Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker

Johnny Lupul is a licensed privet investigator who is big and hairy, even when he is not a werewolf. Johnny’s affluent client, Mr. Cromwell, has a simple job for him. Travel to Las Vegas and pick up an artifact that Cromwell has purchased. But when Sin City is involved, nothing is simple. While securing the mystical relic from a coven of witches operating a magic show, Johnny comes face to face with a real-life Viking Berserker. Or maybe a better description in Johnny’s case, fur to fang. As I said, nothing comes easy in Las Vegas.

Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker is the second book in Wayne Turmel’s Johnny Lycan series. Even though there are numerous urban werewolf fantasies, Turmel is able to distinguish his book from many others. Writing in the first-person noir style gives Turmel’s characters the dark and gritty persona they deserve. The dialog, at times, can be cliché but is never dull or pedestrian. With all the action a battle with a werewolf can deliver, this action-packed thriller is a hard book to put down. Any fan of paranormal PI dramas would be captivated by Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker.


Over 80: Reflections on Aging

Wisdom suggests that as we grow older, we hold onto our attitudes, beliefs, and other lifelong characteristics. Marilyn Reynolds, at eighty-six years old, admits to slowing down and memory loss,  but defies wisdom by having found gratifying new interests. Spirituality, less prominent when younger, has become important. Writing groups continue to fulfill a space between pleasure and need, though COVID-19 almost killed book clubs by introducing Zoom, keeping reading companions away. And those significant new interests? Dogs were always welcome, but now, as it gets harder to keep up with animal care, she has found a friend to pet-share. What a creative idea!

In Over 80: Reflections on Aging, Reynolds has leapt into the practice of keeping a little free library. Instead of buying an expensive build-it kit, she has adapted a toy truck to hold books found abandoned in the neighborhood for bulk collection. Just stepping into her yard, she has an ever-changing selection to give and take. Her memoir offers humor and poignancy, a wealth of “let’s share” even the less welcome changes, suggesting a trouble shared is almost a trouble halved. Reaching the age of eighty is no longer a rare achievement, but it still deserves respect and empathy.


You Are Your Healer: The Ultimate Guide to Heal Your Past, Transform Your Life & Awaken to Your True Self

"The go-to book for you if you wish to let go of your past and find peace in the present moment, take full spiritual responsibility for how your best life is lived every day henceforth, and let go of your false identity and self-created suffering to discover your true, nondual self. Soul-lifting words feel like wonderful hormones are being released by your body system, and nothing else matters but the good feeling they bring to you at that moment. With several illustrative examples, practical instructions, and profound quotes, Yol Swan will show you how to heal yourself by yourself and avoid falling prey to false prophets and gurus." --Foluso Falaye, San Francisco Book Review


I Really Want to Fly to the Moon!

Really Bird, known for teaming up with his friends on many fantastical adventures and being really into things and emotions, is now on his way to the Moon in his latest adventure. Really Bird understands that it will take patience and cooperation to reach the Moon as it is so far away from Earth and it takes days to reach the Moon. Really Bird and his two friends put on their helmets and get into their rocket for the nearly three hundred thousand miles to the Moon. They spend their time inside the rocket learning how to sleep ion zero gravity and what to do when one feels sick from spinning in circles.

At the end of the book are a series of exercises for children to undertake with their parents based on what they have just read. These include learning about the facts Really Bird presents, learning about the astronauts who have been to the Moon, and what pretend game children can play with their friends. This book is really designed for parents to read to their children, even though the language is kept fairly short and the words are not too big. It is a fun interactive way to learn about science.


Self-Portrait with Ghost: Short Stories

The complex textures of women’s lives are central to Meng Jin’s stirring collection of short stories Self-Portrait with Ghost. The specter of death and transformation undergird each of the ten stories, exquisitely narrated in emotive prose. Each story is contained in its own world: a train station (“First Love”), an unnamed island (“Phillip is Dead”), and a coastal city (“In the Event”). Place-making is only a fraction of Jin’s strength in depicting their very ordinary and absurd lives. Each personal story occurs amid burdensome societal shifts: a cultural revolution, a pandemic, or widescale industrialization. Everyone has a secret, often shameful.

Memory is key in excavating the depths of love, pain, and unrecompensed desires. Jin excels in character building, which is often difficult in the short story form. Jin excels in portraying women at the precipice of change, each with vivid and profound emotional lives. They are tormented by the past and beleaguered by uninhabited fears (see “Suffering” and “Selena and Ruthie.”) The shadow of America – at once distant and close – comes through a small tub of face cream (“Suffering”) or musings on feminism (“Three Women”). Ghosts – real and imagined – pay a visit for absolution or simply to be heard.


Need to Know: World War II and the Rise of American Intelligence

In June 1940, the world watched in shock as the Nazis overran France. The British were subject to the relentless onslaught of the German blitzkrieg bombing and other setbacks but refused to capitulate. However, the need for intelligence on the Axis powers grew as a necessity. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill needed intelligence services such as MI6 to acclimate to the war effort and glean actionable information against the enemy. The United States had a gung-ho visionary who stressed the importance of intelligence and derring-do, his name was William “Wild Bill” Donovan. Donovan would head the Office of the Coordinator of Information and later the OSS. The OSS was vital, but the work of Signals Intelligence in code-breaking helped unravel the puzzles of the Japanese cables, while the British allies broke the German correspondence.

Need to Know by Nicholas Reynolds (“Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy”) is a revelatory account of the covert efforts of the Allied forces to turn the tide of World War II. Some of the personalities (Donovan, J. Edgar Hoover) are known, while others (William Friedman) are not so much. There is no mistaking their impact on the allied effort, their struggles &  triumphs highlighted by Reynolds’ excellent research and fine writing. A thrilling account.


The Night and Its Moon (The Night and Its Moon, 1)

I was excited to read The Night and Its Moon after seeing that it was labeled as a bisexual fantasy series since there isn’t a lot of good representation of that kind in the fantasy genre especially, so I set the bar pretty high in anticipation. If that’s also why you’re picking this book up, be forewarned that the over five hundred pages you’re getting into are more of a set-up for both the romance and the upcoming books the author has planned for the series than a singular, easily digestible novel with dynamite bi representation.

The story itself revolves around two women, Nox and Amaris, who grew up in an orphanage together and who are later tragically separated. They lead very different lives, Nox in a brothel after being purchased from the orphanage and Amaris at an assassin’s keep tucked away in a forbidding mountain range. They never forget each other, and eventually a threat to the kingdom twists their lives together again once more.

The novel is a solid set-up to a high fantasy epic but tends toward descriptive repetitiveness, especially for the action scenes. I’m interested to see where the story leads in subsequent novels.


The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid

The Atlas Obscura has become quite a popular book with its seemingly endless list of unusual and fascinating places around the world. It was so popular that they brought out a second volume. Now they have an edition that is just for kids, and kids will be excited to read through and find out about strange and wondrous things in countries all over the world. It contains 300 interesting and unique places and things that one could visit or learn about. One can take an elevator down the inside of a dormant volcano or find out about monks who mummified themselves. People can swim in a freshwater lake that is filled with golden jellyfish or visit a house entirely built from and furnished with things make from garbage. Young readers will want to spend time reading this book over and over, learning about the many wonders found around the world and how they came about. In addition, readers are likely to be turned on to studying more about history and science by what they find in this book. This is a real winner and is not to be missed.


Dadaji's Paintbrush

In a quaint village in India, a boy and his grandfather live together. They spend their days doing what they love most: painting. A diaspora of coconut shells, reeds, and jasmine flowers adorn their floor as they work. The neighborhood kids stand by watching eagerly through the windows, sometimes even joining in on the fun. Then, one day, everything changes for the boy; his whole universe collapses. He can no longer bare to look at the memories he created with his grandfather and locks them all away out of sight. It takes a little girl to break through his walls of pain and open his heart again.

This is a masterpiece—a beautiful story of a sacred bond between a grandparent and a grandchild. It encapsulates so many things: adoration, passion, community, loss, and restoration. Children who do, as well as those who don’t, have special relationships with their own grandparents will be touched by Dadaji’s Paintbrush. Those experiencing grief will benefit from its positive and inspiring message as well.

The illustrations throughout are vibrant and authentic. They’re full of detail and enhance the cultural richness of the narrative. Additionally, the “Author’s Note” is a must read; it’s poignant and enlightening.


A Parliament of Owls

One of the things children's books should do is teach children about grammar and language, so it is easy to understand prose and colorful pictures. That is the point of this work, where our unnamed protagonist has called together different groups of land and sea animals for a group photo. What happens is that each set of animals comes to the photoshoot on its own, but the child reading the book learns the proper way to spell and pronounce the plural of animal groupings, such as geese, owls, and other animals. The art is colorful and is designed to attract and retain the attention of the young child reading the book. The book is designed to be read by an adult to a child or by a child learning how to read out loud; this is a perfect crossover book for that as outside of a few of the plural words the rest of the words tend to gravitate toward simpler words perfect for young readers just starting out. At the end is a collage of individual shots of the different animals together and a way for young readers to learn their grammar.


Adventuregame Comics

Adventuregame Comics by Jason Shiga is such a creative and confusing book. It is billed as “part comic, part maze, and part game,” but if you are looking for multiple-ending stories with easy-to-follow plotlines, then you’ve come to the wrong place. For instance, there is an end, where we discover it’s all lies. It makes no sense whatsoever, as sometimes you have to write numbers on pages and the page doesn’t tell you what to do next!

But it does have a story, about someone trying to defeat the Leviathan, a huge creature that defeats everyone who lies. On the way, you encounter stories about the Starlight Wand and Kanoxx the Sorcerer. But you don’t know where you’re going in the book itself, because you don’t know WHERE to go to defeat the Leviathan.

When I first read this book, I realized it was just someone talking to people and I was “lost.” If you are “lost” in a book that makes sense, that’s fine in my opinion. But I have never read a book where someone just talks to people and fights something. They’ve got to search for stuff and do stuff!

The art in this book is very effective and that was my favorite part. I like the idea behind this story but am confused about the concept.


Trigger warning: this book is most likely, as the kids say, “woke.” If you don’t like change, this is not the book for you.

How did we get to where we are today? Why does it seem like everything is coming to a crisis? And, more importantly, what can we do about it? In this book, Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save the World, authors Frederick Joseph and Porsche Joseph seek to answer those questions and also provide the reader with actionable steps to elicit change.

Written as an essential primer for young people to better understand the state of the world, how it got that way, and what can be done about it, this book addresses some of the biggest issues of our day with fearlessness and honesty. These two authors provide valuable context, explain nuance, and interview more than two dozen individuals with valuable perspectives on various current events. With topics that range across the spectrum, from disinformation, the environment, wealth and class disparity, to gun violence, immigration, education reform, the narrative enlightens and offers hope for readers who want to, as the title suggests, leave the world a better place than we found it.


Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (Marya Khan #1)

Meet Marya Khan. Marya is turning eight and she really, really wants a big henna party for her birthday. Her rich neighbor, Alexa, always throws big parties with big events and lots of fancy food. Marya feels jealous, so she lies to Alexa and claims that she is going to have an even bigger, more awesome party. However, Marya’s parents never let her do big parties so she needs to somehow convince them. And she needs to do it quickly.

I liked the story and the art. I liked the vibrant colors and intricate patterns on the cover of the book. My favorite character is Marya because she is cute, funny, and I like her big, poofy pants and pigtails. My favorite part is the part where Marya tries to cook but it turns into a disaster. I think it’s funny that Marya keeps asking her parents about having a party over and over again. I recommend this book to people who like books about celebrations and parties.


Asian American Histories of the United States

Asians have been part of the American landscape even before the American Revolution. However, their contribution to American life has been underrepresented, and at times they have been discriminated against as the others. This book explores some of the challenges facing Asian Americans. The chapters are thematically arranged and typically go in reverse chronological order. For instance, the first chapter starts in the early days of COVID-19, and the anti-Asian hate Americans endured. It then delves back in time to themes where Asians were portrayed as disease-carrying agents.  Such as the alleged diseases that Chinese immigrants were carrying when migrating to California in the late 1800s. Unlike other historical books, this uses personal stories to carry broader narratives.

Asian Americans are a diverse group who migrated to America at different times, under different circumstances, and for different reasons. Covering such a broad spectrum necessarily requires omissions. Focusing on the commonality, the disparate narratives weave together underlying themes of violence, erasure, and resistance. While the chapters cover dark periods in Asian American history, these narratives are followed by empowering stories where Asian Americans fought back to bring about lasting change. The narrative also covers mixed-race families and the adoption of Asian children – themes usually not covered as part of a broader Asian American narrative.  The book is written for the general reader and would serve as an excellent primer for those interested in Asian Americans.


Undercover Latina

Andréa Hernández-Baldoquín is fourteen and has just received her first assignment from the Factory, an undercover organization working to protect the BIPOC community. Andréa’s parents have been with the Factory for years, but the kids have been recently taken on as agents. Andréa’s assignment is to go undercover in school to befriend the son of a white supremacist, Kyle. Even though it seems Kyle hasn’t had contact with his father for years, the Factory hopes he can lead them to his father. There is plenty of middle school drama, but Andréa finds ways to befriend Kyle. What she doesn’t plan on is falling for Kyle’s roommate. Things get complicated, but Andréa manages her first mission very well with some help from her mother and another teen agent.

Aya de León has written a real page-turner for upper middle grade. The characters are well-rounded, the small-town setting realistic, the dialogue snappy, and the story complex and believable, even though there are kids working as spies. While the story is fun and exciting, de León includes a lot of important issues the BIPOC community faces every day. This is well-written, exciting, and deserves a wide readership.


Mushroom Lullaby

“This is a mushroom.” opens the book — the phrase on the left-hand page and a pretty yellow mushroom with a couple of ladybugs filling the right-hand page. Pages that follow have mushrooms in different places or with different qualities — in the park, glows in the dark, on a tree, hard to see, etc. until readers get to, “And here is a mushroom made just for you.” This spread shows a whimsical mushroom house. Little creatures such as a snail and butterflies come to play and stay all day. As the sun sets, the friends leave, and you (the listener) read a book in a mushroom chair before climbing into your mushroom bed and turning out the light.

Author Kenneth Kraegel has written an enchanting story that will have little ones quieting down and drifting into sleepiness. The story is told in very spare lyrical rhyme, and the rhythm of that will help youngsters on their journey to bedtime. It is the illustrations, though, that will really draw in and keep the interest of young listeners. They are gorgeous. The colors are soft and each page is filled with lots of lovely details to keep youngsters engaged. Don’t miss this one.


Shoshi's Shabbat

Beautifully Illustrated Children's Books

Shoshi's Shabbat
Caryn Yacowitz, Kevin Hawkes
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9781536216547

Vivid illustrations grace the pages of this wonderful book about a young ox named Shoshi. Drawn from the Jewish stories known as Midrash, this book will teach young readers to enjoy and acknowledge the beauty around them. A story to stop and smell the roses for.

Carmen
Margarita del Mazo,Concha Pasamar,Jon Brokenbrow
Cuento de Luz
ISBN: 9788418302763

This book tells the story of Carmen through a young boy’s eyes as he falls in love with her. Illustrations are inspired by the choreography of this famous opera, and adults and older children are more likely to appreciate the beauty and understand the underlying themes.

How to Eat a Book
Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod
Union Square Kids
ISBN: 9781454945444

Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein books, this is a book about books! The Grunion kids are eaten by the books they are reading, and magical adventures come about. The illustrations are drawn in a three-dimensional diorama style that brings the characters to life. This is a fun book that will make kids giggle and wonder, “what if…”

My Neighborhood
Maria Jose Ferrada,Ana Penyas,Kit Maude
Tapioca Stories
ISBN: 9781734783957

Told through the eyes of an elderly lady named Ms. Marta, this is a book about community and the wonderful things that happen in our neighborhoods. Children will love the watercolor-style and collage-style illustrations, taking them to different places such as school, the beach, and a hair salon. This book has a warm, cozy feel for children of all ages.

Citizen She!
Caroline Stevan,Elina Braslina,Michelle Bailat-Jones
Helvetiq
ISBN: 9783907293720

An educational book about the fight for women’s rights, from the first pioneers to today. This book highlights some of the fierce women who have fought over the years to have the freedoms that we have today. Beautiful color illustrations will catch the attention of children of all ages.


Namaste Is a Greeting

Namaste Is a Greeting isn’t really about anything except the word “Namaste.” There’s no real storyline, just many fragmented ideas and a little girl pulling it all together. The pictures are a little too harsh with the angles and colors, especially since the topic is soft and sweet.

People who have a connection to Indian culture and those who are curious about other cultures will probably enjoy this. It’s very simple and best suited for the youngest audience. Even if you don’t find the book to be amazing, it is interesting how many different meanings and uses a single word can have. There’s not really a word-for-word translation to English, so it kind of takes the whole book to explain.


Billy and Rose

It is great to have a best friend, as Billy and Rose know because they have each other. But being a good friend isn’t always easy. Sometimes friends disagree, and Billy and Rose are different from each other. In the first story in this cute book, Rose is busy putting off doing the laundry, a chore she hates. Meanwhile, Billy is delaying practicing his cello for the same reason. But if Billy plays the cello while Rose does laundry, it makes everything more fun. The other three stories have the friends facing other kinds of problems and working to find ways that will make them both happy.

Author Amy Hest has written four sweet stories that center on friendship and cooperation. The stories are fun and a little silly and never the least bit didactic, even though there are lessons to be learned. With such fun characters as Billy (a goat) and Rose (a pig), the youngest of readers will find these stories delightful. The enchanting illustrations by Kady MacDonald Denton are filled with delightful details that will help to keep emerging readers engaged with the book.


Well Done, Mommy Penguin

I have read other books by Chris Haughton from my library, so because I was familiar with the author, I was excited to read Well Done, Mommy Penguin. The story begins with Baby and Daddy Penguin staying behind while Mommy Penguin leaves with a group of penguins to go out and find food. Mommy must go past three obstacles with the other penguins to get food to bring home to her family. With each obstacle, Baby and Daddy can see Mommy and cheer her on from further away. During the last one, Mommy falls down a hill and back into the water - will she give up?! No! Mommy gets back up and past the obstacle and goes back to her family with some dinner.

 This story talks a lot about Mommy Penguin, how she helps the family so much, and how she doesn't give up when something wrong happens. I like that Baby cheers for Mommy because this is nice and a lot like in my family. The pictures in the book are like the ones in the author's other books, and the pictures and story make you feel good.


You Can!

This book joins a long list of positive, affirming children’s books that have come out over the past decade in which children are being taught that they can be whatever they want and nothing can hold them back.

This book is really about deploying a positive message to all children and is not really designed as something to help them learn to read. Instead, it will help them understand that there will be people who might look, sound, and act differently than they do, which does not mean that the other person can’t do something. The book will also help teach children to be good stewards in their community and that it is important to take care of the community they are living in through volunteer activities to make it a great place to live.

Even though the words are fairly easy for children reading on their own, this book is more geared toward parents wishing to teach their children about accepting other children and that nothing can hold them back in this world.


