Check out the library's new materials!

Stop in and reserve a new book or DVD today!

Director's Review- The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

I love this series; it has action, adventure, and magic, which remind me of Harry Potter- what's not to love? The Bronze Key is the third installment of this tween series and seems to pick up right where "The Copper Gauntlet" ends. Call, Aaron, and Tamara have to balance perfecting their magic with Master Rufus, solving a murder, and saving the chaos-ridden animals, including Call's pet wolf, Havoc, from the Assembly. The story is full of the twists and turns you come to expect after reading the first two books in the series, and ends on a tragic note that left me ready for book 4.

"The Bronze Key" is available through inter-library loan. 

Director's Review- Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

This book really made me stop and think about how unfair life can be. Sometimes, you have control over your circumstances, and sometimes, you don't. I immediately felt sympathy for both Niamh and Molly; they had both experienced such trauma at early ages, and both essentially lost their families when they were far too young.
Before picking this book up, I didn't know much about the orphan trains, and it's difficult to imagine what many of these children endured. While it's nice to picture these orphans who were taken in by new families had positive experiences similar to Anne Shirley's life with the Cuthberts in "Anne of Green Gables," unfortunately, I believe Niamh and Dutchy's situations were the reality more often than not.
Though the flashbacks of Niamh's life were difficult to read, especially her time with the Grotes, watching the relationship between Molly and her grow into such a unique friendship was one of the best parts of this book, and overall, it was hard to put down. It's an interesting look at history, how much an impact our childhoods have in shaping us, and how some friendships are found at the most opportune times.

"Orphan Train" is available at the SCCC Library.

Director's Review- The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

I love a good thriller and "The Couple Next Door" did not disappoint. You find out who is involved in the disappearance of the main characters' daughter earlier than I anticipated, but there's so much more to the story. You quickly learn that Anne and Marco don't live up to the perfect facade they present to the rest of the world. Marco seemed very slimy from the start; there just seemed to be something untrustworthy about him, and as the story progressed, his overall weakness becomes very apparent. From the beginning, it's obvious that Anne is stuck in a seemingly downward spiral of depression and envy towards anyone she thinks might steal her husband's attentions. A combination of self-pity and self-loathing seems to consume her, in addition to an understandably crippling fear that something horrible has happened to her daughter. It's not until halfway into the story you see Anne and Marco's lives and marriage really begin to unravel, as you learn more about the secrets both are desperately trying to keep and the unsavory parts of their pasts they're trying to keep hidden.

"The Couple Next Door" is available at the SCCC Library.