Down a Dark River (An Inspector Corravan Mystery)

Inspector Michael Corravan remarkably lands at Scotland Yard after growing up in the East End and working as a bare-knuckle boxer and dockworker before becoming a policeman. Now he’s faced with a series of grisly murders, wealthy women strangled and left floating in small boats on the Thames. Scotland Yard has been under a lot of pressure following a recent scandal. Corravan has to work his way past obstacles thrown up by the wealthy families who value their privacy over anything, but he sometimes steps on toes and endangers the tentative relationship with his new boss to get the job done. With bodies piling up, Corravan is under the gun.

Karen Odden uses all the foggy atmosphere of London during the late 1800s to imbue her latest book with mystery and drama. This finely crafted story is filled with palpably real characters, convincing dialogue, and a setting that nearly becomes another character. The pacing is appropriate, taking readers to a time when everything was slower, which allows both characters and readers time for study and introspection, without ever losing the tension such a story calls for. Readers can only hope this is the beginning of a series for Michael Corravan.


The Approaching Storm: Roosevelt, Wilson, Addams, and Their Clash Over America's Future

The year 1912 witnessed a three-way presidential race that had wide ranging consequences for the United States and the world. The final campaign was between Democrat Woodrow Wilson, Republican incumbent William Howard Taft, and former President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt felt that Taft and the Republicans had betrayed their constituents. Roosevelt’s campaign had caught on with progressives such as Jane Addams (founder of Hull House). The progressives sought regulation and reform of a corrupt system. Roosevelt’s campaign succeeded in splitting the Republican vote and ensuring a Wilson victory.

The progressives pinned their hopes on Woodrow Wilson, who had overseen reforms as President of Princeton and Governor of New Jersey. However, the progressive era would face a shaky future as the winds of war rattled most of Europe starting in 1914. Woodrow Wilson faced being pulled in different directions by the pugilistic Roosevelt and the dovish Addams.

The Approaching Storm brings the reader on a journey whose destination is preordained. However, the people and circumstances that guide the way form the crux of a brilliantly told history. The heart of the book consists of the three robust personalities caught in the middle of a rapidly escalating situation. Author Neil Lanctot relates the past with elegance and flair.


Pest

College on the opposite side of the country is the ticket out of Hal’s miserable existence -primarily characterized by employment at her dad’s pest company while suffering her mother’s opposing views. Her plan first requires that she secures the Verhaag Scholarship. It shouldn’t be a problem as she has been working since freshman years, three long years, to write the best paper ever. However, her plan may not be bullet-proof, so Hal evaluates her backup plan, which requires adding an extracurricular activity. Yearbook is her choice, but the uptight unethical editor denies her request to join. Nothing else works with her schedule, which requires early mornings and late afternoons spraying for bugs and removing rodents, further complicated by a string of burglaries. Then to top it all off, let’s throw in the rich boy next door, because why not?

This quick read is a nod to the boy-next-door trope, entertaining but surprising in the end. Hal’s determination and drive add spice to the sweet story, while her work experiences pepper the tale with hilarity and incredulity. This is a great fit for a fun read, not too time-consuming, but with unexpected fuzzy feelings in a surprisingly unexpected ending.


Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney

Things are not going well for lawyer Maxine Justice. She’s been fired, she is behind on her rent, and her new law firm is an utter failure. She determines she must take a job in the lower courts to pay some of her bills. The plan is looking like it will work until a series of events make her even more penniless than before.

Enter a potential alien client who claims that they have a miraculous drug that can cure all of the Earth’s natural flaws. She dismisses them as crazy until at her lowest point, she realizes that even if they are crazy, she should take the case and make her money troubles go away. The question is, what will it cost her and humanity?

I wanted to read this book on the recommendation of a friend. Truth be told, I never thought I would enjoy a sci-fi book about the letter of the law, lawyers, and aliens. I was wrong. This book was fun, funny, and truly showed us that humanity, no matter how flawed, is worth saving.

The thing I appreciated the most was how Maxine Justice tried to make the world a better place, even if that meant making things dicey for herself. The world was truly against her and she fought back with every part of her being, no matter the cost. When it came down to saving people who mostly hated her, she did the right thing with courage. I was so impressed with the snarky, stubborn character. I hope I get to see this character again.


I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times

With sociopolitical divides among Americans continuing to intensify, Mónica Guzmán offers solutions to building bridges with those who disagree with our closely held beliefs and values. Not only does she have first-hand experience in this work as a journalist, she also has a very personal connection to it. Based in Seattle, Guzmán identifies as “very liberal,” while her Mexican immigrants voted for Trump. She shares personal anecdotes and research on cross-partisan differences, emphasizing curiosity, listening for shared values and sharing one’s stories with honesty and respect for differing perspectives.

This book appears to be written for liberal-leaning readers, especially those who are struggling to maintain mutually respectful connections with family, friends and colleagues with more conservative views. Not all relationships as dispensable, especially in an age where misinformation is leading loved ones to deny facts and science to dangerous ends. It’s even more crucial to engage those with different points of view to open up, rather than turning away.

Like all skills, these techniques take practice. But anyone who sincerely wants to bridge the gaps in understanding will appreciate this book. Guzmán is emphatic about making an effort to work on difficult conversations. When we understand where people are coming from, the path to understanding becomes clearer.


Will Run For Doughnuts: The Montclair Bread Company Cookbook

If you were going to describe my life to a tee, it would probably be Will Run For Doughnuts. As someone in the fitness industry, I tell my clients it's all about balance. And as a foodie, I tell them that it's all about eating what you love but portion controlling the not-so-healthy stuff. In Rachel Wyman's book Will Run For Doughnuts Rachel explains how donuts came to save her failing bakery business even though most of her existing clients had originally wanted healthy baked good options. Finding her community, Rachel even founded the Fueled by Doughnuts Running Club!

Flipping through this cookbook, I wanted to try recipe after recipe. I don't think I could even nail it down to ten favorite recipes at this point because they all looked so mouthwatering good. Specialties such as Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Bread, Apple Cider Doughnuts, Tres Leche Doughnuts, Potato Donuts, ok all the doughnuts really, and Mexican Chocolate Cake are among the top recipes I will be trying immediately. I really love how Rachel shares her story and the story behind each and every recipe in this book. A truly special cookbook that will be flour-coated in no time.


Ninety-Five

Fall down the rabbit hole with college engineering student Zak Skinner as he finds himself a victim to people who are trying to manipulate him into their underground scheme. Zak and his best friend Patrick Riley, or Riley as Zak refers to him, are two young college guys who go to meet a classmate by the name of David Wade. Somehow they end up losing David and Zak finds himself at a strange house where a man named Jane gives him some sort of hallucinogenic drink. From there, things spiral out of control for Zak and he realizes that nothing is what it seems and no one is whom they say they are.

This book is very entertaining, to say the least. The whole thing is like a bad dream you know you're in but can't quite wake yourself to get out of. And at the same time, you want to see what is going to happen. This is the second book I've read by Lisa Towles and I find her writing very easy to follow despite the twists and turns. I recommend this book for fans of sci-fi psychological thrillers.


Mooncakes Collector's Edition

Get ready for a bewitching romance between a werewolf and a young witch. A young runaway, Tam, returns home as a werewolf and is attacked one night, but they end up being saved by Nova. Nova and Tam rekindle their romance, but something sinister is lurking in their quiet little town.

Prior to reading the book, I thought this would be a witch story involving potions and food and mooncakes. I wish mooncakes were more of an integral theme of the story, given the title of the book, but I digress. While I enjoyed the story and liked the main character, Nova, I wasn’t too keen on Tam and found them annoying. Why couldn’t Tam just listen to Nova’s grandmothers and stay out of trouble?

The art is super cute and comforting, making you want to curl up in front of a fireplace to read this, despite the dark and ominous parts of the story. This deluxe edition of Mooncakes features a slew of extra materials such as holiday card art, script breakdowns, and initial sketches. This graphic novel is perfect for young adults who love romance, witches, and werewolf stories.


When Jamie Andrea Garzot launched her first cannabis store in 2009, it wasn't for financial reasons, as she was already employed in a well-paying corporate job. Jamie had always been attracted to the road less traveled, and the challenges of starting a new business with a product that would take several years before it was fully legalized did not deter her from her bold decision. In fact, she faced several daunting challenges and still went on to grow as an entrepreneur and a leader who increased a revenue of less than $100,000 to nearly $12 million. Unconventional: A Memoir of Entrepreneurism, Politics, and Pot is a motivational memoir that reveals key lessons about entrepreneurship from a former corporate employee who left her comfort zone to start a new cannabis business under unfriendly circumstances.

I wish individuals in charge of businesses and organizations around the world would adopt the goals Jamie had when she started her business: to provide the best retail experience and to be the best employer she could be. Both employees and customers would definitely benefit immensely from such considerate goals. This is just one of the gems Unconventional contains, as the author shares intricate information about what creating a company that rakes in millions of dollars per year entailed for her. For example, Jamie shares about the time the business faced opposition from a sheriff who was against cannabis and so she invited the cops over to witness the business' operations for themselves, which ended up resolving a tense situation.

Unconventional contains several quotable, inspirational lines, as Jamie Garzot does a great job of communicating and passing her message across. I was touched by the stories that revealed how her products impacted lives and helped people get through their darkest times. In addition to information about how the business was operated, the author also includes a moving account of the struggles in her marriage as she dealt with a suicidal husband and the issues she had with her parents.

