January 2012 list

Books-January 2012
1. The winters in bloom by Lisa Tucker
2. Samantha on a roll by Linda Ashman illustrated by Christine Davenier (picture book)
3. The prince's new pet by Brian Anderson (picture book)
4. A plain and fancy Christmas by Cynthia Keller
5. Deadly housewives edited by Christine Matthews
6. Zombie tag by Hannah Moskowitz (intermediate book)
7. The cruelest month by Louise Penny
8. The pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs by Christina Hopkinson
9. Dead end in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (intermediate book)
10. The surrender tree by Margarita Engle
11. Emily alone by Stewart O'Nan
12. A secret kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
13. Maine by Courtney J. Sullivan
14. 1225 Christmas tree lane by Debbie McComber (audio)
15. Little Bee by Chris Cleave


1. A quiet story about a couple who have both suffered loss. Their lives are changed when their son is kidnapped and then returned to them.
2. I always start the month determined to get through the stack of books on my desk and never quite succeed. But, this was a cute story of a little girl who takes off on her own, only to eventually return safely to her own home.
3. See my comments about the picture book of the month. A good story and works on many levels.
4. When two baby girls are sent home from the hospital with the wrong parents, their lives are changed forever. Years later the mistake is acknowledged and the to young women get to know their birth families. Since one family is Amish, it adds a little twist to an old story.
5. Short murder mystery stories. Most were good but not memorable.
6. What a weird book about pretend zombies and real zombies with real loss and grief mixed in. May appeal to some teens.
7. The third Louise Penny book I have read in the last few months. She is still high on my list and I will eventually catch up with her latest book. Check her out if you have not read any of her mysteries.
8. This has been compared to I don’t know how she does it by Allison Pearson (see March 2011). I thought it was similar in some ways, but I liked it better. Still a little bit whiny about all that women have to do that men never seem to even notice. Much truth to the whines, though.
9. Newbery winner. I was not impressed. Gantos can do so much more than this, I think.
10. A series of poems about the wars fought at the end of the 19th century in Cuba. Strong characters based on real people who fought for the right to have autonomy in their own country.
11. Had never read Steward O’Nan before. I liked this simple story of Emily, a widow living our her last years, completing simple tasks and wondering how she can connect with her children and grandchildren.
12. This book was not as well received as Sarah’s Key by the same author. For me, it was not spectacular, but it worked somehow. A story about the importance of relationships and learning to love oneself as you love others.
13. This was hailed as a comic novel. But, I did not see it as funny so much as full of pathos. The way the characters treated one another was too hurtful to be funny. I did like the writing and would read this author again.
14. I listened to this story and it was a little confusing as I think this story was written to wrap up a series set in this town in Oregon. The author was constantly referring to past events in the many different characters’ lives. Of course it ends with all stories neatly wrapped up and many happily ever afters.
15. One of the most powerful books I read this month. About a young refugee from Nigeria, how she gets to England and what happens when she gets there. Told in two voices. This was the library book club book and we had a very good discussion.