For Karen Kingsbury fans

Is Karen Kingsbury one of your favorite authors? Did you know that a Hallmark Channel movie was based on her book The Bridge? Part one will air again on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 8 pm. To learn more go to : http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/karen-kingsburys-the-bridge

Cast the Book: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

 This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Call No.: FICTION TOPPER
Find it in the catalog!

Jonathan Tropper's novel about a semi-dysfunctional Jewish family, the Foxmans, sitting shivah after their atheist father passed away is being turned into a movie with one of the most exciting sounding casts around, including everyone from Tina Fey to Connie Britton (aka. Tami Taylor) and Timothy Olyphant. Topper's novel is laugh out loud funny and with this cast, it has the chance to be really good.  I'm a little less excited about the director, Shawn Levy, who's comedies never really worked all that well for me.  Then again, I'm not the target demographic for Night at the Museum or Date Night.  Below is the break down of the cast with character descriptions:

Judd Foxman:  Judd is the narrator of the story.  He's going through a divorce after catching his wife cheating on with his boss, a Howard Stern-esque radio shock jock, Wade Boulanger.

Who's Cast for Judd:  Jason Bateman.   Bateman is great at playing put-upon sad sacks, so he should do well here.  However, he's about ten years older than Judd in the book. 

Who I'd cast:  The Foxman boys are known for their curly dark hair, so when I read the book, I pictured Judd looking like the ever-adorable Hamish Linklater. 

Wendy Foxman:  Judd's sister, she is a mother of three kids.  Her husband Barry is an obvlious businessman who treats her badly.  Wendy's very blunt and she's obsessed with how thin other women are, especially Judd's soon-to-be-ex-wife Jen. 

Who's Cast for Wendy: Tina Fey.  Wendy's a little less spastic than most of the characters Fey plays, so it will be fun to see her play someone different.

Who I'd Cast:  Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  She's about 10 years older than Wendy in the book, but she looks great and can definitely play younger.  She definitely could pull off Wendy's bluntness and sass.  However, it's a bit hard to believe that Julia Louis-Dreyfus (or Tina Fey for that matter) would have body issues.

Paul Foxman:  Judd's alpha male older brother.  Paul runs the sporting goods owned by their deceased father.  He and his wife Alice are trying to conceive.

Who's Cast for Paul:  Corey Stoll, who was wonderful playing Ernest Hemingway in Midnight in Paris.  Stroll is actually quite a bit younger than Bateman, but he does seem more imposing.

Who I'd Cast: My first though reading the book was Rob Riggle or Vince Vaughan, however, I'm happy to see Corey Stoll in anything!

Philip Foxman:  Judd's ne'er-do-well  younger brother.  Philp tends to live life on the wild side, experimenting with drugs and dating models. 

Who's Cast for Philip:  Adam Driver.  Driver is fantastic on Girls, making his bizarro character (Adam Sackler) somehow both frightening and charming at the same time.  He definitely has the charisma needed for Philip. 

Who I'd Cast:  I actually think Driver is pretty perfect for this role.  He's handsome in an off-beat way, and has the irreverence and edge to play this character really well.

Mrs. Foxman:  The widow, known for her infamous enhanced cleavage.  She is a therapist who wrote a definitive book on child rearing (including examples from her own kids).  Mrs. Foxman is a smart woman, who tends to over share with her children.

Who's Cast:  Jane Fonda.

Who I'd Cast:  I don't really have any kind of strong opinions on Jane Fonda.  She does get name-dropped in the book, but not as a Mrs. Foxman doppleganger. However she's about ten years older than the character in the book.  I pictured Mrs. Foxman as being more Susan Sarandon-esque.  Diane Keaton might be too zany and not surgically enhanced enough for Mrs. F, but she's great at playing high-maintenance, over-sharing moms.

Alice Foxman:  Paul's wife.  She desperately wants to have a child.  Unlike the rest of the Foxman clan, she had a regular upbringing and doesn't quite get the way the Foxmans communicate.  Alice is on fertility drugs that make her overweight. 

Who's Cast:   Kathryn Hahn.

Who I'd Cast:  I love Kathryn Hahn.  She's usually hilarious.  However, she's not overweight by any stretch of the imagination.  If they drop the fat jokes from the books, I think Hahn would be great.

