Small Mistakes, Big Consequences: Develop Your Soft Skills to Help You Succeed

This book purports to be a short read on personality types that could be a hinderance to one’s career. Sixteen such personalities are presented, with one chapter dedicated to each type. Each chapter begins with a paragraph description of the personality (and a cartoon personification of the personality type). The next section (also a paragraph) outlines the consequences of such a trait. After that, the solutions focus on three areas (approximately one paragraph per area): Tips on curtailing the trait, coaching direct reports who exhibit such traits, and working with co-workers who exhibit these traits. The last chapter (titled “Strategies for Success”) is a list of takeaways from the previous sixteen chapters.

While the book refers to each type of person presented as a stereotypical personality, these are closer to traits – it is difficult to think of one’s handshake as one’s personality but easier to think of it as one’s trait. Readers are likely to see aspects of themselves or their co-workers as exhibiting the traits listed (although the book exaggerates the traits to make its point). As the traits are relatable, grasping the magnitude of the consequences and gauging the effectiveness of dealing with co-workers or curtailing them is easier. However, the advice in just a couple of pages is necessarily general, and for some readers too general to be useful or actionable.

An objective of this book is to be short and readable. From that perspective, it achieved its goal, but at the cost of not including other personality traits such as the control freak or meeting air-hog. Another is to recognize these traits in others. As the traits are exaggerated, some readers may have difficulty recognizing mild forms in others. Depending on the severity, and the work environment, some mild forms may be benign to one’s career but in other environments may be detrimental. For instance, “The Spin Doctor” trait in mild forms may not have any detrimental effects for those working in marketing, but it may be detrimental for those working in the legal department. Yet another objective may be to provide readers with actionable advice. As the chapters are so short, the advice provided, by necessity, cannot be in-depth. For readers looking for a summary, the book’s brevity may be an asset. However, for those looking for a more detailed discussion, this book needs to be supplemented with other works.


Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History

One of the many interesting things about the Influenza pandemic of 1918 is how little we still know about it. One would think that after a hundred years, we would have learned more about what caused it, where it came from, and (perhaps most importantly) how to combat it, but unfortunately, answers to these questions are still not definitive. Author Dr. Jeremy Brown walks readers through what is known – and what isn't – and where that leaves us today as we await another biological disaster. The news is not comforting; we are not prepared.
Dr. Brown's writing is easy going, smooth, and brisk. He covers a lot of ground and a lot of science and research, in a way that is engaging, at times even thrilling. The story of the flu is a lot more detailed than you might think, and with thousands of people still dying every year from influenza, it is incredibly relevant, timely, and important. Along the way, you meet scientists, politicians, lobbyists, and ordinary citizens who help, hinder, or merely endure the influenza investigation in various ways. Humanizing the story is essential to keeping the research going so someday we can combat this as well as other diseases that may occur. Meanwhile, keep drinking Grandma's chicken soup.


The Third Internecion

As the world of Matteo’s Lands continues to recover from the Day of Ascendancy, a prophecy that became very true when the world turned completely upside down for an uncomfortably long time and then finally righted itself. Those not worthy were taken by the skies. And, now, as the world tries to regain a sense of its former composure, there is the next prophecy coming very soon: the Third Internecion.

Much like in A Tale of Infidels and The Day’s Wake, The Third Internecion tells the story of three characters, who are new to the overall story, but are either close to or within the same group, as characters readers have already met in the previous two books of the trilogy. In this book, we hear the tales of the General, the Purveyor, and the Commander.

The General is Timothur Granth, who soon discovers his brother has been killed and is now in charge of the army. He has some big decisions to make: should he continue to follow his late brother’s orders? He has a number of wanted infidels in custody who he must interrogate thoroughly before he makes his final decision. They all speak of what will happen on the day of the Third Internecion: that a massive horde will invade Belidor and begin the conquest at the Old Keep, and it will be the end of everything. Timothur refuses to believe this but chooses to bring the infidels and his army to the Old Keep where they can be turned over to the monks; however, along the way, his certainty begins to crumble.

The Purveyor is Paulo and the Jawhari man, Zahir, who was the former aid to the princess, travel all the way to the lands of the Fringe to the unusual town of Spoons. Paulo holds considerable stature in the town with his ability and after all he has done, such as the invention of Brickstone, and requests an immediate meeting with the council to tell of the fate of the world with the oncoming attacking force. The council considers his evidence little more than hearsay and lacking anything concrete. Paulo must decide what he is to do next and chooses to travel to the Old Keep to meet with the Conductor and convince him of what is about to befall their world.

The Commander is Aisha, a woman of royalty and sister of the supposed infidel princess, Hella. She finds herself placed in a position of importance and seeks to negotiate with the new General, Timothur. She also knows what will happen on the day of the Third Internecion and the unknown invading army. Events draw her to the Old Keep as well, and it is not long before all characters of importance are brought together to this fateful city on this fateful day.

The Third Internecion is just as compelling and interesting as the previous two books and wraps up pretty well at the end. The world continues to be further developed, and answers are made to questions posed in the previous books, as well as some suggested possibilities to what the future might be, leaving some introspective thoughts up to the reader, which is always a delight in a good book.


The Weight of a Moment

Forty-three-year-old Nick Sterling seems to have it made. The recipient of a prestigious journalism award, Nick’s happiness is complete when he finds the love of his life. His contentment is short-lived when, in the flash of a moment in 2008, the unexpected happens, and, overnight, his life begins to spin out of control. He decides to move to his quaint hometown of Shelbyville, Pennsylvania, as a means of getting away from his unbearable turn of events.

Multi-millionaire Tom Corbett feels as though he’s got all his eggs in one basket. While issues arise with his kids, what the forty-nine-year-old least expects is problems with his wife. The latter sends him off on a tailspin, and, before he knows it, he is out of a job in 2011. About the same time, Tom receives a letter alerting him that he is the sole beneficiary to his parents’ Shelbyville farm. With nowhere to turn, he heads to his boyhood roots and meets Nick at the town’s local diner. Although the two become fast friends, they are unaware of the life-changing events that will unfold when they rebuild the guesthouse on the Corbett estate.

Rising author Michael Bowe highlights the fragility of life and the power of friendship in his latest installment. Nick Sterling is front and center narrating a believable tale that, for the first few chapters, appears to be all about him until a new figure, Tom Corbett, unexpectedly emerges. The Weight of a Moment opens with Nick providing generalities to a dark time in his life before delving into its back-story.

Bowe’s articulate writing style captures in-depth accounts into the lives of two men whose journeys ironically cross paths and the bond of friendship forged from the events they encounter together. Amid the enormity of Nick’s and Tom’s problems paradox continues to come into play as the men observe the comedic petty issues of the residents within the anachronistic and Mayberry-ish town of Shelbyville.

From one clipped chapter to the next, Bowe’s attention to detail draws readers into the heart of the story to the point of sympathizing—even empathizing—with his main characters. Replete with a balanced blend of predictable and startling twists and turns, The Weight of a Moment—like Bowe’s debut opus, kyscraper of a Man—is a profound human-interest story that has Silver-Screen potential.


Sixty-two-year-old Frank (or Frankie) Jenkins is a down-and-out, struggling stand-up comedian from Southern California. Divorced from his twelve-year-old son, Buckley’s, mom, Sonia, Frankie has been forced to move from Malibu to Oxnard into a trailer home. He can barely afford groceries but manages to put food on the table for him and Buckley, as well as give Buckley a few extras, such as pet fish and music lessons. The story takes the reader into Frank’s past and present, giving us the good times and the bad. Unfortunately, for this character, most of the times are bad due to no one's fault but his own.

I found the main character, Frankie, to be really quite pitiful for most of the book. A small part of me felt sorry for him because he seems to keep digging himself into holes and although he knows better, does it anyway. His substance abuse problems are also a big part of the book. I think a lot of readers will be able to identify and either empathize or sympathize with Frankie because they have either had a problem with addiction or know someone who has. Throughout the book, Frankie pulls himself into sobriety. One of those times is when his best friend Joe tells him that he will give him large amounts of money as long as Frankie does not touch another drink. Although Joe was heavily into drugs, I felt that he was a good friend to Frankie.

The story also takes the reader into the love life of Frankie—another area of his life that has been self-sabotaged. From really messed up relationships to one-night-stands with prostitutes, Frankie has done it all.

One suggestion I might have for the author is to take some of the political talk out. Some of Frankie’s jokes are funny, yet several are in bad taste. I think there are many other “taboo” subjects that Frankie could explore without delving into the political arena.

While reading this book, I often wondered how it would end for Frankie. As the story progressed, it took a positive turn when he turns a negative experience into something so big and so positive that he pulls himself out of the largest hole he has dug. With the help of Buckley, whom he banters with throughout the book, Frankie is able to live life again. By the end of the book, I was cheering. F F F: The Foibles, Fables and Follies of Triple-F: Fearless Frankie Fubar is an entertaining, free-flowing adventure about a man who could have it all but struggles to find himself in the midst of environmental and self-sustaining evils.


Ghost Wall: A Novel

The Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss is a short, but powerful book.  North of England, teenage Silvie, and her parents have joined an experimental archeology class. They will spend two weeks living like ancient people—Silvie’s father’s dream. He’s obsessed with the Iron Age. OBSESSED. Silvie doesn’t share her father’s passion, nor, it seems, do many of the college students who are attending the experimental class. Silvie chaffs under her father’s control, even as she finds herself defending him and getting caught up in her dad and the professor’s most extreme experiment.

 Moss captures the complicated feelings of being fifteen through the character, Silvie.

 Love, and loyalty are explored in this book. The need to subjugate women is also examined in this haunting book that grabs hold of the reader and won’t let go.

