The Bookstore on the Beach: 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.


The Secret Ingredient Cookbook: 125 Family-Friendly Recipes with Surprisingly Tasty Twists is a fun book with recipes the whole family will enjoy. With recipes such as the California Breakfast Quesadilla (secret ingredient: Tater Tots), Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs (secret ingredient: cinnamon), and Crisped and Dipped Chicken Thighs (secret ingredient: Orange Marmalade), you will find recipes that sound familiar but with an added flavor kick. The vivid photos in the book made my mouth water. I also really liked the variety of recipes in the book, which contains the following categories: Breakfast, Snacks, Soups and Salads, Pastas, Entrees, Sides, Desserts, and Drinks.

Some of the recipes were short and some were a bit longer, which is something I always look at. There are times when I want to make something quick and delicious and other times when I want to venture out and make a recipe with many ingredients and steps that will make everyone ooh and ahh. This cookbook would be a great addition to any family chef's shelf.


X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of World War II

In 1942, hundreds of young Jewish refugees, some still in high school, were co-opted covertly to help destroy the Axis power. They became members of X Troop, a top-secret Jewish commando unit seconded to British regiments.

The primary stipulation for the commandos was fluency in the German language. In a number of locations across Britain, the men received grueling physical training, learned how to recognize and utilize weapons they might use or confront. They became proficient in intelligence techniques, not only for combat duty but as a means of interrogating captured prisoners.

In preparation, they forfeited Jewish practice and personal identity, acquiring new names and ‘backgrounds.’ If recognized as Jews, death would be immediate. Orthodox religious practice presented a conflict until their duty was seen as a ‘mitzva,’ a good deed. And with this came pride: ‘Last year I was a despised, stateless Jewish refugee, now I am a British soldier.’

Leah Garrett has gathered, organized, and elucidated diaries, unpublished accounts, and family recollections to create a book focusing on the story of X Troop. Mortality was significant, and an enduring, lasting sadness was the inescapable failure to identify Jewish graves in war cemeteries, marked with a Protestant cross.


Emily's House

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

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

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

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

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

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


The Other Side of Luck

The Other Side of Luck is the story of two kids who have very different lifestyles. One is a princess and the other is a pauper. They are complete opposites but somehow find a way to become friends as they go on an amazing journey.

 Una is the daughter of a Magister. She has everything she wants except a father that loves her and is willing to spend time with her. Her dad sends a message that anyone who finds Una a silver flower for her twelfth birthday will receive a great prize, Una sets out to find the silver flower to prove her worth.

Julian and his father, Baba, are very poor. When Baba gets put in jail Julian knows he has to find a silver flower for princess Una so that he can win the great prize promised by the Magister and his father can be set free. As these young kids set out on the journey of a lifetime, they find true friendship and learn that love is more valuable than gold, or a silver flower.

The Other Side of Luck is full of adventure and most importantly: the magic of love. This story is a mix of courage, curiosity, and a bit of luck. It is an awesome read. Go ahead and get yourself a copy. I promise you will be happy you did!


The Ship of Stolen Words

Sam thinks he knows the power of words. After all, any time he’s in trouble, he just utters his favorite get-out-of-jail-free word, Sorry, and he’s off the hook. When he throws his trusty word out there after hurting a classmate, he finds that he can’t say the word at all. This is shortly followed by the loss of two more words that worked almost as well. Sam discovers that goblins have stolen his words, which are like gold in their world. Sam offers to trade Tollver, the goblin responsible for taking Sam’s favorite words, for enough words to save Tollver’s home in return for Sam’s missing utterances. Unfortunately, time is running out as there are other fierce goblins whose greed knows no bounds and who will stop at nothing to make their fortune.

This story is a little bit fantasy, a little bit steampunk, and a whole lot of fun. The fast-paced race between worlds for stolen words puts a fresh face on adventure and crosses several literary genres. A very creative look at the cost of casual speaking, Sam will leave readers with a renewed sense of the importance of what we say and how we mean the words we use.


The Darkness Outside Us

In literature produced during the last century, space slowly replaced the sea as the popular setting of adventures that explored human nature. This compelling story places two individuals of very different backgrounds on such a journey. The void and silence of space serve as the perfect balance to their inner struggles.

Ambrose Cusk of Fédération is a marvel, a being with  Alexander the Great’s DNA, and an intense longing to earn his distant mother's love. Kodiak Celius is the second member of this space mission, he is an orphan with a sharp and thinly buried chip on his shoulder.

They both come from different lands that have marked them as enemies at birth with a history of aged hostilities both boys are far too young to remember or understand. The two seventeen-year-olds are paired on a mission to find Ambrose’s long-lost sister, Minerva, who disappeared while attempting to colonize the distant Titan.  This is one of the rarest of books, in which once it was completed, I wanted more! This is an engrossing fictional world and a grand treat for any reader.


Plague, Pestilence and Pandemic: Voices from History

I will be honest I was a bit disappointed in this book when I cracked it open, as I expected more primary sources and less commentary. With the world see-sawing between a pandemic and getting over one, there has been a rush to publish books about the history of pandemics and the impact they have had on society. This book is purported to tell the story of pandemics of the past through the eyes of the people who lived through them. If done properly a gold mine of primary sources, a thing historians and history students love especially if they are in a collection. Instead, much of the book is taken up by commentary by the editor. As he explains each of the global pandemics throughout recorded history while providing short snippets. This book would have been much stronger, more entertaining, and better for scholars if it featured more primary sources and less commentary. Instead, this book is a mishmash, where the voices from the past feel like they are playing second fiddle to his linking it all together, and the authors continuing voice is not needed.


Bird House

A little girl and her abuela are taking a walk around the city on a snowy day. They find a little yellow bird that is injured. The grandmother decides to take it home to her apartment to keep it safe and to help it get well. There they keep the bird in a cage until it is well enough to fly around the room a little bit. As time goes on, the bird becomes stronger until, at last, it is time to set the little bird free in the great outdoors. When springtime comes, the little bird comes back to visit. The little girl wants to keep it, but her abuela explains how important it is for the bird to live free in the wild. But they put up a small birdhouse on the balcony so the little bird can visit whenever it wants.

Blanca Gómez has written a sweet little story with a spare, lyrical text that deserves to be read slowly and savored. The illustrations are simply enchanting with rich colors and wonderful details that will engage little listeners. Little ones will ask for this book to be read over and over.


Grandpa Across the Ocean

A little boy visits his grandpa in Korea for the summer. At first, the little boy doesn’t understand his grandpa, not his bows, or his language, or his food. When the little boy accidentally breaks his grandpa’s vase, he feels really bad. Instead of yelling at his grandson, the grandpa comforts him. Will the two be able to understand each other and have a fun summer together?

