Libraries Rock! Summer Reads Book Reviews

Share your book reviews with us on our Summer Reading site and we will share them here. Submit 5 book reviews or any combination of book reviews, reading selfies, and bookfaces, and be entered into a random drawing to win a fun prize!


How to Forget a Duke (Misadventures in Matchmaking #1)

By Vivienne Lorret

Why I chose this book:

I came across this book some time ago on Goodreads, added it to my "Want to Read" shelf, and promptly forgot all about it. It popped up on Goodreads again, just being published, and when I read the synopsis I was still interested. Avon (HarperCollins Publishers) provided a review copy upon request.

Review:

Regency-era England, matchmakers, amnesia, and forbidden love? How to Forget a Duke has it all. The Duke of Rydstrom employs the Bourne Matrimonial Agency to find him a wealthy bride, but Jacinda Bourne is hesitant to do so; she suspects that he is withholding vital information from the agency. When she ventures out of London to his estate to investigate, she meets with disaster. Washed up on the rocky shore and unable to remember anything, Jacinda must recuperate at the nearby estate of, you guessed it, the duke. Rydstrom doesn't want her there at first because he is indeed hiding something. But of course they fall in love. And of course they cannot marry. Don't worry, Lorret delivers a happy ending to readers.

I devoured this book. It was fun, funny, and just a bit exasperating (in a good way). There were several romance tropes in this novel, and they came together perfectly, making for an enjoyable ride. I wrote about why I read romance novels in a previous post, and I'd like to elaborate a bit on why I was interested in a book that used multiple plot devices common to the genre. It's for the same reason that I enjoy walking the same route through the same park and looking for the same animals. The park is a pleasant, relaxing environment to spend time in. I know the route I like. I'm always on the lookout for squirrels, ducks, and dogs. On top of that, I enjoy the different surprises along the way, like the giant hawk on the playscape or the trick bikers showing off. The familiar setting, path, and characters, combined with unexpected highlights are what make for a satisfying evening stroll ... or read.

~Victoria D.

Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales

By P.D. James

Mark these words: don't read at night when you're in your bed or sleep is the last thing you will do. How will you sleep after you read a meticulous plan of cold blood murder? Or when you picture a stabbed Santa Claus lying on the floor on Christmas? Or when you make company to a girl that loves graveyards and tombs pursuing her own ghost from the past? Six murderous tales told in different perspectives, from murders or witnesses, that won't let you sleep because the images will stay on you mind and the minds of the characters will trick you.

~Juliana M.

Kick-Off Summer Reading 2018 with the WPL Magazine Collection!

Summer Reading is kicking off this Saturday June 16^th at the Main Library with a musical bang! With this year’s theme of “Libraries Rock! Read, Learn, Connect”, the WPL is bursting with programs, classes, and reading suggestions. Periodicals (Main Branch, 3^rd floor) will display a selection of our popular rockin’ magazines in celebration of our musical Summer Reading kick-off, but we don’t stop there! With over 400 magazine titles to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities to read, learn, and connect.

Read: Whether it’s poetry, political commentary, or good ol’ fiction stories, The Paris Review, The New Yorker, Granta, and The Atlantic have plenty of content to help you reach your reading goals this summer.

Learn: New ideas and skills are easy to integrate into your reading this summer – titles like Cooks Illustrated, Make, and Popular Mechanics yield everything from recipe testing for the perfect brownie to how to make a pizza oven from an old car (and we’re all suddenly very hungry.)

Connect: Whether it’s in our backyards or across state lines, we can find ways of connecting with our community through local magazines like Boston Magazine, Worcester Living, Connecticut Magazine, and Yankee Magazine. Find out what’s happening in New England this summer!

The Adult Summer Reading Kick-Off will be from 10:00am- 1:00pm in the Fiction Area of the Main Library. You’ll be able to sign up for SummerReading, register for programs and classes, and learn about events and services provided by the WPL this summer. Also enjoy rock painting, for all ages!

Rock (or read) on!

-Gretta

WPL TEST KITCHEN

Our cooking series continued with a recent Gluten-Free class held at the Main Library, with Johnson and Wales culinary student, Jordan L’ecuyer.  She demonstrated how to make gluten-free flour from scratch and techniques on how to mix and roll out pie dough.  Each participant got to roll out their own piece of dough, wrap it up and then take home the ready-to-bake pie crust. Samples and recipes were also provided!

