TV Show Read Alikes

You may've seen our blog post earlier this year suggesting read alikes for three popular comedic TV shows: Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Warehouse 13. This week we're taking a stab at suggesting books for fans of three popular dramas.

Mad Men
The much anticipated sixth season of AMC's popular series about the social changes of the 1960s and '70s through the lens of a New York advertising agency will begin airing on April 7th.

If that's not soon enough for you, there's more than a few books to tide you over. The New York Public Library has created several reading lists and various bloggers track the books the show's characters read. We'll limit our suggestions to four titles.

If you tune in for the relationship drama, infidelity, and changing gender roles and expectations, try Richard Yates' 1961 novel about life in the suburbs, Revolutionary Road. The novel also served as the basis for a 2008 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Similarily, Penny Vincenzi's More Than You Know follows a contentious divorce and custody case in 1960s London that delves into classicism, sexism, and the drama of relationships.

If you're intrigued by Don Draper's rise through the cutthroat ranks of the advertising world, try An Object of Beauty by the witty Steve Martin. Lacey Yeager claws her way to the top of the '90s art market in New York City. Or more directly, check out Mad Men Unbuttoned by Natasha Vargas-Cooper, which provides a historical context for the show, from profiles of the characters to comparisons with actual 1960s ad men.


Revolution
This on going NBC series about life after the apocalypse taps into the current popularity for dystopian landscapes. Specifically, in this future humanity no longer has access to electricity, and American society has fractured in the attempt to survive. The series focuses on the efforts of a family who may have the keys to restore power to the world, and particularly on the older sister's quest to keep her brother safe from a dangerous militia.

Because the first season is still airing on television, no DVDs have been released that can be added to C-SPL's collection, but luckily there's no shortage of books! You've probably heard about The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, which will have a second movie out in theaters later this year. We've put together two read alike lists for this series (here and here), but Revolution fans should be sure to check out Ashes by Ilsa Bick about a teen girl struggling in a world where all electronics suddenly stop functioning. Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling also explores life in a world where electronics have all failed. There's little mystery behind civilization's collapse in Mike Mullin's Ashfall, but Dubuquers will get a special thrill reading about a teen trying to survive and find his family after the volcano under Yellowstone explodes turning North Eastern Iowa into a dangerous wasteland.

Person of Interest
This CBS crime thriller is currently in its second season. The plot follows a vigilante team as they attempt to stop crimes before they happen. The team was organized by a mysterious computer genius who designed predictive surveillance equipment for the government.

Phillip K Dick's 1956 story Minority Report explores the ramifications of a technology that allows the authorities to identify criminals before they commit a crime. This fast-paced story served a loose basis for a film adaptation starring Tom Cruise.

If you enjoy the deductive skills and detective work employed by the show's characters, you can't go wrong with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes. Alternatively, the crime fighting skills of Batman might be more your style. Try Scott Snyder's Batman: Court of Owls, which presents Gotham City's hero with a gritty murder mystery or the Birds of Prey series, which features a team of superheroines including Black Canary and Batgirl.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Read Alikes: Fifty Shades of Grey

We're wrapping up the second week of voting in the Dubuque Tournament of Books, and there's still time to cast your votes (or to vote again!). Last Friday we put together a list of read alikes for Code Name Verity and The Fault in Our Stars. This Friday we've put together a read alike list for Fifty Shades of Grey which is up against Behind the Beautiful Forevers.


James' debut brought wide spread attention to the growing popularity and success of self-published eBook authors, fan fiction, and erotica. If you're one of the readers who has discovered a love for the steamier end of the romance spectrum, and you've already finished the Fifty Shades trilogy, you might want to check some of these books out!

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

You might recognize this title as the book that Fifty Shades of Grey beat in the first round of the Tournament of Books. Sylvia Day is an established romance author of everything from historicals to paranormals, with well-developed characters and sensual love scenes. Bared to You is the first title in her Crossfire trilogy, which came to attention after the success of Fifty Shades. Eva, just starting her career, is determined to make her own way without relying on her wealthy parents' connections. Gideon is the arrogent and successful businessman with whom she finds an instant and irresistible attraction.