Readers who have been hesitant about embarking on a new challenge will likely find Jamie's story profoundly motivational because it shows the magnitude of what can be achieved by taking a step toward a goal, even when it's accompanied by doubts and possible ridicule. That the book includes not only the attractive parts but also the author's personal struggles reveals that even when faced with mountainous obstacles, one can still create something so beautiful that it touches lives significantly. Jamie's vibrant and concise tone makes Unconventional such an exciting read—besides being poignant, informative, and thorough. It is the latest addition to my list of favorite memoirs!


Lower Education

"Readers will follow Special Education teacher Rob Chudinski as he finds out that academia is not all it’s cracked up to be. With backroom politics, including a chairman ready to take him down at any given moment to a half-dressed assistant to juvenile pranks, Rob must navigate his way through the system in order to keep his job. Full of jawdropping “I can’t believe he said that” moments and straight-up absurdities in the workplace, Lower Education will have readers wondering what really goes on in the teachers' lounge. A fantastic ride and page-turning read." —Kristi Elizabeth, Portland Book Review


Reckoning Waves

Continuing from where Panic River ends, Reckoning Waves begins with Corey Flanagan's new life as an artist with a new name and a new location: California. However, he still keeps in touch with his best friend, Billy, and his mother. Eventually, Corey makes a new friend who later becomes a lover, Miguel. Though he wants the best for his new lover, Corey's dark secrets haunt him and threaten to destroy his newfound happiness. Apparently, changing cities and identities is not enough to escape the repercussions of the crime he accidentally committed years ago. In addition to the need to convince the world of his good intentions, Corey must find a way to forgive himself and those who hurt him in the past to make the best of his new life. Fortunately, the support he receives from his mother, lover, friends, and a no-nonsense lawyer gives him a fighting chance.

Reckoning Waves brings Corey's personality to life by portraying his pain, thoughts, wishes, and doubts in a way that made me feel like I knew him personally. I connected with his unfortunate past and his desire to make his turbulent relationship work. Elliott Foster perfects the art of creating an addictive narrative in Reckoning Waves by including just the right amount of suspense, camaraderie, romance, drama, and depth. Just when I thought everything was good, a troubling discovery or development would be introduced, keeping me trapped in the pages and desperate to see the issue resolved. The story is crafted carefully, and every seemingly insignificant event leads to a larger one that fits into the story effortlessly.

I noticed a significant change in my mood the moment I started reading Reckoning Waves. The upbeat conversations between Corey and his mother and the other friendly characters are filled with warmth and positive energy. Corey's mother's decision to support and believe in her son despite the compelling evidence stacked against him is exemplary and inspiring. However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows in Reckoning Waves as the tension-filled relationships between Corey and both his ex and present lover sizzled with a burning intensity.

Reckoning Waves takes readers through peak-level entertainment and engagement as it meanders through dramatic court battles, confrontational policemen, haunting dreams, passionate moments, and other greatly engrossing elements. Though I have not read the prequel, I enjoyed the story and understood the plot easily. I would definitely love to read the other books in the series as Reckoning Waves is a spectacular and tasteful work of art with different parts woven together in a way that leaves you salivating for more!


Death Came Swiftly: A Novel about the Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879

When the Tay Bridge was completed in February 1878, it was the longest bridge in the world. Considered a marvel of late nineteenth century engineering, the bridge spanned the Firth of Tay from Dundee to Wormit in Scotland. So great was the public appreciation of the bridge that its designer, well-known engineer Thomas Bouch, was awarded a knighthood upon its completion. However, Bouch’s success was short-lived. At around 19:15 on the treacherously stormy night of December 28, 1879, the bridge collapsed as the Burntisland–Dundee passenger train was crossing it. All seventy-five people aboard the train were killed.

With Death Came Swiftly, William Abrams has used the Tay Bridge disaster as inspiration for a tense and emotionally charged story of the apparently everyday events that form the buildup to a truly terrible disaster. Focusing on two engineers who are at very different stages of their careers, Abrams begins with the competition to design a bridge over the Firth of Fee, which would entail one of the greatest engineering projects of the era. Charles Jenkins is a young engineer struggling to establish himself after pursuing the belief that steel represents the future of engineering, while Stewart Darrs is a veteran engineer who has made a career out of building railways and iron bridges. Although Jenkins remains convinced of the merits of his steel design, Darrs is awarded the contract to build a traditional bridge.

When the story jumps five years into the future, Jenkins has secured moderately satisfactory employment as an engineer on day-to-day projects, while Darrs is still ploughing on with the Fee Bridge project, which is now running around two years late and significantly over budget. Although both the railway company and the construction company are facing bankruptcy, the decision is made to build another bridge, this time across the nearby Firth of Forth. It seems that Jenkins may get a second chance to pursue his dream of a steel bridge, although doing so will not be without personal cost for him. Meanwhile, Darrs is battling environmental, technical, and weather-related problems as he attempts to find a way to get the project back on schedule.

William Abrams is clearly well versed and extremely passionate about engineering and bridge building, and his enthusiasm shines through as Jenkins, Darrs, and other characters discuss the merits and weaknesses of their preferred designs and construction methods. A lot of information is presented, but in such a highly readable fashion that the story never fails to entertain as it educates. Abrams masterfully builds tension as the bridge projects progress, and that tension is neatly reflected in the personal lives of Darrs and Jenkins, particularly the love triangle that the latter finds himself embroiled in.

While the ultimate end of the Fee Bridge project comes as no surprise, it’s still both thrilling and appalling to read. Abrams allows a sense of dread to build as inspectors note cracks beginning to develop and weather conditions worsen, before the final train begins its doomed crossing of the bridge. Steering clear of sensationalism, Abrams concentrates on the aftermath of the disaster from the perspectives of Darrs and Jenkins, reflecting the recommendations and recriminations that followed the Tay Bridge disaster. As Death Came Swiftly makes clear, no one individual can really be responsible for a tragedy of such magnitude, leaving readers with much to ponder.


On Sunday, 28 December 1879, a sudden and violent storm created a tidal wave of destruction. The Tay Bridge collapsed, sending a train crashing into the icy waters of Dundee, Scotland, killing all on board. The storm was an ungodly and unkind act of nature, attacking the bridge from every angle. The disaster shocked the nation and led to an inquiry that silenced the age of Scottish advancement.

Death Came Swiftly: A Novel about the Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879 by William Abrams is an outstanding visual treat for lovers of both nonfiction and historical fiction. This has proven a pretty tough nut to crack for many an author, yet Abrams writes with such careful devotion to the subject matter that it's impossible not to get invested in the book. This is a bold and unique piece of historical fiction. The author also manages to escape all the usual traps of the genre. The passages are never lost in flowery comprehensive description and explanation. Characters never get lost in the more compelling real-life events that the story is attempting to inject itself into. Rather, there is a sublime balance achieved in this book.

The book follows two main characters, Charles Jenkins and Stewart Darrs, as they attempt to uncover what caused the disaster. Jenkins is a young engineer who has committed his reputation to building safer bridges out of steel, while Darrs is a veteran engineer who has spent thirty years building railroads and iron bridges across Scotland and northern England. Together they serve as symbols of both the start and high of this era of English building.

The book, like its subject matter, contains such dread and longing, such sensational detail and insight. Abrams excels in the areas of the story that bathe in the details of the event and its aftermath. The consequences that this single significant event had on the Victorian age cannot be overstated, and Abrams does an excellent job bringing it to life. The characters and society, like the victims of the disaster, seem powerless as they search for answers. As the Titanic would later silence the promise of the Edwardian age, this single moment would shatter the faith of the Victorian era.

Even if the reader has foreknowledge of the events, they can't help but be transported in this tale, as only the best of historical fiction can manage. It is a fantastic read that is sometimes lovely, usually haunting, and wildly entertaining.


Sixteen-year-old Catalina, who was born nine years after Mexico won its freedom from Spain, witnesses a new threat to Mexico: a war declaration by invaders from the United States, who claim Alta California now belongs to them. While these unfortunate events threaten all that she holds dear, Catalina looks forward to marrying Ángelo Ortega as she has grown to a marriageable age. However, a prophecy about a spirit man riding off with her compromises her reputation as chaste. Ultimately, Catalina must carry out actions that go against her Catholic beliefs to save her loved ones. Follow Catalina on her dangerous quests involving horse rides, disgruntled spirits, intense gun fights, and much more in Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846.

Religion is a strong theme in Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846. Catalina, the protagonist, is raised as a Catholic in an environment that has strong traditional beliefs and spreads rumors of spirit horses, spirits of the land, and the likes. Catalina expresses that "following the way of Coyote is sacrilege" and wonders how she would purify herself once she completes a task involving Coyote, the trickster spirit.

I enjoyed the descriptive narrative as it transported me back in time and made the characters and the environment feel quite real. It was interesting to picture the "ill-fitting coats with double rows of brass buttons" and the green grass and animals on the hillsides before being invaded by settlers. I was disturbed when I read that despite slavery being illegal in Mexico, some Americans still went about murdering Indians. The historical information included in Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846 makes it a good resource of knowledge, reminding the world what greed can lead to. A question that came to mind while reading the book was, "What actions do we take today that future generations would find unsettling?"

Readers would find it easy to connect with the main character and her internal conflict as she endeavors to overcome the different challenges in her way. However, the story mixes too many things together at once, and it was considerably disconcerting for me because focusing on a theme was difficult. For example, a particular page mentions eating beef, the image of reputable women, touching a crucifix, stealing dried fish, finding special stones, and more.