 The program concluded with a Q&A session about community
farming with Amanda Baker from Cotyledon Farm in Leicester

Click here to sample some Gluten-Free Cooking titles from our catalog 

NEW Spring Cooking Classes:

WPL continues to partner with VegWorcester, for Colin McCullough's return with two classes:

March 24 -  Fresh Whole-Food Soups

Use fresh, whole-food ingredients to make delicious, heart-healthy soups--ditch the cans of soup and learn how much healthier and tastier fresh soups can be!  Come learn how to make Fragrant Coconut Soup, Lebanese Red Lentil Soup, Creamy Tomato Soup, and Broccoli Cheezy Soup. (2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

April 21 - Breakfast Smoothies that Taste Like Dessert

Why not have dessert for breakfast?  In this class, learn how to make delicious whole-food smoothies that taste like dessert but are great for your health!  Recipes for the class include Carrot Cake Smoothie, Key Lime Pie Smoothie, Orange Creamsicle Smoothie, Chocolate Power Smoothie, plus how to make fresh almond milk. (2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

Chef Kim Youkstetter also returns . . .

May 5 - Tea Party Appetizers

Appetizers fit for royalty! Chef Youkstetter will share recipes and ideas for appetizers that are truly “royal”. In honor of the royal wedding,come create and sample different types of sweet and savory bites that are not only beautiful, but easy to recreate at home. This class will provide samples, recipes and a chance to make and take some creations. (note this class runs from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.)

See our website for details and to register online. 

Popular Magazines archived at Worcester Public Library

Check out how the world has changed through this snapshot of America’s Popular Reads!

Cosmopolitan (first issue published in 1886): The WPL holds the very first issues of the magazine, back when it went by “The Cosmopolitan”, covering family and domestic interests, along with publishing various serial novels and stories. Today, “Cosmopolitan”, or, “Cosmo” as it is commonly referred to, covers topics focused more on romance and fashion. 

Then (July 1922)

Now (Feb. 2018)

Digital Access: New/recent issues of Cosmopolitan can be accessed through the RB Digital Magazine Collection on our website through any phone, tablet, or computer by creating an account with a valid Worcester Public Library card.

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Harper’s Magazine (first issue published in June 1850): According to its website, Harper’s Magazine is “the oldest general-interest monthly in America, explor[ing] the issues that drive our national conversation, through long-form narrative journalism and essays”. In its over 168 years in print, Harper’s Magazine featured the early printed works of Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Robert Frost, and many others. Today, Harper’s Magazine, in both its online and print materials, continues to highlight well-researched opinion and culture pieces. 

Then (June 1893)

Now (Feb. 2018)

Microfilm Access: Harper’s Magazine from June 1850-December 1989 is available on microfilm on the third floor Periodicals department of the Main Branch of the WPL.

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National Geographic (first issue published in 1888): National Geographic, best known for its extensive and rich color photography, began as a text-based scientific journal in 1888 as the official publication of the National Geographic Society. The first issue contained no pictures or photography whatsoever, but did include maps, geographic surveys, and the Proceedings of the National Geographic Society along with their members list. 

Then (Jan. 1915)

Now (Feb. 2018)

Digital Access: New/recent issues of National Geographic can be accessed in the RB Digital Magazine Collection on any phone, tablet, or computer by creating an account with a valid Worcester Public Library card.

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Print Access: Patrons may check out any circulating copy of any of the magazines listed for 1 week with up to 2 renewals. Check our catalog to see when we get the newest issue, to place a hold, or to check availability. 

Archived issues/volumes may be requested at the Periodicals desk on the third floor of the Main Branch of the Worcester Public Library located at 3 Salem Square, Worcester MA, 01608.

If you have any questions regarding the archives at the WPL or online access to any journal, magazine, or newspaper, please let us know through the Ask a Librarian function of our website, by calling the WPL’s information line at 508-799-1655, ext 3 or the Periodicals Department at 508-799-1669.

Happy researching!

-Gretta

Bringing HIV/AIDS Information to the Heart of the Commonwealth

Together with University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) Lamar Soutter Library and AIDS Project Worcester, Worcester Public Library seeks to improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS by delivering HIV/AIDS information to the residents of Worcester and the surrounding areas. 