I think this is a very sweet and cute story about a grandson and his grandfather. The grandson and grandfather have to find a way to understand each other and to spend time together. It is very sweet how the grandfather is so caring and loving towards his grandson. I like seeing how they go about their day going shopping, eating ice cream, and playing at the beach together. The illustrations are very comforting and joyful. I recommend this picture book to kids who miss their grandparents or to grandparents who miss their grandkids. I hope you are able to see each other soon!


Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night

History Roundup

As Carl Sagan (1980) noted, “You have to know the past to understand the present,” and all five books included in this roundup can help you to develop just such an understanding. Examining subjects as diverse as an apparently doomed expedition to the South Pole, art portraying the American Revolution, the history of emotion, libraries from around the world, and the legacy of slavery in contemporary US society, these fives books are sure to both educate and entertain.

A Human History of Emotion: How the Way We Feel Built the World We Know by Richard Firth-Godbehere

In A Human History of Emotion, Richard Firth-Godbehere sets out to answer a couple of very weighty questions: How have emotions shaped the course of human history? How have humanity’s experience and understanding of emotions evolved with them? A major distinction that is often drawn between humans and other living creatures concerns the fact that humans are said to be rational beings, capable of reasoning and calculating in order to survive. However, even the quickest glance back at human history reveals events and situations that appear to disprove this apparent rationality, clearly hinging on emotions rather than on facts. In light of this, Firth-Godbehere guides readers through the highly important yet often overlooked roles that emotions have played in human societies across both time and geography. Drawing on fields of research as diverse as psychology, art, neuroscience, and theology, he explains how the understanding and experience of emotions have changed over time as well as how human beliefs regarding emotions have shaped both the species and the world in which people live.

Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night by Julian Sancton

When the Belgica set sail in August 1897 hopes were high for the voyage and the crew were looking forward to being the first scientific expedition to reach the snowy wilderness of the South Pole. However, hope fairly quickly turned to despair when the ship became stuck in ice in the Bellinghausen Sea, making it likely that the crew would have to endure an Antarctic winter and the associated months of endless polar night. Things managed to get even worse when an unidentified illness swept through the crew and, coupled with growing fears about the numerous rats that were attacking supplies in the hold of the ship, took an extremely heavy psychological toll. In Madhouse at the End of the Earth, Julian Sancton explains how two officers––Frederick Cook, the ship’s doctor, and Roald Amundsen, the first mate––hatched a daring plan to free the Belgica from the ice, a plan that would either save them or doom them all. Sancton draws on diaries, journals, and the ship’s logbook to bring to life a perilous Antarctic adventure worthy of a thriller.

The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen

With The Library: A Fragile History, Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen offer the first major historical investigation of the library as both a concept and an institution (and perhaps as an obsession, too). Libraries nowadays come in all shapes and sizes, from former phone boxes to brutalist 1950s structures to glorious conversions of historical buildings, and they cater to a wide range of tastes. They also now fulfill many functions that would cause the librarians at Alexandria to scratch their heads. However, the quiet and thoughtful atmosphere that typically characterizes libraries belies their turbulent and sometimes controversial history. Pettegree and der Weduwen explore that fractured history, taking in famous collections from the ancient world, personal archives, cash-strapped contemporary resources, and everything in between. In doing so, they introduce some of the famous and infamous individuals who have contributed to compiling the world’s greatest book collections, track changing trends, and reveal the sometimes extreme lengths people have gone to in order to secure particular manuscripts.

Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War by Don Troiani and the Museum of the American Revolution

American artist Don Troiani is famed for his historical paintings, which principally focus on the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War. Known for being highly detailed and realistic, his oil and watercolor works have been featured in numerous history books, art compilations, and military and government exhibitions. His most famous paintings portray crucial moments from American history, such as the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill and the American and French victory at Yorktown in 1781. Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War serves as the catalog for the exhibition of Troiani’s work currently being held at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, which runs until September 5, 2022. Highlighting key moments from America’s revolutionary history and elucidating Troiani’s research and artistic processes, the exhibition matches forty of his paintings with forty artifacts from various collections, which are all beautifully reproduced in the catalog. The book also features Troiani’s latest work, a painting of African American sailor James Forten watching as Black and Native American Continental Army troops march past Independence Hall on their way to Yorktown.

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones

When an unprepossessing ship carrying enslaved people from Africa arrived in the British colony of Virginia in August 1619, it marked the start of the barbaric practice of human chattel slavery in America, which would continue for around two hundred and fifty years. This practice has been described as America’s “original sin,” and its impacts are still being felt today. The New York Times Magazine launched the “1619 Project” in an effort to reframe understanding of American history by situating slavery and its ongoing consequences at the heart of the narrative. The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story expands that initial project by collecting eighteen essays that explore the legacy of slavery in contemporary American society alongside thirty-six poems and narratives that portray instances of struggle and resistance. Together, these works speak directly to the present moment, situating long-standing systems of race and oppression in the context of daily life today. They shine light on overlooked moments from the birth of the country as well as on upspoken issues within the constitution, and they elucidate how the legacy of slavery continues to cast a shadow over American life.


Snooze-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Sleep

While a child covers herself in a warm blanket, sea otters wrap themselves in seaweed to help anchor them in place before dozing off for a bit. When a little boy pulls on his pajamas, a parrotfish shields itself from head to tail in slime, creating its own sleeping bag and a layer of protection, and while a youngster slumbers late on the weekend, painted turtles burrow into the soft sand at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and rivers to hibernate until the spring warmth gently wakes them. Walruses, meerkats, orangutans, and more all have their own unique ways of putting themselves to bed each day or night.

This fascinating book will undoubtedly capture the interests of children ages five to nine. It’s full of fun tidbits about the sleeping habits of a variety of creatures, some tiny but resilient and efficient, others large and resourceful. The illustrations are filled with brilliant colors and patterns, life, and activity. Clues are embedded in them, guiding readers to determine which critters will be featured next. For example, on the page preceding the sea otters, there is a child snuggling up in a seaweed-colored comforter. This aspect of the text adds a unique richness to it.


One Two Three: A Novel

Popular Fiction

Sometimes finding a good book to read can be hard, because there are so many books in the world! So what if you limit yourself to just new books, so those released in the last year or so? That can be tricky too. Every Tuesday is special because it’s book release day, which means a bunch of new books are released to the world. Well, let me make it a little easier for you: here’s a list of recently released popular fiction to give you something to sink your teeth into and enjoy.

