Expecting Wonder: The Transformative Experience of Becoming a Mother

Bookstores and libraries are awash with pregnancy books, but the vast majority of them are primarily technical in nature, offering information about how your baby is growing and guidelines to help you have the best possible pregnancy and birth. But pregnancy is a transformative event, and what many parents-to-be crave most are stories. We want to know the nitty-gritty of the whole pregnancy experience, not just what doctors and parenting experts think we should know of the process. With Expecting Wonder, Brittany L. Bergman offers that experience in a series of essays that explore the anxieties, obsessions, joys, and anticipations of pregnancy, from waiting for the test to the first ultrasound, from the physical transformations and weight gain to the process of writing a birth plan. This beautiful book will be treasured by anyone who is currently expecting, as well as those who already have kids or who want them in the future.


Frankie Comics

Cat owners and cat lovers will be delighted to read Frankie Comics, a lighthearted slice of life comic compilation of a Siamese cat named Frankie found by the author, Rachel Dukes, and her husband. There's some humor and crazy hijinks and a whole lot of cuteness going on in the comics. One of my favorite comics is "Morning Routine," where a sleepy-eyed Rachel goes to brush her teeth only to find Frankie sitting on her toothbrush. Gross, Frankie! The illustrations exude a very comforting, cheerful, and simple vibe, and I like all the white space that borders the panels. I like how in the illustrations, Dukes included armpit hair and leg hair on her character. I don't think I've seen body hair included in any comics that I have read, so props to her for doing so. Frankie Comics is reminiscent of Pusheen the Cat and Sarah's Scribbles. Cat owners will be able to relate to some of the funny happenings in the book, and it will surely put a smile on their faces.


Spectral Evidence

The title of Trista Edwards' collection of poetry refers to the stories of out-of-body abominations given as evidence at the Salem witch trials. The epigram is from The Crucible, Arthur Miller's dramatization of the trials. Both are fitting premises. These are serious poems, visions, and recollections of life-altering pain and loss. We are often in the company of perceived witches and deceivers, through whom questions about self-identities taken from what others call us are pressed, and sometimes, left to us for answers long after we finish reading.

Edwards' experience as a wordsmith and editor shows. The poems deliver on the title and epigram. They are well-written, in free verse of varying length as appropriate, without poor word choices, weakness of tone, or textual inconsistencies. Verses are drawn with staccato sentences, truncated as necessary to let the mind catch up with the eyes, to trip the unwary tongue. Honest readers might need to turn to a dictionary or other references for a fuller understanding of a few pieces, but what good is poetry that attempts to illuminate without also educating?

Full marks to the poet and to readers who choose to explore Edwards' visions and words.


A Guinea Pig Night Before Christmas

The story is about these cute, fat guinea pigs and how excited they are for Christmas to come. One guinea pig asked Santa for a big ball and some radishes. At the end of the book, there are the names and pictures of all the guinea pigs that are in the story. Emma is the cutest! I like all the pictures in the story, especially the one with the pretty moon image with Santa Claus flying across it. I like how the author used actual pictures of real guinea pigs for this story. It's cute when they put little bows on the guinea pigs and when they dress up the guinea pig in a Santa Claus suit. I thought it was cute and funny at the start and end of the story there is a cute mouse puppet in the story. This book definitely makes you want a cute guinea pig as a pet and to dress them up in cute little clothes. I recommend this book to kids who like cute little animals and Christmas stories.


Never Turn Back: A Novel

Ethan has a traumatic past. As a teenager, men burst into their house and in the ensuing struggle, they killed both his parents and shot him in the arm as well as shooting his sister, Susannah. His sister is complicated after that night, difficult to handle. Ethan manages to make a life for himself, as a teacher at a prep school. Things get turned upside down when his sister shows back up on his doorstep and a one-night stand with a fellow teacher turns into something ugly. This teacher is making Ethan’s life a living hell and dredging up his past. Ethan has to decide how far he’ll go to help his sister and stop this other woman who is ruining his life as well as the lives of those around him. He’s always thought he would Never Turn Back and face that horrible night, but now he might not have another choice.

What an interesting story full of emotion and drama. As complicated as she is, you can’t help but like Susannah even when you find out what she does. It is also incredibly fascinating to see how both siblings witness the same event and turn out completely different. If you enjoy family dramas with some murder mysteries thrown in, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. For such a short book, the characters are deep and nuanced and worth your time.


And That's the Tooth

And That's the Tooth is a fun guessing-game book. On each page is a picture of an animal, but the animal's face is covered up. The animal's face is covered up with a big magnifying glass with a hint written in it to help you guess the animal. The animal is on the back of the page with a fact about it also on that page. Some of the animals include a cat, squirrel, hippo, elephant, giraffe, shark, and anteater; there are thirteen animals in all.

Most of the animals are easy to guess, especially with the hints on the pages. I like looking at the pictures of the animals because they are big and bright. I like the information about teeth that are about both human teeth and animal's teeth. Teeth are cool with all of the different shapes and sizes that they are and the different kinds of food that they chew. At the end of the book, it talks about the different animals there are, like herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, and then you can guess which animal picture matches the food they eat. This book is fun to read for my age and any kids around my age.


What's the Weather? a What, Why or Where Book

Kids are curious about the world around them, asking questions like “What makes the wind blow?” or “Why do the clouds change shapes every day?” It is great to have a well-written, well-researched non-fiction book that is also filled with beautiful photographs and text that is succinct, yet written at a level for youngsters to listen to or read on their own (for emerging readers). This book will not only teach without being didactic but will engage youngsters with the combination of that text with bright, colorful photos that accompany and support the text. The book asks questions as readers go through which will help the adult reading or helping emerging readers to engage youngsters in critical thinking. Four pages of back matter include some activities to do with youngsters such as teaching them to track and chart temperature changes or observe and describe clouds, learning the difference between them, and discovering what kind of weather they might indicate. This is not a science textbook nor does it pretend to be. But it is a really good introduction to the things that make up our weather and how to recognize them.


River Otter's Adventure

The whole book is my favorite part. The story River Otter’s Adventure is about an otter who decides to be different animals, like a tiger and a slithery snake, but he learns that he likes being an otter best of all. It’s a very sweet and silly book and it’s my favorite. It’s different from other animal books because it’s about an otter being different than it actually is. I like the illustrations because they’re so detailed and most of the animals look so cute. Eight-year-olds and younger and also every age of people who like animals will like this book because it’s so sweet and you get to learn about lots of animals and what they are like.


Animal Homes (Animal Anatomy & Adaptations)

Animal Homes (Animal Anatomy and Adaptations), written by Mary Holland, focuses on how a variety of different creatures in nature build and use their homes. This is a relatively short and concise picture book in which children will learn fascinating facts about what materials animals use to create their places of refuge and protection. Spider silk, saliva, mud, sticks, and twigs are just a few. How tree cavities are naturally formed as well as how they are constructed by birds like wood peckers is described. How dreys are used as temporary homes for flying, red, and eastern grey squirrels is delineated as well. Many more interesting truths about animal habitats are included, as are a plethora of colorful photographs that correspond to them.

This well-written informational text will make a perfect addition to the libraries of elementary school science classrooms around the globe. The intended audience is children ages six to ten. It can be used as a resource guide or for supplemental instruction, student reports, and class projects. Youth will find some of the less ordinary facts intriguing, even mystifying. One such example is that a bald-faced hornet uses its own saliva in combination with chewed wood to make paste to outline the cells in which it will raise its young. Another is that young spittle bugs blow bubbles that fall down, cover their bodies, and serve as protection against insect-eating critters. Readers will conclude how critically important dwellings are to a species’ long-term survival.


When I Was an Alligator

A young girl introduces herself as “a curious Cajun kid” who is fond of peanut butter and crawfish. She quickly drifts off to sleep and transforms into an alligator. As she absorbs the sun’s rays, herons fly overhead, leading her to long for the ability to fly. In the blink of an eye, she becomes a heron in search of a tasty bite to eat, and as she soars across the sky, she spots an opossum scurrying off to her nest of little ones. She then changes into an opossum with babies of her own. As her dream progresses, she transfigures into a catfish swimming in a pond and a beautiful white-tailed deer protecting her fawns. She continues to convert into an array of creative manifestations of her mind until she wakes to find herself just a Cajun kid again.

Children will love this imaginative tale. They will lavish in its predictability and will look forward to seeing what transformation awaits them next. Youth often find animals intriguing, so this story is likely to awaken their curiosity and sequester their attention. The lively illustrations will appeal to their senses. They’re not vivid in color but display earthy tones and subtle hues. Life amidst the light green, brown, tan, and reddish tones is forever changing, evolving into something new.

The target audience for this engaging story is children ages four through eight, and the reading level is approximately second or third grade. It will undoubtedly be read and read again by those who cherish it most.


The Baddest Girl on the Planet

Evie Austin is The Baddest Girl on the Planet. Or is she? Told in a series of vignettes, this book tells a story of a young woman dealing with everything from the birth of her son to the death of a mother figure. Author Heather Frese paints visceral pictures of the bright days of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the dark times within them. The story itself felt jagged and I wondered what the point was. However, Frese’s storytelling really is beautiful. She’s capable of bringing the reader into the pages, breathing in the air swirling around the beaches, and feeling the itching restlessness raising within her heroine. I didn’t feel that Evie was particularly “bad” in any form of the word. She just seemed like a woman on the edge of whatever disappointing decision she made at the time.  I didn’t feel like rooting for her although the descriptions of her feelings and surroundings felt so painfully real they bled off the pages. It was enough to carry me through the book but only just. By the end, I was ready to close the covers and walk away.


