Week Fifteen Prompt

What do you think are the best ways to market your library's fiction collection? Name and describe three ways you do or would like to market your library or your future library's fiction. These can be tools, programs, services, displays - anything that you see as getting the word out.



One of the best ways to market the library’s fiction collection is through the use of eye-catching displays. We do a new display every month at my library, and it usually is tied into something happening that month (i.e. horror books for Halloween, romance in February, beach reads one of the summer months, etc.). We usually decorate and design these displays to stand out, so patrons want to come by to view it and see what is going on.  So many compliments have come from these displays, and I find myself constantly adding new books because books are always being taken from them.

Another way to market the library’s collection is through the library’s website. Having a marquee showing the new books the library has to offer on the main page, so that it’s the first thing a user will see when accessing the library’s website. I find it helps to have the marquee show a description of the book when the mouse is hovered over it - that way the user won’t have to leave the main page if they’re in a hurry to find something but spot a cover that catches their eye.  A Facebook page could also promote materials in a similar way, by choosing a new book a week to post about.

Finally, I think having a monthly book club at the library and choosing a different book and genre each month is a good way to market the library’s collection. By choosing a different genre each month, it allows people with different interests to come as they please when a genre they love is chosen. During the discussion, there could be a small display of read-a-likes for patrons who enjoyed the book club pick and want to read something similar. Not only would this be fun programming for patrons, it’s also an easy way to market the different materials the library has to offer.

Week Sixteen Prompt

How have reading and books changed since you were a child, for you specifically? Second, talk a little about what you see in the future for reading, books, or publishing - say 20 years from now. Will we read more or less, will our reading become more interactive? What will happen to traditional publishing? 

Aside from the obvious changes (i.e. going from picture books to novels), I enjoy reading more as an adult than I did as a child. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading as a child/young adult loved getting caught up in book series and collecting them and devouring them in days... however, now I find myself reading to relax and unwind.  It's nice to have some time to myself without any interruptions, questions, problems - just me, a book, and a glass of wine (when I'm not pregnant).

I feel that with the increase in technology, the future of reading will increase.  Reading has become easier for some people with the additions of audiobooks and e-books and books are way more accessible now.  You could easily download and start a book you want to read with just a few clicks of the mouse.  With that said, I don’t see physical books dying out anytime soon, because there are so many people like me who enjoy have “real” books on hand.  I find a lot of millennials are using the library these days, choosing to rent a book rather than purchase them, which could affect publishing, but I’m not quite sure how...

I can see reading becoming more and more interactive in the future, with the addition of celebrity book clubs and social media.  People love to connect and discuss books with other likeminded people.  People love to post about what they’re reading, what they’ve read, what they liked and what they didn’t.  I think celebrities posting their favorite books inspire their fans to read more, because their fans idolize them and want to feel as close to them as possible.  

Week Fourteen Prompt Response

Consider yourself part of the collection management committee of your local library, or a library at which you would like to work. You must decide whether or not to separate GBLTQ fiction and Urban Fiction from the general collection to its own special place. Some patrons have requested this, yet many staff are uncomfortable with the idea - saying it promotes segregation and disrupts serendipitous discovery of an author who might be different from the reader. Do you separate them? Do you separate one and not the other? Why or why not?

I would not separate the GBLTQ fiction and Urban Fiction from the general collection to its own special place.  I would agree with the staff who believe that it promotes segregation and disrupts serendipitous discovery of an author who might be different from the reader.  I read one of the articles posted on Erin’s blog (the other link didn’t work for me) and I also looked up the topic on my own, and I can see that some libraries have caved into separating the genres.  I believe it’s important to keep them entwined with other fiction books.  My library doesn’t even separate its collection into different genre categories; all the fiction is mixed together and organized by the author’s last name.  You can find books by Stephen King (horror) and Sophie Kinsella (rom-com) right in the same section!  I love the idea of keeping all the books together because it makes it so easy to stumble upon books you wouldn’t normally be on the lookout for.  A patron could come into the library looking for Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and spot the cover for The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North and decide to check it out.  Separating GBLTQ and Urban Fiction books from other fiction could result in patrons missing out on books they never knew they wanted to read.

Week Thirteen Prompt

Though this week's group of "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults. The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff. How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we?

I completely disagree with the idea that we shouldn’t spend money on or promote young and new adult materials and graphic novels.  I know plenty of adults who prefer to read young adult books over adult fiction for the main reason that they are quick and easy reads and completely entertaining.  I myself recently found myself completely consumed by the Hunger Games trilogy and then the Divergent trilogy (prior to this I was a huge Twilight fan).  These books may be written for a younger audience, but why should that mean that an older audience can’t enjoy them too?  

Another reason I feel that these young/new adult genres can apply to an older audience is for parents who want to have something in common with their younger teenagers.  I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough where we can read these young adult books (together or separately) and have discussions about this issues that arise in them and how we would handle the situations in the book.  

I haven’t personally read a lot of graphic novels, however, I did just absorb My Friend Dahmer and absolutely enjoyed it.  Why should there be an age limit on any genre? I don’t believe there should. I believe adults should be able to read the books they want, regardless of the age group they were written for.  I think that libraries should keep the Young/New Adult sections at the library near the Adult section, and allow patrons to read whatever they want to read.

Week Thirteen Annotations: "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything

By: Nicola Yoon

Synopsis:

Madeline is a seventeen year old girl who has never been outside of her house.  She suffers from a rare disorder called SCID, which is also known as Bubble Baby Disease.  If she leaves her house, she is very likely to get sick and die. So she doesn't. She lives alone with her mother, and the only other in-person socialization she takes part of is with her caretaker, Carla.  Madeline is content in her life, and makes the most of her depressing situation, until one day an attractive teenage boy, Olly, moves in next door and changes her outlook on life.  Communicating strictly, at first, through instant messaging and emails, Madeline quickly develops feelings that she has never felt before: love.  Madeline soon begins to wonder if simply being alive is more important than actually having a chance to really live.

Appeals and Characteristics of Young Adult:

• Pace: This book starts off a little slow (the main character is homebound and the first half of the book is learning about her day-to-day routines inside her home), but then changes suddenly, drawing the reader in and leaving them wanting more.
• Characterization: The book is centered around teenage Madeline and her love interest, Olly.  Both characters are well-developed and likable, which is common in young adult books.  Madeline’s mother is also a main character, as she and Madeline’s caretaker are pretty much the only two people who Madeline is able to be around due to her extreme illness.   Without spoiling anything, some of the characters take a turn for the worst, and a big twist leaves readers heartbroken and confused.
• Theme: The theme of this book is teenage romance, which is a common theme of young adult books.  As with most teenage romances, it’s not an easy love story.  The two main characters fall in love without ever thinking they’d be able to touch or be in the same room as one another.  
• Tone: I thought the tone of the book was depressing, as it centered around a teenager who spent her entire life (seventeen years) cooped inside her house for fear that if she left she’d have an allergic reaction and die.  There are obviously more upbeat and happy parts to this book, but most of the tone is a bit somber.

Read-A-Likes:
If you enjoyed Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, you might want to try the following titles:

• Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornell

Week Twelve Annotations: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Title:  Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Author: Jon Krakauer

Publication Date: October 19, 1999
Number of Pages: 368 pages
Type: Memoir
Geographic Setting: Mount Everest
Time Period: May of 1996

Subject Headings:

- Mount Everest Disaster

- Natural Disasters

- Mountain Climbing
- Survival
-Adventure

Plot Summary:
In 1996 journalist Jon Krakauer was given the opportunity to write an article about climbing Mt. Everest.  Somehow, he managed to persuade his bosses to fully fund his own expedition, so that he can have the first-hand experience for his article.  Krakauer joined Rob Hall’s expedition, slowly climbing the mountain over a period of weeks (and witnessing a lot of illness and death along the way), and on May 10th their group begins their summit down Everest.  This is the start of what is now known as the Mt. Everest Disaster of 1996, and Krakauer was there to witness it firsthand.

Nonfiction Elements:

1. Narrative: This memoir is a mix of narrative and fact-based.  There are highly narrative descriptive points throughout the book, with facts interwoven.  It is a good mix of the two.
2. Subject: The subject of the book is the Mount Everest Disaster that took place in May, 1996, and claimed the lives of twelve climbers.
3. Type: This book is a memoir written by a journalist who was climbing Mt. Everest when the storm struck.
4. Appeal: This is a quick read for a non-fiction because it is highly descriptive and engaging.  The story is depressing, dark, as well as thrilling and will captivate readers from the very start.

If you enjoyed Into Thin Air, you might like these titles:

1. The Ledge by Jim Davidson
2. Alive by Piers Paul Read
3. Above All Things by Tanis Rideout (fiction)
4. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Week Twelve Prompt

