Library Journal RSS Feed Library Jounral en_us Thu, 16 May 2013 17:29:18 http://www.libraryjournal.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.rss.XMLServer.cls Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesSteampunk is everywhere, from movies like Sherlock Holmes and Howl's Moving Castle to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and an art exhibition at the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, England. A subgenre of ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884588-280/steampunk_20_core_titles.html.csp John Klima GenreFiction 581382@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 09 May 2013 17:29:11 While we do not represent the rainbow of reading tastes American public libraries accommodate, we Book Review editors—now nine strong—are a wildly eclectic bunch. One look at our bedside tables and ereaders would reveal very little crossover. S... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888841-280/editors_spring_picks.html.csp GenreFiction 712705@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:27:19 Crime fiction is a genre dedicated to exploring the underside of both human psychology and life itself. This year’s crop of summer and fall mysteries and thrillers—and in particular those by debut writers and established authors launching new series—pr... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889722-280/genre_spotlight__mystery_dispatches.html.csp Maude Adjarian GenreFiction 742712@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:24:23 Illustrations Copyright Sam R. Kennedy In this Article SF/Fantasy on the Web Epic Fantasy: 20 Core Titles Map to the SF/Fantasy Galaxy There’s an important difference between setting trends and chasing them, and a look at 2011’s crop of ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891346-280/epic_journeys_fantasy_makes_a.html.csp Neil Holland GenreFiction 796720@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:24:15 Get Your Boarding passes ready for a tour around the world this month. Your readers will love the variety of tones and unique voices. Of course, murder clouds all these entries, but that’s another story. Make sure you catch Colin Cotterill’s delightful... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889966-280/mystery_may_1_2011.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 749703@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:24:10 Bowling for dollars Bouchercon, held September 15–19 in St. Louis, always provides fun opportunities for mystery authors and readers to give back locally. At the stunningly retro Flamingo Bowl, 13 teams of authors, publishers, and wannabes knocked down ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892390-280/a_mystery_meet_up_in.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 833664@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25   In this Article Debut of the Month Series Lineup Quotable Amateur detectives make a strong showing this season, venturing into all sorts of dark corners and evil dens. Of course, these sleuths are professionals in other areas, most ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892259-280/mystery_reviews_november_1_2011.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 829644@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 In this Article Debut of the Month Series Lineup Quotable Soundtracks For all you Anglophiles, it’s a banner month for crime fiction, whether historical or contemporary, dark or cozy. Poisoning, knifing, shooting—it’s all fair game usually d... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891871-280/mystery_reviews_october_1_2011.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 816575@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 In this Article Debut of the Month Mass Market Paperbacks of Note Since my first contact with my grandfather’s paperback copy of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot and the library’s copy of Andre Norton’s Star Gate, my first choice in reading has been science... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891322-280/science_fictionfantasy_august_15_2011.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 796107@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Vampires come in many guises. Most, but not all, are of the neck-biting, blood-sucking variety. They rule the night and sometimes the day. They can be romantic, murderous, or both. The following books will show that these supernatural creatures are not... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891344-280/vampire_fiction_august_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 796649@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 There’s an important difference between setting trends and chasing them, and a look at 2011’s crop of fantasy and sf finds publishers on the healthy side of the line. Proud of cases where they’ve been ahead of the curve in expanding readership in spec... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891589-280/sffantasys_epic_journey.html.csp Neil Holland GenreFiction 806315@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Historical fiction dominates these upcoming titles, from Lynn Austin’s Wonderland C reek to Sandra Byrd’s reimagining of Anne Boleyn (To Die For). Maggie Brendan (Deeply Devoted) examines the role of mail-order brides in the Wild West, while Yvonne Harris... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891252-280/christian_fiction_august_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 793769@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Bewere the Night. Prime. Aug. 2011. c.352p. ed. by Ekaterina Sedia. ISBN 9781607012528. pap. $14.95. FANTASY   A fox-girl battles the Crow Lords over the spoils of a postapocalyptic world in A.C. Wise’s “The Thief of Precious Things,” while a young wo... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890960-280/sffantasy_reviews_july_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 785336@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Allston, Aaron. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi; Conviction. Lucas/Del Rey. Jun. 2011. c.400p. ISBN 9780345509109. $27. SF   The exiled Luke Skywalker, his Jedi son, Ben, and Sith apprentice Vestara Khai continue their precarious alliance as they track d... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890748-280/sf__fantasy_reviews_june.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 777580@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890211-280/sffantasy_may_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 758866@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Welcome to a new series that aims to open your eyes to unique, cutting-edge book and author coverage in BookSmack!, LJ’s free semimonthly e-newsletter. Our avid readers tell us it’s both entertaining and informative, especially for its core audience of... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890263-280/the_best_of_booksmack_the.html.csp GenreFiction 760547@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Make room in your beach tote for a mix of favorite authors and debut novelists from this year’s crop of summer women’s fiction reads. Ensemble reads—featuring best friends, sisters, or soon-to-be friends—remain popular, while several titles include das... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889978-280/womens_summer_fiction_may_1.html.csp GenreFiction 749999@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Summer 2011’s action/adventure thrillers offer readers old friends, some new buddies, and a couple of wannabes who don’t quite measure up. Characters in these stories rely on their friends to help them win or die trying. So before you take on internat... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889976-280/mens_summer_fiction_may_1.html.csp GenreFiction 749980@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Abraham, Daniel. The Dragon’s Path. Orbit: Hachette. (Dagger and the Coin, Bk. 1). Apr. 2011. c.592p. ISBN 9780316080682. pap. $14.99. FANTASY   Soldier-turned-mercenary Marcus wants no part of the war looming between the Free Cities and the Severed Th... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889720-280/sffantasy_april_15_2011.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 742671@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Though those of us in the northern states find it hard to believe, spring is just around the corner, and Christian publishing houses are preparing for a new season filled with exciting historical fiction, including new additions to popular series by Co... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889704-280/christian_fiction_april_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 742411@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Mystery and history. Romance and horror. Literary efforts and fun reads that just plain pop. Fiction comes in many different types, which explains why this list of nearly 300 forthcoming first novels (February 1, 2011–August 31, 2011) is divided into... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889314-280/spring_fling__first_novels.html.csp GenreFiction 727712@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Beaulieu, Bradley P. The Winds of Khalakovo. Night Shade. Apr. 2011. c.312p. ISBN 9781597802185. pap. $14.99. FANTASY   The archipelago duchy of Khalakovo, a center of trade and the envy of other island duchies, suffers from internal strife led by the... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889241-280/sffantasy_march_15_2011.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 726306@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 FAMILY FEUDS Family troubles are no longer the mainstay of the cozy. Eccentric relatives like those of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum can also be found in Nancy Martin’s Roxy Abruzzo books (Sticky Fingers) and Maggie Toussaint’s Cleopatra Jones seri... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888629-280/mystery_reviews_february_1_2011.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 705726@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Abercrombie, Joe. The Heroes. Orbit: Hachette. Feb. 2011. c.512p. ISBN 9780316044981. $24.99. FANTASY   Black Dow, Protector of the North, wages war against the King of the Union as their great armies meet on a plot of ground near a ring of stones kn... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888387-280/sffantasy_january_2011.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 697121@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Barclay, James. Shadowheart. Pyr: Prometheus. (Legends of the Raven, Bk. 2). Dec. 2010. c.398p. ISBN 9781616142506. pap. $17. FANTASY   The elite mercenaries of the Raven go from heroes to fugitives when one of their number is condemned to death. In th... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887657-280/sffantasy_reviews_december_2010.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 679962@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 THE MYSTERY CREEP Have you noticed how elements of mystery and suspense are everywhere, and not just in what is normally labeled mystery/suspense or romantic suspense? This has been going on for some time—all that genre blending (or blurring) that is m... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887674-280/romance_reviews_december_2010.html.csp GenreFiction 680132@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 DAMAGED GOODS Mystery writers looking to make their sleuths more complex and believable often inflict a psychological or physical injury on them. Yet none of these protagonists let this damage prevent them from seeking justice for others. Susanne Alley... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887650-280/mystery_reviews_december_2010.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 679838@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Aaron, Rachel. The Spirit Eater. Orbit: Hachette. Dec. 2010. c.429p. ISBN 9780316069083. pap. $7.99. FANTASY   After his latest successful job, professional thief and wizard Eli Monpress seeks only to relax and spend his hard-earned money, but a frien... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887401-280/sffantasy_reviews_november_15_2010.html.csp GenreFiction 671412@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 MORTAL DANGER As history teaches us, life is dangerous. Authors of historicals capitalize on that by navigating their series protagonists through myriad hazards and perils that engage the reader’s imagination while remaining believable and true to the ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887133-280/mystery_reviews_november_1_2010.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 662218@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886927-280/sffantasy_reviews_october_15_2010.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 654910@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Anyone who has anything to do with books knows that zombies are a big deal right now, and there are a lot of theories as to why. Some point to the big print successes like Max Brooks’s World War Z and Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886918-280/roundup_reviews_blood_brains_and.html.csp GenreFiction 654791@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 ’TIS THE SEASON This season’s holiday romances are tempting readers with a delectable assortment of tasty treats in a range of styles: lively or low-key, side-splitting or sober, magical or mundane, sexy or sweet. As is usually the case, home- and fami... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886905-280/romance_october_15_2010.html.csp GenreFiction 654473@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 Snow may not be on the ground yet (depending on where you are), but holiday- themed fiction will soon be hitting the shelves. Romance, gentle reads, and mysteries abound. Jane Austen fans must have been extra nice this year—they get two tribute volume... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886729-280/short_takes_holiday_fiction_whats.html.csp GenreFiction 647039@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:20:25 As Lewis Carroll's Alice so aptly points out, "What is the use of a book...without pictures or conversations?" Welcome to RA Crossroads, where books, movies, music, and other media converge, and whole-collection reader's advisory service goes where it may... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892607-280/ra_crossroads_what_to_read.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 840805@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:19:57 Street lit established its roots when writers hand-sold books out of car trunks, in beauty salons, and on street corners. Now librarians can learn all about street lit in an authoritative professional work titled The Readers' Advisory Guide to Street Lite... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892423-280/the_word_on_street_lit.html.csp Wilda Williams GenreFiction 835029@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:19:44 In this Article Debut of the Month Since my first contact with my grandfather’s paperback copy of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot and the library’s copy of Andre Norton’s Star Gate, my first choice in reading has been science fiction or fantasy. In 1984, I a... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891562-280/science_fictionfantasy_august_2011.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 805185@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:19:43 Finding books to suit a holiday mood is always a great pleasure, and Halloween offers plenty of moody fiction. Here are six titles—from the mysterious and lyrical (just right for reading via jack-o'-lantern light) to the dark and dreadful—that bring n... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892055-280/the_readers_shelf_no_tricks.html.csp GenreFiction 822444@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:19:38 In this Article Debut of the Month Mass Market Paperbacks of Note Quotable The Halloween season is upon us, and a plethora of horror novels and stories will go trick-or-treating onto the shelves of bookstores and libraries. Edward Lee’s Lucifer... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/892102-280/sffantasy_reviews_october_15_2011.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 823699@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:19:35 From the Amish to the undead, everybody wants a happy ending for the holidays. Three unconventional Dickensian homages hit the shelves this season—Marley dispatches from the Other Side, Scrooge proves immune to zombieism, and Bob Cratchit carries a sta... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891887-280/here_comes_santas_reading_list.html.csp GenreFiction 816788@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:19:24 In this Article Debut of the Month Mass Markets of Note The Votes are in Variety is the spice, not only of life, but also of imaginative literature. This month's selections display a breadth of topics, ranging from epic fantasies by Kate Ellio... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891691-280/science_fictionfantasy_september_2011.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 809534@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:19:09 They’re everywhere, the zombies. They permeate our popular culture. They’re on our TVs, most notably on AMC’s The Walking Dead, and our movie screens. Next year alone should see the releases of Infected, Night of the Living Dead: Origins, Resident Evil 5 ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891689-280/zombie_fiction_reviews_september_15.html.csp GenreFiction 809495@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:19:09 The leaves are turning, children are back in school, and CF publishers are pulling out the stops with several new series debuts by popular authors. Ted Dekker partners with Tosca Lee to launch their thrilling “Book of Mortals” trilogy with Forbidden. ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891721-280/christian_fiction_reviews_september_15.html.csp GenreFiction 810300@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:19:08 IMAGE TK In this Article Debut of the Month Going to the Dogs Series Lineup Quotable Criminal motives don’t change significantly over the centuries, as this month’s titles prove. Much to our dismay, contemporary maladies pepper the past wi... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891460-280/mystery_reviews_september_1_2011.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 801721@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:18:55 In this Article Debut of the Month Series Lineup Reader Challenge Quotable Illusion and perception haunt this month’s protagonists and permeate their cases. Suffice to say that people do bad things and lie about it. Can good overcome and jus... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891345-280/mystery_august_2011.html.csp Teresa Jacobsen GenreFiction 796689@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:18:45 As the season slowly begins to slip away, grab your lounge chair and claim a few more weeks of summer pleasure. Novels of friendship make for fine beach reading, offering as they do captivating tales of forming, and breaking, ties. Here, six well-known... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891255-280/the_readers_shelf__the.html.csp GenreFiction 793791@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:18:34 Summer's here, and the time might be right for dancing in the streets, but it's also time for some light reading. So no heavy literature this month, just the fun stuff for reading en route to your getaway or on the beach or in the yard or park once you ge... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890842-280/classic_returns_reprints_updates_.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 781000@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:18:06 You’re likely opening this issue with your new year’s budget in hand—probably smaller than last year’s—and looking to choose carefully. Yes, every title here will work with library readers! I’m hoping you’ll be pleased that many of this month’s choice... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890961-280/mystery_reviews_july_2011.html.csp Teresa L. Jacobsen GenreFiction 785355@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:18:05 A pair of memoirs—don’t think of them as street lit per se—are highlighted below. Yet both authors grew up living a street-lit life filled with crime, hip-hop music, sex, familial dysfunction, and more. Ice-T on the West Coast and Flavor Flav on the East ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890981-280/the_word_on_street_lit.html.csp Wilda Williams GenreFiction 785765@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:18:00 In March 2010, I wrote "Steampunk: 20 Core Titles" for BookSmack! Since then, more quality steampunk fiction has been published, so it was time for a catch-up article. All 13 of these books will make fine additions to your collections, whether you know yo... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890996-280/steampunk_13_titles_to_update.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 786178@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:18:00 At this year's BookExpo America, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Wendy Bartlett, collection development coordinator of Cuyahoga County Public Library, hold forth on the art and science of buying for demand. That is, giving the people what they want... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/891218-280/qa_wendy_bartlett_collection_development.html.csp Heather McCormack GenreFiction 792799@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:18:00 The labyrinth—best known as the elaborate maze that imprisoned the bloodthirsty half-man, half-bull Minotaur—has a long history. It was designed to permit no escape—the Minotaur would simply wander its twisting, turning corridors forever, or until slai... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890677-280/the_readers_shelf_get_lost.html.csp GenreFiction 775049@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890923-280/special_guest_qas_r.l._stine.csp Heather McCormack GenreFiction 783966@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 The thrill of the chase, a feeling of tension, and a protagonist in danger: these are the elements that readers seeking excitement and exhilaration demand in their fiction. Thrillers or suspense novels, now often referred to categorically as the adrenali... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890893-280/thrillers_20_core_classic_and.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 782959@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 One of the major recurring events at ThrillerFest is the presentation of the Thriller Awards. The awards ceremony caps the conference with a banquet. For two of the most anticipated categories, here are this year's nominees, all terrific contenders for yo... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890894-280/2011_thriller_awards_a_preview.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 782978@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 The International Thriller Writers (ITW) membership includes many of the world’s best-selling authors: David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, Lee Child, Sandra Brown, Clive Cussler, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, and James Patterson, among others. All of these aut... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890913-280/first_thrills_itw_debut_authors.html.csp Wilda Williams GenreFiction 783649@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 Last spring, best-selling novelist David Morrell (First Blood) joined forces with Hank Wagner to edit Thrillers: 100 Must Reads (which garnered a starred LJ review), which collects the observations of the genre's leading writers on classic and contemporar... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890925-280/qa_david_morrell_coeditor_of.html.csp Heather McCormack GenreFiction 784204@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 Not many of us listened to our parents when we were growing up, but we always listened to the words we read in books. I remember my own childhood through the novels I read—Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Case; The Secret of the Old Clock; Are You There God?... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890924-280/save_the_libraries_thriller_writer.html.csp Wilda Williams GenreFiction 784188@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:17:36 Grab your beach chair, slap on some sunscreen, and enjoy a summer season of CF series debuts (Mary Connealy’s Out of Control; Kathleen Fuller’s Treasuring Emma; Robin Lee Hatcher’s Belonging) as well as new entries in J. Mark Bertrand’s “Roland March Myst... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890691-280/christian_fiction_reviews_june_15.html.csp GenreFiction 775511@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:17:35 SUMMERTIME SATISFIES Though most of us are year-round readers, there is something about the summer that makes you want to add a few more books to the TBR pile. Maybe it’s the longer days (more reading time), maybe it’s the warmer weather and the slower... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890684-280/romance_reviews_june_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 775257@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:17:35 Life lessons are valuable, but they rarely come without unpleasant side effects such as self-doubt, regret, worry, and the potential for huge amounts of embarrassment. Wouldn’t it be nice to learn the lesson while avoiding the pitfalls? The heroines o... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890515-280/the_readers_shelf_lessons_learned.html.csp GenreFiction 769324@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:17:25 As Lewis Carroll's Alice so aptly points out, "What is the use of a book...without pictures or conversations?" Welcome to RA Crossroads, where books, movies, music, and other media converge and whole-collection reader's advisory service goes where it may.... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/890829-280/ra_crossroads_doomsday_book_by.html.csp Michael Rogers GenreFiction 779926@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:17:25 IT'S ALL ROMANTIC SUSPENSE In my previous column (LJ 2/15/11, p. 91) I addressed the creep of suspense elements into almost all areas of romance, blurring the various genres and subgenres and creating a delicious array of romances that often defy easy ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889694-280/romance_reviews_april_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 742233@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:16:35 I’M NEW TO the LJ Mystery column, and I look forward to sharing a broad spectrum of mysteries to help you build your collections and connect with your readers. My background is in reference, readers’ advisory, and training, so my reviews may have that ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889527-280/mystery_reviews_april_1_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 736600@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:16:20 Welcome to a new series that aims to open your eyes to unique, cutting-edge book and author coverage in BookSmack!, LJ’s free semimonthly e-newsletter. Our avid readers tell us it’s both entertaining and informative, especially for its core audience of... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888882-280/the_best_of_booksmack_.html.csp D. Thomas GenreFiction 713586@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:16:06 The Reading List Council, RUSA’s committee to select the best genre titles of the year, identifies books that will please fans and introduce new readers to the pleasures of genre fiction. You can see the 2011 list at bit.ly/e8EGxS. Increasingly, however... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889268-280/the_readers_shelf_crossing_boundaries.html.csp GenreFiction 726944@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:16:04 History in mystery More writers are discovering that U.S. history is a rich and fertile ground for crime fiction. In Carol McCleary’s The Illusion of Murder, we join feisty journalist Nellie Bly as she travels around the world in 1889 and solves a few m... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/889078-280/mystery_march_1_2011.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 720461@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:15:50 Love is in the air this spring, with several CF publishers pulling out all the stops. Some of these love matches also sport suspenseful story lines and twisting plots. Sibella Giorello’s The Mountains Bow Down mixes mystery and romance on a cruise to Al... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888852-280/christian_fiction_february_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 712893@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:15:36 SMALL-TOWN SETTINGS in romance are all the rage lately. Cities, of course, continue to be in vogue for certain subgenres (e.g., urban romantic fantasy), but for contemporaries in particular it seems as if everyone is headed for small-town or rural Ame... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888853-280/romance_february_15_2011.html.csp GenreFiction 712903@elibraryjournal.com Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:15:36 CRIME STOPPERS Let’s hear it for enterprising and intelligent female sleuths. Maggie Messina and her Black Sheep knitters are willing to pitch in and work as a team to solve a crime in Anne Canadeo’s A Stitch Before Dying. Ex-nun Giulia Falcone fights ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/888376-280/mystery_january_2011.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 696911@elibraryjournal.com Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:15:04 Baker, Kage. The Bird of the River. Tor. Jul. 2010. c.272p. ISBN 978-0-7653-2296-8. $25.99. FANTASY   Teenage Eliss and her half-breed brother Alder become part of the crew of a large river barge after the drowning death of their addict mother. When ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/883810-280/sffantasy.html.csp GenreFiction 554428@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:14:34 ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/883827-280/christy_award_finalists.html.csp Irving Cumberbatch GenreFiction 554528@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:14:34 SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS Movie studios and big publishing houses save their big moneymakers for this season, and Christian fiction publishers are no different. Just in time for that relaxing week at the beach or lake is Terri Blackstock’s latest thriller, P... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/883795-280/christian_fiction.html.csp Nanci Malone Hill GenreFiction 554321@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:14:34 By Jo Ann Vicarel MURDER IN MAYBERRY Small towns or villages continue to serve as popular settings for mysteries, especially cozies. Chris Cavender’s Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder is set in Timber Ridge, NC, where everyone is on a first-name basis. The to... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885291-280/mystery.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 603162@elibraryjournal.com Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:14:30 The harvest season means not only hot cocoa and mulled apple cider, hay rides, and pumpkin picking—the crop of books reviewed this month are some of the best CF publishers have to offer. Several, like T.D. Jakes’s The Memory Quilt and R. William Bennett... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/887435-280/christian_fiction_reviews_november_15.html.csp GenreFiction 672051@elibraryjournal.com Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:14:28 POLICE PROCEDURALS never go out of season, and this fall heralds a new crop of exciting reads for law-and-order fans. Big city cops are represented in Henry Chang's Manhattan-set Red Jade and Solomon Jones's Philly-focused The Last Confession. Western ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886686-280/mystery_reviews_october_1_2010.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 646382@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 As any publisher or filmmaker can attest, Jane Austen is a hot literary commodity. Every week seems to bring a new continuation, reimagining, mashup, or modernization of her novels. There is more than one book where Mr. Darcy turns out to be a vampire,... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886507-280/the_readers_shelf_no_persuasion.html.csp GenreFiction 639030@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Bernobich, Beth. Passion Play. Tor. Oct. 2010. c.368p. ISBN 9780765322173. $24.99. FANTASY  Fleeing an arranged marriage to a cruel older man, merchant's daughter Ilse Zhalina joins a caravan in the hopes of forging her own future. Instead, she finds h... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/886462-280/sffantasy_reviews_september_15_2010.html.csp Jackie Cassada GenreFiction 637828@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885938-280/christian_fiction.html.csp GenreFiction 620274@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Carrington, Tori. Love Bites. Severn House. Jan. 2011. 192p. ISBN 978-0-7278-6913-5. $28.95. A RITA Award nominee and winner of a Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Carrington-actually, Lori and Tony Karayianni-here brings back Sofie Metropolis. Eve... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885929-280/prepub_mystery.html.csp Anna Katterjohn GenreFiction 620110@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45   Serving as a dramatic backdrop to many historical mysteries, war often plays a major role in sleuths' development. For example, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs, Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge, and Rennie Airth's John Madden all served in World War ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885928-280/mystery.html.csp Jo Ann Vicarel GenreFiction 620084@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Beagle, Peter S. Return: An Innkeeper's World Story. Subterranean. Sept. 2010. c.104p.   ISBN 978-1-59606-309-9. $35. FANTASY  Soukyan, a warrior for hire, fends off a trio of assassins, the latest of many who have been sent to kill him since he fled th... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885927-280/sffantasy.html.csp Jackie Casada GenreFiction 620075@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45   Is This for Real Unreal?  A look in any bookstore will tell you that "unreality" is still in and isn't about to be out anytime soon. The most recent Romance Writers of America (RWA) statistics put the entire paranormal genre (the generic term RWA u... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885891-280/romance.html.csp GenreFiction 619302@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45   Western fiction is unique among the major fiction genres recognized by public libraries (which would include romance, mystery, and sf) in that it is defined principally by its physical setting—the American West (usually anywhere west of the Mississ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/885858-280/collection_development_not_ready_for.html.csp GenreFiction 618147@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesFrequently when I get to work, there's been a murder, and they look to me for a solution. Last time, it was a guy in a room where all the doors and windows were locked from the inside, and there was a big puddle of co... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884587-280/books_for_dudes_murder_by.html.csp Douglas Lord GenreFiction 581375@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesWilliam Ryan's The Holy Thief will no doubt put your patrons in the mood for more mysteries with Sovietor Russian backdrops. Below, we've selected eight stirring readalikes.Benioff, David. City of Thieves. Viking. Jun... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884389-280/from_russia_with_blood_eightholy.html.csp GenreFiction 580285@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 As a complement to our list of core cozies, we give you a bibliography of 25 forthcoming 2010 cozies, organized by category. Enjoy! CRAFTING MYSTERIES | MYSTERIES FOR DIY ENTHUSIASTS | MYSTERIES FOR PET LOVERS | MYSTERIES FOR FOODIES | PARANORMAL MYSTERI... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884386-280/forthcoming_cozies_25_titles.html.csp GenreFiction 580264@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Tor. Aug. 2010. c.272p. ISBN 978-0-312-37972-8. $24.99. MYS Set in Civil War torn 1936 Spain, Atkinson again has the 37-year-old Hemingway investigating a friend's murder. Unlike the series' initial volume, Hemingway Deadlights, this is much more of a har... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884335-280/hemingway_cutthroat..csp Atkinson, Michael. GenreFiction 579996@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more stories April showers bring May flowers- and lots of mystery awards. Librarian and LJ mystery reviewer Terry Jacobsen predicts the winners of this year's Edgar and Agatha Awards. Here's your chance to catch up on outstanding... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884323-280/terryaposs_crystal_ball_who_will.html.csp Teresa Jacobsen, Solano County GenreFiction 579943@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884282-280/left_coast_crime_a_librarianaposs.html.csp Teresa Jacobsen, Solano County GenreFiction 579716@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more stories This month's selections are brought to you by the letters G and A, which stand for greed and addiction. Michelle Monay's Hood Richest introduces Jayah, a girl who is gifted a Benz but is more thrilled with her next p... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884265-280/the_word_on_street_lit.html.csp Rollie Welch, Cleveland P.L. GenreFiction 579645@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Random. Jun. 2010. c.288p. ISBN 978-1-4000-6603-2. $26. FIn his intense yet subtle way, Furst (The Spies of Warsaw) takes the reader to the Greek city of Salonika in October 1940, just weeks before the Nazis hoist their occupying flag on the Acropolis the... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884264-280/spies_of_the_balkans..csp Furst, Alan. GenreFiction 579632@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 No matter how hard Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tried to rid the world of his most famous detective (in his short story 'The Final Problem';), there's something about the erudite Holmes that continues to capture writers' imaginations. Some reincarnations are mo... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884225-280/the_great_detective_sherlock_holmes.html.csp Edited by Neal Wyatt GenreFiction 579430@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884219-280/sffantasy.html.csp Jackie Cassada, formerly with A GenreFiction 579402@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 In Michael J. Sullivan's Necessary Heartbreak, a single father and his teenage daughter pass through a magic door and are transported back to Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. In Jill Williamson's To Darkness Fled, a young woman uses her telepathic abil... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884214-280/christian_fiction.html.csp Nanci Milone Hill GenreFiction 579372@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Nowhere to Run by C.J. Box (series starts with Open Season) (Putnam)A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin (series starts with Mistress of the Art of Death) (Putnam)This Body of Death by Elizabeth George (series starts with A Great Deliverance) (Harper... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884141-280/wyattaposs_world_mystery_reading_for.html.csp Neal Wyatt GenreFiction 579014@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesAs Lewis Carroll's Alice so aptly points out, "What is the use of a book...without pictures or conversations?"Welcome to RA Crossroads, where books, movies, music, and other media converge and whole-collection reader'... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884140-280/ra_crossroads_romance_and_spy.html.csp Neal Wyatt GenreFiction 579013@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Mystery and suspense fiction remain as popular as ever for as many reasons as there are readers. In the April 15 cover story, LJ's Wilda Williams tracks the genre's trends and previews the top titles for the spring and summer.... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884139-280/crime_fiction_preview_passport_to.html.csp GenreFiction 579012@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Cemetery Dance. May 2010. c.112p. illus.ISBN 978-1-58767-228-6.$25. FCombining a reminiscent, folksy first-person point of view of a third-base coach now in a retirement home with one of his best forms, the novella, King (Under the Dome) takes readers on ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/884137-280/blockade_billy..csp King, Stephen. GenreFiction 578992@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 error: ERROR #6901: XSLT XML Transformer Error: SAXParseException: Expected end of tag 'li' (, line 5, column 71)... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/883968-280/wyatts_world_dracula_turns_113-five.html.csp Neal Wyatt GenreFiction 578131@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesPolice received the call early in the morning: a report of suspicious activity at the Muskego Public Library It was 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday in Muskego (WI), population 23,000, and the public library's parking lot was ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/854746-280/means_motive_opportunity_a_small.html.csp Barbara Fister, Gustavus Adolph GenreFiction 405916@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Holden, Wendy. Beautiful People. Sourcebooks. Apr. 2010. c.432p. ISBN 978-1-4022-3715-7. pap. $14.99. FBritish author Holden (Filthy Rich) deftly weaves several plotlines to an ending in rustic Italy, where Galaxia, a blockbuster Star Wars knockoff, is sh... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/853724-280/british_chick_lit.html.csp GenreFiction 400773@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Crouch, Katie. Men and Dogs. Little, Brown. Apr. 2010. c.288p. ISBN 978-0-316-00213-4. $23.99. FWhen Hannah Legare was a young girl, her father disappeared on a routine fishing trip. Years later, Hannah finally confronts her past when she is forced to rec... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/853723-280/southern_charm.html.csp GenreFiction 400768@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack!for more storiesThis is going to be my last column, as I have an overflowing plate. In addition to my full-time teaching duties, this year I am writing a readers' advisory guide to street lit for ALA, and I am also writing my dissert... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/853683-280/the_word_on_street_lit.html.csp Vanessa Irvin Morris, The iScho GenreFiction 400564@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Break In (Berkley)Dead Cert (Berkley)Hot Money (Berkley)Nerve (Berkley)Odds Against (Berkley)Neal Wyatt is a collection development and readers' advisory librarian in Virginia.... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/853681-280/wyattaposs_world_reading_to_remember-dick.html.csp Neal Wyatt GenreFiction 400554@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Berkley Prime Crime. Feb. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 978-0-425-23232-3. $24.95. MIn her fourth Southwestern adventure (after Wild Sorrow, Wild Inferno, and Wild Indigo), Bureau of Land Management agent Jamaica Wild sets out to piece together a fascinating puzzle ... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/853603-280/wild_penance..csp Ault, Sandi. GenreFiction 400168@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Mystery and suspense fiction remain as popular as ever for as many reasons as there are readers. 'Those who wish for escape or respite read cozies, historicals, or romance crossovers,'; says Poisoned Pen editor Barbara Peters. 'Those who want to stay on t... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/849925-280/passport_to_mystery.html.csp Wilda Williams GenreFiction 378402@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45 Head back toBookSmack! for more storiesDeciphering the way ahead is a murky affair when a spouse dies. Our protagonists here may wish for oblivion, to give in to grief and curl up in a ball, but eventually they move on, whether through the nee... http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/genrefiction/849912-280/the_ones_they_left_behind11.html.csp Bette-Lee Fox GenreFiction 378333@elibraryjournal.com Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:13:45