Petite Pâtisserie: Bon Bons, Petits Fours, Macarons and Other Whimsical Bite-Size Treats

Cheryl Wakerhauser has traveled the world and trained in France. Her work has been featured in multiple magazines and she is the executive chef and owner of the award-winning Pix Pâtisserie in Portland, Oregon. Petite Pâtisserie is her second cookbook to date. In this book is everything you need to know to have a classy party or tea time, or just to have some sweet treats for yourself. With over forty recipes, you are sure to find something you like. Each recipe includes detailed instructions, but with the flexibility to make them your own, as well as beautiful pictures of the finished product. Once you’ve completed her confidence builders, you’ll be making treats that are almost too pretty to eat in no time.

French pastries and desserts are my favorite things in the world, so I was very excited to get this book. I’ve always wanted to learn to make macarons but hadn’t found a cookbook that described it well enough for me. Cheryl’s book was exactly what I was looking for. Her instructions are clear and easy to follow as well as her parlor tricks, which make each recipe even simpler. You can tell that she actually wants to teach you how to cook on your own and not just impress you with her skills. The equipment list at the end is also very helpful. I highly recommend this book to all French pastry lovers.


Jack: A Novel

"You Don’t Know Jack" is a common saying. The reader of this book will definitely not know or understand Jack through this novel. The author’s three previous novels will probably define Jack better, but this reader had not known about the fame of that trilogy set in Gilead, Ohio. Even with my limited understanding of the setting and characters, this book stands alone as an interesting and compelling story about star crossed lovers. The lovers, Jack and Della have identical backgrounds and interests which draw them together. They also have strong societal and familial forces that push them apart. Jack and Della spend the night together in a cemetery after they are locked in by the night gate. They talk all night. They have found refuge among the dead who have no opinions on the propriety of their relationships. Della leads an exemplary life with strong family connections, albeit distant. Jack is a reprobate who cannot forgive himself for his past or come to terms with the present. Yet, this is a courtly love. He leaves roses for Della and keeps her books as talismans of her presence. This is a wonderfully written and compelling love story, especially fitting for the current times.


My Hero Academia, Vol. 25

This story starts off with Tomura Shigiraki sitting outside with his pet dog, nothing too out of the ordinary until the dog begins to whimper and, only a few seconds later, turns into nothing but chunks of meat and bone. Shigiraki, confused and terrified, sits there sobbing. His sister, mom, and grandparents hear the commotion and find Shigiraki sitting next to the dead dog. They all scream and panic while Shigaraki chases after them asking for help, but as soon as he touches them, they die and dissolve into meat chunks. The only member of his family left is his father, who tries to kill Shigaraki, which inevitably fails. Shigaraki is all alone with his dead family. He runs away from home and has nowhere to go until he meets the all-powerful villain All For One, who helps him become a dangerous and feared supervillain.

I think this book is very detailed and well written. We get to know why Shigiraki is a villain and we get to see his tragic backstory unfold right before our eyes. Also, even though it might be a bit graphic, the detail of the art in this book is really good and interesting.


Why Do Cats Meow?: Curious Questions About Your Favorite Pets

This book is about cats! It’s called Why Do Cats Meow? and it's written and illustrated by Lily Snowden-Fine with help from cat expert Dr. Nick Crumpton. Have you ever wanted to know anything about your cat? Well, this book probably has the answer. For instance, cats hate water, but in some instances they are obsessed with running faucets. And then there’s the Turkish Van breed, but you’ll have to read the book to find out more about that!

You might be asking now why DO cats meow? I can answer that! Cats meow to communicate lots of different things. Our cat meows a lot, which means she must have a lot to say! I really liked cats before, and now I understand more about them thanks to this book. If you want to know more about cats, I definitely 100% recommend Why Do Cats Meow. It's a really good book because it’s about cats, it’s even a little bit “catty,” if you know what I mean! (See the pun there?)


Welcome to the New World

Jake Halpern, Illustrated by Michael Sloan

The migration process is highly stressful – especially for refugees who can’t go back, need to adapt to a culture different from theirs, and need to learn a foreign language. This graphic novel is one such story: tracing a family that leaves Syria and arrives in the US on election day in 2016.  The book’s focus is on the family adjusting to life in the US – learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture, and trying to make a living through low-paying jobs.  Layered on the already difficult situation is the social polarization (and hatred) as well as the political hurdles that make it difficult for specifically Muslims to migrate to the US.

The story keeps its focus on the family, and their challenges. The political climate is mentioned, but only as it relates to the family. Illustrations are minimalistic (only black and white) and convey the situation’s starkness. There is a lot covered in a short book, probably as the events covered are synthesized from several events. It also means that the characters are not fully developed, and the story seems to flow quickly. However, the struggles and challenges are well portrayed and conveyed from the perspective of lived experiences – the best feature of the book. Recommended for students in middle and high school.


A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness (1))

Normally I am a fan of Joe Abercrombie’s work and his ability to write far-flung fantasy epics that are told over multiple novels. It is often fun to get lost in the worlds that he creates. Sadly that is not the same for this work, and it is a struggle to get through the language and reading should be fun and not a chore to get through, and sadly this is a chore. I know there are strides being made to represent language being spoken by different groups to be authentic as possible, but when it makes reading fantasy fiction difficult then it is hard to really get lost and enjoy oneself in a book. This follows different people as they all deal with a changing time.

Rikke works with a supposedly mad hill woman, Isern-i-Phail, to control the Long Eye can be a curse and a blessing. Other groups of people are starting off on their destiny such as Savine dan Glokta who will not let anyone or anything stand in his way. Leo dan Brock is trying to do the right thing on the borderlands but is disappointed in Prince Orso. Standard starting, just can’t get past the language and that makes it difficult.


See What You Made Me Do: The Dangers of Domestic Abuse That We Ignore, Explain Away, or Refuse to See

The human brain is amazing; it is capable of doing so much! Unfortunately, it doesn't take a lot for it to betray us. In See What You Made Me Do, Jess Hill provides a well-researched book on everything there is to know about domestic abuse. She includes information about how the term came about and what it took for the world to start taking battered women seriously. Each chapter contains important information about the physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological effects that the perpetrator of domestic violence inflicts on victims. Each chapter also includes real-life stories of women who have escaped an abusive relationship. This book is deep, with dark secrets shared by millions of women around the world.

This book can be hard to read, all the stories are horrific if you consider them deeply, but also liberating. It is heartbreaking to read about women who are going through this abuse, and no one will lift a finger to help. People might offer some advice, but that's it. Hill writes with precision and a true passion for the topic. There is more to domestic violence than physical abuse, and you will learn about it all in this book.


Fushigi Yûgi: Byakko Senki, Vol. 1 (1)

Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki: Volume 1 is a prequel to the Fushigi Yugi series. Suzuno Ohsugi's father, Takao, brought "The Universe of the Four Gods" home to Tokyo, but he forbade Suzuno from touching the book. During an earthquake and in order to save her life, Suzuno's father told her to open the book. This sets in motion Suzuno's destiny to be the Priestess of Byakko. Suzuno is transported into "The Universe of the Four Gods" and her adventures begin. It's been more than a decade since I've read Fushigi Yugi, but reading Byakko Senki took me right back to my youth. The illustrations are fantastic and in all classic manga style, they are undeniably cute and oh so humorous. I love all the expressions, especially the silly ones which make me laugh. Readers don't necessarily need to read the previous mangas in the series (I didn't) in order to understand and follow along with the story. I highly recommend this series to Fushigi Yugi fans and any manga lovers!


Dear Ann: A Novel

Ann Workman, the protagonist of acclaimed writer Bobbie Ann Mason’s first novel in years, Dear Ann, is the kind of woman who doesn’t make a fuss. Married for most of her adult life to a good man, Ann finds herself wondering how different her life would have been had things turned out differently with her first love, Jimmy.

The novel is told in a series of letters and re-imagined past experiences, which is to say Ann isn’t recalling what happened so much as what could have happened. The structure of the book is challenging at first, but once the story of young Ann moves to Stanford—the school she didn’t attend but perhaps should have—it is hard not to get caught up in the energy of the Summer of Love. Ann’s life, as it was and is and could have been, is a perfect cypher for human experience as we age. We question if we have done all we can, reckon with the moments we’ve failed, and agonize over choices that weren’t as brave as we wish.

One of the purest joys of the book, though, is in Ann’s area of study: English. For English majors, or those enamored with their survey courses in college, or the average bibliophile, the literary references and jokes are an absolute joy.

Dear Ann is an engrossing and beautiful book that gives on every page.


Alice's Farm: A Rabbit's Tale

The farm across the meadow has been empty for years. The rabbits in the meadow, including Alice, are happy. Carl Harvey is also content; he lives in the city, which is a good place for a boy to grow up. But Carl's parents have bigger dreams.

Now the Harveys have moved to the old farm, to Carl and the rabbits’ shock. You would think that neither would cross paths since rabbits and farmers don't get along well. But Alice is not like most rabbits. When both meadow and farm are threatened, she must go against her cottontail nature and work with farmers and foxes, in a hare-brained scheme that will make rabbit history!

What a book! I love the charming characters and elegant writing. I liked that the rabbits and the baby, Marie, can understand each other, while the grownups are clueless. Talk about baby power! It's cool that the book alternates between humans and animals, and it's a satisfying read for young and old. This novel is also funny, thanks to the dog and Carl. The ending is a bit sad, but the bittersweet note finishes the book perfectly.

Maryrose Wood brings her unique writing style and love of animals to this well-crafted story of farms, friends, and a lot of dehydrated fruit.