The Readers' Advisory Matrix

“My Friend Dahmer” by John “Derf” Backderf

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum? Highly narrative (reads like fiction)
2. What is the subject of the book? Serial Killer - Jeffrey Dahmer
3. What type of book is it? Graphic Novel/Memoir
4. Articulate Appeal:
1. What is the pacing of the book? Fast Paced 
2. Describe the characters of the book? The main characters are high school boys. Mainly, Jeffrey Dahmer who is dark and twisted.  The other characters can be described as pretty normal high school boys.
3. How does the story feel? The story feels dark and sad.  Strangely the book makes you feel sad for Jeffrey Dahmer the child, who clearly needed attention and help.
4. What is the intent of the author? To educate readers on the pre-serial killer life of Jeffrey Dahmer, and maybe to gain a little perspective on how he became the notorious serial killer we know today.
5. What is the focus of the story? Jeffrey Dahmer.
6. Does the language matter?  The language in this book is short and sweet, because it is a graphic novel.  The language allows for the story to flow quickly.
7. Is the setting important and well-described? The setting of this book is very important because it gives the reader insight as to the life Jeffrey Dahmer was leading as a teenage boy.  It is very well described and illustrated. 
8. Are there details, and if so, what? Lots of details about Jeffrey Dahmer’s life in high school and at home.
9. Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? This memoir is a graphic novel, so it is full of graphic materials.  They are very useful, clear and well illustrated.  It makes for the story to flow better and also allows the reader insight into the characters emotions through facial expression (or lack there of with Dahmer’s character). 
10. Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? All three; Learning about Dahmer’s childhood, a little understanding into how he became who he became (not completely... there’s no excuse for the person he became!!!), and experiencing high school and Dahmer through the eyes of the author, who attended school with Dahmer and occasionally hung around him. 
5. Why would a reader enjoy this book?
1. Characters
2. Storyline
3. Illustrations

Week 11: Prompt Response

I personally love e-books. I love how I can keep an entire library in purse and bust it out whenever I want to. I also love physical books. I love having books covering my bookshelves at home. I love looking at them, seeing them, and smelling them (yea, I'm weird). I know a lot of people who avoid e-books because they don't want to give up physical books, and I say why can't we have both? A library on the go and a library at home? I don't think reading an e-book affects a persons knowledge of the genre at all. Why would it? It's the same thing, just more compact and portable. I think having the ability to change the font, spacing, and color of text is beneficial to readers because not everybody reads the same way. It's nice to be able to customize the book to your liking, and I think it helps a persons ability to read it quicker. Large Print lovers can make any book large print, rather than waiting for the Large Print to become available at the library.

I know a lot of people who prefer audiobooks to e-books because they feel like they can listen easier than they can read. It's nice to have the ability to "read" while driving or even at work.  I began listening to Amy Poehler's Yes, Please! because I heard it's more fun to listen to the author read the book to you.  I thought it was funny, but didn't finish it in my rental period time (too much rewinding) and never went back to it.  I think a lot of people enjoy listening to comedians reading their books

because it is a little like listening to a comedy show.  I personally do not have much experience with audiobooks and I have a harder time finishing them than e-books. I think it's easier for me to get distracted while listening, and then have to rewind and listen again. I honestly think I've never finished an audiobook in its entirety before. One of my close girlfriends is the complete opposite, and will not read books, she will only listen to the audiobook format. To each their own!

Book Club Experience

            I attend a monthly book club with a sometimes-large group of girlfriends.  The size generally varies as some months more people can make it than others.  It’s usually one of the only times I get out of the house each month, so it’s something I very much look forward to.  It also allows for me to read books that I normally wouldn’t pick up for myself and forces me to finish them so that I can participate in the discussion.  This past month I attended a book club for the book I read for our week three annotations, The Real Michael Swann.  I did not pick this book out, it was chosen by one of the other ladies (we rotate picking the books) but it happened to fit in well with this class!

            This week’s book club started with a small socialization over the food and drink table, as it normally does while we wait for all the members to arrive.  Once everyone is there (or majority of people – usually there are a few late comers) we start.  We started this month on time at approximately 7pm and gathered in the living room of one of the members houses.  The house always rotates as well, so we’re at a different place each month.

            Our book clubs are led differently each month, as the host generally determines how the night will go.  The host this month decided to prepare a list of questions that she put into a jar for each member to pick out and ask the group.  She started by removing a question and reading it to the group and waiting for the other members to chime in their responses.  Then the person next to her would pick her question, and the same would occur.  If the question picker wanted to answer the question, they were able to, however it was not required that they give an answer.  All of the questions were based on the plot – some “what if?” questions, some “what did you think about…” questions, but all of the questions were open-ended, no simple “yes” or “no” answers could be given.  Everybody participated in the discussion because everybody read a question out of the jar.  Some of the ladies had not finished the book, so they participated a little less than the ones who had read the entire thing.  This is also a common occurrence at book club as most of the ladies in the club are working moms who find it hard to finish a book in the allotted time period (and no judgment from anybody else – finishing the book is not a requirement, just appreciated more).  There are always two members who seem to speak up more than the rest of us, and a lot louder at times, but I wouldn’t say that they steal the spotlight of the club – they’re just more passionate about some of the books we read.  One of the rules we have for our club is that you can’t pick a book that you have already read.  In the past, there has been some awkwardness where a person will choose their “favorite book EVER!” and a lot of people actually really disliked it.  It causes a lot of tension during the club, and some people are generally afraid to speak up if they didn’t like it because they don’t want to hurt the book choosers choice.  I really do like this rule and I feel that since enforcing it we’ve had more positive experiences during book club.

