Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Gentle Read Annotation

Lewis, B. (2004). The Covenant. Bethany House.

Summary:
Abram's Daughters is the powerful saga of four sisters, their family and community, whose way of life and faith in God are as enduring as their signature horse and buggy. Or so it seems...Book One, The Covenant, unveils the layers of deeply rooted Amish tradition as seen through the eyes of Leah and Sadie Ebersol, the two oldest, courting-age sisters. The Amish community of Gobbler's Knob holds everything Leah Ebersol has ever desired until a pact with her sister Sadie, lured by the outside world, leaves Leah clinging to God's promises.



Characteristics of Gentle Reads:
1) Gentle reads are heart touching stories that reflect traditional values.
2) Language is generally not complex, and typically doesn’t contain any profanity.
3) Gentle Reads don’t contain any explicit sex or violence, stories focus on the relationships between characters.
4) Whether set in contemporary or historical times, stories are generally set in small towns, enclosed communities or rural areas.
5) Stories are generally easy-paced with relatable characters and no upsetting suprises.

Read-a-likes:

Oke, J. (2008). The tender years. U.S: Bethany House.
[The Tender Years…continues the story of Marty and Clark from her "Love Comes Softly" series with this book focusing on their granddaughter Virginia. Just entering her teen years, Virginia is finding life in her household a bit stifling. Although she dearly loves her family, she is anxious to grow up and often finds the family rules and religious beliefs are getting in the way of her fun. When Virginia becomes friends with a lively, outgoing girl named Jenny, she suddenly finds herself questioning her need to obey her parents when she could be enjoying herself with her friends. Unfortunately, Jenny's headstrong behavior soon has tragic consequences. As always with Oke's books, the characters are charming and engaging. Fans of the "Love Comes Softly" series will certainly demand this compelling and well-written follow-up. (Library Journal)

Wick, L. (2005). A place called home. Eugene, Or: Harvest House Publishers.
As the dim lights of the train station faded, Christine Bennett wondered if she would ever see home again. With the death of her grandfather, Christine experienced a deep loneliness she'd never felt before. The words of his will rang in her ears: "In the event of my granddaughter's death, everything will go to Vince Jeffers." Jeffers watched her with an evil look that made her shiver. Now, afraid of what might happen, she was obeying a note she had received saying she was in danger and must leave town immediately. After escaping to the community of Baxter, Christine begins to piece together a new life. The love she finds there, along with newfound faith, sustains her as she faces the threat of danger. (WorldCat)

Higgs, L. C. (2005). Thorn in my heart. Colorado Springs, Colo: Waterbrook Press.
Two brothers fight to claim one father’s blessing. 
Two sisters long to claim one man’s heart. 
In the autumn of 1788, amid the moors and glens of the Scottish Lowlands, two brothers and two sisters each embark on a painful journey of discovery. Jamie and Evan McKie both want their father Alec’s flocks and lands, yet only one brother will inherit Glentrool. Leana and Rose McBride both yearn to catch the eye of the same handsome lad, yet only one sister will be his bride.  A thorny love triangle emerges, plagued by lies and deception, jealousy and desire, hidden secrets and broken promises. Brimming with passion and drama, Thorn in My Heart brings the past to vibrant life, revealing spiritual truths that transcend time and penetrate the deepest places of the heart. (Amazon)


References:
Amazon. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2017, from http://www.amazon.com

Saricks, J. G. (2009). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Chicago: American Library Association.

WorldCat. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2017, from http://www.worldcat.org

Passive Programming for promoting Romance books

It's February, so it's time to promote the Romance books! Displays are one way to promote books, but for Romance books I would suggest a passive program such as a book tasting. For this book tasting I would suggest using a table and setting up like a romantic dinner: table cloth, place-settings, candles, and flowers. At each setting place a romance book, and next to table place a cart of romance books and label it “à la carte” with subcategories, like Romance-Suspense, or Romance-Gentle Reads.  This display would attract attention to the Romance books, and allow browsing of many Romance novels at one sitting.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Review of the Unwilling Bride by Candy-Ann Little

The Unwilling Bride
by Candy-Ann Little

Irish Caitlin Gallagher never wanted to be married, least of all to an Englishman such as Dillion Cade. Forced into this arranged marriage, Caitlin vows to hate him, and Dillion must put up with his ill-tempered bride.

In order to avoid deportation back to Ireland, under the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, Caitlin Gallagher must marry a citizen of the United States. Her parents hastily arrange her marriage to Dillion Cade, a newspaper owner who is vocal against the Alien and Sedition Acts. Caitlin despises the match and her husband--because she wants her freedom, and he is English. 
While the subject could make an interesting story, the author's simplistic writing style makes it difficult to read. The publisher and editor, each did horrible jobs. From grammar, incorrect historical facts, to phrasing that doesn't match the time period this book is ill written; For example:"That was one heck of a kiss!", the word "heck" use and origination dates to the late 19th century, almost a century after the setting of this novel. Other examples include "She was so board..." and the use of the word ridicule instead of reticule. 

Lacklusterly written, and poorly researched, The Unwilling Bride is hard to get through despite it's short length. 


Saturday, February 11, 2017

On book Reviews...

 I’m kind of at a loss here…I don’t read book reviews—ever. I do not order for my department, and I simply do not trust the opinions of others, especially when it comes to books. I’m the type of person who almost never believes what she’s told—I do my own research.  I read book summaries, if it seems interesting I will give it a try. I read reviews on electronics—and that’s about it.

Now objectively, it’s not fair when one type of book is heavily reviewed but others aren’t, and if the person who orders books for libraries relies heavily on reviews to make their decision—then this can negatively affect a library’s collection. Sources that do not allow negative content represent everything that is wrong with society today. Sometimes things suck; you should be allowed to comment on how much they sucked. By not allowing dissenting or negative content, you limit honest discussion.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Secret Shopper Assignment

I "secret shopped" at the Humanities department of my branch. It was frustrating--for both me and the librarian. It ended up being long and complicated because I had read everything he was suggesting. His attitude, not great when I first approached him, deteriorated towards the end. He used the library's website and eventually Goodreads. I ended up with The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver. To my surprise he didn't recommend J.D. Roth or James Patterson, which is what I would have started off with recommending.

The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver

Summary:

Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics—until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging Rhyme to a terrifying and ingenious duel of wits. With police detective Amelia Sachs by his side, Rhyme must follow a labyrinth of clues that reaches back to a dark chapter in New York City’s past—and reach further into the darkness of the mind of a madman who won’t stop until he has stripped life down to the bone. (Amazon).