Do Something for Nothing: Seeing Beneath the Surface of Homelessness, through the Simple Act of a Haircut

Transformation. Do Something for Nothing is about nothing less than helping people by transforming their outer appearance. A former punk rock musician, Joshua Coombes was working at a London salon when he began offering shaves and haircuts to people who were “sleeping rough”. When he posted the before and after photos on social media, many others were inspired to do something and to see homeless folks as the human beings that they are. The book showcases photographs and vignettes of several dozen people—including some couples and a young family—in cities all over the world. From New York City to Tijuana, Mumbai to Melbourne, Paris to Boulder, Coombes documents the transformation that comes over people when they are given a fresh look, a new perspective, some hope. The photos are inspirational as is every page of this uplifting book. Their smiles show relief as well as happiness. Sure, a haircut alone won’t solve all their problems, but it is a humanizing start. I’m so glad I read this book and urge you to do so as well.


Razorblade Tears: A Novel

The loss of a loved one is a hard pill to swallow, even more when it's unexpected. Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee Jenkins are united in grief, having lost their sons to murder. Their sons, Isiah and Derek, were married and had an adopted daughter together. Yet, Buddy Lee and Ike’s intolerance of their Sons led to them not even knowing each other until after the funeral. Ike and Buddy Lee go their separate ways, wracked with guilt over what they said and what more they should’ve done when their sons were alive.

The investigation of their sons’ deaths moves slowly, and Buddy Lee approaches Ike with a plan to investigate on their own. Both men have a past they left behind, but their desire to avenge their sons leads them to take the law into their own hands. The deaths were not random, and the path to answers will be long and winding.

Razorblade Tears is an impressive new entry from S.A. Cosby, which combines mystery, action, and emotional drama in one walloping gut punch. The plot progresses swiftly and never diminishes until the conclusion. The core of this wonderful book lay in its humanity of the protagonists and their desire to get justice.


Strawberry Love: 45 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Shortcakes, Hand Pies, Salads, Salsas, and More

If you love juicy, ripe strawberries, then the Strawberry Love cookbook is for you! The book includes forty-five recipes all centered on strawberries. From sweet to savory, this cookbook really has some excellent ideas. I love how the author gives tips in the beginning for cooking with strawberries. She tells the reader a few different methods of hulling as well as how to freeze fresh strawberries. The simple format of the cookbook makes it easy to understand and use for even the beginner baker or chef. The beautiful color photographs that accompany each recipe made my mouth water as I decided which recipes to try first.

The three recipes that I am going to give a try first are the Strawberry Crumb Cake, the Pork Chops with Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce, and the Strawberry, Burrata, and Arugula Salad. Of course, I'll have to go back and pick out some of the refreshing drinks to try this summer. The Strawberry Shrub made with cider vinegar and Smoked Strawberry Smash, which has ginger and basil in it, both sound exquisite. Perfect for a family barbecue! Strawberry lovers will have great fun trying out the recipes in this book.


Fighting Chance: How Unexpected Observations and Unintended Outcomes Shape the Science and Treatment of Depression

Metaphorically the ‘black dog’ refers to depression, a disorder that drowns its victims in desperate despondency and often drives the sufferer to suicide. In this encyclopedic examination of the studies and research into this problem, science writer Sarah Zabel recaps the investigations, therapies, theories,  and some brief case histories of this distressing disorder. Explorations touch upon the drugs such as the monoamines and tricyclic antidepressants that act on the uptake of neurotransmitters. Genetic anomalies are considered as well as the role of cerebral glial cells or possibly malfunctioning mitochondria as suspect agents in causing this mental condition. Factors such as epigenetics, diet, sleep, stress, trauma, and even the makeup of the gut microbiome are studied as conceivable contributors to this mental mood. Therapeutic psychological treatments are described and the threat of suicide is explored. This scholarly probe into the current status of this depressive condition and the numerous studies provides the general reader with insight into its complexity.  Helpfully several anatomical descriptions are aided by explanatory diagrams. While this book has a useful glossary and lengthy footnotes, it, unfortunately, lacks an index. Such a  text, so rich in detail, demands an index.


Stand on Zanzibar

First published in 1968, John Brunner’s Hugo Award-winning Stand on Zanzibar is released with a new forward by Bruce Sterling (who is?)

Based in 2010, the novel centers around the escapades of two New York roommates, a leader of a high-tech company and a spy masquerading as a student. Brunner shares his predictions of social, economic, and technological trends, mixing story-telling with whole chapters dedicated to world-building, along with advertisements, slogans, songs, and snippets of newspaper articles and books.

Brunner does not write about the future as much as where he sees humanity could go in the future. The fun of reading sci-fi written in the future is seeing how much the author got right. Along with imagining the European Union, the rise of China as a global superpower, and the fall of the Detroit auto industry, Brunner’s future also includes banning tobacco and the legalization of cannabis and same-sex marriage. There are laser printers, video calling, and even a “President Obomi.” Even in the title, Brunner correctly predicts that the world’s population could stand shoulder-to-shoulder: seven billion people in an area of six hundred square miles.

Stand on Zanzibar remains a timeless classic.  If you have read it before, it’s time to reread it. It’s a great read if you are looking for an insight into humanity, past, present, and future.


A Chorus Rises: A Song Below Water novel

A Chorus Rises: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow is about a magical teenager named Naema Bradshaw. Naema is an Eloko - a magical being blessed with the ability to use music and sound to charm others. She is also a popular teen influencer with a large following of fans. Life is good. That is until Naema tells everyone that Tavia Phillips (another teenager) is a siren, a magical being who when she sings is able to control people with her song. Once she shares Tavia’s secret, almost all of Portland turns on Naema. Not even her boyfriend, a fellow Eloko, understands her anymore. Naema decides to run away from it all so she leaves Portland and goes on a trip to visit family. While gone, Naema truly discovers what being Eloko means and finds her own special melody.

A Chorus Rises: A Song Below Water is a great read for fantasy lovers and music-loving teenagers. The book is filled to the brim with sass, love, joy, drama, and forgiveness. It is a uniquely different book. It intrigued me and captured my attention. My only wish is that the book had some more action to keep the story a little more interesting. I am glad I read A Chorus Rises: A Song Below Water; I am sure you will feel the same.


Never Far Away

Imagine testifying against a powerful man and his company and then having a price on your head. Imagine the bounty hunters letting you go. This is exactly what happens to Nina. In exchange for her life, Nina must leave her husband Doug and her two young children, Hailey and Nick, behind. She starts a new life in the mountains as a woman named Leah. One day, she receives a message on her pager and uses her satellite phone to make the call. Her daughter tells her that she was told to contact her Aunt Leah if anything ever happened to her dad. It turns out that Doug was in a fatal car crash. From there, Leah struggles with the fact that the evil man, Lowery, may still be after her. She knows it is dangerous to have the kids stay with her.

This book was exciting for the most part. With several bad guys, a guy who was something of a double-agent, and a family on the run in the mountains, there was a lot happening. Toward the end, the story seemed to fizzle instead of building with suspense. All in all, it's an interesting read great for fans of Patterson or Baldacci.


Alien Stories (American Reader Series, 36)

Alien Stories by award-winning author E.C. Osondu is a collection of eighteen short stories about what it means to be an alien, whether foreign or extraterrestrial. Nigerian-born Osondu pays homage to the elders, the storytellers, and the grandmas. Although much of the book reads as science fiction, it is also afro-futurism, and yet, Osondu has a style all his own.

In the stories “Alien Encounters,” “Memory Store,” and “Traveler,” Osondu explores the experience of what it is like to be the alien. We learn what to feed an alien baby in “How to Raise an Alien Baby.” Through the stories “Mars Bars, of course!” and “Mark,” we learn about life on the Red Planet through stories told by grandma.

I recommend this book to anyone who feels like the alien or outsider, or to anyone who wants to understand the alien’s point of view. Many of Osondu’s stories look at the aliens as guests, who are shown honor and respect. In a way, Osondu’s stories can be interpreted as mirroring how immigrants are treated compared to how they would like to be treated. Alien Stories is a creative way to tell the stories of outsiders trying to carve out their place in a new world, a new home.