With all the elements of a coming-of-age novel, a thriller, and a love story, a lot is happening in these scant pages. Silvie emerges from her ordeal much like the bog people—transformed. The reader will rise along with Silvie, gaining an understanding of her struggles and the overall experience of a compelling story.


Novel Approach to Curing Cancer

Books to Celebrate National Cancer Survivor Month

The month of June is National Cancer Survivor Month, a time when many reflect on their and their loved ones’ experiences of cancer treatment and survivorship. A diagnosis of cancer raises many questions and concerns, and even after having survived the disease, people are often left with unresolved issues and anxieties. There are numerous books available about living with and treating cancer, and the following titles might be of interest to those looking to expand their understanding of the multifaceted disease that is cancer.

The Living Room: A Lung Cancer Community of Courage by Bonnie J. Addario

The Living Room support and education group was launched by Bonnie Addario and her family to help, nurture, and champion lung cancer patients and their caregivers. The group’s remit is a wide one. Indeed, as Addario’s daughter Danielle comments in the introduction to The Living Room: A Lung Cancer Community of Courage, the group provides “a safe place to meet and talk about everything from high-level things like advanced genomic testing to eating mashed potatoes because the drugs you’re taking are not letting you keep anything down.” Addario is herself a seventeen-year survivor of lung cancer as well as being the co-founder and chair of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer. Her work as an activist on behalf of cancer patients prompted her to recognize the importance of community to those who are suffering, which led to the formation of the support group. Now, in The Living Room, Addario presents the stories of twenty lung cancer patients and survivors who have found ways to both live with the disease and thrive. They are difficult and emotive stories, but they are also uplifting and inspiring. Those featured in the book have found ways to overcome the obstacles put in front of them by cancer and to continue pursing their dreams while fighting the disease.

Your Cancer Road Map: Navigating Life With Resilience by Kim Thiboldeaux

The Cancer Support Community (CSC) is a professionally led nonprofit network that provides cancer support to individuals worldwide. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that all those impacted by cancer, whether patients, relatives/friends, or caregivers, have the knowledge, help, and support they require on their cancer journey. Kim Thiboldeaux is the executive chair of the CSC and she has written Your Cancer Road Map: Navigating Life With Resilience to explain in a straightforward and user-friendly way all the physical, emotional, financial, and logistical challenges associated with a cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatment. The book represents an almost exhaustive resource when it comes to the concerns and queries commonly raised by cancer patients, including how to choose from among treatment options, how to talk about fertility issues, and how to go about planning end-of-life care. Thiboldeaux aims to provide readers with all the tools necessary to fully participate in their care and to make informed decisions regarding various cancer-related matters. The book’s impact is enhanced by the inclusion of personal stories by some of those, both celebrities and everyday folks, whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Cancer as a Wake-Up Call: An Oncologist’s Integrative Approach to What You Can Do to Become Whole Again by M. Laura Nasi

Dr. M. Laura Nasi, a specialist in integrative oncology, has over twenty-five years of experience working with cancer patients in hospitals around the world. Her medical education and her initial years as a doctor provided her with a strong theoretical understanding of cancer and other diseases as well as extensive practical experience of conventional treatment modalities. However, the realization that medical developments depend too heavily on economic concerns and that her own view of cancer treatment, which was fostered by her traditional medical education and training, was overly narrow prompted her to pursue a more holistic approach. In Cancer as a Wake-Up Call, Nasi explains how she sought to integrate the Eastern spiritual worlds that fascinated her with the Western approach to cancer treatment that predominated in the hospitals in which she worked. As part of her desire to understand the disease process, she chose to focus on the cancer patient as a whole (mind, body, and spirit), rather than solely on the physical manifestations of the disease. In the book, Nasi details the various spiritual techniques, such as meditation and visualization, that she has found to benefit cancer patients alongside more conventional therapies.

Novel Approach to Curing Cancer by Jianqing Wu and Ping Zha

In Novel Approach to Curing Cancer, Jianqing Wu and Ping Zha detail a new methodology for treating all kinds of cancers. Starting from the two traditional pillars of cancer treatment, that is, the use of drugs and the basic treatment model, the authors suggest that so long as anti-cancer drugs have side effects and have to be administered periodically, they cannot be considered true cures. The idea is that no drug can destroy all kinds of cancer cells, and further, that cancer cells reproduce so quickly that any gaps in treatment allow them to take hold once again. The stories of various celebrities who died as a result of cancer are used to illustrate this idea. The authors suggest that the only way to truly overcome cancer is to understand three key factors: speed, number, and multiplication. They base their methodology on traditional Chinese medicine, modern disease theories, recent medical discoveries, and stories of people’s miraculous recoveries from cancer. As such, the book makes for interesting reading, although it is more geared toward the cancer researcher’s perspective than the cancer patient’s experience. It could be a useful and informative book for those looking to expand their theoretical understanding of the different approaches to treating cancer.

The Write Treatment Anthology Volume I 2011-2016: Writings by Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Caregivers from the Write Treatment Workshops at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel Cancer Centers, NYC edited by Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin, herself a cancer survivor, runs weekly creative writing workshops for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers at the Mount Sinai Hospitals in New York City. During the workshops, Rubin makes use of writing prompts, photographs, and inspirational quotes to inspire attendees’ writing, and while some do opt to write about their cancer diagnosis and treatment, many choose to let their creativity flow far more freely and imagine things far beyond the world of cancer. The people who participate in the writing workshops are a diverse bunch, with varying lives, beliefs, and experiences, and their writings reflect that diversity. The Write Treatment Anthology Volume I 2011-2016 collects personal essays, stories, and poems written by twenty-three people who attended Rubin’s workshops during the relevant period, and taken together, it is a hugely inspiring body of work. The tales they tell range from the hilarious to the tragic, the sublime to the ridiculous, and there are more than a few thought-provoking moments.

Whole Body Healing: Create Your Own Path to Physical, Emotional, Energetic and Spiritual Wellness by Emily A. Francis

For those looking to complement their physician-led medical treatment and improve their overall health, Whole Body Healing: Create Your Own Path to Physical, Emotional, Energetic and Spiritual Wellness by Emily A. Francis offers the tools, techniques, and confidence necessary to design and implement an individually tailored holistic treatment regimen. As the title suggests, Francis aims to address every aspect of the individual reader’s wellbeing (physical, emotional, energetic, and spiritual) in an integrated way in order to facilitate lasting positive changes. The book explores both traditional and modern alternative therapy techniques, ranging from homeopathy to Ayurveda to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, meaning that readers have a wide range of options to consider. The goal is to achieve balance in what Francis considers to be an increasingly unbalanced world. Francis’ ideas regarding certain medical conditions and, therefore, the contents of the book are certainly not without controversy, although it does suggest a number of promising and proven avenues that readers might find worthy of pursuing as part of their quest for better health.


A Lie Too Big to Fail: The Real History of the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy

LIsa Pease • James DiEugenio, Introduction

June 5, 1968--Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is celebrating a narrow victory in the California primary. The joy of the victory is cut short when Kennedy is felled by a fusillade of bullets. A young man, Sirhan Sirhan, is gradually subdued by Kennedy’s security and others. Sirhan is summarily arrested by the LAPD. His docile demeanor and seeming aloofness are alarming. Kennedy succumbs to his wounds on June 6, 1968. The case against Sirhan appears airtight. However, one eyewitness views a young woman in a polka dot dress exclaiming, “We shot him, we shot him!” This becomes just one anomaly among many when the case is re-examined. However, Sirhan’s lawyers opt for an insanity defense to mitigate punishment, quashing any conspiracy queries. Sirhan is soon convicted. As time has passed, the number of shots have been challenged, the killshot debated, and the suspect behavior of others in the kitchen pantry seen in a new light. A case once deemed open and shut now seems more cold than ever.

A Lie Too Big to Fail is history re-examined. Lisa Pease has offered up not just your garden-variety conspiracy theory but a well researched and annotated historical mystery. Pease outlines the facts as offered and puts forth the challenges to the documented case. Pease believes in the alternative narrative, but her journey there is thorough and makes a compelling argument. Grade A journalism!


The Condor's Shadow

For Travis Mackey, otherwise known as Clayton Poole, life has been quite different from most peoples'. At the age of fifteen, while living with his father in California, his life changed forever because of a split-second decision. Whether the decision was intentional or not has yet to be confirmed. Now, at the age of thirty-four, he has lived in multiple states under multiple aliases and has had to overcome much hardship through sheer determination. Despite trying to live an honorable life, Travis must break a few rules to make sure his past does not catch up with him and to protect the people he cares about most.

He befriends Alejandro while working as help in a hotel to a friendly, yet unpredictable owner. Throughout his two years with Alejandro, he tells his life story and secret for the first time to his new friend. This friendship ends suddenly and unexpectedly, and Travis chooses to take his secret to the grave. During a stint in Washington, he meets an attractive waitress by the name of Maddie. Maddie herself comes with some baggage, but they both fall for each other all the same. Travis, at this time going by the name of Rusty, tries to do right by her while still keeping her in the dark about his life before becoming “Rusty” despite her constant suspicions. Due to potentially hazardous circumstances, he is forced to move on physically, putting many miles between them, but never leaves her behind emotionally. During his time away, he finds himself in Alaska, Canada, and, finally, Montana. By the end of the novel, he is forced to face his decisions and actions and deal with their consequences.The Condor’s Shadow is an interesting read. It brings to light many aspects of life about living off the grid, many of which I had not considered. Understanding the book can be somewhat confusing at first, as you have to pay attention to the titles of each chapter to know exactly what time frame and alias Travis is referring to. Given Travis' childhood experience, you have to feel for him, whether you’ve experienced the same or not. He ends up having to live entirely on his own, which would be a difficult feat for any teenager, let alone one who had his upbringing. Jim Story weaves a heart-wrenching tale that will appeal to audiences of all ages and interests, though be warned of some strong language and sexual content.


