Bear and the Whisper of the Wind

Bear has a nice home in a nice valley. He has friends who visit him, and he has a comfortable chair that fits him well. He loves to sit in his chair, and he loves the aroma of strawberry pie. But one day, the wind seems to whisper to him that it is time to move on. Bear packs his belongings in a blue blanket and sets off. Sometimes he is lonely. Soon he comes to a pretty clearing. There he meets a rabbit who invites him in. But the wind whispers again, so Bear doesn’t stay long. When a storm comes, Bear worries he has no place to go. Maybe he made a mistake, but he doesn’t know where his nice house is!

Marianne Dubuc is both author and illustrator of this quiet, sweet book. The story is compelling and will keep little listeners interested, but it is the gorgeous illustrations that are the real star of this beautiful book. Every page is filled with wonderful details of the sweet woodland. The color palette is soft and gentle. This book will be asked for over and over.


You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing from Illness or Injury

You Are So Much More follows the tumultuous journey of a young girl who is struggling with her chronic illness. While other children her age are playing outside, going to school, and experiencing the freedom of youth, she must stay in hospital to receive treatment. Since her condition is not mentioned, the story should be easily relatable for any child struggling with any serious ailment. The author acknowledges how scary it can be to live with a serious condition, but also offers hope and encouragement for young survivors.

It is refreshing to see a children’s book that tackles this sensitive subject with a perfect combination positivity and realism. This story is equally important for healthy children to hear. Even though they may not be able to relate to the main character presently, they will gain a better understanding of the daily struggles that plague individuals who are battling illness. The emotions portrayed will help children build empathy toward sick individuals, while also showing how brave one must be to withstand all these challenges. The author provides resources after the story to assist adults who are caring for a child with a chronic illness.


Book of Celtic Verse: A Treasury of Poetry, Dreams & Visions

Celtic lands have a long, rich tradition of storytelling and song; their poets speak to timeless concerns of the human condition, to the most deeply felt emotions of the soul. This beautifully curated collection of poetry, in sections of Magic, the Natural World, Love, War and Praise, and Vision, centers on Celtic poets ancient and modern. The themes are universal, yet the poems show a unique Celtic sensibility. A poem may reference obscure battles or mythologies from lost ages, yet still, have the power to stir the heart. "A Lament for the Red Earl", written in the 9th century, relates grief for someone fallen in battle, far from home. Then there is the "Elegy for the Welsh Dead, In the Falkland Islands, 1982" which is even more heartbreaking as the event chronicled is still within living memory. One of the many beautiful love poems, "My Soul Parted from Me", is a tender and poignant story of long-lasting love; another reproves his love for toying with his affections. The Nature poems are often joyous, and others are whimsical or inspiring. Whatever your mood, sip or drink deeply from these pages full of poems that resonate as they transport you into this world.


To Drink and to Eat Vol. 3: Treats and Tribulations from a French Kitchen (3)

To Drink and to Eat Vol. 3: Treats and Tribulations from a French Kitchen written and illustrated by French chef Guillaume Long, is a cookbook like I've never encountered before. The book is a graphic novel that tells about Long's adventures in cooking and has funny, and even a little dark at times, comics in which he converses with colleagues, tourists, and other people he meets along the way. This is the first cookbook I've had that the recipes don't really stand out. The few that I would like to make include the Apple Crumble and Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie. What found to be really great about this book is that there are a lot of cooking tips that can be applied to all of your recipes, in general. In the "Tips for the Kitchen" section, Long gives advice such as to use a super sharp knife when chopping an onion in order to not cry and in selecting a live lobster, choose the one with the longest antennas (read the book to find out why). This book really needs to be read from cover to cover before trying any of the recipes. Otherwise, you might end up with cocaine in your muffins (see page fifteen).


Fix Me a Plate: Traditional and New School Soul Food Recipes from Scotty Scott of Cook Drank Eat

Fix Me a Plate is Food Blogger and Chef Scotty Scott's first cookbook that features traditional and new school soul food recipes in categories of breakfast, meat, soul, desserts, and sauces. The recipes include detailed pictures along with a complete and easy-to-follow set of instructions to make some yummy meals that are sure to please those who are in touch with their inner foody. Breakfast meals include Southern Raised Biscuits with Spicy Sausage Cream Gravy and Sunday Waffles; meat includes Chicken and Garlic Butter Dumplings and Soul Satisfying Spaghetti; soul includes Cajun Red Bean Burgers and Avocado Toast with Pecan Smoked Chicken, and dessert includes Peachy Keen Cobbler and Blueberry Hand Pies.

 I tried making Kentucky Butter Cake. To make this cake, it's slightly more difficult than a box cake and the batter is surprisingly thick. The ingredients are all common, minus rum extract that I don't normally have in stock. The cake takes a while to bake, and when it came out it reminded me of cornbread even though there is no cornmeal and a bit of sugar and flour included. The butter sauce is basically butter and sugar, but overall it makes for a filling and soul-satisfying dessert.


Medieval Mayhem #4 (Zoo Patrol Squad)

Medieval Mayhem is an action-packed mystery graphic novel set in a zoo filled with talking animals. The story is centered on a traveling renaissance faire, which suddenly sets up inside the zoo. The main characters are the Zoo Patrol Squad, a pair of adventurous detectives who act like zoo police. In this case, the Zoo Patrol Squad has to figure out who is stealing their special keys, which can open any door in the zoo.

This is a short graphic novel that is easy to understand. I think that it is a good read for elementary school students, although the comic format is a little informal to fit well within a school library. Any library with children’s comics within its collection should stock this book. I think that elementary school children could enjoy owning this comic book, especially if they like superhero stories.

The plot line is fairly simple and the text is not superb, but that is not necessary in a graphic novel. The imagery is well done and very full, bringing the story to life. Medieval Mayhem is a great story for young lovers of superhero and mystery comics.


Room for More

New in Children’s Lit

From picture books featuring amazing and amusing creatures to a fictional account of a difficult yet ultimately hopeful childhood and an inspiring biography of a great artist, the five books featured in this roundup have something to offer children of all ages.

Room for More by Michelle Kadarusman and Maggie Zeng

As a wildfire devastates the Australian bush, wombat duo Dig and Scratch feel glad that they have a safe, cool burrow to hide in. However, when Dig notices that other animals are not so lucky, he starts inviting them into the burrow, which draws complaints from Scratch. Dig first invites a pair of wallabies into their home, followed by a koala and then a tiger snake, with Scratch getting increasingly angry as each new arrival moves in. While Dig is convinced that there is still room for more, Scratch doesn’t want any other animals making use of their home, but when the burrow is flooded by a sudden rain burst, Scratch comes to realize that having a bunch of fellow creatures around could prove very helpful. In Room for More, Michelle Kadarusman uses the humorous story of an eclectic group of animals sheltering in a small burrow to explore the serious issues of environmental catastrophes and  displaced refugees with young readers, while Maggie Zeng’s delightful illustrations really bring the different animals’ personalities to life.

These Are Not the Words by Amanda West Lewis

Based on events from her own childhood in New York City during the 1960s, Amanda West Lewis’s These Are Not the Words is a powerful account of a young girl realizing that her parents are both flawed individuals with problems that she cannot solve, no matter how much she wants to help them. Missy’s mother has gone back to school to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, while her father spends his days working in advertising and his nights listening to jazz in Harlem and the Village. Missy shares his love of jazz and often accompanies him to clubs and bars, and the two of them both enjoy writing poetry about their experiences. Yet, it becomes clear through his poems that her father is struggling with alcohol and drug problems, which eventually prompts Missy’s mother to decide that she and Missy need a fresh start. Missy has to leave everything she cares about behind and adapt to a new life as a latchkey kid while her mother works to support them. Although Missy is reluctant to give up on getting her family back together, she eventually comes to learn that change is sometimes necessary.

The Whale Who Swam Through Time by Alex Boersma and Nick Pyenson

Around two hundred years ago, a bowhead whale was born. As a member of the longest-living mammal species in the world, the bowhead whale was destined to have a lengthy and interesting existence. Indeed, over the course of a long life spent in the Arctic, the whale witnessed many dramatic changes, most notably the shift from her habitat being one characterized by peace and solitude to the arrival of humans and their ships and oil rigs. With The Whale Who Swam Through Time, Alex Boersma has written a non-fiction picture book that beautifully captures the majesty of the natural world and vividly portrays the changes that are taking place in the environment, highlighting the need for humans to alter their ways and take action to protect their fellow creatures. The illustrations by Nick Pyenson are clear and detailed, revealing the beauty and wonder of the bowhead whale and showing just how important the preservation of the environment really is.

Bottle Tops by Alison Goldberg and Elizabeth Zunon

In Bottle Tops, Alison Goldberg tells the remarkable life story of Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui, whose work made from discarded bottle tops is prized and displayed around the world. While studying art at the University of Ghana, El noted that much of the artists and art being discussed clearly fitted within the European tradition, with traditional Ghanaian art being largely ignored. Seeking to expand his perspective, El explored the stories and approaches of his fellow Ghanaians, which often involved the use of recycled and upcycled materials. After honing his skills by experimenting with different mediums, El discovered a bag of bright bottle caps and decided to tell their story by stitching the caps together into a series of flowing tapestries that capture the history, culture, and people of Ghana. From there, the popularity of his bottle top sculptures grew until his work was world renowned. The words by Goldberg provide a fascinating introduction to the life and art of El Anatsui, while the illustrations by Elizabeth Zunon nicely capture the intricacy and beauty of his work.