Pack Up the Moon
In what starts our as a kind of sad story turns into something beautiful and unique in Kristan Higgins’ //Pack Up the Moon.// Joshua and Lauren are happily married and love each other very deeply and cannot image life apart, but then Lauren is diagnosed with a terminal illness, but she has a plan after she is gone. A series of letters and instructions, one for every month of the year after her death, which he has to carry out. The stories, adventures, and experiences make him miss her all the more, but also love her in a whole new way.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
Hailed as one of the best summer reads of 2021, //The Secret Keeper of Jaipur// is a story of intrigue and mystery. It is the summer of 1969 and Malik has just earned himself an internship at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their most recent project is an impressive cinema, but on opening night tragedy strikes as the brand new balcony collapses and obvious blame is assigned, but Malik has suspicions something else is going on here and decides to investigate. He grew up in this city and knows its hidden alleys and secrets well.

One Two Three
The Mitchell triplets live in the quaint and idyllic town of Bourne where nothing ever really interesting happens. Mirabel is smart and likes making things, like a cool voice app; Monday knows everything about books, even that one you didn’t know you were looking for; and Mab just wants to get good grades, head to college, and most importantly, get out of Bourne. But there is a dark history with the town, from an event that occurred seventeen years ago, and a new student has enrolled at Bourne Memorial High who happens to be the nemesis of the Mitchell family. Now things are about to become anything but boring.

Absolutist
It is the fall of 1919 and young Tristan Sadler is traveling to Norwich to deliver a collection of letters to the sister of Will Bancroft, an incredible man whom he fought beside in the Great War and who he has immense respect for. In addition to the letters, Tristan must tell the story of himself and Will and the war, starting from the beginning with their meeting at Aldershot to end of their friendship in the trenches of France. A moving tale that is also filled with jealousy and betrayal.

Under the Wave at Waimea
Get lost in the warm waters of Hawaii with //Undet the Wave at Waimea// by Paul Theroux. Joe Sharkey, a renowned surfer known of course as “the Shark,” is now in his sixties and losing his popularity and sponsors, but is still respect by young surfers. In a freak accident, Joe kills a stranger and finds his life forever changed. But his girlfriend Olive, helps in learning the identity of the victim and discovering the dead man’s life, and in so doing, helps Joe get his life back together again.

Competitive Grieving
Stewart Beasley, a rising TV star, dies suddenly of an aneurysm. To Wren, Steward was her rock and her anchor, so now she must live her life without him and move on. But first she must plan the funeral to end all funerals. She is also surprisingly assigned the duty of disseminating Stewart’s possessions, and in so doing finds herself investigating his life and learning things she never knew about him. With a healthy balance of both laughter and tears, Competitive Grieving casts a new light on tragedy and grief that so many must go through.


The Peculiarities

The Peculiarities by David Liss explores a world of magic and modernity. Much in the same way as his previous novel, The Twelfth Enchantment, Liss delves into the idea of magic as real in this alternative history. The setting is London during the Victorian era. Proper society brushes off the idea of magic, but the dense fogs of London seep into their homes and businesses, transforming people into something “peculiar.” When Thomas Thresher discovers his brother could be sabotaging the family bank, mysteries sprout up around Thomas like the leaves on his skin, and he’ll need to turn to help in the most inappropriate occult places.

The Peculiarities is a rich, engrossing novel with an unusual hero. The pacing is quite Victorian in that the story unfolds by degrees, a slow burn starting out, but once it kicks into gear, it picks up momentum to a spectacular finish. Cerebral and fun, Liss’ book challenges and explores notions of family, Victorian ideas of propriety, and of what is and is not magic. Liss executes this novel gracefully and believably, giving readers an excellent experience along the way.


Not Now, Cow

All of the farm animals know how to get ready for the seasons. In spring, Duck is busy watering the new plants, Sheep is flying a kite, Goat has his slicker, galoshes, and umbrella, but Cow seems a little confused. Cow has mittens, a muffler, and a woolly hat! The heat of summer has Chick, Goat, and Pig all having fun at the beach and in the water, but Cow has his sweater on and his sled out ready for snow. In fall, Horse is busy raking up fallen leaves, Chick munches on a crisp, autumn apple, and Sheep makes a fun jack-o-lantern. But Cow is ready for snowy slopes with all his ski gear on. Will Cow ever figure out the seasons?

Author Tammi Sauer has written a cute, rhyming story that will have little ones trying to figure out what is coming and giggling at the surprises. Illustrator Troy Cummings has completed the story with bright, cartoony pictures filled with fun details and silly expressions. Youngsters will keep their eyes on the pages finding all the humor embedded in the illustrations. This is a very cute book for the youngest of listeners.


Upstaged

Seventh-grader Shira Gordon is painfully shy. She hardly says a word during school, but when she is alone in her room, she sings and dances as if she were a Broadway star. When her music teacher announces that everyone in the class will be auditioning for the musical The Music Man, Shira is terrified, but also secretly hopes she will get in. When she gets the part of a member of the barbershop quartet, she finds herself with some new supportive friends, a new crush, and a mustache to hide behind. Shira and everyone else discover she has perfect pitch and a beautiful voice, but that doesn’t sit well with the female lead, the petulant and full-of-herself Monica, especially when Shira is assigned to understudy the role of Marion. Drama ensues.

Diana Harmon Asher is clearly in touch with her inner child, creating a middle-grade story that is pitch perfect with voice and pre-teen angst. Youngsters, especially those who gravitate toward the arts, will be completely engaged with this fun story. The characters of Monica and her mother were a little over the top, having unbelievable power at the school, but otherwise, this is a terrific book.


Both Can Be True

Ash doesn't really have a gender. Somedays she feels more like a girl, and others like a boy. When Daniel, a guy who's in her photography class asks Ash if they could help her save a dog named Chewbarka, Ash is willing to help. But will she be able to keep the secret that she isn't a girl or a boy?

Daniel is used to being told that he's too sensitive. When Chewbarka, a dog he saves, needs help, Daniel is willing to hide her in the forest in a tent. Will he and Ash be able to save Chewbarka?

I thought this book was funny, enjoyable, and interesting because you want to read what Ash and Daniel do next. It was fun to read the two character's points of view, but it was a little too romantic for me.


Swan Song of My Era

"The coming-of-age story of a bold and tenacious teen trying to figure out her true self and find her way. Spes’ rough edges and pompous personality are balanced out by her intellect and vulnerability. Clever banter and emotional relationships dress this book up and set its reader up for some wonderful scenarios. Beautifully philosophical and entrancing." --Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review


Sun Wolf (Book 2, Space Unbound series)

Having proven himself on the planet Silvanus, Aiden Macallan has been given command of the titular Sun Wolf, a newly minted interstellar spaceship equipped with a mysterious device that enables travel at an incredible ninety-two percent the speed of light. Even more mysterious are the "voidoids" discovered in 2169 that allow spaceships instantaneous passage from one star to another. With access to this naturally occurring phenomenon, the Sun Wolf effortlessly traverses light-years in the time it takes most of us to drive to the grocery store.