The Condor's Shadow

Clayton Poole, a journalist for a small Montana newspaper, makes a habit of reading local newspapers in the surrounding area. When he notices a story about a woman accused of murder, he realizes his past is catching up to him.  In order to save her, Clayton will have to confess to a childhood crime.

Six years earlier, the only thing Rusty Thomas leaves behind is a note to his lover that he has to leave, believing she might be safer with him out of her life. Before that, Skate McHenry trusts Alejandro with his secrets knowing that his best friend will never betray him. Moving from place to place, never calling attention to himself, Clayton has invented and shed identities and backgrounds like water. Living in the shadows, running away before setting down any roots and skipping out of town before anyone recognizes him, that has been Clayton’s life for twenty years. But, in Montana, he has finally found a home, made friends, and discovered his passion for writing. Walking away now means he will lose everything he has worked for, but if Clayton tells the truth, he could sacrifice his freedom. It means he will have to tell the truth about a young boy, Travis Mackey, who shot and killed a stranger who claims to have murdered his father.

Was it self-defense? Why did he hide the body? Why did he run?

Simply written but beautifully told, Jim Story’s latest novel, The Condor’s Shadow, traces the story of Clayton Poole, who has protected his true identity, choosing never to share his secrets with anyone. Traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest, staying long enough to save a few dollars to get him to the next town, Poole finds that he’s tired of moving. In viewing himself as the condor, an endangered bird of prey, young Clayton is a survivor and a destroyer – removing any threat that might expose who he really is and moving on.  However, with the passage of time, he is offered the chance to quiet his soul and make peace with the only person he’s ever loved. Is redemption and forgiveness worth losing his independence?

For readers who may be seeking their own answers concerning the price of freedom versus responsibility.


The Man Who Wouldn't Die: A Novel

DUN DUN DUN…

As the nights draw in, there’s nothing better than a chilling, thrilling read to pass the time. While the five books included in this roundup are all quite different from each other, they are united by the suspense and sense of intrigue that permeate them. As long as you don’t want to put your mind at ease, sit back, (try to) relax, and let these stories transport you to another reality, where all manner of nefarious things are possible.

The Effort by Claire Holroyde

When an eight-kilometer comet is detected near Jupiter’s orbit, those who take the time to consider its nearness to the Earth recognize the significant threat it poses to humanity. After all, a similar situation didn’t end well for the dinosaurs, did it? Foremost among those who understand the impending danger is scientist Benjamin Schwartz, who, together with girlfriend Amy Kowalski and an international band of adventurous boffins, decamps to South America to devise a way to save the planet from catastrophe. Simultaneously, the crew of a polar icebreaker struggle to capture the majesty of the Arctic before it is destroyed forever (and by causes other than the comet). Claire Holroyde’s The Effort is the gripping tale of brave sections of humanity as they attempt to find hope and solutions in the face of almost certain disaster. A thriller with a strong environmental message, it stresses the importance of international collaboration and never giving up, however hopeless things may seem.

A Dangerous Engagement: An Amory Ames Mystery by Ashley Weaver

A Dangerous Engagement, the sixth book in Ashley Weaver’s <Amory Ames series, sees feisty amateur detective Amory travel to New York to attend the wedding of her best friend, Tabitha Alden. Although she didn’t enjoy the crossing, Amory is looking forward to the wedding, but her husband Milo feels the exact opposite; prohibition-era New York holds little interest for him. Unfortunately, things turn rather more interesting rather quickly when a member of the wedding party is murdered. While the police concentrate on the likely involvement of notorious gangster Leon De Lora, Amory focuses on the possible suspects among the wedding guests, at least some of whom seem to be keeping significant secrets. Ashley Weaver does a great job of recreating the atmosphere––both the glitz and the danger––of life during prohibition, wonderfully capturing the dialogue and concerns of the time. The murder mystery itself is nicely convoluted, with the twists and turns building to a somewhat outlandish yet still highly satisfying conclusion.

Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton

A coming-of-age story founded on an intriguing mystery, Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton follows two former childhood best friends as they reconnect and attempt to deal with a secret from the past that both drove them apart and bound them together forever. Forestry researcher Cadie Kessler has spent years trying to escape from the shadows of her past, but she is forced to confront and reevaluate long-buried feelings and secrets when her former best friend, Daniela Garcia, sends an urgent message that forces her to return to her former hometown. Cadie will have to decide how far she is willing to go to honor former oaths and protect both the people and the forest that she loves. Cadie’s story is a suspenseful tale in which the sense of danger and menace builds slowly as she attempts to uncover truths that have been buried for far too long. Aside from the mystery aspect, the story covers weighty themes such as racism, community erosion, and climate change, which makes for compelling reading.

Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child introduces Nora Kelly, a curator employed at the Santa Fe Institute of Archeology, who is about to find herself embroiled in a whole lot of peril and intrigue. She’s seemingly offered the opportunity of a lifetime when historian Clive Benton invites her to lead an expedition in search of the Donner Party’s lost camp. Nora knows that any excavation concerning the infamous Donner Party will lead to traces of murder, madness, and cannibalism, but she has no idea that uncovering the long-buried horrors will trigger violence and devastation in the present day. Preston and Child craft a chilling thriller around real-world history and commonly held speculation, and it leads to an action-packed story that’s brimming with danger and double-crosses. The characters are relatable and the plot exciting, and in true Preston and Child style, there’s a big twist at the end.

The Man Who Wouldn't Die by A.B. Jewell

You’ve heard of messages from beyond the grave, but what about tweets from the afterlife? As unlikely as it may sound, Captain Don Donogue, who recently died in mysterious circumstances, appears to still be tweeting despite his notable absence from the mortal coil. Could the Silicon Valley tech bros have finally uncovered the secret to life after death, a secret that allows social media accounts to live on while bodies decay? In A.B. Jewell’s The Man Who Wouldn’t Die, old-school private detective William “Fitch” Fitzgerald is hired by Captain Don’s daughter to investigate her father’s possible murder as well as his apparent ability to communicate from the spirit realm. In delightful Raymond Chandler meets Carl Hiaasen style, Jewell unspools a hilarious hard-boiled yarn that mixes noir tropes with tech startup cliches to produce a rip-roaring, mind-bending detective story that takes readers to a whole host of peculiar places.


The Unwanted: America, Auschwitz, and a Village Caught In Between

The Holocaust is one of the defining moments of the mid-twentieth century, when a country decided to attempt to exterminate an entire group of people based on their religion, and in a way, define them as an unwanted 'other'. Many books have been written about the Holocaust, most of them large and well-ranging studies; we are slowly starting to get more and more microhistory accounts, ones that look at a small group and how they often fit into the larger picture, and that is where this book fits in. Michael Dobbs follows the Jews of one small southwest German town as they react to events both near and far, starting with Kristallnacht, to the struggle to get visas to get to the United States, and the banality of bureaucracy. Mr. Dobbs takes a look at the many different agencies, government and private, that were involved if you wanted to escape and the way it often felt like luck that you made it out at all. By showing how one small village fits into a larger picture, it is a way for audiences to not only see the larger picture but what was happening at local levels as well.


A Journey for Perlene: Jumping Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire

Sherene Rutherford’s A Journey for Perlene attempts to render the triumphs and tragedies of the protagonist, Perlene, as she grows up in Jamaica without her mother, Anrol. Anrol returned to England when Perlene was nine; several years later, Perlene, along with her sisters, fly to England to rejoin their mother.

The novel examines the lives of each of Anrol’s daughters. Perlene struggles through life with rocky relationships and the loss of her sister Camille, who commits suicide after several attempts. The other sister, Antoinette, loses a child, which contributes to the traumas all three sisters experience throughout their lives.

The problem with the book is in its lack of organization and lack of editing. The chapters are not arranged in any sort of discernible order, so major plot points are revealed before they are explained, and a number of basic editing errors related to spelling, punctuation, and grammar usage make the book very hard to read. However, there is a compelling story here about women’s resilience and strength.


Meet Me in the Future: Stories

Kameron Hurley has not so quietly become one of the major voices in speculative fiction. Her particular science fiction blends the natural with the unnatural creating an organic technology for her host of myriad near future and far future worlds. In Meet Me in the Future, Hurley gives us her first short story collection made up primarily of the stories she first offered up to fans through her Patreon account (a service allowing creatives to connect directly with fans to support their work).

As always, two themes dominate Hurley’s stories—war and the body. In each of the tales, we encounter individuals having to make deeply intimate and emotional choices whose immediacy always revolves around some existential threat to themselves as well as the world they are immersed in. Readers do more than sympathize with these characters; they are drawn into their inner lives in a profoundly empathetic manner coming to realize “There was no greater sin than touching a piece of a world that wasn’t yours.” Hurley makes us complicit in touching her worlds, the worlds of these characters, and such a transgressive framing makes each story feel urgent, timely, and utterly estranged. It is a delightful collection that will challenge and grip readers.


Always Smile: Lessons from the Inspiring Life of Carley Allison

Alice Kuipers book Always Smile won’t have you smiling the whole way through, as it’s the story of real-life blogger, Carley Allison’s battle and loss to cancer at seventeen years of age. But from Carley’s own words and those who knew her, many will find inspiration in her courage and perseverance.

The book is made up of short passages that tell the story of Carley’s diagnosis through treatment and her death a year later. It includes interviews of people close to Carley, Carley’s own blog (including photos), and even text messages.

