15 and his friends were 17. Kai is the boss of his group of friends, and eventually becomes a Branch Leaders after he plans and leads a hit on another member who has broken the rules of the society. But, the life is not all about power and money. As the group of friends becomes higher in the society, they gain the resentment of other members as well as other Societies. The group becomes targeted and friends start to fall.

The problem is, once you are in, you are in for life. Kai comes to terms with his morality and what he wants for his future. After losing more friends than anyone should have to deal with, Kai decides to run.

I won’t tell you any more than that – you should read it to find out what happens to this gangster.

I have to admit, I really felt for this character. I can’t imagine losing your friends because of the life of crime you have chosen – a choice made as a stupid kid at age 15. It was hard to see him react to the deaths of his friends. And when he has to make the ultimate choice, I understood why he felt that he had to do what he did.

I had a little trouble with some of the dialog, however. I wondered if gangsters would really talk like that to each other at a couple points. But, I was able to get around that and appreciate the story for what it was – an action filled, coming of age story about six friends and the life they chose.

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotional Book Tours and Michael Estepa for sending me this book!!! Check out http://www.michaelestepa.com/ to learn more about the author and his book!

The joy of audio books

I have always told people how awesome audio books are. But, I have to be perfectly honest with you - I had never really listened to one. I was never really in my car long enough to get into one. When I lived in Nashville, my commute was 5-8 minutes depending on the traffic lights. And my commute to my retail job was only 20ish minutes, and I like to sing in the car.

But the commute to my new FABULOUS library job is about 40-50 (depending on traffic) minutes away from home, and I figured if I'm gonna be working two jobs, this is the perfect way to get some reading in!!

And I LOVE IT!!!! I didn't think I'd be able to concentrate and follow along without having the words in front of me, but I totally get sucked in, and it makes the drive go so much faster! And, working at the library, I have a never ending supply!! YAY!!!

And now, library story of the day...

Library caller: Yes, I was just wondering if you had any programs going on on Thanksgiving.
Real Librarian: Actually, we are closed on Thanksgiving day, but we have some regular programs on the Wednesday before or the Friday after.
LC: You are closed on Thanksgiving?
RL: Um...yeah.

Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tour: A Note from an Old Acquaintance

From the Book Jacket:

Brian Weller is a haunted man. It’s been two years since the tragic accident that left his three-year-old son dead and his wife in an irreversible coma. A popular author of mega-selling thrillers, Brian’s life has reached a crossroads: his new book is stalled, his wife’s prognosis is dire, and he teeters on the brink of despair.

Everything changes the morning an e-mail arrives from Boston artist Joanna Richman. Her heartfelt note brings back all the poignant memories: the night their eyes met, the fiery passion of their short-lived affair, and the agonizing moment he was forced to leave Joanna forever. Now, fifteen years later, the guilt and anger threaten to overwhelm him. Vowing to make things right, Brian arranges a book-signing tour that will take him back to Boston. He is eager to see Joanna again, but remains unsure where their reunion will lead. One thing is certain: the forces that tore their love asunder will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

Filled with tender romance and taut suspense, A Note from an Old Acquaintance is an unforgettable story about fate, honor, and the power of true love.

A Note from an Old Acquaintance is a beautiful love story filled with tenderness and true love. Bill Walker has such a way with words that I was instantly drawn in to the story and felt a connection with all of the characters. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do if placed in this situation.

The story starts out in 2006, where Brian Weller is dealing with the death of his young son and his wife in a coma after a terrible car accident. Then, the email from someone he used to know fifteen years ago suddenly appears in his inbox. The story jumps back to 1991 where Brian meets Joanna Richman, and they fall instantly in love. But there is a problem – Joanna is engaged to be married to someone else.

The idea of soul mates is raised in this story. I felt the struggle that Joanna was facing. The man she fell in love with six years prior, Erik Ruby, has changed, and while she still loves him, she is questioning the man who he is becoming. After meeting Brian, Joanna feels that there is someone out there who understands her, her art, and her soul.

Erik, finding out about Brian and Joanna, places Brian in a situation and makes him a deal that he absolutely cannot refuse. Brian is now forced out of Joanna’s life. I even found myself sympathizing a little with Erik – even though I thought what he was doing was wrong – knowing that your fiancé is in love with someone else, and feels more for that other person that she feels for you. Making the choices and living with them…forever.

Back in 2006, Brian and Joanna meet again. I won’t say anything else, because I don’t want to give anything away. I do have to say that while some may think the ending was too neat, I think it was the perfect way for things to work out. I loved this book, it’s characters, and the way it was written.

Thank you to Bill Walker for sending me a copy of this awesome book. I highly enjoyed it!!! Check out his website – Bill Walker Designs!!

This review was part of a Pump Up Your Book Promotional Blog Tour. Thanks to Tracee for asking me to be a part of it!!

And I'm back in the game!!!

Well, it's time for some exciting news!!! After a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG year of searching and applications and interviews and rejections, I am FINALLY back in a library, baby!!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I'm going back to my roots - I started out doing circulation, and that's what I'm headed back to. I love the customer service side to library work, and circulation is the perfect place to do that.

And to be perfectly honest with y'all, it's just amazing to be back in a library again. My first day - actually after my first minute - I felt at home. It's such a great feeling to be back where I belong.

Here's a story from my first couple days:

A woman is buying a couple books off the book sale cart. I'm trying to remember just how much everything costs.

Real Librarian: Sorry, it's my third day!
Woman Buying Books: Ohhhh... I applied for your job.
RL: *thinking* AWKWARD!!!
WBB: I thought they'd be interested, I come from a teaching background. Do yo mind if I ask about your background?
RL: Um, I have eleven years of library experience.
WBB: Oh.

Hahaha! Come to find out there were over a hundred applicants for my job. I feel so honored to have been selected!!!

Anyway, so far so good. I've got lots of reviews in the works, so stay tuned!!!

Review: Totally Killer

Totally Killer by Greg Olear is the story of Taylor Schmidt, a 23 year old from Missouri who came to New York in search of her fortune. But this is set in 1991, where unemployment was the norm – especially for a recent college graduate with a meager resume. The narrator, Todd Lander (who is Taylor’s roommate), takes us back to 1991 to tell the story of Taylor’s final months. That’s right, I said final months. Poor Taylor is dead.

Taylor spends a lot of time in employment agencies trying to find the perfect job. Unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot out there for her. When a post card for the Quid Pro Quo agency turns up in her mail, a desperate Taylor decides to give it a shot. The agency finds Taylor the perfect job – but the repayment is…totally killer. Taylor gets sucked right into the game. This book combines a murder mystery (how did Taylor die!? Who killed her?!) with conspiracy theory. It is intriguing in a way that makes you not want to go to work and keep reading.

While I never thought too much about the 90’s (especially 1991 – I was 12!), it was awesome to hear about it. Olear obviously did his research – or just vividly remembers the early 90’s! The slacker mentality, the ‘fashion,’ the music, all comes alive with his descriptions. The characters and the conspiracies keep you tied into this quick moving story.

If you are looking for a fun read – this book is Totally Killer, dude!!