When these voidoids begin intermittently disappearing, Aiden and his crew are tasked with investigating. And thanks to an intelligent and capable cast of characters (reminiscent of the crew from Star Trek: Voyager), their investigations bear fruit quickly. The alarming discovery that the voidoids may actually be the glue holding the universe together coincides with the equally alarming discovery that their sporadic outages are purposefully engineered by a terrorist group called Green War.

Elsewhere, brilliant scientist Elgin Woo works out how to travel beyond the outermost voidoids and discovers a planet one hundred and twenty-seven light-years from Earth teeming with colorful, mind-boggling alien life. It is here that Elgin's most far-fetched scientific theories are developed and reinforced, making him the only person alive capable of restoring the voidoids to proper working order. The question is, can Aiden and his crew connect with him across that unimaginable space before it's too late?

In book two of his Space Unbound series, author David C. Jeffrey shows boundless imagination, especially when it comes to alien life. There's also a lot of heavy technospeak on space travel and engineering, all of which is somehow engaging and easy to follow. The astrophobic politics and misleading rhetoric that gain popularity on Earth feel well developed and disconcertingly realistic, though, in my opinion, the caricature politician who gives voice to these ideas is a little too on-the-nose (at one point going so far as to declare he wants to make Earth great again).

Like Sun Wolf's predecessor, my favorite chapters were those that focused on planetary exploration. In Through a Forest of Stars, we got to know Aiden on the planet Silvanus as he interacted with a sentient, planetwide, mycelial lifeform called the Rete. Here, Elgin Woo absolutely steals the show on the planet Shénmì. As he explores, readers are treated to a hodgepodge of strange animal life and even botanical space travelers launched from fast-growing beanstalks. Fans of Arthur C. Clarke and Andy Weir will fall head over heels in love with Jeffrey's creativity and non-humanoid extraterrestrials.

 The climax is surprisingly heavy on dramatic military tropes, and the Sun Wolf's coup de grâce against its diabolical, somewhat campy adversary made me smirk. But even at its most over-the-top, Jeffrey's follow-up was hard to put down. All told, Sun Wolf is an immensely enjoyable page-turner with action and exploration galore.


Deteriorate

Michelle Marie Jacquot's DETERIORATE, a book of poetry critiquing the inflated importance of social media in big cities like Los Angeles, works well enough when taken as a whole. If read cover-to-cover, the book is suffused with the dispiriting notion that one's value as a human being is proportional to the amount of one's Twitter followers. Breadcrumbs spread throughout add up to the assertion that to comply with these ephemeral rules is to chip away at our true selves. But despite some insightful morsels here and there, DETERIORATE's twenty poems (some as long as a couple of hundred words, some as short as seventeen, and altogether fewer than sixteen hundred) are lean on content, and readers looking for substance will likely come away hungry.

 A surprising number of the book's thirty-four pages are blank. Others have only a few words scattered about. One short poem spread across two pages asserts that it’s sparse on purpose, all but requesting that I come up with something myself, asking "What do you think?" Others have about as much impact as an internet meme or are incognizable, though in a book purportedly about a disdain for social media, that may be intentional. At one point, I thumbed back to the table of contents because I wasn't sure if I was starting a new poem or continuing the last and realized that the book's introduction is actually one of the titled poems. Intentions be damned, much of the content in this barebones offering feels like filler.

Highlights include Your Advantage, reassuring indie artists out there that, in this critical time when no one knows you exist, it is the perfect opportunity to make mistakes and to experiment and learn that failure isn't fatal. Sing Along and The Blue Light carry light Orwellian vibes. The most personal poems, Rules of Engagement and Personal Best, are also the hardest hitting, briefly exploring the apprehension of terraforming one's self to fit the generic mold of an L.A. artist. But overall, DETERIORATE lacks depth; perhaps the strongest observation in Michelle Marie Jacquot's collection of poems about Los Angeles and life on the Internet can be found in Sunset & Crescent Heights, quoted here in its entirety: "It's hard to write about life when you're only ever surrounded by people trying to imitate it."


Balloons for Papa: A Story of Hope and Empathy

Ever since Arthur’s mom has been in the hospital, his dad has been depressed and unable to smile. Arthur really wants a balloon because it makes him smile, and he wants to cheer up his dad. Every time Arthur asks for a balloon, his dad brushes him off and rushes to the hospital to see his mom. One day, Arthur is determined to get a balloon on his own, but to his surprise, some balloons end up in his front yard. Arthur realizes that more than anything, he needs some comfort and a hug from his dad.

The book starts off with many shades of grays to depict the gloominess and the depression that surround Arthur and his dad. I found it interesting that Arthur’s rain boots were the only colorful object on Arthur at the beginning. Like Arthur, kids can sense when something is wrong with their parents. They also have a natural way to comfort their parents. Families who are going through a difficult time might find some comfort in this gentle and hopeful book. I recommend this book to families seeking to talk about mental health.


Great Circle: A novel

How refreshing to read a novel about a strong, fearless woman whose sole ambition is to excel at circumnavigation. The great circle is the large circle of the globe which the aviatrix will attempt to conquer by flying over both the North and South poles. This is a daunting task, but already in her young life, she has survived the sinking of a luxury liner and braved the terrain of rugged Montana. The story switches to the present time wherein an actress will bring that story to the screen. It is quite a feat for an author to switch back and forth in time, but it is done seamlessly in this novel. Not all the chapters have titles; some are dispatches from the aviator heroine, Marian Graves, but others are quite light-hearted, such as Trust Your Lust. The book is full of surprises and is quite well written. It is wonderful to see fully developed ambitious women given a starring role.

This is the third novel by the author.


Whereabouts: A novel

From the award-winning author of The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies comes something completely new and different, but also something one might expect from a winner of the Pulitzer of Prize. Whereabouts is about an unknown woman in an unknown Italian town, covering a year of her life teaching there. She is single and seemingly lonely, but still has friends and familiar faces she sees often. She has an everyday routine she goes through, but she also experiences a number of unexpected happenings.

The story is told through a series of very short chapters, lasting three to five pages. The writing is, of course, wonderful, although overall the reader is left feeling somewhat confused and a little bored. The sparseness of details about who the character is and what their life is like makes it hard to connect with them. They seem unhappy and unimpressed with everything and spend their time complaining. It isn’t until toward the end of the book that the reader actually sees some connection with each chapter and that the events occur chronologically. Overall, it’s a little disappointing.


