A place where staff reviews are shared with the public! Be kind, all of these reviews are done by staff members who want to share what they are/have been reading, watching, and listening to. We also share what is new in the libraries and a staff member gives a brief blurb about the book, courtesy of our OPAC (Syndetics Unbound Blurbs) or Novelist Blurbs about the books.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
March 11, 2021 - BCPL Resume Tips
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
March 10, 2021 - Staff Reviews
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
March 9, 2021 - Book Club Preview
Over five years in the writing, The Dovekeepers is Alice Hoffman's most ambitious and mesmerizing novel, a tour de force of imagination and research, set in ancient Israel.
In 70 C.E., nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic and iconic event, Hoffman's novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. Yael's mother died in childbirth, and her father, an expert assassin, never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker's wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her young grandsons, rendered mute by what they have witnessed. Aziza is a warrior's daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and an expert marksman who finds passion with a fellow soldier. Shirah, born in Alexandria, is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power.
Monday, March 8, 2021
March 8, 2021 - New Arrivals
March 8, 2021
Adult Fiction
Bloodline by Jess Lourey.
In a tale inspired by real
events, pregnant journalist Joan Harken is cautiously excited to follow her
fiancé back to his Minnesota hometown. After spending a childhood on the move
and chasing the screams and swirls of news-rich city life, she's eager to
settle down. Lilydale's motto, "Come Home Forever," couldn't be more
inviting. And yet, something is off in the picture-perfect village. The
friendliness borders on intrusive. Joan can't shake the feeling that every move
she makes is being tracked. An archaic organization still seems to hold the
town in thrall. So does the sinister secret of a little boy who vanished
decades ago. And unless Joan is imagining things, a frighteningly familiar
figure from her past is on watch in the shadows. Her fiancé tells her she's
being paranoid. He might be right. Then again, she might have moved to the
deadliest small town on earth.
Have You Seen Me? by Kate White.
The key to her missing
memories could bring relief--or unlock her worst nightmares. On a cold, rainy
morning, finance journalist Ally Linden arrives soaked to the bone at her
Manhattan office, only to find that she's forgotten her keycard. When her boss
shows, he's shocked to see her--because, he explains, she hasn't worked there
in five years. Ally knows her name, but is having trouble coming up with much
beyond that, though after a trip to the psychiatric ER, she begins to piece
together important facts: she lives on the Upper West Side; she's now a
freelance journalist; she's married to a terrific man named Hugh. More memories
materialize and yet she still can't recall anything about the previous two
days. Diagnosed as having experienced a dissociative state, she starts to
wonder if it may have been triggered by something she saw--an accident, or
worse--or if a trauma from her childhood has risen to the surface. Desperate
for answers, Ally tries to track where she spent the missing days, but every
detail she unearths points to an explanation that's increasingly ominous, and
it's clear someone wants to prevent her from learning where those forty-eight
hours went. In order to uncover the truth, Ally must dig deep into the secrets
of her past--and outsmart the person who seems determined to silence her.
Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh.
For more than 25 years,
Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish
childhood memories of her parents' murder-suicide ... Until her younger sister,
Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night - innocent witnesses
and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There's just one chilling
difference. Erin's husband, Justin, has vanished. Bree knows how explosive the
line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled
brother-in-law isn't adding up. Teaming up with Justin's old friend, former
sheriff's investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the
secrets of her sister's life and death, as she promised Erin's children. But as
her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree's
family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.
Adult Non-Fiction
Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta, MD.
Throughout our life, we
look for ways to keep our mind sharp and effortlessly productive. Now,
globetrotting neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta offers insights from top scientists
all over the world, whose cutting-edge research can help you heighten and
protect brain function and maintain cognitive health at any age. Keep
Sharp debunks common myths about aging and cognitive decline, explores
whether there's a "best" diet or exercise regimen for the brain, and
explains whether it's healthier to play video games that test memory and
processing speed, or to engage in more social interaction. Discover what we can
learn from "super-brained" people who are in their eighties and
nineties with no signs of slowing down--and whether there are truly any
benefits to drugs, supplements, and vitamins. Dr. Gupta also addresses brain
disease, particularly Alzheimer's, answers all your questions about the signs
and symptoms, and shows how to ward against it and stay healthy while caring
for a partner in cognitive decline. He likewise provides you with a
personalized twelve-week program featuring practical strategies to strengthen
your brain every day.