Laurel Anne Hill gives us a heartwarming, adventurous narrative set in 1846 Alta California, depicting the concerning sexism and the massacre that existed in that time through its young female protagonist. Though I thought the story could be less fragmented, I loved how the history theme is explored, the vivid descriptions, and the relatable characters.


Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846 by Laurel Ann Hill is a historical fantasy rich in Spanish culture and Catholicism. Catalina Delgado, the stories main character, is the sixteen-year-old daughter of a Californian ranchero. Catalina has a lot on her plate; with war on the horizon and a dark prophecy on her shoulders, not a day goes by where she does not ponder her fate. A dying vaquero long ago foretold that Catalina would be abducted by a spirit man. It is a weight that is hard for her to carry, and Catalina’s family and servants alike are cautious of her, aware that her reputation is at stake from this foreshadowing.

To top things off, Catalina is awaiting for her father’s arrangement of her marriage. The love of her life, Angelo Ortega, is kind, handsome, and would be perfect to start a future with. However, the prophecy tarnishes Catalina’s image as a chaste woman; she is fearful that Angelo’s father will not allow them to wed. With so much on her mind, Catalina turns in prayer, calling on the intercession of the saints and the Blessed Mother Mary to put her at ease. Catalina is devout throughout the entire novel. Often turning to prayer and intercession for guidance, she finds peace in her work through seeking Christ at her family’s altar and in times of distress.

Strangers arrive at the ranchero, horsemen who dress and act like Catalina has never seen before. Upon their visit, she is confronted with a terrible truth, one that is almost too hard for her to swallow. With her life turned upside down by the news and unrest in her household, Catalina decides she must have a vision. Her best friend and servant, Josefa, does the best she can to tell Catalina about visions and what she must do to summon one. With Josefa’s instructions at hand, Catalina sneaks out of her room to find a quiet place, one that would be acceptable for her task. On this journey alone, Catalina sees something, and before long, she finds herself whisked into the sky for an adventure of a lifetime.

The story from here is one full of love, adventure, and magic, as Catalina pursues her destiny. The story also includes war, native tribes, massacres, and spirits of the dead. Overall, I would suggest this book for middle school to high school aged readers who enjoy stories with culture, magic, and romance.


It's so marvelous when an ambitious and daring piece of historic fiction, the kind that so many attempt to write and so few succeed, is told so masterfully well. Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846 by Laurel Anne Hill has all the qualities that one would expect a piece of literature worth its salt to have. It also takes risks that would reduce meeker authors to puddles on the floor. Moments of dream-like reflection and slow-burning world-building are the kind of things that shouldn't normally seem so effortless.

In 1846 in Alta California, Catalina Delgado daydreams about her future: roping cattle, marrying Angelo Ortega, and raising children. But now, invaders from the United States have declared war against Mexico, her country. Members of her family are imprisoned and some around her are killed. This is a dark and frustrating time in North American history. California takes up an absurd section of the western territories, and it is a powder keg of racial tensions and human resentments.

It is the perfect backdrop for our protagonist, Catalina, who must summon up her courage and challenge the cold and cruel world around her. Just a teenager, she struggles to save those around her and protect the future she longingly desires. As if that weren't enough for her to be going on with, she is also being followed by the dark specter of an ominous and shadowy spirit that rides a powerful stallion.

The author manages to use the contrasting tones of the story's natural settings and narrative exceptionally well. The attractive and courageous main character, Catalina, is a sublime creation, fully formed and compelling. She has a bullheaded refusal to be marginalized and fearlessly confronts conventions throughout the entire book.

This is a bold and unique piece of historical fiction. Each page flows almost effortlessly, taking the reader gently along this passionate journey of personal exploration and spirited rebellion. It is, at times, striking the way this author manages to make one feel for these figures, to get sucked into the high drama and challenging times in which they live. Elements of Mexican culture and Catholic faith are sprinkled into the main character and add richness to the text.

The book offers a very interesting and uplifting literary journey that has a spirit to match its subject matter. It is a story told with healthy doses of heart, quirk, and personality, and it would make the perfect Christmas gift for any young girl looking for inspiration along her own journey of discovery.


No Second Chances

To say I was blown away by this incredible true story is an understatement. Christopher Kyle Sherrod tells his story from a Federal Correctional Institution. Christopher, or Kyle, as most of his friends and family call him, started his adult life as a minor delinquent getting into trouble for small things here and there and making enemies on the way. Trying to turn his life around, Kyle enlisted in the Marines. Both his mother and stepfather were in the Air Force and so he knew what the military life entailed. When Kyle comes back, his life turns back into a chain of bad choices as he tries to take the easy way when it comes to making money and "getting ahead". At this point, he has a small daughter with his girlfriend, Tiffani. Kyle is put in prison after an unsuccessful robbery attempt with two of his friends. Kyle reflects while in prison, how much he has strayed from the path that he should have taken. He had all the tools and training necessary to make his dreams come true and he blew it.

It is obvious from reading this book that Kyle is extremely intelligent. From the specific dialogue to the perfect grammar, I thought to myself over and over again, "What a shame it is that he took his life in this direction." He even started his own successful business while behind bars. I found that Kyle's problem was that sometimes he didn't know when to stop pushing and back off. This made him unlikeable to those around him; especially figures of authority. Kyle was really put through the wringer as he is thrown into solitary over and over again.

Kyle's story moves on as he gets out of prison and finally makes his way back to having a relationship with his pre-teen daughter, Victoria. He was very lucky that Tiffani encouraged Victoria to have a relationship with her father. But upon his release, Kyle finds himself in more bad situations.

Kyle is currently serving time for a crime he states he did not commit. He even includes pictures of the evidence in his current case and has an e-mail that readers can write to stating whether or not he is guilty or not guilty.

Will someone please get this man a good pro bono attorney? Looking at the evidence, my opinion is that Kyle is not guilty. If there is one thing that we know, not all law enforcement is good. They aren't all bad either, but I believe there are many who use their power for evil. I feel like this is one of those cases.

I recommend this book to all adult readers as I feel it is an eye-opener into what a person may go through in today's justice system.


Life Goes On

John E. Budzinski's Life Goes On is a comical approach at one man's thought process into deciphering the phrase most of us know all too well, "This Is Going On Your PERMANENT RECORD!" Where is this permanent record and who is keeping track of it? In this book, Budzinski has a serious (okay, not so serious) talk with Saint Peter as they discuss everything from bad bosses to what is fair and unfair to how John treated those around him. They also discuss what creating a legacy entails and how to go about doing that for oneself.

The book is really Budzinski's life story divided into little stories most of which have some kind of moral at the end. And somewhere in all those stories, he tries to figure out what his legacy is. Each story is very philosophical and asks the reader questions of him or herself such as "What were your favorite or your most significant learning times?" and "What are you afraid of?"

Along the way, we learn of some really funny things that have happened to John. One of the best stories in the book is when John is the first kid to bomb out in the spelling bee. This is mainly because his last name starts with a "B" and so he was at the front of the line. Readers can feel the anticipation as John looks around trying to find a way out of this voluntary task. The fact that he became a writer is what makes this story even better and he even states that "Bad spelling caused me some personal embarrassment over the years and a few challenging times with editors."

The dialogue with Saint Peter was a way for Budzinski's audience to really get into his head. The bantering back and forth with Saint Peter really brings up questions that dig even deeper into the most embarrassing moments of this poor man. For example, Peter asks, "Why did you leave the spelling bee before its completion?". And it finally comes out that it was because John knew he sucked at spelling and that it was frustration. And then he tells Peter to look it up on his permanent record!

The stories of friends and family that Budzinski has written about are truly treasures. In fact, I would compare Life Goes On to your favorite grandpa telling you stories about what he did wrong throughout his life and telling you to do better than he did. Readers are in for a laugh, a lesson, and a legacy in Life Goes On.


Life Goes On

As a child, John E. Budzinski was constantly threatened with the words, “This is going on your permanent record!” These words, which were intended to shape him into a morally upright human, still torment him today. Looking at his different experiences in life, Budzinski wonders if being a flawed human qualifies him for an unfavorable judgment when standing in front of Saint Peter and "The Boss" in the afterlife.

There's always more to the story, and in John's case, it involves going the extra mile at work, partaking in a spelling bee, going on dates, feeding a stray cat, listening to interesting stories from hoboes, and much more. There's always more, but is his legacy good enough? In Life Goes On, Budzinski looks back on his life through a jovial, introspective, and inquisitive lens and presents a candid dissection of his legacy.

From giving abstract replies that challenged his teachers in high school to finding the confidence to talk on a TV video dating show and losing track of time while experiencing his first Fourth of July in New York, Budzinski's story contains several engaging experiences that are closely packed together and leave no space for boredom. I had a silly grin on my face for the most part; the story put me in a good, cheerful mood as I pictured the vivid descriptions of the events, like the street concerts and fireworks in New York and the animated discussion about blind dates with a date while surrounded by curious onlookers in a restaurant.

In addition to looking back at his life, John adds a unique element to his story: the afterlife. As I read the possible discussions he might have with Saint Peter after life, I reflected on my journey through life and began experiencing a holistic, out-of-body view of myself and life on earth.