The Ladies of the Secret Circus

A wedding day is supposed to be happy and full of good memories, but for Lara, it turns into a nightmare when her husband-to-be doesn't show up. When his car is found abandoned on a haunted stretch of road, it's clear something worse than him getting cold feet, happened that day. Lara's search for answers leads her to Paris where her great-great-grandmother performed in a spectacular circus surrounded by secrets. There’s more going on than she could have imagined and it's all connected to something that happened long ago.

 I didn't start getting into it until about halfway through, and even though I couldn't put it down I also really wanted to be over. Lara starts getting involved with a man ten years older and is unnecessary to the plot, though the character is important the romance felt like it was there only for the sake of having a romantic subplot. Lara has magic, although it holds a large key to the story, it's forgotten until it's useful. There’s also more to the magic than what's on the surface, as Lara learns more about it the story only gets weirder and weirder, diving into the realm of daemons.


The Path to Sunshine Cove: A Novel

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.


Time Villains (Time Villains, 1)

Time Villains is a book about three friends named Javi, Wiki, and Brady. Javi was always told that Wiki was the brain, Brady was the brawn, and he was the stomach. This interesting tale proves that you are not always what you seem. When Javi and Brady’s father gets a new antique table, the friends know something weird is going on. Andy, the antique table, acts like a pet and purrs. Definitely not normal!

They get a school assignment where they have to invite three people to a dinner party. Little do they know something magical will happen. Andy the table actually summons the historical people. Wiki tricks Javi into inviting Black Beard and now the three friends have to deal with the most dangerous pirate of all time. They also discover the secret of their school, Finistere. Buy the book and join Javi and his friends in a race to protect their world and find out a bit more about their teachers, who may have a lot more to do with Andy than they thought.

I recommend this book to fantasy lovers, people who like a little mystery, and children who love history. This book was truly amazing. I can’t wait to read it again!


The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: A Novel – Marianne Cronin

Marianne Cronin delivers a humorous and fiercely alive debut that is uplifting, bittersweet, and heartbreaking. This story is a tribute to the stories we tell in our lives and a reminder to us all to live every day like it's our last. Cronin explores the legacies that are left behind when we die and how we have the power to inspire others even after death through a story of two women whose friendship transcends time and reminds us of how precious life really is. Lenni Pettersson is dying and is a resident in the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Then she meets an 83-year-old woman named Margot in an arts and crafts class that wears purple pajamas and is a rebel that inspires Lenni in ways the teenager has never experienced before. The two devise a plan with the help of Lenni's care nurse and the hospital chaplain to showcase the one hundred years they share between them through one hundred paintings of the experiences they've had during those years. Paintings that give them the opportunity to share their stories of love, loss, kindness, joy, and courage, and give them a chance to leave their legacy behind before they die.


The Soulmate Equation

Single mom Jess has given up on dating. Even when an up-and-coming genetics company offers her the chance to find her perfect, biologically proven match, Jess is skeptical. But on a whim, she decides to send in her DNA sample––and she finds out that her match is one of the company’s founders, River. Despite Jess and River’s unprecedented match score, neither can believe it. Jess admits River is attractive, but they couldn’t be more different. She’d be just as happy never speaking to him again, but the company makes Jess an offer she can’t refuse and she soon learns there may be more to River than she thought.

If you love cutesy romances with sweet characters and charming endings, The Soulmate Equation is for you. The concept of a DNA dating test serves as a fun background to a traditional chick lit setup, although the story feels a bit more nuanced, with lively side characters such as Jess’s spunky seven-year-old daughter, Juno; her romance novelist best friend, Felicity; and her spirited grandparents, who live next door. It’s an easy read, but one you won’t be able to put down––perfect for relaxing by the pool or at the beach.


The Bounty: A Novel (7) (A Fox and O'Hare Novel)

As a fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and after reading The Big Kahuna, I was excited to pick up a copy of her newest book, The Bounty. Evanovich's writing style is very light and the storylines unrealistic; however, they are entertaining and the best part is always the banter between the characters. In The Bounty, we are reunited with FBI agent Kate O'Hare and con man turned sidekick Nick Fox. It is a wild goose chase as Kate and Nick go on a treasure hunt around Europe looking for hidden ancient maps that will lead them to, yes, the eponymous bounty.

Although this was a fun little history lesson that went to places like the Eiffel Tower and the Swiss Alps, the story was not a new one and I became bored midway through the book, just wanting it to be over. The interaction between the characters was much less playful as they tried to defeat the Brotherhood, who are also after the hidden treasure. Both Kate's and Nick's fathers are also inserted into the story and although both characters are likable, it is just an unnecessary addition to the book. I'd skip this one.


The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights

The American Revolution was less than a century old when the spirit of change rose anew. The “peculiar” institution of slavery was being challenged by men and women, primarily in the northern United States. Martha Coffin Wright possessed a rebellious spirit, being born of Quaker parents and from an area that stressed egalitarianism. Frances Miller was the daughter of a judge, and she married a budding politician named William Henry Seward. She learned from an early age to despise the cruelties inflicted on African Americans due to slavery and intolerance. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery and raised on a Maryland plantation. The brutality inflicted on her along with the prospect of her family being divided led to her escape and her role in the Underground Railroad. Together, these three women would form a lasting bond that would usher in a resounding change.

The Agitators is an impressive narrative of three women who were at the center of a burgeoning movement. Their trailblazing path is captured and related deftly by the author, their triumphs and tragedies narrated emphatically for a modern audience. All three women lived and breathed for the freedom of all men and women, selflessly giving as much as they were capable. An A+ historical narrative.


Return to Victory: MacArthur's Epic Liberation of the Philippines

With summer just around the corner, you may be looking for some good history books to get lost in while you’re enjoying the sun on the beach, or a shady spot by the pool, or some beautiful mountain vistas in an Adirondack chair. Here are three books that will suck you into their incredible historical retellings and make you forget for a moment where you even are.

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum:

Take a journey back to ancient Rome where there were the gladiatorial games, the impressive senate, and a civilization like no other; but where there was also murder most foul. Remus was murdered by his brother Romulus to found the city, and I don’t need to tell you about Cesar’s assassination to save the Republic, because everyone knows some detail about it. In A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Emma Southon takes you back to the notorious and numerous murders of Rome, who the victims were, who the perpetrators were, and what the vox populi thought of it all.

Spymaster’s Prism

It seems like each month we wait to hear of a new hacking incident that has breached United States security and given criminals access to places you would never want prying eyes to be able to see, and more often than not Russia is the one behind it all. As tensions continue to heat up between Biden and Putin, one can’t help but wonder how we got to this point? Spymaster’s Prism brings you the story, going into detail with the history of intelligence agencies and our national security. What has the CIA been up to? How about the KGB? And perhaps most importantly: where do things stand now?

Return to Victory

Let James P. Duffy take you back to an important moment in US history when two and a half years earlier in 1942 General Douglas MacArthur had promised the people of the Philippines that they would return. It has been said that the key to taking down the Japanese Empire were the 7,000 islands. Duffy goes into immense and wonderful detail covering the commanders, sailors, and airmen, as well as the regular soldiers; covering the entirety of the campaign from both a tactical and strategic perspective. No matter where you are, Return to Victory will have you gripped to the page, even when you already know the outcome.


The Castle School (for Troubled Girls)

Moira Dreyfuss has problems. At least, that’s what her parents imply when they ship her to a remote school in Maine. After the death of her best friend, Moira is ready to give up on people altogether. At the Castle School, Moira is miles away from civilization. The only company she has are the other girls, the strange headmaster, and his son, Randy.||One night, she discovers the lock on her window is mysteriously broken, so she and her roommate Eleanor sneak out. They find another Castle School, this one filled with boys: and very different from the dank, desolate girl’s school. The more she discovers about the Castle Schools and the headmasters who run them, Moira comes up with more questions. Will she figure out the mystery surrounding the two castles? And will she be able to confront the pain she’s been avoiding for far too long?||This book was a beautiful story about mental illness. I feel like the author did a good job of describing Moira’s struggles. I liked each of the characters, and I liked the different perspectives in the book. Overall, the book was thrilling and mysterious, and I enjoyed it!


