…where the vampires and humans live together and work together in a university town. College student Claire Danvers becomes embroiled in the tenuous drama of being human in a town governed by vampires. She unwittingly breaks every rule of conduct and becomes an important part of the community, whether she wants to or not. Claire and her roommates at the Glass House are a compelling group of misfits, who continually deal with the rigorous drama of life and death in a place where the undead are in charge. Find out what happens next in Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires series.

My latest guilty pleasure is watching ABC’s drama Pretty Little Liars, based on the series Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepherd. A group of teenage friends are brought together by the murder of a close friend. Drama, mystery, and gossip ensue as they try to unravel the missing parts of the story and their own part within it. A mysterious person taunts them with messages, causing them to reveal the secrets that they’ve been keeping from each other. We have the book series available at San José Public Library. This is a Young Adult book selection.

Why not take a trip through Ancient Egypt with selections from our San José Public Library catalog? We have many books and dvds for children and adults. Read all about Cleopatra and Nefertiti, and discover the treasures of King Tut's tomb. Watch the wonders of the Nile unfold before your eyes with the Dvd Mystery of the Nile. Learn how and why the ancient Egyptians would mummify their dead. Learn how to write your name in hieroglyphs.

Plan a visit to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum within walking distance of our own Rosegarden branch of the San José Public Library!

View the treasures inside and wander through the beautiful gardens.

Justin Somper has created a series of books that sails by night on the high seas. Twin siblings, Grace and Connor, are each on different ships after being lost at sea. Each have their own adventures, learning the ways of piracy, and discovering secrets about their own family. Sail along with them….if you dare.

Demons of the Ocean

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night

These are listed as juvenile but are more appropriate for 5th grade and up.

…the latest music offering from The Decemberists, The King is Dead. This music bridges the gap between Indie pop and Folk. There’s the influence of Bob Dylan, Steeleye Span, coupled with the strains of modern Bluegrass. Gillian Welch and Peter Buck help out on a few tracks. This is truly a unique, more modern take on Folk music. And definitely worth a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNTiU_lbrOs&feature=related

Patti Smith recently received the 2010 National Book Award for her nonfiction memoir Just Kids. This memoir features her youth spent in New York City, living with the artist/photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Mapplethorpe, who died in 1989, was known for his controversial photos, which sparked much debate regarding art and censorship in the late 1980s. Patti Smith was his closest friend throughout the 1970s and 80s. She is known for her incomparable poetry and performance art, as well as being considered a pioneer of the NYC punk rock movement. We have quite a bit of her work available in the San José Public Library catalog.

Just Kids - a memoir of life in New York City, with Robert Mapplethorpe. Includes her thoughts on being one of the first performers at the CBGB club.

Horses [sound recording] - powerful and poetic songs

Gung Ho [sound recording] -a more recent offering

Keep in mind that this recommendation is for adults, as her memoir and her lyrics deal with issues of a mature nature.