Oceans of Love by Janet Lawler and Holly Clifton-Brown

The ocean is home to myriad magnificent creatures, ranging from majestic whales and clever dolphins to fascinating hermit crabs and perplexing jellyfish. Janet Lawler’s Oceans of Love takes young readers on a fantastical underwater adventure as they learn about how mother sea creatures care for and rear their little ones. From a mother manta ray teaching her baby to skim and slide through the sea to a mother hermit crab fitting her youngling for a new shell and a mother minnow enrolling her offspring in minnow school, a fun-filled variety of mother and child relationships are featured. Using clever, gentle rhymes that are perfect for reading out loud, the story explains a universal truth for humans, animals, and sea creatures: mothers always want to care for their babies in their own special way. Holly Clifton-Brown’s exquisite watercolor illustrations really bring the heartwarming story to life, showcasing a broad range of mothers and babies in their natural undersea environment.


Aquicorn Cove

K. O’Neill is at it again with her latest graphic novel involving magical creatures in Aquicorn Cove. Lana and her father return home to help her Aunt Mae clean up after a major storm has swept through their village. While at the beach, Lana rescues an injured baby Aquicorn, and along the way, she learns about a secret place beneath the sea where Aure and all the magical sea creatures live. She learns that the corals are dying, and Aure’s home is in danger from overfishing and plastic nets being used. Can Lana convince her Aunt Mae to help save Aure’s home from destruction?

This is a magical story about the ocean and the dying corals that need our help. The baby Aquicorn is especially cute! It looks like a cross between a seahorse and a unicorn. I really like Lana’s character because she is so brave and kind. She saves the baby Aquicorn and her Aunt Mae! The art is so pretty and is in a similar style as the art in The Tea Dragon Society series. This book is a quick read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves magical creatures and stories about the ocean.


Italian Cooking Like Nonna: Authentic Family Recipes with Extraordinary Flavor and Endless Variations

Italian cooking is intuitive, friendly, and endlessly adaptable, as you'll find as the author helpfully walks you through each recipe, with suggestions for success and variation. The deliciously simple Pepe Arrostiti (roasted peppers) is already a household staple, while the Classic Spaghetti Carbonara has never been so easy to make. Italian food honors its ingredients and takes some time, but time spent making sauces beforehand saves you effort later.

One afternoon I made the Sugo di Pomodoro, which, after cooking down for a couple hours, resulted in a smooth, velvety, rich, and flavorful tomato sauce full of complexity that belies its simple ingredient list. I used some of that to make Bolognese Sauce, which, after another long simmer, gave me a meltingly tender meat sauce. Finally, some of the Bolognese went into a baked Ziti al Forno, a hearty dish full of flavor for a wonderful weeknight dinner.

Sections for pizzas, other main dishes, sides, and desserts give you lots to try, including fresh, homemade pasta if you are feeling adventurous (although it's not that difficult!). Take your time to explore this book; you're sure to enjoy the comforting, delicious results––just like Nonna used to make!


101 Thai Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die: The Essential Recipes, Techniques and Ingredients of Thailand

If you love Thai food, you're sure to enjoy this new and very accessible cookbook that will help you recreate many of your favorite dishes at home. Although the sheer number of unfamiliar ingredients might at first seem overwhelming, they are essential to getting that delicious, signature Thai flavor into your dishes. It is worth making a trip to a well-stocked Asian market to find things like galanga and lemon grass; other ingredients can easily be found online.

One of the simplest recipes to make was Thai BBQ Chicken, which only required marinating chicken in a coconut curry marinade before baking; it took only a few minutes of hands-on time, although, like many dishes, you'll want to plan ahead for marinating time (but that can happen overnight!). We also enjoyed the Chicken Satay, which was much easier than I had anticipated, although I found this dish extremely salty and would adjust that in the future. The Thai peanut sauce was a beautiful accompaniment, however.

The recipes are easy to follow and quite straightforward, even when they have a longer list of ingredients. You will appreciate how the author takes care to make these dishes easy to accomplish for the home cook.


Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory, and Family (FoodStory)

Through Another’s Eyes

The five memoirs included in this roundup detail the lives and experiences of five truly remarkable individuals. From mysterious medical conditions and life in cyberspace to culinary adventures and survival against the odds by way of adventuresome history, the stories that they have to tell provide startling insights into the worlds inhabited by other people.

A Thousand Ways to Pay Attention: A Memoir of Coming Home to My Neurodivergent Mind by Rebecca Schiller

When Rebecca Schiller and her family moved to a smallholding in the picturesque English countryside, their new life should have been a dream come true. Unfortunately, however, their attempt at the good life quickly turned into the troubling life as Rebecca’s previously robust health started to break down. She found herself suffering from memory lapses and mood swings, and she also started to frequently experience falls. It was a lot to cope with in the midst of an overwhelming lifestyle change that necessitated a steep learning curve when it came to the difficulties and technicalities of running a small farm. After a succession of medical investigations, Rebecca finally received a very surprising diagnosis: ADHD. The diagnosis caused her to both question her current life and reevaluate her past, a process that placed a serious on Rebecca and her family. In an attempt to cope with her life seemingly spiraling out of control, she sought to distract herself by investigating the history of her new land and the roles of various women in its past. Schiller’s A Thousand Ways to Pay Attention: A Memoir of Coming Home to My Neurodivergent Mind is a moving and insightful account of her journey through the darkness of uncertainly and into the light of acceptance.

Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory, and Family by Madhushree Ghosh

Madhushree Ghosh’s Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory, and Family is a gorgeously illustrated culinary memoir comprised of essays showing the integral role that food plays in history, politics, society, family, and more. In vivid prose, Ghosh examines how immigrant food in general, and South Asian food in particular, has been transported around the world via colonization, migration, and refugee journeys. Through the stories of chefs, home cooks, and street food vendors, she questions what it means to belong and how food histories can be integrated into new locations. On a more personal level, she also elucidates the role that food played during her childhood as the daughter of Indian refugees and then later in her adulthood as an immigrant in the United States. As Ghosh sought to situate herself as an immigrant, a woman of color working in medical science, a woman who escaped an abusive marriage, and a woman of Indian heritage striving to keep her parents’ cultural history alive through her cooking, food seemed to be the one stable and constant presence in her life. Together, the essays in this collection awaken the senses and inspire the mind to consider the vast differences and inequalities that exist globally.

The Earth Is All That Lasts: Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Last Stand of the Great Sioux Nation by Mark Lee Gardner

Celebrated warrior Crazy Horse and revered holy man Sitting Bull are now best known for leading the Lakota to victory against US General Custer’s Seventh Cavalry at Little Big Horn. However, this great triumph has arguably overshadowed all the other details of the two men’s truly remarkable lives, an issue that Mark Lee Gardner has sought to address through years of extensive research and consideration of primary sources that have previously been ignored. Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull both grew up on the High Plains of the American West during a time when herds of buffalo still roamed wild and nomadic Native Americans could move freely across the land. It was also a time when white fur traders and government-backed explorers were increasing seeking access to Sioux lands, closely followed by a host of other settlers aiming to profit from the vast resources of the West. The arrival of these interlopers decimated the buffalo population, spread deadly diseases to the Native Americans, and provoked a series of armed conflicts. Experiences such as these inspired Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the warriors who followed them to achieve victory at Little Big Horn, although their great triumph sadly did not ensure the preservation of their way of life. Gardner’s The Earth Is All That Lasts: Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Last Stand of the Great Sioux Nation is a masterful dual biography of two true legends of the Great Sioux Nation and their pivotal role in the Native American resistance during the closing days of the American Frontier Wars.

Girl Online: A User Manual by Joanna Walsh

As the old adage goes, if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product, and nowhere is that more true than in cyberspace. While the internet offers many benefits, it has also increasingly turned its users into the used, who lack adequate privacy and data protection. This enforced lack of agency is often particularly problematic in the case of young women online, who are encouraged to conform and adopt certain personality traits in order to be accepted. Whether they seek to be vloggers, bloggers, or influencers, young women are forced to sign a Faustian pact—stay young, beautiful, and fit; never let the realities of mundane life intrude; fake it till you make it—to attract and maintain an audience. There’s now growing recognition that the need to keep up appearances in this way can prove highly psychologically damaging, although the practice doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Girl Online: A User Manual is Joanna Walsh’s account of her attempts to negotiate life in cyberspace as a girl, a woman, a mother, a writer, and a person who needs to make their living online. Using a variety of styles ranging from programming language to tweets to a blog, she brilliantly captures the realities and unrealities of online existence.

The Nazis Knew My Name: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Courage in Auschwitz by Maya Lee and Magda Hellinger

The Nazis Knew My Name: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Courage in Auschwitz tells the heart-wrenching tale of Magda Hellinger’s experiences of life in concentration camps during the Holocaust, as related to her daughter and co-author Maya Lee. Magda was deported to Auschwitz from her home in Slovakia in 1942. She would become one of the few people to survive over three years spent in concentration camps. During her time at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Magda was first chosen by the SS to act as a Jewish prison leader and then later appointed a Camp Elder, a senior position that brought her into contact with both her fellow prisoners and high-ranking members of the SS. Where possible, she used this access to perform acts of kindness, bravery, and compassion that helped to keep other prisoners alive despite the awful conditions in which they were being held. Although the roles of people such as Magda during the Holocaust have been largely forgotten, she did write a short memoir chronicling her experiences, which her daughter Maya used as the basis for investigating the situation further. Through additional research and interviews with other concentration camp survivors, Maya is able to demonstrate how Magda’s kindness changed and saved the lives of many.