Early Morning Riser: A novel

Jane’s boyfriend, Duncan, is loyal and loving, and Jane has more or less accepted the fact that he’s slept with many (or even most) of the women in their small town of Boyne City, Michigan. She’s even developed a friendship with Duncan’s ex-wife, Aggie. Duncan has made it clear to Jane that he’s not the marrying kind, which Jane is determined to accept. She spends her days teaching second graders and hanging out with her friend Frieda, who is never without her mandolin. Jane and Duncan are both fond of their neighbor Jimmy, a developmentally disabled man who lives with his mother and works in Duncan’s woodshop. Kindness comes easily to them. But when a tragic accident for which Jane is indirectly responsible leaves Jimmy alone in the world, life changes for everyone. Closed doors are open again, seemingly answered questions are back in play, and deep-seated beliefs and desires prove to be more mutable than Duncan and Jane could ever have expected.

Witty and big-hearted, Early Morning Riser examines the circuitous paths that lead to happiness. Building a family means more than just getting married and having children, while the definition of love itself is broader than Jane is able, at first, to understand. Love isn’t easy or simple, and heartache is its close companion. Accepting one requires accepting the other, for better or worse.


Conquering Jerusalem

The Judean War saw Jews and Romans spend four years early in the present era trying to do away with each other in order to hold Jerusalem. The Jews ultimately lost, though as the author points out, they are still around but the Romans have vanished.  Readers are introduced to characters who hold multiple military and political ranks, some with changing names and relationships supplying further challenges.

Stephen Dando-Collins has studied Roman legions for almost twenty years, penning a scholarly series he humanizes with details of dress and appearance, moods and behaviors as well as military prowess. The novices among us will find the book engrossing or feel defeated.

Set in this context, from a perspective of two thousand years, Roman names remembered from Middle School history are restored to life: the evil, probably gay Nero, nephew of the infamous Caligula, Vespasian, the ferocious Roman emperor with a timid personality.

Geographically, the region still holds center stage, places that are no less familiar today for their political and economic situation. Travel, before the jet age, its hard to visualize, but Dando-Collins’ skillful descriptions enable us to see not only how much, but how little the world has changed.


It Had to Be You: A Novel

Liv Goldenhorn is in for a shock when she is informed of her husband Eliot’s death. Even more surprising, the informant is Eliot’s secret girlfriend Savannah. In the blink of an eye, Liv goes from happily running her wedding planning business, In Love in New York, with her husband, to having to share the rapidly failing business with Savannah, who now owns half of it because of her husband’s will. For down-to-earth Liv, this is a professional nightmare. She doesn’t want to work with anyone like Savannah, especially when that person should be her enemy. For optimistic Savannah, this is the perfect opportunity to fit into crazy, cluttered New York. Also, what’s not to love about wedding planning? She’ll do this like a boss.

As Liv and Savannah go through significant changes, both will discover new friends and romances. Will Liv and Savannah get their happily ever after’s? I thought this was a cute book with sweet romances. At the start of the book, I felt there were too many characters. However, as the book progressed, it got better. The romance was a little fast-paced for my taste, but the entire book was a fun read, overall.


The Box in the Woods

It’s summer, and Stevie Bell is fresh off of solving a famous cold case at her Vermont boarding school, Ellingham Academy. The excitement has died down, and she’s back in her hometown working the deli counter for the summer, until she gets a message from Carson Buchwald, the new owner of a camp called Sunny Pines. Sunny Pines isn’t just any camp—it’s the place where another famous cold case, The Box in the Wood Murders, took place in the 1970s, and Carson wants Stevie to come work the case and develop a podcast about it. Soon enough, Stevie and some of her best friends from Ellingham are at Sunny Pines, back in the midst of murder, intrigue, and sleuthing.

Following Stevie and her friends as they work on solving the Box in the Wood Murders is just as thrilling and delightful as following their adventures in the Truly Devious novels. Johnson excels once again at artfully weaving past and present storylines together to create a mystery that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The camp setting offers a new set of challenges for Stevie and her friends, and their characters accordingly deepen. After The Box in the Woods, readers will find themselves hoping once again for more tales of Stevie Bell’s detective work.


The Red Book (A Black Book Thriller, 2)

This is the first James Patterson book I have ever read and now I'm wondering why I haven't picked up one of the bestselling author's books before now.

The Red Book is the second book in the Black Book Thriller series. It stars Detective Billy Harney as the head of an SOS (Special Operations Section) case for the Chicago Police Department. After investigating what seems to be an everyday drive-by shooting, Harney and his crew figure out whodunnit and lay the case to rest. The only thing that keeps nagging at Harney is that fact that there was an unidentified girl with a black lily ankle tattoo killed along with the drug dealers. Harney finds out that the girl is part of a much larger case, a possible sex-trafficking ring. Billy doesn't know whom he can trust on the force and, therefore, does some digging of his own.

The Red Book is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. The plot becomes more and more personal to Billy as he uncovers the truth. It is an excellent story with very real characters. If you like suspense stories mixed with police action, this should be the next book you pick up.


Francis Bacon: Revelations

Biography Roundup
by Holly Scudero

It’s so easy to get caught up in our own day-to-day lives: our jobs, our families, our hobbies. But sometimes we can all benefit by getting a little perspective from the lives of others… and not just through the glamor of gossip magazines or the stark visions of documentaries. A well-written biography can really open our eyes to the issues others face, issues that may affect us in ways we’ve never considered, issues that may be a reality for people that we love, or issues that may be part of our own futures someday. If you’re looking for some fresh perspectives on others, read on for some of the best new biography releases.

Three Dads and a Baby: Adventures in Modern Parenting
Ian Jenkins, M.D.

The path to parenthood is rarely linear and simple, but it’s often even more challenging for same-sex couples. Add a third partner into what’s traditionally always been a two-parent game and things get even more complex, and yet that’s exactly what Ian Jenkins and his two partners found themselves facing when they decided to embark on their mission to mutual fatherhood. As a polyamorous group, they faced more than the usual scrutiny when it came to finding donors, surrogates, and more. This book chronicles the process for them, and how they ultimately became the first polyamorous family declared the legal parents of a child.

I’m Not Single, I have a Dog: Dating Tales from the Bark Side (Dogs in Our World)
Susan Hartzler

Susan Hartzler is a fixer, both in her overall life and in relationships in particular. Not surprisingly, most of the men she feels drawn to are those she fervently believes she can transform into the perfect partner… and those relationships never end well. In an attempt to change her usual course, she decides to adopt a dog, one who will help give her life a different purpose. As she learns to finally put herself first, she discovers the meaning of true unconditional love, as well as how to finally put an end to unhealthy relationships.

Gay Bar: Why We Went Out
Jeremy Atherton Lin

Author Jeremy Atherton Lin has spent large portions of his life in gay bars. Whether stateside or overseas, located in tiny towns or in sprawling metropolises, there are certain elements that are consistent between many gay bars, and the author has experienced them all in detail. But the prevalence of gay bars has been declining in recent years, and the covid-19 pandemic hit them really hard. This book is primarily a memoir of the author’s experiences in various bars, over the years and around the world. Readers will enjoy various insightful revelations as the writer explores how these establishments have shaped an entire highly-nuanced group of people, and how so many individual personalities and images have been forever changed along the way.

Francis Bacon: Revelations
Mark Stevens

Francis Bacon is a well-known twentieth century artist, whose work caught the public eye in a very big and bold way. His unforgettable paintings influenced countless others throughout his life and after his death, but he made huge impressions on popular society in more ways than just art. His sense of humor and his unabashedly openness about his sexuality made him into an unforgettable force of nature, and this biography shows how his legacy lives on in more than just his art. Author Mark Stevens gives readers a uniquely detailed, fully-fleshed-out vision of Bacon that will show just how and why he was so influential during and after his time.

Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America
Kate Washington

When Kate Washington and her husband, Brad, learned that he had cancer, they had no idea what the future would hold, and just how much her life would end up shifting to accommodate his care. As Brad’s condition deteriorated, Kate gave nearly all her time to him: coordinating appointments, filling prescriptions, administering medications. And she, like millions of other caregivers in the United States, was not paid for any of it… and the burnout that comes as a result of such selfless devotion is a reality for many. Her book aims to shed light on the crucial role unpaid caregivers play in supporting America’s lopsided medical system.


The History of Tennis: Legendary Champions. Magical Moments.

History Book Roundup

If you’re interested in expanding your non-fiction reading to include more history this springtime, here are a selection of recently published books covering both national and international events, mass and niche interests, famous and lesser known individuals, to whet your appetite for learning something new.

The Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones

Despite initially seeming an unlikely spy, literature graduate and former model Aline Griffith proved to be a dab hand at espionage during World War II. A chance encounter at a dinner party provided the New York native with an opportunity to fulfill her ambition of contributing to the war effort by joining the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and working as a coder in Madrid. From there, her excellent networking and social skills led to her forming connections that were the envy of the more archetypical spies dispatched to Europe by the OSS. Her nose for intrigue and her ear for gossip allowed her to ferret out information from members of the Spanish upper classes that proved vital to the allies. Although it’s clear that some controversy still surrounds Griffith’s war record (there exists documentary evidence concerning her career as a code clerk and an agent runner, but her recollections of more exciting exploits may well have been embroidered), The Princess Spy, Larry Loftis’ account of her extraordinary wartime career, is a work of solid and meticulously researched history. Griffith’s story is an exciting and sometimes almost unbelievable one, but she certainly proved to be a valuable asset for the OSS. Her work as a spy differed significantly from that of the majority of other spies stationed in Europe during World War II, which means that this book provides an insightful account of a unique career in decidedly high-class espionage.

Queens of the Crusades: England’s Medieval Queens Book Two

Alison Weir is among the foremost public historians in the United Kingdom. She is particularly well known for writing histories of female royalty, and in Queens of the Crusades: England’s Medieval Queens Book Two, she turns her attention to the first five Plantagenet queens: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria of Navarre, Isabella of Angoulême, Alienor of Provence, and Eleanor of Castile. Of the five, Eleanor of Aquitaine is arguably the most (in)famous, so it’s no surprise that the story of her life and times accounts for more than a third of the book. However, the reigns of the other four queens were also characterized by remarkable events, and the book as a whole covers a truly fascinating period of history (1154–1291). Alongside her history books, Weir is also known for writing historical fiction, and her flair for dramatic writing (coupled with the fact that some larger-than-life people and events featured prominently during the period in question) renders this history as sensational and action-packed as a good novel. The characters and exploits of the five queens are brought to the fore and they are finally given the recognition that has been denied them in most prior histories. In addition, considering things from the perspectives of the queens provides Weir with a new lens for examining major events such as the signing of the Magna Carta and the murder of Thomas Becket.

Trailblazing Women! Amazing Americans Who Made History

In Trailblazing Women! Amazing Americans Who Made History, Deborah G. Felder provides potted histories of the lives and achievements of around one hundred and twenty extraordinary American women. The women included in the book come from different times, a wide range of backgrounds, and different spheres of life, but they have all made their mark on the world in amazing and long-lasting ways. For example, from the world of politics, Felder includes brief biographies of Madeleine Albright and Michelle Obama, while from the legal sphere, she features Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Leading lights from the music and entertainment industries are also included in the book, such as Marian Anderson, Billie Holiday, and Lucille Ball. Biographies of some great writers are featured too, including Louisa May Alcott and Maya Angelou. While many of the women included in the book remain famous today, some are now far less well known than their achievements warrant, for example, Jane Addams (a pioneering social reformer) and Hattie Elizabeth Alexander (a groundbreaking physician). Trailblazing Women! Amazing Americans Who Made History provides really interesting and insightful accounts of the lives and works of some truly extraordinary women, and reading it will likely prompt readers to seek out further information about the featured women.

The World Turned Upside Down: A History of the Chinese Cultural Revolution

Yang Jisheng’s The World Turned Upside Down: A History of the Chinese Cultural Revolution provides a definitive account of one of the most tumultuous periods in modern China’s history, a period during which changes occurred that still have repercussions today. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) marked a turning point in the history of both China itself and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and it had devastating social and economic consequences for the Chinese people. Based on both his own experiences and his extensive research, Yang Jisheng ultimately contends that, rather than being a true mass movement that spiraled out of control, the Cultural Revolution was a deliberate attempt to deflect the Chinese public’s discontent toward sources other than the CCP. An exhaustive yet highly readable work, the book is the result of eleven years of research, including sources unavailable to historians outside of China. The scholarship involved in researching and writing The World Turned Upside Down: A History of the Chinese Cultural Revolution is all the more impressive given the potential dangers that Yang Jisheng faced due to the criticisms of Mao Zedong, the Cultural Revolution, and the CCP contained within the book.

A Time of Fear: America in the Era of Red Scares and Cold War

Arguably, from both the popular perspective and the political, the greatest enemy that the United States faced during the twentieth century was the Soviet Union. The ideologies of the two countries were diametrically opposed, and many within the United States feared that Soviet forces were intent on destabilizing democracy and freedom and so bringing an end to the American Dream. Such fears and the hysteria engendered by them gave rise to so-called Red Scares, including the Rosenberg spy network trial and the McCarthy witch hunts. In A Time of Fear: America in the Era of Red Scares and Cold War, his account of a uniquely paranoid period of American history, Albert Marrin brings the ideas and fears of the time to life and, in doing so, highlights lessons that are still of relevance today. He examines both the prevalent hostility toward the Soviet Union and the aspects of communism that appealed to certain sections of American society, thereby striking a balance between exposing conspiracies and highlighting the truth. It all makes for a very interesting read. The impact of the book’s text is further enhanced by the inclusion of numerous black and white photographs.

The History of Tennis: Legendary Champions, Magical Moments

Richard Evans’ The History of Tennis: Legendary Champions, Magical Moments offers a comprehensive history of tennis from the birth of the sport through to the major matches and top players of the present day. Packed full of facts, figures, and glossy photographs capturing key events and personalities associated with the game, the book is sure to appeal to both die-hard tennis fans and those interested in learning a bit more about the sport. The history of tennis is a long one, dating back to the time of Henry VIII, and there has seemingly always been great rivalry, controversy, and camaraderie involved in the sport. As a result, there are plenty of intriguing and, sometimes, downright surprising stories to be told. Evans’ clear passion for tennis shines through in his writing about the technicalities of the sport, the famous moments, the infamous faces, and various bits of behind-the-scenes information that he has gleaned during his long career as a tennis journalist. While the book will probably most strongly appeal to those who already have a great deal of interest in tennis (beyond watching the finals of the major tournaments, that is), there is also plenty for the more casual follower of the sport to enjoy.


Stuff Every Coffee Lover Should Know (Stuff You Should Know Book 30)

Stuff Every Coffee Lover Should Know is packed with an unbelievable amount of coffee-related knowledge. For anyone who is interested in learning more about where coffee comes from, how to make different coffee beverages, how to categorize coffee flavors, and so much more, this little book will tell you. The book is organized into easy-to-read categories such as "Coffee Basics," "Brewing Methods," "Coffee Traditions Around the World," and "Serving Coffee."

As a coffee lover myself, I really appreciated the chapter on the different brewing methods. I had no idea there were so many ways to brew a cup o' joe! From the simple French press method to the newer, popular method of the Aeropress, coffee can be brewed in so many ways to get the perfect cup. My son has a Chemex, which is another method that is explained in the book, and now I know why he wanted a gooseneck kettle to go with it. You can control the pour of the water better and get more even results. Who would have known? This little book would make the perfect gift for any coffee lover!


Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones is full of straight talk, wisdom, and tips for taking up the space you deserve. The author delivers an important message for women, especially: don’t shrink yourself to fit into anyone’s worldview. Be you, unapologetically. You can’t do big things if you allow yourself to be restricted to the small spaces that other people make for you. Make your own space.