Legendborn

Legendborn is an amazing book about a teenager named Bree who is suffering from trauma after the death of her mother. Bree decides to go to college early with her best friend Alice. When they arrive, Charlotte Simpson, a girl Bree knew from high school, charges into Bree and Alice’s dorm room and demands that they join her at a party. Bree agrees and goes to the party with Alice. She watches teenagers jumping off of cliffs when suddenly a boy with angry golden eyes appears behind her. He seems strange so Bree follows him when he runs off into the forest. When she gets to the center of the party she sees four football players wrestling. Bree looks up and sees a swirling mass of green hovering over the fighting football players. Suddenly a girl yells and tells everybody to get out of there, but Bree stays hidden in the bramble. The girl and the strange boy stay behind and kill the green mass. When the golden-eyed boy turns around and sees Bree, he magically tries to wipe her memory of what she saw. Usually, this works for him, but somehow his magic doesn't work on Bree. She remembers everything. Soon she finds herself in the middle of a war.  If you want to find out if Bree can survive the battle and emerge victorious, grab a copy and curl up in your favorite chair.

This book is filled with great battles, a small love story, and a lot of fantasy. I would recommend this story to fantasy or romance-loving teenagers. I would recommend Legendborn to kids thirteen years and older because it has a little bit of mature language, but other than that I really enjoyed the book as it was a great read.


Monogamy: A Novel

Such care was taken with the design of this book from the beautiful cover to the deckle edges, which I was absolutely in love with texturally; I knew this book would be special. Annie and Graham are a wonderful couple who, like many other couples, have their flaws. In this case, it is Graham's infidelities. The same infidelities which made his first wife, Freida, leave him. But Graham knows his infidelities are wrong and does his best to make things right again and to devote himself to Annie completely. When Annie wakes up one morning to find Graham has passed away in the middle of the night, she is devastated. This book is about her finding herself as a widow, her relationship with Freida, her relationships with her daughter Sarah and stepson Lucas, and how she deals with grief and picking up the pieces of her life.

Monogamy is an exquisite story with beautiful, raw emotions, which the characters share with the reader throughout. There are happy, sad, and funny memories. There are second thoughts about decisions and choices made. I enjoyed Annie's character because of her strength and loyalty to Graham. I also enjoyed Frieda's character because although she left him, she never stopped loving Graham and by proxy, she becomes close friends with Annie. This book will tug at your heartstrings and have you reanalyzing your own life and relationships.


Einstein's Last Message

Einstein’s Last Message is a beautifully written book about how humans can change the state of the environment by changing the way they think. Dr. Rod O’Connor has organized the book into different methods of thinking and the self-awareness those types of thinking may bring to each individual.

The book first explains how Einstein commented that “The real problem is in the hearts of men.” He also went on to say that humans must change the way they think if the Earth is going to survive. It is self-destructive behavior that will ultimately end it all.

I really enjoyed the way Dr. O'Connor used anecdotal stories to prove a point instead of throwing a bunch of scientific jargon at the reader. This helped me to understand the purpose of each chapter and the message he was trying to convey. In the chapter about linkages, he describes how we learn to problem solve and connect things at a very young age. This sets the foundation for how we learn and tie things together in the future. We learn about feelings and what things cause certain feelings. Emotions can help to drive our decision making, and this could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation.

I also really like the chapter on time travel. The title intrigued me, and once I read it, it really made me think about how I “time travel” all the time. Time traveling in this case does not entail getting into a Delorean or other futuristic vehicle. In Einstein’s Last Message, time traveling is about forming scenarios that are imaginary versions of possible futures. This might be something that many of us do already when we are trying to make an important decision. The mental process of envisioning the future and potential outcomes is how we “time travel.”

Through analysis of values, ethics, and other traits that human beings have, and connecting them with the thought processes used to reach conclusions, it is easy to see how mankind has ended up where it is today. As the author states, “We need to learn about people to understand them, and form an ‘Applied Science of Humans’ to help us.” By using scientific reports that are not influenced by party politics, then and only then, can we trust and receive the information needed to protect and restore the parts of the world that need it most.

Overall, I found this book to be highly interesting and to include a lot of topics that I would love to discuss with friends, family, and peers. Many of the methods of thinking we already implement. The appendixes in the back of the book are useful and include a checklist as well as activities that can help a person make an informed decision. I recommend this book to anyone who might find themselves at a crossroads when making a decision, or to someone who wants to understand more about humanity itself.


In this captivating and brutally honest memoir, Mark Henick shares his personal journey through depression and anxiety. He lifts the curtain and invites readers into the intimate experiences of his childhood and young adult years in Nova Scotia. His mom is a nurse who loves and supports him, although she’s away at work many of his waking hours and suffers from insecurities of her own. His dad leaves when he is young and desperately in need of a father who loves him. To make ends meet, Mark, his siblings, and his mother move in with a man she’s been dating. He’s vindictive and doesn’t believe little boys should show emotions. Mark feels unwelcome and belittled. Instability churns inside him, and he finds himself in an abyss of darkness.

After months of contemplating suicide, he conveys the depth of his turmoil to a school counselor and is checked into a psychiatric hospital. This marks the beginning of a series of hospitalizations, and although he has intermittent periods of normalcy, his condition remains fragile. At the age of seventeen, he decides suicide is the best option. He walks to a nearby bridge and prepares to jump into the oncoming traffic. As he gathers the courage to let go, a gentleman wearing a brown coat comes and saves his life. From this point onward, Mark’s view of the world, as well as of his existence in it, changes markedly for the better. He starts down the path to recovery and a future full of hopeful possibilities.

So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience is a story of sadness, loss, grief, healing, acceptance, and renewal. The author provides readers with direct passage into his experiences as well as the confines of his heart and mind. This enables them to view, through unfiltered lenses, the path that leads him down the road to self-destruction and a horrifyingly close brush with death. He describes in great detail the time he stops and asks a teacher for a knife to cut a cake for his class, and how he chooses just the right one to make a clean cut on his wrist. He also elucidates the care the man on the bridge takes to calmly speak to him, to listen to his story without passing judgment, and to keep him hanging on long enough for aid to arrive. His ability to be introspective about his struggles broadens the window through which readers can see, allowing them a better look at the complexities of depression.

This book is ideal for those interested in learning more about depression, anxiety, and suicide. It may also appeal to those who have always wondered what it might feel like to see the world through the tainted glass of depression. Family members and friends of those suffering, as well as therapists and other medical professionals, are also likely to benefit from this insightful and self-reflective account. Those still in the midst of dark days will want to wait and read this one later due to the descriptions of frequent suicidal ideation. Overall though, it’s definitely a worthy read and a positive contribution to the literature on mental illness.


Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil Price is an innovative work on the life and times of the Vikings. Price tries to get inside the minds of these legendary raiders by using an interdisciplinary approach to look at them and their world as they might have seen it themselves.

They were warriors, but also farmers, explorers, traders, and families. Who were the Vikings when they were at home and how did they explain their world? Using the latest research in DNA as well as the sagas and poetic works to explain how the people of 750 to 1050 Scandinavia may have seen themselves and their world, Price captures a new perspective on the medieval Nordic consciousness.

It’s a truly stunning piece of work, and highly readable for something that could easily slip into dull academia. Price weaves a good story along with his scholarship, making even the driest parts of Viking life feel vivid and interesting. This is a "can’t miss" read for those obsessed with all things Viking. Hopefully the book will become a new landmark work in the genre.


27 Essential Principles of Story: Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park

What makes a good story? Offhand, you might list such things as an engaging plot, believable characters, and an interesting setting – and you would be right. But each of those elements has a lot more to it. Author Daniel Rubin breaks down exactly what stories need to be compelling and memorable, even meaningful, in this wonderful book that is both literary analysis and writer's handbook. Taking those three main elements, he divides each further into nine principles, which he then explains in depth. First, he gives an overview of what the principle entails, then a deeper explanation, followed by a quick synopsis of a story that illustrates that principle well. His illustrations are taken from extremely disparate sources, from classic literature to film and television and even to video games – showing how a good story uses these same principles no matter in which media it is presented. As you read and work your way through this book (definitely use it as a writer's guide!) you will enjoy the author's synopsis of various masterworks (and probably find many you will want to further explore) and you will delight in your increasing ability to notice how the storytelling masters around you put these principles in practice while honing your own storytelling skills.


The Elixirist

Sall’s father is revered in Bozra as the town’s only healer. At the age of sixteen, Sall accompanies him to the high priest’s house. Unlike all the times in the past, the priest’s daughter, An, enters the room. She’s veiled, slender, and strikingly beautiful. As her eyes meet Sall’s, they glisten with contempt. The hatred radiating through them wounds his soul, throwing him off balance. He falls, strikes his head, and drifts into a state of unconsciousness. He dreams of a dwarf who refers to himself as “the Elixirist.” Sall confides in him about the young girl and asks if his magical potion can transform her hatred into love. His message is poignant, although it’s importance isn’t fully realized until later: “If you wish to change how another person feels about you, start by changing yourself.”

Soon after he wakes, Sall decides to search for the Elixirist. He knows his aspirations may result in heartache and anger his father profusely, but he determines that the risks are worth taking. He sets out on a journey, straying far from home and away from the comforts of protection and predictability. His courage is tested, and his will proves unbreakable against the challenges he meets. A Moabite merchant traps him into slavery, a judge brutally tortures him, and just when he’s within reach of his destination, he nearly drowns. At last, he reaches the Elixirist, who generously teaches him his craft. He learns that the power of the elixir lies in the perception of the one drinking it; the trust that person has in it will manifest in change.

This book is immaculately written. Its contents are a mixture of creative energy, historical knowledge, and lessons of moral fortitude. The fantasy elements will likely appeal to readers most. However, the story is also rich in Biblical history. The author, Avarham Azrieli, artfully integrates into his story references, settings, and people from the Bible with precision and intent. The Elixirist is set BCE. Sall’s adventures take him through the lands once inhabited by the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In many respects, Sall’s character resembles that of the apostle Paul (who was formerly known as Saul).