The Easter Chick

When Hilda realizes the soft voice is coming from inside her egg, the one she’s been nurturing, she’s simply astonished. The unhatched fledgling desperately wants to know when Easter will be, which sends Hilda on a mission of discovery. She’s heard many wonderful things about the holiday and wants more than anything to be born on this special day. The wise old owl reveals the secrets of determining the date on which this sacred celebration will fall, and with patience, Hilda and her unborn chick watch for the signs in the night sky. The following Sunday morning, a delightful surprise cones.

The Easter Chick is a cherishable holiday tale about motherhood, anticipation, and sentimental value. It’s targeted toward children ages five to nine and is ideal for those reading at a second- and third-grade level.

The author and illustrator are a talented European duo who add the qualities of originality and complementary style to the text. The illustrations are detailed and distinctive, marked with contrast and allure. The well-defined ridges in the tree trucks and the barn door, the rough texture of the hen’s fur, these minute nuances bring the story to life.


Behold Our Magical Garden: Poems Fresh from a School Garden

A school garden is a great place to set a picture book. It is something all kids should be able to relate to, and it is rich with material for a writer. This book is a collection of twenty-nine poems that tell little stories about so many different experiences, plants, birds, bugs, and even the weather in a school garden, and how all of those things contribute to the joy and learning students find there.

The poems by Allan Wolf are written in many different forms, all of which are discussed in two pages of back-matter that can be used by parents and teachers to encourage youngsters to try their hand at writing their own fun poems.

The marvelous illustrations by Daniel Duncan fill every page with so many details about each of the poems, and youngsters will be searching the pictures for all those fun details. Readers will never be disappointed. And there is such a refreshing sense of fun in all these illustrations! Imagine how kids will react when they turn to a page with a thundercloud in his underwear. Yeah. These is a real sense of fun on every page.

Don’t miss this book!


The Tex-Mex Table: 60 Knockout Recipes from the Lone Star State

There is something really special about Tex-Mex cuisine. When Mandi Hickman, now a food blogger, found herself in Texas after living in New Jersey, she embraced the Tex-Mex cuisine and made it her own. This book, with sixty recipes, is something of an homage to that cuisine.

With eight sections—Tacos & Tortilla Handhelds, Tex-Mex Heats & Mains, BBQ & Other Lone Star Classics, Oven Meals with Tex-Mex Flair, Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers, Best Salsas & Fixings 101, Seriously Good Sides, and Sugar & Booze: a Southern Sendoff—Hickman has something for everyone. Each recipe has an introductory paragraph, a mouthwatering close-up photo, the number of servings, a good ingredients list, and excellent instructions. Unfortunately, there is not any nutritional information or calorie counts, but everything else is great.

Do not miss the Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Enchiladas. They are delicious! And for small bites, the Mini Jalapeño Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli recipe is perfect. If you need a sweet-stopper for a crowd, nothing will be better than the Cowboy Cookie Skillet. That will satisfy the whole family. This is a fun journey through Tex-Mex cooking, and a beautiful one as well.


Facing the Music: a Broadway memoir

Recent Bio/Memoir

If you are looking to expand your horizons and view life through another lens, these five books will be perfect for you. From experiences of show business to raising a transgender daughter, these books are bound to offer new frames of reference and teach you a few things along the way.

Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life by James Curtis

Buster Keaton was a very small child when he joined his parents in a vaudeville act called “The Three Keatons.” It was a very successful show until its demise, which was brought on by Keaton’s alcoholic father in 1917. Following this, Buster Keaton was recruited to star in a short series of comedies with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, who then propelled him toward writing, directing, and featuring in his own films. Unfortunately, in 1928, Keaton made the mistake of signing a contract with MGM that stripped him of his writing and directing roles, which, alongside his failing marriage, subsequently propelled him into alcoholism. He was fired from MGM in 1933 but continued to work in smaller roles. Luckily, during the 1950s, his films began to gain more traction and his career revived. Culture and film historian James Curtis brings us a moving and relatable account of Keaton’s life, even though it seems so long ago now. Keaton was such a gifted comedian, stunt artist, and filmmaker, and Curtis honors him with this comprehensive biography, vividly evoking the iconic images of Charlie Chaplin’s tramp and Harold Lloyd’s straw boater that Keaton was famous for, especially in his masterpiece The General. Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life is certainly the most thorough and touching biography of Keaton to date.

The Bushman’s Lair: On the Trail of the Fugitive of the Shuswap by Paul McKendrick

In British Columbia during the summer of 2002, a group of houseboaters found the cave hideout of an outlaw known as the Bushman (or John Bjornstrom as he is otherwise known). An exciting discovery, Bjornstrom had previously created an elaborate network of bootcamps after escaping from jail, and he had created quite an intricate base out of the nine-hundred-square-foot space in the cave, which impressed all the people involved with the discovery and led them to believe that there was more to this man than just being a fugitive. In The Bushman’s Lair, McKendrick investigates the reason behind the Bushman’s habitation of the Shuswap Lake cave through interviews by various people involved, an evaluation of RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and court transcripts, perusing declassified US government documents, and his own experiences of Shuswap Lake. The book is an enthralling read that delves into Bjornstrom’s life and shows us how he has become the well-known eccentric and legendary fugitive.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson

At eighteen months old, Cassandra Peterson had an accident with a pot of boiling water that left her with third-degree burns on 35% of her body. Growing up scarred, she very much had to fight to overcome the consequences of such, and seeing herself as a misfit, she developed a passion for the horror genre and its characters. Leaving home at fourteen, she veered into show business, first performing in Las Vegas at seventeen, and encountered big names such as her idol Elvis Presley, who helped her on her way to Italy, where she became the lead singer of a pop group. Following this, Peterson moved to Hollywood, where she worked on a few projects. At age thirty, she became the hostess for late night vintage horror movies, thereby discovering the role she became famous for and making it her own. Yours Cruelly, Elvira is the intimate account of the woman behind Elvira, The Mistress of the Dark, and what a ride she takes you on! Peterson gives an honest and vulnerable account of her upbringing, her marriage problems, and her career highs and lows. Her’s is very much a story featuring shocking trials and tribulations that will keep you reading.

Facing the Music: A Broadway Memoir by David Loud

Musical director and Broadway legend David Loud presents his entertaining and eventful memoir in such an exquisite way that it will take you on an emotional rollercoaster right from the beginning through to the end. It is such a charming story of his life, with accounts of a childhood spent spellbound by the stage and being at odds with his school, which was more focused on farming and outdoor pursuits. Loud vividly reveals the ups and downs of his decades-long Broadway career, describing in detail his journey to the podium. Finally, he presents a lively account of his fight against Parkinson’s disease. In Facing the Music, you will find a larger-than-life celebration of music and a life extremely well spent in the world of Broadway. This is a unique tale and a must read for anyone looking for a gripping biography, especially for theatre fans.

How to Be a Girl: A Mother's Memoir of Raising Her Transgender Daughter by Marlo Mack

Marlo Mack gifts us the courageous story of a mother dealing with her child’s transition from male to female, the struggles that followed, and the deeper bond forged by properly listening to her child. At a very young age, M started insisting on wearing dresses and having long hair. To the close friends and family of Mack, M was just experimenting, as children very often do. That was until a heartbreaking discussion occurred when M turned to Mack in tears and declared that something went wrong in Mack’s tummy that caused her to be born the wrong sex. It was from that moment Mack realized that she needed to listen more closely to M. How to Be a Girl reveals the hard fight a mother had to go through for her child to be heard. Very anxious about the prejudice that will almost certainly dog M’s future, Mack realizes that the problem does not lie with her child but with the world at large. This is a fascinating and illuminating read.


The Nazis Knew My Name: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Courage in Auschwitz


Lower Education

"Based on an amusing and highly engrossing tragicomic tension between the protagonist's desire to do good and people who are not only bent on making this goal nearly impossible but also on making him appear evil. Comedy and tragedy are so intertwined and consistent throughout the book that it's never clear where one ends and the other begins. Swotty has done an excellent job of creating an addictive, hilarious, and stinging tale that captures the ugly truths and ironies that exist in the world's prominent educational system. Full of sharp irony and humor." --Foluso Falaye, Seattle Book Review


Of Good & Evil

Daniel G. Miller delivers a breathtaking sequel to the Tree of Knowledge. Professor Albert has lost his mentor but there's no time to grieve. The stakes are even higher, the enemy is always a step ahead, time is running out, and the world is on fire. A thrilling, mind-blowing page-turner in a compelling series! --Anastasia Gkaitatzi, Manhattan Book Review


Suddenly Retired

"Suddenly Retired is part autobiography and part self-help. This book will guide you in figuring out if retirement is for you in the near future. In the time of Covid, many who were on the cusp have decided to retire early because of the unknown. Author Don Huezeler does a fantastic job of compiling the checklists needed so readers can make an educated decision for themselves." --Kyle Eaton, San Francisco Book Review


Only in New York, Volume 3

"Wildly entertaining, M.G. Crisci does it again in the third volume of his Only in New York series. Looking through the eyes of this New Yorker, the stories are both a mixture of anecdotal stories and some that are for entertainment value only. Readers will laugh at some of the more farfetched tales and have their hearts warmed during the feel-good moments." --Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review


Only in New York, Volume 3

"In the final volume of M.G. Crisci's three volume series, we catch a glimpse of the city of New York from the experience of an inspiring reporter turned author, who sought thrills in different parts of New York and outside the United States. Sit back and enjoy the funny, inspiring, and educative stories that include business engagements in affluent societies, daunting encounters with heavily guarded celebrities, and comical attempts to bargain intelligently and avoid getting swindled abroad. Only in New York, Volume 3 depicts New York as a city of opportunity, excellence, creativity, and true friendship. M.G. Crisci adds a brilliant, riveting book with a feel-good atmosphere to his various literary projects, and I absolutely loved it!" --Foluso Falaye, San Francisco Book Review


Thorn

Nathan West is in a race against time. A ship with a large consignment of illegal narcotics is set to be offloaded in California. The drugs are half of a transaction that will fill the coffers of those engaged in a plot to take out reformist leader Mikhail Gorbachev. West is operating under an alias and operating in an undercover (sub rosa) capacity. He is in communication with his CIA-connected superior Buddy Hayden about the progress of the mission. The operation by the Soviets and their allies has been dubbed “Red Sword.” The counter-offensive to this mission by the US is called “Thorn.”