I didn’t know Carley or her story before reading this book, but it gave me a really full understanding of how it might feel to not be able to do the things you love and to be so close to death. Although the style of the book was unique with so many different perspectives, I didn’t feel as engrossed in her battle as I thought I would. I might have been more drawn into her story if it had been simple narration without the interruption of the interviews. I think this book will appeal to anyone who is, or knows someone who is, battling cancer and of particular interest to older teenage girls.


This vivid collection of books is perfect for architecture lovers with amazing works that feature stunning photography and ventures into stunning places. Check out iconic houses by famous architects that changed the American landscape then take a trip to Vancouver to learn about its spatial richness before stepping into the cultural intensity of Chinatown. These stunning books are perfect for the urban curious and fans of the /99% Invisible/ podcast.

The Vancouver Sketchbook: Lush Landscapes, Vibrant Streetscapes, Soaring Skyline – TK Ng

The beauty of Vancouver comes to life off the pages of this stunning book which features the beauty of the city from various locations including Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, snow-capped mountains, Stanley Park, False Creek, and UBC. Check out the rich history of Vancouver in this book that's half travelogue and half guidebook. /The Vancouver Sketchbook/ is a celebration of the city shown through vivid and colorful sketches by Ng which are paired with vibrant text to create the ideal pairing that shows the spatial richness and diverse culture of Vancouver. Ng's plan is to do more than creating an art book, but create a book that explores the city through its identity through pictures by focusing on Vancouver's history and Ng's own observations.

The Iconic American House: Architectural Masterworks since 1900 – Dominic Bradbury

Check out over 400 photographs that feature influential and groundbreaking innovations from architects over the last 120 years. These architects featured include Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, in addition to Richard Neutra, Peter Eisenman, Philip Johnson, and Thomas Gluck. Houses from these various architects range in style but maintain similar local appreciation, experimentation with style as well as materials, and understanding what the clients need. /The Iconic American House/ features fifty homes that are considered some of the most important in house design since 1900. The book has rich text paired with vibrant illustrations that show an array of masterpieces. The book also contains commissioned photographs, drawings, and floor plans along with biographies for the architects which makes this the perfect resource for students and professionals alike.

The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design – Roman Mars; Kurt Kohlstedt

Considered fresh and imaginative, /The 99% Invisible City/ is the bible for the urban curious with each entry providing a surprising story that's thought-provoking. This beautifully designed guidebook shines the light on the unnoticed parts of our cities which is an idea that stems from the /99% Invisible/ podcast. This podcast pegs questions that will have you wondering where graffiti comes from, why metal isn't on fire escapes today, and perhaps even the purpose of inflatable figures used by car dealerships. This podcast is noted for having big ideas to reveal the stories in the buildings, streets, and sidewalks around us. Celebrate design and architecture in all its wonder and absurdity in this book from Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt to take a hard look at what makes our cities work. Explore origins behind what we consider mundane such as drinking fountains, power grids, fire escapes, and street signs. The entries featured in this book are well-researched and paired with beautiful line drawings that will leave readers captivated and make them look closer at their surroundings.

Modern Architecture: A Critical History – Kenneth Frampton

This revised and updated edition from Kenneth Frampton comes from the highly acclaimed survey which focused on the subject of 1980 modern architecture. Cultural developments drove the modern movement in 1750 which led to the creation of architecture we have today. Exploring the effects of globalization and the phenomenon that celebrity architects have brought into the field, /Modern Architecture/ contains a look at the rich history. The work has been thoroughly revised with the addition of new chapters that provide a deeper look at the modernist tradition. Frampton takes an honest look at the need society has to build more sustainably with structures that can handle climate change. The redesigned interior includes an updated bibliography and 500 illustrations.

San Francisco's Chinatown – Dick Evans and Kathy Chin Leong

With an amazing appreciation of color and adventurous perspectives, /San Francisco's Chinatown/ provides an amazing contribution to the community. Striking imagery paired with a historical narrative, see Chinatown through its stunning streets and festivals that bring to life its local flavor and culture. The median household income for Chinatown is about a quarter of San Francisco's average income. This book will take you into the heart of Chinatown through breathtaking images which show the beauty that has attracted tourists. Take a stroll through this lush district for some dim-sum and spot some red lanterns as you observe the stunning apartments and outdoor games. A stunning blend of American and Chinese architecture pairs with the blend of cuisine and culture in this lucid text from Kathy Chin Leong. /San Francisco's Chinatown/ focuses on the tight-knit community of the district which captures the thriving neighborhood through stunning images that highlight the unique and authentic Chinese traditions.

Dreamers & Designers: The Shaping of West Vancouver – Francis Mansbridge

Vancouver is a city defined by its geography with a border that has an ocean, mountainous wilderness, ravines, and creeks creating the perfect backdrop. This stunning landscape creates a unique personality for the city which lures people from all around the globe who come to explore the outdoor activities provided. Mansbridge explores how this city went from a beachfront cottage community to a location where only a select few could afford it. /Dreamers & Designers/ highlights the tension that has grown between the desires of West Vancouverites and the goal to maintain. The land of West Vancouver helped to shape the area through the fight of the less marginalized which Mansbridge captures through a stunning assortment of photography. Through the lens that Mansbridge provides, you can see how the unique setting created the community and defined the area for what it's known today.


Silver Meadows Summer

A round of applause for Emma Otheguy. her modern, coming-of-age immigrant story, Silver Meadows Summer, is timely and realistic.

Eleven-year-old Carolina is forced to move from her beloved home in Puerto Rico to her aunt's house in upstate New York after her father loses his job. She and her cousin Gabriella, a supercilious thirteen-year-old, have difficulty bonding. America proves to be different and challenging, but Carolina meets an eccentric friend at summer camp, and through their time together she starts to regain her identity.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to middle school teachers for literature circles, summer reading, or even a class novel. I would also recommend it to any reader who wants a fresh perspective on the emotional transition of immigrating through a child's eyes.

Otheguy is a wonderful writer. Her use of simple language makes this book a winner for lower reading levels, but there is plenty of room for higher readers to analyze and dig deep. I love Carolina's self-awareness. She loves Puerto Rico. She knows that she is an artist. She finds it weird that many Americans try to fit in with each other and care so much about what others think. Even her mother falls into this rhythm, hardly ever speaking Spanish so as not to offend anyone, and telling Carolina to behave more like Gabriela, who is half white.

This is a great story with the power to inspire children who struggle with their ethnic identity.


The Risk of Us

These young adult novels offer something for everyone from a memoir about women in the meat industry to a moving story about family and foster care to a re-imagining of /Oliver Twist/ with much more to be discovered! Check out captivating, thought-provoking, and stunning stories that range from the genres of graphic novel to memoir to fantasy to a heist thriller.

Long Distance – Whitney Gardner

This graphic novel comes from the creator of /Fake Blood/. Summer is meant to be a time where you have no responsibilities and have fun with your closest friends, but for Vega, it's a time of change. Things take a turn for the worst when she's not only forced to spend her vacation without her best friend, but she learns that her parents have made the dreadful decision of moving them to Seattle. Now she's leaving her hometown behind, along with her best friend. In a plot to help her adjust to her new life and make some friends, Vega's parents decide that she should go to Summer Camp. Vega has made her own decision to find a way to return to Portland, but when weird things start happening, her only option is to work with her fellow campers to uncover the camp's secrets.

Girl on the Block – Jessica Wragg

In this memoir, Jessica is a determined female butcher that fights for her place in the meat industry. At sixteen years old, Jessica received a job at a local shop that sent her behind the butcher's counter, typically run by men, and plunges her into a world where butchers used a secret language but are hesitant to share their secrets with her. A decade later and Jessica is navigating this male-dominated world while taking on the whole industry and proving herself. She finds herself facing challenges similar to her female counterparts fighting to prove themselves in the restaurant industry. She's had to earn every ounce of recognition, memorize every aspect of the meat, and face off against ageism and sexism. The graphic novel blends personal experience, craft, and delves into an honest look at the industry.

The Risk of Us – Rachel Howard

A story that tackles the honesty of adoption and the foster system, /The Risk of Us/ is about a couple stepping into the role of fostering a child. After taking in a child, the three face hurdles in their journey to become a family. Maresa is seven years old and has a history filled with abuse with multiple failed foster families and outbursts induced by anger and panic attacks. The story explores the struggle of two parents and one child trying to understand what it means to be a family while a mother struggles with her own traumatic history and a father faces a worsening heart condition. The three of them long to become a real family but don't know how to take the first steps forward. /The Risk of Us/ takes place over the course of a year as Maresa enters the age that makes it harder for children in the system to find homes. Will the three learn how to be a family or is this an adoption that's meant to crumble? The story has a thought-provoking style that explores how children bring challenges into a relationship, the uncertainties surrounding building a family, and how empathy can bring down defenses.

Twist – Tom Grass

A re-imagining of /Oliver Twist/, this thrilling heist adventure that delivers a tale of love, betrayal, and plenty of danger. Twist is eighteen and has no money, family, or home with all he has being his reputation as one of London's most infamous street artists and abilities that have made him well-known as an urban climber. His luck starts to run out when the police set off after him and he realizes his freedom is at stake. After the mysterious Dodge saves him, he introduces him to con artist Cornelius Faginescu and is drawn into a world of stealing and danger. The further Twist is pulled within Cornelius' group, the closer he becomes to the charming Red and the more he understands about the truth behind Cornelius' plan for them. He soon learns that this world is more dangerous than he realized and now he must figure out how to stay alive.