He undergoes tremendous hardships, but in the end, his stamina and belief in his mission lead him to achieve great success and a sense of lasting contentment. Along the way, he matures irreversibly as the remnants of naivety are drained from him one tragedy at a time. He learns the real meaning of sacrifice and becomes a stronger person as a result. In the end, he doesn’t need an elixir to earn An’s love and devotion. His progression into a man of humility, honor, and virtue are more than enough.

While this book is targeted toward an adult audience, it’s appropriate for teens and young adults, too. At times, its depth and perplexity may deter those audiences. However, if ingested a few pages at a time, it may be well worth their time.

The Elixirist overflows with life lessons. “A young man must follow his heart’s journey, or his heart will go without him, lost forever.” These words are spoken by Sall’s mother as he weighs the consequences of his plans. “A good listener opens not only his ears, but also his heart,” says his father. The Elixirist reminds Sall that “courage is overcoming fear, not the lack of fear,” while Ishkadim, a man who stands by Sall through thick and thin, shares his wisdom by saying, “It’s better to dare and suffer, than to live with regrets.” These kernels of truth will lead many to gain insight.


The Chowderhead Crusades

Much like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, J.J. Walsh’s The Chowderhead Crusades has a love and respect for comic books. Both books deal with the construct of characters who are suffering through a dystopia of sorts, especially for those low on the societal rungs, but they are given a chance to compete with others to achieve riches and notoriety they could never have dreamed of. While Ready Player One hasn’t aged so well, as its simplicity, ham-handed references and in-jokes, and predictable plot have made it a less than enjoyable book, The Chowderhead Crusades deals with the same subject matter in a fresher, more entertaining, and more interesting way that draws the reader in.

Clayton Clayborn is a guy who’s never had it easy. He is an orphan who was basically sold into a form of slavery for Norman Corp because it’s the mid-twenty-first century and when you're down and out and have little worth, there’s not much hope for you. Of course, Norman Corp says they’re doing a good deed by helping these orphans in need and giving them a chance at a better life. Clayton became an “employee” for Norman Corp at the tender age of nine and has spent most of his life on a deep-space freighter known as The Charon that makes a continuous run from Earth to Mars to mine for the ore Normanium. It's a rough and thankless job, but it’s all Clayton has ever really known. He’s also a Chowderhead: a massive comic book fan. As things became worse in the world, the superhero comics were something to turn to and hope for. They became known as “The Scriptures,” while the die-hard fans became known as “Supe Heads,” a shortened version of “Superhero Heads.” It wasn’t long before the term “Chowderheads” became part of the lexicon. Life is pretty rough for Clayton, but he does have Cassie, whom he gets to see and eat with sometimes, who he definitely has a crush on, and who is also a fellow Chowderhead. Talking with her about the good times of the superheroes is basically his favorite past time.

Clayton also has a goal: to win Cateklysm's Challenge. On January 20, 2036, an unknown being took over the airwaves and made a proclamation. He called himself Cateklysm Catholicon and had just shown himself at Comic-Con, so naturally, there were those who were distrustful of what he was saying. Nevertheless, he offered humanity salvation and hope for something better with Cateklysm ’s Challenge, a three-stage superhero contest. The winner will receive a piece of “unimaginably advanced technology.” So this is what Clayton wants most, but years have passed and the deadline is quickly approaching, with no one professing to have solved the Conundrum.

What’s great about The Chowderhead Crusades is the voice of Clayton. Told in the first person, the book has a great humor about it that makes it easy and quick for the reader to get drawn into the book. It doesn’t take itself too seriously but also features an unraveling and unpredictable plot that keeps the reader turning the page, looking to see what will happen next. I thought I liked Ready Player One but soon realized I was wrong; The Chowderhead Crusades I certainly do like, and it is a far superior novel.


The couple has trekked to some of the highest, most notorious peaks in the world. Mountain climbing has, in many ways, become their therapy. For Michael (Mike), it’s thrilling and poses incredible challenges to overcome; it energizes his soul. For Chantal, it’s an escape from the busyness and chaos of everyday life, a welcome getaway.

One day, the two of them meet a man who becomes a friend, and though they don’t realize it at the time, Mick ultimately changes the trajectory of their lives. He shares his knowledge of a place located in one of the most remote, inaccessible regions of the world. It’s within the vast confines of the Himalayan mountains and is known as the Lost Valley. After months of planning, Mike and Chantal, and more than a dozen team members, embark on a journey to this captivating domain. They navigate through the Lost Valley and immerse themselves in the Nepali culture. Their diverse and amazing adventures are documented—their visit to one of the most sacred Hindu temples, dinners, and dialogue with the natives, and a trip to a Nepali school in which they become mesmerized with a seven-year-old child responsible for teaching class that day. They see her again later that evening and eventually have the privilege to meet her family. This young girl becomes a central part of their lives. With the aid of Mike and Chantal, she and her sister, Pumba, are able to complete a year of education in America while graciously being taken and accepted as their own. Though the girls return to Nepal, the couple continues to visit them, and the impact each of them has on one another’s lives and the way they see the world becomes irreversible.

A Story of Karma - Finding Love and Truth in the Lost Valley of the Himalaya is an inspiring story about life, love, compassion, and determination. It’s also about sacrifice and humility. While Mike and Chantal’s mountain climbing escapades are paramount to their story, they serve as catalysts to the life-altering relationships they develop with people from a region and a culture so unlike their own. The simple, unvarnished, family-centered way of life they witness in Nepal, along with the poverty, lack of medical care, and gender discrimination they see, will likely affect their world view forever. They continue to be active in helping those who reside in Karma’s village. They also moved away from the bustling city life to which they’d become accustomed and relocated to a quieter, more serene locale.

A Story of Karma depicts beautiful imagery that pulls the reader in, making the scenes come alive. “How very different it was for me —a living being as fluid as a mountain stream, and as ghostly as the summit we sought to climb” is just one example in which Mike writes about the visible prints of a snow leopard amidst blizzard conditions. His work is also ripe with raw emotion and insight. Soon after arriving in Nepal, Mike delineates Chantal’s reaction to the sharp contrasts she observes in Kathmandu. “Chantal broke down, tears streaming from behind her sunglasses. Kathmandu’s contradictions were too much for her. And it was true that one couldn’t help but be horrified by the city’s contrasts, its magnificent temples and begging sadhus, the beautiful silk saris and gold jewelry on many of the women, and the rags on the street beggars, the filth in its rivers and the green of its verdant forests.” Her feelings are more than surface deep; they radiate through the pages.


Karma, predestination, fate. Is the future predetermined or are these imaginings we’ve created in an attempt to understand the unfathomable randomness of life?

Michael Schauch and his wife, Chantal, are financially successful, well-educated, and middle-aged people. They indulge in adventures to enhance and add meaning to their privileged lives. They’re in Nepal, drawn by Michael’s obsession with climbing the perfect peak, which he’s seen in a photograph. As they trek past the remote, impoverished villages searching for their destination, he’s struck by a sense of familiarity and kinship with the place and the people who inhabit it.

Their climb is aborted due to bad weather, but on their trek out, they stop and visit a village school and meet a remarkable child. Karma is a precocious six-year-old girl who is leading the mathematics lesson. Later, she collaborates with Chantal in an impromptu dance. A bond is forged, hearts are captured, and later, this intense attachment is extended to include Karma’s younger sister, Pemba.

From this point, A Story of Karma - Finding Love and Truth in the Lost Valley of the Himalaya details the couple's challenges in trying to improve the two children's prospects by obtaining enhanced education for them.

They’re successful in getting the girls enrolled in the Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding School in Kathmandu, and eventually, obtain student visas for them to study in Canada. But while trying “to reconcile the fundamental imbalances of our world” for the betterment of the two girls, Michael and Chantal are equally concerned that the children retain the Dharma they’ve learned from their schooling in Nepal, that is, the cultivating qualities of mindfulness, spiritual awareness, and emotional intelligence.

Michael Schauch’s memoir is heartfelt and touching, but it is hardly original considering how many people do much the same for children they sponsor in under-developed countries. Schauch’s intimation that these events are a unique manifestation of something pre-ordained is, for him, legitimate, but it hardly makes this story more than an interesting dinner conversation. Deja vu experiences are so common they’ve become a cliché, as is becoming acquainted with someone with whom you immediately relate to like an old friend.

Certain events become disproportionately important depending on our time of life and our circumstances, which appears to be the case for those involved in this happy encounter. This by no means diminishes the significance of what Michael and Chantal have achieved on behalf of Karma and Pemba, it just doesn’t make it an interesting memoir.


The Chowderhead Crusades

Clayton had been given (taken) to the Labor Loaner program since his parents had died (been murdered), so he was now an Orph (short for orphan). He was basically slave labor aboard a spaceship helping Luthor Norman mine Normanium from a far off planet and bring it back to Earth.  It’s rough up there, but he’s a Chowderhead sharing a mission with people all over Earth in search of clues to complete a puzzle for riches untold...or at least some great technology. Years before, Cateklysm Catholicon visited Earth during a Comic-Con to urge people to turn to the traits of their favorite superheroes to solve a three-part contest. Clayton hoped to continue the work of his parents after their deaths and solve the puzzle, but there wasn’t much time allowed for personal research, nor does anyone share, because the prize is so coveted. When he and Arthur, another Orph who was hiding a big secret, get caught in an explosion, Luthor Norman himself comes to interrogate Clayton about the crystals formed. Clayton and Arthur figure out that Luthor knows far more than he lets on, so the friends come up with a plan to follow Norman’s progress, but it’s so outrageous and full of holes, it can’t possibly work.  However, they have no choice—he cannot be the one to reach the end!

