A Special Place for Women

As the seasons turn, we all need a selection of good books to read while basking in the remains of sunlight or recuperating after an autumnal walk. These novels are chock full of intriguing friendships, family drama, mysterious societies, sibling secrets, and corporate misdeeds. Each of these current novels will transport you to another time and place, and provide you with great recommendations to share with your own family and friends. Try them!

Emily's House - Amy Belding Brown
The house belongs to an eccentric young woman named Emily Dickinson and the tale is told by her maid, Margaret. The two women form a relationship of sorts, despite their disparate backgrounds and personalities. Maggie was a real person: an Irish immigrant who took the job temporarily but ended up staying for thirty-five years. Instructed by Emily to burn her poems after her death, it is to Margaret’s credit and our benefit that she disobeyed. This novel brings both women vividly to life.

A Hand to Hold in Deep Water - Shawn Nocher
Lacey was lovingly raised by a stepfather after her mother, May, vanished so it makes sense that when her daughter is seriously ill, Lacey goes home for his support. Told both through her point of view and through her mother’s diary entries, we learn the truths that have been hidden from Lacey for thirty years. As she copes with her young child’s medical crisis, she explores what truly matters when it comes to family—whether it was created by biology or by choice.

Damnation Spring - Ash Davidson
In rugged northern California in the 1970s, the Gundersens have long been a family of loggers. The risks that Rich takes in cutting down the huge redwoods are as frightening as the miscarriages and birth defects that his wife and other local women suffer. The toxic pesticides that the logging company uses seem to be to blame. But if the environmentalists win their battles to save the forest, the Gundersens and their neighbors will lose their livelihoods, their way of life. With beauty and danger, tension and heartache, this novel deftly presents the dilemmas that arise in a fiercely independent region.

A Special Place for Women - Laura Hankin
The special place of the title is “Nevertheless”: a women’s only secret club in New York City rumored to be expensive, exclusive, and elite. Freelance journalist Jillian needs a juicy story and decides that working her way into the secret society will give it to her. But she soon learns that powerful people don’t take kindly to being mocked, questioned, or infiltrated! They’ll go to great lengths to protect the darker secrets in their society. A witty novel with a twist that you won’t see coming.

We Are the Brennans - Tracey Lange
If you like family dramas—the secrets they carry and the support they offer even after estrangement—//We Are the Brennans// is for you. When Sunday Brennan is involved in a drunk-driving crash, one of her brothers brings her home to recuperate. She needs more than mending her body though: she hasn’t been back for five years—not since she abruptly left then-boyfriend Kale. Now married, her return creates problems for Kale. Brother Denny owes money to the wrong people as he struggles to open a bar while the other two brothers add their own bits to the family dynamics at work in this uplifting read.


The Summer Job

Beach Reads to Kick Off Summer Roundup

If you’re lucky enough to be escaping lockdown and COVID-related chaos and heading to a beach this summer, then you might just be in need of a few good reads to help you while away the time and relax. Fortunately, there are eleven recent fiction releases that would all make for excellent beach reads.

The Inland Sea by Madeleine Watts

A nameless young woman who dreams of being a writer abandons her plan to study for a doctorate in the aftermath of a messy breakup. She intends to leave her native Sydney and travel, but first she decides to spend a last summer reading novels while sitting on the rocks at Gordons Bay. With her student maintenance funds dwindling, she takes a job in an emergency services call center. Despite the ennui that has been plaguing her, she finds herself becoming increasing affected by the emergency calls that she takes. More worryingly, the emergencies themselves seem to be increasing in magnitude as the summer progresses, ranging from dogs trapped in cars to women hiding from violent partners to raging wildfires. Madeleine Watts skillfully links the overarching failure of authorities to tackle the dangers associated with climate change to the plight of women who seem destined not to be believed in this impactful novel.

The Northern Reach: A Novel by W.S. Winslow

As Edith Baines stares out to sea and visibly mourns her son, it is unclear how much of what she sees is real and how much is a grief-induced hallucination. The Baines family has lived in the small town of Wellbridge, Maine, for generations, and as Edith’s memories of her son drift in and out of focus, so to do the memories and stories of her ancestors and of the other families that have called Wellbridge home for decades: the Moodys, the Martins, and the Edgecombs. Despite the town seeming like the sort of place where everyone knows everything about everyone else, all four families have tragedies, triumphs, secrets, and lies that have been transmitted down through the generations. W.S. Winslow uses a series of interconnecting stories, spanning the period 1904 to 2017, to bring the history, nature, and population of Wellbridge to life.

The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne

Jessica Clayton has spent most of her adult life ensuring that she has as little baggage as possible, whether that baggage be literal “things” or people she has met along the way. A professional declutterer by trade, Jessica focuses her energies on helping other people to shed their burdens, and she does whatever it takes to stay in the present, reluctant to even think about her past in the small town of Cape Sanctuary. However, when a new client requires her help to downsize ahead of a move to that very town, Jessica is forced to revisit her past, including her relationship with younger sister Rachel. RaeAnne Thayne is a prolific and hugely popular romance writer, and this time round, she has crafted a charming and heartwarming tale about second chances and the importance of family.

The Woman in the Sun Hat by Daniel Damiano

Despite being accustomed to being the envy of her friends and neighbors in Cold River, Long Island, Peggy Bubone is forced to recognize just how fragile her life and social position are when her husband is arrested. Almost overnight, she goes from being the rich and rather smug toast of the town to being practically a pariah. With her money and her home suddenly inaccessible, and with no one willing to step in and help, Peggy finds herself and her two children homeless and in dire need of assistance, a situation that causes her to reflect on her past and her difficult start in life. While Daniel Damiano could have turned Peggy’s tale into one of misery and desperation, he has instead crafted a humorous and uplifting story of perseverance and struggle against the odds. Peggy finds a sense of determination that she thought she’d lost, and she does her utmost to build a new and better life for her and her family.

It Happened One Summer: A Novel by Tessa Bailey

When spoiled Hollywood socialite Piper Bellinger causes yet another scandal that is recorded and transmitted far and wide by the paparazzi, her stepfather finally washes his hands of her. After cutting off their allowances, he leaves Piper and her equally spoiled sister with no option but to head to the rural town of Westport, Washington, and run the dive bar that they inherited from their late father. Despite having no head for business and having an almost pathological fear of sleeping in the bunk beds in the only apartment they can afford, Piper is determined to make a success of her exile, particularly after she encounters handsome local sailor Brendan, who makes it clear that he doesn’t think she’ll last five minutes in Westport. Tessa Bailey’s latest novel is a fabulous romcom that gently pokes fun at wannabe star Piper but also allows her to blossom in her new environment.

Island Queen: A Novel by Vanessa Riley

Having been born into slavery on her Irish father’s plantation on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll vows to rise above her circumstances and secure the freedom and prosperity of her mother, her sister, and herself. A remarkably enterprising individual with grit, determination, and a clear understanding of how the world works, Doll leverages whatever potential advantage comes her way and rises up through the social ranks as an entrepreneur, a merchant, and a planter. As she progresses in terms of amassing wealth, she also amasses the attention of a series of men, which leads her to even more exotic locations and exceptional situations. Vanessa Riley has really excelled with this fictionalized account of the extraordinary life and achievements of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a remarkable woman who forged her way from poverty and life as a slave to being one of the richest landowners in the West Indies. Not many people can be said to have truly left their mark on history, but Dorothy certainly did.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent

Dreaming about living someone else’s life can be a pleasant form of escapism, but not many people would go the whole hog, commit a spot of identity theft, and run away from their own life. However, that’s just what Birdy Finch does when she decides to assume her best friend Heather’s identity and take a job at a posh hotel in Scotland. To complicate things, Heather is a world-renowned wine expert, which means Birdy’s new job is going to involve a lot of bluffing about wine-related matters. And to complicate things even further, while in Scotland, Birdy might have finally met a man that she’s romantically interested in, only he thinks she’s Heather. Birdy’s plan might be bonkers, but she’s a pleasant and engaging central character. Lizzy Dent has woven a warm and relatable story around Birdy, and there are plenty of laughs to be had while following her (mis)adventures.

The Bookstore on the Beach: A Novel by Brenda Novak

After her husband disappears while on an assignment for the FBI in Ukraine, Autumn Divac spends eighteen months waiting for him to return home to Tampa, Florida. With the official investigation into his disappearance having stalled and the private detective she hired unable to find any additional information, Autumn is nearing the end of her tether when she decides to take her two teenage children and decamp to her hometown of Sable Beach, Virginia, for the summer. She starts working in the bookstore jointly owned by her mother and her aunt, and she finds herself reconnecting with her first love. A tale of friendship and love with a mystery at its heart, Brenda Novak’s novel follows three generations of women (Autumn, her mother, and her daughter) as they confront past mistakes, make their peace with the present, and look toward the future with hope and humor.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

When Shane Hall and Eva Mercy first met as teenagers, they were two damaged individuals who rapidly fell in love and then enjoyed a whirlwind one-week romance before everything they had crumbled. When they meet again, some fifteen years later, they are both successful writers; Eva is a bestselling author of erotic fiction, while Shane is an award-winning author of literary fiction. After they reconnect at a literary event in New York, where they both take great pains to pretend they don’t know each other, the sparks fly once again and they find themselves embroiled in another passionate week-long romance. Eva wants Shane to return to his home so that her life can return to normal, but before he does so, she wants answers to questions about what happened fifteen years previously. Tia Williams’ latest novel is a thrilling romcom that is darker than most. The story shifts between the past and the present as it explores Shane’s and Eva’s pasts and the reasons why their romance burned out so quickly.

That Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Daisy Shoemaker seems to have it all: a picture-perfect family, a gorgeous home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, a thriving business, and a fulfilling volunteering project. However, appearances can be deceptive and Daisy is far from content. Just as she’s reaching her lowest ebb, Daisy starts receiving emails intended for a woman named Diana Starling, who has an email address almost identical to her own. Diana’s life seems much more exciting than Daisy’s, and when fate throws them together, Daisy relishes the opportunity to form a friendship with Diana. But did they really become acquainted through pure chance? Diana might not really be who she seems, and if that is the case, what does she want with Daisy? This is definitely not a light and frothy read from Jennifer Weiner, but it certainly is a page-turner. Reflective of the #MeToo movement and the importance of accountability, it’s a thought-provoking and timely book.

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter

Having dedicated her youth to caring for her bedridden mother and raising her two siblings, Sophie Lawson has had to give up on following her dreams, particularly her goal of opening a bookshop in the quaint town of Piper’s Cove. However, with her siblings now able to support themselves, Sophie may have the opportunity to pursue her own endeavors, starting with visiting Piper’s Cove again to attend her sister’s wedding. There’s a surprise in store for Sophie though, as the best man turns out to be Aiden Maddox, her high school sweetheart, who dumped her without explanation and then vanished from her life. Thrown together by circumstances, it seems that Sophie and Aiden might get the chance to rekindle their romance, but can she really trust him to stick around this time? Denise Hunter’s novel is set in the quintessential seaside town and the story is packed with endearing characters and heartwarming situations. There’s a romance to root for and the hope that things will work out better for Sophie in the future.


One Day All This Will Be Yours

Adrian Tchaikovsky's One Day All This Will Be Yours begins at the end of time, where a lone man tends to his farm and his pet dinosaur. Or, more accurately, his fleet of robots tend to the farm. The man's real job, it turns out, is to wait around for hapless, desperate time travelers to show up on his doorstep. This is where the time travelers always show up, you see, at time's bottleneck, the farthest a time machine can take a person. The delightfully misanthropic main character (who remains nameless) cleans up his guest, plays host, feeds, entertains, learns what he can about the poor time traveler's past... and then feeds said time traveler to the aforementioned pet dinosaur. As he puts it, "The place literally does run itself."

Tchaikovsky's latest work continues in the footsteps of his previous Solaris-published novellas, combining out-of-this-world setups with plenty of sharp wit and dark humor. The story evolves quickly, sending the reluctant main character on his own adventures through time and space, pestering ancient philosophers, attending legendary concerts, and arguing with himself in meetings. The book is mercifully light on technobabble, relying instead on bombastic scenarios to keep things moving. Science fiction fans are sure to blast through it in no time, laughing all the way.


How to Kidnap the Rich: A Novel

Ramesh Kumar works in his father's tea stall in Old Delhi, his life nothing but frequent beatings and long days grinding spices and learning the ways of a low-caste Indian – lying, cheating, bargaining.  His chance to move up in the world comes when Sister Claire semi-adopts him and introduces him to an otherwise inaccessible world of knowledge. He takes to it like a duck to water but, after her death, (mis)uses his talents to sit examinations for the lazy or stupid sons of Delhi's middle class. His life changes forever when one of his fraudulent submissions earns first place in the All Indias, the national university entrance exams. This paves the way for an outrageous scam in the form of a top-rated TV show, soon followed by multiple kidnappings and a love story. The escapades, surely possible only in Rahul Raina’s marvelous rendering of India, pit the haves against the have-nots, with the would-be haves, like Ramesh, stuck firmly in the middle. What makes How to Kidnap the Rich such an enjoyable read is not only Ramesh’s adventures but also the riotous way his story is told – comical accounts of incidents, self-deprecating quips, telling put-downs of fat-cat politicians, and numerous disparaging comments about Westernized Indians. Great fun.


The Inland Sea: A Novel


The Simushir Island Incident

Most of us know little to nothing about North Korea. In The Simushir Island Incident, the totalitarian leadership of that nation is intimately connected to a massive drug cartel, operating in an atmosphere of political ambition and desperate bids for survival. This book offers a sweeping action story set in the mid-nineties, featuring Josh Haman, an ambitious Navy officer who aims to reach the rank of Admiral before he retires. (Haman is also featured in several other novels by the same author.) His perilous path intersects with an immense North Korean heroin smuggling operation based from Simushir Island in the Sea of Okhotsk. To reach as many customers as possible, the smugglers make arrangements with Chinese and Mexican operations to distribute their “Asian pure”. But who can truly be trusted when dealing with thugs and thieves?

The two North Koreans who came up with the idea of using the island as their base have a brilliant plan in mind. By freeing themselves from the confines of their nation, they just might be able to safely defect. But only if they can continue to wield just the right amount of power—enough to carry out their scheme, and not so much that a jealous rival will wipe them out.
As I read, I kept picturing how this book could be an action movie starring Tom Cruise as Haman. And there is plenty of action here: assassins bearing swords and guns, missiles, submarines, helicopters, jets, North Korean defectors who may or may not be spies, drug deals gone wrong, torpedoes—along with episodes of political double-dealing as characters strive to improve their own circumstances or bring down their rivals. Like in many Hollywood films, some of the female characters are here primarily to spice up the proceedings with a bit of sex. However, the Navy wives and families are portrayed with sympathy and a more well-rounded approach, showing how they must endure the extended absences of their husbands and fathers.

To aid the reader, a few maps and photos are included, as well as a brief history of how North and South Korea came to be divided and another of the Soviet submarine base that once operated from the island. The drama unfolds through seventeen gripping chapters, with a healthy mixture of dialogue, newspaper accounts and other documents, and an abundance of action.

The author is clearly familiar with Navy operations and combat, along with understanding this particular slice of history. This fast-paced page-turner is sure to please readers who enjoy military action tales that contain loads of intrigue.


Girl A: A Novel

At fifteen, Girl A, Lex Gracie, escaped from a hellish child abuse situation in which she and her six siblings were restrained in their bedrooms, starved, and abused by their parents. Once Lex escaped, her siblings were liberated by the authorities, and each was adopted by a different family. Now a successful lawyer, Lex has managed to overcome her sordid childhood with the help of an unconventional therapist, though not all of her siblings managed to transcend their roots so successfully. Lex is summoned from her home in New York back to England when her imprisoned mother dies, naming Lex as executor of the estate. The family house is still standing--and Lex must figure out what to do with it. Revisiting that house of horrors, and reconnecting with her siblings, shakes Lex’s core, and the darkest demons of her life reemerge.

Girl A is structured as a dizzying back-and-forth between past and present, which feels correct for a book about childhood trauma: memory triggers are everywhere. The specific abuses that the Gracie children suffer are never spelled out entirely, and they’re all the more horrific for being left to the imagination. Novels don’t get much darker and more disturbing than Girl A. It’s unforgettable.


Find You First: A Novel

Linwood Barclay just might be one of my new favorite authors. Find You First grabbed me from the very beginning. Miles Cookson is a tech millionaire who has just found out that he has an awful disease. Remembering that he donated sperm many years ago to a sperm bank, he sets out to find his biological children. The problem is, it seems like someone else is looking for them as well, and now they are disappearing one by one.

The book is written in chapters according to where certain events take place. Although it is written in the third person, the reader is given the viewpoints of the kidnappers/killers; Miles and his daughter Chloe; Caroline, Miles's evil sister-in-law; and Doctor Gold from the sperm bank. It is obvious how all these characters are connected; however, other chapters are about a man named Jeremy Pritkin, an eccentric who enjoys the company of young girls, which is extremely creepy.

I loved how Barclay developed all the characters so well and did not rush the storyline. The story was intricate yet realistic, and I was left guessing until the very end. It's an absolute must-read book for fans of Harlen Coben.


Cathedral of Bones

Simon is working at the Foundation sorting mail when he receives a letter requesting aid from the small village of Splithead Creek. They say a fearsome beast has taken up residence in the mountains, and they need someone to help rid them of the nuisance. The Foundation is unwilling to help, but for Simon, it is exactly the challenge he has been looking for!

Although Simon is not technically an Animist, he feels up to the challenge of taking on the shape-shifter. But all is not as it seems.  Simon finds out the shape-shifter, Alice, does not remember anything about her past, except that she was once a normal human. Who or what is creating these monsters, and for what purpose? Can Simon solve the puzzle and find justice for Alice and others like her?

I liked this book because it was entertaining and had an interesting storyline. The setting was written in such a way that reading this book was an immersive experience.  I felt like I was traveling through the hamlets with Simon. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced, easy-to-read adventure!


42 Today: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy (Washington Mews Books)

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Roosevelt Robinson stepped onto the field as the first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, forever changing baseball. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, becoming the first Black athlete in America’s pastime, single-handedly integrating the sport.

42 Today: Jackie Robinson and his Legacy dives into the unvarnished truth about the legendary athlete, beyond his impact on baseball. Editor Michael G. Long curated thirteen essays written by insightful writers who explore critical moments from Robinson’s youth and career, as they explicate Robinson’s long-lasting impact on the ethos of American sports. The book explores Robinson’s faith, politics, and civil rights activism, making it an enlightening read for anyone who values the lessons of hard-fought racial integration in American society.

Renowned sports writers, journalists, professors, and activists who contributed to the volume do not breeze over the racism that Robinson endured during his career. Howard Bryant explores the legend’s “uncompromising sense of equality” in “The Owner.” Yohuru Williams examines Robinson’s contributions to the Black freedom movement in “I’ve Got To Be Me.” Jonathan Eig’s “Telling it the Right Way” dispels the myth that Robinson was wholeheartedly welcomed and supported by his White teammates. Collectively, the essays offer an intimate and complex portrait of Jackie Robinson as a sports legend and a political actor: an outspoken voice in the civil rights movement, practicing nonviolence, and advocating for racial justice.