Tracy:  Philip's much older therapist girlfriend.  Tracy is in her mid-forties and is "engaged-to-be-engaged" to Philip. 

Who's Cast:  Connie Britton.

Who I'd Cast:  Lauren Graham.  Britton is a fantastic actress, but she seems too together to fall for someone like Philip.  While I'm sure Graham is a pretty together lady in real life, she's great at playing a mild mess as the relationship-hopping, still living at home single mom Sarah Braverman on Parenthood. 

Jen:  Judd's soon-to-be ex-wife, Jen is in her early thirties, very pretty, blonde, and pregnant (but not showing).

Who's Cast:  Abigail Spencer.

Who I'd Cast:  I'm not familiar at all with Abigail Spencer, but IMDB tells me she's way younger than Bateman and not a blonde.  With Hamish Linklater, I'd cast Jen as Katherine Heigl.  With Bateman, I'd reteam him with his Arrested Development love interest, Christine Taylor. 

Horry:  He's the Foxman's next door neighbor Linda's son and Wendy's high school boyfriend.  Horry has a brain injury from a bar fight that makes him still have to live at home.

Who's Cast: Timothy Olyphant.  

Who I'd Cast:  I'm always a fan of Olyphant, but being as Horry isn't repeatedly described as "incredibly good looking," I'm going to guess that he's a tad too handsome.  I'd cast Luke Wilson.  He's great at playing characters who are nice but frustrated with their lives, like Levi on Enlightened or Richie from the Royal Tenenbaums. 

Rabbi Charles Grodner:  The family's youngish rabbi who was a childhood friend of Paul.  Grodner wasn't exactly pious in his youth.

Who's Cast:  Ben Schwartz, who is fabulous as Jean-Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. 

Who I'd cast: Brett Gelman.  I am sort of interested to see Schwartz play a character who is trying not to be outlandish.  However, he's a little bit on the young side.  While Gelman is actually only a couple years older than Schwartz, his beard and receding hairline make him look more mature.

Penny:  Judd had a crush on Penny in high school.  She works at the Foxman's sport store and ice skates in her free time.  She's also impossibly thin. 

Who's Cast:  Rose Byrne.  Byrne can be very funny and is certainly thin, but she's not really believable as Bateman's high school contemporary (unless he was held back a lot).

Who I'd Cast:  However, her Bridesmaid cohort Kristen Wiig is closer to Bateman's age and could bring some darkness to Penny's quirk.

Wade Boulanger:  Judd's former boss who is currently sleeping with his (Judd's) wife.  Boulanger is a radio host in the vein of Howard Stern, only if he was jock. 

Who's Cast:  Dax Shepard.

Who I'd Cast:  Vince Vaughn would be great at this role. 

Cast the Book: Gone Girl

 Read the book!
Or listen to the audio!

Gillian Flynn’s smoking hot thriller is being turned into a film.  David Fincher (Zodiac, The Social Network, Fight Club) is in talks to direct, so my hopes are pretty high for the film.  Gone Girl is a dark and often very funny domestic drama following the events surrounding the disappearance of beautiful Missouri housewife Amy Elliott Dunne.  If you read the book, you probably already have an idea of who you would like to play Amy and the other lead characters.  Below are some of my picks.

SPOILER ALERT: The book has some major twists, some of which are revealed below.  If you haven’t read the book, tread carefully!

Nick Dunne:  Nick is Amy’s husband.  He used to be a journalist until he was laid off, now he’s a bartender and part-time college professor.  He’s in his early to mid-thirties, handsome in an 80s movie villain sort of way (think: James Spader in Pretty in Pink), and from Missouri (he and Amy relocated from her native NYC after they both were laid off).  Nick constantly seeks the approval of others and has some secrets that he’s hiding.  When I was reading the book, I pictured Nick as being played by Matthew McConaughey ten years ago Sadly, time travel has not been invented yet, so he’s a little bit too old now.

First Choice:  Bradley Cooper.  Cooper is a little bit on the old side, but he can play younger.  He’s got the jerkish good looks and acting chops to play Nick.

Runners-Up:  It would be fun to Jake Gyllenhaal play a character who is a little bit of creep and Maggie Gyllenhaal could play his twin!  Adam Scott would be really, really good in this role too, even though he’s older than B.Coop and not nearly as big of a name.  I’ve also heard Ryan Gosling mentioned for this role, but since he’s on hiatus from acting, that’s probably a no-go.  Personally, I think he’s too confident and naive-looking for the part.