A Choir of Lies – Alexandra Rowland

This is the follow-up to /A Conspiracy of Youth/ and takes place three years since Yfling's master-Chant ripped apart a nation with just the power of his words. Yfling has started over in a new realm but his heart is still broken and he continues to grieve what he lost. He has received employment from a wealthy merchant as a translator. Sterre de Waeyer has offered Yfling a second chance, but Yfling still struggles with events of his past, the feeling of alienation, and his fear of telling stories. Everything changes after his new employer discover the truth about him and are forced to tell stories that send the city into mania over getting shipments for an exotic flower. Disaster pushes him into crossroads where he's forced to decide if he wants to be like his former master and let the city destroy itself, or use the power of his stories to save everyone?


An Irish Country Family (Irish Country Books)

This is a nice read if you’d like to enjoy a little bit of Irish culture with a group of good-natured characters. This was the first book I have read in the “Irish Country” series and I’d be happy if it wasn’t my last. I enjoyed reading about the characters, set in rural Ireland in the 1960s. It’s not historical fiction, but I’d say that if you enjoy historical fiction and are looking for a novel, this is enjoyable to read. It gave a glimpse into life in Ireland in the 1960s with the typical cultural expectations of males vs females during that time period and a touch of the political climate of the times. The characters are interesting and likable and you get a good dose of medical knowledge if that’s of interest to you as the main characters are doctors or student doctors and nurses, who explain the various ailments of their cases along the way. My only drawback is that if you’ve never read the series, it can be a bit confusing to sort out all of the characters.  For this reason, you should pay close attention as you start out to keep up with it. I think I would enjoy more books in the series now that I am familiar with the characters.


Plant-Based on a Budget: Delicious Vegan Recipes for Under $30 a Week, in Less Than 30 Minutes a Meal

Plant-based meals are often perceived as being expensive and time consuming. However, the vegan recipes in this book are made from familiar ingredients found in any conventional grocery store, and they are easy to make in about half an hour. That's pretty remarkable.

While many of the recipes rely on ingredients such as tempeh and tofu, many others, simply by leaving out any non-vegan ingredients, make familiar meals that much healthier. For example, a beautiful recipe for blueberry muffins uses mashed banana instead of egg, giving the muffins a great flavor as well as a potassium boost. But author Okamoto doesn't nag or scold about nutrition – she wants you to enjoy this delicious food without breaking your budget.

Accompanied by beautiful photos, the recipes are for snacks, breakfasts, suppers, desserts, and more, and they are all pretty quick and easy – some only have two or three ingredients! Try the quinoa salad, or the pumpkin curry over brown rice. And make sure to keep some homemade hummus in the fridge for a quick snack – it's incredibly easy and delicious, and much cheaper than the store-bought kind!

Also included are directions for preparing pantry staples such as beans and grains ahead of time, so you are always ready to throw together a quick meal.


The Wealth of Religions: The Political Economy of Believing and Belonging

This is an extremely dry book by two academicians. They base their economic exploration of religions only on those religions with specific theistic beliefs. They define religion as those groups believing in a supreme being or a transcendent god who can intervene in human activity. However, this makes most of their thesis irrelevant since their definition excludes many religions without belief in a supreme being.  Unitarianism, for one, is a secular religion. Much of the book is citing sources which attempt to link religious belief with either economic prosperity or the lack of it. Some theorists posit that religion fuels economic growth by encouraging productivity, moral discipline, and hard work. The authors also point to the resurgence of religious activity after economic growth. They point to the Chinese government’s increased tolerance for folk practices as an example of how economic growth can lead to increased


The Enlightenment of Bees

Gimme a Kiss… Roundup

As the saying goes, the course of true love never did run smooth, and these three contemporary romance novels certainly indicate that to be a truism. From rediscovering love after a bereavement to rediscovering themselves after a relationship breakdown, the heroines of all three books finally seem to find that love may, after all, be worth the effort.

The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden

At twenty-six years old, apprentice baker Mia West rather smugly thought that she had everything important in life––career, home, and relationship––nicely sorted and neatly arranged. In fact, she had just secured a promotion at the artisan bakery where she was training, was convinced that her long-term boyfriend Ethan was about to propose, and had a detailed picture of their quaint future home in mind. However, when Ethan’s attempt at proposing goes awry and he admits that he needs some space, Mia’s perfect world quickly crumbles. In need of a distraction, she agrees to participate in an around-the-world aid project with her friend Rosie. Of course, working with an eclectic bunch of folks in far-flung and troubled locations has a profound affect on Mia and causes her to question if what she thought she always wanted is actually what she really needs in life. The Enlightenment of Bees, Rachel Linden’s latest novel, is a charming romance novel in which the lead character’s love life frequently takes a backseat to her journey of self-discovery. Mia finds herself transforming as she works to transform the lives of those involved in the aid project, and she ends up better off for all the troubles she experiences.

Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy by Kris Clink

Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy, the first book in Kris Clink’s Enchanted Rock series, follows the eponymous Lark as she finally deals with the aftermath of losing her husband and acknowledges that her family life is far from the idyll she has been pretending it to be for so long. Finally realizing that enough is enough, Lark moves her children back to her Texas hometown and decides to pursue her long-paused dream of running a vineyard. Once settled, aside from learning a new trade, Lark also finds herself learning to fall in love again, this time with Wyatt Gifford, an injured army vet who has his own problems to overcome. Lark’s inspirational story is one of rejuvenation and the importance of recognizing and seizing second chances. The decision to leave everything she and her husband had built behind was not an easy one, but finally choosing to pursue her dream of becoming a winemaker proves to be the making of the Lark and, it seems, her family. The Texas wine country setting is delightful, the characters warm and inspiring, and the story itself is romantic, humorous, and uplifting.

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria

Former best friends are brought back together after years apart in A Lot Like Adiós and the sparks soon start flying. Michelle Amato has focused on building a successful career as a graphic designer at the expense of her love life, much to the chagrin of her marriage-obsessed family. She’s happy with her choice, however, as there has only ever been one man she considered to be marriage material: her childhood best friend Gabriel Aguilar. As for Gabriel, he left New York as soon as he turned eighteen so that he could escape the weight of his family’s expectations. Now the co-owner of a hugely successful celebrity gym in Los Angles, fate is about to intervene in his happy exile and force him to return to New York. Once back in the same city, Michelle and Gabriel find that they have to work together and work out where they stand with each other. This second book in Alexis Daria’s Primas of Power series is a steamy romance in which the lead characters have to navigate their own messy feelings, as well as the overly burdensome feelings of their respective families, in order to decide whether the pursuit of love is really worth all the heartache and confusion.


Left for Dead at Nijmegen: The True Story of an American Paratrooper in World War II

On the one hand, the author of Gene Metcalfe's story has a relatively easy job of merely staying out of the way and letting the story tell itself. On the other, Nammini delivers where another biographer might clutter this modern-day Canidide with complications. Intertwined with the experiences of this paratrooper left for dead behind enemy lines, captured as a prisoner of war only to escape and be recaptured, the reader finds threads of entertainment. Never aspiring to take himself too seriously, the straightforward manner of chronicling matches the temperament of one of America's unsung heroes. Nannini's writing style captures just enough of the tension of war without adding to it, thus allowing the lighthearted moments to shine through in the cartoon characters Metcalfe sketches.

Some savvy screenplay writer will inevitably snag the rights to this one. The comic relief is already built into the suspense-driven plot. The story is just the right size for a movie in an industry struggling to break-away from comic book heroes into the genuine article.


Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations

Snowman - Cold = Puddle is a picture book that hides poems in math problems. An example is “hive + bees - bees + bees = airport.” Then there is a little collage and some simple science facts. I didn’t learn any new science from this book. It is written for preschool and younger elementary kids. One science fact is that when spring comes, a bunch of geese migrate north. I like the geese poem, because it is written in a v-shape. I also like the poems about the water cycle, dandelion seeds, pollinating flowers, and beaver families. The book starts in winter and ends in spring. There’s an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, facts about spring, and further reading. I like how the illustrator told us how she did her drawings. She used collage-style. My favorite part is the illustrations. I just like looking at them. Some of them are pretty funny too. In one, the snowman is melting and looks sad. It made me laugh. It was clever when the woodpecker was tapping the tree while the humans were tapping their own trees for maple syrup, which was on the next page. Some of the spring pages are too colorful. It drew my attention to one part of the picture and didn’t really let me notice the whole thing; but overall, I liked it.


To Live on an Island

To Live on an Island is about a boy who explains what it is like to live on an island in the Pacific Northwest. He explains that he hears ferry horns, how he goes to school. What he does when playing outside and tells about all the things he can see on the island. He spends a lot of time playing on the water, building forts and exploring.  Some people even fly in a tiny seaplane to visit between islands. He tells about the animals he sees on the island, like bald eagles, river otters, sea lions and even orcas.

I loved reading To Live on an Island because I have visited the San Juan Islands before and it reminded me of that trip. I like how they have the story, but they also have facts. I loved the illustrations. They make me feel like I am really on the island, seeing what the boy sees. My favorite page is when it shows the orcas swimming in the sky. I went on a whale-watching trip and saw these orcas that they talk about on the fact sheet. These types of orcas are critically endangered and it is very important for people to learn more about them and protect them. I would recommend To Live on an Island to kids who like nature and to anyone who loves beautiful illustrations.


Alone in the Wild (The Oregon Trail)

 Alone in the Wild (The Oregon Trail) is a book full of suspense and adventure. This is a pick-a-path novel that lets you make your own choices that leads to different endings depending on your selection.

In 1849, you’re halfway through the trail and while traveling in your wagon train you see a river ahead. While you and your family are crossing it, a storm arrives, and you fall overboard!!! You wake up on a densely wooded riverbank and call out for help. After no one replies, you’re on your own, and you must rely on your survival skills.