Take Heart by Grace P. Cho & Anna E. Rendell.
"In this world you
will have trouble," Jesus said. "But take heart, I have overcome the
world." If life hasn't turned out the way you planned, you're not
alone. Cancer comes. Loved ones die. Spouses leave. Dreams slip through our
fingers. Anxiety and depression steal precious seasons. But what if you knew
you weren't alone in your pain, and sorrow isn't in the end of the story? In
this 100-day devotional, the (in)courage community comes alongside you when
your heart is grieving, your faith is shaking, or it's just one of those
mundane hard days. In these vulnerable stories, you won't find tidy bows or
trite quick fixes, but you will find arrows pointing you straight to Jesus.
Each day includes a key Scripture, a heartening devotion, and a prayer to
remind you that God is near and hope is possible. Let this book be like a
trusted friend, wrapping your heart with comfort and assurance that you are
seen. Together we can find ourselves and God again in one another's stories.
Together we can take heart!
Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel
The Little Red Hen by Lucinda McQueen. E
The little red hen finds
none of her lazy friends willing to help her plant, harvest, or grind wheat
into flour, but all are eager to eat the bread she makes from it.
Fossils Tell of Long
Ago by Aliki. J NF
Thursday, March 4, 2021
March 4, 2021 - Staff Reviews
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
March 3, 2021 - Do You Feel Lucky?

A new generation of McKettrick men stake claim to their land -- and the women they love . . . Like his celebrated ancestors who tamed the wilds of Arizona, Jesse McKettrick's Indian Rock ties run deep. The triple M Ranch is in his blood, along with the thrill of risk. But with his land at stake, Jesse won't get involved in Cheyenne Bridge's scheme -- despite the temptation she brings.
Lucky O’Toole—Head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, premier mega-resort on the Vegas Strip—thinks it’s just another night in Las Vegas. But then a magician pulls a disappearing act, right under Lucky’s nose. Is it a stunt? Or something worse?
When hotshot reporter Max Malone gets a rare shot of Buckmaster Hamilton with a blonde woman near Beartooth, Montana, he chases down one of the senator's daughters to verify that the woman is his supposedly long-dead first wife. But Kat Hamilton won't give him the time of day, let alone any information about her mother.
Cristy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she's free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that's the least of her hurdles. Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way? Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed.
It is 1938 in England, and Miles and Cecily Ingham have lead the family in bringing the Cavendon estate back from the brink of disaster. But now, with the arrival of World War II, Cavendon Hall will face its biggest challenge yet. It is a challenge that will push the Inghams and Swanns to protect each other and the villagers, and reveal their true capacity for survival and rebirth.
Emerson, Georgia, and Marley have been best friends ever since they met at a weight-loss camp as teens. When Emerson tragically passes away, she leaves one final wish for her best friends: to conquer the fears they still carry as adults. For each of them, that means something different.
Virtually unnoticed, JoLayne Lucks stops by the Grab'n'Go to play the same numbers she's played every week for five years. Each lotto number marking the age at which she dumped a tiresome lover. She doesn't know it yet, but the discarded men in JoLayne's life have finally amounted to something.
From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night…. In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex–army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher—soldier, cop, hero—is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Child’s explosive new novel, Jack Reacher is plunged like a knife into the heart of a conspiracy that is killing old friends…and is on its way to something even worse.
When U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman half-buried in the dirt during his third tour of duty in Iraq, his first instinct is to toss it aside. Instead, he brings it back to the base for someone to claim, but when no one does, he finds himself always carrying the photo in his pocket. Soon Thibault experiences a sudden streak of luck—winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat that kills two of his closest buddies. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph—his lucky charm.
A funny and tender story about family, friendship, grief, acceptance, and Richard Gere—an entertaining and inspiring tale that will leave you pondering the rhythms of the universe and marveling at the power of kindness and love. For thirty-eight years, Bartholomew Neil has lived with his mother. When she gets sick and dies, he has no idea how to be on his own. His redheaded grief counselor, Wendy, says he needs to find his flock and leave the nest.
Monday, March 1, 2021
March 1, 2021 - New Arrivals
March 1, 2021
Adult Fiction
Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods.