Life Goes On employs a conversational, friendly tone, which made me feel like I made a friend through a book. Budzinski's struggles and thoughts are quite relatable, and the questions asked in the book magnified some things I've been contemplating myself. Even though it might appeal more to baby boomers, the book contains several concepts that are common to most adults: dating, following one's passion, reflecting on life and the afterlife, family, friends, work, religious institutions, and more. Life Goes On depicts how great value and true beauty can be found in an imperfect life through one man's multifaceted story. It's a must-read book for fans of profound memoirs as it is both mightily entertaining and mentally stimulating.


How to Hunt a Bear

Not every European Jew who lived and died during World War II was sent to a concentration camp. Some were able to survive within their home countries, scraping out a living as best they could or forming resistance movements to fight the Nazis at every step. Others fled, making their way out of Germany and Poland to countries as yet untouched by the Nazi regime. How to Hunt a Bear is the true story of one family who did just that, escaping occupied Poland for Russia. Their trials were not over when they crossed the border, however. Russia is and always has been a forbidding place, especially when winter sets in.

How to Hunt a Bear did what the best of historical books can do and opened a new part of history to me. I, like many, know the basics of the story of the Holocaust, and some stray details gleaned from moments of more specific research. I knew nothing of a flight east, and I soon found myself caught up in Itzhak’s story. It’s a harrowing tale, softened only because it is told through the eyes of a child, remembered by an old man. Itzhak was made aware only of the true horrors faced by Jews in Poland and Germany only later. During his travels, he knew only what was before him and what the adults in his life chose to tell him. Death and antisemitism were inescapable, but he was shielded at least from some of the wider horrors. At times, the story seems almost like an adventure. Perhaps, at the time, it was.

The framing of the book features an Israeli woman recording Itzhak’s story. As she says toward the end, in the narration, “I listened to my recording… thinking how crucial documenting their stories was, along with the stories of all survivors. Within a decade, or two at most, there would be no survivors left, and these recordings a precious relic.” While there are plenty of novels about the Holocaust – one might say it’s its own market – there is only so much they can tell. True stories will always be more powerful, by virtue of their truth. If anything, I would say that stories like this, which shed light on parts of history few people are aware of, are the most precious relics. If it weren’t for people like Shiri-Horowitz and her family, this story might all too easily have been lost.

In short, I would recommend this book to just about everyone. It’s one of the most important I’ve come across this year.


Help Me Hide This Giraffe!

Help Me Hide This Giraffe! by Brian Donnelly was a delight to read. Due to the vibrant illustrations and incredibly creative plotline, young readers will find themselves smiling throughout the entire story.

The book begins with a young boy who accidentally brings a giraffe home from the beach. Flustered, he pleads with his big sister that she must help him hide the giraffe from their parents. He loves the giraffe and cannot take him back, so they must do something before their mom and dad come home. She wisely tells her little brother that they must hurry and get him inside before someone sees them, proceeding to come up with ways that they can hide the giraffe.

From stuffing him up the chimney to making him into a tree or telephone pole, even a cellular tower, the young pair are at a loss for what to do. Unable to hide him physically, they suggest hiding him conceptually as a “Terms of Use” policy or a limited lifetime product guarantee. Realizing they are taking it maybe too intellectually, they turn to trying to hide him as a lawsuit. Unable to find a solution, the siblings argue and argue, not realizing their mom and dad have wandered in and found their beloved giraffe. The ending of this story is equally creative and fun. In the end, all parties are happy, and they finally find a solution for hiding their giraffe. br>
Overall, I had to laugh at Donnelly’s outstanding creativity, especially with the children’s idea of hiding the giraffe conceptually and not just as a physical object. The children’s commentary was humorous, and all their arguments brought up valid points. I also thought the illustrations were extremely well done. Detailed, colorful, and full of life, the reader can watch the pair struggle to hide the giraffe in innumerous ways.

My favorite illustration was when the siblings tried to hide the giraffe as a lawsuit. Depicting a lawyer’s office packed full of papers, stickie notes, and file boxes, the children are unsuccessfully attempting to hide their giraffe. I loved the detail and accuracy of this drawing, especially with the papers and post-it notes flying in every direction.

Further enhancing the picture book was the beautiful, color-coded lettering on each page. I definitely think the book’s attention to format adds a lot to the overall product. All young readers, especially those in elementary school, would appreciate this book and the siblings’ attempts to hide their giraffe.


Love and Other Sins

Mina is just entering her senior year of high school, and she is determined to excel. Time is just another investment, she says, and she intends to invest hers into her studies. If she does well enough, she can go to law school and excel there as well. If she does well in law school, she and her mother can have a comfortable life. Her one regret might be not investing enough time into her personal life and relationships, but time for that can come later.

Enter Oliver, recently emancipated and with money from a lawsuit against an abusive foster home. He has just transferred to the same school Mina attends, and from the moment their eyes meet in AP Government, they have an instant connection. Sparks fly.

Unfortunately, sparks can burn.

The relationship Mina and Oliver fall into is not the healthy, idealistic one so often seen in YA romances. Both of them have trauma in their background, and it isn’t conveniently forgotten for the sake of a romance. The two of them must work through it to become the best person they can be, for themselves and for each other.

Love and Other Sins is not an easy book to read. Oliver especially has had a difficult life, and Ares does not shy away from his trauma. His chapters present sexual assault and child abuse, and even though those events are in the past, they continue to cast a shadow over his life. Harrowing as they are to read, such events are worse still to live through, and many teens face them in reality all too often. Because of this, I don’t say that this book is unsuitable for a teenage audience. I will only say that I wish the content warning had been posted a little more visibly. The material may well be triggering for some, and a warning at the bottom of the back cover may easily be missed.

My reason for giving the book four stars rather than five is only that I was not entirely sold on Mina and Oliver’s relationship at the start. As it goes on and the two of them grow together (for better and for worse), it is a compelling and fresh look at teen romance. The instant connection at the start felt too quick and easy, and I felt Ares could have found some more interesting beginning for what proved to be such a deep story.


Bars for Days

Dreams remain one of the most difficult things to relinquish in one’s life. The quest to succeed in achieving said dreams could last a lifetime. Mic Nickels has been willing to devote most of his life to breaking through the mainstream as a hip-hop artist. He considers himself part of the hip-hop generation, as he was born in the shadows of New York City. His early years were unsettled, as his father walked out on him and his mother. Mike was raised by his mother and loving relatives.

As Mike matured, the hypnotic beats and storytelling rhymes of rap music called out to him. He made fast friends with kids who shared his affinity for rap and formed various ensembles, recording their own music and sampling beats while spitting out poetry. Mike has seen a lot while climbing his way up in the unforgiving world of show business, including how to persevere.

Bars for Days hits all the right chords for a heartfelt memoir. Mic Nickels’ character is apparent in revealing the ups and downs in his life, his successes and shortcomings. The battle between responsibility and aspiration in Mike’s soul marks this book as a genuinely entertaining and readable book.


Curfew

New Science Fiction and Fantasy

This roundup comprises five of the best new science fiction and fantasy novels published in the last few months. Action-packed and astoundingly imaginative, they all offer to transport readers to exciting otherworldly locations populated by extraordinary beings. In fact, if you aim to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations, then these are the books for you.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

In Where the Drowned Girls Go, the seventh volume in Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, a new anti-magical school is introduced and its students are forced to rebel against the overly authoritative faculty, which makes for a tense and fantastical read. When Eleanor West first opened her Home for Wayward Children, she had to acknowledge the fact that she wouldn’t be able to help all those who arrived at her door, although she determined to do her best to assist as many as possible. She’s surprised, however, when Cora turns out to be one of the children who might need to pursue their fate elsewhere. For her part, Cora is desperately seeking a different life, a different prophecy, and the ability to make her own fate. At Cora’s urging, Eleanor reluctantly agrees to transfer her to the Whitethorn Institute, a school that is run according to very different principles than the Home for Wayward Children. Once there, Cora soon realizes that something distinctly sinister is going on and that she might just be the only one capable of overcoming it.

The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe

With  The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe and a host of collaborators have put together a collection of powerful short stories that explore what life is like under a near-future totalitarian regime and if there is any possibility of escape. Set in the Afrofuturistic world that informs one of Monáe’s albums, the stories interrogate issues such as sexuality, race, and gender, and they do so against a backdrop of a world in which thoughts can be controlled, modified, or even erased by a select group of powerful elites. As a consequence, the lives of all individuals—whether human, AI, or something else entirely—are overseen by a cabal of megalomaniacs who have assigned themselves the power to control the fate of everything. Well, that was the case until Jane 57821 took the chance to break free and start thinking for herself. The stories in this collection build on and expand the world inhabited by Jane 57821, fleshing it out in all its repressive horror and amazing opportunity.