Amy Elliott Dunne:  The pivotal character in the book, a former NYC career gal turned Missouri housewife.  Amy is in her late thirties (she’s a little older than Nick) and a beautiful blonde.  She’s the inspiration for her parents’ successful series of children’s books, Amazing Amy.  Amy is a tough role to play.  Her character goes from sweet to frighteningly crazy, and she’s incredibly smart.  When I read the book, I envisioned her as played by Anne Hathaway though she’s too young and brunette for the role.  Reese Witherspoon is producing the movie and was rumored to play Amy (though she’s since backed out).  While Witherspoon is the right age and look, she might be too much of an obvious choice.  Maybe it’s just because I’ll always associate her with Tracy Flick from Election.

First Choice:  I really like the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow taking on this role.  She is blonde, from an upper class family and New York City raised, so she has a really similar background to Amy.  And Paltrow can be really good with the right material.

Runners-Up:  It would be cool to see an actress who usually stars in fluffy material like rom-coms or romantic melodramas in this role.  Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, or Katherine Heigl would all be fine choices to play Amy.

Margo “Go” Dunne:  Nick’s beloved twin sister.  She’s in her early thirties and very pretty in an old fashioned way.  Go works with Nick at their bar and has a dry sense of humor.

First Choice:  Zooey Deschanel.

Runners-Up: Maggie Gyllenhaal (and not just with Jake) or Juliette Lewis.

Andie:  SPOILER ALERT.  Andie is Nick’s “very very young, very very pretty” mistress.  She was a student in one of Nick’s classes.  Andie is a curvy brunette and very much the opposite of ice queen Amy.  When I read the book, I pictured Alison Brie playing Andie.  But while she plays a college sophomore on Community, Brie is really quite a bit older than Andie.

First Choice:  To increase the creepiness of Nick’s character, I would cast former Disney star Selena Gomez.  She’s 20 right now, so about the perfect age to play a college student.  And picturing her coupled with Bradley Cooper is quite unsettling.

Runners-Up:  Gomez’s Spring Breakers co-star Vanessa Hudgens could definitely take on the role.  She’s a little bit more mature, so it makes the pairing less weird.

Rand and Marybeth Elliott: Amy’s somewhat self-absorbed writer parents.  The Elliotts stand by Nick, at least initially.  I’d cast Mimi Kennedy  and Jeffrey Tambor.

Desi:  Amy’s ex-stalker, a wealthy momma’s boy.  Jude Law would be great if he can do the accent.

Desi’s Mom:  Looks creepily like Amy.  Blythe Danner is the obvious choice.

Nick’s Dad:  A senile misogynist.  He’s way overqualified, but no one convey crazed old man in the same was as Christopher Walken.

Tanner:  Nick’s sleazy defense attorney.  My first thought was Bob Odenkirk, who is so good as shady lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad.  But he probably doesn’t want to be typecast.  Matthew McConaughey could be really good and flashy in this part.  For a smaller name, Ray Wise could bring an interesting mix of creepiness and authority.  

Ellen Abbott:  A Nancy Grace-like TV show host.  If her sense of humor is good enough, the best person for this role is obviously Nancy Grace. 

Young adult book adaptations

YA books aren't just for teens; they are a huge section of popular culture. The Perks of Being a Wallflower movie (based on the book by Stephen Chbosky) received many positive reviews when it was released last year. The shows Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries all started out as YA books before those characters stepped out onto our television screens. The Twilight movies broke box office records, and The Hunger Games proved that a strong female heroine can bring in a huge audience. Even more movies and TV shows are in the works and set to be released in 2013 and 2014. Check out this list I compiled:

Beautiful Creatures

• now in theaters
• Starring Alice Englert (Lena), Alden Ehrenreicht (Ethan), Emmy Rossum (Ridley), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Lincoln), and Jeremy Irons (Macon Ravenwood).
• Based on the book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. 
• Book synopsis: In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
• More books in the series: Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones 

• Release date: August 23, 2013
• Starring Lily Collins (Clary), Jaime Campbell Bower (Jace), Kevin Zegers (Alec), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Valentine), Aidan Turner (Luke).
• Based on the book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. 
• Book synopsis: Suddenly able to see demons and the Darkhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster.
• More in the series: City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, and City of Lost Souls.
• Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a City of Bones Movie Release Party in August 2013!

Ender’s Game

• Release date: November 1, 2013
• Cast: Asa Butterfield (Ender), Abigail Breslin, and Harrison Ford.
• Based on the books Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.
• Synopsis of Ender's Game book: Child hero Ender Wiggin must fight a desperate battle against a deadly alien race if mankind is to survive.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• Release date: November 22, 2013
• Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), Liam Hemsworth (Gale), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), Sam Clafin (Finnick Odair), Jena Malone (Johanna Mason), and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Plutarch Heavensbee) 
• Based on Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins' best-selling Hunger Games series.
• Book synopsis: By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.
• Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a Catching Fire Movie Release Party in November 2013!

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters

• Release date: February 14, 2014
• Based on Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. 
• Book synopsis: Two years after a horrible incident made them run away, vampire princess Lissa and her guardian-in-training Rose are found and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, where one focuses on mastering magic, the other on physical training, while both try to avoid the perils of gossip, cliques, gruesome pranks, and sinister plots.
• Cast:  Zoey Deuth (Rose), Danila Kozlovsky (Dimetri), Lucy Fry (Lissa)
• More books in the series: Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice.

Divergent 

• Release date: March 1, 2014
• Cast: Shailene Woodley (Tris), Kate Winslet; rumors everywhere about who will play Four (Alex Pettyfr? Lucas Till? Jeremy Irvine?)
• Based on the book by Veronica Roth. 
• Book synopsis: In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
• In February an open casting call was held in Chicago for movie extras. According to the Chicago Tribune the movie will be shot entirely in Chicago. 
• More books in the series: Insurgent. The third book in the series, jokingly referred to by both Roth and fans as “Detergent,” will be released October 22, 2013.

 
Delirium 

• Release date: depends on whether or not the pilot is picked up by Fox.
• According to author Lauren Oliver, filming on the pilot for this TV show is set to begin in March.
• Cast: Emma Roberts (Lena), Jeanine Mason (Hana), Daren Kagasoff (Alex), Greg Sulkin (Julian), Billy Campbell (Thomas Fineman)
• Based on the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem.
• Synopsis of the first book in the series: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

And adaptations of these books are also in the works:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (movie in preproduction; director announced)  
• Summer series by Jenny Han (optioned for TV)
• Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (optioned for TV)
• I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga (ABC Family TV show)

I am very excited for Catching Fire, and am already brainstorming crafts and games for a movie release party at the library. I especially can't wait for Divergent, because I love that book series as well, and think that Shailene Woodley is a great pick to play Tris. How cool is it that the movie will be filmed entirely in Chicago? I'm also interested to see how the Vampire Academy movie turns out. I really enjoyed all the books in that series because Rose is such a strong character. Plus, the awesome supporting characters (Adrian!) are well-written too. I just hope it doesn't suffer from people who are sick of Twilight. This movie has a huge potential for great fight scenes and some swoon-worthy moments.

Are you a fan of YA literature? Which movie/TV adaptation are you most looking forward to seeing? Do you read the books before you see the movies, or the other way around? What do you think of the casting choices for these projects?

And lastly, are there any YA books not on this list that you think would make a good movie and/or TV show? My picks are Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis.

My Favorite Reads of 2012

Highly scientific selection criteria:
-All books were read from start to finish by me.
-I enjoyed reading them.
-They were published in 2012.
-Adult fiction, non-fiction and teen books are included.

My Top Ten Books of 2012:

My list this year is has an obvious girly bent, but with Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Gone Girl, I think it's been a pretty strong year for female authors.  If anyone has suggestions for books that I've overlooked (and I'm sure there are plenty), please leave them in comments!  And if you are really bored, you can check out all the 2012 books I've read.

10).  These Days Are Ours by Michelle Hamioff
As a big Paul Simon fan, I was all ready biased towards this novel because the title references his song "The Obvious Child."  Set in just post 9/11 NYC, this book is a coming of age story following a jobless but wealthy recent college graduate, Hailey.  The characters in this book are not always likeable, but they are very realistic.

