Author Archives: Janet Greser

If you enjoy mysteries, chemistry, sibling rivalry, and an unforgettable protagonist, then Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley is for you! Flavia de Luce, an 11 year old, roams the old English countryside of about 1950 in hopes of clearing her father in a murder investigation. Flavia is found interviewing suspects, gathering clues, and compiling research at the library, always staying ahead of Inspector Hewitt and the police department. She specializes in toxins and goes as far as to slightly poison her sisters’ lipstick. The country manor home has many-an-interesting character working in it, surrounding it, or as part of its history. If you are a stamp collector you may have knowledge of the Penny Black stamp which plays a vital role in the capture of the true killer. You will laugh out loud as you follow Flavia through her deductions, and maybe you will beat her to the “solution” I sure did not. I understand that our amateur sleuth will be with us for a while as this is the first in a proposed 10-book series http://alanbradleyauthor.com/books/.

Robin Sloan has written a yarn that stretches from books to technology to ancient knowledge, typography to coded secrets, intrigue to cults, friendship to love. He uses historical facts combined with present day real life ‘Google” to take our champions on a quest for the “key to life”. Our main character, Clay Jannon, needs a job, and where does he land but the strangest bookstore he has ever set foot in. In the beginning Clay does what he’s told, but we all know rules need to be broken, the books must be read, so he does, and read them he cannot do. The bookshelves in this store are lined with volumes coded with puzzles, and Clay must find the key to solving them. He finds that the important codex vitae is 500 years old and is stored in a “cave” below a New York City corporation complete with black robes and solemn ceremonies. The capable Clay really does know where to find resourceful & talented friends, backers, and hackers. Together they form the Rebel Alliance as they become the warrior, the wizard, and the rogue.

“You know, I’m really starting to think the whole world is just a patchwork quilt of crazy little cults, all with their own secret spaces, their own records, their own rules.” –Clay Jannon, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore.

Robin Sloan indicates that he is a media inventor. In his own words, he says a media inventor is “someone primarily interested in content—words, pictures, ideas—who also experiments with new formats, new tools, and new technology…. Media inventors feel compelled to make the content and the container.”

Do fantasy novels intrigue you? Does solving puzzles fit right up your alley? Do you want to go on your own quest? Have we maneuvered you into checking this out? Then our goal here is met.

Annette Hall & Janet Greser

The Nebraska Library Commission has 2 book groups: Adult & Children and I belong to both. This past month we read Cat Girl’s Day Off by Kimberly Pauley. The author pulls off a high school life with superpowers (like there isn’t enough drama already in high school), friends that have way too much worldly knowledge for their age, and too much pink (cats, clothes, dogs, hair). In a family full of “talented people” Nat, our lead, has a lower level Talent–she can talk to cats–which can be embarrassing especially when they start telling boy secrets (you’ll have to read it).  The story develops into a celebrity kidnapping mystery you’ll never forget, with twists that are almost believable. Did you enjoy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? That should give you a hint of the comedy, action, and drama that Kimberly unveils for us. As Pauley says on her blog “Find out what happens when the kitty litter hits the fan”. Ages 12+

Pauley, Kimberly.  Cat Girl’s Day Off.  New York: Tu Books, 2012.