Conversion

Conversion by Katherine Howe is a mysterious tale about a private school in Danvers and a mysterious illness that takes over. Colleen is doing her best to stay focused during her senior year but she is juggling quite a few things. First, and most importantly, would be her college applications and interviews. Plus she is desperately trying to stay at the top of her class while trying to hang out with her friends. However shortly into the spring semester Clara (one of the most popular girls in school) is found convulsing on the floor. No one know what caused her to have a “fit” and before long more and more girls are coming down with the mysterious illness that no one can diagnose or stop. As the weeks continue Colleen, who has been reading The Crucible for class, begins to wonder if there is a correlation with the girls of Salem Village and her school. After all, Danvers was once Salem Village.

I liked how Howe told the story and paralleled the current girls with the girls of Salem Village. She did a great job of keeping her readers in suspense and just as clueless as everyone else. You could really feel the pressure the girls were facing with preparing for college and daily life, creating very believable characters. It was easy to get caught up in the drama of their illness and wonder who was going to be next. The Crucible was one of my favorite high school reads, so I must confess that I really enjoyed the historical look at the Salem Village, as well as Colleen’s examination of the play. It was interesting to read about the original girls and how quickly they were all swept up in the herd mentality and how quickly it spun out of hand. This is a fun summer read for someone looking for a YA book that is off the beaten path.

 

Conversion is our YA Book Club for August 12th.  If you are over 17 and would like to join our group, we will be at Mostly Books from 7:00 – 8:00 PM.

New Releases

Here are a few new releases for the week:

Badlands by C. J. Box (autographed copies available at the store, click here to inquire) (Hardback)

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica (Hardback)

Unlucky 13 by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (Paperback)

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (Hardback)

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (Hardback)

Desert God by Wilbur Smith (Paperback)

The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand (Paperback)

Neverwhere: Author’s Preferred Text by Neil Gaiman (Hardback)

Half a War by Joe Abercrombie (The latest in the Shattered Sea series) (Hardback)

Grunt Traitor by Weston Ochse (Paperback)

Spider’s Trap by Jennifer Estep ( The latest in the Elemental Assassin series)(Paperback)

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr Seuss (Hardback)

Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare (Paperback)

Quest for Justice by Sean Fay Wolfe (The Elementia Chronicles) (Paperback)

Nightmares! by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller (Paperback)

 

August’s Events at Mostly Books

Here are our in-store events for the month of August:

August 1st, 3:00 – 5:00 PM:   Pima Writers Group.  Click here to register for the workshop and view upcoming topics.

August 2nd, 12:00 – 2:00 PM:  Cat Adoption with S.A.R.A. (Saving At Risk Animals)

August 5th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM:  Non-Fiction Book Club discussing Alan Turing: The Enigma:  The Book that Inspired the Film “The Imitation Game”

August 8th, 3:00 – 5:00 PM:   Pima Writers Group (See above link for registration)

August 9th, 1:00 – 2:00 PM:  Self-Help Book Signings with Michael Sidebottom author of On the Road: I Need Not Walk Alone and Nancy Andres author of Color of Joy: A Woman’s Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss

 

 

August 12th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM: YA Book Club (17 and up) discussing Conversion by Katherine Howe

August 13th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM:  Signature Dynamic Handwriting Lecture (open to the public)

August 15th, 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Book Talk & Signing with Victor Alvarez author of The Huntsman

August 16th, 12:00 – 2:00 PM:  Pima Writers Group  (See above link for registration)

August 19th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Adult Coloring Hour (14 and up).  Bring your coloring book or purchase one from our selection and we’ll supply the rest.

August 20th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Flash Fiction and Poetry Open Mic

August 22nd, 1:00 – 5:00 PM:  Self-Publish Your Book workshop with Diane Phelps.  The cost of the workshop is $40.00 please click here for registration information.

August 23rd, 12:00 – 2:00 PM:  Pima Writers Group  (See above link for registration)

August 26th, 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Mystery Book Club discussing The Wrong Hill to Die On by Donis Casey

August 29th, 2:00 – 3:00 PM:  Book Signing with Ludwig Deppisch signing The Health of the First Ladies: Medical Histories from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama

August 30th, 1:00 – 2:00 PM:  Story Time and Book Signing with Sharon Takerer who will be reading A Really Big Sneeze

 

Brownies and Broomsticks

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates is the first book in the Magical Bakery Mystery series and it is a delightful beginning. Katie’s life has taken an unexpected turn, but hopefully it’s for the better. She has decided to partner up with her aunt and uncle and open a bakery in Savannah, Georgia. Now the bakery is coming along beautifully and she is sure it will be a success between her baking and her aunt’s helpful ingredient suggestions, although she does find it odd that her aunt keeps mumbling over the herbs. Days before the grand opening, the most cantankerous lady in Savannah is murdered right in front of the store. The worst part is that all eyes are looking at her uncle since he was the last person to speak to the victim. Before long, Katie finds herself frantically trying to find who the true murderer is all the while discovering more about her family’s magical heritage.