A Crooked Tree: A Novel

A Crooked Tree, Una Mannion's debut novel, is a beautifully written book about a family of Irish-American children who set out to find the man who kidnapped their sister. Ellen is acting up in the car one day when her mother decides to let her out at the side of the road. Siblings Marie, Thomas, Libby, and Beatrice are in shock when their mother does this but say nothing as they drive home, leaving Ellen behind. When they find Ellen, she is badly bruised and cut up, and she tells them that she hitchhiked and got into a man's car. The man started touching her leg and even though she asked him to stop the car, he wouldn't. She ended up jumping out of the car, getting herself bloodied in the process.

The story is seen through the eyes of Libby Gallagher as she and her siblings and a bad boy named Wilson set out to find the man they call the Barbie Man. The reader follows Libby through a first kiss, uncovering information about some of the parents she knows, and other coming-of-age happenings. At times, it seems like the book veers from the main storyline of finding Ellen's abductor because there is so much going on with the family in their daily lives.

Overall, this is a wonderful read with engaging characters.


George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father

In 1757, George Washington was at a fork in the road in his career and life. He helped lead militias in bloody skirmishes against French and Indian troops but had been on the losing end. At twenty-five years of age, he was in ill health(dysentery) and his momentum was stalled. He decided to leave the battlefield behind and return home. His maturity as a leader grew when he undertook a career in politics. By the time he assumed leadership of the Continental Army in 1775, George Washington emerged as a different person.

He not only led his soldiers but watched over them and fought for their rights. Washington’s victories and defeats often followed in lockstep, yet his perseverance defined him. His resolute leadership stood out for the rest of America to view and later seek as a leader.

George Washington’s life has been written about & at times mythologized for hundreds of years, which often downplays his trials and tribulations. Author David O. Stewart remedies this with his outstanding biography. Washington’s life is never dull, whether weathering frigid Valley Forge or blocking internal coup attempts. He is enigmatic as he fought for liberty while running a farm with slave labor. Washington remains a transfixing figure. This is a biography not to be missed.


Stella's Stellar Hair

Stella’s Stellar Hair is about a young girl who wants her hair to look perfect for the Big Star Little Gala. She doesn't want her mom to fix it like she normally does. Her mom tells her one of her aunts can probably help so Stella hops on her hoverboard and travels to Mercury where Aunt Ofelia gives her a poofy smooth style. Stella loves the style but it is just not her. She travels to her aunts on all the planets to get her hair done in many different styles but all the styles she gets are just not her. Finally, she travels to an aunt who lives closest to the sun and gets some advice that lets her be herself. Buy the book and join Stella on a cosmic adventure exploring the many planets of our galaxy to discover that it is okay to try something new and always be true to you. This is a good book for kids ages two to nine who enjoy cosmic adventures. It teaches an important lesson about self-discovery and accepting yourself just as you are. Stella’s Stellar Hair is a perfect bedtime story for that special little person in your life.


Laziness Does Not Exist

The coronavirus pandemic has given us a lot to worry about: getting sick, managing relationships from a distance, taking care of kids while working from home. With all of these things to juggle, people are running into another worry, too: the worry that they’re not being productive enough, and that this lack of productivity makes them lazy and worthless. Social psychologist Devon Price terms this the laziness lie—the notion that our worth is tied up in our productivity, that our limits aren’t to be trusted, and that there’s always more we could be doing. In Laziness Does Not Exist, Price reveals all the ways these beliefs are misguided and offers suggestions for how to free oneself from the hold of the laziness lie.

Drawing on social science research and interviews with mental health professionals and former believers of the laziness lie, Price unpacks the ways that feelings of laziness can signal that we need rest or boundaries, encouraging people to listen to their limits at work and in relationships. Price appropriately attends to the role of structural factors of capitalism while also offering individual-level suggestions that readers can implement immediately. Laziness Does Not Exist advocates for compassion in a world that keeps asking more and more of us.


Lincoln's Mentors: The Education of a Leader

The book is largely a disappointment. Gerhardt, of all the constitutional scholars today, possesses the license and certainly the knowledge to write the bold truth about the advice Lincoln chose not to take--advice that might well have saved the lives of 880,000 Americans and the most devastating economic disaster in our nation's history.

Instead, like so many other well-meaning books about Lincoln, Gerhardt glosses over the fact the United States is the only nation in the civilized world that required a war to abolish slavery.

An example of Gerhardt's misleading presentation is the attack on Fort Sumter, which is generally accepted as the start of the Civil War. Although Gerhardt mentions General Winfield Scott's letter recommending that the Fort be abandoned without a fight, the author fails to mention the rest of General Scott's advice for avoiding the Civil War, known as the Anaconda Plan. This strategy would have strangled the South economically and brought the Confederacy back to the Union peaceably.

Ironically, Lincoln tries to emulate Jackson, the man he labeled King Mob, as soon as he is faced with a crisis as President. Jackson put down South Carolina's attempt to secede in 1832, but Lincoln lacked the military moxie of Old Hickory. Even though Gerhardt lays out these facts, he does not explain how Lincoln's refusal to listen to the Union's commanding general escalated the war by compelling four more southern states to secede.

All of this begs the question: Did Gerhardt rush the writing of this book, or did he lack the courage to reveal the true ugly history of political science at its' worst?


Sisters of the Resistance: A Novel of Catherine Dior's Paris Spy Network was an enjoyable book if you were looking for romantic chick lit, but as far as historical fiction goes it was a little lacking. The book is just over four hundred pages long and I don’t feel that the author scratched the surface of the activities of the members of the resistance.   Instead, much time was spent reading about how the characters feel and how frightened they were that they might be captured, tortured, and killed.  I feel that the triplicate of fear was repeated far too many times in the book and as the reader, you can remember that they feared getting caught.  The most intriguing part of the book was the author’s write-up about the book and the research she went through. It’s a shame she wasn’t able to use it in a way that made the book more interesting and inclusive of the resistance activities. The book is a good read for the beach, or poolside, but overall not a very interesting work of historical fiction.


Wolfboy

The moon is full and Wolfboy is HUNGRY! He walks through the woods calling for the rabbits. “Rabbits, rabbits! Where are you?” Wolfboy splashes through creeks, and he climbs up an old oak, calling for the rabbits at every turn. He is hungry and huffy and drooly. Wolfboy slogs through a soggy bog and leaps over a ravine, calling for the rabbits with each step. He is hungry and huffy and drooly and growly and fussy. And then, in the light of the full moon, he sees a pair of long ears and a cottony tail. Has he found the rabbits at last? What does this mean for the cute little fluffy rabbits?

Andy Harkness has created quite the picture book experience for little ones. They will love the tension the text builds and the humor throughout. The clever illustrations—a combination of painted backgrounds and clay art—will keep kiddies' eyes on the pages, and they will love finding the hidden rabbits. This is the kind of book that will become a favorite and be asked for over and over, but it is so much fun, the adults reading the book won’t mind repeating it.


Anonymouse

Someone is transforming the city with some unusual art, and the city residents have taken notice—not the people, but the animals. A city mouse and a colony of bats, the birds and dogs, raccoons and squirrels, and even the ants. This new street art is everywhere, making all the city animals think about their environment in a new way. The only clue is a name: Anonymouse. Then, one day, there is no further sign of Anonymouse, and the city animals are worried. “After all, the city can be dangerous for animals.”

Vikki VanSickle’s charming and mysterious Anonymouse finds beauty in the crowded, industrial skyline as well as in the sewers and the littered streets below. Anna Pirolli’s sandy-colored tones and dark browns highlight Anonymouse’s bright pink creations, which pop off the page. She also adds humorous details, such as Batman in pink polka dot boxers. With a nod to Banksy, VanSickle gives young readers some beautiful themes to ponder. It's a fun story about how art can inspire and unite and, sometimes, even change our perspective on the world.


Black Widows: A Domestic Thriller

Black Widows is an intriguing story about three women who are married to the same man, Blake Nelson. Living in an off-the-grid ranch house, Rachel, Tina, and Emily are sister wives. Blake has gone against his family and the laws of the Mormon elders and decided to be a polygamist. Then one day, he turns up dead. What seems like a rather simple mystery to solve, given that only his three wives and the realtor who sold Blake the house know where the house is, turns out to be twisty and complicated.

Black Widows is narrated by all three wives and it is hard to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth. Rachel is the first wife, and she has a very strict regiment for the household. Tina is a rather loose Vegas girl trying to reform herself. And Emily is the sweet, creative, naive, young one.

This book will have you wondering all the way through as to who killed Blake. With police clues thrown in here and there, it is still difficult for the reader to solve the mystery. It is an engaging read for fans of suspenseful mystery/crime thrillers.


What to Eat When You Want to Get Pregnant: A Science-based 4-week Program to Boost Your Fertility with Nutrition

Getting pregnant seems like it should be such a straightforward thing, but for many people, it’s not. While there are many factors that can affect fertility (age, body weight/makeup, personal habits such as smoking), less well known is how the foods we eat impact our chances of attaining pregnancy.

In What to Eat When You Want to Get Pregnant, doctor, scientist, and nutritional expert Nicole Avena explores just this subject, breaking down the most recent science on which foods boost fertility and which ones can be a hindrance. Readers (female and male) will learn about which nutrients they should be emphasizing in their diets to increase their chances of getting pregnant as well as what foods can be a good source of those nutrients.

Avena also includes a specially designed four-week eating program to help anyone boost their own fertility, which focuses not only on the best foods to eat but also on helping develop and maintain a healthy attitude towards food and eating in general. Readers will appreciate the many recipes offered to help implement this plan, including delicious-sounding options like Easy Turmeric Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini Bowl; Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings” with Avocado Aioli Dipping Sauce; and Salmon and Yukon Gold Potato Hash.