Anything He Wants by Sara Fawkes
Anything He Wants is another story of passion between a woman working at the entry level and a powerful CEO that started life as an eBook, including a rather steamy scene in the office elevator. Originally published as five eBooks, the print copy available at Carnegie-Stout gathers all five stories into one volume. The later stories in this volume move beyond the attraction between Lucy and Jeremiah to introduce more characters and a suspense plot.

Saddled and Spurred by Lorelei James

Lorelei James has been publishing steamy erotica that explore the physical and emotional aspects of less vanilla relationships for several years, from BDSM to threesomes.Try Saddled and Spurred, the second book in her Blacktop Cowboys series. Despite her desire to move on from her life in a small Wyoming town, Harper can't quite resist the appeals of her boss, ranch owner Bran Turner.

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Ms. Kleypas writes both historical and contemporary romances that combine steamy attraction with witty banter. Her heroes are always powerful, and often self-made men, but her heroines are every bit their match. Try Smooth Talking Stranger, Ella’s orderly life is upended when her sister Tara leaves without her infant son. Ella decides to confront the man who must be Luke’s father, millionaire playboy Jack Travis, and sparks fly.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Jamie McGuire is one of the authors to come to prominence as part of the New Adult publishing trend. While her debut novel, Beautiful Disaster, is less steamy than Fifty Shades, readers are likely to enjoy McGuire's funny, conversational writing and character-driven romance. Travis Maddox, Eastern University's playboy, makes a bet with good girl Abby that if he loses, he will remain abstinent for a month, but if he wins, Abby must live in his apartment for the same amount of time.

Forbidden Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Ms. Leigh is an author of erotic romance, often with a suspenseful, fast-paced plot. Although some of her series include paranormal or fantasy elements, others focus on more realistic fantasies. Try Forbidden Pleasure, Mac attempted to suppress his less mainstream desires for the sake of his innocent bride, Keiley, but he longs to introduce her to pleasures possible in trying something, or someone, new.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

The Fault in Our Stars VS Code Name Verity

Voting for the first round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books is wrapping up tomorrow, and we'll posting the winners on Sunday. If you haven't submitted a bracket for the prize drawing, we're extending the deadline to Saturday!

We posted post short descriptions of all the titles in the contest here on the blog, but today we're taking a closer look at a match up near and dear to our hearts here at Carnegie-Stout.

Several staff members have read and loved both The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, which has led to some interesting workroom discussions of which title we want to see advance to round two. Both have sharp writing, interesting characters, and emotional depth. If you haven't read them yet, we invite you to do so, and join us in the discussion! Even if you haven't read a YA novel since you were a teen yourself, these books are worth checking out.

On Tuesday, March 12th, our Let's Talk Books book discussion group will be examining The Fault in Our Stars at 7 p.m. Copies of the novel are available for check out at the Circulation Desk.  On Monday, March 25th, we'll be having our next meeting of YA Fiction Addiction, the book discussion group for adults who enjoy reading Young Adult novels.

If you've already read both The Fault in Our Stars and Code Name Verity, we've pulled together a few read alike suggestions for you!

The Fault in Our Stars Read Alikes

• Just One Day by Gayle Forman: a gentler look at the possibilities of first love, international travel, and self-discovery
• How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford: quirky outsiders and an emotionally intense friendship
• Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: bittersweet story of bullying, suicide, and teenage outcasts that still makes you laugh
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: Teen love rarely lasts, but for these two intelligent misfits, it's worth the risk
• A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner: Independent Cass struggles after her best friend's death

Code Name Verity Read Alikes

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson: Isabel, a slave in 1776 New York, becomes a spy during the Revolutionary War
• City of Thieves by David Benioff: Lev and Kolya are paroled from certain death in a Leningrad Prison during WWII, if they can accomplish an impossible quest
• A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorehead: (940.53082 MOO) the true story of 230 women of the French Resistance captured by the Nazis
• For Freedom: the story of a French spy by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: based on a true story, French teenager Suzanne only dreams of becoming an opera singer, but she becomes a spy for the Resistance
• Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith: 18-year-old Ida Mae passes as white to become a WASP pilot in WWII

Warm Bodies Movie & Book Review

If I know I’m going to see a movie based on a book I usually read the book first, knowing full well that the movie will probably not live up to my expectations. However, I saw Warm Bodies in the theater before reading the book, so I had no preconceived notions about casting or characterization. In fact all I knew about Warm Bodies was that it was a take on Romeo and Juliet, but with zombies. I went to see this film with a group of friends who also happen to be co-workers. Of the six of us who went, only two of us really enjoyed it. So, she (Allison) and I decided to review the movie and book, which we read later.

The Movie
"Warm Bodies" Directed by Jonathan Levine. Starring  Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry &  John Malkovich



Amy: I don’t care what anyone else said, I loved Warm Bodies. It was funny, sappy, and a little bit gross. Exactly what one might expect from a zombie romcom.

Allison: Thank you! I loved it! It was exactly what I wanted it to be - funny, cheesy, with only a few bits of horror! I also really liked how short it was - I’m sick of three hour long epics!

Amy: I'm totally with you there. The thought of sitting in a theater for three-plus hours makes me dread going to the movies. Another thing I loved about Warm Bodies was R’s inner monologue. It was just funny and kind of sad. Yes there were parts that were kind of stupid, but again, it is a ZOMBIE romantic comedy.

Allison: Yes! A similar movie, Shaun of the Dead, was marketed as a romantic comedy with zombies, although that one was more about the living people than the dead. But the idea is the same - this isn't a gore-filled Romero movie. Yes, there are horror elements, but that’s not the crux of the story.

While we’re on the subject, one difference between the movie and the book is the outfit R wears. In the movie, he wears jeans and hoodie (setting up a great joke) but in the book, R wears black dress pants, a white shirt and a red tie. I like to think this is a hat-tip to Shaun of the Dead, since that’s the same outfit Shaun (Simon Pegg) wears.

Amy: Also, it was leaps and bounds better than Twilight. People need to stop comparing it to Twilight.

Allison: I admit that I haven’t read Twilight, but I was forced to see the movie version and I agree 100%. It’s unfortunate that every movie with supernatural elements that centers on a romance is now, apparently, doomed to be lumped together with Twilight. I think many people who would really enjoy the movie haven’t or won’t see it because of that false association.

Amy: Another thing I loved about this movie was the relationships between the main characters and their BFF’s. M stood by R when the rest of the zombies wanted to eat Julie and Nora stood by Julie when the rest of the humans wanted to kill R.

Allison: Rob Corddry really stole the show as M; some of the best lines were his, whether they were funny or frightening. Both he and Nicholas Hoult expressed more in a grunt or a gesture than most other actros could. M’s character in the book is a bit different (at least physically) than how Corddry portrayed him, but the loyalty, humor and hope are there in each version.

M (Rob Corddry) and R (Nicholas Hoult) in deep conversation at an airport bar.
Via Filmofilia.com

Amy: I think Rob Corddry had about five spoken lines in the movie and I absolutely agree that he stole the show. I read somewhere that the cast studied with Cirque de Soliel to get the zombie movements down. I think they did an excellent job.

Amy: Speaking of best friends, Julie's best friend Nora says during a dream sequence that if she could be anything in the world she wanted to be a nurse. As we were leaving the theater several members of our group were commenting that it was sad that she said nurse instead of doctor. I realize that being a nurse is considered to be a "typical" female profession but I think being a nurse is a truly noble profession. I have several friends that are nurses and they worked incredibly hard to get their degree. So, lets not disparage a woman for wanting to be a nurse instead of doctor in a film, especially a film about zombies. And now I will get off my soapbox.

Allison: Yeah, I know some viewers really objected to that! In the book, Nora goes on to explain that she doesn't think that civilization will around long enough for her to finish medical school. Nora’s character is a bit different in the book - she’s older than Julie and a bit wiser - so her reasoning sits well with me, at least.

Amy: I’m choosing to ignore the really terrible CGI from the movie because I don’t think it took anything away from the story.

One of the many "bonies" that
menace the Living and the Dead.
Via IMBD.com

Allison: I was pleasantly surprised that the CGI wasn't as bad as it could have been given the film’s budget. It reminded me of the mummies from the 1999 movie The Mummy - good enough for the purposes of the movie. And honestly, I thought they were pretty damn menacing!

Allison: One last thing about the movie - Richard Roeper (of Ebert and Roeper) gave the movie 3 ½ stars. In his review, he says that he preferred Warm Bodies over other zombie movies and TV shows (The Walking Dead, etc.) because those zombies are predictable. A mutual friend who saw the movie with us took exception to that, and thought that Warm Bodies was no less predictable than other zombie fare.

While I can see why someone might say that, I think Roeper meant that the movie didn't follow the usual formula of zombies being your standard unfeeling monsters, devoid of any humanity. Having zombies that retain or regain their humanity (as well as a human falling in love with one) deviates from the standard horror formula, where the story isn't at all about the zombies, but only about the human survivors, and the zombies can easily be replaced with aliens, giant robots or whatever. You're not going to find any multi-dimensional zombies staggering around in The Walking Dead.

The Book
"Warm Bodies" by Isaac Marion (Fiction Marion)

Amy: My first thought about the book is that while the movie could be considered YA, I wouldn't classify the book in that way. We have it shelved in adult fiction and I believe that is where it belongs.

Allison: Agreed. The writing style is more complex than what you might find in some YA - the use of terms like "Escheresque" and "vertiginous" might throw younger readers off. A good portion of the book is spent with R describing what life as a zombie is like and R’s thoughts on what caused the dead to rise. In these passages the author, I think, is using zombie life as a metaphor for depression - the alienation, the lack of interest or ambition, even the dulled senses of the Dead. Of course, this isn't a theme restricted to “adult” literature, but some younger readers might become bored with R’s continuous ruminations.

Amy: At the end of the movie you get a sense that everyone will live happily ever after. At the end of the book you get the sense that although things are getting better, it will take years and years before life returns to pre-plague conditions.

Allison: One of the key plot points that happens very differently in the movie and books - and which we can’t really talk about since it’d be huge spoiler - definitely contributes to that. Without giving too much away, what ultimately happens with General Grigio (Julie’s father) in the book as opposed to the movie sort of sums up the ultimate message of each.

Amy: Allison mentioned that in the book the character of Nora is different, older and wiser.  I liked both characterizations of Nora.  I liked her sense of fun and humor in the movie and how she was wise beyond her years in the book.  Maybe it is because I saw the movie first, but I think I liked the movie better.

Allison: I’m having a hard time deciding which one I liked best, since they’re both so different in tone. The movie is much lighter and the focus is on the romance between R and Julie. The book delves deeper into the inner lives (such as they are) of the zombies. We hear a great deal more from R on subject other than Julie and learn that there is even a zombie society. The zombies hold worship services, have sex, marry and raise children. At the beginning of the novel, R meets and marries his wife and later they are given two zombie children to feed and teach. There’s much more world-building in the book than in the movie, which works really well. If the movie had too much of that - aside from R’s introduction at the beginning - it would have been bogged down and much too dark.

One section I really enjoyed and illustrates the side of zombie society we don't see as well in the movie was R's (internal) explanation of why he dislikes being called a "corpse" or a "zombie." When Julie first calls R a "corpse" R thinks, "...I realize she can’t possibly know the sensitive cultural connotations of the word 'corpse' …" R also dislikes it when Julie refers to herself as "human," as opposed to a corpse or a zombie. R thinks of himself as human; a Dead human, but human nonetheless.

Amy: Marion did an excellent job giving his characters depth and making the reader feel that the "Dead" were also human. He also did a great job relaying that both the Zombie and Human populations were dead in the sense that there was very little hope that either population would survive.  That being said, I would tell people to read the book and see the movie in any order they choose.

Allison: Absolutely! After I read the book, I found the short story that inspired it, I Am a Zombie Filled With Love online. I'm also planning to read the prequel Marion is writing, The New Hunger which right now is only available as an eBook from Zola Books, but you can read an excerpt on Entertainment Weekly's website here.

And if you can't get enough of romance and/or zombies, click here for a list of similar books and movies!

~ Amy and Allison, Adult Services

Mysteries for Dog Lovers

This week was the 137th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and an Affenpinscher named Banana Joe took home Best in Show. There are more than a few dog lovers on staff at Carnegie-Stout. Our pooches may never win best in breed, but we love them all the same!

Like peanut butter and jelly, dogs and mystery novels are an excellent combination. So for this Friday's blog post, we're highlighting a few of the doggy mystery series available at Carnegie-Stout!

Dog On It by Spencer Quinn
Spencer Quinn’s hilarious mystery series featuring detective duo Bernie and Chet is a Carnegie-Stout favorite. Bernie is a PI, and his partner, and the series narrator, is Chet, a cat hating canine. The series starts with Dog On It, Bernie and Chet take on the investigation of a missing teenage girl. Readers who prefer audiobooks should definitely check out James Frangione's narration. Quinn is a pen name of author Peter Abrahams, who writes psychological suspense as well as books for teens and younger readers.

Elvis and the Dearly Departed by Peggy Webb

The Southern Cousins mystery series by Peggy Webb is another funny series featuring a doggy narrator (who thinks he's Elvis Presley reincarnated). Elvis the basset hound lives with (and shares narrator duty with) Callie Valentine Jones, who does hair for the deceased at her uncle's funeral home in Tupelo, Mississippi. The pages are filled with a colorful cast of characters, and an upbeat atmosphere. In Elvis and the Dearly Departed, Callie and Elvis take on the case of a missing corpse.

Beaglemania by Linda O. Johnston
Linda Johnston's Pet Rescue Mysteries series is not as lighthearted, though there is a touch of romance. The series starts with Beaglemania, and features amateur sleuth Lauren Vancouver, manager of a No-Kill shelter in California. Lauren suspects that a man with a history of animal abuse has ties to a puppy mill when she finds beagle puppies abandoned in a drain pipe. But when that man is found murdered in her shelter, Lauren becomes the number one suspect.

The Dog Park Club by Cynthia Robinson
Cynthia Robinson's offbeat mystery series features a quirky cast of characters, headed by Max Bravo, bisexual opera singer whose dead grandmother is a frequent spectral visitor. Max comes to Berkeley to dog-sit for his friend Claudia (she's going through a rough divorce), and friendships form among the regulars at the local dog park. When Amy, a pregnant dog owner, goes missing, the regulars all suspect her husband's to blame.

Hounding the Pavement by Judi McCoy
Judi McCoy combines mystery, romance, and the paranormal in her upbeat and charming Dog Walker Mysteries series. Hounding the Pavement is the first book in the series. Ellie, recovering from a recent divorce, decides to make use of her new found talent for telepathic communication with dogs by starting a business as a  dog walker. When one of her clients is killed, Ellie works to track down the client's missing Bichon, with the help of an attractive NYPD Detective.

Dead Canaries Don't Sing by Cynthia Baxter
Baxter's Reigning Cats & Dogs is another New York mystery series with appeal for dog lovers: the pages are packed with doggy detail. Dr. Jessica Popper, veterinarian, is almost always accompanied by her pack, Max and Lou. So it's no surprise that her canine companions are there when they uncover a dead body at a horse farm while making a house call. There's a touch of romance, when Jessica teams up with a PI to crack the case.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Read Alike: The Painted Girls

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan has received praise from critics and was selected as an Indie Next title for January by the American Booksellers Association.

This is Ms. Buchanan's second work of historical fiction, and both of her novels have been carefully researched regarding the real people and events she describes. She was born and raised in Niagara, Ontario, which helped to inspire her first novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still which tells the story of the arrival of hydroelectric power at Niagara Falls.

Photo by Frank Kovalchek

Before becoming a novelist, she received an MBA and worked for IBM. You can read more about Ms. Buchanan, arrange for her to talk with your book club over Skype, or see what book she's currently reading on her website: www.cathymariebuchanan.com

The Painted Girls tells the story behind Degas' sculptures and paintings of ballerinas, and draws special inspiration from the sculpture at left, La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years). The story of three sisters of low birth, who seek to survive in the world of ballet, is told from the perspective of Marie van Goethem, who posed for Degas' statue. The novel is compelling and romantic, and Buchanan paints an atmospheric picture of life in 19th century Paris. As Susan Vreeland says in her review for the Washington Post, this "is a captivating story of fate, tarnished ambition and the ultimate triumph of sister-love."

If you're interested in reading more novels about the reality behind famous works of art, the work of Susan Vreeland would be an excellent place to start after you've finished The Painted  Girls. Ms. Vreeland is the author of several lyrical novels that illustrate the worlds and minds of artists and their art. Her titles are well-researched, leisurely paced, and character-driven.

• In Clara and Mr. Tiffany, she tells the story of Clara Driscoll, an employee of Louis Comfort Tiffany, and the creative mind behind the iconic Tiffany lamp. This lushly visual novel explores the life of the little known artist and the dynamic period at the turn of the century.
• Her Luncheon of the Boating Party tells the story behind Renoir’s famous painting, and the real people depicted upon his canvas.

Tracy Chevalier's first novel, Girl With a Pearl Earring, is a character-driven and lyrical imagining of the story behind Vermeer's famous painting. Sixteen-year-old Griet is a maid for the Vermeer family, with an eye for beauty and order, which attracts the attention of the artist. The novel was also adapted as a film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth.

Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore is a more irreverently whimsical examination of an artist's inspiration. Though his offbeat novels aren't for everyone, readers familiar with the art world of 19th century France are sure to find a few laughs in Moore's dark humor. Sacre Bleu is the story of Lucien Lessard and his friend Henri Toulouse-Lautrec's quest to find the truth behind the death of Vincent Van Gogh.

Other novels of artistic inspiration worth checking out:
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
The story of the woman who inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Alice Liddell.


Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
The Women by T.C. Boyle
Two books about the life and loves of Frank Lloyd Wright, and topic of a staff review by Betty.

Girl Reading by Katie Ward
Ms. Ward takes inspiration from seven paintings of women reading from different periods throughout history in this collection of short stories.

Eight Girls Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto
Ms. Otto's novel takes its inspiration from the lives of 19th century female photographers, though the characters in this collection are fictional.

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

New books for New Adults

If you're the sort of person who makes an effort to keep track of the trends and labels popular in publishing (and I am), you may've come across the discussion of New Adult fiction. If this is your first time encountering the phrase New Adult to describe a book, you're probably wondering what on Earth that is meant to convey (or at least that was my reaction). Roughly speaking, these are books about the lives of 20-somethings aimed at 20-something readers.

What's driving this new marketing push is up for debate, but many agree that it has something to do with the recent popularity of Young Adult novels among adult readers. However you want to label it, a book about someone exploring their goals, identity, relationships, and place in the world can make for compelling reading. Or viewing. From HBO's recent series Girls to the cult favorite Veronica Mars.

Because this is a rather new designation, you'll find that the titles championed as New Adult are rather varied in tone, setting, and content. It's the difference between Rowling's Harry Potter series and Grossman's Magicians. So while some of these titles are shelved in the YA section at Carnegie-Stout, others might contain more about the physical side of relationships than some readers will be comfortable with.

That said, if you're a teen who tends to read books from the adult collection, or an adult who's always reading YA, New Adult might be the books for you! We've pulled together some suggestions from our collection, but if you want to read more, check out New Adult Alley, a blog devoted to New Adult fiction.

Adult Fiction
Slammed by Colleen Hoover
Eighteen-year-old Layken struggles with holding her family together after her father dies, until she develops a relationship with her new neighbor, Will, who has a passion for poetry slams and gives her a new sense of hope.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Travis Maddox, Eastern University's playboy, makes a bet with good girl Abby that if he loses, he will remain abstinent for a month, but if he wins, Abby must live in his apartment for the same amount of time.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
Madeleine Hanna breaks out of her straight-and-narrow mold when she enrolls in a semiotics course and falls in love with charismatic loner Leonard Morten, a time which is complicated by the resurfacing of a man who is obsessed with Madeleine.

Romance

Easy by Tammara Webber
When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex's frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Young Adult Fiction

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Former popular girl, Echo, finds herself mysteriously cast as an outsider at school and has scars on her arms with no memory of how they got there. When she meets bad boy, Noah Hutchinson, she is surprised that he is able to understand. Sparks fly and the two have a hard time fighting their attraction despite secrets they are both keeping.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
When Travis returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and car, and he has nightmares of his best friend getting killed, but when he runs into Harper, a girl who has despised him since middle school, life actually starts looking up.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
This sequel to Forman's If I Stay is set three years after the car accident that almost killed Mia. This reflective story is told from the perspective of Adam, whose band took off after Mia left for Julliard, as they find their paths crossing again in New York.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Books to Help You Stay Healthy, or Maybe Just Make you a Hypochondriac

It's cold and flu season, and if you didn't get a flu shot, hopefully you're washing your hands regularly. But if you've come down with some bug, we've put together a display of some books and movies to entertain and inform. Although, if you think you might be contagious, it might be better if you browse our collection of eBooks on OverDrive first.

For more on the current flu outbreak:
Iowa Department of Public Health, Influenza Home
For the latest information on the influenza outbreak here in Iowa, along with helpful tips for how to stay healthy at home, work, and school.

Flu.gov
The U.S. government's one stop site for information on influenza, current outbreaks, prevention methods, tips for recovery, and more!

It's not too late to get a flu shot, and this handy widget will help you discover where to go to get one:


For more on the science behind flu, viruses, and epidemic diseases:

Flu: the story of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and the search for the virus that caused it by Gina Bari Kolata
(614.51809041 KOL)

Guns, Germs, and Steel : the fates of human societies by Jared Diamond
(303.4 DIA)
Also a DVD


A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
(616.91 ZIM)

Inside the Outbreaks by Mark Pendergrast
(614.4 PEN)

For soup recipes:

An Exaltation of Soups : the soul-satisfying story of soup, as told in more than 100 recipes
(641.813 SOL)

The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups : more than 100 new recipes from America's premier culinary college
(641.813 CUL)

The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking : a year of our soups
(641.813 CUR)

For home remedies and alternative medicine:

The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies: an easy-to-use reference for natural health care
(645.321 CON)

The People's Pharmacy : quick & handy home remedies
(615.321 GRA)

National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs : the world's most effective healing plants
(615.321 NAT)

And there's even more on our Pinterest Board!

TV Show Read Alikes

We've created read alike posts for popular books that became popular movies (or less so). We've also written about the literary inspirations behind popular television programs. Today we're going to try our hands at suggesting read alikes for three humorous television shows that weren't based on books.

Big Bang Theory
This geek chic comedy by the creator of Dharma and Greg and Two and a Half Men is currently in its 6th season. The series focuses on the misadventures of science minded grad students and their one non-geek friend.

If you enjoy the humor and friendship of Leonard, Sheldon and pals, but have more in common with Penny, you should pick up a book by Nick Hornby. He writes about the foibles and loves of eccentric young people with humor and thought, and several of his novels have become big screen hits.

If you're the type of viewer more tickled by geeky elements, like Wil Wheaton's reoccurring role, you might enjoy Redshirts by John Scalzi or Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. If you've read Andrew's review of Cline's debut, you already know that Wheaton is the audio book's narrator.

Modern Family
An update to the family sitcom currently in its 4th season, and whose cast includes veteran sitcom actor Ed O'Neill. Despite being a scripted comedy, the show is filmed as a mockumentary, a style that evokes reality tv, a la The Office or Parks and Recreation.

Kevin Wilson takes the quirky family one step beyond quirky in his darkly humorous first novel, The Family Fang. You can read more about it in Sarah's staff review, or check it out for yourself!

Lisa Lutz’s funny, fast-paced mystery stories feature a large cast of colorful characters. The Spellman Files is the first in her upbeat series following Izzy Spellman and her work at her dysfunctional family’s detective agency.

British author Hilary McKay writes for kids and tweens, but her witty series about the Casson family of artists has charmed many an adult reader. The series starts with Saffy's Angel, and it is told from the perspective of the Casson family's second-oldest daughter.

Warehouse 13
Take one part wacky adventure, one part supernatural mystery, add a dash of steam punk style, and a quirky band of misfits, and you'll have something similar to Warehouse 13. The breakout hit of the rebranded SyFy network, this show appeal to viewers who normally wouldn't touch science-fiction. If you're anxiously awaiting the conclusion of season 4, never fear because new episodes will resume airing on April 4th.

