Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Summer Reading Reviews, Week Two

Thanks to our Barnard Crossing patrons for submitting reviews of the books they've been reading for the summer reading program this year!

Hover by Anne Wilson
Reviewed by Ann W.
"A vivid view of females in the armed service. An upfront narrative of helicopter use in the war in the Mideast, the difficulty landing on board the ship, the intricate flying required." 10+/10
 
 

Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany
Reviewed by Diane H.
"Interesting story about a family with hidden pasts, and the consequences of keeping them secret." 10/10



Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Reviewed by Patty N.
"An estranged wife leaves her abusive husband and ends up in a small town with an identity of a dead woman. She falls in love with a widowed guy with two children. Her husband tracks her down and tries to kill them." 10/10



I Regret Nothing by Jen Lancaster (nonfiction)
Reviewed by Kim T.
"Entertaining as all her books are but not as funny as Bitter is the New Black." 8/10



The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
Reviewed by Lisa C.
"Set in turn-of-the-20th-century New York City, sandwiched between the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and fire at Coney Island, the story of two outsiders - one by choice and one by birth - and how they find each other. Creepy and repellent; mesmerizing and magical." 7/10



Teddy's World by Mirja de Vries (nonfiction)
Reviewed by Kellie G.
"In the book, it shows you the teddy's perspective on life and also tells you about the different teddy bears that were made at different times in history." 8/10



The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer
Reviewed by Susan W.
"An excellent beach read. A mom and her two kids and a dad and his son each decide to take a summer getaway to Nantucket to deal with recent family issues. Without knowing it, both families have rented the same beach house. Realistic characters, great plot, and vivid images make this a great book." 10/10



The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale (nonfiction)
Reviewed by Christol W.
"The book talks about success and how people succeed and reach their goals in life by being focused and knowing what they want to achieve in life." 10/10



Valley Fever by Katherine Taylor
Reviewed by Ann W.
"A story about a family's struggle to maintain their livelihood in the California wine country, despite the greed of family and dishonesty of employees." 8/10

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Summer Reading Reviews, Week One

Thanks to our Barnard Crossing patrons for submitting reviews of the books they've been reading for the summer reading program this year!

Country by Danielle Steel
Reviewed by Susan W.
"A classic, happy love story by this well written and well known author. Likable characters; light story line of girl meets boy and eventually end up together. Easy read even though it's a bit predictable." 8.5/10



Freedom's Child by Jax Miller
Reviewed by Kim T.
"Debut novel from a new author. Interesting story line and a good read." 8/10



The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer
Reviewed by Jane B.
"Two families unknowingly rent the same beach cottage on Nantucket Island, so they share. Happiness all around. Perfect, light beach read." 7/10



The Hummingbird's Cage by Tamara Dietrich
Reviewed by Susan W.
"A new twist on the unfortunate story of abuse and how it's dealt with and the ramifications physical and emotional abuse has on many lives. Thought provoking, honest, and heart-wrenching. A bit of mystical throughout. Fast paced and hard to put down." 9/10


Tuesday, June 23, 2015

New release summer reads!

It's (finally) officially summer! Fingers crossed this means good weather... though you really never know what you're going to get here in Rochester. To get you in the summer spirit, regardless of weather, here are some great summer picks that were recently released. We hope you'll find some of these in your beach bag this summer! Call us if you'd like a copy at 225-8951, or call Barnard Crossing at 663-3357.

Summer Secrets by Jane Green - a novel of secrets, family, and fixing the past.



Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton - the latest adventure in the Lizzy and Diesel series.



The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand - a story of gossip, friendship, and rumors.



Grey by E.L. James - the latest in the Fifty Shades saga, this novel tells the story from Christian Grey's point of view.



All the Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank - a friend's death causes a group of women to ask the big questions.



Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky - a mother and daughter have a home renovation show but big changes are going to come for the mother as she must face some difficulties.



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

New book releases for 6/16/15

Below are some new books that are being released today! Are you planning on reading any of these new titles?