Through our collaborative community project funded by a National Network of Libraries of Medicine grant, Bringing HIV/AIDS Information to the Heart of the Commonwealth, Worcester Public Library will raise awareness of the disease through the purchase of books and DVDs and make available resources such as AIDSinfo, AIDSource, ClinicalTrials.gov, MedlinePlus, and PubMed.

Just this past week, books and DVDs were processed and are available on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.

View our Reading List and discover some new information today. 

New issues of magazines this week!

The New England Patriots are headed for their eighth Super Bowl against Philadelphia Eagles in hopes of catching their sixth ring. The latest issue of Sports Illustrated tackles highlights from the AFC Championship and shares professional predictions for Sunday’s big game. Check out a copy to learn more about how Belichick, Brady, and the rest of the team prepare for the biggest game yet!

Looking to upgrade your Super Bowl menu that scores a touchdown with your party guests? February’s Food Network Magazine helps you get game day ready with easy and delicious recipes like Bacon-Jalapeño Popcorn and Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins.

Also, check out the “custom game day cocktails” created for each NFL team—spirits to put you in the team spirit!

Lights, Camera, Action! Get ready for a whole new Oscars this year by checking out “The Oscars 2018 Viewers Guide” in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. Find out how the Academy diversified its membership of women, minorities, and genres (yes, there is now a superhero genre!)

You will also find insider interviews with Hollywood’s biggest film star nominees like Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird.). Read the thorough film critiques, explore the Academy Awards history, and more!

Who will win and take home the golden Oscar?

Visit Periodicals on the 3^rd floor of the Main Branch and browse our collection of over 300 magazines! Speak to one of our knowledgeable library staff and get helpful recommendations on whatever you may need. Don’t forget to check our online catalog!

~Nancy

WPL Test Kitchen

WPL is offering a new series of cooking classes at the Main Library. These classes are taught  in the Saxe Room on Saturday afternoons from 2:00 to 3:30.

We had an amazing turnout recently for Chef Colin McCullough’s Amazing Vegan Sauces cooking class! Colin demonstrated how to prepare several delicious sauces for bowl meals and the audience got to sample them all!

WPL will be partnering with VegWorcester,
to continue our vegan cooking series with Colin’s return on March 24.  Watch our website for details.  Click here for more photos from the Vegan Sauces class and photos from other events held at WPL: https://flic.kr/s/aHskvwAF5H

Next up will be Gluten-Free Cooking, Saturday, February 17. Join us for a demonstration on mixing and rolling out pie dough.  Each participant will receive a pre-mixed piece of dough, a pie tin, and plastic wrap to roll out their own piece of dough. Then wrap up the ready-to-bake pie crust to take home! Samples and recipes will be available. Register online: https://tinyurl.com/yb2t8brf).

Click here to sample some titles from our catalog:  Vegan Cooking List . 

DIY and Hobby Magazines for the Winter Time

Need a new hobby to get you through the winter months? The Worcester Public Library has dozens of arts & crafts and DIY magazines on display. We also keep up to two years of back issues (some even longer)--enough to keep you busy crafting and creating until the trees start budding again.

Writing

Ever wondered how writers create that unique voice that sets their books apart? Wondering how authors ever actually finish writing a novel in the first place? This month’s The Writer has answers to those questions and more.

Other titles on display for the aspiring wordsmith: Poets and Writers, Poetry, and--since reading is the key to becoming a better writer--The New York Review of Books.

Cooking

What better way to stay warm this winter than by cooking up some comfort foods? The WPL has all of the most popular cooking magazines, packed with tips and recipes from the experts.

On display you’ll find the latest issues of Fine Cooking, Cooking Light, Cooks Illustrated, Food & Wine, Martha Stewart Living, and more.

Knitting, Crochet, and Cross-stitch

If you’re lacking enough hats and scarves to get you through the snowy season, now is the perfect time to start knitting. Find patterns from the pros in titles like: Knit Simple, Crochet!, Vogue Knitting International, and Cross-stitch & Needlework.

DIY & More!

From home improvement and woodworking to jewelry making, dance, and yoga, the Worcester Public Library has you covered. Visit Periodicals on the 3rd floor of the Main Branch to get started on your winter hobby and DIY journey today. Don't forget to check our online catalog as well for other titles of interest!

World AIDS Day 2017

December 1st marks World AIDS Day when we come together to support those living with AIDS, reduce the stigma associated with it, and remember those we have lost to the disease. 

Join AIDS Project Worcester tonight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Spyridon's Cathedral on Russell Street in Worcester for their free, annual event.

