This is the saga of the Piper family of Cape Breton Island. The saga begins  in 1898 when James Piper, an eighteen year old piano tuner falls in love and elopes with Materia, a twelve year old Lebanese girl.  Hearing of their daughter’s marriage her wealthy family immediately disowned her and she becomes isolated from society until she meets Mrs. Luvovitz, who takes the child bride under her wings and teaches her what it means to be a wife and mother and gives her the comfort and love she so desperately seeks. 
  Like most family sagas the characters evolve around one another. Kathleen, the oldest, is beautiful with a singing voice to match. Mercedes, is the compassionate one who tries to keep the family from falling apart. Frances, the disobedient one and finally gentle, quiet Lily. The four sisters are all at the mercy of their father James a deeply flawed individual who is responsible for most of the horrific happenings that wrecked his family. The story jumps between the present and past, Canada and Harlem,so it can be confusing at times. It is full of passion, incest, fantasies and horror and it is only at the end that the mystery is revealed.  
  I found the story interesting but had parts that just dragged along and other parts had fantasy written all over them.

Submitted by Joan Boucher

The West Warwick Public Library’s Adult Reference Department is introducing a Book Review contest for Summer 2010.

Our Adult Summer Reading Program theme is “Water Your Mind: READ”. We are asking our readers to submit book reviews for our blog here and each book review will be tossed into a random drawing. At the end of the summer reading program in late August, we will have a drawing and prize awarded to the lucky reader and book reviewer!

You will be able to post all of your  book reviews on our blog.  Please submit your name with each book review so that we can enter you in our drawing.

All of you who are interested in submitting a book review, please post your book review comment(s) below. For book review examples, please scroll down to the next post.

We look forward to receiving your book reviews!

Note: If you are having any trouble commenting below, please feel free to email us your questions at ref@wwlibrary.org or give us a call at 401-828-3750 ext. 4. We are here to help!

Here are a few book review samples to help you when you’re writing your own book reviews for our Summer Reading contest. You can write as little as three sentences or as many sentences as you’d like.

Sample #1:

Book Title: The Kite Runner

Book Author: You can write Khaled Hosseini or Hosseini, Khaled

Review: It is so good, I cried! A lot. Both from the beautiful writing and the line “for you, a thousand times over” I cried. Everyone should read this book (instead of seeing the movie, even though that is probably good too) In this country, we’re given such a bleak image all the time of Afghanistan…and this book really brings life and hope and color to that image. Plus, it’s such an artful tale of friendship and weakness turning into strength–sigh. Read it now! Best book since The Time Traveler’s Wife. Hands down.

Sample #2:

Title: Moby Dick

Author: Herman Melville

Review: So, what really is the point of Moby Dick? Is it about obsession? The things that drive each of us in our ambitions, whether they be wealth, hate, prejudice or love? Is it a deconstruction of Puritan culture in colonial America? Is it a Joseph Campbell-esque heroic tale? Is it a good ol’ yarn of men against the sea? Is it all of these things?

Perhaps.

Is it a colossal bore?

Decidedly.

Sample #3

Title: The Lovely Bones

Author: Sebold, Alice

Review: I enjoyed this story of a  murdered 14 year old girl who is able to observe her family and other living people after her death. The book is told from her point of view, most of it taking place after her death. This is primarily the story of a family and how each member relates with each other and the world, including how this girl’s death and life has affected them; that was the aspect of the story I found fascinating and most of it rang true. It was a sad book and the girl’s dying experience was horribly upsetting, but I didn’t find it a depressing book at all, even though it was poignant as the dead girl narrator is the only one who knows what happened to her; parts of the book were even funny and parts suspenseful.

]]> http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/introducing-the-water-your-mind-book-review-summer-program-2010/feed/ 1 wwbookgroup http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/my-sister-my-love-by-joyce-carol-oates/ http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/my-sister-my-love-by-joyce-carol-oates/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:26:51 +0000 West Warwick Public Library Book Reviews (Brevies) http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/?p=37 ]]>

by Joyce Carol Oates

Fiction
This dark post-modern novel examines a highly dysfunctional New Jersey family in lurid detail. Oates’s tale, seemingly inspired by the unsolved JonBenet murder mystery, explores what happens when parents sacrifice their children to promote their own selfish dreams and desires. True Oates fans may be willing to endure the psychic battering the book inflicts on the reader, taking solace in her moments of wry satire. For the novice, however, reading the book may feel like watching a horrific accident unfold. You want to look away (you really do), but your gaze remains fixed on the terrible carnage. Read this book at your own risk.