The Devil’s Dictionary by Steven Kotler

An empathy tracker and emotional forecaster, Lion Zorn is unique. He is also uniquely placed to know why the world is the way that it is and what the future is likely to hold, although he mostly concentrates on more day-to-day matters. Still, his skills are very useful to have in a highly competitive market, despite occasionally brining him into contact with the less desirable members of society. When what should have been a standard em-tracking mission suddenly goes wrong and his fellow em-trackers start disappearing, Lion is left without allies and with a serious puzzle to solve. As he searches for the truth, Lion finds himself on a collision course with the shadowy parties behind the mega-linkage, a continent-spanning national park that was billed as the best way to avoid environmental collapse and protect the planet’s biodiversity. Filled with action and intrigue, Steven Kotler’s The Devil’s Dictionary is pure cyberpunk weirdness that both thrills and amazes.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

A thought-provoking blend of weighty science fiction concepts and hazardous moral dilemmas, Mickey7 by Edward Ashton is part futuristic farce and part all-too-likely horror story. Seeking away to escape both his debts and the boredom of life on Midgard, the original Mickey signed up as an expendable on a mission to colonize the ice planet of Niflheim. He probably should have enquired further into why the position was vacant despite the mission being so prestigious, although he soon learned that the expendable is the person sent to do all the dangerous and likely deadly jobs that no one else on the crew wants to do. For the sake of efficiency, each time a Mickey dies, a clone is created that has most of the memories of the original guy and the subsequent iterations. For the Mickeys, space travel turns out to be not much fun after all, but when Mickey7 is erroneously declared missing and presumed dead, the newly created Mickey8 diligently reports for duty, which is when things really take a turn for the weird.

Curfew by Jayne Cowie

In the Great Britain of the not-too-distant future, women have taken charge of society and imposed a curfew on men, who must all wear electronic tags and stay in their homes between the hours of 7pm and 7am. While women no longer need to fear being out after dark, the curfew hasn’t proved great for all of them. In the case of single mother Sarah, for example, the curfew law resulted in her husband being sent to prison, although it isn’t going to do much to protect her now that he’s been released. Their daughter Cass also has issues with the curfew and the restrictions that it puts on the lives of boys like her friend Billy, which makes her determined to prove that he’s not a threat to anyone. Meanwhile, teacher Helen has applied for a cohab certificate with her partner, Tom, so that they can finally live together and have a baby. When one of these three women is murdered during the night, it seems clear that the killer can’t have been a man, but is that really the case? Jayne Cowie’s Curfew is a complex futuristic thriller that poses important questions while also delivering a heart-pounding story.


One Night on the Island: A Novel

Cleo is a journalist who is sent on an assignment to spend time rediscovering herself on a remote island in Ireland, and she commits to writing a story about this journey that will culminate in a wedding to herself on her thirtieth birthday. She anticipates a solo vacation filled with time to sort through her feelings about beginning a new decade as a single woman. However, Cleo is surprised to learn that a mix up has her set to share accommodations with Mack, a grumpy American traveler with whom she has nothing in common.

One Night on the Island features a well-known enemies to lovers trope, although Josie Silver introduces witty dialogue and the atmospheric setting of Salvation, which make this novel a delight. The story focuses on Mack and Cleo untangling tough emotional turmoil; Mack is dealing with separating from his wife and missing his sons, while Cleo faces a turning point in her career and considers whether she wants to return to London. I loved all the quirky side characters that Cleo meets on Salvation. However, some of Cleo’s self-exploration lost my attention, and I wanted to get back to the budding relationship between her and Mack.


One of the most helpful inventions in meteorology was created in China. Zhang Heng and the Incredible Earthquake Detector is about the scientist, Zhang Heng behind the first seismoscope or earthquake detector. Even though these devices have changed over time as technology has changed, they can still predict where and when an earthquake may hit. Zhang Heng was well known for his work in astronomy and math. I especially liked the use of dragons and toads around the machine.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely incredible. The vivid colors in the illustrations help to tell the story and demonstrate the dragons. The glossary in the back of the book is great for words I didn't know. This is a great book and I recommend it.


Down the Hatch: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, 32)

An elderly man is spotted lying dead on the bowling green. The rum bottle toppled beside him contains lethal weed killer. Bowlers are tut-tutting in sympathy or mumbling ‘Good riddance!’ Private detective Agatha Raisin witnesses the scene and, always on the lookout for a new murder mystery, sees she has found a doozie. Soon, she gains support for her theory of murder, not an accidental death, and learns in a bizarre sub-plot that quokkas, spotted by a panicky caller, are exotic animals and not crazy make-believe.

Longtime fans will enjoy the usual characters: Charles, the rich, on-and-off boyfriend and his glamorous guests James, her still bewitching ex-husband, Bill Wong, the young cop who supports her nosey interference in police cases, and his senior officer who does not. Her loyal staff supply dedicated support in tracking down the villains despite the customary mishaps and death threats.

 So is there a minor flaw in this latest romp, too many adjectives? Too many extra characters who don’t quite fit in? Rod Green, the late M.C. Beaton’s co-author, pretty much completely captures her tone and spirit. Come again soon, Agatha, your persistent quest to look good and find adventure are always welcome!


Hello, Transcriber: A Novel

Hello, Transcriber is an intriguing thriller about a woman named Hazel Greenlee who lives in Wisconsin. Hazel and her husband, Tommy move to Black Harbor which is several cities south of where they came from and Hazel gets a job as a police transcriber. The storyline moves along quite quickly as Hazel becomes involved in a current case that involves her neighbor Sam. Wanting to help and having a crush on the lead officer, Nikolai Kole, Hazel volunteers to help Kole with the case.

Hazel is a bit of a lost soul. Her sister, Elle, is the star of a radio show and is getting married soon and Hazel's relationship with Tommy seems to be her trying to avoid having sex with him since he is drunk a lot of the time. Hazel is described as being very beautiful so it's not surprising when she finds herself attracted to Kole. There are a few twists and turns in the plot but the story sucks the reader in with all of the interesting characters and the haunting feel of the town of Black Harbor in general. This book is a fantastic read. Fans of suspense and thriller will want to pick a copy up right away.


Our founders have become figures that appeared shrouded, lost in the mists of marble and statues. They are myths, honored relics of our fabled past and the very architects of our present. There's just one problem with this rosy, dare I say, overly longing view of political greatness. It's not completely true. In fact, you'd be surprised by how ordinary the founders really were. Their greatness came from very real and human qualities. Many of them wouldn't have proclaimed themselves to be statesmen. They were just citizens, who argued fiercely with one another, stretched the realms of political thought, and then took a chance, well many chances. It works because at the end of the day it's built on justice and community.

As Lisa Uhrik mentions in her powerful and engrossing new book America Becoming: Framing Our Declaration of Interdependence, much has been spoken and written about our nation's recent decline. Many argue that we live in the most polarizing and troubling times since the Civil War. That Americans have turned into warring camps and hide in echo chambers. As Uhril maintains, we are in many ways a teenage nation. We lack the length and breadth of history that many of the historical great civilizations possess. However, this rebellious sparkle that burns within all of us, that helped shape our country, is not something to fear, it is an instrument to use.

Two hundred and forty years of nationhood can feel like an eternity, and indeed it's a vast amount of time. However, as the author claims, it doesn't mean that we as a country are past our period of exploration. That we are so old and set in our ways that we can't experiment, each generation redefining the process. This insightful book is not another rehash of 1776, not another list of beliefs about the founder's views, and it certainly isn't another book preaching the ills of our time. Rather it is a positive and hopeful manifesto of where we as a nation and people can go from here. This is a rich and compelling book that can't fall to leave you inspired. One that can reawaken patriotism and rediscover hope.


Our World Is a Family: A Book about Being a Good Neighbor

This book confused me at first because it is called Our World Is a Family but the people were not acting like a family; it seemed unsafe. In the end, it seemed like the book was about kids playing in their new safe home and parents being able to go to work while the kids go to school. They weren't able to do that in their old home.

I learned that the world is not safe everywhere, and people need to move in order to be safe. When they move, their new home doesn't feel like home because they have to leave people behind. I did like that the book teaches us how to say words in different languages. That was very helpful.


Love, Dance & Egg Rolls

High school is prime time for novel experiences, self-discovery, cultivating meaningful friendships, and more. For Filipino-American teenager Jamie Santiago, adolescent drama is punctuated by his involvement in a cultural dance troupe, protests against white supremacy, and navigating everyday encounters with a racist bully. His family and friends DEnnis and Walter serve as his lifeline. Then there’s Bethany, the Goth girl with legendary breakdance moves. While mutual interests bring them together, they also face a scheduling dilemma: Homecoming falls on the same night as the Asian Folk Festival.

Jason Tanamor excels in bringing Jamie’s lovelorn and not-so-ordinary existence to life in Love, Dance & Egg Rolls. It’s an endearing story of a young man who is doing his best to be anchored in both Filipino and American cultures, while also just being a regular kid. Tanamor tackles issues relatable to Fil-Ams: from being treated as an outsider during the Trump administration to the guilt of feeling inadequately Filipino in American society. He incorporates familiar tropes of Filipino life: from uniquely Pinoy mannerisms, karaoke in the living room, to love and nourishment derived from grandmother’s cooking.

This book is a refreshing and honest take on how young bicultural Americans straddle their allegiance to both cultures as they define their cultural identity.


Blood Up North

Cass lives with her grandmother, Tilly, a tobacco-chewing, crusty old lady who raised Cass and her brother Jack after their mother died, perhaps at the hands of their father, Vick. The tiny town in northern Minnesota where they live is as dreary as Cass’s life. She works part-time in the town bar, a real dive. Drugs and alcohol pretty much fuel the town. Jack shows up with a bag full of money and a tale of drug runners pursuing him. Cass does what she can to save him, but when Vick shows up acting all nice, she realizes things don’t quite add up. Can she figure things out in time to save her brother and herself?

Fredrick Soukup has created a cast of largely uninteresting, nasty characters to populate this desolate tale. Cass has a few redeeming qualities, but she is the only one. The writing is okay, but the author often uses vocabulary that doesn’t fit the narrative, pulling the reader out of the story. Like Titus Andronicus, the stage is littered with bodies and drenched in blood by the end, and if that’s what a reader likes in a book, this is the book for them.