            This month’s book was completely different from the books people generally choose for the club, which was a nice change for me because it was a really quick read, and a thriller.  (Two things I am always seeking out when choosing a new book).  We read a lot

Please not another WWII book, Violet!

of non-fiction books (one of our women is obsessed with World War II based books so those have been chosen quite a few times) and a lot of cultural and contemporary reads.  I have to admit, I struggle to finish a lot of the books for our book club because they are usually a lot longer and more difficult than I am used to, but it opens me up to so many books I would normally pass over.

            As I’ve stated previously, book club is my favorite day of the month.  I love that each month is a totally different experience, due to different hosts and a variety of different material.  I feel that attending a book club monthly has helped me with my readers advisory at the library and has given me experience in a lot of different genres I normally wouldn’t have picked out for myself.

Special Topics Summary: The True Crime Boom

True crime has been discussed for centuries, and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. We are currently experiencing a True Crime Boom, where documentaries, podcasts, television series, books, and audio-books are being released at a record pace. There are many ways in which libraries can capitalize on this trend, but it’s important to also understand where this trend is coming from and what is drawing people to the true crime genre in order to do so.

True crime has always been something that fascinates people. The history of the true crime genre dates way back to the 1550’s in Britain, when authors and printers would release pamphlets describing shocking murders that happened in the area. Truman Capote can be credited with modernizing the true crime non-fiction genre, with his work In Cold Blood.  This book was released in 1965 and it deliberated the murders of four family members in Holcomb, Kansas. 

Flashforward nearly fifty years to the year 2014 when the podcast Serial by This American Life was released and reignited a flame in what is currently known as the True Crime Boom.  Serial is a true-crime investigative podcast about the 1999 murder of eighteen-year-old Hae Min Lee.  Lee’s ex-boyfriend, Adnan Masud Syed, was charged with her murder and sentenced to life in prison.  The popularity of this show skyrocketed partially due to the commotion it caused all over social media.  Within a short period of time, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about this podcast.  

Following Serial, the docuseries Making a Murderer was released by Netflix in the year of 2015.  This ten-episode series told the story of Stephen Avery, a man who was wrongfully convicted of rape and attempted murder and spent eighteen years in prison, and then was charged again for the murder of someone else shortly after being exonerated. What drew most viewers to this show was the investigative aspect of it.  

Libraries can capitalize on this growing trend by promoting their materials in ways that attract patrons.  Catchy displays would be a simple and easy way to promote materials, but there are so many other things that libraries can be doing.  Programs that are centered around showing true crime documentaries at the library followed with a discussion about the documentary that was watch could gather support of community members interested in true crime. 

 

Week 8 Annotations: All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

All We Ever Wanted

By Emily Giffin

Synopsis:

Nina Browning was born into a middle class family, but married into riches.  Her husband sold his tech company, and now her family has more money than she had ever dreamt of.  Nina attends fundraisers and charities with the towns upper-class, but since acquiring this extra cash, has felt like an outsider in this world.   Nina’s pride and joy is her high school aged son, Finch, who was recently accepted into Princeton University. 

Lyla Volpe was raised by her contractor/Uber-driving father after her mother ran out on them when she was only a toddler.  They live paycheck-to-paycheck, yet, Lyla is able to attend the towns most prestigious high school on financial aid.  She has been crushing on Finch since first laying eyes on him, and when he invites her to a party at his best friends place, she happily agrees.

It was at this party where every ones lives were turned upside down.  After having too much to drink, Lyla wakes up in the morning to find out a semi-nude photograph with a racist caption was taken of her at the party and sent around the school.  The photograph was sent from Finch’s phone.  

This book is about how one persons terrible decision, can affect so many lives around them.

Characteristics of Women’s Lives and Relationships:
- Tone/Mood: The tone of All We Ever Wanted is realistic AND provocative.   It is emotional, and relatable.   It delves deep into issues that teenagers face in this day of age, and doesn’t hold back. 
- Characterization:  This book is centered around two female characters, Lyla and Nina and the relationships with the people around them.  Lyla’s focus is her relationship with her father, who is trying to protect her throughout this scandal.  Nina is definitely the primary focus in this book, as she is at a crossroads trying to figure out if this is the life she wants for herself.  Lyla’s the secondary focus, and is tied in when the scandal occurs. 
- Storyline:  A sentence from The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction particularly stood out to me because of its exact depiction of All We Ever Wanted, and that was “This sprawling story examines how life changes people and how people change with life’s vicissitudes...” (p. 158).  This is so true of All We Wanted because Nina is convinced that she and her family would be a lot better off had her husband not sold his tech company and brought them into riches.  She believes that this huge life change changed her husband and her son.
- Frame/Setting: The issues discussed in this book are current issues that teenagers and their parents face today.  Issues involving technology, social media, revenge porn, online bullying, rape, and abuse are all discussed in this book.  This is a characteristic of the genre because, as discussed by Saricks, “Currency of issues constitutes part of the appeal of this genre” (p. 159).  We also learn a lot about the background of the characters (the story of Lyla’s mom running out; Nina’s high school sweetheart and the end of that relationship) which helps to frame the story. 
- Style/Language: The story is told from three different points-of-view, Nina, Lyla, and Tom (Lyla’s father).  Email exchanges and text messages are thrown into the chapters, making it a more modern style. 
- Pacing: The pace of this book is a leisurely pace.  The timeline of the book seems to be about a month long, maybe less, with some flashbacks thrown in for good measure.  The read is completely engaging and quick, due partly because of the twists and secrets and keep coming out. 