In commemoration of World AIDS Day, on the second floor of the Main Library, Worcester Public Library has a display of books, brochures, and pamphlets on HIV/AIDS information. View our World AIDS Day Reading List for more titles. 

Also be on the look out for new HIV/AIDS related titles coming soon to Worcester Public Library. This purchase was made possible by the AIDS Community Outreach Project, "Bringing HIV/AIDS information to the Heart of the Commonwealth." AIDS Project Worcester, University of Massachusetts Medical School Lamar Soutter Library, and Worcester Public Library have partnered to increase knowledge of the disease by not only purchasing new titles, but also building a training room at AIDS Project Worcester, and updating AIDS Project Worcester's website.

November Magazines on Display in Periodicals

Here’s the latest:

In the November issue of The Atlantic, hear the scientific side of how Leonardo da Vinci made Mona Lisa smile. (Hint: it involved several late night trips to a Florentine morgue).

Matt Taibbi pens a scathing exposé of the “The Great College-Loan Swindle” in the latest Rolling Stone. But, if student loan problems hit too close to home, skip ahead to the latest news on Stranger Things, Sam Smith, and get inside the mind of the meteoric Cardi B.


If you’re feeling uneasy about the future, you’ll find no solace in this month’s WIRED feature, “Love in the Time of Robots.” The article tells the tale of engineer Hiroshi Ishiguro who builds androids. But not just any androids--”beautiful, realistic, uncannily convincing human replicas.”

Read these and hundreds more of the latest and most popular magazines, all on display on the 3rd floor of the Main Library.

Holiday Romance Book List

It's the most wonderful time of the year for romance readers - snuggly, steamy, and heartwarming Holiday Romances are here! We've put together a list of our newest titles to look for, and in December we'll have plenty of displays up on the first floor of the Main Library, highlighting our entire holiday fiction collection. Keep warm with some Holiday Happily Ever After!

Massachusetts Health Connector Open Enrollment Period: November 1st, 2017 through January 23, 2018

Open enrollment starts today, November 1st. What do the changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mean for Massachusetts residents?

While the ACA enrollment period has been cut in half to only 45 days, Massachusetts residents open enrollment period is almost twice as long.

Massachusetts residents have from November 1, 2017 through January 23, 2018, to renew their current plan or apply for a new health or dental plan. Visit the Massachusetts Health Connector to buy or renew a commercial health plan and receive financial assistance if you qualify.

Recent cuts to the Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments affect lower income consumers on the silver tier plans. Find out how the president’s recent decision to cut CSR payments could affect your Massachusetts plan.

Need help navigating the system? Find a trained and certified Enrollment Assister in Worcester who can help you navigate the application process.

A Celebration of Authors 2017

A Celebration of Authors 2017 

The signature fundraising event of the Worcester Public Library Foundation Please join us for an extraordinary evening of cocktails, food and conversation with five celebrated authors to benefit the programs and services of the Worcester Public Library. 

 Thursday, October 26, 2017 - 5:30-9:00 p.m. 

The White Room @ Crompton Collective 138 Green Street Worcester, MA

Andre Dubus III 

A

ndre Dubus III grew up in mill towns on the Merrimack River along the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. He is the author of six books including three New York Times bestsellers. House of Sand and Fog was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a fiction finalist for the National Book Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Booksense Book of the Year. It was also an Oprah Book Club Selection, and was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated motion picture starring Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly. The Garden of Last Days is soon to be a major motion picture. His memoir, Townie, was a #4 New York Times bestseller and a New York Times Editors Choice. Dirty Love was chosen as a Notable Book and Editors’ Choice from the New York Times, a Notable Fiction from The Washington Post, and a Kirkus Starred Best Book of 2013. Mr. Dubus has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, The National Magazine Award for Fiction, Two Pushcart Prizes, and an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature. His books are published in over twenty-five languages.

John Dufresne

John Dufresne is the author of two short story collections, The Way That Water Enters Stone and
Johnny Too Bad, and the novels Louisiana Power & Light, and Love Warps the Mind a Little, both New York Times Notable Books of the Year. He is also the author of Deep in the Shade of Paradise; Requiem, Mass; No Regrets, Coyote; and I Don’t Like Where This is Going. He has written two books on writing fiction, The Lie That Tells a Truth and Is Life Like This? He is the editor of the anthologies Blue Christmas, Everything is Broken, and Everything is Broken, Too. His short stories have twice been named Best American Mystery Stories, in 2007 and 2010. He is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellow in Fiction.