The Bone Orchard

The Bone Orchard missed the mark and left much to be desired. Overall the story has a rather sci-fi-noir-gothic feel with moments reminiscent of a fusion between The Matrix and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The premise of a King’s mistress being given a deathbed task to uncover his murderer, usurp the line of succession, and insight a rebellion to appoint a new ruler sets the stage for an intriguing mystery. However, the literal writing style falls short in its ability to create an equally captivating world for such a mystery to unfold. There was a noticeable lack of nuance, whimsy, and allure which seemed odd given the story’s epicenter is an infamous gentleman’s club that caters to the unearthly desires and taboo proclivities of the elite.

The theme of absolute control, both physical and mental, throughout the entire story lends itself to an unsavory reading experience. Those portraying themselves to be protectors are simply captors in disguise, enslaving others for their own selfish needs. When individuals break free of mental confines it should be a moment of triumph but ends up being a rather depressing conclusion to a woeful story of torment and trauma.


Oh William!: A Novel

In her latest novel, Oh William!, Elizabeth Strout returns to the protagonist she first introduced in My Name is Lucy Barton. Now Lucy is older, although not wiser it seems, as she navigates life in her seventies after a great loss.

To enjoy this book, you must be comfortable with a first-person narrator who isn’t comfortable with herself. Lucy, herself a writer, observes other people with a consistency that seeks to forgive them their transgressions. Her moments of self-reflection, however, are couched within memories that she never quite defines and riddled with a self-doubt that can be off-putting as she notes she is more of a witness to her own life than an active participant.

Much of this is realized as she recounts her first marriage to William and the subsequent one to David, both men who ground her in a world where she often feels invisible. There are lovely, sad little revelations peppered throughout the novel, and Strout is at her best when she’s working through family trauma, but this might be a bit much for someone looking for a light read. However, if you want a character study of an older woman navigating life on her own, Oh William! is the book for you.


Shim is a young giant who has always known a world filled with peace. He is unusually big and strong even though he is a young giant. Shim lives on a magic isle where there are wizards and fairies. Everything is perfectly calm until suddenly, Shim's world bursts into chaos! An attack causes Shim and his mother to flee their home in search of the one person who can help them: the mysterious Domnu. When a horrible wager goes wrong Shim is shrunk to barely even a fraction of his true size. When the spell is done Shim has lost almost all his memory. He only remembers that he liked honey, that he was a giant, and his mother's last words to him. Shim goes on an amazing journey to regain his memory. He makes many friends and even some enemies, but he never stops. Buy the book to go on Shim’s journey with him through the huge isle of Fincayra.

Giant: The Unlikely Origins of Shim (Merlin Saga) is a fantastical read that many will enjoy. It was not quite as interesting for me; it may be better suited for tweens, teens, and young adults between the ages of twenty to thirty years old. Though it was a good read, the characters were not relatable to me and the storyline did not capture and keep my attention.


The Principle of 18, Getting the Most out of Every Stage of Your Life

Author Eyal Danon has written the perfect self-help book for all genders, ages, and occupations. His method of teaching through stories will help readers understand the five stages in his book The Principle of 18. In this book, life is divided into five eighteen-year segments with the last segment extended to beyond ninety years of age. The five stages are The Dreamer, The Explorer, The Builder, The Mentor, and The Giver. I found myself thinking about my own life as it fits into the five stages and gave a little smile as I realized that I have been following this plan without even knowing. In fact, when I entered The Builder stage at thirty-six years old, this was the exact time that I had just changed jobs and bought my own business. Of course, I couldn't wait to read more about what the future had in store if I kept using this path of eighteen-year increments.

The Dreamer stage from childhood to eighteen emphasizes identifying three possible dreams for your future and visualizing how to get there. It also states to beware of dream killers. These are people who tell you that you cannot accomplish what you want to. This advice would have been helpful to me when my own mother told me that I was mediocre and not good at any one thing when I was twelve years old. It was a good thing I didn't listen to her negative comments. The second stage is The Explorer which emphasizes taking risks and emphasizing working on one dream at a time to find your true calling. It also leads right into planning for the next stage, The Builder stage. The Builder stage emphasizes creating the deadlines and goals to make your number one dream happen. Having the drive and being persistent can get you to where you want to be. The stories that Danon tells in this chapter are so inspiring and teach you to really stay true to yourself and not compromise your values. The effort in this stage comes from the two previous stages not being rushed. I love that this is also the stage in which you find a mentor to help guide you. This is actually the next stage, becoming The Mentor. After experiencing the other stages, The Mentor and The Giver, the next eighteen-year periods should fall into place. These two stages give a great deal of purpose into a person's life as they age and are not working quite so many hours each week.

The Principle of 18 is a beautifully written book that can help its readers in any stage of life. Being self-aware of what stage you are in can really set a person up for success and prolonged happiness.


Planning a life of prosperity is not without its hardships. As the world continues to become busier (and more stressful), it’s intimidating for folks of all backgrounds to create a structure of success with the daunting obstacles seemingly laid ahead. Additionally, what is success without fulfillment, as many folks are financially successful but feel lacking where they should feel triumph? While having it all, like financial security, career fulfillment, and happiness, seems impossible, it was inspiring to learn that it is not. Eyal N. Danon’s Principle of 18 provides a structure to obtain peace of mind and fulfill a need for purpose for one’s life. This plan encourages dreams big and plenty; and with comforting reassurance, Danon urges us to accomplish everything in our wildest dreams.

Each section is broken into five archetypes: the Dreamer; the Explorer; the Builder; the Mentor; and the Giver. Each role contributes to the idea of cultivating, maintaining community, and connecting generations, which is the throughline of this book. The eighteen years between each archetype allows for the implementation of significant, lasting change. Two concepts (details distinct to each archetype) are the North Star and Transition Plan, which are key concepts to being successful in your life plan, whatever that may be. While this is not specific to any specialty or expertise, it provides guideposts of what to consider and who to turn to during these points in our lives. This book was especially refreshing, as it was healthy in setting boundaries in every approach. However, it still emphasized the need for discipline and hard work. Rather, it acknowledged that life is not clear-cut, and each phase allows for reinvention. There is room for adjustment, as anyone of any age can adapt the principle to their particular stage in life. While others may dread being “older” and “behind,” this is not the way in which Danon sees it. In a gentle encouragement, Danon writes: “No matter where you are now, you know more than you did when you started out, which means [...] you’ll be ahead of the game.”

This book is perfect for anyone wondering how they may reach concrete goals in their life without shame. There is no overcoming competition, but rather, focusing on how to be the best version of ourselves while creating a life of joy, as “life is meant to be enjoyed right now, wherever you are in your journey.” A life without regret and worry is possible. We are all the bamboo plant moso, containing the incredible potential to succeed and grow, and we deserve to give ourselves the right conditions to do so. And with Danon, we learn which direction to go from here.


Camera Ready

Camera Ready tells the story of a woman named Jane who holds a very prestigious position at her job at an advertising agency as VP. Jane seems to have it all, a fantastic job, a wonderful boyfriend named Derek, and friends and family whom all love her.  The only problem? A man named Craig Keller, a complete gigolo who pounces on Jane every chance he gets. This in itself would not be a problem if it weren't for the fact that Jane has a weak spot for this man as well as a past with him. Craig Keller is the owner of another top ad agency in Santa Monica and things get a little too close for comfort as Jane's company is bought over by Craig's.

This book, although categorized in the romance genre, is really more accurately described as popular fiction. There are really hardly any sex or make-out scenes in the book. In fact, Camera Ready really focuses on Jane's thoughts and actions as she navigates through a very difficult situation. Author Adele Royce does a fabulous job with character development and the details she puts into the setting. Craig is the oh-so-good-looking guy every woman stares at when entering the room, while Jane is the beautiful and fashion-forward hardworking main character. Then there is Derek who can be described as the under-the-radar boyfriend with not-so-great self-esteem. The Southern California lifestyle is emphasized as the characters go out to fancy dinners at the most trendy restaurants. Jane and her best friends Marisa and Kat are all powerful women in business and their confidence exudes off the pages of this book.

It was very hard for me to like Derek and I admit that I felt that he was the weakest character in the book because he seemed to always be afraid that Jane didn't love him or that she had secrets from him (okay, well she did, but that's beside the point) and he would run away from the situation instead of talking to Jane about it. His snobby sister did not help the situation as well. I thought Jane's grandparents who raised her were simply adorable and I would have loved to have had a little more of their relationship with Jane woven into the plot.

Camera Ready is a fabulous read that will have readers turning the pages wanting to know what will happen next. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jane Green.


A Break in the Fog

A Break in the Fog is a beautifully written story with themes of love, addiction, post-traumatic stress, and the true meaning of family. In this book, Author Molly Salans writes with a prose that dances in the reader's ear as she tells the story through the points of view of the three main characters, Joe (or Yosev), the father, and Clara and Wendy, the adult daughters. What I find interesting about the way this book was written is that the chapters written through the eyes of the daughters are written in first person and the chapters written through Joe's eyes are in the third person. Each method is effective, however, but I think if it wasn't for the large amount of swearing that Wendy does in her chapters, I may not have even noticed this.