The Lost Library

The Lost Library is a sweet book about little kids who like reading so much. The plot is very simple and predictable and lacks any measurable detail, so you probably wouldn’t read it more than once. The main idea of the book is clever and could rather easily be turned into a chapter book teeming with details and more suspense.

The pictures are mediocre. They look like they were done on a computer so they’re missing a certain painterly quality. E-books and computer drawings aren’t such a big deal, but if it is going to be actually printed out and enjoyed, the pictures should just be done better than so many books today.

Young readers will enjoy the librarian’s challenge at the start of the book about finding a dragon on each page.


Against All Gods (Volume 1)

Against All Gods is an absorbing, action-packed novel of simple mortals overthrowing corrupt and useless gods. However, this is the basic premise of many novels, and this particular one is horrible, useless, and tastelessly written. Some of the cultures are sort of interesting; it seems like it might be set in the area around Greece and the west coast of the Middle East. This would be interesting if one fatal flaw in Against All Gods had not been present. Against All Gods is tastelessly packed with profanity, especially sex-related profanity, and barbaric violence. So much so that I wish I had not read it. If you want to read an epic quest against all-powerful, immortal beings book, I recommend instead the The Spear Cuts Through Water. Libraries, schools, and individuals should absolutely NOT buy this book! If you think that you will read this book anyway, I must say that Against All Gods is only an appropriate read for adults and mature teens. Although it is absorbing, its mediocre writing and obscene language make Against All Gods not worth the time it takes to read.


The Winter Bird

When winter comes, some animals leave, some animals hibernate, and some animals simply live through the winter. As this winter comes, the geese and many other birds begin their long migration to warmer climates. The nightingale has a broken wing and doesn’t know what to do. The owl tells the nightingale he will stay with the winter animals and learn what he needs to learn to get through the winter. As the first snow begins to fall, the rabbit invites the nightingale into his burrow and makes a bed for him of leaves and twigs. The grey squirrel shares his food. When a blizzard is coming, all the animals help him. The nightingale learns the ways of winter, and when spring finally comes, he sings a song of spring.

Author Katie Banks has written a sweet story of friendship and caring that will show youngsters how important it is to help others in their times of need and does it without being the least bit preachy. The beautiful illustrations by Suzie Mason will carry readers through autumn to winter and into spring with soft drawings using a subtle pallet. This is simply a lovely book. Don’t miss it.


Counting in Dog Years and Other Sassy Math Poems

“Why do we have to study math,” kids often ask. “I’ll never use this stuff.” But, of course, adults know too well that math is really important, and we use it all the time. How to get that message across to kids is a problem that poet Betsy Franco can help with. This cute book has twenty nine poems that are all math related and show just how much math shows up in everyday life. The poems touch on fractions, geometric shapes, time, dates, calendars, ingredients in recipes, multiplication, palindromes, gym class, games, phone numbers, and more. There is even a poem for two voices. Early middle-grade readers are sure to rethink their own relationships with math as they read these fun poems. The bright and fun illustrations by Priscilla Tey are filled with lots of details to support the text. She turns numbers into funny monsters and puts people into silly situations all in the name of turning young readers toward appreciating math. Every single page has clever poems and equally clever artwork. Young readers will never be bored and will discover just how much fun math can be as they read this book.


The New Bad Thing

In The New Bad Thing, Teagan and her husband, Todd, long to start a family but are having difficulty conceiving. Her first marriage ended with her husband getting a coworker pregnant, so Teagan believes that it is her body that is failing her. The decision to go through IVF treatments is a big one for the couple, and Teagan decides to try and take her mind off of it by creating a humanitarian project called Rebound. Global terrorist attacks by the K.I.L. organization have been taking innocent lives. The group is also known for kidnapping women and girls from their own Middle Eastern homeland. Teagan decides that Project Rebound will be her own effort to stop future kidnappings and safely get the women and girls back to their villages. As a magazine reporter, Teagan has interviewed many famous celebrities. She finds herself agreeing to ghostwrite a book for a wealthy man named Roman, and somehow this intersects with Project Rebound. Albeit he is a very shady character, Teagan ends up enlisting Roman's help with the logistics of the project. Teagan starts finding she is in over her head. Not knowing whom to trust and fearing for the life of her loved ones, Teagan has no choice but to fight fire with fire.

This book was engaging and exciting from the beginning. I really liked how the author took his main character from the office of the magazine she worked at and fast-forwarded the story to Teagan using a Glock to kill two men in a hotel. The plot jump made me want to read more and find out how Teagan got into this sticky mess. When Teagan realizes that she and Project Rebound have been scammed and the crowdfunding money was taken, she doesn't give up. I found it interesting that there were a lot of double agents in this book. People who should have been labeled good guys find themselves in moral predicaments throughout the book. From the United States to Paris to Italy, I really enjoyed the story taking Teagan around the world. The descriptions of the settings, such as the Chateau Bleu hotel with its foyer's art collection, palm trees, and glass ceilings, created a very realistic feel for the reader. I felt like I was right there with Teagan.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and characters. I would recommend this book to fans of global espionage novels and thrillers. The New Bad Thing will be the next best thing its readers pick up.


The New Bad Thing

Teagan, a reporter from Seattle, is desperate to have a child, but she and her husband Todd have been unable to conceive. The emotional turmoil has left her distraught and depressed. She soon decides a project to take her mind off her troubles is what she needs. The recent kidnapping of numerous girls on the other side of the world by a notorious terrorist group known as K.I.L. has left her wanting to help in some way.

So, she has decides to create a project known as Rebound that will attempt to raise money to rescue the girls. She enlists the help of Roman, a shadowy figure who claims he can help her get all the tactical help to mount a rescue operation. But who is this shadowy figure? And has Teagan walked into something much bigger than a humanitarian rescue project? Only time will tell.

The New Bad Thing is a riveting story that I enjoyed. However, I thought that the second part was much stronger than the first part of the story. The first section that dealt with Teagan's life should have been more descriptive. Even as far into the story as the hotel attack, I felt there could have been more character descriptions. For example, the two terrorists Teagan encountered in the hotel could have been more developed by telling the reader their hair color, skin color, or any other distinguishing features such as beards or unique clothing. This would have made them seem more vivid and authentic to the reader.

Overall, I liked the idea behind the story. Teagan is undoubtedly not alone in wondering why the world can't do something for kidnapped girls. But I kept wondering why the author didn't address the moral issue Teagan must have felt about cheating on the crowdfunding site. She's a person who wants to do something for others, yet she's willing to almost scam people to get what she wants. The fact that the character didn't deal with this bothered me for a while.

However, the more I read, the more I liked the story. It seemed to become richer with details and action the further I read. I also loved the fact that it had a lot of twists and turns. I thought the book's second half was much better at making the reader feel they were on the edge of their seat waiting to see what would happen next. The New Bad Thing is a story readers will enjoy if they are looking for intrigue, mystery, and international scenery.


The New Bad Thing

A globe-trotting, action-packed thriller that exposes the corruption at the heart of venerable media, charity and business institutions and shows the lengths to which individuals will go to do what they think is right and guard their own interests, Michael Ebner’s The New Bad Thing tackles weighty issues with aplomb while blending real-life situations with almost non-stop danger and intrigue.

The book opens in explosive fashion as American reporter Teagan Penn takes shelter in the Chateau Bleu Hotel in Paris as terrorists storm the building, killing everyone they come across. She manages to phone a contact in the US, a man named Roman, who she asks for help; however, it almost immediately becomes clear that Roman already knows about the terrorist incident and that he may actually have had a hand in it. Heavy hints are dropped that Teagan has been mixing with some danger characters and that she has done something serious to antagonize them.

Teagan’s story then jumps back in time and sees her at work in the shabby offices of Verdict magazine in downtown Seattle. It’s certainly not as dangerous as a terrorist attack, but Teagan is still in the thick of things, effectively blackmailing her boss into returning a prized story assignment to her friend. This early section provides a great introduction to Teagan’s character, resolve, and willingness to go to quite extreme lengths to get what she wants. It also reveals that her tough exterior hides a great deal of pain, though, as Teagan and her husband, Todd, later discuss their difficulty conceiving.

After being bombarded with news stories about the atrocities committed worldwide by the terrorist group known as K.I.L. and seeking a way to distract herself from her own problems, Teagan decides to launch Project Rebound, which will work to free the women and girls kidnapped by K.I.L. and return them to their homes. In another example of her rather ruthless pursuit of her goals, Teagan creates a crowdfunding site to finance the project that showcases fake past projects and phony testimonials. She’s going to need more than financial help, however, if the project is going to achieve a mass rescue, and that’s where Roman comes in.

The world of The New Bad Thing is a distinctly dark one, making it exceeding difficult to tell the heroes from the villains. Teagan has a laudable goal in mind for Project Rebound, but she’s willing to venture to murky places and deal with dodgy characters in pursuit of that goal. She also doesn’t baulk at exploiting female victims of serious crimes in an effort to secure funds to rescue female victims of serious crimes elsewhere. She’s definitely not the worst of the bunch, but it’s hard to see Teagan as a true hero, even as her bravery becomes undeniable as the story progresses.

In The New Bad Thing, Ebner has crafted a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns that make it difficult to recognize fact from fiction as the various characters engage in plots and counterplots in an effort to get what they want. It all makes for an exciting and gripping read that offers more than a few shocks.


Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third installment of the Finlay Donovan series following the lead character, Finlay, and her sidekick, Vero. Although he is in prison, mob box Felix still uses his outside connections to pressure Finlay into finding the contract killer who goes by Easy Clean. She learns that Easy Clean may be tied to the police force, and her snooping leads her back into the arms of her former fling, and hot cop, Nick.