9).  The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman
Fans of historical mysteries should check out this novel set in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the 1660s.  This book is quite dark and it took me fifty or so pages to get into it, but the characters are quite interesting, including a young but strong Dutch businesswoman, Blandine van Couvering, and a British spy, Edward Drummond.

8).  Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
This is a great light read that still manages to be pretty smart.  Set in Oak Park, IL, Lucy Bloom is a single mom who just sold her house to send her nineteen year-old son to rehab.  Now broke, she takes a job cleaning the house of Marva Meier Rios- a famous artist and notoriously difficult woman and hoarder.  This book is funny, moving, and would make an interesting movie.  

7).  Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Set in England, the elderly Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend Queenie saying that she is dying of cancer.  After failing to write a letter to properly impart his regrets, he decides to take an impromptu walking journey to visit her.  At first this book didn't sound like my cup of tea, but after several recommendations, I checked it out and I'm really glad I did.  Although it is sometimes a sad and existential book, it is occasionally very funny.

6).  Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway
This novel is set in NYC and following a recent college graduate, Dawn, who gets a job working for a Glamour-esque magazine Charm.  She's in charge of tracking down past winners of the magazine's "Ten Girls to Watch" contest and is frankly just happy to have a job. The book has a fun, light premise, but it turned out to be way less formulaic and more inspiring than I initially would have guessed.  I really like the way the love triangle between Dawn, her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, Lily, is resolved. 

5).  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Everybody in the world (or at least this country) has probably read this book all ready.  I really enjoyed the first half of the book and after the big twist, I couldn't put the book down.  Dark Places is still my favorite book by Flynn, but Gone Girl is a great read.   

4).  Where'd You  Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
This is the funniest book on the list.  Bernadette Fox was once a brilliant architect but is now a very eccentric stay-at-home mom who hates her home city of Seattle and people in general.  After some increasingly odd behavior, Fox mysteriously goes missing before a promised trip to Antarctica.
 
3).  Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This is great, suspenseful memoir about Strayed's solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

2).  Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
This non-fiction book is a grand and absorbing read that takes place in modern day Mumbai.  Boo adds so many small details into the book that it reads like an excellent work of fiction, but is instead an incredible piece of journalism.

1).  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has been one of my favorite teen authors for a while and now he's gone and written a masterpiece!  This is an excellent novel about teens wrestling with existential issues, cancer and falling in love for the first time. 

Favorite Children books:

1).  Oh, No George by Chris Haughton
George is a dog who has trouble doing the right thing.  Will he learn from his lessons?

2).  Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
 Author Adam Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri are a very funny duo.  I love their Those Darn Squirrels! books, but this simple tale of non-spicy taco loving dragons is my favorite of their work.

3).  This is Not My Hat by J. Klassen
Klassen is one of my favorite illustrator's working today.  His books have a very distinctive (and cool) look to them.  This darkly funny book is the follow up to last year's I Want My Hat Back.  

Favorite Cookbooks:

1).  Homemade Winter by Yvette van Boven
I was a really big van Boven first Home Made last year, and this book is equally as compelling.  The design of the book is really cool, with a mixture of gorgeous food pictures and quirky illustrations.  And the book is loaded with great recipes for cooks who want to try making their food from scratch. 

2).  Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles, and Snacks by Rick Bayless
Margaritas are probably one of my favorite cocktails to go with food, and this book by one of Chicago's greatest chefs has tons of very fancy twists on the margarita.  This is a great cookbook for parties.

3).  Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson
As an avid baker, I get tired of seeing recipes for the same desserts over and over again in cook books.  But this book has lots of new, usual recipes to discover like avocado cake or black pepper and goat cheese truffles.  Vegan recipes and single portion desserts are also included.  It's a refreshingly unique book.  Joy Wilson's blog of the same name is a also a good read for foodies. 

4).  Feast of Ice and Fire by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
Inspired by the George R.R. Martin book series (Songs of Ice and Fire) which was turned into the HBO Series Game of Thrones, this book has lots of exotic ingredients and medieval flair.   I can't honestly say that I would make any of the recipes in the book, and I might even be a little bit afraid to eat some of the dishes.  However, it is really cool to browse.

5).  True Food by Andrew Weil
If you are looking for health conscious recipes, it's hard to to beat this beautifully photographed book. Best of all, Weil has recipes for cocktails!