Ms. Jones is an excellent storyteller, and she weaves her stories with truths in a way that is both gentle and empowering as well as clever and poignant. She will have you laughing out loud, shaking your head at the audacity of people, and telling yourself, “YEAH. I AM WORTH IT.” Her unique writing style and hilarious footnotes make this book a quick read, but one that you’ll come back to again and again for the nuggets of wisdom it contains.

When you finish reading this book, you will undoubtedly be a stronger, more fearless, more empathetic badass than you already are. Read Professional Troublemaker, then go make some trouble!


Lying for Money: Five Books on Business Corruption

As Ralph Waldo Emerson noted, “money often costs too much,” and that cost is all too often borne by those least able to manage it. While the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed the global markets and brought the finances of both individuals and corporations to breaking point, the rot at the heart of the economic system had set in long before the pandemic. It’s no surprise then that five recent releases have sought to expose the inequalities of the business and financial sectors and to suggest ways in which society could become fairer.

Tax the Rich! How Lies, Loopholes, and Lobbyists Make the Rich Even Richer by Morris Pearl, Erica Payne, and the Patriotic Millionaires

The Patriotic Millionaires describe themselves as a group of “high net worth Americans, business leaders, and investors who are united in their concern about the destabilizing concentration of wealth and power in America.” The group aims to help build a more equal and prosperous society by promoting equal political representation, a minimum wage for all workers, and tax reform, and in Tax the Rich! How Lies, Loopholes, and Lobbyists Make the Rich Even Richer, Patriotic Millionaires chair Morris Pearl, founder Erica Payne, and assorted other millionaire contributors explain why the US economy is rigged in favor of the rich as well as how it can be equalized. Through a combination of engaging and often humorous text, cartoons, infographics, and case studies, the authors highlight the problems with the current system and offer justifications for introducing a reformed tax code that builds the middle class, creates good employment prospects, grows the economy, and incentivizes both individuals and companies to act for the good of the country. Given the fact that inequality has never been more pronounced in US society, it’s a timely and important book.

The Monsanto Papers: Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruptions, and One Man’s Search for Justice by Carey Gillam

As a school groundkeeper, Lee Johnson was used to working with well-known brands of weedkiller such as Roundup and Ranger Pro, both of which were glyphosate-based products manufactured by corporate boogeyman Monsanto. After Johnson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and informed of his poor prognosis, he thought back to that use and to a workplace accident that left him drenched in weedkiller and made the link between that exposure and his subsequent cancer diagnosis. Monsanto had faced a host of similar accusations, but Johnson’s case was the first time the company had been required to defend itself in front of a jury. The Monsanto Papers: Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruptions, and One Man’s Search for Justice is investigative journalist Carey Gillam’s exhaustive account of the legal battle to hold agrochemical giant Monsanto accountable for its shameful profiteering and flagrant disregard for public safety. Gillam details some horrendously corrupt practices on the part of Monsanto, which were perhaps not as shocking as they should be given the company’s dire reputation, as well as a number of coverups involving regulatory authorities, which highlight the extent to which cash and corporate power can be leveraged to avoid responsibility when the victims are ordinary people.

Antitrust: Taking on Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age by Amy Klobuchar

Simply put, antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition by limiting the market power of individual companies. This is generally achieved by ensuring that mergers and acquisitions do not result in the concentration of market power or the formation of monopolies, although it can also involve the breakup of firms that have somehow developed into monopolies. However, the era of globalization is certainly not free of monopolies (as evidenced by Google controlling 90% of the search engine market), and as Amy Klobuchar reveals in Antitrust: Taking on Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age, the concentration of market power has actual characterized the capitalist business system since the late 1800s. Klobuchar, who is currently the senior US senator from Minnesota as well as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, is a firm advocate of the need to dismantle monopolies and so to ensure a fairer society for all. She takes readers through the history of monopoly formation in the United States (from the days of the robber barons to the passing of the Clayton Act and on to the current situation of Big Pharma), which has largely proved disastrous for average people, and highlights the problems that a lack of market competition is causing today. It’s eye-opening stuff.

Lying for Money: How Legendary Frauds Reveal the Workings of the World by Dan Davies

As Dan Davies explains in Lying for Money: How Legendary Frauds Reveal the Workings of the World, there are various kinds of white-collar crimes, including insider trading, Ponzi schemes, identity theft, embezzlement, counterfeiting, and money laundering. All these crimes involve the criminals exploiting the trust for their victims, whether they be individuals or organizations, and as modern economies rely on trust, fraud in all its various flavors represents an insidious crime. Davies provides overviews of famous frauds and fraudsters (such as Leslie Payne, accountant for the Kray twins; Tino De Angelis, perpetrator of the great salad oil swindle; and Alves des Reis, the man who stole Portugal) and also explains the structures and trust mechanisms that they exploited. His aim is to help readers understand how frauds work (and how to recognize an honest commercial system) so that they are better placed to manage the risk to themselves and their businesses. Davies’ use of case studies and schematics helps to clearly explain the often complex and convoluted processes behind frauds, and his text is both informative and entertaining.

Fed Up! Success, Excess and Crisis Through the Eyes of a Hedge Fund Macro Trader by Colin Lancaster

According to Wall Street macro trader Colin Lancaster, the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to the greatest market panic seen since the Great Depression, and in Fed Up! Success, Excess and Crisis Through the Eyes of a Hedge Fund Macro Trader, he takes readers through the heyday of the recent financial bubble, the experience of the catastrophic crash caused by the pandemic, and the early shoots of grow that signalled the slow resurgence of the market. It’s a great book for those interested in the workings of the stock market and those interested in working in the stock market, as well as for those seeking to understand why the global stock market is subject to such volatility, as Lancaster details the situation on the ground and explains what the life of a trader is really like. From Lancaster’s perspective, it’s a taxing but lucrative life, and he explains the difficulties of keeping pace with the market environment while also keeping up with family and friends. In addition to his personal take on the stock market, Lancaster also considers the policy issues currently facing the US as well as the next generation of traders.


The Ping-Pong Champion of Chinatown

The Ping Pong Champion of Chinatown follows a young girl named Gertie McDowell across the United States as she digs herself into trouble and then magically gets out of her predicaments. Gertie is from Kentucky, and wanting to be famous, as you know we all do, she finds herself working with a man she calls "The Nose" who turns her into an Internet sensation, that is, turns her feet into the famous feet of "Little Miss Twinkle Toes." Perverts from all over flock to her YouTube channel to see her do different weird things with her feet like putting mustard on them and then sliding them into hot dog buns. Oy vey! When Gertie decides she has had enough of this, she finds herself making dresses for a "fashion" company. She makes the dresses and then ships them to the company where they adorn the dresses with lace and other fancy things and then ship the dresses back to her to deliver to the local customers. Sound a bit fishy? Well, it is. Gertie finds herself in prison, but meets friends there, the kind of friends you meet in prison, that is. When she gets out she is put in the Witness Protection Program and shipped off to San Francisco. And this is where the title comes from.

The Ping Pong Champion of Chinatown is wildly entertaining. In fact, I read it in one sitting. Gertie's southern hick charm comes across in James Hanna's writing as if she were sitting right next to you telling you her story. Gertie is so smart and talented in many areas, but her gullible nature lands her in heaps of trouble. I found each chapter to be well written and engaging. Each and every character has a special place in Gertie's life, and the author takes his time in developing each one and Gertie's feelings toward them. Gertie's naivety will have readers both chuckling and saying "oh no!" Throughout the story, Gertie's positive attitude shines through, and maybe this is what keeps her going through life. I would love to read another book starring Gertie McDowell as she is only twenty-three towards the end of the book. A fun, crazy, action-packed roller-coaster ride of a book, The Ping Pong Champion of Chinatown will have its readers feeling completely enveloped in the world of Gertie. Recommended for young adult to adult readers.


