Ashley Pohlenz – Page 44 – Derby Public Library's Blog

Book Review: The Perfect Stranger

First line: The cat under the front porch was at it again.

Summary: Leah Stevens was once a reporter in Boston but when a story she wrote ruined her reputation she decided to pack up and move to a small town in the middle of the Pennsylvania wilderness with an old roommate. However, the sleepy town is anything but. First, a woman, who looks strikingly like Leah, is attacked and then her roommate, Emmy, disappears. Very little is known about either woman. Leah uses her skills as a journalist to help her find her friend and get the answers to who attacked the woman in the woods.

Highlights: Creepy. Stalkers and mysterious voices on the phone. Roommates with secrets. A lookalike attacked nearby. I was filled with many theories but each seemed to fall through as each new detail was revealed. Megan Miranda has once again delivered a great psychological thriller that is hard to put down.

Lowlights (or what could have been better): The last chapter was a little anti-climactic. It wrapped everything up which was good but at the same time disappointing. I wanted to be left with a “didn’t see that coming” feeling.

FYI: It is number two in the All the Missing Girls series but it does not have to be read in any order. The stories are completely unconnected.

Solar Eclipse Glasses

If you have not heard, there is a solar eclipse happening on August 21, 2017!

This is the first full solar eclipse that will be visible here in the United States since the 1970s. People are being warned that you are not supposed to look directly into the sun while the eclipse is happening because of the possibility of loss of eyesight.

One way to experience the eclipse is with solar eclipse glasses! Many stores and businesses have completely sold out. Lines have formed outside stores when they open. Derby eye doctors have purchased some for students at all the Derby schools. However, there is still a shortage. People are scrambling to get their hands on the glasses before Monday’s big event.

Good news! On Monday, at 9:00 a.m., we will have a LIMITED amount of solar glasses available. They will be given out on a first come first serve basis and be limited to ONE per person (they must be present). We will also have donuts available for library patrons and eclipse viewers alike.

This is a very monumental event and we are happy to help our community. Remember to be safe when viewing the eclipse on Monday.

Book Review: A Stranger in the House

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena

First line: She doesn’t belong here.

Summary: When Tom comes home late from work he finds the house empty. His wife, Karen, is missing but her phone and purse are still there. Where did she go? Shortly after he receives a visit from a police officer telling him that Karen has been in a car accident in a rough neighborhood. What was she doing there? When he visits her at the hospital, she cannot remember what happened in the previous hours. However, when a body is found murdered near the area of the car accident Karen becomes a suspect in the investigation.

Highlights: Lapena’s second novel is gripping and a fast read. I liked the ways that little facts and tidbits are revealed slowly throughout the story line. The end was not what I was expecting. I should have known to expect a surprise after the author’s previous book.

Lowlights: Several of the details and twists were easily predictable but it was still enjoyable to read and know that I was correct.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Girl on the Train and All the Missing Girls.

Book Review: Into the Water

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

First line: I was very young when I was cracked open.

Summary: The Drowning Pool as it has been dubbed by the locals is where several women have been found dead. Julia has not been back to her hometown in many years and rarely spoken to her sister. However, when she gets the call that her sister, Nel, has been found in the water she has to travel back to take care of her fifteen-year-old niece, Lena. As the police look into the two most recent deaths of Nel and a young girl named Katie, they begin to discover that they might be connected.

Highlights: I listened to this as an audio book and was happy to find that many of the characters had different readers. When there are, multiple points of view listening can be very difficult. The story was suspenseful enough to keep it interesting. I liked that several different storylines were intertwined with the main plot. The chapters are nice and short which make the story move along quickly. This is a fast read and great for rainy day.

Lowlights: I felt like the ending was a little predictable. I was not 100% sure with who Nel’s killer was but it was not hard to figure out once several more pieces fell into place.

FYI: Perfect for readers of Gone Girl and The Couple Next Door.

Notary services at the library

What is a notary public?

A notary public is an official appointed by the Secretary of State to witness signing and verifying the identity of the signers. We have six notaries on staff here at the library in an effort have one available at all times the library is open.

The task of a notary public is an important one. Many companies want to know that the person who is filling out and signing paperwork is who they claim to be. A notary will then view the signer’s photo ID and match the face and signature to the one presented on the identification.

Before becoming a notary public, I had very little idea what their official tasks were. However, since I was appointed I have learned a lot through interactions with patrons and fellow notaries. It is important to make sure that the documents are completed, the person proves who they are and that they sign in front of the notary public.

There are many different forms that have to be notarized such as conceal and carry, piercing permissions, and wills. Every document is different, which can get confusing. Some documents have detailed instructions and others do not. We often get questions about how to fill in the forms but since we have no legal training, it is not something we can usually answer. We do try to help them find answers if possible.

There are fewer businesses offering notary services in the area, and businesses that offer notary services often charge for the service. Here at the library it’s free of charge. Please call ahead to make sure there is a notary available.

