Middletown Thrall Library Invites You to Go... BEYOND THE BESTSELLERS: Your Personal Guide to Interesting Books Not Necessarily Found on Bestseller Lists: Winter 2006 Edition

You can pick up a printed version of this list at Middletown Thrall Library.


Missed the previous issue? Don't worry: It's still available online!
Scroll down for more past issues.



Check out our Booklovers Web Guide for sites especially helpful to readers: book clubs, reading groups, book discussions, reviews, reading advisories, publishers, bookstores, and more!



Find bibliographic information for over 5 million book, audio book, and video titles in Books In Print: Patron Edition, or browse by subject, author, or book awards. Login using your Thrall Library card.



Have you tried NOVELIST yet? Find books and authors based on ones you like. Login using your Thrall Library card.



Looking for suggestions? Stop by our Readers' Advisory Center by Reference or ask a librarian for recommendations on what you might like to read next.



Every year the library hosts book discussions open to the public. Ask to be added to our mailing list or stop by the library to find out what's in the works!



Click here to find out what other free programs are currently scheduled at Thrall.



Click here to view current bestseller lists and other news items of possible interest to you.



Past Issues

Missed a past issue of Beyond the Bestsellers? Click below for previous BTBs and more reading recommendations:

Consider any of the titles below the next time you're looking for something interesting to read. To learn more about a book and check on its availablity within the library system, click a title link below.

Some book records in the library catalog have additional links you can click to learn more about the book and the author. Some titles even have chapter excerpts that you can read online!

Scroll down and browse by genre to begin!



GENERAL FICTION

  • The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God by Timothy Schaffert. Sweet and funny, this novel tells the story of a small town dysfunctional Nebraskan family as they cope with divorce and a teenaged son who takes off with a gospel rock band.
  • The Western Limit of the World by David Masiel. Denied access to San Francisco Harbor because his rusted chemical tanker is an ecological disaster waiting to happen, Captain Harold Snow sets out on a journey that will take him and his crew from Mexico to Africa. Hurricanes, revolutions, and a near mutiny keep the pace fast in this psychological adventure story.


Other titles to consider:

ROMANCE

  • The Alchemist's Daughter by Katharine McMahon. In 1727, nineteen year old Emilie Selden has not seen much of life outside of her father's estate and laboratory. An accomplished scientist herself, she is working on a theory of air and fire when she meets Thomas Shales and Robert Aislabie, one of whom will steal her heart.


MYSTERIES

Tilt-a-Whirl by Chris Grabenstein. Jersey Shore cop John Ceepak, a straight arrow just back from Iraq, tries to solve the murder of a real estate mogul and the kidnapping of his teenage daughter. Ceepak's young summer partner Danny Boyle narrates this series debut, and the relationship between Ceepak and Boyle is a highlight of this fine mystery.

SCIENCE FICTION



HISTORICAL FICTION



THRILLERS

  • Lost by Michael Robotham. Detective Vincent Ruiz is found in the Thames with a leg wound, a photograph of child kidnapped three years prior, and no memory of a shooting. With Internal Affairs breathing down his neck, he needs to retrieve his memory soon. Nice pacing and terrific characterizations make this an excellent read.
  • The Finishing School by Michele Martinez. Federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas investigates the death of two politically connected students of Miss Holbrooke's School found dead of in a Park Avenue apartment. Martinez, herself a former special prosecutor, follows up her impressive debut, Most Wanted, with this steamy and an exciting thriller.
Also consider: