Library Loot

Hosted alternately by Eva at A Stripped Armchair and Marge at Reading Adventures.

Library books read this week:


105.Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (507 pages)

Very good. My first novel by this author and I'm sorry I didn't get around to her sooner. I will be reading The Poisonwood Bible (acquired in a lot of books on E-bay) and Pigs in Heaven (won at Color Online) next. Highly recommended.






106.Blackmoor by Edward Hogan (272 pages)

Set in a Derbyshire town where a community of miners endures hardship, dangers, and the ultimate betrayal of the loss of their town and forced relocation. A very good debut novel that was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize in 2008. The author is also the recipient of the David Higham Award. He lives in Brighton. I look forward to his next book.



New loot:

The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault (a literary mystery)

Hardcover: 384 pages
Dell Publishing (September 29, 2009)
ISBN - 10:0553807331
ISBN - 13:9780553807332

Product description:

The dusty files of a venerable dictionary publisher . . . a hidden cache of coded clues . . . a story written by a phantom author . . . an unsolved murder in a gritty urban park–all collide memorably in Emily Arsenault’s magnificent debut, at once a teasing literary puzzle, an ingenious suspense novel, and an exploration of definitions: of words, of who we are, and of the stories we choose to define us. In the maze of cubicles at Samuelson Company, editors toil away in silence, studying the English language, poring over new expressions and freshly coined words–all in preparation for the next new edition of the Samuelson Dictionary. Among them is editorial assistant Billy Webb, just out of college, struggling to stay awake and appear competent. But there are a few distractions. His intriguing coworker Mona Minot may or may not be flirting with him. And he’s starting to sense something suspicious going on beneath this company’s academic facade. Mona has just made a startling discovery: a trove of puzzling citations, all taken from the same book,The Broken Teaglass. Billy and Mona soon learn that no such book exists. And the quotations from it are far too long, twisting, and bizarre for any dictionary. They read like a confessional, coyly hinting at a hidden identity, a secret liaison, a crime. As Billy and Mona ransack the office files, a chilling story begins to emerge: a story about a lonely young woman, a long-unsolved mystery, a moment of shattering violence. And as they piece together its fragments, the puzzle begins to take on bigger personal meaning for both of them, compelling them to redefine their notions of themselves and each other. Charged with wit and intelligence, set against a sweetly cautious love story,The Broken Teaglass is a tale that will delight lovers of words, lovers of mysteries, and fans of smart, funny, brilliantly inventive fiction.

About the Author: Emily Arsenault has worked as a lexicographer, an English teacher, a children's librarian, and a Peace Corps volunteer. She wrote The Broken Teaglass while living in rural South Africa, to pass the long, quiet evenings in her mud brick house. She now lives in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, with her husband.

Currently reading from the library:


Duchess of Nothing by Heather McGowan US 2006 (272 pages)

A book I've had on my tbr list since it came out. A woman in Italy is left with a seven year old when her lover abandons her. She has no idea how to care for a child. An interesting premise. I am enjoying it but have not warmed to the protagonist yet. I hope that changes. I will let you know.


What did you pick up at the library this week that's got you excited? All comments, questions, opinions, reading recommendations, or links to reviews are welcomed. I'd love to read them. No Spoilers though please.