· 

Read-A-Likes:

If you enjoyed All We Ever Wanted, you might also enjoy these similar books:

• The Perfect Couple by Elin Hildebrand
• Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky 
• The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda
• Testimony by Anita Shreve
• A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Week 7: Prompt Response

I, for one, am a huge fan and supporter of celebrity inspired book clubs. When I’m struggling to find something to read, I’ll google “Reese Witherspoon + Book Club” and see her latest picks and suggestions. As the article Celebrity Book Clubs Create Virtual Reading Community by Angela Liao noted, she also has an Instagram page for her book club recommendations, which I happen to follow. Never for once second had I questioned her motive behind posting these books publicly. Reese Witherspoon is a producer, an actor, and an avid reader. She isn’t posting these books so that she “looks intelligent” to her followers — she IS intelligent.  I’m also certain she is posting about books that she loved in order to see how many other people feel the same about a certain book.  As a producer of films and television series, this is an intelligent move for her.  Not only is she getting her fans to read more often, but she is also planning for future moves in her career.  

Also, if celebrity book clubs are getting more people reading books... then I’m 100% for that.

Week 6: Prompt Response

Integrated Advisory display I created to
advertise the “scary” items at our library.

Promoting Horror at the Library

I always found catchy displays to be the best way to promote our horror books at the library.  Since I love anything and everything horror, I always found these displays to be the most fun.  I think if you have fun making a display, its more likely to be a hit in the library.  My “scary” displays were always the most popular at the library and the books/DVD’s/audiobooks would be flying off them! I created the display pictured and received a lot of compliments on it.  I think the CAUTION tape and the blood caught a lot of patrons’ attention, and made the display stand out more than some of the others that we had.

Actual post I created to advertise my
Horror Movie Night at the library.

Another way I’ve promoted horror successfully at the library was with a Horror Movie Night.  This was a 21+ event (because it served alcohol) and we showed the movie Child’s Play.  I created the post to the left to share on our social media pages and it turned out to be one of our most liked posts!  I created a mini display of books and movies like Chucky that was set up so that when patrons were leaving they could easily find something they liked to take home with them.  By showcasing books along with DVD’s, I unknowingly incorporated integrated advisory in my programming.

We had a great turnout at this event and everyone said that they enjoyed it and were hopeful for another, so I believe this would be a successful program for other library’s as well!

Week 6 Annotations: “Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill

Heart-Shaped Box

By Joe Hill

Synopsis:

Former rock star Judas (Jude) Coyne is a collector of all things disturbing.  He has items personally sent to him from John Wayne Gacy, a hangman’s actual noose, a three-hundred-year-old confession from a witch, and so on and so forth.  Most of these items were sent to him from fans of his music, however, if something ever caught his attention, he was likely to purchase and add it to his collection.  So, when Jude’s assistant, Danny Wooten, came to him with an email from someone claiming to be selling their stepfather’s ghost, Jude did not hesitate to purchase it.  He paid the $1,000 for it to be immediately shipped to him, and went on with his day. Days later, the suit arrives to Jude’s house in a black heart-shaped box. Jude immediately gets the impression that this suit is in fact haunted, and the spirit that haunts him is evil. After a little investigation, Jude determines that this suit was sent to him by the sister of a former girlfriend/groupie who committed suicide, and that the spirit is out for revenge on Jude and anyone who tries to help him.  Jude is determined to rid himself of this evil spirit, and save the lives of himself and his current girlfriend, Georgia.

Characteristics of Horror:

·     Tone/Mood:  Author, Joe Hill, did not follow his famous father’s (Stephen King) trend in bolding, capitalizing, or italicizing words for extra emphasis in this novel.  The tone of this novel follows the Visceral end, where “violence occurs early on and the intensity never flags” (Saricks, p. 114).  As soon as the suit is delivered to Jude, we are introduced to the vengeful spirit, and he is present throughout the entire novel, wreaking havoc on all the lives that surround Jude. 

·     Frame/Setting:  This novel is extremely descriptive, and feels like you’re watching a film while reading it.  Descriptive writing is a must in a horror novel, because in order to scare a reader, they must be able to picture with detail everything that is happening in the novel.  Heart-Shaped Box follows the horror trend of containing a supernatural “monster”, which in this case is the vengeful spirit, Craddock.  “Horror novels usually contain graphic violence and themes of sensuality and sexuality...” (Saricks, p. 115) and Heart-Shaped Box contains all of these as well.

