Book review: Finding Jake
"Finding Jake," by Bryan Reardon, is one of those novels you’ll have a hard time putting down. It is very reminiscent of the 2012 novel "Defending Jacob," by William Landay. If you enjoyed the novel by Landay, "Finding Jake" is an absolute must. Like "Defending Jacob," "Finding Jake" tells the story...
May 2015 Staff Picks
We can snow-dance all we like, but we can't guarantee a snowy winter. We're not always blessed with a long hot summer (and for some that is a blessing)! ...But somehow, we can always count on the topsy-turvey weather of spring (a.k.a mud-season) which often locks us indoors on weekends. For that...
Book review: "The Martian" equal parts action and suspense
In April, the ABA announced “The Martian” as the Indie Choice Book Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year. There has been a lot of praise and hype around this book since its debut. It’s all well deserved. Instead of being a boring, techy tome, it is a riveting, barnburner of a story. Check-out Kim...
Book review: A feast of children's book authors
The Book Feast is an all-day literary arts festival for kids and all lovers of children’s books. This year’s free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday May 9, 2015 at the Bud Werner Memorial Library and Steamboat Springs Art Depot. The stellar lineup for this year’s Feast, which is...
Butler's new books are slice of America
In the spring of 2013, my MacMillan publishing representative, Jeff, excitedly told me about an upcoming novel. It was being published in March of 2014 and the author would be at our fall regional sales meeting. I went to dinner with this author. We talked about the book and its characters. And...
Staff Picks April 2015
Just a few days ago, we quietly launched our brand new website! It's bold, beautiful and, most importantly, it's "mobile responsive" which is tech-speak for "looks fabulous and is easy to read no matter what device your read with - iphone, ipad, Android..." We do hope you enjoy using it!
If...
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
May marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner Lusitania, and once again, Erik Larson, author of “The Devil in the White City” and “The Garden of Beasts” provides great historical detail of a world-changing event. This book review by Candace Peterson about the book "Dead Wake...
New novels unravel American violence, present and past
Jennie Lay is the adult programs coordinator at the Bud Werner Memorial Library, and this week she reviews two books: “The Harder They Come” by T.C. Boyle; and “Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral” by Mary Doria Russell who will be a featured author at Bud Werner Memorial Library’s 23rd annual Liter...
Staff Picks for March 2015
This month we have a wonderful array of books for all ages, fiction and non-fiction, from picture books to recipe books (which are akin to adult picture books)!
We especially recommend you check out the books for young adults and teens, whose stories will resonate across generations.
Book review: The joy of cooking vegetables
The following are two of Emily Katzman's favorite cookbooks, both of which feature delicious and simple recipes in which vegetables are the stars of the plate. The authors of "Thug Kitchen" boldly claim the motto, “eat like you give a f*.” Uncouth? Yes. In "Brassicas: Cooking the World's Healthiest...
Book review: Reporter reveals secret lives of Afghan women
Shannon Ross ross reviews "The Underground Girls of Kabul" by Jenny Nordberg: "Investigative reporter Jenny Nordberg uncovers what it means to be female and free amidst the violence of America’s longest war in Afghanistan..." (This article, by Shannon Ross, originally appeared in the Steamboat Pilot...
Book review: Suspense novels promise to thrill
Chris Painter reviews two suspense novels: "The Paying Guests" by Sarah Waters, and "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins. "The Paying Guests" is a brilliant and compelling blend of Downton Abbey, passionate love story and bone chilling suspense. "The Girl on the Train" is a compellingly...
Book review: Wonderful teen novel debut
In a world where the color of your blood means everything, Mare has known only hard work and hardship... "The Red Queen" is a wonderful teen debut with an addictive story line. (This review originally appeared in the Steamboat Pilot)
Book review: An astounding first novel
Fourteen-year-old Kevin is riding in the back seat of the car. He and his mother are on their way to spend the summer with Pops, his maternal grandfather, in Medgar, Kentucky. It had been two months since Kevin’s 3-year-old brother, Josh, had been killed...
This book was 15 years in the writing...
Book Review: Great historical World War II fiction
In war, heroic action is evident both on the battlefield and at home. Most war stories focus on combat deeds, but civilians also fight for their countries in ways that may be equally as dangerous as picking up a weapon.
If you are looking for great World War II historical fiction that will keep you...
Book Review: Exploring race and immigration
Michelle Dover, the circulation services manager at Bud Werner Memorial Library, reviews these two books about race and immigration. Studies suggest that people tend to associate with people who are similar to them — religiously, politically, economically and, yes, racially. How do we get to know...
Staff Picks for February 2015
In the dead of winter, there's nothing nice than curling up with a good book (especially after a long, hard, exhilerating day of powder skiing). We have just the book for every member of your family to snuggle up with.
Staff Picks for January 2015
This month, Virgie introduces us to the hero of the movie, Unbroken - Louis Zamperini - who completed his book just two days before his death, at the ripe old age of 97. In his closing statement he wrote that he wanted his life to count up to the very last minute! This book is evidence that he did.
...
'Luck Uglies' an adventure!
I cannot say enough about this gem of a tale! This is a story full of character, humor, magic and wonder, one that I could not put down until finished, and even then I was aching for more.
Geared toward young readers, "The Luck Uglies" is one adventure that even parents won’t mind reading. It...
'High Divide' a beautiful historical fiction
"The High Divide" tells the story of an American family and the rift — or divide — that threatens to break their bonds and their lives. This is a modern, literary Western: beautiful, sweeping historical fiction, set in the post-Civil War West, when railways sliced across the plains, when Custer was...