This book is an excellent resource for anybody who wants to be a parent!


The Downstairs Neighbor

Emma is The Downstairs Neighbor to the seemingly perfect family of Steph, Paul and their teenage daughter Freya. Freya goes missing and the police begin to question everyone in the building. Emma, Steph, Paul and the other tenants have their secrets. The question is which secret is the one related to Freya’s disappearance. How far would you go to protect those you love? How many secrets and lies would you tell? What would you do when it all begins to come crashing down around you?

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional debut by Helen Cooper. I would have loved to describe it better, but I don’t want to give anything away. I loved the multiple points of view. It allowed you more insight into each of the characters and what their secret was, as well as why they thought it was best that they keep it. While this is a mystery, I would describe it as more of a drama. It powerfully displays how we often think secrets are the best way to protect those we love, but they often cause more damage than good. I highly recommend you read this story for yourself.


It’s Not You, It’s BFJ, one of the eleven humorous short stories in Gregg Greenberg’s collection, F*cking Argentina and 10 More Tales of Exasperation, has the protagonist breaking up with the love of his life because he can’t abide she’s a huge fan of Billy Joel. The author cleverly works seven of the artist’s hit song titles into the story for emphasis.

This is only one example of Greenberg’s whacky wit that will have you chuckling with relatable moments. “You may be right, (he) may be crazy”, but since “(I) Didn’t Start the Fire”, I’m using the occasional lyric or title from a Joel song where appropriate in this review.

“Honesty is something seldom heard”, but it rings true in Weinberger’s Back-to-School Night, a tortuous tale of a father attending back-to-school night for parents of children in kindergarten.

In F*cking Argentina, the South American country is anthropomorphically depicted as a deadbeat trying to hit up a wealthy acquaintance for a loan. Historically it appears that’s “Just the way (they) are."

Greenberg is “Only Human” and “allowed to make (his) share of mistakes” and he does. You have to be a Broadway buff to understand the significance of Officer Krupke Strikes Back and even then it’s not funny.

Likewise, it’s a double fault for A Journeyman Tennis Player’s Prayer. A very select audience may enjoy this but not being one of them I can’t attest to their sense of humor.

Malodor on the Number Five Express is also a bit off. The whiff of intolerance and elitism emanating from the protagonist isn’t appealing.

But Greenberg recovers with The Last Couples Dinner. It’s about the guy we all know, the “Big Shot”, who has to have “the last word, last night … know(s) what everything's about”.

A dutiful son accompanies his elderly mother to a stage performance only to discover upon leaving the theatre she’s forgotten her handbag. You may have “Seen the Lights Go Out On Broadway”, but it’s nothing compared to the pandemonium created by a lost purse, effectively conveyed in Panic in Shubert Alley. A Side of Exasperation on the NJ Turnpike could be described as a high-maintenance-family, fast food fiasco exacerbated by the “Pressure” of “you never-ever-ever stop the car when you are making great time”.

In Back Off Baxter! the author missed the opportunity to develop this frustration into a “Karen” pet confrontation. Instead, it’s the protagonist’s daughter who challenges the pet owner and “Tell(s) Her About It”.

Little Timmy’s Birthday Battle is presented as texts between parents, one at home and one in the car with his son trying to find the location of Timmy’s birthday party. Not being a rabid texter like the rest of the world, I had to go on online to look up the meaning of the text abbreviations and acronyms. Suffice to say, that kills the spontaneity of humor. BOMEI (But others might enjoy it).

The stories in F*cking Argentina are flawlessly written, well-structured, and a welcome respite. Something I haven’t seen “For the Longest Time”. The perfect anecdote if you’re taking yourself and your circumstances too seriously.


Rumspringa

In this sequel to Closer Than You Think, we find psychologist Bryce Davison trying to self-heal from past trauma while also helping his patients. His practice is growing and he is enjoying his newfound fame. Flawed but caring and compassionate, he works hard to rebuild his life with the support of family and friends and of course, his Basset Hound, Maxine.

A young Amish man, Josef, whom he has crossed paths with, develops an unhealthy obsession with him that escalates into violent behavior. He decides to take a Rumspringa, a rite of passage in some Amish communities where adolescents get to experience life outside of their community. Even though this is frowned upon in his community and he is much too old, he decides to do it anyway. We follow his journey to CA and back and his descent into madness and murder.

I would recommend reading the first book in this series before this one. Although the author did a good job catching the reader up on past events, I still felt like I was missing something. This is a nail-biting psychological thriller with intense scenes. There were points in the story where I gasped out loud. Not a dull moment to be had in this one. The short chapters made the story seem a bit choppy, but it also kept the pace moving and made it an easy read. The simultaneous storylines were well written and kept you guessing. I enjoyed seeing both the point of view of our villain and hero. Dr. Davison is a well-rounded and endearing character; I was completely invested in his story from the beginning. In contrast, Josef is a bomb waiting to go off. He has an inflated sense of self-importance and believes he is God’s gift to everyone. Then the suspense builds until the two storylines finally intersect. This book is full of great psychological insights and offers a unique perspective from a clinical standpoint rather than most books that give us a profiler’s point of view. Though mostly a thriller, there are uplifting points in this story—not all the minds Dr. Davison works with are broken. Dr. Davison also has a great sense of humor, so there is much-needed levity throughout. Of course, the real star of the story is Max; I enjoyed her antics. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers.


Last Stands: Why Men Fight When All Is Lost

What makes last stands memorable? Is it the loyalty of the forlorn soldier digging in despite impossible odds? Last stands have been waged throughout history, usually resulting in a rout of the defeated force. Yet, the loss of the battle has not necessarily meant the end of the war. One of the primal instincts men possess is to wage war. War is an equalizer, balancing the chaos in humanity. Throughout history, empires have dominated throughout the world, from Ancient Greece to Rome to France and Britain. The overwhelming dominance of these empires has been checked with key battles where the last stand has been a factor. A line in the sand might seem hopeless but often appears noble and galvanizing. Whether fighting to stave off aggression (Thermopylae), resisting mortal enemies (Masada), or miscalculating your opponent (Little Big Horn), the waging of a penultimate battle resonates throughout time.

Last Stands provides a thought-provoking timeline of the evolution of man’s belligerent nature. Author Michael Walsh waxes nostalgic on the past where war defined manhood. The author encapsulates the past with each battle cited, illustrating the pros and cons of each side’s strategy and giving the reader grist for the mill. This is a truly enjoyable read.


From the first heart transplant to the federal courts of New York City, these four reads take an in-depth look at the death of Bruce Tucker, the transition of America into a one-click society, the groundbreaking work of William Smith, and the callousness of a billion-dollar industry.

The Districts: Stories of American Justice from the Federal Courts – Johnny Dwyer

Delve into this comprehensive look into the court system within Manhattan and Brooklyn. The two federal courts of Southern District Court and Eastern District Court keep order in New York City. Johnny Dwyer provides multiple stories as examples that range from a Mafioso in Queens helping depose of a body to a college student caught at the JFK airport with cocaine to a Manhattan hedge fund manager that lies to investors. Dwyer takes an in-depth exploration of the courtrooms through the lives of the judges, attorneys, prosecutors, and defendants. The crimes mentioned in the book include drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and white-collar crime. /The Districts/ takes a hard and honest look at intent, deception, justice, and reasonable doubt.

The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South – Chip Jones

Chip Jones recounts the horrific events surrounding the first heart transplant which occurred in 1968 when Bruce Tucker, a black man, went to the top hospital in Virginia after a head injury only to have his heart removed and placed inside a white businessman. This book from Pulitzer Price-nominee journalist delves into Tucker's death and how he became a human guinea pig without his family knowing. These events reflect a long history of the mistreatment African Americans have endeared which began over a century ago with horrific actions including cadaver harvesting. The 1960s saw a race for the first successful heart transplants in a book that balances medical history, legal drama, and the issues of life and death told through the lens of racial injustice that has been around for centuries. Also included is a forward from Ben Jealous who is a social justice activist.

Strata: William Smith's Geological Maps – Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Full-color geological map illustrations, geological cross-sections, strata tables, fossil illustrations, and photographs are included within /Strata: William Smith's Geological Maps/. Also included in /Strata/ is Smith's 1799 geological map of Bath, detailed stratigraphical country maps, and the groundbreaking map of strata. The information is thanks to a variety of sources such as the London Natural History Museum, the Geological Society, and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This includes the first complete presentation of the revolutionary work of William Smith, a geologist, from the nineteenth century. He's considered the father of English geology. This book illustrates the career of William Smith as he went from an apprentice to a surveyor and collector of fossils and even his imprisonment over debt problems. An introduction from Douglas Palmer describes Smith's work as it relates to structure specifically towards geographical mapping and theories of biostratigraphical. The book is divided into four parts and contains sheets from Smith's 1815 hand-colored map, cross-sections, and fossil illustrations. Between each section are essays commenting on Smith's work in areas of hydrology, mining, cartography, and agriculture. This testament to Smith's career includes a forward from Robert Macfarlane and an awe-inspiring collection.

Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America – Alec MacGillis

Upton Sinclair published a novel with the subtitle /A Story of Ford-America/ which called out a billion-dollar company for how it underpaid employees and had dangerous working conditions. Going forward eighty-three years, Amazon.com has well over a trillion dollars while Ford Motor Company is worth around thirty billion dollars. One-click America has intensified under the pandemic of the Coronavirus due to the increase in online shopping. As Amazon grows through deliveries, corporate campuses, and data centers, a separation between winner and loser cities begins to grow. The book focuses on the fabric of society unraveling which is told through stories about those that have succeeded and those that haven't. These examples include high-paid Seattle workers in offices where a black neighborhood once was, Virginia homeowners that work against a data center that could damage their local environment, and an El Paso office supply firm that works against Amazon's governmental procurement. MacGillis also includes in /Fulfillment/ how Amazon become a Washington D.C. force, the growing inequality between the poor and rich, and how every click online is remaking America.