Some of my favorite choices were whether to eat a rotten deer carcass, go with an experienced Indian girl, or survive on your own. Also, another thing I liked about the book was the illustrations. They were unique because they were pixelated and made to look like the old Oregon trail game. I even liked that it was mysterious when I didn’t know what choices were next and if I was going to survive or not! I did die a lot, once a pack of wolves killed me. I also liked that it kept me on my toes! I recommend this book to ages eight and up, or people who want to learn more about the Oregon trail, or if you just like history!


The Middle Ground: Stories

Jeff Ewing’s The Middle Ground tells the tales of people at the edge of society, living divergent lives in rural America. Ewing’s subjects all share a deep and haunting sense of loneliness and alienation from others. Ewing’s sparse prose only serves to deepen the mystery about his characters and the empty stretches of land in which his characters reside. These stories also share a narrative drive and closure, instead preferring to show a small glimpse into someone’s life.

Though this collection of vignettes and stories does not have a theme, Ewing visits several concepts more than once. He attends to odd relationships between people and is particularly fascinated in bonds between middle-aged men and unrelated younger girls. Several of these stories feature terse friendships between older men and a younger girl—usually the friend of his daughter. This leaves the reader with a weird ambivalence about the relationship, unclear if it is endearing or inappropriate.
My favorite story, and I think the most chilling of the collection, was “Ice Flowers” — the tale of a dispassionate man named Wilton who lives in a tundra-like territory. This land is saturated with death; Wilton lost his wife and daughter to an illness that swept the region in years past. Rather than mourning the loss of his family, Wilton remarks that he has passed the period of experiencing loneliness. As his loneliness has withered away, so too have his memories of his wife and daughter. Wilton remarks that he can no longer recall an impression of his late family and that his ability to feel loneliness, too, has frozen. Perhaps to compensate for the lack of human connection and to forge his own path, Wilton develops an obsessive habit for collecting and preserving ice crystals. Wilton develops a lovely friendship with the daughter of his neighbor, who ultimately dies in a chill. The most resonant concept in this story is the idea that your lot in life is handed to you. Wilton is described as a man who “wasn’t much of a farmer, never had been, but you inherited most of your life, like it or not.” Ewing shows us a bleak world in which people largely inherit their circumstances.


A Nice Cup of Tea

Five retired friends, Theresa, Carol, William, Benjamin, and Sally created La Mosaique, a little restaurant on the streets of Bellevue-sur-Mer. But they’re in some trouble because their restaurant is struggling to stay afloat. On top of this, Sally and Theresa have their own personal demons they have to deal with. Can theses close friends get past their distractions and save their restaurant? It's a perfect book for anyone who loves drama, mystery, and reading about the characters’ everyday lives. This book being set in France means that some characters in the book did not speak English. This makes the book harder and more complicated to read. It was slow in the beginning made it difficult to keep reading. It did feel like it also dragged on. Although, when I got towards the end It got more exciting and fast-paced. The author did do a good job at describing the characters and giving a story to them. She also did well to explain how the characters were feeling. There were little step by step recipes in every chapter making it more interesting and special. I do not recommend this book for younger readers because of the mature parts.


In Pursuit of Flavor

Edna Lewis grew up in a small farm town in Virginia and learned her culinary skills watching her mother and grandmother prepare meals from what was in season in the garden, orchards, the wild, or what was on hand. The fare is often simple, but flavorful as prepared with fresh herbs and meat juices and fats. The book has six sections — From the Gardens and Orchards; From the Farmyard; From the Lakes, Streams, and Oceans; For the Cupboard; From the Bread Oven and Griddle; and The Good Taste of Old-Fashioned Desserts. Besides the recipes, there are instructive stories about planting and growing cabbage, buying ducks, storing food in the refrigerator, freezing plums, buying lard, and more. Some instructions might shock today’s cooks such as her advice to “let the uncooked duck sit out in the kitchen most the day without any covering” so that the skin will crisp. Her instructions for making sauerkraut are exactly the way my mother made it, and her Apple Brown Betty brings back wonderful memories. Don’t miss that recipe. It’s perfect. Her chutney recipe can be made with a variety of fruits, depending on what is available fresh. Don’t miss this.


This Is How You Lose the Time War

It is safe to say there is nothing quite like this delightful, quick read from Amar El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone with the ominous title of This is How You Lose the Time War. It is impossible to say what time or date this story begins, because it is ultimately a story about time travel and it's also essentially irrelevant to the story at hand. Suffice to say it involves two unique, interesting, and complex characters who are very different but have a strong thing in common: they are both time travelers.

 There is Red, who belongs to the Agency, a post-singularity technotopia; and there is Blue who belongs a vast consciousness within all organic matter known as the Garden. One day, Red discovers a letter that reads: “Burn after reading. Signed, Blue.” And so begins a most unique and unusual pen-pal relationship across time and space, as the two communicate with each other through these clandestine letters that are hidden in all manner of ways only to be skillfully discovered by the other, whether it be in the rings of the tree, or layers of a rock, or the strings of a fabric, or any other method of incomprehensible correspondence.

While the literary device begins creatively and draws the reader's interest, past the halfway point it gets a little repetitive and dragging. But towards the end, things heat up and reach a satisfactory conclusion for the reader.


Wonder Mole's Scent Costume Party

An amazing story about moles that have a costume party with scents. This book is about a mole throwing a costume party with other moles. The thing is that the moles’ costumes are scents! The reason the moles do this is because they can’t see at all, so they use scents, so they can smell the costumes! One thing I wish I was able to do was to get to know the characters in some depth. Most of the book was about Wonder Mole’s party, and not so much about him and his personality traits. I thought the book flowed along really well. The author did a wonderful job writing the book in a sequence that made sense. Another thing that I thought was great was the illustrations in the book. They were nice and bright and showed so much detail. I felt that each illustration went along with each page of the story, kind of giving the reader a good visual representation. I think this book would suit kids who have an interest in fun picture books about animals. I think this book would make a pretty good series. Maybe it could be about nonfiction things that animals do secretly when no one is there. This is a great book that is totally worth the time.


Un poco perdido

When a little owl falls out of his nest, will an overly enthusiastic squirrel be able to help him find his mom? Losing a parent is usually pretty scary, but little kids will laugh when squirrel keeps presenting what MUST be the little owl’s mom, but instead, it’s a huge bear, a rabbit with tall ears, and a frog with big eyes! Complete with a happy ending and a hint to an additional adventure this book has humor, repetition, and cartoon-like drawings that every kid will love.

This picture book has a cover that kids will reach for, with a very sweet little owl. More abstract representations and subdued colors extend the range of whom it might appeal to, as I would read it again at eleven to practice my Spanish.

Told entirely in Spanish, Un Poco Perdido will appeal to native Spanish speakers, beginning Spanish speakers (like me!), and even those that don’t know any Spanish at all as the tale is so universal and well told in pictures. It reminded me a little bit of the classic, Are you my mother? by P.D. Eastman. Un Poco Perdido will be a hit and one that kids will return to again and again.


Beyonce: Shine Your Light

Most people who have heard of Beyonce know that she is a famous singer, her life is very exciting but did you know that she wasn’t always so exciting? When Beyonce was a little kid she was very shy, she mostly played by herself. Beyonce had a special teacher though that saw that Beyonce was a really good singer, that teacher helped Beyonce to realize her dream of becoming a famous singer. Even though she was shy in her regular life she changed when she went on stage, she was confident. Beyonce would sing wherever she went, when she was singing she was shining.

This book is a great story because it shows that even if everyone thinks you can’t do something you can especially if you have someone like a teacher that can help you. The pictures in this book are very exciting, they show how Beyonce went from a shy girl in regular clothes to the famous person she is today. It also shows that with a lot of hard work you can make your dreams happen.


Bach to the Rescue!!!: How a Rich Dude Who Couldn't Sleep Inspired the Greatest Music Ever

The book Bach to the Rescue is a very funny book about some very famous music written by Bach. A rich man has a hard time falling asleep and makes the character Goldberg play him music every night. The old man still can’t sleep until Bach makes the most amazing music. The whole town enjoys the music and is able to finally fall asleep. This was a funny book that made me want to learn how to play the piano. I didn't like some of the mean words the characters used because they were so grumpy but I was glad that Bach's music helped them get some sleep and be kind to each other again. The pictures were very colorful, bright. Some pages almost looked like a graphic novel.


The Princess Beard: The Tales of Pell

A princess is trapped by a sleeping spell. You've probably heard this one before. But in Pell, fairy tale tropes work a little differently. In this case, the princess wakes up with a beard as well as lengthy tresses, but she decides to keep the beard. In fact, she abandons the princess life entirely and joins a pirate crew. With a parrot captain, a magic-wielding centaur, a dryad law student, and an elven researcher all seeking their place in the world, the bearded princess-turned-pirate is set for some unlikely adventures!

Dawson and Hearne reunite for the third offering in their Tales of Pell series but don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books. The Princess Beard proudly stands on its own as a shamelessly punny fantasy novel that gleefully skewers tropes while celebrating the genre as a whole. Not since Peter David's Sir Apropos of Nothing has fantasy humor been this silly, this charming, or this relentless.

The novel manages to take one of my favorite fantasy cliches -- the cast of misfits who come together and find themselves -- and makes it feel fresh, with dangerous unexpected consequences for some characters and ridiculous, yet poignant, discoveries for others. Despite the light tone, the characters endure genuine hardship and feel like complete, three-dimensional beings.

With careful plotting as razor-keen as the wordplay strewn across every page, The Princess Beard is unabashed fun, but with greater depth than you'd expect.


Alexander the Great: His Life and His Mysterious Death

Anthony Everitt begins and ends his book with the mysteries surrounding the death of Alexander the Great and the myths that developed in the wake of his remarkable conquests. An accomplished historian and writer, Everitt effortlessly transports us through history, setting the stage of Macedonia aspirations and Greek culture of the fourth century B.C. when Alexander's father, Phillip, shifted the balance of power and then handed it off to his son.

