Super Six for Saturday

I have been very bad today. Or maybe that should just be very busy. It is well after 5pm and I didn't get time to flash my fingers on the keyboard and write a Top 5 for Friday. So to make up for it I bring you (in advance) - the Super Six for Saturday. Six librarians from around the district bring you some of their favourite books for 2010.

1. Jeanette (Orewa) really enjoyed 61 Hours by Lee Child. She called it an exciting thriller that she had to keep reading, even when she was tired. For a light read Jeanette recommended The Ballroom Class by Lucy Dillon about a group of characters who attend a ballroom dancing class with a look at their lives and relationships. She also enjoyed listening to the children's audio series 39 Clues (Rick Riordan) in the car with her grandson.
2. Judy (Orewa) called Still Alice by Lisa Genova "brilliant" (and I would have to agree with that). "A fantastic book about a 50 year old who gets Alzheimers - written by someone who works in that field and knows her stuff".
3. Tina (Kumeu) found a surprising twist at the end of Dead Simple by Peter James. It is the story of a harmless stag night prank. The groom gets buried underground in a coffin. But a few hours later his best friends are dead and with just three days to go before the wedding, Michael can't be found. (This is another one I have read and it a great story)
4. Lisa (Warkworth) can't stop talking about The Passage (Justin Cronin) which she recommends as good for the older teenagers as well as adult readers. She won't tell us too much about it as she doesn't want to give the plot away but would say it is in two parts with the first being about a deadly virus creating an apocalypse in the world and the second part taking place in the future. For a lighter read Freeing Grace (Charity Norman) is about a young couple unable to have children who look to adopt. It is called "witty warm and poignant".
5. Teresa (Orewa) gives us three recommendations. The color of water (James McBride) is for "adults who wish to be inspired, ordinary people becoming extraordinary, yet they don't see themselves that way". For the teens (girls as well as boys) the Cherub and Henderson's Boys series by Robert Muchamore are still hard to beat. And for the children, her grand daughter will be getting a copy of The Wonky Donkey (Craig Smith) after she took the library copy to school and her whole class joined in.
6. Julie (Warkworth) reads horror including the zombies (whereas I draw the line at vampires). Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist (translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg) she rates as excellent, bring into the story ethical questions of what rights the dead have. The publisher's description calls it "a horror story with a heart and a mind". For a rollicking good adventure story that both men and women will enjoy she recommends Atlantis by David JL Gibbins.

So hopefully this eclectic mix of suggestions for summer reading from some of the other librarian voices around Rodney will more than make up for my tardiness. I promise to try better next week. Have a safe weekend everyone. Ka kite.