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Book Review: One for Sorrow

One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn

First Line: Although I didn’t realize it, my troubles began when we moved to Portman Street, and I became a student in the Pearce Academy for Girls, the finest school in the town of Mount Pleasant, according to Father.

Summary: Annie is a young girl in 1918. World War I is still raging in Europe and the Spanish flu is spreading across the United States. When Annie starts at a new school she meets a strange girl, Elsie, who instantly claims her as her friend. Annie discovers that Elsie is not liked by the other girls in the class. She is picked on and teased by others, which make Annie a target now too. But when Annie befriends the other girls in the school and drops Elsie things get worse. The flu finally hits Mount Pleasant. Annie’s new friends decide to pretend to be mourners and attend funerals in order to receive free treats. When they attend one funeral they are shocked to see that it is Elsie’s. She had succumbed to the flu after the girls had teased her and taken away her flu mask. All the girls feel terrible about what happened but when Annie receives a concussion from a sled ride she starts to see Elsie’s ghost. And she is not happy.

Highlights: This is spooky. I read Mary Downing Hahn’s books when I was younger and remember them being scary. Even now as an adult I was a little creeped out by the character of Elsie. It was also a history lesson. I have read and seen many shows that depict the time of Spanish flu but this makes it more real and scary too. To think how many people died and how quickly it happened can be a little terrifying.

Lowlights: I got really annoyed with Elsie. The repetition of her obsession with Annie kept dragging on. This I am sure is what the author intended since she is the villain of the story.

FYI: May be too scary for younger readers.

Book Review: The Horse Dancer

The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes

First Line: He saw her yellow dress before he saw her, glowing in the fading light; a beacon at the far end of the stables.

Summary: A young girl lives with her grandfather in London. He has been teaching her to ride and do very difficult tricks with her horse. But when her grandfather has a stroke she is in a difficult place. A young lawyer is going through a separation and dealing with high-profile cases. When she finds a young girl stealing from a local minimart she decides to take her in with the help of her soon-to-be ex-husband. The situation becomes harder than anyone expected.

Highlights: Jojo Moyes does such a great job bringing social issues to life in her stories. I was never one for chick lit but Moyes is amazing. I read a majority of this in two days. I know nothing about horses but now I want to go riding.

Lowlights: A little slow in the middle but worth it.

FYI: Be ready to read it straight through.

Book Review: Alex and Eliza

Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

First Line: Like a latter-day Greek temple, the Schuyler family mansion sat atop a softly rounded hill outside Albany.

Summary: Eliza Schuyler is the daughter of a wealthy general. Alexander Hamilton is the right hand man of General George Washington. When the two meet at Eliza’s home, the first encounter is not the one of fairy tales. However, when they meet up again several months later their friendship grows and a romance for the ages is born in the midst of the American Revolution.

Highlights: This is a very quick read and great for a first book about Alexander Hamilton. With the popularity of the musical, Hamilton, this book is appearing at just the right time. I know very little about the man who had a key role in the establishment of our country. I am a huge fan of Melissa de la Cruz. I think she does a good job of bringing this story to readers in a YA version.

Lowlights: The book is almost more juvenile than YA usually are. I expected a little more surrounding the war. I do plan to read the next one as well.

FYI: Perfect introduction into the story of Alexander Hamilton.

Book Review: The Fallen Kingdom

The Fallen Kingdom by Elizabeth May

First Line: I am the beginning of a girl: her throat filled with ash, desperately clawing her way from the earth with weak, trembling limbs and an urgent message on her lips.

Summary: In the third book in the Falconer series, Aileana has returned from the dead and with powers given to her by a faery. She knows that in order to return her world to the way it once was is to find the Book and the only way to do that is to enlist the help of the faery who killed her.

Highlights: Very action packed with many fight scenes and witty remarks. This book made me laugh often. I love the character of Derrick. He has been my favorite part since the very first book.

Lowlights: The story seemed a little weaker than the rest. It could have been included in the second book as a short ending. The author seemed to stretch it out at times.

FYI: Perfect for readers of Sarah Maas and Cassandra Clare.

Book Review: Gilded Cage

Gilded Cage by Vic James

First Line: She heard the motorbike first, then the galloping horse—two distant points of noise in the darkness, converging on her as she ran.

Summary: England is being ruled by the Equals, people with powers called Skill. They overthrew King Charles and have ruled ever since. When the Equals took power they invoked new laws including the 10-year period of slavery for all the commoners. When the Hadley family decides to start their slave days they are hoping to all be sent to the manor house of Kyneston to work for one of the leading Skilled families. However, Luke, the teenage son, is sent to a slave town instead. As each member of the family works their slave days, they each begin to learn about the Skilled and the world that they live in.

Highlights: Good dystopian storyline. I still cannot figure out what to make of the Jardine brothers. The Hadley family is the straightforward characters of dystopian fiction but the brothers are a little more complex. Are they good? Are they bad? I cannot wait to find out.

Lowlights: Nothing to complain about except that it ended at a cliffhanger. What is going to happen? How are they going to continue?

FYI: Great for readers of Hunger Games and Harry Potter!