Book number three continues the adventure of the first two books, but Finlay and Vero are more experienced in their undercover work. As a result, they utilize more advanced methods to find Easy Clean and trust their instincts to piece together clues from their interactions with the police force. This leads to some heart-thumping moments that also made me laugh. I wanted Nick and Finlay to get together, and the constant prodding from Vero on the subject was very entertaining. This book is great for anyone who enjoys suspense paired with funny and smart leading women!


Alternative Alamat: An Anthology: Myths and Legends from the Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago nation of more than 7000 islands and almost 200 ethnolinguistic communities. The diversity of indigenous cultures has led to a vast pantheon of gods, goddesses, and other deities, heroes, monsters, and creatures. The number of myths and legends from the Philippines is unfathomable. Throughout the centuries, the stories have transformed and developed. Many stories still continue to change with the times.

Alternative Alamat: An Anthology is curated and edited by Paolo Chikiamco. In its third edition, it’s the first publication in English. Alamat is the Filipino word for legend, making this book a collection of new stories of Filipino mythology. As a non-Filipino reviewer, I was drawn to this book because of my interest in the tales. These unique renditions, sometimes keeping up with the modern age, do not disappoint. The legends come from thirteen different Filipino authors. Some are known to western audiences, like Budjette Tan, the creator of the Trese series. In addition to the tales, this book offers expert interviews, a glossary of notable deities, and even a comic strip. This is an incredible book for those familiar with folklore or those wanting to learn more.


The Mythology Class: Where Philippine Legends Become Reality (A Graphic Novel)

The Philippines has always had vibrant storytelling and art traditions. As a medium for folklore to take hold within a new generation, the graphic novel offers an approachable way to tap beliefs and ways of knowing that are grounded in culture and tradition. Tuttle Publishing’s release of Arnold Arre’s The Mythology Class brings the classic Philippine graphic novel to a global audience. The story follows the adventures of college student Nicole Lacson and her friends in a quest to hold off an ancient evil. As they learn more about the looming threat, they encounter mythological beings of tribal lore. Each confrontation brings Nicole closer to the sinister menace, testing her spirit and will, causing her to engage head-on with her past.

The Mythology Class is the graphic novel I wish I had while growing up in Manila. Arre succeeds in bringing to life indigenous Philippine folklore in contemporary settings. Reading the international release, I was filled with pride that my people’s mythology was finally being seen and understood by a broader audience. For readers unfamiliar with Philippine folk stories, this book provides an excellent introduction to Philippine belief systems and interpersonal values. Not only do readers get to understand Filipino mythology through Arre’s narrative, they also experience Filipino ways of being: loyalty, respect for elders, concern for others, helpfulness, and cooperation.


The People's Tongue: Americans and the English Language

Language has its own personality, one that adapts and evolves to meet the pressures of its time but has the binding power to attract and cohere its speakers. Ilan Stavans, professor of Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College, has assembled a gallery of American English written samples to illustrate the power within the national language that binds us together as a nation.

Not only is language a cohesive power, the evolution of the verbal expressions displays the nation’s cultural transitions, its political discourses, and its internal discords, while the adoption of a national language acts to unify a nation built by influxes of immigrants from a global arena of diverse dialects. One can only rave about the selection of samples in this anthology, ranging from the beginning of Webster’s dictionary, to icons of early literature such as Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and Emily Dickinson, and continuing with samples from H.L Mencken, Dr. Seuss, and Adrienne Rich.

Read snippets of  essays, speeches, poems, stories, songs, and even Twitter chatter that exposes the character of our times. The immigrants’ impressions, the Black suffering, the Hispanic conflict, the indigenous person’s grief, are exposed in pieces by Mary Anti, James Baldwin, Simon Pokagon, I. B. Singer, and so many more. This engrossing anthology is an absorbing and awesome read reflecting this country’s character.


The Mexican Witch Lifestyle: Brujeria Spells, Tarot, and Crystal Magic

In The Mexican Witch Lifestyle, Valeria Ruelas shares spellwork, herbalism, crystal work, tarot, astrology, and other esoteric practices to embody the Mexican “brujeria” way of living, rooted in nature, intuition, and invocation of ancestral knowledge. Ruelas identifies as a gay Chicana/indigenous “bruja/brujx,” denoting the gender-expansive intention of the term. The book defines essential verbiage used in brujeria in an easily understandable way for those who are new to the practices. Lists and definitions demystify the various applications of the craft, utilizing Ruelas’ acquired knowledge from years of study and practice, which prioritize preserving one’s safety and security.

As a student of mythology, I was fascinated by Ruelas’ discussion of Santa Muerte as a precolonial LGBTQIA+ icon, with both feminine and masculine energy that manifests in her/their presence and symbolism in Mexican brujeria. It was enlightening to understand how the persistence of beliefs in Santa Muerte underscores the indigenous perspective about the duality of death and pre-Columbian views of the afterlife.

My interest in the book comes from my fledgling curiosity about indigenous and ancestral wisdom. On my lifelong journey of decolonization, I have come to understand the benefits of learning about forgotten practices and buried knowledge. Approaching the book from outside the Mexican indigenous tradition, I appreciated Ruelas’ caution against cultural appropriation.


The Rail Splitter: A Novel

Cribb has already written a novel covering the years of Lincoln’s presidency: Old Abe. In The Rail Splitter, he turns to Lincoln’s youth, offering us a portrait of one of the most respected presidents as a young man beginning his political career. There’s a great deal to enjoy about this book, and I learned a lot about a man I mostly know from 1861 onward. Cribb brings young Abe to life with all his humanizing quirks and doubts.

The book is deeply, even intimately, researched, and it’s clear it has much ground to cover. At some points, there may be too much ground; in his attempt to fit in everything, Cribb is sometimes forced to summarize things that I felt deserved at least a full scene and, at times, devotes a paragraph or more to things that might have been best skipped over for the sake of narrative flow.

That aside, The Rail Splitter has an excellent pace overall and is a delightful look at the years that shaped the sixteenth president of the United States. I’m eager to pick up Old Abe next to see how Cribb handled the presidency itself.


Overkill

Overkill was the first book I read by author Sandra Brown, and it was such a rollercoaster ride. Although Zach and his ex-wife Rebecca had a tumultuous relationship, Zach doesn't wish her any harm and is saddened at the fact that he is the one to make the decision as to whether or not she should be kept on life support after she is found unresponsive at a party. Four years go by, and the man who was put in prison for doing this to Rebecca, an evil egotistical man, Eban Clarke, is released. Because he did not kill her, he did not get a murder sentence. Prosecutor Kathryn Lennon is ready to convince Zach that pulling Rebecca off of life support could put Eban back behind bars with a murder sentence. Readers will find themselves in a moral dilemma when reading this book. There are some shady characters, and even Zach is a little too big for his britches. The story moves quickly and will make its readers guess what Kate and Zach's next move will be. A fantastic and action-packed suspense thriller.


Silence Says the Most: An Olivia Penn Mystery

Having read the first book in the Olivia Penn Mystery Series, Where the Light Shines Through, I was delighted to receive a copy of the second installment in the series, Silence Says the Most. The reader follows along as the main character, journalist Olivia Penn, finds herself in the middle of another murder in her hometown of Apple Station. I loved being reunited with Olivia's best friends, A.J., Tori, Sophia, and of course, her dad Bill and his loveable beagle Buddy. There are some new characters in this book who give the book some new flavor. Kevin is a Park Ranger. His brother Chris and Chris' fiancee, Jenn, are also new on the scene. Their family owns Fields Farm, an organic farm. There is also a scruffy, shady guy named Jason and a woman named Melissa who has an autistic son. When Olivia goes to Crystal Lake one afternoon, she finds a worker from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality dead in the water. This definitely seems like foul play, and although Olivia wants nothing to do with it initially, she gets sucked in by local editor Ellen to try and get the scoop on what happened.

Silence Says the Most is well written, just like its predecessor, and I felt like I was at home again in the small town of Apple Station. Olivia is a fantastic main character who is smart, witty, and curious. She finds herself in hot water with law enforcement a few times, yet again in this book, for asking one too many questions.

This book reads well as a standalone, and one would eventually catch on to the fact that Olivia's friend, Paige, was killed not long ago. Silence Says the Most has a great twist at the end of the book that I wasn't able to guess, but that made complete and total sense. I really enjoyed the easy flow of the story and the way the author connects the dots little by little. The story never gets boring, it just gets better. The witty banter between the characters is also light-hearted and a fun experience. I would recommend this book to fans of light mysteries and cozies. You just can't beat a small town with its small-town mysteries and small-town characters! I am patiently waiting for the third book in the series.


Dark Room Etiquette

Sayers Wayte lives a life of privilege, never wanting for anything. But one night, everything changes. He is kidnapped and thrust into a very different reality. Taken by a man who claims to be his father, Sayers is locked in a room without any knowledge of where he is or if he will ever be free. To survive, Sayers must accept his new role in his kidnapper’s twisted narrative. But as time goes on, Sayers begins to lose himself. Will he be able to escape and keep a grasp on reality? Or will he lose himself for good?

This was a great book! It was an in-depth, emotional exploration of trauma and healing, with amazing writing and twists. One of the things I loved most about this book was the character development. I cared about Sayers immensely, especially as I watched him go through a difficult transformative process. I disliked his bratty personality in the first part of the book, but his drastic change is what made his journey so much more interesting. The pacing and plot were amazing, and I never got bored while reading this. I would highly recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers.


The Greatest Evil is War

Even the most die-hard hawk would agree with the premise of this book that war is a great evil tragedy; a failing of morality and purpose. As a war correspondent, the author has seen his share of war’s brutality. Given that the purpose of war is to crush the enemy, the line between engagement and war crimes may become blurred. The author argues that there is no reason for war and tells chilling stories about savagery and cruelty inherent in any conflict.

