Week 5

Hey everyone, and welcome to Week 5 of the Adult Summer Reading Program with Blackwater Regional Library! We're getting close to the end and competition is fierce - the turnout has been great this summer. So keep on reading; we have 2 more drawings for a $10 Walmart gift card, and the grand prize drawing for a $100 Walmart gift card!

Again, no movement on my reading pile unfortunately, so here are some titles that will be released in the next 2 weeks. Blackwater doesn't have them yet, but put in a request to your local branch so you can be one of the first on the list when they are added!

Updated 8/3/11: Some books have been added, I've included the links to their catalog entries. 

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
(8 copies)

Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
(8 copies)

Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough (sequel to Once a Witch)

Victory and Honor by W.E.B. Griffin
(7 copies)

Home Improvement: Undead Edition edited by Charlaine Harris (with a previously unreleased Sookie Stackhouse short story)

That's all for this week folks. Have fun reading and savor the last month of summer while you can!

Week 4 Winner

Week 4's winner is Madison Spivey from the Courtland Branch! She will be receiving a $10 Walmart gift card. Congratulations Madison!

Please remember to include your first and last name as well as what branch you registered at for the Summer Reading Program with your comment so that we are able to find you in our system and be able to notify you.

Keep on reading everyone, our next drawing will be Wednesday, August 3. Only 2 more weekly drawings left, as well as the grand prize drawing for a $100 Walmart gift card. Good luck! Look out for the Week 5 blog entry later today or tomorrow.

Week 4

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Hello again everyone and welcome to Week 4 of the Adult Summer Reading Program here at Blackwater Regional Library! We are now over the hump and have only a few more weeks before the end of the program. It looks like everyone is reading some interesting books; light humorous reads, Christian fiction, and writing how-tos are the highlights I've seen here on the blog. We have 3 more drawings for the $10 Walmart gift card, plus the grand prize of a $100 Walmart gift card, so keep on reading! The more you read, the better your chances!

I appear to have hit a reading slump currently, so I'm going to just highlight a new book in the system this week. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler is a thrilling detective-esque novel jumping in on the Swedish author craze:

A family has been murdered, and Detective Inspector Joona Linna must get clues from the one survivor-the family's young son, now in shock after suffering more than 100 knife wounds. Linna's proposed solution? Hypnosis. Written pseudonymously by a literary couple and yet another example of the Swedish crime-fiction juggernaut, this first in a series is set to appear in 33 countries.

Likened to Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy and author Jo Nesbo, The Hypnotist is definitely worth a look. Blackwater has 4 copies in the system, and with a group reading guide in the back, may be great as a book club selection.

That's it for this time, have a great week!

Week 3 Winner

Week 3's Winner is Joanna Barrow from the Waverly Branch! She will be receiving a $10 Walmart gift card. Congratulations Joanna! Keep on reading everyone and our next drawing will be Wednesday, July 27th. Look out for the Week 4 blog entry later today or tomorrow!

Week 3

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Hello again everyone! Can you believe we are already on the Week 3 entry? Hopefully you are moving steadily through your 'To Be Read' piles and catching up on some sun!

We have received some questions about the commenting feature of the blog, so to clarify:

To post a comment to the blog, you must go to the comment section of the blog. You can reach this at either the bottom of the individual week's blog entry, OR if you are on the main blog page, by clicking "Comments" at the end of the entry. Once there you will see a blank comment box. Write thoughts/reviews/feelings about the book you have just finished. You will then see a "Comment as:" followed by a drop-down menu. If you have an account with one of the websites listed in the drop-down, select it, and Blogger will have you log in to that account to post your comment. If you do not have an account with one of those sites, you can simply select "Name/URL" and fill in your name and branch in the Name box, and ignore the URL box. Once you're done, just click "Post Comment" and you are all set.

I hope this alleviates some confusion. If you need more help, please feel free to call your local branch.

I, unfortunately, seem to have fallen behind in my reading. However, in my "soon to be read" stack is Harry Potter and History by Nancy Ruth Reagin, a new book perfect for Friday's release of the final Harry Potter film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II. I don't know about you all but I am super excited and will be among the masses for the midnight premiere. For those who prefer sleep, you could check this book out and learn about the history and facts that are the basis of J. K. Rowling's magical epic series. This book is perfect for history (European in particular) buffs and Harry Potter fanatics. A snippet from the back cover:

Did you know that bezoars and mandrakes were fashionable luxury items for centuries? Find out how Europeans first developed the potions, spells, and charms taught at Hogwarts, from Avada Kedavra to love charms. Learn how the European persecution of witches led to the Statue of Secrecy, meet the real Nicholas Flamel, see how the Malfoys stack up against Muggle English aristocrats, and compare the history of the wizarding world to real-life history.

Sounds exciting, right? Blackwater has 2 copies available, so check it out and immerse yourself in more Harry Potter lore.

That's it for this week; keep reading and try to keep cool!

Week 2 Winner

Week 2's Winner is Alden Echols from the Courtland Branch! He will be receiving a $10 Walmart gift card. Congratulations Alden! Keep on reading everyone and our next drawing will be Wednesday, July 20th.

Week 2

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Hey Everyone! Hope your summer is going well and you are enjoying some great books. This is the week 2 entry, so any books you finish, starting today through next Tuesday, post a comment to this entry in order to get an extra entry slip! (Remember this is only extra if you remember to fill out the 1st slip at your local branch.)

This week, I've been reading Tom Holland's Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets - Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag. Tom Holland is an apparently well-known trainer and fitness author and in this book offers his no-nonsense, and sometimes blunt, outlook on fitness, gyms, and trainers and ways to make the most out of your workout. The layout of his book can be a bit confusing, but his advice is straightforward and pulls no punches. If you're looking for something to give you that kick in the rear to improve your beach body and overall health, then you've found the right book. Blackwater has 2 copies in the system, so check it out!

That's it for this week; get reading and have fun!

Week 1 Winner

Week 1's winner is Angela Parr from the Carrollton Branch! She will be receiving a $10 Walmart Gift Card. Congratulations Angela! Keep on reading everyone, our next drawing will be next Wednesday, July 13th.