Superhero lore forms the basis for the scavenger hunt—so many references to favorites, like Iron Man, Red Skull, Wonder Woman (yes, the female superheroes are here, too!) and more—will enchant any reader who loves the Marvel and DC universes. Walsh has even created slang for the Chowderheads, with endnotes to explain their origins. It’s a great big nod to the popular superhero movies of late, combined with the idea behind Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Dialogue between Clayton and his friend, Arthur, and between his love interest, Cassie, is funny, witty, charming—all the hallmarks of a great story. Their good-natured arguing and ribbing of each other provide comic relief as the story hits dark moments and strengthens their friendship in times of trial. The conclusion is as shocking as it is ruthless, but satisfying, too, wrapping up subplots that could have been forgotten, providing closure to a well-woven tale. Want romance? Got it. Want firepower and explosions? Got it!  Want friends who have each other’s backs? Got that, too! This has something for every reader. Though lengthy, every page is needed for the skillful world and character-building to bring this story to its final conclusion.


The Ravens

Famous for their exclusivity and beauty, the Kappa Rho Nu Sorority, The Ravens, were the most popular and powerful girls on campus. Yet, they all keep a powerful secret. Their bond of sisterhood isn’t just by happenstance; they are a powerful coven of witches. However, this year there is someone who is out the threaten them, and they are willing to take the Kappa Rho Nu girls down one by one.

Told in two perspectives, The Ravens is a witchy story that delivers hard punches from every angle. While Vivi Devereaux grew up never knowing what she truly is, she did, however, know one thing, she longed to be part of a sisterhood. For Scarlet Winter, being a witch was easy. It was her Legacy, and so was being a Raven. However, one secret could ruin everything for them, and these two will need to learn to work together or watch their coven fall apart.

Danielle Paige and Kass Morgan deliver a refreshing story, fast-paced and full of wicked intent. The Ravens takes readers deep into a secret coven of witches, friendships, relationships, and deceit, but also gives twists and turns that will keep you guessing. A slightly slow build only adds to this book's explosive ending.


Pinch of Magic

I love this book - it's really good! It's like Harry Potter, but more interesting! The plot is better, like how there's an old curse and a creepy tower. The story goes back and forth in time, and the two parts come together in a really exciting way. I also like how the littlest sister, Charlie, goes back in time to get more food because she was hungry. I would do the same thing! I think Charlie is my hero!

I like this plot better than Harry Potter because it's action combined with mystery combined with magic. The characters are nicer. In spite of the curse, the story is not dark and depressing. I like the sisters’ three magic objects. They’re a traveling bag, a matryoshki doll, and a gilt-framed mirror. I can't tell you how they got their magic, because that would ruin the suspense! I wonder how it would look to travel back in time with the bag? That’s something I would like to do.

Something unusual about this book is that the main characters are all girls. The only bad thing is that there aren't any sequels! I want to read lots more of these books. Get this book, you won't regret it!


The perfect vintage dress leads a young woman into the past. Staying out late has consequences for a delinquent tween. A sickly girl convalesces at a peculiar school. A clumsy aspiring basketball player gets help from a kid who can only play around midnight.

Scary stories are a popular genre for younger readers, teaching them about tension, surprises, frights, and the slow, delicious buildup of horror, but it's a field rife with middling content. It's hard to tell good scary stories for younger readers without going either too cheesy or too dark. Very few writers can walk that tightrope and keep each story engaging.

Mary Downing Hahn's balance of pacing, anticipation, and unnerving uncertainty is absolutely spot-on, and I wish The Puppet's Payback and Other Chilling Tales had been around when I was younger. I would have eaten this book up. There is the inevitable lurking evil, the ghostly mystery, the victim of poor choices, and the well-intentioned Samaritan whose actions lead them astray. These are all perfect for younger readers, offering a terrific doorway into the world of scary thrillers that awaits them.


No Place for Monsters

Levi and his family have recently moved to a suburb called Cowslip Grove. Levi misses the city, and his new neighborhood seems too perfect. His little sister, Twila, has made friends and is adjusting to the move well. The only friend Levi has made is a girl at school who no other student in their right mind wants to work with, Kat Bombard.

One morning, Twila goes missing and no one in Cowslip Grove remembers her except Levi and Kat. The two set out to find Twila and some other kids they notice have gone missing, too. They meet some freakish and terrifying characters, and they learn that Cowslip Grove has a dark side after all. Everyone thinks suburbia is safe, but one monster has managed to survive in the suburbs.

No Place for Monsters, written and illustrated by Kory Merritt, is a creepy good time. It involves a funny and spooky monster hunt with two misfits trying to fit in and a weird suburb where nothing ever seems out of place. The fast pace of the adventure makes it hard to put down. Strong themes of friendship and family, along with some very scary illustrations, make this a perfect middle-grade read.


The Brass Queen

Constance Haltwhistle is in control of land, animals, and servants. The only thing she doesn’t have is a husband and, unfortunately, she's in need of one. So, she does the only thing a proper lady would do; throw a debutante ball, but it all goes wrong when the armored exo-suits she designed kidnaps one of her closest friends and her two colleagues. In order to rescue them, Constance must collaborate with J.F, an American cowboy, with a mission of his own. Of course, rescuing three missing scientists is a lot easier said than done, not to mention the invisible assassins and a prince bent on her death.

Constance is not supposed to be a delegate flower; unfortunately, her tough exterior makes her arrogant and unlikeable. I have no idea why anyone puts up with her and can’t imagine why J.F. falls for her. Each character is different with interesting lives and stories, but lack depth. The way Constance seems to thwart every attempt of death is amusing, even if it’s mostly chance and not entirely believable at times.


Real Pigeons Nest Hard (Book 3)

Andrew McDonald, Illustrated by Ben Wood

This is another hilarious book by Andrew McDonald. What have the Real Pigeons gotten themselves into now? Rock, Homey, Grand Pouter, and the crew are ready to solve mysteries and fight crimes in the local park. The park is certainly scary when a mean evil vulture comes flying in, Beardy Vulture. The Pigeons soon find out that Beardy Vulture is not as evil as they think he is and he has come to ask for their crime-fighting services when his nest was stolen. The Real Pigeons decide to help and track down nest thief, but nothing is ever as easy as it seems. A queen pigeon that uses her claws to pinch and control humans? The Real Pigeons have never had to take on their own kind before, how will they defeat the Queen Pigeon. They work together as a team, with their various superpowers to help Beardy Vulture.

This is a hilarious book full of black and white action illustrations! This is my favorite series because each pigeon has a unique superpower and they are so funny! I recommend this book to all young readers!


Whoa, Dog. Whoa! How to Relax: Inspired by P.D. Eastman's Go, Dog. Go!

Do you have a child who is constantly on the go? What about you? Do you as an adult know how to relax? This fantastic book gives some suggestions on how to relax and brings in illustrations from Go, Dog Go. I think the text does a great job of making you feel relaxed but also gives you ideas of how to do that. So many Americans are so busy this is very much needed here. The same goes for kids too. The text is simple but powerful. If you loved the classic Go, Dog Go pictures from childhood. I like how they altered them a little bit to fit the text. I think each picture was chosen well for the book.

My favorite page is the one where the dogs stop at the red light and the text says, “You need to stop!” What a great way to get the reader’s attention. If they liked Go, Dog Go, they'll love this one. I think is a great lesson for kids that sometimes it’s time to have fun and not have some of the crazy busy. This book is great for birth to one hundred plus years. Everyone could learn from this book.


Millionaires for the Month

Millionaires for the Month is a good book. I like it because it has a lot of children. Millionaires for the Month is about two kids named Benji Porter and Felix Rannells. They find a wallet that belongs to an adult billionaire named Lara Friendly. They give it back and in return, she gives them the challenge to spend five million dollars in a month. I find it exciting to think about having five million dollars to spend in a month. Millionaires for the Month is well written. In all her books, Stacy McAnulty writes about twelve-year-old children well. I think she understands twelve-year-old kids’ problems. If you like The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl or if you like The World Ends in April, then this is the book for you. I think Millionaires for the Month is good for kids seven and up. Grown-ups will love reading it with their kids. Libraries, schools, and families should all buy this book.


Shark and Bot

Shark and Bot is one of the best graphic novels I have read so far. It shows how opposites attract and how in defeating bullies you can make a new friend. It is short and sweet, so it makes a good bedtime story. I think that it is good for people who have read and liked Phoebe and her Unicorn or people who just like friendship stories. I love that it includes funny illustrations at the front and back of the book and how it has cute “How to Draws” for the main characters, Shark and Bot. It includes funny print-outs that Bot made and cool comics that Shark loves. Shark and Bot are loving characters that will make kids in elementary school laugh and want more! Both characters have fun, exaggerated body gestures, so it is easy to figure out their emotions. I think this book is extremely well written, as graphic novels go, and is easy to read. I think that a first grader could read this even if they have only just finished learning to read. I think that families, schools, and libraries alike should buy this book for elementary school kids.


Intimations: Six Essays

This slim volume is a hint at the life of a tenured professor living through a pandemic in New York City. We meet neighbors, street people, and a college IT expert. This is my introduction to this author who writes very well, indeed. We may disagree about the status of tulips, but we are in concert about the fact that during this pandemic, the time has expanded without an intimation of how to put it to use. We have lost our structure which had been forged under time pressure; the extra ten minutes we may have for coffee has expanded into a day-long drift. As the author says; the writer learns how not to write, the actor how not to act. Time has been suspended and we ponder our neighbors, our community, and the great suffering throughout the world. Are we learning forbearance? What has this time taught us? The author comically ponders a photo of director Mel Gibson in conversation with the actor as Christ creating a tableau of suffering. Everything has gotten real, except the leader of the free world and the artifice of the human tragedy.