After her disastrous
marriage ended in divorce, Sarah Price has come home to Serenity, South
Carolina, for a fresh start. With support from her two best friends--the newest
generation of the Sweet Magnolias--the emotionally wounded single mom knows she
can face any crisis. When Sarah meets handsome stranger Travis McDonald on one
of her shifts at Wharton's Diner, she's intrigued by his flattering words. But
her battered self-confidence makes it hard for her to take him at face value,
and she isn't certain if she's ready to trust again. Travis is intent on
getting Sarah to work at his fledgling radio station...and on giving their
relationship a chance. Sarah has learned she can't trust sweet words alone.
Starting a new relationship may be just what she needs, but first she must
decide if she's ready to risk her heart again.
The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen.
Bucolic Newport Cove,
where spontaneous block parties occur on balmy nights and all of the streets
are named for flowers, is proud of its distinction of being named one of the
top twenty safest neighborhoods in the US. It's also one of the most
secret-filled. Kellie Scott has just returned to work after a decade of being a
stay-at-home mom. She's adjusting to high heels, scrambling to cook dinner for
her family after a day at the office--and soaking in the dangerous attention of
a very handsome, very married male colleague. Kellie's neighbor Susan Barrett
begins every day with fresh resolutions: she won't eat any carbs, she'll go to
bed at a reasonable hour, and she'll stop stalking her ex-husband and his new
girlfriend. Gigi Kennedy seems to have it all together--except her teenage
daughter has turned into a hostile stranger and her husband is running for
Congress, which means her old skeletons are in danger of being brought into the
light. Then a new family moves to this quiet, tree-lined cul-de-sac. Tessa
Campbell seems friendly enough to the other mothers, if a bit reserved. Then
the neighbors notice that no one is ever invited to Tessa's house. And soon, it
becomes clear that Tessa is hiding the biggest secret of all.
The Secret by Beverly Lewis.
In the seemingly ordinary
Amish home of Grace Byler, secrets abound. Why does her mother weep in the
night? Why does her father refuse to admit something is dreadfully wrong? Then,
in one startling moment, everything Grace assumed she knew is shattered. Her
mother's disappearance leaves Grace reeling and unable to keep her betrothal
promise to her long-time beau. Left to pick up the pieces of her life, Grace
questions all she has been taught about love, family, and commitment. Heather
Nelson is an English grad student, stunned by a doctor's diagnosis. Surely fate
would not allow her father to lose his only daughter after the death of his
wife a few years before. In denial and telling no one she is terminally ill,
Heather travels to Lancaster County--the last place she and her mother had
visited together. Will Heather find healing for body and spirit? As the lives
of four wounded souls begin to weave together like an Amish patchwork quilt,
they each discover missing pieces of their life puzzles--and glimpse the
merciful and loving hand of God.
Adult Non-Fiction
Master Your Emotions by Charles Wallace.
"Master Your Emotions
is the 'how-to' manual your parents should have given you at birth. By reading
it, you will learn a step-by-step process to deal with negative emotions so you
can live a happier, more fulfilling life. With pragmatic exercises and personal
examples, you will explore techniques that counteract draining spirals of
negativity and provide immediate relief."-- From Amazon.com.
On the Plains in ‘65 by George H. Holliday.
This annotated edition of
Holliday's recollections--known primarily among historians of the American
West--re-contextualizes his memoir to include his boyhood in southern Ohio and
the largely untold story of the hundreds of Buckeyes who crossed the Ohio River
to serve their country in Virginia (later West Virginia) regiments, ultimately
traveling across Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming to safeguard mail and
stage routes along the celebrated Oregon Trail during a pivotal time in
American history. Glenn Longacre's extensive research in federal, state, and
local archives, manuscript collections, and period newspapers complements his
correspondence with the living descendants of Holliday and other soldiers. His
research integrates this story deservedly as part of Appalachian history
before, during, and after the Civil War. From this perspective it addresses an
entirely new audience of Appalachian studies scholars, Civil War and frontier
history enthusiasts, students, and general readers.
Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel
Pig Latin is Not Dead! by Christa Davis. J
Pig Latin is Not Dead! is
a new, inventive way to learn Pig Latin. For young readers, it is a new
adventure, and for the older crowd it's a pleasant reminder of simpler, playful
times of a "secret" language shared with friends. The story follows a
young, sixth-grade girl who lives an ordinary life with a few twists and some
great friends. Her way of communicating with Pig Latin makes her life more
interesting and offers the reader an entertaining peek into the ways of
modern-day teenagers and how they act in this society.
Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss
List by Rachel Cohn & David
Levithan. YA

