A Break in the Fog mainly follows Clara as she is trying to find her way through life in the city of San Francisco during the mid-1970s. She finds herself torn because her father wants her to dance ballet yet she really wants to try modern dancing. Joe's harsh words often send Clara to think about her mother Anna, who died several years back. Throughout the book, Clara also conjures up the voice and advice of her Aunt Miriam, who died during the Nazi invasion many years ago. Clara finds herself being sucked into a cult called ASI, in which she becomes deeply involved. This cult is very abusive and takes everything from Clara. These scenes are very graphic and realistic. While reading the book, it was hard to see why Clara didn't see that she was being used and taken advantage of; however, when looking through her own eyes, she is very naive and clearly does not understand what is really going on.

While Clara is being taken in by this cult, Wendy is on the streets and is a drug addict. Ironically, Joe is an MD, but cannot help his own daughter until she hits rock bottom. Then Clara goes missing. The heartache that each character explains all stems from their pasts, and they all find themselves thinking about Anna and the day that her body was found. The author does a wonderful job of describing each scene with dancing and layers of fog and poetry that is rewritten over and over again to fit the current narrative. Happiness and violence co-mingle in this story and the reader may experience many emotions while reading.

This book has some very serious topics but is written in a way that is easy to understand from different points of view. Well-written with beautiful scenery and complex characters, A Break in the Fog will have its readers wide-eyed and hoping for the best.


A Break in the Fog

A Break in the Fog by Molly Salans had me thinking about Clara, the story's main character, well after I finished this story. Although a wonderfully well-done novel, this is not a light read. The story follows Clara’s journey recalling her traumatic childhood, dysfunctional family, and her eventual wash up into a deadly cult. A tale that truly shook me, readers of serious fiction or those who are seeking a deeper understanding of cults, would thoroughly enjoy this book.

 With a drug-addicted sister, a disconnected father, and a dead mother, Clara’s family life is in shambles, to say the least. Never feeling loved and wanted at home, she always finds herself seeking more, looking to others to satiate her longing for affection. Clara’s true passion is in dancing; teaching modern dance at her local studio is the one thing that makes Clara content. However, her father does not approve, causing a great division between them, eventually forcing Clara to teach in secret.
On a particularly hard day, Clara finds herself on the Golden Gate Bridge gazing into the ocean for solace. A woman named June approaches her, inviting her to a restaurant owned by her school, The Ancient School of Ideas. Clara attends, eating the most delicious, indulgent food she has ever tasted. Two speakers, students at the school, talk during the meal. Both gorgeous and alluring, Clara is attracted to them, and the people at this school who appear so vibrant. Although the monthly tuition to attend is expensive and she finds discomfort in religion, Clara signs on to attend for the first month and try it out. Before long, she is hooked. Slowly immersing herself more and more into the school, the reader watches Clara quietly fall into the cult, not even aware of what is happening.

The way Salans shows this transformation is what makes this book so chilling; the reader watches Clara lose her independence more and more daily, eventually without resistance. The brainwashing was gradual - slow enough to where Clara truly believed that what was happening was okay and for the better. An absolutely heartbreaking and terrifying reality that happens to so many, I could not stop thinking about how both victims and their families are affected by this kind of tragedy.

Additional topics this novel addresses include drug and alcohol addictions, belief in God, suicide, survivors’ guilt, and familial violence. A book that will give you chills, be prepared to watch Clara and her family’s life change with the events that will unfold.


Beyond The Human Realm

It’s always incredible to note the changes that can occur in a lifetime. I’m not yet thirty, but I’ve seen a vast shift in many social attitudes, and I have every hope those shifts will push through to their logical conclusions. (At least, I hope so, when it comes to the shifts involving extending kindness to more than it reaches now.) One of those shifts has been the treatment of cetaceans, especially in marine parks. When I was a little girl, almost too young to remember, I went to see an orca show at Seaworld. These days, after movies like Blackfish and the growing proof that orcas are not only capable of feeling but may well be intelligent, those shows have begun to close down.

I don’t think it would have been impossible to publish Beyond the Human Realm before now. I’m certain, though, it would not have been received as well as it deserves to today.

Primarily the story of an orca traumatized by his time at a marine park, Beyond the Human Realm brings in so much more than just a tale of hurt and growth. For one thing, there is genuine science behind it, even behind the more speculative parts. Helfman has a Ph.D. in ecology, and it shows. This is possibly one of the most grounded nature novels I have read, and while I went into it slightly skeptical, especially with the slow start, I soon found myself won over. Helfman treats orcas not as reservoirs of animal wisdom that humans have become separated from (though there are some aspects of this in the book) but as characters in their own right. Some are wise, some are foolish, some are scarred inside and out. It takes all of them to make up their world, just as it takes all people to make up ours.

There were only two things I didn’t enjoy much about the book. The first was the romance. While done much better than I have seen in other books, it felt forced. The other is something all writers must face when writing nonhuman cultures: names. Helfman chose to have his orcas give themselves English names, like Sam, Nan, and Rose. This isn’t a choice that works well for me, especially when so much attention is given to the fact that white Americans are still the newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Still, it is a small quibble and one that may not bother others. On the whole, I highly recommend this book.


Star Revelations

In Star Revelations, an examination of a conspiracy about population control leads to several stupefying revelations about society, the media, the supernatural world, and the perils that come with seeking truth. Diana is a celebrated journalist who hopes to access lost memories about her childhood and unravel the truth behind a mysterious plane crash that leads to a coma. After waking up from the coma, she begins to have dreams about her childhood, which reveal how she was experimented on and violated in a secret project created by the evil, covert controllers of the United States.

Gabe, one of Diana's colleagues, loses faith in his profession and humanity when he uncovers secrets about a Columbus water contamination scandal and explores a population control conspiracy. The path to enlightenment for the two colleagues is a hazardous one as it is plagued by murder attempts by ruthless plotters who keep the public ignorant of the evil that goes on behind the scenes. Their path would also lead them to shocking revelations about time travel, telepathy, mind control, and more supernatural elements. Will Diana connect the dots and expose the truth to all before the power-hungry forces get rid of her?

 I absolutely loved the positive messages about love, utopia, courage, and freedom. Also, some creative ideas are explored in a way that opened my mind to several new exciting possibilities, like how the third eye could be a doorway to other worlds. In fact, I am still relishing in the book's dreamy and enriching atmosphere. Another element that leaves a lasting impression is the intense action; the close calls, threatening and warning voices, and assassination attempts made me so jumpy that I had to remind myself I was only reading a book and not experiencing the events in person. Additionally, Star Revelations brings to our attention how society could be manipulated by the media.

Apart from the engrossing narrative, Star Revelations includes several profound thoughts that encourage a higher consciousness, taking control of one's thoughts, and striving to achieve peace and freedom. Steven Terry definitely knows how to build up the suspense! I was immersed in a mysterious atmosphere as bits of information were released through dreams, questions, reflections, and voices in a way that resulted in me being eager for more. The multiple viewpoints make the story even more entertaining and intricate.

Star Revelation would appeal to conspiracy theories enthusiasts and fans of thriller, crime, fantasy, and sci-fi. I was greatly impressed by the brilliant blend of different genres to create a well-constructed story that engages the mind and the sixth sense. Prepare to have your mind blown!


The Loneliest Americans

Asian American identity is complicated by generational experiences and economic aspirations in a society that primarily views race from the perspectives of Blacks and Whites. This is the thesis that Jay Caspian Kang lays out in The Loneliest Americans, a piercing and thought-provoking read that combines personal accounts and self-scrutiny with a crash history course about the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. Asians are the loneliest Americans because, despite painful attempts at assimilation, society is indifferent to invisibility and racial violence endured by the vast diasporic community, especially the working poor and others who are living in poverty.

This book is a compelling read for Asian Americans of all generations who are navigating current racial dynamics, distinct from the immigrant’s optimism toward America’s promises of freedom, democracy, and capitalism. His appeal to Asians about forging a social identity informed by race and class consciousness is prudent. Reading Kang’s text from the lens of a Filipino immigrant who has been a part of pan-Asian solidarity movements, I understand the melancholy of finding a place in America’s complex racial stratification. By sharing many personal anecdotes, Kang gives the reader a palpable way to empathize with all-too-common Asian American experiences of being perceived as a high-achieving model minority, while also being held back because of racism.


This Broken World (The Vortex of Worlds, 1)

This is a thoroughly entertaining book, even though it is a fairly thick tome and the beginning of a new fantasy series. It does not break new ground in the fantasy genre, nor does it pretend to do so. It really reads like a Dungeons and Dragons adventure, one in which the writing is quite well done, and Charles Gannon puts the skills he has honed writing science fiction and fantasy to good use crafting a story that will keep the reader fairly entertained.

There are a few points where things get a little confusing and could have used some additional clarity, but they are minor and not off-putting. People who have read high fantasy books, or even those who have played Dungeons and Dragons, will recognize many of the character types and attributes, such as the hero, the scoundrel, political intrigue, the anti-hero, orcs of some type, and more.

Beyond adventuring and saving people from injustice, this is also a book about the main character finding himself, though his inability to grasp political maneuvering is a little hard to bear at times, as you wish he would learn about politics at some point.


48 Hours to Kill: A Thriller

48 Hours to Kill is a book about a man named Ethan who finds himself in jail after a series of unfortunate events that have to do with working at a strip club. While in jail, Ethan finds out that his little sister Abby has died and is released on furlough to attend her funeral. What he realizes when he is released is that her body was never found. In fact, their mother was the one who allowed the FBI to declare Abby dead after she had been missing. Ethan is furious and wants to get to the bottom of what happened to Abby. He has forty-eight hours to do this before he has to turn himself back in. In those forty-eight hours, he pairs up with Abby's best friend, Whitney, and finds out that both girls had become strippers and worked for his ex-boss Shark.