Hayden has a high-level source in the Soviet government, Colonel Dimitri Petroff. Petroff is on the precipice of self-destruction as a result of his longtime wife’s passing. Petroff has sought solace with the cold comfort of alcohol, his depression and addiction threatening the success of the mission. Petroff is being watched by the coup plotters for signs of disloyalty. The timetable for “Red Sword” is tentative, the plotters want Gorbachev and his reforms to end. The men who have conspired with the Soviets to move the heavy weight of narcotics run the gamut of solid to loose cannons.

The monotony of surveillance weighs on West, but the consequences of mission failure are too grave to ignore. He utilizes his sleuthing skills adeptly and soon locates the boat to be used in ferrying the cache of drugs. He communicates the find to his superiors, but knows they can’t pounce on the traffickers until the right time. The decision to let one load of drugs through leaves West and his men in an ethical quandary, as well as keeping other agencies in the dark. However, the integrity of the mission is vital, as is the future relations of the Americans and Soviets. As the investigation/operation approaches its peak, failure on either side would prove catastrophic. The balance of power in the world may shift dramatically in the wake of these events.

Thorn is the sequel to the riveting thriller Red Sword. The action continues right where its predecessor concluded, with the pieces still being strategically placed by both sides. The reader is gripped with a palpable sense of anticipation as the coup planners push forward with their malevolent machinations, the fervor of the Cold War becoming more pitched with every move made. Author Norman Wood has hit a home run with his continuation of the Red Sword narrative. The dramatic action that fuels this excellent narrative make this a top-notch read that proves impossible to put down.


You're Not the Boss of Me: Discover Your Authentic Self

In You’re Not the Boss of Me: Discover Your Authentic Self, Alma C. Lightbody promises to guide me on the path to finding my inner self. She identifies fourteen bosses that I will have to name, acknowledge, understand, and stand up to before finding freedom from the pressure of living up to their expectations.

These bosses started from the minute I was born and were prevalent in my early childhood development. They influenced me in my schooling and career; they imprinted on who I show up as in my relationships—with friends, family, lovers, and myself. These bosses exist in large part because I am unaware of their control. The first step in taking back my power is to identify who these bosses are and the role they play in my life.

Lightbody offers me her story as a helpful tool to illustrate the way I may understand my soul’s message and find my way back to my authentic self. Lightbody has had some powerful teachers, so much so that she wanted to synthesize her learnings into this book and share it with others. I can tell that Lightbody has much to say and truly believes in her message; I only wish her prose had offered the source materials of these teachings beyond who she learned them from.

As Lightbody’s book is broken down into four chapters, I expected to find a step-by-step guide on how to (1) Create a map of my belief system, (2) Listen to my body, (3) Learn to accept myself, and (4) Be the choreographer of my own life. Readers will enjoy this work if they are interested in the topical understanding of all the bosses that can be reflected upon on their own later.

Readers will also find myriad questions to consider when putting in the work associated with finding their authentic self, although I would have liked more direction along the way. If the work is supposed to be ongoing, then I would have provided the “chart of influencers” at the end of each chapter, not withheld it until the end of the book. That being said, the chart at the back of the book is a nice summary of the obstacles readers must surmount to find their inner self.

Those who have struggled to authentically show up in their lives and are used to wearing a mask around others will find a helpful resource in Lightbody’s book.


You're Not the Boss of Me is a self-help book intended to make the outside influences in your life come to light to allow for an easier shedding and cleansing so you can be the most genuine and unique version of yourself. When you begin to understand and gain clarity concerning people, places, and things that have been silently controlling you, starting the journey toward rediscovering yourself is that much easier and more successful.

Alma C. Lightbody has a wealth of information on the areas of holistic health and shamanic healing, with her last thirty years being focused on energy medicine. She has divided the book into four parts that focus on various areas of one's life. The first part is about an individual's belief systems, which include patterns, imprints, masks, and awareness that may be either subtle or obvious in a person's life. The second part focuses on the human body and how it has a way of "speaking" to us and, if we are aware of what it is saying through its messages, we could forego unneeded pain and turmoil.

Part three focuses on "finding your way home" through acceptance, while part four includes tips and tricks for "being the choreographer of your life." Each part is, to the outside, short and simple, but they all contain much information being taught to the reader as well as real-life experiences shared by the author. The end of the book contains pages for journal notes to record information that can be used at any time you choose.

Lightbody presents genuine care in her writing on a topic that is more important than many people realize. It is a common thing for people to allow their job, race, religion, relationship, etc. to dictate both how they feel, regard, and treat themselves as well as others around them. Lightbody organizes the material in a readable format, with the right amount of information provided in each part.

I got slightly confused when she would reference God but then also talk about chakras and other holistic terms; I found it hard to understand where she was coming from since the two categories don't necessarily go together.

The rest of the book was easy to understand and, even if you don't share the author's views on holistic and shamanic healing, the rest of the information is usable in everyday life for any type of person. The book can be easily read in a day and the information can be recorded for many more days of learning and growing.


Have you ever wondered, Who am I? That's the age-old question that Ms. Lightbody wants to help readers answer. In You're Not The Boss of Me, she lists issues that often influence or control us. For example, our lives and actions are conditioned by those around us, relationships we've had as children with our family, our culture, and our religions. Not all of these influences are necessarily good or bad. She suggests we need to be aware of these control bosses and work through them to learn how they affect us and how we view ourselves. We cannot find our true nature if we are not speaking our own truth, and in order to do that, we need to know what is controlling us. By doing so, we will be more able to live a meaningful life based on the actual wants of our souls or true self.

This is an interesting book with quite a bit of good advice. It made me think a lot about my own life's journey. And it made me wonder, am I the captain of my ship, so to speak, or am I giving others all the power? Or are my thought patterns simply outdated? The list of issues, emotions, and things that one needs to work through to help uncover one's true personality is helpful. Although, I couldn't help but wonder if some of the themes within the book could have been more thoroughly developed. For example, in Parts Four and Five, I expected the author to provide some more concrete tools and examples of how to delve deeper into our self-awareness. I did, however, appreciate her discussion and explanation of the Chakra system. this is something that I hadn't fully understood until now. I also liked that she included enough examples about her own experience without taking away from the fact that she wanted the reader to think of their own life and experiences.

Some of her best advice seems to be that by finding your way home to your soul, you will be able to enjoy the journey of life without being too attached to the outcome. And, when your personality and your soul are aligned, you will be one with the universe. At the end of the book, Ms. Lightbody includes space for readers to work through some of the issues she raises throughout the book. Because as she points out, finding the things that control your life and emotions may take some time to work through.


As someone who enjoys self-help books, I find that many of the books out there regurgitate information from other books I have already read. This is not one of them. Author Alma C. Lightbody does a wonderful job of integrating personal experiences into a book that urges the reader to find her true self. And although this book seems to be geared toward females, there are many activities in the book that would be great for brainstorming for males as well. What I really enjoyed about the book is that it wasn't long and drawn out. There weren't words on the page just so that the author could make a particular word count. Each chapter and each paragraph had meaningful words that the reader could read and think about how those words and thoughts applied to her life.

The book is organized into four parts: Creating a Map of Your Belief System, The Body Speaks, Finding Your Way Home, and Call Off the Search--You Are Already There. The title of the book and its parts are all catchy and easy to remember. Part one explains the patterns, imprints, and masks that we all have integrated into our lives whether we like it or not. Recognizing what has been imprinted on us versus what we have come up with as individuals may be confusing at times, but when you stop and think about the origin of a particular thought or belief, it can really be eye-opening. From the day we are born, our parents imprint their own beliefs on us and this can carry on through many generations. Lightbody explains under the category of "Freedom" that "Freedom exists when you are free of patterns, controls and imprints imposed by others' agendas. It will take awareness, time and acknowledgement to keep bringing you back to your goal of freedom, because imprints are well embedded as unconscious habits." This really struck me as I feel that most people I know just go along with the flow without thinking about what it is that they truly want. It made me want to try harder in my own life to make better decisions for myself.

Being aware of the influences around us and the energy we give (see the chapter on Chakras, it's a good one), is so vital to the success of the human race. You're Not the Boss of Me gives its readers a wonderful plan for happy and fulfilling lives. The tools in this book are valuable and easy to use no matter who you are.