If the artifacts, those seemingly everyday items imbued with impossible powers, are what tickle your fancy, try Libriomancer by Jim C Hines or Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly. Libriomancer is the story of a Midwestern librarian whose powers are based on the power of the written word. That's right, it's a world where every cool thing you've read about in the fiction section can become non-fictional. Seven Deadly Wonders has a touch of Indiana Jones, as the characters race to find seven ancient artifacts that could destroy the world.

If the conspiracy is more your thing, try The Rook by Daniel O'Malley, with offbeat humor, a fast-paced plot, and a far-reaching cover-up of the supernatural. You can read more about it in Sarah's staff review.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Spotlight: Delicious Food

We hope that you're enjoying 2013 so far, but if you're like us, you're probably feeling the pressure to lose a few pounds. Or maybe you're one of those lucky few who can eat whatever strikes your fancy and never gain a pound. Either way, Carnegie-Stout has you covered! We've gathered together information for some of the most popular diets, as well as some of the best cookbooks of 2012. Be sure to stop in and browse through our display on the first floor too!

Of course, our favorite diet advice comes from Michael Pollan: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Gluten-Free
Gluten is a protein found in several grains including wheat, barley, and rye. A gluten-free diet is necessary for people who suffer from Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy, though some people follow this diet for other reasons. You can browse our collection for materials on gluten-free diets here.

Best Cookbooks of 2012
Homemade Pantry: 101 foods you can stop buying and start making
by Alana Chernila
(641.5 CHE)


Paleo Diet
Sometimes called the Caveman Diet or Stone Age Diet, this diet purports to recreate the eating habits of humans before the development of agriculture. This means one can eat fish, fruits, vegetables, and other meat animals fed on grasses rather than grains, but no grains (wheat, corn, rice), dairy products, or refined sugars. You can browse our collection for materials on paleo diets here.

Best Cookbooks of 2012 
Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking
by Nathalie Dupree & Cynthia Graubart
(641.5975 DUP)



Atkins Diet
The low-carbohydrate diet was first proposed by Robert Atkins in the '70s, but didn't become widely popular until around 2004. These days a number of low-carb diet variations exist. We have many cookbooks and diet guides that you can browse by clicking here.

Best Cookbooks of 2012
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
by Deb Perelman
(641.5 PER)



Detoxes/Cleanses
Detoxes and cleanses are not diets proper, but are closer to the experience of fasting or being restricted to a liquid diet due to food poisoning or stomach flu. While you may lose weight during a weekend or week of drinking only juices, advocates will tell you the real goal is to create a clean slate internally. You can browse our collection for materials on here.

Best Cookbooks of 2012
Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: recipes you can trust
by Ina Garten
(641.5 GAR)



Raw Food
A raw food diet consists of foods that have not been heated, or heated to a temperature of no more than 115 °F (though there is some disagreement on this point). Adherents might consume raw fish, raw milk products, or a completely vegan diet. You can browse our collection for materials on here. 

Best Cookbooks of 2012
The Farm: rustic recipes for a year of incredible food
by Ian Knauer
(641.5973 KNA)



Mediterranean Diet
Every so often we're inundated with diet and exercise advice based on one geographical region or another (French women have perfect children! Everyone needs to try the Brazilian booty workout!). Luckily, living by the dietary norms of the Mediterranean, as recognized by UNESCO, makes for some delicious meals, and if there's a health benefit too, well, bonus. You can browse our collection for materials on here.

Best Cookbooks of 2012
Fifty Shades of Chicken: a parody in cookbook
by F. L. Fowler
(641.665 FOW)



Ornish Diet/The Spectrum
Dr. Ornish led a medical study that demonstrated a diet rich in plants, mild exercise, and stress management could improve the health of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. His research led him to write The Spectrum, which adapts his dietary research for a wider audience.

Best Cookbooks of 2012 
The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook: more than 100 recipes from the best little bakery in the south
by Cheryl & Griffith Day
(641.86 DAY)


Zone Diet
The Zone Diet, developed by Barry Sears, calls for participants to balance the calories in their meals to follow a ratio of 40% carbohydrates to 30% proteins and 30% fats. The thinking is that this will help to balance your hormone and insulin levels. You can browse our collection for materials on here. 

We also have books for Weight Watchers, the Eat This, Not That series, books with "skinny" in the title, and more.