·     Storyline:  The storyline of Heart-Shaped Box is pure horror; a highly-troubled goth rock star purchases a suit that is said to contain the ghost of the sellers step-father.  After purchasing the suit, the main character becomes haunted and is unable to rid himself of the evil spirit who was delivered to him with the suit.  As stated in our class reading, “The presence of the supernatural pervades these stories and sets Horror apart from other genres” (Saricks, p. 116).  One way that this book does not follow the traditional horror style, is the ending.  It is common for a horror novel to end unresolved, with loose ends. This book seems to be heading in that direction, but turns out to end clear and straightforward.  

·     Style/Language: Profanity and sex play a role in this novel. As I stated before, the language of this book is extremely descriptive, with the use of a lot of adjectives to help describe to the reader what is going on. 

·     Characterization: Majority of the characters in Heart-Shaped Box have dark back stories.  These stories range from child abuse, to molestation, to depression and suicide.  The two main characters, Jude and Georgia/Marybeth are both described as gothic.  This is a common theme in horror books as most characters in horror are out-of-control and “shattered individuals” (Saricks, p. 118). 

·     Pacing: The pacing in Heart-Shaped Box is erratic, like most horror titles — jumping from a slow and calm pace to heart-thumping terror.  Some parts of this book seem slow, but then are immediately followed with a sudden burst of intensity.  This book is unpredictable, and the pace of it keeps readers at the edge of their seat, waiting in fear and anticipation for what will happen next.

Read-A-Likes:

If you enjoyed Heart-Shaped Box, you might also enjoy these similar books:
-   A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

-      The Damned by Andrew Pyper
-      A Stir of Echos by Richard Matheson
-      The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin

Kirk’s Style Book Review: Dark Matter - Blake Crouch

DARK MATTER
by Blake Crouch



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KIRKUS REVIEW

Brilliant quantum physicist turned family man is kidnapped and forced into an alternate universe where he must fight to return to the only life he knows and loves.

Jason Dessen lives a somewhat ordinary life with his beautiful wife and their teenage son.  He lives this somewhat ordinary life because years ago he gave up his dreams of becoming a world-renowned quantum physicist when his now wife, Daniela, became pregnant with their now teenage son, Charlie.  Jason is satisfied with how his life turned out, and rarely thinks of what could have been, until one night Jason decides to meet an old college buddy at a bar to celebrate this buddy winning a prestigious science award.  While Jason is walking home from the bar, he is kidnapped and knocked unconscious by a masked assailant.  When Jason wakes up, he is in exactly the same place he last remembers before blacking out, but everything around him is entirely different.  His wife is no longer his wife, his son does not even exist, and he is no longer a college physics professor, but the award-winning quantum physicist he had once dreamt of becoming.  Although this new life might seem ideal to some people, it is a nightmare to Jason, who just wants to get home to his real life and his real family.  To make matters much worse, the people around him are beginning to question his authenticity, and Jason knows that he needs to get back to his own real world before its too late

Dark Matter is everything you could hope for in a sci-fi thriller.  Suspenseful, exciting and emotional engaging - you won’t be able to put this book down until the very last page.

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Pub Date: July 26, 2016                         Page Count: 342                             Review Posted Online: 10 February 2019
ISBN:  9781101904220                          Publisher:   Crown Publishers                  

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Week 5: Prompt Response

The Billionare’s First Christmas is a book I would not recommend my library to purchase based on the reviews.   I don’t find the reviews to be unreliable (despite the grammar and spelling errors), however, neither of them convinced me that this is a book worth reading.  I don’t think the library should be spending money on a book that is “just fine” when there are millions of books out there that are a lot better than “just fine”.  Also, I have a hard time trusting a person’s judgment who had “tears rolling down her face” from the description of a characters love for Santa Claus. (Only half kidding).

I’ve already read Angela’s Ashes, but for the sake of this assignment, lets say I hadn’t.  Reading those reviews would have definitely persuaded me to adding Angela’s Ashes to my library’s collection.  This sounds like it would be a book that would be of interest to many people, and all the reviews seem extremely positive towards this book.  I love that the reviews explain how the book is heartbreaking, but also humorous, and believe that others will also like that mix.

I don't think its fair that one type of book gets reviewed to death and other types get little to no coverage, but if more people are reading a certain genre of books than others its bound to happen. I think libraries are generally good at keeping books of all different genres to suit the needs of different patrons, so I don't believe that a lack of reviews impacts a library's collection too much.  Even when it comes to Ebook only books,  I think a lot of librarians (or the ones I worked with at least) read reviews on Goodreads and Amazon even, that aren't professional publications, to get an idea of what patrons might like, so I don't believe that lack of professional reviews impacts the collection too much.  I don't think I'd trust a review source that refuses to print negative content. I feel that both negative and positive reviews should be available so that the person seeking out the reviews has an opportunity to decide for themselves if they want to read something. There are so many classic books and movies that were once reviewed or received poorly, that people rave about today.  I think its so important to post the negative reviews because that gets the word out about these books and more people can read them and decide for themselves.