Ed Reynolds, Don Cooper, and Lt. Col. Spencer G. Morgan, along with a few other characters working for military intelligence in Thailand during the Vietnam War, are tasked with finding out what happened to a soldier who died during a parachute accident. Was he connected to a theft at a military warehouse that resulted in some weapons going missing? And what about the CIA agent who died before he could transmit his intelligence report to the CIA? Was that connected to the case as well? Time will tell, but only if things don't go too far awry for this dedicated but mismatched band of soldiers as they try to investigate in Apricot Marmalade and the Edmondson Transmittal.

I was pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed this book. Frankly, it was a delight to read. I found myself chuckling during the Prologue when Cooper had to use his boxer shorts as a flag of surrender, which suggested that there might be more amusing scenes to come. And I wasn't disappointed. The incident with Cooper thinking he had rabies will stay with me for a while. In addition, Bernice gave me a laugh or two, as did Morgan and his "manly" one-upmanship when it came to the affair with Maureen.

The characters in this story were well developed and memorable. The author had a marvelous style of pulling me into the events and scenes. I think this was because his characters were often poking fun at themselves, and he included a lot of good background details that allowed me to get to know their personalities well.

I also liked how the story developed. It started with the parachutist's death and then snowballed into something more complex and exciting. All of this drew me in and made me feel like I was part of the fun. I thought the author did an excellent job of peppering the tale with nostalgia when needed, keeping it firmly set in the past but still somehow fresh and engaging. And he was able to propel the story forward at every point so that I was eager to know what would happen next.

Overall, I enjoyed getting to know these characters, and I hope there will be more to come from this author in the future. However, I do wish that he had included a little more about himself at the end of the book, as getting to know more about an author is always interesting, especially after such a good and satisfying story.


Powerless

Kevin Barton is preparing to bring his daughter and her friend to a track meet when the power goes out. His initial reaction is that the problem is only temporary, however, when neither his car nor his wife’s car will start, the situation becomes more uncertain. Time appears to have stood still as of this moment. The Bartons reside in the town of Harpursville, a small slice of main street Americana in upstate New York. The townspeople are confused about the cause of the blackout and the unknown only becomes scarier as day becomes night.

Kevin maintains an air of positivity as he looks for supplies to shore up his family’s well-being during the outage. He runs across those who look to take advantage of his needs, whether by overcharging him for ice or looking to rob him of his supplies when he attempts to bring his daughter’s friend home. Monica is more inclined to raise a fuss when the going gets tough. She is consumed with fears of supplies running out and her family starving. Monica’s mindset alienates her from her husband and her daughter. Her wandering thoughts also lead her to worry over her daughter’s friend and Kevin’s close relationship.

The spirits of the town are temporarily buoyed as the Army barrels through on their way to larger cities. They leave rations and promise a return. Yet, the town is left rudderless after the death of its political leader. A man named Eli Sobchuk stands up and takes the mantle. Before the blackout, he was a man of middling importance. Eli has a vision of neighbors aiding each other and sharing resources to ensure the survival of the town. Eli also possesses a corrupt mindset that believes that the townspeople should be more than grateful in thanking him. Harpursville is a powder keg waiting to be ignited.

Powerless by Jeff O’ Handley provides a view into how civilization can devolve from bucolic to an inescapable nightmare when chaos reigns and primal urges overtake decency and humanity. The downhill descent into selfishness and paranoia by some is offset by those with an unshakeable faith in their fellow man and woman. The reader will find common ground with either Kevin or Monica Barton in how they adapt to their circumstances. The need to survive has never felt so visceral as each new chapter breaks. Author Jeff O’Handley has written a drama and thriller about the best and worst of human nature when faced with a crisis. O’Handley is a writer of great promise.


Powerless

The rural town of Harpursville experiences an unusual blackout that leaves its residents confused and with several unanswered questions. What is the cause of the blackout? Is the rest of the world affected? Kevin Barton, his family, and his daughter's sixteen-year-old friend Dina are trapped in this confusing development, which is worsened by the dwindling supplies of food and the humans who plot to carry out the worst things they can get away with in a time of crisis. One of these people is a man who gives Kevin a sickening ultimatum regarding Dina. Jeff O'Handley's Powerless is set in a small town plagued by a mysterious blackout, where only the fittest will survive and live to see the next day.

It's easy to get a good idea of what Powerless is about right from the start. I was captivated by the frightening situation of living in an environment devoid of electricity and order. The lovers' squabbles, the sexual tension, and the clashes involving some villainous characters add to the thrill of the novel. Jeff O'Handley proves to be quite a creative writer as his story involves several possible problems and blessings that could arise from such an uncomfortable situation as a mysterious blackout. For example, Kevin observes that the blackout is the reason communication is better within his family; they stop their usual practice of retreating to "different corners of the house, watching TV, burying themselves in books and computers."

I disliked that the story seemed to concentrate on too many irrelevant or uninteresting events. It appeared more focused on the consequences of the blackout than on delivering a captivating plot. Thus, there are considerable number of paragraphs dedicated to some boring things, like looking around a house for food and using coarse leaves as toilet paper. Also, some pages have conversations between several characters and no clear viewpoint. Consequently, it was difficult to keep up with the multiple switches in perspectives.

You should consider reading Powerless if you like how the themes of mistrust, lawlessness, desperation, and scarcity are portrayed in Bird Box and Lord of the Flies, as the book reminds me of those narratives. Stories like Powerless increase our appreciation for the luxuries we take for granted and remind us to reassess the values and goals that matter to us in life. When faced with a crisis, you tend to see the bigger picture.

Despite its shortcomings, it was fun to imagine the chaotic reality of Powerless. It is not just a story, but also a wake-up call to truly live and enjoy the moment, because nothing is promised.


SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop

SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop is a collection of four "dark and satirical" stories woven around Russia. The stories involve several interactions between foreigners and citizens and the perceptions of each about the other. Tsoi Lives—the first story—depicts a high-spirited group and its memorable trip from Japan to Russia, which gets initiated when a diehard fan of Viktor Tsoi’s music suggests it. The second story narrates a male American teacher's violent encounter with a jealous boyfriend in Russia. The main character in Russia Cop is a supernatural policeman, who was conceived "by Russian Soul" and does not require sleep nor sustenance. The last story is about some Americans who pretend to be Australians in Russia and face some daunting challenges as a result. Each story is infused with great humor and jaw-dropping surprises that guarantee numerous belly laughs and an addictive read.

What did I just read? Just when I thought the stories couldn't get any more outrageous and hilarious, they did. I'm talking about wild ideas—like a substance designed to stop women from defecating, a policeman with supernatural strength, and a popcorn belt. Whatever I predicted as the endings in the stories were completely far from how they actually ended. SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop provides a great deal of information about Russia and the reality of living in the country from the perspectives of American characters, albeit obviously comical. For example, an American character observes that the Russian gnat is "more aggressive and bloodthirsty than their American counterparts."

"Russia Cop" is definitely my favorite narrative. It was quite entertaining to read about the inhuman strength of the main character and the chaos that erupts around him everywhere he goes, like when he breaks two of a perpetrator's arms before handcuffing him; such startling and comical developments, which the book abounds of, remind me of television series like Angie Tribeca and Murderville.

I strongly recommend SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop to readers who fancy an unapologetically frank satire of Russian culture and politics. It's the sort of book that is best read with an open mind, and if you're someone who laughs at serious issues—like war, prejudice, and dictatorship—you will find yourself doing just that throughout the time you spend reading the book. Readers who enjoy entertaining stories with complex characters and an intriguing plot will also appreciate the book.

When it comes to satirical books about Russia, it can't get any more humorous and frank than SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop. I assume it would be accepted as a masterpiece for generations to come, and I'm glad to be one of its earliest readers.


Eternal Questions: A Maybe Interesting List by Iwanna Twainbee had me questioning things I had never even considered. The book is made up entirely of questions, from simple, surface-level topics, to deep thought-provoking queries. The novel states at the beginning to “Discuss with friends and loved ones!” as well as to “Resist Google!” and I could not agree more. This book would be very enjoyable to peruse with a partner, as any question you pick would be a great conversation starter.

As stated previously, this book is composed of many light questions, which can provoke an enjoyable conversation between you and a companion, or just as personal food for thought. One of my favorite questions of these was, “What percentage of us, in all honesty, prefers a plate of quinoa over a plate of buttery mashed potatoes?” I love Twainbee’s creativity and spunk with questions like these, as you can see her personality come to life. Another one of the lighter questions I enjoyed asked, “Would incessant petting make a dog bored?” As the owner of a very energetic golden retriever, I think the answer would be yes!

However, this book does contain a large number of deeper questions, which would work as great prompts to start a more serious conversation with a partner. These questions touch on a wide variety of topics, from religion, politics, history, human behavior, life’s purpose, and so much more. One of my favorites of these questions was, “How much weight should we give tradition?” In a society where technology has taken over within the past decade, I think this question is very relevant and necessary. Another question I liked asked, “How do we know whether and if so when to forgive a friend or loved one who has betrayed us?” Truly a timeless dilemma, this question poses relevance to all readers and could be the starter of a fruitful conversation.

Although I found a good amount of Twainbee’s questions to be insightful or humorous, I thought some of the questions were not necessarily debatable. I would have preferred a shorter novel with all questions of the best quality. I also really wish the book had been organized into categories. For example, it would have been nice to have a chapter of just questions on specifically politics, another on religion, another with animal questions, etc. As a reader, I think it can be challenging to mentally shift gears, switching from topic to topic so rapidly; I would have preferred a more concise organization.


