Lola's Secret by Monica McInerney     F/MCIN

Another gorgeous story of friendship and family by Monica McInerney.  Lola’s Secret is set around Christmas time and is a continuation of the lives of the Quinlan’s and their Motel based in the Clare Valley of South Australia.  It is probably best to read The Alphabet Sisters before this one to have the background to all the characters.

Review by Gail

The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser     004.678/PAR

Subtitled what the internet is hiding from you, this is a very scary book. The author argues that with the trend to personalise your internet experience, major internet sites like Google and Facebook are already feeding you what they think you want to see. On the face of it this seems like a good thing as it filters out stuff you would never be interested in. However, it can lead to a very one-sided view of the world. Google uses a series of secret algorithms in order to gauge what it thinks you want to see. Scary.

Review by Jim

Shutter Island     DVD/MOVIES

Leonardo DiCaprio is very convincing in his role as U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels – a man confronted with issues from his past which conflict with his present day logic whilst he carries out what seems to be, on the surface, a routine investigation.  Anything directed by Martin Scorsese usually doesn’t disappoint;  and Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo do fine jobs as supporting actors. I found the plot a bit complicated and didn’t think this movie was as good as Mystic River, based on a novel also written by Dennis Lehane,  but it certainly is worth a viewing if you like a psychological thriller with a few twists and turns.

Review by Denise

A Lifetime of Secrets by Frank Warren     741.683/WAR

“A Lifetime of Secrets” was put together by Frank Warren, who has invited strangers to send him decorated postcards with their secrets written on them. It started as an art project in 2005, and soon hundreds of postcards arrived with people’s deepest, darkest secrets on them. He started posting them on the internet, and his website, PostSecret.com is now an Internet phenomenon, and an extraordinary and affecting art project. Some of the secrets are very strange, some are very funny, and many of them break your heart. An interesting read to discover what lurks in the heart of strangers.

Review by Yvette

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern     F/MORG

I was absolutely taken in by the blurb of this book and the hype surrounding it. Although it has only been released for two months there are movie plans in action and a wave of praise for this first time author. The Night Circus is a thoroughly descriptive book about an enchanting circus only open at night and focuses on two main characters pitted against each other unwillingly to face off at a mysterious challenge they know nothing about. I have to say I expected more of a plot and an explosive ending, but I am somehow unsure if this is a brilliant book or a mediocre one.

Review by Jaimie

Watercolours by Adrienne Ferreira     F/FERR

This is the story of a small riverside community seen through the eyes of an eleven year old boy and a twenty four year old man on his first teaching assignment. Novi is a talented artist that is falling behind in his school work and Dom, the new teacher, is keen to assist him.  The school librarian Camille is motivated to assist and together they garner Novi a scholarship.  This is a wonderful story with likeable characters whose various stories combine to depict the frailty of a small community.  Adrienne’s descriptive writing paints a visual that is both beautiful and haunting.

Review by Leanne

The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters     HCD/PETE

This is the second book in the Amelia Peabody mystery series in which Amelia and her archaeologist husband, Emerson return to Egypt. Sir Henry Baskerville had just discovered a tomb in Luxor when he dies suddenly under bizarre circumstance.   Amelia and Emerson continue his work while unraveling the mystery surrounding his death.  This book is really delightful to listen to as the reader, Susan O’Malley, does both Amelia and her precocious son, Ramses, brilliantly and their antics caused me quite a few chuckles.

Review by Kim

The Pity of War by Niall Ferguson     940.3/FER

Niall Ferguson, the economic historian brings his considerable skills to bear in this book about the causes and consequences of the war. In my view, not since A.J.P Taylor produced his “Struggle for Mastery in Europe” has a writer tackled the complexities of the pre-war era so well. Ferguson looks at the whole gamut of social, political and economic causes of war and at the failure of governments and nations to withdraw from the brink.

Review by Michael

The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry      F/BERR

No 7 in the Cotton Malone series. This books differs from previous ones in that the adventure takes place in the USA; there are no foreign enemies this time. When Cotton Malone saves the President he is brought in to help solve a political dilemma that only a trusted outsider can do. With the aid of Cassiopeia the couple help to resolve the troubles in the White House.

Review by Karen H.