For current wars, the author assigns equal blame to the United States. He backs up his statements by citing the failure of the United States to abide by treaties with Russia to curb the expansion of NATO. This is where I must take issue with his assessments. Russian aggression into Ukraine is no way comparable to disrespected treaties. I agree with the author that no war is ever a just war; however, aggression into otherwise peaceable countries cannot be equated with failures in diplomacy.


Dwellers

Cousins, who shall not be named according to the rules, are known as dwellers. They come from a family with the ability to inhabit the bodies of others. After a tragedy at their family estate, these cousins leave and take over the bodies of two brothers, Louis and Jonah, after a car accident. With Jonah stuck in a wheelchair, they return to Louis’ house, only to discover the body of a woman in their basement. They begin to see that they may have been better off in their old lives as secrets start to emerge.

I really enjoyed this story. While I loved the story itself, another bonus is that it’s short so it can easily be read in one sitting. Even in a short amount of time, this story packs a lot in. The situation the cousins come from is rough as well as the one they find themselves in taking over the new bodies. While they aren’t supposed to talk about their past, it’s clear they will have to in order to deal with their future. I have no idea how to classify this story, but I highly recommend you read it, no matter what genres you like.


Bella and the Lost Ball

//Bella and the Lost Ball// is the story of a little girl named Bella who wakes up on a sunny day and decides she wants to play outside with her ball. She can't find the ball! Bella meets different animals outside who try to help her find her ball based on how she describes it, but the way she describes it isn't always enough. When talking to each new animal, Bella adds another detail about the ball, but it still isn't enough. Bella talks to a bird, cat, butterfly, dog, etc. Will Bella find the right words, enough words, or the right person to find her ball?!
//Bella and the Lost Ball// taught me how it's important to describe things in lots of detail when talking to people who aren't familiar with the item; I was surprised at how many things there are out there that, when described with little detail, could be thought of as something else. The story is easy to understand and the pictures are colorful and pretty. The story is interesting because of how Bella keeps adding new details and meets new animals; I'm sure that kids of any age will enjoy reading this story.


One Last Secret

One Last Secret was fantastic from cover to cover. Most of the chapters are narrated by the main character, Dora, who becomes an escort after dropping out of school for acting. She describes her profession as just another acting gig and it allows her to afford the finer things in life. She describes her thought processes and tells the readers about some of her regular clients. Some of her stories are quite unique. Her best friend Evan becomes worried one day when Dora comes home beaten up. He asks her to marry him and she accepts and promises not to take on any more escort jobs.

Quitting is not so easy for Dora, however. She agrees to go on one last escort job with her regular customer, Daniel, under the premise that she will act as his girlfriend so he can get closer to one of his friend's wives whom he has a thing for. Dora agrees on the condition that there will be no sex.

Dora quickly regrets this decision as she is put through an awful and scary experience with a group of strange people. There are times that the reader will feel like Dora is an unreliable protagonist. Is she crazy or it this group of crazy friends? This book has the most fabulous twists and turns and I would recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers.


Grandad's Pink Trousers

He’s known as a cantankerous, miserly old man who reuses dirty bath water to flush the toilet and leaves his poor wife aghast as the odor wafts out of the open trash bin. He refuses to dispose of old-fashioned, long-forgotten clothing items like the pink trousers he wears everywhere, despite the stares they elicit. When his grandson is born, his frown turns into a smile. They become inseparable, and his life begins to be filled with new meaning. When the child grows old enough to question his grandad’s puzzling behaviors, he responds in a most unpredictable way, one in which his grandchild will remember for a lifetime.

With relatively simple text and mesmerizing illustrations, Lucie Hasova Truhelkova and Andrea Tachezy bring young readers a beautiful story of love, sacrifice, and compassion in Grandad’s Pink Trousers. Children ages five to nine will find it a unique, thoughtful, and confounding book. They’ll be intrigued by the twists and turns throughout, especially at the end. The profundity of the grandfather’s reply will leave them with quiet resolution. Older youth will be touched more deeply by the narrative than their younger counterparts, though the little ones will find amusement in Grandad’s perplexities.


Beatrice Likes the Dark

Sisters Beatrice and Roo are opposites. Beatrice loves the dark and everything that goes with it, she dislikes the light. Her younger sister Roo likes the light and everything that goes with it, she dislikes the dark. This book, with its repetitive words and symbols, explores both the world of the night and the world of the sunlight. It demonstrates to young children, especially if there are multiple young children in the same family with opposite personalities from each other, that they can still get along and do things together even if they like different things. To help Roo, who is afraid of the dark, Beatrice makes a potion out of the many items she has collected. The potion works to where the two can hang out together even in their own separate worlds. Even though phrases and words repeat themselves, a way for young readers to learn how to gain confidence reading out loud, the number of words and complexity of the words might make this book one a parent reads to their child; especially if there are multiple siblings in the household and they might not get along all the time.


Unbound II: New Tales By Masters of Fantasy

Shawn Speakman, Kristen Britain, Saara El-Arifi

Unbound II: Tales by Masters of Fantasy is a new anthology by award-winning author and editor Shawn Speakman. This anthology of seventeen tales contains fantastical stories that are genuinely unbound. Speakman, for a number of reasons, intended this collection to be themeless. Pure magic happens when that much freedom is given to the accomplished authors featured in this book. Most of the writers who contributed to this collection are no strangers to fans of sci-fi and fantasy. Works form unknown writers have the chance to pleasantly surprised many readers.

A few authors used the opportunity to expand and explain characters readers have already learned. At the same time, other authors came up with brand-new stories for this anthology. Many tales are fun and lively jaunts. Some stories are much darker and more suited for the terrors that haunt our sleep. The range of short fantasies are as diverse as the contributors. Speakman’s own short story is in honor of his father. Whether the tales occur on distant worlds, quiet bay towns, rugged woods, or the shadows in creepy basements, there is a story for every fan of fantasy fiction.


In Myrtle Peril (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 4)

When Myrtle Hardcastle’s father is admitted to a hospital for his growing case of tonsillitis, Myrtle and Miss Judson are left to investigate his newest case: a young girl named Sally Cooke has come to collect on the Snowcroft fortune, and it’s Myrtle’s job to prove her identity as Ethel Snowcroft. On top of everything else, her father claims to have witnessed a murder at the very hospital he was staying in! Was this a hallucination as a side effect of the morphine? Or is something much more sinister going on?

This was an amazing fourth installment in the Myrtle Hardcastle series!  The characters are funny and very realistic, and I loved reading about them throughout the mystery. This time, there were two mysteries instead of one, but in the end, they tied together really well, with great twists and turns right up to the end. The plot was vivid and exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I can’t wait until the next book! I would recommend this book to anyone ages ten and up.


Lurking Under the Surface: Horror, Religion, and the Questions that Haunt Us

In Lurking Under the Surface, author Brandon Grafius attempts to find the common ground between horror and religion, acknowledging both attempts to answer the same sets of questions. Each chapter, including the introduction and afterward, contains a list of movies to watch before reading the chapter if you are brave enough. He deals with topics such as morality, hope, the power of faith, the fragility of our bodies, the monsters inside us, and doubt, as well as fairness and justice. The author looks at each of these topics through the lens of horror movies as well as religion. He states his purpose as “…to help see new depths in popular entertainment and also ponder your faith journey in a new and exciting way.”

 found the insight into horror movies gave me more understanding of the genre as a whole. I don’t think I ever realized there was a deeper meaning to them, I just thought they were there to scare you to death. I personally had a hard time with his religious insights, as while we share the same faith by name, our beliefs differ greatly on almost every theological level. If you enjoy horror, you will enjoy this.


Silence

A rabbit playfully leaps into a nearby pond and then reaches out to tickle a butterfly’s wings. With her golden locks blowing in the wind, a young child gracefully holds a winged creature as it rests in the cavity of her palm. She plunges into blue waters, yearning to touch the scales of a friendly fish. As dense clouds give way to clear skies, magnificent birds flutter by, one stopping long enough to feel the softness of the girl’s touch. Others draw near, enjoying her serene presence as she becomes one with them and great outdoors that welcome her graciously.

With only images, Silence narrates the story of a little one immersed in nature, surrounded by endless possibilities. Her curiousness and sense of adventure are palpable. Children will feel an aura of tranquility as they journey through the natural world with her, becoming part of her existence. Afterwards, they’ll long to escape into a blanketed forest or an open field covered by a starlit sky. Author and illustrator Nivola Uya’s illustrations will leave them breathless and wanting more. Elementary school language arts teachers will savor this as a perfect catalyst for a plethora of creative writing and storytelling activities.


The Second Husband: A Novel

Emma’s husband was murdered just over two years ago, and the case was never solved. She’s since gotten remarried to Tom. As they are settling into their new life together, a detective visits Emma to let her know that they are reopening her first husband’s case. It seems that they have some new information, and they are beginning to look at Tom. Emma discovers that he had been keeping tabs on her long before they met, and she was a widow. Could The Second Husband have done in the first?

This story is a good example of the things we are willing to overlook with our spouses. It’s a great example of the flaws we all possess as human beings. How we constantly second guess ourselves, as well as lie to ourselves and others to save face. While I wouldn’t necessarily label this as thrilling, it was an entertaining read with a couple of murders to solve and no lack of suspects. It’s a quick read that is great to add to your fall reading list.