I personally love reading short reviews about a book before reading the book.  I like to know what other people thought of the book before reading it myself.  I'll never read a long review though because I don't want too much information - just a quick idea of what to expect when reading it.

Secret Shopper Assignment Summarized

For this assignment, I went to one of my local libraries where I am not familiar with the librarians.  Normally, I would feel uncomfortable approaching someone I don’t know and asking for help, but I worked the adult reference desk for about two years and my favorite part of my job was when people would ask me for book recommendations.  Having this experience made this a more comfortable assignment.

I approached the reference desk where a woman a bit older than myself was working. I told her that I had just finished reading the book In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware and was looking for something else.  She started by asking me if there was a specific book I had in mind or if I was looking for a specific genre.  I told her that I had nothing in mind, but I normally read fast-paced thrillers with strong female leads. She then asked me if I wanted to stick with this style, or if I wanted  something different. I told her I was open to anything, but suggested maybe keeping a little suspense or mystery in the plot. She consulted her computer for a few minutes, and then told me she found three titles that I might be interested in.  She read off three books that were definitely interesting to me, but it was the final book she named that I was most excited about.  The final book she chose was a new one called An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I immediately told her I had read The Wife Between Us by these authors and loved it.  I didn’t know they had a new book out! 

My readers advisory transaction was a successful one, because I was excited by the recommendations I was given.  I’m definitely going to read An Anonymous Girl, and I added the three other options she gave me to my Goodreads “to read” list.

Week 3: Prompt Response

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!
Hello! The fourth book in the Anita Blake series is called “The Lunatic Cafe”. A great resource for following book series is KDL’s What’s Next. You can search by your favorite author’s name, or by the series/book title!

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.
Another book you might be interested in is Anna Quindlen’s “Blessings”. Anna’s writing, like Barbara, is descriptive and lyrical, and the plot is about an elderly couple who find a baby on their doorstep and decide to raise it in secret. The plot definitely seems fast-paced! If “Blessings” is too dramatic, another book you might be interested in is “The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George. Nina’s writing style is also descriptive, and the plot is a heartwarming love story.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!
“The Teahouse Fire” by Ellis Avery seems like it would be right up your alley. It is told from an American orphan’s point of view when she is adopted into a Japanese family in 19th century Japan. The writing is descriptive and engaging, and told at a leisurely pace.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?
I’m not sure if you are aware, but Well-Schooled in Murder is actually part of a series (book 3) by Elizabeth George - Inspector Lynley Series. If you’d like, I could print you out a list of all the books in this series. If you’re looking for something different, “The Man With a Load of Mischief” by Martha Grimes could be fun. Similar to “Well-Schooled in Murder” this book is also a murder mystery, but with a little bit of humor to counteract the scary!

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?
“Feed” by Mira Grant is part of a trilogy of zombie books. It’s fast paced, suspenseful, and violent, like all good zombie reads. If he hasn’t read “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson it is a great read, and was made into a movie in 2007 that gained a lot of popular attention.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

• “The Children Act” by Ian McEwan is about a Judge who is forced to rule on if a seventeen year old boy must get a blood transfusion that might possibly save his life, or respect his religion and let him die. This book was made into a film in 2017.
• “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett is another one you might be interested in. This one is based on a true story about terrorists hijacking a politicians party. The film came out in 2018.
• “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman is the story of a grumpy old man who, after the death of his wife, decides he no longer wishes to live. He is set on taking his own life, until quirky neighbors move in to the house next door and give him a new outlook on life. This book was adapted into a film in 2015, and received raving reviews!

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.
Two authors that come to mind are Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark. How about you try “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Mary Higgins Clark. It is book one of her popular Under Suspicion series, and I think you will really enjoy this series! If you want to try Agatha Christie, she has a few books that have been recently made into movies - “Crooked House” and “Murder on the Orient Express”. Once you finish reading these you can check out the movies and see how well they compare!

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I personally use Goodreads for my book recommendations. I like to see what my friends are reading, and see if any titles just jump out at me. I love and trust the GoodReads rating system, and I feel like this website never lets me down. Another way I find books is by looking on Amazon’s best sellers list for anything that stands out. Sometimes, I just browse the shelves at local bookstores or libraries and just see if a cover grabs my attention. I’m guilty of pre-judging books by their covers when browsing like this. If a cover looks interesting and well done, I’ll likely check it out!