Seven Days in June

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.


Hiding Baby Moses

Hiding Baby Moses is a retelling of the early days of Moses from the Christian Bible. Moses’s sister watches as her mother prepares a basket for Baby Moses. With sadness in her eyes, tears begin to fall. She gently kisses him one last time before placing her son in the Nile River with hopes someone will find and care for him. On their way home, Moses’s sister stops; she sees Pharaoh’s daughter and her attendants approaching. When she discovers they’ve found the baby, she offers to find a nursing mother. She runs to her mom, and in a remarkable twist of fate, Mama and Baby Moses are reunited.

This is a beautiful and heartfelt account of a mother trying to save her baby from the demise of an evil king. It encompasses love and loss, protection and motherhood, hope and faith. The author uniquely gives voice to Moses’s sister, allowing readers to hear the story from a fresh perspective. Youth ages five to nine will find it relatable, since she’s just a young child herself. They’ll be entranced by the magnificent illustrations throughout; they’re so realistic and detailed, youth will feel a part of them as if they’ve been welcomed into the tale and magically transported back in time.


Hearing Homer's Song: The Brief Life and Big Idea of Milman Parry

The Greek poet Homer was not like Virgil or Aeschylus. Indeed, there likely was no single person named Homer and he certainly was not the author of the Odyssey and the Iliad, no matter what you may have learned in school. Hearing Homer’s Song is a deeply researched biography of Milman Parry, the classics scholar who proved that these poems, like other ancient epics from around the world, came from an oral tradition. They were composed—but not written—by “poets who had no scroll, no stylus, no paper, no papyrus, no alphabet,” and the results were handed down through the generations. Such poets and singers were not praised for originality but for their ability to tell these stirring stories in ways that were familiar and always delivered within certain metrical constraints and patterns. Although the tales may have evolved over time, their long regular lines remained constant. Parry died young in a violent death, but his work was carried forward by his acolyte Albert Lord, aided by the hundreds of recordings they made of traditional singers in Yugoslavia whose songs were sung differently each night. For several centuries, academia did not believe that culture could exist without literacy; Parry and Lord cracked that narrow view wide open. This is a fascinating book that will leave you musing about traditions, culture, and what else you may have learned that needs a fresh examination.


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 Siren

The Siren tells the story of megastar Cole Powers, ex-wife Stella Rivers, son Jackson, and a cast of characters whose lives become entangled on a Caribbean island. Everyone knows Cole Powers is a complete jerk who always gets what he wants. He has money and is a womanizer, something that Stella didn't learn until she after had married him. Stella hasn't worked in years and agrees to be the main star in Cole's new movie The Siren, which will be directed by Jackson. Also coming to the island are Felicity, Stella's assistant; Taylor, the film's producer, who has a big backstory of her own; and Madison, a social media influencer who is cast as the new nanny in the film.

The book is narrated from the points of view of Stella, Taylor, and Felicity. As the story came together, it was clear that more than one character had an ulterior motive for being on the set of the movie. I loved this book for its wonderfully voyeuristic perspective on Hollywood's best, albeit fictional. It's perfect for fans of revenge and suspense.


13th Street #5: Tussle with the Tooting Tarantulas (HarperChapters)

Cousins Malia, Dante, and Ivan are off on scary adventures on 13th Street once again! This time, Malia, Dante, and Ivan are looking for two missing classmates who have been kidnapped by huge, hairy spiders! Donya Chabela and Mickey will help guide Malia, Dante, and Ivan through the wacky world of 13th Street as they try to rescue their friends. The cousins will have to rely on the Zombie family and the shopkeeper and other characters from previous books to help them rescue their friends.

This is a hilarious book filled with adventure, time travel to another dimension, spiders, and toots! This book is great; it shows teamwork and perseverance. Finally, of course, everyone loves to read about toots because they are hilarious! The text is easy to read, but not too challenging, and I love chapter books that have illustrations. What I like most about this book is the few words in Spanish, which I can use context clues to decode if I am unsure about what they mean. I enjoy reading the hilarious 13th Street series and look forward to more of Dante, Malia, and Ivan's adventures.


Nia and the New Free Library

Nia and the New Free Library is about a little girl named Nia who loves visiting the library. She loves checking out books and getting to read them in the grass. One day, a tornado hits her town and takes the library with it. The grown-ups start thinking of what they can now build because the library is gone. Nia tells them that they still need a library, but they don't believe her. Nia decides to prove to them that they don't know what they want. She works hard for a new library, not just for her, but she is sure that the other people don't remember that they like books anymore.

I like how Nia is smart! She works hard and writes her own stories to trick the people into helping her; I also like how everyone worked together at the end, even though they each wanted something different instead of a library. I like this story because I would also want another library built if mine were gone; it's a lot of fun to check out different books. This story is for kids of all ages, especially ones that know what they want and work hard to get it.


Flames of Extinction: The Race to Save Australia's Threatened Wildlife

The world was in shock when Australia went up in flames which led to the death or loss of habit for several species of wildlife. Flames of Extinction captures the stories and facts behind these record-setting fires with a specific look at the damage done to the various species. John Pickrell was one of the journalists that were tasked with reporting throughout the time of crisis and how these stories led to hope in the scientists, Australians, and volunteers that joined forces to save the wildlife and environment.

Pickrell takes you into this time of crisis through snippets from the articles written during this time and personal experience. Through heavily detailed chapters, take an inside look at events that were taking place in Australia at the time and straight into the rescues of the various animals. The stories included throughout are poignant and feature a look at the various volunteers such as ecologist Maria Matthes and the various rescue animals that helped such as Koala detection dog Bear. Thorough and vivid, Flames of Extinction is an amazing resource that allows you to see a poignant examination of the wildfires and the race to save the wildlife.


Boy

Elderly couple Hugh and Betty Roberts live on an Iowa farm. Betty has dementia, and Hugh is trying his best to care for her, but he's struggling, and the farm has seen better days. One day they find an injured bird on the property. This tiny creature sparks something in Betty that Hugh hasn't seen in a while. He decides to help Betty care for the bird, hoping it will bring a bit of life back into Betty, who spends most of her time staring into space or at a wall.

When daughter-in-law Eileen and grandson Jacob decide to move in to help care for Betty, things improve on the farm. Jacob gets his own calves to look after, and Eileen decides to plan a large Thanksgiving dinner in the barn. By bringing family and community together, she hopes they can enjoy time together and appreciate the things they have, even if all isn't as they would like it to be.