Country by Danielle Steel

Invasion of Privacy by Christopher Reich

Love May Fail by Matthew Quick

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

The Santangelos by Jackie Collins

Tom Clancy's Under Fire by Grant Blackwood

The Ultimatum by Dick Wolf

The Wrong Man by Kate White

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

New book releases for 6/9/15

Below are some new books that are being released today! Are you planning on reading any of these new titles?







All the Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank

Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky

The Fixer by Joseph Finder

I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers

Language Arts by Stephanie Kallos

Only a Promise by Mary Balogh

Rise by Karen Campbell

Second Life by S.J. Watson

The Sunken Cathedral by Kate Walbert

The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Book sale!

Our Friends hold several annual book sales each year, and the next one is this week! This sale is held at the library in the Welsh Room.

Wednesday is the preview sale for members. You can join at the door for $5.00 if you aren't a member yet.

The sale will open to the public on Thursday and will run through Saturday.

Stock up on your summer reading at great prices while supporting your library.

We hope to see you there!


Monday, May 11, 2015

Patron Favorites

We now have a new "Patron Favorites" display at Barnard Crossing Branch! This display contains books that our patrons have really enjoyed and have left good comments for on the sheets in the back of the books.


We are constantly replenishing and updating the titles on the display so be sure to check it frequently! Below are just a FEW of the recent favorites:

Then and Always by Dani Atkins
Dollface by Renee Rosen
Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline
The Returned by Jason Mott
Paw Enforcement by Diane Kelly
The Blessings by Elise Juska
What We've Lost is Nothing by Rachel Louise Snyder
Thief by Mark Sullivan

Monday, April 27, 2015

Our book fair!

Will you be shopping at Barnes & Noble soon?

Support us at our book fair on May 9th from 1-4 PM, or shop online anytime between the 9th and 13th and put in our code (11568805). There will be a fun celebration with demonstrations, stories, crafts, cheesecake, and Curious George!

Thank you for your support!

Please find additional details here.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

2015 Pulitzer Prize Winners

This year's Pulitzer Prize winners have been announced! This is an award for journalism, literature, and music named after the late Joseph Pulitzer, a newspaper publisher.

Congratulations to all of the winning authors. Below are this year's winners with links to the items in our catalog for you to check out.

Fiction: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

General Nonfiction: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert

Biography or AutobiographyThe Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pope Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David I. Kertzer

HistoryEncounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People by Elizabeth Fenn

Have you read any of these titles yet? Which ones are you planning on reading?

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Library Program: The Art Forger (Book Discussion)

 
Join us at either 2 PM or 7 PM on Tuesday, April 28th, 2015.

Librarian Ann Patterson will lead a discussion on the novel The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. This story combines history, art, and a mystery.

Please register here if you'd like to join us at one of the two sessions, or give us a call to register at (585) 225-8951.

Hope to see you there!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson

Author: Jennifer Robson

Jennifer Robson's second novel, After the War is Over, tells of the time in England immediately following the Great War.  After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave devastation and death behind. The daughter of a vicar, she has always wanted to dedicate her life to helping others.  She moves to busy Liverpool where her hard work assisting destitute families leaves no time for social life other than occasional dinners with the women at her boardinghouse. 

Eventually, Charlotte takes time off to return to the estate where she was once a governess for the wedding of her former charge, Lilly Neville-Ashford.  During that weekend, Charlotte takes one look at Lilly's brother, Edward, Lord Cumberland, and realizes that she has never stopped loving him.  When Edward's war injuries threaten to destroy his future, Charlotte agrees to help nurse him back to health.  She must do this knowing that class differences will forever keep them apart.

An interesting look at changes resulting from the First World War.

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Call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!   

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott

Author: Karen Abbott

Seventeen-year old Belle Boyd, a tempestuous Virginian, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate  army. Though the flirtatious Boyd seduced men on both sides of the conflict, she actually had a serious crush on Stonewall Jackson, and on one occasion managed to thwart a Union plan to trap him in the Shenandoah Valley.