This is sure to be a fun series filled with magic, pastries, and the occasional murder. The characters are charming and you can feel the southern atmosphere. I also love that the witches have animal familiars. For some reason I always feel bad for a witch who doesn’t have a trusted critter companion. I am excited to get to know all of the other witches and see how Katie progresses with her new gift. Needless to say, I will be getting book two quite soon.

 

New Releases

Here are a few new releases for the week:

The Redeemers by Ace Atkins (The latest Quinn Colson novel) (Hardback)

The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus by Terry Goodkind (The latest in the Richard and Kahlan) (Hardback)

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (Paperback)

Pretending to be Erica by Michelle Painchaub (Hardback)

Damage Done by Amanda Panitch(Hardback)

The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani (Book 3 in the School for Good and Evil) (Hardback)

Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean (Hardback)

Maple and Willow Apart by Lori Nichols (Hardback)

New Releases

Here are a few new releases for the week:

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (Hardback)

Scents and Sensibility by Spencer Quinn (The latest in the Chet and Bernie series) (Hardback)

The Girls of August by Anne Rivers Siddons (Paperback)

The Art of the Con:  The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds and Forgeries in the Art World by Anthony M. Amore (Hardback)

 

 

 

No Such Person by Caroline B. Cooney (Hardback)

The Inventor’s Secret by Andrea Cremer (Paperback)

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares (Paperback)

Bernice Gets Carried Away by Hannah E. Harrison (Hardback)

Night Animals by Gianna Marino (Hardback)

 

New Releases

Here are a few new releases for this past week:

Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich (Hardback)

Code of Conduct by Brad Thor (The latest Scot Harvath) (Hardback)

The Hand that Feeds You by A. J. Rich (Hardback)

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens (Hardback)

Signal by Patrick Lee (The latest Sam Dryden) (Hardback)

Magic and Macaroons by Bailey Cates (The latest Magical Bakery Mystery) (Paperback)

Wound Up in Murder Betty Hechtman (The latest Yarn Retreat) (Paperback)

Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?  True Stories and Confessions by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Hardback)

Flight From Death by Yasmine Galenorn (Paperback)

A Murder of Mages by Marshall Ryan Maresca (Paperback)

Wicked Embers by Keri Arthur (Souls of Fire) (Paperback)

Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Hardback)

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (Hardback)

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson (book 2 in the Remnant Chronicles) (Hardback)

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten (Hardback)

Survive the Night by Danielle Vega (Hardback)

The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark by Deborah Diesen (Hardback)

R is for Rocket: An ABC Book by Tad Hills (Hardback)

 

 

Ink and Bone

Rachel Caine’s new series The Great Library is off to a promising start.  Book one Ink and  Bone introduces us to a futuristic world with steampunk elements.  Jess has never known a time when the Great Library doesn’t rule over everyone.  It dictates what people can read and only allows books to be read via tablet: real physical books are forbidden.  His family specializes in black market books so when the opportunity arises for a job within the library his father doesn’t hesitate to pay for him to get an audition.  It would be perfect having a family member inside the library working as a spy.  But once Jess starts his journey he finds that things are not that simple and in fact they are quite deadly.

What an outstanding beginning.  The atmosphere was engrossing and detailed.  I could feel myself in the gritty side streets of London as well as the sweltering desert of Egypt.  I also liked that in many ways this futuristic world felt old and reminiscent of the Industrial age.  This book was complex with layers of intrigue and I enjoyed learning key tidbits (both past and present) through letters between the heads of the library.  I should also mention, that this book is packed with action.  Whether it be with the tests that the candidates have to complete or braving a war zone, I often found myself quickly turning the page to see if everyone was okay.  That being said, Caine never  sacrifices her character development.  Jess went from being a bullied son to finding his courage, using his intelligence, and creating lifelong friendships.  This is a great read for fans of the Divergent series, Infernal Devices or all book lovers.

Perfectionists

Perfectionists by Sara Shepard is the beginning of an exciting and suspenseful new series. In Beacon Heights, the only thing acceptable is perfection. You need to be the best athlete or the best musician or the most popular girl and of course get into the best college. However, this doesn’t mean you have to be good. So when five girls realize that they all hate the same person it is easy to plan his murder-or at least his hypothetical murder. But what happens when someone follows through with the murder? How can you prove your innocence when the deck is stacked against you? Thus begins the Perfectionists series.

If you have enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, then you are sure to love this series too. Shepard is so good at getting you all tangled up trying to figure out who the killer is. Each time you think you have a clue you end up right back where you started. The characters are fun to follow and have just enough personal drama to make you want more. This is a great beach read.