Boy is both a sweet and sad tale of a family nearly destroyed by dementia and the previous loss of their only son. But, Ms. Hamiliton does a terrific job of making this book one of hope and love. It's well written and wonderfully descriptive. Anyone who has the task of looking after a loved one or patient with Alzheimer's or dementia will appreciate how she highlights Hugh and Betty's struggles and uncertainties.
I loved that Boy the bird had his own voice in this book with quite a bit to say. His addition brought in an element of delight and wonder that helped lift the story from one of sadness to one of hope. I laughed when he thought the boogeyman was coming into the chicken coop to get him. And, I was happy his side of the tale had a happy ending when he found a female feathered friend. But, I was less happy about Sarah shooting squirrels to keep them away from the pies she left cooling on the porch.
I appreciated Ms. Hamilton's ability to capture a sense of nostalgia and acknowledge changing times, especially when she mentioned that one didn't have to think about food allergies at pot luck dinners in the past. One simply ate what was served. I also love that she included plenty of backstories so that I could learn more about Betty's life before she was affected by dementia. Her characters were interesting and engaging and never too young or too old to help out around the town or learn something new. All in all, this was a heartwarming story about love and loss and learning to cope with tragic circumstances without losing faith in life and finding joy and comfort in the small things life has to offer.


What the Road Said

While a child heads toward home, following his usual path, he notices a road he’s never seen before; it’s as if it just appeared magically. He asks it where it leads. “Be a leader and find out,” it responds. When he inquires about what to do when he gets to his destination, it tells him to enjoy the moments in between, savoring each one. When he voices concern about choosing the wrong route along the way, the Road explains stumbling here and there is simply part of the journey. It teaches him, too, what it means to be brave, to show the world love, and to overcome life’s adversities.

 What the Road Said is a heartfelt story about choices, challenges, survival, and perseverance. It’s a wonderful tribute to all who struggle with that inner voice that always asks, “why?” and is relentless in its pursuit for perfection. The Road encourages children to reach out, take risks, and simply get up when they fall. It urges them to trust their judgment, embrace change, and persist with determination, peace, love, and kindness even in the face of opposition. Those ages six to nine will find it a treasurable pick. They’ll admire the gorgeous, intricate illustrations throughout as well.


Tiny Houses

Since roughly 2013, the idea and construction of tiny houses have been popular among various groups of people. In the book Tiny Houses, a variety of styles are shown from all over the world––from a Woolhouse in Hungary at a total of thirty-two square feet to a place in New York at nine hundred and eighteen square feet.

Tiny Houses serves a dual purpose––the reader can enjoy the book for its professional pictures with beautiful landscapes in the backgrounds and/or gain ideas and information on this worldwide phenomenon. The section on each house includes a floorplan, snapshots, and information about the house and its owner. With thirty-seven houses included in the book, there’s a lot to enjoy.

With the Marie Kondo-inspired “stuff” purges that happened not too long ago, minimalism is becoming more popular in society. Becoming a minimalist has its perks but might not be for everyone; there are many reasons for minimalizing, such as moving, downsizing, or being conscious of the environment. When you look at the homes in Tiny Houses, you will notice how they contain the bare minimum, but it is still enough to survive.

The bonus at the end is a list of the tiny houses available for rent around the world!


Anyone Can Cook

The Anyone Can Cook app has a large online following. Its premise is that anyone can learn to cook. This book carries the same philosophy, and it is geared more toward novice cooks than experienced ones. The first three chapters focus on listing staple kitchen utensils and pantry staples and building foundational skills (knife skills, roasting techniques, pan-fry and saute, and blanching). The remaining five chapters contain recipes that can also be found online.

The recipe chapters are divided into "Salads & Soups," "Vegetarian & Vegan," "Pasta & Noodle," "Meats," and "One-Sheet Baked Dinners." Most recipes show a picture of the finished product (and some of the steps along the way) and provide detailed instructions. Most can be prepared in under thirty minutes and use very few ingredients. While there are some recipes that are fairly straightforward, others require more than one attempt to get right. All (at least those that I tried) are delicious. This book is recommended for those who want to experience cooking their meals.


Unstoppable: Siggi B. Wilzig's Astonishing Journey from Auschwitz Survivor and Penniless Immigrant to Wall Street Legend

Unstoppable portrays the spectacular story about a Holocaust survivor and his journey to becoming the CEO of a multibillion-dollar commercial bank and a "New York Stock Exchange-listed oil company". How did a man who barely survived in a deadly Nazi concentration camp go on to thrive and become a name to reckon with in America's business world? Find out how Siggi B. Wilzig was forced to think on his feet and learn some useful skills to escape being thrown into the gas chamber as a teenager in Auschwitz, worked for the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) for a chance to capture some of his former Nazi oppressors, and went from selling neckties door to door to dealing in millions of dollars and being the first person in history to sue the Federal Reserve in this outstanding book by Joshua M. Greene.

 Siggi B. Wilzig's story is proof that the human spirit is resilient against any challenges, no matter how testing they are. I can't imagine myself eating less than seven hundred calories of food that is worse than pigs' food per day and being forced to work laboriously just to stay alive. My problems suddenly seemed minuscule when I pictured the trying times experienced by Siggi in Auschwitz. His incredible achievements, despite his terrible past, inspired me to stop making excuses and make the best of the chances life deals me instead. Even when faced with antisemitic parties and Holocaust deniers, Siggi never gave up on his goals or stopped informing people about the Holocaust.

Author Joshua M. Greene creates such a detailed and vivid book that it is hard to believe Siggi didn't write it himself. It was easy to picture myself in some events because I was able to understand the protagonist's mindset—like when Siggi decided, in a split second, to volunteer to sing and dance for his oppressor even though he might get killed for performing poorly. Additionally, other people's (including Siggi's family) opinions about him are included in the book—which gave me an all-encompassing view of the protagonist. When I read about Siggi's initial refusal to support his son's (Sir Ivan) dreams of singing professionally, it reminded me of my dispute with my father concerning the same issue. The pictures in the book further clarify the environments and events.

 I disliked nothing about Unstoppable, and I strongly recommend it to readers who wish to unravel the story about a Holocaust survivor and his experiences after and how he dealt with the memories and loss and kept going in spite of them. As Unstoppable is the most compelling and moving biography I've read this year, I wouldn't be forgetting it any time soon.


Siggi B. Wilzig was born in 1926 in what was at the time Krojanke, West Prussia. By 1941 he was forced to work at a factory producing munitions for the German army. By 1943 at the age of seventeen, he was deported to Auschwitz, where he suffered horrific and unimaginable conditions. He was lucky enough to survive until the concentration camps were liberated in 1945, after which he worked with the U.S. Counter Intelligence Corps tracking down war criminals. In 1947 he immigrated to the United States. He arrived with little more than a few dollars, but in time, he became the CEO of an oil company and a banking company.