Design for a Living Planet: The Earth Constitution Solution

Climate Courage by Andreas Karelas

A book about climate change doesn’t always have to be doom and gloom, but can be something positive and hopeful. //Climate Courage// is one of those books. Author Andreas Karelas makes it clear that we already have all the tools we need to not only combat climate change, but to heal the planet too. Focusing on stories from around the world where small changes lead to big success, along with the immense growth in new jobs in clean energy, //Climate Courage// is an inspiring read that makes the reader realize we not only have a chance, but we can really turn back climate change.

Advocating for the Environment by Susan Inches

When it comes to climate change, one can often feel just helpless at the insurmountable odds, and what change can one person do? //Advocating for the Environment// seeks to turn that concept on its head by presenting solutions that are policy-based and with a concentration on advocacy to actually make a change. A first of its kind book with discussions on storytelling with relation to climate change, as well as improving one’s skills with coalition building and communication strategy, and providing plenty of case studies to show it actually works. No matter how small, change can be achieved.

Design for a Living Planet by Glen T. Martin

//Design for Living Planet// is a deep dive into environmental design from an urban philosopher and a mathematician who is also a physicist, but they seek to make it clear and engaging for non-science minded readers. Covering new findings on subjects like fractals, networks, self organization, and dynamical systems to name a few, and even addressing some of the more revolutionary ideas. The authors make it clear a big change is taking place in modern design, and for those interested, this book has the answers.

Under the Sky We Make by  Kimberly Nicholas

We can’t have too many books that give us hope about climate change, and //Under the Sky We Make// is one of those books. Author Kimberly Nicholas draws on her fifteen years of public speaking around the world about sustainability, after realizing that people weren’t getting the right message that there’s nothing the individual can really do to combat climate change. Nicholas shows how it will require a lot of hard work, both societal and cultural change, but it can be done.

A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll

Planet Earth has been around for over four billion years. To say that a lot has happened in that time is a vast understatement. And yet telling that four billion year story comprehensively is a gargantuan undertaking. But for someone looking to get a good idea of that immense history there’s //A Brief History of Earth//. Andrew H. Knoll is a renowned geologist who draws on his decades of field research to show just how much has changed on the planet, and perhaps most importantly, putting our current world in poignant perspective.


Her Last Breath

Ominous Reads

If you’re looking to escape to a dangerous world populated by sinister characters and characterized by all manner of danger and deception this autumn, then the following six thrillers could be just what you’re after:

Deceptions (A Helena Marsh Novel, 2) by Anna Porter

In Deceptions, the second outing for art expect, martial arts master, and superb amateur sleuth Helena Marsh, former Budapest policeman Attila Feher thinks he has the perfect ruse to reconnect with his ex-lover: he intends to ask Helena to appraise a painting and determine if it really is a work by the famous artist Artemisia Gentileschi. Unfortunately for Feher, his plans are quickly derailed by the fact that Eastern European gangsters also seem to be interested in the painting, which has the potential to expose corruption at the highest levels of Hungarian society. As the bodies begin to pile up, Feher has reason to be glad that he sought Helena’s help, although maybe not the reason he was initially hoping for. In Helena Marsh, Anna Porter has created an enigmatic and dynamic heroine who really knows how to kick ass and take names. She has a great nose for a mystery, and she’s definitely not worried about getting her hands dirty.

Tell Me the Truth (Adler and Dwyer, 2) by Matthew Farrell

Jenny Moore might be pleased to finally be leaving for college, but she’s the only one who seems to think it’s a good idea that she leaves the town of Lewisboro, New York and all the memories it holds behind. In fact, there’s at least one person who’s willing to go to any lengths to stop her from going. When Jenny’s mother finds her stabbed and left for dead outside their family home, state police investigator Susan Adler and consultant Liam Dwyer are called in to investigate the attack. They can immediately tell that something is very wrong in the town; they are confronted with a surfeit of suspects and it seems that pretty much everyone is hiding behind lies and deception. Tell Me the Truth by Matthew Farrell is the second crime thriller to feature Adler and Dwyer, and it’s a seriously suspenseful police procedural in which nothing is what it seems and no one seems capable of telling the truth.

Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson

Deidre is devastated to learn that her sister Caroline is dead, but she’s in for an even greater shock. Some time after hearing of Caroline’s death, Deidre receives a message that her sister had written days earlier, a message that claimed her forthcoming death would be no accident. Despite having been estranged from her family for years, Deidre decides to brave the trip to Manhattan to attend Caroline’s funeral, and while she’s there, to investigate the circumstances behind her sister’s death. A frightening encounter with Caroline’s husband Theo at the funeral raises the possibility that she might have been having an affair, which suggests a possible reason for her death. Deidre decides to dig deeper, however dangerous that might prove. Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson is a dark and twisted thriller than is permeated by a sense of menace and danger. It’s a fast-paced story characterized by blistering psychological suspense.

Vortex (An FBI Thriller, 25) by Catherine Coulter

Mia Briscoe’s best friend Serena disappeared seven years ago during a college rave that ended in tragedy when a fire broke out. Now working as an investigative journalist in New York, Mia is covering her regular political beat when she happens upon some photos from the night Serena vanished. Working with FBI Agent Sherlock to track back through the events of that night, Mia soon realizes that powerful figures may have strong reasons for keeping what happened to Serena hushed up. Meanwhile, Agent Savich is working with CIA operative Olivia Hildebrandt to uncover what happened to a missing member of her team and the flash drive he was tasked with protecting. As the two investigations proceed and converge, the danger level rises as the intrigue deepens. Catherine Coulter is on top form with this twenty-fifth installment in her FBI Thriller series, and the events of Vortex are sure to set readers’ hearts racing.

Breeder by Honni van Rijswijk

Sometime in the not too distant future, in a world ruled by the sinister Corporation, fifteen-year-old Will Meadows is doing his best to survive in Zone F, the most run-down and deprived ring of the Corporation. Will has to maintain his productivity if he is to avoid being sent to the Rator, but he knows that he’s lucky compared with the Zone F Breeders: they are born into debt and can only escape through participating in the Corporation’s reproduction program. When Will risks traveling to the less restricted Gray Zone, he gains a job from a corrupt Corporation official and finds a friend in Alex, a Breeder who is on the run. Things seem to be looking up for Will and Alex, but when their happiness leads to complacency, they risk losing everything they’ve worked for. Breeder by Honni van Rijswijk is a futuristic thriller set in a dystopian world where everyday life is terrifying and dangerous for the majority. It’s a scary but all too believable story.

Arrow’s Rest (The Offshore Novels, 3) by Joel Scott

Joel Scott’s Arrow’s Rest is a nautical thriller that certainly makes a splash. When fisherman Jared Kane sets out to find the perpetrators behind a sadistic assault on a female acquaintance, he ends up discovering far more than he bargained on. It seems that the assault is linked to a particularly dangerous criminal network with links to those in high political office. Events seem to center on an exclusive yacht club, which Jared considers to be the perfect place to moor his own rather more downmarket yacht, Arrow. With the help of his friend Danny MacLean, Jared sets about investigating all of the shady goings-on at the club, eventually embarking on a deadly chase through the Salish Sea that ends in tragedy for the Arrow and her crew. The thrilling storyline and healthy dose of danger make for an excellent slice of crime on the high seas.


Political Roundup

Let’s face it, while it can be pretty hard to understand what’s going on in the world of politics, it’s generally even harder to determine if politicians themselves know what’s happening. The following five books tackle important contemporary political issues and explain the background to them, which should help readers to untangle the mess, see beyond the news reports, and understand why things are happening as well as what can be done to change the situation.

Children Under Fire: An American Crisis by John Woodrow Cox

As investigative journalist John Woodrow Cox notes in the opening chapter of Children Under Fire: An American Crisis, gun violence represents a public health crisis in the United States that has long been both drastically underestimated and willfully ignored, and it is having a terrible impact on the nation’s children. In fact, shockingly, on average, one child is shot every hour in the United States, making gunfire the second-leading cause of death among children in the country. Based on a series of articles Cox wrote for the Washington Post, this book examines the tragic effects that guns and gun violence are having on children. Through first-person accounts of those, both adults and children, who have suffered as a result of gun violence, the book highlights how woefully inadequate current gun control laws are and also exposes the individuals and organizations that have a vested interest in keeping them that way. The stories included in the book are heartrending and should prompt even those most committed to the cause of the gun lobby to reflect on what can and should be done to protect America’s children.

