Library Blog - Book Reviews

Title: The Nix Author: Nathan Hill Genre: literary fiction Read Great Things (2019) categories: A book about or that features college or higher education Why did you choose to read this book? I believe it is important to support independent bookstores. Last summer, when I was traveling to western Kentucky, my family and I stayed in Crossville, Tennessee, and found The Book Cellar. After browsing their shelves for the better part of an hour, I selected The Nix . They had a hardcover edition in

Title: Leaving the Sea: Stories Author: Ben Marcus Genre: short stories / experimental fiction Read Great Things Challenge 2018 category: a book you chose for the cover; a book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event (maybe) Why did you choose to read this book? I was drawn in by the cover art at first. The reviews on the back of the dust jacket also made the stories sound interesting to me. One of my favorite authors, Michael Chabon, has a blurb on the back of the book praising

Title: She’s Come Undone Author: Wally Lamb Genre: fiction Why did you choose to read this book? She’s Come Undone has been on my to-read list and I saw it on the library’s display of books for Mental Health Awareness Month (May). What did you like about it? I thought it was well-written and a compelling portrait of a fictional character, Dolores Price. The novel is told from her perspective and follows her through her 30s. Dolores Price’s story picks up with her as a little girl whose parents’

Title: Righteous Author: Joe Ide Genre: mystery Why did you choose to read this book? I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, IQ . What did you like about it? Like IQ , this is a fast-paced detective story featuring Isaiah Quintabe (“IQ”), a self-made private investigator in Los Angeles. IQ uses a combination of reasoning, cunning, surveillance and lock-picking skills and Krav Maga in his pursuit of justice. Several characters return from Ide’s debut novel in this sequel. When IQ

[caption id="attachment_4188" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Available at the OCC Library on new books shelf (QE 882 .P8 M49 2017)[/caption] This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the Orange County Campus librarian. Genre: Narrative Scientific Nonfiction [the author is telling a true story, but re-creates some of the dialogue and events as though he were there] #ReadGreatThings2018 Categor(ies): A popular science book Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here. What is this book

Title: IQ Author: Joe Ide Genres: mystery, street lit Why did you choose to read this book? I heard an interview with the author on public radio several months ago. He sounded interesting. I hadn’t read any detective fiction in a while. What did you like about it? IQ is a quick, easy read: fast-paced and entertaining throughout. The character Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe is well developed: IQ is goal-oriented, intends to lead a life helping people and is dealing with the loss of a loved one. He applies

Title: The Three-Body Problem Author: Cixin Liu Genre: science fiction Why did you choose to read this book? I am participating in Book Riot’s 2018 Read Harder Challenge. Having read The Three-Body Problem allows me to check off the category “A book of genre fiction in translation.” Also, the book has been on display on the Special Collections area of the main campus library and I’ve walked by it many times. The cover jumped out at me; this qualifies it for the library's Read Great Things

Title: Get in Trouble: Stories Author: Kelly Link Genre: short stories: magical realism, science fiction Why did you choose to read this book? According to the book's back cover, one of my favorite authors, Michael Chabon, called Kelly Link “the most darkly playful voice in American fiction.” What did you like about it? The book delivered “dark playfulness” as promised! I don’t read much magical realism or science fiction, so both of these elements in her writing were refreshing. I think some of

[caption id="attachment_3702" align="aligncenter" width="198"] Available on the New Book Shelf at the Durham Tech Main Campus Library[/caption] Title: Take Out: A Mystery Author: Margaret Maron Read by: Mary Kennery, Library Technician Genre: Mystery Why did you choose to read this book? I read all of the Deborah Knott character series of books. This is the first Sigrid Harald, a NYPD homicide detective, book that I tried. What did you like about it? I like to read a mystery. I enjoyed learning

[caption id="attachment_3559" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Available at Main Campus on the New Book Shelf[/caption] Title: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women Author: Kate Moore Genre: Historical Nonfiction Why did you choose to read this book? Well, I'd heard a lot about it. I tend to like historical nonfiction that tells the stories of groups of people who maybe aren't as known in American history. I read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth