Deathly Hallows

A full month has elapsed since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I have kept all of the secrets way too long. So, if you have not had an opportunity to read the book I would suggest you do not read the rest of this article.
That disclaimer aside, I have to say I really enjoyed this last Harry Potter book, and was nostalgic and sad that it was the last to be released. Regardless of what you think about the stories themselves, one can't help but appreciate what J.K. Rowling's writing has done for reluctant readers all over the world. And even locally, the release was quite an affair (If anyone had an opportunity to attend any midnight release parties you will know exactly what I am talking about).
The book itself started out strong, with an exciting fight scene and an escape. Harry, Ron and Hermione spend much of the book on not one, but two quests. While Harry and Voldemort's connection grows stronger, you find out more about both sides of the battle in good vs. evil. The book ends with an epic battle on the grounds of Hogwarts itself, which is the perfect setting to tie up the series.
Not wanting to say more, I would encourage people to pick up this book at the library. Now that the rush has died down, many libraries have the book immediately available on their shelves. Lena has two copies that are in house right now. Stop by and pick one up. Potter fans will not be disappointed.

Love Overboard

Everyone knows that Janet Evanovich is one of the most popular authors out there right now, and well known for her Stephanie Plum series. However, Evanovich does have several other stand alone books that are good in their own right, and were re-released after her huge success. Love Overboard is a the story of a pirate named Ivan and his new ship cook, Stephanie who fall in love. But this is not the end of the story that is filled with mystery and chaos. When Stephanie ends her stint on the ship, she finds her house haunted and only with Ivan's help is she able to get to the bottom of it. The book is half romance, half mystery with some good comedic timing. Even if you aren't a Janet fan, it is worth picking up a copy of this book for some light summer reading. Stop by the library to find out more.

History Lessons

I have always found history fascinating. Growing up, I had naively assumed that nearly every country had history books much like ours. At that time in my life I couldn't understand that history was a perspective that every person viewed differently. This is why I decided to pick up the book
History Lessons : How Textbooks From Around the World Portray U.S. History. The layout of the book was interesting. It takes significant events from history and lists excerpts from several different country's history books. Events included things ranging from The Viking exploration to the atomic bomb, and the narration of each text book is listed by country of origin. Needless to say, it was obvious from some of the entries about how each event was perceived. The most interesting, in my opinion, was a selection from the only history text to have ever been smuggled out of North Korea. Even though I found the book interesting, I wished that the editor would have a recent narration from an American text to compare. Some of the events listed were unfamiliar to me, and it would've been nice to have a refresher on what I learned in school. Even without this information, the book itself was interesting and something I would suggest to anyone who might be intrigued by comparative history. You can reserve a copy of this book at your local library.

Lonely Planet Blue List

I know that it might be a good decade before I get to travel again. However, I always find it nice to live vicariously through the books and videos that Lonely Planet puts out. Lonely Planet Blue List : 618 things to do & places to go is a beautiful book, with outstanding illustrations and intriguing choices as to some of the most interesting places to see. Subdivided into headings like "Places most like they are in the film", "Most extreme environments" and "Places to love with things to question", it really chooses some unique destinations that aren't covered in every day travel guides. If you are an adventurous traveler, this book is for you. If you are a wanna-be traveler, this book is also all yours. Even if you aren't interested in traveling at all, but love great photography, you will enjoy this book. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and pick it up at your local library.

A Great and Terrible Beauty

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is the story of a Gemma, a girl who experiences the death of her mother in India and goes off to boarding school. But Gemma soon discovers that there is much more to her mother's life than what she knew. With the help of three girls Gemma meets at school, Gemma not only uncovers information about her mother, she realizes there is much more to the power that she herself possesses. But this power isn't everything that Gemma anticipates, and she must make some tough decisions regarding her friends, her mother and the course of her own life. This book can be picked up at the Lena library in print form. The audio version is also available.