4 Interesting Reads from the Rochester Hills Public Library

2030: A Novel: The Real Story of What Happens to America by Albert Brooks  (2011)

In the year 2030 cancer has been eradicated for the past 15 years, and people do not have to get sick and die from many ailments.  So many people are living longer, healthier lives.  Sounds great but what happens to the young people who are trying to get ahead in life while helping to support the “olds”?  The U.S. government is running out of money, while the man who invented the “cure” is the richest man ever.  Then the “Big One” hits Los Angeles and people are moved out of the city. Lives are lost and property is completely destroyed.  How to rebuild? Or should the U.S. rebuild? Who will lend the money?  Several peoples’ lives are chronicled during this time. Their stories make a good read. But what I found interesting in this book was the whole premise of what will happen to our country in the future.  Are we really going to run out of money? What will happen to our cities and infrastructure regardless of whether the “Big One” hits L.A.?  Getting to be one of the “olds” myself, life looks a bit scary in the future. This crystal ball story gives much to think and talk about.  ~ Recommended by Sue

The Politician by Andrew Young  (2010)

This story ends before John Edwards' trial and Elizabeth Edwards' death, but learning what happened before increases the understanding of why things happened the way they did. If there is one thing that reading this book reveals, is that people who feel entitled are 99% responsible for their behavior, but that final 1% is made up of people around them who just don't tell them "NO." They either don't want to lose their job or the friendship or actually believe that person could do no wrong.  From the beginning, John Edwards got nothing except encouragement, praise and success from all those around him. No error or bad decision affected him, he either ignored it or had someone else clean up the damage. Sometimes, he didn't even have to ask.  ~ Recommended by Michele

The Ghost of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham  (2011) 

After moving to New York City to experience life in the city her mother loved and to learn more about her mother’s past, Eve Weldon lands a television writing job.  As a small-town transplant, she is unsure of herself when it comes to living in the city.  Donald, the ghost of a Beat-era writer, inhabits her apartment, complicating things.  He helps her gain confidence as the novel progresses.  She stands up to a mugger, which gives her the courage to stand up for herself at work, causing her dismissal.  Without a job, she manages to make a life for herself writing, something she was too afraid to do before.  By the end of the novel, Eve has discovered more about herself than about her mother.  ~ Recommended by Jennifer

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke  (2012)

In the year 2012, magic and technology coexist in this steampunk version of London. The bubonic plague has mutated people into goblins, werewolves, vampires, and human carriers with latent genes. Alexandra “Xandra” Vardan is a half-blood vampire and a member of the elite Royal Guard. She has never questioned her loyalty…until her sister goes missing and is presumed dead. Xandra refuses to believe this and goes on a mission to find out the truth, even if it means risking her own life. A werewolf love interest, plot twists, and even an appearance from an undead Queen Victoria herself make this a fast and enjoyable read. Fans will be pleased to hear that this is the first in a planned trilogy. ~Recommended by Mei-Ling