Submitted by Patricia Jempty

The following books we have read and either liked, disliked, loved or hated. Let us know what you think and don’t forget to share your favorites and not so favorite.

The Complete Stories of Truman Capote by Truman Capote  

(Fiction)

Great imagery concocted in these stories, the plots aren’t always the most realistic. If you can suspend disbelief, these stories should be very enjoyable reading.

Submitted by Tom James

Darkness Take My Hand by Denis Lehane

(Mystery novel)

Story of a serial killer that borders on horror…but I liked it any way. Plot and character development pulls reader right in and won’t let go until the last page. After this read Lehane’s Shutter Island for another fun ride.

Submitted by Maureen Delovio

Flashback by Nevada Barr

(Mystery novel)

Law enforcement ranger, Anna Pigeon, who is on temporary assignment at Dry Tortugas confronts illegal drugs and illegal immigrants. She also reviews a mystery that that involves two aunts who lived there during the imprisonment of two Lincoln assassination conspirators. Pigeon makes a big personal decision in this book. Recommended to fans of mysteries, history and scuba diving.

Submitted by Janet S. Handford

Blood Lure by Nevada Barr

(Mystery novel)

In Glacier National Park law enforcement ranger, Anna Pigeon, investigates a stepmother’s murder. She confronts a weak father, troubled teens, a con man, and a massive grizzly bear.

Recommended, especially to lovers of nature, wild animals, and smart strong female detectives.

Submitted by Janet S. Handford

For others like me who dark adventures seek, into these books you may peek: Killing Yourself to Live, by Chuck Klosterman; Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon, by Pamela Des Barres.
If it’s murder, mayhem and death you’re into, then here are some books that may beguile you: The History of Torture, by Brian Innes; The Last Face You’ll Ever See, by Ivan Solotaroff; Among the Lowest of the Dead: the Culture of Death Row, by David Von Drehle.
If it’s tales of the macabre that delight, or things that go bump in the night, then here are some titles that will excite: Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits and Haunted Places, by Brad Steiger; Ghosts: The Illustrated History, by Peter Haining.
Submitted by Susan LaPorte

Big Trouble by Dave Barry
(Humorous fiction)
The newspaper columnist has written a hilarious piece of fiction reminiscent of Donald Westlake. Bizarre, but believable, characters collide in this farcical novel. You will be sorry when it ends.
Submitted by Kate Carroll

Becoming Eichmann: Rethinking the Life, Crimes and Trial of a “Desk  Murderer”
by David Cesaraini

(Biography/history)

This is a chilling book about Adolph Eichmann, the fulcrum of the Final Solution. The chapter dealing with Eichmann’s trial in Jerusalem gets a bit dry and bogged down with legalese, otherwise, a book that shows Eichmann in a different light, other than the “banality of evil” that Hannah Arendt labeled him as being. Instead Eichmann is seen as a more than willing executioner, who actually enjoyed and took pride in his work.

Submitted by Tom James

The Cave Painters: Probing the Mystery of the Worlds First Artists by Gregory Curtis

(Art history)

A somewhat dry book which does also possess at times flashes of brilliant insights. He puts forth the idea that the pre-historic cave paintings found in southern France and northern Spain are comparable to the serene, graceful art of the classical world. The author notes, “It’s a conservative view of the world, that hasn’t any need for stirring up any trouble, as we’ve become accustomed to Art doing.” Ho, ho. Submitted by Tom James

Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe
by Laurence Bergreen

(History)

A vivid description of the Straights of Magellan as well as the bad food and befogging miasma the Navy shoves down your bologna hole at every given turn…all written in a very easy, accessible style. Highly recommended. Submitted by Tom James

They Did It with Love
by Kate Morgenroth

(Mystery novel)

An ok mystery read set in a ritzy Connecticut neighborhood with more than a few twists and turns. I wanted to find out what happened but I didn’t have much invested in the characters.

Submitted by Maureen Delovio

]]> http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2008/12/29/fall-brevies-book-reviews/feed/ 0 wwbookgroup complete-stories-of-truman-capote darknesstakemyhand flashback blood-lure killing-yourself-to-live last-face-you-will-ever-see1 big-trouble becoming-eichman cave-painters over-the-edge-of-the-world they-did-it-with-love http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/brevies-book-reviews/ http://wwbookgroup.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/brevies-book-reviews/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:53:19 +0000 West Warwick Public Library Book Reviews (Brevies) ]]> The West Warwick Public Library, in the spirit of sharing great and not so great books, created this blog as a space for library staff, book club members and everyone who loves books, to express their book thoughts. We hope the reader enjoys these brevies and will add some of their own.