Of the hundreds of books in print about Alexander the Great, this is by far my favorite. In addition to Everitt's captivating writing, he accompanies the text with excellent maps, a time line, and glossary, and he salts his prose with quotes from ancient sources. Often times the author offers precious detail to bring life to old stories, such as Alexander cutting through Gordian's knot or the personal history of Alexander's ferocious mother, Olympias.

Ultimately, Everitt seeks to dispel many of the myths surrounding Alexander the Great, particularly the later fables that arose a few centuries after his mysterious death. The author's careful dissection of ancient sources logically leads to the unraveling of some of these dark mysteries.


Disasterama!: Adventures in the Queer Underground 1977 to 1997

Though this book is categorized as a memoir, it is so much more than the story of one man. As Orloff writes in his introduction, it can also be read as "an elegy, apologia, cautionary tale, or social history.” The book ripples out from Orloff’s personal story coming out as queer and joining myriad misfits in the streets of San Francisco. It recalls drag shows, performance art, poverty, youth, and sex. It can be read as a first-hand history of the city’s ever-changing queer club scene, or as a tale of life outside the norm. At the memoir’s center is the slow march of AIDS.

While many recountings of the AIDS crisis graze over the happiness and love that still existed in the community and dwell on the pain, this book chooses to laugh. Disasterama! records the joy and playfulness that queerness was and continues to be despite hardships. Powerfully, the comedy in this book is never overly flippant but almost reverent. Orloff captures the humor in the darkness and eulogizes his friends with determined laughter instead of mourning. Even when the book does have its tender moments, it is adamant in its refusal to reduce his friends to martyrs in a larger political game. He insists on the details and on the individual moments that make up people and make up communities. In this way, he acknowledges the personal as political but urges readers not to forget the day-to-day existence of those personally affected by politics and prejudice. This book is a must-read for memoir lovers, history nerds, punks, misfits, amateur artists, clubbers, and anyone looking to laugh and learn.


Strings - The Ables Book 2

The Ables: Strings is an exciting book about Phillip, a blind, telekinetic teen going on a dangerous, fast-paced adventure to bring justice to the rest of the custodians, a group of people who are basically superheroes.

Lately the government has been casting a nasty light on the custodians, putting crimes committed by custodians using their abilities in the news. This is an injustice to innocent custodians like Phillip, his friends, and his family. These events also begin to upset his school. It’s becoming less safe to be out in the open, so custodian families are leaving town. Phillip is thinking like this as well and asks the group of kids he's formed at school, The Ables, how they feel about going on missions with him. In the end, it's only other custodian friends and a few other Ables who agree. Later into the novel, the Ables' outings become wilder and more exciting, and they start to mess with the government more and more.

This was a stunning read! Phillip is an amazing character. He deals with PTSD, strong anxiety, and panic attacks. He also lost his mother at a very young age and must take care of his brother now that his father is missing. He even keeps school in mind and has a crush on Emmaline, a girl who has teleportation abilities. I admit I haven't read the first book, but the sequel is outstanding. It does have a center on a human rights message, which I think is very important. This book I would recommend to kids about eleven and up because it is a little more intense than most middle-grade novels.


First Day of Groot!

It’s Groot’s first day. Time for the learning to begin, but first he must eat a good breakfast. After brushing his teeth and combing his hair, Groot is off on a grand adventure. After lessons on sharing, counting, and spelling, it’s time to break for lunch with all his friends. When Thanos attacks, everyone comes together to fight back. Then, its back to work. Groot’s day is filled with teamwork and fun, and a day that no one will forget.

Join Rocket and Groot as they sail through the galaxy on a learning adventure. Brendan Deneen and Cale Atkinson team up to bring readers a real galactic adventure celebrating the joy of learning. From singing and dancing to fighting evil villains to learning the importance behind sharing and working together, First Day of Groot celebrates the lessons that will stay with every reader forever.

Memorable, and fun, anyone will be excited about their first day of learning. Adorable and lively illustrations celebrate the whole Marvel gang, as everyone bands together to help Groot learn. A perfect book for any young school-age child or classroom library.


Lucy's Light (Once Upon a Garden)

My favorite thing about this book was the pictures. There are so many details! I love how it looks like watercolors. All the bugs are so adorable. I also really like how the words are not just in a straight line, but sometimes I got confused about where I should read next. The bolded words made me realize I should say them loud and I did that! My baby sister really loves this book. I like to read it to her at bedtime. She thinks it is funny when I use funny voices and sounds to read! This book reminds me a lot of another lightning bug book I have read before. This book taught me to not give up and keep trying and I will succeed! I also loved that Lucy did something nice for the whole garden; that was really nice of her! I think this is a perfect length book for kids my age; I am 6 years old.


V.E.N.O.M.

Protagonist Jake Penny is a veteran-turned-detective, fighting with his own demons. Having lost both his wife and daughter in a deadly car accident, he finds some peace in his alcohol addiction. Being a homicide detective, he's one of the first people to arrive at a crime scene, but when he gets a call for a new case and agrees to take part in the investigation, he becomes part of the world's biggest conspiracy. Before he knows it, law enforcement, NSA, and a secret organization called V.E.N.O.M are after him. V.E.N.O.M. is an acronym for the Veiled and Exclusive Nation of Organized Mercenaries. Ninety-nine percent of the people who work there are ordinary people, doctors, and government officials who push the organization’s agenda. The remaining one percent were the spies and mercenaries, and Jack has just crossed paths with them. His only allies are an NSA agent, Ethan Parker, who is too eager to help him, and an investigator specializing in politics and two-times Pulitzer winner journalist called Zasha, who has her own agenda. He knows that both of them are not to be trusted, but he has no other choice, since this is bigger, much bigger than he originally thought, and he will need all the help he can get, even if someone betrays him in the end.

Jack is an extremely complicated character. There are so many layers as far as his personality is concerned, and we've barely scratched the surface. He's been through so many things that have shaped his character, so when readers find out something new about Jack, they will think that they know everything there is to know about him. However, the story then develops, and a different side of him suddenly becomes known that changes everything.

V.E.N.O.M. is a fast-paced thriller with a number of twists unraveling throughout the book that make the reader keep reading, until they find themselves reaching the end and realizing just how well-written the story is. The plot's characters are well thought through. From the moment they are introduced, to the moment their intentions become apparent, each character evolves right in front of the reader's eyes, demonstrating the amazing feat Ty Mitchell has accomplished with V.E.N.O.M. The book ends with a cliffhanger. Jack's story is far from over, and I would love to find out how it continues. A great choice for adult fans of action-packed thrillers.


Welcome to Wonderland #4: Beach Battle Blowout

P.T. Wilkie and his best friend Gloria live in the most fun place in all of Florida, at least according to them. The friends live in the Wonderland Motel, which P.T.'s grandfather opened way back in the 70s. It’s really hard to be the most fun place in Florida, since there are so many fun things to do but it has always been his grandfather's dream to be voted the best. Now is their chance, Florida Fun In The Sun Magazine is hosting a contest to find the most fun attraction in Florida, and finally the big theme parks aren’t able to be a part. With Gloria’s great business sense to help fund them and P.T.'s imagination, the team is determined to win “Hottest Family Attraction.” Will they be able to wow the secret shoppers and judges with all of their new innovations and updates?

If you are looking for lots of laughs and characters that have huge personalities then this is the book for you. It shows that if you are determined you can really reach your goals. I also liked that each character had their own unique characteristics that made them a great part of the team.


Snitchy Witch

Frank J. Sileo PhD • MacKenzie Haley, Illustrator

The book //Snitchy Witch// is a great book about a witch who learns the difference between tattling and reporting problems. It is a very funny and interesting story about witches and snitches. I learned that the big difference is safety and when you need help from a grown-up you can always tell them but if it is something silly then don't tattle on your friends. The drawings and pictures were just as interesting and funny as the story. I liked the rhyming spell about “witches who snitch.” It is about witches and reminds me of Halloween but it's a fun book to read any time of year! This book would be good for any kid to read and can help them learn how to be a good friend.


Blackberry and Wild Rose

Esther Thorel is an aspiring artist married to Spitalfields’ finest silk weaver. She desires a deeper purpose and to connect with her husband, but he spurns her—and her artwork—as silly and meaningless.

Sara Kemp is a country girl sent to London for a chance at life in service. She imagines wide, clean streets and elegance but instead finds herself in the talons of a notorious madam, Mrs. Swan. She has no escape until her path crosses Esther’s, and their lives will ever be the same again.

Powerful, emotional, and moving, the narratives of Esther and Sara quickly reveal that nothing is as it seems.

Based loosely on the life of legendary silk designer Anna Maria Garthwaite, Esther dreams of becoming a silk designer. She tries to impress and connect with her husband over her creations, but he harshly brushes her off. Journeymen weaver Bisby Lambert enters the Thorel household to weave his masterpiece, and a friendship is born. Lambert not only sees Esther as an individual but helps her merchandise her masterpiece: Blackberry and Wild Rose.

As her beautiful artwork springs to life, the world around her implodes—the false veneer of perfection crumbles. Throw in unrest, riot, rebellion, a pregnancy, and death, and the plot thickens with many delicious twists and turns.
br> Sonia Velton instantly drew me into the world of the Spitalfields silk weavers in 18th century London. I loved the atmosphere, the multifaceted characters, and the unexpected plot twists. If you enjoy well-written, historical fiction, you’ll adore this novel.