Purrmaids #8: Merry Fish-mas

I LOVE THIS BOOK SERIES! I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I love the series and I cannot believe I got one to review!

The cover got me excited for Christmas and the cute kitty eyes made me pick it right up and start reading! I like how it uses Fish instead of Christ in Fish-mas. I like that each book in the series has the same characters. I like the storyline, and the book was exciting and I didn't know how they were going to solve the problem. They DID! Coral sounds like my sister. I like how Coral tried her best to get the letter to Santa Paws and how she is a good sister.

I also love that these books include a seek peek at the next book n the series! I want that one too!


Star Wars A Jedi You Will Be

Preeti Chhibber, Illustrated by Mike Deas

If you are a Star Wars fan, this book is definitely for you to read to your children. The book takes place on Dagobah, the swamp planet. It is told from Yoda’s point of view. Your youngling will follow along with Luke Skywalker as he trains to be a Jedi. The book touches on the values of the Jedi such as hard work, commitment, being brave, and knowing sometimes you will succeed and sometimes you will fail.

I think the plot is excellent. It offers a great introduction to Stars Wars while also teaching life lessons. I love that the author really captured Yoda’s voice. The illustrations are cartoonish, but they fit well with an introduction to the Star Wars Universe. I love the different perspectives of being in a swamp. I think it fits Star Wars and the planet Dagobah so well. I’m impressed. My kids both loved this one. My three-year-old girl loved the Yoda voice. My six-year-old boy loved the whole book with the illustrations because he recognizes the planet from the original Star Wars and the Star Wars shows he watches. I recommend this book for ages 3 to 7.


Sugarproof: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar that are Putting Your Child's Health at Risk and What You Can Do

Michael I. Goran, PhD and Emily E. Ventura, PhD, MPH

For the past several decades, the public has been given the distinct impression that the biggest enemy of a healthy diet is fat. But more and more research is showing that while excess fat, and especially the “wrong” kind of fat, is bad for us, perhaps the biggest dietary problem most people face nowadays is actually an excess of sugar.

In Sugarproof: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar that are Putting Your Child’s Health at Risk and What You Can Do, Michael Goran and Emily Ventura take the science we currently know about excess sugar consumption, especially during childhood, and break it down so anybody can understand it.

Sugar can cause weight gain in kids, definitely, but even kids who are active and appear to be healthy can be suffering from sugar-related health problems, such as fatty liver disease and prediabetes, and more and more studies are starting to indicate that sugar may be a major contributing factor to attention and activity problems.

Goran and Ventura offer plenty of practical advice, including several detox programs to help families reduce the amount of sugar in their diets as well as plenty of recipes that kids will love.


Families are complicated systems; they include a varying degree of personalities and are expected to get along. Some people try harder than others to make this happen, while others throw in the towel and decide it's simpler if a person isn't part of their life anymore. Dr. Pillemer conducted a nation-wide study on the effects of estrangement on individuals and families as a whole. The results are in Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them. Every aspect of separation is difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Dr. Pillemer offers many therapeutic approaches to estrangement that are proven effective. Dr. Pillemer scoured the country to find individuals who have been, currently are, or had been estranged from a family member; he tells their stories to not only prove his points but also, to show that those who can relate are not alone.
The information presented is thorough, well-researched, and well-said. It is beneficial that the first part of the book contains stories and advice on current estrangements but then finishes with stories of people who have since reconciled with advice. This book would be beneficial for therapists, individuals on either side of family estrangement, or those just interested in the topic. Just know you're not alone, and there is hope.


F*cking History: 111 Lessons You Should Have Learned in School

History class only covers so much, and sadly, the curriculum excludes a lot of the most interesting historical tidbits. Unlikely outcomes, incredible coincidences, badasses of every race, gender, and sexuality who deserve to have their stories told...

Thankfully, there are armchair historians out there collecting these untold and lesser-known tales for your enjoyment and enlightenment. The Captain, author of F*cking History, is one of those well-read and informative individuals.

I was torn about how to rate this book, because the information in it is top-notch. I love history, and plenty of these stories were new to me or had greater detail than other sources. And that's terrific. But the writing, which is so Spike TV/The Man Show-esque in its bro-ness can be really off-putting. It suffers from a bit of "these damn kids today" old-man-yells-at-clouds voice, as well as too many "your girlfriend plots to win arguments" jokes about crappy relationships.

It's honestly a terrific read hampered by comedy and "edge" that will fall flat with plenty of readers, although that doesn't mean the stories should be skipped. Even if you have to wade through some bad early-2000s humor to read these stories, it's definitely worth it.


For Michael Schauch, the most influential journey of his life began with a photograph shown to him by a friend while in a restaurant in Vancouver. It was a photograph of a mountain. In Schauch’s mind, it was the mountain: “A perfect pyramid from its southwest aspect, with sheer faces and a striking ridgeline that snaked its way to a spear-tipped summit piercing both cloud and sky.” He had always enjoyed mountain climbing, but this one was different: it won his heart and drew him to it. He was desperate to conquer the mountain and so, accompanied by his wife, Chantal, and a group of friends, he undertook a trip to the Lugula, a sub-range of the Nepalese Himalayas. Unfortunately for Schauch, the weather was against him and he had to abandon the ascent of his dream mountain.

However, that was far from being the end of the story. While staying in the village of Nar, after abandoning his attempt to climb the mountain, Schauch and his group became acquainted with a teacher who told them about the local school and introduced them to its seventeen pupils. One of those pupils was a seven-year-old girl named Karma, who seemed to deputize as the teacher when he could not be bothered to teach. Karma quickly became attached to Schauch and Chantal, and they to her. Recognizing that Karma would never receive the education she both wanted and deserved if she remained in Nar, they offered to fund her education at a boarding school with a Buddhist ethos. And so began a relationship between the Schauchs and Karma and her family that would last for years to come

A Story of Karma is the perfect book for an armchair traveler with an interest in mountaineering and Buddhist philosophy. The first part of the book details Schauch’s discovery of his mountain and then his group’s long, arduous trek through Nepal. From the sights, sounds, and smells of Kathmandu, to the friendly and welcoming resting places they find along the way, to the tragically decaying remote village of Phu, to the mystery and melancholy of long-abandoned Tibetan settlements, Schauch does a great job of bringing the scenery to life and introducing the diverse people he encountered on his journey. His love for the region really shines through.

The second part of the book focuses on the Schauchs’ relationship with Karma and her younger sister Pemba, and on their attempts to ensure that the girls received the education they desired. At first, this involved securing them places at the boarding school, but later, it meant securing visas so that the sisters (with the full approval of their parents) could move to Canada with the Schauchs and continue their education there. There is some interesting information here, and it’s particularly informative to note the differences between approaches to life and education in Nepal and those in Canada, although it is likely of more significance to Schauch than it is to the general reader. Schauch and Chantal clearly had the girls’ best interests at heart, and with that in mind, it would have been nice to know more about the decision that Karma and Pemba should return home and what has happened to them since then.

A Story of Karma is an engaging travel book and an interesting tale of people finding each other in the most unexpected of places. It will prompt readers to consider issues such as tradition vs. modernity, preservation vs. change, and fate vs. destiny. The book also includes a selection of photographs, including some impressive mountain vistas, which serve to enhance the reading experience.


The Black Market: a guide to art collecting

"Charles Moore has assembled a remarkable, informative survey of African American Art conservation and collection. His synopsis of major artists, galleries, museums, and movements within the field is enlightening and engaging. Readers will appreciate the material that is showcased and the conversations the works will prompt. The consideration of artists born in each decade of the 20th century is a much-needed addition to the field and dialogue of Black Art History." — Jessica Tingling, San Francisco Book Review


Ten on a Twig

Ten bright, colorful, and progressively sized birds are sitting in a row on a twig, passing the time until one falls off, leaving just nine. Thus begins an unusual counting book, one that counts down from ten instead of counting up. This, of course, is something all children need to learn, but it certainly isn’t the obvious way to write a counting book. That’s one of the things that makes this book so fresh and so fun.

The pages are printed on heavy, glossy stock, and they are cut to incrementally increase in size to hide what is happening to the birds. The writing is clever and fun, using poetic devices such as internal rhyme, alliteration, assonance, and more in a sing-song meter that will have little ones practically dancing. The highly stylized illustrations have a great sense of fun and are sure to keep youngsters guessing what will come next, but no one is likely to guess the sweet ending that is in store. This is a perfect book for those kiddos who are just beyond the earliest counting books.


Sweet Dreams: A Goodnight Lullaby (Sesame Street Scribbles)

Sesame Workshop, Illustrated by Marybeth Nelson

Sweet Dreams is a book about ways to go to sleep. Elmo is tired and trying to fall asleep, but he's having trouble doing that. If we sing him a lullaby, then that might help him to get sleepy. In the lullaby, instead of bed bugs biting, you will tell Elmo to watch out for the twiddlebugs stealing your blanket! You will also tell him to eat a yummy snack before bed, take a bubbly bath, and brush your teeth all white. You will see Elmo count sheep, one to ten, and then watch the Count count to five. There are all of the Sesame Street characters in this book who try to help Elmo to fall asleep.

I like this book because it's a good one to read before you are going to bed. I thought the twiddlebugs were funny to read about. Each one of the ideas on how to fall asleep is a good one, and one that I will be trying if I have trouble. I like the pictures in the story because they have pretty colors and think that most younger kids will enjoy this book.