Mr. Greene does a fantastic job bringing Mr. Wilzig's life and accomplishments to light in Unstoppable. It seems hard to believe that before picking up this book, I knew nothing of this man and the mark he made on American business or his role in creating the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.. But through this book, I felt that I got a sense of his extraordinary character and what was important to him. He was clearly a determined optimist. By focusing on his goals of creating a new life and vowing to remember and relay his experiences of the Holocaust, he was able to flourish in a country that didn't always welcome Jewish refugees or immigrants.

Mr. Greene included many interesting photographs which helped bring this story alive. And what makes this such a riveting read is that he doesn't just include personal details but puts them into a broader historical context for readers interested in the many areas and themes covered in the book. I appreciate that he highlighted the fact that the U.S. Army was aware of the concentration camps at Auschwitz during the war but decided not to bomb them. To my mind, this was a terrible disgrace to the Allies. And, although I do not personally remember the events surrounding President Reagan's visit to Bitburg cemetery in Germany, I can fully understand how Mr. Wilzig felt about the event. I was, however, sad to learn that he stopped giving lectures feeling that his words were not making a difference. Luckily, he resumed them in the early 1990s, fearing the rise of deniers of the Holocaust were gaining too much attention. Unstoppable is a well-written, researched book that I hope will lead others to discover the extraordinary life of Siggi B. Wilzig and his determination to remind us of the lessons we need to learn from the past.


Unstoppable is the biography of Holocaust-survivor Siggi B. Wilzig, his will to live, and his will to thrive. Born in 1926 in West Germany, Siggi was the second youngest out of eight children. With an over-the-top personality, Siggi was a self-assured, curious boy. When Hitler came to rise in 1932, and with the Nazis taking over Germany, the Wilzig family was just one of many who were boarded onto a train to Auschwitz. Their lives would be forever changed.

Author Joshua M. Greene does an impeccable job of describing Siggi from his looks to his big personality to the feelings he expressed when giving speeches about the Holocaust. From seeing his father die from poisoned potatoes to seeing his friends turn into skeletons, and watching other Jews forced into gas chambers and incinerated, Siggi felt the heartbreak that most people will never feel even a small percentage of. But somehow he overcame this horrible experience. He never once forgot it though. Siggi Wilzig turned into a business tycoon, buying an oil company and then a bank to fund that oil company. His sense of business was impeccable, his customer service, unbelievable. In fact, it would seem that Siggi was, in fact, Unstoppable.

This book had me glued to its pages. Greene's attention to detail leaves the reader with a moving picture of what Siggi's life looked like. His love for his children and the way he taught them about his past and made them never forget to tell the stories he told them so that the Holocaust would always be remembered was just one admirable trait Siggi had. Siggi had a heart of gold and wanted to make the world a better place. He was a pushy guy, but only when he knew that he was right in the matter.

There were so many historical facts in this book, including the effects of World War I on Germany and how the Germans quickly turned on the Jews once Hitler came into power. The book also tells about Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass, in 1938, where Nazis destroyed Jewish businesses, burned synagogues, and arrested many Jews, taking them to concentration camps. Looking at this from an American's point of view, I really don't understand why the Americans flew over the camps without bombing the gas chambers and crematoriums even though they knew about them.

Unstoppable is an important book that should be read in high schools to bring awareness and understanding of this period of history and how hate for anyone can negatively impact the world. It is a must-read for all ages.


The Brothers Silver

The Brothers Silver tells the story of two brothers, Jules and Leon Silver, as they grow up and learn life's lessons the hard way. Coming from a dysfunctional family, Jules and Leon bounce back and forth living with their mother Ethel or father Edwin. Ethel is mentally unstable and either goes to work and puts wonderfully cooked homemade meals on the table for her boys or doesn't go to work, leaves the house dirty and the boys with little to eat. This up-and-down pattern of Ethel's also leaves her out of a job often and creates a vicious circle in which she often attempts to kill herself. Their father Edwin does not seem to be as unstable as Ethel, however, the boys have very little respect for him.

As Jules and Leon grow up, they meet many colorful characters along the way. Jules even does so much as to name the women he had relations with in alphabetical order and describe each of them. Jules and Leon seem to be close, although Leon is Ethel's favorite child which makes Jules feel inferior and lash out during his childhood and teens. In fact, Ethel calls Leon her "Adonis" because he is handsome like his father.

I found The Brothers Silver to be somewhat of a sad and depressing story. They are just two boys who have very little control over their surroundings and bounce from house to house. The chapters are narrated by different characters, however, they are not labeled with who the narrator is before the reader starts reading. There were several times that I did not know what voice was speaking until I read well into the chapter. For most of the book, Jules narrates the story. It is easy to tell from his dialogue that he is a lost and angry young man who feels he cannot trust anyone, including his longtime girlfriend El.

One of my favorite things about this book is the short stories within the book about Jules's adventures. Jules goes to so many interesting, and sometimes sketchy, places and tries out many different things, good and bad, along the way. Author Marc Jampole writes with such ease as we picture through the eyes of Jules, the cities and people Jules meets. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good nostalgic story full of tales and adventures.


The Brothers Silver

As is abundantly clear from the outset of The Brothers Silver, the lives of Jules and Leon Silver have been marred by dysfunction since they were young boys. The pair are being raised (or, perhaps more accurately, left to raise themselves) by a mentally ill mother and an abusive, misogynistic father. Ethel, their mother, suffers from bipolar disorder. When she is in a rare “up” period she is great with her boys, taking care of their emotional needs and ensuring that their physical needs were met, but when she is in a “down” period, she is overcome by depression and lethargy, her suicidal thoughts leaving her with little inclination to care for her children. Edwin, their father, is a violent womanizer who gaslights their mother and puts her down at every opportunity. The extent to which Ethel’s troubles are caused by her mental illness, rather than by Edwin’s actions, is never quite clear.

Given this background, it’s no surprise that The Brothers Silver often makes for a harrowing and upsetting read. The parents are actually in the process of divorcing when the book opens, but this just leads to more upheaval and distress for Jules and Leon as they are shunted between their mother and father, depending on which parent is in the least bad state at the time. Both Ethel and Edwin are vindictive and incapable of putting their children first. The boys see and hear things that they are not emotionally equipped to deal with, and it causes damage that follows them into adulthood.