So hot right now: Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn is so hot right now since releasing her third novel Gone Girl in early June to wide acclaim (hints that it will be on many "best of 2012" lists). Because it might be difficult to get your hands on her newest, don't hesitate to get one of her older titles Sharp Objects or Dark Places.

Flynn's novels may not be for everyone; they are dark and suspenseful (although there is occasionally a drollness that pops up). But, and it's a big but, they are skillfully written and rewarding. Her characterization in both books are stellar. She writes people and dialogue realistically and the reader meets the characters as one would in person-- over time. Though this technique might imply a slow-paced read, they aren't.

Sharp Objects follows Camille Preaker, a reporter living in Chicago who is tapped by her boss to return to her home town in Missouri to report on the murders of two young girls. She is not pleased about this prospect, and we find out why as she re-introduces herself into the world of Wind Gap, Missouri. Camille is shut-out of the official investigation by the sheriff, but she's always got good 'ole gossip to go on. However, things get uncomfortable the minute she's back in her childhood home: the memories of her long-dead little sister, her cold mother, her step-father without a spine and her pre-teen half-sister who's got a reputation around town as a trouble maker. She reverts back to her own dark thoughts and memories in mere days of being back home while trying to find out what happened to the two murdered girls.

Dark Places begins 20-odd years after the murder of Libby Day's family. She and her brother Ben were the only two survivors, but Ben is in jail for the murders and Libby (as a seven-year-old) helped put him there. When a so-called murder club offers her money-- something she's run out of-- Libby is motivated to begin an investigation of that day. Did Ben really murder her mother and two sisters?
Libby isn't the most likeable of characters, but, once again, Flynn presents a truthful persona born from a deeply traumatized childhood. Dark Places is also an exceptional study in perception. Flynn drops details which seem insignificant, but we come to find out aren't. What is one person's innocent belongings are another person's proof of guilt. Chapters alternate between Libby in present day, and Ben and their mother, Patty, the day in 1985 leading to the overnight murders. It's an effective device for keeping the suspense afloat as well as giving the reader some perspective. (To those it may interest: in mid May Amy Adams was reportedly in talks to play Libby in the film adaptation of this book.)

Sharp Objects
Find it in the Catalog!

Dark Places
Find it in the Catalog!

Gone Girl
Find it in the Catalog!

Favorite Literary Romances

In honor of the most famous Hallmark holiday: Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun to discuss favorite literary romances. This topic is kind of a can of worms because people often have strong feelings towards their favorite books and couples, while finding other romances (cough: The Notebook) a little too sappy.  Personally, I'm not a big romance reader; however, I'm a sucker for anything British and literary.  And like any girl who spends too much time with her nose in a book, I love Jane Austen.  However, for my choice of all-time favorite romance novel has to be Jane Eyre.  Jane is strong, smart heroine and Rochester is uber-dreamy, even if he has some minor personal problems like (spoiler alert!) a crazy pyromaniac wife.   Below are a couple of runner-up favorites for me.  I realize I'm leaving out a lot of usual suspects (Romeo and Juliet, Gone With The Wind, Wuthering Heights, and so on), so please feel free to post your favorite literary romances in the comments!
Find Jane Eyre in the catalog!

Runners-Up:

Sense and Sensibility: Before you curse my name- yes, I love Pride and Prejudice and Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy are awesome.  However, my favorite Austen novel is Sense and Sensibility.  Even though I know what's coming, I still get a little weepy at the end. 
Find it in the catalog!

Speaking of Austen, I'm a big fan of Persuasion as well.  Captain Wentworth is a catch, even if he's a little bit stubborn!
Find it in the catalog!

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. This book is about more than the relationship between Kath and Tommy, but I really liked the way their relationship grows and changes over time.  Ishiguro is a master at breaking your heart, so have tissues handy!
Find it in the catalog!