A Cerebral Offer

As a lover of theater, I was excited to read Ken Janjigian’s novel, A Cerebral Offer. Harry Gnostopolos, the protagonist, is an avid Beats poetry fan. He has dedicated his life to his passion for the Beats, making his name when he writes his own screenplay. Harry’s film becomes a roaring success. Opening nationwide in indie theaters and receiving an Oscar nomination, his expectations for the project are far exceeded. Fulfilling these dreams with his longtime girlfriend Dana, the duo are on cloud nine while the fame from his film lasts. Having no desire to create more films, Harry purchases his own theater, the Cabrillo. Dana, not understanding the desire to remain a one-hit wonder, is displeased with Harry, their relationship, and the mounting debt the theater is causing them.

The story continues as Harry and Dana fight to keep their romance aflame, the theater in operation, and their lives in order. Events take a turn in another direction when Harry’s friend Jackson appears on his doorstep. Claiming he has an offer Harry will not be able to resist, Jackson presents a heist to Harry, which he claims will solve all of his financial misfortunes. He also introduces Harry to Nadine, a woman who will go on to turn Harry’s life upside down. The tale continues as Harry battles relationships, debt, and the uncertainty of what to do to escape the horrible plateau his life has fallen into.

From reading the description of this book, I expected a novel that primarily focused on Harry, his theater, and a criminal heist that “would rewrite history.” As someone who loves mystery and crime novels, I was excited to see the plot play out. However, I was disappointed that this portion of the novel is only a fraction of the main focus, which is Harry’s love affairs. This book is not advertised as a romance; however, the vast majority of it is a sensual anecdote of old and new love coming to fruition. I expected a well-planned heist, but actually, the crime is a minor subplot in relation to the major plot of Harry’s twisted love life.

This novel also references conspiracy theories surrounding the heist that Harry is asked to embark on. I would have loved more non-fictional facts about the theories and a focus on how this affected the plan Jackson presents to Harry, rather than pages upon pages of Harry’s and his lovers’ dilemmas. Overall, I found the plot of this novel to be misleading and the characters’ interactions confusing. If you are a fan of steamy romance novels, rather than of mysteries, then this book could be would be worth your while.


Currents of the World: Poems

Naturalists are cut out for poetry. The ambience of the world of Nature, the opportunity for solitude nourishes the spirit. In Quinn Bailey’s debut collection The Currents of the Worldhe delights in time and space to reflect. His unhurriedness allows ‘To learn to stand alone knowing that everyone/You’ve ever loved or ever will love has nothing/You can actually keep.’ His emotion recalls Tennyson’s In Memoriam, the memory of his friend Hallam, who drowned:
‘tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’

And he admits the universal conflict between the desire for freedom and ‘the longing for the steady rhythm of settling/For the constant and the reliable….’

Only in The Desire of the Night and The Laughing Revolution is the reader caught up in poetic mystery, not quite obtuse, but nor wholly simple, and not even a wisp of deception.

Reading poetry, even such mildly cathartic verse as this author’s, urges the reader to commiserate or simply enjoy. ‘Tideline,’ almost the final poem in the most memorable: ‘Is there any/Greater healer/Than being licked clean/By the salty tongue of the ocean.


Unplugged Play: Grade School: 216 Activities & Games for Ages 6-10

Unplugged Play is the ideal form of play for children. With two hundred and sixteen activities for children ages six through ten included in this book, there is no excuse for too much screen time or boredom. The activities included in Unplugged Play have been created by kids, so as a parent, you know that these will go over well with your own kids. The activities are divided into solo play, parent & child play, play with others, and party play, with indoor and outdoor activities for each section, as well as water party games and large group games. At the back of the book, Conner includes lists for a well-stocked toy cupboard, household items, and items for arts and crafts, music, and board and card games. This parent found all of the activities to be doable, requiring minimal objects and setup. Many of the games are ones that we already do, such as paper airplanes, drawing, painting, and making homemade cards. We tried fortune teller and that went over well with my six-year-old. I appreciate the obvious enthusiasm that Conner has for this stage of development and the work she put forth creating this helpful guide for parents who might rely too heavily on screens to entertain their children.


Unplugged Play: Preschool: 233 Activities & Games for Ages 3-5

Preschoolers, youngsters ages three to five years old, are hungry for ways to keep busy and to learn. They may not express it just that way, but playing is their way of learning, and they want to play, it seems, every waking minute. It can be exhausting for parents and other caregivers, and the easy thing is often to hand the child a tablet or smartphone. But that is a poor solution that builds bad habits. Instead, playing is a much better answer that teaches life-long habits of healthy activity building both physical and mental well-being. But how are caregivers to come up with enough ideas to fill all those hours? This book has over two hundred screen-free activities and games for preschoolers. There is even a list in the back of toys one might want in a well-stocked toy cupboard. Many are things one might have around the house. It’s not necessary to spend a great deal. The activities and games are broken into four sections: Solo Play, Parent and Child Play, Play with Others, and Party Play. So when youngsters say there is nothing to do, this has the answers for that. This book is a winner.


Unplugged Play: Toddler: 155 Activities & Games for Ages 1-2

Technology has made life better in a lot of ways, but there are real downsides to the plethora of technology in today’s world. Most people have concerns about such devices in the hands of children. While a tablet can keep a child busy for a while, the downsides of such use are many. Children learn by playing. It’s their job to play, and it is very, very good for them to be actively involved in play. It teaches life-long habits that contribute to health, both mental and physical. But what can one do to keep a toddler busy and learning that isn’t expensive and is known to be good for the child? This wonderful book has one hundred and fifty-five activities and games for the youngest kids, ages one to two. A good introduction includes an action plan, ways to avoid using devices, and what kinds of toys are great to keep around. The four major sections are Solo Play, Parent and Child Play, Play with Others, and Party Play. The writing is casual and accessible, the ideas presented are explained well including why they work. This will be a real asset for parents and caregivers of toddlers.


The Nutcracker and the Mouse King: The Graphic Novel

E.T.A Hoffman, Illustrated and Adapted by Natalie Andrewson

This book combines two of my favorite things, Christmas and nutcrackers. On Christmas Eve nothing should be stirring around the house, not even a mouse, but this is not the case in Marie's house. A very curious nutcracker comes to life on Christmas Eve, which eventually leads to chaos. Like most magical fairy tales, the good guys have to defeat the bad guys and the Nutcracker's mission is to defeat the great Mouse King and save Christmas for boys and girls. The Nutcracker will need help from his one true friend to break the curse. He must find out who can help him save Christmas and break the curse of the Mouse King.

This is a hilariously illustrated graphic novel. I love the illustrations of the mice fighting and the chaos that breaks out with the Mouse King. Who knew mice did not like Christmas so much? I like the bright and detailed illustrations. Some of the speech bubbles and text can be challenging to read, but overall this is a great story to read at Christmastime, especially if you like nutcrackers!


Santa Baby

Jonathan Stutzman, Illustrated by Heather Fox

Santa Baby is a great book for the holidays, or anytime really. I am excited about Christmas coming after Halloween and Thanksgiving! Santa Baby helps me get more excited about the holiday and for reading a funny book. In this book, Santa is getting ready for Christmas, and he starts to think he's getting old. Santa IS old, but he's feeling older than he actually is because everything hurts on him when he's doing anything. Santa makes a wish, and it turns him into a baby! Can you imagine a Santa that is a baby?! This baby has trouble telling the elves what to do when it's only a couple of days until Christmas. With the elves' help, he learns to talk to them so they can understand and help Christmas still happen; but, will he stay a baby forever? Will he figure out a way to change back?

I laughed at several parts of this book because baby Santa says and does some silly things. I really liked the pictures because they are bright and cover the pages. I liked the story from the beginning to the end and know that kids of any age will enjoy reading Santa Baby!"


World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

Creative writing professor and poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil combines her rhythmic insights with her magical command of language to paint images of the fascinating and sometimes haunting natural world and human relationships that influence us. Astonishing entities such as flickering flies, luminescent comb jellies, red rouged dragon fruit, milkweed fed Monarch butterflies, and caramel eyed cassowaries are just a few of the wonders delightfully evoked and vitalized in this book. Her favorite is the turquoise and jade feathered peacock that "shrieked….like cats being dragged over thumbtacks." Nezhukumatathil draws from her exposures growing up in different parts of America, her visits to family in India, and a sojourn in Greece; the author depicts how these different environments and people affected her perceptions as she describes her supportive parents, loving husband, and irrepressible children. Being a brown body in a white milieu has increased her sensitivity and widened her vision. These essays are best enjoyed when read slowly at leisure because they are so rich in lyrical language, and the entrancing images will spark the reader’s imagination as they picture the poetic scenery. Matching the magical text, the front cover contains an exquisitely colored representation of all the natural forms described, while the content contains equally enthralling artistic depictions of these forms. These poetic essays are a delightful balm for our troubled times.


We're Going on a Pumpkin Hunt

Mary Wilcox, Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

We're Going on a Pumpkin Hunt is similar to the older story of We're Going on a Bear Hunt. In Bear Hunt, the family goes searching for a bear, so in Pumpkin Hunt the group of animal friends goes searching for a big pumpkin. The friends start out wanting to find the biggest pumpkin in town, and none of them are scared. As they move around, they have to go through tall and short grass, a river, and a tree. They can't go over it, and they can't go under it, so they have to go through it all. After each place they go through, they have to check if anyone is scared. The friends eventually find their big pumpkin, and then they make a surprise out of it.

I liked this book because some of the pictures are funny looking. I really like the ending of the book because it's something that I would love to do, too! Pumpkin Hunt has some of the same things in it as Bear Hunt, but it is also a little different. We're Going on a Pumpkin Hunt is a fun book for fall and Halloween or any time of the year!


Monkey with a Tool Belt Blasts Off!