As soon as they’re able, both boys attempt to flee from their parents’ influence. Jules leaves first, heading to college after a confrontation with his father; around a year later, Leon runs away to San Francisco with a friend. Of course, the same patterns continue to repeat themselves as Jules oscillates between guilt, anger, and sadness about his past, while Leon finds it difficult to trust and takes pains to avoid any kind of responsibility. Although each brother has been the most constant presence in the other’s life, they are not particularly close, with the differences in how they were treated by their parents having driven a considerable wedge between them. There’s an interesting contrast in how the brothers feature and are portrayed in The Brothers Silver: the story shows more of Jules’ perspective, but it shows more of Leon from other characters’ perspectives. This neatly reflects their different natures and the differing treatment they have received.

Aside from making use of a number of perspectives, Marc Jampole weaves the story using a variety of literary styles and devices, including an epistolary chapter, a chapter comprised entirely of a conversation between an aunt and uncle, and a chapter reflecting Ethel’s disturbed internal monologue. It all combines to render the story more of a puzzler than it might otherwise have been, as it can take time to figure out who is narrating each chapter and what their motivation is. Ultimately, The Brothers Silver makes for a deep and contemplative read; certainly not a happy story, it prompts the reader to question the past and, despite the unlikelihood, hope for a better future for Jules and Leon.


The Brothers Silver

Jules and Leon Silver are living in a broken family. They live with their mother in New York, while their estranged father lives in New Jersey. The boys view their Father, Edwin, disdainfully for abandoning them. Chaos underscores their day-to-day life with their Mother Ethel. Ethel is beset by bipolar disorder, productive and manic days surrounded by depressive moods of inertia. Her relationship with Edwin was broken by his infidelities and his cruelty. Ethel’s fragile mental state deteriorated with the passing years of their union.

The boys’ early days of youthful exuberance have passed, they are prodded for any negative information they can feed their father regarding their mother. They are constantly on alert for Ethel’s latest crash, occasionally punctuated by a suicide attempt. When Ethel is on an even keel, She is beatific, when on the downside, she is manipulative and self-pitying. The boys look out for each other, yet there is a brewing rivalry that occasionally leads to fits of violence.

Jules loses himself in moments when he can truly escape the confines of home and hearth. Sliding down a hill, abandoning all caution provides a freedom he can’t find anywhere else. He finds himself growing more and more disgusted at his parents’ behavior and foibles. Jules and Leon’s impressionable years have been marred beyond belief.

As the boys become men, they have gone down divergent paths. In 1969, Jules set out for college and has become a peacenik to his Father’s chagrin. Leon is now seventeen years old, with the prospects of being a burn-out and college dropout. Leon and Edwin spar constantly. The dysfunction that Edwin and Ethel witnessed in their own childhoods has now been passed down to their own offspring.

Leon’s parents had high aspirations for his future. They doted on him while giving Jules short shrift. Leon looks back on that and spurns it with a devil may care existence, perpetually underachieving. His life consists of walking into the wind. Jules lived in the shadow of his younger Brother and lived much of his life with a boulder size chip on his shoulder. Love was elusive, almost never pure, relationships came and went, and anger threatened to eat him alive. And now, Jules has decided to assess parts of his life, seeking answers in the past.

The Brothers Silver is an emotionally wrenching tale of a family that plays out over fifty years. The emotions on display throughout are various and palpable. When the narrative shifts, from Jules to Leon to Edwin or Ethel, the reader’s mood will adapt to that persona and will find themselves empathetic, sympathetic, or occasionally the exact opposite. The characters are not necessarily likable in all circumstances, but they are relatable. A fascinating read.


Unstoppable: Siggi B. Wilzig's Astonishing Journey from Auschwitz Survivor and Penniless Immigrant to Wall Street Legend by Joshua M. Greene is a riveting and heart-wrenching memoir that educates and inspires its readers on not only Wilzig’s life story but the horrors of the Holocaust. The novel follows Wilzig’s journey from childhood, to Auschwitz, to his rising success. As CEO of an oil company and multibillion-dollar bank, I was amazed at Siggi’s perseverance, strength, and unwavering courage.

Wilzig was born in Germany and faced anti-Semitism within his hometown and daily life. Bullied for his faith and differences, Siggi faced the challenge of overcoming adversity from early childhood. At age sixteen, Siggi was arrested and brought to a concentration camp. Upon this event, the anti-Semitism he experienced in his youth was increased hundredfold. From the stories of his hometown to Auschwitz, the chilling narrative of Siggi’s survival and experiences educates its audience on the true terrors of the SS’s cruelty and methods.
The story continues through Siggi’s emancipation as he ends up in New York soon after his release. The novel states that “He had nothing: no resources and no credentials. He spoke with a thick German accent, had only a grade-school education, stood five feet and one-half inches short and years of torture and starvation were still fresh on his mind. Yet here he was, still breathing”. Siggi had every reason to give up, yet his setbacks did not stop him from moving forward. He promised himself three things: “First, that he would never go hungry again. Second, he would marry a Jewish woman, have children and help rebuild the Jewish people. Third, he would preserve Holocaust memory and speak up whenever he witnessed injustice”. Upon these decisions, he began to rebuild and change his life.

As the story continued, I was constantly touched by Siggi’s resilience, creativity, and unbelievable accomplishments. Engrossing, page-turning, and breath-taking, my attention never wavered from Wilzig’s journey. I felt as if I truly grew with him, from his initial beginning in New York shoveling snow, to CEO. The words stated “Siggi B. Wilzig is probably the best example of the modern-day American dream” could not be more true. Extremely well written and easy to follow, I appreciated the picture supplements, personal anecdotes, and quotes from other sources to supplement the work. Truly a tale of courage and representation of growth after suffering, I would recommend this novel to all, especially in schools to further educate them on the Holocaust and the atrocities during World War II.


The House of Grass and Sky

Out in the quiet countryside, a house smells of freshly cut lumber and soft, pink roses. A family full of happiness lives there. As one year turns into another, different families come and go; the house learns what it means to say “goodbye.” As more time passes, it sits alone, missing the sound of children’s voices and all their busyness. It remembers the delicious smell of birthday cake baking and longs for someone to occupy it again. Then, one day, activity returns. A family wakes with the house to welcome the morning sunshine and the beginning of a new day.

The House of Grass and Sky is a brilliant story written from a unique perspective - that of the home. It’s personified in a number of creative ways. Not only does it smell the sweet aromas of the past, it feels the emotions associated with them. It misses just as humans miss and longs for connection. It hopes just as people do and fears disappointment and hurt. It also celebrates when its dreams are fulfilled, patching the hole in its heart.

Gorgeous watercolor hues fill the pages with life-like images and detailed designs. The pictures will allure youth, especially those between the ages of five to nine. They will undoubtedly be touched by the serenity of the tale.