The Circles in the Sky

Fox snuggles in for the night under the illumination of the Moon. A clamorous chorus of birds call him out of his den. He follows their discord and discovers something tiny in an open field: a little bird whose listless body seems long-forgotten. He pokes and prods it, hoping to revitalize it, to awaken it from its slumber. Moth watches Fox inquisitively from a nearby limb. “Bird doesn’t need fixing, Fox.” He simply “isn’t here anymore,” she says. Fox is perplexed and responds in anger. When he begins to understand the meaning of her gentle and wise words, his frustration turns into grief and then into acceptance.

The Circles in the Sky is a wonderful story that explores the emotions of the human heart through a thoughtful tale of friendship, reason, and healing. It eloquently addresses the universal experience of loss in a way young children will be able to relate and through which they will be deeply moved. Symbolism is delicately woven throughout and adds immeasurably to the content. Those aged six and up will be able to understand it, though younger ones may need a helpful hand. All will be enticed by the gorgeous, expressive illustrations that present in an array of soft pastel blends.


Airi Sano, Prankmaster General

Enter Airi Sano. Airi loves to prank anyone and everyone. She moved to seven different places in her life until her parents finally settled down in Hawai’i. Airi’s new teacher, Mrs. Ashton, wants Airi to like her new school. However, Airi knows just what to do to make her teacher give up by pulling a huge prank on her. With some help from her new friends, can Airi pull off the mission to prank Mrs. Ashton? There’s only one way to find out!

I liked this book, but I think it moved very slowly. So I feel like it only got interesting at the end of the book. I thought the art was pretty good, but I think it would be better colored. I liked the story because I thought it was funny. My favorite character is Mei, one of Airi’s friends. My favorite part is when Airi was pranking someone on the phone. I recommend this book to people who like pranks and funny stories.


All Good People Here: A Novel

One of the most suspenseful thrillers I have read this year, All Good People Here, is a story that will get under the skin of its readers from start to finish. The book is told from the point of view of Krissy in 1994 and Margot in 2019. In 1994, Krissy and her husband Billy's six-year-old daughter January goes missing and is soon after found dead in a ditch. In present-day 2019, Margot goes back to the small town she grew up in to take care of her Uncle Luke, who has a degenerative mental disease. Margot was best friends with January up until her death over two decades ago.

This story weaves back and forth between points of view and never misses a step. Margot is a reporter who is working remotely and, upon investigating a new case of a missing girl, finds herself obsessed yet again with January's case. The police have their idea of whodunnit. And so do the townsfolk. But it's Margot who decides to really dig deep and get to the bottom of the two cases. Fantastic and fast-paced, this book will have the hair on your arms standing as secrets are uncovered one by one.


A Very Mercy Christmas (Mercy Watson)

This book is not as exciting as most of the Mercy Watson books. It is very cute, but you would really only want to read it maybe once a year. Fans of Mercy Watson will definitely want to read it because A Very Mercy Christmas is the new Mercy Watson book, and everybody will be excited about that. The pictures seem very much like the original series, but the text feels somewhat shorter, maybe because the story is just simple and doesn’t require a great deal of elaboration to get the point across. It’s a feel-good holiday book that would be a nice gift or a good addition to traditions like holiday advent calendars or wrapping up a book to read each day in December.


Concrete: From the Ground Up (Material Marvels)

Concrete is all around us. We walk on it, drive on it, dance on it. It is over our heads, under our feet, and surrounds the rooms in which we live. But what is it really? And where did it come from? This fun book is a great introduction and takes readers back thousands of years to ancient Turkey and the first known use of concrete. Even though the structures were built over ten thousand years ago, they are still in good shape. Of course, the Roman Empire widely used concrete in many of their greatest projects that still stand today.

But then concrete fell out of favor for centuries. A British civil engineer, John Smeaton, in the 1700s needed a material to build a lighthouse that wouldn’t burn or blow down in storms. He did a lot of experimenting with different materials and came up with a new recipe for concrete. This began a new era in building that gave us great bridges and skyscrapers and so much more.

Author Larissa Theule has written a kid-friendly history of this amazing material using humor to keep young readers engaged. Clever illustrations by Steve Light are the perfect completion to the story.


Evie's Christmas Wishes

Evie's Christmas Wishes is the story of a little girl named Evie who is getting ready for Christmas at home and at school. Evie begins at school, practicing for the Christmas program, then she is home, helping her dad make Christmas pudding. Evie hangs out with her mom by going to a play in town and then they are all back home making their Christmas cake. Evie hears that her uncle will be visiting for Christmas and she still has a list for Santa to finish! With each activity, Evie finds something that she quietly wishes or hopes for, but she doesn't make it a big deal to anyone. After the things are done and the family is seen, she somehow finds that her hopes and wishes are granted -  is it a Christmas miracle?

I enjoyed this story from the front cover with its shiny title to the very back page with the pretty orange/red color and stars. The story is a fun one about wishing for things but then noticing them in things you bring down from the attic or them even happening despite being out of your control. I think the story has a good message and will be a good book for people of all ages to read all of the time!


The Labyrinth of Doom

Tim is a knight-in-training who wakes up every morning to fight off small but deadly fire-breathing dragons. And after Tim falls asleep while attempting to guard the castle gates. And because Tim fell asleep on the job, the princess gets kidnapped and put into the labyrinth of doom. So now Tim and his friend, Belinda, a girl disguised as a guy to become a knight, Ferkle, and his fr-dog, Rover, have to save the princess. They’ll have to get past scary rubble, caves of bloodthirsty sharks, scissors, and dangerous minotaurs and try to survive.

This book is very funny and filled with adventure. I enjoyed reading it. I haven’t read a story like this before. The labyrinth was very fun, and Tim, Belinda, and Rover solved the obstacles in really surprising ways. The illustrations were also hilarious and fit the story. The characters were realistic, but I’d like to know more about the princess, Belinda, and Ferkle.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers


Tish

Charles Dimple needed a friend,  and a spark of an idea grew from his imagination into the perfect friend for him. And a Perfect is what materializes for Charles. He names the creature Tish after asking its name and hearing a small sneeze. Tish loves being Charles’s friend, and they go everywhere and do everything together. At school, Tish sees other Perfects, but they start to disappear as the children make friends. And when Charles makes a new friend, Tish realizes he isn’t needed there anymore, but Tish doesn’t want to disappear, so he wanders off until he finds a new someone who needs him. And he does when he gets stuck in Annabeth Arch’s tree. But when Annabeth makes up with her best friend, Tish is at odds again. Can he find the right person?

Edwina Wyatt has written a sweet story about the delight and comfort youngsters can find in imaginary friends. Telling the story from the point of view of the Perfect is an interesting choice and gives the story a unique perspective. Wyatt seems to inhabit Tish perfectly and makes his story quite believable. Younger middle-graders will be charmed and engaged by this unusual book.


Say Hello?

Have you ever wanted to greet someone with a friendly “hello” but let your worries talk you out of it? Little Fox and Mr. Wolf are neighbors who are both having bad days. They consider acknowledging each other, but they overthink the situation and continue on without saying a word. These two anxious animals continue to run into each other, but keep coming up with reasons not to say “hello.” Mr. Wolf moves out of the neighborhood without resolving the awkwardness. Eventually these two meet again for a bittersweet ending.

Author and illustrator Sung Mi Kim has created a simplistic story about friendship and facing fears. I appreciated the artistic choice to portray the main characters in full color while using a simple black pen to illustrate the rest of the pages. The story was originally written in Korean and translated to English by Clare Richards. Despite the translation, this story maintains a straightforward language that will be appreciated and understood by children ages three to six.


Bloodmoon Huntress: A Graphic Novel (The Dragon Prince Graphic Novel #2)

Rayla is a young Moonshadow elf living with guardians after her parents left to join the Dragonguard. She is not thrilled about this arrangement, and her guardians, Runaan and Ethari, are struggling to balance their work with their care of Rayla. Most days, Rayla explores the Silvergrove forest, even though it is more dangerous with the Blood Moon approaching. But Rayla knows that the Bloodmoon Huntress - a sorceress who steals your blood - isn’t real … right? When Rayla stumbles across a lost Skywing elf whose family is endangered by the legendary Huntress, she knows she has to help. Can Rayla stop a legend?

This book was a great addition to The Dragon Prince’s universe. As a longtime fan of the show, I love reading anything related to these characters, especially if they are backstories. I loved Rayla in the show, and it was nice to see her transformative journey into the person she is in the series. I loved the artwork as well: it channeled the energy of the characters. While the book was a little short and could have done with more character development, I believe that anyone who loves the show will find much to enjoy here.


Nothing but the Night: Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder That Rocked 1920s America

Nearly a hundred years ago in Chicago, two brilliant, wealthy young men kidnapped a fourteen-year-old boy and viciously murdered him. This was a crime that was meticulously planned, and if it hadn’t been for a careless mistake when one of the men dropped a pair of eyeglasses, they well might have gotten away with it. Instead, they were arrested, confessed, and ultimately, pled guilty.

Their parents begged Clarence Darrow to take the case and save the young men from the hangman’s noose. Even though they had pled guilty, there was a trial to decide what the sentence would be. It was a much more complicated issue than might be expected and became the “trial of the century,” written about in newspapers all over the country and beyond.

The story has been the subject of many books, articles, television shows, and movies, but this book takes a fresh look. Authors Greg King and Penny Wilson have done a great deal of research and it shows on every page. They come to some different conclusions than those who have taken this journey earlier, and they have brought out some information that has been earlier ignored. True-crime fans will love this.


Maybe You Might (Lantana Global Picture Books)

A little girl yearns to make a difference in her homeland. The river is no more, and the land is parched beyond imagination. She discovers a tiny seed and digs a shallow hole alongside the dry riverbed. For days, she nurtures the morsel, breathing life into what so many have said is an impossibility. Despite their sentiments, the seedling spreads its roots deep into the soil, bearing luscious fruit that provides nourishment for the child and her community. Her diligent efforts have a ripple effect, and as time progresses, the once waterless terrain gives way to fertile ground.