Everyday Mojo Songs of Earth: New and Selected Poems

Redolent with references and deep with imagery, Everyday Mojo Songs of Earth, the latest collection of poems from Yusef Komunyakaa is the kind of rich and challenging work readers have come to expect from the internationally known poet.

The newest poems traffic beautifully in the language of the body, of blood and sweat and what it means to work, the toll labor takes, and the lives we construct as time passes us. Walt Whitman is echoed in “A Prayer for Workers,” and the deep South rings out through “The Soul’s Soundtrack”: “words / follow the river through pine / & oak, muscadine & redbud, / & the extinct Lord God bird.”

But, if you are considering this publication solely for new work, the book has little to offer. The majority is comprised of poems that have appeared in collections published in the last twenty years. If you are new to Komunyakaa, though, this is an excellent primer on one of the most important working American poets.


Escape: One Day We Had to Run

Ming and Wah, Illustrated by Carmen Vela

Escape: One Day We Had to Run tells the courageous stories of those who defied the odds and escaped from unfathomable conditions in order to find safe refuge. Their plights span a one hundred and seventy-one-year time period, beginning with the remarkable voyage of Harriet Tubman and those she aided who risked their lives and separation from their families to escape the reigns of slavery. In 2015, Yusra and Sara Martinis’ extraordinary efforts carried them from the war-torn city of Damascus to Turkey, Greece, and on to Germany where Yusra competed in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games. These are just two of a plethora of extraordinary exodus’s highlighted by Ming & Wah.

This is a compelling and inspiring book that contains an array of personal accounts of heroic value, many of which aren’t included in elementary school textbooks. These individual stories provide a rich historical lens into the past. They’re marked by acts of determination, bravery, and fortitude and are likely to provoke heartfelt dialogue and questions from young children. The material is ideal for upper-elementary and middle school classrooms, and because each narrative can stand alone, the text can be divided for group projects. This will undoubtedly be an invaluable resource for educators and students alike.


The New Baby Revised Edition: An activity book for soon-to-be big brothers and sisters

The New Baby Activity book is perfect for preparing children to be a big brother or sister. This book has many great activities to color such as what will be baby be like and information about our family now. It is stressful becoming a big brother and this activity book has helped me to navigate the changes that will be happening in my family soon. I get to learn and read fun facts about how the baby is growing and changing every month. I also like getting to draw myself and what I think my baby sister might look like, or what kind of hair or eyes she will have. My favorite activity in the book is completing the family tree. This is a fun way to see how our family has grown and changed as time goes on. This is a great book to help kids get excited and learn how to be a better big brother or sister. I like the tips in the book, like how to hold a baby, feed the baby, and swaddle the baby in a blanket. I recommend this book for all parents to buy for the older sibling!


I Am Loved

As he wonders what may lie ahead, Pakak holds on mightily to his teddy bear. He’s just moved in with a foster family and feels afraid of the unknown, although he soon discovers that it isn’t so terrible after all. He spends a day sledding in the snow and munches on delicious Chinese food for dinner. When darkness does threaten to overcome him, he remembers the words of his anaanattiaq (grandmother) when she whispered in his ear: “Naglingniq qaikautigijuannaqtuq maannakautigi!” In their native Inuit language it means "Love can travel anywhere in an instant!" These words assure him he’s loved, even if from a distance.

This is a thoughtful tale about a young boy who longs for home. He deeply misses his mother, whose picture sits beside his bed, serving as a reminder of the life he knew before their separation. Youngsters who’ve experienced loss will be touched by his story. Children aged five to nine who are empathetic as to the adversities of others will be profoundly heartened by it too. I Am Loved is an ideal book for promoting meaningful dialogue in early elementary school classrooms as well as providing insights into the Inuit culture and language.


Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice

Edited by Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian

This book really depends on where a teacher is teaching to really make an impact. The importance of teaching about minorities and their experiences is important for more urban school districts but might not find as much traction in rural school districts, which might face pushback from parents. This book looks at how educators, students, and community leaders can make the lives of black students and black historical figures matter at school and to put them into the curriculum. Something the editors of the volume say has not been the case for decades, as the American educational system is designed to talk about great white Americans, but not to talk about anyone else. Depending on what side of the political divide one stands on, and what part of the country one lives in, will really determine how one will approach this work. This collection builds on the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been reaching out to the schools to impart change for the next generation, while at the same time, fighting for social justice for all.


Red Island House: A Novel

The best plans take you to stunning places around the world and this summer you can take the perfect trip all without leaving your home. From a sexy adventure in Italy to a suspenseful journey in Greece, these amazing authors will take you on thought-provoking and compelling journeys. You can traipse to the city of Barcelona in a tale of longing, meet a man that doesn't exist on Frick Island, lose technology in Lincolnwood, and even dip back in time to the 2008 financial crisis. Each of these literary reads would make for the perfect summertime treat.

The Weary God of Ancient Travelers – Jessica Stilling

A suspenseful read that follows a woman with no memory except for her arrival in Santorini with a man she's drawn to trust. How can she trust this mysterious man if she doesn't even remember his name? She navigates her own mind in search of her past and identity which is a journey derailed by memories of a life that wasn't hers. Jessica Stilling sets the story among a backdrop of stunning scenes of Greece described as being almost visceral with a unique compilation of romance, mystery, and self-inspection. /The Weary God of Ancient Travelers/ is considered compelling as the story weaves between her past life to her present one and set upon descriptions of Greece that come to life off the page.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island – Colleen Oakley

Frick Island is where Piper Parrish has made home, living what's considered an almost idealistic life. The only downside to the beauty of her life is the fact that her husband Tom is dead and has been since his boat capsized. You wouldn't know such sadness has rocked Piper's life as the widow has carried on as if her husband was still alive and well. Not only does she act as if he's present for meals, taking walks to the docks with him, and keeping their regular meetings, but the entire town indulges her by pretending that nothing has changed. Enter Anders Caldwell who thought he would be a podcast star by now, instead, he's stuck writing fluff news stories. Then he gets an assignment that brings him to Frick Island where he'll cover yet another fluff piece. While he's writing about the joys of a Cake Walk fundraiser, he discovers that the entire town pretends that a dead man is still alive. This strange behavior draws him back to the island to investigate where he meets Piper and discovers more than just a story.

My Year Abroad – Chang-rae Lee

Tiller is what you'd considered being a normal student in college and is known for being good, but he has one problem. He's bored and has no interest in what college has to offer then Pong Lou enters his life. Pong is a successful Chinese American entrepreneur who quickly takes him under his wing and even takes him on an incredible trip throughout Asia. This delivers a story that is ripe with darkness, humorous, and possesses a suspenseful journey that transforms Tiller from a common student to a protege excited to see the world. His experiences throughout his vacation open his eyes to another side of himself and change how he sees Pong while crafting a new way for him to understand the world. Lee's prose is considered to be precise and elliptical, told through alternating narratives which weaves between Tiller's year abroad, his reflection upon how the trip affects his future, and the domestic life that he settles into upon returning home. His year abroad is described as riveting with a deep emotional complexity that delivers a brilliant commentary that Chang-rae Lee implores about Western attitudes and Eastern stereotypes. The story covers themes such as mental well-being, capitalism, parenthood, global trade, and being a mentor while also delving into the effects of cultural immersion through Tiller's experiences being American in China and Pong's experiences being Chinese in America.

Shaky Town – Lou Matthews

/Shaky Town/ is a timeless story that focuses on the working-class residing within Los Angeles and told in the writing style of Lou Matthews who uses his time as a street racer and mechanic reflected within the prose. The plot is told through a panoramic style that revolves around the various characters residing within a Los Angeles neighborhood and is explored through individual tales about tragedy and glory. Each of the characters is driven by their environment which features a shaky faultline with an assortment of personalities including a girl caught up in a gang war and a priest caught in the middle of a crisis of faith. The characters are connected to each other by the bond they have within the neighborhood which is brought to life through their complications and conflicts.

Barcelona Dreaming – Rupert Thomson

Journey back to 2008 where you'll find yourself on the eve of the financial crisis in a tale of three stories that feature a rich assortment of personalities and a connection by time. The story weaves throughout three distinct stories that interlock. Get to know a gift shop-owning English woman, a jazz pianist that suffers from alcoholism, and a translator tormented by love not returned. Each of these individuals faces a journey that changes everything they know and each of their stories is centered around a Moroccan immigrant that has suffered at the hands of a crime. Themes featured in /Barcelona Dreaming/ include immigration, self-delusion, racism, addiction, and longing. Rupert Thomson delivers a book about those longing for something out of reach and the nostalgia that we have for what we've lost. This stunning summer treat also serves as a love letter to the stunning city of Barcelona.

A Not So Lonely Planet – Karina Kennedy

Marina Taylor is a writer that has big dreams to write her dream book /Italian Women of Influence/ which is in the works with an incredible journey ahead of her and a ticket that will send her on vacation to Rome. Her plans quickly veer thanks to her knack for finding disaster and her attraction to a handsome stranger. Marina takes a note from actress Regina Lombardi as she's inspired to master the art of the sexual gaze while she weaves her focus between research for her book and an assortment of alluring characters from footballers to scholars to Sicilian twins. She embarks on an adventure that takes her throughout the nightclub scene to a masquerade ball while she finds herself longing for a handsome photographer in a game of catch the stranger. Her escapades send her from one thrill to the next and leave her wondering about her sweet ex back home while she indulges in the sexy adventure that awaits her in Italy's amazing cities.

Spinning to Mars – Meg Pokrass

This is a collection of linked stories that will create the feeling of being immersed within the literary worlds that Meg Pokrass has delivered. The assortment of stories provided will take you off to Mars thanks to the language of the writing that creates biting insight with each one. /Spinning to Mars/ consists of what is considered to be Micro stories and is considered to be a short read with experiences that are illuminating and notable. The stories are chilling as well as humorous with a focus on human relationships through the gifts, surprises, and unfairness they can bring. Pokrass has written several collections of flash fiction including “The Dog Looks Happy Upside Down,” “Alice in Wonderland Syndrome,” and “The Loss Detector.”

Red Island House – Andrea Lee

Journey to the island of Madagascar through the eyes of a Black American woman in an epic tale that explores the dangers of love against the backdrop of paradise. Shay is a professor that finds love with the handsome Italian businessman named Senna and soon the two get married. The next character of her life takes her far from home when they leave Milan for life in Madagascar where they settle down in an idyllic life on the beach. They build a gorgeous vacation villa and Shay soon finds herself in charge of a household that puts her between the idealistic life she had grown up in America and the bond she feels with the continent that belonged to her ancestors. As she becomes captivated within this world, she begins to question if she can hold onto both her identity and her marriage against the wild surroundings still haunted by colonial sins.

Lights Out in Lincolnwood – Geoff Rodkey

The Altman family is your typical family consumed with their individual routine, work, and school as they live a mundane life in Lincolnwood, New Jersey. You'll get to know each of the family members: Dan the former lawyer who now writes screenplays and is consumed by the demands of his boss, Jan who gave up a career to raise kids and now waits for the moment she's alone so to pour herself a drink, daughter Chloe who's consumed by upcoming college essays and semifinals for state tennis, and son Max who has a vape addiction and in midst of planning revenge against a classmate. Just as the family starts their regular days, the world comes to a stop. With Dan on the train to work, children at school, and Jan at home, everything around them stops with the technological infrastructure coming to a crashing halt which plunges this normal family and everyone else into chaos as they struggle to deal with a life without technology. The story takes place over the course of four days as this family adapts to a water shortage, paramilitary in the neighborhoods, and looting while trying to solve the mystery unfolding around them.

Island Charm – Audrey Wick

Anna Worthington embarks on an unexpected journey after her twin sister is left by her fiance. She comes up with the ultimate plan to cheer her sister up. They're going to transform her should-be honeymoon into a fun vacation to Key West. Things don't go according to plan when her sister doesn't show up on the plane and she's left to take the trip on her own. Her vacation quickly becomes the romantic getaway that she never would have predicted. Gunnar Lockhart has the know-how in island tourism that makes him the perfect partner for Anna to complete her to-do list for this vacation. The two form an undeniable connection that steers her into sorting through her feelings to decide if this connection is real or if it's the result of paradise. Could her vacation romance be doomed like her twin's own relationship?

Summer in the City – Lori Wilde

Venture into summertime in the city with three sizzling stories. Start with /Night of the Museum/ by Lori Wilde which follows Ria Preston, an art restorer who knows all about beauty. When she and her Wall Street advisor crush are stuck in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she sees her chance at admiring more than just the art. Priscilla Oliveras delves into the romance of a blackout in /Lights Out/ about two theater troupe rivals whose high school competitions transition into their adulthood. Mateo Garza is aiming to achieve of his dreams of being a Broadway star while facing the scathing reviews of his former rival Vanessa Rios who now works as a critic. A perfectly timed blackout creates the perfect opportunity for the two to be alone at Mateo's New York apartment which will allow their friction to turn into chemistry. The last story is /Mind Games/ by Sarah Skilton which is a tale of romance and revenge. Alison is still nursing a grudge carried over from her college days against the most popular guy in school who happens to now be a magician. She enacts the perfect plan of revenge. When his upcoming show takes place, she'll sabotage it and ruin him, but a power outage provides her with an opportunity she never expected.

The Road Trip – Beth O'Leary

What happens when two exes take a road trip? There was a time when Dylan and Addie were completely in love. Dylan was a wealthy Oxford student when he spent his vacation his friend Cherry's French villa at the same time carefree Addie was working as the caretaker. That was four years ago. Their relationship lasted two years before they broke up. Now Cherry's getting married and the exes have a literal run-in with each other which is the first time they've spoken since they've broken up. Dylan's car is too banged up to drive to the wedding in rural Scotland, so the only option is for the two exes to make the journey together. To add to their discomfort, they pack into the car with Dylan's best friend, Addie's sister, and some random guy they met on Facebook for a humorous trip across Britain. The close quarters push the exes to confront the tension between them and to finally address what broke them apart two years ago which will lead them question if they were hasty in their break up.


The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization

While civilization is divided into different ages such as the stone age, the bronze age, the iron age and so forth, history neglects to include the vast resource that wood from the myriad forests provided for primate and human development.  In this almost encyclopedic description of the contribution trees and their products played in human evolution, English Biologist Rolland Ennos combines science and history in his recounting the role that wood played and continues to play in the history of man.  From the use of wood as the earliest tool, to the control of fire and wood burning permitting heat release from wood, to the production of charcoal which yielded higher temperatures.  Wood use led to smelting and the rise of the copper, bronze, and iron periods.  Due to the intricate mechanical properties inherent in the different tree structures, this resource is valuable for complex building and household constructions. Remarkably, the early navies and shipping trade demanded solid tall tree poles for the masts of sailing ships which led to wars for access to the source of these gigantic trees.   The author has engagingly recounted the value of wood in our historical development, along with its intrinsic  mechanical designs that makes it such a versatile material.


Mirrorland: A Novel

This book started off very slowly with a description of something I couldn't grasp right away. Two girls, twins, are running away from something bad. Then it fast-forwards to adulthood for the girls and Cat, the younger of the twins, has been in L.A. for the past twelve years, leaving her sister, El, behind in Edinburgh. The story is a bit choppy at times and goes back and forth from past to present and back again. What we know is that Cat has come back to Edinburgh because El is missing. She is presumed dead, but Cat knows deep down inside that she would feel it in her gut and her soul if El was dead.

Mirrorland has an air of horror about it. It is in Mirrorland that El and Cat are "safe" from Bluebeard and the Witch and other monstrous characters. It's hard to tell if these characters are real or not due to Cat's unreliable memory. I enjoyed reading this book starting about two-thirds of the way through when things became really creative and interesting. Carole Johnstone does a fantastic job of bringing Mirrorland to life and giving the reader a story with excellent twists and turns. I recommend it for fans of light horror and suspense.


The Unusual Suspect: The Rise and Fall of a Modern-Day Outlaw

A young man is arrested after attempting to purchase a gun in Vermont. He utilized fake identification and fled once his ruse failed. After hitting a vehicle on his escape, he was soon spotted by a police officer and pulled over. At this point, Stephen Jackley assumed this was a minor problem. Authorities in Vermont reached out to England...And from there the plot thickened.

Stephen was an unknown subject in multiple crimes perpetrated from September 2007 until early 2008. They ranged from an attempted robbery and burglary to actual robberies committed under disguise and with weapons. Once British Police searched Stephen’s room at his University, the puzzle pieces started to come together. What possessed a seemingly normal young man to engage on a crime spree, leaving trinkets at scenes, branding himself a modern-day Robin Hood? Were his motives selfish or more altruistic?

Author Ben Machell has written a moving biography/true crime narrative where he speaks to Stephen about his life, crimes, and motives. The reader may not agree with Stephen’s actions but will emerge with a deeper understanding of him than any newspaper blurb. The missed opportunities for Stephen and his life strike the most poignant notes. An animated human interest book.


Unsinkable: Five Men and the Indomitable Run of the USS Plunkett

Sullivan's extraordinary intimacy with the families of the men who served on the World War II era destroyer the USS Plunkett pulls readers rapidly into the book and holds their attention page after page. Although there have been other books about this ship, which saw action in every single European endeavor, this book goes beyond the action itself and shows us the ripple effects of the generations that followed those brave souls.

For Sullivan, the USS Plunkett is more than a ship of historical interest, and Anzio is more than just another battle of World War II. Among those cut down in the prime of life was Sullivan's great uncle, John J. Gallagher. The fact that his old neighborhood sports a square named in his honor, while stories keep his memory alive generations later, attests to something remarkable about the sacrifices made by these men and their families.

Sullivan gives voice to those lost to us now. More than merely reporting the grisly events and the heartbreaking tragedies, Sullivan captures the defining essence of something enduring but elusive. In grappling with the unspoken horrors of war, Sullivan brings out a strength that sustains those willing to tap into it.


Run for Cover: A Novel

I hear that sleep is overrated, said no one ever. Nevertheless, sometimes you need to stay up late into the early morning hours, watching a young one; perhaps you have the night shift at a creepy hotel; or you’re a security officer at a new building complex where someone was murdered; or maybe you’re the hired help for a family in a safe house, and it’s up to you to stay awake no matter what. Sure, there’s coffee and other fancy heart-racing drinks to stave off the sandman, but one tried and tested method is a gripping murder mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat, and your senses on high alert for any strange sounds. Here are six murder mysteries guaranteed to help you do the job.

Girl in the Walls

Elise’s parents were taken from her in a horrific car crash and now she remains hidden in her home and knows it like the back of her hand: every nook and cranny, crawlspace, crevice and hideout. Eddie enjoys living in the house with his family, except for the girl he sees out of the corner of his eye every once in a while. Is she really there? Is she real? Is he just imagining things? But when she’s also seen by his brother, they have to do decide to what to do about the girl who might or might not exist.