Eternal Questions: A Maybe Interesting List explores human behavior and some philosophical ideas through various profound questions and observations. With an infectious sense of humor and a keen eye for highlighting interesting paradoxes, Iwanna Twainbee takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and unlearning. The book explores several diverse themes, including religion, natural law, suicide, relationships, science, enlightenment, racism, capitalism, poverty, war, and more. Is the meaning of life determined personally? Does the benefit of becoming learned justify its cost? How do we determine what is wrong or right? If you've ever had similar questions to these, you will appreciate the collection of questions in the book.

Only a deeply introspective mind could have contemplated and compiled the ingenious, eye-opening questions in Eternal Questions: A Maybe Interesting List. As a fan of exceptional works, I appreciated the uniqueness of the book and how it says a lot with only a few words. It's not the type of book that you would enjoy reading in one sitting, as every sentence requires further contemplation to fully access its cognitive and life-changing benefits.

While reading the book, I acknowledged to myself, in several parts, that I had never reasoned a certain perspective as I saw it in the book. For example, a question is raised about balancing "egoism’s urge to withdraw from society with, if effected, the resulting loss to society." I felt the question is related to the increasing difficulty of finding people to physically socialize with in our egocentric, social-media-focused age. I was blown away by the question, "Are free will and free bread mutually exclusive?" It brought my attention to the idea of freedom in a capitalist system.

I liked that the book also contains quotes and ideas from different individuals and philosophers throughout history, such as Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay, Michel de Montaigne, and Aristotle. I strongly recommend the book to philosophy enthusiasts and readers who love to ask questions about life and the values they choose to prioritize. Some questions from the book examine modern problems, like posting travel pictures on social media to appear "cool"; others explore elements that have probably existed since the appearance of the first sentient humans, like love and poverty. Though some ideas are particular to women's experiences, the book can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their gender.

Iwanna Twainbee did a fantastic job with her book. It's one of the most mentally engaging philosophical books I've read, and I've read several. The world certainly needs more books that teach the value of questioning things and figuring out one's truth, like Eternal Questions: A Maybe Interesting List.


Asgard Park: The Summer of 1991

Recent widow Shequere Avxhiu is finding life in Tirana extremely difficult. The fall of communism in Albania should have launched the country into a new age of prosperity, but instead it seems to have exacerbated the crime and corruption that characterized the old regime. Things are particularly difficult for women, especially those whose families lack connections, which is why Shequere’s best friend Rakipe has turned to prostitution. She works out of the Hotel Dajti, which is popular with visiting foreigners, and thinks that Shequere should follow her example. However, the only work Shequere is willing to do with foreigners is translation, and even that ends up landing her in a whole heap of trouble.

Meanwhile, Birger Wallenberg is traveling from Stockholm to New York to begin his new role as Director of the Asgard Park Institute, a private asylum and treatment center for the criminally insane. During the plane journey, he has a vivid dream about a woman and her young daughter being beaten by thugs, and when he finally arrives at the institute, he finds that the dream might have a basis in reality. It’s just the first of many shocks that are in store for him, particularly when it comes to the identity and mission of the institute’s founder, Doctor Karl Leamas.

For his part, Burton Crane, former NSA and MI6 agent and current NATO intelligence liaison officer, is hoping to quickly take down the German biker gang suspected of arms smuggling that he has spent months gathering intel on and make it back to London and his wife without too much delay. Of course, such things never go smoothly, especially not in the recently reunified Germany, and Crane soon comes to suspect that the whole sting operation is a set-up. Against his better judgment, he decides to unofficially investigate the matter further, which draws him into the orbit of powerful individuals and has the potential to expose a vast conspiracy stretching back across the centuries.

Although they are largely unaware of it, the fates of these three disparate individuals are being controlled by a powerful entity with an earth-shattering agenda, and when destiny compels the three to meet during the course of Asgard Park: The Summer of 1991, the consequences will be staggering, both for themselves and for humanity. In crafting their complex and interweaving stories, Ronald Simonar has drawn heavily on Norse mythology, particularly that concerning Heimdallr, the watchman of the gods, so much so in fact that a little prior knowledge in this regard might prove helpful. But even if the references initially seem opaque, things concerning the watchman do become clearer as the novel progresses.

Simonar has made an interestingly structural choice with Asgard Park, introducing the three main characters separately in the first three books of the novel before bringing them together in the fourth. While this allows tension to mount in the story and questions to develop regarding how everything will come together, it does lead to some degree of repetition and the need to remember certain things and characters that were not introduced as having importance. The main characters themselves are generally well developed and convincing, particularly Shequere and Crane, and overall Asgard Park is an exciting thriller punctuated with conspiracies, violence, otherworldliness, and even a hint of romance.


Little Owl Rescue (Little Animal Rescue)

I love these books because they are shorter chapter books and I can finish them in just a day or two. I love birds, so I knew I would enjoy this one! Right away, I knew I would be interested in this book because I have a friend whom I have been friends with since I was a toddler.

I got a little scared when the fog came in. I could close my eyes and feel like I was in Callie’s place. When Cookie was learning to fly, I felt like I was right in the book. I think the author did a great job describing all of the parts of the book. It kept me on the edge of my seat! Oh, I wish I could have an adventure like Callie! I don’t know if her adventure was real or not, but I will believe it was!

The pencil drawings are some of my favorite I have seen in a long time. They are so detailed and I kept getting lost in all the details of them. I love all the books in this series and I think the whole series would be AWESOME to get as a gift!


Building Our Main Street

Nicole wonders why she doesn’t get to see her grandmother anymore. Her mind is filled with more memories of her than her heart can hold. Her mom explains Grandma “took a trip down her Main Street,” and says it’s a special place for those whose lives on earth have “come to an end.” Grandma’s Main Street is like a walk down Memory Lane, sipping root beer floats at the ice cream shop and purchasing her granddaughter’s first dress at the Boutique. Nicole is mystified, realizing someday she’ll have her own Main Street where she’ll be greeted with open arms by those she’s loved and lost.

This is a gorgeously crafted book. It illuminates the concept of life after death in a way young children will understand. Main Street is analogous to heaven, and being able to visualize it enables Nicole to cope with the passing of her grandmother.

Many pieces of children’s literature touch on the loss of loved ones and youths’ response to it, but there are few notable works centered on the afterlife. That makes this story particularly unique and valuable. Ideal for those ages five to nine, it’ll provide them with a sense of comfort and certainty about the future.


The Shelter Puppy (Pet Rescue Adventures)

I was excited to get this book because I love visiting animal shelters. I have read some of these books in the past and was excited to get a new book in the series.

I would recommend this book for a younger selection of readers. I thought this book was lower than what I am reading now. It was an easy read, but I think it would be best read by a seven to nine year old, someone who is just learning to love chapter books. The font is larger than most books I read now and I think that helps move the story along. The illustrations were great, they broke up the words on the page.

My little sister loved this book when I read parts of it out loud to her. She loved the characters and even after we were done reading the book she asked about them. I think the author did a great job bringing them to life!

I thought the cat scenes at the beginning were super cute and they inspired me to draw a picture of them. I was very happy to read the ending!


Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Not all children are raised by a mom and a dad; families can come in many different forms. Mama, Mommy, and Me in the Middle is a beautiful story that celebrates diversity and normalizes same-sex parenting. Mommy, an African-American working woman with a fierce hairdo has to leave for a week to go on a work trip. Mama, a hip purple-haired woman with colorful tattoos takes care of their daughter while she is gone. The daughter speaks openly about how sad and lonely she feels when one of her mothers leaves. She expresses her emotions in several different ways; by crying, accepting hugs, talking to her peers, creating art, and using descriptive language to explain her feelings.

The illustrator indirectly provides information by planting visual cues that can serve as a learning opportunity. The nameless main character and her Mommy have discoloration on their skin and hair; a condition known as vitiligo. The peers in her classroom are composed of children with different ethnic backgrounds and even some struggling with disabilities. Even though these visual representations are not discussed in the story, they serve as an excellent conversation starter to talk about diversity and inclusivity with young readers.


A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice9780316287159

There are many tellings and retellings of the story of the Titanic, a ship that has become more than just a historical event and perhaps more even than just a tragedy. There are far fewer stories about the Carpathia, however, a ship just as important to the tale, if not more so. Rebecca Connolly has made one small step toward bridging that divide.

Beyond the fact that the story covers less familiar ground, however, it doesn’t feel particularly new. Captain Arthur Rostron of the Carpathia is precisely the good captain one might expect of a man who would divert his ship to save hundreds, and Kate Connolly and the other passengers aboard the Titanic are the tragedies we know they will become. Most of them, including Kate, receive little characterization, which is a shame. In a story where most, if not all, readers can anticipate the ending, the main thing that matters is the characters moving toward that end.

It’s an interesting story, and the lifeboat chapters are powerfully bleak. Those two things kept it from being only two stars, and very nearly made it four.


The Adventurists: and Other Stories

The Adventurists and Other Stories by Richard Butner is a gorgeously mesmerizing compilation of short science fiction and fantasy stories that contain and reflect back the entire spectrum of human emotions, sometimes from one extreme to the other, without leaving the reader with that nagging sense of psychological whiplash that so often accompanies similar compilations in the genre.

Butner creates immersive tales with beautifully descriptive detail and an almost dream-like sense of fantastical logic where the limitations of reality simply cease to exist for the duration of one story, only to have those same limitations flipped completely on their head for the next. If you enjoy short stories by the likes of fantasy author Neil Gaiman or science fiction giant Ray Bradbury, then you’ll love this collection.