Recommended read: 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

What makes the human brain respond to death with reflection? I always figured people saw images of their family as a way of saying goodbye, but considering what the memories have done for me -- giving me a surge of positive energy, smiling, feeling happy -- I ruminate over an ulterior purpose. Perhaps the whole life's highlights reel thing is a survival instinct, something ingrained in our subconscious, the brain's final trick in the bag to continue its own existence. I imagine that once adrenaline has failed to engage a successful fight-or-flight impulse, the flash of memories acts as a secondary reflex, motivating us to keep fighting even when we don't think there's any fight left in us.
- Aron Ralston

Ralston tells his incredibly true story of being trapped by a boulder in Blue John Canyon in Utah from April 26-May 1, 2003, and how he eventually was able to escape by amputating his arm. With his right hand crushed between the canyon wall and the boulder, Ralston is not successful in his attempts to move the boulder to release his arm, and although he sees amputation as a possible solution, he initially pushes it to the back of his mind when he figures he does not have the proper tools for the procedure. Ralston has very little water and food and endures cold temperatures every night; he looks forward to the ten minutes of sunlight that reaches his location in the canyon each morning. He occasionally brings out his video camera, both to record the details of his situation and to say goodbye to his family and friends, remembering their good times together. At the time of his entrapment, Ralston was nearing the end of a five-day vacation from his job at an outdoor gear store in Aspen, Colorado, where he lived. Because Ralston himself was not sure about his exact itinerary, he left no information on his whereabouts for his roommates or friends when he left. He figures that by the time his friends or employer notice his absence and begin the search process, he will be dead.

Chapters alternate between Ralston's time stuck in the canyon and his other trips, both solo and with friends. Although the main draw of this book for me was reading about how he survived his entrapment, I became quite mesmerized by Ralston's writing style and his observations about nature and life, and found it just as interesting to read about his adventures through the years, including one time where he was stalked by a bear and another when he came close to drowning in the Colorado River.

This book was first published in 2004 (under the title Between a Rock and a Hard Place), but I hadn't read it until recently, after I saw the Danny Boyle-directed film 127 Hours starring James Franco, now nominated for 6 Oscars. I highly recommend you read this book, whether or not you've seen the movie. This is a very moving and inspirational account about a person finding the will to live when he already accepted the grim reality that he was at the cusp of death.


by Aron Ralston
In the News -- 796.5223 RAL
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An Education

An Education by Lynn Barber
NEW BIOGRAPHY BARBER
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Lynn Barber's memoir An Education is an extension of an article Barber wrote for Granta magazine, which was the basis for the Nick Hornby-penned movie of the same name starring Carey Mulligan and Peter Skargaard. Mulligan was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as a teenager wooed by an older (married) man. Last year I watched the movie in the theater, so I decided to pick up the book to read.

Reading this memoir you see how Lynn's parents were complicit in her having a relationship with an older man, Simon. I think that the movie showed Lynn's parents as being a bit more hesitant about the relationship, so I was surprised to read how, after grooming Lynn for years to attend Oxford University, they no longer saw the point in her attending university if she was engaged to be married. The reactions of her parents greatly affected Lynn, as she felt she could no longer trust what they said, or anything they told her throughout her childhood. Barber recounts how while at Oxford and majoring in English Literature she never went to lectures and lost interest in book work and instead "studied" the opposite sex.

An especially engaging part of An Education is Barber's recollections of her experience in the publishing world, working at publications including Penthouse, Independent on Sunday, and the Observer. Barber also talks about her husband David's battle with myelofibrosis.

Barber's writing style is quite conversational and I definitely recommend this to readers looking for a quick read.

Nancy Drew: Octogenarian

Nancy Drew, the all-American sleuth, is eighty years old this month. It was in April, 1930, that Grosset & Dunlap published the very first Nancy Drew mystery, The Secret of the Old Clock. From the start, Nancy was unlike any other young woman in popular literature. Adventurous, autonomous, and supremely capable, Ms. Drew solved every mystery she encountered. The first thirty novels in the series (ghost-written by Mildred Benson, though all the novels bear the pseudonym Carolyn Keene) form the core of the Nancy Drew canon. These novels are quick, entertaining reads, wherein Nancy foils kidnapping plots, exposes forgeries, and thwarts swindlers generally. Each crisis is resolved with a predictably altruistic conclusion, generally benefiting orphans, widows, or similarly downtrodden residents of River Heights, U.S.A. While Nancy Drew will forever remain a teenager - living with her father and beloved house-keeper, racing her sporty car to the next clue - a generation of her readers have grown into confident, mature women. With a little help from Nancy.

Follow the jump for links to selected materials in the catalog.

Nicholas Sparks movies: Who's going to die? (Spoilers Ahead!)

 Disclaimer: It goes without saying, you shouldn't read this post if you haven't seen the movie and knowing the deceased party will ruin it for you.  Also, you probably shouldn't read it if you think The Notebook is one the most romantic books/ movies ever.   

