Week 5: Assignment 3

I found the highly anticipated titles of 2013 to be most interesting--especially since I've been placing holds on many of them for customers for months. This is where I say "Oops! I should have this section MONTHS ago!!".

One of the titles that attracted me is Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman. It is the first novel for this author and falls into the crime/mystery/thriller category. "Rage.." is a character and plot driven novel about retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn who worked as an undercover agent in the sexual predators division. Now happily married to a former priest she is brought back into the hunt by the confession of a man to the worst unsolved case of her career. Just as the first time around when a young female agent disappeared, Laura Coleman,the new agent working the case, has also disappeared. As this case draws her in, it threatens both her new found happiness and possibly her life. Fast-paced and filled with authentic crime -solving details Rage Against the Dying has all the qualities of a great thriller. Readers of Tess Gerritsen and Lisa Gardner would like this book.

Week 5: Assignment 2

What's popular with PI's readers? EVERYTHING--except Westerns. It's an all day process to keep PI's displays filled. Whether it be new fiction, mystery, nonfiction, YA, or children's, as fast as a display is merchandized it's emptied. It's a challenge to be knowledgeable about every one of these areas and see that our customers' needs are met. Early Word certainly contains the information to keep us updated on all these areas. However, there's sooooooo much information on the site that it overwhelms me. Where do you find the time during the workday to absorb ALL of that information???

I've decided to focus on a few of the resources for now. The New Titles Radar and Kids New Titles Radar will help keep me abreast of latest releases to watch out for. I loved the Best Sellers Lists because there were so many popular ones (including Amazon, Indie, New York Times, NPR, USA Today, and Washington Post) all on one site. The Awards lists include Agatha, Caldecott, Newberry, Edgar, Pulitzer, Romance Writers, etc. Once again, everything's on one site so I don't have to do multiple searches. Finally, the Movies & TV Based on Books--Tie Ins and Trailers will be a major help in creating displays quickly and tracking down titles for customers.

Week 5: Assignment 1

I've been enjoying the author interviews and book reviews on NPR. I've found its weekly bestseller lists with the top 15 titles (hardback and paperback for both fiction and nonfiction) and the number of weeks they've been on the list to be helpful in tracking down books for customers. I also thought the listing of titles dealing with the memories and romanticism of WWII to be a very appropriate tie in with Memorial Day.

I've been delving into Stop! You're Killing Me! in bits and pieces. Each time I open the site I discover something more. The site lists New Releases monthly all the way through November. These lists include Large Print and Audio. It has an Awards link that explains what each award is and the you can click on that award to see the entire list of winners. In the reviews you're informed if that book is a finalist for a specific award. Perhaps one of the most interesting links on the site is the "Diversity of Series Character". It includes Amish, Disabled & Survivors, and Native Americans--three groups of interest to several of my mystery readers.

Week 4: Building Base Knowledge (Goodreads)

I initially joined Goodreads two years ago and must confess that for various reasons I haven't given it much personal attention since then. I was amazed when I went back into my account and saw how many recommendations I had from the reading history I had listed. This review also reminded me of the many offerings Goodreads has. The many booklists are so helpful, especially the most popular list and ones that are genre specific. Plus, you can hover over a book cover and get a quick summary. I found the book ratings to be interesting, too. You can be as easily involved as just reading the Goodreads reviews and recommendations of new releases or you can create your own shelves, rate books, write reviews and get involved in group discussions. I took a couple of the quizzes and enjoyed them--they were a fun way to spark my memory!
I have often recommended Goodreads as a source of additional/new titles to PI customers who are avid readers and have access to computers . After becoming reacquainted with it I'll be singing Goodreads praises to our customers even more!

I sent a recommendation to the PI Library group for Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler. Much like Kate Morton, Kibler skillfully brings the past and present together in a well-written and very poignant story. The love story and inter-racial marriage of a young couple in Kentucky in the 1940's is told with insight and sensitivity. Promoted by the racial mores of the time the girl's family intervenes, forces an end to the marriage and forbids the couple from ever seeing each other again.
Kibler uses a trip to a funeral to tell the heart-rending story of past loss but also to let the reader know that there is future hope, too. This is the type of book PI customers will devour!!

Week 3: Assignment 3 RA Conversation

In Conversation 1 the patron expressed interest in travel memoirs--especially ones that include the author's thoughts and reactions to the travel experience. She might like Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Like Elizabeth Gilbert, Mayes is a divorced woman who writes of her travel experiences and new life in Italy with detail, warmth and humor.

In Conversation 2 the patron expressed an interest in vampire books that were fast-paced and not based on the angst of a love interest. A rather quirky suggestion might be The Greyfriar by Clay and Cynthia Griffith. It begins in 1870 with vampires taking over the world and ends in 2020 with the survivors of humankind (led by the Greyfriar) in a fight to the death with the vampires. The story is quick-paced and is enhanced by the addition of Steampunk to aid the humans in their survival over the years.

In Conversation 3 the patron was excited about an historical nonfiction tale of exploration by Teddy Roosevelt. This reader might enjoy Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Albert Lansing. It is a vivid and gripping description of Shackleton's polar expedition that gets ice-bound for a year in the waters of Antarctica.

If the reader is actually more interested in historical nonfiction that's based on the U.S. presidents, he might enjoy Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Millard chronicles the life of James Garfield in his rise from poverty to the presidency. The tale of his death from poor medical decisions after being shot by a madman is bizarre and fascinating. Millard does an excellent job of describing the life and times of the Garfield era.

Week 2: Assignment 3

I recommended two books to Beth B. Based on their English setting, language, and pacing: The Last Summer-- a first novel by Judith Kinghorn and The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons.

Week 2: Assignment 2 Annotations for appeal factors

Dangerous Refuge

by

Elizabeth Lowell

Dangerous Refuge is a romantic suspense novel with the standard "whodunit" plot. While readers identify with the 2 main characters and pull for them to both solve the murder and have a "happily ever after" romantic commitment, setting plays a key role in the story. Set near Lake Tahoe on the east side of the Sierra Madres, Lowell's story includes detailed descriptions of Refuge, Nevada, its townspeople, casinos, ranches, hot springs and the stark ruggedness of the surrounding land. The isolated mountainous terrain provides the perfect backdrop for hiding treachery and violence. Dangerous Refuge is liberally laced with sex and violence but neither is so graphic as to offend most readers.

12th of Never

by

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

In typical Patterson fashion, 12th of Never is a fast paced and action-filled thriller. With character driven plots, all four  members of the Women's Murder Club are faced with professional and personal challenges that intertwine to affect them all. Murders, a murder trial, slimy lawyers, perjured witnesses, kidnappings, missing bodies, violent psychic premonitions and a manipulative serial killer are all overshadowed by the birth of Lindsay's daughter and the resulting concern and fear from baby Julie's life-threatening illness. Throw in job-loss and the disintegration of Rick and Cindy's romantic relationship and you've got something for everyone in this novel--just don't dig too deeply for the plausibility factor of it all!!

Week 1: Assignment 4

I've chosen NPR-Books because our customers frequently come in asking for items they've heard reviewed on NPR. Becoming familiar with the sight will hopefully aid me in tracking down the title they think they heard!!

Stop You're Killing Me looks to be a useful site for working with PI readers. They're voracious mystery /thriller/suspense readers and I am always looking for new recommendations. The index on the left looks like it will be really helpful in zeroing in on the specific interests of some of our more particular customers.