Whether you like stories about lost friends reunited, unrequited love, second chances, or the transformative power of both grief and hope, there’s something here for you. Mostly surreal and often touching, these stories make wonderful and quick reads for late-night dreamers and back-seat readers on their way to destinations unknown.


I'll Go and Come Back

When Jyoti travels halfway across the world to visit her grandmother and other relatives, she feels alone and disparaged at how different India is from home. Sati Pati tries to communicate with her, though she knows little of her grandmother’s native tongue. They try out one another’s language and somehow find their way. From Sati Pati, Jyoti learns how to create beautiful rangolis. They munch on fresh chapatis and enjoy milk laced with saffron after exploring the local market. When it’s time to leave, Jyoti isn’t ready. She remembers, though, that in India they say, “I’ll go and come back,” instead of “goodbye".

This story is culturally rich and eloquently written. The text is sprinkled lightly throughout, making it ideal for young children who wish to read it on their own. They’ll be enticed by the vibrantly-hued illustrations that, through their fine detail, offer a kaleidoscopic view into life in this fascinating land.

Departing from loved ones can be especially difficult for youth. This thoughtful tale is perfect for those ages five to nine. It’ll lend them a new perspective on an age-old problem and will resonate in their hearts, hopefully drying a few tears before they even fall.


Crab and Snail: The Invisible Whale (Crab and Snail, 1)

It’s a wet and rainy day on the beach, but it turns out that Crab and Snail are the only ones being rained on. In one day, Crab and Snail have gotten wet, seen a rainbow, heard beautiful music, and made a new friend. The name of their new friend is Isabel. Isabel is a whale. However, Isabel isn’t like other whales in the ocean because Isabel is an invisible whale!

I loved this book very much and found it cute and funny. I also enjoyed the art. Since I love snails so much, my favorite character is Salty Snail. My favorite part was when Crab counted raindrops to the number 44,983 to be specific. I liked that part because it was really funny in my opinion, maybe that’s because if I did that, I would get really tired of just counting raindrops. In the book, there are two barnacles who are nicknamed the Barnacle Brothers, but their names are Grip and Drip. I think those are silly names.

I recommend this book to people who like whales, crabs, snails, and very funny stories.


My Big Book of Outdoors

This book has everything you can think of in it. My Big Book of Outdoors has a picture and a poem or other information about all kinds of things in nature, from the types of clouds to plants and animals. There are also ideas for fun activities. Some of them you will have done before, but some are ideas that might be new to you.

It is a good book to open up about whatever you’re doing for nature study and leave it open on your nature table. It's too big to read all at once, probably. Some of the pages are short and some have tons of information. The pictures are awesome and make you want to draw like that.

Kids who like playing outside in nature should read this, and everybody should be playing outside. If you like other books by Tim Hopgood, this one is way bigger and so good.


This Is a School

A school is not just a building. A school is a community. It is teachers and librarians and custodians and secretaries and principals and, of course, students, and plenty of them. It is a place for kids to learn to read, to learn to do arithmetic, and to learn to write, but it’s also a place for kids to learn to communicate and collaborate and cooperate and create. They learn to build a garden and plant and care for vegetables they can share and eat. They learn to help others and accept help from those around them. They learn to build and live in a community with people from many cultures and to share in those cultures. This is a school.

Author John Schu has written a sweet book that will help youngsters become excited about the experiences they will have when they start school or at the beginning of a new school year. The writing is spare, lyrical, and tells a fun story. The bright, colorful illustrations by Veronica Miller Jamison fill every page with lots and lots of fun details that will keep little listeners engaged and excited. This is a great way to start the school year.


Gaudi - Architect of Imagination

I really wanted to like Gaudi - Architect of Imagination but I just didn’t. It’s kind of a jumbled story, I guess like his architecture. The pictures are colorful and creative but they’re confusing. Usually, paintings or drawings add a lot to a book, but Gaudi’s designs sound so crazy that it really would have been more interesting to see photographs of them in the book instead of having to look them up somewhere else out of curiosity later. The story is a little vague, maybe because it has to get edited for a younger audience? He is a really interesting person it sounds like. If you like art or architecture or design, Gaudi is probably someone you should learn about, but you may not want to read through this more than once or twice. The printed book itself is of good quality.


You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays

You Don’t Know Us Negros and Other Essays by Zora Neale Hurston is a must read, even though the collection is daunting. At four hundred pages, with an additional fifty pages of notes, the book isn’t attempting to be easily digestible in size or scope. Split into five sections, some essays read very quickly.

Those in Part One: On the Folk and Part Five: The Trial of Ruby McCollum have the same snap and speed as Hurston’s fiction. The other three sections—On Art and Such; On Race and Gender; On Politics—are headier works and reveal an observant and critical mind at work at the turn of the Harlem Renaissance that has not been given the credit she is due. Hurston should be lauded in the same way as Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, but she often isn’t.

One of the shortest essays in the book, “The Ten Commandments of Charm,” speaks to this double standard though the use of a biblical vernacular that bites as often as it hits home. As Hurston writes, “Whatsoever thou doest, forget not that femininity.” The statement is delivered tongue-in-cheek, but the implication of the need to never step beyond traditional gender roles is all too real.

Those who teach read and teach Hurston will likely fall in love with this book, as I did, but even if you’ve never encountered her, You Don’t Know Us Negroes is an important read that chronicles a time and place in America that is most often viewed through the white, male lens. Thank heavens Hurston gives us another perspective.


Little Bunny's Sleepless Night

Sweet little Bunny is an only bunny without any brothers or sisters. He is lonely. He wishes he had some brothers and sisters to have a sleepover with. However, Bunny has an idea, maybe he could sleep at his animal friends’ houses and have some fun?

However, once he is snuggled up and ready to go to sleep, he finds that his friends sleep much differently than he does and is immediately disturbed. For instance, his friend Owl doesn't sleep at all at night. Bunny is so tired from not being able to sleep at his friends' houses that he decides maybe his own bed is best.

I really liked the adorable illustrations of all the animals. I especially liked how the author highlights each animal's trait, which makes them unique, which is why Bunny can't sleep at their houses.


French Braid: A novel

Alice, Lily, and David Garrett grow up as most siblings do, often squabbling and competing but also commiserating about their parents, Mercy and Robin. When they reach adulthood, however, they and their parents find themselves at a distance from one another--not exactly not speaking, but no longer on familiar terms. Alice, the solid, reliable sister, never accepts Lily’s spontaneous, provocative lifestyle; Mercy, once her nest is empty, prioritizes her painting and never speaks openly about the new life she’s building apart from Robin; and David, never one to keep in touch, all but disappears as he builds a family of his own. Years go by; eventually, Alice, Lily, and David’s own children won’t even reliably recognize one another in a train station.

What leads the Garrett family to grow apart? What did Mercy and Robin do to create a culture of silence and mystery within relationships that should be intimate? Tyler examines pivotal moments in the Garrett family across more than fifty years, teasing out the quiet rifts and disappointments whose impact intensifies as time goes on. Culminating in the present day, when the pandemic lockdown echoes literally the isolation the Garretts have always felt, French Braid explores the power of things unsaid--and the simultaneous strength and precariousness of familial foundations.


After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul

Apple, Inc. evolved as a business between its founding as a computer company in 1976 through its overall corporate dominance in the present day. The success of the company owed much to the charisma and imagination of its co-founder Steve Jobs. Jobs led the company to stratospheric heights in business and the cultural zeitgeist in its early days, he made an even bigger splash when he was re-hired after a decade-long rift with the company. The success of Apple wasn’t solely due to Jobs, but his hiring of excellent talents such as Tim Cook and Jonny Ive. Jobs sought an enduring legacy of success after he was gone. Ive would design devices with lasting impact, while Cook would stress efficiency in moving the products. The profits would soar, but as it did, Apple would come in for scrutiny by consumers and the government.

After Steve relates the harrowing ebb and flow of fortune that affected Apple in the wake of the loss of Steve Jobs in 2011. Author Tripp Mickle has penned more than a Business or Technology book, but a drama about the battle for the essence of one of the quintessential 20th-century companies. A book that the reader won’t want to relinquish.


He Leads: Mountain Gorilla, the Gentle Giant is an okay book. It is interesting to learn about gorillas and the pictures are really nice, but the way the big text and the little text flow is super awkward. Sometimes the big text is in the middle of a sentence that goes on to the next page, but you’re trying to read the little text and so you have to flip back to remember what was being said before.

Sometimes this kind of thing works well for books, with extra facts being smaller, but the way it was done here does not work very well. It almost reads like a story, but mostly it’s just a collection of facts that kind of go in chronological order. The pictures are the best part of the book.


Ima Koi: Now I'm in Love, Vol. 1 (1)

Doe-eyed Satomi Mizusawa decides to confess her feelings to her hunky new high-school crush, Kazuma Yagyu, after he saves her from being groped on the subway. He agrees to date her since she seems interesting. Inexperienced Mizusawa doesn’t know how to act or what to say to Yagyu. Can Mizusawa achieve her dream of finally having a boyfriend?

The art is very cute, especially when Mizusawa is very expressive and makes funny, silly, and dramatic faces. I didn’t particularly like the side profile illustrations of Mizusawa and Yagyu though. Their side profiles didn’t look like their cute manga selves.

Of the main characters, I found Mizusawa annoying and Yagyu expressionless. She seems so annoying and stalkery and obsessed with getting a boyfriend. He is so boring. I don’t understand his appeal at all. He is supposed to be the brooding hunk, but I didn’t feel it when I was reading the story.