It's seems like in all of Nicholas Sparks's books (and the movies based off them), characters fall in love only to meet some sort of tragic end.  So why waste time watching the movie when you can just find out who dies?  Spare the sap, the movie is just going to make you cry anyway!  After the jump, read the break-down of who kicks the bucket:

One for the Money: Who should be in the movie?

The first book in the Stephanie Plum series, One for the Money, is being made into a movie. Katherine Heigl has been announced in the lead role. I'm not very enthusiastic about this casting choice because she seems a little too model-esque for the character. Anyway, I thought about which actors and actresses I would like to see fill the shoes of the book's characters.

Stephanie Plum
Stephanie lives with her hamster Rex in an apartment in Trenton, New Jersey, just blocks from her parents. Stephanie is a curly-haired brunette (part Hungarian, part Italian). After losing her job as a lingerie buyer she gets a job working as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie. A Rangers hockey fan with a steady diet of junk food and extreme dislike for exercise, she gets herself into unpredictable and hilarious situations. Cobie Smulders is the actress I would most like to see play this role. Cobie currently plays Robin on How I Met Your Mother and I think she is a great comedic actress. My second choice is Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love).

Ranger
The Cuban-American Ranger is an intimidating bounty hunter who takes Stephanie under his wing. Stephanie is unsure about his age (anywhere from 25 to 35). Just his presence in a room makes women's hearts beat faster. My choice is Adam Rodriguez (CSI: NY, I Can Do Bad All By Myself) because he has an intense yet seductive quality about him. My second pick is Alex Meraz (Paul in New Moon); he's a couple years too young for the role, but other than that, he'd be perfect.

Joe Morelli
Morelli, a cop, is the guy Stephanie is supposed to bring in on a charge of murder; he also shows up in subsequent novels. Morelli grew up in the same neighborhood as Stephanie and they have a history together. He is Italian and very attractive. My top choice to play Morelli is Henry Cavill (Charles Brandon on The Tudors television series) because he has the ability to smolder on screen. He just better have a believeable American accent. If he is unable to hide his British accent, my top choice is Eddie Cahill (CSI: NY). Other possibilities: Antonio Cupo (Elegy) or Alex O'Loughlin (The Back-Up Plan).

Grandma Mazur
Grandma Mazur lives with Stephanie's parents in the Burg. A fan of attending wakes, she also hilariously speaks her mind and likes to get in on the bounty-hunter action. Because of the character's unflinching honesty Cloris Leachman immediately popped into my mind.

Lulu
In One for the Money Lulu is a hooker who helps Stephanie by providing her with information about the boxer Ramirez. In subsequent installments of the series Lulu is a partner to Stephanie in her outrageous schemes, to hilarious effect. Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe is my choice for this role. She definitely has a light and comedic side to her, which she displayed in TV and press interviews when she was promoting Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.

Other roles to cast:
Stephanie's Mom
She would prefer Stephanie had a regular job where she didn't have to worry about being shot. She always sends Stephanie home with leftovers, and each dinner is followed by homemade dessert.

Stephanie's Dad
An Italian man of very few words, he prefers to watch TV, read the paper, or concentrate on eating; as long as he is able to refrain from joining in on the conversations of the women in his life, he is happy.

Benito Ramirez
A boxer who abuses women and does not take kindly to Stephanie's meddling in his life.

What are your ideas on casting these characters? Do you think Katherine Heigl is a good fit as Stephanie Plum?

Interested in starting to read this series? Find it in the catalog!

Help yourself: He's Just Not That Into You

Can a book make you a younger, thinner, better person? Probably not, but we test and review self-help and diet books anyway.

He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo.   

I was definitely skeptical about this book before I read it.  It's a little hard to take seriously a book inspired by an episode of Sex and the City, especially when one of the co-authors of the book has exceptionally silly hair .  I also wasn't into the movie version of the book, though Justin Long was charming in it.  That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  It's a breeze to read, funny, and offers sound advice to women receiving an abundance of mixed messages from the jerks that they are dating.

Cast the Book: Girl with the the Dragon Tattoo

My dream cast if the book Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is made into a movie.

Mikael Blomkvist= Robert Downey Jr.

Lisbeth Salander= Ellen Page