This book's storyline is fantastically written with tons of action and twists and turns. All of the characters are described vividly and Reno sounds as horrible and desolate as it is in real life. There is some violence and gore in the book but it's not overdone and is necessary to the tense storyline. Recommended for fans of Baldacci and Coben.


Recent Bio/Memoir

If you are looking to expand your horizons and view life through another lens, these five books will be perfect for you. From experiences of show business to raising a transgender daughter, these books are bound to offer new frames of reference and teach you a few things along the way.

Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life by James Curtis

Buster Keaton was a very small child when he joined his parents in a vaudeville act called “The Three Keatons.” It was a very successful show until its demise, which was brought on by Keaton’s alcoholic father in 1917. Following this, Buster Keaton was recruited to star in a short series of comedies with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, who then propelled him toward writing, directing, and featuring in his own films. Unfortunately, in 1928, Keaton made the mistake of signing a contract with MGM that stripped him of his writing and directing roles, which, alongside his failing marriage, subsequently propelled him into alcoholism. He was fired from MGM in 1933 but continued to work in smaller roles. Luckily, during the 1950s, his films began to gain more traction and his career revived. Culture and film historian James Curtis brings us a moving and relatable account of Keaton’s life, even though it seems so long ago now. Keaton was such a gifted comedian, stunt artist, and filmmaker, and Curtis honors him with this comprehensive biography, vividly evoking the iconic images of Charlie Chaplin’s tramp and Harold Lloyd’s straw boater that Keaton was famous for, especially in his masterpiece The General. Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life is certainly the most thorough and touching biography of Keaton to date.

The Bushman’s Lair: On the Trail of the Fugitive of the Shuswap by Paul McKendrick

In British Columbia during the summer of 2002, a group of houseboaters found the cave hideout of an outlaw known as the Bushman (or John Bjornstrom as he is otherwise known). An exciting discovery, Bjornstrom had previously created an elaborate network of bootcamps after escaping from jail, and he had created quite an intricate base out of the nine-hundred-square-foot space in the cave, which impressed all the people involved with the discovery and led them to believe that there was more to this man than just being a fugitive. In The Bushman’s Lair, McKendrick investigates the reason behind the Bushman’s habitation of the Shuswap Lake cave through interviews by various people involved, an evaluation of RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and court transcripts, perusing declassified US government documents, and his own experiences of Shuswap Lake. The book is an enthralling read that delves into Bjornstrom’s life and shows us how he has become the well-known eccentric and legendary fugitive.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson

At eighteen months old, Cassandra Peterson had an accident with a pot of boiling water that left her with third-degree burns on 35% of her body. Growing up scarred, she very much had to fight to overcome the consequences of such, and seeing herself as a misfit, she developed a passion for the horror genre and its characters. Leaving home at fourteen, she veered into show business, first performing in Las Vegas at seventeen, and encountered big names such as her idol Elvis Presley, who helped her on her way to Italy, where she became the lead singer of a pop group. Following this, Peterson moved to Hollywood, where she worked on a few projects. At age thirty, she became the hostess for late night vintage horror movies, thereby discovering the role she became famous for and making it her own. Yours Cruelly, Elvira is the intimate account of the woman behind Elvira, The Mistress of the Dark, and what a ride she takes you on! Peterson gives an honest and vulnerable account of her upbringing, her marriage problems, and her career highs and lows. Her’s is very much a story featuring shocking trials and tribulations that will keep you reading.

Facing the Music: A Broadway Memoir by David Loud

Musical director and Broadway legend David Loud presents his entertaining and eventful memoir in such an exquisite way that it will take you on an emotional rollercoaster right from the beginning through to the end. It is such a charming story of his life, with accounts of a childhood spent spellbound by the stage and being at odds with his school, which was more focused on farming and outdoor pursuits. Loud vividly reveals the ups and downs of his decades-long Broadway career, describing in detail his journey to the podium. Finally, he presents a lively account of his fight against Parkinson’s disease. In Facing the Music, you will find a larger-than-life celebration of music and a life extremely well spent in the world of Broadway. This is a unique tale and a must read for anyone looking for a gripping biography, especially for theatre fans.

How to Be a Girl: A Mother's Memoir of Raising Her Transgender Daughter by Marlo Mack

Marlo Mack gifts us the courageous story of a mother dealing with her child’s transition from male to female, the struggles that followed, and the deeper bond forged by properly listening to her child. At a very young age, M started insisting on wearing dresses and having long hair. To the close friends and family of Mack, M was just experimenting, as children very often do. That was until a heartbreaking discussion occurred when M turned to Mack in tears and declared that something went wrong in Mack’s tummy that caused her to be born the wrong sex. It was from that moment Mack realized that she needed to listen more closely to M. How to Be a Girl reveals the hard fight a mother had to go through for her child to be heard. Very anxious about the prejudice that will almost certainly dog M’s future, Mack realizes that the problem does not lie with her child but with the world at large. This is a fascinating and illuminating read.


Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 3)

Myrtle Hardcastle just wanted to enjoy a family amusement at the annual unveiling of Professor Leighton’s Christmas shop display. But when he turns up dead, Myrtle knows she must solve the case. All the clues point to a girl named Olive Blackwell and her strange disappearance many years before that fueled the scandal that ended Leighton’s career. But if Olive is dead, she couldn’t really be back… could she? Who would want to dredge up this ancient case? Will Myrtle be able to find the killer before they exact their full revenge?

I love all the Myrtle Hardcastle books; Myrtle is a fun, likable heroine with plenty of depth to her character! The mystery was fun and twisty, and the clues were well-placed and always kept me guessing and switching suspects. In this one, I especially loved Myrtle’s evolving relationship with her Aunt Helena and her governess, Miss Judson. I also felt that Myrtle’s emotions over this case really showed through in the narrative, which made it really interesting to read. The writing itself is fun and easy to read, making it accessible to any age group. I hope to read more about Myrtle soon!


Castle Gesundheit

If you’re looking for a bit of a silly book, try Castle Gesundheit by Mark Fearing.

There are cats in this book.

A LOT of cats.

And they cause problems.

There’s a baron who is called Baron von Sneeze, and he lives with the cats in his castle (called Castle Gesundheit). The village nearby is called Handkerchief. (Because you sneeze into a handkerchief.)

There’s a girl named Fiona and the rest of the village (including her family) who cannot get any sleep… there’s too much sneezing! They try everything and still they can’t drown out the achoos, snorts, and other loud things out of their ears.
In the end, well, no spoilers, but Fiona comes up with a creative solution.

The pictures were amazing and so was everything else. The pictures really help tell the story. Whether you suffer from allergies or not, you’ll probably be wheezing and snorting over this book… with laughter! We highly recommend Castle Gesundheit book, because it’s so funny. And because of the cats.


Renewed for Murder (A Blue Ridge Library Mystery)

Amy Webber has happily settled into married life with Richard Muir and the two are looking forward to the new chapter in their lives. When her aunt Lydia shows up concerned for her best friend Zelda, they go with her to check things out only to discover a dead body in the woman's garden. As secrets are revealed, the evidence begins to point in Zelda's direction. In order to help her aunt's friend, Amy takes it upon herself to dig into the past and uncover secrets that could make Zelda look even guiltier but could also send her directly to the killer.

Victoria Gilbert does a brilliant job delivering a mystery that dips into the past through the accounts of various characters to events that happened decades ago. As Amy pieces together what a choir, an allergic reaction to a tainted gift, a car crash, and mean girls have in common, she stumbles upon a shocking discovery. The writing is rich in details that paint vivid visuals such as Aunt Lydia's hair being gray while also described as gleaming and smooth as liquid silver. The setting adds to the charm of the characters through an eclectic community and a stunning atmosphere at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.


Louie and Bear in the Land of Anything Goes is about a boy named Louie who gets sucked in a hole, and appears in the Land of Anything Goes. Louie's hamster turns into a bear and fights alongside Louie and saves many kids from a villain named Hairy Larry.

I think other people would like this book because it is really, really, really funny! It is one of those books where you want to keep reading it over and over again. I learned from this book, that if you call a scary thing a funny name, it makes it less scary. The graphics in Louie and Bear in the Land of Anything Goes are cool, and I like the creatures that the author, Brady Smith, drew. Ages six to ten would enjoy this book. I can't wait to read more from the author!


101 Tips To Lighten Your Burden: Practical Advice For Life contains insightful and practical solutions to many of life’s problems. The "tips" are written out, followed by a single paragraph explaining them and sometimes a real-life application on the part of the author. Bonn's advice may read like common sense for most, but for the readers stuck in dark places, it is the revelation needed all along. The topics include self-esteem/believing in yourself, finding your motivation/fixing your mindset, communication, and consistency, along with some religious references to recognizing the role God plays in your life.

As an employee in the mental health field, I can't say enough about having many options for coping with stressors and triggers. I find that people (myself included) will blame a lack of options for their struggles because they can't think of anything else to help. I am so happy that there is a book filled with physical and mental exercises that is small enough to be transported. I commend Bonn on including Christians in 101 Tips To Lighten Your Burden through personal beliefs, God is the ultimate healing tool, and the other choices that are great options to use alongside Him.