Margot Livesey

Margot Livesey was born and grew up on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has taught in numerous writing programs including Emerson College, Boston University, Bowdoin College and the Warren Wilson low residency MFA program, and is the author of a collection of stories and eight novels, including Eva Moves the Furniture, and The Flight of Gemma Hardy, which won the New England Independent Booksellers’ Award in fiction for 2012. She lives in Cambridge, MA and is on the faculty of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her novel, Mercury, was published in September 2016. In July 2017, Tin House will publish The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing.

Elizabeth Searle

Elizabeth Searle is the author of five books of fiction, most recently her novel We Got Him (2016),
which is set on the night of the Boston Marathon bombing manhunt. Her previous books are Girl Held in Home; A Four-Sided Bed, now in development as a feature film; Celebrities in Disgrace, produced as a short film, and My Body to You, winner of the Iowa Short Fiction Prize. Elizabeth's original stage work, Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera has been produced in Boston, LA, Chicago, NYC and has drawn national media attention. Elizabeth's work has appeared in over a dozen anthologies; she is the co-editor of a new anthology: Soap Opera Confidential: Writers and Soap Insiders on Why We'll Tune in Tomorrow as the World Turns Restlessly by the Guiding Light of Our Lives.

Annie Weatherwax

Winner of the Robert Olen Butler Prize for Fiction, Annie Weatherwax’s short stories have appeared in The Sun Magazine, The Southern Review, and elsewhere. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, for years, she earned a living sculpting superheroes and cartoon characters for Nickelodeon, DC Comics, Pixar and others. She has written extensively on the link between visual art and language including for Publishers Weekly, The New York Times and regularly for Ploughshares magazine. Her debut novel, All We Had, now a major motion picture, was published by Scribner and was a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award




Joe Cox, Moderator, is President of the EcoTarium, New England's leading science and nature
center.

New Urban Fiction in Fall 2017

Have you seen our expanded Urban Fiction collection? We’ve been hard at work getting the latest titles with that steamy, gritty drama you love! We have books from your favorite authors, like the latest in The Cartel series by Ashley and Jaquavis, or Hoodlum 2 by K’wan, but also lots of up-and-coming authors like Tyrone Bentley, Aija Monique, and Amir Sanchez. Stop into our fiction section and browse our special urban fiction display, highlighting all the juicy reads that keep this genre so hot! 

October is Health Literacy Month!

If you have ever left the doctor’s office confused or tried to research a health topic but did not quite understand the information, you are not alone.  

Medical information, prescription instructions, and the health system as a whole are complex notions for the layperson and especially for those with learning disabilities and English as a second language. A patient’s ability to process health information is affected by literacy skills, age, disability, cultural competency, and emotional responses.

Health Literacy Month highlights the need for plain language, easy-to-access, and reliable health information understood by all.    

At Worcester Public Library we strive to provide jargon-free health information for our patrons. In our Consumer Health Reference area, we offer health reference books that are easy to read and understand. We also provide pamphlets, brochures, and community information.

Health Reference Center

On our website, we have selected a list of health websites with reliable information. One website in particular, Healthfinder.gov, specializes in plain language medical information. This site offers easy-to-read health information in both English and Spanish on topics ranging from health conditions and diseases to doctors visits to parenting.  Medlineplus.gov, also in English and Spanish, is another reliable website to research health needs.

When researching health information on the internet:

• be sure to verify the information is current; most health articles will have a “last updated” date somewhere on the page
• if the website ends in .com, be wary; if it ends in .gov, .edu, or .org you can expect the information to be reliable
• always ensure the information is accurate by checking other reliable websites and health books to verify the information
• websites full of advertisements may indicate the website is in the business of selling ads and not in the business of providing reliable health information

If English is your second language you have the right to language help at no cost to; talk with doctors, nurses, and other staff members; talk about bills and insurance; and to make appointments.

Misunderstanding medical information can have costly and unnecessary consequences. Ask questions to clarify, do your research using reliable health resources, and ask for an interpreter when needed, to make sure your health needs are met.  

Review our Health Literacy Reading List and visit the Health Literacy Display on the 2nd floor of the Main Library for more information today.

Health Literacy display; up for the month of October