Their love story, at least in Now I’m in Love, is very tiresome and unoriginal. However, I would be interested to see where their love story goes in alter volumes. Unfortunately, this volume wasn’t a hit with me, but it may be a hit for other Shojo manga aficionados.


Adventure Ready: A Hiker’s Guide to Planning, Training, and Resiliency

The outdoors isn't for everyone, but when someone is prepared, their chance of success increases dramatically. Katie Gerber and Heather Anderson want to make us Adventure Ready by providing their readers with A Hiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resiliency while out in the wild solo or with a group. The authors have the credentials to back up the advice they share, and they wish for new adventurers to save time, money, and mistakes as well as begin their journey with information pertaining to nutrition and personal training.

Within the pages lie charts, pictures, and an organized format to ensure success with understanding the material presented and applying it in the wild. The chapters cover topics such as planning your backpacking trip, selecting your gear, being aware of safety in the wild, navigation and route preparedness, getting in shape physically and mentally, nutrition and meal planning, along with reintegration.

If someone were to think about camping, they might not think much of it besides needing a tent and a sleeping bag, but Gerber and Anderson show us that there is quite a bit more to this adventure than meets the eye and you'll be more than prepared after reading Adventure Ready!


The Crimson Thread

When I first picked up this book, I thought I knew exactly what to expect. There are so many World War II books about fiery women resisting the Nazis and the soldiers they fall for that I expected this to be another of the same: enjoyable, but eventually forgettable.

I was surprised and delighted to find I was wrong. For one thing, The Crimson Thread is steeped in Cretan myth, not only the story of Ariadne and the labyrinth, but also everyday culture and folk beliefs. This brought it to life in a way other books can only dream of. In addition, the story started well before the protagonists found themselves in the midst of their troubles. We get to see them grow and reach the pinnacles of their journeys, rather than starting with them halfway there.

Best of all, partway through the book I realized I didn’t know what would happen. I could guess at the main structure of the story, but the details I thought were obvious soon became a mystery. I heartily enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.


Hans Millerman

Hans Millerman is a story that starts off kind of sad because a man is very lonely. He is so lonely, in fact, that he decides to leave his home and go looking for somebody to be his friend or maybe a wife, it’s hard to tell. He goes through different parts of the countryside searching here and there. All of the landscapes are so beautiful you just want to jump right into the pictures with him. You get to see lots of things on the way. The story is long but really good. It’s probably better for older kids because it’s so long for this type of book, but everybody will like the pictures, and they may even make you want to try to draw like them.


Little Polar Bear Take Me Home (Little Polar Bear (Hardcover))

Little Polar Bear Take Me Home is the story of a little polar bear named Lars who lives in the Arctic but gets bored just watching the waves go by. Lars hears a voice and finds a little tiger named Sasha in a train car! Sasha tells Lars that he wanted to see the ocean but got lost and now doesn't know how to get back home. Lars is always a friend and tries to help Sasha get back to his home. Lars and Sasha work together when they're happy and sad and need the help of others along the way to find their way back to each of their homes.

I haven't read too many of the Little Polar Bear books, but from the ones I have read, this is my favorite so far. I like that the two animals worked together and got along. I thought that part of the story was similar to another Little Polar Bear book but still different overall. The pictures are colorful and show what is happening. I liked this book and think that other kids my age will like it too because it is about friendship and being nice to people you just met.


Little Polar Bear and the Brave Little Hare is the story of a little polar bear named Lars who lives in the Arctic. Lars likes to play in the snow. One day, he hears an animal whimpering in a hole—he finds his new friend Hugo the hare. Hugo is more afraid of things than Lars, but will still follow him around. Lars shows him where the humans work, but more importantly, where there's food to find! Lars becomes too curious and ends up inside the building, so it's up to Hugo to save Lars, even though he's scared!

I liked this book because it's about friendship, coming up with how to fix problems, being brave, and being nice to people you just met. The story is similar to another Little Polar Bear book I read, but overall it was different. The pictures are pretty to look at and help tell the story. I think that kids my age and younger will like the book because of all of the good things in it!


A Tale of Two Brothers

Morris is kind and thoughtful, even looking out for ants along a path. Boris is spiteful and selfish, so it’s hardly confounding when he refuses to fix the roof. Morris climbs the lofty hill, deciding to do it on his own. He stops every now and then to speak to the creatures of the Earth. The forest witch vows to give him something he’ll always remember. When he returns, his brother notices his back is upright; his hump is gone. So, Boris sets off, retracing Morris’s steps, hoping for the same good fate. When he returns, his is exponentially larger. From this, he learns a difficult lesson and vows to change.

This story is derived from Swiss-Italian folklore and parallels American fables and fairytales that emphasize the importance of personal character and the outcomes associated with it. Children will find this ancient tale relatable and will recall people in their lives who resemble the siblings.

The illustrations are intricately detailed, appearing in black and white with periodic profusions of color. Mysterious eyes are illusively hidden throughout the spreads, providing youth with a challenging opportunity to search for them. Those ages five to ten will most enjoy this timeless narrative.


Gardens Are for Growing

Gardens are for growing is a cute book. Gardens aren't the only things that grow throughout the years. This book shows how a father and daughter work in the garden every year. It also shows how the daughter grows up and eventually moves out to have her own family. What's even better is when the daughter comes back with her family her dad is able to start growing the garden with his grandchild.

This is a really sweet book. I think it will be fun to read to my sister as she grows up. The illustrations are vivid and colorful, just as one would hope their garden would be after putting so much work into it. Gardens are for growing is a good book for families who like to spend time together in the garden.


Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Vol. 2: Deserted Island Diary (2)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Deserted Island Diary is an adorable childrens' graphic novel by Kokonasu Rumba. It is book two in the series which was created using characters from the popular video game Animal Crossing. Coroyuki is the leader of the gang in this book and the characters go on all sorts of adventures and assignments much like in the video game. The artwork is adorable and happy. Elementary school-aged children will absolutely love this book. From going fishing to upgrading an island to building a turnip business that makes a gazillion dollars, this book has a fun plot that moves along from island to island. I remember my son playing Animal Crossing as a young child and one of the characters in this book, Tom Nook, a raccoon, I remember in particular. In the game, the characters would make funny little sounds when they were talking and for those readers who know the game, even when reading the dialogue in this book, it would be easy to hear those funny little sounds at the same time. Animal Crossing is a nostalgic game for adults in their twenties and books like this bring the game back to life for young children.


Katie the Catsitter Book 2: Best Friends for Never

Summer’s almost over and Katie is happy that she’s got some new friends, but now that school’s starting, everything’s changing. Katie’s best friend now has a boyfriend, and worst of all, all her friends hate the Mousetress for something she didn’t do. How will Katie fix this? With the help of two hundred and seventeen seriously intelligent cats, can she find out who the true imposter is, and most importantly, reveal the truth about her to all her friends?

I loved this book so much! It’s a great sequel and it’s just as good as the first book. The idea of so many cats with different professions, such as candle-making and painting, is hilarious! The art and colors are cute and vibrant. The story is not a slow read and has a good amount of mystery and drama, but in a fun way. My favorite character is Katie, because she has a good personality and she loves cats like me. My favorite cat is Jolie, who loves online gaming and hacking computers.

I strongly recommend this sequel to Katie the Catsitter to cat lovers as well as fans of Roller Girl and other graphic novels.


Keys to an Empty House

Keys to an Empty House is a beautifully written book about a man named Elihu Goulding, a once-famous author, who is now in his sixties and has decided to buy a house in New York City to rest his weary legs. Elihu, or Eli, is an introvert and is quite detail-oriented as the reader follows him from his new doorstep past the lion door knocker and into each room of his new house where he streams Handel day and night. I especially loved this part of the book as it captured both visual and audio settings and encapsulates the reader into Eli's world. Eli also frequents strategic restaurants and cafes as he does not want to be recognized as the author Elihu Goulding. He just wants to be left alone. The author writes Eli's internal dialogue so precisely that we know what he is thinking however minuscule the task is.

Elihu Goulding has had two best sellers, Wandering Youth and For My Betters. Both books, although categorized as fiction, had main characters who were based very much on the experiences of a young Eli. After his third book, The Accidental Immigrants flops, Eli decides he will not write again. He will read. But he will not write.

Eli ponders on about his past endeavors, past lovers, including a man named Bart. One day, while he is in the shower, his doorbell rings. "He decides to assume that whoever is buzzing and knocking repeatedly will eventually realize he or she has come to the wrong house and go away." How would Eli have ever guessed that it would be the son he had conceived with University of Chicago graduate student Emily almost twenty-two years ago? Eli finds himself becoming a father to Ethan although he has never met the boy and really doesn't know how to be a father. Emily has sent pictures over the years, sure, but this young man who is now staying with him is both perplexing and intriguing to Eli. He lets his natural instincts kick in, careful not to overstep any boundaries. As Ethan's ghosts come to light, Eli learns that not having a father has really affected Ethan.

Keys to an Empty House seems like a simple story about a neurotic, introvert, however, the deeper underlying story tells about how he and the other characters show love for one another. I absolutely loved the part where Emily comes to visit after Ethan has already been staying with Eli for several months. It felt as if time had not passed at all. I felt such a wonderful connection between Eli and Emily after all the years that had gone by. Author David Finkle has written a masterpiece that digs deep into the feelings, emotions, and quirks of human beings. Heartwarming, poignant, and realistic, Keys to an Empty House is a brilliant read.