When America Stopped Being Great: A History of the Present by Nick Bryant

In When America Stopped Being Great: A History of the Present, Nick Bryant looks back on the major events from the last four decades of American history in an effort to uncover what led to the dramatic and polarizing events that have characterized far more recent history, including the Trump presidency, the Black Lives Matter movement, the storming of the Capital Building, and the (mis)handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through clear prose and powerful imagery, Bryant explains how the optimism that permeated American society following the end of the Cold War was eroded in the decades that followed due to political scandals, economic inequalities, and social immobility, resulting in a society that was more divided than ever before. Bryant argues that this sense of division paved the way for Donald Trump to become president, which led to the further polarization of groups within US society. It’s a deeply personal account that still manages to provide a broad overview of American history, offering suggestions as to what the future may hold.

A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious by Roya Hakakian

Roya Hakakian fled her homeland of Iran in August 1984 and, after spending months trekking through Europe as a refugee, eventually settled in the United States. In the prologue to A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and Curious, she reflects on how, as a new arrival to the country, she was bombarded with information on the practicalities of being an immigrant to the United States but given next to no advice on how to live as an American, how to fit in, and how to reconcile her old life with the new one. Hakakian notes that while no two immigrants are the same, there are common human experiences and common immigrant experiences, which means that there are understandings, reflections, and puzzlements that could be of benefit to all. She has written this book to elucidate an immigrant’s perspective on life in the United States and so to help both new arrivals and natives expand their understanding of contemporary America. As such, it provides an unflinching, insightful, and sometimes even humorous account of immigrant life from the point of arrival through to naturalization and beyond.

How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession with Rights Is Tearing America Apart by Jamal Greene

Despite referencing the existence of certain “inalienable rights,” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” the US Constitution actually says very little about the specificities of rights, most likely because the Founders disagreed as to their nature and necessity. In fact, as Jamal Greene notes in How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession with Rights Is Tearing America Apart, the Founders preferred to leave the issue of rights to legislatures and juries, not judges, although it was their failure to tackle the issue of racial discrimination that gave rise to the human rights system seen in the United States today. This lack of a structured approach to rights has led to a situation in which the courts will protect the interests they recognize as rights from even the positive interference of democratic politics, while they leave interests that have not been officially recognized as rights to the mercy of the government. The difficulty of determining “true” rights from mere interests was compounded by the explosion in rights seeking that characterized 1960s America, and the situation is no more clear today. Greene elucidates the need to reconceptualize rights and to link them more closely to justice before the divisions in contemporary society cause irreparable damage.

The Spirit of Green: The Economics of Collisions and Contagions in a Crowded World by William D. Nordhaus

In writing The Spirit of Green: The Economics of Collisions and Contagions in a Crowded World, William D. Nordhaus, who won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for “integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis,” sought to address the challenges posed by economic growth and globalization and the unintended consequences of the two. The consequence of particular interest to him is climate change, and many of the ideas presented in the book are intended to help slow that process. Due to focusing on the issues from an economic perspective, Nordhaus discusses how both public and private institutions can be harnessed to identify effective solutions to the challenges facing industrialized societies. He also seeks to answer a wide range of social, political, and economic questions from what he terms the “Green” perspective, focusing on issues such as pollution, global warming, and inequality. Nordhaus clearly sets out his Green philosophy and establishes its potential applications in globalized and technologically sophisticated societies. He suggests concrete Green steps that can be taken to help save the planet, ranging from increasing the incentives associated with the use of Green energy to improving ethical norms for both individuals and companies. In doing all this, Nordhaus succeeds in rendering complex discussions highly readable.


The Shape of Darkness: A Novel

Agnes is a silhouette artist struggling to keep her business afloat. Nobody wants their silhouettes only when the photograph is becoming more and more popular. Things take a turn for the worse when her clients are being found murdered. Who will want to sit for her now? Agnes decides to visit a medium to get some answers. However, Agnes discovers that The Shape of Darkness might come in a more familiar form than she is prepared for.

Set a book in Victorian England and I’m pretty much sold no matter what. Add in ghosts and murder, and it’s a must-read. The relationship between sisters in this story is so interesting. How can you love someone that you also hate? While there are some supernatural elements in this tale, there are also many examples of the power of our mind and how far we’re willing to go to believe in something that is contrary to what we see. If you are anything like me and love anything Victorian, ghost stories, and murder mysteries, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. I’ve never read anything else by this author, but now that I have, I’m going to have to read more.


How Stella Learned to Talk: The Groundbreaking Story of the World's First Talking Dog

How Stella Learned to Talk is such a cool story! The author, Christina Hunger, is a speech therapist who works with children. This book isn’t just about dogs; it starts with a story about Oliver, one of the children Christina works with. Oliver had a communication device with ten pre-programmed sentences. Christina decided to give him buttons with single words that Oliver could combine himself. It worked! Later, when she adopted a new puppy, she noticed that the puppy, Stella, was using non-verbal communication strategies just like some of Christina’s nonverbal child patients. Christina got the idea to use the word buttons with her dog just like she used with some of the children she works with.

My favorite story, the one that practically makes my head explode thinking about it, is about what Stella did when her ‘beach’ button stopped working. Stella pushed buttons for ‘help,’ ‘water,’ and ‘outside.’ One day, when Christina ran out of Stella’s regular dog food, Stella refused to eat other food and pushed buttons for ‘eat’ and ‘no.’ This book includes tips for assisting your dog’s communication. You have to be both patient and persistent! It’s really cool and a little scary to think what our pets might want to say if we give them a chance.


Spring Nature Roundup
by Holly Scudero

Flowers are blooming, trees are awash in fresh green leaves, allergies are going nuts, and suddenly the garden center is a hot spot of activity every weekend: spring has finally arrived. And there’s no better time to develop or renew an interest in the natural world than when the world itself is experiencing renewal! Whatever your interest--whether you’re fascinated by plants or animals, or even the environment as a whole--this spring has brought us a plethora of new books to help you dive in and learn something new. Read on for some of this season’s top picks.

National Audubon Society Birds of North America (National Audubon Society Guide)
National Audubon Society

If you’ve ever wondered what birds show up in your backyard or which species you see when your family is on vacation, then this beautiful, freshly updated bird guide from the National Audubon Society is perfect for you. This book covers more than 800 species of birds found in North America. Each entry includes a physical description, as well as information on what their call/song sounds like, what part of the continent they are found on, and their nesting habits. Birds are presented in a logical fashion--related species are together--and there are thousands of pictures, making it easier than ever to identify any individual bird.

The Eco Hero Handbook: Simple Solutions to Tackle Eco-Anxiety
Tessa Wardley

It’s nearly impossible to not be aware of some of the many ways humans are negatively affecting our planet, but for many of us, the solutions seem simply overwhelming. Environmentalist and activist Tessa Wardley presents a series of easy-to-implement solutions in this reader-friendly book. Each big subject is tackled one at a time, with the issue broken down into understandable terms and one or more practical solutions that anyone can implement into their own life. The issues are sorted into categories--home, out and about, work, food, activism--and the many colorful illustrations are eye-catching, encouraging you to keep reading and keep changing.

How to Be Animal: A New History of What It Means to Be Human
Melanie Challenger

Human beings are technically animals, though we have tried for pretty much our entire existence to separate ourselves from the natural world. We have used our brains to invent all manner of philosophy and ideology to justify the many physical ways we’ve separated ourselves from animals, and to make acceptable the ways we treat animals and the rest of the environment. Melanie Challenger’s new book explores humanity’s complicated relationship with its own animalistic nature throughout history, as well as how the barriers we’ve constructed between ourselves and nature may affect the future of the planet.