This is a heartwarming story of hope, resilience, and transformation. The depth of belief the young girl has in herself and her efforts to just possibly make an impact on those around her as well as on Mother Nature itself sends a powerful and poignant message to youth: Even though “they say you can’t change the world,…you never know…maybe you might.”

Brazilian artist Anna Cunha’s life-like images gloss the pages in spectacular pastel blends and tranquil earth tones. They’re unique and captivating, welcoming and aspirational. This is truly a masterpiece from which children can gain insight and vision for creating a brighter tomorrow.


The Artist

When the world is at rest, The Artist begins his first work of the day. His strokes stumble across the page, and he knows he’s fallen short of a masterpiece. His frustrations rage until he finds solace in his familiar companions: Young Dog and Old Dog. He has other talents to occupy his time - piano and sailing - but unmistakably, his true love is painting. He paints all sorts of things: birds, the sea, nature, and its various manifestations. Before he drifts off to sleep, he surveys the day’s completion and wakes to the call to begin anew.

The Artist is a thoughtful, inspiring tale of a child who yearns to become one with his palette. His work is an expression of himself, an outpouring of his soul, and when he’s immersed in it, he’s free.

The author/illustrator notably leaves out any mention or images of the young boy’s parents. Perhaps, this is an attempt to create an ambiance of freedom and independence. The exclusion adds an intriguing element that children will find alluring. They’ll long to be him, embraced in what they endear most. Those who are passionate about art, blessed with creativity, and favor the great outdoors will be emboldened by this captivating story.


The Valkyrie's Daughter

Sigrid is a stable hand who dreams of becoming a valkyrie. But she was paired with a normal horse at birth, and so her dream is reduced to a faint longing. But when Vanahalla is attacked, Sigrid leaps into action to stop the enemy from stealing an ancient relic. When she holds the relic, she has a vision of herself riding the stallion Slepnir, and realizes that maybe her dream of becoming a valkyrie is within reach. Sigrid teams up with a valkyrie named Mariam in hopes of discovering her destiny, but her journey is complicated by growing feelings for Mariam. As they get closer to Helheim, Sigrid must unravel what it means to be a valkyrie. Will she fulfill her destiny?

This was an enjoyable book with Norse mythology throughout! I liked Sigrid’s character development from a brash stable hand to a leader who was confident in her decisions. I also liked the slow-burn romance between her and Mariam. It didn’t immediately jump into a love scenario, and I appreciated that the author gave their romance time to develop. I loved that the story incorporated Norse myths while still holding onto its originality. Loved it!


How to Eat a Book

Beautifully Illustrated Children's Books

Shoshi's Shabbat
Caryn Yacowitz, Kevin Hawkes
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9781536216547

Vivid illustrations grace the pages of this wonderful book about a young ox named Shoshi. Drawn from the Jewish stories known as Midrash, this book will teach young readers to enjoy and acknowledge the beauty around them. A story to stop and smell the roses for.

Carmen
Margarita del Mazo,Concha Pasamar,Jon Brokenbrow
Cuento de Luz
ISBN: 9788418302763

This book tells the story of Carmen through a young boy’s eyes as he falls in love with her. Illustrations are inspired by the choreography of this famous opera, and adults and older children are more likely to appreciate the beauty and understand the underlying themes.

How to Eat a Book
Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod
Union Square Kids
ISBN: 9781454945444

Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein books, this is a book about books! The Grunion kids are eaten by the books they are reading, and magical adventures come about. The illustrations are drawn in a three-dimensional diorama style that brings the characters to life. This is a fun book that will make kids giggle and wonder, “what if…”

My Neighborhood
Maria Jose Ferrada,Ana Penyas,Kit Maude
Tapioca Stories
ISBN: 9781734783957

Told through the eyes of an elderly lady named Ms. Marta, this is a book about community and the wonderful things that happen in our neighborhoods. Children will love the watercolor-style and collage-style illustrations, taking them to different places such as school, the beach, and a hair salon. This book has a warm, cozy feel for children of all ages.

Citizen She!
Caroline Stevan,Elina Braslina,Michelle Bailat-Jones
Helvetiq
ISBN: 9783907293720

An educational book about the fight for women’s rights, from the first pioneers to today. This book highlights some of the fierce women who have fought over the years to have the freedoms that we have today. Beautiful color illustrations will catch the attention of children of all ages.


The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! (The Bad Guys #15)

The Bad Guys are back in book 15, and things are getting even weirder if that is possible. A creepy dentist who wants to remove all their teeth. Snake is still a bad guy and is using rock music to hypnotize them to join him in being bad. The Bad Guys' sidekicks aren't even on the same planet yet to find their friends. This series has definitely kept us entertained and on our toes. I am ready to read the next book in the series to see what happens.

The Bad Guys series is just as funny and crazy as ever. The text is fun and easy to read, while the entertaining illustrations are sure to keep readers wanting to keep turning pages to see what happens next!


Varenka

Living alone, deep in the forest, Varenka has all she needs to live a life of peaceful contentment until suddenly the sounds of war ring out in the distance. Those from nearby communities urge her to flee, but she chooses to stay put. Who will care for those who have no shelter or food to fill their empty bellies if she doesn’t? She prays the Lord will build a wall of protection around her house, shielding those within its interior from the outside dangers of war. When her prayers go unanswered, her fear escalates, yet she continues to provide for others. In the end, God finds a way to nestle them all into safe refuge.

This is a unique story about hope, generosity, and faith. Varenka is a widow residing in the Russian woods during a period of inner-turmoil. Things are quite primitive, so the setting and circumstances offer children a glimpse back in time. Varenka’s altruistic nature as well as her unbreakable conviction make this a tale of genuine goodness. In elementary schools where Christian principles are valued, this is a prime pick for language arts instruction and small-group classroom discussions. Young ones ages five to nine will find it both enlightening and inspiring.


Bad Fruit

Bad Fruit is a story about a young adult named Lily and her volatile relationship with her Asian mother. In fact, the relationship is so scary that at one point I thought I was reading a Japanese or Korean horror novel. Lily’s mother makes Lily change her natural looks so that she looks more Asian because Lily looks more like her Caucasian father. It is not until Lily starts having daytime hallucinations that seem like flashbacks that she realizes there is something really wrong with her mother. She doesn’t know what these visions are about but as she has more of them, she realizes she is seeing real life events.

This book had me entranced from cover to cover. The way Lily’s mom acted was so psychotic and intense. The way Lily stands by her and even taste tests juice that has gone bad so that it is exactly how her mother likes it is cringeworthy and really abusive. This book, however, does show the pattern passed from generation to generation which is really interesting. If you like books that have a creepy domestic vibe and good, strong-willed characters, you will love this book.


The Green Umbrella

The Green Umbrella is a story about an elephant who has a green umbrella. There are a bear, a hedgehog, a cat, and a rabbit, and they all think that the umbrella is theirs and then tell about what they like to do with the green thing.

It is a very cute story about little animals making friends. The bear’s flying machine looks really cool. The pictures are pretty good. They are a children’s style, which is funny. It’s a long book and a little kid book, but probably lots of people would like reading it once or twice.

It might remind you a little bit of a story called Hooray For Harry, which was published many years back, except this one is better and more exciting and has a few surprises.


Hey, Bruce!: An Interactive Book (Mother Bruce Series)

Everyone's favorite grumpy bear is back in a new book thanks to the three crazy little mice who named this book after him.

As always, the mice are at it again to create a book, but while they have good intentions, they end up disrupting Bruce's nap on his napping log. However, as the reader, you are able to help by interacting with the book and pressing buttons.

I look forward to each new installment in the Bruce Cook series. This book is really funny. The interactive parts of the book are very entertaining and help to really engage the reader. The illustrations are great as always and I like how they help guide the reader to interact. It’s a super fun book for the whole family.


Tall Tales

January 2023 Tween Roundup-Tween Adventure Series

Adventure awaits your tween reader as they follow the characters through various terrains and realms. These books are full of excitement, exotic quests, fun and scary characters, both good and evil, and magic. Take a trip into outer space, or a land full of giants! Or follow along with a kid named Fart as he tries to find a Golden Llama. Fun for all ages!

Mortimer
Joan Marie Galat
Cormorant Books
ISBN: 9781770866539

Mortimer, the journal-keeping lab rat, sets out to prove that rats are better than humans when it comes to space exploration, specifically colonizing Mars. But Mortimer learns the hard way when his plan goes wrong, and he learns some important life lessons. Tweens will learn about space travel and exploration and be entertained by this comical space rat.

Tall Tales
James Riley
Aladdin
ISBN: 9781534425903

Lena is a giant who may be the one person who can destroy the evil Golden King. According to the fairy queens, she must prove herself worthy by completing three challenges. Will Lena, with the help of her genie, Jin, be able to save the human world? This is a fantastic ride through a magical realm in this twisted fantasy series.

Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion
K Tempest Bradford
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ISBN: 9780374388799

Eleven-year-old Ruby loves bugs and studying them. One day she finds a bug she has never seen before and takes it home. Then it burns a hole through her window and disappears. Strange things start happening around her neighborhood and it is up to Ruby and her friends to find the bug and figure out what is going on!

Amira & Hamza
Samira Ahmed
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316318617

Siblings Amira and Hamza discover they are part of an ancient prophecy when Hamza stumbles upon the Forbidden Box of the Moon, setting off a series of events. Enjoy an adventure through mystical lands, evil creatures, and an Earth-saving quest in Amira & Hamza.

