Friday Finds for January 10, 2014

This is a new weekly blog post featuring what the Dorris Van Doren staff members are reading, watching, playing, making, or listening to. Share your finds with us here in the comments or on twitter (@elpasolibrary) and we'll retweet you!

Welcome to the first Friday Finds of 2014! Keep visiting the library for new and popular items. We get new books, DVDs, CDs, and more every month. Don't forget to check the OverDrive site to see what new digital materials have been added, too!

READING

Aracelli: The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
At 589 pages, this book appears daunting, but after the first chapter you will be hooked on the story of Violet, who after some deception, is forced to live as a courtesan in early 20th century Shanghai. Amy Tan’s book is full of drama, sprinkled with romance and suspense.

Lisa: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Looking for Alaska was one of the first young adult books I read, which really got me hooked on John Green. I was reluctant to read TFIOS because I thought reading about teenagers with terminal cancer was going to make me bawl. It was funny and cute without being sappy, but some aspects were annoying. While I liked the book and would recommend it, it's not my favorite John Green novel. The movie comes out in June!

Also, be on the lookout in February for This Star Won't Go Out: The Life & Words of Esther Grace Earl. John Green dedicated TFIOS to Esther, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Proceeds from the book go to a nonprofit by the same name that Esther's parents started. The foundation assists families struggling through the journey of a child living with cancer. Find out more at tswo.org.

WATCHING

Aracelli: Downton Abbey

After what seems like an eternity, the newest season of Downton Abbey has finally returned to PBS. Last Sunday’s premiere episode picked up six months later after last season’s tragic ending. I do not want to give anything away, so if you have not caught up with the happenings of the Grantham family and their loyal servants, the library has all three seasons available. Also, since Downton Abbey is a British export and the newest season has already aired in England, you can expect to find Season Four at our library by next month.

Lisa: Drinking Buddies 

After hearing about this movie from the Tasting Table newsletter, I was super excited to check it out from the library. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. I thought there would be more focus on the brewing process or the craft beer industry. It was more about relationships, which would've been fine except this whole movie was unscripted. The improvisation made it feel awkward and boring. Don't waste your time with this movie unless you really want to see that guy from New Girl and Olivia Wilde do some improv while drinking a lot of beer.