The Spirit of Animal Healing: An Integrative Medicine Guide to a Higher State of Well-being
Marty Goldstein

The field of medicine is always evolving, and that includes veterinary medicine as well. Dr. Marty Goldstein has been a veterinarian for decades, and for much of that time he has been a pioneer and champion for integrative medical practices for pets. His new book presents readers with the latest, most up-to-date information on how anybody can use integrative medicine to help their pets live their best lives. Readers will learn how they can use nutritional supplements and various therapies to keep their pets healthy, and they’ll also learn about a variety of subjects they may have never thought deeply about before, such as cancer treatment, vaccinations, animal spirituality, and more.

National Audubon Society Trees of North America (National Audubon Society Guide)
National Audubon Society

The National Audubon Society has pulled together a collection of respected experts to compile this gorgeous field guide to the trees on the North American continent. Readers can use this book to identify more than 540 different species of trees; each entry includes information about where the tree can be found as well as its bark, fruit, flowers, leaf shape, and more. And thousands of color photographs combined with a smart, well thought-out organization system seal the deal, making it easier than ever to figure out which trees are in your yard or are along the trail while you’re hiking. Every nature lover needs this guide.


DIY Roundup

If there’s one (non-health-related) thing that the lockdowns of the past year or so have highlighted, it’s the importance of having hobbies and entertaining ways to pass the time. Whether you’re looking to learn a new craft, find a new way to relax, or embark upon a whole new lifestyle, there’s a book out there that can help you get started. Here’s just a small selection of recent publications that could encourage you to start something new:

Sewing Simple Softies with 17 Amazing Designers by Trixi Symonds and Deborah Fisher

Trixi Symonds launched the Sew a Softie project with the aim of encouraging people of all ages from all around the world to take up sewing. Now, with Sewing Simple Softies with 17 Amazing Designers, which she has cowritten with Deborah Fisher, she hopes to encourage even more people to pick up a needle and thread and let their creativity run wild. Among the seventeen delightful soft toys that the book teaches readers to make are Pocket Panda, Blossom Bee, Valentina Ballerina, and Yummy Sandwich, and they are all just as cute as you would expect. In addition to the guidance and templates required to complete the various sewing projects, the book also includes information on different stitching techniques and the use of several types of materials. The book is particularly useful for those who are still quite new to sewing, as the instructions are clearly written and accompanied by helpful illustrations while every project can be hand-sewn, which means there is no need to invest in expense gear in order to craft a cute character. After working through some of the included projects, readers should be able to design, plan, and craft their own super-lovely softie.

The Backyard Homesteader: How to Save Water, Keep Bees, Eat from Your Garden, and Live a More Sustainable Life by Alison Candlin

In The Backyard Homesteader, Alison Candlin provides a raft of information, tips, tricks, and warnings for those looking to live off the land and enjoy a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Her clear, no-nonsense guidance aims to set people up right from the very beginning of their self-sufficiency journey, which includes obtaining the relevant permits and filing the necessary paperwork, clearing the land, and improving the soil quality. She certainly doesn’t sugar-coat the amount of hard work involved in being a homesteader. She describes how the growing conditions of almost every piece of land can be enhanced by building a greenhouse, installing fencing, and ensuring there is sufficient drainage, and she explains how to make the best decisions concerning planting and crop rotation. She also provides some helpful information on animal husbandry for those seeking to increase their sustainability by raising pigs, chickens, or cows, among other animals. There’s no need to own a smallholding to make use of Candlin’s tips though, as she also provides information for those seeking to cultivate far more modest spaces such as allotments or residential gardens. Candlin’s comprehensive account of how to get started and progress as a homesteader, as well as the hundreds of helpful photographs and illustrations that accompany her text, make this book a “must read” for those seriously considering off-grid living and those looking to daydream about an alternative way of life.

Fragile World: Color Nature’s Wonders by Kerby Rosanes and Imogen Currell-Williams

Kerby Rosanes is truly outstanding when it comes to crafting intricate pen and ink drawings and doodles that contain fair more detail and meaning than is initially apparent, and his work is extremely well-suited to being featured in coloring books. When putting together the images for Fragile World: Color Nature’s Wonders, Rosanes turned his attention to endangered and threatened animals from around the world. There are illustrations, either single- or double-page spreads, of fifty-five animals featured in the book, including pandas, cheetahs, and polar bears. Each illustration is amazing in terms of its detail, in addition to being a huge amount of fun to color in. It really is a coloring book for people of all ages, and it will particularly appeal to those who are interested in wildlife, ecosystems, and conservation. Toward the end of the book, Imogen Currell-Williams provides information on each of the fifty-five animals featured, including the degree to which each is endangered, which really enhances the impact of the book and ensures that it both entertains and informs. Plus, royalties from the book are being donated to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, which means that buying it helps to support the foundation’s efforts to conserve animals and their habitats worldwide.


Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations

Jonny Sun, author of everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too, brings his thoughtful, observant, and funny voice to this collection of essays. These essays take up a number of different ideas: cooking, the implications of living to work, the joys and challenges of taking care of plants, and deepening understandings of oneself, one’s friends, and one’s family. Accompanying many essays are delicate yet expressive drawings that depict everything from a cup of yogurt to the opening leaves of a plant. The effect is a collection that is thoughtful, quiet, and heartfelt.

Sun’s book is filled with moments and observations that beg to be underlined. Reflecting on how he spends his free time, for example, he writes, “[M]y favorite ways to relax are to work, just on something other than work.” His contemplations of obsession with productivity, the ways people come together over food, the slow but visible growth of plants, and dealing with sadness and anxiety come together to create a reading experience that is illuminating—and that inspires the reader to pay careful and loving attention to the things in their own world.


The Queen's Secret

Though married and queen of both Montrice and Renovia, Lilac wants to keep Cal, the queen’s assassin, as her little secret. Unfortunately, issues in Renovia take Cal away, even though there’s concern about a sinister force at work in the palace. A scribe has warned of a gray monk in the tower, known to belong to a group with ominous plans. When her mother is forced out of the Renovian palace due to a suspicious fire and ends up with Lilac in Montrice, Cal worries about a plot to get the royals together. As the deaths pile up, the people start turning against Lilac, calling her a witch, but there is something much darker overtaking the kingdom and time is running out.

Misunderstandings lead to questions for both Lilac and Cal about their relationship, and rather than approach each other and end the confusion, anger increases the gap between them, although they refuse to give up. Lilac has changed a lot from The Queen’s Assassin, but her take-charge attitude and refusal to fall to the patriarchy of the king’s council is part of what readers love about her strong character and grit. The ending to this duology comes too quickly but is satisfying nonetheless.

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers


Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth

Does putting aside fifty percent of the world’s land into preserves sound like a doable method of saving the earth? It seems impossible to this reader, however, the author, Tony Hiss details all of the worldwide efforts to do just that and comes up with a very optimistic prognosis. It is delightful and inspiring to learn about the efforts to put aside land in an effort to save our fragile planet. Those engaged in this line of work are called Half Earthers. It has been known for some time that animals need broad ranges in which to roam, yet urban sprawl intersects migration routes bringing wild animals into dangerous proximity with humans. The author details efforts of individuals and groups who have worked to save wilderness where they can. He further argues for greater coalitions of those groups and new contacts in order to seamlessly work together to make land and forest preservation a reality. While this book has a good index, it would have been a service to have a listing of referrals so that readers could join this worthwhile effort.


What You Never Knew: A Novel

After the death of her older sister May, June Bennett discovers that she is now the owner of Avril Island, their family home they left when June was twelve and had always been told had been sold. Struggling with the loss of May, June decides to go home where she discovers nothing was as it seems. The disappearance of her father, which prompted their exodus from the island, might have actually been a murder that was never solved. June starts looking for answers and begins to discover that What You Never Knew can truly hurt you.

This story is told from the perspective of both June and May, after her death, which gave both of those characters more depth as you learned what each was like from themselves and from each other. This was more of an emotional drama full of misunderstood and broken people, than a murder mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it even though it was not what I expected. If you enjoy stories that showcase how far we’ll go for the ones we love, as well as tales of how one action can have unforeseen consequences that last a lifetime, you will love this book.