Abbott claims that “as many as four hundred women" in both North and  South posed and fought as men.  Canadian Emma Edmonds was one such woman. Edmonds came from an unhappy home, and finally fled when threatened with an arranged marriage to an elderly neighbor. Disguised as Frank Thompson, medic and mail carrier with Company F, Second Michigan Infantry, she infiltrated enemy lines and eventually witnessed the battle of Antietam, the bloodiest engagement in the Civil War.

Of the four women Abbott highlights, widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow is the best known.  Greenhow lived in Washington where she lobbied politicians on behalf of the confederacy.  She learned how to write messages in code and used her young daughter, Little Rose, to send information to Southern generals.  For a time, mother and daughter were imprisoned together. 

Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, was known to have Yankee roots, yet her wealth and Southern manners served as cover for a far-ranging espionage network.  She even managed to place Mary Jane Bowser, a former slave, inside the Confederate  White House.          

This is an exciting read which focuses on women who risked everything for a cause in which they believed. It also offers a fuller picture of people involved in the Civil War.
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Call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!   
 

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Library Program: Book Discussion - The Age of Miracles

 Tuesday, February 24 at 2 pm and 7 pm                

Join Librarian Ann Patterson for a discussion of The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker in preparation for the author's visit to the library in March.

The Age of Miracles is Writers & Books' 2015 "If all of Rochester Reads the Same Book. . . " selection.

These book discussions require registration. You can register at the information desk or through our website.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett

Author: Ken Follett

Edge of Eternity, the third novel in Ken Follett's Century Trilogy, continues the saga of five interrelated families first seen in Fall of Giants and Winter of the World.  This third book introduces a new generation of men and women located in the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Russia.  These younger family members are linked by blood and also by tumultuous global events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Civil Rights Movement, and Watergate.

As fascinating as Follett makes history, he is essentially a storyteller who lets his characters drive the action.  George Jakes is in Robert F Kennedy's Justice Department.  Dimka Dworkin is an aid to Nikita Khrushchev.  Jasper Murray is a journalist, and finally, Walli Franck is a rock 'n roll musician.  All are impacted in important ways by twentieth century milestones.  However, its the account of their ambition, insight, and passion which keeps the reader hooked for hours.

Ken Follett's books often require a big investment of time.  The Century Trilogy is worth it.
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Call us to check on an item's availability at 720-4106, or try our Barnard Crossing Branch at 663-3357. You can also check our online catalog 24/7 at http://greecepubliclibrary.org/. Click on the title above to link directly to the item in our catalog!  

Friday, January 9, 2015

Need some tech help?

If you're in need of some tech help, we've got you covered at the Greece Public Library! We're offering all new programs in 2015 to help you with computers, gadgets, and more!

For the month of January, we've got the following tech programs for adults:
  • Introduction to Microsoft Word (January 20th - two time slots: 2:00 or 7:00)
  • Getting Started with iPad (January 22nd - two time slots: 2:00 or 7:00)
  • Cool Tech Gadgets - 3D Printing (January 23rd - demo in the library from 1:00-4:00)
  • Learn to Sell on Etsy (January 25th - 6:30)
For more details, and to register for any of the above programs that require registration, be sure to visit our program calendar.

We look forward to helping you learn all about technology in the new year!


Monday, January 5, 2015

Huge book sale, coming right up!


The Friends of the Greece Public Library is a wonderful volunteer group who works tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for the library. They do this in a variety of ways with one of the biggest ways being their annual used book sales held several times a year. Their biggest sale of the year is held every January at the Greece Ridge Mall (near Bed Bath and Beyond).

This year's gigantic sale is coming up fast! It will be held January 15th - 19th this year with the following hours:

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 10am-7pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm (all books 50% off!)
Monday: 10 am-3 pm ($3.00 / bag sale!)


They will have a huge variety of books in all genres, and will include paperback and hardcover (usually $0.50 - $1.00... wow!). The last two days of the sale, you can score books for even cheaper with a 50% off sale and then a $3.00 a bag sale on the final day. Not only will you find some amazing deals, you will be supporting the library in a huge way.

Thank you to all the generous people who so kindly donate their books to our friends group, and an enormous thank you to our friends for their time, energy, and commitment to helping the library!