The Captive

Brooke Holland has a sedentary, peaceful life with her family on a rural farm. Times are hard, and sometimes they barely scrape by, but she’s happy to be away from everything in the peace and quiet, where her past cannot come back to haunt her. But then Stephen Cawley, an escaped criminal, attacks them at the farm and Brooke does what she needs to to protect her family with her hidden talents and skills. Then she needs to bring Cawley to justice so she can get the reward to help her family and keep her dark and bloody past buried.

Run for Cover

In the second installment of the series, Michael Gannon is hiding out on a friend’s ranch deep in the heart of Utah where he hopes no one will find after his previous dealings. But when his friend’s brother is found murdered near Grand Teton, he has to decide whether to keep a low profile, or help out his friend, and see if the murder my be linked to the strange killings happening at various national parks around the country. Gannon finds himself teaming up with FBI agent Kit Hagen to get to the bottom of it all.

Hide in Place

Life seems to finally be going well for Laney Bird in the haven of Sylvan, New York. Three years ago after her cover was blown in a racketeering case that involved the Russian mafia, Bird had to flee with her son with her life in peril. Now she’s finally starting to relax, but then her son suddenly goes missing and she knows her demons have come back to haunt her. The police are dismissing it as a runaway, but she knows there’s more to it. As she digs deeper into her son’s disappearance, she discovers he and a friend were meeting with a stranger who has also gone missing. As a snowstorm sweeps through, Bird will need to keep working to find out what happened to her son if she has any hopes of getting him back alive.

If I Disappear

Sera loves podcasts, in particular true crime podcasts. She can’t get enough of them, and on some level, she feels she has been in training after listening to them for so long. Then one of her favorite podcast hosts named Rachel goes missing, and she takes this as a sign for her true calling. Sera begins to investigate, combing through the true crime episodes for clues and details and pieces of evidence that will lead her somewhere. They do eventually, to an old ranch near her hometown, but as she digs deeper she discovers that Rachel may not be the first woman to disappear.

The Mitford Trial

It is the summer of 1933 and Louisa Cannon is joining the Mitfords on a wonderful cruise, where she gets to rub elbows with the rich and famous. What more could anyone want? Except Louisa has made a deal: on her wedding day she was approached by someone incognito and told to spy on Diana Mitford and confirm her supposed illicit affair with Oswald Mosley. The cruise it brought to an abrupt halt when a man is found murdered, and the case is taken up back in London by Tom Mitford. Louisa will find her honor and emotions rent asunder as she must decide what is the right thing to do.


Mary Engelbreit's Little Book of Love

Love is perhaps the most important thing in life, maybe even in the entire world, and people everywhere have been doing their best to capture that importance in words for time eternal. This lovely little book pairs famous (and not-yet-but-should-be-famous) quotes about love with beautiful and heartfelt illustrations by famous artist Mary Engelbreit. The quotes come from people like former president Woodrow Wilson, inventor Albert Einstein, writer William Blake, and activist/humanitarian Mahatma Gandhi. Most everyone is familiar with Engelbreit’s work, even if they don’t know her name: her unique style has its roots in the vintage storybooks of past generations, and her illustrations can be found in numerous books as well as on calendars, mugs, and various other gift items. Mary Engelbreit’s Little Book of Love is a charming edition that would make a wonderful gift for family or friends, would look perfect gracing your coffee table for guests to peruse, or would be ideal to keep next to your bed for a bit of early morning or late night inspiration. It’s a must-have for fans of Engelbreit!


The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock Holmes and the Crusader's Curse

Sherlock Holmes is back with Dr. Watson at his side, narrating their latest adventure. Thorpe Manor holds its share of secrets from a legend of a missing diamond to the more recent disappearance of family paintings. Now, the last Lord Thorpe has died and Holmes and Watson are invited to the auction of the estate, in hopes they can find the missing diamond before it’s sold. However, the case isn't that simple when one of the bidders is found dead in the cellar.

There are three mysteries surrounding the manor, the missing diamond, missing paintings, and a murder. The first two are hardly mentioned until the end and none of them has much to do with each other. I couldn't solve any of the mysteries, the clues weren't there or so subtle I couldn't figure it out. All the clues to where the diamond is are there, I couldn’t see them until I knew the answer. The other mysteries aren’t given enough clues to be able to make the right connections until the answer is given, but even then it wasn’t one of those moments where everything suddenly clicks into place.


Do Animals Fall in Love?

Katharina Von Der Gathen, Illustrated by Anke Kuhl

The animal world is full of wonderous creatures which leads us to many questions, one of which is do animals fall in love? In this fun colorfully illustrated book I can learn about many different kinds of animals and how they love one another and reproduce to keep their kind from going extinct. Some animals mate for life, while others do not. Some animals take care of their young after they are born or after they have hatched from eggs, while others leave their babies on their own to survive the cruel world against the many predators looking for a snack. I found this book to be very interesting, as many animals have their very own unique mating rituals or dances, some of the males are brightly colored to attract females, and some species of animals will fight to the death to see who can win the heart of a female to breed with. I really enjoyed this book and all the information in it. I like how the table of contents is broken down so I can look up a specific animal or topic. This book has colorful illustrations, HOWEVER, I will warn that there are graphic illustrations of various animals' genitalia, while it was interesting, it was very unexpected.


I'm On It! (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading!)

Frog thinks that he has to be "on it" too, like Goat. Then Goat is on it and beside it; Frog follows him. Goat becomes on, beside, along, between, inside, across, above, through, around, near, far, and into things. It is funny to watch Frog try to do the same as Goat but have much more trouble. In the end, Frog gets the final say on Goat, which is neat to see.

I'm On It! had me laughing throughout the story. I am a fan of the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems, and I'm On It! is similar to those. I like that Frog didn't get too upset when he had trouble keeping up with Goat and that Goat wasn't a show-off because he could do things easier than Frog. I like that Goat was friendly and decided to do what Frog did at the end. The story is easy to understand and I will tell my friends to read it.


Chasing Harvest

With summer just around the corner, experience the world of traveling without leaving the comfort of your bedroom. Dive into these books complete with journals and photographs. From architecture to food, spend some time in a place you’ve never been before and find your own passion through vivid images and description.

Bookstores: A Celebration of Independent Booksellers- Stuart Husband

Travel through time by unlocking the magic of architecture and the history in bookstores. Experience the differences throughout various cultures and marvel at the commonalities that they share through text: knowledge and imagination. Stuart Husband’s book allows readers to travel the world and meet new people without leaving the comfort of their seats. Through anecdotes and lively photography, Husband spotlights the importance of variation while capturing the sheer purpose of bookstores and sellers. This book is ideal for readers who find comfort or productivity in the quiet of bookstores and desire to experience this feeling again without leaving their homes.

Chasing Harvest- Kevin O'Connor

Kevin O’Connor journals his encounters working in kitchens at a young age in this memoir. Accompanied with photographs and accounts of his experiences, O’Connor divulges his love of cooking to readers as he searches for a greater purpose. Learn about what it means to chase your dreams even after finding a passion at a young age and how that led the author on an adventure around the world. O’Connor’s love of food reminds readers how to reclaim hope in their lives and allow it to guide their futures. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind story.

Chihuly and Architecture- Eleanor Heartney

Dive into the works of American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly as captured by Eleanor Heartney, art-critic based in New York. Chihuly is a world-renowned artist with commissions all over America and internationally. This publication captures Dale Chihuly’s commitment to detail in his pieces by detailing the variety of installations from walls to entire rooms and how they have impacted humanity on a global scale. Whether it be Italy, Ireland, or Israel, Heartney compiles the similarities in Chihuly’s artwork across the world and how each piece is tailored to shine light on many different cultures.

From Wandering to Illumination: The New Eleusinian Mysteries- Ryan J.

Bush Fine art photographer Ryan J. Bush is back with his new book that captures the photography of nature and trees accompanied by the Eleusinian Mysteries, the stories of ancient Greeks. Bush’s manipulation of color invites viewers to consider the idea of awakening and blossoming in nature. The symbolism in each piece challenges the viewers to consider the mysteries each photograph holds, waiting to be unlocked. Just like Bush’s other works, From Wandering to
Illumination: The New Eleusinian Mysteries allows reflection and meditation on each piece before turning a page and seeing the evolution that is present within ourselves. The book keeps readers engaged and leaves them wanting more while contemplating the order of the natural world.


They Only See the Outside

Kalli Dakos’s newest collection of children’s poems in They Only See the Outside is driven by those experiences that children feel on the inside, but are sometimes hidden from view to those watching from the outside. The poems cover a range of topics, some humorous like the poem, I Called My Teacher Mommy and A Fire Drill in my Underwear. Other poems explore death and bullying, such as J.T. Never Will be Ten, about a child grieving his nine-year-old friend who died today. The simplicity of On the Day My Dog Died hits home. Were You Ever Fat Like Me? is about a girl who wants to ask her teacher if she had been a child like her, hoping that if so, then she will grow up to be an adult like her. Dakos’s poems help children navigate some of life’s challenges with humor and compassion. Jimothy Oliver’s black and white illustrations are sprinkled throughout the book and add an element of silliness and fun, while also delivering tension and heart-wrenching sadness to the more poignant poems.


The Friendship Book

The Friendship Book is about finding, making, and keeping friends. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a quiz made up of five questions that, when you score it, shows how well you'll do with friends. It means something different if you mark mostly As, Bs, or Cs. The nine chapters cover how to look for a friend, make a friend, be a good friend, deal with disagreements, have best friends, and lots more. Each chapter has tips and a story about a real kid who has dealt with friendships either good or bad.