The Wisdom of the Renaissance

The European Renaissance was a period when great changes in ideas were reshaping society, driven by imaginative thinkers who challenged the old philosophies of the medieval world. This book profiles nine men whose writings have been seminal to the development of modern Western thought: Petrarch, Erasmus, and Machiavelli; Thomas More, Castiglione, and Rabelais; Montaigne, Cervantes, and Shakespeare; some of these names are still known, but others, largely forgotten. Each chapter includes a short summary placing the subject in his historical context and a brief biography that explains how the person's ideas developed influenced by his background, culture, and experiences. Most importantly, thoughtful analysis of the thinker's work and writings gives the reader a good overview of what his writings were about and why and how they have been, and continue to be, so important. The author is perceptive and careful to present each person's ideas clearly and fairly, with sympathy and admiration; his inclusion of countering arguments as well, along with his own rebuttals, gives the reader a balanced conception of the flow of these ideas through time. The book is written conversationally and is a pleasure to read. It's a wonderful introduction to these paradigm-changing ideas and to the men themselves, restoring them from obscurity to the prominent recognition they deserve.


Rewind

What a completely exhilarating book. This book grabbed me from the beginning (or shall we call it the end) and kept me engrossed until the very last page. Rewind starts with the main character, Natalie, or so we presume, being killed in a bedroom that is not her own. The killer stabs her to death and then turns to remove a hidden camera that has been recording the killing. Interesting, no? From there, an odd cast of characters is introduced, including Andrew, the manager of Shanamore Cottages who is a very odd fellow. Natalie is an Instagram Influencer, and her husband, Mike is desperately trying to find her after she leaves one day without telling anyone where she is going; not even her Instagram followers. Her last post is of a pink suitcase and Natalie telling everyone she is going off the grid for a bit. The book in written, as the title implies, in reverse; however, the chapters go back and forth in fast forward and rewind. Although it moves around a bit, the story is not hard to follow and the author gives the reader bits of information as the plot moves on. Although the book is fairly long, it would be easy to finish it in one sitting. Attention-grabbing and thrilling, Rewind is a fascinating read for lovers of suspense and mystery with a great twist at the end.


The Scandal of the Century: And Other Writings

It’s a rare volume that offers a retrospective insight into latent yet burgeoning genius. The late Gabriel García Márquez’s collection of journalistic writings, The Scandal of the Century and Other Writings, offers a glimpse into the literary giant’s gift for telling memorable stories, with characters and events that take root and linger in one’s consciousness.

Before his ascent to worldwide literary fame, García Márquez worked as a journalist in Colombia, progressing to reporting stints in France, Italy, Venezuela, and Mexico. This anthology includes 50 articles published between 1950 and 1984. The subjects range from political revolution to foreign policy maneuverings to the horrors of human trafficking and murder. Whether he’s writing about pimps or heads of states, García Márquez contemplates human suffering and the often-ruinous consequences of desire. In divulging imperfections among flawed humans, he manages to inspire empathy for human folly.

Journalists excel at their craft by bearing witness and recording history, and García Márquez mastered both. This volume offers the Nobel Prize winner’s astute observations, allegories and metaphors, and affinity for the macabre and fantastical. Some articles connect factual and lived reality with a supernatural bent, illustrating the author’s early forays into magical realism. The articles serve as an important reminder of why García Márquez was such a beloved storyteller: he fully understood the fragility of the human condition and, in so doing, made us feel his ruminative agony.


The Flight Portfolio: A novel

The Flight Portfolio follows the rescue efforts of real-life hero Varian Fry, a Harvard-educated journalist who moved to Vichy France to help Jewish writers, artists, intellectuals, and other anti-Nazi refugees escape war-torn Europe. Not only is Varian’s work dangerous, but so is his homosexual romance with Elliot Grant, a Harvard friend who Varian had a short affair with twelves years prior to reconnecting with him in France. Grant has secrets of his own; all his life he has passed as white despite his black heritage. With very little resources and support from neutral America, Varian, Grant, and their colleagues stop at nothing to preserve the lives of as many refugees as they can.

Julie Orringer is a master at creating fully realized characters. She tenderly explores Varian’s rumored homosexuality; the relationship between Varian and Grant alone makes this novel worth reading. Orringer’s ability to imagine Varian’s experiences and thoughts is thrilling. However sometimes her writing is so detailed that it borders on excessive. The novel asks important moral questions that readers will struggle with. The Flight Portfolio beautifully highlights a little known historical figure that deserves to be remembered.


Sports Education Roundup

Whether you’re looking for inspiration to take up a new sport, tips on how to improve your game, or just a good read for during the summer months, the following five sports books all have something to offer. From basketball to baseball, football to golf and cross-country running, these books tell the extraordinary and inspirational stories of a wide range of athletes, whether just starting out, at their peak, or on the comeback trail.

Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman

Three-Ring Circus presents a definitive account of the highs, the lows, and the controversies experienced by the Los Angeles Lakers (and their fans) during the period 1996 to 2004, which saw many of the biggest names in the game take to the court. While the main characters are, unsurprisingly, center Shaquille O’Neal and shooting guard Kobe Bryant, as well as coach Phil Jackson, Jeff Pearlman takes pains to highlight the roles of other Lakers stars, such as Nick Van Exel, Samaki Walker, and Mark Madsen, and members of the coaching squad in the team’s successes and losses. He examines what made the team so great, the extent to which O’Neal and Bryant were more similar than people generally thought, and how ego ultimately led to the disintegration of the team. Pearlman has a way with words that makes his factual reporting seem like storytelling, and his admiration for both the game of basketball and its players shines through on every page. This is a must-read book for basketball fans that pulls no punches but also offers a fitting and touching tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

Roaring Back: The Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods by Curt Sampson

Arguably, few athletes have experienced a fall from grace and a decline in competitive performance as monumental and well-publicized as that suffered by Tiger Woods after the spectacular and hugely public failure of his marriage and his two subsequent car crashes, to say nothing of the eight surgeries he required. However, despite the undoubted controversies, Woods is recognized as being one of the greatest golfers of all time, having won four Masters titles before injury forced him to take a career break. Of course, that wasn’t the end of the story and, in Roaring Back: The Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods, Curt Sampson chronicles both Woods’ troubled times and his spectacular return to golf, which saw him win a fifth Masters title in 2019. In telling Woods’ remarkable story, Sampson relates the comebacks of other players and also shares the insights of a host of golf insiders, ranging from caddies to coaches to Augusta locals, concerning the source of Woods’ greatness and his ability to come back from the brink.

Hell with the Lid Off: Inside the Fierce Rivalry between the 1970s Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers by Ed Gruver and Jim Campbell

During the 1970s, the NFL was dominated by the rivalry between the Oakland Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers. As Ed Gurver and Jim Campbell detail in Hell with the Lid Off: Inside the Fierce Rivalry between the 1970s Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers, the infamous rivalry was sparked by the 1972 playoff game in which Franco Harris’ touchdown, the result of the so-called “Immaculate Reception” (or “Deception,” depending on which side is favored), gave the Steelers the win against the Raiders. That game led to a five-year fight for dominance between the two teams, which were both known for their physicality and imposing presence on the field. Things eventually got so heated between the teams in terms of the mudslinging that a defamation of character court case resulted. Focusing on the larger-than-life personalities involved, Gurver and Campbell provide a thrilling account of a turbulent period in the history of football as well as the games, players, and coaches that characterized it.

Amazing Racers: The Story of America's Greatest Running Team and Its Revolutionary Coach by Marc Bloom

In Amazing Racers: The Story of America's Greatest Running Team and Its Revolutionary Coach, Marc Bloom relates the inspiring story of the Fayetteville-Manlius cross-country running teams and their innovative coach, Bill Aris. Under Aris’ leadership, both the boys and girls teams have far exceeded expectations and come to dominate the Nike Cross Nationals championships. To offer just a few of the stats that Bloom presents, the girls team has won eleven of the last thirteen championships, while the boys team has the best cumulative national record in terms of championship podium performances. While Bloom can’t detail exactly how Coach Aris has achieved such success with his teams (after all, that would mean giving away quite the advantage to rival teams), he does discuss some aspects of Aris’ philosophy and his approach to fostering talent. Through interviews conducted with current and former runners, he sheds light on some of the unique features of the program and suggests how the teams managed to come so far so quickly. The insights provided into Aris’ mindset lead to insights into the runners’ varying approaches and motivations, which should prove highly valuable to those looking to improve their own performance.

Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back by Luis Tiant

Widely regarded as the best and most consistent pitcher yet to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Luis Tiant is among the greatest players to have ever featured on the roster of the Boston Red Sox. While his talent was never in any doubt, his distinctive style––including the signature Fu Manchu mustache––caused him to stand out from his contemporaries in Major League Baseball during the 1970s, as did his race and country of origin. In Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back, Tiant details his extraordinary career in baseball from the early days after political upheaval meant he could not return to his home in Cuba through to the glory days of the World Series with the Red Sox and on to his emotional homecoming when he played an exhibition game in Havana in 2016. Tiant’s story is an unusual one in that even aside from his baseball greatest, he lived an inspirational life after being unwillingly exiled from Cuba, facing racism during his early days in the United States, and eventually going on against the odds to succeed beyond all measure. This engaging and punchy memoir tells interesting tales from a life well lived, both on the mound and off.


Little Penguin's New Friend (I Can Read Level 1)

This is a fun story about a penguin and polar bear who become unlikely friends. The penguin has never met a polar bear and thinks he will be scary and mean at first but realizes that he is actually funny and nice. This was an easy-to-read book about penguins. It was very short, but the story was fun to read. I wish the book were a little longer because I love penguins. This book teaches you that you need to give new friends a chance and don’t be too quick to judge someone you have never met! I think this book would be a good book for any kid who is learning to read, enjoys animal characters, and wants to try to read books by themselves.