I loved that there was a cute monkey as the main character. All the pictures kept me very interested in this book! The colors and the details were great! The short sentences helped me stay focused and kept me guessing what was going to happen next. My mom thinks the playful font also helped to keep me focused. The sizes of the words did too. Some were regular-sized and some were REALLY BIG!

The alien is the CUTEST thing ever! And the language it speaks is so cute. I am so glad that Chico was able to fix the Zootie and send her home. I also loved how the illustrator incorporated a rainbow into the story because who doesn't love seeing rainbows!

I think this book would be good for girls AND boys! If a monkey can be an astronaut anyone can! Even though a monkey couldn't really be an astronaut, I liked that the author picked one to be the main character because it made me laugh right from the beginning!


Dino-Thanksgiving (Dino-Holidays)

It is almost Thanksgiving! In Dino-Thanksgiving it is Thanksgiving, and the dinosaurs are getting ready for a big meal. The dinosaurs are doing different things; T.Rex is making the turkey, Troodon and Minmi are watching the Dino-Thanksgiving parade, and Tricera is making a meal with no turkey. Stego, Allo, Leso, and Compy are going into a corn maze, the Pteros are watching football, Raptor is flying a kite, and then a lot of the dinosaurs are playing football outside together. The whole time Compy is saying that he's hungry, and he's asking if the food is ready yet. When the food is done, then they all eat a yummy Thanksgiving meal together.

I thought that Compy was funny when I found him on several pages saying the same thing; he reminds me of my brother. I also liked the bonfire that the dinosaurs sat in front of at the end of the story. This story makes me hungry for my Thanksgiving meal! I hope that there is a Dino-Easter book that comes out! I liked the story and pictures, and other kids will too.


Letters from Space

Clayton Anderson, Illustrated by Susan Batori

Clayton Anderson is launching off into space to live on the International Space Station. He writes letters to different people about his travels and answers different questions about space in letter form. He covers everything from the launch to adjusting to space to flying around with no gravity to spacewalking. The book contains excerpts from Day 1 to Day 152 when he arrives back home.

This is an informational book about what being in space is like. The facts were interesting, but the letters were long. It’s a picture book definitely aimed at older kids. The text in the letters was very kid-friendly. It offered good descriptions. The letter format was good, too. I think the illustrator's style works great for this book. It gives a whimsical and funny side to some things that happen in space. I loved the addition of the alien to several of the pictures.

My six-year-old son liked this book so much he took it to his room. He thought the space facts were fun and sometimes very funny. My three-year-old didn’t make it though the book, but it is a longer picture book. I would recommend this book for children aged six to eight years.


Deception by Gaslight: A Gilded Gotham Mystery

During the gilded age in New York, a strong young women makes her own way regardless of society's expectations. As a reporter she has aspirations above her assignments, and she stumbles upon a mystery and a few murders that change her life forever. All of this coincides with meeting a dashing young tough from the slums of Five Points. Her world is turned upside down when the same man turns up at a society ball. They are inexplicably linked as they agree to be partners and investigate together.

This is a fantastic debut novel in the genre of historical mysteries. The novel grabs you from the very beginning. The cover is beautiful and adds to the wonderful story populated by rich, well-developed characters. I do love a story about a strong-willed woman who knows what she wants. The romantic undertones were just right, not too much to distract from the mystery. There are actually multiple mysteries that are unraveled over the course of the book, and they are intertwined marvelously by the author. It is the first book in a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.


A Death Long Overdue: A Lighthouse Library Mystery

Librarian Lucy Richardson is organizing a fortieth-year college reunion for Bertie James, the library director, to be held at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library on the Outer Banks. Among the guests is the not-well-liked Helena Sanchez, Bertie’s predecessor. After the evening event, the guests, mostly ladies, wander down to the beach and walk out on the pier.  It’s dark, people lose contact, and Helena ends up dead in the water, a knife wound to the back of her head. Two items, a letter opener thought to be the murder weapon, and a two-decade-old library card, are missing from the exhibit prepared especially for the reunion. Lucy, not one to ignore an on-her-doorstep mystery, follows up with the guests, each a suspect, innocently chatting with them in hopes of picking up whatever clues she can about Helena’s past and the whereabouts of each lady on the night of the murder. The mystery, though, is complicated by the theft twenty years earlier of the priceless Rajipani Diamond, a local family treasure, and its possible connection to the removed library card. A Death Long Overdue is a well written, cleverly plotted, leisurely paced tale that readers of cozy mysteries will find to their liking.


Murder is in the Air: A Kate Shackleton Mystery

Kate Shackleton finds society changing post-war for the local brewers that are fighting to regain their wealth by choosing an employee to be the face of the business. This year the employee chosen is Ruth Parnaby who invites Kate and her niece to various social events. Things get a little dicey when the drayman is found dead and someone moved the body to cover it up. When taking the case, Kate confirms the murder and the clues she uncovers seem to lead back to Ruth's father who has a supposedly airtight alibi. Nothing thrown in her way will keep Kate from finishing the case and catching a killer.

This is a must-read for those that enjoy historical mysteries and takes you back to 1930 through fine details that accurately capture the time period. The writing is lovely and captures the mannerisms and attitude during this time. Kate Shackleton is a brilliant and independent protagonist that works as a private investigator who stands her own ground with her own company. The mystery weaves through the societal brewery scene with the murder at the center and a variety of characters as suspects. Brody knocks it out of the park yet again with the quick-wit and sharp mind of a daring PI whose voice is intelligent, witty, and clever. This is a series that just gets better with each new installment with Kate rooting herself as a sharp thinking woman that keeps people on their toes. The story is told from a first-person perspective but weaves through various characters which include Ruth Parnaby and Kate's assistant Jim Sykes. Murder is in the Air delivers an exciting new mystery with Kate Shackleton that's charming, humorous, accurate, and engaging.


National Geographic Almanac 2021: Trending Topics - Big Ideas in Science - Photos, Maps, Facts & More

A little of this and a little of that with something for everyone. That is what this gorgeous new Almanac from National Geographic has. It has a great many short articles about people, places, creatures great and small, plant life, sea life, outer space, and inner Earth. There are timelines filled with fascinating facts. For instance, the conservation timeline will tell readers humans have been agriculturists for over ten thousand years, developing conservation methods all that time. One can learn how trees talk to each other or learn a bit about mindfulness or get a quick lesson on the history of democracy. Maybe one would like to see a timeline of innovations from the first city built to the International Space Station. The highlights are nicely laid out for readers on a two-page spread. How has our country’s flag changed over time? Readers will be surprised to see the first rendition. The writing is breezy and fun and the photos amazing. This is a great book to take along on a car trip or to keep on the coffee table or for the doctor’s waiting room. Kids and adults will enjoy this beautiful book equally. It is a real winner.


Shed No Tears: A Novel (Cat Kinsella)

In the latest installment in the Cat Kinsella series, Shed No Tears, D.I. Cat and her partner, Luigi, are called to the scene of a body being discovered. Everyone is so sure that the body found is the last victim of the spree killer, Christopher Masters, a case from six years ago. He lured several women by putting out a roommate wanted ad and then murdering them. This alleged last victim was never found and it seemed easier at the time to claim her as one of his. But as Cat digs further, she finds that the rock-solid witness putting them together is not so rock-solid and those that were on the case made a lot of mistakes. Mistakes they are willing to kill for to keep covered up. Cat will have to decide if it’s worth career suicide or her life to pursue this as far as it goes.

I really enjoy this series. Cat is a great character and the other supporting characters add just as much to the story. I always look forward to what mess Cat has gotten herself into, whether that’s in her job or her family life. If you enjoy police procedurals with a strong female lead, then I highly recommend you check out the Cat Kinsella series. You won’t be disappointed.


Separate No More: The Long Road to Brown v. Board of Education

Published by Scholastic and intended for young readers, Lawrence Goldstone’s latest release, Separate No More is an important read. During this time of heightened racial reckoning, anyone who needs a refresher and a deeper dive into the 1954 landmark case Brown v. Board of Education would benefit from Goldstone’s exposition of key historical and sociocultural moments that reach back to the 1890s, which eventually led nine white men on the Warren court to rule on the inherent inequalities in separate school facilities for Blacks and Whites.

While Thurgood Marshall and Justice Earl Warren remain central figures of the Brown saga, the book also draws from the long history of intentional and methodical resistance among gifted and well-educated Black leaders and their allies in the courts, and in the court of public opinion. Early in the movement, differing approaches to sustaining Black progress caused tensions, with W.E.B. Dubois’s Black dignity-focused rhetoric winning over Blacks and White abolitionists. Accounts of the brutal lynching of Black men are a grave reminder of the generational violence endured by Black people at the hands of racist Whites.

Goldstone builds the case that the unanimous decision to dismantle the rule of prejudice and segregation was made possible by “changing hearts and minds,” evidenced by racial integration in other parts of society like sports, the arts, and military service. This book would make an excellent addition to any teacher’s reference list, as it bears significant lessons for all learners to understand the stories of sacrifice and risk-taking that were necessary to ultimately achieve equality.


Do No Harm

Married to Nate, a dedicated detective with a wonderful young son, Emma has overcome her difficult childhood and is now living the perfect life. However, her world is shattered when her son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Doctors advise that Josh’s only chance for survival is an experimental and expensive treatment. Backed into a financial corner, Emma sees no other option than to begin writing phony prescriptions and selling opioids.

Christina McDonald’s Do No Harm has written a complex medical thriller that will have the reader asking themselves what they would do if they were in Emma’s position. In addition, McDonald explores the many perspectives of the opioid crisis with insight and compassion. The story unfolds and the reader is exposed to the opposing viewpoints of Emma and Nate. Readers looking for a fast-paced and emotional story will enjoy Do No Harm and be thinking about it long after the last page is read.