Some of the things in the book were a little hard for me to understand because I would need to be a little older to understand them. At age seven, I do not have to worry too much about some of the things in the book, like the popular kids, but I feel that when I get older and notice popular kids, I'm going to handle the situation better. I am moving soon; I feel that this book will help me when I get to my new school and meet new kids to make friends with. I think that any kid can use help with making friends in a good and happy way.


Elephant's Music

Elephant's Music is about an elephant and his jungle friends who play instruments. Edward the elephant likes listening to his friends play, but whenever he tries to play an instrument, he ends up breaking it. This makes Edward sad because he can't do what his friends are doing. Edward listens to all of their concerts and is their biggest fan. The animals play some neat instruments, like the monkeys who play horns, the zebra who plays the keyboard, the warthog who plays the harmonica, and the owl who plays the accordion. Edward can only make a terrible noise. One day, the animals find an instrument that works for Edward, and then everyone is happy and can play music together.

This is a fun book to read about being nice to people, even when they mess things up. The animals never yelled or complained about Edward when he messed up their time playing music. This book also shows how when you work together, you can make things better for everyone. I liked reading this book because it is at my reading level and all the pictures had bright colors on the pages.


That Missing Feeling

Mia has a cat, a dog, a mom who sings and tells jokes, and a dad who cooks and rides bikes. Then, one day, everything changes. Mia’s mom and dad divorce. Mia’s cat lives with her mom and her dog lives with her dad. Mia now has two homes to move back and forth between, but she is always missing something. When she is with her dad, she misses her mom’s singing and her cat. When she is with her mom, she misses her dad’s cooking and her dog. But one day, when she is visiting her grandpa, he gives her a new blue notebook and shows her how she can use it to help with her feelings, just as he has done for years.

Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has written a sweet text that will help youngsters find ways to deal with a lot of their feelings, good and bad, and keep their memories safe. Her writing is sparse and lyrical, and the story is sweet. Morena Forza’s cute illustrations are bright and filled with fun details that support the story really well. There is back matter that will help youngsters set up their own journals. This is a terrific book for all kids.


Lobe Your Brain: What Matters About Your Grey Matter

Written for the younger set ranging from kindergarten to the third grade, psychology professor Leanne Boucher Gill, tries to make the brain meaningful to the beginning student. Showing the central nervous system to be composed of the brain and spinal cord, the focus is then placed on the brain lobes. The four lobes, the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal areas are then assigned their roles in the body’s functioning. Each of these sections is accompanied by strikingly almost garishly colored images of children happily performing these assigned activities. Each page contains an outline of the exposed brain with the labeled anatomical section and ends with a brief peek at the exposed buried limbic system. The book here reads like an anatomy text directly translated down for children. The mystery of our extraordinary brain would have been better relayed to kids by more experienced children story writers who can more aptly capture their interest through whimsy and a narrative story using children’s language. This just reads like a boring, simplified anatomy text.


As The Road Narrows

An engaging narrative from beginning to end, As The Road Narrows will enthrall readers. The story begins with Jeremy Pipkins and his wife Alicia, the night a little adventure turns into substantial trouble. With his back against the wall, there seems to be no hope for Jeremy. Is there any path that leads back to his safe world? --Jessica Tingling, City Book Review


Twilight of Empire

W.H. Wisecarver’s Resurrection Saga comprises a series of political thrillers in which real-life events are merged with conspiracy theories, alternative histories, bureaucratic intrigues, and death-defying action sequences to generate thrill-a-minute stories in which no one is safe and next to no one is to be trusted. The first two books in the series introduced the clandestine organization known as The Order and explored how corruption both on Wall Street and within Congress has led to war and financial collapse that has crippled the ordinary American while lining the pockets of a wealthy elite. A select group of characters, both within and outside the establishment, sought to expose the truth and some paid for that goal with their lives, and in Twilight of Empire, the danger is ramped up to an even more deadly level.

Traumatized army veteran Paul Henry has lost his faith in the military leadership as well as in the bureaucrats who think nothing of sitting safely in Washington while sending soldiers to fight and die for dubious causes on foreign soil. The ineptitude of those in charge finally caused him to leave the army, but he’s still plagued by nightmares about his time in Iraq. He knows something about Deep State conspiracies and about how the truth behind the corruption at the heart of power is actually far more unpalatable and far less deeply buried than conspiracy theorists believe. Henry shares his mistrust of the authorities with girlfriend Leila Freyan, whose work investigating the origins of the financial crisis for Senator Andi Jackson has given her reason enough to trust his theories.

Meanwhile, political insider and champion of justice Kirk Danner has been whisked out of the country to recuperate in Germany following an unexplained health crisis. While there, he learns startling insights into his own past as well as into the lengthy history of the secrets that are threatening to tear apart democracy in the United States. As he recovers his strength, he also recovers long-lost memories of his protracted life as a warrior fighting the evil machinations of The Order. But the battle is still far from over and all those who believe in the importance of truth are going to be required to combat the latest plot by those who want to sacrifice democracy for profit.

Twilight of Empire is an action-packed thriller that combines realism and all too plausible conspiracies with fantasy and alternative timelines. Financial corruption and political plotting give rise to deadly danger, both for the central characters and for the American public, as the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” is artificially widened in an effort to secure power for the few. There are secrets within secrets, as well as plenty of crosses and double-crosses, which makes for an exciting story that whizzes along at breakneck speed. The characters are well-rounded and believable, and the set-up is both realistic and deeply troubling. While it is not necessary to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy Twilight of Empire, doing so would enhance the reading experience.


Twilight of Empire

Does history repeat itself? Do the incidents that unfold over our shared history occur by chance or are they engineered by agents of good or evil? Twilight of Empire explores this in depth. Paul is a war veteran whose scarred memories replay the battlefield chaos on a nearly nightly reel. During his tours in Iraq, he witnessed the chronic ineptitude of government bureaucracy that served to derail the mission and prolong the war. He shares his jaded views on the current world with his girlfriend, Leyla. The democracy of the United States has been disintegrating before the public’s very eyes, an agenda enabled and guided by unseen actors of a “Deep State.” Leyla has seen some of Paul’s theories with her own eyes, as she works as an adviser for Senator Andi Jackson, who currently seeks answers on the precariousness of the broken financial system.

The 2007-08 financial disaster is still fresh in the minds of reformers such as Senator Jackson. The “Too Big to Fail” mentality was propped up as the reason for the exorbitant bailout granted to the banking system after the explosion of mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations and carefree risk-taking done by financial institutions. Jackson wants to question both sides of the financial imbroglio, the regulators and the regulated. However, the culprits behind the scenes want to derail Jackson and fight dirty in their methods.

Kirk Danner is a man on a mission, dwelling in the nether-regions of politics and government. He imbues the spirit of reform that Senator Jackson is looking for as an ally. Kirk is felled by an apparent stroke or aneurysm and is spirited to Germany for rehabilitation. As Kirk is recuperating, he speaks with Helen and Rose, who clue Kirk into truths about his forgotten past. Kirk is a long-lived warrior engaged in a constant battle with a group called “The Order,” who have had their fingers in everything nefarious or untoward for centuries. Helen and Rose help Kirk in viewing the various timelines where he has interacted with their henchmen. The recent events in the United States are a culmination of the cabal’s attempt at domination. The question is open as to whether they can be stopped.

Twilight of Empire is a wonderful thrill-packed book mixing history with science fiction. The pace steadily intensifies as a fight for the future progresses. Author WH Wisecarver has paved his way for a successful future as a writer with his new work.


Tempest: Poems

You can’t expect in a book of fifty poems that each one is going to speak to you. If the majority do then I would suggest the poet has done a very good job.

In Tempest: Poems, poet, Ryan Meyer didn’t make the cut, but there still are a good number of poems in this collection that are nothing short of astonishing.

Meyer is at his best when he comes at a subject obliquely, understanding coming as a satisfying surprise. Examples, where this is best achieved, are with Flamingo, the weekend, and drinking and dreaming of being somewhere, anywhere else. And again in Straight Bs, “Still, the lights guide me, Inch by inch, to the dance floor, Where glances have evolved Into lower back rubs … It’s dim enough for anyone To be a dance partner.”

Good poets have a way of saying what you already know or have experienced but saying it with originality. Meyer taps into this secret to universal appeal in Somewhere Else, that “…ends up just as disappointing as right here.” And again, in Cavernous where “Even my dreams leave me An anxious mess, feeling as if I’ve missed something, that I Have reason to be worried.”

This originality can also be illustrated in a unique perspective as is the case in On Evolution, where the poet compares his own purpose to that of a caterpillar and worries, “I hope growing wings doesn’t have to hurt”. And then with Long, Long After, a unique reflection of the past “The way everything was Before pie tins on the kitchen table Became ashtrays beneath wrinkled faces”.

Sometimes it’s diction, cleverly choosing the exact words. This is exemplified in A Melancholy Album Cover for a Coffee Shop Artist where Myer nails the affectations of an amateur. He achieves it again in Come Around, with this description “… the women who wouldn’t have Let this go any other way, who stood, Arms crossed, one foot tapping, Eyes staring daggers, unmovable, In the way of all other outcomes." Unique imagery that resonates on the periphery of your consciousness.

His success is with poems that are not momentous, but just moments, like the heartrending description of the death of a sparrow in No Science to Loneliness.

However, themes of relationship angst, reminiscences of misplaced or wasted youth and existential anguish are too often revisited. They’re accompanied by a lack of intensity along with lots of garden analogies and weather metaphors. A few resemble the self-indulgent verse of adolescents using clichéd phrases like “tear-stained pillows” and “You leave me speechless.”

But despite the shortcomings, Tempest: Poems by Ryan Meyer is worth the read for a handful of jaw-droppers that provide personal poetic epiphanies.