Week 3 Annotations: “The Real Michael Swann” by Bryan Reardon

The Real Michael Swann

By Bryan Reardon

Synopsis:

The Real Michael Swann asks the question, how well do you truly know the person you decided to spend your life with. 

 Julia Swann is on the phone with her husband who informs her his train has been delayed and he is stuck inside Penn Station.  Moments later, the conversation is cut short as Julia hears through the phone a loud noise, and the call is suddenly disconnected. Julia knows something is wrong when Michael’s phone goes directly to voicemail – but can’t quite figure out what. Later that evening while reluctantly watching television with her sons, BREAKING NEWS comes across the screen to inform her and the rest of the watching world that a bomb had gone off in Penn Station and it is a suspected terrorist attack.  As if that isn’t terrible enough for Julia, she finds out that her husband is the suspected terrorist, and he might still be alive. Julia races to the city to find her husband and help clear his name – but is he really the same man she started a life with?

Characteristics of Thrillers:

·     * Pacing: As with all thrillers, The Real Michael Swann hooks you from the beginning with news of a terrorist attack at the exact location of the protagonists’ husband.  The book continues at a fast pace as Julia Swann races to find out if her husband is truly alive, and if so, where he is and what really happened in Penn Station.

·     * Frame/Setting:  The professions of Michael and Julia Swann are discussed throughout the book, as Michael is struggling at work and coming home from a job interview pre-explosion. Julia left her promising career to be a stay-at-home mom to their two children.   However, readers aren’t introduced to an insider’s look at the characters’ professions, as they would be in most thrillers.  We are given a lot of details that explain how the characters got to be where they are in the story, and the details are so thorough that you can fully picture the setting in your mind while reading.

·    *  Storyline:The storyline jumps around a bit and is told from two different points of view.  Each chapter rotates from a man who was in Penn Station at the time of the explosions point of view, to the protagonists point of view.  Thrillers are layered puzzles that end with a big plot twist, and The Real Michael Swannfits this criteria to a T.

·     * Characterization:Throughout the book, Julia is trying to find her husband who might still be alive and is going against the law and against police orders to do this.  That is a commonality in thriller books, where the protagonist follows their own moral code that clashes with common practice or laws.   Another commonality The Real Michael Swannshares with the thriller genre is that Michael Swann might be a terrorist, and readers don’t figure out if he’s the good guy or a bad guy until the very end.  Thrillers often use terrorists as secondary characters, and it’s also common for the reader to not know if they’re undercover good guys or if they are actual terrorists.

·     * Tone/Mood:  The mood of this book is dark, filled with mystery and questions, but also a big energetic with the protagonist in a rush to find her husband and learn what really happened in Penn Station.   Without giving away the ending, The Real Michael Swannfollows trend with thrillers whereas no victory comes without a cost.  This is extremely true for one of the most final scenes in the book and most readers will be left shocked and dejected.

·     * Style/Language: The story was told from two point of views, as I mentioned before, one of those characters is experiencing amnesia from the blast of the bomb at Penn Station. The style and language is confused as he is trying to figure out who he is throughout the entire book.  The second character is wife and mother Julia Swann.  Her style and language are more frantic, but that of a stay at home mother and wife. Nothing about the language of this book stuck out to me.  However, the book meets the criteria of a thriller by opening with a prologue that piques the readers interest and pulls them into a storyline of investigation.   

Read-A-Likes:
If you enjoyed reading The Real Michael Swann, you might also enjoy these similar books:

-      - Defending Jacob by William Landay

-      - The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

-      - The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

-      - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

-      - Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

Reading Profile

My (very limited) free time these days is spent reading.  I tend to gravitate towards the thriller genre, but I’ve been trying to break that habit and branch out into other genres.  I just find thrillers to be so much fun, quick, and easy reads, and with toddler at home I need these kinds of reads!  However I do have to mention I just read an amazing science fiction book called Dark Matter by Blake Crouch that I think everyone should try right now.

Harlan Coben

My all-time favorite author is a man named Harlan Coben. His books can be categorized as suspense/thriller and they are always so much fun to read. I’ve read every adult book he has written (he also has a young adult series that I haven’t read... yet) and he currently has two shows on Netflix that he produced, and I binge watched almost immediately. I am just completely obsessed with him and all of his works.

I attend a monthly book club with a large group of women who have completely different interests, where I am introduced to books I normally wouldn’t pick out myself.  Some of these books I have to force down, which is very different from how I normally read.  If a book outside of Book Club doesn’t catch my interest within the first few chapters, I put it down and don’t pick it back up.  There are way too many good books in the world to waste time on ones that don’t capture your interest - or at least that is how I feel about it.



The book genres I’ve chosen for this class are:
Week 3 - Thrillers
Week 6 - Horror (also love that Horror and Romance are grouped together this week - but I digress)
Week 8 - Womens Live’s & Relationships
Week 12 - Non-Fiction
Week 13 - Young Adult