Fart Quest
Aaron Reynolds, Cam Kendell
Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781250206466

Filled with potty humor and monsters, Fart Quest is an adventure starring three apprentices, Fart, Pan, and Moxie, who are called upon by Great and Powerful Kevin to find the Golden Llama and its magical golden fart. Silly humor and a fun quest lead the way in this story.

The Marvelous Land of Snergs
Veronica Cossanteli,Melissa Castrillon
Europa Editions
ISBN: 9781609458089

In the Land of Snergs, you will find not-so-friendly giants and a wicked witch. Stay tuned to find out what happens when Sylvia and Joe run away and find themselves facing these two unsavory characters. An enchanted adventure for those who pick this one up!


Nine Color Deer

Coveted in the Kunlun Hills of China lives a deer and her stalwart companion. One day, the Nine Color Deer saves a desperate, drowning man. She only asks that he not disclose her whereabouts. When the king’s wife reveals a dream she had about a mystical creature she’d give anything to find, the man betrays his sacred promise. The arrows shot at the Nine Color Deer fail to pierce her delicate skin; they fall broken to the ground. She warns the king of the awful travesty his kingdom will suffer if he harms her. She stands protected, and more of her kind appear as fellow guardians of the kingdom.

Author and illustrator Kailin Duan brings this magical story to life. What began as an ancient tale, dating back some 1,500 years, she wove into a masterpiece of beauty and inspiration. Poignant messages are laced throughout: kindness is powerful, loyalty immeasurable, and wisdom irreplaceable. While some young children will be able to extricate these, those ages nine and up will grasp them on a deeper level. This is an excellent resource for educators to use as a springboard for creative and analytical writing assignments in upper elementary school. It’s eloquently written, beautifully illustrated, and culturally rich.


How to plant a room: and grow a happy home

House plants are a wonderful way to bring warmth to a room while decorating. This book will help anybody — novice or expert in plants — to be successful in making living plants a part of their homes.

The book is broken into six sections: Working with Water, Hanging Plants, Plants in Glass, Living Wall Art, Indoor Gardens, and The Plant Room. In each section, readers will find such things as a list of supplies needed for the projects in that section, how to do the project, what kind of care is needed for the plants grown, choosing the containers, choosing the plants, and more.

In the Hanging Plants section, for instance, there are instructions for making a simple macrame plant hanger, and the Terrarium section has instructions for both open and closed terrariums and all the steps necessary to make them.

The pages are loaded with beautiful, instructive full-color photographs. The writing is friendly and conversational, and the instructions are thorough and will help readers be successful in whatever projects they choose to do. This pretty book will be a welcome addition to the library of anyone who wants to bring plants into their lives.


The Dreamtime: A Novel

Mstyslav Chernov, Peter Leonard, Felix Helbing

This is one of the most unique works of fiction, though largely biographical, that I have read. It incorporates the concept of dreamtime—an Aboriginal view of how the world came to be and its creation—and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula before a more large-scale invasion. The author, who is a journalist, incorporates his experience on the frontlines filing stories for people to read in their homes while at the same time taking a multi-layered look at Ukraine and the war that is bringing it to the brink of existential existence.

The realm between reality and dreams begins to fracture more and more the further one gets through the book, which brings it to a dreamlike state of the four major characters who are involved. They include a doctor who wants to exorcise his demons by serving on the frontlines, a young girl caring for her ailing father near the frontlines, a sociopath who plays cat-and-mouse games, and a forensic expert attempting to solve a murder and save her marriage.


Can You Spot the Leopard?

Let's go on a safari ride! What can you see? Can you spot a leopard? While on the safari ride there are a lot of animals. There are many well-known animals as well as some rare lesser-known animals such as the stork, the dik-diks, and the wildebeests. This book was written so that one could read it all together as story or even just page by page on an individual animal.

This book was beautifully illustrated. My favorite part was the illustrations of the baby animals as well as the zebra's mixed-up patterns as they splashed through the water. The illustrations made me feel like I was really there on the safari in Africa. Plus, it is fun to search the pages to find the leopard.


The Lodge That Beaver Built

Winter is coming. The beaver family are busy working on building their lodge, using trees and branches from near the stream and mud from the streambed. They weave the branches together and seal everything with mud to make a tight, warm home. Other animals from the area visit: muskrats swim into the lodge, coyotes try to break in, a goose builds its nest on top of the lodge, and more. The lodge holds firm until a spring flood breaks it up and carries it away. The beaver family are resilient, and they will build another lodge farther upstream where they will raise more kits and have another home.

Randi Sonenshine has borrowed the rhythm and rhyme from This is the House that Jack Built to write this sweet book that will give youngsters a  good idea of the flora and fauna to be found around rivers and streams, with the focus being on beavers and the areas in which they live. The rhyme and meter are nearly perfect, and the story is very engaging. The gorgeous illustrations by Anne Hunter are drawn in soft colors and filled with wonderful details to keep readers involved. This is a winner!


Little Fairy's Christmas

Little Fairy's Christmas is the story of helping people in need, no matter how big or small. Little Fairy (aka Faith) is lost in the woods on a snowy and cold winter night with no shoes, very little clothing to keep her warm, and no sense of where she is at. Faith meets some woodland creatures who give her things to help her survive in the cold; she also meets some other people who help her survive through company and direction. In the end, Faith survives the cold night and gives and gets help from others in the spirit of Christmas and friendliness.

 The story is calming with the colors and illustrations but can be worrisome when reading if you don't know that she will be alright! The story isn't too long, but also maybe not quite long enough; it seems like the ending is quick, but everything does get answered and fixed. I like that the animals and people in the story are all caring and helpful, especially on such a cold and yucky night! I think that kids of all ages will like this story and could learn something from it.


The Witchery

Logan, Iris, Jailah and Thalia are witches training at Mesmortes Coven Academy. Logan is the newest in the crew, and she needs to be prepared to face the Haunting Season. Wolves will enter the town from the swamp, and they intend to kill. But the Mesmortes witches want to do more, and they hatch a plan to rid the town of the menace once and for all. Their plan is complicated when two boys from a neighboring school get involved, and from then on all their lives are tangled with magic and darkness. Can the dangers of the past be obliterated from the future?

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book, which made me sad because I wanted to love it. The plot seemed underdeveloped, and none of the characters grew on me. There were six POVs in this book, which made the plot confusing - and the story suffered because of it. I could distinguish the characters easily enough, but I had trouble following all the inconsistent subplots. This was a book with interesting ideas, but the execution could have been better. However, even though I didn’t love this, I think that anyone who likes dark witchy stories will.


Something Great

Quinn is an adventurous child with immense creativity and a desire to invent. Quinn takes a few household items and creates something they are proud of. Quinn is eager to show their mother and sister, but instead of receiving accolades, Quinn’s family members are met with questions and confusion. Quinn meets someone new who shares their excitement about their invention. Together, they come up with new possibilities for the invention and connect as new friends.

 The author, Jeanette Bradley, uses non-binary pronouns to describe Quinn throughout the book. Quinn’s physical features are unidentifiable, which may be confusing to some readers, causing questions about their gender. I believe that Bradley uses the invention as a metaphor for gender identity. Quinn’s family wants to know the name or purpose of their invention because they believe it will be easier to understand that way. Quinn’s new friend accepts the invention for what it is- an endless source of ideas and possibilities. This book is a beautiful and simple story about acceptance, perfect for children ages 4-8.


Bad Girl Reputation (Avalon Bay, 2)

Bad Girl Reputation is a fun, breezy read about a young woman named Genevieve (Gen) West who leaves her hometown of Avalon Bay for a year without telling any of her friends and, most importantly, the love of her life, Evan. One morning, Gen goes to see Evan and finds him passed out drunk from partying the night before. In fact, this isn't a rare occasion, and Gen is also guilty of being a little too much of a party animal. She knows she needs to grow up, and she can't do it at home.

One year later and Gen is settled in Charleston. She finds herself back in Avalon Bay when her mother passes away. Her father needs his help in settling the office work for his business, and Gen decides to stay to help him out. Of course, she and Evan end up in their crazy cycle of on-an-off dating again. But this time, Gen is different. Abiding by her own no drinking and no drugs law, Gen is finally able to make some forever life decisions. This book is a feel-good book about second chances and growing up. With great characters who are all somehow super good-looking, this book is perfect for fans of romance and a little bit of friskiness.


The Gnomes' Winter Journey

The Gnomes’ Winter Journey is a very sweet tale about winter gnomes on their way to visit the winter queen. A couple of times the youngest gnome stops and stalls because he sees something interesting and each time he stalls, the eldest gnome makes sure he doesn’t stop for too long. You’ll find that The Gnomes’ Winter Journey is quite wonderful for all ages. In many ways this book is extraordinary; the writing quality is simply amazing, the pictures are delightfully descriptive and charming, and it is certainly a must have in your collection. It is a relatively short book, but that doesn’t make it any less charming!


When Santa Came to Stay

Just in time for the Christmas season comes When Santa Came to Stay. This book will delight little ones as they watch the main character struggle with the fact that Santa just won't leave after Christmas! As New Year comes and goes, and then it's Valentine's Day, Santa not only sticks around, but Mrs. Claus comes to stay as well because she misses Santa. And along with her comes their whole family! Their kitten, the Easter Bunny, you name it! It's a full house! The main character is a cute little girl who does everything she can to make Santa and their unwanted housemates go away. It seems like nothing will work, though.

This book is a fun read for ages three to eight. The book will make children giggle as the house becomes a mess because of all of the people and animals. The beautiful color illustrations in this book will capture the attention of children of all ages. This is a book that will also help small children understand why we can't (and shouldn't) have Christmas all year round.